"Yes, Mother," said Enna sweetly. "I think I'm going to go lie down now."
"Very well, dear," replied Althea. "I'll see you later."
As William and Sooka turned their attention to the bookshelves, Aribis flew out the window, and Enna turned toward the door. Making her way down the hallway, she was suddenly surprised to hear voices. She slowed, listening closely, and recognized Rolen's voice coming from his study. Surprisingly, the doors were ajar.
Believing this to be her chance to find something out, she quickly turned into a mouse and approached the doors and peered inside.
Rolen sat at his large desk looking over some papers, occasionally shuffling them from side to side. Kragg lay in a chair to the right sleeping, and Heath stood to the left. Bookshelves lining the walls provided some easy hiding places, and Enna made her way toward them, carefully avoiding scratching her tiny claws on the floor.
The world was fuzzy and gray, and she struggled somewhat to listen as she made her way around the corner of the room. She moved unnoticed, though, and then wriggled into a small space on a bookshelf where she could watch Rolen and listen.
For some time, nothing happened, and she grew frustrated. Realizing what could happen should her time run out for her wildshape, she took a couple tiny, deep breaths before scampering across the floor once more and running under Rolen's desk. Perhaps she could make her way to a good vantage point.
Just as she reached a safe location, Rolen shifted his feet, and she had to jerk out of the way, pushing herself up against the leg of the desk to avoid the massive appendage. She sighed a tiny sigh of relief as she waited to see what else would happen. She tried to figure out how long it had been since she'd transformed, but her mouse-brain was fuzzy and simplified. Mice had no concept of time, and she strained herself to push past it. She judged maybe fifteen minutes, but her surety was limited.
She waited perhaps another five when something finally happened. Rolen shifted again, but this time to sit straight up as a strange sound echoed around the room. Then he began to speak as if someone were before him that Enna could not see.
Heath sighed as Kragg came suddenly to consciousness and sat up in his chair.
"Yes, I'm here …Yes. Of course. I'll be over right away, Master."
Then with a loud scraping sound from his chair, the vibrations of which scattered Enna's tiny brain, Rolen stood and moved toward the door.
"You both stay here. Looks like I won't be going to dinner," he said gruffly before leaving.
Enna's mouse eyes peered out of her hiding place. Though her world was dim and unfocused, she was no less aware of her dangerous situation. Rolen could be gone for a few minutes or a few hours, and she could not hope to stay here and not be found. Eventually, she would be forced to revert to her true form.
The risks weighed heavily for either decision, but at last she made one and darted toward the door, praying she wouldn't be seen.
"Huh?" came Kragg's clumsy voice. "A mouse!"
Her tiny heart beat faster, and she reached her maximum mouse speed as Kragg's cumbersome body stood and began to chase after her.
"I'll kill it!" he called as he followed her through the door.
Turning, she desperately tried to make it around a corner, but there was nowhere to go. Then a loud thump rang through her ears, and pain enveloped her entire body, only to disappear instantly as she was forced to avoid death by reverting to her elven form.
"What in the—" began Kragg.
Quickly, Enna cast a spell, wriggling her way into Kragg's mind and taking it over. As the spell took effect, his expression calmed and pacified just as Heath stepped into the hallway.
"What's going on?" he asked, suspicious.
"There was a mouse!" said Enna. "It ran into the hallway and I tried to catch it, but Kragg got it before me."
Heath's eyes narrowed. "Did he now?" He paused. "Where is it?"
Enna fought to keep her wits as tendrils of darkness stretched out from Heath and pointed themselves toward her. Trying not to shudder, she mustered all the power of her druidic capabilities and cast another spell to develop the likeness of a dead mouse in her hand as she bent down to retrieve the "corpse." A poor representation, as she saw it before her, but she was careful to keep a perfect line of vision away from Heath.
"This is the poor thing," she said sadly. "I would have preferred to take it outside, but I wasn't fast enough."
The tendrils receded, and Enna felt her heart start beating again.
"Very well," grunted Heath, though Enna was not so sure that he'd been completely fooled. Then slowly, he turned and went back to his space in the study.
As Kragg began to speak with her, Enna felt apprehension rise within her. The spell on this fool would only last an hour, at which point he would be fully aware of what she had done. She needed to take her friends and leave. She fought to find a way out of the light conversation until at last, Heath called Kragg back into the study, and she was free to leave. Hurriedly, she made her way to her room.
After pacing for what seemed like hours, Bash finally convinced himself to sit down, only to read the letter once more. He felt such urgency to see Enna but could do nothing to will her to come to him.
He fell backward onto the bed and sighed.
Just as he was considering leaving despite the dangers, the door opened, and in burst Enna, looking frantic.
"Bash," she said quickly. "We have to get out. There's a chance they're going to come after us."
"What?" he replied, confused. He was supposed to be the anxious one right now.
"I tried to sneak into Rolen's study, and then I got caught, and then Kragg—"
"Whatever that is can wait," interrupted Bash. "You need to read this."
He shoved the letter at her, and she glanced between it and him with a confused eye.
"Take it," he urged. She obliged just as William and Sooka entered behind her.
She unfolded the paper and quickly scanned through, her face growing more and more worried as she read. Eventually, she gasped, her brow furrowed, and she bit her lip.
