Firstborn of the Frontier

Unseen and unheard.

A principle Noora lived by after her parents died, and it was a hard habit to break. Hard as smoking, which was also why she lit up while lurking in the shadows of Howie’s house, a tiny brick shack that looked like the toolshed to the big house next door. Habit is all, and nothing to do with the fact that she was waiting for him to finish hanging out with his gorgeous, twin ‘sorta-sisters’ who didn’t act like any sisters Noora had ever seen. They were always holding his hand, clinging to his arm, or resting their heads on his shoulders whenever they could. The three of them didn’t act like any siblings Noora had ever seen before, here or in Pleasant Dunes, all close and touchy feely as they snuggled out on the front porch like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Small wonder Howie was immune to Noora’s charms. Wasn’t willpower that did it; he’d just grown used to that sort of intimate contact.

Those ‘sorta-sisters’ made for some real stiff competition, which was why Noora was waiting to catch him alone before making her approach. Difficult enough trying to top the gorgeous, blonde, buxom Tina, so spirited and lively without even having to try, but it was damn near impossible to hold Howie’s attention with Chrissy around. A beautiful, silver-haired angel, one touched by Aether and so innocent and defenseless that even Noora wanted to love, cherish, and protect her. As for Howie, he guarded her almost jealously whenever they were together, glaring at any man caught staring at her porcelain features or coming in close for a chat, but it wasn’t entirely their fault. There was more to Chrissy than just her beauty that drew your attention, something besides her alluring looks, milky white skin, and exquisite amethyst eyes. Tina had the same face, but beautiful as she was, she didn’t capture your attention the way Chrissy did, the same way the towering, whitewood trees of the alabaster forest captured Noora’s attention the first time she saw it.

It was the sheer majesty of the expansive woodlands that did it, as well as the complexity and diversity of it all. They rode for six days alongside the forest, and she watched the trees go by the entire time while marvelling at the ever-changing scenery. Wasn’t like the desert sands, where one sand dune was same as any other. The forest was vibrant and alive, a dynamic growth of endless white wood, creeping blue vines, entangled purple shrubbery, and flowers and fruits in all colours of the rainbow.

As for why Chrissy’s expression, or lack thereof, was so compelling to look at, Noora really couldn’t say. The girl had an air of relaxed indifference about her as she went about her day, all alone in the world save for whatever captured her interest. Adrift and untouched by her surroundings, like an angel out of heaven here to see what the humans were all about.

Which was why Howie was so protective of her. Chrissy could only live this way because she had him there to look after her, her own personal guardian and bodyguard. Wasn’t just an arm for her to cling to either. He’d point out things of interest for her to look at, pull snacks out of his pockets for her to eat, wipe her mouth with a clean kerchief and fuss about with her silken, sliver tresses whenever the wind moved even a single hair out of place. He loved the girl something fierce, did everything he could to protect her from the ugliness of the Frontier, and Noora envied Chrissy her good fortune for having someone like that in her life.

That said, Noora wasn’t here to steal Howie away from Chrissy. Not really, and not just because she didn’t think she could win. No, she just wanted to talk to him alone, where he didn’t have Chrissy to distract him and she didn’t have to deal with Tina’s jealous pouts or Aunty Ray’s pointed questions about her intentions with Howie or subtle disapproval of how she dressed. Now there was a woman unlike any other, so perfect in every way it hardly seemed fair. Aunty Ray was tall, fit, buxom, and attractive, with big expressive eyes and full luscious lips that were so red and juicy that even Noora sometimes wondered how they might taste. A kind and compassionate mother, Aunty Ray made sure everyone had a plate of food and a drink in hand at Howie’s barbeque while finding the time to let Noora know in private that she was always welcome to come and talk or just have a meal if that’s what she needed. Not that she did; the Ramirez's welcomed her into their home and made sure she had everything she needed. Not just a bed to sleep in and food to eat, but new clothes to wear and her own ‘sorta-sister’ in Josie, a sweet, bubbly, naïve girl with big, brown eyes, pouty little lips, and the cutest button nose you’ve ever seen.

Girl wouldn’t have made it two days in Pleasant Dunes, but that’s the thing. She didn’t have to, and hopefully never would. That’s what New Hope was about, keeping their people safe and sound here inside it’s massive stone walls. They were two or three times taller than the walls in Pleasant Dunes, and so long you couldn’t see either end of them while standing at the gates. That’s how big the town was, a sprawling stretch of brick buildings and cobblestone streets which were bustling at all hours of the day. Could get lost here so easily just wandering about, and spend days exploring the area without ever retracing your steps. Been here for little over a month and Noora had yet to see everything there was to see, but not for lack of trying. New Hope was just that big, a sprawling metropolis that that seemed like paradise next to the nightmare that was Pleasant Dunes.

And Howie’s modest little house sat almost dead centre amidst it all, in the sleepiest neighbourhood of all, a quiet sanctuary of scattered homes sitting in a meadow which the whole town was built around. Was incredible to see it, the fields of clipped white grass with their neat purple hedges and manicured trees to break up the monotony. The houses each had big fields around them, which Noora assumed had once been farmland but now sat idle and unused, save for the odd barn, shed, or stable scattered about. Howie’s place was the only one with a fenced ranch, with painted wooden posts that looked nicer and cleaner than anything they had back in Pleasant Dunes, while a whole herd of adorable wallies hopped all about, looking soft and fuzzy as can be.

