Screaming-Eagle sat in silence, caressing Phoenix's bloodsoaked hair. The girl's head rested on her shoulder, her sobs now less intense when compared to her initial wails. Her robes were just now beginning to dry up, drenched as they were in tears. The mage had had to move her from the corpse to actually have her calm down a little. She had to admit, the sight was… unsettling. The smell made it all worse.
The boats were clearly visible from their new position on a cliff overlooking the entire Lake Mead. They were hidden by a couple of large boulders which cast their shadows on them. She thanked the Gods for that. They were safe, for the moment. The waters gleamed under the beautiful starlight. Stillness reigned. No sound came apart from Phoenix's whimpers, not the howl of the wind, not the noise of man. Just… silence, broken by her sobs.
Screaming-Eagle sighed and ran her red fingers through the girl's corvine hair, now encrusted with dried blood. Poor thing, she was just like a broken child. It must've felt like a nightmare to her, one that still continued throughout the waking hours. The horrors this girl had seen… only the Forlorn could hope to match the savagery of the Legion – and even then, they were a minority. Caesar's Legion could have numbered hundreds of thousands, as far as she was concerned.
What could she hope to say to Phoenix? She had seen things that would break the will of any man, nothing could be of any comfort at the sight of dead innocents, of dead children. Only the dark powers of the Daedric Princes could produce more unsettling sights, and there were none on this world. Words were of no use in all of this.
Still, her nanny had proven to her that she may not always need any.
Screaming-Eagle wrapped her arms around Phoenix, and the girl leaned heavily on her. Her cries grew stronger, but the mage just rocked her back and forth, back and forth. It was a delicate, slight movement, barely noticeable. Yet it could do so much more than the same empty words repeated over and over again… sometimes, silence was the only thing that needed to be said.
It wasn't something she would've normally done under any circumstances, but now she was far from normality. Her tail, symbol of her heritage and nobility, was gone. She was stranded on a desertic world with the most unlikely of allies… no, of friends.
They weren't assets. They were people. It had taken her a deadly injury to acknowledge it and to finally free her from the curse of her family. She was Screaming-Eagle of House Calamuseeth no more, she was just Screaming-Eagle the Outcast.
She couldn't help but give a sigh of relief.
Although her nanny would've never voiced her thoughts, she had probably wanted this for her. Her freedom had been nearly non-existant in Tamriel. Now, she had the chance to begin again, to live properly, to have friends… all things her family had strictly forbidden her.
Screaming-Eagle decided to start with comforting the scared girl that sobbed on her shoulders. There was no way Phoenix would have stopped crying anytime soon, there had to be something she could do, and soon. Come on, Screaming-Eagle, you're bound to know something with all the books you've read…
Phoenix was completely frightened by the Legion, by what it could do and how ruthless it could be… so there had to be some way to calm her down. A story or something like 'everything's going to be alright' wouldn't have worked, she knew that much. Cheering her up would have felt out of place. Hugs and silence had already proven their effectiveness, but she needed her to be strong. Yet, she couldn't bear to see this girl cry one moment longer. It all reminded her too much of herself when she was just a scared little girl, only this time she had taken the place of her nanny. There: what would have she done in her place?
Screaming-Eagle's eyes lit up.
A song.
And she knew just the one for this. Sure, the lyrics were three Eras old, but with a few adjustments here and there... not everywhere, just key words and names. It wasn't too hard, either. She already had a location, a reason, people… yes, it could work this way.
"Who took up arms that winter dawn and to Hoover Dam came?" Screaming-Eagle intoned, her voice clear, gentle and melodic. "To raise their hands 'gainst tyrants, stand and die in freedom's name?"
Phoenix's sobs became less frequent; she smiled.
"Who stood upon the field that hour to answer Mojave's call?" Screaming-Eagle continued, still tracing her fingers through the girl's hair. "Men, Vegas-born, all came that morn, to fend the land for all!"
Phoenix had stopped sobbing, but she still clung to her. She didn't mind.
"Rise! Rise! To freedom, rise! Arise, ye Vegas sons and daughters!" Screaming-Eagle sang, a little bit more energic. It was the chorus, after all. "Ride! Ride! To freedom, ride! Truth and glory to the brave!"
Finally, she felt Phoenix pull back a little and look at her. Screaming-Eagle turned, smiling, and looked into the girl's green eyes. They were still puffy and bloodshot, her face was flushed, and she was still crying – but she didn't look desperate anymore. She still held her hand. Who could've imagined a readjusted version of 'The Battle of Glenumbra Moors' would have worked that well?
"There are still two stanzas and the chorus, if you're interested." Screaming-Eagle whispered with a raised brow.
Phoenix pressed her head hard against her shoulder and hugged her tight. Screaming-Eagle went stiff for a moment, then she freed her arms and wrapped them around the girl. She felt exactly like her nanny now.
She had to admit, it felt wonderful.
"Th-thanks…" Phoenix stuttered in a shaky whisper, her voice muffled by the robes.
Screaming-Eagle gently caressed her hair and kissed the nape of her head.
She heard voices.
Screaming-Eagle instantly held the girl tight, her head snapping to attention. They were coming from the south, from where the endless Legion camp was located. Fear got hold of her, but she wriggled away from its claws. If it was a small patrol, then she still had enough power in her to hide both, or perhaps even to strike them down. She didn't want to push her luck; she might lose her senses.
When the voices came closer, she frowned.
They were a man and a woman. Why would the Legion employ women?
Phoenix was shaking, but Screaming-Eagle squeezed her shoulder to let her know she was there. Nothing was going to happen to either of them, not if she had a say in all of it.
"… Lost!" The woman shouted, indignant. Her voice had a familiar tone to it. "We're fucking lost!"
"We aren't lost!" The man replied in frustration, making Screaming-Eagle let out a relieved breath at the sound of his words. "They're around here… somewhere. I recognize the place."
"Oh, sure, didn't know you were an expert scout like me." The voice that could only belong to Naeera said, sardonical. "That, or we're lost! Face it, Keram-Rei, you took a wrong turn somewhere and led us into the ass-end of nowhere."
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU WE AREN'T LOST, NAEERA!" Keram-Rei shouted at the peak of his exhasperation. "Look around and stop ranting, for Akatosh's sake!"
Screaming-Eagle let out a silent chuckle. Why spoil all the fun and tell them where they were?
