Among the Blessed

Ajiin wasn’t an optimist.  He had long ago assumed that life was going to throw him the worst.  The reason he placed his faith in rescue in Mihos and Crystal was not out of optimism but ignorance.  He didn’t know that the avatars rarely interfered in the lives of mortals except when entertaining or convenient.  He had heard the stories – do these things and the avatars will claim your soul – but he never personally had witnessed it, despite knowing people that were perfect targets for the avatar’s attention.  All he knew was that Mihos had intervened on Crystal’s behalf before and might do something for them again.

What he failed to note was that Mihos intervened on Crystal’s behalf, not the twins.  And that Crystal was easily redirected.

Besides, Mihos and the other avatars rarely concerned themselves with happenings outside the realm of the dead.  At the time of the twins arrest he was miles outside of the city as a brightly colored bird sitting on Crystal’s shoulder.  He had no idea what was happening in the city and if he did, he wouldn’t care.  If the twins were executed then he would exact vengeance but until then it was no concern of his.  Besides, he had something else to take care of at the time.

“Master, this is a petty matter.”

It was Crystal speaking but her voice was serious and almost severe.

“We’re in the area,” the bird replied.

“And you have sympathy for the soul.”

Mihos ruffled his feathers.  That was acknowledgement enough.  Crystal just blinked and didn’t talk anymore.  Her eyes were focused on the road ahead of them and over her shoulder she carried a short spear, feathers from Mihos’s tail decorating the shaft.

There was a town up ahead.  One of those small settlements where the crags descended in a gentle slope and buildings were able to just sprawl along the hillside.  A waypoint for travelers among the major roads.  Quiet, used to people coming and going; and Crystal’s destination.  It was an hour past dusk when they reached the borders and the particular house Mihos had directed her to.  The stone building was low to the ground and nestled with its back to the trees.  Smoke came from a chimney and Crystal could see light from the windows.  Mihos left her shoulder then and perched on the edge of the roof, looking down at the doorstep.  Crystal walked up, put the butt of her spear on the ground, and knocked.  After a moment a thin skiridian opened the door, and just as quickly tried to shut it.  But Crystal had wedged her spear in-between it and the doorframe.

“I don’t want no humans here,” the skiridian mumbled.

“Spare me your bigotry,” Crystal replied, “I’ve come to speak about your wife.”

“She left me.”

“Oh, I am quite aware of that.”

And she wrenched on the spear, throwing the door the rest of the way open with a bang.  Mihos fluttered in as the startled man fell backwards into the interior of the house and Crystal followed, the door swinging shut in her wake.

“There’s a grave in the backyard,” Crystal said, not looking at the skiridian, “and a soul in Mihos’s realm, weeping over her husband.  You have a lot to repay.  She did love you, to the end.”

The skiridian fell heavily to the ground, grabbing for the table for support.  He silently mouthed words.

“And because we were in the area,” she said and she smiled a bit at this, “you can start at that debt early.”

The man saw her move but didn’t realize what had happened.  Not until the bird stepped forwards into an emaciated man with brightly colored hair and reached out a hand for him.  He was pulled to his feet.

“Oh,” he said simply, staring at his body on the ground, blood slowly spreading as Crystal pulled the spear free from between his wings, “Oh.”

“The village will find the grave,” she said to Mihos, “it’s freshly-dug.”

“Leave my mark and I’ll depart then.”

She nodded and stooped, putting two fingers in the blood.  Edged to a clear spot of floor nearby and drew the emblem of a bird with the runic sigil of Mihos held in its claws.  Then she casually licked her hand free of blood.

“Return to the city,” Mihos said, “Do not use ‘mancy until I return.”

He reached out and took the spear from her.  Weapon in one hand, soul in the other, he vanished.  Crystal wavered a bit and walked out the door, leaving it hanging open behind her.  In the night air her eyes seemed to clear a bit.  She sniffed and made a face, half-confused and half-disgusted at the smell of blood.

“Didn’t Langley tell me not to get lost?” she said, thinking out loud, “I’d better get back.”

And humming a tune she started off down the road back towards the city, her eyes vacant and staring at nothing in particular.



Ajiin was fiddling with the lock, swearing quietly as he did.  They didn’t know if there was anyone outside to hear him attempting a lock pick.  If there was, Langley leaned on the wall nearby, a dagger in her hand.  It was one of the ones she had kept hidden.  Sabreur was at the far wall, his head in his hands with a massive headache.  The cell they were in was small with a low ceiling.  No windows.  A torch burned on one wall but that was all.

