The lady standing behind the stand wore a fancy blue gown, large and hoop like at the bottom. She was maybe five and a half feet tall and had her long blond hair pulled back into a fancy braid. Small k9 teeth protruded up from her lower jaw and she had a nice row of small horns across her forehead. Her pink skin complimented her bright white smile. Although the protruding lower teeth always made me think of ogres and trolls, her narrow frame definitely didn’t seem to fit into that category. Her bright green eyes met ours and she greeted us.
“Welcome to the Rock Bridge Inn, a fine dining establishment. May I seat you at one of our tables or would you prefer a seat at the bar,” she said in a high-pitched voice, gesturing as she spoke.
“Thank you very much for the offer, however, we seek accommodations this evening,” Freddy started, “do you have any vacancies?”
“Absolutely. If you would just follow me, I’ll show you to our concierge.”
With that she stepped away from the stand and started guiding us along the bar towards a desk in the back corner. Once we stepped away from the host stand I looked back and noticed the RB Inn had the same type of security as the OE Troll. This suit however was pristine and shiny. It was proportionally like a human, but stood around ten feet in height. Like the suits inside the OE Troll, this one also stood at perfect attention. Unlike the OE Troll’s suits this one was armed, holding a large silver lance in its right hand. I would have loved to look inside and see if it contained the same glowing runes, but as the hostess was escorting us away, I figured it might be rude if I didn’t follow.
A handful of tables were occupied as we walked past. Various races, just like the OE Troll, although these all seemed to be wearing finer attire. The hostess brought us to the small desk and through a simple head nod made it clear to the gentleman sitting there we needed to be helped. She then nodded and smiled at us as she bid us well and walked back to her host stand. The man behind the desk must have been from the same people as our hostess, as his pink skin, protruding k9s and small forehead horns were almost identical. He too had a skinny frame, which became obvious as he stood up. He was about six foot tall, and built like a model. His finely crafted grey suit hung on his body like he was fresh out of a magazine ad. The suit itself was very similar in style to the ones we have in human society, but with a few differences. The lapels for example flourished out in multiple directions. It was interesting and hard to explain. Before I could dwell on it too long, he bowed to each of us and smiled with his greeting. Like the hostess he was very thin and narrow in his features.
“Welcome to the Rock Bridge Inn and thank you for choosing our fine establishment. I understand that you’re seeking accommodations for the evening. Will you be seeking multiple rooms or a single unit?” he asked.
His voice was higher pitched than the hostess, but not in an unpleasant or annoying way. I was hoping for some privacy, but I didn’t want to be liberal with Freddy’s money, so I let him answer.
“We would like two single rooms please, adjoining if possible.”
“Absolutely. I also have a two-bedroom unit available for the same price as the two singles if you’d prefer. There is a common room in-between the bedrooms so you would still be afforded some privacy.”
Freddy looked our way to see if that was okay. Honestly I felt much better if I could keep an eye on everyone. I knew Vix could take care of herself, but I always worried about Freddy in the field. This town in particular was full of very dangerous creatures. I wasn’t entirely sure I could keep us safe, but at least if we shared a room I could hear when the deadly owl bear tries to eat Freddy. So I nodded my approval. Freddy smiled and nodded back.
“The two-bedroom unit sounds wonderful. Thank you,” Freddy smiled.
The gentleman nodded and gave Freddy a price, which he paid in the funny money. I’d love to guess what it costs, but I had no idea what the conversion rate was. I’d have my answer once Freddy gave me a bill back home. After the transaction was completed Freddy was handed a key and both men respectfully bowed to one another. I smiled and nodded to the man and Vix did the same. Our room was on the top floor and he gestured towards a set of wooded stairs down a short hallway.
The stairway was sort of in the middle of the building, so when we reached the second floor we could see left and right down the hallway. The doors all looked evenly spaced apart and I wondered if these were all of their single rooms. The top floor, our floor, had rooms much further spaced apart. Our room was 303 and the carved sign let us know it was to the left. The door was solid wood and the numbers were carved right into it. Same fancy script as downstairs. Freddy turned the key and we headed in.
The room was mostly what I expected. A very nice common room inside, two large soft couches and a couple of chairs set into a circle around a small table. There was a kitchen like area to the right, a small sink and counter for cutting and preparing food. To the left was a small room with a sink and shower basin. I reached in and turned the knob and found running water. I guess I shouldn’t have been shocked. Even the Romans had running water.
The rooms looked identical, nice large king sized beds and a small dresser. Freddy chose the room on the right and we took the left. I actually excused myself to clean up in the bathroom while they settled in. It felt great to wash up after time on the road. The water was actually even warmish, so I wasn’t freezing myself. Once I was cleaned up, convinced the front door was secure and locked and everyone had settled in, I made my excuse for bedtime. Freddy was more than gracious and happily went to his room. I led Vix into our room and closed the door behind me with a devious grin. She smiled, as she knew the look well. I was ready to check “done it in the Veil” off my list.
As I started getting undressed Vix pulled out the small vile from Myrtle and handed it to me.
“Take your medicine before you forget, then play time,” she smiled.
