Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  Since we set out he had not stopped talking for more than ten seconds. Everything he saw fell under two headings. It was wonderful or horrible. Everything he saw, tasted or experienced was labeled as one or the other. There was nothing in between with him. As we moved farther away from town he got louder. I kept looking up at him, expecting to see him turning blue because he had been talking so long that he had forgotten to breath.

  As Pare led us farther away from known roads I had started to wonder if we had made a mistake in following the thief. I took a look to the others faces, it would seem I was alone in my worries. I was moving along, gripping the pommel of my sword so tightly that later when I tried to let go my hand would not open. I started to think that this halfling was leading us into a trap. Images of what happened to me over a year before kept coming back. Was this halfling working for those same men; men who wanted revenge on me for killing their friend. In the end he did what he said he would do. Lead us to a hole in the ground.

  While Hans and Hetaron secured the horses Pare took me to the entrance. From ten feet away you would pass by the hole and never know that it was there. Lose earth and weeds covered an old rough set of stairs. No more than fifteen feet down was an old door. Pare took me by the hand and pulled me down the stairs. He showed me the old door, ancient even with a new handle and lock. Said he wanted to show me that there were people here, said he wanted to show me how to get in. He even showed me how he picked the lock, wanted me to see how easy it was. All the while he never shut up.

  It wasn't long before the door was open and the four of us stood there in the rough cave. Two small branches on each side and twenty feet in front of us stood another door. We began to explore the area to the left and found it empty. The area to the right however was not. On this day we had begun our adventures together. The four of us, stronger together than apart, ready for anything. We couldn't see much in the dim light but I knew something was in there and coming towards us. Each moment it was moving faster. I pulled out my sword and stood at the ready. All the way back to town that evening Pare's words kept coming back to me.

  "Oh how wonderful, a molithin."

  7. Rock

  Our first real day together and we were nearly finished by a molithin. A magical creation brought about by mages looking for an easier way to dig tunnels. A type of giant mole that can dig with the use of its massive claws and it also has the ability to produce acids from one of its many stomachs to deal with dense rock or metals. While in most cases a molithin is harmless, it can be highly aggressive if startled. It will stand on its rear legs and charge at what it deems as a threat, while waving it’s claws and letting out a high pitched cry. Doing the first thing I could think of, I thrust my sword into the belly of the creature. I then watched as my sword blade started to disintegrate in my hand from the acids in the creatures’ stomach. Soon the only part left of my weapon was the hilt. The only thing worse than watching my sword blade dissolve in the dying creature was watching Pare pet the molithins head while in the final moments of its life.

  After a bit of heated discussion we decided to head back to town for the night, get new equipment as needed, get a good night’s rest and head back before dawn. Hetaron also wanted to see the area where the bodies were found, we had passed it on the way to the ruins. More than anything, I needed to find a new sword. I did not mind using the weapon Hans gave me but I did not feel right using it. Almost as if I was not worthy. He told me it was older than the hills and well loved. Why he had it with him I didn't know at the time. Today I could tell you that it had been passed down from father to son for over five hundred years and Hans was the last of his line. The day Hans enters into the final embrace of death, he will carry that sword with him.

  We left Hans and Pare at the inn once we returned to town. Hetaron and I were going to the market district. His master ran a shop there and I needed to find a blacksmith with weapons on hand. There was some kind of buzz in the streets. People were rushing about, speaking to each other in hushed tones. As if they had said the wrong thing to loudly they would have been carried off. Which looking back wasn't far from wrong. I on the other hand was oblivious, for the moment. Hetaron pointed out a blacksmith's shop that he had seen the day before. For some reason he insisted that I wait for him to return before going back to the inn again. I waved him off but agreed to wait, he was in a queer mood and I did not really care why. In those early days he was worse than a woman.

  The shop I found myself in was dark and warm. Very warm as if I was in the same room as the blacksmith's forge. Not that it was but Boris kept his shop and home very warm at all times. Weapons and armor lined the walls of the shop, each displayed with great love and care. If not a little low to the ground. Boris Sparkcatcher was the first and only dwarf I had met since I had arrived in Arcadia. I can tell you today that he is beyond all doubt the finest blacksmith in the entire sister kingdoms but he is crazy as a loon. Once I told him what I was looking for he showed me around the shop. Pointing out each weapon, telling me their names, where the ore had come from and the day he first started to shape the blade. All of them fine weapons but not quite what I was looking for. When he asked me which one it would be I took my coin pouch out and set it on his counter and told him I was looking for something special.

  Once he stopped laughing at me he saw that I had meant what I said. I explained to him that I was on a mission from the king, small lie but he didn't need to know that. I then took the hilt of my now destroyed blade out and showed it to him. He quickly took it from me and licked the melted end of the blade. ‘Damned diggers always eat the good ore.’ He quickly dropped down a trap door behind the counter and told me to hold fast. Hetaron came in near the same time and told me to hurry up. He said he had to show me something. At that moment I thought he might want to show me a group of children he sacrificed to some dark god. Boris came back as fast as he went down the hole.

