Private Tales The Edge of Cortosi

[Eirika E'sprit]

After five or so minutes of having reached the road and breaking away from town Eirika slowed their pace into a steady trot. It wouldn't do to run the horse at full gallop only to tire it out and need to rest. They did need a bit of distance between the village however, to ensure that they regained some of their lost time, and to ensure the villagers didn't pursue them as well as Kiril.

Even at their slowed pace, it was still much faster than walking the road, safer too, in case of bandits, soldiers, or the like. Leaning forward the woman gently rubbed the neck of the horse before turning her head back towards Kasim, both to ensure he was in fact still there, and to speak.

"So are you going to complain now about what I did? Or will it wait until we make camp this evening?" She really would have rather he got it all out now, but chances are he'd have words for her both now and later.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"There is no complaining." Kasim said simply. "You made your decision and I made mine."

Those people would survive thanks to what he had left behind, but he still felt somewhat bad about this. Had it been a military stable or a land owner it might have been different, but Nasser had neither. They had taken this horse from a farmer, or some other poor villager.

It just didn't sit right with him. "Just know that horse thieves are usually hung when they're caught."

Kasim shrugged slightly, though he wouldn't add anything more to the subject. This argument, he knew, was a pointless one. She would insist the horse was a living intelligent creature, and he would point out that it was just a horse. Ultimately she would likely do some magic and the horse would end up kicking him or something and then he would be injured.

The Jester wasn't in the mood for that.

His mind was on where they were going now. It had been almost half a decade since he'd seen the walls of Vel Anir, those great red banners, and he wasn't looking forward to seeing them again.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

"Because our fate if we stayed in that inn would have been more merciful? Or if they catch us without the horse?" She stared at Kasim confused as to what the taking of the horse meant when compared to what they had already witnessed back in Anaset.

"Besides," She said, "Even if they catch up to us, they still need to capture us. And I assure you I am more than capable of dealing with a couple of unbalanced soldiers playing with swords and a child mage whose only strategy is destroying an entire building in response to a simple warding spell."

If it wasn't clear before that Eirika was not impressed by this dreadlord's methods, it was sharply clear now. She had already lived a full generation of human life, and by elven standards she was still young, therefore any human she met was merely a child in her eyes, toying with things beyond their comprehension.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim let out a sigh. This was one issue he wasn't going to let go, mostly because he didn't need her running up against any Dreadlord. Even if it was one that he hadn't heard of.

"Dreadlord's are not child mages." He countered flatly. There was really no telling just how wrong she was on that. Sure they didn't have centuries to learn their craft like Elves did, but most of them spent their entire life honing just one part of magic in general. They were killers through and through, all of them.

"They are extremely dangerous." Kasim began to explain. "Most of them are taken as children only a few years old, then they spend their entire lives learning their craft."

That being using magic for combat. "It's been going on since Vel Anir was first founded. It's why the city has managed to reach it's height. It's why we managed to go toe to toe with your people for the better part of the last millenia."

Vel Anir had never managed to conquer Fal'Addas of course, but the reverse had never happened either. "Dreadlord's cannot do what you do, no, but they can kill, destroy, and maim better than any spellcasters alive."

"His soldiers wouldn't be a problem, no." He frowned. "But Kiril will be."

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

"I have already likely reached the age to which you will never live to see." She said in response. "So when you tell me that they spend their entire lives learning how to use magic simply to destroy, that does not give me cause to fear. Your people vastly outnumber us yes, but they are not our equals. Fal'Addareth has never fallen, despite your overwhelming numbers."

Perhaps it was the young Elven pride bolstering her heated response. "Your mages are children, regardless of their ability and the pleasure they take in destroying. Again, I point out to you, this dreadlord could not break a simple ward, and so he destroyed the inn. That is the tactical clout of a child."

Eirika still didn't even know why Kasim was being hunted. She couldn't imagine it was her, she had done nothing other than sneak him into the inn to talk with that woman. If that was crime enough to be blown into oblivion than this dreadlord in particular needed to have his sanity examined.

 

[Kasim Areth]

”He was making a point.” Whatever she said, whatever she insisted on thinking, the Dreadlord were every bit as deadly as any Elven mage. Probably more so realistically.