I downed it without so much as a complaint and tossed the empty bottle onto the dresser. She was about to say thank you, but I tackled her to the bed and started kissing her neck. She giggled and as I prepared for an awesome night, everything suddenly went black.
CHAPTER 18
When I woke the next morning, I wiped the drool from my face and tried to get my bearings. A brief moment of panic struck me as I remembered being drugged last night. But, I relaxed when I looked over to find Vix calmly sitting in a chair watching me. I squinted and raised my hand up against the morning light shining through the window at her back. I shook my head to clear out the cobwebs and gave her a smile. The smile must have shown my disorientation as she spoke up without me having to ask what happened.
“I guess that stuff really worked. You were snoring up a storm,” she smiled.
“Sorry. I didn’t realize it was going to hit me so hard.”
“You needed the rest.”
“Well I’m rested now. How about we finish what we started?”
“Maybe another time,” she stated, her hand holding up to keep me at bay, “you’ve been out for over twelve hours. We need to get on the road.”
“Twelve hours? Wow. Sorry about that. I guess I know why I feel so rested.”
“Are you feeling better?”
“Actually yeah,” I said, standing up and stretching as I did, “I actually feel great. Almost like my old self. I guess Myrtle’s healing magic and a good nights sleep were exactly what the doctor ordered.”
“That’s great. Now, go get ready so we can hit the road,” she ordered.
“Yes ma’am.”
I gave her a quick kiss and grabbed some fresh clothes and headed to the bathroom. I never expected to have a bathroom, the chance to clean up and start the day fresh was awesome. A good shower in the morning always makes for a happy ninja. Probably a reaction to the hundreds of times I’ve awoken under the watchful eye of Mother Nature. When you grow up as a monk and then an assassin, there are many non-hotel nights. So, when such luxury presents itself, you enjoy it.
Once I was freshened u
p and dressed I found Vix and Freddy relaxing in the common room. I joined Vix on the couch and was pleased to find out how comfy it was. This place was definitely going on my future vacation list. Freddy and Vix were each drinking something that smelled like tea and I was happy to find a third cup waiting for me on the coffee table. I didn’t recognize the flavor, but it was delicious. Once tea was done and we were packed up, we headed back downstairs and Freddy handed the same gentleman our key as we checked out.
“I hope the accommodations were to your satisfaction?” he asked.
“They were wonderful. Thank you very much. We will definitely keep you in mind for future stays,” Freddy replied.
“You are very kind,” the man bowed deeply.
Since I’d wasted half the morning sleeping, we didn’t want to waste time sitting down for a meal. So, we ordered some type of breakfast burrito thing for the road and said our goodbyes. The restaurant had a few patrons enjoying their morning meal, but nothing odd or worthy of note. We headed out onto the front porch and Freddy double-checked his map before we set off.
After he was sure of our swiftest route, he smiled and led the way back up the road past Myrtles. It was a shame, as I really wanted to walk across the River Bridge for which the town was named. Also maybe spot some of those giant river rats. But, since we were on a mission that would have to wait for another time. Freddy took point as we headed up the road.
The One Eyed Troll was quiet as we walked past. I glanced across the street and saw an empty rocking chair in front of the Sheriff’s office. I guess she wasn’t really needed until things started getting going for the day. Even the brothel was starting off slow. There was only one lady out in front and she was sitting in a chair, her head dipped forward as she slumbered. The sun was still fairly low on the horizon, so maybe the center of town got going a little bit later than the rest.
We passed Myrtles and she wasn’t staring out the window or anything so we didn’t waive or stop to chat. But, the majority of shops we passed were getting ready for a day of business. Most of the shopkeepers were out front sweeping their porches or washing their windows. They all smiled and waived as we passed. Good business sense that. There were a couple of goblins, a human, and another one of those pink skinned folks like at the Rock Bridge Inn. But we simply continued on our way and before you knew it we were leaving the main portion of the town. The road continued north and we followed along it. It was still a hard packed dirt path, but better than walking in the high grass.
We passed several large fields each with small farmhouses on them. This was the outskirts of town for sure. After a good thirty minutes of walking the farms faded into unkept fields. Very few trees about, meaning we were feeling the sun on our faces. It was a cool fresh morning, still a few hours before noon, and the sun felt good. If today’s weather was anything like yesterdays, we were in for a pleasant hike.
After a couple hours of walking, the mountains to the right were getting closer again. Freddy seemed very happy with that development and continued to check his map as we progressed. We passed a few forks in the road, but each time Freddy confirmed our direction. During our walk we passed several horsemen, most of which were not worth describing. Some of them were heading the same way as us, but most of them traveled back towards the town of Rock Bridge. None of them paid us any mind.
As we continued to walk, the terrain around us slowly changed. Long gone were the fertile fields and tall grasses. Now dry earth surrounded us on all sides. Another hour of walking saw dry earth give way to harsh sand. This was a far cry from a welcoming ocean side beach. This was thick, hard packed, ugly sand. As our proximity to the mountains increased so did the frequency of jagged rocks dotting the landscape. It was starting to feel like we were walking on Mars. Eventually even the path gave up and decided it should head somewhere better. The road took a sharp left towards the west and Freddy informed us we’d have to continue north. He mumbled something about the path heading towards another big town. Looking at the dry terrain around us, I was wishing we could do the same.
