(Written by Daibik)
Viera had the same nightmare for the third night in a row. The scenery of the dark rainy day was carved into her brain by now. So was the warm feeling on her face, as Ethera would hold her head in her dying breaths, leaving a bloodied hand print. Now, she was truly marked by her sins. Viera’s sobs wouldn’t stop, she couldn’t breathe out a single word. Neither could she hear Ethera’s frail voice through the rain and her own ragged breathing. It was a sweet thought to assume she forgave Viera with her last words, but she knew better than that.
Apparently, when she wept in the dream, she wept in her bed. She knew that now because she was awoken by Lucius. “Kid… you were… crying.”
This wasn’t the first time he had woken her up, but he always had a gentle way about it. His voice was soft. Not the worst thing to wake up to. Viera wanted to say something but speech wouldn’t form. She merely sits up now, looking at Lucius, shaking. Why was it so cold? The damn blanket didn’t do anything for her.
“Sorry… I didn’t know what to do.” He brushes aside his long auburn hair, revealing his pointed elf ears. She feels a cup being placed into her hands. Something piping hot inside: coffee or tea? He had been nothing but nice to her. She wondered what he would do if he knew. He had been a Blackreyne Hunter far longer than her. He had known Ethera far longer than her. Viera wanted to say something, anything really… but it was monumental effort.
The sound of wood groaning against the floorboards; he pulls up a chair and sits down in front of her. It was morning, but the skies were so gray the room might as well have been pitch black, save for the one candle that was whittling away on her bedside table.
“Do you want to tell me… what… happened?”
He knew something went wrong. He knew she was seperated. But to think Ethera had died was not even a thought his brain considered.
“…attacked.”
Viera was surprised by how hoarse and strained her own voice was.
“I figured. But you need to tell me more than that.”
Please don’t ask. Please. Stop asking. I don’t want to think about it.
After what seems like forever, he sighs. She feels his thumb against the corner of her eye. Ah, the waterworks had begun again. She thought bitterly. He wipes away tears that she didn’t even know had formed until then.
He takes away the cup and hands her a waterskin in its stead. There’s a knowing smile on his face. It was his own waterskin. He brought it to every hunt that Viera had joined him in and she knew well that it was not water that was within it. He was young once too and he likely knew well that sometimes you see the kind of horrors that you really just want to forget.
“I feel like I have turned you into an alcoholic.”
Viera shakes her head.
“Just drink, dammit. I don’t know exactly what happened but I know you’ll be going through those like they’re candy.”
Wasn’t the first time she drank but she knew it had a strange effect. The way everything she experienced came to her through a filter, like she was a conciousness far away yelling commands to her body and hoping it would listen. The way memories in her brain would turn into fog. The crushing weight of reality would become lighter than a feather.
Still young and unknowing, she tries to take it all in at once and it overwhelms her. She coughs and sputters, clutching at the burning feeling in her chest. She hears Lucius chuckle.
“Easy there. A bit at a time. The feeling is best when you take it bit by bit through the day.”
Viera looks at the waterskin, the drink in there was the only source of comfort since… since the day.
“I had a hard time starting you know, but before long I realized I didn’t spend a single day sober.”
Lucius continues some manner of busy work throughout his house, but he still keeps an eye on her despite that. The concern and care would have felt good on any other day but after what happened, she felt so unworthy of it. Before her mind could spiral down those thoughts, there were sounds.
Rather, the sounds were there the whole time but now their intensity was such that it could not be ignored. People outside, talking. Lucius steps to the window and wipes away a layer of moisture. He stays there for a moment, looking outside before bolting towards the door. “Stay right there.”
The anxiety made itself known. She could not stay right there. She followed behind him almost immediately. The sight before her wasn’t entirely new. She knew Lucius had a little house located in a small settlement in the Crimson Empire. He’d use this house as a pit stop on his way to any hunts in the Empire.
There were homes of similar sizes scattered around a “town square” of sorts where people had gathered. It cold was significant but surely not enough for… snow? But it dawned on her quickly this wasn’t snow. It was ash.
