Early Spring

  Clover

  1911 SC (Skyfall Calamity)

  Perenelle cut the apple into small segments and set the blade to one side. Fishing a spare plate off the wall rack, she placed the segments on it and walked out of the kitchen and into the lab. The front half of the kitchen was for food preparation. The rear had been converted into an alchemy lab, suiting the Journeyman's needs. Perenelle was not as busy in Oakdell as she had been while travelling, but it was still a full-time position. There was always someone who was ill, a farmer who needed to sharpen his tools, or a sudden fall that needed mending fast. Most appreciated what the alchemist was able to deliver, regardless of the stigma always associated with a Null.

  A half-wall divided the two areas, allowing for privacy and some noise protection. Since taking the two children under her wing, Perenelle had been steadily teaching them the basics of alchemy. Though at this stage, it was more about the collection and preparation of the herbs that were essential to any alchemical recipe. Seated around a broad oak table were Maria and Puzzle, both with a designated task for the morning. Maria was dressed in a plain light brown skirt, dark green blouse, black bodice, light-green shawl, and brown leather shoes. Puzzle, on the other hand, wore very simple clothing. With all his possessions destroyed in the blaze, the villagers had scrounged together what spare clothing they had for a boy his age. Today they were grey trousers, an unbleached short-sleeved linen shirt, and well-worn, calf-high leather boots, the tops turned down.

  Maria was busy crushing sun rose with a mortar and pestle, gradually adding more of the herb to the mix as it was broken down. The yellow petals glittered with a faint golden tinge. Puzzle, meanwhile, was cutting a tangle of bloodvine into smaller, more manageable sections. Using a sharp knife, he carefully pruned the dark red thorns from the ropey green strands. Each cut into the flesh of the vine sent small oozes of dark red sap squirting out onto the chopping board. Bloodvine was messy work, staining blade, chopping board, and fingers crimson.

  “Alright, you two, time to take a break,” Perenelle announced.

  The two children looked up and nodded at the same time, setting down tools and wiping brows. Moving to where her charges sat, Perenelle set down the plate and watched the pair devour their snack. The older alchemist leant against the counter and looked over what the two had been doing.

  “Maria, you need to spend more time on crushing the herb carefully and less time worrying about how much you actually have. Consistency is more valuable than quantity. You can crush as much sun rose as you want, but if it's all low-grade, then what's the point?”

  “Yes, Perenelle,” Maria replied.

  “And Puzzle, try cutting the vine at an angle. Don't slice top to bottom. Have your blade go from right to left as you cut down through the flesh. It will waste less sap.”

  “Yes, Ms Perenelle,” Puzzle answered.

  Without delay, Puzzle finished his segment of apple and picked up the blade, replicating Perenelle's advice aptly. This time, as the blade sliced down, less sap leaked onto the chopping board.

  “Much better.”

  “Thank you, Ms Perenelle.”

  Smiling, Perenelle walked over to where Puzzle sat and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “You don't have to end your break just yet. Take a moment and stretch the kinks out of your arms. I'm sure cutting bloodvine all morning has you quite sore.”

  “No, Ms Perenelle, I am fine,” Puzzle answered as he continued to cut.

  “That's an order, young man.”

  “Yes, Ms Perenelle.”

  Puzzle set down his blade without question and picked up another segment of apple with an unstained hand. The small boy munched away at the segment. To the keen woman's eyes, it looked as though Puzzle was going through the motions; that there was something mechanical about the way he moved.

  ‘He hasn't been the same since his uncle died, the poor thing,’ she mused. ‘That hint of backbone I saw last month seems to have melted away. Now he's the perfect student. And that isn't what I'm looking for. I wonder how long before he decides to open up again?’

  Studying the troubled boy, Perenelle decided to help give him a gentle nudge in the right direction. It was an excellent day for field-training, an area of education which had been overlooked. Walking over to her cloak-rack, Perenelle fished a straw hat off the hook and popped it on her head. She took down two smaller straw hats, one with flowers around the band, the other much plainer.

  “Think quick!” she shouted.

  Looking up from their work, the two children had only a second to raise their hands before they caught the hats Perenelle threw at them. Maria gladly pulled on her flower festooned hat, Puzzle frowned down at his.

  “It's time for an impromptu field-trip, my little apprentices. I'm going to test your knowledge and see if you've been actually reading the books I've given to you, or if you have been gazing at the pretty pictures.”

  Smiling mischievously, the older woman unhooked the alchemy bandoleer from the cloak-rack and strapped it over her grey blouse. The bandoleer consisted of a strip of leather running diagonally across her chest, with numerous small pouches for storing herbs in addition to larger thongs for holding clay potion bottles and vials. The day was quite warm, so there was little need for a coat.

  “Well, don't sit there staring at me, you two. Hop to and we shall see what this day holds!”

  Maria bounded off her stool and skipped over to the side door, pulling it open and letting a breeze filter through the cottage. Puzzle was slower in pace, taking a deferential place behind and to one side of Perenelle. As the three left the two-storey cottage, Perenelle picked up her quarterstaff from its resting place outside the door. Puzzle closed and latched the door before jogging to meet up with Maria and Perenelle.

  It was a pleasant afternoon, the Four Suns edging down towards the western horizon. Emerald burned brighter than the others, close to double the size of the other three visible suns. Perenelle glanced up at the Four Suns.

  “Can either of you two tell me why Emerald, the Green Sun, is so much larger than the others today?”

  Maria bit her lower lip, thinking over the answer.

  “Because it's spring and Emerald is closer than the other three?”

  “It's the season of spring, yes, but that's not the complete reason. In winter just passed, was Sapphire that large, that bright in the sky?”

  Perenelle gave the two children the length of the walk to think over their answer. The three walked down the main road of the village, greeting friends and neighbours as they strode by. For Perenelle, it felt as though the edge often associated with the Rite of the Elements had passed. It was always a trying time for families, the harsh uncertainty and fear that someone they knew could be branded a Null looming over everyone's heads. Perenelle thought such fears childish and superstitious in the Modern Age. But out in the quieter parts of the Empire, old notions were hard to erase.

