Private Tales The Mountains Ahead

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim shifted so that he was sitting with crossed legs, drumming his fingers against his knees. "The Runes carved in flesh will be more powerful."

It was hard to explain, and something that she really should not have learned for quite some time.

"The Tattoos are essentially outside forces acting on my body. They take energy from me, but also give it back in a sort of feedback loop." Giving him a large boost of power upfront, but making him feel more tired later. That was because they were not a part of him, the Ink was settled in his skin, but not the skin itself. "Overusing it can't kill you directly...just indirectly if you don't treat the symptoms. The ones carved in Flesh are more dangerous."

"When used they will not drain my body, but rather a piece of my soul." Essence, or whatever else you might have wanted to call that part of yourself.

It was essentially a very rudimentary form of blood magic, though Kasim wouldn't have called it that.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She blinked at the revelation and her head moved back slightly with surprise. "That seems... a high cost to pay." Her voice was soft, but curious, not judging his decision to etch something so dangerous into his flesh. There must have been a reason for it, she knew how cautious the jester was.

Her fingers idly brushed along the jagged scar that marred the soft skin along her jawline in thought. Perhaps she could understand the use of runes on your body, after all. If she'd had something to help, things might have gone differently with the harpy.

"Mmm... Probably best if I stay away from theoretical for now. I'd hate to get ahead of myself. I imagine it's a lot like sword play, yes? Proper form and footwork are essential, before you ever swing a blade."

 

[Kasim Areth]

It was a close enough approximation, though really it was more about memorization than actual practice. Once you attempted to draw a rune, that attempt would go through, even if you messed up. That was why Kasim had started with the folding Rune first. It was easy, and if you messed up?

Well no one cared about crumpled parchment. "It's more memorization and practice."

Kasim wiped the ink off on a nearby piece of cloth and then pulled another piece of parchment up in front of himself. He then pushed it towards Aviana and offered her the inkwell.

"You will get it wrong." The Jester stated simply. "You'll get it wrong a thousand times. Then you'll get it right once, then wrong a dozen more times."

He shrugged as though it weren't a big deal. "Once you get it right, you'll know how to draw lines."

It sounded extremely silly, but it was more important than anyone could have thought. "Then I'll teach you more runes."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She studied the rune that Kasim had drawn earlier for a few moments longer, before she carefully dipped her index finger into the ink. It helped that he had already told her that she would get it wrong the first time. That failure was expected when she first tried. The tension that she had felt when her father first tried to instruct her on the use of magic was absent during this lesson with Kasim. There wasn't anything riding on her getting it right on the first attempt.

Though, there was another implication in his words that had brought a warmer smile to her features. If it would take her that long to get something so basic right... it insinuated that he planned on staying around long enough for her to learn. She knew that may not be the case, but she enjoyed the idea of their journey continuing.

Her head bowed slightly, silver curls falling into her face as she carefully traced her fingers over the parchment in an attempt to replicate the 'fold' rune.

The paper crumpled up into a tight ball on its own.

But for her, that in and of itself was a victory. She'd never so much as been able to light a candle without a match before, and she'd just made a piece of paper crumple all on its own accord. That meant progress was possible, and she could improve from there.

A hand shot up and she grinned brightly. "Did you see that!" She squealed, trying to keep her voice down.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He smiled. It was an odd sort of excitement stemming from failure, but he attributed that to the fact that she probably wasn't a mage in the first place.

They had never even discussed that, though he had guessed it from the start. Most mages attempted to hide their gifts, but with everything that had happened in their journey he doubt she could have kept it secret that long. If at all really. He knew Aviana was still holding something back, but it wasn't magic.

Not with this reaction. "I did."

There was no doubt that she would get entirely bored of that reaction once the frustration set in, but that was only natural. He had gone through the same process.

"This is...a training rune if you will." Kasim said with a smile. "Once you perfect it, others will come easier. Then it's just a matter of memorization, until you begin to craft your own anyway but...well that's over the horizon."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Chuckling softly, she gathered the crumpled piece of paper and turned it over in her hand to inspect it more closely. Mages were rare where she was from, the gift only passed down through a genetic link, and even then, that wasn't a guarantee, as she had learned the hard way. But when it did manifest, it did so in spectacular ways.

Still, crumpling a piece of parchment was a step in the right direction for her.

"Probably best if I don't stay up all night practicing." She mumbled, placing the stopper back into the inkwell. "Like you said, we're going to need our rest for the next few days."

