SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES
Summary: Begins from the Whispers Agent Bor's perspective on Disa's death and subsequent happenings. Tangwen visits Tiffany and Fiona, and the two discover a troubling mystery. Tiffany and Fiona (supposed Smith) are revealed as 'Tassof' by the mysterious Vanti. They are given a new assignment.
Chapter eleven: Troubling Situations
Author's Notes:
There is a new name introduced in this chapter. Vriré. It has an accent over the last /e/. Without the accent, it would be pronounced according to the normal rules of English - that is, the /i/ is a long vowel and the last /e/ is silent. However, I put the accent (é) on the /e/ to tell you that it is not pronounced like that - the /i/ is short, and the é makes an eh or ay sound. Don't say eh or ay because the sound is not transcribable - hence the accent mark.
An easy way to remember the pronounciation of the é is the word resumé or café. So mentally pronounce the name Vriré properly!
Okay, here's the story now:
Bor hears the girl looking for the quaggans - Fiona, Disa had told him - speaking to Travelen. Bor had been out getting a frozen keg of ale from the cellar for Travelen, and did not know Fiona had entered the steading until he heard her voice.
He can't distinguish the words, and he isn't about to try eavesdropping - he may be Whispers, but he has common decency. Besides, his real talent lies in extracting the information after the fact.
He can hear Fiona's tone, however, and she seems to be in shock. She is speaking with a subdued tone, with a hint of sadness. Travelen seems enraged, but keeps his voice low. After a minute, Fiona seems to convince Travelen of something, and he softens up considerably. A minute later, Fiona leaves the lodge, passing Bor with barely an acknowledging nod.
Bor looks after her as she glances at the waypoint nearby before disappearing in a puff of blue. Huffing in thought, Bor determines to get Travelen to start talking, somehow or other. As he begins to move again, he suddenly glances at the keg he is carrying. He shakes his head and goes back into the outdoor cellar for a really good barrel.
Reentering the lodge, Travelen is nowhere in sight.
Shrugging, Bor returns to his normal spot, opening up the barrel of ale. When the several visitors see it is actual ale and not Bor's usual, they come on over for a drink.
After a few mugfuls from the keg are emptied, Travelen reenters the main room of the lodge, sitting down with a loud thump at a small table, putting his head in his hands.
Bor fills two large mugs of ale and sets one down in front of Travelen, before seating himself across from him.
Travelen snatches up the mug and takes a long drink, thumping the mug back down on the table a moment later.
"What's the matter, Travelen?" Bor asks gruffly, taking a sip of his own ale.
"Disa's dead," Travelen says flatly, taking another long drink.
Bor frowns in consternation. "Dead? How?" He puts his mug down, leaning across the table.
"Icebrood corruption," Travelen replies gruffly. "The lass she ran off with earlier brought her half-corrupted body back."
Bor's forhead creases in worry, still not comprehending. Disa can't be dead. "What happened?"
Travelen instantly starts reeling like a recording that doesn't have a pause button. He tells about Disa's friendship with the quaggan Oola, how she went after the gatherer and was attacked (as best Fiona could describe to Travelen) by an Icebrood, and how Fiona found her.
It seems Travelen had needed a good long explanation over why Fiona didn't go after Disa immediately, rather she waited almost the whole day. So Bor waits patiently and listens, used to rambling from his informants.
He listens more closely when he hears about the corrupted quaggan and Icebrood, and the increasing amounts of quaggan disappearing on gathering trips.
Travelen keeps drinking. Bor silently pushes his own mug over to Travelen's side of the table, not wanting to miss any of this to get a refill. Travelen doesn't notice.
When the distraught parent starts going off on how he can't believe it that Disa is dead, Disa can't be dead, Bor gets up from the table, brings Travelen another mug of ale, and retreats to his corner. He hadn't had more than a single sip of the ale. Travelen, on the other hand, had needed something to drown his grief in. He hadn't hesitated.
Bor runs over what he can figure out of the days' events from Travelen's ramblings. What he keeps snagging on is the Icebrood. So close to Hoelbrak. He is carefully avoiding the fact of Disa's death. It seems unreal at the moment. Disa had been one of his good friends. As a Whispers Agent undercover, he can't afford to have many of those, but Disa had been special. Icebrood. So close to Hoelbrak.