Was a world of difference from Pleasant Dunes, and not just for the lack of sand. There was a gentle liveliness to the town which almost seemed unreal, a place of peace and unity so different from what Noora thought was normal for so many years. The people weren’t guarded and standoffish, with no one watching their back from anyone else as they went about their days, most wearing more wealth than even Mr. Jackson. In fact, there were some who made him look downright shabby in comparison, businessmen all dressed in their bright, clean slacks and matching jackets over colourful, collared button ups, with silk ties, gold watches, and folded pocket squares that were there for decoration. The women around them were even fancier with their tight, square shouldered jackets and long pencil skirts, with fur or silken scarves, pearl and ivory buttons, as well as big, lumpy earrings and bulky necklaces to show off shimmering gemstones aplenty.

Small wonder Howie was so angry about Pleasant Dunes. He knew the prices these rich people paid for the uncut stones the miners dug up for Mr. Jackson to sell. Enough to have everyone back there living like kings no doubt, except none of them knew it, none except Howie who saw how both sides lived. Made her all the more grateful for his efforts to see them free and clear of the Company. Sure, it was the Rangers who brought them all out of the desert, but Mr. Jackson never would’ve let them leave if Howie hadn’t put him and his dogs down first.

And make no mistake, that’s what happened in Pleasant Dunes. Noora didn’t see it for herself, but she heard the explosion and the gunfight that followed, one that ended less than a minute before Howie came tumbling out the second story window of Mr. Jackson’s living room. He went in there with nothing but the guns on his belt and left only death and ashes behind, because he was the Firstborn and that’s what he does. Made her feel silly for stopping him on his way up the saloon stairs, because he’d have made short work of the bouncers and any reinforcements to boot, even without the Rangers there to back him. Maybe if she hadn’t interfered, he could’ve cleaned up Vanguard National a week earlier and saved himself a whole lot of heartache, including the hand he lost somewhere along the way.

A message that, a punishment for stealing Company profits, meaning there was more to this than just Howie disrespecting Big Al or shooting Tank and getting him arrested. Somehow, the Firstborn hurt the Company’s bottom line and pissed Mr. Jackson off enough to make an example of him. There’d been plenty of those over the years, miners who thought they could palm or pocket a gemstone and sell it on the sly only to lose a hand once they were caught. Most died soon after, because if the infection didn’t do them in, then poverty would soon after, and of the two, Noora would pick infection every time. Least they died in a matter of days; a one-handed miner working down in the tunnels could survive just long enough to wish otherwise.

It'd be different for Howie though. Not only did he not get infected, everyone was talking like losing a hand was only an inconvenience for him, what with how he had two Mage Hands to work with. A tricky Spell to pick up it was, and Noora knew this firsthand, having learned the Cantrip from Josie’s Spellbook and spent the last five weeks practicing as often as she could. Still couldn’t pick up a cup filled with water without spilling out half, or hold a pencil properly much less write with it. Granted, she didn’t have all that much time to practice considering the piles of schoolwork she had to finish in order to catch up, but she relished the opportunity to learn with a hunger most kids in New Hope didn’t understand. They didn’t know how good they had it, sitting at their desks all morning and reading up on history or math, instead of learning how to pick a lock or shimmy a door just so you could get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Got plenty of that these days too, in her own bed right next to Josie’s. Had a soft, stuffed mattress, warm, fluffy blanket, and no unexpected visitors to boot, but her wonderful bed would go unused tonight so long as things went according to plan. And if Josie kept her cool without giving the game away. The sweet girl was innocent as could be, all shocked and appalled Noora would be so bold as to spend the night at Howie’s. Jealous too, because she clearly had a crush on the Firstborn, but was too scared and shy to do anything about it. Too bad for her then, because it didn’t matter how safe or orderly New Hope might be, it was still every woman for herself out here. That’s why Noora stuffed some clothes under the covers of her bed to make it look like she was already fast asleep, even though the sun had only just set, and seeing how Mr. Ramirez had yet to sneak in even once so far, she figured no one would be the wiser so long as Josie didn’t squeal.

Still made Noora nervous though, standing out here in the open where anyone could see her, but there was no helping it. There wasn’t much shelter on this side of Howie’s house, just an open field until the next house over at least a hundred metres away. Not all of the houses were spaced so far apart, as Howie’s was an outlier here in this sleepy neighbourhood, built right next to the ranch on Aunty Ray’s property, while doing absolutely nothing with the rest of his land. A crazy concept, owning land inside a town instead of everything being owned by the Company, and Noora didn’t understand how it all worked save to say Howie had a whole lot of space he wasn’t using in the most desirable part of town. Close to the main thoroughfare and far from any of the four walls, a jewel nestled safely in the middle of New Hope because he’d been here before there was even a town to name.

“You lost there little lady?”

Noora almost jumped out of her skin at the unexpected question as she turned to face Howie, who was leaning out from around the corner and tucking his pistol away. Even here at home, he was careful and vigilant as can be, having somehow discovered Noora standing around the corner without knowing it was her. Uncanny that, alongside his stealthy approach, and she reminded herself never to try and take him by surprise ever again. “Not at all, handsome,” she replied, flashing a smile as she recovered from her surprise. “I’m right where I want to be.” Slipping her arms around his waist, she glanced at Aunty Ray’s porch to make sure Chrissy and Tina were gone. They were, but standing out here in the open was a surefire way to get caught, so Noora pretended to shiver while pressing herself right up against him. “It’s a little cold though. Mind if we take this inside?”

