As she leaned against a familiar wooden backrest, Aislynn could only think one thing: It's good to be back.
Whilst it wasn't as homely as the camp at Meltridge, Falconclaw was a familiar sight for the dream mage. The inns were always well furnished; a result of the town's trade connections. The people were agreeable as well, if a little eager for haggling. The town's packed layout was also to Aislynn's liking; in the rare event some trouble was had with the local guard, an alleyway escape was only a few paces away. Since the rebellion's start, Aislynn could only recall a single time that happened, though.
That in itself was a wonder, considering Falconclaw's importance. Built next to a series of waterfalls and maintaining a collection of canal-locks, Falconclaw was a key hub for Demacian trade. As it was founded by an old Crownguard, the town was protected by contingents from the lord of High Silvermere itself. Said contingents found safe bastion not only behind Falconclaw's walls, but also the small military outpost built at the cliff's edge. In short, it was a daunting challenge. At the rebellion's start, Falconclaw hadn't even been on their radar. It was far too risky a target, and even if they somehow managed to capture it a vengeful host would've no doubt ridden from High Silvermere. It would've been a massacre; even Sylas recognised that.
Yet, all it took for that the rebel's opinions to change was a single sympathiser; the owner of a local tavern. Aislynn herself was the one to discover that diamond in the rough after escaping a mageseeker raid. Even then, Aislynn had thought little of the tavern keeper's generosity, only thanking her for the singular act. Yet soon after, she and many other mages would frequent The Perch, giving generous tips to the tavern's owner. Of course, the barkeep gave their own tips in turn.
But whilst their host's hints were appreciated, they often served as dressing. With crowds of merchants and soldiers sitting around, a skilled spy could come out of The Perch with a full feast of information. Quite a few times Aislynn's ears had caught hints of troop deployments, not to mention vague impressions of public opinion. Even excluding the info she'd gleamed which led to raids on nobles, she'd done much good in Falconclaw.
Out of those dark woods, back in these secluded corners, where I can actually be useful, Aislynn couldn't help but chuckle, Good to be back indeed.
Unless it was the woods around Meltridge that she damn near knew like the back of her hand, Aislynn wanted nothing to do with those glorified hunting grounds. The wild forests could go to hell. The cacophony of conversation, the pitch-black back alleys... urban infiltration was more her thing. As such, she knew a few tricks for the practice.
Namely, that when combined with a reclusive corner, one could converse on any topic with little concern of springing alarms.
"So… Xander?"
"Yeah?"
"You wanna tell me the real reason why you went through the northern gate? As opposed to, I dunno, the easy gate that was right on our path?"
Xander's chuckle was muffled by his bitter drink, and he soon fell victim to a coughing fit. Despite that, a glint of amused embarrassment was still visible in the Left Hand of Noxus' eyes.
After clearing his throat, Xander explained, "Well... I may have stolen from the local market here once."
"What?" Aislynn blinked, then narrowed her eyes, "I thought you were set up as a noble's heir. When was this?"
"About… I want to say about six years ago, when I was on the run. But I don't recall specifics," Xander shrugged, "And no, I don't feel ashamed of it."
A disinterested chortle left Aislynn's throat, "I wouldn't expect you to? We're… well. Can't exactly walk into a market normally anymore. Even here. I'm sure you did what you had to do."
And ain't that a theme with you, the dream mage internally added.
The Left Hand of Noxus nodded, accepting the statement before accepting their supper from an oncoming waitress. After paying and adding a tip of a silver coin, Xander waited for the waitress to leave earshot, then addressed Aislynn with a question of his own.
"Even here... wouldn't have thought one of the Crownguards' best land holdings would be a mage bastion," the Left Hand mused, "But then again it's not like a mage sympathiser would be out in the open. Is this place our hideout, then?"
"Not likely," Aislynn answered, "Sy always wanted to be on the move; how many steps ahead of the Mageseekers we were, it was always better than none."
"A sudden sting operation would've been a death knell that early on into the revelation," Xander noted.
"Indeed. Because of that risk, for the first month or so we didn't stay in one place," Aislynn sipped from her drink before trailing on, "But, as time passed and we got more recruits and stole more gear, well... we'd need a place to keep them all, right? So, Sy recalled some hidden locales from his time with the seekers, and we made multiple hideouts out of those locales."
"Multiple locales, and I imagine the rebellion only makes use of a few of them at a time?"
"Yep, and on the outside as we are, it'd be hard to tell which ones Sy's stewards are situated at," Aislynn explained, "Now, whilst we could roll the dice and check out some of those hideouts, checking in here would be more efficient."
"Because...?"
"The Perch's been a key cog in the rebel spy network, thanks to their sympathies. We got relatively safe access to vital information here. Given we got discounted for our meal, I take it we still do."
"We got discounted?"
"Yes. But, this isn't Earth: we can't just get a text from a sympathiser. Someone has to come here and get that info."
"And that someone will know which hideout Sy's buddies are using," Xander deduced, "Huh. Damn shame we can't just ask the owner, though."
"She's busy, sadly. And, well, I'd rather not throw her under the bus if we get caught," Aislynn admitted, "If we get caught without her knowing, she can deny being involved."
"Fair enough..." the Left Hand sighed, "And now we wait."
"And now we wait," Aislynn confirmed, pausing to take a sip from her mug before noting, "It shouldn't take too long, though, assuming things are roughly like how I left them. And, of course, there's lots to do around here if you get bored. For one, assuming they haven't patched it up, we've got back door access to the local outpost. Quite a few of our army tents were stolen from here. We could try for more."
Xander sipped from his mug, winced at the bitter drink (The Perch, despite its quality wine, brandy, and cider, only seemed to have terrible beer in stock) then replied, "Ask that again in two days time... though honestly I think we've done enough with now, what with the shitstorm brewing north. No need to distract from the distraction."
"Fair enough," Aislynn paused for a moment, taking a few bites from her supper before continuing the conversation, "... say... I'm curious; what were you doing up here?"
"Just making ends meet after I got caught for the second time," Xander drank from his mug, winced again briefly, then explained, "First time was when I ditched the royals, almost eight years ago. That was during an autumn holiday. After running I stuck around Jandelle; a kind old farmer and his wife took me in; assumed from how shitty I looked that I was some orphan from the city."
