Felix Arlo looked off at the dark sky, the clouds partially opening to allow for some stars to shine through. The clouds obscured the two moons, but Luna still shone through the bothersome clouds, soft blue moonlight bathing Yorktown’s buildings and streets. Felix looked back at his small hovel at the edge of town, where it bordered the town’s wall, the dark forest beyond its safety.

Felix hadn’t been able to sleep these last couple of days, not since those Lumen knights came to town on their questionable mission. He sighed frustratingly, shaking away those thoughts as he walked off into town, his feet carrying his tired body to the only tavern in town. He knew Gladis kept the place open well into midnight since he went into such a place at grave hours, usually to drink himself to sleep or talk with the elderly woman herself. Felix shivered as he walked along the frosty night air, his fingers going numb as he tried to warm them up.

“Should’ve brought warmer clothing,” the guardsman muttered, silently cursing himself for being so careless as to come out amid Frost in nothing more than a wool jacket and fur-lined boots. Still, he knew the cold would be temporary, as his eyes spotted the warm light of the tavern ahead, its doors inviting to the guard.

Felix stepped into the tavern, sighing in relief as warmth surrounded him, courtesy of the lit fireplace to his right. He looked around the place, unsurprised to see some folks here, some even huddling near the fireplace as they drank their brews. Felix acknowledged them, giving the folks a couple of waves before he spotted someone of note by the bar, his hair tied up in a knot. Felix raised an eyebrow at Harald, watching him speak with Gladis, their conversation inaudible. Still, Felix could see how the older woman smiled at the veteran, twirling a piece of her graying hair as she spoke with him.

“Harald! Didn’t know you frequented here,” Felix called suddenly, coming up to the two as he interrupted their conversation. The veteran didn’t seem too surprised to see the guardsman, but Gladis jumped at the presence of Felix, doing her best to look natural as Felix sat down next to Harald.

“What would you be needing, Felix?” The barkeep asked with her usual smile, much different from the one she used on Harald.

“Just a tankard of mead, please,” Felix requested, pulling out some silver coins and placing them on the bar. Gladis took the payment gladly, moving to get Felix his drink. As she was gone, Felix looked to Harald, who sipped at his own tankard of mead. “So… Have you learned anything?” Felix asked quietly, resting both of his arms on the bar.

“Not much.” The veteran placed his tankard down gently, his face stern and unchanging as he spoke quietly despite not losing an ounce of weight in his voice. “That cryomancer is much more perceptible than I had initially thought. Almost got caught twice.”

“Damn.” Felix sighed in frustration. “Do you at least know what they’re doing?”

“I have some suspicions, but...” Harald trailed off, scratching at his trimmed beard as Gladis returned with Felix’s drink. Felix took it with a smile, thanking the older woman as she turned to Harald.

“Anything else you need, dearie?” She asked the veteran, a small, dreamy smile floating on her face.

Harald smiled back, raising his full tankard. “I’m good, Gladis,” he answered back, to which Gladis nodded before returning to tend to her other patrons.

Felix waited until she was far from earshot, taking another look around his surroundings to make sure no one was hearing. He turned to Harald, leaning in.

“But?” He prodded, watching as the veteran’s smile slowly dissipated. Harald himself took another look around them before letting out a frustrated sigh.

“Can I trust you, Felix?” Harald asked suddenly, his eyes moving to Felix’s, almost as if he was staring into his soul.

Felix took a couple of seconds to think, furrowing his brow. “Harald… What the hel are you saying?”

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“Can I trust you? Can I put my faith in you, Felix Arlo?” Harald asked once more.

Felix opened his mouth to give him a false answer, to say ‘yes, you can trust me’, but he faltered for a moment. What the hel was Harald going to say? Did he know something Felix didn’t?

‘What has him all up in arms about trust? What the hel am I getting myself into?’

Felix thought in that split second before looking at himself.

‘Do I want to get involved in this? Hel, what am I saying? I’ve been involved in whatever this is since those damned marauders came here. So much has happened that I’m sure nothing Harald says would surprise me..’

Felix made his choice in those few seconds of thinking, his gaze moving back to meet the veteran.

“You can trust me,” Felix said finally.

Harald stared at Felix for a solid few seconds before he relaxed, moving back to face the bar.

“How much do you know about James Holter?” He asked softly, to which Felix raised an eyebrow.

“James Holter? That strange fellow? Uh, not much to know about him, really. I know he’s a lost traveler. I think from Northern Azurvale, judging from his hair. Why?” Felix asked, taking a sip of his cold mead.

“That’s a lie,” Harald revealed, glancing at Felix. The guardsman blinked, setting down his tankard on the bar.

“What do you mean?” Felix questioned confusedly, a sinking feeling in his gut.

“You haven’t noticed it? That feeling you get when you’re around him?” Harald asked. “James isn’t from here. Not Valenfrost, not Azurvale, not even Azura itself.” Harald turned to Felix, who slowly realized what the veteran was saying.

“That’s insane. You’re insane. There’s no way…”

“Believe me, I had my own doubts. Think about it. He comes from nowhere, with no origin and no knowledge of anything about Azura. Those weird clothes he had on the day of the raid, his manner of speaking.” Harald’s points slowly overtook Felix, the guardsman realizing how it all made sense.

“I… What? How?” Felix sputtered in confusion. He tried to wrap his head around the idea of an outlander. “Even if what you say is true, who sent him here? Delphine? Freyja? The gods from his home?”

“No gods, if I recall what Dahlia told me,” Harald revealed.

“That shaman knows? Who else knows about this?” Felix was doing his best not to lose his mind, his head swimming as he tried to get a sense of reality.

Harald sighed. “Only a select few. Don’t tell anyone else.”

“Wait, why are you telling me this? Is that why the Lumen Knights are here?” Felix recalled what the knights had told them the day they arrived, explaining that there was a fracture in the ley lines.

“I suppose so. It could explain why they were investigating the shaman’s home earlier today. That and well…” Harald sighed. “James’ resurrection.”

“Resurrection? What the hel are you saying?” Felix felt as if he was a child again, who had been ignorant of the secrets his parents kept away from him.

“Dahlia explained to me that James had been stabbed by one of the marauders when they first came here… He was at death’s door before they brought him back with a ritual,” Harald explained.

“Ritual?!” Felix almost exclaimed, nearly spitting out the mead he was drinking.

Now Felix felt like his world was spinning, changing all around him as he processed the new information.

“What… What are the knights planning?” Felix asked.

“That’s the part that worries me. They’re obviously armed to the teeth despite being ambassadors.” Harald took a swig of his drink, his face scrunching up into a scowl. “I feel as if they’re not gonna let this town go off so easily.”

“How far are the guardsmen in their training?” Felix asked, almost desperate for good news.

“Not far enough. We’re still learning the basics, ironing out any bad habits within them. Still, I’ll see if I can get them to know basic defense stances,” Harald revealed.

“Do that. We’re going to need to prepare for any possibilities in the next couple of days. At least, until James comes back.”