Seekers of the Light

1 A Skiouros and His Treasure

50 years since the rise of the Dark Queen...

The ruins left behind by the Ancients who were long ago lost even to history were strictly off limits. Not that such a law could hope to stop the persevering type, especially not a procurer of all things.  Everyone knew that the relics left behind by those mysterious people fetched the best prices and Rydic was the enterprising sort of skiouros.

“I dislike this.” The voice that always joined him on his quests was a persistent curse, and Rydic rubbed his long ears between his paws. An anxious habit that had little to do with grooming, and everything to do with the lingering effects of one night filled with far too much drink. There might have also been a vengeful witch.

“You dislike every last thing I set out to do upon the whole of Chloryss. Begone, and rid yourself of the sight,” he encouraged, more to cheer himself up than out of any sort of belief such a ploy could work. 

“If only it were so easy. You pillage secrets for wealth. It sickens me, and yet, here I am. Firmly affixed to your very fluffy backside.”

“It just so happens that a gloriously large and fluffy tail is a symbol of virility in skiouros culture!” Rydic shouldn’t let the voice goad him. It was probably an illusion, just some spell throwing words at him until he slowly went insane. Unlucky for the witch, he had abandoned sanity long ago. 

“And what are the mighty skiouros’ thoughts on how absolutely adorable it is?” The voice snickered, and Rydic felt the twitch in his eye return. 

“We are not discussing the adorableness of my tail. I am retrieving enough gold to keep myself swimming in nuts for years, and you are silencing your wailing.” For emphasis, he pointed into the air, as if at some invisible man. He curled the finger back in upon his balled fist and turned on one claw-tipped foot. Any silence earned would be short-lived. Of that, Rydic was certain. But oh-so worth it. 

They arrived at the base of the crumbling structure, the outer walls carved into the base of the very mountain itself. Moss overtook most of what remained of the rock face, and Rydic found his entry point.

High above his head, time had worn away a beautiful foothold that could be his springboard to the fifth floor. A pane of glass in the awaiting window was lost long before his arrival, and he considered his approach with a practiced eye. Taking a deep breath, he pushed off with his back foot and sprung forward.

“If you fell from up there, do you think you’d survive the fall?”

Rydic stopped dead in his sprint and put his hands on his hips in utter exasperation. “What sort of wretch says such a thing as I am about to leap up five flights and into a very small window?!”

“Forgive me for asking questions while you were still alive to answer them. Please, continue your heroics.”

Rydic wanted to sputter in indignation but thought better of it. The voice would gloat over him for hours if he went off on one of his tirades. The sort of rant that would keep him from proceeding for far too long. He couldn’t afford to be delayed.

“This is a special request, which is going to earn me quite the sum.  So, if you would be so kind as to allow me to not break my neck, me and my purse would appreciate it.” 

With that, he launched himself up to the crack in the wall, curving his claws into the stone and using his powerful haunches to spring up the remaining three floors. 

Once the window was before him, he grabbed a hold of the frame and pulled himself inside. All in all, it was a beautifully executed jump that should have culminated in a tight roll up onto his feet. 

Unfortunately, the floors had given away long ago, and Rydic found himself falling through where a building should be. 

The voice cleared an imaginary throat by his ear, clear as day despite the wind rushing past. “This may explain why it was restricted.”