"We have to leave," she said.
"What's going on?" asked William.
"Rolen's an imposter," explained Bash.
"A doppleganger," added Enna.
"That's not good," replied William.
"And I may have just put us all in danger because I messed up!" cried Enna frantically. "Bash, we have to find Aribis and leave!"
"Ugh, where is that bird?" sighed Bash as he walked to the balcony.
Glancing around, he made out the raven-like shape sitting on top of the fountain in the front grounds.
"ARIBIS!" he shouted, and Enna joined him on the balcony.
Just then, they heard a door open below them, and Bash recoiled at the form of Rolen making his way toward the gate. He and Enna exchanged a worried look but backed away from the balcony in hopes that they wouldn't be spotted.
"Hello," called Rolen to Aribis. "Be careful of the Skywatch. They patrol the skies and wouldn't like it if you flew too high."
"Wouldn't dream of it," replied Aribis before glancing up at his companions.
Waiting until Rolen had exited the manor, Aribis finally flew up to them and perched on the balcony.
"What's all this commotion?" he asked.
"We have less than an hour to get out of the manor," said Enna hurriedly. "I put a spell on Kragg to avoid getting caught, but once it wears off, he'll remember what I did."
"Aye, that is a problem. Maybe we best get going then."
Within minutes, they had their belongings gathered and were on their way out. After leaving a message with Melody that they'd be staying in the city for the next few days, the group left the manor and plunged into the safety of the city. After some discussion, they decided to seek asylum with Kayl, Aribis's brother.
Night was already falling by the time they reached the Mireguard Embassy. Charging forward, Aribis rapped on the door several times, but there came no answer. He tried once more, and nothing.
A thousand possibilities of what could be keeping Kayl ran through Bash's mind, but the most prominent was that Rolen had discovered his connection to them and hunted him down already.
"I can pick the lock," he said. "Move."
Clearly his urgency was shared as Aribis quickly moved aside, and Bash knelt down, pulling out his lockpick as he did so. Beginning to work on the lock, he was suddenly painfully aware of the four people surrounding him, making a spectacle of them in the street.
"Could you all back off a little, please?" he muttered.
"Nervous?" chuckled Aribis.
"No, just don't want to be spotted by every single person in the city, that's all."
"HEY!" came a shout.
Bash jumped violently and heard a painful snap as his lockpick broke. A sad whimper escaped him as he saw the piece of metal stuck in the lock. Shamefully, he stood and turned to face their demise.
"What do you think you're doing?" called Kayl as he lumbered down the street toward them. Next to him strode a half-elf woman, with long hair that transitioned from a striking white to black as it cascaded down her back. Bash recognized her as the High Judicator of Lawmasters, Erza Kveld – the one Rolen had mentioned in his letter. Though she appeared a fragile woman, she walked with a sense of importance and confidence. She eyed them warily, and Bash wished for a moment that he had no disguise; he missed their banter.
"Aribis, what are you doing here?" demanded Kayl as he approached.
"We came to see ya, big brother," said Aribis simply.
"Well, you coulda just waited instead of breaking in like that!"
Pulling out his key, Kayl tried to unlock the door, but was met instead with the broken lockpick.
"That's just lovely," he mumbled.
"Sorry," muttered Bash.
Various profanities dribbled from Kayl's beak as he shifted his weight and rammed into the door. Two, then three times, and the wood of the door splintered around the deadbolt, and the group was free to enter.
"We'll fix that," said Enna hurriedly as Kayl sighed.
As they filed into the small building, Kayl gestured for them to sit.
"Looks like we have some chatting to do," he said. Then gesturing to Erza, he introduced her to the group.
"Hello," she said, nodding to them. "Kayl has informed me of some of your misfortunes, and I am pleased to meet each of you. But there is no need for excessive pleasantries; allow me to get to the point. Why is it that you think you were attacked by a rakshasa?"
Leaning forward, Enna explained, "It looked like a tabaxi with red eyes, and it had a sword with a skull on the hilt. The eyes glowed red, and then when it stabbed Aribis, one of the eyes stopped glowing."
Erza furrowed her brow and turned to Aribis. "How are you still alive?" she asked.
He shrugged. "What if I'm not?"
Chuckling, Bash studied Erza's reaction. It was clear that she knew something of this situation, and his intuition proved true as she shook her head at Aribis's reply and spoke.
"Alive or not, you all are here after having been attacked by this… creature. Claiming that it is a rakshasa is no small thing, as one forms some of the history of this city. The story goes something like this… Long ago, the city of Agneward was founded by the Knights of the Flowers, and shortly after, a terrible evil was set against the city. After much sacrifice and many lost lives, the Knights finally slew the evil, only for it to return many years later. At this time, all the Knights were killed, save one: Lady Eleanor Fendruz of the White Orchid. The task was laid to her, but she was too old to fight against it herself, and instead she prayed to Erathis for a means to slay the evil forever. Unfortunately, she was killed before her prayer was answered, but her knights were able to capture the monster and imprison it until such a time that this weapon could be granted and the monster killed permanently. Many have posited that this monster is indeed a rakshasa. But there is no guarantee."
Pausing, she shifted in her seat and eyed each of them carefully.
