Chapter Five

Chapter 5: Double the Trouble



Cevlon - Haven rooftops:

Drey wasn’t quiet sure what he was looking for, or what his reason to fight might be, but he figured, he’d know it when he saw it.
But he had decided that even if he didn’t find his reason for fighting, he was going to take up Ellie’s quest for her. He had looked at the map earlier that morning, none of the Supreme Gems were on Cevlon. Or at least that he could see.
But the closest one was in a place called the Arriecsent Ruins. He wasn’t quiet sure what those were seeing as they were on Falion...so he decided to do some research on the place in the Great Library in the Council Palace.
Usually, the Palace wasn’t open to just anyone, however, to him specifically it was. Though his access was limited, he was able to go to the Great Library.

He kept to the roof tops, sense they were his favorite way of getting around the city. It was faster then taking the streets, and cleaner too.
It didn’t take him long before he was at the Palace.
The Elite Warriors guarding the Palace hesitated when they saw him, but didn’t stand in his way when he walked up to the door.
They mostly just gapped at him in silence. He hated it when people did that. That was part of the reason why he trained himself in the ways of an assassin. To blend in with his surroundings and to keep out of people’s radars. And it worked. For the most part anyways.

He walked into the palace of crystal and light, and almost got blinded.
It always took him a while to get use to it, but he did eventually.
As usual it took him quiet some hunting to find the library. Though he never asked for directions. He’d never make himself look like a fool as to stoop that low. He could manage to find his way around the palace.

After what must have been an hour searching for the stupid library, he finally found it.
   “One step closer to my goal...I guess.” He muttered as he walked down the thousands upon thousands of shelves that held dusty old volumes that probably no one read or even glanced at for over a century.
He had no idea what he was looking for, and after aimlessly looking through random books, he decided to ask for help. Directions to a place was one thing, directions on a book, was a whole other thing entirely!
   He made his way to the front desk where a man sat on a high chair, with a matching desk that made Dreyden feel puny compared to him. And he did not like that.
The man with the curved beak of a nose was reading through half moon spectacles.
Drey cleared his throat. The man looked down at him - not that he wasn’t doing that already - and he had a slightly startled look when he saw who it was.
   “You-you’re-”
   “Yes, yes. Can we skip that bit? I tire of it quiet easily. I need your assistance.”
The librarian nodded eagerly.
   “Of course! How can I be of serves?”
  “I’m looking for a book that will tell me about the Arriecsent Ruins?”
The man showed surprise on his face, but he quickly jumped down from his seat and led the way down the shelves.
He ran his fingers along the titles of the books till his hand hovered over one. He pulled out a book with a green cover and a title that said: ‘Places Unknown to Most’.
   “Here you are sire. I hope you find what you are looking for in here.”
Drey accepted the book, but waved away the man’s formality.
   “I will not be called that...I lost that title long ago. But thank you for your help sir.”
The man made a deep bow, which set Drey on edge, yet he said nothing.
   “It was an honor. But if I may...why are you looking into the Arriecsent Ruins?”
Luckily, Dreyden had a cover story for this.
   “In one of the Stories, they talk about the Ruins hiding a great mystery. So I got curious and decided to do some research.”
The man nodded.
   “Ah...Yes...The tail of Bowden. A wise man beyond his years, and did us all a great favor, by exploring Falion. In fact, he was the one who wrote this book. This is a good place to start young man. If I do say so myself. Just holler if you ever need something.”
Dreyden nodded his thanks, and the man left.

Drey sat down on the floor with his legs crossed over one another. He flipped the cover open and hurried to the index page. There he found what he was looking for. When he found the right page number, he quickly opened it up and skimmed the pages for something that might stand out.
   Most of it was pretty boring, though some things he did find slightly interesting. Like the fact that the Ruins use to be one of the greatest cities in all of Falion till the separation of the two worlds.
But then when the king of the city decided to hide one of the Supreme Gems there, everyone got scared and ran away. It was said that the king still guards the Gem even to this day. Of course Drey knew that to be complete folly and made up just to scare little kids into behaving.

