EverBright: The Darkness Pool

Interlude: Wars and Rumors of Wars

The Vorlox had not feasted so thoroughly and so well in millennia. It would not need to feed again for a long while yet. Even as the ones who escaped were telling their tale, the Vorlox was folding in on itself, rolling and bubbling backward into the ground beneath the tree. It was time again to slumber for a while.

However, ever since the lock had been destroyed by that cart, the Vorlox was free to keep watch with some of its pets. It was quietly amused when a mass of men covered in metal came to the clearing, only to be stopped short by the emptiness of the place. If they had locked the tree then, the Vorlox’s feasting would have ended. They knew not how to make the lock or where to place it.

The Vorlox could smell the magics that made the lock when they were near, and none that had wandered this way so far stank of them. So the Vorlox lay contented, watching the men scurrying about. Trying to make the woods safe. It gave no heed to their plans. The woods would be just as safe as it chose for them to be. When it finally unleashed itself, it would be stronger than it had been in a long time.

___

The report filed by Major Druse sent a ripple of fear through EverBright. Mayor Linkston went so far as to supplement the troops sent by the king with a rotation of EverBright watchmen. This concerted effort had several effects. First, using Major Druse as a guide, the troops were able to cordon off the specific location of the incident. When the contingent of soldiers arrived, it was empty. The area that was once infested by the pool of blackness was now an expanse of rotted vegetation surrounding a smattering of dead trees. There was no indication of where the thing had gone. There was no trail leading away from the spot.

It was decided that a rotation of soldiers would guard the area, allowing the road and the remainder of the wood to be reopened. This resulted in a stream of soldiers in and out of the wood, but it also meant anyone attempting to ply an honest trade was free to conduct business. The lives of most of the citizens of EverBright went back to normal so long as everyone could ignore the uniforms reminding them that there was danger just out of reach.

The merchants of the town were doing a brisk trade with the influx of soldiers. Every tavern and eatery had its share of clientele from soldiers either beginning or ending their shifts. Landor’s establishment in particular was flourishing, and Cleal’s performances were more than a little of the reason why. Of course, the soldiers’ talk made it clear that they were there to see her as much as to listen to her. All in all, the town was prospering amidst the turmoil.

Ch. 5

The Job of a Man

It was a week after Tiernan’s 16th birthday celebration that Narlix held him at the shop instead of sending him out immediately on the day’s work. Normally, as soon as he arrived, Narlix would be shooing him out the door to the market to sell the previous day’s catch or to the woods to hunt or check traps.

The woods had become a very different place since the day Clockwise lost his arm. Though that was nearing two years ago, there were still daily patrols of soldiers and watchmen in and out of the forest . This routine, and the lack of any further incident, had allowed the tight restrictions on the forest to be lifted, and hunting was again a profitable endeavor. Even travel between EverBright and SeaCray had again picked up to its usual pace.

In fact, mercenaries were making quite a living by leading caravans between the two cities. Even though they had no experience with the danger whatsoever, they boasted of their ability to fend off anything that might come their way, and people believed them enough to pay their fees.

It was during this wellspring of renewed vivacity in EverBright that Tiernan began to establish himself as a hunter and fair trader. After following in the footsteps of his mentor, watching how he interacted with customers and picking up on the subtle art of haggling, he began to slowly establish himself apart from Narlix. Narlix assisted him in creating this reputation by sending him to sell on his own. The old man would tell him the price he needed to earn from what he had to sell, and then leave it up to Tiernan to come home with no less. It was, in fact, due in no small part to Narlix’s expectations that Tiernan became a shrewd negotiator. Tiernan never dared return from sales with less than the expected amount, so when a particular customer would try to undercut him, he would simply walk away. Usually, this got him called back, and even occasionally saw him offered a bit more as a means of appeasing his temper and ego. However, even when he was not called back, he didn’t have a difficult time finding new customers.

It was because of how well things were going that Tiernan was surprised to be held back as he attempted to go about his rounds. It was clear to Tiernan that Narlix wasn’t acting normally. The air had a weight about it, a sinking heaviness that felt almost tangible on his shoulders. The look on the old man’s face only reinforced the gravity of the moment.

“Sit down, boy.” Tiernan sat. He had learned long since that even though his mentor was compassionate, he still expected quick, decisive obedience. That expectation and Tiernan’s reaction to it had already served them both well too many times to count on a hunt, so it was without hesitation that he complied now. “Tell me, how do you think things are going for you in the markets?”

“Quite well, I think,” Tiernan responded immediately, then took time to consider. “Well, I’ve had to adjust my routes. You know Lars and Eulan, the two fishmongers at the near end of the wharf? They gave me such a hard time about being part halfing that no one near them would buy from me at all. Since I’ve learned to avoid them and some others who are similar, I’ve got a good sales circuit going. I’ve found that selling alongside Clockwise and Widdershins is helpful to them and to us. In fact, we’ve kind of joked around about setting up a permanent storefront together. Surely people know us well enough by now to come looking for us, right? Of course, I don’t know if we have what it takes to keep a shop, but it’s fun to think about.”