"This is valuable information that I give you; only the Lawmasters of the city are aware of this legend. But fate, it seems, has sent you to me to discover it. I have seen your performance during Colosso, and I know that you are all capable warriors. Perhaps the warriors we need. But I must be sure that you are worthy of my knowledge before I help you understand and slay this enemy."
"So what do you want from us?" pressed Bash, irritated at the indirection.
"Win Colosso," Erza replied simply. "If you can become victors of the Colosso Exhibition, you will show me that you are capable of what is necessary."
Bash and Enna exchanged a glance. His own worry was reflected in her eyes as they struggled to understand all the aspects of their situation.
"But I have stayed too long," said Erza suddenly, standing. "I must be getting back."
"Be careful," said Enna somberly. "There are doppelgangers in the city. Be mindful of who you trust."
"Whatever do you mean?" asked Erza.
In answer, Enna reached into her pocket and produced Rolen's letter. Taking it gingerly, Erza began to read, her eyes flitting back and forth as her face grew more and more concerned.
"I see," she said finally as she handed the letter back. "I will take care with my relations. Thank you."
Then she left, attempting to close the door behind her.
The group sat in silence for a minute before anyone spoke.
"Well, I really should be getting to bed," said Kayl awkwardly. "You lot make yourselves at home. Hopefully we don't get robbed." He glanced nervously toward the door and then looked at Bash with narrowed eyes. "You didn't have a beard yesterday," he stated.
Bash shrugged and said, "I take supplements."
Shaking his head, Kayl said nothing before heading off to a corner of the room and flying up to roost in the rafters.
"Let's fix the lock," said Enna quietly.
"Yes, I want my pick back," said Bash as he moved toward the door.
Careful not to cause any more damage, they worked together to extract the lock and moved it to the table. Retrieving his thieves' tools, Bash spread them out and began to work, his steady hands guiding the tools with surgical precision. While he worked, Sooka approached, her oversized boots sliding across the floor, and watched him carefully.
He glanced toward her in irritation, but she almost seemed to be offering help.
"What, you want to help?" he asked with a foul tone. He ignored Enna's scathing glance.
"Help?" replied Sooka in his own voice.
Ugh, he thought. My voice should be so much more suave than that.
"Fine," he sighed, and he scooted over on the bench to make room.
Hopping up onto the bench, Sooka produced her own set of thieves' tools – clearly not crafted by the skilled Andelvar, like Bash's set – and began to work on disassembling the lock. Though initially Bash judged the craftsmanship, Sooka's skills proved that the quality of the tools did little to hinder her ability. Before long, the two were working in tandem, and only a few short minutes later, each piece of the lock lay individually on the table, and Bash plucked up the half of his beautiful lockpick.
"Here," said Enna, hand extended.
Bash placed both pieces of the pick in her hand and watched in amazement as she mumbled a few words, waved a finger, and the two pieces of metal magically became one again.
"You're the best," he grinned as he placed the pick back in its special pocket.
Smiling, Enna cast the spell once more on the broken lock and then on the splintered wood of the door as Sooka and Bash worked together to reassemble the lock. Then placing it back on the door, he shut and locked them in.
"Better than it was," he said proudly before falling onto the couch.
Stepping gingerly over to the door, Sooka pulled out her spell book, turned to a specific page, and began reading something aloud. Then using a magical quill, she drew glowing blue runes across the door that hovered for a moment before fading into the wood. A moment later, the door emanated a soft blue glow, and Sooka replaced her spell book. Then she unfurled her bedroll, which she lay at the feet of the snoring William, and curled up to sleep.
Enna sat next to Bash and said quietly, "You should thank her."
"Why? I could have done that by myself. Easily."
"That's not the point."
"She doesn't care; she's a kenku."
Enna gasped. "That is so mean! You know, there are a lot of people in this town who wouldn't like you because you're an elf."
"You're one to talk," he replied as he lightly flicked the pointy tip of her ear.
"At least I'm here helping people," she protested.
"You're a wood elf running around the city. That's suspicious. A druid in the biggest city in Jebrigar?"
Folding her arms in a delightful surrender, Enna frowned. "It doesn't change the fact that you should appreciate Sooka," she said.
"And who said I didn't?"
She turned to him with piercing eyes. "You. On many occasions. Just not with words."
He considered saying several things, but none of them managed to leave his mouth. He wanted to turn away his eyes, but something kept him looking into hers.
"I'm going to bed," she said dismissively before taking up residence in a far corner under a window, eyes turned toward the sky.
For several minutes, Bash watched her closely. She was far better a person than he was, a fact that had sat in the back of his mind every moment for the last hundred-fifty years. But he'd been this way for far longer than that, and he wasn't sure that he'd ever change.
Sighing, he pulled out his lockpick and studied it until he drifted off into a trance.
As morning crawled closer, Bash ended his trance feeling fully rested and turned an eye toward a window, still dark in the early morning hours. Enna stood before it, eyes turned upward to see the stars. Just beyond her, the smallest hint of a golden sunrise could be seen. Bash sat up, casting a glance about the quiet room before moving to the table.
"Do you ever wish you could go up there?" whispered Enna into the silence. She hadn't turned to see him, but he knew that she'd heard him.
