Trader Takedown - Magic & Mushrooms

◈ WHO: Xiu, Cesc, & Ryder (Rapidashtrainer, Atmadja, & Skyeforge)
◈ WHEN: Midafternoon until Sunset on July 6, 2019
◈ WHERE: Wooded clearing near Oakdale
◈ WEATHER: Cool and foggy.

The time had come, Ryder was finally feeling completely fine after he had taken almost a month to recover. The frei had finally gained back all his color and the once dark brown freckles had sprung back to life in full, colorful bloom.

The toadstool raevan had secretly spoken to Alice and plotted a way to take down Erryd. But the first problem had already arisen. He had no idea where to start looking. It was high time he involved one of his best friends, and mentors, into the fold, Xiu. It had been awhile since the two had last spoke. Ryder was ashamed of how he dealt with the beast he had conjured all those months ago and it was high time to let Xiu in on everything that had happened, as he was blissfully unaware of all the troubles.

The texts were long, novel-esque pieces with valuable information. It was in these texts to his friend that Ryder spelled out everything to Xiu. His meeting with the Trader, the fact that it was supposed to be kept a secret, how the Trader had given him these “miraculous” powers to control reality in return for his poisonous skin trait. How Ryder took months honing in on the craft, eventually learned that utilizing the life of plants could potentially help him hone these skills and then exactly what happened with Erryd, his evil creation. The texts were detailed and very rough to write out. He felt ashamed, embarrassed, and worst of all, worried about what was to come from all of this. He hoped that his friend would have some sort of answers. At the end of the text, he asked the valsaros to meet with him in their usual meeting spot in the park, hoping that the two could come together and do what was needed to stop Erryd and the Trader from ever wreaking havoc again.

Ryder went back to the same clearing they had time and time found themselves in within the beautiful park that the two always met at. He needed it to be secret, as Reuben would never approve of such actions. Alice and Ryder snuck out of the house as they seemed to be under lock and key the past month. Reuben hardly let the two out of his sight since Ryder was found.

Though it was troublesome, this needed to happen. Ryder needed to take care of all the problems he caused with Erryd’s escape. Alice agreed that Erryd couldn’t be left to run rampant. It was time.

When his phone beeped a notification that he had received a message from Ryder, the Valsaros felt relieved. It had been a while since the two last met and Xiu was getting awfully worried about the Frei; ever since that disaster with Ryder’s larger than life tree monster. But as he had promised Ryder that he would give the other the necessary time and space to think things through, Xiu had no other choice but to wait for Ryder to initiate contact once more.

When Ryder finally did make contact though, Xiu’s initial relieved was quickly replaced with horror and then anger as he read through the contents of the message. That damn Trader! Had he not done enough damage?! And what is more, he name-dropped Xiu’s name in order to lull Ryder, his friend, into a false sense of trust.

The Piyao could feel his blood beginning to boil and had to take several deep breaths to calm himself down although that he felt most like doing was to punch a big gaping hole in the wall. There was no doubt that there would be a reckoning. There would have to be. But to do that, he would require the help of a friend who had a very specific skill set. Picking up his phone once more, Xiu dialled Cesc’s number.

“Cesc, the Trader’s at it again and this time it’s Ryder,” said Xiu briefly as soon as the phone was answered. “How soon can you meet me at the park? Yes, the one where we met Ryder…”

The park was a good thirty minutes away by bus but the Valsaros decided that he needed the walk. There was time yet till the hour of their meeting and hopefully by then, the steam would have worn off. They needed a clear head and a permanent solution for this and arriving enraged and flustered would not help matters. He would meet Cesc at the park’s entrance and together, the both of them would meet Ryder at the agreed upon location to talk things over and to form the best course of action.

Rhedefre had to admit, his life had leaned so completely into normalcy that he had nearly forgotten that the Trader existed. His routine was dependable: work, school, sports, social gatherings, lather, rinse, repeat. He was rarely, if ever, called upon to craft weaponry from his wings these days. He was rarely, if ever, told magical secrets or given tasks too dangerous for mortal men.

It was a quiet relief. He liked his life that way. Girls smiled at him and he didn’t wonder if he reminded them of old, heroic, legendary lovers. People were rude in the bakery lines; he chalked it up to simple rudeness and not to any deep-seated hatred that would lead into an actual battle. Houses he went to no longer exploded.

It was simple. Everything was simple.

And he’d needed a little simple.

So when Xiu called with the words ‘the Trader’s at it again,’ Cesc had the smallest urge to say: I’m busy tonight, sorry, bud.

But Ryder’s name gave him pause. He remembered the mushroom frei, earnest and hardworking and so, so self-conscious, so anxious about making a mistake. Anxious, well-meaning people were targets for the Trader. And magical anxious, well-meaning people had so much more to give--to trade--then the norm.

Cesc sighed, verified the time and the meeting place, and for the first time in months, beat his strong wings into the air and made his way into what he knew would be a fight.

He wasn’t far from the park, and the flight there was short. When he landed in the park entrance, he sat comfortably on a nearby bench, looking like he’d maybe just come for a stroll--sneakers, jeans, a grey tee, a baseball cap. He rested, arms draped over the bench backing, and waited to see either Xiu or Ryder approach.

As the mushroom frei approached the park, there sat Cesc. Oh no, was this just coincidence? Was he summoned again by Xiu to help? Ryder wasn’t expecting to see the valsaros there. Should he come forth and say something? Should he try to ignore him or make conversation? Was it too much of a coincidence to assume that Xiu invited him here? All these questions, and more, rushed through the frei’s mind all at once. His focus was Erryd, not entirely the Trader. But maybe Xiu needed more help?

However, Alice’s face lit up by the sight of him. He was handsome, so much different from Ryder, but instinctively she knew what he was. He was one of them. A raevan. Her far spaced eyes blinked lovingly as they approached closer and closer. Her mind was no longer on any of their problems, just on this man here.

“Cesc, hello,” Ryder stated, swallowing the large lump in his throat. “It has been a while,” he said, his voice almost shaking with anticipation. He didn’t want to give up too much information in case this was, by chance, a coincidence.

Alice stood behind the frei and flicked his back as if to remind him she was here.

“Oh, yes,” he said. “Sorry, this is Alice,” he began, turning his attention to his real life imagining. “This is Rhedefre, but we call him Cesc for ease.”

“Very nice to meet you, Rhedefre,” she said, holding out her hand and blinking her wide-set eyes.

Ryder could see the infatuation on his creation’s face. Sure he was handsome, but one doesn’t need to be so extra. “Umm, Cesc, I do not mean to be a bother at all...but have you seen Xiu around? We have a meeting scheduled here and I am curious to know if he has arrived.”

It would appear that he was late to the party. Despite arriving with a few minutes to spare, the Valsaros had apparently forgotten how anxiety might prompt Ryder to arrive earlier than expected and that Cesc could disregard the inconveniences of walking altogether.
“Sorry I am late,” huffed Xiu as he rapidly closed the distance between them. “I invited Cesc over because he has helped me negate some of the Trader’s harm in the past,”

It was then that Xiu’s eyes fell onto Alice and the Valsaros paused for a moment uncertain. “Perhaps you’d like to do the introductions Ryder? And maybe fill Cesc in on the details? It would be better hearing it straight from the source. Especially about what was it that was traded,”

Turning to Cesc, Xiu gave the stag an apologetic grin. “Sorry Cesc. I knew we have joked about being too old for such high jinks but in this circumstance…,”

Cesc straightened as he saw the frei approaching with… a girl? No, not… not quite… Cesc frowned gently as the two advanced. She was strange in many ways, from her wide-set eyes to the length of her cascading hair to the length of her limbs. She had charm and girlishness and all the magic of a very ugly beauty, a strange exquisiteness like a bird of paradise. Rhedefre’s face softened. Her expression when she looked at him was nakedly pleased. She blinked the slow blink of one who desires for you to linger on their own eyes.