Howie didn’t answer right away, or jump at the chance to get her inside and alone. He just raised and eyebrow and smiled at her as she leaned back in his one-armed embrace, like he knew exactly what she was trying to do and wouldn’t have any of it. “Get’s a whole lot colder out here, don’t it?” he asked, gently extricating himself from her arms before removing his duster and slipping it around her shoulders. One of them at least, while the other slipped off because he didn’t have a hand to hold it in place. Made his smile slip too as he clenched his jaw in muted frustration, and she hurried to help him fix it, which only made things worse as the whole thing slid off her shoulder until it was just dangling there in his hand. Cheeks burning as she wrapped the heavy leather jacket around her, she glanced up to see his soft smile back in full force, not a big toothy grin like what he was flashing in Pleasant Dunes, but a muted quirk of his lips that fit his sharp features well.

“It’s the breeze,” she said, shivering as the warm wool lining pressed against her bared flesh, of which there was hardly enough. Wanted to look good for him, which was difficult to do in an oversized, long-sleeved button up and pants with a waistline so high it sat above her belly button, but she made it work by leaving all the buttons undone and tying her shirttails into a knot. Was a far cry from the tight shirts and short shorts she was used to back in Pleasant Dunes, but the people of New Hope were a prudish bunch who balked at the thought of showing a knee. Sweet Josie loved her a sundress, which looked loose and comfortable to be sure, but they covered her from neck to ankle and were impossible to run or hide in. That and the ribbons, so very many ribbons, which is why Noora opted for the loose linen pants and baggy plaid shirts even though they were an eyesore.

Truth was, she didn’t mind looking dumpy and unappealing most of the time, except that made it hard to look good when she wanted to. Not that it mattered all that much, because Howie’s eyes stayed fixed on hers at all times save for when he was glancing around at their surroundings, casually scoping things out because he never felt safe, not even at the literal door to his own home.

“I’d invite you in,” he began, in his slurred, sing-song tone which suited him so well once you got past the unexpected surprise, “But it’s late, and it wouldn’t be proper for a man and a woman to be seen together alone. How about we walk and talk while I escort you home?”

Even though it was phrased as a question, Howie was already guiding her away from the house, but Noora dug her heels in and stood her ground. “Forget proper,” she said, snuggling in close to his chest with a pout. “I came all this way in the cold, so I deserve a tour before I go.” At the very least, and she had a whole lot more in mind, which she conveyed with her eyes as she pressed herself against him again. Couldn’t come right out and say it, because she’d already tried that twice and gotten nothing for it, so now she was trying something different. “Please?”

Worked like a charm too. Push and he’d push back, but melt and he’ll pick you up and carry you around, because that’s just the sort of man Howie was. “Alright,” he say, relenting even though he knew full well what she was doing. “A quick tour, in and out, then we get you back home safe and sound.” She had so much to say about in and out, but she held her tongue and gave him a devilish grin, one that ignited a fire in his eyes. Disentangling himself from her embrace, he paused to pat his pockets and make sure he still had everything on him. Was doing a bit, because she could feel his wallet sitting inside his duster which she had draped around her shoulders, so she laughed and followed him over to the door. One he unlocked with a touch, the bolt disengaging with an audible click-clack as he rested his hand on the doorknob for all of a second before turning.

Glancing at the door as she followed him in, she studied the mechanism as best she could without being too obvious about it. Was a bit more involved than the locks she was used to seeing, but it seemed like they worked the same way mechanically. A latch on a spring pretty much, meaning she could still shimmy the door open with the flat of a knife same as any other, unless there was more magic there to keep people out.

“Locks are only there to keep honest folk honest,” Howie drawled, reading Noora thoughts like she had them written on her sleeve. “The Wards are what keep the ne’er do wellers out. Pumps a good bit of Electric shock into anyone who opens that door without being Keyed and alerts me to their presence to boot. Ain’t pleasant for anyone involved, whether it be the poor soul dumb enough to try the door or me who’s gotta drag myself out of bed and keep them from choking on their own tongue after they pass out.”

A warning, telling her not to sneak back later to try again, so Noora batted her eyes and played innocent instead of owning up to her thoughts. “Isn’t that expensive?” she asked, both out of interest and because she knew he loved to talk magic. “Even if the Wards don’t use much Aether to start with, keeping them up all the time has gotta get pricy over time.”

“Nah, that’s the beauty of Wards,” Howie replied with a grin, grabbing the door before she could close it behind her and propping it open with the door stand. “They’re idle and dormant until triggered, so they don’t cost nothing to maintain Aether wise. Ain’t until they’re used is all that Aether spent, at which point you gotta spend Aether rearming them, but it’s a pittance compared to a single bullet since most Wards don’t got much in the way of Metamagics.” Dipping his head in a little shrug, he added, “Does make them susceptible to tampering if someone knows they’re there and what they’re doing, but ain’t no perfect lock that can’t be broken.”

