For the first time since we evacuated Karthos Bend, I managed to get a full night of continuous sleep. It felt like nothing short of a miracle. All of the curry had been mercifully consumed by the others, leaving leftover chili my breakfast once it had been very cautiously reheated over the fire. I ate outside while I supervised Rags' morning excursion into the small back yard that was seeing only further snowfall. He loved the snow, pouncing and bounding through it without a care in the world. His gusto was such that he almost convinced me to join in. Lilika was awake by the time we returned to the house. The food had kept me warmed from within to a pleasant temperature, which served my cold-blooded body warm and loose in the nearly freezing temperatures. She was warming up with some chili, as well, and quickly put the fire out once she had filled her bowl. I wondered whether she was doing so more for her sake or my own. "Good morning Madison, how'd you sleep?"
"Deeply," I assured her as I washed my bowl in the wash basin. "You?"
"Deeper. Thanks for taking him out. Ahh." I watched my friend do a series of stretches, and wondered if I should do the same. Her bowl remained in her hand without spilling a drop of her food. I found this both comedic and inspiring. "Do you have plans for the day?" I considered my lack of ideas for the day, apart from braving fire once more to cook another round of food for everyone. The very thought inspired worry.
"Not really. The best idea I had was to try to see if anyone needed some clothing repair in the market, but that probably wouldn't keep me busy all day."
"That's kind of you. I was hoping you could keep me company while I look for plants in the woods; all my medicines are gone so I need to make a travel kit for myself," she explained. "We could do both, if you wanted to come along."
"I think I'd like that. When I was out walking with Betiara last night I kind of felt the overhangs of those white houses... choking me, in a way?" I wasn't sure how best to describe it so early in the morning, but the impression I had gotten from looking upward was strong. It was burned into my memory with a depth I couldn't explain. The feeling grew into a desire to press the buildings away from me as I lingered upon it.
"I know exactly what you mean," Lilika said with an emphatic point of her finger. "We'll have a nice morning in the woods, then! Make sure you grab that hot stone, and, oh, let's get you some proper boots before we head out. We can get food somewhere." Without further ado, she finished her food and hurried Rags and I outside to find a cobbler. I left my pajamas on my cot as I donned my cloak and book holster so that I could carry as many plants with me as I could while we were out and about. Our walk presented a great opportunity for a moment of magical study. I took advantage of this while keeping my peripheral vision on Lilika as she led us to our destination. The base that I had established in learning basic defensive, offensive and utility spells would hold water, but I was unsure of where to take my studies next. I wanted to do more than simply study Transmutation for Transmutation's sake; I wanted to use my magic to deepen my experiences and help others understand them more deeply. How could I accomplish such things? I nearly bumped into Lilika when we reached the destination. Within minutes, I'd spent four silver on a pair of sturdy boots meant to carry me through all kinds of terrain, including snow, in cushioned comfort. I resumed reading until we were outside of town.
Looks of interest had been passed at us while we traveled through the street. That was part of my interest in my Spell Tome; it meant that I wouldn't have to pay as much attention to the intent of strangers. To be fair to them, not many walked through town with staves and a gigantic dog. As well, I was a dragonborn in a colder environment, and Lilika's home-tailored clothing made of fabrics and skins that she had salvaged from naturally passed creatures definitely cultivated curiosity. Just as I was beginning to get an idea of a way to expand my practice, a familiar voice called to me as we crossed the threshold of the city gate. "Miss Madison?" I turned to see exactly the person I had expected: Vaun. "Miss Lilika. It's good to see you both this morning."
"You too, Vaun." The weight of our first encounter returned to me. I was thankfully given a temporary out in the form of Lilika taking the reins of the conversation.
"Hey there. We're just going out to gather some medicinal plants; we won't be long."
"Of course, please take caution, as there have been wolves sighted in the area." Lilika puffed her chest out in a comedic manner. This made the ailing guard smile.
"A few wolves aren't any trouble for me, son, don't you worry!"
"I have only the utmost confidence in your abilities." Vaun's smile grew as he looked us over, his eyes lingering on my Spell Tome for a moment. "Miss Madison, should you find the time, I have a gift for you, in return for your care for Theric."
"Oh, that's, that's okay, thank you, though. I'm more concerned about how you and your wife are doing..." Vaun glanced down at the road and took a moment to consider himself. I followed his gaze and noticed a chip in one of the stones. My Earth Sciences class in freshman year of high school told me that the exposed, waving layers of the stone were likely of a sedimentary nature. I recalled that these rocks were likely formed over long periods of particulate matter from plants, sand, or other sources becoming layered over each other and hardening, one by one. Tangentially, I remembered that oil beds were created under similar conditions by the mass pressurization of decaying plant material; megaflora and megafauna had been of particular interest to me for a little while. To think that Earth used to be covered in towering plants that took advantage of the higher oxygen levels present in the atmosphere...
"My wife and I are managing. Thank you for your concern. Ours is that your kindness should be repaid with some of our own; I promise it's nothing untoward. Please allow us to put our minds at ease." How could I say no? Our eyes met again. In case anything bad happened, I knew that Betiara would be able to handle it, and Lilika could even keep watch while disguised as an innocent bird. There was no reasonable resistance I could offer to a gift freely given by someone that found me worthy of it. Taking from the lesson that I had recently learned about trust, I decided to accept Vaun's proposition.
"Okay, I will. Thank you both. I just don't want it to seem like I expect favors for doing what I think is right, you know?" I nervously fidgeted with my staff out of guilt.
"Not at all, thank you for your understanding. You were merely being kind to a stranger, and Rica and I wish to do the same. That is the world we wish to live in; to do so requires follow-through." His expression carried a hope I had seen before in Betiara. It was no wonder Sekvi had taken a shine to Vaun; he seemed like a kind person. "Best of luck on your excursion."
"You're a real gentleman, Vaun. Nature will provide," Lilika said. "Have a nice day now, and stay warm!"