  With the Rite now concluded, people had begun to relax. And the death of Leonard had done much to dampen any embers of anger or resentment. Nobody was going to start an argument so soon after losing a well-loved and respected member of the village. Since the funeral, no-one bothered Puzzle. The villagers of Oakdell were many things, but they were serious in their respect of another person’s privacy.

  Leaving the village, Perenelle took the two on a lazy cross-country walk, following the many small tracks and paths that wound between the hills that surrounded Oakdell. The alchemist took note of which plants were blooming and likely areas where critical herbs would grow. Spring was the time to stock up on supplies for the next six months’ worth of work. An alchemist's work was never done. As she recognised the various plants, Perenelle pointed them out to her apprentices, testing to see if they had been completing their daily reading allotment. Sometimes they recognised the plant, other times the flora was alien to them.

  The day had begun to wane, the Four Suns creeping towards the western horizon. Curiously, it looked as though the Green Sun had a strange shadow, a dark echo floating behind it, drinking in some of its crisp light. The trio had followed a path into an untouched area of the forest that surrounded the village. Great oaks shot with Gold dominated the area, interspersed with Copper-tipped maples and smaller plots of yew and Silver. Green light filtered through the canopy, bars of shadows breaking up the illumination. Coppery robins made faint calls in the gloom; owls with Platinum eyes ghosted on silent wings before striking at their prey. Slowing a little, Perenelle matched pace with Puzzle and looked down at the young boy. He was preoccupied with keeping his footing and watching the boundaries. Wolves and bears were unlikely to go hunting after three humans; it wasn't the season and they rarely crossed paths. But nonetheless, he kept a careful watch on the edges where path melted into undergrowth.

  “Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?” Perenelle inquired of her apprentice.

  Puzzle looked up at the older woman with distant eyes. There was a hint of fear that she would press him about recent events, but he nodded.

  “Why is your name Puzzle?”

  The odd question had Puzzle lick his lips and give a side-long glace at Maria. The redhead broke out into a grin and winked back at the nervous boy.

  “Why do you want to know?”

  “I've travelled to a great many places; it's part of our occupation. You never settle down in any one place unless you specifically request to do so. You meet people from as far south as bitter Vahland and as far north as the jungles of distant Kwalu. I know friends and their names from the five continents. And in all that time, I've never come across a name as... unique as yours.”

  “Everyone calls me Puzzle, but it is more of a nick-name than anything else. It is not my actual name.”

  “And what's your real name then?”

  “He doesn't know,” Maria said with a cheeky grin.

  Puzzle growled and made to swat the redhead’s scalp, Maria darting out of reach and skipping several steps ahead. Perenelle came to halt beneath a giant oak and leant against its base, enjoying the warm spring afternoon. Puzzle kept close to the older alchemist, as usual.

  “Maria, I want you to catalogue each species of plant that is growing near the base of this oak and report back to me in five minutes. Let me know which herbs could be found, why, and what benefits they might present.”

  “Yes, ma'am,” Maria replied, loping away.

  Perenelle looked down at Puzzle and patted a section of the smooth bark. Accepting the offer the small boy walked over and waited beside her. Perenelle took off her glasses and pulled a fine-weave cloth from one of her voluminous pockets. The alchemist cleaned the lenses as she spoke.

  “Why is it that you don't know your actual name?”

  “It is not much of a story, Ms Perenelle. I was born just before the Siege of North Greywater. My uncle told me that my parents did not survive. Uncle Leonard had never expected to meet a wife, let alone raise a family. He was too focused on his military career. So, when he ended up with me, it came as something of a shock.”

  Puzzle's expression turned vague, breaking his eye-contact with Perenelle and scanning over the undergrowth of the forest.

  “My uncle never wanted to have a family- never intended to. But Uncle Leonard still loved me with all his heart and soul. Since my parents had been killed, he was unsure what they had named me and I was far too young to remember. He left North Greywater and travelled as far east as he could go, eventually finding his way to Oakdell. During those first few months, Uncle Leonard didn't call me anything. ‘Baby’, or ‘boy’, or his nephew was enough. But some of the villagers whom he had started to befriend disliked the idea that I lacked a name.”

  “Your Uncle and I ironically travelled the up Oakdell together, would you believe me. I never asked of his past because he looked like a man who would not tell a friend, let alone a stranger.”

  “Uncle Leonard liked mystery. My uncle and Maria's father, Mr Thatcher, were actually at the Inn one night discussing possible names for me. And as a joke Uncle Leonard called me his little puzzle, since he was unsure of what to make of me and what to call me.”

  “So, your uncle settled on Puzzle?” Perenelle asked.

  “No. He never actually picked a name for me. But the nickname stuck. Whenever he would talk about me he would always call me his little puzzle. Mr Thatcher was the first to use the shortened version of Puzzle when addressing me. Soon everyone was calling me Puzzle. Uncle Leonard had not come up with a proper name, so he started using it, too.”

  ‘It seems that he didn’t leave anything out when talking to his nephew. Still I wonder what Leonard didn’t tell me when we first met. Things I’ll never know now.’

  Puzzle looked up to the canopy.

  “The Seasonal Ascendance,” he declared.

  Perenelle smiled and squeezed Puzzle's shoulder.

  “Well done,” she said warmly.

  “‘Well done’ what?” Maria asked as she trotted back from her exploration.

  Perenelle took one final appraising look at her glasses before putting them back on and stowing away the cloth.

  “Your fellow student has answered my question, Ms Thatcher. The reason why Emerald is so bright is due to the Seasonal Ascendance.”

  Maria frowned, her lack of understanding clear.

  “Perhaps you might want to explain,” Perenelle nudged.

  Puzzle used his hands to help with the explanation.

  “There are Five Suns in the sky; Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Topaz, and Amethyst. The first Four Suns are visible and are what give us day and night. Four colours in a short chain of bright lights. But the fifth sun, the hidden sun Amethyst, can only be seen at night. It also influences the other four suns. Each year Amethyst is especially close to one of the Four Suns. This is known as the Seasonal Ascendance. Whichever Sun Amethyst is closest to will be empowered. That season is fierce. Right now, Amethyst is closest to Emerald. So this year’s spring will be very wet, with lots of wild growth and a good harvest. Next year, it will be Ruby so that summer will be very hot and intense.”

