Tales from Coldharbour

There weren’t always Dragons in the valley. Their steel-rimmed boots kicked up dust with every step, thin wispy tendrils of debris floating haphazardly in the air to announce their presence. Their aura was one of authority and intimidation, demanding the attention of all near and far. Their eyes were like daggers, a single glance enough to make one shrink and squirm under their visage. But most of all, those red-silver cloaks bellowed behind their uniformed bodies, like embers and flames rising up to overtake charred silk.

They needed not declare themselves. The townspeople were already outside, a thick silence hanging between them like the thick winter fog of the Spine.

“The Forsyth Dragons… here? What do they want?” One of the townsfolk whispered as the crowd thickened, and the Dragons drew closer. Their murmurs were filled with a mixture of worry and wonder, soft words carried by a softer breeze from ear to ear.

“Psht, wha’, ‘ere ter extort us sum more, are dey?” Another sneered, this one older and missing a few teeth.

“Keep your distance, now, Shelby… don’t look them in the eye, dear. This way.” A mother turned her child’s head to face her, looking on at the Dragons with fear.

“Yer kind ain’t welcome here!” A man cried defiantly, his body poking out from the door to the bistro he owned, ladle in hand.

Like a game of telephone, words both loud and muted ran along the crowd with dissent, like a disturbance within the veil of silence that had previously choked the noise out of their throats with a vice grip. It was inevitable that those words would fall into the ears of a boy tucked to the far end of the rabble. His frame was small, much too small for one of his age, and his overalls were tattered and marred. Dirt and grime coated him like a second layer of skin, caking his jet black hair, and yet beneath the lack of care or hygiene rested two cunning eyes, as green as the pines that grew along the mountains of the Spine.

—

“Ika! What are you doing? The fish ain’t gonna sell itself.” There it was. That irritating, grating voice that Ika was so familiar with. The filth-coated boy quickly turned his gaze over to the small food stand manned by his older sister, Jada. She was quite a good bit taller than him, lighter hazel hair flowing freely down to her shoulders in juxtaposition of Ika’s darker and thicker mane. Her green eyes flicked over him with indignation, as if Ika’s mere second of hesitation was already enough to grind her gears.

“There are Forsyth Dragons here.” He responded simply, jogging back through a thin alley to where the stand stood. It was one of the more hidden stands among the seven or eight that made up the small flea-market they operated in. He threw a distasteful glance at the fish he was tasked with vending.

“They here to buy some of our fish?” Jada asked, her hard gaze lifting up towards where the crowd stood.

“Erm.. I don’t think so.” Ika replied sheepishly, scratching the nape of his neck.

“Then it ain’t our business, is it?” Jada finally yapped. Ika scowled in response, though she was already running her mouth again before he could spew whatever retaliatory insult he had clawing its way up his throat.

It was impressive how trained her nose was for sniffing out folk who had some spare coins in their pouches. “Oi, you!” She jabbed a finger towards a passerby, pressing on with her assault even when they didn’t spare her so much as a glance. “You look like a well-meaning man, maybe with a family? A loving spouse? How about treating them to some of the finest fish in the Spine? Reeled right of our local, nearby Lake Grandiose. Pre-seasoned with black pepper imported from South Etrosea, ground right in our facilities.”

“Facilities? What facilities? You’re running a food stand.” The man responded now, pausing mid stride as he considered the wide selection of local fish.

“Is that doubt I hear, good sir? I applaud your skepticism and your eye for detail, all the more reason you should buy your food here. Try it. Try the fish, come back and tell me if it's not up to your standards. I guarantee, it will be.” She smiled, gesturing towards all the fish.

“It's pretty good fish.” Ika added in casually, his sister Jada nodding in agreement.

“A boy of few words, though as dimwitted as he may seem, I assure you he has an eye for quality!”

“Dimwitted? I’m not dimwitted.” Ika pouted, his eyebrows creasing. That 'retaliation' that hadn't come into fruition earlier now came at twice the force. “The fish isn’t actually from Lake Grandiose, by the way. She's lying, Jada is a liar.” There was an awkward pause as Ika said this.

