The City

Kai danced as they stared at the metal structures ahead of them. Bard reached down and tried to comfort him. If he was this antsy, then there must be shades inside. Or humans. Either one was not ideal. If humans inhabited it, then they were the scum and scourge of most respectable people. Those types enjoyed pillaging, thievery, and gang lifestyles. He frowned while Sen busied herself with a craft Bard has shown to her. After making the rope, Sen had taken an interest in spinning, and while it was tricky to do while traveling, her dexterity made it so she could do some while riding. It was a hobby to keep boredom at bay while he decided on their next course of action.

A stiff wind made him shudder, and he decided to put off that decision in favor of digging out the tunic-like cloaks and cowls he had fashioned to stave off the chill. Sen was drawn from her task and helped him. Her eyes lit as she saw him pull them out and eagerly climbed into it, despite it being a bit big. Being that it had been closer to Kai’s belly, the fabric was warmer than the surrounding air, and a welcome relief.

Bard turned his attention to the abandoned city before them and decided that before the snows really flew, they should get in and out as fast as possible. He urged Kai forwards, who warily moved with a skittish attitude.

“Just in and out. We won’t stay the night,” Bard comforted Kai. Kai whimpered as he walked forwards, and Bard felt Sen come forwards. She pushed Bard a bit to the side, and he shifted to let her sit next to him.

“There, there Kai. Bard knows you’re worried… We’ll all stay alert, so trust him when he says it will be quick.” Despite switching to Dryadic, Kai still seemed to understand her, and slightly calmed, though Bard could feel Kai’s heart beating a bit more than normal beneath him.

Kai quietly entered the streets, and Bard noted the wintering vines that had grown up the sides. The land was starting to reclaim the city once again, but because of the cold, no animals were in sight.

Sen stared everywhere as she took in the foreign landscape. Bard allowed himself to look around as well, trying to imagine how Sen would be experiencing this. A cluster of young trees grew together, starting a mini forest, with the showing branches of a few bushes rising up at their feet. A single bird flew down and landed on the branch, it’s black colors spooking Kai as he mistook it for a shade.

“Kai!” Bard shouted as he struggled to hold on. He looked back to see Sen being flung off. Worried, he instinctually reached out and ended up falling off as well. After feeling the pain, acknowledging it, and then making sure he could still move without any sharp pain, he picked himself up and checked on Sen. Kai quietly padded over, apologetically.

“Are you alright?”

“Ow. I… I think so.” Her eyes were still glazed over from the shock and panic she most certainly felt in that moment. He noticed her palm and knees were scraped. She probably slid when she landed. Bard looked back at Kai with a glare, and Kai bowed his head deeply. The bird hopped on the branches a few times before a loud bang scared it off. Kai jumped and only added to the fear that raced through Bard in that moment. He looked around, trying to find the source. What could cause a noise like that?

Bard helped Sen stand as they continued to look around. Buildings surrounded them, and a portion of the ground gave way to a lower street, an underground shelter perhaps? Bard took more note as he saw a light down there.

As he came to the edge, he barely caught the sight of the eyes of a shade as it flew up at him. Sen cried out, ducking before the shade dissipated into the sunlight. Bard was breathing hard as he approached the edge again. The light was stronger.

“So it was running,” Bard muttered. Sen stopped cowering as she came closer to him. Kai also came over and Bard could see his hackles raise. Humans? Bard quickly looked inside, keeping back from the edge.

“Oi!” a strange male voice shouted. “Is someone there? Didn’t mean to drive those confounded things towards ya.” The owner of the voice came closer, and Bard didn’t know what exactly he was looking at. It seemed human, though with the amount of gear on them, he couldn’t be certain. He noted the sunstones strapped above the man and came closer to the edge. He was holding some strange stick.

“Oi! Hello there!” the man said, taking one hand off the stick and waving vigorously. Kai’s head appeared next to Bard, and the man froze before grabbing his stick and pointing it at them. “Looky out!”

Bard calmly looked at Kai, who backed off. The man looked at him confused before lowering the stick.

“Who are you?” Bard asked, and the man started to walk towards the side where some rubble made it possible for him to climb up. The more he moved, the more Bard realized he was short. Very short. Bard walked over and at the end helped, the man climb up.

“Ah, appreciate the assist, boy. Strange to see livin’ beings around, other dan da monsters. The names Ruegar, Tetsu Ruegar. Not often do I meet another human in these cities. Especially one without a sunstone,” the man laughed. He stood up straight, though did not come higher than Bard’s stomach.

“Back at you,” Bard said, a cautious tone lacing his words.

“Don’t ya be worryin’ friend. Ain’t gonna hurt no one unless I want ta,” the man said with a wink.

He must have noticed Sen and Kai as he pointed his stick at them. Bard quickly stood in the way.

