Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  When Alexander reported back to the ship he was out of breath and more than a little frightened. 'The poor swab we found floating out there said they were attacked by The Redd Kraken. They took half the crew and most of the cargo.' The look on Giles face made me wonder what it was that we were dealing with. I was about to ask when he spit over the rail of the ship and said 'dirty slavers.' I have people that work for me. I have servants in my home. By all rights they are all paid well. I know there are people out there who own and use slaves and there is nothing I can do about it, even if I do not agree with it. 'Sir, I don’t understand. I thought that fat bastard retired.' Giles just shook his head. 'He did retire. Then he gave the ship over to one of his bastard sons. Rhett still gets his cut of the action until he is paid in full for the ship. Rhett was a slaver but never took things this far. If you kill the sheep, you can only shear it once. It is clear the new owner doesn't feel this way.' Giles watched as the ship was slowly pulled underwater. Taking only the gods know how many men to a watery grave. 'Captain Kromwell, you might want to tell your men to be ready. It has only been a few hours since this ship was attacked. Pray they do not catch sight of us.' In the end I did just that, not that it did any good.

  We caught sight of a ship not three hours later. When the man in the crow’s nest called down what the standard the ship was flying looked like, Giles looked to me. 'My men can fight but these men are savage. If Marcus and Thom are still serving on Rhett's ship, they will cut my men down without mercy. I would rather avoid that.' I told him that those names didn't mean anything to me but that we would be ready. 'They’re Black Rhett's hired killers, Marcus is a smooth one, has a good head. Thom is a brute and has little regard for human life. If you have no worth to him, he would rather gut you than let you live.' I asked Giles how he knew so much about these men. He looked at me for a moment and said 'In my youth, I took what jobs I could get. I am not proud of my past but I do my best to earn an honest living now.' I watched with him as the ship drew closer. I looked over my shoulder at the sails, wishing we could go faster somehow, wishing we had a magic wind carry us far away from the trouble that was getting closer by the minute. The dream of my kite and seeing the sails like that made me think.

  I did not have time to think after that point. I called for Bryce not even thinking he was right behind me. I told him to go open the crates we had brought along, we needed a long bow in every hand that could hold one as many arrows as we could spare. Giles looked at me with one eyebrow raised. 'You can't kill them all before they board this ship. You don’t have that many men.' I looked at him and placed a hand on his shoulder. I told him we wouldn't have to kill any of them if we could slow them down, steal their wind from them. The idea I had jumped from my mind to his, the light of understanding dawned on his face. 'That would only slow them down, any good captain will have two or three sails in reserve at all times. It would buy us at hour or two at the most.' That is when I asked him how long a fire would slow them down. 'Sir, I assure you I am not that kind of wizard.' I laughed at him and told him arrows, flaming arrows. I told him to bring me three or four fire pots and to set them on the deck of the ship. By the time the pirate ship was in range, we were there waiting on the desk of the ship, each of us with a bow in hand. Thirty men in all were waiting.

  Pare and Miri were in charge of the water buckets. They were to make sure that we did not have any fire problems of our own. We were lined up near the rail of the ship, when the signal was given Giles was going to turn the ship so that we were facing the pirate vessel. While I said nothing to them, I heard Windfall and Ebbit making bets over who would hit the sailor in the enemy crow’s nest, Windfall won the bet. I could see men milling about the other ship and all of them had weapons in hand. At the bow of the ship I saw one man standing near the rail, a sword in each hand. I raised my hand to Giles and he started to turn the ship. Calls went out of hard to port as I commanded the archers to be ready. As the ship turned, the Redd Kraken came into full view. When I gave the command to fire, I watched in awe as the flaming arrows flew through the air. All but two of the first arrows hit part of the enemy sails. Ebbit's shot hit the main mast of the ship, Windfall struck the pirate dead center in his chest. We could hear the pirate’s cries as their sails started to burn, after a second and third volley weapons were dropped and they went about the task of putting the fires out.

