Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  "Master Pare, when my husband died during the war I thought my world had come to an end. I was sure I was going to end up on the streets or even worse. Even when Lord Kromwell gave me this job here, I wasn't sure I was going to make it. I didn't know how to live without my husband. Yet things got better, I was able to keep moving forward. While I still miss my dear Declan, I know I am ok now. No matter how much you are hurting right now, things will get better." The halfling looked long and hard into the eyes of the woman in front of him. He felt something inside of him, small at first but growing by the moment. Then all at once it came to him. He reached forward, picked up the tankard of ale and did not put it down until he had drained it all.

  "I can't stay here. I have to get back to Jasmin. Tell her the good news. Well, not really good news but she will feel better knowing that there isn't going to be anyone coming around to kill her. I have to go, thank you for talking to me." As the halfling jumped out of his chair he reached out and placed his hand on Linda's knee. Only to have her lean forward and kiss him on the cheek. Pare stood back and looked at the red haired woman and felt a bit of a flush come to his face. With a smile and a wave he headed out the back door towards the stable where his little horse was waiting for him to make the trip back out to Darmot's estate. As he rode out of town he couldn't shake the feeling he had. He smiled as he placed his hand over his cheek where the waitress had kissed him. With a gentle sigh he let his hand fall again and said out loud, "if only she wasn't so tall."

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  "This must be your way of keeping me humble." Hans said to no one at all. "The one thing I hate the most and you give me more of it." Hans looked around the room by the light of a lantern. Scrolls and books lined every square inch of the walls. Each one holding some bit of history, some bit of wisdom, the teachings of the god Solarth. Each night for more than a week he had been in that room picking over the text. Most of it was beyond him. Written in languages long since forgotten or beyond his ability to understand. At the end of that first week he decided that he would need help with it all. "But who do I trust? There has to be someone." Shaking his head he left the room behind again. Determined to think on the problem at night and to summon help in the morning.

  After morning prayers and a light breakfast Hans left instructions that he was not to be disturbed while he was in his office. Sitting down he pulled out several pieces of parchment and wrote the same letter twice. Each one was going to a different place but the message was the same. He was asking the bishops of the temples in Eystlund and Westheath to send help. Explaining how he had made a discovery and that he needed help from people who were the most skilled in reading different languages. Also explaining that only those most loyal to the order should be allowed to come to Arcadia. With each letter signed and sealed Hans sat back and thought about who he would send. This was not a walk across town, there could be a fair amount of danger for anyone that was sent. After a careful amount of talking to himself he was convinced that there was no one from the temple he could send. "Time to call in a favor or two." he said as he got up from his desk.

  Hans was surprised when he opened the door to his office there wasn't someone waiting for him there. As he looked around he wondered where everyone was. He started towards the main temple and shook his head. "No time to waste." Turning the other way he left the temple for the first time in what felt like a month. Just outside the door he stood for a moment and let the sun light soak in. As he started down the steps a strange site made him pause. "If I didn't know better I would say that horse is Emily." He approached the mount with care but at the same time did not know why his friend’s horse was here. "You should be somewhere in Toryth Vol by now. Where is Darmot if you are here and why would you come here? Well, I am going to the lord’s district anyway. I will drop you off at Darmot's home." The horse did not fight or even care, that she was being led away after only just arriving. Hans reached out and patted the horse’s neck, "I hope your master is OK."

  Hans and Emily made their way through the lord’s district on the way to see Captain Turk of the royal guard. Hans paused for a moment outside of the castle. While the blood had been washed away, he could still see where it once said S.O.M.A. in giant red letters on the wall. Pausing only to say a silent prayer for the souls of the four people who were murdered in order to send a message. "I've changed so much since then Emily. I was new to the order, my faith was not yet the rock I lean on today. It was a little softer then, like pudding. That battle was my baptism, I've not doubted myself since then. I knew this was the right thing for me, the correct path." Hans stopped talking when he got close the quarters of the royal guard. A single man stood guard outside the office of Captain Turk.

  "How can I help you priest of Solarth?" the guard asked.

