Chronicles of the Lone Wolf: Welcome to Fairwater

I was awakened about an hour or so before sunset. After I had blinked my sleepy brain into focusing, I found the constable standing over me, the expression unreadable as they said, "Come with me."

"If I want to live," I yawned, grabbing my pants and pulling them on under the covers.

Ood frowned at me. "Nothing quite so dire."

I shook my head, dismissing the comment with a little wave. "Sorry, it's a famous quote where I come from."

"You must live in a dangerous place," they said, somberly.

I thought about the escalating bigotry and hatred and couldn't help nodding. "More true than I care to admit," I said. "People here seem to better understand the necessity of communication and cooperation," I noted. I quickly slipped into my armor and laced up my, now favorite, pair of moccasin-style boots.

"People are reminded all to well of the thousand year long war with the invading fiends," they said as I followed them out. "Of the population that remained on Vaysoom and of those reinforcements brought by Alorahd, only about one percent survived to see the fiends driven back." The heaviness in their voice was proof enough of just how fresh those scars still were, even after almost two millennia. "Survivors quickly learned that the only way to survive was to set aside differences and find a way to cooperate. Only by working together and defending each other from the natural disasters, wild creatures, and the other things that followed the reinforcements through to this world."

"Other things," I asked. "Like what?"

"There are entities that hold no loyalty to any deity," the explained. "Some came through for the chance to hunt the fiends, others may have simply caught the wake of those passing through. In either case, it is believed that Alorahd and the lesser gods keep them in check so long as the people honor the contracts made with those in true power."

"Wow," I said, thinking about the fragile knife's edge this world tread along. "I wish my people could learn that without the cataclysm," I said, sadly. "Unfortunately, it seems more likely we will be the cause of it, for us, at least." I tried to ignore the suspicious look that the constable gave me, but I'd said too much. I sopped to the side of the road for a little privacy and gave a very quick and quiet explanation of where I came from.

Still suspicious, but accepting, Ood nodded and said, "That does explain a few things. The gear, for instance," they gestured to my armor and gauntlets and I nodded my concession.

"Look," I said, gesturing for them to lead on. "I'm just trying to get back home and I'm helping where I can. The fact that it helps pay for me to get out to The Academy for help is just a bonus."

"I can respect that," Ood said as we reached the Magister's Manor. "So long as you do nothing to endanger the town or the Druettis family, we have no quarrel."

"Good," I said. "And you do understand that all of this stuff in town started before I was even here, right?"

The constable laughed as we entered the magister's office. "Yes, Karl. I do know that for sure, now."

Garlin was standing behind his desk as we entered and I nodded to Nykoal who was standing opposite him. "What are you doing here," I asked her.

She nodded in return and said, "Reporting in about something you helped us with, in fact."

"We have done a thorough search of the warehouses and sealed any entrances to Darkwater," she told the magister. "While we were barred from the warehouses of the Velvet Vicinity, as expected, we have been assured that those are also sealed." She glanced at me as if wondering if I might say something, but I simply waited patiently. "While we might, ordinarily, doubt their honesty, this is something that is in their own best interests and I believe them," she concluded.

"Thank you, Nykoal," Garlin said before turning to me. "Karl, I wanted to personally thank you for finding my son and bringing him back to me alive. You have earned this and my gratitude," he said, handing over a purse clearly larger than we had agreed on. Before I could protest, he said, "The additional coin is from my own pocket, and I insist."

I nodded my thanks and tied it to my belt, wondering how much was there, but not wanting to count it here. "Have you had any luck finding out where that theater or the annex is," I asked.

"We have been able to contact representatives of The Faculty," Constable Ood spoke up. "They will neither reveal the location of the annex nor what the Onyx Blade might be after."

Garlin nodded and added, "They also said they will be moving anything they feel might be targeted to a more secure location, but did not indicate where that might be."

I glanced at Nykoal, not sure how much of the situation she knew. "Was anything else recovered with Wuornos when you found him?"

I noticed the pair share a look before looking over at Nykoal for a moment. Carefully, Magister Druettis answered, "Not as yet, but there is a fair amount of rubble to sift through still." He paused a moment and then added, "Wuornos did awaken long enough to inform the guards that he did not believe anyone had taken the items from him."

"And the theater," I asked. "We've prevented them from getting a hold of any of the things they seemed to be after," I continued. "And with Jezley out of their hands, that may make them desperate and even more dangerous."

"I do not have any records of specifics other than along the north bank and marked with the only pine trees in the valley," the magister said, apologetically. He looked over at Nykoal and said, "You have some contacts within the Vicinity. Might they have details on where the old Twin Pines Theater stood?"

"I do no recognize the name, sir," she responded after a moment's thought. "I can see if I can call in some favors, if that may help."

I looked to the constable. "If the Onyx Blade is desperate, how much risk does that put the town in," I asked.

They contemplated for a long moment before answering, "A considerable amount. The Town Guard are not trained to repel an assault by an organized band of trained soldiers," they said. "I shall have them see if there is anyone among the residents who may recall the location of the theater."

I nodded and said, "I'll check with Paisley and see if he knows of the theater, too. We have the start of a plan. If we keep it simple, I can find them and at least lower the number of threats you'll have to face," I finished with a heavy sigh.

"If the magister will permit me," Nykoal spoke up. "You will not have to face the challenge alone," she said.

The magister nodded his approval and I said, "That's up to you, but I would welcome the help." I looked around the small room. "I'll check back in first thing in the morning to see if you've heard anything. Either way, we head out around first light."

"Agreed," Nykoal nodded. "If there is anything you are in need of, I suggest you pick it up tonight."

