by Logan Jacobs
"I was thinking the same thing," I told her. "I didn't say anything to Saelin, though. I thought we'd be able to talk about it later." My gaze flicked over to the shelter where the woman had disappeared.
"We still could," Aerin said. "Maybe if she knows why we're here, she'll be more willing to open up."
"Say, Gabriel, are you going to eat that?" Maruk asked as he leaned over from his mat by Lena to peer into my bowl.
"I am," I replied as I raised my eyebrows and clutched my bowl closer. "I'm sure they won't mind if you ask for more."
Maruk frowned over his tusks and looked around nervously. The rest of the people in the camp had given us a wide berth at our end of the fire, whether out of their concern over the illness Saelin was so worried about, or simple distrust for such obviously battle-hardened strangers, it was difficult to say.
"Perhaps you could ask on my behalf?" Maruk proposed, his tone hopeful. Then he lowered his voice. "I'm not sure these people like orcs very much."
"Maybe they think you're a troll," Lavinia teased, and that earned her an annoyed huff from Maruk.
In truth, I didn't think any of us were above suspicion here, but I sighed and handed my untouched bowl to Maruk before I turned toward the shelter where the young men had gone to get the food in the first place.
The layered coverings over the domed shelters appeared to be made of several tanned animal hides sewn together, though due to the sheer size of each hide and the long wiry fur that peeked out around the edges, I couldn't imagine what sort of animal produced them. As I ducked through the low doorway, the smell of the leather was stronger than even the smoke from the great fire, and the air inside was hot and still. The hides on the outside had been arranged so that the furry sides faced inward, and it was sort of surreal to see the shaggy walls over the wooden frame, but I tried not to get distracted.
As I entered, Saelin stood abruptly from where she'd been sitting on a layer of more animal skins across from a large pot. There was another, smaller fire beneath it, which no doubt contributed to the heat in the place.
"Do you need something, boy?" the woman asked, though her tone was not unkind.
"I don't mean to be rude," I said quickly, "but is there any more stew?" I held up the empty bowl I'd gotten from Maruk.
"Right here, help yourself," Saelin said with a nod to the pot.
As I walked over and refilled the bowl, I cast a surreptitious glance to the bed of animal skins where the woman had sat. There were feathers and a few shiny stones and pieces of what I guessed was bone gathered at one end. Saelin saw me looking and frowned.
"Was that all you needed?" she asked, and her intention was clear. I'd gotten my stew, it was time for me to go. Still, I remembered the sad look she'd gotten before she'd left, and I wanted to help her, and not just because she was being hospitable toward us.
"We really do want to help if there's any way that we can," I said as I made to leave.
The woman considered me for a moment, the lines between her thin brows creased. "You can speak to Corulin when he returns. Perhaps he'll have something for you to do."
I nodded before I ducked back out of the shelter and rejoined my friends by the fire. Maruk had nearly finished the stew I'd given him already, and it was only then that it occurred to me I hadn't eaten anything significant since that morning. I finished my own bowl quickly. The meat was gamey and slightly sweet, and the sugary berries were surprisingly good with it. By the time we'd all finished eating, night had truly fallen over the mountains, and a cascade of silver stars twinkled in the velvety blackness above.
After a long day's hike and a good meal, and at least somewhat contented by Saelin's promise that I'd be able to speak to Corulin later, I would have no trouble falling asleep once Saelin led us all to one of the shelters where she told us we could spend the night. The others seemed to be in much the same position as they laid out their bedrolls and settled down, except for Merlin, who made it clear as he stalked around and hissed that he did not like the furry hide walls. He wouldn't calm down until I'd tucked him against my arm, and even then, I could feel the vibrations in his throat against my arm as he growled quietly.
Despite Merlin's agitation, I slept deeply through the night and only woke to the sound of voices outside just as the first light of dawn began to color the sky. As I pushed myself up, still somewhat groggy, I saw that Lavinia was awake as well, and she nodded toward the open entrance of the shelter when she caught my eye.
