Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  'I am General Malkov, leader of The Coming Dawn as appointed by Lord Ramanthus. I see before me four men of interest to Lord Ramanthus. As you have watched him, he has watched you, he wished for me to tell you this. We had hoped that the Chosen ones would take care of you. As you have easily dispatched them and you have traveled all this way the interest in you has increased tenfold. Lord Ramanthus is eager to meet you. On his behalf I welcome you to The White Spire, he hopes that you will agree to be his guest. He has many things to discuss with you and hopes that you will agree to join his cause.' I was ready to explode, I saw in my head who I would kill first. I saw the fight in my mind, each and every step planned out. When Zender stepped forward and told them that we accepted 'the most generous invitation of Lord Ramanthus' I thought I had died. I looked over at my friends, Zackary gave me a sideways glance and just shrugged. Lomark seemed to know it was coming as he had pulled out his robe and put it back on again. As the three of them started walking forward and I stood and watched them, I refused to move.

  General Malkov seemed rather pleased and dispatched two men to show them in. He then turned towards me and took a few very dangerous steps forward. I refused to let go of my sword. 'Lord Kromwell of Arcadia. I see that look in your eye. Yes, you would kill quite a few of my men before we could put you down. As a representative of the Kingdom of Arcadia I expected better from you. When Ramanthus is crowned king of Toryth Vol, this will reflect poorly on your homeland. Are you sure you don't want to join your friends?' I looked at them as they were walking into the gates of the spire. I wish they had felt the need to include me in their plan. I felt lost, angry and alone. I just looked at Malkov and stared into his eyes. 'I almost hoped you would resist. You wounded my mount when they took the rod from Eystlund. The wound took a long time to heal, a very long time.' With that he turned from me and walked away. Ten men drew weapons and escorted me in the spire where I spent the day and following night deep under the Spire in one of the many cold and dark cells.

  59. Empty Vessel

  As the little halfling approached the Kromwell Estate he could smell a fire. Not a blazing out of control fire but more like a cooking fire. The closer he got the more he could smell it, then he could hear the people talking, laughing and having what sounded like a good time. When he could see the front of the house he saw all the people gathered around the fire. He saw what looked to be a good thirty men all gathered around, from the look of them they were all workers from the lumber camp. Make shift tables were set up around the area, as well as places to sit. Not far from the fire pit, where they were roasting what looked to be a whole pig, Pare saw Jasmin and Charles sitting together. After he tied off his horse so it wouldn't walk away he started to make his way through the pack of near drunken lumberjacks. When Jasmin saw him approaching she gave him a wave and a big smile.

  "What is going on here?" he asked.

  "Charles and I are headed back to the city tomorrow. I wanted to do something for the workers here before we left. Windfall is in the house, he said if you were to show up to send you in." Pare only nodded his head and started to turn away. Before he took more than a step he was grabbed from behind by Jasmin who bent over and embraced the halfling. "Windfall told me all that you did, Darmot would be proud and I am as well. Thank you." Pare smiled up at the woman after she let him go, turning around again before he started to blush at her. He tried to remember just what it was that he did but could not think of anything he should be thanked for. He had nothing to lose in showing Windfall where the thieves’ guild was, in his heart he knew it was the right thing to do. When he entered the house he found Windfall sitting alone in the kitchen. He pointed to the chair across the table from him. Once he sat down the half elf leaned forward placing both hands on the table.

  "Next time I tell you to leave a room, it better happen. Are we clear on this?"

  "But..." he tried to speak but Windfall pressed on.

  "I have to know that the people who work with me are going to follow orders. I told you to leave for a reason, I wanted to protect you. I had no idea what Basil was going to tell me. I didn't want to put you in any danger or have you hear something you shouldn't have. I need to know you will follow my orders from now on. Is this something you can do?" Pare started to answer the question and stopped, the words falling from his mouth.

  "What do you mean?" he said after what seemed to be the longest time.

  "You are good in a fight, you have a good head on your shoulders most of the time and I like you for some reason. I want you to come with me, work with me. It won't be an easy life. Always out on the road, tracking down vile people. In the morning I am leaving for Eystlund. There is a new group of bandits working the roads west of Eystlundtowne near the forest. We will spend a day or two at my home with my wife but other than that we will be busy. What do you say Pare?"

  "Are you serious? You want me to work with you?" Pare was stunned. This was honestly the last thing he expected.

  "Do I look like I am joking? I think we would work well together."

  "Wow, wait until my mother hears this. Her son Pare working with a famous bounty hunter. She would fall over dead laughing and I can only imagine what my dad would say."

  "Is that a yes then?" Windfall asked.

  "I am sorry but I can't leave here now. Darmot is my best friend in the entire world. He asked me to say here and keep an eye on Jasmin while he was gone. I would never forgive myself if I left her here alone. What if something happens to Darmot and I am not here to be with Jasmin. These two people have never questioned or doubted me. I have traveled all over the place but this is my home now. I really can't go but I am sorry."

