The next morning I awoke full of vigor. Those Shadow Beasts would pay for what they had done. I went back to the inn with Aeolith in tow and had her wait outside. The townspeople had become accustomed to her being there and gave her friendly greetings or sorrowful condolences as they went past. I went inside and headed straight for the showers that they had there for us to use with our rooms. Patsy stepped in front of me as I was walking and I looked up at her with more anger than I should have. She flinched slightly at seeing my face and looked deep into my eyes for a moment then drew herself up to her full height and spoke.
"Callan, are ye doing ok?"
"Not really Patsy, but I will be doing better once I get cleaned up, head out, and murder some more Shadow Beasts for what they did."
A sad expression came over Paty's face at this proclamation.
"I know that has to be done lad, but can ye wait a bit longer? We just laid poor Al'Doran to rest yesterday."
"I can, but I won't. You do realize that the reason he's dead, that all of those villagers are dead is because we didn't get there to kill the Shadow Beasts? There was an entire village that we found where everyone was dead because we went somewhere else first. One person Patsy, ONE PERSON was left alive in that town and only by pure luck. And now Al'Doran is dead too. Those sons of bitches are going to pay for what they have done. I will find them, I will bring them into the light, and I will kill every last one of them myself."
Patsy looked sorrowful at me, pity filling her gaze.
"Oh Callan, I know yer filled with rage right now at what happened, but ye cannot just go out there rampaging about ready to kill anything that yer hatred falls on. It darkens yer soul when ye do that. We need ye to be the light for us, now more than ever."
I paused. The conviction she felt and the words she said halted me even in the fog of my rage. Al'Doran had wanted me to be that light and hope, to the point he gave me the title of Estel or Hope. Then I remembered Al'Doran dying right in front of me and there being nothing I could do. He was taken from me. My anger burned away any feelings I had besides hate.
"I'm sorry Patsy. But I have to. I'm too damn tired of people dying because I didn't destroy the shadows." I said, and I pushed past her to go get cleaned up.
I knocked on the door where the others were and I opened it without waiting for an answer.
"Get up. Get ready. We are going to see the mayor to find out where our next target is. If she doesn't have one we will go to Herferton to talk to Archibold. He will have somewhere for us to go. It's time to hunt shadows."
Rutherford rolled over sleepily and looked at me.
"Are you sure that's a wise decision, Callan?"
"Yes. Too many people are dying because of them and it's time to stop it. I'm going to wash up. You have an hour to get ready and meet me outside or I leave without you. I want my team with me, but I will go without you if I have to."
"No, Callan," Tristan said, standing up and coming over to me. "We will go with you. We swore to stand with you. You are the last hope and we will fight with you."
I nodded curtly to him and turned around and walked away to the washroom. I washed off and got myself clean in a bath and then cleaned my armor off too after being out in the rain and dirt yesterday. When it was all clean I put it back on and went to wait outside. I found all three of my companions waiting with Aeolith for me. Vokin walked forward toward me.
"Are ye sure this is the right call, Callan? We talked about it and we will go with ye, but we want to be sure ye've thought this out."
"I have. I am positive that this is the right decision. They are going to pay for what they've done. If we don't pull out this weed by the root, it will continue to spread. We have to stop this plague while we still can. The more we can kill one at a time the fewer we will have to face when they eventually come for us, because eventually, they will come for us. Would you rather sit back and wait for that or would you rather pick off as many as you could before that eventuality?"
None of them said anything. The logic was sound. I know it was a crazy plan, but I'd rather not fight a thousand when I could kill some and fight only five hundred at a time. Hell, I'd rather fight nine hundred at a time than a thousand. Plus each one of those bad boys was worth twenty-five thousand XP. So we could power level while killing them.
"Also, remember that each shadow is worth twenty-five thousand XP roughly. We need to be stronger and this will be two birds with one stone."
My companions looked up at me and I could see them make their minds up.
"Alright, Callan. We're with ye. Just, don't do anything stupid, OK?"
I nodded and we headed up the street toward the town hall to see Sandra. Once we got to the townhall I burst through the doors and walked straight back to her office despite the secretary's protests and statements that the mayor was in an important meeting. I burst through the door of the office with the word Mayor on the outside and to my delight, both Sandra and Archibold were sitting in the same room together.
"Well, well, well. This is gonna make my plans go a hell of a lot smoother. You are just the two people I wanted to see."