Kasim would never claim that his people were more talented or learned than the Elven sorcerers of old, even the current ones really. Their understanding and knowledge was beyond what most humans could beg for. But the Deeadlords were not really human, not really anyway. They were broken and bent things. Their magics were destruction put into being.

They killed, they destroyed. That was it. There was nothing else to them. No creation, no healing, no whispering to horses.

Dreadlords were meant for fighting, for war. It was why Vel Anir was a city. Why it had survived when so many others had failed. There was a reason that even the mages at Elvion came to Vel Anir for some things. If Eirika couldnt see that, or refused to understand it, then it could very likely lead to both of their deaths.

”Those people helped us, me.” There wasnt any illusion to that anymore. Kiril was hunting him, he was sure of that. ”Why bother breaking the ward when with just an ounce of more effort he can incinerate everything inside anyway?”

Kasim bit his tongue for a moment. ”This isnt a rational man. It's a dog set on a hunt.”

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Eirika snapped a sharpened response once more, "A point to who? The only people who knew you and I were there were in that inn. They're gone now. If he knew you were in that room, why wouldn't he post guards around the building to ensure you did not escape? If he knew I, I being an elf, was inside with you, surely this being of untold power would have known you would escape. Surely he wouldn't have wasted time knocking on the door!"

The priestess turned back ahead, looking at the road before them.

"The dog is more often outsmarted by the fox."

Her hand fell, resting on the side of the horse's head, stopping the animal in the middle of the road with a light pat. Eirika swung her left leg up and over the head of the steed, dropping to the ground beside both it and Kasim. Looking up she continued, "If you are so shaken with fear by this man and what he will do to you, then leave me to my task and ride for Fal'Addas. The horse will know the way to avoid backtracking. When you reach the city seek out the E'spirt tribe and tell them you are seeking asylum by my consent. You will have both stories and freedom to enjoy."

 

[Kasim Areth]

”He was sending a message to me because hes hunting me!” Frustration had finally gotten the better of him. Whether or not she had already known it before didn’t much matter, saying it out loud had an almost primal effect on him. It made him realize what was really going on, why he was being chased.

It was obvious really, he'd even considered it back in Anaset when they had first learned of the Dreadlord. House Urahil was currently one of the four ruling houses, his father's House, Virak was part of the opposition. If Urahil could capture Kasim he would be used as a bargaining chip in order to bring House Virak into the fold. It was a fairly simple plan, but also the most obvious. Eirika had just gotten caught up in all of this, an unfortunate bystander that had simply fallen into the wake of Anirian politics.

Kasim took a deep breath, calming himself. ”Caution is not the same as fear. I do not think these men are unkillable gods.”

After all he had fought them before, even killed one. Ironically he had only been able to do so because of what his father had taught him, but hed still managed it. At the time it had made him oddly proud, though looking back on it now the fight had been nothing but a desperate scrap for survival.

”But I do know that downplaying their abilities will only lead to both of us getting killed.” He scowled at her. ”After an entire human lifetime on this earth I'd think you’d know not to discount the talents of others.”

He paused, thinking of how odd it was to call Dreadlords talented, then continued. ”After all you're going to Elbion and asking child mages for help.”

Kasim wasn't exactly sure how she had squared that in her head in the first place. Perhaps it was because the Dreadlords utilized a magic that was so counterintuitive to everything her people stood for. They had been an enemy for even an elven lifetime, but one had to respect the enemy. Otherwise you were doomed to fail.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

"I am going to Elbion to research a cure.That includes scrolls and books that are not within the Elven archives. Mages are not the only things there with potential answers to my plight. My magic has slowed the progression but cannot reverse it. I'm missing something, and I will find it."

Eirika began to walk past the horse in the direction they had been traveling. "I don't need you for this, in fact I didn't need you at all. The whole reason I'm even in this situation is because you used me and now I'm involved in something that wasn't even my doing!"

The elf reached into her pack, pulled free the small purse of gold and threw it towards Kasim. "For the supplies. Just take the horse and go to Fal'Addas. You're better off there and I'm better off without you making this any harder for me." Especially when she needed to pass through Vel Anir.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"I don't want the stupid horse!" Kasim said as he whipped his hand up and caught the purse of gold. "And I don't want to go to your stupid city!"

Not anymore anyway.

