ã€ŠVirtual Dawnã€‹


 CHAPTER 1: Outlanders

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, 3rd Day, 767 KD

    They say you hear your heartbeat before you die. I have yet to hear mine but I expect to at any moment. Or will I die so quickly that there will be no warning?

    It strikes me that it must be common for our final moments to be the very worst of our lives. And so it holds for me - alone, terrified and freezing, shaking violently from fear and cold, far from home, on the summit of a mountain I did not know existed until yesterday.

    For whoever finds this journal, I am Handice, Son of Randol, of Shirin Mills, Province of Jasmire, Kingdom of Jaspen, Empire of Friedor, ruled by the great Empress Analisa, may she live forever.

    I am in a tree three spans up. The night is pitch black, and I cannot see the ground below. But I can hear the creatures that hunt in the night.

    First there were wolves. In between gusts of wind, I could hear their growling and their sniffing. They went away after a while. For some time after, I heard only the occasional night bird and the whistling of the constant wind, shaking the trees.

    Another beast, much larger than a wolf, lumbers around the ground below. I can hear each heavy footstep crunching in the snow as it rustles around in the brush, sniffing and grunting.

    If it does not kill me, I may die from the cold. I have never felt cold like this, even in the harshest winters back home. Every time the wind blows, it steals more of the remaining warmth in my body, but at times it comes so hard that it shrieks, like a living thing intent on killing me, bending the tree were I seek refuge, threatening to knock me from my perch, wracking my thinly clothed body with fierce, frigid air that bites through me.

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, Fourth Day, 767 KD

    It is morning, and I still live.

    The sun burns bright in the chilly air. The fire, built with trembling hands, warms me. I look up at my perch in the tree, and it seems not as high as I had thought, when I climbed up to it in the dark.

    Footprints mark the snow all around, of wolves and of a much larger beast, perhaps larger even than a bear. Claw marks have marred the great tree that provided my refuge. The marks nearly reach my perch. I feel dizzy and sick. I am starving. But if there were anything in my stomach, I would surely expel it.

    Despite my unhappy circumstances, the view is dazzling. Looking out to the west, the land stretching below for miles, I can only hope I am gone when the sun sets.

    Anyone who reads this will wonder why I do not simply leave. I could follow the creek down the way I had come, finding the comfort of a village by midday.

    I cannot leave.

    The outlander commanded me to stay. He left me here, just before evening. ¡°Wait here,¡± were the last words he spoke before entering the cave a dozen yards away from me, not quite visible through the trees. I try not to let my mind dwell on that cave and the faint sounds that occasionally emerge from deep within it, yet I cannot help but steal glances in its direction at every other moment.

    It is not honor that compels me, nor fear of my master¡¯s wrath (although he is an unpredictable one). It is some sort of magic that forces me to obey his every command. I could not walk down the mountain any more than I could fly from it.

    With nothing to do but wait for his return, I will reflect on the outlander, Alec Braun. Better yet, I will think of my happy life, only days ago, when I was remarkably free from any cares.

    Three Days Ago

    It was not unusual for travelers to pass through our humble village. Master Karde, our innkeeper, typically had a few occupants stay on any given night. Of late, however, he had more business than usual as the outlanders began to pass through.

    We began to hear tales of their presence in Friedor just two months ago. We heard stories from peddlers and travelers, outlandish stories that we scoffed at in disbelief.

    They were strangers, from another land. They spoke strangely. They behaved strangely. One could identify them at once by their confident, fearless swagger, or the way they would sprint everywhere without abandon.

    Kamael was the first to go off with one. A beautiful woman gave him a gold coin and asked him to be her ¡°body guard.¡± Kamael said quick goodbyes and left with a bounce in his step, off to adventure. We were all a bit jealous.

    Three others left after ¨C Luka, Shagrin and then Delia, who went off a few days before I did. They all left following gold and promises of adventure.

    My turn came three days ago. On a sunny afternoon, I watched with bemusement as a lone outlander approached our village on the south road. I knew that he was an outlander. He came running at a full sprint. He was a handsome manwith the sort of chiseled face that make girls blush, and he was bare-chested despite the cool air of late winter, showing off a splendid, sculpted physique. The man came to a sudden halt, not five yards from where I sat on the green eating my lunch. He had just trampled half the flowers in the green without taking notice. He gazed about.

    ¡°You!¡± he said to me. ¡°Where the fuck am I?¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± I asked. It was the first time I had ever spoken to one of them.

    ¡°What¡¯s the name of this fucking town?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said. ¡°Shirin Mills.¡±

    He stood still for a time, face inscrutable, perhaps considering the scant information I had just provided. I watched him, my lunch forgotten.

    He spoke again. ¡°Who do I talk to in this shithole to find work?¡±

    Many times the outlanders simply passed right through our village without stopping. Other times, they stopped to look around, visit the inn, and ask questions. Sometimes they asked if we had any ¡°quests¡± for them.

    ¡°Master Karde might have something that interests you,¡± I said. ¡°You will find him in the inn, right over there. The King¡¯s Gambit.¡±

    ¡°Cool. Where do I go to buy and sell shit?¡±

    ¡°Master Karde has food and drink. Johann, the blacksmith, trades in armor and weapons. Master Teel runs the shop right there,¡± I pointed. ¡°Where you can buy just about anything else.¡±

    I had scarcely finished my sentence when the man sprinted off, disappearing into the King¡¯s Gambit. I glanced at my half eaten sandwich and decided to put it awayfor later. I had to get back to the shop. As I got to my feet, the outlander burst out of the inn and sprinted to Master Johan¡¯s shop. Before I made it ten paces toward my shop, he came out once again and sprinted past me, carrying a new sword in his hand as if he were heading straight into combat.

    He stopped in his tracks and turned back toward me.

    ¡°You!¡± he said to me. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    I shrunk back, eying the sword with trepidation. I was ready to run. There were stories of outlanders who killed without provocation. They seemed ridiculous to me, until now.

    ¡°I am called Handice," I said.

    ¡°Handice. You know where these fuckin¡¯ wolves are?¡±

    ¡°Wolves?¡±

    ¡°That asshole innkeeper told me he¡¯d give me ten gold for every wolf pelt I bring him. Said wolves are eating your sheep, or some shit like that.¡±

    I had not heard about this. However, some part of me desperately wished to provide assistance. And I knew that if we were indeed having wolf troubles again, it meant that a pack had ventured close to Shirin Mills, most likely from Briar Wood.

    I conveyed that information to the gentleman.

    ¡°Briar Wood, huh? That¡¯s not showing up on my goddamn map at all. How about you show me the way?¡±

    ¡°Oh I am terribly sorry sir, but I have duties in the shop that I must return to¡ª¡°

    ¡°How ¡®bout you lead the way to Briar Wood before I beat your fucking ass?¡± He waved the sword as he said this, as if that were the instrument with which he intended to "beat" me.

    A threat! In all my two and twenty years, no one had ever spoken to me in such a manner. Nevertheless, I found myself agreeing to the brute¡¯s rudely delivered demand.

    The wood lay only a quarter mile away, a five-minute walk. But five minutes was too long for him. The stranger preferred sprinting to strolling, and he urged me to move faster, calling me unspeakable names all along the way.

    ¡°There it is, sir,¡± I told him. I was more than ready to depart and take permanent leave from this man. Even if he was a visitor from a strange land, I did not find that an acceptable excuse for his behavior.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    But he was not through with me yet.

    ¡°Listen,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to go traipsing through those woods there looking for these cocksuckers. How bout you go walking in, acting like you¡¯re hurt or some shit. Get them to attack you. Lead them out here. Then I¡¯ll kill all the bastards and we can go have ourselves a nice drink at that inn back there.¡±

    ¡°I am afraid that stratagem does not appeal to me at all, sir. And I must get back-¡°

    ¡°Do it! Do not piss me off!¡±

    Another threat! I had had quite enough of those. ¡°You do not intimidate me. I will be leaving now.¡±

    ¡°Wait. How does ten gold make you feel? All you gotta do is go in there and get the damn wolves¡¯ attention.¡±

    Ten gold! Master Teel only paid me one gold coin each day, and that was only if I produced a hundred candles, which I often could not do.

    Against my better judgment, I complied.

    I approached the woods with great caution as the outlander shouted at me to "hurry it up." When I reached the treeline, I hesitated. This was incredibly foolish. What had I agreed to? Why had I agreed to it? But the outlander''s shouting and cursing compelled me to move on, into the trees.  I told myself, surely the wolves would not be so close to the edge of the wood. I would wait, just out of sight from the outlander, until he grew tired of waiting and departed. He had already paid me the ten gold, heavy and clanging in my pocket.

    As I stood watching the outlander I began to hear low, hungry growls.

    Fortunately, I run well. With all my speed, I was just able to escape the wood, into the open, with the lead wolf inches from my heels.

    What next transpired, I will never forget. Alec Braun swooped in like a fearless mad man, whooping and laughing as he charged right at the beasts, slashing at them with his sword.

    ¡°Come on you cocksuckers!¡± he roared, and he tore into them, his sword moving in a flurry. Seven of the beasts he slayed, in no time at all. Two ran away, whimpering.

    He stood triumphant among their corpses, not even winded.

    ¡°Hey, you got one!¡± he said to me.

    Indeed, I had managed to slay a wolf. When it was nearly upon me, I got in a quick, lucky stab with my knife, a strike to the jugular that proved quickly fatal. I had killed wolves with arrows before, but never with a blade at close range. I had felt the heat of its breath as I stabbed it. Its blood now covered my hands.

    ¡°Way to go, man!¡± he clapped me on the back. I felt proud in spite of myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m Alec by the way. Alec Braun. Remember that name! Actually, you might be good to have around. You looking for a little adventure?¡±

    ¡°Well, I have thought about it many times as a boy-¡°

    ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t you want to get out of this pissant town?¡±

    ¡°Shirin Mills is my home sir!¡±

    ¡°Hey, no offense. I¡¯ve lived in some jerkwater bergs myself. What do you say? Want to join me?¡±

    As we walked back to the village, I was somehow persuaded. He had decided to stay for the night in the inn, saying he was ¡°through playing for the day.¡± That gave me the evening to quit my job ¨C Master Teel was about to terminate me anyway ¨C and say good bye to my mother and sister. I do not wish to talk about that, except to say that my mother forbade me to go, but it was too late. I had already sworn an oath to Alec, the Outlander oath that cannot be broken (the very oath that compels me to stay on this cursed mountain). Mother was angry. My sister wept.

    I went to find Alayna. I would tell her I was going on an adventure. Her eyes would widen at my bravery, yet tears would form. She would miss me. She would tell me she loved me. Perhaps we would share a kiss.

    ¡°Hey Handy.¡± It was Alec, sprinting out of the inn and beckoning me to follow.

    ¡°I changed my mind about quitting for the day. Time to go.¡±

    I left without seeing Alayna one last time. I wonder if she is thinking of me now.

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, Fourth Day, 767 KD, Mid-Day

    I could be safe in the nearby village at this moment, eating a hot soup and enjoying a glass of ale.

    Instead, I am lucky to be alive at all. More outlanders have arrived on this remote mountain top. They made their presence known by attempting to slay me.

    Sitting by the fire, writing in these pages, I suddenly felt as if I had been kicked very hard in the chest. I felt a hot, searing pain, whereupon I looked down, and an arrow sprouted out just inches away from my heart!

    Before I understood what had happened, I heard shouts from the brush.

    ¡°Bullseye!¡±

    ¡°Calm the fuck down, Nikki! You can¡¯t go shooting everybody we run into.¡±

    Another sharp pain came, in my shoulder this time. I saw the arrow a hair¡¯s breath before it hit me.

    ¡°Damn! I was going for his face!¡±

    ¡°Hold your fucking fire, goddammit,¡± the other woman yelled.

    A tall beauty emerged from the thicket. Sun kissed hair fell halfway down her back.

    ¡°I''m so sorry,¡± she said to me. ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    I toppled over, and colors were beginning to fade. A sheen of cold sweat broke on my face, a rusty taste in my mouth. The odor of my own blood filled my nostrils.

    I heard it then. My heartbeat, loud and thumping in my head.

    I felt soft, warm hands on me, and then all went black.

    I heard women''s voices from far away. The thumping of my heart came back but then grew fainter. Was I dead? Unconscious?

    ¡°The fuck are you doing, Sarah?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it look like? I¡¯m trying to heal him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your magic! We¡¯re going to need it for this cave.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called practice! Anyway, he might have useful info for us. What do you think he¡¯s doing out here anyway?¡±

    ¡°Hey there!¡± she said when I opened my eyes.

    ¡°Ohhhh,¡± was all I could say.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to live, I think,¡± said the woman. ¡°I couldn¡¯t heal you completely, but I did my best.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I croaked.

    ¡°Here, have some water.¡±

    She put her flask to my lips, the water cool and sweet. Her warm hands held mine as I clasped it and drank.

    ¡°Jesus, you gonna blow him too?¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up, Nikki. Sorry about her. I''m Delilah. Here, try to sit up.¡±

    She took my hands and pulled me up to a seated position.

    Death appeared no longer imminent. I felt better, only weak. The arrows had been removed while I had been unconscious. The pain from the two wounds had not vanished entirely, but had lessened in severity. The wounds themselves looked as if they were days old, the blood dried and crusted on my tunic and cloak, which sported new tears.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Delilah asked me. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡±

    ¡°I am Handice, of Shirin Mills. I am waiting for my companion, Alec Braun. He went in¡­there, yesterday. He has not returned. I fear the worst.¡±

    ¡°Your ¡®companion¡¯ is dead,¡± said the other woman. She was even more beautiful than the other, with raven hair and sun-darkened skin. In her hand was the bow with which she had attempted to murder me.

    ¡°Shut up, Nikki,¡± said Delilah. To me she said, ¡°She¡¯s probably right though. Is your companion one of us?¡±

    ¡°He is an outlander like you,¡± I said.

    ¡°He may be back then. For us, death here is not permanent.¡±

    Nikki said, ¡°There must be some serious shit in that cave.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should skip it. It¡¯s probably more than we can handle.¡±

    ¡°Fuck that! We came all the way up this fucking mountain! Think of the loot in there!¡±

    Delilah sighed. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get going then.¡±

    She got to her feet. ¡°Here, will you watch some things for me? I¡¯m going to have a lot to carry out of there.¡±

    She handed me an old ax, a wolf pelt, an animal skull of some kind, and a few other assorted items, including a thick wool cloak.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas,¡± said Nikki. ¡°We¡¯ll be back for that shit. By the way, you got any gold on you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not taking his money,¡± said Delilah. ¡°See you soon, handsome.¡±

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, Fourth Day, 767 KD, Sunset

    I am writing some final words, before I climb the tree again. I do not know if I can survive another night.

    A short while ago, Nikki emerged from the cave. Delilah did not.

    The beautiful raven-haired woman staggered out, covered in blood and mud. I thought she might limp past me without a word or a glance, but then she said, ¡°Oh. You again.¡±

    ¡°Where is your companion?¡±

    ¡°Your girlfriend didn¡¯t make it. Sorry Romeo.¡±

    My features must have betrayed my distress, because her face softened, somewhat. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll be back. Well, maybe not here. Fuck this place. That cave was a goddamn nightmare. Some fucking intense shit.¡±

    She plopped down next to the fire.

    ¡°Did you see my companion, Alec Braun?¡°

    ¡°Who? Oh. Who knows. Not alive, that¡¯s for sure. Place is fucking littered with bodies.¡±

    She pulled a hunk of meat from her satchel and began to devour it. I watched in disbelief as she ate the meat clean to the bone, then followed that with an entireloaf of bread, three apples, two heads of cabbage, and a wheel of cheese. She washed it down with a flask of wine.

    She didn''t seem to be enjoying, or even tasting, any of it. She chewed, drank and swallowed in the same mechanical motions I had seen used by Alec Braun during our travels. But the nourishment appeared to provide her with a healing effect. Once finished, she looked nearly no worse for the wear.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she said to me. ¡°I need Delilah¡¯s shit back.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    But the woman realized that Delilah had left behind more than she was able to carry, and some of it, like the animal skull, she grumbled about as worthless junk. She left me with the cloak, some odd junk, and perhaps having some pity at last, gave me a hunk of bread and a dead rat.

    ¡°I¡¯m fucking out of here,¡± she said. I watched her sprint off, following the creek down the mountain.

    That brings me to now. The sun is disappearing over the horizon. I am helpless to stop it. I can delay no longer. I must climb the tree again. The fire beside me is dying. It will be of no use to me. I already hear wolves howling, in the distance. No...I just heard them again, and they sound much closer now. I must go.

    I am starving. I will soon be freezing. The excitement from my brush with death is gone, the panic with it, the relief that I had survived replaced by a melancholy, a despair unlike any I have ever experienced or imagined. I am alone here. I have never felt so alone. I feel helpless. There is nothing I can do but climb that tree again, and hope, pray, to the gods, to my lost father. I do not want to die. I want so badly to live. I want to see my mother and sister again. I want to see Alayna. I never even told her I love her. She does not even know that I care for her. I was too much of a coward to tell her.

    I do not want to die a coward.

 CHAPTER 2: Crille

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, 5th Day, 767 KD

    How quickly fortunes change. Last night I was freezing on a mountain. Today I am in the greatest city in the world, belly full of the most wonderful food I have ever tasted, drinking ale that put Master Kaarde''s to shame, listening to minstrels performing music fit for the gods, and instead of clinging to a tree for dear life while hungry beasts lurk below, I have a luxurious bed to sleep in.

    I always dreamed of seeing Crille. The inn is twice the size of the Gambit back home, and there seem to be dozens like it around the city. I have never before seen so many people. They fill the streets, which are lined with torches that are lit at twilight.

    It is a welcome relief to sit in a comfortable, luxurious chair, a solid wall at my back, writing at leisure, thinking of Alayna, no longer fearing what beast may stalk me from the thicket, or when I might be shot with an arrow.

    I was not as cold that second night, and found a higher perch in the tree, but the large beast returned more determined than before, and the night was long and harrowing, with no sleep.

    Alec returned the following afternoon. He did not come from the cave, but strolled out of the woods, whistling cheerfully.

    ¡°Handy!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still alive, you son of a bitch!¡±

    I scrambled up from my spot by the fire. ¡°Master Alec! You are alive!¡±

    ¡°Ah, come on, Handy, how many times do I have to tell you, you don¡¯t have to call me master! ¡®Your excellency¡¯ will do just fine.¡±

    He saw my puzzlement. ¡°Just kidding. Seriously, I thought for sure you would have died, or left or something. Richter! Where the fuck is he¡­Richter!¡±

    Another outlander came out of the thicket, his massive arms bare despite the mountain cold. He carried an axe.

    ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± the man said. ¡°Would you fucking slow down for once?¡±

    ¡°Richter, look! This is my follower I told you about, the one from that little town. The fucker¡¯s still alive!¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Richter grunted. He did not even spare a glance at me.

    Alec gave me food ¨C dried venison, bread, cheese and an apple, and without wasting further time, ventured back into the cave, with Richter following. I plead with him not to and told him of the two women, but he dismissed my concerns, insisting that he was going to ¡°kick ass and take names¡± this time.

    So once again, I waited. The sun began to descend.

    At last Alec emerged, letting out a triumphant whoop.

    ¡°What¡¯d I tell you, Handy? Piece of fucking cake this time! You should have seen the ass whooping I just dealt out! Look at all this fucking loot!¡±

    He deposited beside me a veritable treasure trove. ¡°Watch that shit for a few minutes. I¡¯m going back for more.¡±

    ¡°What happened to your companion?¡±

    Alec scoffed, heading back to the cave. ¡°Didn¡¯t make it. Dipshit doesn¡¯t know how to listen.¡±

    I began to pack away the treasure Alec had left on the ground. I put out the fire and began readying myself to at last leave this place.

    As I bent to look for any smaller items on the ground, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. An arrow whistled by me, right where my head had been just a moment before.

    I took cover behind the tree.

    A man yelled, ¡°Come out, shithead! We won¡¯t hurt you!¡±

    ¡°You attempted to shoot me,¡± I retorted. In spite of my fear, I found myself more than a bit angry. I had grown weary of being shot at.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, we were just fucking around. If I¡¯d wanted to hit you, I would have!¡±

    I bit my tongue and made no reply, biding my time for Alec¡¯s return.

    ¡°Don''t be stupid! We¡¯ve got you surrounded! All we want is the loot! We won¡¯t hurt you!¡±

    ¡°I think not!¡± I yelled back.

    Instantly more arrows came, one striking my tree with a thwack sound.

    ¡°What the fuck!¡± It was Alec, coming out of the cave.

    ¡°Shoot him!¡±

    Alec wasted no time, drawing his sword and racing toward the voice in the thicket with a fury. Sounds of blades and blows ensued.

    A few moments passed, and Alec returned, cleaning fresh blood from his blade. ¡°Noobs,¡± he said. ¡°Come on, Handy! Let¡¯s get the fuck out of here.¡±

    And at last, I left the mountain.

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, Sixth Day, 767KD

    I awoke early this morn. Alec had set many tasks for me.

    My duties required me to familiarize myself with nearly every corner of the city ¨C selling treasure, purchasing provisions, gathering information and seeking out new quests. Alec told me he would return in the evening.

    It was a pleasant, warm day, for late winter. I found it difficult to fathom that just the previous morning I had been chilled to the bone, alone, with an empty belly and a dry throat. Now I was walking about a crowded city, belly full, wearing new clothes that were not torn by arrows, and carrying more coin than I had ever seen.

    Alas, having never been in a city before, I was unaware of its own inherent dangers. I had heard stories of Crille, of course. But after my first night in the fine inn, I had come to believe that the stories of danger were greatly exaggerated.

    The city stretched out for many miles, and it stretched upwards as well, with buildings of stone that stood hundreds of feet tall. I walked along the crowded streets in wonder and awe, making my way through the throngs, stepping around horse dung on occasion, but there were no apparent dangers. This perhaps lulled me into a false sense of comfort. When I reached the western edge of the city, I found that it looked like a different city altogether. The buildings were dilapidated. Some were crumbling apart or barely standing. My belly rumbled and I decided to return to the eastern district.

    "Heya, boy," a man said. I had not seen him, and I started a bit. He came out of the shadows. An older man, he grinned with hideous teeth that were blackened and rotten. I could smell his breath from several feet away.

    "You wear a very nice coat," he said. "Got any coin to spare?"

    "No," I said, and I began walking swiftly, having a bad feeling now.

    The man followed, walking beside me, touching my sheepskin coat.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    "Yes," he said. "Very nice. You buy this at the market? I had one just like it. I think this is mine!"

    "No, it is mine, I assure you. I am not from here--"

    "You stole my fucking coat, you little bastard."

    "It is my coat. My mam made it."

    "Bullshit! My mam made it."

    The man had my coat sleeve firmly in his grip.

    I broke free and ran.

    I heard the man cackling behind me. I saw others walking on the street or standing in the alleys. I had not paid them any mind but they suddenly all seemed to be watching me with calculating eyes.

    I turned a corner, out of sight of the man. I saw a sign for a tavern and decided to seek refuge there. I found a steep stairwell to the left and I went down narrow broken stairs. I nearly changed my mind and went back up, but I could hear the cackling of the mad thief getting closer. I took the steps two at a time and walked into a cool room, so dark it took a full minute for my eyes to adjust.

    It was a small place. Not very clean. It smelled vaguely of body odor, fire and soot, sour ale and possibly blood. It smelled just like the Gambit back home. The place was nothing but a narrow corridor, not wide enough for two men to stand abreast, an old, warped bar stretching the length of it, wobbly ancient stools in front of the bar. A barman served beer to three men who sat at the end. In the back corner, another man sat on a stool and strummed a harp with no enthusiasm. He barely seemed alive.

    Everyone stared at me as I stood by the door. The stares were not friendly, and I felt like an outsider, intruding on their world.

    I was about to turn and make a hasty departure, but I heard the thief cackle again from the street above.

    "I''m sorry but there is a man following me!" I blurted out to the strangers. The three drinkers stared at me as if I spoke a different language.

    "So?" said the barkeep. "You want a beer or what?"

    "Uh....yes, that sounds good in fact."

    I sat on a vacant stool that was wobbly and sticky, several stools down from the others. I felt for my coin pouch and was relieved to find it still there. I placed a silver piece on the bar, realizing too late it was not a copper. I winced, fearful to take it back or to admit my mistake.

    But the barman''s demeanor instantly transformed. He smiled at me and was suddenly quite friendly. "You want beer, or cider? The cider is fresh and it''s quite good. I recommend it."

    "Yes, that sounds agreeable."

    He brought cider in a large wooden mug. I took a cautious sip. It was excellent. It had a sharp bite to it that seemed to improve after it was swallowed. I began to drink it quickly, very thirsty after my walk across Crille.

    The barman took the silver piece and replaced it with nine coppers and a half copper piece. I was shocked at how cheap the cider was and that the man was not cheating me after all.

    The harp player continued strumming. The patrons resumed their conversations.

    "Are you hungry?" the barman asked me. "I have some fresh stew. I just made it. Half a copper for a bowl."

    My stomach was rumbling so loudly, I wondered if the man was offering because he had heard it.

    "All right," I said, handing over a copper. "And another mug of cider too."

    "Be careful with those," the barman warned. "You''ll want to make it back to the eastern district alive, I assume."

    The stew was indeed delicious, another surprise.

    I finished it with gusto and was working on my third cider, telling myself it would have to be my last, when a man came down the steps and strolled inside. The other patrons looksed up at him but went right back to talking. I heard the barman curse under his breath.

    "I heard that, Ke!" The man felt his way to the bar, blinking to adjust to the dim light. He found the stool next to me and plopped down with a sigh, as if he had been laboring hard all day.

    He was young, of the same age as me, short and very skinny, dressed in plain but comfortable garb. His face was freckled and his eyes a dark brown. The eyes seemed amused.

    "Gib, you need to tune your harp or find another instrument! Or another line of work!" This he called out to the harp player.

    "Don''t start, Rany," the barman said warily.

    "What are you gonna do, kick my arse again? I didn''t hire the fucking guy. He probably scares away half your customers. The decor scares the other half."

    "What do you want, Rany?"

    "One of those mugs of cider would be nice. And as fast as possible, if it ain''t too much trouble for you. I got things to do."

    "You actually have coin today?"

    "Damn right I got it!" He slammed a copper coin on the bar in triumph.

    "Watch out for this one," the barman said to me.

    "For me?" Rany looked from the barman to me, incredulous. "Look around here! I''m the last one to worry about. Here, you dropped this."

    He handed something to me, as I wondered what I possibly might have dropped. But I did not recognize the item at all, a small, folded parchment. It must have been dropped by someone else.

    I began to protest, but Rany muttered through clenched teeth, "Read it."

    Curious now, I unfolded the note and strained to read the crooked, scraggly writing.

    At last I made out the words: ¡°2 men ar watin ousid to rab u¡±

    This, of course, was not welcome news, and I thought perhaps foolishness and hubris had gotten the better of me, wandering into the unseemly area of the city, carrying no modest sum of coin. Fortunately, this Rany fellow seemed a generous sort. Making sure Quin and the others were out of earshot, he told me his plan.

    We finished our drinks, ordered another round, and drank at our leisure until the appointed time when Gronau, the tavern tough, concluded his shift. When the burly bouncer departed the tavern, we left with him, Rany attempting to engage him in idle conversation that was met with grunts. To anyone observing, the three of us were together ¨C a much less appealing target than I would have been alone. Indeed, two rather large, menacing men appeared to be watching closely. They began to follow, seemed to think better of it, and fell back into the crowd.

    Soon Gronau went his separate way ¨C without so much as a farewell ¨C and Rany and I made our way back into the more respectable part of the city.

    I conveyed my appreciation to Rany.

    ¡°Think nothing of it,¡± he said. ¡°It was my pleasure to help. I won¡¯t accept any reward either.¡±

    ¡°Reward?¡± At this I frowned, suddenly questioning his true motives.

    Rany laughed. ¡°Gods, you really are new to the city, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯ know what it¡¯s like where you¡¯re from, but here, nobody does anything for anybody without expecting something in return. Not me though. I just like to help people.¡±

    ¡°You are a good man,¡± I said.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he beamed. ¡°My ma always said so.¡±

    He accompanied me as I continued my errands. He proved quite useful, guiding me to the best weapons and armor shop in the city. I purchased light armor for Alec and, more importantly, myself. I tried it on, and found the ¡°light¡± armor heavy and uncomfortable. I asked the proprietor if it would protect me from arrows. The proprietor assured me that, while it would not guarantee complete protection, it would greatly improve my chances of survival, should I be shot again. I decided to wear it at every waking moment.

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, 6th Day, 767KD, Seventh Bell

    ¡°You¡¯re one minute late,¡± Alec informed me.

    ¡°I am terribly sorry, sir¡ª¡°

    ¡°Take it easy, I¡¯m just busting your balls. Get in here.¡±

    Alec went back to the table in the center of the room, upon which he had placed a large map.

    ¡°Gods, look at this room!¡± Rany exclaimed, following me inside. ¡°This is¡ª¡°

    He was interrupted by the tip of Alec¡¯s sword, instantly unsheathed and pressed into Rany¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Who the fuck is this and what is he doing here?¡±

    ¡°This is Rany, sir. He saved me from being robbed this afternoon, or perhaps worse! Please do not hurt him!¡±

    Alec inquired of Rany, ¡°What¡¯s your story, fuckface?¡±

    ¡°Just as he said,¡± squeaked Rany. ¡°I saw him in the wharf district alone. Two thugs following¡­looked like more trouble than he could handle. I was just trying to help!¡±

    ¡°Well, what the fuck are you doing here now? You looking for a reward or something?¡±

    ¡°No! Work maybe. You can hire me, cheap! I am quite resourceful ¨C ask Handice!¡±

    ¡°He is,¡± I agreed. ¡°Please do not hurt him, sir. It is my fault he is here. I did not think his presence would offend you.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Alec said, pulling the blade back just a bit. ¡°You didn¡¯t think at all. In the future, nobody comes around me without you asking me first. There are fucking assassins and shit everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Of course, sir.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have any use for you,¡± he told Rany. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you can carry much. And I doubt you could even beat Handy in a fight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not bad with a knife-¡°

    Alec scoffed.

    ¡°I am good with locks¡­I can get into places many others cannot.¡±

    ¡°Are you a thief?¡±

    ¡°In my coat pocket¡­I have something for you¡­¡±

    The sword flashing, Alec sliced open the pocket of Rany¡¯s coat. A gold amulet hit the wood floor with a thud.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Alec exclaimed. That¡¯s mine, you little fuck!¡±

    I stared at Rany, bewildered now, and certain that if he had indeed stolen from Alec, it was about to prove a fatal mistake.

    Yet Alec laughed. He sheathed his sword.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got some fucking balls. We can probably use a thief ¨C welcome aboard.¡±

 CHAPTER 3: The Quest

    Month of the Shephard, Second Tenday, 8th Day, 767KD

    Only two days have passed since my ordeal on the mountain, and once again I find my life in jeopardy. At least this time I am warm, and I have a platter full of food and bottle of spiced wine in front of me.

    I could think of many worse ways to spend an evening, if not for the man standing behind me who awaits the order to kill me. To make matters worse, he appears to enjoy idly playing with the steel dagger that he will likely use to slit open my throat, or perhaps thrust into my heart.

    Rany and Alec have proven to be a rather dangerous combination. Rany, I have learned, has a neverending supply of foolhardy schemes in his head, and Alec lacks the good sense to reject them.

    After lengthy discussion of various capers involving robbery, swindling, bounty hunting and kidnapping, it was decided that Rany would arrange a meeting between Alec and a noble woman named Sylvera. Rany had heard that she paid handsomely for certain jobs to be done.

    Making contact with the woman was a delicate matter due to the her prominent stature in the city. I am unable to relate in these pages how it was done, as I was kept in the dark.

    The meeting took place at a party in a very large, lavish manor in the palace district. It was a part of the city I had not yet explored during my previous day''s misadventures. Once again, I found myself in what seemed like a different city. We crossed a bridge into Crille''s far eastern quadrant, riding in the back of a gilded carriage. On the other side of the bridge was opulance and grandeur beyond my wildest dreams. The streets were wider, cleaner and newer, not a single missing cobblestone to be found. Not a trace of manure. The massive buildings were all either centuries old and majestic or new and modern. The shops were elegant and extravagantly decorated, with merchants standing outside looking as important as kings.

    We rode in a very expensive golden carriage - Rany''s idea - down the extragant boulevards, arriving at a home that looked larger than the inn at which we were staying. It had a long private drive that went in a half circle around the front, and in between the house and the main boulevard lay an elegant manicured lawn the size of a small park, complete with a pond and fountains. The house looked more like a work of art than a place where anyone might live.

    Armed men accepted our invitations - procured by Rany - and allowed the carriage to proceed through the iron gate. The carriage traversed fifty yards of the drive before hitting a bit of traffic, and we had to wait for the vehicles ahead of us to drop off their passengers. Alec grumbled, impatient as ever and scarcely able to sit still in the velvet seat of the carriage interior, but even he seemed a bit impressed by it all, turning his head to take in the splendor.

    I looked down at my unfamiliar new attire. I was dressed in the finest clothing I had ever worn, and it was supposedly the clothing of a servant. Rany''s clothing was identical to mine. The tailor used the same colors - gray and crimson - and sewed an emblem on our sleeves, which was now Alec Braun''s creed. Alec himself was dressed in silk and armor that made him look like a prince.

    Rany had given us a lecture on Crille politics. The local gentry in the city was fascinated with the outlanders. Parties were a nightly occurrence among this elite upper class, typically lasting well into the night. Word traveled to Rany - as word apparently tended to do - that outlanders were welcome at any party they wished to attend. Rany had thus acquired invitations with little trouble. The invitations had our names on them, engraved in gold. Mine read, "Handice, Son of Randol the Brave, of Shirin Mills." It gave me a strange feeling of pride to look at it.

    When our carriage reached the front of the line, the valets - dressed in immaculate evening attire - opened the carriage door for us to exit, welcoming us warmly.

    We proceeded among a crowd of well dressed guests, down a long stone walkway, through yet another gate manned by armed guards who nodded respectfully to Alec, and into a grand courtyard. It was decorated with flowers and fountains and a small waterfall at the end of a stream which meandered around the manor. More servants milled about, carrying trays with drinks and morsels of food, most of it unidentifiable to me, but smelling pleasant enough.

    A dozen minstrels played, the music quiet and unobtrusive, but even the music sounded as if it was special somehow, as if it was meant only for wealthy or noble ears.

    It was early night. Fires blazed. A breeze blew. Crickets chirped from their hiding places in the courtyard. The weather had warmed and the air was pleasant. It felt like the gods were giving us a taste of the Spring weather to come. The sky was crystal clear, black, the stars sparkling and the moon white and large, hanging low overhead.

    Most of the guests lingered in the courtyard, sipping drinks, nibbling at the morsels of food, greeting each other and laughing. Many nodded and smiled at Alec. Rany and I seemed to be invisible.

    Alec kept right on walking, not returning the nods or smiles, not even slowing down, crossing the courtyard and walking through the open double doors of the manor, the doorway ten feet wide and thirty feet high, large enough for a giant to walk through without any trouble.

    Inside, more minstrels performed. They seemed to be everywhere.

    Alec glanced around. "Rany, steal anything that isn''t fucking nailed down," he said. "Handy, don''t get too plowed. I''ll be back."

    With that, the three of us went separate ways. All of this had been meticulously planned by Rany.

    I wandered the place, feeling self conscious, despite the fact that almost no one looked at me. I was just another servant, and servants were everywhere.

    I went from one room to another. It almost seemed as if there was a different party in each one. In one room, there was a man juggling fire. Was it magic? I did not think so, but I watched for quite some time.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    In another room, three women danced together in a lurid rhythm, naked from head to toe, their bodies painted. I stared, for I know not how long.

    "Of course I would find you here," Rany said.

    How long had he been standing there?

    "What do you mean by that?" I asked Rany.

    He scoffed. "Never mind. Time to get to work. I found the woman."

    Once I saw her, I knew at once she was the one we were looking for. She had the look of a queen (or what I imagined a queen to look like). She stood out even among the scores of lavishly attired nobles. She wore a gown that looked as if it were stitched right over her body, made to fit her alone. Her skin was smooth and perfectly pale, her eyes a dazzling green, every strand of her chestnut hair perfectly placed, elaborately coiled atop her head. Above all, it was the poise with which she carried herself that was most striking. She possessed an absolute confidence, a serenity, as if nothing worldly could ever perturb her. She possessed grace, and perhaps courage.

    She was surrounded by nobles hoping to catch a moment of her attention or even to attract a glance from her. Beside her stood a tall, lean man who adeptly kept others at bay, while two armed guards loomed behind her, their eyes taking in everyone, ready to pounce at any moment.

    Rany approached first. He bowed as if he had done so a thousand times, as if he belonged in a royal court. He spoke to the tall man, who nodded with some reluctance and motioned with his head, a quick, impatient gesture.

    Rany beckoned Alec forward.

    ¡°My Lady Sylvera,¡± Rany said. ¡°May I present to you Alec Braun, outlander and monster slayer.¡±

    Sylvera''s smile was warm, her eyes seeming to sparkle. "A pleasure," she said, her voice smooth like the velvet of her gown. "I was just speaking to an outlander earlier this evening. She said she came from a place called Kan-tuck-ee. Do you know it?"

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been there. It¡¯s a fucking shithole. You got a job for me or what?¡±

    Time seemed to stand slow down. I saw Rany''s face freeze, the obsequious broad grin a mask to his own despair, Alec Braun fouling up the entire plan, for the gods know what reason.

    Lady Sylvera''s smile disappeared and her eyes flashed cold for just a moment, before returning to their unreadable placidity.

    ¡°Roane," she said. "Give them the details.¡±

    She glided away, her guards just behind her as she carved a neat path through the crowd.

    The tall man, Roane, remained. He fixed Alec with a piercing gaze, teeth bared in an unfriendly smile. ¡°You displeased her.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Sylvera is not someone to displease, not even for a fucking outlander like you. Better pray you do not find that out.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, is there a goddamn job for me, or isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°There is,¡± said Roane. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult, nor important, and it pays more than it should. There is a young woman in the dungeon of the city keep. She is imprisoned there, and Sylvera has decided she should not be, for reasons you have no need to understand. You are to free her. You are then to see that she arrives safely in Meridea, where you will take her to the Sanctuary. A certain ¡®friend¡¯ of Sylvera will make contact with you there. Do you accept?¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    Roane laughed. ¡°I suppose gaining an important patron in Sylvera is not enough for the likes of you. You will be paid five hundred gold once we have word the prisoner is free. Five hundred more when she arrives ¨C alive ¨C at her destination.¡±

    ¡°Seven fifty now. Fifteen hundred more at the end.¡±

    ¡°There are a dozen of your outlander people here that would kill for this assignment. The payment is not negotiable. And Sylvera will pay nothing in advance. If you wish, leave your man with us. I will personally put the coin in his hand the moment I receive word of the escape.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. I guess that works.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Know that if you fail, you will never again gain audience with Sylvera. Or with me.¡±

    ¡°Like I give a shit. Anything else?¡±

    Roane¡¯s mouth formed a smile. Yet his eyes blazed with hot anger. ¡°For now, no. Another time, perhaps we will have more to discuss, outlander.¡±

    Alec had already walked away before Roane finished his sentence.

    That is how I found myself in this room, in the basement of the manor. Lars is here to keep me company, but he says very little.

    Of course, I did not understand the danger when first I came down here. I stayed and enjoyed the party while Rany and Alec left to do the job. They had not been away long when a house guard, Lars, approached me and said that Roane had invited me for some special entertainment. I followed without much thought. He brought me to this room, which I found nicely furnished and well supplied with food and drink, but lacking in other guests. Nevertheless, I had no inkling that I was in danger until Roane himself came down to see me.

    ¡°How are you faring?¡± he asked me with that bared teeth smile.

    ¡°Fine sir.¡±

    ¡°You are comfortable?¡±

    ¡°Quite.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. The food and drink up to your standards?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Far better than I am accustomed.¡±

    ¡°Anything else you require? A woman perhaps?¡±

    ¡°No sir. Yet I am curious ¨C where is the entertainment that Lars mentioned?¡±

    Roane laughed. ¡°Lars must not have been clear, or perhaps you misunderstood. Youare the entertainment."

    ¡°I fear I do not understand.¡±

    ¡°You do not?¡± Roane¡¯s eyebrows arched in surprise. He shook his head. ¡°What a pity. The outlander risks your life with reckless abandon, and you are too young and na?ve to even see it.¡±

    ¡°But Alec is taking all the risk, sir. Well, he and Rany.¡±

    ¡°Is he? He did not tell you what might happen, should his endeavor fail? Perhaps he did not know. Did not strike me as a very intelligent man.¡±

    ¡°He will not fail.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. A positive attitude. Such faith in your master. ¡° He laughed.

    I began to realize he sincerely believed I had no more worth than a dog, and that this amused him.

    I wanted to respond but could think of no retort.

    Roane said, ¡°Pray that your faith is well placed. If the rescue plot fails, no one can know that Sylvera was behind it. To ensure that, you cannot leave this room alive.

    ¡°But no worry," Roane smiled that frightening smile, the firelight reflecting in his eye. "I am sure your valiant master shall succeed.¡±

 CHAPTER 4: The Dungeon

    From the Scribblings of Rany

    A goatfuck.

    That was the outlander¡¯s description of our mission, but I found it apt.

    Handice stayed behind, at the party. Kept him out of the way, but maybe not out of danger.

    I got myself arrested, which was much more difficult than I had expected. Turns out it is one of those things that is much easier when you¡¯re not trying.

    All those years spent avoiding the shackles had made me too damn good.

    Took three attempts to get caught lifting coin from the fat pockets of lords. Don¡¯t know how much more obvious I could have been, short of telling them I was picking their pocket just as I was doing so. At last an ugly lord caught me and whined for the guards. They were so damn slow to respond that I had to trip and fall on purpose, and they still barely reached me before I had to get back up and start running again, to keep it from being too obvious. They barely even roughed me up. I nearly choked when they searched me and I saw the amount of coin I had managed to lift. One of my best hauls ever. I damn near scooped it back up and ran away for real. Forced myself to remember it was all part of the plan.

    The gaol was as pleasant as ever. Only a few dead flies in the gruel. The law types were getting soft.

    But I counted double the usual guards. Almost as if they might be aware of a pending escape attempt. Imagine that.

    Found Joc, one of the lifers. He was glad to see me.

    Rany! Clapping me on the back.

    No time for warm reunions. Told him I needed a shiv and a lockpick.

    Already? You just got here!

    No time to explain, Joc. I¡¯ll make it worth your while. Where is Sammyl?

    Took an eternity to find him. Deep in the tombs and chained to the wall, half starved and despondent.

    ¡°Oh no, Rany, they got you too.¡±

    ¡°Easy Sammyl. Came to get you out of here.¡± I went to work on the locks holding his chains.

    ¡°Forget about me, I¡¯m finished. They¡¯re gonna hang me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here, you imbecile. Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± The last lock sprung open.

    Sammyl could barely walk, much less fight. This Alec had better be good. Gods, I¡¯ve done some fool things in my time, but this¡­

    Through the spiderweb of corridors. A bitch they had been to memorize. Found Carlo, a sergeant of the guards, the key to the plan. His throat was slit, the blood already crusty and dried.

    Fuck Carlo, what the fuck happened?

    Carlo had no answer.

    ¡°There he is! Get him!¡± A different sergeant. Sounded like it was too late to pay off this one.

    ¡°Come on, Sammyl.¡± Back into the spiderweb, boots of three guards right behind. I pushed Sammyl forward into the tunnels. He found some strength to run. I followed.

    Caught a lone guard by surprise. Sammyl helped me take him. I cut his throat with my shiv. Gave his sword to Sammyl. I¡¯m useless with swords.

    ¡°We¡¯re dead, Rany! There¡¯s no way out of this one!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a way out.¡±

    Dead end. Trap door above, too high to reach.

    Guards rushed in. Six of them. We were cornered.

    ¡°Drop the sword! Drop the shiv! Come quietly and you may live yet. Life in the dungeon beats a hanging, Rany.¡±

    ¡°Sisko. Wish it wasn¡¯t you here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you, Rany. Come on now. Tell Sammyl to toss the sword.¡±

    ¡°Run away, Sisko. This isn¡¯t your fight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a guard now, Rany.¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s behind us!¡± Another guard said.

    ¡°Reinforcements? Delon, go check.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Delon went and Delon died, his scream echoing in the chambers. Then another scream, primal, horrific, ungodly. Not human. Two of the five remaining guards broke and ran. Not Sisko.

    ¡°Star formation!¡± he commanded.

    They waited, disciplined.

    A crossbow bolt sprouted from one¡¯s throat. He gurgled and fell.

    Alec rushed in. Struck at Sisko but Sisko blocked with his shield and fought. Alec delivered one blow after another, too strong and too fast for Sisko. Only shield and armor saved him from immediate death. The other guard attempted to help Sisko.

