Chapter 24 - Rate of Convergence

788 I.C, February 26, Dracwyn: The Pierced Veil, Morning

A metallic clang jolted me from sleep with a shudder.

Talwin stirred as well and looked up with a groggy and bleary eyed look, "Morning."

"Morning," I whispered and lifted my nose to the air.

It smelled of pancakes, and there were sounds of someone working in the kitchen.

"Do you smell that?" Talwin asked with a curious sniff.

"Pancakes. Surprising, but a good sign I guess," I whispered.

Talwin eased off me, and stretched with a big yawn that made his muzzle open wide, "Let's go check."

We made our way out of the lounge, and followed the noise until we reached the kitchen. Upon glancing inside it took a moment to grasp what we were seeing. Leonard was standing in front of the stove while clad in nothing more than an apron to cover his front. His tail held tight against his legs to hide anything embarrassing but the otherwise bare back was amusing enough. Talwin stifled a snicker while I grinned in silence.

Leonard glanced back, caught sight of us, and his ears twitched a little while he feigned a smile, "... Pancakes?"

I did my best to hold back the tickling sensation of laughter, and stepped into the room, "Pancakes sound fine. Say... Is there something different about you?"

Leonard's lips twitched while he focused on the pancakes and flipped over a few in silence.

"Did Casey give you a furcut? New shampoo? Nice tail by the way," I mused as I approached.

Leonard picked a plate, placed a pancake onto it, and held it out with a stare of death, "Want it on a plate? Or thrown in your face?"

I took the plate with a nodding smile, "Plate is good. I take it the others decided to spare your hide?"

"Yes, they did," Leonard answered while Talwin discretely took a plate and held it out with his tail wagging.

"And that new outfit of yours?" I asked while Leonard gave Talwin a pancake.

Leonard took a deep breath and sighed, "We talked things over. They weren't angry with me, but they were disappointed, sad, and hurt. Apparently I'm someone they looked up to... a nice guy."

I leaned in and whispered, "You are a good guy, Leonard. Despite your lacking judgment at times."

Leonard glanced up at me, and made a humble nod, "Thank you. Anyway, they were willing to forgive me if I agreed to do this stup-"

Casey's voice came out of nowhere and interrupted Leonard, "This what?"

Leonard looked back at the kitchen entrance where Casey and Archer now stood. He then smiled, and lightened his tone of voice, "This modest request that I... dress up nicely, and serve pancakes for a week."

Casey sauntered up with a grin, grabbed a plate, and threw me a glance, "I'm the one who requested nice dress, you may thank me later."

Archer shook his head and chuckled, "No jam or whipped cream, Leonard?"

Leonard stabbed a pancake on the stove, and made an exaggerated smile while he hissed, "It's in the cooler, bottom drawer!"

"Sir," Archer added with a grin.

Leonard blinked in confusion, "What?"

"Bottom drawer, sir," Archer highlighted with a smug smile that made his striped tail sway.

Leonard's tone dropped from anger to ice, "Don't push it, or you'll eat nothing but pancakes for the rest of your life."

Archer tipped his head in wonder while his whiskers perked, "That doesn't sound so bad."

Leonard's leaned closer, and bared his teeth to a point where they glinted in morning light, "Your very short life."

Archer stepped back, and made a quick bow, "Thank you for the pancakes, boss."

I walked over to the table and sat down with the others, "Join us Leonard, we have plans to make."

Leonard set the pan aside, fetched a pancake of his own, held the apron tight, and waddled over to table before sitting down, "Plans?"

"At this point I think it's clear that Cromwell will trigger an investigation of this place, one way or another. Hopefully we've foiled the outcome of that plan by getting rid of the evidence."

"Yeah, go on?" Leonard said.

I focused on Leonard, "First I'd like some clarification on what Agron, or rather, Dracwyn thinks of slavers. What would they do if this came to light?"

Leonard chewed a piece of pancake and swallowed, "Slavers and those that support them are not viewed in a good light around here. My right to operate a business would be rescinded. My citizenship would be called into question. This kind of thing also has a tendency to leak out, which means city wide condemnation. In other words, it isn't pleasant, even if they won't kill me outright."

I nodded, "To be on the safe side I'll search the rest of the guild. But I also have other pressing concerns, and I'll need your help."

Everyone turned to focus on me as I kept talking, "I'm investigating the Master's powers and to do that I need a live subject to experiment on. That means I'm going to capture and bring in a living wulfkin affected by the Master's blessing."

Casey and Archer stopped chewing while Leonard squirmed in his seat, "Things won't look good if that investigation happens to discover a wulfkin in the guild. Err... A wild one, so to speak."

I motioned to Leonard, "That's why I'm going seal part of the basement and magically conceal it. I'm also going to move the transporter into that space, build a cage, and seal it all within a magical bubble."

"A magical bubble?" Leonard asked.

"It might be possible for the Master to peer through his subjects. The magical bubble will effectively cut off the rest of the world, and I'm hoping that will be enough so that the Master can't pinpoint our location."

"Hoping?" Casey asked.