"Which you technically were," Aislynn mused, "How'd they find out you were... gifted?"
"The old man was a veteran who'd fought against mages in his service. He recognised my slight glow when I was having a dream nap," Xander recalled, "Also caught on after seeing me in his dreams. First time I just blamed it on his stress but... well, you know."
"So there was a time when you weren't subtle... wait."
"Hah, I can be plenty subtle when I want to," Xander chuckled, "Anyways, he called the seekers on me when they found out, though."
"Not very kind, then," Aislynn frowned, "Eight years... you were on the run that long?"
"The first year was the worst," a bittersweet smile spread on Xander's face, "First week especially; nearly starved. But by the first month I had shelter and a job, and as it turns out hiding your... gifts, shall we say, is a lot easier when you don't have the... a hunter as a neighbour."
"You still got found out though," Aislynn noted, "And, you were betrayed. I mean, I assume you'd gotten to know each other well, right?"
"Yep. He was a good man. I mean, hell: that he only reported me after what he'd been put through shows me that," Xander chuckled, "He was useful too. Besides keeping my spear skills sharp, peaking in his dreams saved my ass during the Argent Campaign; of all the warhosts I've seen, the Comets always were the loudest."
"Did you serve with this war host after the fact?"
"A couple joint ops, yeah," Xander shrugged, "On one hand no hard feelings, the other hand knocked'em out in a 'friendly spar' though. Made up later, so all's well that ends well... Fun times."
"...I'll disagree with your assessment of that old man..." Aislynn crossed her arms, sipped from her mug of beer, and felt her grimace deepen, "... Do you always look for the best in people?"
"For this op it's necessary," the Left Hand of Noxus grinned, "I'm trying to stop our, er, local lead from going on a rampage. I mean, if I can assume he'd have best intent, why not average citizens steeped in years of culture?"
You're not wrong, but...
At the mention of Sylas, Aislynn's mind wandered. Curiously, it went not to the wrathful image she'd enlightened herself to before she made her leave; instead, it went to the caring, comforting character she'd been reminded of so recently. Sylas might've hated the Crown with enough fury to melt steel, but he held compassion for his fellow mage brother and sister in near equal amount.
No, you're not wrong period. If you were, we wouldn't be here in Falconclaw; Sylas would've refused any non-mage's aid in that case. Though speaking of, it's not as hard as you make it out to be for Sylas.
The thought of Sylas' comfort brought another memory to The eye of Aislynn's mind. Her gaze hardened as it focused on Xander again.
For her though...
"Mmm," Aislynn sipped again as her glare intensified, "Does that include a certain psycho we ran into?"
Xander's grin faded, no doubt catching on, "... ah. Heh, well, straight to the point, huh?"
"I'm waiting for an answer."
"Well... you could wait a century and not get a good one, I'm afraid. At least, to the real question you're asking."
"Well, let's start there then," Aislynn leaned against the table, boring into Xander with her gaze, "Why stop me? It wasn't real. Why bother?"
Xander opened his mouth to reply, but only an abashed whine and awkward chuckle left it. Shrinking into his seat as he downed his drink, the Left Hand sent an uncharacteristic look of shame Aislynn's way. The rebel didn't let up, her stare sharpening like a sword on a whetstone; the reflection of torchlight flickered like cinders. Eventually, Aislynn won out, and Xander dejectedly put his mug down.
"It... was a gut reaction," Xander shrugged, "Now, I wouldn't protect Vayne from you; if it came down to that point it'd either be necessary, or I wouldn't be there to protect her. If she has to, then-"
"It's not her. It's me, then," Aislynn deduced, "Here I thought you approved of my not being a pacifist anymore."
"Well I do... partly..." Xander rested his head in a hand, grimacing, "It's good to get it out of the way... but I dunno, something about it being that specific scenario... didn't sit right with me. So I just... did what I did."
"What an explanation," Aislynn frowned, "So, what? I'm just supposed to sit on the sidelines whilst you and the rest do the dirty work? That's not how this'll go; whether you like it or not, I'm as much a part of this as much as you are, and I'll do what I need to."
"I know... I know, just..." Xander sighed before regaining his center and matching Aislynn's gaze, "You didn't need that sword."
"I didn't?" Aislynn's eyebrows furrowed, "What else would I have used?"
"How about nothing at all? It was a dream; she couldn't have hurt you if you didn't want it," Even despite his point, Xander sighed, "Look... I'm all for you joining the fight and not just being in the supporting role... but we have enough people motivated by grudges around. That line of thinking will just fuck everyone in the long run, and we need at least one respectable person leading the charge..."
Aislynn's gaze shifted momentarily before she shot back another question, "... are you saying this for my sake or because you need some political figurehead?"
"... As much as I care for you specifically to not end up like me, I'd be lying if I said politics didn't influence this in some part," Xander sighed, "But that wasn't my choice to make. I'm sorry. I... I shouldn't have taken that choice from you. Especially when, as you say, it was just a dream..."
Xander didn't speak further, instead dejectedly taking his supper. But, he'd said all he needed to. As Aislynn followed suit, the taste of salted bread barely registered. Doubt and regret sunk their fangs, however shallow the wounds.
Aislynn sighed before finally musing, "What a depressing topic for supper."
Xander snorted, "Maybe next time, when the alcohol doesn't make you sober by its taste."
Aislynn nodded quietly, taking a bite from her bread loaf before admitting, "... If it were real, what you did with her... it would've probably been for the best. Next time, though, don't interfere at the last minute. And don't be coy on the sidelines about the problem. Just break it to me straight."
"Hm," a slight grin broke across Xander's face, "Yes ma'am."
Aislynn's face mirrored her fellow dream mage's as they finished their meal quickly.
After washing down her last mouthful of bread with a gulp of cider, Aislynn continued where they left off, "You didn't answer my first question. Do you think she can be changed for the better?"
"It's... hard to say," Xander shrugged, "Everything points to no. I mean, sure she has as good a reason to hate magic as you could get, but she's definitely fell off the deep end. Kills mages for fun; she's definitely dehumanised us in her mind. And... well, really it's just the fun part that's worrisome. Definitely some psycho in there."