    I took the sword from Sammyl¡¯s hands. Shoved the blade into the back of the man¡¯s neck. I think he died quick.

    Sisko was down now on the floor now. His sword was gone. He had his hands up.

    ¡°Rany¡­¡±

    ¡°Mercy, Alec,¡± I said.

    Alec¡¯s sword came down.

    ¡°All right,¡± Alec said. ¡°Let¡¯s get the fuck out of here.¡±

    ¡°Gods Alec, you took his head right ¨C¡°

    ¡°Who the fuck is this? This isn¡¯t a girl!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Sammyl. He¡¯s a friend.¡±

    ¡°You rescued the wrong motherfucking prisoner?¡±

    ¡°It was a setup. Couldn¡¯t find the girl.¡± This wasn''t a lie. In truth, I simply had never looked. It had never been about rescuing the girl.

    ¡°Goddammit. Come on, let¡¯s fucking find her.¡±

    Left was freedom, right was death. We went right.

    More guards came and more guards died. Sammyl looked at Alec in wonder. He went to prison before the outlanders came to Friedor, didn¡¯t know what they could do.

    Never had I envisioned going so deep into the dungeon. One place left I thought the girl might be.

    We came to a large room with a high ceiling. Two murder holes up high.

    ¡°Get down!¡± I yelled.

    Crossbow bolts came down on us, just missing. Three swordsmen advanced. Alec handed me his crossbow, told me I¡¯d better not fucking shoot him by mistake, and went for the swordsmen.

    I am not good with crossbows. Took me a minute just to figure out how to shoot it. It was heavy, hard to aim. I pointed it at one of the guards and fired. My bolt struck a different guard in the chest. It was a glancing blow off his chestplate but enough to distract him and keep his sword from going through Alec. One of the other swordsmen went down from a shot intended for Alec. Alec finished him after dispatching the other two.

    ¡°Come on!¡±

    Sammyl and I ran after Alec, dodging bolts. Alec had one in his shoulder but ignored it.

    We ran into yet another cavernous room. Only one man there, unarmed. He raised his hand as if to say hello. Sparks shot from his hand, across the room, ripping through Alec.

    We took cover.

    Alec looked bad. Sammyl half dead.

    Alec took a bottle from his pocket and drank. Suddenly looked better.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can take this asshole. Jesus.¡±

    ¡°Will that shit you¡¯re drinking help Sammyl? He¡¯s a good fighter, he can help!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. These potions are expensive.¡±

    Lightning fell from the ceiling, striking our cover, shaking the floor.

    ¡°Alec, it might be the only way!¡±

    He tossed me a vial. I held it to Sammyl¡¯s white lips, tilted it to get a little in. His hand grasped the vial and he drank.

    I watched his eyes and saw the old fire return to them.

    Alec went first. I covered with the crossbow. Sparks hit Alec, rocking him. I fired. The bolt might have been true. Just before it had a chance to strike our assailant, it halted in the air and clattered to the floor. But then Sammyl was on the man¡¯s flank. He swung his sword with the fury of a man who wished to live.

    The man fell.

    ¡°Gods, Rany, he¡¯s a girl!¡±

    The fallen hood showed long red hair and a face once pretty, not so much in death.

    Alec sat up, drank a potion, tossed the bottle. It smashed against the wall and broke. He yanked the crossbow bolt out of his shoulder.

    ¡°What a goatfuck,¡± he muttered. That was when he said it.

    We found the girl in a roomful of cells. She was alive and quite chatty.

    ¡°Who are you? What are you doing? What is the meaning of this?¡±

    ¡°Take it easy!¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re here to get you out.¡±

    The lock on the cell challenged every bit of my expertise.

    Alec grew impatient. ¡°Come the fuck on Handy! I mean Rany!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡±

    I tried not to let the gurgling of the dying guard distract me. He had not had a chance to shout before Alec and Sammyl¡¯s swords went through him.

    Got the cell open.

    It took a bit of persuading, but the girl came with us. She finally relented when Alec threatened to put his sword through her just for wasting his time.

    We reached the harbor an hour before dawn.

    The Stony Larieux was docked and waiting for us. The captain, Janx, was awake. He was ready to set sail. So were we.

    But no Handice.

    ¡°Goddammit, where is he?¡± Alec said.

    ¡°Where¡¯s who?¡± Sammyl asked.

    ¡°The villager, Sammyl,¡± I told him. ¡°He was supposed to meet us here after we escaped.¡±

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Alec muttered. ¡°He¡¯s somewhere way the fuck that way. Not moving. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s even left the mansion yet. And his signal¡¯s getting weak, like he¡¯s dying or something. Goddammit! That fucking Roane double-crossed us. Cocksucker!¡±

    ¡°This ship sails before first light,¡± said the captain.

    ¡°Yeah, Janx,¡± I said. ¡°We know.¡±

    ¡°Just where are we sailing to?¡± the girl demanded. ¡°Do not tell me to shut up again.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re taking you to Meridea,¡± I said.

    ¡°What? I am not going to Meridea-¡°

    ¡°Shut up! You think we¡¯re doing this out of fucking charity? You¡¯re going where we fucking say!¡±

    ¡°Ok, listen up,¡± Alec said. ¡°I¡¯m going back for Handy. If you have to set sail, set sail. I¡¯ll meet you in River City. I¡¯m getting my fucking money.¡±

 CHAPTER 5: MISTER FALCON

    ¡°You must be Alec Braun,¡± said Lars.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Your money¡¯s down there on the floor for you to pick up.  There was a little mishap with your servant. Griffin Roane doesn¡¯t--¡°

    Alec¡¯s sword took off his head.

    In the corner, on the floor, Alec found Handice¡¯s severed hand.  In the hand was a coin purse filled with 500 gold coins. Griffin had kept his word.

    ¡°Dumb fucking noob.¡±

    Alec whirled, sword in hand, Lars¡¯s blood still running down the blade.

    ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡±

    The man entered the room, in no hurry.  He wore shining armor of pure silver and moved with a smooth easy grace.  He had a hard, warrior¡¯s face, short dark hair, dark eyes, strong nose, stubble beard.

    ¡°I¡¯m Mister Falcon.¡±

    ¡°Mister Falcon ¨C here?  Why?¡±

    Falcon shrugged.  ¡°Griffin Roane hired me to kill you.  I guess you pissed him off.¡±

    ¡°That asshole?  Fuck him. I¡¯ll pay you double.  Triple. Who gives a shit.¡±

    Falcon shook his head.  ¡°You can¡¯t afford it. Besides, I¡¯ve got a reputation to uphold.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Alec raised his sword.  ¡°Let¡¯s get it over with then.¡±

    Falcon laughed.  ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fucking 5:00 a.m.!  I¡¯ve gotta be at work in three hours.¡±

    ¡°That sucks.¡±

    ¡°Hell, I should be thanking you.  You¡¯ll kill me, sure, but you¡¯re what, level 50?  I¡¯ll get enough experience points to level up twice if I just get one or two hits in.¡±

    Falcon shook his head.  ¡°Won¡¯t work like that this time.  This is the payment Roane gave me.¡±

    He unsheathed his sword.  The blade looked sharp enough to cut through a cement block.

    ¡°It¡¯s one of a kind, specially crafted, with a spell cast on it by some wizard.  Moroso.  Heard of him?"If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "No."

    "Didn''t think so.  You don''t know dick about this place.  Moroso is a legend.  I haven¡¯t met him but he¡¯s a powerful motherfucker. I got to name the spell.  I call it ¡®permadeath.¡¯¡±

    "Original."

    "Yeah, right.  I wasn''t going for originality.  I call it Permadeath because it will kill your character permanently.  No resurrection.¡±

    ¡°What?  Bullshit.¡±

    ¡°No bullshit.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t do that.  People would get too pissed off.¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s the idea.  Some of the NPCs don¡¯t want us here.¡±

    ¡°What?  Come on.¡±

    ¡°No resurrection.  And no new characters either.  When you try to log in, the game simply will not work for you.  Never again. Maybe they¡¯ll give you your money back.¡±

    ¡°The fuck?  No way, dude.¡±

    ¡°I couldn''t believe it myself, but it¡¯s true.  I¡¯ve already tested it.¡±

    ¡°Fuck this.¡±

    Alec went limp and collapsed to the floor, his sword landing with a clang.

    ¡°Yeah, nice try,¡± said Falcon.  ¡°I can still kill you when you¡¯re logged out, moron.¡±

    He brought the sword down.

    It hit the floor.

    Alec had vanished.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± said Falcon.  ¡°You deleted your character.  How¡¯d you do that so fast? You son of a bitch.  Shit.¡±

    He looked around the room, which he now had to himself, save for a headless Lars and a lifeless Handice.  He sheathed his sword.

    ¡°Fuck.  Now what?¡± he asked himself.

    He walked over to Handice¡¯s body and nudged it with his boot.  He held a gloved hand over the young villager. A stream of blue light flowed out from the hand, into Handice.  First the light went into the bleeding stump on Handice¡¯s right arm, then into his chest.

    ¡°Rise and shine,¡± Falcon said.

    Handice¡¯s eyes fluttered open.

    ¡°Good morning!  Welcome back to the world!¡±

    Handice croaked, ¡°Who-¡°

    ¡°Here, drink some water.¡±

    Handice drank from the goblet, slowly sipping at first, then deeply, taking it in.

    ¡°Feel better?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Good.  You lost a lot of blood.  Couple more minutes and it would have been too late for you.  Now, who are you?¡±

    ¡°I am Handice.  Of Shirin Mills.  Son of Randol-¡°

    ¡°Ok, ok.  I don¡¯t need your whole autobiography.  What do you have to do with that dickhead, Alec?¡±

    ¡°He is my ... I am his companion.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.  Alec¡¯s gone. He may be back, if he¡¯s as dumb as I think he is, but your bond is broken.  You¡¯re free to go. Go home, go find your friends, go wherever you want. But you¡¯d better get going before Griffin Roane gets back.¡±

    In the villager¡¯s brown eyes there was fear.  They went to the stump where his hand had been.

    ¡°Your hand is over there.  And your payment. The job was done, after all.  For that matter, you and your friends can escort that girl to Meridea and get the rest of the dough.  You don¡¯t need Alec for that.¡±

    Falcon yawned.  ¡°Anyway, I guess it is getting late.  I¡¯m out of here. If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll follow my ass out of this house.  Nobody¡¯s gonna fuck with me, don¡¯t worry. You coming?¡±

    Handice got to his feet.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.  Hey. Don¡¯t forget your gold.¡±

 CHAPTER 6: AT SEA

    I am going to die.

    And I almost hope it happens soon.

    Never been on the ocean before.  It always sounded so pleasant and peaceful.

    It is not.

    The creaking vessel sounds as if it will come apart at any moment.  Every massive swell is like going up a mountain, then crashing straight down a cliff.  Each time it happens, I think this is the one that will do us in for sure.

    Janx seems determined to kill us all.  Took us out into a fucking storm. Said it was a good thing ¨C a good thing!  ¡°Better than pirates.¡±  My asshole.

    I watch the crew carefully. When they appeared calm, I felt all was well, even if my own breathing was quick and shallow, my heart in my throat.  When they began to look nervous, I knew we had some real problems.

    Then Sammyl got sick.  I had seen that he got some badly needed food as the voyage began.  He had eaten like he had never seen food before. I also procured some booze from a sailor.  It was foul stuff that burned the throat and gut, but Sammyl and Handice did not seem to mind.  Now it all came back up as the storm raged and tossed us around. The girl would not stop complaining.  Handice was the only one being quiet, but he stared at the walls with a moroseness that depressed me. He was clearly feeling sorry for himself because of his hand.

    Sammyl¡¯s retching and vomiting made me sick, and soon he and I were kneeling next to each other over a bucket, puking and retching together.

    ¡°Ah, Rany!¡± said Sammyl.  ¡°Almost wish I was back in the dungeon!¡±

    Calm seas now.  My stomach is slow in receiving the news.

    Now there is nothing to do but sit around.  Tried starting a card game to take my mind off the boredom.  Sammyl¡¯s sickness showed no sign of abating. His face had turned a sickly greenish gray.  Handice wanted to do nothing but sit and sulk. I told him he only needed one hand to play cards.

    Sammyl lifted his head from his bucket and said I should apologize for that, and the girl said something to me that was quite unkind.

    The damn girl.  At least she stopped talking.  But we had to keep her tied up, lest she try to make a run for it.  Where she would go, who knows, but by the look of her she would not hesitate to dive right off the ship and swim across the ocean just to get away from us.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Finally found a game with some of the sailors.  Of course that required me to avoid winning too much, lest I find myself having an accident and falling overboard.  None of them had much coin either. They typically spend it all whenever they are in port.

    Two days at sea and we had to spend the last night anchored in the harbor, waiting for daylight.  River City apparently has a strict policy about ships identifying themselves before they approach the docks.

    Janx wanted to talk to me before we docked.  I¡¯d been expecting the shakedown and was ready for it.

    Janx said, ¡°Still don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, but I expect we may run into people down the road, asking questions.  Law types maybe.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re good with the law, I told you a hundred times.¡±

    ¡°Right.  Nothing odd at all about a tied up girl, a man who still reeks of the jail cell, and another man who just lost his hand.¡±

    ¡°Paid for full passage for five, Janx.  Hell, you only had to carry four. You¡¯re making out like a bandit already.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I will honor our agreement.  I will ask no more for your passage ¨C what do you take me for?  You insult me now.¡±

    ¡°More coin to ensure silence then.  That¡¯s what you ask.¡±

    ¡°Silence?¡± he chuckled.  ¡°All the coin in the world could not ensure the silence of ten sailors on liberty in port, lips loosened by drink.¡±

    ¡°What do you propose then?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was planning to lay in River City for three days.  Sell the cargo we have, pick up some more, head back to Crille.  It¡¯s a profitable run. Or, I could dock just long enough to let you off, then head on up the coastline to Shaul.  That¡¯s three days sailing from here. The men will have forgotten you by then, and if they did talk, who would care?¡±

    ¡°And to do that, you would require how much gold?¡±

    ¡°Five hundred.¡±

    ¡°Ha!  You mistake me for a prince!¡±

    ¡°You have it.¡±

    ¡°Nice try, Janx.  You had no plans to stay in River City.¡±

    ¡°How would you presume to know that?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t feign outrage.  I can read people, that¡¯s all.¡±  (And log books, I did not say.) ¡°Tell you what though.  For the extra trouble, and I will hate myself for this, I will throw in a hundred extra gold.  Just make sure none of your men get off the ship. Why are you laughing?¡±

    ¡°You still got much to learn, lad.  You really think I¡¯d leave my real log where you could see it?  Didn¡¯t see the hair I left inside it, did you? Fell out when you opened it.  Well, every captain worth his salt keeps two books ¨C one real, one decoy. Five hundred gold or my men will spend the next three days drinking and whoring in River City.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s what will happen.  I don¡¯t have five hundred.¡±

    ¡°No?  Too bad.  Well, that¡¯s that then.¡±

    ¡°I can do two hundred.  That¡¯s really it, Janx.¡±

    ¡°Agh.  Fine. Gods, I¡¯m growing soft.¡±

 CHAPTER 7: RIVER CITY

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    We left the ship at first light. We had to knock the girl out. Fortunately Janx happened to have a powder that would put even a horse to sleep, but would it shock you that it was quite expensive? (I¡¯d had about enough of that greedy swindler.)

    The powder did its job. I put it in her water and waited. Eventually she got thirsty and drank. Soon after, she decided she was quite tired and went to sleep. That was about an hour before the ship docked.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sammyl said. ¡°The girl won¡¯t wake up.¡±

    ¡°I know, you idiot. I drugged her.¡±

    Took her off the boat on a litter. I had to carry one end and Sammyl the other. At least Sammyl no longer seemed sick. A miracle seemed to occur the moment his boots hit solid land.

    I had never been to River City ¨C never really been out of Crille ¨C but I had heard the stories.

    I knew immediately that this was my kind of place. Even at dawn there were people ambling about, drinking and carrying on in full swing. Women scantily attired. Taverns everywhere. Hardly any law to hassle you. They were there, yes, but only to protect the peace and not to harass. By its reputation, people liked to have a good time but largely minded their own business, which was good for us.

    We followed Janx¡¯s directions to an inn that he surely got a kickback from, but it was perfect for our needs anyway. It seemed like a fun place too ¨C the type of inn or tavern I might visit even if I wasn¡¯t looking for a spot to hole up quietly and avoid questions. It was called the Painted Lady. No one spared us a second glance as we carried the girl up to our room.

    I told Handice, ¡°There are plenty of girls here who could easily be persuaded to make a man of you. Might cheer you up a bit.¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem to care. Looked as morose as ever. I was beginning to wonder if he had lost another appendage along with his hand.

    Once safe in our room, we at last had a chance to assess our situation and formulate a plan.

    Sammyl promptly stretched out on the bed and fell asleep. He may have been sleeping more soundly than the girl. She showed no sign of waking, in spite of the snores from Sammyl. I checked her breathing and confirmed she was still alive at least.

    I napped until noon.

    Still couldn¡¯t wake Sammyl. Handice was awake, staring out the window. Told him I was going to go out, get the lay of the land, see if maybe Alec had arrived in town. Told Handice to stay put, keep an eye on the girl, and if Sammyl woke, to remind him he needed to stay in the room. He still had a death sentence after all.

    What could go wrong?

    EXCERPT FROM THE JOURNAL OF HANDICE, UNDATED

    I am an inept fool.

    A maimed and crippled fool at that.

    The girl got away. It was my fault.

    Rany was gone for some time ¨C much longer than he had promised. I was beginning to worry. Sammyl said, ¡°That¡¯s just Rany.¡±

    Sammyl had just woken after sleeping the entire day. He now wanted food and ale.

    In truth, I felt a bit uneasy confined in this room with an escaped prisoner and an unconscious, bound girl. If only I had chosen to return home instead of rejoining the others, perhaps I would already be back in Shirin Mills today, or at least very close.

    Sammyl paced around a bit, grumbling. At last, he said, ¡°Why should Rany have all the fun? I¡¯m going to go have a look around myself. I¡¯m going to go find him.¡±

    I was supposed to remind him of the death sentence and ask him to stay, but he had a determined look in his eye and I confess I felt a little afraid of him. I did not want to try to stop him.

    He left the room, closing the door behind him.

    ¡°Thank the gods that one¡¯s gone,¡± the girl said. ¡°He smells the worst of the three of you.¡±

    ¡°You are awake,¡± I observed.

    She laughed. ¡°You are a quick one.¡±

    I did not know what to say. Women still had that effect on me, no matter what I had been through. And she was perhaps the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She had long, light brown hair that splayed out on the pillow on which her head lay. Full lips, skin that still bore the smoothness of the very young, and a face that would have been innocent but for the eyes. They were a very dark brown, nearly black, mysterious and inscrutable.

    She was small, short of height, but had the figure of a woman. She wore a green dress.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked.

    I looked away, realizing I might have been staring.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said.

    ¡°You are different from the other two.¡±

    ¡°I would rather not converse at the moment.¡±

    ¡°You certainly do not talk like a kidnapper.¡±

    ¡°Kidnapper? We were hired to escort you to Meridea.¡±

    ¡°Escort me?¡± She laughed. ¡°Is that how you would describe this?¡± She showed me her bound arms.

    ¡°We rescued you. They did anyway. My role was¡­limited.¡±

    ¡°Well, I did not want to be rescued. I am thirsty. May I have some water?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    I went to her bed and poured a cup of cold water from a pitcher.

    ¡°Could you help me sit up, please?¡±

    I did the best I could with one hand, pulling her up by the ropes that bound her as she squirmed her way up into a sitting position. Then I tilted the glass up to her lips, and she drank. She finished the entire cup without stopping. She asked for another and drank that as well.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.

    I poured myself a goblet full of wine.

    ¡°These ropes are really digging into my skin. Rany tied them too tight. Could you loosen them?¡±

    ¡°I am afraid I cannot.¡±

    ¡°Please, Handice. I am a person here, not some farm animal. If our situations were reversed, I would loosen your ropes. In fact, I would untie you.¡±

    Perhaps I can blame the wine ¨C this was not my first cup. She did have a valid argument. I was still uncertain of when or how she had gone from our rescuee to our prisoner, or why exactly we were so determined to carry out the second part of our assignment.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    At some point, of my own volition, I untied the girl. She promised not to run. Even if she did, she could not get by me. I moved my chair in front of the door, and sat down.

    I drank more wine. She left me alone, stretching and walking about. A few minutes later she began to remove her clothing.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°I am going to try to wash up. I wasn¡¯t joking about how bad you three men smell, but I fear I do not smell so great either.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡±

    ¡°It really did not occur to me that you might object.¡±

    She removed the dress, keeping her back to me. I did not stare. I was a gentleman. But I did glance at her now and then to make sure she was not escaping.

    ¡°Would you do me a favor?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I cannot seem to get this bracelet off. Could you undo the clasp for me?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure,¡± I said.

    ¡°You can do it with one hand.¡±

    I went over to her, keeping my gaze on anything in the room but her. She held her left arm out and I could feel her eyes on me.

    The bracelet was easy enough to undo. I was uncertain why she had needed my assistance with it at all. She thanked me, and I poured some more wine and returned to my chair.

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    I spent a bit longer exploring the city than I had intended. So many taverns, so much delicious food, smoky aromas wafting by as you walked along the crowded streets. So many pretty girls to admire, and they much bolder to return your gaze than most girls in Crille. Outlanders were everywhere. The city was one of the most popular parts of Friedor for them to visit. I could understand why. Who would not want to visit here?

    No sign of Alec. I asked around, being my discreet self, but no one had seen or heard of him.

    Ended up in a lively poker game at a pub called the Shamrock. It sat on one of the five rivers that winded through the city, the water flowing along peacefully, boats passing by as talented minstrels played music better than any I had heard in Crille (and Crille prides itself as having the best of everything). I had to stop and enjoy it all.

    I was deep into a game and had two or three marks right where I wanted them. I had been bluffing excessively, letting myself get caught at it several times. I appeared to be a reckless player, drunk and jovial, throwing coin away fast. Got three outlanders to call when I bet heavy with a full house. As I raked in a healthy pile of coins, I heard a fellow player comment on a brawl that was breaking out. I was thinking only of how many more hands of poker I might play, but then I heard drunken yelling, and the voice was quite familiar.

    Sammyl.

    I hastily scooped up all the coins and made my way over to the ruckus. Sammyl had discovered three outlanders who fancied a good brawl, and he seemed to be under the delusion that he could take on all three of them.

    ¡°Not now, gentlemen,¡± I said. ¡°He has had too much to drink and is recovering from some injuries. He will be happy to fight you another time. Here, have some gold.¡±

    ¡°The fuck are you doing?¡± Sammyl protested as I hustled him out into the busy street. It was beginning to grow dark.

    ¡°You were supposed to stay in the room, idiot.¡±

    ¡°Why should you have all the fun? Same as ever. Leaving me cooped up in that room.¡±

    ¡°How much have you had to drink?¡±

    ¡°Not bloody enough!¡±

    I steered him back to the Painted Lady, restraining him from entering each tavern we passed, and upstairs to our room.

    I knocked and there was no answer.

    Opened the door and went in.

    Handice was bound to his chair by the door, his tunic sleeve tied to gag him.

    It took several moments to untie the gag. Handice squirmed and shook his head, and I had to yell at him to remain still. Finally got it off.

    ¡°I was watching her! She is a witch! She put a spell on me!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she put a spell on you all right,¡± Sammyl scoffed.

    ¡°Shut up, Sammyl. Handice, any idea where she went?¡±

    I got Handice untied and he got up out of the chair, staggering and unsteady. Just as drunk as Sammyl. Great.

    ¡°I realize you two idiots are too drunk to walk, but we need to find that damn girl. Now! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The sun was going down fast. Not much daylight left. Streets busy. Damn girl could be anywhere.

    Reluctantly, I decided we had to split up. Wasn¡¯t sure how much good either of them could do on their own, but I could move quicker without them. Maybe one of them would get lucky.

    I went from tavern to tavern scouting for any tidbit of information I could find, with no luck. Every second increased her chances of getting away for good. Desperate, I began asking everyone I came across ¨C passersby, tavern patrons, gamblers, whores, bartenders, anyone I came across, even guards.

    ¡°I am looking for my sister. Have you seen her? About this tall, long brown hair, bad attitude¡­¡±

    ¡°You there! Sister, you say? You need to come with me immediately!¡± It was a guard.

    Oh shit.

    ¡°Have you seen her?¡± I asked, sounding like a concerned brother. ¡°Is she all right?¡±

    ¡°As far as I know, she is. But not for long. She stole a horse! Come on, my sergeant will want to speak with you.¡±

    Being arrested or even ¡°questioned¡± was not on my agenda at all tonight, so I obtained a bit more specific information and then slipped away from the guard, disappearing into the crowd easily enough. He was dumb even for a lawman.

    Had to find Handice and Sammyl. Turned out to be nearly as difficult as finding the fucking girl.

    Handice was in an establishment near the market district, clear across town. I found him with drink in hand, having attention lavished on him by three scantily clad women. I don¡¯t think he realized they were whores.

    ¡°Please,¡± he said to them. ¡°You must help me. I will be happy to accompany you upstairs, but first I must find this young lady¡­¡±

    ¡°Come now, what is so special about her? Is she prettier than me?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, of course not, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Handice,¡± I told him. ¡°I found her. Thank you, ladies. This gentleman will be coming with me now. He will see you later, I am sure.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand,¡± he said, as I hustled him outside and through the crowded streets. ¡°If you found her, where is she? Why is she not with you?¡±

    ¡°Handice, listen. You can ride a horse, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Good. I can¡¯t ride for shit. Only tried once, damn near killed me. We need to purchase a horse. Do you happen to know how much they cost?¡±

    ¡°I believe at least five hundred gold.¡±

    ¡°All right. We need to steal a horse then.¡±

    ¡°What! They hang people for that!¡±

    ¡°Then they may hang the girl, if they get to her before we do. Is that what you want? Her death on your conscience?¡±

    It turned out to be a rather simple affair, so easy I wondered why I had not tried horse thieving long ago. (Because I could not ride one, I suppose.)

    The girl had brazenly stolen a horse right out of the River City stables, on the southern outskirts of town. It would be foolish (though comical) to steal another horse from that stable. But outlanders liked horses. And outlanders often disappeared for lengthy periods of time. My reconnaissance of the town had taught me which inns the outlanders favored, and which of those inns had private stables.

    I had observed a particularly obnoxious outlander earlier, boasting about his horse. He claimed it was faster than any other on the continent, or some such nonsense.

    I went to the inn, to its stable. Told the stable boy, ¡°I¡¯m Roland, servant to William Wallace. He asks that his horse be made ready and that I bring it to him.¡±

    Threw him twenty gold. The boy saddled it for me and everything.

    By now, it was completely dark.

    I told Handice, ¡°Listen, I have no idea how far the girl can go. She took the gold that was in the room, but that wasn¡¯t much. I had most of our gold with me. You need to find her before the guards do, or worse, the posse that I was told about. No telling what they will do to her. Maybe tear her to pieces. Handice, you understand?¡±

    He seemed a bit more steady now. ¡°Yes, Rany. I shall do my absolute best.¡±

    ¡°They saw her ride south. I¡¯ve looked at the maps ¨C she can¡¯t go farther south than the Ann. It¡¯s too big to cross without a boat, too swift to safely swim. My guess is she¡¯ll follow it southeast. She should keep to the river. The forests and hills are too dangerous, especially at night.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here for a few days, cover your tracks, if need be, and make sure she is not hiding right here in town. It is possible she used the horse thieving as a ruse. It¡¯s what I might have done.¡±

    ¡°And if Alec shows up,¡± I continued, ¡°At least one of us will be here to meet him, as we planned.¡±

    I made it sound so good, I was beginning to believe it could actually work.

    ¡°I will find her, Rany.¡± He seemed almost sober now.

    ¡°Here, take this.¡± I handed him a short sword I had lifted earlier.

    ¡°What can I do with that?¡±

    ¡°Try not to stab yourself with it. Remember, don¡¯t bring the girl back here. Just bring her to Meridea. We¡¯ll deliver her to where she belongs, and we¡¯ll get our gold.¡±

    Suitably motivated and with more confidence than he probably should have had, Handice easily mounted the beast. The thing¡¯s very size made me uncomfortable. He gently kicked it into a walk. He bade farewell, went into a trot, or whatever you call it, and then a full gallop.

    I watched as he disappeared into the darkness. Damn if that wasn¡¯t a fast horse.

    The sound of pounding hooves faded until I could no longer hear them.

    I had one of those strange feelings one gets at times. It told me I would never see that young man again.

 CHAPTER 8: THE ROAD

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, 8th Day, 767 KD

    I have stopped for the night and built a fire.

    The effects of the wine have dissipated, but my head aches and I am very tired.

    It is too dark to search. The river is to my right, wide and empty. Woods lie to my left, pitch black. I considered taking refuge in a tree, but it seems too much effort. All I want is sleep¡­

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, 9th Day, 767 KD

    Morning.

    No creatures disturbed me in the night.

    I have nothing to eat. In my rush to leave, I failed to consider bringing provisions for my journey. The horse has plenty of food at least. It whickers, grazing on grass, content.

    I look at the horse with no small amount of guilt. I took him from his rightful owner, even if it was an outlander. Never in my life did I think I would do such a thing. And if caught, I will hang for it. I do not want to hang.

    I do not know how I am to find the girl in the first place, and if I do, then what?

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, 9th Day, 767 KD, (or possibly the morning of the 10th day)

    The search party from River City found the girl before I did.

    It was just past noon. I was lightheaded from hunger and riding along, lost in thought, following the Ann.

    I heard the beating of galloping hooves approaching from the further down the river. Before I could react, I saw two horses coming. They had saddles but no riders. They galloped past me, as if running for their lives. Then another came. Then two more. All with saddles. None with riders.

    I wondered if it might be wise to turn around and go back the way I came.

    Then I saw her.

    She emerged from the woods, not fifty yards away from me. She was limping and bloody.

    The rumbling of horse hooves came again, from up ahead. I looked and saw it. This one had a rider. He was bleeding and brandishing a long spear. He veered toward the girl. She closed her eyes and stood still, waiting for him.

    The ground seemed to tremble at the horse¡¯s feet. The horse reared in terror, throwing the rider off. The horse bolted. My steed shook its head in great agitation, wanting to follow its brother. It took all I had to hold it still, and I was nearly thrown off myself.

    The man got to his knees. He picked up his spear. The girl pointed a tree branch at him. A ball of fire shot out from the branch, striking the man. He screamed. His spear fell, and then he dropped to the ground, falling forward. He lied still. The flames died out quickly. He did not move again.

    The girl fell to her knees. She turned her gaze from the man and looked at me.

    ¡°Help me.¡±

    She was very weak. Her injuries were not as bad as I had expected. She had a gash in her chest but it was minor, as well as some cuts, scrapes and bruises. I had to pull her dress down to tend to them. I could feel my face reddening as I did so, but she bit her lip and told me to just do it. She did not want to tell me what had happened to the six other men that had pursued her.

    She had to ride with me now, as she had lost her horse while dealing with the riders.

    As I had feared, I had no idea what to do now that I had found her. Indeed, she seemed to assume command. One would think the reason for this might be that I had watched her kill a man with fire, but that was not quite it. She seemed to know what to do, and I did not.

    ¡°We need to change course now,¡± she said. ¡°Head east, away from the river.¡±

    She sat behind me on the horse, leaning into my back, her hands gripping my sides.

    ¡°Into the forest?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We have to chance it. If we stay on course, we should reach a town on the other side of it, perhaps by nightfall. If we ride at a steady pace.¡±

    But it was much slower going in the thick woods. There were no paths to follow and the forest was dark and gloomy, the sun obscured by a canopy of foliage. The ground was not safe for the horse to run ¨C too many roots, rocks and fallen limbs, branches, rotting logs.

    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°The horse.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I do not know. I uh, borrowed him.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I guessed that. We¡¯re both horse thieves now. But we should name him. Bad luck to ride a horse with no name.¡±

    ¡°It is?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Probably. How about ¡®Paul?¡¯¡±

    ¡°That is a man¡¯s name,¡± I said.

    ¡°What difference does that make?¡±

    ¡°Should he not have a horse¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°What exactly is a horse¡¯s name?¡± She asked. ¡°Can you even think of one?¡¯

    ¡°Well¡­ ¡®Thunder¡¯ or ¡®Red.¡¯ I do not know.¡±

    ¡°Those names do not suit our friend here.¡± She patted our horse¡¯s muscular haunch. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Paul?¡±

    The sun sank lower and lower through the trees. In the depths of the forest, daylight faded fast.

    We were forced to make camp.

    We still had no real food ¨C a few berries along the way, poorly suited for consumption. That was all.

    I went to work building a fire. Ruby designed a few traps and set them out. She went off for a bit to hunt game with Rany¡¯s crossbow she had stolen from our room, but it grew too dark for her to see. And she was still quite weak, limping.

    We sat by the fire for a bit.

    ¡°This Alec, he was killed, correct?¡±

    ¡°I do not know. I was unconscious when it happened. I believe he was killed by the outlander who healed me. He should have resurrected, but I do not think he did. How I know that, I do not know.¡±

    ¡°The bond.¡±

    ¡°Beg pardon?¡±

    ¡°You are bonded when you swear the oath. That is how they can find you when you are separated, or you them.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Also why I felt compelled to follow his commands.¡±

    The price you pay for fortune and adventure, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Well, I knew it was a mistake almost immediately.¡±

    ¡°So why not go home? The bond is gone now, is it not?¡±

    ¡°It is. I am free to go wherever I please now.¡±

    ¡°You have been free for days now. Why even bother chasing after me?¡±

    ¡°I do not know. I suppose I felt responsible. It was my fault you escaped.¡±

    ¡°Escaped,¡± she snorted. ¡°What were you doing kidnapping me in the first place? Surely you are not going to defend that decision now.¡±

    ¡°No. It was one thing to rescue you from the dungeon. We assumed you would want to go to Meridea. Attempting to force you was wrong. I know that. I am not proud of my actions.¡±

    ¡°So you are not going to try to take me to Meridea now, are you?¡±

    ¡°No. If you do not want to go, you must have your reasons. I do not think I really cared that much about the mission, or the gold, to begin with.¡±

    ¡°I am bonded to an outlander, Handice.¡±

    ¡°You are?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so surprised? I was just like you ¨C young, na?ve, bored with my life. And then of course I had the Talent. For magic. I tried to ignore it. I found that I could not. I thought about what a waste it would be, to never use it. My outlander promised he could help me develop it. He said I was special.¡±

    ¡°Well, you are.¡±

    ¡°No. I am not. I¡¯m nothing special, believe me. Lots of people can harness magic, many better than I ever will. I¡¯m no more special than you are. Are you special, Handice?¡±

    ¡°No. Most certainly not.¡±

    ¡°We are just pawns, waiting our turn to be used.¡±

    ¡°Pawns?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is from an outlander game, called chess. They are the lowest of the game pieces.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    She laughed, then shivered. ¡°Gods, it is cold.¡±

    Howling wolves woke us in the night. Very close.

    ¡°They should not attack us,¡± Ruby whispered. ¡°I cast a spell earlier, illusion. It should hide us from them¡­our scent anyway. I am not entirely sure how it works.¡±

    She did not sound confident.

    I whispered, ¡°Maybe we should hide in that brush over there.¡±

    ¡°Good idea. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    As we were crawling over to the thicket, she said, ¡°Hey. I¡¯ll meet you there.¡±

    I found a nice spot in the thicket that might hide us. It was better than nothing. Ruby found me a minute or so later. The space was just large enough for both of us. We had to huddle our bodies together, which warmed us a bit from the frigid night air.

    ¡°I untied Paul,¡± she whispered. ¡°He probably won¡¯t be here in the morning. But I couldn¡¯t leave him tied up with those fucking wolves out there.¡±

    The howled again, even closer.

    Rany

    Damn the fucking gods.

    It seems that no matter what I do, I just may be fucked, and not in the sort of way I enjoy.

    Handice has been gone a full day. No telling if he got the girl or not. Most likely, she is dead. The stable owner put a bounty on her of two hundred fucking gold, and double that if the stolen horse is brought back. In good condition of course. The horse, not the girl. I have seen higher bounties, but the real problem is, there is a never ending stream of outlanders coming through this city. Almost all looking for jobs to do. And their eyes light up whenever they hear of a bounty hunting job. Seems to be one of their favorites. I sat in the taverns all day watching one outlander after another get excited about the bounty. More than a few of them went right out the door, wasting no time beginning the pursuit.

    At least I managed to muddy the waters a bit for anyone searching for Handice or his horse. Unlike a certain pretty but loud mouthed girl, I am not an amateur. A well placed bribe here and there, and everyone seemed certain that the ¡°fastest horse in Friedor¡± was stolen by an outlander, who went north. Curiously enough, the outlander matched the description of a cocky asshole who had tried to cheat me at poker the day before.

    I could not do this for the girl of course. Her description was out. So she is probably dead.

    And I do not like Handice¡¯s chances, if he did manage to find her. These bloodthirsty outlanders will take out the girl and anybody that is with her, with no second thoughts. They kill just for sport.

    But I have my own problems.

    After Handice left, I still could not find Sammyl anywhere, until it occurred to me to check the most obvious place ¨C the stocks. Sure enough, he was locked up for taking a swing at a guard. Fortunately they had not yet learned who he was and that he was supposed to have hanged in Crille three days ago. It still cost twenty-five gold to get him out, and another twenty-five gold to get him on a river boat to Meridea. He was so stinking drunk that I feared he would remember nothing after passing out and waking. I gave a note to the boat pilot, to give Sammyl when he woke up. Said good bye to another ten gold just for that favor.

    No sign of Alec yet.

 CHAPTER 9: PERMAKILL

    Falcon arrived in River City early in the morning, by ship. He had two followers with him - his best men. Wardok was a high level mage. Beecher was a warrior, skilled with every weapon, tough, and could carry as much gear as a horse.

    Falcon¡¯s armor glittered in the sun. It was the strongest armor known in the realm. It seemed to dare anyone to take a shot at him.

    ¡°What up Falcon,¡± an outlander called to him. As he strode with purpose down the cobblestone thoroughfare, he was greeted several times.

    He turned down Pub Street. A tall, gangly man rushed over to him. It was Darryn, his steward in River City.

    ¡°Mister Falcon, it is good to see you, sir. Your manor is prepared. Is there anything I can do for you?¡¯

    ¡°Actually, yeah. Here¡¯s a list of people I¡¯m looking for. Gather your eyes and ears and find out if any of them are here in the city, and bring their info to Beecher. Quietly. Then meet me at the Shanakee. I need to speak with you in private.¡±

    Falcon handed the steward a purse heavy and jingling with coins.

    ¡°Very good sir.¡± The man was off at a brisk pace.

    Falcon never broke stride. He knew precisely where he was going, the best route there, as well as every alternate route, escape route, hiding place, ambush location, and more ¨C knowledge earned from hours of painstaking scouting and mapping. He knew River City like the back of his hand.

    He entered his bar, the Shanakee. It was a small, cozy pub a bit out of the way, on Shank Road rather than the bustling Pub Street. It was quieter than most places, cool but inviting, with a clean stone floor, granite walls and soft torch lighting.

    This early, he found it nearly empty. Tim, the most faithful of the regulars, occupied his usual bar stool, a tankard in front of him half full of ale. Elise was in the process of opening for the day, arranging cups, kegs and wine bottles.

    ¡°Good morn to you, Mister Falcon,¡± she called cheerfully.

    ¡°Hello, Elise.¡±

    He sat at his table, tucked away in the rear corner. He kept his back to the wall, facing the door. Wardok sat next to him. Beecher took his customary spot leaning against the bar, ready and watchful.

    Elise brought Falcon a tankard of ale and wine for Wardok. ¡°Good to see you,¡± she smiled. ¡°You going to be in the city for more than an hour this time?¡±

    Falcon said, ¡°Maybe a bit longer this time. We¡¯ll see. Where is Tamara?¡±

    ¡°She was not expecting you. She should be here around noon.¡±

    Elise moved on. Falcon sipped the ale.

    Darryn arrived a short time later.

    ¡°Our men have received your orders, sir,¡± he said, standing at attention in front of Falcon. ¡°If anyone on that list is here in the city, we will know within the hour.¡±

    ¡°Good. Listen, there¡¯s one man in particular I¡¯m interested in. Alec Braun. Outlander. Heard anything of him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, sir.¡±

    ¡°He had some companions. A little guy named Rany. A big, rough looking guy named Sammyl. And another big guy, Handice, missing a hand. And a girl. Young, pretty, brown hair ¨C rather striking I am told. They should have come in yesterday morning on a ship out of Crille ¨C the Stony Lareiux.¡±

    Darryn was already nodding. ¡°Yes, I know the ship, and it did drop off three passengers and leave shortly after. Three men like the ones you just described, carrying a girl on a litter. The girl you describe sounds much like the one who stole a horse from the stables last night. She was last seen riding south. A man named Sammyl was arrested last night for assaulting a guard. His bounty was paid in full by a man named Rany, and he was released. If I check my sources, I should be able to determine what movements they made after that.¡±

    ¡°Jesus Christ, that¡¯s impressive.¡±

    Darryn acknowledged the compliment with a tilt of his head. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±

    ¡°Go and get me all the intel you can on them, and see if Alec Braun is in the city. He wouldn¡¯t have been on the ship, but might have come sometime after. Or if he¡¯s smart, he¡¯ll stay far, far away from here. Either way, he¡¯s going to be a dead man soon.¡±

    ¡°Very well, sir.¡± Darryn bowed smoothly and left as quickly as he had come in.

    ¡°Got a location on the villager yet?¡± he asked Wardok. When Falcon had healed Handice, it had left a mark that Wardok could follow.

    ¡°He is not in the city. He is a good day¡¯s ride south of here and moving quickly. On horseback for certain.¡±

    ¡°He went with the girl. Maybe they all went. Braun too.¡±

    ¡°If I may ask, what is the importance of the girl? She has the Talent but it is not strong at all, from what I hear.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s nothing. We¡¯re not after her at all. Just Alec. And that¡¯s a goddamn waste of time if you ask me. I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s coming back as the same character. Still¡­I hope he does.¡±

    Darryn rushed back into the pub. ¡°Sir,¡± he said. ¡°We have located one of the outlanders on the list, here in town. Shane Moody. He appears to be making preparations to leave. Do you wish that we have him followed out of the city?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Falcon got to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to deal with him right fucking now.¡±

    Darryn lead him to his quarry, who was standing outside the Gray Mare Inn on Front Street, his horse being prepared for travel.

    ¡°Shane Moody,¡± Falcon called to the man. He was tall, every inch of his body chiseled with muscle. He looked like Conan the Barbarian. He had a great sword on his back.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± the man asked, looking annoyed. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡±

    ¡°I am Mister Falcon. Maybe you¡¯ve heard of me.¡±

    ¡°Nope. What the fuck do you want?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been asked to talk to you. About a little fun you had in the town of Wellborn.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nice. I don¡¯t have time to talk right now. Maybe later.¡±

    ¡°I think now will be fine. It won¡¯t take long.¡±

    Moody tried to turn and go to his horse. Beecher blocked his way.

    He turned back to Falcon. ¡°What the fuck is this?¡±

    A crowd had begun to gather.

    ¡°You killed six villagers. Innocent people. Just for the hell of it. Some people I know don¡¯t like that very much.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Fuck ¡®em.¡±

    ¡°No. Fuck you. You¡¯re done with this game.¡±

    Moody went for his sword. Without bothering to draw his, Falcon attacked him with his fists, hammering him with a quick combination of blows. Moody went down. He looked up at Falcon from the ground, no longer so confident.

    ¡°See this?¡± Falcon drew his blade. ¡°This sword is charmed. A very unique spell. I call it ¡®Permakill.¡¯¡±

    <hr>

    Business at the Shanakee had begun to pick up. Two more regulars had joined Tim at the bar.

    Tamara had taken over the bartending duty.

    ¡°Falcon! They told me you were here! I can¡¯t believe it!¡±

    She wore a blue dress that went down to her ankles.

    Falcon returned her smile. ¡°Hey. How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°Very well, though I have missed you. It¡¯s been over a week. Fucker. Sit down, I¡¯ll bring you your tankard. Hello, gentlemen,¡± she greeted Wardok and Beecher.

    Falcon sat at his table, with Wardok.

    Beecher took his customary position by the bar.

    A boy came into the Shanakee, a messenger. He handed a note to Beecher, who brought it to Falcon.

    Subject R has accommodations at the Painted Lady. Subject S left this morn on a boat to Meridea. Subject H not seen since yesterday evening, whereabouts currently unknown. D

    Falcon burned the note. He took a fresh parchment from Wardok and scribbled back:

    Keep eyes on R. Dispatch two reliable men to Meridea to track S. Don¡¯t worry about H. MF

    Beecher took the note to the boy, who took off at a sprint. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Tamara brought Falcon his ale and sat down next to him.