  "Well, if you ever change your mind, just about any guard in Eystlundtowne can tell you were I live. I will be back here in a few months. Maybe by then you will have changed your mind. Keep the armor I gave you. It may come in handy one day." Windfall then stood up and offered the halfling his hand. Standing on his own chair he reached forward and took it. "I will be seeing you little thief." he said as he turned to walk out of the kitchen and then out of the house. Pare just stood there in his chair for the longest time, still unable to believe what had just happened. One of the most feared bounty hunters in the land just asked him to work with him.

  Once Pare was over the shock he went back out into the night with the horde of drunken lumberjacks and took a seat next to the wife of his friend. They were there until just before the mornings first light when the three of them set off for their home in the city where they belonged. True to his word, Windfall returned months later to catch up with the little halfling and his human friends. Just in time for him to set out again with his old student and his little friend. Just in time to set off to the east, where they went to face danger in the form of a great many beast.

  In the days to come, the little halfling stood by Jasmin's side. Each of them waiting for a husband and a friend. Yet Pare never forgot just what it was that Windfall had said. A seed was planted and started to grow. So while he spent his days as guardian of his best friend’s heart, he spent his nights as a guardian of another kind. Some say it was the city watch cracking down on the thieves that made things so much better. Yet some will tell you it is something else altogether. Ask any thief that had fled the city and they will tell you the truth. Something they will only speak of under the light of day. Something they will not talk about until they are far away. They don't know where it came from but in the city of Arcadia there is a little demon on the loose. He comes from the shadows, fast as could be. With a hundred hands he strikes out at you with nails sharp as steel. Laughing his high pitched laugh as he leaves you tied up and runs off with whatever you tried to steal.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  After leaving the office of Captain Turk, Hans set about the task of returning Emily to the home of her owner. Noticing the guard on the ground starting to rise he hastened his step. "Well, now it is just a waiting game isn't it Emily. We will wait for the
help I need and then we will wait to hear word of your master. I hope he is well. I don't believe he is hurt or dead, yet why are you here? Why would you come to the temple of all places, you seem to be a smart girl, why not just go home? Aaah well, we shall find out soon enough. Maybe we should stop at the inn, see if Pare is there. He might know something if there is anything to know, then again do I really want to spend the rest of the day with a drunk halfling? Not that he is a bad sort, good lad really but he does love his drink. No, we will just head to your masters home and hope there is good news waiting for us." When Hans arrived at the Kromwell home in the lords district he did not expect to find such a hub of activity. As he knew where the stables were, he started to lead Emily back. When he saw Darmot's servant Charles, he gave him a wave.

  "Bishop Hans, may the light bless you this day, how may I serve you." he said while bowing at the waist.

  "I found this pretty girl at my temple." he said patting the horse on the neck. "Has there been any word on Darmot, has he returned home?"

  "I am sorry to inform you that he has not returned. Let me take the horse, it would not be good if Lady Kromwell saw it. She may begin to worry. In fact, it may be best if you returned to your temple with it. Master Pare would see it for sure and then there would be no containing him. He is in such a fragile state as it is."

  "What do you mean fragile?" Hans asked with a bit of worry in his voice. While the halfling could be annoying, he was still a friend.

  "It is a rather long and drawn out story, it has something to do with a problem between Lord Kromwell and Lord Hetaron. It would not be right for me to stand here and gossip with you on these matters where others might over hear. If I hear anything on Lord Kromwell, I will be sure you are informed. Now, please excuse me Bishop Hans. I have many things to do before the sun falls from the sky." Once again, bowing even lower than before. Hans watched in stunned silence as Charles then turned and walked away.

  "I think we have been dismissed Emily. Well, I hope you will not be too upset at having to live with me for some time. The temple stable is nice and we only have one other horse in there. Just an old nag really but Missy has a good heart." Hans started to notice the people on the streets watching him talk to the horse so he started keeping things to himself. The longer he walked with Emily, the more he thought about what Charles had to say. "No, something isn't right there." Hans then stopped where he was there in the middle of the street. "I must know what is going on now." Hans knew that Pare wouldn't hold anything back so he started to turn around, only the fear of being turned away again by Charles kept him from doing so in full. "I will just go to the inn, odds are that is where he is anyway." Turning off into another direction, Hans and Emily started down a different road. "You should have seen this place during the riots, Emily. The King has done a good job making sure things are rebuilt. Half the buildings on this block were put to the torch."

  Not far from the Red Dragon Inn, Hans stopped at the open end of an alley between two buildings. Remembering the woman he saved here during the riots. Just as he was about to start walking again he heard the faint cries of a woman, sobbing. At first he thought it was just his mind playing a trick on him, shaking his head he started to move again. When the cry was more pronounced he turned and looked towards the alley again. "That was no memory, let’s go Emily." Hans started to lead her into the dark alley but she stopped short. "Come on girl, there is someone down there in trouble." No matter how he pleaded, the horse would not move any further down the alley. "Fine, you stay here. I will be right back." Shaking his head at the stubborn beast he started down the long dark alley in search of the sound he had heard. When he saw the first pool of blood on the ground, he started to walk faster.