Much as she wanted to ask him how one would learn something like that, Noora wasn’t here to talk shop. Glancing around the tiny shack, she saw a nice and serviceable living area that was bare bones, but well cared for. Wasn’t much in the way of personal touch, no paintings or pictures, plants or decorations, just two old-school guns that looked put together with care and a shelf full of books sitting in disarray, all half open and laying about instead of stacked nice and neat. “Yea,” Howie said, when he noticed her staring, because leaving his books in a mess didn’t seem like something he’d do. “The Sherrif sends his boys around at least once a week to rummage through my books, so I figured there ain’t no point tidying things up since they keep messing it up all the time.”

Though he said it all with a smile, she sensed a whole lot of resentment buried deep inside, so she skirted around the issue and moved on right away. Wasn’t much else to see to be honest, so she made her way over to his bedroom while he stood by the front door in plain view of anyone who might look this way. Funny for a man who didn’t blink twice about killing to be so nervous about being caught alone with a woman, so she didn’t push too far too fast and just poked head in for a look. Was clean and orderly as could be, with his bed neatly made, clothes put away, and chair tucked into his desk, all square and tidy as expected. A bit cumbersome to navigate given the layout, with the door opening up to his desk right in front while the bed was pushed up to the left side of the wall. Meant you had to step over his bed to get to the empty space on the right side of the room where he had his dresser with all his clothes. “Why don’t you swap your bed and dresser?” she asked, without thinking too much into it. “Would give you more room on the left side to move around.”

“Was like that until recently,” Howie replied, still standing at the front door with no intention of closing it. “Had to move things around so I could grab my gun from the gunsafe should any vagrants or vagabonds think to let themselves in.”

Because he only had the left hand now, and wanted to sleep with his left side closer to the gun safe. Giving the reinforced steel lockbox a once over, with the big dial up front for a three-digit combination code and a five-spoked handle you probably had to turn a full 720 degrees to disengage the lock, Noora turned to Howie with a raised eyebrow and said, “Doesn’t matter which side of the safe you’re on if it takes a good ten seconds to open the lock even if you know the code.”

“Well…” Drawing out the word like it had a half-dozen syllables, Howie finally moved away from the door and kicked off his shoes. Only then did he step off of the welcome mat and into the house proper, and Noora felt her cheeks flush as she realized she’d been stomping all over his neat and tidy house in her dirty sandals. He didn’t say anything about it, even gave her a wink to reassure her as he passed, stepping over his bed to stand by the gun safe before turning to face her. “Like I said, so long as you know what you doin’,” he began, spinning the dial and pulling on the handle to show her it was locked up tight. Flashing a smile, he balled his hand into a fist and slammed the base of his hand into the face of the door with a big, booming knock. “Ain’t no perfect lock that can’t be broke.”

The safe’s internals spun and clicked for a good second or two before the door popped open nice and neat as can be, and Noora’s jaw dropped to see it happen. “How’d you do that?” she asked, kicking off her sandals to land by the front door before rushing into the room to inspect his safe. “Bypassing the Ward is one thing, assuming you even have one on there, but how’d you get the lock to just open up on its own?”

“I knocked,” Howie said, grinning from ear to ear as he leaned back against the wall, just oozing with smug self-satisfaction. Wouldn’t say anything else about it though, just grinned through all her questions until she sat on his bed with a huff. Leaning back on her hands until his jacket slipped off her shoulders, she bit her lip and gave him a pout until he rolled his eyes and explained, “Seriously. I knocked. Capital K. Second Order Transmutation Spell which opens locks, magical and mundane both. Built it into the Ward and keyed to myself for just such an emergency. Only keep my everyday carry in here while I sleep, so if someone ever breaks in while I’m away and makes use of the Knock to open it up, then they ain’t gonna find much anyways.”

“There’s a Spell that opens locks?”

“That there is,” Howie said, closing the safe door and locking it up tight before knocking on the door again. Only then did she notice that the sound was louder than it should be, a hollow clang that sounded like metal-on-metal right in her ear rather than ringing out from the door itself. “Course, given how every half-decent sneak-thief has the Spell in their repertoire, any decent safe will have at least two locks, meaning you gotta cast the very loud Spell twice to get in. Doesn’t do anything to stop Wards neither, which is why I only got an Alarm on the gun safe and no Shocking Grasp.”

“Spell’s loud,” Noora said, speaking her thoughts while considering everything he told her. “Means anyone nearby will hear it open.”

“Yea, up to 100m if you use the Spell manually.” Grinning as he patted the safe once more, he shrugged and said, “Pretty sure they baked that into the Spell on purpose when designing it, so folks would hear the noise and call it in. I had it dampened so the sound don’t leave the room, but that only works because it’s a ward. Out there in the wild? I’d have to use a Silence Spell to keep things quiet, another Second Order Spell, so for most, it’d be easier to learn how to pick locks instead.”

It was fascinating stuff, and not just because Noora liked breaking into locked rooms. There was so much more to Magic than most people thought, not just slinging Spells around at one another, but trades to learn too. She wasn’t here for career advice though, so she got herself back on track and straightened up to show off her belly and chest. “You put those Wards in yourself?” Most men liked to have their ego stroked, and large as Howie’s might be, he was no exception. “That’s incredible.”

