Below, the larger man had vacated the living chambers of the cabin, shifting his cleaning to the kitchen area, turning his back entirely to the watcher in the shadows. Now was his chance. Nimbly and with swift surety, the man in green leapt from the joist landing noiselessly upon the near-by padded settee and rolled quickly into the kitchen behind the larger man. He sprang to his feet in triumph and, as he was about to grasp his target by the neck�
�Locke.�
The man in green froze in position.
�Come now, my old friend.�
Locke lowered his hand in defeat, sighing noisily and quite dramatically. Laughter, pleasant and robust, emerged from the larger man as he turned around and grabbed Locke in a huge bear hug, turning in full circle as he did this. Locke endured the embrace, actually enjoyed the greeting to some extent, and was hard-pressed to keep his fa�ade of injury and lost opportunity apparent.
�Arvis! How could you� what did I� I never understood how you could always know the instant I arrive. I try with utmost care and I keep myself as perfectly still as possible and yet you find me.�
The full circle now complete, Arvis lowered the green-clad man to the floor, allowing him to straighten his tight jerkin and trousers. The emerald grouse�s feather in his cap had fallen to the side and tickled Locke behind his left ear. As he straightened the memento, he took the time to inspect the inner cabin. Always clean and ever cozy, Arvis kept his abode comfortably furnished and Locke knew that were he to lose all his possessions, Arvis would insist that Locke share the space with him. Little did Arvis know, Locke�s �possessions� were far too numerous to ever be entirely lost.
Arvis stepped back to take a proper look at his long absent friend.
�My my, Locke, your attire is as� verdant as ever, quite befitting a plunderer such as yourself. Do you not agree?�
Locke suddenly keeled over, grasping at his chest and gurgling loudly within his throat, falling onto the settee and rolling around as if in tremendous pain. Arvis stood there, quite unimpressed, yet unable to deny the smile that slowly spread across his face. From his throes of agony upon the couch, Locke peeked up at Arvis to witness the smile, echoed one of his own in triumph, and then proceeded with his ruse.
�Oh the pain! The horror of it all! Arvis, one of my truest friends, how could you? How could you even utter such a horrible, monstrous, terrible, inconceivable��
�Locke,� Arvis said, in jest, �if you continue, you will demolish one of the few remaining pieces of furniture which my father has given me. So raise yourself, my friend, and let us get to the business at hand, shall we?�
�Indeed, my friend,� Locke mimiced, rising from the settee. �However, I will insist that you never refer to me as plunderer again, for treasure hunter is my preferred title.�
�Treasure hunter and trail-worn traveler, searching the world over for relics of the past, this young man shall one day be known throughout the world as��
��as the only person ever to fall and crack his skull from a living room table, young joker!� Arvis finished for him, lunging forward to grab at the man and laughing good-naturedly.
Locke stepped lightly over Arvis� outstretched hands and leapt onto the floor behind him, grinning mischieviously at the old man as he did so. Locke joined him in laughter as well, knowing that Arvis always enjoyed the good humor his friend brought along with him and Locke watched the old man sit onto one of the wooden chairs that dotted the landscape of the living area, allowing his laughter to slowly abate.
�Ah my friend," Arvis said with mirth, wiping his streaming eyes, "we have had such good times.�
Locke sat back onto the settee, cocking his green-dyed leather boots into the air, supporting his feet upon the table from which he had just leapt.
�Indeed, Arvis, and many more like them we shall have.�
�Good toast, Locke. Very good indeed. However,� Arvis� smile slowly faded now, as he got to his feet, �there is much we must discuss and little time in which to do it, old friend.�
At this, Arvis strode away from the smaller man and headed into the bedroom. Locke sat there and watched him go, wondering what it could be that had Arvis in such subdued air. Oh well, he thought, these days are meant for foul mood and sunken spirits, and he sighed heavily at the thought. Having just come in from Kohlingen himself, Locke wasn�t in the best of moods. His mind strayed for a moment as he relaxed in the settee, thinking of a certain person, a gorgeous face, a more peaceful time. He looked up to see Arvis return.
