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Master Tighnari heard it before she did.
It was another peaceful evening in Gandharva Ville, warm, dappled sun shining through the dense foliage, illuminating the hanging huts with a gentle amber glow. Collei was just finishing up her reading and writing homework for the day. After that, she would go to do her final checkups on the former Akademiya Sages, and then she could have the night to herself. Tighnari sat across from Collei at the table, sorting patrol logs. Occasionally, he would sigh, tail sliding across the rug absently before placing another paper on the steadily growing stacks.
Collei was finally starting to get the hang of her lesson when her master’s ears shot upright, one angled toward the door. She looked up from her work and tilted her head quizzically at Tighnari.
The Forest Watcher looked mildly surprised, but not agitated. “Cyno’s here,” he announced, pushing himself up off the floor, “He sounds upset.”
Collei set down her pencil but didn’t get up. She knew better than to take the distraction as an excuse to give herself a homework break right away. Tighnari let the General come to them, and even Collei could tell his frantic mood before he tore open the door.
“Nari,” he breathed, immediately switching to his nickname for the ranger, which was not a good sign by Collei’s standards. Cyno leaned into the door frame with one arm, the other clutching the Staff of Scarlet Sands so tightly his knuckles were white. Even in his limited desert regalia, the General Mahamatra was drenched in sweat and fighting to get air into his lungs, like he’d sprinted all the way to Gandharva from Aaru Village. Considering the fact that he radiated desperation and anxiety, it was entirely possible he had. Desperate was one of the last words Collei would’ve ever used to describe General Cyno, and yet here she was.
“Cyno,” returned Tighnari, “You look awful. What’s going on?”
“Have you…checked on the sages?” he managed between breaths. Cyno’s entire body seemed to collapse in on itself and then reinflate each time he took a breath.
“Not since this afternoon. Why? Did something happen?” Tighnari waved a hand dismissively, but Collei knew he was hanging on Cyno’s every word. She and her master had been theorizing on how long it would take for them to start causing problems for Gandharva Ville, or, Archons forbid, the rainforest as a whole. Was today the day?
Cyno dashed out of the doorway without another word. Collei and Tighnari exchanged a confused glance before wordlessly following the General. For someone who looked so thoroughly and utterly exhausted, Cyno could still move through the village like a jungle cat in pursuit. He barreled towards the newly built division of huts, using his polearm to brace himself when he stumbled. Tighnari’s ear flicked each time he nearly lost his footing.
To no one’s surprise—at least not to Collei’s— the huts were empty. Those conniving sages had gone back on the Forest Ranger’s trust and taken advantage of their newly granted freedom to take off. They’d only been allowed to mingle amongst themselves without a Ranger guarding them for a few days. Collei’s shoulders tensed in frustration, but she didn’t say anything.
“I can’t believe this. No, wait, I can.” Tighnari sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. His tail swept back and forth with such force that it slapped against the back of Cyno’s legs. The General himself leaned on both his weapon and on Tighnari’s outstretched arm. The Forest Watcher lowered his tone and spoke more directly to Cyno. “Are they already causing trouble for you?”
“Worse,” Cyno swallowed thickly before continuing. “Trouble for Nahida. For the whole city.”
Tighnari’s eyes widened. Collei shifted her weight to her other foot. “Tell me what’s going on, Cyno.”
The General took a few more heaving breaths, then he launched into the story. “It’s another one of those Scarlet King loyalist uprisings. I didn’t think anything of it at first, until they started marching through the desert and into the rainforest. Candace and I caught a few of them in Aaru Village. According to the Eremites we captured, several guilds have been in contact with the old sages through some Deshretian communicators they’d manage to find that function similarly to the Akasha.”
He paused, allowing enough time for Collei to process his words so far. She fiddled with her scarf nervously.
“Candace sent me ahead to warn everyone in Sumeru City while she took care of the stragglers in the desert. I arrived just before they did. Nahida sent me here to ask for your help.”
Tighnari eyed him incredulously. “She sent you, one of her most powerful and efficient Allogenes, to ask us for help? Shouldn’t you be protecting the city?”
“Believe me, I thought the same thing. She said that she had other people who could hold out until I returned.”
Collei chose this moment to speak up. “If Lesser Lord Kusanali really wanted to contact us, couldn’t she just do so herself? She used to talk to the Traveler telepathically all the time…”
Both Tighnari and Cyno’s expressions relaxed ever so slightly, as if hearing her voice had shocked them out of their bewilderment. Tighnari tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. “It’s possible,” he said, “but it could also be something exclusive to her and the Traveler.”
Collei’s face burned with shame. She hadn’t thought of that. “Oh…right.”
“Collei does bring up a good point, though,” Tighnari slid his eyes back to Cyno, “It doesn’t make any sense. You’ve traveled from Aaru Village to Sumeru City to here in Gandharva in under a few hours. Even just the first half is exhausting.”
“If you’re so hung up about me being needed in the city, why don’t you escort me back? The Lesser Lord did ask for you personally, after all.”
Tighnari seemed to consider this. He glanced at the huts, then at Collei, who nodded at his silent question. She’d love to go as well, but she knew her efforts were better spent defending Gandharva Ville. Finally, after a tense moment of silent consideration, Tighnari sighed in acquiesce.
