🎵: Dash of the Daring, Rise of the Iron Will, Babel's Harmony, Whispers of the Unseen

Jay was moving before Reed finished speaking, grabbing his weapons harness from a hook on the wall.

"Brigade connection confirmed then?"

"Yes." Reed's voice was tight with anger. Her jaw clenched and eyes narrowed. "Guards caught one of their collaborators trying to destroy evidence in the archives. He gabbled once cornered. Ellis and his group have been feeding information to both the merchant guild and the Brigade for months."

"What did they take?" I asked, my throat dry.

Reed's gaze shifted to me. "Documents relating to Night's Hollow. Old maps, specifically. And something else - a sealed case that wasn't supposed to exist."

"Sir," a guard appeared behind Reed, puffing. "Swiftclaw patrol spotted them heading east, toward the old forest road. They've got at least an hour's head start."

"Brendan," Jay turned to me, checking his weapons, "go back to your quarters and-"

"He comes with us," Reed interrupted.

Jay froze. "Captain?"

"Those documents they took? We may need a translator when we catch them, and he's the only one we can trust right now." Reed's expression softened slightly at Jay's obvious concern. "Besides, after what he's uncovered, he's already involved. Better to keep him close where we can protect him."

Jay looked like he wanted to argue, but nodded sharply. "Fine. Brendan, stay close to me. No heroics."

"I'll alert the outer patrols," the guard said. "We can set up checkpoints along-"

"No," Reed cut him off. "We don't know how deep this conspiracy runs. This operation stays small - just us and my most trusted officers. We move fast and undetected."

"The forest road's dangerous this time of year," Jay pointed out. "Especially with Brigade activity increasing."

"Which is exactly why they chose it," Reed replied grimly. "They're counting on us being too cautious to pursue. Gear up. We leave in ten minutes."

Within minutes, our small group assembled in the garrison's stables. Captain Reed had chosen four of her most trusted officers, plus Jay to accompany us, as we all joined her party. The Swiftclaws sensed our urgency, their massive forms rippling with barely contained energy as the handlers prepared them for pursuit.

I approached the silver-gray Swiftclaw assigned to me, remembering my short time with these remarkable creatures. I felt a mix of awe and trepidation; their power and intelligence were both exhilarating and intimidating, and I hoped I could do them justice in the coming pursuit. As I mounted, the familiar melody of Dash of the Daring began building in my mind. It was the first Songs of Power I'd learned, though I'd never tried it with Swiftclaws before.

You sing Dash of the Daring

"Everyone mounted?" Reed called out, already astride her black Swiftclaw. "We need to-"

A vibrant song burst from me, it's energizing notes spilling through the air like golden light. The effect was immediate and unmistakable. The Swiftclaws' eyes gleamed, muscles tensing with a surge of newfound power. Beneath me, my mount quivered with excitement, eager to respond to the song's call.

"By the gods," Lieutenant Soe whispered as her Swiftclaw pranced in place, moving with impossible grace for such a large creature. "What did you just do?"

"Speed song," Jay guessed, grinning at his mount's eager movements. "Seems our young translator has a few tricks up his sleeve."

"The Swiftclaws," Reed observed, expertly controlling her energized mount. "Their speed potential - you've enhanced it?"

I nodded. "They should be about 50% faster. And they won't tire while the song holds."

The other riders - Officers Aldrich and Vale - exchanged eager looks. Their mounts, normally disciplined and steady, now radiated barely contained power.

"Well then," Reed said, a fierce smile crossing her face. "Let's show Ellis and his traitors what a truly fast pursuit looks like. Formation delta, keep tight, and follow my lead. Move out!"

We burst from Haven's Cross's gates like arrows from a bow; the Swiftclaws moved with supernatural speed and grace. The enhanced cats took fifty-foot strides. Their powerful muscles worked in perfect rhythm with the continuing song that flowed through me. What should have been a jarring, exhausting pace felt almost effortless - both for the mounts and riders.

