Autumn 4994, 13 Aoimoth

"Dragons..." Sonya breathed the word like a prayer.

The ruin's exterior walls had been worn down by time and cracked by vines and trees, but the inside was in significantly better condition. Even with all the ash and soot from the fire and millennia of roots breaking up the floors, the carvings on the walls and remnants of statues in niches couldn't be mistaken for anything but dragons.

Barth swallowed nervously, spinning around to see all the monstrous faces glaring down at him, "Are you sure they aren't wyverns? They say the draken worship..."

"Draken didn't build this," Veon-Zih interrupted.

Yua nodded in agreement and added, "Wyverns only have two legs, like a bird. These all have four... like Ryuuko."

Dragons. It had been a cathedral of art dedicated to dragons. But, "What god would honor such beasts?" Barth asked, reaching out a shaking hand to brush some ash off a carved relief, "They subjugated humans, destroyed entire cities. Saint Giorgos..."

Ryuuko hissed from Shon's shoulder near the entrance, and he reached up one hand to clamp the little dragon's mouth shut with his fingers. Shon had seen this cathedral before, overgrown with trees and crumbling. In dreams. Years and years ago...

Sonya shook her head, "I need to set up the gate. It looks like this excavation will be much more extensive than we thought." The Mage set about examining the empty doorways off the main room's left side -Barth close to her side- while Yua and Master Veon-Zih explored the other side.

"I'm going to explore some of these passages," Yua stated while Sonya started painting symbols around the most complete of the arching door frames.

Veon-Zih grinned, making a sweeping gesture through the passage, "I'll accompany you. If you don't mind?"

The Ranger smiled and gave a mock curtsy to the Monk before following his gesture. Shon looked between his Master and the Mage, torn.

"Go with them," Barth spat, turning away from Shon and focusing on Sonya and her work. It meant leaving the two most useless members of their party behind, Sonya with her battle panic and Barth with his broken short sword. Shon continued to hesitate, but the soldier added in a loud whisper, "I would rather you not at my back..." Shon didn't respond and followed Veon-Zih down the dark hall that felt more like a tunnel, ordering Ryuuko to stay behind and warn him of any trouble.

Yua took out a stone that glowed like a torch to light their way. The remains of invasive plant life thinned as they walked until they entered a passage nearly untouched by time. More carvings and reliefs graced these walls: knights and dragons, battles, and what might have been celebrations. The floor was so thick with dust that it seemed to be made of dirt. Still, as Shon scraped his toe along the ground, he revealed more mosaic tile work similar to his vision from outside, only much smaller and more delicate. The first few rooms were empty except for crumbling remains that might have been desks. Offices of the priesthood most likely. At the end, they reached an opening large enough that it would've had double doors had the wood not rotted away. In that room, they lingered.

Stone shelves made up every wall and had formed isles down the middle, now toppled to crumble on their sides. Beneath the fallen shelves were mounds of ash...

"A library..." Veon-Zih whispered, his quiet voice breaking the silence like a gong. He knelt at the edge of the mound of ash and charred stone, "This wasn't caused by the forest fire."

Shon wasn't sure if books as ancient as this place would've been salvageable. Still, the thought that they had all been intentionally destroyed brought a lump of rage and sorrow into his throat he couldn't quite comprehend. So he suppressed it, burying the emotions in ice.

Yua circled the room with her light, examining the shelves and floor until she stopped suddenly, her eyes narrowing as she crouched down. "What on earth?" she ran her fingers over the ground, then brought them up to her eyes, rubbing them together, "This isn't fire ash."

Master Veon-Zih made his way toward her, stopping with a quiet hiss as he knelt. "I've seen this before... Shon, come here."

Shon picked his way carefully toward the two and squatted beside his Master. The ground was sprinkled with black ash -more like soot- as if it had fluttered straight down from the air above. "You've seen it too..." Master Veon-Zih whispered, rubbing some of the ash between his fingers as the Ranger had done. Shon shook his head, and his Master arched an eyebrow at him, "The wyvern attack? The woman riding it..."

"I was more concerned with the wyvern, Master." And Lily. And he'd passed out afterward, having used too much magic to bind the beast to the ground. And it was seven years ago, a time he would rather forget.

"Ah yes," Master Veon-Zih conceded.

Yua snorted a little laugh, "Are you two going to let me in on this mystery?"

Veon-Zih stood and wiped his hands on his trousers, speaking only one word, "Warlocks."

***

Veon-Zih returned to the main chamber in time to hear Sonya chanting in the strange language of Mage spells. She tossed a small diamond through the door frame she'd painted with sigils. The diamond held in the air, then began to glow before expanding out, now leading to far-off Lenare city to the southwest, where Mages and Temple men waited to flood into the once undisturbed ruin.

