Chapter 4

Trede, Traz and Cassidy meet up in Smisom, but there is troubling news of danger to the south.

Trede was running through town on the dirt roads dodging people left and right as he went through the marketplace.  He could see high over the buildings that the carrier he had been traveling on was already being loaded back up on to the airwhale’s back.  “I hope I’m not too late” he puffed quietly as he continued running at full speed.  Traz was running behind him but was too caught up in the moment to ask questions.  “My only hope now is that they left the crate at the loading dock under the tower, otherwise…” his thoughts were interrupted. 

“Trede!”  A man called out of the marketplace crowd.  This was not a voice Trede wanted to hear right at that moment. 

“Crimus, the Marshal.”  Trede froze in his tracks.  Traz stopped right behind him, some of the people nearby started to whisper and point, Traz was beginning to draw a lot of attention. 

“Yes, my far-away friends of Smisom!  I am Traz of the northern Selahns and I am pleased to make acquaintance with your fine berg.”  He bowed low, again raising one arm high up behind his back. 

“Not a good time for that Traz,” Trede muttered out of the corner of his mouth as the tall and imposing Marshal Langhorne approached him. 

“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming back, one of my scouts checked in with the Merkants, they said you didn’t come in on the northline as scheduled.”  He paused for a moment, “and I see you’ve found a rare friend.”

“Indeed!”  Said Traz, “We’ve only met this morning in the forest to the southwest when he fel-“

“Not a good time for that either,” nudged Trede.  Being a private person, Trede did not like to share his life details with others, and especially not such details that were nearly unbelievable and required long explanations. 

“I can’t help but notice you’re traveling empty handed,” stated the Marshal expectantly, but with a sly smile. 

“I have the crate, well that is I was on my way.  I’m sure it’s at the landing tower, I just have to get it.”  Trede tried not to let his nervousness leak through.  

“Good.  Why don’t you and your friend stop by the Marshal office once you have it, I think I may have a few questions for you.”  Trede wasn’t sure if the Marshal was suspicious of something, or just wanted to give him a hard time for being late.  One thing was for certain he was not going to waste any more time.  As he stepped away to dismiss himself a scout running through the marketplace came straight up to Langhorne. 

“Marshal!”  The scout was gasping for each breath.  “There are four men camped to the south on the Daemon cliffs.  They appear to be well armed and they have been moving north by day.”

“Unlikely to be the hunters guild this far north,” said Langhorne as pondered the unsettling news. 

“Sir, we think these men may have come out of the Wastes.  The other scouts and I have seen the path they’ve been taking north, and it seems as if that’s the only place they could’ve come from.”  There was a restrained sense of panic in the scout’s voice. 

Trede’s urgency was forgotten for a moment as he overheard the scout’s report.  “Outcasts.  I wasn’t sure they ever left the Wastes.  This doesn’t sound good.”  Trede thought.    

The Marshal responded, “That foggy mire… the Wastes to the south east.  You think these men are of the Outcasts?”

“I do not know who else they could be!  The Outcasts have never been known to bring anything but death and war, what do we do sir?”  The scout looked to his mentor for an answer that would give him some hope. 

“Tell Marshal Hildegras to take a couple scouts to the south and keep an eye on their movement.  The Outcasts haven’t made any aggressive moves out of their borders in nearly 20 years, and I can’t think of a reason they would start now.  If they get too close to town, we’ll intercept.”  Marshal stated the plan of action to the scout calmly, but it did not abate his worry. 

“But sir, shouldn’t we try to drive them off?  We could take them by surprise, set an ambush, something!”

“I’ve told you before scout, we’re not warriors, we’re peacekeepers.  We won’t fight unless we have to.  All we have is speculation, that’s no reason to engage in battle with a small group of trespassers.  They may move off on their own, and if they get too close or pose a threat Hildegras will be watching them and we’ll be ready.”  Langhorne paused for a moment and put his hand on the scout’s shoulder.  “The Outcasts haven’t come this far north since I’ve been a Marshal.  Tell Hildegras the plan.  That will do.”

“Yes sir.”  The scout hesitated as if to speak, but then thought better of it and turned and ran of to fulfill his orders. 

“What a polite boy, does as he’s told!”  Said Traz. 