With a practiced motion that told of experience, Kasim slid off the side of the horse and landed on the ground with a loud thud. Something clinked within his pack, though he didn't really pay it any attention. His fingers tightened for a moment and he looked up at the horse, which seemed thoroughly confused about what was going on.

"I'm going to go kill the sadistic fuck chasing us." It was a solution to his problem, one he should have thought of earlier. If Kiril never made it back to Vel Anir then there was no chance of his father finding out he wasn't dead. Urahil would wonder why he'd lost a Dreadlord, but that wouldn't point back to him.

It was the only way.

"Have fun dying in the Savannah." Kasim flourished with a deep bow, then pointed to the horse. "Don't forget your new best friend."

Fucking Elf Kasim cursed as he turned down the road and stalked off.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

"Antolle ulua sulrim! Dolle naa lost! Amin feuya ten' lle!" She shouted in her own tongue as Kasim began to walk away. "You will die doing that and you know it, foolish human!" The elf shook her head, climbing back onto the horse. If he wasn't going to take her advice and flee to Fal'Addas, then so be it. She wasn't his keeper. The horse would make it easier for her to reach Vel Anir, and Elbion. Eirika certainly had no plans to turn back and waste her time on human politics. Kaemon was far more important to her than this man.

"I pray you're given a proper burial." She called out once more, before pressing her knees gently against the horse to urge it forward, hooves clicking against the dirt path as she headed onward. In retrospect she would have done well to keep the coin, dead men didn't need money. Soon enough that coin would be in the pocket of the dreadlord, a thought most foul. Eirika scrunched her nose and cursed quietly.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim stuck up his hand and formed a rather rude gesture with his fingers. It was doubtful she would even know what it meant, being an Anirian custom, but it was satisfying to him.

Whatever the elf thought, whatever she thought of him, Kasim knew that he could do this. It had been a long time since he'd fought a Dreadlord, but he was more practiced now. Last time he had been an idealistic fool, he'd hardly known himself. This time, this time it was different.

He had the Runes.

With them he would set a trap and there he would fight. It was a long shot, Kasim knew, but it was also just about the only way that he could safely travel the world anymore. Right now his father thought he was dead, if Urahil found out that wasn't the truth it would eventually get back to House Virak.

Kasim couldn't let that happen.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Eirika did not in fact understand the gesture, but judging by the expression he made with his face and the force behind the act she supposed it was something of an insult. It mattered very little, as she was sure that he was walking towards his own death, if the amount of emphasis he put on their supposed danger held any weight whatsoever. And if he did survive? Then she was right anyway, and if he could deal with one, she would have had no trouble at all. Either way, to her, she was right.

At least he was smart enough to give her back the horse instead of sealing both fates.

The elf continued on down the road, no longer looking back. News of what happened on the road would surely reach Vel Anir before she departed, and the conclusion to this story would be met. The day was still young, however, and she had quite a distance to travel in order to reach the city. She intended to make the most of her time before nightfall.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim knew that Kiril would likely hit Nasser by the days end. He and Eirika had only made it a few miles north of the village before their little...incident. That meant the man would likely be able to catch up to him within at least the next day or so. That gave him a few hours to prepare.

More importantly it allowed him to properly choose the battleground.

The first decision he made was that he would have to fight the Dreadlord and his soldiers at night. During the day he would be outnumbered and entirely outmatched, but at night he could pick off the Anirian Guardsmen first, and then get to the Dreadlord by himself.

It helped that Rune Magic itself was suited for this sort of thing. Though many considered it obsolete and entirely function-less in combat, there was one thing the Rune's were great for; traps.

"Burial my ass." Kasim said, still stewing on the elf as he stepped off the road and headed into the forest.

He needed the cover of trees, and whatever else he could find.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

As the last rays of sun fell behind the horizon Eirika pulled off the road a ways, a small wooded area that would make for an adequate camp. It was far enough away from the road that it would be hard to spot. That was an important fact when traveling unfamiliar roads, especially when it came to bandits or other unsavory types wandering past.

Eirika stepped down from the horse, brushing a hand along the animal's snout. "Hungry?" She asked it while opening her pack. From within she took out one of the apples and the small dagger. Cutting it in half and coring the fruit, the elf carefully removed the seeds and offered it with her free hand, stowing the knife with the other. Eagerly the horse took the fruit from her, chomping away with its large teeth while she sat and enjoyed her own half.