Then Bor notices something else - Fiona had fought off both the corrupted quaggan, the other Icebrood, and most probably Disa herself. Resolving to mention this when the Order calls him in about the recommendation, he turns his thoughts to clearing out the Icebrood from around Hoelbrak.
If Fiona had fought off the Icebrood on her own, what could she do with her sister? Bor doesn't know anything about Tiffany, but if she is anything like Fiona the two would make a formidable pair. Bor contemplates suggesting helping Falooaloo and clearing out the Icebrood as the next step in initiation. The combat-readiness is the next thing on the list, followed by a willingness to help others.
'Fiona probably passed that test by now,' Bor thinks to himself. 'I'd have to know the whole story, of course.'
Bor's thoughts turn back to Disa. 'She can't be gone,' he thinks to himself. 'I need to speak to Disa's mother, Joka.' Rising from his place in the corner, Bor goes into the back room.
Arer, the man who had guided Tiffany and Fiona upon their first entrance to the Chantry of Secrets, is waiting in the room where they were first questioned, along with Ingvil, the norn woman who had shadowed them while they dealt with the hylek problem.
It is late the night of Disa's death, when a cloaked figure swishes past the innocent-seeming fisherman in the tent with Whispers markings outside the cave. Agent Xinn acknowledges him with a nod of his head.
The figure picks up a certain small rock from the floor of the cavern, throwing it into the wall on the far side of the lake. An invisible portal swallows it up, plonking it back where it came from.
A permanent mesmer portal - powered by power crystals of asura design - shimmers into being - triggered by the other portal's activation - on the floor in an odd curve of the cave's wall.
The hooded figure steps on the portal and disappears. A scant moment later the portal collapses in on itself with a barely audible sound - like a drop of water sliding slowly into a puddle - the echoes heard only to a carefully listening ear in the silent cavern.
In a mirrored position on the other side of the lake, within the Chantry of Secrets, in an odd curve of wall, a portal opens up, and a hooded figure springs out as if just taking a step. The portal closes with a faint tic, a faint popping sound as any air within the portal is squeezed out upon deactivation.
The mysterious figure twists his hand in a respectful gesture to the first Lightbringer he meets, a charr with his right paw covered and his weapon in a position to be drawn by his left. The charr nods to the figure and turns, vanishing into the wall. The silent figure follows, and enters the room where Arer and Ingvil await.
"You have two aspiring Initiates being tested," the hooded figure begins, ignoring the one or two rather highly-ranked officers in the shadows. His voice is smooth, and he does not stumble over his words. The charr leaves the room. "I know of one, and through her, the other. I have brought myself before their roll is called, for I believe at least the one to show great promise."
"Show your rank and state your intentions," Ingvil replies after a brief moment of silence.
The shrouded form holds out an arm, seemingly normal until a small device attached to his wrist becomes visible and begins projecting an aura designed to be seen by the unaided eye. After a brief moment, the device vanishes from sight, as does the aura, and the mysterious figure straightens up, showing his height to be that of a norn.
"Those of the unassigned rank of 'aspiring Initiate' that I speak of are Fiona and Tiffany. I wish to speak with both, privately, as currently identified, before any further interrogation begins. I will reveal nothing. The result of this questioning shall be a proposed test assignment, to test both capability in battle as well as a kind heart. If my questioning does not go... favorably, then I shall withdraw myself from them completely in regards to initiation."
"Are there any compromises to this suggested test assignment?" Arer asks.
"No - but it is a favorable compromise. The idea was suggested to me by the fact that aspiring Initiate Fiona has already started on such a quest, entirely - as far as I know - on her own time. It also made known to me a... necessity that, if dealt with now, is a suitable challenge for aspiring Initiates, rather than waiting until later when the threat shall be more obvious and dangerous. Aside from that, the only compromises I see are that I do not know the full extent of the threat - my information has been gathered from second-hand sources, but the information matches my own observations, to a degree."
Arer and Ingvil remain silent for a moment. Then, an asura steps in to the light from from the shadows ringing the room. She has her weapons with her (like everyone has, even in the Chantry), a sword hilt sticking up above each shoulder, and two axes at her sides. Her helm only partially obscures her face, and the people in the room can still identify her.
"Due to the unknown level of threat, there should be a monitor," she says.
"Are you volunteering, Lightbringer Vriré?" the hooded figure demands.
"I am making a suggestion, Agent Bor," the asura snaps, emphasising that Bor is a lower rank than herself. "I have been in this line of work for longer than you have. However, they do need a monitor. If no one else sees the need, I will monitor them myself." Vriré speaks as if the idea for her to monitor the aspiring Initiates was her idea.