He smiled. "Not really," he said flatly.
"Sometimes I do." She paused. "I feel like it would be easier up there."
"Maybe it would be. But does that mean we would miss out on everything down here?"
"I suppose," she sighed.
There was another long span of silence until Enna spoke once more.
"I wonder if Kragg told Rolen what I did."
"He'd be a bad bodyguard if he didn't."
"Does that mean we're going to get arrested again? We barely got out of it last time."
Standing, he moved over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Turning toward him with her forest green eyes, she watched him mournfully.
"Then we'll get out of it," he shrugged. "Like we always do."
She smiled weakly and then whispered, "What if Rolen and my mother are dead?"
Her eyes began to sparkle with tears. One fell down her cheek, and Bash wiped it away with his thumb.
"Hey, we'll find them," he assured lightly. "Your family is one of survivors, even the ones I don't like. They're alive, and we'll find them."
He wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into him for comfort. Closing his eyes, Bash breathed in that woodsy scent she somehow always carried with her, despite many days without a bath. A mixture of pine and maple, taking him back to days long gone, days that he'd left in the darkest recesses of his memory.
"What a lovely moment."
They both jumped violently at the sound and spun to see Aribis sitting atop a cabinet, watching them closely with his beady eyes.
"Gods, Aribis," swore Bash as Enna began to giggle. "How long have you been sitting there like that?"
"Oh, since about midnight," he replied.
"Did you not sleep?" asked Enna, suddenly concerned.
"I wasn't tired," dismissed Aribis. "Besides, it's too cold in here."
After casting a couple glances between the two, Bash gestured to Aribis and said, "Well, come down here, you overgrown chicken, and let's play cards or something until everyone else wakes up."
Fluttering down lightly but somehow quietly, Aribis joined Bash at the table.
The morning sun and waking friends soon came, followed by a delicious breakfast prepared by Kayl. Though he had to leave for a moment to buy some eggs, the group was delighted – especially Sooka – to have a full meal of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Afterward, the group discussed plans, knowing that there would be no way to discern ill will from Rolen and his cronies until they encountered him. Enna's interaction with Kragg, they decided, would have to be put aside until it became important once more.
Recalling the disguise he now put forth, Bash recalled the writ that Rolen had warned him must be completed. Urgently, he convinced the others to accompany him on this mission to avoid future problems, and they all made for the Circle and the Bastion's Crest. Despite Bash's worst fears, presenting the letter Rolen had given him expedited the whole process so that he, Peren Starfell, was a certified trader of rare goods within the hour. Complete writ in hand, he and his friends left, making for the Grandmere Stadium.
The sheer size of the city put them at the Mere with just enough time to prepare for their next challenge. Upon entering the contestants' area, their medallions flashed, granting each of them entry as they moved through the doorway. A greeter awaited them and quickly urged them on to a waiting room, this one clearly made for honorary contestants of the Colosso Exhibition. Where their previous "waiting room" had contained little more than a bench and some chairs, this room was prepared with several expensive-looking couches and a full dining table full of finger foods, pastries, and hors d'oeuvres. Immediately, Bash and William made for the table and began picking off the delicacies and eating them with less than desired propriety.
For several minutes, they waited, hearing the cheers of the crowd outside rise and fall in concert with whatever battle was ensuing. Then all at once, the cheers escalated to a deafening raucous right before the page entered the room, shoulders tense with excitement.
"Hey, guys," he said, eyes lingering on William. "Welcome to the first round of the competition! But, um, before we get started… do you all do autographs?"
Before William could answer, Bash spit out his food into a napkin and said, "For a price."
Enna shot him a disgusted look. He ignored it.
"Aye, we charge for autographs," confirmed Aribis.
"Oh, that's okay!" waved the boy. "I get paid next week… Could I get one then?"
"Absolutely!" grinned Bash as he tapped the boy on the shoulder with his fist.
"Gee, thanks!" The boy returned the wide smile before shaking his head as if to remind himself of something. "Oh, the rules," he said. "So now that you've made it to the first round, the rules are a little bit different. You'll be given a score after the battle, which is determined based on your performance and speed. Should you find yourself in a sticky situation, we have placed some chests on the battlefield for you, but using those resources will detract from your points. And don't leave the circle – that's an automatic forfeit."
"Easy enough," muttered Bash.
"How many people are here to watch the match?" asked William, arms crossed, biceps bulging.
"Oh, certainly more than before," replied the page earnestly. "Now that we're in the actual competition, there are loads of people here to see you!"
"Excellent. Be sure to tell them about me. William. The Pacifist."
"What a great name!" exclaimed the page. "I'll get right on that, sir! But, uh, now it's time for you all to go out there. So if you'll just follow me…"
He turned and walked down the passage, and the group followed.
A disembodied voice rang out as they approached the entrance to the stadium. Taking their places in a line, they each looked out into the great circle.
Unlike the fluid sand of their last encounter, it appeared to have been tamped down into a hard surface, barely moving under Bash's feet as he took several steps forward. His friends stood on either side of him, and he glanced up to see a surprising number of people in the crowd high above them. Their cheers were deafening, but as Bash continued forward, they suddenly grew muffled and distant. Turning his eyes down, he saw a glowing blue circle running around them, enveloping their battlefield. Then he realized that it was not just a circle, but a dome extending forty feet into the air.
