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If there was one thing Rylai missed about Icewrack, it was the cold. The climate that hung over the ancients was a decidedly even, constant temperate, as if determined not to pick between being the slightest bit chilly or overly warm. It meant that just about anybody could turn up in lane or in the jungle which supplied no shortage of allies or foes. However, anybody meant anything could show up and that included what Rylai detested most. Bugs.
Up north there was never an insect in sight. They would freeze before they creepy-crawlied their way anywhere near her and that had been just fine with her! But now she would catch sight of the beetles that loitered in the dirt beside the lanes, millipedes skittering across the rocks on Dire’s side of the river and she didn’t even want to think about what kind of spider had spun the giant web she once saw. With a companion beside her and the battle at hand she could ignore them easily enough. It was when she was by herself in her free time that she would rather not deal with the little beasties.
It so happened that on such a day, as she practiced using her newly obtained force staff, she felt something tap her thigh. She gave a small shriek and jumped up, throwing a sheet of ice at where the offending tap had come from. Unfortunately trampling footsteps told her that she had been overheard. Sven and Juggernaut jogged over to her.
“What happened? We heard you call out.” Sven asked. Eying the frosted grass he hefted up his large sword, ready for combat.
“It interrupted our insult sparring,” Juggernaut added. At Rylai's raised eyebrow, he continued, “Striking an enemy’s pride can be just as effective as a strike with a blade, in the right circumstances.”
“I- Something touched me and skittered away!”
“A bug? That is it?” Juggernaut did not seem impressed and Sven was lowering his sword. Rylai rushed on hurriedly.
“A big bug! And it turned invisible!”
“A Hero bug? What kind of hero would a bug make?”
“I know what I felt and it was a giant, unseen bug creeping around!” A sudden thought crossed her mind. “Unless it was Riki. But it felt like a bug!”
“Maybe.” Juggernaut shrugged. “But it is not here now, and your ice has frozen nothing.”
Seeing Rylai’s unsatisfied pout, Sven sighed.
“We could find out if there is any sort of bug like the one you described.”
“Really?”
“Really?” Juggernaut’s expression didn’t change behind the mask but Sven was sure it wasn’t a glowing smile.
“Mmhm. If such a bug exists, someone must have heard of it by now.” He turned to set off, leaning down to mutter to Juggernaut, “And it gives us something to do for a little while.”
“Wait up! I have to be there to say “I told you so”!” As Rylai ran to catch up, Juggernaut remained stoic. Or at least his mask did. This was not how he wanted to spend his day.
Exploring the lane and neighbouring jungle revealed nothing. The jungle was lively with kobolds, satyrs and wolves (or was until Sven and Juggernaut came across them) but no large, invisible bugs tried to attack them. Rylai brought up the rear, ice staff held tightly in hand. This time whatever had touched her wouldn’t escape! The two men paused at an empty camp and went to move on. Rylai however, stepped inside. “Wait, we didn’t clear thi-“ Her shin brushed on something. Swinging her staff down with a yelp and a jump, a blast of ice shattered onto the something. It froze over a dome of psionic energy before shattering, a figure rising to stand from within.
“Oh! Templar Assassin!” Rylai said bashfully. She was starting to regret throwing ice at anything invisible. Lanaya brushed the ice shards off her shoulders nonchalantly.
“Shall we keep this between us?” she offered, voice calm and patient.
“Yes. Oh! You know lots of secrets, right?”
“That I can’t tell.” Her eyes narrowed at the suggestion. Rylai quickly raised her hands innocently.
“But, if you know of any invisible bugs around here, you’d tell us right? As allies!”
“Perhaps, but I am a keeper of secrets. It is not up to me to reveal any.”
The problem with the Templar Assassin, thought Rylai as she deflated, was her love of being mysterious. The two swordmasters returned, shaking their heads.
“I am sorry, Maiden. But it appears your bug has skittered off.”
“And we have training to return to. Sven, your sword and wits are both dull and compensating for what you lack elsewhere!” Rylai’s shoulders only sagged further as the two trailed off, ‘sparring’ with verbal jabs at each other. The assassin beside her took her seat again, hidden comfortably in the shade. It looked like she had gotten nowhere.
“Is that yours?” Following Lanaya’s gaze, Rylai gasped at the sight of her force staff – she must have dropped it when she first felt the ‘whatever-it-was’!
“Oh! Thanks!” At least this ordeal had one positive outcome! Scooping it up and twirling it in one hand, she gave Lanaya a wave before forcing herself forward to lane, skidding to an abrupt stop, then walking the rest of the way. In the shades of the trees, Lanaya waited patiently. It wasn’t long before a figure skittered to her side, materialising seemingly out of thin air.
“Nyx Assassin. You took your time to return that to the Crystal Maiden.” She said lightly, turning to smile slightly at the vermillion and grey beetle.
“You cannot blame me for seeing her fear. She must grow a carapace if she is to think so loudly where anyone can hear her!” Even as his mandibles clicked, she knew his voice was reverberating in her mind and not her ears.
“Her fear of insects was hardly a well kept secret. But I wonder why you strove to return the staff to her.”
“She dropped it. I have no use for it.” The mental equivalent of a shrug crossed Lanaya’s mind. She hummed.
Wordlessly the assassins settled into comfortable meditation together, one focusing on the unknown as the other praised his goddess.