Arer glances at Ingvil.
"I have other duties," Ingvil says. "Lightbringer Vriré can monitor them if she likes. Lightbringer, can you stealth?"
"I will not be seen," Vriré snaps back. "You of all people should know this, Agent Ingvil."
"Of course, Lightbringer," Arer agrees. "We will call you when they next report."
The female asura nods, before melting back into the shadows.
"Meet with the aspiring Initiates together, Agent Bor," Arer instructs. The figure nods.
The group disperses. The hooded figure, Bor, decides to stay at the Chantry until morning, before making his way back to Travelen's steading.
"We're up early!" Tiffany declares, glancing out the window at the low sun and quiet streets.
"That we are. You feeling better?"
"Definitely. Let's turn in these contact lists, shall we?" Tiffany replies, stretching. "Come on!"
"Let's have breakfast first, Tiff. It's early and nobody's up yet. Waking up early is not common, for us at least, and coming in early to a Whispers thing might indicate this is at least more common than it is."
"Which is a bad idea. Well, we can at least get out and about."
"Alright," Fiona shrugs. "It's Friday, right?"
"Right. Tomorrow we've got to go to Caudecus's Manor for the party about signing the treaty with the charr."
"Who're we bringing again?"
"I'm bringing you and Deborah - speaking of, we need to tell her - and if Falcon and Harrison log on we can invite them. You need to be on your mettle, however, and keep their PC-ness covered."
"If they log on in time, right?"
"Right. If they don't... you know, Forgal should be there, as well. I'm invited because I helped with the treaty, but Forgal did most of that, he probably got a separate invitation. So that's me, you, Logan, and Forgal, plus Zojja holding a device to track a teleportation. It might be a VOED, but - "
"What the heck is a VOED?" Fiona asks.
"A Very Old Energy Detector," Tiffany replies promptly.
"So you're what, an asura now?" Fiona asks.
"Nope. I just dealt with them a bit while fighting Zhaitan. We needed to see some sort of ritual to summon something, and somebody used a VOED to find it. It was confusing. But I just know that VOED equals Very Old Energy Detector and that is explanatory enough for me."
"Ah. Well, let's head down and talk to Deborah." Fiona replies. "And won't Queen Jennah and Countess Anise be there, too?"
"Yeah, but the whole reason there's bad guys to fight is that they captured Queen Jennah. I... what did happen to Countess Anise then? She wasn't with us, and she wasn't with Queen Jennah when we found her. She must have been captured as well, but..."
"There's probably some explanation. Maybe she wasn't invited?"
Tiffany utterly fails at holding in a snort. "She's Queen Jennah's bodyguard. She'd be there even if she wasn't invited. She sticks to the Queen's side more than Logan does, and that's saying something. Eh, don't repeat that last bit."
"Oh," Fiona says abashedly. "And I won't."
"Hey, Deborah?" Tiffany asks as the two enter the lower floor of the inn.
"Yeah?"
"Are you free tomorrow?"
"Sure, why?"
"Remember how I was off a week or so ago doing Vigil things?"
"Yeah. You defended the charr/human peace treaty, right?"
"Right," Tiffany agrees. "Well, now, Caudecus Beetlestone is hosting a garden party to celebrate it, and I was invited. I was told I could bring four friends. I was wondering if you wanted to come?"
"That'd be cool!" Deborah declares. "Who else will be there?"
"Queen Jennah, of course, and ambassadors from the other major races. Countess Anise, too."
"Obviously, if the Queen's there," Deborah comments. "I suppose your friend Forgal will be there too? He helped you."
"I don't know, but probably. He helped more than I did, certainly."
"I'll be there. When?"
"Early afternoon. And Caudecus's personal inventor, Uzolan, is going to reveal an invention later on." Tiffany says, recalling the information on the invitation. *
"At Lord Caudecus's manor?" Deborah checks.
"Yep," Tiffany confirms. "Want to go turn in those papers to the Order, Fiona?"
"The Order of Whispers has paperwork?" Deborah asks incredulously.
"Less than the Priory, let me tell you," Fiona grimaces.
"Well, I'm glad I'm not in the Priory, then," Deborah declares. "I don't like paperwork. The Seraph have to fill out reports once a week, and it's boring."
"This paperwork was fun, though. We were suppose to put down everyone we know and how well we know them."