I made a slow nod, "The guild holds the only transporter strong enough to lock onto a wulfkin, and the forest where I'm going to capture the wulfkin is crawling with Watchmen. This is unfortunately the only choice I have."

Leonard nodded, "The threat of the Master affects us all. What do you want us to help with?"

I looked at Leonard, "I'll show you how to disable the defenses in the tower but my primary concern is the coming investigation, you need to prepare for that. I also need to use your contacts within the Underground."

"Oh?" Leonard asked.

"I need transport to Sigil Fortress."

Leonard blinked, "To Sigil Fortress, that's near Ferrel Grove, where the wulfkin camp was..."

"Yes, it is."

Leonard tipped his head in wonder, "I thought you killed all the wulfkins at that camp."

I scratched my ear and lowered my voice, "I may have let one of the wulfkins escape..."

"As in... you let one go? Willingly?" Leonard asked.

"It's a long story," I said.

Leonard drew a deep breath, "Another time then. Transport can likely be arranged, especially now that we're the guild 'turned the tide' against the wulfkins. When do you need it?"

"Tonight preferably. I'll leave the fortress at night, head toward the mountains and start looking for the wulfkin."

Leonard's eyes widened for a moment, "Tonight... Well, I can try. But didn't you say you were going to rebuild the basement as well?"

I smiled back, "I work quickly."

Leonard raised a brow, "Uh huh, and you were planning to search the entire forest by yourself?"

I chuckled, "One of the spells I gave the Watchmen was a tracing spell tuned to detect the Master's blessing. It should be easy to locate him now that the camp, and the mages are dead."

"If he hasn't been captured?" Leonard asked.

I nodded, "If he hasn't been captured."

"How long are you planning to be gone?" Leonard asked.

"Wulfkins are taught to keep moving and I directed him toward the mountains. Given that the Watchmen presence will expand in the form of a circle that will keep pushing him toward the mountains. Moving east of Sigil Fortress will enable me to intercept him on a point that he should reach in... a day or two."

Leonard cut another piece of pancake and chewed, "Anything else you need?"

I leaned back in the chair and shook my head, "Take care of the guild, and I'll handle the rest."

Leonard looked around the table, "Anything anyone has to add?"

Talwin leaned over his plate, looked at me, and spoke up, "You're not leaving me behind this time, and that's final."

I chuckled to myself and nodded, "You're welcome to come along this time."

788 I.C, February 26, Aetherius, Midday

"How old are you?" Robert asked.

The wulfkin's remaining ear folded back while he buried his head in his arms, "Would you... Stop."

Robert leaned back on the wall, folded his legs, and idly chewed a piece of jerky, "I'll stop when you answer my questions."

The wulfkin angled his head so that one yellow eye fixated on Robert, "You've been asking the same question for hours. Are you either insane? Or some kind of demon sent to torment me?"

Robert motioned to the surrounding library, "There's just us, the rock, and rows upon rows of books I can't read. Is it so strange that I want to talk?"

A low growl emanated from the wulfkin, "It is, when one of us doesn't want to fucking talk!"

"And why is that?" Robert asked.

The wulfkin's eye flared and he lashed out in anger, " Grah! Shut up! Please! ARGH! If I answer your fucking questions will you let me be!?"

"Yes," Robert answered with a perky smile.

Until tomorrow that is... When I'll keep digging...

The wulfkin clutched his head and made a snarling groan, "I'm 22 years old!"

So young? Is he joking?

I wonder if they have short lifespans? Lesser risk of gaining the wisdom and perspective to rebel...

"And your name?" Robert asked.

The wulfkin opened his mouth, hesitated, and then shook his head, "No."

"I'll just keep asking," Robert mused.

The wulfkin growled under his breath, "My name is Raymond!"

It's neither Karashian or necromantic in origin...

I wonder where the original settlers of Everwinter came from...

"Finally, a name. Hello, Raymond. Nice to meet you," Robert said.

Raymond sighed and fixated on Robert with tired glare, "How unpleasant and annoying to meet you, Robert."

"See, we're already making progress. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?" Robert asked.

Raymond raised his brow, then turned his attention to the restraints, "You could release me."

"If I do, will you promise not to harm me?" Robert asked.

Raymond looked up with a grin, "Sure, why not."

Robert smiled back, "And swear on your family name? Your brother's name in particular?"

Raymond eyes widened in an instant, a ripple ran through his fur, and he squeezed back against the wall in silence.

"No?" Robert asked while observing the terror that seemed to ripple through Raymond.

I wonder why he reacts like this...

"Are you scared of your brother?" Robert asked.

"... Yes," Raymond whispered while he cowered in his corner.

"Your brother never mentioned you, or why he'd want to kill you."

Raymond closed his eyes and rested his head against his knees, "Because we... I did awful things to him. Avery always fancied revenge, and he seldom forgot or forgave those that wronged him."

Finally... Red Eye's name... Things would have turned bad he figured out I didn't know it...

"What if you explained why-" Robert was interrupted.

Raymond snapped to attention and fixated on Robert with a snarl, "Explain why I did it!? I can't even explain it to my own mind! Let alone someone else! But it doesn't matter, because he will not forgive any of us!"