Impressive magic, he thought.
In the middle of the circle were several rock pillars, each about ten feet tall, and in the center was a pile of stones, two swords crossed and sticking up into the air. A few chests Bash spotted throughout the arena, most of them hidden behind pillars.
A loud bell rang out throughout the stadium, and several things happened at once. The stones, each carved with intricate runes, all began to move and rise into the air, coming together to form a large stone golem with four large arms. Two arms wielded the swords, and two bared their fists.
Enna muttered some words under her breath and waved her hand, and Bash saw his body glow and then completely disappear. Sooka cast a spell, and a shining, protective aura surrounded her, and Aribis cast out strands of light to each of them. As this last spell struck him, Bash felt slightly empowered and turned to grin at their new foe.
As Aribis took off into the air, Bash sprinted forward, unseen by the golem. Three crossbow bolts rained down on the enemy, but two of them bounced off harmlessly while the third lodged itself between two stones in its arm. As the golem moved, the crossbow snapped in half. As Bash was nearing the golem and eyeing its body for a weak spot, a void of black magic appeared behind it, generating a dark sickle that slashed out, this time slicing into the stone and earning an angry growl.
Drawing his sword, Bash planted his feet, took a split second to find a crevice between two stones, and plunged his weapon deep into the stone golem. It cried out in pain just as a streak of lightning struck it from the front. The hairs on Bash's arm stood on end as the bolt whizzed by him, and Sooka's familiar magical book appeared on his left. A bright orb leapt from its pages and battered the golem with the sound of thunder.
Clearly enraged by their show of power, the stone golem swung wildly behind him, surprisingly fast for a creature of such cumbersome features. Before Bash could react, the hand slammed into him, wrapping its tight fingers around his yet invisible body and lifting him into the air. One of the other arms picked up a rock and threw it toward Enna, then another, but she nimbly dodged.
The thunderous steps of William approached, and the monk landed three consecutive hits on the golem, cracking the stones and pushing the golem down with the force. It stumbled and fell, jerking Bash with it, lashing his neck as his head snapped back with the jolt.
Heart rate firmly elevated, Bash tried to level his breathing and pay attention to his surroundings. His peripheral vision caught a dark flash of magic coming from the sky to hit the golem once more, and it cried out, leaving its neck exposed.
Now, thought Bash as he plunged his invisible dagger into the golem's neck. But it didn't do enough. The runes all across its body began to glow as the cry of an owlbear rang out somewhere behind Bash as Enna transformed.
Above him, Sooka's book appeared and exhaled a blast of frigid air. Quickly covering his face, Bash avoided the worst of it, but the urgency of his situation struck him as his fingers felt pain in the intense cold. The magic of the runes burst forth, and a cracking sound wracked Bash's mind. Dazed, he struggled to keep himself upright while still in the golem's grip, which suddenly grew much, much tighter.
Jerked from side to side as the golem moved about, Bash felt increasingly helpless as his bones threatened to crack under the pressure. Panicking, he tried to pry himself out of the tight stone hand, calling on his magical titan strength, and yet he could not free himself. Crying out in pain, he continued to struggle, to no avail, and the battle surrounding him was reduced to befuddling noise.
Swashed about, he felt tears prick his eyes as his skin began to tear on the sharp edges of the stone hand. Struggling to pay attention, Bash tried to see what was going on, but could make out little more than thuds and sears. Once more, he tried to open the giant hand, but it responded with an even tighter squeeze, and Bash cried out as he felt one of his ribs snap, and then another.
A soothing feeling wafted over him for a moment, the warmth of Enna's magic, and relief came instantly as the bones reset and healed, only for the other side to cave in a moment later.
A cracking, crumbling sound rumbled through Bash's body, and he opened his eyes to see William thrust his fist into the golem's chest, shattering it and popping the head into the air. The golem crumbled into a pile of rocks, and Bash thudded to the ground on several stones, nursing his right ribs. Breathing was painful, but he stood, vaguely aware of the muted din of the crowd's approval and his now-visible body.
"Bash!" called Enna as she rushed over to him. "Are you okay?"
"I've felt better," he admitted.
Placing a hand on his hurt side, she spoke a spell, and a healing light emanated from her hand. Bash closed his eyes in relief as the pain dissipated and breathing became effortless once more.
"Better?" she asked, eyes aflutter in worry.
"Better," he affirmed with a smile.
The page came running out into the circle, clapping and grinning, and ushered them back inside. As they walked that way, Bash clapped William on the shoulder in thanks for his rescue.
Upon entering the waiting room, Bash gathered several odd bits of food and plopped onto a couch before eating slowly and staring at the floor. Near-death experiences were not his favorite kind.
"Excellent, excellent," came Drasloc's drawl as he entered the room. "Congratulations on making it to the semifinals, Natural Misfits!" He waved his hand, and their medallions flashed once more, this time moving from a bright steel to a finished bronze. "You are doing excellently, and I cannot wait to see what the semifinals hold in store for you."
Still not paying much attention, Bash vaguely processed the short, mustard cape leave the room as he took an oversized bite of a pastry.
"Aribis," demanded Enna. "Why are your spells looking so strange?"
