[Mkguild] Round Robin: Awakenings

[Indagare]

June 4, 708 CR


Trey and Aldwin soon met up with Rita and Nestor, along with a large patrol
in their direction. “You weren’t kidding about half the Keep being out!”


“Lads, it’s good to see both of you!” the owl flapped over and then down.
“But what’s this in your hand Trey-lad? Surely that’s a runic sword–I can
sense its power!”


“I should hope so. I am Yuèjiàn the Moon Sword, second greatest sword of
our lands.”


“You wouldn’t be the same one as was causin’ all the trouble would you?”
Nestor shifted into his full form. Others were gathering near.


“To my deep shame, I was, but both I and my master would like to make
amends if that is possible.”


The feathers above one of Nestor’s eyes rose up. “If that’s the case, why’s
your master not here himself?”


“Uh, well, he is…” said Trey, and he held out the sleeping form of
Yuèliàng. “This would be Yuèliàng.”


“He’s a wee bit smaller than I thought he’d be,” said Nestor.


“From what Yuèjiàn told me, he pulled energy into himself to create some
Eclipse effect.”


“That we saw,” said Rita. “How is he a baby bunny?”


“The lad’s double cursed,” said Nestor. “Or is it triple?”


“Double,” said Trey. “I checked.”


“Can my wielder recover?” asked Yuèjiàn. For the first time, Trey noticed a
change in the sword’s voice, a concern that could not be mistaken.


“Perhaps. We’ll need to strengthen the anticurse. You might be able to help
with that, given your bond.”


“If anything I can do will help restore Yuèliàng to himself, I will do it!”


“Very well, let us get back to the Keep,” said Nestor.


—


June 3, 708 CR


Rita had secured Kasaima to Talo’s back and Nyien accompanied him to the
Keep. It  would have been faster to fly, but Talo still didn’t trust his
ability and certainly didn’t want to cause Kasaima more harm than he’d
already sustained.


Even before he reached the Keep, Talo could see activity. “I’ll fly ahead,"
said Nyien. "We’ve got some friendly dragons around, but it pays to make
sure everyone knows. Plus we’ll need Coe as soon as possible.”


“Who’s Coe?”


“He’s a raccoon who operates the Keep’s clinic.” Nyien flew off and Talo
plodded forward. In his new form, Kasaima was not that heavy on his back,
but he’d seen the wounds. Whatever he could do by way of comfort, he would.


Nyien was not long returning. “Phew! It’s been a long time since folks have
been this riled up! Fortunately saner heads prevail around here. We’ll be
met at the gates by some healers who’ll take in Kasaima. After that I
figure we two should work on getting you into a less imposing form.”


It wasn’t long before Talo was at the eastern gate of Euper. A group of
Keepers came out with what looked like a white tarp held between two long,
wooden poles. Leading them was a raccoon.


“Well, you’re different,” he said. “I’m Brian Coe.”


“Talo.”


“Pleased to meet you Talo. Now, just relax and we’ll get your friend off.”
His tone was professional rather than patronizing, and Talo allowed the
healers to take Kasaima off his back. Coe made his way over. “Well, he’s
still breathing. Those wounds are really nasty, and we’re going to need to
get him warm for this frostbite.”


Talo and Nyein watched as the healers took Kasaima away into the night.
They weren’t sure if they’d see him again alive.


—


Awareness came slowly, like a spark being built into a fire. Kasaima
groaned and opened his eyes. He was in a strange room, and there was a
raccoon looking at him with concern.


“Can you understand me?”


“Yes.”


“How many fingers am I holding up?”


Kasaima tried to move, but his body protested. The raccoon was holding up
three fingers, but Kasaima wasn’t sure why that was important. “Three, why?”


“Just a test, to make sure you’re not seeing multiples. How do you feel?”


“My last recollection was being in a losing battle. That I’m able to feel
anything at all I find miraculous.” Kasaima managed to sit up in bed. He
looked down at his hands and saw that golden scales were now covering them
and his lower arms and his fingernails looked more like claws. “Ah, it
seems the Curse is at work.”


“One benefit of the Curse is it will heal people of whatever’s wrong with
them. I didn’t think someone like you could be hit with it, though.”


“It was my own doing. I did not quite realize what tampering with the
magics here would mean.”


“*That’s* a familiar tale. Well, the good thing is that you’re healing. It
looked like someone used you as a pin cushion!”


“Indeed. How are my companions? Aldwin, Rita, Talo, Trey?”


“Well, half of them are here to see you.”


Into the room walked Aldwin and Rita. “Talo’s still figuring out his
smaller form,” said Rita. “He’ll likely be in here soon.”


“But where is Trey-san? I thought I saw him jump my attacker out of the
corner of my eye. Has he been hurt?” There was concern in his voice.


“We don’t know,” said Aldwin. “We’re going to try to find him, though. The
night patrols are out.”


