Darkness & Light: Book 2: Shatter Our Hope

4 - Tiber

After scrying for a while, Lilith pinpoints a place called Cresicca, where Corvo, Tiber's ally from the Hellscape must be. She opens a portal, and Tiber, Dax, and Lilith walk through, while the others search for Emmeranne, Corvo's lost sister.

But as they walk into the rainy night of Cresicca, Tiber smells the air. It's chilly, but the smells of ale, fried foods, rain, dirt, and blood fill the air. He walks ahead of the others, and Dax follows him. Lilith walks behind Dax, but the three of them walk for a short while before they reach the city square.

Tiber sees a tavern, and Dax nods toward it. A great sadness fills Tiber as they enter the loud, baudy tavern. It's full of people, who drink, eat, and shout. There's tables in the center of the room, and they're flanked by booths around the edges. Tiber sees him, sitting there, in the shadows of the booth in the far corner. He wears a cloak, the black hood pulled taut over his face and head.

But still, Tiber realizes that it's him.

Piercing blue eyes look up from a curtain of long, black curls of hair. His tan face is lined with worry and exhaustion. But the man known as Corvo doesn't seem to hate Tiber, not anymore. He just studies him.

"Hey, Tiber," says Corvo, his deep voice raspy.  "You here for me, I suppose."

It isn't a question, but he says it more like a demand.  Tiber takes a step back, looking into those burning, blue eyes. Corvo smirks, his twisted grin unsettling beyond belief. But Tiber blinks, and Corvo rises.  He sways as he stands, holding a thick, fat bottle of wine.

Corvo slurps from the drink. He hiccups and looks at him, the coherence in his eyes fading. But he sighs. He is defeated and weakened. Tiber knows the feeling. He yearns for his sisters' return. As does Corvo.

"Corvo, we need your help," says Dax.

"And who the fuck are you, wolf boy?"

"I'm Dax." He clenches his jaw. "And you must be the man who was once Corvo."

Corvo snorts.  "Yeah, must be."

Tiber sighs. "We have an offer for you. You come with us, and we will help you find your sister. If we can find her, you help us find my sisters."

"And my friend," says Lilith.

Corvo looks at her. Then, his gaze lands on Tiber. "You've got yourself a deal, boy. Let's go."

Tiber smiles at him, and the four of them leave the tavern, and walk back to the place Lilith had the portal appear in. But she stops, just as they reach it. She looks around.

"What's wrong?" Dax asks her.

"Someone's here."

That's when Poppy and a big bear of a man walk up, stepping from the shadows on the other side of the woods. And they both look right at them.