by David Bokman
“Oh,” said Jaio. “Well then. It’s a shame we could not come to an agreement.” He held up his right hand and closed his fist. The figure to the left saw the gesture and threw a palm-sized pouch towards the group. With a fizzing sound, it flew through the air, and landed right between Cadwell and The Dart, emanating a cloud of greenish gas. “I’m sorry, but fifty was the highest I was ready to go,” said Jaio, already making his way back inside the manor. He had only taken a step before Thim fell unconscious on the ground, and after four, even Cadwell’s constitution gave in, and his world faded to black.
⧫ CHAPTER III ⧫
Florianna judged that a few hours must have passed before she woke, for dusk had already set outside the manor. She did not know what sort of putrid concoction the bandits had used, but her terrible headache indicated it was not a mixture one would ingest willingly. Apart from Thim, she was the last one to wake up, but before long, even the tiny Aeni came to his senses. She tried to move her hair out of the way, but realized her hands, just like her feet, were tied up with hempen rope. The Dart, as well as Thim, were in the same predicament. Unlike the others, Cadwell had been restrained with rusty iron manacles. She could not see any of the bandits, but then again, her blurred vision meant she could not see much at all at the moment.
They seemed to be in a living room of some sort - spacious and all but empty. Both the walls and floor were made of wood that had been skillfully polished to perfection, and the staircase leading up to the second floor featured ornamentation not unlike the kind Na had seen back home. The room, with large windows overlooking the path to the manor, was roughly fifty feet long and half as wide. Had it not been for a few drawers and shelves, the room would have been virtually empty. Jaio had probably ordered the valuable interior be taken to a more secure location, perhaps a vault, if there was one. “Is everyone alright?”
Cadwell answered with a grunt, The Dart gave a nod, and Thim was not yet conscious enough to give much of an answer at all. “I hate toxins,” said Cadwell. “A coward’s weapon. Probably wanted us dead, but messed up the ingredients.”
“If they wanted us dead, they wouldn’t have tied us up when the toxin didn’t do the trick,” said The Dart. “I can’t say I’m familiar with this particular mixture, though.”
“We call it Worm’s Fever, on account of wormrose being its main ingredient,” Jaio’s voice answered, slowly walking down the staircase. “And you’re quite right, the intended effect is not to kill, merely to… incapacitate. We have not yet figured out a way to get rid of the unpleasant headache that comes after, though. My apologies for that.”
“So why not kill us?” asked Cadwell. “Would’ve been a lot easier, no?”
“A most short-sighted way of looking at things, friend. Yes, it would undoubtedly have saved us the displeasure of speaking to you, but murder attracts attention. Before you know it, they send down a few guards from Arlsby, or, if the Gods are cruel, a Zealot from Velema. But a few robberies every now and then, well, those are far less likely to attract attention.”
“So, what’s your plan? Take our things and send us on our way? Doesn’t sound like a great plan,” said The Dart.
“Ah, almost right. However, we will not let all of you go, I’m afraid. One of you will have to stay behind with us, as a form of insurance. Should you trouble us after we let you go… well, you can figure out for yourself what would happen to the hostage. It’s not a strategy that I am proud of, believe me, but I rule it more humane than the alternative.”
“How long have you been in this business, Jaio?” The Dart continued.
“Ah, my entire life, I would say.” The young man was picking his nails with a sickle as he spoke.
“So not that long, then. Listen, if you want to be this evil bandit overlord, you have to commit to it. Trying to be a moral bandit is a half-measure that will get you killed, trust me.”
“So… you recommend I kill you?”
The Dart stopped for a moment. “Well, not in this particular instance, but I recommend the principle, yes.”
“I like you.” Jaio thought for a moment. “Yes, you’re the one we’ll keep, the others are free to go. The big man, especially. I didn’t even want him inside my manor to begin with.”
“I’m afraid I don’t plan on staying with you.”
