《Legends of Gahel: The Diamond Dagger》


 Alazon the Rogue

    Ale was the first smell that hit Alazon that day. Awaking from a groggy, alcohol-induced dream that had only seemed to scatter his thoughts worse than being drunk the night before, the young man stood from his position on the stool where he had passed out hours before.


    "Oi, if you''re up then get the hell out. When we tried to remove ye from the counter yesterday ya pulled a knife on Brody and told ''im to fuck ''imself," the old man behind the counter said as he continued to wipe down the bottles of gin from the shelves above.


    "Sorry Hedge. I''ll send ya some bread or something," Alazon yawned.


    With a flick of his hand he dropped a single silver coin on the counter. Hedge picked it up and gave it a sniff before pocketing it into his apron.


    "And don''t come back for a few nights, eh? Mikel isn''t coming back, and drowning yourself in sadness and drink each night doesn''t seem to be a good way to cope, yeah?" Alazon smiled slightly at the concern for his health, but he waved it away with a bandaged hand.


    "If I come in, I come in. I''ve nothing to really lose now, so the drink is nice."


    Hedge shook his head with a frown before turning back to his work.


    "Take some of the stew I have boilin in the pot back there. It''ll warm ya up, it''s getting pretty cold out lately. Even when the sun shines..." Hedge trailed off into his own thoughts while Alazon took up his offer and headed to the kitchen.


    A bowl was already sitting on the table in the kitchen area of the bar. The soup ladle hung next to the stove, ready to be used. Hedge had it all ready for him before he had even woke up. Alazon sighed and started to scoop the steaming mixture into the bowl.


    Hedge had always looked after him, even when he was released from the jails for pickpocketing when he was in his early teens. Once his father had died, Alazon leaned towards the old man for someone to learn from. To call family.


    "Of course, the owner of the town''s local bar might not have been the best choice for a child", Alazon thought. "But at least he gave me a bed to sleep in."


    The stew was cool enough to eat when he sat down and added a small amount of butter drippings into it. The bowl was empty in a matter of minutes, and Alazon was dressed and ready to leave for the day.


    "Where are ya goin today? Lucian''s? Don''t get into any trouble, ye hear? I don''t got the money to be bribin'' anymore guards, let alone the ale with the amount you consume on the daily," Hedge yelled after him as he ran out the front door.


    Alazon jogged down the dirt road from the bar to the bakery and ordered two large loafs to be delivered to the store before heading towards the main plaza. There, it was going to be fair game for him to work his magic.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The city of Hanak was a place with many visitors. Wealthy, poor, young and old. The cultures in this city was one to be admired, so deeply in fact that they had turned the main plaza into a continuous festival to attract tourists from other kingdoms to come and explore and spend.


    The flow of people in this city was so great to where any sort of pickpocketing was acknowledged as normal, almost expected. That didn''t stop the city guards to watch the crowds with sharp eyes, but neither did it stop Alazon.


    Once he slipped into the festival grounds and into the artisan district, Alazon took a deep breath and directed his focus on the crowds ahead. Like slipping on a viel of invisibility, the man joined in the sightseeing of the large fabrics that hung on store walls, rings and necklaces with glowing jewels that caught the eyes of those who passed by, people yelling from one place to another in support of their own products.


    Most days, someone new of great importance would walk through the city to admire the history and collections held within its walls. On this day, though, nobody was scheduled or known to be arriving so the crowds were less busy than usual.


    By midday, Alazon had gained five coin purses and two rings from the festival. Deciding that was more than enough due to the number of people there, he slipped away into one of the building that framed the outer circle of the festival''s proccedings.


    Once far enough away to feel comfortable with examining his findings, he slipped into one of the many different bars that dotted around the city. This one was known for being specifically unfavorable as some might say, so it was perfect to go if one needed somewhere more private.


    Once seated with an order of ale and bread, Alazon took out the heaviest pouch first from his pockets. Slipping a different pouch out from his jacket and dropping the old one in so as to disguise it, he open the first bag and began to shift through the belongings.


    Twelve gold coins, eighteen silver and four copper was held. A little feeling of thrill raced through Alazon as he repeated the process with the other bags he recieved, each time placing them into a different bag to hide any sign that they might not be his.


    In all, he had gained twenty one gold coins, thirty silver and ten copper coins in all. He grinned at his luck and imagined all the things he could fix up at the bar with the money, along with the women. It suddenly occured to him, though, that he was being watched from behind.


    The feeling of eyes burrowing into the back of his neck burned intensely. Alazon narrowed his eyes and let his senses broaden to get a feeling for the stranger.