  As his eyes adjusted to the low light levels he started to see forms ahead of him, four men standing shoulder to shoulder. Standing still while a woman spoke, Hans couldn't see her yet but he knew she was there. "Hey you there, what are you men doing?" he called out to them. Each one turned at the sound of his voice. It was then that the first pangs of fear tried to take hold of him as he looked into the eyes of four undead. He quickly brushed the fear away, fearing for the life of the unseen woman instead. Pulling out his medallion of Solarth he removed it from around his neck and held it out to them. "In the name of the god Solarth, I smite you creatures of unholy darkness." With these words the medallion of Solarth began to glow in his hand, shedding the light of the god on to the creatures. Each in turn burst into flames, then crumbled to dust. "May the god grant you rest and keep your souls." Hans then looked up at the woman, who stood there with a stunned look on her face. Wearing old tattered white robes and bits of armor she stood still, pressed back into the wall at the end of the alley. "Come forward child, I am here to help you. Are you hurt in anyway." Hans looked at the woman, holding his hand out to guide her forward, it was then that he noticed the bloody mace hanging from her hip.

  "You are a cleric of Solarth?" the woman asked in a bewildered voice.

  "Yes child, are you one of the order? You look like you have been in quite the fight. Come on, I will get you cleaned up and set right again." For what seemed to be the longest time she stood still, eyes wide open looking at Hans. Just when he started to think that she was rooted to the spot, she took a step forward.

  "I was of the order, I am from Westheath. I have never encountered a priest so powerful, who are you?" Hans watched with care as her hands went from being crossed over her chest to resting on her weapon. "I have no effect on you at all." Again, the bewildered voice she said all the while getting closer to him.

  "What is your name child?" Hans asked again, no longer looking at her hands but only at her cold empty eyes.

  "I have no name, it was taken from me along with my soul." She continued to walk forward until she was within arm’s reach. Hans felt a slight chill as the hair on his arms started to stand. "What are you?" she asked as she let go of the mace and placed her hand on his chest.

  "I can help you." he said as he placed his hand over hers. As she stood next to him, the chill went away, he felt a warmth building inside of him.

  "There is no helping me or you!" Hans never saw the knife in her hand. He never saw where she pulled it from. He only stood and looked at her as she thrust it into his heart. As he dropped to his knees, she let go of the knife and backed away. The creature of Ramanthus thought that she only had to wait a moment or two longer and she would have another undead to command.

  "Wait, you said you have no soul?" Hans said through a pain filled haze. Gripping the knife that was still deep in his chest. With the strength of one who had been wounded in battle many times over, Hans pulled the weapon from his body, feeling his life blood pump out of the wound and down his chest. It was then he was reminded of the elven cleric in the tomb and the words he spoke that day as he felt the blood flow stop. He started to wonder if he would ever die as the pain of the wound started to fade away. Hans looked up again just in time to see the creature advance on him again, this time with the mace firmly in hand.

  "You will be mine priest!" she said to him as she lashed out at his head with the blood stained weapon. Reaching out with his hand he caught her wrist mid swing, blocking it from ever reaching its target.

  "No child, I will not." Feeling his strength return in full while holding her wrist in an ever tightening grip, Hans got to his feet. While still holding her one arm at bay, he reached up with the other hand and gripped her face. "I do not know what you are but you are an abomination before the good god." Warmth began to flood his body, small tendrils of light drifting from his hands. "I pity you creature, tormented to walk the land of the living while your soul was taken from you." Hans could no longer see his fingers on her face, the light was now too bright. "I will pray that your soul is granted its rest in the afterlife." Soon the light began to spread from his hands to her body. "May Solarth bless you my child." The silent scream of the creature one only drew the attention of two men. One who was far off in another land, to
o distracted by his own troubles to care about the loss of another one of his creations. The other man witnessed what happened that day as the light completely enveloped both the cleric and the creature. He fell to his knees in awe of what he was seeing.

  As the light faded away, Hans was soon seen again, unharmed and alone. Nothing remained of the soulless woman but old and tattered white robes in a pile of worthless bits of armor. Saying one last prayer for the soul of the woman who had died long ago Hans did not see the witness right away. When Hans heard the sound of armor though he turned towards it to see a smiling face rushing towards him.

  "Hans!" Michaels said as he embraced the stunned priest. "That was incredible, how did you do that? I never thought disintegration would work on one of those creatures. Did you really steal my horse?"

  "Michaels? What are you doing back here?" he asked the paladin who had not let him go yet.

  "Believe it or not I was tracking that creature. They made you Bishop, this is wonderful!" Michaels at last let go of Hans and stood back to look at him. The grin seemed to be stuck on his face. The two friends soon began to laugh and leave the darkness of the alley behind. They returned together to the temple of Solarth with Emily in tow. Giving thanks to their god for the victories of that day. In the quiet hours that followed later that night, deep under the temple in the tomb of the old elven cleric they exchanged their stories. Michaels told him of his journey to Westheath, to Toryth Vol and then back home. He told him of meeting their friend Darmot in Klassen and how he gave him the horse. Hans told him about everything that had happened at the temple since he had been away. They talked all night as old friends are bound to do from time to time. With the coming light, came the duties of being a bishop once more. Michaels no longer feeling compelled to hunt the soulless creatures stayed at the temple for some time to come.