“Nice to see you again,” I said with a friendly wave, ignoring the building hostility.
“Oh good, you remember him. I wasn’t sure you would with as much Dragon Dust as you had in your system when you were brought to us, but to hear that you remember your captor so warms my heart,” Wilkes said, clapping his hands together and looking far too happy. I was starting to believe more and more that Wilkes was actually trying to kill me or ensure that I would be blamed for a litany of crimes the girl committed if she escaped my custody . . . after killing me. “This is Bye-bye Jacko, he has agreed to take over your protection.”
“Protection I would not need if he and his woman had not caught me,” Nahid hissed, her hands flexing at her side, which made me wonder if she had some kind of retractable claws. I didn’t encounter anything of the sort the last time we met, at least I don’t think I did. I couldn’t exactly remember what she attacked me with when she first ambushed me.
“You can sort that out later . . . after you are far, far away from my barracks,” Wilkes said.
Nahid narrowed her eyes and hissed at the man then at me and finally at Rose, but it seemed it was all bluster as the girl calmed a moment later. “So be it,” she said unhappily.
Down another flight of stairs, we found John Harrison’s room . . . cell. This was much more in line with the grimy setting I had originally imagined. There was a small pile of straw and a blanket for a bed and a dingy metal bowl sitting near the bars that I assumed was for the prisoner’s daily gruel. The cell was otherwise completely barren, not even a window. As for
“Well little piggy, it would seem you have friends with some pull,” Wilkes taunted the bored looking ex-patrolman.
“Come inside and we can finish the conversation that sent me here,” Harrison taunted, snorting angrily. I could understand him not liking the Lieutenant, I certainly didn’t.
“John Harrison, you have been paroled into the custody of Bye-bye Jacko and Rose Thorns to serve out the remainder of your 90-day sentence. Should you break parole in any way, you will be punished to the full extent of the law as will your parole officers,” Wilkes said mechanically. “Do you understand these terms?” Without waiting for an answer, he unlocked the cell then turned back to us. “He’s your problem now. You can collect his personal items from the Quartermaster.” Without another word, the Lieutenant walked away.
“John Harrison,” Rose spoke first, opening the cell door the rest of the way to allow the ex-patrolman out. “Do you remember me? Rose Thorns? You taught me ‘Shield-Wall’ last month.”
Harrison stepped out of the cell with a little caution, looking both directions down the hall before stepping into the hallway and stretching his arms above his head. I didn’t realize it before, but the cell was small enough that I doubted I could stand up straight and Harrison was a good 6-inches taller than I was. After stretching, Harrison nodded to Rose then spoke, “Hey, Red, is that you? Are you keeping up with your training?”
“Of course I have, but now I need more. So, for the next however many days are left on your sentence, you are my personal trainer,” Rose insisted.
John laughed. “Alright, I suppose that is the least I can do for getting me out of that cell. Now, who’s the scrawny Elf boy?”
“I’m not that scrawny,” I groused, feeling affronted.
John laughed again and clapped me on the back. It took some effort on my part to budge as little as possible. “Alright, maybe you’re not that scrawny. So, mind explaining how either of you had enough pull to get me out of that mess?”
“I am a servant of the Goddess Issara,” I answered, fully expecting Harrison to drop to a knee and do that weird prayer thing. When he didn’t move, I decided I liked the man.
The same could not be said for Nahid who was now down on her hands and knees groveling at my feet, begging forgiveness for her transgressions, promising to never raise her blade against another for the rest of her life if only I would spare her nine-lives, and then continuing with a great deal more nonsense.
“Well, Bye-bye, thanks for the help,” Harrison said, ignoring the Catgirl. “Now, I need to get my things and get out of here before that . . . officer changes his mind. Do we have a place to stay yet?”
“Yeah,” Rose said grinning. “We’ll only be staying a night in Root City.”
“That is fine with me, so long as I get a cot and four squares a day, I am good,” Harrison said, patting his belly as it grumbled. “I would not say no to some female company, either,” this was said as he looked Rose up and down.
I quickly stepped between them. Was it childish? Yes. Was I being unnecessarily jealous? Yes. Did I care? No.
“Jack, I appreciate your protectiveness, but it’s not needed. Harrison, stop provoking my boyfriend,” Rose said.
“Just needed to be sure he was worthy of my student,” Harrison said with another laugh.
“Whatever,” Rose said with a roll of her eyes. “If your stupid macho nonsense is done, can we get going? We still have things to do tonight. We’re heading to the ‘Endless Savanna’ tomorrow and don’t have a lot of time to prepare, especially with two extra people to feed, clothe and house once we get there,” Rose said.
Harrison looked slightly uncomfortable when he heard the words ‘Endless Savanna’ but didn’t say anything. He only nodded accepting Rose’s orders. I would need to ask him about that moment of discomfort later.
“Speaking of, we should get moving if we want to stop back at the library before it closes,” I said, noting the game clock already showed it was nearing 6:00 PM.
“Jack, I don’t need the library anymore, we got Harrison, I’m good to go,” Rose said, changing our plans again.