Narlix’s face drew into a wry smile. “Well, that’s good to hear. You know, I’ve raised prices since I started sending you out alone, and you’ve never come back with less than I expected.”

Tiernan nodded in response, wondering where this was going.

“I’ve kept an ear out for you amongst my friends in the market. You’ve got a good name. It’s more surprising to find someone who hasn’t heard of you these days than to hear praise. That’s why I stopped you this morning. I’ve made some decisions that are going to change everything. Truthfully, it’s all happening a bit faster than I’d expected. I’ve never told you much about my past because it’s never concerned you, but I suppose it does now. I’m from Lantrey. I think I may have told you that.”

Tiernan nodded. He knew little of Lantry beyond the fact that it was north of East Eld in the lands of constant winter.

“Well, I’ve gotten word that my sister’s taken ill. She’s a bit older than me, and she can’t take care of the family land on her own anymore. And, you know, my heart yearns for that land. Those forests where I learned to hunt. Those quiet spaces where I first communed with the Creator, walking that blanket of white in a solitude that can never be known in a place like this. Don’t mistake me. I’m proud of what I’ve built here, but it’s not where I need to be anymore.”

Tiernan began to get this gist of where this was headed now. He was about to be left again. Abandoned again. He knew this man was not his father. He knew that no father would ever come to his aid, but still it ached. Narlix almost filled that hole in his heart, and he was leaving. Leaving behind a gaping wound for the icy winds of loneliness to whistle through. He’d only been a lean-to of course, but he’d held back the worst of it now for a long time. Tears welled up unbidden, but Tiernan did his best to not let them spill.

“Here now, none of that,” Narlix chided kindly. “I’m not leaving you high and dry. I’ve sold this place. I’m taking part of the money back with me for travels and to help fix up the house I grew up in. The rest I’m giving to you. I think your idea of setting up a permanent shop is a good one. In fact, I’ve thought the same and have a couple of spots for you to look at. I intend to buy one of them for you to use. Call me an investor. You can send some money my way as rent on the space. Well, not really rent, because it’ll be yours, but maybe just as a way to help keep me afloat back home. It’s a hard life up there, and I can use all the help I can get.”

Tiernan nodded, and it was just enough movement for the well of tears to break across his cheeks into tiny rivulets. “I just hope you cast a shadow long enough to keep the customers happy once you’re gone.” he said.

Narlix looked at him with a small forlorn smile. “They’re your customers now, boy. I’ve told them as much too. They’ve known this was coming for a while. You’ll be set so long as you keep the same work ethic with me gone. I think you will, though. I’d not have staked my name on you otherwise. You’ve got an aging mother to consider taking care of now, too. She can’t be scrubbing floors and dishes forever, you know. In fact, I want you to head back and get her so we can look at these shops together. I want to hear her thoughts on them as well. Go on now.”

With that, Tiernan wiped at his eyes and took off at a sprint. The well-worn path between his home and the market area fairly flew beneath his feet as joy and sadness wrestled inside him. His tears were dry, though, as he reached the outer fence of the estate, and he could see Cleal coming his way with an armload of wash. He decided a few moments of detour wouldn’t hurt anything and rushed to give her a hand. “Let me take some of those.”

Cleal craned her neck to peek over the pile. “Oh, thanks. I’m just headed to wash.”

“The big singing star is still washing clothes?” Tiernan’s jest garnered a smile as they both remembered the visiting songstress Landor had brought in for a three-night special engagement. He has thought that she might give Cleal some exposure to the wider entertainment world and help her improve her craft. What they got instead was an insufferable woman who sang well but demanded that she be waited on hand and foot. She complained about everything and was appalled to learn that Cleal still had to work another job. “You’re the star,” she’d told Cleal. “You can’t be expected to do manual labor!”

Of course, Tiernen had gotten to hear the whole story later that same evening. It had long been their custom to spend time together each evening after their work was done. They’d never talked about what it meant, but they each knew they’d rather be with one another than with anyone else. They hadn’t kissed again since the fateful night of Tiernan’s test, mostly because neither of them dared the same sort of boldness again. The feelings were still there though, and the friendship had deepened with time.

“So, you won’t believe why I’m here.” He proceeded to tell her everything and punctuated it with a confession. “I’m scared. I’m not sure I’m ready. Running the entire thing is a lot different from what I’ve done so far.”

“Hasn’t Narlix told you what he does?” Tiernan nodded at this, head tilted, listening. “Then you have the understanding. You just have to do the work now. You’ve run into hard things all your life and found success. Why should this be different?”

“It’s just...he’s leaving. I’m being left again.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Neither is your mother.”

“I know. It’s just…”

“We aren’t your father? He isn’t either, you know.”

“He's the closest I’ve had yet, but I guess not close enough, seeing as he’s going away. I was just another project after all. Just another way to cement a legacy.”