    ¡°You certainly appear busy.¡±

    Falcon sighed. ¡°It¡¯s almost starting to feel like work, instead of a damn game.¡±

    She rubbed his back. ¡°Drink some ale, take your mind off it all for a bit. Let me take care of you.¡±

    ¡°Wardok,¡± said Falcon, but Wardok was already getting up.

    ¡°I think I will have a drink at the bar if that is all right.¡±

    Falcon nodded and Wardok took the empty barstool by Beecher.

    Falcon said to Tamara, ¡°I¡¯m starting to worry. What if I¡¯m endangering you?¡±

    ¡°Oh please. I can take care of myself. Your worry is cute though.¡±

    ¡°From now on, I¡¯m putting a guard on you at all times. Even while you sleep.¡±

    ¡°What about my privacy?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll keep a respectful distance, give you space when you need it. But they¡¯ll always be close.¡±

    ¡°What about when you and I are¡­together?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be far enough away then. But still close.¡±

    ¡°Gods, you really are serious today,¡± her brow furrowed. ¡°Are you all right, husband?¡±

    He smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just got myself into some shit, I think.¡±

    ¡°Can I help in any way?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Falcon said, thinking. ¡°You ever heard of Griffin Roane?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Is he an outlander?¡±

    ¡°No. He is a minor noble, an aide to Sylvera, in Crille.¡±

    ¡°Sylvera. Now her I know of. A duchess.¡±

    ¡°Right. Find out what you can about her, and about Roane, but do it quietly. Don¡¯t attract attention to yourself. These people are dangerous. Ruthless.¡±

    ¡°Sounds exciting,¡± she said, her brown eyes gleaming in the candlelight.

    ¡°You still keep that dagger on you?¡±

    ¡°Always. I have it on my person as we speak. Can you tell where?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a man here to see you,¡± Wardok told Falcon in that gravelly voice. ¡°Outlander. Claims to be the leader of the Dev¡¯s Guild. But we don¡¯t know him or have any files on him. Calls himself ¡®Mike Crawford.¡¯¡±

    Falcon straightened his armor and checked his sword. ¡°Ok.¡±

    Falcon went downstairs to the bar.

    The man was dressed plainly ¨C no armor or weapons visible. The sigil of the Dev¡¯s Guild was tattooed on his right wrist.

    ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± Falcon took the empty seat across from the man.

    The man smiled. ¡°Mister Falcon?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Crawford. Nice to meet you, finally.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. I stay behind the scenes mostly. I¡¯m not just a Dev¡¯s Guild member. I work for Kagen Enterprises. I¡¯m a developer. I helped create this world.¡±

    ¡°I thought a computer program created it.¡±

    ¡°True to an extent. But someone had to create the program.¡±

    ¡°Well, good job.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Listen, you¡¯re a tough man to get ahold of. We¡¯ve been trying to call and email you for the past week.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Finally figured this is the only place we¡¯d be able to catch up with you. So here I am.¡±

    ¡°Here you are.¡±

    Crawford smiled uncomfortably. ¡°You seem to have gathered this isn¡¯t a social call. Let me get right to it. We love players like you. You¡¯re one of the best in the game¡­¡±

    ¡°One of?¡±

    ¡°Maybe the best, for now. And you know that we have almost no rules for what you all can do in this world. That¡¯s the beauty of it. But we¡¯ve had reports of some problems. Four players have complained to the company because they seem to be permanently locked out of the game. We checked and sure enough, they are completely unable to resurrect, start a new character, they can¡¯t even delete their account, start a new one and start over. No matter what they do, no matter what we do, the game won¡¯t let them in.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°All four of these players reported being killed by you, with a sword charmed with a spell you call ¡®Permakill.¡¯ Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Nothing like this was ever supposed to be implemented. So you understand our concern, I am sure. Did you create this spell?¡±

    ¡°Me? Hell no.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where it came from?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    ¡°But your sword is in fact enchanted with this spell?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Even now, as we sit here.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°That sword on your back.¡±

    ¡°This sword.¡±

    ¡°Can I have the sword?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m prepared to give you a million gold for that sword.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±

    ¡°That is a fortune. Even for you. But we can talk about throwing in some other stuff. We want to do this the easy way. Keep things friendly between us.¡±

    ¡°Almost sounds like you¡¯re threatening me.¡±

    ¡°Please. Why should I even have to? Surely you can see that a thing like that is not good for this game. Not good for any of us.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t broken any rules. I got this sword fairly. I¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡±

    ¡°Nothing wrong? Maybe you don¡¯t understand the ramifications of what you¡¯ve done. Or the consequences of you even walking around with that thing. Think about it.¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°Where did you get the sword?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re just being difficult.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really am. But I¡¯m keeping the sword. It¡¯s bound to me anyway. The spell won¡¯t work for anyone but me.¡±

    ¡°Will you stop using it at least?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t make that promise.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand how serious this is.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I do. Believe me. Anything else?¡±

    They stared at each other for a long moment.

    Crawford said, ¡°This has been a friendly meeting. As of now, we have no quarrel with you. If I walk out of here without that sword, our position will change. The Dev Guild¡¯s presence in Friedor may not appear strong, but remember who runs the guild. I will give you one last chance to take a million gold for that sword. If you refuse, that million will go toward a bounty, on your head.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like fun. Since we¡¯re past the friendly stage, how big would the bounty be if I demonstrate how the sword works on you?¡±

    ¡°Twice in one day. I could get used to this.¡± Tamara lied naked beside Falcon.

    ¡°Me too. Sometimes I wish I¡¯d taken it easier in this game, instead of trying to be the best goddamn player ever. It¡¯d be kind of nice if I could just spend all my time here with you.¡±

    ¡°You know I hate when you talk of all this as a game.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This part of it, with you, is no game at all. This is as real as it gets.¡±

    ¡°It is all real to me. This is my life, my world.¡±

    ¡°I know. I understand.¡±

    ¡°When do you need to leave? ¡®log off¡¯ I mean.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Soon. I need to go get something to eat, get out of the house for a bit. Take a shower for Christ¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about your city again.¡±

    ¡°Jesus, Tamara, there really isn¡¯t that much to tell. It¡¯s a boring place, not much to do.¡±

    ¡°If I could go there with you, what would we do together?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t know. It is nice to think about. Well, it¡¯s summer right now, so maybe we¡¯d go to the beach. You¡¯d look great in a bikini.¡±

    ¡°What is a bikini?¡±

    ¡°Shit, hang on real quick. Someone¡¯s at my door.¡±

    Falcon¡¯s face changed in a way that only someone paying close attention would notice. He continued to blink and move, but in an automated sort of way, and his eyes had gone somewhat vacant, almost as if he were in a drunken stupor.

    Tamara sighed and got out of bed. She pulled her dress over her head and slipped on her shoes. She looked at Falcon for a time, then busied herself brushing her hair, eyeing her reflection in a hand held mirror.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Falcon said. ¡°It was a fucking salesman.¡±

    She looked at him and smiled.

    ¡°Listen,¡± he said. ¡°Fuck logging off early tonight. I think I¡¯ll just spend the next few hours with you.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°There is indeed a bounty on your head for¡­one million gold,¡± Darryn told him.

    It was morning. Falcon was sitting at his corner table.

    ¡°Those fucking assholes.¡±

    ¡°This is very bad. A bounty like that¡­you will have people all over the realm after you.¡±

    ¡°Ah, well fuck it. I know how to handle this.¡±

    ¡°Of course, sir.¡± The steward sat silent, frowning.

    ¡°Come on Darryn, you can speak freely. What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    ¡°Well, I must confess, it does concern me how this will affect business. And also our ability to add additional people to the payroll. It will be difficult to sort out who we can trust. I worry enough about the people we have now.¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡± Falcon said. ¡°Beecher. Wardok. Let¡¯s go for a walk. You too, Darryn.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Sir, are you certain this is a good idea? This is an outlander establishment ¨C are they not the ones you need to worry about most?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You three stay back. Just watch. Whatever happens, do not come to my aid.¡±

    Moe¡¯s Tavern, owned by an outlander, had about a dozen patrons inside, all outlanders.

    Falcon strolled in.

    ¡°Listen up, assholes!¡±

    The place went quiet.

    Falcon stood in the very center of the room, over ten men and their weapons within arm¡¯s reach of him.

    ¡°You all have probably heard by now about this bullshit bounty on me. A million gold. A lot of fucking money. By the Dev¡¯s Guild ¨C the fucking developers! Anybody curious as to why?¡±

    He drew his sword. ¡°All because of this right here. This sword is what they want. Anyone here know what¡¯s so special about this sword?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we know,¡± a man said. ¡°Permakill.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re goddamn right. Permakill. Anyone I kill with this motherfucker is gone from the game, forever. Five people now have learned that lesson the hard way. But you know what? They deserved it. They came in here and acted like fucking asses. I don¡¯t have any problems with regular players, people here just trying to have a good time. You don¡¯t fuck with me, don¡¯t fuck with innocent people, you¡¯ve got nothing to worry about from me. But fuck with me, come after me for that million gold, and best of luck to you. Even if you can beat me, I¡¯ll be back. You can be damn sure of that. But I kill you, you¡¯re out of the game forever.¡±

    ¡°So anybody want to collect? Come on. I¡¯m right here.¡±

    Nobody moved.

    ¡°You there!¡± Falcon pointed at a man. ¡°Is that a tattoo on your wrist? Don¡¯t hide it. Let me see.¡±

    The man held up his arm. ¡°Look, Falcon, I thought it would be cool to join the Dev¡¯s Guild. I¡¯ve got nothing against you. I had nothing to do with them placing that bounty.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re still in the guild, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±

    ¡°Any member of the Dev¡¯s Guild, from this point forward, is my enemy. I will kill them on sight. Still want to be a member?¡±

    ¡°Well, Trang¡¯s Guild is starting to sound pretty good. You don¡¯t have a problem with them, do ya?¡±

    A few people chuckled.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got no problem with them. But you¡¯d better get rid of that tattoo pretty damn quick.¡±

    ¡°Already gone.¡± The man held up his bare arm.

    ¡°Fair enough. You can be the last man I see with that sigil that I don¡¯t kill. As for any after that¡­¡±

    ¡°Fuck the Dev¡¯s Guild!¡± someone yelled.

    ¡°Yeah, fuck ¡®em! Bunch of hall monitor motherfuckers. No offense, George.¡±

    ¡°None taken. I¡¯m no longer a member. Stupid of me to join anyway.¡±

    ¡°Get the word around,¡± Falcon told them.

    He walked out.

 CHAPTER 10: THE FOREST

    Month of the Shepard, Second Tenday, 10h Day, 767 KD

    Paul, the horse, was gone when we woke. Wolf tracks were all over the area. It was a wonder the wolves had not found Ruby and me, magic or no.

    We resumed our journey at first light, on foot, hungry and cold, with no time to build a fire. We wanted to get out of the woods before night fell again.

    Ruby¡¯s traps had worked, but there was nothing left of the small creatures they had caught, other than bits of bloody fur and tiny bones. The wolves had devoured them.

    As we walked and our bellies rumbled, we found ourselves talking about food. Great feasts we described in detail.

    Then it began to rain. A light mist at first, it quickly developed into a downpour, a deluge of water, soaking our clothes and our skin from head to foot.

    ¡°Tonight we will sleep in an inn,¡± Ruby said, speaking loudly over the rain. ¡°I do have a bit of gold you know.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said good-naturedly. ¡°I believe it is Alec Braun¡¯s gold you have.¡±

    ¡°Fuck Alec Braun, Handice. Why in the gods¡¯ names would you still have any loyalty at all toward that man?¡±

    ¡°I do not know. He did come back for me.¡±

    ¡°He went back for the gold! I was there when he left. He even said it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe so.¡±

    ¡°He is an outlander. You can¡¯t trust any of them.¡±

    ¡°What about your outlander?¡±

    ¡°What about him?¡±

    ¡°Do you trust him?¡±

    ¡°Gods, no! I intend to use him, just as he has used me.¡±

    It rained all day. It made our progress slow, our steps careful and navigation hampered by the lack of sun. We had to find our way eastward by the moss on the trees and hope for the best.

    We talked, trying to take our minds off our predicament and discomfort, but it was cold, wet misery. I slipped and fell on a muddy hill. I tried to catch myself with my right hand, forgetting that it was gone. I landed hard on my side, tumbling a bit. I ended up quite covered in mud. I expected Ruby to laugh, but she did not. She came over without a word and helped me to my feet.

    Time dragged on and on. Almost no light made it through the trees, leaving the woods dark and gloomy. Every time a cold wind blew, I thought of the mountain where I had nearly frozen to death and told myself this was not quite as bad.

    We could sense night coming ¨C the air growing even colder, the woods dimmer. Soon, it would be too dark to see, and we would be forced to stop once more for another night. It began to feel as if these woods would never end.

    And then we were out. We suddenly found ourselves walking in a lush green pasture, sheep lying about, a handsome farm house near, just visible in the misty evening gloom.

    I thought it best to make camp right there, but I followed Ruby as she marched up to the front door of the house and rapped on the door with bold confidence.

    After a short wait (I stopped Ruby from knocking a second time), the door opened. There stood a man of medium height in his middle years, a thick staff in his hand.

    We were lost, Ruby told him, cold and starving, seeking shelter. We had a bit of gold to trade.

    The man eyed her and then me, thinking it over.

    ¡°Let them in Joss,¡± a woman called from behind him.

    Her name was Sara, a handsome, matronly woman.

    We soon sat by a roaring fireplace, out of our wet clothes and huddled in dry blankets, eating hot stew with fresh bread. We sipped whiskey that Joss practically forced upon us, claiming it would prevent us from becoming sick. I felt it warm my bones as if from the inside out.

    Ruby had a story prepared, and all I could do was sit and listen. We were recently married, Ruby told them, pioneers off to settle the frontier. I had thought the forest would be a shorter route, and Ruby followed despite her own misgivings.

    She could certainly weave a tale. I nearly spat out my whiskey when she said that we were married.

    I do not remember falling asleep.

    Month of the Shepard, Third Tenday, 1st Day, 767 KD

    I was awoken by a kick from Joss ¨C not hard, but not exactly gentle. I sat up. Ruby still slept next to me ¨C we had slept huddled together as we had in the woods.

    The farmer put a finger to his lips and motioned me to follow him. I complied, holding the blanket around myself like a cloak.

    Outside, the sun had just risen in a clear blue sky. Sheep and cows bleated and mooed. In the distance but seemingly close enough to touch stood two magnificent mountains looming over a quaint hamlet of farms and huts, a pleasant clear brook meandering through it.

    Joss cared not for my sight seeing. He spoke in a low, firm tone. ¡°Just had a visit from four men and two women. Outlanders. Hard looking types. Well armed. They¡¯re looking for a young woman. The description they gave fits that of your wife. Is there any truth at all to the story you told us last night?¡±

    I opened my mouth but found speech difficult.

    He held up a hand. ¡°You are not the lying sort. I can tell. You seem like a good enough lad. I already had doubts last night about the tale, watching your face while Ruby told it. Other than the two of you being married, I believe little else.¡±

    ¡°In truth¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to hear nothing more. I lied to the outlanders. Told them I hadn¡¯t seen her. They seemed to believe it. But they could be back. Or more like them. We will feed you breakfast but then you must move on.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Of course, and we will pay you¡­¡±

    ¡°No need for that.¡±

    ¡°I must insist.¡±

    He stared at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what trouble you¡¯re in, but you are certainly not of ill character. And if she is with you, neither is she. I have no use for these outlanders. Strange times we are living in.¡±

    We had a meal of milk and porridge, and Sara packed a sack full of food for us to take on our journey. Our clothes were somewhat dried. Ruby wanted to reach a town called Glen Falls, which Joss told us was a day¡¯s walk if we followed the brook and then the river. We gave them our thanks and bade them farewell.

    We followed the brook, walking just inside the woods and out of sight.

    ¡°You could have stayed,¡± Ruby said. ¡°The bounty hunters are only looking for me. Joss and Sara liked you, and it looked like they could have used a farm hand.¡±

    ¡°Maybe. It did not occur to me.¡±

    ¡°They will kill us both if they find us. I can¡¯t ask you to keep risking your life for me, Handice. You can still go back.¡±

    ¡°I am not quite ready to return to that way of life. I too am a horse thief. There may be people looking for me as well. Perhaps the same people.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like it. Maybe no one got enough of a look at you to provide a description.¡±

    ¡°Rany did say he would cover my tracks.¡±

    She scoffed. ¡°Well if Rany is good for anything, I suppose it would be that.¡±

    ¡°I believe he said the same.¡±

    We reached the point where the stream flowed into the Muwoth River. We followed the river, which took us southeast, away from the woods. We now had to walk out in the open. For a time, however, we did not see any people at all.

    For once, fortune seemed to favor us. We began to see farms, then a person here and there, and then a village, which we passed through without incident. More villages followed, all fairly close to each other. Travelers seemed common, and no one paid us any mind.

    This perhaps lulled us into false security.

    We ate our lunch just outside a small, pleasant looking hamlet. We sat on soft grass among flowers and clovers, eating fruit and cheese, watching sheep graze.

    A young shepherd watched the sheep, but he also was watching us. When he began walking with purpose toward the hamlet, Ruby and I decided it best to conclude our lunch and resume our journey. We debated whether we should divert our path into the fields and go around the hamlet, but that could only call more attention to us.

    The hamlet was comprised of ramshackle huts, a mill, granary and tavern, with a green in the center of it all, prominently featuring a well-built gallows.

    As we passed through, villagers began to stop what they were doing and look at us, greeting, ¡°Welcome to Bornthal,¡± in a way that seemed almost too friendly. They were looking at us far too intently. Some were staring openly while others cast furtive glances.

    Ruby and I said nothing about it, but we hastened our pace from a casual walk to a firm, purposeful stride.

    ¡°What¡¯s your hurry?¡± a man called.

    ¡°Stop and rest for a bit! We have the finest ale in the district!¡±

    A woman approached us. She seemed to possess more manners than the others. ¡°Pardon these louts,¡± she said. ¡°Yesterday an outlander came through here with new bounties to post, from River City. That¡¯s all these fools have talked about since. You fit the description of one of them. See?¡±

    Indeed, posted on the gallows were a dozen drawn portraits and names. One of the drawings looked like Ruby.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not her,¡± the woman said. ¡°You probably haven¡¯t even been to River City, have you?¡±

    ¡°I have been once. When I was a little girl. And I am much prettier than the girl in the drawing.¡±

    ¡°Of course you are, dear. Good day to you both.¡±

    We walked on several paces before we heard the woman shout, ¡°It¡¯s her!¡±

    At once the villagers began converging on us from all sides, blades of various sizes drawn. A few had bows.

    I realized I now had my own sword in hand and was trying to hold it in a convincing manner. It felt foreign and awkward in my left hand.

    ¡°Let us pass!¡± Ruby shouted. She brandished a small branch in each hand. A few villagers laughed.

    ¡°Watch out! She¡¯s got sticks!¡±

    I saw several of the bowmen shoot arrows. I dodged one and then another, then felt one strike me in the back, punching through my armor.

    Ruby pointed one of her branches at the tavern. Fire shot out from the branch, hitting the thatch roof, which caught flame.

    ¡°She¡¯s a witch!¡±

    ¡°Get the buckets! It¡¯ll spread!¡±

    ¡°Get them!¡±

    Rubt shot flame at another building, which caught fire as well.

    We ran, more arrows coming, men coming at us with blades.

    We headed for the river, some fifty paces away. Two men blocked our path and Ruby hit one with flame. His tunic caught fire. He screamed and went to the ground. The other ran.

    Another arrow hit the back of my shoulder. Thank the gods for the armor, but both shots had penetrated and hurt like mad.

    We dove into the river.

    The water was so cold that I gasped. I swam for my life.

    I nearly drowned. Twice I went under but thrashed my way back up. Then I sank all the way down. My boots touched the rocky silt of the river bottom. I felt I weighed as much as four men. I managed to pull my arms out of my cloak. I took my belt knife, slashing at my armored tunic, near panic. My lungs burned for air. Somehow I got the armor off. I kicked off from the bottom and swam up toward the surface. I reached it just in time, gasping and choking.

    The shore looked to be close, but the appearance was deceiving. I swam on and on, in a sideways fashion I had learned in the lakes near my home. I did not see Ruby anywhere in the water.

    After an eternity, I crawled my way up the muddy embankment, sputtering, dripping and freezing. I collapsed on the dirt and rocks, inert, not wishing to move for a spell.

    ¡°Gods, I thought you said you could swim.¡±

    Ruby stood above me.

    I groaned. ¡°Not so easy with bloody armor. And only one hand.¡±

    ¡°Not that excuse again.¡±

    She held her hand out to me, to help me to my feet. ¡°Come,¡± she said. ¡°We need to move. Those bastards may yet find a way to cross.¡±

    The bastards did not.

    We said little as we walked. We were soaked and freezing, yet again.

    All of our provisions, weapons and equipment were lost in the river. We were each lost in our thoughts. Ruby was in a dark mood, a grim look in her eye. I entertained ill thoughts of my own.

    ¡°What will you do when we reach Glen Falls?¡± Ruby asked me.

    This was much later in the day. The sun was creeping down close to the horizon behind us. These were the first words she had spoken since the river.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± I said. ¡°Perhaps I will go to Meridea. Look for Rany and Sammyl.¡±

    ¡°You should go home,¡± she said. ¡°Go back to your village. Marry that girl.¡±

    I had told her about Alayna.

    ¡°We shall see,¡± I said.

    As the sky turned from orange to purple, a group of riders came our way. There were six of them. They were well armed. Both the riders and horses were armored. They rode in a tight, rigid formation, at a brisk pace. We could do nothing but wait, and hope that our luck was better than it had been in Bornthal.

    They grew ever closer, the men¡¯s faces stoic and unreadable. They slowed and halted just in front of us.

    ¡°Good evening,¡± called the lead rider. ¡°I am Captain Wilhelm.¡±

    I could not help but think what a suspicious sight we presented. Ruby¡¯s dress remained wet from the river. I was bare chested, with fresh wounds in my back and shoulder.

    ¡°Good evening,¡± Ruby greeted them. ¡°I am Ruby, of Cantor. This is my escort. We are traveling to Glen Falls. I am a follower of the outlander Michael Trang. Do you know of him?¡±

    The captain laughed.

    ¡°Surely you jest, Madame. We are Trang¡¯s men. And he is the lord of Glen Falls now. You are heading there? It¡¯s only a mile away ¨C Private Ryne and Corporal Louis will be happy to escort you the rest of the way.¡±

 CHAPTER 11: GLEN FALLS

    Month of the Shepard, Third Tenday, 2nd Day, 767 KD

    Glen Falls was not what I had envisioned.

    We saw the towers first, looming over the tall trees. They were of new construction, the gate solid oak, twenty span tall and manned with bowmen.

    Two men with long swords, wearing steel armor, stood at the gate.

    ¡°Evening Sergeant. These two say they wish to enter the town. The girl claims to be sworn to Lord Trang. Ruby of Cantor.¡±

    ¡°And the man?¡±

    ¡°Handice, of Shirin Mills. He was sworn to an outlander called Alec Braun, but the bond was broken. The girl vouches for him.¡±

    The sergeant rapped on the gate and gave instructions to someone beyond it.

    We waited for a very long time, and then a rapping came from the other side of the gate.

    ¡°They may enter,¡± the sergeant said.

    The gate slowly opened. Beyond it spanned a long, narrow bridge, which crossed the river and led to another gate and two more towers.

    Two more guards awaited us and escorted Ruby and I

    across the bridge. I looked at the black water below and decided this method was much preferable to my previous crossing.

    The gate opened as we approached. Beyond it was the town, quiet, dark and seemingly deserted.

    The sergeant told Ruby, ¡°You will enter there and wait for the watch commander. He will debrief you.¡±

    To me, they said, ¡°You will follow us to your accommodations for the night.¡±

    I looked at Ruby.

    She said, ¡°It is all right. I will speak to you tomorrow.¡±

    I watched her walk up the steps and enter the building. The guards urged me on, a bit impatiently.

    We walked through the town. The guards were not ones for conversation. We approached an inn. The door was closed, but muffled sounds of chatter and music came from within.

    The guard Jenkins opened the door and lead me inside. Inside was revelry and merriment to rival any I had seen in Crille or River City. A trio of minstrels played. Dozens of people ate, drank, sang and danced. Four barmaids bustled about carrying trays of drink and food.

    Yet another guard was stationed inside, by the front door. Jenkins told him, ¡°This is Handice, here to stay for the night.¡±

    The guard greeted me. ¡°I am Fields. Welcome to the Great Stone Inn.¡± Jenkins and the other guard departed. Fields closed the door behind them.

    I stood there for a moment, a bit disoriented and dizzy by it all after my excursions of the past few days, and also embarrassed by my disheveled appearance. I was still bare-chested. A few people did glance at me, but not in an unfriendly manner. One woman stared at me from the other side of the room. She was in conversation with a trio of young women but looked at me as she talked to them. She was a lovely woman, a few years older than myself, with long dark hair adorned with a silk band and a light, flowing red and black gown, also of silk.

    She excused herself from the women and approached me. She wore red slippers, showing lovely ankles.

    She smiled warmly at me. ¡°Welcome. I am Dyana, keeper of this inn. I don¡¯t believe I have seen you before.¡±

    ¡°No Madame. I have never been here before. I am from Shirin Mills, in Jaspen. My name is Handice.¡±

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Handice. I believe I met a traveler or two from Shirin Mills. They spoke fondly of it.¡±

    ¡°Who were they? Shagrin? Luka? Delia?¡± My heartbeat quickened at possible news of old friends.

    She laughed. ¡°I fear I do not remember. One of them was a big, fine, handsome young man¡­¡±

    ¡°That sounds like Kamael.¡±

    ¡°Much like yourself,¡± she finished. ¡°Tell me, do you always travel shirtless, even in this cold?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, Madame. I had a little¡­accident. I lost my tunic.¡±

    ¡°I can remedy that for you, much as I hate to,¡± she winked. ¡°But you do look cold.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can barely remember what it is to be warm, Madame.¡±

    ¡°Please call me Dyana. I am not that much older than you. I should have a tunic that will fit you. Come with me.¡±

    She led me down a corridor to another room, which contained weapon racks, wardrobes and assorted odds and ends.

    ¡°Here,¡± she said. ¡°Try these.¡±

    She handed me a tunic and a cloak. They were not fancy but well made, and fit reasonably well.

    ¡°Madame¡­.forgive me, Dyana. I cannot pay for these. My gold¡­¡±

    She put a finger to my lips. ¡°It is a gift. You have no need to pay me. Tell me, what brings you to Glen Falls? If you wish to tell me, of course.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I am traveling with a young woman.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she smiled. ¡°Is she your wife? Lover?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I was merely escorting her to this town. From here, I do not know where I will go.¡±

    ¡°Well, I hope you will consider staying here. We have a lovely town ¨C the best in the country, and the safest as well. And we are famous for our hospitality. Our single rooms are small but comfortable. Come, I will show you to yours.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Madame.¡±

    ¡°You have no gold?¡±

    ¡°No. My companion¡­¡±

    ¡°It is fine. I can extend you a line of credit, enough to see you through the next few days, should you wish to stay that long. You really should.¡± Her smile appeared again. Her teeth were very white and perfectly straight. She really seemed as if she wished to take me to bed.

    ¡°Thank you, Dyana. That is most kind.¡±

    She reached inside the folds of her gown and produced a thin stack of paper. She ruffled the paper in her hands, counting it.

    ¡°There,¡± she said. ¡°These bills represent twenty gold. They are just as good as gold anywhere in Glen Falls.¡±

    I looked at the paper, still warm from her breast. Each parchment had a drawing of a man, a large numeral one, the words ¡®One Gold¡¯, and a sigil, with the name Michael Trang below it.

    She took me to my room where I placed the meager belongings I had left, and we returned to the common room. In the common room, she introduced me to one of the barmaids, Melisa, and instructed her to set up a ¡°tab¡± for me. This meant I could order all the food and drink I desired and pay for it later with the paper bills.

    I was nearly starving, but also quite ready for ale.

    I asked Melisa to bring me stew, ale and whiskey, and I found a table close to the fire. Melisa brought the food and drink almost as soon as I sat down.

    I devoured two bowls of the stew, burning my mouth but not caring. It was steaming hot, with goat meat, onions, tomatoes and potatoes. The bread was fresh, crunchy and delicious. I was drinking my second ale, watching the minstrels perform, finally relaxed, when a woman came to my table.

    ¡°Why is a handsome man like you sitting all alone? Would you like some company?¡± She was quite pretty and unlike any woman I had ever seen. She had blue hair and paint on her face. She wore a long white skirt of material so thin that I could see through it. Just barely covering her breasts was a narrow white cloth of similar fabric, tied to her back with a thin string. She wore leather sandals. The nails of her toes and fingers were painted the same color blue as her hair. She wore a perfume that nearly intoxicated me.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°By all means,¡± I replied, attempting not to stare.

    ¡°I am Ashleigh,¡± she said, offering me her hand. Her skin was cool and smooth.

    ¡°I am Handice.¡±

    The ensuing conversation was dizzying, along with the strong ale which Melisa continued to bring me, as quickly as I could drink it.

    Ashleigh seemed fascinated with me and asked a great many questions, and shared very personal information about herself. She was from Glen Falls, had lived here all her life. She worked as an entertainer here at the inn. She had no romantic attachments. She enquired whether I had such attachments, and I told her all about Alayna. This nearly moved her to tears. She wiped her eye, blushed, and said I was a true romantic. I must admit she made me feel quite good about myself. Indeed, this was turning into a rather enjoyable evening.

    I was drinking my fourth or fifth ale and we were laughing together about something when I looked up and saw Ruby, standing next to me.

    She did not appear to be in a cheerful mood.

    ¡°Are you Alayna?¡± Ashleigh asked, removing her hand from my leg. The question did not brighten Ruby¡¯s spirits.

    ¡°No, I am not Alayna. I am just here to finally get a warm meal and retire to bed. By all means, keep groping him.¡± She turned and walked away, finding another table.

    ¡°She cares for you,¡± Ashleigh said.

    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°It simply was not a good day for her.¡±

    ¡°You should go speak with her, make amends. I will wait here if you like.¡±

    I found Ruby at a table on the other side of the common room. She gave me a sad smile. ¡°I am sorry. You were enjoying yourself. I did not mean to ruin it.¡±

    ¡°I would like to hear about¡­¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± she said. ¡°In the morning, first thing. For now, I want to take a bit of food and go to sleep. Go back to your new friend. She is quite pretty.¡±

    I stood there stupidly. The ale had done more than its desired effect.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Ruby insisted. ¡°Have fun. Take her to bed if you like. It would be good for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh no,¡± I said. ¡°Alayna¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough about Alayna! She could be married now, for all you know. Here is my bread. I am going now. Good night.¡±

    I returned to my table. Ashleigh sat there, legs crossed, watching the minstrels and clapping.

    Ashleigh said, ¡°Perhaps you need a little time alone with your thoughts. You look troubled. I will go for now.¡± She touched her cool lips to my cheek and held them there for a long moment. Then she departed.

    I had quite a lot more ale after that.

    ¡°You look half dead,¡± Ruby greeted me the next morning. ¡°Just how much ale did you drink?¡±

    ¡°Too much,¡± I groaned. My head pounded as if angry with me.

    ¡°So,¡± Ruby said as the bar maid brought me a plate of runny eggs, bacon and fresh bread. ¡°What are your plans? Are you returning to your village?¡±

    ¡°I do not know.¡±

    ¡°I will be staying here for some time, while I await my next assignment. I do not know how long that will be. But I will be quite busy, and will be staying somewhere else in town. This may be the last time we talk. I want to thank you for all you did for me.¡±

    ¡°I did nothing.¡±

    ¡°You risked your life. And I do not believe I would have made it here without you. So, thank you, Handice. I think you should return home where you belong.¡±

    I began to eat my food, holding the fork somewhat awkwardly with my left hand. At first sight I did not think I could eat it, but found that it was delicious and desperately needed.

    ¡°I do not want to go home yet,¡± I said finally.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I am not ready. I have unfinished business.¡±

    ¡°What? What are you talking about? What unfinished business?¡±

    ¡°I cannot say.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you cannot say? Some of kind command from that Alec Braun? Do not tell me you wish to go back to him.¡±

    ¡°No. I am finished with him.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°I cannot, would rather not say.¡±

    ¡°Is it because of me? Have you gotten it in your head that you are in love with me instead of that Alayna?¡±

    ¡°No! Of course not!¡±

    She shook her head and muttered something under her breath.

    ¡°It is not that,¡± I assured her.

    ¡°Fine, I believe you! But what is it then?¡±

    I was not going to say and quite honestly did not have the ability to express it in words. But then she was able to guess it for herself, perhaps seeing me look down at my missing hand.

    ¡°Revenge? Is that it?¡±

    I realized that it most likely was.

    ¡°You fool,¡± Ruby said. ¡°You are not suited for revenge. It is not you.¡±

    ¡°We will see.¡± I washed down my meal, now finished, with cold ale. It made me feel a bit better.

    ¡°Go home,¡± Ruby told me. She stood. ¡°I am not finished discussing this yet, but I must go. I have to report to my commander. I will find you here this evening.¡±

    Glen Falls was much more impressive by day than by night. The streets were now bustling with people. Every one of them seemed to have somewhere to go or some important task to do. Traders came through with carts and livestock. Merchants set up stalls. Messengers hurried to and fro. Soldiers in uniform marched smartly. Young men and women swept the streets and picked up any stray refuse.

    I myself had somewhere to go.

    Soon after Ruby left, a young messenger came into the inn and delivered an invitation to meet with Jerod Karn, assistant aide to Belhok, City Administrator. I was invited to meet with him at the town hall at the tenth bell. Curious, I scrawled back that I would attend.

    I found myself alone in the common room, a barmaid replenishing clean dishes and a young man sweeping and cleaning. I had thought perhaps I would have some more ale, but I had the feeling that was discouraged.

    Outside, I asked directions to the town hall and was told where to go. The bell tolled ten times and I quickened my pace, navigating the grid of crowded streets.

    The town hall was in a grass square in the center of town. It was a large, square stone building. A steady stream of people hurried in and out. Inside, a citizen directed me to the office of Jerod Karn.

    ¡°Come in,¡± he said. ¡°Take a seat. I am Jerod Karn.¡±

    He was a short, rotund man of middle years, half bald. He was smartly dressed in good cloth, black and gold, with the sigil of Trang on his right breast.

    ¡°How do you like Glen Falls?¡± he asked me.

    ¡°I must say I am quite impressed.¡±

    ¡°It is a great town. We are doing amazing things here. I made this appointment with you to see if you would like to be part of it.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± I was taken aback.

    ¡°Yes, absolutely. Your friend Ruby mentioned you to one of my superiors last night, in her debriefing. She said you are an intelligent and honest young man, and also that you appear to have some skill at writing, that you keep a journal.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Would you care if I took a brief look at it, only to obtain a measure of your writing ability?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry. I do not have it with me. And I consider it private.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I understand. In that case, would you mind taking a few minutes to write something for me? Whatever comes to mind ¨C it could be anything. Just a page is all I need.¡±

    He slid a parchment and pen across the desk to me.

    I sat for a moment, uncertain and not particularly eager to comply with the request. Yet somehow Karn made me feel as if I had already agreed to do so.

    I wrote a few paragraphs about Shirin Mills, not really putting a great deal of effort into it. It was difficult to write with my left hand, but I had begun to get better at it. It took longer, but the writing was legible.

    Karn nodded and seemed impressed.

    ¡°You are certainly qualified,¡± he said. ¡°Handice, I would like to offer you a job as a clerk, beginning immediately. Tomorrow. The pay is quite good, and with your abilities, it could increase very quickly. There will be opportunities for promotion. Perhaps one day you could have my job. And you will be working right here, in the center of everything. The pay is five gold per day, free lodging, and even a clothing allowance!¡± He smiled broadly at me.

    ¡°Well,¡± I said. ¡°I am not sure¡­¡±

    ¡°Think about it! It is not a problem. Take a few days if you like. One thing,¡± he raised a finger. ¡°Do not let anyone from the army talk you into a job. The civilian sector is much better, I promise you.¡±

    ¡°The army? They would take me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They are looking for clerks as well.¡±

    ¡°Would they take me as a soldier?¡±

    He glanced at my stump and looked uncomfortable. ¡°Well, I do not know. Probably not. Why on Yorn would you want to do that anyway?¡±

    ¡°I wish to learn to fight. Would they train me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they would. If they did not simply make you a clerk. But the pay is terrible. And they require a two year commitment. Moreover, gods know where they will send you ¨C the Frontier most likely. People die there. Soldiers die every day. Here, your worst danger would be getting a cramp in your writing hand.¡±

    ¡°Where do I go to join?¡±

    I met Ruby that evening. As darkness began to fall, the streets quickly emptied, and the inn filled. The minstrels took their place on the stage and began to perform.

    I ate a hearty supper and drank plenty of ale as I waited.

    After our previous conversation, I did not expect to find Ruby pleased with my decision, but the intensity of her reaction nevertheless surprised me.

    ¡°You did what?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°I signed on for Trang¡¯s army. I begin training tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±

    ¡°It is what I wish to do.¡±

    ¡°I thought you wanted to marry Alayna. What about that?¡±

    ¡°That will have to wait.¡±

    ¡°You expect her to wait for you? For two years? What girl would do that? And that is if you survive.¡±

    ¡°I will survive.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea what lies in store for you.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked. She had risen to her feet.

    ¡°To my quarters. What do you care?¡±

    ¡°I care ¨C are you not hungry? The food tonight is very¡ª¡°

    ¡°I am not hungry, and I wish to be alone now. Good night!

 CHAPTER 12: MERIDEA

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    I went to witness Sammyl¡¯s execution this morning.

    To be honest, I do not care much for Meridea.  To be more honest, it is the fucking pit of hell.  If, that is, the pit of hell is freezing, windy and snowing.

    The city looks impressive enough.  I come from Crille, which is a great big city.  Meridea is even bigger. More people, more buildings, taller buildings, lords and ladies everywhere, impeccably attired soldiers, streets zigging and zagging, horses, livestock, traders with wagons, merchants with shops and stalls, beggars, minstrels, jugglers, magicians, dancers, taverns.  Then there are parks, large grass fields, flowers and ponds filled with ducks, geese and swans. It is a city that has it all, but it knows it, and it is full of itself.

    In the very center of the city is the Imperial Palace, on an island in a small lake.  I had to whistle to myself and stare when I saw the palace. Gigantic, made of solid stone, centuries old, impregnable.  Somewhere within those walls was the Empress herself.

    And then there are the gallows.  They lie in the foreground of the palace, in the city square.  I wondered idly how often they were used, or if perhaps they are there just for show.  As those thoughts lingered, a guard yelled at me for standing on ¡°the Empress¡¯s grass.¡±  I did not know it was the Empress¡¯s grass. It looked like ordinary grass to me. It was quickly becoming covered by a blanket of snow.  It had begun to snow the moment I arrived in the city. I was wondering what would happen to me if I felt the need to piss on the Empress¡¯s grass, when the guard yelled that he would not tell me again.  Yelled at by the Imperial Guard. How surprising to learn that they are utter pricks.

    I began checking inns for Sammyl.  No sign of him, but then there were a lot of inns to check.  I could not find a poker game anywhere. Soon enough I learned why.  Poker was outlawed in Meridea. The penalty if caught playing ¨C death.

    There were plenty of dice games to be found.  The problem with dice is it is a game of pure chance.  Unless you cheat of course. I would never do that. And the penalty if caught cheating ¨C death.

    I had enough gold for a nice inn, but knew I would not find Sammyl in one of those.  So I went from one shitty inn to another. If I went inside and the place looked nice, I moved on.  I knew Sammyl would choose a place with lots of whores, so I asked a fellow where the whores could be found.  The man gave me a withering look and did not even deem my question worthy of an answer. It turned out whoring was outlawed in Meridea.  The penalty ¨C death.

    After checking a few likely places without finding Sammyl, it was approaching dark.  Nobody was allowed on the streets after dark. The penalty? As if I need to say it.

    Not wanting to die just yet, I found myself some accommodations.  I was now in the shit section of the city and had to settle for a third rate inn, but this wasn¡¯t my first time staying in such an establishment.  These were my kind of people anyway, to be truthful. I had to share with two other men a tiny, windowless room with piss poor, likely pissed in beds, but if I were to ask someone in this place where all the whores were, he would not look at me as if I had just pissed in his tea.  He would simply say, there are none.

    I tossed and turned in the piss poor bed all night, then woke to find my coin purse gone.  Gods damn it all.

    First, surely the penalty for stealing a coinpurse is death, so the thief was a ballsy bastard.  And looking back, I have to admire his skill ¨C I could barely sleep the entire night, and I know all the tricks of stealing a coinpurse, yet he still managed it.  I had to check my boots and smallclothes to see if he got the coin there as well.  He did not.

    I gave the innkeeper an earful, but I might as well have been screaming at the wall for all the good it did.  She did have the nerve to ask me if I had any coin to pay for breakfast, if you could call what she served breakfast.

    I ate half of the cold goopy mess and stormed out, vowing never to return.

    Back in the snow covered streets, there was a bit of excitement in the air.  I asked someone passing by what the hell was going on, and he looked at me as if I had just asked what all the white stuff on the ground was.

    ¡°It¡¯s Hanging Day,¡± he said, in a tone that suggested I was an imbecile.

    Oh.  Of course.  How could I not know about Hanging Day?

    I decided, what the hell, hadn¡¯t seen a good hanging in some time, and maybe I¡¯d see Sammyl there.

    And that is exactly where I found Sammyl.  He was waiting his turn to be hanged. He was fifth in the queue, standing there with a quite forlorn look on his face.

    I jostled my way through the crowd, yelling ¡°Sammyl!  Sammyl!¡± I got cursed at by people in the crowd and shouted at by a guard.

    Sammyl looked at me as if he thought I was there to break him out again, but all I could do was look at him and shrug.  Then he looked even more miserable.

    Everyone stood there for a while, waiting, in the cold wind and snow.  The crowd grew impatient. I think even the condemned men were beginning to think they should just get on with it.

    Finally some trumpets blew, music played, and some arsehole dressed like a lord stood up in front of everyone and made a speech about justice, law and order.

    The lord read the crimes of the first man in line.  High treason. That will do it. The crowed booed and jeered at the traitor.  Even I joined in.

    They put the noose around his neck, let the suspense build for some time, released the trap door, and the man swung and jerked a bit, then hung lifeless, his corpse swaying in the wind.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    More time passed while they took the body down, put up the second noose, and so on.  The next man¡¯s crime was sodomy. Executing a man for sodomy? Gods in hell, this fucking city.  Well, that man hung too, and I watched him die and get taken down.

    The process was repeated again and again, until they got to Sammyl.  He was last. I found myself a bit curious to hear what they had him for.  Had they found out about Crille, or was this something new?

    The lord read Sammyl¡¯s crime.  ¡°This man stands before you guilty of insulting the Empress!¡±

    What?  All the shit Sammyl had done, and he would hang for this?

    The crowd booed and jeered Sammyl.  I pretended to join in.

    They put the noose around his neck.  They pulled it tight. We waited, as we had for the others.  I was cringing, afraid to watch but feeling as if I had to.

    Then the lord yelled, ¡°Hold!  The Empress, in all her wisdom and glory, has sent word to us that this prisoner may be offered her mercy!  He only has to apologize for his wrongdoing, swear allegiance to the Empress, and he will be spared!¡±

    The crowd cheered.

    Sammyl wasted no time croaking, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!  I¡¯m sorry! I will never do it again!¡±

    ¡°Do you swear allegiance to the Empress?¡±

    ¡°I swear!  I swear!¡±

    ¡°By the grace and mercy of our beloved Empress, you are spared, Prisoner.  Guards! Cut his rope! Release this man and let him go free, to spread word forever of the greatness and wisdom of Her Majesty!¡±

    They cut his rope and he stood there for a bit as if unsure that he could really go.  The lord urged him on, and Sammyl departed the gallows, looking quite happy and relieved.

    The crowd cheered him again.  People parted so he could move through, and he came to me, and embraced me fiercely.

    There were more speeches and trumpets and the crowd quickly dispersed.  Sammyl was already forgotten.

    We looked at each other.

    ¡°I think we could use some ale,¡± I said.

    <hr>

    Sammyl wanted to get the fuck out of Meridea.

    I could not blame him, and I was not so fond of the city myself, as I mentioned.

    ¡°Imagine if they find out about Crille!¡±  I said. ¡°You¡¯ll be right back up there!¡±

    ¡°Oh Rany, we need to get out of here.  Why are we even sitting here in this tavern?¡±

    ¡°We are drinking,¡± I said.  ¡°In truth, you may be the safest man in the city for now."