  Puzzle finished his lecture and stared at nothing in particular. Maria, on the other hand, was gobsmacked.

  “How... how do you know all of that?” she spluttered.

  “Uncle Leonard made sure that I learnt how to read and write at an early age. I have been borrowing books from Ms Perenelle's library and studying over the last few weeks.” Puzzle's voice dropped to almost a whisper. “I do not have anything else to do now.”

  Perenelle shook her head and pushed away from the oak, using her quarterstaff to steady her balance.

  “You have a life to live and the gifts that your uncle has given you. Don't squander them, young man. I don't believe that is what Leonard would have wanted.”

  Perenelle began following a path that led out of the forest and towards the village. Maria kept pace, talking with Perenelle about the various plants and herbs she had spotted and their uses. Puzzle stood by himself, leaning against the oak and chewing over his thoughts.

  “Yes, Ms Perenelle,” he finally whispered to himself.

  Mid Spring

  Jade

  1911 SC (Skyfall Calamity)

  The cemetery for Oakdell was situated half an hour’s walk west of town. A simple, unadorned area of land set aside for the burial of friends and family when they did not have the desire to inter loved ones on their own grounds. There was no pattern or particular structure, only lines of simple stone markers where various generations lay. Few, if any, in the village could afford or felt the need to waste money on ostentatious sepulchres or mausoleums. Standing amongst the gravestones was a lone figure. Dressed in simple browns, a short coat, calf-high boots, and a wind-whipped cloak, he looked like almost any young boy breaking into adolescence. Only the scimitar strapped over his back marked the boy out as different.

  Lying at Puzzle's feet was a wreath; golden sun rose woven amongst its tough green branches. Other small offerings of candles, flowers, and wreathes marked the newest grave. The smell of rain still filled the air. It had been drizzling on and off for the last week. The spring Seasonal Ascendance was making its presence known. Fortunately, the previous night and following morning had been dry. Long enough for the ground to greedily soak up the pools and puddles.

  Puzzle fingered the hilt of the scimitar over his shoulder and tried to find the words to speak.

  “You would be proud of me,” he finally started. “I managed to brew my first potion today. Ms Perenelle has been teaching me how to collect and prepare herbs for the last few weeks now. But she finally decided I had spent enough time preparing and it was time to try my hand at actual brewing. It was nothing special, a simple minor healing potion. But no sooner did I brew it than one of the farmers came to the cottage, looking for something to help with a deep cut. Perenelle sold him the potion then and there.”

  Puzzle managed a faint smile.

  “I never knew how proud I would feel knowing that somebody was putting my hard work to good use. I am beginning to understand why alchemists do what they do. The knowledge that you are helping people. That is pretty special.”

  Licking his lips, the boy tried to find the words to end his little speech. Another gust of wind picked up his cloak and sent it splaying out behind him. It was only when Puzzle focused on the fickle weather that he realised the strange absence of sound around him. Various birds should have been calling out and insects clicking and hissing. All he could hear was the wind crashing through the trees and bushes that surrounded the cemetery. Looking left and right, the young boy tried to determine the source of what had spooked the local wildlife. When his eyes could not pick out the origin, he went on gut instinct.

  “Hello, who is there?!” he shouted. “I cannot see you, but I am sure you are there.”

  Silence greeted the boy. Puzzle wasn't sure why he was certain somebody was hiding near the cemetery, but his instincts and Leonard's training whispered in his mind. Ears straining, Puzzle could pick out no sound, only it's absence. Though his eyes did not fall upon any distinct shadows or outlines, something tickled the edges of sight, something that demanded he look harder.

  “Hello! Is anyone there?” he cried again.

  This time a faint crackle caught his attention. Spinning around Puzzle saw a woman materialise between two large Silver yew. Familiar as he was with his uncle's hunting methods, Puzzle recognised the Chameleon Cloak she wore. As she pulled back the hood, the edges of the cloak shimmered back into mottled green, brown and grey.

  The traveller was tall; taller than any of the women in Oakdell. Her lower face was hidden behind a brown scarf, blonde hair pulled back in a tight braid. She wasn't curvy like most women of the village. Instead, the traveller had an almost masculine figure; all sinew and taught muscle. She was dressed like the hunters Puzzle knew from the village. Dark brown trousers, knee-high boots laced at the front, and a brown shirt. Over her clothes, she wore form-fitting dark brown leather armour, Copper studs atop her bracers and greaves. Hanging from a leather belt was a full quiver, an unstrung longbow over her back. The blade strapped to her thigh was unusual, the centre of the blade thicker, the edge curved a bit like a leaf rather than a typically straight shortsword. Though he wasn't sure at such a distance, Puzzle was certain that the traveller had a number of daggers hidden about her person.

  “You have a good attention to detail, young one,” she spoke, walking towards Puzzle casually.

  Not sure what to make of the foreigner, Puzzle took a half step back.

  “I'm not a bandit, if that's what you're wondering,” the woman noted, as though reading his mind.

  The traveller tapped the leather spaulder covering her left shoulder. Puzzle recognised the symbol carved into the leather, a Phoenix with its wings spread overhead.

  ‘The Symbol of the Empire. That means she is a soldier. But what are Empire soldiers doing this far east? There is nothing out here but the Skyrakers.’

  “Might I ask how far I am from Oakdell?” she asked.

  “Not half an hour’s walk, ma'am.”

  “Good, good.”

  The woman finally stopped in front of Puzzle before kneeling down to look him eye-to-eye. Puzzle realised up close how dangerous the woman seemed. The way she carried herself, the casual roll of her arms, the near-silent footfalls.

  ‘She is like those hunting cats in Ms Perenelle's books, prowling around, ready to strike at any moment.’

  “I was wondering if Oakdell has an elected official,” she said.

  “Do you mean like a mayor?” Puzzle replied.

  “Yes, that would do.”

  “Mayor Phillips. He heads the village council.”

  The woman glanced behind Puzzle and gave the barest of nods.

  “Would you be a dear little boy and take me to him? I need to speak with him immediately.”

  A strange sensation passed through Puzzle, as though warning him.

  “May I ask why?”

  Though the scarf around the bottom half of her face hid it, Puzzle was certain she smiled.

