Chapter One

A Chapter by Silvre-Musgrave

Chapter One

Fog lay heavy in the blue forests of Trolis. The long autumn season had fallen at last, bringing frequent rain and chill winds. The fur-covered trees that populated the majority of the planet’s surface were now mere shadows of their summertime selves, their spindly, curling branches skeletal and bare. The mist that seeped from their blue bark only enhanced the ghastly visage of the forests.

Yet inside the Two Coins Inn, all coldness could be forgotten. Roaring fires, frothy ale and good service could all be found within its walls. It was owned by a man named Raeg and his four sons. Marking the midpoint between the cities of Tamm and Lora made it a profitable business, and customers were loud but usually well behaved.

It was the third of the month, and the sun had just set. Raeg and his sons were busy with another round of customers that had just walked in the door.

“We need some more of that Tibmagian brew over here!” Raeg called over the din of the crowd.

“We’re all out up here at the counter,” his eldest replied. “You’ll have to get it from the cellar!”

“I’ll get it!” his youngest cried, waving.

“We’ll need about four bottles,” the eldest said, holding up all four of his stubby pale green fingers.

Raeg watched with a smile as the curly-haired boy hopped down from his stool at the wash tub, snatched the cellar keys from his brother and trotted past laughing customers until he disappeared down the cellar stairs.

The boy clambered down the steps and thrust the key into the lock, subsequently throwing all his weight against the heavy door to force it open. Once inside, he fumbled in the darkness for a long narrow piece of rock, which he struck against the stone wall inside the door. The rock’s end burst into flame, and he hurried to light the lantern hanging from a hook on the ceiling. He lit it at last, blew out the end of the burning rock and replaced the stone on the shelf where he had found it.

With burning oil now illuminating the cellar, he went inside in search of the Tibmagian ale. He shivered as he scanned the bottles, unconsciously rubbing his arms. Unlike the rest of the wooden tavern, the cellar was built of stone. A door leading to the outside was constantly leaking cold air inside to keep the ale and the surrounding walls chilled.

After three shelves, he spied the Tibmagian brew, barely within his reach. He pulled up an empty crate to stand on and lifted down a couple of bottles. His fingers had just touched a third flask when a sudden knock caused him to jump, nearly dropping the ale. He regained his hold on the bottles and stared at the outside door.

A moment later, the noise came again, a fast and desperate thumping.

Upstairs, Raeg spread his arms in greeting as three more customers entered the inn. “Welcome! Please, have a seat.” He guided them to a table. “What can I get you?”

“I hear you have excellent Tibmagian ale, is that right?”

“Yes rii, imported straight from the capitol.”

“We’ll take two of those, and…would you happen to have any Vacronian wine?”

“Ah, like a little spice in your meal, eh? It just so happens that I got some in earlier this week. Will that be all?” Raeg nodded as they confirmed the order and came up to his eldest at the counter to relay the message. “The gentlemen at the corner table would like two Tibmagian ales and some…some Vacronian wine…” He trailed off as he saw his youngest son, arms laden with four flasks of the Tibmagian brew. But it was not the boy’s reappearance alone that caused his voice to falter.

His son’s face was distraught and pale, his eyes frantic.

“Elio!” he called.

The boy turned at his name and all but ran to his father.

“Give me that ale,” Raeg said, taking it and thrusting it into the arms of his son at the counter. He took Elio aside and knelt down to his height. “What’s the matter, lad?”

Elio took a quick glance around and said quietly, “It’s Cail. He’s in the cellar.”

“Cail Darkstar?”

The boy nodded. “He’s hurt, da,” he added, concern flashing in his young eyes.

“All right,” Raeg said, fishing in his apron pocket. “Take my keys. Fetch some towels, a couple Ahi globes and some of that Telki salve in my top dresser drawer. Quick now.” The boy grabbed the keys and hurried away; Raeg got to his feet and headed towards the cellar.

The door was closed, but unlocked. At least Elio had had some sense not to leave the keys in the lock. Raeg shoved it open and slid inside so quickly that he hit his head on the lantern within, setting it swinging.

Before he could set it right, he caught a glint of dark eyes watching him in the rocking glow. He steadied the light and peered into the corner.

