CHAPTER 19 Upon seeing Olin with my own eyes, the first word that comes to mind is ‘fortress’. This is a city built to repulse armies both on the ground and in the air. Or perhaps re-built is more accurate. According to the king’s tale, Olin was once a simple castle town with small walls and a standard defense force meant to bide for time over engaging armies. Then Ragna in his true form laid waste to the city, destroying the walls with powerful magic from the skies while his summoned army stormed the breaches. There were few who survived that day unscathed. The new lord vowed such a thing would never happen again and spared no expense on turning Olin into a defensive titan. Thick stone walls rise sixty feet up, with towers built at regular intervals that rise another twenty feet. At the top of the towers are huge ballista aimed not at the ground, but at the sky. The base of the wall has sharp wooden spikes meant to keep climbers at bay and beyond the walls, about two hundred feet out, are more towers. The gate, which could have been built for giants, are solid wood reinforced with iron bars and beyond that is an iron portcullis that can be dropped at a moments notice. Lord Erik boosted the military as well. Soldiers walk the walls armed with both sword and bow, though some carry spears as well. In the clearing nearby, knights in full plate ride inkar in tight formations as they charge an unseen foe with lances. Some of the units are from the capital for training, but Olin itself has an elite cavalry. Overall, I fear for any enemy, human or demon, that tries to attack this city. There’s a long line leading to the gate but luckily we’re able to bypass it thanks to our VIP status. The rain is particularly heavy today and I can’t wait to get under a roof. My hat and cloak help a little bit but the rain still finds its way to my dress. It’s just that windy. After yet another gust threatens to steal away my hat, I sigh and put it in my pack, letting the water run down my head and face. My cloak has a hood but wearing it is uncomfortable for my ears. My hat at least has holes cut into it, though I suppose I could do the same with my hood. I’d rather retailor it though. Besides me, Kiin chuckles and says, “I feel your pain, Kairi. Why don’t we look for a tavern while the others attend to their usual tasks?” I nod, “Sounds good to me, Master. I don’t mind the rain but the wind is super annoying.” I look to Remi, who’s dry as if it were sunny instead of a downpour. Watching closely, the falling water veers around her rather than hitting her. That’s because of her water magic of course, and I’m completely jealous. When the rain started I’d tried to do the same with my wind magic but only ended up making a mess. Blocking the rain requires much finer control than I have at the moment. Remi has it down pat, though. Like her or not, the brat is a magic prodigy. Olin’s interior is much like its outer wall, arranged with defense in mind. Most buildings are made of brick or stone rather than wood and rarely grow to more than two stories. They’re spaced enough that a fire can’t easily spread and there are wells all over for a quick bucket brigade. Guards patrol the streets for trouble and have both swords and truncheons for taking criminals down. Thanks to all of this security, the people look happy and I know I certainly feel safe here. The capital is fortified too, but Olin is a whole other level. The tavern Kiin brings us to is called the Raised Flagon and true to its name, as soon as the three of us step in a good portion of the patrons raise their mugs in greeting. I wave back while Kiin just chuckles and brings us over to a rack where we can hang our cloaks. Just as advertised, the rain slid right off my cloak so it would be dry in moments but my dress is another matter. I hang both up on the side facing the hearth. Kiin hangs his cloak up and then, after a moments hesitation, takes his robe off as well. My eyes go wide. I’ve never seen him without his robe! Underneath, he has normal trousers, brown instead of grey, as well as a shirt of some kind of metal chain. The finely woven links are so small it’s practically like cloth and the material is unlike any I’d seen before. It’s aqua blue and almost seems to glow without giving off light. The sounds of the tavern die and even Remi’s eyes are wide. Is his shirt that impressive? A man sitting nearby clears his throat and asks with obvious awe, “Good sir