"You as well." I felt off-kilter from the kindness shown to me by someone I'd only met the day before. Even with it having happened to me several times, it was still a new sensation to be welcomed. The gray sky above felt a little warmer as I took a moment to enjoy the feeling.
"Thank you, I'll see you tonight." With Lilika practically dragging me forward, we continued our walk toward the forest. The flat farmland outside of Letvel looked so beautiful in the snow. I felt small among the expanse as I traveled, but in a different way that I'd felt as I gazed at the stars from the inn last week. It was so easy to lose track of this feeling within a populated city, be it Lancaster or Letvel. Nature felt larger here, more real. It felt like the true way of the world in which we merely built our little habitative shells. It was humbling as my sturdy new boots crunched through the snow. A little habitative shell traveled with me in the form of the cinder block Sekvi had secured. Without this, I'd likely freeze very quickly. Magic, nature... I began to wonder how different they were on a larger scale than my singular perspective could provide. "What does it feel like to use Primal magic?"
"It reminds me of my place in this world," Lilika responded after some consideration. There was a gentle rapture in her words. "You and I are part of nature, no matter where we go or what we do. Interacting with it feels like all of it, from a seedling to a star, is growing through and out of me. It's just like breathing." I marveled at this answer and said no more on the subject, choosing to listen to instead. I listened to the way the snow compressed beneath each step. This sound was produced by physical work displacing air through the porous material that comprised the snow. There wasn't much wind to speak of with tree cover and the tall mountains to our West blocking much of the wind from reaching this lower elevation. I stopped walking for a moment and closed my eyes to listen to the sound of snow falling. We had walked far enough from Letvel to be spared of its ambient bustle. The gentle rustle of my hood, the snow falling around us, even Rags' sprightly pace ahead of me all came together in a way that was simultaneously integral to my experience and entirely beyond me. A most wondrous part of my mind, or perhaps something deeper, felt as if I could simply become air in this moment.
"You'd make a great druid, you know," Lilika said as she watched me lose myself in Winter's last breath. "What you're feeling now is where it all stems from."
"How can you tell?"
"I lived this moment as a little one. You're smiling the same way I always have." It was true. I felt a flake of snow land upon my beak. With a laugh, I licked it off.
"This isn't the first time I've wondered if I missed my calling with Primal magic."
"Ahh, maybe, but I see the way you get when you stare at your tome. It's doing you good," Lilika asserted as we approached the familiar tree line along the North road. "Where do you see yourself going with your magic, Madison? Do you have any long-term plans?"
"No," I admitted. The progress I had made in looking into a new future had been tragically interrupted, and I felt it too soon to take another look after so much had changed for me. I had to build a new foundation over shaky ground. "Well, I have one idea."
"What's that?" It was time to dig deep. I looked out into the snowy woodland and considered the way that endless, blanketing white bowed coniferous limbs of the trees.
"Maybe in the future, once I've mastered a lot more spells, if I get to stay here that long... I could help others with a difficult thing that I've experienced. I'm transgender. On Earth, it was a struggle to navigate that on my own and secure the medicine I needed to change the hormones in my body so that it would match what I knew myself to be. It's inherent. A lot of pain and trauma can come from existing that way, even with that medicine helping things out." This was something I had only gotten to explain online. A few of the distant half-friendships I'd established required explanation when my long familiar handles changed to something obviously feminine.
"Oh! Well, I think that's a wonderful idea, sweetie." Lilika had said that so casually, yet so truly, as she had said everything else that she addressed to me. I appreciated that knowing this about me hadn't changed her opinion of me.
"Is that kind of thing more accepted here?"
"Life exists in all kinds of ways. My ex-husband once told me that even nature doesn't always get it right the first time," she assured with a chuckle. "Is it not accepted on Earth?"
"No, not often. A lot of the world actively, um, wants us... dead."
"Ugh! Then I'm glad you're here instead! If you don't mind me asking, do you think you'll still need that medicine?"
"I... you would think so, but usually this long without it, I'd start to notice a few uncomfortable signs. I'm not super familiar with dragonborn biology yet but it seems like things are stable?" My voice hadn't lost its lilt, and my emotions hadn't lost their complexity. I felt myself shaking from fear as I explained all this to Lilika. "Do you think you could make something that would work that way, just in case?"
"Maybe. I'd probably need your help, and Sekvi's... maybe Betiara's." I wondered how well that would work, given the finely focused nature of Spironolactone and remembering that the first forms of estrogens had been chemically isolated from the urine of pregnant mares. It was a blessing to have been born after the proliferation of that method, and instead having access to estrogens that were easily synthesized in a lab; the alternative would have been a difficult ethical matter.
"Is Betiara good with medicines, too?"
"She's a werewolf," Lilika said without an ounce of concern. My eyes went wide as they shot over to the druid. Betiara had told me that only the late mayor of Karthos Bend and Sekvi had known that about her. Worry filled my stomach; how many others knew? Had the guards indeed discovered this about her? "I imagine that'll help me understand changes from one form into another on that kind of level. My druidic shaping is different, and temporary, so I can only get so much from that." I didn't know what to do. Denying it when Lilika obviously knew felt like the right course of action, but it was disingenuous to do so. She didn't seem especially worried about it.
"How do you figure that?"
"Well, it's like I'm borrowing a shape more than I am changing into something else. It doesn't last forever."
"No, about Betiara!"
"Oh! Rags told me." I blinked as I scrambled to understand that statement. The answer came to me quickly. Even if he couldn't understand language, animal instinct would likely tell him that Betiara wasn't an average half-elf. I knew that animals could smell differences in hormones; that had been proven to me when I met a dog in a park that was reportedly afraid of men. The dog had no hesitation approaching me and letting me pet them. They knew.
"...is that a bad thing? I don't think she knows that you know."
"No, no. Betiara has a good handle on who she is. I was more worried about you not knowing, and that's why I had Rags go with you last night, in case you found out the hard way."
