Death Or Fortune

by James Chesney

  I told Bryce and Windfall to scout ahead of us, if for no other reason than he couldn't keep battering me with questions. I told them we would be five minutes behind them as they set off. It wasn't until they left that I noticed that Mason was still with us. As Windfall and Bryce took off running he was right behind them. The last time I had seen him he was at Ebbit's grave, from what Windfall told me, the bond was broken with death. He should have tried to return to the wild. When we stopped for our first rest that night we talked about it. Windfall told me 'He might just be trying to follow his final orders. Ebbit did tell him to stay with you. Ebbit is gone though, he shouldn't be following that order. Then again, the wolf is smart enough to know that he isn't anywhere close to home. I wouldn't worry about it. We have larger issues to deal with.' Such as an entire army of Orcs marching in mass towards the temple. Where we just torched the only way to cross over to the south side of the island.

  We made good time that night, only stopping every couple of hours for water. Kandella did very well for herself. I wasn't sure she would be able to handle the vast amount of running and walking we were going to do. She walked with Pare and I in the rear of the line. It gave the halfling someone else to talk to. She asked him about Hans from time to time, Pare thinking himself an expert of the subject was glad to fill her in. It would seem my friend had developed an air of mystery around him at the temple and she wanted to know everything about him. The more I listened to her talk, the more I started to wonder if she had developed feelings for my friend. I even asked her why she wanted to know so much. She told me 'This is history in the making and someone has to write a chronicle of the events and of those who take part. I was in that temple for a short time and know very little of the Bishop. No one I had met before now knows much about him other than Michaels up there and he won't talk. He told me it isn't polite to talk about someone when they are not there, damn paladins.' I smiled at her use of language and told her that she might be asking all the wrong people. 'What do you mean?' she asked. I smiled and told her that he was made Bishop for a reason, she should look into why. That was assuming we ever got home.

  By the time the sun started to come up, we were more than half way to the slave camp. We were so worried about putting distance between us and the orc army we didn't think about the fact that it would be daylight when we reached the slave pens. The first break we took in full light, everyone except for Pare and Windfall were beyond exhausted. It wouldn't do me any good to push the men to get there if I killed them along the way. I told them all to eat and sleep if they could as we had a long way to go still. I thought about stripping off my armor but couldn't risk it should anyone happen to see us. Which at that point was still very possible. We were moving fast but didn't do much to cover our tracks. Any scout worth his weight in copper could have tracked us with ease. Not that I was too worried about that. The horns we had heard in the distance the night before were gone. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad. I'd thought perhaps the message that Michaels had given to that Orc scout had made an impact. At the time, I figured one of two things were happening. They were sitting around talking about how to get off the island as fast as possible or they were laughing at the so called threat.

  While I remember laying back in the tall grass, looking up at the sky. I do not remember closing my eyes. The dream I had that afternoon was one I have had several times before and since. I am old and gray, walking down a street in Arcadia with Jasmin and our children. At least I assume that is who they were. Gone is my armor and other trinkets, hanging by my side is the Nameless Blade, made by Boris Sparkcatcher. I still wear the strength belt, I can feel it when I twist and turn. The simple fact is that I am afraid that if I ever take it off, I wouldn't be able to walk. My old injuries are just too much for my old body to take. The sun is bright, not a cloud in the sky, it feels like the perfect day. Just when I start to think the dream will be different, the screaming starts and the shadow passes over head. The ancient red beast lands in the street, its wings shatter windows for several blocks. The red dragon has teeth that have started to turn yellow with age but make no mistake, they are still razor sharp. 'YOU KILLED MY MATE, YOU KILLED MY CHILDREN!' It makes me watch, helpless as it eats everyone I have ever loved. Leaving me alone to my dying day. I see locks of Jasmin's hair hanging from the jaws of the creature as it bends its face down to taunt me. 'Death is too good for you.' That is when I always wake up. The image of seeing her hair hanging out of the mouth of the beast is too much for me to take.