"...but?"
"She may agree that her killing and hunting can be cruel, but she ultimately still believes herself a hero," the Left Hand of Noxus noted, "She's either deluded herself into thinking she's morally exceptional or believes her terrible acts are necessary evils. Dunno which would be worse."
Aislynn grimaced, "Shit... and you somehow won't just default to... ahem, dealing with her?"
Xander smirked, "Last resort's called that for a reason. And besides... I'm here not to kill; I'm here to prove other people wrong. All that requires is someone to believe in something that can be proven false. And Vayne, for all her craziness, has something she believes. Something that, I think, can be proven false quite easily."
"So you'll just prove her wrong?"
"I'll prove them all wrong," Xander's smile widened, "And that should be enough. I mean, this is a country of heroes. Everyone in the guard thinks justice shines out their ass, and that they're genuinely in the right. Turn that on its head, though? Show them for the villains they're being? Show them that their entire basis for morality is mistaken? Their resistance will crumble at that point... at least, the redeemable ones. I'll admit Vayne's a bit of a long shot, but I don't think she's so different that my plan won't affect her. Her ego flaring up at killing another monster is only so different from, say, Garen being all self-righteous about doing the same thing."
"So, a particularly concentrated psychological warfare campaign... good luck with doing that for someone like Vayne, but..." Aislynn chuckled, half amused and half disturbed, "You really got into that. Is that where you're coming from whenever you say you're a monster? Cos I can kinda see it."
"I aim to please," came Xander's snide reply.
"Right..." Aislynn slowly sipped at the last of her drink, hiding her wince at the Left Hand's pride. After a pause, she switched the subject, "... Say... you mentioned getting caught three times. Third family also hate us?"
"No, actually they didn't " a softer smile spread on Xander's face, "Third one was at some farmstead at the top of the Ironfork Rivers. Unlike the second family, they weren't ex-military, so they couldn't have kicked me out if they wanted. But, well, they didn't want to. They saw me as the hardworking lad who showed up the month prior looking for a home, and let me be. As long as I didn't bother anyone and was actively helping the community..."
"If only the rest of the country had their sense," Aislynn chuckled, "So, since you lucked out with them, how was it that you actually got caught?"
"Just an actual seeker patrol, and my paranoia," the Left Hand admitted, "They were just looking to stop by, as it turned out. If I hadn't been nosy with my magic..."
Xander sighed, "Hope they made it out of that..."
"Nobody recognised you in my sect; maybe they met some of Sy's people?"
"Maybe," Xander leaned against his chair and glanced to the rest of the inn, "Anyway... Speaking of, any progress there?"
"I've seen nobody, so unless it's a new recruit we've still got time."
"Damn shame. Ah well, it's not like we don't have an abundance of gossip to eavesdrop on..." as the Left Hand mused, his eyes flared in recognition, "Or memories to recount. Say, how often did you come here?"
"How often..." for a brief moment, Aislynn narrowed her eyes, confused at the question. She shrugged off the issue and replied, "I'd say it was a second home, but as I said; we didn't really have a home number one."
"That often? So people really came here often then?"
"Not as much as you think. Most of the time I was here was just... making quick cash singing," Aislynn smiled widely, speaking by that action more than with words, "Though still, if I wasn't at Sy's side coordinating everything that wasn't offensive, I was most likely here."
"And people knew to look for you here?"
"How'd you think I came up with this plan? Given how many times I played the guide for... hell, all of them, basically, I'd hope they'll return the favour... if they show up; that is," the suspicion from before rose in Aislynn again, prompting her to ask, "You want me to talk about them?"
The dream mage immediately realised her suspicion had shone on her face: the Left Hand nodded with a smirk, "What can I say, I've always been a nosy person. And hell, I've a better view of the gate here. If one of your buddies shows up, I'd be able to identify them. If I knew what to look for, that is..."
"If you could identify them from a basic description, then this revolution would've ended a week in..." Aislynn first spoke with aversion, but a grin broke the ice, "Well, not really; I doubt anyone who decided to join Sy could pull such a 180. But hell. If you have nothing but depressing subject matters, I might as well bring up something positive."
Xander's lips twitched, but he didn't speak; it seemed to Aislynn he had some smart-ass way to make her topic choice negative, but decided against it.
"You want me to talk, then just keep quiet," Aislynn chuckled, rolling her eyes knowingly before continuing, "So, my old buddies..."
Aislynn fought a grimace as she caught on to undoubtedly what Xander figured; it wasn't as though her relations with those buddies was close anymore.
Hope that changes...
"... Well, there's actually one who has a rather distinct identifier," Aislynn recalled with a grin, "Man named Clyde. Good guy, one of the more innocent guys who didn't join me. Nobody would have a bad thought about him at all... if not for the fact that his eyes were so. Damn. Blue."
"Blue? Like, what-"
"They near glowed all the time!" Aislynn's smile was wide in recollection, "I mean, it's crazy he didn't get caught half his missions. If there ever was an obvious mage..."
"So blue eyes..." Xander mused, "Water?"
"No, he was a firebender- no, of course he used water," Aislynn jested, "Yeah, anyone with a brain could probably figure it out. So, that made it a bit of a pain to keep him incognito in the field. If not for the fact that he was also one of our more... capable men, he'd probably have just been assigned guard duty for the travelling camp."
"So a walking flood if he so felt, with about as much subtly as such," Xander summed up, "Well, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for that."
"It's about the only thing you'll be able to look out for," Aislynn repeated before falling silent in thought again. Her summed up Clyde's usual job before continuing to the next introduction, "So that's Clyde... he leads raids along the Ironfork and Bay of Sentinels, or at least that was what he did. I imagine he could've taken a greater leadership role after I left... never mind Sylas' leaving. But then again, so could've Keren. She's-"
"Bossy? Speaks in ultimatums?" Xander interjected with a smirk.
"No, actually, she's-" Aislynn paused, realizing the Left Hand's jest, "It's K-E-R-E-N, you dumbass. God, you think I'd be speaking respectfully if she did personify the Karen stereotype?"
"I suppose it would be ironic if a Karen became the rebel manager," Xander chuckled, "So, this Keren. What does she do?"
"She and her brother are lead... watchers for Southern Demacia," Aislynn answered, "I had the east when I wasn't advising Sy, and whilst my closeness with Sy made me de facto leader, she had a lot of good ideas. Some, like meeting somewhere like here every other month, weren't really doable, but... well, I imagine if we had phones we could've scheduled something like that."
"A common thought I've had with my own buddies," Xander mused, "So, what's her specialty?"
"That's the one asterisk to this all; she doesn't have one," Aislynn smiled as she mentally catalogued the look of shock Xander gave her. She then explained , "She's in the rebellion cos her brother's a fire mage. Not even a particularly powerful one; all Ullard can really manage is smoke. Needless to say, she finds the Law of Stone a load of BS... good to have people like her."
"Good indeed," Xander conceded, "But, I'll just assume its a bit of a stretch for a regular person to lead this rebellion."
"On one hand I get where you're coming from, but on the other hand I think it'd be great if a non-mage led us. If anything would show unity between us, well, that's a decent example, isn't it?" Aislynn proposed, "Also Keren gets my vote cos she's actually a very sensible and decisive person. She'd definitely be better than... say, Happ. Nice guy, but he's basically just following Sy. Not to mention our raiding leaders, of which only a handful are like Cyrus - which is to say, respectable. A lot are... well, not terrible, but-"
"-But they're just Sy Lite."
"Sy Lite," Aislynn chuckled, "That's... just it. That's exactly it."
The smile on the dream mage slipped off her face quickly. Aislynn's mind ran through a list of names with a grimace, noting with distaste how many leaders in the rebellion would've gladly taken that title.
Heron definetely, and God and the Protector and every deity ever make sure that never happens, please... Aeson's a bit of a tool, but he's not terrible. Filip wouldn't be bad either, but we'd probably get stuck south...
Wow. Larissa would actually be the best of the raiders to take Sylas' place? I mean, I guess if nothing else, but...
Well, maybe she'd be better than Sylas is, but now we'll never know. Tough luck.
"... In any case, that won't be the problem since we've brought the original back home," Aislynn concluded, "Guess the real best we can hope for is we can steer him along to a better path."
"Assuming he doesn't try to execute me before hand? I'll cheer to that..." Xander made to drink, but found his mug empty, "Ah, right. Say, let's continue later; I'll first try to get better drinks. Should buy us an excuse to stick around. Any recommendations?"
"My cider ain't bad," Aislynn answered, "The spiced red wine is also pretty good; Sylas decided to let us splurge for once and buy a bottle after a particularly successful raid."
"Maybe I'll get two then," Xander mused, "One for now, then for the road."
"Won't it cost you?"
"As you say, nobleman's heir."
With that, Xander walked off to the counter. Left alone, Aislynn leaned against her chair and closed her eyes, emptying her mind momentarily with a content sigh. When the dream mage's eyes opened, they radiated focus. That was despite vision not being the sense Aislynn employed at all. Through the haze of words, Aislynn focused on those coming from two tables to her right. In their own secluded corner of the inn sat three men in unassuming dirty shirts, but each wore the same blue pants and brown boots.
Alright boys, what do you have for me?
"... this'll probably be our last drink for a while," one muttered grimly.
"What? Why?" Another asked, "Has something happened?"
"Yeah. Hasn't been released to the public yet, but Aron's Defiance has fallen," the first time explained, "Some Freljordians hit it hard, and the mageseekers pulled out in a hurry. The King's sent a small army north to deal with it under guise of mage presence, but it could get a lot worse."
"First the demon at the capital and now this?" The third finally spoke, "Whole kingdom's going to hell... Protector save us."
"She hasn't shown yet, so until then we'll have to step up," the first sighed, "Which means we'll likely get assigned to some backwater far from good drink."
"Well, they'd have to keep some of us in town," the third hoped aloud, "The mages are still out there, and you can bet they'll try some funny business."
"Somehow between demons and barbarians I think they'll be sensible," the first mused, "They're afflicted, but they're still Demacian. Has to count for something, right?"
"If I had to choose between a Freljordian or a mage I'd rather not choose at all," the third all but growled, "Can't trust them. Maybe we'd fight together a bit, but when those barbarians are back up north you bet you'll get bonfire shoved up your arse."
"You'd like that wouldn't you?" The second jested, and was met with some scuffle, "Ey! Come off it!"
"Dick head. As if you weren't the one who thought that Jarro Lightfeather was a woman!"
"He was a lithe individual with a handsome face! And I thought he was a woman from afar! Up close it was obvious!"
"Yeah, yeah, keep talking."
"Now now gentlemen, what was it said?" The first interjected, "Last drink for a bit. So let's not waste it giving each other concussions eh?"
The soldiers' discussion petered out soon after, descending into a pointless exchange of gossip. Aislynn was far from dissatisfied, though. Just what they'd revealed have her much to consider.
An army's coming north... assuming we can get pass it, that gives us plenty of opportunities. Meltridge may see less soldiers, meaning we might be able to expand. More recon, better connections... maybe set up safe houses as well, just in case. But where...
We'd need to know where this army came from. Vakasia? Wrenwall? Uwendale? The capital? Dawnhold's far from the warfronts, maybe the reserve's from there?
The sound of wood scratching snapped Aislynn out of her thoughts. The dreaming rebel smiled to welcome Xander only to frown at seeing him not with two filled mugs of beer, but an elaborate tray with three filled shot glasses. The Left Hand didn't take his seat first, taking a chair from a vacant table before doing so.
"The bar's not on fire, so I guess it's not too bad," Aislynn remarked, "So, what's the issue?"
Xander took a single glass and downed it before replying, "The last two are yours. If I may divert your attention to the front counter..."
"... oh."
Aislynn didn't know how she missed it. A thick coat covered the newcomer's frame, and a hood pulled over her mouth hid her head near entirely. But, those black eyes glaring at her... there wasn't any mistaking it.
... guess those relations have indeed soured.
"I've already paid. She'll meet us when we're done; told her to do so at the alley behind the inn, where we should have some privacy," Xander explained, catching Aislynn's attention, "So, do you mind introducing me before we go?"
Aislynn downed her shots swiftly as she stood, "There'll be plenty of time for that..."