Whoever was speaking sounded excited, but I was still half asleep, and I couldn't quite make out what all the overlapping voices were saying. I gently moved my arm from beneath Merlin's chin, and the puca continued to sleep as I stood.
Lavinia followed me out of the shelter into the cool morning air, and now it was apparent what all the commotion was about. A tall man shrouded in layered robes and animal hides was coming up the same path we'd taken the night before, and several of the people in the camp had already run down to meet him. I guessed he must be Corulin, though it was still unclear what exactly his position was among these people. He didn't look particularly like a leader. More than anything, he looked like a goatherd with the long staff he carried, or even a simple wanderer passing through.
Right then, Saelin approached Lavinia and me. The woman looked tired, and when I caught sight of the feathers that peeked out of her pocket, I wondered if she'd slept at all the previous night.
"That's Corulin," she told us with a nod toward the man. "He is … our clan's healer, you could say, and our unofficial leader."
"Why was he gone?" I asked.
"You can ask him yourself," Saelin said. "I believe you had other topics you wished to discuss with him already." This final statement was delivered with a sidelong look, and I guessed Saelin was referring to what I'd said last night about wanting to help the clan.
Though I did want to speak to Corulin, I didn't want to do it now, while Aerin, Maruk, and Lena were still asleep. They should be part of whatever conversation we had.
“Thank you--” I started, but the woman cut me off.
"Don't worry, we'll give you time to wake up before you see him," Saelin said as if she'd sensed my hesitation. "There's food and tea if you're hungry." With that, she strode off toward Corulin, who smiled warmly and bent to embrace her when she reached him.
"We'd better wake the others," Lavinia said. "Maruk will want some time to make himself presentable."
We ducked back into the shelter and roused Maruk, Aerin, and Lena, then gathered around the fire just as we had the night before for a quick breakfast of a warm mash made of hazelnuts, acorns, and berries, along with cups of loose-leaf tea. The mash was sweet and reminded me of oatmeal, although it was a bit rougher in texture. The tea was hot and slightly bitter, but I felt much more awake after the first sip, and it was pleasant to have a warm drink to ward off the morning chill.
A thick mist had settled over the forest, and the gray clouds above promised an equally damp day ahead. As I sipped my tea, I remembered a warning I'd heard once about the dangers of hiking during a storm and wondered if the clouds might still pass before we needed to head out.
"Would anyone like me to read their tea leaves?" Lena offered. The elf's honey-colored waves of hair cascaded over her narrow shoulders, and beads of mist shimmered among the strands.
Aerin rolled her eyes, and Lavinia smirked.
"Let me guess," the redheaded elf groaned, "you predict it's going to rain later?"
"Well, probably," Lena said, "but I didn't get that from the tea leaves."
"I'd like you to read mine, Lena," I said as I held out my cup. I wasn't just trying to be chivalrous. I knew what Aerin believed about divination, but I had no reason yet to believe for myself it was false. Maybe I would have been more skeptical back on my world, but my world didn't have orcs and dragons, so I was willing to suspend my suspicion a bit more here. Besides, I’d seen Lena evade those cacti from Ellis’ catapults before. Obviously she used mana somehow, even if it wasn’t
the type of magic that was typically practiced.
Lena smiled as she took my cup and swirled the dregs around a few times before she peered into it intently.
The elven woman frowned for a moment as she studied the leaves, and as I watched her, the light of her mana began to glow steadily brighter, and I heard a quiet musical sound almost like wind chimes.
"Hmm," Lena hummed in concentration. "I see an acorn, that signifies wealth."
"Are you sure it has nothing to do with the fact we were just eating acorns?" Aerin replied, but I held up my hand.
"Let her finish," I said gently.
Lena smiled at me and then peered into the cup again.
"Let's see here," she said in a slightly sing-song voice. "There are some stars here, and a sun, see?" She leaned over and showed me the cup, but I couldn't make out the symbols she saw. Still, her mana was glowing steadily as any mage's did when they were casting, so I knew whatever she was doing had to be legitimate.
"What do those mean?" I asked.
"Celestial bodies foretell good luck, happiness, and success," Lena explained.
"That's good," I replied. "Should we quit while we're ahead?"