  I sat up in a cold sweat, ripping off my helm I can feel it running down my back in waves. I looked around and saw Pare watching me. His eyes were squinted up and his head was tilted just to the side. 'Do you always talk in your sleep?' he asked me. I was irritated and told him I didn't know as I was sleeping. 'You just kept saying, not her. Don't hurt her, not Jasmin.' He had one of his daggers in his hand, flipping it over in the air and catching by the handle. 'Who are you talking to, who hurt Jasmin?' I took a moment to get up to my knees, I took a quick look around the make shift camp. The only person up and moving around was Jordan. I figured it was his turn to keep watch. I told Pare that it was just a dream, when I told him what had happened he gave me that same squinted up look again. He asked me, 'Where was I at?' When I told him he wasn't in the dream he let out a sigh of relief. 'Oh, well then we don't have to worry about that then. We are going to be together forever. Yer right, it was just a silly dream.' He had a smile on his face like I had just given him his favorite snack in the whole world. When people ask why I keep him around, it is days like this that come to mind. When you are facing the impossible, you want someone like Pare in your life.

  After a quick meal of trail rations, I went to find Windfall and Bryce. Telling them that we would do the same thing as the night before and that as soon as they even thought they were close to the slave camp to stop and wait for us. After they took off I saw Mason sitting there, watching me again. I told him to go on and off he went. I gave the men more breaks than they needed, I wanted them fresh by the time we hit the slave camp. As the night passed we left behind the plains and once again entered forest. About an hour after we hit the tree line I saw Windfall and Bryce coming back towards us, Bryce was visibly upset. I asked them what was wrong and he just pointed to Windfall and told him to tell us. 'We were about an hour ahead of you. Not too far from here the forest has been cut clean. As far as you can see there is nothing but tree stumps. Then we saw the camp, it is massive. There must be close to four hundred slaves in there just from the size of the containment area. Massive black stone walls, they look like they were shaped right out of the earth. Close to fifteen feet tall and thick as my arm is long. Between the ones on the ground outside and the ones walking on the top of the walls, we counted close to twenty Orcs still there. To top it all off, the whole place smells like death. I can't see the slaves in there being in any kind of condition to fight.'

  I sat there and thought about it for just a moment, no one spoke. It was rather odd all things considered. If they really had that many slaves packed in there, it wasn't going to smell pretty. I shook my head and told them all we would deal with that when it came time. We had to get moving or it would all be for nothing. We had to give them a fighting chance. I told Windfall to lead the way as I wanted to get a good look at the camp. When we hit the area that had been clear cut I called for them to stop. All we could see were the stumps of trees that had been cut down for the ship building. I started to think about how to proceed when I remembered our guest Kandella. I couldn't afford to have her get lost or captured during the attack on the slave camp. I asked for one man to volunteer to stay behind with her, away from the battle. When no one stepped forward I told West that he was the man. He was to keep her a safe distance away from the camp and if anything went wrong, they were to run and hide. While he didn't like it, he followed orders.

  When we came into view of the camp, I was almost impressed. The walls were glossy and black. It had to be the la
rgest deposit of obsidian in the entire world. The glossy walls also served another function. As Myrrdin came out from behind the clouds in the sky, the walls reflected its light for several feet. Getting close to the walls on a clear night would be difficult at best. I learned later that the building was hundreds of years old. The Othos magic users would take students there to teach them the craft. It had been abandoned once the different tribes banded together to live in one large city. Everything they did was as one people, one tribe, united. I sometimes wonder if the building is still there today, it went from being a place of wonder and magic to a monument to torture. After I took the spy glass back from Pare, I watched the guards walk the walls. No towers, just a narrow walk way on the top of the wall. There were ten Orcs in total up on the walls, walking back and forth the whole time. The rest who remained to guard the slaves were in tents on the south side of the holding area. From where we were at, I could only see one way into the holding area.

