[Trade] In the Depth

IN THE DEPTH


Most of the city in Thedale were not a safe place to live in. The Black Market, various assassins and criminals made living in cities as dangerous as living in the middle of the desert alone.
It was imperative to not be famous if your goal was to live quietly in that region, but unfortunately for Caelifer, he was quite known for the rumours that surrounded him: an ethereal being, that had only taken the form of a Vayron.

While Caelifer never confirmed it, many thought it was the truth. And so, many thought that an ethereal creature could be worth a lot. Who knew what his powers could be?
Of course, most of those who had that thought had also the money to pay for some... Work, and could afford the most expensive criminals for a good kidnapping.

Caelifer was in Thedale only to study a particular star, newly discovered, and was going to leave soon to visit the Keeper's clan library in the Beneath of Vitalus.
So, a wealthy lady decided to get some mercenaries for the dirty job: the moment the Vayron set paw in the Beneath, he was going to “mysteriously disappear”. After all, in the Beneath there were some dangerous reoseans that could get all the blame for his disappearance.

Or at least, that was what she had planned: she didn't keep in mind that Tanami had already gotten wind of her plan, and was going to clean up the world of some criminals.
Less criminals in the Black Market, easier it was going to be to take down the whole thing. For now, he had to tear off little pieces, weakening it.

So, Tanami went undercover: he approached Caelifer, with the excuse of being a bodyguard looking for some honest work. At first, Caelifer declined: he didn't need protection, as he was fine on his own.
But after some talking he agreed, saying that he couldn't know how the Haedians were going to take his request of visiting their library. A bodyguard could be useful in case things turned bad.

To his “pawns” in the Black Market, Tanami just said that someone had crossed him, and he was going to take his revenge personally. The way he said it was so cold and angry that nobody tried to ask details, and just waved their “Boss” goodbye and wished him a nice and cold revenge.

---

“We should be close to the port now.”

“Mh.”

Tanami observed Caelifer, who was reading a impossibly heavy scroll. The ship they were on was fast and steady and the journey from Thedale to Vitalus had been quite uneventful. But Tanami knew that it was only the calm before the storm: the lady that wanted to get her hands on Caelifer was rich, spoiled and had some important criminals of the Black Market at her commands. A very bad combination, considering how Caelifer didn't even seem know that he was being hunted. Tanami was a bit worried that his naivety was going to get him killed, as he looked way too interested in his scroll to pay attention to his surroundings.

“I wonder if I'll have the time to look at the stars tomorrow night. There should be a interesting constellation visible from here.”

Caelifer said, rolling up the scroll on the Thedale's constellations and securing it in a pouch.
It was of course a copy, but he hoped that the Haedians would accept it as a gift in exchange of a little peak in their archive.
Tanami nodded, and prepared himself to land, looking at the Salt City in the distance.

“If there will be time, I'm sure you'll see what you are looking for. The sky is quite clear.”

---

Caelifer had noticed that once they had landed and started moving to the entrance of the Beneath, Tanami got a bit paranoid.
The Thedale's Vayron kept looking around and flicking his ears to catch even the smallest movement. That was suspicious... But it could also be the way a veteran bodyguard worked.
The scholar decided to keep his question for later, as now it was time to explore the caves that had been hidden for so long.

The two started their journey in the Beneath passing by a “outsiders” camp: it was a base for all the reoseans who lived in the surface and wanted to explore and learn about the Beneath.
A safe heaven... In appearance. As soon as they sat down to eat something before departing, Tanami recognized a couple of faces from Thedale.
He kept his cool, but the two Vayrons he saw were not easy opponents: they were two brothers, with a lisse white coat, eyes red and black teeth. The “Dark dagger Duo”.
It was a weird name, if one didn't know the origins of it: the two brothers used their fangs as weapons, sharpening them and tearing their enemies to shreds. They always acted together, and unfortunately, they had the habit of using the environment to place deadly traps.

Now, Caelifer was not in danger of dying, but he could get maimed and kidnapped. Tanami curled his lips in disgust, while the other wasn't watching. He really had to start working more quickly on taking down that Market.

“Everything ready?”

“Yes. I should have everything I need.”

“Good. Let's go then.”

Caelifer walked right behind Tanami, who watched their surroundings like an hawk. They avoided the Forgotten Clan territory, as the bodyguard deemed it to be “dangerous and probably filled with thieves”.
The scholar just nodded, then kept examining the crystals that explorers said could hold information, if used the right way.
It was another thing Caelifer wanted to ask the Keepers: how much information could crystals hold? What was their limit, how could they be made?

Tanami huffed quietly, seeing that the scholar was again lost in his own thoughts, unaware of the danger.

Though... Tanami was unaware too of something, or better, someone. A haedian with red dragon markings was watching every movement of the two intruders.
She had a snarl frozen on her face, as anger slowly was building up in her mind.
The outsiders came, crashing everything she knew, and shone light on questionable stuff happening in her own Clan.
She had to keep an eye on them, before something happened, before they could uncover more dangerous things.

'Time for me to work as a spy again.' She thought, looking at the Vayrons moving down the trail that led to the Brutes Clan, walking towards a more open space where they were going to find a narrow pathway and a large body of water.

Saturkeon had to admit that the peafowl was not an airheaded pup: more than once, she nearly got spotted by the other as she was following them.

'A bodyguard, then. The blue one must be important... A Noble, perhaps?' she thought, but what noble would carry his own luggage? The black and blue vayron was carrying some scrolls in a heavy pouch tied on his back, while his supposed bodyguard had his paws free.

