Brendell: Rogue Thief

by Patrick Welch

  We descended several more flights of stairs until I was led into a large room. The walls were lined with shelves and they were sagging from the weight of books, small statuary and a myriad of other objects, one of which I recognized. Seated at a desk, which was also piled high with various items, waited the Guild archivist.

  He bounded from his seat when I entered, a large smile on his wrinkled face. “Greetings! Welcome! Come in!” He grabbed my hand and shook it as if priming a pump. “How can we help you today?"

  I knew it was going to be difficult to maintain my imperious air before a man who barely rose to my waist. Fortunately Chistano had left me alone with the archivist so it wasn't necessary. “You were informed why I am here?"

  "No. Is that important?"

  "Most definitely. I am inquiring about a certain treasure you may have."

  "Treasures. Yes,” he nodded eagerly. “As you can see,” and he pointed at the bookshelves, “we own items both rare and valuable. Some even invaluable if you will,” and he winked. “That onyx globe, for example. It is said that if you whisper the proper spell, you will be immediately transported to any location you desire."

  Interesting. “And you know the spell?"

  He smiled sadly. “Alas, we have yet to uncover it. I alone have spent hours perusing texts sacred and profane hoping to discover the solution.” He shrugged. “Perhaps it is a mere tale, designed to increase the item's value beyond what it would normally be."

  "What I am seeking has true magical powers.” Which I know all too well.

  He opened the massive volume in front of him. “And that would be?"

  "The Disk of Gnarunia"

  "The Disk of Gnarunia. Hmm. I believe I have heard of it. Let me see.” He began leafing feverishly through the book. After about five minutes he sat back smiling in triumph. “Yes, we indeed possess it. One of our members obtained it quite a few years ago at great danger to himself."

  "You have it here?"

  "According to this inventory, indeed we do! Most rare, most rare and unique."

  "I am interested in purchasing it. Retrieve it, please."

  He looked at his ledger again. “That will take some time. We have it stored on another floor under demon guard."

  "I can wait. The disk is extremely important to me."

  "I will return shortly."

  I waited until he closed the door behind him, then started searching through his ledger. How would they have it listed? I wondered as I turned the pages. Items were arranged roughly in alphabetical order, and I noticed more than one had a heavy black line drawn through it. I could only assume the item had been sold. First I tried “d” for dragon, but that led nowhere. Then I tried to find Madnizaroc, the name of the dragon. Again nothing. Could it be under my name? I searched for Brendell, but again nothing. But then I noticed the name of Lord Bandikane. The man from whom I had stolen the contract.

  There was no other description, just the name and a number beside it. It had to be the dragon clause, as nothing else had been stolen from the Lord to my knowledge. He had owned nothing else of real value and Madnizaroc—and the Lord's own traps—had proven to be a most effective deterrent against surreptitious property procurement. I memorized the number, then returned the ledger to the page listing the disk.

  One more thing. I went to one of the shells and picked up a simple brass cylinder. It was the Far Glass, the item that had led to the eventual death of Ensten at the hands of the Assassin's Guild. Judging by the dust on it and the other items, it had been ignored for months at least. This was an unexpected boon I couldn't ignore. I stuck in inside my sleeve, then returned to my chair and waited.

  My stomach was beginning to growl in protest when the archivist finally returned. He set something wrapped in black velvet proudly on his disk. “Here it is, the Disk of Gnarunia! A most valuable item indeed."

  Not anymore. “May I see it?"

  "Of course.” He unwrapped it and my breath caught when it was revealed in all its unholy glory. This disk had led directly to the unplanned death of the merchant Greymark. I ran my fingers across the silver runes etched in the black stone. “There is something wrong."

  The archivist frowned. “What do you mean? I assure you this is indeed the Disk of Gnarunia."

  "That may be true,” and I pointed at the runes. “But I have been studying everything available on the disk, and these runes are not right. They have been changed."

