Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  Grunting out loud he could not believe the young Orc had gotten away from the ropes Windfall had put on him. "I couldn't do it. Bastard half elf must be getting soft in his old age." Yet that wasn't true, deep down inside he knew it. He had known the bounty hunter for close to thirty years. He had just left home for the first time. Ebbit figured he would try his hand at a life of adventure. See if he had what it takes to make a name for himself. He set out on the road without a map and just saw where the road would take him. He didn't even know he was in Eystlund until he found himself in the little town of Glenn Meadows. Little farming town that had a little of everything. It was a nice mix of humans, elves and dwarves. It was where Ebbit met Falconis, an old hunter that did all he could to help the little town. The two of them hit it off right away. He taught the dwarf almost everything he knew about hunting and trapping. How to track a beast in the wild. It wasn’t until a few years later that he learned why Falconis was living in that little two track town. It was the same day he met Windfall for the first time.

  They were out hunting deer, winter was coming and the people in town would need all the meat they could store away. They had taken two large bucks that afternoon. They had just left the wood line when they saw him standing there, sword in hand. Ebbit thought they were being robbed and wanted to defend what was theirs. He never saw Falconis turn and run. Before he knew it, he was there on the ground with the two dead deer, tied up neat as you please. He remembered looking up and seeing the cloaked figure dart into the forest. Before he could work himself back up to his knees, the cloaked figure was walking back out of the forest, with Falconis in irons. Never before had the dwarf felt such frustration, never before had he felt so helpless. He did the only thing he could think of, scream insults at the cloaked man who didn't even react.

  “Ebbit, calm down." Falconis told him. "I have something to tell you." The dwarf looked up at his friend the best he could. "I killed a man in Westheath a few years ago. It was an accident but I ran. It is time for me to pay for my crime and I want you to take care of my place for me. My brother Riley is supposed to be around this fall, once he gets here, give it all over to him. Do you understand?" Ebbit was shocked as he had never met a human that he liked as much as Falconis. Ebbit told him that he understood and that he would do as he asked. The cloaked man untied the dwarf and left him there with the spoils from the hunt. He never saw his mentor again. Later that winter, the bounty hunter who took Falconis away returned. When Ebbit opened the door he thought he was in some kind of trouble.

  "I would like to talk." the half elf said to him. Ebbit squinted up at the half elf, unsure if he should close the door or not. After a minute he stepped aside and invited him into Falconis's home. "Your friend spoke very highly of you the entire way back to Westheath. I was wondering if you would like a job." Ebbit was shocked. As he thought about it, over the years that shock never wore off for him. Ebbit stayed in Glenn Meadows for the next five years, helping out when he could. When the half elf came calling, he would go out with him. He grew to respect the half elf more than any other person he had met before. There was always work and the half elf paid him well, granted it wasn't easy or even safe work.

  Glenn Meadows continued to grow and the town became more and more self-sufficient. They elected an elf woman by the name of Glorith to be their leader, Glorith traveled to Eystlundtowne and made arrangements with a merchant to deliver goods they needed for coin or trade. Ebbit found that his skills were no longer needed in the little forest village so he set out on the road with Windfall full time. Ebbit still wonders what would have happened had he not done so. He couldn't have known what would have happened. Almost twenty years to the day that he left, Glenn Meadows was attacked by Gnolls one winter night. From all that was told, only two people lived in the attack, the half elf son of Glorith and Riley the brother of Falconis. Ebbit never knew of her child, didn't even know his name. Not that it mattered any. It just bothered him that he was not there to help defend the town. It just drove his will to keep working with Windfall. Which in the end lead him to where he was now.

  It was close to dark when Ebbit returned to the Melkor farm. Bryce had the men busy building the bridge that Darmot wanted. Not that it mattered now. When Ebbit found the human, he was trying to enjoy a meal that the Melkor people made for them. Ebbit knew that meal was spoiled when he saw the look on Bryce's face.

  "What in the hell happened now?" he asked the dwarf.