I'll have a lot to answer for, after ... won't see it my way, but... The dream mage shook her head in a vain attempt to distance herself from her guilt, Have to face it head on.
Aislynn stepped forward with as much resolution as she could muster.
"Let's go."
Well. Guess I'm not the only one...
Xander narrowed his eyes in curiosity, but didn't speak further. Clearly Aislynn had some unresolved issue with the newcomer, but it wasn't his place to comment on it. He had his own issues on his plate; no need to add anymore.
After the Left Hand deposited a hefty tip for the bartender, the two mages crossed the inn entrance and stepped onto Falconclaw's Main Street. It was a bit of an eyesore; the stone road glinted orange from the setting sun, but the shadows created by the city patrons strolling to and fro made identifying anything a pain. If not for his experience dealing with such conditions in hunts, Xander doubted he'd have noticed the newcomer standing on the opposite side of the street.
The opposite side...
"That's..." Xander squinted, "But she nodded when I told her we'd meet behind the inn. Aislynn, is there a secret passa-"
Before Xander finished the question, the dark eyes faded from view. Their accompanying coat flickered in the sunset scene before disappearing down an alleyway.
"She's running?!" Aislynn gave voice for the question in Xander's head before leaving the Left Hand in the dust.
The dream-mage rebel ran with surprising speed, blitzing past confused traders and travellers. Xander had barely caught up with her when she stopped by where the dark eyes had watched. Before the Left Hand could ask a question of his own, Aislynn turned on a swivel with a growl, then continued her pursuit.
She didn't stop, only calling as she ran, "She's headed for the sewers!"
The sewers?
Xander brushed the thought aside as he followed. Vaguely familiar streets and shadowed alleyways zoomed past as the two dream mages pursued. Past trader's hauls and mini-canals Aislynn ran and leapt, not missing a single step. Frustratingly, even fences had to be passed by. As Xander trailed behind Aislynn, he noted a silver-covered head in his periphery turn at the sight. He stopped in his tracks, covered by shadow and unnoticed by the guards... but Aislynn continued, not caring for anything else.
The Left Hand glanced around him, noting the narrow walls of the alley he stood by.
Well, not my first pursuit.
It only took the slightest hemomancy boost to strengthen his muscles for the ascent. Xander rose up the alley, bouncing from one wall to the other before pulling himself up a roof. A brief glance down gave the Left Hand not only visual of Aislynn, but also the runaway mage. He could only growl.
They're nearing the city walls!
And yet, Xander followed. Bounding over rooftops wasn't too difficult; hemomancy-strengthened muscles made the jumps trivial, and his experience in Noxus only made the experience easier. Yet, still, Xander grimaced with concern.
Why'd the new mage run?
As the mages neared the sewage center, Xander returned to ground level. The floor he rolled down was faintly wet, as opposed to the dryer stones of the inner town. It was a slight inconvenience, but nothing compared to the aerial shortcut Xander had to take. The Left Hand deftly turned a corner, sighing with minor effort as he finally caught up.
From his position behind Aislynn, Xander found a closer look of the new mage. She seemed to be ex-military. If the sword in her hand hadn't given it away, the raven-haired mage's eyes would've told Xander all he needed to know. There was an odd fear in her glare, along with some rage, but there was a distinct focus to it well. It was the look of someone who was fighting for their lives. She'd seen battle, and wouldn't hesitate or lose her cool in a fight.
But why is she so tense?
As Xander attempted to make sense of the question, Aislynn raised a hopeful voice, "L-Larissa... it's good to see yo-"
A heavy crack echoed around the junction as cobbled stone detached from the streets. Floating in the air with a faint aura of violet magic and dust, they surrounded the dream mages. Furthermore, their sharpened points levelled themselves their way.
"Wait, Larissa, stop-"
"You... you truly are shameless, aren't you?" the reply came with a voice shaking with what seemed like raw fury..., "First abandoning us, now this?"
Aislynn's own voice shook with fear, "N-now what?"
Now this... now... what?!
Perhaps in another time he'd find it hilarious, but humor wasn't what struck Xander. Instead, the Left Hand stepped in front of Aislynn, even with confusion bubbling in him, "No, stop!"
"Why should I?" Larissa shot back; Xander noted the stones point his way, "You think I'm going to come quietly? You think I'm gonna come with you at all?
"You idiot... of all the conclusions you could've come to?! That one?" Xander shook his head and shouted back, "I'm not a mageseeker!"
Aislynn gasped behind him, then stepped forward to add her defence, "Larissa, he's not a seeker-"
"Like I'd believe that!" Larissa's eyes glowed a deep violet as she snapped, "Die, traitor!"
With their master's declaration, the rocks that surrounded the dream mages shot towards them like bullets.
They struck Xander's covering back, piercing muscle and drawing blood and pained grunts.
A spot of blood dotted Aislynn's cheek as she watched from the stone floor, fallen over from Xander's sudden shove.
And though she was horrified, as Xander channeled the power of his dripping life force, it became clear to the Left Hand that Aislynn's concern wasn't on him.
"Xander, don't-"
"Larissa, was it?"
Xander didn't pay Aislynn mind, instead growling lowly as he straightened his posture and turned to Larissa.
"Geomancer, do you see this?"
The Left Hand raised his hand, showing its pale silver contents. The graymark glowed a vague indigo; clearly too vague for Larissa to have noticed previously. But, contrasted with the red aura the Left Hand now emanated, Xander suspected it was all too obvious. Larissa's paling skin seemed to suggest the realisation.
"Perhaps you want a closer look," the Left Hand continued, before flinging the graymark her way.
The graymark, still glowing, skidded on the stone before stopping before Larissa. A tense pause filled the junction, and what remaining floating stones fell to the street with a clatter. The raven-haired mage's breath hitched before she tentatively reached down to take the stone that was flung her way.
She then flinched and dropped her sword. Not because of the petricite in her hand, but because Xander had closed the distance between them in a blur of red.
The Left Hand was vaguely aware of Aislynn crying out for him to stop, but he didn't need to heed it. He kept an iron grip on Larissa's shoulder as he leaned down to her level.
"I'm not going to kill you, but make more noise and you might get us there anyway," The Left Hand growled, "And if you do, know that I will make your last moments exquisitely painful."