is that...Aurium?” Kiin nods, “It is. It’s a gift from a good friend of mine after I provided him some aid.” The man then asks, “Was this friend of yours a dwarf? Surely no human could craft such a shirt.” Kiin agrees that his friend is indeed a dwarf and proceeds to tell the tale of how he obtained his aurium chainshirt. Ten years before the Ragna Crisis, Kiin was visiting the elvaan colony of Els’Daan to see some friends when a group of dwarves from the southern mountains announced that they needed aid clearing out a tunnel system their miners had broken into. Within had been a veritable swarm of giant spiders and such were their numbers that even the battle-hardened dwarves were pushed out of the mine. Unlike elvaan and humans, dwarves can’t use magic and rely on technology to keep themselves on pace with the magical races. It’s rumored that in their capital at the heart of the southern mountains, they have working models of the walking tanks I’d seen in the caravan, as well as ‘tamed lightning’, which I take to mean electricity. They also have ‘balls that explode with the force of a fireball’, which has to mean bombs. Do they have a monopoly on gunpowder? Even so, the dwarves knew they couldn’t retake the mines without many casualties, so they sent for help from the elvaan, known masters of both martial and magic. A force was put together and Kiin decided to join them. With the magic of Kiin and the elvaan and the crossbows and bombs of the dwarves, the spiders were quickly annihilated. They didn’t go down without a fight though. More than a few of the force went down from spider fangs and their webs were like nets. One dwarf was wrapped in said nets and was about to be dragged into a dark tunnel and a bad end when Kiin’s lightning fried the spider that was reeling him in. That dwarf, Gromph, swore he would repay that life-debt. Months later, Kiin was visited by Gromph, who presented the master mage with the chainshirt that he now wore. The two became good friends and I can tell by the look on Kiin’s face that he’s remembering lots of good times. Eventually, Gromph returned to the mountains and Kiin took to traveling. At the end of the story, the man says, “A mighty fine tale, Master Kiin. Please let me buy you a meal, it’s the least I can do.” Kiin smiles and shakes his head, “I’ll have to decline, friend. We can pay for our own meal, but perhaps you could tell me a story of your own. What have you heard about Ragna?” Like the flip of a switch the mood of the room goes tense, even hostile, but another man simply says, “You’d know that story better than anyone.” “Ah, but the story I’d like to hear is far more recent. Tell me, has anyone claiming to be a Disciple of Ragna been around Olin within the last week or so?” One man jokes, “A Disciple of Ragna in Olin is about as believable as that drunk saying cat-people are taking over!” Some men chuckle before they take a good look at me and their eyebrows go up. I smile, “I promise I’ll be a kind and benevolent overlord.” That gets a good laugh out of everyone and while Kiin ruffles my hair, a man raises his hand, “Actually, my daughter said she’d heard someone like that while playing with her friends. He preached a bit by the fountain with the dragon and said he’d be back...Tomorrow, I suppose.” The mood gets tense again and the first man grumbles, “We should meet this guy.” Kiin shakes his head, “If you don’t mind, I would like to speak with this man personally. He may know where a fugitive we’re hunting is and I assure you, physical blows are nothing compared to what I can do.” The men look at each other and as one agree to let Kiin handle the man. Nobody wants to step on the toes of the hero of the previous Ragna Crisis. Shortly after, we find ourselves a table and Kiin goes over to order our meals. I can’t wait for my nice hot stew after all those traveling rations. As we wait, Remi leans in and whispers, “Hey brat, what the heck was that a second ago? Those guys were seriously murderous.” After our argument at the caravan, Remi’s taken to calling me brat instead of baby. I consider it a step up. “Well, you know what happened to Olin during the Ragna Crisis, right?” She shakes her head, “Nuh uh. The storyteller that sometimes visits Lindholm never mentioned Olin.” “That’s weird. It was a pretty big thing. According to King Ulfrich, people in Olin were questioning whether Ragna was such a big deal or not and the demon himself showed up