  "Really?” He made a moue as he ran his fingers across his lips. “I do seem to recall that the member who obtained it had done something to it. Altered it in some way."

  "There is no doubt.” I stood. “Summon my guide. I must talk to the Guild master."

  He smiled sadly. “If you wish. Is there anything else you might be interested in?"

  Did I dare ask? No, I had risked enough. “I am afraid not. But I do thank you for your assistance."

  The archivist nodded, then left. He returned shortly with another guard. “He will lead you back to the Guild offices. One can get lost down here very easily."

  I nodded stiffly and followed the guard down the hall. Once beyond the archivist, I resumed my obnoxious air, complaining unceasingly about the temperature, the smells, the dampness, the unfortunate necessity of having to meet personally with an underling. All the while, however, I was noticing the room numbers, hoping to find the one I wanted. When I finally entered the Guild master's office, he was surprised I was carrying nothing. “Where is the disk? The archivist couldn't find it?"

  "The disk has been damaged beyond all salvation. Someone altered the runes. It is totally worthless, as you well know. I came to Mohantasset at great expense and inconvenience for absolutely nothing!"

  He tried desperately to appease me, hoping no doubt he could still earn a profit. “Surely, Master Tykonnu..."

  "Regent Tykonnu."

  "Regent. There may be something else that will suffice. We have many other magical relics in our vaults."

  "Your archivist said as much. Only the disk is of any interest to me.” I rose regally. “I have wasted too much time here. I shall leave now. I assure you your superiors will hear of this incompetence."

  "Your complaints will be duly noted,” he muttered to my retreating back. I made sure to slam his door behind me, then continued down the hallway favoring everyone with threatening glares.

  I was staying at a nearby inn. I went directly to my room and quickly disrobed. When I left, I bore little resemblance to the Regent Horis Tykonnu. I now had a full beard and short brown hair. I wore a simple blue jerkin and trousers. I even walked with a limp, courtesy of the stone placed in my left boot. To anyone save the most curious, I would arouse no more interest than the wind. Carrying a single tote, I went directly to a different inn, where I already had reserved a room under a different name. Now it was a simple matter of waiting until nightfall.

  That evening found me once again on the city streets and near the Guild headquarters. My attention was now on the building next to it. Here the windows were dark, the doors locked, no one entering or leaving. Except me, and not through the front. I ducked into the alley between the two buildings and walked down it, hoping to find a door. No such luck.

  The alley intersected another, and I saw men busy unloading wagons. I didn't hesitate. “Sorry I'm late,” I said as I joined the queue of men working behind the building I had chosen to break into.

  The man in front of me merely grunted. I made my slow way to the wagon, grabbed a parcel and followed another inside. I dumped it with the others and started back when someone grabbed my arm. I turned and found myself in the presence of the man I assumed was in charge. Unlike the others, his clothes were clean and he wasn't sweating. He held a ledger under one arm. “Who are you and what are you doing?” he asked.

  "I'm working. Isn't it obvious? Let me go before someone starts complaining."

  "I don't recognize you."

  I shrugged. “Maybe it's because I've been here less than a week."

&
nbsp; He glanced down at his ledger, then at the activity around us. “Fine. Go back to work."

  I suppressed a smile as I went to retrieve another package. He probably paid little attention to his workers as his team surely went through frequent changes. In all likelihood he was relieved to have another warm body helping him. But I wouldn't help for long.

  We were working on our third wagon when I decided it was time. I carried another sack inside and noticed the supervisor was involved in the far corner of the room. Instead of dropping my load with the others, I continued into the next room. One worker gave me a questioning stare. Before he could ask, I said, “I was told to take this one to the front.” He shrugged and went back to his own business.

  Once in the other room, I dropped my sack and looked for the stairs. It was dark but not pitch black, and I was accustomed to roaming through unlit buildings at night. I tried a few side doors and found what I was looking for.

