Shifting Planes- The Complete Box Set

by Jeff Sabean

  Bendiac continued to walk in silence for a time as he processed the information Aki had given him. Realizing the stranger was waiting for him to speak, he responded slowly. “Aye, human, meself has heard of these types of things, but have ne’er met someone who came through one. Portals to other planes I heard, but what that means is more than I ever cared to ask. I can tell ye, meself is as real as yerself, so stop thinkin’ humans’re all there is. I don’t even know where to begin with ye to explain about Kartos, but since ye distracted the orcs to help meself kill ‘em faster, I suppose it’s up to me to find someone to help ye get some answers.”

  “Kartos?” Aki asked. “Is that where I am?”

  “Aye, human, this world is called Kartos. There be realms in the land, but nothin’ worth confusing ye over. I’ll leave that fer one of them elves in town to ‘splain to ye.”

  Nodding in appreciation at the information, Aki continued for a way mulling over the information Bendiac had given him. Concluding that was all he would learn until they reached Terminus, he slapped the dwarf on the back and grinned. “Fair enough, good Dwarf, and well met. Now, would you do me the honor of introducing me to your traveling companions?”

  “Aye, where are me manners? That ‘un pulling the wagon is me cousin and partner, Thrazzoun Brewdigger, he’s strong as an ox, but can’t fight fer nothin’!” Bendiac exclaimed. Upon hearing his name, Thrazzoun turned about far enough to nod a greeting to the human walking beside his cousin. He stood slightly taller than Bendiac, with blonde hair cropped short on top and a beard that fell loosely around his mid-chest. He was not wearing armor or weapons but was rather dressed in the garb of what Aki recognized as what a merchant might wear in medieval times on Earth. When Aki returned his nod, he turned back to continue pulling the cart.

  “Them other two,” Bendiac continued, “say they’re brothers, although I ain’t ne’er met a dwarf with a halfling brudder before.” With that, he nodded his head to the rear of the wagon where a third dwarf was walking and a halfling rode on the tailgate. “Had to hire them to escort me cart, as this road be getting wilder each year, but it be the only way to Terminus without a boat.”

  Aki slowed his pace a bit to introduce himself to the “brothers” at the rear of the cart. The dwarf was around the same height as the other two, but it was difficult to discern his exact stature as he was mostly hidden within a dark grey robe, the hood pulled up to cover his face. He wore blackened leather armor that was visible as he walked and wore mithril bracers on his wrists with dragons etched into the fine metal. On his hips he wore a pair of slender daggers, the jeweled handles flashing in the sunlight. The dwarf looked at him suspiciously, and when he noticed Aki studying his daggers, they abruptly stopped reflecting the sunlight and became dull. Aki could not hide his shock at this, and the dwarf grinned slyly and nodded his greeting. “Abugraic Emberspine,” the dwarf stated, then said no more.

  Realizing that was all he was going to get from the dwarf, Aki looked up into the wagon at his halfling brother. The small creature was lounging on the tailgate of the wagon, lightly strumming a small lute. As he strummed, he hummed a light tune, bobbing his head side to side in time with the beat and setting the brown curls of his hair dancing along. He was a curious creature, wearing a light-colored shirt with a bright red vest, a purple beret, leather pants, and no shoes. He looked exactly as Aki had always pictured a typical hobbit when he read fantasy books at home, right down to the hair on the top of his oversized feet. “And who might you be, sir?” Aki asked.

  The halfling jumped a little, startled out of his song by the question. His large brown eyes turned to Aki, and he felt like the little guy was staring into his soul. The halfling smiled, and in a sing-song voice stated, “The name is Hankish Silentfoot, and I would like to thank you for assisting us with those ruffians. It would appear that gentle people cannot travel ANYWHERE these days without being harassed. I was just composing a new song to tell the epic tale of the heroic human who fell from the sky and obliterated three orcs as if they were one. By this eve you shall be the most famous human in all of Terminus,” at this Hankish blushed a bit, “Well, at least the most famous human in the Portal. But make no mistake, I shall make you famous!”

