By the time I arrived at town, the sun had almost dipped below the trees. It cast the wooden palisade in gold and burnt copper, making it seem far more majestic than it actually was. I grimaced.
Our defenses were in a sorry state. The walls had never been that high to begin with, barely half again as tall as a man, and now they sagged pitifully. Stakes rotted and drooped in many places, the border itself seeming more suggestion than reality, and I shuddered to think what might happen if a monster attacked.
Thankfully, there was no Maw anywhere near here.
Approaching the gate at last, I called out for the guard.
"Ah, young…young Taiven, is that you?"
The doddering old watchman, Oswell, peeked his head over the battlements, allowing me a glimpse of grey hair.
"Just a moment, just a moment now, let's see here…" His words dissolved into muffled grunts and good-natured gripes as I heard the telltale squeaking and scraping of the wooden bar being lifted. Creakingly, the left-hand gate was dragged open. The right-hand one didn't work anymore.
"… and there we are! Oh, young Taiven. Back so late! Why, the sun's nearly set! You know, it can be dangerous out there, in the woods, at night!" The old man scolded, wagging his thin finger back and forth at me.
Like it's any safer in here, I thought, but didn't say anything, smiling instead and offering token condolences. Truth be told, there was little danger in these parts, being so far from…well, anything, really. But I liked Oswell well enough, and when I helped him move the dilapidated gate back into place, he offered me a broad, gap-toothed grin.
The elderly watchman patted me on the back, thanked me, and sent me on my way. Just as I was leaving, he called out.
"Oh, before I forget!" He pointed his slightly shaking hand southwards, in the direction of the village center. "You'll want to speak with Aldwyn. His party got back barely hours ago." He smiled slyly. "You'll be eager for their news, I reckon."
I frowned. I hadn't heard about any scouting party, but then I had left near enough to first light. What news could I possibly be eager for? Nothing exciting ever happened, not around here.
I ruminated, interest spiking considerably as I walked through the village proper. People were darting every this way and that in a flurry of movement and commotion our town rarely saw.
Burrick was situated just north of the border between Cell Nycta and Cell Uther, the two largest Aristocratic Houses in the east, on the Uther side. We were stuck somewhere in the vast forests that blanketed the western part of Uther's demesne, near the base of the small mountain range that split it in half. There was no one near us for miles.
Ours was a small village, population a whopping less than 50, though there were accommodations for far more than just that. The thing was, most working-age men left Burrick for larger towns to find work. The dumb ones went west to Pennfeld to work in the agri-industry, while the smart ones went north to Rockfort to try their hand at manufacturing.
The really lucky ones though-they went east. To the City of Shields and Spires. To Talos, the heart of Cell Uther.
Or they would have, in theory.
There hadn't been any lucky ones yet, not from our village. Regardless, this lack of young manpower meant that, like many villages, ours was empty most of the year, filling only for the holidays; Priest's Day, Gold Morning, and the New Year.
That's why our village was populated mostly by the very young, the very old, and the women. It's also what made this commotion so exciting. So intriguing. New Year had come and gone ages ago, and Gold Morning was months away. The men couldn't be back. It had to be something else.
I barely stopped by home to put my kills up to dry, before racing for the village center. It was just a small square, really, surrounded by a couple landmarks.
A small market occupied the east, with stands for meat, furs, and expensive supplies bought and brought from the larger towns. A message board that leaned slightly to one side stood to the south, displaying missives sent by family members and notices from the Headsman. It was accompanied by a small well that served as the village's only water supply, save for a river that ran nearby. A run-down church sat miserably on the western edge, abandoned long ago by pastor, though not by congregation.
But the main feature, and the one which currently demanded my attention, was to the north. The Headsman's Manor, home to Headsman Aldwyn. Personally, I felt calling it a manor house was a bit of a stretch. It was large enough, though. Wide and long, built from sturdy wood and possessed of shingles that seldom leaked, even in the harshest northern rains. The house was divided into three sections, each easily the size of a normal cabin.
The left hand side was the Headman's quarters. The right hand side was guest accommodations, for the few who frequented our village. The center of the Manor was a great hall, meant for feasts, meetings, and all manner of gatherings, and it was into this section that I strode.
The hall was well-lit and stuffed to the brim with people. Food had clearly been laid out for the returning party, and some remained still, half-eaten, upon the banquet table. The cacophony of voices raised a sizable din within the structure.
I spied serving girls moving to and fro, aging men-at-arms shouting demands and carrying around dented arms and armor, damn near the whole village up and about and involved in this…whatever this was. And there, at the longtable's head, surrounded by a group of armed and armored men, I spotted Aldwyn.
I knew Aldwyn well. He and Mom had been close friends, and he visited us frequently when she was alive. He would come by when she baked in particular, and play with me. He was endlessly accommodating, allowing me to triumph time and again in our games of heroes and villains.
