I walk because it still hurts to run. I move because it\u2019s just a bit better than staying still.<\/p>\n
But yeah. I\u2019m in pain.<\/p>\n
Overhead, the sky is clear for a brief window of time, exposing clear skies. But clouds are coming in fast, and there will be a blizzard before nightfall. I\u2019m no meteorologist, but I\u2019ve got a bunch of flying faeries that tell me this is so. And I believe them.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not crazy, I swear.<\/p>\n
Some days I think I am, actually. In the past, I was sure I was sane despite what other people thought*. Now though, I\u2019m beginning to wonder if this is all because I\u2019ve snapped and I\u2019m in the straightjacket at last.<\/p>\n
*Lots of diagnoses from people with long degrees. What all the talk of social disorders really meant was that I was an uncooperative brat who hated authority figures. I locked a therapist in his office one time and walked out with the key. Good memories.<\/p>\n
But as I take another step in the snow, I decide that fantasy doesn\u2019t hurt nearly as much as this reality. My entire body is\u2014<\/p>\n
Frankly, it feels like I\u2019ve been hit with a car and then beaten with sticks for a few hours. I feel like curling into a ball and crying every time I move, but that would hurt even more.<\/p>\n
The potion Teriarch gave me has worn off by now, obviously. I sort of slowed down about twenty minutes after I drank it.<\/p>\n
I say twenty minutes, but what I really mean is this endless blur of motion \u2013 all sped up in my head, but at the time it was all moving at normal speed for me. I ran out of that battlefield, and back towards Liscor. I think I covered over fifty miles in those twenty minutes\u2014I could be way off, but I was literally running faster than a car so who knows.<\/p>\n
Anyways, after the potion wore off I just fell down. The faeries laughed their little asses off when I started feeling the pain from my legs, but I somehow managed to drag myself into a cave they found for me.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s another thing. The faeries were with me while I was running, the entire time. They were actually faster<\/em> than I was\u2014no, I don\u2019t even think they were having a hard time keeping up. How fast are they really?<\/p>\n Back to the important bit. You know how you can tear muscles if you run really hard? Imagine what running that fast does to your body.<\/p>\n I had several healing potions in my pack before I made it to the Necromancer. They were good quality potions too. They\u2019re gone now, and my body still<\/em> hurts.<\/p>\n For two days I think I sat in a cave, trying to heal my torn muscles and just\u2014just remembering. After I stopped, for a while I couldn\u2019t even process the world around me. My mind was still too busy catching up from where I\u2019d left it.<\/p>\n Fast forward to now. I finally left the damn cave and started moving again because I was feeling better, and because the faeries were getting bored and dumping snow into the cave. If I\u2019d left it another day, I probably would have been trapped inside.<\/p>\n So yeah. That\u2019s what my life has been recently. I stumble through the snow, heading back the way I\u2019ve come. It\u2019s a long way to Liscor, but I\u2019ve got plenty to think about.<\/p>\n Like Az\u2019kerash. The Necromancer. The battle, Wall Lord Il\u2014whoever he was, and\u2026<\/p>\n Periss.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn it.\u201d<\/p>\n It all happened so fast. I was a runner, and then a prisoner, and then a noncombatant in a warzone, and then\u2026<\/p>\n I led them to their deaths. That was my fault. True, they were chasing me and probably going to hit me a lot and take me prisoner, but\u2014<\/p>\n My fault. There\u2019s no way to escape that. Periss might have been a loyal hound for her master, but she was also brave. And she let me go to fight what she saw as the greatest threat to her people.<\/p>\n The Necromancer. Az\u2019kerash. Perril Chandler. I remember what I saw him creating, and my stomach heaves.<\/p>\n \u201cOh right. The letter.\u201d<\/p>\n I pause.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck that dragon.\u201d<\/p>\n I hate him so damn much. One of the faeries hears me muttering and floats down to laugh at me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? Is it not what ye expected?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I glare at the faerie. How is it that I\u2019ve probably talked to these floating freaks more than anyone else in this world or\u2014most of my life?<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I get told to deliver\u2014no, when a Dragon casts a spell on me to do a delivery and pays me nearly a thousand gold pieces to send something to a legendary Necromancer, I expect it to be important.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHah!<\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The faerie laughs in my face. She flips upwards and settles on my head. For some reason they really like sitting there. I\u2019m not sure if she\u2019s one I\u2019ve talked to before; I think she is, but I\u2019m not being racist when I say they really all do look alike. It\u2019s hard to make out frozen features on minutiae, alright?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIf it was important, the Dragon would have used magic, fool! But he had no wish to break through the dead raiser\u2019s wards and he wished to be polite. More fool you for thinking what ye carried was valuable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I grit my teeth, but she has a point. If Teriarch can alter memory and disguise himself as a Human \u2013 and if he can teleport me all the way back to Celum in a few seconds \u2013 he really doesn\u2019t need even the best Couriers.<\/p>\n Polite damn Dragons. Who would have guessed?<\/p>\n \u201cFine. Whatever. Get off my head. You\u2019re giving me a headache.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOoh, and what will you do if I don\u2019t?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I raise my finger and point it at the faerie.<\/p>\n \u201c[Flashlight].\u201d<\/p>\n For a second the world around me lights up, and the faerie shouts in surprise. I grin as she takes off; swearing in what sounds like\u2026Welsh? Their accents seem to vary between faeries, which is odd, but not so much if you assume they occupied different parts of Europe. I could swear I heard one of the faeries talking with a German accent, but they might have just been messing with my head.<\/p>\n But of course, any action against faeries prompts a greater or equal reaction. She dumps snow on my head. I swear and flash her again.<\/p>\n With my finger. It shines into the sky, so bright I can see the beam even in the light of the day. It turns out that I can adjust the intensity of the light very well, and so I blind the faerie again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYe daft bugger!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n She flies around erratically, as I shine my light at her, and then she stops, flies back on my head, and grins at me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAh, well. \u2018Twas quite a good surprise!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n That\u2019s faeries for you. Insult them a bit and they\u2019ll hound you, but do something like that and they just regard it as a bit of fun. I\u2019m starting to understand them more, but they always surprise me a bit. The faerie on my head doesn\u2019t even seem to mind the light anymore. I frown at her as I walk on, trying to substitute the pain in my head by thinking about faeries.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you just turn off your eyes or something?