The Neonate: 6

As the man approached and spoke, I somehow froze up more, stumbling over my words and thoughts before finally settling on a simple-

“I’m not…sure I want to do that”

My heart was going faster and heavier in my chest by the second. This all seemed horribly suspicious, at least in my current state. These people had come out of nowhere, attacked Tali and his forces. I’d never heard of them, and they were clearly magi in some capacity. That meant something. Magi were rare, and most, especially ones in the same city as you, would be recognizable. I squinted, trying to get a better look at the man in front of me, but I wasn’t making much out in the flickering firelight that I wasn’t already able to see upon his approach, so I remained on my guard.

“You have my word, on Shie-Kar’s name and power, that I will not harm you, and will do everything within my mortal and magical power to stop any harm from coming to you for the duration of our conversation.”

He spoke in a steadfast, believable way that I couldn’t quite place the reason for. The way he invoked specifically Shie-Kar, the God of Sky and Earth specifically led me to believe his magic was inherently clerical…which meant that he had even more at stake by invoking his name. Warily, I nodded, and stepped towards him, allowing my swords to come to rest at my side, but not sheathing them…partially because I was missing a sheath for my newly acquired sword, and partially to at least look like I might still be a threat.

Without another word the man turned and began walking towards the fire and his shapeshifter companion. I paused a moment before following him, thoughts a jumbled mess as I tried to consider what this all meant. More magi. But not working for Noctis.

Eventually we stepped fully into the light of the slowly dimming fire, as the man in the holy armor turned to look at me, leaving me able to also get a better look at him. A taller, elven man with pointed features and straight brown hair, with blue eyes which seemed sharp, but not too sharp. It was impossible to tell his age due to his being an elf, but at the very least he wasn’t on deaths doorstep, which would have been indicated by a slow loss of all color in his skin, hair and eyes.

His companion on the ground was seemingly a human, with an almost unnatural red colored hair and freckled face, eyes currently closed, but her breathing seemed a little too light for her to be unconscious. She seemed to be wearing a combination of furs and leather armor straps, which left much of her upper thigh and below exposed, along with some of her shoulders and arms. Inefficient, to be certain. It was as if she were asking to be stabbed in a vital area. Though, she was a shapeshifter, which meant it perhaps wasn’t needed to wear armor. Still, better safe then sorry. It annoyed me more then it likely should.

“You did well out there, especially against Tali. We hadn’t been able to really deal with him thus far, but you held your own.”

The elf broke the silence, nodding towards me approvingly. His expression remained neutral however, and I couldn’t help but notice that he seemed ever so slightly on edge.

“I did what I had to do. Unfortunately I failed near the end. I would be dead if not for you…three?” I said, curiously, but innocently enough asking to see if greater numbers were present then I expected.

The elf nodded as if to confirm my statement. “We got word from a…reliable source that this area would be under attack, but it came too late to us to get here before Tali did. For full clarity and disclosure, I did use a bit of magic on you. Mostly to keep you on your feet, not much, and most certainly nothing permanent. It allowed you to take the upper hand back.” He said, speaking as if he should justify why he assisted me, or as if I would be angry. I just shook my head.

“Not a problem. I’m happy you helped.”

The elf smiled, seeming about to say something else when a voice from the ground cut him off.

“Spirits you two are going to do this all night, aren’t you” the shapeshifter said, letting out a long and drawn out groan before turning onto her side. “Just tell him what you want Virion so we can get moving the moment Kellek gets back.”

The elf sighed, before shifting his stance to be more regal as he spoke once more. “Before I do as the lady says, allow me to introduce us. My name is Virion Tarel. Priest of Shie-Kar. The woman on the ground is Ni. Our third compatrio-” he was cut off again (I was starting to feel bad for him on that front) by a crash and sound of something heavy moving through an adjacent alleyway, the very same one the orc had gone through. Everyone present, except for Ni who remained laying on the ground sideways, looked over, to see a figure move into the firelight, a larger shape behind them.

This individual seemed to be a bipedal bird, not something I had seen before. Specifically, she seemed to be a hawklike individual, narrow predatory eyes, brown feathers and talons on her hands and feet. She was at least wearing armor, a breastplate which covered her upper body and some light leathers around her legs. Her wings were folded behind her back as well as they could be, and I presumed the main reason she wasn’t better armored was both due to a need to be able to hold up her weight in the air and the notion that any piece of armor she wanted besides what she had currently would require specially made smithing or crafting to allow her wings to still fully extend.