  As Hankish spoke, Aki found himself hanging on every word, as if it were the most important conversation he had ever had. His heightened paranoia at being in this strange place snapped him out of the trance he was falling into as he felt a slight tug on his backpack. He whipped around to see Abugraic deftly removing his fingers from the unzipped bag. Before he could speak, the dwarf grinned and winked at him: “Aye, lad, ye can’t be blamin’ a guy for tryin! Gold be tight these days, and a man’s gotta eat...”

  “Let me assure you, my little friend,” Aki started, then continued after noticing the dwarf bristle at being called little, “I have no gold, and it is not worth your life to discover what I do carry in my pack.”

  A tense moment passed as the two continued to walk and stare at each other, then Abugraic grinned and bowed his head a bit. “Fair enough, human, I was only interested in your gold anyway.” With a sniff, he returned to ignoring Aki as he trudged along.

  “Charming fellow,” Aki said under his breath as he turned back to Hankish.

  “He is not so bad, my new friend,” Hankish said with a smile. “My brother just has an unfortunate desire to collect shiny things, even if they do not belong to him yet. But he is loyal and a fiercer fighter you will not find anywhere in the realm.” As he spoke, Aki found himself wanting to believe everything the halfling was telling him.

  “That’s enough o’ that, lad,” Bendiac interrupted. Looking at Aki, he grinned, “Them bards can charm the pants off o’ ye if ye’re not careful, human! But this one ‘ere is mostly tame, he’s good in a fight as a distraction and to raise yer courage, but mostly me thinks he distracts unwitting victims for his brother...”

  As Aki listened to Bendiac, a small blush crept across the face of the halfling, showing that the dwarf was hitting close to the truth.

  Before the conversation could continue, horse hooves pounding toward them on the dirt road became audible, and the group visibly tensed. Aki turned to ask Abugraic what was happening, but the dwarf had silently disappeared. He turned back to Bendiac, who confirmed that was why he had hired the rogue, and then faced toward the growing sound of horses racing toward them. Around a bend in the road, four riders in plate armor and carrying lances appeared, riding hard toward them. As they approached, they slowed and finally stopped just out of attacking range of the group.

  One nudged his horse further a few steps, then lifted the visor of his helmet with his left hand, his right still holding the lance ready. He was a younger human, maybe in his late twenties as best as Aki could guess, with a sandy blonde beard and piercing blue eyes.

  “Who leads this procession?” the man asked, not rudely yet not kindly either.

  “That’d be me, young’un,’ and who do ye be?” Bendiac responded in kind.

  “Forgive me, Master dwarf, for my lapse in manners. I am Renout the Honorable, newly promoted Captain of the Guard of Terminus, and who might you be?” the leader of the four requested.

  “Me name’s Bendiac Brewdigger, that there’s me brother Thrazzoun, and me guards here Aki and Hankish. Now that introductions are over, kindly move aside and we’ll be on our way, sir.”

  “Pardon me, good dwarf,” Renout responded, “but I must impose on you for but a few more moments. There have been strange happenings in Terminus this day, and we can ill afford to be lackadaisical in our vigilance. May I ask your cargo and destination, kind sir?”

  Bristling just a bit, Bendiac stuck his jaw out as he responded, “Me cargo is armor and weapons bound fer the market of yer fair city. What’re these strange happenings ye’re blathering on about?”

  Straightening in his saddle at being so rudely addressed, Renout clearly picked each word carefully as he answered, “Would it concern you to know that Big Jim was killed th
is morning?”

  A tense moment passed between the two before Bendiac burst out laughing in response. “Nah, good sir, it would not ‘concern me.’ Never had much love fer Jim or his ways of stealin’ from hard workin’ folk like meself. I suppose since ye claim to be ‘newly promoted’ that ye were not part of Jim’s regime, and that ye aren’t missing him much yerself?”

  Relaxing a bit in the saddle, Renout waived back to his men, who also visible let the tension leave them. Smiling, he nodded, “You are correct, good dwarf. I was one of the few honorable guards of the town, who attempted to protect the people from the tyrant Jim. This is how I was promoted to Captain this very morning, and the corruption is being eradicated as we speak.”

  “Hmm. If that’s the happenings in town, why’re ye out here harassing meself?” Bendiac asked with a sly look on his face.

