Kieran’s ears pricked up as he and Rah’Na returned to the inhabited part of the settlement. He could hear the sounds of people shuffling around, instruments being tuned, and the ring of hammer against anvil from the smithy. To his surprise, he found one corner of his mouth turn up in a half-smile.
The sounds brought a sense of… normalcy.
Before the survivors arrived, and even during the first few days after, Eon’s Peak had been largely silent. While Kieran typically preferred the silence, he found himself enjoying the presence of other people. Even if they still gave him suspicious glances.
Kieran had wondered where Alaric would choose to settle, but his question was now answered rather quickly. One building, previously as inconspicuous as the rest, was now covered in thriving vegetation. Wildly branching roots wrapped around the walls and spilled down from the roof. Vibrant flowers and healthy leaves covered most of the system, transforming the sandstone building into a brilliant garden.
“It already started…” Rah’Na sighed, shaking her head. “He better keep those plants in check, or I will personally set them ablaze.”
Having witnessed how the elf’s grove had devoured the city it sat beside, Kieran understood fully.
“Has that been a problem in previous invasion cycles?” he asked.
“Partially. The elf had to be… reminded,” Rah’Na explained.
Kieran picked up on a hint of frustration beneath her typical tone. Deciding not to push the topic, he followed a few steps behind the old wolf in silence. When she reached the garden building’s door, she opened it aggressively and stepped inside.
Even before he entered, Kieran heard a surprised yelp from within, followed quickly by Alaric’s voice.
“Could you at least announce yourself, please!”
Kieran could detect genuine fear behind the elf’s words, more so than when the two of them had fought the bone amalgam. It seemed that Alaric was, well and truly, afraid of Rah’Na.
Kieran didn’t blame him.
“Oh you won’t have to worry about surprise visits from me, priest.” The low rumble of the old wolf’s growls resonated through the building. “So long as these plants don’t spread to the rest of the peak.”
Now that he was inside, Kieran saw that Rah’Na had every right to be worried. The building’s interior was already overrun by roots and other plant life growing in layers over each other. Leaves and branches covered the windows, allowing only a fraction of the bright morning sunlight to filter through.
“I thought you were sentimental, Rah’Na. Do you remember when Eon’s Peak was vibrant with Life?” Alaric shot back. He was trying to hold his ground, but his argument was undermined by the quiver in his voice.
“Do not compare this chaotic mockery to the peak’s past, elf.” The rage in Rah’Na’s tone was enough to make Alaric take a few steps back. “I have told you before. With each cycle, in fact. Show restraint, or I will restrain you.”
With that threat and promise, Rah’Na turned away and stalked outside. Awkward silence filled the room. The only sound Kieran could pick up on was Alaric’s rapid heartbeat.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that, Contender.” Alaric finally broke the silence, his voice still shaking.
Kieran gazed at the elf for a moment with his customary poker face before replying. “I can’t say I blame her. To be honest, after seeing what happened to Groveside, I agree with her. Though she could’ve been a touch more diplomatic about it.”
Alaric’s expression shifted rapidly from fury, to reluctance, and finally acceptance. He sighed heavily, then took a seat on a nearby root.
“I find it typical that a servant of Death would think so. My own opinion differs. But I will not argue, not today at least. I owe you that much.”
Defeat was obvious in Alaric’s tone. As much as he struggled to contain his emotions, the elf couldn’t hide his true feelings. Kieran briefly considered consoling the priest.
One glance around the room convinced him otherwise.
“Regardless, my old grudges aren’t your concern. Not yet, anyway,” Alaric said, mumbling the last part. Then he took a deep breath and spoke more clearly. “How may I help you this morning… uh…”
The two exchanged a look while Alaric gestured to himself, as if struggling to remember something. Then Kieran remembered that he had never actually given the elf his name.
“Kieran Hall.” He lifted his hand, offering it to the elf for a handshake.
Alaric regarded Kieran’s hand for a moment before accepting it. The elf’s hands were noticeably trembling.
“And you told me to come see you. To ‘repay me for saving your life’,” Kieran explained, holding the elf’s gaze.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Ah, yes. As you are well aware, I am a priest of La’Rata,” Alaric began. “As a priest, I can help you Contender types improve your capabilities.”
Kieran’s heartbeat quickened slightly. He recognized with terrible clarity that he would need to improve significantly before fighting the Pale Watchers’ commander. A new opportunity to strengthen himself was exactly the sort of thing he wanted.
“Oh?” Kieran kept his voice calm, but he felt his curiosity breaking through his customary neutral demeanor. “How so?”
“There is a rite, passed from priest to priest, which allows Contenders to channel their god-granted essence into their skills.” A confident smile crept over Alaric’s face. “It requires essence, obviously, as well as some valuables, but it will permanently improve your abilities.”
Kieran narrowed his eyes at the mention of valuables. “I don’t think I’ll be finding a lot of gold or gems out there, so —”
“Ah, you misunderstand.” Alaric raised his hand to cut Kieran off. “You do not need gems or coins. Simple trinkets will do. Goblins and other such monsters are fond of collecting them.”
“And how much essence is required for these… improvements?” Kieran prodded.
“It depends on the ability and the improvement. I don’t know the exact quantities. I simply perform the rite,” Alaric explained. “Then, it is between you and your divine patron.”
