CHAPTER ONE: The contract

It all began with Kelthyra waltzing her way through the streets of Nouchâteau, more specifically, those of the Maquis Pauvre in the Quartier des Cuivres. There she went, walking through the gloomiest misery of the lost souls of Nouchâteau, an elven monk with her long and wavy purple hair and her comfy dress contrasting heavily with the very suspicious mace she carried on her back; not a single fuck given. She was looking for Colibri’s operation base to win some ‘honest coin’, but since she was not from around, she resolved to ask one of the merry human inhabitants for directions before she got irredeemably lost.

Kelthyra surveyed the area. To her right, a low platform would bring her to a lower level, and she could already spy a small shellfish stall, where a seller was trying to scam a client while the very same client tried to steal some oysters from him. To her left, a mugging and attempted murder was going on. Last but not least, right in front of her, there was a young woman walking with confidence and the air only a native managed to keep.

Our intrepid hero chose that which was most logical: she asked the guy who was getting stabbed.

“Hey, you. Can you—”
“Fuck off, elf!” The stabber, who from proximity looked quite drunk, yelled. “Ask someone else!”
Kelthyra’s eyes narrowed. “No.”
The stabber turned around, taking the knife with her. “Looking for some trouble, bitch?”
Kelthyra’s reaction was to ready her mace. Then, with a soft curve of her lips, “If I have to…”
What followed was outright humiliation. That is to say, the drunk woman attempted to stab Kelthyra, but our protagonist ducked and evaded every stab movement, finishing the miserable soul with a bloody smash from her mace.
Fear not, dear readers, for such a sight was not uncommon in the Maquis Pauvre. Still, Kelthyra cleaned her mace with discontent and knelt in front of the stabbed man.
“Oh, missus! Th-thanks! I—” he coughed blood. “I owe you.”
“Mhm, whatever. I need you to point me towards the Rue Jaune. Know it?”
The stabbed man wheezed, pressed his hand against his slashed stomach, then spoke, his eyes gleaming. “Oh, I’m afr- Me’s afraid I do not know. I mi- might- might! Know, with some coin…?”
Kelthyra tilted her head at the man, staring the man down dead in the eyes, nearly emoteless. Right before tackling the man and grabbing him by the hem of his shirt collar. “Do I look like I have coin to give you?”
Rightly so, the stabbed man nearly shat himself of fear, then shook his head, coughed some more blood, and pleaded for his life. “No, missus! I- I am sorry! Here! T-ta-take my money!” and pointed at his pocket, from which Kelthyra took some coppers.
“Rue Jaune?” she insisted.
“Th-Three roads from here. Just- ha, take the least smelly roads. G-go past that potions stall and t-to your ri-right.”
Kelthyra made to stand up, then thought better. She was, after all, a charitable soul. She rummaged in her pack, then produced a small bandage and some water.
“Here, heal yourself. And thank you for your help, kind stranger.”
The stabbed man nodded and fumbled with his bandages while Kelthyra made her way towards the Rue Jaune.
What came of that stabbed man is unknown to us. According to Kelthyra, ‘he’s probably fine’.

