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14 - Strange encounters
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All Episodes: http://scissorsrunner.deviantart.co.....ning-511011415
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Aaon, Aliranne, Brimelle, Kon es Kaz and Vorador could do nothing but stare in awe as the angelic creature flew away right in front of them. They all felt slightly confused, not knowing what that celestial being was, nor why it had been sent to give them the mission of saving that little girl in the Athraman Castle. Brimelle looked around the room one more time as her hands went to hide the gifted feather into one of her backpacks.
"We should get moving."
Said Vorador, taking his leave for the stairs.
"I'm not sure this place is going to stay put: we just slayed a monster in here. This tower does not seem too stable to me, right now."
"Actually," interjected Kon es Kaz "we're in no hurry. The main base for the architecture of this tower is wide enough to allow for many quakes before even cringing under the weight of the roof which, by the way, is also solid enough to be repaired instead of being built anew since the four main beams were not destroyed by the monster's attacks. All in all, both the floor and the ceiling are strong enough to even support another battle for that pillar there would absorb everything you threw at it. Who designed this tower must have been rather eager to make it earthquake-proof."
He crossed his arms, looking around the room, examining it with wise eyes. The others were simply staring at him, their mouths gaping again, in disbelief.
"Kon, I did not know thou were so... knowledgeable for what concerns engineering."
Kon turned towards Brimelle who had just spoken.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, equine lady."
"Oh, I am sure of that, cow knight."
"Right!" Aliranne broke the tension that was starting to form inside the room. "I get it that the place is stable but could we please get going? We still need to reach Solanthus, I reckon."
The others nodded slightly.
"Let's keep going."
Murmured Aaon following Vorador down the stairs.
"So, Solanthus right?"
They were slowly gathering in the inner courtyard right before the entrance, walking towards the woods where they came from and where they had met Rydell for the first time. Brimelle turned her head toward Aliranne.
"Yes, Solanthus. We have a profecy to deliver. I suppose we will have to walk to the nearest city before, to acquire some means of locomotion, before proceeding there. Am I right?"
"Yes." confirmed Kon es Kaz "And judging by this map, the nearest city is the little town of La-aaahaAA!"
A loud rumbling sound covered Kon's voice, shaking the ground as if it were coming from the bowels of the earth itself. The five adventurers turned their heads towards the castle only to find it gone.
"W-what happened?" Brimelle inquired.
They all stood silent for a couple of minute before the centauress had an outburst.
"Oh my Astarin! Did we do something bad to the castle? Did it disappear forever?! Did we travel back or forward in time!?!"
"Calm down, Brimelle." Vorador spoke from the depths of his hood. "The castle is still there, I can sense it. There's some sort of magic barrier that make it looks like as if there is no castle. I can't understand where it comes from, but it's better if we leave this thing alone. Do you all agree?"
The companions looked at the mystic, nodding.
"Good. To where are we directed?"
"Lamis." came Kon es Kaz.
"Then to Lamis it is."
The group arrived at Lamis in the late evening. Kon es Kaz had lowered his headpiece completely to hide his face and the fact of being a minotaur in solamnic grounds from the gaze of the unsuspecting peasants. They got to the first and only inn they could find, the Crafty Fox, and booked a couple of room plus a place in the stables for the centauress. Brimelle sure wasn't thrilled about it, but it was better than nothing at all. The food was good and the service decent for an inn in such a little town.
The morning after, Brimelle was the first one to wake up. The innkeeper smiled at her and neared her table in the dining room.
"Are you waiting for your companions?"
"Yes, I suppose so. But I would gladly have breakfast while I am waiting for them." Brimelle smiled as she tried to comb her bed hair.
"Well, may I interest you in some delicious honey cake? Freshly baked along with the bread."
"Hmm, I will take one, thank thou very much." she paused for a moment before adding. "May I ask a simple indicative question?"
"I'm always open to my customer's requests!" The innkeeper said, patting the sides of his full, round belly with his callous hands. "Tell me, my dear, what would you like to know?"
"Me and my friends are looking for mounts to ride from here to Solanthus. Is there a place in this town that sells such means of locomotion? The last town we went in had one dock and narrow-minded people, but no horses."
"Well," said the innkeeper smiling. "You could have ridden those bigots, they wouldn't know the difference between a marathon and a journey!"
He erupted in a joyous laugh. Brimelle went along, wondering if bad sense of humor was a special trait in humans.
"Aahah.. anyway, honey, there are some stables at the east end of town, you're sure to find some to fit your needs."
This being said, he winked and came back behind the counter, counting coins and cleaning plates, preparing breakfast for his customers. Brimelle stood in silence in the empty room, listening quietly to the sounds of the busy Inn. The fire chirping as it was baking the bread, the wooden floor crackling under someone else's weight... she could even hear the metal rattle of someone putting on their armor. She smiled as she knew that it must have been Kon es Kaz, helped by Vorador. Which meant that they would not come down for breakfast for at least another twenty minutes. What was taking so long for Aliranne and Aaon, now, was a mystery.
In the meantime, the innkeeper had returned, bringing Brimelle's breakfast with him. The centauress smiled without adding a word, fearing another bad pun from the human, and started eating eagerly the cake which, as the innkeeper explained, was included in the price of the rooms. After breakfast, there was still no trace of her companions. She stood up, with the intention of finding the stables and returning back before they arrived in the hall.
As she came outside the Inn, her eyes were caught by a fountain in the middle of the main square. She looked at it, losing herself in the ripples created by the flowing argenteous waves. She came even closer, looking at her reflection, pondering. with a swift movement of her wrist, she opened one of her four bags, taking out of it her letter: the page was still as she had first written it, tear stains included. She looked at the words carefully, spelling them out without making a sound. She clenched the paper with her hands, tearing it into two parts and throwing them into the flowing water below. As the paper dissolved into the fountain, macerated by the waves, she whispered to herself.
"I cannot go back. This choice is the right one."
She turned back to the Inn, walking right in with no hesitation.
Aaon, Aliranne and Vorador were having breakfast at the same table Brimelle was waiting for them before. Vorador looked tired while Aliranne and Aaon were sitting quietly one near the other.
"Where is Kon?" Asked the chentauress, nearing the table.
"He went back upstairs." explained Vorador. "He can't eat with his helmet on and he has to keep it that way due to his..." He mimicked a muzzle with his right hand.
"I understand.. well, as soon as you are done, I know where we can find some horses."
"Perfect!" Came a voice from the stairs, followed by the figure of the armored minotaur. "Then we can buy five horses and be on our way!"
"Actually, I can create my own steed!" Aliranne stood up, showing Vorador a page of her spellbook with a summoning spell for a celestial horse. "See?"
"Well, then, four horses." said Kon es Kaz nodding.
At that same moment, Aaon reverted into his feral form, becoming a stag.
".. I guess that means we'll need three horses!"
"A-ehm!" came the voice of the bard.
Kon looked at Brimelle.
Brimelle looked at Kon.
"...On second notice, we'll need only two horses." he murmured embarassed, defeated by logic."Let us go..."
The reached the city of Solanthus in the late evening, but the outher walls were still swarming with weary travellers and kenders. Lots of kenders. Everyone in the group kept a close eye on their belongings. Brimelle put her hands protectively on her backpacks, watching the little kenders with a small hint of sadness and nostalgia in her eyes.