to demonstrate his power. He turned the town to rubble and killed a bunch of people, just to prove a point. These guys are all old, so they probably lived through all of that.” Remi nods her understanding just before she does a double take at something behind me. Before I can ask what’s up, a familiar large hand places it on my head and I freeze. “Certainly to your youthful age they must seem quite old, but I wouldn’t let them hear you say that out loud. I’m curious though. If these young men are ‘old’, what do you consider me?” The brat across from me snickers while I think furiously for a tactful synonym for ancient. Well-aged? No, that’s way worse than old. Timeless? Not quite. “Ah-umm. Well...You’re very wise and experienced and -Eowww! I’m sorry Master! Not the ear! Not my ear!” Thankfully he only pinches my ear for a second before ruffling my hair and taking his seat, “Kairi is correct overall, though. It would behoove you to avoid speaking of Ragna in this city. Especially if you find yourselves on an errand without me.” The two of us promise to be careful while I resolve to never say the ‘o word’ around Kiin. He doesn’t tweak my ears often but when he does, I always make sure to avoid whatever caused it. Better a pinched ear than a scorched butt. Our food and drinks arrive in short order and I make sure to savor mine as much as possible. The meals we have while traveling are nothing compared to a freshly cooked ranka stew with proper seasonings and a minimum of salt and I wanna make this meal last. A quick glance tells me that Remi and Kiin are doing the same, though Kiin never hurries so that pace is normal for him. Just as we’re finishing up, the door opens, we all raise our mugs, and Alicia walks in. Her eyes scan the room and once they settle on us, she comes over to say that the lord of Olin, Duke Erik, wants to speak with us regarding our next moves. Good timing, given what we just learned about the Ragna cultist. We finish our meals and after I put my still-moist dress and cloak on, we follow Alicia towards the center of town, where Castle Olin stands high above the other buildings. Rebuilt from the ruins of the old castle, the keep is four stories of solid stone. Tall towers rise at the corners of the outer walls while the roofs sport numerous battlements for archers to fire from. Knights man the surrounding wall as well as the gate leading into the courtyard, which has little in ornamentation. It’s a dramatic contrast to the stately castle at the capital. Alicia leads us past the gate, through the courtyard and up to the castle where two guards salute before opening the large wooden door. Inside are servants that take our rain-soaked gear while also offering towels, as well as Lord Erik himself. Very much a soldier as well as a lord, Erik is built like a battleship with arms almost as thick as my waist. He seems ill-suited for the fine clothes he wears but at his hip is a spiked mace that fits him much better. He stands about six feet tall, with blond hair, green eyes and a very handsome walrus mustache. Lord Erik smiles and says, “Excellent. Thank you for coming, Master Kiin and thank you for finding him Captain Alicia. As soon as I heard Lucian was in the area I tripled patrols and put the gates on high alert. If he shows his face anywhere near the city, we’ll know. Come now, enough talking at the door. Let’s go somewhere more comfortable and discuss what’s to be done from here.” Lord Erik starts off while Kiin looks back to me, probably to needlessly tell me to behave or stick with the group, but anything he’s about to say is paused as his expression turns from teacherly to curious, followed by amused. What’s he staring at me like that for? Do I have something in my hair? Suddenly, my arms are bound to my sides and a squeaky little voice exclaims, “Me got’chu!” I turn my head to meet the sparkling eyes of Lord Eriks three year old son, Kazu. We’d met at the king’s last party and I know he’s a hyper, happy little tyke. Apparently he’s also a budding ninja because I hadn’t heard him approaching at all. I smile and say, “You got me alright. What happens now, Kazu?” Kazu smiles cheekily, leaps up and gives me a kiss right on my cheek before letting me go to ‘get’ his daddy. It’s so adorably sweet I don’t know if even a sugar bomb can match it. The mischievous brat in me wants to pounce on him and tickle his sides for being so cute but I have to be on my best behavior around