The Staff of Naught

by Tom Liberman

  “He already tried that,” said Unerus with a grin towards Shamki who used a knife and fork to go at a thick hunk of meat and appeared not to listen to the conversation. “And it didn’t work!”

  “The trade master has a virtually unlimited supply of warriors willing to do his dirty work and while I respect the prowess of Shamki,” said Tanner and Unerus gave him a glare and pulled out a little knife. “And, of course, your growing skill,” he continued. “I also think that if it is the trade master’s best interests to take the staff from us he will make that happen. Therefore, we have to keep negotiations open in order to try and get as much information as possible.”

  “Exactly,” said Lousa with a nod of her head to Tanner. She wore one of her least revealing outfits, a thick leather coat made from the hide of an alligator under which she had a wool shirt perhaps one size too big. She had her hair pulled back into a long pony tail and wore no makeup. Yet, even now her cheeks were a rosy red, her lips flush, and her green eyes glimmered like emeralds. “Tanner has it exactly right. He is experienced in these matters.”

  Almara looked up from her bowl of noodle soup and her eyes darted back and forth between her husband and the woman. Tanner nodded his head and tore his eyes from the hypnotic half-elf and looked down at his own plate of steak and thick potatoes. “Thank you Lousa.”

  “What kind of information,” asked Ariana her plate of mixed vegetables untouched.

  “Information on how to destroy the staff,” said Lousa her hand reached out to pat the girl’s but Ariana snatched her own hand back and left the woman with her arm poised uselessly in midair.

  “I don’t want to destroy it!” said Ariana. “We’re supposed to use it!”

  “How do you know that, dear,” said Hazlebub while she stirred the steaming contents of her own bowl and did not look up although her body tensed.

  “I just know it,” replied Ariana and looked down at her vegetables and gave them a desultory stir with her fork and then took a sip from the mug in front of her.

  “Yes,” said Lousa and nodded her head, “but how do you know it?”

  “I already answered you,” said Ariana again. “I think we are supposed to use it.”

  “Use it how?” asked Humbort his mouth filled with steak and vegetables so much so that a partially chewed carrot fell out and landed next to his plate.

  “I don’t know!” shrieked Ariana again this time she stood up quickly which caused the table to rock precariously as her knee smacked one of its legs. The mug in front of Shalalee fell with a bang; a milky liquid poured out onto the table and quickly spread in rivulets across the cloth. Almara pulled the napkin off her lap and immediately began to soak up the liquid while Tanner, Lousa, and Hazlebub quickly followed.

  “See what you did,” shouted Shalalee at Ariana and glared at the girl until Ariana dashed out of the common room towards the hallway that led to her room.

  “It wasn’t her fault,” said Tylan jumping to his feet.

  “Then whose fault was it,” said Shalalee back at him. “You just take her side because she’s your girlfriend.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend!” said Tylan and pushed his sister who fell over her chair, her arms flailed, and crashed into the table which sent three more glasses tumbling.

  “Tylan!” shouted Almara. “Go to your room.”

  “She’s the one who fell on the table,” he replied but the glare he got back in return from his mother sent him to the room without a further word.

  It took a few minutes to get things straightened up but eventually the table was back to normal albeit missing the two children.

  “She’s becoming overly attached to that staff,” said Lousa to Unerus. “She admires you Unerus; do you think you can talk to her about giving it to one of us for a while?”

  The young boy shook his head and said, “No. She’s stubborn about stuff like this. I remember when she was little and I’d leave her with one of the girls at the Red Garter and by the time I’d got back they’d have tied her to a chair to keep her from climbing over the bar and getting at the pretty bottles.”

  “It’s all because of the stupid staff,” said Shalalee her face still red from the fight but that seemed to make the young girl pretty. “Why don’t we just sell it to whatever his name is and then we don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

  “Yeah,” said Humbort as he again emerged from the depths of his food.