Cesc’s smile was slow and lopsided. He extended a hand to Ryder first, as he was the one who spoke before the girl, covering his hand with an armor of light as he had the first time they met. “Good to see you again,” he said, with an ease that belied the seriousness of the meeting. “Xiu’ll be around in a second, I expect. Alice, hello, a pleasure.”

He took the girl’s proffered hand and shook it, but any further conversation was abbreviated as Xiu did indeed appear, and Cesc could only smile in gentle apology to the girl before turning toward his friend.

“Yeah,” he said to Xiu with a laugh. “Might be a little under-informed. Happy to help where I can, though. Good to see you, by the way. Lookin’ sharp as ever.”

Upon Xiu’s arrival, Ryder turned and relief began to pour over him. So Cesc was invited to take part in helping him. That was also somewhat of a relief. He wasn’t wanting a lot of others involved in his problems, but these two valsaros definitely had the skills to help him.

“Xiu, I am so happy you have arrived!” the frei exclaimed, coming to his side and grabbing his arm. “I presume you remember Alice?”

These pretty valsaros were glorious in the creation’s eyes. Alice smiled and held out a hand to Xiu as well. She was enthralled with them both. They’d both got legs just like hers, albeit a bit more proportional. They were like humans, much more like Reuben or Evan than Ryder’s half body. She liked that much better. She always found Ryder’s ribbon to be fascinating, but humans were more like her, and she found them to be that much more interesting. “It’s very nice to see you in the flesh, Xiu,” she said with a crooked smile.

Ryder stopped the introductions there as it seemed as though Xiu hadn’t truly explained much and instead just requested assistance. It was time to come clean to Cesc and explain everything from start to finish.

“It began back in October of last year. I had not been out of the house for weeks and decided to go out and practice some magic deep within the forest. I came across these old ruins and it was there the Trader appeared to me and talked of all the people he has helped through their troubles, including Xiu. Since he knew Xiu, and I had no knowledge of their background, I was fooled into thinking that this creature could help me too. So, I accepted his deal. He took from me my poisonous skin and instilled within me the power to create reality. The moment I began to practice this new magic, however, I realized these new powers were quite a bit more potent than my imagination magic had ever been. It tired me out doing the most simplest of tasks. I could not practice, and thus I shut myself away from the world, not utilizing these new skills that were available to me.” The young frei sighed and took a deep breath, now he had to explain Erryd’s dealings in all of this.

“Then, to make a long story short, Erryd, my shadow self, had been biding his time in order to slowly drain my unused powers from me to the point that he was able to free himself from the prison of my mind and become his own entity, one who was a physical replica of myself. I fell into a deep coma from all the stress he put my mind and body through and was locked away in a nightmarish dreamscape. After a fight he had with my guardians, he ran away, which is what we believe broke the barrier keeping me confined to the dreamscape. When I was able to awaken from that nightmare earlier this month, I arose weak and powerless and found that he had been impersonating me for the past few months and strengthening the powers he stole from me. He stole and utilized my very own spellbook and notes I had written throughout my time with this sorcery. Now, I have my strength back, but very little magic with which to fight. Although I am the weaker half between the two of us, I need to stop him from wreaking havoc on the world. I do not know what he is truly capable of and I need to take back my powers and stop him from using this magic for his own selfish purposes. I am of the opinion that he has left to seek out the Trader for guidance, thus I have requested aid.”

Ryder was always long winded, he always had to be detailed, give as much as he could, and decided that more information, especially in this case, was better than less. He hoped these two valsaros would somehow be able to enlighten him and give him some sort of direction.

Meanwhile, Alice stood back and just kept her wide eyes on the two valsaros, watching their facial expressions change throughout the telling of his story. She was intrigued by them. Her attention was no longer focused on anything but them and their reactions.

“Ah, a pleasure to see you again Alice,” said Xiu as he shook the proffered hand. It felt solid. Real. Which should not really come as a surprise as he knew of Ryder’s capability. What was impressive though was that Alice was sentient and was capable of thought and speech unlike the creature Ryder had summoned previously. But all musings were placed on the back burner once Ryder began to recount his tale. While the message that the Frei had sent had been pretty detailed, Xiu was nevertheless able to glean much more information concerning the trade off and its consequence to Ryder. His folded arms twitched a little when Trader’s conniving use of his name was mentioned for the second time that day. The Valsaros’s lips were in a tight line by the time Ryder’s tale was finished.

“I am glad that you were able to escape the dreamscape Ryder and that you were right in sending the message when you did. This Erryd persona… it would be wise not to take him lightly if he has the power of manifesting entities like you Ryder; and if he is indeed seeking out the Trader, it will only be a matter of time before he finds him. I can only imagine the chaos that might erupt from such an alliance. If an alliance is something that the Trader would give. No, more likely than not, Erryd is going to be manipulated but never for the better…,”

“And if we do find Erryd, what is your plan Ryder? Do we catch him and seal him back into the dreamscape? Or are you hoping for a more...permanent solution?” asked the Valsaros gravely. “Cesc and I have had some experiences with the Trader but a stand off…,”

Could they even manage that?

A small seed of doubt sprouted in Xiu’s mind.

The Trader was scary…

An image of the Trader’s looming form in the dark formed itself. His bright red eyes, his self satisfied smirk at his client’s despair...

He must be stopped.

Turning to Cesc, Xiu then asked “Think you can find either Erryd or the Trader with that power of yours? Your searching skills are second to none,”

Rhedefre began listening to Ryder’s tale with a furrowed brow and serious interest, but as his story unraveled with turns and darker twists, Cesc’s face changed. His eyebrows slowly lifted higher and higher, and his mouth flattened into a line. By the final words, his lips were pulled over his teeth and he was nodding shallowly, his eyes distant.

What, he thought to himself, the fuck.

He rose from this internal monologue only when Xiu called him back to attention, drawing in a sharp breath.

“Well, Ryder, I’m sorry, but that’s some real sh--mess,” said the valsaros, catching himself before he swore. “But let’s take a knee here before we start tracking anyone.”

Cesc’s eyes became sharp as he looked at Ryder. “You said this guy’s more powerful than you are, but you still want to take him--what’re you wanting, here? The four of us against him? Xiu and I against the Trader and you and Alice here against Erryd? I can’t in good faith let you go do that if you’re just going to get yourself killed. You’ve got a weapon, skills, something that gives you two the upper hand?”

Ryder took in the information Xiu was giving him. When asked the question about what his wishes were for Erryd, he hadn’t really thought about that. Stopping him was the only necessity. Did that mean killing him? Did that mean locking him away? No, death was the only option for him. He had to kill him, it was the only way.

“I believe that a, as you put it, permanent solution is necessary for this kind of madness,” he said, shifting uncomfortably even at the thought.

Finding out that Cesc had the ability to search for people was wondrous news. Ryder’s face turned upright at the thought. The three could be off looking for the culprits now! Why are we wasting time? Ryder thought to himself, that was, until Cesc spoke.

