A Quest for the Stars

After putting some distance between themselves and everyone else, the eagle found a branch on a tree to stand on. Beau stopped in his tracks, axe still in hand.

“Why do you kill, I wonder? Is it to test your strength? Food? Or is it simply the desire to crush the weak just like man crushes a cockroach with pure, murderous intent? We all have those thoughts, but it’s not like we should act on them without permission. The attack on my neck? I’m willing to let it slide if you leave right now. But if you refuse to leave, I will teach you the meaning of fear.”

The eagle screeched its response. Beau could not speak bird but, somehow, some way, watching the eagle raise a wing at him, with a single feather standing out more than the others, made him chuckle.

“I don’t suppose you would care to tell me what you’re doing here? Or who your master is, for that matter.”

The eagle shook its head.

“Didn’t think so.” Beau readied his axe. His role was far from done.

***

“Good. Now we can continue.”

Clara had already grabbed her quarterstaff and was ready to strike Alistair before she stopped herself. “Wait, what?”

“Did you really think I was going to let someone like him touch her? Especially after you had gone through the trouble to come get me?”

Clara lowered her staff. “It looked that way, yes!”

Alistair grabbed the bandages from the toolbox and started wrapping them around Lenoria’s waist. “This girl is your friend. You wanted me to save her. And if you wanted to keep that guy away from her, there must have been a reason. That’s all I needed to know.”

“Even so,” Clara said, hardly believing what she heard, “you just told him to get something for you and would put in a good word for him if he did.”

“And you just assumed the same thing he did,” the boy said calmly. “I told him I would tell this girl how he contributed to the situation if he gets me what’s on the list. That doesn’t mean he’ll be successful or that my commentary will be positive.”

“Wait…” Clara was catching on. “What did you tell him to get for you?”

The boy smiled confidently. “Two gallons of dihydrogen monoxide and one pinch of diamond dust.” Alistair cut the bandage roll once he determined he used enough to wrap Lenoria’s wound. “Done.”

Clara’s cheeks expanded as she held the urge to laugh. “You told him to get water?”

“Glad you caught on.”

“But that means you lied to him!”

“No. I told him the truth. I intend to keep my promise if by some miracle he returns with the list items. This girl needs plenty of water and nutritional fluids, and the diamond dust is needed to restore the weakness she’ll surely feel after waking up. Her safety, her well-being, comes first here.”

Alistair grabbed two empty pitchers out of his backpack and used a spell to pour water into them. A divine light shone on his hands. “Create! Pour! Hydrate!” The light vanished after he chanted and water mysteriously filled the pitchers out of nowhere.

“Of course, I was already prepared if he proved unable to complete a simple water fetching task.”

Clara was at a loss as to how Alistair’s mind operated. “Don’t paladins have a code, like ‘thou shalt not lie, cheat, or steal’? Won’t you get in trouble for deceiving Thomas?”

“If I had told him I would have put in a good word for him, most likely. But I only told him I would tell this girl how he contributed. Had he inquired further, I would have elaborated more and said he’s only been a nuisance so far. But these types tend to think only with their dicks, so no further explanation was required.”

Clara’s anger had subsided and it had been replaced with dread. “You are so bright for someone so young. Still, you don’t know Thomas like we do. He’ll be very upset once he finds out you duped him. He’s the top student of the Guild, you know.”

Alistair chuckled. “Well, Mr. ‘Top Student’ is welcome to make his argument, but your friend should be awake by the time he returns. Look.”

Quiet groans came from Lenoria as she stirred and her eyes flickered open.

“I was so concerned about Thomas that I totally forgot about Lenoria!” Clara was overwhelmed with a mixture of grief and relief as she wept and held Lenoria’s hand with both of hers. The tightly shut floodgates had burst open. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here fast enough!”

“I’m fine…but what’s that you said about…Thomas?” Lenoria caught sight of Alistair by the time her eyes opened completely. “He’s the cutie from earlier! What’s he doing here?” Horror settled in after she felt her throat, then elbows. She looked down at her belly to see it wrapped in bandages and sat up immediately. She grabbed her stomach in pain from the sudden movement. “Owie…”

“Easy. Your wounds have stabilized but you still need medical attention. We’ll need to get you to the infirmary.” Alistair knelt on one knee and casually placed his hand on the girl's back. “Can you stand?”

