Ashborn Primordial

Chapter 102: Bonds of Kinship

Vir froze halfway to the fried potatoes.

Come again?

Join up with us! I mean, just for now, of course. Itd give you a lot of benefits, and weve been looking for a fourth for some time.

A thousand thoughts went through Virs mind, but all of them said one thing: no way. He operated alone. He was a being with a secret. A secret that was far more likely to come out the more he trusted anyone.

But how do I refuse such a generous offer?

Not only would he gain access to better contracts working as a party, but he'd always wanted to experience fighting with mejai support. He just never thought he'd get the chance.

Isnt this a bit premature? Weve only just met, after all.

Maybe true, but weve seen you fight, Vason said. We saw how you only took half of Aryans money, though youd have been well within your rights to take all of our share. You get along with all of us, youre great in a fight, and you fill a much-needed gap in our party.

Thats Im honored, but Ive always worked alone, yknow?

And I know just how badly you crave joining a party, Tia said softly. I can see it in the way you look at us. You want this, dont you, Param? So why refuse? What are you afraid of?

I Vir found his words catching in his throat. Yes, he was worried about his secret getting out, and for good reason. Vir was no doubt being hunted by Hiranya. The more who knew who he was, the more danger he was in.

But is that all?

It felt like there was something else that held him back, and he couldnt quite place it.

I dont know. Can you give me time to think about this?

Tia smiled. Of course. Its a big decision. Besides, youre headed to Avi, too, yeah?

Howd you know?

Tia rolled her eyes. Everyone bound this way is. You want in on the cave dive, dont you?

Vir nodded slowly. The Executor at Zorin mentioned a free-for-all. That a mining company was scouting as many mercs as they could find for this one.

Yes, Haymi replied. it seems they dug too deep and opened a network of tunnels lost to time. Rumors say its a relic from the Age of Gods.

Vir immediately thought of the Prana Swarm. Is that true?

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Who can say? Haymi replied. The monsters bursting forth from there certainly lends credence to that theory, though they seem to be on the lower end of the Ash Beast strength scale.

Everyones talking about it, Tia said. Theyll be offering rewards per animal killed. If we can take out a half dozen well, none of us will be worrying about money for some time to come. Not to mention well be swimming in Brotherhood Karma. Theyre offering a lot for this one.

It wasnt the money that interested Vir as much as the karma. With it, hed be able to ask the deep questions about the Pagan Order.

So! Tia said, clapping her hands together, we may not officially be a party yet, but seeing as how were bound for the same destination, I think we oughta work together, dont you? As traveling buddies.

Vir chuckled. The blonde party leader seemed dead set on being his friend, and Vir had no reason to refuse.

For the first time in a very long time, Vir began to look forward to traveling.

Vir was proven right. Hed never expected it, but even such mundane tasks as procuring supplies were so much better with a friend. In many ways, Tia reminded Vir of Maiya. They both had that headstrong, confident attitude, yet neither was overbearing. The freckled blonde felt like a slightly rowdy elder sister to him. Someone whod support you when you fell, but was equally at home chatting and relaxing. Or arm wrestlingshed entered a competition at Eshana, pulling the rest of her party into it.

Including Vir. He lost, electing not to use Empower, but so did she. Only Vason won anything, leaving them a couple of coppers less wealthy.

Vir hardly noticed it. All he remembered were the riotous laughter and the cheering. The claps on the back when he failed. Without realizing it, a grin had crept up on his face, and he was just a little too late wiping it off. The ever-observant Tia saw his grin and smiled.

Things really are better with friends, eh Maiya?

They headed out the next morning at dawn. While the trip to Eshana was slow and arduous, the rest of the journey, while traversing well-maintained roads, was long. Eleven hundred miles long.

At a fifteen-mile-an-hour trot, the journey would take just over a week, sending them east across the Eternal Plains before veering south onto the Avian highway. They passed wagons, caravans, and even some Ranian patrols.