"What's the hard way?"
"Suddenly she's a big, fluffy monster! That scares people that don't understand, and you'd had a rough day. The full moon's coming up. That's probably why she wanted to leave Letvel so fast." I hadn't realized that was the case. Lilika was half right... was there anything that could escape her perception, or Rags'?
"Should we tell her that we know?"
"No, sweetie. That would only make her feel exposed, and that's probably something she's afraid of. You see how she's all ready all the time." She sounded confident in her position. "Vulnerability is something she needs to trust us with only when she feels ready to." I couldn't believe that a dog had outed a werewolf to a druid. It didn't feel right to have this conversation without Betiara present.
"So why did you tell me?" I ventured, using both hands to free my staff from some particularly icy snow we had stumbled into as we entered the forest.
"We're all getting closer to each other... and I want you to be safe in case something bad happens; I can only make medicine to treat the early stages. It would be a deal-breaker for a lot of people so I thought I could save you some heartbreak down the road by letting you make an informed decision."
"I guess that's fair," I said quietly as I looked around to get my bearings in the forest. Lilika chuckled to herself and spoke to Rags in Druidic. He set off, nose huffing over the snow in search of something. Talking about someone when they weren't present didn't sit well with me, and though I wasn't sure if this conversation was ethical or not, I trusted that Lilika had positive intent in telling me about Betiara. "I don't think we should tell Keff unless we expect something with her condition to go South in some way. I'm..." I trailed off, unsure of whether I should finish that thought.
"I didn't want to bring it up, either, but it's wise to take precautions with lycanthropy. You don't think we should tell him?" Lilika's eyes traced the forest floor, stooping low to see peek at the base of an adjacent tree.
"Well... how dangerous is lycanthropy, exactly?"
"Most don't take well to their bodies and instincts changing that way. People fight it, and it causes instability that can, in some mentally unhealthy people, fill them with deep pain and wrongness. They can lash out," Lilika explained, her eyes pointedly glancing toward me. I accepted why she had told me; I was definitely not prepared to experience something like that. "We both know how hard it can be to live as something that you're not."
"Do you think Keff is unwell, then?"
"I don't think any of us are up to becoming a werewolf anytime soon, do you?" It was difficult to argue with her. They weren't made with anger, but I could hear in her tone that she felt she had a strong point. She did.
"Not at all, but we need to consider her privacy too. I think Keff could handle it a lot better than I can, and if we're sticking together, then you'll be able to help him if he's in danger, right?"
"Most likely." Lilika's gloved hand reached toward the base of the tree, and I heard a small snapping sound. "Aha. See this? This is one of the plants we're after. They don't like the wet, so we'll find them under trees." I stepped forward to take a closer look. She held a deep green section of vine with teardrop-shaped leaves growing outward from their short stalks. They were easily recognizable; I didn't anticipate having trouble locating them.
"Alright, I'll keep an eye out," I confirmed with a thumbs-up. "I don't think you were wrong to tell me, Lilika, but I think we can trust Keff to handle himself. For all we know, he's figured it out already; I've only seen aarakocra and me with yellow eyes, no half-elves." She gave me an intent look, closing her eyes after a few seconds and nodding her head. So much tension fled me.
"You're trusting me, Madison. Thank you. I'll trust you, too."
"I appreciate that. I hope it's the right call." The three of us continued our search for medicinal plants. Lilika called me over to inspect each different species she found, happily explaining what they were for. I was impressed by the detailed knowledge she held of the area's flora, and even more so by her ability to deduce the characteristics of some unfamiliar plants from their various features. We searched for some hours with the aid of the cinder block I kept tucked into my cloak. A round of enchanted torberries made for a fine lunch. One plant that we located near the end of our excursion was of particular importance. A fragile yellow bulb with petals that bent back over its stalk barely peeked over the snow. The three of us carefully dug the flower free, and Lilika announced its name to me.
"Forest sunrise, great for emergencies. It aids healing and wound closure! But there's a problem." She huffed a sigh and leaned her back against a tree. I could see her pale cheeks red from the stinging cold. "It's only good when it's fresh, and even outside of the snow it'll stay good for an hour or so. That's why it's only cultivated by dedicated chemists and the like. I don't think I can preserve it long enough to bring it home." The misfortune of our inspiring find weighed on me; Lilika made the plant sound very potent indeed. I examined its woody stalk to memorize the full look of the plant in case I stumbled across it again. Wavy structures in the stalk reminded me of the chipped road stone I had seen while we spoke with Vaun. An idea struck me: what was healing, but a change in state, whether physical or emotional? Change, Transmutation... what if I could temporarily change the state of this plant in order to preserve it?
"Would it be a terrible loss if I fucked this plant up?"
"Why would you do that?"
"Well, I had an idea. I think... you know how Arcane magic is made up of macroed principles that one can arrange in different orders within layers in order to constitute a final spell?"
"No, but that's very impressive, sweetie." Lilika smirked as she witnessed me in the throes of inspiration.
"Transmutation seems to posit that physical materials are built the same way. What I'm saying is, if I can work on this plant for a little while, I think I can temporarily petrify it to extend its shelf life." I saw her curiosity grow with my own. In theory, I felt that I could do this if I were able to identify apply my knowledge of high school biology and geology. The understanding I had at my disposal could go further here in the Cradle due to the difference in environment and level of technological progress.
"I'd be real grateful if you could. Go ahead, Rags and I will keep watch." Lilika communicated something to Rags, and they posted themselves on either side of me to keep an eye on our surroundings.