Aviana was well aware of how ridiculous it was to have the reaction that she'd demonstrated, but she didn't care too much. Kasim seemed more amused than anything with her.

She gathered both the crumpled piece of parchment and the one on which Kasim had properly etched the 'fold' rune. Moving quietly, she padded over to her own bed and tucked both pieces of paper away into her satchel. One was a memento, and the other was for studying.

"Thank you, Kasim." She said gently, turning to face him with an affectionate smile.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He flashed her a smile.

Rune Magic was different than the other disciplines. It was simple at first, but only grew harder the more you learned. Generally it was the opposite, with things coming more easily the more you learned. That was what made the Runes so frustrating to deal with in the first place.

You could have studied them for centuries and still be at a loss for trying to create a Rune for something as simply as moving water left instead of right. The man who had taught Kasim had told him it was easy enough to keep trying, as long as the Rune you were making didn't end up exploding.

"Get some sleep." He told her quietly as he kicked off his boots.

Outside he tended to sleep with them on, but here in an Inn? No way that was happening.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana had already kicked off her boots long ago, but she was still excited by the premise of sleeping in an actual bed instead of the forest floor. She nestled herself into the soft mattress, wrapping the blanket over her once she was situated. The satchel was tucked in beside her, in between her back and the wall.

She was glad that she'd been able to take Kasim's mind off of his discomfort, if only for a few minutes, to teach her. The smile that he gave her was just icing on the cake.

Falling asleep near him had been troublesome when they first started out on their journey together, but now she found his presence reassuring. They had certainly been through a lot together already, and she knew that she could trust him to not try something foolish while she slept.

"You too." She mumbled to him as her head nestled into the pillow, and she closed her eyes.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim slept surprisingly well for all the paranoia he was feeling earlier. Perhaps it was the Runes he had set down, or the short conversation he and Aviana had shared. Either way, when the ring of the warding runes he had put down sounded in his ears he barely expected it.

His eyes snapped open, lips thin. "Aviana!"

The word was a hushed whisper on his lips, barely audible over the ambient sound that hung around the room. He had no idea if it would be enough to wake her, but that didn't really matter. Kasim was already on his feet, sword scabbard in hand, palm on the hilt.

Someone was outside the door.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"Mmm?" She half murmured, half groaned when Kasim hissed her name in the otherwise silent room. It didn't take much to wake her, but she had been in a deep sleep which left her feeling groggy.

She had been laying on her stomach, curled up against one of the extra pillows. Her head lifted slightly to look towards Kasim's bed, when she realized that he was already standing in the middle of the room.

A frown pulled at her mouth and her brow furrowed slightly.

"What's wrong?" Thankfully, she naturally kept her voice down to a soft whisper.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"There's someone at the door." Kasim said in that same muted tone, drawing the sword from it's scabbard.

Moonlight flashed over the surface of the blade, reflecting off the nearly finished rune that Kasim had carved into it. The sword seemed to shimmer for a second as Kasim swept it low, holding it in so that he would be able to swing it effectively if someone...or something came to the door.

Just then he heard a scratch within the wood. Not the sound of a hand pressing against the door, not the sound of someone trying to force the lock, but a deep carve into the wood itself. He took a step back, glancing towards Aviana and wondering what the hell was beyond that door.

Dog?

Possible, but he hadn't seen one, plus the sound wasn't ri- just then another deep scratch echoed through the room. This time it seemed to drag over the wood.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana had been in the process of opening her mouth to tell Kasim to go back to bed, when the scratching sound reached her ears. It made the hair at the back of her neck stand on end, and she felt the color drain from her face. Memories of another monster forcing its way into her old bedroom quickly surfaced in her mind, but she quickly shoved them aside as she scrambled out of the bed as quietly as she could.

She moved up behind Kasim, putting a hand between his shoulder blades to let him know that she was there. No longer wrapped in the warmth of her blanket, It was cold in the small room. The fire had died while they slept, making it difficult to see.

"Where is your dagger?" She whispered softly, her lips almost close enough to touch his ear when she spoke. Whatever was on the other side of the door was not something she wanted to get inside their room.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Goosebumps ran across his skin emanating from where Aviana had touched him. Her hand was not cold, but the touch had been somewhat unexpected. Her hand was oddly soft. "Attached to my satchel."

He told her quietly as the scratch once again rang around in the room.