Of course, our story also began when Chazz and Erik got themselves into Maquis Pauvre, not two streets away from Kelthyra and her slaughtering, equally lost and equally unaffected.
They did not travel together: Erik, a man covered in high-couture dark garments coveting an ebony violin and wearing a dark, faceless mask of the same nature, followed the elf like a shadow, trying not to draw attention. Chazz, a tall, High Elf of bronzed skin wearing basketball attire, flip-flops and gracious golden hair, gathered in intricate braids that joined in a long ponytail, was fully aware of the stranger at his back, waltzed jolly through the dirty streets, the slaps of his flip-flops strident against Maquis Pauvre.
Then, the very same woman Kelthyra had crossed and ignored, the one who looked so confident, stepped in their way.
“Hey. You’re… you’re going, right?”
Chazz started. “Going… where?”
She made a movement with her head, “You and mask-man there. You’re going to the place, yes?”
Chazz was not one to get annoyed easily, but, “Yeah, you gotta be more specific. Are you gonna speak in riddles or what?” Behind him, Erik crossed his arms.
“You know,” the girl tried. “To the… the place, the place of meeting?”
Silence met her.
“Ugh, alright! The underground expedition. I can see your contracts on your hands.”
Erik did not speak, so Chazz did. “It’s none of your business, really.”
Now she was the annoyed one. “Alright, cut it off, surfer boy. You’re both obviously going there, so do you want my help or not?”
Chazz, who had loudly gasped at her moniker, shook his head. “So you’re gonna be elusive, call me names and then insist we go with you to a place, just like that? No, thank you.”
Erik said nothing.
Her eyes seemed to widen at their answer. “Then how will you get there?”
“We’ll manage,” Chazz smiled, bright and sharp, then turned to his silent companion, “won’t we, pal?”
Again, Erik said nothing.
“Eh, I’ll take that as a yes. Bye.”
The girl fumed, but walked in the opposite direction.
As she left, Erik shook his head, though his expression remained hidden from sight behind that coal mask of his. A fantastic contrast to Chazz’s radiant visage, in all honesty.
“Well,” Chazz began, placing his hands on his hips and puffing his chest in childish enthusiasm, “I guess we’re on our own.” He surveyed the different paths opening before the two of them, then turned to his mysterious companion: “I’d say… forward looks like a neat choice, wouldn’t you?”
As expected, Erik did not reply.
“Cool, cool, cool. Forward it is!” And they marched onwards, Chazz the very image of radiant confidence and Erik a seeming shadow with what we would call an Edwardian air.
They all but wandered around the deteriorating streets, the sun above them leaving its zenith and creeping closer towards the shoulders of the nouchâteaux mountains. Then, before their resolve could wane at the labyrinthic repetition of poor buildings, a purple-haired elf appeared in sight.
Yes, it was no one other than Kelthyra, the monk. Though neither of them knew she was one, bearing an impressive mace as she was, neither did they know her name.
Still, as the trio recognised the contract in each other’s hands, they stopped in their tracks, and minutely ogled each other. And as they lingered in the doubt of initiating conversation with a stranger, their chance was ripped off their hands by the return of that odd and nervous resident human woman.
“Alright, that is enough from y’all,” she all but exhaled as she placed her hands on her hips, her chin up as if she were looking at any of them down 一even as her height was even with Ketlthyra’s. “I’ve seen you take that turn like four times now, and you seem more lost than a crab in a fisherman’s stall.”
The purple-haired elf raised her eyebrows, then turned to the two men. “You guys know her?”
Chazz shrugged nonchalantly, and Erik gave no reply.
The girl worried. “Well, no, of course, you wouldn’t know me, but—“
Chazz tsked. “We’ve been through this already, isn’t it like a little creepy that you’re following us, and trying to get us somewhere, without like, telling us where that somewhere is?”
The woman opened her mouth, then promptly closed it with a frown.
“Yeah, I thought so. Well, bye, again. Guys?” He turned and gestured to both Erik and Kelthyra with unwarranted but charming friendliness, and the two of them followed him.
“But—!”
The party did not stop for the human girl, nor turned to see her frustrated exasperation, and simply walked forward, Kelthyra taking the lead.
“So!” Chazz began after a while, “A fellow elf, so nice to see one among so many humans.”
Kelthyra sighed “Yeah, I guess. What are your names, by the way?”
“Oh, my name is Chazzahdriel, Chazz for friends. Masked-guy here doesn’t talk.”
But as soon as those words left the elf’s mouth, Kelthyra heard a groovy voice inside her head: ‘My name is Erik.’
“I’m sorry, what?”
‘My name,’ the voice repeated, ‘is Erik’.
Kelthyra cocked her head, then turned to Chazz. “Mine’s Kelthyra. And by the way, the dude just told me his name in my head. It’s Erik.”
“Kelly? Nice. Wait, what?!” he looked over at Erik. “I’ve known you for longer than her, how’s that fair?!”
Erik all but sighed, soundless, and it irked Chazz, who proceeded to pout. “Come on, man.” When silence met him again, he sighed once more. “A pleasure, then, Erik. Now, does anyone know how to get to where we need to go?” he asked as he flaunted his contract around.
Kelly nodded. “I do. A local told me.”
“Wow, cool. How did you do that? Because you know how that went for us two...”
“I just asked him.”
Erik stared at her bloodied mace. ‘No need for violence?’ he spoke in Kelly’s mind.
“I’ve never killed a person in my life,” Kelly lied, and Chazz and Erik believed her wholeheartedly, for she sounded very genuine.