  “You're a brave little one, asking a soldier questions. But it is a fair one, so I'll answer. I'm an advanced scout for a squad of the Emperor's Army. We were dispatched personally by the governor of the province. And it is imperative that I speak with your mayor.”

  “I will show you the way.”

  Turning around, Puzzle was surprised to see another scout standing immediately behind him; a man armed and armoured much like the woman. His lower face was hidden behind a brown scarf, too. Dark green eyes carefully examined Leonard's grave.

  “I'll report our findings back to Captain Ilthell,” he announced.

  Puzzle felt his need to ask what was going on quashed. Events beyond his control were striding forward. He had enough sense to keep quiet and observe; pay attention before taking action. The female scout reached under the collar of her leather breastplate and fished out an odd-looking trinket suspended from a metal chain. It appeared to be a glass vial, stopped with Silver, held within a silvery mesh. An unknown red liquid sloshed around inside the vial. The liquid shimmered and glowed faintly. The mesh, too, began to glimmer a faint red before fading again.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  The male scout looked to the woman standing behind Puzzle.

  “Two hours,” he said. “I'll have the reader confirm the phylactery.”

  Puzzle looked over his shoulder to see the woman bob her head. Looking back, the male scout had pulled up the hood of his Chameleon Cloak, warping into nothingness. Only the faintest whisper of footfalls gave away his retreating presence.

  “Well, we best be on our way," the scout said.

  Puzzle took a nervous breath and motioned with his left hand, picking his way among the graves and finding the main path back to the village. The walk back felt very strange to Puzzle, the odd silence unnerving. He was certain that the scout should have made more noise as she walked, but he could barely hear her. It was only his constant glances over his shoulder that confirmed she was still keeping pace with him.

  Finally, the female scout broke the silence.

  “Well, you're not much for conversation. Most little boys I have met can't stop talking. Always seem to enjoy the sound of their own voice.”

  “I prefer to listen, ma'am. If you are talking, you cannot hear what is important.”

  The scout chuckled.

  “My, you are an odd one. Tell me, did your parents teach you that, or was it something you learned along the way?”

  “Never knew my parent's, ma'am. Died when I was born. I was raised by my uncle.”

  “Ah, I see. I think I would like this man.”

  “He is dead too, ma'am.”

  “The grave you were standing at, that was his?”

  “Yes, ma'am.”

  “Perhaps we should talk about something else.”

  “I would appreciate that, ma'am.”

  The scout chuckled, though Puzzle was unsure if she was laughing at some hidden joke or at him.

  “How old are you, young man?”

  “I recently conducted my Rite of the Elements.”

  “Eleven years young, then? What metal do you have an affinity for? It's an amazing thing to finally discover your future talents and capabilities.”

  “Actually, ma'am, I failed to pass the Rite. I am a Null.”

  The scout let out an odd bark of laughter.

  Puzzle stopped in the middle of the road and turned to face the woman, giving her his best scowl. She stopped and looked down at him, green eyes sizing him up, tilting her head to one side as though measuring her prey.

  “Is there some joke I am missing, ma'am?” Puzzle asked dryly.

  “Your uncle never imparted upon you a black sense of humour, did he?” she remarked.

  Puzzle frowned. The scout took a step closer and bent down to Puzzle.

  “Sounds like you've had a bad run. Other children might spend their time wallowing in self-pity, crying over events out of their control. Some would shut down, kill everything inside until they're but a husk and little more. And some would simply walk into the forest and never return.”

  Puzzle felt himself glaring defiantly into the stranger’s green eyes. He hadn't known her for more than five minutes and she was trying to lecture him, trying to see into his life and judge him. The scout walked by Puzzle, paying little heed. It was only once it became apparent that she wasn't going to stop that Puzzle, too, moved forward, jogging to catch up. Matching pace with her long strides, Puzzle looked up at the woman.

  “And what of me?” he asked.

  “What of you? Don't think this is about you, young man. Are you looking for succour and praise; remarks from myself that differentiate you from the myriad other village children I have met in my career? Do you strain to be unique; a perfect flower?”

  Puzzle snorted.

  “I am wondering why you start listing out what I could have done, but then leave it blank.”

  The woman chuckled again.

  “My, my. I've an eleven-year-old scholar from some edge-of-oblivion village.”

  “And I, some jumped-up soldier who thinks a couple of choice words makes her sage and mysterious.”

  The scout let out another bark of laughter.

  “Oh, I like you. I hope the rest of your village is as interesting as you are.”

  Puzzle shook his head.

  “We have a few characters, ma'am.”

  “Perhaps this trip will be worthwhile. Tell me, what of you now? If you're a Null, will you claim Amnesty? Travel with a merchant caravan to the nearest Alchemy Hall and apprentice yourself there?”

  “The village has a Journeyman. After my uncle's death, she became my guardian.”

  “Well, at least you're doing something with yourself. Eventually you'll have to leave this village, leave your old life behind. A Journeyman can only teach you so much; you'll need to seek out an Alchemy Hall and learn what it means to be an alchemist. And once you're done, you won't return, either. I've yet to meet an alchemist who spends more than a few years in any one location. Always travelling, your folk; always on the road.”

  “You have travelled with alchemists?” Puzzle inquired.

  “Of course; they're a staple of the Army. It's much easier to sign onto contract several alchemists than to hire a Red Transition Mage. More reliable, too. We've an alchemist in our squad; a rather dangerous man named Albertus.”

  Puzzle wondered about the odd woman he was walking with. She had an almost gallows sense of humour about her, but she wasn't a fool, either. She talked to Puzzle much like his uncle had, treating him like an adult rather than being patronising. He wondered if it was something to do with working in the army, the way a soldier interacted with others.

  “How far have you travelled?” he asked.

  “Oh, the length and breadth of Axiom. As far south as the Wylds, as far north as Einlanzer. I've seen the Shining Valley and the Forlorn Mountains, crossed part of the The Cradle, and been stationed in several of the city-states that make up our northern neighbours. The shadowy Twilight Lands, Roryn Valley, and places beyond. My position means that I'm always on deployment somewhere.”

  The scout gestured to Puzzle's scimitar.

