A Story of Eighteen Years

by Centurious the Azure

A rewrite of A Story of Eighteen Years. "This is a love story. The story of a girl with a broken soul, and the boy who tried to pick up those shattered pieces and put them back together…only to fail in every single way."

4. Thorny Rose

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. The Sick Rose is by William Blake. Empty Tone (Aethervox) is by Keiichi Okabe, and Emi Evans.

A Story of Eighteen Years

by Centurious the Azure and Storm Wolf77415

Chapter 3: Thorny Rose

Hollow laughter rang through the darkened confines of the brothel. "Well, well, well. You finally made it, Ezra!" Rodger slurred; the scent of expensive alcohol very prevalent on his breath. "And you even brought Kyana with you too!" He let out a massive belch, further intensifying the scent of booze in the air. He held up his tankard of mead in a caricature of a toast. "Ya look good, girl, real good. I'm sure Ioran is real proud of how much of a sexy young lady you've grown into!"

I saw Kyana's fingers twitch, clearly wanting to take her axe and lop off Rodger's head. The lecherous sneer he was giving her wasn't helping. So I made to quickly step in. "Uh, It's been a while, Rodger." I offered an uneasy laugh, all the while the veins in Kyana's head were throbbing more and more. "You look good, real good."

"You can't be serious!" Kyana exclaimed to me, drawing attention from many of the patrons. "Ezra, we're in a whore house. A Cosmos-forsaken WHORE HOUSE! You said Rodger and Erik were going to help us find your mother, but they clearly are in no condition to be doing so." She shot a murderous glare at her cousin, currently wanting nothing more than to sink into the expensively carpeted floors. "Erik, why didn't you let us know that Rodger lost his sword arm? I figured if anyone would slip up it would be you, not him!"

"I'm sure there's a good reason." I offered, but Kyana was on a roll. More than a few of the courtesans and clients were starting to get annoyed.

"This wasn't supposed to happen, Ezra!" She whirled about on Erik, who had tried to slip away. "You guys were supposed to be ready! Instead, I find my cousin a hungover mess, our esteemed leader is even more shit-faced, and hanging out with a pair of guys I wouldn't trust with a pocketknife!" The two burly guys on either side of Rodger started growling, only for Rodger to put an arm out.

"Hey now! Hammer and Anvil are cool!" Rodger continued slurring, looking about ready to collapse face-first onto the table. "I've known them since we were just cabin boys. I guarantee they're awesome in a fight." The two men, Hammer and Anvil just smirked. Kyana was less than impressed.

"You should listen to the boss man, little missy." The taller man spoke, leaning forward, giving everyone a lovely view of his yellowed grill, and huge gaps in his teeth. "We've been with him on every single one of his voyages. He wields us like he does his own sword. Uh, sorry, boss." He amended quickly; Rodger just took another swig of his mead. The other man, stocky and built like solid muscle just grunted. "Heh, Anvil concurs, we've always had Rodger's back."

"He didn't say anything," Kyana said, not liking the way Anvil was looking at her.

"Oh, his brain is all fucked up, but I understand what he's saying. It just takes a little while to grasp the language as it were." Hammer said, trying to sound intelligent, but failing.

"Are these two demented or something?" I finally asked Rodger who just hiccupped, sitting up as he tried to shake off the buzz.

"Aw, Hammer and Anvil never really grew out of their cabin boy phase. The two of them are still ramming each other in the ass to this very day." Kyana started blushing furiously while Erik decided to become better acquainted with what the ceiling looked like. "Not that I have a problem with it. As long as they can hold up a weapon and wreck our enemy's shit, it's all good with me."

Kyana grabbed me by the sleeve, pulling me away a short distance while beckoning Erik to join us. "You cannot be serious at all, can you, Ezra? I can't fathom for a minute why you would want to party with the likes of them!" She indicated to the intoxicated trio. "This isn't a party, it's a disaster just waiting to happen! We can't go out searching for Aunt Yesenia like this!" It was clear Kyana was becoming more and more agitated by the minute. "Let's go find that Strenger guy, he seems way more reliable at this point!"

On a lot of levels, I knew Kyana made a valid point. Captain Strenger was the better choice. But I wanted to trust Rodger, even if all my common sense said not to. "Let's give him the benefit of the doubt, Kyana." It all but broke my heart at seeing how upset she had become. I leaned in close to her. "Look, he was our teacher and a friend. We can't just ignore everything Rodger did for us, however, broken he may be right now."

"Correction, he's your friend, Ezra." Kyana pointed at me. "I won't deny that he helped me improve my combat skills, but that doesn't mean I'm one of his buddies. He's one of my least favorite people in the world, and I'm being nice when I say that!" In retrospect, Kyana was absolutely right, like anyone with common sense, saw Rodger for what he really was, a freeloading dick who only cared about himself. I felt a sense of kinship with him, but that attitude would change quickly in the following months.

"Yeah, I have to agree with Kyana on this one, E," Erik said. He clearly felt guilty about not keeping us in the loop. "Listen, I have a suggestion. When I'm not working here, I'm part of the Adventurer's Guild here in Vizima. I may be able to poke around a little bit, pick up some leads for us to pursue."

"I'm not sure about that, Erik. I don't exactly trust official organizations. Need I remind you that I am still a wanted man, have been since the tender age of eight. You know that Order has been searching for years. They would love nothing more than for me to be lying face down in an alley in a pool of my own blood. Staying off the radar is our best defense at the moment."

"I'm not saying you have to become a full-time member or anything, Ezra. You and Kyana can remain free agents, not have any ties to the guild. But having someone who is a member does give you an advantage. I can go in by myself, ask around, listen to any gossip. You don't need to be there for that part." He cleared his throat, trying to fight through the headache. "I'm just giving you, giving us, every advantage possible."

While I was still leery about having any connection to the guild. At least Erik was offering up something. It did pay to have multiple information sources. Adventurers traveled everywhere on jobs, and could have overheard something in some dive or on the road. "Okay then, we'll keep it on the table for now. And thanks a lot Erik. Kyana and I really missed you."

"I missed you guys too," was his simple reply. The moment was broken by the opening of the curtains on the small stage at the front of the room. My jaw dropped at the man standing there. He looked strong and fit. The clothes he wore were on the gaudy side, but clearly expensive, made of purple silks and blue velvet. But what sold it for me was the hat.

He wasn't alone, flanked by a pair of young ladies my own age. On the right was a dark-skinned girl with long purple hair hanging loose down her back, framing a pair of equally deep purple eyes. Between that and the pointed ears, I realized she was an elf. Despite her alluring smile, those eyes held a hard, cold visage. She was garbed in a purple and black yukata that hung loosely on her lithe, slender figure. A pair of fans clenched in either hand.

And the other girl…oh the other girl. She wore white kimono-style robes that cut off at the lower part of her thighs, adorned with tassels and lace. The girl also had a black pleated skirt with frills all along the edges, revealing a pair of stunning, long legs, wearing white knee-high stockings and black knee-high leather boots. A plait of white roses twisted in her equally silver-hued hair.

I blinked a couple of times before I realized who was on the stage. His name was on the tip of my tongue. "Erik, are my eyes playing tricks on me? Or is the guy on stage actually who I think it is?" I dared not utter the name out of fear I would wake up and find it was all a cruel dream.

This seemed to get him to sober up. "Nope, it's no illusion, Ezra," Erik smirked, knowing how much of a fan I was of the man's work. "It is none other than Julian Alfred Pankratz, the Viscount de Lettenhove. Or as he's known by his professional name. Jaskier, translated from Nilfgaardian."

"Dandelion." I finished, speaking in total awe. "Dandelion is actually here in Vizima!" Even Kyana was a little starstruck. She was nearly as big a fan of his songs as I was, she just did a better job of hiding it. It was then the man himself began to speak.

"Greetings to the patrons of this fine establishment!" Dandelion's voice was light and melodious. "You're all very fortunate to be witness to the birth of a brand-new act." He was preening. "I kid you not, a future star makes her debut on this humble stage." he indicated to the girl in black and white who looked less than impressed. "Her voice is a gift from heaven itself, I'd dare say it's like Cosmos herself has come down from the heavens to grace us with her glory!"

The elven girl seemed to share her companion's lack of interest as Dandelion continued his spiel. "But this vision of beauty doesn't stand alone. Her companion is well-versed in the Eastern art of fan dancing. Together they will dazzle you in a show that will reach out across the entire continent. As an artist, I couldn't pass up such a fantastic chance to display new talent."

Kyana was unimpressed as well. I think all three of them had the same opinion about what Dandelion was trying to pull. "Oh wow, putting on a show in a whore house. Yeah, this is going to reach the masses overnight for sure." I elbowed her in the side. She had already made enough of a scene earlier, and I didn't want to attract any more attention than needed. In later years Dandelion would tell me it was all for the sake of the art. I'm sure the working girls could have cared less, probably would have preferred the coin.

His introduction complete, Dandelion picked up his lute and began playing a slow tune, it seemed so downbeat, somber even. The elf girl opened her fans, beginning a slow dance around the other two. And then the white-haired girl's lips parted, and she began to sing in a language I couldn't make out. It wasn't the basic tongue, or even any elven dialects I recognized. While I couldn't understand any of the lyrics, I got the impression this was not a happy song. As it continued, I zeroed in on her face. I studied the lines on her face for all of a second…and then my heart stopped. A single word slipped out of my mouth, so low no one could hear it. "Rose…"

"Svolu ah fo tou

Kula sen no uu..."

"So this is the moment you first met her." Rita hadn't stated it as a question. Everyone had finally finished off the stew. Phoebe, and Furiae were clearing the plates, before bringing out dessert. "The wily and elusive Rose. I thought she was someone of importance, but she's nothing but a damn hooker. What exactly did you see in her anyway?"

"Yeah man, forgive me if I find this to be a bit of a letdown," Raven said.

Ezra sighed. He knew this would be one of the most difficult parts of his personal story. But he took it in stride. "A simple question with a very complicated answer." He started. "At first, it was the song. It was haunting on so many levels, but there was also a comfort to it. It just seeped into my bones, making everything feel so right. The only thing that compared to it was the songs Devola and Popola used to sing to us as kids."

His hand clenched up. "But the reality is that was not our first meeting." Estelle could see it in his eyes, the memories, and all the pain associated with them, welling up. "Rose and I had actually met many years before."

"And where was this?" Yuri asked.

Felecia and Estelle both got up, going over to gently hold Ezra. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "A little place called Rulid Village, at the base of the eastern mountains. It was two years before we settled at Minas Tor. Mom took up the position of the village mage, as she often did. Rose was one of the village children. Along with two others, Alice and Eugeo. The four of us spent our days playing together in the woods around the village. Those were some of the best days of my life."