  I was on the roof within minutes. I removed the Far Glass from an inside pocket and peered through it. Once again I was amazed at the genius of Ensten. I felt I could reach out and touch the guards patrolling the roof of the Guild headquarters. One happened to look my way and I found myself ducking, even though there was no chance he could see me. No wonder, I thought as I continued to watch the guards, that the Captain's Guild desired the Far Glass and the Assassin's Guild, along with my own, was fearful of it.

  I observed the guards long enough to confirm what I expected: the guards were bored and not at all observant. They rarely glanced at the other buildings or looked down the sides of the headquarters, confident the guards patrolling below would stop anyone. And the foot patrol would only be interested in the ground and not the sky.

  I went down two floors and into the first side room I found, confident I was the only one on these floors. The single window was directly across from a window in the Guild offices. I opened the window and crawled out. The distance wasn't great; I could easily jump it but there was nothing to hold onto on the other side. I needed a board but I settled for a bench. It stretched across easily and there was just enough of a ledge to keep it solid as I traversed it quickly. The window was closed and locked, but that only deterred me for a moment. Once in the room, I pulled in the bench in case I decided to leave the same way. Then it was time to go to the archives and retrieve the dragon clause.

  I couldn't become careless here as the Guild and its guards would not be so unconcerned about strangers wandering the halls. It was unfortunate I had to enter on the fifth floor since I had to reach the chambers underground. It took me much longer than desirable to creep down from one floor to the next, often ducking into rooms when I heard approaching footsteps. Beyond the patrols, however, all the staff was working on the first floor or below and I was able to find a passage to the cellars at the rear of the building.

  The archives themselves were not as busy. The torches cast heavy shadows here, which provided some protection. The few voices I heard were behind closed doors—voices and other sounds I had no desire to investigate. Otherwise no one else was down here, or at least roaming the corridors, and once again I was relieved at the overconfidence of the Thief's Guild.

  The corridors were confusing, but I eventually came upon a door with a number near the one I was seeking. It was near a passage leading off from the main one, so I followed it. There was another door at the end, which bore the proper number.

  I paused at it and strained to listen. Silence. I removed my picks but found I didn't need them as the door was unlocked. So sure of themselves, I thought as I opened it and walked inside.

  Then I discovered why they didn't need a lock. There was a demon sitting on top of a nearby table. Its scaly skin was streaked in red and yellow. It's pronged tail flicked to and fro, its talons clicked eagerly. Most disconcerting were its eyes: there were at least a dozen and they seemed to circle its head. “You are trespassing,” it hissed, its tongue slithering out between rows of pointed teeth.

  "Just lost is all. Sorry. Didn't mean to disturb you.” I took a step back.

  "You aren't to be here. I should tell the guards."

  "No need to do that. Really. Relax, I can find my way out."

  "You came for the parchment."

  I froze. “What parchment?"

  "The one you call the dragon clause."

  This was not going well. “How would you know that?"

  "I see and know everything.” It yawned and stretched. “I even know who you are."

  I couldn't spend all night chatting with a demon. Especially one whose knowledge would doom me. “In that case you know I own the parchment. I am here to retrieve what is rightfully mine."

  "You'll have to get past me to get it."

  Wonderful. I decided to try something that had fooled a demon before. “Brocephus is here,” an unseen voice suddenly arouse from somewhere.

  The demon reacted not at all. “Nice try, Brendell. I saw your lips move. I would say your ventriloquism is a bit rusty."

  Oh, well. I was losing my patience. And running out of time. “If you know so much, why did you get caught?"

  "Who says I'm caught? I can leave anytime I wish. I don't choose to."

  A likely story. Deciding it might be bound by a magical tether, I took several steps to the side. Instantly it was on the table next to me. “Going somewhere?” it asked and grinned, revealing five rows of sharpened fangs.

  "Not at all. Just stretching my legs. Standing too long in one place and all. Listen, you know that parchment is mine."