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Are ye stupid? Nae. I just saw past the light, \u2018tis all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201c\u2026I see.\u201d<\/p>\n Multiple layers of vision? Obviously a faerie might have access to all kinds of spectrums of light. But even that might be too simple; she could very well just ignore the light on my wavelength if she wanted to. Huh.<\/p>\n A tiny head lowers into my line of sight as the faerie grins at me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIf you really<\/em> wanted to surprise us, ye\u2019d do better to make the loud sound and noise along with the light!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Oh\u2014you mean the [Flashbang] spell.\u201d<\/p>\n That was a good one. I had no idea I could do it, but while I was in the cave I started experimenting with the two spells I did know. [Noise] and [Light]. My reasoning was that if I could alter the [Light] spell with some work, why not the [Noise] spell? Hell, why not combine the two?<\/p>\n A day and a half later, and two aching eardrums prove I\u2019m right. The burst of noise and sound isn\u2019t exactly<\/em> like being hit by a real life stun grenade\u2014and there\u2019s a whole lot less death and injury since this is just light and sound, not actual explosive force like the damn things people use, \u2018non-lethal\u2019 my ass\u2014but it works.<\/p>\n Sound and light. Light and sound, just amplified. It\u2019s the easiest thing to remember, especially if you\u2019ve actually seen a flash bang go off*.<\/p>\n *Yeah. Police drug raids, wild party, and I wasn\u2019t actually doing drugs. But try explaining that to a bunch of officers tearing up the place. The one time my father\u2019s connections actually bailed me out of trouble I didn\u2019t start.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a great spell, and I can see how useful it would have been with all those soldiers. Hell, it might have slowed Periss enough\u2014well, the [Flashlight] spell works well enough just to blind people. The [Flashbang] spell is a bit more intensive, and it hits me as well which is a major problem. Since I can\u2019t move the [Noise] spell, it\u2019s always set to friendly fire which sucks. And there\u2019s one more problem.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel sick after using that spell just once. I don\u2019t have the mana to keep using it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWeakling.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I glare up at the faerie dangling her cold legs on my forehead.<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as I understand it, magic isn\u2019t something I can actively train myself to have more of, unless I want to alter my body somehow. What I have is what I get and I\u2019m grateful for that. Unless you know something about magic that I don\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019m sure they do. For all I hate these faeries at times, they\u2019re a damn goldmine of information. If they choose to share it.<\/p>\n Which this faerie does not. She sniffs at me, arrogant as a queen despite the fact that she\u2019s naked and tiny.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOf course we know how magic works. But why should we tell you? And how would you understand? Would ye explain breathing to a rock?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d give it a shot. And I could try to understand your view of magic. Unless you don\u2019t understand your powers enough to explain it in the first place, that is?\u201d<\/p>\n The faerie pauses, and I think I\u2019ve got her. But then she laughs, clear and bright as a bell. She takes off, and a few more of her friends fly down to laugh at me as well.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOoh, look. The plaything is trying to be clever. <\/em>Take this!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n They flick their fingers at me and I flinch. But no snow appears. I frown, take a step\u2014<\/p>\n And slip on the ice patch they\u2019ve just created. I crash to the ground, swearing as they laugh and sit on my side as I struggle to get up.<\/p>\n Faeries. But I guess I deserved that? Wait a second, no I didn\u2019t. I just asked a damn question about magic. Screw their opinions about what I should or should not be allowed to learn.<\/p>\n But each time I talk to them, I swear it\u2019s worth it. Bruises and all.<\/p>\n Plaything. That was another word they kept using. Once the faeries have stopped laughing I ask them about it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean when you call me \u2018plaything\u2019? I\u2019ve heard you call me that before. Whose plaything am I? Teriarch\u2019s?\u201d<\/p>\n Huh. That makes the faeries stop laughing. They exchange a look, and I watch them. Then one of the faeries shakes her head.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAs if the Dragon would bother with you. <\/em>Nae, ye are a plaything of greater powers still. But you don\u2019t even know what ye\u2019ve given up, do you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGiven up? What do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAch. How would we explain it? What good can a slave do with the chains on their neck? But you put it on willingly, didn\u2019t ye?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n She looks at her companions and shakes her head again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYour\u2026classes, fool! Your levels and foolish things. You are a plaything, and you know not what that means or who plays this game.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And there it is. Part of the mystery, right there if only I was smart enough to put all the pieces together. I frown, but then I notice the faerie\u2019s expression. She\u2019s\u2026glaring at me. So are the others.<\/p>\n Hm. They really, really<\/em> don\u2019t like this subject. And I can see they\u2019re getting ready to either fly off or do something nasty to me, not just prank me.<\/p>\n So I look her in the eye and shake my head.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m<\/em> no plaything.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLiar!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLies, you are all playthings! Ignorant slaves!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou cannot hide the truth!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Okay, now they\u2019re pissed.<\/em> The faeries fly around me, and more of them come down. They look angry.<\/p>\n Faeries. Quick to change emotions. And dangerous. I gulp, but hold my hands up.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m telling the truth. I have no classes and no skills. I never leveled. I chose not to.\u201d<\/p>\n They freeze. One of the faeries squints at me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTruly?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t you tell?\u201d<\/p>\n They hesitate, and then shake their heads reluctantly. Huh. Seems like that\u2019s one of the things faeries can\u2019t do. One of them, the first one, I think, floats closer and eyes me suspiciously.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDo not try to trick us, mortal. Tell us plain: do you have levels? Did ye accept the power of this world?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I look her straight in the eye. If ever this was a time to be honest\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI swear it. I swear it on the water, by the grass and earth and sky and on my name. I swear it by honor and life itself.