Naeera grumbled something under her breath, and she heard the sound of muffled footsteps. She wasn't too far. Then, she stopped abruptly and let out a curse in what sounded like Bretonian. "EXPLAIN THAT!" She screamed in Common Tamrielic – or English, as it was called in this world.
"Long story." Keram-Rei sighed. She could already imagine him waving her off. "We got ambushed, he got in the way."
"Gods, it looks like this guy got in a Daedroth's way…" Naeera said, her voice now much more nasal. She had to be covering her nostrils. "What did this to him?"
Keram-Rei didn't reply for a few seconds. Then, he sighed. "Our girl."
"Is your girl Namira or what?" Naeera croaked, disgusted.
Screaming-Eagle chuckled again.
Silence.
Oh, well, time for playing hide and seek was nearly over anyway. Screaming-Eagle heard footsteps coming close, belonging to just one person. The feet were much lighter than Keram-Rei's boots on the sand, to the point they were barely audible.
A pair of golden eyes peeked from the boulders behind Screaming-Eagle, and she waved her hand. Naeera chuckled. "Looks like I've found them."
Soon, Keram-Rei appeared at the gray female's side, a brow raised. "There you are! How's it going?"
"Much better than before." Screaming-Eagle told him with a grin, when the thought hit her. She frowned, and looked at the two. Keram-Rei was covered in blood. "What of Eyes-Of-Silver?"
Keram-Rei and Naeera exchanged an uncertain look.
Screaming-Eagle grimaced. "Did you… dispose of him?"
"What? No!" Keram-Rei blurted out defensively, scowling and holding his hands up. "He didn't want to come, said he didn't trust us."
"Technically, I don't trust you, either." Naeera told him with a roll of her eyes, then knelt before Screaming-Eagle and eyed Phoenix. "Is this the girl?"
Screaming-Eagle nodded slowly, examining the gray-scaled female. She had golden feathers, golden eyes, and she was short. Her gray armor didn't convince her, nor did her silent movements and her grace. The blood on Keram-Rei was a question she would have an answer for later. "She is."
Naeera lifted the girl's chin and smiled at her, then raised a brow when she saw she'd been crying. "Hello."
"H-hello." Phoenix snivelled weakly in response.
"What's your name?" Naeera asked her.
Phoenix hesitated for a moment. "Phoenix."
Naeera grinned, approving. "You came up with it, didn't you?"
"Yes." Phoenix whispered.
"It's got something to do with your revenge thing, right?" Naeera continued.
Phoenix nodded twice.
"I don't want her to speak of such things in this state, Naeera." Screaming-Eagle said sternly, her hard eyes set into Naeera's. "But yes, she is looking for revenge against the man who tried to kill her."
Naeera's eyes went wide and she rested her backside on her heels, her shoulders slumped in disbelief. "Hold on, kill? She's… by the Divines, she can't be older than seventeen!"
"Sixteen." Phoenix feebly corrected her.
"Sixteen!" Naeera repeated, dumbfounded. Then, she shook her head, glanced at the two and made an indignant gesture. "Say no more, I'm in."
Screaming-Eagle frowned and let out a surprised hum. "Just like… that?"
"Screaming-Eagle, there's a ton of things I don't like but I can't possibly interfere with." Naeera began with fierce determination, her golden eyes and her smooth brows set into a scowl. "What I really can't stand, though, is when someone tries to hurt a kid and – don't even try speaking, you're underage, you're still a kid!" She snorted as Phoenix fell back into silence. "As I was saying: if someone wants to get away after doing something bad to a kid, I've got to end them. If you two are trying to help her in fuck this guy up, then count me in."
Keram-Rei cleared his throat, perplexed. He was the only one standing. "Hey, technically speaking… aren't we kids, too?"
"There's a difference between maturation and adulthood?" Naeera asked, speechless.
Screaming-Eagle raised a brow. "I do remember reading something similar."
"Albeit a very conflictual ground for many priests and scholars, the period of time at which an Argonian reaches complete adulthood ranges from twenty-five to thirty-six years of age, despite political and social weight being reached only at the fullfillment of the century. I myself believe thirty-five to be perfect."
They all froze at the sound of the thunderous voice. Phoenix whimpered and huddled closer to her.
The earth beneath them shook as two clawed feet landed on the ground, and a lumbering mass of Dragonbone armor, scars and metal walked in the middle of them with the broadest smile Screaming-Eagle had ever seen.
"So yes, technically speaking, you are children indeed. Or are considered ones, anyway." Eyes-Of-Silver exclaimed, beaming. He looked hideous this up-close, with so many scales missing… "As such, I am the only responsible adult among you. Well met! Keram-Rei, Screaming-Eagle, Naeera… and 'Phoenix', of course." He turned towards the battlemage. "Oh, and Keram-Rei: who exactly did you call a 'mutt'?"
"I called you a mutt!" Keram-Rei shouted, surprise quickly suppressed by anger. Screaming-Eagle was impressed by how quickly he lost his temper. "You've been an absolute dick!"
"Yes, ah, that description might suit my precedent behaviour quite well." Eyes-Of-Silver admitted with a faint smirk. "But, you see, your words have made me think, Keram-Rei. I had decided to stay there, to sit stubborn as a troll and not to move a muscle until you came back to negotiate an agreement." He shrugged. "But you did not. Your scent faded away, and I was left utterly alone in front of the entrance to the massive underground facility that is Vault 24. I therefore decided to follow you and present my most sincere apologies. I originally intended to have this place designed as our mere meeting grounds."
Screaming-Eagle narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. "Originally?"
"I said originally because I was referring to the past, Screaming-Eagle – glad you noticed, shows you are quite the attentive Archmage." Eyes-Of-Silver observed, giving her a slight nod and a smile. Her glare hardened at the compliment. "Now, however, is the present time, and things have changed rapidly. I now see that Keram-Rei's haste did have a reason, after all. I now understand your reason to defend Phoenix and keep her safe." He grinned. "And now, as you have your Phoenix, I have my Maria."
Little footsteps accompanied the name he had boomed. When she saw what stood at the side of a boulder, Screaming-Eagle gasped.
A child.
It was a girl with curly red hair and lapis blue eyes, freckles spread across her face. She was covered in a green robe that was strangely her size, considering how it was usually worn by Nord children. She held her hands behind her back, swinging back and forth on her feet, and stared at the Argonians. She tiptoed towards Eyes-Of-Silver and hid behind one of his greaves.