"Hello, Callan," Sandra said. "I was not expecting to see you today. I know how hard the loss was for you."
"It was, but that is also why I am here. I'm going to give those Shadow Beasts some payback."
"Are you sure that's wise, Dragonrider?" Sandra said.
"Oh, I'm very certain this is the wisest thing I've ever done mayor," I replied. "You see too many have died now and it's their fault. So the way I see it, they need to die."
"Well, that is a very simplified way to look at it, but don't you think we should have some kind of plan?" Sandra offered.
"The only plan I need from you all is which location is next."
Archibold had been sitting very quietly looking at me up until this point.
"I couldn't agree more," Archibold finally piped in. "I know of a small town outside Herferton that could use your help and a little pest extermination. It's called Abbeyton because there used to be an abbey there centuries ago. The monks left a long time ago, but the town that was built around it stayed. And they could use a hand."
"I think we might should consider whether or not to actually go through with this. What if something happens? What if you run into another trap?" Sandra tried to hastily say.
"And what if we sit here and talk about it until the whole town looks like Woodland?"
Sandra was quiet at that.
"Look, we only have a limited number of options. I'm going to give you the same argument I gave my team, eventually, the Shadow Beasts will come for us. Would you rather face however many come at that time, or would you rather pick some off now and face fewer then?"
No one said anything. While the logic was sound, even I knew it was a weak argument. But I didn't care. I just wanted them to hurt.
"Now, hearing no real opposition, I will be heading for Abbeyton. Archibold, can you get me a map?"
"Yes, Dragonrider."
"Good. Now let's get this party on the road. I don't want to wait any longer than I have to. The longer we terry, the more people might be dying."
Archibold sent one of his assistants out for a map and when he returned a few minutes later I saw a map of Herferton and the surrounding villages. This would be really helpful. I looked out at Aeloith sitting in the street.
"Do you think you could carry us all? I'm guessing not, but I need to know," I thought to her.
"No, there are too many of you for me to do that. We will need to use horses in the meantime. I could probably hold two of you and maybe three, but not all four for sure."
"That's fine. I just needed to know so I could have a plan for travel. Soon we will be able to ride together, but for now, you can be our terror in the sky."
I could feel her pleasure at being called a terror in the sky, and I smirked to myself. I turned to leave but Sandra called out to me.
"Oh, Dragonrider! There is someone who wanted to talk to you. I think they are in the waiting room. Would you mind hearing them out?"
"I don't really have time, Sandra."
"Please. Just hear what he ahs to say, and if you don't like what you hear then just head out."
I sighed and reluctantly nodded my head. I walked out to the waiting room and saw the last thing I expected to see.
"Randal?" I said, confusion causing me to almost forget what I was doing.
"Dragonrider!" He said with excitement, standing up from the chair he was sitting in.
He was not the same man we saved from the town a while back. He was wearing hunting leathers and carried a beautiful wooden recurve bow, made out of some kind of striped wood that was polished to a shine.
"I was hoping to catch you here. I want to join you in your hunt for Shadow Beasts." He said looking firmly at me.
I looked him up and down. He looked more the part but wasn't he an apothecary? I was so confused I said my thoughts aloud.
"Aren't you an apothecary, Randal?"
"I am, but before I was an apothecary, I was a hunter. I have skill with the bow, some magic, and even though my last one passed I have the ability to take on an animal familiar to fight with us. Those Shadow Bests took everything from me and I want to make them pay." He said looking at me with a hard gaze.
"Well, Randal, you are in luck. We were just about to head out to do that very thing. And I could use some ranged support. Are you any good with that bow?"
He smiled at me and motioned for me to come outside. We walked behind him and he walked over to a stand that was selling pottery. He picked up a cup, gave the man a couple of coppers for it, walked over to Aeolith, and held the cup up to her.
"If you would be so kind beautiful maiden, could you throw this up into the air as high as you can?" He said to Aeolith.