“No, it is some real shit. Agreed,” the frei spat, stroking his chin with concern on his face. “I guess I would say you and Xiu should take on the Trader, since you are both well aware of his antics and what may be best to stop him,” he paused a moment, taking a deep breath. “That leaves Alice and I to take down Erryd.”

“As it should be,” Alice interjected.

“Yes,” Ryder said, nodding. It made the most sense. With Alice on his side, he had at least something Erryd wouldn’t have.

“As far as weapons, I have none. I have some mild experience with a sword from what Xiu has shown me in our lessons. Granted, I had not handled a sword personally, I took wonderful notes and watched intently, gleaning any information I could from Xiu for my own imaginings who utilized a blade. I feel confident if I had some form of blade I would be able to handle it. Where can one find a weapon on such short notice?”

“I would also love to know,” Alice agreed. “I would like to help in any way I can.”

“Ok,” said Cesc, nodding and crossing his arms over his chest. His mind was speeding, speeding through possibilities, very few of them good. He labored in keeping his face neutral, genial. “I can curse. Good to know. Ok.”

He turned toward Alice, the muscles in his jaw jumping. “I take it you’re not the armory, then?”

Cesc looked at Xiu, still nodding. “Ok. Yeah. Ok. Xiu, can I have a quick word with you?”

Xiu nodded when Ryder decided that a permanent solution was in order but goggled at the Frei’s naivety concerning the utilization of weapons. Watching and taking notes, however detailed, was not a stand in for actual battle experience. Surely the Frei knew that!

The Valsaros was just about to voice this opinion when Cesc interjected, asking to have a private word. Xiu nodded and together the Valsari walked some ways away from Ryder. When they were sufficiently far away, or at least far away enough to hope that Ryder would not hear them Xiu shook his head, his shoulders sagging.

“This is…,”

More head shaking as Xiu struggled to find words to describe their current predicament. Complicated was an understatement. Clusterfuck might be a more appropriate term but it was also very crude, so the Valsaros settled for

“What are Ryder’s chances…?”

Cesc looked over his shoulder, offering Ryder a polite, encouraging smile, as the two took some steps away. As soon as he turned fully from the mushroom frei, Rhedefre dragged a hand down his face, allowing the mask to slip away. His eyes were round and concerned.

“So we’re sending this kid out to die, that’s what we’re doing here?” Rhedefre hissed back at Xiu, putting his hands on his hips. “Oh, Xiu. C’mon. They’re not great. You’re the most responsible guy I know. Would you give him your sword right now in good faith he wouldn’t come back with it through him?” He waited a beat, gesturing to the trusted weapon at Xiu’s side. “And just to be clear, the second I said that, your sword got uncomfortable.”

Xiu winced at the all too probable imagery. “You are right. Ryder is a good kid but I fear books may have made battles seem idealistic. Which they are not…,”

At the mention of his sword, the Valsaros gave a glance at the weapon by his side. “This sword helped me when I was a frei. Do you think…,”

But that question remained unasked as the Xiu had the strongest inkling that no, the sword was not going to be of much help to Ryder.

“This Erryd business though, it is something that Ryder himself will have to overcome,” said Xiu slowly while his brain raced. “We both know that. It is almost as a coming of age thing, as horrible as it sounds,”

Xiu then gave a glance back to Ryder. The poor kid seemed overly anxious and eager.

“But what we can do is to make sure that the Trader would not interfere. If this Erryd person is really seeking him out,”

“There is still some time. The Trader seems to prefer making his deals at dusk and now it is hardly yet noon..,”

The question was unasked and remained unanswered. Rhedefre, true to his word, could feel the waves of stubborn loyalty emanating from the sword at Xiu’s side--no, it was most certainly not interested in being of any use to anybody else.

Cesc exhaled slowly through pursed lips, frowning. He crossed his arms, his fingers digging into his biceps as he thought. He remembered being a frei, being against something that seemed so much bigger than himself, having the help of someone stronger than him and still opting to go it alone. He’d needed to then. It had been stupid, but it wasn’t negotiable to him then, and it probably wasn’t negotiable to Ryder now.

“Yeah. You’re right. We can… we can talk about the Trader after we sort Ryder out,” muttered Cesc. He took the baseball cap off his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Give it to me straight. What can I give this kid that has the least chance of killing him?” he asked. “A sword or a spear is out of the question. No way.”

Xiu nodded. Cesc’s words were rational which was something Xiu appreciated as his thoughts kept returning to the Trader. Without the other Valsaros at hand, his decisions would no doubt be heavily skewed.

“Ryder will need something lightweight,” agreed Xiu as a list of possible weapons came to mind. “Perhaps something discreet. A dagger? To be honest, a gun would be my first choice as Ryder would then be able to take his target down from a distance but ...this isn’t a target practice dummy. This is...an alter ego? It feels like murder…,”

Cesc shook his head rapidly. “No. No way. No gun. He’s not a marksman. He could just as easily kill a passer-by or himself or Alice with a gun. That’s way too dangerous.”

He paused, his expression darkening. “And… Xiu, I don’t actually think he’s going to commit murder. I wouldn’t send him out alone if I actually thought he was committing murder. I’m studying to be a cop, you think I’m going to just give someone a murder weapon?”

Rhedefre leveled a look at Xiu, lifting his shoulders. “He called this thing his ‘shadow self,’ right? It manifested through him and is running amok now. I don’t think wrangling it is going to be murder, so much as just… getting his magic back in order. It’s a summoned thing that needs to be un-summoned.”

Another pause. “But he’s not getting a gun to do it. Kills someone else, that’s murder.”

“Yes, getting things back in order is as apt a description as any,” said Xiu with a nod. “If not a gun, then a small concealed weapon. Prof. Estoc rather fancied the sleeve dagger or some other covert blades for close and sudden combat. He used to be rather morbid that way…,:

“Would that work against Erryd? Or would something more fantastical like a genie’s lamp?”

The stony seriousness of Cesc’s expression broke into an unexpected smile then. “I honestly don’t even know if I could make a genie’s lamp, so we’re going to go with a dagger.” He lifted his shoulders helplessly. “All this magic stuff, summoning, creating--whatever it is--that’s all new to me. But I’m still worried about him stabbing hims…”

The stag trailed off for a moment, then put his hand to his eyes in sudden overwhelming realization of his own stupidity. “...or I could just give him armor…”

The image of Ryder fully clad in armor as knights of old made Xiu laugh. It was hard to imagine Ryder as he was being combative. “That sounds like a plan. One of those kevlar looking protective gear? Something he could wear beneath his clothes would be good,”

Here Xiu chuckled again. “Or even Frodo’s mythrill armor would be nice,”

“ Let’s hope Erryd isn’t a face attacker though,” said Xiu as an afterthought.

Cesc smiled gently. “Alright, I can do something like kevlar. Might not be under his clothes, though. He’d have to take them off for me to do that, and I’m not looking to make anyone strip in the park.”

He broke into a laugh at Xiu’s last comment, shaking his head with his hand over his mouth. “You’re something else, Xiu. Guess we should go back and start getting them ready to … not die.”

“Making Ryder strip could probably land us in jail,” chuckled Xiu softly as they made their way back to the awaiting Frei. “Alright, a dagger and a shield seems possible. Let’s gear Ryder up then and maybe get some practice moves in him just in case. I am feeling all kinds of worry and it feels different from when I was going solo. That was a different kind of worry, if that makes sense,”

“So umm Ryder, Cesc and I have had our discussion and we feel that as foolhardy as it seems, you will be getting a blade and armor,” said Xiu as confidently as he could. “Once you are suited, a few practice swings will be in order…,”

Whilst the valsaros were speaking, Alice and Ryder were having a discussion of their own.

