~ Revenant ~

The Long Goodbye

It was dark, but there was a flickering light nearby. Dull oranges and reds. Fire. No, not just a fire. An absurdly huge fire. The heat of it was overpowering, and Lina turned to move away—

I'm standing, she thought. But I can't move. Why is that?

She became aware of a dryness in her mouth and throat, and a mild discomfort against her back, and—

I'm tied to a tree. My arms—and my legs, too, I'm tied to a tree by my arms and legs and there's a fire in front of me and ... people.

Two people. Sitting beside the fire and talking. What are they saying? I can't hear, they're talking too low. But they're close! Just a few metres away, I should be able to understand them, why can't I?

Wait. There, beside me, someone else is tied to another tree. The boy I rescued. He's tied to a tree beside me. What's going on here?

An odd sound caught Lina's attention—stone against metal, she thought, and there, beyond the fire, sitting some distance away, was a hulking figure, all black and flickering red, holding something in his huge hands, movements rhythmic and repetitive as he—

Axe, Lina thought, as she saw the flicker of flames on steel. Really big axe. He's sharpening it.

"Oh good," came a smooth voice, from somewhere in front of Lina. "She's awake."

Lina focused on the two figures now standing in front of the fire. They were both tall and broad, differentiated mostly by the way they moved. The one behind swaggered. The one in front glided.

"I'm surprised it took you so long to regain consciousness," said the gliding one. "You've missed the whole day! Perhaps our Ren gave you a little too much of a zap? Never mind. You're awake now, and that's all that really matters. I couldn't help but notice you, back in the city, I knew I simply had to meet you. You see, my little friend here told me that you were rather special."

Lina tried to focus on the item the young man held up for her—she saw metal and glass and not much else. He lowered it again.

"Don't tell anyone I have that, by the by, it's supposed to be a secret. There's a certain someone in my life who would be more than a little unhappy to find out that I possessed such a toy. But, oh, where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself yet. I shall do so now, then."

He smiled at Lina, a perfect smile on a perfect face.

"My name is Edward Swift."

Felony stood flattened against the wall of the alley, listening hard.

"They're gone," she said. "Just like WE should be. Why the HELL are we still in this city, Tal? What was all that last night, 'reduce the risk', what the HELL is going on here?"

"Calm yourself." Talise was gazing down at her energy detection device. "There is a definite presence within this city, quite close to us and getting closer."

"Probably Ren and the others," said Kyle.

"No," Talise said. "They left the city this morning. I received a message from Edward, it was slightly garbled but understandable enough. He indicated that there are other energy adepts here. I want to meet them."

"What?" Kyle said. "WHY?"

"Because Mr Garnett would be very happy if we returned with more than one new asset. Also because I'm curious." Talise smiled thinly. "You know I enjoy meeting new people." She looked down at the device again. "It seems to be a small group ... or one exceptionally powerful individual."

"Don't know which sounds worse," Kyle muttered. "Zivah, are you okay?"

The Pyrian girl was standing near the alley wall, holding her robes tight around her body, shivering slightly.

"I'm frightened," she said.

"It's okay, girl," said Felony. "We're getting outta this dump soon. Just gotta indulge the curiosity of a certain 'professional' first."

"Just what are you implying?" Talise asked. "I don't believe that—"

She stopped at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"All of you, with me, now," she commanded, as she walked briskly towards the alley entrance. Felony shook her head as she followed, Kyle staying close to Zivah. Talise was first out of the alley, though she froze in place as soon as she emerged on to the street. There was a tall girl with straight black hair and stern dark eyes standing in the middle of the road, a bow held in her hands, the string taut, an arrow notched and aimed at Talise's heart. Behind her was a rather dapper gentleman wearing a dark suit and top hat, a black cane in his hand and a rapier at his side. Beside him were two girls. One was of average height and build, though she stood like she was twice the size she actually was, with short brownish hair and light brown eyes. The other was small, with a pretty face framed by thick black hair. She was hiding behind the bigger girl.

"Is this them?" the girl with the bow asked.

"Yes," said the gentleman with the hat. "Undoubtedly." He raised his voice, addressing Talise: "I'd advise you not to move—that goes for you behind as well, the Harmonian lad and the Pyrian girl, and you too ... hm." He smiled at Felony. "You're rather interesting, aren't you?"

"You really think this is the time to be talking about how interesting these guys are?" said stands-like-she's-ten-feet-tall.

"Perhaps not," the gentleman admitted. "In any case, I wonder what it is you're doing here. Are you with the Pyrian authorities? Some manner of specialists?"

Felony laughed. "Do we LOOK like any kind of authority?"

"Felony," Talise growled, warningly. She fixed her eyes on the gentleman. "You're a pure energy adept. Correct?"

"Goodness, I'm impressed," said the gentleman. "Especially considering that you, rather obviously, are not. Yes, I happen to be a pure energy user—ah, you asked the Pyrian girl? Before you emerged from the alley? But, no ... perhaps not. How interesting. Why are you in Pyre?"

"I'm not telling you," said Talise, her voice shaking only slightly.

"This arrow is aimed at your heart," said the girl with the bow. "It wouldn't take much to put it there."

"I know that," said Talise. "Even so, I won't tell you why we're here."

"Loyalty?" the gentleman asked. "Or something else?"

"Let's call it professionalism," said Talise. The gentleman smiled.

"As good a word as any."

"Why are you here?" Talise asked.

"I could tell you," the gentleman said, "but I'm not going to. Partly because there is a group of rather angry guards getting nearer by the second, but mostly because I suspect that you and I, Miss Ice, are working at cross-purposes, something that rather saddens me. For now I bid you farewell. I would wish you luck, but again, I suspect that I would disagree with your goals. Selene? We depart."

Felony watched as the group disappeared down the street, the girl with the bow keeping it trained on Talise until she was out of sight.

There was a moment of silence, then Talise breathed out in relief.

"Curiosity satisfied?" asked Felony. "Guess you're not so icy after all, huh?"

"Shut up," Talise said, glaring at Felony. "I just had an arrow aimed at my heart by, I'm almost certain, a perception adept. It wasn't pleasant."

Talise took another deep breath, then let it out slowly.

"Um, are we getting out of here now?" Kyle asked. Talise ignored him.

"Felony," she said, without looking at her. "I hear you're the best courier ever to come out of Clock Face."

"Yeah, so?"

Talise smiled coldly.

"I have a task for you."