As the moon set in preparation for the morning sun on the distant horizon, there was already movement within the fortress. I gathered my gear from my room and checked every piece to make sure it was in proper working order.
I was still wearing the clothes I had put on just before going to sleep, and in the cold before the light of day, I shivered at their touch. The others in my quarters did the same as they checked their loadouts.
Sword is sharp, my jerkin and boots are clean, too. I think that's about it for here, I thought, putting my gear on, and lacing my sword and scabbard to my leather belt.
"Got everything there, Ed?" I asked. Edryd scratched the few whiskers that grew on his chin. "I think something's missing," he said curiously. "What makes you think that?" I asked. "Well, you see, all of my equipment's here, but my pendant isn't," Edryd said.
"Not sure I've ever noticed you had one," I said, thinking back as far as he could. "Well, it's fucking gone," Edryd said frustratedly, rummaging through his belongings one more time.
"I'll help you look for it," I said, joining my friend in pursuing the pendant. "Uh, wait," I thinned my lips. Edryd looked at him. "What?" he asked flatly. "I have no idea what it looks like," I shrugged, causing him to sigh and shake his head. "Seriously? After over twelve years of knowing me, you still don't know what it looks like?" he stepped forward to raise an eyebrow directly in front of my face.
"You never showed me what it looked like," I shrugged again. "F-Fair enough," he stammered, realizing I was right. "It's my family's crest," he began. "It was a gift from my Mom to my brother, who wore it during his time as a Synner. After he died, my mother found it in a small box under his bed. Not sure what it was doing there, as he never took it off, but that's where she found it," Edryd said grimly.
"I'm sorry," I said, lowering my head. "You've got nothing to be sorry about. He died bravely, or so they tell me," he said distantly. "Oh, I don't doubt that. I just can't imagine what it would be like to lose someone that close," I replied, trying my best to be sympathetic.
"I would doubt it, if I were you," Edryd began with a shrug. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well, you see, he wasn't exactly the bravest of Synners nor the most adept at casting spells. Mom used to say I reminded her a lot of him when he was younger," he continued. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?" I scoffed. "Not sure, honestly," Edryd replied with a light chuckle.
"All I know is that I looked up to him, regardless of what my mother or friends thought. He might have had his difficulties with spells and courage in a fight, but he still did his job nonetheless," he said, looking as if he was recalling a few memories from his childhood.
"If it's of any comfort, you're not complete shit at casting spells, and you're pretty good with a sword. I think your brother would be proud of you," I said, trying to cheer my friend up. "You've only ever seen me cast during training. I have a hard time remembering that we have that power during a fight, so I simply stick to what I know," he replied with an upturned lip, raising his hands to shoulder height as he shrugged. "Well, we could practice that one of these days. Might do us both some good," I grinned.
Edryd shook his head. "I fear that this journey may very well spell the end for some of us," he began.
I know he's got good instincts, but for him to say something that dark is new, I thought.
"What do you mean?" I asked, hearing the tone in my friend's voice. "This whole thing of going to Hjalfar to fetch reinforcements is just…weird," he replied uncomfortably. "Well, we did just suffer a massive attack on the fortress, and the knowledge held here in the wrong hands would probably be a bad time for everyone," I said.
"I know. Trust me, I've been thinking the same thing," he replied, glancing over his shoulder to the doorway, then immediately turned back to me. "Ed, are you okay?" I asked, taking a step forward. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, his face paled, and his words were interrupted by Irun, who stood in the doorway.
"Need any help?" Irun asked plaintively, sending a chill down Ed's spine. "Uh, sure," he replied, trying to hide his nervousness. "What exactly are you looking for?" Irun asked. "My pendant," Ed stammered, prompting Irun to pull an object out of his pocket. "This thing?" he asked, holding a small pendant of a metallic hawk's beak that dangled loosely before Ed's widened eyes.
"You fucking snitch!" he snapped, quickly pulling it out of Irun's hands, who just looked at him in confusion. "Whoa, I didn't steal shit. I found it outside on the training yard's floor about a day or two ago. A thank you would be nice, you know," Irun raised his hands placatingly.
Ed looked at him curiously, then gave a relenting sigh. "Sorry. It's just very precious to me, and I thought you'd stolen it for whatever reason," he said, but I could tell that wasn't the only reason he'd said that.
"By the way, why do you even wear that old thing?" Irun tilted his head. "It was my brother's from a long time ago. He died when I was about five years old," Edryd replied, examining the pendant for any damage. Irun didn't say anything in return, but gave a slight sigh and lowered his head.
I stood silently, observing the exchange between the two.
"Well, it's back in your hands, and that's all that matters now," I said calmly, stepping in between the two. "Hope it never leaves them again," Edryd said, putting the pendant around his neck. "At least now I know whose crest that is. If it ever goes missing again, I'll bring it straight back to you," he continued, a small, sardonic grin showing on his face.
"Sure," Edryd shot back coldly, causing Irun to raise an eyebrow at the remark, but said nothing. Shortly after the awkward exchange, we left the room with our gear and headed toward the stables, where Batch was already prepping his horse.