    "How could that be?

    "They won¡¯t want to put you back on the gallows any time soon ¨C not after the Empress pardoned you.  It would embarrass her!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even insult the bitch!¡± he said, way too loudly.

    ¡°Easy, easy,¡± I said, glancing around.  ¡°You never fucking learn anything, do you?  Anyway, let¡¯s give it a few days here, see if Alec shows.¡±

    ¡°Did you know they have no whores here?¡±

    ¡°I know.  I know. Doesn¡¯t matter much at the moment.  We are almost out of coin.¡±

    ¡°What?  Gods damn it Rany, what did you do with our gold?¡±

    ¡°Got robbed.¡±

    ¡°What?  You?¡±

    I told him about the inn.  I nearly wanted to blame him, as he was the reason I had ended up in such an establishment.  But now was not the time to needle him.

    As it was, he was ready to storm over to the place and start bashing faces.  The idea had its appeal, but I quelled him.

    Sammyl wanted to know my next plan, and I did not have one.

    ¡°We have enough coin to last a day or two,¡± I said.  ¡°Three if we stretch it. Not much to travel on, really.  I say we find a job.¡±

    ¡°A job?  Have you gone mad?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean a job like sweeping streets.  I mean a job of the sort the outlanders get.  A quest or whatnot. Those jobs are all over the place, it seems.  And they pay well.¡±

    ¡°But only the outlanders ever get those, from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±

    ¡°We pretend to be outlanders then.  Or at least one of us does. What¡¯s to stop us from doing that?  Nobody knows us here. Well, they don¡¯t know me, anyway.¡±

    ¡°But they move funny.  Talk funny.¡±

    ¡°Jesus H. Christ, what the fuck are you talking about, you jackass?  Are you a noob or something? Hang on, I¡¯ve got a phone call.¡±

    I made my body go still and my face vacant.

    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Pretending to be an outlander.¡±

    ¡°Oh.  Well, you might need a bit of practice.¡±

    I started swaggering around the city as if I owned it, sprinting like a madman as if I was impatient to get from one place to another.

    I treated Sammyl like a servant.  A few times I had to remind him it was an act.  He nearly took a swing at me on one or two occasions.

    It did not take long to find a job.

    I went into a shop on Market Street.  I swaggered inside, looking about as if I found everything there boring and disappointing.

    ¡°Are you looking for provisions, good sir?¡± the proprietor inquired.  ¡°I offer items you won¡¯t find anywhere else in the country! And at excellent prices!¡±

    ¡°No shit,¡± I said.  ¡°Never heard that before.¡±

    ¡°It is the truth,¡± he assured me.  ¡°Take this book here for example. The History of Aventine.  It is the only edition of this book known to exist.  As rare as it gets. And very informative.¡±

    It did sound a bit intriguing, in truth, but I feigned disinterest.

    ¡°I hear you might have some jobs that need to be done,¡± I said.  I looked around as if utterly bored and prepared to sprint off at any moment.

    ¡°Ah yes, of course.  I may have a few.¡± He peered at me for a moment.  ¡°Don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve ever met before. I am Leonis.¡±

    ¡°You got any fucking jobs or what?  I¡¯ve gotta log off soon.¡±

    ¡°Of course!  Of course! It¡¯s just that I have several.  I want to offer one that is commensurate with your ¡®level.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Fuck that.  What do you got that pays the most?¡±

    ¡°Oh, but they all pay well.¡±  The fat man grinned, displaying an utterly horrific set of rotten teeth.  ¡°I am not the employer, you understand. I''m a middle man.  I do a lot of business with a lot of people.  Some of these people need things done. All kinds of things. All legitimate of course!¡± He laughed at the last sentence as if he had told the funniest joke ever.  If Alec were here, he¡¯d probably put his sword through the man just to shut him up.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± I said.  ¡°I¡¯m outta here.¡±

    ¡°Just a moment,¡± the man said.  ¡°I can set up a meeting for you this afternoon.  The Golden Stag ¨C be there at the second bell. That means ¡®two p m.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I know what it fucking means.¡±

    ¡°Ask for the table in the back corner, and order the house brandy.  Someone will join you shortly after. That person will have a job for you.  Very lucrative!¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said.  I said it over my shoulder as I was walking out.

    ¡°Are you not going to buy anything?¡± he called after me.

 CHAPTER 13: THE HEIST

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    The Golden Stag was a nice enough pub on Steeple Row.  No music, no food, just serious drinkers. A man of middle years served ale from the bar and a very young girl tended to the tables.

    There was no back corner table.  Already I was beginning to suspect Leonis was full of nothing but shit.

    ¡°Afternoon,¡± said the barkeep.  ¡°Are you an outlander? We welcome your kind here ¨C ale is half price for ya!¡±

    The other patrons at the bar grumbled their exception to this.

    Sammyl was one of them, his glass nearly empty, and I suspected it was not his first.  He was trying far too hard to pretend not to know me. Fortunately, no one was paying attention to him.

    I asked the bartender, ¡°Do you have any brandy?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, no.  Just ale.¡±

    ¡°I must have the wrong place.  Is there another Golden Stag?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± the man gave me a knowing look.  ¡°You know, maybe I do have some brandy in the back room.  From my personal supply, but I will offer you a cup, on the house!  Serina ¨C clear that table in the corner for our new friend here!¡±

    The brandy was far too strong and far too sweet.  I really wanted an ale. But I sat and I sipped, waiting.

    Sammyl concentrated very hard on not looking in my direction.  I watched him order what must be his third ale. Maybe fourth.

    The men at the bar engaged in steady, mindless chatter, the kind drunks like to engage in.  They paid me no mind. Outside, the city bells rang twice.

    A man came in.  He was clothed plainly in black pant and black shirt, wearing the brown boots of a worker, no armor.  He came straight to my table.

    ¡°There you are!¡± he exclaimed, as if he knew me.  He sat down across from me. He had a thick head of dark black hair, almost covering his eyes in the front and below his shoulders in the back, with thick black eyebrows, moustache, and beard.

    The man spoke softy enough that no one else could hear.  ¡°No names.¡±

    He looked intently at me.  ¡°You don¡¯t look like an outlander.¡±

    ¡°The fuck do you care?  You got something for me or what?¡±

    Murder flashed in his eyes but was gone in an instant.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you take it easy,¡± he said.

    The serving girl came over and he ordered an ale.  She went off to fetch it.

    ¡°This is no simple job,¡± he said.  ¡°But it pays quite well. Once done, there should be more for you.¡±

    ¡°Great.  What¡¯s the fucking job?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting to it, you fucking outlander.  I serve a man who is very wealthy, very powerful.  You would not know him by name, but believe me when I say he exerts a great deal of influence in this city.¡±

    ¡°Impressive,¡± I said, forcing myself to not sound impressed.

    ¡°He lost something recently, something of great value.  Ah, thank you, miss!¡± He received his ale from the girl and took a healthy drink.

    ¡°A dagger,¡± he continued.  ¡°Not just any dagger. A very old dagger, centuries old, with a pure gold, diamond studded hilt.  It is said to have belonged to an ancient emperor.¡±

    ¡°You want me to find the dagger.¡±

    ¡°No.  I already found it.  I want you to get it back.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± I said.  I waved my hand in a motion I had seen Alec make, gesturing to speed the discussion up and get to the point.  ¡°Where is it?¡±

    ¡°A young lady has it.  And by lady, I mean ¡®Lady.¡¯  She is staying at the Regal Inn.  She keeps the dagger in a strongbox in her room.  Get the dagger, and ¨C this is important ¨C replace the dagger with this.¡±

    He produced a dagger from his belt and slid it across the table to me.  I forced myself not to gasp. It looked like it cost over 100,000 gold. It looked much like the dagger he had just described.

    ¡°It¡¯s fake, of course,¡± he said.  ¡°Any merchant would take one look at it and laugh if you tried selling it to them.  So don¡¯t get it in your head to try that. This one must replace the other, or there is no payment.¡±

    ¡°How much is my payment?¡±

    ¡°Three thousand gold.¡±

    I nearly fell out of my chair but managed to feign boredom.

    ¡°That sounds reasonable.  I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Good.  One more thing.  The job must be done tonight.¡±

    ¡°No problem.  I¡¯ll have that fucking thing in an hour.¡±

    ¡°You and I will not meet again.  Bring the dagger to Leonis and he will have your payment waiting.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡±

    ¡°The girl¡¯s name is Krista.  Young and a pretty little piece of ass, for a noble girl.  You can¡¯t kill her, by the way. This only works if no one knows the dagger is stolen or suspects a thing.  Otherwise, no payment.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem,¡± I smiled.

    The Regal Inn of course was the most fancy inn in the city.  I think it might have been a lord¡¯s castle once. The common room had the look of a great hall.  Stone floor, so clean it shined, high ceiling, room enough to accommodate an army. The minstrels were of high quality, but performed as if they were doing a service rather than doing everyone a favor, an attitude I have found common among that lot.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    This was an inn for nobility.  I had never seen anything like it.  Every patron had the look of a lord or lady, each accompanied by an entourage of servants and guards.

    I strutted in with faithful servant Sammyl in tow, acting as if none of these royal ass kissers were worthy of holding my cock while I took a piss.  I was the only outlander in the place. (I had nearly forgotten I was only pretending to be an outlander).

    We sat at a table, drank some ale and waited for the sixth bell.

    She came down, right on schedule.  She wore a green dress of the highest quality material tailored for every contour of her body.  Her hair fell straight down below her shoulders ¨C no fancy braids or anything of that sort. I could see the green of her eyes from across the room ¨C dark green to match her dress.

    She sat, alone, her guard taking a table with other guards in the corner.  Soon, as I had hoped, I noticed her beginning to cast glances in my direction.

    I steeled my nerve, stood, and swaggered right over to her.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I said.  I extended my hand. ¡°I¡¯m Paul Rance.¡±

    She gave my hand a gentle squeeze, her green eyes sparkling.

    ¡°I am Krista.  You are an outlander?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re damn right I am.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met one before.¡±  Her eyes seemed to blaze with curiosity.  She had a very intelligent look about her.  ¡°Would you like to join me?¡±

    We chatted for a bit.  She told me she was a lady in waiting for Queen Elyscia.  Thinking an outlander would not know who that was, she explained that Elyscia was the bloody queen of Fedra.  I pretended that this was new information to me. Krista, strangely, did not seem impressed at all with her own position.

    ¡°I am here for this ¡®big council¡¯ that all the kings and queens in the fucking empire are attending.  With the Empress. Very exciting.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever met the Empress?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±  She laughed.  ¡°Fuck no.¡±

    She was quite bored with Meridea and wanted to get back to her own city.  It was becoming more and more clear that she would welcome an evening of pleasant distraction.  I turned on the charm, giving every hint I could that she could have such an evening with me.

    As she finished her meal and her wine, she smiled at me in a way that made it clear she understood.

    ¡°Is that your servant over there?¡±  she asked, looking at Sammyl. Sammyl was staring at us with a scowl on his face.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said.  ¡°He is sworn to follow me.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±  She seemed impressed.

    ¡°Yes.  He has followed me into battle many times.¡±

    ¡°He looks so strong.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, yes.  He is, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°And he will do anything you command?¡±

    Damn the gods.

    I had a quick word with Sammyl about the revised plan.  He seemed a bit too happy about this turn of events.

    For someone who put on so few airs, Krista certainly lived a life in a world quite different from my own.  She had an entire suite of rooms, with a luxuriously furnished solar, a room for her guards to sleep in, a privy, and her own room with a gigantic bed a span high and two span wide, covered by a silk canopy.

    Next to the bed was the strongbox.

    We drank wine in her solar and talked for some time.  I told stories about the outlander world ¨C fabricated from my own imagination of course.  Both guards sat with us, watchful but seemingly unworried. After awhile, she sent them away, and asked me to leave as well, to fetch more wine.  She had plenty of wine in her suite already, of course.

    That she could be taking a huge risk by being alone with someone like Sammyl seemed to do nothing but thrill her.

    I went downstairs, ruminating on the mysteries of women.  The plan, now in motion, seemed less solid than it had. Now it relied on Sammyl and whatever lovemaking prowess he possessed.

    I decided I would have an ale in the common room, then sneak back into her suite, sneak into the room while she and Sammyl were in the act, and do the fastest lock picking of my damn life.  Not an ingenious plan, but simple.

    As I drank my ale, I absently toyed with my lock picks, getting a good feel for them.  I took the fake dagger out and had a better look at it. I ran my fingers along the hilt, thinking somewhere in the back of my mind that something was odd.  After a bit of further examination, the dagger came apart in my hand.

    The hilt was hollow.  Inside was a thin, rolled up parchment, which I unrolled and tried to read.

    Qttp ktw ijqnajwd kwtr rfle lznqi.  Hfxj tk bnsj. Ymnwi gtyyqj, qfxy wtb, rfwpji ts gtyytr bnym xrfqq gqtyhm.  Uqfhj ymwjj iwtux ns Fsfqnxf bnsj. Bmjs Fsfqnxf ijfi, dtzw hmnqiwjs bnqq gj kwjji.

    It was indecipherable.  The intended recipient probably had some type of key indicating which letter to substitute for which.

    Nevertheless, I had some time left, and you can be damn certain that if I find a coded message hidden in an object I am hired to plant, I am going to want to know what it says.

    I took pen and paper and tried various things, my ale forgotten.

    It took me some time.  Krista¡¯s guards were dicing with some swordsmen, but seemed to be casting glances upstairs as if thinking to return soon.

    The code turned out to be so damned simple that I nearly missed it.  I was ready to give up, but just before doing so, tried simply studying one word and changing letters around in my head until something made sense.

    All at once I had it.  The word was ¡°in.¡± Each letter in the code was five letters further along in the alphabet than the correct letter.  Excited now, damn near forgetting that I needed to be heading back upstairs at the moment, I hastily scrawled out the real message.

    As I finished writing, I froze still in my chair.

    Look for delivery from mage guild.  Case of wine. Third bottle, last row, marked on bottom with small blotch.  Place three drops in Analisa wine. When Analisa dead, your children will be freed.

    There was only one Analisa I knew of, and that was the damn Empress.

    I was holding in my hand a message, written in my own hand, instructing someone to assassinate the Empress.  Quite certain that was punishable by death.

    I glanced about, trying to appear calm.  All around me in the crowded room were nobles and minor royals.

    I burned the note that I had transcribed.  I placed the coded message in my boot.

    Krista¡¯s guards looked restless and the dice game appeared to be nearing an end.

    Unable to resist, I took my pen, tore off a blank parchment from my journal, and wrote a new message, with my own code.  This code was indecipherable because it was completely random. Let the recipient spend some time trying to make sense of that.

    I placed the message in the hilt of the fake dagger, which I fastened back to the blade.

    I rose to my feet and made my way back up the stairwell.  Krista¡¯s guards were on their feet, preparing to make their return as well.

    In the bedroom, Krista was asleep.

    As was Sammyl.  He was snoring quite loudly.  I have no idea how it did not wake her.

    I had to pick the lock of the strongbox in the dark.  It took some doing, every bit of my skill and experience.  It came open with a loud click. Krista stirred in the bed.  I froze, less than a span away from her. Outside the room, I heard the guards entering the solar, talking quietly.  It sounded as if they were arguing about something.

    I took the dagger from the chest and hid it below my tunic.  I put the fake dagger inside the chest, which I closed as quietly as I could.

    I stood and left the room, no longer attempting to be quiet.

    The guards stopped arguing and stared at me.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wake my goddamned servant,¡± I said, quite irritated.

    One of them went into the room to check on things, while the other eyed me.  The one came back out.

    ¡°Too much wine.¡±

    They chuckled.

    ¡°We know nothing,¡± the guard said.  ¡°What the Lady Krista does is not our business.¡±

    ¡°Jesus H. Christ,¡± I said.  ¡°That motherfucker is damned lucky he is so good in battle that he is difficult to replace.  I¡¯m just going to wait here for him. I¡¯d get my own room, but the fucking inn is full.¡±

    They shrugged and retired to their quarters.

    I sat in one of the plush chairs and waited for dawn.

 CHAPTER 14: SAMMYL

    At least Sammyl has always been an early riser.

    He emerged from the bedroom carrying his boots.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± I said.  ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    As we descended the staircase, he said, ¡°Did you get it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  But we are in deep shit.¡±

    ¡°Why?  Did you get caught?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then why?  Because I slept with the girl?  I don¡¯t even remember it. All that wine ¨C gods.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± I said.  ¡°We can talk later. We need to fucking move.¡±

    In the common room, we were greeted by four Imperial Guardsmen.  One of the serving girls pointed us out to them and they approached us.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I muttered.

    The leader greeted me cheerfully.  ¡°Good morning, Outlander. I have a special invitation to you from Her Excellency, the Empress.  You are invited to accompany us at once to the palace.

    ¡°What?  Why?¡±

    He frowned.  I realized I wasn¡¯t sounding much like an outlander ¨C more like the scared shitless peasant that I was.

    I added, ¡°What the fuck does she want?¡±

    Now his frown deepened but he no longer appeared suspicious.

    ¡°All Outlanders in the city have been invited to the palace, by the Empress herself.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t wanna go?  I¡¯ve got shit to do.¡±

    ¡°Her Excellency wishes to make it clear that this is an invitation and not a summons.  Your attendance is not mandatory. However, if you wish to decline the invitation, my duty is to escort you out of the city immediately.  You will be welcome to return tomorrow, but will respectfully be prohibited re-entry any time today.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Sir, I can only convey the message ¨C these orders do not come from me, you must understand.¡±

    ¡°Fine.  We¡¯ll leave then.  Come on Sammyl.¡±

    ¡°We will escort you, sir.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really not necessary.¡±

    ¡°I am afraid we must insist.¡±

    We left the inn and trudged down the snow and slush covered street toward the east gate.

    I eyed the guards warily, but they appeared to mean us no harm.  I pondered what was going on, and thought I understood. It had nothing to do with us but with what Krista had told me.

    Every asshole king and queen in the empire was coming to Meridea today, by imperial summons. Once in the city, they were under the Empress¡¯s protection.  She couldn¡¯t have some idiot outlander go off and take a shot at one of them as they made their royal procession down Royal Avenue. It would be embarrassing.

    I began to relax.  Things had gone about as well as they could.  I still had the dagger to sell, and it would make us wealthy men.  No way in hell was I going to take it to Leonis, the merchant. I was no fool.

    I was beginning to think we would actually make it out of this damn city with our heads intact, never to return.  We could go back to River City, find a good fence to sell the dagger, and live in style, drinking and playing poker to our hearts¡¯ content.  To hell with Alec Braun.

    ¡°Rany,¡± Sammyl said.  ¡°Is that Alec Braun up ahead?  I think it is. Alec! Ho! Alec Braun!¡±

    ¡°Sammyl, no!¡± I said.

    It was indeed Alec Braun.  He was on horseback, accompanied by a beautiful woman and an imperial escort of his own.

    ¡°Rany!¡±  Alec beamed.  ¡°About fucking time I found you!  Did you finish the job?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± I said.

    Alec turned to my escort.  ¡°What are you doing with my men?¡±

    ¡°Your men?  Beg pardon sir, we are escorting this outlander and his man to the city gate.¡±

    ¡°What outlander?¡±  Alec looked about in confusion.

    The guard also looked confused.  ¡°This one right here, sir!¡±

    ¡°Him?¡±  Alec laughed.  ¡°He¡¯s no outlander!  Rany, what kind of shit are you up to now?¡±

    My head took a sudden rattle and my ears rang.  The guard had just clobbered me.

    ¡°What is this, you lout?¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Alec said, hand on his sword.  ¡°He¡¯s with me. Don¡¯t touch him again.¡±

    ¡°He will have to answer for this,¡± the guard said, eyeing me with disdain.  These assholes don¡¯t take kindly to being made fools of.

    ¡°For what?¡± Alec demanded.  ¡°Pretending to be an outlander?  Some law against that?¡±

    ¡°Possibly,¡± said the guard, appearing uncertain.  (If there wasn¡¯t such a law, there probably would be one by the end of the day.)

    One of Alec¡¯s guards spoke up.  ¡°They can go, Corporal. They have broken no law I am aware of.  We will take them from here. Go off and find some real outlanders this time.¡±  Alec¡¯s guards all had a good laugh at my guards¡¯ expense. I had to suppress a chuckle myself.

    ¡°Very well,¡± said my guard.  ¡°Are you taking them to the palace?  I need to know for my report.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already been to the palace,¡± Alec said.  ¡°Just met your Empress in fact. She named me First Sword of Destra.  Which means I¡¯m pretty sure I outrank you. I¡¯m done with your bullshit questions.  Get the fuck out of here.¡±

    When the sun was directly overhead ¨C the snow beginning to melt ¨C we came to a stop in a small village, maybe a dozen miles north of Meridea.  I got off my horse, relieved beyond measure. I hate the damn things. Twice in the last few hours this particular beast had tried to throw me off.

    Grooms eager for coin jogged out to take care of the horses.  The two outlanders, six knights, Sammyl and I entered the village¡¯s sole inn.  The owner and his wife seated us at a long table and scrambled to prepare lunch for all of us.

    ¡°Rany!¡± Alec called to me.  ¡°Get your ass over here and sit by me.  We got some catching up to do. You too, uh¡­Sammy.¡±

    The innkeepers served a tasty ale.  The meal was not up to the standards of the big cities, but I was famished from the ride and probably could have eaten Sammyl¡¯s boots.

    ¡°So, Rany,¡± Alec began.  ¡°What the fuck happened with you guys?  You obviously made it to Meridea. Did you get the crazy chick there ok?¡±

    ¡°Things didn¡¯t go so well with the girl,¡± I admitted.  ¡°We had some setbacks.¡±

    ¡°Setbacks?¡±

    ¡°First, the girl didn¡¯t want to go to Meridea.  Gave not one shit that we pulled her out of that prison ¨C she acted as if she¡¯d rather be back there than go to the capitol.  Now that I¡¯ve been to Meridea myself, I partly understand.  So we tied her up-¡°

    ¡°Wait,¡± Alec said, casting a glance at the female outlander, Jade.  ¡°You tied her up?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah.  She was trying to run away.¡±

    ¡°We weren¡¯t kidnapping her Rany.  We were rescuing her.  If she wanted to leave, you should have just let her go.¡±

    Somehow, I did not think Alec would have expressed this opinion if Jade had not been sitting there.

    ¡°Well, she got away anyway,¡± I said.  ¡°In River City. Handice went after her.  Haven¡¯t seen either of them since.¡±

    ¡°Handy is alive?¡± Alec looked shocked.

    ¡°Well, yes.  He came back shortly after you were¡­you know.¡±

    ¡°That son of a bitch.  Good for him.¡±

    ¡°Alec,¡± I said.  ¡°You didn¡¯t really meet the Empress, did you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I met her.¡±  He waved his hand as if it was nothing.

    ¡°Good gods, what was she like?¡±

    ¡°She was ok.  Not bad looking.  Seemed like the kind of person who knows what¡¯s what.  I don¡¯t know. I think she liked me.¡±

    Jade shook her head and rolled her eyes.

    ¡°And she¡¯s really pissed at you,¡± Alec told me.

    ¡°At me?  What?¡±

    Jade said, ¡°Alec!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m joking, Rany.  Jesus Christ.¡±

    Alec procured armor and weapons for Sammyl and me, from the village blacksmith.  I had never in my life worn armor ¨C not my style. ¡°Light¡± armor, they called it.  Light, my ass. It felt like my weight had doubled. I wanted to give it back. I like to be able to move quick, and avoid situations where I might need armor.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Jade said.  ¡°You¡¯ll need it, trust me.¡±

    That¡¯s what I was afraid of.  I kept it on, moving to the table where all the blacksmith¡¯s weapons were laid out.  Sammyl was playing with a great sword, a delighted grin on his face.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to be with us for this?¡± Jade asked me.  ¡°You can still leave, you know. Alec will let you. We¡¯ll give you some gold ¨C you can go on and live a good life.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I found myself saying.  ¡°Thank you, but no.¡±

    ¡°Is it because of the bond?  Alec can release you from it.¡±

    ¡°No.  I don¡¯t know why, but no.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to lose people,¡± she said.  ¡°These knights, they can fight. They know what they¡¯re doing and what they¡¯re getting into.  Do you?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± I lied.  ¡°Beg pardon, my lady, but why are you telling me this?  Did I offend you somehow? Is it what happened with the girl?  I know that was a mistake-¡°

    ¡°No,¡± she said, touching my arm.  ¡°You¡¯re fine. I just don¡¯t like losing people.  I get attached.¡±

    She smiled.

    Oh, I thought.  The old Rany charm had already gotten to her.

    ¡°Not like that,¡± she hastened to add.  ¡°I just care, that¡¯s all.¡±

    I wondered if she had lost a follower and felt guilt over it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said.

    That afternoon, we got into our first battle.

    We spotted a large force, triple our size, before they spotted us.  They were set up for an ambush. An outlander was in command ¨C Alec seemed to know him by name.  He was quite excited about it.

    With our numbers at such a disadvantage, I thought for certain we would find a way around them.  Alec had other thoughts in mind. He told us his plan and gave a little speech to inspire us. The speech was unnecessary.  The knights were itching for a fight, as was Sammyl. Jade urged against it, but Alec was ¡°First Sword.¡±

    We ambushed them.

    The battle lasted mere minutes.

    My contribution was a joke.  Every shot from my crossbow missed.  I nearly hit one of our knights by mistake ¨C the closest I came to hitting anybody.

    I took an arrow to the stomach and a spear to my leg, and found myself in grave trouble.  I was on the outer edge of the battle, on my knees, bleeding heavily, trying to get up but unable to.  An enemy axman charged me.

    ¡°Rany!¡±  Sammyl yelled.

    He turned his back from the man he was fighting and came running toward me.

    The axman was upon me, grinning savagely, manic zeal in his eyes as he brought the ax down on me.  The man¡¯s eyes widened. His ax fell to the ground next to me. Sammyl¡¯s sword cleaved right through the man.

    I wanted to warn Sammyl of the man behind him, but I could not speak, and my world turned to black.

    I awoke later, groggy and disoriented, but alive.

    Jade had healed me.  I had survived to fight another day.

    Sammyl had not.

 CHAPTER 15: JASON

    When Mister Falcon rode into Meridea, the snow had nearly melted.  What little patches of white remained had mostly turned to sludge from a heavy rain the evening before.  Now it was early afternoon but dark, overcast and freezing, the streets quiet and mostly empty. The few citizens outdoors hustled along to their destinations, bundled up against the cold and wind.

    Falcon maintained a brisk, steady pace on the cobblestone streets, his majestic pure white steed showing no sign of fatigue.  Beecher rode beside Falcon, on a horse that was of fine quality but not as impressive. They rode down Front Street, turning on Royal Avenue and stopping in front of the Regal Inn.

    A stable boy hurried over to take their horses, exhaling frost in the cold but eager for a tip.

    Beecher entered first while Falcon waited, gazing about, oblivious to the frigid temperature.

    Beecher returned and nodded to indicate that all was well inside.

    Falcon went in.

    ¡°Afternoon, sir,¡± said the innkeeper.

    The inn was not empty but not nearly as busy as it had been a few days before.  A room was available. Beecher handled matters with the innkeeper.

    Falcon told Beecher, ¡°Stay here and keep an eye out.¡±

    He followed the innkeeper up to his room.  The man offered to carry his equipment but Falcon declined.

    Inside the room, the man made a show out of explaining all of the luxuries and amenities that it had to offer.  Before he could finish, Falcon gave him a handful of coins and told him he was satisfied. The man thanked him and excused himself.

    Falcon eyed the bed wistfully, but stood in place and waited several minutes.

    When the bells tolled four times, Falcon came back to life and walked out of the room, down the hall, stopping at a door that had a small smudge of mud on it.

    Falcon rapped on the door with a gloved fist and waited.  A woman answered, quite pretty with full red lips, large eyes and unblemished youthful skin.

    ¡°Mister Falcon?  Come in please. Lord Roane is expecting you.¡±

    He entered and she closed the door.

    Inside was the suite in which Krista had stayed.

    ¡°Lord Roane should be out in a moment,¡± the woman said.  ¡°May I offer you a drink? Wine, ale, whiskey? Something to eat perhaps?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you.  Roane said four o¡¯clock.  Four bells. Four bells rang nearly five minutes ago now.¡±

    ¡°I am very sorry.  He should be out in a moment.  Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Go get him please.¡±

    ¡°Well, sir, he knows you are here.  He will be right out-¡°

    ¡°He has thirty seconds to get his ass out here, or-¡°

    ¡°Or what?¡±  Griffin Roane walked out of the master bedroom, fiddling with the top button on his shirt.  He smiled broadly. ¡°Always so good to see you, Mister Falcon. It has been too long. Juli, please leave us.¡±

    When Juli had left the suite, Roane said, ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stand, thank you.¡±

    ¡°I realize you are physically as comfortable standing as sitting, Falcon.  But really, we have customs here in Friedor. We try our very best to be civilized.  Are you not familiar with our customs after all this time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m familiar.  I¡¯d just prefer we skip all the bullshit and get right to it.  What do you want? Why did you send for me?¡±

    ¡°What do I want?¡±  Roane echoed, as if the question surprised him.  He turned his back on Falcon, went to the window and looked out.

    ¡°Well,¡± Roane said.  ¡°That is an odd question for a man of your intelligence to ask.  A man wishes to waste no time, not even the single moment required for common courtesies, and yet, asks a question that he almost surely knows the answer to.¡±

    ¡°Ok.  Besides wanting Alec Braun dead, what do you want?¡±

    Griffin Roane said nothing for a time, still looking out the window.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± he said at last.  ¡°What were you going to do if I did not appear in ¡®thirty seconds¡¯ as you were saying when you were being unkind and rude to my servant?  I find myself genuinely curious.¡±

    ¡°I would have walked.  Which is what I¡¯m about to do now.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?  After coming all this way just to see me, after I summoned you?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t come just to see you, Roane.¡±

    ¡°Oh no? Why else did you come?  To look for Alec Braun? He was already here, three days ago.  He is long gone now.¡±

    ¡°I know he was here.  I have people here, you know.¡±

    ¡°Did your people tell you that he saw the Empress?  That he now rides under her banner? That she even gave him a title, First Sword of Destra?  Not to mention six of her finest men, with instructions to recruit more, in her name.  He is on his way to building an army.¡±

    ¡°That will only make him easier to find.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.  But more difficult to kill.¡±

    ¡°Not too difficult for me, Roane.  Remember who you¡¯re talking to.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how could I forget?  I am talking to the greatest ¡®player¡¯ in this ¡®game.¡¯  You still really believe that, Mister Falcon?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a fact.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.  You have heard of Michael Trang, have you not?  The man holds an entire city now. Also several villages in Fedra, Shadrol and Gelden, not to mention numerous settlements on the Frontier.  You have no towns, no villages, one small expedition just making its way to the Frontier.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a guild leader.  I don¡¯t do guilds. I¡¯m still the best individual player.¡±

    ¡°Wrong again.  A woman in Scai Snana passed you this morning.  Go ahead and check for yourself. I will wait.¡±

    ¡°I will kill Alec Braun, Roane.  Are you finished busting my balls and trying to impress me with how much information you have?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you are not impressed?  What a pity. I regret the feeling is mutual.  I blame myself. I put my faith in the wrong man.¡±

    ¡°You want me off the job ¨C just say so.¡±

    ¡°Oh no.  You will not get off the hook that easily.  Sadly, nor will I. I cannot simply hire another outlander to eliminate Braun, though I am beginning to think just about anyone could do a better job.  He has now gained favor with the Empress.¡±

    ¡°And you are loyal to your Empress, right Roane?  So cancel the job then. Christ, Alec is an asshole, yes, but I¡¯m guessing he has no idea he even insulted you.  Get over it. Be a man.¡±

    Roane laughed.  ¡°To think I require lessons from you about being a man.  Let us make one thing perfectly clear. I am a loyal and faithful servant to the Empress, in all things.  I love her. I admire her. I respect her, more than any other.  But in this, honor is honor.  Alec Braun will die. You will kill him.  No trail will lead back to me.¡±

    ¡°You know what, I¡¯m getting tired of dealing with you Roane, and I was just thinking about visiting the Empress myself, now that she¡¯s suddenly willing to see outlanders.  So I think I¡¯ll have a talk with her. Maybe your name will come up. Maybe not.¡±

    Roane became very still.  His blue eyes, which had been amused and laughing, went cold.

    He walked slowly to Falcon, each step deliberate.

    Falcon stood in place, meeting the cold gaze without flinching.

    Roane slapped him in the face.

    The blow made a loud sound in the quiet room.  It had no physical effect at all on Falcon. His head did not even move.

    Falcon stared at Roane in disbelief.

    ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± said Roane.  ¡°But it is shameful, is it not? To be struck by me and not be able to do a single thing in retaliation?  Knowing that if you so much as lay a finger on me, someone you care about will die?¡±

    ¡°Tamara?  She means nothing to me.¡±

    ¡°Really?  You are a very poor liar, Jason.¡±

    ¡°What did you call me?¡±

    ¡°Falcon.  What a silly, stupid name.  From now on, I will call you by your real name I think.  Never threaten me again.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you.¡±

    ¡°Careful,¡± Roane said softly.  ¡°I hired you to kill a man for the simple reason that I did not care for the way he spoke to me.  I made a mistake in hiring you. I never make the same mistake twice. There are ten million of you outlanders here in my world, ten thousand here in Friedor.  You think I cannot find one willing to pay a visit to 301 Tremont Lane, Wilmington, Delaware?¡±

    ¡°Roane¡­¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  If you cross me, we shall have to see.¡±

    ¡°Roane, I want out.  I don¡¯t want to do this anymore.  I¡¯m sorry for everything. I¡¯m done with this game, done with your world forever.¡±

    ¡°Really?  You would give up, just like that?¡±  Roane''s eyes narrowed in disbelief.

    ¡°I¡¯m not enjoying this anymore.  It¡¯s not fun. It¡¯s not a fucking game anymore.  I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Roane''s face twisted in contempt.  ¡°You leave, and in five minutes ¨C let¡¯s see, that would be 5:25 p.m. in your world ¨C one of my men will be carving his name in Tamara¡¯s nice big tits, while another of my men...well, I''ll allow you to use your imagination.¡±

    ¡°Come on,¡± Falcon breathed.

    Roane chuckled.  ¡°This is so ironic.  Unlike you, I am enjoying this.  It is fun.  And it is a game.¡±

    ¡°Please.  I¡¯ll do anything you want.  Tell me what you want me to do.¡±

    ¡°You can begin by sitting down.¡±

    In Meridea, the streets were quiet.

    An assassination attempt on the Empress had failed.  Queen Elyscia of Fedra had been named the orchestrator of the plot.  Every one of her people had been executed ¨C the queen herself declared an outlaw.  Most of her people had been quartered, their heads and limbs scattered about the city, on pikes.  One of her ladies in waiting, a lovely young woman named Krista, was the last to be executed. She was hanged, and her blackening body still swung from the gallows.

    As it grew dark, two riders, Falcon and Beecher, rode out of the city at a full gallop.

 CHAPTER 16: WAR

    MONTH OF THE SPARROW, FOURTH TENDAY, 9th day, 767 KD

    I have not written in these pages for some time. I had thought maybe I would give it up entirely, but I need a place to put my thoughts.

    During training, I put all thoughts away.

    I was one recruit out of dozens. We would wake before dawn, fall into formation, perform calisthenics outside in the dark cold. Then we marched in formation to the mess hall, where we had ten minutes to eat a cold breakfast. Then we ran. Miles and miles we ran, up and down hills, in the mud, in the snow, across streams. We ran without equipment. We ran fully armed and armored.

    We learned outlander time and outlander measurements. Outlander tactics.

    We did everything together as a platoon, twenty-four of us, four squads of six. Davin was named our squad leader. He hated me because the sergeant, Cochran, said I did not belong. Because of me, our squad did extra running, extra pushups ¨C which of course were quite difficult for me.

    They told me a dozen times each day I should quit and become a clerk. In unarmed combat training, I was paired against Grady, the biggest man in the platoon. He was encouraged not to go easy on me. I suffered black eyes, cracked ribs, a broken nose, bruises all over my body, a broken arm. For the serious injuries, I had to be healed by our mage, another recruit whose skills were yet raw. Healing by an unskilled healer can be more unpleasant than the injuries themselves.

    I would lie awake in my cot every night, covered in bruises, every inch of me hurting, inside and out, unable to sleep, the men snoring around me. During those nights I would make the decision to quit. But when morning came, for some reason, I did not.

    We were expected to gain proficiency in every weapon. Without my right hand, I would never draw a bow again, or so I thought. A carpenter fashioned a wooden hand, which I strapped to my stump. Eventually I could hit the target just well enough to pass.

    We ran, we swam, we climbed, we swung on ropes, we crawled through the mud. We had to take cover while instructors shot arrows at us. We learned to work together as a team, to help each other, to always watch out for our buddy. We learned codes, terminology, tactics. We were cold, we were wet, we were hungry. We were not permitted to fail.

    We learned to navigate the forest at night. They taught us which foods we could eat and which to stay away from. We practiced hiding. We practiced hunting.

    The final days culminated in armed combat ¨C swords, bows, spears, axes, wearing full armor. Our mage stood by waiting to practice healing. She did not have to wait long. There were some close calls, but every man and woman in our platoon survived. I was shot with arrows and crossbow bolts, stabbed, slashed, burned, knocked unconscious.

    At last, we had our final formation before Cochran. He dismissed us, and we were no longer recruits. We stood in line to receive our pay ¨C twenty-one gold for twenty-one days. We had the next day off and were no longer confined to our barracks.

    Most of the recruits went off together, but I was on my own, still an outcast. I heard a grumbling or two that I should not have been passed. Cochran himself told me that I was probably the worst soldier he had ever seen, but a soldier nonetheless.

    I walked about town, feeling stronger and more fit than ever in my life, and more aware of my surroundings.

    I found myself at the Great Stone Inn. I had not intended to go there. Certainly I looked forward to a night of sound sleep away from the barracks of snoring men, but there were other inns I could have gone to.

    ¡°Hello Handice.¡±

    ¡°Ruby,¡± I said. I had not expected to see her. I was drinking my second ale, feeling the tensions of the twenty-one days slowly dissolve.

    ¡°Always a man with a gift for words,¡± she said. ¡°Are you going to invite me to sit, or are you too good to talk with me now that you are a tough warrior man?¡±

    ¡°Sit, if you like.¡±

    She sat across from me, and ordered an ale from Dyana, who was serving me herself. I had thought perhaps I would drink enough to get up the nerve to take the innkeeper to bed. Now that Ruby was here, Dyana¡¯s smile was more sisterly or motherly than the one she had greeted me with.

    ¡°You do not have to pretend to be glad to see me,¡± Ruby said.

    I grunted. ¡°I am not pretending to do anything.¡±

    ¡°I know. It was a joke. Lighten up, soldier.¡±

    ¡°Do not call me that.¡±

    She sipped her ale and looked at me for a moment. ¡°Do you wish for me to go?¡±

    I hesitated for perhaps a moment too long. ¡°No,¡± I said.

    ¡°I thought perhaps you might be happy to see me. I thought we were friends.¡±

    ¡°We are. It was you that called me an idiot for joining the army. You were right, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she said. ¡°Perhaps not. I was wrong to say what you should or should not do. Only you can say what is best for you. I should not have¡­reacted the way I did. I am sorry.¡±

    I did not expect that.

    ¡°I thought maybe you came to gloat.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    I finished my ale and ordered another, along with whiskey. ¡°I am the worst soldier to ever don armor.¡±

    ¡°That is not true.¡±

    ¡°No? My sergeant told me that. About an hour ago.¡±

    ¡°Cochran?¡± she asked.

    I looked up, startled. ¡°You know him?¡±

    ¡°No. I have heard of him. He knows what he is about, he knows soldiering, but he is an asshole. Or so I have heard. He would not have passed you if he did not believe you qualified. He could have made you a clerk at any time.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°I asked around. I know how to find out things.¡±

    ¡°Well, they need some soldiers to merely be fodder. That is likely why he kept me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. You will be a great soldier.¡±

    I laughed, without mirth.

    ¡°Any word on your first assignment?¡±

    ¡°I would rather not talk about it. Or think about it. I just finished training this afternoon. It was fucking hell. I am rather tired.¡±Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Do not worry about what Cochran thinks, or what anyone else thinks. You made it through the training, did you not? At times, I bet you thought you never would.¡±

    ¡°Every day I thought that.¡± I drank my whiskey down.

    ¡°Perhaps slow down a bit? It is only the sixth hour.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± I said.

    ¡°Dyana, I would like a whiskey also, please. And another ale.¡±

    I looked at her. ¡°I thought you hated whiskey.¡±

    ¡°I do. But perhaps it will make this conversation less depressing.¡±

    I laughed, with a bit of genuine amusement this time. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Enough about you, anyway. You have not bothered to ask how I have been.¡±

    ¡°How have you been?¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    She looked at me, thinking about something. ¡°Did I ever tell you why I joined Trang?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You needed to get away. Because of your¡­you know. Talent.¡±

    ¡°That was part of it. I did not tell you all of it. I never speak of it.¡± She drank her whiskey and grimaced.

    ¡°What is the rest of it?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°My father disappeared when I was a little girl. Just¡­went out and never returned. My mother said that he abandoned us. I never believed it. Never.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°Under imperial law, anyone who has the Talent must go to Sanctuary, in Meridea. You know, the place you tried to take me.¡±

    ¡°Right. I am sorry, again.¡±

    ¡°I know. That is not why I am telling you. Well, I suppose I had to rub it in a bit. Beside the point. Anyway, my father had the Talent. He discovered it late, after I was born. He told no one. I¡­somehow I must have figured it out. I do not know how. I asked him about it. He tried to lie at first, but then he told me. And he told me I must tell no one. I never did. Not a year later, he was gone.¡±

    ¡°What do you think happened?¡±

    ¡°He defied the law. Defied the Empress. What happens to anyone who does that?¡±

    She had tears in her eyes now. In all our days together, even after she killed the villagers, I had never seen her cry.

    I did not know what to say, and said nothing.

    She wiped her eyes with one angry motion, and the tears were gone, but when her eyes met mine, they shined with a fevered intensity. ¡°I hate the fucking Empress. Trang is going to take that cunt down, and I want to be a part of it.¡±

    ¡°I want to be part of it as well,¡± I said. For the first time in quite awhile, I was almost glad I had made the foolhardy decision to try to become a soldier.

    She smiled at me. ¡°Enough of this serious shit. You look good, Handice. You really look like a soldier. They made a man out of you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡±

    She drank her whiskey. ¡°One more of these, and I might take you upstairs and finish the job.¡±

    ¡°Dyana!¡± I yelled, loud enough to be heard in the noisy common room. ¡°Two more whiskeys please!¡±

    Ruby put her hand on mine. ¡°I was joking.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need whiskey for this. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Our orders came quickly. Three days later the company moved out, leaving at dawn and setting a brisk pace along the Marwoth, heading southeast.

    We were at war with Fedra now, and on constant alert. Elyscia, the queen of Fedra, had been deposed and replaced by Varina, who vowed to drive all outlanders out of the country. General Trang seemed eager to meet the challenge.

    Not that we ever saw the general. There were many outlanders among us. They came and went, delivering messages, passing along information about enemy positions. Whenever an enemy force was spotted, we went after them. Varina had underestimated our strength and spread her army too thin, a grave tactical error on her part.

    My unit fought in three battles during the following eight days. We won every battle decisively, but there were losses. In our very first action, Grady, the enormous, indestructible giant who had beaten the shit out of me every day of training, took an arrow to the head. He died immediately. I did not witness it but saw him after, lying in the tall grass, eyes unseeing.

    I killed a man for the first time in that battle. He was trying very hard to kill me, coming at me with a steel mace and murder in his eyes. The training had been burned into me until it became instinct. I ran at him, my sword moving of its own accord and slicing the man¡¯s throat, his blood gushing. He died very quickly and quietly and I did not think of it all until much later, and after that, not at all.

    Trang was a brilliant tactician. We outmaneuvered Varina time and again, and soon she became desperate. She sent all of her forces at us, down to the last man. She abandoned her castle in Barone and personally led her troops, in an act of misplaced courage or perhaps vanity.

    Our forces were divided, protecting Glen Falls and a few other strategic positions. My unit was part of the force sent to confront the queen for the decisive battle. By now my platoon had survived three battles, losing only two men. We were quite confident in ourselves and each other. Whenever battle began, we fought for each other. But we loved Trang. We were in awe of him. It seemed he could not lose. In a year or so, we might have the entire continent.

    Varina had us outnumbered slightly, but her troops were of inferior quality, and she had no mages at all.

    We suffered some losses, mostly from her archers. Four men in my platoon died, including Davin, my squad leader. He was a great soldier, a natural leader and natural for combat, but arrows do not discriminate. I myself was shocked to have not suffered any injury, in four battles.

