Preparations

It was Saif’s first time spending the night alone with a woman, although he didn’t know that Shay Kha was a woman until she told him her story.

“I am the daughter of a long line of messengers.” She started, formal and composed even in her pajamas. “My family has always produced royal messengers, and I am no exception. I have been assigned to the capital to complete my decennial training, but with the rise in monster appearances, I’m… I’m afraid.”

She put her head in her hands, her purple hair flowing over her hunched form to cover her figure, only her long and pointy ears poked through. “This is the last set of messages to deliver before I report back to the office. If I’m late, or if my messages are somehow leaked, my license will be revoked, leaving me as a blemish on my lineage.”

“I can’t fail.” Shay Kha hardened, straightening in her seat. “So I need you to handle the matter of my safety within the Archaic Thicket.”

Saif nodded. Shay Kha’s face relaxed. “Good. You’ve already proven your skills in battle, although I don’t think that dinky little nail of yours would do you any favors going forward. So, what’s your rate?”

After thinking for a moment, Saif responded with a shrug. He had no idea if he even wanted to take Shay Kha’s money.

Shay Kha analyzed him, “are you looking for something aside from money?”

Saif nodded, he quickly glanced around the room, finding nothing that would explain. Quickly thinking, Saif pulled out his map and zoomed in on the city, pointing at the clock tower. Shay Kha furrowed her eyebrows in thought. He then pointed to the time in the corner and back to the clock tower, smacking the page a few times to make his statement.

“Uh, are you perhaps investigating why time has been irregular as of late.” YES! Saif nodded vigorously. “That’s wonderful. I’m assuming you’d like me to help you gather some information on the matter.”

Saif never wanted to kiss a woman more. He nodded vigorously, clapping his pincers together in joy.

“Great. That settles it. I still have some things to do around Brightside that I hadn’t gotten around to. Still, I’ll try leaving town tomorrow evening so that we arrive at Fayspass sometime early and can cross to Willowguard during the day. Meet me here,” Shay Kha marked a spot on the edge of town. “The northwestern gate is the closest. We’ll be done with it in no time.”

Shay Kha leaned back, giving Saif a warm look. “You truly are worthy of your name, Hero.”

Shay Kha went to sleep not long after. She even had the barkeep, Phileas, to send up a pillow and blanket so Saif could sleep too, once she was done laughing over the image of a bug renting an entire room in a busy cavern just to himself.

He didn’t think he’d take up her offer, but the warmth had returned right as she set it up for him on her desk, taking him to the land of sleep and souls.

Saif was back in the grey barren fields. There were more ghosts around than last time, still floating in their slow pace. He looked down at himself, his ghostly human self, and tried to piece together what was going on. Without noticing, a ghost had come up behind him, tapping him on the shoulder, sending a burst of cold through his soul.

“You’re Saif, right? I’m Sara! You, me and Sayed can be the S team here at Megastore.” Her voice rang through his ears. Saif looked around, trying to call her name, but no voice left his throat. It hurt. Who was she? What’s going on? “Follow me, I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

Saif tried to follow along, but her voice faded more and more with every instruction, until not even her echo remained. Saif fell to his knees and screamed.

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Does he ever make a sound?

Saif woke up in an empty room, curled in his pillow, blankets neatly covering his body, though he doesn’t remember tugging them on before he passed out.

He left the room, and the tavern, maybe he could convince Ralmine to make him a sword before he leaves tonight.

He made it all the way back to Ralmine’s Smithy only for it to still be closed. Saif wasn’t going to wait around, not when he had a real deadline for once, so he wailed on the door. It wasn’t very loud. His hands were strong, but with no surface area, there was nothing to make a noise.

It didn’t take long for Ralmine to show up, “haven’t you heard of working hours? The store opens at 9:30am buddy” He chided, clearly looking like he just woke up, still dressed in his pajamas. Saif showed off his map.