Kasaima frowned. “I should be out there helping not lying in this bed!” He
tried to raise himself, but found his body collapsing under him!


Coe was at his side immediately. “You are in no condition to get out of
that bed, and won’t be for at least another day! Even someone like you
should expect to pay for the toll on your body–you’re lucky you’re not a
frostbitten corpse from what I hear!”


Kasaima sighed. He hated it, but he knew it was true. He’d be of no service
to anyone in this condition. Perhaps the Curse might work with his own
naturally fast healing, but tonight he could do nothing but rest. “Very
well. But alert me as soon as you find him!”


“Of course!” said Aldwin. “Rita and I will be helping search in the
morning. Eli is sure to protect Trey in the meantime.”


“What can you tell us about your attacker?” asked Rita. “We need to know
what we’re dealing with.”


“His name is Yuèliàng of the Unoki Clan. They are the traditional keepers
of the runic sword Yuèjiàn. Yuèjiàn has eight powers, for the eight phases
of the moon: air, fire, earth, water, lightning, plant, sound, and metal.
It can only use one of these powers at a time, however. An additional
virtue is that it cannot be lied to. Or, at least, it cannot be directly
lied to. I do not know how it fought me when what Yuèliàng said of my
mission was a lie.”


“What if he didn’t know it was a lie?” asked Rita. “I could say that the
Duke is near the Giant’s Dike, but he might not actually be anywhere near
it.”


Kasaima paused. “Yes, that would explain much. Yuèjiàn’s creator was a
virtuous man, and his mind would not have thought of something that
devious. It would be a risky gambit–the person telling them the lie would
have to also believe it true–but it would be worth it. Yuèliàng is a
cunning warrior, he would not be easily deceived even without Yuèjiàn. Yet
he would not be the first to fall to a beautiful lie that is backed by
prejudice. My kind served the Emperor well. Our reputation fell with him.”


“You don’t know Yuèliàng personally?” asked Aldwin.


“If I had, the battle could not have happened. He’d have known my desire. I
think he knew the minute I spoke it, but had determined to kill me and so
could not back down. He must have thought himself safe.”


“Anywhere else he would have been,” said Rita. “But this Valley seems to
attract magic like a magnet. He pulled some weird spell that caused an
eclipse!”


“The Eclipse Technique! It does not truly cause an eclipse, but works to
scare enemies and conceal a retreat. But how did you not catch him after?
That technique requires a great deal of mana.”


“We’re not sure what happened,” said Rita. “I could track him so far, and
then nothing. He might have found some way to do it that’s less
mana-intense. In any case, he can’t have gone far.”


—


June 4, 708 CR


The trip back to the Keep was largely uneventful, though Trey wished he
weren’t the center of attention. A lot of folks were telling him how brave
he was, but he didn’t see it that way. If anything, he’d been stupid to try
and attack Yuèliàng. He just hoped Kasaima wouldn’t be too disappointed.


Talo had managed to get back into a form close to his original kobold self,
if a bit taller and more dragon-like. Before he had a chance to say
anything, though, Misha Brightleaf was walking towards him with what looked
like half the Long Scouts behind him. Trey gulped.


“I hear you’ve captured a dangerous criminal,” he said, looking at Trey.
His hand was on Whisper’s hilt.


Trey bowed. “That’d be too much credit, M’lord Brightleaf. When I woke, the
Curse had already rendered him helpless.” He rose and presented the
still-sleeping form of Yuèliàng. “According to his sword, they were both
misled into the attack and would like to make amends.”


“The one in your other hand?”


“I am Yuèjiàn the Moon Sword, second greatest sword of our lands,” said
Yuèjiàn. “I surrender myself and my wielder so that we may be judged, and
rendered justice.”


“Hmm. That makes things a bit different,” said Misha. “If you’re telling
the truth, of course.”


“My creator bestowed on me the virtue of honesty. I can neither lie nor be
deceived by an outright lie. I regret that Yuèliàng and I were misled to
this action. It is a stain on our honor, and whatever justice you dispense
we shall respect.”


“Oddly enough I believe that. Are you safe for anyone to hold?”


“No. Only a virtuous soul may even touch me safely, much less hold me. Trey
has a pure heart, and also holds my wielder. I do not know how many others
would be safe.”


“Very well. Yuèliàng seems to be in no condition to face anyone.”


“Och! He certainly is not Misha!” said Nestor. “His mind is all rabbity as
far as I can tell. I dunna know if he can be recalled or not. We’ve managed
to feed him some milk, but aside from basic functions, he seems but a
normal baby bunny. I was hoping to get him somewhere that Yuèjiàn might be
able to help us and possibly more mages.”


“Very well, we’ll send you help.” At his look, several mages from the
Scouts volunteered.


Nestor led Trey and the others to a building where he lived. “I’ll need to
get a wet nurse should we be unable to call him back. Place him at the
center of that circle and put Yuèjiàn facing him. I’d like you to hold
Yuèjiàn while I cast.” The other mages also took positions to support
Nestor.