“Name’s Bard, and these are my friends Kai and Sen,” Bard said, introducing them before reaching out his hand in greeting. Ruegar seemed surprised, looked past him while Sen waved.

“A Dryad, a human and a beast,” the man muttered. “Quite da troupe you have here, laddy. Are ye guys performers or something?” he asked, taking the hand in turn and giving it a shake. Kai’s footfalls alerted Bard that he was coming over.

“No, not at all,” Sen replied, this time.

“And thee Dryad understand’n’ Human speech. Dis ain’t somethin’ ya see every day,” he said with marvel in his voice.

“Bard taught me,” she said, and that tidbit of knowledge seemed to make the man smile.

“So, what ye both be doin’ in these here ruins, eh? Not just anyone a travelin’ around these days,” he pointed out.

“Looking for something,” Bard answered ambiguously. Ruegar took on an understanding look, quite quickly, when Sen didn’t say anything more.

“Oh, sorry laddy. Don’t mean to pry. Not me style poking me nose in other people’s business now,” Ruegar apologized with a bow. “Just want ta know if dere be anything I can be of service ta ya for.”

“We appreciate it,” Sen said.

“But ye don’t want me knowing things I should be stayin’ out of now. Right?” Ruegar asked with a wink. Bard smiled. This man was pretty easy going compared to the other humans he had encountered. Perhaps it was because he was like them, a misfit in a city.

“So, what are you looking around the ruins for? It’s somewhat odd for anyone to be here,” Bard asked.

“That be me secret boy. A Dryad eh? Then this be perfect. Been wanting to meet one.”

Bard followed after Ruegar as he walked over and came up beside Kai.

“Oi, lady, come down from that there beast. Were ye the one who screamed? Sorry bout that!” Ruegar was unusually chill and excited to be talking to Sen. Bard felt something in his stomach. But he couldn’t figure out what.

Sen looked at Bard with a bit of concern, and Bard shrugged.

“He’s… safe?” he said, and Ruegar turned and pointed his stick at him.

“Of course I be safe, boy. I ain’t harm no one who don’t harm me.” Bard held up his hands as he leaned away from the stick. He could smell something strange from the end. Was it what made that noise?

Before he could look more at this ‘stick’, Ruegar pulled it away and stepped closer to Kai, whose hackles were raised. Bard quickly jumped forward and approached Kai.

“Hey Kai, calm down,” Bard warned. Kai looked between them, but didn’t drop his hackles. Was this man pretending, hiding something?

Ruegar stopped and then dropped his bag, the sunstone getting in his face.

“Blasted thing,” He muttered as he began rummaging through his bag. “Here, Kai… was it? Try a bit’o this, would ye?” He said as he pulled out something that looked like jerky. Kai’s nose twitched. He hesitantly reached his muzzle closer, keeping his feet firmly planted. Ruegar grinned a toothy grin as he held out the food. Then he slowly pulled it away right when Kai was going to open his mouth. Kai was surprised, but Ruegar once again waved the treat in front of him and Kai took that first step.

Bard meanwhile was watching Kai’s hackles drop and wasn’t sure if he liked this.

“Just keep a movin’. That’re be a good boy,” Ruegar said calmly. Kai’s tail raised and started to wag. Somehow, Bard managed to grasp that he was jealous of Ruegar. The way he coaxed Kai like that, it was unfair.

“Ruegar?” Sen asked.

“Ai miss? What is it?” Ruegar asked with a chuckle as Kai got the treat.

“What are you looking around the ruins for?” She reiterated.

“Oh… Well…” he seemed hesitant, then looked at Sen’s pleading eyes. He let out a guttural groan of defeat. “If I be showing ya, don’t be stealin’ off me idea. It’s me business after all,” Ruegar said.

“We promise,” Sen said. The man looked at Bard, who nodded in confirmation. Ruegar beamed a big smile before opening his sack that he had set down earlier. Bard was grateful that she had directed those pleading eyes at someone else for once.

“Now, I be doin’ som research into them old languages and came across some books dat hadn’t been destroyed just yet,” he said as he rummaged around for a bit. Something glinted in the bag and Bard looked at Sen, who shrugged.

“In me travels, I found dat dere be a cert’n stone which allowed de humans to do incredible things. It not be ordinary at all. Creating light without a fire, and so on,” he mumbled. Bard listened politely, but wanted to get on with the search. Once Ruegar pulled out his contraptions, Sen was gone and lost in his world. Bard sighed and listened a bit more intently.

“Now see here?” Ruegar asked. “Ya just plop one of these stones in here and…” he placed the stone in and a white light illuminated their faces, not unlike the yellow of the sunstones. Sen flinched but watched, spellbound. Bard also watched, a bit more interested in the contraption. Curious, he placed a hand near the light. Ruegar grinned. “There be no heat, well not a lot for a while dat is… It’s not fire, it's power, something akin to the storm lights that shoot from da sky in storms.”