As they were entering the city, the eyes of the guards were fixed on Aaon, who had just returned human, as if he were under scrutiny. He seemed to be upsetting them especially with his antlers. But the group did not care, they simply tried to reach the first tavern they could lay their eyes on. "The duck and the dog" seemed to be the perfect choice.
As soon as they entered the place, a deep voice almost shouted.
"Get out of here!"
They looked around concerned, wondering who was that spoke. Their answer came in the shape of the landlord, a big, old man with questionable taste in clothing and of doubted politeness. He pointed Aaon with his eyes, his face twisted into a disgusted grimace.
"We don't serve -druids- here."
"You say it as if it were a bad word." uttered Aaon.
"Listen," Aliranne tried to act as peacemaker. "we're just trying to find a place to rest. We've had a very long journey and we could pay you profusely." She smiled, expectantly.
The landlord seemed unremovable.
"You lot can stay, but he has to go, otherwise I'll call the guards!"
The smile on Aliranne's face crumbled like pastries. Such a stupid argument, all for a matter of religion.
"Oh, please, please, he won't do a thing! Can't you just host us for one evening? We'll be gone afterwards."
The landlord seemed to be pondering on the offer before shouting out.
"Alright! But if you're still here tomorrow I'm SERIOUSLY calling the guards!"
The morning after, Aliranne, Brimelle and Aaon found themselves in the dining hall where they were to have breakfast. Vorador was still in his room with Kon es Kaz, helping him with the armor. A small woman approached the three companions.
"Good morning."
She smiled. The eyes of the three went around the room: no trace of the grumpy old landlord of the evening before. Nobody complained, it was way better that way. Brimelle smiled back.
"Good morning, what can we have for breakfast?"
"Oh, we have some freshly made jelly along with bread especially made for our customers, baked this early morning. We also have milk, water and everything you may desire."
"I will have bread and jelly, thank you. And.. maybe, could I have some milk too, by chance?"
"I'll have the same." said Aliranne.
"Same here." concluded Aaon. "And bring two more portions for our friends."
The maid nodded. "I'll be right back with your order."
She hinted a bow with her head and sprinted back into the kitchen. As soon as she left the scene, Vorador and Kon es Kaz entered it.
"Well, good morning sleepy-heads." Aliranne teased them.
"You wouldn't be that eager to mock us if it was you who had to put the armor on him every single morning." Hissed Vorador as an answer, pointing at Kon es Kaz.
"Hey, not my fault if my kind is not welcome here!"
"SHHH!" Aaon silenced the minotaur with a sharp gesture. He resumed in a whisper "For now, we don't have company, but you never know who might be listening to your conversation."
His eyes darted around the room and the others followed him. The dining hall wasn't all that lively, but there were at least a few other groups from various races, each one of them having breakfast at their table.
"No one seems to have bad intention here, I think we can be safe.. but be aware anyway." the druid concluded.
Everyone kept silent for the next few minutes, afraid that the knowledge of releasing chaos on Krynn could become their ruin if heard by the wrong ears. Eventually, Kon es Kaz broke the awkward lull with his deep voice, accompanied by a clap of his hands.
"Right, so... when are we going to talk with the Knights of Solamnia?"
Brimelle and Vorador, both at the same time, had a flash inside their mind about the actual location of the knights. Recognizing one the revelation of the other, they exchanged a worried look, trying to decide who was to inform the minotaur.
"Well? What is it? Why so silent, the kender got your tongue?"
"Kon..." Brimelle blushed half embarassed, half remorseful. "I... I think the knights are not here."
The minotaur wasn't showing his face due to the helmet, but everyone could clearly sense that the smile he had was dying slowly, like a burned out candle.
"W-well," the centauress stuttered. " what I mean is that, they HAVE been here, but they are not now and.. oh my Astarin.."
"What Brimelle is trying to say," intervened Vorador. "is that the Knights of Solamnia are not in this city. Actually they're not in Solamnia at all. They are located in the isle of Sancrist, far west from here."
"Wait, what." Kon seemed utterly blown away.
"What he is saying is true. I am sorry, Kon." Murmured Brimelle under her breath.
Another awkward lull came in to make the conversation even more awkward than before. Eventually, Kon had an outburst.
"You're telling me that I came here with the intention of finding the Knights of Solamnia and only AFTER we came all this way from our main route, mind you, ONLY THEN you BLESS me with the most useful knowledge -only useful if had it been known in the past- that the knights ARE NOT HERE?!"
Brimelle shifted in her place.
"It was an honest mistake, I swear, I completely forgot about it!"
"Me too." Echoed Vorador.
Kon es Kaz was left speechless. He lumped down on his chair, sighing out loudly.
"Why me..."
Nobody dared to interrupt the grieving of the warrior. They kept eating their breakfast without uttering a word looking at Kon as he took his plate off of the table and marched back upstairs, directed to his room. He came back ten minutes later and with him returned the feeling of a heavy heart.
"Well, since we're here, we might just as well sell our gems."
"And deliver the profecy."
"And deliver the profecy, thanks Brimelle." He muttered, teeth clenched.
"I know a place " said Aliranne " where we can sell our gems. It's called the Silver Emporium, run by an elven magic user. They're quite reknown for creating jewelry for the Knights of Nerak-"
"Wohoho! Stop right there, my fair lady!" Kon bolted out from beneath his cloud of affliction. "I won't have anything to do with the Knights of Neraka, be it the last thing I do!"
"Be reasonable, they are just selling their jewelry, it's not like they support the Knights or anything." argued the mage.
"I don't buy it. If I'm going to sell my gems, I'm going right into the temple of Shinare."
"Kon, stop being childish."
"I'm not being childish, I'm being reasonable!"
"And unremovable, I might add." murmured Aaon, looking at the two bickering.
"Fellow companions, please." came Brimelle, opening her arms. "Let us do it this way: Aliranne, Aaon and Vorador will go to the Emporium while I and Kon will sell our gems at the temple. Sounds feasable?"
The group nodded in agreement.
"Good, we will see each other this afternoon back in here, then. Have a good morning, everyone."
Aliranne's group arrived at the Emporium in half an hour as it was fairly near the inn. They passed the jamb of the door, which was guarded by a thick shower of colorful glass beads, entering the shop. In front of them, opened the view of the Emporium: one wing on the left was full of cupboards, shelves and racks presenting the customers with lesser gems such as topaz, lapis lazulis and amethists and many decorative jewels; the wing on the right was practically the same but with more impressive gems such as emeralds, rubies and even some pretty big diamonds. In between stood a counter made entirely of white marble, covered by various showcases in dark wood which were displaying a large array of jewelry and other gem-related works.
The three walked around the room, exploring it before being greeted by the sudden appearance of a red robed elven woman who had snuck up on the group from behind the counter.
"Hi, I'm Serafema. How may I assist you?"
Aliranne looked at her, suddenly dumb from the surprise. She regained her senses and put on the white stone of the marble counter the gems they had gained in their travels.
"Yes, we would like to sell these gems. Acquiring them was not an easy task and they were appraised at four-thousand steel coins."