Eventually, the trio made their way to the Rue Jaune, right in front of the building they were meant to enter.
“Well, here we are.”
“They can’t kill us just like that, can they?” Kelly mused.
“I sure hope not!”
At the very least, the quartier they were currently at fared considerably better than where they had met. Here, the sun reached the wide streets, even as the buildings were all poorly made and hardly taken care of. It seemed a most sensible choice for a meeting place.
Without deliverance, Chazz knocked, and almost jumped back as the tiresome girl opened it.
"I told you…" "Yeah, yeah, but you were weird about it." And before she could reply further, he stepped in and examined the room.
Kelly and Erik lost no time and began to climb the stairs. "Hey, Chazz? Are you coming upstairs?"
Head inside a mouldy barrel, he groaned. "Yes, yes, just-" he emerged from the barrel, hands full. "I found a copper and a shoe. I'm keeping the copper." And with that, threw the shoe at Erik.
Erik passed it to Kelly, and Kelly just threw it at the human girl.
"What…?"
But the group was already up the stairs, and she just shook her head and hurried behind them.
Chazz knocked on the door thrice, then it opened on its own. Thaumaturgy, Chazz guessed.
Inside, they met an egregiously diverse team, all gathered around scattered seats, cushions and tables with some odd refreshments and maps.
"And that seems to be everyone! Well, almost everyone, but 'tis enough," a warm and rich voice greeted them. It came from a dark-haired human, wearing dark robes and a charming, green look on him. "So," and he clapped his gloved hands, "shall we make a round of introductions?".
The trio gave theirs, and soon they were presented to Payne, a pale and suspicious-looking dwarf, Radona, a dwarf ranger, Athelassan, an eccentric noble elf, Limona and Yuna, two tieflings, Roth, a cleric orc, Volt, a human monk, Ishann, a halfling bard far too nosy with Erik's violin, Temera, the human girl who had followed them…
"And my name's Colibri. A pleasure," said the one who had greeted them, and he winked at his guests.
"Charming fellow, aren't they?," Chazz mumbled to Kelly, "a bit too charming, if you catch my meaning."
"Honestly, I was just checking out the girls, if you catch my meaning." The two of them smirked, and Erik did the mental equivalent of a face-palm.
"Now that we've all acquainted ourselves," began Colibri once anew, "I shall explain what this excursion of ours will entail." All sat among the couches and seats inside the room, all looking decrepit but comfortable to the touch, and they listened attentively to their guide. "Since you all made the effort to find your way here, and I made the effort to select you of all people, we'll forgo what the contract states.
"This," he said with an alluring glimmer in his eyes, "is an expedition to roads long forgotten, to the ruins that the recent war exposed and that might hold not only treasures and history, but also dangers old and new. It goes unsaid there is no assurance of survival, so if you need to set some funerary and will arrangements, you must do it before the dawn of tomorrow. But don't worry too much about it, after all, we are accompanied by many experts at the very least," he nodded at Radona, Roth and Volt, "and two guards of the king," he nodded to Limona and Yuna. With that, he clapped his hands, rather enthusiastic. "And I trust the rest of you hold a secret advantage as well, else you wouldn't be here!
"The riches will be distributed as follows: 50% will, of course, go to the royal treasury. The other 50%, will be distributed equally among each of the members of this expedition. All that is not silver, gold and diamonds… if you find it first, you owe nobody an explanation." At this, many cheered and clapped. "And don't worry about the exploration kits and rations, all will be provided by us."
"And who is this us?" Chazz inquired.
"The Royal Spy Guild of Nouchâteau, of course." At this, some widened their eyes, so Colibri raised a placating hand: "The king himself and his advisors asked for us, you have our word and may take it to the authorities if needed. The secrecy is merely… related to the exposure of this enterprise.” Then, with a secretive smile, “We wouldn't want word to get to the wind about this, not until we are sure we bear the results."
Some considered, others preferred to relax and indulge in impromptu music, and others simply nodded and began leaving the room —which was the case of the so-called experts and guards—, while our heroes convened:
"What do you think? Should we join?" Kelthyra asked.
"Well, it'd be nice to ask where we're to meet, first," Chazz turned to Colibri, who was clapping at an improvised harp rendition by Ishann, "and whether we can trust all of that wink-wink and easy-going smiles."
Erik crossed his arms, as if to prove a point, even if it went completely over Chazz's head. Or so Chazz pretended.
In its stead, he stood up, flashing a winning smile, then went to join whatever conversation Colibri, the pedantic noble elf and the harpist were having.
Kelly turned to Erik, one eyebrow arched. "Sure you don't want to talk to him? At all?"
Erik simply stared at her. Or so she surmised, mask and all.
She sighed, then fished one of the delicatessens spread over the tables. "Right. Completely healthy behaviour."
By Erik’s twitch at his shoulders, Kelly guessed he was scoffing, to which she replied with a slight curve of her lips and momentaneously ignoring him, munching at the delicatessen she knew she wouldn’t get her hands on at any other given time.
Chazz didn’t take too long to return to the merry group that is our heroes, boasting his charm and honest nonchalance to all present, even if at that moment he was sporting a wry face. He plopped down on the couch they were sharing, right between the monk and the violinist. “Good news and bad news, team.” Erik turned towards Chazz, as if to question his choice of words, but Chazz went on, “The bad news, that other elf guy in the expedition, Acelgasan or whatever? He’s a fucking douche.”
From the corner of the room, they heard a preppy scoff. “It’s Athelassan, you illiterate lowlife.” But Chazz simply waved a hand in dismissal.
Kelly arched an eyebrow. “Why, ‘cuz he’s a noble?”
Chazz rolled his eyes. “Well, yeah. I mean, I am a noble, but I don’t flaunt it like that and crane my neck as if I were choking on shit, you know?” Kelly nodded in agreement, at the same time that some protests began to make themselves known from Athelassan’s corner. “‘Sides, he keeps on boasting ‘bout his lineage and pride and superiority,” he chuckled, “as if he wasn’t taking the same contract than us lowlives, or whatever he said.”
With quick, sharp strides, the object of their derision drew close to the group, his clanky and overbearing gilded armour clanking and distracting the group. “Why, I’ll have you know, my motives are from more illustrious prestige than yours.” He narrowed his eyes on Chazz. “At least I am not disgracing my family blood with a youthful whim.”
Nearly imperceptibly so, the brightness in Chazz’s golden eyes drew back, annoyance and something else tinging them in its place. His right hand twitched, and Athelassan made to speak once again, but before he could get but another word out, Colibri appeared behind the confounding brat, and placed a grounding hand on Athelassan’s shoulder, smiling softly. “No need for punching so low, recruit. The Fates saw it fit to assign each of you a role in this. Notwithstanding their pasts. ” Then, more severely, and in a low voice, “Besides, it would do no good to a fifth heir in line to start discord over trying to prove a senseless point, now, would it?”
Athelassan widened his eyes at that, and Chazz drew a soft pretence of disappointment. “I wanted to be the one to throw that back on his face,” he mumbled. Then, the gilded warrior grimaced, and left the group be at last, and the small group that remained let out a relieved breath.
"By the Everlight, what a fucking twat," said Ishann, clutching at his harp. Then, he turned to Colibri, shaking his head. "Seriously, birdie, why do I even agree to your plans?"
Colibri smiled, once again, even though this time it was with honesty and not with strain. "You know I have a weakness for bards and grandiloquent stories." With that, he winked at him. "Everlight preserve us, I need a gig somewhere else," the halfling groaned, then reached for the case of his instrument, packing whatever was his and a few delicatessens. "You nouchâtièns are too politialc, anyway."
And, despite Colibri's half-hearted protests, it didn't take him long to leave, and then the group were alone with Colibri and Temera, who stared at them with poorly disguised caution from her chair, pretending to examine a map.
Colibri turned to the group, arms crossed and eyes glazed in thought. "I do apologise for Athelassan, but I hope you won't change your minds about the expedition. I have a feeling we will need you."
Erik tilted his head, then spoke in Colibri's mind: 'And why is that?'
Colibri stared back at Erik, and, if he was surprised by the sudden magic trick, he didn't show it. In fact—
A tentative magic knocked at Erik's mind, and soon he heard Colibri's voice, clear yet soundless, inside his own head: 'The crown would not have hired me, otherwise.'
Erik tensed, both at the words and at Colibri's abilities, and the moment would have gone unnoticed for the rest, had it not been for Kelly's sharp gaze. "What is it, Erik?" she asked, growing defensive.
But Colibri simply clapped his gloved hands, diffusing any chance of Erik replying at all. "Now! The evening is creeping upon us, as the poets would say, and I fear you're the only recruits with no lodgings for the night," he said, placing a hand over his chest, oh-so-dramatic. "If you'll accept the advice of your most humble employer, I hear the Mandarine Flamboyant will meet your likings."
Kelly frowned. "No chance we can't just-you know, hit the pillow here?"
"Oh, I'm afraid that'll be a no," Colibri said, not unkindly. "Officially? We're, uh… how do you say… squatters?" He chuckled nervously. "The state of Nouchâteau only granted us the building for the debrief. After that?" He shrugged. "Vacant, uninhabited houses are still non-trespassable property."
At that, Temera made herself known, scoffing loudly. "The beauty of the cultured bourgeoisie."
Chazz chuckled, standing up at last. "She has a point." He waltzed towards the window, then whistled at the purple hues governing the skies. "It is getting late, though. And we will need a place for mask-guy here to sleep." He turned towards Kelly: "I meditate the first half then you take the second one, sounds good?" Kelly shrugged. "Good, perfect."
With that, Colibri accompanied them all, Temera included, outside the building and into the darkening streets. "Well, don't forget: tomorrow at midday at the old amphitheatre, just past Port Libération and the Pilier d'Everlight."
"What? No cloak and dagger phrases, no secret code?" Chazz tsked. "You guys have a lot to learn."
Colibri chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint. So- Oh! One more thing, before I forget," Colibri began, eyeing Erik's violin. "I do hope we get to hear you play at least once.” He smirked. “The wood seems… magical."
And with that, he closed the door behind the group.
Erik stared at the door intently, silent as always, and Chazz shivered. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I hope that wasn't an innuendo."
Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Jealous?"
"Uh, no?"
Erik shook his head, speaking into Kelly's mind: 'That wasn't very convincing'. Kelly shrugged, and when Chazz noticed, he crossed his arms.
"He did it again, did he?"
"Yep," was Kelly's curt answer.
Chazz groaned. "You know it's rude to talk about people on their back, right? I'm not an object."
Erik did not reply.
"Come on, seriously?! I swear, if you-"
"Well," Temera interjected, reminding everyone of her presence once again. "I better get going before this takes a turn for the moronic."
"Huh?" Chazz turned towards the human girl, who was slowly making her way back to the Maquis Pauvre. "You're leaving already? Won't you stay for a drink at the whatever-Tavern?" Temera stopped. "I'm a local, and I have things to do."
"Hey," Chazz began, and walked the distance to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Sure about that? No harsh feelings about the whole getting here business?"
Temera flinched slightly at Chazz's gesture, so he retreated his hand, but she quickly reigned her emotions in. "It's… fine." She turned around, facing the whole group. "Go rest. You'll need it." And with that, she left for good.
The group stared at the street they had last seen her take, a sensible measure of perplexed.
"Is it just me, or is everyone being creepy about this expedition?" Chazz said after a while.
Kelly shook her head. "No, I feel it too." Then, she shrugged. "Whatever. As long as I get paid, no complaints."
Chazz nodded vehemently at that.
Perplexion gone from their systems, our small group of misfits began leaving the Quartier des Cuivres, and heading towards where they guessed the Quartier d'Obsidienne was.


