Staring up at the open sky, I watch the shapes of the clouds shift around for a while. It felt impolite to observe a stranger crying like this too closely. And while I don’t want to interrupt the moment, it feels like something I shouldn’t force my way into by staying either.

I rise to my feet quietly, intent on leaving the circle so they can be alone. I can get the rest of my answers later. The various Hounds’ eyes flick over to me, tensing and moving as much they could towards their lord without being too obvious. I don’t bother saying anything. Instead, I leave through a temporary gap between Zephyr’s head and tail; telling him to keep them alive and from running away if they try. When the ring is closed again, I loosen the binding spells, allowing them to move normally but not letting them completely free.

I have all their stuff; so they wouldn’t be able to run away very effectively anyway, but just in case.

You see, I realized that I need to feed them. As a Magis I can sustain myself mostly on magic for a few weeks without issue, so I don’t bother traveling with the tools or ingredients to make full meals most of the time. To begin with, I never travel long enough to need more than road-snacks. But they aren’t like me. They would need actual meals. It’s a good thing Redstone is nearby, or we’d be eating poorly butchered magic-roasted magic-beast meat and trail-mix. And while they might be hungry enough not to complain, I want to be a better abductor than those responsible for my own experiences.

Redstone is small, at less than a thousand occupants, so it doesn’t take long at all for me to find a food vendor and buy several meals worth. I also found a store selling dried foods and restocked my individual supplies. All in all, it was a limited but painless experience. However, I’d only been gone around thirty or forty minutes, and that probably wasn’t long enough. I meander about, taking in the settlement. The houses around here are mostly clay and thatched roofs, but they were well kept. I wonder what they do for fun around here…

Some of the people were clearly farmers, others seemed to be making baskets or mats. The most interesting pair was an elderly couple that were boiling some local plants to make dyes; in the end I spent a couple hours conversing with them about ink and dye colors. They had even kindly let me take the leftover concentrate they had from a previous batch since it hadn’t produced a stable color for cloth. By then it was just after noon, and I thought my captives might be getting fairly hungry.

I also disposed of my stolen soldier clothes, having long since returned to the simple shirt, pants, and caplet combo that was familiar to me. Not that anyone could forcibly search a space pocket without destroying it, but it’d be bad if anyone not currently wanted by law enforcement found out I had them.

I want to say that it wasn’t awkward when I finally returned, but it’s hard for it to be anything else when more than one of them has red swollen eyes that weren’t there when I left. They had also huddled closer together, leaning into one another. Their other friend lay still asleep beside them, but Eris grasped one of his hands. Hmm, I might have to check on him again.

I nod my greeting to them when they inevitably look at me. They eye me with uncertainty, probably wondering if I’ll tighten the restraints again or say something about how they moved. Frankly, I don’t care; I’d expected them to.

I set out a meal’s worth of food in front of them, although it wasn’t anything complicated; just some water, bread, and cooked meat; still as fresh as when I bought them courtesy of magic. I took some of the food too, to show them it wasn’t poisoned, but not much more than a couple mouthfuls of each. I did buy it for them, after all.

Surprisingly, Sigil is the one that eats first, double-checking that everything I brought really is fine. The others start to eat tentatively after he gives the okay, then ravenously as their hunger takes over; it may be plain, but it was likely the best they’d had since they were imprisoned. They ate quickly, and without leaving any scraps; Eris had given the empty plates a guilty look, flicking her eyes to the sleeping man. It was only then that I noticed a resemblance between them, siblings perhaps.

It was then, in the silence, that Dreadfang spoke, “What do you intend to do with us?” It was a boldness more akin to the person I’d fought two nights ago than who I’d seen him be since. Although, the effect was undermined slightly by the rims around his eyes.

“…Well, that depends on what you tell me, I suppose. I already got the only thing I needed from you, so I could release you. At this point, I’m just curious. You see, you aren’t at all the sort of person I expected you to be based on that title of yours.”

I watched a blush rush up his neck, reddening his ears and tinging his cheeks, as he ducked his head suddenly bringing his hands to his face. I thought I heard him mumble something like I’m never going to live that down. He took a couple deep breaths before he looked up again, peeking between his fingers.

