The Path to Peace

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “Got a Trapsmith?” Karen asked.

  “Me,” Booth said.

  “You’ll be fine then, but mind the Paladins,” Karen grinned.

  “We’ll see you around,” Blaze said with a wide smile. “I like your emblem,” he added as they started to walk away.

  “Wait,” Alburet called out, unable to resist asking one more question. “Why Blaze? Why not Dolos?”

  Blaze laughed loudly, “Gods, who would want to be that selfish asshole?”

  “Fair enough,” Alburet grinned. “Happy hunting.”

  “Happy hunting,” the others replied in near unison before they left the room.

  “Didn’t expect to see them here,” Fluff said, watching them leave.

  “I thought they were the equivalent of our Guild over on the Elf continent?” Karen asked.

  “Aye, tha’ be what the rumors passed on by me sisters be sayin’,” Stacia nodded. “Like us though, they mayhap be jumpin’ around to clear zones for quicker levels.”

  “Great minds,” Alburet said, recalling how long it had taken them to even think of the idea. “Let’s turn in. We’ve been delayed enough already.”

  Alburet saluted the bald sergeant, who had a network of scars across his head. “Sir, we have quests to turn in,” Alburet said, holding the salute until the sergeant returned it.

  “It’s good to see you back, Alpha Company. Your leader and his companion already turned in theirs this morning.” Returning the salute with a grin that shone against his dark skin, the sergeant chuckled. “You seem to be racing up the levels. That’s something to be proud of, but make sure to temper that with wisdom. I’ve seen too many groups end up…” He trailed off, lips twisting wryly. “Then again, I guess the Final Death doesn’t apply to you Two-souled. That tidbit is still sinking in, it seems.”

  Alburet gave a friendly smile in return. “It’s hard when an old truth gets upended.”

  “Well put. Let me give you your rewards,” the sergeant said. Stacking bags of coins on the desk, the sergeant pushed them across along with tokens for the quartermaster, who was watching them. “There you go, Alpha Company.”

  Quest: Kill twenty Woodbound Langistors

  Reward: Two hundred fifty gold and increased rep with Stormguard guards

  Quest: Kill twenty Brutal Langistors

  Reward: Two hundred fifty gold and increased rep with Stormguard guards

  Quest: Kill five Champion Langistors

  Reward: Two hundred fifty gold and increased rep with Stormguard guards

  Quest: Find and explore the Lost Temple

  Reward: Six hundred gold and an item from the Quartermaster stores.

  “Our thanks,” Alburet said. “I just have to ask, is your son also in the guards?”

  “He is indeed,” the sergeant chuckled. “He told me about your exploits, and that you killed the Queen out on the island near his post. Did you enjoy the family recipe?”

  “It was delicious,” Karen was the first to reply, the others adding their agreement.

  “Glad you enjoyed it,” the sergeant grinned. “It’s nice to know the cooking skills of the Dwayneson family aren’t going to be lost with my son.”

  “You can rest assured on that count,” Alburet told the sergeant. “Have a good day, sir. We need to sell this stuff and get back to the city.”

  “Happy hunting, when you get out there again,” Sergeant Dwayneson said, giving them a parting salute.

  “It’s good to see the rest of the team show up,” the quartermaster greeted them with a lazy salute. “Gerald was sure you’d show up before noon. He wanted me to let you know that the mystery box is already taken.” The quartermaster grinned with amusement and turned his book around to them.

  “I take it he was less than impressed with what he got?” Alburet asked.

  “Not as such, it just wasn’t an upgrade over what he had. He sold it back to me,” the quartermaster chuckled. “It’s a fairly nice belt, with a decent amount of Constitution on it.”

  “It’s bound to happen,” Alburet said, sliding the book to Fluff. “Ladies first.”

  “Why not me, then?” Karen asked with a raised brow.

  “Between the two of you, who’s more ladylike? And you’re next, anyhow.”

  “Point,” Karen grinned at him, “but I’ll still make you pay for that.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything else,” Alburet said.

  “It be fine,” Stacia murmured in his ear, “I’ll kiss it all better.”

  Alburet twitched at the shiver of desire that ran down his spine, much to the amusement of the others. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he managed to utter, a touch breathlessly.

  The quartermaster shook his head. “You Dark Lord worshippers are a bit too open and free for my tastes.”

  “We all have our own ways,” Stacia grinned. She took note of the quartermaster’s necklace, proclaiming his faith in Peace.

  “True enough. Where are you all heading to next?” the quartermaster asked with a hopeful tone.

  “Want to stack a bet, do you?” Karen chuckled, watching him deflate at her question.

  “Too obvious?”

  “Your voice gave it away,” Karen said, not mentioning the spike of greed she’d felt from him.

  “I was going to set up a bet with the sergeants at some of the other keeps and rake it in,” he sighed.

  “We haven’t decided yet,” Alburet said as Karen leafed through the book. “Maybe one of the other continents. We haven’t stepped away as often as we could have from the Empire.”

