Private Tales The Edge of Cortosi

[Eirika E'sprit]

"I'm familiar with your people's variances. Just because we elves live in the Falwood doesn't make me unlearned of Arethil's other inhabitants you know." The tone suggested not a jab at Kasim, but one of jest, surprisingly. "There are a number of other elven descendants as well. Those who split away from Fal"Addas to live elsewhere in our world. Though less common, they have developed and nurtured their own traditions and ways, even if they still call Fal'Addas home."

Though Cerak At'Thul was a place only the tainted elves, or those who no longer held the elven faith ventured. It was a place of disgrace, tortured souls, and lawlessness. A place too dangerous for her.

"I suppose though you could draw similarities between the dark elves and your dreadlords in their manner of twisted manipulation of magic. They call upon evil deities, dark magic, and even necromancy to fuel their twisted desires. They do not enter Fal'Addas, nor are they welcome, yet I fear if their numbers were enough to challenge, they may seek to destroy my people and our home."

 

[Kasim Areth]

He frowned for a moment. "Necromancy."

Kasim said the word with no small amount of disgust. Even the Dreadlords didn't venture into pulling the souls of the deceased back into existence. At least none he had met. He shivered for a second, and then continued on with the conversation. Best not to dwell on that subject too long.

"Where do they live?" He asked. "Elsewhere in the Falwood?"

He knew they werent all concentrated in Cerak At'Thul, there was just the one.

They must have had a hide out of some sort, where they gathered or tended to be. Kasim mostly wanted to know so he could be sure to entirely avoid it. If even half of what Eirika had said so far was true then he wanted to do his best never to actually meet a Dark Elf.

Right up on the list with Blight Orcs.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Eirika shrugged. "Not that I've seen. I know the Falwood as well as the best of us, though I suppose they could perhaps hide their presence from even our wisest priests if their dark gods allowed it. I tend to believe they do not choose to reside in the Falwood. I suspect they've built their homes elsewhere. They dislike us as much as we distrust them."

The elf continued walking, eyes gauging the position of the sun to better estimate the time of day. The road to Vel Anir was clear for the time being, though recent carriage tracks from wheel and hoof could be seen in the dirt path, likely from perhaps a day or two prior.

She was eager to reach the city, it had been a number of years since she had last seen such a heavily populated place. Humans had a knack for making sprawling villages with towering walls and grand castles. It was something one would never see in the Falwood.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He drummed his fingers against the side of his thigh in thought, considering what Eirika said. Apparently she didn't know exactly where they hid, and that made sense in a way. Dark Elves, from the impression he got, were essentially criminals in Eirika's world. Of course they didn't want to be found.

Curiously he wondered if anyone in Vel Anir did know the difference and had attempted to exploit it in the past. It would make sense in a way, but Kasim had never heard of such a thing. A shrug rolled over his shoulder and he decided not to worry about it for now.

There were other, more pressing dangers.

After that they walked in silence for a time, continuing on the road without much more than a few words passing between the two of them. it wasn't an angry silence this time, just the quiet of two companions with a destination already in mind. As the sun was reaching it's point on the horizon Kasim spoke once more. "There's a small batch of farms just off the road here."

Calling it a town would have been generous.

"We can find a barn to sleep in over night." It would be more comfortable than the forest floor.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Depending on the barn, one could argue its level of comfort in relation to the forest. Eirika didn't mind sleeping on hay bales, but if it were not a store barn, but one to house animals, that was another story. The priestess quite clearly cared for animals as Kasim had been witness to, but there was a difference between the animals of the Falwood, wild animals, and those humans kept as cattle. Those typically ran a scent most foul, one that would not give the woman a wink of sleep if she was forced to bare.

"Okay." She said, holding off on her protest until she came to see what exactly Kasim had in mind for sleeping arrangements. "Is this--" She pondered a moment on how to word her thoughts, "permissible by your people? To sleep in their barns without their knowledge?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

"It's sort of a gray area." Kasim said plainly.