   “-Kade I can’t believe you! You’re running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off!”
Dreyden froze at the sound of voices. They were right behind him, well behind the shelf anyways. He didn’t recognize the first voice, but he did know who Kade was. You’d be deaf not to know who he was.
   “I’m not running around pointlessly. I do know what I’m doing.” Kade’s deep voice boomed.
   “Oh? You’re asking every person you know if they’ve seen her. Tell me that doesn’t look like a chicken with his head cut off.”
Drey shifted and peeked through cracks in between the books. He could just make out the upper torsos of two men. One wore a full out armor suit, while the other only wore leather. He assumed by the deep red cape on the man that wore leather, that was Kade. Though he couldn’t understand why he wasn’t in his usual armor.
The other man wore a deep purple cape, so he was obviously a very high ranking officer. Probably the Chief Commander himself. That was a shock. And why were they whispering? Who was Kade going crazy over?
   “Why did you just let her quit? You know she makes rash decisions all the time so why in Eleyos’s name did you let her quit?”
   “Because, this wasn’t one of her rash decisions. She actually meant it. And you know our policy is that anyone can quit at any time. It was her time.”
   “I still can’t believe you did that, and then she ran off and no one knows where she is.”
   “Give her some time Kade. Maybe she doesn’t want to be found at the moment. Ever thought of that man? Giver her some space and leave it be.”
The man sighed and slapped Kade’s arm.
   “Enjoy your day off Kade. And please...don’t do anything reckless.”
Kade nodded grimly.
   “Because I’m known for being reckless? Really Chief I would have thought you would have known better by now.”
   “You continue to surprise me, Kade. Just stay out of trouble, but...if some how trouble ends up finding you, don’t get beaten up too bad.”
Kade chuckled.
   “Yes sir. But don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
   “Good to know. Now I have a meeting with Mentis, so if you don’t mind I’ll be on my way.”
   “Of course not Chief. I’ll see you latter then.”
   “Yes. Latter.” The Chief Commander made his exit and Dreyden quickly ducked when Kade turned towards the shelf.
But he accidentally knocked some books off. Drey cursed at himself as he set the books back.
Kade heard the clatter and ran to the end of the shelf and looked around it.
He spotted Dreyden picking up the last book and set it back on it’s rightful place.    
   “You there!”
Drey bit his lip, but didn’t turn.
   “How long have you been standing there?”
   “Long enough to know you’re a chicken with your head cut off. Of course...that seriously depends on your point of view.”
He turned around and faced the lieutenant.
Kade’s face turned red with anger as he marched forward.
   “Why you sneaky little -”
When he came closer, he realized who Dreyden was.
   “Wait, you’re Ast’Drev’s son.”
   “Yes indeed I am. So glad so many people notice. Now shut your pie hole! I hate it when people do that. And they wonder why I don’t take up my title, or prance around the city like the rest of the aristocrats! Sheesh.”
Drey shook his head and set the book back on the shelf.
Kade shifted his weight to one foot.
   “So, I take it you don’t like all the attention.”
   “No I don’t. There’s a reason why I’m a bounty hunter.”
Kade’s face scrunched up in disgust. Not many people liked bounty hunters. But Dreyden was good at not taking it personally.
   “So, I take it your looking for your sweetheart.”
Kade gasped in shock, and his jaw dropped. Drey knew he had hit a nerve.
   “She’s not my sweetheart.” Kade shot back. Drey raised an eyebrow.
   “Oh really? Well she must mean something too you. Other wise you wouldn’t be running around like a chicken with your head cut off.” He pointed out.
   “Oh shut up! Tell no one that you heard that conversation -”
   “Relax! It’s not like I have many friends.” He had to cut himself off before he said that Kade had just murdered his only one.
He leaned back against the shelf and braced his foot against a wood post.
   “So...who’s this girl that’s got your knickers in a twist?”
Kade glowered at him. But kept his anger under control.
   “And why should I tell you? You aren’t exactly...the most reliable.”
Drey shrugged and pushed away from the shelf.
   “Well then, don’t take my help. It’s not often I offer my services to a goody-too-shoes like yourself.”
He started to walk away slowly. Mentally counting to three.
One...two...
   “Wait!”
Drey smiled before her turned.
   “Yes?”
   “Why were you going to offer your services?” Kade asked.
   “To help you find your sweetheart of course. Why else?”
Kade eyed him suspiciously.
   “Why would you help me?”
That...was a good question. But Drey was already coming up with a snarky response.
   “Well, lets just say that you ruined my love life, so I’m opting out to save yours. Can’t have one of the most respectful men end up a lonely old bachelor for the rest of his life. What kind of example would that set?”
   “I told you. She’s not my -”
   “Yes I heard that too. But honestly, who really believes that?”
Dreyden didn’t wait for his reply, he simply walked away.
Back at the front desk, he said bye to the man and then walked out into the Palace.
He could hear Kade’s footsteps behind him, but didn’t glance over his shoulder till he was outside and back in the familiar streets.
Then he turned around and faced him with hands on his hips.
Kade came up next to him with his arms folded over his chest.
Drey could see his tunic under his leather jacket that was left open. His cape was what branded him, and if Drey was going to help, they’d have to blend in some how. And with that cape, it would be impossible.
   He held out his hand.
   “Hand me the cape.”
Kade’s eyes grew wide.
   “Why on Earth would I do that?!”
People glanced at them curiously and in slight alarm.
   “Oi! Shut your pie hole!” Drey shouted in a hushed voice.
   “Look, if you want me to help find this girl, do as I say. And right now, I’m saying ’hand me the cloak’.”
Kade hesitated a minute before undoing the clasp that held the cape around his shoulders. He bundled it up and handed it over.
Drey took it and dumped it into a water barrel.
Kade shouted at him, but cut himself off when Drey closed the barrel.
   “Fantastic. Now come on, ever traveled by roof tops?” Drey asked, turning back to Kade. Who sighed and shook his head.
   “Splendid! Lets get going then.”