At first, Vir felt more like an outsider. The party did their best to include him in conversation, but he simply missed too many of the jokes and references to really get into things.

That changed after about six hours of conversing. The road was long, and while the Legion mountains made for beautiful scenery, their companion to the east on their long journey south, mountains didnt make for great conversation partners.

The four chatted about everything under the sun, from clothing and armor preferences to favorite colors to politics, and they even played icebreaker get to know you games. Vir nearly did a double take when Haymi entered the conversation in force.

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She does that, Vason had said. Shes a bit shy, but get to know her and that mouth of hers doesnt evero-oh, thats quite enough. Haymis death stare was enough to silence even a grown man.

The hours flitted by in no time, and soon it was dusk.

Now they were huddled around a large campfire. The fire had gone up quickly, with Vason, Vir, and Neel fetching standing dead wood and Tia and Haymi tending to the camp. They even pitched Virs tent for him.

Only then did Vir realize how much more effort hed been wasting doing everything himself. Making and breaking camp went many times faster with three other sets of hands to help.

And it wasnt just that. The company turned what wouldve been endlessly boring hours into an enjoyable blur. Monotony became joy.

Alright, Param. Your turn, Tia said, passing her knife to hima symbolic gesture. Their latest game had them hold the knife and say two falsehoods, mixed in with one truth. Each person would take their turn guessing the truth, and the one who got it right got the knife. If there were two winners, the knife holder would go again, but this time only the participants who guessed correctly could guess.

Lets see, Vir said, contemplating. I grew up in a poor city. My best friend has flaming red hair, and I was close with my mother.

Oof, thats a tough one, said Vason, scratching his head. Growing up in a poor city I honestly cant tell. Red hair isnt especially common, but that ones oddly specific. Then again, what son isnt close to their mother? Hmm.

He doesnt strike me as a city dweller, Haymi said, peering deeply into Virs eyes. He hides it well, but his mannerisms strike me more as someone who emigrated to the city. And recently at that. Rough around the edges? A bit too straightforward? Something like that.

Vir forced himself to remain neutral. After losing handily for a few rounds, hed realized they were reading his reactions. Sometimes theyd even make a provocative statement just to get him to react a certain way.

So he did what he was best athe learned.

Tch, Haymi said. Youre getting good at this, Param.

Vir felt guilty about hiding his real name, but for now, itd be more awkward to correct them, so he left things as is.

You never knew your mother, did you? Tia said, staring into the fire.

That got a reaction out of Vir, despite his best effort. What makes you say that?

Ive encountered a lot of orphans in my time. As a Matali, its kinda unavoidable. They have certain quirks, Ive noticed. Theyre all self-sufficient. Guess they had to be, so that ones pretty obvious. And theyre all distrusting. They only open up after a long time, if they ever do. Youre not that extreme, but I sense tragedy in your upbringing.

Vir fell silent for a moment before clearing his throat. So? Guesses?

Red-haired friend, Vason said confidently. Tias got an incredible nose for this kind of thing. I trust her instinct.

Hmm. I have to agree, said Haymi. The redhead is the truth here.

Tia flashed Vir a grin. Sorry. Im going with that too.

Vir threw his hands up. Yes, yes. My best friends a redhead.

Whats she like? Tia asked.

Vir narrowed his eyes. Whether she deduced Maiyas gender from their earlier conversation at Zorin, or whether this was again her incredible intuition, he had to appreciate how sharp she was.

Shes actually a lot like you. One year older than me, she used to protect me from the bullies in the village.

Ha! So you did grow up in a village, Haymi said proudly.

I did. Maiya was well, she was pretty much my only friend, apart from Neel over here.

The bandy perked up at hearing his name. He looked up at everyone, pleading with his big eyes for food that wasnt going to come.

Vir rubbed the bandys back, which seemed to placate him.

She was as stubborn as the Ash and obsessed with fire magic despite having no aptitude for it. I feel like the best way to get her to do something is to tell her she cant do it. Works every time. She used to Vir stopped, suddenly realizing he was rambling. Uh, sorry. Got a little carried away there.