"This is incredible!" Lieutenant Soe called out, her voice filled with exhilaration. Her Swiftclaw, a tawny female, leaped over a fallen log with impossible lightness.

We covered ground at an astonishing rate; the landscape blurring past as we maintained our delta formation. Captain Reed led at point, with Jay and me just behind her. The other three officers flanked our sides, their Swiftclaws moving in perfect synchronization.

"They won't be expecting this kind of pursuit speed," Jay shouted over the wind. "They'll be thinking they have hours before we could catch up!"

Reed signalled with her hand, directing us toward the forest road. The enhanced Swiftclaws took the sharp turn without losing momentum, their agility matching their increased speed. I could feel the song's power sustaining both mounts and riders, keeping fatigue at bay while maintaining our incredible pace.

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Officer Vale, an experienced tracker, called from our right flank. "Fresh tracks ahead! Multiple horses, being ridden hard!"

"They're pushing their mounts too fast," Officer Aldrich added. "They'll have to rest them soon!"

"Unlike us," Soe said with a fierce grin, patting her Swiftclaw's neck as they bounded forward.

The forest road narrowed ahead, ancient trees creating a natural tunnel. Under normal circumstances, this would force us to slow considerably. But the enhanced Swiftclaws navigated the tight space with preternatural awareness, weaving between obstacles without breaking stride.

"Track split ahead!" Reed warned. "Recent disturbance on both paths!"

I guided my Swiftclaw closer to the split, maintaining the song while applying the tracking techniques Liam had taught me earlier. The right path showed obvious signs - too obvious, with deliberately scattered leaves and excessive hoof prints. But the left path... there were the subtle indicators Liam had drilled into me: the way water droplets had barely collected in some prints, the specific angle of freshly broken twigs, and the particular pattern of displaced forest debris that came from horses moving at speed.

"Captain," I called out, feeling the strain as the Dash of the Daring approached its limit. "The left path. They tried to hide their trail, but they were moving too fast to do it properly. Ellis's group went this way less than an hour ago." I took a steadying breath. "But I need to drop the song - I'm almost out of mana. We'll need to pursue at normal Swiftclaw speed until I can regenerate enough power for another enhancement."

Reed nodded sharply. "Understood. Everyone, prepare for the speed change. We'll maintain pursuit at standard pace - Swiftclaws are still faster than horses at their natural speed. Brendan, conserve your strength. When we spot them, we'll need that enhancement again for the final push."

The song faded, and our mounts smoothly transitioned to their natural gait - still impressive, but no longer supernatural. I focused on my breathing, feeling my mana slowly beginning to replenish as we followed the trail at a steady pace.

After about twenty minutes of pursuit at normal speed, we caught our first glimpse of the fugitives through the trees. My mana had been full after four minutes, but Captain Reed wanted me to wait until we spotted them.

Reed studied the distance between us and our quarry for a moment. "They're pushing their horses too hard - they'll be exhausted soon. Hold the enhancement until we're closer. We want enough power left for that combat song of yours when we catch them."

I nodded, watching as our natural Swiftclaw speed steadily gained on their tiring horses. When the gap had narrowed to about two hundred yards, Reed gave the signal.

"Now, Brendan! Get us in close!"

You sing Dash of the Daring

Our Swiftclaws surged forward with renewed supernatural speed. The exhausted horses ahead had no prospect of maintaining their lead against our fresh burst of enhanced speed.

We closed the final distance in seconds. I had plenty of mana in reserve for the battle. Catching Reed's eye, I transitioned directly into the Rise of the Iron Will, its deeper, martial melody replacing the speed song.

You stop singing Dash of the Daring

You sing Rise of the Iron Will

The effect was immediate and dramatic. Our Swiftclaws' muscles bulged with newfound strength, their already impressive forms becoming even more intimidating. I felt the song's power surge through me and heard Soe gasp as it enhanced her as well.

"Gods above!" Soe exclaimed, looking at his arms as enhanced strength coursed through him. His Swiftclaw growled, the sound deeper and more menacing than before.

