“Well, that was anti-climactic,” commented Raine as he stood over the necromancer’s body. “And here I thought you’d be using ancient, forgotten magic. Turns out it’s just Aether.”
Raine looked up towards the rest of the cultists. Everyone was baffled by how easy one of their leaders fell to the cat-eared man.
“What?” asked Raine. “Expecting a spectacle? You’re out of luck. Now, fuck off!”
Raine’s anger-fueled shout caused the rest of the cultists to scramble in fear of the untouchable warrior. Raine was barely scratched despite having to fend off multiple reanimated corpses that could easily overwhelm him. He started to become worried when he couldn’t do anything to stop them until he instinctively used a quick cast spell to blind one of the corpses. The corpse burned to dust almost immediately. The necromancer did not expect Raine to wield a magic that could counter Aether magic. It was volatile and dangerous enough that only those with great discipline could properly utilize it without succumbing to corruption.
All those disciplines were suddenly thrown out of the window when Raine, who could barely cast a spell, dispelled the Aether used for his necromancy. He never thought he would die in such a miserable way when Raine easily dispelled the Aether, causing a fatal heart attack that killed the necromancer.
“Have a taste of Emerald, guys!” taunted Raine before he looked around to look for his allies. He quickly found Karkas who, unlike him, was struggling against his half-reptilian enemy and barely won the fight. Even then, he did not kill his opponent. In fact, he offered his hand. Raine thought this was a bad idea and was going to dissuade Karkas from doing so, even readying his sword in case his opponent tried something.
But from where he stood, he couldn’t hear the conversation between the two.
“I thought you priests are forbidden to touch a half-breed,” said the half-reptilian human, whose face was no longer covered by the scarf, showing a scale-covered human face with sharp teeth and reptilian eyes.
“Who told you that?” asked Karkas. “Is it one of the deep river sects where the destruction never touched them?”
“Most Crocodilian I met abhorred my appearance. I don’t wear this clothing because I’m cold, you know. The priests are even stricter when it comes to my kind.”
Karkas paused for a moment and said, “Who cares? The fact that I’m not living in a temple and does not keep my clothes clean tells a lot about my beliefs.”
“Even if that’s the case, you and I are enemies. Why are you offering your hand to your enemy?”
“I can take it back and offer my claws if you want. You can easily kill me while I’m doing this. I’m already battered and barely have any mana left. So, make your choice.”
Karkas’s to-the-point remarks could easily be used against him, but he was making a point. The fact that his opponent did not seem as injured as Karkas but was defeated by one well-placed blow that incapacitated him, was proof that the Croc could be hiding something or even prepared to strike before his opponent had time to react.
So, knowing that he was in no position to fight, and with Karkas being the first Croc who did not mind his half-reptilian appearance, the mage took his hand and, with a chuckle, said, “I guess you’re right. So, what now?”
“Since you clearly don’t want to go back to the rivers,” said Karkas. “How about if you come with me? I have a friend who can give you a proper place to live. Well…if you can call the Seaside a proper place.”
He soon caught a glimpse of Raine, who had his sword drawn and was ready to back Karkas. While he could no longer trust Jacques, he had no problems with Raine, who had a personality that Karkas liked. In the world of doom and gloom, an optimistic, wise-cracking person could be something that helped the world heal.
Knowing that they were still in the middle of a battle, Karkas said, “We are no longer fighting, Raine. You can put your sword away.”
“Can’t do, bud. Not until you tie him up.”
“Trust me on this,” ensured Karkas.
Raine was still reluctant. But he trusted Karkas enough to stand down and put his sword down.
“It’s on you, bud. Just…keep him off our back.” He then realized that Karkas was still around when he thought that the Croc had already left them. Cheekily, he pointed it out. “You missed us already? I knew you like us.”
“Not the wolf, unfortunately,” said Karkas. “While I respected his desire for revenge, my religion taught me that killing a child is the gravest sin a man can do, and associating myself with him will only bring more despair.”
“I see,” said Raine.
“Of course, we can part ways as friends. It’s been a great journey with you. It changed me.”
“I’m glad you do. Say, uh…I wonder. We are still in the middle of a fight, right?”
“Uh-huh?”
“So, why’s no one coming at us? Isn’t there—”
He was interrupted by Karkas, who resummoned his staff. This was enough to remind Raine that the fight was not over yet, so he drew his sword, ready to face whoever’s coming to fight them.
