Asherons Call: October Rollout is Up!

In the warm, smoky confines of the Shining Shield tavern of Hebian-To, two men shared a plate of pickled eggs and a pot of green tea at a second-floor table. They were masked, much like the revelers who filled the tavern's first floor, but their masks were simple strips of black cloth that covered the upper halves of their faces, not the elaborate and garish monster masks favored at this time of year.

The larger of the two men sipped thoughtfully at his tea as his green eyes flicked over the crowd, wary for danger even now, in the middle of one of the most festive occasions celebrated in Dereth. His companion, smaller and younger, was more openly vigilant, to the point of appearing restless. He seemed particularly intent on staring at the door of the tavern and inspecting every person who came in or out.

"Calm yourself, Adso," the older man said. "Anyone casing this tavern would pick up on your nervousness immediately." He picked up a pickled egg from the plate and popped it into his mouth, chewing precisely and thoroughly without any evidence of actual enjoyment on his thin lips.

"I'm only nervous about Sabithra's foray into the crowd, Master," Adso responded. He seemed on the verge of getting up out of his chair. A simple gesture of Master's left hand seemed to center him and keep him from getting up, but he remained agitated. "What time is it, anyway?"

"It's almost midnight, Adso. A very wise man once told me that all things are possible after midnight. Keep that in mind."

Adso sat back, thought that one over for a moment, and looked at his Master with a confused and vaguely irritated expression that was easy to see even past his mask. "With all due respect, Master, what is that supposed to mean?"

The Master smiled enigmatically and said only, "You'll see."

The words had just left his lips when there was a high-pitched whistling and crackling noise outside. The patrons of the tavern rushed outside. Through the open door, Adso saw flickering purple light. People were cheering and dancing. Over the mysterious noise and the cheering, Adso thought he could hear people shouting, "Happy Anniversary!"

"What is going on out there?"

"You haven't been here long enough to have seen one of these for yourself, Adso, but maybe your duties have also kept you too isolated from the rest of your fellows here on Dereth. They are celebrating another milestone in our people's tenuous foothold on this world."

"Are they celebrating the defeat of Grael? The truce in the war with Varicci?"

"All of that, and more. They are celebrating what it means to be a Derethian, alive in a world that is certainly intent on devouring them. It will do you some good to learn more about your fellows. I feel like perhaps I pulled you too soon from your fellow new arrivals, before you got a chance to experience the things which give us all a common bond here. Ah, but Sabithra has returned."

Adso whirled. Sabithra, masked like they were, stood behind their table at a rigid posture of attention. In his agitation, he had not noticed her coming in, nor noticed her progress as she snuck up behind them. Apparently their Master had, which was why, Adso reminded himself, he was the Master still.

"Did you get what I asked you to get, Sabithra?" Master asked calmly.

"I did, Master. The attendant didn't want to give me three. She said I would have to wait to get more than one. But I&" she paused, before smiling proudly. "I stole two more."

"Well done, Sabithra. Give one to me, one to Elder Brother Adso, and keep one for yourself." He got up, left some pyreals on the table, and gestured to his two apprentices.

Adso inspected the slip of paper that Sabithra gave him. It was marked with a stylized N and C. He didn't get to read the inscription on it, because his companions were moving briskly down the stairs and he had to catch up.

Master led them through the celebrating crowd. There were fireworks shooting into the sky, coming from the bronze statue of Ben Ten near the center of town. Adso gaped unprofessionally at the sight, allowing himself to be pulled along in his Master's wake until they stood before a smiling Aluvian woman in extravagant white robes.

At Master's direction, they turned over their scraps of paper to the woman. Adso was still too confused by the noise and the show in the sky to pay much attention to what was going on, and was only dimly aware of her instructions to "hold on to your socks" - but the wrenching tug of portalspace brought him back to himself.

After a few moments, he, Master, and Sabithra stood in a darkened corridor in a place that Adso did not recognize. There was the faint sound of some frenetic, pulsing music, unlike anything he had ever heard before.

"What is that noise?" Adso asked.

"Nostalgia," their Master said, with a strangely wistful tone in his voice.