Content Warning: Coarse language and mentions of blood

“Well, I guess this is where we part,” Astatine sighed as he and Eskil stood before the inn, each holding a handful of complimentary bread rolls that the front desk attendant had enthusiastically offered them when they checked out earlier.  Eskil had his lute strapped to his back and he opened his cloth bag to deposit the toasty rolls.  The bag was already bulging from whatever mystery object he had in there.

Saving them for later, I suppose, Astatine thought.  Who knows when he’ll come across fresh food again?

“I-Thank you…” Eskil said shyly.  “For everything.  You are very kind.”

Astatine’s eyes widened.  “Um…look, if you want, I could accompany you to-”

“It’s fine,” Eskil interrupted.  “You’ve already been very generous.  I’m not sure how I’d ever be able to repay you if you keep accompanying me.  No one’s ever…well, nevermind.  I’ll be fine.  I’ve been traveling on my own for years.”

Astatine frowned as he looked at Eskil’s worn out clothes and boots.  He opened his mouth but then thought better of it and said nothing.

“All right,” Astatine sighed.  “I hope you have safe travels and-”

“AHHHHHH!!!”

Astatine and Eskil nearly jumped.  They turned toward the direction of the screams.  People ran through the streets toward them.  Soldiers came into view, backing up slowly while holding their weapons up high.  A low growl made the ground rumble and sent shivers up Astatine and Eskil’s spines.

A long furry snout dripping with saliva emerged from around the corner, followed by a gigantic paw that thumped the ground and threw up a cloud of dust.  The soldiers shook as they continued to back up.  The rest of the creature’s head appeared.

“Holy…fucking…shit…” Astatine said as his eyes widened and his mouth went dry.  Eskil gripped the strap of his bag and moved closer to him.

A giant wolf, larger than a house, stared at them with unearthly golden eyes.  Its gray fur stood on end and it opened its mouth, revealing a set of menacingly jagged teeth.  Dark purple smoke swirled around its paws.

Magic, Astatine thought.  Though I can’t figure out what kind.

The wolf lurched forward and began to tear through nearby buildings.  Some of the soldiers bolted while the braver ones tried to attack it with their swords.  A mere swipe of the wolf’s paw sent the soldiers flying.

“Ah fuck it, this is no job for mere mortals,” Astatine remarked, cracking his knuckles.  Eskil looked up at him.  Astatine’s expression softened.  “Hey, go hide yourself somewhere safe.  I’ll handle this.”

“Oh…” Eskil’s eyes widened.  “But…”

“I got this,” Astatine said with a grin.  “I’m the envoy of the Earth Priestess, after all.”

Eskil’s breath hitched but he said nothing.  He turned and ran down the dusty street.  Once he was out of sight, Astatine turned back to the wolf.  He unsheathed the two daggers that were strapped to his belt, flipped them in the air for dramatic flair, and caught them by the hilts, one dagger in each hand.

“Hey, you! Oversized cur!” he shouted.  The wolf turned towards him.  “You’re going down!”

He ran towards the wolf and leapt up into the air.  As he descended, his irises glowed as he charged his daggers with earth magic.  He sank his daggers into the wolf’s fur...

…and then got the surprise of his life when said fur pierced through his robes.

“What the fuck?!” Astatine winced as the sharp fur tore through his skin and drew blood.  “You some kinda goddamned porcupine?!”  His feet reached the wolf’s skin and he launched himself off the creature, landing onto the street.  A circular cloud of dust radiated from where his feet stomped on the ground.

Astatine huffed.  “Very well, I’ll fight dirty too.”  He stood up and gripped his daggers.  Gravel levitated as dark waves circulated around him.  His hair flowed upwards.  With a swipe of his arm and a shout that came from deep within his core, he sent a spiral of sharp gravel and energy blasts towards the wolf, tearing up the street in the process.

The wolf opened its jaws wide and swallowed the incoming spiral of debris.  Astatine’s eyes went wide and his mouth was agape.

“You ate my earth magic wave?!” he shouted in disbelief.  The wolf began to tremble as if it was struggling to contain what it had just consumed.  Oh wait…

Astatine put his two daggers together so that their blades crossed.  A spark of earth magic jumped between the blades.  He quickly yanked them apart.  The wolf began to shake.

