by Heath Pfaff
"No matter what Xan is doing," she said after a moment of collecting her thoughts, “we still need to find him. He shouldn't be out there alone. Xandrith isn't as indestructible as he believes himself to be.”
Kassa looked to Haley. She seemed a little troubled, but finally she replied. “We haven't talked about this yet, but I know we both have to be thinking about it. What if we find Xan and he's not really the Xan we knew anymore?”
The younger woman looked away, unwilling to meet the older, wiser eyes of her companion. “That's not going to happen.” She said stubbornly.
"We can't afford to think like that, Haley. Both of our lives may depend on us being ready for the worst. What if we find Xandrith and the last of his humanity is gone from him? Remember what he was like before he left. Shawl said that his troll side had awoken, and we need to be ready in case we come upon him and find that he isn't human anymore, at least not in the ways that matter.”
"Xan wouldn't let that happen.” It wasn't a good reply, or even a logical one, but it was the only thing Haley could think of to say.
Kassa just sighed heavily. “You're almost as stubborn as he was.”
"As he is.” Haley added fiercely.
Kassa couldn't help but let the barest of smiles touch the corner of her lips at her younger companion's stubborn dedication to her point. “As he is.” Kassa said with a nod. The conversation ceased as they picked up their pace.
They walked for four long days before they reached a hilltop that overlooked the makeshift tradesmen's camp. It wasn't exactly what Haley had been expecting. She'd pictured it as a large collection of carts and craftsman interspersed with tents, almost like a giant market square with all kinds of different traders selling their goods to one another. The reality wasn't a fraction of that. There were maybe a dozen carts rolled up around a wooden long house. The perimeter was surrounded by heavily armed guards, mercenaries by the looks of their equipment. They were all wearing various types of masks that covered at least the bottom halves of their faces. It wasn't difficult to tell that they all looked ill at ease. Other than the guardsmen there was no sign of anyone moving about outside of the long house. There was a large bonfire being managed by more of the mercenaries. The smell coming off the fire made every hair on Haley's body stand on end. She knew that particular stink only too well. Human flesh lent a distinct quality to the air as it smoldered.
"I don't like this place." She said quietly to Kassa as they looked down upon the trader's camp.
The other woman nodded. "We'll get our information and be gone as soon as we can." Kassa answered. The expression on her wolf-masked face was one of clear disquiet. With that she started her way down the hillside, trudging through the icy grass and the thin layer of snow above it. The weather was getting warmer as they moved further south from the mountains, but it was still frigid.
Haley pulled her cloak tightly around herself and grabbed her axe beneath it. The cool and comfortable hilt of the weapon sent a surge of calm confidence through her as they drew closer to the camp. The smell of burning human flesh grew thicker in the air and she had to force herself not to gag on it as the stench became almost overpowering. As they drew within range of the outskirts of the camp, two of the mercenaries broke off from their positions and began moving to intercept them. Haley felt a sudden urge to strike them both down as quickly as possible, but she knew that was irrational. These people weren't her enemies yet, but they would be if she attacked them. The temptation was strong, though.
The first man to approach them was an average looking mercenary. He wasn't tall or short, but he was well muscled and dressed in a flexible set of medium leather armor, the type that allowed for quick movement at the expense of not being able to turn away the blows of the heaviest weapons. He wore a sword at each of his hips, but he carried a large two handed axe as he approached Kassa and Haley. His eyes were cold and impassive. What could be seen of his face was drawn tight with tension.
"Are you expected?" He asked, though the tone of the question implied that he thought this was doubtful. The second guard approached just as he began speaking. This man was taller than the first and wearing a heavier set of armor. He had only one weapon, a broadsword, but it was drawn and resting easily on his shoulder. His mask was painted red and black like the face of some kind of demon and it covered his entire countenance. He didn't speak.
"No, but we're not interested in staying long. We're looking for information." Kassa answered smoothly.
"You won't find any information here. In fact, if you're not a member of the tradesmen's guild, you won't find anything here. I recommend you move along if you don't want any trouble." The guard said, flicking his head towards the trail leading away from the camp and back out into the wilderness.
"That's a cold welcome for someone just looking to ask a few questions." Kassa's voice had taken on a surprising edge of malice.
"These are cold times. We've had trouble with strangers recently, and so they're not welcome anymore. That includes yourselves." He gestured down the path away again before adding. "I've no desire to cut down a woman and a boy, but I will if I have to." Haley frowned at being called a boy, but she didn't reply. Wrapped in her cloak, with her hair cut short, and wearing the mask, there was really no indication that she was female. Even if she hadn't been wrapped in the cloak her body wasn't particularly curvy. Still, it made her angry.
"Fair enough. I have no desire to gut a few mercenaries over a couple bits of information, so I guess we're at a standoff." Kassa replied with a half-grin coming through the wolf mask that echoed the kind Xan would have worn in the same situation. It was a dangerous expression. Xan had killed people with that expression still plastered on his face.