Robert observed in silence with the jerky stuck between his teeth, "What did you do?"

Raymond shook his head in anger, slammed his own shoulder into the wall, and growled as if the thoughts were tearing his mind apart, "He wasn't wulfkin! He was human! A wulfkin trapped in the shell of human filth! He couldn't help it yet we cursed him for it! Just like they cursed me! I..." Raymond's voice became a mere whisper, "I got exactly what I deserved."

I'm not sure whether to consider you distasteful... Or just horribly confused...

"You hurt him?" Robert asked.

Raymond didn't seem to hear while he muttered, "One shouldn't be judged on the shell you inhabit... Wulfkin, filthy human, or one of the other sub-races."

Robert did his best to feign a smile, "That's certainly... kind and humble of you."

"Don't count on others having the same opinion," Raymond whispered and curled up once more.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Robert asked.

Raymond glanced up, opened his muzzle, but then wavered while his eyes slowly drifted with whatever thoughts that plagued him.

"Raymond?" Robert asked.

Raymond snapped back to reality and shook his head, "No, you can't."

Offering help to a wulfkin...

Robert reached to his side, fetched the book which held a cut-through image of the gigantic obelisk, and held it up, "Could you tell me about this book?"

"Why?" Raymond asked with a tired whisper.

Robert ignored it, put the book on the floor, and gave it a strong push so that it slid across the floor, "You said you couldn't understand it because you lacked context. What did you mean?"

"Our runic language is used for spells and technical books. The runes themselves can be molded depending on the input. Thus you need proper context or it means squat."

"Sounds complicated," Robert said.

Raymond reached down, plucked the book from the floor, and began to flip it through, "This is for a power supply of sorts, an advanced aetheric conduit to be specific, using-"

Robert waited but Raymond seemed frozen in place as he stared on the insides of the book, "Is something wrong?"

"This is one of the Master's books, the kind I doubted even Rastlin was allowed to see," Raymond mumbled.

"You've mentioned this Rastlin before, who is he?" Robert asked.

"Rastlin was the previous Seer of Everwinter, before my brother took over," Raymond murmured while he flipped to another page.

Red Eye... Avery... Is... Or was? The Seer of Everwinter?

Raymond closed the book, gently placed it on the ground, and then pushed it away with a single claw, "You should burn this book."

"Why?" Robert asked.

Raymond rested his head against his knees, stared at the walls, and refused to answer.

788 I.C, February 26, Dracwyn Underground, Evening

The mage from the Underground motioned toward the transporter platform in the room, "Step inside, and hurry up."

I entered while Talwin followed while the mage circled the platform with a hum, "Sigil Fortress, right?"

"That's right," I answered.

"Good, wouldn't want to send you to the wrong place. Oh, and don't use any active magic. It might mess up the transport," The mage mused with a chuckle and placed a hand on the transporter.

"I hope you know what you're doing," I said.

The mage flashed me a smile while the platform began to glow with energy, "Of course."

That doesn't put me at ease exactly...

"Ready or not, here we go!" The mage cackled before a jolt of magic surged through the transporter.

With a loud crack reality warped around us. Within the blink of an eye I found myself in what looked like a dank cellar illuminated by flickering torches.

A single human with a torch of his own stood by the platform and gave us a tired stare, "Anyone else coming?"

I shook my head, "We're the only ones."

The human raised his hand and pointed toward a passage behind him, "Follow the passage, take the first turn to your left, and you'll reach an exit held open by a guard. Don't say a word to him, just walk out, don't look back, and disappear into the night. Get it?"

"Noted," I said with a nod while Talwin brushed up beside me.

"And don't even think of coming back to the fortress, none of us will acknowledge you were ever here," The human added.

I stepped off the platform and glanced at the human, "You'll have no trouble from us, I promise."

The human made something of a huff, and stepped aside while we started walking.

"That wasn't very nice," Talwin whispered.

"Oh?" I asked.

Talwin leaned in, "The Underground takes pride in its work and they're usually professionals about it."

"You're saying they weren't with the underground?" I whispered.

"Not necessarily, but the recent hardships may change the nature of the Underground."

I pondered it, "Some get scared, others greedy, and a few try to push their own agenda?"

Talwin nodded, "I wonder what kind of strings Leonard had to pull in order to arrange this."

We took a passage to the left, marched forward, and saw an exit leading to the outside. A masked guard held the door open for us and swiftly closed it the moment we stepped outside. As ordered we kept walking without into a large empty field that surrounded the fortress. The field shifted to thick forests in the distance, and the area was overshadowed by a mountain-range with snow covered peaks.

Within half an hour we were deep in the forest and had little more than the moon's light to guide us.

"Let's see if we've gone though this for nothing," I said and stopped.

Talwin stayed closed to me and looked around the dark forest, "Want to talk about him?"

I put my backpack to the ground, dug it through, and fetched a construct made with crystals from the wulfkin camp, "Talk about whom?"

"Clyde. Your childhood friend. The wulfkin we're hunting. What did you do together? What's he like?" Talwin asked.