nobles so I hold back. As I move back to Kiin’s side, Lady Alicia laughs, “Don’t tell Prince Hiro about that kiss. He’ll probably get angry.” I tilt my head, “Why would he get angry? Besides, it was a kiss on the cheek, Captain. That’s much different from a kiss on the lips.” She smirks, “I wonder. But you’re right. A kiss on the lips is reserved for the boy you like.” Why does everyone always mention Hiro whenever matters of love come up? We’re just friends. Best friends, even. Just because we’re a boy and a girl doesn’t mean anything lovey-dovey is going on. Besides, I’m an adult, even if I pretend otherwise. There’s no way I’d fall for an eleven year old, royalty or not. After sending Kazu off to ‘get’ his mother, Lord Erik leads us to a parlor area with plenty of chairs and couches to sit at. To my surprise, Sylvan is already sitting in a plush looking armchair. I don’t wanna get my hair on the nice furniture so I run over to Sylvan and hop onto his lap. He’s only surprised for a second before he laughs and ruffles my hair. Nobody seems to disapprove, so I settle in while the others talk. As soon as Kiin tells everyone what we’d learned at the Raised Flagon, the main topic becomes how to have a word with the disciple without causing a fuss. Obviously having guards walk up to the man to arrest him would only cause him to flee or fight so we need to catch him flat-footed. Most of the suggestions are ambushes or full lockdowns and I honestly think a simpler solution would work. When there’s a lull in the discussion, I ask, “Lord Erik? Are there any empty buildings near the fountain where he preached at?” Erik looks thoughtful stroking that wonderful mustache of his, “I believe there are a few. Why do you ask, child?” “Well, it’s just an idea I had. If we could lure him away from the road and into an empty house or warehouse, we’d be able to talk to him as we pleased.” Ne nods, “That would certainly be ideal, but how do you propose to lure him away without raising suspicion?” I describe my idea in full and to my delight, everyone loves it. I especially love my part in it, as well as the contingency. It isn’t dangerous at all either, so I even get Kiin’s seal of approval. After everything is finalized, we’re shown to our rooms and I go right to bed. I can’t wait for the morning! *** The next morning, a few hours after dawn, I stand before the fountain where, hopefully, the Disciple of Ragna would return to preach to a new crowd. The fountain features a fearsome looking dragon whose gaping maw unleashes a wide spray of water that falls into the pool. It’s centered in a small plaza within the residential area. At this early hour there’s only light foot traffic. Thankfully, the weather is being fully cooperative and a bright sun lights a cloudless sky. It’d be just my luck to get a plan of my own approved, only for the weather to force the preacher to cancel. As it is, I expect to see our target at any moment. We don’t know when he’ll show up but I have plenty of time to spring him when he does. To keep from standing out, I’m dressed to hide as much of my feilyn features as possible. My cloak is long enough to hide my tail but I make doubly sure of it by wearing my dress and not using my tail-hole. My hood is up and my ears are tied down flat with a bandanna. There’s not much I can do about my eyes so I simply have to hope he doesn’t notice them or my lack of nails. Were this a properly advanced world I would use fake contacts and nails, but if wishes were fishes then nobody would be hungry. “Hey brat, I’ll be in that alley over there, so if you need help just shout. Try not to fall asleep or get distracted like you usually do.” I stick my tongue out as my ‘chaperone’ Remi leaves to hide. She’s a kid like me (though Kiin had diplomatically said ‘young lady’) so she won’t rouse suspicion of a trap even if she’s seen. I don’t need backup but all plans require contingencies so I can’t argue about her place. Instead, I just have to show I can’t do my part without help for the next time we make plans like this. I definitely won’t get distracted or fall asleep! Still, waiting for long periods of time is hard work, and I might have taken measures to stave off boredom. It might look like I’m distracted but I’m just doing magic training. I’m keeping up on my skills. My eyes are definitely peeled for any cultists. My training consists of forming a fireball in my hands and then working very hard to