Chapter 26: A Familiar Feeling

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Blychert jolted awake to a chill on the back of his neck.

He wasn’t in the dungeon, at least he didn't think so.

As he sat upright, the dark and dank stone was nowhere to be seen. Instead, and as he slowly stood to his feet, he found himself in the middle of a wide-open field; an undisturbed blanket of snow at his feet all around him. Glancing upward, there was nothing but a white mirage for as far as the eye could see. There were no trees, no mountains, and the sky was completely gray, casting few snowflakes to the ground below.

It was silent.

It was... timeless, even.

But there was something else here too, something familiar.

Bly squinted, now noticing a shimmering pattern of golden lines that stretched far away from where he stood. They were barely visible, reaching high into the clouds, and perhaps beyond even that. His vision shifted, following the strange, golden light until he had completed a full rotation without any more of an idea as to what he was looking at.

Was it… some kind of a ward?

Before he even had the chance to cast some kind of an aura detection, the hairs on Bly's arms stood tall, and he was alerted to a presence behind him all at once, and he turned to greet it.

Ten yards away, a pale woman stood staring back at him. Her tall, regal figure was adorned in a light-blue material that vaguely resembled silk, and yet it billowed and swayed like there was some semblance of wind, though Bly was certain there wasn't. An inquisitive smile stretched across her face, as if to say, however silently, that she was on the verge of a most fortitudinous moment. It wasn't lost on Bly that this was probably the same visage of the woman that he’d seen several times in the dungeon by now, though she did not appear as ghastly as she seemed to have at their last encounter.

She simply stood there, watching, her barren feet resting atop the snow, leaving no indent.

“Who… are you?” Bly asked, a mild worry creeping into his voice. She hadn't spoken before, but a strange feeling in the back of his mind told him that they were somewhere in which such boundaries might not exist, and that she was about the respond.

“I am Winter.” She did say, as softly and as daintily as a breeze. She spoke, but her mouth did not move, just like in the vision he'd had of Alyse. However, her smile faltered a moment later, turning into a frown, and her ice-blue eyes narrowed, “I am ruin. But you…”

Without moving, she was suddenly standing inches away from Bly, staring down directly into his eyes. Blychert's body froze, he was unable to move or to speak, as his creature put two fingers beneath his chin, pushing ever so gently.

“You are a robin.” She finally murmured, smiling again, “And the light that shines upon this gilded cage, will be the most beautiful song yet.”

“I…” Bly stammered, unable to discern her meaning, but willing to try, as he said, “I don’t know what this is. Please, help me?”

The woman removed her hand and frowned again. As she did, a dazzling light began to fill the vastness of that area. Slowly, she stepped back, as if pulled into that light but some unknown force, unable to resist. Turning slightly, she said, “We will meet again… little brother; again, and again, and again. Until all the world is wrought with abundance, laid bare for the seeds of spring. What beautiful flowers that will bring. Until then, I pray for your journey’s beginning. And await your journey’s end.”

“Wait—!” Bly shouted, his voice echoing and collapsing in on itself, as the devouring light consumed him too.

***

“Blychert? Blychert!"

Someone's voice said, but it was too fuzzy. to make out.

"Confound it all—!" The voice continued, more and more familiar by the second, "Alyse? Alyse! He’s awake!”

“Bartolo…?” Bly murmured wearily, his eyes slowly blinking open.

His entire body felt like a heaping sack of refuse and was soaked in sweat beneath a mound of blankets. But of all the places he expected to wake up, his own bed wasn’t terribly high-up on that list. Hadn’t he just been in the dungeon? With Xander?

“Xander—!” Bly shouted, instantly alert with energy as he remembered what had happened. However, a robbed arm immediately stopped him from moving anywhere but back down onto the pillow.

“Don’t you even think about it.” Bartolo chastised, and that’s when Bly realized it really was his master sitting in a chair next to him. The curtains were drawn, and warm, natural sun was seeping in through the window, casting the old sorcerer in quite fashionable light. His hair was braided, a bit grayer, and the bags beneath his hazel eyes were the same as they ever were. But his maroon and violet robes at least told Bly one thing—he’d had to have arrived very recently.