"What did you label me as?" Deborah asks curiously.
"We didn't put family in," Fiona says. "Tiffany said our last name was Smith instead of Tassof, and if we put you guys in they might investigate and find it wrong. I don't believe in lying the Order, and if we do, I don't believe in telling them."
"I understand," Deborah replies faintly. "Well, go do your paperwork."
As Tiffany and Fiona leave the inn, Tangwen approaches. "Hi you two! It's been a long time."
Tiffany blinks in surprise at seeing Tangwen. Then, she blinks again. Tangwen spoke in english, not Tyrian. Recalling the conversation with Deborah, she realizes the english echo faded completely.
"Hey Tangwen!" Tiffany greets Tangwen cordially. She sees Fiona blink in surprise, and wonders why.
"How are you?" Fiona asks. Tiffany blinks in shock. The Tyrian echo of Fiona's english words was so overpowering Tiffany almost missed that Fiona did speak english.
"I'm fine, how are you?"
"We were on our way to turn in some paperwork for the Order of Whispers. Tiffany was sick yesterday, or we would've done it then, but otherwise we're fine." Fiona replies. "How is the family?"
"They came back from vacation a couple days ago, and are working on unpacking. I know Falcon got done early and has been looking for you in Shaemoor. He saw you once a day or so ago, but you waypointed away before he could get your attention."
"That must have been when we brought Mat and Ayla back from the Grove," Tiffany recalls.
"Back from where?" Tangwen asks, confused. After a moment, Fiona nods to herself as if having figured something out.
"The Grove," Tiffany repeats.
"Oh, the sylvari city?"
"Right. We took Mat and Ayla there for a tour the other day."
"I see. Well, I'll tell Falcon you're around." Tangwen's voice gets distant for a moment. "I'll be right there!" before coming back. "Dad needs me, see you later!" Tangwen disappears.
"What happened there, when she didn't know what the Grove was?" Tiffany asks Fiona.
"You said it in Tyrian."
"Oh."
The two pop to Shaemoor to explore a bit, it still being too early to go to the Chantry of Secrets. Automatically, their feet lead them toward the Sartini residence. Mat and Ayla are playing the yard.
"Hey Tiffany! Fiona!" Ayla hollers.
"Hi!" Tiffany replies.
"I'm sorry for being mean the other day, Fiona," Mat says, looking at the ground.
"It's alright, Mat," Fiona replies. "It wasn't that important anyway."
"Why did you come?" Ayla asks.
"Do we need a reason?" Fiona asks playfully.
Tiffany realizes they haven't been coming over very much, and that Aya's question is evidence of their absence. "We wanted to stop by and chat a minute. We were heading out to do grownup stuff."
"I see," Mat says seriously. "You're going to go hang out with kids that are cooler than us."
"They aren't kids, and they're much less 'cool' than you. You are your own type of coolness."
"I've seen some funny little people who said they weren't kids," Ayla says.
"Did they have weird ears?" Fiona asks. Tiffany winces at Fiona's description.
"Yes! They were big and pointy," Ayla confirms.
"And their eyes were really big," Mat adds.
"Those were asura," Tiffany informs them.
"Ooh! They used a lot of big words, like 'transatmospheric converter' and 'electrode connections.'" Ayla remembers. "And I asked and they told me what it means! A 'transatmospheric converter' is something that can change the weather, and that asura was working on inventing one. 'Electrode connections' are invisible power forces that connect things, and sometimes hold them together. Like on golems."
"You are going to get to be a very smart person one day," Tiffany declares. "And you were very lucky that asura was willing to help. Most of them will just say, very nastily, 'stupid human' and walk away."
"Oh."
"However, you should tell us if you ever want to go to the asura city. We can take you there if you like. Maybe you can learn more," Fiona suggests. "Maybe we could introduce them to Zojja." she mumbles to Tiffany.
"Just because Ayla knows what a transatmospheric converter is, and what electrode connections are? Asura characters win the Snaff Savant by creating a transatmospheric converter. Knowing what a word is from somebody who is trying to invent it is very not-impressive. The impressive part is getting the knowledge as a human. I doubt Zojja would be interested," Tiffany mutters back. Fiona nods in understanding.
"Sylvari are awesome," Mat is saying to Ayla.
"I know a sylvari. She's even more awesome," Fiona pipes up. "Her name is Sieran."
"What's she like?"