“Your head clear enough to think yet?” Langley asked.  She had no way to tell how long he had been unconscious or how long they had been locked up.  Hours, at least.

“I suppose.”

“Mind telling us what you tried to say before they brained you?”

He grimaced.

“The dates don’t match up.  Sparrow was one of the first crew we had – got him onboard in our first year of owning the Ark.  That was five years ago, almost, when we dropped out of the Academy.  The prince went missing three years ago.”

“That’s just our word against theirs though.”

“Doesn’t matter.  They know Sparrow isn’t the prince, just as well as we do.  Else they wouldn’t be holding a secret trial, arresting us on false charges, and doing everything they can to keep the people who know the truth silent.  If it really was the prince they’d found they’d conduct an honest investigation to get to the truth behind the kidnapping and possibly find the original culprits.”

“So we’re doomed, essentially.”

“Precisely.  And I doubt our nation will find out in time to prevent us from getting killed.  Makes me wonder why they are using Sparrow as the prince though.”

“At least we can ask for Mihos to avenge us then,” Langley grumbled, “although I’m not terribly fond of that option.  What else do we have to work with?  Ajiin?”

“Eh.  Not going well.”

“Didn’t we have kin that broke out of a Cadre mancy-warded cell once?” Sabreur asked.

Langley nodded.  She knew that story as well.

“But they died in the attempt, if I recall correctly,” she said, “Of course, these aren’t Cadre we’re dealing with so we stand a better chance of surviving.  Do the stories say how they did it?”

He shook his head.

“Cadre didn’t let that information leak.  The one that survived the initial escape didn’t survive his injuries and never left Cadre custody after he was retaken.  But I suppose we can come up with our own method.”

They didn’t get a chance to think.  The door rattled and Ajiin dove away from it, tucking the lockpicks into his pocket.  Langley tensed.

The door was only halfway open when Langley shot forwards, seized the shirt of whoever was in the doorway, and put her knife to the skiridian’s throat.  Surprisingly, instead of reeling backwards, he grabbed her wrist in response and shoved her, essentially pitching them both back into the cell.  The door swung shut behind them and Langley swore, slamming the man against the wall with the blade against his chin.

“Easy ma’am,” the captain that had arrested them said, “I’m alone and unarmed.  Make any sort of ruckus and you’ll get me in trouble and ruin everything.”

“What are you playing at?” she hissed.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he replied, reaching up and trying to direct her dagger away from his body, “I just wanted to warn you against trying anything stupid.  They’re eager for an excuse to kill you faster.  As is they’re rushing the proceedings to get you executed.”

“Because of Sparrow.”

“Now, I don’t know anything about that.  I just know I can help you out of a spot – provided you tell me why you’re in this mess and not do anything reckless.”

The knife only edged closer and he hissed.

“I want more explanation than that,” she said.

“As the one who can save you – no.  You have nothing to gain from killing me so get that thing away from my face before I change my mind.”

Langley reluctantly let go and backed away.  Somehow made the knife disappear into her jacket.

“That’s better,” the captain said, ruffling his feathers back into place, “Don’t go slamming me around anymore though.  Good way to break a skiridian’s wings.  Now, here are my terms.  You three stay quiet, don’t do anything, and tell me what is going on.  And I’ll contact your kin.”

“How do you know our family?” Sabreur asked.

“I told you, I’m not saying.” he replied crossly, “You’ll find out eventually, I’m sure.  But I’m not telling you anything cause I’m not supposed to.  Pretend its intrigue or the likes.”

“You’re a spy for someone.”  That was Ajiin.

The captain sighed dramatically.

“And don’t try guessing!  Just tell me why you’re imprisoned.”

The twins exchanged glances.  And told what they knew, in their disjointed half-sentences that were finished by the other person without a break in dialogue.  At the end of it the captain only scratched his ear and nodded.

“I see,” he finally said, “I’ll contact you in three days.  If you don’t hear anything assume the deal didn’t go through and you’re free to get out on your own.”

He grinned and edged for the door.  Langley and Sabreur just let him go, listening to the lock slide shut behind him with forlorn looks.

“Three days,” Sabreur finally said, “How are Stormriders supposed to sit tight in a jail cell for three days?”

“With great difficulty, I’m sure,” Ajiin said quietly, but the twins didn’t give him any attention.  Just stared at the door with expressions more hopeless than the ones they had when they were first thrown in the cell.  At least then they could try to escape.  Now they could only wait and there was no worse punishment for a Stormrider then that.

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