“How are you—why am I—where is—” Bly stammered, hardly able to contain his surging emotions, as he winced, “What happened? Where's Xander? We were just—”

“I ought to be asking you the same question, truthfully.” Bartolo clicked his teeth, a slight bewilderment in his tone, “That older boy simply refused to say anything to me, or anyone, until you woke up! Said it was a matter in which he was sworn to utmost secrecy. Though I told him that I was sure my well-behaved apprentice knew nothing about that?”

Bly simply laughed at the confession, wondering what on earth could have possessed Xander to be so bold. Even still, it was more than enough to hear that he was alright—that they were both alive. Suddenly, Bly was very aware of all of his injuries. His arm was back in a sling, his upper body was fully bandaged, and he could accurately tell wear all of the smaller cuts and bruises were.

Looking at his master confusedly, he asked, “How did…?”

“You make it out?” Bartolo finished his question. Wrinkling his nose, he said, “You have miss Crane to thank for that, I suppose, and those friends of yours. Truthfully, the whole of Kelvalder joined in your rescue. You ought to be very thankful, young man.”

“Really, they all did that…?” Bly smiled, turning to glance out the window where he could see bits of the town.

He was suddenly overcome with so much emotion that he could feel the tears of relief welling up around the edges of his eyes.

“She tells me they didn’t stop looking for you. Not even for a single second.” Bartolo added softly, as Bly turned back to face him. The older sorcerer extended an arm and put a consoling hand on Bly’s uninjured shoulder, saying with a wry smile, “One of these days, I might trust you not to be so foolish with your wellbeing. But then, I suppose I'll be waiting awhile. Until then, well, I’m proud of you for putting your best foot forward. A foolish foot, but a brave one all the same.”

Blychert offered a small smile in response.

He wasn’t sure what there was to be proud of, but he appreciated the sentiment all the same.

Furrowing his brow, however, Bly asked, “Wait, when did you get here? I thought you were in Tielun?”

Bartolo opened his mouth to reply, but someone else responded instead.

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“I asked him to come home.” Alyse’s voice echoed through the bedroom, and there she was leaning against the threshold of his door. Bly’s eyebrow creased confusedly, as she said, “Shortly after your victory against Glemberfang. I figured I’d have to deal with the dungeon anomaly myself and wanted him to be here for you in case anything went wrong. Of course, it would have been nicer if he’d have shown up a bit earlier, save me the headache.”

“Meh—” Bartolo grumbled, shooing her off as he shook his head, “I was on my way out of Tielun anyway." His own brow creased worriedly for a moment, as he said, "War looms in the south. Raustagar and Greygarde simply cannot reconcile with one another. It'll be war within the year, or so my betters think. Still, as soon Alyse reached out to me, well, I simply had to come and see just what mischief my apprentice has been up getting up to.”

“Trelen is a local legend.” Alyse said with a smug grin, “Selflessly thrusting himself into the jowls of the dungeon to save Bold Arrow’s party leader. Mapping a good portion of the third floor, and capturing a rare item. There will be stories of Trelen across Calvergia, to be sure. And you've claimed devouring threads for yourself, yet another accolade. Your apprentice, Bartolo, is doing admirably.”

“How is any of that a good thing?!” Bartolo thrust his hands up into the air, and Bly couldn’t help but laugh.

“Blychert is no one.” Alyse insisted, stepping into the bedroom. She walked across to the window and looked out for a moment. Looking over her shoulder, she continued, “Trelen is a hero. He can be someone in this world, and I’d say this has all been a very lucrative first step in securing an identity worth holding onto. The greater his notoriety is built up, the harder it will be for anyone to tear him down again.”

“A double-edged sword, Alyse…” Bartolo replied warily.

Alyse looked at the old sorcerer, and then down at Bly. She winked, and smiled, saying, “But not the worst outcome. And what more can a classless really hope for, in the end, than just a teeny bit of middle ground?”