Trede quietly rolled his eyes. 

“Well it appears we both have important things to attend to.  I’ll see you soon Trede.”  The Marshal dismissed himself and Trede breathed a sigh of relief.  Just something about being around the Marshal always made him nervous.  Trede and Traz continued through town to the landing tower. 

Traz broke the silence, “What’s the deal with that scout?  Is he the Marshal’s pet or some kind of slave?”

“No, nothing like that.  The scouts are basically Marshal’s in training.  They work under an experienced Marshal running across country gathering information and keeping eyes out for anything unusual or dangerous.  Without the sort of information the scouts gather, the Marshal’s wouldn’t be nearly as able to keep the peace,” answered Trede.  His nerves were still a little on edge from meeting with the Marshal, so he was only walking at a regular pace through town at this point. 

“Ah, a respectable lot I suppose,” said Traz. 

“The scouts I can stand, they’re a little less quick to jump to conclusions.”  Trede turned a corner around a building and could see the landing tower.  The airwhale had already taken off.  He knew his only chance was if the crate had somehow been left behind on the ground.  Carrier crews wouldn’t normally leave cargo behind unless someone was there to claim it, but he didn’t want to ponder the alternative at that moment. 

Once he was on the dirt road leading straight to the landing tower Trede took off running again with Traz right behind.  As he got closer he could see that there was a single crate just a few dozen feet away from the tower, but there was someone sitting on it. 

“Is that your box?” asked Traz. 

“I think so,” replied Trede.  “Maybe you were right, maybe this is our lucky day.” 

“Who’s that sitting there?”

“No idea.  Doesn’t look familiar.”  As Trede came upon the tower he saw it was a young woman who looked to be a couple years less than he.  Trede thought it odd when he noticed she was wearing a bandolier covered in pockets over her dark blue tunic.  “This should be interesting.”

 

Cassidy noticed a few people running down the road to where she was sitting underneath the tower.  She wondered if one of them was Trede, but she had heard that he always traveled alone.  One of them was much shorter, and as they drew closer she was surprised to see it was a Selahn.  She stood up in front of the crate and addressed them, “If you’re looking to catch the northline, you’re way late for that.”  The two arrived several feet short of her and stopped.  The taller one bent over slightly and put his hands on his knees to catch his breath.  It was then Cassidy could clearly see what she had been searching for sticking out of from behind his shoulder.  It looked exactly like the descriptions of Trede’s gunstaff hanging there in plain sight.  “Wait, you’re Trede!” she exclaimed, hardly able to contain her excitement. 

Trede was unsure why this person seemed happy to see him, let alone even know his name.  “Yeah, that’s my name.  I think that’s my crate you’ve got there.”

“Yes and you wouldn’t believe the fiasco I’ve been through up until this point!”  Cassidy’s irritation was wearing off from her ordeal with the carrier crew, finding Trede had given her a glimmer of hope. 

“Well thanks for keeping it off the carrier, I’d be sunk with out it,” said Trede.  Though he wasn’t sure of her intentions, she had at least done him a favor whether realizing it or not so he did his best to be polite.     

Cassidy continued, “It turned to be worth the trouble after all, listen have you heard of the Cytech guild of inventors?  Because I-”

Trede was still intent on getting his delivery to the Marshal as soon as possible, and wasn’t really listening to Cassidy’s initial introduction about the guild.  He turned to Traz and said, “Traz, we’re going to need cart to haul this thing off, let’s check around back of the tower see if they’re any laying around.”

“Right-oh,” said Traz and he took of running.  “Always a rush and excitement with this one!” he hummed along the way. 

Trede said, “Listen thanks for the help, but I really have got to keep moving, Marshal Langhorne is waiting for me.”  And started to go in search of a means to carry the crate to the Marshal’s office. 

“Wait!  But-“ Cassidy’s outlook went from hopeful to perturbed once again.  “You’re not even listening to me, we have to talk.  This is a big deal, you don’t understand!”  Trede didn’t respond and kept moving.  “Most people never get a chance for something like this!  Get back here!”  Trede disappeared around the backside of the landing tower.  Cassidy was nearly screaming now, “We need to talk!” 