  Shalalee looked at the tall man as he immediately dug back into his food using his fork like a shovel, holding the plate up to his mouth and sighed. “I guess we can’t do that.”

  Everyone else at the table laughed out loud and Humbort looked up and around at them in confusion but then went back to eating without further thought.

  “The question becomes,” said Lousa looking to Tanner. “How do we convince Lorim to give us the information we want without selling him the staff?”

  “Darkling,” said Shamki and didn’t even look up from this plate as he glowered at the steak.

  “Shamki’s right,” said Lousa. “We’re dealing with Lorim but whoever that darkling girl was is the real interested party. She wanted the staff and hired Lorim to steal it for her. When that failed she made a grab for it herself. Thanks to Shamki and Unerus that plan failed.”

  “I still don’t understand why a darkling would want the thing,” said Tanner. “They worship spiders and this thing has got Smyrnala’s name written all over it.”

  “That I don’t understand at all,” agreed Lousa with a shrug. “But, I suppose it is enough to know that she wants it and we can use that as a negotiating tool.”

  “I’m going to see about Ariana,” said Unerus and stood up from the table.

  “Ask to be excused,” said Almara to the boy who stood for a moment and looked at her in confusion. “It’s polite to ask to be excused instead of just leaving.”

  “Oh,” said the boy. Then he looked at Lousa who nodded, and then at Shamki who completely ignored him. “Can I be excused?” he asked with his eyebrows raised and his nose wrinkled in confusion.

  “Of course, dear,” said Almara. “Why don’t you go see to your sister and Tylan?”

  “Isn’t that … never mind,” said Unerus turning from the table and heading off in the same direction as his sister and Tylan went a few minutes before.

  “Can I go as well,” said Shalalee and her mother nodded her head as the last child departed from the table.

  “It’s good to teach them manners,” said Almara to everyone at the table and no one in particular.

  “I agree Almara,” said Lousa nodding her head. “Those two could learn a lot from yours. They had no family life at all, Unerus was on the streets from a young age, and Ariana knows nothing else.”

  Almara looked at Lousa for a moment and her normal glare when she dealt with the half-elf beauty softened a bit and she smiled, “Thank you Lousa. You should think about being a parent yourself one day.”

  Lousa laughed, “Trying to get me married off already?”

  “There are worse things,” said Almara, “and so many eligible men hereabouts,” with a look towards Shamki although Humbort looked up hopefully and smiled at Lousa. The big half-orc stared steadily down at his plate and made a grunting sound.

  “Yes,” said Lousa a flush coming to her cheeks. “Something to think about in any case.”

  Back in the room that Shalalee shared with Ariana, Lousa, and Almara, Unerus sat on one bed while his sister lay face down on another a blanket pulled up almost over her head, and Shalalee busied herself with some sewing needles and a shirt with a loose button.

  Unerus looked at his sister, “Ariana, they just want to try and figure out how to, you know, get rid of the staff.”

  Ariana gave a little moan from under the covers.

  “They can’t figure out why the darklings want it when it really belongs to Smyrnala,” said Unerus. “But, I don’t even understand these gods in the first place. I mean one rules spiders and th
e other death. That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “They’re not really gods,” said Ariana and suddenly sat up from under the covers.

  “That’s not true!” said Shalalee. “They protect us. There’s Chantico who makes the sun rise every morning and set at night, and Coyolxauhqui who controls the moon, and Tezcatlis who created the earth from a great volcanic eruption! And there are plenty of others too but each one has their own domain because no one god could do it all.”

  “None of that is true,” said Ariana and Shalalee gasped along with Unerus.

  “You can’t say that!” said Shalalee to the girl and covered her own ears. “The gods will strike you down!”

  “If they do strike me down it’s because I’m telling the truth!” said Ariana now getting to her feet and she eyed the satchel that was under her bed. “They aren’t gods at all, just people or monsters like us!”

  “Ariana,” said Unerus and looked at his sister with his mouth open, “who told you all this?”

