The Southern Gap

[00:00:01] The Thieves Guild, by Jake Kerr, Episode 116, The Southern Gap

[00:00:18] The valley was smaller than Mela expected. It looked like a small gorge that was formed from a river that exited the mountain, and, indeed, there was a cave entrance in the distance and a flat road that emerged from it that could easily have once been a riverbed.

[00:00:40] There are the guards. Prosper pointed to two men in red armour standing to the left of the cave entrance, and a woman in similar armour in what looked like a ledge higher up to the right.

[00:00:52] Only three guards? The ghosts of Dragon Pass are usually guard enough. They are here to make sure no one enters out of curiosity, not out of an assault to get through.

[00:01:02] Prosper nodded to Katrina, who unslung her bow. Still, they are red guards, and will have strong magic.

[00:01:09] Mela looked around. She didn't know if three guards was too few or too many, but she felt Prosper wasn't looking at the defences with enough attention.

[00:01:20] She had infiltrated too many places to assume that what you see is all that is there.

[00:01:27] Katrina can handle them, Prosper added with pride in his voice. Mela was about to warn them to do more assessment of the defences when Katrina let loose an arrow.

[00:01:37] The woman guard let out a cry and fell in a heap. Dala seemed surprised at the rush to attack, and quickly unsheathed one of her throwing knives.

[00:01:48] Mela continued to check for more defences while the guards on the ground raised their hands and looked around.

[00:01:55] The four of them were hidden behind boulders about 100 feet away.

[00:02:00] Katrina let loose another arrow, and it similarly hit home.

[00:02:04] The guard clutched his chest and fell to the ground, an arrow protruding.

[00:02:09] She is deadly with a bow, Mela thought, appreciating her skill even as she felt uneasy about the slaughter unfolding.

[00:02:17] There was a cry and then a clatter, and Mela looked to her right.

[00:02:22] Katrina was on the ground, holding her left shoulder, which was bleeding.

[00:02:27] Another one on the left, she said as she clutched her wound with her other hand.

[00:02:32] Prosper let out a cry of rage and stood.

[00:02:36] Mela was transfixed.

[00:02:38] His face was twisted in rage as he pulled his arm back and then thrust it to his left.

[00:02:45] Mela followed the motion.

[00:02:46] It led to a red guard who had been hiding behind other boulders, not 20 feet from them.

[00:02:52] Prosper made a fist, and the man cried out in agonizing pain.

[00:02:57] Prosper lifted his arm, and Mela almost couldn't believe what she was seeing.

[00:03:02] The guard was lifted into the sky, with nothing holding him or lifting him.

[00:03:07] Prosper threw his arm to the right, and the guard flew across the gorge and slammed into the mountainside with a crunch.

[00:03:15] The other guard looked shocked, but just as he lifted his own arm to presumably cast a spell, Prosper made another fist and lifted his arm.

[00:03:24] The guard cried out as he, too, was lifted into the air, and then thrown to the same rocky wall of the mountain.

[00:03:32] There was a thud, and then he landed next to the other guard.

[00:03:37] Mela knew she had just witnessed offensive magic, and she was both horrified and impressed.

[00:03:43] What could possibly stand against that in battle?

[00:03:46] Katrina cried out, and Mela looked over to see Dala treating her wound.

[00:03:51] Prosper practically tossed Dala to the ground as he reached Katrina and took her in his arms.

[00:03:58] My little bird, are you okay?

[00:04:01] Prosper was crying and seemed utterly distraught as he tore Katrina's tunic to tend her wound.

[00:04:08] It is okay, my love. The arrow passed through. I do not even think I am badly hurt other than this cut.

[00:04:13] Prosper ignored her and began his healing spell. Dala walked over, stood next to Mela, and said quietly,

[00:04:22] Sorry, but I do not think I love you that much.

[00:04:25] Mela smiled and replied,

[00:04:27] I do not want you to love me that much.

[00:04:29] She reached out and took Dala's hand. Dala squeezed it in reply as Prosper continued.

[00:04:35] Katrina kept her eyes closed until Prosper snapped his hand shut into a fist.

[00:04:41] My little bird is healed.

[00:04:43] Katrina took Prosper's fist in her hands and pulled it up to her lips.

[00:04:48] As she kissed his hand, Prosper cried out in deep, anguished pain.

[00:04:53] No, I have lost our first years.

[00:04:55] He shook his head and said,

[00:04:57] No, no, no. I promised myself I would not let it take our memories.

[00:05:01] I would rather die than lose that.

[00:05:03] How much?

[00:05:04] My first memory of us is celebrating the new year in our tower quarters. We were so happy.

[00:05:10] By the gods, my love, you have lost our first three years.

[00:05:15] Mela was completely lost as to what the conversation was about, but Prosper's response was clear enough.

[00:05:22] He broke down in deep sobs, falling into Katrina's arms. Katrina stroked his back as she held him.

[00:05:30] After a few moments, Prosper stood up, his face grim and dark.

[00:05:35] We must go. We don't know the guard rotation schedule.

[00:05:38] And as Mela looked on, trying to understand what was happening, Prosper took Katrina's hand, pulled her up, and the two strode toward the cave entrance.

[00:05:49] Mela looked at Dala, who shook her head.