Drey led the way up to the rooftops and crouched down at the edge of one. There, he watched the people pass by on their every day lives. Never looking up. He always thought that that was odd. No one ever looked up, they assumed they were safe from everything above. That was the reason why he like the roof tops so much, he was less likely to be spotted.

   “So...tell me about this girl.” He said. Turning to Kade, who was sitting down next to him. He decided to indulge the bounty hunter.
   “She’s my second in command...or she was...She quit a few days ago. Right...right after I yelled at her.”
   “You yelled at a lady?! No wonder she ran away.”
Drey was shocked when Kade nodded in agreement instead of telling him to shut up or something.
   “That’s what I tell myself everyday...We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. And this is the first time she’s ever run away on me. She usually would be able to take a beating.”
   “Well how many times have you yelled at her?”
Kade sighed and shook his head.
   “More then I should have.”
   “Hmm...Maybe it had been building up for a while, and only now did it all fall over. But I suggest you treat her better. Or your love life will also be nonexistent.”
   “Gee, thanks for the advice.” Kade said sarcastically.
Drey gave him a two fingered salute.
   “Don’t worry about. So, it’s Sonera we’re talking about, right?”
The dark haired boy nodded as the wind messed with them both.
Drey stood up and studied the city.
   “Well then, I guess we had better start looking.”
Kade jumped to his feet.
   “But you haven’t even asked where she likes to hang out, what she likes to do in her free time.” He pointed out.
Dreyden laughed. Then he pointed to a bakery shop just down main street.
   “She likes to get the Apple nuggets there, particularly when they’re fresh from the oven. She also likes to hang out in the meadow just outside the city. Now, as to what she likes to do in her free time. She prefers to practice her dancing, or sword skills. Which ever she’s dressed for. How am I doing?”
Kade’s jaw had dropped to the floor a long time ago. A long with his first assumption that Dreyden was a useless piece of filth that was only a waist of space.
He shook his head.
   “I’m not even going to ask.” He stated after a moment. “So, if you know all this your lordship,” He made a mocking bow. “Then where, prey tell do you suggest we look first?”
Drey ignored Kade’s mockery and rubbed his chin.
   “Well...are there any friends she has? People that she might have contact with?”
   “No, not really...She was kind of an outsider. I was really the only one who looked past her appearances.”
   “Oh yeah...she’s rather....” By the glare Kade was giving him, Drey chose his words carefully. “...Different.”
Kade seemed alright with his choice in words.
So far, so good. Drey thought wirily.
    “Hmm...what were you two arguing about? Exactly?”
Kade hesitated a moment before answering.
   “She did not agree with the orders I had been given.”
   “Well nothing you could do about that....What orders were they?”
Kade locked him in his violet gaze and Drey got a bad gut feeling.
Just by his look, he knew what orders they were. He remembered it from the night he met Elowen.
   “And then she took off. I have no clue where she is or...”
Kade sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair.
   “This is getting us no where -”
   “No, no, no. This is good. So we know she was annoyed with you for being a foul -” He didn’t finish that statement. “- and then she quit her job and is now homeless and has no where to go. Oh well this just keeps getting better and better.” He let out a sigh and started to pace the thatched roof.
   “Oh shut up you piece of trash!”
Drey’s eyes grew wide.
   “Oh, so we’re going down this road then are we? Very well, have it your way then. I’ll see you latter then. Don’t come back whinning for help.”
Dreyden jumped down from the roof top and walked lazily down the lane.
   He was just outside the city walls when his shack exploded. Quiet literally.
Taken by surprise, he shouted and was thrown backwards.
   “What the...?!” He looked up and saw that his poor shack was no more. It’s roof had been blown clean off, the walls were burning, and amongst them, was a large, silver-blue tiger.
He stopped dead when he saw the animal.
   “Oh you’ve got to be joking.” He cried in anger.
Completely ignoring the tiger, he dove into the remains of his home, and grabbed his pack that he kept beside his cot. Then he swiped up his bow, water proof quiver - which apparently wasn’t fire proof - and then his sword.
After gathering that up, he quickly jumped out of the flames and glowered at the tiger.
   “How on Earth did you get so big?!” He asked Lorem. The tiger considered him for a moment.
   “I ate.”
Drey’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me. So when ever you eat, you grow. Brilliant. That’s just great! So you’ll just keep growing till your as big as the sky?!” He was shouting. He didn’t realize he was shouting. But he was shouting. Poor Lorem.
Dreyden cast a nervous glance towards the city.
The explosion was pretty loud, guards will come to check it out. Drey thought. And I can’t have them find Lorem. That would just mess everything up.

