Chronicles of Espiria Season 3
Episode 1 – The Search for Rosaline
Written by Stormrider
It had been days since Oscar and Ira had set out in search of Rosaline, and Oscar was losing confidence that they were making any progress at all. Ira, on the other hand, was quite certain they were gaining on Mehira.
"Definitely a Hypogean and a human." Ira said as they paused for a rest. "Not sure how far ahead, but they're this way, no doubt."
Oscar noted the rapidly setting sun; it seemed to set earlier with Rosaline missing, but that may just have been his imagination. "We should rest here for the night."
Ira nodded and scurried up a nearby tree, bow at the ready well before she found a comfortable perch.
"I take it you'll have the first watch?" Oscar asked.
"May as well." Ira answered without looking down at Oscar. "I'm not falling asleep with a human assassin a stone's throw away, Mannered Knife."
Ira had made it known after they left Ranhorn that she knew about Oscar's past, and that made him all the more nervous about her. She might keep silent, or she might turn him in at some opportune moment. Ira had similar reservations, working so closely with a known murderer. She feared that nothing but her own watchful eye would stop him from doing to her what he had done to so many humans. As a result of this mutual distrust, they both endured yet another sleepless night.
The next morning, Oscar was so exhausted that he could barely function. Halfway through the day, he could still see the ground where they had slept the night before. How Ira was making such good time was beyond him, stamping up and down the hills in their path like they hid someone who owed her money. From a distant hill, Mehira watched the two figures with mild interest, Rosaline trying desperately to call out to Oscar, but unable to since she was gagged by Mehira's pointed tail.
"He's certainly a determined human." she said carelessly. "You must mean quite a bit to him."
"Please don't hurt him!" Rosaline mumbled out. "He's a good man!"
"Please, we've both seen the darkness in him." Mehira said as she rolled her eyes. "He's killed people in cold blood just to satisfy personal grudges. He's no different than an ogre, just more subtle."
"He's done bad things in the past," Rosaline responded, "but he's not that bad man anymore. He's put that behind him. He's a good man now."
"Funny how much he looks like the bad man with all those knives hidden on himself." Mehira said carelessly as she stood back up and flew off again, Rosaline still in tow.
As night fell, Oscar again made camp. Ira, though, was unable to stay awake any longer from all the exertion and fell asleep leaned against a rock. Tired as he was, Oscar spent the night keeping watch over Ira, in case more imps attacked them as they had the first night. He even gained some amusement watching her sleep, her legs twitching as if she were dreaming of chasing some quarry. Truly, a good dream for a wolf woman.
The next morning, Oscar was lethargic. He was almost startled to see Ira staring at him from her makeshift bed.
"So, I'm still alive." Ira observed.
"So you are." Oscar mumbled.
Ira stared at him a bit longer, then glanced up the path they were forging. She still sensed Mehira and Rosaline, but the sign grew weaker as they fell further behind. "We'll make it over that hill, and you'll take a good long power nap. From then on, we'll alternate guard duty."
Oscar noted that Ira's tone was no longer hostile or aggressive, but simply matter-of-fact, even friendly to a degree. Oscar smiled and absentmindedly reached over to pet her ears. She batted the hand away and snarled.
"Do that again and your hand won't come back!"
Oscar raised his hands in promise before slowly standing up with a brittle laugh. Ira kept an eye on him for the next few hours, partly to make sure he didn't try to pet her again, partly to make sure he was still moving.
A few days later, Oscar and Ira had caught up on their sleep and were finally making good progress. Ira felt they would catch up in another day or so, though actually liberating Rosaline from the demon's clutches would probably prove to be a challenge in itself. Without warning, Ira stopped and drew her bow.
"There's another Hypogean nearby." Ira whispered as she scanned her surroundings.
Oscar readied a pair of throwing knives in one hand and a Bowie knife in the other; whatever they were facing, he hoped it would bleed when stabbed. Ira fired an arrow into the underbrush in an attempt to flush the Hypogean out. Moments later, she was forced to dodge as a crossbow bolt whizzed past her head. Ira did not take kindly to the attack and fired again, this time hearing the arrow snap as if it struck a hard rock. This was followed by the bang of gunfire, dirt being flung in the air as the bullets missed their target.
"Wait, since when do Hypogeans use firearms?" Oscar asked himself.
A few more crossbow bolts barely missed Ira as she continued to fire back.
"Duck!" Oscar shouted.
Ira obliged, just in time to avoid a wave of fire that still singed Oscar's well-kept hair.
"Crossbow, gun, fire magic..." Oscar thought to himself before realization set in.
"Hold your fire!" he shouted. "Ira, lower your bow! Everyone, hold your fire!"
As Ira lowered her bow with what appeared to be a look of respect, a woman rose from the bushes with pistols still drawn, a look of uncertainty on her face.
"Oscar? Is that you!" she said as recognition set in.
"If I remember correctly, Raine?"
"Mother of..." Raine almost swore as she turned to face the others in the brush. "It's okay, they're cool."
Moments later, she was joined by Fawkes, his crossbow still at the ready, and by Mirael, a small ball of flame in her palm.
"Fawkes, Mirael, this is Oscar, the butler that helped us with the Augustin debacle."
Fawkes used his crossbow to tip his hat toward Oscar before putting it away. Mirael, however, was distracted by Ira.
"Ooh, a kitty! I wanna pet the kitty! Can I pet the kitty?!"
Ira drew her bow again. "Try it. I dare you."
"Ooh, a naughty kitty!" Mirael said with a smile as she backed off. "Those are my favorite kind!"
Ira returned her attention to the others, but paused and growled at Fawkes.
"That's the Hypogean I sensed!" Ira said as her hair bristled.
Raine rolled her eyes as she lifted Fawkes' left hand. It glowed slightly with an otherworldly blue.
"You probably felt this." Raine said as she waved the hand.
Ira just looked at the hand a moment and nodded as she lowered her bow again. Oscar, growing impatient with the breaches in etiquette, sheathed his knife and approached Fawkes with hand extended.
"I am Oscar, butler and sometimes valet to Lady Oakenfell. The lady in the cloak behind me is Ira of the Dusk Patrol."
"She's so cute!" Mirael squeed again. "I wanna cuddle the kitty so bad!"
"I am a wolf, you ditzy woman!" Ira shouted.
"Will you two work this out later?" Fawkes said to Mirael and Ira without taking his eyes off Oscar. "Anyway, what Hypogean were you two chasin'?
"Her name is Mehira." Oscar answered. "She has taken someone dear to me."
"Then our intel was good." Raine said to Fawkes.
Fawkes nodded as he continued. "We've been lookin' for her too. She's left a trail of destruction big enough for a rampagin' Vaughur to fit through. We need to stop her before she claims anymore victims."
Oscar looked the three bounty hunters over. "Then it appears we have a common prey. I think it might be wise to join forces for the time being until Miss Rosaline is rescued and Mehira dealt with."
"Agreed." Raine said as she reached out her hand and shook Oscar's. Fawkes and Ira seemed less excited by the prospect. Mirael just sat and sighed at Ira.
"Will you stop that?!" Ira shouted.