  I knew we had to hit them fast and hard. I told Michaels to take five of the Dead Squad to the far side of the slave camp, they would strike at the Orcs on the north and west walls. Myself and the last four members of the Dead Squad would hit the east and south walls. Windfall, Bryce and Pare would hit the tents. I told them all we would strike in one hour, after that it was just a waiting game, we had to give Michaels time to make it to the other side of the camp without being seen. I looked down at Pare and told him good luck as he was leaving with the others. He just smiled at me and said, 'It's too bad Hetaron isn't here, we could have used his flying carpet to attack them from the sky.' I smiled back at him but in truth, what he said hurt. It had been a long time since I had thought of the wizard. I thought of him as a friend, he just saw me as a tool to advance in both power and wealth. I know when it is time for me to cross to the other side I will be put to the question for the roll I took in his death. I can only hope that the gods show mercy on me for that.

  As both groups departed, I started to keep count in my head. At the same time, I prayed that the clouds would continue to keep the Eye of Myrrdin hidden. We could not afford to have anyone be seen before we attacked. I continued to watch the walls through the spy glass while I counted. The Orcs on the wall were sloppy but they never stopped moving. As I was about to signal my men to get moving I noticed Mason sitting by my leg, watching me. I just shook my head and told him to go back to Kandella, to keep her safe. I thought for a moment that the wolf nodded his head at me before it took off running. When Wayne spoke, it took me by surprise. 'That thing is creepy.' I gave him a small quiet laugh in agreement and gave everyone the signal to move. As we moved towards the wall, I picked out my target. I knew I would only have one shot, one I could not afford to miss. If I missed, I very well could kill more than one of the slaves inside of the compound. Just as the count in my head hit one hour, I pulled back and took aim. When the screaming started, I let the arrow fly.

  96. Believe

  As the bodies of the Orc watchmen fell from the tops of the walls, I could hear the screams of horror from inside the walls. Those screams of horror soon turned to rage when those slaves realized that they had wounded Orcs in their midst. Those who were in chains beat or strangled their former captors with the iron around their wrist. The slaves did a better job of finishing off the Orcs who lived that I could have ever hoped for. The ones who were lucky enough to fall on the outside of the walls were given a much less painful death. Once all the Orcs on the walls were taken care of, we all raced to the tents to assist Windfall and the others in cleaning up. Not that there was much for us to do. Most of the Orcs died in their sleep. The smell of ale was so strong inside of the tents, I was afraid a torch might have ignited the whole place.

  As we gathered outside of the door to the slave compound, we could hear the frenzy that was going on inside of the walls. People were pounding on the doors, screaming to be let out. A multitude of voices that all carried the same message, let us free. I watched as the door bulged outward, straining the planks that kept it closed. I knew if we did not get them calm soon, people would get hurt. Seeing the ladders the Orcs used to get on top of the walls I called out to Michaels and told him to follow me. 'Why don't we just open the door?' he asked me. I asked him if he remembered what it was like in the city during the riots, the mass of humanity as it raged down the streets, destroying everything along the way. When we got to the top of the walls we could see them all pressed against the door, hundreds of bodies all trying to force open the way to freedom. I told Michaels to hold his holy symbol up high over his head and to shine his light on us. So the people below could see us for what we were. 'I can do better than that' he said as he lifted Solarths Fist over his head.

  'Solarth, illuminate the darkness so your children may see your blessed light.' The head of the hammer turned white and started to glow. When it flashed, I had to look away from him. So bright was the light it seemed as if Michaels had pulled the mid-day sun from his pocket and held it over his head. Soon all movement below stopped, as I watched people were dropping to their knees. The light I was feeling gave warmth, made me feel comfort I had not felt since I was at home. I just looked down on them all, their dirty and haggard faces turned towards the light, basking in the glow. 'Darmot my friend, hurry. I can only hold this for so long.' Michael’s voice was strained with the effort it took to hold that light. I held up my hands and called down to the people below. "My name is Captain Kromwell, my companions and I are here to help you. I need you to remain calm while we open the gates. Please, we need total calm as you exit to ensure that no one is hurt. As you leave the doors, your chains will be removed. Any wounded will be attended to the best we can. If there are any leaders among you, seek me out once you are free so we may talk." I turned away from the people and Michaels dropped his arm and the light at the same time.

