Katrine stepped outside, washed in the early morning sun, and gave her limbs a few experimental stretches and flexes. She still felt good, really good, and she didn't know whether she owed that to the Dragon's magic or Quina's ability with herbs and curatives. Hands placed on the ledge before her, she leaned over, letting her gaze cast out over Cassardis. The town was quiet, sleepy in the early morning, most people resting or recovering after the dragon's attack only yesterday afternoon. Some of the shore still smouldered, the sand turned to glass by the heat of the dragon's flames, and she knew that today there would be funeral services for the few people killed during the Dragon's attack.
It didn't seem like the reinforcements had come, the men either not saying that the town was under attack, or they'd deserted and run as surely as they'd deserted the town. Or, perhaps the Encampment was mustering men as she stood here and waited, there was no way for her to know. She pushed herself back up to standing and away from the wall, then headed down the stairs into town proper. She passed several houses as she walked, dirt and gravel crunching under foot. Despite the sleepiness of the town in the morning, the fishermen that had survived with their boats intact already having left and everyone else not needing to be up quite so early, she could still sense a sort of undercurrent, a thin blanket of tension over the town. Everyone knew they'd only been spared at the whims of the dragon, and the actions of the town Outcast.
She stopped at her house as she made her way down the path, taking one last look at it. She didn't know how long it'd be until she saw these comfortable confines again, and she took a little bit of time to wander around, collecting her coin purse and what few herbs and belongings she'd want to take with her. She grabbed her pack, which hung low on her back, conveniently below her quiver with only a little bit of adjusting the straps to make it comfortable, her coin purse which was lighter than she'd have liked... it'd been hard getting much for the few small fish she managed to catch near the dock, but she hadn't been able to convince anyone to let her sail with them and earn a wage. She sighed as she headed outside, taking her few little first aid supplies she'd managed to stock. They wouldn't do much for big injuries, but they'd help cure what cuts and scrapes she might collect on her trip.
Kat could see some signs of life as she made her way through the town toward the Square, including a woman working in the ruins of the building smashed by the Dragon throwing stonework from the ruin just off the coast. It seemed like an odd place to set up a makeshift hospital, but perhaps it was just the closest open area that wasn't currently inhabited when the initial smoke cleared. They'd set up poles with cloth strung across them to act as shade and cover from rain, giving the place a makeshift roof to replace the one that'd been smashed to bits by a several-ton chunk of rock. She was going to walk past it, until she realized that the woman inside was waving at her and trying to get her attention. "Katrine! Katrine!"
The elf stopped, turning her head toward the woman before slowly walking closer and into the makeshift infirmary. Most people only wanted to speak to her so she could pass on a message to Adaro or Quina, if they spoke to her at all. It bothered her on some level, but she knew it was just because she was different- her size and muscled features didn't particularly help, either- she tended to intimidate most people of the town. She offered the woman the best smile that she could, then stood nearby, watching one of the injured men sleep. "Aught I can help you with, Benita?"
"Yes, Katrine. Do you know where Quina is? I need her help with some herbs..."
Of course she did. Kat's smile froze slightly on her face, though she tried to keep her helpful demeanor. "I know a bit about herbs, I might be able to help you?"
"Oh!" She wrung her hands for a moment thinking, probably weighing whether she wanted Kat's help or not, though she seemed to decide it was urgent enough. "It's... I'd craft dressings for the wounded, had I the makings. If only I'd known."
"No one could have known a dragon would attack, Benita."
The woman nodded, hesitating again, before she continued. "Cos, I need a favor. Can you fetch the flowers I need from outside the village? I need more of the one you see there", she pointed to a small, almost-empty bowl of what appeared to be Sunbright, "and one other sort besides." She pointed to a small bundle of stems, the few remaining flowers appearing to be Moonglow. "The more you can find of either, the better."
Kat nodded, smiling a little wider. People didn't usually call her 'cos', a somewhat-affectionate appellation used for people you actually liked. Usually she was 'elf' or 'Katrine' or 'Kat', or some variation of 'hey, you'. It was nice to be treated at least somewhat normal. She knew that Sunbright grew best during the day, the leaves bright and full of the healing juices they were known best for, and the leaves closed and the juices drained at night. Moonglow did the same thing, just backwards, and was easy to find thanks to the species of butterfly that fluttered around their blossoms drinking nectar at night. She didn't want to wait around for night to fall, however- maybe Aestella had some leaves laying around that she could give to Benita. If worst came to worst she could ask Quina if she had any extras.