"Here goes nothing," I whispered to myself as I began my work. I took inspiration from Lilika's description of Primal magical casting to fuel my approach. The quartz of my staff and the mental image of a sedimentary rock's cross section were the bridge to my intended result. Patterns revealed themselves as I traced my staff over the stalk of the stunning forest sunrise. Similar waves, dips and weaves in their lines, slowly began to harden under the rose gold glow of my Arcane Focus. The silence endemic of our surroundings greatly aided my concentration as I worked. It took me a good 20 minutes to finish my work, but once I had, even the bulb had been petrified through my knowledge and focused will. The evidence of the alchemical miracle I had performed wasn't enough to shake me from my disbelief of what lay directly in front of me. Lilika had Rags gnaw the intact base of the stalk free, and carefully placed the plant in her pocket.
"Look at you! I'm impressed; Sekvi must be a great teacher."
"They definitely are." I watched Lilika stand and extend her palm into the air. Her staff's emerald focus glowed, and a small apparition of snowy haze appeared in her open palm.
"Looks like the weather's about to turn. Let's head back, sweetie, we have more than enough for my purposes. Thank you for your help." Rags nudged Lilika's hand with his enormous head. "And thank you for yours, Rags. I don't know what I'd do without you, boy." The onset of foretold wintry haze saw us returning to town before we lost our bearings in the expansive wilderness. On the way, we heard a terrible sound to the West: a chilling, wrathful bellowing sound echoed over the trees. Lilika, Rags and I froze in place to listen as closely as we could. The sound was mercifully distant. It sounded like some kind of angry animal... it was not an auspicious sound.
"What was that?" I whispered, not daring to let my voice be detected by anyone but those closest to me.
"Something bad," Lilika responded with a wary shake of her head. "Come on." We walked back to Letvel without the leisurely pace we were afforded on our way out of the city. That noise had filled my head with all kinds of horrible possibilities I didn't care to entertain. Vaun wasn't present when we finally made it back to town, but we checked in with the guards on site to ask if they had heard that terrible sound. They were already on alert and keeping an eye out on the Northern road we had just taken. Between them and the wall, I imagined that we would be safe from whatever the source of the sound had been, but I was concerned about the farmers outside of the wall. Lilika and I were assured that several of them had already ventured into the city as a precaution, and that those remaining had an alarm they could raise if any danger was detected. I wondered what Betiara would think of some of society's most important members being left outside the shelter of the city like that, first in line for any incursions that may transpite. No sooner had my thoughts turned to her than she had appeared. She had apparently been on watch duty at the top of the wall, and had seen us return to town safely.
"Hey, you heard that, too?"
"We were on our way back. Let's hope it stays far away," Lilika lamented with uncharacteristic worry in her voice. Betiara took note of this.
"Any ideas?"
"No, but it didn't sound happy." As if on cue, we heard the sound again, but much closer this time. Everyone around us, from travelers to the guards, immediately turned to face it. Flurried motion began after seconds of freeze. "Betiara, where's the stairs? Madison and I can get up high." I didn't like the idea of facing whatever terrible menace was approaching, but I had apparently been volunteered. I told myself that it could be a valuable learning opportunity to quell the dread in my stomach and the adrenaline in my blood.
"Over there," Betiara announced with a point of her finger toward a doorway that led into the wall. "That side's stable, but be careful up top. I'll go get Keff." She was off without a second's delay. Lilika gave Rags hurried instruction in Druidic, and we hurried into the wall to make our way up several flights of stairs. I was out of breath by the time we were halfway up. Lilika, however, had no issue making it to the top. We emerged to find a line of archers atop the wall with arrows nocked at the ready. It was a grim scene of tension as we were given looks that suggested we should have been elsewhere. Heavy, trudging metal boots approached us from the side, announcing the presence of the apparent captain of the Letvel guard. A tall human man with wizened eyes, covered in full gray plate armor and wearing a gold and white flag over it approached. His enormous two-handed sword had already been drawn. From the time I had spent at the smithy, I could tell the blade was of impeccable make.
"What are you two doing up here?" Gruff and confrontational, his tone reinforced the idea that we shouldn't be anywhere near the wall.
"We're here to help, Betiara's orders," Lilika insisted.
"We're friends. Fellow survivors of Karthos Bend," I explained in an effort to excuse our position. My heart was thumping out of my chest. "Mages."
"I hadn't guessed," the guard captain responded dryly. "And where is Betiara?"
"Gathering another survivor, Keffit Suffoto." Lilika spoke his name with a suggestive slant, as if dropping his name would buy us some pardon. I hoped she wasn't going to get us jailed; the captain seemed like a real hardass. "The Seer will probably be joining us, soon. I sent my dire dog to find them." The way the man's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized us.
"Archers, shoot these two if they try anything funny." This command was met with serious glances in our direction, though one of the unit rolled their eyes at the idea. "I'm captain of the Letvel guard, Belot. You address me by my title. If you're up here, you're under my command, you got that?"
"Understood." I did not want to cause any trouble with any figures of 'authority.' Given the possibility that I could die in the coming minutes if some giant, hulking monster emerged from the haze, I imagined I'd rather die than be thrown in jail regardless of Sekvi's sway.
"Sure, Captain. Where do you want us?"
"Specialties? Quickly."
"Primal magic."
"Arcane."
"You, there, you, there," Belot ordered, pointing out different places among the archers. We assumed our places, myself full of nerves, and Lilika with a smile she had no care to hide. This seemed to mollify the captain enough to end his scrutiny. I supposed any help he was going to get was going to be accepted. His voice boomed as he spoke again. "Archers! ...mages. Your orders are to protect the wall by any means necessary. Remember your drills: focus fire larger targets first according to your placements! Once complete, directly aid civilians." A chorus of affirmation was returned, and Belot disappeared into the same stairwell from which we had emerged before. I glanced at the archer next to me.
"If you need to puke, do it over the outer side," she advised with a grin.
"Noted," I returned, far less amused than she was. "I'm gonna armor up, so, don't shoot me, alright?"
"You're cute, kid." I rolled my eyes and cast Mage Armor to give myself some measure of passive defense. The familiar rose gold light sparkled inside my Focus, and weaved over me in an instant before disappearing. Lilika, meanwhile, was leaning an elbow against the wall and engaging a clearly annoyed archer in casual conversation.
