“See, I’m not the only one,” Rook said to Reina.

  The enhancer pressed her lips together and leveled a glance at him. Continuing down into the trade district, Alderion was whipping through the workers’ district, mostly talking about the events of the days prior. Rook snickered while Al readjusted his shawl every few feet.

  “There’s no hiding those ears,” Rook said, watching the elf struggle.

  Al turned towards him to retort, but they were interrupted by three Ollar City guards holding their pole axes at the low ready.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” Reina asked, stepping forward to meet them.

  The frontman cleared his throat. “Good day, we just want to ask a few questions. We received a report of troublemakers, including an elf and Torokin, walking the city grounds. You know the law we-”

  “I understand the laws; my father was a part of the signing party who created them,” Reina interjected. “Our business is our own. This group here is in my party. The party of two within the Order of the Sentinels.”

  The ranking guard paled before snapping a crisp salute. “Sentinel, I had no idea. I apologize!”

  Rook glared at the others, and they responded with a crisp snap to attention, bringing their pole arms back to a neutral vertical position.

  “Thank you, guards, for keeping us safe,” Reina said, waving them off on their patrol.

  “God, is this what it’s like when I do a traffic stop?” Rook rubbed at his temple. “I must have looked like such a goon.”

  * * *

  The gentle clank of hammer to anvil marked the exit of the trade district and into the central courtyard area, the Bloodstone flexed their elven asses at. An involuntary shudder ran up Rook’s spine. There wasn’t enough bleach in the world to rid the image of those people, his people in the cage, chained to a Griffin. The man, Jacob, getting squeezed like an orange.

  “I sense the stink of Griffin.” Al froze, and a look of anger twisted into his face. “Did the Bloodstone come through here?” He asked.

  “Yes, it’s what brought us to the Order of the Sentinels, the quests to get stronger, and eventually the Mine of Struggle. I refuse to be beaten by those elf bastards, no offense,” Rook said, glancing at his compatriot elf.

  Rook frowned at Reina. He wasn’t sure, but he could’ve sworn a smile tugged on the corner of Al’s lip.

  She looked at the elf, then smiled at Rook. “Well, it seems that we may be growing on you, too, Alderion.”

  “There are worse traveling companions than you three. Considering the state of elven and human relations, I am relieved that there wasn’t some dirty Dwarf or Gnome boasting about their achievements.”

  Rook sighed, more heavily than he meant to.

  “No offense to the memory of that, Sentinel who lost his life.” Al looked forward or faced.

  “It’s fine, the more we avoid the topic, the more it will sting. Gotta bring it up and move past it.”

  Al glanced his way towards Reina. She nodded in affirmation.

  “I hate those dwarves and gnomes,” Al said, as if we just gave him free rein.

  “Point taken,” Mara responded flatly. “You know, Alderion, you’re free to wag your tongue, but be careful what you say in the wrong company. You may lose two senses that way,” Mara said, matter-of-factly.

  Alderion looked at the Torokin, as if he was going to say something, thought better, and faced back forward. If anything, Mara knew all too well about those with prejudices.

  Rook watched a group of kids playing tag down an alleyway. This place made Rook forget about his responsibilities. How could they remain the same when he is constantly in fight or flight? Each time he exits Brianna’s, he takes his life into his own hands.

  “My conditions are to find my people, human, please do not misunderstand our arrangement,” Alderion said out of the blue, breaking Rook’s thought chain.

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  “I understand, Al.”

  “It’s Alderion,” the elf responded.

  “You think I’d forget that just to have a cool elf to journey with? No chance.” Rook shot a glance at Reina. Maybe it’s time we visited the historian, and knock out two birds with one stone.

  They continued through until they hit the healing quarter. Stopping to inspect the tents, Rook sighed. Each of the tents buzzed with activity. Deciding they were all the same, they got behind a line of adventurers and waited for their turn to enter. Rook eyed an archer with a crossbow designed with the face of a dragon standing directly in front of him. The mouth of the dragon leaked black smoke, as if enchanted. Whoa. A hand on the back of his shoulder, and he was able to identify the archer in front of him.

  Human (Silver)

  Archer

  Level 24

  He glanced behind his shoulder and thanked Reina. “You always know when I need to satisfy my curiosity.” Rook looked around at the other lines; one was full of adventurers in robes of purple and magenta. “Whose that group?”

  Reina followed his gaze. “The sorcerers’ guild. They are a secretive bunch, but from what I know, they are identified by their rank. Every now and again, they come and get healed after their promotion trials.”

  “Promotions,” Rook muttered. Turning, he jumped after making eye contact with Al. “Damn, dude, I forgot you were there.”

  “After this healing can we go find out where the Dawndrasil went?” He asked.

  “Yes, the historical society is nearby, just out of the healing district and into the trade district.”

  Rook whipped the tent flap open with a snap, and they entered. Inside the same healers that he remembered were inside, working. Their glowing hands hovered over cuts, burns, and even some compound fractures. They waited for their turn, getting seen over by the Torokin.

  A dwarven healer walked over to Alderion and pointed at the seat. Al crossed his arms and pointed his nose up, as if he were too good to take commands from a dwarf. “You must sit down, you’re too tall.”