The walk towards the Mandarine Flamboyant was tinted in deep purples and dark indigos, baring the streets from daylight and the wondrous colours of the buildings that had given name to each Quartier. The path was eerily quiet, save our would-be heroes.
"Do you think this is normal?" Kelly asked, craning her neck at a dead ally, posture guarded.
"No clue, to be fair." Chazz said. "I mean, back home? We're pretty safe, so far. But that doesn't mean there's no one to guard the streets. You know, just in case?"
Kelly hummed. "Where are you from, anyway?"
"Ah, I'm from North's Dawn, beyond the Sea of Light. Live there with my family. Got my mother, my father, my other father, and a sister and a brother. And some more people too."
"Really? Sounds like a big family."
"It's not, really. But we live well," he said with a fond smile. "And you?"
Kelthyra averted her eyes. “No family to speak of.”
Chazz blinked, then tilted his head forward. "I'm sorry. Do you want to-?"
"No, it's fine."
He then turned to Erik. “I guess there’s no point in asking you, is there?”
Erik did not reply.
“Oh well, forget I said anything, then.”
Fortunately, it didn't take them long to reach the tavern and inn, allowing them to put behind the awkwardness of family business —or the lack thereof.
As the name suggested, by the light coming from the inside and what darkvision allowed the elves of the group to see, the tavern's walls were inlaid —even all through the outside— in orange hues, and a shop sign in the shape of a mandarine that had a small fire drawn within announced the space for what it was.
Weary and ready to leave the growing darkness behind, our adventurers ventured inside, and were met by the warm cacophony of jolly patrons, clinking pints and early drunks. It was difficult to say who the establishment catered to, seeing as both humble and noble gents were gathered among the tables, and possibly beyond the stairs and through the upper rooms.
The group collectively relaxed their shoulders, and found some seats at the bar, where they waited for the barkeep.
"Hey, Chazz?" Kelly started.
"Yeah?"
"Back there, you said you had good news and bad news. What were the good ones?"
"Oh! Yeah. No, Colibri's definitely hiding something."
She frowned. "He won't bail out and keep all the money for himself, won't he?" And then, before Chazz could reply, Kelly's eyes brightened. "Or- wait! Do you mean he's not who he says he is? That he's a lost noble or has a scorned lover after him, and that's why he needs to go out of the radar for a while?" She clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh, by Freyja, I love gossip. What do you have so far?"
"Uh… nothing. Yet. But-" Chazz smirked, "It's just a matter of catching him unaware."
"Really? Got any experience in that? Subterfuge and bluffing?"
"Well, now's a good time to start as any. 'Sides," he added, preening at his hair, "I just need to smile all prettily, and then he'll tell me all about his deep secrets and dark pasts. You know, when we're not skulking among caverns and getting eaten by whatever waits for us."
Kelly made to reply, but a sudden voice in both her and Chazz's minds interrupted them: 'I would not be so sure of that'.
Chazz turned to Erik, eyes wide and expression incredulous. "The fuck?"
Erik only stared at the bar.
"Are you telling me that-"
"Hello, welcome to uh… the Mandarine Flamboyant." The barkeep caught their attention. She was a wee thing, a redheaded human of hunched shoulders and reddened eyes. "What can I get for you?"
Chazz propped up a finger jabbing it in Erik's chest. "We'll go back to this." He faced the barmaid. "Hi, yes! Can I get… one pint of mead, please? And whatever's on the menu to eat."
The barmaid nodded, then stared at Kelthyra and Erik.
"Ah," Kelly started, patting around the many pockets of her dress. "I don't have any money, I'll pass on the food. Just a glass of water."
"Like hell you will. Go on, I'll pay. Please?"
She squinted at Chazz, then at the barmaid, and nodded at last.
The barmaid looked at Erik. Erik looked at Chazz. 'I don't drink.'
"He'll have an empty glass. For aesthetic purposes."
"Right away, messeres," the barmaid said with a sniffle, then began serving them their drinks, empty glass for Erik included.
While Erik stared at the glass with what looked like absolute derision and perplexity —or as much as one could surmise, mask and all—, Chazz turned around at the tavern, giving it a quick one-over before turning back towards the barkeep. "Uh, excuse me?"
The barkeep rubbed at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve, then frowned at Chazz. "Sorry, yes?"
He offered her a soft, kind smile. "Are you alright?" She widened her eyes, and for a second Chazz feared she'd cry right there, right then. "I just- I would personally hate to be working while something's bothering me. Or working. Period."
Her lower lip began to wobble, and she bit it nervously. "It's nothing, just some personal problems."
Kelly drank from her water, then joined the conversation. "Hey, it's cool. We're not from around here, we won't care if you need to vent."
The barkeep met Kelly's eyes, then Chazz's, back and forth. "It's… it's my girlfriend. She… she left me. She said I care more about the tavern than about her."
The elves stared at each other with slight pity, then Chazz reached for the barkeep's hand, gently, and squeezed it once . "I'm sorry, darling. Hey, maybe this is a good thing, yes? A chance to do something you love without distractions."
"Yeah," Kelly piped in, leaning her elbows on the counter, "Besides, I'm sure you'll find someone better for you, if you truly want to. Right, Erik?"
Erik shuffled on his seat, then made an awkward nod.
Chazz waved a disinterested hand. "Pay him no mind, that's actually kind of him."
The barkeep let out a small, timid chuckle, then coughed. "Thank you, I-" she shook her head. "I should see to your servings, else I'll ramble to exhaustion," and she sprinted away into the kitchens.
With a self-assured smile, Chazz drank some more of his ale, then bumped Erik's shoulders with his own. "So, are we in speaking terms now, or what?"
Erik tilted his head down, as if he were sighing, then spoke into the elves' minds. 'I am regretting this already."
"Come on, don't be a sourpuss."
Erik did not reply, but simply crossed his arms.
In the midst of mocking their new friend, Chazz and Kelly got their food, and began dining away.