  “Nobody, nothing, no one told me. It’s just obvious. Anyone could figure it out,” she said with her fists clenched.

  “We’ve never been to any church except to rob, er borrow, the offerings,” said Unerus. “When did you even start thinking about this?”

  “I’m not stupid,” said Ariana. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

  “I didn’t say that,” said Unerus and looked around to Shalalee for support.

  “He didn’t say that you were stupid,” said the girl with a nod of her head. “Why are you angry all the time?”

  “I’m not angry,” shouted Ariana her face turned red and her teeth, the ones that were in, clenched together. “Nobody listens to me!”

  “Did … did it tell you,” said Shalalee and looked at the satchel under her bed.

  “I’m not saying,” said Ariana, folded her arms across her chest, and looked out one of the windows of the room to the barren landscape outside.

  “It’s okay Ara,” said Unerus. “I won’t tell the adults and neither will Shalalee, will you?” he asked looking at the girl.

  Shalalee looked back at him for a moment and sat and thought. “If it’s important we should tell my mom,” she finally said.

  “Fine then,” said Ariana and sat back down on the bed but kept her arms crossed and silence engulfed the room.

  “Come on, Shalalee,” said Unerus, “promise not to say anything to your mother or father.”

  “What if they ask me? I’m not going to lie to my parents,” said the girl, crossed her arms, sat down, and then glared at Ariana. The two stared at each other for long moments while Unerus looked back and forth between them and shook his head. “I don’t understand girls.”

  “Shut up, Unerus,” said Shalalee.

  “Don’t you tell him to shut up,” said Ariana. “He’s my brother.”

  “I’ll tell whoever I want to shut up,” said Shalalee and the two glared at each other again and after a few minutes Unerus threw his hands up in the air and said, “Fine, I give up,” and walked out of the room.

  Chapter 23

  “I’m sorry to see the end of the desert,” said Levicus with a look back over his shoulder as his horse trod on the lush green grass of the realms southwest of Tarlton.

  Oliver, seated on a light colored Abyssinian steed with a long flank and green eyes, looked over to his friend and smiled. “The desert’s sparseness is a thing of beauty to you and me but I think that most would prefer this greenery.” A light flick of his left knee sent the horse into a full run and Levicus, aboard a small eared Gidran, followed suit. Soon the two horses blazed along the grassy field and left their two companions far behind. Ten minutes later it was Oliver who pulled up his horse first with a simply pat on the neck and whisper, “whoa Dovestar,” and the great animal eased to a trot and then walk apparently not in the least put out by the long gallop. Levicus’s horse breathed with more difficulty but also appeared to have barely broken into a sweat from the exertion.

  “I had a Gidran as a boy,” said Oliver. “Better jumpers than runners but you don’t see many of them in the Royal Stables.”

  “No,” said Levicus and gave his own horse a pat on the neck. “They are generally for the commoners but occasionally an exception comes forward. Corvinus’s father was a steed captured from the Black Horsemen nomads and his mother a pure Gidran. We thought the two might make a fine combination and so far they’ve foaled three times with only this one qualifying for the Royal Stables.”

  The two rode on for a few moments separated from Seymour and Sutekha and Levicus looked over to Oliver whose face was as placid and calm as a desert oasis. “You don’t think Seymour will really ride them to death? I picked them out myself from the stables for the journey?”

  “It is not for me to say what Seymour will do or not do,” replied Oliver his gaze never wavered from the horizon. “The Master of the Icon of Ras will make whatever decision the Sun God thinks best and I will do everything in my power to enforce it.”

  “I don’t much care for the Golden Worm creature no matter his skills at divination,” went on Levicus his lip curled in a snarl. “He is in it for his own good. When we get to the staff he will try to steal it, you can be certain of that.”

  “He will fail,” said Oliver his hand moved to his side where the hilt of his blade rested quiescent.

  “He is a mage,” said Levicus noting the direction of the paladin’s hand. “Magic is not something that is easily fought with sword and shield.”