A young man sat half-sprawled there, soaking wet and nursing at the very least a wounded arm. It was hard to tell where he might be hurt " there was blood everywhere. His cloak was dark with it, and small tributaries mixed with water streamed from a place near his hairline down his nose, mirroring the shape of the long scar that ran over his left eye. His sword, unsheathed and well within reach, shone on the floor beside him. “Hello, Raeg,” he said hoarsely.

“Tarl lieania, boy,” Raeg said in hushed tones. He approached Cail cautiously, finally kneeling at his side. He looked him over, searching for wounds. The most obvious was his right arm, which he clutched against him. Blood was barely discernible against his long black hair, but Raeg saw where it had matted near his forehead. If there was a wound there, it had ceased bleeding now. Other than that, all he saw were minor cuts and bruises. But then, his cloak was covering much of him.

“What happened this time?” the innkeeper asked, throwing a look of concern into Cail’s face. “Don’t tell me it was the Ihreakin again.”

“What else?” Cail said scathingly.

“I’m only asking,” Raeg said, gently lifting the armor plating on Cail’s arm. “You do have a reputation for getting in"” He broke off as Cail winced violently, lurching away. Raeg reached for his arm again, now convinced of the seriousness of the wound, but Cail backed further into the corner, his long, almond-shaped eyes glaring.

“We have to get this armor off!” Raeg said, looking into the young man’s face. “I can’t tell how badly you’re hurt under there.” He sat back on his heels and sighed. “Come, Cail. You lived with me and my family for years. You know I’m not trying to hurt you.”

Cail’s eyes lowered, as if in shame, and he hesitantly offered his arm.

“There’s a lad.” Raeg took the limb and gingerly began to undo the metal hinges that held the plates in place. “We’ll need to get these wet clothes off of you. What did you do, jump in the river?”

“I did what I had to.” Cail replied, shrugging his left shoulder out of his cloak.

Raeg began to move the cloak away from the injured arm, halting as Cail breathed in sharply. His normally darkish olive skin tone had gone suddenly pale, and his eyes shut for a moment to clear the pain.

“There, easy now.” Raeg instead undid the clasp near Cail’s throat and let the cloak fall from his shoulders. The man’s chest was bare, and just as Raeg was wondering where his shirt was, he realized what he was seeing. “Stars above! They bled on you?” he cried, staring in horror at the widespread burns that showed between plasters of heart-shaped Telki leaves.

Cail nodded in response, a scowl crossing his features.

“How many were there?” the innkeeper whispered.

“Fifteen, twenty. I don’t know. If there were less, this wouldn’t have happened,” he said, gesturing to his chest.

“Twenty! A whole pack was after you? How many did you kill? How did you run across them?”

“I killed at least ten. They attacked my camp. In the daylight. Luckily I was off getting firewood and I heard them tearing up the place.”

Raeg shook his head in disbelief and peeled back one of the leaves. He grimaced at the sight underneath, and replaced it. After a few moments he said, “Good thing you found these leaves. I have some Telki salve that will be stronger….where is that boy?” He added, glancing at the door.

“Elio? I frightened him when I came in.”

“And no wonder, in your condition!” Raeg said crossly. He continued to unhinge the armor, placing the plates on the floor beside him.

“I’m sorry, Raeg.”

The innkeeper looked up from the injured arm in surprise. “Oh Cail,” he sighed. “You don’t have to apologize. I just wish you’d be more careful.” He caught his breath as the arm wound was revealed completely, clearly the work of some powerful jaws. He carefully picked out a jagged, needle-like tooth from Cail’s skin and tossed it away.

He finished getting the armor off the injured arm and moved to the other. “You should buy yourself a starship. Get off the planet.”

Cail snorted. “And go where?”

Raeg shrugged, shaking his head. “I don’t know, but mark my words, lad,” he said, wagging a finger, “Those demons will be the end of you.”

Cail’s eyes narrowed. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“What do you have against leaving, besides not knowing where to go?”

“Trying to get rid of me, Raeg?” the man replied, a smile flitting across his lips.

“Of course not! I’m just concerned that"”

“My brother is still here,” Cail interrupted. “I’m not leaving until I find him.”

Raeg paused, halfway up his left arm and looked him in the eyes. “Cail, it’s been eighteen years since you came to Trolis " when was the last time you saw Olakip?”