    We defeated Varina¡¯s force. Afterward, thousands of bodies littered the battlefield. Varina herself was captured.

    We marched into Barone and took the great old city. I had never been to Barone, and my first experience of it was marching down empty streets, eerily quiet, catching glimpses of citizens peeking at us from windows or scurrying away down alleys.

    There was a bit of resistance from some, and they had to be put down. It angered me. Why attack us for no reason other than to be killed? It was a waste. Eventually, much later, I would come to understand.

    For a week, we were on top of the world. Barone was ours. All of Fedra was ours. Trang refused to declare himself king, did not believe in kings. He was a man of the people.

    Soon word came that more fighting was imminent. Enemy outlanders, marshaling together a force to rival ours, led by an outlander named Vasha, First Sword of Fedra, a title given by the Empress herself. We had to mobilize fast to meet them.

    My whole company was wiped out in the Currin Hills. We were sent to intercept a smaller force on its way to bolster their main army. It seemed like easy work, which should have been a warning sign. It was a trap. A battalion sized force came from nowhere, their mages unleashing fury on our numbers, the very ground exploding around us.

    How I survived, I will never know. It was I and just four others, all badly wounded and hiding in the forest. I was the least wounded and able to move about. I found the others, one by one, and we assessed the situation, formed a new detail with me in command, our mission to locate our main army and regroup with them. That took us three days, and we nearly lost Taylor to his injuries. But we found the second division near Valise. We were Healed and reassigned to new units. Every face was grim. Trang had a target on his back. Half the outlanders in Friedor were making a concerted effort to take him down. A massive battle had taken place, while we were gone, and we had won by the skin of our teeth, our losses severe.

    Worse news came. In a shocking betrayal, one of our own outlanders turned traitor, and took the city of Barone for himself, garrisoning the castle and declaring himself king of the new ¡°city-state¡± of Barone. Trang, we heard, had nearly lost his mind in a fit of rage over this.

    A few more of our outlanders simply left, taking men with them. A few others were killed by the First Sword of Fedra and were unable to resurrect. There was a new weapon, Permakill, that permanently killed outlanders. The Empress declared Trang an outlaw and offered 100,000 gold for his permanent death.

    Despite all this, we somehow regrouped. Glen Falls remained strong, we heard, new troops training every day to begin replacing the thousands lost.

    We still had a large army of over a thousand. We began methodically eliminating pockets of enemy outlander forces. Then we heard the worst news yet.

    General Karn, king of Mukan, was leading an army to attack us from the south.

    General Karn was a legend of the Unification Wars. He had never lost a battle, ever. Without him, the Empress never could have formed the Empire.

    Trang showed no fear. He sent us to meet Karn¡¯s army and fight them man for man, our forces lesser in number but having the advantage of outlander warriors and mages.

    It was a costly mistake.

    Karn never would have engaged us if he thought he could lose.

    In the midst of a tough and brutal battle, new enemies arrived from the north and from the west, outlanders who had aligned with Karn.

    Facing certain defeat, we retreated to the east, away from Glen Falls. Fewer than five hundred of us made it, driven all the way to the Frontier.

    Word came later that we lost Glen Falls.

    The enemy showed no mercy. No soldier, no mage, no citizen was spared. Dyana. Ashleigh. Most certainly dead. Ruby as well. The entire town was reduced to rubble.

    One thing was made quite clear. The Empress had claimed credit for the victory. Anyone who followed Trang was a fugitive, subject to immediate beheading on sight. We were exiled to the Frontier, banished forever from our homeland. Traitors to the Empire.

    We had chosen poorly.

 CHAPTER 17: SANCTUARY

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF RUBY

    I have decided to begin keeping a journal.  I took the idea from Handice. He was always writing in his.

    My days are busy but the evenings are so dull, I find myself desperate for something to occupy my time.

    I live in a cell in Sanctuary.  It was once an actual prison cell, and to me, it remains so.  I am free to move about during the day, but confined to my cell at night.  I have no window ¨C it is underground. I have a straw bed, closet privy and nothing else.  I procured a blanket to keep from freezing to death in my sleep, candles so I do not fall and break my neck in the pitch black dark and a basin to wash my face, hands and feet.

    I do not wish to complain.  Had I remained in Glen Falls, I would have no bed, no plain garb, my feet would not freeze through my slippers on the cold stone floor, and I would find it quite difficult to write anything at all, for I would be dead.  Like so many others.

    In Glen Falls, there was a small contingent of mages who were displeased with things, even while Trang¡¯s budding empire thrived.  Perhaps they sniffed the trouble that would come. I do not know. They formally requested leave to resign and depart Glen Falls. After consideration, Trang granted their request.  During the time he spent considering, I happened to join their number. We left for Meridea, just a few days after Handice left to go to his war.

    Despite being more advanced in skill than almost everyone in the school, we were all named Applicants, the lowest rank.  We will remain so, as a form of penance, for an undetermined length of time, upon which we may be tested to determine if we are worthy of becoming Initiates.  If we are so fortunate to pass, we will then get to take the vow of silence, and spend all of our hours praying, for years and years.

    Today was different, at least.  Temple Day. The one day each week we are permitted to leave Sanctuary and see at least some of the outside world, if only on the walk to and from the temples.  A day of the week I both looked forward to and dreaded.

    I got out from under my blanket, felt around for my Applicant robe and put it on quickly, shivering in the frigid cell.  The stone floor felt like ice under my feet, and I felt around for my slippers and put them on. I grasped around for my flint and lit the candle that had gone out while I slept.

    Candle lit, I could at least see my hand in front of my face.  I washed my face and teeth quickly with icy water from the basin and made my way out of the cell, down the long winding corridor to the line of Applicants and Initiates making their way up the staircase to the morning meal.

    I took my breakfast of cold porridge at one of the long tables, sitting on the hard cold bench, surrounded by people I did not know.  Occasionally I would recognize a face I had seen a day or two before. Even my own sister was a stranger here. She had taken the Initiate¡¯s vow of silence, but on the rare occasions when I saw her, gave me the distinct feeling she would not speak to me even without the vow.  I could not blame her. I was an awful older sister. Trang had told me she was here, before I left Glen Falls. I knew she might not welcome me with open arms, but did not expect her to simply look right through me.

    I ate quickly.  The porridge was mostly tasteless on its best days, and this happened not to be one.  I tried not to think about the occasional bit of rocky grain that crunched hard in my teeth and had to be spit out into my hand.  I tried not to listen to the sounds of people chewing all around me ¨C there was no talking during meals even by those not bound by the vow.  The sounds of other people eating had always disgusted me.

    Through the cold halls of Sanctuary I walked with the hundred or so other Applicants.  Outside, rain fell in a steady torrent. The relief of being outside Sanctuary lasted roughly one minute, before my hair was completely wet, my robe soaked to my skin, my feet squishing on the muddy path and stepping in deep puddles that I could not avoid, water oozing into my slippers.

    I gazed longingly at the city that I hated, dreaming of a warm meal, sweet wine, a cozy inn with pretty music.  It was not to be. I had to stay on the path that led from Sanctuary to the Temples, a full mile in the rain and cold.  Many of the Applicants turned around and went back. Visits to the Temples were not mandatory.

    When I reached them, I was shivering.  I wondered idly if I would catch sickness from this excursion.

    I always chose the Temple of Croix.  God of Fortune. He was the most popular of the gods; thus, his temple was always the most crowded.  Today, with the foul weather, it was not so bad.

    At last out of the rain, I removed my slippers and walked the path around the massive statue, reaching the right rear corner of the stone throne.  Here, I would kneel for three hours. When the city bells tolled eleven times, I would return to Sanctuary, for the midday meal and another week of drudgery.

    This was my fourth visit since returning to Meridea.  As always, my stomach flipped and tumbled at the hope that this would be the day.  The previous three times, I had waited on my knees for three hours in vein. Anyone paying attention would think I was really damn committed to Croix.  I didn¡¯t believe in the gods at all of course. Few people truly did. Superstition and tradition was what brought people to the Temples.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Getting to my knees on the hard floor, I began my wait.  To pass the time while I appeared to be praying, I would daydream, or eavesdrop for bits of news and gossip.

    I waited an hour.  News of Ariea. King Hemart had declared independence from the Empire.  This was probably false rumor, but one never knew. My rule was to wait until I had heard the same rumor four times before I gave it any weight.

    Another hour.  Some outlaw from Belen had been captured in Meridea and was being hanged tomorrow afternoon.  This one I had heard for the fifth time in two hours and finally believed it. We could attend hangings, but I never did.

    The third hour was nearing an end.  My dread returned and I could no longer suppress it. I could hear the rain coming down as hard as ever.  The thought of the walk back to Sanctuary nearly drove me to tears. Another day with no word from Trang or his people.  It was growing more and more evident they would never come. I was enduring Sanctuary for nothing, while the last of my people died.  Perhaps Trang had given up on our world entirely.

    ¡°May fortune favor you, sister,¡± someone next to me croaked.

    I glanced over, not turning my head, and fought back revulsion.  A leper. They were permitted to attend the Temples but when they did, the citizens stayed as far from them as possible.  Damn the gods, I thought, less than a foot away from the statue of one. Still, this was part of the code.

    ¡°I am not a sister yet,¡± I replied.  ¡°Only an Applicant.¡±

    ¡°One as pretty as you, surely you honor Sanctuary.¡±  The last part of the code. I breathed out in relief, tears in my eyes.

    ¡°I am Ruby,¡± I said.

    ¡°Keep calm, Ruby,¡± the beggar cautioned.  ¡°No one is near enough to hear, as long as we speak in low tones.  I am not really a leper, but the disguise keeps others away.¡±

    ¡°What took you so fucking long?  What news do you have? What are my orders?¡±

    ¡°Calm, calm, please.  We don¡¯t have long. Do you have a report for me?¡±

    ¡°I have learned little.  I am still an Applicant, not even Favored.  I make potions all day, every day. I can tell you about the hierarchical structure of the Order, but what we were told before was accurate.¡±

    ¡°No real magic is being performed in Sanctuary.  Is that really true?¡±

    ¡°Somewhat true.  The Order nearly forbids Applicants to even think about magic.  Initiates do nothing but pray all day, searching for enlightenment.  Nothing else.  They do not read, they do not communicate in any way.  They do nothing but pray, for years.  I am not going to do that.  Now the Apprentices, they do some magic.  They make scrolls, enchant items, all to be sold.  Simple spells ¨C I could do them right now, but why would they want to put my Talent to use?  That would make too much sense.¡±

    ¡°So it is as we thought.  Anything else? Do you see the Bishop at all?¡±

    ¡°No, never.  It is impossible for me to watch him.  I am worthless here. I need a new assignment immediately.¡±

    ¡°My report will be passed along, through the network.  I will report what you said and your request for new assignment.  But I am to tell you that your work is important. You are to search for any information you can find on¡­Moroso.¡±  He whispered the name.

    ¡°What?  How am I to do that?  Nobody in Sanctuary knows anything about him, as far as I can tell.  I¡¯ve heard no indication he so much as exists!¡±

    ¡°Keep looking.  Those are the orders for now.  Do what you can to rise in the ranks.  You might learn more then.¡±

    ¡°That is impossible.  It is completely arbitrary.  They do not even tell you what they expect, what they look for in determining who advances.  And if I become an Initiate, my job will be even more difficult! I won¡¯t be able to speak!¡±

    ¡°Just¡­do the best you can.  At any rate, the news from our republic is not good.  It is very bad. We lost Glen Falls.¡±

    ¡°I know.  I heard.¡±

    ¡°It was razed and burned to the ground.  Everyone killed. Citizens. Innocents.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°We lost the villages in Fedra.  Our army was annihilated. We lost Barone.¡±

    ¡°We had Barone?¡±

    ¡°We had it.  There was a betrayal.  The outlander General Fenton turned traitor, took Barone for himself.¡±

    ¡°Gods.¡±

    ¡°We have left Fedra entirely.  The army is rebuilding on the Frontier.  Trang is still strong, still in command.¡±

    ¡°There is a soldier named Handice.  Eighteenth Battalion, Delta Company, Second Platoon.  Do you know of him?¡±

    ¡°How would I?  One of thousands.¡±

    ¡°Please find out for me if he lives.¡±

    ¡°I will pass that along.  I must go. You will have a new contact next week.  Every week it will be different.¡±

    ¡°Who do I look for?¡±

    ¡°I do not know.  There are a few of us back in the city, but we do not all know each other.  I only know the person I report to. You will meet here again, same place and time.  The second code phrase will be ¡®too few pray to the gods these days.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± I said.  ¡°Please tell them I would be far more useful else¡ª¡°

    I glanced over and realized the man was already gone.

 CHAPTER 18: WHISPER

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    ¡°Do not fall asleep on me.¡±

    ¡°Christ,¡± I said.  ¡°Why would I do that?¡±

    ¡°You started to snore.¡±  She stopped what she had been doing with her gifted tongue and climbed on top, straddling me.

    ¡°Most men would not even think of falling asleep when I do that.  Perhaps I should find someone else to spend my evenings with?¡±

    ¡°Gods no, just keep going!¡±

    Less than a minute later, it was over and she laid beside me.  Outside, someone clapped. Someone else yelled, ¡°thank the gods!¡±

    She licked my ear and murmured, ¡°You need to learn to be more quiet.  You woke the whole camp.¡±

    ¡°Fuck them.¡±  I sat up. ¡°I need some wine.  There it is.¡± I took a long drink.

    ¡°Perhaps you had more than enough of that tonight.¡±

    ¡°Thirsty.¡±  I drank more, draining the remainder of the flask.

    ¡°From what?  I did all the work.¡±  The woman, Landria, certainly did not talk like an escaped slave.

    I had seen the brand just once, when the band on her arm came off during a more frenzied than usual bout of coupling.  She had stopped everything to put it back on, and I had pretended not to notice. The fuck did I care? She could do things in bed I had never dreamt of, and my imagination is quite good.

    She was older than any woman I had ever been with, but her body was young and supple enough, and her face quite lovely when you looked at it closely.  She had a way of hiding her beauty somehow, around camp. She had noticed me looking at her one day, and that very night she was in my bed.

    By bed, I mean old blanket in my humble tent, somewhere in the middle of fucking Destra, far from any civilized city.  I know that we have marched five days since heading north from the Prince, at about twenty miles each day, so whatever that is.  Or is it six days? Fuck, I really have been drinking too much. I never was a drunkard but lately can¡¯t seem to sleep without a belly full of strong wine.

    ¡°May I sleep here tonight?¡±  Landria whispered, pressing her soft breasts into my back.  ¡°I think our secret is out.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± I said.  As if I could tell her otherwise and have her listen.  Her slave days must have been long behind her, the way she acted.  In private with me, at least. Around the others she was as docile as a lamb and quiet as a mouse.

    I tried to go to sleep.  I was fully awake now, thoughts churning.  All my wine gone. Maybe I could get dressed and go find some more.

    ¡°Stay still,¡± she said, rubbing my chest very gently with her hand, stroking my skin with her nails.

    ¡°I¡¯m moving out at first light,¡± I said.  ¡°I might be gone a few days.¡±

    ¡°By yourself?¡±  Her hand stopped moving.  ¡°Why so long?¡±

    ¡°Alec wants me to watch the pass, about a day¡¯s ride out.  I¡¯m only riding to the mountain, going up by foot to the ridge.  I¡¯ll camp there, watch the north plain, see who comes along.¡±

    ¡°There is still snow up there, on the peaks at least.  You¡¯ll freeze.¡± Her hand began to move again.

    ¡°Hmm.  True. I¡¯ll take heavy cloaks, blankets.  I know how to build a fire now. I¡¯ll be all right.¡±  In fact, I was turning out to be quite the outdoorsman.  Quite a turn of events for a city rat like me. I wasn¡¯t really going up the mountain though.

    ¡°It makes no sense,¡± Landria said after a bit of silence.  ¡°Alec has outlanders in all directions, delivering reports on troop movements.  Why waste a valuable resource like you up there?¡±

    She was right.  I was a valuable resource.

    ¡°Hmm.  Who knows.  Alec rarely consults me on anything anymore.¡±

    ¡°Why are you lying to me?¡±  Her hand stopped again. She sounded hurt.

    ¡°It¡¯s true.  He doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Not about that.  You¡¯re not going up the mountain.  If that were the case, you would have been complaining about it all evening.  You hate the cold.¡±

    Gods, how did she know me so well already?

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said.  ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just not supposed to talk about where I¡¯m going.  But I will be gone a few days, I think.¡±

    ¡°Do not lie to me, Rany.  That¡¯s all I ask. If you can¡¯t tell me something, just say so.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.  Just a habit, I guess.¡±

    ¡°I did not even ask if you were going on a scouting run.  You brought it up yourself!¡±

    ¡°All right.  I said I was sorry.  Fuck.¡±

    ¡°Are you really going alone?  Is that much true at least?¡±

    ¡°Back off, woman.  Jesus H. Outlander Christ.  I didn¡¯t even say I was going alone.  You asked me if I was and I did not deny it.¡±

    ¡°That is because you almost always do go alone.  So, are you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  Of course.¡±

    ¡°Seems so dangerous.¡±  The hand began moving again.

    ¡°Much safer that way really.  Alone, I can move quickly, quietly.¡±  I pondered my abilities for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m like a ghost.¡±

    She laughed.  ¡°You¡¯re very cocky.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true.  I¡¯m very good at sneaking around.  Always have been.¡±

    ¡°Just do not try sneaking around on me.¡±

    I chuckled uneasily.  All I needed was a jealous woman.  Here I thought she had been offering herself to me out of sheer generosity, perhaps out of sympathy after what had happened to Sammyl.  Perhaps she wanted more. Damn, but I am a fool.

    ¡°Gods, I wish I could fucking sleep, for once,¡± I complained.

    ¡°You wish for me to go?¡±

    ¡°No, no.  You¡¯re not the reason I can¡¯t sleep.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should continue what I was doing earlier?  That seemed to be working. You were going right to sleep on me.¡±

    ¡°Oh come on, I wasn¡¯t-¡°

    ¡°No, really.  I will not mind this time.  If that¡¯s what it takes. I am at your service, my Lord.¡±  The ¡°my Lord¡± sounded foreign on her tongue, but after that her tongue was busy doing other things, and I forgot everything.

    I didn¡¯t fall asleep, but it was worth the attempt.

    Landria woke me in similar fashion.  At last I had found a bit of sleep, with dreams that for the first time in awhile were not so bad.  It would have been quite nice to sleep until the afternoon, but at least Landria made getting up a more pleasant exercise.  She was gone from my tent by the time a soldier came to fetch me.

    ¡°Time to go,¡± the man said, not loud, but his voice breaking the peaceful stillness of the quiet morning.  ¡°Alec is ready to see you.¡±Stolen story; please report.

    I dressed in the cold dark and crawled out of my tent.  I wobbled through the large camp, still feeling the wine.

    Alec had a tent large enough to walk around in.  I was allowed in by the guard standing outside. Alec was alone.  Often Jade was by his side, but not always. I had learned that early morning for us was close to midday for Alec and Jade, but not for all outlanders.  Their world never failed to puzzle me.

    ¡°Hey Rany,¡± he said.  He sat at his table, a map spread across it.  It was a large map of Destra, markers on it indicating troop positions and movements.

    ¡°Morning,¡± I said, mouth dry.  I drank some water from my canteen.

    ¡°I think I found Falcon,¡± Alec said.  ¡°Right here.¡± He pointed to a marker on the map.  He paused, going blank for a minute. I waited, fidgeting.  Damn it, he had wanted me to get an early start, hadn¡¯t he? I still had to pack up my horse.

    He came back to life and moved Falcon¡¯s marker an inch.  Alec was able to get information in minutes or even seconds by some form of instant communication with his outlander comrades, who were scattered all about Destra.

    Jade had taught me how to read the maps.  Falcon was a two day ride to the southeast of us.  The markers represented a force half our size.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get him,¡± I said.  I would welcome the end of Falcon and Alec¡¯s obsession with him.

    Alec shook his head.  ¡°Too obvious. Smells like a trap.¡±

    I said nothing, not wanting to betray my irritation.  Alec would not hesitate to attack even when the odds were not so plainly in our favor.  He was all about bold strokes and aggression. With Falcon, he seemed unduly cautious.

    Alec said, ¡°He can bring reinforcements up the Prince, maybe even align himself with those three factions to the north that we haven¡¯t cleaned up yet.  Then to the west, there¡¯s Priell.¡± The small city of Priell was one of the points of arrival for new outlanders.

    Alec continued, ¡°He still has a reputation, could recruit a shitload of noobs, train them up real quick and bring them in to hit our western flank.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said.  Thankfully I never had to kiss Alec¡¯s arse and agree with him all the time.  Not that he ever heeded my advice anymore, but at least I could voice it. Right then in his tent, I had no idea about anything other than I needed to take a piss, maybe drink a bit of ale to chase off the developing hangover, and get my ass moving to wherever it was he wanted me to go.

    ¡°Take up a position twenty miles east or so of Priell,¡± Alec ordered.  ¡°That¡¯s just a few hours from here, for you.¡±

    I had taken to horses, to my surprise, and it turned out I was a quite decent rider.

    ¡°You¡¯ll know what to look for.  Once you have the intel, haul ass back.  If you see nothing significant in three days, head back.¡±

    Fuck, this sounded boring.  I would need plenty of wine.

    ¡°That¡¯s about it.  Any questions or anything?¡±

    ¡°No.  I got it.¡±

    ¡°Shit man.  You¡¯ve really turned out to be a fucking asset.  Hey, I hear you¡¯ve been banging some chick every night.  Waking up the whole camp and shit.¡± He laughed.

    I shrugged.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok. I don¡¯t give a shit.  You deserve it. Probably takes your mind off Sammyl too.¡±

    ¡°Alec, I really need to go piss.  I¡¯m fucking dying here.¡±

    ¡°Ok, ok.  Jesus Christ.  Just trying to make conversation.  Go on. I¡¯ll see you in a few days.

    I turned to go.

    ¡°Hey Rany,¡± he said.  ¡°Be careful out there.  Don¡¯t do anything fucking stupid.¡±

    I did something fucking stupid.

    Next afternoon I spotted fifty riders on horseback, coming my way.  I saw them at a good distance with my looking glass and watched them for awhile, sipping wine, not worried in the least.  I had found a perfect position on the crest of a good sized hill, could see for miles in every direction.

    I could get a good count and head back at my leisure.  They were barely enough in number to worry about, but Alec would want to know about them.

    Then, a few miles south of the riders I had been watching, I saw more of them, just specks out there, but heading in the same general direction, toward our army.  I looked at the closer group and began to make out the banner they carried. Jade had taught me to identify all the banners in the empire. This was the banner of Emiline, Queen of Konn.  They should not be here ¨C it violated some treaty or other with Destra and Queen Kemile.

    My instincts, damn them, told me I needed a bit of clarification before I headed back.  I didn¡¯t want to give Alec some half-assed report.

    There was a nice bit of forest below, which they would need to pass through.  I packed up and moved out. I rode down on Whisper, my horse, into the forest.  I tied her up to a small bit of brush, small enough so she could pull free and come to me if I whistled for her.  She was a damn good horse, very smart and loyal.

    I continued on foot and found a good hiding spot in the brush, where I waited.

    I heard them before I saw them.  They made no effort to keep quiet.

    I had misjudged where they would be riding, so I crept my way through the trees, getting closer and closer to them.  I did that until I was close enough to see the stitches on their clothing and hear individual conversations.

    I heard one say, ¡°I gotta log off by seven, I got some people coming over.¡±

    ¡°Seven?  It¡¯s eight now, what fucking time zone are you in?¡±

    ¡°Pacific, dumbass.  How many times have I told you that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.  Well, that¡¯s plenty of time.  Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    I could not wait to hear more of this riveting conversation, but then something happened.  I had gotten close enough to the men that they would be able to hear me if I sneezed. And of course, that is exactly what I did.

    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s in the trees.  Everyone stop! Shut the fuck up for a second!¡±

    They stopped.  They became quiet.

    I was quiet.  A dozen bows were pointed in my direction.

    Only the birds and squirrels chattered.

    ¡°What was it?  You sure you heard something?¡±

    ¡°Fuck yeah, I heard someone sneeze.  Warman, Neetles, go check it out. Right in there.¡±  He pointed almost directly at me.

    ¡°Guys!  Guys!¡± I yelled.  ¡°You got me! I¡¯m alone!  Chill the fuck out!¡±

    ¡°Who are you?  Come on out!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Death Rider!¡±  I yelled. ¡°I¡¯m just a noob.  I got lost. Gimme a break, ok?¡±  I was pretending to be an outlander.  Again.

    ¡°Come on out.  We won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    I made my way out.  I wanted to put my hands in the air, but an outlander wouldn¡¯t do that, so I just walked over to them casually, looking sheepish.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me,¡± I said, feeling the arrows pointed at me.  ¡°I just made this character. Took me an hour to get the facial features right.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you doing out here?  This is no place for noobs.¡±

    ¡°I know.  I just felt like exploring.  I¡¯m an idiot.¡±

    ¡°Dave, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°He seems ok.  Let him join us.  He can learn a few things.¡±

    ¡°You with a guild yet?¡± the leader asked me.

    ¡°No man, I literally just started playing.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d you end up here?  You generated in Priell, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  I just have been running around, checking shit out.  I have no idea where I am now.¡±

    ¡°You picked a bad place to wander.  There¡¯s a massive army not far from here that¡¯s been picking off noobs right and left.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I heard.  Alec something or other.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  He¡¯s a fucking asshole.  All right, hell, come with us if you want.  You¡¯re going to see some serious shit in about an hour.¡±

    ¡°Sounds fucking great,¡± I said.

    We started moving.

    ¡°Where you from, man?¡±  said the other outlander.  ¡°You got a bit of an accent.¡±

    ¡°New York,¡± I said.  ¡°But I¡¯m originally from Italy.¡±

    ¡°Italy?  You sound sort of British to me, not Italian.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said.  ¡°I hear that all the time.¡±

    ¡°You a Yankee fan?¡±

    ¡°Well, of course I am.¡±

    ¡°You catch the game last night?¡±

    ¡°No.  Afraid I missed it.¡±

    ¡°Think they¡¯ll beat Japan this year?¡±

    ¡°Ah well, you never know.¡±  I had no fucking idea what we were talking about.

    ¡°Hey Noob, what sport do the Yankees play?¡±

    ¡°Really, you have to ask me that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  I do.¡±

    ¡°Well that¡¯s an easy one.  They play the sport of GO FUCK YOURSELF!¡±  I took off running into the woods.

    Whisper rode like the wind.  She had at least two arrows in her but I rode her harder than I ever had, for far longer than I would have ordinarily dared.  I had an arrow in my back, the point coming through my abdomen. I took out a Healing potion, ripped off the cap with my teeth and downed it, just as the world was turning white.  I downed another potion in the same fashion. Colors returned to the world. The pain returned, but I was alive.

    Whisper galloped hard, hooves pounding the ground, her mouth frothing.  We had gained ground but I could hear them coming behind us. She did not slow, only ran faster, toward our camp.  I did not even need to steer her ¨C she knew where to go.

    They began to gain on us.  She was slowing. More arrows rained down.  I kept my head down, hugging Whisper, urging her on, my eyes watery.  From the wind. Whisper took another arrow somewhere and cried out in pain.

    Then Alec was in front of us, with the men.  Arrows flew over my head from both directions.  I reached my comrades, slowed Whisper and leapt off to join the fight.  For once my aim with the crossbow was true, and I downed one swordsman, then an archer, then a man with an ax.

    I grabbed a sword from a dead man and went to rush in, but someone grabbed me and pulled me down.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost over,¡± Landria whispered in my ear.  ¡°No need for you to die. Not today. We need to get these arrows out.¡±  I had more than one arrow in me, turns out.

    Alec and the men mopped up.  Alec used his special sword on the two outlander men I had chatted with earlier.

    Jade removed the arrows and there was a lot of pain, but she healed me up.

    The men cheered me and clapped me on the back for my good work.  We had just taken out fifty men. I told Jade about the ones to the west, but she said we already had eyes on them.  They were in full retreat.

    The pursuit had fouled up the enemy general¡¯s plan.  Seeing the advantage lost, the southern army was withdrawing as well.

    I found Whisper lying on her side.  I stroked her thick fur and mane one last time.  It was too late to comfort her. She had died while I joined the fracas, perhaps moments after I leapt off her.  From the injuries or exhaustion from running too fast and long, I do not know.

    She was a good horse though.

    The last thing I remember from that day is Landria taking me back to her tent.  I drank a good bit after that.

 CHAPTER 19: THE FRONTIER

    MONTH OF THE FORGE, FOURTH TENDAY, 3rd or 4th day, 767 KD

    My platoon had nearly finished its patrol when we spotted the barbarian camp.

    We were deep into the Frontier. It was a hostile land, teeming with raiders. Experience had taught us a hard lesson about these people who called the Frontier home. They knew the land, moved about it with quick and quiet efficiency, and they were savage fighters who loved and lived for battle. They fought with each other. They attacked us on sight. They were known to slaughter entire settlements if they failed to exercise vigilance. We could not bargain or reason with them. Brute force was all they respected.

    They lived off the land, moving from place to place without ever settling down. The land itself was harsh and unwelcoming ¨C hot, rainy, alien land, where wild beasts and swarms of insects thrived. Man, beast and insect all intent on attacking us at will, hoping to break our will and drive us back.

    We were east of Shadrol, nearly as far south as Mukan. We were close enough to catch glimpses of the Beast River, which from what I could see of its rapids, was aptly named.

    I sent Farley to scout after we spotted a campfire, a quarter mile away. The rest of us hunkered down, drinking water, wetting our faces, necks and bare chests. The sun was setting at last, the sweltering air beginning to cool, but the men were sweat drenched and exhausted. We were ready to go home. In an hour we would rejoin the battalion and camp for the night. Tomorrow evening we would be back at Freejack, our home base. For two weeks we had been wandering the bush, sweeping for enemies. Sometimes we found them. Other times they found us. A half dozen minor skirmishes and one major battle had ensued. The battalion had emerged victorious but down in strength, my platoon down from twenty to fifteen. We had lost our mage and our platoon leader, Atler. I was acting platoon leader now.

    Farley returned, coming out of the thicket. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get an exact count,¡± he whispered. ¡°Looked like about thirty.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve made camp for the night?¡± I asked.

    Farley nodded. ¡°Tents set up. Cookfires going. They must have seen the rest of the battalion bug out and assumed we had all left.¡±

    Shaker said, ¡°Too many. I say we head back and call it a day. The major is expecting us back soon.¡±

    ¡°We have the surprise to our advantage. We can eliminate them. Let¡¯s go, quietly. Farley, you take point.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?¡± Shaker said. ¡°There are thirty of them. The damn patrol is over. Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°This is not a discussion. I command this unit. You will follow my order.¡±

    Farley stared at me as if he might go for his sword, but I stared him down until he broke eye contact and shook his head, grumbling. He fell into line.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    The barbarians were camped in the middle of a large clearing, far from the trees that concealed my unit. I halted the platoon just near the edge of the wood and made a plan.

    We waited for the last glimmer of twilight, watching them. They had a very large fire, which would hamper their night vision. I instructed the men not to look at the fire, to keep our vision sharp.

    Farley had been off on the count. There were forty of them, men and women, all experienced warriors. But they were off their guard, feasting and relaxing. That and our element of surprise would even the fight and I hoped tilt the odds in our favor.

    I waited, cursing to myself that there were not more of the raiders, enough to justify turning back. Our mission was to clear raiders, and this was an opportunity to do so.

    I moved first. The barbarian sentry was walking about, more alert than I would have liked. I crawled toward him, slow but steady, my knife ready. The wind was blowing toward me, a good thing. At last, the barbarian turned, looking out in the other direction, to my left. Within two span, I knew I was close enough. I leapt up and lunged at him with my knife, slashing his throat before he could cry out. He bled quietly and fell. Behind me, half the platoon began shooting arrows at the camp while the other half moved in. I switched knife for sword and moved in at a crouch. I targeted a cluster of four enemies and went at them hard and fast before they could even move for their weapons, my sword whistling and cutting through flesh and organs.

    We cut their number down fast, but they recovered. They found their weapons and regained their senses to fight back, hard. Keyla and Whitney hit their tents with well aimed arrows lit with fire. Chaos and flames engulfed the night. The cacophony of battle had shattered the quiet peace ¨C shouts, battle cries, screams all around.

    Farley and Jane took their squads around them in the dark and flanked them.

    All was going to plan, and then I felt a blow to my head. The world went black.

    ¡°Wake up, Sergeant. Come on. Don¡¯t die on us.¡±

    ¡°Gernier,¡± I croaked.

    ¡°Easy. Drink this.¡±

    Gernier put a vial to my lips and I drank the bitter potion.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. You took a good hit to the head ¨C maybe a club or hammer, who knows. You were right in the middle of the camp, savages all around you. You must have killed a dozen of them before they got you. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. Shaker pulled you out just in time ¨C wouldn¡¯t believe that if I hadn¡¯t seen for myself.¡±

    ¡°Shaker ¨C where is he?¡±

    ¡°Dead.¡±

    I sat up. My ears rang and my head hurt like hell. The potions saved lives but never seemed to do much for pain.

    ¡°How many did we lose?¡±

    ¡°We lost nine, Sergeant.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± That was half the platoon. My stomach twisted and I wanted to vomit.

    ¡°We killed sixty of them.¡±

    ¡°Sixty?¡±

    ¡°There were more in the tents than we¡¯d thought. They fought well. Gods, these barbarian bastards are tough.¡±

    ¡°Any prisoners?¡±

    Gernier¡¯s silence answered the question.

    ¡°Call the men together. We need to move out. The battalion is expecting us back.¡±

 CHAPTER 20: LEONIS

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF RUBY

    I forced myself to watch as a woman was hanged for petty thievery.  Her body jerked and spasmed. She seemed to look right at me just before they released the trapdoor beneath her feet.  I brushed away tears as those around me cheered ¨C not all, but enough to make me question all of humanity. Bile rose up into my mouth.  I had to swallow it back down and force my head clear. The one useful thing Sanctuary taught was the clearing of the mind, mastering one¡¯s thoughts.

    Someone brushed past me and a hand touched mine.  The folded parchment in my hand was taken and replaced by another.  I never looked at the person.

    I no longer met my contacts at the Temple.  They believed it was compromised. A few weeks ago they had told me they thought I might have someone watching me, but could not be sure.  How comforting. We did not alter routine after that, but remained as cautious as ever. Then my favorite contact disappeared. I was told by another, the leper, that she had simply vanished, presumed captured, likely tortured and killed.  The next week, another contact, the old woman, told me that the body was found in the street, mutilated, unspeakable things done to her.

    After that, we met at the gallows on Hanging Day.  No more verbal conversation, only notes, written in code.

    I still went to the Temple for three hours each Temple Day.  No variation from before. I had to assume I was being watched.

    It was a beautiful day.  Blue sky with fluffy white clouds floating above, the sun warm on the skin, the occasional breeze lovely and cool.

    Birds sang and cavorted and swans swam in the lake, oblivious to the brutality of men.

    A man hanged in front of my eyes.  He had attacked an Imperial Guard, if one believed that.  He was a scrawny, weak looking fellow with dirty white hair.  He begged and cried pitifully, the death throes almost a mercy.

    At last it was over.  No one was spared by the Empress today.  The lord gave a short, stern speech about following the law, his tone warning.

    Before turning away to move along with the departing crowd, I saw myself on the gallows.  I banished the thought and made my feet move. I had no illusions. My fate of hanging like these poor souls today was an eventual certainty.  And the Empress would not spare me. Or perhaps I would share the fate of my contact whose mangled body was found in the wet cobblestone street.

    I had plead in previous notes to be removed from this assignment, sent to where I could be of better use. I did believe my spying was accomplishing nothing, but a cold fear motivated the request more than anything.

    But then the following week I received a reply that steeled my nerve.  The note told me that Moroso bore responsibility for the fate of my father.

    I walked as slowly as I could back to Sanctuary, trying to enjoy every precious moment of sunshine, despite being eager to read the note tucked between my breasts.

    Too soon, Sanctuary loomed in sight and I joined the line of students re-entering.  I wore Apprentice robes now. There had been changes in the Order. Bishop Stromly passed away ¨C from old age, they said ¨C and Cleric Renauld had risen to Bishop.  Renauld was summoned by the Empress and shortly after that the changes began. Applicants became Initiates and a number of Initiates were risen to Apprentice. I was an Initiate for merely three weeks before being risen to Apprentice.  Now I spent long hours toiling over scrolls and enchanting objects. A welcome change after the drudgery of mixing potions and the absolute boredom of prayer and meditation, but even this new activity had grown monotonous.

    Inside, Sanctuary was cold, dark and dank.

    I made a trip to the privy, my only means of privacy in Sanctuary.

    I removed the parchment from my robe and peered in candlelight at the coded message.

    The code was simple enough that I could unravel the message in my head in the minutes of privacy that the privy afforded.

    This message contained just four words.

    Stay course.

    H alive.

    Handice was alive!  My heart raced as I burned the parchment in the candle flame, then dropped the blackened remains into the privy hole.

    Not that I would ever see him again, but good to know he was alive, for now.

    I was the last of the Apprentices to reach our work chamber, which earned a frown from Servant Emil.  I got to work, feeling better than I had in some time. The chamber was brighter than usual from the sunlight coming through the windows.

    ¡°Sister Ruby,¡± Emil said to me.

    ¡°Yes brother?¡±  I was busy with a small dagger, placing an enchantment on it that would make it far more lethal than an ordinary blade.

    ¡°When you finish that, you are to make the delivery to Leonis.¡±

    ¡°But I went yesterday, Brother.¡±

    ¡°Are you questioning my order, Sister?¡±

    ¡°No.  Of course not.¡±

    ¡°Good.  You will make the deliveries each day from now going forward.  It is Leonis¡¯s request.¡±

    Emil moved on.

    The skin on my arms crawled.  As much as I enjoyed any opportunity to leave Sanctuary, Leonis was a repulsive man.  Yesterday he had leered at me openly, not even trying to hide it. One could almost hear the perverse thoughts running through his vile mind.

    I considered taking more time than usual, but the lunch hour neared.  I would scarcely have time to make the delivery and return for my meal.  My stomach rumbled. I had picked at my breakfast, my appetite never good on Hanging Day.  Somehow it had returned.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Down the streets I directed Stump, the mule, pulling the cart of items.  Two guards walked with me, probably unnecessary in Meridea for someone wearing Sanctuary white and conducting Sanctuary business.  But I was transporting items worth a great deal of gold.

    The guards were friendly enough with me and I to them, glad to talk about ordinary things with ordinary people, even if it was meaningless chatter about the nice weather.

    Of course there were rumors and gossip as well, always useful to catch up on.

    Destra and Konn were squabbling again, the sister queens squawking at each other.  It happened nearly every year. The sisters despised each other so much that they would sometimes bring their armies to blows.  The armies, it was rumored, would not fight wholeheartedly, but would stall for time until forces from the Empress arrived to intervene, bringing mild sanctions on both countries.  These two guards voiced that opinion, expressing pity for the soldiers stuck in those armies.

    The conversation turned to the Outlanders.  The Swords of the Empress were faring well in all countries with the possible exception of Ariea, which as usual word traveled slowly from.  There were few outlanders there anyway. No waypoint existed there for them to enter our world. I knew this from Trang, but of course I did not voice it.

    The dark expressions on the guards¡¯ faces when speaking of outlanders suggested they would like to see every one of them driven from the Empire.

    I had to chase away thoughts of these two fairly nice young men being among those who would escort me to the gallows, and how differently they would behave toward me then, not laughing and talking as if I were one of them, not casting me the occasional hopeful gaze I sometimes received from young men.

    Talk of outlanders ceased when we entered the shop of Leonis.

    An outlander was inside, conducting business with the fat merchant.

    ¡°A hundred gold for that thing?¡± the outlander demanded.  ¡°You¡¯re out of your damn mind. I¡¯ll give you fifty.¡±

    ¡°One hundred.  That¡¯s my final offer.¡±  Leonis grinned, showing his foul mouthful of blackening teeth.  I looked elsewhere.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± said the outlander.  He took an amulet from his satchel and put it around his neck.

    Leonis rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Forty,¡± said the outlander.

    ¡°The fuck are you thinking?¡±  Leonis exploded in laughter, the rotting teeth on full display.  ¡°Are you new here?  That amulet¡¯s not going to work on me!  I probably sold it to someone right here in this shop!¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Now the price is one hundred or you can get the fuck out of my shop.  I have business to conduct with this lovely lady.¡± He nodded at me, leering again, his tongue nearly falling out of his fat mouth.

    ¡°You drive a very hard bargain, sir.¡±  The outlander handed over the coins and Leonis handed him a small ring that was probably worth ten gold at best.

    ¡°Anything else you want to buy?¡± Leonis asked the man, who seemed to be one of the slow outlanders that took forever to do anything.  ¡°Don¡¯t go ¡®AFK¡¯ in my store! You¡¯re taking up valuable space!¡±

    ¡°I was told you hire people to do jobs from time to time.¡±

    Leonis eyes flitted toward the guards.  ¡°You were told wrong! I am but a simple shopkeeper!  If there¡¯s nothing else, please, get out! I¡¯ve got a pretty young lady waiting for me.¡±

    The outlander left, looking a bit sheepish.  So strange, these people. A different outlander might have put a sword through the fat man for his insolent attitude.  I almost would have welcomed it.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what we have here.¡±  Leonis rubbed his hands together and licked his lips, walking over to the cart and inspecting the goods.  ¡°These were all tested for defects, yes? I cannot sell defective goods ¨C my reputation is impeccable.¡±

    ¡°I do not know, sir.  I am simply delivering them to you.¡±

    ¡°You crafted these, did you not?¡±  He fingered some amulets and the dagger I had worked on earlier.

    ¡°Some of them, not all.  I am not supposed to discuss the crafting process, beg pardon.¡±

    ¡°Of course, how silly of me.  Well it looks like all that I ordered is here.  Tell me, how many of your items are being delivered to the other shops in Meridea?¡±

    ¡°I do not know.¡±

    ¡°If you could find that out, darling, I could make it worth your while.¡±  He grinned lewdly, the blackened teeth just a foot or two away from me as he drew near and touched my arm.

    It was all I could do not to jerk away.

    ¡°If you are satisfied with your inspection sir¡ª¡°

    ¡°I can be a powerful friend to have, my dear.¡±

    ¡°That sounds lovely.  Sir, I am sorry, but I really need to complete this delivery and be on my way.  Sanctuary expects me to return without delay.¡±

    ¡°Of course, dear.  Here, have your men bring the merchandise inside and I will go get the money.¡±

    The guards helped me move the enchanted items and potions from the cart to the shop.  Leonis told us where to put everything. He handed me a large sack clinking with coins.

    ¡°That¡¯s 25,000,¡± Leonis said, affecting an air of nonchalance.  ¡°Count it if you like.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.  We must be going now, sir.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Beautiful.  See you tomorrow!¡±

    I returned in time for the last few minutes of the Midday meal.  A cook handed me my plate of cheese, apple and stale bread, with a disapproving scowl as if it were any of his business why I was late.  He needed a reminder of who was an Apprentice and who an Applicant.

    I ate quickly and drank my water, longing for wine or ale.  Spirits were forbidden in Sanctuary. They interfered with Enlightenment, they said.  In my opinion they had it backwards.

    When I returned to Chambers, there was good news for once.  Brother Bastile had requested my assistance. Excused from my regular work, I walked happily down the long winding corridors to Bastile¡¯s chambers.

    ¡°Come in, Ruby,¡± he said at once.  ¡°Please, sit.¡±

    Bastile¡¯s office was warmly decorated and had soft cowhide furniture that was quite comfortable, for Sanctuary.  Bastile did not look like a Scholar. He was in his middle years but looked youthful. He was fit and muscular and always had a glint of humor in his eye.  So far, he was the only person I could tolerate in Sanctuary.

    ¡°How has your day been?¡± he asked politely.

    ¡°Fine, sir.¡±

    ¡°First, do not call me ¡®sir.¡¯  I care nothing for decorum, you know that.  Second, when I ask a question, it is not to invite mindless chatter.  I want a real answer. A truthful one.¡±

    ¡°It actually has been a fine day, Bastile.¡±

    ¡°Much better.  And why has it been fine?¡±

    ¡°I got to leave Sanctuary.  Twice. And the weather is lovely.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.  Twice? I know it is Hanging Day ¨C gods, you went to the gallows?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You are that desperate to get outside?  You don¡¯t actually enjoy the hangings, do you?¡±

    ¡°Gods, no.¡±

    He had a way of extracting truth from me.  I reminded myself to exercise caution. I could never let my guard down, even among friends, which I felt Bastile was becoming.