Sunbright would be easy to find though, she wouldn't even have to go very far outside of town. A big old tree just outside of the village usually had a few blooms lingering around. She made her way out of the ruin and headed over to Aestella's, the general shop owner here in the city. She needed a few more arrows for her bow, and she'd see if the woman needed any help with anything else before she left town. She didn't imagine she'd be back here for quite a while- she didn't know exactly where she was going to go, but something had to be done about the Dragon and his reign of terror that would start soon. If the old stories were to be believed, Gransys and the surrounding countries had barely managed to survive his last visit, before most people alive today were even born.
She pushed through the door to Aestella's with a smile, offering the shopkeeper a little wave. "Afternoon Aestella. I thought I'd come buy some supplies."
"Oh? Planning on a journey, are you? Most o' my stocks are done for, what with the Dragon's attack and people leaving all night and morning."
"Leaving? I knew some people ran for the hills yesterday, but they're still running?"
"Now that the Dragon's returned proper, most people don't feel safe in a little coastal town like this. Heading for Gran Soren, where the walls will keep them safe." She nodded knowingly.
"I see." Kat pursed her lips a bit, using the pause to look around the woman's shop. "I guess I can't blame them. I'm heading out soon myself, though for different reasons."
"Oh? Have you told Quina yet? She'll be sad to see you gone, that I'm sure of."
"She knows." Kat nodded to herself, letting out a little sigh through her nose. "I just need a few more arrows." She gestured with a thumb over her shoulder, to the nearly-empty quiver on her back. "Do you have any equipment or anything I could look at? I know you said most of it's probably gone, but..."
"Actually..." Aestella tapped her chin, then reached under the counter and pulled out a simple leather barding vest. "It's not much, but most people who were running weren't planning on doing any fighting. You, on the other hand, appear just about ready to take on all of Gransys by yourself!"
Kat couldn't help but let out a little laugh. Aestella had always treated her a little better than most within the village, though she didn't know how much of that was simply keeping your customers happy. "You got me! But before I left, I wanted to ask. Do you have any Moonglow petals left? Benita needs them for some poultices, and I know she's the herbalist and usually handles gathering them, but I thought you might have a couple just in case someone asked while they were here."
Aestella paused for a moment, watching the elf, before she let out a little sigh. "I was saving them for my aches and pains, but I suppose the poultices are a bit more important." She reached under her counter and produced a little package of dried Moonglow leaves. "I won't even charge you for them." She tapped the vest. "Or this." Then she gestured to some arrows bundled on a tabletop. "Or those."
Kat blinked in surprise, her words failing her for a few moments before she could finally ask "Why?"
"I saw you did on the beach yesterday. Running up to that dragon, trying to save a town that barely wanted you to begin with." She walked around her shop as she spoke, gathering the arrows and pushing the vest closer to Kat. "I might have been roasted next if you hadn't stood up to that big monster. I don't know what you did or how, but he left after smashing you into the surf." She offered the elf a smile. "Consider it payment for that. But no big ideas!" She waggled a finger at the stunned elf. "This is the only freebie you'll get out of my shop. And don't tell anyone, they'll think I've gone soft."
Kat nodded, dumbfounded, as she ran her fingers over the leather of the vest, before lifting it and placing it around her shoulders. It was a little small, meant for someone about a foot and a half shorter than she was, but it would do well enough until she could get something more permanent from an Outfitter. She had to think about what she was going to do for money as well, she hardly had any coin to her name... She stowed the arrows within her quiver, thankful that they were at least the same type as the ones already there. She at least knew how to use a bow, unlike the daggers at her hips, having trained a bit hunting rabbits just outside of town. At last she picked up the packet of herbs and smiled at the woman across the counter, inclining her head in a gesture of thanks. "I appreciate it, Aestella. I really do."