Lenoria blushed profusely. “He didn’t see everything, did he?” She gasped. “Clara, what was that about Thomas?”

“Thomas was here not too long ago, pretending to be your boyfriend,” the elf answered without holding back.

Lenoria shivered uncontrollably. “Remind me to kick him next time I see him.”

“But Alistair here sent him away and patched you up. If there’s anyone you need to thank, it’s him.”

Alistair wagged his finger negatively. “No thanks needed; I’m just doing my job.”

Lenoria giggled nervously. "I'm single, as a matter of fact. Thank you for keeping him away from me." She placed her hands on the ground. “I-I think I can walk.” Lenoria tried to stand, but a combination of her weakened body and gravity sent her back down to earth.

“Take it easy for now.” Alistair held her firmly so that she wouldn’t hit the ground.

“I said I can-” Lenoria made eye contact with Alistair. His gaze was firm, unflinching, as he pleaded with her to stay put. Her eyes locked with his, mesmerized by the visage of her savior. "Yes, sir. Y-you saved my life, after all, didn't you?"

"Y-yes." Alistair flinched when the girl stared back at him with a half-lidded expression. "I only did what anyone else would. I-I didn't have any ulterior motives, I swear."

"Kinda hard to believe that when you're the one holding me." Lenoria yelped when Alistair nearly dropped her at the realization that he had been holding her this entire time, but giggled when he caught her once again.

"Y-you're not going to hit me or call me a pervert?"

"And why would I do that? I would never strike or say something so rude to the man who saved me."

“Thank you.” With a sigh of relief, Alistair gently released Lenoria as he sat on the ground next to her. “I still have healing reserves, but I need to save them in case Lord Beau also needs medical attention. If the worst comes to pass, I’ll use everything I have to restore you completely. Please understand my situation.”

“Beau?”

“Alistair came here with a friend,” Clara said. “That eagle on the boulder sure was something else, and he went after it.”

Lenoria feared the worst. “I understand your situation, but we have to get ready to run. Your friend is in danger.” Spotting the ghostly visage of Pearl behind her, Lenoria tried to keep the mention of stars and Soulstones to a minimum as she recounted her one-sided struggle with the feathered predator.

***

The predatory bird wasted no time to continue its assault. With a flap of its wings, it unleashed a violent air current that caught Beau off-guard and nearly made him fall on the ground.

The iron-clad man felt a stinging sensation on his left cheek, followed by more on his elbow joints and finally a piercing sensation on his stomach. An invisible feather had grazed his cheek while three others were lodged in him. With a wild grin, he licked the blood that dripped down to the left tip of his lip and heaved his massive axe.

“Is that all? You pack quite the punch for a bird your size. Combine that with your aerial mobility and you make the perfect predator. But even you must know that the only thing a predator should fear is another!” With one mighty spin, Beau tossed his axe at his opponent. “Observe!”

But the eagle moved its head sideways, dodging the heavy axe with a simple weave. If it had teeth, it would be grinning. Beau was unarmed with no way to defend himself.

That made the bird lower its guard.

It was Beau’s turn to grin, for he wasn’t done; he pulled his hands towards himself, making the axe turn a complete 180 in midair. In the blink of an eye, the axe returned to Beau's hands and he immediately threw it again. It all happened too quickly for the eagle to dodge a second time. A gaping wound was made on its back with a force that would decapitate the average man. Yet, somehow, the eagle remained aloft and alive.

The axe spun towards him and Beau fearlessly caught it, used its momentum to make another spin - briefly forming a crimson tornado - and tossed it again at his opponent. Once again, the toss was too fast for the eagle and another cut was made. This one was close to the gunshot wound from earlier, and blood started pouring out.

Beau welcomed the literal bloodbath with a crazed smile.

The feathered predator - descendant of the dinosaurs and murderer of four people - was afraid for the first time in its life. Survival instinct lies in the soul of every living thing, but the fear of death haunts all who can make coherent thoughts. The power of Aquila was both a blessing and a curse.