Kai, ever attentive, shrunk back.

“Uh… what be the beastie's problem, laddy?” Ruegar asked.

“You mentioned lightning storms, and he has a fear of the noise and the bright light they make,” Bard said, rolling his eyes.

“It’s alright Kai, it won't hurt you,” Sen said softly. Kai backed away, but Sen insisted. With the help of Bard, they coaxed the wolf-like mount closer to the light.

“See, nothing to be afraid of,” Bard said. Ruegar watched with keen interest.

“Intelligent one, dat one, eh? Pieced two and two together.” He remarked. Bard half smiled.

“It’s nice, but it can be a pain too, as you saw.”

“Eh, that’s life. Would you care to see what else I have?” the shorter man asked Sen. She brightened, and Bard shrugged. He figured he could look in the nearby area while she was entertained by the man.

He moved about, keeping Kai and Sen within his sights, being wary for shades as he began to search the nearby buildings. Several floors had collapsed, and so had their roofs. Some odds and ends remained under the rubble, but most was destroyed. He looked around, trying to spot a familiar shape. A closing blade. Hopefully, because it was in the elements, it wouldn’t be rusted. That is, if he could find one. He avoided the dark portion of the building, keeping himself in the exposed sunlight. He could hear some scuffling noises, and didn’t want to chance it today. He held onto Father’s token with a bit more tension as he looked. If a cloud came in and covered the sky, they would be in terrible trouble.

His search led him to another structure, and then another. Each filled with odds and ends he hadn’t seen before. A part of him wished he could stay and explore, but they needed to find shelter outside of the city limits before nightfall. It was just too tricky to be safe here.

“Bard?” Sen’s voice called out, and he realized he had wandered a bit farther than he intended.

“Over here!” he shouted. He heard a loud shuffle and then a bang. As he dashed outside, he saw Sen and Ruegar racing towards his location, being pursued by shades in the shadow of a moving cloud. Bard cleared the building, and got out into the open. Sen helped Ruegar up, throwing him his pack before he turned and faced the shades, pointing his stick. A loud bang, like before, was heard as a flash of light came from the end of the stick. A light rammed into a shade and caused them to scatter for a bit.

“Me sunstones won’t be enough for all ye’s,” Ruegar shouted. Sen jumped up and climbed onto Kai before reaching out towards Bard as he began to run with them. Bard reached up and Kai helped nuzzled him, trying to give him a foothold. Bard successfully got up and heard Kai pant with exertion. He quickly pulled out the tokens, swinging them around. He knew Father’s would be the most suitable for this location, but perhaps some of the others could give them a bit of help.

The cloud began to overtake them and the shades quickly ran out ahead of them, others emerged from the ground and cracks. Their forms began to take shape. Kai froze as a large one appeared in front of them. Kai yapped and Ruegar noticed. He let his stick bang again at the new target. The light went at him, but passed through, affecting the other shades behind it.

“What in Mundeos be that?” He asked with a shrill. Bard gritted his teeth.

“Sen, we need to use the lightsticks!” he shouted. Sen scampered around him as he twirled the tokens to keep the smaller beasts at bay.

“Here!” he heard her shout, and he looked at the lightstick in her hands. She had handed one to Ruegar and had one with her.

Right as Bard reached for it, the shade in front of Kai lunged and Kai dodged. However, the motion caused Bard to fall to the ground.

Sen’s scream also seemed to convey something had happened to her. Ruegar caused his stick to make more of those loud bangs as the shades began to swarm at them.

Bard felt a searing pain on his leg and shifted to see those glowing eyes there. He whacked the shade with his token, and it dissipated with the noise. Gritting against the growing pain, he staggered up, moving the token around. His lightstick was nearby and he grabbed it.

“Sen!” he shouted as her scream echoed in the ever darkening landscape. Kai’s howl also broke the sounds of shades moving about them. Ruegar’s stick banged once more and then went silent.

“Ruegar!” Bard shouted.

A sound of a clicking tongue echoed around him.

“Quite the predicament. Seems you can use a bit of help, Bard.” A voice said near his ear. He turned, but didn’t see anyone. A shade came at him, and he twirled the tokens. He heard Sen’s voice cry out before she shouted to Kai.

A white light came from behind him, and Bard squinted his eyes closed against it. He felt a strange tiredness come over him before blacking out.

And This is the End of Arc/Book 2. Before anyone comes after me in the comments! Who do you think interfered here? Next Arc is ready, but would love to hear your thoughts all the same. Ballad of the Bard is rolling and this 10 Arc Ballad/Saga is shaping up to something big. 

Thanks for Reading!

-Laurel R Call