  “Do not presume to tell me what to do, halfling.” Alderion walked over and sat down anyways.

  The dwarf rolled his eyes and examined the elf. “You talk big, for a blinded knife-eared bastard. On top of that, you have internal bleeding.”

  Alderion smiled, seemingly amused at the repartee.

  The dwarf healed the elf, and not long after, the torokin healer walked over to Rook and placed hands over Rook’s head and stopped. “You, human. You have a great darkness within your mind, as if death has already claimed it. Are you under a curse?”

  A curse? He flipped his status effects open and saw the notification of a skull and crossbones. I guess that’s a yes.

  Teru’s Curse

  Affliction, unknown effects.

  “Yes,” said Rook.

  The Torokin healer’s ears twitched at a grunt of pain within the tent. “I suggest you see the seers and find out what this means. For now, I will heal your cuts and bruises.”

  He paused on Mara and smiled. “You’re partied with these humans?”

  Mara regarded them kindly. “They’re my friends. Yes.”

  With a shrug, the Torokin healer worked on the rest of Reina and Mara. After paying for the party, Rook and Al exited the tent flap. Rook rotated his previously stiff shoulders. These healers would make a killing as physiotherapists. Al followed directly behind, craning his head up to glare at the sun.

  “No luck with your eyes, Al?” Rook asked, genuinely concerned.

  “No, this attack was caused by a cursed summon. We need to beat the summoner if I am to restore my vision.”

  “What does your vision actually show, can you see shapes or any colors?” Rook asked.

  The elf turned towards him. “Bits of both. But more powerful than those I can sense the feelings of those around me. The anger of the goblins was so thick that it was almost palpable. When we were in the chamber, your feelings of Teru matched my own and I could feel a kindred sense of shared fear and hatred.” He rotated one thick bronze hoop within his pointed ear. “What did he show you?”

  “The bastard tried to show me false memories of my grandfather, an elder of my family. The father to my mother,” Rook said.

  “I know what a grandfather is.”

  Rook chuckled. “I guess it’s not a uniquely human thing. Anyways, in the vision my grandfather Jimmy, was a kind and loving father figure.”

  Al smiled and nodded appreciatively. “All great elders are such. Which is why parents send them to their elders when they cannot-”

  “My grandfather was a crotchety asshole. From the moment he received me as a child to the day he passed. Don’t get me wrong I loved the man, he was the only family I knew since my parents were killed. But he never allowed me to be soft, or showed me anything like comfort or affection, and damn him for that,” Rook said with a sniff. “There were times I just wanted to not feel like I was the biggest inconvenience on Earth to him.”

  The elf was stoic, non-judging, and unmoving by Rook’s small trauma dump. I seriously have to stop doing that.

  “I’m glad you chose to defy Teru. He would have tried to take over your body to come back into Yorthon. It is a common tactic for minor deities, not actual powerful deities mind you. Also, I’m grateful that you shared that with me.”

  “No you’re not,” Rook said with a laugh.

  “I am.” Al responded, with a smile. “Your pain of the past is real, I can feel it. However, it’s misplaced. Behind all of the insults to your elder Grand-Father on this Earth.” He smiled at Rook, a small smile. “Regret sits like a stone hidden in the waves of emotion.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Rook responded, tugging at his collar. “I missed his death by one day. I received notification of his death by a phone call.” He sighed inwardly, knowing a phone call was another Earth concept. "I spent so many years trying to avoid going home. So many years avoiding dealing with the man as his mind deteriorated.” Rook puffed out a breath. “Who told you that metaphor, anyway?”

  “Actually it was my own bastard of a father who said that.”

  Rook nodded appreciatively. “Here they come,” he said, holding the flap open for the enhancer and Mara to walk out.

  “A gentleman, thank you,” she said, shielding her eyes from the sun.

  “My pleasure,” Rook responded.

  “I was speaking to Al.”

  “Oh. A lady and a liar all at the same time.”

  Reina glanced at him with a look of refreshed vigor carved on her face. “I feel like a new woman.”

  “Thank goodness, you were looking ragged,” Rook retorted.

  Reina went to slug him in the arm, but Rook was ready this time he felt faster and his body began reacting on its own. He leaned forward and instead of letting her fist strike his arm. He caught it with an open palm, trapped her wrist and pulled her in slightly with the intent of hip tossing her. However, he stopped when she was face to face.

  “Whoa, were you always this nimble?” She asked, pulling her hand away.

  “Sorry I am still getting used to this past life instinct thing,” Rook said, surprised at his own dexterity.

  They walked for a while, taking back ways until they pressed into the trading district. People around Reina nodded, some smiled and waved, but all eyed Alderion with suspicion. Even if his ears were concealed with a hood, if they looked close enough his blue skin would be visible. Luckily for him, Mara walked alongside them. It’s no wonder that the healers didn’t care a shit that he was an elf, not when there was such a diverse party. I wonder if they could tell that he was a Dawndrasil.

  “That was strange right, about my mind?” Rook asked, rubbing at his head. “I feel fine, great even.”

  “My best guess is that it has something to do with that antechamber of Teru,” she said, whispering the last word.

  “Our seers would be able to find the cause. I will ask them to do it as a favor, it is the least I can do for assisting in my escape,” Alderion said.