Runeblade

The grass started to die about a league from Deadacre. First it grew pallid and limp, a few tough patches holding on desperately to life while they eked out a meagre existence in rock hard cracked dirt.

It took maybe fifteen paces before even that was gone. A stark demarcation, one that encircled the whole city. No one knew what caused it, the eerie desolation that just sat in the middle of the frontier. A perfect circle, where the ground was flat, hard, and nothing living grew.

Oh, there were plenty of legends. That it had been the sight of some duel between high-tier delvers during the shattering of an empire. That it had been cursed by the gods, and all who lived there had their fortune sapped from them. That a dragon had descended, the might of their breath so powerful that the land still cowered from its potency.

Kaius doubted any of them were the truth, but regardless, nothing grew in the league from Deadacre’s walls. Something quite fortunate, from a defensive perspective at least. Nowhere for beasts or armies to hide, and a clean and even sightline for the city's watchers.

Shading his eyes from the sun, Kaius stared at the city. It had been locked down; that much was clear. Scouts roamed the top of the walls, far more than he remembered there being on his last trip, and nothing entered or exited the western gate around the left hand side of the wall.

The east though? A train of people snaked out, easily a hundred or more. With the acuity of his skill enhanced eyes, Kaius made out all manner of people.

Huddled and weary families, carrying their meagre belongings that they had been able to take with them. Mercenaries and delvers, heavily armoured with impatient expressions on their faces - as if waiting with the common rabble pained them. A few farmers, eying the others suspiciously as they huddled around carts full of produce. Merchants, with their caravans and guards, each pulled by beasts trained from birth or bonded to their drivers.

At least, he assumed. Even trained animals were a bit of a risk to keep around if they transitioned to a beast, at least without relevant skills to handle them.

Kaius could even see the telltale potent shine of the brightly coloured Hiwiann. A travelling convoy, making camp just past the people waiting for entrance to the city. Painted in saturated reds, yellows, blues, and every other colour under the sun they looked like they had been assaulted by a field of wildflowers - and the flowers had won.

Standing out against the dusty brown of the ground, and the faded grey of the city wall, they yanked at his attention, drawing the eye. A valid tactic for the travelling traders, and a definite boon for the city that they had arrived at this time. With more than two dozen massive carriages, their convoy outnumbered the line waiting for entrance significantly.

He didn’t miss their vigilance, nor the number of guards they had. No sane bandit attacked the Hiwiann, how seriously they treated blood debts was legendary. Unfortunately, Kaius doubted that rogue beasts had such compunctions.

By the walls, more than a dozen guards watched the line. Far more than normal, but understandable in the current circumstances. One by one they would wave groups forward, talking with them for a few moments before waving them into the city.

One turned to look in his direction, before nudging another guard to his left and pointing in his direction. An ocular skill, Kaius realised. Potentially even Eagle Eye.

Locking eyes with the man, he waved. The guard gave him a nod, before waving to the back of the line. He acknowledged the guard with a thumbs up, who promptly lost interest in them, turning back to the deluge of people hoping to get entrance to the city.

“Come on,” Kaius said. “Let’s circle around and join the line.”

“It’s strange to see so many people. I mean, I knew to expect it, but the city is far bigger than I thought it would be. How do so many people bear to live so close?” Porkchop asked.

Ianmus chuckled. “If you think this is big, just wait till you see a proper metropolis like Mystral, or some of the cities in the Dukedoms.”

Kaius leaned forwards, ruffling Porkchop’s head. Ianmus had the right of it. Even if it was the largest place he had ever been, and he fully agreed with his brother, he knew there were many, many cities larger than Deadacre. The place housed roughly twenty thousand, practically a hamlet compared to others.

That was the frontier though, most preferred a less rough and tumble lifestyle than what was found out here.

“I’m more surprised by the amount of people waiting to get into the city. It’s been weeks, I would have thought the people who would shelter behind walls would have already arrived. It must be getting bad.” Kaius said, watching the slow moving line that they were gradually growing closer to.

“Really?” Ianmus asked, looking at him with surprise. “I honestly thought there would be more.”