"She's a member of the Priory, and she's always excited about everything. 'Let's teach those dredge a lesson! Oh, how fun!'"
"She sounds cool," Mat declares.
"She's an elementalist, right?" Tiffany asks Fiona.
"Yep. She likes using water and ice for attacking." Fiona says. "But elementalists can generally also use fire, earth, and air skills."
"Elementalists sound cool. A sylvari elementalist must be the best," Mat declares.
"Hey! Rangers are cool too," Tiffany says, pretending to be hurt by the remark.
"And mesmers!" Fiona chimes in.
"As well as guardians, warriors, thieves, and necromancers!"
Fiona pauses a moment. "Tif-fan-y," she groans. "Again?"
"Hey, it's all the professions except - " Tiffany stops abruptly, before continueing, "except engineers."
Running through all the professions in her mind again, Fiona nods, and realizes she also left out revenants, but she couldn't really mention them, now could she?
"Speaking of sneaky thieves," Fiona says, "we should be going. We have sneak-work of our own to do."
"Right," Tiffany agrees, glancing at the sky. "See you later, you two."
The two girls vanish in a puff of blue.
Ayla and Mat look at each other.
"They never come to visit," Ayla says disappointedly.
"And when they do, it's too short," Mat grumps. "Can't they have a free day now and then?"
"Right. They're too busy heroing now-a-days," Ayla sighs. "Can't they take us with them sometime?"
"Or teach us something? I wanted to show them how good I've gotten with the slingshot," Mat adds.
"And how I can make Miss Eda's recipe on my own now," Ayla agrees.
"Ayla! Mat! Time for school!" Katherine calls from the house.
"Coming, Mother," Mat hollers back.
Tiffany and Fiona enter the room they had been in previously, each holding their list inconspiciously in one hand.
Arer is there, as well as a few figures in the shadows near the back of the room. Bor and Vriré had been notified when Tiffany and Fiona tripped the wards at the entrace, and Cydwenn had been called for. Ingvil is standing unnoticed against the right wall.
"Have you brought the information we requested?" Arer asks.
"Yes," Tiffany replies, masking her nervousness.
"Hand them to me," Arer replies, stepping forward, hand outstretched. Tiffany and Fiona offer their papers, and he takes them.
Stepping back, he skims over the list of names. Tiffany and Fiona had copied the information down after they were done, ensuring it was in the correct order - most well-acqainted with to least.
Tiffany watches Arer's facial expression, trying to gauge which names he is reading. She sees his eyebrows jump from time to time, but otherwise his expression stays the same. 'I so need to learn how to do that,' Tiffany thinks inside. 'It must be something like Occlumency.'
Arer, switching to Fiona's page, skims through it even more quickly, noting that both lists are nearly identical, with a few added names on the end. He notes that Fiona left off the paper that Disa had died.
"Wait here," he tells them. "I need to discuss the results with my comrades." He turns and leaves through a door in the wall behind him. The figures in the shadows melt away, and Ingvil (still unnoticed by the two) disappears through another door, leaving Tiffany and Fiona alone.
Fiona conjures two chairs to sit on, realizing that discussing their lists will take a long while.
"Maybe they're testing our patience," Tiffany proposes.
"I imagine it would be quite necessary in a spy organization." Fiona remarks dryly. "I'm sure that Cydwenn and Bor must be quite bored sitting in the middle of nowhere, doing nothing particularly interesting."
"Cool, pun, but I doubt it will advance us any," Tiffany replies.
A few minutes later, Arer steps out of the door and beckons to them. Tiffany and Fiona rise, and Fiona dissolves the chair illusions.
Entering the next room, which is furnished like an office, Arer directs them to sit in two chairs. Tiffany mentally instructs Beorn to sit in the corner. She notes that the three chairs within the room - two occupied by her and Fiona - are situated in a triangle, making it easy for any one of the three to look at another.
Arer leaves the room, and a moment later a cloaked and hooded figure with a noticeable stoop enters the room, sitting across from them. All that can be seen behind his hood are his eyes. 'Maybe charr?' Tiffany wonders.
Arer leaves the room, and the hooded figure remains silent for a moment.
"You may call me Vanti," he says at last.
Fiona's forhead creases in puzzlement. His voice seems familiar, but she can't place it.
"I am Tiffany," Tiffany says in forced calm.
"Fiona."
"I know your names," Vanti says, looking hard at first Fiona, then Tiffany. "I would like you to answer some questions."