He of course intended for them to stay in a barn with hay stored for the winter months. There were a few that would have cattle and horses, but Kasim was afraid that the former would smell and Eirika would insist on freeing all of the latter. Besides, the barns with hay on them were usually unguarded.

No one wanted to watch a barn of hay all night. "What they don't know won't hurt them."

Besides, it wasn't like they really had a chance of coming to harm from this. No one was chasing them anymore, Kiril and his men were dead, and any farmers that found them wouldn't really be much of a threat to an Elf Priestess and a former noble Rune Mage.

He stepped off the main road and onto a small path, leading Eirika down into a small valley.

Just below, widely spaced out, were a few dozen buildings.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

That means no.

Breaking human laws seemed to be the trend of the time lately, so perhaps one more might not kill her. Besides, this one was small, and comparatively harmless in terms of the deed. And with no formal guards, knights, or dreadlords around, it wouldn't be difficult to escape should they be caught.

"Very well. Lead on."

The elf followed Kasim down the incline towards the buildings that lay sprawled out across the valley. It was both more open and less populated than both Anaset and Nasser had been. Eirika estimated less than thirty people lived in the small houses here.

Lanterns hung along the few houses, a number of candles illuminating the interiors of those whose inhabitants were still awake. The air hung silent with the exception of the chirping of crickets, an occasional call of an owl, and the buzzing of insects that harassed the two as they walked in the cool evening breeze.

 

[Kasim Areth]

As they drew closer Kasim slowly began to crouch down, reaching back and holding the scabbard of his sword so that it would not clatter against him.

He immediately began to avoid the houses with light, knowing that they would still have one or two awake. Instead he headed towards the outskirts of the small village. There lay a large red building outlined with shades of green. A symbol was painted on the side, a declaration of allegiance to one of the seven houses.

It was common custom even in these tiny outlets of Anirian culture. Everyone had to declare their allegiance, if you didn't have the money for a banner, you did it with paint.

"This way." Kasim said as they drew closer to the barn, cutting not towards the large front entrance, but rather towards the back. He knew there would be another entrance there, one used by the farmers when they didn't need to open the larger doors.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Following behind Kasim was simple enough. It wasn't as though there were guards patrolling, or sentries stationed where they would need to time their movements or hide themselves with great detail. The two were just sneaking into a barn for no reason other than to get some rest for the evening.

Around the opposite side was a set of smaller doors, used for simply entering and leaving rather than the transport of tools, feed, and hay through the much larger doors in the front. Trying the door would reveal that it was locked, likely to keep potential thieves and freeloaders out.

They could break the lock, but that might make it obvious if anyone happened by. Eirika wasn't exactly a practiced thief however, thus did not have the tools nor the know how to go about picking it in order to hide the evidence of their trespass.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim held up the small pad-lock for a moment, inspected it, and then nodded his head.

His pack slipped from one of his shoulders and he quickly dug into it. For a moment he went rummaging, and then he pulled out a small piece of rolled canvas. Untying the small string around the paper Kasim revealed a small rune upon it written in some sort of blue ink.

The Jester inspected it for a moment, then wrapped the paper around the lack. His hands closed around the whole contraption, and then suddenly there was a bright flash of light within his hands.

Half a second passed before a quiet click could be heard. "Easy."

Kasim said with a wide smile as he pushed open the door.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

The human seemed overly amused with his use of rune magic for such a mundane task. Eirika decided it better not to slight him by stating such thoughts however. Instead the elf perked a slight smile and stepped inside after Kasim had pushed open the door leading inwards.

The interior was particularly clean, given that it was a barn and not a home. Each and every tool hung neatly along pegged walls, several small cabinets were arranged on either side, and the loft above connected by ladder housed hay bales that were stacked with care.

To Eirika's surprise it was clean enough to consider being a home, even if it were intended just as a storage barn.