“What do you think they are talking about?” Alice asked.

“I would not have the slightest of clues. Maybe discussing ways to take down the Trader? Perhaps even discussing if they will let me go. Xiu has always been responsible, I have a feeling deep down that they may tell me to go home and not worry about anything.” the frei responded.

After a few moments of silence and thoughts running wild within their brains, the two raevan returned.

Oh, wonderful! They were going to give him a blade AND some armor!? But how?

“That sounds wonderful, thank you both for believing in me. So, where shall we go to get these supplies? Do you know someone who may have them handy?” the frei asked.

“Yes, and some that will fit my physique as well?” Alice chimed.

Ryder imagined having a beautiful set of armor with a large sword going into battle against the evil entity in order to destroy them, just like in the many tales he had read when he was younger. This entire thing was like that of a fantasy novel. He was nervous, determined, but thinking of the entire interaction with Erryd in this way gave him a new sense of confidence he didn’t previously have. Even if this was a false confidence as this was the real world.

Rhedefre walked back beside Xiu, his eyes still distant. That was a different kind of worry, the Piyao said. And he was right. It was a helpless sort of worry, a bystander’s worry. There was nothing for Cesc to do for Ryder but this, he knew, because it was simply how Raevan lives worked. Magic. Danger. But, if you were lucky enough, perhaps not death.

He held in a sigh and looked up as Ryder wondered aloud about where to get his weapons and armor.

A slow smile blossomed over the stag’s lips. Ryder seemed so pleased.

“Yeah,” said Cesc, easy. “I know a guy.”

He adjusted the brim of his ballcap and walked closer to Ryder, taking a look at the frei with more critical eyes. “What’s your dominant hand? Put it out for me.”

As he spoke, the gentle light that shone in Cesc’s eyes began to dawn, cresting into golden brightness. He reached, seemingly for nothing, and there was a snapping sound like a dry branch breaking. A momentary blackness showed where his hand had been, and suddenly there was a beam in the valsaros’ palm. He moved his fingers over it, folding it, molding it, like a sculptor.

As he worked, he spoke, his eyes trained on the forming dagger in his hands:

“I want you to hide this, ok? Put it in your--” Cesc looked up, stopping, noting that Ryder was, after all, just wearing a t-shirt. “--I’ll give you something to conceal it in. You use it when you need it, and that’s it. Don’t touch the blade. I’m going to say that again, for both of you.” He held Ryder’s gaze steady. “Do not touch the blade. It’s not a knife blade. It’s not that kind of blade.”

Rhedefre held the dagger aloft, showing it to the frei and his companion. It was golden, like the noontime light, and warm. It seemed to twinkle with a gentle prettiness, and its sleek, simple elegance was inviting. The stag held up a finger and bent, retrieving a fallen stick from the ground.

With barely any pressure, he slid the blade through the thickest part of the branch. The wood crackled at the touch, and as the dagger passed all the way through, Cesc showed Ryder and Alice the edge, where the wood was dark and singed.

“It won’t start a fire or burn through your clothes or anything, but it’ll do real damage if you put it in someone else. And there’s not a lot that will stop it.”

Cesc slid the dagger into a sheath and pressed the hilt into Ryder’s hand. “Feel good? Feel balanced?”

The sight was amazing. Ryder couldn’t fathom what abilities Cesc truly had. He could form literal weapons from nothing but light?! This was utterly fascinating. And it was real, tangible! He couldn’t understand what the stag was doing as he began to bend and mold the light into a tangible dagger.

And the exquisite beauty of the finished product, the frei couldn’t help but gawk. This was every fantasy lover’s dream. A handmade weapon, and one that was so potent as light itself, it was crazy!

As the valsaros handed the sheathed weapon to Ryder, he held it tightly. He lifted it up and down to check the weight, which was perfect for him. Not too heavy, not too light. It was as if this weapon was crafted specifically with him in mind, and within seconds at that! It looked like the pure golden sunshine. It was magnificent.

“Wow…” he said as though he was out of breath. “This is amazing!” He said, eyeing it over. “Thank you so much! I never knew you had such a power, Cesc! What can you not do?” The frei chuckled in awe.

Alice, too, was impressed by the power of this other raevan. “My, oh my! You are quite the powerhouse, aren’t you Rhedefre?” She said, a hand placed so delicately on her chest. “What about mine? Shouldn’t I need one as well to fend off evil?” She said, a tone that could almost come off as if she was a damsel in distress.

Ryder just rolled his eyes and concentrated on his own weapon. As beautiful as it was, it was also powerful. It was something that he knew he needed to take down the evil that was Erryd. He unsheathed the dagger, viewing the beautiful golden ‘blade’ and eyed it, shining like the sun. It was so magnificent. He was lucky to have a friend in Cesc.

Despite knowing of his friend’s ability, Xiu was nevertheless just as awestruck as Ryder when Cesc actually manifested the blade. The item itself was a work of art, intricate, beautiful and, when Cesc split that piece of wood with just the lightest of pressure, deadly. Which oddly did nothing assuage Xiu’s worry.

Looking at Ryder’s ecstatic face and hearing Alice’s exultant exclamation, the Valsaros felt a sense of dread. Would this lead to overconfidence?

But we aren’t even sure if Erryd is capable of fighting.

Which was all the more reason to worry. It was because we do not know. Overprepared is one thing but to be underprepared…

“That’s...really amazing,” Xiu managed to remark albeit a little hoarsely. “You have really gotten spectacular Cesc,”

Would it be better to allow Ryder rest or to get some practice in while they still had time? Would practice on such short notice even be beneficial?

Xiu glanced uncertainly at Cesc. The other Valsaros seemed calm but Xiu was certain that Cesc was far from it.

“So umm, Ryder, maybe we could show you and Alice how to properly conceal and use such a weapon?” suggested Xiu as he tried to keep his voice light. “Best to get the hang of it,”

“Thank you, thank you,” replied Cesc to the compliments coming his way, offering Ryder and Xiu a brief half-smile as he continued to work. He hadn’t missed the roll of Ryder’s eyes when Alice requested his own weapon, and he half-turned to address her.

“Do you want a dagger, same as Ryder? Or--maybe a shield or something?” he asked her. He was not looking at Alice, however, and seemed distracted by his next task. He nudged Ryder’s arms upwards, holding them out so the frei was standing in a full T. His hands were fluttering in the air like butterflies, and there were dots of pure darkness constantly around them, like he was plucking pixels from a screen.

There was no thinking, not just yet--planning would have to be Xiu’s for the moment. Crafting armor not for himself was too absorbing of a job.

“Professor Xiu can lecture a second,” he murmured. “This might take a bit…”

He quieted then, concentrating on his work. His hands were closed, his thumbs pressing down on something like he was working on small pieces of clay. He started from Ryder’s outstretched hand, never quite touching the skin, but in his wake, against Ryder’s skin, were small translucent scales.

To Ryder, the links of light would feel only barely warm, like the first kiss of sun on cool skin. They never warmed past that point, and seemed to keep their warmth rather than radiate into him. They moved like a second skin with his own musculature, and reflected light without absorbing it. It was impossible to name their color; gold, white, pink, grey, green--iridescent in the sun, nearly imperceptible in shade.

It was not instantaneous work. Cesc moved slowly up Ryder’s arm, his ear cocked to the others in case they spoke, until he reached the hem of Ryder’s shirt.