“That’s not fair. Narlix cares about you, I’m sure.”

“He cares about having someone to pass his business onto. That’s not the same as caring about me. I get it, though. It’s fine.”

Cleal sighed. She knew this hurt in him. It rarely surfaced, but when it did, it was red, raw, and stinging. There was no consoling it. She would simply have to wait for it to ebb. She sat for a bit, then stood abruptly. “I’ve got to get this washing done, and you’ve got shops to see.”

Tiernan nodded at that and headed off to find his mother.

She was in their cabin at the back of the estate. When Tiernan walked in the door, he could see her just sitting on the edge of her bed, staring into space, but his entrance was enough to startle her. “Oh, Tiernan. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be working? I know I should be, but I’ve just been so tired. I took a brief rest.”

“Mother, are you sure you’re alright? Just now, when I came in, you seemed very far away, and it frightened me to see you like that.” Tiernan walked to his mother, and put his hand on her cheek. He was much taller than her these days. Even though he was the shortest amongst all of his friends, he still towered over this aging, weakening halfling woman who had given him so much, raised him so well. She was his strength in a lot of ways, and the way her body was betraying her was evident to him. Halflings are often long-lived, so he wasn’t worried about losing her. What kind of life would it be, though? Well, he was determined to help her figure that part out with the news he was bringing.

“I’m fine,” she told him. He was sure it was a kind lie though, meant to spare his feelings of concern. “What about you? Why are you here? You haven’t lost your job or anything, right?” That was his mother, always concerned with the practicalities of life.

“No, mother. I haven’t lost my job. Quite the opposite, in fact. I’ve come to get you. To help me choose a spot to settle a store in. Narlix is moving home and giving me his customers. He’s buying a shop for me to sell from. I’m sending him rent monthly in return to help him live up north and take care of his family there.”

“Wow. That’s a big change. I’m so proud of you, son,” she said. Standing, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly.

Tiernan beamed at the words. It didn’t matter that she’d said them so many times before. The weight of her sincerity was still a tangible thing to him. “There’s just one problem, though.”

His mother pulled away with a questioning expression on her face. “What’s that?”

“Well, two problems really. First, there are several shops for us to consider, and I’m no good at those sorts of decisions. I was hoping you could help with choosing a spot and then organizing it. You’ve always had an eye for such things.”

“I will have to clear it with Fenly first, but I think it should be alright. What’s the other problem?”

Tiernan couldn’t keep the grin from his face, so he was sure the surprise was a bit spoiled. “I will be hunting and tracking a lot. That’s always been a part of the job.”

“Right,” she replied. The corner of her mouth turned up a bit as well, so Tiernan was sure she knew where he was going with all of this.

“Well, I can’t hunt and run a storefront at the same time. I was hoping you would leave this place and run the store. Of course, we’ll have to choose a place with suitable living quarters as well since we won’t be earning our keep here anymore.”

She hugged him again. This time it was a hug of desperate relief. It was an embrace of thankfulness. “Let’s go tell Fenly. Narlix is waiting on us.” Saying this, Tiernan took his mother's hand in that familiar way he had ever since he learned to walk, and together they left to say goodbye to Lord Marol's estate.

_______

The news that Melody made no real waves around Lord Marol’s estate. Servants came and went with enough regularity that such things were commonplace. There was an immense amount of kindness in the departure though, and the farewell was honest and heartfelt. Melody had been part of the staff since Tiernan had been born sixteen years earlier, and even where there weren’t friendships, acquaintances were deep enough to evoke a sense of loss. While the goodbyes were being said, Tiernan took the time to find Cleal again long enough to promise a meeting after her show that evening.

When they found Narlix again, he quickly hustled them to the first possible storefront. Tiernan walked around in a bit of a daze throughout this whole process as his mother Melody and Narlix discussed the sorts of things that Tiernan still felt he was too young to have a proper opinion on. Sure, he would answer a question when asked, but in reality, everything that was happening was a bit too big for him. His life was changing drastically, and he was riding the wave like longboats off the shore carrying crew and cargo between their large ships and the docks. In his mind, he crested and fell in the same ways as he regarded all the joy and heartache wrapped up in the change.

After half a dozen visits, they settled on the second place they had seen. It had a wide storefront with lots of display room. It had a long counter at the back to sell from as well. The clincher, though, was that it had a living space on the second story and a separate bedroom on the main level back behind the counter. After years in their little hut, it was all so palatial.

After payment was made, they borrowed a cart from Landor, who was overjoyed at the news, of course, his restaurant being one of Tiernan’s best customers, and used it to move their meager belongings. It truly only took one trip to make the move. Once this one was done, Tiernan went out to hunt while Narlix and Melody went in search of the furnishings necessary to make the shop presentable to customers.

In the woods, Tiernan happened upon Clockwise and Widdershins. He told them all that had happened and offered them a spot in the shop to sell their goods as well. They had already been talking of striking out on their own since Jocnal had declared them as ready as they’d ever be. These days, Widdershins was still a crack shot, and Clockwise, as was his nature, overcame his setback, teaching himself to make effective snares with only one hand. He’d also become quite adept at skinning their prey by staking it down first.