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019m not sure if those are the right words. I don\u2019t know any faerie oaths and I\u2019ve forgotten any famous ones in the moment. But it seems to work. The faeries exchange a glance and then look at me. one speaks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat is\u2026good. And interesting. It changes much, Human.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd nothing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another one mutters that. Some faeries nod and others shake their heads. For the first time I see them start to argue, but then they look at me. Almost all of them fly out of earshot and the first one\u2014I think it\u2019s still her\u2014remains.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like to explain any of that?\u201d<\/p>\n She lifts her small nose up at me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Tis for us to discuss. We will tell you if you need to hear it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n I sigh. Faeries. Secrets. It\u2019s not as if I\u2019m not used to this already. I glance over my shoulder the way I\u2019ve come. A long, open stretch of snow is behind me, and a small forest seems to be ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn it. Do you at least know where I am? Am I even headed back to Liscor?\u201d<\/p>\n She hesitates, and then nods stiffly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou go the right way, Human. You and others march towards the city that floods.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Wait, what? Two parts of that sentence bother me.<\/p>\n \u201cMe and others? What do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n She squints behind me. I look over my shoulder, but I don\u2019t see anything. But the faerie does.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Tis a great column of the children of Dragons and the walking dogs following your trail. About a day\u2019s journey behind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Oh no. My heart begins beating faster again. I remember Ilvriss and the other one. Zel-something.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you know which army it is? Is it the one who captured me, or the other one?\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugs. Well of course faeries don\u2019t care about mortal affairs. She eyes me as I try to pick up the pace.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYe know we will not interfere in mortal affairs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know. But you seem to interfere a lot in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugs as she floats by my head.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSome rules may be broken. Some may not. But we speak to you now because your life is not in danger. We will not save ye if you were to fall off a cliff, say. We do not interfere with death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For a second her eyes are ancient again. I shiver.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of the price? Or because it\u2019s forbidden?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAll things have a price. Ye would do well to remember that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Silence follows that statement. I mean, what the hell do I say to that? I clear my throat as I try and force my legs to move faster.<\/p>\n \u201cWell. Ah, I will remember. But thank you for helping me before. With everything.\u201d<\/p>\n I wonder if they broke the rules a bit to help me get to Az\u2019kerash? True, I might not have been in danger of dying until I got in sight of the castle, but\u2014<\/p>\n The faerie eyes me as if she can see inside my head. And if she can see on different planes, why not? But she nods.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou are a curious mortal. Almost interesting, even though ye art a fool.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis mortal does have a name, you know. My name is Ryoka Griffin.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGood for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I glare at the faerie. But part of me actually wants her to know my name. This is not like the phone call with the person who wanted to scry on us or Teriarch. This is a faerie. I want her to remember my name and\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n I look at the faerie, and realize I\u2019ve never asked. I thought faeries didn\u2019t even have names, but perhaps they do. She looks at me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhy should I tell you? Names are important and not to be thrown around lightly, Ryoka Griffin.<\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Damn. Was <\/em>that a mistake? But they can find me and mess with me even without a name. I shrug.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just curious.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCuriosity has killed many cats. Few come back. Besides, ye would never pronounce it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTry me.\u201d<\/p>\n The faerie stares at me archly as I raise an eyebrow at her. Okay, it\u2019s clich\u00e9d, but faeries don\u2019t know modern tropes and taunting them often works. She opens her mouth, hesitates, and then vanishes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n I blink. One second she\u2019s there, the next\u2026wind and silence. Why? Did I bother her that much? Did I offend her by asking for her name?<\/p>\n Faeries. Let\u2019s see. Names\u2026ah, they\u2019re bad to give to faeries. But I told her my first and last name, and my first name is in kanji, so that would make it difficult for her to control me. I don\u2019t even think they\u2019re that evil, but I didn\u2019t mention my middle name either.<\/p>\n Maybe it\u2019s just because she didn\u2019t want to answer? But even when they get snippy they still talk. So what\u2014?<\/p>\n Hold on. Hold on.<\/em> The faeries don\u2019t disappear except in one case. When they can\u2019t interf\u2014<\/p>\n I look around. I\u2019ve kept walking as I talked to the faeries. Hell, it\u2019s practically my default state of motion. I\u2019ve gone a small ways into the forest, and the trees were sparsely planted so I have plenty of room to walk between them. All is silent, and I don\u2019t even see any animals.<\/p>\n \u2026And neither do I hear any birds, which I would expect <\/em>to hear in a place like this. Even in the winter there should be some around.<\/p>\n Immediately I lower my stance. My body\u2019s sore, but it can move. I can cast [Flashbang] if need be, but I have no more potions or bags. I look around warily. Nothing but trees, and yet the faeries are gone.<\/p>\n \u201cI know someone\u2019s out there. Come out!\u201d<\/p>\n Silence. Even the wind is still. I look around.<\/p>\n \u201cShow yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n For a few seconds I\u2019m tense, waiting. I can\u2019t see anything that makes me think there\u2019s someone nearby, but now my skin is crawling and I\u2019m sure there is<\/em> something there.<\/p>\n And then someone steps out behind a tree that seems far too slim to hide them. A Gnoll walks out from behind the brown, snowy bark, holding a bow in her hands.<\/p>\n She was so invisible that my heart skips a few beats when she moves. I flinch, but if she\u2019d wanted to kill me, she would have while I was standing around like an idiot. The Gnoll is wearing only a few garments despite the cold, and her breath clouds the air. She nods at me, gravely.<\/p>\n \u201cMrr. Ryoka Griffin. I am Hekra of the Stone Spears Tribe.\u201d<\/p>\n Her bow is lowered, and I relax when I hear what tribe she\u2019s from. I smile at her.