[00:05:52] Neither of them knew what was going on, but they didn't have much choice.

[00:05:56] They followed Prosper and Katrina in the dark cave entrance of the dragon's teeth.

[00:06:03] All four of them travelled in quiet, navigating what Mela was now convinced was a dried river bottom that flowed through the mountain.

[00:06:12] She was grateful, as pulling the wagon was quite easy, and it was a clear path, requiring them to only use one torch at a time.

[00:06:21] They had travelled for hours when Mela broke the silence.

[00:06:26] How much longer until we cross Dragon Trail?

[00:06:28] I don't know, Prosper replied, not looking back but striding ever forward.

[00:06:34] You don't know? Do you know if this even leads to Dragon Trail?

[00:06:38] Dala retorted. Prosper stopped suddenly and spun around.

[00:06:42] There would not be guards if this didn't lead to Dragon Trail.

[00:06:44] I may not know how long the trip is or where this meets it, but meets it it does.

[00:06:49] If the unknown scares you, take a torch and return to Ness."

[00:06:53] He, of course, meant his Ness.

[00:06:56] Mela put her hand on Dala's shoulder.

[00:06:58] Prosper was disrespectful and rude, but fighting over his personality seemed unwise.

[00:07:05] They just had to make it through to the other side.

[00:07:08] Dala didn't respond to Mela's hand, but she didn't say anything in response either.

[00:07:14] Hours later, Prosper stopped and looked around.

[00:07:18] I've been hoping we would find water or wood, but it appears we will have to use our stores for this night.

[00:07:23] He then proceeded to walk back and grab a single log of the pile they had stored in the wagon.

[00:07:29] As he placed it to the side, he added,

[00:07:31] We shall rest here tonight.

[00:07:33] Before Mela could reply, he had used a spell to light the log.

[00:07:38] It is a long journey, Dala replied.

[00:07:40] We should make more progress before resting.

[00:07:42] You don't know the length of the journey.

[00:07:45] We will rest.

[00:07:47] Dala looked like she was going to object, but finally looked over at Mela, shook her head, and went to unpack their bedrolls.

[00:07:56] Later, the log was a mere ember, but Mela couldn't sleep.

[00:08:00] Neither could Katrina, apparently, as she sat next to Mela staring at the fire.

[00:08:06] With Prosper snoring, Mela used the moment to ask about their odd conversations about memory and magic.

[00:08:14] Back in the valley, Prosper said he lost an important memory.

[00:08:18] What did he mean by that?

[00:08:20] Katrina slowly turned and looked at Mela.

[00:08:23] She stared at her for an uncomfortably long time, as if sizing up the risk in sharing the information against her desire to share it.

[00:08:32] Many centuries ago, back in oldness, someone somehow discovered the secret to magic.

[00:08:37] It is an exchange, or fuel if you prefer.

[00:08:40] You provide the magic a memory, and the power is given to you.

[00:08:44] The greater the power, the more important the memory.

[00:08:47] What do you mean, provide the magic a memory?

[00:08:50] I know not the details, but when a magician casts a spell, their teaching gives them some control over the source of the magic.

[00:08:57] But the source itself is always a memory.

[00:09:01] When you cast a spell, you lose a memory forever.

[00:09:04] You may remember what happened before or after, but the specific memory is erased.

[00:09:09] So?

[00:09:09] Yes.

[00:09:10] Prosper cast two powerful spells to defend us.

[00:09:13] Each guard was lifted and thrown a great distance.

[00:09:16] The price Prosper paid in casting those spells was the memory of our life together at the beginning.

[00:09:22] He can no longer remember how we met, our first kiss.

[00:09:26] The first time we made love, our betrothal.

[00:09:29] None of it exists for him.

[00:09:30] By the gods!

[00:09:32] I can relay him what happened, but it isn't the same.

[00:09:35] It is never the same.

[00:09:37] To hear someone explain a memory is a pale imitation of the real thing.

[00:09:41] The emotions he felt, the small details he would have remembered that I wouldn't know to share.

[00:09:47] And of course those times when he had an important moment, but was alone.

[00:09:51] That sounds terrible.

[00:09:53] It is a curse.

[00:09:54] The wizards are evil.

[00:09:56] They kill their most cherished things for power.

[00:09:58] It is a one-sided exchange that they refuse to admit.

[00:10:02] But Prosper?

[00:10:03] I would never say these things to him.

[00:10:05] He is a noble man.

[00:10:07] A hard man, but a noble one.

[00:10:09] He sacrifices with the knowledge that it costs him, but he accepts the cost.

[00:10:14] Not because it brings him power, but because it helps others.

[00:10:18] Mela reached over and squeezed Katrina's shoulder, who turned and gave Mela a sad smile.

[00:10:24] There is more.

[00:10:26] I believe, but have no proof, that the loss of memories changes the person.

[00:10:31] Prosper was not always so hard on others, but as he loses the foundation of who he is to magic,

[00:10:36] it changes him, makes him bitter.

[00:10:39] As I said, harder.

[00:10:40] But he's a good man.

[00:10:42] Mela once again squeezed Katrina's shoulder.

[00:10:45] There was a pause as Katrina once again turned her attention to the dying embers.

[00:10:52] Until the magic makes him a bad one.