The afternoon is bitterly cold. Snow is falling again. Herrel and I are back in Pernon. I pull the trinket out of my cube and examine it closely. I've never seen anything like this before. It has some sort of design on it, and part of it is worn away. It must be old or has seen hard usage. I wonder I muse to myself if the weapon smith Askyr would know the craftsmanship? Glancing up I see Herrel coming back from the post.
He grimaces at me. Well, I sent a dispatch off to Jaisea. I let her know we won't be home till late. She's going to give me hell over this Herrel says. You know buddy, I can do this myself I say again. No, he says. I'm with you on this. I shrug. Ok, but don't blame me when you end up sleeping on the couch.
He shrugs. So, where do we start he asks me. I think the weapon smith shop first, I reply. We head off in that direction. The snow continues to fall thickly. In a few hours travel will become more difficult. Flying will be nearly impossible.
The shop is warm and dry inside. There were only a few Daevas working the forges today. We head over to Askyr. I pulled the trinket out of my cube. Handing it to him I ask, have you seen anything like this before? He takes it and examines it closely. Turning it over he begins to mutter. I looked at Herrel puzzled. Well? I ask.
It's old he says, very old. Pre Cataclysm I think. I looked at him startled. That old I exclaim! Yes, he says. You see this here? He points out some lines around the outside edge. This, he says, is the old language, the one we all spoke, before the cataclysm. But I can't read it. There are only a few who still can. I suggest you take it to the Temple of Knowledge in Pandemonium. One of the elder scholars there should be able to point you in the right direction.
He looks at us thoughtfully. If I may ask, where did you find this? I glanced at Herrel. It was dropped by a child, I reply. We are trying to find out who he is. Askyr nods. I see he says. He hands the trinket back to me and I slip it into my cube. Thanks for your help Askyr. We really appreciate it.
We walked back out into the snow. It was coming down much harder now. Visibility was maybe 10 yards. It was pretty dark out too. Asmodians are pretty well adapted to the dark and cold but we can't see better than anyone else in a blizzard. We aren't going to get much more done today I said to Herrel. You should probably go home to Jaisea. She'll be worried by now.
He looks up. Yes, you're probably right. I can't even see the sky anymore. We'll take up the search tomorrow if the weather is better I said. He nods. I just wish we could have found out something more definitive today. I laughed. Hunting missing persons is never as easy as it sounds. Not to worry Herrel. We will get to the bottom of this.
But I was worried. How had this child come by such an old trinket? Who was he and where would he have been to have gotten ahold of it? I was afraid the answers weren't ones we were going to like. Herrel asks me, do you want to come over and have some dinner with us Madrion? No, no I think I'm just going to head off home. I'm sure Wayne will have something for me, even though I told him I wouldn't be home. We both headed to the teleporter. Jumping to Aironroost Village, I trudged the rest of the way home on foot. I came into my house and Wayne was there to help me off with my cloak. Wayne has been a godsend. For a shugo, he's not bad. Master Madrion he says, you look very cold.
I hand him my cloak while I stamp the snow off my boots. Freezing as a matter of fact I said. I'm hoping you have something warm to take the chill off. Akakakakak, of course I do. He pours me a cup of warm mulled ale. Have some of this he says. Taking the mug I sit down at my dining room table. I pull the trinket out of my cube again and study it. I wondered again how such a young child would have possession of such a trinket. Sighing I laid it down on the table.
I sure hope Herrel made it home okay. He had farther to go. I smiled thinking of my friend. He's a lucky Daeva. Jaisea is perfect for him. I hope she wasn't too upset. We were gone longer than I had originally planned and she can be quite the mother hen worrying about us.
A few minutes later, Wayne brings me some dinner. Glancing down, he sees the trinket lying on the table. He sucks in a breath. I glanced at him. Is something wrong Wayne? He points at the trinket, his finger shaking. Where, where did you get that he whispers? Herrel found it Wayne. It was dropped by a child he and Jaisea were watching. Wayne looked terrible. All the blood had drained from his face. He looks like he's seen a ghost. Wayne? I ask. What is it?
That thing is dangerous he says. Dangerous? I ask, incredulous. It's just a trinket. No, it's not he says. Not just a trinket. I've heard of these before he says. They are used by practitioners of dark magic. He shakes. Please Master Madrion, please get rid of it! I scooped it up and placed it back in my cube. I can't get rid of it Wayne. A small child was in possession of it and it's possible he is in some sort of trouble. Herrel and I are going to try and find out who he is and rescue him if necessary.
Wayne shakes his head. Don't Master Madrion. Just let it go. If the child had THAT in his possession, he doesn't need any help. With that, Wayne strides back to the kitchen and I didn't see him for the rest of the night. I was puzzled. Wayne is clearly frightened by the trinket. It just made me more determined than ever to find out what is going on.
