Eeri crouched down, panting. She let a few predators pass, torbaks she'd used to defend herself against with her dagger, scaring others off with her boots in the old days. Every moment, every step reminded her of the time before, of that distant world, that world in which she was still able to wield an axe, to taunt bandits and varinx, to laugh, to run.
The road to La Masure wasn't very long. She hadn't warned anyone this time. Not Lyren, not Wixarika, not even Azazor. She had locked herself in her Fairhaven apartment and instructed the janitor not to let anyone in, not to disturb her under any circumstances. When night came, she put on her armor, put a few bottles in her bag and took advantage of the janitor's brief inattention to slip away. She swam straight from the pontoon to Fairhaven. Using teleporters was out of the question, as the risk of being seen was too great, and she didn't go unnoticed. She avoided the villages and crossed the Loria towards the vortex linking the lakes to the Masure, taking every precaution not to run into anyone. She skirted the cliff so as not to be spotted by the Karavan agent standing there, and crossed the vortex.
On the other side, while it took her a few seconds to get used to the darkness, she checked that no one was at the other teleporter, on the forest side. Luckily, at night, she could pass through without being recognized, and it wasn't Agent Karavan's job to keep an eye on hominid passages. Before her lay the real challenge: crossing this labyrinth alone. She knew the way, but the slightest carelessness or noise could turn her into prey for the area's many predators.
A few hundred meters further on, she saw a homin, standing in the middle of the path. She approached slowly, relieved that he had come to meet her, provided it was indeed him.
- I almost thought you'd give up coming.
- Have I ever let you down?
- No. And you're one of the few.
Mazé'Yum was nervous, she could feel it. She approached him, contemplating his tired mask, then his slightly trembling hands.
- Your friends didn't miss me.
- I know.
- I've got better things to do than get back at them, despite the time they've wasted," he added neutrally.
- It wouldn't do you any good, except more trouble. And I no longer have any power to help you.
- I know. I prefer to ignore them. Mediocrity and ignorance are their choice.
The Zoraï rolled up a sleeve to observe his hand, and flexed his fingers several times.
- Besides, everyone thinks I'm out of shape. We'll let them think it's true. Even though I've lost a lot.
- So she really did a good job, that... What's her name again?
- Varnili. She's talented, but special. Remember, you're not here to make friends with her.
- I thought I understood. But I...
- As long as I'm here, she'll do a good job," he cut in. That's all that matters.
The two stood there in silence for a moment.
- Let's go," Mazé'Yum finally said. You have to get ready.
- After you.
- By the way, did you write a letter?
- It's on the table in my apartment. They'll come looking for me there when they notice I'm gone. It'll keep them busy for a while.
The road to La Masure wasn't very long. She hadn't warned anyone this time. Not Lyren, not Wixarika, not even Azazor. She had locked herself in her Fairhaven apartment and instructed the janitor not to let anyone in, not to disturb her under any circumstances. When night came, she put on her armor, put a few bottles in her bag and took advantage of the janitor's brief inattention to slip away. She swam straight from the pontoon to Fairhaven. Using teleporters was out of the question, as the risk of being seen was too great, and she didn't go unnoticed. She avoided the villages and crossed the Loria towards the vortex linking the lakes to the Masure, taking every precaution not to run into anyone. She skirted the cliff so as not to be spotted by the Karavan agent standing there, and crossed the vortex.
On the other side, while it took her a few seconds to get used to the darkness, she checked that no one was at the other teleporter, on the forest side. Luckily, at night, she could pass through without being recognized, and it wasn't Agent Karavan's job to keep an eye on hominid passages. Before her lay the real challenge: crossing this labyrinth alone. She knew the way, but the slightest carelessness or noise could turn her into prey for the area's many predators.
A few hundred meters further on, she saw a homin, standing in the middle of the path. She approached slowly, relieved that he had come to meet her, provided it was indeed him.
- I almost thought you'd give up coming.
- Have I ever let you down?
- No. And you're one of the few.
Mazé'Yum was nervous, she could feel it. She approached him, contemplating his tired mask, then his slightly trembling hands.
- Your friends didn't miss me.
- I know.
- I've got better things to do than get back at them, despite the time they've wasted," he added neutrally.
- It wouldn't do you any good, except more trouble. And I no longer have any power to help you.
- I know. I prefer to ignore them. Mediocrity and ignorance are their choice.
The Zoraï rolled up a sleeve to observe his hand, and flexed his fingers several times.
- Besides, everyone thinks I'm out of shape. We'll let them think it's true. Even though I've lost a lot.
- So she really did a good job, that... What's her name again?
- Varnili. She's talented, but special. Remember, you're not here to make friends with her.
- I thought I understood. But I...
- As long as I'm here, she'll do a good job," he cut in. That's all that matters.
The two stood there in silence for a moment.
- Let's go," Mazé'Yum finally said. You have to get ready.
- After you.
- By the way, did you write a letter?
- It's on the table in my apartment. They'll come looking for me there when they notice I'm gone. It'll keep them busy for a while.
---
Eeri"Quand on a le nez trop près de la bouteille, on ne voit plus le bar"