“Hostages rarely do.” Jaio’s tone had quickly changed from friendly and inviting to stern and cold, although he maintained the same relaxed demeanor as before. “People recruited to our band this way are not treated with any less respect than others, though. Truth be told, this is how most of our members came to join us. In any case, we took the liberty of examining your belongings while you were asleep, and we’ve decided to keep most of them. Certainly not the haul we were hoping for, but bandits can’t be choosers. Oh, and…” Jaio looked up with a mischievous smile, “I promise I won’t tell the others about those intriguing scrolls we found, Na.”
“On second thought, fifty suns sounds alright,” said Cadwell.
“Ah, you bring up a good point. Madame Dart, you will at the very least have the comfort of knowing who caused you to end up here. Were it not for the stubbornness of your friend, you all would have walked away as rich mercenaries, never needing to see us again. Good to keep in mind.”
Jaio turned around, whistled, and four of his friends briskly entered the room. “Carry these esteemed guests outside, and let’s be done with this. This ‘Cadwell’ has already left a sour taste in my mouth.”
The Dart tried to resist, but it seemed the Worm’s Fever had not only caused a headache, but also weakened her physical capabilities greatly. “Don’t worry,” said Jaio. “You’ll have time to bid farewell to your friends once we’re outside. View this as an adventure, and a possibility to make new, better friends!”
The Dart decided the best response was to spit in the face of the man picking her up, and her green saliva was further proof that the toxin had not yet run its course. After a brief struggle, the bandits regained control of the situation, and carried the group back outside.
The sun had set, and in its stead the moon occupied the sky, providing scarce illumination. Hints of fog had crept into the valley, giving the manor and its surrounding area an almost ethereal aura. “Now, you’ll have to excuse the rather banal method we employ from here on, but it is the only way I can with certainty ensure my friends’ safety,” said Jaio, as they placed the group down perhaps thirty yards away from the entrance to the manor. “Before we get to work, though, I will of course allow you to say your goodbyes.”
“Interesting first adventure, wouldn’t you say, Florianna?” said The Dart.
“An excellent farewell. Now then…” said Jaio, before anyone else had time to chime in.
In unison, the men around him drew their bows and nooked their arrows, aiming them at the group. “I will throw the key to the manacles to you, Cadwell. Take your time to unlock them, it’s rather tricky to free yourself from them. After that, you are free to help your friends, with the obvious exception of Dart. Then, you will turn around, walk away, and we will not have to interact ever again. Of course, should you at any point make any sort of movement or action that could lead me to believe you are not following these instructions, my men will kill you all where you stand. Do we understand each other?”
Cadwell grunted in begrudging agreement.
“Excellent! Again, I apologize for this rather barbaric practice, but it has shown to be quite efficient.” With that, Jaio took a step forward, fished the key out of his pocket, threw it to Cadwell, and…
The ground quaked. A deep, rumbling noise encapsulated the manor, or perhaps the entire land. It was as if a great beast, hidden beneath the earth, had let out a terrible growl. Sticks and stones and bushes all shifted, as the very ground moved a few inches to either side. Jaio and his men all stumbled for a moment, but the Laentarian was the first to regain his balance. “Cadwell, I thought we understood each other!” he shouted out. “I do not apprecia
te this charade!”
“You think we would’ve been bested by lowlife bandits if we could cause earthquakes?” Cad shouted back. Just as he finished his sentence, another quake struck, this one more powerful than the last. It felt as if a hundred churches had all hit the ground at once, as if a hoard of Krauk giants were marching towards them. For the first time since they had met him, Jaio did not look in control. He had drawn a pair of finely crafted sickles, his eyes darting from side to side, trying to identify a threat, a solution, anything. He saw nothing. It seemed the ground had decided to quake on its own accord. As if spurred on by the young bandit’s panic, the earth shook once more, ten times worse than the last. This time, there was no chance for anyone to keep their balance; bandits and bows fell to the ground.
