~
“You have done well, Kayne,” Headmaster Sol said. The sun had now risen allowing its light to stream in through the window and cast shadows about the room. Sol’s chair rested within a small shadow while the rest of his desk, along with the chair I sat in, was caught in a direct beam of light. I had to keep one hand in from of my eyes in order to see, even while squinting my eyes.
“Remwens has absolutely no idea where his signet ring could have gone. My sources tell me that Remwens believes he simply misplaced it, which is perfect for us.”
I nodded politely, not wanting to interrupt any information he might give me freely. The Headmaster paused, and gave a slight half-smile.
“Even with only six months of training you have reached a level that most our recruits take at least one to two years of training to achieve. I am impressed. For your reward, I have some recently acquired information on the whereabouts of Enelo’s killer.”
At the mention of Enelo, I sat up even straighter, my eyes narrowing slightly. The Headmasters smile seemed to grow even larger when he perceived my reaction. It was a bit unusual for me to react in such a way. Silently accepting any training or missions had become the norm for me. I had tried to listen more often than I spoke, in the hopes of unraveling more information about the Ravens. Still considered a recruit, I was not privy to much of the important details. Yet. Soon I would be, as many of my teachers had told me there was not much left to teach.
The Headmaster studied me another moment before continuing, “We are preparing the mission for you, gathering all the information about the target that we can. His everyday routine: foods he eats, places he sleeps, people he talks with; all will be arranged so that you can prepare to your utmost. It will still take some time yet before all is ready, but you should be able to depart in one week's time.”
I nodded quickly, excited to finally have a chance to face Enelo’s killer. I had been waiting a long time for this. I could wait a bit longer. Above all else I had learned with the Ravens, was patience.
The Headmaster rose and stood in front of his window, eyes narrowed in the sunlight, “You may leave.”
I strolled out of Sol’s office, barely containing my excitement. I decided to spend the rest of my day with Shar, as I had plenty of energy.
~
The rest of the week seemed to pass quickly, I had not been assigned any missions and had been told to ‘stay sharp’. I trained in skills that I was already familiar with, as honing them into reflexive actions still required the repetition. At night, I could sleep little. I tried to calm my thoughts as I had learned from Dante. I had adopted such control, realizing that it didn’t pertain solely to swordsmanship alone. It could extend to other subjects and situations that needed it. Still, even with Dante’s training, my thoughts were racing.
It helped to simply gaze at the stars. I let my mind wonder as to what stars are and what was their reason for existence? Were the gods attempting to show us their power? Or could each be the home of gods themselves? It mattered little that there were no answers to my questions. It helped me to stay calm, so I continued watching them at night until I could sleep.
Eventually, the week’s end was nigh. Tonight was the last night before I left for my mission in the morning. I had received money and supplies from the Headmaster, who told me to stay off the roads as much as possible. He also warned to keep them in sight so as to not lose my way. He didn’t want anyone being able to follow me back to the school on the off chance something went wrong.
Enelo’s killer, whom I now knew was named Hector, lived in a fairly large sized mining town to the north by the name of Northrock. It was so far north that it nearly bordered the mountain men’s lands. Hector had been visiting Erelith on some form of business when he had murdered Enelo. He was apparently known for being rough and even a little bloodthirsty. Someone such as that would likely kill for the slight insult of interrupting his raping of a girl. It seemed such a small reason for Enelo to have died. Even after all this time, it still made me seethe in anger. Soon, very soon, I would be able to end this and get justice for Enelo. He deserved that much.
Once again, I tried to control my anger and to calm my mind by gazing at the stars. I had decided to relax in the school’s garden tonight, on my last night before the mission. As it was night and most students were asleep, it was easy for me to find a secluded place. I calmed myself, staring at the night sky. Suddenly, I heard voices. They were soft spoken, clearly not wanting to be heard. Curious, I followed the sound through the garden and came upon two figures sitting near a fountain.
I was surprised when I recognized the voices as Prince Erik and Iselle. Even more curious now, as I hadn’t spoken to them in many months, I listened in.
“...preposterous. Why would they attack in the first place. There is no reason.” Iselle argued.
The prince sighed, “I know not, perhaps they won’t attack at all, but it looks like they are rallying and it concerns my father. He says that this is just the beginning though, that they are still not fully united, giving us time to prepare.”
It was now Iselle’s turn to sigh, “It matters little now, let us not worry ourselves.”
Silence reigned for a short while, and I prepared to go when the prince said softly, “I miss him, you know.”
Iselle grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. “Kayne? I do too. You said he was well?”
The prince nodded, gazing at the sky. “Father said he had looked into it and that Kayne is taking personal lessons from the Headmaster himself. He is apparently doing very well. I enjoyed his company though, he was the one person to treat me as myself, and not grovel at my feet. It is hard to find true friends with my station.”