Often the things they would hunt would have their own armies. And these creatures could corrupt even past their death or undeath, so it was custom to pile up the dead and set them ablaze. Nearby settlements would have the honor of the resultant ashfall, and they would know they had survived the night only because the Blackreyne Brotherhood had hunted down a great evil.
Lucius speaks to some of them to explain the ashfall, the people looked concerned but nodded understanding. They hand him a sheet of paper that he looks at. If he was shocked by its contents, he does not show it. He nods and walks back to Viera who kept her distance from the crowd, wrapping her arms around herself to stop the relentless shakes her body was experiencing.
Lucius does not say anything, he just drags her along and into the house again. He shuts the door with some force. He seemed… angry. He tells her to take a seat at the table and unrolls the paper and presents it before her.
Ah. It was bound to happen sooner or later. The sketch of the one horned tiefling was unmistakable. The mole below the left eye. The messy hair. It was a bounty of course, a rather hefty sum. Murder of a noble was no small crime, let alone the murder of such a significant figure. Commonfolk would slit the throats of their entire families for even a tenth of the sum that was written on that paper. It was the last bit of text that put everything into perspective: By order of Zmeya Mercury, acting Leader of the Blackreyne Brotherhood.
She didn’t have to look at Lucius to feel his rage now. Would this be it? Would he strangle her then and there? Or perhaps her heart would feel his blade piercing it? She feels his hand come close but it only clasps on her shoulder.
“We need to get you out of here. They’ll kill you.”
This wasn’t what she expected. The kindness. It stung. “But… I…”
More words, but Lucius merely shushes her. “I want to hear the full story. But I can’t do that if you’re dead.” He kneels down in front of her and looks her right in the eyes. “You are all that remains of her. Do not die. I forbid you to die. You have to escape.”
He does not linger though and immediately rushes off, looking in drawers and cupboards for something. He does continue speaking though. “Kasaaq. What do you know about it?”
“…never been. But she told me stories. Says I was born there…” Her words come out with pause but she knew the gravity of the situation and forced them out her throat. “I was… considering it myself.”
“Good. We’ll need to send you somewhere you’re at least a little familiar with, but far away from Zmeya, or the reaches of any Aurial bounty hunter.”
Viera understands and begins to grab whatever she might need for her next travel. Rations? Water? Medicine? The cottage provided it all. In the flow of it all she does tarry a moment, looking into a mirror. Were her… eyes always this dark and sunken? Lucius catches her in the act and puts a hand on her shoulder.
“Can’t shave off the only horn you’ve got left but we can do something about the hair. Remember how Ethera used to do it? Try that.”
Viera nods and takes two of Lucius’ hair bands. It was not too difficult collecting her long curls into two messy buns. Ethera had taught her that many times. It wasn’t as perfect as hers of course. Large strands of hair would slip off the sides, but she was almost glad for it. She didn’t want to see Ethera’s face looking back at her from every mirror. A constant reminder of her guilt.
It was not going to be pleasant weather outside. Or where she was about to go. She needed some warm clothes. She checks Lucius’ wardrobe to find a variety of winter wear in the colors of the Brotherhood, but one stood out. A long coat: deep grey, rimmed with blue.
“That’s the one that you were wearing when you came in.” Lucius says absent mindedly as he keeps looking for something.
“Isn’t mine… It’s hers.” Viera begins to don the coat, taking in its warm embrace.
“Huh” Lucian stops for a moment to look at her. “Suits you. Just like it suited her.” A faint smile spreads on her face on hearing that.
Once she is done she hears the jingle of coins as Lucius puts down a pouch of gold on the table. “This should cover the ship fare to the west. But after that you’re on your own.”
Viera nods and gratefully picks it up and shoves it into her pack. She goes for the door but stops for a moment. She looks back at Lucius. Thank you, she wanted to say, but before any of it, he merely puts something into her hands and says, “Good luck. You’ll need it far more than I do.”
She can only nod. She opens the door and steps out as the bitter cold winds greet her. She looks at the waterskin in her shaking grasp and uncorks it, chugging down a hefty amount. The burning sensation once again fills her chest. Her shaking becomes much less violent. As the bitter aftertaste remains, she wipes her mouth and begins walking - her silhouette slowly fading into the morning mist.