In one of her hands, she currently held a wooden scepter, made from a type of wood I didn’t recognize. Bleached red and stripped of bark, it was unrefined otherwise, tipped with a ruby gemstone which the firelight reflected curiously through. It was mostly held idle at her side for now. Her other hand, talons extended, was dragging something behind her slowly. A closer examination revealed what she was holding to be a pink, stretched and cut material that was serving as a rope. Behind her, was a large, somewhat spherical object that I couldn’t quite make out given both the poor light of the area and the current mental fog I was experiencing. It wasn’t until the hawk woman pulled the object into the light that I could make out what it was.

The orc’s head, still enlarged but slowly shrinking as it’s innate magic slowly began to wear off. Tied to what had to be a section of oversized entrail. I took an instinctive step back as she dropped the entrail and began to approach. Virion cleared his throat once more.

“And that is Kellek.” He said, as if trying to pull my attention away from the person he was introducing by speaking. I turned my gaze back to him warily, but stuck out my hand at the very least. He’d sworn his protection to me, and that meant something in my eyes. The least I could do was be polite.

“Acuzio Velari. A pleasure to meet you. All-three of you” I said, mentally correcting myself partially through speaking to ensure not to offend anyone. I straightened myself slightly as I looked to each person present individually. Only Virion seemed to acknowledge me, continuing to carry the conversation.

“Well met Acuzio. You are a sigilist yes? And seemingly a fairly skilled one at that.”

His praise seemed genuine, but him using my first name was slightly off putting…generally it was more respectful to address someone by their last name first, wasn’t it?

“I am a sigilist. I’m skilled with a blade, but I’m afraid my magic isn’t quite up to par just yet. I’m fairly new at sigilis, and have made minimal progress.” I admitted this shortcoming with a bit of shame in my voice, as I should really. If I had been stronger, I would have beaten Tali soundly, and not required Virion’s help. Then he might have been able to stop the diabolos from escaping, and then-

I had to stop myself from diving into what if’s in my current delirium. It wouldn’t help anything. Focus on the here and now.

“Everyone must start somewhere. Most magi refuse to join the field of battle until their fairly well off, so you at the very least have my respect for having willingness to do something such as that so unprepared. And besides, you have new material to work with now, yes?” He asked, tilting his head quizzically to my new blade I’d picked up. I’d forgotten about it for a moment, and it had nearly slipped from my grasp, so I firmly reasserted my grip on it. Nodding to Virion.

“Indeed I can, that’s a good point. I’m not coming away from this empty handed it seems.” I said, giving Virion a tired smile as I realized the prospects this brought. Sigilists could draw power from another sigilists work, claiming it and the power it held with enough time.

Ni at this point, groaned again. “I swear, if I have to listen to you two politely posture all damn ni-” Virion held up a hand, cutting her off.

“Very well, allow me to cut the chase, with our present company growing restless.” He said, giving me an apologetic smile. “Acuzio, I wish to extend you an offer of membership to our group. We have nearly every school and type of magic covered, with myself being a clerical user, Ni being a druid, Kellek practicing maleficarum, and a fourth but not present member being an arcane practitioner, however we do not have a sigilist. Our current employer wishes for us to be more…well rounded, as it were, and you seem like a good fellow.”

My blood went cold. I didn’t even know half of what these guys were, and they wanted me to join them? That was insane! But…it was tempting, after all.

“…can I think about it?” I said, stupidly, and a bit weakly.

Virion smiled.

“You may. I wouldn’t ask you to make a decision in the state you are currently in regardless. You should return home and rest. When you wish to speak to me or give me an answer-” He reached to the ground, picking up a small pebble, speaking a few words under his breath, and passing it to me. It still looked like an ordinary pebble to me. “-Toss this into the wind and speak my name. I will know where you are and come promptly. In that vein, it can also be used if you are in trouble and wish for my assistance. I will not answer forever, but for now, I owe you a debt, Acuzio.”

I nodded, starting to grow slightly numb. “Thank you, and I’ll keep that in mind” I said, tucking the pebble away into a pouch at my side, to remember it later. “I’ll be returning home now. Farewell and good evening to you three.”

This got me a nod from Virion and Ni, and a small…what did you call a bird’s grunt? A chirp? From Kellek. Ni stood up, finally, turning away wordlessly.

That was all she said before transforming into a bear once again. The transformation, seeing it up close, was relatively simple. A small poof of dark green and brown, a scent of earth and trees, and Ni was gone, replaced by the form of the bear. Virion vanished like he’d appeared earlier, this time I noted the breeze which followed it. Kellek gave me one last squint of a look before flapping her wings and taking off, leaving the orc head behind.

I watched them go, before trudging off, heading home with a lot to think about.