I placed the construct flat on the ground and stepped back, "You want me to reminisce about someone I might end up killing?"

Talwin moved up beside me and leaned closer so that I could feel his presence, "You hesitated when I asked whether he could be saved. That hesitation should be proof that he needs a... What shall we call it? A trial?"

"A trial?" I chuckled in response and began to channel energy into the device.

"I understand that Everwinter is our enemy, that much is obvious. But sometimes people have no choice in the things they do. Or they end up with choices that they later regret, like Leonard."

I glanced over at Talwin, "He had plenty of choice not to torment me."

Talwin was silent for a moment, and idly scratched at the ground with a paw, "Something he might now regret, or regret once he realizes what he did to you."

I sighed, "I promise I won't torture him, Talwin. But any more than that depends on how much of a monster he has become."

Talwin nodded, "I think I know what you mean, but I also remember you mentioning that the wulfkins at the camp were... different?"

I spun the aether, fed into the construct, and began to charge it into a pulse that glowed searing white, "I'm worried about both aspects. I knew Clyde as a human, not the wulfkin he turned into, and there might not be anything to salvage in that regard. Then there are the changes being made to them. For all we know he could have turned into some kind of feral beast."

"I see," Talwin whispered while observing the construct.

"Now give me a moment to focus," I said.

Talwin made a zipping motion across his muzzle while I drew a deep breath and focused. The still growing pulse illuminated the trees, seared the grass underneath it, and crackled with sparks of light. I counted the seconds, focused, and let the pulse connect with the construct.

THOOM!

The pulse surged into the crystal, glowed searing red, and then created a ripple that expanded in all directions. It looked like a wave of hot air that surged through us, accelerated through the forest, and disappeared toward the night sky like an expanding bubble. Talwin stared in awestruck fashion while I watched the construct in anticipation for the returning echo.

Ding!

A distorted cling was heard as the crystals registered a response. Within moments a single light rose from the device and pointed in a direction south south-west of our location.

"He's south of here," I said.

"How far?" Talwin asked.

"I'm not sure how fast an aetheric pulse like this travels, so..."

"You don't know?" Talwin asked.

I glanced over and chuckled to myself, "Pretty much. It always seemed like a rather useless thing to memorize, up until now that is."

"Shouldn't something like that be written down somewhere?"

"It probably is, but magic usually isn't used for precision engineering. Rastlin didn't saw fit to write it down, or he had no way of figuring it out, given that he was stuck in Everwinter."

Talwin stepped up to the construct and watched the still glowing metal that bound the crystals together, "Then I hope this device of yours can be used more than once?"

I nodded, "A few times at least, the construct itself is easy to repair, but the crystals are shot once they're worn out."

"Then let's get going," Talwin said and looked in the same direction as the construct pointed.

788 I.C, February 27, Dracwyn: The Pierced Veil, Morning

What's this? The invoice from that blacksmith's apprentice... Matthew...

Leonard inspected the document and scratched an itch by his ear.

Detailed and proper... I wonder if he's as good a blacksmith as he's an accountant... Might-

Without warning the door was flung open and Casey burst into the room, "Leonard!"

The sudden noise made Leonard crumple the document out of fright while his fur bristled like a brush.

Casey snapped, "There are guards from the city! Archer tried to hold them off but by now they're already searching inside the guild!"

This quickly? Avery and Talwin aren't here... But I'm not sure if that's good or bad...

"Do we play nice or flee?" Casey asked.

Leonard dropped the document, stood up, and straightened his shirt, "Relax, Casey. We planned for this and now we follow that plan."

Casey drew a deep breath and the anxiety visibly dropped from his shoulders while his resumed a natural wag. Within seconds he seemed relaxed once more and then motioned toward the door, "After you."

They left the room, headed down the corridor, stopped by the stairs, and looked down. Dracwyn guards clad in metal armor were moving into the building while Archer had been pinned to the wall.

Several guards looked up and one of them raised a hand to point, "Stay where you are! Don't move!"

Leonard raised his hands and spoke up, "There's no need for violence."

Two strangers in different outfits entered the guild and looked up. One was a human clad in fine leather armor and a cape while the other one was a dusty feline clad in a mage's robe.

The human in leather armor stepped up to the stairs and focused on Leonard, "Who are you?"

Leonard kept his hands up, "Leonard Barker, chosen representative of this guild. Who are you, and why are you here?"

The human pointed at himself, "Cassius Wey, judicial prefect of Dracwyn," Cassius then pointed at the dusty feline, "This is Leyland who represents the Academy of Mages."

The prefect seems like overkill... But it's not unreasonable if Cromwell pulled the strings...

But why would an Academy representative be here? Avery's trickery should have kept them away...

Leonard focused on Cassius, "Excuse me if I'm impertinent, but you'd better have a good reason for violating our guild's autonomy, without warning I might add."

Cassius stepped up to the stairs, "We have reasonable grounds to believe that this guild has and is involved in illegal acts. You are all under arrest until the matter is resolved, and we ask that you peacefully comply or we'll be forced to use force."