She looked down at him, gave a draconian smile, and nodded once. She took the tiny cup from him in her claws and threw it straight up in the air with such force that the wind whistled through the cup's handle as it flew up. Randal stood there and bowed to her in thanks for what she had done, then almost faster than I could follow, pulled an arrow from his back, placed it on the bow, pulled it back, and fired in a timeframe so small I didn't thin he could aim. The arrow went up and up and up, and was lost in the sun, just as the cup was. Just when I thought he had missed and we would see a cup fall and break on the ground, I heard a tiny "tink" sound way above us. A few moments later shards of the cup began to rain down. Randal looked up for a moment, then ran about a hundred feet to the right looking up, then stood there staring at me. A moment later the arrow landed back in his quiver on his back with a small "thunk". My eyes were wide.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
"I think that was really impressive," I said, looking around at the others.
They were all nodding so yes it was indeed impressive.
"Alright Randal, you're in. But you have to take the oath. Aeolith, do you know how Al'Doran did the oath?"
She nodded.
"Great. Then, let's begin."
I walked to Randal and had him kneel. Then I began to speak the words and a glow emanated from Aeolith to me and then down to Randal through me. As I spoke, the words just seemed to come naturally as if they were a part of me. I wasn't sure I'd be able to remember them exactly, but it appeared I didn't need to.
"By the power of the ancients, do you swear to do no harm to me be it physical, emotional, or spiritual, by your hand or by your words, and further swear to defend me until your dying breath? And do you swear that upon penalty of pain of the oathbreaker to keep your new lord's confidence, and help guide him down the path that is right in all that you say and do?"
Randal paused for a moment, looking unsure. Oaths were a big deal here, I knew, so he had to be a bit reserved swearing this oath to someone he had only met twice. But his resolve seemed to harden and he looked me in the eyes.
"I swear."
The light dissipated, and I helped Randal to his feet by pulling him up by the hand. I extended a party invite to him by thinking about the party invite and then thought about pushing it in his direction. His eyes went to that unfocused look others got when reading a prompt and he accepted. Another green bar appeared in my vision under those of Tristan, Rutherford, and Vokin bringing our party up to five, what I had always thought of as the perfect party size.
"Now, we just need to find a creature I can have as a pet and we can go on our way."
"Does it have to be a wild animal?" Someone said from behind me.
I looked back to see Sandra standing in the doorway of the town hall watching us.
"No, but it would be better if it was something ferocious. I don't think this is the time for a cat, dog, or bunny pet. Something that can take a beating and keep going."
"I know where we likely find something you are looking for. Follow me." She said, taking off in the direction of the market place, but turning down a slightly different path than the main market road.
We walked with her for about half a mile until we came to a shop that I had never seen before. It looked like most of the other shops, but there were large iron cages out front with puppies and kittens in them.
"A pet shop?" I asked, confused. "I thought he said no dogs or cats."
"This is a pet shop, but it is an exotic pet shop. They of course keep the puppies and kittens out front because they are cute and attract attention, but in the back they have....a different selection," Sandra said, pausing a bit to think of the right words for the last bit.
We followed her inside.
"Hello, Bertram. It has been a while. I have some friends that would like to meet you and perhaps purchase something from you," Sandra said to the owner, who was sitting behind a counter.
"Sandra, darling! It is so good to see you." The store owner said in a more flamboyant fashion that his husky size would have made me think. "So, what are we looking for?"
"I need an animal companion. Something that can fight, and something that can take a beating," Randal stepped up and said.
"Also something that travels well," I interjected. "We have to go far and will be on horseback most likely."
"Hmmm...That's a bit of a tall order," Bertram said. "But Bertram is the best. Give me just a moment."
And with that, he walked into the back of the shop through a large opening that was covered with a large set of curtains. We waited there for a good ten minutes before Bertram came back through the curtains.
"I think I have just the thing for you. Now, I must explain, this is not your normal pet. And under normal circumstances, it would be something that would be reserved for the most influential of people."
"More influential than a Dragonrider?" I interjected, one eyebrow raised, leaning against the counter.
"Yes, I am sorry, I forgot myself," Bertram said, bowing slightly. "I meant someone of great wealth who was well known throughout the land for that wealth. But, this is a special occasion and I think we can come to a deal."
He looked over to Sandra who nodded her head in agreement.
"The town will help pay for the pet. But we also expect you to pay some as well," Sandra said.
"How much?" I asked skeptically.
"The pet is normally five thousand gold pieces," Bertram said.
"That is a lot of gold," I said. "I can pay seven hundred right now, and I have some gems I could throw in that I need to get a value for."
"What gems do you have, Callan?" Sandra asked.
"Two sapphires, an emerald, and a ruby," I replied.