The woman nodded in reply, then gently waved her hands in a 'shoo' motion. "Now go on before I go soft and give you something to eat, too. Go, go, Benita needs those herbs."
Katrine smiled as she as summarily pushed out of the woman's store and back into the Square, and made her way toward the gate. She'd probably find Adaro there, talking to one of the few guards stationed in the town full time. He'd probably been helping evacuate, unlike the men who'd simply run at the first sign of trouble when the Dragon attacked. Sure enough, as she approached the gate, she could see Adaro standing near him, and she raised a hand to wave.
Something sprung to life inside of her, drawing a surprised gasp from the elf as the Riftstone, a forgotten relic half-buried under stairs to an upper level of the stable nearby, suddenly brightened with the first light she'd ever seen eminate from it in her life. Lines of magical energy burned from the symbol in the center of the stone out toward the edges, until they met and shot upward toward the peak, where they gathered in a glowing orb. A beam shot from it to a point of air just above Katrine's head, and she stepped back as some kind of swirling grey vortex opened itself in the air, drawing sounds of alarm from all three of them- the elf, the guard, and Adaro. She shot a worried look to the two of them, not understanding what was happening. She didn't have any magic, what had she done?
The Rift widened, a dark light blooming inside of it, a quiet hum sounding from the swirling grey vortex as it disgorged a shape... and then quickly spat two more. They stood slowly, each one staring blankly at the elf before them, who took a step back in surprise and a little bit of fear. One male and two females now stood before her, somehow teleported here through the Riftstone that had lain dormant just inside the gates of Cassardis all these years. She'd asked about it once, when the was younger, being told that it was just a relic, and she'd never thought about it since. And now, this happened right before her eyes...
The three of them raised their hands in unison, showing off the glowing mark on their palm, which was answered by a soft glow beneath her vest. They wouldn't be able to see it, but she could feel it, a gentle warmth that died as their marks faded. A man with short-cropped black hair holding a long bow, much larger than the one she had strapped to her back, daggers that looked much more ornate than hers secured at his hips, and covered in proper leather armor. A woman with vivid violet hair in a long ponytail off the back of her head and what seemed to be the beginnings of a smile on her face, a metal circlet on her head and real metallic armor across her body, holding a shield with a sword on her hip. And in the back, last but not least, a woman under Katrine's height by what seemed like less than a foot, wearing padded cloth with a staff across her back and a thin gold chain wrapped around her head, with long brown hair that fell to her shoulders.
Katrine stared, dumbfounded and completely at a loss for words as the three people now in front of her stood stock still after lowering their hands, as if waiting for orders. She glanced to the side as Adaro approached, staring at him and hoping that he could answer the question she held. Just what the hell had happened?
"Those people..." He stood next to her, watching the three of them. "They're o' the Pawn Legion."
"The what?" Kat finally found her voice again, looking down at him as he stood at her side.
"They come from some unknown place. Just appear, without a warning. They're a strange lot." He sounded about as awed as Kat felt, as she turned back to look at them.
"You don't say..."
"Not human, quite. They look the part sure enough, but they lack the will... the spark that drives us." He gestured to the three of them who continued to stand there quietly. "Follow orders, but not much else."
"So they just... follow others around?", she asked, looking back to the three 'Pawns' who stood before her.
He nodded. "They have no capacity to feel nor act alone, so they live as sellswords. Myrmidons, they're called." He paused for a moment, placing a hand on his chin. "Mm... the Encampment, north of the village... both men and Pawns gather there to face the dragon." He glanced to her weapons and the little bit of armor on her back. "I imagine that's your goal as well."
She offered an apologetic smile. "I was going to tell you, and then... you know, this happened." She gestured with a hand to the three Pawns standing before her.
"I understand, Kat. Naught can happen to someone like happened to you yesterday and not leave them changed afterward. You will do as you feel you must. Remember that there will always be a home for your here in Cassardis, no matter how long you're gone or how far your travels take you away from here." He turned to her with a proud smile, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'd wager a fair number of his kind will be there as well."
"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to tell you. Won't you let Quina know where I'm going?"
He nodded, then gestured to the pawns. "Why don't you take them? Might be you learn aught o' why they came to you in the first place."