“I can’t map what I can’t see,” the stag said. “But I also--don’t want you to, uh, strip. So if anything feels tight or bunching here, you’re going to just have to tell me and I’ll correct.”

Ryder was ready to listen intently to Xiu’s explanation of how to utilize such a weapon, but was rather preoccupied by what was going on with Cesc. His skills were immaculate, but Ryder chalked that up to being a valsaros, many years of experience with his particular type of magic. Ryder felt the warmth overcome him, it was a nice warmth, not too hot, but he could tell something was there, even if the actual color was rather iridescent and rainbow-esque in a sense, refracting every color of light dependent upon the viewer’s angle.

Alice, on the other hand, was very ready to be the shield bearer for the both of them. “I would love a small dagger and shield if possible. But mainly a shield if that is all you’re able to provide. Maybe even a set of this...armor you’re providing to Ryder, if it doesn’t kill ya,” she said with a smile, faint giggle and a wink to top it off. She couldn’t wait for Cesc to be up close and personal with her like he was with Ryder this moment.

“Can you just leave this man to his work, Alice?” Ryder questioned with annoyance apparent in his tone and was met with a disgruntled sigh. He was already over how she was treating Cesc, like a piece of meat just about. Ryder hadn’t ever imagined her to be interested in anyone or anything. It was actually rather shocking to realize that she found Cesc attractive. He pushed the thought from his mind as he watched Cesc do his work. He couldn’t wait to be this powerful. But that came with much time, practice, and age, really. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pinch in his side. “Ah! Too tight there,” he yelped, his eyes wincing in sudden pain. Luckily the stag backed off the moment he jerked and the pain was released. “Much better,” he said, taking in a deep breath and exhaling.

“Right, right,” said Xiu apologetically when Cesc mentioned that Ryder still lacked a protective suit. The formation of the armour was an even more intricate and arduous undertaking than the dagger and Xiu was content with just watching the process of it being made. If this suit of armor and knife were not magical enough, nothing else was.

When Alice voiced her desire to hold a sword and shield as well, Xiu felt better. Now there were two of them against Erryd’s one. But like an itch on a bad scab, Xiu’s mind began scratching at its surface. “Is Erryd able to conjure up large dangerous monsters? Like the one you summoned before?”

In that case, would a magical dagger really help?

Ryder, still positioned in a T shape for Cesc’s armor creation, thought about Xiu’s question. Technically, yes, he could conjure up things just like Ryder had. But, Ryder doubted the shadow would do such a thing, considering how much energy would have to be expended. He reminisced on that terrible day he had created the large ogre of a beast for Xiu to conquer. It was a tragic day, and a day that the frei would never forget. He winced at the thought, and shook his head.

“Knowing Erryd...and myself, I guess...unless his power has grown exponentially in the last month since his leaving, he wouldn’t bother conjuring up something at a large scale. That would be at a cost too high. If you recall my collapse after summoning the creature,” he began with a sigh, shaking his head. “I was too weak to do much at all, even when utilizing the surrounding plant life at my disposal. If this case is any relief, his energy would run out sooner than anything. And granted, we would have a much larger problem with the monstrosity, he would either pass out or be weak enough for me to catch up to, which is the last thing he wants. No, I think, if anything, he will utilize those powers to create smaller creatures in multitude,” he said looking down at Cesc and watching the process continue. He couldn’t help how fascinated he was with this sort of magic, if Cesc could teach him anything, it would be practice makes perfect. Slow and steady creates magnificent works of art.

Alice, on the other hand, stood tall, watching the same scene unfold. She truly hoped that Erryd would not craft such a large monster. She wasn’t aware of what Ryder spoke of, but if Xiu was that fearful, it must have been bad. She bit her tongue, and now really wished for Cesc to craft for her the same suit of armor, a shield, a sword, and whatever else he could to keep her and Ryder safe. Maybe she hadn’t thought all this through as much as she needed to. What had her creator gotten himself into?

Cesc walked back in front of Ryder as he finished the armor, tilting the toadstool’s chin upwards as he put the last few links of his armor up his neck, protecting his major veins and arteries. As he finished, his eyes ticked up to Ryder’s, sun-white and serious. Ryder’s face was young, boyish, still rounded on soft edges. The frei was determined, Cesc thought, but there was a small part of him that wanted to tell Ryder: be careful; when you lose that part of you, you never get it back.

But the stag kept his mouth shut. They all had their own burdens to carry. Rhedefre clapped Ryder on the shoulder, nodding.

“All done here,” he informed him. He turned to Xiu, pulling off his ballcap and running his fingers through his hair a few times to refluff his curls. “Alright, Xiu, c’mere and stab him; let’s see if my work’s any good.”

With a loose grin, he made his way to Alice.

“Alright, your turn,” he told her.

He replaced the hat onto his head and put his hands together again, his fingers curled like he was trying to pry something out of a tight spot. He gave a short yank, and there was a loud, low popping sound like a tire bursting. A sheet of light came off in his hands.

“Sorry!” he called, smoothing the top of the sheet into a straight line. He smiled apologetically at Alice. “Your arm, please, miss.”

He came closer, holding out a hand for hers. “I have to warn you--when I put you in this armor, you’re going to have to come to me to get it taken off after, both of you. It’s not fabric, so you’re, ah… sewn in. That going to be ok?”

Ryder took a look over himself, looking down to see all the glistening scales across his chest and down his arms. It was all warm and very comfortable, like an extension of himself almost. “This feels great, thank you so much, Cesc,” he said with a smile, moving his arms and noticing the immaculate fit that this armor made on his body.

When Cesc called for Xiu to stab him, his heart fell and a lump grew in his throat. “Y-you are not serious?!” He stated with a stutter.

Alice chuckled, “You better watch yourself, Ryder.”

Ryder sent a glare towards Alice which was met with nothing more than a mischievous smile.

When Cesc came to her side, Alice could be seen blushing at what a gentleman he was. “Of course,” she said with a giggle, outstretching her long limb for Cesc to take. As he spoke, she listened. She’d be sewn into this, huh? Well, that would be fine with her, as it gave her another chance to see him later. “Yes, that should be just fine. With such armor you provided Ryder, I am excited to see what you’re able to craft for myself,” she said, a creepy smile growing upon her face. She then allowed Cesc to do whatever he needed to in order to keep her safe.

“Alright, Xiu, c’mere and stab him; let’s see if my work’s any good.”

Xiu was stunned. Stab Ryder? Stab the frei they have agreed to help keep alive? The PiYao stared at Cesc aghast. Granted Ryder was clad in armour and Xiu would not have thought twice about testing its durability had he had a more mundane sort of blade. Like a penknife or one of those blades young boy scouts are given on their first camping trip.

But with his sword?

Cesc was certainly rather confident of that armor he made.

A small twitch in his right hand made Xiu realize just how close he was to testing out Cesc’s challenge. Which was bad and irrational so the Valsaros duly stomped and tossed that notion aside. It was not about proving if his sword could cut through Cesc’s armor but about keeping young Ryder alive. A Ryder that looked pretty nervous at the moment.

“Don’t worry Ryder. It will be fine,” said Xiu quietly. “I’ll be careful,”

A live blade. You will use a live blade against your own?

Xiu hesitated. Even if the sword did not penetrate Ryder’s defense, there was the worry of giving the Frei some kind of blunt force trauma beneath the armor. That would definitely decrease Ryder’s chances with Erryd. But would he let Ryder’s armor go untested?