"Four-thousand? We'll see..."
Aliranne tried to keep her cool as the elf bent down to examin the gems with her lense.
"Hmmm..."
Some sweat started to appear on the mage's forehead.
"I'd say... these are worth..." The elf straightened her back, nodding at the lot. "...four-thousand-five-hundred steel coins."
"We'll take them!" Aliranne almost shouted, as if fearing that the elf was to take back her offer at any time.
"Fine, give me one moment." Serafema crouched behind the counter, coming back up with a coinpouch with the amoutn she had just deemed worth of the gems. She handed it the Aliranne, but when the mage went to grab it, her hands closed around the brunette's wrists.
"Young mage, be aware. You still have got to pass the Trial, haven't you? The time will come soon. I have no doubts that you will succeed in your test. May the moons be with you."
Aliranne looked at her and she noticed that Serafema was staring right into her eyes. A wave of uneasiness pervaded her.
"Uh, thanks... I guess..."
She replied unsure, as she went out the Emporium with her companions, after being handed by the elf the coinpouch with the four-thousand-five-hundred steel coins.
"Three-thousand-five-hundred! Three-thousand-five-hundred!!"
Brimelle yelled out offended while Kon es Kaz walked placidly beside her in a patronizing fashion.
"Those gems were worth AT LEAST four-thousand steel coins! I did the appraisal MYSELF!"
"Yeah, yeah, you're right, stop yelling in the middle of the road now, we're almost back at the tavern, I bet the others are waiting for us inside."
"Who cares about the others!" pouted Brimelle. "I want some serious recognition of my work as a bard!"
"Well, you shouldn't have been expecting that recognition from a cleric of Shinare. They're just merchants, they deal with people trying to sell them stuff every day. Who cares if you're a bard or what, they're just trying to do their job."
"But that is the whole point!" Brimelle trotted in front of Kon, blocking his way. "I am trying to do my job too!"
"Then maybe you're just getting upset over nothing." Sighed the minotaur.
"Thou may be right.." Brimelle sighed back doing a semicircle, facing the direction of the market. Her face brightened. "...ooooor I do not get recognition because people do not recognize me! Thou know what this means?"
Kon looked at her, raising one eyebrow from beneath his mask. Then, the sudden realization struck.
"Oh, no please, for the love of the Emperor, no.."
"...IT IS SHOPPING TIME!"
Brimelle grabbed Kon es Kaz's arm, dragging him towards the marked against his will.
Half an hour later, they were back on the main road: Kon es Kaz even more downhearted than before and Brimelle smiling widely with a new beautifully carved harp in her hands. It was now time that they reunited with their companions at the tavern. They came in just as they were coming out.
"Oh." Vorador said surprised as he stopped in his place. "We thought you got lost in the city since you took so long to come back."
"I beg thy pardon, it was mine fault." Muttered Brimelle, still clenching to her harp.
"Anyway," he continued. "We're going to the library to see if there are any books about the Herald or anything else. Care to join?"
"But... what about the prophecy?" Asked the centauress.
"Oh right, that. Well, we can still separate the group once more. I reckon you won't take that much to just deliver one prophecy to the seneschal of this city."
"Good thinking," came Kon es Kaz. "We'll meet you back at the library then."
"Ok, see ya." Waved Aliranne.
"Take care." Answered Brimelle.
Brimelle and Kon es Kaz arrived at the front gate of where the seneschal was supposed to be thirty-five minutes later. In front of them, stood what looked like a miniature castle with a bridge guarded by one guard for each side. A swarm of people was entering and exiting the building passing by the guards as if the structure behind them was the one of a man-made beehive. The two not-human companions crossed the bridge, following the trail of people, arriving in front of the guards. The two didn't move, at first, but then, suddenly, one shifted swiftly by her side blocking the road of the centauress.
"I'm sorry miss, you are not allowed to come inside."
Brimelle raised both of her eyebrows, staring down at the guard, arms crossed.
"Excuse me?"
"You cannot enter the building. We have a policy for what concerns this kind of things."
"A policy? What kind of policy?!"
"Something about not being naked, for example." Came the salty answer from beneath the helmet of the guard.
Brimelle looked down at her torso, realizing only then that it was not natural for humans to go around without wearing any kind of clothing. She covered her breasts, looking at Kon es Kaz. She nodded at him, hinting to go back at the beginning of the bridge.
"I guess thou will have to enter by theeself. Do thou remember the profecy?"
The minotaur shook his head.
"Can't you write it down?"
"Yes, of cours- wait. It just came to me, we have got another problem."
"What is it, now?"
"How can they trust our words?" Brimelle took out of her bag a piece of paper, a pen and an ink bottle. She opened the ink bottle and dipped the tip into the glass container. "The mystics on the isle of Schallsea did not give us anything to prove that the prophecy came from them."
The minotaur stood in silence, pondering as the centauress went to write down what the elven mystic had told them on the isle, the prophecy about the city, the dragon, the bird and everything else.
"Maybe they had already considered this and have something planned out?" He shrugged. "That's my best guess."
"Eh," Murmured the bard. " let us hope that it is also the right guess."
She finished the paper written in her best calligraphy and handed it to Kon es Kaz smiling hopeful.
"Try not to give yourself out."
"I won't."
The minotaur took the letter and went back to the bridge, disappearing between the crowd flowing back and forth.
Brimelle stood in front of the bridge, waiting for Kon, passing her time by strumming the harp. The minotaur came back half an hour later, traying to make his way between the busy bridge.
"How did it go?" asked Brimelle as soon as her friend was within hearing.
"Good, I think. Now it's their problem."
They both nodded.
"Nothing else we can do, I agree. Now, what should we do?"
"What about reaching the others at the library?" suggested Kon.
"Sounds good to me... but first, I thought about what the guard told me. I think it's not proper for me to go around naked, especially in a human city this conservative. I need to get something to cover myself with, maybe a robe. Do thou know what this means?"
The minotaur was panic-stricken.
"No, no, nononoNONNONONON-!"
"BACK TO SHOPPING IT IS!"
Finally, almost two hours later, Kon es Kaz and the not-naked-anymore Brimelle were able to reach the library. The building was imponent, with three statues guarding the main hall. The marble imprisoning the figures of Kiri-Jolith, Habbakuk and Paladine was cold and imbued with a sense of mysterious knowledge that gave to the whole place some sort of esotheric sanctity. Of the two wings connected to this main hall, the one on the left gave way to the library while the other probably brought into the living quarters of the various librarians and students. The centauress could clearly hear, in the welcoming silence of the building, the sound of pages turning coming right from the left wing.
The two fellow companions marched right into the library: they were immediately presented with the sight of a sea of bookcases and scroll holders. Their friends were slowly drowning between the various books, appearing and disappearing where the bookcase blocked them from view.
"Hey there!" Yelled Kon to get their attention.
"SSSSHHH!"
The minotaur looked behind him only to find a librarian looking angrily at him who said in a whisper.
"If you need to talk, you can do so -outside- of the library."
"Sorry." Replied Kon as quietly as possible.
Anyway, his yell did catch the attention of the other and, in a few instants, Kon and Brimelle were reunited with Aaon and Aliranne.