  “That weapon; that isn't something that you buy off a merchant. I'm guessing your uncle was a military man, too.”

  “Yes, before he stopped to raise me.”

  “That is no ordinary blade you carry on your back. Take care not to let anybody but you handle it. It was your uncle's and he gave it to you. Many people will try to steal a weapon of that quality, especially off a child. Don't trust anybody.”

  Puzzle gave a half-smile.

  “You make it sound as though everybody outside of this village is a thief and a liar.”

  “To be brutally honest, yes. Where you come from, people are honest. Mostly. But in the wide world, the five continents, there are those who massacre thousands to protect a secret.”

  The blue streamers of smoke that marked the village rose from the horizon. Puzzle smiled as he crested a hill and saw the familiar Bulwer household. Heph would be in the village, hard at the bellows with Master Gailan. The Metalsmith wasn't going to let the young boy near the forge any time soon. Instead, Heph would be keeping the fires hot, making sure that Gailan needn't worry about the coals while he was smelting and forging his farming implements and tools. Puzzle led the scout by the farmstead and into the village proper. Most were working out in the fields, herding or hunting. But a few of the husbands and wives present at their homes gazed at the strange, armoured woman walking through their village. If she took notice of them, the scout displayed no apparent interest. Instead, she seemed happy to banter with Puzzle, asking him about his past, what he had seen, and his deceased uncle. Puzzle knew that she wasn't being rude, merely making light conversation. She had probably spent the last few weeks speaking to the same few people; any sort of conversation with an outsider was a blessing. Some of the villagers greeted Puzzle, stopping and giving the scout odd looks and asking who she was. When addressed, she introduced herself as a “Scout of the Empire” and said little more.

  Finally, the pair stopped at the large building that Nicolas Phillips called home with his equally large family. In addition to being mayor, Nicolas was the village Store keeper. He changed money over for the villagers and merchants, stocked difficult to procure wares, and excess goods that would be needed by the villagers in later months. Especially during the harsh winters. Puzzle pulled open the yew-panelled front door and stepped inside, a small brass bell hanging from the frame ringing to announce his presence. The inside was a wide room stocked with various goods, foods, and tools that any villager might need. Most sat neatly on shelves while the rest were piled on upturned wooden crates that served as tables. A broad bench marked out where the mayor conducted much of his business, exchanging coins and completing trades with merchant, caravan master, and villager alike. Mayor Phillips stepped out from the stockroom, apron tied about the waist. He looked down at Puzzle and then up at the scout, knuckling his moustache as he took her in.

  “You have brought in a strange customer today, Puzzle,” he noted.

  “The lady asked to be led to you straight away,” Puzzle answered.

  “Well, then, who do I have the pleasure of meeting?” Mayor Phillips asked coolly.

  “Scout Flidais of the Voltaic Key, Empire's 2nd Elite. I've come to discuss matters of a...” Flidais looked down at Puzzle, “... delicate nature.”

  Mayor Phillips nodded once to Puzzle.

  “Thank you, Puzzle, for escorting Ms Flidais. I think it best you return to Ms Perenelle's, don't you?”

  Puzzle bobbed his head once.

  “Yes, sir. Ms Perenelle will want me back at her cottage studying, anyway.”

  Puzzle left the store, wondering what was going on.

  “I take it there is a good reason why the assassins of the Empire are camping on the edges of my village?”

  Flidais smiled under the scarf.

  “Oh, the boy was right; this village has its characters.”

  Mayor Phillips walked around the bench and came face-to-face with Flidais, looking her hard in the eyes. He had dealt with her kind before. They were a necessary evil, in his opinion, but not ones to be suffered lightly.

  “Don't play games, woman. Speak up or I'll have you put out of my village.”

  “A man died recently, Nicolas Phillips,” she answered, emphasising his first name even though he had never spoken it to her. “And I want to know everything you knew about him.”

  Mayor Phillips knuckled his moustache, not liking the conversation at all.

  Heph hid in the shadows of a thatched-roof house, uncertain of what to make of things. Only a few minutes ago, one of Mayor Phillip's daughters had dashed into the smithy, demanding that the metalsmith see her father immediately. Before he could answer, she had dashed off again, flustered as though a million pressures had suddenly mounted. Cursing the ill-fortune of an afternoon gone to waste, Gailan ordered Heph to slow the bellows and cool all the fires. They had only just reached the right temperature, the apprentice having brought several buckets of water to the anvil that Gailan was going to use while crafting hoes. Heph had been on water duty since being taken under Gailan's wing. His father had spoken at great length to both him and the metalsmith. Russell had made his views on Heph's desire to leave and join the army very clear. His age had been much emphasised, much to the boy’s frustration.

  Finally, Gailan started warming to the boy, promising he would show Heph how to heat the forge today. The young man had hoped he could learn something of value, something to make his father approve. But that hope had been dashed. Already Gailan had his older sons watching over the forge, making sure it was all prepared for his work tomorrow morning. Heph had been ordered to finish hauling buckets, making sure the tempering pails were full to the brim. Unfortunately for Heph, his curiosity had gotten the better of him. It wasn't like Gailan to be so flustered, and the mayor almost never called on anybody, let alone sending his daughter as a messenger. So, as stealthily as he could manage, the stocky boy had snuck away from the forge. Between cottages and houses Heph moved, shadowing Gailan

  ‘This is Theresia's fault. She's always snooping around and now I am too. Bah!’

  Heph crept around the back and crouched beneath an open window, listening in on the conversation.

  “... and you're certain of this?” Heph heard the mayor demanding.

  “Governor Xavier dispatched a blood-reader with us to confirm what the spell matrix detected. The phylactery of his blood we have on hand made a positive match. Leonin has resurfaced. It appears he chose to remain in his previous body rather than acquire a new one. Sheer luck the phylactery still worked,” an unfamiliar female voice replied.

  “And how are you going to prove your accusation?” the deeper voice of Gailan inquired.

  “We will search the area for any trace of his passage; likely he moved in stealth from the village into the wilderness to cover his tracks. If it becomes necessary, we will exhume the body. Even with the damage of the fire, some residual traces in the bones will be sufficient for a positive identification. Enough, at least, to prove to the governor. I cannot speak for his office nor my captain, but I am under orders to let you know in what capacity we expect aid from the village of Oakdell.”