"Hi." The little girl, Maria, mewled and waved at them faintly.
From her safe position behind Mr. Wolf's legs, Maria watched.
There were four people there, and only one was a girl like her. Well, maybe older, but she was the only normal one. The other three were all like Mr. Wolf… a little different, alright - but they were all looking at her.
One, a man, stood to the right, near the cliff, and wore a blue armor that almost shone in the moonlight, a sword hanging from his hip. His scales were green, his eyes icy blue. He had horns, and there were red feathers on his head. Another, a woman, sat slightly to her left, with a gray-blue heavy robe and a long stick of wood. She had red scales, red eyes and dark feathers, and horns that bent and pointed forwards. She held the other girl in her arms, and she… she had no tail, oddly enough.
Finally, there was another woman. She was on her knees, sitting on her heels just before the other woman. She had gray scales and a gray armor, but she had feathers like gold and yellow eyes that seemed to gleam. This one was… slightly different from the others and Mr. Wolf. She was smaller, for one, and her head… it looked a bit more like a snake's than a lizard's.
What unsettled Maria the most was the fact she was staring at her with a broad smile – a smile that showed all her razor-sharp teeth. It looked like she wanted to eat her.
"That kid can't be older than ten." The green one said in an amazed tone.
"Hey, I'm eight!" Maria corrected him, scowling.
"Eight!" The gray one squeaked, her hands clasped to her mouth.
Maria shivered.
The red one raised a brow, impressed but cautious. "Did you simply happen to find her?"
"I have rescued her." Mr. Wolf proudly announced. She hugged his metal tail tight. The gray one was still looking at her. "'Twas not easy, but I nonetheless succeeded in saving her."
The green one scratched his neck in uncertainty. "I'm almost scared to ask, but… where did you find her?"
"Inside of the camp south of here." Mr. Wolf said nonchalantly.
Silence ensued.
Maria found it to be deafening. They were all staring, their eyes never leaving her, with their dumbfounded expressions and their quizzical looks… apart from the gray one. She still smiled. That grin was starting to freak her out.
After a good minute, the red one was the first to speak. "You have saved her from… the Legion?"
"Oh, they are no more than a raving rabble that merely parodies our idea of Imperial Legion." Mr. Wolf scoffed. Since he'd made his appearance, Maria had been frowning at half of his words. This, however… did he know another Legion? Then, she felt his hand gently patting her head. "Lucky for her, though, I had picked her scent from miles away."
"Scent?" The red one asked, puzzled. "What do you mean by 'scent'?"
The green one looked away. "Well, he's a…"
"He's a werewolf and he's used his sense of smell to find and save a kid!" The gray one piped up, her head tilted and her hands clutching at her heart. Her smile was no less scary. "Oh, Eyes-Of-Silver…"
Maria frowned at the name. Was she talking about Mr. Wolf?
"When were you two planning to tell me he's a werewolf, exactly?" The red one all but snarled, incredulous.
"Now is as good a time as any, Screaming-Eagle." Mr. Wolf said with a flick of his wrist. "Although, that is the least of our problems. My senses may prove to be extremely useful in the long run, along with my prowess in battle." He scratched the back of his head. "Not to mention, I know little to nothing about children. So… may I join you?"
Ignoring the green one's scowl, the red one ultimately nodded. "Of course, it was our intent in the first place."
The green one snarled, assuming a fighting stance. "Hey, what do you-"
"Ah, wonderful!" Mr. Wolf cut him short with his cheer and took a step forwards, leaving Maria completely exposed to the others' stares. She liked none of it.
Before she could run behind him, however, he knelt and looked into her eyes, shielding her from view. "Now, do you not believe a proper introduction to be in order?"
"Why did the red one call you 'Eyes-Of-Silver'?" Maria asked him, and shot a glance at the gray one. She was still staring at her. "You're Mr. Wolf."
"In truth, I am both." Mr. Wolf said casually. He bit his lip, as if to search for the right words. "Eyes-Of-Silver is my true name, whereas Mr. Wolf is the name I have been given." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "My memory is a little unclear and foggy at times: tell me, did you stumble upon me or did someone pass me to you?"
"A kind old lady gave me you… your doll." Maria said, a little confused. How was she supposed to talk about the doll? As a 'you' or as an 'it'?
Mr. Wolf chuckled and shook his head. "Of course, it had to be her…"
Maria's eyes lit up with hope. "Do you know the old lady?"
"Well, I did… it has been quite a long time since I last saw her." Mr. Wolf confessed, his tone a little worried. "I hope she is alright… but yes, the first time she met me she did not think about simply asking for my name, so she gave me one. I see it stuck."
"Who… who are they?" Maria whispered bashfully, trying to hide behind him and hugging his arm.
"Do you see the one on the right, the male?" Mr. Wolf asked as he turned to look at him. Maria nodded. "He is Keram-Rei, battlemage. It means he uses both weapons and magic to fight."
"It's a weird name." She commented. Her mind attempted to repeat it, but it didn't manage. "And I don't think I can say it. Can I call him Ray?"
"I believe he will be fine." He shrugged, and his eyes moved a little. "And the red female, the one without her tail? She is Screaming-Eagle, a pure mage."
It was then that she focused on a particular word.
"Eagle can use magic?" Maria asked, wide-eyed. The very notion was dizzying. "And Ray, too?"
"Yes they can." Mr. Wolf simply stated with a grin.
Before she could be any more incredulous, she noticed the set of golden eyes still fixed on her, and pulled at his elbow. "Who's the gray one? She's scaring me."
"Who, Naeera?" He asked her, all but laughing. She failed to see the hilarity in all of it. "Naeera is probably the most adorable thief you will ever find, you have nothing to worry about."
Maria let out a little sigh of relief. If Mr. Wolf said she could trust this Naeera, then it was fine.
"Now, follow me." Mr. Wolf told her, earning a series of quick nods. "Nothing shall happen to you if even one of us is nearby, but I can perfectly understand this new situation puts you in quite a quandary."
She frowned. "In a what?"
"Indecision." He chuckled and caressed her hair. Then, he stood up and extended his tail towards her. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, I suppose it is time for us to leave, yes?"
As soon as he spoke those words, Naeera, Eagle and the girl stood up, the last two supporting each other, while Ray grumbled something and hurriedly took the lead. Maria held Mr. Wolf's tail tight, even though this meant she nearly had to run to keep up with his long strides. Luckily, he seemed to keep walking at the pace of the others – pretty slowly.