“I.. Ika!” She gave him a light smack across the head, her eyes thin as she scowled. The customer left promptly after a few awkward mumbles in response to their banter, Jada pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Twins, I almost had him, too.. you know what? You’re doing more harm than good! That was just.. out of line! Why don't you go play ‘fantasy’ with your Forsyth dragons or whatever?! Just know, you’ve gotta start pulling your weight in this family. We don’t got money growing on trees, boy! Agh.. we're gonna have gruel for dinner tonight again if business keeps being this slow..”

“Gladly. Not like I get much fulfillment selling lion tuna for five kapers a piece, anyways.” Ika shot back rudely. He could feel Jada’s gaze boring into his back angrily as he flew down the alleyway, rocketing back into the crowd, away from his duties and responsibilities. The air was heavy with moisture, invigorating, inviting him to run away. It carried that sharp crispness indicative of it having rained not too long ago, like the air was invading Ika’s nostrils with every inhale. Commuters dodged puddles of murky brown water as they walked through the paved-brick roads of the town square, droplets of water stubbornly clinging onto the colorful shingles and rooftops of Coldharbour Valley’s town center.

By the time Ika returned, the Forsyth dragons had left already, likely venturing deeper into town. With them the crowd (for the most part) followed, a good chunk choosing to just return to their daily duties. It made sense that their presence attracted so much attention from the locals - Coldharbour Valley was nestled deep within the Spine. It rested comfortably inside a little clearing, surrounded by titanic snow-capped mountains tall enough to scratch the heavens and smear the stars into the night skies - a phenomenon Ika often heard referred to as ‘northern lights’. This all meant it got very few visitors, as one of the northernmost territories in the Etrosean Empire. Yes, he knew why everyone was so engrossed by the Dragons and their presence.. but why were they in turn interested in Coldharbour? The boy suddenly felt someone slap his back, rousing him from his thoughts with a sharp jolt.

“Ika! How goes it?” It was Andi. If Ika’s appearance was disheveled, then Andi looked like he had come out of a hurricane. A newsboy cap sat on his head tilted and unbalanced, dirty-blonde curls coming out from the bottom. His white shirt was stained almost every color of the rainbow (not really but it might as well have been), trousers held up by a single suspender as the other one had snapped. He was missing a couple of teeth, but that didn’t stop him from beaming widely with every word he spoke.

“By the Two, you scared me.. I thought you were out of town.” Ika said, his thin green eyes glossing over his friend.

“Well, you thought wrong! Surpriiiiise! Yeesh, you're always so jumpy.” Andi was debatably one of Ika’s only friends. The boy was the only son of two caravaners, traveling musicians who filled their pockets by performing in taverns across the greater Spine region. He envied the boy's lifestyle greatly, craving the freedom that came with it. “Say, didja see the Dragons earlier? They’sa bit far out in the boonies, dontcha think? Didn’t see them arrive by no train neither, must’ve used some of their fancy-schmancy magic stuff.” Ika’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah, I did see them. I was actually wondering... about why they're here, you know? Got caught up with work for a bit before I could start asking around. Thanks, sis." Ika grumbled sourly, crossing his arms as he remembered how he had run off on Jada. He would almost certainly face repercussions for that.

“Jada givin' you trouble 'gain? Hmm... when someone's giving me a hard time, I always try singing. Muster up all tha' positive energy, release it through the power of the voice. Real loud. Whoever's givin' me trouble usually leaves me alone when I do that, so I guess my message just graces their ears and teaches them the wrongness of their ways. Here, let me demonstr-"

"O-oh, please don't! Jeez, I wonder why people leave when you sing, huh?" Ika quickly cut off before Andi could kindly bless his ears with his toneless voice, Ika's own voice laced with sarcasm as he spoke. Unfortunately, Andi had not been blessed with a good singing voice like his parents before him.

"Hey, what're you trying to say 'bout me singing, huh? I think you need a little ballad yerself..." At this point the boy was just teasing, giving Ika's shoulder a light shove as he flashed his toothy grin at him.

"No, no. I insist, I am very much good." Ika waved Andi off, a small smile spreading across his own face. Curiosity about the Dragons lingered in his mind, further infecting his thoughts like a plague as he heard mention of them yet again from passing locals.