He turned back to Lorem.
   “Lorem. Can you go back into Stargazer? People are going to be coming, and I don’t want them to find you.”
The white tiger growled at him, but at least obliged.
Dreyden pocketed the Gem and strapped on his pack, after placing the quiver in it, and placed his sword belt around his waist. He pulled his sword out just to make sure that nothing had hurt it.
He was satisfied to see that it was alright.
Most thought his sword was a bit...odd. Really it was one big blade, slightly curved at the tip, and rounded at the bottom. But then near the bottom the metal was cut through and left a handle just big enough for one hand.
He sighed and sheathed it back.
   “Alright, time to get out of here! But first...I need supplies. Seeing as I have no idea how long I’m going to be gone.” He muttered to himself. He didn’t want to be caught for questioning. That would be ugly. So he quickly ran to the commoner gate at the city wall.
He quickly ran down the busy streets of Haven and his first stop was at the food market.

All the hustle and bustle of the market always made him feel more at home. It might be because it reminded him of home, but it also might remind him of the fate his home had faced.
But when he pushed that aside, he always loved coming to the market.

Dreyden was buying some dried meat when the ruckus occurred.
A woman screamed and Drey turned around just in time to get knocked off his feet and thrown over the cart selling the meat.
   “Oi! Watch where your going! You plot!” The screaming woman shouted.
The man selling the meat, helped Dreyden up to his feet.
He looked around once he got his bearings and saw a familiar face running from the guards.
   “Well as if this isn’t confusing...An Elite Warrior running from the Palace guards....Hmm....Wonder what he did to get himself into trouble this time.” He found himself muttering.
   “Well, go help him out sir.”
Drey turned to the man in shock.
   “I beg your pardon?”
   “The Palace guards have been very...well lets say active, for loss of a better word. The poor boy must have done something to aggravate them, and now he’s going to get thrown in the dungeons.”
   “Just because he annoyed them?”
   “Exactly. And no one keeps them on a chain any more. Anyone that defies them ends up disappearing. So Dreyden, if you have a decent bone in you, you’ll help that poor boy escape!”
Drey sighed and took off at a run, following the Elite Warrior that was in trouble.
   “Oh boy...he really owes me this time.” He muttered.
Kade was running through the market, knocking stalls and people over just the same.
   “Kade!”
He turned his head and saw Drey matching his pace.
   “What the heck are you doing?!”
   “What does it look like?!” He shouted back. He dove around a corner and slid on the loose gravel. Drey saw it coming and dove over him. Landing in front.
   “Follow me.” He ordered and took off at a full sprint.