"I always wondered what Rose was like as a little girl," Mikhail spoke up. The child was looking fond himself. "I mean, not all monsters start out bad. She must have at least been nice at some point in her life." Ezra didn't have any response. If anyone knew Rose as well as he did, it would be Mikhail.

"Let me stop you right there," Carol spoke up suddenly. "I hate to do this. But I have a pretty good notion of what you're going to say next, Ezra. Something happened and it all went to hell. And it was what pushed Rose toward becoming a monster. I hate to be the one who says it, but you don't have great luck with that kind of thing." The slightly annoyed grunt and the way Ezra fiddled with his hands were proof that the child laid it out perfectly.

"Yeah, my luck in that regard is pretty shitty." Ezra's hand clenched once again. "I remember that day all too well. But again, I'll drop a little context. There was a massive tree in Rulid called the Gigas Cedar. The village had wanted to chop that thing down for years in order to expand out. But it was so massive, even after several decades, they had just barely scratched the surface of it. Eugeo's job was to chop down the Gigas, he'd spend hours hacking away at it with a special axe made out of bone. Alice, Rose, and I would often go and visit Eugeo, keep him company during the very long hours."

"The day started off innocently enough. Alice had made some lunch, Rose was being her usual self, acting like she didn't care when she really did. And me, I was just enjoying the peace of the village and getting to hang out with my friends." Ezra almost seemed to be totally relaxed, however, his eyes were more haunted than ever before. "But as Carol said, it was all destined to go south."

(Rulid Village, Two Years Before Battle of Minas Tor)

The tranquil calm and silence of the forest were only occasionally broken by the dull sound of an axe head-splitting wood. A light grunt could also be heard, as the small figure that stood beneath the towering edifice of the Gigas Cedar. A boy no older than eight years old hefted the heavy axe, swinging at the tree once again. He was dressed simply in a light blue tunic and dark pants. Sweat drenched his normally wavy, flaxen-hued hair.

"Are you still hacking away at that oversized twig?" I called out to Eugeo. The other boy turned, letting me see his brilliant green-blue eyes. I just smirked as I walked up the path with Rose. "At this rate, you may be able to leave a lasting dent in the bark by the end of the year."

"Ya really think that if no one could scratch it after a hundred and fifty years, Eugeo would be any different?" Rose offered. She was currently wearing a sleeveless sundress in the white she preferred with a black sash. Her white hair was in a simple ponytail. Even back then she was incredibly snarky, but she was so carefree. I can only wonder what could have been if she had a proper upbringing.

"At least I'm trying, Rose. This is my Calling after all." Eugeo replied. If I had to describe my relationship with Eugeo, he was the older brother I always wanted. Eugeo was always fussing at me for getting into trouble. He could be such a killjoy at times, but there was something so earnest about him. I always felt at ease around Eugeo. Still, he could have lightened up a little bit.

He set up for another swing, the heavy axe, with a head forged of dragon bone, took another gouge out of the trunk. Eugeo looked upward, wiping his face with a neckerchief he kept in his pocket. He then swung another time. "Hey, where's Alice?" he finally asked. "I thought she would be with you."

"She was still at the church, undergoing her magic lessons," Rose said. "You won't catch me wasting time doing that. Spending hours learning ridiculous incantations and reading dusty old books. Just give me a good sword and I'm all set for action!"

"Girls can't wield swords." A part of me reflects on how stupid it was to say that. Then again, I was only six at the time.

"Yes, they can!" Rose shot back. She stood upon a rock, pointing upward at the sky. "I'm gonna be an awesome swordswoman. Everyone all over Midgard will know my name. Just you wait!" At that moment I couldn't help but think how heroic she looked. In a way, her name did spread across the continent. Just not how we envisioned.

"Then you'll need to practice a lot, Rose." A melodic voice called out. "If you want to excel, you need to work at it." We all turned and there she was. A young girl our age wearing a simple short-sleeved light blue dress with a white apron over it, brown ankle-high boots on her feet, and a picnic basket on her arm. Her face was that of true beauty, golden hair the color of the noon sun. She also possessed piercing blue eyes that could put the brightest sapphires to shame.

Eugeo especially was glad to see her. Even at that age, it was clear he had a huge crush on her. "Good to see you, Alice," I said. "I see you brought us lunch."

"Well of course I did. Someone had to make sure you don't goof off." The blonde chirped, hands on her hips. A part of me couldn't help but find it cute. Alice could be quite bossy, but in a good way. She held up the basket. "So come on and eat up. We don't want the food to spoil now, do we?"

"That's what I'm talking about!" Rose whooped as Alice pulled a blanket out so we could eat. It wasn't hard to make Rose happy back then, just mention food and she was a total sweetheart. Just make sure you have plenty on hand. The girl could pack it away like few I knew. "Hey, where is Kieran? I thought he would be here too!"

I grimaced slightly. "He's…currently out with Naaman on a training run. They won't be back until later today."

"You skipped out on sword training?" Eugeo looked at me with disbelief.

I just shrugged. "Why should I bother with it? Kieran's always been better than me with a blade. I figure I've got the magic side of things covered. It's not going to harm anything in the long run! Besides, I think I can help Eugeo better with my magic. I learned an awesome new trick yesterday. I learned how to apply fire to a weapon!" Eugeo shrunk back a little bit when I got in his face. "Just think of it, Eugeo! I apply my flames to your axe and that oversized twig wouldn't stand a chance! You could get a new calling that isn't so crappy."

Eugeo huffed. "It must be nice to be able to do whatever you want. I guess that comes with being a foreigner." He looked on at the tree. "The Taboo Index is clear. Until I can fell the Gigas, I can't change my Calling for anything..."

"Not gonna lie, I always thought Systine was a weird place. The whole Taboo Index and its connection to the Curse of Vecta you guys told me about. Then again, given its location, it's not that surprising. Mom said that whoever controls Systine, controls the hearts of its people, because of how the Axiom and Seiros Churches were both founded here. The Cathedral City may be the political capital of the continent. But Systine is the religious center. And given how the Dark Territory is literally on the other side of these very mountains, it's also of great strategic importance."

Eugeo just blinked, the entire exposition going way over his head.

"Nerd!" Rose called out, her usual response when I did that. It was kind of cute really.

Alice meanwhile lit up. "That's wonderful! You did the reading I suggested to you when we first met!" The two of us bonded together over a shared love of books. On the days when she wasn't studying magic at the local chapel. We would be in the small library together. Now that I had displayed some knowledge, Alice was using this as a chance to test what I had learned. "What else did you learn about Systine? What are the three countries that surround us?"

"Oh, that's easy. The Adrestrian Empire, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and the Leicester Alliance. The Axiom Church has its central cathedral in the capital of Centoria. There's a lot of contention with the Church of Seiros, which controls the Cathedral City. Both sides feel they have a legit claim to the greater holy land, and they've been in a cold war with each other since day one."

"Again Nerd!" Rose proclaimed loudly, rolling her eyes. "All that reading is a huge waste of time. Papa always told me that books are only good for kindling and wiping your ass with." This earned her an annoyed pout from Alice, but then she became very quiet, looking down at the ground. Rose's father had walked out of her life not long before we moved to Rulid. It was a sensitive issue for her. I gently patted her on the head, and she started blushing. "Don't do that!" She swatted my hand away. But as I looked into her eyes, I could see the silent gratitude.

Even back then I wanted to protect her. Rose was always very skinny and malnourished. Her whore mother was always busy on her back, legs spread out instead of taking care of her child. Rather ironic that she'd join the family business down the line. The meals Alice would bring would be the only time Rose ever got to eat if the priest at the chapel didn't offer her food.

We sat down on the blanket, watching the sun peak through the branches of the Gigas Cedar. It really couldn't get any better than that moment. "It's a shame we always have to eat so quickly during the summertime. Otherwise, the food spoils." Rose said, her mouth stuffed with half a ham and cheese sandwich. A small piece of meat fell out between the bread, landing on the ground. "Damn it!" She quickly snatched it up, making to eat it.

"Rose, what are you doing? That's not very ladylike!" Alice chided her, folding her arms.

"Not to mention unsanitary," I muttered under my breath. It wasn't the first time Rose had done this. She would eat anything off the floor. I guess when you have so little, every scrap is worth consuming.

"Well, use that fancy magic of yours to clean it why don't you?" Rose said, before finally tossing it into her mouth. "I mean you can summon up water, right?"

"That's it!" I finally exclaimed, standing up suddenly. I pointed up at the sky as if the sun itself were my personal lightbulb. "Ice! Remember how in the wintertime we would store that salted beef jerky in the shed? We could get away with it because it was cold, and it was preserved. If we can get some ice, we can preserve the food no problem!"

"But where are going to find it?" Eugeo asked. It was then his eyes followed where I was pointing. The top of the mountain range, and the snow at the top of it. "Oh no, no way are we going there! You realize what happens the minute we set foot up there? We'll be breaking the Taboo Index big time, and then an Integrity Knight swoops down and it's curtains for all of us!"

"Amazing how everything started because of a little ice." Ezra swirled his cup. It was at this point that Phoebe and Furiae came out with dessert, with a large plate of handmade cupcakes. He graciously took the one with mint frosting Phoebe handed him. "Because we went searching for ice, everyone's lives were uprooted. At the time, we all just thought Eugeo was being a baby. He was always the cautious one amongst us. Maybe if we had heeded his warnings, everything that followed could have been avoided."

"You couldn't have known what would happen." Estelle pointed out. It was clear that hearing Ezra's story was hurting her on a deep level, she wanted nothing more than to relieve the young man she had met of all that pain and grief. Felecia thought it was sweet that she would always leap to his defense. If none of the other girls were present in this new world, the half-elf knew at least Ezra had someone to look after him.

"Rose was bossy even back then." Mikhail had been entranced to hear about the white-haired girl that was such an integral part of their lives back in Midgard. "But she didn't sound like she was all that bad. No talk of brutally murdering people, and just sounded like she wanted friends. It always seemed like she didn't want to be alone."

"Yeah, I guess in the end she was just a lonely little girl who wanted a few friends to stay by her," Ezra remarked, taking a bite out of the freshly cooked pastry. "Ah, this is really good, Phoebe." the blue-haired mage just blushed. She had been a terrible cook when first meeting Ezra, but had improved considerably since that day.

"So, you guys went up the mountain to get ice?" Yuri asked. "I'm surprised a group of small children would make it that far up the summit."

"Technically we didn't go up the mountain," Ezra replied. "In Rulid there was a story of a great hero, a man named Bercouli. The story states he wielded a sword that controlled ice. He used it to slay a powerful dragon that lived in a cave in the mountains near where the village would eventually be constructed. It was in that cave the four of us went." He grinned. "I had always wanted to meet a dragon."

"Here we go!" Rose declared, holding her walking stick up high. "We're off to find the ice sword!" She could barely contain herself after learning about the sword that could conjure ice. I think that's what she really wanted. Alice had shown her prodigious talent for magic when she applied light to a thistle, thus giving us an awesome torch.