The Valsaros drew his sword out. The length of its blade barely making a sound as it was removed from its sheath. Flicking his sword thoughtfully as though to gauge its capability, Xiu took a stance.

“I shall aim for your shoulder Ryder, please be calm,” said Xiu quietly. “It will be over in a second,”

Then the Valsaros struck. It wasn’t a very hard hit, not enough to send Ryder toppling backwards from the impact but the blade’s aim was true. There was just the slighted sensation of his blade coming into contact with the armor before it was deflected by the armor’s curved design. Heaving a sigh of relief, Xiu sheathed his sword before hurrying over to meet the frei. “How is it Ryder? Are you hurt? I can heal bruises if you have them,”

As Xiu readied his blade, Ryder’s eyes widened in fear. He was the best swordsman the frei knew, and he understood that Xiu knew what he was doing, but it was scary. What if this armor wasn’t as protective as Cesc intended it to be. He knew he’d be hurting later.

When Xiu lifted his blade to attack his shoulder, Ryder winced, closing his eyes tightly and moving his head to give Xiu the open shoulder. When the blade came down, he felt a slight weight on his shoulder for a split second, but felt no pain whatsoever. When he opened his eyes, he looked over to see the shimmery armor sparkle in the warm light of the sun. “Huh,” he said, reaching up to wipe off his shoulder. No damage to it either. Cesc’s armor was brilliant.

“It...it worked perfectly. I only felt the weight, like someone pushed down on my shoulder for a split second. That...is truly amazing,” he began, in awe of what just happened. “Thank you, Cesc. This is wonderful.”

Working on Alice’s armor was a tougher task. She was larger, for one, and would need more armor than Ryder--and, for another thing, she seemed to like him. The signals she sent out, girlish, mischievous, seemed to annoy Ryder to the point of already several eyerolls and huffs. Was it jealousy? Or a sort of sibling exasperation?

Either way, it didn’t make Ryder comfortable.

Hell, it didn’t make Cesc that comfortable, either. Especially not when he had to pass his hands all over her. His fingers fluttered over her, dexterous and quick, a ghost over her skin.

He worked diligently, starting with her hands and up her long arms to her shoulders. He bumped her with the bill of his hat as he grew closer to her face and apologized, taking off the offending garment and hanging it on a hook of light beside him. Behind him, he could veritably hear Xiu’s reluctance to strike Ryder, and a small part of him took note of the offense Xiu’s sword took to the task…

… Estoc would have wanted to know, wouldn’t he? Right now, with both of them as Valsaros, who would win…?

Xiu would, Cesc thought with amusement. Definitely.

The next thing he heard was Ryder’s compliment, rather than a big scream or Xiu apologizing for killing him, so Rhedefre chalked the experience up as an overall Team Ryder win.

“Great!” He called behind him. “Really glad that worked, thank you. Alright…”

Cesc tilted a small smile up at Alice, at her strange Picasso features. “Let’s see if we can’t speed this along, yeah?”

The sun-gleam in his eyes began to burn brighter, searing away the lines of his iris and spilling into his sclera. His back, hitherto smooth and flat as a human’s, bent. Wings surged from his shoulder blades, pink and grand. Instead of pulling from the light around him, he plucked a pinion feather, crumbling it in his hand. He smoothed his hands over the top of Alice’s shoulders and light began spilling down her front like a waterfall, hardening over her chest in the form of a sleek breastplate, belted faulds, and a skirt that reached just past the hem of her sundress.

After establishing that Ryder was indeed unharmed, Xiu took a step back, relief evident upon his features. For all he knew, Cesc’s armor could withstand the best of blows but that was a limit he was not willing to test.

When he turned his attention to Alice and Cesc, Xiu could not help but smile at Alice’s fashioned armor. “That’s a pretty elaborate design,” said Xiu with amusement. “Fit enough to be in one of those roman-medieval type movies.”

Things were already seemingly looking up but Ryder’s previous comment concerning Erryd summoning a horde of small creatures to do his dirty work was also another cause for worry. There was a reason why the larger army often won in those old wars. Sometimes sheer numbers could indeed decide the outcome of a war.

Ryder was all set, he had his armor and his dagger. He was ready to take on Erryd. Alice, on the other hand, took a step back and realized her armor was more intricate and a bit more detailed than Ryder’s iridescent set. This caused the imagining to smile and do a quick look over herself. She patted the armor, seeing that it was a more fully fledged piece visible to the eye. It was beautiful. Now for her weapon. “Now, Rhedefre, am I to believe you’ll be providing me a shield as well?” She asked, batting her eyelashes.

Ryder didn’t even pay any attention to Alice’s question. He was too enthralled about utilizing his new weapon and armor to take down his evil half. He was ready to find him and make him pay for everything he had done, not only to Ryder himself, but to his family and Alice especially.

Cesc took in a deep breath and stood apace, admiring his handiwork on Alice for a moment. His eyes, so strange and bright, started to lose their otherworldly quality--his irises reappeared, the gold dimmed within them. With a sigh, he pulled his wings back into his body, and even took his ballcap off the hook he’d fashioned and put it back on his head.

The armor seemed to fit her. Her arms and legs were clothed in what looked like mermaid scale, iridescent and flashing in the light. The breastplate, faulds and skirt were all the same pale gold of a stalk of wheat, white in direct light. It was all simply fashioned--but it worked, as Xiu had proved. And that was the most important thing.

With a faint smile, Cesc returned to the sheet of light he’d pulled off earlier. He smoothed the top of it to be a straight line, and then curved its sides down to a point. He returned to Alice, taking her hand as he had when they’d started, and slid the shield onto her forearm, moving his fingers around her arm to fashion two belts connecting her to it. The shield was plain and smooth, the same color as her breastplate.

“There you go,” he said, taking a step back and grinning. He flicked a finger against the outside of the shield, causing a low reverberation to sound. In the wake of the noise, an emblem of a rose etched itself onto the face of the shield. “Wonderland’s knight.”

He turned toward Ryder and Xiu.

“You’re done on my end, I think,” said Cesc. “But, hey. I want to--I want to say something to you before you go.” Rhedefre drew closer to the frei. He didn’t know Ryder well, probably not well enough for this, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to give voice to what had been rolling around his skull.

“Listen to your sense of self-preservation and not your pride, ok? Promise you will,” he said. “Pride gets you killed. Running--running when you have to, that gives you another chance to make things right.”

“Yes,” said Xiu agreeing wholeheartedly with Cesc. “We’d very much prefer a Ryder that is alive and smiling over the other kind,”

Glancing at his phone, Xiu noted the time. They could spend some time giving Ryder practice swings, then a light lunch (Xiu doubted if Ryder would be able to eat even then), then rest. Then…

“Cesc, we may need to discuss our own strategy. To keep the Trader away from Ryder and Erryd and possibly stop him for good,”

Alice almost seemed to pose when Cesc stepped back to take a look. “I hope I look alright,” she said, a long grin across her face. She then took a look at it herself. “It’s quite marvelous, isn’t it Ryder?” she asked, looking up at her creator.

Ryder nodded with a smile. “Yes, it looks magnificent,” he replied.

Then, the valsaros spoke. Ryder listened intently to the words of his elders. Yes, he knew that if things got too crazy, he would run. He nodded his head as Cesc spoke. He could sense the true care and compassion this valsaros had for him. Like a true big brother.

When Xiu spoke, Ryder let out a small chuckle. “I would tend to agree with you. Being alive is much better than the alternative.”