The vague shape that Xander knew to be Larissa's head nodded quickly, so the Left Hand let go.
But he wasn't done; looming over the mage, the Left Hand ordered, "It seems nobody's gotten to us yet. You want to make it up to me? Get us out of here..."
Larissa nodded anxiously and silently as she backed away, retrieving her sword and sheathing it on the way. When she found her back was against the wall, the geomancer quickly turned around and channeled some of her magic into it, shifting some bricks aside.
"That'll do," Xander strode through the man-hole Larissa had excavated before calling out, "Aislynn, let's go. The guards surely won't be long."
By the sounds of steps on solid stone followed by the shifting of bricks on bricks, the Left Hand knew his orders were followed. Content, he closed his eyes and slowly breathed. The action vaguely stung, but the important part as far as Xander was concerned was the red quickly fading from his vision. He sighed.
"...What a shitshOW-"
With a pained yelp, Xander fell to his knees. The pain in his back exponentially increased, intensifying as a nightly breeze hissed against his open wounds. Black spots filled Xander's vision, not that he cared; more than what he was seeing, the Left Hand's full focus went to directing healing blood to his wounds. His skin got dried of its spilt life force, so Xander reached into his coat and broke a vial against the ground. The grass outside Falconclaw's walls remained dry, however, even as the shards of glass drew blood from a finger scratch.
With a hiss, Xander got off his knees and slowly rose. He opened his eyes only to blink again and again; he could only see shapes, not distinct images. The cover of night falling didn't help matters. Only the concerned shuffling of two of the shapes told Xander where to send a tired glare.
"Guide the way, damn it," he growled, "Don't mind me. I can heal myself."
The figures focused in Xander's vision into Larissa's nodding head and Aislynn's judging gaze. The former strode ahead, into a flurry of trees that seemed to border one of Falconclaw's entrances. The latter, even with her disappointment, stepped forward and offered a shoulder to lean on. With a blink of realisation, Xander accepted, finding that he needed it.
"What the hell did you even do when you saw her?" Aislynn eventually asked, as the tree line hid the sky.
"Well, I saw her glare at you for a solid five seconds before telling the barkeep to get you a drink. I stepped in and told her to just get shots," Xander wilted when Aislynn glared at him, subtly demanding more, "When she asked who I was, I showed my graymark, then channeled my magic into it. She clearly didn't notice that last part, though."
Aislynn frowned and looked away, clearly thinking up curses against Xander. He couldn't blame her. In hindsight, it was a stupid idea.
"I'll have words for you later," the dream-mage rebel warned, then sighed, "But for now, thanks for blocking those shots."
"Remind me to teach you hemomancy. It'll be better if we can all take some shots, rather than just me eating shit," Xander hissed, feeling his back wince again but finding some strength with it, "Fffff... Anyways. So this Larissa chick. Who is she?"
"In short, one of our stronger mages," Aislynn answered, "She always was one of our big guns; only Sylas has killed more mageseekers since the war started. If a dangerous operation wasn't being led by Sylas, most likely it was her..."
"I can tell," Xander took a deep breath and grunted as he stood on his own. He balanced on the balls of his feet for a second before stepping forward, "Guess she isn't the type of person I should want as an enemy. I should probably reconcile, right?"
"You're not the only one..." Aislynn noted. She cleared her throat before calling out, "Larissa!"
As Xander and Aislynn had spoken, the raven-haired mage had advanced quite a few paces away from them. Xander had noted a tense posture that shifted pace erratically, as wanting to flee but unsure of the viability of that plan. Aislynn's voice forced a response, though; Larissa turned stiffly to face the dream mages.
"What... what is it?" She questioned, equal parts of anxiety and anger in her eyes, "What do you want?"
"Well, I - er, we, actually - would like to apologise," Xander stepped in, "I'm sure Lynn has her own apology for her misgivings, but for me... my first impressions were poorly planned. I did not want it to happen that way."
"... Apology accepted," Larissa slowly said, "Er... I wouldn't have liked it to have happened that way either?"
"...Yeah. That's good," Xander chuckled awkwardly, then offered a hand, "The name's Xander. I go by others for secrecy, though."
"Right," Larissa took the hand cautiously, "I'm Larissa, but you already knew that..."
"Thanks to her," the raven-haired mage lightly glared at Aislynn for a moment before looking to Xander sheepishly again, "I, er... am sorry?"
"Don't be; the fault's mine," Xander assured, "Anyway... uh... what were you doing here? At Falconclaw?"
"I was looking for-" Larissa stopped herself from spilling her actual mission, whatever it was, narrowed her eyes, then rephrased, "... I was looking for my friends."
"The spies for the local region?" Xander asked. When Larissa nodded (with a more suspicious gaze), the Left Hand sighed, "Right. Well, let's just get the bad news out of the way..."
"Bad news?"
"We haven't just been wandering around the north. Well, maybe Aislynn was; she was looking for me. But after we met up, we ran into some... well, bad news," Xander sighed, then continued, "If you're looking for the three rebels spies assigned north, they're dead."
"Dead?" the fear in Larissa's eyes returned before being replaced with suspicion aimed at Aislynn, "What did you do to them?"
"Nothing, we did nothing," Xander stepped between the two mages, "Look, I can tell you two have... issues, shall we say-"
"That's putting it likely," Larissa interrupted, "And frankly, what would you know of it?"
"Well, I know Aislynn left Sylas' rebellion and took some like-minded people with her, and I know they did it because they didn't take the reverse-genocide of Demacian nobility kindly," Xander stated, "I also know you two worked closely under Sylas, so surely you would've figured that out?"
"Yes... so she didn't do it," Larissa deflated, but still remained angered. She forced her gaze away from Aislynn's direction, "... so how'd you guys know they're dead?"
"Rumours and... well, we can confirm one died in transit here. They were escorting two young mage kids from Snowset, who we managed to save," Xander explained, "As for your buddies Zalman and Moises, based on what I heard they were going after a lead on the Lover's Cult."
"They were? I told them not to waste time on that..."
"If only they listened. Now, I haven't seen the Lover's Cult for myself physically, but from what I know? If they aren't dead yet they're as good as it."