“Fine,” I said, accepting Rose’s decision.
“Hold on now,” Harrison said. “Have you learned ‘Body Control’ yet?”
“Got a book in my bag,” Rose answered.
“Good, I will help you train your ‘Shield-Wall’ skill and teach you a couple ‘Charge’ variants but other skills you will need to learn on your own,” Harrison said firmly.
“That’s fine, just keep in mind, this isn’t a free trip. You’ll also need to do your share of work, Harrison,” Rose said, matching Harrison’s determination.
“Deal,” Harrison said, offering a hand to Rose.
“Do you prefer John or Harrison?” I asked, looking to our newest companion as he and Rose shook hands.
“Either is fine,” Harrison said, breaking the handshake.
“Okay, Harrison, why don’t you lead the way to the Quartermasters so we can get your stuff,” I said, motioning back down the hall toward the stairs where we came from.
“You may call me Nahid,” the Catgirl said, joining the conversation. I had no idea when she had stopped groveling, Personally, I was just glad it was done. I was even happier that we didn’t have an audience for it.
Harrison easily guided us to the Quartermaster’s to reclaim his items, to which he was given a small box of personal effects.
“Where are my shields?” Harrison asked, looking expectantly at the Quartermaster.
“All equipment was reclaimed by the City Watch,” the Quartermaster answered, carefully looking around as he said it.
“Oh, come on, Jix, I paid for those shields myself. They cost me six months wages,” Harrison argued.
The Quartermaster, Jix, looked around nervously again before leaning closer. “Lieutenant Wilkes ordered them sold to pay for the damages you caused. I found a good buyer,” he said, finishing with a wink, his eyes quickly glancing down the hall where a very large man was standing. A large man who put a finger to his lips then winked at us before wandering away.
Harrison cursed loudly and angrily, though I didn’t feel an
y real heat behind his anger. It seemed more like he was putting on a show for anyone that might be watching. With another angry huff, he grabbed his small box of effects. “We should go.”
“Wasn’t that Banks?” Rose asked softly, clearly missing the byplay between Harrison and the Quartermaster or else she just wasn’t able to hold back her curiosity.
“Might have been, who knows,” Harrison said. “Let us just get out of here already.”
Once again, Harrison led the way, easily guiding us out of the barracks. I expected to leave the way we came in, but instead, Harrison led us through a side entrance that bypassed all the training areas and also avoided areas that were likely to have other Patrolmen training. I couldn’t blame him for wanting to avoid his former compatriots.
Once we were back on the streets, I tried to point the way to the hotel, but Harrison kept moving toward the trunk, giving us a quick “Follow me” and ignoring anything else.
Somehow, we ended up back in the Holy Ring, not at a temple, but at a cemetery.
“That temper of yours is going to get you killed one of these days,” a high pitched weaselly voiced man said, appearing from behind a large tombstone. However, he wasn’t so much a man as he was a Gnome. He was small of stature compared to other Gnomes I’ve met, a lot smaller.
“And your weasel face and voice will get you killed,” Harrison replied seriously.
“I look nothing like one of those scurrying rodents and you know it,” the weaselly Gnome said, his hands subconsciously reaching up to smooth his exaggeratedly large mustache.
Harrison grinned. “Pratch, good to see you.”
“You as well,” Pratch replied. “Though, I must admit, I did not think I would see you for 84 more days.”
“Yeah, these two got some pull apparently. You remember Red of course. The Elf-boy is Bye-bye, Red’s boy toy,” Harrison said, introducing me and not in the most favorable of lights.
“Are you trying to antagonize me?” I asked, getting annoyed with the brute’s treatment of me.
“Harrison, stop antagonizing Jack. He might look scrawny but he’s quite good,” Rose said.
“And stop calling me scrawny,” I said. I appreciated that Rose had my back and supported me, but I could have done without the teasing slipped in there.
Rose winced. “Sorry Jack.” But it was clear to me she hadn’t even noticed she’d done it.
I huffed trying to push down my irritation. And today had just been going so well. “It’s fine, moving on. Harrison, you know this guy?” I asked.
“Yeah, this is Patrolman Pratch,” Harrison said, motioning to the Gnome whose nameplate updated to read
“Banks, it’s so good to see you again,” said Rose, smiling and waving at the large Patrolmen who silently mimicked the action.
“Banks, I take it you have my shields?” Harrison asked, looking hopefully to the large man.
Banks nodded and started fishing through a bag he held at his waist, eventually producing a tower shield and then a second tower shield. Looking closer at the two shields, I saw where they had a hinge similar to Rose’s where the two shields could interlock.
“You owe us,” Pratch said.
“Yeah, I know,” Harrison said, inspecting his two shields. “I owe you both big for helping me.”
“That is also true, but no, I mean, you owe us . . . 20-Gold,” Pratch said, holding out a hand motioning for Harrison to pay up.
“20-Gold?” Harrison shouted. “The darn things only cost me 15-Gold. 20-Gold, you got robbed.”
Banks sighed loudly and shook his head.
Harrison narrowed his eyes and looked to Banks then back to Pratch. “You slimy little weasel faced cheat,” Harrison steamed angrily toward the Gnome.
