I hesitate and look up towards Garner. He has seen me; he holds his hands out in my direction as the boat picks up pace, moving away from the dock. There is a look of dismay on his face which reflects how I feel – finally we are reunited, but only for a moment. And now he is moving away from me on a rapidly accelerating longship – the last ship to leave this port for days.
And then, as the remaining group of Kapa-Vane mercenaries start to move away from the front and towards me, he calls out, “Run, Daria!” He follows up on his shout by raising the bow and taking down another of the armored mercenaries.
But the others have seen me.
You’re going to need to find a different ship, I think to myself as I flee the scene.
Chapter 9: The Hummingbird Inn
After evading the mercenaries, I find a hiding place in the shadows of another pile of crates. I’m in almost exactly the same place that I once hid from the Knights of Dawn, some weeks back. And I know that I will need to wait for a good half an hour before I can risk moving on again. Meanwhile I scan the area for any sign of Lugg, but nothing.
I have now seen both of my closest companions, but it feels like both have been wrenched away from me after far too brief an encounter. At least Garner is safely on the ship. I can only hope that Lugg escaped the pair of mercs, but I fear the worst.
During my period of hiding, I see the elven general himself, Snagaras, in the distance. My entire body tenses up. The pale, white-haired elf is walking closer, and soon he is only yards away, standing beside three other mercs and looking around. More of their people are down at their shore, carrying away their dead in a cart, and I know that I won’t be able to get away for some time yet.
Snagaras has a sneer on his face, and I can tell that he cares nothing for the people that he lost. In fact, I am pretty sure that his motivation is mainly financial. And now… well, presumably this mercenary company are being paid handsomely by the Empire to murder people in the streets.
He turns, his back to me, facing away towards the sea. If I only had my bow, I think to myself again.
At least I gain a skill boost – a sign that I must be doing something right, I suppose.
Increase in skill level: Evade level 13 (Agility +2)
As he and his lackeys move further away towards the warehouses, I dodge out from my hiding place. That was too close, and I need to get back to the mercenary safe house or the inn beside it sooner rather than later. However, the last thing I want to do is lead the Kapa-Vanes straight to their door.
I decide to borrow Lugg’s idea. I sling my backpack into an empty crate, pick it up, and then hoist it up onto my shoulder. Keeping my hooded head low and carrying the crate, I hope I can pass for a dock worker, while doing my best to look out for further mercenaries.
I begin to make my way back. Snagaras, fortunately, is very visible due to his distinctive white hair, and I can still see him from here, standing halfway between the area where the longship departed and the warehouses on the far side.
I look away, and hurry on towards the right-hand side of the area in front of me. The inn looks much the same as before – there is no sign of enemy mercs. Unsure about going into van Turk’s safe house by myself – none of the people I have previously met will be there, now – I decide to go into the inn itself. Josa said it was safe, and with luck, Coruff will still be inside.
I hurry into what turns out to be a surprisingly bright bar; sun streams in through several high up windows. A band of three elvish musicians at the back are playing upbeat pipe music. This is not what I had expected, somehow, but I suppose it’s normal enough for a tavern at the docks, and most of the patrons have no idea what has just been going on outside. I take a seat at a small empty table near the middle of the back wall, near the bar, and keep my hood up, hoping that Lugg will think to come here too.
Before long, a tiny grinning server approaches me. Small. Long, wide ears. Green skin the color of grass, and glowing purple eyes. It is clearly a goblin woman.
I have little experience of Shadow Kingdoms goblins, on the whole, as they don’t tend to live in human residences. They resemble orcs but are a lot smaller, though I know that orcs are in general considered to be much more dangerous. Goblins are more mischievous than evil.
“Drink, perhaps? Hummingbird Inn has fine ale,” she says to me. “Or wine?” She gives me a beaming, toothy smile, displaying a fine set of white and pointed teeth.
