466. Fox’s Keeper

“No entry after sunset,” the guard said adamantly from the wall.

“We’re hunters,” Eury raised her voice. “At the hunter’s gate.”

The argument had been going on for over a minute, to no result. Tensions between the empire and its neighbors, as well as the spreading sickness among crops, had made the town nobles rather cautious. One could blame them. From what was known, nobility were usually the first to die, making them slightly concerned. As a result, arrangements that had lasted for decades had suddenly changed.

“No exception,” the guard said. “Come back in the morning.”

“Come back from where?”

There was no way to respond to that. Dallion had offered to convince the guard with his music skills, but Eury had been against it. Using awakened powers in a domain controlled by paranoid nobles was going to make things worse by far.

“We wait by the gate?” Dallion whispered.

“Not in the domain. If they don’t want to let us through, we’ll keep our distance till morning. One thing though.” The gorgon turned around. “Only you sleep. Try to gain a level as well.”

That was expected. It was natural for one of them to be on guard while the other rested. However, Dallion didn’t use the time to try his awakening trial again. Instead, he had something else in mind.

Felygn, Dararr, I need help on this, he sent out a silent prayer as he prepared for sleep.

Even with the constant walking, sleep didn’t come easy. Being so close to his goal made Dallion more than slightly anxious. For what seemed like hours, he lay still, eyes closed, trying to trick his mind into sleeping.

I can help you out, Onda suggested. Quick headbutt and you’ll be asleep.

Very funny, Dallion grumbled.

Okay, but seriously, why not? Doesn’t have to be me? Sis can play a tune and make you faint. She’s got skills. If you ask her, she’ll—

Onda… Dallion stood up and looked the guardian in the eye. There was more than a bit of animosity in his glance as he did. It’ll come when it comes. I’m not having you whack me on the head! And I’m not asking Harp to put some trance on me!

For a few seconds, it seemed as if the hammer was going to concede the point. He stood there, dressed in his steam punky outfit—this time it had twice as many gears as usual, making him look like a wannabe cyborg. Instead of doing so, though, he just crossed his arms.

“Whatever you say.” Onda smirked. “Wouldn’t matter, anyway.”

And why wouldn’t it matter? Dallion was about to ask, when it suddenly hit him—Onda wasn’t supposed to have this form in the real world. A few moments later, the gears turned green.

“Felygn,” Dallion whispered. Unlike all the previous times, he took a step back.

“Scared?” the Moon asked, as the hammer guardian’s face transformed, gaining dryad features. “That’s an indication that you’re smartening up. You don’t have to be. It makes things boring.”

“I need some help.” Dallion felt a lump in his throat.

“Help, not a favor? That’s a good start. Question is, what are you more afraid of? That I might refuse or that I might grant it?”

“A little bit of both.”

“So, it’s purely my decision.”

The Moon looked to the side. As he did, Dallion suddenly noticed that they were in Hannah’s bar. He had no idea how he had gotten here, but it felt natural. The place was empty. Not a single customer was to be seen, despite it being noon. At one point, the kitchen door opened, and Jiroh stepped out. Seeing Dallion, she stopped, as if she didn’t expect to find him there.

“Consider this a gift.” The Moon tapped Dallion on the shoulder. “Have fun, but don’t get used to it. You still owe me.” In the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving Dallion and Jiroh alone.

For several seconds, they looked at each other. All the questions he wished he’d asked before leaving her world seemed to disappear. Eventually, one popped into his mind.

“Ji? Is that you?”

“Moon dream?” the fury asked. “Didn’t expect I’d get to talk to anyone else this way.”

“My Moon talked to your Moon,” Dallion chuckled, making the obvious joke.

“I guess they have.” Jiroh sat at the bar counter.

For a moment, Dallion wondered whether she hadn’t spoken to Eury. Given that they were close, that was the first thing he would have asked. Then again, the gorgon wasn’t a favored of any Moon. For all everyone knew, maybe she didn’t even dream.

“I take it the trip went smoothly? Both of you back there?”

“Yeah,” Dallion replied. Sitting down next to Jiroh. “Katka vowed to leave us alone, so there’s that. Things alright on your end?”

“Should be. Olm had done everything without discussing it with the powers that be. Rewarding if he had succeeded, but since you escaped…”

“He took the blame.” Dallion shook his head. Some things never change regardless of world. “And you?”

“Free as the wind,” the fury said without elaborating. “You didn’t arrange all this just to ask me about this, though, did you?”

“Why not? I was worried about you.”

“When you change worlds, worries are left behind,” Jiroh said plainly. “You miss the Ji that I was, but not the one I am here. Same goes for me.”

“I don’t believe that. You miss your sister.”

A warm breeze came from the south. Dallion was now sitting on a table in the field. Tall grass moved gently, greeting a sound similar to the rustling of leaves.

“I’m going to see her,” Dallion went on. “Halburn. We’d have been with her, but things have gotten tense here. We aren’t allowed in till morning… What do I tell her, Ji? I know what I have to do, but how do I say it?”

“Does it matter?”

“How do you want me to tell her?”

The question made the fury’s attitude change. Dallion tried to use his music skills to figure out exactly what she was feeling, but nothing happened. Dreams were one place in which awakened skills didn’t always work.

“Thanks for the dream, Dal. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Jiroh stood up, turning into a puff of vapor. “Say hi to her for me. And tell Eury she still owes me one.”

“Jiroh!” Dallion shouted, jumping to his feet. It was night with nothing but wilderness around him. A single camp fire burned a few steps away with Euryale standing by it.

“Nightmare?” Eury asked.

That was a good question. Could it be called a nightmare? Could it even be called a talk? Dallion was certain that he’d spoken with Jiroh, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’d have lucid dreams without the involvement of a Moon. Realm jumping tended to do that. The first time after he left an area domain, he’d had weird illogical dreams that seemed as real as anything else around him. It was possible that this was something similar as well.

“Something like that,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “How long till morning?”

“An hour, maybe less. They won’t let us in till mid-morning.”

“How do you know?”

“No merchants.”

When the sun eventually appeared beyond the horizon, saw exactly what she meant. Not a single wagon was to be seen. Worse, the road leading to the city gates didn’t seem to have been used in weeks. It was almost as the town hadn’t seen any serious activity since Dallion had set off for the cloud citadel. Given Halburn’s location, that was alarming.

Anything you can tell me, Nil? Dallion asked.

The traders are always the first to go once they smell trouble, the echo replied. Always look where the merchants are headed at, that way you’ll know what’s to come.

Good to know.

The hunter gate never opened. At mid-morning, the guard on shift told the hunters that they’d have to use the standard entrance as everyone else. There, they were carefully checked by an awakened—a member of the local nobility—who, after a series of useless questions, let them through. The absurdity was that the same person knew Eury quite well, as did most of the city.

“What happened to this place?” Dallion asked.

Last time he had been here, the place was packed with merchants, travelers, and hunters, all buying and selling anything beneath the sun. Now, it was as if Dallion had entered a ghost town.

Bowl, has anything like this happened before? he asked

No, not since I’ve been here… the dryad guardian replied.

“Keep walking,” Eury whispered, moving on. A small squad of fury soldiers glanced at them as they walked past. There was no joy coming from any of them.

“Mercenaries?” Dallion asked. What are they doing here?

Fury mercenaries didn’t come cheap. Hiring so many to take on the role of city guards didn’t make much sense, especially with all of the merchants fleeing the place. The only explanation was that the locals felt threatened.

Maybe coming here was not a good idea after all, Gleam said.

No, it’s an excellent idea, Dallion responded. I just hope we’re not too late.

Reaching the Five Eyes couldn’t come fast enough. Eury and Dallion passed two more squads of soldiers on the way, this time human. None looked happy to see them, but thankfully, there were no incidents.

There wasn’t a single hunter in the inn when Dallion got there. Judging by the change of décor, there wasn’t much else, either. Most of the furniture had gone, as had half of the drinks behind the counter. Thankfully, Jiroh’s sister had remained.