Tiernan’s relationship with the twins had always been good, but their mother’s disapproval of halflings always made it awkward. That was why, even though there was plenty of room upstairs, Tiernan did not offer them a place to stay. It would have created an extra level of unnecessary strain. For a long time, Tiernan believed he would be able to win the woman over, but he finally conceded and gave up trying, finding it much easier to just avoid her altogether. Now, the new shop could be a hub and meeting place for them that she would never need to frequent.

Over the next few weeks, a new routine began to emerge. Tiernan’s hunting schedule remained much the same, but his rounds in the market became a matter of advertising rather than selling. It was much harder to get people to go to the shop than he had imagined it would be. He hadn’t thought about how much people preferred to have their goods brought to them. So, he found a compromise. He began to take orders on one day and deliver them on the next. The shop got its fair share of drop in business, but his old regulars, for the most part, still waited on him to deliver.

In the midst of this, Narlix was steadily, quietly pulling up stakes. He intended to slip out quietly, but the people who loved him wouldn’t let him go like that. The night before his ship was to sail, he’d agreed to have a quiet meal at Landor’s with Tiernan and Melody. When he got there, though, the room was filled with friends and acquaintances of the sort a genial man always makes after a lifetime in any given place. He had a life that had simply touched others. He was kind and fair. That was the sort of legacy that many were glad to celebrate. There was food. Tiernan and Cleal provided entertainment. There were tears. There was no speech, though. That’s not who Narlix was. When all attentions were turned to him awaiting commentary, he stood, red-eyed, and said in a choking gasp, “Thanks you all.” He sat quickly again, and tears fell. It was just the way everyone had expected it to be, though the tears surprised those who didn’t really know him as well as they supposed they had.

The next day, Tiernan was the only one with him as he embarked. Tiernan’s tears fell then rather than the night before. He knew he was losing something more than a mentor. Not quite a father, though he wasn’t sure what that would have been like anyway, but he knew that this man shaped much of who he had become.

Narlix put his hand on Tiernan’s shoulder. “Boy, you’re a man now. I trust you completely with my legacy.” Those words rocked Tiernan, but he stood still, refusing to think through their implications at that moment. “Don’t ignore the Creator. He’s never ignored you.”

Tiernan didn’t know what to do with that. It was one of the old man’s quirks as far as Tiernan could tell. “You’ll get it someday, I suspect.” Tiernan’s mouth turned up at the corner, knowing that Narlix could tell what he was thinking. “I’ve got to go now. This is the ship that you’ll send my payments on, so remember it well.” The ship was called Waterdancer.

“Of course. I’ll miss you.” Tiernan hugged the old man, who just stood still, bearing it. Tiernan laughed, knowing how Narlix felt about being hugged. “Goodbye now, until we meet again.” With that, Narlix boarded the boat, turning long enough to give a final wave.

_____

Since that day, he’d traced the route between his shop and the docks many times. It seemed that Narlix’s departure had hit home with Tiernan’s more reluctant clientele. His shop was busier than ever, and his deliveries were on a two-day waiting list because there simply wasn’t time to fill them all in an afternoon. In the midst of all this craziness came the day that Narlix’s ship first returned, prompting Tiernan to send along his first payment.

Despite all the excitement swirling around Tiernan, he couldn’t help but stop and stare at the scene playing out in front of him at the docks. Maybe it was because he could breathe finally, now that the storefront was settled, and he was able to take care of his mother and allow her to step away from her duties as housekeeper. Maybe it was because the ship in front of him was the largest and most ominous that he’d ever seen. Maybe it was the name on the side of the ship, Herringtown, because that wasn’t the name of the ship that had taken Narlix away, so he was thoroughly confused. Most likely though, he stopped because the man at the center of the commotion was singularly unshakeable as he blustered and lambasted the men carrying his things.

“Do you want to blow up the entire ship? Watch it there! I’d like to live to see the end of this day, thank you!” While he was speaking, Tiernan could see what looked like four short ropes, hovering in the air around the porters. Though he wasn’t sure what they were doing, he did know that the yelling man was certainly controlling them, and as he watched, one of them disintegrated into a puff of thick gray smoke. “See there! See what you’ve made me waste? That’ll take all afternoon to replace. Do you think I have that kind of time to waste on the likes of you? The incompetence is palpable! I can’t stand it! What are you looking at?”

Tiernan suddenly found himself part of the spectacle instead of being a spectator. “Nothing sir.”

“Where can a man get good food in this place? I’m nearly starved from the pitiful rations on that accursed ship. Don’t just stand there. Close your mouth, and lead the way!”

Tiernan, dumbfounded, could do nothing but slowly close his mouth while nodding and turning to head to Landor’s. Behind him, he could hear the man bustling along, continuing to mutter to himself about the ship. Coming back to himself a bit, Tiernan looked over his shoulder and asked, “Were those ropes? Just hanging in the air like that?”

