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Chapter 15 - The Hall of the Chieftans

The markets were quickly becoming Giu's favorite location to peruse in the entire Syndicate. After spending so much time around food and hostile rabbits, he enjoyed the over-enthusiasm of the many snake oil peddlers. They helped him forget.

"Are you sure you that's wise, my good man?" a toad asked, holding a glowing orange sphere. "Ten pounds is all it takes to see your future. Perhaps even reveal the one you're destined to marry."

Giu brushed the man off with a flick of his tail. "I'm fine not knowing that sorta stuff, thanks."

Though Elly's list had the same stand listed as before, Giu took his time in exploring what the other merchants had to offer. It was already his third day in the Syndicate. By tomorrow they'd be moving on to Tea's next job. The least he could do was pick up something nice while he had the time.

As of late, potions seemed to be the most useful things to buy. Armor was pointless since he could make his body harder than steel whenever he needed it. And who needed a sword when punching things got the job done just as well? His real issues came with stamina. Form Changing took a toll when used too liberally. It was why he made it a point to never form change his entire body, only whichever parts needed the protection the most.

"Just gimme three of your Energy Revs," Giu said. "And two Healiums."

The merchant reluctantly lowered his magic globe, the glow retracting as it returned to its normal white color.

"I predict you'll regret that."

"Uh-huh. Whatever."

Giu massaged his forehead. He could hear a voice in the back of his mind. See eyes of shimmering blue. He pushed the thoughts away, handing over his pounds and grabbing his sack of goods.

The woman. He didn't know who she was. He didn't know why she kept appearing. But he could hear her. No matter how much he tried to ignore her presence, he could hear her voice lingering in his mind.

"Ah, so we meet again, G."

He came out of his mind to the sudden voice. A canine was lingering beside him, leaning against a nearby wall.

"Oh. Eli, right?"

The assistant chieftan smiled.

"You remembered my name. Hope that means I left a good impression."

Giu immediately thought back to the man eating a boot to the face. He couldn't help but snicker, a point to which Eli seemed a bit confused. Giu dismissed his curiosity with the wave of a hand. As friendly as the canine was, he was still with the chieftains. Better to not make enemies and get himself an axe to the neck.

"I'm guessing you're out hunting for pedestrians to save or something?" Giu asked.

"More or less. I'd like to think I'm doing my part to keep the Syd safe for all citizenry."

Giu looked around, noting the distinct lack of attention the assistant chieftain was drawing. While most rabbits outside the markets would stare Giu down as he passed, they seemed to go to great lengths to ignore the other red canine. In fact, some even went as far as turning the corner the minute they spotted him.

Eli smiled brightly, resting his hands on his hips.

"They don't call me the Red Defender for nothing."

Giu raised a brow at the name. No one calls you that, do they? He decided against voicing such comments to avoid the executioner's axe. Eli leaned against Giu's shoulder.

"Which reminds me," he said. "You'll be happy to know I took care of your crocodile problem."

"Oh?"

Eli smirked. "It wasn't easy, but I convinced Chief Huck to flush 'em out of hiding. They should be on the fast train to Hop Town by now."

Giu nodded. The Croc Bros weren't much of an issue to begin with, but at least he wouldn't need to worry about getting into another random fight in the markets. Though even as he thought that, he couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed.

Fight Yi-

Giu rubbed his temples. Her voice was only getting clearer. And she wasn't going away.

Don't stop!

He looked up to find Eli staring back at him. Giu averted his gaze.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about brain magic, would you?"

"Brain magic?" Eli asked.

Giu shrugged. It was wishful thinking, but it would explain the woman's sudden appearance. Maybe he'd slipped up and fallen under some illusionary spell. Maybe someone was trying to implant thoughts in his head. Maybe he'd been drugged. It was stretch, but-

"Never heard of it before?"

Giu winced. "What about potions? Memory poisons? Maybe something I ate?"

Eli tapped his lips.

"Hmm. I do suppose it's possible. Memory alteration usually entails scrambling what's being perceived. And I suppose if a substance were potent enough, memories may be affected. But anything that dangerous would be out of my realm of expertise. I hear your pixie's pretty knowledgeable. Why not ask them?"

Giu recoiled at the idea. Tea did know a lot about magic-related subjects. More than most. But after seeing the woman's face in them, he was weary of broaching the subject. For all he knew, his hunch was wrong. For all he knew, magic had nothing to do with it.

How was he supposed to look Tea in the face when he could only see someone else's?

"Is there another way?" Giu asked.

"Well, if you don't want to go to the pixie..." Eli smiled. "Perhaps a pixie expert would do?"

"Pixie expert? There's another pixie in the Syndicate?"

"Not exactly. But I know a guy who's studied a lot about pixies. I'd argue he may even have knowledge on par with one. Would that be something you'd be interested in?"

Giu thought a moment. Tea might have been a no-go, but someone on their level might have been enough. Even better, if they could get the woman out of his head it would make working with the pixie a lot less troublesome. The more he thought of it, the more he liked the idea. His tail wagged against his leg.

"Yeah," he said. "That could work. Uh, where is he exactly?"

Eli's grin widened.

***

Regret set in almost immediately.

"Welcome to the Hall of the Chieftans!" Eli announced as they walked through the vast expanse of marble columns and white tiles.

The giant rabbit head building was somehow even larger from the inside. Or maybe Giu just felt smaller seeing so many busts looming down at him from their raised platform. The more ancient ones were aligned along the walls. Giu lingered over one name in particular.

Chief Sulivun Huppin.

The eyeless bust didn't stand out much from the crowd, though the thick mustache was enough for Giu to consider reaching a hand out. He stopped at Eli's call.

"C'mon, G! Chief Huck's chamber is this way."

"Right. Coming."

He dragged himself away, the other canine leading him through a set of double doors marked by a bronze plague.

Eli waved his hand over the area, Giu squinting against the light of the many windows, their curtains drawn back to bathe the room in sunshine. He'd half expected to see a room full of skulls and severed heads, but to his surprise, he instead found not a bone in sight. In fact, the place looked to have been decorated with a stylistic flair.

Walls were covered in intricate designs that almost resembled wings. Assorted pottery hung along the shelves, each showcasing some ancient rabbit-figure. And at the center of the room was a man with short white hair and thick antlers. The older deer was thumbing through a book when they entered.

"And this is Chief Huck's office," Eli said. "That there would be Chief Huck."

The deer waved without looking up. He was a fair bit bigger than either canine, though not nearly as big as many of the rabbits Giu had seen. Or the other four inhabitants that were sitting around the chieftain's desk.

Eli's words drifted in and out of Giu's ears as he locked eyes with the four giants who were also visiting the Syndicate. The one at the front smiled a toothy grin, his amber eyes shining with intent. Giu froze.

"Mutt," Redge said.

Giu cursed under his breath.