CHAPTER TEN

The capital of Fable hid itself behind a series of silver arches, the sharp ends staked into the ground and disappearing beneath the old cobble. Inside, the buildings sprouted like mushrooms, beginning with bulbous stalks that grew into steel spheres. Steam poured out of iron chimneys and half-circle cutouts in each roof. Even with the sun setting rapidly behind, the bright glow from each bubbled home was enough to keep the city in sight.

Norok gawked at the new world around him. There were swarms of people walking past, donning pristine white clothes and silver robes. There were merchants shouting for him to look their way in the streets, holding out arms of jewelry and gold. The ones who stood back let their work speak for them, levitating whole stands of trinkets in the air. An artist sat at the front of a long line of people, sketching a young woman in a gold robe. She played with her red hair nervously. Norok watched as the artist raised a hand, and six bright glowing lights formed in the air and buzzed around her, lighting her features from all angles.

“What is this place?” Norok asked, raising his voice over the city.

“Nothing that won’t outlive us all. Let’s keep going,” Will chirped back. His pace seemed to quicken with the answer.

In his peripherals, Norok could see Irina stop and pull Daimona off towards what looked to be a food cart. A large woman on the other side slammed her butcher knife down into the counter, emitting a loud slop as the mystery meat sunk in two. The counter began to glow bright red with heat. Daimona cheered and clapped as the meat sizzled.

He turned to tell Will-- it was part of his new good soldier routine, to make up for handing secrets directly to the enemy-- but Will’s head had already disappeared into the horde coming down the street. Norok turned, expecting to give Kell a shrug and a What now? look, but the brunette boy had disappeared too, probably wandering off somewhere like the other two. It was just Norok now, alone.

He raised his head to the sky, peering above the city lights and the rolling gusts of gray. Somewhere above the cacophony, there had to be stars. Norok had seen them on the journey there. They seemed to glitter above him wherever he went, the only thing in this world as seemingly constant as his sister’s hunger. But the darkened sky hovered above him, the city smog keeping it shrouded in black.

Norok closed his eyes. Are you there? Are you watching?

His thoughts echoed inside his skull. He could feel people brushing by him on all sides, but he remained planted firmly where he stood. Say something, he urged, searching for that second voice inside him. Images of what he’d seen-- the child in Halltown, the mother set ablaze before him-- raced through his mind.

The silence left a bitter taste in Norok’s mouth. “Whatever. I don’t need your input anyways.”

The sound of steel sparking against itself caused Norok to jump. His eyes snapped open as he whirled around. Several feet ahead, a stage appeared to be moving towards him. Smoke poured from beneath as it slowly lurched forward, eliciting gasps of awe from all sides as the metal floor melted and rose, forming a figure hunched on four legs. As the creature rose, tufts of silver fur emerged from its back, a pointed snout pulled from the head like a stick of taffy. The metal wolf howled, a canned, garbled sound that bounced off the buildings. From behind, another figure rose, this time human. A sword extended from a pair of rugged hands, rising above the wolf’s neck from behind. Norok watched as the blade came down, cutting into the wolf and sending a shiny splatter of blood up. Both figures melted and reformed, only the wolf was gone. In its place was a bear, then a tiger, then a gathering of snakes and birds, each creature more intricate and monstrous than the last. But the man and the sword remained the same. Norok snorted at the exaggerated breastplate and feather-adorned helmet, a theatrical show of heroism he’d only seen in his childhood facility’s books.

“What a joke,” Norok muttered.

“I know,” a voice next to him agreed. “The feather’s not that big.”

Norok eyed the stranger carefully. The woman standing next to him was tall and broad, a familiar suit of silver-plated armor adding to her intimidating figure. Short black curls framed her brown-red face, bouncing lightly as she offered Norok a gap-toothed smile.

“Everyone really loves it, though,” she added, her gaze softening on the shifting stage as the people cheered. “So I don’t mind it as much.”

Norok opened his mouth, preparing another snide remark before thinking back to Bash. Last time he had written someone off as unimportant, they turned out to be an obstacle. He wouldn’t be making that mistake again.

“Piece of advice, rookie,” the woman said, clapping a hand on Norok’s shoulder. “Never doubt yourself when you're doing the right thing.”

Norok scoffed. “I never do, lady. But thanks.”

The woman laughed heartily. “What's your name, kid?”

“Norok,” he replied. The woman nodded, repeating his name with a reverent look.

“Norok, huh? That's a new one… I'll probably forget it anyways.”

“Then why ask?”

“Cause you've got the look of a knight, Norok. A knight like me,” she answered proudly. “Ser Gawain.”

“...Okay,” Norok said slowly. The hierarchy of the world's power was still a mystery to him. Knights didn't really mix with sergeants and privates in his mind. What were the knights even for, anyway? There wasn't a king.

Or, actually, maybe there was. Come to think of it, Norok didn't really know. He set the pinned notion to the back of his mind, adding it to the list of things to ask Kell. Gawain could probably answer all of his questions too, but the longer the arrogant woman spoke, the more Norok started to tune her out.

A hand reached out, yanking Norok to the side. Will’s red face glared at him, standing in the smoky trail of Gawain’s parade.

“I thought I ordered you to keep up,” he seethed through gritted teeth. His head darted to the left and right. “And where are the others?!”

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Norok shrugged. “Everyone got kinda lost, I guess.”

“Merlin’s teeth--” Will swore violently. Then his eyes fell on Gawain. His posture changed immediately, snapping to attention as his hand dropped from Norok’s arm.

So the knights do rank higher than privates and captains, Norok thought, watching Will fumble over his words.

“S-Ser Gawain, it’s an honor to see you again!”