  All in all, we fired six rounds of arrows into the pirate ship. All but two of us were aiming to disable the ship with fire. Windfall and Ebbit did all they could to leave corpses on that ship. Captain Giles was rather pleased with how things went and we never did see that ship again. They were nothing more than a cloud of smoke on the horizon as the sun started to set. In the end that was the only trouble we had during our trip to the island of Va'Nox. We arrived at the southern tip of the island as planned three months before. We unloaded the gear and weapons we had brought along and bid Captain Giles and his men a safe trip home. I understand that they did return to Arcadia once but I never felt the need to keep track of them. The fact that they were able to avoid capture by the Orcs after they left us on the beach that day is all that mattered to me. I remember standing there on the beach, putting my armor on. Thinking to myself that it was about to get hard from that point on. There are times when I wish I was smarter or wish I had the ability to see what was coming. Then there are the times I hate being right. This was one of those times.

  84. Va’Nox

  As soon as the last bit of gear we brought hit the beach, The Chosen One lifted anchor and was off. We put our armor on right there on the beach then men were detailed to carry extra equipment. The only ones who didn't take time carting around the extra were the two Halflings. I looked north and the beach ran for a half mile before it hit the solid wood tree line. I called out for Eli and quickly discovered he was nowhere to be seen. All the men stood and looked around, while we had all seen him standing on the beach, he wasn't there. Pare patted me on the leg, 'I think he went off that way, I can see his tracks. He headed towards that rocky area at the end of the beach that we saw from the boat before we landed.' I told Bryce and Michaels to get the men moving into the wood line. I didn't like them sitting out there in the open. Pare and I set off after Eli, hoping that we would catch him before too long. I took five steps and turned back around, I pointed at Michaels and told him that I didn't mean to tell the men where to go and follow after me. By the look on his face I could tell that was just what he was thinking.

  Pare and I set off at a brisk pace running on the wet sand. 'Why do you think he took off?' Pare asked me, I just shook my head. I couldn't run and talk the way the halfling could. 'Well he was acting weird on the boat so maybe something is wrong with him.' After a half hour I was about ready to drop, I asked Pare if he could still see the tracks as we slowed to a walk. 'I think I see him.' I looked towards where he was pointing and I could see what looked to be a man talking a pleasant stroll on the beach. While I wasn't ready to run again, we did walk a bit faster than before; gaining ground on the man. When I thought we were close enough to call out to him I shouted his name. He stopped only once, looking back at me he never slowed down, he just kept walking. I asked Pare if he could catch him, he just smiled at me and told me 'no problem'. I kept the best pace I could but I was winded. I was about a hundred yards away when Pare caught up with Eli. I saw the halfling dash in front of the man and hold up his hands, asking him to stop. What I saw next made my blood boil. Eli reached out and tossed my halfling friend aside. I watched as the incoming wave rushed over Pare on the beach. I pushed aside the pain in my side and started to run again.

  'Awwwwwwww come on, now I got water in my boots.' Pare stood there soaking wet, waiting for me. I asked him if Eli said anything to him. 'He said I am sorry and just flung me. He is a lot stronger than he looks.' I looked ahead again, Eli was nearly to the rocky area at the end of the beach when I saw what looked to be a large cave amongst the rocks. We caught up with him in time to see him standing at
the opening of the cave. 'Mother!' he called out, screaming into the cave. I looked down at Pare and he just shrugged his shoulders at me. I stopped a good ten feet behind him and asked him what he was doing. That was when I saw the elf woman walk out of the cave. Golden blond hair hanging nearly to her feet, she was perhaps the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Eli rushed forward and fell to his knees at the woman's feet. Putting his arms around her legs, I watched as he cried like a child. She put a single hand on top of his head while looking at me. 'It is over my son, I am sorry you had to do this. Go into the cave and get ready, I will deal with our guest.' I started to feel something, something I had not felt in a very long time.