    He said, ¡°I did not think so.  Many do. Ghastly practice if you ask me.  What was the reason for your second outing?¡±

    ¡°I made a delivery to a merchant.¡±

    ¡°Ah.  Well that is not so bad.  You even got to see the city a bit then.  Always good.¡±

    ¡°It was.¡±  I did not mention Leonis.  I saw no need and preferred not to think or talk about the crude man.

    ¡°I want your help with a new project.  You are perfectly suited for it, it so happens.  You can say no, of course, but I must have your word that whether you accept or refuse, you will not speak about it to anyone else.  Sound fair?¡±

    ¡°Yes, fair enough,¡± I said, quite curious now.

    ¡°I am writing a book about the Outlander world.¡±

 CHAPTER 21: FREETOWN

    ¡°Wake up!  Wake up! Please!¡±  Tamara prodded Falcon¡¯s lifeless body with urgency.  ¡°Jason! Come back to me!¡±

    Tamara and Falcon were in hilly grasslands, somewhere on the Frontier, east of Shadrol.  Five riders approached from the distant horizon, drawing ever closer. They rode directly toward them.

    Tamara sat back and waited.  She took a long, thin knife and concealed it in the sleeve of her robe.  She and Falcon both wore plain, drab robes of low quality cloth. They were coarse and itchy, and she sweated in the hot sun.

    The men galloped toward them, halting just short of running them over.

    ¡°Hello there!¡±  The riders were bare-chested, wore animal skin legging and boots.  No armor, but all five carried weapons. The lead rider held a crossbow, not pointed directly at her but in her general direction.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Tamara said.

    ¡°I¡¯m Meecham.  This is my land.  Something wrong with your man there?¡±

    ¡°He will be all right.  It is just the heat, I think.¡±

    ¡°He don¡¯t look all right.  Ryjec, get down and take a look.¡±

    ¡°No, please, he is fine-¡°

    ¡°I ain¡¯t asking your permission, lady.¡±

    Ryjec dismounted and strode over, stepping right by Tamara and kneeling over Falcon.

    ¡°He ain¡¯t breathing!¡±

    ¡°Is he dead?¡± Meecham asked Tamara.

    ¡°No, he is not.¡±

    Ryjec said, ¡°He don¡¯t quite look dead!  He¡¯s still warm too.  Something ain¡¯t right.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an outlander,¡± Meecham said.

    ¡°Oh, no!¡±  Tamara protested.  ¡°He is not! He is my husband!  We have been married five years now.  We are travelers, from River City, in Friedor.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.  Are you an outlander, too?¡±

    ¡°No.  No, I am not.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±  The man sneered at her, showing a mouthful of jagged, brown teeth.

    ¡°Please.  I have a little bit of gold.  You can take it¡­¡±

    ¡°Search her, Ryjec!¡±

    Ryjec jerked her to her feet and ran his hands over her roughly.  He found the knife and tossed it to the ground. His hands lingered when he searched around her breasts.

    ¡°My coin purse is on the ground, right over there,¡± she said.

    Finding nothing on her person, Ryjec threw Tamara to the ground.  He picked up the coin purse and made a quick count. ¡°About a hundred gold here!¡±

    ¡°He is an outlander,¡± Meecham said.  ¡°There is more gold than that. Search him.¡±

    Ryjec did as he was told.  He found Falcon¡¯s sword first.  ¡°Good gods.  Look at this!¡±

    ¡°I claim that.  Keep searching.¡±

    ¡°Should I take his head first?  So he doesn¡¯t wake up?¡±

    ¡°No.  Do not kill him.  He will resurrect elsewhere and no longer be any use to us.  Keep searching him.¡±

    Ryjec opened Falcon¡¯s robe, revealing his armor, which reflected in the sun and nearly glowed silver.  All five of the men made noises of excitement.

    Strapped to Falcon¡¯s armored belly were several satchels and coin purses.

    ¡°Damn the gods, it¡¯s a fortune!¡±

    ¡°Tie him up.  Tie him good. Jerek, tie the girl up and put her on your horse.  We¡¯re taking them both with us.¡±

    ¡°Why him?¡± Jarek said.  ¡°We got the money. We got the girl.  Why do we need him?¡±

    ¡°I want to talk to him.¡±

    ¡°He ain¡¯t gonna talk to us!¡±

    ¡°We shall see.  The girl seems to care a lot for him.  Maybe he feels the same for her. Maybe he don¡¯t want to see what we do to her if he don¡¯t feel like talkin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to talk.¡±  Falcon sat up.

    Ryjec jerked backward in surprise but recovered his senses and held the blade of the sword ¨C Falcon¡¯s sword ¨C to his throat.

    ¡°First,¡± Falcon told the leader.  ¡°I want you to tell that ugly fuck over there to take his hands off the lady.  Next, I want this asshole to give me my sword back. Then we can talk all you want.¡±

    Meecham smiled.  ¡°You are hardly in a position to make demands.  Let me tell you what¡¯s going to¡ª¡°

    He was interrupted as Falcon moved in a blur, picking up Ryjec and throwing him fifteen feet through the air, directly at the leader.  Meecham moved back on the horse and Ryjec hit the ground in a twisted heap. Before he could recover and aim his crossbow, Meecham was engulfed in flames and screaming.

    Falcon went next for Jarek, not even bothering to pick up his sword.  Jarek came at him, swinging his axe at Falcon¡¯s chest with all his might.  Falcon did not block or dodge the blow and it hit him with a loud thunk, glancing off the armor.  Falcon did not miss a step. He delivered a single blow with his bare fist and the big man dropped.  Falcon picked up the axe and threw it at another man that was charging. The blade struck true and the man died.

    Less than five seconds had passed and four men were down.  Meecham¡¯s horse had flung its burning rider off and bolted in a panic.

    The remaining rider stared for a moment, frozen.  The he turned his horse around and galloped away.

    Falcon picked up his longbow.  He took his time aiming as the man fled.  He loosed the arrow and watched as it flew.  It struck the fleeing rider in the back of the skull.  He toppled off the horse, which continued to run.

    ¡°Close your eyes, Tamara.¡±

    Falcon picked up his sword.  He finished off Jarek. Ryjec was already dead from a broken neck.

    ¡°Ok, you can open them now.¡±

    ¡°I never closed them.  Jason, my love¡­what in the fuck just happened?¡±

    ¡°Well, I killed a few men.  And we got ourselves a couple horses.¡±

    They rode for some time and saw no one.

    They stopped to let the horses rest.

    Tamara ate a small meal from the rations they had brought.

    ¡°How are you on food?¡± Falcon asked.

    ¡°There is plenty for a few more days, at least.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hunt something for you tonight.  Those woods up ahead look like a good place to stop for the night.¡±

    ¡°Will they be safe?  I have heard stories about the beasts out here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been reading up on them.  Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep watch while you sleep.  I can handle anything out here.¡±

    ¡°You will need to sleep again at some point.¡±

    ¡°I know.  I¡¯m trying to figure out a system.  I¡¯ll turn my speakers up. If I¡¯m out, and there¡¯s trouble, just yell right in my ear, as loud as you can.  That¡¯ll wake me up.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°It did not work earlier.¡±

    ¡°I know.  I wasn¡¯t sleeping.  I had to go out for a bit.  It took longer than I thought.  I should have told you ¨C I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Do you hear that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  Sounds like thunder.  Doesn¡¯t look like rain though¡ª¡°

    ¡°Look!¡±

    More men came on horses, dozens of them, galloping hard in their direction.

    ¡°Shit.  Let¡¯s get the fuck out of here.¡±

    They rode as fast as the horses would go, back in the direction they had come from.

    Falcon yelled, ¡°That wooded area we passed earlier, we¡¯ll head to that, lose them there!¡±

    But more riders appeared ahead of them, another two dozen of them, closing in fast.

    ¡°Fuck!  This way!¡±

    They turned south, but it was no use.  The two forces began to converge on them from both sides.

    They stopped, staying on their horses.  Falcon did not draw his sword but kept his hand on the hilt.

    The two armies halted, each about a hundred meters away.

    A single rider moved off from the eastern group and approached at an easy trot.  Her sword was not drawn. She wore a uniform that looked familiar to Falcon.

    She halted a dozen meters away, at a careful and respectful distance but close enough to speak to them.

    ¡°Are you both outlanders?¡± she asked Falcon.  ¡°Or just you?¡±

    ¡°Neither of us are.  We are travelers¡ª¡°

    ¡°We saw you earlier.  When you killed the barbarians.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°What is your name and guild, please.¡±

    Falcon hesitated, then sighed.  ¡°I¡¯m Mister Falcon. No guild.¡±

    The woman stared at him.  She suddenly looked as if she wanted to flee.

    ¡°Falcon is in Destra,¡± she said finally.  ¡°Leading an army.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.  The army¡¯s still there.  I¡¯m here. I¡¯m leaving Friedor, for good.  Trang has no need to worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Wait just a sec,¡± the woman said.  Falcon suddenly realized she was an outlander.

    ¡°Trang wants to talk to you,¡± the woman said after a few moments.  ¡°He invites you to come with us back to Freejack, our base here. No harm will come to you, and we offer a warm meal for the lady.  It is only a request. If you don¡¯t wish to come, we will let you pass.¡±

    Falcon considered it.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked Tamara.

    ¡°We never had any problems with Trang,¡± Tamara said.  ¡°He¡¯s certainly no friend of Roane. What is the saying you told me once ¨C ¡®the enemy of your enemy¡­¡¯¡±

    Falcon nodded.  ¡°Ok,¡± he told the woman. ¡°Why not.¡±

    Freejack was still referred to as a settlement but had the look of a thriving township. It had a carefully designed system of dirt roads.  Buildings everywhere, either newly built or in the building process, men working at this very moment like ants, everywhere. There was a barracks, a town hall, an inn, a tavern, and several shops.  It was surrounded by walls three meters high, with fifty meter towers in each corner. In one open area, Falcon saw machines being constructed ¨C catapults and siege engines, and other things he could not identify.

    Michael Trang came out to meet Falcon, one soldier by his side.

    They shook hands.

    ¡°Welcome to Freejack.  What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Very impressive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not Glen Falls, but¡­.we¡¯re getting there.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with it.  I¡¯m actually glad to see you¡¯re still around.¡±

    ¡°Mandy tells me you¡¯re leaving Friedor.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I guess I wore out my welcome.  Time to find someplace new. Bastoya is starting to sound good.  Much quieter there.¡±

    ¡°Bastoya?  You know how far away that is?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°It could take weeks to get there.  Hard travel for the woman.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to stay with us for a few days?  I¡¯d like to show you what we¡¯re doing here, maybe pick your brain for ideas.¡±

    ¡°Sure.  Thanks. Just for a day maybe.  Then we¡¯ve got to move on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to stay as long as you like.¡±

    UNDATED EXCERPT FROM THE JOURNAL OF HANDICE

    I leaned against the barracks, watching Trang meet the other outlander, Falcon.  Falcon had saved my life in Crille, but he had his own motives for doing that. Cochran had told me to keep an eye on the meeting and watch his back, and so I did.

    The two outlanders walked off together and Cochran left Trang¡¯s side.  He walked over to me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get a fucking drink,¡± Cochran said.

    We had a small bar set up in the barracks.  We called it Sarge¡¯s, in honor of the now deceased sergeant who had started it up.

    We found Farley sitting at the bar.

    ¡°Hey Handice,¡± he said.  He nodded at Cochran. ¡°Captain.¡±

    I went around the bar to fetch beer and whiskey for Cochran and me.  There was no barkeep. Put a shot and beer bottle in front of Cochran and stayed behind the bar.  I liked being barkeep.

    ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± Cochran asked.

    ¡°Budweiser,¡± I said.  ¡°Outlander beer. Very popular with them.  The whiskey is also an outlander brand. Jack Daniels.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck is the world coming to?¡±

    ¡°It gets the job done,¡± I said.

    ¡°Heard some excitement earlier,¡± Farley said.

    ¡°Just how long have you been sitting here drinking, Farley?¡± Cochran demanded.

    ¡°It was nothing,¡± I said.  ¡°We have an outlander visitor.  Mister Falcon.¡±

    ¡°Who the fuck is that?¡±

    ¡°Probably the most dangerous outlander in all Friedor.¡±

    ¡°Fuck him.  I could take him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see that, Farley,¡± Cochran laughed.

    ¡°What makes him so dangerous?  He have an army?¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.¡±  I drank. ¡°Do you know Georges, from Charlie Company?¡±

    ¡°Sure.  Good man.¡±

    ¡°Georges was tracking a band of raiders earlier.  Saw them ride up on a woman, out in the open. Next to the woman was a man, who was lying still.  He looked like he was dead, asleep or hurt ¨C Georges could not tell. He watched the barbarians come up, rough the woman up a bit, the man just lying there, still.  Well, Georges took the looking glass away from his eye for a moment, to rub his eyes. When he looked again, four of the barbarians were dead and the last one fleeing.  Georges watched the man who¡¯d been lying down moments before shoot the man in the neck, at a distance of a hundred span.¡±

    ¡°Gods.  That man was Falcon?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not as dumb as I thought, Farley!¡± Cochran said.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said.  ¡°That was Falcon.¡±

    I saw by Farley''s face that the message had gotten through.  By nightfall every soldier in Freejack would know who Falcon was and that he was not to be trifled with.

    ¡°All right, guys,¡± Cochran said.  ¡°Enough of this bullshit. We need to talk about this unit Trang has asked me to put together.  Since pickings for good soldiers are so laughably slim around here, I¡¯m starting to fear that I might have to ask you two jesters to be on it.¡±

    Later, I filled a flask of wine and went for a walk.  In the center of the camp we had prison cells. We did not have a whole lot of prisoners, but we had one that was of some interest to me.

    She had a private cell, away from the others.

    Murphy was guarding her.  I told him to take a break.

    ¡°Hello, Sergeant,¡± she greeted me.  She was always unfailingly polite.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Please do not embarrass me by using my former title.  Call me Varina.¡±

    She was a stunning woman, with long hair down her back, red and gold like fire, eyes of light brown, a strong beautiful face, perfect in shape, her skin smooth.  She still looked like a queen, and probably always would.

    ¡°I am sorry,¡± I said.  ¡°It is a habit, I suppose.  Not that I have ever spoken to a queen.¡±

    ¡°You do not speak to a queen now.  You keep coming to see me. I¡¯m beginning to think you are falling in love with me.¡±

    My face hardened.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.  ¡°It was just a joke, truly.  I meant no offense.¡±

    ¡°We should begin anew,¡± I said.  I drank wine from the flask, thought for a moment, and offered her some.

    She took it and drank, not seeming to care that my peasant lips had touched it.  She grimaced. ¡°That is awful.¡±

    ¡°It is not our best,¡± I agreed.

    ¡°Why is it you wish to see me?¡± She seemed genuinely curious.

    ¡°I wish to learn about the world.¡±

    ¡°Well.  We may need quite a bit more wine for that.  Where would you like me to begin?¡±

    ¡°How did you become queen of Fedra?¡±

    She laughed without mirth.  ¡°That in itself will require many flasks of that terrible wine.¡±

    ¡°A more simple question perhaps.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    ¡°How did you become our enemy?  Why did you declare war on us? Why declare war when your army is unprepared?  I do not mean offense, madame.¡±

    ¡°No.  It¡¯s all right.  No reason to make any pretenses about where my decisions led me.  Sergeant, you follow an Outlander. Surely you have seen how dangerous these people are, to my kingdom, to our empire, to the entire world.  Trang became an enemy of Friedor when he took Glen Falls. Why Elyscia did not act, I do not know. But the moment I became queen, I felt it was my duty to declare war immediately.¡±

    ¡°You believe I am a traitor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sergeant.  Are you not a traitor to the Empire?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Do you have regrets about that?¡±

    ¡°Some,¡± I admitted.  Nobody wants to be a traitor.  I thought of Shirin Mills, my family.  But then I thought of Ruby and nearly crushed the flask with my left hand.  And I looked at my stump where my right hand should be.  It had been taken from me for no good reason, by a man who thought he was my better, who cut off my hand just because he could.  I took a drink.

    Varina was watching me carefully.  ¡°Some regrets, but you would do it all again?¡±

    ¡°Without hesitation.¡±

    ¡°You are being honest with me, so I will be honest with you, Handice.  I will never leave here alive in any event. All my life, I was sworn to my oaths.  First oath to the Empress, second to my queen. Every word that passed my lips conveyed assurances of loyalty to both.  But I betrayed my queen, Elyscia. And given the right opportunity, I might have betrayed Analisa.¡±

    I was a bit startled that she spoke of the Empress by name.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said.  ¡°Analisa. She is just a woman.  A person like you or me. Brilliant and conniving, yes.  But human.¡±

    ¡°You do not fear her?¡±

    ¡°Oh gods, I fear her more than anyone or anything.  One would be a fool not to. Fear is not a weakness.  A complete absence of fear is.¡±

    ¡°Do you know Griffin Roane?¡±

    ¡°I know of him.  He never made enough of an impression for me to take notice, truth be told.¡±

    ¡°He did this to me.¡±  I held up my right arm.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°I swore to serve Trang for two years.  I will serve the two years, or until the day comes when his army is no more. When that day comes, if I am alive, I am going to find Roane, and I am going to kill him.¡±

 CHAPTER 22: DIPLOMACY

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    Falcon¡¯s army made the mistake of drawing too close, as if taunting us.

    Alec did nothing for days.  I began to think he was tiring of battle.

    One morning, before first light, he readied some men for a patrol.  Said he would lead it himself. I thought he must be getting bored. I watched as they rode off to the south.  Alec had instructed me to remain at camp. I had no idea why. My injuries were long healed. I missed Whisper, but I had a new horse.  Not as fast, not as smart, but no horse was.

    Jade appeared some time later, meandering about the camp for a bit, then taking her own patrol to meet up with Alec.  Another outlander, Kano Sabe, showed up some time after that, striding about in that imperious outlander way, even though he was pretty much a noob.  He led another contingent out.

    Soon most of our army was out on this patrol.

    I began thinking about joining the fun, but they returned, most of them anyway, dirty and bloody from battle.  They had just eliminated Falcon¡¯s army.

    Alec was not satisfied.  Falcon had not been among them.  His men did not know where he was ¨C had not seen him in days.  Two men named Beecher and Wardok had been commanding the army. Wardok was a renegade mage, so he was executed on the spot.  Beecher was kept alive for a time. He was tortured a bit until we were convinced he really had no idea where his master was.  He seemed to believe Falcon would never be coming back.

    This did not sit well with Alec, who would probably never be convinced.  Had to be a trick, he kept saying. Gods, this obsession was growing unhealthy.

    We had new problems in the following days.  Queen Emiline¡¯s army from Konn was still wandering about Destra.  Queen Kemile sent her own army out to confront them. Our army was in between .

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Landria asked me.  I had risen early and was fussing over my clothes, like my mother had when I was a boy.

    ¡°Thought I¡¯d make some kind of effort to look respectable today.  We¡¯ve got fucking queens coming into camp.¡±

    Landria burst into laughter loud enough to wake the whole damn camp.

    ¡°What the fuck is so funny?¡±

    ¡°You think Emiline and Kemile are going to be here?  Honey, they are, at this moment, nestled in their soft beds in their fortified castles, cozied up next to whatever lovers they have taken this week, not to leave their beds until after midday and only then for their hot baths and massages.  They send their generals to do all their dirty work.¡±

    ¡°You on a first name basis with the queens?¡± I asked wryly.

    ¡°I know their kind, that¡¯s all,¡± she replied, in a tone that invited no further discussion of the matter.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    She was right.  The two generals marched into our camp, the next day.  They spent the first day arguing over how many each would have in their honor guard, who would ride in first, and nonsense like that.  Alec was getting so pissed off I was beginning to fear he would go to war against both of them.

    When they finally arrived, it was in time for the midday meal, which they took together in Alec¡¯s massive tent.

    I was there as Alec¡¯s aide de camp.  My job was to fetch anything that was required and to otherwise remain invisible.  It seemed to work, because the generals, Royse and Andrus, spoke and acted as if I was not there, never so much as glancing at me.

    They rode in looking like pompous assholes, but all that disappeared at the moment the tent flaps closed.

    They shook hands and exchanged cordial greetings, sat down and enjoyed a nice meal, and drank a good amount of wine.

    The two enemy generals began to exchange stories of old campaigns and battles, which were quite entertaining in fact, both men gifted storytellers.

    Alec looked at his wrist as if it magically would tell him the time of day, and said, ¡°Well, gentlemen, you think we might want to start talking turkey?¡±

    ¡°What?  Turkey?¡±

    ¡°Outlander expression, sorry.  I mean talk about why we¡¯re here.  You guys have a little bit of a conflict.  I¡¯d like to help you get it wrapped up.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.  Andrus, here are the terms I have been instructed to offer you.¡±  Royse dug out a parchment from his coat and passed it to his rival.

    General Andrus read the paper and laughed.  ¡°I see your queen has not lost her sense of humor!¡±

    ¡°No, of course not.¡±

    ¡°Come Royse, you know we cannot agree to this!  Fifty thousand gold for invading your land? We were engaged with a renegade outlander army, the one good Alec here took care of.  But our role was pivotal, would you not agree, Alec?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Alec replied.  ¡°But that was weeks ago. Why are you still here?¡±

    ¡°We had to regroup!  We had a lot of injured men!¡±

    It was Royse who laughed now.  ¡°Injured men? What sorts of injuries are we talking about here?  Twisted ankles? Hangovers?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t give you fifty thousand gold, Royse.  I don¡¯t even have it!¡±

    ¡°Have your queen send it.¡±

    ¡°How long will that take?  I thought you wanted us off your land!¡±

    ¡°True, I suppose.  Give me a number then.  I¡¯ll take it back to Queen Kemile myself.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t just give you a number ¨C my queen would have my head!¡±

    ¡°Surely she gave you some kind of authority.¡±

    ¡°My army¡¯s movement this far east was not planned, remember?¡±

    ¡°Oh come on, we both know that was a pretext.¡±

    ¡°Not this time, no!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we invade your land last time?  Allegedly? At most we were only ten miles in, and you said our valid reason was a pretext.  Where do you think I learned the word?¡±

    ¡°That was a pretext.  Chasing a bear?  That must have been some bear! You had ten thousand men with you!¡±

    ¡°Guys, guys,¡± Alec interjected.  ¡°Let¡¯s not rehash old beefs. Let¡¯s focus on this one.  I¡¯ve got to be going here in a few minutes. Maybe Rany can take over.¡±

    I looked up in alarm.

    But the generals'' arrogance got me off the hook.

    ¡°Who?  Oh no, that¡¯s not necessary, Alec.  We can adjourn for the day and renew talks tomorrow.¡±

    They departed a few minutes later, stumbling a bit from the wine.  They might have each gone back to the wrong camp if they didn¡¯t have their honor guards ready to show them the way back.

    ¡°Jesus Christ, Rany,¡± Alec said to me.  ¡°All I came here to do was kill shit.¡±

 CHAPTER 23: BASTILE

    ¡°You are late,¡± Bastile said when I entered his chambers.

    ¡°Had to make a delivery to a fat fucking pig.¡± I kicked off my slippers and reclined on the sofa, stretching my legs. I knew that Bastile was both looking at me and trying not to look, at the same time.

    ¡°Language my dear,¡± Bastile said, but I sensed he rather enjoyed my rough tongue.

    I liked Bastile. I would never seduce him ¨C he was old enough to be my father, after all ¨C but I had to use every asset at my disposal. I had sensed his glances at me, and more often, the times he avoided looking at me.

    ¡°Well?¡± Bastile asked. ¡°Did you happen to obtain any items of interest while you were making your delivery to the fat fucking pig?¡±

    ¡°As a matter of fact¡­¡± I got to my feet and walked on the icy stone floor to Bastile, handing him a leather bound book.

    ¡°11/22/63,¡± Bastile read aloud. ¡°By Stephen King. What is this?¡±

    ¡°It is a book from the outlander world. Leonis says it is about an outlander who travels backwards in time through a portal and tries to avert the assassination of his country¡¯s leader. I do not know if it is true or a story meant to entertain, but either way it can offer tremendous insights into their world. I have another book here, written by the same man. Or woman ¨C one can¡¯t always be certain with outlander names. The Stand. It is about a plague that killed nearly all the outlanders, many years ago.¡±

    ¡°This is tremendous,¡± Bastile said. ¡°How on earth did Leonis get his hands on these treasures? And he simply gave them to you?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea what I have to endure for this project of yours, simply being nice to the fat pig. Anyway, he gave the impression he has many books like these. How he obtained them, he will probably never reveal. He is very proud of his secrets.¡±

    ¡°Well, this is extraordinary. So much for the day¡¯s work I had planned ¨C we have quite a bit of reading to do.¡±

    The books remained in Bastile¡¯s chambers ¨C I did not wish to have them in my cell, with all the prying eyes about.

    Bastile had finished reading his book when I returned the next day. He looked shaken but eager for more. He insisted on trading books, though I had read less than a quarter of mine.

    ¡°How is it?¡± he asked me.

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± I said. ¡°The outlanders King writes about are for the most part quite ordinary. Their world, of course, is almost beyond comprehension. They have ¡°cars¡± and ¡°motorcycles¡± instead of horses. Very fast and can take them vast distances. Machines that fly ¨C Trang told me about those. And devices allowing instant communication over any distance.¡±

    ¡°Yes. The other book describes the very same things.¡±

    ¡°There is one person King writes about that caught my interest. Randall Flagg.¡±

    ¡°Why is he interesting?¡±

    ¡°He is some sort of wizard. Wizards appear to be rare in their world. He reminds me of Moroso.¡±

    Bastile chuckled. ¡°What do you know of Moroso?¡±

    ¡°Very little. I am quite curious about him.¡±

    ¡°Well, try not to be.¡±

    ¡°He does exist, does he not?¡±

    Bastile looked up from his book. ¡°He exists.¡±

    ¡°Have you learned anything about him, in your years of studies?¡± I was reclined on the couch again, my legs dangling over one end.

    ¡°I have. That is a subject we could perhaps discuss another day.¡±

    I let the matter drop, concealing my frustration, willing myself to exercise patience.

    More days passed with more fascinating reading. I had to return the books to Leonis, but he always had more. The Prince. Julius Caesar. The Holy Bible ¨C a religious text. Atlases. Travel guides. Their entire world was explored and meticulously mapped.

    It was Bastile who mentioned Moroso¡¯s name again. He was reading a book about outlander wizards. It was a children¡¯s tale. We had become more adept at determining which books were true and which were stories made up for entertainment.

    ¡°Here is your Moroso, right here in these pages,¡± Bastile said. The sun was going down and the chambers darkening. We were nearly done for the day.

    ¡°Harry Potter and the Sorcerer¡¯s Stone,¡± I read.

    ¡°Read it,¡± he said. ¡°It will take you half a day to finish. It might satisfy your curiosity about evil wizards.¡±

    ¡°You believe Moroso is like a character in a child¡¯s tale?¡±

    He sighed. ¡°I believe the stories about him are highly exaggerated.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°What if they are not?¡±

    ¡°Then we are all doomed. And I do not believe we are.¡±

    ¡°That logic sounds ironclad,¡± I said.

    ¡°Fair point. How about this ¨C if he is as powerful as some believe, he could easily take over the world. He has not done so. Does that mean he is not powerful? No. He could be every bit as powerful as the legends say, but perhaps he is not interested in taking the control that he could so easily attain.¡±

    ¡°Or perhaps he has already attained it,¡± I argued.

    ¡°Be serious now.¡±

    ¡°I am serious. You believe the world is not a fucked up place? Perhaps Moroso has more influence than you realize. Or admit.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I believe we are done for the day. The bells for supper should be ringing any moment now.¡±

    The next afternoon, Bastille had a different book for me to read.

    ¡°Another tome about children¡¯s pretend wizards?¡± I teased.

    ¡°No. It is my first book. Or my first attempt at a book.¡±

    ¡°You did not finish.¡±

    ¡°No. I began the project when I was twenty. I was still an Apprentice. A generous scholar took me under his wing. Allowed me to assist him with research. Sound familiar?¡±

    ¡°I am sure the scholar was fortunate to have your assistance.¡±

    ¡°And I fortunate to have his guidance. He may have saved my life. That book is about Moroso. It is based on meticulous research that I gathered over the course of a year. When my mentor found out about it, he urged me to stop, to burn every page that I had written.¡±

    ¡°You did not,¡± I observed.

    ¡°No. I almost did. I could not bring myself to burn all that work ¨C not that it appears to be much. Two hundred pages, or so, mostly filled with conjecture. Very few concrete facts. Moroso exists, I do believe that. That book fails to prove it, but I uncovered enough in my research to believe. But I also believe that he very much does not want to be found.¡±

    ¡°Is he evil?¡±

    ¡°Evil. Have you ever met anyone who is truly evil? What is evil?¡±

    ¡°The opposite of good. Complete disregard for harm to others if it helps achieve an objective.¡±

    ¡°You just described most of the rulers that have ever lived.¡±

    ¡°My definition needs work. But I know evil exists.¡±

    We read for the entire afternoon. I finished Bastile¡¯s book just as the bells rang for supper.

    ¡°Well, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°It is illuminating.¡± I pulled on my slippers. ¡°I wish you had shed some light on where Moroso might live.¡±

    ¡°That book is twenty-five years old. If it had offered any information regarding the wizard¡¯s whereabouts, would it really be of use now?¡±

    ¡°It would be a start.¡±

    ¡°I was trying to find that out,¡± Bastile said. ¡°Then I realized it might be a lot better for me not to know. I did not need my mentor to tell me that. And now I am going to tell you what he told me, when I was close to your age and had also been bitten by the bug of curiosity. There are things in this world, Ruby, that it¡¯s best not to be curious about. If Moroso still lives, he clearly does not wish to be found. And if a man like Moroso does not wish to be found, you do not want to find him. That book took me a year to write. I just saved you a year of your time. If you wish to explore the subject any further, you will have no further aid from me, nor do I wish to discuss it ever again.¡±

    Our routine resumed. I did not mention Moroso to Bastile again.

    <hr>

    A few days later, it was once again Bastile who mentioned him.

    It was near dark again. He had been irritable and untalkative all afternoon.

    He closed his book with a loud thud that startled me and made me look up.

    Bastile spoke without looking at me, his tone less pleasant than usual. ¡°Ruby. Some books in the library have been disturbed. Books about a certain subject I expressly told you not to pursue.¡±

    ¡°You never told me that. You told me you would not provide any aid to me.¡±

    ¡°Then let me be more clear, damn it!¡± He took a breath. ¡°I do not know when you are finding the time to even visit the library, but you are not to do so without a Scholar¡¯s authorization. I did not authorize these recent visits!¡±

    ¡°You are right. I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°You are to cease this foolish endeavor immediately. If you do not, I will no longer require your services on the outlander project.¡±

    I considered this. I should have remained silent, but silence is not always my greatest strength. ¡°You are afraid,¡± I breathed.

    ¡°Of course I am afraid. Any intelligent person would be. And I thought you were an intelligent person.¡±

    ¡°I am afraid.¡±

    ¡°Then stop with this insane quest, Ruby. Why do you continue to pursue it?¡±

    I should not have given a truthful answer, but though I did not tell Bastile everything, I did not like lying to him.

    ¡°Moroso killed my father,¡± I said.

    ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°It matters not.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Trang told me.¡±

    ¡°And you believe an outlander? Are you out of your mind?¡±

    ¡°I believe it.¡±

    ¡°Why should an outlander even care about Moroso?¡±

    ¡°Moroso invented the Permakill spell.¡±

    ¡°Is that such a bad thing, that outlanders are not entirely immortal in our world?¡±

    ¡°Do you know where Moroso is, Bastile?¡±

    ¡°What? You dare question me, girl? You think your pretty eyes and shapely legs give you liberty to forget that you are an Apprentice and I a Scholar?¡±

    ¡°No. Of course not.¡±

    ¡°I am going to ask you now, not as a friend, not as a mentor, but as Scholar to Apprentice. Why do you want to know where Moroso is?¡±

    ¡°I am going to help Trang kill him.¡±

    We sat in silence for a long moment. The bells tolled for supper. Neither of us moved.

    ¡°Get out,¡± Bastile told me. ¡°And never come back. Your work here is finished. You will never set foot in my chambers again. We will never speak again. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He said no more. I put my slippers on. It seemed to take a long time. I went to pick up the book I had been reading, to hand back to him.

    ¡°Leave that book right there!¡±

    I got to my feet. I walked to the door. I may have been sniffing a bit. At the door, I swallowed and blinked away tears. I turned and asked, ¡°Your mentor ¨C what happened to him?¡±

    ¡°He died. Recently. From old age. He was the Bishop of Sanctuary and I am forever in debt to him. Go."

 CHAPTER 24: PICASSO

    Trang and Falcon stood watching as carpenters worked on the siege engines and other machines.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Falcon asked.

    ¡°Chariot.  It¡¯s experimental.  We¡¯ll test it out. See if there¡¯s any use for it.¡±

    ¡°What about that?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t have a clue.  A couple of my guys are engineers in real life.  They come up with all kinds of shit.¡±

    ¡°You make any guns yet?¡±

    ¡°Nah, gunpowder doesn¡¯t work here.¡±

    ¡°Ah.  Didn¡¯t know that.  Shit, you¡¯ve thought of everything.¡±

    ¡°We had plans to start building a navy, but got, you know, a little sidetracked.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  I¡¯m starting to think it¡¯s a shame you got knocked out of Fedra.  You¡¯re doing some cool things here.¡±

    ¡°I underestimated these people.  They are formidable. Smart. And this is their world.¡±

    ¡°You still enjoy playing the game?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah.  I love it. I love the challenge.  You?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°Really?  Why are you still here?¡±

    ¡°Tamara.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°I hope you rebuild fast, take out that fucking Empress, and give these people an actual government.  Hell, I¡¯ll pay you a shit ton of gold myself to take out one asshole, Griffin Roane. Heard of him? He¡¯s an earl in Jaspen.¡±

    ¡°The name doesn¡¯t ring a bell.  I¡¯m sure we have a file on him.¡±

    ¡°Of course you do.¡±  Falcon laughed.

    ¡°Want us to take him out?  No problem. Consider it a favor, no need to pay me.  He¡¯ll probably need to go anyway, when the revolution happens.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a slippery son of a bitch, trust me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d he do to piss you off?¡±

    ¡°He threatened to kill me.¡±

    ¡°Ah.  Wait, that¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean my character.  Me.  The fucker told me he¡¯d hire a hit man to come to my house.  And he knew my address.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s lucky he didn¡¯t do that shit to me.¡±

    Falcon scoffed.  ¡°Please. You have no idea what that felt like.  It scared the shit out of me. And he threatened to have Tamara raped and mutilated.¡±

    ¡°Why is he not dead already?  Serious question.¡±

    ¡°He knows I¡¯m after him, and he¡¯s smart.  Very smart. I¡¯ve got some people looking for him.  But he¡¯s got money. And I think he has the Empress¡¯s backing.  People are afraid to go after him. He¡¯s dangerous, I¡¯m telling you.¡±

    Trang said, ¡°I really could use you here.  You should join the guild. I¡¯ll make you second in command.  Right now.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the offer, but no thanks.  I¡¯m done. Gonna find a nice, quiet place, get Tamara set up, then¡­be a casual player I guess.  Run a shop or a tavern maybe.¡±

    ¡°You think there will be any nice, quiet spots in this world for long?  What¡¯s happening in Friedor is happening everywhere.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a big world though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going after the Empress for awhile,¡± Trang said.  ¡°We¡¯re changing things up, taking a different tack.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  We¡¯re going after Moroso.¡±

    ¡°Huh.  Interesting.¡±

    ¡°You know about him?¡±

    ¡°Sure.  Legendary wizard.  Invented Permakill.  So I hear.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°He did create the spell.  We verified it. He is the most dangerous person in Friedor, by far.  The Empress is bad, but nothing compared to him.¡±

    ¡°How are you so sure of that?  Nobody¡¯s even seen him, as far as I know.¡±

    ¡°Think about it.  Every game has a big boss at the end.  Moroso is ours. There may be one like him in every empire, who knows.  Sounds like it, from what I¡¯m hearing. But anyway, he¡¯s mine. We knock him out, Friedor will eventually be ours.  And the people will be so much better off.¡±

    ¡°Well, ok.  Best of luck, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Oh no¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Just got some news from Destra.  Check the news feed. It looks like your army has fallen.¡±

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF HANDICE

    Twelve of us went out for a two week patrol, our first as a unit.  The best soldiers in the army. We returned with eight. We staggered through the gate, all of us on the verge of collapse.  Cochran went to brief the general while the rest of us went to the hospital to get patched up. We had run out of Healing potions on day six.

    I got my leg fixed up and made my way to the barracks.  The day was hot. Freejack looked to have grown even more while we had been gone.  New faces everywhere. Put me on edge. But most seemed to be working hard. The main road was being expanded and two new side roads being added.  New buildings going up everywhere.

    Picasso and I went to headquarters to get our pay, then hit the main strip.

    The Shanty was open for business, despite the Midday hour.  Leda was on duty, the half dozen patrons all soldiers who had worked night shifts.  Leda took one look at our faces and began bringing ale immediately. Before long the rest of the men had joined us and we had taken over the tavern.  Even Cochran showed up for a few drinks.

    Day turned to evening.  Other soldiers bought drinks for us.  Civilians steered clear and went elsewhere to imbibe.

    I saw Picasso slip out and decided to follow.  I do not know why.

    Work had stopped for the day and citizens milled about the streets.  It was not like Glen Falls, but it was more like a real town than it had been.  It would have been difficult to find Picasso in the crowd, but I knew where to look.  I spotted him heading for the prison.

    I watched him go inside.  I passed Gentry on his way out, deduced that he had been guarding Varina before being paid by Picasso to take a break.

    ¡°Handice?¡± Picasso slurred.  ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Came to ask you the same.¡±

    He had done nothing yet.  He was still outside the locked cell.  The former queen had awoken and was sitting up in her bed, in her night clothes.

    ¡°Just talking to the queen, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°You men are as drunk as any I have ever seen,¡± Varina said.  ¡°And I have known many nobles who can drink.¡±

    ¡°We should return to the Shanty,¡± I told Picasso. ¡°Cross and Malch are having an arm wrestling match.  The wagers were quite high when I left. Easy coin.¡±

    ¡°Ah, all right,¡± Picasso said, to my relief.  He told Varina, ¡°I will see you later, woman.¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Go fetch the guard,¡± I ordered Picasso.  ¡°I will stay with her until he returns.¡±

    He left.

    Varina and I stared at each other.

    ¡°How was your expedition?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Eventful.¡±

    ¡°Your comrade tells me you encountered an army from Astela.  Disconcerting news. Did you really cross the Beast?¡±

    ¡°We did.  Picasso talks too much.  Did he threaten you in any way?¡±

    ¡°He did nothing.  You should not keep your men on too short of a leash.  A bit of leadership advice.¡±

    ¡°I will seek such advice from leaders who did not lose their kingdoms, thank you.¡±

    The guard returned.  I took my leave.

    Picasso was not going toward Main Street.  He was going toward the wall.

    I ran to catch him.  ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Going to pick a fight with a growler.¡±  He was already halfway up the wall.

    ¡°You fucking fool!  Get down! That is an order, Corporal!¡±

    He ignored me.  He reached the top, said farewell, and went over.  I heard his boots land on the other side, and heard him grunt from the twenty foot drop.

    Cursing, I attempted to follow.  The task was nearly impossible with one hand.  I managed to use my wooden hand for leverage and pull myself up with my left.  Once over, I tried using the wall to slow my fall, but landed flat on my back, the breath taken from my lungs.  I had to lie still for a minute.

    I found Picasso a few minutes later.

    ¡°This is madness,¡± I told him.  ¡°You don¡¯t even have your sword!¡±

    ¡°Got my knife.  Knew you¡¯d follow me.  Two of us can take one of the bastards.¡±

    ¡°They travel in packs,¡± I reminded him.  ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Sergeant.¡±

    He went off at a sprint for the woods, yelling for the growlers to come and get him.

    I almost let the drunken fool go.  It was madness to follow. But he was one of my men.

    When I caught him we were into the woods.  He had stopped and gotten quiet.

    ¡°I hear one,¡± he whispered.  Indeed, some creature was moving around close by.  Not a growler. They do not let you hear them.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a growler, you damn fool.¡±

    It was a Nightbeast.  We smelled it before we saw it, black and ten feet tall, snarling.

    ¡°Sorry, Handice,¡± Picasso told me.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have followed me when I went to see the queen.¡±

    I felt a sharp pain in the back of my right thigh, and I collapsed to the forest floor.  Picasso had slashed my hamstring. He was already gone, running back to town and leaving me for dead.

    I took my knife from its sheath and waited, on one knee and bleeding.

    The beast charged.

    An hour later, the team came.  They thought they were coming to recover my corpse.  All except Cochran were still intoxicated from the night before.  Picasso led the way. I heard later that Hoss and Malch nearly jumped out of their boots when I twitched and moaned as they picked me up.  They had been certain I was dead.

    I woke in the hospital.  I would have some scars on my chest, arms, legs and neck, but would recover fully.  I had not killed the beast, but I had given it enough to think about that it decided to find a meal elsewhere.

    Picasso was dead by the time I woke.  He took poison. Evidently he had been spying, for who we did not even know.  He killed himself before we could ask. It seemed impossible to believe that he would spy for the Empress.  Had Varina seduced him somehow? He had been obsessed with her - that was clear. She feigned ignorance of it all, claimed he had fallen in love with her and gone mad.  We did not believe her. The guard on her was doubled.

    Cochran began to reinforce the team, recruiting five new members from the ranks.

 CHAPTER 25: THE BLACK HAND

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF RUBY

    The early spring morning was crisp but pleasant, promising another lovely day.  I had forgotten how pretty Meridea became in springtime. A few gray clouds drifted along above, taking their time.  Then came the rain, soft and pleasant, the smell cleansing the air.

    ¡°Late morning delivery tomorrow,¡± Leonis called out to me as I directed the horses along with a cart that now contained fifty thousand in gold.  ¡°I will have lunch prepared for you, beautiful!¡±

    I shuddered and pretended not to hear as we turned onto Front Street.

    Elias and Marco were talking about the upcoming Tournament.  Everyone in the city was talking about it. It was the most anticipated day of the year.  The entire week was a festival really.

    In Sanctuary, it was scarcely mentioned.

    We grew ever closer to the stark gray walls of Sanctuary, and the familiar dread in my belly grew.

    The rest of the day, I would enchant one item after another, eat a tasteless lunch and supper, retire to my dark cell before I was even sleepy, and lie awake in the dark with my mind twisting and turning, trying to avoid the dark paths.

    I had not heard from Bastile in five days.  I had hoped his anger would abate and he would send for me.  I would promise to cease my research on Moroso. Perhaps I would even mean it.  We could continue the outlander project as if nothing ugly had ever happened. Or perhaps, even if our friendship was forever changed, he would find my work as his assistant had been indispensable to the project, and he would put all personal grievances aside for the benefit of the work.

    I had many conversations with him in my mind as I lay in my bed each night.

    Yet so far, I had heard not a word from him, and it was beginning to become clear that I never would.  He was being true to his word.

    This also meant the progress on my mission had come to a halt.  In three days I would meet my contact again, and I had nothing new to report.

    We made our way to the stables, where Applicants waited to see to the horses, and Servants waited to count the gold.  Elias and Marco jovially bade me a good day and I watched them depart. I envied whatever tasks lied ahead for them, some training outdoors perhaps, more guard duty maybe.  Whatever it was, it was better than the grim halls of Sanctuary. I had no idea that in moments, my day would turn much worse.

    A Servant was waiting for me, impatient and harried.

    ¡°Apprentice Ruby,¡± she said.  ¡°Cleric Ray has sent for you. You must come at once.  He has been waiting more than an hour.¡±

    ¡°What about?¡± I asked.  My mind reeled. I had scarcely laid eyes on any of the Clerics in all my weeks in Sanctuary, and had never spoken to one.

    ¡°That is not your place to ask.  Come with me!¡±

    Cleric Ray¡¯s chambers were stark and sparse.

    In the sitting room, the Servant ordered me to sit while she went into the Cleric¡¯s study.

    ¡°Send her in,¡± a gruff voice said from within.

    My stomach flipped and my heart pounded.  I forced my face into a mask of calm.

    ¡°You may enter,¡± the Servant told me imperiously.

    Cleric Ray sat behind a plain desk, pen and paper neatly arranged, the rest of the desk¡¯s surface bare.  He had no paintings or art on the walls, no plants, nothing at all. There was, however, a large window affording a magnificent view of river and the city rooftops beyond.

    ¡°Sit,¡± he ordered.  He wore the black robes of a Cleric.  He had half a head of white hair, neat and trim.

    I sat in a hard wooden chair facing him.

    ¡°Apprentice Ruby.  Do you know why you are here?¡±

    ¡°No, Cleric.¡±

    ¡°You did some work with Scholar Bastile, did you not?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±  Out the window, I could see boats passing lazily on the Dorne.

