Roderick and Arnold were the last ones left near the mysterious Great Wolf's Lake, south in the Kingdom of Wolfheart, northeast of the western border. Rumours of magical relics had attracted many sorts of characters.
Every eleven years, the howling of wild wolves during a new moon would signal the start of a strange phenomenon within the lake. It is said that the cry of those beasts was caused by an old memory, carved into their very cells.
Tales of the ancient King of wolves who had sacrificed himself by dying in the lake were told to children. They grew up never knowing why. But it is said his tears would crystallize on the days his progeny mourned him, on the night of a new moon.
Many strange lights would seem to light up from the bottom of the lake, causing many to mysteriously lose their life or vanish inexplicably - never to be seen again.
Roderick had sent word to Arnold that a rare opportunity had presented itself. If he were to succeed, Arnold would find him, dead or alive, between the forest and the lake after that notable night.
...
"You're really going to do it? Rod... I hope you have a plan at least... that knight of yours and his folks are not very... uhm... understanding?" Arnold was both happy and anxious.
"I will go test my fortune, Arnold." His gaze was fixed on his destination.
"Roderick... this isn't like you... I understand that you were desperate and... but, you do realize you got lucky, right? You survived... whatever...", he was lost for words, "it was that you survived... everyone ran for their lives when they saw your body being thrown out of the lake!"
Arnold jumped in front of Roderick. "Please... don't push your luck... please?"
'This Roderick fellow is a good chap! I'm afraid he was too good for this world. Even though he knew that Rennard knight was sending him to his death, ha! So-called errands... More like death-missions... Even so, he accepted his duty, no matter how unjust, without complaining...' Paul de Lapaille admired Roderick's just and upright nature but pitied him as well.
"A man, like a country, should live or die free¹!" Roderick emphatically stated. 'Or was it live free or die?' He wondered.
"What? But you're not a country, Roderick... what's going on with you?" Arnold took a step back. "Did you... get possessed or something... something happen down there?" He asked.
"You could say that... consider the old Roderick dead." He proceeded to poke Arnold in his chest.
"What? Something really did happen... by the gods..." He got out of Roderick's way and stood still for a while. "I hope it's for your own good..." He sighed and looked back to where they came from.
Afterwards, Arnold caught up with Roderick and they continued to walk together.
"What are you planning to do after you quit his service?"
"First, I go collect my loot." Roderick proudly knocked on his own chest.
"In the forest?"
"Yes. I was asked to throw the pearls in front of a particular tree." He pointed towards a weirdly shaped tree, dozens of yards ahead of them.
"Seven Heavens!" He said as he hit him on the shoulder. "You're sounding like those witch-lovers, Roderick..."
"Do they do that as well?" He asked, briefly turning towards his friend.
"Well... similar things... things that make no sense anyway!" He replied, pointing his nose in the air.
...
"Alright, stand back for a moment." Roderick stopped Arnold's advance with his hand, took out a handful of what looked like translucent pearls and quickly threw them into the air. The pearls seemed to both reflect the sunlight and give off a light of their own as they flew into the air. He swiftly put the pouch back into his shirt.
"Wow... you did find some of the famed treasures..." Arnold was in awe. "But why in a goddess' name are you throwing them away?!"
"That's what the notice said... just following instructions," Roderick replied and softly chuckled. "You sound like an awestruck child, Arnold." He patted him on the back.
Arnold pushed his hand away, cleared his throat and paused. "Anywho, they're not... falling down?" He was both confused and curious.
Roderick shrugged.
"Who are you working for?! This whole thing has been strange from start to finish!"
"I don't know who the employer is, I only know the middleman, uhum, woman..."
"Is she a...?"
"She's not. But..." Roderick interrupted by his friend.
"But the employer may be..." Arnold completed his thought. "Good God, are we going to meet one?" He became visibly nervous.
"That wasn't the deal..." Roderick grabbed him by the shoulder, urging him to move on. "We're not supposed to meet face to face, but I suspect that person has already collected what they wanted..."
Arnold increased his pace at Roderick's behest but couldn't help and look back at that strange old tree.
"Once you come out of the forest, you should head to fetch your sister and return to the Kingdom of Dawn." Roderick's voice became deep.
Arnold didn't dare interrupt him this time.
Roderick took out a pouch, which now seemed filled to the brink.
"Here are 3 Gold Royals and 100 Silver Royals. You should be able to manage with that." Roderick took the poured the coins into Arnold's half-open pouch.
"Rod... how in the..." Arnold couldn't believe his eyes. A fortune had been flashed before his own eyes.
"If anyone asks, you don't know me." He looked him straight in the eyes as he put his hands on Arnold's shaking shoulders.
"I doubt Rennard is just going to let me go like that. So, just in case danger would come to you and your sister... because of me... I pray that can fulfil that dream of yours and finally head back home... with a bit of my help." He winked.
Roderick turned away before Arnold could muster a response and started running in his wet clothes.
"Live, Roderick!"
"Live or die free!" He replied.