  "The mage is dead and the entire orc army is going to march on the south half of the island. Get yer men together, Darmot is waiting for you at the tower. He told me to come get you and the dead ones. He also said to tell the natives to run and hide, get ready to fight in case we fail."

  "Fail at what?" Bryce asked him.

  "Hells if I know. He just said to get you and the dead guys up there as fast as you can. I have to head back now. Mind helping me get back up on my horse?" Bryce was on his feet and barking out orders to the men. By the time Ebbit was back up on his horse, the men were getting their equipment on and the former Melkor slaves were leaving the farm. Ebbit waved to Bryce as he was dashing back north towards the tower. Ebbit was pleased with himself. He would be back in time to get some good shut eye before the men caught up with them at the tower in the morning. The dwarf wasn't afraid to run the horse at night, he could see much better than his night blind friends. Still, he took it easy as he could. It had already been a long day for the beast and Ebbit had no desire to ride it to death. While it would take him longer to get back to the tower, it was the smart thing to do in his mind.

  As the night rolled on, Ebbit continued on towards the tower. No longer lost in thought of his own past, he kept his mind on this mount and the stars overhead. While he knew the day time sky was just over head, something about the dark out there made him feel small. While he had been taught to find his way at night by following the stars, he never understood them. "Yes they are stars but what are they?" he used to ask his father. Tiny points of light that you couldn't see during the day. It didn't make sense to the dwarf. Ebbit suspected that the gods put them there just to disturb his mind. Well not just him but other folks like him as well. People that didn’t want to hear just because. People that wanted to understand why something was. Instead of just accepting what is. "One of these days, I'll figure it out beast." Ebbit said to the horse as it continued to plod up the road. He had let the beast slow down to a steady walk, it was a nice night and he was enjoying the cool wind on his bearded face. The broken wagon was in sight, he figured he could afford go slow. He had time to spare.

  Long forgotten was the Orc left tied up at the side of the road. The one that had managed to crawl like an inch worm towards his now dead commander. The one that had managed to pull the dagger from his commander’s belt with his teeth. The same dagger that he had used to cut the ropes that had kept him bound. The very same Orc who only days before didn't care that he wasn't selected to join the warrior ranks. The very same one who just wanted to care for his horses, one of which was being ridden by a dwarf. He was a young Orc but he knew that if the little person went by once, he would return again. He only had to wait for him. Which is what that young Orc was doing right at that very moment. Crouched in the back of the wagon, waiting and watching for the little person to return with his horse. Waiting and watching with his commander’s weapon in his hand. A young Orc that knew with just a little patience, his pray would come along.

  Ebbit didn’t see his attacker until it was too late. As he passed by the wagon with thoughts of the stars in his mind, the roar the Orc let out almost saved his life. Leaping from the back of the wagon at the dwarf, the creature slashed out at Ebbit with the dagger. For the second time in less than twenty four hours, Ebbit went flying from the back of a horse and crashing to the ground. Only this time, instead of having to deal with an irate paladin, he had to deal with an Orc determined to end his life. Rolling away from the Orc, Ebbit pulled his weapons from his belt and planted his feet in the r
oad trying to ignore the feeling of blood flowing from his neck and down his chest. "Come on!" he shouted at the Orc who still had not stood up. "I knew I should have killed you when you were all wrapped up for me."

  The young Orc looked at the thin dwarf in the middle of the road. He didn't know what a dwarf was. He just assumed this was just a young human. Letting out a second roar, the Orc charged towards the dwarf with his commander’s dagger held high. Ebbit, still trying to ignore the blood that was now flowing at a steady pace from the wound on his neck met that roar with one of his own. With an axe in each hand, Ebbit waited for the creature to come to him.

  “Yea, come here ya black blooded bastard." It was something Ebbit had done a hundred times before. He stood and waited till just the right time, all the while watching his attacker’s feet. When the time was right, he would spin to the side. Turning on his foot, his first axe met the knee cap of the Orc; the second was planted in his spine. He watched with grim satisfaction as the creature fell in the road, dead before his face hit the ground. "That is what ya get." he said to the corpse of the young Orc. He then reached up to touch the side of his neck, with each beat of his heart, it pumped out a bit more of his life blood. "Better patch...whoa."

