Private Tales The Silver Flame and Violet Cold

[Szesh]

The bear reeled as the arrow sunk deep into its eye, and blood immediately welled around the shaft. It was strikingly bright against the white fur and snow, and it steamed in the frigid air.

It was moving erratically now, swiping with its gargantuan paws and tearing the campsite to shreds. Only half blind, it made its way towards the largest target: Szesh. He stepped back, careful to stay out of reach of the claws. Would the beast never tire? Already the snow surrounding the tents had melted into a red pond, the gash in the bear's side weeping continously.

His right arm weighed him down, and it hurt tremendously. It did not feel broken, most likely a dislocated shoulder. It would need to be set. He was out of options as the bear came at him. Unable to reply with blows, he took a deep breath and set forth a great geyser of flame from his maw.

The bear shrieked in pain, its fur catching and burning away to ash exposing angry red skin beneath. Szesh darted to the side and sent another plume of fire at the bear's face. The eye was not damaged, but the skin around it would swell and might be enough to close it.

Finally the bear stopped advancing. Tired, bleeding, blinded, it stood on shaking legs and panted. Szesh was motionless, taking this time to check for Mika. She was there, bow in hand, again proving herself more capable than he would have ever imagined.

The great beast whined, turned, and began to lumber away. Szesh was in no condition to follow and instead looked around the camp's perimeter. Three dead, one leaving, and one missing. Their prisoner was, presumably, nearby.

"Are you hurt?" he called to Mika. She looked remarkably intact.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

A part of her wanted to run behind the massive bear. Perhaps, if she could manage to slice its throat then they would be truly victorious. Certainly if Szesh would move with her, his fire breath had both shocked and impressed the young Nordenfiir deeply. The only time she’s seen fires this huge were for the pyres means as funerals for honored Nordenfiir. Here, however, no wood, oil, or anything else had been necessary. Szesh simply took a breath and exhaled a flame so huge it had engulfed the bear. There was a bit of pride in the fact that the man in his svalen had actually survived the storm of heat, but the feeling was mixed with disgust for he was still a traitor.

“I’m.. fine, some bruises and all that. It’ll heal.” she nodded, coming closer to him and the motionless body of the woman. “You? Everything alright? That.. was a Nordenfiir in its svalen, once we gain it we’re considered adults.” Perhaps he didn’t need or want to know all of that, but she automatically shared it with him without a second thought.

“The human isn’t too far off, I can still smell him.” Even through the stench of burned pelt, which was quite horrible. Before they would leave, though, she kneeled besides the man whose skull she had hit so fortunately with the picked up axe.

An enemy. A traitor. Her first kill.

In the rush of the moment she hadn’t thought about anything but her life and Szesh’s safety. Right now, though, with the adrenaline gone, the young raven head blinked a couple of times to try to put the various emotions she was feeling into the right places. She had known this would happen one day. It was nearly impossible to spent one’s life only killing animals during the hunt. At least that’s how Mika viewed it. Especially with the events of the recent past.

Closing his eyes, she gave him that, and inhaling deeply she then sniffed the air to catch the human’s scent. If Szesh was ready, then they could go. After a long look at him, though, she thought to notice something being wrong with his shoulder. “Do you need some help with that before we move?”

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

A svalen, so that was what it was called. The stories had not done it justice. His inky eyes wafted over Mika's slight frame. Someday she, too, would be able to make that transformation. It was a disquieting thought, but so long as she was his ally it should not be a problem.

He nodded, acknowledging her wellbeing. He was glad, for he had precious little experience with healing. And he was glad she could still track the human. He would not be too far off, if he was smart.

He watched her kneel over the man. There were many differences between him and her, beyond the obvious physical ones, but her body language was clear as day. Realization, uncertainty, confusion... guilt? She had never killed before, and yet she had done so here without hesitation. There were few who could so quickly step up and do what needed to be done when the time came, and he was grateful that she was one of the exceptions.

"A good kill, for a first." He said flatly, pacing closer towards her. He felt the need to say more, an unexpected urge to comfort. It was unusual, and he didn't care for it.

"It is difficult... to kill your own kind." He continued. Horrid memories flooded his mind and he shut them away as best he could. "But you did well." It was as close to a thanks as she would receive right now.

She had noticed his shoulder. Of course she had, it was obvious and would need to be taken care of. He had set such injuries before but it would be much, much easier with another.

"...Yes," he grumbled, sitting down in the snow. "Have you refit shoulders before?" She would need to pull the arm out in order to get it back in place. She would need to be very strong, moving the heavy limb against the resistance of his muscles.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

His words were comforting. While she was uncertain why, it was something she had unconsciously yearned to hear. Most likely because when there was no other option but to take one’s life it should be done quickly and without them suffering. Unless their crimes were outrageous, but even traitors like these.. ones who have chosen the wrong side, well, as long as they simply fought for their opinions instead of slaughtering families in the middle of the night she could have her peace with them dying quickly.