"Where is Vorador." Asked the centauress, looking around.
"He went to the temple of Mishakal, I suppose." aswered Aliranne. "He always does."
"Indeed.. Well, what about the books?"
"Nothing much of interest." came Aaon. "We checked all of the library, but I think that we'll have to look for a more furnished library if we want to know more about what the Herald is or why he's doing what he's doing."
Brimelle nodded silently. "There is a library in-"
"SSSSSHHH!!"
The words of the bard were silenced by the same librarian from before who was looking at the group with prejudice. He squinted his eyes in an angry silence before disappearing again between the bookshelves.
"We should get going.." whispered Brimelle, pacing towards the main hall, followed by the others.
"Ok, now we have to find Vorador and decide where to go. As I was saying, there is a big furnished library in Palanthas, we could go ther-"
The centauress was once again interrupted, this time by the loud dongs of the bells of the temple of Mishakal. The group of four companions sprinted out of the library, directing themselves towards the temple. What was awaiting them, were the open doors of the temple, where people were gathering slowly attracted by the bells. Some of the clerics were running up and down the stairs joyously, while others seemed to be celebrating something in the middle of the crowd. The giant cluster started to shift around and suddenly the eyes of the four travellers recognized a familiar face: Vorador stood right in the center of the celebration. It was logical to assume that it was he himself the reason for such a festive atmosphere.
The crowd, slowly, gave way to Vorador who started to walk placidly towards the others while the clerics returned inside the temple. The bells where still ringing as he reached the others. Now that they could see him better, they all noticed some major changes to his appearance. First of all, his dark, purple robe had been replaced by a blue and cyan ones which beared the symbol of Mishakal as a decorative element. Another strange factor was that his left ring finger was not the decaying one he had when he started this adventure: it was his -own- finger, now.
"That is.. rather.. unusual, to say the least." Brimelle erupted, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"What can I say, people change." Replied the mystic. "Now, then, what shall we do?"
"Brimelle suggested we go to the library of Palanthas to find what we need about the Herald and everything else." answered Aon.
"Sounds good to me. Although, I will need to re-learn my abilities to better suit the new path I've chosen."
"Wait one second." muttered Kon, looking sideways at the bright coloured robe of the mystic "What actually happened? I think I lost myself a bit in here."
Vorador smiled. "Let us just say that I'm under Mishakal's guidance, now. As I should have been for a long time." He paused, rolling his shoulders. "Well, then, shall we keep going?"
The other agreed with his words and proceeded towards the outher walls of the city.
Once they got to the north gate of the city, directed towards Palanthas, the eyes of Aaon caught a glimpse of what looked like a wanted poster. On closer inspection, the druid concluded that it was indeed a wanted poster, but for a cart of goods such as spices and cloths.
"Apparently it was supposed to reach the city of Solanthus this morning but it didn't make it. Probably someone has stolen it." The druid nodded to himself. "The reward is rather big too."
"So, what shall we do?" Asked Brimelle.
"We have to arrive in Thoradin in less than a month." pondered Voador. "Maybe we shouldn't waste time chasing carts and everything."
"What if " came Aliranne, "we still go to Palanthas but we keep an eye out just in case we happen o find the cart?"
"Sounds feasible." Agreed Kon es Kaz.
"Then it is all set. Let us go." Consluded the bard.
"Agreed." Echoed the druid.
The group kept marching in, going down the road to Palanthas. There were a few other travellers that were sharing the road with them, but eventually they found themselves as the only group wandering those woods. Their peaceful stroll was interrupted abruptly when they came across the trail of a cart which seemed to be disappearing inside the woods. Brimelle glanced at Aaon.
"That is it, is not it?"
"Exactly."
The druid started following the trail, being the more skilled in the group for that kind of things, followed right after by Kon es Kaz who was running with his sword unsheathed. Behind them, the other three members where following from a safe distance. Aaon and Kon stopped when they reached an opening in the woods: it was a large tree-less space, blocked only by occasional boulders which covered the far end of the clearing. The five adventurers saw some smoke rising from that same far end. Aliranne, keeping the others quiet, cast an invisibility spell on herself going to investigate. She came back a few moments later, her face paler than before.
"One knight of Neraka and a gray robed wizard!" she whispered concitately. "They have the cart with them and are now conversing near the fireplace. They said something about how the cart wasn't supposed to leave the city of Palanthas in the first plac-"
She could not even end her sentence that Kon es Kaz was already on his way to face the two evil doers. The rest of the group followed him, while Vorador facepalmed as the minotaur clashed his sword on his shield to get the two thieves' attention.
"COME HERE AND FIGHT ME WITH HONOR!"
He shouted. It wasn't long before the whole party was involved in the fight against the two knights. Kon focused on the knight while the others went straight for the magic user as deemed more threatening and dangerous. As they were about to conclude the fight, being able to kill off both the wizard and the warrior, one unexpected thing happened. Aliranne was just about to cast another spell when she could clearly feel something piercing her back. She turned around as her vision started to become blurry, only to see the fuzzy figure of what looked like a gnome with something sharp in its hand. She fell on the ground, unconscious, while the tiny figure closed up on her and a deep, warm voice yelled out.
"BOND!"
When Aliranne woke up, she was being tended to by Aaon while Vorador was taking care of Kon es Kaz's wounds. She blinked a few times, shaking her head, trying to clear her mind. Flashes of the fight ran inside her mind, focusing on the small figure that had snuck up on her and almost killed her for good. She looked around and just as her vision was starting to become more defined, she spotted something unusual in the grip of the minotaur: his sword had separated itself in tiny sections connected by a metal core which were keeping a grip over the body of a dirty, smelly and quivering gully dwarf. She didn't need to see the dagger right at the feet of the armored warrior to understand that the despicable creature was the one who had attacked her. She stood up, nearing the gully dwarf whily Kon es Kaz proceeded in interrogating him.
"Why did you attack us and why where you helping the knights of Neraka?! Answer me!!"
The poor creature kept shivering and trembling creating a pitiful view.
"Me know no thing, me swear! Me sorry, please, leave me go!"
"I said ANSWER ME!"
Kon raised his free arm, hitting the gully dwarf on the head with a powerful blow.
"BWAAAAHAHAHHAA!"
The gully dwarf started crying his eyes out while kicking and squirming in place.
"Kon, is this really necessary?" Asked Brimelle, worrying for the rag dressed gully dwarf.
"For such scum?! It is!!" He raised his arm once more.
"Maybe you should put him down." Continued the centauress.
"He attacked us! He shall explain himself!" went on the minotaur.
"Bad guys tell me attack you, me no want to, me sorry!!"
"What are we going to do with him?" Asked Vorador, pointing at the gully dwarf as if it were made out of garbage. Consideration that was not too far away from reality considering their diet.
"We will take him to Palanthas." Answered Kon. "You and Aliranne can go back to Solanthus and collect the reward, we'll be waiting here for you with..." He looked at the tiny being. "What is your name? Speak!!"
"Me dun have one!" He replied shivering. "T-they call me Disgusting..."
Kon es Kaz resumed his speach. "....with Disgusting. Be quick and swift on your feet."
Vorador and Aliranne nodded, directing themselves towards the cart.
"We will." Murmured the red dressed mage as they took the road in the woods back to the solamnic city.
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Aaon, Aliranne, Brimelle, Kon es Kaz and Vorador could do nothing but stare in awe as the angelic creature flew away right in front of them. They all felt slightly confused, not knowing what that celestial being was, nor why it had been sent to give them the mission of saving that little girl in the Athraman Castle. Brimelle looked around the room one more time as her hands went to hide the gifted feather into one of her backpacks.
"We should get moving."
Said Vorador, taking his leave for the stairs.
"I'm not sure this place is going to stay put: we just slayed a monster in here. This tower does not seem too stable to me, right now."
"Actually," interjected Kon es Kaz "we're in no hurry. The main base for the architecture of this tower is wide enough to allow for many quakes before even cringing under the weight of the roof which, by the way, is also solid enough to be repaired instead of being built anew since the four main beams were not destroyed by the monster's attacks. All in all, both the floor and the ceiling are strong enough to even support another battle for that pillar there would absorb everything you threw at it. Who designed this tower must have been rather eager to make it earthquake-proof."
He crossed his arms, looking around the room, examining it with wise eyes. The others were simply staring at him, their mouths gaping again, in disbelief.
"Kon, I did not know thou were so... knowledgeable for what concerns engineering."
Kon turned towards Brimelle who had just spoken.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, equine lady."
"Oh, I am sure of that, cow knight."
"Right!" Aliranne broke the tension that was starting to form inside the room. "I get it that the place is stable but could we please get going? We still need to reach Solanthus, I reckon."
The others nodded slightly.
"Let's keep going."
Murmured Aaon following Vorador down the stairs.
"So, Solanthus right?"
They were slowly gathering in the inner courtyard right before the entrance, walking towards the woods where they came from and where they had met Rydell for the first time. Brimelle turned her head toward Aliranne.
"Yes, Solanthus. We have a profecy to deliver. I suppose we will have to walk to the nearest city before, to acquire some means of locomotion, before proceeding there. Am I right?"
"Yes." confirmed Kon es Kaz "And judging by this map, the nearest city is the little town of La-aaahaAA!"
A loud rumbling sound covered Kon's voice, shaking the ground as if it were coming from the bowels of the earth itself. The five adventurers turned their heads towards the castle only to find it gone.
"W-what happened?" Brimelle inquired.
They all stood silent for a couple of minute before the centauress had an outburst.
"Oh my Astarin! Did we do something bad to the castle? Did it disappear forever?! Did we travel back or forward in time!?!"
"Calm down, Brimelle." Vorador spoke from the depths of his hood. "The castle is still there, I can sense it. There's some sort of magic barrier that make it looks like as if there is no castle. I can't understand where it comes from, but it's better if we leave this thing alone. Do you all agree?"
The companions looked at the mystic, nodding.
"Good. To where are we directed?"
"Lamis." came Kon es Kaz.
"Then to Lamis it is."
The group arrived at Lamis in the late evening. Kon es Kaz had lowered his headpiece completely to hide his face and the fact of being a minotaur in solamnic grounds from the gaze of the unsuspecting peasants. They got to the first and only inn they could find, the Crafty Fox, and booked a couple of room plus a place in the stables for the centauress. Brimelle sure wasn't thrilled about it, but it was better than nothing at all. The food was good and the service decent for an inn in such a little town.
The morning after, Brimelle was the first one to wake up. The innkeeper smiled at her and neared her table in the dining room.
"Are you waiting for your companions?"
"Yes, I suppose so. But I would gladly have breakfast while I am waiting for them." Brimelle smiled as she tried to comb her bed hair.
"Well, may I interest you in some delicious honey cake? Freshly baked along with the bread."
"Hmm, I will take one, thank thou very much." she paused for a moment before adding. "May I ask a simple indicative question?"
"I'm always open to my customer's requests!" The innkeeper said, patting the sides of his full, round belly with his callous hands. "Tell me, my dear, what would you like to know?"
"Me and my friends are looking for mounts to ride from here to Solanthus. Is there a place in this town that sells such means of locomotion? The last town we went in had one dock and narrow-minded people, but no horses."
"Well," said the innkeeper smiling. "You could have ridden those bigots, they wouldn't know the difference between a marathon and a journey!"
He erupted in a joyous laugh. Brimelle went along, wondering if bad sense of humor was a special trait in humans.
"Aahah.. anyway, honey, there are some stables at the east end of town, you're sure to find some to fit your needs."
This being said, he winked and came back behind the counter, counting coins and cleaning plates, preparing breakfast for his customers. Brimelle stood in silence in the empty room, listening quietly to the sounds of the busy Inn. The fire chirping as it was baking the bread, the wooden floor crackling under someone else's weight... she could even hear the metal rattle of someone putting on their armor. She smiled as she knew that it must have been Kon es Kaz, helped by Vorador. Which meant that they would not come down for breakfast for at least another twenty minutes. What was taking so long for Aliranne and Aaon, now, was a mystery.
In the meantime, the innkeeper had returned, bringing Brimelle's breakfast with him. The centauress smiled without adding a word, fearing another bad pun from the human, and started eating eagerly the cake which, as the innkeeper explained, was included in the price of the rooms. After breakfast, there was still no trace of her companions. She stood up, with the intention of finding the stables and returning back before they arrived in the hall.
As she came outside the Inn, her eyes were caught by a fountain in the middle of the main square. She looked at it, losing herself in the ripples created by the flowing argenteous waves. She came even closer, looking at her reflection, pondering. with a swift movement of her wrist, she opened one of her four bags, taking out of it her letter: the page was still as she had first written it, tear stains included. She looked at the words carefully, spelling them out without making a sound. She clenched the paper with her hands, tearing it into two parts and throwing them into the flowing water below. As the paper dissolved into the fountain, macerated by the waves, she whispered to herself.
"I cannot go back. This choice is the right one."
She turned back to the Inn, walking right in with no hesitation.
Aaon, Aliranne and Vorador were having breakfast at the same table Brimelle was waiting for them before. Vorador looked tired while Aliranne and Aaon were sitting quietly one near the other.
"Where is Kon?" Asked the chentauress, nearing the table.
"He went back upstairs." explained Vorador. "He can't eat with his helmet on and he has to keep it that way due to his..." He mimicked a muzzle with his right hand.
"I understand.. well, as soon as you are done, I know where we can find some horses."
"Perfect!" Came a voice from the stairs, followed by the figure of the armored minotaur. "Then we can buy five horses and be on our way!"
"Actually, I can create my own steed!" Aliranne stood up, showing Vorador a page of her spellbook with a summoning spell for a celestial horse. "See?"
"Well, then, four horses." said Kon es Kaz nodding.
At that same moment, Aaon reverted into his feral form, becoming a stag.
".. I guess that means we'll need three horses!"
"A-ehm!" came the voice of the bard.
Kon looked at Brimelle.
Brimelle looked at Kon.
"...On second notice, we'll need only two horses." he murmured embarassed, defeated by logic."Let us go..."
The reached the city of Solanthus in the late evening, but the outher walls were still swarming with weary travellers and kenders. Lots of kenders. Everyone in the group kept a close eye on their belongings. Brimelle put her hands protectively on her backpacks, watching the little kenders with a small hint of sadness and nostalgia in her eyes.