Instead of a fighter, a heavily injured Fa’ar walked towards them, half-limping through the circle of fire that was practically extinguished by this point. The two recognized the Fa’ar easily. Only one Fa’ar wore a protection vest full of throwing daggers, most of it were used up, and a black fur that was comparatively different from the Fa’ar they both know.
“Don’t bother,” said Maril, who was barely holding on as she was. “We can no longer fight. Nihilo’s done for.”
“Done for?” asked Raine. “I bet you have more than enough soldiers to overwhelm us. Why give up?”
“The only one who can do that…is dead,” said Maril. “And from the look of it…you gave them a run for their money. No one had ever fought us…and came out unscathed.”
“Perks of having Felinari agility and a trained Cavilen knight,” boasted Raine. "With a counter magic as an added bonus."
“Where is the Fa’ar?” asked Karkas. “The other one.”
“If you mean the young one…he’s right behind me, pointing Jacq’s gun. He’s going to kill me with that gun. He’s the one asking me to walk to you, possibly contemplating on whether my life’s worth it.”
“What?!”
Karkas stood aside to find the same Fa’ar she mentioned doing what she said. His expression was full of anguish, which was something the Croc had never seen the kid with such expression before. It was so apparent that a Croc could easily tell. He had seen him happy. He had seen him afraid and terrified. This was the first time he looked angry.
“I don’t know why he did not shoot me while he had a chance,” said Maril as she took at glance back at the kid. “Talk to him. He has been through a lot. As for me…do whatever you want with me. I should’ve done this a long time ago, but she’s too smooth of a talker for me to stay out of this business.”
“Raine,” said Karkas. “Take care of her. I'll...talk to the kid.”
“What’s going on Karkas?” asked Raine.
“It’s the wolf. He’s dead.”
It took Raine a moment to process those words before he said, “Oh, no.”
The Croc stood in front of the kid and growled. It did not unnerve the kid at all. He kept staring forward, fixated at Maril, who was being tied up by Raine.
“Kid,” said Karkas. “Why didn’t you shoot her? This isn’t your first kill. Is that gun too much for you?”
The kid did not immediately answer. In his mind, he, too, wondered why he did not just shoot Maril and be done with it. Maril was incapacitated and was unable to fight back when he loomed over her and pointed one of Jacques’s guns at her. The revolver was heavy, so he needed two hands to hold it. He knew how guns work. All he needed was point and shoot. He would not miss, not when he kept both of his eyes open and fixated on the defeated Fa'ar.
But he couldn’t. Instead, he forced her to stand up and walk through the fire, towards Raine and Karkas. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to shoot her in the back. Part of him felt that Jacques must be avenged, but at the same time, he knew the Loup was far from being a hero. Yet, he cared for the kid, and even asked him to live life to the fullest, far from all the trauma he experienced in the past. He was someone the kid could call a friend, possibly a brother, despite his flaws.
Karkas’s question made him ponder. It took him a full minute to realize the reason why. Slowly, he lowered the gun, knowing that he had made the right choice.
“Because I made a promise,” he said. “That I will not throw myself away for the sake of revenge. That Fa’ar is never the cause of his death, but I need someone to blame. I…never thought how easy it is to give in to anger when you have the means to do it.”
“It is,” said Karkas, sympathizing with the Fa’ar. “That…is something I cannot do so easily. You are brave, and strong.”
“Don’t give me that, buyan. If I am, I won’t be crying all the time.” The kid shook his head. “Is it over now?”
Karkas nodded.
“Then…let’s take care of the bodies.”
Given the town’s remote location, they couldn’t do much with the bodies except to bury them in shallow graves. For Jacques, however, they decided to cremate him as per Raine’s wishes, who claimed that it was what the Loup wanted. Maril, his former friend, did not object, and neither did Karkas and the kid, who introduced himself as Narati.
The lack of proper firewood forced them to use a wooden house. The dry climate, and the rotting wood, were enough to help fuel the fire, along with the dry shrubs and all assortments of flammable objects they could find. Finally, Karkas and his former opponent helped put Jacques’s body on top of a solid wood table. The lack of flowers, and the lack of any earthly desires, were not an issue. They needed to make do with whatever they had in such a short notice.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Maril waited with Narati while Karkas and Raine prepared to light a fire that would burn the whole building down. Raine, standing beside Jacques’s body, felt that he should say something nice to his friend and self-proclaimed rival.