  “I see you are too shrewd for me to sneak anything past you, good dwarf. I shall make a deal with you: if you call in your man in the shadows who is sneaking behind my men, I will answer all of your questions,” Renout answered, grinning back at the dwarf.

  At that, Bendiac let out a belly laugh, as did Hankish, who was still lounging on the tail gate of the cart strumming his lute and composing his Ballad of Aki. Sheepishly, Abugraic slipped out of the shadows of the trees to the left of the wagon, slowly easing his way back toward the group. Renout noticed the movement and was visibly shaken, and Bendiac realized he had only assumed there was another member of the party angling to flank the guards. At this, he began laughing harder until his face turned beet red and he had a hard time breathing. His laughter was contagious as the rest of those gathered came to understand what had happened, and in no time at all they were all laughing and slapping each other on the backs.

  As the laughter subsided, Renout saluted Abugraic. “Good dwarf, I am quite glad you did not decide to kill me where I sat. A stealthier approach I have never witnessed, although I do not suppose it would be possible...” At this, the laughter burst out again.

  When all was calm again, Renout continued. “I promised answers, and thus I shall give them. A traveler appeared around a week ago, who ingratiated himself with one of our guards, a half-orc named Shenroc. This traveler was sent to the orc mountain by Jim to retrieve some item of power, or so the story goes, and when he returned it was with a vengeance! The group decimated all within The Portal, and in the process of beheading Jim they also burned the place to the ground. The fire has spread, as you can see by the cloud of smoke continuing to rise from the city, and those loyal to Jim are being destroyed or run out of town. The good people of Terminus will no longer be ruled by a tyrant and have elevated Shenroc and his companion Yutri to positions of leadership in the city for the part they played in rescuing them from Jim.” Renout paused here, watching the impact the news had on the merchant and his guards. “Shenroc explained to the guards loyal to the city and not to Jim that two of his companions, the traveler and a friend of his they met on the path to the mountain, had been transported here from another plane of existence, and that if any of us saw a storm with red lightning flashing to send word to him and to reach the place of the storm with all haste. Such a storm was seen off in the distance this very morning, and my guards and I are going to investigate.”

  As he spoke, the group became deathly still, all staring at Aki and barely even breathing.

  “Good sir,” Aki began, barely able to contain the shakiness of his voice, “what were the names of the traveler and his companion?”

  Noticing that the blood had rushed out of Aki’s face, Renout turned squarely toward him as he answered, “Their names were Heishi and Tiane.”

  A sigh of relief slipped from Aki’s clenched lips, then he composed himself and asked, “There were only two? There was not a third named Adam Zatus or a female named Leigh Aldith?”

  “Nay, good sir, just the two travelers from the other plane, although it would appear I have discovered a third?” asked a hopeful Renout.

  Aki nodded his confirmation as he answered, “Yes, sir, Heishi and Tiane are two of my companions I have lost. Can you take me to them?”

  A sad smile spread across the face of Renout the Honorable as he replied, “Nay, good sir. There is nothing that would give me more joy than to reunite you with your lost companions, however, they have already left Terminus. They discovered a plot to attack the elvish city of Harmonui and have pressed forward by sea to bring warning to that city. I was given instructions to bring you to Shenroc immediately, and that he will coordinate passage for you to meet your friends.”

  The relief evident on his face, Aki nodded his consent to the guards. “I will remain with these merchants. It would appear the road is more dangerous than they previously assumed, and as such may need my help. If you would care to travel with us, you may bring me to this Shenroc when we reach the city.”

  Renout and his guards quickly agreed and fell into formation to protect the wagon. “And now, good sir,” Renout said, looking at Aki, “Would you indulge me with the story of how you arrived here while we travel?”

  Chapter 2 – A Job Offer

  The remainder of the trip to the city was uneventful, with Aki regaling the group with the story of how he came to arrive on Kartos. As he described jumping from an aircraft with a parachute, all eyes were fixed on him, and not a one blinked. The guards were anxious to hear of the battle with the orcs and goblins, and surprised that someone from another world would be so effective at killing orcs. The tale came to an end as they rounded the last bend and found themselves overlooking Terminus: with close to half the city still smoldering from the fire.