As they were entering the city, the eyes of the guards were fixed on Aaon, who had just returned human, as if he were under scrutiny. He seemed to be upsetting them especially with his antlers. But the group did not care, they simply tried to reach the first tavern they could lay their eyes on. "The duck and the dog" seemed to be the perfect choice.
As soon as they entered the place, a deep voice almost shouted.
"Get out of here!"
They looked around concerned, wondering who was that spoke. Their answer came in the shape of the landlord, a big, old man with questionable taste in clothing and of doubted politeness. He pointed Aaon with his eyes, his face twisted into a disgusted grimace.
"We don't serve -druids- here."
"You say it as if it were a bad word." uttered Aaon.
"Listen," Aliranne tried to act as peacemaker. "we're just trying to find a place to rest. We've had a very long journey and we could pay you profusely." She smiled, expectantly.
The landlord seemed unremovable.
"You lot can stay, but he has to go, otherwise I'll call the guards!"
The smile on Aliranne's face crumbled like pastries. Such a stupid argument, all for a matter of religion.
"Oh, please, please, he won't do a thing! Can't you just host us for one evening? We'll be gone afterwards."
The landlord seemed to be pondering on the offer before shouting out.
"Alright! But if you're still here tomorrow I'm SERIOUSLY calling the guards!"
The morning after, Aliranne, Brimelle and Aaon found themselves in the dining hall where they were to have breakfast. Vorador was still in his room with Kon es Kaz, helping him with the armor. A small woman approached the three companions.
"Good morning."
She smiled. The eyes of the three went around the room: no trace of the grumpy old landlord of the evening before. Nobody complained, it was way better that way. Brimelle smiled back.
"Good morning, what can we have for breakfast?"
"Oh, we have some freshly made jelly along with bread especially made for our customers, baked this early morning. We also have milk, water and everything you may desire."
"I will have bread and jelly, thank you. And.. maybe, could I have some milk too, by chance?"
"I'll have the same." said Aliranne.
"Same here." concluded Aaon. "And bring two more portions for our friends."
The maid nodded. "I'll be right back with your order."
She hinted a bow with her head and sprinted back into the kitchen. As soon as she left the scene, Vorador and Kon es Kaz entered it.
"Well, good morning sleepy-heads." Aliranne teased them.
"You wouldn't be that eager to mock us if it was you who had to put the armor on him every single morning." Hissed Vorador as an answer, pointing at Kon es Kaz.
"Hey, not my fault if my kind is not welcome here!"
"SHHH!" Aaon silenced the minotaur with a sharp gesture. He resumed in a whisper "For now, we don't have company, but you never know who might be listening to your conversation."
His eyes darted around the room and the others followed him. The dining hall wasn't all that lively, but there were at least a few other groups from various races, each one of them having breakfast at their table.
"No one seems to have bad intention here, I think we can be safe.. but be aware anyway." the druid concluded.
Everyone kept silent for the next few minutes, afraid that the knowledge of releasing chaos on Krynn could become their ruin if heard by the wrong ears. Eventually, Kon es Kaz broke the awkward lull with his deep voice, accompanied by a clap of his hands.
"Right, so... when are we going to talk with the Knights of Solamnia?"
Brimelle and Vorador, both at the same time, had a flash inside their mind about the actual location of the knights. Recognizing one the revelation of the other, they exchanged a worried look, trying to decide who was to inform the minotaur.
"Well? What is it? Why so silent, the kender got your tongue?"
"Kon..." Brimelle blushed half embarassed, half remorseful. "I... I think the knights are not here."
The minotaur wasn't showing his face due to the helmet, but everyone could clearly sense that the smile he had was dying slowly, like a burned out candle.
"W-well," the centauress stuttered. " what I mean is that, they HAVE been here, but they are not now and.. oh my Astarin.."
"What Brimelle is trying to say," intervened Vorador. "is that the Knights of Solamnia are not in this city. Actually they're not in Solamnia at all. They are located in the isle of Sancrist, far west from here."
"Wait, what." Kon seemed utterly blown away.
"What he is saying is true. I am sorry, Kon." Murmured Brimelle under her breath.
Another awkward lull came in to make the conversation even more awkward than before. Eventually, Kon had an outburst.
"You're telling me that I came here with the intention of finding the Knights of Solamnia and only AFTER we came all this way from our main route, mind you, ONLY THEN you BLESS me with the most useful knowledge -only useful if had it been known in the past- that the knights ARE NOT HERE?!"
Brimelle shifted in her place.
"It was an honest mistake, I swear, I completely forgot about it!"
"Me too." Echoed Vorador.
Kon es Kaz was left speechless. He lumped down on his chair, sighing out loudly.
"Why me..."
Nobody dared to interrupt the grieving of the warrior. They kept eating their breakfast without uttering a word looking at Kon as he took his plate off of the table and marched back upstairs, directed to his room. He came back ten minutes later and with him returned the feeling of a heavy heart.
"Well, since we're here, we might just as well sell our gems."
"And deliver the profecy."
"And deliver the profecy, thanks Brimelle." He muttered, teeth clenched.
"I know a place " said Aliranne " where we can sell our gems. It's called the Silver Emporium, run by an elven magic user. They're quite reknown for creating jewelry for the Knights of Nerak-"
"Wohoho! Stop right there, my fair lady!" Kon bolted out from beneath his cloud of affliction. "I won't have anything to do with the Knights of Neraka, be it the last thing I do!"
"Be reasonable, they are just selling their jewelry, it's not like they support the Knights or anything." argued the mage.
"I don't buy it. If I'm going to sell my gems, I'm going right into the temple of Shinare."
"Kon, stop being childish."
"I'm not being childish, I'm being reasonable!"
"And unremovable, I might add." murmured Aaon, looking at the two bickering.
"Fellow companions, please." came Brimelle, opening her arms. "Let us do it this way: Aliranne, Aaon and Vorador will go to the Emporium while I and Kon will sell our gems at the temple. Sounds feasable?"
The group nodded in agreement.
"Good, we will see each other this afternoon back in here, then. Have a good morning, everyone."
Aliranne's group arrived at the Emporium in half an hour as it was fairly near the inn. They passed the jamb of the door, which was guarded by a thick shower of colorful glass beads, entering the shop. In front of them, opened the view of the Emporium: one wing on the left was full of cupboards, shelves and racks presenting the customers with lesser gems such as topaz, lapis lazulis and amethists and many decorative jewels; the wing on the right was practically the same but with more impressive gems such as emeralds, rubies and even some pretty big diamonds. In between stood a counter made entirely of white marble, covered by various showcases in dark wood which were displaying a large array of jewelry and other gem-related works.
The three walked around the room, exploring it before being greeted by the sudden appearance of a red robed elven woman who had snuck up on the group from behind the counter.
"Hi, I'm Serafema. How may I assist you?"
Aliranne looked at her, suddenly dumb from the surprise. She regained her senses and put on the white stone of the marble counter the gems they had gained in their travels.
"Yes, we would like to sell these gems. Acquiring them was not an easy task and they were appraised at four-thousand steel coins."
"Four-thousand? We'll see..."