Our shadows reflected off the wall as we continued deeper into the cavern. "Brr, it's getting chilly in here." Alice shivered, hugging her chest. "I should have brought a sweater."

"It doesn't bother me, it actually feels nice after the sweltering heat and choking humidity." Rose almost skipped, making it a point to hop from stone to stone. There was always something amazing about watching her move, so fluid and graceful, even at that tender age. She landed on both her feet

"Glad to see you're so easy to please." I enjoyed seeing her so happy. I think it was one of the few times I recall her actually smiling joyfully about something. I'd give anything to see her smile that way again, but that would always be relegated to the depths of my own mind.

"How much longer until we find the ice we need?" Eugeo whined. Poor guy, he ended up carrying most of the heavier stuff. It did feel like we had walked for a couple of hours at least. I guess we really had gone far into the mountain. And it was starting to get colder and colder. Which to me was a good sign.

"Don't run too far ahead, Rose. We don't what's in here." Alice cautioned her. But considering this is Rose, it went clean over her head. She was about thirty feet ahead of us, beginning to be lost in the shadows. A terrified shriek echoed off the walls, and I broke into a run. Ignoring Eugeo's cries to stop.

As I got closer, we could see the stone begin to turn to ice. I began running even faster. The tunnel branched out into a wide cavern. I stopped dead in my tracks as I took in the full scope of what I was seeing. The entire cavern seemed to be made of ice. The chill was palatable, but I paid it little mind. I found Rose pressed up against the wall. "Rose, it's me!" I called out to her, holding my hand out. "Are you okay?" I asked, helping her up.

Rose clearly was trying to keep her tough girl image up. But it was clear something had rattled her. "I-I'm fine, but look over there!" She pointed with a quivering finger.

I turned to see what she was pointing at and my eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh wow, I wasn't expecting to see something like that in here. "

It was then Alice and Eugeo came in. "There you two are! You know it's dangerous to go somewhere without some kind of light!" I held up a hand to silence him.

"Maybe you need to be reminded, Eugeo. I don't need a light. For me, the dark is just another part of the day." My eyes glimmered for emphasis.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you're not like the rest of us." Eugeo said, nodding in self-affirmation. I remember the first time I had to explain to them how I had superb night vision. Let's just say it gave me a real unfair advantage if we played nighttime hide and seek.

"It is an amazing ability. It's gotten me home more than a few times when we stayed late at the library and neither of us had a torch." Alice said cheerily, gifting me a wonderful smile. She began shining the light around the room. She gasped when the corpse of a Leaping Lynx, a creature common in Systine, was illuminated. This was what Rose had seen that caused her to scream. It was apparent there were quite a few of the dead beasts, scattered about the cave.

"A monster, in here?" Eugeo didn't hide his fear at the sight. I began walking toward the nearest corpse. "Ezra what are you doing?"

"I'm going to examine it." It was clearly obvious to me. Mom said I should read up on the local beasts. So this would be a good chance to look at the Lynx up close. I knelt down, noting the many slashes and deep wounds in the corpse. "These creatures died just recently, at least in the last week or so. And they were killed by weapons." I looked a little closer. My eyes narrowed again. "Goblin weapons, a scouting team from the Dark Territory."

"Goblins?" Rose echoed, horrified. I could imagine the pallor on her alabaster face being stark white.

I nodded slowly. "Keep in mind I've never seen any up close. But Naaman's told me all about them. Normally they just live in small groups, moving from cave to cave, raiding small towns and grabbing young wandering the outskirts of said towns, but these guys are smarter, more organized." I looked to each of my friends in turn. "It would be a good idea to grab our ice, and get the hell out of here!"

A shrill roar tore through the cavern, shaking everything, and knocking all four of us kids off our feet. As we all struggled to get upright. Another roar could be heard. Alice held her hand out. "Sacred Call, Generate Luminous Element, spread, and adhere!" Her fingers began lighting up, and they flew out in all directions, illuminating the entire cavern in greater scope than earlier.

I whistled in appreciation. The magic of Systine was unique all in itself. It wasn't like anywhere else on the Continent. One of the reasons my mother traveled here was to learn more about it. I think what intrigued her the most was how powerful amounts of magic could be applied to every fingertip at once. It was just something that other schools of magic couldn't do. And many had tried to replicate the results with varying degrees of success.

Now that we had much better lighting, it wasn't hard to locate a second tunnel. The roaring sounds were even louder than before. Whatever kind of battle was going on, it was very close. "Oh, I've got to see this!" Rose excitedly exclaimed, taking off down the tunnel before any of us could grab her. What was it with that girl and standing still?

"This is a really bad idea!" For once I had to agree with Eugeo. It was a bad idea, but I was trying to act tough, so I said nothing. We found Rose standing at the tunnel entrance…and saw the Dark Territory for the very first time. It was a bleak, desolate land of brown, an equally brown sky hanging overhead. And in that brown sky a pair of dragons, each bearing a knight in full armor, clashed. It was so incredible watching as flames tore through the sky. The dragons met in a clash of talons and fangs.

All four of us were in total awe. We could hear the sounds of distant battle. "So this is the Dark Territory." I finally said, letting out a wry laugh. "I think they need to talk to their landscaper. I think he didn't put in enough dead weeds and half-dead tree stumps!"

"Is this really the time for that?!" Eugeo yelled, his voice going up an octave from the sheer panic he felt.

"What can I say? It's a coping mechanism!" I shot back; my eyes riveted on the dragons still locked in their mortal combat. One of the dragons sent out another jet of flame, catching his opponent broadside. The losing dragon let out a pained roar, before crashing to the ground, taking its rider with it. I could only wince when it slammed into the cracked, broken dirt. If the impact alone didn't kill the rider, the weight of the dragon would have finished the job.

"I think it's time for us to go!" Eugeo really did struggle with being the voice of reason. But for some reason, I could only gaze at the fallen dragon rider. I found myself wondering, could that rider have been human? But in all likelihood, it could have been a monster. I mean, who cares if one of them dies? The dragon rider had landed just a few meters from the cave entrance. The dark armored figure was prone on the ground.

There was a glimmer of movement out of the corner of my eye. Alice had taken a step forward, but hesitated at the last minute. It caused her to stumble and pitch forward. Time just slowed down at that moment. Eugeo tried to reach out and grab for her, but he wasn't fast enough. Alice hit the ground. It didn't seem like she was hurt badly, but that wasn't the reason Rose looked about ready to scream. The very tips of our blonde friend's delicate fingers were over the edge of the cave entrance…touching the dark soil of the forbidden ground.

Eugeo and I pulled her back, but the damage was already done. Alice could only stare at the palm of her hand. Normally so flawless, was now coated with the dirt and grime of the Dark Territory. It was an unholy brand. If I really had to pin the moment where the whole dumpster fire that would become my life started, this would be it!

"It will be okay, Alice. You only touched it a little bit. It's not like you went completely over!" I have to admire Eugeo for trying to reassure Alice. Although I think it was more for himself than anything else. He threw a very worried glance at me. "Let's get back to the village now!" I could understand his reasoning. Eugeo was hoping that just by returning home, no one would know what we had done. All four of us would never speak of it again. Alice wouldn't need to be taken away. It could just be something relegated to the depths of our minds.

"I guess we're not leaving with the ice?" Rose offered. All three of us just looked at her. "What? I was just trying to lighten the mood!"

"We can lighten the mood after we get out of here!" I hollered. Rose was about to make some snippy comment when the air rippled over us. A pale face with dead white eyes glared down at us, more specifically Alice. "Disturbance noted. Subject ID located. Report filed. Also, register Subject ID, no Code 871 detected." That voice still haunts me even today, soulless and without any drop of compassion. It disappeared, we looked at each other and bolted for the other side of the cave. All of us were hoping this was just a terrible dream and we would wake up from it back in Rulid, and laugh about it while chopping down the tree.

(The Following Day)

The mornings in Rulid Village were by nature calm and peaceful. Not a lot of activity came to that sleepy little corner of Systine. No one was prepared for the tremendous roar that caused everyone to spill out of their homes. Everyone could only gape at the sight of a massive armor-covered dragon circling above the village square, before it came to a landing, flaring its wings at the last minute.

Rose, Eugeo, and I were standing in the back of the ground. All of us had contemplated running away, but we knew it wouldn't matter. The Integrity Knight would have found us regardless.

The armored knight swept off his mount, his heavily armored feet hitting the cobblestone ground with authority. His face was obscured by the silvery helm he wore. "I am here for the perpetrator." The voice was deep and commanding. Everyone seemed to shrink down. "She will produce herself before me now. Once that's done, I will take her to the capital where she will stand for her crimes and be executed."

Wordlessly, ignoring our pleas, Alice pushed through the crowd. Her blonde locks reflected as brightly as the sun itself. She looked so amazingly calm. "I'm here." She bowed her head low. "I'm ready to answer for what I've done."

Inside I was trembling. I wanted nothing more than to run back home to our cottage, jump in bed, pull the blankets over me. But I tried to be brave. "Wow, you're a big man, aren't you?" I called out to the knight, I could already Eugeo groaning in the background. "Arresting an eight-year-old girl for barely grazing her fingertips on forbidden land!"

It was then I felt a rough hand grab my shoulder and yank me back. I found myself eye-to-eye with a furious Kieran. "Do yourself a favor and quit right now!" He hissed at me.

"Oh, so now you and Naaman show up! We could have used you yesterday!" I struggled to keep my voice low. Only for Kieran to drag me away from the crowd by my arm.

"Be lucky it's me doing this and not Naaman or worse, Mom!" I cringed at that. Nothing was worse than my mother's wrath stoked. "What in the hell were all of you thinking going into the Northern Cave like that! What possessed four children to go into a place like that?"

"Uh…would it help if I said we were looking for ice to keep our food fresh longer?" I offered weakly. I hadn't noticed it before, but my brother had this vein on the side of his head that would bulge out when got angry, judging from the way it throbbed with every beat of his heart. I could tell I was in for a huge verbal beatdown. But then his eyes widened in muted fear. "Oh no, not them!"

I looked to see who had struck Kieran with such fear. A procession of armored knights on horseback entered the village. That was when I saw the Order for the first time. Georg, just saying that man's name is enough to light a fire under my ass. He would become one of my greatest enemies later in life, along with him were both Yaha and Urick. Not surprising since the former was in charge of all Order activity in the Land of Mountains, and Urick was his partner.

"What is the meaning of this?" Georg proclaimed, even back then he sounded like a pretentious little douchebag. "This is an Order matter; what business does an Integrity Knight have in this region?" Alice just seemed to shrink down even more. I could only imagine what was going through her head at that point. It must have been so overwhelming for her.