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry. I was wary\u2014are you out hunting?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHunting, yes. But not for game. There are none to be found.\u201d<\/p>\n Some Gnolls are taciturn, but Hekra seems more distracted than anything else. Her eyes flick around the forest, and then to me.<\/p>\n \u201cWere you talking with the Winter Sprites?\u201d<\/p>\n I frown. What\u2019s this?<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I was. Were you expecting something else to be nearby?\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugs.<\/p>\n \u201cI am not sure. There is something in the wind.\u201d<\/p>\n Hekra hesitates, and then points out of the forest, east and to the north.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is dangerous to be alone. Our tribe\u2019s camp is that way. I will take you there. Follow.\u201d<\/p>\n I nod, and the Gnoll begins to walk through the snow. Not fast; in fact, she\u2019s silent as she moves through the trees, despite the landscape. I feel like an ox as I blunder after her in my heavy shoes. And her head is scanning left and right as she moves, and her ears are twitching.<\/p>\n She\u2019s listening for something. And looking. For what? A monster? Enemies?<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know, but I frown as I walk after her and try to keep silent. The faeries reappear slowly as I continue moving. Perhaps they didn\u2019t know if Hekra had been a threat or not either. Good to know they\u2019re not omniscient. But their sudden disappearance and the news of the army following me bug me. Almost as much as Hekra\u2019s own wariness.<\/p>\n Is there something out here? Something else? I follow the Gnoll as she leads me towards her tribe\u2019s camp. And now I\u2019m listening as well.<\/p>\n Where have all the animals gone?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThere is nothing out here.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss snapped at Zel as the two Drakes marched through the snow, at the center of a huge column of soldiers and prisoners. Zel Shivertail wondered if he could ignore the other Drake, but politeness dictated he reply. Plus, Ilvriss would remember any slight.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure there isn\u2019t. but this is the way the Human Runner went, and I want to follow for a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n Wall Lord Ilvriss glared at Zel. He was a prisoner, as was the bulk of his army. They\u2019d surrendered fast after Zel had charged their lines and they\u2019d realized their leader had been captured. Now Zel was marching with a huge number of them captive among his lines.<\/p>\n He wasn\u2019t worried about the prisoners trying to stage an escape or attacking in his army\u2019s sleep. For one thing, his soldiers were on alert and for another, it would violate the laws of war and Ilvriss\u2019 own sense of honor. Say what you would about the Lord of the Wall, but the Drake was<\/em> honorable. He\u2019d as soon break the rules of warfare as he would cut off his own tail.<\/p>\n That was also why Ilvriss was marching next to Zel in the snow. He\u2019d even been allowed to keep his armor; it was cold, he needed his dignity, and without his sword Zel could trounce him with one claw tied behind his back.<\/p>\n None of that improved Ilvriss\u2019 mood.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is pointless, Shivertail. We should be headed back to your damn alliance cities so I can be ransomed. You are wasting time following a Human who is long gone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe can\u2019t have gotten that far.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, really?\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss made a sound that in a lesser Drake would have been called a snort. Zel thought of it a snort anyways.<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t you see her escape? At that speed\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt that speed, I\u2019d be surprised if she could sustain it for more than five minutes. And afterwards, she\u2019d have to rest. Potion or not, there are limits to what bodies can handle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Human\u2019s tracks might be there, but she is still a Runner. She is far faster than this slow army.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue, but I want to head this way anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCuriosity. She helped me win the battle, if you don\u2019t recall? And there is also the matter of Periss and the soldiers you sent after her.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss looked at Zel out of the corner of one eye. He and Zel hadn\u2019t talked much aside from the ritual offer of surrender and a few short acerbic conversations while they were marching. He shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cShe disappeared. She must have lost the battle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t believe that.\u201d<\/p>\n Zel knew Lord Ilvriss, and he also knew Periss. The very idea that she would have lost a fight to the girl named Ryoka Griffin was ridiculous, and both generals knew it. But Ilvriss just shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cI will not speculate. I will<\/em> investigate this matter when I am restored to my city with all the power and resources I have, however. The city we are marching away from as we speak.\u201d<\/p>\n Well, that didn\u2019t bode well for the Human. Zel sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can go this way until we hit the main road. Then we\u2019ll start moving south. A day or two of detouring won\u2019t slow us, unless you have another army waiting in ambush?\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cWould I need one? My army would have defeated yours easily. If\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n Zel ignored the Wall Lord as he walked ahead. He\u2019d deployed heavy scouts ahead of his main army. He didn\u2019t know why, but his instincts were telling him to do so.<\/p>\n He was no [Tactician] or even a [Strategist]. Zel had ranks in the [Commander] class, but only that. In truth, he was a [General] who led from the front and he did his best fighting when he trusted his gut.<\/p>\n And his gut told him there was something else. Not just the Human; she was interesting and possibly important, but there was another presence in these empty forests and highlands.<\/p>\n Zel tightened his fist and silently assessed his condition. His army might be battered, but they were more than capable of managing the prisoners and Ilvriss. With him, they were more than a match for any army a city-state might field, with the exception of the Liscorian army and a few others. But Liscor had sent their mercenaries far to the south. So what was making him so uneasy?<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t know. But Zel ordered the pace to be picked up. The supply lines could damn well catch up later. He had a mystery to solve.<\/p>\n He hated<\/em> mysteries. This foreboding he felt reminded him of the Antinium and if it was them\u2014<\/p>\n No Hives were allowed to be constructed outside of the six already present on the continent. Even then, they weren\u2019t allowed to expand past certain borders. It wasn\u2019t beyond belief though that the Antinium might hide something this far out here. How else would the girl have made Periss vanish like that?<\/p>\n It was an outside chance. But if it wasn\u2019t the Antinium out here, he wanted to know what it was.<\/p>\n And if it was an unauthorized Hive\u2026Zel\u2019s claws clenched. If it was, it would mean another Antinium War.