Locke jolted out of his reverie in severe manner, jumping to his feet and backing away in reflex from the object held between Arvis� shaking hands. Arvis quickly placed the object onto the table before them and stood there waiting for Locke to respond, a look of mingled dread and determination upon his face. At first, it seemed that Locke would be unable to even move a single muscle. His eyes remained fixed upon the metal crown that marred the previously soothing cabin atmosphere, almost afraid that it would strike forth as if it were some venomous viper. The silence was intense and viciously ominous, broken only by the muted sounds of repair and reconstruction from the world outside. Those sounds felt distant, hollow almost, as if from another dimension entirely. Within this world, there was only a pale crown of black gems.
�A slave crown, Arvis?� Locke asked in terror., unable to draw his gaze from the table .
Slowly, Arvis nodded.
�Is this the reason why you sent for me?� Locke asked in trepidation, moving slowly around the table, not daring to approach any closer to the horrible artifact that lay, seemingly benign, upon the flat, wooden surface of Arvis' living room centerpiece.
Once again, Arvis nodded, unable to vocalize his own horror.
Locke looked up at him now, understanding suddenly dawning on his face, his mouth opening comically (or it would have been comic, had the situation been different) into an 'O' of surprise..
�Arvis, by the gods, say this has nothing to do with that Magitech riding witch that tore Narshe apart days ago. She and her troupe have been through many cities, ending countless lives!�
Arvis stood motionless at the onslaught, staring at Locke with absolute intent.
�She was used Locke,� he stated simply.
�I don�t care!� Locke shouted, his face suffused with fury. He rounded upon the larger man who stood erect, not harried by the other man�s ranting. �She killed so many innocent people. She is a pawn of the Empire either way, and no justification can be made otherwise. Arvis, you of all people know the extent to which the Empire will go for one of its generals. This is folly!�
�Locke,� Arvis intoned gently, �as we speak, she is pursued by the guards of this town. Even worse, the Empire will come, doubt me not, and Narshe is not strong enough to hold them off indefinitely. Our toll from the last battle is immeasurable and the next," he paused with intention, "would be our final. However, if she were to join us and our cause, Locke, perhaps we may stand a chance.�
Locke furrowed his brows in thought at these words. Arvis knew far too much from experience and know-about to lightly throw aside his words. Perhaps there was some merit in them. For the moment though, Locke chose to remain silent and wait out the remainder of Arvis� progression, doubt masking his slowly growing acceptance of his mentor's words.
�You know whom she must see," Arvis continued as Locke stood pondering the situation. "Find her in the caves and take her over the eastern range to the Returner hideout. From there, we can gather our forces to defend the mines properly." Arvis' already somber face grew even more so and he added, "The prize in that cave has brought a new age upon us, Locke. The Esper heralds an era of madness like no other before and we must do our best to ensure that it is kept safe from the Empire.�
�In that case,� Locke said, �we need to find her and I know exactly where to take her once I do. Edgar will be more than willing to assist us in defying the Empire. Castle Figaro is but a few days to the south.�
Arvis drew close to Locke now, whispering as if the crown were a spy with sensitive ears.
�Move swiftly Locke. She may be hurt, or�� Arvis swallowed suddenly, a lump in his throat evident by the act.
�Worry not, dear friend. I will find her and she will be safe,� he replied, taking Arvis� hands into his own. Relief spread across the elder man�s face and, with a smile, Arvis pulled free of Locke�s grasp.
�Do not fall for her pretty face now, young adventurer. Your reputation is quite well known amongst the husbands of this land.�
Locke laughed heartily at that remark and the laughter felt good, wholesome and clean after the dealings of the evening, dispelling the dark charm wound over the two by the crown that still lay festering upon the table. Grabbing his backpack that lay upon the settee upon which he had first landed, Locke turned back towards Arvis, flaring his nostrils in excitement.
�Off I go, my friend� and wish me the best of luck.�
�You have more than luck, good man. You are blessed by all the gods of this world, and may they guide you back to safe haven.�
Locke bowed once more and then leapt quickly onto the rafters above, soon lost amidst the shadows of the upper rooms.
Arvis heard the trapdoor on the roof shut lightly, the very sound that clued him into Locke�s arrival earlier in the day. Heaving a large sigh in frustration, he turned back to the task of house-cleaning that was interrupted earlier. As he wiped the table clean, having placed the metal monstrosity back into its hibernation, he thought of the world to come.
�Be safe, my friends. This is the beginning of the end, indeed.�
