The Briar Patch: Ch. 16: The City of Kharst

It was in the city of Kharst that they were first marked by the Plague Doctors.

At the Time they were searching the bustling underground city for a place to stay. And maybe an indigenous pathfinder to guide them through the cavernous depths, where Vye believed a glimpse of a promising verse of the Heart's Song to potentially be the solemn echoes of the once illustrious Nakhreus Ring. 

More importantly and of immediate import, however, was the dire need for recuperation.

Travel worn and deprived of the Radiant Warden's Light, the once brilliant shades of chartreuse and emerald that colored the Bræmbel Shol's foliage had atrophied, and their pigment reduced to a sickly pallor. The young Shol's pallid complexion reflected the lost reserves, his movements lethargic, and struck with a nigh constant fatigue. By the Time they reached the subterranean cavern, Vye was tucked away in Zeal's pack, too weak to continue on foot.

The city drew near, and Zeal would've been content to leave Vye asleep in his pack, but he needed the Shol to point him in the right direction. He couldn't hear the Heart's Song, after all.

"Vye." he whispered. A quiet rustle as his charge roused told him he was listening, "Can you walk."

Vye winced, and hummed out a lethargic affirmation, cut off abruptly as he stifled a yawn. Zeal's curtness was still odd to him. Though he knew better, it still came off as more of a demand than an inquiry.

This hadn't been the best of circumstances. Certainly, their supplies had been well prepared, and against the wear and the tumultuous seas, they were fine.

What they hadn't anticipated was how the Kharst's Melancholy had swept upon them, a full moon and a half early. Unlike the typical monsoons, the rainy season brought with it a change in the currents, riptides that pulled even the mightiest of ships into the depths of the ocean. Many sea vessels were not built to withstand the melancholy of Kharst, and the sudden onslaught trapped a fleet of nearby ships who took refuge in the harbor of the Stygian city, deep beneath the ground and seas both. With the sudden influx of people, the multitude of coral pillars, stalactites, and stalagmites were booked full with seafarers and tourists alike who had holed up to wait out the storm. This also a meant gathering of questionable company, and eyes of all sorts from every direction, be they of passing curiosity, wary, prying, or guarded. 

All of which amounted to little to no opportunity for Vye to sun himself.

The City of Kharst. A breathtaking cityscape for the tourists and illuminated by the sparse light captured and reflected throughout the naturally formed crystalline and mineral structures and glowing dimly in perpetual dusk. The seas too were alight. Not with bio luminescence nor glowing minerals stones as first believed, though the sea fireflies certainly made for a beautiful sight, but by the kelp itself which grew to astounding lengths, and which reflected light within its stalk. The colossal marine plants condensed and funneled the beams as an optical fiber would. So strongly that it lit up the entire seafront of the cavern.

The glowing forest of kelp pooled in enormous loops in the mouth of the caver, and unlike much of the known kelp, clung and climbed the walls of the cavern, spreading their light far above.

Beautiful view. 

Terrible privacy.

It left them with few options.

Booking a penthouse suite in the highest altitude speleothem was costly, but it was a necessity given the strength of the Solar Warden waned the more one descended into the abyss of Kharst. That and for the privacy it afforded high above the masses, it was a necessity. 

They stepped into the lobby and per usual Zeal did the talking. But when he grimaced at the price his young ward tugged on his sleeve. Before the mercenary could object, Vye pulled out payment for the booking and then some. Zeal made to stop him but thought better of it. 

The damage had already been done, it was too late. At least like this Vye seemed in control and self assured of what he was doing. In contrast, if he were to object it would take away from the authority of his young charge.

The Bramble Shol knew nothing about the worth of currency. Only that a lot of people seemed to do what he wanted if he pulled out enough of it, especially the really shiny golden pieces. The significance and value of each individual piece were lost to him as anything more than a number.

Zeal had, with equal parts exasperation and amusement, snickered as Vye so very casually slid a pure gold cipher across the counter. Sputtering, the flabbergasted innkeeper bowed quickly and thanked them for their patronage.

Vye only thought to alleviate his guardian's burden. Nonetheless intentional or not, the consequences of his ignorance meant undesirable attention. Particularly so given that it was little Vye who had been the one to pull forth the coin of a singular fortune.

He couldn't fault the vale Shol for being oblivious to the ways of a world that, until a month ago, he had been a stranger to. 