"May I see them?" Sandra asked, extending her hand palm up.
I took out the gems and handed them to her. She pulled some kind of small looking glass similar to those that jewelers on earth used to look at gems. She put the item back in her bag and handed me the jewels.
"These are good quality gems. Great size and cut, I'd say all together they are worth about five hundred gold.
"And I can put up a thousand gold myself," Randal said.
"Where did you get that kind of money?" I asked. "Surely not a small apothecary business in the sticks?"
"No, I was a hunter before. I was with a fairly successful adventuring party for many years before settling down to sell medicine. Even then I had a distribution system that helped me sell my medicines to other places and towns. I was a good herbalist from all the time I spent in the forest adventuring."
"That is good, that is almost half, the town of Jewelston can pay for the rest," Sandra said.
"It will be less. Since you travel with the Dragonrider, I will give you a discount as well. Give me what you have and I will work out the rest with the mayor," Bertram said.
We gave him the money and the gems and he told us to meet him around the back of the shop. We walked out of the shop and up the road a bit to where we could turn into the alley, as most of these shops were built wall to wall. When we reached the place in the alley that was for the exotic pet shop, Bertram was already waiting for us. He was standing next to a large set of wooden double doors with iron bandings and large iron rings used as handles to pull them open.
"Are you ready to bond with your companion? You will need to have much willpower to complete the task," Bertram warned.
"I am ready. I have a high-level animal companion skill. My last companion was with me for many years. We went on great adventures and took down strong foes. I will be fine." Randal said, sheer determination in his eyes.
Bertram nodded and pulled on the handles opening both doors. Behind the doors was a cage about seven feet tall and fifteen feet long. Inside stood a cat whose back was touching the top of the cage and was almost as long as it was as well. It peered out through predatory blue eyes at us and watched each of us carefully. Its fur was an off-white color with spots on its shoulders and stripes on its back legs down to about its ankles. It had large incisors that stuck out slightly from its mouth. It flared its nostrils as it attempted to take in our scents from the cage.
"This, friends is a Liger. Found up in the northern part of the continent nearer to where it is colder, they are a fearsome predator who can take down beasts three times their size. I think that he will serve you well." Bertram said.
As he said this, the Liger growled at us and showed its teeth in an aggressive manner. Randal began to walk up to the cage that the Liger focused on him, eyes locked on each other.
"He's magnificent. Now if I could have complete silence please," Randal said.
He continued to stare into the creature's eyes as he walked right up to the cage. I thought he was getting a bit close, but I let the man do what he needed to do. Soon a light glow surrounded Randal. It was a light green color. Then a few moments later a glow surrounded the Liger. This glow was a red color. The colored lights met in the middle and a battle of pressure began. At first, the red light began to push the green light back, getting closer and closer to Randal as he stared at the cat.
"I will have you join me. I am now sworn to the last Dragonrider, Callan Ryder. Come with me and we will rid this world of shadows," Randal said almost in a whisper.
With this, the Liger cocked its head slightly to one side. It looked over at me. I stared back into its eyes. For a moment I could hear a thought.
"Does this one speak the truth?" The voice said in my head.
Not looking away for a moment I replied to the voice.
"He does."
The Liger looked back at Randal and the green light began to move forward, then it went through the bars and began to cover the Liger. Soon the whole creature was covered in the same green glow as Randal was. The light then faded and the Liger sat down in the cage.
"It's done. We are bonded," Randal turned to us and said.
Bertram went over and opened the cage. The Liger came out and walked straight over to Randal and began to nuzzle him, purring loudly. Then is stopped and looked at me. It bowed its head and then sat down next to Randal, licking him with its giant tongue.
"Does it know I'm a Dragonrider?" I reached out and asked Aeolith.
"I spoke to it." Aeolith returned.
"You can speak to animals?"
"Yes, they are lesser minds so I can use my psychic abilities to speak to them. Monsters don't normally care as they have minds that don't work right, but this creature is more intelligent so it was understood."
"That's amazing. Thank you for helping with that."
She sent me back feelings of pleasure and love.
The Liger was now almost on top of Randal, rubbing up against him and blurring so loud I could feel the vibrations through the ground in my feet. Randal was laughing and saying "STOP, STOP!" trying to get the Liger to back up. The rest of us were laughing at the sight. Finally, he commanded the cat to back up and it obeyed.