  "Perhaps."

  I began feeling lightheaded. Perhaps it was the presence of the demon, or that I hadn't eaten in several hours. I had to end this negotiation soon. “You know I need it to save Houff."

  "Hardly my concern."

  "Perhaps I can free you."

  "I am hardly a terrified young princess bound at the stake to satisfy a rampaging monster. I can leave here anytime I wish."

  "Then go."

  "Say the magic word first."

  "Please?"

  "Wrong answer."

  "Wrong answer."

  It pointed its tail at me like a teacher chastising a student. “Do you really think I would tell you the magic word? You'll have to do much better than that, Brendell."

  I swallowed heavily. Then I had an idea, although I had no inkling why. It was worth a try, but I knew what I was going to say could kill me. But just standing here would kill me first. “If I get the parchment, I will free Madnizaroc."

  Its pointed ears lurched forward. “Really?” Suddenly the creature began to shake. Smoke began pouring from it until it was totally hidden from view. Then there was a flash of light and the demon was gone.

  To be replaced by a small dragon. It looked at me with red-rimmed eyes. “You know where I am, Brendell. Honor your word. Come for me and set me free. Or my minions will destroy you and everything you treasure."

  It paid no attention as I walked to the safe. The Guild hadn't even bothered to lock it, so confident they could never be robbed. I took the parchment and held it before the dragon. “I'm on my way, Madnizaroc."

  "Excellent. I've been waiting far too long for this moment.” Another cloud of smoke and the original demon had returned. “You better hurry,” it said. “Madnizaroc is eager to obtain her freedom."

  What have I done? I thought as I left the room. Even while under the thrall of the parchment, she could not be trusted. If I freed her, I was dooming not only myself.

  When I reached the door, I looked down the hall but it was empty, so I started back. As I walked I noticed I was feeling normal again, the bout of lightheadedness gone. Perhaps it was because I was away from the demon, I thought. Then another possibility struck like a boulder. I was under its influence. It forced me to say I would free Madnizaroc. I could only sigh. If I escaped from here, I now had to come up with a plan to fool the dragon.

  That would have to wait. I hurried back to the first floor, then into a room on the opposite side of the b
uilding from where I had entered. The room was lit but empty. I went to the window and opened it slowly, then looked out. No guards were in sight. I crawled out, then dropped down to the alley. I didn't head toward the main street, however. Instead I went to the back and the alley that ran behind the buildings. As I expected, I was stopped by a guard as soon as I reached it. When I told him I was merely going to work, he shrugged and released me as he was long accustomed to hearing such stories. I walked down the other alley and back to my room at the inn.

  When I arrived, I quickly removed my disguise and clothes, especially the stone in my boot as it was now creating a sizable hole in my foot. I stared at the parchment resting on my bed. Madnizaroc was once again under my control. But for how long? I knew the contract cut both ways since I had forged it in order to steal it from Lord Bandikane. I was as obligated to follow it as she was, even if my signature wasn't on it. Mandizaroc was under the total control of anyone who possessed it. Only the possessor of the document, or the destruction of the document, could free her. The owner of the document, however, had to honor any agreements made with her as well or the contract was immediately rendered null and void. Whether forced by the demon thrall of the dragon or not, I was going to have to eventually grant her freedom.

  But I would have to determine how and when at another time. I threw what I needed in a satchel, then left my room. I retrieved my mount at the nearby stables and was on the road out of Monhasset before sunrise. I still had to journey to Mount Perjheus and retrieve a very angry dragon before I could return to Houff. Assuming it was still there.

  Houff

  Those plans soon took a fork in the road. I had reached Qinim Bay just three days after Monhasset, stopping only to change mounts or a quick rest. Mount Perjheus was a long voyage north and I wanted to get there as quickly as possible. I was relaxing in a wine shop waiting impatiently for the time to board my ship when the conversation near me became too loud to ignore.