After spending years in the city, and from a bird’s eye view, he knew every nook and cranny like the back of his hand. He led the way down the allies and over rooftops.
They ran for a good while. Kade slid out of the shadows and into main street. Skidding just in front of the two guards.
    “You!” One of them shouted.
    “Uh...” Kade wasn’t sure what to do. Dreyden groaned and grabbed his jacket collar, pulling him out of the street and into a hay stack.
   “Watch where you’re going or you’ll end up dead you plot!” He growled. The two guards faced him with their fists bared.
   “You dare defy us, your superiors?!” The taller one shouted.
Drey gave a mocking bow.
   “Of course not your lieges. But as I’m sure you can see...I’m a bounty hunter. Freelancer if you will. I don’t have superiors.”
He eyed the two of them and decided which one would be easier to take down. He decided the skinny, tall one.
He didn’t let them get past his reply before he pivoted on his right leg and swung out with his left. Knocking the first knight out by the jaw. He fell to the ground, flat on his face.
Drey turned to the more stubby one.
   “At least make it a challenge for me, will ya?” He asked as he held up his fists and bounced on the balls of his feet.
The man’s eyes went from shock, to anger, and he charged forward, fists, up and his suit of armor clattering.
He moved very slowly, and was so clumsy, that it was quiet easy for Dreyden to dodge his attack. He spun away and hit the man’s backside with his foot.
   “Ah!” He yelled as his face came into contact with yerto droppings.
Drey couldn’t help but snicker a little bit.
But then the tall, skinny one was up again.
   “I’ll get you for that!” He threatened. Drey motioned for him to bring it on.
   “I look forward to it. But I don’t have all day. I’ll be leaving soon so if you don’t mind...?”
That just made the knight more mad. He charged forward, screaming at the top of his lungs. And Dreyden couldn’t help but think he sounded like a dying cow.
The man was doing something incredibly stupid. He was going to head butt Drey in the stomach region.
Drey bid his time and waited till the man was almost on top of him. Then, diving sideways a little so he ended up on the man’s left side. Then he vaulted over him and end up on his opposite side.
    “First rule of engagement. Don’t run in on anger. You make mistakes. Didn’t they teach you that in knight training?” He asked as he caught the man’s chin with his knee and shoved down on his back.
The chubby one was back for seconds and tried to take Dreyden by surprise. His keen senses were able to see him from the corner of his eye and he bent his knees down, then launched himself strait up into the air. Curving his body over the knight and he landed with one leg under him and the other out to balance the fall.
   “You’re going to have to be quieter then that if you’re going to try and sneak up on me.” He let out an exasperated sigh.
   “Am I going to have to teach you everything?!”
He didn’t bother to say anything else, he just grabbed the man by the collar and spun him around like a little girls doll. On the third spin he let go and the man slammed into a post.
With both of them down temporarily, Drey turned back to Kade who was just sitting back in the hay stack.
The guards would be up soon and then it would be more trouble for the two of them. He spotted two houses up ahead and turned to Kade.
   “Come on! We have to get up and over.” He shouted over his shoulder.
Kade nodded and the two of them heaved themselves up the side of the house and onto the roof. This particular house was taller then the other ones, and so the way down was farther, and Drey knew that.
   “What ever you do, don’t hesitate or those guards will catch you!” he shouted over his shoulder.
Kade wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but when Drey suddenly disappeared, he caught on.
   “Oh snap!” He shouted, but he vaulted over the side of the roof top and flipped in the air, so he wouldn’t land on his feet and break his legs.
When he expected cobble stone, he got...hay. Soft hay. He was shocked.
   “Get out of sight you plot!” Someone whispered below him.
   “Don’t call me a plot!” He hissed back, diving under the hay, and out of sight.
   “I out rank you. Remember?” Kade reminded him.
   “Yeah, but you forget that a bounty hunter has no rank. So therefore, you can’t out rank me.” Drey shot back from somewhere to his right.
   “Oh shut up. Plot.” He whispered back.
Drey chuckled.
   “I didn’t know one who spent most of his time at well mannered parties could call someone that.”
   “What did I just tell you?”
   “Shh!”
They could hear the guards footsteps outside and Drey was able to just make out their boots.
   “Where’d they go? Did you see where they went?”
   “No! I was standin’ right next to ya!”
   “I can’t believe that stupid boy had the gall to openly make fun of us!”
   “I know! I was there! Remember? Come on, I’m hungry and want lunch. If he shows his face around here again, I’ll gut him right there on the spot.”
The other guard agreed.
   “Come on then. The tavern’s open right now.”
   “Oh boy here we go...the tavern, which in short means the bartender’s daughter.”
   “Oh shut up.”
The two guards shuffled away, one teasing the other about how he has no luck with the women.
Once their voices were gone, the two boys hopped out of the haystack.
   “Well...I didn’t need to hear that last bit.” Drey said thoughtfully as he shook the hay out of his locks. They were getting longer, but he suddenly didn’t want to cut it anymore. Which was odd. For him anyways.
   “Tell me about it. Thanks for you help. Though you should have warned me about the drop. I couldn’t have broken my legs!”
   “Oh yes and that would have been a pity. Well if you don’t mind, I’ve got places to be and people to see. Bye.”
Kade scoffed as the bounty hunter ran off.
   “He is so weird. What is he going on about anyways? Hmm...”