maintain it as I toss the flame up and down, higher and higher. I might look like I’m simply playing catch with myself but I’m not. After a few minutes of super hard training, I take it up a notch. I toss the fireball at a slight arc and while it’s still rising, make another fireball that trails after the first. Then I make a third, followed by a fourth. I work to keep all of the flames rotating in the air. Juggling is very intense both magically and in terms of hand-eye coordination, so it doesn’t qualify as play at all. A metallic clink catches my ear for just a second and I look towards the source. Near my foot is a copper piece. Did someone drop it? A glance shows a couple walking away and the woman waves with a friendly smile and tells me to keep it up. Ah! She thinks I’m performing! I suppose I can see how she came to that conclusion but I’m just training. I don’t need any tips. Naturally I don’t dissuade anyone either, and I step up my training to be a little more fancy. For training. Rather than juggling in a circle, I make the fireballs criss-cross each other. Then I add a couple more flames. Six is all I can handle at my current level but that what training is for. In time I might be able to manage ten, maybe even twenty fireballs. I’ll throw in cluster bombs too for extra flash. Just as I’m wondering how to train even harder, a series of water balls fly in and strike my fireballs, steaming them out. Then, before I can even let out a ‘hey!’ Remi throws two more right at me. The small crowd I’d inadvertently gathered gasps when I counter with two flames of my own and the four slam into each other. Not phased in the least, Remi gathers more water and blasts it out in a powerful stream, the front of which morphs into the head of a serpent. Okay, color me impressed. I counter with a wind and fire stream of my own and, following her lead, imagine the point becoming the head of a dragon, all horns and fangs. It doesn’t come out exactly as I imagine but it’s at least fairly close, and the two elemental beasts collide before rising into the air, twisting around one another. It’s quite a sight and when we both dismiss the attacks, the crowd breaks into applause and toss coppers and even a silver or two before us. So that’s why she attacked! She saw that my training was getting me a few coppers and wanted in on it. I knew from the start the brat was up to something but I didn’t think it was jealousy. Still, her little stunt could scare off the cultist! What if he doesn’t show up now? “Wonderful! Wonderful! That was a performance like no other, led by such talented young mages!” I’m about to chew Remi out even as we split up the coins when a man in a crimson robe steps out of the crowd to praise us. Who the heck is this guy? He continues, “Such talent must be allowed to grow and blossom, but time is not on our side. For Ragna, the god of Aeos, has returned to take his place upon our world!” He continues to preach about Ragna, and how only those faithful to him would survive the coming apocalypse. The crowd we gathered during our performance doesn’t take it very well, but thankfully for us all none of it leads to violence. Instead, they either heckle the man or just leave outright with scary looks in their eyes. I don’t think the future is bright for the preacher, but hopefully we can get the information we need before he meets a bad end in an alley. After the Disciple finishes, he asks for volunteers to join him as he goes to the next town and crosses the crowd, unaware of their hateful glares. Only one person follows him and that’s yours truly. Remi follows from a distance, but for now it’s my time to shine! I blink a few sparkles into my eyes, cross into his field of view and ask, “Mister! Do you really have to leave now?” He smiles, “I do, child. The word must be spread, even to those unwilling to hear it.” “Would you tell the word to my friends? I just know they’ll enjoy your sermon. It’s not far at all.” He shakes his head sadly, “I cannot, I’m afraid. But you heard my sermon and if its truth touched you, you’ll be able to spread it to your friends.” I frown, “Aww, but they’ll never believe me. Pretty please? Just this once?” Unfortunately he’s adamant, so I mutter, “Well, I tried. Sorry ‘bout this.” Before he can even ask what I’d said, I close the distance and drive my foot between his legs with all my might. It helps that his robes are the kind that split like pants at the lower