Aliranne tried to keep her cool as the elf bent down to examin the gems with her lense.
"Hmmm..."
Some sweat started to appear on the mage's forehead.
"I'd say... these are worth..." The elf straightened her back, nodding at the lot. "...four-thousand-five-hundred steel coins."
"We'll take them!" Aliranne almost shouted, as if fearing that the elf was to take back her offer at any time.
"Fine, give me one moment." Serafema crouched behind the counter, coming back up with a coinpouch with the amoutn she had just deemed worth of the gems. She handed it the Aliranne, but when the mage went to grab it, her hands closed around the brunette's wrists.
"Young mage, be aware. You still have got to pass the Trial, haven't you? The time will come soon. I have no doubts that you will succeed in your test. May the moons be with you."
Aliranne looked at her and she noticed that Serafema was staring right into her eyes. A wave of uneasiness pervaded her.
"Uh, thanks... I guess..."
She replied unsure, as she went out the Emporium with her companions, after being handed by the elf the coinpouch with the four-thousand-five-hundred steel coins.
"Three-thousand-five-hundred! Three-thousand-five-hundred!!"
Brimelle yelled out offended while Kon es Kaz walked placidly beside her in a patronizing fashion.
"Those gems were worth AT LEAST four-thousand steel coins! I did the appraisal MYSELF!"
"Yeah, yeah, you're right, stop yelling in the middle of the road now, we're almost back at the tavern, I bet the others are waiting for us inside."
"Who cares about the others!" pouted Brimelle. "I want some serious recognition of my work as a bard!"
"Well, you shouldn't have been expecting that recognition from a cleric of Shinare. They're just merchants, they deal with people trying to sell them stuff every day. Who cares if you're a bard or what, they're just trying to do their job."
"But that is the whole point!" Brimelle trotted in front of Kon, blocking his way. "I am trying to do my job too!"
"Then maybe you're just getting upset over nothing." Sighed the minotaur.
"Thou may be right.." Brimelle sighed back doing a semicircle, facing the direction of the market. Her face brightened. "...ooooor I do not get recognition because people do not recognize me! Thou know what this means?"
Kon looked at her, raising one eyebrow from beneath his mask. Then, the sudden realization struck.
"Oh, no please, for the love of the Emperor, no.."
"...IT IS SHOPPING TIME!"
Brimelle grabbed Kon es Kaz's arm, dragging him towards the marked against his will.
Half an hour later, they were back on the main road: Kon es Kaz even more downhearted than before and Brimelle smiling widely with a new beautifully carved harp in her hands. It was now time that they reunited with their companions at the tavern. They came in just as they were coming out.
"Oh." Vorador said surprised as he stopped in his place. "We thought you got lost in the city since you took so long to come back."
"I beg thy pardon, it was mine fault." Muttered Brimelle, still clenching to her harp.
"Anyway," he continued. "We're going to the library to see if there are any books about the Herald or anything else. Care to join?"
"But... what about the prophecy?" Asked the centauress.
"Oh right, that. Well, we can still separate the group once more. I reckon you won't take that much to just deliver one prophecy to the seneschal of this city."
"Good thinking," came Kon es Kaz. "We'll meet you back at the library then."
"Ok, see ya." Waved Aliranne.
"Take care." Answered Brimelle.
Brimelle and Kon es Kaz arrived at the front gate of where the seneschal was supposed to be thirty-five minutes later. In front of them, stood what looked like a miniature castle with a bridge guarded by one guard for each side. A swarm of people was entering and exiting the building passing by the guards as if the structure behind them was the one of a man-made beehive. The two not-human companions crossed the bridge, following the trail of people, arriving in front of the guards. The two didn't move, at first, but then, suddenly, one shifted swiftly by her side blocking the road of the centauress.
"I'm sorry miss, you are not allowed to come inside."
Brimelle raised both of her eyebrows, staring down at the guard, arms crossed.
"Excuse me?"
"You cannot enter the building. We have a policy for what concerns this kind of things."
"A policy? What kind of policy?!"
"Something about not being naked, for example." Came the salty answer from beneath the helmet of the guard.
Brimelle looked down at her torso, realizing only then that it was not natural for humans to go around without wearing any kind of clothing. She covered her breasts, looking at Kon es Kaz. She nodded at him, hinting to go back at the beginning of the bridge.
"I guess thou will have to enter by theeself. Do thou remember the profecy?"
The minotaur shook his head.
"Can't you write it down?"
"Yes, of cours- wait. It just came to me, we have got another problem."
"What is it, now?"
"How can they trust our words?" Brimelle took out of her bag a piece of paper, a pen and an ink bottle. She opened the ink bottle and dipped the tip into the glass container. "The mystics on the isle of Schallsea did not give us anything to prove that the prophecy came from them."
The minotaur stood in silence, pondering as the centauress went to write down what the elven mystic had told them on the isle, the prophecy about the city, the dragon, the bird and everything else.
"Maybe they had already considered this and have something planned out?" He shrugged. "That's my best guess."
"Eh," Murmured the bard. " let us hope that it is also the right guess."
She finished the paper written in her best calligraphy and handed it to Kon es Kaz smiling hopeful.
"Try not to give yourself out."
"I won't."
The minotaur took the letter and went back to the bridge, disappearing between the crowd flowing back and forth.
Brimelle stood in front of the bridge, waiting for Kon, passing her time by strumming the harp. The minotaur came back half an hour later, traying to make his way between the busy bridge.
"How did it go?" asked Brimelle as soon as her friend was within hearing.
"Good, I think. Now it's their problem."
They both nodded.
"Nothing else we can do, I agree. Now, what should we do?"
"What about reaching the others at the library?" suggested Kon.
"Sounds good to me... but first, I thought about what the guard told me. I think it's not proper for me to go around naked, especially in a human city this conservative. I need to get something to cover myself with, maybe a robe. Do thou know what this means?"
The minotaur was panic-stricken.
"No, no, nononoNONNONONON-!"
"BACK TO SHOPPING IT IS!"
Finally, almost two hours later, Kon es Kaz and the not-naked-anymore Brimelle were able to reach the library. The building was imponent, with three statues guarding the main hall. The marble imprisoning the figures of Kiri-Jolith, Habbakuk and Paladine was cold and imbued with a sense of mysterious knowledge that gave to the whole place some sort of esotheric sanctity. Of the two wings connected to this main hall, the one on the left gave way to the library while the other probably brought into the living quarters of the various librarians and students. The centauress could clearly hear, in the welcoming silence of the building, the sound of pages turning coming right from the left wing.
The two fellow companions marched right into the library: they were immediately presented with the sight of a sea of bookcases and scroll holders. Their friends were slowly drowning between the various books, appearing and disappearing where the bookcase blocked them from view.
"Hey there!" Yelled Kon to get their attention.
"SSSSHHH!"
The minotaur looked behind him only to find a librarian looking angrily at him who said in a whisper.
"If you need to talk, you can do so -outside- of the library."
"Sorry." Replied Kon as quietly as possible.
Anyway, his yell did catch the attention of the other and, in a few instants, Kon and Brimelle were reunited with Aaon and Aliranne.
"Where is Vorador." Asked the centauress, looking around.