"Madison! Lilika!" Betiara shouted from below amid the tense quiet. We both approached the other side of the wall and looked down to see two of our friends present, and a third being dragged up the street by a very enthusiastic Rags. Everyone was here. I felt much better as I saw Keff and Sekvi join the line of guards bracing the gate, and offered them a wave. A light trembling filled the wall as said gate was lowered, soon eclipsed by another issuance of that horrible below we had heard twice before. Bells began to ring outside of the city, which prompted further, louder rings from behind the walls. Whatever danger was on the way, it was on its way here. I returned to my assigned place and readied my staff. There was no way of telling what was on its way. It would be so awful to travel a universe away only to die in some monster attack. I heard bow strings tighten on either side of me while I made the peace I could. Why was I up here? What was I realistically going to do? I had already spent a sizeable amount of energy on one spell. It would be so easy for me to die at 22 years old, nameless and mourned only by a handful of friends. Friends... I had people that would mourn me now, and see me buried under the correct name. Fuck it.
It remained quiet for far too long. Then it began: a rumbling of the earth below us. Cracks appeared in the road leading up to the gate. I heard Belot shout, "burrower," and all hell broke loose afterward. "Raise the gate!" It was too late, however, as the sound of many splintered wooden beams filled the air. Everyone hurried away from the center of the wall, both above and below, as an animalistic bellow began anew. Some terrifying creature, mammalian in appearance, hulked over the street. It had four thick, tan and gray, fur-covered arms with mole-like claws and around a dozen skin-covered eye sockets that I could count. It looked like it could tear the mighty wall of Letvel down in mere minutes despite some blood already pouring from its two upper arms. Perhaps worst of all, it was now inside the city. Screams erupted all around, primarily from those below and the various citizens watching from further down the road. The sound was terribly similar to how I had screamed in the cellar of Lilika's house while boulders rained down the mountainside. I felt myself freeze as I watched my friends spring into action.
Betiara was the first to gather herself. She approached in a daring fashion, drew one of her two daggers and hurled it at the monster's right leg. It struck true and embedded itself in thick hide. Then she did something I never expected and would never forget. She hung her head and erupted into the same shape I had seen her take in her office. A vicious snarl was leveled at the creature before hopping back to take cover behind a nearby arrangement of flowers that lined the road. Keff followed this show of bravado with one of his own. He raised his warhammer over his head, shouted an intimidating battle cry, and moved in the smash at the creature's right foot. It dodged his easily telegraphed attack, which led him to withdraw as well. A narrow miss of one of the creature's claws was enough to tighten my body like a cinched rope while I readied a spell. It was go time. I used the most reliable offensive spell I had: Magic Missile. I pointed my staff at the creature and loosed three streaking beams of white magic at the monster, which cut into its injured upper arm. The creature grunted with pain and shot its blind gaze upward. I had already ducked down by the stairwell in the interest of keeping my options for movement open.
I looked toward Lilika to see what she'd do. Her fur cloak's white spots began to glow in the shape of an ornate cup, shortly accompanied by the emerald glow of her staff. What I could only describe as a small, tailed comet streaked out of her Focus and barely scraped the creature's head. The glow of this starry assault spread over the creature, which earned a smile of satisfaction from my druid friend. Belot, towering in his own right, readied his monolithic sword and charged what he had called a burrower. The first swipe of his sword feinted into the second as it began to shine with a brilliant blue light. This monolithic strike managed to incise deep into the monster's midsection, burying itself until it was freed with a great heave of effort. He backed away and pointed at the creature. "Fire! Attack," he shouted to those in his command. A volley of arrows and pikes poked at the creature, eliciting another bellow of anger as it quickly began to tire of being pelted by all manner of attacks. I almost felt bad for it as Sekvi's symphonia hummed to life, the wizard-turned-bard quickly heading for cover while they played. I couldn't tell what effect this song was intended to have, but it prompted the monster to rear back and swing two of its mighty fists low.
Its left fist once again barely missed a ducking Keff as a glint of blue magic impeded the creature from reaching him, but the second hit its mark. Belot's armor was caved inward as he flew backward from the impact, landing and sliding along the ground on his back with his sword following him. He sat up and coughed up a bubble of blood. The monster's upper arms raised up to pummel the stone archway above it. Letvel's bulwark trembled ferociously, with sections of the wall crumbling down around it. Many archers scrambled away from it, but though I was close to the impact, I was too terrified to move. I joined the others' screams of panic instead. Betiara moved in to have another go at the creature with her claws and fangs. She savagely tore at the wound Belot had made, with only one of her three efforts finding purchase in debilitating the creature further. Keff quickly followed up with another raging attack of his own, aiming for the monster's knee. The impact rang a sickening crack through the air and drew the creature's attention to him in the form of a ferocious bellow, which he returned with equal veracity. "I've seen worse on my anvil!"
With the creature distracted, now was my time to strike. Another cast of Magic Missile drained a substantial amount of energy from me. The effect it had was sickening, scraping fleshy chunks from the recipient's skull. I decided that elevation was overrated and began to retreat into the wall so that I would have a better chance of surviving in case the damaged wall fell. An opening in the wall allowed me to glance at the proceedings as I made my way down. Vines had erupted from the ground to ensnare the creature, but they were all snapped away without an ounce of trouble. The creature took trembling steps toward Belot, who was recovering himself enough to ready another monstrous swing of his sword. It cut cleanly into the monster's midsection once more, bringing it low, heaving breaths of exhaustion and vitriol. To his credit, Belot stood, unshaken by the creature's display. It was on his last legs, but as he readied a killing blow, Sekvi's symphonia cranked a series of dissonant notes that caused the creature to rear back and shriek in upset. Its four hands all flew to cover its rodent like ears. The terrible stature of the creature and its flailing arms contacted the archway above it, sending a hail of rubble down atop its head. It fell, half buried, bleeding from its ears. I ducked out from the shaking section of wall as a cloud of dust erupted out of the doorway. I landed hard on my elbows, which scraped them beneath my cloak, and I scrambled to my feet to ready another attack. The creature, however, was entirely still. Belot had plunged his sword into its skull to ensure that it was truly dead.