As I listened, I found it harder and harder to stay still. I smiled, as I thought of myself jumping out of the shadows, enlightening them of my presence. My smile faded as I knew I could not reveal myself. I did not want them involved with the Shadow Ravens. I had chosen my path. Perhaps someday this would all be over and I could talk with them freely. Not today, though. It hurt, but not as much as I knew it would if anything happened to them because of me. For now I would hide in the darkness, looking ever forward to such a day where I might step into the light. I left silently, fading into the shadows.
~
Making sure I had everything prepared, I gave my room one last look. I nodded to myself, ready. Today was the day I set out for the mining town of Northrock. Once there, my task would lead me to the Three Coppers tavern. There, a man named Jaric would have all the information would I need on my quarry.
I shouldered my pack and set out, embracing the early dawn. Few of the academy students were up yet, as it was a free day. Only one or two of them were awake enough to cast a quizzical glance my way. None spoke to me, which was usual. I didn’t mind. In fact, it was preferable. The less people that know of my going, the better.
The markets of Erelith were still relatively quiet, with only the shop owners beginning to set out their wares for a day of profit. The guards at the main gate eyed me silently, but their gaze did not linger for long. I walked calmly with my head slightly down, watching the road in front of me. As soon as I was out of the guard’s sight, I left the road. Off the road, there were a spattering of trees and shrubbery, which grew thicker as I traveled farther from the road. I went as far as I dared, barely able to see the road if I peered through the now fairly populated woodland.
Keeping the road in sight, I began my way north. Because there was no road or path for me to follow, I lost time having to constantly maneuver around obstacles in my path. Around midday, I ate some of the dried meat and bread that had been packed for my journey. Besides the occasional jaunt in the forest surrounding Erelith, this was the first time I had left the city in years. I breathed deeply, savoring the sights and sounds of the wild. Well, it wasn’t too wild, with the road near, but it was still refreshing compared to the city.
I carried on until the sun was straining to stay al
oft. I contemplated a fire, but decided against it, as it would only draw attention from the road. More than likely there wasn’t much wildlife this close to the road that would consider me to be prey. No natural predator would settle this close to humans, even if it was just a road. I was still cautious though, finding a spot with a good amount of dry twigs around. Anything approaching would snap them, creating a loud noise and announcing their presence. I lay down, gazing at the stars through the gaps in the treetops. It was a beautiful night.
~
Sunlight streamed through the trees, pressing against my eyes and causing me to stir. I began to gather my bedroll and pack when I felt someone staring at me from behind. I didn’t pause in my actions, as that would alert whoever was watching. As I tied my bedroll to my pack, I loosened a dagger in its sheath, carefully strapped to my lower leg. In one fluid motion I turned, dropping my bedroll and drawing the knife fully prepared to throw and eliminate the threat. I stopped mid-throw as I saw the ever familiar bright green eyes peering at me from the edge of the clearing. I smiled, returning the dagger to its sheath.
Shar sauntered up to me, nudging her head into my stomach, nearly knocking me over. I laughed and hugged her, rubbing her behind the ears. She purred loudly at my touch. “So you are coming with?” I asked her.
She bounded away from me before pausing at the edge of the small clearing, looking back as if to say ‘Hurry, let us be gone’. Hoisting my pack, I smiled and shook my head. I followed her, slightly awed that she knew which direction we needed to go. Shar was smarter than she should be, I thought to myself. Perhaps smarter than was normal for a mere cat, large though she may be.
As if reading my thoughts, Shar let out a short growl aimed at me. I began to think there was some truth in the legend of the white-diamond markings. Pondering these thoughts, I travelled ever onward, only pausing for a few moments to chew on some dried meat. I offered some to Shar, who promptly sneezed off to the side, dashed into the forest in search of a more fresh meal. I carried on with my journey, not worrying about losing Shar. She had managed to find me as soon as I left the city, I knew she could find me whenever she wanted. I also knew that she could travel much faster than I could, and her pausing to hunt for food wouldn’t slow her down much.
Though, I did wonder how I seemed certain that she was out hunting. For some reason, I knew that as sure as I knew my own name. Curious, I puzzled over these new findings. Or were they new at all? Shar returned before the sun set, seeming with renewed energy as she bounded around, always in sight of me. It amazed me that even though she weighed more than I did, she was silent and graceful. She leaped from ground, rock, fallen logs, and other natural obstacles, even climbing a few of the shorter trees. It had taken six months of intense training to do what she did as naturally as breathing.
She was playing and showing off at the same time, I knew. It didn’t bother me much, that I knew these things in my mind. In fact, I was glad of our bond. I felt connected to her, as she was to me. I knew now that she would always be there, watching over me. I vowed to do the same in return. Once more, she seemed to read my thoughts as she appeared at my side, fondly nudging my leg. I patted her before she bounded back towards the front, scouting the way.
We traveled for days, enjoying each other’s company and the peace of the forest. She slept curled up next to me, a welcome warmth to counter the slight chill of night. I could sense our bond growing stronger every day. I now knew the reasoning behind her actions. I found that she could understand my thoughts as well, not in a literal sense, but in an instinctual way. If I wanted something, she knew what it was, and the same was true for me. I knew which ear she wanted itched, or if she wanted to run, hunt, or sleep.