"He went to the temple of Mishakal, I suppose." aswered Aliranne. "He always does."
"Indeed.. Well, what about the books?"
"Nothing much of interest." came Aaon. "We checked all of the library, but I think that we'll have to look for a more furnished library if we want to know more about what the Herald is or why he's doing what he's doing."
Brimelle nodded silently. "There is a library in-"
"SSSSSHHH!!"
The words of the bard were silenced by the same librarian from before who was looking at the group with prejudice. He squinted his eyes in an angry silence before disappearing again between the bookshelves.
"We should get going.." whispered Brimelle, pacing towards the main hall, followed by the others.
"Ok, now we have to find Vorador and decide where to go. As I was saying, there is a big furnished library in Palanthas, we could go ther-"
The centauress was once again interrupted, this time by the loud dongs of the bells of the temple of Mishakal. The group of four companions sprinted out of the library, directing themselves towards the temple. What was awaiting them, were the open doors of the temple, where people were gathering slowly attracted by the bells. Some of the clerics were running up and down the stairs joyously, while others seemed to be celebrating something in the middle of the crowd. The giant cluster started to shift around and suddenly the eyes of the four travellers recognized a familiar face: Vorador stood right in the center of the celebration. It was logical to assume that it was he himself the reason for such a festive atmosphere.
The crowd, slowly, gave way to Vorador who started to walk placidly towards the others while the clerics returned inside the temple. The bells where still ringing as he reached the others. Now that they could see him better, they all noticed some major changes to his appearance. First of all, his dark, purple robe had been replaced by a blue and cyan ones which beared the symbol of Mishakal as a decorative element. Another strange factor was that his left ring finger was not the decaying one he had when he started this adventure: it was his -own- finger, now.
"That is.. rather.. unusual, to say the least." Brimelle erupted, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"What can I say, people change." Replied the mystic. "Now, then, what shall we do?"
"Brimelle suggested we go to the library of Palanthas to find what we need about the Herald and everything else." answered Aon.
"Sounds good to me. Although, I will need to re-learn my abilities to better suit the new path I've chosen."
"Wait one second." muttered Kon, looking sideways at the bright coloured robe of the mystic "What actually happened? I think I lost myself a bit in here."
Vorador smiled. "Let us just say that I'm under Mishakal's guidance, now. As I should have been for a long time." He paused, rolling his shoulders. "Well, then, shall we keep going?"
The other agreed with his words and proceeded towards the outher walls of the city.
Once they got to the north gate of the city, directed towards Palanthas, the eyes of Aaon caught a glimpse of what looked like a wanted poster. On closer inspection, the druid concluded that it was indeed a wanted poster, but for a cart of goods such as spices and cloths.
"Apparently it was supposed to reach the city of Solanthus this morning but it didn't make it. Probably someone has stolen it." The druid nodded to himself. "The reward is rather big too."
"So, what shall we do?" Asked Brimelle.
"We have to arrive in Thoradin in less than a month." pondered Voador. "Maybe we shouldn't waste time chasing carts and everything."
"What if " came Aliranne, "we still go to Palanthas but we keep an eye out just in case we happen o find the cart?"
"Sounds feasible." Agreed Kon es Kaz.
"Then it is all set. Let us go." Consluded the bard.
"Agreed." Echoed the druid.
The group kept marching in, going down the road to Palanthas. There were a few other travellers that were sharing the road with them, but eventually they found themselves as the only group wandering those woods. Their peaceful stroll was interrupted abruptly when they came across the trail of a cart which seemed to be disappearing inside the woods. Brimelle glanced at Aaon.
"That is it, is not it?"
"Exactly."
The druid started following the trail, being the more skilled in the group for that kind of things, followed right after by Kon es Kaz who was running with his sword unsheathed. Behind them, the other three members where following from a safe distance. Aaon and Kon stopped when they reached an opening in the woods: it was a large tree-less space, blocked only by occasional boulders which covered the far end of the clearing. The five adventurers saw some smoke rising from that same far end. Aliranne, keeping the others quiet, cast an invisibility spell on herself going to investigate. She came back a few moments later, her face paler than before.
"One knight of Neraka and a gray robed wizard!" she whispered concitately. "They have the cart with them and are now conversing near the fireplace. They said something about how the cart wasn't supposed to leave the city of Palanthas in the first plac-"
She could not even end her sentence that Kon es Kaz was already on his way to face the two evil doers. The rest of the group followed him, while Vorador facepalmed as the minotaur clashed his sword on his shield to get the two thieves' attention.
"COME HERE AND FIGHT ME WITH HONOR!"
He shouted. It wasn't long before the whole party was involved in the fight against the two knights. Kon focused on the knight while the others went straight for the magic user as deemed more threatening and dangerous. As they were about to conclude the fight, being able to kill off both the wizard and the warrior, one unexpected thing happened. Aliranne was just about to cast another spell when she could clearly feel something piercing her back. She turned around as her vision started to become blurry, only to see the fuzzy figure of what looked like a gnome with something sharp in its hand. She fell on the ground, unconscious, while the tiny figure closed up on her and a deep, warm voice yelled out.
"BOND!"
When Aliranne woke up, she was being tended to by Aaon while Vorador was taking care of Kon es Kaz's wounds. She blinked a few times, shaking her head, trying to clear her mind. Flashes of the fight ran inside her mind, focusing on the small figure that had snuck up on her and almost killed her for good. She looked around and just as her vision was starting to become more defined, she spotted something unusual in the grip of the minotaur: his sword had separated itself in tiny sections connected by a metal core which were keeping a grip over the body of a dirty, smelly and quivering gully dwarf. She didn't need to see the dagger right at the feet of the armored warrior to understand that the despicable creature was the one who had attacked her. She stood up, nearing the gully dwarf whily Kon es Kaz proceeded in interrogating him.
"Why did you attack us and why where you helping the knights of Neraka?! Answer me!!"
The poor creature kept shivering and trembling creating a pitiful view.
"Me know no thing, me swear! Me sorry, please, leave me go!"
"I said ANSWER ME!"
Kon raised his free arm, hitting the gully dwarf on the head with a powerful blow.
"BWAAAAHAHAHHAA!"
The gully dwarf started crying his eyes out while kicking and squirming in place.
"Kon, is this really necessary?" Asked Brimelle, worrying for the rag dressed gully dwarf.
"For such scum?! It is!!" He raised his arm once more.
"Maybe you should put him down." Continued the centauress.
"He attacked us! He shall explain himself!" went on the minotaur.
"Bad guys tell me attack you, me no want to, me sorry!!"
"What are we going to do with him?" Asked Vorador, pointing at the gully dwarf as if it were made out of garbage. Consideration that was not too far away from reality considering their diet.
"We will take him to Palanthas." Answered Kon. "You and Aliranne can go back to Solanthus and collect the reward, we'll be waiting here for you with..." He looked at the tiny being. "What is your name? Speak!!"
"Me dun have one!" He replied shivering. "T-they call me Disgusting..."
Kon es Kaz resumed his speach. "....with Disgusting. Be quick and swift on your feet."
Vorador and Aliranne nodded, directing themselves towards the cart.
"We will." Murmured the red dressed mage as they took the road in the woods back to the solamnic city.
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Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
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