***

An air of calm hung over Kelvalder, and it was quite unlike anything Bly had felt in all his time being here.

There had always been quiet, even quaint, but never calm. However, as Bly walked down the street that brisk but sunny morning, it dawned on him all at once that the reason for that had absolutely nothing to do with the town itself whatsoever. Because for this entire time, he’d been the problem. The endless, daily grind of a would-be sorcerer had somehow jaded his perceptions of the peaceable life he had in Kelvalder. He’d spent so many days and nights looking ahead, that he forgot to look within and realize what he’d had here the whole time.

Why had he even done that?

Just like Alyse had said, what was the rush?

“Trelen!” Lisel’s voice broke above Bly’s innermost thoughts, and he turned to greet her as she approached from the opposite side of the road.

Thanks to Xander’s little stunt, Bold Arrow had been forced to spend an entire extra week in Kelvalder, as their ignoble party leader recovered. It was just as well for Blychert, because he thoroughly enjoyed the extra days he got to spend with his friends.

For her part, Lisel had spent the most time with him, even whilst he was bedridden.

She told him all about their battle through the second floor of the dungeon that night, but how Vineta had regrettably been forced to make the hard choice to turn back and regroup. In the end, it had been the right call, because by the time they all made it out, including Alyse, the wayshrines had stopped working entirely. But once everyone in town had heard the news, it was a full-blown rally.

Everyone who was willing and able hiked it up the mountain path and set up camp just outside the dungeon entrance. Hot food and drink, a medical station, all sorts of camping gear and supplies… everything they needed to perform a rescue operation was assembled in record time.

Bly was shocked to hear that Alain mustered the entire guard rotation, seemingly because he felt responsible, and all of them descended to the first floor of the dungeon to help make a dent in the volatility. It was an entire town’s effort, and thanks to everyone’s help, Alyse and the rest of Bold Arrow were able to breach even farther down to the third floor. But lo and behold, they found Xander carrying an unconscious Bly over one shoulder, the iridescent blade bloodied in his other hand, shouting deliriously for immediate medical attention.

By the time they’d made it back to Kelvalder, nearly two days had passed since their initial delve to locate Xander.

Bly couldn’t believe they'd been down there that long, but then he couldn’t think of anyone else he would rather have been stuck in the dungeon with. As far as Bly was concerned, the swordsman had earned his trust. Which was just as well, because neither of them was able to avoid Alyse’s tyrannical scolding of them. Though true to his willingness to be better, Xander turned over the strange item to Alyse without any complaints.

She couldn't take away the latent cleric skills lingering from his time spent with that class, but Xander insisted it was better this way; a reminder of where he came from, and the debts he still owed. Bly tried to pry some information out of Alyse about what the mysterious item even was, but she merely gave him one of her half-answers and said that it was probably better the two of them simply forgot it even existed.

“Hey, Lisel.” Bly waved, waiting for her to get a little closer, before he said, “Just get back?”

“Final check complete, your dungeon’s good to go." She nodded, “Back below ten percent volatility, right where it belongs.”

Bly groaned irritably, “Sucks I couldn’t come with you guys this whole time. What a waste, lying in bed all day!”

Lisel smirked, and nudged him on the arm, “Come on, everyone’s waiting for us.”

Bly felt his stomach flutter for a moment., and he sighed, “…Lead the way.”

It didn’t take them long to reach his cottage. But once they did, however, Lisel stopped at the foot of the stairs all of a sudden.

“Something wrong?” Bly asked.

“No…” Lisel murmured. She turned, her cheeks a touch redder than normal, “I guess this is goodbye for real this time. Isn’t it?”

Bly frowned, feeling the same exact way.

It really did feel like a lifetime ago that he’d run out into that snowstorm, that they’d all sat around the table, swapping stories and eating delicious food for the first time at the White Horn. Bold Arrow had been a blessing in disguise, and at worst a real test of his abilities as a sorcerer. He’d learned a lot these last few weeks, not just about himself, but what it meant to be part of a team.