It… didn't matter, really, she was used to much worse. Yet this came to her as a relief. She could finally just walk, there was no delivery, no task, nothing. She just had to follow them, plain and simple. She didn't have to worry about being beaten, or being screamed at, or being hated, or being looked at funny.
A childish giggle next to her sent shivers down her spine.
Maria slowly turned her head, her wide open eyes meeting Naeera's. She tugged at Mr. Wolf's tail twice.
"H-hi." She tried, unblinking. She had the nasty feeling that if she blinked, Naeera would move as fast as a snake and eat her. No matter what Mr. Wolf said, she was just… terrifying.
Naeera clasped a hand to her mouth and waved. Her teeth were still visible. "Hi!"
Maria pulled again at Mr. Wolf's tail. What was taking him so long to notice?
"You're so… cute!" Naeera all but shrieked in delight. Her tail was wrapped around her right leg.
Maria's blood ran cold. She hugged Mr. Wolf's tail and never broke eye contact. Her eyes were beginning to sting and she nearly tripped over a rock.
"Can I hug you?" Naeera asked, hopeful.
Maria yelped in distress, but it seemed like Mr. Wolf wasn't going to do anything about this – was he even noticing her as he walked? What was she supposed to do now? This couldn't be good, she couldn't get distracted, she couldn't afford to lose one second of focus and-
She blinked.
A pair of hands took hold of her and lifted her off the ground in a fraction of a second, holding her in a deadly embrace.
Maria screamed, fought and thrashed with all of her forces against it in hope of being freed again, but the arms were tight as a vice. Her breaths came in quick and short, her legs hopelessly kicking against her captor, her arms pressed against her sides. She could feel hot breath blowing on the top of her head.
"NO! NO! DON'T EAT ME!" She futilely screeched and writhed in the deadly vise. Her kicks found their target in Naeera's belly more than a few times, yet they did little to let her move. The thief, on her part, just let out a little laugh in amusement. There she was, defenseless in the claws of a monster, without her capable of doing absolutely nothing about it.
Memories of the tent came rushing to her mind. She couldn't fight back the tears they brought and just screamed inconsistent noises – only this time, there was no being saved. There was nothing she could do to stop it, Mr. Wolf hadn't done anything. It felt like she'd been abandoned to this gray, frightening thing that was Naeera to be devoured, and no one raised a finger to stop her. She was going to be eaten, she knew it, and the feeling of scaly lips against her forehead only confirmed her fears. This was the end, soon her teeth were going to sink in her forehead, and-
Maria frowned.
The noise left her in utter puzzlement. There was no pain, no blood, no teeth sinking, no horrible pain and agony, just… a familiar sensation. Strange, given how these were scales and not normal skin, but…
Had Naeera just given her a smacker?
"Oh, no, no, don't cry!" Naeera murmured for what had to be the second time, holding her tight. Maria noticed the embrace wasn't as tight as she had thought, it was just… she didn't mean to hurt her. It hadn't even been her intention in the first place. It was just a hug. "Come on, kids in Riften used to go crazy whenever I did that… I'm sorry!"
Maria tried to look up and saw what might have been a sorry expression on Naeera's face. Her brows were raised, her mouth was curved in a grimace, and her eyes were filled with concern. She gave her a peck and held her tighter, perhaps a little too tight. No, definitely too tight.
"Can't… breathe…" Maria croaked in a low voice, struggling to let air into her lungs. The tears stopped falling from her eyes, which she kept open wide in shock now. The thief might've been smaller than the other three, but her grip was strong. Definitely stronger than any other legionary's, that was sure.
"Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry!" Naeera muttered and eased her grasp. With a quick movement (almost nauseatingly so, given the fact they were walking down a slope), she held her like an infant and cradled her – even though she was just a foot taller than her. Maria's head rested in the croon of her arm, giving her a perfect view of her soft smile. "Better now, huh?"
Maria nodded sheepishly. Her cheeks felt a lot hotter than before. "Yes..."
Naeera giggled. "Gods, you're so cute when you're blushing!"
Maria couldn't help but giggle along. This was one of the few times she had received a compliment not based on her efficiency or speed when delivering something. The people that had showed her their affection or that had been generally nice to her she could count on her fingers. Two in a day was a new record. Well, Mr. Wolf technically didn't count since she'd known him for years, but this time he could actually talk.
So yes, two. Still a record.
"Oh, wait – want me to let you go?" Naeera whispered. She sounded concerned.
Maria considered the offer. It was either walking on her own, or being carried. She wasn't one to use other people in such way, though, since she knew first-person how being used felt like. Either way, this would've given her a perfect opportunity to talk to one of Mr. Wolf's friends. That's what he'd called them, 'friends'. He had said she was safe whenever she was around even one of them; Naeera was the best to start, despite the initial misunderstanding. With her gray scales, her soft chest (perfect pillow for Maria's head) and her golden, caring eyes… she had also mentioned other kids, so she had to know something, right? Other slaves were good, sure, but she looked like she had always been around children. Plus, in retrospection, she would've liked a hug like that a lot, had she known the thief's intentions.
In the end, she just nestled in her arms to find a more comfortable position. "Nah."
Naeera shook her head and giggled softly. "So, how did Eyes-Of-Silver find you?" She asked in a low voice, a brow raised in curiosity. "Your camp was attacked and he saved you?"
"His name's Mr. Wolf." Maria stubbornly informed her. No matter what he said, it was his name and she would call him like that.
Naeera suppressed a shriek of glee and beamed. "Mr. Wolf? That's the most adorable name I've ever heard!"
"Do not even think about calling me like that, Naeera." Mr. Wolf growled in a lower tone than usual. It sounded like a threat, but just a playful one.
"Calling you what?" Ray repeated, puzzled, completely ignoring Mr. Wolf's words. Maria turned her head to see he was looking over his shoulder, frowning.
"Maria calls him Mr. Wolf!" Naeera exclaimed with a laugh.
"It is… a rather lovely name." Eagle remarked with vague interest. The girl she leaned against managed a weak chuckle.
"Mr. Wolf, huh?" Ray snickered impishly to himself before turning away. "A true warrior's name."
Mr. Wolf shook his head and grumbled something, shaking his head vigorously. Then, he sighed. "Not the right place to argue over a name…"
"But imagine just how it would frighten your enemies!" Ray continued, struggling to contain his laughter. "The great Dragonborn, saviour of Nirn, bane of Alduin: Mr. Wolf!"