These were the kinds of portals the Monk was accustomed to. Very much unlike the one cast by the Warlock he'd fought over a decade ago. The same that left the ashy residue like they'd found here.

Two Paladins and some of their men came first, followed by a small gaggle of robed Mages accompanied by a few historian Bards. One officer headed for Shon while the other moved to Barth. The latter started talking and gesturing towards them as Shon reported to the other the findings from the library.

"Shit. What is he..." Yua started, but Veon-Zih already knew what the soldier was reporting, and so did Shon, who held out his arm to keep the Monk back as the Paladin stormed across the cathedral.

"Report, soldier!" the officer barked and Shon snapped to attention immediately. "What is this I hear about you willfully separating from your sealing item? You should've been told the law. The Temple is vouching for your safety. How in Hengists name could you squander such a-"

Shon took the berating without blinking, the other Paladin's face growing more and more disapproving as it went on. Yua stepped forward before Veon-Zih had a chance to intervene. "He was within range of the item until that idiot," she pointed an accusing finger at Barth -who turned his nose up at them- "fell back from his own battle. Shon only gave the ass his sword because his broke."

Both Paladins glared down their noses at the Ranger, and Veon-Zih cleared his throat, "No one was in danger of Shon's ice, Sir. His sealing item was given to those who might have been at risk, thus protecting them. The law states..."

"I know the law, Monk," The Paladin snapped, "I trained for five years to know the law inside and out and swore an Oath to Hengist himself to enforce it." He focused on Shon again and held out his hand. "Your rank and papers, soldier."

Shon's expression was impassive as he reached into his bag and retrieved his papers -a thick book detailing his every adventure and all his training since he reached maturity at thirteen. He handed them over without answering the Paladin's question. The knight just opened the book without insisting on it. He would find it, and more, inside.

Veon-Zih watched the man's stern expression drain as he flipped through the front of the book. Turning shocked, then mortified, then sad before he sighed and skipped the last half, passing it to his partner. Shon continued to stare straight ahead, expressionless.

Finally, the other Paladin shut Shon's papers and handed them back, "I'm sorry, Staff Sergeant..."

"Staff Sergeant!" Barth practically choked in the distance. He'd obviously been listening in. "He's... But... How old are you?" he stuttered.

Shon didn't answer or even look at the soldier though Veon-Zih chose to call out, "Twenty-three, Corporal. How old are you?" He watched with satisfaction as the man's face turned deep red with either rage or indignation. It didn't matter.

"Master, please," Shon whispered, and Veon-Zih took a step back.

The Paladin shook his head, "Considering your history, and your companions' more... complete... report of the incident, I will not report this as a loss of control or willful separation from your item." Barth looked like he might burst a blood vessel but remained silent this time, though Ryuuko whistled proudly.

The other continued, "You are dismissed, Staff Sergeant. If you would like to take the gate back to Lenare city, I believe the Temple has another job for you."

Veon-Zih hoped Shon might argue after their talk the previous night, but wasn't surprised when his student merely saluted and made directly for the portal. With a sigh, the Monk started to follow, but Yua stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, "Do you think I might come with you?" she asked, nodding in Shon's direction. "I was only slated for this one job and don't fancy waiting around for another to come available for a lone Ranger ally in a city."

"The pay isn't guaranteed for companions of an enlisted, and we planned on taking a leave of absence..." Veon-Zih informed her, but Yua just shrugged,

"I'm more interested in the adventure than the money. As long as we can keep moving, I'm game."

Veon-Zih's grinned at the woman. He'd liked her from the beginning, and her defense of his brooding student had only solidified his opinion. "Let's ask, shall we? Hey Shon!" Veon-Zih shouted, stalling Shon before he could leave the ruin, "Do you mind having a Ranger with us for a while? Might help in tracking down your missing flower..." he could see Yua's expression grow quizzical out of the corner of his eye but focused on Shon who took a moment to scan the Ranger before returning a few steps so he wouldn't have to shout.

His deep voice carried easily across the remaining distance as he said, "Having a competent ranged fighter is always good." Before turning away again and heading through the gate.

Yua scoffed, but Veon-Zih was counting his fingers, "Eight words! I think you've impressed him, m'lady!"

Yua smirked, adjusting her bow on her shoulder and following Shon. Before they reached the gate, however, she whispered, "What's his story anyway? How did he get such a high rank so young?"

Veon-Zih's smile faded, "It isn't my story to tell..."

Yua snorted, "Yeah, because Mr. Eight Words is really going to spill the beans."