Trede ducked his head out from behind the tower and said “Sorry, I’ll uh…  have to owe you one.”  He shrugged his shoulders with a slight smirk and disappeared again.  Trede wasn’t normally so playful with people he’d just met, but with the urgency of his current situation he just didn’t have the time to stop and chat.  That and the way this young woman seemed to so easily fly off the handle, he actually found her to be the slightest bit amusing. 

Cassidy was not about to let her goal be dashed so easily.  She stormed after Trede and walked around to the back of the tower. 

She heard the selahns voice, “I do believe I’ve found the contraption you seek, this way!” 

Cassidy rounded to the back of the tower.  Up this close she could see the wood was very rough and unfinished, but had been painted a drab brown.  There was a crude door built on the back of the tower.  It was open and facing her so she couldn’t see what they were up to, but she could here them rummaging around in there. 

“Perfect Traz, this will fit just right.  We’ll just have to remember to bring it back later,” said Trede. 

“Wouldn’t want to add thievery to your list of misunderstandings with the Marshal?” smiled Traz. 

“Something like that.”  Trede rolled his eyes. 

Cassidy came around to the edge of the door and saw the two coming out with a simple 2-wheeled cart.  She attempted to resume her recruitment notification with a little more tact.  “Sorry if I got a little heated there, it’s just that I’ve traveled so far to get here and find you specifically, it’s very important that we have some time to talk.” 

“I really don’t have the time, I’m already late as it is.”  Trede and Traz continued to wheel the cart and headed around to the front of the tower to pick up his cargo.  Cassidy followed. 

“Ok, ok that’s fine.”  Cassidy hated being put off, but she held back to try and find another way to get Trede to listen.  “Whenever you have a moment, but please it’s very important.  You won’t regret it.”

Traz piped in “We’re on our way to the Marshal’s office, why don’t you come?  There are some stimulating events brewing.”

Trede stopped in his tracks.  “Traz, I don’t-“

“Perfect!  I’ll just tag along for a bit, then when you’re done your business with the Marshal we can chat,” said Cassidy.  “Thanks for the invite selahn, this could work out perfectly,” she thought. 

Trede wasn’t really sure if he wanted another tag-along, but he was sure he didn’t want to waste time talking it over any more.  “Sure, fine.  Let’s just keep moving.”

“Great!” said Cassidy, “By the way my name is Cassidy Thairbrooke, nice to meet you both.”  She purposely left off the rest of her title until a more proper time to mention she was from the Cytech Inventors Guild on a recruitment mission. 

“I am Traz of the northern Selahns!”  Traz paused and tilted his head, “You’re wearing a rather large belt?”

“Yes, well it’s more function than form I suppose.”  Cassidy was a little embarrassed.  Though she prided herself being able to carry around many of her inventions, she was still conscious of her appearance.  She adjusted the belt to hang a little more at an angle off her left hip and straightened her tunic just a bit until she felt comfortable again. 

They continued on through town on the way to the Marshal’s office.  Cassidy decided to spend the time trying to figure out more about Trede and Traz.  She didn’t want Trede to think she was coming on too strong so she started by asking Traz a few questions.  “So Traz, what brings you all the way out to Smisom, I didn’t think Selahns spent much time with humans?”

“As of today I spend a great deal of time with you furless folk, but in general you are correct.”  Traz’s posture straightened proudly as he spoke.  “We Selahns prefer to spend our time in places more unassailable.  Though many of us do enjoy traveling abroad.”

“How interesting!”  Cassidy tried to sound personable without being too bubbly, but wasn’t sure if it was working.  “I know a man back in Sedenza who has met a few Selahns in some of the outer territories, though they are few and far between and usually away from any town or city.”  Cassidy looked over Trede who was staring straight ahead as he wheeled the crate.  She couldn’t gauge if she was managing to improve her first impression with Trede just yet. 

“Yes we do enjoy finding all the hidden places near and far.  It’s important to have goals you know.”  He gestured with his hands as if he was parting a veil of vines, “And there’s always a covered nook or cranny that needs exploring.”  Traz then nodded his head and waived at a few passersby who had been looking in his direction. 

“Enjoying your notoriety so far Traz?”  Trede said with small smile. 