“It’s Etches all the way down,” Howie said with a shrug. “Only difference is the medium. A Rune is an Etch laid out in conductive metal like what I got on my gun, while a Ward is an Etch laid out in three-dimensional space.” Noora pursed her lips, because he wasn’t really getting it, still thinking she wanted to know more about Wards instead of taking her up on her unspoken offer. Instead, he thought she didn’t understand, so Howie explained, “Runes and sigils and watnot, those are two-dimensional circuits. Aether starts at one end, travels through the whole path, then exits out the other end. A Ward is technically four separate circuits which come together to enclose a space. Each individual circuit works same as the above, but they also work together to create an effect through Aetheric dynamics. Let’s you do more with the Etch, even create Spell-like effects, with the caveat being that if the Ward is moved, it weakens the effect, making them fragile and easy to break. That’s why most Wards are kept immobile, laid out in doorframes or on the floor or something. Either way, long as you learn how to Etch, then you can do Runes, Wards, Alchemy, Augments, Imbuements, or anything really with just a little bit more studying.”

“I see,” she replied, wondering if he’d keep going on about Etches if she took off her top. Probably, considering how happy he was to go in depth on the subject matter. Went on a long discourse talking about how Alchemists used Spiritual, immaterial Etches to weave ingredients together to create magical concoctions that were more than the sum of its parts, while Artisans learned to make use of the natural Etches contained within Aetheric materials like hides taken from Magical Beasts or Aether infused lumber. There were also suspended matrices, which was a combination of Alchemy and Craftsmanship, and Augmentations which was using Etches to enhance the natural properties of an item, and still so much more. It was a lot to unpack in a very short amount of time, and Howie only rarely stopped to take a breath, so it wasn’t long before she caught herself nodding off. Figuring it couldn’t be all that bad, she let herself slump down in his bed and pretended she’d fallen fast asleep to see what he’d do. Seeing how he was the type to balk at a forward woman, maybe he’d be tempted by a helpless, defenseless girl lying in his bed.

Wasn’t ideal, but she knew well enough what men were like, which was why she spent so much time learning how to pick locks in the first place.

“Noora?” Howie whispered, and she worked really hard to keep her breathing slow and steady. “You fall asleep there?” Though her eyes were closed, she could feel him draw close as he gently placed a hand on the bed beside her and leaned in real close. This was it, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she fought to stay limp and still as can be. “If you don’t move, then I guess you leave me no choice then.” The pressure on the bed eased up as he lifted his hand, but he didn’t move to lift her shirt, unbutton her pants, touch her lips, or anything. Instead, he whispered, “Obtestor.”

Which sounded familiar, but it took her a long second to place what the word actually was because his accent was so thick. By then, he’d finished the chant with, “Aqua – Sphaera,” and it was too late for her to react. The cold orb splashed all over her bared belly and she stifled a yelp of surprise as she jumped to his feet and glared at Howie, who looked plenty pleased as he leaned against the wall on the other side of the small room. Grinning from ear to ear, he shook his head and said, “Let that be a lesson to you little lady. Gotta take better care of yourself out there. Town’s safe as any, but don’t mean you can let you guard down entirely.”

It was just a stupid prank, one Noora would’ve laughed off from anyone else. The kids in New Hope often spent their afternoons lobbing Water Spheres at one another out front of school, and Noora had joined in more than once. Here and now though, she couldn’t help but let her frustration bubble over into anger and misery as she tried to understand why Howie kept rejecting her. He wasn’t stupid and knew exactly what she was doing, as well as what she wanted, but no matter what she did, he just didn’t want her. “Why?” Noora asked, her throat closing after uttering the single word and preventing her from finishing the question.

Why didn’t he want her?

Was it because he thought she was tainted goods? Or because he blamed her for losing his hand? It might even be her fault, because she didn’t know what went down, but the facts were the facts and Miss Laura had sent Noora over to him to get him to talk. She never told anyone what he said though, would never tell a soul, but before she could push past the lump in her throat and explain herself to him, Howie tilted his head and offered her his hand. Held it out in front him, palm up, and just stood there waiting, and she gave him a look and tried to figure him out. He didn’t give her any clues or reassurances, just stood there looking calm, patient, and serious as can be, so she couldn’t tell what he was trying to do.

“Been about a minute now,” he said, after what felt more like an eternity. “Yet you still don’t trust me enough to take my hand.” He lowered his arm and gave her a smile, a soft, sad one that spoke volumes. “So maybe you ought to ask yourself why, Noora. Why you here lookin’ for me?” He paused to let her think it through, even though they both knew the answer. “Lotta good reasons. I’m handsome. Funny. Tough. Talented. Humble too. The whole package really.” He grinned, and Noora laughed and cried at the same time, because even though he was joking, he wasn’t too far off the mark except with that last bit. “But none of that is why you here. You here because I helped get you out of Pleasant Dunes, and you want to say thank you.” Reaching up to tenderly brush her bangs out of her eyes, he said, “That ain’t affection. That’s gratitude, and you don’t ever gotta thank me for what I done. Got it?”

His part said, he leaned past her to grab his duster and throw it around her shoulders again, but this time with help from his Mage Hands. “Besides, flattered as I am by the attention, it’s still same as before. Time and place, and now ain’t a good time because I ain’t in a good place.” Man winked when he said it, played it off like a joke, but they both knew he was speaking unvarnished truth. “Even if it wasn’t, you move a bit fast for a shy boy like me. Was raised proper, which means you gotta romance me before you can get into my drawers.”

