September 11, 535
Late that night, Eldric awoke to the sounds of Michael returning. He kept his eyes closed and didn't move his body thinking he could hear the reasoning for the late arrival. He heard Michael stubbornly attempt to remove his clothing and in doing so, stubbed his toe on the table. Michael jumped around before calming down and mumbling to himself. Eldric couldn't tell what he was saying, but he could tell it was nonsensical words strung together with little connection to one another.
Eldric listened some more and heard Michael exit the building once more. The silence of the cabin was deafening, and Eldric sat up in his bed to look around. Michael had set some objects on the table, but the darkness obscured them to the point where Eldric could not tell what they were. He then heard Michael talking to himself loudly outside the cabin. He closed his eyes to try to hear the words better, and although he could hear individual words, they were spoken in a manner that suggested another language. It sounded vaguely familiar to the language the people sung in the park the day before, and hearing it spoken once more made Eldric curious. Knowing he wouldn't have it translated, he laid back in his bed and awaited for Michael to enter.
Michael talked to himself in the foreign language for several minutes before reentering the small cabin. From what Eldric could hear, Michael moved around several things before returning to his bed and passing out almost as soon as he laid down. He was confused but paid no mind to it. If the time arose, he would ask him about it. Eldric fell back asleep and dreamed of nothing.
* * *
"I believe that after this banquet, our agreement will be over." Michael and Eldric were walking through the stalls of the marketplace as Michael attempted to trade with anyone he could. Each stall became more and more vibrant from the days before, with banners and streamers commemorating the festival tomorrow. "What do you plan to do?"
"After this?" Eldric thought. He watched as children ran and played with each other without a care in the world. "I think I'll go eastward."
"Living with the nomads?"
"Maybe not that far east, but an eastern rural town. One that I can start a new life in."
"Open a business, meet a girl, fall in love, start a family?" Michael asked with a smile on his face. "That'd be good for you."
"Who knows." Eldric shrugged and turned to Michael. "What about you?"
"Me?"
"What are your plans after the banquet?"
Michael's face became distant. "After?" He fell silent. The two walked several paces before Michael halted and crossed his arms. "I guess I'd go back to the Land of Solitude, continue trading there."
"Back to Clerud?"
Michael nodded slowly. "Maybe. Or maybe I won't, who knows?" The two began walking once again.
"Will you stay in the republic?"
Michael shook his head. "I can tell you I have no plans on staying here. Too much false identity, you know? People who say they're one thing but are really another. Can't stand it personally."
"Why not?"
Michael shrugged. "It's not genuine, I guess. I think you'd know as well as I that I don't make friends. Anyone who tries to make friends with me after such a short meeting would always make me want to never speak to them again."
"What about me?"
Michael looked at Eldric with a baffled expression. "What about you?"
"We had such a short meeting and you agreed to take me. That seems to go against your code."
"I suppose you're right." Michael thought for a minute. "I guess I tagged along because you interested me."
"I interested you?"
"Sure, it's not every day someone enters the Land of Solitude alone and makes it as far as you did. Furthermore, you reminded me of Leodric. That was more than enough."
Eldric fell silent. He looked at the stalls and saw a selection of mechanical watches that piqued his interest. He'd rarely seen anything mechanical since entering the republic, so for there to be watches was a surprise to him. He walked over to the stall as Michael watched on.
In the corner of Michael's eye, he noticed a clothes vendor, the same one that he bought his green suit he wore the day before. He watched as the kind saleswoman did her best to offer her goods to the masses passing by. As he turned away to watch Eldric more, he noticed a short man walk up to the stall, looking at the various goods. He wore an all-black outfit which stood out to him. His slender black eyes gazed across the wares as a grin grew across his face. In the blink of an eye, the short man swiped a shirt and hid it perfectly behind his back, walking away from the stall almost instantly after. Michael looked around to see if anyone had noticed, but it seemed the man did it so quickly that nobody could tell. He walked up to the man, still perfectly hiding the shirt he stole.
"Hey," Michael called out to him, "put that back."
The short man turned around and looked at Michael with a blank expression. "I'm sorry?"
"The shirt you stole, put that back."
The man smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Two of the man's friends ran up to see what was happening. The first, a handsome man in a white long-sleeved shirt, looked Michael up and down before speaking. "Is there a problem here?" The handsome man's voice had a distinct accent to it, but Michael paid it no mind.