Night was falling, at last. Their plates had been devoured, their drinks drained, and the jolly music from the bards at the edge of the tavern began merging towards something less refined and more deranged, claiming the madness of the darkness.
Kelly stifled a yawn behind her first. "Oh, dear Freyja. I think we should go hit the hay." "Hit the what?"
Erik shook his head. 'He's a noble, these expressions fly over his pointy ears.'
"Hey," Chazz drawled, wavering an accusing finger at Erik. "Just because we're friendly now doesn't mean you get to use your super cool magic tricks to make fun of me." Kelly rolled her eyes. "I meant I'm sleepy. That's all."
"Oh. Thanks." He turned back to Erik. "See? No need to be so surly, man."
Erik did not reply.
Chazz and Kelly exchanged a glance. "Is this going to be like this the whole expedition?" Kelly shrugged, and Chazz deflated crossing his arms over the counter and laying his head there. "Whatever. We should get some rooms, before they think we're drunkards."
At those words, Kelly frowned. "Hey, I don't wanna be that person, but do you think they'll be expensive? I'm not exactly rich." In fact, what she had to her name was little more than what she'd received from that stabbed man just hours ago.
Chazz hummed, distractedly, then lifted his head, and turned around, trying to spot the barkeep. "Where's the human from before? Maybe we can convince her to lower their rates for us?"
Erik turned towards Chazz. 'Weren't you rich?'
"I'm not even going to reply to that.
"Now, now, there's no need for senseless spats, not when the night was going so smooth," a new, low and honeyed, voice joined them, halting them to silence. The group turned around on their seats, suddenly facing a human woman garnished in lavish robes, flaunting an evident aura of status, power, and respect. "If all you need is a room, perhaps I could… lend you a hand."
Chazz blinked at her. "Excuse me, Madame. I don't think I caught your name."
Her dark eyes twinkled. "Of course." She extended a hand, covered in a lacy glove, and reached towards his. He met her in the middle, and shook hands in a gesture so formal one would think it out of place in a story such as this. "You may call me Madame Dévalien, a… patron of the city."
Chazz raised an eyebrow. "A pleasure. I am Chazzadriel of the family RayOfRage, from—"
"—The Kingdom of North's Dawn, perhaps? I do get my noble names mixed up, from time to time."
He stared at her quizzically for a short while. "Then you're invested in politics."
"Why, more than I'd desire," she said with a sad sigh. Then, she turned towards the rest of the group. "Alas, I do not think I could guess who your companions are. If I may have the pleasure…?"
And it better stay that way, Kelly thought, right before introducing herself briefly, less amicably than she had with Chazz and Erik, but still not unkindly.
Then, the Madame turned to Erik, and he doubted for a hot second, before deciding fuck it, and speaking his name in her mind.
To her benefit, she did not react further than a show of widening her eyes, and even that seemed a show rather than an actual display of surprise. "Enchantée," she said at last, and went to shake first Kelthyra's, then Erik's hands. "My, my. None of you are from around, yet you came to the Mandarine Flamboyant, on a night such as this. Some may call it fate, but I'd rather take the objective facts." A small smirk popped up on her lips. "And from what I can surmise, whatever you're here for might be of interest, to those affiliated so deeply with the city as I am."
Kelly raised a hand. "Does that mean you'll help us pay for the room?"
The Madame halted, placing a hand over her lips. "Oh my, I had nearly forgotten!" She chuckled. "Well, why wouldn't I? I have a feeling what may come of your arrival will be most exciting." She gestured towards the barkeep, and began haggling with her about letting them pay only a fraction of the cost. After coming to an agreement that the Madame would add the rest to her tab, she placed one golden coin atop the counter.
The barkeep stared at the coin. "Do you have anything smaller? A silver would be great, actually."
The Madame's smile flickered momentaneously at that, and in the time it took her to recover, Chazz placed one such coin on the counter. "I can do that. You've been kind enough, Madame."
She gave him a brief smile, then shook her head, straightening her back. "Marvelous. As it is, I shan't dally no more in here. Time for me to let you go. Besides," she turned towards the lingering musicians, "the night has just started."