Noora laughed, enjoying how the big, bad Firstborn had reversed their roles, and wanting him all the more for it. Was embarrassing, because he just told her he needed his space, but she couldn’t stop herself from leaning into his embrace. “So, while I wait for the proper time and place to sweep you off your feet, how do we go about getting to know one another?”

“Difficult to say,” Howie replied, nuzzling his cheek into her forehead while pulling her in close for a one-armed hug. “You free tomorrow after lunch?” Noora nodded, and he continued, “How ‘bout we take a ride down to the lake? You bring Josie, and I’ll bring Chrissy to protect my chastity. Maybe Tina too if she ain’t busy, but I think she goin’ to the gun range.”

“The lake?” Balking despite the opportunity before her, and not just because Howie wanted to bring his sorta-sisters, Noora bit her lip and asked, “Aren’t there Abby in there? Heard they attacked you a few weeks back while you were working by the shore. Killed a Deputy even.” There were also rumours of how Howie lured the Deputy to his death and ensorcelled the Abby to attack him, but she didn’t believe them.

Mostly because if Howie wanted a man dead, he’d have shot him instead of jumping through so many hoops.

“I mean yea,” Howie replied, all too casually considering the topic of conversation. “But only a couple Abby. Seven, and I killed four of them. Deputy Juan was just unlucky. And loud. Should’ve known better than to stand with his back to the water while shoutin’ all sorts of nonsense, but it is what it is. Besides, that was way out in the sticks, a couple hours ride along the shore. Can’t even see the place from the docks, and Abby know better than to surface round these parts, because that’s a sure way to get got.” Giving her a look, he pursed his lips and said, “If you’d rather stay in town, we could – ”

“No, it’s fine,” Noora said, all too quickly for her liking. He enjoyed the chase, she knew that already, so she had to stop throwing herself at him every chance she got. “A ride down by the lake sounds great.”

“…Okay. Only if you sure though. Can’t promise that you’ll be in safe hands after all, seeing how I only got the one.”

The joke was so terrible and distasteful, but he looked so proud of it she couldn’t help but laugh, more out of shock than anything else. Patting him on the chest, she stifled her laughter long enough to say, “It’s all right. Josie showed me the second-hand store, so we can stop off there before we set out.”

Grinning from ear to ear, Howie chuckled and shook his head. “Nah, they overpriced. Charge you an arm and a leg for anything halfway decent, which’ll put me back to square one.”

“That’s a good one. Gotta hand it to you.”

“I’d applaud you for that one, but you know how it is.”

They traded off a few more hand puns before Howie paused and said, “Thanks for playing along, Noora. Everyone else either rolls their eyes or looks horrified whenever I bring it up.”

“I get it.” With a little half-hearted shrug, she leaned into him and said, “Sometimes, you gotta laugh just to keep yourself from crying.”

“Truer words ain’t ever been spoken.”

They stood there in silence as they reached their first awkward pause, one they let hang until Noora felt compelled to fill the silence. “I never told anyone,” she whispered, glancing up to see his reaction, but his expression was solidly neutral now, without so much of a hint of anger or amusement. “About our talk. And I won’t. Ever. I should’ve told you miss Laura sent me to talk to you, but I wasn’t planning on telling her a thing.”

“I believe you,” Howie said, squeezing her shoulder and flashing a brief but warm smile. “And I appreciate you keeping quiet.” Changing the subject, Howie guided her out the door while asking about how she was settling in and what it was all like. Kept the focus on her and stuck to lighter topics while walking her home with his arm around her shoulder and hers around his waist. Drew a good number of looks from the people they passed, but more curiosity than anything else. All the rumours she’d heard lately didn’t paint Howie in a good light, but it only went to show how sheltered these people were if they thought he was anything like the truly terrible monsters out there. She told Josie and anyone else who asked that anyone who died in that fire back in Pleasant Dunes was deserving of death, because Vanguard National was a company filled with animals clad in human flesh.

And Howie cleared them all out in a single night. Maybe by himself, or maybe with help from two other Rangers. Noora wasn’t all too clear on the specifics, though she knew he had some run ins with the Lieutenant who died that same night, and was real close to Captain Marcus who died even earlier while clearing out the staging ground from which that army of Abby had come out. No wonder he wasn’t in a good place, losing his hand and a close father figure like that, and Noora kicked herself mentally for forgetting such an important fact. They’d only just listed off the names of the fallen a few hours earlier, and Captain Marcus had been on there, but she hadn’t been paying attention and was too busy looking for Howie’s face in the crowd.

A good thing Noora didn’t see him, else she might’ve made her approach then and there, assuming she could convince Josie to distract Tina, Chrissy, and Aunty Ray.

She was enjoying the evening stroll so much, she didn’t consider what would happen when she arrived at the Ramirez’s home some twenty minutes later. She couldn’t just go waltzing on through the front door now, not when she was supposedly already asleep in bed upstairs, so she glanced around to make sure there was no one around and whispered, “Think you could give me a hand and boost me up onto the porch roof?”

“Can’t,” Howie replied, smiling as she realized her mistake and stifled a groan in advance. “Only got the one left to me.” Chortling beneath his breath, he added, “That’s a doubler. Get it? Only left to me?”