Hazel eyes cast out onto the road while she sat atop a small log. In the distance a faint light could be seen traveling along the road, the light itself coming most likely from a lantern. It was a carriage, perhaps a merchant, perhaps a noble, she wasn't sure.She watched as it approached at a remarkably slow pace. The driver, a human, appeared to be slouching rather awkwardly over the seat, hands barely on the reins.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim had eventually managed to find what he was looking for.

The spot was nearly perfect for what he needed, lots of trees, a small clearing, and a rock outcropping that looked decent enough as a shelter. The Jester wouldn't use it for that of course, but he was hoping that the Dreadlord and his men thought he might. It had taken him half the day to find the location, and the other half was spent carving runes.

Most of them he simply used his dagger for, slicing them into nearby trees or etching them into the ground before carefully covering them with leaves. A few however he did something more special, using the vials within his pack to draw one mark or another upon a rock.

In the end he set his traps, and then all he could do was wait.

Kasim found himself a perch within a large pine tree, his pack suspended from the highest branches while he himself sat in the lower ones. The only weapon he had was his dagger, but the hope was he could steal a sword from one of the soldiers.

The forest was now littered with his traps, he just had to wait until they were sprung.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

The woman leaned forward, now curious about this carriage that was approaching. Even beneath the cover of darkness she could see well enough that something was definitely off about this. The feeling she got in her gut told her that something here was wrong. Stepping off the log and making her way to a tree close by the road she peered out once more to see a rather terrible sight.

Atop the driver's seat, a man, human, in his later years sat hunched against the sidewall, deep crimson from neck to leg poured out of the man. His lifeless body had remained in place solely due to the wall against which he leaned, and the horse maintaining its course on the road. What had ended the man's life was hard to tell from where she stood, but it would do well to find out if she intended on traveling the direction this man had come from.

Eirika stepped into the road and gently urged the horse to stop. When it did she stepped up onto the bench beside the dead man, turning him to get a better look. Judging by the lack of bite marks, defensive wounds, or stolen property, it ruled out a beast attack, a burglary, or bandits. That meant whoever killed this man had done so quickly, and intentionally, for whatever reason. Stepping down she opened the door behind the driver, looking inside to see what was being transported.

Inside she found the bodies of two more humans, clearly nobility based on their clothing alone. The woman was of blonde hair, done up in a fashionable way with gem encrusted hairpiece, necklace, earrings, and rings. She wore the finest silk dress gold could afford in this region. The man wore equally fine fabric tunic, trousers, and cloak, embroidered with some sort of sigil or crest. It was unfamiliar to her. Neither body appeared to have any visual signs of trauma, which meant they had either been poisoned, or attacked with magic.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim waited, and waited, and continued to wait. Patience had never been a particular virtue of his, that had always fallen on his brother. It was part of the reason why his training had never gone all that well. He'd always wanted more, he'd always wanted to learn and push himself beyond everything that was currently being taught.

His father had called it ambition, most of his tutors had called it foolishness. Unfortunately for The Jester patience was not something that he had learned even after leaving Vel Anir, and so as he sat within the trees he couldn't help but get more and more frustrated.

Hours passed, night fell, and still nothing.

He wondered if this Kiril was some sort of fool, if he couldn't even follow the obvious tracks that he had laid from the main road. Teeth chewed on his inner lips.

Something felt wrong. Very wrong, and Kasim wasn't sure what it was. Yellow eyes slowly surveyed the forest, looking for any sign of torch light from the soldiers that would be escorting the Dreadlord.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

For a long minute Eirika simply stared at the lifeless bodies from the small doorway, unsure of what to do. If someone had murdered two nobles, why wouldn't they take their riches? Surely their pockets were lined with coin, they were wearing valuables in plain sight. It didn't make sense to her why, even if this were simply a murder for hire, why their valuables wouldn't be taken. There had to be several hundred gold worth of possessions on their persons.

"What happened to you?" She asked in a whisper, as if somehow expecting the dead to speak. Sadly that was not one of her talents that the divine had bestowed upon her. Stepping inside she crouched down beside the two bodies, searching for any means of identifying who they were, or at least where they came from and where they were going. All she could find was a purse of gold containing three hundred gold, a medal of some kind, and the insignia on the man's cloak. "I'm sorry." She said to them. "I've not the time to give you the burial you deserve, but I will ensure you reach Nasser."