"Cozy." She said, looking around, one hand on the ladder leading up to the loft.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim guessed that the Barn usually served as storage for more than just tools and hay. He glanced down briefly and spotted wheel marks from a cart, as well as a few hoof prints. He nodded to himself, almost a little too pleased with himself that he had managed to guessed correctly.

Before following Eirika Kasim carefully closed the door of the barn behind him. He couldn't reattach the lock sadly, but in the dark of night he doubted that anyone would notice from afar. When that was done the Jester turned on his heel and headed towards the ladder.

"Warmer, softer..." Kasim commented. "And safer."

He realized that Eirika likely wasn't particularly worried about the local wildlife, but the threat of wolves and other predators was still something that hung in his mind.

"Up you go." Kasim said as he urged her up the ladder.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Setting foot to step she climbed up to the top. The floor was neatly swept, hay bundled tightly into almost perfect blocks. Three stacks high and seven long, row after row. A long aisle separated two rows between the pathway to and from the ladder. Eirika noted the owner certainly took great care in their work.

The elf sat down atop one of the stacks, pressing against the hay with her hands to gauge its firmness. Satisfied, Eirika swiveled around, picking up her pack and setting it where she intended to lay her head for the evening. It would be best to sleep now and be gone before first light, long before the villager ever discovered the lock was off the door.

Before laying down Eirika peered over the ledge of the loft, looking down at the two entryways into the barn. She spoke several words, similar to those she had uttered at the inn they had stayed at. It wouldn't prevent someone from opening the doors, but it would cause a magical chime to alert them that they were no longer alone if the ward was broken during their sleep.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He watched Eirika speak to herself quietly, then caught a slight glow.

Kasim managed to catch what had just happened and decided he wouldn't ask for confirmation. Instead he followed the Elf's lead, tossing his pack onto another one of the piles of hay and snuggling up on the makeshift mattress. A loud sigh escaped him almost as soon as his back went straight.

It was without a doubt the most comfortable place he had laid in nearly a week now, and after all that they had been through he couldn't help but feel an incredible amount of appreciation for it. He half thought that a feathered bed would have seen him fall asleep in an instant.

"We'll hit Vel Anir tomorrow around duuuuaaaaaaaAAAAH-" Kasim found himself getting cut off as he let out a loud yawn. His eyes closing as he stretched and smacked his lips a few times. "Dusk."

The Jester finished with a smile.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Nodding in response to Kasim's winded words she laid herself atop the stack of hay and shuttered her eyes. It would still be another full day of walking before they reached Vel Anir. Despite losing the horse to the dreadlord's intervention they were making their way quickly enough. Still, Eirika found her mind wandering back to her father any time the two had downtime, and on this night in particular she felt she was not going to get the sleep that Kasim seemed to be so ready for.

The elf waited some length of time for Kasim to fall asleep. What she wished to do was something deeply personal, and something she didn't want for him to witness. With all the grace of her dexterity the elf shuffled her way quietly down the ladder of the loft, footsteps quiet as a shadow moving in the dark once she was confident the man was asleep.

Once she reached the ground the priestess removed the small necklace adorning her neck, knelt to the ground and held tightly the jewelry in her hands. Any time the woman prayed deeply to the divine Eirika would take the symbol in hand as her focus. Emerald orbs closed once more, and she began to speak as gently as a morning breeze, each ancient elven word spoken with clarity and intent. This ritual was an arduous process, both in terms of time and energy, taking over an hour to perform beneath the blackness of the barn around her.

 

[Kasim Areth]

His eyes snapped open when Eirika moved. Years of traveling on the road and watching out for his life had ensured he was a light sleeper. It had been so since he'd left Vel Anir, even after a heavy night of drinking. Even with the fleet footed Elf it was difficult for him not to wake up.

That was through no fault of her own of course, they were in a barn made entirely of wood. The floors were bound to be creaky and the ladder even more so.