Leonard motioned to Casey and Archer, "Of course. We have nothing to hide and there's no need for any violence."

Cassius motioned to the ground floor, "Come down here, we need to make sure you're not armed."

Leonard and Casey descended and two guards started to pat them down.

Within moments the dusty feline called Leyland approached, "Are there any mages in your guild?"

"No academy mages, but there are two mercenaries who wield the aether. They're part owners of the guild," Leonard answered.

Leyland looked up, "I take it they're not here?"

"Business trip, outside of town," Leonard answered.

Leyland focused on Cassius, "I can't sense them, but there's definitely aetheric activity in the tower."

"That's because the tower is warded. You won't be able to enter without our help," Leonard said while the guards finished patting them down.

Leyland faced Leonard and his whiskers rose in amusement, "Oh, you think so?"

"I know so," Leonard corrected and crossed his arms.

Leyland's expression shifted from amusement to a curious glance that made his tail lash, "Very well, you will accompany me when I inspect the tower."

The guards finally eased Archer off the wall while Leonard focused on Cassius, "These reasonable grounds of yours, I'd like to hear them?"

Cassius made a dismissive wave with his hand, "I don't answer to you," he then faced the other guards and ordered, "Keep searching the guild."

788 I.C, February 27, Dracwyn: The Pierced Veil, Morning

Casey heard steps and looked up. To his surprise there was a guard with a stark frown looming over him.

"You're coming with me," the guard ordered.

Casey rose from his chair, "Where are we going?"

The guard ignored the question and snatched hold of Casey's arm, "Quiet."

With a harsh pull, Casey found himself pulled down the hallway until they reached the basement stairs.

"Down," The guard ordered.

Maybe we should have run...

Casey swallowed his doubts, stepped onto the stairs, and descended. The guard followed, stepped onto the basement floor, and snapped, "What the hell is this!?"

"Looks like a cellar to me," Casey answered while he let his gaze wander the now empty room, blank walls, and flattened floor.

The guard approached Casey with a stomping gait that made his armor rustle, "It's fucking empty!"

Casey blinked and faked confusion, "Yes, so?"

"It's not supposed to be empty, why is it empty!?" The guard asked with a human growl and a glare.

Casey raised his brow, "We just needed to clear out the junk that Cromwell left behind."

The guard turned around, stared at the walls for a few moments, and gritted his teeth, "Damn it."

Was there something hidden here? No... Avery would have found it...

Casey focused on the guard, and for a moment he seemed familiar, "You seem familiar for some reason."

The guard turned around in an instant, "What did you say?"

You're working for Cromwell... Were you planning on dumping some evidence here?

"Yes. I've seen you before. With Cromwell. Were you-"

The guard stepped closer and interrupted Casey with snap of anger, "Shut up! D** og!**"

Casey tipped his head and whispered, "Were you planning to hide some incriminating evidence?"

The guard reacted in an instant, gripped Casey by the shirt, and pushed until Casey slammed into the wall with a pained grunt.

"Careful, dog ,or I'll run you through and claim that you tried to attack me," The guard whispered.

Casey breathed carefully and looked the guard in the eyes, "It's not easy to hide something down here when the room's empty, is it? And you can't do it upstairs either, especially not when it's crawling with guards that have more integrity than you."

"I said, shut up," The guard hissed like a snake while his grip hardened.

"Are you doing this for money? Or does Cromwell have a hold on you? Oh, who am I kidding. Of course Cromwell has a hold on you." Casey said.

The grip tightened further and Casey felt the guard's gauntlet press against his windpipe, "Shut up, or I'll kill you."

Casey wheezed, "No one is going to believe that I tried to overpower you. Especially not with an Academy Mage here, one who is most likely aware that you've dragged me down here!"

The guard bit his lip and his gaze slowly drifted to the side.

Casey whispered, "Just tell Cromwell the way it was. We cleared out the basement before you got here, the upper floors were guarded. Cromwell won't get rid of you, a puppet on the inside of the City Guard is far too precious."

The pressure eased up, and the guard's let go.

Casey drew a deep breath, "We all know what it's like to be in Cromwell's grip. Forced to do things we don't want to do. We can help you get out, if you let-"

The guard interrupted Casey with a snapping glare, "Get the hell out of here!"

Casey nodded in silence, stepped around the guard, and ascended once more.

788 I.C, February 27, Dracwyn: The Pierced Veil, Morning

Archer looked up in confusion when an irate guard entered the supply depot and marched up to the other guards.

"Cassius needs you in the main hall, get a move on!" The irate guard snapped.

The guards looked to one another, and then set off while drawing their swords. As they left the irate guard faced Archer and approached.

"You must be happy," The guard said without warning.

Archer stood tall, crossed his arms, and gave the guard a curious glance.

"Once a slave, now part owner of a wealthy guild. You've come a long way, and I'm sure you struggled for it," The guard said and poked at one of the sealed crates.

Archer's ear twitched while his tail shifted in irritation.

The guard walked closer, faced Archer, and smiled, "It would be a shame if it all came crashing down."

Archer remained stoic in his silence.

"Well?" The guard asked with a growing frown.