“Why me?” asked Trey. “I’m no mage. Other than my stupidity, I’ve naught to
do with him.”


“Ah, you might see it that way. Yet you held both him and his sword, so you
formed some connection even if you didn’t know it or intend it lad.”


As Trey held the hilt of Yuèjiàn, Nestor and the others began canting the
counter-Curse. Trey could feel his fur standing on edge as the magic built.
Silently, he prayed to Eli for strength.


—


It was dark and silent; a still void of utter nothingness. Then there was a
light. It was silvery soft and sweet. Something in the void stirred. More
than nothingness, but still tenuous. The light, though, was giving it
strength and form, awaking it slowly and gently.


“Yuèliàng” a sound without meaning. Or it should have been. Yet the spirit
rising within the void felt as though there was more. Grass and flowers
began to grow, and the spirit moved closer to the light.


“Yuèliàng!” Who was Yuèliàng? What was Yuèliàng? It was familiar, yet
elusive. Like the shadow of a ghost. Yet the spirit knew that the answer
was vitally important, and if it didn’t discover the answer soon, it might
never know again.


The silver circle of a full moon was in a sky full of stars. Around was a
field of grass and flowers. The spirit felt stronger yet. A chord was tied
between itself and the moon. Wasn’t there a tale about that? A moon maiden?
Yes, something…something…


“YUÈLIÀNG!” A command! A name! His name! He was Yuèliàng and he was being
called! Trees broke into bloom around him as memories filled him again! “I
come!”


He woke to soft light, in a strange setting he did not recognize. There was
a giant rat holding the hilt of his sword Yuèjiàn! “Wunwan wy word woo
wuffian!” The words were hard to get out and not remotely in the same
octave they ought to have been. Behind him, Yuèliàng heard a snigger. He
tried to turn, but his body felt strange and awkward. What he could see of
what ought to have been his hands were instead two fuzzy paws. What had
happened to him?!


“Be at peace, Yuèliàng,” said Yuèjiàn. “Trey has carried us from the cave
to where we could find aid. Nestor-sama and these others have helped me
restore you to yourself.”


“Why dwo wI fweel swo stwange?” His mouth felt as though it had been turned
into a soft pillow. Making any words was strangely difficult, but he
persisted.


“You have been doubly Cursed, Yuèliàng-san,” said Trey. “You’ve been turned
into a baby bunny. You will find it difficult to speak until you learn to
change more.”


“Aye, but more counter-curse will not hurt!” Yuèliàng heard the voice again
behind him. He could feel a tingle of magic in his fur. Trey, meanwhile,
had gone from a man-like rat to a form closer to a real rat, though a bit
oddly shaped.


“Here, let me show you. You’ll need to focus a bit at a time.”


—


June 5, 708 CR


Kasaima awoke in the hospital bed feeling as good as new. He stretched his
arms and legs and examined the golden scales on them. “Fascinating!” He
wasn’t sure if he needed to wait for Coe to release him, but the raccoon
soon came in, smiling.


“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better! If you want, you can have breakfast
soon. There were some early morning visitors here, including some who may
surprise you!”


“Good surprises are always welcome!”


Into the room first came Aldwin, Rita, and Talo. Talo was looking
wonderingly at Kasaima. “Yes, Talo-san, I am also turning into a dragon,
though I think one from my area rather than those you are more familiar
with in the west.”


Next in came Trey along with him a rabbit-boy of perhaps eight with a small
sword at his side.


“Trey-kun! I’m glad to see you!” Kasaima rose and hugged Trey. He then
looked at the rabbit-boy. “That sword is Yuèjiàn, despite its altered size.
You must be Yuèliàng.”


Yuèliàng bowed deeply. “At your service, Kasaima-san, though after my
despicable attack, I would not expect less than death.” His voice was that
of a child, but it was filled with adult seriousness.


“Truly this Curse must have some sense of humor. But no, Yuèliàng-san, I do
not desire your death. Yuèjiàn has chosen you as its wielder, and it would
not do so were you not of outstanding character. How is it that size,
though?”


“When helping to defend Yuèliàng, I also drew on energies of this Valley.
Apparently this allows me to alter my size to fit my wielder now. I may, in
fact, now carry some of the Curse within me, though I can’t be certain yet.”


“Fascinating. We should talk and plan more over breakfast.”


Coe popped his head in. “I just got a message from Misha, inviting you all
to the Jolly Collie for a meal with him. You two,” he said, pointing to
both Yuèliàng and Yuèjiàn, “are also to attend. I’m not sure if it’s so
much an invitation as an order.”


Yuèliàng nodded and gave a slight bow. “It is only fitting. We’ve caused
much trouble, so we must be expected to make amends. Lead on, Kasaima-san.
If in life or in death I can serve you, I will.”
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