<\/p>\n He hoped it wouldn\u2019t come to that. But he had to investigate. So Zel marched onwards, wondering. Listening.<\/p>\n What was it?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ryoka walked into the Stone Spears camp, smiling as she saw Urksh, the Chieftain of the tribe, standing at one of the huge bonfires the Gnolls liked to make. But that smile faded as she took in the camp.<\/p>\n It was not the same place she had left.<\/p>\n Before, the camp had been sprawling chaos, but organized for all of that. Children had run around freely, and Gnolls had been at work performing various tasks.<\/p>\n Now though, the camp looked like it was under lockdown. The children were nowhere to be seen, but Ryoka thought they were in the tents. Gnolls with bows and spears stood at the edges of the camp, and groups of them moved into the camp and out of it, talking with Urksh before heading out again.<\/p>\n Something was clearly wrong, and Ryoka jogged over.<\/p>\n \u201cUrksh.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka Griffin. I am pleased to see you well. But this is a bad time for greetings. Forgive me if I do not offer you all the hospitality.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. That\u2019s fine. But what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh nodded to Hekra and she trotted off to join a group of hunters heading out. Urksh watched them go and shook his head before he looked at Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha. She is missing.\u201d<\/p>\n A hole opened up in Ryoka\u2019s stomach. She stared at Urksh.<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n He shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do not know. This morning she went out to help gather plants from beneath the snow. She wandered from the gatherer with her and we have not seen her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe just left? Did anyone hear anything?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. But that is not uncommon. Young cubs, they wander a mile or two away to help or play.\u201d<\/p>\n That seemed like a risky way of looking after children, but Urksh explained.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if they are a ways away, children may howl. And we take care that they do not enter places where any monsters may lurk. She was only gone for a few minutes, but when the caretaker searched, she was nowhere to be found.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWouldn\u2019t she have said where she was going?\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh shook his head. Ryoka knew she was asking all the stupid questions, but she had to. Her stomach was beginning to churn. Mrsha? It seemed like just yesterday she\u2019d seen the Gnoll rolling in the snow and following her about.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha is different, no? She is healthy, yet she does not speak though her throat is undamaged.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs she mute?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll looked at Ryoka, confused. Did they not have mute Gnolls? She shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cCan she make any sounds?\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYelping, growls. Small sounds. She is young, but even children can howl. That we have not heard her is worrying.\u201d<\/p>\n It was a terrible question, but Ryoka had to ask.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Could she have gotten hurt? Injured? If a monster\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll instantly shook his head, which made Ryoka feel better.<\/p>\n \u201cIf she was attacked, she would have made a sound, no? And if she were dead, we would smell blood. No. Something scared her as she was wandering. That, or else she went looking for something.\u201d<\/p>\n There was an inflection in his tone that made Ryoka hesitate.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething? What kind of thing?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll Chieftain did not immediately respond. He looked towards the sky. It was just past midday, but the storm clouds the faeries had warned Ryoka about were closing in.<\/p>\n \u201cA smell in the air. It is faint. And it may be nothing, but some of our hunters feel as though they are being watched.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cNormally we would have more searching. But the miners, they are not back, no? We have not the numbers to mount a search.\u201d<\/p>\n He was worried. Ryoka could tell in the way he changed his manner of speech. Gnolls usually said \u2018yes\u2019 at the end of sentences, but they only used \u2018no\u2019 when they were upset or angry.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t get in contact with them?\u201d<\/p>\n He hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cWe may howl, but they are a few day\u2019s journey away. If we do not find Mrsha before the storm comes\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t finish the sentence. If there were tracks, or\u2026a body, they would be covered by the deep snow. And even if the young Gnoll was alive, could she survive that cold a night?<\/p>\n \u201cForgive me Ryoka. I must go lead another search. We are combing the mountains where she was.\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh bowed to Ryoka and began to walk off. She didn\u2019t even think. Ryoka caught Urksh\u2019s arm as he started to leave the camp with other hunters.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me help. I can run, and I owe your tribe a debt.\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll looked at her, and then nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are limping. We have a poultice. Use it and then join us. We will need to move quickly before light fades.\u201d<\/p>\n He loped off, and Ryoka stared around the campsite. High in the air, the Frost Faeries hovered, watching.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka bit her lip. They wouldn\u2019t answer. Mortal affairs. She shook her head and moved towards one of the tents. Healing poultice, and then she would run. As fast and as far as she could. She owed the Gnolls a debt.<\/p>\n More than that, she wanted to see Mrsha\u2019s face again. But a small part of Ryoka was whispering in fear, and she had to push the voice back.<\/p>\n Let it not be so. It was just an accident, a lost Gnoll. Nothing more.<\/p>\n Everything would be fine.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ryoka ran through a forest, Gnolls spreading out around her. They ran in a curious bounding motion across the snowy landscape, separating so that each Gnoll could cover a large patch of land.<\/p>\n Normally Ryoka wasn\u2019t anywhere near as fast as a Gnoll, with her heavy winter clothing and boots. But she\u2019d abandoned all of that to give herself some more speed and mobility. She\u2019d wrapped her feet in fur and bound it to her legs instead of boots and she was down to her shirt and pants.<\/p>\n It was risky, and Ryoka could feel the chill in the air. But so long as she got back to the Gnoll\u2019s camp she would be fine.<\/p>\n And she needed to move fast.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka shouted as she ran through the forest. Frost Faeries flew around her, their translucent forms for once lacking the vibrant energy they normally possessed. They flew over Ryoka\u2019s head, silent, watching. She ran, paused, and called out again.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha! Can you hear me?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Around her, Ryoka could hear faint howls in the distance. The Gnolls were calling out for Mrsha in their own way, pausing to listen. But they clearly heard nothing, because they howled again from different spots a few minutes later.