"No, I don't believe there is." The short man spoke confidently and never broke eye contact with Michael. His smirk only grew the longer the conversation went on. "This man is only accusing me of stealing, that's all?"
The second man bounced his eyes between the short man and Michael. He was wearing a brown jacket over a dark green shirt and his face was calm and collected. Turning to Michael, he stepped in front of the other two. "Did you see him specifically steal something?" This man, too, had a strange accent to it. Michael noticed it now more than the first time, but because the short man had no accent he assumed they came from the Land of Solitude.
Michael nodded. "I saw him take a shirt from the clothes vendor just over there. He did it quick enough where the normal eye could not see, but I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
The short man bore teeth through his grin. "And where is that shirt now?"
Michael reached for the short man but was stopped by the other two.
"You won't get by us," the handsome man stated. "We won't stand for your assumptions."
"Now, now," the calm man said, "let's not assume he's in the wrong." The calm man turned the other two to create a small circle and the sounds of mumbles came from it. After several minutes of deliberation, the calm man exited the circle bearing a bright yellow shirt. "I apologize for my friends behavior, thank you for catching him in the act."
Michael nodded. "Next time, be upfront about it, or you won't have another arm to steal."
The short man laughed. "Fair play, good sir. Fair play."
The three men walked off and continued their conversation as Michael returned the shirt to its vendor. He looked behind the stall to see if Eldric was still admiring the watches, but he'd since moved on. Michael walked through the streets some more before eventually finding Eldric in the middle of a square, admiring all the decorations.
"Sorry about that," Michael said, scratching his head.
"What happened?"
"Some petty thievery. They had some imperial accents as well, so I assume they come from the empire. Typical of them."
Eldric jolted. "Imperials?"
Michael laughed. "I know what you're thinking, but they aren't here for you. They didn't seem to be in a rush, which they would be if they suspected you to leave Greenwood any day now. I assume they're from the Land of Solitude and don't realize people actually have to abide by the law in Reinbose."
Michael's words didn't ease the shock any more than Eldric would have liked. He watched as Michael continued walking through the stalls and quietly joined him, glancing left and right for a familiar face.
* * *
The two walked through the marketplace some more and Michael started up several trades with the vendors as Eldric watched on. He continued to swivel his head around, looking for the imperials within the city. Michael, noticing this, walked up to Eldric and grabbed his shoulder.
"If it's too much, head back. I need to continue trading for my livelihood. Once the banquet is over, you can leave Greenwood, sound good?"
"Right, I think I will head back."
Michael nodded and pointed him in the right direction. The two waved goodbye and Eldric began his walk home. The thoughts inside his head never seized. He knew the chances of the imperials being there for him were low, yet he could not shake the feeling of unease the knowledge they were there brought him. He traversed through the happy crowds as they nearly finished their preparations for the festival the next day.
As Eldric rounded a corner, he saw an older woman out of the corner of his eye. She was walking slowly with a limp on her left leg as she carried a basket of flowers. She was hunched over as she grabbed her back and her eyes squinted as they looked to be hard of seeing. Eldric watched as people passed her by, wondering if he should help her.
Eldric's thoughts were interrupted by a young boy who ran into the woman, knocking her to the ground. The flowers went everywhere and the boy quickly got up. He was being chased by other young boys and he ran off without a word to the woman. Eldric instinctively ran to the woman and knelt next to her.
"Are you all right?" Eldric extended his hand and helped her get to her feet.
"Objës, ëmëï mallï." The woman smiled as she laughed lightly to herself. "Chöldran rök ïntrün, sëïn?"
Eldric shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."
The woman smiled and nodded. "I see. All fine and good."
"Where are you headed?"
"Cemetery. I deliver flowers there."
Eldric picked the flowers from the ground and returned them to the basket. The woman tried to grab the basket from Eldric, but he stopped her. "Let me take them with you."
The woman's face was one of confusion. Eldric tried to rephrase his words several times before she finally understood what he meant. When she understood him, she smiled and nodded before leading him through the streets.
The streets became narrower and narrower as the houses became smaller and smaller, eventually leading the two to a large cemetery with many gravestones. The cemetery was surrounded by a large stone wall and an open gate led them to the footpath inside. The woman led him through the graveyard and past hundreds of small gravestones dating back to year zero and beyond. Family members of the deceased stood in front of a few gravestones, offering beer, flowers, and food for their loved ones as they talked about memories of years gone by.