"I don't know what you mean," he shrugged.
"They're… darker," she insisted.
"Yeah," added William. "They look a little… sickle-y."
Recalling the dark magic sickle, Bash very nearly choked thanks to a suppressed laugh.
At that moment, Erza herself entered the room, eyeing each of them closely. Bash decided that he didn't care if she saw his mouth full of food and inhaled an entire donut.
"Greetings and congratulations," she said. "I have come to invite you to a dinner tonight being held in honor of the Colosso challengers. Not only is it customary that each challenger make an appearance, but I also believe that some might be there who could help you in your search for the Ghost."
"Thank you," said Enna. "We appreciate the invitation."
Erza nodded curtly. "Meanwhile, I have a question for you. You said earlier that you believe the Ghost to be a rakshasa. I must know if you have any evidence to support this claim."
"Actually, I saw it in the stands after the battle just now," offered Aribis.
Bash's eyes flitted to him in surprise as he picked up a jelly-filled pastry and took a bite.
"We have scars from his attacks," insisted Enna. "Scars that even magic can't heal."
She pulled up her shirt to reveal the claw marks still visible on her skin, and Aribis offered his arm with the same markings.
"These could come from anything," dismissed Erza. "How am I to know that they came from such a monster?"
"Where else would we get scars that won't heal?" asked Aribis derisively.
"A number of places," she replied. "Or perhaps you kept them purposefully, to deceive me. You must understand, this city is in turmoil. How am I to trust outsiders such as yourselves with little evidence beyond their own testimony?"
"Teftimony of five witneffefs?" said Bash with his mouth full. "Fat meanf nuffing?"
Erza threw him a stare that would have had him cowering had they not had their share of experiences together. But of course, she didn't know who he was. Looking down, he began picking bits of food out of his beard to avoid her piercing gaze.
"We can discuss this later," she said coldly. "I'll see you tonight."
And with that, she left just as a blob of strawberry jelly fell onto Bash's pant leg. Swearing, he dabbed it up quickly with a napkin before working on some sausage biscuits.
Enna sighed in frustration.
"Why don't we go out and see the next round?" offered Bash after a sizeable swallow.
"Yes," agreed William. "I'd like to see who we're up against."
"I guess that could be fun," said Enna hopefully. "Sooka, what do you think?"
"Yes," replied Sooka in William's voice. Then in Enna's, she said, "That could be fun."
"Let's go," grunted William as he charged toward the door, Sooka following along after.
After filling his pockets, Bash followed the group out to the stadium, being careful not to step so hard as to jar his bruised ribs. He resisted the urge to hold his side as they made their way around, instead opting for another piece of food. He'd missed the city delicacies during his time in the blasted marshes.
On their way to a smatter of empty seats, Bash spotted Kayl ahead of them, happily receiving a bag of gold from an irritated looking man.
"Looking good, brother!" called Aribis, and Kayl turned to them with a grin.
"You lot delivered, I'll give ya that!" he grinned, bouncing the bag in his hand. "But… it's only fair. You won me the money, so part of it's yours."
To Bash's surprise and delight, Kayl dug around in the bag and distributed a sum to each of them. As the weight of the gold fell in his hand, Bash guessed it to be around twenty pieces – a fair price for a couple broken ribs.
As a voice began announcing the next challenge, the party bade Kayl join them, and they settled in their seats to watch. The familiar blue circle appeared in the arena, surrounding a familiar mass of stones, and out stepped Rolen's sponsored group: the Night's End.
On the left stood a barbaric-looking half-orc woman who retrieved a greatsword off her back as if it were a children's toy rapier. In stark contrast, beside her stood a halfling man holding a fiddle poised and ready under his chin. Then a wood elf woman wielded a mace, her spell focus glowing from her chest, and behind them hid a dwarf man in robes, hands up and prepared to cast a spell. Bash's attention, however, settled on the last of the crew, a striking half-elf woman in fitted leather armor, a mask covering the lower half of her face, two daggers at her hips.
I'd love to meet her in a match, he thought with a sly grin.
The bell rang out, and the group jumped into a battling frenzy, though it appeared much different from the Natural Misfits. The halfling bard sang a beautiful song as the rogue worked from the shadows. Blasts of magic burst about the arena, and there was a great cry as the barbarian dug her greatsword into the rock golem. Bash was barely able to follow each person as the battle commenced, and a mere twelve seconds later, the golem crumbled into a mass of stones.
"Wow," remarked Enna.
"They might be better than us," said Bash.
"I think we could take them," grumbled William.
"If you say so," said Aribis with a chuckle.
"At least, nobody got manhandled in their group," laughed Kayl with a side eye to Bash.
Bash rolled his eyes and turned to scan the crowd. Across the stadium, he could just make out the image of Rolen, Heath, and Kragg turning toward the far exit.
"You should come tomorrow," William told Kayl. "Bet on us again, and you won't be disappointed."
After considering for a moment, Kayl said, "Aye, I might do that. You lot might prove to be a lucrative venture after all!"
Shortly after, they all agreed to grab a drink, and Bash offered to take them to one of his favorite spots that also happened to be close by. They made their way south, not even leaving the Carnations district until they came to the Foxhole.