  “There it is, gentlemen,” Renout exclaimed as the visitors sucked in their breath at the sight. “The once mighty Terminus is now a shadow of what it was yesterday, but it is worth the trouble to remove the tyrant and allow good people to live in peace. I do not know how this will affect the market for you, but in the end, we hope to have fair trade in the city, with more gold for all, not just for Jim and his lackeys.”

  The companions nodded their agreement, and slowly began making their way down the hill to the front gate, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the city aflame. Entering through the front gate proved a simple task while escorted by the Captain of the Guard, and once inside the wall the other guards split off from the group to resume other duties. Renout placed his lance in a sheath on the saddle of his horse, slid to the ground, and handed the reigns to one of the other guards, who nodded to his Captain and rode off toward the stable.

  “Shenroc will want to see you, Master Aki. The rest of you are welcome as well, there will be a secure location to store your wagon, and I am sure there will be food and ale,” Renout explained.

  “A fine Brewdigger meself’d be if I turned down free ale,” Bendiac exclaimed, his brother nodding his agreement. “Be there a stable fer us to buy a horse? Me brother can pull the wagon in a pinch, but he’d rather we replace our horse the orcs killed, I’m sure!”

  Smiling widely, Renout replied, “I did not want to assume either way when I saw your brother pulling the wagon. Aye, good dwarf, I will make a personal introduction to the stable master so you will receive a fair deal on a new horse. And how about the rest of your party?” he asked, looking at the “brothers” who were providing security. “There shall be plenty of food and drink, unless you have other business in the city that you must see to.”

  Abugraic seemed to dislike the attention being shown him, but Hankish reveled in it as he stepped in front of his brother to answer the Captain. “Kind sir, it would appear that our business with Bendiac has not concluded, as his wagon has not been safely delivered to market. We shall remain in his employ until such a time, and given the state of your normally fair city,” at this he made a point of taking a sweeping glance of the blocks of buildings still smoldering, with flames dancing from several buildings, “I would say we may still have our work cut out for us. We shall accompany the good dwarf to meet this Shenroc and earn the rest of o
ur pay.”

  With that settled, Renout lead the group off to the left, following the streets deeper into the center of the city. Occasionally their course was detoured by burning buildings and those fighting the fires as the wind spread the flames across the cityscape, which made it nearly impossible for Aki to keep track of how to escape the city if need be. He had no reason to doubt Renout but was still not convinced that the man just happened to find him on the road with news of his lost team.

  As the group turned a corner, they found the street blocked by large pieces of flaming debris from buildings on either side. While helping Thrazzoun turn the wagon around to take a different path, a group of large men with blue-grey skin and heads that resembled sharks stepped around the corner to block them in.

  “These were followers of Big Jim,” Renout whispered to Aki. “Chondri, they are called: they live to kill and eat their victims. Without Jim to reign in their murderous tendencies, they are running amuck on the streets. We shall not escape without bloodshed, so be prepared to fight through them.”

  As Renout was whispering to Aki, Abugraic slipped around the rear of the wagon, putting it between himself and the group of Chondri. He slipped through the shadows being cast by the burning buildings, and rolled to the side, coming up behind the group.

  “They must not have very good vision,” Aki thought as he watched Abugraic move. "They probably have other heightened senses to make up for it. I guess I’m about to find out...”

  Renout stepped forward, presumably to speak to the group, and as he closed on the first, he smoothly slid his sword from its scabbard on his side with his right hand as he slipped his shield from his back with his left, following through with a stabbing motion that caught the surprised Chondri in the throat. He used his shield to shove the beast to the side as he ripped the blade free and turned to face the next attacker.

  Not missing a beat, Abugraic leapt into the group from behind, his daggers flashing in the fire light and distracting the Chondri. As he reached the first two, he landed lightly and slid on his back, feet first, slashing out to each side with his daggers, catching three of the attackers in the hamstrings and causing them to fall to the sides into their companions. Capitalizing on the confusion, he rolled nimbly back to his feet, slipping back out of the middle of the group as the smell of blood whipped them into a frenzy.