This time one of the runes he had carved into the door activated. Whatever beast was cutting into the wood was now pressing, trying to get in. The Rune Burned into life, creating an odd shimmering wall that was barely translucent enough to see through. It would hold anything short of a house, but only for a short while.

Again the scratch rang out, then again, and then suddenly the wood splintered.

Four large claws dug through the heavy wooden door and clashed against the shimmering wall of light.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

As soon as the rune activated, Aviana lunged for the satchel near Kasim's bed and quickly yanked the dagger free from the small sheath. The wood splintered and she caught sight of the claws piercing through the door, then colliding against the ward.

Terror chilled through her veins.

She grabbed Kasim's forearm with her free hand. The only thing on her mind at that point was fleeing. Fighting something was claws that powerful. without their armor, was liable to get one of them killed.

"The window..." She breathed, squeezing his arm.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim didn't budge.

Some might have have thought it was fear, but in truth the Jester was in the middle of feeling naught but pure fascination. Whatever the creature was beyond that door, it most certainly wasn't something he had ever seen before. It's claws dug and dug, ripped and shredded, and then he saw it's face.

The angles of it, the fur, and the black eyes were close enough to something he had seen before. His lips thinned for a moment, he swallowed and a single thought ran through his mind. A wolf?

No, it was too big for that...and inside...

"Shit." A realization struck him of what this thing probably was, of why the people had been acting so odd. "No wen can't go outside. Get the beds, throw them in front of the door. NOW!"

He wasn't being quiet anymore, no point.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Whatever conclusion Kasim had reached, he failed to inform Aviana of just why they couldn't go outside, which only frightened her all the more. Nevertheless, she urgently moved to her bed and grabbed it with both hands, holding the dagger between her teeth, and started to drag the piece of furniture towards the door.

Once it was close enough, she flipped it onto its side and shoved the bed frame against the desk that was still in front of the door. If this thing was going to claw through a door to get to them, she doubted very much that a bed would do much to stop it, but she didn't argue with Kasim.

Getting close to the shimmering ward and the slashing claws only made matters worse. At any moment that thing could bust through the rune and tear through the barrier. Then what would she do?

"Why the hell can't we go outside?" She growled back at him, moving away from the bed and took up position next to him.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Werewolves." Kasim stated with more than a little fear ripping from his voice. The blade in his hand shifted again, though this time he stabbed it into the floor. Without a moment of hesitation he grabbed his own bed, lifting it and throwing it onto the desk.

The Jester wasn't a particularly strong individual, not compared to some of the Soldiers in the world, but the adrenaline burning in his veins was more than enough to allow him that small act. It helped that the bed was small, only meant for a single man. Grabbing his sword again he continued to tell Aviana.

"The Village knew." His voice tightened. "They might be setting us up as bait or..."

Kasim shifted, listening as the wolf attempted to bash it's way in. "Fuck...maybe they're all infected."

The idea wasn't entirely beyond reason. From what he knew Werewolves could travel in packs, but everything he knew was from stories. He'd never met one, never seen one, and had really never thought he would.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana had only ever heard of werewolves in tales. As far as she knew, there had never been one in Minaris.

She glanced down at the small dagger in her hand, and then back up to Kasim's face. The moonlight illuminating her silver hair and giving it a soft glow. The fear was blatant in her eyes, her mouth quivered slightly but she was doing her best to keep calm.

Each time the wolf bashed against the rune's ward, she flinched.

Is this what happened to her parents after she left? Trapped with nothing but a magical barrier between them and the looming threat of an agonizing death. The thought was bone-chilling and Aviana shuddered slightly.

She cursed quietly in her lilted dialect, moving over to her belongings and she quickly yanked on her boots, lacing them up as she stared at the door. "So, they're probably waiting outside the window for us then, if they're all in on... whatever this is. What the hell do we do?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim glanced at Aviana, and then at the door. The barrier would hold for some time yet, and the make-shift barricade for some time after that, but there was no telling just how long it would last.

His lips thinned, and then he glanced out at the window. The moon was still in the sky, settled just a bit over the crest of the land. He guessed that the Werewolves had transformed some time ago, but had only sniffed him and Aviana out recently. Kasim knew that when a man turned he did not retain his memories or intentions, becoming little more than a beast.

"We stay." In a confined space they at least at a chance. If his theory was correct and there was more than one they would be dead outside.

They had no chance against a predator like that in an open field.

"If they get through." He glanced at her, then down at his naked torso. "Desperate measures."