It was an apt name, as to the untrained eye, it appeared to be nothing more than a dark alley.
"Is this a real place?" asked William skeptically.
"It is!" assured Enna.
Just then, they heard raised voices and looked toward the entrance to see two men fighting, one clearly far more aggressive.
"Hey!" called Enna, but they paid her no mind.
Aribis flicked his hand to cast a spell, but it appeared to have no effect as William rushed forward and pulled the aggressor back, wrapping his bulky arms under the man's armpits, holding him firmly in place. Quickly, Bash drew his sword and thudded the hilt on the man's head, and he grew limp.
Clearly terrified, the victim tried to run, but Aribis flitted over and grabbed the man's arm.
"What do you want with me?" he asked fearfully.
"Calm down," said Aribis. "We're not here to hurt you." Reaching up, he muttered under his breath, and the man's broken nose righted itself with a crack.
Feeling at his healed nose, the man seemed to relax.
"Alright, fine," he said, still somewhat wary.
"What happened?" asked Aribis.
"This guy asked me for something called black taffy," the man explained. "When I said I didn't have any, he just attacked me."
"What's black taffy?" pressed Aribis.
"I don't know," the man insisted. "I never heard about it before now."
Sighing, Aribis waved the man away. "Then I guess you can leave."
As the victim sauntered away, feeling at his renewed nose, the group huddled around the assailant. Aribis pressed a hand to his neck for a moment before pulling open an eyelid, revealing a very bloodshot eye with dilated pupils. The man's teeth were also eerily white.
"Here," said Enna, pulling a goodberry from her bag and popping it in the man's mouth.
They waited a few moments before the man's eyes flew open and he glanced around at them in fear. His eyes settled on Enna.
"Hey," he prodded. "Hey, do you have any black taffy? I'll pay for it! Please. I just need a little bit."
"I'm sorry," replied Enna sadly. "I don't have any."
The man reached out and grabbed Enna's arm. "You don't understand. I need it. I can't—"
Reaching out, Aribis placed a hand on the man's shoulder, and he instantly recoiled. A black shadow oozed from Aribis's hand, enveloping the man before pulling back and seeping back into Aribis, seemingly pulling some dark essence with it.
Peering at Aribis, Bash narrowed his eyes. He'd seen that spell performed many times over, and never before had such darkness done his bidding.
Nevertheless, the spell seemed to work as the man visibly relaxed, his pupils contracting as the blood fled from his eyes. His fidgeting stopped, and his expression shifted from desperation to exhaustion.
"Water," he mumbled. "Do you have water?"
Without reply, Bash grabbed his waterskin and offered it. The man took it gratefully and drank deeply before handing it back.
"What's your name?" asked Enna kindly.
"Um… Eric," he replied.
"Where are you from, Eric?"
"The Carnations… My father is a stone smith…" His words were distant; he struggled to focus on Enna's face. "I was going to go to the university."
"That sounds pretty great. But… how did you get here?"
"I don't remember," replied Eric, rubbing his forehead.
"What about this black licorice you were asking about?" prompted Aribis.
"Taffy," muttered Bash.
"Yes, I… remember something about that," said Eric slowly. "I went to a tavern in the Dandelions."
"Do you remember which one?"
"No. But a man there gave it to me. What… what day is it?"
"The thirty-first of Frostfall," replied Enna. "What day do you think it is?"
"The thirty-first?" he asked in disbelief. "It was the nineteenth…"
"Do you remember anything about this guy?" asked William. "The one who gave you the drugs."
"Not a lot," said Eric. "I just remember going in and asking him… if my smile shined. Then he took me in the back of the tavern."
"Where is your family?" interrupted Bash.
"The northwest of the Carnations," he replied.
Bash exchanged a look with Enna, and she stepped up and said, "Let's get you home."
Putting her arm under his, she helped Eric stand up, but shortly after he was on his feet, he passed out.
"I'll get a guard," said Bash. "No need to go all that way tonight."
Only a few minutes later, some Archward soldiers carried Eric away, and the group stood silently awkward for a moment.
"Aribis, what was going on with that spell?" asked William directly.
Once again, Aribis shrugged. "That's just how it is. It's a difficult spell to cast sometimes."
Bash studied the little bird man. Something about his stance was off. He was avoiding something.
"You can't just keep shutting us out like that," insisted Enna. "Tell us what's going on. We're your friends!"
"And what if I don't want to talk about it?" replied Aribis angrily.
"We should all talk about it!" said Enna desperately. "We need to talk! A lot has happened the past few days. Sopheta left, Aribis almost died, we got put in jail, and Rolen is a doppleganger, and now Aribis's magic is acting up! Is any of us really okay?"
"I am," said Bash cheerily, though he knew it to be a lie. Still, the quickest way to be okay was with a stout drink, and Enna was keeping him from that.
"Bash," chided Enna with a serious look.
His gut twisted in a mixture of guilt, empathy, and admiration. Yet, it could all be avoided if…
"I'm going in," he said pointedly before charging into the alley. Enna paused, but eventually followed as the others joined Bash.
The Foxhole unfolded before them, tables to their right, a bar to their left, and tiers of seats towering up to the top of the building. Thanks to the Colosso Exhibition, the place was much more crowded than normal, and they took up a string of empty seats at the bar, though Enna isolated herself angrily at a table in the corner. Casting a glance to her, Bash planted himself next to Aribis as a dragonborn bartender approached.