"And why should I trust..." Larissa looked to Xander again, then passed him to Aislynn, "Who the hell is this guy, Aislynn? You flinch when Sylas kills those who deserve it, but are shacking up with this blood-mage-person..."
"My name is Xander, I've already told you this," Xander couldn't help but grin, "But I think you're asking what I am, and, uh... How should I say this... you wouldn't recognise me, but you may have heard of me?"
The raven-haired mage's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Heard of you?"
"You've already traumatised her, don't torment her more with pointless hints," Aislynn muttered, stepping forward, "Larissa, you've been listening around, right? Then I take it you've heard about the attack at the Capital? Xander's him."
A blink was Xander's clue to Larissa's realisation, and the look she gave Xander only confirmed it. There was some fear still, but surprisingly no anger. Instead, there was awe, surprise, and disbelief.
"You're him... you're the Demon..." Larissa whispered, "Huh. You're actually real. Damn shame Zalman didn't run into you before... well."
"Quite," Xander's expression dropped out of respect for a moment, "Was he looking for me?"
"He thought we needed all the help we could get. I'll admit, though, I was hesitant to call on a demon's aid. Figured it'd be too troublesome or expensive," Larissa paused, "Are you a demon? I was hoping the demon thing was just the Crown's propaganda, but... what you did wasn't demonic magic, right? Was it?"
"Well... It wasn't, and I am not a demon. But I do have one in my employ," Xander admitted, "Though to be fair, my demon's a bit of an outlier; he's not going to butcher anyone unless I say so. Hell, Aislynn can attest to it."
"He's a dream demon. Because apparently there's a difference between regular demons and Xander's familiar," Aislynn commented, "In any case, he seems to have it in a tight leash. Else I wouldn't be alive... I imagine that's what Nocturne would've done if you weren't telling otherwise, right?"
"... basically. Though at this point..." Xander shook his head, "Never mind. The point's been made. Larissa?"
"I'll... take your word for it," the geomancer whistled lowly as she digested what she'd been told, "What the hells even... never mind. So, you're a mage of some kind, and you can use blood to make yourself faster and regenerate from particularly terrible wounds. You have a demon in your employ, and given your attack on the capital, I imagine you have as much of a vendetta against the crown as us, if not more so..."
Larissa glanced to Aislynn, "Lynn, What the fuck is wrong you?"
"Me?"
"Yes you, you..." Larissa's face tightened with frustration, "Never mind. I can't deal with you right now."
Aislynn attempted to defend herself, "Larissa, we- I didn't betray you-"
"But you might as well have! Near a third of the whole rebellion, gone in a day!" Larissa snapped, "And that was just that day... A third? It might as well have been half! Your little moral hiccup cost us dearly, Aislynn, and it clearly meant little to you. All that and..."
"And now you're at the point that you'd go looking for demons for help?" Xander interjected.
The raven-haired geomancer paused, "... some of us, certainly. As I said, I wasn't keen on it. I'm for people using magic, and for ending mage persecution, but not for enabling, well, actual monsters.."
"A good sentiment to have, though for the record I don't think demons are inherently evil. Their natural birth cycle... forgive me, I digress," Xander frowned, "How bad are things?"
"... It's not terrible, but it is on the edge of desperation," Larissa admitted, "The Crown's started to catch up. We knew it would get harder once they got an actual military response going, between our... ahem, sudden resource depletion and Sylas not being around to lead us, it's been... rough. Our raids aren't going as smoothly, with some failing and taking casualties outright. And, well, rebellions need to be constantly moving. At least, that's what Sylas said."
"And as it is currently, you're slowing down, hence the need for dramatic actors to shift the momentum again," Xander surmised.
"Correct... which makes it convenient that you're here," Larissa glanced to Xander, "...Why are you here?"
"Ah. Well, it's quite the story-"
"Simplify it..." Larissa groaned pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I came here hoping to unite all the anti-mageseeker forces in the country," Xander summarised, "For this rebellion to work, that's step one. I'd... well, maybe not entirely got Aislynn's sect on board before showing up here? Well, they'd have hardly gotten in the way. But I needed to meet with the original sect. Before I ran into the two mages your spy was escorting, the trail was cold. But, with Aislynn here and with you here..."
Larissa snarled, "I wouldn't hold my breath. They left us for a reason. If they can't do what needs to be done, then they'd only slow us down."
Aislynn stepped forward and attempted to speak out, but a glare from her old ally cut-off any speech the dream mage had planned.
With that interjection prevented, Larissa continued, "If you'd like to help, I'll happily accept."
Xander frowned, "And her? You won't accept her help?"
"Sylas always believed those who wait to be freed don't deserve their freedom," Larissa muttered, "If she wants-"
"If you won't accept someone's aid on the basis of a grudge, maybe you don't deserve any aid at all," the Left Hand all but threatened, "Maybe... or maybe you'll accept the help that's given your way because that help? It isn't your choice; it's the choice of the one giving it."
Larissa's gaze turned incredulous, "If she can't- won't defend herself-"
"Then put her somewhere she won't need to," Xander countered, "You rebels aren't fighting every second of everyday. You have breaks, you have other chores to attend to. Like, perhaps, caring for the wounded, or planning routes. Or, and this is an important one, keeping the army fed. Now, I've been to where Lynn and her crew are hiding, and let me tell you, they can do that. And they can do that for you and yours, if you accept them. So don't be an idiot, and let go of your grudge."
Larissa blinked, sporting an incredulous frown that seemed to fade as the geomancer digested Xander's words. After a pause, she glanced to the side, grimace still tense.
Xander softened his tone, "Look, I'm not asking you to forgive Aislynn for me. You can do that at your pace, if you'll even bother to do it at all. But, for the good of the rebellion, let me tell you; you need to work together."
Larissa didn't address Xander. To the Left Hand's displeasure, it seemed his whole second spiel had fallen on deaf ears. A frown of his own formed, and the seed of a harsher imploring formed in his mind.
It never sprouted; Larissa uprooted it by clutching the fabric of Xander's coat and pulling him to the cover of a tree trunk.
"Hey-"
"I heard you, and I'll think on it," Larissa assured, not looking at Xander as her gaze hardened into a familiar focus, "But firstly... I was half lying earlier when I said I was here to meet up with my friends."