“Alright. Go get your bow and quiver, Collei, we need to get moving.”
“I…get to come too?” she asked without thinking.
“Do you not want to? That’s fine, I assumed—“
“No! I want to come!” Collei interrupted.
Tighnari smiled. “That’s what I thought. Would you mind packing a second quiver for me? I should take care of our General here.”
.
Another privilege Collei was now able to enjoy thanks to the recovery of Irminsul: adrenaline. Sure, she’d had her fair share of close-calls that had flooded her body with the endorphin, but not since returning to Sumeru.
Collei reveled in the fact that she was able to keep up with Cyno and Tighnari as they raced through the rainforest, even if they were slowing their pace slightly to accommodate her. She finally felt like she was part of the chain, not the weakest link that held everyone back. That thought alone provided her with the energy to run for miles.
Soon, the towering silhouette of the Great Tree loomed in the distance, deceptively peaceful. Even though they were coming into the city through the south entrance, Tighnari decided that they would head toward the Bimarstan in the north first. That way, they’d get a good look at the state of the ground levels, and Cyno could break off if he needed to.
Collei was not expecting how extensive the takeover would be.
Eremites swarmed from every crevice, every corner, every area possible for them to occupy. Scholars and residents held out the best they could, pelting the attackers with various household items. Cyno took one look at the chaos and glanced meaningfully at Tignhari.
“Go,” he said, and Cyno sprinted off with a nod.
Collei took a deep breath. It was absolute pandemonium. Unconscious bodies littered the paths as she and Tighnari made a break for the Bimarstan, bows in one hand and arrows primed in the other. Collei silently hoped that the people she leapt over were just sleeping. Fortunately, they made it to the Bimarstan without getting into a fight.
Zakariya spotted them immediately. “Tighnari! Collei! What are you two doing here?”
“Coming to help you!” Tighnari shouted back, thundering up the stairs. Collei skidded to a stop right in front of her master and Zakariya.
The doctor’s shoulders slumped as he exhaled. “Thank the Archons, you’re just the people I need right now. We have so many patients…”
“Don’t worry, you’ve got us now. Just tell us what needs to be done.”
“I can’t thank you enough. Follow me, and do try to keep your wits about you.”
Collei had seen the infirmary crowded. She’d heard stories of what it was like after the Sabzeruz Festival Samsara, and she shuddered just thinking about it. This was a thousand times worse.
She’d barely stepped through the door when the noise slammed into her like a Sumpter Beast, pained wails echoing off of the walls. Tighnari flinched and pinned his ears to his head. Zakariya led them through the sterilized halls, seemingly unbothered, issuing orders to nurses as he went. Collei knew where they were going: the overflow area. It wasn’t far, but she still had to clamp her hands over her own ears after only a few steps. She couldn’t even imagine what Tighnari must be experiencing with his accelerated hearing.
After what felt like aeons, Zakariya pushed open to doors that led to the overflow beds, causing the noise to increase tenfold. Nurses and doctors alike zipped around the cramped tents, but even their frantic efforts weren’t enough. At least two thirds of the wounded were screaming in agony, raising a cacophony of anguish. It took every ounce of Collei’s energy to keep her eyes open.
Zakariya was unfazed. He walked calmly along the isles, parting the sea of scrambling medical staff. Collei and Tighnari followed.
Just as they were about to reach the other end of the tents, something warm, sticky, and swollen closed around Collei’s ankle. Repulsion rolled through her entire body. Without thinking, she jerked her foot away, stumbling backward and bumping into another patient on the floor. They, too, reached their grimy hands for her ankles. Collei yelped as another wave of nausea wracked every fiber of her being. Her vision blurred, more and more bloody hands reaching for her ankles, her calves, her wrists, her shoulders, her neck…
I can’t stay here…I have to get out…I have to get out…
“Collei.”
The voice snapped her back to reality. She was still on her feet, and miraculously, there were no hands on her ankles. Tighnari was crouched to meet her eyes, speaking softly and directly. “Ah, there you are. Are you alright?” he asked.
Collei shook her head. “I can’t stay here.”
“I understand. Why don’t you defend the overflow tents? You can guide the wounded to us, maybe bonk the occasional Eremite on the head.”
She giggled. “Okay, I can do that.”
“I’ll be right inside if you need me.” Another especially agonizing wail pierced the air, octaves above the others. “And, honestly, I may have to join you soon. It’s far too loud in here…”
“Tighnari! Come help me with this!”
“Be right there!” he shouted. He turned back to Collei. “Be safe. Come back inside if anything goes wrong.”
“Yes, Master Tighnari.”
The Forest Watcher swept off toward the huddle of doctors and nurses, while Collei made a beeline for the nearest exit. She emerged right next to the northern entrance of the city, which was thankfully empty. Quietly, Collei took laps around the entire Bimarstan, and only found enemies on her fifth time around. A couple of Eremites decided that they wanted to beat up the weak and defenseless patients of the Bimarstan. Well, Collei was not going to let that slide. She nocked an arrow and let it charge with the power of Dendro, firing the warning shot right between the Eremites’ feet. Their eyes snapped to meet hers.
Most warriors had a battle cry. If she were being completely honest, Collei found battle cries to be pointless and embarrassing. So she omitted one of her own and charged into battle, determined to get one thing right.