“Yes, you’re going to have one hell of a stomach ache!” Astatine laughed.

The wolf’s eyes glowed and it hacked up a wave of viscous dark liquid towards him.

“Oh shit!” Astatine leapt out of the way as the liquid splashed and burned a hole into the ground.  “Goddamn, you vile creature!  Trying to throw up on me now?!”

The wolf opened its jaws again, but instead of more dark liquid coming out, a golden yellow light formed at the opening of its throat.  A cannon blast of energy shot out of its mouth.  Astatine dodged the blast and flipped through the air, landing a short distance away.

“Well, well, well, you are full of surprises,” he said.  How the hell am I going to defeat this thing?

The wolf turned toward him again and its eyes glowed.  Just as it was about to open its mouth again, it was struck by a barrage of lightning.

“Eh?” Astatine turned his head to the side.

Eskil stood a short distance away, silver hair flowing in the wind as his hands were raised in front of him.  He was breathing erratically.

“Eskil!  What are you doing here?  I told you to go hide!”  Astatine shouted, although he was secretly relieved at the intervention.

“Astatine!  The wolf…it’s not moving now!” Eskil shouted back.

“Huh?” Astatine looked back at the wolf, who was temporarily immobilized by the lightning shock.  “Oh!”  He gripped his two daggers tightly and ran forward, charging them with earth magic.  He leapt up and slashed the air multiple times.  Silver threads materialized and radiated outwards, wrapping the wolf in a shimmering cocoon.  The wolf’s body began to flicker.  There was a burst and the wolf dissolved into a myriad specks of light.

Astatine dropped to his knees and leaned forward, propping himself up with his hands.  He exhaled deeply.  “That was too much fun for one day.”

“Astatine!” Eskil came running to his side.

Astatine turned to him and smiled weakly.  “Hey, thanks for the assist.”

“Astatine, you’re bleeding!”

“Oh?” Astatine looked at his arms.  There were gashes in the spots where the wolf’s fur had pierced his robes.  In the heat of battle, he had stopped noticing the pain.  “Guess I should take care of that.  I’ll have to find some bandages…”

Eskil reached out and let his hand hover over the gashes.  His irises began to glow and a soft blue light emitted from his palm.

“Huh?” Astatine stared at him.  The open wounds on his arms began to close up.

Eskil closed his palm and his eyes returned to normal.  “That should stop the bleeding.”

“Oh…you’re a…healer?” Astatine asked.

“Somewhat,” Eskil replied.  “I’m not that good at it.”

“Heh, you’re so modest,” Astatine smiled. “It’s like how I keep telling people I’m just a low-level mage.” Eskil gave him a look.  “But seriously, the only other person I know who can heal people like that is my lady, the Earth Priestess.”

“Oh?  This ability isn’t common?” Eskil asked.

“Uh, no…is it common where you’re from?”

Eskil didn’t answer and just looked downward.

“All right, nevermind, I won’t keep trying to pry,” Astatine replied.  “You’re from off the map, that’s all I need to know.”

A wind blew through the streets and picked up a lot of dust.  They saw the silhouettes of soldiers through the haze.

“Hmm, I don’t know whether those soldiers are going to congratulate or question us,” Astatine said.  “Let’s get out of here before we have to find out.”

“Can you walk?” Eskil asked.

“Ya, I think I can manage,” Astatine replied.  His eyes then widened.  “Oh hold on, the horse!”

***

The horse was still in the inn stables, a little spooked from all the commotion.  Its reins had been tied to a post, which was why it hadn’t escaped yet.

“Hey, let’s get you out of here,” Astatine said as he untied the reins.  He mounted the horse and helped Eskil up.  They galloped down the streets past all the wrecked buildings and torn-up streets.

“Do you think there’ll be other wolves like that?” Eskil asked.

“Dunno.  Wolves usually travel in packs, don’t they?” Astatine replied.  “Not that I want to stick around to find out.  Fighting that thing was exhausting.” He turned around to look at Eskil.  “Thank you again, by the way.”

“Ah…it’s nothing,” Eskil said as he looked downward, trying to hide his blush.  “At least now I can repay you a bit.”

Astatine smiled.  “Why are you so worried about repaying me?”

“I don’t know,” Eskil murmured.  “Just don’t want to owe anyone anything.”

Hmm, Astatine thought.