Flight (both meanings of the word) was the best option here. The strike from the axe shocked it but it was not enough for it to fall. The eagle flew away from the park just when the axe returned to Beau’s hands.

“There is no sport in chasing weakened prey. But if you want a rematch, head on over to the northern kingdom of Thule! I’ll take you on any day of the week!”

Magic and tactics be damned; sometimes all you need to win is a big stick.

***

“Aaahhh…”

Lenoria took big gulps from one of the pitchers of water Alistair had provided. She just finished telling both him and Clara what had happened in their absence while Clara sat next to her and Alistair inspected the remaining corpses within earshot. The boy did not show concern for the well-being of his companion, and elected to tend to the dead instead of running away.

Clara looked distraught. “I knew I should have stayed! We could have stood a chance if we fought together.”

“I don’t think so. It was too fast for me, and its feathers always hit the vital points of its targets. How do you defend from something you can’t see?”

Lenoria, of course, omitted some of the truth. In reality, she could now see the feathers thanks to Pearl’s power; gray and fluffy, just like her murderer. Soulstone users could conceal their powers if they wished, but their powers were never hidden from another Soulstone user. That was what Pearl had told her.

One more thing, Lenoria. While there will be some who use their powers for selfish reasons, there is also the chance you will meet people who use their power for selfless causes. If you can tell them apart, the latter will prove to be valuable allies.

Do you really think they would join me?

That would be up to the individual. But I can already sense another Soulstone nearby. And your elven friend may be able to tap into its full potential.

Clara? Would it be okay to drag her into this?

Again, that would be up to her. But your journey could prove to be more bearable if others are willing to share the burden.

And the eagle?

Leave it be. Once you’ve grown stronger, we will seek it out and challenge it again.

For now, she was free to live her life until Pearl needed her. When would Pearl need her? There was no telling. The raven woman needed to discern the location of each Soulstone, and would let Lenoria know when she detected one. As she mentioned, one other than Aquila was nearby and all she needed to do was focus on its energies before she sent Lenoria to retrieve it.

Apus, the bird of paradise.

“Lenoria!”

Everyone heard the voice of Constable Richards approach from the main park gate. He was followed by other hobgoblin guards, some civilians, and two hulking brutes made of metal with no discernible faces. The machines were twice the height of anyone else present, and all but the guards kept their distance from them.

The Constable kneeled by Lenoria’s side, inspecting her limbs and face for injuries. “You’re drenched in blood, girl! What happened?”

“You’re not gonna believe this, but there’s an eagle flying around killing people. We should close the park and get everyone out of here.” Lenoria directed her eyes to the fallen corpses. The Constable followed her gaze, and upon seeing the dead he immediately commanded his men to check on them.

“I checked them just now,” Alistair said. “They’re dead.”

The girls and Alistair bowed their heads solemnly. The Constable scratched his head. “One eagle did this? That’s impossible.”

“It’s very possible.” A wounded Beau limped his way to the crowd. “Though hardly a challenge. It fled when I made it experience true fear.”

“It’s still alive?” Lenoria hung her head in defeat.

“Barely. It will need time to lick its wounds, and even then, it should think twice before messing with us again.”

Alistair nearly dropped his medical kit at the sight of his companion. “Lord Beau, you’re bleeding!”

“Relax, only half of this blood is mine.” The big man planted his axe on the ground. “Though I do require healing, if you can spare it.”

“At once!”

“Wait!” Beau looked over at Lenoria. “Can the girl walk?”

There was no point in lying for Lenoria. “N-no, sir. But I don’t mind getting carried out on a stretcher.”

“Nonsense. You need more help than I do.” Beau looked over at Alistair. “Al, pray for us.”

Alistair grabbed on to a pendant he kept under his chest plate. Green gems decorated the iron cross hanging from the thin metal strand. The lad closed his eyes, said “O Hammer of Justice, bless these souls with your wisdom and heal their wounds” and enveloped everyone around him with holy light.

As Lenoria bathed in the holy light, her legs became less wobbly and her stamina returned. The pain didn’t go away completely, but she felt strong enough to walk. “Are you a priest, by chance?”