She smiled, lifting a hand to wipe away a tear that'd come to her eyes unbidden, at the thought of setting out from the only home she'd ever truly known since she was very little. "I'll visit when I can, Father."
He reached up, and she leaned down into his arms, having to crouch slightly so she could place her head on his shoulder. "There, there, dear. I'll be here, same as Quina. You'll have your new friends to protect you on the road." He released her, letting her stand back up to her full height, and gestured toward the gate. "Go on, there are bigger things in your destiny now than a fishing boat."
He stepped away, leaving her with the three Pawns still facing her silently. "So, uh... who are you?", she finally asked, after staring at them for a moment longer.
"This Pawn is Hiei", said the man with the blow, as he bowed low at the waist. "Scellia", stated the woman with the shield, as she too bowed. "And this one is Tyri", stated the mage. All three stood as one, which Kat saw as borderline creepy, that the three of them could move in unison so easily.
"Before leaving, visit the store to make sure you've ample supplies.", stated Hiei matter-of-factly, like a bird reciting lines they'd learned from their owner.
"Already did that." Kat offered a smile, giving the front of her leather vest a little tug to show it off.
"To the encampment!", stated Scellia, her voice as dull as the other one's. They didn't seem to have any range of emotion or drive, and seemed quite content with their status as Katrine's companions.
"This path should see us there", added Tyri, as she moved off toward the gate.
"I have to collect some Sunbright for the healer here before we go there, though." Kat interjected as she moved to follow the three of them as they began to walk out through the gate.
They stopped for a moment, like they were processing what she'd said, before they began to move again. To Katrine, they moved as if they were humans, but when she 'instructed' them, even something like stating what he goal was, it seemed to take them a moment to process what she'd said before they began to move again, as if they were consulting some sort of rulebook for what to do.
Hiei seemed to take the lead, moving off toward the brush on the side of the road. "What of the flower hunt, Master? We musn't keep her waiting." He stated it like it was the most normal thing in the world, leaving Kat at a loss for words yet again.
"Didn't I just tell you that I wanted to go look for the... how did you know it's a her?" She turned toward him for a moment, before Scellia spoke up, like she was trying to distract Kat from her thoughts.
"Pawns are creatures of the Rift, the nexus between worlds."
It certainly worked, as now Kat had more questions than she started with. "Okay. So you're from other worlds? What exactly does that mean?"
"Tis a grand old tree.", stated Tyri, as she stared ahead at the massive oak that usually had the Sunbright flowers hiding beneath it's boughs, near the roots.
"Yes, yes it is." She pursed her lips as she watched the three of them walk ahead of her, her mind positively swimming with questions. "Is that just what you Pawns do? Spout information when prompted? Except when I ask something specific?"
"Goblins ill like fire."
She didn't even know which one had spoken, their voices all sounded the same to her. She let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose between two fingers, as she resigned herself to walk in silence for now until they reached the tree. She knelt at the roots, quickly gathering the blooms of the first Sunbright flower she'd spotted. "Find Sunbright and bring it to me. Once we have a fair bit we can head back to Cassardis and drop them off, and then we can go to the encampment."
She waited a moment, then looked up, and sure enough the three of them stood there for a split second before they each dispersed in a different direction, like it had been pre-planned. She shook her head with another sigh. "What even are Pawns...", she asked herself, confused by the odd and stilted antics of her three new companions. It wasn't long before Scellia returned, holding an entire Sunbright, roots and all, in her hands. Kat pursed her lips and put her hands on her hips as she stared up at the Pawn, who seemed rather pleased with herself. "Yes. That's a Sunbright. I need the petals, and please be careful picking them. Do you need me to show you how?"
Scellia seemed to freeze for a moment in the way that they tended to do when processing things, and then she suddenly dropped to her knees and began picking the blooms from the plant with expert speed and knowledge. Kat stared for a moment, her mouth open in surprise. She didn't think even Quina could pick that well or that quickly. Scellia held out the blooms after a moment, not even a single one damaged. "That's... yes. Uh." Kat thought for a moment about how to handle them. "Do you have a bag you can-"
Before she'd even finished asking the question, Tyri appeared at Scellia's side, also somehow inexplicably holding undamaged petals, as well as a cloth bag. The two of them dumped their petals in the bag and headed off to find more, and she even spotted Hiei joining them to add his before venturing off to find a new flower. She looked down at the one she'd been working on, barely stripped and with a few damaged petals besides. "Odd, stilted... and useful", she admitted, as she turned back to continue picking her flower free.