"I'm here to take a prisoner back to Centoria." The Knight was unfazed by Georg's posturing. "She crossed over into the Dark Territory, thus breaking the Taboo Index of the Sacred Kingdom of Systine, and therefore the consecrated laws of the Holy Axiom Church. What business does the Order of the Seal have here?"

"Our business doesn't concern you, knight!" Urick bit out, clearly disgusted by the turn of events. "Although I have to imagine how traumatized that poor child is right now!" He indicated to Alice. "The Axiom Church is so big and tough, having to arrest a little girl. I hope you can sleep at night, pal!"

"The law is clear, crossing into the Dark Territory is punishable by death. What would the Order do in this situation?" The Integrity Knight asked.

"Come on, Urick. If she did break the law, then she broke the law." Yaha looked right dead at Alice. "I hate to say it dear, but I'm afraid your fate is sealed. Don't expect to see your family again. It's the price you pay for your sins in the eyes of your precious goddess." He snorted derisively, cracking a sardonic grin. "Or whatever that violet-haired bimbo who calls herself the Pontifex says these days."

"That still doesn't answer my question of why the Order is here." A small part of me had to admire the iron self-control the Integrity Knight possessed at how utterly disrespectful the Order was being to him. "If you're here for the girl, then state your case. I'll be more than happy to pass it on to Commander Bercouli and the Pontifex herself."

Georg just sniffled. "We want the girl for questioning. Apparently, she was in the presence of someone who didn't possess your precious Code 871. As I understand if there's someone in Systine who doesn't possess the Curse of Vecta, that means they aren't native to this land. It just so happens we're looking for someone to that effect." In later years, I would understand that Georg and his people knew Kieran and me by sight.

"How could you know of such things?" The Knight's voice had grown a touch harsher. "The surveillance network is controlled by the Prime Senators under Chief Senator Chudelkin's personal direction, and intel like that is given only to the Integrity Knights. You should not have access to such information!"

"We have our ways." Georg sneered. "It's really quite surprising what the Order has access to. And what it doesn't immediately possess, it finds a way to get it. Sometimes all it requires is finding the right incentive, whether it be a little gold, booze, or attractive women. We will take the girl with us; she is quite an adorable little thing. I can only imagine what kind of beauty she'll grow into. She could fetch quite a nice little sum. I'm certain we could find some poor noble in Centoria who would be interested in her."

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" A shrill voice rang out. My jaw dropped as Rose burst through the crowd, the dragon bone axe Eugeo used to hack away at the Gigas Cedar in hand. I'd like to point out that this would not be the first time she would wield a weapon forged from that particular material. "Set my friend free you big assholes!"

"Rose, stop!" Eugeo cried out. She didn't get very far, almost immediately three of the villagers tackled her to the ground. One ripped the axe from her hands.

"Let me go, you ingrates! I'll kill every last one of you! Why are you stopping me? You're nothing but a bunch of cowards!" Rose kicked and screamed, struggling to get free, but she was but a seven-year-old girl, and she had three full-grown men pinning her to the ground. I hate to say it, but that's not a fight she was ever going to win.

"Hey, you old idiot!" She called out to Gasupht, Alice's father. "They're going to take Alice away! Why aren't you doing anything to stop your daughter from being taken?" Tears formed in her eyes. "Doesn't she mean a single thing to you!"

"You could never understand, Rose." She got a good long look at Gasupht's face. There were tears in his eyes. "Alice is my greatest treasure, but there are things in this world greater than just one person…even if they're family."

Georg just looked so smug as he puffed up his chest. To him, this was all just a big show, and he was getting off on it. "You're a wise man Elder Zuberg. Because you know exactly what would have happened if any of you resisted. The entire village would be put to flames, and none would survive." He marched over to Rose, kneeling down to glare at her in the eye. "It's something that a child would never understand. Adults know not to reach beyond their station. All they want is their safety, and they'll sell out their own blood if it means keeping that safety."

He grabbed her by the hair, causing her to whimper in a mixture of pain and fear. I was about ready to mimic Rose's action, but Kieran's arm kept me from acting. "That being said, I do admire your determination. There's a fire in you, a fire I would love to quench!" Georg pulled harder, causing Rose to whine shrilly in pain. I began grinding my teeth. "What do you think Yaha? Do you think this is prime soil to plant a flower in?" It was too much to bear. I had drawn my dagger, and I was getting ready to attack. I figured I could at least get one skill off before I was dead, but at least Rose wouldn't suffer.

"Ezra please!" Kieran begged me, his voice cracking. "You can't do anything for either of them right now! Mom and Naaman are waiting in the forest outside of the village. We have to go!" I could have cared less about what my brother wanted at that moment. Forcing myself free, I primed a skill as I sank into stance, my blade beginning to turn neon blue as I flipped it into a reverse grip. I was about to open up when another roar shattered the morning.

A black shape whipped through the sky, circling above the village. I realized it was another dragon, and it was about to attack! The entire village broke into sheer pandemonium. Villagers began screaming, breaking for their homes and safety. The Integrity Knight boarded his dragon, and quickly took off, Alice still hanging beneath it by leather harnesses. Georg barked orders to his own men. As for me, I just stood there, not sure what to do. Rose was sitting there, forgotten, looking around in confusion and fear at the growing chaos.

I hesitated, wondering if I should run and grab her, take her with us. "Ezra, we have to go!" Kieran grabbed my arm again. I was so confused and terrified.

A powerful voice spoke in my head. "Flee at once, child! I suggest you do as your brother says before I change my mind! NOW GO!" That sealed it for me. I looked at Rose one last time and we both took off out of the town square, down the steps, and out the south gate. Mom and Naaman were waiting for us at the Gigas Cedar. I remember Mom just gave me a sad smile. She opened up a blazing portal and we walked through, leaving the nightmare of Rulid Village behind.

The entire room was silent. Dessert was temporarily forgotten; everyone was so caught up in the tragedy of Ezra's story. "Wow, who knew a few chunks of ice could cause so much mayhem?" Rita muttered, which quickly earned her menacing glares from Judith, Estelle, and Phoebe. "Hey, I'm just saying! It seems like such an innocuous start to this whole endeavor." She protested, before taking a bite out of her cupcake.

Ezra sighed, looking very tired. "If you wanted to get really technical Rita, the whole thing started much earlier when Mom and Naaman opposed the Order. Rulid is the personal start to my story. That day, I ran away from my friends. I ran away from her." He growled, slamming his fist on the table. "Not once during our entire flight did I think about Alice, Eugeo, and Rose's fates. It was just too much to bear. We arrived in Minas Tor after a few more portal hops and a couple of days of walking. You know what happened after that."

"So you wouldn't see Rose until you met up at the brothel years later." Yuri was finding a lot of sympathy for Ezra. Even at such a tender age, his life had gone totally to hell. And yet he kept on going. "It must not have been easy, leaving them behind like that."

He weakly shook his head. "No, it wasn't. If I had just been a little more decisive, grabbed Rose and took off with her. I might have spared her a lot of pain in her life. But I didn't. All I did was stand there like a slack-jawed fuckhead, and watched three of the most important people in my life be consumed by such pain. As such it left me with a guilt complex that haunts me to this very day!"

Estelle then stood up, and walked over to Ezra, throwing her arms around his neck. "Stop, Ezra! You've said enough." Tears ran down her face. "I don't want you putting yourself through this kind of torture anymore. If this story is nothing but pain and misery, I don't want you to have to relive it all over again!"

Ezra sighed. "And so, it rears its ugly head once more… Damn it, even just telling my fucking story makes people suffer!" It was then Felecia who put her arms around his neck as well.

"No, you're wrong, Estelle. This story needs to be told. Yes, it's overwhelmingly sad, and hearing all this does break open those old wounds. But I don't want it to be forgotten. I don't want any of it to be lost to time." Tears were forming in the half-elf girl's eyes, now. "Look around you, Ezra. You're surrounded by friends and people who love you. Don't keep it bottled up, let the truth be heard."

Ezra managed a weary grin, and leaned over to kiss Felecia on the cheek. "Thanks, dear. I needed that." He then looked to Estelle. "I appreciate you caring so much, Estelle. It's people like you that help me not give up on humanity. Would you let me continue?" Tears still leaking, Estelle managed a weak nod and smile. Both girls returned to their seats, and Ezra resumed.

"So, jumping back to the brothel. It was the first time I had seen Rose in almost a decade." He shook his head at the memory of that day. "She had grown into a striking young woman, but at the same time, there was a coldness as well. Georg was right, he had extinguished that flame inside her. All that was left was a bitter, hateful shell of a person. And yet, I still loved her."

"After all that time, what did you say to her?" Judith asked.

"Truthfully, I was at a loss for words. All I could focus on was the song she sang. That was all that mattered at the time…"

"Svolu ah fo tou.

Kula sen no uu.

Rhumi ti to fi koru.

No la mi eh."

Her song really was all I could think about. My eyes were rooted to the stage as Rose continued to sing, her elven companion continuing her slow dance around her, deftly flipping the fans in her hands. It was surreal to see her sharing the stage with a legend like Dandelion. Even if she seemed totally disinterested, Rose still put on a superb performance.

The song was a slow, mournful affair. One that pined for lost days. I felt nostalgic merely listening. I closed my eyes as I listened, picturing myself back underneath the Gigas Cedar with Rose, Alice, Eugeo, and my brother Kieran. I smelled the scent of pine, the fresh, cool summer breeze, and the warmth of friends long gone. I wished I hadn't grown up. And that I hadn't ever left Rulid. Unfortunately, it was not to last like all good things...

"Fa na lu ko ah.

Shi no uu takai.

Fi ko ku so su uukoii klahn.

Yuku fi rahn tu toli.

Toku tumo li ahh.

Aahhh...

Aahhh..

Wo aru kue ah."

I opened my eyes to find myself back in that fetid, repellant den of sin. Thick with the cloying stench of lust, and lost innocence. It was the sign of the adult world had overtaken the childhood of many, casting them down into the muck of despair. Again, it was not a place I ever thought I'd see her again. My Rose... Rare, and captivating in her beauty. Thorns and all.

I felt disappointed when it came to an end. Dandelion just soaked it up as he offered a sweeping bow. He truly was a master of his craft. I was very torn in that moment, either go up to Dandelion, or seek out Rose. Finally, I made up my mind. "Kyana, be my wing girl for this."

"What are you doing?" She asked. It didn't take long before she put it together. "Oh, you have to be kidding me! You really want to hit on a common whore?" Kyana shook her head. "I'm really disappointed, Ezra. I never thought your standards would be so low!"

"It's not that simple, Kyana. That girl's not just another whore. I know her!" I struggled to find a way to explain it to her. "Do you remember when I told you about our time in Rulid Village? That's where we first met." I was in awe. "She's grown so beautiful since the last time I saw her."