<\/p>\n Where could she be? Urksh had said she was gathering a plant which grew high up on the slopes, and yet the Gnoll child could have ranged down the side of the mountain or in the forests. Normally the adult Gnoll would have smelled or found her instantly, but for some reason she\u2019d disappeared.<\/p>\n She knew not to wander far off, and she would have made a sound if she was attacked. So then why had she gone so far away? Ryoka\u2019s mind was racing as she ran and called out, and each suspicion she had was worse than the last.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The small Gnoll had light brown fur and an inquisitive, curious face. She had always been poking around in Ryoka\u2019s things or touching the Human girl while she was in camp. At first it had been annoying, and then it had been almost relaxing. The Gnoll child was unafraid of Ryoka, and she\u2019d enjoyed bothering the girl.<\/p>\n Ryoka wished she could feel that small claw poking into her back.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha! If you can hear me, call out!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Was there magic she could use? Ryoka ran out of the forest and up a slope, looking for places where a young Gnoll might have tripped or fallen. Pitfalls, a subterranean cave entrance, a Shield Spider nest\u2014Urksh said they\u2019d cleared out all of the nests nearby and marked the ones that they hadn\u2019t, but could Mrsha have fallen into one?<\/p>\n Surely the Gnolls would have checked. She would ask when she got back. Ryoka ran up the slope, ignoring the way her feet slipped and legs cramped up.<\/p>\n The mountain was silent. It loomed overhead, higher and higher, the snow gradually giving away and revealing rock the higher you looked. No sane person would climb that mountain. But would a young Gnoll do that if she was afraid?<\/p>\n Afraid of what?<\/p>\n Ryoka ran upwards, calling out. Frost Faeries flew around her as Ryoka shouted, waiting, hoping for a reply.<\/p>\n But no one answered.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cRest. You must rest, Ryoka Griffin. Eat this.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka looked up. Urksh was offering her something. She reached up and found he had a bone with cooked meat on it. She took it and bit, ignoring the heat and bloodiness of the food.<\/p>\n She wanted to keep moving, but her body had grown too tired. And the Gnolls had come back to camp, most of them, anyways. Ryoka had\u00a0 gone back to see if anyone had found Mrsha, but they had not.<\/p>\n They hadn\u2019t found anything.<\/p>\n Forest. River. The frozen lake. The higher passes. Even the few caves they knew of, both inhabited and not. The Gnoll [Hunters] and other adults had scoured each location, even travelling further than they thought Mrsha could move. But they hadn\u2019t found any tracks or signs of her. And that was telling, because the girl would have left some fur or traces of her passing, wouldn\u2019t she?<\/p>\n And now the mood in the camp had changed again. Instead of the subdued panic Ryoka had sensed earlier, now the Gnolls were silent. Completely so. The [Hunters] still conferred, but there were less of them going out to search. They had few spots left to cover.<\/p>\n They were giving up hope.<\/p>\n Urksh sat with Ryoka by one of the fires as she ate mechanically. She looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll head out again after this. Give me a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou must rest. It would not do to lose you. It is beginning to snow.\u201d<\/p>\n He was right. Dusk had set in, and with it, the storm had finally arrived. Thick flakes were beginning to fall from the sky, and they were only the beginning. Soon, wind and snowfall would make visibility impossible. And then\u2014<\/p>\n Ryoka\u2019s hand tightened on the bone and she nearly burned herself. She let go and wiped her hand on her pants.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s not lost yet. There are places we haven\u2019t looked. Higher in the mountains, perhaps.\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cShe knows that there is death up there. She would not go unless she was desperate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if she was?\u201d<\/p>\n His gaze was steady as he met Ryoka\u2019s burning stare.<\/p>\n \u201cIf she was, she would know that there are many deep crevasses. If she fell into one, we would never hear her or catch her scent. If she survived the fall.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka looked away and clenched her fist. Urksh looked at the sky.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do not think it is that. Only a monster would chase her so far, and most are too smart to go high up. The ones in the mountain are large enough to spot and smell\u2026but another might have caught her.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at him. Urksh stared into the fire. He had searched longer than most, as long as Ryoka, and dark sweat still stained his fur.<\/p>\n \u201cA Wyvern can grab even an adult up in seconds. If it swooped down, it would take only seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka stared at Urksh. But she saw the same expression on his face. Gnolls were practical. They would keep looking, but if they didn\u2019t find her by tomorrow, then realistically Mrsha would probably be dead.<\/p>\n Humans might look for far longer than that, in hopes of finding a miracle or the remains. But Gnolls had to face facts or die in the wilderness.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s not lost yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. And we will search for her until we have lost all hope.\u201d<\/p>\n He stood. Ryoka hesitated, and stood with him.<\/p>\n \u201cMagic?\u201d<\/p>\n If they had any, they would have used it. Urksh shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cOur [Shaman] knows no spells that will aid us. He can heal and fight but little more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA beacon, then. If she\u2019s just lost, maybe we can show her the way back. I have a spell that might\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Again the Gnoll shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cShe knows where we are camped. And we should not draw too much attention to ourselves. Not tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is something in the mountains. We have sensed it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka nodded. She had too. She pointed, and the Gnoll looked up.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Frost Faeries seem to think there\u2019s something out there too. They disappeared when I met Hekra\u2014I think they were expecting something else. They won\u2019t help if someone\u2019s life is in danger, and there\u2019s that army\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019d told Urksh about the army coming this way when she\u2019d remembered. He\u2019d simply shrugged. Gnoll Tribes had their own peace treaties, and the Stone Spears had no issues with any Drakes at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there is something we will fight or flee. We have watchers and there is nowhere to hide in this flat space. But we dare not send the entire tribe out to look any longer.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll keep looking. Don\u2019t worry about sending someone with me.\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh looked at her directly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou will not find her by searching the same places again, Ryoka Griffin. Do not waste your strength.