I'd meant it in part as a joke, but Lena frowned suddenly.
"Hang on," she said under her breath. "There's one more here … " Then her face paled, and she set the cup down. Abruptly, the wind chime sounds stopped, and the light of Lena's mana faded back to its normal glow. "An owl. That means sickness."
The alchemist's violet eyes flicked up to me, and then she looked warily over her shoulder at the camp before she went on. "It doesn't mean you'll become ill, necessarily, but it's not a good sign."
"It doesn't mean anything," Aerin said, exasperated.
"Well, this is a surprise," Lavinia said as she set her chin on her knees. "Since when were you the group skeptic, Aerin? You're always going on about omens and things like that."
The healer looked affronted. "That's completely different!" she protested. "The superstitions I believe in are the result of generations of observations and careful charts and studying the works of the gods! It's not based on the random guesses of someone just looking to make some coin."
I was about to tell her what I observed about Lena's magic, but Maruk spoke up before I could.
"Oh, I see," the orc said knowingly. "You got cheated by that seer in the black market, didn't you? Didn't we warn you not to gamble, Aerin?"
"That was almost a year ago," Lavinia said with a grin. "Have you been holding a grudge all this time?"
Aerin frowned at the pair of them, her bottom lip stuck out in a petulant pout.
"Maybe that guy was a fake," I said then, "but Lena just did magic."
They all turned to me at once, Lena included.
"What?" Aerin asked, her brow scrunched up.
"She did," I insisted. "She used mana when she read my tea leaves." I turned to the alchemist. "Why didn't you say anything before?"
Lena blinked. "Well, I didn't know. I guess I always thought it was just a natural instinct."
"Hang on, if that's real magic, I change my mind," Lavinia said as she thrust her own cup forward. "Read mine, too."
"And mine!" Maruk added enthusiastically.
Lena was more than happy to oblige them, and eventually, even Aerin gave in and allowed Lena to read her tea leaves. Most things, it turned out, just meant good or bad luck generally, so our readings didn't differ much, but Lena reported the shape of an owl in each of our cups.
"It must have to do with the sickness these people are so worried about," Aerin said as Lena set her cup down. "It doesn't say anything else?"
Lena shook her head.
"I think it's time we spoke to Corulin," I said as I pushed myself to my feet. I could see him with Saelin across the camp where they stood by a large hide stretched over a wooden frame. Saelin had been painting a series of symbols across it in dark ink.
"Good idea," Lavinia agreed, and we all got up and made our way as a group over to the pair.
I was sure Saelin already told Corulin about us, but even if she hadn't, we weren't exactly inconspicuous. I figured that was why the man didn't look the least bit surprised when we approached, although I guessed it wasn't every day he had an orc, a ladona archer, two elves, a mage, and their puca in his camp.
"Hi," I said as I stopped before Corulin. "I'm Gabriel, and we're here on guild business from Ovrista. We're called the Shadow Foxes."
As the others introduced themselves, I studied Corulin more closely. He was even taller than me, with a long face and high forehead, but his gray eyes were kind, and he smiled easily. He wore his dark wavy hair long and pulled back, but the only facial hair he had was a bit of old growth on his chin. He was younger than I expected he would be, maybe in his mid-thirties or so. In fact, his clothes looked older than he was, and I wondered if they were ceremonial robes of some kind. The fabric was clearly well-worn and faded, but it bore an intricate embroidered design along the border that made it seem special.
"Welcome, Shadow Foxes," Corulin said. His voice was steady and friendly, but there was a weary slope to his shoulders, and I noticed he leaned rather heavily on the staff he carried. "What business brings you to the Canterrose Mountains?"
"We're looking for a mage we believe is hiding out in these parts," I told him. "Aurelius Gellen. We were wondering if perhaps you or anyone in your clan might have heard of him."
"I don't know anyone by that name," Corulin said with a frown, "but he's a mage, you say?" He exchanged a look with Saelin before he continued. "Many of our clan have succumbed to a terrible illness in the last few months that no magic or medicine has been able to cure. As such, I have begun to suspect this sickness may, in fact, be a curse."
