Interrupting a Deal

True to Ash’s expectations, the Valkyries made short work of the climb down the side of the buildings. She didn’t know what kind of physical training Valkyries went through, but it was clearly sufficient for them to move just as well as any tower-runner Ash. So easy was the journey that Ash almost wished it had taken longer. The focus and exertion required were a welcome distraction from what Solenia had said at the top, and reaching the bottom had only brought the apparent urgency into starker focus. The descent itself only added to the creeping dread building in the back of Ash’s mind. As they got lower, the mass of the taller buildings cut off the Sun’s reach, and the pit fell into unnatural darkness. Before long, the light of the perpetually-lit lanterns hacked away at the gloom, but it was a fragmentary relief, one that emphasized the shadows more than anything. Towards the bottom, the spurs of rock pressed out into open by the weight of that above became a jagged maze of lost, ruined history. It was hard not to be affected, but there was no going back, not halfway down a crumbling mass of old buildings hanging over a deep, dark pit.

In the end, they arrived at Gerred’s house at almost the same time he did. Despite the dramatic environment, Gerred’s neighborhood was actually fairly well-to-do for the lower areas of Mearn. Well-built houses, mostly one or two stories, were arranged in neat, deliberate rows, with most of the rest placed intentionally and with clear purpose. It had been built by and for a nomadic dwarven clan about two hundred years prior, and had been cared for diligently ever since, even as occupancy and the surroundings changed.

Gerred lived at the end of a long road towards the southern edge of the neighborhood, in a large, multi-residence building, lit by roadside lanterns that weren’t quite close enough. When Ash’s group turned the corner, Gerred was just slipping through the front door.

There were too many people on the street—the kind that were just fancy enough to be offended if people caused trouble in front of them—to just run after Gerred. Even so, the Valkyries noticeably sped up, and did not let anyone stop them. Solenia in particular had a talent for pushing through people without seeming to be forceful at all. Every person moved out of her way got a polite nod or even a word of apology, but a path was cleared all the same.

Before long, all three were in front of Gerred’s home. There was no time to ask any questions or make any plans, because there were loud, distinctly unhappy voices coming from within, including Gerred’s rough grumble. Then, the Valkyries did act. Solenia burst through the front door and dashed up the main stairs, following the voices, with Tienne close behind. Ash was with them before she could even think about it.

Ash made it to the landing at the top of the stairs just in time to see Solenia kick Gerrad’s door off its hinges. The old wood slammed to the ground in a cloud of dusty splinters, revealing a group of people within. Though they were yet difficult to get a clear view of, the ones besides Gerred were all very large, and distinctly unhappy. Ash was struck with a sudden need to be unseen.

“So, which one of you has the scary magic rock?” Solenia asked.

The answer, it turned out, was Gerred. He stood in the middle in of his living room surrounded not just by the expected clutter but also by five men wearing long grey cloaks. Gerred was holding out a box, displaying what could only be the keystone to them. It was exactly as Solenia had described it: a small egg of night-black…something. There was a band of strange hash marks around the middle, somehow clearly visible against utterly dark material. But the longer Ash looked at it, the more she was sure that there was something undefinably more to it. The longer she looked at it, the more her gaze was drawn into it, as if she just looked hard enough she would find something deeper within. Ash tore her eyes away. She had no desire to find out what the keystone held.

“You promised no interruptions, dwarf,” one of the men said.

The unknown men showed no signs of being alarmed or scared by the appearance of the Valkyries. With almost comically large hoods, it was difficult to tell much of anything about them, although bumps and protrusions betrayed certain racial characteristics. The only identifying mark was what appeared to be a claw sewn in green thread on their chests. From their bulk alone, not to mention the business they were involved in, Ash would have assumed that they were just more of Carvus’ blustery type, but if nothing else these men were totally calm in the face of trouble. Shifting fabric betrayed the movement of arms, and almost certainly preparations for violence.