The elf then searched for a small piece of parchment from the carriage, as well as an ink quill. On it the woman wrote the following:

To they who find this note,
On the road between Nasser and Vel Anir I came across this carriage. Its driver and passengers had been slain by an unknown assailant. None of their personal possessions had been stolen, and it appears that their deaths were caused by poison or arcane magic.

I've not the time to investigate, nor bury the deceased, but I pray that upon reaching this village they will be identified and given proper rites. I have subsequently inscribed the insignia found on the man's cloak to this letter, to which I will take with me to Vel Anir in an attempt to identify the owner.

Yours,
~Fayeth Vabella

Eirika was not keen on stealing from the dead, however in order to resupply in Vel Anir, and to continue on she needed gold. Normally she would work for that, but time was not on her side, and thus she set aside her morality in part to do what needed to be done. The elf once more opened the gold purse, taking from it precisely half of the gold, one hundred and fifty to be exact, and dropped it into her pack for safe keeping. "Again, I am sorry. I pray for your forgiveness."

Stepping back out from the carriage the woman asked for the horse to continue its journey south, to Nasser, and to ensure that the townsfolk discovered the bodies as soon as possible. It then began to trot away, leaving Eirika to watch as it faded slowly from view. Along with the coin, the priestess gently folded the cloak and stowed it away in her pack to take to Vel Anir, hopefully to find out who it belonged to. She then returned to her small camp to begin the process of building her bow. With a murderer on the loose it seemed appropriate.

 

[Kasim Areth]

An hour had passed, and still there was no sign of soldier or Dreadlord.

Instead an eerie calm had fallen upon the forest around him. There was no sound save for the occasional hoot of an owl and chirp of insects. Everything seemed to be dead, as though the forest itself knew of the chaos that Kasim intended. He sat still, his fingers gently drumming against his outer thigh, his eyes watchful of the distance.

He expected light, he expected sound, but nothing came.

Another hour passed, and then another. The moon hung within the sky, and The Jester found himself at a loss. Could Kiril be such a fool? Could he know that it was a trap? Either were possible, but they both put the young man at a loss for what to do. Heading back To Nasser would be suicide, especially if the Dreadlord was waiting on the road.

"Shit." Kasim whispered, fingers scrunching slightly. He reached up and braced himself against a nearby try, preparing to lower himself when he suddenly caught the bare light of a torch in the distance.

His muscles seemed to seize, his breath froze in his lungs.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

Eirika spent the next few hours carefully carving the wood she had selected as her soon-to-be bow. It was a meticulous process, one that she took great care in to ensure it was every bit as perfect as it could be. This wasn't timber from the Falwood, but it was sturdy enough for her needs.

The yew wood held a nice tannish yellow color, with plenty of variations in its color. To sand it down into a smooth finish she used the end sleeve of her shirt, a handful of sand and about thirty minutes. It was then she strung the bow using the hemp she'd purchased back in Nasser, or, rather, Kasim had purchased. With a bit of time and effort her small project had been completed, and after examining it several times gave a small nod of approval.

Next she needed a few arrows, though those were much simpler to make. A few small branches shaved down, small, sharp stones affixed to the heads, and a few feathers to guide them and she was all set to hunt or protect herself from most would-be bandits or beasts.

For now though, she set about building a small campfire to heat the meat she'd packed away for the journey.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"ERICH SARKUS VARIK"
​

Kasim froze inside of the tree, his fingers tightening against the trunk and his expression going dark. The knuckles of his other hand went white as he gripped the dagger, his lips thinning. They know.

It was of course entirely obvious. As soon as the voice had rung out Kasim's entire plan had been utterly ruined. Somehow they had known of his traps, somehow they had known about the ambush. Shaking his head the Jester took a deep breath, his lips remaining sealed as he waited for the man to speak again.

"Third Dreadlord Kiril Aserith of House Urahil has sent me with a message for you!"
​

The man was only a third rank? That meant he wasn't even the best Urahil had to offer. Perhaps he had oversold his danger to Eirika after all. The thought was a foolish one of course, even a third rank was still dangerous.