"You can ask, but do not be surprised if we do not answer," Tiffany replies, her nerves high-strung.
"A wary individual," Vanti remarks as if to himself. It alerts Tiffany to the fact that this whole conversation could be a test. Speaking louder, he adds, "You know some curious people. I am left wondering if you know a few other certain persons."
Tiffany remains silent, her expression telling Fiona not to say anything.
"Captain Logan Thackeray, of the Seraph of Kryta," Vanti says, tapping a sheet of paper before him. It is not the paper Tiffany or Fiona turned in.
Tiffany tries to see it, but cannot, due to the awkward height alignment of the desk and her chair.
"A staunch guardian, both professionally and of the human Queen, Jennah," Vanti continues. "A member of Destiny's Edge, he confronted several of Jormag's champions and the dragon prophet Glint, before the group confronted Kralkatorrik, the Elder Crystal Dragon itself. He was seen in Ebonhawke with Jennah at that time, however, leading to the belief that he was not with Destiny's Edge while they confronted the Elder Dragon. Labeled as 'good friend' by Tiffany and Fiona Smith."
Vanti pauses and shuffles through some more papers. "Caithe, Firstborn of the sylvari race," he begins. "Born in the Cycle of Night, a thief by profession. Lover of Faolain, another Firstborn. Member and scout of Destiny's Edge, she confronted several of Jormag's champions and the dragon prophet Glint, before the group confronted Kralkatorrik, the Elder Crystal Dragon itself. Labeled as 'tentative friend' by Tiffany and Fiona Smith."
Vanti lays the two papers side-by-side. "Both people were members of Destiny's Edge," he says, looking at the two contemplatively. "Neither have much contact with each other. How could you know both without having three others on the list? Namely..." Vanti glances through his papers again, extracting three from the pile.
"Zojja, former apprentice of the certified genius Snaff. Organizer of the Snaff Savant prize each year. Stiff rivals with Kudu, an Inquest leader. Member of Destiny's Edge. And all the other stuff I already said," Vanti says, laying the paper down. "Tribune Rytlock Brimstone, of the Blood Legion of the charr Legions of Ascalon. Rather small for his race, but ferocious as any charr twice his size. Member of Destiny's Edge. And the rest." Next paper, and Tiffany already knows (roughly) what is on that paper. "Eir Stegalkin, renowned hero of the norn. Attempted to slay one of Jormag's champions, before founding Destiny's Edge. Since an argument five years ago, has stayed in Hoelbrak carving statues."
Vanti places the papers down. "Those three," he says in a speculative tone. "You know Caithe and Thackeray, why don't you know Stegalkin, Brimstone, and Zojja?"
"Caithe called a meeting of Destiny's Edge a short time ago," Tiffany begins cautiously. "L - Captain Thackeray invited us along with him. We were introduced to Caithe, before the rest showed up. Before we were introduced, a heated argument sprang up."
"We would have put them on the list, but we were never introduced," Fiona adds. "We don't know them."
Vanti nods slowly, consideringly. Straightening up some, he delicately extracts another paper.
"Disa Jokasdottir, of Travelen's steading in Snowslide Ravine, friend of the local quaggans of Falooaloo, died..." Vanti's voice wavers just a bit before firming, "...late on the eve of the eighty-eighth day of the Zephyr season, thirteen twenty-five, by the Ice Dragon's corruption."
There is a frown in Fiona's face.
"How do you know Jokasdottir?" Vanti asks firmly.
"I met her yesterday, and she showed me to Falooaloo." Fiona says. "Tiffany was not with me at the time."
"What do you know of her death?"
"She was injured by Icebrood weapons. She was dilirious and unheeding of my pleas to keep quiet lest it return. She was calling for a quaggan by the name of Oola, who had been corrupted as well. Orinoo noticed the wounds she had, which I thought were poisoned, to be what he called 'bad ice', which I know is dragon corruption. Noticing several Icebrood approaching, and knowing that once the corruption process is started, there is nothing anyone can do to reverse it, I backed off. When the Icebrood resumed attacking her, I tried to save her, but she calmed and stopped calling out. Her skin was covered over with ice now, and so I fought the other Icebrood off, before trying to get her to respond to me. She just stood there twitching as the corruption enhanced. I..." Fiona trails off, staring at her hands folded in her lap. Tiffany winces in sympathy.
"It is... good to know you can do what needs to be done," Vanti says with an effort. He shakes his head, and shuffles through the papers again.