  'Exhume... what does exhume mean?'

  Heph frowned.

  'Who is this Leonin?'

  “And what about the boy?”

  “What about Puzzle? At this point in time, it appears that...”

  There was a creaking. Too close to the window. Heph, though keen to hear more, didn’t want to risk his luck running dry. He withdrew, put a little distance between himself and the store before heading back toward the forge, mind filled with unanswered questions.

  Everyone was gathered in the town hall for the meeting. Runners, mostly children not yet old enough to study a trade, had travelled out to the farthest farmsteads to pass on the news. Nobody in living memory could recall a village meeting called with only an afternoon for all to gather. Maria marvelled at the crowd.

  ‘Almost everyone is here, even some that didn't come for the Rite.’

  Maria looked between the various confused and worried faces in the gathering crowd. The hall wasn't as full as it had been during the Rite. But it still seemed that people would not fit. There was a burble of worry and something darker. Maria wasn't a Silver, wasn't even close, but she could still read the mood. Change was something to be feared, and this was a great change. Eyes scanning the crowd, Maria spied her family to the right of where she was standing with their backs against the wall like she was. She had been so busy the last few weeks that seeing them became a rare thing. Every few days she bumped into her father or brothers while in between errands. Maria gave a brief wave. Her brothers gestured back, though it seemed a sad expression. Alexander smiled briefly, his eyes looking glassy. Maria didn't bother seeing how her mother reacted. She knew what Harriet thought of her and it hurt.

  Protective hands rested on Maria's shoulders. Looking up, she smiled at the bespectacled face of Ms Perenelle. The alchemist spread her cloak over her Apprentice, leaving only Maria's face peeking out. Maria wasn't sure why, but the gesture lifted her spirits.

  “There are few reasons for something like this,” Perenelle muttered. “And fewer still to explain the response.”

  “Is everything okay, Ms Perenelle?” Maria asked.

  Perenelle cast an inscrutable glance at the young man standing deferentially beside her, quiet as usual. Puzzle, too, seemed lost in thought. When Puzzle had come home earlier, he had immediately taken Perenelle aside, speaking in hushed tones. Maria knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but she wished she had listened, regardless. Perenelle had stood up and sighed before walking over to one of her cabinets. She drew out one of her safety keys and opened the door before checking the stores contained within.

  “What should I do now, Ms Perenelle?” Puzzle had asked.

  “For now, keep your peace.”

  ‘He wasn't even allowed to tell me,’ Maria grizzled.

  Maria wondered about the way Puzzle seemed. He wasn't afraid like almost everyone else in the hall. But the way he kept absently touching the hilt poking up over his shoulder; that had her curious. Finally, the hall began to settle. Maria craned her neck to see, but with so many people in front, there was little she could observe. The press of bodies blocked any chance for a view. She wondered who had walked out into the central pit.

  ‘I hope it's Mayor Phillips. If he's not here then who's going to keep the calm?’

  “Come on. Let's get the two of you a decent view,” Perenelle whispered.

  Maria looked up to see Perenelle and then gestured at her skirt.

  “But I can't, Ms Perenelle.”

  “Who says you can't? Besides, I won't give Puzzle alone a piggy-back; that doesn't seem very fair, now does it?”

  Perenelle gave Maria a mischievous smile and drew a smaller potion vial from her bandoleer and downing the contents. Maria was learning how to recognise the various symbols alchemists used on their wares to keep an inventory of everything and to confuse simple thieves.

  ‘That's a strength of giants potion!’

  “Ms Perenelle, that potion is worth a hundred marks!” Maria said a harsh whisper.

  Perenelle shrugged.

  “I can brew another up in an afternoon. Now, come on, no more arguing. You too, Puzzle.”

  Perenelle crouched down, before setting Maria on her right shoulder and Puzzle on her left. Casually, as though lifting a newborn babe, Perenelle stood back up, wrapping her arms around the children's laps to keep them steady. A few of the other villagers gave the trio of alchemists a queer look, but said nothing and turned back to the source of the commotion.

  With a much better view, Maria could see that the Hall was finally full to capacity. The crowd parted around Mayor Phillips and two others. One was a woman with half her face hidden, dressed how Maria thought a soldier might. The other was the complete opposite. The man was of average height, tanned, with his dark hair worn short, face dusky with faint stubble. The man's eyes stood out, burnished Gold, penetrating and observant. He wore steel plackart armour, the hilts of a bastard sword and shortsword poking up from between shoulder blades.

  “Oh, by the dark spirits and all their horny brethren,” Perenelle quietly cursed.

  Maria had never heard such foul language before, her eyes going wide, near dumbstruck. She looked over to Puzzle. He barely paid attention, eyes fixed on the woman in the scarf. The man strode over to stand beside Mayor Phillips, the woman standing behind and to the left of him. The crowd murmured about where the male soldier stood. Placing himself on equal authority with the mayor was quite disrespectful.

  “I am sure by now all of you have heard various rumours spreading about Oakdell and to the farmsteads farther out," Mayor Phillips announced. "And I am sure these rumours have been everything from an invasion of Trolls to the destruction of the Empire.”

  Mayor Phillips looked around the hall, expression purposeful and confident.

  “I assure you, none of them are true. We do, however, still find ourselves in danger. This is why I implore all of you to give Captain Ilthell your complete attention.”

  The mayor stepped back, offering the captain the centre of the hall. The soldier stepped forward, moving with a confidence that seemed to inspire everyone around him. The whispering ceased as he stood there, golden eyes shifting over the crowd. Finally, in a deep voice, he spoke.

  “I thank you all for taking the time and, in some cases, the difficult journey, to make it here this evening. I will not bore you with flowery words. I'm a military man, and I like dealing with simple explanations and hard facts. There have been reports and some testimonials down in the Dells that a Necromancer has been spotted.”

  The hall filled with a sudden roar of conversation and surprise, people jostling about, craning necks to half-shout their thoughts and fears with nearby friends and neighbours. It looked as though a riot might break out. Mayor Phillips began shouting, trying to pacify the agitated villagers.

