“So you really remember nothing?”

The carriage driver had decided they would take a break to let the horses drink some water from a nearby stream. They were no longer in barren wasteland and were heading through a long stretch of grassland on what would be their final day of travelling. While the driver smoked his pipe and the woman and child played around near the carriage, Kydan and Auros were taking a walk through the fields of tall grass which stretched out far ahead of them.

Auros scratched at his white hair and looked off at nothing in particular, “Nothing of substance…”

“When do your memories start?” Kydan looked puzzled.

“Almost eleven months ago… So not even a year of my life is accounted for.”

Kydan found this incredibly hard to believe.

“I’m telling the truth,” Auros assured him, to which he just gave a slight nod of the head.

“I’m sure you are, they’re your memories. It’s just… What can you remember?”

“Well, my name, for a start. Auros Hydrenne. By my own estimate, I’m twenty-five years old, and I’m taking my birthday to be the day I ‘woke up’ for want of a better word. So that’d mean I’ll be twenty-six in about a month or so. If you want to get me a present, I’d love to take up the lyre instead of just singing and playing flute- My act could use some strings…”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kydan laughed. At least Auros could make a joke out of his strange situation, “You seem well-versed in things like politics, and you know how to play music… Did you learn all that stuff in the past eleven months, or…?”

“The politics stuff, yeah- From travelling around I got a pretty good idea of how things work in each of the places I’ve been. The music stuff, it seemed to just come natural. Maybe I was some kind of big performer but some competing act staged an ‘accident’ that made me lose my memories…”

“Maybe,” Kydan said, “That doesn’t explain the fact that you can, y’know, use magic. One of the most elusive and ancient pieces of this world’s history, and some eleven-month-old jester can go around throwing icicles? Pretty weird if you ask me.”

“Yes, which is why I haven’t let anyone see me use it,” Auros said, “But… Last night was different, we were desperate. I didn’t know you had that magic knife on you, so I thought you were just some third-rate wannabe Dungeon Hunter…”

“Hey!”

Auros laughed, “I’m just joking, lad. Not once did that thought cross my mind- I could see in your eyes from the moment I saw you that you were a man on a mission, and one who’d stop at nothing to see it through.”

Kydan smirked, “Yeah and when I saw you I knew I was looking at a prized weirdo…”

“And I can’t say you were wrong,” Auros gave Kydan a smile, “But at least we both get what we want out of our arrangement- You get a capable companion, and I get… An adventure.”

“That’s what you’re in this for?” Kydan chuckled, “I was gonna at least give you a cut of the treasure we find, but that works for me…”

“You need it more than I do, lad,” Auros said, “You’re the one who wants to settle, wants to do something with whatever riches you get your hands on. Me? I wouldn’t have the first idea of what to do with that. I don’t even know what I like, apart from women, songs and stories, and living the life I lead, a life on the road, you can get all three in vast quantities.”

“You’re getting something, at least,” Kydan said, “At least an ale. Or your next carriage fare for wherever your search for memories takes you next.”

“You’re too kind, lad. Speaking of carriages,” Auros looked back to where the rest of the group were- The horses seemed ready to go again and the driver was taking his position at the front, “Looks like we’re just about ready for the final stretch.”

“Looks that way,” Kydan said, “Auros…”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. For agreeing to this. And… I hope you can find where you came from soon, and why you lost your memory. I can only imagine what that situation must be like.”

“Ah, it’s not so bad. Better to have no memories at all than bad memories, or at least that’s what I tell myself when I see people like that poor young mother and child… And you, for that matter.”

Kydan shook his head as thoughts of his now-ruined home surged through his mind and pierced him like a jab from a spear.

Ky! You need to run!

No, I’m not leaving you!

You have to! Live… Live for us, please…

“Sorry,” Auros looked at him glumly, “I feel like I can’t go five minutes without putting my foot in my mouth, especially since I’m the one person I’ve seen who can’t remember anything bad happening to him.”

“No problem,” Kydan snapped out of it, “It’s just… Sometimes I feel like I’m back there again.”

“You want to talk about it?” Auros asked, “I mean, you probably don’t, but… Maybe that might help? I dunno, maybe that’s stupid…”

“It’s not stupid, Auros,” Kydan assured him, “But… I don’t know if it’s something I want to bring up. It’s not exactly bright and cheery, as you’d expect. Maybe… Maybe I’ll be ready sometime.”

