Chapter 12 THE LONGEST NIGHT IN DRESTER
Night had fallen all too quickly in Drester. The moon was high in the sky, the stars sparkling vividly against the black velvet. The atmosphere was incredibly peaceful. It was another clear, beautiful night, something very common but nonetheless breathtaking. However, Xyra couldn't fully enjoy it. There were other things on her mind, and those things were keeping her from heading off for a good night's sleep like the rest of Drester. No one could properly sleep while worrying, and she had every right to be concerned. Her companions had yet to return. She hadn't seen Magnus once since that morning, and Darren had left her at sunset. She wouldn't complain about being left alone; it had actually been fun going shopping in Drester by herself, even if all she had bought were clothes similar to what she already had. There was nothing wrong with being alone, but most people didn't stay gone this long. Until her companions returned, she wouldn't go to sleep.
"Sure is late," Xyra said to herself as she kicked her legs back and forth. She was sitting on top of one of the many tables in the lobby of the extravagant inn they were all staying at. The chairs and couches were all too far away from the door, so she had chosen a tabletop to serve as her perch. She simply sat there, watching the entrance intently. Sooner or later, one of them had to return. She was far more worried about Magnus's return than Darren's though. She was sure that Darren hadn't gone off hunting, unlike Magnus.
Even though she knew that the young sorcerer was capable of handling himself, she couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. She had just met him, so it was hard to measure the extent of his skill and his persona. The man obviously had a serious side, especially when it came to fighting, but his smile made him seem slightly naïve. With two such conflicting characteristics, it was difficult to properly read him.
A soft click startled her, snapping her attention back towards the door. There was a creak as it opened slowly, almost as if the person were trying to sneak in. She soon caught sight of black hair and instantly knew it was Darren. Once he got the door fully open, he stepped into the inn, a smile on his face. It fell, however, when he noticed her sitting on the table in front of him. He seemed startled by her presence, taking a step back and laughing a little nervously. The thief just glared at him. It was close to midnight, and from his appearance, he had most likely been at one of the local bars. In the light of the moon, she could see that his face was slightly flushed.
"Xyra," he began, "what are you still doing? It's almost midnight."
"I could say the same to you," she told him, seeming disgusted. He was one of those people, the kind who went out and partied at the bars. He was the kind of man that the bar wenches enjoyed serving, the flirting type who could probably hold his liquor well. She absolutely hated behavior like that. He was in the class of hunters that she often tried to avoid associating with. She felt herself becoming angry the more she thought about what he had probably been out doing. Even though she barely knew him, that wasn't going to stop her from berating his immature behavior.
"What were you doing out so late at night?" she asked in a scolding manner. She received a smirk in response, one that was clearly meant as an explanation. It wasn't hard to interpret, and she looked away from him, disgusted. "Never mind. I'd rather not hear it." She really didn't need to know about his antics.
"Men are such perverts," she mumbled afterward, keeping most of her attention on the floor. However, she watched Darren from the corner of her eye, wanting to see his reaction, and what she saw surprised her. His smirk slipped right off, being replaced by a sad smile. The flush on his face disappeared, and his eyes dimmed to a pitch black. This didn't make sense. Why was he looking at her like that? Had her words actually hurt him? The look he was giving her certainly made it seem that way.
"I'm certain," he began softly, "that whatever you're thinking is probably wrong. You shouldn't be so quick to judge people, Xyra. They might surprise you."
Heaving a sigh, the hunter put on a new expression, his smirk returning partially. That was enough on that topic, as far as he was concerned. It was time for a change of pace. He walked over and pulled up a chair near her table, giving her a questioning look.
"So, care to explain why you're still awake?" he asked.
"I'm waiting for Magnus. He hasn't come back yet."
"He still isn't back?" Darren looked over at the door in disbelief. "I was sure he'd be done hunting by now. I mean, he left this morning. There's only so much a person can handle when it comes to fighting demons."
"Do you think something might've happened to him?"
"Possibly."
Xyra lowered her head. That really hadn't been the answer she was hoping for. Even though she barely knew the sorcerer, she still had every right to be concerned. If he were to get himself killed, there would be no way for her to leave Drester. She couldn't travel alone, and she didn't have the money to pay for an escort, let alone enough to return home with. If only she were a better thief, none of that would matter. She was certain that most of the thieves she knew wouldn't care at all about the life of someone like Magnus. In fact, if he were to die, she could really just take all his money, and all her problems would be solved. However, that kind of thinking bothered her. It was wrong to want someone's death and, even worse, to rejoice in it. She was manipulative—she could admit that—but she wasn't cruel. Life was important, and even though it was necessary at times, there was no justification for taking it. Even though she had only known Magnus for two days, she would still hope for his safe return.
Darren looked over at his companion and quickly wished he had chosen his response more wisely. His answer really hadn't done anything to quell her unease. The least he could have done was come up with something a bit more consoling. However, considering how long the sorcerer had been gone, there was a good chance that something had happened to him. He didn't seem the type to stay out so late.
Deciding to take action, Darren got to his feet. If Xyra was worried about the sorcerer, then they'd just go out and find him. He was about to tell her his idea when the door clicked and began to open. Their eyes instantly went to it, and both of them felt a sense of relief wash over them when they saw Magnus walk in, a sigh escaping his lips. He looked exhausted, but he had obviously fared pretty well from what they could see. There wasn't a speck of demon blood on him, although that was normal for a sorcerer. Almost all magic was for long-range use only. They rarely got close enough to their enemies to be splattered with blood.
"I see you finally found your way back," Darren remarked with a smirk. "That little hunting trip sure took awhile."
Magnus only smiled in response, laughing a bit as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah, I guess," he said sheepishly. "There sure were a lot of them. I hadn't planned on doing so many jobs in one day."
"How many?" This was a good chance to get some information. He was curious to see just what Magnus was capable of.
"About fifteen, maybe twenty. I started to lose count when an entire pack of dog demons decided to jump me."
Magnus walked carefully into the moonlight, and both Xyra and Darren lost their smiles. That earlier relief completely washed away.
"Guess I can't get away unscathed all the time."