I doubt that any of the drinks on offer are particularly fine. Josa did mention a goblin that the coven trusts, but can I be sure that this is the same one? I’d rather wait until I see someone I know.
“An ale, then,” I say. And I reach into my money pouch for a handful of coins.
The goblin gives a beaming smile again. “Very good. And there is no need to get your silver out just yet, honored guest. Later. Later.”
She whirls and moves back towards the bar, and I scan the room once again. Before long, my eyes meet those of a familiar-looking felaxian, likewise hooded and near the door of the tavern.
I stand, and Coruff hurries over to me, looking nervously over her shoulder as she comes. “There you are. We can’t stay here.”
“I thought you said this place was safe.”
“It is, but…” She glances back at me to check that I am following, and without further explanation she hurries past the rowdy musicians and comes to a door in the far back corner that I hadn’t previous noticed. She knocks, glancing around at the bar again, and then the door opens.
It is van Turk who lets me in, and Lugg has made it back here too, I am relieved to see. Both of them sit at the table.
“Good shooting,” I say to van Turk, and I mean it.
He nods fractionally in appreciation of the compliment, but appears to have other things on his mind. We sit in silence for a moment as Coruff seats herself too. There are another six empty seats, including the one at the head of the table, and it occurs to me that the coven could all have sat around this very table, with room for van Turk in addition. How long is it since they were able to gather together, I wonder?
“Well, my friends,” says Coruff. “Maleki and Josa departed on Captain Valor’s ship, and will soon be with our other coven members on the mainland. But we are still here.” She looks around towards van Turk. “I know you must be worried about Josa. Unfortunately, you will be separated for some time now, I’m afraid.”
“She’s with three of my best,” replies van Turk stiffly. I can see that he is no more effusive than Josa is.
“At least she is safe,” Coruff replies, “or as safe as she can be. But now it is time for us to get prepared.”
Van Turk places one hand on her arm. “For what, Miss Coruff? That was the last ship. We are stuck here now, and the best that we can do is to hide.”
“Hmm,” says Coruff, staring downwards. “Perhaps. If that is what we must do, then so be it. At least the other seven are safely away. We can wait a few days, keeping a low profile.” She seems calm, and it occurs to me that as a witch and a minority species, Coruff is probably well-practiced at staying low profile.
But van Turk is shaking his head, and he slams his fist down on the table, causing it to shudder. “Word has somehow got out,” he says. “That attack on the ship – it can’t be a coincidence. A big band of them arrived at just that moment and interrupted our departure. And now you are separated from your coven. I am only thankful that they didn’t make it here before the others boarded.”
I lean forward. “I think van Turk might be right. I saw the Kapa-Vane general down here a short while ago – Snagaras. If he is here in person, it must mean something.”
Coruff frowns again. “You think that the Kapa-Vane mercenaries have uncovered our plans?”
Van Turk ponders this for a moment, then nods.
“Do you have any idea how information got out?” asks Coruff. “If we have been betrayed, then we must find out how.”
This time van Turk shrugs, frowning and glancing
around the bare room before looking back at us. “I trust my people,” he says, “but…” His eyes linger on Lugg as he speaks.
“No!” I say sharply, putting my hand on Lugg’s shoulder. “What reason do you have to suspect Lugg, other than his species? He’s a good person, and he risked his life alongside Garner and I, fighting against the Knights of Dawn and the Kapa-Vane mercs in the Badlands! You weren’t there, but… tell him please, Coruff.”
Coruff looks from van Turk to us and back again. “She’s right, van Turk. I trust them both.” And the big mercenary nods.
Increase in skill level: Persuasion level 13 (Spirit +1)
“There can be no doubt in their bravery and their honesty,” Coruff continues, “so that is where we stand. We have trusted each other before, and I feel that we will need to rely on each other again to get through this.”
“We also need to find another way to leave the city,” I say.
There is a grunt from van Turk at this. “Perhaps I can speak again to Captain Hitch, to see if there is any alternative route that we might take to the continent.”