“Three years ago. I saw him in the Lora marketplace.”

“You haven’t seen him in three years. You don’t know for certain he’s still here.”

“Yes I do. I saw his tracks back in Aurus a week ago.”

“You were in Aurus a week ago? That’s a two week trek easy, Cail.”

“I did a lot of running.”

“From Ihreakin, I suppose?”

“There have been more of them lately, Raeg. And they’re coming out during the day,” Cail said quietly, a shadow crossing over his face. “I wish I knew why.”

“There’s been talk,” Raeg said slowly, “The last few days.”

“Talk of what?”

“A ghost, a demon, a dark lord, a conqueror…you know how gossip is, can’t get anything straight. But I don’t know Cail - I can’t shake the feeling that something awful may happen.”

Cail’s dark eyes lowered in thought, and Raeg’s mouth tightened into a straight line as he removed the rest of the plating from the left arm. Even if there was no such thing as this demon ruler or whatever it was, more Ihreakin was never good news. He cleared his throat. “All right, this arm looks fine,” he said, deciding it was time to change the subject. “Let’s see to that wound.” Just as Raeg began to bend over the injured arm, Cail tensed. The innkeeper glanced up at him, but the man was looking at the door, not his arm.

“Must be Elio,” Raeg said, getting to his feet. He opened the door, and Elio came tumbling in, a crate in his arms.

“I put everything in here so no one would get suspicious,” the boy said as his father took it from him.

“Good boy. Here, you can help me.” Raeg turned back to Cail, just in time to see his hand retreat from the hilt of his sword. He was going to say something disapproving, but Cail’s firm stare stopped him, and he only shook his head.

Elio went white as a sheet when he saw Cail’s mangled right arm.

“It looks worse than it is,” he said to the boy. “I’ll be fine.”

Elio swallowed and nodded, coming to kneel at Cail’s left side.

“You brought a blanket too. Good lad.” Raeg smiled reassuringly at his son and handed him the thick blanket.

The boy shook it out and laid it over Cail, making sure to leave his sword clear of the folds.

“All right, Elio. I want you to crack open one of these Ahi globes and soak this towel. Don’t spill now.” Raeg handed him a perfectly spherical pearly-pink orb. The thing was translucent, and made slight swishing noises when moved.

The boy took it from his father, carefully holding the cushiony object. The heat that emanated from it warmed his hands as he placed his thumbs along the midline and twisted the top and bottom in opposite directions. The top half made a soft cracking noise and separated cleanly from the bottom as he lifted it off. Inside was steaming hot water, which Elio soaked up with the towel his father gave him.

Raeg took the towel and carefully dabbed and washed Cail’s wound, pouring the rest of the water over it. After the wound was cleansed and securely bandaged, Raeg peeled away the leaves from Cail’s burns and applied the Telki salve.

As he did this, Elio cleaned and applied a bandage to the wound near Cail’s hairline. The boy tried not to stare at the scar over Cail’s eye. “How far did they chase you?” he asked.

“From Altsi to the edge of Isha territory.”

“And you walked all the way here?” Elio shouted, nearly dropping the bandage, “Wounded and all?”

“Shh, Elio!” Raeg hushed him. “The customers!”

“Sorry, da,” the boy said sheepishly, glancing at the doorway.

“I’m going to get another cloak for you,” the inn keeper said, standing. “This one’s not going to be much use.” He held it up for a moment, surveying the ragged garment. “Elio, you stay with him, see if there are any more wounds. When I come back, we’ll get you upstairs.” With that said, Raeg was gone.

“You walked all the way here?” Elio repeated.

“And swam,” Cail said with a rueful smile.

“You should live with us,” the boy said after a moment of quiet thought. “Then you wouldn’t get in trouble.”

“I don’t know about that.” Cail smirked and pulled up the blanket farther, shivering.

Elio tucked the blanket around him, glancing at the plates of armor beside the man. “How did it bite you with your armor on?”

“Clawed the plate off,” Cail grunted, holding up the bent plate.

“Were you scared?” the boy whispered.

“I didn’t have time to be. I had to fight them.”

“I wish I could help you fight them,” Elio said, his eyes lighting up.

“No you don’t.”

“Yes I"”

“You’ve seen what they’ve done to me. Have you ever seen a Sevlow-Erem?”