“Not just hanging, lad, swatting!” The man chuckled, and Tiernan noticed that the mirth behind that large gray beard and those beady black eyes was genuine enough. He was unusually tall, Tiernan noticed as well. Of course, being part halfling ensured that Tiernan would never reach any great height himself. But even though most people were taller than him, this man towered over the crowd they were navigating.

“How do you do it?” Tiernan asked.

“What do you think? You think I have pet ropes? You think I just found them that way?”

“No, sir.” Tiernan was a bit confused by the seemingly angry response.

“It’s magic of course!” The man sounded incredulous now.

“Magic, sir?” Tiernan had never seen it done before, and all the stories of magic he’d heard made it seem very sinister. Of course, if this man was any indication, magic users were more cranky and condescending than they were sinister. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Dangerous? Let me ask you, what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a hunter.” Tiernan’s answer was a bit reluctant.

"Would you give a babe your weapon? Of course not! That would be dangerous. Magic’s the same. It’s only dangerous if someone’s meddling without proper training.”

“Ah. Can anyone learn, then?”

More laughter. Heartier than the chuckle from before. “Stick out your hand.”

Tiernan reluctantly obliged. As he did so, the man held out his own, placing it just above Tiernan’s.

“What do you feel, lad?”

“I don’t feel anything.”

“That’s cos you’ve got no magic in you!” He burst out in that loud laugh again that shook his whole frame.”There you have it. You can’t learn! And if you can’t, then you’ve got to assume you’re not the only. Don’t worry, you’re not! Most people can’t.” At this point, the man spread the fingers of one hand and put his palm uncomfortably close to Tiernan’s face. “Five. That’s how many other Meisters I’ve met. There’s just not a lot of people who’ve got a knack of any sort. Only a Meister can manipulate the things of this world in such a way.” Raising his hand in the air then, the old man turned it, back and forth, the fingers curled slightly inward. As he did, a rope rose from a pocket on his robe.

Even in the midst of his wonder, Tiernan noticed the garish swirling patterns all over the man’s robe which made the features of the robe difficult to discern at first. Closer inspection would reveal more pockets on a single robe than Tiernan had ever seen. There could have been fifty or a hundred or any number in between, and Tiernan noticed that most of them boasted a bit of rope peeking out. Of course, noticing this meant that he wasn’t paying attention at all when the original rope cuffed him on the back of the ear. His ear burned with pain and the man let out another rolling laugh. Tiernan’s scowl, rather than staunching the laughter, only encouraged it. The man laughed so hard that he had to stop walking and lean over, hands on his thighs, catching his breath.

“I’m sorry, lad. I just couldn’t help myself. Sincerely, I apologize.” The effectiveness of the offered apology was undermined by another fit of laughter.

Tiernan was glad that Landor’s was just ahead. He wasn’t fond of this man, and he was ready to be rid of his company. “There’s the best food in all of EverBright, sir.” Tiernan said this while stretching his arm toward the front door of Landor’s. “Now, I must be going. I hope you enjoy your stay.” Tiernan’s mother had instilled a deep sense of politeness in him as a defense mechanism. She always told him that being different invited any number of problems, but most of those problems could be smoothed over with a polite word and a bow of the head.

Even as he found himself doing it, he realized how much he hated it. He wanted to be polite because it was the right way to behave, not because it was safer. He wasn’t even afraid of this man, was he? He was annoyed, not scared. Why did he default to this posture of servitude? It was asinine. Of course, beating himself up about it did no good either, so he consciously chose to stop dwelling on it and move on.

“No, lad. I’m truly sorry. Let me buy your lunch and tell you wondrous tales of my trip from East Eld.”

Tiernan’s reluctance slipped away at the promise of a story. “Thank you, sir. I was looking for another ship, but it seems not to have docked anyway.”

“Excellent, then! Let’s go inside."

When they entered, it was late enough in the afternoon that Cleal could be seen tuning her instrument, and she smiled as she saw Tiernan, waving him over. Tiernan nodded to her and settled the man into a seat at a table near the stage.

“Who’s the stranger?” Cleal asked with a curious smile on her face as Tiernan reached the stage and hopped up beside her to dangle his feet off the edge.

“I met him at the docks. He just came off a huge ship, and I saw him using magic ropes to swat some deckhands. It was all very amusing until he attached himself to me and gave me a few swats for a laugh. I suppose that’s what I get for laughing at those deckhands. You know, your lowest string is still flat.”

“I know that!” Cleal was still a little touchy with Tiernan’s musical criticism. Knowing this full well, Tiernan was all the more encouraged to needle her. He took great pleasure in irritating her. Of course, as Cleal responded to him, she also backhanded him in the shoulder with her fist.

“Ow!” Tiernan said, half laughing and rubbing his upper arm. “If you get any stronger, you won’t be safe to joke with at all.”

