1

Yperian

“The villagers are still afraid of you. The soldiers are, too, so I’m sure you understand my hesitation.”

They were sitting in the knight commander’s tent again, just minutes after depetrifying fifty-six people.

“I understand perfectly, but we have things to do.”

Yperian turned his gaze back towards the pair.

The masked snake, Tiphaine, was still struggling to sit comfortably in her chair, which was poorly suited to a member of her species. He wondered what she looked like under her mask. The unpetrified villagers said she had a human-looking, enchantingly beautiful face. Green eyes. Still, he’d rather not see it if it meant he would become a statue.

Yperian shook his head and took a sip of his drink, weighing his options. Mythics of any kind were not to be tolerated in Evaria, by order of the king. That decree was made years ago. Still, attempting to have these two killed could very likely turn out to be a bad decision – He still didn’t know for sure if they were friend or foe, and, more importantly, he didn’t know if they could be beaten. His men couldn’t even look at the snake. How could they win a battle with their eyes closed?

Lorick, one of the men sent after them into the forest, had come to report back to him ahead of the group, witless and confused, saying he saw nothing at all. It was unnervingly strange… They had obviously done something to him. Perhaps the man was a sorcerer. He did claim to be friendly with a witch…

A soldier carrying a jug of wine and some clothes entered the tent. Yperian noticed that the man, Emony, flinched at the sight of the liquid and subtly leaned away. He beckoned the soldier to put the things on the table and leave.

“You requested a pair of pants, along with these furs,” he said, taking the jug and pouring himself some more wine. “You seem to have changed already, though, so you clearly have two pairs already. Why do you need a third?”

“One can never have enough,” Emony responded, giving the warmest of the offered clothing to his companion. “This is for you, Tiphaine.”

“Thanks.”

Yperian shrugged. “No matter. Would you like another drink?”

“No, thank you. I haven’t finished the previous one. Anyway, since you’d prefer us not to go to the village, where would you have us sleep?”

“I’ve arranged for a tent on the far end of the encampment. You will be given suitable lodgings.”

“I hope it’s in the sun,” said Tiphaine from behind her mask, stretching her arms and putting on the offered furs. “It’s freezing around here.”

Especially for the cold-blooded, Yperian thought. He noticed the man shift in his seat closer towards her.

“Unfortunately, the days are getting shorter,” he said. “It will get colder before it gets warmer, though snow likely won’t fall for another month or two. That said, if you are to be our allies, you’ll be welcome by our fire.”

The lamia’s vipers ceased their quiet hissing for a moment. “Thank you,” she said.

“On that note, I’d like to thank you for reviving the villagers. Many of my men had family among them, and they are very happy to have them back.”

“I’m sure they have enough to deal with already, with those undead,” she responded.

“Tell us what you think of us,” Emony said suddenly, interrupting them. His tone had completely changed. It was as though he were attempting to sing.

“What do you mean?” asked Yperian.

Emony blinked, seemingly unnerved for a moment, before exchanging a glance with Tiphaine and regaining his composure. “Nothing in particular. I’d simply like to know what you would like our relationship to look like in the near future.”

Is he actually trying to sing? Yperian thought. He must have drunk more than he’d thought.

“Well,” Yperian said honestly, “I don’t know what to think of you. You appeared here out of the blue, turning half the villagers to stone. We thought you might be connected with the men of the lake, the other hostile mythics in the area, but then, upon our request, you revived everyone. So, neither of you are mindless aggressors, as the men of the lake seem to be. In fact, your friend Tiphaine really does seem to be cursed with the legendary Eyes, which, as unfortunate as it is, would explain some of today’s nonsense. I would wager you may really not be connected with the men of the lake. Most of us are afraid of you regardless, of course, given your nature and capabilities, and none of us know just about anything about you, other than that you claim to be willing to aid us.”

The lamia turned her head towards her partner again, while he simply offered Yperian a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

He still wasn’t entirely sure which of the two would pose a greater threat if it came to violence.

“At any rate, despite the law, we’d appreciate your help, and we would be happy to reward you for it. However, as mythics and magic have been officially forbidden from entering Evaria under the penalty of death, we cannot exactly let you two roam freely.”

“Do you really think you can prevent us from doing so?” Emony asked.

Gazing towards the two, Yperian honestly pondered the question in his mind. How many lives would it take to end theirs? Perhaps simply having them followed would suffice.

“Well, I suppose it would be unnecessary to move against you right at this moment. The law states exceptions can be made for mythics that prove themselves allies of humanity. I would have you do so, so that the king in Terrena won’t come for my head.”

“You would have us abide by your human laws?” Emony said, sipping his drink while staring at him.

“Earlier, you claimed to be human yourself,” Yperian said in turn. “I speak only to the lamia. What say you, Tiphaine?”

In response, the man gave him a particularly venomous smile.

“Come on, Emony,” Tiphaine said. “We have stuff to do here anyway. Let’s not make enemies for no reason. Besides, how dangerous can those men of the lake be? I mean, even if they’re undead, they’re just human. No offense, sir.”

“None taken, but I believe you may be underestimating them. Those cadavers are formidable foes. What do you know of necromancy?”

“Not a thing,” Emony said.

“I take it you, lady Tiphaine, cannot simply turn them to stone with a glance? Your curse is legend.”

“Thoroughly impossible,” Emony interrupted. “Her power doesn’t work on magical beings or dead people. Only on the living.”

If that was to be believed, it would seem that they were natural enemies, Yperian thought. Still, if they could help them push back the men of the lake… That was an impossibly enticing prospect. And it wasn’t the lamia’s fault she was cursed with the Eyes. The divines were often cruel to the least deserving. She seemed to be the friendlier of the two.

“Alright, then. I will allow you to leave our encampment, to go about your business. I’d advise you to stay in camp until tomorrow, though, and especially, to stay away from the lake. It’s only a matter of time until the corpses attack again. So far, they’ve always come during rain, and we are expecting some tonight.”