The Red Horde: Story I

by Geltab

to the front door of the inn “The third eye inn,” operated by the shrewd Nel they had met earlier. Rak’Sul stopped them before entering.

  “When we enter let me speak, do not say anything until I give the signal all is well.”

  “Why? I thought you said we were safe from the red horde here?” Basner asked doubtfully as he had all trip.

  “My, you are an insolent boy aren’t you? Just because an army is not here does not mean a spy is not, you have much to learn until you earn the right for me to call you Rak-Basner, boy!” Rak’Sul said as he continued his scolding. “Also, you and your southern country ignorance of the northern empire and its magic does not mean the red God Xusk is equally as unaware.”

  Verg interjected, “Wait, the who, red God? You mean red horde?” Rak’Sul let out a long annoyed sigh.

  “You’re lucky I have this pipe to relax me, before your schooling begins let’s go inside and grab a table, after I am satisfied there are no spies or others with ill intents, we will have our discussion.” With that, Rak’Sul opened the door to the third eye inn and stepped inside with the three in tow.

  The first floor of the inn was a large bar, open and airy. Completely different than the inns’ filled with angry, drunken and failed miners in the south that the three were accustomed to in their different towns. This inn was jovial, with a magical air to it. Filled with people resembling Rak’Sul, with their robes and beards, they all sat at long marble tables cushioned around a square shaped bar, drinking mug after mug of extremely powerful, extremely dark ale. There was the music of strings and chatter in the background, magical fires and lanterns were floating all about keeping the place evenly warm. Every mage in the bar seemed to be smoking, but Verg noticed for some reason the place was not reeking of smoke but smelling of fresh pine. Despite the cheery atmosphere, Rak’Sul quickly ushered everyone to a table in a far-off corner and they all sat down.

  “Take off those wet robes, let the fires’ warm you” Rak’Sul spoke as he leaned in. “I sense no danger here, no spies. For the time being the magic within Berasa seems to be keeping Xusk blind to its emergence again.”

  “That or they haven’t reached here yet,” Verg spoke before he even knew what he had said. Rak’Sul stared at him and narrowed his eyes. After a few moments he spoke.

  “True indeed Verg, we shall see.” A server came over at that moment to inquire about their order. “Yes bring us four mugs of ale, two plates of bread and cheese as well as six smoked sausages.” Rak’Sul commanded, none of the others disagreed.

  “At once sir,” the well mannered server spoke back and was gone. Verg, Rega and Basner were all famished after traveling for so long living on their now dwindling food reserves. Rak’Sul grew serious with them and leaned forward.

  “Berasa is the first and least magical city in the current northern imperium. This city is more easily infiltrated by spies on occasion than the other more guarded more magical cities farther north.” The three listened in rapt attention until their food and drink was delivered to their table. They all immediately dug in and stuffed themselves like greedy animals. Rak’Sul sat there puffing his pipe waiting for their initial hunger to be satiated. He knew it was no use trying to talk until the ravenous three were done. As their eating and drinking slowed, their attention began to come back to Rak’Sul; he continued speaking as though it were a second ago he left off.

  “Here in Berasa we will rest tonight and before we leave there is someone young Basner here needs to meet and speak with.”

  “What, me? Who could I know here to meet with?”

  “I never said you knew them.”

  “Then why would he meet this stranger,” Verg interjected again as he liked to do.

  “Jealous you don’t have your own stranger are we?” Rak’Sul asked in a mocking tone, taking a drink of ale. Rega couldn’t help but laugh; she knew her brother’s ego.

  “None of you fret; there will be many to meet and much to learn before…” Rak’Sul trailed off.

  “Before what?” Rega asked, now alarmed by Rak’Sul’s behavior.

  “Before the red God turns his horde on the north.”

  “Won’t the magic you speak of protect it?”

  “No, not from an evil that great, which is why in the next year before the horde can reach us we need to get you three to the learned magi of the north and the sacred places of magic they protect.”

  “Why even learn, you just said the evil is too great to resist?” Verg felt the need to ask.

  “You three are different than all others. I have been waiting for your return for four thousand years, since the last defeat of the red horde. There was not victory only a setback, four thousand years is nothing to the red God, he was not defeated only delayed, his return was inevitable. He has been biding his time, building his strength to ensure he will complete his task this time without fail. He has no idea the power you three will bring to bear when the time is right. He thinks such power has gone from the world and he can conquer at will. We want the red God under that impression as long as possible.”

  Rak’Sul was motioning the server for his fourth refill of ale already. Verg, Rega and Basner sat in stunned silence, maybe it’s the food they ate but no, it was the crushing news, having the weight of the world placed on your shoulders, completely unexpectedly. The more ale Rak’Sul consumed the more he openly talked of their past, the red God, the red horde and things to come. Their heads were filled to bursting with information. They could not imagine what more there could be to learn.