I knew that it was unnatural, and some might even fear the bond I shared with Shar. I supposed that was why people thought of it as a curse. It would be safer to not tell anyone of it. Briefly, I wondered at Enelo’s reaction to the bond and smiled. Enelo knew, as a healer, that there was more to life than anyone could understand in its entirety. I presumed that he would have been intrigued, wanting to study the bond.
Reluctantly, I pulled myself back to the present. Soon I would be at my destination. Shar, sensing my mood change, let out a low growl. She missed Enelo in her own way as well, but accepted the fact that he was gone. It was an animalistic way of thinking, one that I envied. I knew that Enelo would want me to live my own life and forget about avenging his death, but I also knew that I would always regret it if I simply walked away. I shook my head, trying to clear my disjointed thoughts. I focused on my surroundings and attempted to calm myself. I needed to prepare myself mentally for what was to come.
~
All too soon, the trees gave way to open ground, and in the distance lay the town. This was as far as Shar could go without alerting her presence to others. A large cat such as her would have no means of sneaking around a town, and if any saw her she would be hunted down.
Saddened by the thought, I turned to Shar and stroked her behind her ears, “I will see you soon, Shar. Stay safe, stay hidden.” She nudged me a bit harder than usual, and I could sense her irritation of me. She knew not to show herself, and if she didn’t want to be seen, she wouldn’t be. I patted her one last time before finally leaving the safety and isolation of the woods.
While I was walking, the chilling wind began to pick up and I raised the hood of my cloak for the small protection it offered. There were a few more travelers on the road here, nearest to the town. A few looked on curiously as I reached the road myself, wondering who this man was to come from the trees. I paid them no heed, keeping my head down, and making a sure pace towards the town gates. Though, in this case, gates was a strong word.
This far north and close to the barbarians, I had expected strong stone walls, but instead there were only wooden palisades in sore need of repair in many places. The road simply went through a gap in the wall, with a couple guards standing about lazily, one of them even going so far as to sleep against the outer wall. The place reminded me a bit of Relvan, but there seemed to be a wrongness here.
I strode through the gates, following the main road. The houses and other buildings were made of the same wood as the walls. Clearly, there was not much in the way of a leader in this suffering place. Everyone I passed seemed wary or on edge. Most wore hard looks on their faces, like those of the fighters I had seen at the underground arena in Erelith. I kept my distance from those men, not wanting to start any trouble. Not that I couldn’t handle it, but trouble meant attention that I didn’t want.
The tavern, where I was supposed to meet the informant, looked only slightly better than the other structures nearby. Inside was like none of the other inns or taverns I had been to in Erelith. Even at this early time of day, there were patrons, but there were no grins, no laughter, and certainly no music.
Approaching the bar, I asked for my contact by name. The innkeeper did not even look my way, merely grunted and gestured to the far corner of the room, continuing his slow methodical wiping down of the bar’s surface. The far corner of the inn was darker and I could only make out a vague man-shaped shadow.
I approached the corner, keeping my hood up and shadowed. “Jaric?” I asked.
The man nodded slightly, and I sat opposite him. We were far enough from any other patrons where our conversation wouldn’t be overheard. I waited in silence. I could barely make out his eyes through the darkness of the hood he wore. Pale blue eyes stared at me and I was about to speak when his voice filled the air between us.
“Hector. Owns a small mining operation, but pays someone else to manage it. His residence is on the west side of town. Most days he is there, or at the closest tavern.” He paused, quickly glancing around the room. “He has three guards on his person whenever he leaves his home. Otherwise, they patrol his house but do not enter it. This makes him vulnerable. You have three days. Room and board have been paid for your stay here.”
With that said, he stood and left silently. I sa
t there for a moment, thinking over the information. As I had no trust for anyone involved with the Ravens, I resolved to spend the day confirming Rath’s word without rushing into anything. I quickly found my room and deposited my pack, leaving the inn in search of my prey. Prey. Perhaps I should be startled that I was thinking like Shar, but I wasn’t. In fact, I was comforted that my bond with Shar let me stay calm about such things. I felt no nervousness as I made my way to Enelo’s killer. The hunt was about being calm, quiet, unassuming… then fast, quick precision with deadly force. Done right, the prey never knew what killed them. Today I observed. Tomorrow I would hunt.
~
The first thing about my prey that I realized was that he was a slob. He ate, drank, and whored through his day. Never satisfied with any of the things he did, usually taking out his frustrations on innocent bystanders. At one point, when he was kicking a downed man, I nearly forgot my plan to only observe for the day. But, just before I moved, he relented. Apparently, he had grown bored with the beating. The victim would live with only a few bruises. Hector wasn’t really a strong man. In fact, he had a rather large belly and usually only picked on those weaker than himself. Or he simply let his personal guards do it.
When he finally retired to his home for the night, I was sorely tempted to end his miserable existence, but I was patient. Tomorrow, I hunted. I retired to my room, but it took me many hours to finally fall asleep. All I could think about was Hector stabbing Enelo and leaving him to bleed out on the streets.
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