Chapter 43

Kara and Frenches made their way across the plains between the border of Bern and Lycia. It wasn't perfectly flat yet, but Kara's legs no longer burned with fatigue from climbing up and down the mountains of Bern, much to her relief. Also, her breath had returned to her after a prolonged absence, allowing her to converse with her friend, free of drama for the first time since her mission. Her mind had previously been busy with processing, but she found herself wanting in ability to decipher Legault's cryptic quips.

"Frenches?" she asked.

"Yes, Kara?"

"Is Legault always so…"

She struggled for the right word.

"Weird?"

Frenches laughed aloud.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, whenever he finishes a sentence where he's talking about anything having to do with a mission, he trails off and starts sighing. What's the matter with him?"

"He is a pretty depressed person, in general, but it has been worse for a while now. It may be just a phase, but ever since that Sonia showed up, he hasn't been right. She's quite a specimen, but between you and me, she gives me a funny feeling. I think it has something to do with that calculating look she always has in her eyes. It gives me the creeps."

"Sonia… I can't say I recognize the name. How does she figure in?"

"She's Commander Reed's wife, and a deadly mage to boot."

Frenches pursed his lips, brow furrowed in thought.

"She doesn't feel right," he said carefully. "Nothing about her adds up. She is up to something, and it bodes ill for us all."

He scowled grimly.

"Don't worry too much about Legault. He's been with the Black Fang since the Reed family founded it. He's been through all the good and bad."

Kara nodded, satisfied. This Sonia seemed to be a dangerous character. She silently added the woman to her list of people to avoid.

They walked for a little while longer, passing by the occasional traveler or group on the road. Eventually, the sun began to set, and both of their feet were weary. They found a safe place a short distance from the road to make camp, and set up their camp. They ate some of the food that they had packed, and continued to enjoy the pleasant evening. Kara eventually became sleepy, said good night to Frenches, and went to her bedroll. She lay down and looked up at the stars, captivated by the night sky.

She thought about her friends. She wondered where they were, if they were alright, if they were safe, if, if, if, if! She exhaled through her nose sharply. Even here, with her good friend, she felt angry and helpless at her inability to find Sillac and Aemun. She hated the feeling of distress that had come over her all of a sudden, since she had returned from her mission. Why did she even leave Pacallis in the first place? Nothing good had happened to her since she, Aemun, and Sillac had departed. She had been kidnapped by bandits, joined a group of professional killers, and even killed a man herself. She didn't feel remorse for the man. She knew him for the monster he was, but it still hurt on the inside.

She began to cry, looking up at the silent stars above her. She glanced over at the other bedroll in her camp. Frenches had fallen into a deep sleep. The tears continued to fall uninhibited down her cheeks, collecting on the ground below her. She didn't know why she was feeling this weakness, but her heart seemed to crumble away as she watched the night sky. She didn't notice the other person moving up from behind her.

"What's the matter, Kara?" a friendly voice asked.

"Oh, Frenches! I'm sorry, I didn't know you were…"

"No, that's my bad. I didn't mean to sneak up on you. Are you alright?"

"Frenches, you know when I met you when I was on the road?"

"Yes…" he said hesitantly.

"And I told you I got lost from the people I was traveling with?"

"Yes…" he said again.

"Where are they, Frenches? Why did I ever leave my village? They're out there somewhere looking for me. They think bandits kidnapped me! They might even think I'm dead! How could I possibly know what they think? For all I know, they followed the bandit who kidnapped me killed them. They might be dead. Greedy bastards, I hope they all burn!"

She put her face down into her knees, and continued sobbing. Frenches put his arm around her.

"Hey," he said gently. "I'm sure your friends are ok. You aren't dead, are you? I'm sure your friends are fine too. Tell me about them. What are their names?"

Kara sniffled as she looked up at her friend taking a breath between sniffles.

"Sillac and Aemun. Their names are Sillac and Aemun."

"We'll find them then. We are the Black Fang. We have contacts everywhere, remember?"

"Right," said Kara, feeling somewhat comforted. "Thanks, Frenches."

"Of course."

She looked up to the stars once more. Frenches did the same. They stayed there for a minute, thinking about life, death, and the unavoidable facts of both. Kara leaned over and gave Frenches a hug before lying back down on her cot.