True, the Madame had ended up paying for their dinner, but a silver was still spent from Chazz's pocket for their rooms. Still, what that silver had gotten them was certainly more than what they'd paid for —which was certainly not a wide room with two double beds and a cushioned window nook, along with a corner dedicated to a small desk with ink and paper.
For Kelly, the sight was more than she could have bargained for. For Chazz, it was even acceptable. For Erik… well… there were rumours running around that he'd more often than not slept at the stables, or that he didn't sleep at all. Safe to say he simply scrutinised the room in two quick seconds and then immediately reached for the window nook, readying his violin out of its case and then tuning it.
Kelly plopped down on the bed closest to the door, and sunk into the mattress. "I think I could even sleep in this."
"Well," Chazz sighed, sitting on the other bed without much regard, "certainly beats what we'll rest on during the expedition. Wait. Did Colibri say anything about bedrolls?"
From his claimed corner, Erik huffed, then raised his bow and started playing his violin, drawing soft notes that alluded to a solo nocturne.
On the other side of the room, deep in their respective thoughts, Chazz and Kelly prepared themselves for their restorative meditation trance. If, by chance, they stared towards the window, only a bluish, silver tinge of moonlight dared cross the glass, of which most reached only Erik and his violin. This, they all knew, could very well be the last proper 'sleep' they'd have in days —if they only knew…—. But, of course, Chazz had never been too good at keeping his thoughts to himself.
"So. It was deliberate, to ignore me. Had to build that 'mysterious' and 'collected'. I could respect that."
No reply followed. Then, Erik's rendition drew to an end, and he placed his violin down, shaking his head. 'But…'
'But. Seriously? First words you choose to tell me, and they're 'Actually, I think Colibri is a little bit sketchy'?"
'I did not say that.'
"Tomayto, tomahto," said Kelly, voice only slightly sleepy. "Chazz has a point. Bit anticlimactic."
"Honestly, that's what bothered me most. No dramatic revelation, no spice. Just- void-like silence, and then straight to obvieties. Nothing more."
"That's not fair. He also insults you now."
Chazz waved a dismissive hand in the air. "No hard feelings there. I know he has a heart, deep down. Wouldn't have stayed with us, otherwise."
Silence followed, only interrupted by the slight shuffling that was Erik preparing his bed by the window nook. After a while, his voice permeated Chazz and Kelly's minds: 'It wasn't that obvious.'
"Really?" Chazz said, and one could almost hear the eye-rolling behind those words.
Erik took a deep breath, placing his violin case on top of his chest and embracing it tightly. 'He, too, can speak inside people's minds.'
Kelly propped her forearms on the mattress, sitting up. "He spoke to you? Why?"
'He said something along the lines of the Crown making a deliberate choice by hiring him.'
Chazz huffed. "So he's a mage, and the Crown knows that. So what? I'm more interested in the fact that, oh, I don't know, he's a spy of the Crown? Anybody?"
'At least he was forthcoming with that.'
Kelly shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Doesn't make it any less suspicious."
The conversation lulled to a halt, and it nearly merged into the quietness of the night.
"Well then, we'll need to watch our backs down there. Everyone present fine with an alliance?" Kelly modded, and Chazz assumed Erik's silence was a'yes' as well. "Good, then. What's our list of prospective suspects? Colibri? Who else?"
"The guards," Kelly said.
"The guards?"
"I don't like guards."
Chazz blinked in perplexion, then considered. "Valid. Who else?
"Temera?"
"Nah. She's a little weird, but I think she's just like that."
'The Madame.'
Chazz turned towards Erik's general direction, eyebrows raised. "Ha. What, never been offered kindness?"
"It is a bit suspicious when rich people go out of their way to help you," Kelly mused, earning a huff from Chazz.
Erik considered. 'Something's off about her. Too invested in us.'
"Hey," Kelly started, drawing everyone's attention. "Do you think she's banging someone from the expedition?"
"Who, like- Colibri?"
Erik clutched at his violin case. 'I- that was not- I did not think about it like that!' He sounded distressed. As much as someone with a magical mask, a well of pride, and a voice that wasn't actually a voice could, that is.
Chazz snorted. "Well. Now you have."
With no small amount of petulance, Erik shifted so his back faced the rest of the room. 'Perhaps we should go to sleep, already.'
And, after some low groanings of protest, silence governed once again. For a while.