They arrived back at the makeshift infirmary before too long, with Benita giving Katrine and her odd companions looks, as if waiting for Kat to explain herself. The elf was trying her best to hold her temper, the three of them barely seemed to remain silent for longer than a few minutes at most, despite her asking them as politely as she could to be quiet. She wasn't used to this much chatter, often spending several days without speaking to anyone but Quina or Adaro. She visibly winced as Tyri spoke up again, apparently having noticed the beach. "Do you suppose this dried fish keeps long?"
Kat grit her teeth slightly, then turned to Benita. "I brought your flowers." She held up the dried packet of Moonglow, as well as the bulging bag of Sunbright that the pawns had managed to collect. Two flowers for each of them, as well as the somewhat-lesser one that Kat herself had managed to find.
"Oh! I knew I could trust you, goodfisher. I knew you wouldn't leave these poor wounded people to suffer." She tried to offer the elf a smile, though she kept shooting worried glances at the three Pawns behind Kat. One of them had begun to climb one of the ruined walls for some reason, like they were acting as a lookout, though Kat didn't think that particularly necessary within a town like Cassardis... "Did you... find new friends?"
"Yes. After a fashion. It's... a long story, but it seems they follow me now."
"I see..." Benita looked down at the packet in her hands. "Oh! That's the Moonglow, it's been rare in these parts as of late. Where did you find it?"
"Aestella had a bit, she was saving it for her aches. Maybe if you have anything left after you've treated the wounded...?"
Benita smiled gently. "Oh, of course. You've brought me more than enough Sunbright, I wasn't expecting quite this much. I can brew her up a tea that'll help her out nicely." She looked up to Kat after a moment. "In truth, I am surprised to see them got so quickly. I'll get to work directly. With luck, we'll have everyone back to health 'ere long. 'Tis your doing, cousin."
"Well, actually..." Kat smiled a little, gesturing toward the Pawns. 'Seems a nice place to rest', chimed one, staring at Pablos' Inn. "They did most of the gathering. I hardly finished one flower afore they'd stripped two each, pristine as you like."
Benita seemed surprised by that, watching the three odd creatures. "I see. Well... tell them thank you for me." She reached into a pocket. "As for you, I fear there's little I can offer you in thanks, save this. Pray, take it. Now to make some medicine!" She handed Kat some coins, and the elf placed them into her little coinpouch.
Kat nodded, then stepped away, gesturing for the Pawns to follow her. "Off to the Encampment now. You three seem to know the way, so it shouldn't be too hard to find. I've never left Cassardis before."
She stepped off toward the gate, and the three Pawns fell in step behind her. She rolled her eyes as one of them repeated themselves- a problem that the Pawns seemed to have in spades- as they passed the gate. "This path will see us there." She didn't bother to answer, instead keeping quiet and continuing on her way.
They arrived after a peaceful few hours' walk... well, peaceful as in lack of enemies along the way. Goblins and wolves sometimes stalked the path, but for now they seemed quelled by the recruits and the small patrols that the Enlistment Corps sometimes sent out to make sure it stayed clear. The Pawns had helpfully informed her several times over the course of her journey to the Encampment that the group in his area was led by a Ser Mercedes, a Knight sent by Hearthstone to help recruitment and show support for their alliance with Gransys. She wasn't sure how they knew what they knew, but she could glean quite a bit of information from them just by listening to them prattle on to themselves and each other. They never seemed to stay silent for long, but she thought that perhaps it was a method of making themselves seem more alive. It was somewhat endearing, if annoying, she realized after she'd thought about it on the otherwise-peaceful journey.
As they stopped just short of the gate, all three Pawns crooned in unison. "We've arrived, Master."
She never thought she'd get used to the way they could do that, but now she was starting to understand why they were called the Pawn Legion. She sighed quietly, then pushed open the gate to the Encampment with their help.