“Y’know,” said Raine, looking at Jacques’s serene lupine face. “I always wondered which one of us will die first. We took too much heat, we fought, and we even laughed. I know you’ll deny that we ever did so, but hey. You can’t remember anything if you’re drunk, right? When I first met you, you’re this…tormented looking wolf guy with a lot of things in his mind. Then all that’s gone and you started pouring your heart out like it’s nobody’s business. You wanted to start a town, or a homestead, or…I don’t know. I told you everything’s easier in Emerald Valley, but you preferred it here, in this desert. I thought you’re just a battle junkie…or maybe you’re just suicidal.
“In the end, I…don’t know much about you, Jacques. About your mistakes. About your regrets. Hell, I don’t even know if you ever have a good time with us. The kid…well, Narati. He told me his name. I don’t see you as someone who’d tolerate a Fa’ar, or even consider giving your guns to him. Well…you make your own choices. I don’t claim to know much about it, but…I hope whatever you did in the end gave you some peace.”
Raine started becoming teary-eyed as he said those things, even though he barely knew Jacques at all.
“Whatever journey you go from here,” said Raine, holding back tears. “Whatever afterlife you believe in…be at peace, Jacques. Your journey ends here…but know that it isn’t in vain. Let Narati be the carrier of your legacy, not as a tool of revenge, but as hope. Goodbye, Jacques.”
It was a heartfelt speech. He never knew he had it in him, but he somehow said it without preparing. He was a talkative fellow, but he never made a speech to honor a fallen comrade. He was a knight, and he did know what to say in every situation. This felt more personal than that.
Raine cast the fire spell, and the flammable object he assembled with Karkas and the half-Crocodilian human burst into fire. Raine turned around and nodded towards Karkas. The Croc cast a barrier around the hut as fire started consuming it. Jacques’s body was soon obscured by the fire.
Narati held back his tears. Maril could still sense his sadness. Given what she did, she had nothing to say to Jacques’s newfound friend. She could only contemplate in silence, and to be amazed that Jacques would consider helping a Fa’ar who was never part of his job. As far as Maril knew, he was a cold assassin who couldn’t care less about a slave.
She couldn’t stay silent for long. Narati, despite his reservations and reluctance to talk with his captured enemy, was curious as to what Jacques really was. He did not want to turn the funeral awkward, but he just had to know.
“What is he like…when he’s with you?” asked Narati.
“In what sense?” asked Maril
“As in friends. Or maybe…”
“We’re not together if that’s what you mean. He was always a withdrawn, lone wolf, always the Loup for the job. Always professional. I never knew his past. He came out of nowhere and proved himself, earning our respect. Too bad we just must deal with the Nihilo bunch.”
“So, he’s never the friendly sort.”
“He never was. Yet, after all these years, when I met him again, he was more…sure of himself. More open. I have a feeling that your cat-eared friend had a play in his change of personality. Or he was regretting his life choices and vowed to change.”
“We’ll never know.”
Maril then let out a long sigh. “None of those matters now. I will rot in a prison anyway. If I’m lucky, I’ll be killed soon after. If not…well, you know what I mean.”
Narati quickly understood what she meant, and he felt bad, knowing that what he was going to do was essentially condemn her to a life of suffering. Narati knew all too well how most of the people in the wasteland treated Fa’ars. But what could he do?
Knowing that nothing was right in the god-forsaken world, and that being born a Fa’ar was already a curse, Narati could only hope that the people of Macksten would not make things worse for her. Raine claimed that the prison would treat her well and maybe pardoned her when Maril decided to come clean and explain everything that she could about Nihilo, with the hopes that the haven could dissuade more acolytes and to prevent tragedies such as Kestal and Jacques.
As the skyline of Macksten became more and more apparent, Narati’s unease became even more apparent. Raine, who was walking alongside the Fa’ar, noticed this. The Fa’ar’s round ears were narrow and elongated. His nose twitched more often than usual. He kept scratching his face. Something was troubling him.
“What’s wrong, Narati?” asked Raine. “You don’t look so good.”
“It’s her. Maril,” said Narati. “We’re handing over one of my kind to a haven.”
Raine quickly understood what Narati was implying. “I’ll speak with the officers about it.”
“Can’t we…can’t we just leave her be?”