"-ish we weren't so closed off to the idea... the economy has been pretty wrecked around here, so support from Oathclan Forsyth could really help lift the place up. We should be trying to garner favor with th-" One merchant heatedly discussed with another as they passed by the two boys. Ika understood little of what they were saying, but his head perked up at the mention of the name Forsyth.

"Say, Andi. You know why those Forsyth Dragon guys are here? Everyone seems to hate them." Ika inquired, thin clever eyes now darting back to Andi.

"Hate them? Nah, nah, jus' Coldharbour. They're pretty loved in all the other towns I've been to.” Andi began, his grin fading as he used his brain. He had quite impressively already surpassed his daily limit, this being probably its fourth use so far. “They with Clan Forsyth. One of the biggest nobilities in the Empire, or somethin’. Folk 'ere ain’t taking too kindly to their presence, cause they, uhhh..” Andi paused for a moment. “Well, I don't really know, to be honest. Coldharbour just don't like the Etrosean Empire, and the Forsyth Dragons embody Etrosean might."

“Etrosean might? I don’t really get it...” Ika said, trying to peer past the crowd to see if he could catch a glimpse of the now faraway Dragons. He knew Coldharbour was in the northern periphery of the Etrosean Empire, and his parents spoke ill of it pretty often. He never took the time to listen to what they were saying, something he regretted now.

“Yeah, me neither, man. They’s after a book, I think. A real important one, been searchin' from town to town for it. Let’s go find it for ‘em, it'll be fun! Maybe they'll talk to us then.” Andi clapped his hand across Ika’s back, the boy stumbling a bit as he was (unwillingly) dragged into an adventure. How did Andi even know that?

“O-okay!” Ika reciprocated, any words of protest he wanted to say or questions he had rattling within his skull as the pair ran through alleyways.

—

“I ain’t seein’ no book, captain!” Andi shouted as they rummaged through piles of trash in the alleyways. “Just more rats. I think we’s gonna get another plague if this keeps up.”

“Eh, don’t worry about them. They’re harmless as long as you don’t touch them.”

“One’s touching yer leg right now!” Andi cried, jabbing a chunky finger at Ika’s ankle.

“AH! Where? Where is it?” Ika jumped back in surprise, nearly tripping into a pile of garbage as he tried to scramble away from the supposed rat.

“Gone now, coulda sworn I saw it brush yer foot. It was gettin’ real comfy in your shadow there.”

“Eww.. what if I’m plagued?” Ika frowned, now wiping at his ankle copiously with his sleeve.

“It ain’t that bad. When I had it, I jus’ stayed in bed for a couple o’ weeks. Heard if ye spin around five times while clapping your hands, sayin’: ‘I am too strong for the germs!’ it’ll get rid of it willy nilly.” Andi grinned as Ika quickly began doing exactly this, spinning like a ballerina in some alleyway.

“I’m too strong for the germs! I’m too strong for t-”

“Jeez, I was kidding, dude. Yer way too gullible.” Andi belly laughed, patting Ika on the shoulder a few times. A few moments would pass with the two bantering back and forth, looking around for this mystery book.

“Hey, Andi? You think people like us could become Forsyth Dragons, someday?” Ika asked, scratching the back of his neck.

“You kiddin’? O’course. Then we won’t have to ride the train anymore, or... sell fish. You n’ I, buddy, we’s gonna be looking like them someday for sure. I’ve already started working out, so I’d even say I’m already half-a-ways there.” He flexed his arm. Suffice to say, it wasn’t anything particularly impressive.

“So.. do we even know what this book looks like?” Ika sheepishly shifted topics.

“I’sa really powerful book.”

“Oh yeah, of course.” Ika nodded. There was a moment of silence. “Wait, that doesn’t tell me anything!”

“Aw cripes.. Its sundown already!” Andi looked up at the sky with moderate distaste, wiping some sweat off of his brow. “I gotta get goin’, or I’m never seein’ the end of it from my parents. It's the spellbook of some finger-wagging magician, a real powerful one who passed away recently. Apparently, those Forsyth guys really want her diary. Kinda a little weird, but they have cool capes so they’re clear in my book. Okay, bye!”

Before Ika could ask any questions, Andi was already gone. The rugged and extraverted boy was always like this, a small poof of dust the only evidence of his presence moments ago. He had left just as quickly as he had appeared.

