• The wind outside hissed more so than whistled, causing flickering light patterns on the room’s walls to morph the shadows even more. Aiko looked up, eyes dancing with mild amusement as he realized that he and Ebbs were the only two patrons left in the bar. A chair creaked, and Aiko glanced back over to his friend. He was poring over the dark-glazed pieces of their ongoing chess game.

    “Come on, make a move already. Don’t tell me you’re quitting…” There was a slight whine detectable in Aiko’s voice.

    “Not at all.” Ebony moved his hand to gracefully slide a pawn forward on the board. “That’s a check.”

    Aiko looked down with a frown, ascertaining his position before offhandedly countering. He sighed and looked around again. “This is so boring, I hate having to wait like this. How long do we still have to wait?”

    Ebony slowly turned his penetrating dark eyes up from the board. “As I’ve said, a few hours at least.” The only answer he got was a low groan from the other. Ignoring this, Ebony moved again. “Well, what do you want to do?”


    “I don’t know… I wish there were more people around, and then I could do a show!” The elf was suddenly excited, and stood up, brandishing an arm. “This room would be great for performing. Just the right size.”

    Ebony scoffed. “Not for our line of work. It’s so… open. And it’s not dark enough.”

    “Humph, well we both know how little you like brightness.”

    “Of course. Now will you take your turn already, Aiko? Or do you give up?”

    “No!” Aiko huffily sat back down. “I think you’ve almost beat me anyway.” He paused to think. “Again.”

    Ebony managed a rueful smile at that. “Perhaps.”

    “Well I was tired of this anyway.” Aiko’s words were half a lie. “So now it’s my turn to do something. I’m going to tell you a story!” He seemed to immediately brighten up at the prospect. Ebony slumped a little in his chair, exhaling deeply. “Fine.”


    “Only fine? It’s great! I think I’ll tell you about the Spider Queen’s war! That’s always a good one…” He mused, grinning and looking to his friend for confirmation.

    Ebony muttered under his breath, as if he thought Aiko couldn’t hear. ‘This’ll be the fifth time…”

    “Anyway.” Aiko interrupted loudly. “It was a cold day, as all days are in the Underdark. Well, more like a cold night. You know how dark it is down there, Ebbs- I mean Ebony.” He flinched slightly, but Ebony seemed to be ignoring him and was pulling a worn-in grey sketchbook from some compartment.


    “Our… um… heroes!, were a couple of dark elf males. Like you and me, huh Ebony?” Ebony sketched a few lines then made a little humming sound that Aiko interpreted as an affirmative.

    “They lived in the Underdark. Like I already said...” Aiko trailed off, glancing around for something more interesting to do before remembering he was in the middle of a story and reasserting himself.

    “Their names are going to be Elda and Eba.” Ebony scoffed softly, all but ignored by Aiko.

    “Respectively, they were the chief mage of their city,” Aiko gestured grandly towards his friend, “and a rogue fighter.”

    Ebony interrupted. “Let me guess what happens next.” He was brushing his hand across the paper, if an attempt to smooth the lines. “Their city is attacked?”

    “Yes!” Aiko didn’t spare any time to worry about if Ebony was making fun of him. It happened often enough that it really didn’t matter anymore. “They join with a few of their city’s females to look for the source of the problem.” He paused again, now, speculatively.

    “Mind you, this is just a summary. Since you’re not really interested.”

    Ebony made no comment.


    “They travel to the surface, to the realms of their god- a fool god, might I add. Elda tells Eba, ‘We really should be moving on. This isn’t working.’ But Ebony wants to press onward, and to wait where they are.” He stifled a smile. “So the group keeps going.”

    “After a few days, they all die of exposure.”

    Ebony glanced up, amusement in his eyes. “That isn’t how this story ended the last time you told it to me.” He didn’t seem too surprised.

    “Well... ah...”

    “I’m certain you didn’t mean it as a pointed comment of any sort.”

    “Right.” Aiko smiled hesitantly. He didn’t know why, but for some reason Ebony knew just how to scare him sometimes.

    “I suppose that we will have to be going soon. Wouldn’t want to ‘die of exposure’. Or let down Azrael.”

    “No, no, of course not.”


    Ebony leaned back in his chair, replacing his sketchbook in the pocket it had come from and seeming to drop the subject.

    “Well, we’re not going outside. It’s still too bright out. It’s nice in here...”

    Aiko looked uncomfortable. “Ebony, it’s later than most adults’ bedtimes.”

    “I know. Nevertheless, we still have to wait.”

    “C’mon, Ebbs...” Aiko winced, stepping quickly away from his friend, who had suddenly visibly tensed. Aiko never had learned how to deal with Ebony’s sometimes very sudden fits, and now he was lost for words. “Ah... Ebony... please... let’s go do something. Now.”

    “If you so wish.” Ebony replied softly, seeming to revert back to a less friendly mode of speech. There was an awkward pause, which Ebony didn’t seem very aware of- or intent to break.

    But soon he did.

    “We do have our own legends to make, after all.”