His tone was plain.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She hesitated, then pushed herself onto her feet and moved to stand in front of him. Holding his gaze meant that she had to tilt her head back slightly when she stood this close to the jester. What was she supposed to say? She didn't even know what the other runes did.

Her father had said something similar before he placed the satchel in her arms and ushered her down a hidden corridor. She bit the inside of her cheek, the muscles flexing in her jaw.

"What will happen if you activate those?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

Answering that question was more difficult than he would have liked. There was no easy explanation, and saying it made him even more hesitant to actually doing it. "I lose part of my soul."

The price seemed to be the most important part, the thing he was most hesitant about saying out loud. In truth he had no idea what that would do to him, not really. The Old Man had warned him, told him that doing it was more dangerous than could ever be known.

"I'll get faster." His voice was quiet, barely audible above the bashing of the creature beyond the door. "Stronger...I'll..."

He glanced at the rune. "The thing won't be able to touch me."

That really was the most important part. One scratch from a werewolf, one little bite, and it was all over. Your life was cursed until it ended. Kasim didn't want that, he didn't want to be a monster.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Reluctantly, Aviana pressed a hand against his bare chest over one of the rules that was carved into his flesh. If the barrier didn't hold, she didn't have a defense against it. She would likely be killed or infected within seconds. A knot formed in her throat and she gave a small nod of her head.

A strange calmness came over her and she took a ragged breath, trying her best to reassure him. "You'll be okay."

He would survive the attack at least, but she doubted that she would. Coming to terms with dying shifted her priorities and she swallowed back the tears that had welled up. "I need you to promise me something."

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim Areth was not a hero.

He had never wanted to be one, he had never had the desire or the ambition. He did not want to ride into battles. He did not want to save fair maidens. He did not want his name on the lips of children as they played pretend. Kasim Areth was no hero.

"I will protect you." The Jester said the words before he even really thought about it, his hand clasping gently over her mouth to silence any words she was about to speak.

His sword hand felt weak, his head was swimming, but he fully knew what he had said. There was another bash against the door, another break and splintering of wood, but Kasim didn't take his eyes off the half-elf. He had made his decision, he knew what he had to do.

He would have given up his soul to survive, but he knew there was another way. One that might harm him more in the end, but one that might at least protect her.

Without another word he dropped the blade, and gently guided Aviana to step aside.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

His fingers pressed against her lips, silencing the pleading words that had been on the precipice of tumbling forth. She needed him to protect the satchel. Not herself. None of this would matter if she failed here. Nevertheless, the look in his eyes when he said those words kept her from protesting. She felt her heart twist painfully in her chest at the thought of Kasim tearing out part of his soul if he activated those runes.

"What are you doing?" She whispered softly as he ushered her to the side, and she bent down to snatch up the satchel once she was out of the way.

Why was he looking at her like that?

Her throat constricted and tears brimmed in her eyes, blurring her vision slightly. She had only ever felt so utterly powerless, or defenseless, once before in her life.

And she loathed having to experience that agony a second time.

 

[Kasim Areth]

The rune would have made him faster, stronger, half intangible within this world, but it would only have effected him. Even with it's power he would not have been able to kill more than one wolf at a time, and as soon as another made it past the door...Aviana would have died.

He knew that, and deep in his depths he had still wanted to use the rune. Better to lose a part of his soul than pay the other price, better to lose a piece of his humanity than something that cost so much more. Yet he knew he couldn't let her die. He knew he couldn't watch her be torn apart.

So he did the only thing he could do, the only option that would save them both. It was something he had rejected for five years, something he had thrown away on the night he had left.

Kasim Areth was no hero, but perhaps...perhaps Erich Sarkus Varik was.

The Jester took a step forward, ignoring Aviana's words as he raised his hand. In an instant a feeling of familiarity washed over him, a tidal wave of power and torrential strength that flooded into him. He had to fight it, struggle against it's force, and the instance he did he could feel them.

His family, half the world away.

They would know he was alive. They would know where he was.

This was his magic, that of House Varik. Wrought by the ancestors of his family and brought only to bare by very few. It's price? The Deaths of thousands, paid for by the victims of countless wars brought to this world by Vel Anir.

It was his magic. Blood magic.

His hand twisted, and then suddenly pulled. The barricade exploded into tiny pieces, the door behind it followed suit, and the wolf that had been clawing at them was suddenly thrown into the wall. It's form impaled by four massive spikes of wood.