  "Here we go. Five years ago I was out at night for a bit of sport on Lake Gill. The fish in town is almost never fresh. I had just laid my line in the water and took a good long pull of my ale when I saw it. At first I thought I had fallen asleep and I was seeing the coming of dawn. The light lit up the surface of the lake as if it was ready to give birth to the sun. Then it got closer. A great ball of fire was coming towards me from the heavens. I thought my world was about to end. Then it touched down in the water. Steam erupted like a geyser from a hot spring. A hundred feet in the air if not higher. After an hour I could see a warm orange glow under the water, not far from shore. Dead fish had started to wash up, I knew my stomach was going empty that night but I did not care. I took my fishing pole and rammed it in the soft ground on the edge of the lake pointed towards the rock. I sprinted back to my home. I would need my wagon and horses. It took me the better part of the whole next day to secure the great space rock. For over a year I worked on the ore found in that rock. Any one less skilled than I would have wasted it. It was another two before I could shape it into something I could use. Today I give you the Nameless Blade, forged from that great space rock. It will never go dull, never rust and never fail you."

  I was impressed but he also told me after that story that no one in town would buy it from him. No matter how low he drove the price, not a soul would touch it. They thought the dwarf was insane or not far from it. Many folks would not deal with him at all. Some of the human vendors in the area spoke badly of his work, even if he was better than most. Not that I knew this at the time, I was lost in his story, holding the blade, looking over every inch of it. I wasn't sure if I would have enough so I asked him how much he wanted for it and set the blade back on the table. He asked for three hundred gold pieces, which was most of what I had, not that I let him know that. When I felt Hetarons hand on my arm, so cold was his touch I felt as if my soul was being sucked into a grave. He pushed in front of me and waved a hand over the length of the blade, it began to give off a faint purple light and then it grew dim. He turned to me and said "pay him whatever
he wants". His rotten breath had nearly made me sick but I nodded my head. I gave Boris what he asked for and told him if the blade was true I would come to him again. To this day, he has taken more of my gold than anyone else in the world. I trust him that much today. The Nameless Blade rested on my hip for many days after that. Never before had I held a finer weapon.

  Once the money had changed hands and the blade was mine Hetaron was rushing me out the door. "You must see this" he kept telling me. We were in the lords’ district as I know it today. Rushing through the crowds, pushing people aside to keep moving. I had not thought that Hetaron possessed this much fire. Soon we were moving past the people as a snake does blades of grass. Pressed all around yet we still moved on, never slowing down. Before long we stood in front of the king’s castle. There in front of the gates was Captain Nikle, trying to calm the people who were asking him questions. He had more than a dozen of the city guard standing with him. I then saw inside the gates, Captain Turk, Man-at-arms to the king and leader of his personal guard. I going to ask just what it was I was supposed to be seeing when I felt him tugging my arm again. "This way" is all he had to say.

  He took me around to the north side of the castle and pointed towards the wall. An even larger group of people was standing here, most of them whispering amongst their selves. A squad of the city guard was standing near the wall, holding back the people from getting too close to the wall. I've seen many things in my time but none of them stand out as much as this one single moment. Giant red letters, fifteen feet tall.

  S.O.M.A.

  It was written in drying blood on the castle wall. Each one of the dots was a head once you looked close enough. Held to the wall with an iron spike driven into the mouth. Two of the heads were children, one a woman. Who could have done such a thing, we did not know. What did SOMA stand for, we had no clue. How did they do this without being seen, we know today but not so then. I can feel my bile rising again as I write this, as it did on that day. When I could no longer stand to look, we turned to leave. Once we tracked down Hans and Pare we told them of what we had seen. We all agreed that instead of going back to the ruins we would seek out Turk and see what he had to tell us if he would see us at all.

  Later that night as I lay in my bed I heard Hetarons voice. "My master has seen what is coming and he is planning to escape. I don't know how long I will stay with you, I promise nothing. Death is coming to Arcadia Kromwell, mark my words death is coming for them all. "

  8. Crawl

  At first light the four of us made our way to the office of Captain Turk. We were made to wait outside and from the sound of the voices screaming at each other it was clear that Turk had his hands full. Three voices, all of them angry. Three voices, none of them giving ground to the other. The guard at the door looked like he was about to come undone. I started to make a comment about how we were wasting time when I heard a fourth voice, not from inside but from beside me.

  Hans was lost in prayer. I do not know what he was asking from his god but when he raised a single finger, pointed to the guard and said "Walk", I got a slight chill. As if he was being pulled by a string he walked away, not looking back and without a care in the world. Hans then tucked his holy symbol back inside of his robes and made a break for the door. His god was clearly with him at this moment. You could feel the power rolling off him in waves. I was a step behind him as we walked into the chambers of Captain Turk.