“Don’t move!” Jaio shouted to the group, forgetting that they still had their hands and feet tied. Before they had time to answer, the ground trembled for the final time, and this time, instead of a rumbling noise, there was a loud crack accompanying it. Cadwell and the others looked over to where Jaio and his bandits had previously been. The ground around them was nowhere to be seen. There was a gaping abyss where they had stood only moments ago, a crevice into the underworld, a pathway straight to Haara himself. The earth had been bent open, leaving a fissure of dirt and rock and destruction behind. Perpendicular to the road, a terrible rift had formed. It stretched perhaps twenty yards in length and five yards in width, but that was more than enough to consume all the bandits.
After managing to unlock his manacles, and freeing his friends, Cad and the others cautiously approached the mouth of the rift. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be emanating a slight, barely visible purple glow. Darkness had all but fallen, and save for a few bullseye lanterns brought out by Jaio’s men, there was not much light to be had. It was only thanks to this that the glow from the rift was discernible at all, Cadwell reasoned. Still not especially visible, though. “Friends!” came a shout from below, one that could only belong to their newfound Laentarian acquaintance. “A little help, if you would!”
Treading ever closer to the edge of the rift, the group eventually spotted Jaio clinging onto some sort of rock two feet below. There was no sign of his men. It seems perhaps the Gods did not want them to have this manor, after all, thought The Dart.
“Ah, there you are! I trust we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement?”
“You poisoned and kidnapped us, you can stay right where you are,” said Cad.
“Do you know what this is?” asked The Dart, looking at the deep cleft.
“May I suggest we discuss these matters after you get me out of here?”
“Jaio had ample opportunity to get rid of us, but decided against it. Who are we if we let him fall into this abyss?” said Thim.
“We’re smart, is what we goddamn are,” said Cad.
Florianna took a careful step closer, and said, “I agree with Thim. We can’t just let him fall, especially not until we know what this thing is.”
“I knew you would be reasonable!” said Jaio, doing his best to maintain his grip.
“Has this happened before? What happened to your men?” The Dart seemed far more interested in the rift than the safety of the bandit captain.
“No! I don’t know? Get me out of here, and we’ll talk!”
“Remember those fifty suns, Jaio? They just turned into one hundred and fifty,” sighed Cad, and grabbed hold of the young man’s hand, recklessly pulling him up. The ground directly next to the rift, on which Jaio landed, seemed entirely unaffected by this strange phenomenon. For once, the man from Laentar did not have a quick-witted response, but instead just sat down on the ground with an empty look on his face,
“We’re also gonna need those sickles.”
“The… yes, I lost one when I fell, so there’s only one. Here you go.” Jaio threw the silvery sickle on the ground with a shaking hand, not moving his gaze.
“What did you do? Has this happened before?” asked The Dart.
“Give the man a second, he’s just been eaten by the underworld,” said Thim.
“Some sort of divine intervention, maybe?” asked Florianna.
“If there are any Gods, they don’t care about us, girl,” said Cad. “No, this is geological. Something with the ground.”
“But if it’s not magical or divine, how do you explain the radiant purple light?”
“It’s barely visible, probably some sort of trick of the light. I don’t know, I’m not a naturalist.”
Jaio had shifted his gaze into the rift, but there was still no sign of his colleagues, and this did not look like a fall one was likely to survive. After a few more moments, he snapped out of his trance, and said, “No, no I’ve never seen this before… whatever it is. This is no ordinary pit, this is magical, surely. We angered the Gods, we must have. But what did we do?”
“Who’s still in the manor, Jaio?”
“Just… just Bernt and Amara, they’re both wounded, they’re no threats.”
“We’ll decide if they’re threats or not.”
“I’ll stay here and keep an eye on our Laentarian friend and make sure the rift behaves itself. You think you can handle two injured bandits yourself, Cad?” said The Dart.
“I’ll bring the Aeni, he needs the practise.”
“I’ve got a name!”
“It seems you’ve got two names, Samson. Didn’t expect you to be the one giving false names.”