"And yet, she's still a whore!" Kyana hissed. I think it's safe to say her words just went in one ear and out the other.

I was trying to figure out just how she ended up in this place. It dawned on me, and I could only gape in horror. "No…don't tell me that the Order…" The memories of that day came back, and I silently cursed in every language I knew that I didn't grab her when I had the fucking chance! Well, it was a few years behind schedule. But I was going to do right by her. Rose sauntered over to the bar to grab a drink. This would be my best chance to speak to her.

This was the childhood friend I had failed, and ran out on. That was my motivation for everything I did involving her. Everyone else just saw that I wanted to bone her…and maybe I did on a few levels. I mustered all the courage I had, and boldly approached the girl who would become my greatest obsession.

I took a deep breath, gently tapping her on the shoulder. She turned to face me; those eyes were so cold. But I held my ground. "Oh Rose, Thou Art Sick. The invisible worm that flies in the night in the howling storm. Has found out thy bed of crimson joy: And his dark secret love does thy life destroy."

She just looked at me for a long minute, cocking her head to the side. For the briefest flash of a second, her eyes widened in recognition. But then it vanished behind a wall of cold indifference. "What in the hell did you just say?" Her voice was so rough, nothing like the heavenly tone she had on stage, much less the cheerful innocence from Rulid. "Because all I got from it was that you said I was sick, and had something to do with worms. If you're looking for some action, you better have some crowns on you!"

"Rose, it's me, Ezra! Don't you remember from Rulid? The days we spent watching Eugeo chop down the Gigas Cedar? Alice would bring lunch, and we'd all sit together. You can't tell me you've forgotten about that time! Because I never forgot, and I never forgot you, Rose."

She just scoffed. "Oh please! Like I haven't met a million other Johns in this line of work who say they know me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have actual customers to get to." Her drink finished; she walked off.

"Rose." This was just the first of many kicks to the balls for me. It was like what happened in Lothric with that girl all over again, but even worse because this was someone I knew, and she acted like I was nothing. It was then I felt someone grab my arm, and I saw Kyana looking at me with sympathetic eyes.

"It looks like she doesn't remember, E. Don't let it get to you. She's just some dumb hooker. Besides, I'm sure all her headspace is filled with a massive peen anyway." Kyana tugged me away. "Erik has a small flat just down the block from here. He was kind enough to let us stay with him." I gave one last look at Rose, before finally following her, but in the depths of my mind, I knew this wasn't over.

(The Following Morning)

The morning sun poured through the small window. I groaned from my place on the floor of the flat's small sitting area. Erik was passed out in one of the chairs. Kyana should have been in bed, but instead, she was curled up right next to me on the floor. An unfortunate holdover from our childhood. Kyana would get horrible nightmares, waking up in tears. The only comfort she ever found was sleeping with me.

"So, she still does it?" Erik remarked, running a hand through his hair as he woke up. A part of him actually looked relieved at the sight. "At least some things remain constant. If it wasn't Felecia doing it, then Kyana was always guaranteed to be cuddled up with you."

"Yeah, I was wondering how she would be once we were forced to leave Bright River." I got up, careful to step over her. She looked so peaceful; I wanted her to sleep a little bit more. "Kyana really didn't want to leave, but when the Order comes knocking, what real options do you have?"

Erik went over to his small kitchen and began making a modest breakfast for his cousin and I. "We'll need to start making plans. I know you want to head with Rodger, but it's going to take time to get him off his lazy ass and back into fighting form. Even if he lost an arm. Rodger's still dangerous."

I snuck a glance at Kyana. She looked over to me in return, we both had an equal amount of questions. "Erik, how did you and Rodger end up here anyway?" Almost immediately he clamped up. "Erik, come on! We've known each other for too long. Ever since I got separated from Kieran, you're the closest I have to a brother."

I'm sorry, I just, it's too painful!" He choked out, breathing heavily. "I did something bad, Ezra. Stupid on top of it. Rodger and those two wannabe ogres of his were involved. I got stuck with them. It's all I'm willing to say about it, please don't ask me."

Whatever happened clearly bothered Erik. I understood immediately. Thinking back to Rulid, and Minas Tor. I wouldn't want to bring it up either. "We're all killers, Erik. It's not like we haven't taken lives before. When Bright River was attacked, I'm sure those Order knights had families. I get it, man. Better than you think."

"It's not that I killed, Ezra. It's the foolish choices I made that led me to that point." He let out a muted growl of frustration. "The choices that put me under Rodger's thumb and kept me there for the past few years."

This had me greatly worried. I knew Rodger wasn't a good person by nature, and he and Mark may not have gotten along, but they had fought alongside each other, from what he and Ioran had shared with me over the years. Certainly, Rodger wouldn't have intentionally harmed the son of a comrade in arms? Erik passed me a plate of bacon and eggs. "So what do you have planned for today?" He asked, tapping his fingers on his hip nervously. I could see him trying to change the subject. I would let him have it, for now.

"Well, if it's going to be a while until Rodger sobers up, I'm going to see about pursuing a couple of other avenues, see if that doesn't help lead us to Mom. On our way here, we met this captain in the Temerian Army, a guy named Strenger. He said to stop by the castle barracks if we were looking for work."

"If you're going that route, we could check in with the Temerian Mage's Council. I've never worked for them personally, but I've heard some of the older guys talking about they almost always have some chore that requires some extra muscle." Erik said, ripping into a piece of bacon. "Lady Merigold or Lady Metz should be able to set you up."

"As in…Triss Merigold and Keira Metz?" I knew both of those names well. The former especially, of course from Dandelion's songs. A sudden thought came to me. If both Dandelion and Triss were in Vizima, that means he could be present as well. Geralt of Riva himself. I was feeling very mixed about this whole affair. On the one hand, I was quite nervous about encountering him, but on the other hand, it was Geralt of Rivia, the subject of so many of Dandelion's poems. How could I not want to meet the guy?

A soft moaning indicated that Kyana had finally woken up. Her green eyes opened sleepily. "Oh, good morning, guys." She muttered, blushing a little. "I guess you could have kept the bed, Erik."

Erik just smirked, holding out a plate with some bacon and eggs. "Morning Kyana. I've got breakfast for you. You'll need your strength because we're going to be busy today." She scowled a little bit, knowing where this was going. "You can relax, it doesn't involve going back to the brothel, yet." He added for emphasis, gesturing to me with his free hand. "Ezra wants to see about getting his adventuring career started. So, a trip to Vizima Palace is in our future. Eat up, we'll need our strength for today." Kyana's expression brightened. She hopped up off the floor, and quickly downed her meal.

With our bellies full, Erik led us to the Palace in the Royal Quarter of the city. "King Foltest only recently moved into here from the old Royal Manor out near the cemetery in the swamp," Erik explained as we passed through the main gate from the Trade Quarter. Kyana and were surprised to see Strenger standing at the guard station with a couple of guards.

"Hey, it's the brats from Lothric!" Amazingly, he seemed almost full-on sober. "What brings you to the palace?"

Erik reached into his tunic and produced a small oval tag made out of what seemed to be steel, his name etched into it. "We're here to see if you have any jobs available for an adventurer."

"Perhaps you might be up for joining us as well?" I offered, holding up a welcoming hand. "You held your own pretty well back there in Lothric, and we really need good fighters to join our crew."

The older man let out a loud laugh, he almost sounded jovial. "I'm flattered you would think to ask me. I appreciate it, but I'm going to have to say no. I have a duty to protect the capital, especially with the war that's coming fast. If I was a younger man, I might just take you up on that offer, but I figure it's better to leave crazy shit like that in younger hands, but if you need help with supplies or anything like that, look me up."

"We'll keep that in mind," Kyana said, sounding disappointed. I think she really wanted him to join us, but not much we could do on that front.

"Can you point us to where the Mage Council meets, Captain Strenger?" Erik asked eagerly. Strenger pointed to the southern tower. "Thank you, and also my gratitude for getting my cousin and her friend here alive and in one piece." He indicated to Kyana and I, giving the old soldier a respectful nod. Strenger just bowed his head in acknowledgment with a smile, waving us inside.

As we entered the tower, I could feel my heart rate increasing by the second. It wasn't enough that I had a brush with Dandelion, but now I was about to meet Triss Merigold herself? The Fourteenth on The Hill, the only survivor of the battle of Sodden Hill. I wanted to stop, but with Kyana and Erik behind me, I couldn't. So I willed myself up the steps before arriving in the main chamber.

The faint hint of perfumed oil hung in the air, and candles flickered about. The octagonal room was clearly designed for a mage. Of the eight walls, four held large bookcases full of books, scrolls, and manuscripts, some I'm certain were centuries old, and lovingly maintained. On the other side of the room were the potion lab, complete brewing apparatus, and shelves replete with various rare ingredients. In another corner of the room was a Megascope, used to communicate with others or as a sort of recording device. Truly this was a workshop worthy of a royal court mage.

My heart nearly stopped when Triss Merigold herself emerged from a side room. The way the songs described her did no justice. She was incredibly beautiful. I'll confess I'm a sucker for redheads, and this was no exception. Her garb was simple enough, a dark green tunic under a tan leather gherkin, along with tight dark green breeches and ankle-high boots. An amulet made out of purest silver, inlaid with a flawless sapphire hung around her neck, radiating power. "Ah, I see some adventurers have arrived." Her green eyes narrowed. "Although you could also be armed assassins, in which case, you better be ready for a fight."

Erik just let out a muted chuckle. "If we were assassins, Lady Merigold. I doubt we would have come here to try and kill you. There's far better places to do so than in the heart of the capital." He said, pulling out his guild tag once more. "My name is Erik, I'm from the Adventurer's Guild, these are my cousins, Ezra and Kyana. We were told by Captain Strenger you had work for us."

"Ah, wonderful!" She clapped her hands together. "It's actually a very simple request. A large horde of slimes has made their home in the sewers recently. We need someone to clear them out, and while you're down there. Try to bring back the cores of some of the larger ones. I need them for a potion I'm making." Oh, great…a fetch quest. I always loved fetch quests, in the same way Rose loved jumping puzzles, but more on that later. Still, this was one of my heroes, so I figured I could do this little chore for her.

It was then I found her eye on me. "You have an interesting way of carrying your swords. It's actually quite familiar to me."

"Uh, how do you mean?" I asked, finding myself tongue-tied as I was entranced by those emerald orbs of hers. It was like she was gazing right into my soul. Kyana was starting to look a little panicked herself.

"Because the only people who carry two blades like that are Trackers." A delicate eyebrow arched as she folded her arms. "So tell me, which school are you with?"

Even to this very day, I consider this one of the biggest botches of my life, but by my own admission, this was when I was still very inexperienced with women, doubly so when you were dealing with someone as smart and perceptive as Triss. "Uh, the Wolf School, which else?" I said, trying hard to keep my composure. A part of me silently wished that was the case. Only in my dreams, sadly.

