Arcana

Disturbance

The six of them sauntered through the devastated village, casually and calmly, as though there were verdant fields of green about them and not collapsed, burning houses. The smell of death marked the place; Thyndle knew it well. He kicked aside an ashen piece of wood as he diverged from the group to inspect a house.

"Third village this month, huh?" Lura remarked. She gave a cough. "Damn. I can't keep going to these burning places. It's going to wreak havoc on my throat."

Brund patted her gently on the shoulder, walking beside her with a shaky cane. "Not to worry, dear. I have heard of vocal imitations pulled off via deliberately damaged vocal chords. This may come in handy."

Kon Wol laughed heartily, as he always did. "You just stay back, then, darling. The boys will handle this."

Lura regarded him dryly. "You realize that firstly, this is just an investigation, and secondly, I've saved your life too many times to count, right?"

Ik stepped up to a house that was still somewhat upright. The lanky man, suddenly, with incredible speed, his eyes glowing blue, zoomed about the house, pulling out his sword and slashing at every piece of wood he could see. When he stopped, the structure collapsed.

"We're investigating, Ik," Thyndle snapped. "You can't go around knocking down buildings."

Ik laughed. It was a cruel laugh, the kind that always came out of Ik's mouth. His gaze was deadly. "Oh? And are you going to stop me?"

Brund stepped between them, his old body shuffling slowly through the wreckage. "Enough. We are a team. No squabbling. And Thyndle is right—this is an investigation, so let's investigate. Circle the area. Report to me what findings you come across."

The group sighed collectively—no one liked investigating—but obeyed, all splitting off in different directions. Despite their differences and how often they argued, they weren't about to disobey Brund. He was the glue that kept them together. Thyndle was grateful for his presence, especially when it came to dealing with Ik. Brund seemed to be the only person Ik ever listened to.

The destroyed remains of a wooden house cracked and crumbled beneath Thyndle's feet. Who used to live here? Were they still here, their corpses burnt and buried beneath their toppled house? Had they all been taken? Who would have done such a thing? Thyndle found he didn't much care. The Entarians were a despicable people. Perhaps this was simply another pillaging, performed by a group who got a little too fed up with the Entarians. Thyndle wouldn't have blamed them. But then, who would burn down three whole villages? As much as he didn't want to chase after anything big, he had to admit, this was likely connected.

"Guys?" Lura called. "Žin found something."

Thyndle turned. There, across a few collapsed houses, Žin was crouching in the tall grass just outside the village, with Lura standing not far away. With a quickened gait, Thyndle hurried over, and stopped in the tall grass just beside Žin. The dragonfolk was eyeing a strange pattern in the dirt, which seemed continuous and ran unendingly in both directions, curving through the grass as if to make a gigantic circle.

Ik and Kon Wol soon arrived, Brund following behind them at a slower pace. "What is it?" Brund asked.

"Žin found...well, see for yourself," Lura said, gesturing to the pattern.

Brund bent down shakily, and squinted past his spectacles. "Well, then. That's new. Kheskan markings...this is Ans. It must be."

Kon Wol cocked his head. "Ans? Whazzat?"