“Life is life, but you’re probably right. We tend to see outsiders as different. Unconsciously, I too might be quicker in striking someone who doesn’t belong and is guilty. Even if it’s only by a split of a second.” she chewed over the matter aloud. From his words it appeared that he has had his share of fighting his own kind. She wondered if they were all liquid silver as he was, or his scales were like the color of the Nordenfiir’s hair or shade of their skin. Majorly the same but with their own exceptions.

“No, I have not. You’ll have to guide me through it. Perhaps explain it first. I understand if you’re hesitant about me doing it, but I will try to make it as quick as possible, and I do apologize for the pain I will cause you.” Looking up at the dragon she wondered if he would trust her with his injury. Truly he didn’t have much of an option, but she wanted him to know that she would try to make it as easy as possible on him. Hurting him was not a part of her plan.

“You will have to sit down, though. Perhaps one of those tree trunks? There is one covered with a part of the tent, might be more comfortable than sitting in the snow.” Mika suggested, gesturing toward fabric that’s been ripped off and blown over a fallen tree. It would definitely help her if he sat down, otherwise she would hardly reach his shoulder properly. For a tall human, but a growing Nordenfiir, his size height was still way too much. Even the bigger, male, Nordenfiir would probably have some struggling with adjusting his joint while he was standing.

“Are you sure?” she asked, hesitance creeping into her voice as she placed one hand onto his shoulder and the other on his upper arm. Inhaling deeply, she knew she would have to put quite some power into the pull. Doubt gripped her by the throat. Would she have enough strength?

“If you don’t mind, I think, it might be better if I used my knee against your armpit and both hands to pull, you are.. quite large and strong, I don’t want to cause it to be more sore before we try again.. and I don’t think that I can pull it far enough with one hand.” the young Nordenfiir admitted, feeling somewhat helpless as she confessed her lack of raw strength. They would have to be creative, and her knee might help, if he agreed to it, of course.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Life is life.

Szesh did not think of himself as a great philosopher. Or even a mediocre philosopher. Scratch that - Szesh was in no way a philosopher. But every now and again someone would say something that struck him. Like an arrow shot at such an impossibly perfect angle that struck its mark through tree branches and windows and moving people.

Life is life. Was she saying that all life should be valued equally, despite its relation to oneself? Was this true? Was it wrong to value one's own kind above others, or was it natural? Could it be both?

He shook these thoughts aside, he would find no answers in idle thought. Instead, he took Mika's suggestion and sat upon the covered tree stump, leaning forwards to offer his limp arm to her.

"That is fine," he said to her suggestion of using her entire body to move the arm. It was probably best, since the quicker this was done the less pain he would be in. "It is simple," he said, trying to be reassuring, "You only need to do one thing: pull it straight out." If she did it correctly, his arm should fit itself back into place, the joint finding its natural resting place. If she did it incorrectly, well, there was probably a healer in a nearby village.

He let her position herself, and he readied himself for the brief but significant pain he would soon feel. He nodded. "Go."

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Awkwardly putting her knee against his body she was glad that he was wearing clothes. While Nordenfiir weren’t shy to be -- what those from the south considered -- naked, touching his scales with her knee might have felt wrong because it almost felt like an invasion of his personal space. Well, in fact, it truly was. At least his arm she could disconnect from his torso, mentally. Unfortunately, literally that was sort of the case as well. Gripping his limb tightly she took a deep breath. He made it sound easy and seemed fairly calm. Perhaps she felt way more nervous than he did, or his age gave him the ability to hide his nerves. She didn’t know, and knowing it wouldn’t have changed the task at hand.

Go

She pulled as hard as she could. Every muscle in her arms, shoulders and back strained until they burned. For a brief moment she thought that it wouldn’t work, that she would have to let go of his heavy limb and think of another way to do this, but then, as a sharp pain rushed through the back of her left upper arm -- feeling like a torn muscle -- his arm popped back into its destined place.

“Alright, I think that worked quite well,” she grinned, biting the pain knowing his was probably worse. All that was left of hers was a vague, burning sensation. However, she knew from experience that it would have to rest for a while. Good thing they were starting out with a walk now.

Looking around she took a long iron spear and one of the axes that still remained intact, then put it away for later use. “Might cut off his hand for stealing..” she half joked, though after all this trouble she might, just to prove her point.

“Let’s go?”

His scent was as fresh as as the snow covering the field they entered once through the trees. As he had been told, or perhaps because he was too scared, he hadn’t walked off too far. Still, Mika kept her eyes slightly narrowed when coming closer. Looking around for anything in the snow that might be something else but a stone, she quickly prodded what turned out to be a snow covered slender trunk. This spear would come in handy.

“What will you do with him?” she asked thoughtfully as the distance between the man cowering under one of the larger pine trees and the unlikely pair grew smaller.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh could not suppress a short outburst as his arm was wrenched forwards. His roar echoed and he grit his teeth, shutting his eyes tight against the pain. It was short lived, however, Mika had done very well. He rubbed his shoulder, rotating his arm as much as the still-healing joint would allow.