    ¡°What work did he have you doing?¡±

    ¡°I was assisting him in research for a book he was writing.¡±

    ¡°What was the book about?¡±

    ¡°About the outlanders.¡±

    Cleric Ray peered at me, waiting for me to say more.

    I did not.

    He asked, ¡°Were you still working for him at the time of his death?¡±

    ¡°What?  His death?  What are you talking about¡ª¡°

    He held up a pink hand.  ¡°I will ask the questions, Apprentice.  You are not aware that Scholar Bastile was found dead two days ago?¡±

    ¡°No!  What happened?¡±

    ¡°Did Bastile ever mention any enemies that he might have had?  Do you know of anyone who would wish harm on him?¡±

    ¡°No.  I do not.¡±

    ¡°When did you last see Bastile?¡±

    ¡°Five days ago.¡±

    ¡°What was the nature of your last conversation with him?¡±

    ¡°He informed me that he would not require any further assistance from me on his project.¡±

    ¡°Did he give a reason?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    He stared, again waiting for me to say more.

    Again, I did not oblige him.

    ¡°You are a pretty girl,¡± he said.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°It is an observation, not a compliment.¡±

    He stared at me.  I waited for him to ask his next question.

    ¡°Were you close to Bastile?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°How much time did you spend alone with him?¡±

    ¡°I was in his chambers every afternoon for three weeks.  He had no other assistants.¡±

    ¡°Was there a sexual relationship between the two of you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Did he ever suggest a desire to have one?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Did you harbor or express such desires?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Did he ever convey any feelings at all toward you, such as romantic love or infatuation?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Did you have any such feelings for him?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What were your feelings for him?¡±

    ¡°I do not understand the question.¡±

    ¡°How did you feel about him as a man?  Did you like him, hate him, respect him, think poorly of him?  What did you think of the man?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I liked him.  I respected him.¡±

    ¡°Was there a friendship?¡±

    ¡°No.  He was the Scholar, I the Apprentice.¡±

    ¡°Did you work well together?¡±

    ¡°I thought so, for a time.¡±

    ¡°Did he express dissatisfaction with your work?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    He took some notes down.

    ¡°I will be reviewing Bastile¡¯s work on this outlander project,¡± the Cleric¡¯s gray lips twisted in distaste at the word.  ¡°If necessary, I may summon you again to question you further about it.  Do not keep me waiting if I do.  You are dismissed.¡±

    The remainder of the day passed in a haze.  Everyone around me acted as if everything were exactly the same as before.  For them, it was.

    There was no mention of Bastile at all, no mention of any murder in Sanctuary.  I knew better than to ask any questions. The only person I had ever trusted in Sanctuary was now dead.  More than once, the thought crossed my mind that I should seek Bastile for guidance. Then I reminded myself that I never could again.

    I considered fleeing Sanctuary, fleeing Meridea.  But I had yet to complete my mission. The mission seemed more impossible than ever, but I could not abandon it.

    In the pitch black darkness of my cell, I lied in bed, waiting.  My thoughts reeled and pitched and I tried to breathe deeply and steel my nerve, wondering just how foolish my next plan was.

    Finally I rose and put on my robe and slippers in the dark.  I took a candle but did not light it.

    My progress was very slow in the dark.  I made my way blindly through the winding corridors of Sanctuary, remaining as silent as I could.  The halls were empty, Sanctuary quiet as a tomb. No candles or sconces were lit. I could see only by what little moonlight came through the windows high above.

    I thought I might freeze to death in the cold of night.  I cursed myself for not bringing my blanket.

    At last I reached Bastile¡¯s chambers.  I tried opening the door. Of course it was locked.  I tried magic. I had learned a simple spell, in my training with Trang, that could defeat most locks.

    This was not an easy lock.  I tried and tried, using up nearly all of my energy and exhausting myself.  I was ready to lie down and sleep right there on the stone floor. I did not think I could even make it back to my cell.

    Not knowing what else to do, I made a final attempt.  The lock clicked. I opened the door. I staggered inside, physically and mentally depleted.

    It was very dark.  The coppery odor of blood and death remained in the room.  I lit my candle. I was alone in Bastile¡¯s chambers.

    They looked exactly as they had when I had last been there.  I nearly expected Bastile to come out at any moment.

    Utterly exhausted, I began my search, not daring to rest.  My legs felt like iron weights, but I made my feet move, one step at a time.

    For an hour or longer I searched, finding nothing, not certain what I was even looking for.

    I stood still in the room, near the couch where I had lounged so many times as I read.  I tried to think. I nearly fell asleep on my feet, standing there. Perhaps I did for a short time.  I shook myself and moved on.

    The door to Bastile¡¯s living quarters, thankfully, was not locked.

    His bedroom was sparse and small, though not as tiny as my cell.  I wondered idly why he would have left spots and stains on his stone floor, before the realization of what those stains were stopped me dead.  He had been murdered, right here in this room. The stains were everywhere. One of them was quite large. Where he had died. I shivered, not from the cold this time.  I was not superstitious, did not believe in ghosts, but a strange fear gripped me as I stood alone in the dark, in the room where my mentor, my friend, had been murdered.  Perhaps, I thought, I should welcome an encounter with his ghost. He could tell me who had murdered him, tell me what to look for. My tired mind was not functioning properly.

    I willed myself to move, searching.  I focused my attention on the books in his room, scattered about.  Someone had been through them, leaving them in disorder.

    On a small table by his bed was a small leather bound book I had not seen before.  I sat on the bed and picked it up, peering at the pages with the light of my candle.  The writing inside was Bastile¡¯s. It was his private journal.

    I skipped ahead to the final pages, my heart pounding in my chest.

    The final entry was mundane and brief, chronicling the events of his last day, with no indication at all that he knew it was his last.

    I went back further, reading as quickly as I could in the flickering candlelight.

    I saw my name and my heart skipped.  He wrote about how bright I was, how much potential I had.  I found the entry from the awful day when he had been angry with me.

    Ruby works for me no longer.  Did not heed my warning. Need to watch her and ensure she makes no more progress in her endeavor.  If only I can put a stop to her meetings with the merchant. If she discovers the Black Hand, I will not be able to help her.

    That was all he had written for that day.  Could he not have been a bit clearer?

    I perused the journal some more, but found nothing else of interest.

    I replaced the journal in the exact position I had found it and left the room.

    Should anyone ever question my dedication to the cause, they will never know how difficult the next phase of my assignment was.

    I began to act friendly toward Leonis.

    I laughed at his awful jokes.  I expressed interest in his idiotic comments and crude observations.

    Two days later, I accepted his invitation for lunch.

    ¡°I really should not, Leonis,¡± I protested, half-heartedly.  ¡°I have to see that the gold you paid makes it back to Sanctuary.¡±

    ¡°The guards can do that,¡± Leonis said.  ¡°Right, gentlemen?¡±

    Marco and Elias looked at each other and then at me, somewhat perplexed by my change in attitude toward the fat man.  But they shrugged.

    Marco said, ¡°We will be happy to, Ruby.  If that is what you want. Will you not be expected back with the gold though?¡±  Marco gave me a meaningful look, offering me a way out of the invitation.

    ¡°It will be fine!¡± Leonis said.  ¡°I will see to it! Sanctuary listens to me ¨C I am quite valuable to them.  They could scarcely continue to exist without my steady stream of gold!¡±

    I watched the men leave, my heart sinking a bit.

    The meal was indeed fantastic.  I had not had real food in a very long time.  The roasted pheasant was juicy and seasoned with spices I had never tasted before.  My plate was loaded with seasoned potatoes, cooked carrots, fresh hot bread with butter.  There was wine, a deep red and with a taste better than any wine I had ever had. Leonis spared no expense.  We had a dessert of chocolate pie, creamy, cold and delicious. I ate every bite. I drank two goblets of wine and my head swam pleasantly.

    Leonis did his utmost to ruin the feast for me, eating almost literally like a pig at the trough.  He chewed with his mouth open, breathing heavily and making disgusting noises. He talked endlessly, usually with his mouth full, shifting topics from mundane gossip to boasts about his wealth to occasional sexual innuendo, not subtle at all.  He did not quite say that he wanted to take me to bed but stopped just short of it.

    My dedication should never be called to question.

    But if I needed to sleep with Leonis to find the location of Moroso¡­the world just might have to burn.

    ¡°I have never in my life eaten so well!¡±  I smiled at the merchant. ¡°I am sure I never will again.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± he waved a fat hand, bejeweled with sparkling rings.  ¡°I eat like this every day! You should see what I am having tomorrow.  You are welcome of course. You can dine with me any day.¡± He grinned lewdly, bits of food stuck in his awful teeth.

    I waited until the third meal with Leonis before I began to pry, carefully, for information.

    ¡°Do you know many people in Sanctuary?¡± I asked him.  He had been boasting about his connections all over the city.

    ¡°Of course I do, dear,¡± he laughed.  ¡°The place would not run without me!¡±

    ¡°Did you know a Scholar named Bastile?¡±

    ¡°Bastile?  Sure, I know Bastile.  Good man.¡±

    ¡°You use the present tense.  Are you not aware that he is dead?¡±

    ¡°Dead?  Bastile?  That I did not know.  How interesting. And terrible of course.  Are you crying my dear?¡±

    ¡°He was my friend,¡± I sniffed.  ¡°Almost like a father to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear.  I am sorry, truly.  What happened to him?¡±

    ¡°He was killed.  Murdered.¡±

    ¡°What?  No! When was this?¡±

    ¡°Last week.¡±

    ¡°How did I not hear of this?  Gods, but Sanctuary is secretive.  Don¡¯t want the negative attention, I reckon.  Gods. Do they know who killed him at least?¡±

    ¡°No. But there are rumors.  There have been whispers of this ¡®Black Hand.¡¯¡±

    The merchant¡¯s face instantly darkened.  I feared I had gone too far.

    He stopped eating and stared at me.  ¡°Who mentioned the Black Hand?¡±

    ¡°I do not know,¡± I said.  ¡°I heard some Servants talk of it.  What is it?¡±

    ¡°Can you find out their names?¡±

    I wiped my eyes.  ¡°I am sorry. I have no idea, truly.¡±

    ¡°If you ever hear that name mentioned again, darling, you pay close attention, you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    He resumed eating, silent for once.

    I dared to push a bit further.

    ¡°Do you know who they are, Leonis?  Do you think they might bear responsibility for the death of Bastile?¡±

    For the first time since I had met him, Leonis appeared to ponder his words before he spoke.

    ¡°They did not kill Bastile,¡± he said.  ¡°If they did, I would know it. And yes, I know who they are.¡±

    Four days passed before I was sent back to make another delivery.

    Leonis was more serious than usual, suddenly seeming less like an utter fool than he had before.

    ¡°No time for lunch today, dear Ruby,¡± he told me with a tinge of regret.

    I began to believe I had fouled things up somehow.

    The next day, however, he was his old self again, and he invited me to eat with him.

    Finishing my exquisite meal of beef, cooked mushrooms and truffles, I decided to risk pressing the merchant further.  I sensed my window of opportunity closing, time running out. It was indeed quite odd that I was still alive, I had begun to realize, but certainly that could not last.  My contacts shared this belief and the last message indicated I would be pulled out soon. I would welcome leaving, of course, but I did not want to leave in failure.

    ¡°Leonis,¡± I said.  ¡°Did I cause offense the other day?¡±

    ¡°What?  Do not be silly, girl.  You could never offend me.¡±

    ¡°You seemed not to like it when I mentioned the Black Hand.¡±

    His response this time was not so severe, but he did put thought into his response.

    ¡°That is because the Black Hand is not a subject a pretty girl like you should be raising.¡±

    ¡°What is the Black Hand?¡±

    He pondered again, chewing slowly.  ¡°Can I trust you, Ruby?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°What I say cannot leave this room.  You understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°It will be our secret.  Are you good at keeping secrets?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  I am.¡±

    ¡°Good.  The Black Hand is a secret group.  Few have even heard of its existence.  Those who have even heard the name tend to believe it is a thing of rumor or myth.  It is a group that follows Moroso. Do you know who Moroso is?¡±

    ¡°I have heard of him.  He is supposed to be an evil wizard.  But I do not believe in him. Do you?¡±

    Leonis laughed.  ¡°Oh yes, I do. I know Moroso exists.  I have met him.¡±

 CHAPTER 26: PONTIUS

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    I was out on an impromptu scouting run when I saw the outlander.

    I had taken to wandering a bit lately, as routine and boredom had set in. The army had not moved in weeks. Alec had finally succeeded in brokering an agreement between the two queens, after a week of arguing, wasting time and trying Alec¡¯s patience to the point he damn near went to war with both of them. Now the army of Konn was heading back to its land, moving at roughly the pace of a snail. Three days on the march and you could still see the smoke from their campfires.

    Nevertheless, they were gone, and there was now little to do. Alec and Jade spent less time around. When they did come, they often went exploring on their own, looking for undiscovered dungeons. Romantic.

    So I would go off and do some exploring of my own. I simply could not just sit in camp and do nothing all day.

    I heard the man coming before I saw him. He was on horseback, moving briskly along and making no effort to be quiet. He was riding in my direction, so I moved off to hide in some brush. I waited for him to ride by, and then I followed on my horse, at a safe enough distance, though he did not appear to be paying any attention at all or concerned about being followed. I stayed behind and watched him for several miles, out of curiosity more than anything. The man was not wearing a uniform of any army. I did not know for sure he was an outlander yet but had guessed it somehow, by the way he carried himself.

    My guess was confirmed when he leapt off the horse while it was at a full gallop. He did a tumbling somersault as he landed and took off at a sprint.

    He stopped near a small hill, where he disappeared into some underbrush. I stopped and watched with my scope, but could not see him. His horse wandered about, munching on grass. I waited for the man to emerge.

    After a bit, he did so, leaping onto his horse and departing at a full gallop. I thought I knew where he was going. There was a hamlet nearby named Weiburn, and he was heading in that direction.

    Rather than follow, I waited a bit, and then moved down to the area where he had been.

    I dug through the brush, thorns cutting into my hands. I donned my gloves and pushed my way through about ten feet of the stuff. I came upon an opening, with a door that had been left open. My breath caught. A dungeon. Inside, I could see a tunnel, just large enough to walk in, going deep into the ground.

    I was not stupid enough to go in, of course. I stayed out of these things. Let the outlanders have them. All the gold in the world was not worth going in,, for I would never make it out alive.

    I tried closing the door, but it would not budge.

    I heard movement from inside. I decided it might be wise to take my leave now.

    I bolted out of the thicket, jumped on my horse and kicked it into a gallop.

    I rode for a bit, glancing back over my shoulder.

    A horde of undesirables began to trickle out.

    At what I hoped was a safe distance of two hundred span, I stopped and watched. I saw half a dozen skeleton men, seven or eight beast men, three Jackos and five giant spiders. They formed a line and began marching off at a quick pace, going in the same direction the outlander had gone ¨C toward the village of Weiburn.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Without thinking, I galloped off toward the village, in hopes of beating the creatures there and giving warning to the villagers.

    In minutes I was there, and I rode in like a madman. I am surprised I was not shot.

    ¡°Prepare yourselves!¡± I yelled. ¡°Monsters are coming! Demonspawn! Get behind closed doors!¡±

    Or something to that effect. I do not remember what I shouted, but my point began to come across.

    ¡°Have you lost your fucking mind?¡± a burly blacksmith yelled, standing outside his shop.

    Or maybe it hadn¡¯t.

    ¡°Get your people together,¡± I said. ¡°Everyone indoors! There are monsters just minutes away ¨C skeletons, beast men and more! Get everyone to safety!¡±

    ¡°Creatures such as that don¡¯t leave their dungeons,¡± the man said, not budging. ¡°What game are you trying to play here?¡±

    ¡°They are coming!¡± I yelled. ¡°This whole village will be wiped out in minutes if you do not listen to me! Come and see for yourself!¡±

    A woman screamed.

    The blacksmith decided to take me seriously all of a sudden, taking a massive hammer and running past me to assess the situation.

    More screams followed.

    Most of the villagers were spread about, working their fields, far from the safety of the buildings. Those able to get inside were safe. The smith and a few other men attempted to fight. They destroyed a skeleton and a beast man but were quickly overrun.

    I took a few shots with my crossbow, but the few bolts that hit did little apparent damage. I made myself of better use by riding about, attempting to pick up stragglers and get them indoors. I managed to get one woman on my horse and to the safety of the inn, where most of the survivors were gathering.

    It was incongruous seeing these creatures out in broad daylight. The spiders were the worst ¨C larger than dogs, fast as hell, crawling up and down buildings and atop roofs. One went down a chimney. The screams from inside still echo in my head. Another squeezed itself through a window that was just partly open. Three women fled out the door, only to be ravaged by beast men and jackos.

    I had done all I could. I could only watch as chaos and terror consumed the town. I galloped off to get the army.

    Our camp was nearly an hour away.

    By the time I returned, with three dozen men, most of the damage was done. Torn bodies were scattered everywhere, jackos feeding on corpses, beast men and skeletons finishing off the dogs and the livestock. Outside, there was little left that was alive. I could not see the spiders, which made me quite nervous.

    We had two outlanders with us who had experience fighting these monsters. They directed the men, and after a brief battle, all were destroyed but the spiders, who remained unseen. The outlander in charge was Easton. He asked me again how many spiders I had seen, and I assured him there were five. A careful hunt began. One by one, they were found and destroyed. One managed to attack before it was seen, and we lost a horse.

    There were sixteen surviving villagers, out of sixty.

    They came out and looked upon the carnage, their faces haunted.

    Easton convinced them to pack up and leave, and they came with us back to camp.

    Alec and Jade returned that evening. I gave them my report in Alec¡¯s tent, drinking a good deal of wine as I told the tale.

    ¡°Pontius,¡± Jade said, after. ¡°He¡¯s become notorious for this bullshit. Goes around to dungeons and opens them up so the creatures can escape. He has a spell that leaves the door open. No spell has been discovered yet that will close them back up.¡±

    ¡°We must find him and stop him,¡± I said.

    ¡°He¡¯s on the list,¡± Alec said.

    ¡°How many villages have been wiped out because of this fucking prick?¡± I asked.

    Alec shrugged. ¡°Several dozen that I¡¯ve heard about. Mostly in other parts of the empire. Pontius isn¡¯t the only one doing it now. There¡¯ve been a few copycats.¡±

    ¡°And this is the first I¡¯ve heard about it?¡±

    ¡°Easy, Rany. We¡¯ve had our own problems to deal with. We¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the dungeons around here, but we didn¡¯t know about that one. It wasn¡¯t on any map that we had.¡±

    ¡°Gods!¡± I said. ¡°Some of your people are really a fucking menace!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. No shit. Anyway, when the hell did you become the concerned citizen? When I met you, your only worry was getting your hands on as much coin as possible.¡±

    ¡°That will always be my priority,¡± I assured him. ¡°I¡¯d just rather not see the fucking world burn, that¡¯s all. It¡¯s bad for everybody!¡±

 CHAPTER 27: ENOCH FRONG

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF RUBY

    ¡°There you are!¡± the man said, pretending he knew me and feigning joviality.

    I was at a corner table in the Golden Stag tavern, drinking some horrid brandy.

    He sat down across from me and the false joviality disappeared. ¡°No names,¡± he said quietly.

    ¡°I do not have much time,¡± I said. ¡°If I am not back soon, it could raise suspicion.¡±

    I had slipped out a side door of Leonis¡¯s shop to come and meet with this man. A member of the Black Hand.

    ¡°You have a desire to join our organization?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Power.¡±

    ¡°You are a student in Sanctuary. Does our group not conflict with whatever superstitions and beliefs you people hold?¡±

    ¡°I do not know. I know that I find many of ¡®my people¡¯s¡¯ beliefs ridiculous and outdated. They are not brothers and sisters to me.¡±

    ¡°If you join our ranks, the Hand comes first. Always.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Over all else. Even family.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°To join us, you must be vouched for by a member. That has been done. Second, you must be tested. If you pass, you move on to the final step. If you fail, you die. Do you wish to continue? This is your last chance to walk away and pretend you never heard of us.¡±

    ¡°I wish to continue.¡±

    ¡°Most people ask what the test is before they agree. You are too eager.¡±

    ¡°My mind is made up.¡±

    ¡°Very well. If you pass the test, you must then be approved by the man himself. The man we follow. Do you understand who I refer to?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You will wait for that to happen. He will come to you, when he deems it the proper time.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Tell me what I must do to pass your test.¡±

    ¡°You must kill someone.¡±

    ¡°Do I choose who I get to kill?¡±

    ¡°No. He has already been chosen for you. His name is Enoch Frong. He lives in the city, in the market district. He is easy enough to find. Within three days, he must die, directly by your hand. You may choose the method, but you may not ask another to do it for you. By your hand.¡±

    ¡°What did he do?¡±

    ¡°Why does that matter?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Forgive me. I was curious.¡±

    ¡°Three days. My advice? Do it right away. Best not to spend a lot of time thinking about it.¡± The man drained his brandy, stood and left.

    <hr>

    ¡°Good morn, Sister,¡± the man bowed. He was in his middle years, balding, his remaining hair reddish brown and slightly askew, stray wisps remaining on the top of his head. He had a pleasant, open face. I tried to tell myself that looks could be deceiving.

    He said, ¡°It is rare that a person of the Guild visits my humble shop. I am quite honored.¡±

    ¡°It is my honor, sir,¡± I said. ¡°Tell me, do you sell anything else besides wine?¡±

    ¡°No, sister. I am sorry. I have heard members of the Guild do not imbibe. I know of a seller who has wine that contains no spirits, if that is what you seek. I can direct you to his shop, if you like.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but no. I actually am here to inquire if you wish to make a purchase. My cousin has a vineyard in Mukan. He is quite proud of his product ¨C will not stop talking about it, in truth. He has long wanted to introduce it to the capitol city, and I agreed to make inquiries on his behalf.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. Of course I would be happy to make a purchase if the wine is of good quality. Could you bring me a sample?¡±

    ¡°I have one right here.¡± I handed him a flask I had taken from Leonis.

    He took it and sipped. I watched as he swallowed.

    ¡°This is excellent!¡± he declared. ¡°Similar to a vintage here that sells for top coin! You can tell your cousin that I am interested.¡±

    ¡°He has a white wine as well. I can bring a sample of that if you like.¡±

    ¡°Certainly! If it is as good as this, I would be happy to purchase large quantities of both! You have made my day, Sister!¡±

    ¡°I can not leave Sanctuary until Hanging Day,¡± I said. ¡°Will you be open for business then?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I never attend the hangings. Business is slow during the hangings themselves, but picks up considerably after.¡±

    ¡°Your name, sir? I am Ruby.¡±

    ¡°I am Enoch Frong,¡± he said with another bow.

    ¡°I shall return in two days with a sample. Good day, sir.¡±

    I left the man¡¯s shop, my heart heavier than it had ever been. Heavier than when I had learned of Bastile¡¯s death. Heavier, perhaps, than when I had realized, years ago, that my father would never return home.

    It was absurd how easy it would be to kill this man. But I did not know if I could do it. My choice was to murder him or face my own inevitable death, in which case my people might never find the location of Moroso.

    I made my way to Leonis¡¯s shop. Shortly after, I went back to Sanctuary with a flask full of poisoned wine.

    <hr>

    The morning of Hanging Day came all too soon. I remember little of the morning routine, breakfast in the dining hall. I scarcely recall stepping out into the brilliant sunshine, the morning already warm, walking among the other students toward the gallows. The flask was in the pocket of my robe, heavy.

    I would attend the hangings, exchange messages with my contact, and visit Frong¡¯s shop on my way back to Sanctuary. The poison would act slowly enough that I would be at work in the chambers when the effects began. His death would appear natural, his heart stopping, as sometimes happens with men of his age.

    Only two men hanged today. The Empress spared the final three. This was nearly unprecedented. The crowd turned from bloodthirsty to jovial and festive, celebrating the wonderful generosity of Her Excellency on this glorious, fine day.

    I almost did not feel the exchange when it occurred, the note leaving my left hand and being replaced by another.

    I made my way toward Frong¡¯s shop, heart hammering in my chest, legs wobbly and weak.

    Frong stood outside his shop door, greeting people as they passed. Not pressing them for business but merely being friendly.

    ¡°Sister!¡± he called, waving to me. ¡°Did you bring me that sample of your cousin¡¯s excellent wine?¡±

    I approached him.

    ¡°Are you all right, sister?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was the hangings. I fear they unsettled me.¡±

    ¡°Come inside! Sit down for a moment. That is precisely why I never attend those things. Dreadful to witness really.¡±

    Inside his cool shop, I sat in a worn, comfortable chair.

    ¡°Sit here a moment and gather yourself,¡± Frong told me. ¡°I will be back in just a moment.¡±

    Alone, I unfolded the note that was in my hand.

    M found.

    Good work. Mission Complete. Prepare for extract.

    Be on Lucky Elisa tomorrow at dawn.

    ¡°I am sorry, Master Frong,¡± I said, when the merchant returned. ¡°I forgot to bring the sample.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all right my dear. Sister, please, it is all right! Please stop crying! You can bring it another day. You must not cry!¡±

 CHAPTER 28: THE LAST MISSION

    MONTH OF THE WOLF, SECOND TENDAY, THIRD DAY, 767 KD

    I watched as the outlander, Mister Falcon, worked with the new members of our team. Arex, Pratt, Dogson, Fendy and Dristol had been pulled from the ranks by Farley to replace the ones we¡¯d lost. They had all been tested in combat and performed well, and we had no concerns about them.

    I had to admire the outlander¡¯s skill. Everyone on the team attested to having learned something new by training with him. All but me. I had been hesitant. I do not know why. The man clearly did not remember me from Crille. I carried no grudge against him. On the contrary, he had probably saved my life that night long ago.

    At the moment, Falcon was displaying what he could do against four armed men at one time. I watched as our four highly trained warriors fell to the wooden sword of Falcon. They had barely touched him.

    The men dusted themselves off and got to their feet, grumbling good naturedly.

    ¡°How about you?¡± Falcon asked me. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve worked with you yet. Want to have a quick spar?¡±

    ¡°No thanks.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you, I promise.¡±

    It was the wrong thing for him to say. Or the right thing, I suppose.

    I walked over to him and drew my sword.

    ¡°You want to use a real sword? No problem. Just let me know when you are ready.¡±

    ¡°Do you not want to draw your sword first?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll just use this.¡± He waved his wooden sword.

    I stood there and stared at him.

    He looked puzzled. ¡°Did I offend you? I am sorry ¨C I meant nothing by it. Look, forget it, I¡¯m supposed to be meeting Trang in a few minutes anyway.¡±

    ¡°This will not take long.¡±

    ¡°You are insane. You saw what I just did to four of your men! Ok, fine, let¡¯s go. Guys, get some Healing potions ready.¡±

    I waited for him to move first.

    ¡°Ready?¡± he asked me.

    ¡°Yes. Go ahead.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°Fine. Jesus.¡±

    He came at me. I blocked his blow with ease, countered quickly, and grazed his right leg. It drew blood, but he seemed not to notice.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± he said.

    ¡°Do not hold back,¡± I told him.

    ¡°Do I know you from somewhere?¡±

    I attacked, moving in a flurry. He blocked all of my blows, gave me a kick to the midsection that sent me to the dirt. He could have finished me then but waited for me to get up. This annoyed me.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    I threw dirt in his face and lunged.

    He dodged, and I went down again.

    This time he did come to finish me, and I was just barely able to ward off his blows, still on my knees. On his final swing, I reached for the blow with my wooden hand, caught his sword, and pulled him down. He rolled just in time to miss being impaled by my sword.

    We both leapt to our feet and circled.

    Another flurry from him and another from me, to no effect.

    Finally, he stopped. ¡°I am doing you a disservice,¡± he said. ¡°I am unable to hold back because I am afraid of killing you, or causing a permanent injury. Let me try with the wooden sword. I insist.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    He sheathed his sword. Dristol tossed him a wooden one. I sheathed mine and took a wooden sword from Arex.

    This time I could not see the blows when they came.

    I was hit in the legs, chest, left arm ¨C causing my sword to go flying ¨C and finally my neck. The last blow knocked me to the dirt and nearly knocked me out.

    The next thing I remember is being helped to my feet.

    ¡°You are the best fighter I have seen, by far,¡± Falcon said. ¡°But in single combat, you could never beat me. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not bragging. I¡¯m just too fast. The best outlander fighters will always be too fast for you. Doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t beat them ¨C just not one on one. And dirt in the eyes doesn¡¯t really work on us.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the lesson.¡±

    ¡°I remember you now,¡± he said. ¡°Jesus Christ. You¡¯ve come a long way.¡±

    General Trang himself led the mission briefing.

    ¡°This is by far going to be your most important mission yet,¡± Trang told the twelve of us. ¡°Perhaps ever. And your most dangerous. We have discovered the lair of Moroso.¡±

    We looked at each other, perhaps wondering if Trang had gone off the deep end.

    ¡°Moroso does exist. He has wreaked havoc on this land for I don¡¯t know how many decades. Always behind the scenes, but he has impacted the lives of each of you, by his masterful manipulation of your leaders. They are all puppets to him. Even the Empress.

    ¡°You wonder why so few mages exist, outside of that Sanctuary? He has secretly been running Sanctuary and ensuring that all citizens with the Talent for magic are sent there. They are taught to suppress their abilities, to use them only to achieve peace and enlightenment. It¡¯s all horseshit. Those who go there languish for years, doing virtually nothing, their talent languishing. This is meant to ensure that Moroso remains the most powerful wielder of magic in the land.

    ¡°Moroso is responsible for the demonspawn that now plague your land. His black magic created them. They were confined to the tombs and the dungeons, until now. Many of the dungeons have been permanently opened. At this very moment, villages and towns are being terrorized, some of them overrun. Even the walls of the great cities do not stop all of them. A dozen citizens in Crille were slaughtered yesterday.

    ¡°This is all Moroso¡¯s work.

    ¡°We have many enemies and you have faced them. You¡¯ve killed barbarians. You¡¯ve killed Varina¡¯s men. You¡¯ve killed soldiers from Astela. They are our enemies, but they are not all really evil.

    ¡°Moroso is evil incarnate. He is everything that is foul in your world.

    ¡°I am going to kill him. I am putting together a team of outlanders, the best mages and fighters in Friedor. Almost none of them are really allies, but they will help for their own reasons. They will jump at the chance to face down the most powerful being in Friedor. They will help me defeat him.

    ¡°And when Moroso goes down, the Empress will follow. Sooner or later, it will happen. I will see to it that you men, and your families, are truly free.¡±

    Trang went on like that. His words may have affected the others, but not me. It was just another mission.

    We would go back through Friedor, deep into Destra toward the mountains bordering Ariea. The wizard¡¯s lair was in a valley. Kanni Valley. We would each memorize its location on the map.

    We were to reconnoiter the area and provide cover for the mages. No army. Just us. The mages would go in fast. Into the lair, battle the evil wizard together. And defeat him. Trang sounded completely confident.

    Whether he was too confident, that mattered not to me. I would do my job. We all would.

    No uniforms, no armor. Fast horses.

    Each of us had an alias and cover story in the event of capture. We were to avoid conflicts whenever possible, on our journey to the valley. That part would be easy for us. No part of Friedor compared to the dark unmapped parts of the Frontier.

    In the early morning, already hot, still dark, we moved out. The guards opened the gate for us. The rest of Freejack slept.

    We rode out into the early morning darkness.

 CHAPTE 29: THE TRAP

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    Landria snuggled up close, her breasts pressing into my back, her breath warm on my neck.

    ¡°I need to leave soon,¡± she murmured in my ear.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± I was close to the sweet embrace of sleep. It had gotten easier of late. A bit easier.

    ¡°Trouble is coming.¡±

    ¡°The fuck do you mean? Landria¡ª¡°

    ¡°You are certain you saw Kemile? Describe her again.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± I protested. But I described the queen for the tenth time to her. She had been riding atop a pure white horse beside her coach ¨C and it had to be a royal coach, it looked like it cost a hundred thousand gold. I described her golden hair and youthful, yet somehow noble face, trying to play down the beauty part. Her procession was less than a day¡¯s ride from us.

    ¡°It is her,¡± Landria said.

    ¡°Odd, yes? You said she stays in her castle getting pampered all day long.¡±

    ¡°Yes. She does. Something is going on. I do not like it.¡±

    ¡°She is on our side.¡±

    ¡°Can you be certain of that? With these royals, you never can be.¡±

    ¡°She just wants to meet with Alec. I would not worry.¡±

    ¡°But I do.¡±

    ¡°Ok. We will talk more tomorrow about it.¡±

    ¡°Leave with me. Tonight.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°It is too dangerous for me to stay.¡±

    ¡°You think Kemile is really going to notice you? You¡¯re very good at going unnoticed. I¡¯ve watched you do it.¡±

    ¡°You do not understand.¡±

    ¡°In fact, I do. I know about your past. I saw the brand, Landria. I really do not think the queen of Destra is here to look for runaway slaves, do you?¡±

    She was quiet for a time. I thought she had fallen asleep.

    Then she said, ¡°I am not a runaway slave.¡±

    ¡°Landria ¨C you really think you have to lie to me? I have known for weeks now and said nothing. I knew you would prefer not to talk about it, and nobody keeps a secret better than I do¡ª¡°

    ¡°I am not a runaway slave. I am a runaway queen.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I chuckled.

    ¡°I was queen of Fedra for seven years. My real name is Elyscia.¡±

    ¡°You are not joking.¡±

    ¡°No. I fear I am not.¡±

    ¡°Elyscia is dead. You cannot be her. She was killed by outlanders on her way to Meridea.¡±

    ¡°I was not in the carriage when it burned. My¡­little sister was. She was supposed to stay home, but she stowed away. Didn¡¯t show herself until she knew it was too late to turn back. I was in the woods when the attack on my procession occurred. I was¡­with the captain of my guard. He went to fight the attackers off and was killed. Along with everyone else. My sister was much younger than me, had just become a woman really. Her face did not look like mine. She was much prettier. But when they found the bodies after¡­it didn¡¯t matter. They thought she was me. I fled on foot. Disguised myself. Even branded myself. You think that you seeing the brand was something I did not intend?¡±

    ¡°Gods. I¡¯ve been sleeping with a queen!¡±

    ¡°Really, Rany, that is the first thing you have to say?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry about your sister, of course. And your people.¡±

    ¡°There were others close to me that were killed. My young cousin, Krista, was hanged by order of the Empress.¡±

    ¡°Krista¡¯s dead?¡±

    ¡°You sound as if you know her.¡±

    ¡°I met her. I liked her.¡±

    ¡°Someone set it up to appear that I was plotting to assassinate the Empress.¡±

    I remained silent, afraid to speak. Perhaps I could have warned Krista, saved her.

    ¡°The irony is, I was plotting to kill her. My true plan, as far as I know, was never discovered. And it may have even succeeded. But likely not. Analisa is a cunning little bitch. All the royals are ¨C a shifty, scheming, corrupt lot, I as bad as any of them. But none so much as Analisa. No one has been able to outwit her in her ten year reign.¡±

    ¡°What a cunt,¡± I said, trying to show support.

    ¡°I intended to leave Friedor altogether, after I escaped. Sail west perhaps, across the Weiran Ocean, to the Green Isles perhaps, perhaps beyond. I found a place in your camp and thought it as good a place as any to remain for awhile, while I saved some gold. First time in my life I ever had to worry about gold. I stayed¡­ a bit longer than I planned.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I think you know why, you idiot.¡±

    ¡°Because of me.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Because of you.¡±

    I had deduced this, but it is nice to have it confirmed out loud.

    ¡°But,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re a queen.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore. Never again. I am Landria now.¡±

    ¡°If Kemile were to see you, do you think she would recognize you?¡±

    ¡°Of course she would. We have known each other all our lives. Schemed together. Plotted against one another. Plotted together against others. In the end I cannot say if we were allies or enemies. Friends perhaps, perhaps either way. But friendship among royals only goes so far. Self interest prevails over all else. I am happy all that is behind me. It is as if I truly did die and was reborn.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°I must say, I am not easily shocked, particularly these days. But you have managed it.¡±

    ¡°So come with me.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Now? Or just before first light.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Elyscia.¡±

    ¡°Please, continue to call me Landria!¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Landria. I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s very sudden. And Alec needs me.¡±

    ¡°To hell with that outlander! Their lot has caused this entire mess!¡±

    ¡°But there is the bond. I don¡¯t know if I even can leave. I mean physically. And then¡­boats. I am not crazy about those. You ever been on a ship before?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Rany.¡±

    ¡°Then you know how they are. If I die, I¡¯d rather it be on dry land.¡±

    ¡°Then we go east.¡±

    ¡°Across the Frontier? I don¡¯t know.¡±

    She was quiet for a bit. That was not a good thing.

    Finally, she said, ¡°Forget that I asked. It was stupid of me. Stupid to reveal my secret ¨C I don¡¯t know what I could have been thinking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you told me.¡±

    ¡°Of course you are. You have a story to tell now. Just be certain it is not until long after I am gone before that mouth of yours begins to run.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that! And you are much more to me than a story.¡±

    ¡°Am I? What am I to you then?¡±

    ¡°Gods, putting me on the spot now, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Good night. Sleep. I will be gone when you wake.¡±

    I slept in a bit, fully daylight in my tent before I crawled out.

    True to her word, Landria had left before I woke. I had stirred when she left and expected her to return for one last goodbye, of one sort or another, but she did not.

    The whole conversation seemed almost like something from a dream.

    I moved about among the sea of tents of our camp. A soldier played his flute rather badly, and that irritated me. I went to the mess tent and talked the reluctant cook into serving me a late breakfast.

    By midday I had ascertained that Landria had probably left with a merchant caravan that had departed shortly after dawn.

    Perhaps I could have gone with her. It was not as if Alec had ordered me to stay. And I wondered if I would even be missed, to be frank. Perhaps if Landria had not sprung all that shit on me in the middle of the night, when I was half asleep, I would have had time to consider it and might have gone with her. She had probably planned it all this way just so I would feel guilty for staying.

    Well, I refused to feel guilty.

    I would simply keep myself busy.

    Even now, I could probably catch up with the caravan by nightfall. But why should I do that?

    Jade found me.

    ¡°Rany! There you are. Alec needs you.¡±

    ¡°He does? Why?¡¯

    ¡°Jesus Christ, I don¡¯t have time for this. We¡¯ve got people coming in, Rany, in case you haven¡¯t heard. VIPs. The Queen of fucking Fedra. Some people from Jaspen.¡±

    ¡°Jaspen?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Who is coming from Jaspen?¡±

    ¡°One of the duchesses. Sylvera. You and Alec apparently have a little history with her.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. I hope she has no hard feelings.¡±

    ¡°She only has a small army with her. And they are all coming to us. Seems encouraging. But we¡¯ll stay cautious, just in case.¡±

    Pomp and circumstance ensued as we had to work out the details of who was coming and how many people they could bring as their escort.

    A late afternoon feast was arranged in Alec¡¯s tent.

    Rare are those women who possess beauty so stunning that wherever they go, people cannot help but to stop and stare.

    Queen Kemile was such a woman.

    She walked into Alec¡¯s tent is if gliding, General Royse and an armed escort in splendid armor just behind her.

    She wore a perfume that gave off such a scent that you wanted to keep it with you forever. She had blond hair, perfectly arranged on her head in intricate braids. Her eyes were large and a warm light brown, gleaming with intelligence and a hint of wry humor. The gown she wore was fine enough but suitable for traveling, a practical look to it. She wore a tiara of sparkling emeralds, glistening blue and purple and silver, dazzling colors that hypnotized the eye. She wore a necklace and earrings to match. Just one of those earrings would have made me a wealthy man, ten times over. She was tall and graceful with a long, elegant neck.

    I could see why Elyscia hated her.

    ¡°Greetings, Sir Alec,¡± she said, her voice sweet and rich as honey. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you at last. You have established quite a reputation in Friedor.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Alec replied. Even he appeared moved by her beauty.

    ¡°I am most appreciative of your campaign here in Destra. Not only your elimination of the rogue outlanders but your handling of the dispute with my dear sister. We have fought since we were young children, but we do love each other dearly. It is good to have peace made again between us.¡±

    ¡°I was happy to help.¡±

    ¡°I come today not only as queen but as proxy for the Empress. She relies on you to carry out your most important task yet.

    ¡°It has come to her attention that a major outlander operation will take place several days from now, in the Kanni Mountains to the north. It will be the largest group of outlanders yet assembled in one place. You will trap them in the valley and eliminate every one of them.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    ¡°General Royse will lend his expertise and his army to provide any assistance you may require. Your forces should be adequate for the task, but the Empress has stressed that this mission must succeed.

    ¡°Upon completion of this quest, the Empress will bestow upon you a most considerable reward. Duchess Sylvera will discuss those details with you.

    ¡°You will forgive my hurry, but I must take my leave now. It has been an honor to meet you, First Sword Alec and Second Sword Jade.¡±

    She left the tent as gracefully as she had come in. The scent of her perfume lingered. The general bowed and followed his queen, to see her off for her journey home.

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s interesting,¡± Alec said.

    ¡°Do you have any idea what ¡®operation¡¯ she is talking about?¡± Jade asked, staring at the tent opening. She appeared less taken with the queen than the rest of us.

    ¡°No fucking idea,¡± Alec said. ¡°But I¡¯m about to find out. Rany, I¡¯ve gotta log off for awhile. Jade too. Boykins or Stuart should be here. If you need me, tell one of them. I can jump back in any time.¡±

    The next meeting, about an hour later, was somewhat more interesting.

    With Queen Kemile already departing for her capitol, her vanguard disappearing into the horizon, Sylvera and Griffin Roane rode into camp, alone. They had no guards.

    I was outside Alec¡¯s tent, attempting to play something on a borrowed lute. It might have been a sad song I was trying to remember from my childhood.

    ¡°Greetings,¡± Sylvera said, smoothly dismounting from her horse. ¡°We would like a word with Alec.¡±

    I had forgotten how stunning Sylvera was, not as beautiful as Queen Kemile, but beautiful in her own right, with those incredible, intense eyes of light green.

    Roane got down from his mare as well, his manner pompous and arrogant as ever. He eyed me in a way that confirmed he remembered me from Crille. But he said nothing.

    ¡°I will go fetch him,¡± I said.

    I found Boykins, one of the outlanders, flirting with one of the camp girls. He seemed irritated by the interruption.

    ¡°Sylvera and Roane are here to see Alec,¡± I said.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± he replied. He went blank for a bit, then came back. ¡°He¡¯ll be back in his tent in five minutes.¡±

    I went off, Boykins returning his attention to the girl.

    Alec came out with Jade and greeted the two royals. They had been waiting patiently, gazing around at the camp, cooly assessing it.

    There were no ego massaging compliments from Sylvera. Inside the tent and sitting at the table, she began. ¡°We are meeting with you privately for two reasons. First, there is the matter of the prior business that we discussed in Crille. There was no prior business in Crille. This is the first time we are meeting. Is my point understood?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Alec said. ¡°What about him?¡± He nodded his head at Roane.

    Roane smirked. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you at last, for the very first time. You seem like a fine gentleman.¡±

    Alec laughed. ¡°Ok. I never really gave a shit about all that anyway.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Sylvera said. ¡°On to the second matter. Roane and I were dispatched from Jaspen to lend our support. An army follows us, smaller than your own, but a large enough force that we wanted to make you aware. They come to ensure success in your mission. None of us wish to fail the Empress. We are all united in this cause.

    ¡°After you kill all the outlanders and achieve victory, the Empress will name you King of Konn. She will give you Emiline¡¯s crown. Emiline has gone too far too many times, in her efforts to antagonize her sister. She will be exiled from the realm. Queen Kemile knows this, of course, but prefers to pretend otherwise.

    ¡°This, of course, will be a tremendous honor for you. An unprecedented honor for an outlander.¡±

    ¡°King of Konn,¡± Alec said. ¡°I like the sound of that. What about Jade?¡±

    ¡°You can make her queen, if you wish.¡±

    ¡°What do you think, babe?¡± he asked Jade.

    ¡°Sounds awesome,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks for remembering to ask me.¡±

    I did not know what to make of that, but my sympathies were with Alec this time.

    Damn all women.

 CHAPTER 30: ESCAPE

    FROM THE JOURNALS OF RUBY

    ¡°Sister, you must wake.¡±

    I woke with a jolt, in my dark cell.  I had lied down, waiting for the early hours of morning to sneak out of Sanctuary and make my way to the docks.  Somehow I had fallen asleep.

    Had this been an assassin, I would now be dead.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked in the darkness.  The girl had a candle, which she moved closer to her face so I could see her features.