For the elves of our group, the night went on swiftly, and with the sun still shy in the sky, they were up and stretching, and then running an inventory of their respective possessions. By the time Erik woke from slumber with the warm sun rays of May, they had had enough time for Chazz to explain half of his genealogy and close relationships to Kelthyra, who listened to it all with attentiveness.
At the quiet sounds of shuffling coming from the nook, they turned towards a morning-groggy Erik, who ran a hand through his hair distractedly while he held on to his violin case with the other.
"Morning, sleepy head."
'We can't all be fancy elves with unfair amounts of racial benefits.'
"Oh, rough night, it seems," Chazz said, raising his hands in defeat.
"Well," Kelthyra sighed, then placed her hands on her hips, "since we're all awake now, any plans you have in mind until midday?" 'Perhaps we could stay low-'
"Or-" Chazz cut him, "maybe we could do some tourism, shop a little bit?"
Erik stared at him. 'Really?'
Kelly crossed her arms, tilting her head down and considering. "Sounds good to me. I can do some window shopping while Chazz actually spends his money on whatever." Chazz smiled brightly at that, and without much deliverance, they gathered their things and made a beeline towards the door, and then towards the small reception of the Mandarine Flamboyant.
Erik tsked, and hurried to gather his things and tag along the two elves.
'Aren't you forgetting something?'
"Everyone's accounted for, so… no?" Chazz said, giving the suite's keys to the groggy barman at the counter and asking for some breakfast to share among them, along with the now mandatory empty glass of water for Erik.
Erik stared at Chazz.
"What?"


An hour or so later, Chazz scoffed at the eighth closed shop they crossed on the empty streets of the Quartier d'Obsidienne. "You couldn't have told us this before making us run along like fools for who knows how long?"
Erik crossed his arms. 'This is a human settlement, not… whatever works back at your kingdom.'
"It's not that early, though… is it?" Kelly asked, looking at the sky.
Erik looked as if he was ready to break down. 'It's barely past seven.'
Chazz and Kelly started at each other, then back at Erik. "So?"
Unsurprisingly, Erik seemed to bristle at that, but before he could throw out a petty tantrum, Chazz noticed a small figure colliding against his side. Too suddenly. Too directed. Kelly drew her mace, all while Chazz spun around and then took a couple of long strides till he caught a young human by the shoulder, effectively stopping him sprinting away. The kid froze in place, shoulders hitched and breath contained… and holding tightly against his chest Chazz's coin purse.
Erik gave a sideways look at Kelthya's weapon. 'Oh, for- put that thing away'' When she squinted her eyes at him, he added: 'He's just a kid.' She looked at him weirdly, as if he'd grown a second head, but warily began putting her mace away.
While that happened, Chazz kneeled in front of the kid, giving him a hard look —or its closest equivalent, considering this is Chazz we're talking about. He extended an open hand towards the kid, palm up, and in no time, the kid placed the bag on Chazz's hand.
"Do you do this often?"
The kid stared back at Chazz, with fear, yes, but with no hint of embarrassment, only barely restrained anger and frustration. "Wouldn't you like to know."
Kelly blinked. "Well, we are asking, so we do want to know." She crossed her arms, and shook her head dejectedly. "Could've at least done it better, if you say you have so much experience."
The kid's eyes opened wide.
"Well, then," Chazz said, patting the boy's shoulder twice before stretching to his full height and turning around. "That'll teach you not to rob people like us." And, with that, he began walking away.
The kid stammered, voice indignant. "That's it?"
Chazz turned around, almost incredulous. "What did you expect, kid? A moral lecture? That I'd turn you over to the authorities? Which are…" he looked left and right, "nowhere to be seen, by the way?"
The kid stared back at him, eyes round and lip quivering. "I really need the money. We have no food."
Kelly frowned. "Bold of you to assume we care. Or have any money at all." He pointed at Chazz. "He's the exception."
The rich exception in question shook his head. "See, if you hadn't tried and failed… then maybe I would've. Now, run along, and get better at stealing next time."
The kid seemed rooted to the spot, as if that hadn't been what he had been expecting at all. As the time grew, the boy scoffed, then ran behind one of the many streets. 'We could have given him a moral lecture.' Erik said, after a while.
"But you didn't."
'...I did not.'
"Shame on you, Erik."
'Wha-?!'
But Chazz and Kelthyra had already resumed their promenade, so Erik trailed behind with only the slightest dejection.
That little stunt with the kid had, fortunately, earned them some time, and they soon found an open shop, one dedicated to woodcraft, decoration, toys and the like.
"Huh, good enough for me," Chazz said, pushing the door open and urging his companions inside. "Good morning!"
The inside of the shop looked exactly as one would imagine a trinket shop: full of wooden trinkets painted with a grand array of colours, and with the vague aura of magic permeating the air.
Behind the counter, stood a short and stout man, staring at his clients with slight distrust. "Early birds, the lot of you."
Erik seemed to sigh. Or the closest thing to it. 'I tried to persuade them otherwise.'
The shopkeeper raised his eyebrows, then turned to Chazz and Kelly. "Did he-?"
"Yep."
"Oh. Okay." He shook his head. "Well, what can I get for you?"
Chazz set his forearms on the counter, excitement only half-restrained. "What do you have."
The shopkeeper stared at him in perplexion, blinked, then waved a hand around. "Trinkets."
"Alright… do you have a basketball ball or something?"
The man considered, then nodded. "Not my usual request, but yeah. Let me see what I have in the storeroom." And he left to do as he had said.
Kelly turned to Chazz. "I didn't know you played."
"Me? Oh, I love it. I actually founded a team, back in North's Dawn. Ever heard of the Red Flowers?"
"Rings a bell, yes."
He pointed towards his t-shirt. "That's us."
"Wow."
Chazz nodded proudly, and then the shopkeeper came out of the storeroom, carrying a small, thumb-sized basketball ball.
"Here you go. I actually won this on a bet, the creator is a genius at her craft." He set it on the counter. "It's a magical shrink-and-stretch variant, which activates at a secret word." He waved a hand, then murmured something lowly. "Like this." And all of a sudden, the ball stretched to a standard size.
Chazz raised an eyebrow. It could do for a brilliant improvised weapon. "And how much would it cost me?"
'Are you seriously buying this?'
Chazz ignored him.
"150 gold."
Chazz beamed him a radiant smile. "I can give you 50."
The shopkeeper squinted at him, made to speak, but then seemed to consider. A small smirk settled on his lips. "Score thrice on the basket I will ready for you, and I'll take those 50. Hell, I'll even give you a wooden opal duck."
Chazz smiled, wider and more confident than the shopkeeper.