  "Tell Captain Turk that Bishop Hans is here to see him. I require his aid." Hans tied Emily to a post so she would not walk off while he was inside. All the while keeping an eye on the guard who had not moved as of yet.

  "I am sorry Bishop, Captain Turk is very busy and is not entertaining guest. You should try again tomorrow."

  "Are you sure? This really is rather important."

  "I am sorry, I must insist on it." The guard stated. Hans looked at the guard, looked at the ground and then back to the guard.

  "You look tired son." Hans said as he reached out, placing a hand on the guards shoulder. "You should try to get more Sleep." The guard took one step back, shook his head once and laid down on the ground. As Hans put his hand on the door handle he thought he could hear the man snoring. "Captain, I am sorry to bother you but I must ask a rather large favor." He said as he walked in. Captain Turk looked at the man who just walked into his office unannounced and just shook his head.

  "Hans, what is it that I can do for you?" Turk did not bother to ask about the guard outside. He really didn't want to know.

  "I need two people, people that you trust to carry a message. One is going to Eystlund and the other to Westheath. The security of this message is vital and must be delivered. The people I trust the most are off doing other things so I turn to you. While this may seem to be a small matter to you, it is very important to the health of my order. Will you please help me?" Turk looked at the priest, remembering the first time he had seen him standing in that very spot. He came in with Darmot and the halfling. He never thought in a million years that the three of them would be around for so long or that they would become such a pain in the rear. He wanted to tell him no. He wanted to yell at him to get out of his office. Yet in the end, where would he be right now without the four of them. Holding out his hand he just asked for the letters.

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  "Don't you die Kromwell, I want to kill you myself" the wizard said. Hetaron was hunched over his crystal ball, spying on his former companion. Every day he watched, every day he hoped that it would be Kromwell's last day. Yet he knew deep down inside that Kromwell would not die. His visions on this were clear, they would meet again and soon. Yet knowing Darmot was there, suffering and in pain pleased the wizard. He then watched as the others moved to protect the prone body of Darmot. Hetaron was not worried about the Cleric. No matter how powerful his faith, Senjin had killed many a priest. Hetaron was worried about the other though. "Lomark, I almost respected you. Until I saw that you were just another slave. A lapdog who answers to a cleric."

  Hetaron watched as the three men still standing where able to fight off the mercenaries. "Baaaaaaaah! Soon I will destroy you all myself." he said as he covered up his crystal ball once more. He would return to viewing them later. Hetaron was frustrated and tired of waiting. He and his master discussed their plans daily. They could not agree on a single thing. Senjin wanted to approach Ramanthus, join his cause and soak up any power he would grant them after the coming battle with Xcavere. Senjin would not listen to his student. Yet Hetaron knew from his visions that it would never work. Even with the Rod of the Arcane,
Ramanthus was doom to fail. No, each night when the visions came it was a little clearer than the night before. Ramanthus would fall and there would be a battle for the rod. Each night Hetaron tried to focus on the battle itself. To see past it but there was nothing there he could make out. Past the battle for the rod, Hetaron saw many paths. Hundreds of possible outcomes. Not a single one of them was clear.

  Standing up from the small table where he rested his crystal ball Hetaron quietly walked out of the tent. Senjin was asleep inside of the tent, the human woman they brought along was outside. Nearly naked she laid in the sun, resting her eyes. A slight smile came to his face as he looked up and down her well-muscled body. This is one who was almost as evil as he. Her mind was sharp as a razor and her looks kept people from going on the defensive until it was too late. While they did not trust each other, Hetaron enjoyed working with her. Her mind was twisted and dark. He laughed when she told him that Darmot paid her to kill him. Cynthia wanted Darmot for herself but did not care if he died. "Alive or dead, there is profit in it for me." she told the mage not long after they left Arcadia.

  "Are you enjoying the warmth my dear?"

  "Yes Lord Hetaron. Who knew Toryth Vol could be so glorious. This heat is almost divine. I take it from your tone of voice that they are still alive?"

  "Yes my dear, they are still alive. Soon they will face Ramanthus, then they will bring the Rod of the Arcane to me."