"See to the farmers. Vaun, report to the mayor. And you," He said entirely calmly as all eyes turned to Betiara. His sword was freed from the creature and pointed directly at the still-shifted werewolf. "Will come with me to confinement. I knew the second I saw those eyes that you were trouble." Betiara did little more than glare at him as she slowly retrieved her daggers and sheathed them. No... I wouldn't allow that to happen. I hurried over to her and stood in front of her with staff in hand, planted firmly on the stone below. Sekvi, Lilika and rags rushed to join me in surrounding Betiara, with Keff taking a more leisurely pace.
"Nah," the dwarf said without elaborating his position.
"If an issue were to arise, I assure you, the mayor and I will have already solved it," Sekvi coolly asserted.
"You saw her fight," Lilika shouted back. Rags barked his support of Betiara in his own capacity. "Rags makes a good point: you should be thanking her!" I didn't know if I was expected to say anything, but given my first interaction with Belot, I wasn't eager to have a beer with him.
"She's had many opportunities to hurt me when I'm at my most vulnerable. We've all slept in the same wagon and the same room together. I bathed with her in Karthos Bend. Not a bite on me." I stared the captain down, knowing how easily I could be arrested or struck down by that massive sword. I didn't have it in me to cast any more spells. My effort was spent. Even the falling snow didn't bring me to blink as many eyes burned in opposition of each other. Belot's blade, still glowing blue, struck down into the ground. He didn't move from his position.
"Range attachment A and B, see to civilians, now. C, train on Betiara. Infantry, hold them. We'll see what Ettistor has to say." The sounds of many pikes being leveled with us joined the sound of tightening bowstrings as others departed, but the gestures did nothing to deter a single member of our group. I felt a paw slowly, gently rest over my shoulder.
"I knew the risk. You should all go."
"Fat chance, sweetie."
"Nope."
"I will do no such thing, Betiara." Unlike the others, I couldn't bring myself to speak, and merely rested my free hand over the paw to let an action announce my words. Betiara was so soft. Her paw felt warm and reassuring. My expression softened, and to further telegraph our intent, as well as to satisfy my curiosity, I decided to pose a question to the captain.
"What was that thing?" Belot's eyes honed in on mine, almost daring me to speak again.
"A burrowelter, likely displaced from the mines after the earthquake. Do you not realize the danger you're in?"
"It's been explained. I trust her." This inspired the captain to narrow his eyes at me.
"You're the first wizard I've taken for a fool." I felt Betiara's grip tighten slightly.
"Sir! That is my star pupil, and I daresay she deserves the same respect that I do. You would tremble at the events that inspired our meeting."
"She's smarter than she looks," Keff said with a chuckle.
"Madison watched me put my dying husband out of his misery without so much as flinching, young man. What have you seen that can match that?" Eerie silence fell over the scene in the wake of Lilika's scathing words. The rest of our group looked toward her with expressions that ranged from concern to horror.
"I regret his loss," Belot said quietly. In a shocking turn of events, he sounded genuine. "As well as what you've all been through in the northern valley. To answer your question, I've seen war. Hundreds fell to my blade alone. More recently I've seen a burrowelter... and a criminal masquerading as an agent of protection. A bleeding heart of an animal." That was it. Belot had made my shit list.
"My heart bleeds red. If that makes me an animal, what does that make you?" Betiara's words struck colder than the snow falling over us all. I had never respected someone so much in my life.
"Victim of prejudices, I'm afraid," sounded a voice to our right. Approaching our position next to Vaun was a man finely dressed in gold and white vestments. I gathered this elven man was Ettistor, the mayor of Letvel. "Vaun provided his report. Would you challenge it?" There was a patient kindness in his voice that spoke of practiced objectivity.
"I would not," Belot answered. A finger plunged in our direction. "But you know of Betiara's history. Look at her now, what she's capable of!"
"Let me see you closer, Betiara, and your allies." None of us were eager to move until Belot nodded to the guards. Bows went slack and pikes' blunt ends were simultaneously clacked upon the ground in a stunning show of discipline. Cautious, slow movements were made as the six of us approached the mayor. "Keffit, Sekvi, always a pleasure. To the newcomers, a renewed pleasure. I am the current elected official of this city, Ettistor Bitwick. Who are these new faces?"
"Madison Cantrell," I cautiously volunteered.
"Lilika Faeserbik, and this here is Rags. Say hello, boy." Rags barked as requested, which inspired a laugh of amusement from Ettistor.
"Madison, Lilika. Welcome. Please, don't mind Belot, he does his job impeccably outside of this misunderstanding. It is only that, well, centuries of Letvel have felt the weight of Lycanthropy." Ettistor had mild features for an elf. There were fewer wrinkles on his face than I had anticipated for a voice that aged, as well. A friendly, calm air clung to him like a pleasant perfume. "Now, Betiara... you've grown in ways I couldn't anticipate."
"No one was meant to, grandpa." Grandpa? My eyes went wide, but they were still locked on Ettistor. Betiara's answer was slow, her voice laden with concern.
"Seems like you could have mentioned that at some point," Keff observed. He sounded more annoyed than surprised.
"What a small valley we call home." Sekvi seemed to be entertained by this revelation.
"It certainly feels that way. Your name reaches far, Betiara. I've been very pleased to hear of your work in Karthos Bend," he began. "Is this the reason for your absence?"
"Yes. And my record."