Gawain rubbed her jaw indifferently. “Yes, yes, an honor as always to meet a rookie in training.”

Will’s face fell. He stepped nearer to her, and Norok could practically smell the desperation for approval. Will placed one hand over his chest, offering his civil and polite smile. “Actually, we met before I enlisted. On my family’s estate? You came to ask my father for a sword-- the sword, Galatine?”

Her face lit up, a loud thunderous gasp erupting from the pit of her massive chest. She pulled Will into a bear hug, swinging him around like a dead fish.

“You’re one of the Saint boys, yes! I do remember you, you’re-- Warren? No, Wyatt! Wyatt yes, hi!”

The corners of Will’s mouth twitched. “It’s… Will. Ma’am.”

“What did I say?” Gawain waived her hand in the air, moving on without another word from Will. “Nevermind that, how’s your big brother Dean?”

Will’s expression immediately turned sour. Norok stifled a laugh as the bitter captain muttered under his breath, “We’re twins.”

“Really? He just seemed so much older to me,” Gawain chuckled. “Always standing in front, chasing off the made-up monsters in the yard and hiding you in the bushes… I remember he asked me for lessons once, saying he had to protect you from the stags and sharks. He was such a cute kid... Is he here too?”

She looked over the crowd behind him, her eyes roaming everywhere but Will’s stern, darkened face. “He died a couple years ago. Accident in the forge.”

Gawain turned back. Her gaze softened. She reached out and placed a firm hand on Will’s head, patting lightly. “My condolences. I didn’t realize.”

There was a peculiar apathy in Will’s tone as he thanked her. Norok could see the tension in his balled up fists, the straight-laced anger in his rigid back. Norok knew grief-- it was something he had to carry, for both himself and Daimona-- but this was different. It was as if Will was telling a story that had to be true, but not one that necessarily was.

Norok sighed. Baggage, he thought. This team’s full of it.

A shrill scream pierced the air, interrupting the sounds of cheering and laughter for Gawain’s glory. Norok could see people beginning to back away from the entrance to an alleyway, a man scuffling back on his feet and pointing wildly into the dark.

“I-it’s a--!!”

A great beast emerged from the alley. It had the form of a lion, with a muscular build and a bulky mane flowing from its head. But the body itself was pitch black, dripping like tar as it moved. It sauntered from the dark with pupiless, white eyes.

Norok heard Will’s gun click behind him, the portal closing with a soft whir.

“Ser Gawain, if you can handle crowd control--”

“--I leave the beast to you, lads!” Gawain shouted, already running off in the direction of the fleeing civilians. She winked at Norok as she looked back over her shoulder one final time. “Do the right thing!”

“Norok, deal with the lion,” Will ordered, taking a running start in the opposite direction. “I’ll do the rest.”

“Rest of what?! It’s one guy!” Norok yelled at Will’s retreating back. He threw his hands in his pockets, strolling towards the beast. It growled as he neared, more black ooze dripping from its mouth. The lion backed into the alley, obscuring itself in the shadows.

Don’t let it lure you in.

Norok rolled his eyes. “Oh, now you wanna talk? Get off my ass, dude.” He drew his right hand out, pointing towards the ground. “Down, kitty.”

The lion splat into the ground, the form melting immediately. Then, it drew into itself again, straining under Norok’s magic and pulling itself deeper and deeper into the shadows. A string of black shot out, wrapping around Norok’s leg and knocking him on his back.

Norok quickly pointed to the right. The monster let out a shriek as its mass was thrown into the wall, flattening out until it formed a circle five times Norok’s size. It tightened its grip, pulling Norok with it and dragging him into the ebony center of the puddle. Small tendrils spiraled from beneath his ribcage, twisting up and puncturing through his skin. Norok hissed in pain.

Suddenly, a flash of silver soared through the air, sinking into the creature and just barely nicking Norok’s left arm. Once it made contact, it began to blaze with fire, startling the wretched monster and causing it to squeal with shock. It dropped Norok, dripping down the wall and rolling into itself to put out the flames.

Norok was pulled to his feet, Kell yanking him backwards and causing them both to fall behind Irina. Kell offered him an apologetic smile from below. “Better late than never, right?”

From the other side of the alleyway, Norok could see Will standing in front of Daimona. His gun was raised, one eye closed as he aimed.

“Now, Daimona!”

She took in a massive breath, puffing out her chest before leaning over to scream, “Come here, goo boy!”

The creature twisted up, shooting from the ground like a geyser as it rushed towards the two. Will fired six shots, each bullet causing a silver ripple as it made contact with the beast. Irina flung her kindjal, as Kell snapped his fingers together and bathed the blade in flames.

“Norok,” Will shouted. “Contain it!!”

Contain it? Norok couldn’t do that. He could move it, but he couldn’t keep the damn thing pinned. He tried that, and he had gotten his rib cage smashed for his troubles.

Just do it, the voice urged. Norok bit his lip, his nerves getting the better of him.

Kell reached out suddenly, grabbing Norok’s hands. He looked sternly at Norok, forcing Norok to clap them together and dig his fingers into the opposing knuckles.

“Hold it together,” Kell said, giving Norok a reassuring grin. “That’s all you have to do.”

Something surged inside of Norok, a spark of inspiration. He snapped his attention to the creature, and before the words even left his mouth, he could feel his magic strangling its form. The bubbling ooze was forced from the ground, floating in the air and writhing against itself. Norok squeezed his palms closer and closer, watching with wonder as the body seemed to shrink in his grasp. It screeched one final time before popping viscerally under the pressure, suffocating under Norok’s triumphant touch.

For a moment, everyone was stark silent. Then, Will grinned wildly. “Good work, everyone. We just averted our first crisis.”