Despite that thought Kasim didn't stir as she proceeded down from the loft and onto the barn floor. His eyes barely opened, seeing her pack still in place, and the Jester quickly decided that whatever she was doing was none of his business. He was curious, but sleep was more important.

He figured it had something to do with her magics, but to him that didn't really matter.

Shifting slightly Kasim flipped himself around on the bale of hay, returning to much needed slumber.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

In the air the elf drew a small frame with her hand, finally reciting a final phrase before the shape turned to a window of sorts. Its appearance was hazy and lacked a stillness. Typically this would be done with a mirror, or some sort of reflecting pool that would better hold the view, but she lacked the proper tools. This would have to suffice, and would, for her needs.

What she saw was an aged elf laid beneath several silk blankets. The man's eyes were closed, but the slow rise and fall of the fabric told her he was still alive. Around his bedside were several of her brothers and sisters, as well as other members of her tribe. It pleased her to see that in her place many others had taken to his side until she returned.

"Ada..."

She called out to him in a whisper. "Le melin."

For a moment the man opened his eyes. Kaemon's head turned, as if looking straight at her. The girl froze, feeling a cold chill crawl up her back. Can he see me? Can he hear me? Never before had anyone been able to see or hear her scrying. Perhaps its was simply coincidence, but the feeling she got was an eerie one.

Several seconds later the image faded, leaving the woman alone in the dark once more.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim slept rather peacefully, unaware of the visions that Eirika was conjuring within the window of the barn. Had he been awake he might have cautioned against it, mostly because she was standing in a window and anyone walking by could see her, but he wasn't able to give that counsel.

Instead he simply lay on a bed of hay, dreaming away.

His dream was an odd one, and for the life of him he wouldn't have been able to explain it.

He dreamed that he had been turned into a mouse, a rather small one at that. His days were spent running from rats, cats, dogs, and even a few humans. He scurried and rushed about, hurried beneath planks of wood, old bags of feed, pretty much anything that he could find to hide him.

It was unsettling, and an unease began to fill him as the dream went on.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Roughly thirty minutes passed before Eirika moved. The elf sat quietly, still clutching the necklace in hand as she stared at nothing in particular. Hopelessly she tried to reason whether or not what had happened was purely coincidence or true. What she felt when her father turned, his deep, age old eyes pierced her very soul. Never before had she experienced that when scrying, the eyes always seemed to pass by her, as though they were looking elsewhere. But this time, she felt him look at her.

But how?

Eirika had heard of certain magics, and certain practitioners of magic powerful enough to make aware the presence of scrying, but to be able to see the one doing the seeing? It was nearly unheard of. How had he been able to do so? And even if it were possible, how had he the energy to do so under his condition? It simply didn't make sense to her. It was but one more question that would burn at the back of her mind.

Unless...

Perhaps a spirit of her ancestor would be willing to answer such a question. For now however she resigned to leave that for the next evening, conserving her strength and energy, as well as getting at least an hour or two of rest before Kasim awoke would be beneficial for the day's journey to Vel Anir.

 

[Kasim Areth]

The dream was enough to wake him up first for once.

It was because one of the dogs caught him. It's jaws had snapped shut on his neck and swallowed him whole, bringing him into a black abyss that caused him to very suddenly surge into complete alertness. A gasp escaped his lips as his eyes snapped open, his finger reaching out and groping for the sword he had left by the hay.

The blade was half-way out of it's scabbard before Kasim realized what he was doing, his fingers stopping just short of where he had carved the controlling rune on the sword.

His chest rose and fell quickly, his eyes closing as she blade was slowly returned to it's scabbard.

In the bard below he could see that the sun was already rising, thin streams of light pouring in through the window. He frowned for a moment, glancing towards Eirika and vaguely remember that she had been doing something last night. His head shook and slowly he stood. "Wakey wakey."

The Bard declared to the elf.