The few times that he died as a result of our battles, I'd be overcome with remorse. I'd fall upon his lifeless corpse and apologize, pleading with him to come back, at which point he'd miraculously resuscitate, amber eyes twinkling and smiling all on their own.
Mom would watch us play while she cooked, a soft smile on her face, but she'd never read him the stories. That was our ritual, our secret. I thought he had a crush on her, to be honest, but if he made a move then I certainly never found out about it.
He'd taken her death hard, I think, almost as hard as I did, but he never forgot to do right by me. I saw more of Master Ewan nowadays, but that was appropriate in a way. Those moments I shared with him made up my old life and, like the rest, ended alongside Mom.
His auburn hair was salt-and-pepper now, though his eyes retained their luster. He was a competent fighter, always had been. Not as skilled as Ewan, true, but an excellent leader of men. He was tough when he needed to be, soft when he needed to be, and fair throughout. None in the village spoke ill of him, nor should they have.
I tore my eyes away from Aldwyn, and flagged down one of the few young men-at-arms nearby, grabbing the thick cloth of his gambeson. I wasn't the biggest or the strongest, but I was tall for my age, and filled with lean muscle thanks to long days in the training yard. I yanked him towards me with ease.
"What's going on here? What's happened?"
I didn't recognize the soldier, though clearly he knew me. His scowl at being manhandled evaporated upon seeing my face.
"Ah, Taiven! You're back, good. Aldwyn wants to speak with you, no doubt."
I frowned, frustrated, retaining my grip on his front.
"Yes. I'm back. I'm here. What is going on?"
The boy's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, you must've just gotten back, then? You mean you haven't heard?"
About to lose my temper, he fortunately cut me off before I could spit out a reply. A broad grin plastered itself upon his face.
"It's incredible news, incredible! Sanford came back just this morning from a hunt, and no one would believe it at first, not even me, but then Aldwyn left with the scouting party and they confirmed it! I saw it myself, even, it's so imposing, just like the stories, really, and can you think of what this will mean? We've just got back now, or an hour ago actually, but you really should speak with Aldwyn, this is going to change everything, everything! Entropy crystals, runic weapons, to say nothing of the possibility of vials and the business it'll bring to the village and all…"
The words tumbled out of his mouth at breakneck speed, spilling forth as if never-ending. Then, at long last, he paused, took a deep breath and spoke.
"It's a Maw!"
I froze. The clamour around me drained away in an instant, as my heart started pounding painfully against my chest. Trembling, I let go of the young man's clothing. As he raced off to complete whatever his task might be, my mind raced even faster.
A Maw. A mouth of Knossos. An entrance to the Labyrinth, to the World Titan.
This would change everything. It would change everything for me.
I looked again at Aldwyn. At the commotion. At once, everything slotted into place. They were preparing a delving party. Upon its discovery, towns were allotted some 24 hours before they had to report finding a new Maw to their respective Cell. Aldwyn was going to delve before that time was up.
This was my chance. My one chance. My only opportunity to change my fate. My only hope…of getting a Blessing.
I had to go.
I breathed deeply, calming my mind, centering my thoughts. Just like Ewan taught me. The mind was as much a weapon as any blade, and now I had an objective.
I didn't walk over to Aldwyn. I didn't interrupt his conversation to plead my case. I sat down at the other end of the longtable, while men and women raced around me, and closed my eyes.
I made sure to wait. I didn't fidget or stare. That would be childish, and I couldn't afford to be a child, not right now. Impatience would get me nowhere and patience, I found, always bought me a great deal of respect from adults. Aldwyn wasn't going anywhere. I had all the time in the world.
As the minutes passed by, people began to filter out of the Manor, their tasks either completed or requiring their attention elsewhere. The circle of soldiers surrounding the Headsman appeared to reach some consensus. Heads were nodded and hands were shaken.
Finally, Aldwyn finished speaking, and looked my way. He met my eyes once, but fleetingly, before walking to the table. He picked up a flagon of liquor, still half-full from hours prior, and drank deeply. He sighed in pleasure. Then he walked over to me, and I stood.
I looked him straight in the eyes, respectful but not aggressive, and made sure to keep my voice even as I spoke. It was important. I was not the child I once was, the child he knew. Not anymore. I was not.
"You know what I want," I said, simply.
"Aye lad," Aldwyn replied, sighing and itching the salt-and-pepper bristles that had just begun growing on his face. "Aye, I believe I do."
"I'm the best hand with a sword that you've got."
"Youngest, too," he pointed out, mouth pressed in a firm line. Not good. Not good at all, but I would not be defeated here. Not now. I continued.
"And youth means endurance. Experience won't matter-none of us have delved before." I kept my voice steady as I spoke, hopefully displaying none of the desperate, craving need I felt pulsing through my being. "Delving requires stamina. I know you have it, but do they?"
I waved my hand towards the few aging men-at-arms who remained within the hall. "They'll keel over. One room, maybe two. They won't last. You know this. You know they will."