.:+:.

It wasn’t long before Dreyden had all the supplies he needed, and he was back at the meadow.
He dug out Stargazer again and looked at it on his gloved hand. - Just incase Lorem got any ideas.
   “Okay Lorem, you can come out for a little bit now. I want to talk to you. Give you a...uh...a sort of up date.” He still wasn’t use to talking to a stone.
It heated up slightly and soon the growing tiger was standing in front of him again.
   “Sheesh you sure have gotten big. You’re almost up to my waist! That’s just not right mate.” He sighed and shook his head as he plopped down on the ground with his feet hanging over the edge of Cevlon.
Lorem lied down next to him with his big fuzzy head on his paws. Drey almost wanted to reach up and rub his big head. But he was scared that Lorem would just bite his hand off. And he’d need his hand.
Lorem looked up at him with expectance.
   “Erm...right then. Well I looked at the map, and the closest Supreme Gem is in a place called Arriecsent Ruins. Know of it?”
Lorem nodded once.
   “Well good then. At least you’ll be able to help a little. Thing is, sense you...destroyed my home, I figured the sooner we get to it the better. I’m already -”
   “No.”
Drey was taken aback once again by the sudden speech of the magical beast.
He gave himself a moment, then tried to figure out what Lorem was saying ‘no’ to.
   “What?”
   “You can not go.”
It was odd to see a large growing tiger, with a high pitched, squeaky voice.
   “What? Why not?”
   “Because you have yet to find a reason to fight. If you go now with out that reason, you will give up easy, and what good would that do prey tell?”
Drey hadn’t thought the whole reason for fighting thing was all too important. But...he had never thought of it like that before.
   “Then what the heck am I suppose to do? Just sit here and hang tight? I don’t think so!”
   “No. Just find your reason for fighting. What do you cherish? What do you never want to see taken away from you?”
Drey’s gaze fell into the abyss of nothing.
   “Everything I did cherish, everything I never wanted to be taken away from me....has already been ripped away from me.” He answered quietly.
Lorem didn’t say anything for a long moment.
   “Does miss Ellie have something to do with that?”
Dreyden was shocked by that question.
   “Mind you own business!”
Lorem seemed to chuckle.
   “Thought so.”
Dreyden sighed, so the tiger was on to it as well. Not good.
   “She must have liked you a lot, you know.”
Drey looked at him in shock.
   “Huh?”
   “She would have never given Stargazer, and the map to just anyone, you know. It had to be someone she trusted. Though I’m not sure why she handed them over to you so quickly.”
He shrugged innocently.
   “She said it doesn’t take long for one to see someone’s heart. So I guess...she’s just really good at reading people.”
Lorem nodded in agreement.
   “Or she was desperate and sense I was the only guy around she had no one else to do it for her.”
Lorem gave him a warning growl. Which just made him chuckle.
   “You can’t go anywhere till you find your reason for fighting.”