“And risk retribution from Nihilo? Not a chance, bud.”
Narati still looked concerned, so Raine assured him by saying, “How about this? I’ll call in some favors with my CK, so she won’t be harmed.”
“CK?”
“Commanding Knight. My boss if you will. Well…former boss. But a friend. Nihilo’s not a problem in the Emerald Valley, so her crimes don’t mean much there. She’s still going to be isolated, though.”
“You can do that?”
“Of course, I can. I don’t like it, but if it’s a favor for a friend, then sure. Why not? The desert wasteland is a harsh place to be without some protection, so she’s lucky.”
“I’m…trying to honor Jacques’s wishes. It won’t matter if we are condemning her to further suffering.”
“I’m sure he won’t care since you’re not spilling any blood in his name. Still gotta work on your choice of weapon, though. No one’s gonna believe you as an agent of peace if you’re carrying a bloodied circular saw on a pole.”
“Better run before this thing’s sawing you in half, then,” said Narati, half-joking. “But you’re right. If there is a way to resolve a situation peacefully, I’ll take it. Then again, that doesn’t mean I am not allowed to show some teeth. They’ll get the message when I turn this thing on.”
Raine, taken aback by Narati’s statement, commented, “No wonder everyone’s so scared of you rat people.”
Narati let out a satisfied squeak. Ever since he regained his voice, Raine started to learn a bit more about Narati and his personality. The human never regretted helping him; he was genuinely kind. He still needed to work on his choice of weapon, though. No one with a kind heart would consider making a weapon that caused extreme gore and suffering to his enemies.
Or it was a twisted form of kindness. A kindness out of fear. With his enemies scared and demoralized, he was effectively sparing them. Not the best way to end a confrontation.
“Oh, well,” said Raine with a shrug. “If it works, it works.”
Raine wondered if Macksten had a phone he could use to call Cavilen, and whether it was affordable for an outsider like him as they approached the gates to the industrial city. Again, due to rules against Fa’ars, Narati stayed outside the walls. To his surprise, one of the guards, who Raine had been talking to, beckoned at Narati and Karkas, who accompanied Narati while Raine finished his business within the walls. Narati got a pass so he could enter the city, but only when accompanied by the Croc and strictly for business with the police station.
This had never happened to Narati before, so he was at a loss of words. He was even more stunned when he saw Macksten’s interior for the first time. The city was a marvel. Everything behind the wall was designed with industry in mind. There were not a lot of people in the city, most of which had been replaced by automated or operated machines, most of which were responsible for the factories that let out bursts of fire every now and then. The Fa’ar wanted to ask about how they managed to keep something so complex operating for years since the war. He decided not to, knowing that it would not benefit him if they became annoyed.
Despite being invited into the police station, Narati decided to wait outside with Karkas. He was still uncomfortable around people, especially when they were staring at him for being the only Fa’ar allowed in the city at that moment who was not in cuffs. In fact, both he and Karkas were the only Fa’ar and Crocodilian, so it was understandable for Karkas to also feel rather out of his depths. Raine could only sympathize with their plight, so he decided to quickly finish the handover for the benefit of his friends.
After he handed over Maril and showed her Nihilo badge, Raine said, “Ask her about the cult. Hopefully, she’s cooperative enough to help you hunt down the rest of them.”
“And why do you think so?” asked the officer.
“Is being the leader of Nihilo good enough for you?”
“Leader? Her? No wonder no one’s ever learned more about the cult. No one’s expecting a Fa’ar to be a leader.”
“Doesn’t make that much of a difference if she’s anything else,” said Raine. He then noticed something on the officer’s chest. It was a familiar pin that he knew what it represented. He smiled, knowing that he might be able to make good of his promise to Narati, after all.
“So,” said Raine. “How’s the Valley? Go home often?”
“Not lately, but I wish I could. Sure, there are a lot of actions in Macksten and out there in the desert. But frankly, it’s so dull here. Even the suburbs are too gray and industrialized. There’s no healthy grass out there. Unless you’re a rich bastard.”
“Ever miss being a knight?”
The human’s eyes widened. “How do you know I’m a knight?”
Raine silently pointed towards the pin. It was a circular pin with a cross-shaped symbol wrapped in rose vines. Then, to answer the officer’s question, Raine pulled out his necklace with a locket at the end. The locket was decorated with the same symbol as the one the officer had. It was also a cross, but instead of being wrapped in rose vines, it was wrapped by a snake.