"I understand. Regardless of our relation, it's obvious that your image has become something of noteriety. The proud public revealing of our relation will be savored! Better news could not have found me." The elder paused, looked over us once more, and offered a genuine smile. "Well, there are matters to attend to... an amendment to infrastructure repair. Mm. Contact the treasurer during your rest. I will arrange monetary compensation for your part in the city's defense." He turned around and made his way deeper into the city, addressing concerned citizens as he went with Vaun in tow. We were all left in various states of confusion. Exchanging glances with each other assured each of us that we were not the only one feeling this way. Betiara, however, looked like something was weighing on her mind.
"I need to be alone for a while," she said without explanation, but I already knew how she was going to spend that time. "I'll be back tonight." She walked past the guards, including Belot, without meeting their eyes. Her form shifted into that of a large, quadrupedal wolf, and she took off into the snow.
"She's coming back, right?" I looked to the others for assurance as the guards began to disperse. Lilika gave me a wink while Sekvi and Keff met me with a nod and a shrug, respectively.
"I propose a meal. My treat! Performing went very well today, if I do say so myself." Sekvi led us away from the gate. As we left, we heard Belot call out to us.
"Keep your wet noses clean!"
"That guy is such a fuckin' jabroni," I quietly lamented to the others. They laughed, which made me feel much better about levying an insult at a central figure of local authority that deserved it.
"Look at you, spitting fire," Keff said as he clapped me on the arm.
"Not as much as Betiara. She burned him alive. That was nuts!" I realized my choice of words was far from ideal as the group lapsed into awkward silence. "Sorry. It's an Earth saying. Is everyone okay?"
"No worse for wear. Are you gonna tell us what a jabroni is, or do we need to stop at the library?" I had missed Keff's humor during the past few days.
"An obnoxious, vain, self-concerned person."
"Hah! Perfect."
"I could make quite the potent tool of these Earth insults," Sekvi mused with a pleasant laugh. "Anyway, we've all earned a hearty meal after that scuffle with uncertain death. ...Lilika, are you alright?"
"I'm alright, sweetie, thank you. These old bones are just tired. Madison, you should tell them about the work you did earlier." I could tell that Lilika was indeed tired, but that wasn't the whole story. Something was bothering her. Eager to pay Betiara's earlier gesture forward, I gently lay a hand atop her shoulder, which she accepted in the same way I had done with the newly out werewolf. I hoped Betiara would be okay after everything she had just endured. The way she had reassured me before spoke to me of gratitude. What must she have been feeling in that moment? Remembering what she had told me about her enjoyment of feeling free by running as something akin to a wild wolf, I imagined that she must have felt cornered and caged. A similar feeling could be bothering Lilika. The shock of losing her husband in another, more permanent way could be 'hitting her late,' as Keff had put it days before when traumatic memories had overtaken me. In any case, we had to explore for some time before we found an eatery that was still open. Sekvi bought us all ales to enjoy. The meal and alcohol brightened everyone's moods, Lilika included.
Upon returning to the house, we all helped her make her medicines. She told us lighthearted stories of how she and her husband used to find herbs together, even after he became a bear. Their relationship was no less close despite transitioning into something more akin to a friendship. I found it only more meaningful of an endeavor. Hearing about him and the love they retained for each other while they were apart made me feel strangely hopeful for the future. With more hands making less work and our spirits lightened by warmth, stories and a pleasant early dinner, we managed to finish a healer's kit in just under two hours of work. We clapped and cheered at our success. Realizing the time and remembering I was supposed to meet Vaun to receive a gift, I excused myself and headed for the gate to a chorus of reminders to retrieve our money while I was out. Lilika shaped herself into a bird to watch over me, which hilariously ended with her hopping along after me once she discovered that she was too inebriated to fly. That would be our little secret. The monster that had made rubble of the center of the wall and a crag of the road leading to it had been removed by the time I arrived. Vaun, true to his word, was waiting for me at his evening post, but he was not alone.
"Madison, hi, I'm Rica. It's wonderful to meet you."
"You too," I replied as we shook hands. Rica appeared to be entertained by this, and we all shared smiles with each other. This quickly became mildly awkward.
"Are you alright, Miss Madison?" It was kind of Vaun to ask. Unfortunately, I felt the lingering buzz of four ales affecting my ability to keep myself perfectly steady. It had all hit me a little harder than it had everyone else. My young, estrogenated liver was damned.
"I'm good. I'm sorry, Sekvi bought us all drinks, and after the everything happened, it sounded like a great idea."
"Well, I hope this will take further edge from your stress." Vaun and Rica together offered a rolled piece of paper with a red ribbon tied over it. I recognized it immediately: a spell scroll!
"Oh! That had to be so expensive, oh my goodness. Are you sure?"
"We're sure," Rica assured me as she touched my forearm in gratitude. "What you did for my father-"
"Let alone for the city, today-"
"Was something we really want to see rewarded. Don't worry, it was a favor."
"We pulled some strings. Please, take a look. We believe it will be useful to you." In a more sober state, my anxiety would likely be coloring my perception with an amount of paranoia. I remembered my lesson from the other day, however: trust. I carefully slipped the bow from the scroll and placed it around my wrist with a smile. The scroll contained a rather advanced spell for my current skill level: Misty Step. I was able to make sense of about half of it.
"Teleportation! Yes, that'll definitely come in handy. Thank you both," I expressed a little too emphatically. Thankfully my company found it endearing.
"Excellent. This spell has its roots in ancestral elven magic; I had my father transcribe a copy for you so that you could add it to your Spell Tome." It was so sweet of them both. I tried to prevent myself from crying, but failed. "Should you ever find yourself in a difficult position, it should see you... oh, Miss Madison?"
"Are you alright?"
"It's just so nice and I feel so bad." The pair of hugs that descended upon me eased my aching, drunken feelings into something that approached calm. "Sorry. Thank you! It's wonderful, I'm gonna use it so many times as soon as I can understand it."
"It's quite alright, Miss Madison."