"Whispers Agent Ihan, temporary acquaintance," he says. "Directed several missions in response to a Risen threat in the form of a corrupted human Seraph officer named Kellach. Authorized by Tiffany and Fiona Tassof."
Tiffany and Fiona glance at each other.
"As reported by Agent Ihan, Tiffany is a ranger by profession, most commonly found with her animal companion, a bear named Beorn." Vanti glances at Beorn, still sitting a corner, meaningfully, before continueing. "Fiona is a mesmer by profession. The two, sisters (possibly twins), live in the Salma District of Divinity's Reach, Advocate of the Crown in dealing with Kellach. Tiffany Tassof joined the Vigil, and Fiona Tassof joined the Durmand Priory, although both were offered Whispers initiation. Tiffany exploded once about inter-Order unity."
Tiffany glances at Fiona, telling her to stay quiet.
"So, Tiffany Tassof," Vanti says sternly. "Why did you introduce yourself as Smith?"
"Reflex," Tiffany answers honestly.
"And you went along with this?" Vanti asks, turning to Fiona.
"She'll give an odd last name occasionally. Generally when she is being cautious..." Fiona pauses for a moment. "It's general practice not to give two last names when we're sisters and anyone can see it," she finishes after a moment.
Vanti nods slowly. "What are your offensive capabilities? What sorts of things have you defeated?"
"A gigantic earth elemental," Tiffany volunteers. "A lot of Separatists and Renegades. Tons of centaurs. We were responsible for keeping the bandit numbers down in western Kryta for the last couple months."
"Dredge," Fiona adds. "Some Risen. One or two Icebrood. We haven't gotten into any really big fights, but we can hold our own easily. Tiffany once took on an entire cave full of trained bandits."
"With twenty of your illusions to help," Tiffany retorts.
"I was sitting uselessly in a corner. You were decimating - "
"No need to argue," Vanti says, holding up a hand. "I understand how it is. Your recommendors have been called."
Vanti rearranges the papers on the desk before leaving the room.
Tiffany glances at Fiona. "Our cover has been blown," she shrugs. "Oh well. Should we inform them about Deborah and - "
"Let us not. Or they will research us even more trying to discover what we were trying to hide - nothing - and neither of us what Whispers probing our lives. Who knows what they would discover? A little personality shift? An occasional thing we knew that we were never told?"
"Right," Tiffany replies. "Also, let's stop speaking Shilgni. Or at least Tyrian-based Shilgni. They can probably decipher it eventually."
Arer reenters the room, seating himself at the table that Vanti just vacated. "You," he says, looking at Tiffany. "Have listed Vigil Crusader Hiroki as 'temporary acquaintance, ally'. You also have Forgal Kernsson - Warmaster of the Vigil - listed as mentor. You have admitted to being Tiffany Tassof, a Crusader of the Vigil." Turning to Fiona, he says, "You have listed Priory Scholar Josir as 'temporary acquaintance, ally'. You also have Sieran - Magister of the Priory - listed as mentor. You have admitted to being Fiona Tassof, Scholar of the Priory."
Tiffany and Fiona remain silent.
"Yet you both wish to join the Order of Whispers. Why?"
"So we have more resources," Tiffany replies. "If we had joined the Order when offered by Agent Ihan, we would have been wholly incapable, then, of joining the Vigil and/or Priory. However, the Order of Whispers understands keeping options open and information. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you have already infiltrated those two Orders. Knowledge is power."
Arer's face remains impassive. "You will travel to the Shiverpeaks, to a lake. It has no name, but within it is located a village of quaggan, known as Falooaloo. Go there and fight Icebrood. This is an open-ended request. Return when the sun is a hand above the horizon today, and report your doings. There is no set amount of Icebrood to kill. If you don't feel like killing Icebrood, don't. If you feel like doing something else instead, do it. If you don't feel like going to the Shiverpeaks at all, don't. Going there is only a preference of the Order. You are being tested in more ways than you know, so act naturally. If you don't, the test will most likely fail. Go."
Arer leaves the room.
Tiffany and Fiona leave the way they came, going to the Shiverpeaks. Fiona leads the way to Falooaloo. "We were coming here anyway," Fiona remarks. "I told Varonos Narrijoo I, at least, would."
Author's Notes:
Not much action, is there? Don't worry, it'll be in the next chapter. (Possibly from Vriré's PoV.)