  The first wave hit Ebbit hard. His knees gave way as he fell to the road. While he managed to catch himself, he could see from the blood spilling out onto the ground that he was in real trouble. Pressing his hand to the side of his neck, hoping to stop the flow of blood the dwarf rolled over onto his back. "Blasted horse, get over here..."

  As the second wave hit Ebbit, he had to fight to keep his eyes open. Everything he needed was six and one half feet off the ground on the back of a horse that did not care about the affairs of those who walked on two legs. "Mason!" he said as loud as he could, reaching into his belt for a small brass whistle. Pressing the whistle to his lips, he blew out a single note, that only one creature could hear. Pressing harder into his neck, hoping to stop the flow of blood he prayed to the dwarven god. Asking only one question of him, "why now?" Off in the distance, he could hear his companion howling in return.

  As the third and final wave crashed into Ebbit he drew a deep breath, repressing his hand into the wound on his neck. "Have to keep my eyes open, can't let that happen again." As the howl in the distance grew closer he knew help would be along soon. He just had to hold on. Fight back the growing darkness that seemed to be destroying the stars in the sky. One by one, they seemed to wink out, leaving only darkness overhead. As his faithful companion charged down the road, Ebbit could hear him coming. "Damn wolf runs like a cow. I knew I was feeding him too much." As his eyes started to close again, Ebbit could feel his friends tongue on his face. "Stop that pup, look at me." Ebbit was worried, his voice once as strong and deep as the mountain home his clan came from, was growing weak. Mason, still winded from the long run sat down beside his master and looked into his eyes, in a way that only a wolf can.

  "I'm not gonna make it pup. You have been a good friend to me. Even better than that pointy eared bastard. I wanted to see you one last time. So I could tell you, that you are free. Free to run wild again, free to find a mate. I'm going to visit my ancestors and you go back to where you belong. Go home with Windfall and Darmot, they will get you there. If you get a chance. Piss on that dead orc for me. I love you pup, take...good..c" The final breath of Ebbit came out silent as the wind. As the light went out of his eyes Mason laid down beside his master of ten years. When the sun returned to the sky, Bryce and the dead squad found Ebbit in the road, Mason by his side.

  93. Light

  I stood there on the temple steps watching Ebbit ride away. I then looked to his companion, his eyes were trained on the back of the dwarf as he rode away. Perhaps he knew something I didn't as when I told him to come inside, he just whined at me. While I don't know much about rangers and their pets, I was pretty sure they did one thing, follow orders. I caught myself about to call out to him again, telling him to follow when it dawned on me that it might be a good idea to leave him outside. Give us a warning should anyone else arrive. Besides, a wolf would only get in the way I thought. I turned and went back in the temple only to see Michaels, something had changed about him. I could see it on his face, he was at ease. I gave him the best smile I could and asked him to follow me. 'Wait, I have to show you something.' I stopped where I was and asked him what it was. He held out the hammer to me, about four feet long, the head looked to be pure silver. It almost gleamed with its own light. 'This is Solarths Fist. The weapon given to Keltor the Peacebringer to end the first war here.' I couldn't believe it. I looked at that hammer and I could not believe it had ever been used in a fight. Everything in my mind resisted it. The handle didn't look more than a year or two old.

  I asked him if he was sure. 'Yes, I was given a holy vision that led me to its resting place. It was in the lower tombs here. Would you like to hold it?' I told him yes right away, not even thinking about that fact that this very well could have been some kind of holy artifact. As I reached out and took the weapon in hand, it hit me. Warmth and light flooded up my arm holding the weapon and into my brain. I remember going down to my knees and I seem to remember the distant sound of thunder. Michaels ripped my hand off the weapon, asking me what I was doing, what I was saying. 'You started to speak to me in elven; I thought you were going to pass out.' What I said was, blessed lord shine your light on me. Give me the strength to live in your light and to do your bidding. I never told Michaels this as I just told him I didn't remember what I was saying. I've not yet come to terms with what happened to me that day, it is something I talk to Hans about now and then. It has given me a new outlook on my life and how I live. While I am not looking to give up all that I have and put on a robe, I do make regular donations to the temple of Solarth. I asked Hans once why I spoke elven when I touched the hammer. He just shrugged at me and told me it did belong to an elf to start. I took a good look at the weapon one more time, I was sure then that it was the real thing.