Rolling her eyes with a smile, Noora said, “This is serious. I asked Josie to cover for me and tell her parents I already fell asleep. The bedroom window’s right there though, so if you help me up, I can get inside without anyone besides Josie noticing.”

“Already got sweet innocent Josie complicit in your crimes.” Shaking his head in mock severity, Howie wagged his finger and said, “You a bad seed, girlie, first in a whole bumper crop of home-grown miscreants here in New Hope.” Reaching into his pouch, Howie rummaged around without looking for all of a half-second before pulling out a shiny loop of what looked like gold wire twisted into a coil. Probably wasn’t real gold though, just something that looked like it in the dark, else he wouldn’t be so carefree about waving it around. “Lucky for you, I got something better than a boost up.” Muttering some of his heavily accented Latin under his breath, he waggled his fingers with the coil in hand before tapping her on the nose with it, and Noora felt herself grow taller. No, not taller, but lighter, so light she was literally floating off of the ground. “Calm thoughts,” Howie said, gently taking her by the hand before she floated away. Pulled her back too, keeping her feet underneath her instead of continuing up while her hand remained in place, which was good because if she was going to float away on the wind, she’d much rather be right side up.

“What’s happening?” she asked, her eyes wide in alarm and excitement both.

“Levitation Spell,” Howie said, while guiding her over to the side of the porch. “Now be ready to grab onto the roof, then keep at least one hand in contact with it as you pull yourself along. If you miss, then just try to stay over the roof, because I can drop the Spell which will very gently put you down, at which point you’ll have to walk. Got it?” Noora nodded, all too eager and excited to go floating off into the sky now that she knew it’d be safe, and Howie beamed to see it. “Alright then,” he said, giving her a wink and a wave as he let go of her hand and kept hold of his duster. “See you tomorrow after lunch then.”

She waved back and almost forgot to grab onto the roof as she watched him back away into the street. Following his instructions, she pulled her weightless self alongside the gutters and over to the window which Josie had left cracked open ever so slightly. Lifting it up all the way as quietly as she could, Noora paused to turn and wave goodbye to Howie one more time before diving headfirst through the window, where Josie was sat up in her bed with wide-eyed wonder as she watched Noora make her grand entrance. The Spell faded ever so slowly, giving her plenty of time to get her feet under her before they settled down onto the hardwood without so much as a creak, and she couldn’t help but release the breath she’d been holding now that she’d gotten back in without the Ramirez’s noticing. “Well?” Josie asked, her voice all high and excited. “What happened?”

Noora told her everything, without hiding a single thing. Even though she knew Josie had a crush on Howie, the other girl never let that get in the way of being happy for Noora. It was touching in some ways, silly in many others, and she didn’t know how exactly to feel about Josie. Sad because she missed out? Scornful because she missed her chance? Proud for getting one up on the other girl? Truth was, it was hard to be anything but nice to the sweet, innocent doe-eyed girl who gasped at the thought of Noora sitting on his bed and giggled uncontrollably when she heard Howie had his arm around her shoulder as they walked home.

The next day, afternoon couldn’t come soon enough as Noora watched the minutes go by. Soon as lunch was finished, she was ready and waiting at their bedroom window, watching for Howie’s approach. And what an entrance he made, riding up on a frisky brown horse that stood taller than her at the shoulders. As if that wasn’t enough, he had Cowie trundling there beside him, so big and burly he made the horse look skinny and weak in comparison. Tina and Chrissy were there too, one on a golden-brown stallion while the other rode a horse that was white from head to toe with a beautifully braided mane, and they each had a riderless horse with them which was when Noora realized Howie expected her to ride on her own.

Not that was a whole experience altogether, one that took more courage than she knew she had to get up onto the black and white horse Howie affectionately called, ‘Old Tux’. “This the same horse I learned to ride on,” Howie said, pulling his hand back from the beast’s cheek to narrowly avoid losing his fingers to a set of snapping teeth. Madman that he was, he patted the horse’s cheek after the fact like it didn’t just try to eat his only hand and said, “A real sweetheart he is. You just sit there and let him bring you about.”

Which she did as Howie mounted up and led them out of the city towards the lake. Was a bit of wait getting through the gate, but once they moved passed the chokepoint, they were home free. The lake stretched out as far as the eye could see, more water than Noora could ever imagine in one place. Even though she couldn’t see the other side, this was still somehow nothing compared to the ocean, which was even bigger, wider, and deeper than the lake could ever be. Was a forty-five-minute boat ride across to the other side, though that was on the slowest ferry which was also the safest and cheapest way to make the trip. There were faster and smaller boats you could take, but then you risked getting attacked by Abby and having your boat break apart in the middle of all that water. Despite the risks, Noora saw plenty of folks frolicking in the water and more boats than she could count making their way to and from Riverrun over on the other side. They made it seem so normal and commonplace, to risk death by Aberration each and every day just to make it in to work or deliver a shipment of wood or whatever.

Then again, it wasn’t like the miners had it safe as could be, and they still marched off into the mines every time their shift came about. At least here they had the Rangers watching out for them, which was something at the very least.