Kaius smiled. “Most people who live on the frontier are as tough as an ox and thrice as stubborn. Honestly, the people from Deadacre and Grandbrook to the north-east have a bit of a reputation for being soft.” he explained. It was mostly ribbing, but when there were only two major ‘cities’ in the frontier, the people who braved the more wild parts in remote communities often took the risks as a point of pride. He doubted any of them would make the trek lightly. Not unless something truly bad happened.

Ianmus looked at him in disbelief. “Deadacre. Soft.” he said, shaking his head at the thought of it.

Kaius let out a low chuckle, though it was half forced. “Maybe not soft, but definitely more luxurious than a village of a few hundred out in the middle of nowhere. The locals must have already made it into the walls, if they aren't defending their farms. These ones have to be from further afield, it must be bad out there for them to come so far.”

As they crossed the hardbaked ground, they grew close to the line. Hard eyes watched him, eying up his gear, and staring at Porkchop with suspicion. Weary fathers, hardened guards, and curious delvers. Kaius let it wash over him, his back straight.

“Gods, they’re looking at me like I'm a half second from eating them.” Porkchop grumbled as Kaius caught him side-eying a particularly wary caravan guard who was resting his hand on the head of an axe belted at his waist. ȑΑƝȎ₿Ɛś

“Pay them no mind. It’s understandable, all things considered. Most will have it far rougher than we do. Besides, we’re still a good half mile from them and you’re pretty huge. I’d be worried too.” Kaius replied, already having turned his focus to Ianmus.

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The elf had grown quiet, more than usual, with a pensive air hanging over his head. Whatever it was, he was sure the man would share it soon enough.

“Thank you, both of you, for getting me here in one piece.” Ianmus finally said, breaking the silence. “Are you sure there is nothing I can do to reward you?”

Kauis smiled to himself. So that was it. “You already have, my friend. Your oath, and teaching us of Masking is more than enough. I know we will most likely go our separate ways, but in the future I would be happy to travel with you again once more.”

A measure of tension left Ianmus’s shoulders, and his forehead unfurrowed just a little. “...I’d like that, if fate wills it. You’re an interesting pair, and I get the feeling that you are not done with your discoveries or excitement. I’ll leave it there though, we’re almost to the back of the line, the two of you should Mask yourselves.”

Kaius nodded at the magi’s words, shrouding his class and soul in a thin sheet of Will. After days of practice, holding the barrier steady required little focus. Little more than a subtle awareness of it tugged at his mind, something he could keep going for hours if he must. Though, having it directly tested was still arduous in its own right.

Thankfully, analysis skills were not ubiquitous, and peering into someone's status was highly rude without cause. That social nicety made far more sense to him, now that he knew it was possible to sense those probes.

Joining the back of the line, a large woodsman watched them warily. A bit shorter than Kaius, but impressively even more muscular. Even with his blatant strength, and a hewing axe on his back, the man looked stressed. Travel worn, with matted hair and an unkept beard.

His family was with him, a wife in a stained and torn dress, her eyes bagged and bloodshot. Behind her, a child, just barely peeking out from behind her mother’s skirts as she stared at Porkchop with wild eyes.

Kaius nodded at the man calmly, hopefully assuring him he was just here to wait the same as him.

He had far greater concerns than a suspicion of a man and his family. Namely, successfully lying to the guards at the gate. He could only hope they would be successful.

Kaius couldn’t help but feel a bubbling pit of anxiety open up in his stomach at the thought of it.

…

As the line slowly shuffled forwards, Kaius noticed many in the queue turning back to look at him every few moments. Some were curious, but more looked nervous. Verging on scared.

“I’m gonna dismount, might make us stand out a little less.” Kaius said, using his bond to talk silently to his brother.

“I doubt it will work, but be my guest, you’re heavy.” Porkchop grumbled.

Kaius slipped from the saddle with a chuckle, landing on the ground with a clank of rattling scales. Ahead of them the gruff looking woodsman looked back, watching him closely before switching to Porkchop and narrowing his eyes with suspicion.

He didn’t look frightened, at least. Considering the man had arms thicker than most people's legs, Kaius had doubted the man was a stranger to a scuffle. Especially if he made his trade in the wilds, it was inevitable to come up against dangerous wildlife.