Triss clearly wasn't buying it. "Is that a fact? Because I know the Wolf School quite well. There's only a few of their members still alive, and I don't recall ever seeing you at Kaer Morhen. Where's your pendant? No self-respecting Tracker would let that particular piece of jewelry out of their sight."

Yeah, she got me there. I wasn't sure how to respond to that. So I did what I did best. I lied out my ass! "I…kind of ran away from Kaer Morhen at a young age before I underwent the Trial of the Grasses. Not to mention getting my pendant." A nervous laugh escaped my lips. "But you know, old habits die hard!"

Triss looked less than impressed with that. She clearly saw right through me. I wanted nothing more than to sink into the floor at that moment. I could see Kyana shaking her head out of the corner of my eye. Erik then stepped in to keep me from making any more of a buffoon of myself. "We'll get right on that request of yours, Lady Merigold. How many slime cores do you need?"

"Three or four at the very least. It's the first time I've made such a potion so I'd like to be able to do a few test runs so I can get it right. But if you can grab me even more, I'll gladly pay you extra. I also know the core is a slime's weakness as well, so if they're damaged, that's fine. Just as long as they're ashes. I can't do anything with that. " She said.

"But of course, Lady Merigold. We'll be back as soon as we can." Erik gave a brief bow. He grabbed me by the arm, dragging me out of the chamber. Kyana was fast on my heels. The minute we were outside, Erik whirled on me, his brown eyes afire. "Really? SERIOUSLY! Of ALL the things you could have said to her. You told her you were a Tracker from the Wolf School?!" The poor guy looked like he was about ready to have a coronary. "There's lies, and then total bullshit, and this falls squarely into the latter category Ezra!"

"What in the fuck did you expect me to say! I panicked!" My anger was on the rise, even though I knew he was right.

Kyana tried to be a peacemaker, keeping her voice low. "Ezra, we know you're not exactly normal, and it's a really bad idea to advertise that. Thanks to that little proclamation. You just put us under the scrutiny of one of the king's closest advisors, and one who knows Trackers very well. If she starts looking into your background…" She didn't finish it, trailing off. Because we both know what it would lead to.

In the back of my mind, I had always wondered just who my biological father was. Don't get me wrong, Naaman was awesome and did a lot for me. But whose blood did I really share? A part of me wondered if the Tracker I found dead all those years ago at Minas Tor was my dad. It was a private fantasy, and Trackers were supposed to be sterile due to the alchemical formulas in the Trials of the Grasses. Yet, what else did I have?

I was feeling pretty dejected at that moment. It had been nothing but one misstep after another since Kyana and I arrived in Vizima. A part of me was just ready to go down into the sewers and begin killing the living blobs of gelatin to try to ease some of the pain. One of the main entrances to the sewers was in the bowels of the palace itself. We were making our way across the courtyard where several of the new recruits were training.

"It's going to really stink down there, isn't it?" I asked Erik. He just grimaced, but given my mood at that time, it was welcome. "Good, I feel like shit. May as well go where the shit lives."

"Now why would you want to do that?" I whirled about to come face to face with a young woman about mine and Kyana's age. Her long blue hair was tied up in a ponytail, with a single free lock on the left side of her face. The girl's clothing consisted of a white double-breasted tunic with a green collar, and a blue skirt. A part of brown high-heeled boots adorned her long legs. It was expensive looking, between that and her regal bearing suggesting she was the daughter of a merchant, or even a noble.

"And you care why?" I asked. Before anyone thinks I was being rude to her. Keep in mind that I lived a good chunk of my life on the run. From an early age, I had learned I couldn't trust just anybody. Even if they were as beautiful as this girl before me.

"Now that's hardly a way to speak to someone you just met." The girl was not intimidated. "I'm just curious to wonder why you would be going down into the sewers."

I was about to give another retort, only for Kyana to clap her hand over my mouth. Erik just smirked before addressing the girl. "We're going to clear out some slimes, Miss. We're adventurers on a job for Lady Triss Merigold."

"So you're adventurers?" The girl asked in a friendly tone. This seemed to intrigue her, as she brushed the single long lock of hair out of her face. "Perhaps some formal introductions are in order. My name is Laura S. Arseid."

Erik's jaw fell open. "Your name is Laura S. Arseid?" He repeated slowly. "As in, the daughter of Victor S. Arseid, who travels all over the empire training its soldiers? Viscount Victor S. Arseid of Legram, the Radiant Blademaster, is your father?"

She just smiled a knowing, if teasing, smile. "Unless you know someone else with that name."

Erik quickly bowed at the waist. "It's nice to meet you, Lady Arseid. My name is Erik Lamperouge." He looked up nervously. "Your father might know mine."

It seemed the name was familiar to Laura. "Lamperouge? I have heard my father mention that name before." It was a couple more minutes before she made the connection. "Of course, General Mark Lamperouge! He's the commander of the Fifth Legion, right?" Erik nodded in affirmation. "The Crimson Fox is your father?"

"Correct Milady. He said he trained in Legram with your father for about a year. Although I was just a baby when that happened. The Arseid School makes up a huge part of his individual sword style, and he always spoke fondly of the Viscount."

"It must have been before I was born. Otherwise, I would have recalled it myself." Laura said. "If you're heading down into the sewers, perhaps you could use an extra hand? It gets boring hanging around the castle, and watching the soldiers drill can only hold your attention for so long. Besides which, it could be a good test of my skills. I do need the practical experience after all."

I finally peeled Kyana's hand off my mouth. "Are you sure you want to do that? I'd hate for your clothes to get dirty, or heaven forbid break a nail." I really was an asshole, but at that point, I just didn't give a shit. I was angry and bitter, so my brain wasn't fully in control of my mouth. Erik groaned, and Kyana covered her eyes.

Laura amazingly was unperturbed by this. Although I'm sure both my companions wanted to choke me out, at least Erik did. But as I would come to learn in the next few weeks, the Arseid heiress was a cool customer. She just put a hand on her hip. Her face still appeared relatively friendly, her lips still registering a nice smile. "I can assure you that won't be a problem. If you doubt my prowess that much, perhaps you'd be up for a quick sparring match?" She cocked her head slightly. "I'll admit, the way you carry your swords does intrigue me. I'm wondering just what kind of style you practice."

I was so wound up at having bombed in front of Triss. I didn't care about anything, even the chance of a good fight. "Well, I hate to tell you, but I don't have time for that. I just want to get this damn job done so I can go home and crawl under the bed. Come on Erik, let's go down to shit town."

Kyana tried to defuse the situation. "I apologize for Ezra's rudeness, Lady Arseid. He has trust issues."

"Not to mention I'm busy." I snapped, turning to open the steel gate that led down to the underworks.

"Is that a fact? Are you busy, or just afraid to lose?" Laura's words struck me harder than I wanted to admit. I turned to face her, rage boiling on my face. She was collected as ever. Kyana seemed excited about what was to come. Erik just looked on with a resigned sigh.

"Just hope you don't faint when you get blood on your clothes!" I snarled, stomping off to an empty part of the courtyard, each of us taking hold of a pair of platinum oak training swords. "Okay, girlie. What have you…" The girl idly flipped the sword in the air like it weighed nothing. "…Got?" A part of me was amazed she could so easily catch it. But it didn't seem to bother Laura any as she deftly caught it by the handle. She just gave a pleasant smile before promptly lunging at me with a speed I couldn't fully register.

I barely had time to snap up to parry the attack, both blades producing a hard thunk. I was dumbstruck at how quickly, not to mention gracefully she could move. I went for a narrow horizontal slash, only for Laura to sidestep it neatly, swinging upwards. I flipped backward, sliding back about three feet. She was right in my face, her blade coming right for the top of my head. "Oh no, you don't!" I snapped the blade up again to block.

Laura spun in a graceful circle, her ponytail whipping around. A part of me couldn't help but be entranced, enough that I let my guard drop. I winced as the edge of the wooden blade cracked me in the ribs. The sword fell from my hand, I ended up on my back. Just another link in the conga line of trauma. "What is your problem?" She frowned at me. "I know this isn't your best." Her face softened a little. "You're a swordsman, are you not? Clear your mind and train your breathing. The path will become clear."

All the exercises Naaman, Ioran, and even Rodger taught me came rushing back. I could feel my anger begin to subside, and was beginning to see just how big of a moron I had been. I brought the wooden blade back up to a ready position. Laura did so as well. "You doing better?" She asked softly. I just gave her a slight nod. This seemed to brighten her day up. "Then let's commence with Round 2!"

This time I made the first move. Lunging forward with a horizontal slash. Laura gracefully flipped up in the air, before coming down with a powerful overhead strike. I was quicker on the draw, diving to the left. Her strength was so great, it split a gouge out of the ground. But that was just the opening I was waiting for, aiming for a diagonal swing right at her back.

"I don't think so!" She said, swinging her sword almost faster than I could track. The two of us ended up in a blade lock. I had gained a new respect for Laura's toughness and strength. I was actually enjoying myself quite a bit. We exchanged blows a few more times. "Come now, I thought you were going to stop holding back." Laura teased. "Why don't you show me what you can really do?"

"Far be it from me to decline a lady's request." I assumed a stance, and my blade began glowing. I launched myself forward, going for a diagonal slash, but even stronger than before. Laura tried to block, but the force of the blow sent her flying backward. She rolled before landing in a crouched position. I smirked at her. "Is that more to your liking?"

"Indeed, and I will show you my skill as well." She rushed at me, leaping high into the air once again, but this time it started glowing blue. I realized she had her own Sword Skills as well. "Shatter!" She cried. I flipped out of the way, avoiding the crushing blow.

"Slant!" I uttered swinging in a left upward diagonal swing, the wooden sword taking on a greenish hue. I caught the edge of Laura's sword. She spun on her feet. Going for another swing. I batted it aside, and we soon found ourselves locking blades once more. "I hope you'll excuse me for my rudeness earlier. I haven't had a good bout like this in a long time."

"I'm glad I could help you out." Laura smiled gracefully, striking me with her charms in a way a simple training sword couldn't.

"Not going to lie, you're very attractive, but I do have to avenge my earlier loss." I had a very wide smile, which Laura was mirroring. Both of us were preparing for our final strike. The two of us went to each other. Only for a third wooden sword, the blade glowing gold, to suddenly appear between us. Laura and I were both thrown back by the shockwave.

"An impressive display of skill and power." A deep baritone voice registered. We looked to see the man holding the blade. He was a tall, dignified sort, wearing a long coat in light blue over a white shirt with a long green ascot, and white pants. His blue hair fell on one side of his face, along with a blue goatee. He carried himself with the refined air of a noble, but also radiated the aura of a master swordsman. I immediately thought of Naaman, who bore the same sense of lethality about him.