  “Please, everyone! PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT THE CAPTAIN HAS TO SAY!”

  The mayor's pleas went unheard, almost everyone milling about, rough voices carrying through the village hall. Maria noted that Perenelle, Puzzle, and herself remained calm. Keeping her gaze forward, Maria saw the captain clap his hands twice and mouth one word, calm voice carrying on the air.

  “Quiet.”

  Silence descended upon the hall yet again. Maria looked about with a baffled expression.

  ‘How did he... What happened?’

  “Why am I not surprised in the slightest?” Perenelle growled. “Barely flexing and he has them eating out of his hand. Nothing changes.”

  “I thought we were meant to remain quiet?” Maria whispered.

  “I doubt you, Puzzle, or I feel like keeping silent right now,” Perenelle replied acerbically.

  A husband and wife glared at Perenelle, who arched an eyebrow in turn before looking back to the captain. The man continued with his speech.

  “The Empire takes such threats very seriously and does all it can to protect its citizens, from Turanask to the most distant of towns. We are here as an advanced force to determine the facts. We will be spending the next few days scouting out this village and the surroundings for several kilometres. I ask that you do not approach or interfere with our investigation, for you own safety. What we are hunting, if such a twisted individual exists, will not hesitate to attack if discovered. My soldiers might very well be following its path when you interrupt us. We are trained to fight the undead, you are not. If a presence is detected I will immediately inform my superiors. We have learnt from North Greywater, I solemnly promise this. Assistance will arrive, and the threat will be crushed.”

  Mayor Phillips stepped forward and addressed the crowd.

  “Several of the outlying farms have experienced a loss of livestock in the last couple of weeks. If you could all speak with the captain after the meeting, it would make a great difference.”

  “We will be camping at the Graveyard,” the captain continued. “It makes the most sense for us to remain in the location most valuable to our quarry. We will be waiting for this Necromancer, and we will show no mercy. You must avoid this area until we leave.”

  “You are all dismissed for the evening. Go home, and though it may sound flat, do not worry. We are the Emperor's hand, and his hate for the undead has never dimmed.”

  Perenelle crouched down, Maria hopping off the alchemist's back. Puzzle, too, stepped off and looked up at Perenelle with an odd expression, as though conflicted.

  “Come, you two; we best be off before they decide to blame us for this latest misfortune,” Perenelle said crisply.

  Perenelle wrapped her hands about both children's wrists, gently but firmly guiding them out of the hall and into the night before many others had left. Maria could see from the corner of her eye that her mentor's gaze was fixed forward, not deviating for a moment as she led the two of them home.

  “Please, Puzzle, I want to know,” Maria whispered from her bed.

  “It is nothing, Maria; really it is. I led Flidais into town.”

  “See, you even know her name!”

  Puzzle glanced towards the door and pressed a finger to his lips, silencing the two of them. Both were in their upstairs bedroom, Perenelle having put them to bed as soon as they got home. Lying in their night clothes, they wondered what was wrong. Puzzle had his bed closest to the window and so kept peeking out from between the curtains. Normally the windows would be open and the curtains drawn back. But tonight the windows were bolted tight. Strange plants with fluffy leaves Perenelle had never described lived in four small pots that hung close to the window. The only time their mentor had ever been evasive was when the ever-curious Maria had asked about the plants.

  “They once grew near where I lived as a child. I keep a few seeds and cultivate them where I can. To keep the memory and the species alive,” Perenelle had said.

  Waiting for thirty heartbeats, the two settled back and continued their night-time discussion.

  “You must have heard something,” Maria pressed.

  Puzzle looked up at the ceiling.

  “Well, I know that there at least four of them. Flidais and the other man in the Chameleon Cloak. He was dressed the same and had the same weapons and tools. I guess they are scouts. Then there is the captain. And then... Uh, his name was Albertus, I think. Flidais said he is an alchemist.”

  “They did say they were only soldiers investigating the area,” Maria said.

  Maria rolled over, resting head on elbow as she watched Puzzle staring off into nothing. The redhead narrowed her eyes, suspicion forming. She knew that look, the one when Puzzle stopped being Puzzle and just... started sounding like his uncle. Maria wanted to see if he would react.

  “Think there could be more?” she asked.

  “Definitely. The captain would not travel with just an alchemist by his side. He's being cagey, which makes me suspicious.”

  “He seemed okay to me,” Maria disagreed.

  “Not to me. Everyone else in the hall believed him, but he was not saying everything. Besides, Flidais wasn't wearing her amulet when she came in behind the captain.”

  ‘That's why Puzzle was staring at her. He wanted to get a good look at the captain and then saw Flidais was missing something. Wait a minute there is no way he could see at such a distance unless—’

  “Puzzle!” Maria hissed.

  “I had wondered where that potion went,” a cool voice said from the doorway.

  Both children jumped in fright, flicking their bed covers up before settling down. Perenelle stood in the doorway, shrouded in shadows. Her blue-black hair hung loose, pooling over the shift she wore before flowing down her back.

  “There are few things I cannot stomach,” Perenelle said in voice like sharp ice. “Theft is one of them.”

  Padding into the room on bare feet, Perenelle stood above Puzzle's bed. Maria had never seen her mentor without her glasses unless she was cleaning them. Perenelle seemed more intimidating than before, light brown eyes boring into the boy. The young girl almost wanted to jump under the bed covers, but she watched the frightening tableau.

  “I opened that cabinet to check some of my supplies after you told me about the Empire scout. I also closed and locked it. However, I was absent minded, and trusting you, left the keys on the table while I went to check some things in my room. That was your moment, correct?”

  Puzzle’s face wasn't one of defiance. He looked ashamed, eyes cast downward, and brow creased. Chewing on his bottom lip, Puzzle's shoulders sunk and he nodded to himself.

  “I have done wrong by you, Ms Perenelle. No apology I give will suffice. You have taken me into your home when no-one else would, and I have repaid you with dishonesty.”

  Perenelle sat down on the end of the bed and sighed, reaching up to grab her glasses before realising they were not present. She instead pinched the bridge of her nose.

  “Eyes of the predator. An ingenious choice. Not only does it improve your vision in the dark, it enhances the ability to observe distant objects, bring them into sharp focus. For me, it corrects my myopia, however, for someone with perfect vision like you--”

  “I could see who Flidais and the other scout answered to,” Puzzle ended.