“Aren’t jokes supposed to be funny? No one is likely to call you funny, Tiernan.” She smiled again and turned her attention to fixing the tuning of the lowest string. “Anyway, are you just showing him around town?”

“Well, as he was complaining about the ship’s food, he demanded that I take him somewhere with good food. Why would I bring him anywhere else? Besides, he’s buying my meal, so why not let him see the best singer in town at the same time?”

“Oh, now it’s flattery? I guess that's better.”

“Well, since I’m all but retired these days, what with running the store and all, who would be better?” Somehow, Tiernan knew just what to say to see himself hit again right on top of the bruise that was forming from the last hit. It wasn’t angry, though. It was playful. The rhythm of their times together was unchanging and comfortable.

That is until the comfort was disrupted by a sharp stinging on the back of Tiernan’s ear and Cleal’s as well. Their yelps of surprise and pain were nearly simultaneous, as they turned to see Ryland smirking at them. “I guess you should get back to your tour. Turns out the Meister is a bit demanding.” Cleal carefully laid her Yuke aside, so she could stand. Then, she strapped it on and moved to the center of the stage, signaling the beginning of the entertainments.

Tiernan headed to the table where he’d deposited his guest as the first notes of the opening number rang out gently behind him. He smiled because he knew she’d picked this one to start with because he was here. It was one of his compositions, and the first song he’d taught her. Its simplicity made it a perfect starting place for her, and her voice, singing an octave over his own, paired with it beautifully. Even as he sat, he began to hum a counterpoint harmony that they’d worked out together.

His dining companion looked on in an amiable way and spoke to Tiernan without looking at him. “What are we eating, then? I can’t imagine how your conversation with the young bardess managed to get us any food ordered.”

“Oh. Oh, yes. Sorry about that.” Abruptly, Tiernan stood up in a rush, bumping the table and knocking the place settings askew. “Right away, sir...Um, sir, may I ask your name?”

“It’s a danger to give one's name to strangers, but you may call me Meister Ryland. Meister is a common title among my people, but you’re not likely to find another using it here, and Ryland is one of the oldest family names in East Eld.”

“Okay, Meister, I will get food ordered for us.”

Once the food was ordered, Tiernan again sat down across from the Meister. This time, though, his interest piqued, he focused on the conversation.

“What do you know of Meisters?”

“Nothing, sir. I always thought magic was a sort of myth. People hurling spells at their enemies and things of that nature. Of course, you’re the first I’ve met, so I had no way of knowing until today that there was any truth to it at all. Nothing wrong with doubt. That is, until you’ve seen proof. Refusing to believe what’s plainly before you is foolishness.”

Tiernan nodded.

“Anyway, since I’m the first Meister you’ve met, let me tell you about me and my people. See, magic is an ancient thing, but like so many ancient things, time has begun to wear it away. Have you ever noticed the way rocks beneath the water are smooth while rocks on the shore are rough and jagged? Those smooth rocks were once rough and jagged too, until water and time took a hand in the way they were shaped.

Magic is like that. After years of being buffeted by time, it’s worn away. Where once there were Meisters the world over, now you’ll find just a few, and most of those are concentrated in East Eld. But have you ever seen anyone use a sling?”

“Yes,” Tiernan replied. “One of my closest friends is a fantastic sling hunter.”

The Meister nodded in acknowledgement. “Then you already know that the best stones for a sling are those from the water’s edge that are smooth and round. Those stones are the deadliest. They fly the most true. The same can be said of the Meisters still around today. The magic is strong in all of them, and time has fashioned each of them into the deadliest versions of themselves."

It occurred to Tiernan that the man he was speaking to was much kinder than he could be if what he was saying was true.

"You’ve seen the damage that can be inflicted by a single well-placed shot, so you can only imagine what would happen if the remaining Meisters came out in force. It would cause the sort of conflict that would shake the world to its very core. That means that each of us these days is trained from the moment our ability is sensed. We are trained to be disciplined. We do not lose our tempers. We do not meddle in things that are not our concern. Of course, if we choose to make something our concern, we can hardly be stopped.” The Meister winked then and let out a hearty laugh.

Tiernan thought about what he’d just been told and remembered the scene less than an hour earlier where he saw this man blustering angrily and using these powers in a way that certainly seemed frivolous from Tiernan’s perspective. Yet he sensed no malice or air of deceit about the man. He concluded that the old man was simply oblivious to his own behaviors.

"Now, go and see about that food!”

As Tiernan walked back to check on their meal, it occurred to him that Meister Ryland was quite good at ordering him around, and Tiernan seemed helpless to put up a fight. The Meister was just such an overwhelming force. It would be just as useful to try and stand up against an oncoming wave.

Tiernan was informed at the counter that their meals were nearly ready, so he stood there waiting, and watched Meister Ryland as he watched Cleal perform. It was clear that the Meister was truly engaged and enjoying the performance, and Tiernan couldn’t help but feel a swelling of pride for Cleal and how far she’d come since those early days when he was first teaching her to play the Yuke.