Perhaps sensing Noora’s fear of the lake, Howie didn’t bring them right down to the shore and instead took them along a well-worn dirt path that ran parallel to the water. Was no denying the beauty around them, what with the clear blue waters and bright white grass amidst a forest of towering white trees that stretched so far overhead she imagined they must almost touch the clouds in the sky. Wasn’t so foolish as to say as much out loud, but she did ask how tall the biggest trees grew, to which Howie suggested they all climb one and find out. For a moment, she thought him crazy for even suggesting such a thing, until she remembered he had Levitate in his back pocket.

So they dismounted and took turns climbing trees with Howie’s Levitation Spell to help. Wasn’t easy as it sounded, because once you got to a certain height, the Spell stopped pushing you upwards and just let you float there in place. You could still climb higher using your own hands and feet, but the further up you went, the less the Spell helped until you were pretty much climbing without any assistance at all. Tina made it up the furthest, to no one’s surprise, while Chrissy was a close second trailing only a few metres behind. Both of them were crazy though, which they proved by jumping off the tree once they were done climbing and plunging straight down towards the forest floor, a good four or five seconds of freefall until the Levitation Spell kicked in again and slowed them enough to land gently. Tina laughed and whooped the whole way down, while Chrissy was silent and stony the entire time, only to land lightly and hop back over to get in line for a second trip.

As for Josie, she didn’t even make it to the maximum height of the Spell, clinging to the tree tight and refusing to got any higher before demanding Howie let her down. Noora wasn’t that bad, but as soon as the Spell stopped lifting her up, she made the mistake of looking down and didn’t want to go any higher. By then, they’d each had a turn, but Howie announced he only had one more Second Order Spell left in the tank, and they all agreed to let Chrissy go up a second time. The girl looked utterly emotionless as she ascended and dropped back down, but the skip in her step on the way back showed how much fun she was having.

Howie too, who had a big smile on his face the whole time despite not taking part in the climb, and Noora’s heart warmed to see it. They continued their ride and took in the sights, with the seemingly unending line of boats going to and fro while birds flew over head and animals ran about in the brush. Howie pointed them out whenever he saw them, mostly for Chrissy’s benefit, and Noora saw more wild animals in one day than she had in her entire life. Was plenty of wildlife out in the Corral Desert; she just rarely saw them is all, because most shied away from the town and the mines because they didn’t like the near daily explosions.

While Howie seemed enamoured of the marties, Noora was more partial towards the gryphikins, these four-legged beaked mammals with four wings, which they used to fly over the lake and dive straight down onto fish and birds alike. The first time she saw one dive, she thought it was Abby jumping out of the lake, but then the tiny brown animal popped back up out of the waters and flew off with a fish in tow. She’d never forget the sight, so speedy and graceful despite its heavy cargo and dripping wet feathers and fur.

Soon enough, it came time to head home, but Noora made the most out of every minute of the trip. As they neared the town gates, she turned around for one last look at the lake, and as luck would have it, she spotted another gryphikin diving down into the water. “Look!” she said, beaming brightly as she pointed at it like an excited little kid. “It’s diving.”

There was a pause as everyone turned to look, and then Tina gasped as the creature hit the water. “Not diving,” Howie corrected, frowning as he stared out over the water. “Falling.”

Blinking in confusion, Noora glanced back at the water and waited with bated breath for the gryphikin to surface, but long seconds passed and it never did. Spotting more motion on the horizon, she looked up and saw more feathered forms hurtling towards the water, only this time she noticed what she’d missed out on last time. They weren’t diving head first; like Howie said, they were falling, tumbling head over talons like they’d been shot out of the air. Wasn’t just gryphikins either. They were just the biggest and most noticeable flying animals around, as sparrows, ducks, and all other sorts of winged creatures started raining out of the skies too. Beside them, Tina gasped again, only this time not in fright, but a sharper, deeper intake like she was in pain. Then Chrissy screamed, a shrill, agonized shriek, and the horses all joined in. Well, all the horses besides Old Tux, who stood firm and stamped his feet beneath Noora while the others reared up or circled about in panic. Howie was quick to act as always, leaping off his horse and narrowly avoiding a flurry of hooves to take hold of Chrissy’s reins, then Josie’s soon after and somehow dragging both beasts back down despite weighing maybe one tenth of their weight, all while Tina got her own horse under control while Noora watched on from her pocket of calm with a dull, pitchy hum sounding in her ear.

“What’s happening?” Noora asked, once Howie had things under control and was sat behind Chrissy, whose teary eyes were shut tight as she cradled her head in both hands and leaned back in Howie’s embrace.

“Nothing good, that’s what,” Howie replied, heeling his horse forward with a grim and troubled expression. “Beyond that? Got no earthly idea.”

A terrible note to end their first date on, without so much as a chance to steal a kiss, but what could you do? Glancing back at the lake, Noora’s heart ached to see all the bird corpses floating atop the clear blue waters, and wondered if this meant her peaceful days in New Hope were already coming to an end. A thought which filled her with determination more than anything else, because it just went to show that you couldn’t take anything for granted. You never knew what tomorrow might bring, so you had to seize everything you could for today, even if you couldn’t hold onto it forever.

So Howie could balk all he wanted. Noora wasn’t about to give up, not until she got what she wanted at least. A night with the Firstborn, a memory to cherish, and maybe even more if she dared let herself dream. Not too much though, because dreams rarely came true, a lesson she would do well to never forget.