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka bent down and tried to tie the wrappings around her feet even tighter. She\u2019d begun to get frostbite by the time she\u2019d returned, but she\u2019d been able to run far faster like this. It was worth the pain, especially since she could use the healing poultice.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to look.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you had a location, I would go with you myself. But this is a vast wilderness. Who will tell you where she has gone?\u201d<\/p>\n She tried to ignore the voice of reason. Gritting her teeth, Ryoka bent to touch her toes and tried to stretch.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. I just have to h\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She paused. Who would help her search? Gnolls were experts in this terrain. The Stone Spears knew every spot in the area. Who would be better at tracking than they were? Who could see\u2014?<\/p>\n Her eyes travelled upwards.<\/p>\n The Frost Faeries. They\u2019d been so silent as Ryoka searched. They hadn\u2019t disappeared, but they hadn\u2019t said anything. Normally they\u2019d be showering Ryoka with remarks and jokes, but now they were just watching.<\/p>\n Perhaps they were worried about Mrsha too. They liked children. But maybe there was more to it than that.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are forbidden to help in mortal affairs.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka said the words very quietly. Urksh looked at her, and another Gnoll\u2019s ears twitched across the camp.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean by these words, Ryoka Griffin?\u201d<\/p>\n The faeries weren\u2019t looking at Ryoka. They were staring elsewhere, but she knew they knew she was watching them. And their eyes were good. They could sense an army on the move a day away, and they\u2019d known when the hiding Gnoll was there. They could see through a Necromancer\u2019s enchantments, and even a Dragon\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cThey know.\u201d<\/p>\n All the Gnolls looked up. The Frost Faeries stared down, faces expressionless as Ryoka pointed at them.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to speak with you.\u201d<\/p>\n One flew down. Urksh\u2019s eyes narrowed and he squinted just to the left of the faerie, but Ryoka just stared grimly at the faerie as she flew in front of the Human girl and the Gnoll Chieftain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you want, mortal?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou know where Mrsha is, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n The faerie looked at Ryoka silently. Her face wasn\u2019t filled with mirth or mischief or any of her normal range of emotions. It was old again. Old and timeless and terribly dispassionate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat if we do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTell me where she is.\u201d<\/p>\n The faerie shook her head.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis is no concern of ours, mortal. And we are bound not to interfere with your lives.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTell me.\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh looked at Ryoka. She remembered that he couldn\u2019t see her. She looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThey know.\u201d<\/p>\n Instantly, the Gnoll grabbed for the faerie, but she just flew around his hands and froze his paws. He growled<\/em>, but suddenly all the faeries were around the Gnoll. The other Gnolls in the camp had seized their weapons, but they hesitated as the central fire and then all the fires in the Gnoll camp suddenly went out.<\/p>\n There was a dangerous look on the faeries\u2019 faces.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe are not bound by your rules, but ours, mortal. And ours are ancient as time itself. We do not interfere with your concerns.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat if I offered you a trade? Something worth breaking the rules?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka had no idea what that could be. But she was desperate. The Frost Faerie looked at her and shook her head.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou have naught that would suffice. And the price is too much for you to bear.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Urksh hissed<\/em> as he cracked the ice on his fur. He looked at Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do they say?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have anything they want. And Urksh\u2014I think they\u2019re not allowed to help us.\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head and stared at the faeries.<\/p>\n \u201cWe cannot force them?\u201d<\/p>\n The faeries stared at Urksh dispassionately. Ryoka shook her head hard, noting the other Gnolls and the bows they were not quite raising.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t try. Please. They might do a lot of damage to you, and I\u2019m not even sure you can hurt them.\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh stared hard at the faeries, but eventually nodded. Bows were lowered, but the expression remained. Now everyone was staring at the faeries, and they were watching Ryoka. Silently.<\/p>\n \u201cThere has to be something I can offer. Something you want.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou have nothing you can give us, Human.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And if a faerie said it, it was probably true. But Ryoka couldn\u2019t leave it like this.<\/p>\n She turned away from the faeries. Not to leave; but to pace. Urksh watched her silently as Ryoka walked back and forth.<\/p>\n Think. Think of faeries. They made deals. They never gave anything without asking for that much or more in return. They\u2026honored their word.<\/p>\n None of this could help. Not if they didn\u2019t want to make a deal. Or couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cStories?\u201d<\/p>\n But stories weren\u2019t enough. Not for a life. Not if this was what Ryoka thought it was. Think. What could she do to faeries? Nothing. She was like dust in the wind compared to them. She had nothing to threaten them. Nothing to offer them. Then, what did they want?<\/p>\n Ryoka looked up. Faeries. She had nothing to give them, but they were still faeries.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you want Mrsha to die? Is that why you\u2019re not helping?\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh stirred. He looked at the faeries. They stirred too. And now there was anger in their expressions. The temperature in the air lowered again, and Ryoka began to shiver uncontrollably as one floated closer to her, eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDo you think we are Sluagh, mortal? Do ye think we delight in the suffering and death of innocents? Nae. We are no Redcaps nor Finfolk to delight in death of children. We are not monsters<\/em>. Speak carefully lest ye offend us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It was hard, so hard to meet the small gaze in front of her. But Ryoka did it. She spoke to the faerie defiantly.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you\u2019d let a child die.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBecause there are rules.<\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The faerie hissed<\/em> at Ryoka, and the girl felt parts of her face go numb from the intense cold around her. The faerie was like an avatar of frost, a thing of primordial, endless cold.