  I did not dare to move once the light was gone, I couldn't see a thing. Falling off that wall was the last thing I needed. Once I could see again, I started to make my way towards the ladder. Pare was waiting for us as we came down, his eyes were as big as his face, asking Michaels if he could touch the hammer, to see if it was hot. Michaels told him it wasn't but the halfling wouldn't be put off. 'But I felt so warm, please may I touch it?' I could not believe my eyes as the paladin held the head of the hammer towards the halfling. As Pare reached out to touch it I wanted to pull him back, remembering what had happened to me when I touched it. 'Do you feel it my small friend, it is cool to the touch. The warmth you felt was the love the good god has for you.' Michaels told him. As he passed his hand over it he let out a small whistle. 'Do you really think he loves me Michaels, I've not been a very good person but I do try?' Pare asked him. 'Pare, Solarth loves all of those who walk in his light. If your heart is open to his love, he will share his light with you.' When Pare dropped his hand from the face of the hammer he turned to me with a smile on his face. I told him to get his lock picks ready to which he just waved one hand at me while holding up a key ring. 'Orc commander had these on his belt. Windfall said we might need them.'

  I had the Dead Squad line up on either side of the door way so they could watch for those who might need help, I let Windfall and Pare handle the chains of the people as they came out. At the end of this make shift gauntlet was Michaels, almost every person who came through had to see him, talk to him, touch him. He told them all to rest in the fields east of the compound and when all of the people were free, he would address them all. Bryce and I stood by and counted people as they filled past. Close to three hundred of the Othos people were being held in that black walled prison. As the night went on a few of them stood by Michaels, waiting with him. I assumed that these were the elders or leaders I had asked for. At some point during the night Kandella and her two guards had come down to us. I did not even notice when. As the last few people were coming out the sun had started to rise again, it was then that I noticed a man watching me. He was chained to six other men, all in a line. I felt something as he watched me, his eyes lo
cked on mine. As the men he was chained to came out of the doors, they saw the Dead Squad and all of them got excited, cheering even. I told Bryce to stay put as I went to see what the problem was. As I got closer to the man in the lead, he smiled at me. 'I figured you for dead after I dropped you off in Toryth Vol lad, you bring that damn wizard with you?'

  It wasn't until he spoke that I knew who he was. Captain Nathan, owner of Nathan’s Bounty, the ship that took Zender, Lomark, Zackary and I to Toryth Vol. He told me that after they returned to their home port they were hired to bring Kandella and her group to the island, after they dropped them off the ship was captured by the Orcs. He and his crew were forced into slavery with the rest of the Othos people. The six men chained to him were all that remained of his crew. 'Lost half my crew when they took the ship, more of them died here. Never thought they would send a lord to find us. I thought for sure we were as good as dead. Where is the rest of your army?' He asked me while looking around. I just shook my head and told him he was looking at it. 'What in the bloody hell was your mission?' I told him that we were to rescue Kandella and her people if possible, then burn the ship yard on our way out. 'Ya got less than two dozen men, what did they expect you to do lad?' He had a look of amazement on his face that made me laugh. After his chains were unlocked I took him and his men over to Bryce.

  I told Bryce to find the captain and his men weapons and armor as he just got the extra help he wanted to hit the ship yard. 'Have ya seen the ship yard yet lad? They have put quite a fleet together, close to a hundred ships. Most of them they pirated on the open sea but we built a good number of them.' I asked him if his ship was out there? 'Aye, they never even lowered my colors, just kept it flying pretty as can be.' I smacked Bryce on the shoulder and told him that he didn't have to worry about which ship to take, just to jump on the one flying an Arcadian standard. I then looked him in the eye and told him not to leave without us. 'I take it this is where we part ways then?' I nodded at him and told Bryce to get Kandella, the Dead Squad and to get moving. 'I won't wait for you forever, don't be late.' Bryce tried to salute me but I stopped him and pulled him towards me. No words were said, he understood the embrace, we were now brothers, no matter his rank or my title. I shook the hand of each member of the Dead Squad, telling them as a whole they might want to come up with a new nick name.