"Need to get going." Better that no farmers find them.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

The sound of a blade drawing from its scabbard woke Eirika. Lazily she opened one eye, relatively unconcerned given that the wards had not given her cause for alarm. At worst Kasim had decided to try and kill her, though that seemed a bit farfetched even for him. Judging by the look on his face he had some sort of night terror that played in his dreams.

"I'm awake." She said, opening the other eye. "Your startle woke me." The woman smiled.

Sitting up and stretching a moment, pausing to yawn she replied. "Agreed."

The day was already off to a start, ahead of the time she had intended on leaving, but there was little to do about it now but try and make up for the time lost. "Let's go." Her belongings were still packed away, and they would leave behind no trace of their presence from the evening before.

So long as nobody saw them take their leave.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim slung the sword over his back and then quickly secured his things. He knew that they had to be gone and try not to encounter anyone on the way out. This little town was beholden to house Weiroon, allies of Urahil. He doubted there would be any guards nearby, but it was still something he didn't want to deal with.

Sliding a hand through his hair Kasim hopped onto the ladder and slipped onto the ground floor, landing with a muted thud and motioning for Eirika to head to the back door. "Farmers will already be awake."

That would be rather obvious to any human, but Kasim had no idea if it would be true for Elves. He presumed that Eirikia's people had farmers just like his own, but whether or not they needed to worry about being up before the dawn or any of that was a question for him.

Elves were weird.

Without much hesitation Kasim gently popped open the door to the barn, poking his head out and confirming that no one was around.

Then he quickly stepped outside into the dawn.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Eirika slid down the ladder, boots lightly hitting the dirt at the base of the loft, displacing a small amount of dust as she turned towards the doorway the two had entered the evening before. The events of the night were still fresh in her mind, something she would continue to ponder over for some time as they made their trek towards Vel Anir. Perhaps it was a question she could answer while examining the archives in Elbion.

Though the injuries on her back had scabbed over with the help of Kasim's accelerated healing, there was still a great deal of discomfort, and so she continued to hold the pack in hand with her bow. It would likely be a few days still before she could rest anything against it once more.

The elf spoke a short phrase in her native tongue, barely audible even to the trained ear, simply to release the wards on the barn before they departed. "Before we get too far along I'll need to supplicate to Ateyr. If we can find someplace off the road and away from the townsfolk that would be preferable." Elves had their fair share of deities, perhaps more than most other races, given their age. Ateyr, in particular, was one of the divine gods of mercy, and more notably, the entity responsible for gifting her tribe's priests and priestesses with their boons and abilities. It was not a chore Eirika took lightly, and the tone she suggested meant it wasn't exactly optional.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Umm..." He frowned slightly, hadn't she already done that last night? He swore that he'd woken up to her climbing into the barn below.

He didn't really understand it, and the idea of any sort of "supplication" made him somewhat queasy, but he wasn't about to argue with her. The Tone she'd said the words in implied she would be doing it either way, and from what she explained of Divine Magic to him...they might need the extra boost.

"Sure." He told her finally. "We can find a clearing and I'll keep watch."

He couldn't really do better than that. They were just a short jaunt away from Vel Anir now. By foot it would take a day, but wagons, riders, and even the Anirian Guard would be on the road.

They would just have to take care to get far enough from the road for no one to see her. It wouldn't be that much of a problem, just rather...odd.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

The way he looked at her and answered her gave her the impression that Kasim was either confused by or turned off to the idea of worship. That sentiment alone confused her. Humans practice this too. Their cities and towns have churches and chantries. Even those outliers on distant farms pray to their deities for harvests and more. Is he not one of faith?

"It will not take long." He seemed to need a bit of reassurance that this wasn't some lengthy day-long process.

Navigating through the small collective of farm houses and fields was simple enough. Most of the farmers out and about were already preoccupied with their daily tasks and too busy to notice the two travelers cutting through the valley back towards the road.