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you could help.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou have nothing to offer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBut you want to help, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n And the faerie hesitated. Just for a second. Ryoka went on, speaking quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have nothing to offer, but if there is a price, I\u2019ll pay it.\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh interrupted.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will. The Stone Spears will bear any price for our young.\u201d<\/p>\n He couldn\u2019t have known the other side of the conversation, but he put a paw on Ryoka\u2019s shoulder and gripped her hard. She nodded at him.<\/p>\n The faerie was silent for a long time. She stared back at her fellows, and then looked at Ryoka. And there was something else in her expression. A bit of sadness?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou do not know what you offer. The price is too great, mortals. Do not ask.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka bowed her head, bowed in front of the faeries. Urksh did the same. Across the camp, she sensed Gnolls doing likewise. The faeries floated above her head, silent judges.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe price is always the same. Life for life. Death for death. And even if there is not death, you ask much of the fates.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fate. The word sent a chill down Ryoka\u2019s spine. Was this all fated? She was too afraid to ask.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease. Give her a chance. I\u2019m asking you\u2014as one who called the fae her friend. As someone who needs help. Please. For a child. For life.\u201d<\/p>\n The wind began to pick up. Overhead, the snow began to fall harder. The faerie glowed in the darkness, but not with any light to chase away the horrors of the night. The glow she gave off was terrible and beautiful, but it was not kind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cVery well. So it is agreed. We promise nothing, but we will offer you a chance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ryoka looked up. Urksh stared at her as she stood.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do we need to do?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOnly follow. And only you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n She pointed at Ryoka. The girl hesitated, and turned to Urksh.<\/p>\n \u201cI need to go alone. They\u2019ll take me to her.\u201d<\/p>\n He grabbed her. The old Gnoll\u2019s eyes were full of fear, but also hope.<\/p>\n \u201cGo. Please. And take this\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He hurried inside a tent, barking orders. Gnolls scattered, and then one came towards Ryoka holding a torch. It was wood coated with resin, and the Gnoll muttered words to get it to light. He must have been the [Shaman].<\/p>\n Urksh came out of the tent holding bottles. Potions. He handed them to Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cFor healing. Take. And this.\u201d<\/p>\n He gave her something else. Ryoka stared at it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is this? A rope?\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded as he helped store it in Ryoka\u2019s pack. The rope was unlike the gear she had seen Gnolls use. It was long and thin and light, and it seemed to coil itself naturally as Ryoka put it into her equipment.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is magical. It will stretch a long ways. If you go where I fear, you will need it.\u201d<\/p>\n Another Gnoll came over with a fur coat, and another, small enough for a child. It was hard to wrestle them into her pack, but Ryoka discarded her clothes and everything she didn\u2019t need to make room.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll go. I don\u2019t know what the faeries will ask or if I might fail. This is like\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She hesitated. It reminded Ryoka a bit of an old Greek myth, like the tale of Orpheus. Quests involving life and death always ended badly. But she had to try.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014It could be bad. If I don\u2019t return, don\u2019t send anyone after me.\u201d<\/p>\n Urksh nodded. He grasped Ryoka by the shoulders.<\/p>\n \u201cGo. With all our hopes. Save her, we beg of you.\u201d<\/p>\n He lowered his head. Ryoka grabbed his arm and squeezed it once. Then she turned. The faeries were still floating overhead, watching.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFollow, then. And quickly. May ye not regret your choice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n With that, the faerie flew off. North, towards the mountain. Ryoka didn\u2019t hesitate. She ran after them, as fast as she could. She ran across the open plain, picking up speed, and then uphill as the land began to rise.<\/p>\n The air grew colder around her, and the snow began to fall harder. Soon it would be too cold for all but the most determined to survive. Yet even that could not match the cold in Ryoka\u2019s heart. A pit of fear held itself in her stomach, but her body was burning. Exhaustion fled. She ran. She ran with more force in her step than she had put in anything before.<\/p>\n She saw a young Gnoll in her mind, and knew that she could not fail. Ryoka ran on, and overhead the faeries watched her slow progress with eyes that beheld immortality.<\/p>\n In the distance, Zel Shivertail\u2019s army marched onwards, ignoring sense which told the [General] to make camp. His scouts had seen the bonfires in the distance, and even if they had gone out, he was sure he could find the Gnoll tribe. He marched on, listening to the wind and the sound of the foreboding in his heart.<\/p>\n And high above the rest, watching from a distant place, something twisted the Gnoll [Hunter]\u2019s head around and lowered the dead Gnoll to the ground. The other Gnolls lay where they had fallen, arrows sprouting from their bodies, magic-torn wounds gaping open and steaming for only seconds in the cold air.<\/p>\n Dark shadows stood on the cliff, watching as the faint fires of the Stone Spears tribe were rekindled. They looked out, and more shapes moved. Hundreds of them. Thousands. The night was filled with shadows, and as the blizzard began to engulf the land in earnest, the dark shape stood. It bit into the Gnoll and ripped flesh away, chewing.<\/p>\n And then the Gnoll slowly sat up. Lifeless eyes stared at the one who had brought it back, and the Gnoll stood with its fellows.<\/p>\n Waiting. And the blizzard consumed everything and the girl ran on, hoping, praying.<\/p>\n She would not fail. She could not. But the word whispered in her ears again. The word of despair and madness. The word to shatter all hopes and dreams. The word of playthings. The word that meant she could do nothing.<\/p>\n It whispered to her, spoke to her. Haunted her steps.<\/p>\n Fate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I walk because it still hurts to run. I move because it\u2019s just a bit better than staying still. But yeah. I\u2019m in pain. Overhead, the sky is clear for a brief window of time, exposing clear skies. But clouds are coming in fast, and there will be a blizzard before nightfall. I\u2019m no meteorologist, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693082,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693131],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-2134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-2","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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