“Did you come here to show your new map? It’s nice, I suppose, but where’d you find the money for it? I didn’t leave anything in my old wallet, did I?”

Saif shook his head, pointing to the corner of the map where the time showed 10:47am.

“Okay? Not sure wha- oh. Right. Time’s wacky now. Anyway, what do you need?”

Saif made his way over to the box earlier, but Ralmine stopped him.

“If you’re looking for my sisters’ sword, I told you already, it’s not for sale, Hero.”

Saif tilted his head, sister?

“Ugh, fine. Come inside. I unpacked some swords I made back home. You’ll find something better, I’m sure.”

Scouring through every hunk of metal on display, Saif couldn’t find anything that suited him like the sword Ralmine didn’t want to sell. Still, he tried to play nice.

“No, that one’s too long. You’re too aerial for that one. Nope, this one needs to be melted down. Nuh, uh. No. Wait, this one’s not even a sword, where’d you find that thing? This’ll weigh you down too much. This’ll bend even under your weight.”

Many, many, many complaints later, Saif was ready to storm out the door. Ralmine just wouldn’t let him choose!

Ralmine sighed, grabbing the forbidden sword and turning it over in his hands.

“... you know, my little sister forged me this sword. When we were kids, we used to play in my dad’s smithy all the time. Mom loved it, she said it would help us grow into the business. Dad hated it though. He was always scared we’d get hurt or get in the way, so when I was old enough to learn, he pushed my sister out. He lied to her. He said he couldn’t focus on teaching two kids at once. Wanna know what we did? I taught her how to do it in secret. We’d go in when he was away, and I showed her everything I learned. She’s a better blacksmith than I.”

Ralmine’s face contorted, swinging the sword a few times. “This was her first attempt, can you imagine? No need to look so surprised, she’s a natural. Togni gave it to me, told dad that I made it instead of her. He was so proud of me then, and said it was the best sword he’d seen in years. It could take down the Schaver’s empire no problem.

“I told my sister I was leaving. She made me promise to give her sword to a proper hero. She always wanted to keep people safe, even if she never touched a forge ever again.” Ralmine glared at his own reflection through the sword. “I guess the right thing to do would be to hand it over to you.”

Saif shook his head, not wanting the sword anymore, but Ralmine paid him no attention. “Why couldn’t we both learn to forge? Why’d Togni have to be better than me?”

When Ralmine finally looked up, his face pinched and red. “I- I don’t know what to say.”
Saif leaned against the selling counter with his head hitting the back of the countertop, waiting for the monologue to end.

“Wait, you’re taller now. I didn’t think you could grow.” The depressive atmosphere dissipated as Ralmine schemed. “How about a compromise? I’ll let you use the sword as long as you promise to take care of it. And then, when you grow out of its size, you can give it back and I’ll have made a proper sword for you by then. One better than this. What do you say, Hero?”

Ralmine offered the sword, hilt side down, towards Saif. He took it, raising it skyward. Despite his growth spurt, the sword still felt as perfectly balanced as the first time he swung it.
“Wait, how about you rent it from me instead?”

Saif ran out the door giggling, with a brand new sword in hand and Ralmine chasing him down.

He continued running through the city, finding new niches to plot onto his map, and marking down interesting people or stores. He bumped into Shay Kha again, following her around from store to store, closing inspecting what the world had to offer.

“So, are you done with your preparations, little Hero?”

Saif raised his sword. “... and is that all you’ll need?” She asked, doubting him.

Well, it’s not like Saif needs to bring some food along, nor would he need another change of clothes… would he? He shrugged. “Alright. If you say so.”

“Little hero, have you ever had to carry the weight of your life in your cloak pocket? I wonder what you would do if you were in my shoes.”

Okay, why was everyone getting all sentimental around him? Saif recalled similar moments to these occurring even when he was alive. Where instead of minding their business, people went out of their way to tell him about their lives.

Saif hoped that the journey into the forest would end up being worth it.