[Mkguild] MK: Dust X - A

[Jack Moore]

AN: Last part is finally going out today. Big enough I split it into two
messages so it didn't clog up everything.

MK: Dust X

The two of them moved further into the city, safter away from the entrance.
The wood Sebastian had been carrying quickly found itself turned into a
fire. As soon as it was strong enough, Emma pulled out a small bag, poured
out three smokey crystals and tossed them into the fire.
A miniature barrier burst out, covering both Emma and Sebastian.
“Courtesy of the Union.” Emma said, sitting down. “That should last us for
about ten hours.” Sebastian looked sad. “Is Metamor not all you expected it
to be?”
The light of their fire caused every shadow to leap and dance about. The
stones of the city were teeth about to devour Emma.
“Metamor does not make me said. The Union does.” Sebastian kicked at a
piece of stone. It clattered off into the darkness. “It calls itself the
Union of Light? Well Metamor Keep truly was a City of Light.” He said.
“This was a place of learning and creativity. It should not have been
reduced to this ruin.”
“Right.” Emma said between bites of dried fish. She offered another bite to
Sebastian who again waved it off. They had no tents, Emma had gotten used
to sleeping under the stars in the army. If Sebastian would be able to
adjust she didn’t know.
'He’s got the barrier up, he’ll be able to sleep.' Emma’s shoulder burned,
'At least I’ll be able to sleep. This will be a long night.' The fire would
burn out and the barrier not long after that.
Emma had pulled out her cloak and held it shut with one hand. Even with the
fire going it was cold out here tonight, as you would expect from the upper
midlands. The one positive of the cool air was it cooled the burning in her
shoulder.

Sebastian for his part wore the same outfit from yesterday. All he had done
was take his hat off and place it beside him. In spite of spending the day
running through the woods and rolling in the dirt, Sebastian still looked
clean. Emma gave him some respect for that.
'That cape is going to catch on fire,' Emma thought, 'observing how close
the cloth was to the flame. Their’s a river but he’ll burn up before I can
get some water.' She glanced behind her, 'I can toss dirt on the idiot,
shouldn’t. Not getting paid...ugh I shouldn’t think like that.' Emma looked
up at the stars. 'He’s been nice to me. And I dropped the damn money. And
I’m starving. I should think about that instead.'
Emma sat ever vigilant and Sebastian oblivious. While the scout was coiled
with whiskers trembling for a threat, Sebastian kept just studying the
ruins around them.
“I wish I could see more. The maps say the Deaf Mule was near the castle or
the second gate.” Sebastian muttered to himself. Anyone other than a Keeper
wouldn’t have been able to hear him over the fire. “Could this...no
probably just a shop--
“Alright, I’ve brought you to Metamor Keep.” Emma interrupted. She pointed
to the jagged ruins and still standing arches. “This is Metamor Keep. Are
you happy now?” Sebastian blinked, then began to shake his head no. “Of
course, you’re not. Why?”
Sebastian didn’t reply to her question. Instead he went back into the
Semi-Infinite bag and removed a large leather tome. It’s well work pages
were very familiar to him. Its cover brought a smile to Sebastian’s face
every time.
“What’s that?” Emma asked. In the dim light she could see golden letters
painted along the spine but not what exactly they said. Sebastian began to
speak.
“These ruins are not Metamor Keep.” Sebastian poked at his book. “This was
Metamor Keep. The Midlands were a chaotic mess of states and empires
constantly squabbling over every river and every valley. And against this
stood Metamor Keep, the city of gods.” He leapt to his feet.
“Titans walked these streets.” Sebastian said, gesticulating as he spoke.
“These paths bustled with life, every species and gender stood here. This
was the city of invention and literature This was the city of art.”
Sebastian bent down to grab a stick and stuck it into the fire to act as a
primitive torch.
“I don’t care if the city is now a ruin” Sebastian rushed over to one of
the broken walls. The light illuminated the cracks and crevices. “Once this
was the city that saved the world. They survived the curse, they survived
the Winter Assault and they survived Long August. They defeated Nosaj.”
“And he cursed the continent with the Rifts!” Emma snapped at him. “I’d
have let him have the city. He’d have died one day.” Her companion clearly
disagreed with this.
“Nasoj inflicted the most notorious curse in the history of the mankind.”
Sebastian said. “He was able to lead some of the largest and most dangerous
armies ever seen and as you pointed out, he was able to open the rifts!
Their proudest moment was finally ending him.”
“Yeah good for Metamor, letting Nasoj open those rifts.” Emma said. “They
never bothered trying to close them. Four hundred years later and we still
have to wipe their asses.” The human sighed.

“It was the greatest city on Earth.” Sebastian let his torch drop as it
burned out. “It shouldn’t be a ruin, it should bustle with life again.”
“Yeah and I should gamble less. But I don’t and it doesn’t.” Sebastian gave
Emma a heartbroken look. Damn it Emma, you really did it this time. She
forced a smile. “Look Seb, I brought you here. I ain’t getting paid
obviously. Why’d you want to come out here so badly?”
Sebastian bent down and scooped up his book. He flipped through it until he
found a specific page. He moved over to Emma.
“Do you know who this is?” Sebastian asked, shoving the book on to her lap.
“Don’t shove me.” Emma grumbled before studying the picture.
It was a painted image of anthro fox, a very old image. The fox wore
medieval dress with very muted colors. He was heavily scared, one ear cut
off, but his eyes made Emma shiver. Those who see combat first hand have a
hardness in their eyes that never disappears. The painter captured that
perfectly.
This man is a solider, Emma thought, He stands ready for battle. The foxes
gloved hands held the handle of a massive black axe that was planted in the
ground. It’s an Old Rune axe. Under the image was his name.

Misha Brightleaf.

“You have found yourself.” Sebastian said. Emma looked confused. “Or at
least your ancestor. You are, by my estimation, the twentieth generation,
if Misha were to be the first.”
“Brightleaf...Brightleaf.” Emma repeated the name before nodding. “Yeah, my
grandmother’s name was Brightleaf. Funny bit of trivia. Don’t matter to me.”
“Your mother was his only child to survive childhood.” Sebastian said. “And
you are the only of your three siblings to see adulthood.” Faster than
Sebastian could see Emma had her gun out. “You’re very quick on the draw I
see.”
“I’m a scout,” Emma said, “That’s how I stay alive.” She aimed at the
center of Sebastian’s chest. “Never aim for the head. Shoot the center of
mass. Much harder to miss. Now, tell me how you know about my family.”
“I told you I selected you specifically.” Sebastian said.
“No, you said you needed a good scout and had ‘heard about my reputation’
as a fantastic guide.” Sebastian blushed now.
“Oh right. Sorry. Lying is new to me.”
“So I gathered.” Emma said, tossing his book aside. It landed in the shadow
with a loud thud. “I figured you were lying yesterday when you mentioned I
was special. Is this what you meant? Why are you spying on me?”
“I have investigated you but no I have not been spying on you.” Sebastian
said. “I just needed to find you. I learned a lot about you in my
investigation.”
“Why me?” Emma bared her fangs now. “Because my family came from Metamor?”
The man shook his head.
“Because you are of his house!” Sebastian said, pointing at the picture of
Misha Brightleaf. “Lots of people came from Metamor. Not all of them are
Brightleafs! You are his legacy!”
“I’m a goddamn debtor who can’t afford a beer!” Emma yelled. “What do you
want from me?”
“I want us to rebuild Metamor Keep.” Sebastian said. Emma lowered her gun.
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