WM [50] Honored Guests

Bjorn opened his eyes and gasped as his consciousness returned to the real world. He found that virtually no time at all had passed and Tanisha was still practicing her breathing. His spike in emotion alerted Tanisha whose eyes shot open and in a blink she was at his side holding on to him. Her concern and embrace felt reassuring as he leaned into her.

“Everything alright, Big Man?” Tanisha asked.

“Bjorn, I don’t know what you did but we got one of the shared skills unlocked.” Failsafe said cheerily. “As soon as she touched us it unlocked one of them!”

It took Bjorn a minute to respond to either of them. His response to Tanisha was returning her nuzzles and sending her a wave of reassurance through the bond. She seemed pleased by the response and stayed cuddled next to him while still practicing her breathing and magic circulation.

“I will take a look but you sound really excited.” Bjorn said in his head.

Failsafe responded with nearly squealing excitement. “Of course I am, this is the first step to really understanding how this new soul tethering magic works. In fact you should be more excited!”

Bjorn flinched at that remark. He probably would have been excited if he hadn’t just found out that his soul tethering was him putting a chain of servitude around Tanisha’s neck. That he was the reason for her recent distress and shift in personality. He tried not to think about it. He would talk to Tanisha once they were somewhere he could write on the ground.

“Right-right, shall I take a look then?” Bjorn said absently.

Failsafe yelled with rushed glee, “yes, hurry up!”

Air Claws

Commune with your master to unlock.

Aetheric Scales

You have felt the power of your master’s aura and mantle and embraced the influence of the chain breaker. The power you felt now resides within you. Call forth the power that defends you from harm. Harden your scales with the aetheric touch. As this is a shared natural ability you can not level this ability by any means but through communing with your master. This ability is tied to your master, should your master die or reject your bond you must reclaim her soul or you will lose this ability.

Hydromancy

Commune with your master to unlock.

Water Light

Commune with your master to unlock.

Hydro-breath

Commune with your master to unlock.

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“It is a replacement for the maya scales we had,” Failsafe said. “Bjorn? Hey did you hear me?”

Bjorn didn’t respond; he merely read and reread the last sentence over and over. He couldn’t help but think that that wasn’t right, that there was something wrong with how the skill functioned. If Tanisha rejected the bond or she died he would have to reclaim her soul? Did that mean he could control her soul or force her to establish the bond? If she was alive, would he have to kill her? 

***

The office was far too lavish for Signe’s tastes, again favoring the human’s sensibilities of form over function. Signe doubted most of the furniture would last more than a hundred and fifty years. It felt like a waste of money and resources, and she resolved to send an auditor to comb through the financial records of the border. A single window no larger than a missing brick in the defensive structure was the only source of natural light and ventilation. 

Koll kneeled down, “Hand Jet, we’ve detained two demons and a werewolf. They await your inspection—and they bring troubling news, if it’s true.” 

Signe’s brow furrowed as she nodded. “A werewolf traveling with demons, now that is unusual. What was the news?”

“They claimed there are druids nearby.” Koll said sharply.

Signe stood up immediately, a deep sense of unease welling in her chest. If that was true then it makes sense that Lillevenn was acting oddly. He was sensing them or their magic but didn’t know where it was coming from. It also explains why she was feeling so out of sorts all day. It wasn’t just her picking up on her familiar’s emotions, it was the subtle influence of druidic magic in the air.

With a wave of her hand, several clockwork devices materialized around her, each one floating in place. To anyone else, the designs would have looked like abstract gears spinning nonsensically, but to Signe, they were perfect tools for her magic. Another wave, and two of the devices liquefied into shimmering metal before reforming into a mask.

“Put this on,” she commanded, tossing the mask to Koll. “And follow me.”

Sigh touched the veil over her face with a finger, drawing out an enchantment circle across it with perfect accuracy even while she ran. She did not stop to see if Koll had done what she told him but the sound of his footsteps behind her was more than enough confirmation.

“Lock down the border!” Signe shouted as she burst through the gatehouse. “Everyone, prepare for an attack!”

There was only a brief moment of hesitation before the border guards and royal knights sprang into action. The order spread quickly, and soon every guard was dismissing those waiting for entry or exit, sealing the gates. The alarm bells rang, and Signe continued to weave magic into her veil, completing the final touches of the enchantment.

When it was finished, she inhaled deeply and immediately felt the truth of what she had feared. A subtle influence had been poisoning the air all day, weaving through her mind and body. The enchantment on her veil cleansed her, but she didn’t have time to enchant everyone to resist the druidic magic. The knights, in their enchanted armor, might hold out, but it was only a matter of time before they started losing some of the weaker border guards.

“Koll, inform the healers to begin cleansing the area immediately,” Signe ordered, urgency sharpening her voice. “We need the border under quarantine.”

“What is going on, Hand Jet.” Koll asked.

“The demons were right,” Signe said. “There’s a druid attack, and we’re all under its influence. They’ve been poisoning us all day. The magic is subtle, but I remember this tactic from the frontlines. Go, quickly—prepare the men for an assault. They will attack soon now that they know we are aware of their tactic. If anyone is showing signs of poisoning or sickness, get them to a healer immediately.”

