Young Writers Society

Echo froze, flowers blooming all over faer braid. “Dagon?”

The offending Raven squawked in offense, hopping in a little circle. Echo. Echo! I was going to die out there. You don’t understand.

Echo felt like fae was going to burst into flames. “I told you to wait outside,” fae hissed.

Dagon would’ve pouted if birds had lips. I did wait! For twenty whole minutes, Echo! It’s creeepy! He flew over, perching on Echo’s head to pathetically drape himself over one of faer horns. There were weird noises, Echo.

Echo covered faer face, trying not to explode. “It’s a forest, Dagon.” Fae took a deep breath and looked in the direction of faer probably no-longer employer. “I am so sorry on his behalf. He’s… sensitive.”

Dagon squawked again. I was going to die out there, Echo!

Sao squealed at the new arrival, bouncing over to Echo all decorum about the shovel and the mysterious person forgotten.

"He is so cuute. Is his name Dagon?"

Was it a bad idea to charge at a being raised by the warlock Nemesis that had made Sao shiver? Yes. Was said being still adorable? Yes. Was the raven even more adorable? Also yes. Therefore dying painfully was worth the hugs.

Kiirion waited quietly for orders. Their employer hadn't shown their face, which only proved their employer's extreme paranoia. They were going to great lengths to conceal their identity and the contents of what they were having them move. Kiirion could only wonder if there were darker, hidden motives. This person was going to great lengths to have complete strangers smuggle their secret.

And then there was Echo, who, though quiet and anxious, didn't seem to bother to keep fae's connections a secret. Perhaps faer was saving it for this moment as an intimidation tactic - but that didn't appear to be in character, at least, according to his current observations.

The Nemesis, though. How curious. Perhaps Echo's mere existence revealed something different about the Nemesis's nature that betrayed the ominous, fear-filled rumors he'd heard.

Kiirion stared at the bird, watching as Echo and the crow seemed to communicate and understand one another. A familiar, maybe. Or perhaps Echo could merely speak with animals. Regardless, it would be another valuable tool to have in their group.

Robert was alert now. Besides the crow barging in, had he heard the tall, shy one correctly? Echo was raised by Nemesis herself?

They frowned unconsciously, remembering patients who’d reported fleeing their villages when Nemesis had turned her burning gaze on forest area that was a little too close for comfort. True, he hadn’t encountered anyone directly harmed by her, but one didn’t work up such a fearsome reputation just by burning plants. And if the most timid one of the group had such a background, what were the others hiding?

Robert shifted slightly and asked, “So, does anyone else have any family connections or animal companions to reveal? Just wondering what I’m getting myself into…”

Dagon perked up. Is she calling me adorable?

Echo nodded, trying to ignore all of the excess attention on faer. “He’s Dagon.”

Dagon hopped in protest. You didn’t answer me.

Echo took a deep breath. “She called you cute.”

Dagon flutter happily, landing on Sao’s shoulder, nuzzling into her cheek. At least someone cares about me. You were going to let me die out there.

“Was not.”

Sao giggled, leaning into the new weight on her shoulder.

"Oh he's so soft. Does he like being petted?"

It wasn't that Kiirion didn't like birds. He did quite a lot, actually. But Dagon was becoming a somewhat rude distraction for their disembodied employer.

"I believe that's the last of the dramatic reveals," Kiirion said as a quiet aside to Robert.

Echo nodded, and quietly gestured for Sao to step back. Oh this was awful. This was very bad. Their new would-have-been employer would be very angry. Fae took faer own step back, getting back in line and trying to look as small as possible. This was bad. Faer prosthetic shifted across faer wrist under the weight of faer anxiety, stretching over faer forearm before shrinking back.

"Good," Robert murmured back to Kiirion. Then he looked around again, wary of when their employer might next fill the room with that unyielding voice.

Sao took a step back not wanting to have poor Echo get any more panicked than she looked at the moment and started to softly stroke the bird on her shoulder. He really was so very soft.

Echo was trying to stay calm, fidgeting with faer fingers. Of course Dagon had to break a window and then immediately abandon faer for less anxious shoulders.

Dagon happily nuzzled against Sao’s cheek. She thinks I’m adorable, Echo! And she’s petting me!

Echo gave him a slight nod, turning to faer employer. “Are you… are you going to fire me?” Faer voice was barely above a whisper and so strained, it sounded like it would snap like an overstretched tendon.

Sao panicked. She was not going to let poor Echo get fired. She was also not letting go of this extremely adorable Raven. She leaned closer to him. Or this was amazing. Would Echo be just as amazing to hug? No wait, wait. That was not something she needed to think about right now. Step one, ensure Echo didn't get fired by distracting their employer.

"So you said we shouldn't look inside this thing? Is there a grand prize for guessing what's inside?"

"In order to fire you, I would first have to have hired you, which I have not done," the employer's voice said dryly. Aeron thought she sounded annoyed, but he may have been imagining it through his anxiety. He'd been very careful to be silent and still and not associate himself in any way whatsoever with the others making fools of themselves. Despite how absolutely adorable the bird was.

He waited with bated breath. There was a painfully long silence.

Then, "... I suppose you lot will do. Listen closely and hear my words: the item contained within this package is perfectly safe if left undisturbed within its case. But it will cause unimaginable pain and suffering if any of you dare look upon it. This is your one and only warning. Knowing this, do you wish to accept this offer of employment?"

There was a beat of silence.

Aeron's heart was racing, thudding loud in his ears. He swallowed hard, then, "yes, ma'am. I want the job."

"Then repeat after me: I, Aeron Munen, do hereby vow... to guard and deliver this package in as-is condition... without so much as a single glimpse inside... I understand the consequences of disobeying these instructions... will be severe and no one's fault my own... and further vow not to discuss this matter with anyone beyond the people presently in this room... now or ever in the future... let this bind us in contract."

Aeron repeated each chunk as the employer paused to let him do so.

"Very well. Welcome to my employ. Who else?" the employer's voice came. "You'll all take an identical oath."

An oath? Echo had down enough talking, thank you. Fae was looking forward to turning into a mole and burrowing into the Earth now.

Fae took a deep breath. Maybe if fae did really fast, everyone would just forget fae was there afterwards. This had really gone terribly.

“I-“ Echo cringed. She was looking at faer. She was looking at faer— “Echo, do hereby vow to protect and… and deliver…” Fae swallowed, speeding through the rest of the path before receding into the back as quickly as possible. Faer heart was pounding loud enough that everyone should have been able to hear it.

Sao tried to look as calm, cool and collected as one could when someone delivered a threat that sounded very, very, very real. She'd like to think she managed very well if she said so herself.

"You could have just said no. And also yeah. Definitely. The answer is yes. I will absolutely totally not die during this. Nuh uh."

Sao took a moment to consider the implication before immediately launching into the vow. It was probably not going to have horrible consequences. Probably. Okay definitely but she was going to ignore that.

" I, Saoirse O' Sullivan, Sorceress of the Shovel, do hereby vow to guard and deliver this package in fine condition without so much as a glimpse inside. I do not understand the consequences of disobeying these instructions but I don't care. Its definitely no one's fault my own and further vow not to discuss this matter with anyone beyond the people presently in this room because I have no friends now or ever in the future. Apparently this binds us in contract."