The larger mercenary barked a bit of laughter. "I like her." He chortled. "Doesn't matter, though. We can't let you in. We've had plague walkers," he gestured towards the bonfire. "And before them we had some mages come in and cause problems. Only guild members are allowed in now, and then only if they have trade to be done."
"We're hunting a mage. A fugitive." Kassa jumped on this thread quickly, seeing an opportunity to get the information they needed. "He may have been one of those who caused you trouble. He'd have come through here a few weeks ago, by himself probably. He had strange tattoos over most of his body, was above average height, and probably wore a knife on each hip."
The two mercenaries looked at each other. It was clear they had seen Xandrith, but they weren't convinced they should be sharing any information.
"Any information you can offer us would be invaluable." Kassa pressed.
The smaller mercenary shook his head. "We can't go off telling you anything. If the guild heard we were blabbing they'd hire someone else to do our job, and this is a good paying position. I'm not risking losing coin just to spread some rumors around to anyone that cares to ask."
The bigger man shrugged as if helpless. "You should move along before the others get interested and come over. You're going to attract some unwanted notice if you're here much longer."
Haley could see their opportunity to gather information slipping away from them. A moment of inspiration struck her as she remembered some old advice she'd been given by Xan. She reached up and pulled off her mask which drew the attention of both of the guards. The shorter man looked her straight in the eyes before his gaze traced the horrible scars down one side of her face. Then he wouldn't look at her anymore. The taller man's eyes also followed the scars, but they settled on her eyes.
"He did this to me. Please, you have to help me find him. He needs to pay for what he's done." Haley pleaded, using the pain of her actual past to conjure the emotions she needed to lie believably. Xan had told her that she could use scars to her own advantage, and finally she was doing just that. She slid her mask back over her face to hide the wreckage again.
The men looked at each other again, but this time the shorter nodded to the taller of the two. The larger mercenary took a step forward, speaking quiet
ly and quickly. "Your man came through here a little over a week ago, got into an argument with one of the traders, lit some fires, caused a real ruckus. He was looking for a ride south towards Yillan Reach, but no one was traveling that way. They say the area is overrun by monsters. He left after that, but some few of the traders were pretty angry about the whole affair so they sent messengers out to report the harassment to the mages. The Order of Mages and the guild are on friendly terms. The Order sent some men out later that night and after getting the details they went out in pursuit. They were on horseback and he was on foot, so they probably caught him up the next day. That's all there is to know, now I'd recommend you move along before you attract anymore notice."
Haley gave one quick nod. Startled by the information she'd received and a little worried. Whatever other problems they had, now the mages were involved, and that would only complicate matters. What if they'd already gotten Xandrith? That could be a dangerous situation. He was already wanted for several other crimes. "Thank you." Haley said quietly, not wanting to seem ungrateful. With that she turned and started walking away from the camp. Kassa fell in at her side.
"That was good thinking." The older woman whispered.
Haley shrugged. "Xandrith gave me the idea. What are we going to do if the mages have caught him?"
Kassa returned the shrug. "Xan is pretty resourceful. We shouldn't assume anything before we see evidence that the worst has happened. He's been running from the Order for years, and if anyone can keep hidden from them it's probably him. He's the strongest person I've ever known."
"You think so?" Haley asked, not as certain herself. Xan wasn't exactly acting like himself.
"Even if they do have him, that just means we'll have to go set him free. It wouldn't be the first time I've pulled him from the Order's clutches." Kassa said with a grin. It was obvious she was trying to brighten Haley's disposition.
"You're assuming there will be anything left to save. He wasn't exactly on the Order's good side, and who knows what they'll do with him now. If they know he's using magic and his fingers are already clipped they'll probably kill him." Haley refused to return the humor.
Kassa’s mouth set in a grim line. "Xan has proven difficult for anyone to kill so far. Counting him out before his time is a mistake. Now stop dwelling on the worst possible outcome. It's pissing me off." She seemed angry. "I've feared the worst for so long. I need him to be alive, so shut up about it."
Haley was about to snap back at the older woman, but she closed her mouth as she thought better of it. Worrying really wasn't getting her anywhere. Kassa looked threadbare and morose. The pain just behind her eyes was so intense it made Haley feel uncomfortable. There was a depth of emotion present that Haley wasn't sure she could compete with, and all she could do was fret and worry. She was far too young to be so morose. Xandrith would be indignant if he saw her acting this way. Besides, wasn't she the one who'd been hopeful to find Xandrith alive to begin with? Now that they were so close, after they'd come so far, now her doubts were deciding to set in? She chewed on her own frown and then forced her face into a semblance of a smile. She could feel the mask mimicking the expression. She wasn't sure how she looked, but she forced herself to keep smiling. If Xan could smile through the worst of times, so could she.