Outsiders and foreigners always caught Ika’s eye. It was probably where his deep interest in these Forsyth Dragons came from, despite knowing very little of them - he wanted to see what was beyond these rugged mountains too. Ika wanted to weave his own tales and legends. He wanted to be strong, like them. They had to be strong and renowned, after all, to take the namesake of a creature as powerful as a dragon, an animal now long extinct. His iron-clad boots branding thick prints into the Earth with every step he took, his aura making the knees of all who watched bend in reverence, demanding the attention of all near and far... He tried picturing himself in there with them, though as drawn as he was, Ika hardly could. It was this same pull that kept him rooted in place, the boy continuing to prod through garbage in search of some nameless forgotten book. He wanted an audience with them, though he knew they wouldn’t entertain some filthy commoner in rags unless they truly had reason to. They’re piercing gaze and overwhelming presence stayed fresh in his memory even now - he felt incapable of producing such a reaction from those around him with his small frame and androgynous form, a true runt of the litter, though maybe he could come closer to such a feat merely by basking in the shadow of the nations greatest.

As he wandered down the forgotten corners of Coldharbour Valley, he reminisced on both the Dragons and his conversation with Andi. Ika would kick the occasional piece of trash out of the way as he walked, the whirring of machinery audible on the rare occasion he passed by some of the shops’ back entrances. Daylight began to quickly recede as he wandered, the sun losing its war against the moon and fracturing into the million tiny pinpricks of light we call stars. There was a loud rustling from further ahead, spooking the boy. Perhaps out of instinct, he ducked underneath one of the larger dumpsters - it was dangerous to be out after dusk, after all. Peeping through a small crack between the wall and the dumpster, Ika was shocked stiff as one of the Forsyth Dragons walked into the alleyway. Her eyes were thin and gray, cape flowing gracefully behind her as she strode into the filthy alley. Most of her features were concealed underneath a red-gold hood, though he could make out rich brown skin. The woman looked back, forth, then back again, before producing a thin black book from underneath her robe. With little hesitation she chucked it into the trash, making sure to hide it as best she could before quickly slipping out of the alley. The boy had gone unnoticed, and he was simply stunned as he watched her leave. He quickly got out of his hiding spot, questions flooding him - should he talk to her? This was his chance to meet one of them, wasn’t it? To talk to one of the Dragons? But what was she doing all the way out here, and alone at that? The Dragons were never alone. And that book she threw away… Ika dug through bags of trash, before producing the small black book he had seen her do away with. The moment his fingers wrapped around the spine of the book, he felt a small jolt of electricity run up his arm, his mind going a little fuzzy. It seemed rather ordinary at first glance, though something about it felt distinctly off. What exactly had he just come across? If this was what the Dragons were here for, why had he seen one of them throw it out? Uncertainty plaguing him, Ika tucked the book into his shirt, a paranoia settling over him like a thin veil. It almost felt like he was being watched. Uncanny pierced through Ika's questions and thoughts like a bullet, his chest swelling in response. His intuition told him he should just leave, and the boy began to do exactly that... before one of the backdoors leading into the alley opened. Ika gasped.

“-eah, it’s supposed to be back here. This is where she said to-” A small group of men and women walked out, their gazes immediately set on the boy and on the distinct book-like outline in his ripped and torn shirt. Without so much as a thought, Ika threw himself out of the alley, sensing danger.

“OI! STOP!” They cried after him, heavy footsteps thudding on brick not too far behind. It had begun to rain lightly, a quiet pitter-patter assaulting cold, hard slate as the boy rushed down empty streets, bobbing and weaving between stalls. He craned his neck back to check behind him, immediately regretting it - one of the men was hot on his tail, diving forward to catch him. Ika threw himself to the left of one of the carts, the bigger man crashing into it with a loud thud as he stormed off into another alleyway. If Ika was anything, he was dexterous. He was always known to be light on his feet, agile and flexible; he rounded corners with ease and exited back out onto the main street, his heart hammering in his chest as the light drizzle began to soak his clothes through. Adrenaline ran red-hot through his veins, pumping electricity and power into even the furthest reaches of himself, breath coming out in short and agitated bursts. He ran for what felt like hours, the voices behind him growing quieter and quieter with every turn and stride.