  “Master Seymour is the High Priest of Ras not in name only like his useless little brother was before him. The master has powers that are far beyond the realm of understanding and the Icon of Ras gives him direct communication with his patron deity.”

  “Yes,” agreed Levicus with a nod of his head. “It is an advantage to have a god speaking to you directly, I will admit as much. Still, it is worthwhile to keep close watch on the nomadic wormling to try and decipher his plans.”

  “He is useful,” said Oliver and still looked forward apparently not even tempted to look back to the subject of their conversation. “Else Master Seymour would not have brought him along.”

  “I agree, we know now where the Hazhallahad’s Staff is located and some of the nature of those who know own it. You have seen something like the warrior described?”

  “Yes,” said Oliver with a nod of his head. “The movements described by Sutekha are those called the Way of the Baguazhang. He will be a dangerous opponent if he has mastered such swordsmanship. I look forward to the challenge of fighting him.”

  “The Way of the What?” said Levicus and raised a single eyebrow on his dark skinned face.

  “The Baguazhang,” said Oliver who leaned back on his horse and with some subtle movement caused the animal to stop completely. “It is from the islands to our east and involves something called Turning the Circle. I studied such methods when Seymour and I were tracking down the Cawlian pirate vessel that caused so much trouble ten years ago. We spent several months amongst the islanders and their ways of the sword are impressive. This half-orc must have spent some time on the islands to know these techniques, or it is possible that Sutekha miss-describes the motions he sees in the crystal.”

  “I remember that,” said Levicus. “I was just a boy back then but the pirates terrorized the coast for many months and the vessel was so swift that none of ours could catch it.”

  “Yes, the Cawlians are masters of the sail and no vessel can stand against them. It is said they have gained their independence from the Ocean Kings of Sea’cra,” said Oliver his eyes then flickered back towards where Seymour and Sutekha fast approached.

  “How did you manage to catch and defeat the pirate then,” asked Levicus and turned his own head to note their approaching companions.

  “We did neither but the threat was averted in any case,” said Oliver in the mysterious fashion that Levicus had well grown accustomed to and he knew not to ask about it again.

  Seymour arr
ived first on his magnificent gray Hirzai. The beast was faster than the wind for short journeys but had little of the stamina of his own Gidra and none of the jumping ability. The horse was shorter than either Levicus’s or Oliver’s but beautifully formed with a golden blaze on its forehead in the shape of a sunburst.

  “Have you had your fun Levicus,” said Seymour to the dark skinned man as they approached.

  “It is good to let them have at least one or two blows each day,” replied Levicus with a pat to his horses flank. “They love to run and the exercise is good for them. Also, this grass is something they are not used to running upon and it would be wise to allow your horse to get some experience on the turf in case an emergency arises later.”

  “You are the Master of the Horse,” said Seymour and pointed with his right hand to a copse of trees several hundred yards ahead. “Shall we test their speed?”

  “As you wish Master of the Sun,” said Levicus.

  Oliver merely nodded while Sutekha on the small and broad little black Heihi had not the animal nor the riding acumen to keep up with any of his companions sighed deeply and shook his head. “You go along, I’ll catch up shortly.”

  “Hia, Shemu, hai,” shouted the High Priest of Ras digging his heels into the side of his animal. Oliver leaned forward in his saddle, pushed his knees deeply into Dovestar’s flank, and the creature leapt forward as if struck by a bolt of lightning. Levicus made a simple little whistling sound and his own steed went blazing along after them while Sutekha sighed and reached back to give his own horse a slap on the rump but the creature, having seen the other three sprint off, was ready to go before the signal and leapt into the fray almost dismounting Sutekha who swayed precariously for a moment before he regained his seat and held on for dear life.

  Corvinus moved quickly in front of the other two horses but after a couple of dozen strides the blazing Shemu went by him with a rush and quickly outdistanced the other two horses that themselves moved at a speed far greater than any horse outside of The Sands might ever hope to attain.