"Well what? You only posed statements, not a question," Archer answered.

"Tough guy, ay? Cromwell has a proposition for you," The guard said and glanced toward the exit.

Archer flashed the guard a smile of sharp fangs and chuckled, "Oh, does he now?"

The guard's expression shifted into a tired glare, "Do you know your current boss did for a living before he bought you? He was a slave dealer."

Archer smirked, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The guard paused in confusion for a moment, and then kept going, "I imagined as much. But soon the secret will come out, and you'll all be sent to the darkest dungeons Agron has to offer. But Cromwell can keep that from happening to you. He can even help that friend of yours, Casey."

Archer forced his smile to fade, "Oh, and what does Cromwell want in return of this favor?"

The guard's expression lightened and for a moment there was relief, "Nothing much. He just needs you to testify against Leonard. We'll provide the material necessary to clear your name."

Archer raised his hand and pulled an invisible muscle that made a sharp feline claw extend from his fingertip. It glinted in the light as it pointed at the guard. "I have a counter-proposal for you."

The guard blinked in confusion, "... What?"

"One way or another, Cromwell is going to pay for what he's done over the years. So you have two choices: Either grow a pair and stand up to that slimy asshole; or get the fuck out of here before I start screaming and make your actions look even more questionable."

The guard's face reddened and he gritted his teeth, "We'll see what your tone is like once this is over."

788 I.C, February 27, Dracwyn: The Pierced Veil, Midday

"I should-" Leonard was interrupted when Leyland brushed past him.

"I want to see the defenses your mage friends have put up," Leyland said and kept ascending.

"Watch out!" Leonard snapped.

THOOM!

A sudden burst of energy rippled through the air and a blue shield formed in the stairs to block Leyland's path. It made the feline mage stumble back while he gripped the railing to steady himself.

Leyland shook his head and looked up at the shimmering field, "Surprisingly strong. Interesting type of magic. Where are your friends from?"

"Shouldn't you know?" Leonard asked.

Leyland glanced back, "I was informed of the investigation this morning, and I invited myself on behalf of the Academy."

"You want me to believe that we're interesting enough for the Academy to involve itself, yet you didn't bother to check the public archives in city hall?"

Leyland grew a sly smile, "You and I both know that those records are easily falsified. Not only that, but city hall intentionally forgoes many of their duties in order to 'assist' the underground."

Leonard gave Leyland a curious glance, "Who are you exactly?"

Leyland looked up at the shield once more, "I'm a friend who knows that your guild provided first and best hope against the wulfkins."

"You were at Ferrel Grove?" Leonard asked.

Leyland nodded, "Indeed I was."

"We hear very little of what goes on outside the walls, anything you can share?" Leonard asked.

Leyland glanced at Leonard with a shy smile, "The situation is bad. We believe that King Conrad has fallen under Everwinter's influence, and he's now raising an army of undead. It's a repeat of what happened 200 years ago."

"I thought you were focused on the wulfkins?" Leonard asked.

Leyland nodded, "I am. Others are dealing with the undead threat. Personally I consider the wulfkins a greater threat, since they are effectively immune to our greatest weapon, magic."

"True. Though I thought we had a deal, that you weren't supposed to bother us?" Leonard said.

Leyland sighed, "We weren't planning to. But our influence over the nobles in Dracwyn society is limited. That's why I'm here, to observe, and do my best to keep our interests safe."

"I see," Leonard said.

Leyland motioned to the shield, "Deactivate this for me, will you?"

Leonard reached out and placed his hand firmly on the shield. He then closed his eyes and relaxed. Within a few moments the shield began to fade, and dissipated into nothing.

"How did you do that?" Leyland asked.

Leonard gave Leyland a curious glance, "You're the mage, you tell me?"

Leyland frowned in response, "There was no aetheric pulse, I would have sensed it if there was. Maybe it sensed your signature and reacted to that. What instructions did he give you?"

Touch the shield... And relax...

Leonard shrugged, "I agreed to lower the shield, nothing more."

"Very well, let's go," Leyland answered with a huff and resumed walking.

Leonard followed Leyland into the tower and then watched in silence while the mage walked around. To Leonard's surprise the mage seemed focused on the floor, walls, and the spot where the transporter used to stand.

"What are you doing?" Leonard asked.

"This place is intriguing. It's as if the material has been shaped, altered to better channel the aether while at the same time acting like a shielded dome."

"Meaning?" Leonard asked.

Leyland crouched and felt the floorboards, "Have you ever been to the Academy of Mages?"

"No, thankfully not," Leonard answered.

Leyland made a hearty chuckle, "Don't let reputation spoil reality. The Academy is a wondrous place, built on top of a natural leyline that surges with aetheric energy. The constant exposure to such amounts of energy has shaped it into something wondrous."

Leonard stepped closer, "I'd rather discuss other things, if you don't mind?"

"Of course?" Leyland said and looked up.

"Cassius, on which side is he?" Leonard asked.

Leyland rose up and drew a deep breath, "Cassius has no side other than his own loyalty to what he considers right and wrong. If the allegations are true then he'll do his best to punish you, to the harshest degree I might add. If the allegations are false, then he'll turn his attention to Cromwell instead."