  'Darmot, I can't move' was all Pare said. I told him I was held as well and to try to relax. I did not feel any ill intent from the elf woman. She walked forward towards us, holding her hands wide, palms towards us. When I spoke to Windfall about what happened later that night he explained that long ago when one elf would meet another elf in the wild, they did that to show they were at peace and did not carry any weapons. She stopped well within reach of both of us as she bent at the waist just a touch and nodded her head. 'Greetings to you Lord Kromwell and to you Pare the halfling. May the light of Solarth continue to shine on you both in the dark days ahead.' I asked her who she was and it was all I could do to ask her that. 'My human name is Ellashire, I would ask you to forgive me for our deception. We had to do something as the balance of our home was at risk. As the father would not take his hand to the problem, I saw it as my duty.' I told her I did not understand, I asked her what was going on. 'When the dark one came on shore with his army, I was away. Had I seen them coming I might have been able to warn the people.'

  'Close to three thousand Orcs landed on the island, with the power of the dark one at their lead, they were able to capture the north land with ease. I prayed to the father, asking him to help. He only told me to wait, that help would come. When the cleric Kandella and her men came I thought that they were the ones who would help. My son and I watched them, hoping that they would do something to rid us of the dark one. When they were all killed, I thought hope was lost.' I felt a shiver creep up my spine as I asked her what she meant by that. 'The priestess Kandella still lives but all those who came with her died. The dark one could not bring himself to slay the elf cleric.' The chill started to spread from my spine to the rest of my body. 'I'm lost' was all Pare could say. 'I once again asked the father to help and he told me that the key I needed to bring the savior was on the island. He gave me the image of a man in white, a warrior for the good god. I searched the island until we found the bodies of the men who came with Kandella. Using my magic, I gave my son the shape of the man you know as Eli. I knew if I sent him to the temple that Kandella had come from I would find help for the people, I would find the savior.'

  'If I could do anything else for the people I would have. The father has forbid me to act in any other way. When the light of Solarth is restored to the plain of Hope and the threat to the people is gone, my son and I will return to help the people. While I cannot help you with what is ahead of you I can do two things. First I will tell you this, under the temple is a tomb. After the dark one is destroyed, the way will be opened. You must take him there and only him.' I wanted to ask who she was talking about but there was only one warrior of the good god on the island. 'The second thing is this.' I watched as she turned, Eli walked from the cave holding a bundle. He held it out to her with both hands, I watched as she started to unwrap the bundle. She took from the bundle a sword, the handle was etched in gold ivy leaves. 'This was the sword of Taynor' she pulled out the blade and it flashed in the sun. 'It was forged long ago when the world was young. The finest elven black smith to ever live crafted this blade from leg bone of a fallen god or at least that is the legend. How the human woodsman came to carry La’tellarin I will never know. He used it to defend the people here and for that I will always be in debt to him, even if it cost him his life and that of his lover.'

  'I give this blade to use in the defense of my people. While the father has limited me, he cannot stop me in this. Remember once the dark one is gone take him to the tomb below the temple.' I watched as she placed the sword at my feet. She then turned and took Eli by the hand. 'Come my son, it is time to go. We are being made to leave for a time.' The man who was Eli looked at me one last time before he turned away. He looked as if he wanted to say something but the words failed him. I then watched as the transformation began, first the woman and then Eli. 'Oh Darmot, would you look at that!' A pair of silver dragons now stood on the beach in front of us. Ellashire was the larger of the two. 'Have you ever seen anything so wonderful?' When I found that I could move again, I looked down at the halfling. He had tears rolling down his red cheeks. The pair spread their wings and started to hunch down. 'Wait!' Pare screamed 'I just want to touch you, please!' Ellashire lowered her head down to the level of Pare, had it been any other beast I was sure it would have eaten him. 'Please!' he pleaded again. The dragon nodded her majestic head one time and Pare was off at a run. He ran past her head and placed both hands on the dragon’s neck.