Signe walked up to the confused demons and werewolf, her gaze briefly locking with Joha’s before she let out a quiet sigh of relief. Finally, she had found them. There had been a moment of concern that she might have missed them, and the First Princess had been adamant about securing their safety. Signe didn’t know why they were so important, but the First Princess promised to explain once they were safe. All Signe had been told was to treat them with the respect reserved for war heroes.

“Joha, Freja, Bjorn and guest.” Signe greeted urgently. “Please follow me.”

There was a brief pause as they all took in her sudden appearance. Signe’s eyes moved to Tanisha, trying to gauge her reaction after using her true name. To her credit, beyond the initial surprise, Tanisha hardly reacted at all. It seemed the Shai wendigo girl was skilled at masking her emotions. Signe still didn’t understand why she disguised herself as a demonic creature, but it didn’t matter at this moment. Answers could wait. Her priority was securing the honored guests of her master and preparing the border for an impending assault.

“Hand Jet?” Tanisha questioned, her brow furrowed. “What are you doing here?”

“Hand? Like a Noble Hand?” the werewolf girl interjected, glancing between Signe and Tanisha in astonishment. “A real one?”

“I am a Royal Hand, not a Noble Hand, young lady,” Signe corrected, her voice even but firm. “Please leave your wagons. I will have the men secure them. Follow me swiftly.”

Adelheid, the werewolf, straightened her posture immediately, her expression turning formal. “It is an honor to meet someone of your status. My name is Adelheid Strider of the Golden Strider Pack… uh, ma’am.”

“If possible, Signe,” Joha’s deep voice rumbled, “we would like to move through the border before it closes completely. We can give you everything we know about the druids.”

“I would like that information,” Signe responded with a nod, “but I must insist on keeping you all here as guests, at least for the time being. Let’s discuss everything inside.”

Signe gestured for them to follow, leading the way toward the border keep. The urgency in her step was clear—time was running out. The druids’ subtle influence was still pressing on her senses, and she couldn’t afford to leave anything to chance. Signe turned back around, realizing that her group wasn’t following her as instructed. Tanisha opened her mouth, likely to ask something, but a sudden commotion at the gate interrupted her. Everyone’s attention shifted to the scene unfolding.

A woman, moving with an almost unsettling grace, approached the closing gate. She seemed unconcerned by the spears pointed in her direction or the guards’ increasingly aggressive warnings. Signe immediately sensed something off—this woman was ghost-born, though her specific kind was unfamiliar. An albino humanoid, with skin so pale it almost seemed translucent. Her long silver hair cascaded down her back, and she wore a delicate white and blue dress embroidered with intricate winter motifs across its silk-like fabric.

“Turn back now, this is your final warning.” One of the border guards demanded.

The woman didn’t acknowledge the guard’s words or the spears trained on her. She walked slowly and deliberately, only stopping when the tip of a spear pressed against her skin. The guards repeated their demands, but she seemed utterly unfazed. Her lips moved, speaking softly, but from where Signe stood, she couldn’t hear what was being said. The guard, however, froze, his expression shifting from stern to wide-eyed shock. He glanced toward Signe and her group, clearly indicating that whatever this woman had just said, it was something Signe needed to hear.

“By insist,” Joha continued in a lower voice. “I am assuming even as guests this is not something we can decline, Hand Jet. As your guest would you do my apprentice the honor of calling her by only her name. To be transparent and apologize for our deception with the name Sif, her name is actually Tanisha Scalebound not Freja Salstar anymore.”

Signe let out a long breath. “You are correct in that this is not an option, Joha.” Signe turned to Tanisha then looked at her hydra. “Scalebound? You chose the last name to match your familiar?” 

“Yes, but I didn’t choose it. Both my first and last name were a gifts from someone I hold dear.” Tanisha said proudly. “What did we do to deserve your VIP treatment here at the border? I understand that we know about the druids but why do you want to keep us here?”

“Truthfully, I don’t know,” Signe admitted, her voice measured. “The First Princess has requested an audience with you before you leave. She’ll be here soon.” She raised a hand, halting any potential interruptions before they could start. “While I can’t allow you to leave just yet, I can assure you that you’ll be honored during your stay. We can discuss the details further once we’re inside.”

A royal knight suddenly approached, whispering urgently in Signe’s ear.

“The ghost-born woman says she knows the location of a large force planning an assault on the border,” he relayed. “She’s requesting an immediate audience.”

Signe’s eyes narrowed slightly, her thoughts racing. She glanced briefly toward the gate before whispering back, “Bring her inside, but keep a close watch. I’m not familiar with her kind. Prepare a suppression collar as a precaution.” She paused, her tone softening. “Take her to a holding cell, but treat her kindly. If she has information we don’t want her to go on the defensive.”

Turning back to Joha, Tanisha, and the rest of the group, Signe saw the apprehension in their faces. They didn’t trust her, which was to be expected. The First Princess did send a Hand to stop them from leaving the country.  She pointed to the bracelet Tanisha reserved as a gift from Princess Sigrun.

“You are guests of the First Princess.” She softened her tone further, sensing the need to diffuse the tension. “A trusted friend and ally to the true successor to the throne of Yuhia. That bracelet bears the mark of Sigrun’s desire and commitment to your friendship which we do not take lightly. You will not be harmed here and besides waiting for the arrival of the First Princess herself, you will not be made to do anything you don’t want. I will ensure your safety, personally.”

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