    ¡°Shirelle?¡±

    ¡°It is me, sister.  I came to warn you. I heard talk you would be arrested in the morning.  They accuse you of being a spy!¡±

    ¡°I was leaving tonight anyway.  What hour is it now?¡±

    ¡°It is after midnight.  Come! We must go!¡±

    ¡°We?  Go back to your cell, sister.  Thank you for the warning. And for speaking to me at all, finally.  But I must go alone.¡±

    ¡°I will go with you, Ruby.  I must. Do you know of the secret passage out of Sanctuary?¡±

    ¡°I have heard of it,¡± I whispered. ¡°Do you know where it is?¡±

    ¡°I do.  Come, quick.  We must take the passage.  They placed guards outside every door out of Sanctuary.¡±

    I jumped up, already wearing my Apprentice robe.  It was all I had to wear, unfortunately. I would need to find new clothing soon.  I looked forward to never wearing these robes again.

    Slippers on, I took my nearly empty coin purse as well as the poisoned wine from my bedside table.  I had not yet had an opportunity to get rid of it and did not want to leave it for someone to find.

    ¡°Show me the way, Shirelle.¡±

    She led me upstairs, both of us moving as quietly as possible, seeing by the light of the single candle.  I could nearly hear our hearts pounding.

    ¡°This is it,¡± Shirelle said.  We had gone through the kitchens and down into the cellar, through a maze of rooms that had long gone unused, cobwebs and dust all over.  It looked as if we were the first to set foot in this entire wing in years.

    ¡°How did you find out about this?¡± I asked Shirelle.

    The passage lay behind a bookshelf.  We had to push it out of the way.

    ¡°One of the sisters overheard a Cleric mention it.  Come on ¨C let us go!¡±

    ¡°You stay,¡± I told Shirelle.  ¡°It is safer here for you.¡±

    ¡°I will not have you leave without me,¡± she said.  ¡°Not this time.¡±

    The passage was winding, dark and cold, and so narrow that I had to walk behind Shirelle, who held the flickering candle.  It cast shadows that danced on the moss covered walls.

    After nearly an eternity, we came to the end of the passage.  A bare wall faced us, with a rope ladder leading up into the darkness.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I cannot climb while holding the candle,¡± Shirelle said.  She sounded shaken, as if at last realizing the meaning of what she was doing.

    ¡°I can manage it, I think,¡± I said.  ¡°Give it to me. I will go first. We should go one at a time.  No telling how strong this rope is.¡±

    My climb was slow, using my right hand to pull myself up and my feet for purchase on the lower rungs.  Soon I could no longer see Shirelle below.

    At last, after climbing perhaps forty feet, I came to a trap door in the ceiling.  I unlatched it and it slid open. Stars shined above.

    ¡°I made it sister!¡± I called down.

    She required some coaxing but at last made it to the top.  We slid the trap door shut. On the outside, it was covered with a thick layer of dirt.  It would have been impossible to find if one did not know exactly what to look for.

    We looked about, trying to get our bearings.  We were in what looked like one of the large parks that Meridea prides itself on.  Nearby we found a path, and we followed it. We extinguished the candle and found our way by moonlight.  We saw no one, but could not be too careful. Citizens were not permitted outside after dark. Our very presence would raise suspicion, if discovered, but it would be even more suspicious with our Sanctuary attire.

    The path lead us out of the park and into the industrial district.  With great care to remain unheard and unseen, we made our way very slowly in the direction of the docks.

    It took us nearly three hours.

    We found an alley to hide in and wait for dawn to come, relieved to sit down, feet aching.  We dared not talk much, but of course I could not help myself.

    ¡°What changed your mind about me?¡± I asked her.  ¡°You would not even speak to me until tonight.¡±

    ¡°It tore at my heart not to,¡± Shirelle whispered.  ¡°But I had to pretend. That I was committed to Sanctuary above all else.  It was known that you ran away to avoid your obligations, and that you joined the outlander who was an enemy of the Empire.  That is why so few were ever nice to you.¡±

    ¡°I did not know it was so widely known.¡±

    ¡°You were right to want to avoid it,¡± she said.  ¡°I should have done the same when I turned fifteen.¡±

    ¡°It is meant to be oppressive, to stifle our talents,¡± I said.

    ¡°Thank you for allowing me to come with you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said.  ¡°If not for you, I might not have made it out here.  Or I might have been arrested.¡± I shuddered. ¡°What did they say about me?  What did you overhear?¡±

    ¡°Horrible things.  That you were a spy for the outlander.  That you¡­murdered a Scholar.¡±

    ¡°Bastile?  I did not kill him!¡±

    ¡°Of course not, sister.  I know you could not do something like that.  That is why I came to you.¡±

    I shivered and watched her do the same.  The nights were still chilly and now that we had stopped walking, we were quite cold.

    There were dozens of boats at the docks.  The Lucky Elisa was a small craft with a single sail.  A sailor stood at the bow, bare-chested, barking orders to a couple of young deck hands.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± he asked us.

    ¡°I believe I am your passenger.  I am Ruby.¡±

    He waved at us to board.  ¡°Where is Siegel? Who is this girl with you?¡±

    ¡°I do not know where Siegel is.  This is my sister, Shirelle.¡±

    ¡°Nobody said anything about her.  Very well. Get below and out of sight.  As soon as Siegel gets here, we¡¯re shoving off.  We¡¯re leaving within the hour either way.¡±

    The hold below deck was musky and damp, smelling of wet wood and sweat.

    ¡°Who is Siegel?¡± Shirelle asked me.  ¡°Do you know these people?¡±

    ¡°I presume Siegel is one of my contacts.  There is much yet I have to explain. Are you certain you want to make this journey with me?  I do not even know where we are going. Wherever it is, it could be some time before you can return to Meridea.  If you ever can.¡±

    ¡°Good!  I have had more than enough of Meridea and Sanctuary.  I am ready for a little adventure!¡±

    ¡°It may be more than a little.  Tell me, when did you last see Mama and Trista?  How are they?¡±

    ¡°They are well.  I have not seen them since going to Sanctuary, but they have written.¡±

    ¡°Is Mama still having problems with her bad knee?¡±

    ¡°It has grown a bit worse, I fear to say.  But she gets along.¡±

    The sailor appeared in the hold.  ¡°Trouble brewing in the city,¡± he said.  ¡°We are casting off now. Siegel will just have to catch up with you later.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± I said, trying to remain calm.  The contact not arriving was a bad sign.

    Worse yet, the girl in the hold with me was not my sister.

 CHAPTER 31: KANNI VALLEY

    FROM THE JOURNALS OF HANDICE

    We took our positions in the mountains and waited.

    We had scouted the entire area, finding the best strategic position, on high ground but close to the target area.  We painted our faces, all exposed skin green and black, blending in with the foliage. It was a technique Trang had taught us.

    The target area was a small cave tucked away in a rocky nook at the bottom of the narrow, winding valley.  It was very hard to find. It was supposed to be the lair of Moroso. It did not look like much.

    We did not like it.  Too many armies close by, less than a day¡¯s march away.

    The journey had been even more challenging than we had anticipated.  We had been briefed on the monsters being released from scores of dungeons throughout the land.  We knew what to expect, to a point. But their numbers were far higher than we had been told. Every day, more creatures spawned in each dungeon, and made their way out to wander the countryside, attacking any man or animal they encountered.  We could handle them, but they attacked on sight, no matter what odds they faced, single minded to kill every living being within their sight or smell.

    We had ridden as hard and fast as we could on our horses, covering about fifty to sixty miles each day, depending on the terrain.  We had a new mage, Brietta, who was good with the spells that improved horses¡¯ endurance and stamina. But we had a lot of ground to cover, and sometimes we had to stop and fight.

    The giant spiders were the worst.  They were nearly as fast as our horses.  We lost four horses, and we had to use our gold to replace them, but the best mounts we were able to purchase in the villages were less than adequate.  They slowed the group down.

    We only lost one man.  Hudson. His horse stumbled and he was thrown off, the spiders devouring him.  By the time we could render aid, it was too late. He died with his sword through one of the creatures.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    We saw villages and even towns abandoned.  The people had fled for the cities and their walls.

    We saw some villages where the people had not made a timely escape.  We found their corpses, or what was left of them. The smell always came first, let us know what to expect to find.

    All of us were sleep deprived.  Every night, we kept a man on watch.  Brietta had a spell that alerted her to monsters when they were near, and that saved us.  But nearly every night we had to wake up and fight the things.

    I worried about Shirin Mills.  We were far from there. It was best not to think about it.  Nothing I could do. Most of the men were from small villages like mine.  We saw the worry on each other¡¯s faces. Fear. Hopelessness. Yet grim determination, the need to press on and focus on the task at hand.

    In eight days we traveled perhaps six hundred miles.

    Now we were hunkered down, waiting for action.

    The waiting was the worst part.

    None of us minded the action, anymore.

    Cochran had a word with me.

    ¡°The mission is still a go,¡± he said.

    I nodded.  ¡°The general had his mind made before we left.¡±

    ¡°I made a full report at Kiest,¡± he said.  He had met a contact earlier that day in the nearby village, warning them of what we had seen.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the look of that army to the south,¡± I said.  ¡°They look as if they are gearing up for some action.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Cochran said.  ¡°I did get word on the force we can expect from the outlanders.  It is more than we had even anticipated. Fifty outlander mages. Perhaps two dozen outlander warriors.  They will come from all around and they will move fast. Faster than that army can react.¡±

    ¡°That army is waiting for something.  Perhaps waiting for them. We had at least one spy in Freejack.  Picasso. Perhaps there were others.¡±

    ¡°I know.  I told the contact that.  He said not to worry, the mission is still a go.  Nothing will stop it now. The target is too rich for the outlanders.¡±

    ¡°Moroso.¡±

    ¡°So they say.¡±

    ¡°That cave does not look like it has been touched in years.¡±

    ¡°I know.  The general feels the intel is reliable.¡±

    ¡°This is going to be a bad one,¡± I said.  I could feel it in the pit of my stomach.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Cochran said.

 CHAPTER 32: THE IMPOSTOR

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF RUBY

    The Lucky Elisa sailed east against the Dorne¡¯s strong current, painfully slow.  I made small talk with the impostor, trying not to reveal my suspicion.

    In the afternoon, I found a moment to speak privately with the captain.

    ¡°The girl I came with is not who she pretends to be,¡± I whispered to him, glancing over my shoulder to ensure she had not followed me.  ¡°Can you have your men secure her, so she can be questioned?¡±

    The captain stared at me as if I had sprouted a third eye.

    ¡°You said she is your sister!¡±

    ¡°Shh!  I believed then that she was.¡±

    ¡°Do you not know the face of your own sister?¡±  He looked disgusted now. I began to fear he might have me arrested.

    ¡°Of course I do.  An impostor has taken on her exact appearance.¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling well, young lady?  Perhaps you should go back down to the hold and get some rest.  We have quite a bit of sailing ahead. Should have you in Deshire by early morning.¡±

    I returned to the hold.  It was no use, and likely would have been too dangerous for me to confront the impostor.  I did not know who I was dealing with. I thought that I might know, but hoped to the gods I was wrong.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°I am hungry, sister,¡± she said.

    ¡°I know.  I am as well.  I meant to ask the captain if we could have something to eat.  I will go back¡ª¡°

    But the captain entered the hold just then.

    ¡°You young ladies doing all right?¡±  He asked. He gave me a quick look.

    ¡°We are quite hungry, actually.¡±

    ¡°There is food in the galley.  It is not much but should be enough.  Anything else you need?¡±

    ¡°No, captain.  Thank you.¡± He spared me one final glance and went back above deck.

    The food consisted of molding cheese, stale bread and dried fish.  We avoided the fish altogether and ate sparingly.

    ¡°Do you think the water is safe to drink, sister?¡± the impostor asked me.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± I said.  ¡°I do have some wine.¡±

    I took the poisoned flask from the pocket of my robe.

    Her eyes widened.  ¡°I have not had wine in more than a year.  And then only the few sips mama gave me.¡±

    If I had entertained doubts about this not being Shirelle, they were gone now.  This was the second time she referred to mother as ¡°mama.¡± We never called her that.

    ¡°Have some, sister.  You are not in Sanctuary anymore.¡±

    ¡°You must have some as well.¡±

    ¡°My stomach is a bit uneasy from the motion of the boat.  You go ahead.¡±

    I handed her the flask.  Tentatively, she took a sip.

    ¡°This tastes awful.¡±

    ¡°It is an acquired taste.¡±

    ¡°I feel a bit strange.  I do not recall one sip of wine having that much of an effect.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it is very strong.  Get some rest, sister. The captain told me we will sail all day and into the morning.¡±

 CHAPTER 33: REUNION

    FROM THE SCRIBBLINGS OF RANY

    The day of the battle began like any other.

    I rose from my blankets, alone, washed my face with cold water from the basin.  No hangover. Must still be drunk. I would have to take it easy today. No good being wobbly if the shit hit the fan.

    Outside my tent, it was a normal morning.  The sun was rising and bright on my bleary eyes.  The mountain air was crisp and cold. Men ambled about, talking, eating, wrestling, playing instruments badly.

    We had an army of two thousand, camped on high ground, not far from the valley.  We could not be fooling anyone with our intentions. Surely the outlanders would not come.

    I ate a quick breakfast ¨C eggs and bacon on bread ¨C and rode out to the ridge.

    I peered down at the valley with my scope.

    It looked peaceful and quiet.

    I could see where the cave was supposed to be but not the cave itself.

    Maybe I¡¯d go down and have a look.

    The ground sloped down into the valley, deceptively gentle.

    The sun was rising high and the day began to warm.

    I followed the path that our troops would take, through a strip of land about a hundred span wide that cut through the woods.

    I was on foot.  I had not bothered to take my horse.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Something caused me to slow as I neared the valley floor.

    I stopped and froze in my tracks.

    It was too quiet.

    No birds sang. No critters rustled in the brush.

    I looked about at the ground around me.

    Impressions in the earth.  The ground wet in places. Traps, perhaps.

    The trees to my right were far too quiet.  I peered at them. I could see nothing amiss.  That bothered me even more.

    I could imagine eyes watching me.  A dozen or more.

    It suddenly seemed a good idea to get back to camp.

    I turned around.  I looked up at the slope.  Less gradual going up than coming down, it seemed.

    I began to carefully make my way back up, searching the ground carefully for  spots where I could walk safely.

    How stupid I was.  I could have been in the camp right now, waiting to see if any action occurred, listening to my comrades make poor attempts at jokes and music.

    Something that felt like a boulder slammed into my back, just below my right shoulder.

    I fell to my knees.  The ground suddenly appeared much steeper than it had.  I collapsed, face down, my vision blurring. My right side was on fire.  The point of a crossbow protruded from my chest. I coughed and spat, and blood poured out of my mouth.  Shit. I was dying.

    All I could think was, I was going to be the first fucking idiot to die in this battle.

    ¡°Hold fire!¡± someone shouted.

    A man knelt beside me.

    My face to the ground, I saw his shadow.

    A rough hand turned me over.

    ¡°Drink this,¡± the man said.

    He held a vial to my lips and I drank.  A bit of color returned. Not much. My shoulder burned as much as ever.

    ¡°Hold still.  I¡¯m going to pick you up and carry you.¡±

    He sounded oddly familiar but it took me a moment to figure it out.

    ¡°Handice?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You should not have come down here.  What were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°Thank the gods you are here.  Somebody shot me.¡±

    ¡°I shot you.  Lucky for you my aim was a bit off.¡±

 CHAPTER 34: MOROSO

    CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF RUBY

    The Lucky Elisa came to a stop. I could hear the sailors above, running about, tying the ship to the dock.

    ¡°My stomach pains me, sister,¡± the impostor said.

    ¡°You will be fine. It must be sea sickness.¡±

    Minutes later, we disembarked, carrying our belongings. I walked down the gangplank with ¡°Shirelle¡± behind me.

    A carriage waited for us.

    ¡°Are you Ruby?¡± the driver asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Get in. There isn¡¯t much time.¡±

    I entered the coach, a bit puzzled by the driver¡¯s attitude. I sat down on the soft cushioned bench and waited for the impostor.

    Leonis joined me.

    ¡°Did you really think poison would work?¡± he asked with his repulsive grin.

    <hr>

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF HANDICE

    Rany was dying. The healing potion had helped, but the injury was severe, and he was fading quickly.

    ¡°Brietta,¡± I called. I did not have to raise my voice. She was close.

    Rany groaned. ¡°What in gods¡¯ hell are you doing here, Handice? What happened with the girl? Did you find her?¡±

    ¡°You must be quiet, Rany.¡±

    Brietta appeared and looked Rany over.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t going to make it.¡±

    ¡°Can you heal the wound?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°He might have information.¡±

    <hr>

    Ruby

    The carriage began to move, fast.

    I am ready for some unpoisoned wine now, what say you?¡± Leonis asked me.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°I am not in the mood for wine.¡±

    ¡°Why not? Surely you could use it. I wager that your pretty little mind is reeling at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I demanded. I could barely look at him.

    ¡°We are going to have some fun, darling. If you are lucky, you might even get to see your father.¡±

    We rode for an hour, perhaps a bit longer.

    I said nothing the entire time.

    Leonis seemed content to ride in silence. He seemed to have no concern at all that I might try to escape or to harm him.

    His fat body made an ample target, if only I had a knife.

    But if the poison did not harm him, what would?

    I watched the world pass by through the small window. It was a very pretty day.

    After a time, the coach halted.

    ¡°Come, dear,¡± Leonis beckoned, exiting the coach and holding out his hand.

    I ignored the fat hand and jumped down to the ground.

    I looked about, eyeing the quickest possible escape route.

    I immediately saw that we were not alone.

    ¡°Do not harm the girl,¡± Leonis instructed.

    A group of giant spiders surrounded us. Watching. I could see their giant, alien eyes, looking at me, their legs twitching in anticipation, itching to attack.

    I repressed a wave of revulsion. I had always hated spiders, even the normal sized ones. These were larger than dogs.

    I was not the only one nervous. The coachman said shakily, ¡°I will be going, Master.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Leonis said. ¡°Your service will not be forgotten. Come, girl.¡±

    We stood by an ancient stone ruin. The door had been left open.

    ¡°Him you can harm,¡± Leonis told the spiders.

    In an instant they were on the man and the horses.

    I had to look away.

    The man¡¯s screams echoed in the early morning.

    Worse were the screams of distress and terror of the horses as they died.

    ¡°Do not be squeamish,¡± Leonis told me. ¡°He would have slit your throat if I had told him to do so. But he saw too much. Come, let us go inside.¡±

    We entered the tomb and went down into subterranean darkness. No sunlight made it in. We navigated the dank corridors by torchlight.

    We walked past beast men who stood so close to me, watching me intently, that I could feel their hot breath on my face. I could smell the stench of them, like wet corpses left out in the rain.

    ¡°Easy,¡± Leonis told them. ¡°She is not for you. Not yet.¡±

    For nearly an hour we walked through a maze of corridors. Leonis never faltered or hesitated when we had to choose which direction to go. He knew the way as if he had designed it himself. Behind me, a spider followed, urging me forward and preventing any temptation to flee.

    At the end of the dungeon we came to a solid wall. Leonis pressed his hands upon it and a pathway emerged. We went into a small, round room. In the center was a metal plate, the size of a shield. Leonis took me by the arm and stood me upon it, holding me as if we were dancing.

    ¡°Watch this,¡± he said, with that nasty leer of his.

    The room dissolved around us. Suddenly we stood in a different room.

    The monsters were gone.

    Now, new creatures appeared, skeleton men and jackos, approaching Leonis eagerly like dogs to their master.

    They all looked at me with keen interest, but Leonis staved them off.

    ¡°She is with me,¡± he told them. ¡°She is my new pet.¡±

    He asked me, ¡°What did you think of that? We just teleported four hundred miles. Beats sitting in a coach for a week, you must admit.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Do you really need to ask?¡±

 CHAPTER 35: WINDS OF WAR

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF HANDICE

    General Trang came in from the north, down from the mountain, as if on a morning stroll.  He surveyed the cave entrance, hands on his hips. Cochran went to meet with him. They spoke briefly.

    Cochran came to me after.

    ¡°The mission is a go,¡± he said.  ¡°The general is waiting for the other outlanders.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± I said.  ¡°We are ready.¡±

    ¡°I know we are.  What are you doing with this one?¡±  He nodded at the unconscious Rany.

    ¡°Hoping to get information out of him.  But he hasn¡¯t woken up yet. He¡¯d be dead if Brietta hadn¡¯t Healed him.¡±

    ¡°Waste of her energy if you ask me.  You think that army up there might miss him?¡±

    ¡°Rany is not the sort whose presence, or absence, goes unnoticed for long.  But nothing we can do about that now.¡±

    ¡°Very well.  Be ready. Should not be much longer now.¡±

    <hr>

    Falcon came in on horseback, from the west.

    ¡°You made it,¡± Trang said.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t miss it.¡±

    ¡°Check it out.¡±  Trang tapped the door of the lair.  ¡°Going to be a fuckin fight in there in a few minutes.  Like the old WOW raids. But much better.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°What about that army to the south?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Alec Braun¡¯s army.  He¡¯s being pursued by Queen Kemile¡¯s army.  One of his people let it slip on the message boards.¡±

    ¡°What if that¡¯s bullshit?  With all those men, he could take every one of us out.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.  We¡¯ve got a surprise or two up our sleeve as well.  He¡¯s going to find out soon that if he wants to attack us, it will cost him.  Either way, we¡¯ll be inside that lair in¡­twenty-five minutes.¡±

    ¡°You sound pretty confident.¡±  From the distance came the thunder of approaching horses.

    Trang shrugged.  ¡°It¡¯s a good plan.  Sounds like we¡¯ve got people coming in.¡±  He yelled, ¡°Eight riders coming from the east!  They¡¯re with us!¡±

    The riders came in, heavily armed and wearing expensive armor that gleamed in the sun.  They brought their horses to a halt and leapt off.

    ¡°Hey Trang,¡± said the one in the lead.

    ¡°Hello Hauser.¡±

    ¡°Ready to rock and roll?¡±

    ¡°Damn right.  Twenty-two minutes to go.¡±

    Another asked, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with that fucking army up there?  They looking for a fight?¡±

    Trang replied, ¡°Falcon and I were just discussing that.¡±

    The riders perked up at the mention of Falcon.

    ¡°Yo, Falcon!¡±

    ¡°Falcon¡¯s here!  Shit just got real!¡±

    ¡°Hey guys,¡± Falcon said.

    ¡°Four more coming in from the west, on foot,¡± Trang yelled.

    ¡°They¡¯re friendly.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Trang talking to?¡± someone asked.

    ¡°Got some men there in that wooded area.  Thought I saw one a minute ago.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see anyone, you lying sack of shit.¡±

    ¡°Blow me, fuckface.¡±

    ¡°Here comes Vaas.¡±

    ¡°Vaaaas!¡±

    Vaas sprinted in with three others.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this party started!  How much time we got?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-one minutes.¡±

    Vaas unsheathed his sword with a flourish.  He began to twirl it around and toss it in the air.

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF HANDICE

    I watched the outlanders with growing disgust.  We would die today for these fools.

 CHAPTER 36: FAMILY TIES

    FROM THE JOURNAL OF RUBY

    The rooms Leonis led me through did not look like those of a dungeon at all.  They were nicely furnished, well decorated and comfortable.

    It would have looked like an ordinary home if not for the creatures everywhere.  The skeletons and beast men shepherded me behind fat Leonis. Leonis, of course, was not his true name.

    ¡°Come, there is someone I would like you to meet,¡± Moroso said.

    We went down a long hall lined with suits of armor.  More skeletons in the shadows stirred as we approached.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, which one is he¡­ Ah, yes.  Darling, I would like you to meet your beloved father, Rhomus.¡±

    Moroso grinned and pointed out one of the skeleton creatures.  It bore no resemblance to the man who had been my father, and it showed no recognition of me ¨C other than the primal, hungry interest all the creatures had.

    ¡°That is not my father,¡± I said.

    Moroso appeared disappointed at my reaction.

    ¡°Of course he is,¡± he protested.  ¡°Rhomus, give her your sword.¡±

    The creature complied at once, holding its sword out to me.

    My first thought was to take it and stab Moroso in the heart, but it was much heavier and unwieldy than it looked.  Memory returned of holding one just like it when I was very young and being punished when caught. I did not know if the creature had once been my father, but this certainly could be his old sword.

    ¡°Recognize it?¡± Moroso asked me.

    ¡°I suppose it could be it.¡±

    ¡°Well, give it back then.  I really expected more of a reaction from you.  Well, come along, there is someone else I would like you to meet.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°Who this time?¡± I asked.  ¡°I cannot think of any other relatives you have killed.¡±

    We continued on, the creatures all following.

    We entered a very large room with high ceilings, comfortable couches and chairs. The furniture was unlike any I had ever seen.  Leather, expensive and sleek looking.

    ¡°This is a replica of an outlander¡¯s living quarters,¡± Moroso explained.  ¡°It is not exact. They have things we cannot imagine. I¡¯m getting there, however.  Pontius, where are you?¡±

    ¡°I am here, Master.¡±

    A young man rose from a chair in the corner.  He was quite handsome, in a rough sort of way, his face angular with a large, strong jaw, a cleft in his chin.  His eyes were gray and haunted. I had seen him before.

    ¡°I know you,¡± I said.  ¡°You were in Trang¡¯s guild.¡±

    ¡°That was before I saw the light,¡± Pontius told me.  ¡°Or the darkness. Whatever the case may be.¡±

    I watched as he went to Leonis and knelt before him.  ¡°Honor to serve, my master.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Moroso said.  ¡°Get up.¡±

    The outlander complied.

    ¡°This is Ruby,¡± Moroso said.  ¡°No need to show off for her benefit.  She is just a pet.¡±

    ¡°She is beautiful,¡± Pontius said.

    ¡°She is mine.  Stop thinking about your cock for one second.  As if I haven¡¯t provided you with a plethora of nubile girls.  What¡¯s the status of our current situation?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Pontius said proudly.  ¡°Check it out.¡±

    Suddenly the wall became a giant window into the world.

    ¡°There is Braun¡¯s army.¡±  There was a field full of armed men.

    Pontius waved his hand, and suddenly the view changed.

    ¡°There¡¯s the valley.  Your so called lair. There¡¯s Trang and his men.¡±

    I could see Trang and a dozen men gathered.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± I dared ask.  ¡°Are they outside of here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, gods no,¡± Moroso laughed.  ¡°Those men are exactly where I want them to be.  Right where you led them.¡±

    ¡°Ready for some sound?¡± Pontius asked.

    He waved his hand and a cacophony of voices filled our room, as well as music unlike any I had ever heard.

    ¡°Bauer coming in.¡±

    ¡°Drake coming in.¡±

    ¡°Croft here.  Let¡¯s fucking do this!¡±

    More riders entered the picture as very loud music played.

    ¡°Flight of the Valkyries,¡± Pontius said.  ¡°These guys are fucking pumped. Almost wish I was with them.¡±

    Moroso gave him a look.

    Pontius shrugged.  ¡°Almost.¡±

 CHAPTER 37: FINAL CHAPTER

    Falcon

    ¡°Trang?¡±

    ¡°Sixteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°Dragon riders coming in ¨C there they are!¡±

    Three specks flew in over the horizon.

    ¡°We got thirty-seven here now, more coming in, we¡¯re looking at about a hundred men! Great job everybody. This motherfucker is going down.¡±

    ¡°Dragon rider here. You want us to hit that army to the south of you?¡±

    ¡°Negative. Stay on the objective. No need to start shit with them.¡±

    ¡°Trang,¡± Vaas said. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good about that army up there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± Falcon leapt up on his horse. ¡°I have unfinished business with Alec Braun anyway.¡±

    ¡°Falcon!¡±

    ¡°Go Falcon!¡±

    ¡°Falcon gonna handle shit!¡±

    ¡°We can use you here,¡± Trang told Falcon.

    ¡°No. This is the way it¡¯s gotta be. I¡¯ll kill Braun, and you¡¯ll have one less problem to worry about. Either way, you¡¯ll know what his intentions are in about ten minutes. Ya!¡±

    Falcon kicked his horse into motion and galloped up the slope.

    <hr>

    Falcon rode in, approaching the army¡¯s camp at an easy trot.

    He rode up to the sentries.

    ¡°I came to see Alec Braun! Tell him Falcon is here! He will want to see me.¡±

    A group of armed soldiers escorted Falcon into the camp.

    Alec stood outside his tent, watching with a bemused look on his face.

    Falcon halted his horse and dismounted, keeping his movements slow and deliberate.

    ¡°I gotta say, you got balls,¡± Alec said.

    ¡°You¡¯re on the wrong side on this one,¡± Falcon told him.

    ¡°How you figure?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve got fifty mages going in to face Moroso. Nearly fifty warriors. The best hundred players in Friedor.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°You plan to attack them.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­maybe. We¡¯ll see, won¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve got dragon riders, circling above, right now.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ve got two thousand men.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll lose most of them, even if you win. And for what?¡±

    ¡°Mister Falcon,¡± Griffin Roane said, stepping out of Alec¡¯s tent. ¡°Congratulations. At last you found your quarry.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you, Roane.¡±

    ¡°As eloquent as ever, I see. Regrettably, I never had the opportunity to inform you that your services are no longer required. I rescind the contract on Alec Braun. We are friends now. Right, Alec?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Whatever,¡± Alec said.

    ¡°He hired me to kill you and now you work for him?¡± Falcon asked Alec.

    ¡°I guess. Yeah, that¡¯s pretty much the size of it. Griffin¡¯s a cocksucker ¨C you know that Griffin, don¡¯t get pissed ¨C but he¡¯s a practical sort of guy. Just like me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you know yet how dangerous this prick is.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any kind of position to be giving me lectures at the moment. What the fuck did you come here for anyway?¡±

    ¡°I came to challenge you. One on one. See how good you really are now.¡±

    Alec laughed. ¡°Listen to this bullshit. You know, you aren¡¯t the only one with a Permakill sword anymore.¡±

    ¡°I know. We will fight, and one of us will be gone from this game forever.¡±

    ¡°Or I have my men just kill you now. They all have permakill weapons.¡±

    ¡°Afraid to accept my challenge?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve got a battle to get to in about five minutes.¡±

    ¡°I only need one minute to kill you.¡±

    Alec laughed. ¡°I¡¯m a lot better than I was the last time we met. I was practically a noob then.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what you¡¯re capable of. Now are we going to fight or are we going to talk all day?¡±

    ¡°Fine, have it your way.¡± Alec unsheathed his sword. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Falcon came at Alec with lightning speed, his sword moving so fast the men watching could barely follow its movements. Alec blocked the blows and answered with his own furious attack. The fight was quick and lethal. Sheer unbridled aggression, blinding speed, brutal strength, unparalleled skill gained from the scores of battles each had fought. Fearlessness, confidence, arrogance, lust to draw blood and no concern for pain.

    Suddenly, Falcon collapsed. He lay on the grass, still.

    Alec wasted no time and put his sword through him. But then he looked down at the body, puzzled.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t touch him,¡± Alec said. ¡°What the hell happened?¡±

    ¡°I took care of him,¡± Roane said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I warned him not to cross me.¡± Roane looked at Alec and laughed. ¡°He looked like he had the upper hand. And my way is better anyway.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Just lost contact with Falcon,¡± Trang said. ¡°The battle is on. Dragon riders, hit that camp with every fucking thing you¡¯ve got.¡±

    Above Alec, the dragons swooped in. Fire rained down from the mages riding the giant beasts. Fire and lightning. The ground around them began to erupt with deafening explosions that cratered the ground. The cheers of the men turned to pain and shock. Men burned.

    ¡°Mages,¡± Alec ordered, calm as ever, ¡°Take out those fucking dragons. Richter ¨C send the first wave of troops in. Jade ¨C assemble the archers. I want arrows raining down on that valley in two minutes.¡± Ten feet from Alec the ground erupted, knocking over a horse.

    In the valley, Trang said, ¡°Ok. It¡¯s go time. Open the cave.¡±

    Ruby

    ¡°It¡¯s on!¡± Pontius exclaimed. ¡°They¡¯re in the cave.¡±

    More music played, quite loud.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Moroso demanded.

    ¡°Welcome to the Jungle, baby!¡±

    The window to the world changed. We could now see the inside of the lair, outlanders rushing in. Skeletons and beast men attacked and were immediately cut down. The outlanders sprinted along at great speed, destroying every creature in their path.

    ¡°At this rate, they may reach the end of the dungeon in mere minutes,¡± Moroso remarked, bemused.

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see their faces when they realize you¡¯re not even there,¡± said Pontius.

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Moroso. ¡°I think I would like a glass of wine. Ruby, darling, there is a bottle over there. Pour me a glass with no poison this time, if you would be so kind.¡±

    I did as he asked, my mind reeling to come up with a plan of any sort.

    Pontius was singing along to the outlander music.

    ¡°Welcome to the Jungle, Baby! You¡¯re gonna die!¡±

    The window changed again. The army above the valley was scrambling to assemble while fiery explosions rocked them. Mages among them fired their own balls of flame up at the sky.

    ¡°My my my my serpentine! I¡¯m gonna watch you bleed! Yeah! Welcome to the Jungle¡­¡±

    In the valley, nearly fifty outlanders remained, standing outside the cave, awaiting the attack from the army above.

    The window changed again. An outlander atop a dragon fell off, tumbling a long way to the ground, in flames. The dragon seemed to lose interest in the battle and flew off into the distance, roaring.

    <hr>

    Handice

    The army came and it came fast. The sound of them was like thunder, shaking the ground.

    I steeled myself, crossbow out, supported by my wooden right hand, left hand forefinger on the trigger.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Rany lay on the tree needles at my feet, still unconscious.

    ¡°Sorry I had to shoot you,¡± I said quietly.

    I tried to tell myself that perhaps I had saved his life.

    The arrows came first.

    Hundreds of them, blackening the sky.

    One of our outlanders went down. Then another. Others were hit but not down, shrugging off their wounds and downing healing vials.

    The enemy cavalry came next.

    They rode in through the treeless path, and many died right there. Explosions from the traps enveloped horses and riders. Flaming arrows set the ground on fire.

    The slope was ablaze.

    Many still made it through, some missing the fire, some partly ablaze but still moving forward.

    Our outlander mages in the valley began shooting fire at them.

    I began taking shots with my crossbow. Arrows flew past from behind me. The others on my team were doing the same.

    <hr>

    Ruby

    ¡°Look at this shit,¡± Pontius exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡±

    In the window, men fought and men died. Horses screamed in agony.

    ¡°What is this sound I hear?¡± Moroso inquired. ¡°Please tell me it is not more outlander ¡®music.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡¯Fight For Your Right,¡¯¡± Pontius said. ¡°By the Beastie Boys.¡±

    ¡°I am beginning to think I need to take over your world,¡± Moroso said. ¡°If only to teach your people some culture.¡±

    The window now showed the outlanders inside the cave, facing a horde of creatures. They seemed to have little problem.

    They reached the end.

    ¡°Trang?¡± one of them said. ¡°Where the fuck is this Moroso?¡±

    ¡°I am right here,¡± Moroso¡¯s voice boomed from the window. Just near me, he was speaking in a normal tone. ¡°Not where you expected me, of course, but I am close by.¡±

    ¡°Come out and show yourself, dickwad!¡±

    Moroso laughed. ¡°You outlanders amuse me. Even now, you seem to believe I will abide by some sort of rules imposed by¡­.past experiences you have had with these games. I am ready to play a game with you.¡±

    In the cave, the ground rumbled, and lava began to fall.

    ¡°I like to play a game that I call ¡®Moroso can¡¯t lose.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Trang, what the fuck!¡±

    The ground around them began to fall away.

    ¡°Look at you,¡± Moroso said. ¡°The best outlander mages in this world. Such a fine group assembled. I must congratulate you, Trang. Your organizational skills are indeed as excellent as I had heard. I am glad that I was able to rely upon them. The top one hundred outlanders in Friedor, led to their permanent deaths, by you. I commend you.¡±

    Trang held up his sword. ¡°Come on out, Moroso.¡±

    ¡°I think perhaps you misheard me. I am not coming out. You will not kill me. All of you, I fear to say, are about to die. Permadeath. Who do you think created the spell? If you want to do the wise thing and delete your character¡­well, that time has passed.¡±

    Lava flowed and the ground disintegrated beneath the feet of the outlanders. They fell into the lava, and they died, yelling and cursing.

    ¡°Goddammit!¡±

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    I felt the bond with Trang disappear.

    ¡°And just like that,¡± Moroso said. ¡°The top fifty outlanders in my land are gone, never to return.¡±

    <hr>

    Handice

    I was in the thick of it, my sword sweeping. With nearly every slash my sword cut flesh. The remaining outlanders in the valley sent arrows and balls of fire and lightning at the soldiers above me.

    I cut my way through to Cochran. He had taken an arrow to the heart and had fallen. By the time I reached him, his eyes held the glaze of death. I fought on. Arrows struck me in several places. Adrenaline flowed and I felt no pain. When blood flowed out of my mouth I took notice. I drank a healing potion and tossed the empty vial away. It was my last.

    All around me the sounds of battle clamored. Steel on steel. Steel ripping through flesh. Grunts of effort, exhaustion and determination. Groans of the dying. The smell of blood, sweat, smoke and burning flesh.

    A soldier came at me with his sword and I took his head.

    Two more replaced him.

    There were too many.

    We would lose this battle. But I had known that all along.

    I decided to make my last day in the world a good one.

    <hr>

    Ruby

    ¡°Why do you do this?¡± I asked Pontius. ¡°You fight for him. Surely you see what kind of man he is.¡±

    Moroso stood before the window, engrossed in the scenes of battle.

    ¡°Money,¡± Pontius said. ¡°And I don¡¯t mean gold. I mean real money, in my world. I make six grand a week. I got to quit my shitty office job.¡±

    ¡°He is evil.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit. And besides,¡± Pontius looked over at Moroso with complete adulation. ¡°He¡¯s badass.¡±

    ¡°Handice!¡± I said.

    In the window, Handice was creeping up on the outlander general. I recognized the man. Alec Braun.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Moroso said, turning to glance at me. ¡°You care about that one.¡±

    <hr>

    Rany

    I groaned, face in the dirt, thinking I was waking up to my worst hangover ever.

    I got to my knees, hands in the leaves, and began to realize a battle was raging all around me. Quite a large one. Memory began to return.

    I looked about me. So many men fighting and I could not tell who was who. How did they know who to strike? The battle seemed to be progressing well enough without my participation. I fell back to the ground and closed my eyes, wondering if they might ever open again.

    No. Fuck that, I thought. I got back up.

    There were no more men fighting about me.

    Perhaps I had lost consciousness again.

    Alec and the men stood in the valley, surveying the carnage. Victorious. I always had a knack for hitching myself to the right man.

    Then I saw a man creeping toward Alec.

    I realized it was Handice.

    The men by Alec saw him and raised their swords.

    ¡°Handy!¡± Alec said.

    Handice was bloody and covered in grime from head to foot. He staggered toward Alec, sword in hand.

    ¡°Come on Handy,¡± Alec said. ¡°The battle is over. You can join us now, if you like. I would welcome you to my army. You¡¯ve come a long way.¡±

    ¡°I think he means to kill you,¡± Griffin said, sitting atop his horse, unmarked by the battle. ¡°I can not imagine why.¡± He chuckled.

    Handice rushed at Alec, still three span away. He tried to raise his sword, but it seemed to heavy for him, and he collapsed in a heap at Alec¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Well, that was anticlimactic,¡± Roane said. ¡°I congratulate you, Alec. A battle well fought.¡±

    There were no cheers from the men. They were exhausted, bloody and battered.

    Roane said, ¡°I must take leave of you now. I must say, I almost regret that we must part. I really have begun to like you.¡±

    ¡°Where the fuck are you going?¡± Alec asked.

    ¡°Well, I do not want to be here when the arrows begin to fall again. You and your men are trapped in this valley. Kemile¡¯s men are preparing their attack as we speak. Emiline¡¯s men are arriving from the west. Apparently the sisters have suddenly patched things up. And King Hemart has an army approaching from the north. Thirty thousand men total. Give or take. You have what, a few hundred left?¡±

    ¡°The fuck is this? You¡¯re stabbing me in the back? Again?¡±

    ¡°You really thought I was going to forget about our first meeting? Your insolence? King of Konn, were you really stupid enough to believe that? No one ever fucks with the Empress. I don¡¯t care who they are. This land is hers. It is not for your outlanders. Well, maybe one or two. Jade?¡±

    Jade, on her black horse, rode up next to Roane, sword out to protect him.

    ¡°Jade, what the fuck? Seriously?¡±

    ¡°He put $20,000 in my bank account yesterday,¡± Jade said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck,¡± Alec exclaimed.

    Roane laughed. He turned and rode away.

    I still had my crossbow. I decided, what the hell. I aimed at the middle of Roane¡¯s back. I took the shot, not expecting it to hit.

    The bolt took him in the back of the neck. His mouth foamed pink and he made a gurgling sound. He toppled off the horse.

    Jade took one look at him and galloped away.

    I looked over at Alec.

    He was gone. His armor and sword lay on the ground.

    <hr>

    Ruby

    I watched Griffin Roane die from the crossbow bolt.

    Handice lied still on the ground.

    ¡°He lives,¡± Moroso said. ¡°Not for long. His lifeblood flows out of him. Perhaps I will expedite things.¡± He grinned at me and raised his hands.

    ¡°No!¡± I yelled. I raised my hands and light shot out from my fingers, a blinding light, lighting up the room and striking Moroso.

    Moroso smiled. ¡°Impressive,¡± he said. ¡°I am paralyzed and cannot move. Should last thirty seconds or so. Where did that come from? Perhaps you are a bit more talented than I thought. Too bad. I cannot tolerate my pets attacking me. Creatures! Kill the girl.¡±

    A skeleton came at me with his sword raised to strike.

    I cringed. ¡°No!¡±

    The sword halted just inches away from my neck.

    The skeleton placed the sword in my hand. Just as it had done earlier, when Moroso had ordered it to do so. Him.

    ¡°Thank you Daddy,¡± I whispered.

    I lunged at Moroso and brought the sword down on him with all my strength.

    His head came off with part of his left shoulder and toppled to the floor.

    Every creature in the room was coming at me, but they all stopped when Moroso died. They appeared confused.

    The skeleton creature who had once been my father looked about, as if he had no idea where he was or what had happened.

    ¡°You are a fucking cunt,¡± Pontius said. ¡°You just killed my fucking meal ticket, you bitch!¡±

    He started to come at me, sword raised.

    ¡°Creatures,¡± I said. ¡°Kill him.¡±

    They moved on Pontius, a swarm of skeletons, beast men and spiders.

    ¡°Christ,¡± Pontius said. ¡°Fuck this.¡±

    He disappeared.

    The creatures all stood before me, dozens of them, awaiting my command.

    I took the sword I held and returned it to my father.

    ¡°Creatures,¡± I said, pointing at the window. ¡°Take me there.¡±

    They led the way, and I followed.

    Down corridors, through a door that led to the outside, where a new battle commenced thirty span below us.

    ¡°Creatures,¡± I commanded. ¡°Kill all those men.¡± I pointed at the Empress¡¯s armies descending down the slope.

    The creatures moved off, more than a hundred of them, the spiders leading the way with terrifying speed.

    <hr>

    When I reached Handice, Rany was kneeling by his side.

    ¡°I do not think he will make it,¡± Rany said.

    All around us the battle clamored.

    The creatures had just joined in and were wreaking havoc.

    Handice was unconscious. His skin was gray.

    I put my hand on his.

    I did not know what I was doing.

    My magic had been depleted when I attacked Moroso, and I had never been much good at Healing.

    I must have willed it to happen, somehow.

    His eyes opened, full of pain but alert.

    ¡°Ruby,¡± he said. ¡°I must be dead.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not dead, idiot. Not yet. We must get out of here. Get your ass up.¡±

    <hr>

    Handice

    We left the battle. It no longer mattered to me anyway. All my brothers were dead.

    We walked, Rany and I staggering, and sounds of battle soon faded behind us.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked Ruby.

    ¡°Back to the Frontier. To Freejack. The battle¡¯s lost, but our war is only beginning.¡±

    ¡°I want to go to Shirin Mills,¡± I said.

    Ruby looked at me, surprised and disappointed.

    ¡°I want to get my mother and sister. Bring them to Freejack. Friedor is no longer safe.¡±

    ¡°And Alayna?¡±

    ¡°Her too, of course. If she wishes to join our cause. Perhaps she will find a good husband on the Frontier.¡±

    ¡°It is out of the way,¡± Ruby said. ¡°But I suppose we have a bit of time.¡±

    I felt her hand take mine.

    <hr>

    Rany

    ¡°I will travel with you for a bit,¡± I said. ¡°Just to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°Well, thank you Rany,¡± Ruby said. ¡°I was just about to ask you to come with us to the Frontier. Trang is dead, but the cause is not. Freejack is very much alive. We can use you. I almost suspect I could learn to like you.¡±

    I considered, as we walked along. I looked at Handice. He was badly wounded, but stronger than I had ever seen him.

    It made sense. But¡­

    ¡°Maybe I will meet you later,¡± I said. ¡°First, I have some business of my own to take care of. There is a queen I need to find.¡±