  'I can see myself!' He then did his best to wrap his arms around the dragon, hugging her neck. He held on for what seemed to be the longest time, she turned her face towards me and asked me to collect my friend. I ran up and pulled him from the dragon’s neck, he was full on crying at that point. He tried to talk but I could not understand a single word to come out of his mouth other than 'happy.' Then the one who was Eli came forward, standing on all fours he was about the same size as Emily. If she had wings, a long neck and tail. 'I am sorry sir.' I could see that same sorrow in his large blue eyes. Pare had his head on my shoulder as his joy was running down my back one tear drop at a time. 'Give the men my best, tell them I am sorry.' It was then that he held out a clawed hand to me. 'Give this to your little friend as something to remember us by.' He held out a single silver scale, I reached out and took it from its clawed hand. It is the one thing I know Pare still has with him to this day. He punched a hole in it and wears it around his neck on a leather thong he got from Miri. 'Stand back now; we don't want to hurt you.' I watched as mother and son spread their wings and took flight, headed south. They flew low over the water until I could not see them anymore.

  I set Pare down on the sand and handed him the scale, this seemed to renew his crying fit. After a moment or two it stopped almost right away. 'Well, I guess we better go find the guys and tell them the good news. Can you believe it, Eli was a dragon this whole time.' I then reminded him that they did that to trick us into coming here, that the real Eli was dead and his body was somewhere on the island. 'Still, they did it for a good reason. She sure was pretty.' Pare talked about them for the rest of the day as we set off across the sand. It was well after dark when we found Windfall waiting for us at the edge of the tree line. He said nothing to us, just waved his hands and cut into the tree line again. The men had made a small camp inside the trees. It was lit by the light of a single, small fire. I heard the question more than once but ignored it until I found Bryce and Michaels. I just sat down next to the men, I wanted to tell them the story but I did not have it in me. I looked at the faces of my friends and told them to listen to the story Pare had to tell. As I sat back down again, I wished I had something stronger to drink.

  85. Abandoned

  We spent the night at that small camp. The prospect of marching forward into the unknown wasn't something anyone was looking forward to. So we spent the night there under the trees and hoped that nothing more would go wrong. Windfall and I had the final watch of the night. We took a single walk around the camp, looking for anything out of place. As the morning light started to filter through the trees I asked him why his father would keep the cleric alive. 'It’s because she is an elf and a cleric of Solarth. My father once told me that in each race there is purity. In humans and other races, that purity is easy to taint. An elf however has a greater capacity for good. They are not as easil
y corrupted by the evil in the world. Here you have an elf who is a cleric of the god Solarth. He will see her as a shining example of all that is good in the world. What the world should be like, something that must be preserved. He once wrote in one of his final journals that the world would be a better place if elves were all that were left.' I thought about what he said and asked him, isn't he a human? Windfall looked away from me. His eyes were seeing something beyond the horizon and said 'not anymore.'

  With the information that was given to us by a dragon causing doubt amongst the men, we decided to play it by ear until we arrived at the southern slave camp. We were looking at a good two weeks of walking before we got there. Bryce and his men were supposed to head out on their own, no one was comfortable with that any more. After the camp was cleaned up and all signs of us being there were covered up, we started to head north. Windfall, Ebbit and Mason were sent ahead to scout, Bryce was rear guard and Michaels and I marched with the rest of the men. Bryce also did his best to cover our tracks as we passed through the area. After three days of walking the trees started to give us less and less cover. Half way into the fourth day, the cover stopped. Pare was telling Miri about how he hugged the dragon for the millionth time when Windfall was waiting for us. He was holding out one hand, telling us to stop, the other was covering his mouth, telling us to keep quiet. I dropped my hand down to my new sword, waiting for him to tell us the worst. Once Bryce caught up with us he told us what they had found.