"So, Cromwell is the one behind this."

Leyland smiled to himself, "A slip of the tongue, nothing more."

A sudden voice called out from the floor below, "We found something!"

Leyland faced the stairs and glanced at Leonard, "Let's see what they've found, shall we?"

There wasn't supposed to be anything to be found...

Leonard's stomach tightened into a ball while Leyland walked ahead and started heading down the stairs. Once more his being filled with the fear that everything he had fought for, the life he hoped to build for himself and others, would come crashing down.

He tightened his fists, swallowed hard, and followed down the stairs. Upon reaching the ground floor he saw that everyone had gathered near the staircase.

The staircase... What a relief...

Cassius stepped up to a guard who stood near the staircase, "What have you found?"

The guard pushed on the wall and made it creak, "Look, the wall is loose, and there are traces on the floor. There's something inside."

Cassius turned to focus on Leonard, "Do you know anything of this?"

Leonard shook his head, "There's bound to be empty space underneath the stairs, but it was never built as storage. As far as I know at least."

The guard grabbed a crowbar and jammed it into the wooden wall before starting to apply force. The wood resisted a little, splintered, and began to break open. Moments later he wedged it further, took a new grip, and gave it another push. This time the entire wooden wall loosened, let go, and came rumbling down in pieces.

"Look, there's a..." The guard's voice trailed off to nothing as he pointed to place on the wall where the locking mechanism should have been.

"There's what?" Cassius asked in annoyance.

The guard quickly looked up, raised his hand, and pointed into the empty compartment that was filled with nothing but than a few dust balls, "There's..."

Cassius inspected the compartment for a moment, and then look back at the guard, "Yes?"

Within seconds the guard's cheeks began to take on the hue of a ripe tomato.

"Explain?" Cassius asked in a dry voice.

The guard turned to look at Leonard, and bit together with such force that a hint of blood welled up on his lip.

Cassius glanced back at Leonard for a moment, sighed, and then focused on the guard once more, "Anything you have to say?"

The guard lowered his gaze, stared at the floor, and held onto the crowbar as if trying to strangle it, "Nothing, Sir. I was mistaken."

Cassius gritted his teeth for a moment, and made a seething whisper, "I've had enough of this farce, do you understand?"

The guard stared at the floor, "Yes, Sir."

Cassius turned around, marched up to the exit, and turned his head to focus on Leonard, "You're no longer under arrest, and you have my sincerest apologies for the intrusion."

Leonard made a slow nod, "And the repairs?"

Cassius glanced back at the guard that still clutched the crowbar, "Send us the bill and we'll make sure that the ones who are responsible pay for it."

788 I.C, February 27, Ferrel Grove, Evening

"Isn't it time to use the locator again?" Talwin asked.

I stopped and turned to look at Talwin with a smile, "Can't you sense him?"

Talwin stopped, tipped his head a little, and perked his ears as if listening to the aether. Within moments he blinked and nodded, "There's a... Oh, I recognize it now. It's like tear in the aether, it whistles."

"Point toward it," I said.

Talwin looked around, took a few steps in random directions, and then raised his to point toward a giant oak in the distance, "There."

"Good," I said.

Talwin joined my side and lowered his voice, "Something was different when we saw the marching wulfkins. Their presence in the aether was far stronger, like a raging storm that sent a chill into my bones. I can understand why more wulfkins create a bigger signal, but this is rather weak even for one wulfkin."

I nodded, "Why do you think that is?"

"Is his presence dependent on his health? Or can wulfkins somehow hide themselves?" Talwin asked.

I shook my head, "Both, and neither. A dying wulfkin will have a weaker signature, but it also depends on the emotional state. Anger creates a raging storm, a calm focus makes it far less apparent."

Talwin looked toward the oak, "He's hiding?"

"The Clyde I knew was a complex fellow. He didn't like fighting, and some even call him a coward, but they failed to understand what he really was."

"What?" Talwin asked.

"Clyde's intelligent but always second guessed himself to a fault while also falling for peer pressure. My father suggested that Clyde's natural potential would flourish if he had a strong alpha to lead him. But that was always something of a sore point, since Clyde's father is also Commander Amarok, leader of the wulfkin forces in Everwinter."

Talwin's eyes widened, "You were friends with the son of the wulfkin commander?"

"It wasn't that strange since my own father was on the council. Father even commented once that Amarok was relieved that Clyde had found friends."

"And then he betrayed you, like everyone else?"

I chuckled and nodded, "The guy dropped our friendship like a moldy mushroom. I'll never forget the day he refused to spar and left me standing alone in the training halls."

Talwin focused on the oak, "Is there... an odd smell?"

I raised my nose and sniffed, there was a faint hint of something foul, "Yeah, sewage?"

"Something like it, so what do we do now?"

"Keep an eye on the ground and trees, he might have set traps for us."

Talwin stood tall and looked around with newfound respect of the surroundings, "Oh."

I smirked and gave Talwin a wolfish grin, "Do you know what happens when you create an aetheric bubble, increase the pressure inside, and then break the spell?"