Ryder nodded, taking some time to think about what his game plan was and also letting the valsaros discuss things for the Trader would be very beneficial. Resting, also resting would help the boy ready up completely. He stared down at his dagger. By this time tomorrow, Erryd would be no more.

Interim

“ I have been thinking...,” said Xiu to Cesc while Ryder rested with Alice some distance away. “Do you think that a seal could be made to keep the Trader away?”

Seeing Cesc’s expression Xiu quickly pressed on. “I know killing him, if that is even possible, is not the not the best of outcomes. It would probably generate a gap whereupon other entities may stake a claim on it. It would definitely be best if we avoided that. But to arrest his movements, sealing him would be the way to go. But regular seals are prone to damage or being meddled with,”

“After seeing your skill with light, it got me thinking…could we use your powers to create an intangible seal? One that perhaps the regular passerby would not be able to remove?”

Xiu laughed softly. “I have been taking lessons from a human medium on responsible exorcising and sustainable banishing, as unbelievable as it sounds. Ever since that incident, it would be pretty bad if I don’t,”

Cesc looked up at Xiu from the vegetarian burrito he was currently eating. He sat on a park bench, food wrappers on his lap, a handy stack of napkins to his right with a small weight of light pressed upon them to keep them from scattering in the wind. Creating the armor and weapons had given him a healthy appetite, and luckily, as Ryder rested, he’d been able to find a taco truck not far away.

The owner of the truck told him to try the pineapple vegetarian burrito, promising that the blend of flavors would be unexpectedly delightful. Cesc had acquiesced, and was, until Xiu began to speak, reveling in that exact unexpected delight. Pineapples, cilantro, beans, onion, spicy red salsa--who knew? Apparently the taco guy.

But, unfortunately, the Trader waited for no taco.

Cesc chewed thoughtfully at Xiu’s plan, considering.

He was not excited about the thought of a showdown with the Trader. He remembered him from his frei interaction, the large and looming figure. He’d seemed so powerful then, not just in magic, but in his ability to see through people, to understand them. His perception and intelligence was fiendish, impossible. Cesc and Xiu had both grown since then, both in stature and in power, but would that really be enough?

Rhedefre’s shoulders visibly relaxed as Xiu mentioned not killing the Trader. Cesc knew, already, that that would be off the table for him. He didn’t kill, not anything, if he could help it. It wasn’t in his repertoire to do so. And he knew that all that would do was create a power vacuum, the way Xiu had so many years ago when he’d started dispatching spirits.

“I’ve… never really done that before,” said Rhedefre. He looked up at his friend. “I could try it, but--honestly, I wish I had a few weeks to practice, but I don’t. We could give it a shot. It’ll take a lot of power, and there’s not really any guarantee that I’ll make something strong enough that he can’t eventually get out of.”

Xiu nodded. “If it were up to me, I would rather our paths never crossed at all; with the Trader I mean. I was even hoping that the incident with Brutus would be the last of it,”

A small snarl crossed Xiu’s features. “He used my name Cesc! Told Ryder that he did me a good turn and that there was nothing to worry about. That itself is…!”

Xiu stopped himself lest he appeared arrogant. He was not. At least, he hoped so. Lazarus had teased him about being stiff at times so maybe there was some truth to it.

But to use his good name…

That spark of anger threatened to flare up again and it was all Xiu could do to turn his attention away from those dark thoughts and focus on the pink guava smoothie he had purchased. Unlike Cesc, Xiu wasn’t particularly hungry but the day was hot and the Taco guy had assured him that the drink was a popular one. Having tasted it, Xiu was inclined to agree.

“We should get Ryder soon and begin the hunt for Erryd and the Trader”

Cesc wiped his mouth as he finished his burrito, eyeing his friend as Xiu bristled. He wondered, how would he feel in Xiu’s position? Used to ensnare young, unsuspecting prey? It was a repulsive feeling, a helpless one. It lifted the hairs on his arm and the back of his neck, and he repressed a shudder.

“No, you’re right. He’s got to be stopped, such as we can.” Rhedefre shrugged, his brow furrowing. “If he gets out, we’ll just have to do it again.”

He crumpled the napkin in his hand into a tight ball, looking over at Ryder and Alice. His chest tightened.

“And… we’ve got to keep Erryd from getting more power, too,” he said. “Ryder…” Cesc looked down, then back at Xiu. “I hope we all know what we’re doing.”

Xiu laughed. It was an ironic laugh. “I doubt it. At least, I never seem to, growing up. Perhaps other raevans are luckier in that aspect,”

Turning to Ryder, Xiu called the other over. “Are you well rested? It is...close to evening and it is best if we start soon,”

Ryder laid, sleeping on the grass, his head in Alice’s lap as she combed through his hair with her gangly fingers, humming softly a song unrecognizable by any who heard it. His mind continued to race with thoughts of what was to come. Was he going to be able to overcome Erryd? Would he and Alice actually be able to take down the one who had caused so many issues in their past? He’d never know, at least not until he was in the situation.

As he heard his name being called, he shot up. He nodded, swallowing the ever growing knot in his throat. He floated upward and stretched, still feeling the warmth of his armor about him. As day turned into night, he agreed that it would be best to get going soon. He had rested enough, and it was now or never.

The frei floated over to the valsaros as Alice followed behind. “Alright, we are ready, where do we begin?” he questioned the two. He was still unaware of how Xiu and Cesc would ever even find the Erryd, let alone the Trader, but they had a plan, obviously. The boy wouldn’t even be shocked if one of these two men could teleport them all instantly. He was already surprised by Cesc’s extreme abilities, who knew what else these two had up their sleeves.

Cesc rose, took off his ballcap, and hung it on a tall branch nearby. He liked that cap, didn’t want to see it destroyed, and he knew he’d need his full vision field for the fight ahead.

No need to involve the hat, he thought to himself wryly. He’d come back for it. Not like he could ever really lose anything.

He drew in a slow breath as Ryder approached, the anxiety humming off his form. He put his hand on the frei’s shoulder, listening to his aura, combing through the concern for more, for a signature that sounded uniquely Ryder. There was so much in the frei, complicated feelings and scar tissue and new wounds and…

The stag smiled. There it was.

And, as he listened, his ears tall and twitching, he heard it. Somewhere to the east, the same signature.

A feeling of gentle calm radiated from the Valsaros. It enveloped the toadstool, like stepping into sunshine after being in the cold. “It’s ok, Ryder. You can do this.”

Rhedefre nodded, turning eastward. “He’s this way,” he said. “We’ll point you in the right direction, and then you two will be on your own.”

Ryder’s eyes widened when Cesc walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. “What is he doing?” The frei asked himself. It only took a few moments before the frei began feeling calm, an unexplainable feeling overcame him. It was so wonderful. And to top it off, the valsaros believed in him. Ryder’s face lit up with a smile as he nodded. “Thank you, Cesc,” he said.

When the stag pointed him to the east, Ryder nodded. “That will be just fine. We should get moving,” he suggested. The sooner he and Alice could get to Erryd, the better.

Meanwhile…

Erryd had been searching for weeks for the Trader. Luckily he could live off the land for the most part. Feeding on wild mushrooms and slowly causing other plants to decay whilst taking their energy for nourishment, a pattern the shadow seemed to be repeating. The life of a frei was hard, harder than he realized. He had decided that once he found the Trader, he wanted legs, he wanted to rid himself of the stupid wings that protruded from his back and walk like those fools Xiu and Cesc. He could see the power that legs held over a faulty ribbon like what dangled below him. Not only did he wish to request legs (if the Trader were even able to do such a thing), he also wished to request more power, stronger power. He wanted the Trader to take away the sluggishness he felt after utilizing his magic.