At the back corner of the cemetery stood a lonely gravestone that had decayed from the years. The text was faded and written in the old language Aldari so Eldric was unable to read it, but he helped the woman set flowers down on it and prayed with her as she recited a prayer in the old language.
"Old is my family," the woman stated when she finished her prayer. "Before Great Calamity. Long before."
"I've heard of this Great Calamity," Eldric noted, "what is it?"
"Great Calamity was-" The woman looked for her words. She spent a minute speaking to herself in Aldari before smiling as she found what she wanted to say. "Before year 0, old Alcrest very good. Tall, tall building. Good machines. Cities in sky, everything connected." The woman spoke with her hands as she painted an image in Eldric's mind. "Magic, they use magic to us. But- um-" The woman fell silent again as she thought about her words. "People were become proud. Very proud. Many too resources used. No care for Alcrest. Only care for self. Always wanting power. More power, more money, more- more wealth!"
Eldric listened intently. He watched as the woman did her best to speak his language, and could tell what she was trying to say quite well. He looked at the grave, which had no years printed on it. He looked back at her, the story never seizing.
"Nature was become hurt. Big conflicts, like war. It was like- the humanity played with fire and ice, no? Everything broke then. First was disaster. Earth shaking, big mountain explosions, cities disappear in water, land breaks apart. It was like Alcrest become angry with humans. Many people die. Number is ninety of hundred people die. Millions. My family survive. From ashes they build new city. Einrich Empire was form. There was no more magic machine. Alcrest was died."
"And your family, they go back to before the Great Calamity?"
"Yes. My family old. I am last of it. I bring flower for hope of new age. Of no war. Reinbose is in war now, and learned nothing of ancient people. A new calamity will born. The new age, this age, will become dead."
"We will end wars, ma'am. I will ensure it."
The woman smiled. "I hope. I pray for success. I pray for peace. If no peace, nothing learned." She turned back to the gravestone and began praying in Aldari once again.
Eldric stayed for a little while longer before taking his leave from the graveyard. As he exited to the narrow streets, he forgot the direction Michael had led him, so he decided to head back to the marketplace and see if he could find his way home from there.
The market was beginning to shut down as the sun dipped closer to the horizon. Eldric walked around the market for some time before standing in the exact spot where Michael had directed him. He faced the direction he needed to go and was about to take his first step before he heard a voice he hadn't heard in some time.
"There he is!"
Eldric quickly turned his head and saw the figures of four people he hadn't seen in what felt like years. Kastor, Erick, Hagen, and Leonard stood about a hundred meters away as immediately Hagen darted towards him.
Eldric's heart pounded as he darted through the closing market, the evening sun casting long shadows over the cobblestone streets. He risked a glance over his shoulder, his pulse quickening as he caught sight of all four of his former compatriots weaving through the crowd in pursuit.
"Don't let him get away!" Kastor's booming voice cut through the noise of the market, his authoritative tone sending a ripple of panic through Eldric.
Eldric ducked beneath a fruit stand, knocking over a crate of apples that spilled across the ground in a cascade of red and green. The vendor shouted in protest, but Eldric had no time to apologize. He sprinted into a narrow alley, his footsteps echoing off the walls as he sought to put as much distance between himself and his pursuers as possible.
Suddenly, Hagen appeared next to Eldric. The two ran in pace with one another as a snarky grin drew across Hagen's face. "Why, Eldric! It's been a while hasn't it? Or at least, a week!"
"What're you doing here?!"
"Orders from Asante, you know how it is!" Hagen laughed as Eldric quickly turned a corner to his surprise.
Eldric's mind raced, trying to think of a way to lose them. He remembered the residential district lay ahead, a labyrinth of tightly packed houses and narrow streets. If he could reach it, he might have a chance.
He burst from the alley into a street filled with pedestrians, their surprised faces blurring as he sped past. He veered to the left, dodging between market stalls being rolled home and scattering a group of children playing in the street. Behind him, Hagen had once again found him and followed with relentless determination, his agility allowing him to navigate the obstacles with ease.
"Split up!" Kastor's voice rang out again, and Eldric knew the others were closing in from different directions. He had to act fast. He turned sharply, entering a narrow passage between two buildings. The passage was barely wide enough for him to squeeze through, but he pressed on, hoping it would slow his pursuers.