Kieran considered the offer. It sounded like a good trade, finally getting use out of his essence and making his abilities stronger. But he couldn’t try the process out just yet, as he had no trinkets to offer.
Except… one.
He reached into his pack. After a few moments of rooting around, he pulled out the severed hand of Gir’Amal’s vessel.
“Would this work?”
Alaric’s jaw dropped as he looked at the hand. The crystalline skin sparkled in the scant morning light that made its way through the foliage covering the windows. With every minute movement of Kieran’s hand, a different constellation illuminated within the divine limb, casting its own radiance through the gloomy room.
“I… do not know how you would call a trophy like that a trinket,” Alaric managed through shaky breaths. “How did you… actually, it is best that I do not know. I am unsure whether or not it would work for the rite, and I am not comfortable trying.”
Kieran shrugged and stuffed the hand back into his pack, making a mental note to examine it closer himself when he had a minute.
“Very well. Then I’ll leave you to it, and come back when I have some trinkets.”
Kieran turned to leave, but the elf’s voice called him back.
“Ah, one more thing, Kieran. A question, of a more… philosophical nature.” Alaric paused. Then, in a voice of forced calm, he asked, “Do you consider life precious?”
Kieran took a moment to think. He found the question strange. Most of his existence had revolved around death, whether that meant preventing it, studying it, or determining its cause. In his mind, ‘life’ was just… what led up to that final moment.
“You do not need to answer now.” Alaric raised his hand again in a ‘stop’ gesture. “I understand it might be a difficult question for… someone like you.”
Detecting a hint of judgement in the final sentence, Kieran cut his train of thought and turned to leave once again. It was the same tone the preacher in his childhood hometown had always used whenever he’d seen Kieran with a book on anatomy, or biology, or some other science.
A tone Kieran had grown to hate, and one of the few things still capable of getting under his skin.
“How subtle.” Kieran spat the words without looking back. Doing his best to douse the rage before it exploded, he left the building.
Outside, Rah’Na and Darrick were seemingly waiting for him, currently mid-conversation. As soon as Kieran opened the door, however, this conversation ceased.
“Ah, there you are lad,” Darrick exclaimed. The dwarf was trying to seem excited, but a hint of reluctance was evident in his face and tone. “I have… I have somethin’ to ask of ye. To uh… pull that favor, aye?”
A distraction was exactly what Kieran needed to get his mind off of his anger. He nodded wordlessly for the dwarf to continue.
“When we were on our way ‘ere, we travelled in two groups. Safer that way, easier to avoid patrols and all. Only… the second group ain’t arrived yet.” Darrick’s voice was thick with worry.
“You’d like me to find them, and escort them back?” Kieran guessed, finally managing to return to his normal, neutral state.
Darrick nodded. The dwarf’s face was grim.
“Of course.” Kieran bowed in acceptance of the mission. “Which route were they supposed to take?”
Darrick stroked his beard. “They were taking a wide berth ‘round the mountain. Going past King’s Watch and further, circlin’ to the Queen’s Promenade.”
“Here, show me the exact path,” Kieran demanded, pulling the map given to him by Rah’Na out of his pack.
The dwarf studied the map for a few moments. “Like this.” He traced a path along the map with his finger. “Goes through parts where monster presence is thinnest.”
Kieran watched closely and committed the path to memory. Aside from circling around the mountain, it was roughly the same path he had followed to get to Eon’s Peak, right before meeting Rah’Na. Considering how many monsters he had fought along the way, this was troubling.
“When were they supposed to arrive?” he inquired.
“A few days after our group. So… a couple days ago, or so.” Darrick looked down at the map, avoiding Kieran’s eyes. “I know, I know, it’s not too long. But I’d rather make sure they’re safe, aye?”
Kieran stowed the map back into his pack. “As I said, it’s no bother. I’ll go have a look. This will be a priority even if Vahr’Khul has a request for me.”
Kieran’s words drew a curious look from Rah’Na, but they seemed to calm Darrick down a little bit. With a sudden ‘oop’, Darrick dug into his pockets and fished out a small necklace, adorned with an iron ornament in the shape of a fish leaping out of water.
“When ye find ‘em, show ‘em this. We use it to identify each other whenever we have to split up.”
Kieran took the necklace. Inspecting it closely, he saw that it was well made. The metal looked like it had been forged in a similar way to his dissection tools. It was likely that Darrick had crafted these pieces as well.
“That should help relax them, considering… well…” Kieran gestured at himself, getting a nod from Darrick while teasing a chuckle out of Rah’Na. “It will be done, Darrick. May I have a word with Rah’Na, alone?”
The dwarf nodded and walked away.
Kieran looked up at the old wolf. There was understanding between them as soon as their eyes met.
“What do you think?” he asked. “How likely is it they’re still alive?”
“They made it halfway across the continent already, if Darrick’s accounts are to be trusted.” Rah’Na crossed her arms. “They could be fine. Might just be stuck in, trying to hide from patrols.”
“Before I met you, I ran into a pack of goblins that claimed they were chasing refugees,” Kieran told her, the tension under his voice rising with every word. “I thought it might’ve been you at first. Do you think it might be this group?”
The silence between them was heavy as Rah’Na considered.
“More than likely,” she said finally. Her eyes hardened. “For their sakes, please hurry.”