Veon-Zih couldn't help but chuckle. She was right, of course, but still. Eventually, he shrugged. Better to tell her now than have her unintentionally open old wounds looking for answers, "He trained to be a Paladin. Five years, top of his class, but when the time came, Hengist denied him... It's a touchy subject, and I request that you don't bring it up with him." Yua's eyes took on a sympathetic cast similar to the Paladins', but she nodded her assent without further comment. She probably didn't realize the understatement in calling it a 'touchy subject', or the inevitability the Paladins had seen upon learning the truth.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

They found Shon waiting for them outside the Mages Guild and walked together towards the Temple. Veon-Zih waited until the fortress walls were in sight before addressing his student, "Are you still planning on filing your request?" Shon nodded mutely, and Ryuuko trilled.

They made it all the way to the clerk's office before Shon said anything else, and that only being, "Do I have mail?" to the young Cleric on duty behind the desk.

The young man moved for a file cabinet and asked only "Name and rank?" before stuttering to a stop when Shon provided it. To his credit, the Cleric didn't question Shon directly and just started filtering through papers looking for any mail that might have been left.

Veon-Zih waved down a second Cleric and asked, "We also need forms to request a leave of absence, if you would be so kind." The woman furrowed her brow for a moment but moved towards a different cabinet to retrieve the forms, bringing them back at the same time that the first said,

"No mail, Staff Sergeant, but we do have a job for you." He stood with a small stack of papers and brought them to the counter to pile on top of the forms the second Cleric had left for Shon's leave. Shon glared down at the orders but said nothing, and the Cleric cleared his throat, "It will take time to process your request, perhaps after..." Shon interrupted him with a salute, taking the orders and heading for the door without a word.

"Shon," Veon-Zih stepped in his path, "They can find someone else. Unless it involves crossing into another province, they have local enlisted-"

Ryuuko whistled, but Shon interrupted, "It's fine," passing by his Master and opening the door. Veon-Zih could only sigh. He should've known there would always be another job.

***

Lily jumped out of the way as a gaggle of Mages ran past her gate to another open in the room. "Busy here today..." She commented, craning her neck to try and see past the robed throng but only catching a glimpse of crumbling stone beyond the magical portal.

"It's nothing to do with us. Come on, Lily." Tuth brushed aside her curiosity, heading out the gate room and into the Mages Guild proper. The atrium was a massive and impressive affair, with marbled floors and an enchanted ceiling two stories up that showed the night sky's living constellations. The first and second floors were for public use and held shops and rooms for magical services as well as classrooms for the apprentices of the city.

Lily humphed, moving ahead of Tuth and Master Velona. "Let's get this over with." She leaned on the receptionist's desk and tapped the Mage's logbook. "We're here to see Narn," she informed the woman bluntly, not bothering with the Archmage's rank.

The Journeyman Mage stuttered at Lily, staring at the scales on her cheek and not answering. Tuth pushed Lily aside then rubbed his hand on his robes after the heat of her skin. "It's about the compass experiment. He should be expecting us," he said more helpfully.

"Oh! Yes, right this way..." She led them to a side door, but rather than open it, she chanted over the handle until the frame began to glow, then knocked, calling, "Archmage? Your envoys are here."

The door swung open, and a blading Mage with a huge belly that made his blue robes stretch tight stepped out. "Finally!" he bellowed into the atrium, "Mage Tuth, Master Velona, and yes... the Sorcerer..."

"Lily." she gave her name curtly, but the Archmage merely nodded,

"Yes, yes, the barbarian tribes will be much more receptive with you on the team."

Lily just rolled her eyes as the man turned away from them, closing his door and chanting over it once more. When he opened it again, it didn't lead into his office anymore, but a room filled wall to wall with compasses. He gestured for them to proceed him in, closing the door once they were all inside.

The Archmage gestured around him and opened his mouth, but Lily spoke over him, "If we could get straight to the point? I've got things to do, and I don't even know if I'll take this mission."

"Lily," Velona smacked her across the chest with the back of her hand, "Don't be rude."

But between the incident with the Duke and her nightmare the evening before, Lily was in no mood to wait, "We don't know where Shon is. I'm tired of waiting, Master Velona..."

The Archmage cleared his throat, "Well, let us do as you say and 'get straight to the point' then shall we? What we have here is a new magical device for tracking Sorcerers."

Lily's jaw dropped open then snapped shut again. Leaning forward on the balls of her feet, she gasped, "Really? How? Why?" before he could answer, she spun on Velona, "We could find Shon!"

"He's a Sorcerer?" Tuth asked curiously, but Velona shushed him and gestured for the Archmage to continue.