Ellis and his remaining two companions - the others having been cut off by Aldrich and Vale - wheeled their exhausted horses around, drawing weapons. Their faces paled as they saw our transformed group bearing down on them, our Swiftclaws now moving with terrifying power rather than supernatural speed.

"Take them!" Reed commanded, her Swiftclaw launching forward with devastating power. The timing had worked perfectly - the speed song had gotten us in position, and now the strength enhancement would make the capture swift and decisive.

The enhanced strength and combat prowess granted by the song made the capture almost anticlimactic. Jay's Swiftclaw bounded over a fallen tree and caught one rider's horse with a single massive paw, pulling mount and rider to a controlled stop. Reed's enhanced mount simply shouldered Ellis's horse aside, while my own Swiftclaw's strengthened leap cut off the final rider's escape route.

Within moments, all three were disarmed and on the ground, their faces showing a mixture of terror and awe at what they'd just witnessed. Ellis's satchel, containing the stolen documents, had fallen nearby.

"Two different songs of power," Ellis muttered, looking at me with new understanding as Reed secured his bonds. "We didn't... we didn't know the translator was capable of..."

"There's a lot you didn't know," Reed cut him off sharply. "Like how bad your day was about to get when you betrayed Haven's Cross."

Aldrich and Vale rode up, their prisoners already secured. "The other two are contained, Captain. No casualties."

I let the song fade. The other officers were still looking at me with a mixture of respect and wonder, not having expected their translator to turn the tide so decisively.

The return journey to Haven's Cross took several hours at a normal pace, but it gave me time to recover and reflect on how drastically my role had just changed. The other officers maintained a professional alertness, but I could tell they were sneaking glances at me, reevaluating everything they thought they knew about the "Archive translator."

Ellis and his companions remained sullenly cowed, though I occasionally caught them watching me with a mixture of fear and calculation. Whatever they'd planned, they clearly hadn't accounted for a Singer's abilities being used so... militarily.

"You holding up alright?" Jay asked quietly, guiding his Swiftclaw alongside mine. "Don't think any of us have seen a bard use songs quite like that before."

"I'm managing," I replied. "Liam - my instructor - he always emphasized the importance of tactical timing with the songs. Using them at the right moment rather than just powering through."

"Smart," Reed commented from ahead. "Though I imagine the Caravan didn't teach you those techniques just for travelling with them."

Before I could respond, the walls of Haven's Cross came into view. As we approached, I could see a small welcoming committee had gathered, including Lady Moira. News of the pursuit and capture must have reached her already.

Lady Moira stood at Haven's Cross's gates, her white robes catching the evening light. As our group approached with the prisoners, her usually composed expression showed a hint of satisfaction.

"Captain Reed," she greeted as we dismounted. "I see your pursuit was successful. And..." her gaze fell on me, "I assume our translator proved himself resourceful."

"More than resourceful," Reed replied, handing Ellis over to the waiting guards. "His songs turned what should have been a day-long chase into hours. Made the difference between catching them and losing them entirely."

Lady Moira studied the recovered satchel of documents with keen interest. "The Ancient Kandari texts are intact?"

"Sealed and secure," Jay confirmed.

"Good." She turned to address the group. "Get the prisoners secured. We'll begin proper interrogations in the morning, along with document analysis. "If they will sacrifice everything for these documents... their true value will reveal itself soon enough."

As the guards led Ellis and his conspirators away, Lady Moira caught my arm. "Your abilities continue to surprise us, Brendan. What started as simple translation work has become something far more valuable."

I shifted uncomfortably under her praise. "I just did what needed to be done."

"Indeed." A slight smile crossed her face. "Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, hopefully, we'll see what those documents they felt needed to be stolen might reveal and perhaps finally understand what makes Night's Hollow so important to the Brigade."

The sun was setting as we dispersed, casting long shadows across the garrison courtyard. Whatever tomorrow would reveal, today had changed things. I was no longer just a translator - I'd proven myself something more. And somehow, that felt right.

The mystery of Night's Hollow and the Brigade's plans still loomed. But for now, we'd won an important victory. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new translations, and hopefully, answers.