  “Fair enough,” the quartermaster said with a wistful look.

  Karen pushed the book to Alburet as she put a necklace into her bag. “Sorry we can’t help out. Maybe next time.”

  Shrugging, the quartermaster lost interest in them now that he wasn’t going to be able to profit from them. Alburet didn’t see anything in the book that would be an upgrade over his current gear, so he took a ring and put it in his bag.

  “We hope your day goes smoothly,” Alburet said to the quartermaster, handing the book back.

  “Happy hunting,” the quartermaster said dismissively.

  They went to the general store next and sold off the items they didn’t need. They kept the herbs to sell to Arion later, as well as the jewelry they planned to hand off for the next Guild raffle. Stacia took the meat, promising a tasty dinner later.

  Chapter Four

  Their Homestones took them to the spot just outside the archway that led to their home and Guildhall. Alburet blinked, turning instinctively at the sound of combat. The Dwarven husband and wife that he’d briefly seen at the last welcoming party were back to back. They were trying to hold off three players dressed in leather and holding daggers.

  “Assassins,” Karen said, vanishing.

  “Help, please!” Rocknar shouted.

  “Get’em,” Alburet said, pulling his maul.

  “For the master!” Tiny yelled, drawing the attention of the three players to him.

  Before he or TJ could even take a step, Fluff leapt at the furthest attacker, her fur tinged red and her claws out. The Assassin wasn’t expecting a flying Lunari and was flattened when she landed on him, raking her claws along his body.

  Kitten sang at the leftmost one, who began swaying in time to her song. “Be my friend,” Kitten purred. Tiny rushed the third Assassin.

  As the last Assassin vanished, Karen appeared, her blades slamming into the air. The Assassin reappeared, bleeding heavily. “Now, now, don’t go running off. You started this party, after all.”

  “Fucking bitch, we’re just after the money,” the third one snarled, turning to attack her.

  “Bad call,” Karen said as Tiny stunned the one she’d stabbed.

  Alburet followed TJ, attacking the one under Fluff. Bob flew up to a rooftop, lobbing Fire Blasts down on the stunned Assassins. The fight was over almost as soon as it started for those two, the mid-30 level Assassins dying before the stuns wore off.
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br />   “Thanks,” Rocknar said with a weak smile as he and Brignar stood off to the side. “We’d heard about the attacks, but it hadn’t really affected us until just before you all showed up.”

  “We’re working on it,” Alburet told them. “Give us a second, this one is about to break the mind control.”

  The group surrounded the Assassin, who blinked as the mind control wore off. “I surr—”

  Tiny roared and bashed him to interrupt the Assassin, “No. Never give up, never surrender.”

  Alburet and Fluff snorted, and the last Assassin was torn to pieces. “Tiny,” Alburet turned to him after the man died, “is that a motto?”

  “It is ingrained in every Destroyer from youth,” Tiny nodded.

  Shaking his head, Alburet turned back to the Dwarven couple. “You two okay now?”

  “Not sure we should be sticking in the Guild if they’re targeting Guild members,” Brignar said. “Neither of us really cares for PvP.”

  “That’s a fair point,” Alburet sighed. “You’ll be welcomed back once we have this sorted out, which hopefully will be soon.”

  Rocknar touched his wife’s arm. “We’ve been with them this long. If we get killed, we end up with a twelve hour immunity from it happening again. Let’s try to stick it out a bit first.”

  Frowning, she nodded, “Fine. I just don’t like the idea of being jumped for no good reason.”

  “We’re looking into it,” Fluff said softly.

  “We’ll just stay out of the city as much as possible for the next few days.” Brignar took her husband’s arm, “Let’s head back out. We can stay at the inns attached to the Keeps until this blows over.”

  “Thanks for the assist,” Rocknar said. “Hope to see you again in a less exciting way.”

  “Happy huntin’,” Stacia murmured.

  “Happy hunting,” Brignar replied, leading her husband off.

  “I wonder how many will drop to avoid the PvP?” Karen wondered.

  “That’s something we’ll just have to wait and see,” Alburet sighed, looking over the Guild chat. “Guild chat has been busy today. Over a dozen players have been killed, and two said they’re dropping the Guild.”

  “We need to be headin’ to the museum,” Stacia said, taking Alburet’s arm.

  “Tiny, TJ,” Alburet said, “take the front. If you see any Guild member being attacked, intervene.”

  “Yes, master,” the two rumbled in unison.

  “Bob, you’re on overwatch,” Alburet said as they began to walk. “Kitten, you have rearguard.”

  “On it,” Bob said, flying up to the rooftops.

  “And what nice rears they be,” Kitten purred with a seductive giggle.

  Fluff took Alburet’s other side, opposite Stacia, with Karen flanking her. “Al,” Fluff asked gently, “do you think we’ll find a way to get this to stop?”

  “No idea,” Alburet sighed.

  “We’ll find out more when we talk to Gerald at lunch,” Karen added. “Either way, if we find out who’s behind it, we can gut them like a fish.”