“I understand, lad,” Auros gave him a clap on the shoulder, “Now let’s not keep this good man and his horses waiting any longer! I’ve got a single mother to flirt with over there, too…”

Kydan rolled his eyes, “Read the room, man…”

*

A bright and very hot day turned to a tranquil and slightly milder evening, as twilight began to close in and they made their way through the city gates of Mahernas, the City of Merchants. The carriage driver stopped to let them off and they each thanked him and said their goodbyes.

“Once again, I can’t thank you young men enough,” the driver said in hushed tones, looking over his shoulder to see if there were guards listening, “We’d all have been Fiend food if it weren’t for you…”

“It was nothing, really,” Auros said, “I’m just glad we were there by chance to help.”

“Agreed,” Kydan nodded, “We just did what anyone would’ve done,”

“Modest to the end,” the young mother chuckled, “We can’t thank you enough either, of course,” she gave Auros a slightly meaningful look as her gaze lingered on him.

“Ah, the pleasure is all ours, Madam,” Auros gave her a flourishing bow, “To have been able to assist a maiden of your beauty is but a chance of a lifetime!”

The woman giggled, and her son piped up, “Thank you so much, Mister Auros and Mister Kydan!”

“No worries, kid,” Kydan smiled, “Now promise me you’ll get big and strong and protect your mom, okay?”

“Of course!” the kid looked up at his mom, then back at Kydan, “I’m gonna grow big and strong and be a Dungeon Hunter, just like you!”

The boy may have said that a bit too loud, since as soon as he said ‘Dungeon Hunter’, Kydan heard mutterings from passersby.

“Another one?”

“Heh, another country bumpkin come to be a lamb to the slaughter…”

“Seems like the old Burning Gauntlet has got competition…”

“So young, too… He must be suicidal, poor thing…”

“Who’s that lanky fella with him? You don’t see hair that white very often…”

Kydan looked into Auros’ eyes, sensing the immediate danger. They both said a quick final goodbye to the driver and the other two passengers, and disappeared into the crowd, still hearing faint whispers about them as they went.

*

“They say you can buy anything here,” Auros gave Kydan a look of childlike wonder as they walked the cobblestone streets of the main district, where many smells of herbs and spices wafted through the air and the bustle of people coming and going meant that you had to shout slightly to be heard. They seemed to have escaped the gossiping locals who had pounced upon the very mention of a Dungeon Hunter, and were now hopelessly trying to navigate their way to an inn.

“I’m sure that’s an exaggeration,” Kydan said, “If you could, we wouldn’t have to go into a Dungeon to find a Spirit Vessel, would we?”

Auros pretended to huff, “Have it your way then, almost anything… I’m a bard, part of our job description is exaggeration…”

Kydan shook his head, “If you say so. What kind of place is this, though, really? All I really know is that there’s a Dungeon nearby, I didn’t do too much research other than that…”

“So you could be wandering into a den of vipers for all you know?” Auros gave Kydan a glance as if he was the stranger of the pair, “That’s one way to travel, I suppose.”

“Sorry for not being as organised as the amnesiac,” Kydan murmured.

Auros’ expression seemed to darken slightly as he continued, “If what I’ve heard is to be believed, we may well be wandering into a den of vipers…”

“Really? How come?”

“I wasn’t really exaggerating when I said you could buy anything here. Sure, on the surface level it’s all fancy herbs from here and top of the range weapons from there… But once you get to the seedy underbelly- Oh, boy…”

“What?” Kydan looked disgusted just imagining, “You mean, like… Slaves?” he uttered the final word with venom and distaste.

“Slaves, yes,” Auros nodded gravely, “This is apparently one of the largest hubs for the trading of people, that’s true. But also potent drugs which could kill the largest Fiend you could imagine if ingested, as well as Fiends themselves…”

“What, they cage up Fiends and haul them off to be guard dogs and living weapons for some other corrupt bastard of an Overlord?”

“Exactly so. Speaking of Overlords, did you hear what one of those irritating locals back there said?”

Kydan’s knuckles clenched, “Yeah, someone mentioned Lendras, didn’t they?”

“Specifically, they used his moniker, the Burning Gauntlet, but yes.”

“The Overlord of Alreese, and the man who ordered my home to be torched…”

Kydan pushed back those memories before they had the chance to re-emerge. He had to be on his guard here in this new territory.

“The way they spoke about him, it was as if he’s here, which is concerning,” Auros said.