That was the only feeling that he let bubble to the surface when he watched Cleal or even thought of her. He wasn’t completely ready to deal with what his other feelings might be trying to tell him.” That one kiss, now so long ago, was always fresh in his mind when she was around. And that was just the trouble. She was his best friend. Even more so than the twins he’d been playing and hunting with for nearly as long as he’d known Cleal. He talked to the twins all the time, but they talked of hunts and games and earnings and prices. With Cleal, there was no telling what they would talk about. He frequently found himself telling her things he had never spoken aloud before. She listened, but it wasn’t just that. It always seemed like she understood as well. She encouraged and reassured him.

When he returned to the table with the meals, the Meister was still listening intently as the first handful of songs came to a close. “That girl of yours is a talent, isn’t she?”

“Mine? No! She’s nothing of the sort.” Tiernan's wide eyes and reddening cheeks caused another fit of laughter from Ryland.

“Do ya see the way she looks at you? Do you see her making those eyes at anyone else?” He then turned his attention to the stage where Cleal was putting her Yuke in its case. “Girl! You there! Come down here please!”

Aside from being embarrassed by Meister Ryland’s words, which were closer to the deepest secrets of his heart than he felt comfortable facing right then, Tiernan couldn’t help but think about how rude the shouting was, even if it was early in the afternoon and the place was otherwise mostly empty. Though he doubted whether a whole crowded room full of people would have stopped him from shouting anyway.

Of course, being the polite girl she was, Cleal hurried over. “Yes, sir?”

“Your performance was wonderful! Now, I have a question for you.” Meister Ryland nodded to her respectfully as he spoke.

“Thank you, sir. And your question?”

Tiernan noticed the way his eyes flicked over to Tiernan before he spoke his next words. “How long have you loved this young man?”

“Uhh..” Cleal turned her wide eyes to Tiernan, steeled herself, and responded. “It’s been years now, sir.” She curtsied after this and quickly added, “They probably need me in the kitchen.” With that, she turned away, blushing furiously, and headed to the kitchens.

Tiernan sat through the rest of the meal in silence, trying to figure out what his next conversation with Cleal would be like. Luckily, Meister Ryland seemed only to need another body in front of him to converse freely. He spoke long about magic, how it was done, where it came from, but it all came in such a jumble that it would have been hard to keep straight even if Tiernan understood what he was saying. It seemed, though, that Tiernan’s occasional nods were sufficient.

Even though he didn’t understand it all, and it was made clear that he couldn’t truly understand it because he lacked any magical spark, what he got was that all magic had to be prepared. Magical workings required a focus, and Meister Ryland's foci were ropes of various types. These ropes would be covered in different substances, and then the Meister would “impress” on them part of his life energy. That meant that a Meister could kill himself if he tried to make too many magical implements at once. It also meant that only the Meister who created a “spell” (which is what he called each rope he prepared) could use the spell.The Meister also told him that the higher quality the rope, the longer it could hold his life energy, and the best rope would hold that energy indefinitely. There was more, but it was a jumbled mush in Tiernan’s head that he was sure he needed to sort out.

When the meal was over, Ryland stacked an ample number of gold coins on the table, turned to the door, and said, “Alright then, let’s go.” As his heavy feet clopped out the door, Tiernan began to follow, looked back just enough to see Cleal blush at him and look away, then joined the old Meister outside the establishment. “Now, then, I’m going to need a room to rent.”

Without thinking about it first, Tiernen immediately responded, “I’ve got one in the back of my store that my mother was preparing for just that. We haven’t had interest yet because of what we are, so it’s available if you’re interested.”

“What are you, then? Messy? Noisy? Devious? Dishonest?”

“No, sir! Well, occasionally messy, I guess, but what I meant is that humans around here aren’t too keen to live with halflings.”

“Ha! Nonsense. Are they afraid you’ll forever be asking them to get things for you off of high shelves? Ha, ha, ha! Stupidity, as far as I can tell. Is this room near the Mayor’s office? She’s the one who’s called me here. We’re looking into this nonsense in the woods, trying to put a stop to it.”

An involuntary shudder ran through Tiernan as he thought about that day and the friend who was now missing his hand.

“Oh, you know something of it?” Meister Ryland asked when he saw Tiernan’s reaction.

So Tiernan told him about that day. It was the first time since they’d met that the Meister had been quiet for so long at one time.

“Hmm,” he said when Tiernan finished. “That’s more information than I’d learned so far. Well, considering your involvement. I guess it’s a good thing we met.”

If this had been Narlix, he would have said something about how the Creator had planned it all. Thinking of that reminded Tiernan that he was at the docks for a reason. “Yeah, I guess so. I need to go back to the docks though. I am waiting on a ship. It was supposed to arrive today. Did you happen to see the The Waterdancer?” At the question, Meister Ryland went suddenly still.

“Waterdancer? Hmm...why were you looking for it?”

“My old mentor left on that ship. I was supposed to send him some things on its next round trip.”