"Yes..." he said with a wince. It had worked well.

He rose, still flexing his tingling fingers. Mika joked, but the humor was lost on him. Taking a hand for theft was quite a merciful punishment in Arthur's case, and Szesh wholeheartedly agreed that this would be an appropriate action.

"I will return him to the dwarves." He said matter-of-factly. "These were the terms of the assignment."

He followed her to the man, who was now shivering in the snow beneath a tree. His hands were still chained, and he hand bundled the cold metal into his arms to make running easier. His expression of fear renewed as Szesh approached him, towering over the broken man. He looked much thinner than his illustration, the north had not been kind to him. The tips of his fingers were blackened and... no ring was upon them.

"Where is the ring?" Szesh demanded, bringing his face close to Arthur's.

It took a moment for Arthur to gather his words. "T-t-they t-took it." He whimpered. "The big one. Called it a trophy." Szesh's growl began low in his chest, growing and rising behind bared black teeth. "I don't think he kn-knew what it was." Arthur continued, hoping this might grant him some reprieve.

The big one. The one who had turned into a bear. "Mika," he said, not taking his dark eyes off of his bounty. "What happens to clothing when transform?" He dreaded the answer. The ring, if still attached to that bear, was lost, and with it a substantial portion of his reward.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

“I assume he called it his possession, not a trophy.” Mika’s eyes narrowed, she felt like the man was either telling them lies or wasn’t aware of his mistake. “If it had been a trophy you would have been dead, but considering he took you as his slave.. you and all that belonged to you were his possessions.” Depending on the reaction of his human they would know whether he was trying to simply ship them off on a hunt to find the badly burnt Nordenfiir or had honestly miscalculated the northern culture so badly. Then again, of course he had, to come here in order to hide without being able to offer anything at all or know about the Nordenfiir. Only those capable of standing in a battle, like Szesh, were destined to survive the North unless they were quite lucky. This one wasn’t.

Sliding back into her calm self, or the state that could be called calm after having had her first kills. Mika inhaled deeply. “It transforms with you.. it’s not like we rip our skin or clothing, it has its trail of magic.”

“You want to drag him along or would his head suffice” she wondered aloud, gesturing in the air as if talking about how they should salt this piece of elk. “for the terms of the assignment, I mean.”

“We can probably find the Nordenfiir, he’ll be needing a place to recover. There are settlements around the area. In his state he’ll of course sing a different song, we’ll be the ones who’ve attacked him. There is no way of differentiating between those still loyal to those who’ve slaughtered our Queen’s family and the previous King and those standing behind her reign.” Growing taller with the last words it was obvious that she supported the latter. “Lies, however, are frowned upon by all, so is thievery.. High likely he would want to fight again.”

It really was up to Szesh, afterall it was his reward.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh considered his options. He did not like the idea of losing at least half of his pay, especially after all that this journey had demanded of him. However, the thief himself would still fetch a decent price, and perhaps the dwarves could be bartered with if he explained the situation... with perhaps a few omissions to bend the story to his favor.

He did not relish the idea of facing that bear again, no matter how wounded it was. If he had found people to help him, then they would likely fight beside him. How would they fair against two svalen? Three?

"No," he grumbled finally. "I will take him, alive, to the dwarves. The ring is lost." The words tasted sour in his mouth. He leaned in even closer to the thief, the man who had caused this trouble. He was pleased to see the terror in his eyes as Szesh's massive head grew nearer. "What does the ring do?"

"I... I don't know, really I don't!" Arthur whimpered. "I just took the easiest thing to hide. I'll go with you, I won't fight." Szesh found this last statement amusing, as if Arthur would stand a chance.

He stood back up to his full height and took the chain that still bound the man's hands. He looked back to Mika. "Thank you, for your help." He said. It was a rare thing for him to offer sincere thanks, but Mika had been absolutely essential on this venture. He had never expected her to be more than a guide when he met her at the tavern, but she was clearly far more. She had fought bravely, and continued to follow him no matter what fell into their way. Loyalty, bravery... more evidence that the stories told of the Nordenfiir were true.

"Can you find the way back to town?" he asked her. He had gotten quite turned around in the mayhem, and flying with Arthur would take more energy than he was willing to spare right now. He was certain that she could find their way back, though.

Once they returned to town, he would take his leave of this place. The tundra was too cold, too unforgiving, even compared to the Spine. He would book passage on one of the few ships that sailed south, and in time deliver his quarry to the Dwarves in Belgrath.

He wished Mika well. She was odd, for sure, approaching a stranger of a bizarre race and agreeing to trek through the wilderness with them. But she was true, and Szesh could understand and respect her plight. He promised to deliver her share of the bounty the next time they met. He did not think she would be difficult to find. Someone so outgoing would surely garner attention, and one of the Nordenfiir would be able to point him her way.