  Turk was standing behind his desk, Captain Nikle was on the other side. The two of them were nose to nose over a pile of papers screaming at each other until we walked in. To the left of Turk but behind the desk still was another man. Uniformed as another of the Kings guard, today I know his name was Hogan Rothchild. I would not know this until three days later. His face was red, filled with rage and all of it directed at Nikle. For a moment, one small moment I thought for sure Turk was going to have his man attack us. I stepped forward, gave a quick salute and told them I was there to give a quick report on our status. I kept speaking so as to take their minds off what they had been saying to each other. Yes, someone was using the old ruins. Repairs had been made to several sections. New doors were placed in various areas, we slaughtered near thirty goblins. None would talk but they were working for humans. We had only scouted out a small section. Supplies would be needed to finish.

  Then I asked about the art work that was left on the north wall of the king’s castle. It was all I had the breath to ask about. "Kromwell, come see me within the hour" was all Nikle said to me and then he turned and left the room. He slammed the door we just had rushed in on his way out. I then turned and looked into the eyes of a man whose world had been turned upside down. I could see the fear in his eyes. Fear of the unknown, fear of not knowing what was to come. If he did not know, neither did the king. He let out one long breath and asked if we knew anything more about who was in the ruins. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand as Pare's voice filled the room.

  "Oh I know, he is a big mean wizard. No offence Hetaron. He comes and goes at all hours and for the life of me I can't track him. One minute he is there, the next he is gone. I suppose that is a wizardly thing to do but it seems rather rude. Oh and he likes big locks, hot locks, burn fingers and melted my good picks..." Each word came out of his mouth faster than the one before it. When his little face started to turn red I clamped my hand down on his shoulder and reminded him of his need to breath a bit more. The embarrassment I felt was only mirrored by the puzzled look on Turks face. I tried to assure him that we had seen no wizard but I wasn't even sure he understood what Pare had been talking about.

  "If this were normal times I would march my men out there, clean the place out myself and be done with the whole mess. As you can see, this is far from normal times. I dare not let one of my men go. The safety of the king and the throne is my highest priority. The windbag Nikle will also not send a single man. He thinks this is all a ruse of some kind and thinks the city may be attacked. If that was the case my scouts would have reported troop movements to me. Problem is that I don't expect a single man to report back in for another week. So as of this moment, you are all we have Kromwell. I want you to go see a friend of mine. More of a mentor really, Arturo will give you all the supplies you need. Give him this." Turk handed me a ring unlike anything I had seen before. A steel ring with a crest, two crossed swords with blades of red under a single crown. There was some kind of writing under the blades but age had made it impossible to read. As I looked down at the ring in the palm of my hand a feeling began to rise in me. Something I had never felt before, trust. I then looked Captain Turk in the eye and saluted him in earnest.

  Captain Nikle was another story. He wanted us gone, told us to forget about the ruins and to return to our inn. He would summon us when he required our service. I still held the ring in the palm of my hand, clenched tight in my fist. I did not trust Nikle. He thought he was better than us, better than Turk. There was a clear division between the city and royal guard. It started here with him. When we left his office there was no question on what we would be doing. Ignoring everything he said and going to see this friend of Turk's.

  The first time we entered the shop of Arturo Son of Agathar is a day I will never forget for as long as I live. As sure as I am breathing today, this man was a hero. Well more than twice my age Arturo had an air about him that demanded respect and honor. Not that he expected it, you wanted to give it to him. I only hope that I can inspire someone the way he did me. It told him who we were and why we were there. I then handed over the ring that Turk had given me. As he looked at it something passed over his face. As if he was transported to another time and another place. He said only one thing in that moment. "This does not bode well."

  He was quick to give us whatever it was that we wanted. He opened the store to us and gave us free pickings. Once we had everything we wanted and packed them onto our horses I took a moment to look around. This is why I came here. This is what I wanted. I was doing something with my lif
e, something my father had no control over. I was making a difference in the world. I thanked Arturo for everything and told him I would see him soon. Still not sure why I did that but I knew we would be spending quite a bit of time together, I wanted to know him. We arrived back at the ruins without incident, without seeing another soul. As we once again descended down the old stairs I took one last look back at the sky and then at each of my friends. They were ready as was I. We did not see the sky again until three days later.

  9. Blocked

  Of all things in life I have been taught, this one thing always seemed to be the most useful. When lost in a maze, follow the right hand wall. For three days the four of us made our way past every obstacle in our way. Except for one very large and according to Hetaron, magically locked door. Both he and Hans studied the door for hours on end and I got tired of watching Pare get shocked when he touched the door. I think he was tired of it as well but he seemed very determined.

  Three days underground and no evil wizard to speak of. That being said, we did find humans, lots of them. Four of them proved most troublesome but they in fact provided the most information we had found yet. They also provided the greatest fortune. It was the day before or earlier that day. I was no longer sure what day it was, only that I was tired and needed a good rest. "They are from Katja-Lor, a good people but they will work for the highest bidder." Hans told us. I didn't care where they were from. All I cared about was the chest of coins they were guarding. Then we found the papers on the leader. This chest was the last of ten, payment from someone calling their self The Messiah. The other nine had already been shipped out it had seemed. What the payment was for, it did not say. Above and beyond the coins was the armor I found, at the time it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I do not know who it was made for but it fit me like a glove. If I ever find who made it, I owe them a great deal of debt as this armor has saved my life, countless times.