Thim stopped for a second. “I… never really liked ‘Thim’. So I... well I figured if I’m leaving Grensby, might as well leave my name, too.”
“Fine, doesn’t matter to me. I’ll bring Samson with me, then,” said Cad, and marched into the manor.
The Dart had already completed most of her sketch of the rift when Cad and Samson returned, Cad carrying two men as he went. She had never been much of an artist, but her drawing served its purpose. “Twenty-eight paces in length, seven in width. Haven’t paced the depth, though,” she said once her friends came close enough.
“Who cares about how many paces it is? It’s just a hole in the ground.”
“So, should we hear the same rumbling again, we run away as fast as we can, and hope we survive?” asked Samson.
“Let’s hope we don’t hear it again,” said Cadwell. “First order of business is taking care of the manor, though. These two shouldn’t prove too much resistance,” he continued, looking at the two bandits who were presumably Bernt and Amara.
“Taking care… Cad, we can’t kill them!”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Good people!” Jaio interrupted. “I am ready to make a proposition.”
“Does it include letting all of you go?”
“In a sense, yes. Bernt and Amara are both too weak to be thrown to the wolves, so I suggest the following. Leave them where you found them, and let them recover their strength. By the time whoever owns this mansion returns to claim it, my friends will have rested long enough to leave. They won’t be able to cause you any trouble.”
“And what about you?”
“Ah, me, yes. Well… this is how I see it. Since you people, albeit unintentionally, caused me to lose my colleagues, I am left somewhat alone. I do not like being alone. So…”
“No way,” spat Cad.
“No way what?” asked Na.
“I propose you invite me to your fine group, that I travel with you, at least for a little while. If we despise each other as much as the old man despises me, we part ways at the next town. If, instead, you come to realize the benefits of having me around—”
“Why would you want to travel with us?” asked Samson.
“I do not want to travel with you in particular, I just don’t want to travel alone. There are… situations in which having others around you is beneficial.”
“Somebody hunting you?”
“It’s… more complicated than that. Let’s just say I have angered the wrong people once or twice.”
“We�
�ve got enough problems as it is, I think we’ll pass,” said The Dart. “Don’t really fancy being a human shield when those people come looking for you, whoever they are. So, you give us the key to the manor, we let these two stay there for a while, you go your own way. And you’re sure you’ve never seen this rift thing before?”
“I can give you money, if that’s what you want.”
“We’ll get paid soon enough.”
“I could teach you how to use that sickle, all of you.”
“Na, go ready the horses, will you?”
“I’ll tell you about Laentar.”
The Dart froze for a second. “I thought you said you swore not to.”
“I did, and I value my oaths highly. I value my life even higher, though.”
“Dart, don’t,” warned Cadwell.
“You know very well this is a chance you’re not getting again,” Jaio continued. “And before too long, there will be no people left to tell the tale.”
The Dart eyed the young man for a long while, examining everything from his hair to his boots. He couldn't have been more than a kid when Laentar fell. But he might still know something I can use. “When we get to Grensby, you tell us everything. Then we decide if it warrants keeping you around for longer.”
“God damn it,” said Cad.
“Deal.”
“If you’re coming with us, I’d like to learn how to use that sickle,” said Samson. “I’ve never really known how to use any weapon at all.”
“You’ll be a mightier warrior than the old man in no time. You have my word.”
“So, who do we ask about this rift?” said Na. “What if there are more? What if they mean something?”
The Dart took a final look at the strange fissure before them. “I’ve got a few ideas. Let’s get paid first, though, or Cadwell is going to implode.”
“Hmph.”
⧫ CHAPTER IV ⧫
The group had little choice but to spend the night in the manor. Heading back to Grensby would have to wait until tomorrow. Doesn’t matter where you are, travelling at night is a death sentence, Cad thought, preparing his bedroll. The manor was surprisingly cold, but Jaio insisted on sleeping without a fire.