The Archmage cleared his throat once more but smiled at Lily's eagerness, "Yes, well, these are in the experimental stage. We have detected powerful elemental magic on the plains and suspect that a Sorcerer is among the Barbarian tribes there. Considering the date and indicated location, most likely the Laughing Pony tribe."

"Wait," Lily interrupted, holding her hand up to stop the Archmage, "The tribe's Sorcerers are their shaman. The kingdom has no right to enforce their stupid laws..."

"Lily." Velona slapped her again but addressed the Archmage, "Lily's right. The accords with the tribes state that we will not interfere with their ways. We cannot bring their Sorcerers to be either trained or sealed in the city."

But the Archmage was shaking his head. "You are correct, of course, but we do hold the right to register them for our own safety. This offers us a chance to test this new device, AND to make sure it is, in fact, a barbarian Sorcerer and not a kingdom citizen trying to hide from the law."

Lily growled but looked away. If the barbarians wanted to accept a kingdom Sorcerer into their tribe, she didn't think the Guild had any right to stop them. Which also meant that if she wanted to see her brand of justice done to whoever the Guild had detected in the tribe, she would have to be the one to go on this mission.

The Archmage continued to address Tuth over her, "Each compass is carefully calibrated to the detected elemental magical signal. So you will need to keep your own spells to a minimum to avoid throwing off the calibration. A representative of the Temple of Hengist will escort you across the plains and enforce any laws necessary when you find the Sorcerer in question."

Lily scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder, "We don't need an escort. We can..."

"But you have one," The Archmage interrupted her, "The Temple insisted on it. You will meet with them tomorrow outside the west gate. You may stay here for the night."

Lily glared at the man, "This is a job for Tuth. I never said I would come, and I'm not a member, so you can't order me..."

"Lily," Velona didn't smack her this time, instead resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "It's just one more job."

"There's always one more job..." Lily grumbled but didn't argue further.

***

"This says we don't have to leave until tomorrow morning. We have the entire afternoon and evening to get supplies and relax." Yua said as she read through the orders Veon-Zih had passed her after Shon had finished with them.

Shon nodded, but instead of leading them out of the Temple -after a Cleric saw to his arm- he went to the inner courtyard where the Paladins and soldiers trained. He listened as the Ranger continued, "So we can get some shopping done and I'll need a room at one of the inns. I'm not of high enough standing to get a spot in the barracks."

"An inn would be lovely," Veon-Zih confirmed, "and I will gladly go supply shopping with you, miss Yua. Shon? Do you want to come?"

Shon shook his head, walking across the courtyard to the racks where nearly every possible weapon and type of armor were stored, kept pristine by the youngest Squires before going to their training facility somewhere in Lenare. He remembered well his own first year in the Smildna Temple but pushed the memories aside and said, "Use my account." Speaking for Yua's benefit. Master Veon-Zih already knew the procedure.

"And what're you going to do?" Yua asked as Shon took a large warhammer from the weapons rack.

"Drills," he answered shortly, returning to the center of the deserted courtyard and starting the hammer form he'd learned years ago and continued to practice during downtime like this.

Shon could imagine the Ranger's face as she started to question him, and also Veon-Zih's hand on her shoulder as the Monk stopped her with a quick explanation. "This is what Shon does for fun. Let's leave him to it." to Shon, Veon-Zih asked, "You remember the inn we stayed at last time?" to which Shon nodded.

Ryuuko chirped, taking flight from Shon's shoulder as he continued to move through his form and landing on the roof of the weapons rack to sun and watch. Veon-Zih and Yua left, and Shon worked through not only the hammer but every weapon available on the rack, the sun moving from overhead to dip toward the west.

Just one more job... One more, and he was going to find Lily. He would start by filing a request with the Mages Guild. Most of her work was done through them, and though it would probably cost most of his considerable savings, he would send messages throughout the kingdom to locate her.

But then what? He knew Lily still wanted to see him. She said so in every letter. But what if Master Veon-Zih was right and he wasn't the same man she knew five years ago. What if...

Shon shook his head to banish the thoughts and focus on his practice. He wouldn't know until he saw her again. But what if... What if she didn't like what he'd become? He couldn't imagine her having changed that much. Not if her letters were any indication. But if she didn't want to spend her time in silence with him. Didn't want to touch him... She was the only one who ever did before...

He finished his final form, his unarmed kata, and stared at his hands. He'd wrapped his heart in ice. Smothering his emotions, so he only expressed them at the most superficial level. Sometimes he wasn't even sure he could truly feel them properly anymore. Would the same power that had drawn her to him and taken his dream be the same one that drove her away after years apart?