You miss her, dont you? Tia murmured.

I do. Just wish I knew if she was safe. Never thought itd bother me so much, but well, time apart makes you realize some things.

Like how youre maybe more than just best friends? Haymi asked, a glint in her eyes.

Vir flushed red.

And your mother? Vason asked, scratching his nose.

I was adopted. Mother died well before then, so I never knew her. My father raised me. He passed away. Just under a year ago.

Im sorry, friend. I should not have pried.

Vir waved away Vasons concern. Ive made my peace with it.

Before an awkward silence settled on the group, Haymi spoke up.

As you know, were all from Matali. Its not a happy tale. To be Matali is to know grief. Weve all lost loved ones or dear friends. Either to the Ash or to other countries.

Vir frowned. But the Ash has been encroaching on the Known World for centuries, hasnt it? Why is Matali suffering so much while Kinjal and the Altani flourish? Shouldnt the Ash make Matali strong like it does them?

Youd be right, Tia said, if Matali was a militaristic country. Were not. For millennia, we prided ourselves on our agriculture.

Because of the Artifact you possess? Maiya had mentioned that to Vir.

Right. Its a device that makes it possible to grow crops year-round. They grow faster, larger, and healthier than normal crops. Matali used to produce a significant portion of the Known Worlds food for a long time. But crops need land. Lots of it, and so the Ashs encroachment has impacted our economy the most.

Weve been forced to rent land from neighboring countriesKinjal and Ranito continue growing our crops, Haymi said. As you might guess, the terms have not been favorable. Rani is better about it, but Kinjal takes most of our output for free. And both countries happily accept Matali refugees fleeing our lands.

What can be done? Vir asked. It sounded like a no-win situation.

Tia shook her head. If it could have been resolved so easily, wed have done so. Either the Ash stops expanding, or Matali finds another way to prop up its economy. Both seem bleak.

Vir coughed. What of the Pagan Order? Ive heard so many rumors, but whats it really like there?

The group fell silent, with Vason and Haymi staring at Tia.

Theyre honestly doing the world a service, Tia spat. We should be giving them medals, not ostracizing them. Sure, they might be a little extreme about it, but their mission is a noble one.

Their mission? Vir asked. You mean

Exterminating demons, Vason replied. Though, rumors abound. Some say they're not nearly as uncivil as people make them out to be. That they're secretly powerful, and their demon hunting's just a ruse for their actual operations.

Unfounded rumors, Tia said. People like their gossip.

Haymi spoke up. It's... not an easy topic, Param. For any of us. Demons have ravaged our lands for centuries. They killed Tia's parents when she was young.

Killed? Tia snorted. Let's not sugarcoat the facts, Haymi. Demons butchered my parents. In front of my very eyes, smiling while they plunged their daggers into my mother's body. Over and over, until her cries died out. Then they did it again, to my father.

I'm so sorry, Tia, Vir said.

My brother and I... they made us watch, Param. They made us watch. We pleaded with them, of course. Begged, even. But there is no reasoning with their kind.

Vir opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. What could he say to someone who'd been through something like that? What words would heal such a terrible wound?

It's... not just that, Haymi said softly. Demons... don't have a good reputation in Matali lands. They're actually among the worst threats we deal with. Feral, animalistic. They've even wiped out entire villages in the past.

Is that really true? The demons Vir met onboard Bakura's ship certainly didn't give him that impression. Nor had Bakura warned him of anything like that. It made him wonder whether the demons that plagued Matali were different, somehow.

Their reputation is well earned, Tia whispered, fury dancing in her eyes. Unbridled, burning hatred. I'm not the only one to have lost family to those savages. Not even close to it. Believe me, this isn't just personal revenge. Ask anyone in Matali, they'll sing the same song. Every demon killed makes this world a safer place.

With just those words, Virs dreams of kinship crumbled to dust.