These were his friends, and it was hard to say goodbye after it felt like he’d only just gotten to really know them.

“Yeah…” Bly muttered, “But you know—”

Before he even knew what was happening, Lisel’s arms were wrapped around his neck. Bly’s face felt way too hot all of a sudden, despite how cold it was outside.

Pulling back slowly, she said with a smile, “That’s for keeping your promise.”

Bly grinned, wondering if she would ever find out just what that promise really entailed. However, he merely offered her nod in understanding, before gesturing for both of them to head inside.

“Good, you’re back. That’s everyone!” Alyse said hurriedly. She paused, however, furrowing her brow with some mild concern, “Wait, where’s Xander—”

“Ready and willing.” Xander interjected casually, stepping into the living room from the hallway. Alyse stared at him suspiciously, and he simply laughed, “What? It's not like I ran off again.”

Alyse rolled her eyes, “Very funny. Now, butt in the circle. Before I change my mind and make you walk home.”

Xander saluted, "Yes ma'am."

Bly stepped up next to where Bartolo was standing, and together they watched as the rest of Bold Arrow gathered their things, placing them into the teleportation circle, if only a bit haphazardly. Bly couldn’t help but smile. Seeing the iridescent blade at Xander’s hip gave him a small bit of pride, but more importantly he was curious to see that the swordsman's family pendant was displayed over his tunic. Whether that was pride too, Bly couldn't say, but it suited him.

“Well…” Vineta sniffled, and Bly turned to face her as she approached. Her eyes were puffy, and it was clear that she’d been crying. Sniffling again, she said, “Oh Trel, just—don’t be a stranger! Okay?”

Before Bly could even respond, she pulled him into a hug and squeezed as hard as she could. For the second time today, he was beyond stunned. However, he was able to say, though muffled, “I’ll try not to be.”

“Spare him, would you?” Bredic groaned, peeling Blychert out of Vineta’s grasp himself. Patting Bly on the shoulder several times, he said, “Trelen here’s got more to look forward to than your waterworks. Once news gets to Frostwall, there’s going to be women from all over Calvergia flocking to this town, just to see the kid in action—”

Blychert flushed, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lisel was wide-eyed and staring at the ground too. Which just was as well, because before the wizard could even finish his sentence, Vineta had cast a basic spell in his general direction. The magical energy hit Bredic dead in the chest, and he was sent flying backward, skittering face first into the teleportation circle in a matter of seconds.

“On your feet, Bredic.” Alyse rolled her eyes, “You’re really giving us fire specialists a bad name, you know.”

“Ow…” Bredic moaned, “Yes, ma’am…”

“Think you’ll stay out of trouble, without us?” Xander asked all of a sudden, stepping forward to speak with Bly more directly.

“Sure.” Bly lied, not trying to conceal it though.

The swordsman smirked, raising his arm to offer a fist bump, “You’re starting to sound like a certain swordsman I know.”

“Well,” Bly shrugged, smiling with smug satisfaction as he returned the gesture, “I wouldn't know anything about that.”

"Thanks for keeping me on my toes… Trelen." I owe you a life debt, you know.”

And I’ll hold you to it, you dumb bastard. Bly thought to himself, otherwise content to leave it there.

The teleportation circle began to slowly rise to a spectacular, purple glow. Magical energy whipped up through the living room, tossing a few items here and there, but nothing that couldn’t be picked up later. Blychert squinted somewhat anxiously, but Bartolo put a steady hand on his shoulder.

“Be back in a tick!” Alyse said above the sound of the magic firing off, “Everyone hold onto your hats! No? Just me? Suite yourselves…”

Blychert’s gaze caught Lisel’s amidst the magical flashes of violet.

She smiled and waved gingerly.

He reciprocated with a smile of his own, but before he could lift his arm to return the farewell gesture, a flash of light filled the room.

Just like that, on the thirtieth of Deepsummer, the day of Summer’s Parting, Bold Arrow was gone in the blink of an eye.