"A cat this beautiful you have to give a name, Randal," Rutherford said.
"Doesn't the cat already have a name?" I asked.
Everyone turned to stare at me.
"What?" I asked.
"And how would we know what that was?" Randal asked.
"We could ask him," I replied.
"And he is just going to speak to us?" Vokin asked.
"It seemed to speak to me for a moment. Aeolith has psychic powers and can speak with it."
"I forgot about that. Al'Doran had those powers and could use them to communicate with all of us. If Aeolith can talk to it then let's do it." Rutherford said.
We all walked with the cat down to the end of the alleyway and back to the main road. Then we walked to the front of the shop where aeolith was lying in the street waiting for us. I had let her know what we were wanting to do and she agreed. When we got to her she stood up and lowered her head until she was at eye level with the large cat. They stared at each other for a minute and then Aeolith turned to me.
"His name is Zephyr," I said after Aeolith told me.
"Zephyr eh?" Randal asked looking at the cat who nodded its head at him. "I like it. Welcome to the team Zephyr."
The cat began nuzzling Randal all over again.
"So Bertram. Where do you get all these animals? Do you just trap them in the wild and bring them here? That seems a bit cruel to take them from their natural habitat." I asked.
"Oh no, no, no! I do no such thing. All the animals that I have here in my shop are rescues. A person has them and they cannot take care of them or cannot control them and I take them in. Some might even be companions whose previous owners died. Then occasionally I get some that have been captive-bred, like the puppies and kittens. But all the large animals are rescue only. I would never think of taking animals from the wild." Bertram replied.
"So what is the story with Zephyr here?" I inquired.
"Zephyr was an animal companion for a Ranger farther up north on the continent, near the home of these creatures. The man found Zephyr while he was adventuring in the wilds. A goblin camp had raided the cave of the mother and mortally wounded her before she managed to drive them off. The Ranger had been tracking the goblin's movements and saw what happened. According to him, in desperation, the mother saw him and they had a moment where she pleaded with him to take her baby, Zephyr. I'm not sure I believe that part, but the result was the same. He took the baby and raised it. Unfortunately, he died before they could form a bond and I was asked to take in the cat since the city he lived in didn't know what to do with him. I have had him for a few months now and wasn't sure what we were going to do. Then you came along and I knew he would be perfect to help you. He is strong and brave and very loving. He will be a good companion."
"If he was a rescue, why did you charge us so much?"
"If you think it is cheap to feed an animal of this size then you are about to be in for a very rude awakening, my friend," Bertram said with a wink at me.
We all laughed a bit at this and then bid Bertram farewell.
"Alright, now we can get on with the shadow murders?" I asked, beginning to get impatient.
"Yes, now we are ready. Let's load up on some supplies and hit the road." Randal said.
We went to the market and bought some rations, water skins, and a few other odds and ends for camping, and Randal bought some meat for Zephyr in case we didn't find anything to catch and kill on the way and headed to the front gate. Commander Harlow was there waiting for us.
"I'm glad you are on your mission again, Callan. Are you sure that this is the right time though? It is really soon."
"I can't just sit around while they could be out there killing people. Besides, I owe them for what they did." I said, frowning at him slightly.
"I get it, I would feel the same way. Just please be careful. Don't let the hate fill your heart, that never leads to good things."
"The hate will leave my heart as I drive my sword into the shadows," I said back.
"Very well. I wish you luck in your hunt," Harlow said, nodding and letting out a sigh at the same time.
We mounted up and waved to those who had gathered to see us off. I pointed my horse out in the direction of Herferton and spurred it on. Aeolith took flight, pumping her massive wings to get off the ground, and began soaring in the air. She always looked so majestic when she took off because her scales reflected the light in rainbow patterns on the ground. Randal had managed to find a saddle for Zephyr at one of the stalls and was riding him instead. The horses were a bit nervous around him, but Aeolith had helped to calm their minds with her psychic abilities. She was getting better and better at using those, which must have meant she was putting points into intelligence. I could look at her sheet, but I had so much to deal with in thinking about my own sheet and skills that I just hadn't bothered. She seemed to be doing a marvelous job on her own anyways, and she had told me that she would rather do it than have me do it for her. We decided that we would follow the road to Herferton until we got closer to the bigger city and then turn off toward Abbeyton. It felt good to be back on the trail of these beasts, and soon they would feel my wrath.