"He knows you are within these woods, and he knows your intent! He has seen it! And he has seen the woman that you sent away!"
​

Seen it? Kasim frowned slightly. Did the man have some sort of clairvoyance? It wasn't impossible, but no, there had to be another answer that he didn't see.

"He will not fall for your tricks, and bids me to instead tell you that you may forfeit your life for the girls, for he will capture her within a days time."
​

That brought a scowl to his face.

Somehow the man knew about his and Eirika's split. It didn't matter really, but he'd made the mistake of thinking that Kasim actually cared about the elf woman. He didn't of course, not really...but he needed the man dead all the same. His fingers adjusted slightly on the dagger, his mind raced with thoughts of what he would have to do.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

The dry wood crackled within the flame, encircled by small stones she had placed into a ring. The meat itself rested atop the stones, slowly cooking away while Eirika worked on the handful of arrows she was making. Unfortunately she hadn't the means to make a quiver, that would be something to purchase upon reaching Vel Anir. For now she would make due with stowing them in the side pocket of her pack. Not quite as easily accessible, but better still than holding them whilst trying to shoot.

For a few brief moments she wondered if Kasim had met his end yet. Surely that dreadlord would have made it at least to Nasser by now. They couldn't have been held up in the forest an entire day unless something dire had happened. He was a fool to turn back, a mistake she was confident he would pay for dearly.

Still, what drew her attention more was the fate that had befallen those nobles. What exactly had caused their deaths? And when? The bodies hadn't begun the process of decomposing, so their demise must have been within the day or two, no more. What troubled her more was that she was heading in the direction of their killer. The elf decided that tonight would be a wise decision to take her rest within the heights of one of the large trees.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He could just leave.

Eirika had been so sure of herself anyway. According to her she would be able to take care of the Dreadlord with little to no problem. If her estimations were true than his problem would be taken care of and he wouldn't have to worry. Of course that was only if she was right.

If she wasn't then she would end up captured and taken back to the nearest Urahil stronghold. There she would be put to the question and likely locked up for as long as it took them to realize that Kasim wasn't coming.

It would also of course mean that eventually his father would find out about him still being alive. House Varik had an extensive intelligent network, and if Eirika was captured they would inevitably find out who she was and why she was there. That meant his problems would only get worse and he'd have half a dozen Dreadlord's after him by years end.

He couldn't deal with that.

Fingers tightened once again on the dagger, and then he let out a loud sigh. His hand came off the trunk of the tree and pulled up his tunic. With a practiced hand he traced his dagger over one of the runes on his ribs, carving his flesh. Gritting his teeth Kasim completed the rune, and then suddenly he began to fade from view.

Now invisible the Jester dropped down from the tree, creeping forward like a stalker in the night towards the soldier that had called out to him.

The man stood there, flanked by two others. Kasim approached them slowly, circling around the light of their torches until he was behind them. Then in a quick and practiced pounce the Jester shot forth from the shadows. His figure little more than a vague blur, his dagger plunged into the neck of the first soldier. A muted cry caused the other two to turn, but by then it was too late.

Blood sprayed from the first corpse as Kasim slashed his blade across the throat of the second man, a loud ring calling out within the clearing as he drew that man's blade and immediately slashed it across the last man's stomach.

 

[Eirika E'sprit]

She had been right about the butcher in Nasser, he was good at his craft. The meat simply fell off the bone as she removed it from the fire, cutting into it delicately as she always did. In terms of meals, this was much better than the fish from the night before. Eirika did not frequently eat meat, as fruit, vegetables, and fish were more the standard fare within her tribe, but she did enjoy it from time to time.

The horse had enjoyed the apple, and settled itself for a bit of well deserved sleep, laying itself down in the small area next to the campfire, leaving Eirika to both her meal and thoughts. Before long she had finished, cleaned the blade, stamped out the fire, and located a suitable place for herself to rest for the evening. A large, wide branch nestled high above the tree was more than adequate for both safety and sleeping.

Carrying her pack with her she made it into a pillow for additional comfort, and laid her head back against it. The night air was warm, a bit of humidity still lingering after the prior day's heavy rain. The sky was clear, giving a perfect view of the stars above, the moon as it cast its glow down upon Arethil, and the occasional passing bird, or bat.