“It’s the girl,” Gerred said. He pointed straight at Ash. From the way his voice was trembling, he was nowhere near as calm as his guests. “She led the Valkyries to me. I didn’t know about them, I swear.”

“Uh, hey Gerred. I didn’t mean for this to be a whole…thing,” Ash said. If people were going to pay attention to her, she may as well participate. She stepped forward, but made sure to stay behind Solenia. “Just trying to help people get some business done. I don’t know what kind of deal you have here, but I don’t suppose you’d be open to negotiations?”

“An oath is an oath, dwarf,” one man said. “You were warned of the consequences for breaking it.”

The man moved towards Gerred. One hand emerged from beneath his cloak, holding a long, wickedly-curved dagger. Before anyone else could react, Solenia was between him and Gerred, armored hand clutching the man’s wrist. Ash hadn’t even seen her move, but she did note the orange specks falling to the ground where the elf had stood a moment before.

“Let’s not do anything we can’t take back,” Solenia said, voice dangerously pleasant.

Tienne’s hand went into her own cloak, grasping something that Ash could only assume was a weapon. The tip of a stylus like the one Solenia had presumably used to take down the wall of Ash’s hideout poked out from the other hand. The young Valkyrie was tense, worry and fear plain on her face. For his part, Gerred looked ready to either run for his life or faint on the spot. Ash questioned how her life could have come to this moment.

The men, however, hardly seemed concerned.

“Which order are they,” one of the men asked, ignoring the Valkyrie standing in their midst.

“We were assured the Chrysanthemums and Asters are still ignorant,” another replied.

“Then they must be Lilies,” said a third.

“And they must be aware of the stone’s nature,” concluded the one held by Solenia. “They must not be permitted to leave.”

“So glad we could sort that out,” Solenia said, still smiling.

The room erupted into chaos instantly.

One of the men thrust a dagger at Solenia. She responded by swinging the man she was holding into her attacker, sending them both reeling in a tangle of limbs. At the same time, two more were coming at her from behind. Solenia spun, drawing a sword and swatting aside the oncoming daggers in one motion. Instead of attacking, the fifth man hung back. The other four recovered swiftly and joined him in forming a semi-circle around Solenia. The elf crouched low, sword held out to the side, waiting for the next move.

With her cloak thrown back, Ash got her first good look at the Valkyrie. Aside from her head, Solenia’s whole body was clad in dark, blood-red armor which seemed to hinder her movement not at all. The armor bore no markings save for the simple flower embossed on the chest. Certain parts of the armor—Ash could see the feet and forearms—were etched with markings like those on the keystone. The stylus was tied to her waist, next to a collection of small, similarly etched metal cylinders. The sword, too, was marked.

The reprieve did not last long. The men attacked Solenia together in a mass of daggers and muscle. Solenia jumped back while thrusting her sword forwards. The marks carved along its length glowed and then erupted with light. There was a boom and clap of force, and the three closest men were hurled backwards, crashing through the detritus of Gerred’s apartment. When the light died down, the marks were still glowing, orange specks dripping from the blade, and the other two men were suddenly not so sure of their plan.

Gerred, however, why quite sure of he wanted to do. He scooped the keystone out of the box, clutched it tight, and ran for the door. Caught off guard, neither Tienne nor Ash could stop him.

“Tienne, the stone!” Solenia shouted, just as the two men regained their courage.

The younger Valkyrie turned to follow Gerred, but one of the other men lunged at her, and she was forced to draw her own sword to defend herself.

For a brief, surreal moment, Ash simply stood outside Gerred’s apartment, watching the two Valkyries fight for their lives. It was right in front of her, but the speed at which the day had developed left her feeling like she was in the audience for some perverse play. Then she saw that Gerred was running down the stairs, and that both Valkyries were busy.

“Of course, why not,” Ash grumbled. Before she could think any better of it, she mantled the banister and ran down after Gerred.