Laura's honey brown eyes lit up. "Father!" She exclaimed breathlessly. So that's how I met Victor S. Arseid, the Radiant Blademaster. He was wholly confident in his skill, bringing his training sword around in a flourish.

"I see you've found a way to keep busy my dear. I'm certain you've gotten bored just walking around the castle. It's been quite some time since I've seen an Archadean-style user in this portion of the empire." Victor observed, looking right at me. "Although I also see a little Esperian sprinkled in there. You were trying to keep from going two-handed most of the time."

He was right on the money. The main style I practiced was created in the Empire of Archades, taught to me by Rodger and to a lesser extent, Ioran, during my time in Bright River. But under Naaman, I learned the style from his homeland of Esperia, which was mostly based around two-handed greatswords. "You aren't wrong," I replied lightly. "Old habits are hard to break. Every once in a while, I find myself slipping back into it."

"Nothing to be ashamed of. The Arseid Style embraces all manner of weapons. You shouldn't be afraid to learn multiple styles, that way you can put it together and make it all your own." Victor assured me with a gentle look on his personage. I was beginning to like this guy already. He then directed his gaze at Erik. "You're the Crimson Fox's boy, aren't you?" You have Mark's eyes."

"As a matter of fact, yes I am, Lord Arseid. Erik Lamperouge, it's a huge honor to make your acquaintance." Erik introduced himself, giving a deep, respectful bow. He gestured to Kyana. She wordlessly answered with a sweet grin, and an energetic wave. "This young lady here is my cousin Kyana, and the young man your daughter was fighting earlier is Ezra." I offered a bow as well, knowing I was in the presence of a true master of the blade. Unlike Rodger, Victor deserved the utmost reverence. "We were just about to go down into the sewers to hunt some slimes for Lady Triss before Laura accosted us and asked for a sparring match."

"If it's all the same, Father…" Laura stepped up, beginning proudly. She stood with all the poised dignity of an Arseid. "I was hoping to accompany Ezra and his companions on their little mission. I know you brought me here because you wanted to prepare me for becoming the next head of the Arseid School, and Viscountess of Legram. But I think I've done enough training for one day." It was then she added with a cheeky smirk, "I'm still young, going out and having adventures is what people my age are supposed to do. I haven't grown out of that."

Victor let out a rich laugh, cracking a large grin. "I suppose not, my child. You remind me so much of your mother when we were first courting each other. Go, have a good time, but be sure you're back by nightfall." Laura smiled warmly, before going up to give her father a delicate kiss on the cheek.

"Rest assured she'll be in the best of hands, Your Grace," Erik assured the Blademaster, gesturing to Laura. "And given what I've seen. She's more than capable of defending herself." Laura picked up a massive greatsword with relative ease, before giving it a practiced swing. "Yeah, I don't think she's in any trouble, but we'll watch each other's backs regardless."

"Especially down in the sewers," I added, completely deadpan. Viscount Arseid laughed again. And with that, the four of us descended into the sewers. As you'd expect, it was dingy and smelled awful. Like a Gigas decided to just squat down and drop a massive shit pile in the middle of the room. All four of us donned masks to try and at least blunt the smell.

"I knew adventuring wasn't always a glamorous thing, but I wasn't expecting this," Laura remarked, disgust coloring her voice.

"Pardon me for being blunt, but best get used to it, Lady Arseid," Erik said, his torch illuminating the grime-covered stone walls. "It's almost a rite of passage for all new adventurers to trek down here on their first few jobs, usually killing slimes, giant rats, and equally giant cockroaches." Kyana visibly cringed at the last one. "You have a problem with bugs, Kyana?"

She jumped about five feet in the air. "Oh, what makes you say that? It's not like I'm terrified of bugs. It's not because of the giant mandibles, or the fact their legs move independently of each other." Her voice went up with each word. "I have no idea what you're saying!" Laura lightly smacked Kyana upside the head. "Uh, thank you."

We continued through the sewers, battling the occasional rat and cockroach along the way. Kyana made it a point to always keep Erik or myself in front of her as that happened. "This is weird. We should have run into a least a couple of slimes by now." It was evident Erik was very used to these kinds of hunts. "It's just not right." I was starting

"Maybe they knew we were coming and decided to hide?" I offered. That was when we heard it. A squishy sound that reminded me of dripping water, but it wasn't quite right. It happened again. All of us were on alert. And then a huge slime burst from the murky depths. It was a sickly green color, oozing and jiggling about. "Me and my big mouth," I muttered. The squishing sound indicated the arrival of more slimes of various sizes coming from the pipes and around the corner.

"They seem unusually aggressive," Erik remarked, noting how they almost seemed to be snapping in challenge at us. He slowly drew his weapon, his sword hissed from the sheath on his back. "Okay, guys. Let's take them down! Remember we need the cores intact."

With that, we quickly got to work. I zeroed in on my target with a Vertical slash, cutting through the amorphous blob, before striking the core. The slime let out a gurgling cry before collapsing in on itself. Leaving a small perfectly shaped, dark blue colored sphere slightly larger than a fist. "That's one," I said, looking over to where the others were likewise smacking around the jiggling blobs.

Laura was just a marvel to watch, every step flowing into the next without a single wasted movement, all the while hurling that massive claymore around like it was a feather. She made carving up slimes look easy. A testament to her father's training. Kyana hurled out a few throwing knives, crippling the slime, before hacking it apart with her faithful axe.

But Erik was the real star, wielding his weapon of choice, a two-handed sword, albeit much smaller than what Laura and her father preferred, against the first slime that appeared, certainly the largest. His blade charged up with green energy. He roared as he spun in a circle, trying to hack away at the blobby creature. It let out an ominous screech, thrusting out protrusions to try and impale him. But he blocked them all, slashing deep into its side.

I conjured up some flames in my hand, tossing a medium-sized fireball at the big slime to give Erik an opening, scoring the slime's blobby mass. Erik charged up his next Sword Skill, slashing once again through the beast, but it wasn't enough to put it down entirely. It screeched, leaping back into the water with a sound splash.

"Nice job everyone!" Erik sheathed his weapon, praising all of us. "Nice assist with the flames, Ezra. That big slime was really aggressive. I've never seen them like that before. Kyana, Laura, did we get some slime cores."

"Sure did!" Kyana chirped, holding an armload of the dark blue slime cores. "Think this will be enough for Lady Triss?" She then dumped it into a bag Erik had brought with him.

"More than enough." He said before he froze. His face became very solemn, he looked down one of the darkened corridors. "Do you guys feel that?" He said, quietly, barely above a whisper.

"If you mean that sense of utter wrongness that's chilling me down to my bone marrow, then yes," I said quietly, feeling pensive. I could hear what sounded like a "song". It was a very pained one. I winced, knowing it was prodding at the back of my skull. Probing in prodding me for release in all its suffering. Surely, even the non-magic users among felt just a bit of the telepathic throb of pain made manifest. It visibly put us all on edge.

"There's definitely some bad vibes down here," Kyana said, hand tightening on her axe nervously. Her eyes darted to me, "surely." I could hear her saying wordlessly, fear coloring her inner voice. "…we're not going down there, right?"

It wasn't something I could hear through the telepathic ability Michael had instilled in me with nearly a decade of training. I could see it in her tense body language, the way she looked at me pleadingly was all the indication I needed.

"It seems there's something worse down here than just slimes." Laura's face, her very stance, was resolute. Whatever fear she might have felt was tampered down by the age-old Arseid determination in her blood. She looked to Erik, as the only licensed adventurer present, he was the effective leader of the party. "Shall we check it out?"

"That's probably not a bad idea. As a member of the guild, I'm obligated to report these things to the higher-ups. If I didn't and something resulted, I could get into a lot of trouble." Erik drew his heavy steel great sword once more, taking a step forward. He slowly glimpsed at each of us, an edge of warning in his voice. "Everyone, keep alert. These tunnels run the whole length of the city. If you don't know them well, it's quite easy to get lost." We were silent after that. The tension was back, just like when we were venturing toward Vizima.

As the firelight of Erik's torch illuminated the sewer tunnels. We didn't see any more slimes or other creatures. What we did find though was an entire chamber closed off with a door. The song was starting to get more intense. "Whatever's causing those bad vibes you mentioned, Kyana. I think this might be it. Ezra, on three, we kick the door down." A single thrust of our booted feet sent the door flying off the hinges. We marched in, and stopped, looking in muted awe and horror at what we had found.

"It looks like some kind of…church." Kyana breathed, looking around with wide, fearful eyes. "Although I'm not sure who or what was being worshipped here was exactly accepted by polite society."

"Ain't that the truth," I flatly replied, gazing up at the banner hanging on the wall, blood red with a large white stylized spider on it. "Hey Erik," I tilted my attention Erik, "think this means anything? It looks like they were crazy over spiders or something like that." Erik's eyes narrowed slightly, taking in the tapestry.

"Pull it down. We'll take it back with us. I'm sure someone at the palace can identify the emblem." He gave a more detailed appraisal of the space. "This place doesn't seem like it's been abandoned for long. Definitely pulled out in a hurry, though. Everyone looked around, see if anything got left behind." We commenced our investigation. The main worship space was sparsely furnished, just an altar that was splattered with blood, and what appeared to be a heart of some kind in a place of prominence. All of it was so wrong, so very wrong.

But that was only the beginning. The next room appeared to be some hybrid of an armory and a laboratory. There was a blacksmithing forge, a potions lab, and an enchanting table. Racks of different kinds of weapons, daggers, axes, swords, and bows, line the walls. They were unlike anything I had ever seen before. They looked inhuman, crafted from a dark stone, combining organic curves with smooth, artificial edges. The blades had rough, jagged edges like a saw, and the red filigree inlaid in the gave off a very ominous red glow. Something about it drew me to them.

The song, I heard it pulling at me once again. It beckoned me to take it. To become powerful with the strength that suffering instilled in them.

I was about to reach out for one of them when Laura's hand grasped my wrist. "Best not touch them, we don't know what kind of dark rituals were used to forge these weapons." I felt so dumb, an elementary mistake on my part. "There could be some kind of spell or enchantment that could harm anyone who wasn't meant to pick it up."

"You have good logic there, Laura. Yet I do think we should at least take a couple of them back with us as evidence. If there's some kind of cult operating down here. We have a responsibility to track them down and neutralize whatever threat they represent." Erik found an old piece of burlap cloth. tossing it to me. "Wrap them in that, just to be sure." We took a couple of the daggers and a one-handed sword, wrapping it in the cloth.

"Ezra, Erik, you might want to take a look at this!" Kyana called out from the other side of the room, near the enchanting table. She held a good-sized dark stone that pulsed with an eerie light, and finally, the song could be heard in full. This was the source of it all. "Guys, you know what this is right? It's just like how Devola and Popola described it!"