"I'm sure it'll be of help. Please, while you're in town, come visit us at home whenever you'd like. Any time between sundown and midnight will be fine; we're late risers." Rica was so sweet, and Vaun was unflinchingly polite. They were so nice. I began planning something to bring to their home as a gift in return. For some reason, my mind settled on a fruit basket. I'd rethink that idea when I was sober.
"That would be really good for me, I think. Where is it? Your house, sorry."
"If you take this road to the North, then turn right, we're the sixth house down."
"I'll remember that. Thank you Rica, Vaun, I'm so sorry for the circumstances that brought us together but meeting you both has been so great. You're so kind and you feel the same way I do about the world and that's just, so amazing, and I'm happy to be here to know you. Thank you so much for your gift, I'll think of you every time I use it." I felt proud of myself for putting together such a cohesive statement of my appreciation together. A celebratory drink would be in order! I could definitely handle it.
"Thank you too, Madison. Sincerely. Enjoy the rest of your night, okay?"
"I will. Please do the same."
"Absolutely, Miss Madison. My post is here tonight, so..."
"I'll see you soon, love." Rica departed and made her way down the street she had previously indicated, leaving Vaun and I alone with another guard on the opposite side of the newly unsheltered gate.
"How am I coming off?"
"Enthusiastic, not at all off-putting," Vaun assured me with a smile.
"I was so worried. She's so kind. Are you both okay? Genuinely. You said you were but I care so I have to make sure." I began to lean a little too far against my staff. The other guard snickered under his breath.
"I believe, in truth, that no one survives a death intact. We can process our grief without hesitation, now that we feel we've repaid you properly." I felt myself go as a cold understanding washed over me.
"I hope so. That you can process, no-... I know what you mean." In lack of anything else to say, and not yet wishing to leave Vaun in the cold, I stood with him and looked out over the bare peninsula that constituted the approach to Letvel. The light of the waxing gibbous moon illuminated the snow far more than I had anticipated. My eyes made it much easier to see as I silently stared ahead. I was joined by Lilika, still a blackbird, minutes later. I carefully knelt down to pick her up and placed her upon my shoulder to give her a comfortable perch. Soon after I was joined by one friend, I was joined by another; a large wolf with a familiar coat pattern loped toward the gate with her head held low. Upon seeing me, she picked up her pace and trotted up to me to provide her company. I wasn't sure if wolves enjoyed being pet like dogs did.
"Is it cool if I pet you?" I saw Betiara's ears flex back lightly as I spoke, but she offered no reaction. A careful stroke was offered along her back. She didn't seem to mind it. "You're so cool, I can't believe it. Oh my god." I was petting a wolf that was also a person. An item on my bucket list that I didn't know I had was just crossed off.
"I agree," Vaun said, his eyes remaining forward. "You have my utmost respect, Betiara." The other guard glanced over at us as if unsure of what he was seeing.
"We're all of the same principles, I think."
"That we are, Miss Madison."
"Well, we're off to the mayor's office. Have a good night! Sorry, that was loud. Thanks again."
"Rest well, Miss Madison." Lilika, Betiara and I trudged through the snow as we crossed the city. It was so quiet tonight. Even fewer people were moving through the streets than we had seen on our previous outing. I felt so cool as I walked down the main street of town with a werewolf friend to my right and a temporary blackbird friend on my left shoulder. The night shift receptionist at the treasurer's office had no idea what to make of a drunken dragonborn and her animal entourage strolling in so late at night to claim a payment, but he provided coin as promised. I didn't count it, as I had no idea how much to expect, and I didn't want to come off as rude or ungrateful. Betiara and Lilika returned to their previous forms once we had returned to the house, but Betiara chose not to lose her fur. The enormity of that struck me deeply as we sat down to count and split the money evenly between us. 50 gold each was our prize! I was amazed; this was more money than I had seen in my entire life! We all cheered and raised invisible glasses in a toast for ourselves except for Betiara.
"The whole city knows what I am now," she stated quietly. Our celebration tapered off as we all focused on her with concern. "I'm sure they'll take me off of consulting. I could be trouble for you all now... am I still welcome?"
"Trouble shmouble," I assured without hesitation. "Racists can cry in their pie. If they can't see you for you, then fuck 'em."
"I wholeheartedly agree," Sekvi chimed in. They approached Betiara and linked arms with her. "Ooh. You're so soft! Ooh!" No effort was made to elude the allure of our troubled friend's plush fur.
"We're with you, sweetie." Lilika linked her arm with Betiara's other arm, but managed to abstain from petting her without permission. Keff stood up on the table and held aloft an invisible glass of ale in another mock toast.
"To Betiara, who put Belot in his rightful place!"
"You're a friend. We got you." I stood and gave Betiara a hug. The room was silent save for Keff's mimed sounds of swallowing imaginary alcohol.
"Besides," he said with the slant of beginning a joke. "I'm pretty sure we already knew." A furred paw freed itself from Sekvi's attention and landed upon Betiara's face. She couldn't help but join in the resulting laughter, all the same. Hers was the only cot empty tonight while we settled in for bed. After accepting an enchanted berry as her dinner, Betiara joined Rags in splaying themselves out by the cinder block. The others fell asleep before I did. I watched Betiara sleep for a little while as I slowly drifted off, trying my best to understand her situation and the way she was feeling. From all I had gathered, she had led an eventful life. That life would probably become only more eventful from here on out. I closed my eyes and recalled how it had felt for her paw to close over my shoulder. Another flash of her laugh from the other night visited me at the same time. I was genuinely impressed by the strength of her character and the choices she was willing to make for others' wellbeing in spite of the risks involved. She had been so ready to figure me out when we first met, and only pulled back after she overstepped. Her duties and principles were taken so seriously... I loved that. That thought flung my eyes open. I realized that I felt affection for her. My life had taught me that affection was unlikely to be returned, but in the Cradle, it felt like a possibility. I decided to see how I would feel after sleeping on that feeling and looking at the results with a clearer head. Sleep arrived to me within seconds.