  Brow wrinkling, Alburet snorted. “I didn’t expect that expression.”

  “I’m a woman who’s seen the world,” Karen said, her lips curling up into a grin. “I used to fish with dad, and I had to clean anything I caught.”

  “She does nay mind a little blood,” Stacia chuckled.

  “Small but fierce,” Tiny rumbled.

  “Not so small anymore,” Karen said, running one hand down her flank.

  “Still just as beautiful,” Fluff murmured, kissing Karen’s cheek.

  “Says the supermodel wife,” Karen grinned, returning the kiss.

  They flirted and traded banter all the way to the museum. Berk stood just outside the main doors, waiting. He gave them a polite nod as they approached. “Good day. Sir Jones is waiting for you,” he said, opening the door for them.

  Berk led them to Marcus’ office in the back, which Ioaniss seemed to have appropriated for the meeting. “Sir, your guests,” Berk announced, stepping out of the way so they could enter the room.

  Ioaniss greeted them with a grim smile. “I’ve been hearing that things aren’t going well. I take it this meeting is about the assassinations?”

  “Yup,” Alburet said, crossing the room to shake Jones’ hand. “We figure you can’t do anything to help, but you might have advice.”

  Ioaniss seemed to lose some of his grim demeanor. “Now, that I can do.”

  “We would nay ask ya to step into this,” Stacia murmured as she offered her hand for Ioaniss to kiss.

  “Unless it goes horribly badly,” Karen chuckled as her hand was kissed, which made Ioaniss pause briefly.

  “Stop,” Fluff said, letting him kiss her hand in turn. “She doesn’t mean that.”

  “It would break several laws if my House stepped into this matter,” Ioaniss said, taking his chair behind the desk after the ladies were seated. “Berk, the tea, please.”

  “I’ll be right back, sir,” Berk said, slipping from the room.

  “What can you tell me about what you currently know?” Ioaniss asked, steepling his fingers in front of him.

  “Frankly, we only know that the Assassin’s Guild has an open contract on any member of Alpha Company. Officers are excluded for a bit longer because of an agreement with an Assassin before the trip to Gwain’s Keep.”

  “Hmm,” Ioaniss frowned. “Open contracts are always more expensive; you have to put a large deposit down in advance. A single House moving that much money would be noticeable.”

  Berk came back into the room with tea and served them all. Once he was finished, Ioaniss asked him, “Berk, is your brother about today?”

  The flicker of surprise in his eyes was almost invisible, but Alburet and his wives all caught the flash of emotion. “I had not thought to check, sir. Do you wish me to summon him for you?”

  “I have a question he can answer quickly. Ask him if any House has pulled a large amount of coin together in the last few days,” Ioaniss said, sipping his tea.

  Berk pulled out his Mindstone for a moment, then nodded. “We should get a reply soon, sir.”

  “Berk’s brother?” Alburet asked.

  “He helps, at times,” Ioaniss replied cryptically.

  Berk cleared his throat barely a minute later. “He says that Gilden House did move a large amount of coin, but nothing like what would be required for this contract.”

  “Skippy has a part in it, then, but only a part,” Alburet hissed, his eyes narrowing as he tried to think things through.

  “It would seem so,” Ioaniss’ face was placid, but a moment of fear coursed through him. “I do hope that you come to some satisfactory conclusion in this business,” Ioaniss said, trying to gently nudge them toward ending the meeting.

  “As do we, Sir Jones,” Alburet said, taking the hint, wondering at the fear he’d felt. “If you have any other ideas or thoughts on the matter, please let us know.”

  “I’ll do the best I can,” Ioaniss said. “Ladies, a pleasure as always. If ever a woman half as bright would shine their light upon me, I would no longer be a bachelor.”

  “Ya smooth tongue could net ya one easy enough,” Stacia replied as she took Alburet’s arm. “Ya problem, me be thinkin’, is the ones who seem interested only want ya title.”

  Brow rising, Ioaniss bowed his head to her. “You are absolutely correct. More's the pity.”

  “You’ll find someone,” Fluff said as she took Karen’s arm. “I have.”

  Smile blooming, Ioaniss laughed, “I do believe you have more going for you than you give yourself credit for, Fluffball. I do hope you are correct, though.”

  “This way, please,” Berk said as he led them out.

  As they left, Ioaniss sat back down, his face growing grim as he pulled out his Mindstone. If what he feared was right… Shaking his head, he began to compose a message to his oldest friend. “I do hope that I’m wrong…”

  Fluff’s ears twitched
, catching his mutter just as the door closed behind them. Licking her lips, she glanced at the others, but no one else seemed to have heard Ioaniss. Once Berk had bid them a good day and they’d started towards Giardino’s, she spoke up, “Al? When we were leaving, I overheard Ioaniss say he hoped he was wrong. I don’t know what that was about, but there might be more going on than we think.”

  “I wouldn’t doubt it for a minute,” Alburet said. “No matter what it is, though, it’ll work out, because I have the best family I could ever hope for here with me.”