But it was this ignorance to the concept of currency and likewise lack of monetary discretion that would cost them the very thing they were after.

As predicted, someone put a tail on them from the lobby. Perhaps thinking the masked and cloaked Shol was someone of import, a traveling merchant's heir or perhaps an envoy, who could be ransomed off for a hefty satchel.

A watchful eye ensured that Vye wouldn't be separated from him, but a commotion in the market and the rising chorus of the Heart's Song saw the Shol straying far from his side, darting off despite the warning shouted after him, and disappearing into the throng of people.

It was the moment their pursuers had been waiting for.

What they hadn't expected was Zeal.

Tracking down Vye was a cinch, but it hadn't been fast enough. Hood torn and the mask shattered in his struggle, they had seen the unmistakable tender green of his foliage.

Zeal was more than just a common sell sword, and the sheer magnitude of their difference of what they had dared to cross frightened them into submission.

Yet even the mastery by which carried his well earned reputation, or perhaps only exacerbated by it, wouldn't silence them. People were prone to blathering, this the Reaper knew well. And doubtlessly with a gem of information such as this, there would be talk if they were spared.

Upon questioning the cutthroats and finding them no more than just that, Vye had dismissed them after a moment of mulling in silence, his eyes passing them and studying these strange creatures. "Let them go, we've no further business with them."

"You don't know what you're saying."

"The longer we're out in the open, the more likely I'll be found. Besides, they've no association with the Nacre, nor reason for pursuit."

His eyes narrowed, "They'll come after you."

"Not while you're with me." was the instantaneous reply.

But leaving witnesses bode ill.

The last member of the Bræmbel Ring stood before him, a raised hand keeping him from letting his blade sing. It confounded him, why he would protect the same miscreants who had just moments earlier had pressed the cold bite of steel to his neck. Whom would, without hesitation, do so again--now more than ever--were Vye foolish enough to give them a second chance.

Vye frowned when his guardian didn't back down, "I don't understand."

"You're a Shol--all the world will be your enemy, to be hunted to the ends of the world and back again, be it in life or as butchered parts, carted off for the markets, or worse, a lab rat of the sanctum. Do you want to face the Harvest Moon again?"

"..." Vye lowered his arm, "Let them come then. It's naught more than they've already given me when the Harvest Moon rose. Besides, this Time things will be different." 

Returning his protector's incredulous stare with a big smile of his own, Vye padded over to him, "You're the best there is, no one can beat you Zeal! And the only 'you' there is, is the one beside me."

"Vye. I can't protect you from the world." Zeal shook his head, voice strained with exasperation.

But his young charge stood his ground.

Heaving a long suffered groan, the mercenary lowered his sword, fixing their assailants with a steely glare. He would regret this, whether Vye did or didn't. 

That fool of a Shol didn't understand what he was doing, nor the full weight of what his existence meant in this world so unlike his Ring.

But he couldn't do it. Not with the little Shol's eyes upon him, staring expectantly. Not with the child-like assurance of pure certainty that his guardian fell along the better side of the spectrum of morality.

Vye's naivety and high esteem in his comrade would be the end of him. Bloody infectious and he despised the fuzzy warmth that overtook him when Vye gazed up at him so.

It made him dread the inevitable day, not 'if' for there was no doubt that it would come to pass, when he would have to rip off the blindfold obscuring Vye from the harsh reality of Life. 

One would think the Harvest Moon would have been enough to do so. He scoffed and sighed. He knew the direction he would take even as he argued with himself for the wiser turn in the path.

He was just delaying the inevitable, this he knew. But at the very least it would not be today.

Nodding sharply with his head, Zeal dismissed them with a terse, "Go."

The thugs scattered.

Sheathing the blade and holstering it to his back, he groaned heavily, "You know not what you've done."

If by chance word were to reach the Grand Sanctum... It was a chance he'd rather not take.

They would be involved.

A few street rats were nothing. The Sanctum on the other hand.

Vye would be forcefully taken away from him. And--

Zeal shook his head. He didn't want to consider the torment they could--would, inflict.

Whereas the small Shol had somehow survived the Harvest Moon and all that while remained in ignorance to the majority of all that had come to pass, the mercenary had been there for it. Knew what it entailed. 

What would happen.

With another shake of the head he sighed to himself. He should've silenced them. 

Unwrapping his shawl, he hooded it around Vye, pulling out another mask and carefully applying it onto the Shol's face.

"Stay close to me and don't wander this Time."