  "And you will let me have Darmot when it is done? You promised."

  "Yes my dear." Hetaron said. All the while thinking that the only thing she would have is Darmot’s corpse. I will destroy them all he thought to himself. First Lomark the lapdog and then anyone else still standing in my way. Once I have the rod I will break the bonds that tie me, then I will be free. Free of my master and his oaths. Free to destroy those fools still in Arcadia, starting with that damned priest Hans. Then I will make myself king with no one to stand in my way. Yes Cynthia, you will have Darmot. I will bury him right next to you. As Hetaron turned back towards the tent he did something he had not done in quite some time. He smiled.

  58. Deception

  There were two fights that day after I fell. First was between my friends and the mercenaries on the road. The second was between Zender and death. With just his blessed medallion and a few potions it was all he could do to keep me alive while the poison did its work on me. While he was able to do so, it wasn't easy without his powers. I remember patches of haze where I was aware of them moving me. Stripping my armor off and getting at the minor wound in my shoulder. Zender later told me that had the crossbow bolt done anything more than scratch me I would have died on the spot, there is nothing any one would have been able to do. Maybe it was the gods looking out for me or maybe it was my own dumb luck. All I know is that I am grateful to my friends for keeping me alive.

  When I did wake up it was the middle of the night. I felt like I was going to puke up everything I had ever eaten in my life. I was just happy that I could see clearly. I was still stripped to my waist and laying in the back of the wagon. I started looking around and I felt a small bit of panic. We were sitting outside the walls of the White Spire. I looked around for my friends who were sitting on the ground not far from the wagon. 'Welcome back to the land of the living.' Zender said to me. 'The rest of your armor and weapons are in the back. Get dressed and we will bring you up to speed.' It was then that I saw a strange man sitting with Zender and Zackary. He was wearing an old set of leather armor and wearing a short sword on his hip. It wasn't until he turned and looked at me that I realized who it was. 'You heard the captain, go get your gear.' This was the first time I had seen the young mage without his robes. I just nodded my head and went to do as I was told.

  I put on my armor and gathered the rest of my gear. The sick feeling I had when I first woke up had passed and now I was only hungry. I pulled some rations out of my bag and went to join the others. I could not take my eyes off Lomark, he looked so different. Yet he could not hide his eyes or his tone of voice. 'They will not let us in until morning but they were more than happy to take most of the food stuff from the wagon. Once it is morning and they know we are not going to burst into flames they will consider our offer to join them.' At first I had thought the mage had gone mad. It was then that Zender handed me a scroll and told me to read it. 'They can hear our every word. We told them we are mercs looking for work. We told them we met up with the wagon and were coming here together. We told them we were attacked by a giant. We are mercs, nothing more. Once we get inside we will have to lay low until we locate the rod.' It was then that I looked back at Zender and noticed he only had his armor on, his priestly white robes were nowhere to be seen.

  I handed the scroll back to Zender and nodded my head. As I ate I looked around, there were patrols on the top of the wall. One of them just stood and watched us. I then looked at the tower, it was perhaps the most impressive thing I had ever seen. I thought back to Lomark telling me that Ramanthus had shaped it all himself out of the mountain. We later learned that it was him and a team of wizards that worked on it over the period of a year. They were all white robes, Ramanthus had convinced them that they would use the tower as a magical bastion to help cleanse the infected land. He traveled far and wide to find them. When the tower was completed he killed each and every one of them. He felt he had to keep the towers creation a secret until he had raised an army to defend it. From what we were told, the wizards were still around somewhere. At least their bodies were anyway. We never saw them and I am glad for it.

  Zackary collected our bed rolls from the wagon and brought them all over to us. When I offered to take the first watch Lomark said 'Why bother' as he was pointing towards the man at the top of the wall. I thought about laying down to get some rest but it dawned on me that I had done nothing but sleep for the last several hours. I sat down and just watched off in the distance. Zender gave me a knowing smile before he laid his head down. After an hour or two I started to get restless, knowing there was a man on top of that wall watching every move we made was getting to me. When I was a child my mother took me to see a traveling troop of entertainers. They had captured and caged a few monsters. I remember looking on them and feeling something I did not have the words to understand then. Everyone took pleasure in the singing bards and the tumbling acrobats. Yet I felt pity for the caged monsters who would be more than happy to eat my guts. The longer I sat there next to my sleeping friends, the more caged I felt. I stood up and began to pace about, trying to think about anything other than that man on the wall, watching me.