Ryuuko flew down from its perch and settled on Shon's outstretched hands with a purr. Despite its size, the little dragon's weight was nearly negligible. It tilted its head at Shon curiously, reminding him of Lily with a painful pang, "What will I do, Ryuuko?" Shon whispered. If this last dream was taken, what did he have left?

The pseudodragon whistled, climbing up his arm and nuzzling into his neck. Shon sighed, looking up to the darkening sky. He wouldn't know until it happened. Taking a deep breath, Shon buried the anxiety in another layer of ice around his heart and left the Temple to find his Master.

***

Lily and the others left the Mages Guild as the sun was setting. They had Velona's burn healed, bought their supplies, and dropped them off in their rooms, but Lily had no intention of doing anything more than sleep in the tower. "Most of the good inns are this way." Lily pointed out, skipping ahead of the other two.

She'd spent enough time in this city in the past that it was easy to tell the locals from the visitors. The locals -particularly the merchants- waved at her as she passed while the visitors crossed the street to avoid her.

Tuth and Velona stayed far enough back that they were only minimally affected by the scene Lily caused, but still close enough that she heard Tuth muttering to Velona, "Why is she in such a hurry to see this guy anyway? Hasn't it been years?"

Lily spun around to walk backward, answering the question before Velona could, "Shon is my favorite treasure."

"And a Sorcerer apparently," Tuth huffed, "You never told us that."

Lily just shrugged, turning back around. "It doesn't matter, but if you must know, he's an ice Sorcerer with the most refreshing skin..." She sighed, closing her eyes and remembering. Not the last time she'd seen him, -that hadn't been a happy time- but the time before that. When she'd first promised to find him wherever he went after his training. "I can touch him for as long as I want without burning him, and he was the first one to teach me the staff."

"But I thought Master Velona-?"

"I came later," Velona informed him, "Shon was in training as a Squire when he met Lily."

"And he gave me my name," Lily added, spinning around again to beam at them, "I never had one before, but when I met Shon, he said I could pick my own name and even drew the flowers for me to choose from."

Tuth hummed, tapping his jaw, "So he's not a traveling artist then? I've seen some of the pictures in your letters."

But Lily shook her head, still smiling, "He's a member of the Temple of Hengist." she tilted her head in thought and turned around again. "But I suppose he's also a traveling artist, though he doesn't share his pictures with anyone."

"Anyone but you," Tuth grumbled, and Lily grinned.

She continued walking. Lost in thought and memories, shooting occasional glances through the open inn doors as they reached the traveler's district. Looking for one that seemed lively but not too crowded. When she stopped, it was so suddenly that Tuth nearly ran into her. "Hey!" he protested, but Lily ignored him, stepping into the pub without a word.

***

Shon leaned on the bar without taking a seat and held up a finger to the bartender. The man nodded, turning away and pouring a drink without further instructions. Shon loved how the good bartenders seemed to know exactly what their patrons wanted without a word. It nearly made the rest of the crowd bearable.

"So we're escorting some Mages onto the plains to hunt barbarians," Yua said by way of greeting, "We'll want to get some horses tomorrow morning then."

"The Temple or Guild will provide the mounts," Veon-Zih told her, addressing Shon as the bartender brought his drink, "I got us two rooms for tonight and enough food for three weeks. The plains are massive, and the orders didn't say how long we would be out." Shon just nodded but arched an eyebrow as Veon-Zih looked past him, his eyes going wide.

Shon was just about to turn to see what had his Master suddenly distracted when Ryuuko whistled in his ear, and a hand fell on his shoulder. Shon's reaction was instinctual and fast as lightning. His hand slapped down on his attacker's fingers, pinning them in place as he twisted around to bring them into a wrist lock. But the stranger turned with him, maneuvering out of the Monk hold with ease and countering with a strike. Shon deflected the blow and started his own before he stopped, frozen in place and jaw hanging open, his fist just brushing the unnaturally hot skin of his attacker's neck.

Lily bopped him gently in the temple with her knuckles, her smile wide and blue slitted eyes twinkling.

"Master Veon-Zih!" Master Velona called from behind Lily, though Shon could barely register the Master Monk's existence. "We were just going to come hunt you down after this mission!" Velona moved past Shon and Lily to embrace Master Veon-Zih.

Shon swallowed, his mouth dry. He could feel the heat radiating off Lily's skin -exactly as he remembered- his cold rushing to counter her magic mading his skin tingle. Lily brought down her hands, clasping them behind her back, and Shon slowly lowered his fist. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. She leaned forward, brushing her cheek against his to whisper in his ear, "I told you I would find you."