"Oh, stop it, both of you." Eagle grunted in annoyance. "Keram-Rei, stop being an idiot."
Ray groaned in protest. "Oh, come on…"
"Where are we going?" Maria asked out loud, genuinely curious. On a little sidenote, she also wanted to spare Mr. Wolf the embarassment of having someone else call him like that – or having his friends argue over it. Eyes-Of-Silver was a really nice name, after all, and it would've felt inappropriate if his friends started calling him with his special name. Especially if Ray had to be that annoying about it.
"Across Lake Mead." Ray replied with a calm shrug. "We have two boats there."
Maria's eyes widened at the response. This meant they were actually going away from the Legion, in the land they didn't own. She'd heard other slaves talking about people that thought and said whatever they wanted and other incredible tales, such as the complete ban of slavery or the freedom of choosing their own work! No, she had to be sure about this, she might have been mistaken. "Over the lake and the river?"
"Over the lake and the river." Ray confirmed matter-of-factly, nodding.
The only appropriate response she could think of was a yelp of excitement and a little clap. If they managed to get there, she was going to be free – free! Not for a day or two, but forever! Oh, how many things she could do… first was learning to read and write. Seeing all those signs and not being capable of making out the letters was really, really bothersome. Second, she had always wanted a really tall house, like the tower up on the Fort's Hill. The view from up there must have been incredible. Third, she was going to ask Mr. Wolf for cool stories. Maybe…
"You've never been outside?" Naeera inquired in a low voice, distracting her from her mental list as they went lower and lower towards the shore of the lake. When she looked back at her, she noticed the look of puzzlement on her face.
"I've always been with the Legion." Maria replied simply, nothing more, nothing less. If she didn't know kids were used as slaves into the Legion, then maybe she didn't really need to know it at all. "I didn't like it there, it was smelly and the legionaries were mean, but I got used to it."
Naeera laughed quietly and muttered something about a place called 'Riften'. Was that where she came from? Well, if it was the place someone like her came from, it had to be a really long way from the camp. "Are you excited?"
"Yes!" Maria said, barely containing her joy. Her brain was working in the background to add even more projects to her ever-increasing list of things. "Especially for Mr. Wolf! He couldn't talk before, but now he can – and I'm going to ask him so many things!"
"Oh, really?" Naeera asked her with a raised brow and a grin.
"He couldn't talk when he was a plushie, but now he can." Maria confirmed, nodding solemnly. She tried to get near Naeera's… well, not ears, but whatever they were. The thief lowered her head to hear. "I think it's because I called him."
"No way!" Naeera gasped in amazement, wide-eyed. "That place looked huge! How did he find you?"
"We're best best friends, it must've been super easy." Maria continued in her explanation, thrilled to see there was somebody else interested in how Mr. Wolf had saved her. Sure, it was amazing, but telling someone about it was even better. "And he's Mr. Wolf, he's got the nose of a dog, but… better!"
"Hey, I heard that!" Mr. Wolf admonished her and scowled.
"I said better!" Maria protested defensively, causing Naeera to burst into a fit of laughter. Ray soon joined in, along with Mr. Wolf and Eagle. She couldn't help but follow. It was strange now, to have people laugh just like that. The best thing was they weren't legionaries, and they weren't laughing at her, but with her. Any slave tried to do that and it was a one-way ticket for the whip. Here, everything was so different, they all laughed, all of them!
The only one to remain silent, though, was the other girl.
She walked sombrely alongside Eagle, supporting her with an arm and being supported in return. Her hair was black as night, completely hiding her face. Her… suit, or whatever it was looked torn and ragged, encrusted with things that looked foul enough on their own and stunk three times worse. Whereas Eagle looked shaky because she was missing her tail (or so she guessed, since everyone else seemed to have one), the girl had no apparent reason to walk in such a wobbly way. Plus, she hadn't talked once since Maria had seen her.
"She looks sad." Maria whispered at Naeera, pointing towards the girl at Eagle's side. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know, she's been crying, that's all I can tell." Naeera murmured back with a shrug. "Why?"
"I want to talk to her." Maria said resolutely, her eyes narrowed on the girl as if to examine her better and understand her problem. "Can I go there?"
"Of course you can." Naeera simply replied and, in a few careful moves, she placed her hands under Maria's armpits and gently set her on the ground.
Maria gave a strong nod to herself and hurried along, her tiny feet carrying her towards the two in a matter of few, swift strides. Well, they were short steps for anyone else, but they felt like strides to her. She decided to take the girl's hand in hers.
It earned her a weak noise of curiosity.
"Hi!" Maria piped up, slowly but surely beginning to suppress the voice that told her not to trust strangers. Now she could talk with anyone she wanted – within reason, of course. Mr. Wolf had to give his approval. "What's your name?"
"Ph-Phoenix." The girl answered weakly, her hair covering her face.
Eagle leaned in forwards to look at her. Her red eyes could only be described as tired, and her feathers looked ruffled. She just looked really, really tired – her scales were basically wrinkled around her eyes. "Hello, Maria. I have nothing against you, but… just an advice. Phoenix here has had a horrible moment, could you please-"
"Was it the Legion?" Maria interrupted the red-scaled mage, or rather outright ignored her.
"Maria!" Eagle chided her, indignant. Her eyes were now very much alive and very, very angry. "This is the wrong place and the wrong time to ask such questions!"
"I've seen the Legion do a lot of bad things, too." Maria continued, a little sad, and latched her fingers to Phoenix's larger hand. Eagle immediately silenced herself. "If you let them make you cry, they win. That's what they do: they scare people, because they're all mean and dumb. They don't like it when other people are happy because then it's harder to make them feel bad and they can't win." She squeezed the girl's hand. "Don't let them win."
"Oh…" Phoenix squeezed her hand back. "Thank you…"
Maria gave her a big smile and nodded, both at her and at Eagle, making to get back to Naeera. Then, she remembered there was somebody she hadn't actually talked to at all. Mr. Wolf was Mr. Wolf, she'd known him for the better part of four years. Naeera was great, not very much to add to it. Eagle had been a little annoying, true, but she was just worried about Phoenix. Talking about Phoenix… she just had to get through whatever had happened and, since they were a group of friends, it was much, much easier. There was just one person left now.
"Hey." Maria called, earning Ray's attention as she approached him.