'Magic, a noble who isn't a noble... What is going on here?' Keon wondered, perplexed.

But as she thought so, she heard a rasping noise and stopped on her tracks, like the two intruders.
Her clipped ears flicked and flattened on her skull. There was something in the cave ahead... Something that shouldn't have been there. It was supposed to be more in the depth of the beneath, in caves that the Haedians knew to avoid.

*Grumble*

Tanami bit back a curse, when a large jet black dragon appeared before them.
The beast was big, bigger than four pullers together. It looked a bit cramped in the cave, with the stalactites scratching his back. It hissed, his dark green eyes fixed on the two Vayrons. The eyes of the dragon were a bit opaque, and that explained how they were still alive, being still and quiet.

But the two were out of luck: from behind a clutter of crystals and stalagmites, a rock soared through the air, landing right between Caelifer, Tanami and the black dragon.

Tanami this time didn't hold his curse, as he pushed Caelifer out of the way, just in time to avoid a fiery blast of flames.
The beast roared, trying to stretch his crooked wings, but only managed to knock off the rocky ceiling more rocks and crystals.

“Caelifer, this way!”

Tanami tried to lead the scholar away, but as soon as he turned... He noticed an unnatural ice construct right in at the entrance of that “room” filled with water and rocks.
That was bad: while the scholar didn't seem to preoccupied with the appearance of the dragon, the ice meant that the two criminals had a trap set in advance on their path. They were trying to kill him and injure Caelifer by using an already wounded and blind dragon.

“I will be fine Tanami. Do not worry.”

Caelifer said, with a way too calm voice for the danger they were facing. Tanami looked at him, then at the dragon that slowly was trying to approach, clawing at the sides of the narrow path to avoid falling in the deep water.

“What are you planning?”

At that question, Caelifer smiled and looked up.

“If our dear friend decides to help us, the dragon will not be a problem.”

Tanami looked confused at the scholar, then followed his gaze. And there, right over them, there was an angry looking haedian, who had her claws deep in the bigger stalactites. Saturkeon grumbled, but she was interrupted by a louder noise.
The dragon, with crooked and weakened limbs because of by days spent in a too cramped cave, had gotten too close for comfort, and they were all in reach for a flame blast.

“Quick, in the water! NOW!”

Ordered Keon, before plunging in the freezing waters to escape the flames that soon engulfed the room. Luckily the two Vayrons were smart and had jumped right after her in the pool, so they didn't get injured.

When they resurfaced, the reoseans saw the big dragon stumble on a stalagmite, and half of its body fell in the pool on the right side, right were Tanami was.

The Vayron ducked and swam down, while Saturkeon and Caelifer got out and dragged their cold and wet bodies on the rock. The Haedian snarled, looking at the dragon that struggled to get back on the small trial.

“...”

“Do not be angry. It will cloud your judgment.”

Keon whipped her head to the left, hearing what the black and blue Vayron said.

“How did you-”

“It is not time now. Just know that the stars all always watching, even where their light cannot reach.”

Keon looked puzzled by Caelifer words, but before she could ask what he meant, a loud noise was heard. It felt light a rumble of thunder, and the dragon screeched like he had been badly injured.
Tanami crawled out of the water in that moment, as the beast kept crying out loudly.

“S-stay away from the water!”

He ordered, short on breath. Around him, violent sparks of electricity danced, his magic going haywire.
Saturkeon narrowed her eyes, then took in her talons her dagger, getting ready to take down the beast that was now attempting to get back on land with trembling limbs.

“Hit its paws. I will handle the rest.”

Growled Tanami, before launching himself on the dragon, sparks crackling around him. Caelifer looked at Keon with a smile.

“I have a very strong bodyguard, don't I?”

“You- Uff. Later!”

Keon opened her wing-flaps, and brandished her weapon.
Caelifer took in a paw a crystal, then nodded towards Tanami, who was biting the snout of the dragon, trying to not let it crawl out of the water.

The scholar threw the crystal, and as soon as it reached Tanami, a spark hit it. The bluish-glowing rock exploded, and the dust created was inhaled by the dragon. The beast coughed violently, as the little particles stung its nostrils and throat, making it unable to use his fire breath.
In that moment, making use of the confusion of the beast Keon took off and attacked the dragon, plunging her weapon deep in the left eye of the creature.
The dragon thrashed and roared in pain, but the blade sunk deep before it could retaliate. The crooked form of the beast shook, then crumpled like a puppet with cut threads.

The beast was slayed.
Tanami let go of the hard skin he had been biting, licking his bloodied lips.
Saturkeon removed her weapon from the dragon's eye, cleaning it with the water and flicking it to dry the blade.

Then, she turned toward Caelifer, who was watching the two fighter with a small satisfied smile.

“Now... If the two brothers hidden behind those stalagmites are so kind to step out and apologize for throwing the rock that alerted the dragon, I will not be mad.”

Tanami and Saturkeon turned to the stalagmites that Caelifer was looking at, and saw the two white vayrons step out, confused and a bit afraid, as their plan had failed.

“You... How did you-?!”

“It is not wise to hunt something or someone you do not know well or understand...”

Huffed softly Caelifer, as if he was explaining it to a pup. But his voice was chilling, his eyes fixed on the two criminals.

“You should have stuck to rabbits.”

---

In the end, Tanami made quick work of the two mercenaries of the Black Market, while Caelifer cleaned his scrolls and dried them on the rocks. Saturkeon left once the body of the dragon had sunk in the deep pool, but both the Vayron knew that she was going to spy on them until they were out of the Beneath.


***(2310 Words)***