The flesh around Erik's eyes tightened as he grimaced. "Black Magicite, and judging from the looks of it." We took in the multiple shelves holding dozens of chunks of the magic stone. "They amassed quite a heavy supply." Magicite, a substance that radiates magic. It permeates our world, and it has this resonance that all magic users can feel. Some people call it the song of life.

However, Black Magicite is not natural. Sorcerers who practice forbidden magic will pour their hate and anger into the crystalline stones, twisting and corrupting them, hence why its song felt so pained. Erik, being part elf and more in tune with that kind of thing, felt it as strongly as I did.

"I think it's safe to say that this is what all these weapons were forged out of. Kyana, pack that chunk up. We're taking it back with us as well." Erik had never looked more serious. "Forget the slime cores, this is going to be a very nice payday for us. I've heard rumblings about a trade-in dark enchanted weapons and armor. King Foltest detests it, and offers a very hefty reward for anyone who finds such things."

"So we're in for some good coin then? I like that." How could I not relish the sound of hard-earned crowns falling into my hand? It was then we heard an inhuman screech. Everyone was on alert, weapons out in a second. It sounded like the slime from earlier, but even nastier than before. Almost unnatural even.

"It's coming from in there," Laura said, indicating with her blade to a gate made of very heavy platinum oak that had seen better days. Whatever was contained inside had been working on it for a while, and it looked about ready to give out "I get the impression whatever is in there should not be let out." The door continued to shake with greater intensity, it wouldn't be long now. "It may be smart for us to leave and right now!"

"Yeah, we're out of here!" Erik yelled. We bolted for the entrance, only for the sound of splintering wood to echo in our ears, and another inhuman screech. We kept running, only for a bunch of slimes to slither out of the side tunnels. "Oh great!" We turned and finally saw the creature that was pursuing us. It was a giant slime, that seemed to have numerous shields attached to it, and spears sticking out in all directions.

"What happened to that thing?" Laura asked, readying her claymore as all four of us stood back-to-back, ensuring none of the moving blobs could get behind us. "It doesn't look natural at all!"

"Judging from the looks of it, I'd say whoever was squatting in there was conducting experiments in Dark Alchemy! The slimes would have made great test subjects, no one's going to miss them, and they populate fast." I said, readying my own weapon. "So this is what it's like to be an adventurer, Erik?"

"Yeah, but usually not as exciting!" He primed his blade as well, brandishing the great edge. "They all die here!" We all gave cries of affirmation. The mutant slime screeched, and the battle was joined. We handled the regular slimes with little trouble, sword skills are quite effective in that regard. But the mutated abomination was another story entirely. The shields were attached to provide a very effective defense. Not to mention the protruding spears made it hard for us to get close.

"Erik, I'm going to give you an opening. When I tell you to, hit it!" I said, holding my hand up. "Sacred Call, generate Thermal Element!" Flames began coalescing around my fingertips into a flat sheet of flames. "Sheet shape, fly straight, Discharge!" Ah, my old friend fire. Capable of doing so much, the fire blade slammed into the slime's armor-covered side, eliciting another screech, causing some of the spears to come loose.

It also melted some of the shields, they were barely hanging on. I conjured up more flames, letting them out as a pair of focused streams, superheating the metal, causing it to crumple inward, revealing the dark, blobby hide underneath. "Do it now!"

The man who was like an older brother to me did just that. Erik sprinted in, taking his greatsword, plunging it into the beast's side. Although this slime was smarter than others. Immediately it tried to thrust with some of its spears. Erik was able to duck out of the way, while also deflecting with his sword. He responded with another sword skill called Cascade, a powerful overhead slash, cutting off one of the shields in a fluid movement.

Laura and Kyana were tag-teaming against the monster slime. The Arseid heiress made use of the heavy blade smashing against the spears and shields, allowing Kyana to slip in, her axe glowing with a yellow light. She smashed the heads of two spears, Letting Laura smash a few more of the shields before both leapt out of the way. I was priming up another spell. "Sacred Call, generate Cryogenic Element, thorn shape, fly straight and penetrate, Discharge!"

A trio of vines made of ice, covered with glistening thorns lanced out, shearing away the shields. I smirked a little bit. Once we had arrived in Minas Tor, I found a book of the Systinan Sacred Arts Mom had procured. I locked myself in my room, devouring it from cover to cover, all as a tribute to Alice. I think she would have been proud of my prowess with the fire and ice spells.

Erik stood at the forefront, a predatory smirk on his face. "Okay, guys. We've thrashed this thing pretty good. I think it's time to wrap this up. Kyana, you and I are going to keep the creature distracted. Laura, use that skill from earlier, tear off the last of its armor. Ezra, I'm going to let you have the honor of finishing blob off. A single strike on the core should be enough. Let's go, everyone!"

A part of me is still amazed that despite it being our first mission, how well we all worked together in that fight. Erik and Kyana both let out war cries, sword skills primed, the green blur of Erik's Cyclone, and the magenta streaks of Kyana's Double Cleave hacking away the last of the spears. The two of them landed, arms outstretched. Laura ran, using that as a springboard, giving her extra height.

The mighty claymore flashed gold as the Arseid School's Armor Breaker technique flashed to life. She brought it down, the craft living up to its name. The blade smashed through the shields, sending fragments flying in all directions. Laura's blade slashed deep through the slime, screeching out in pain.

That was my cue to put an exclamation point on this whole endeavor. I raised my blade up to my shoulder. I twisted my body ever slightly to the right. A crimson light formed along the full length of my blade. And then…I thrust forward. "Vorpal Strike!" I uttered the name of my favorite technique, mostly because the light was the same as my preferred element. It lanced out, plunging deep into the mutated slime, impaling the core dead on.

A final rattling cry emanated from the slime, before it melted into a puddle of goo, leaving only its core, easily the size of a bowling ball. I picked it up with great satisfaction. "How much extra do you think Lady Triss will pay for this little gem?" I asked, turning it around in my fingers. Between the cores, we retrieved earlier, with the weapons, the Magicite chunk, and taking down the monster and retrieving its core we had gone above and beyond the call of duty, and thus a very sizable reward. Judging from the way Erik was grinning at me, the odds were very good!

(Mage's Tower, Vizima Palace)

We were all filthy and exhausted, but all smiles as we trooped into Triss's chamber, bearing our hard-earned loot. "You're back. I was starting to wonder if I'd have to send Captain Strenger down to find you." She said, washing her hands, taking in our haggard appearance. "It appears you found the slime cores I need?"

"Oh, we found your cores all right." Erik produced the bag, holding the near dozen slime cores. "Plenty for your research. But we also found much more down there, Your Excellency. You will certainly want to see this." Erik said, nodding to Kyana and I. We produced the wall banner, the demonic-looking weapons, and the Black Magicite. Triss said nothing, but the way her green eyes darkened when she looked at the banner indicated she was familiar with the outfit.

"The Cult of the Pale Spider, a band of renegade magic users. They've been causing us no end of trouble for the past couple of years. They were operating in the sewers?"

I saw a chance to redeem myself from earlier. "Yes ma'am. It looked like they had blocked off a part of the sewer network, and turned it into a combination worship space and workshop. There's a whole lot more of these weapons and those corrupted Magicite crystals down there."

"Not to mention we fought a giant, mutated slime covered in shields and had spears sticking out of it!" Kyana added.

"Yeah, those cultists had been performing alchemical experiments using the Black Magicite on the local wildlife, not sure what they were going to do with the creature. But we subdued it." Erik said as Laura held up the giant slime core, a proud grin on her face. "I'm sure you'll be able to get lots of use out of this."

"Indeed." Triss was in awe, touching the construct quite gently. "Well, it appears I'm going to have to speak with His Majesty." It was evident that she was quite impressed if her smirk was any indication. "If you discovered one of the Cult's bases, that's worth far more than the 600 crowns I was going to pay you. All four of you have done a great service to the city of Vizima and the entire Kingdom of Temeria." She bowed slightly. "You have my gratitude."

The following hour, we led Triss back to the cultist's hideout along with Captain Strenger and a trio of guards. She began inspecting everything. "This is even bigger than I thought. Even if this wasn't their central headquarters. It's an indication of how expansive they really are." She took a look at the bookshelf of tomes and scrolls, frowning thoughtfully. "Usually I enjoy a good read, but I doubt I won't find anything enjoyable in these pages."

"I've heard of the Pale Spider Cult, nothing good about them at all," Strenger remarked, as his men packed up the weapons. The guy was uneasy, no doubt planning on hitting the bar the minute he was off the job. "I heard rumors they performed human sacrifices. I'm hoping that's not true."

Triss shook her head. "I'm afraid those are no rumors, Captain. That was just one of the many atrocities they've committed over the years." She then caught sight of the area where the Slime was being held. "Let's see what kind of conditions they were keeping that poor creature in." Erik, Kyana, and I were right behind her. That sense of uneasiness was back.

Triss began chanting as flames coalesced around her head, illuminating the chamber, and Kyana promptly screamed. Erik leaned over and puked. Triss just looked with morbid fascination. I wanted to unsee it, but I couldn't. Kept in a place of honor at the other end of the room on a raised dais, was a mummified corpse, lovingly preserved, of a creature that looked like a human woman, but the bottom was that of a giant spider.

Kyana gasped sharply, clinging to my arm with all of her fright. Erik looked wide-eyed, not believing what he was seeing. Laura, likewise, was struck into dumb silence, grasping desperately at the hilt of her weapon in case the thing came alive. What was my reaction? I couldn't help letting out a dull chuckle. Somehow, I found the twistedness of the thing's appearance funny. What a sin against God, I thought. I felt nothing besides morbid curiosity. A queer thrill grasped my heart. I had so many questions that needed answering. I loved it because I wasn't going to stop until I uncovered every answer. What was adventuring besides a search for answers? A trip into the heart of hell itself, I thought wryly.

If this was hell, I thought to myself, excited beyond belief. I am thrilled to see what it offers. How naïve I was. Nothing came of this look into the face of sin. There was a price for knowledge: the remains of my tattered innocence. And whatever assurance I had for the safety of myself, and my friends.

There are many times I wish had turned away. Took Kyana, and made a life someplace else. I like imagining how things could have looked at times if I had chosen differently. Somebody else could have been the hero while I lived elsewhere. And remained ignorant of the great, unfortunate truth. Truth, it's seldom ever worth what of pay for it, my friends. Doom, and darkness are all that lay beyond the door to truth.

This was merely the start of the journey to Gehenna. Walk forward, before you all is the path of despair. Seek the answers, and falter not for the path is not paved smoothly. It is fraught with many dangers, devil and demon alike wait for you with each step into the night. The dawn ahead is only earned through trial and tribulation.

The dark forests of Gehenna await. Its call, its allure is all a siren's song of destiny. Destiny after all is an ethereal song of grace, and shadow.