Corulin drew in a deep breath. "Yesterday, my suspicions were all but confirmed when I tracked down one of our people who had taken ill. A magical curse of this magnitude could only be the work of a very powerful mage, but I do not know if it is your Aurelius Gellen or another who is to blame."
Just then, Aerin nudged me.
"The medallion, didn't the bounty say it could cure illnesses?" she asked under her breath.
It had, and I realized what Aerin's point was. Aurelius had been invested in healing magic during his time at the Academy, and now he possessed a powerful magical object that carried healing powers. We also knew he was willing to defy morality and ethics in the pursuit of his magical studies. Perhaps he'd created this curse so he could test cures on the people it affected. There was no way to be sure, but if any mage in the area was messing around with that sort of magic, I was willing to bet it was Aurelius.
"We'd like to help your clan uncover the source of this illness if we can," I said as I turned back to Corulin. "I think it might be connected to the mage we're searching for. What can you tell us about how it all started?"
"It was sudden," Corulin replied with a sorrowful frown. "I can't think of anything unusual that led up to it. One day, twenty people just woke up with these terrible coughs. Men, women, young and old. It didn't seem to matter. Their symptoms became worse and worse until … " He broke off.
"They died," I finished for him.
"No," Corulin said then to our mutual surprise. "As far as we know, none of the victims have perished."
"What?" Lavinia asked in shock. "If they didn't die, what happened to them?"
Corulin's hand tightened around his staff.
"They left," he answered simply. "For days, they'd been too ill even to move. The rest of us tended to them night and day, brought them food, water, medicine. Nothing worked, their conditions continued to deteriorate, until one day, they all just got up and walked out of the camp. They weren't right. They didn't seem aware of us at all, though of course, we tried to stop them. Their eyes were glazed, and they just marched out into the trees. After that, we tried to restrain others who became ill to prevent them from leaving as well, but they always managed to escape."
Corulin sighed heavily and w
ent on. "I finally caught up with one of them yesterday, a young man who was one of the first to become ill. He didn't seem to recognize me, he even tried to attack me when I got too close. I can think of no other explanation but dark magic."
"I think you may be right," Aerin said solemnly. "We'll try to find Aurelius and a way to undo the curse."
"Thank you," Corulin said. "We would be eternally in your debt if you found a way to heal our people."
"Do you have any idea where we could start to look?" I asked. After all, it was a big mountain range.
"All of our people went north when they left," Corulin answered. "It was as though they were being drawn there, the way iron is drawn to a magnet. I know it isn't much, but that's all I know."
"That helps," I assured him. "Thank you."
"If there's anything we can provide to aid you, please, let us know," the elder said. "We don't have much to offer, but whatever we have, we'll gladly share."
"We could use some food," Lavinia answered, and I was grateful to her for thinking to bring it up. We'd brought our own supplies, but we knew how quickly those could run out. It was always better to have extra.
Corulin nodded. "Of course. We'll get you some warmer cloaks as well, it gets colder than you'd think here. There is one thing I would ask of you in return, however."
"What is it?" I asked.
"Our people … " Corulin started. "Whatever this curse has done to their minds, they are not themselves, but I have to believe they are not beyond saving. If you meet any of them on your way, they may attack you, but I must ask that you do all you can not to harm them. I understand you may have to defend yourselves, but I would hate to lose any of my people in this way."
"I understand," I replied with a nod. "We won't hurt anyone if we can help it."
"Come, then," Corulin said, and his smile was somber but appreciative. "Let's get you the food and gear you'll need."
Now that we had both Saelin's and Corulin's endorsements, the rest of the clanspeople were decidedly more friendly toward us, and nearly everyone who remained in the clan helped us prepare for our journey. Before we set out, we were laden with dried and salted strips of meat, cakes made of acorns and studded with berries, and bundles of tea leaves, almost more food than we could carry. As promised, Corulin also made sure each of us received a new fur-lined cloak appropriate for trekking through the mountains. Somehow, they'd even managed to get one that would fit Maruk's enormous shoulders, for which the orc was immensely pleased.