“How’s Pipper these days? Still full of roses in spring?”
“Oh, how I missed the roses in spring! I tried cultivating some in my home, but the air’s too dry for my taste and I don’t have time to build a greenhouse for them. So, you’re from Cavilen? I haven’t been there myself, but I’d love to see the castles. I always wonder how they survived the war.”
“For that, you should ask the historians, not a knight. Say, do me a favor, will you? The leader of the cult is harmless, so if you can transfer her to Cavilen’s correction center, that would be great.”
“Oh, uh…I don’t…really have an authority for it. I do paperwork, not handling suspects.”
“Yeah, I know. How about this? Get on the hotline and call KC Fielding for me. Tell them Raine Windegarde needs his help regarding prisoner transfer and would like to transfer Maril Sukali. Tell him that she’s a Fa’ar and might get into trouble in here.”
“Are you sure that’s wise? I mean, being a Fa’ar’s not the problem, but she is still the leader of a dangerous cult.”
“I’ll take responsibility if anything happens. If you’re busy, I’ll make the call. Okay, bud?”
The man looked down at his desk, checking on something Raine couldn’t see due to the glass separator. It wasn’t long before he looked up and said, “I’ll make the call. What’s your name again?”
“Raine Windegarde. Of Cavilen.”
“And Knight Commander Fielding. Is that right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Right. I’ll make the call and talk about this with my boss. Hopefully, you don’t need to explain why you need a transfer for a Fa’ar. ‘Being harmless’ does not make a good reason.”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. Thanks, bud. Appreciate it.”
“Yeah, man. Don’t be a stranger, eh? And if you happen to go back home, get me some of those chocolates you guys are so proud of.”
“Do they have teleport delivery here?”
“Yeah, I got sent stuff from home every now and then. Just don’t burn through your savings just because it’s convenient, bud. My address.”
The man gave a hand-written note to Raine. It was the man’s address and the coordinate for the receiver, an important piece of information for the teleport delivery service, which only select havens in Emerald Valley had. This service, along with many others, convinced Raine that he had it good despite the devastation that was still evident in his homeland. Much like the desert wasteland, there were many ruins from the old civilizations that were not repurposed by despite the Valley’s prosperity. Some were intended to be monuments. Some became too dangerous due to the bandits and raiders taking over the ruins, which made a good source of income for a wandering bounty hunter like him.
Alas, there weren’t many bounties in the Valley, hence his reason for trying his luck in the desert. He wondered if fate enabled him to meet Jacques, and by extension, Narati and Karkas. He never believed in fate, so he shrugged that notion off.
He had fulfilled his promise to Narati, but what else could he do? Return to his old life as a bounty hunter, this time with Narati and Karkas? This whole mess started because of his involvement in Jacques’s mission to redeem himself, though in the end, he was glad that it was going well. He had nothing else to do, anyway, so he might as well start doing so.
Yet, part of him felt that the revelation about Jacques caused him to feel empty. Bounty hunting did not feel as exciting now that he realized how he missed his rivalry with Jacques. Narati and Karkas, with their own skills, would only make it too easy. Raine set off from his home because he wanted adventure and the danger that the knights of Cavilen would not normally face. Dangerous wildlife did pose a problem, but the real challenge was the sapient one. Sometimes, danger did not mean being mauled to death or chased by a rampaging mutated beast.
Good thing he was honorably discharged. If he wanted to return home, he could. Meeting someone who’s not only from the Emerald Valley, but also a knight from another haven, made him realize that he was homesick. Maybe the desert and the seaside region did start to make him disillusioned by adventure. Jacques’s death, the fight with Nihilo, Narati’s traumatic past, even Karkas’s mission…all made him realize that it was not like how the storybooks from his childhood would describe.
Raine knew that, when he started having these thoughts, he had basically grown up. There was no reason for him to die young searching for the thrills. It’s time for him to settle down and learn a less riskier craft.
Jacques had the right idea. Since Narati’s already honoring his savior, he could honor his friend and rival, too. That way, their bounty hunting had a purpose. This time, instead of surviving, they could go and pool their resources so that they could start a farm. It wouldn’t be too bad. It’s not like Raine was raised to be a warrior from an early age.
Narati and Karkas would appreciate it. Hopefully.