“What is it that you want me to tell you?” He uncurls a bit, those plum-red eyes snagging on mine.

“For starters, why you might need a fairy-stone, and then, if you would, the reason why you were crying earlier.” I lean my head onto my hand, propping an elbow on my crossed legs.

The Hounds bristle, the big guy looks like he’s ready to tell me to shove it, but Dreadfang puts up a hand to calm them. It’s clear that they’re silently objecting, but the person himself seems to be resigned about answering. He seemed to expect that I would ask.

“…In truth, both answers are related, but one is far longer than the other. If you don’t mind, I would like to…give some context, for what I have to say, first.” He waits till I nod and continues, “Are you…aware of the prophecy concerning me?”

I almost snort. Am I aware? You don’t even know the half of it. But the somber tone of his voice keeps me from being ruder than I intend.

“More or less,” I reply neutrally. He gives a half-nod, swallowing.  

“I thought as much, there are not many unfamiliar with it. Rather, that is the crux of it. In our homeland, the prophecy is very well known. Many lived in fear because of it. How can they not? It foretells the downfall of our people, a downfall that will be my fault.” His hands clench in his lap. “That prophecy has haunted me since the day I turned five.”

“For years I tried to embrace it. I tried to be strong enough to overturn it. I used to think that if I were stronger, or fiercer, or more charismatic, that I’d be able to defeat my destiny. I even found the Black Wrought Sword of the Cursed Descendent. But that legendary blade couldn’t even defeat a Magis, so I doubt it’ll stand up any better against my fate.”

I invoked every ounce of my self-control to avoid grimacing, considering that technically I was that fate. I did spend some time inspecting that sword, it’s an interesting relic of older times, but it’s safe to say that it’s mostly outlived its purpose. It’s basically just a sword that can detect magic now, since modern spells are more resistant to physical interference. Although, it could have some usefulness if you were battling an especially old and traditionalist dragon, or maybe in ruins exploration since they should be from a similar era.

“So, you’re basically saying that the fairy-stone was meant to be another way of helping you overturn the prophecy?”

He shakes his head, “No, the life-stone is for…my brother, probably. He…well, before that, I should explain that he was never a bad kid. And despite those that thought I should abdicate the throne, or even die, he supported me. He had faith that I could beat the conqueror and save our people. But…recently…he’s been different. He changed inexplicably, started saying and doing things that weren’t like him. As if he’s become someone else entirely. And then…he…”

Dreadfang dug a hole into the ground with his eyes, biting his lip. “He started a coup. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t expected someone to, of course they want to get rid of their cursed leader. I don’t blame them. But I never thought my own brother would be the one… And I know he betrayed me, I do!” He met the eyes of his vassals, urging them to understand. “But he’s still my little brother. And I want to help him.”

Sigil nods, “We know, my liege. You’ve always been terribly kind. That’s why, when Wren asked us to help him find a life-stone for you, we didn’t hesitate to join him.” He placed a hand on Dreadfang’s shoulder, offering a small smile.

Big guy glared at me then, punctuating Sigil’s words, telling me to feel sorry for taking it from them. I don’t.

“I see, that is quite a mess. But how were you expecting a fairy-stone to fix that? To begin with, fairy-stones are just highly efficient magic-frequency converters and conduits. In common terms, they’re only marginally useful to non-fairy magical creatures and beings, and not much better than a paperweight to anyone else. If you can’t use magic, it isn’t going to do anything for you.”

Maybe, they could have a Magis fashion it into a magical tool, like that sword of theirs, but I don’t think it’ll do what they want it for. Even then, any fairy-stone would work, it wouldn’t have to be a green pulse-stone.

They look disheartened at the idea of learning that everything they’d been through might have been for nothing. Eris in particular, bore a complex expression as she squeezed her brother’s hand.

Sigil, frowning slightly, questions,  “Can’t you make a curse dispelling elixir if you crush up a life-stone into pure spring water and leave it in the light of a full moon? That’s what the tale of the life-stone was about. You don’t need magic to crush up a rock, do you?”

I didn’t even know where to begin with that.

I could feel a long night of repeating Magic 101 lectures ahead of me.