“Oh my yes, there are a great number of friendly faces around here.”  Traz turned and waived at a shopkeeper inside one of the merkant store windows, even though it dot appear the shopkeeper was paying any attention.  “Hello my friends!”  Traz continued on with a beaming smile causing his whiskers to point up in odd directions. 

Cassidy took a quick breath, “So Trede, how did you and Traz meet anyway?  Have you known each other long?”  She squinted her eyes slighting bracing herself for another “no-reply” type of answer. 

“We’ve just met early this morning,” piped in Traz, before Trede could get a word out. 

“Yeah, we… kinda ran into each other this morning,” said Trede. 

“Fell into, you mean,” winked Traz.  Traz took the hint earlier about keeping what had transpired that morning a secret for now, but it didn’t stop him from alluding to it. 

Cassidy could tell Trede was uncomfortable with her prying, so she changed the subject.  “Well Traz, do you think you might stay here in Smisom for a while or will you be heading back to… where did you say you were from?”

“Oh from all over really, but lately the woods to the south west of here.  And I do enjoy a bit of excitement, so yes I think I will be hanging around for a while.” 

In spite of Trede’s fear of hurting those who were near him, he was actually warmed by Traz’s statement.  There was something disarming about being around his new Selahn friend that really made him feel at ease. 

Cassidy let a few moments go by in silence.  She was trying to think of a more surreptitious way to find some more information about Trede so she would know how to approach him about the Cytech guild.  She must’ve been thinking longer than she realized as she it was Trede that spoke first. 

“Well we’re here.  Why don’t you guys wait outside for now, I’m not sure how long this is going to take.”  Trede seemed a little more serious than he had been at the landing tower though Cassidy wasn’t sure why.  Trede still wasn’t sure what the Marshal had in mind by “a few questions” but he knew he could manage himself a little easier without worrying about bringing anyone else in with him. 

“Are you sure you won’t need me to put in a good word for you?” said Traz. 

“No, that’s alright.  I’ll be out at soon as I can,” said Trede.  “If you’ve got places to be Cassidy, you don’t need to stick around.” 

“No, no, that’s fine.  I don’t mind waiting,” said Cassidy.  A lie of course, but she was willing to put up with a minor inconvenience for now. 

Trede nodded and walked inside the Marshal’s office, wheeling the crate in front of him.  The door closed as Trede disappeared inside. 

Cassidy turned and looked down at Traz.  “Does he always get so dreary like that?” 

“Only occasionally.  His mind does seem to wander to the worst of things some times,” said Traz.  A few young women walking by began whispering to each other and discreetly pointing to Traz.  “Hello my friends!  Would you happen to have a moment to talk to one of the illustrious Selahns?  I would love to hear more about your town and culture.”  Traz walked across the street to meet his admirers as they laughed and giggled in excitement. 

“Easily impressed” muttered Cassidy.  She leaned back on the wall of the Marshal building and slid down to sit on the ground.  She was exhausted from running around town all day, and from having to restrain herself so much just to get a chance to talk to Trede.  She sighed deeply and thought, “this really better be worth it.” 

As she tried to calculate exactly how much time had gone by, here eyes wandered the street.  There was nothing unusual about this street compared to the several other ones she had seen, but she noticed a man cloaked in black and red standing at the corner of another building further down.  She wouldn’t have looked twice since she had seen plenty of strangely dressed people on her trip here, but he appeared to be staring in her direction.  Another group of people came walking by and blocked her view, so she stood up to see if the black and red stranger was really watching her, or if it was just a coincidence he had caught her eye.  When she stood and looked down the street she did not see anyone.  The man had gone. 

Traz came walking back across the street to where Cassidy was standing.  “Lose something?“

She paused.  “No I just thought I saw someone.” 

“Someone you know?  Why didn’t you invite them over?”  Asked Traz. 

“No.”  Cassidy sighed, a little irritated by his florid show and interactions with random citizens.  “I’m sure it was nothing.”

Author's Note

A bit rough on this one as I only did 1 proof read/edit on it. But in the spirit of NaNoWriMo (www.nanowrimo.org) I'm going to post as many chapters as I can this month. I wasn't quite sure how to handle the convergence of the 2 main story threads, but I think the character interactions came out ok. Any comments here?

There will definitely other main story threads following other characters as they are introduced, but this chapter follows Trede and Traz the entire time.