“Yes? Have you done this very many times? I mean, put things on the Waterdancer for your old mentor?” The careful motion of his question sounded odd to Tiernan when he heard it.

No. This is going to be the first time. I’ve been waiting for it to come back. That’s why I’m not completely sure where it may be. I have things my mentor needs, though, in this package. It has his name on it just like he said it ought to, 'even though most of the people on the boat can’t read it anyway. They’ll know it’s not for them, and I’ll arrive and pick it up.’” Tiernan recalled Narlix’s words almost perfectly, and smiled.

Meister Ryland closed his eyes slowly and opened them again even more so. “Tiernan, I’ve got some bad news.”

“What’s that?” Tiernan wasn’t sure about what seemed to be a sudden change in topic.

Well, I overheard some of the sailors at the dock. They were talking about a ship, see, a ship that left the port here and . . . well . . . it never made it to its destination after it set sail. I’m pretty sure they said the name of that ship was the Waterdancer.

Tiernan stared into the middle distance, then shook his head in shock at the news.

“I’m sorry, boy.”

Hearing Meister Ryland call him “boy” like that--such a little thing, but it was the same thing Narlix always called him. Something snapped in him, but he shoved down his feelings and proceeded like nothing was wrong. “Well, let’s get you to the shop. I’ll introduce you to my mother and show you to your room.” He turned from his path to the docks, and headed toward his shop and home. His gait was off, though no one would have noticed but him. His feet were stones at the ends of his legs that he labored to lift though he dared not trudge. He endured the ache all the way to the storefront admirably.

Stepping in and seeing his mother at the counter, he called out. “Mother, this is Meister Ryland. He’s renting the open room from us. Oh, and the ship Narlix was on was lost at sea.”

She stopped at the sudden rush of news, but Tiernan continued on.

“I’ve got to hunt now.” He left out the back without another word, grabbing his pack of gear on the way.

It was a terrible hunt. His plodding feet hampered any of the stealth he usually had, so after a short while, he found a place to sit and think. Tears came and sobs followed, and sleep overtook him when the sobs worked him into exhaustion.

When he woke up, it was nearing twilight, and he could tell from the sky that military-enforced curfew would soon be in effect for the evening. His head was foggy from the crying and sleeping, but the weight of his feet had seemed to lift, and he could run again with ease, so he hurried home.

When he got there, a whole host of people were in the store- Cleal, the twins, Landor, Jocnal, and, of course, Meister Ryland and his mother. At first, Tiernan was afraid they’d all shown up because of the way he’d left. Then he noticed other people too. Cleal’s father was there, as was the twins’ mother, Lord Marol (who’d never been there before as far as Tiernan knew), Major Druse, and even Mayor Linkston. They all looked very serious as they stood in a loose circle around the mayor while she spoke.

When he latched the door behind him, several of them looked up, and his mother ran to him and took him in her arms. “Tiernan, I’m so sorry about Narlix.” He hugged her back and nodded thanks to her words, but he wasn’t ready to talk about that yet.

“What’s going on?” Tiernan asked his mother.

“Well, Meister Ryland’s arrival this morning was anything but quiet. Rumors started flying as soon as he disembarked about why he may have come. Then, apparently, someone overheard him telling you that he was here to meet with Mayor Linkston and that he was going to be staying here. Tier, we nearly had a mob out there demanding to know what was going on.”

“...disappearance happen or not?” Major Druse's voice boomed in frustration from across the room, interrupting their side conversation.

“We don’t know for sure, and I would appreciate a higher level of civility from you, Major.” Mayor Linkston’s quiet chastening silenced the suddenly growing murmur in the room. “It does really matter. The threat is still there, whether there’s been a new disappearance or not. We’ve got to step up what we’re doing. I’m telling you here now, because you were there at the incident.” She couldn’t help but look at Clockwise and the stump at the end of his arm as she said it.

“Yes,” Major Druse replied. “And what we know is that all of our patrols are just show. We have no idea how to stop this thing. We just stay away from where we found it.”

The mayor blinked slowly in wearied patience, and Tiernan could tell this was a conversation they’d had before. “I understand that, Major. But as long as you’re being paid to be here, you may as well provide a sense of security to the people here.” Major Druse flashed her a look of annoyed consternation that barely made her pause. “We are now going to be issuing permits to people who want to travel in the woods. Your soldiers will then be able to accompany people by appointment. It will all be scheduled and orderly.”

Jocnal raised a question then. “What about all the mercenaries who’ve been doing that work? There’s quite a number of them, and they won’t be happy to be cut out of the picture.”

“Well, that’s the key to part two of this plan. Conscription is an ugly word, but it’s the reality of what we’ll need to pull this off.” Here, she turned to Tiernan who had moved into a small cluster with Cleal and the twins. "Major Druse, tell them."

The Major spoke then. “This is going to be hard, but we’ve got to put a brave face on everything that’s going to happen. Tiernan and Widdershins, you’re our first two conscripts. Welcome to the army.”