—

Passing through blurred alleyways, Ika could still feel his chest pounding against the book. Touching it triggered that same electric feeling from before, almost like an allure that became increasingly difficult to ignore. He’d have to turn it into the Dragons properly, so they could deal with whatever it was. But.. hadn’t it been one of them who had gotten rid of it in the first place? Windows cast orange light down onto the wet street, the sound of steam hissing out of pipes and other contraptions made the boy flinch reactively. Home was nearby; he could tell from the dilapidated balcony decorated with colorful houseplants and the broken windows that always looked like eyes tracking his every movement at night. There, just ahead were the set of stairs he was so unfortunately familiar with, looking more dangerous and foreboding than ever given the recently gloomy weather. Looking up the narrow stairway, it stretched so far up that it seemed like it went on forever. But Ika knew that at the end of the climb would be a door with withering paint waiting at the top for him, Ika sighed, feeling the weight of the book against his chest as it rose and fell. Each step creaked beneath his meager weight; the handrail to his side would occasionally scrape his palm with rotting spikes of wood, sending sharp pains up his arms. Every passing doorknob felt like eyes boring into his skull, every faint noise that escaped from under every door being the conspiring whispers that accompanied their intentions. Rusting hinges screamed at him as he shoved open the door to walk inside, rising in volume as it closed behind him. Ika could hear the radio chattering above his family’s voices, their words cluttered just enough for him to not recognize most of the conversation - though sometimes he could hear the distinct sound of his name being thrown around. “... Feels like the boy is trying to starve us out of a good pay.” It was that grating, annoying voice again.

“What’s he done this time?” A paternal voice spoke this time. His fathers', their words sounding ever harsh.

“He sits around and does nothing except be useless. He’s ungrateful for what we do for him, he chases off customers, makes no effort to pull his own weight in this family.”

“He’s a lost cause, at this point. It wouldn’t even be worth it, to try whipping ‘em into shape.” It was his mother’s dainty voice speaking now, followed by an upset scoff. So soft yet so damning, not dissimilar to a dulled blade laced with poison.

There was more to be heard, but Ika’s ears had closed off, dampening everything down to an indecipherable mumble. None of them heard him enter, it seemed, since none of their bickering ceased as he walked to the living room. When he rounded the corner, 3 pairs of scornful eyes were immediately set on him. None of them even cared to acknowledge his presence beyond their judging gazes, and an offhanded gesture to the cold bowl of gruel sitting on the kitchen table. Ika could still hear their muted shaming as he sat down to eat, occasionally giving sly glances to see if any would pry about the odd, boxy bulge beneath his shirt. Even as he finished scooping the last bit of food into his mouth, he still felt the weight of scorn, the pressure of anxiety. The only sound now came from the radio - it was playing an old brassy tune that was pretty popular around town at the moment - yet it still felt like they whispered behind his back, like even the silent air had gnashing teeth.

Reprieve laid at the end of the hallway. Trekking through the dense atmosphere, Ika entered his room, being quick to close the door behind him but being mindful enough to not slam it lest he wanted to be shouted at by either of his parents from their cushioned thrones. At last he escaped the rousing weight that made his shoulders impossibly heavy with emotion, unable to chase him beneath the doorframe. The boy let himself fall onto his mattress, not well-off enough to afford a proper bed. Not too far off was his sister's mattress, though it stayed empty most nights ever since she had begun seeing Ren - she was too busy running her mouth about him to his parents to come in, anyways. Ika let himself catch his breath and regain his composure, lips slightly ajar. As his hand trailed to the book bulging from his threadbare shirt, the color drained from his face when he made out a silhouette casually relaxing on the mattress across from his, the one that belonged to his sister. It was a woman he definitely did not recognize, her doe brown eyes considering him for a long moment. In the shadows he could just barely make out silken robes nobody in Coldharbour would think to wear, the material clinging onto her skin despite its apparent frailty.

“Never thought someone like you would be compatible with my spellbook.” She said, “But, I suppose I’ll have to take what I’ve got. Oh, don't look so surprised, now. We don’t have much time.”