"What will you lot be having?" he asked.
"Cake," replied Sooka in William's voice.
Bash swore quietly. Somehow, Kenku's mimicry always caught him off guard.
"My friend will have some ale," said Bash, clapping Aribis on the back. "I'll have some mead, and if you don't mind, send some over to my other friend over there." He pointed out Enna.
Nodding, the dragonborn proceeded to fulfill their requests.
After a few lubricating sips of mead, Bash turned to his left and said, "So, Aribis… Let me offer you a deal. If you tell me what's going on with your whole… spell thing, I will answer one" – he held up his index finger – "question completely honestly."
A risky venture, he knew, but he also knew that something was wrong with Aribis, and they needed him to admit it. Something inside Bash was intensely worried about his friend, even if he wasn't as flagrant with his affections as Enna.
Raising an eyebrow at him, Aribis sat silent for a moment before saying quietly, "What if I don't know?"
Meeting his gaze, Bash watched Aribis closely. He'd seen him lie and cheat and deceive, play light of serious situations, and almost die twice. And in this moment, Bash was bewildered by the honesty, and perhaps a hint of fear, in Aribis's eyes. However, it only served to cause Bash's worry to increase dramatically.
Still, Aribis's answer got him off the hook.
"Then I guess I don't have to hold up my end of the deal," said Bash nonchalantly as he went back to his drink.
Many thoughts swirled in his head as he cast another glance at Enna, who was already ordering another round. Suspicious, he thought, for her to do so, especially with so many friends nearby. He recalled that morning and her intense worry.
"I'll be back," he muttered as he stood and walked over to her.
"Hey," he said with a suave grin. "Why don't you come join us over at the bar. You look way too lonely over here."
She watched him suspiciously for a moment before saying, "Why are you being nice?"
"Listen, I'm just making sure you don't get kidnapped. Now come join your friends."
She sighed dramatically. "Fine."
As they made their way back to the bar, Bash spied Sooka and Aribis talking about something and tuned in as quickly as possible.
A high-pitched voice that Bash didn't recognize said, "I love you, Sooka. You're my best friend."
Bash sat and listened, pretending not to pay attention.
"You don't know me," replied Aribis. "How could you say that?"
Sooka magically wrote, Jealous of u but here 4 u.
"I'm fine," insisted Aribis. "Don't worry about me."
Don't waste your flight and freedom. "I love you, Sooka. You're my best friend."
For a moment, Aribis did nothing but stare at the earnest Sooka. Then he patted her shoulder and said, "I love you, too, kid."
Bash looked to Enna, who also clearly heard the conversation. She gave him an "I told you so" look, and he rolled his eyes.
Suddenly, Aribis stood sharply and flew toward the exit, whistling for the group to follow. Quickly, they all abandoned their drinks and followed him, and Bash was bewildered to see another kenku sprinting away from them. They followed as quickly as possible into a nearby alley, where the kenku finally stopped and cowered on the ground. He reminded Bash of Sooka, except he was dirtier and somehow uglier.
Slowly, he stood and faced Sooka, clearly trying to ignore the rest.
A low, gravelly voice came from the kenku as he said, "I have a message for you. Rustler wishes to speak with you."
Bash perked up at this, as he recognized the name. Rustler was a kenku himself, perhaps the most annoying that Bash had encountered, and he ran an underground information trade that had served Bash well – when he could get past the thousands of voices that he had to talk through to find the information. That Rustler should want to speak with Sooka was not a good sign, nor something that made him comfortable.
"No!" cried Sooka in a stern woman's voice. "No, Sooka!"
Clearly, Aribis was equally uncomfortable at this response, as he stepped forward protectively. It was quite a comical sight, small as he was, to get between two kenku, and Bash recalled the conversation he'd had with Sooka just a few minutes before.
"Please don't kill me!" pleaded the kenku in a woman's voice, hiding his face. "Please don't kill me!"
"Relax," said Aribis. "I won't kill you if you stay over there."
Slowly, the kenku stood a little taller and turned once more to Sooka.
"Rustler" "can offer you a home and a family," he said, switching voices mid-sentence. Then in the voice of an old woman, "Where's your family, little girl?"
Ugh, thought Bash. Kenku.
"We're a family," inserted William firmly, crossing his arms menacingly.
"Please don't kill me!" he cried again, taking a step back.
"We're a family," affirmed Sooka in William's voice, gesturing to the entire group.
"Rustler" "can offer you a home and a family." "Rustler" "wishes you to come work for me."
"No, Sooka! No!" "We're a family."
"You wouldn't want to make an enemy of me." A smooth, cruel voice.
"No, Sooka! Back to the barn with the other animals!"
William took a couple steps forward, flexing as he did.
"Please don't kill me!" cried the kenku again before it turned and began to run away. "Rustler" "will wait," he called back before disappearing into the black.
"Sooka, are you okay?" asked William, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Sooka," she affirmed. "We're a family."
He nodded. "We're a family."
"We're a family," mocked Bash, at his wits end with all the mimicry.
"We're a family," copied Sooka.
He glowered at her.