"Good night, Frenches."

"Good night, Kara," he replied, as he walked back over to his bedroll.

She smiled, for her heart cleared, even if only a little bit.

Chapter 44

Aemun was so excited that he could hardly sleep, even after Patrick and Jacob long since fallen asleep. Even his sarcasm and naturally depressed persona couldn't ruin a success like today's. As far as he was concerned, no power in the universe could stop him. He drifted in and out of sleep until the light of the morning came rushing in and woke his friends.

He availed himself of the spacious and elegant bathroom in their wing of the School's dormitory, washing up and changing into the robes of an acolyte. He looked in a full-body length mirror in the bathroom. He noticed that the weeks of traveling and walking every day had done wonders for his body physically. He didn't look anywhere near as scrawny, and his legs no longer looked stickly. He wasn't like Sillac, but his body definitely looked better. He took pride in that fact. As he walked out of into the dormitory common area, he found Jacob and Patrick already awake, dressed, and apparently waiting for something.

"Hey," he said casually.

"You aren't going to believe this, but I don't think we're going to have a chance to show you around," said Jacob. "Somebody came this morning and asked if I had heard of you. I said yeah, and he offered you a job in a mercenary company on the spot. Can you believe that? You must be some kind of talent, if people are already asking for you. Bah, I suck."

Patrick waved him off, saying, "Now he's just feeling sorry for himself because he doesn't study. Ignore him. I'll finish the story. The guy must know you, right?"

"Did I miss the part where you said his name?" asked Aemun.

"Oh, no, I think Jacob is just rude," said Patrick.

Jacob presented him with his middle finger.

"And quite unrefined, as well."

Aemun and Patrick both laughed at this, and Patrick continued when they calmed down.

"So, anyway, this Sacaen guy comes in with somebody about our age, both of them carry swords and looking deadly. The Sacaen guy does all of the talking, or so I'm told. I wasn't there. I only know what Jacob told me. He was there. Probably trying to flirt with the girls early in the morning."

Patrick clicked his tongue in mock disappointment.

"Come on Patrick," said Aemun. "Give me a name."

"Oh, yeah. The Sacaen guy, his name was Oji, and the…"

Understandably, the young mage's mouth dropped to the floor.

"WHO?"

"Shhh, man. Everybody else in this place is still asleep. Us mages like to sleep in," said Jacob.

"Who?" said Aemun, wanting to make sure that he hadn't misheard Patrick.

"Oji," Patrick replied, "but before you say anything else, I think you'll want to hear the other name. The younger one was introduced as Sillac."

Patrick cracked a huge grin, knowing that he had probably just made his friend's day. He was very shocked when his new friend didn't even show a hint of a smile.

"Well?" questioned Aemun. "Where in Elibe is he!" he smiled broadly.

Patrick laughed, and he led his friend down the hallways to the audience chamber. Patrick propped open the wooden door for him, and gestured inside. In the center of the large, rounded chamber stood two well-dressed swordsmen. Aemun's eye caught the eye of the younger one as the two figures turned around to see who the new arrival was. The swordsman grinned brightly. He walked over to his old friend, and shook his hand firmly. Sillac looked up into his friend's eyes. They hugged in a manly fashion and thumped each other's backs once before releasing the manly embrace. (yeah, yeah, I know, lame, but necessary)

"Where the hell have you been, you scrawny mage? When did you toughen up?" said Sillac, eyeing Aemun's new physique.

"Sometime in between now and when you ran off without me, chasing after a woman, you imbecile," said Aemun darkly.

The two locked eyes for a moment, then another, and then burst out laughing.

"Aemun, are you forgetting something," said a deep voice behind Sillac.

"Oji!" said Aemun. "It's been years! How are you?"

"Not too bad. We'll have plenty of time to talk though. After all, the Council just approved you and three other mages to join our newly formed mercenary company. We got those two outside, and one healer who came at their recommendation. And then you, of course."

Aemun smiled happily. He hadn't been in such a good mood since, well, ever. He was enjoying this new world, filled with travel and adventure, minus the travel. Being a mercenary seemed to be quite the exciting business. He thought about it, and a few years ago he would never have thought himself to be the type to even imagine being a mercenary, and yet here he was not only accepting, but inviting the concept! What a strange world he lived in, he thought to himself.