'Care to remind me why I have a wooden duck with an opal encrusted on it?' Erik bemoaned, even if he stared in wonderment at the little figurine while they made their way to Port Libération.
"It's called friendship," Chazz replied easily. Then, he stared at the magical basketball ball and brought it close to his lips, murmuring a soft 'pepper'.
The trinket shrank at his words, and Chazz beamed at it before pocketing it.
"I think it's really cool, actually," Kelly said, peering at the little trinket in Erik's hands. "It even has wheels."
Erik did not reply.
Eventually, through asking for directions at the few they crossed and trying to orient themselves through such an unknown city, they reached Port Libération, and crossed the Pilier d'Everlight. The many gems of the pillar shone gloriously under the sun rays, and many a congregant had joined near the pillar or towards the entrance to the Everlight temple right behind the pillar. It was then that the party understood, at last, where all the guards had been.
Fortunately for some, they simply passed by, and they then reached the proper Port Libération, where ancient ruins loomed over them all.
It was hard to say what the place had been once upon a time. Unlike the rest of the city, and especially unlike the higher city, no efforts seemed to have been made to amend any of it, suggesting only vague arcades and vaults. Perhaps it had been an amphitheatre. Perhaps something else completely. All the same, the air seemed to be charged with something unknowable, and it made the hair at their nape stand on end.
It did not matter much, what it had once been. For them, the ones who matter in this story, it was the gateway to the underground ruins they were to explore and pillage. With time, all that had met yesterday at Rue Jaume gathered around the marked entrance, suggesting a tunnel downwards. They all traded some food for lunch, offering some to our heroes as well, and some with more patience and some with more trepidation, they waited for Colibri.
As they did, they had a chance to witness the few goodbyes taking place around, especially one between Tempera and an older, low-class man, who the party assumed was her father. The conversation was strained, and yet clearly emotional for the two of them. At last, the man gave Temera an axe, speaking these words as he bestowed the weapon upon her:
"I know you can do this, sweetheart."
"I- I don't know. What if I mess this up?"
The man pressed the weapon on her hands, and at last she took hold of it, examining its craftsmanship.
"You won't. I know this, as much as I know that you will make us proud, as a true… as a great citizen."
The weird thing would have been for Chazz to not laugh. "Great citizen? Seriously?"
Erik elbowed him, but neither Chazz nor Kelthyra could hold their chuckles in.
Temera noticed them, eventually —it's not like they were making much of an effort to be subtle. They never did. "Do you mind?”
Of course, her father had not noticed the exasperated wheezing coming from the group, and simply turned to them with a quick, nervous smile. “Oh, hello. You must be the foreigners coming to help in the expedition, yes?”
“Dad-”
But the man stepped forward, and extended a hand towards them, one that Chazz shook vigorously. “I wish you the best of luck.” Then, as he retreated his hand, he stilled, eyeing Kelly’s mace and Chazz’s build. He stared back at Temera, who had made a beeline towards Payne, one of the dwarves that would accompany them, as if to escape any possible embarrassment. The man turned back to our merry group, and took a deep breath. “Can I ask you a favour?”
Kelly tilted her head. “That depends. What is it?”
The man looked sideways, almost skittish. “These are… complicated times, for us nouchâtièns. If… if she doesn’t make it, could you mark her resting place, bring peace to an old man?”
Chazz raised his eyebrows. “You don’t trust she’ll survive this?”
“She may be young, but I trust her,” he said with certainty. “Less so her so-called patriots.”
Chazz, Kelly and Erik stared at each other, then turned towards the man. “We’ll watch her back.” Erik and Kelly nodded along, agreeing with Chazz’s sentiment. The man smiled. “Thank you.”
And then, time seemed to flow by. Temera’s father left, along with the families and friends of those local to the area, and Colibri made his arrival, along with a small number of the Nouchâtièn Crown diplomats.
A formal, summarising speech was made, reminding everyone what they had signed for, and that the Crown had their best interests on their mission succeeding, but our group of heroes found themselves focused instead on Colibri’s nervous fumbling with his gloves, and the skittish glances Payne seemed to be giving them all.
For whichever reason, none of it mattered enough for any of our protagonists to turn their backs, and as soon as the speech was over, they gave one last glance back towards the rest of the city, and the edge of the sea looming towards eternity.
“Well,” Chazz sighed, “here goes nothing.”
And with that, they made their way down, towards the beginning of this legendary enterprise.

Trama matriz

THE STORY SO FAR

Personajes relacionados

• Chazzadriel
• Colibri
• Erik
• Kelthyra

Organizaciones relacionadas

• El Bajo Mundo

Lugares relacionados

• Nouchâteau