“Yeah, they mentioned something about him having competition.”

“From what I’ve heard, he does employ Dungeon Hunters to essentially do his dirty work. He’s been vying for the Spirit Vessel at Alfad Remeris for a long time, although none of his paid help have been successful. An Ancient at his beck and call would be a nice feather in his cap, though, and would put him on an equal playing field with a lot of the serious contenders in the Overlord world. He wouldn’t be as much of an international laughingstock then…”

If the man who had lain waste to Hayvren was an ‘international laughingstock’, Kydan shuddered to think of what other of the less benevolent Overlords of the world might be capable of.

“So you think maybe they were just talking about him generally?”

“Maybe,” Auros muttered, “But rumour has it he’s been getting impatient- He’s said if none of his cronies can do the job for him, he may as well do it himself. Not that he’d be capable though, the man is apparently a moron…”

Kydan stopped in his tracks, causing Auros to look back at him.

“Kydan?”

“He… He’s here…”

“I said he might be here,” Auros said, “It’s nothing to worry about, probably.”

“If he is, we need to get to that Dungeon, fast!” Kydan’s blue eyes were full of an urgent spark of fear mixed with… Was that anticipation?

“Come on, lad, I need rest!” Auros sighed, “It’ll be nightfall soon, and we haven’t even gotten our bearings yet…”

It was then that a booming, authoritative voice yelled from behind them, “Hey, you two! Stop where you are, by order of the Overlord’s Guard!”

“Oh, brother,” Auros spat darkly before turning around with what he probably hoped was a winning smile on his face, “What seems to be the officer, problem? Or should I say… I didn’t do it!”

“Wow, real smooth,” Kydan gave his companion an elbow.

“Ow! You little…”

“You two’re the Dungeon Hunters, yeah?”

“Well really, sir, he’s the only Dungeon Hunter, I’m more of a… Bard, jester, type thing…”

“Thanks,” Kydan hissed.

“That’s not what we heard,” a second guard carrying a large spear came over to join his colleague, “We’ve had numerous reports of a blonde teenager and a strange looking white-haired man calling themselves Dungeon Hunters,”

“Strange looking?” Auros said incredulously, “And for the record, we never said we were Dungeon Hunters! It was some kid, some kid we had never seen before, some little street urchin who…”

“Enough rambling,” the first armoured, spear-wielding lackey looked at his companion, “Seize them!”

On those words, they advanced on their two targets, “You’re coming with us! That Spirit Vessel you’re after is the property of one man and one man only!”

“What’s the plan, Auros?” Kydan said, eyeing those glinting spears the guards were clutching, “Fight or run?”

“We can’t fight here, not with so many onlookers, so… Run!”

At the same time, both Kydan and Auros ran at one of the guards and tackled them to the ground, careful to avoid running themselves through on the men’s spears. To Kydan’s surprise, he managed to take down the man in front of him who was a lot bigger and beefier than the seventeen-year-old was. It was probably shock more than anything that won it for him- The guard probably expected him to try and run the other way instead of tackling him head-on.

“Gah! What do you think you’re doing, you little…”

“Get back here! If you run, it’ll cost you your lives, you rodents!”

The men were puffing and gasping, trying to get back on their feet, while onlookers exclaimed and chattered amongst themselves, some of them chortling about what had just happened, others speaking in disapproving tones about Kydan and Auros.

“Street scum… They won’t be able to run forever…”

“No one slights the guards and gets away with it…”

“Dungeon Hunters, eh? Hell, if they can do it, it’d be great to see old Lendras lose out on that whatchamacallit he’s after…”

Kydan and Auros sprinted off down a winding street, adrenalin taking over. Auros chuckled heartily, and Kydan laughed too despite himself.

“Rodents, are we? Those fools got taken down by a pair of mice!” Auros exclaimed jubilantly, “Kydan, my friend- We only just got here, but something tells me this is going to be the adventure of a lifetime…”

“Those Dungeon Hunters went down there!”

“Oh, Gods,” Auros looked back, checking to see if the guards were gaining on them, but could see no one yet other than a beggar or two on the side of the street.

“Hey, stop where you are!” one of the guards’ voices rang out behind them, the clanging of metal ringing out as the soldiers ran.

“I’d tell you you’ve seen nothing yet, Auros,” Kydan said as they ran, “But we’ll have to outrun these armoured fools first!”