“Hey,” she said, giving Dallion and Eury a glance. “Didn’t think you two would show up.” Two glasses floated on the counter, followed by a bottle of pale pink liquid. “Rooms are full, so it’ll have to be just a drink.”

“Full?” Dallion glanced about. “I didn’t see many hunters on the way here.”

“There are one or two. They’re not staying here, though. It’s the mercenaries. They prefer to be at a place where a fury serves. Trust issues.”

That didn’t sound good.

“Money’s good, though,” she filled the glasses. “I’ve more than I can spend. Stocked up quite well, considering. Don’t look at the shelves, that’s just because the mercs drink a lot. Most of the stuff comes from them—the only ones that can freely move come and go since the merchants chickened out.”

“You know why we’re here, Di,” Euryale said, not touching her drink.

The young fury looked at her, then put the bottle away.

“She left, didn’t she?”

Dallion nodded.

“She always told me she would, and somehow I’m still surprised.”

“She asked me to tell you goodbye,” Dallion said.

“Of course she did.”

“And also to give you something.” He took off his backpack. “It’s something that—"

“Don’t.” Diroh almost snapped. “Whatever it is, you keep it.”

Dallion could feel the conflict brewing within her. Sadness and relief, mixed with determination, swirled about like a hurricane of sound. She wanted to have the gift from her sister, but also didn’t.

“It was meant for you.”

“I don’t care. I’ve more than enough trinkets and money. If you don’t want to, just give it to someone, or leave it outside. Someone will pick it up. That’s what this place has become. It’ll get better, though. Every town has its ups and downs.”

“You don’t have to be here, Di,” Eury said. “There are better places.”

“I’ve heard that before… Look, I know you made some promise, so just do what you have to do and leave. I have work to do. And don’t try your tricks on me!” She pointed at Dallion. “Ji warmed me about your skills.”

Sounds like her, Dallion thought. Not that he would have tried to use music skills on the fury. Of course, there were other ways to convince her.

“I’ll make you a deal.” He placed a flask on the counter. “You have a look at what Jiroh wanted you to see, and afterwards if you haven’t changed your mind we’ll leave.”

The gorgon’s snakes stirred. She wasn’t pleased with that arrangement, even if she didn’t oppose Dallion openly. Maybe this was what helped the fury make up her mind, for she nodded. That was exactly what Dallion was hoping for.

Skye, he said. It’s time to shine.

At first, nothing happened. But the moment Diroh took hold of the flask, the cloud creature streamed out. There was no haste or rush; unlike Dallion’s own familiars, Skye emerged with slow grace as she took the form of a white fox of clout matter. All this was done with the sole purpose of impressing, and given that the fury had never seen a cloud creature of this nature, Skye succeeded.

A cloud fox? Dallion thought. I didn’t expect that.

Hello, the vixen said in a polite fashion Dallion never knew she was capable of. You must be Ji’s sister.

“Who are you?” Diroh asked in fury.

I’m one of Ji’s oldest friends. I found her when she was still a child. She was quite wild, I must say.

“You found?” The fury blinked. “You’re from the other world.”

I’m not linked to one world, thank you. I was in that world and now I’m in this. It wasn’t my idea, but I decided to make the best of it. She floated onto Di’s shoulder, wrapping herself around the fury like a fur coat. I must admit I had to put in a lot of effort taking care of her, but she turned out quite well in the end. And now it’s my turn to take care of you.

“I take it you’re well suited for each other,” Dallion smiled. The fury remained speechless. “As Jiroh liked to say, there’s a whole wide world out there. No need for you to remain stuck in this place.”

This was it. The ember of joy had ignited within the fury. All it would take would be to—

“I’m sorry.” Diroh looked straight into Dallion’s eyes. “I’m needed here.”

And that was it. She had the same conviction Jiroh did. True, she wasn’t an awakened, but that didn’t change a thing—her mind was made up.

“Thanks.” Diroh petted the cloud fox. Being a fury, she was able to touch it without issue. “I owe you one.”

Dallion could do nothing but nod. Beside him, Eury took one of the glasses and downed it in one go.

“You know how to reach me if you need help,” she said. “Take care, Di.” She turned around and left the inn. After a few moments, Dallion followed.