On the plus side, the hard packed sand was fairly easy to walk on. Instead of the beautiful shifting sands and rolling hills of most deserts, this was just a flat, dry wasteland. The longer we walked the more frequently the gnarly sharp rocks dotted the landscape. We were clearly walking through one of the world’s ugliest rock gardens. While I couldn’t make out any discernable landmarks, Freddy occasionally checked his map and was satisfied with our direction. I had a feeling he won the map and compass award in school.
As I’m sure you’ve guessed, we were looking for our friend the rock elemental. Once Freddy indicated we were getting close, we paused so I could remove the Khafra from my bag. Freddy’s excitement was overwhelming and I had to let him hold it for a minute. He even swung it around a bit, almost like he knew what he was doing. Part of me wanted to take some time and show him how to handle it, but since everything from his stance up to his grip was wrong, I didn’t think we had that kind of time. After enjoying his moment, he eventually handed it back.
It felt odd but amazing in my hands. If you’re not familiar with a khopesh, they are extremely front heavy weapons. In general they have a short single-handed grip, a small guard, and a large overly curved blade. The blade itself starts out straight, but then takes a nice swishy curve, almost like it’s trying to smile. In terms of combat, it’s almost better to think of them as an ax. They are top heavy and great for chopping. While our blade was actually sharp at the point, this was not a good weapon for stabbing.
Traditionally made of bronze, this magical version of the weapon was definitely not following tradition. As I mentioned earlier, the entire sword appeared to be made out of a clear crystal. Inside, beautiful copper sand flowed back and forth like it was floating in liquid. Every time I moved the sword, the sand shifted about inside. The handle had been wrapped in soft black leather and it provided a very comfortable grip. I spun the sword in my hand and found it slightly less top heavy than usual. In fact the entire sword was lighter than it should have been. One of the benefits of magical swords I’m sure.
After swinging it about enough to be comfortable, I stopped and watched the sand move about inside and felt the waves. I know waves sounds weird, but that’s what it felt like. As if the sand inside of the sword was bobbing up and down in the water.
Vix wanted to check it out and since she had to save my bacon last time, I figured that was a good idea. She also swung the sword around a bit, trying various stances and grips. Finally she stopped and gave me an unhappy face.
“Not a balance I’m used to,” she said.
“Yeah, although to be fair, it’s less top heavy than most.”
“Than most? Have you fought with a lot of ancient Egyptian blades?”
Freddy’s interest also perked up at the question. I guess it does seem odd that I would have used one of these before. But I became obsessed with blades pretty early in my life. And like any good obsession, I explored it as much as possible.
“Not a lot, no. But I’ve swung a couple of them around before. As I’m sure you’d imagine, I discovered at a very young age that I had a gift for martial weapons. So, it became sort of a weird hobby of mine. I’ve tried to test out every single weapon I could find. You’d be hard pressed to find a melee weapon I’ve never held at one point or another.”
“You’re right, that’s a weird hobby,” she smiled.
“Hey, what do you expect, I spent the first half of my life in a Buddhist temple. We didn’t exactly have video games or even a TV for that matter.”
“Yet every word out of your mouth seems to be a pop culture reference?”
“Impressive huh? I’ve devoted my life to catching up on what I missed,” I winked.
Vix stared at me in disbelief, “Why do I feel like there’s another reason you decided to try out a sword like that?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Just admit it, you tried the sword
after watching the Mummy didn’t you?”
“What? It’s a fun movie. And those swords were more prevalent in the Mummy Returns if we’re being totally honest. Not nearly as fun a movie as the original.”
Vix shook her head, “should we assume you’ve tried most of the movie weapons you’ve seen?”
“That’s a pretty safe bet, yeah.”
Vix dropped her face into her palm and Freddy laughed. It’s always nice when everyone is relaxed and calm before a fight. Vix was about to hand me back the sword and she hesitated.
“You sure you’re feeling up to this?”
“Absolutely. A crazy witch and a good nights sleep were exactly what I needed. I feel great. You don’t need to worry.”
“I hope so. Otherwise I’ll have to pull your butt out of the fire again,” she smiled.
“Perhaps pull his butt out of the rockslide might be more appropriate in this instance,” Freddy stated, totally straight faced.
Vix and I looked at each other in shock for a moment before cracking up. Freddy smiled proudly before joining in. Team moral at maximum, check. Vix gave me back the sword and I tied it to my pack. It didn’t come with a sheath and my standard one would not fit a blade of that shape. So, I tied it to my pack in a way that would keep it from falling, but allow me to easily break the straps and draw the weapon quickly.
“Okay Freddy, is there anything I should know before we head in?”
“Well, unlike our tuned blades, this weapon will not alert you to proximity of the rock elemental. As the Khopesh is not tuning itself, there will be no vibration. However, on a positive note, I believe that means the elemental will also not detect your approach,” he smiled.
“Well that’s something isn’t it?”
G.H.O.S.T. Teams (Book 3) Spirits Page 18