“Paladin, actually. Some of my divine powers can also be obtained by priests,” the boy explained.

This was Lenoria’s first and second time she received healing magic from a divine caster. “If I had him with me 24/7, I might just accept your job offer, Constable.”

“Cute, but don’t say things you don’t mean.” The Constable’s gaze landed on both Beau and Lenoria. “Both of you engaged an animal of the park, not to mention you’re involved with this crime scene. I’ll need you two to stay put while we tend to the dead and get our story from witnesses. Hope you don’t mind waiting.” The Constable stepped away to get a closer look at the dead.

Meanwhile, Lenoria gave Alistair and Beau a sorrowful look. She placed her hands on her sides and bowed until her head and shoulders were at a 90-degree angle, just like her father had taught her. “Sorry…”

Beau’s injuries were far from gone, but he moved as if he was not injured at all. “Why are you apologizing?”

“If I didn’t step in to save a kid, you wouldn’t have been involved in this mess.”

“You risked your life for a child? And you’re implying you could have just as easily ignored the situation. In any case, there’s no need to be sorry. So, come on,” Beau said in a rather commanding tone, "raise your head already. No need to bow."

Lenoria did as Beau asked just as Alistair stepped in. "Regardless of reason, risking your health for the sake of a child is very admirable. Never feel bad about that."

“But I could have died.” Lenoria did die, but so far everyone believed Alistair saved her from death. The trauma that came with dancing with death had already settled in, but she did her best to hide it. She couldn’t tell them about Pearl, after all. “And you could have died.”

“If your principles aren’t worth dying for, then they were never yours to begin with,” Beau replied harshly. “If it helps you sleep at night, I accept your apology. But I was never in any danger.”

“With all due respect, sir, there’s blood on your face and armor,” Alistair interjected.

“And I have yet to meet a foe who could do worse.” To Lenoria, Beau said “Lenoria, wasn’t it? I didn’t save you out of the kindness of my heart, you know. Alistair is noble enough to do so without a second thought, but I had my own reasons for going along with it. You see, we came to Helix from the other side of the border for two reasons.”

“They came from Thule?” Lenoria knew Thule was a tyranny where undead prowled freely in the open. Any warrior who could survive there had to be strong, she thought. She turned to Clara, who looked like she wanted to say something but ultimately decided to keep it to herself for now. “And what would they be?” she asked Beau.

“The first is that Alistair here is on a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of the Hammer. He wishes to become a knight in the name of his patron and bring honor to his noble house by slaying demons.”

Embarrassed, Alistair stared at the ground. “My lord, there’s no reason to tell her everything…”

“With all due respect to you, kiddo, the girl here has not taken her eyes off of you. I don’t think she minds knowing more about you, if the drool on her lips is anything to go by. Doesn't she look like your type?”

Now it was Lenoria’s turn to feel embarrassed as she wiped her moistened lips and hid her red face. Clara chuckled at the sight while Alistair just looked the other way.

“I-I’m not a kid…” Alistair countered weakly. "I-I suppose I can't deny her beauty and politeness, either."

“And what is the second?” her muffled voice asked while her face remained hidden.

“To hire the most talented artificer who specializes in golems,” Beau revealed. “In other words, you. If you have money troubles, you can kiss them goodbye.”

I hate to leave things on a cliffhanger, so let’s check on Thomas, shall we?

***

“I’m serious! Why are you laughing?”

The android apothecary - a humanoid made of metal with human-like sentience - leaned on the counter and wheezed while holding the slip Thomas had given him.

“What’s going on?” asked another android.

“Gaze upon this,” the first one said as he handed his companion the slip. They then both laughed as loud as they could.

Steam erupted from Thomas’s ears and nostrils. “You stupid lumps of metal! I’ll teach you to make a fool out of me!”

And on that day, Thomas learned it was not wise to try to punch two men made out of literal metal when you yourself weigh only about 150 lbs. and lack muscle mass. Needless to say, the altercation got the authorities involved and Thomas was promptly arrested for a breach in the restraining order, 200 gold pieces in damages to the apothecary, and obscene gestures to an empty potion vial.