"Boom?" Talwin asked.

I nodded, "A small sonic boom, enough to loosen old branches, set off traps, and give anyone caught in it one hell of a headache."

"Why not use such spells more often?" Talwin asked.

I began to walk and Talwin followed, "It takes time to build the pressure, and it's not very efficient either. When it comes to killing people only a madman would use it. But for a purpose like this, it suits us perfectly."

Talwin's ears remained perked in interest while a silly smile grew on his muzzle, "I want to see this."

I raised my hand and let the threads form a ball that trapped air. It compressed until it became airtight, and then the individual threads began to funnel more air inside. The air within my hand began to ripple and as the seconds passed it began to warp the light.

"It... looks like hot air?" Talwin asked.

"Compressing it creates a lot of heat, which in turn warp the light, but it's also because of the increasing density."

"Increased density, the same effect you can see in a glass of water?" Talwin asked.

"Exactly," I answered with a nod.

"You're sure you won't kill him by mistake, right?" Talwin asked.

I nodded, "This was one of the lessons Rastlin taught us as children. I had... opportunities to practice."

Talwin covered his muzzle and smirked, "You played tricks on people?"

I nodded when Talwin suddenly stopped and looked to the side, "Something wrong?"

Talwin focused on something along the ground and then pointed at it, "There's a small hole there, covered by branches and leaves."

I looked further ahead, sent out a tendril along the ground, let it poke around, and found the trap, "A small but deep hole, nothing sharp at the bottom."

"A rabbit trap? I guess he doesn't know much about Agron. Rabbits don't survive long in the wilds, and the few hares around here wouldn't be stupid enough to fall like a trap for that," Talwin said.

I nodded, "I had hoped for more of a challenge, but I guess it's impressive enough that he's survived for this long when he's both crippled and hungry."

Talwin looked over at me, "You really hate his guts."

"I... This is personal, Talwin. It's going to take a lot of work for me to even consider forgiving him."

Talwin nodded, "I get that, I do."

I focused on the ball of compressed air in my hand, pulled my arm back, and aimed at the tree, "Don't get too close to him even if he seems harmless. One touch and your magic is worthless."

"I get it," Talwin answered.

With a deep breath I readied myself, and then hurled the ball with as much force that I could muster. The ball flew through the air, entered the oak's woodwork, and crackled when its shield popped. A tremendous blast made the tree tremble, while leaves were shaken loose like a hen strapped to a burning dynamite.

The blast hit us with a bang loud enough to make my ears ring while Talwin stumbled back. A moment later something big and heavy fell from the depths of the tree. It slammed into several branches, flopped around like a ragdoll, and then hit the ground a loud thud. Talwin stared as the big creature strained, twitched, and clutched its head before letting out a pained scream.

"My EARS! You- ARGH!" The beast screamed.

I stepped closer for a better look. Its fur was muddy brown, clumped, full of debris and dirt. It didn't smell much like a wulfkin, rather it was akin to something that had crawled out of mud-banks near a sewer outlet. The creature kept twisting for what felt like a minute before finally calming down enough to lock eyes with me.

Ice blue... That's Clyde...

I reached out to the aether, grabbed a branch, and quickly shaved it into a pointed spear before grabbing hold of it, "Evening, Clyde."

Clyde clutched his ears while tears streamed down the muddy fur. After several seconds his mind seemed to snap into gear and he realized who was standing in front of him. In an instant he recoiled, tumbled to the side, and raised one arm to shield himself.

I sniffed the air and tipped my head, "What the hell did you do to get yourself into this state? Rolled around in carcasses and shit? And with a wound at that, are you an idiot?"

Clyde made a pained grimace and glanced up at me, "What!?"

This might not have been the best idea I ever had...

I stepped closer, and softened my tone of voice, "Do you want a chance to go home?"

"I stayed away! I ran! I did as you ordered!" Clyde screamed while his tail squirmed between his legs and covered his groin.

True... You did...

"I said, do you want to go home!?" I asked.

Clyde's ears lifted a little and his eyes widened in confusion, "To... go home?"

I raised the spear, and motioned to the forest, "That blast I just caused drew the attention of a hundred watchmen, you won't survive this time, I guarantee it. You will either do as I say, or you will die here. Do you understand?"

Clyde lowered his arm and stared at me in disbelief, "W- Why?"

I cocked my head, "Why? Why would I help you, is that what you're wondering?"

"Yes!" Clyde answered with a frantic nod.

"Don't misunderstand, Clyde. There's a part of me that wants to lop your head of and incinerate what's left of you. But I also have something called a conscience, a foreign concept to you, no doubt. But on some level I can't help but sympathize with your useless hide."

Clyde glanced over at Talwin for a moment, looked toward the forest, and then focused on me, "I... Don't want to die. I'll do what you say."

I nodded, "Good. Now, we need to get out of here. Do you remember the lessons Rastlin taught us? How to relax and lower your defenses? You need to do that, or I won't be able to create a transporter field strong enough to lock onto you. Understand?" I said.

Clyde made a weak nod, "All... right."