He emerged into a small courtyard, the sounds of the market fading behind him. For a moment, he allowed himself to hope he had lost them. But then he heard the telltale sound of footsteps and saw Erick's silhouette appear at the entrance to the passage.
"There he is!" Erick shouted, his keen eyes locking onto Eldric.
Eldric cursed under his breath and sprinted across the courtyard, diving through an open window into a modest home. He landed in a heap on the floor, startling the family inside. Ignoring their cries of alarm, he rushed through the house, bursting out the back door into another alley.
He could hear Leonard and Erick coordinating behind him, their teamwork making it difficult to shake them. Hagen would be circling around, trying to cut him off. Eldric's only chance was to keep moving, to stay unpredictable.
The alley opened into another street, this one lined with the colorful facades of residential homes. He could hear the distant clang of blacksmiths and the chatter of housewives, the normalcy of it all a stark contrast to his desperate flight, causing him to smile. He vaulted over a low wooden fence, landing in a garden and tearing through it without a second thought.
He scrambled over another large metallic fence, emerging onto a quieter street. The houses here were larger, more affluent, with neatly trimmed hedges and wrought-iron gates. Eldric's breath came in ragged gasps, his legs burning with exertion. He knew he couldn't keep this pace forever.
Ahead, he spotted a delivery cart filled with sacks of flour. An idea sparked in his mind. He sprinted towards it, grabbing a sack and heaving it into the street. The cart's driver shouted in surprise as flour burst into the air, creating a thick white cloud. Eldric dashed through it, hoping the sudden obstruction would slow his pursuers.
He cut through another alley, his path taking him deeper into the residential district. The narrow streets twisted and turned, each corner offering a potential escape. He heard the muffled shouts of Kastor and the others, but the flour cloud seemed to have given him a momentary advantage.
He emerged into a quiet square, the centerpiece a fountain surrounded by benches and flowerbeds. Eldric took a moment to catch his breath, his eyes scanning for any sign of his pursuers. The square was empty, save for an elderly woman tending to the flowers. She looked up in surprise as Eldric ran past, her gaze following him with curiosity.
Eldric's reprieve was short-lived. Hagen's silhouette appeared at the entrance to the square, his speed and determination cutting through any advantage Eldric had gained. Eldric pushed himself harder, his muscles protesting with every step.
He veered into another alley, this one narrower and darker, the high walls on either side creating a claustrophobic tunnel. He could hear Hagen's footsteps behind him, faster and more determined. Eldric's mind raced, searching for an escape. He spotted a ladder leading up to a rooftop and seized the opportunity.
He scaled the ladder quickly, pulling himself onto the roof. The city spread out before him, a sprawling maze of streets and rooftops. He sprinted across the rooftops, the height giving him a temporary reprieve from Hagen's pursuit. He leapt from one roof to the next, the gaps narrow but treacherous.
Hagen followed, his movements just as fluid and determined. Eldric knew he couldn't outrun him forever. He needed to find a way to lose him in the maze of buildings. He reached the edge of the roof and looked down, spotting a narrow ledge that ran along the side of the building.
He lowered himself onto the ledge, pressing his back against the wall and inching along it, hoping the precarious position would deter Hagen. He moved slowly, carefully, the street far below making his head spin. He could hear Hagen on the roof above, his frustration evident in his movements.
Eldric reached the end of the ledge and pulled himself into an open window, landing in what appeared to be an abandoned apartment. He moved quickly, crossing the room and exiting into the hallway. The building was old, the floors creaking under his weight as he descended the stairs.
He emerged onto another street, this one quieter, the sounds of the market and his pursuers distant. He moved quickly, blending into the flow of people, his heart still racing but his steps more measured. He needed to disappear, to become just another face in the crowd.
He slipped into a narrow alley, his eyes scanning for any sign of pursuit. He was in the heart of the residential district now, the maze-like streets and alleys offering countless places to hide. He moved quietly, keeping to the shadows.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally allowed himself to slow down. He had lost them, at least for now. He leaned against a wall, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his body aching from the exertion. Greenwood was a big city, and Kastor, Leonard, Erick, and Hagen were relentless, but for now, he had managed to escape.
He looked around at his position and saw a man sitting outside his home and drinking a beer. Eldric walked up to the man and asked him for directions to the small cabin. Confused, the man obliged with rough directions leading to the cabin. Eldric followed them, ducking through alleyways when he could as to avoid being seen by his imperial pursuers.
