Chapter 19 - Extra Measures

As blood awakens silence deep,

And darker chords through branches creep,

Beyond the mark, the forest grieves,

A hidden chorus haunts the leaves.

Elanor climbed back onto the second floor roof and into her room. The second carafe of wine had just arrived, and Aranach had hardly touched the first one.

When she entered through the window, Aranach spun around. One look at her, and he smiled.

“You did it. I can see it in your face,” he said.

Elanor pulled the mask from her face. It was a long wrap of cloth that hid all of her features except her eyes.

Finally, she reached into her tunic and pulled out the grisly wrapped appendage. She set it on the table, and slowly unfolded the fabric.

A bloody index finger capped with a golden signet ring lay out in the open.

“It is done,” she said. “Now, let’s see what we can do about this overabundance of wine.”

Aranach laughed.

They both knew they wouldn’t have a chance to relax like this for a while. So they decided to enjoy it.

But first, she checked all the System notifications that had been nagging in her vision.

“Give me a few minutes to sort through all these System messages,” she said.

---

System Message

Quest [Gravelthorn Grave] has been completed.

12,000 experience points have been awarded.

For combining your dual classes so seamlessly into your solution, your award is doubled.

24,000 experience points have been awarded.

XP has been split equally between Class [Discordant Virtuoso] and Class [Nocturne of Silence].

Congratulations.

Class [Discordant Virtuoso] is now Level 15.

Class [Nocturne of Silence] is now Level 19.

Magnum Opus Progress: 12.6%

---

There were other messages explaining that each of her skills had leveled up as well. Finally, she assigned free points and checked her status once more before focusing on the wine.

---

Character Status

Name: Elanor Veralyn

Race: Half-Elf

Class: Dual classes assigned

Discordant Virtuoso: Level 15

Nocturne of Silence: Level 19

Health: 1,380

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Stamina: 1,020

Mana: 840

Core Attributes (Stats):

Strength: 88

Dexterity: 201

Endurance: 102

Vitality: 92

Intelligence: 85

Wisdom: 70

Charisma: 193

Perception: 154

---

“Not bad,” she muttered. “Not bad at all.”

“Alright, Silverhand. It’s time to get serious.”

As they drank the wine, snacking on bits of bread and four oversized hunks of cheese the innkeeper had insisted on providing, Elanor recounted the night’s action.

“One of the women in the house thought she recognized my voice,” Elanor said. “I need to learn to mask or change it when I’m on missions. Last thing I need is for people to start making the connection between the very public bard and what happens later that night.”

Aranach finished his glass of wine and poured another. It must have come from a great year, because the quality of the wine was above anything he’d ever experienced.

“That’s where I come in,” he said. "I may have spread a few rumors when I was in town about someone coming after the Baron on some personal grievance.”

She slapped his arm.

“You mean that extra security at his mansion was your fault? I can’t believe you did that to me!”

He laughed again.

“Sorry, darling. It was part of my quest. Normally in these situations, I’d be doing that tomorrow. But since we’re leaving at first light, there wouldn’t be time.”

She leaned back, pouting for a minute.

But then she bolted forward again.

“I forgot to tell you about the wolves!”

She told him about the alpha and the ensuing fight. And the fact that the other two ran as soon as the alpha was dealt with.

Aranach put the wine down and wiped his mouth. He was deep in thought for a few moments.

“The red eyes made me think of something,” he said. “When beasts are under the influence of magic, their features usually change. Remember how Sapphire says that nature always strives for balance?”

“Yeah,” Elanor said, nodding.

“Well, wolves don’t have red eyes naturally. I think the alpha was being riled up or controlled by someone. We should probably figure this out before we return.”

“The people in this town aren’t equipped to deal with something like that,” Elanor said. “I agree we should do something, but where would we even begin?”

He started putting on his own leathers and arming himself. Elanor followed suit.

“We start,” he said, “with the alpha corpse. I learned a spell that just might work. It allows me to track a magical signature. It can help if there’s a cursed agreement I’m forced to sign, but it should work just as well in this case.”

And with that, they exited back through the window and through Gravelthorn.

All around them, homes were dark and silent.

Sounds of snoring and fornication could be heard here and there, but mostly these innocent residents were sleeping.

Utterly unaware of what lay in the woods just outside of town.

Elanor and Aranach arrived at the edge of the woods, and she took him to the battle scene.

Amazingly, nothing had come to feast on the alpha carcass.

“I would have thought most of this would be gone by now,” she said.

Aranach’s hands glowed for a moment as he cast his magical tracking skill.

A bright blue path opened up before his eyes, visible only to him.

“Whoa,” he said, stepping backward and almost tripping on a rock.

Elanor steadied him.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“When I practiced this spell, it was on pieces of paper. A path would open before me, and I could find the person who had tampered with it.”

“And?”

“And this path is so bright, it nearly blinded me,” he said. “Let’s go. Stay low and follow me.”

The forest canopy was so heavy that almost no moonlight reached them.

They trekked through the woods, following the wisps of light in Aranach’s vision.

At one point, they came across a wolves den. Elanor counted ten of them, sleeping, yawning and milling about. Two of them fought over a scrap of meat, but the others seemed disinterested.

Aranach and Elanor kept their footfalls silent, and they were able to pass unmolested.

Finally, as the night drew long and dawn loomed, they came upon a small hut in a clearing. The blue wisps stopped just outside.

The two paused at the edge of the forest cover, about to deliberate on what to do next, when suddenly a voice called out from inside.

“Well? Are you going to sit there all night, or are you going to show yourselves? I won’t harm you. Come on out into the open so I can see you.”

The voice sounded old.

Very old.

But both Elanor and Aranach knew better than to let their guard down on that account.

They nodded to each other, held their weapons at the ready, and stepped out of the woods and into the clearing.

At just that instant, the clouds seemed to part, and they were bathed in such bright moonlight, it felt like the clearing was ringed with lanterns.

“I see,” said the voice. “You’ve done well to track me here. Come inside and let’s talk. I’ll make some tea.”

Not sure what else to do, they sheathed their weapons and entered the small hut.