"Oh, hi there." Ray said distractedly, not even looking at her. Upon closer inspection she noticed that his armor, comprised of arm, shoulder, chest and all other plates, looked just like glass. This material, however, was a much more vivid blue, and definitely… colder. She imagined it was the reason he wore that brown, warm-looking suit underneath and the fluffy bits on his neck, arms and legs. There was no other reason to wear those in a desert, apart from… well, the night. His sword's scabbard was fantastic, made of polished leather and bone-white bits that wove a geometric pattern on it. He looked like a hero.
Ray's behavior, however, appeared to be the opposite to that of a hero. His steps were quick, his tail wagged sharply left and right, and he often looked at his left arm. He looked pretty nervous up-close, maybe even scared. She wondered why, or if it had anything to do with the stains on his face, neck and armor. "What's the matter?" He continued as soon as he noticed she wasn't going.
"Where are the boats?" Maria asked. She hoped he might want to talk this way. Out of everyone else, he looked the most like one of those heroes in the stories some slaves told her. What were they called? Oh, right, 'knites'. He had the potential to be the most interesting, counting he used both magic, like Eagle, and a sword that must've looked awesome.
Ray casually raised a finger and pointed forwards and below. It was shaking slightly, but she didn't say it out loud. "They're just over there, can you see them?"
Maria squinted through the darkness in front of her. The fact she had no idea what a boat looked like didn't help, either. There were boulders, large and round, the high walls of the cliffs around them, filled with cracks and eroded, the lake's rocky shore, the silvery moon high above… and there, she noticed two dark shapes half-hidden behind a pair of large rocks. They weren't natural, that much was clear, and they looked just big enough to carry people. She gave a sure nod. "I see them."
"As you see, less than a minute." Ray dismissed her with a distracted flick of his wrist. He really didn't want anyone around, didn't he?
Just then she noticed the heavy, gray thing attached to his left forearm, and went to touch it. It was cold and it glowed green, but most of all it was big. Much bigger than her arm, that was sure. It wasn't smooth like his gauntlets, which were trimmed with chrome metal and nothing else. It had so many forms, shapes and buttons going on she didn't even know what way she was supposed to look at it.
Ray jerked his arm away in the blink of an eye, leaving her fingers stroke nothing and staring into her eyes with his piercing blue eyes. "Hey, don't touch it!"
"Why?" Maria instictively asked, confused. "Is it precious?"
"No, I… just don't like when people touch it." Ray grumbled, mostly to himself. "Don't do that again."
He didn't sound too convincing, not at all.
Maria edged in a little closer, just enough that her whispers could be heard by him. That surely caught his attention. "Is it something magic?"
"Magic, sure." Ray growled, his eyes focused on the now-closer boats. He surely wasn't distracted now, and it somehow scared her. "But bad magic, not mine. I just fight and help people with my magic, the thing inside the Pip-Boy… you don't want to know him."
Part of Maria wanted to run away at the thought of what evil magic could do, but a larger part of her wanted to know more. So there was a reason for Ray to be all jumpy and nervous. What could it be? It was bad, that much was clear, but the way he had referred to it had interested her the most. "Him?"
"And here we are!" Ray announced, openly ignoring her question and leaving her there, her arms folded across her chest in disappointment. What an obnoxious way to dodge a question. "So, how are we going to-"
"I could just take my armour off and swim." Mr. Wolf coolly proposed. It showed once again how calm he sounded whenever he wanted to do something reckless. He hadn't been able to talk until now, true, but his looks sometimes told her to do plain stupid things as if they were the safest in the world – like trying to sneak into the kitchens. Good thing nobody had seen her that time…
"No!" Phoenix all but shrieked, earning everyone's attention and making Maria literally jump around. She was holding her hand out as if to grab him and hold him. Her face finally showed from underneath her hair. She looked pretty, she couldn't deny, and her eyes were a really nice shade of green, although puffy and red. "D-don't swim in the lake. Lakelurks."
"Fine, fine, no need to overdramatise this…" Mr. Wolf sighed and massaged his temples. "One for me, the other for the rest of you."
"Say what now?" Naeera snorted, amazed. "And why is that?"
"Because I, my replacement limbs, armour and weapons may very well weigh just as much as all of you put together." Mr. Wolf simply replied with a shrug. It could have veiled some annoyance, if the glance he flashed at the thief was anything to go by. "Is that reason enough for you? Or would you rather have me sink and swim to the other shore anyway?"
"Can I come with you, Mr. Wolf?" Maria asked hopefully. She was small and thin, she wouldn't weigh that much, right?
Mr. Wolf gave her a faint smile and shook his head. "Too dangerous. I would rather have you on a boat with everyone else, it would be much safer. Besides, the tiniest amount of weight could make the difference between me rowing and me trying to dry over two hundred pounds of Dragonbone armour. Not counting axes and ebony arm and tail, of course."
Maria opened her mouth uncertainly. What did that even mean?
"Which is to say, way too much trouble and time." Mr. Wolf summed up.
Maria gave a nod and slumped her shoulders, pouting. "But…"
"Come on Maria, we can sit together if you like." Naeera said cheerfully. "Besides, it can't be more than an hour, right?"
"No, of course not." Ray replied.
"See?" Naeera hummed, caressing her hair. "Come on, we're all going to have to sleep together anyway. What do you say?"
Maria's smile quickly returned upon her face. "On soft, comfy beds?"
"The softest, comfiest beds you can think of." Naeera confirmed and winked with a broad grin.
Things were just getting better and better.
Keram-Rei heaved a sigh and kept rowing. Just a few more paddles and they would reach the ground, they would finally get to those damnable Hoover Dam Lodge docks and he would finally get some sleep.
He had to admit the kid, Maria, was cute. She was just so sweet, the way she talked to everyone and how close she was to Naeera… if Eyes-Of-Silver had really saved her from that Legion camp, then he could only respect that werewolf. Those bastards kept children as slaves, who knew what some of the more twisted ones could do to them.
Maria didn't seem to mind, though. It looked like the prospect of friends had made her completely forget any and all abuses she'd endured there. She was just a little beam of happiness and sunlight.
Keram-Rei dreaded the thought of Treads-In-Gloom taking over near her. The Pip-Boy hadn't made one sound, and it scared him even more.