"That's the plan," I replied with a smile. "Until morning, then."

A few minutes later, I was stepping into the Sunforge Armory in time to ask, "Am I too late? Are you closed already?"

Daligren smiled warmly and said, "Not yet, not yet, my friend. Please, come in." He stepped from behind the counter to shake my hand warmly and continued, "Kynkade has a couple of items for you and we must thank you again for the designs you passed on to us."

I laughed. "No problem at all. I take it there's been some interest in them?"

"The new bow design alone has brought in some custom orders and we have even heard from as far away as Ravenfell about them already," Kynkade said, entering through the back room. He carried what looked like four small boxes about the length of my forearm and set them down on the counter, waving me over. "I do apologize for how long it has taken me to complete these for you," he said, grabbing my arm and roughly attaching one box to the outside of my gauntlet and a smaller one to the bottom of it. A quick measurement and a trim and trigger wires were strung and connected to the most effective fingers. "I have had other orders that needed to be filled," he explained as he led me out the back for some calibrations. "I also wanted to make sure that these were in perfect working order."

I made a fist and bent my wrist upward, smiling as a thin blade shot out and locked into place, extending out about six inches beyond the fingers of my open hand. As I looked over the mechanism and tested the retraction, Kynkade quickly strapped the other two devices to my other gauntlet and setting the triggers for me.

"Be careful with the other one," he warned. "I have not yet been able to set the aim or the retraction properly."

"Which-" I began as I bent my wrist toward the center of my body. The springs in the device were strong enough to create a minor touch of recoil as a spike launched from the side of my wrist, a long cord attached to something within the box. I wasn't sure what the length was, but at fifteen feet, the spike punched into the tree behind and just right of the intended target. "Whoa," I said, impressed by the little devise as well as Kynkade's obvious skill.

"Now trigger it again and give your arm a slight tug toward you," he directed.

I did as he said and the spike remained in the tree for a moment before it yanked free and retracted back into it's case on my wrist. I, on the other hand, was yanked off my feet and landed in a heap in the direction of the tree.

Daligren rushed forward with a gasp to help me up, sputtering, "Oh my gods! Are you alright?"

Kynkade also rushed forward, saying, "I am so sorry! Let me adjust that aim for you, and I think the spikes barbs stuck a little longer than they should have."

I sat up, shaking my head and blinking. "Wow," I said, still a little stunned. "Is the tug related to the barbs retraction," I asked. "Because I was a little slow on that part."

"Well," he said, looking a little confused. "Yes, how did you know?"

"Just a guess," I answered, looking the device over. "But an educated one. This is some incredible work, my friend. Thank you. This is perfect, I just need to get some practice in with it." I considered what I was expecting tomorrow. "And it's just in time for a field test," I finished.

Daligren looked at Kynkade and said, "Are you sure?" He blushed, a little embarrassed. "I mean, I trust my husband's work, do not misunderstand. Are you sure you want to take equipment you are unfamiliar with into untested battle?"

I gave them both a wolfish grin. "Nothing like a trial by fire to learn what I should already know," I said. When I saw their confused looks, I reminded them. "These are my designs, remember. I've just never been able to get prototypes built." Kynkade stared at me, realizing just how much trust I had put into his skill. I nodded to him and said, "Now we see just how good a designer I really am."

I'd quickly headed for Ambreth's before it got to be too much later. I felt bad for startling her again, but assured her that I wasn't here to cause any trouble, I simply needed to buy some more potions. She looked me over suspiciously and I realized I may have forgotten to tell the constable about Max's cart. I made a mental note to be sure to tell them first thing in the morning. I looked around the little room and the large bookcases that filled the walls with all kinds of leather bound tomes scattered between jars, flasks, and other containers of various potion and spell components. As she returned with three of the potions, apologizing for not having more prepared, I spotted it on the shelf by the door. I handed over the coins for the potions, adding an additional ten as a thank you for her help as I asked, "Mind if I ask where you found fresh pine?"

I smiled at her warmly, trying to reassure her. "You aren't in any trouble," I said, holding my empty pals toward her and slowly sitting on the floor, intentionally putting myself in a vulnerable position. "Not from me, in any case. I promise you that." I thought hard as to how to explain when I didn't know what had her so afraid. "The magister needs me to find an old theater that was lost to the jungle," I explained. "All he could remember about it was that it was along the north bank, somewhere, and that the only two pine trees in the area were out in front of it." I lowered my hands, palms down, to the floor, sitting as comfortably as I could on the hard floor. "If you could just give me directions, I'll take the potions and leave."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she looked at me for a long while. When I didn't make any threatening moves, she nodded, as if coming to a decision. "Last I went to pick up those ingredients, armed thugs drove me away." She looked me over a little more closely and continued, "Their armor was similar, made by Sunforge, at least, but yours is strange in design. They warned me that if I spoke of it, I would die."

I frowned. I didn't like it when innocent people were threatened, especially when just trying to make their living. "It's okay," I told her. "They've been causing enough trouble around town that a couple of us will be going to remove them soon. I won't let them trace it back to you, I promise you." I asked if I could use the rear door to do a sweep of her property to make sure there were no intruders watching and she sighed in relief, agreeing.

I stepped into the shadows behind the house and called Lily to me as I donned my helmet, the moons shining of the wolf-like muzzle below the visor. I dropped into a low crouch and did a full and thorough sweep to make sure that no one was watching. Only when I was completely sure that there wasn't anyone, thanks to Lily's help, did I head back to the Cauldron to prepare for tomorrow's chaos.