half. His eyes go wide and he doubles over, but I’m not done. I call him a stupid head and pounce, bringing us both to the ground, where I wallop him with harmless but fierce looking punches. He cries for help and like magic, guards that were hiding just before suddenly appear to ‘apprehend’ the two of us. They lead us away even as the crowd cheers for me and what I’d done. None of them throw money though. The guards take us to an empty house nearby, where Kiin and the rest are waiting. Even Lord Erik stands witness, though I get slightly worried when the hand casually holding his sheathed mace goes white-knuckled. Once the guard puts me down, I hold out an arm and say, “Ta-da! One Ragna Disciple delivered perfectly healthy, if a little sore.” The disciple’s eyes bug out and his face turns into a mella as he calls me many many names I can’t repeat and certainly not supposed to hear. I ask Kiin with innocent eyes, “Can I kick him again?” The man flinches while Kiin ruffles my hood, “No, you may not kick him. Thank you for your hard work, sweetie. Now it’s my turn.” “What is your name, friend?” The preacher spits at his feet, “You’re no friend of mine. I see you for the heathens that you are. Do as you will, but you’ll get nothing out of me.” Lord Erik draws his spiked mace and smacks the end lightly on his hand, “Are you sure about that, demon-lover? I can be very persuasive.” “I fear nothing, for my Lord Ragna will protect me.” I giggle, “Sure didn’t protect you from my foot.” Kiin shushes me and goes on, “Your ‘Lord’ is a demon lord of Aeos, a world of lies, deceit, murder and torture. He’ll do anything to further his goals, tell you anything you wish to hear. He’s not a god, just a defeated soul residing in a weak human.” The preacher glares, “Lord Ragna will cut your blasphemous tongue from your mouth, old man! He’ll soon open the gates of Aeos and his armies will cleanse this world. When the skies turn red, know that your death is nigh!” Kiin’s face turns scary as he steps up and towers over the cultist, “And it will be your death that opens those gates! Look into my eyes, see the fate of those who swore loyalty to Ragna! See how he rewards your devotion! His gates may open, his armies may ride, but you will see none of it!” My body goes cold when I realize that Kiin is well and truly angry, a side of him I’d never seen before. Sure, I’ve seen irked, disappointed and even grumpy, but never angry. Magic pours from his body and though I can’t see any effect myself, the preacher screams bloody murder. For five full minutes Kiin holds the man in his illusion. From the man’s screams, I know it’s nothing I want to see. Kiin’s seen Ragna slaughter his followers firsthand and now, I guess, so has the preacher. Remi takes my hand, her eyes wide, “Hey brat? Remind me to never, NEVER make Kiin angry.” “Y-yeah.” By the end of it, the man is on his knees blubbering like, well, me after a thorough scorching, “Forgive me, I beg of you! I didn’t know! Please don’t show me any more!” Kiin’s anger fades away, “I forgive you, friend. If the truth was preached, nobody would follow him. He has to rely on his silver tongue. But now you have a choice. Will you tell us all you know to save his other misled followers?” He sings like a canary. Apparently, after meeting with the Lindholm preacher and sending his ‘divine punishment’, Lucian and Ragna made haste to the west, settling in the port town of Arnon. They’re staying at an inn called the Maiden’s Whisper and it’s from here that Ragna plans to set the next phase of his scheme off. What that is, the preacher (named Harold) doesn’t know but all of us know it can’t be good. Kiin looks to Lord Erik, “My lord, we need those inkar readied immediately for our departure. We can’t lose any more time, so could we rely on you to send an update to King Ulfrich?” Lord Erik nods, “You can count on me, Master Kiin. Go give Ragna what he has coming to him.” As everyone prepares to depart, I ask Harold, “So, what possessed you to follow Ragna anyways?” He shrugs, “Figured if doomsday really is coming, and that oracle was mighty convincing, I’d rather be on the winning side.” “Oooh. So if I was convincing enough, you’d worship me?” Harold laughs, “I might offer up a prayer or two if you promise no more kicking.” My eyes light up, “Deal!” Kiin ruffles my hair, “Come along, Goddess of Mischief. We have a demon to smite.” I giggle, “I promise to be a kind and benevolent goddess.”