    "Talent, you have. Years of practice too, I can tell. Good. You will do just the trick," the newcomer said, his voice much deeper than Hedge''s.


    "Trick for what? I don''t do anything for free, and if ya think all I do are tricks then you better come up with a better reason for staring at me," Alazon warned as he slowly turned around to face the man.


    "I mean you no harm. At least, not at the moment. And even then, I wouldn''t be the one causing you harm. In fact, I may just save your life," he chuckled and leaned back into the wooden chair.


    He was a bit taller than Alazon, and definitely human from the looks of it. He was surprisingly old, his graying hair thinning at the top but non-existant anywhere else but his chin where a small but thick beard grew black. He didn''t look strong, but not necessarily weak Alazon decided.


    "Well, out with it then. I''ve sat here for at least fifteen minute with your eyes on me the entire time."


    The old man took a long time from the cup in front of him as Alazon stood, waiting and hyper aware of everything going on around him in case he was attacked by either the man or an accomplise.


    "My name is Elderid, a healer you may say. I am looking for a group of people who are heading here from the north. They are going to need some assistance, and I was led here to find you, Alazon of Hanak. I will hire you, and if we succeed then you will be paid with riches unlike anything you have ever laid eyes upon," the man exclaimed.


    Alazon stared at him unmoving, not sure if this man, Elderid, was genuine or not. He had just seen him go through stolen belongings of course. But after a few moments he realized the man was completely serious.


    "What do you mean by ''led here''? How do you know me, and what exactly do you mean?" Alazon questioned.


    "I will explain one we are on the road. We must leave by nightfall if we wish to get to them in time. Come now, I''ve sent word to your friend Hedge that you will be gone for a few days due to a job," he said as he stood from his chair, draining his cup while he did so.


    "And if I say no?" Alazon challenged.


    The man grinned at him before raising his right hand and snapping it while at the same moment said, "you won''t. Rest easy now, you''ll need the strength."


    Alazon barely had a chance to open his mouth before he fell into darkness. He did not dream, but instead slept as deeply as though he was being carried in his mother''s womb as a baby would. Elderid walked towards the door of the bar, leaving a golden coin on the table. Alazon''s body floated after him, was placed lightly onto the hardwood of the wagon attached to Elderid''s horse outside.


    A light click of Elderid''s tongue set the animal off down the road towards the north gate of the city, where their comrades were to be found.

 The Northern Plains of Lizzac

    The crisp, early morning sun began to peak over the Hanak mountains as a particular group of adventurers began to stir in their sleeping bags. One by one, each member began to pack their belongings into bags that lay tucked away in the wagon off to the side where the horses had been sleeping.


    Their leader, an elf named Faun, had been the last on watch for the night so he had already gotten both a fire and breakfast started.


    ¡°I feel like I slept on a rock,¡± a young man near the corner of the camp complained, kicking off the sleeping bag.


    ¡°Well, are ya stupid enough to sleep on a rock?¡± Asked another voice from the other end of the camp.


    The young man sat up and glared in the direction of the voice before getting to his feet. Picking up the scabbard that he had kept next to him during the night, he wrapped the hilt¡¯s strap around his waist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start you two. Jack, help get the horses all set and ready to go. Willow, please don¡¯t get him riled up, and make sure everything is strapped tight on the wagon. Another one of Stock''s accidents and we''ll go broke replacing those chests again," Faun said with a pointed glance at the girl he was warning who had finally crawled from her sleeping bag.


    "You promised not to hold that against me! I''ll pay you back I swear," Stock pleaded as Willow walked away giggling.


    **************************************************************


    Stock was amongst some of the shortest halflings there were, but she was the most clumsy. The week beforehand, the girl had knocked over one of the railings holding their recently claimed treasure from a dungeoneering quest, and completely smashed one of the chests containing a good amount of gold and silver which spilt out into the road they were traveling.


    The cost had been upward of fifty gold to get it replaced. It HAD been an older chest that would have had to be replaced at some point, Faun knew. But teasing the poor girl was something that cheered him up from time to time. She would get red in the face and cross her arms, much different from the evil, almost demonic state that would possess her during battle.


    And Stock was only their rogue.


    Each person in their group had a very specific talent that they possessed, some born with it and others beaten to it. Stock, having grown up in a rural village filled with halflings of many different races, was kidnapped and sold into slavery. There, she met Faun, the elven man who rescued her from her captors.


    Once the two escaped, they met Willow and Jack, Morgan and Gregory. But their tales are for another time.