  'What were you doing outside, is everything ok?' I told him that things were far from ok and that I sent Ebbit to collect Bryce and the rest of the men. I started to walk back to the room where I left Windfall and Pare with Kandella. I told him how we found Windfall and Kandella. How Windfall hoped to end it all by killing his father and then I explained to him all that Kandella had told us, about the Flame of Hope and how Argon was using that as a signal to summon his army. 'Ah, so as the flame would not burn with him in the temple, he ensured that if anything ever happened, his army would come and kill those who did him in. Not a bad plan.' I had to laugh at the man, I just told him that we had an entire army marching towards us and he didn't seem concerned at all. 'What about the Melkor people Darmot, what message did you give the dwarf to tell them?' I told him what I told Ebbit, to have them run and hide with the rest of their people. To get ready to fight in case we fail. When he asked me what we were going to do I just told him that was a good question and kept walking. 'Do not worry my friend, I have a plan.' I asked him what that was and he just smiled at me. 'Solarth will guide me, that is all I know right now. I will put my fate in his hands.'

  While it went against my nature at the time, I couldn't argue with him. We were dealing with something beyond my simple understanding. Today, I want to go back and argue with him. Find another way to deal with the problem. I never saw it coming and I would have fought to prevent it if I could. Windfall was much the way I had left him, sitting there with that lost look on his face, staring at the spot where his father was on the floor. Pare was standing on a table, reenacting something for Kandella, his arms were waving about. I honestly had no idea what he was talking about. When they saw us Pare stopped and jumped down to the floor. Kandella came over to Michaels and shook his hand. 'Never thought I would see you here good paladin but I am not sorry for it.' She had a smile on her face for half a second, when she saw the item in his hand the smile was gone and she turned white as a ghost. 'How did you get that? Is that the real thing?
What am I saying, of course it is. I can feel its power.' Michaels told the story again for Kandella. I took that chance to move away from them and told Pare to see what he could do about dinner. 'Sure thing Darmot' he told me as he plopped down on the floor and started to dig into his pack. That is when I told him, something for everyone. He just kind of looked at me for a moment and said 'Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh'.

  I then went over to Windfall, softly calling out his name as I put my hand on his shoulder. When he looked up at me I told him to follow me outside. Once he was out under the sun, the color started to return to his face. As we stood on the steps, Mason came over and sat there, watching us. I asked him just what had happened. 'He pulled the information out of me like he was pulling errant strings from a thread worn blanket. I told him everything he wanted to know and in his arrogance, told me just what his plans were. I fear I may have put my son in very real danger. He won't come back here and I may have saved Eystlund for a time. Yet all I did was make him shift his focus. No longer is the human race his main objective. He will plot and plan.' I had to stop him and ask him what he was talking about. 'Xcavere, I told him about Xcavere in Toryth Vol. That was going to be his next stop should he succeed in Eystlund. He told me he would use Zender to kill the lich. So while he was fighting with Kandella, I snapped his neck. I didn't know he had a plan for that as well.' While I didn't know Zender as well as his father did, I did remind him that the stubborn priest wasn't easy to control. 'No but he is loyal to his family, out of respect he will listen to the old man. Yet I think if he ever meets his grandfather, it would be an interesting day. By interesting I mean, one of them will die. You are right my friend, Zender will not be controlled like that. Still, the idea of it might appeal to him. Destroy the lich king Xcavere and return life to Toryth Vol. If we live to get off this island, I am gonna have to find him and warn him.'