He sighed once again as the boat hit the shore, this time in relief. Naeera took Maria and climbed over the side of the boat, Phoenix gave Screaming-Eagle a hand, and he just vaulted over and landed steadily onto the sand. They both looked better than when they had sat down. As a matter of fact, the mage was a little more stable, while the Courier definitely looked… maybe not happy, but certainly not as morally devastated as when he'd left her.
After throwing the paddles into the rowboat he saw the imposing figure of Eyes-Of-Silver waving at them, standing next to a building slightly larger than the boathouse. Keram-Rei waved back. The werewolf had arrived a good five minutes earlier than them. Heavy as he said he was, he had biceps larger than the battlemage's thighs – those had given him quite an advantage. Enough to look find them a decent place to sleep, at least.
However productive the day might have been, Keram-Rei knew it had been a rough day for everyone. While he really didn't want to sleep, ignoring what would await him, he noticed just how heavy his eyelids felt. The doors to Blackreach had to be lighter. It seemed a miracle to him that Screaming-Eagle and Phoenix hadn't fallen asleep during the trip. Naeera… well, alright, she and Maria looked vital enough. Eyes-Of-Silver, however, had the distinctively drained look of someone who had turned recently.
Guessing when or why wasn't that hard.
"I believe I have found a suitable location for tonight." Eyes-Of-Silver greeted them when they got within earshot, pointing at the squat wooden building next to the boathouse. This one had been gray at one point, or maybe… beige, or cream. Hard to tell from what little paint remained. The windows looked intact, though, and so did the door.
"Good job." Keram-Rei nodded, opened the door and waited for the females to enter. Just as he was about to set foot inside, though, a gigantic hand nailed him in place.
"Keram-Rei?" Eyes-Of-Silver asked in a low voice. He turned to meet his eyes and saw he was… uncertain? "Could you please spare a minute?"
Keram-Rei chuckled and glanced at the metal hand pressed hard on his right shoulder. He didn't let any of his fear show."Of course."
"I have something to tell you." Eyes-Of-Silver announced him in a whisper. It sounded more like a growl said in his usual tone.
Keram-Rei raised a brow and waved him off. Any other time, he would have rather eaten his own horns than stand that close to the werewolf. "I can already imagine you're sorry for the whole Vault 24 thing – it's cool, really. No need to apologize."
Eyes-Of-Silver frowned in return, amused. "Am I so predictable?"
"Pretty much." Keram-Rei shrugged. "That's all?"
Eyes-Of-Silver glanced down to his Pip-Boy for a fraction of a second, then looked into his eyes once again. "Yes, for now." He gestured at the door. "After you."
Keram-Rei nodded his thanks and got inside. Wood creaked instantly underneath his boots. He was surprised to find himself into a small corridor, with two doors on each side. He took a step and felt something other than wood under his foot, which he retracted almost instantly. On the ground was a bent plaque that read, in bold, blocky letters: 'LAKE MEAD MARINA - ADMINISTRATION'.
Nice, offices. The vague information he had immideately listed the rooms as little more than cells without bars to the doors and a desk in the middle, but two people could squeeze in and sleep just fine – if they had sleeping bags, that was.
Phoenix and Screaming-Eagle entered the first door on the right, while Naeera waited outside of the last one on the right and Maria waited for Eyes-Of-Silver next to the first on the left. Keram-Rei sighed and got moving. It gave him the last door.
"Ray, Ray!" Maria piped up, tugging at his fingers.
"What is it?" Keram-Rei asked, trying not to make the irritation seep through his words. Why did she have to call him 'Ray', of all things? "Something wrong?"
"I'm hungry." Maria told him with a pout. "Eagle says you're great with food."
Keram-Rei pressed the palm of his free hand against his snout in frustration. He didn't want to stay anywhere near her with Treads-In-Gloom inside of him and there she was. It almost looked like she was doing it on purpose. "I can't really cook right now. I can't light a fire here. Besides, it takes time."
Maria pouted harder and pleaded him with her big blue eyes. "Please?"
"Oh, alright, fine." Keram-Rei groaned aloud, to which the little girl let go of his fingers and gave him a happy nod. "How about a sandwich?"
"Sounds good to me." Naeera said, leaning against the wall. "Ham and cheese for me. Maria, what would you like?"
"What's ham?" Maria asked, confused. "And what's cheese?"
"Ham and cheese for her, too." Naeera said through a broad smile.
Keram-Rei sighed as an amused Eyes-Of-Silver went for the door behind Maria. He sat on the ground, took a loaf of bread from his satchel and cut four… no, six slices from it with a steel dagger. Getting rid of all that blood had emptied him, he needed something to eat. He wiped clean a spot on his greave with his unarmored forearm and set the bread there. Then, he took out a bowl of mammoth cheese and-
"What in Oblivion is that?" Naeera basically gagged, her eyes narrowed. "It's… Gods, that smell's so intense!"
"Yeah!" Maria agreed, almost undecided as if to be puzzled or disgusted.
"Mammoth cheese, really sweet, full of nutrients." Keram-Rei shrugged. Yes, it had a strong, distinctive aroma, but nowhere near eidar cheese in his opinion. He also took a large piece of smoked ham and set it next to the bread.
"How did you even get mammoth cheese?" Naeera asked, frowning. "Only giants eat it."
"Giants aren't that smart, they're easy to sneak past." Keram-Rei hummed impassively as he cut a slice of ham and set it on a square of bread, only to add a bit of cheese and set another slice of bread on top of it all. He handed the finished product to the little girl. "There you go, Maria."
"Thank you." Maria hastily murmured in return before she savaged her sandwich. Divines knew what she used to eat at the Legion camp.
The other two sandwiches were done in a matter of seconds. He gave Naeera hers before he munched down on his own. How long had it been since he'd eaten a sandwich? Well, all considering…
Yesterday.
A pity he didn't have all that time to cook, what with him exploring, fighting and overall not having time to cook properly for himself. Besides, he didn't really see the point in cooking grand meals for one person only, except for wasting his ingredients. When he had somebody else around, though, he liked to do his best, be them fellow soldiers, friends or simple guests. Right now, he had no time for that. He was tired, and the other half of them didn't need to eat.
A little moan of pleasure from Naeera raised the feathers on his head, and maybe something else. "That was… delicious!"
"Uhm… glad you liked it." Keram-Rei managed with a curt nod.
Maria, instead, tiptoed next to him. The front of her little dress and her face were covered in crumbs. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, smiled and ran back to Eyes-Of-Silver's room.
Keram-Rei blinked twice.