  I was trying to think of anything to get rid of that feeling. I thought about my wife and how I missed her. I thought about Pare and if he was keeping out of trouble. I started to think about planting season and how to improve shipping lumber. Yet in the end nothing helped. He was still on that wall, watching me. I didn't even have to look up any more, I knew he was there, I could feel his eyes on me. It was then that I drew my sword. I could see the light of the moon and stars reflect off the blade. I then went into the practice routine that had been taught to me by Windfall. The same one I practiced for more than a year every night in the stables of the road side inn of John and Marta. The same one I taught to my wife when she first told me that she wanted to learn how to fight. Soon the only sound I could hear were my feet on the ground and my blade cutting the air. Forgotten were the eyes on the wall or the crazed wizard inside the walls. As I finished the routine, I would start it again. Filling my lungs with the cool, clean mountain air. Soon sweat was rolling down my back and my arms started to burn. I felt alive for the first time in a long while. Then and only then did the man on the wall go away in full. Oh, he was still up there but I was no longer the beast in the cage.

  I returned my sword to the sheath and walked over to where my friends were sleeping. Just as I was about to sit, Zender popped up from a dead sleep drawing in a deep breath. Like a man coming out of a deep pool of water, gasping at the air. I went to his side to ask hi
m if he was OK. 'I felt him, I can feel his presence.' I ignored Lomark rolling over to look at us. I don't think the wizard ever slept. I went down to one knee and asked him again if he was OK and tried to remind him where he was. 'It must be this place.' he said as he put his hand over the center of his chest. I knew what he had under there, behind the cloth, pressed against his flesh. I pressed my hands to each side of his face, making him look at me. I told him he needed to relax and that it was just a dream. I saw no signs of sleep in his eyes, he was wide awake and of clear mind. 'You are right, it was just a bad dream, sorry if I startled you.' I watched as he laid back down on his side, slipping the medallion of Solarth out of his shirt. While he was silent, I could see his lips move in prayer.

  I wished at the time that there was some way I could have convinced him to get rid of it. I was sure that as soon as we were inside the walls they would figure out who we were and from there it would be a fight for our life. I stood watch over him and the others until first light. It was then that I noticed something I had not during our time in Toryth Vol. There was a sickly green haze that covered the land, hanging in the air like some kind of evil fog. It stopped just about mid-way up the mountain from what I could see. There was no stench of death in the air, it almost felt like a brisk morning at home. I woke the others up one at a time. Zender had a beaming smile on his face, I thought for sure he had lost his mind. Zackary and I cleaned up the small camp site while Lomark and Zender went off to the side to talk. To this day I do not know what it was that they talked about, I really didn't care. I was more worried about the men marching out of the main gate at the time to care.

  I saw them come out in two by two, forty men and all. Each one wore a white tunic with what looked like a rising sun on the chest. This was the symbol of Ramanthus, a star burst sunrise half behind the horizon. They were being lead out the gate by a large man in polished black armor, his tunic was black with the symbol in white. As they swarmed out I dropped my hand down to the handle of my sword, I would not go down without a fight. I looked to my side to see the others gathered behind me, Zender put his hand on my shoulder and just shook his head. My mind was screaming to fight, yet there was this look on his face. It was the only thing that held me back. I quietly told him that I would not stand by and be slaughtered like some kind of lamb. He gave me a quick smile and spoke his final words to me that day. 'Don't worry' he told me, 'everything is going to be OK.' I wanted to shake his head until his teeth rattled lose and make him see what was going on. I asked him what was going on and he only time me 'there is no time.' The men surrounded us, lined up one side of the road and down the other. The four of us were standing side by side when the leader stepped forward.