His face remained a stoic mask, but I continued. "You need someone who can keep pace, all the way to the Champion. Someone fresh and ready to fight. Otherwise, no one gets out."
I was pushing it, but I needed to sell this. To be just as firm as him. "I assume Master Ewan's not coming, you'll have him stay to watch over the women and children. Maybe a couple of guards with him."
My movements began to exaggerate, my hands moving swiftly as I spoke. "I'm his best student. I'm his only student old enough to walk on two legs and young enough to make it ten laps around the village without passing out. I'm his only student worth a damn-"
"And apparently you've both been training egos alongside swords, hmm?" Aldwyn interjected. "On that front, I might be inclined to agree, lad-verily, you are his best student."
Angered, I was about to deliver a scathing response-but only just managed to bite it back. Instead, I paused and thought.
I could tell I was getting worked up–he'd interrupted and insulted me. But this wasn't like him. He knew as well as I did what Ewan thought of me. And Aldwyn wasn't mean to me. He just wasn't. He might tease now and again, but he had never been anything but supportive and proud of my efforts as a swordsman.
I looked at him again, studying his face. It gave nothing away, blank as ever. I wouldn't beat him this way-he had too much experience. But I did have an idea what he was doing.
Aldwyn was testing me.
It made sense-I was young, and my emotions had always run hot. If I couldn't stay calm here, after just a little provocation, how could I be counted on in a life and death situation? How could he ever trust me to put his life, and the life of his people, in my hands?
I took a deep breath, letting the anger wash over me and fall away. Just like I'd practiced. My growingly irate visage soothed into something open, and considering. I paused for a while, then spoke plainly.
"Tell me your concerns."
In a startling instant, his stern countenance evaporated, changing into a solemn mixture of sadness and pain.
"Oh, lad." Aldwyn shook his head sadly. He walked over to the table and plopped heavily down into a chair. Perplexed, I followed suit. He was silent for a while, drinking deeply and slowly. For the first time, I truly noticed his age.
Aldwyn was no longer the spry, dashing young man who'd bounced me over his knee. And his thick, auburn hair was not the only change wrought in him by time. He seemed smaller, thinner, weary. His hands trembled slightly as he raised his cup to drink. Years of stress from his post had carved deep wrinkles into the corners of his eyes and smile. Though barely fifty, he really did look old.
"You know, sometimes it startles me, even to this day." His voice broke me out of quiet contemplation.
"What…does?" I asked, hesitating.
"How much you take after her. Elsa, I mean." His sad, tired eyes turned to me. Despite the decades that had ravaged his form, they retained their laughing amber. I didn't need him to tell me who he meant. I looked down at the table, refusing to meet his gaze.
"I am so sorry for what happened to her, you know," he said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry every day. She was such a wonderful person. Such a pleasure to be around."
He spoke wistfully. "And so strong. Despite having so much taken from her, she never lost her light. Not even at the end."
My eyes began to itch, and my mouth trembled, but I didn't move. Aldwyn gave me a long look, searching for something.
"You have her hair, you know. It's just the same. White as snow. Her face, too, or hints of it at least." He stopped a moment, and something in his eyes darkened.
"But your father's there as well. Her face wasn't dangerous like that. That's him. Those sea-green eyes. Beautiful, the sea. But dangerous. Treacherous…" He trailed off, murmuring to himself. Then all at once, he slammed down his flagon and stood.
"I promised your mother, before she died, that I'd keep you safe. But she knew as well as I do-that you have much of your father in you as well. That you have the heart of a Blessed."
He smiled, this time without sadness, a memory of brighter days. "She loved that too, I'll bet you. I'll bet you she did. That part of him, that part she fell in love with, untainted by his leavin'."
"She told me to keep you safe, but she didn't want me to hold you back. She said you wanted to be a hero, and she wanted to see that part of you thrive."
He looked at me again. "It's such a shame you're not Blessed, you know. I think you'd make a right proper one."
He stood tall, and clasped both arms behind his back, and the years of hardship disappeared, the Headsman taking their place. I saw in him now the man we all followed, the one we could depend upon.
"The Labyrinth is dangerous, lad, but then so is life. And I'd be made a liar were I to tell you you'll go through it without ever having to face danger."
He approached me, and this time his eyes hid a hint of mischief in their corners. "And though you could, no doubt, demonstrate a touch more humility," he teased, holding out his hand to me, "You're also right. Ewan's taught you well, and we'd be sorry to not have you with us."
I didn't know what to say. Surprise, elation, hope all coursed through me in an awesome wave.
I didn't say anything. No words were necessary. My face, I knew, said it all. I stood and clasped wrists with Aldwyn, his grip firm despite his age.
"There'll be a fire tonight to send us off, but you be smart-don't wear yourself out. We leave tomorrow, at first light." He let go of me, moving back towards his quarters.
"Ewan's down at the smithy. Get your things from him and be ready."
As I was about to leave, he called out to me once more.
"Our future awaits us, lad. Let's not keep her waiting."