“Yer mount ain’t gonna be an issue, is he?” the woodsman asked curtly, meeting his eyes.

Kaius reached up and pulled off his helmet, before tucking it under his arm. Honestly, he should have taken it off earlier. No wonder he’d been getting some looks.

He gave the man a smile. Even if the woodsman was verging on leering at him, it was an understandable question given the circumstances. Especially considering Porkchop made a bear look quaint.

“This guy’s a big softy,” Kaius said, reaching up to scratch his brother behind the ear. Porkchop played the part perfectly, leaning in and letting out a soft and happy rumble. “Aren’t ya, Porkchop?”

That got the reaction he had been hoping for, as the woodsman stared up at Porkchop in disbelief.

“Some sense for names ye got.” he muttered. “He trained then?”

Kaius laughed. “I hear that a lot, and in a sense. We’ve got a bond skill, found him when he was young and had gotten separated from the rest of his pack.” he lied, falling back on a story that was similar enough to the truth that it would be easy to keep straight.

The woodsman gave him an appraising look. Now that they were talking, the man seemed to calm down some. More curious than wary. “A bond skill, eh? Impressive. Some southern beast then? I saw you came from that way. Any news from out there?”

That, at least, was a far less fraught line of questioning, but one he would need to keep consistent all the same. After discussing with Ianmus and Porkchop on their way over, they’d settled on having left from one of the other villages by the sea. At the least, it meant that he knew the area and culture enough to answer any odd questions people might have.

“Came from Gloomhollow. Picked up that one on the way over, after he got swamped by some beasts.” Kaius replied, tilting his head in Ianmus’s direction. The half-elf gave an awkward wave.

The village was the biggest of the settlements at the Sea's fringe, large enough that it was plausible for people to have missed him, and was one of the furthest from Three Fields. Unfortunately, it was also one of the greatest at risk from the shift in phases, being situated inside the sea, in a spit of clear land that had been expanded into the forest.

The woodsman’s eyes widened. “Gloomhollow? No wonder ye look like a tough bastard. No idea how you can stand being so close to the Sea, what with how often things come down from those mountains. Bet its a right shitshow now.”

Kaius grinned. “It’s not quite so bad, but yeah, it definitely breeds a certain character.”

“What ye doing out here then? Woulda thought they’d need every fighter they could get their hands on.” The woodsman asked.

Kaius shot the man a smile, trying to squeeze as much cocky young confidence into it that he could manage. “Here to join the Guild. Was always the plan, and I’m not about to let the end of the world get in the way of that.”

Barking out a laugh, the woodsman slapped his leg. “Good man. Gods know we’re gonna need more Delvers now, things have really gone to shit out there. Some nasty stuff has started popping up all over the place.” as he talked, the woodsman's tone grew severe. Tense. “It’s bad. I ain’t no knee-quaking coward, but some of the shit that started hitting our hamlet was too much. Worried that if I didn’t get us out then, it’d be me daughter’s life at risk.”

Kaius winced in sympathy. Not every frontier community was as well defended as Three Fields, especially not the smaller remote ones. Most of them didn’t even have walls, especially when they were further from more dangerous locales like the Sea.

“Well, that’s what I'm here for. Not shy about getting into a fight that others can't handle for themselves.” he said, doing his best to offer reassurance.

“Aye…Aye. Good on ye man, we need that these days. People are dying. I…Most of the people in this line without fancy guards and carriages have lost someone. Good to know someone’s up for looking out for them, eh?” the woodsman’s voice quavered, his jaw rippling as he clenched back emotion. “Excuse me, I should check on my daughter.” he finished, turning away suddenly as he strode over to his child and swept her up into a tight hug.

Kaius let out a heavy breath. He’d known that it wouldn’t be pretty, but it was something else entirely to be confronted with the sheer bleak depression of those who had lost almost everything. A glimmer of guilt shimmered in his chest, before he quashed it, lest it ignite into something more severe.

He’d do what he could to help people, especially since—with the Guild—that would come with levels and coin, but he couldn’t accept responsibility for every tragedy. That way led to madness.

Hopefully the city proper would have a less terminal ambiance.

If he could get the guards to let him in, that is.

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