"Early as ever. Did you even get any sleep?" Irun asked as Batch finished tying the last parcel to his saddle. "Nope. Better to be ready early than to rush to get things done," he replied. "Good point, but how slow do you have to be not to get any sleep?" Irun asked jokingly. "It's not that I didn't want to sleep, it's that I couldn't, you dim-witted chuckle-fuck," Batch snapped back mercilessly. "Oh-hoo, someone's extra spicy today," I said in jest, obviously fanning the flames.
Irun was anything but happy about Batch's retort, as he had nothing to return it with, or at least that's what it looked like. "Alright, Batch, you've made your point. Let the dim-witted chuckle-fuck get his stuff ready without taking his head off," Ed managed between laughs as he patted Irun on the shoulder.
We each walked over to our horses, tying supply bags to our saddles. The bags were mostly filled with apples, dried meats, and a few portions of mixed dried fruits and nuts. After loading our horses, we walked them out to the central courtyard, where a few other synners were already gathered. Garett was speaking with a couple of bow-casters, while Bernar was talking to Roburn.
"Decided to come along?" Roburn asked us. "Not like we had a choice," Irun shrugged, making him chuckle. "Nothing like a good ride with cheery companions, eh, Bernar?" Roburn said, driving his elbow into my brother's ribcage with a laugh.
"At least your little brother has decided to come along willingly," Roburn said. "Waking up before dawn to go towards Hjalfar, on a road I barely know anything about, with glicks and other horrible creatures potentially lying in wait; I'd hardly call it willingly," I replied with a slight chuckle. "In truth, I'm somewhat glad you're coming with us," he began, surprising me and the others.
"After that showmanship you put on during the most recent battle, I'd say you're more than ready for this trip," he said with a smile out of the corner of his mouth. I looked to my brother, hoping what I had just heard wasn't in jest, which he confirmed with a simple nod.
"I just hope he doesn't send anyone else to the infirmary this time," Edryd said playfully with a shrug. "Agreed. That spell you cast on our way to Coltend was extremely risky. You might have missed and hit Ed with it," Irun said, making me sigh and look to Bernar. He raised an eyebrow at me, while I looked at him with an expression that almost looked like I was asking to choke-slam the shithead.
For whatever reason, he decided to have the patience of a monk that morning and merely shook his head.
Fiiiine, I mentally sighed, rolling my eyes.
"I made my choice, Irun, and possibly saved his life in the process," I said coldly as he looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "You're not planning on doing that around me, are you?" he asked with a slightly worried look. "You're a bit of an asshole; I might consider it," I replied with a shrug, making Batch and Ed chuckle, while Irun scoffed and pulled his horse away, leaving the group.
"In his defense, he has been studying a lot, trying to prove himself worthy of going after a senior-level certification," Batch began. "Have you become his protector?" Roburn asked. "N-No, I'm just saying that he's got a lot on his mind. Maybe that's why he's being such a flaccid prick," he continued, making Bernar laugh aloud, followed by the others.
"Fuck him, I don't care. He's got no right to take his stress out on us, and I'd rather see him gone along with it if that's how he's going to act around people he's been with most of his life," I spat. Bernar looked at me and knew I meant it. "Not much you can do about that now," Roburn said as I watched Irun lead his horse away.
He's changed over the last few months. Too much, I thought, observing him carefully.
The Master walked down the steps from his study, with a small parchment in his hand. His gear was always in near-perfect condition, and his sword was tightly laced to his belt as he stepped into the courtyard. One of the stable boys awaited him with the reins in his hand. Daylight rose, and the morning mist could be seen over the distant hills in the background.
The Master walked past the other Synners gathered in the stone courtyard. He nodded to a few that he had come to know well over the years but maintained his pace. He reached his horse, taking the reins from the stable boy who looked into his glowing yellow eyes as he did.
"It is unlikely that we will return anytime soon. In the meantime, I want you to go home to your family, as you should be with your loved ones in these trying times," the Master said quietly as he handed the stable boy a bag of coins that was likely ten times the boy's salary.
"M-master, this is too much!" the stablehand exclaimed. "It's not just for you, silly. It's for your family, too," he said, scruffing up the boy's hair, but his expression sank.
"But… I don't have a family to go home to, Master," the boy's head lowered, making the Master raise an eyebrow and squat down to his level. "Since I've started working here, you have been the family I never had. Some have even allowed me to practice swordplay, and I have done my best to learn what I can to show my gratitude," he continued, sniffling quietly.
The Master was visibly touched by this display and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Well, if you've no family to go to, would you like to come with us? You can ride with one of the carts, and I'm sure we could use your help with taking care of the horses," he said gently.
The boy was ecstatic with the Master's words. "You mean that, Master?" he asked with a glisten in his eyes that wasn't there before. "I do. Go and gather your things. We're leaving in a few minutes. Hurry, now," the Master said, giving the command gently. "I won't let you down, Master!" the boy said, happily sprinting off to gather his few belongings.
Well, that takes me back, I thought, feeling a solemn smile come across my face, watching as the same happened to the Master.