A small nod and the Shol huddled against his leg, keeping a tight grip on his protector's sleeve as they reentered the marketplace.

What Zeal didn't tell him was that after he was assured that Vye would be safe, hidden in a room of a different inn, the mercenary tracked down their assailants and ensured that what they learned they took to the grave.

It was no difficult task, disposing of the carcasses when there was such an abundance of overtaken wilderness for them to be lost and savaged by beasts. Even the locals fell prey to the ferocity of the fauna from Time to Time. This would just be another.

What scraps were left he made short work of in the confidence of his friend the ocean, for in the vast light-less depths, did they keep that which was to be forever lost, secrets shrouded in the abyss.

He kicked off the last of the mess with a cold sort of indifference. It was for the best.

Yet already their assailants had rambled. 

Zeal had settled into a corner of the bar, taking in the passing conversation in his preliminary search.

But what reached his ears would be far more chilling than the briny whisper of the ocean.

The Seeker balked at what he'd overheard.

There still existed a specimen, a live one at that, of an actual Shol. 

Those men from the other day must've loosened their lips. It had been a mistake. One that he knew would come back to bite them. 

And still he had committed to it, believing that he could contain the damage.

The Seeker downed his cup and stood.  

If it were just a few, he could weed them out and silence. But nothing would stop the rumors of such precious information from circulating. 

Whatever business they had here they would have to conclude quickly, for there would doubtlessly be pursuers that would come soon to validate the credibility of such rumors.

Should the Plague Doctors, harbingers of the Sanctum, find truth in such hearsay, they would report back to headquarters.

And then the Reapers would come.

Then and there the Seeker dragged Vye out into the wilderness, entrusting it to the Shol to scour for the Heart's Song and as usual coming up with nothing.

They left on the next Ebb, sneaking aboard one of Kharst's fishing barges

At that Time it didn't matter where, so long as they put as much distance as they could from the underwater city.

Zeal only hoped that the Plague Doctors would discredit the rumor.

---

Hearing such a story chilled the Bluepine to the very fibers of their being.

"That fool. He knows not what he's done." Was all they could utter at the end of it. Already the Bluepine could feel a daunting headache brewing, and they rested their suddenly heavy head in their hands.

Yet they couldn't fault Vye. The young Shol wanted everything to be right with the world. Wanted to believe--or perhaps truly did--that it could be if they tried hard enough. Naive they were, in their tender years.

There had been a Time when Lockes too had been bright eyed and such thoughts of encroaching darkness seemed but the dancing flickers amidst the sunbeam. Certainly, it existed, but nothing that couldn't be overcome.

Even now they still believed. Wanted to believe.

The Reaper shook his head slowly, "You spoke of scentless, disturbed snow in the vicinity, aye?"

Wrenching away from their musings, the Bluepine let out a sigh and nodded.

"We'll be leaving soon. I pray we've not revealed you."

"... Doubtful, they're still wandering. From what I've gathered, the tracks have been scattered across the whole mountain with no centre. That alone is a telltale that whoever it is, they've not found what they seek." The Bluepine scoffed. Rather aimlessly at that, an amateur tracker. Likely unsure of what they were even looking for. Though for them that was a blessing.

"Do you think they'll find you?"

"The very trees are my sentinels. Few can find, let alone enter and bypass the borders of a Ring without detection and I've not seen tracks within the perimeter yet."

Lockes brushed past him, "Either way, take care when you leave. Never underestimate or think that you're out of the fire till it's been smothered." They lingered at the entrance, "Even the embers." 

The dark Shol could still feel the scorched air in roiling waves, the night aflame with smoke and embers in an ominous red glow. Entire forests that stood for centuries, gone in a single night, from the remnants of some careless traveler's campfire. And in the ever distant horizon loomed the rising crescent.

But that was neither here nor there, and they shook off the lingering dissent, disappearing down a long hollow. 

The Bluepine had seen much in their long years. Many a creature found their undoing in a great upset by their own surety. Nothing of the future was certain, and laxity was a luxury they could not afford, for even a mere moment of weakness could be enough to offset the entirety.

But Zeal had seen more than his fair share over the years, and though he would heed the Bluepine's wisdom, the advice was naught Life hadn't ensure he was versed in already.

Inside, Lockes groomed their youngest member, still blissfully unaware. As they all settled around the warmth of the Hearth, the tantalizing waft of their evening meal enticing them.