While he walked, he thought about the few words Hagen spoke. If they're here on orders from Asante, then Asante was sure to be in Greenwood as well. Why they were there, however, eluded Eldric. He didn't think running away was such a terrible offense to send people across the Land of Solitude for, so he began to retrace his steps from his first day on the job.
He remembered the boy, how he followed him into the strange dark room, and the explosion that followed. Was that what caused them to follow him? That hardly seemed like something so important they needed to bring him to justice for, so Eldric began to think it was something else.
Eldric continued to think about why they were there until he reached the cabin. He hadn't seen the imperials for the remainder of the day, so he knew he had gotten away from them. He quickly went inside and sat on his bed until Michael returned.
Michael opened the door with a smile. "Guess who made several successful deals?!" He brought a large brown sack with several goods inside and dropped it onto the table.
Eldric didn't reply.
"Still freaked out about the imperials, huh? Like I said, they're not here for-"
"I saw them." Eldric's words were cold and tense.
Michael chuckled nervously. "Y-You saw the imperials?"
"I did. They were here for me. They chased me through the streets. They're here to take me back to Einrich."
Michael paced over to the bed opposite Eldric and sat down. "You're sure they were chasing you?"
Eldric nodded.
"Do you know why? Surely it isn't because you ran away, right?"
Eldric shook his head, his frustration boiling over. "I've been thinking about it ever since I saw them. I don't have any logical explanation to why they'd be here. It seems petty to make their way all the way out here, especially when I've heard about people deserting into the Land of Solitude all the time."
Michael remained silent.
"Are you adamant I must go to the banquet?"
"I am."
Eldric stood, his eyes blazing with a mixture of fear and anger. "Can't I repay you some other way?! I can't go back to Einrich! I'll give you money, I'll give you goods, I'll do anything! Just let me leave Greenwood tonight!"
"I will not have you do that."
"Why not?!" Eldric's voice cracked. "Don't you see?! If I'm taken back to Einrich there won't be a deal to uphold! I have to get out of Greenwood as soon as I can, and you can't stop me." He turned to the door and began walking towards it. Michael quickly rose to his feet and stood in front of the door.
"You will not leave tonight. I will have you go to the banquet tomorrow. You can stay in here all day if that makes you feel better, but you're coming to the banquet."
"Where they'll be waiting for me?! Am I really that important to have at the banquet that you can't possibly go alone?!"
"They won't be waiting for you."
"And what if they are?! If I'm taken before we even get in, then there was no point to having me be there in the first place!" Eldric's voice broke as he shouted. "I thought we were comrades, Michael. How can you be so calm when my life is on the line? Do I mean so little to you that you'd risk everything for a deal?"
Michael took a deep breath, his calm demeanor unwavering. "Eldric, listen to me. I understand you're scared, and I understand why you want to leave. But running is not the answer. It never is."
Eldric's eyes were wide with frustration and betrayal. "Then what is the answer, Michael? Because standing here waiting for them to find me doesn't seem like a solution either."
Michael put a hand on Eldric's shoulder, firm but gentle. "Trust me. Once we're in the banquet, we have people on our side. People who can help us if things go south. But if you run now, you'll be alone. No one to watch your back, no one to help you. The imperials will catch you, and you'll be worse off than if you'd stayed. Besides, there's a slim chance they get in anyways. Nobody will let in an imperial."
Eldric shook his head, his expression a mix of fear and defiance. "How can you be so sure?"
Michael's eyes softened, and he squeezed Eldric's shoulder reassuringly. "I've been dealing with people who want me dead for years. I know the feeling you have right now, and I can tell you all will be fine once we get inside that banquet hall."
Eldric hesitated, the tension in his body slowly ebbing away.
"We need to stay calm and think this through. Panicking and running will only make things worse. Together, we have a chance. But only if you stay."
Eldric took a deep breath, his eyes searching Michael's face for any sign of doubt. Finding none, he slowly nodded. "Alright, Michael. I'll stay. But if things go wrong—"
"They won't," Michael interrupted, his voice filled with a quiet confidence. "I promise you, Eldric. In two days, you can leave Greenwood and all this behind."
Eldric finally relaxed, the tension leaving his shoulders. "Fine. Let's talk about the banquet now, so I'm ready for anything."