"Aww, she likes you!" Naeera cooed with a smile. "Isn't she cute?"
"Exactly the reason I try to stay away from her." Keram-Rei grunted as he got to his feet. "I'll summon an Atronach as a guard, goodnight."
Naeera giggled the moment he went through the doorway. "Don't be so quick to wish me goodnight."
Keram-Rei shook his head and got outside. The stars shone high above, lighting the gray, cracked asphalt of the road and parking lots before him. He let the wind blow on his scales. It was good to stop for a moment and just… stay still, let everything fade away for a moment. Alas, he had no time for that. He balled his fists as rays of purple energy danced between his fingers, then held them high and finally opened his palms towards the ground.
For an instant, a purpureus light shone and blinked out of existence. The asphalt shattered as a being of rock, dirt and concrete made its way through the earth and towards the surface. First emerged large fists, followed by thinner arms and a broad, broad chest. It became less massive towards the waist, under which two comically tiny legs helped it stabilize over the small crater from which it had emerged. The thing stood like the gorillas of the jungles of Valenwood, although its features resembled more those of the Imga – it was always simian in appearance, though. Its rocky hide was yellow sand and red streaked with gray, and it looked down at him through two tiny luminous eyes on its small head.
"You are to guard this place until all of its occupants are awake in the morning, Earth Atronach." Keram-Rei addressed the now-corporeal Daedra. He wasn't that great a conjurer, but these were by far the sturdiest and easiest wardens Cojuration students went for. A little dense at times, but great for strength and brute force. "If anything or anyone dangerous gets within a thousand feet from here, come inside and warn us. Don't let anyone get inside of that circle, and don't wander off like you usually do. You are bound to this… Administration Center until your duty is considered discharged. Understood?"
The Earth Atronach gave him a curt nod and began its patrol circle around the building. Pretty pointless, since it could sense threats like any other Daedra, but he let that slide. Earth Atronachs liked patrolling.
Keram-Rei entered the office, going for the last door on the left. He opened it, turned around and…
Cursed.
The roof and a wall were missing. The Earth Atronach spared him a puzzled glance from outside and moved over again.
Keram-Rei took a step backwards, slammed the door closed and instinctively opened the opposite one.
"See?"
He turned around to meet Naeera's smug smile. She lay in her bedroll just next to an upturned wooden desk, covered up to her neck in a white fur blanket, and looked up at him. "I told you not to wish me goodnight so soon."
Keram-Rei rolled his eyes and took his own bedroll out of his satchel, carefully unrolling it on the ground and patting away the dust. He unlocked his Pip-Boy and set it on the ground next to him before he took his boots and gauntlets off. He unbelted his satchel, putting it next to the Pip-Boy, followed close by his Dragonbone sword. Then came the bracers and greaves, his chestplate, his groin plate and his kneepads.
He quickly got out of his brown leather stuffed suit and placed it next to the pile of Stalhrim plates on the ground, leaving him only in a black loincloth. He plucked the satchel open and took out a blue sleeveless tunic with matching pants. It was comfortable, linen. He put it on, folded his green blanket and finally rested on his side, putting his Pip-Boy back on before anything horrible happened and giving his tail some room in order to avoid laying on it.
His eyes met a pair of golden orbs.
He blinked.
"Nice ass, by the way." Naeera commented with an impish grin.
Keram-Rei's mind stopped responding, crushed as it was by the gargantuan mole of embarassment and shame flooding inside and shutting everything else off. Why hadn't he thought, just for a moment, that Naeera was still in the room while he undressed?
Naeera giggled like crazy. "Oh man, you should see the look on your face!"
Keram-Rei turned on his side and, once the only sight became the wooden wall, he closed his eyes.
He was hopeless.
"Goodnight, Keram-Rei…" Naeera managed before bursting into another fit of giggles.
"Goodnight." Keram-Rei grunted, although it came out more as a squeak. It just added to Naeera's snickering.
Great, he could add this to the list of times he had made a fool out of himself. There went his pride, too: so much for his wet dreams, if he was too embarassed to get undressed in front of anyone else. Alright, all of the scenarios he always pictured were highly unlikely anyway, but this just contributed to sweeping his morale under the carpet.
On top of that, though, he could pride himself in having a nice ass.
That gave him an idea.
"Uhm, Naeera?" He called in a low voice, uncertain. "Are you sleeping?"
"Definitely." She answered, semi-serious.
Keram-Rei took in a deep breath and turned. She'd basically seen him naked, there wasn't much better in the way of being laughed at. "Do you think I look good?"
Naeera looked like she was going to choke. "Real subtle, huh?"
"I'm not talking about you, I'm talking in general!" He hissed, his teeth half-bared. "It's for Screaming-Eagle."
Her eyes lit up. "Oooh, so you do like her!"
"Naeera, go fuck yourself." Keram-Rei deadpanned. The last thing he needed was her acting like a little girl. "This is serious."
"The thing you have to get into your mind is: looks will hardly work on someone like Screaming-Eagle." Naeera sighed with a roll of her eyes. "You're an idiot-"
"Hey!" He grunted, offended.
"- So try to make her laugh." She finished, scowling at him. "Be spontaneous, don't force jokes into everything, don't rehearse and rearrange what you're going to say. It won't work. And for the love of Dibella, don't try to act cool. Be yourself."
Keram-Rei hummed in consideration and scratched his chin, nodding pensively. "Uh-huh…"
"That's all, really." Naeera said with a shrug. "As long as sex isn't your only goal, you should be fine. Because I can tell with someone like her, it's going to take you a lot to get laid."
He gave her a slightly less convinced nod. "Got it…"
She grinned. "For the rest, you'll have to cash up."
"Gah, goodnight, Naeera." Keram-rei groaned and turned on his other side, irritated. "But… thank you."
Naeera yawned. "Anytime."
Keram-Rei closed his eyes, got comfortable…
And didn't fall asleep.
Fuck.
He just let out a sigh. At this point, the only thing he could do was wait. Damn, he had felt so tired just moments before, what had happened? Had the discussion with Naeera done anything? Well, probably yes – but he still found it to be annoying as fuck.
So he waited, and waited, and waited… one of the most boring things he'd ever done, apart from maybe studying theoretical Illusion. Now that school of magic was boring. All the sigils, all the theories, all the people saying alterating someone was useless if you could make people think otherwise…
Oh, did his eyelids feel heavy… he smiled and yawned.
Then, someone screamed.