    ******************************************************


    Willow went about her task of checking the tightness of the ropes, Morgan began her morning meditations while Gregory grabbed a plate of food. Shoveling a mixture of oatmeal and fruit into his mouth, he kept his eyes on the fields ahead of them to look for signs of life. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "See anything last night?" Gregory asked with his mouth full.


    "No, no movement from anything other than field mice. Dogar didn''t spot anything from the sky either, so slow down and chew with your mouth closed you heathen," Faun jested, dodging the small swipe from his friend in annoyance.


    The morning went by without issue, and the group began their treck once more to the famous city of Hanak. Their wagon full of things to sell, from jewelry to books, weapons and silverware. Their guild Pheonix Wings had sent them to recruite and sell a few things from their collection so they could work on expanding the guild halls in Trolluc and Segantum Valley.


    The path from Trolluc to Hanak was a dangerous one, so they naturally sent their strongest team. The six friends weren''t far from the city now, for they could see the tops of the church and castle from where they were. It wasn''t the fastest of travels, taking six months with the wagon and goods, but the sight of the church was a welcoming sight indeed.


    The path was smooth from all the travelers the city had. People came from all around to see and learn of new races and experience the festivals each day, so even with the constant stream of newcomers it wasn''t a surprise there had been nothing suspicious happen from the night before. It was one of the most strong held cities on the continent, there was a constant group of guards on the route from the outbounds of Felika, the Waterfront City.


    "Once we get there I think I''ll take a bath," Jack sighed longingly.


    "Gasheetha knows you need it," muttered Morgan. Jack shot her a glare before knicking his heels into the sides of his horse to catch up to Faun.


    "How much longer? I''ve never seen Hanak, I''ve heard the women there are as beautiful as the sun rise, and...." Jack stopped at the pained expression that came across Faun''s face for a split second before turning back to his stony expression he normally wore.


    "Don''t worry Jack, I''m fine. She''s fine. We''re....just don''t worry. Check on the cart, make sure it''s all tight and nothing is falling loose in there," he instructed.


    As Jack slowed down to walk to the cart, Faun''s mind wandered for a minute. He shook himself out of it and scolded himself for daring to do so even on a safe path as this one.


    "That woman...she will be the death of me. Death by a human at that," he thought to himself. He kicked his own horse into a faster pace to scan ahead for any bumps or rocks in the road that might create trouble for their wagon.


    Gregory glanced at the group as Faun went further into the distance. Turning to Willow, he asked, "hey, so what''s with Lori and him? DId he make her mad again or?"


    Willow shook her head, her eyes still on Faun. "I don''t know, but it doesn''t seem like it''s getting better the longer they are apart. We have another six months to travel back, who knows what could have happened in that time."


    Jack nodded in agreement, Morgan staying silent on her shared horse with Stock. At the size she was, it was easiest to have her with Morgan than on her own horse. It also helped her to not cause as much trouble with breaking things.


    The silence stretched on for an entirety of fifteen minutes until they heard a loud yell from up ahead.


    Jack pulled his sword from his sheath, Willow stopping the wagon and Stock leaping from the horse and dashing off in towards the sound.


    "It was Faun! Hurry, he''s in trouble!" She yelled, her eyes darkening and blades flashing in her small palms.


    Another cry was heard, this time more guttural. Morgan strung her bow and pushed her horse into a gallop. Jack looked at Willow with a worried expression before following with Gregory on his heels. Willow pulled her staff from the floorboards of the front of the cart and cast a protection spell to keep others from touching it. With a glance upwards, she saw Faun''s hawk spiraling in the sky before diving for attack.


    "Please be safe Faun, for Lori, for us," she begged under her breath as she spread her own wings and began to fly towards her friends, the sunlight making her brown feathers seem almost a creamy white color.


    Then she saw it. Willow almost froze mid flap at the bloody sight that stood in front of her. Almost 12 kilometers away was what looked like some kind of warzone, bodies torn, limp from limp with Hamak city guard uniforms hanging on for dear life.


    Faun stood at the edge of the massacre with a pale expression. Stock stood besides him, her daggers still ready in her hands but her face solem as she stared at the death in front of her.


    In the middle, a spear with a crisp, white cloth with a red ribbon tied around it to keep it stuck to the wood stood out amongst the scene. With slow, deliberate movements of her wings, Willow flew over and plucked the cloth from the weapon and glided over to her teammates. Unwrapping it, she read the words written in black.


    "Lord Vallor Rises, To All Is Death."