  Shaking her head slowly, Perenelle reached out a hand and extended her index finger, placing it under Puzzle's chin and drawing his eyes up to hers. Those normally warm eyes were gone. Maria had never seen this side of Perenelle before, but it shook her more than even the hate of her mother.

  “You will never do that again. I trust you understand me, young man.”

  Puzzle met Perenelle's gaze and nodded. Maria was surprised he wasn't shaking or tearing up. But the look Puzzle returned said it all. He truly regretted it.

  “You spoke of an amulet, or the absence of it,” Perenelle inquired.

  Puzzle nodded once.

  “I should have mentioned it; I am sorry I kept that back, Ms Perenelle. When I first met Flidais, she drew out a strange looking amulet from--” Puzzle looked away and tapped his sternum. “It was odd. I have seen necklaces that some of the women in the village wear. Or some of the Mirai devoted. But this one was different. It looked like one of those glass vials you use for very precious potions, Ms Perenelle. It was stoppered with Silver and had a Silver mesh around it, too. Inside was something akin to blood, but it could not be. Blood dries quickly, and this looked like it had been taken from someone's finger only a second ago. When Flidais walked out behind the captain, it wasn't there. I could not see the chain around her neck. I... I wasn't being rude or anything, I swear, but I looked around her... torso, too, to see if there was a lump where it might be hidden beneath clothing or armour.”

  Puzzle finished his confession. The silence blanketed the three alchemists in the small bedroom. Perenelle sat back and turned her gaze to Maria. The young girl couldn't help but pull the sheets up to her eyes.

  “I still feel some disappointment in you, young lady. You pried Puzzle for secrets, kept cajoling information out of him. If someone doesn't want to talk about something, they have a reason for it.”

  With one curling finger Perenelle made a command.

  “Come here, young lady.”

  Maria nodded. Crawling out of bed, she walked over on bare feet to where Perenelle sat. The dark-haired woman shifted, patting the freed space. Maria sat there and wondered what Perenelle was angry with her about.

  “It has been a little while since I had Apprentices of my own. I have preferred to travel more than teach. So I'm still... learning how to be a good teacher, a good guardian... I guess you could say a good parent.”

  Maria and Puzzle both leant in and hugged Perenelle.

  “You're doing everything right,” Maria spoke up.

  “Except looking out for you two,” Perenelle said with a shake of her head.

  Maria leant over to poke Puzzle in the cheek.

  “You shouldn't be staring at a woman... where you were staring. Why weren't you looking at the captain? Everyone else was.”

  “You did not,” Puzzle retorted. “Neither was Ms Perenelle.”

  Maria and Puzzle looked to their mentor for explanation. Perenelle closed her eyes as though reminiscing, before opening them and explaining.

  “That man is a Gold affinity; it's what they do. Similar to what Theresia as a Silver can do, but also not similar. Theresia sneaks into your head.”

  “Insinuate,” Puzzle added.

  Perenelle flicked her gaze to Puzzle, who fell silent.

  “Yes, that would be the right word. Theresia can tease out secrets, read how you're feeling, change your opinion, or even convince you to do something you might not otherwise. It might sound strange, but Silvers are introverts. Golds are extroverts. You saw what the captain did. He can leave people in awe; that was obvious. He can inspire, override your doubts, or crush you with the fear and authority he commands. Typical Gold, that man is.”

  Perenelle fixed Puzzle with a neutral expression.

  “Knowing what I now do, I wish I, too, had imbibed an eyes of the predator. Puzzle, do you remember anything this Flidais said when she took out the phylactery?”

  Maria saw Puzzle's eyes go distant like earlier.

  “The man said, ‘I'll report our findings back to Captain Ilthell’. After Flidais had put away the Phylactery, he said, ‘Two hours, I'll have the reader confirm the phylactery’.”

  Maria wondered how the village was going to be in the next week, or even later. Nothing like this had ever happened before, nothing in living memory. As Maria pondered it, a strange thought bubbled up, a contradiction that left her with only one thing to say.

  “Ms Perenelle, Puzzle only just said the amulet was called a phylactery. How did you know?”

  Rather than answer, Perenelle hugged the children tighter.

  “I agree with Puzzle. I'm not convinced the soldiers told us the truth, or, to be precise, the whole truth. Don't be afraid over the next couple of days. They might be keeping secrets, but these soldiers are still members of the Empire and they will act true. Besides, you are living in the safest house in the village. I am certain of that.”

  Perenelle kissed both the children's heads before standing up and turning to face them.

  “The soldiers have their own alchemist, so they shouldn't bother us. However, the rest of the village is going to be in a panic. The three of us all know what fear does; we've experienced it plenty enough. It would be best if I stop our excursions until the captain and his soldiers leave. You should also stay indoors as much as possible; this is the safest place you can be, so don't leave unless you absolutely have to.”

  “Yes, Ms Perenelle!” Puzzle and Maria said in perfect sing-song unison.

  Perenelle reached down and briefly tickled Maria's bare foot, the redhead squealing and pulling away. The alchemist let out a quiet laugh, her voice tinkling about the room. Maria stopped her own giggling and stared together with Puzzle. Neither had ever heard Perenelle laugh before. Standing up, the woman spun around and gave the two a faux glare.

  “I would swear not five minutes ago I was tearing strips off Puzzle's hide and not much happier at Maria for encouraging him to blather. Now to bed, the both of you, before I change my mind and douse you with enough dusk grass you won't smell anything but rotten cabbage for a week.”

  Maria and Puzzle bobbed their heads. The two rearranged their bed covers and settled down ready to sleep. As she set her head against her pillow, Maria cracked one eye to see Perenelle leaning against the door frame, mouth quirked in a half smile. Maria couldn't help but look a little lower, her attention drawn to away. There was something beneath Perenelle's shift, sitting against her sternum. Maria couldn't pick the outline, but there was a glow. The faintest glimmer of purple managed to radiate from beneath the thin fabric. Perenelle had lectured Maria on when it was right to ask questions, and Maria had paid attention. She closed her eyes and let sleep gently claim her.