They were three days outside of the merchant's camp when they found the first clear signs of some type of struggle. One particular section of road was complete chaos. There were deep hoof prints as though horses had been run hard, and massive gouges in the dirt some large enough to fit half a man in. Some of the trees in the vicinity were scorched, and a small section of the woods was blown over as though struck by some monstrous wind. Kassa and Haley quickly split up to better search the area for signs of passage or some clear indicator of who had won the conflict and which way the survivors had gone. Haley trudged off the left side of the road and into the thick of the woods where there was either a deer trail or someone had recently broken through the winter brush.
She watched the ground closely and could make out the signs of footprints, but none them matched Xan's boots. Why would anyone have gone off into the woods if they weren't after Xan? Plus, the prints went out and then came back to the road. Haley kept her mouth shut and followed the boot patterns further out. There were at least three sets and they were staggered strangely as though they'd been carrying something heavy between them. After a few minutes, Haley reached a break in the woods that opened into a small open space that wasn't quite a clearing. Haley stopped in her tracks. There were six freshly stacked stone graves lying amidst the trees. The ground had been too frozen to dig deeply. The mages had carried their dead into the woods, dug shallow holes, and covered them over with dirt and rock to protect them from animals.
"Kassa, I found something!" She called back over her shoulder, hoping the older woman would be within range of her voice. Her heart was beating very quickly in her chest. What did these graves portend? There had been a fight, and after the fight some of the mages had been left alive. Those mages had then taken the time to bury six of their dead. What had become of Xan during all of this? Was he one of the six bodies buried beneath the rocks? Would they have even buried him after he had killed so many of them? If he was still alive, how did the mages find the time to stop and bury their dead? Too many questions.
The sound of footsteps roused her from her thoughts. She turned to see Kassa approaching, her eyes also settling on the stone graves. "Was there anything to see on the other side of the road?" Haley asked, deciding to take a moment to address that before they tackled what they had in front of them.
"Dead horses. Four of them. From the looks of the corpses the battle was pretty brutal. I'm surprised the mages had much left to bury after Xan was finished." Kassa said with a nod at the graves. "Six graves, and we can assume Xan isn't in one of them. I don't believe they would have buried him, at least not with their companions. These graves were put in with care. These men obviously were mourning when they constructed these burial mounds." She was circling the graves now, looking more closely at them. "Ah, look." She pointed at a flat stone mounted at the head of one of the graves.
"What's that?" Haley asked. The stone marker had an unusual symbol marking its surface.
"It's a warning. It's telling people that a mage is laid to rest here, and anyone who messes with the grave does so at the risk of stirring up trouble with the Order." Kassa was still moving between the graves. "They all have them. That's a good thing. If for some reason they had decided to bury Xan, they wouldn't have bothered to mark his grave like this."
"Then where is he?" Haley wasn't nearly as competent at tracking as Kassa was. Xandrith had taught her some tricks, but this entire situation was far beyond her understanding. It was like trying to read a book that was written in a language she wasn't familiar with. In Haley's case that was most languages. She'd only recently learned to read at all, and she wasn't that adept at the skill.
"There are a couple of different possibilities." Kassa said with a sigh. "He may have beaten back the mages so badly that they fell back and went to take care of their dead, deciding that it would be better for them not to continue pursuit. I don't think that's the case though, because the remaining horses from their group all leave down the same road they've been traveling this entire time and at a much slower pace. They are obviously not in pursuit anymore, and they're also not headed back the way they came, so it doesn't look like a retreat."
Kassa took a moment as though gathering her thoughts. "I think it's more likely that they subdued him and they're taking him some place. That means they probably know who he is, and they still want something from him. If they'd simply suffered a terrible defeat they would probably not have continued after him. If they'd killed him I believe they would have left him here to rot. There is no reason to drag his body along. Either way, until we know for certain the best thing we can do is to keep following their tracks. They know where Xandrith is, whether he's been captured or not. Our
answers are still ahead of us."
The assassin's apprentice sighed heavily. That hadn't exactly been the reassurance she was looking for. "What could they possibly still want from him after all this time? They can't still be worried about their precious secrets, can they?"
"Don't underestimate the mages and their tenacity when it comes to keeping secrets." There was no insincerity in Kassa's voice. She was very serious. "They will go to great lengths to protect themselves, and Xan has come into a great deal of information that would be valuable to them, and some that they would rather he never be allowed to speak of. They're probably intending to torture him to find out what he knows."
Haley flinched. "They wouldn't."
Kassa's expression told her the truth of it even before she spoke. "The first time I rescued Xan from the mages they'd already had at him for a while. Xan managed to piss them off so much that they accidentally knocked him out before they could get anything from him."
Despite herself Haley gave a single, cold laugh. "That sounds about right. Did he go back and kill the person who tortured him?"
Kassa shook her head. "We were rather pressed for time. Escaping was our top priority."
"Well, he might get his second chance at it then. I don't think he'll let them go again." Discussing any other person, that comment might have seemed absurd. Xan was the one being tortured, after all, but as far as Haley could tell it would be those inflicting the suffering who had the most to worry about. When the assassin was angry, it was a terrible idea to be in his path. The mages had been lucky the first time, but if Xan escaped a second time, Haley doubted he would be so lenient twice.