“See to it then,” says the witch.
And the mercenary leader rises and departs the room without another word.
* * *
Soon the door opens again, and I half expect to see the big mercenary return. Or another coven member, even though I know that this is now impossible. I squash down my feeling of disappointment to see that it is just the little goblin server again, clutching a metal tankard.
“Some refreshments?” she says, after closing the door behind her with a creak. We don’t initially respond, and she comes closer. “Say, Miss Coruff, this is a smaller gathering today. And your human friend there left her ale in the taproom.”
She walks over and hands me the tankard that she is holding, and I realize that it must be the drink which I ordered, but didn’t receive before moving to the back room with Coruff.
“Many thanks,” I say, smiling down at the little creature.
She reaches up and starts to stroke at my hair. “Beautiful,” she murmurs.
“Uh, thank you. You’re very kind.” I am finding myself a little charmed by the peculiar creature.
Lugg, however, leans closer, frowning, and whispers to me, “Be careful with her kind, Miss.”
“Are you all ready for some food, then?” asks the goblin, apparently failing to hear his slur on goblinkind.
“Yes, Badshroom, we will take something while we wait,” says Coruff absently. “But please, warn us if any mercenaries come into the bar.”
“I will do so,” she says, staring up at Coruff. “Now, what are you all having to eat? Do you enjoy mushrooms? We have the best Zagran fire fungi, fresh and new, served with herbs and yagga root. Speciality. Or else, just ask for what you want. We have meat, we have mushrooms, we have ale. So there are many possibilities.”
I smile again. Those strike me as three possibilities, one of which is actually a drink – not the most diverse menu I’ve ever heard of.
“Lugg will take a bowl of mushrooms,” says my orcish companion. Apparently his appetite has overcome his suspicion.
“Yes, I’ll try them too,” I say, intrigued.
“Oh, you will love mushroom stew,” mutters Badshroom as she moves away towards the door. “I am a very good cook, thanks to the wise sorcerer who trained me.” She does a little spin on her heel, and leaves through the door, closing it firmly but quietly.
We already have our bowls of mushroom stew by the time van Turk makes it back to us. With him is a muscular dwarven man holding a drink of his own.
“This is Captain Hitch,” says van Turk, pointing. “Some of you may know him already. For those who don’t, he is well respected around the city of Vel, and has promised to help us.”
The pair of them come over to the table and sit, and Captain Hitch bangs his drink down in front of him. He glowers around at us, takes a swig, then wipes his face and beard on his sleeve – which, I notice, is very stained and dirty looking.
“You need a ship,” says the Captain. “But the situation is not good. Many ships travel between here and the mainland, but the vast majority go to the Imperial capital or to one of the ports near to the disputed area at the border with the Confederacy, in the East. That’s where the mercs go for work, of course. Trading voyages to the western Empire are fewer.”
“So is there anything that you can manage?” says Coruff, leaning forward and regarding the sailor intently.
He blows out his cheeks, staring ahead of him, and then looks round at her. “I think I can put a crew together at a push, perhaps even by tomorrow, but the difficulty is getting a ship. My own vessel is not seaworthy, and the repairs will take days – and coin.”
“What about renting a ship?”
“It’s sometimes possible,” Captain Hitch replies, “but I’ve already spoken to Vel’s master of ports, and there are no vessels due inside a week.”
Van Turk grunts. “The place is crawling with Kapa-Vane mercs, and they outnumber my people ten to one. If they locate us, I don’t know if we can last a week.”
Coruff sighs and sits back, glancing around the room. I take another few spoonfuls of the stew. Badshroom wasn’t exaggerating – it really is delicious. The others sit looking gloomy. Captain Hitch swigs deeply from whatever drink is in his tankard.
“I agree with van Turk,” I say at last. “We must get Coruff away and reunite her with the other coven members sooner than that. It’s only a matter of time before Snagaras and his men start searching every building, going room to room.”
“Do you have any suggestions?” Coruff asks.
I look around at Captain Hitch. I’m not sure how receptive he will be to my help, but it appears I have to try.
“I have some skill with… making and mending things,” I say, choosing not to mention that my previous training was as a smith. “Perhaps I can take a look at your damaged ship?”
“I have a couple of people working there already, but…” He spreads his arms and makes a face. “It’s slow going, I must admit. If you can help, you’re welcome to do so. But…”
“What?” asks Coruff.
He screws up his face, then looks at her. “It’s going to cost two hundred gold for the supplies, and I don’t have the coin.”
Coruff reaches into her money pouch and pulls out a handful of coins and a gem. “This should be good for a hundred,” she says hesitantly, before looking around the table.
I puff out my cheeks. Hand over my own rapidly dwindling cash, or risk Coruff’s death at the hands of the Kapa-Vanes?
“I have a hundred gold that I can add to that,” I say. “Will that pay for our fares as well?”
“Better,” says Captain Hitch, smiling. “You’ll be part-owners of the ship. That means a share in any profits.”
After passing over the coins and leaving five silver for the food and ale, I mutter ‘wealth’, and review my financial state:
Copper: 15 Silver: 2429 Gold: 239
Coruff hands me a long iron key that will allow me to come and go from the Hummingbird Inn via a rear door. Captain Hitch will round up a crew and will arrange for cargo to be loaded onto the ship under cover of darkness. Van Turk says that he will arrange for his people to gather up supplies of wood, nails, tar, and anything else they can get hold of that looks useful, and bring it to the damaged ship. “There is some timber in our building,” he says, “but I doubt it will be enough. I’ll make some enquiries over at the warehouses.”
“Fine. But please be careful,” says Coruff.
And soon, our stomachs filled with Badshroom’s delicious mushroom stew and fine ale, Lugg, Coruff and I make our way to see the damaged vessel.
Chapter 10: The Hurricane
The ship is called The Hurricane, and I wince – some game developer’s idea of a joke? I can’t imagine superstitious sailors in the real world using such a name today, never mind in days of classic sailing ships.
In compariso
n to the vessel that Garner and Josa departed on, this one is tall and broad, more of a sailing ship than a longship. It has three masts, and a raised area towards the back of the ship where there is a smaller quarterdeck.
But the ship certainly is in really bad condition. Many areas of the wooden panelling along the starboard side have been smashed in, and the deck is poorly maintained and looks treacherous to walk on. Some work has been done, at least; the main deck has a raised area at the front that looks like it has recently been repaired, judging by the paler, less weathered color of the wood. And there are indeed a couple of people at work with saws and hammers.
“I purchased this vessel after mine was requisitioned by one of the bastard mercenary companies,” says Captain Hitch. “It was barely seaworthy to begin with, and after being attacked by some buccaneers, my first mate and his crew barely made it back alive. The ship is letting in a lot of water and the deck is unsound.” He shakes his head. “It would have been different if I had been there.”
“Can I take a look around?” I ask, and he nods.
I start to inspect the damage to the ship. “It’s a mess,” I mutter to myself, and the captain doesn’t respond. However, with closer inspection, I see that the damage is mostly external. This ship has been in a battle, and the area at the rear and starboard sides in particular is dotted with holes from some kind of weapon. Again, the attention to detail throughout the game world is phenomenal.
There are plenty of carpentry tools around, I am relieved to see. My own crafting instruments are more useful for precision work, and the set does not contain things like saws and planes that I will need for this job. Carefully crossing the pitted and damaged deck, I climb the steps that lead up the quarterdeck at the back of the ship, then return and go down a set of steps that lead to the accommodation below. I try one door, but it’s locked; it looks sound and there is no smell of damp or rot. I feel that this ship was in decent condition as little as a few days ago.
The Call of the Coven: A LitRPG novel (Shadow Kingdoms Book 2) Page 6