“Ah, ah, ah, Patrolman, remember?” Pratch said with a grin, patting the emblem on his thick cloth doublet.
Harrison stopped, losing his built-up steam. Then surprised me as he looked dejected by the reminder. Hearing him sigh morosely told me just how much the man loved being a Patrolman and how much he was going to miss it.
“Would have undone it if we could have,” Pratch said softly.
“Nah, it is my own fault. Like you said, my temper is going to get me killed one of these days,” Harrison said. “Anyway, Banks, you got any armor squirreled away in there I can make use of?”
Banks tapped his own armor and his Patrolman’s Emblem then shook his head.
“Only Patrolman armor, huh?” Harrison asked.
Banks nodded, before fishing in his bag and producing a pouch and holding it out.
“What is this?” Harrison asked, accepting the bag and opening it. “No, Banks, this is too much. There must be 20-Gold in here.”
“Let Banks do with his gambling winnings what he wants,” Pratch insisted, stopping Harrison from arguing. “Besides, you will need some decent armor if you want to help Red learn to be a proper Shield-Wall.”
Harrison took a steadying breath. “I will not forget this. And I will pay you back . . . for everything, Banks. No arguments, this is a loan.”
Banks nodded reluctantly, accepting Harrison’s terms.
“Alright, we are supposed to be on patrol,” Pratch said. “You take care of yourself, Harrison.”
“Same to both of you,” Harrison said to his two friends.
Banks enveloped Harrison in a bear hug, lifting the large ex-Patrolman off his feet.
“Aright, alright, enough already, you big softy,” Harrison complained until he was set back on his feet.
Pratch and Banks left a moment later to return to their patrol. “You’ve got good friends in those two,” I said.
“Yeah, they are okay. Just do not ever gamble with them. The pair of them have the Devil’s Luck,” Harrison complained.
“Is the Devil a thing here?” I asked.
“The Devil or Lucifer is one of the Dark Angels of the Life Pantheon, so yes. In this case, I was actually talking about the skill, ‘Devil’s Luck’, they both have it. Makes me pay out the nose every time I gamble with them,” Harrison said.
“So why gamble with them at all?” Rose asked.
“Because if you win, you get a boon,” Harrison answered with a grin.
“What kind of boon?” Rose asked.
“The one time I won, I gained a boost to my ‘Shield-Wall’ experience gain and reduction in subskill costs for a year,” Harrison answered.
“How much of a boost?” Rose asked.
Harrison grinned again before answering. “500% increase in experience gained and it dropped the cost of all subskills to just one stamina point. As you can imagine, I got a lot of training done that way. As a result, you are looking at one of three ‘Shield-Wall’ masters in the entirety of the World Tree, well . . . three that I know of.”
“And how do you get that skill?” Rose asked.
“You make a deal with the Devil,” Harrison answered grimly, then smiled broadly and laughed. “It is really not all that bad. The only difficulty is tracking old Lucifer down. He does not make it easy to find him. Anyway, you find Lucifer, make a deal with him in exchange for the skill. Thieves and rogues often take the skill for the boost to games of chance. Pratch and Banks took it for the chance to survive an otherwise lethal attack. Healers do not do much good if they are dead.”
“That sounds amazing,” Rose gushed.
“Yeah, until you look at the cost. First, there is the deal with Lucifer. Depending on your class and race, he can ask for some fairly heinous stuff. Pratch was required to give free medical care to a friend of Lucifer’s that . . . well, the less said about that the better. There are also the consequences to losing a bet. While the winner gets such a major boost, the losers get the reverse. For Pratch, it affected his best and favorite healing spell. And then there is the fact that someone who has the �
�Devil’s Luck’ can never be granted a boon, not even from Lucifer. Even if that person wins against another person with the same skill, nor any other God or Goddess,” Harrison explained.
“What about Banks? I thought he was a Paladin?” Rose asked.
“Banks is a special case. He actually beat Lucifer in a game of chance, so his ‘Devil’s Luck’ gives him all the benefits with none of the negatives,” Harrison answered. “Personally, I think his Goddess interfered on his behalf but there is no way to prove it.”
Rose laughed. “Yeah, I could believe that about Banks.”
While all this conversation was taking place, I was still stunned. My mind was stuck on the fact that a level 26 citizen was a master of a skill. A Rank X, Level 100 ‘Shield-Wall’ master. And Rose was going to be able to train with him for almost three months. “What class are you?”
“Truthfully, I do not have a class anymore. I was a ‘Patrolman Grade III’ but when I was dishonorably discharged, my class was stripped away. I will probably just become a Warrior now. I just wish becoming a Knight was still an option but with the dishonorable discharge, no Knightly Order would even consider me. For the same reason, I doubt any God or Goddess would take me on as a Paladin,” Harrison answered. “Plus, Beastkin are not liked by the Gods very much, at least not the Gods around here.”
“Beastkin? I thought you were an Orc or maybe a half-Orc, half-Troll,” Rose said.
World Tree Online- the Endless Savanna- 3rd Dive Page 12