They rode through the city gates and followed a dirt road.  As the walled city shrank into the distance behind them, an expanse of dried grass loomed before them.

“Huh, I wonder if there’s a drought going on,” Astatine said.  “But it was raining yesterday so I don’t know why everything looks so dry.  Usually, the fields are vibrant green in the Southern Region at this time of the year.”

“It’s like that everywhere,” Eskil said.

“Oh?”

“At least, that’s what I noticed the few years I’ve been wandering from city to city.”

“Hmm, interesting.  I wonder if it’s true that…” Astatine trailed off.

“Hm?  If what’s true?”

“Nothing.  Just a random thought.”

Eskil looked at him.

Astatine turned around to face forward.  I could explain further, but I’d have to tell him all about the goddesses.  Maybe some other time…if there’s still going to be another time.

“By the way,” Astatine said, turning back around.  “I guess we were going to part ways earlier, but then all that nonsense happened.  Did you want me to drop you off at the next city?”

“Oh…” Eskil blinked and hesitated.  “Um…maybe I could travel with you a little longer…until your wounds heal completely…”

“Eh?” Astatine looked at his arms.  He already healed them so they should be fine.  But if he’s offering to stay a little longer… “Yeah sure, that’s fine.  Probably better that way.  Who knows if we’ll run into another wolf.”

***

Even after many hours, their surroundings looked the same - dull yellow grass everywhere.

“Wonder if the next city’s coming up anytime soon,” Astatine said.  “Otherwise we’re going to have to camp outside tonight.”

“It’s fine,” Eskil replied.  “I’m used to it.”

“Oh,” Astatine felt his face flush.  Of course, I forgot.

“There’s something up ahead,” Eskil said.

Astatine narrowed his eyes.  “Ah, trees!  We’ve reached a forest.  A welcome change of scenery!”

The trees looked a bit dehydrated, like the grass, but at least their yellowed leaves provided some shade.  The horse slowed down and its hooves crunched the dried leaves that littered the forest floor.  The rocks were blanketed in a thin layer of dried moss.

“Is that…?” Astatine narrowed his eyes.

A small cottage lay within a copse of trees and shrubs a short distance away.  As they approached, Astatine dismounted the horse and helped Eskil down.  They went up to the moss-covered wooden door and Astatine pushed against it.  It gave a creak as it opened inward.

The cottage was dark inside and full of cobwebs.  An overturned table lay on the floor next to two chairs on their side.  Two wooden platform bed frames were pushed against the wall, both missing mattresses.  In the back was a sooty fireplace.

“Looks real cozy,” Astatine remarked.  Eskil stared at him.  “Kinda cold though.  Well, at least we can save on a night of inn fees.”

“We’re staying here tonight?” Eskil asked.

“I guess, unless you want to keep going.  The horse is pretty tired though.  I’m going to have to find a river so it can quench its thirst.”

“This is fine.  At least it’s a roof over our heads.”

“Yea.  Hope that roof isn’t leaky if it ends up raining again.”

***

Night fell and the forest air was cool and crisp.  Astatine cleaned out the fireplace and placed a pile of sticks and dried leaves in it.  He took out his two daggers and dragged the blade of one against the other until sparks flew and ignited the woodpile.  Eskil chewed on the bread rolls from the inn and stared at the dancing flames.

“I’m thoroughly exhausted so I’m going to turn in for the night,” Astatine said.  He walked over to one of the empty bed frames and swiped his fingers over the flat wooden surface..  There was a thick layer of dust.  Well, now I miss those uncomfortable mattresses at the inn.  He laid his cloak over the wood and laid down.  “You staying up?”

“A little bit longer,” Eskil replied.  “Just enjoying the warmth of the fire.”

Astatine smiled.  I guess I really take small comforts like that for granted.  His eyelids felt heavy and he drifted to sleep.

He didn’t sleep for long since it was still mostly dark when he opened his eyes again.  A faint light came from the direction of the fireplace.  He started to sit up, but then paused when he saw Eskil still sitting by the hearth.

In Eskil’s lap was the bag he always carried, although now it was open with the sides pulled down, revealing the bulky object that he had kept hidden before.  Eskil cradled it in his arms like it was precious.  It was milky white, dotted with specks, and had an oval shape.

Astatine furrowed his brows.

Is that…a giant egg?