After all, if the Trader could take Ryder’s powers and turn them into this, AND leave him no poisonous skin, who’s to say he couldn’t do everything Erryd requested.

The shadow-frei had been scouring the forest for any sign of the Trader, to no avail. Where was he? And what was he doing? How did Ryder get so lucky to just fall upon his presence and Erryd was unable to do anything to summon him? This angered the shadow to no end. Another day was coming to a close and Erryd found himself deep in the forest, still looking for any signs of the Trader.

As the day drew steadily to a close, the trees seemed to loom ever closer together, asserting their menacing presence onto anyone unlucky enough to still be wandering around in the deep forest. The forest and its inhabitants were restless tonight and rightly so.

The Trader could sense the call. Had felt it over several days. It was similar yet dissimilar. As a rule, he did not deal with the same mortal customer twice. It was always the same with them. Regrets, wails and beseechments. Like a rising crescendo that quickly loses its momentum. Boring. Templated. Repetitive.

It was always more fun to meet new clientele. More stories to stick a finger in, so to speak.

But curiosity got the better of the Trader and he made his appearance known to Erryd. After all, he could always leave when things got tricky. It is not like those insignificant half souls could accomplish much.

“Greetings. I sense that you are in need of a trade?”

The forest grew colder for a moment, Erryd felt the chill of the forest as the dark figure grew from seemingly nowhere. It was him. This was the Trader. The one he was searching for.

“Y-yes, yes I am,” Erryd began. He was overcome with nervousness. An unease of sorts. But he wanted to befriend the Trader, make him know he was a fan of his power. “I need a few things. I need to request your aid in a problematic predicament,” he concluded, floating as tall as he could. He floated proudly in his stance, regardless of the nerves he was feeling.

“You need to help me by giving me legs. You also need to give me powers even stronger than these. You made a deal with my...other self,” he said, trying to explain. It was probably too much to say to some random stranger, but Erryd felt as though the Trader, of all magical beings, would just innately know what was going on. “I absolutely love what you’ve bestowed upon us. And I need more of it,” he finished, almost shaking with anticipation.

The Trader grinned. And grinned some more. Here was a greedy, self indulgent ...fool. Perfectly ripe and ready for the plucking. Rubbing his spindly hands together, the Trader loomed over Erryd. “I do not give. I trade, barter, exchange,”

“You asked for much and yet I do not perceive any compensation. This is would make me suffer a loss, deficit, negative income. That won’t do,” hissed the Trader with a glint in his eye.

The Trader then looked up as a hound who has picked up a scent would. There were several familiar presences heading his way. Imprints of unsatisfied customers.

“And you have led ...trouble, inconveniences, rabble rousers over,” said the Trader with a touch of scorn. “Foolish, foolish creature. I shall give you nothing until these interruptions are dealt with. I shall grant you nothing until those foolish embuggerances are eradicated!”

Erryd watched as the Trader’s demeanor changed. A willing participant in a trade to a hissing, angered being. The frei swallowed the lump in his throat as he listened to his words.

Someone was coming? Someone he was bringing with him? Ryder...the one and only, of course he would try to follow. “That must be Ryder,” he spat angrily. “So, will I get what I desire if I deal with this minor inconvenience?” He questioned the Trader, narrowing his eyes. He wanted what he came for, what he seeked out. He needed it. But if the Trader would agree to his terms, he would be a more willing participant than anyone ever had before.

The Trader sneered. “You led them here to raid, wreck and inconvenienced me. A match to them you are not but...I shall indeed give you a small sampling. You shall have greater magic at the cost of your health. That is my current trade. Fail and you die, cease to be, undone. By their hands or your own.. Succeed then negotiations will be opened,’ said the Trader.

Erryd clenched his fists as he scurried through the forest. He was angry and growing angrier with each passing second. The Trader was treating him like a simple inconvenience. But one thing the strange being did was gave him hope, however false, even if it was laced with annoyance. If he could succeed in taking down this impossible, insufferable insulant trash of a frei, he would obtain the power which he desired. However, it was a two edged sword. Die by the hands of his fellow frei, or by his own with the magic he wished to wield.

As he thought, the shadow went deeper into the forest to detract Ryder from the Trader, to put space between them, and found a small clearing to do some last minute preparations before the inevitable battle began.

In the meantime...

As the ever growing darkness descended upon the trio, Xiu sense of worry and dread grew. The forest felt alive, menacing. This fight would not be on their home ground. As though being roused from those thoughts, Xiu felt the reassuring weight of his sword beside him. Yes. Scores would be settled tonight. Glancing at Ryder, Xiu was once again reminded of just how young the raevan was. And yet, here he was running to determinedly to meet his fate. To his right, Cesc was sprinting in that effortless way of his; his feet never seeming to touch the ground. Despite the gravity of the situation, Xiu wondered if it was a trait his stag soul possessed.

Thick wispy tendrils was beginning to set in and soon their footsteps were muted by the dense fog. But a familiar presence stood out like a dark tower in the gloom. Calling them, challenging them. “He’s here,” said Xiu to no one in particular as the hairs on the back of his nape bristled while his fangs threatened to descend.

“Ryder, be prepared!”

Cesc followed the scent of Ryder’s lost half with an empty mind, cleared of all worries and anxieties. There was nothing, now. There was no fear, no catastrophes his mind concocted, nothing but the rhythm of their feet on the ground and the wind rumbling through the trees. The time for thinking was past.

The lost thing moved. It shortened the distance between them. Cesc’s ears twitched and he turned abruptly, leading them to higher ground. He climbed a short hill and guided the group between two trees. There, he paused.

“Ryder,” he said. “He’s coming for you, from that direction. You could wait here and he’ll find you. You’ll at least have the higher ground, if you do. He’s looking now.”

The stag gave the frei and Alice a half-smile. “Good luck, both of you. If you need us…”

He could feel it now, now that they were so close: the suffocating smell of the Trader, the cavalcade of lost things that screamed to be set free, writhing in pain in thrall. He grit his teeth against the feel of it.

“Xiu,” he said, quietly, nodding toward the horizon. “We’ve got to go.”

The fog set in, that was the same fog that the frei has witnessed before. The Trader was here, somewhere. It was happening. Everything he had been preparing for all day, it was coming to a head right now, tonight.

When Cesc told him he should stay put, the frei swallowed the growing lump in his throat. He was nervous, hands sweating profusely as he tightened the grip on his dagger. Erryd was looking for him? How did he even know he was here? Thoughts raced through the frei’s head as the two valsaros charged off into the distance to chase the Trader. What if he had found the Trader after all? What if the Trader had lent him more power? It did no use to think of such things, but nevertheless, they clouded the toadstool’s mind.

Ryder floated there, watching the fog as it encompassed the surrounding forest. Anticipation grew. It had been nearly twenty minutes and the two had seen nor heard anything. No sign or word from Xiu, Cesc, Erryd or the Trader. Even Alice was becoming antsy. “We have to go seek him out,” she finally spoke. “He’s not coming to us. We need to go find him.”

Ryder sighed. “You are likely right, Alice. Pray he has yet to do anything too drastic,” he said, placing his dagger into the confines of his armor before speeding off deeper into the forest. He had to find him, he had to end it all. It was time for Erryd to pay for all he had done. It was time to take down the traitor.