"I figured as much," Torchlight reflected off of Larissa's eyes as Xander spoke, cluing him in to the current situation. The Left Hand pulled off Larissa's hand and glanced where she looked, "If you wanted me to take cover, you should've just asked."
Peaking through the shrubs and branches, Xander picked up the vague shine of fire. Their holders were too far to be identified, but the sound of heavy horseshoes clopping told the Left Hand that the travelers were likely noble. That, and Aislynn shrinking up and crouching behind the thickest tree trunk she could find. Glancing to the dream mage showed Xander a tense frown and a knowing nod, confirming his assumptions. Xander responded in kind, wordlessly telling the other mage to back off before crawling silently to a mossy stone slightly ahead from where they stood.
Slightly more audible shuffles told Xander that Larissa had followed, so he posed a question to her, "So, Larissa, what's your real reason for being here?"
"... I've heard reports of some loyalists heading to Falconclaw for a meeting," the geomancer answered, "I'm sure you can fill in the details."
"Well, you're solo, so I doubt this is an assassination plot. Recon, then..." the Left Hand pressed further, "Did your buddies get any more info? What am I working with here?"
"Last I heard, this convoy left the capital for Falconclaw; my men said they were to meet another group in town," Larissa whispered, "Why they're meeting here's beyond me, though, and what I'm - what we're - after."
"Gotcha..."
So they came from the Capital, or at least passed by. Wouldn't be the Crownguards; they're already north. I doubt Jarvan would leave his throne now, or maybe after the raid... no, it's too soon. If this is a response to anything, it's the mage rebellion. So who...
Shit. Technically these guys wouldn't need to be from the capital; they could've just stopped by. That means basically any loyalist not already in the north. And I haven't a clue-
Actually...
"Say, did your men figure out who these loyalists are?"
"Unfortunately no. My men only overheard a vague summary, then saw the carriage and its escort leave the capital gates," Larissa answered , "But, I cross referenced with other reports from around the kingdom to try find out who this noble's gonna meet."
"And who would that be?"
"Most likely suspect would be a shield's worth of Illuminator Knights left Brightpride last week; enough time to get to Falconclaw by tonight or tomorrow morning," Larissa chuckled bitterly, "Self-righteous bastards. Say they're purging Demacia of its evil, as if they're not waist deep in our blood."
Larissa's rant almost fell on deaf ears; Xander barely registered the words as he pondered further.
Brightpride? What're illuminators from that far east doing coming h-
Oh... that has to be it. There's no other reason why she'd be coming here. Heh, so much for unbiased justice. Though, surely I would've heard something if that's the case. That's a major clusterfuck of a scandal. I doubt even LeBlanc could make that disappear tidily, not in short order. And if she couldn't it goes without saying that the Mageseekers wouldn't...
"Xander? You hear? Get down!"
The Left Hand blinked, briefly registering Larissa's tugging at his sleeve. As he followed the geomancer's pull, Xander focused on the local audio space. More than hollow clops of horse trots, the pants of the tired beasts were audible. Vague mumbles from the soldiers were audible as well, running over an underlay of steel rasping against steel. The sounds were continuous, not stopping for any perceived threat: Xander knew they were in the clear.
"Can you see the carriage?" Xander whispered.
Larissa glanced past their cover then replied, "It's closing in... the front of the convoy's passed us."
"Which won't matter unless we get caught," Xander reassured. He hummed, glancing around to try find a better angle, "Though if we can't see the carriage this was a useless deviation..."
"I can see the carriage, but not its detailing; too dark," Larissa noted, "I'll need to get closer-"
"No need," the Left Hand corrected, "If you can, that's great. But better let them through now than get caught. They'll be in Falconclaw for a day at least, right?"
"... right," Larissa chuckled, "How long did you wait for the capital? I can only imagine that was worse..."
"A week," the Left Hand leaned closer to the edge of his cover but not any further, hesitant, "Hmm... you can't make out the details, but how does the carriage look in general? Like, the basic shapes?"
"... Why'd you ask?"
"There are vague differences in carriage design around the kingdom, FYI," Xander recalled, "It's vague, but we could approximate and guess who's in this carriage based on region."
"... that's a long shot."
"Any better ideas?"
Larissa had no answer, instead leaning past the cover and continuing, "It's... well, fancy, I can tell that much. Bulky, too: metal undercarriage and wheels. Some cloth, but again, no details."
"Anything else?"
"Err... grey. Or white? The carriage is..." Larissa's breath hitched, "Petricite."
... what?
"Petricite. Or rather, the wood for it, but..." Larissa's reply told Xander that he'd thought aloud, but that wasn't his main concern. The geomancer also caught that, "What is it?"
"... well, Aislynn and I left some stuff at the perch. Guess I'll actually be able to get it..."
"Xander?"
"Oh? Sorry, spaced out there," Xander crouched back down and started backing further into the woods, "Let's go. We have what we need."
"We do?"
"We do," the Left Hand confirmed, "I know who's in that carriage, and it... complicates things."
Figured you'd have just stuck in Sharpstem till we came back. Maybe at most just ingratiated yourself with the local Laurent heir... Xander chuckled, As if it'd be that simple...
What are you doing here, Yin?
Author's Note: If I was able to maintain my upload pace from when I started this fic, I like to think I would've this posted this chapter sixteen days ago. Which is to say, on the anniversary of my starting Redefinition. And to think I'm not even finished with the first part for this fanfic.
Damn, I'm in deep.
Anyways, I'm hoping to finish said part before year's end. Probably will skip out on Inktober to meet that end, but given my recent pace that may not be enough. Oh well, as long as it's good.
On the topic of that, I've been looking back at the older chapters and finding them wanting. I'm still fine with them, but I have to ask: once I finish the first part to this fic, should I go on to the next, or should I first go back and edit the older chapters to make them flow better?
If you've got an answer for that question on that, or any other feedback for the fic in general, please put it in a review. I appreciate any feedback I get for the fic, as it can help me improve or show where I'm succeeding. Thanks for the support in this year-long hobby/endeavor!
[Edit 20/03/22] - Textual and grammatical errors corrected.