The Visit
-An Elemental Lords Short Story-
The fire caught Zetes's
attention first as he entered the
The man in front of the fire was obviously a Warrior. The
dancing firelight glinted off the studs in his leather jerkin. He was a huge
man, his broad back was towards Zetes and his long black hair hid his face.
From the muscles in the man's bare arms Zetes guessed he may be a Kral or
related to them. One huge arm rested on the hilt of a bastard sword resting
across an adjoining chair, the fingers were badly callused, testimony to some
skill with the weapon. Zetes sensed him listening as he stripped off his heavy
fur gauntlets and hooked a stool at the bar.
A simple twist of the head took in the remaining patrons,
for they sat at each end of the horseshoe shaped counter. At one end a group of
four Runics sat. One was dressed in the greens and blues of Earth and displayed
the mixed race features of a Wood Elf, his ears spiking out from his long brown
hair. A sudden high pitched voice attracted Zetes attention to a Goblin,
surprisingly part of the group. The Goblin, dressed in bright orange and red
robes, was proudly telling a tale of Darius and
proclaiming his allegiance to Fire. The third was a plain, if pale,
Human, who wore black robes with no decoration, he seemed withdrawn, quiet,
Zetes marked him as a Dark or Chaos Runic. The last was also Human, he wore a
dull blue robe that looked for all the world the colour of dried blood, on its
chest was the device for one of the more military based houses of Air, he was
staring at Zetes and made it a point to draw back his robes to show Zetes the
sword hung underneath. It was a warning. Zetes nodded at him and the Human
turned back to his companions.
The last patron in the bar was also watching Zetes. He
looked familiar but Zetes couldn't place him, was he from the Castle Kinnersley
meeting? he asked himself. The man was long faced and lean, his face neither
Human or Elven, and his ears were hidden behind a hood. He word purple
pantaloons and a clashing gray tunic. He smiled as Zetes took him in then turned
away and ignored him.
Zetes shrugged and put him
out of his mind, he was often stared at, for he was an Orc, and Orcs are not
common in the town of
He broke off the chain of thought as the barmaid
approached, she was a nice looking Human and smiled broadly
"What can I get
you?" she asked in a local accent. Zetes eyed the row of bottles on the
bars back self, she followed his line of sight, and her expression became more
severe,
"Ale's good!" she
said with a hint of annoyance in her voice- what did this Orc think he was,
rich? In those furs she doubted it.
"No, no Ale tonight.
I'll have a bottle of 'Olde Quint Special' from five years ago. A good year as
I remember". Zetes's voice was deep and mellow. She wrinkled her nose at
him and gave him a quick up and down that spoke volumes about what she thought
of his ability appreciate the wine or even to pay for it. She brought the
bottle over and Zetes flashed a Lunar note at her and asked for a glass. The
barmaid nearly kept the surprise from showing- an Orc using a glass instead of
mealy popping the cork and swigging from the bottle? She revised her impression
upwards. As she brought the glass over the Orc was brushing the light dust off
the bottle almost reverently. With much ceremony the bottle was opened and a
full glass poured. Zetes took a taste and broke into a wide grin, showing her
all his fangs.
"Perfect, just
right" He relaxed on his stool and placed the lunar note in the offered
hand when requested to. With it he asked,
"I'm looking for
Harathion Sarathon is he in?" A look of protectiveness crossed the woman's
face to be quickly replaced by one of suspicion.
"No," she said as
she crossed her arms. The Orc took another sip of wine and turned to survey the
room again. The only change was that the Runic group had moved to a table
against the wall instead of sitting at the bar as they had been. He turned back
to face the barmaid.
"Not like Hareth to be
out when his
"Hareth," she eyed
him warily again "I'll ask". She vanished through the doorway at the
back of the bar area and could just be heard calling for someone. While he
waited Zetes turned and watched the dancing flames.
The figure in front of the
fire moved and stood up, his bulk blocking the view of the flames and roused
Zetes from the slumber he'd nearly fallen into. Backlit by the fire the figure
was a giant; in the light he suddenly looked in-human, Zetes saw fangs and a
evil black icy stare, then it passed as he stepped towards the bar. The giant
was Human, if an extremely large one. The giant had a round face with quite
warm eyes, he smiled as he approached Zetes lighting up his whole face
pleasantly.
"Evening", he
said. His voice was very deep and rough edged.. From his slight accent Zetes
guessed he was from out of Batlich, but couldn't place where. Zetes nodded at
him and drank more wine. The Human leaned closer.
"I said evening"
there was more than a edge in his voice. He had left the sword at the fireside
but looked capable of pulling Zetes apart bare handed. Zetes watched the
muscles in the strangers hairy arm for a second- it was like watching loaded
carts move round each other, before answering,
"Evening stranger, I am
Zetes". The stranger stepped back.
"Well met, I am Fost”.
The smile was back and he nodded politely at Zetes.
"Well met" the Orc
said and turned back to his wine glass. There was silence for a minute.
"I drink Ale,"
Fost commented.
"Yes, indeed".
Zetes answered. He could smell the local brew on his breath. Despite the
barmaids comment, it did not smell good at all.
"I'm out of
money," Fost continued.
"Right," Zetes
didn't look up but became aware that Fost had stepped closer again and the
other conversations in the room had stopped. He inherently cast one of his Bear
given spells, one to boost his armours effectiveness. He turned to Fost and
smiled making a point to show all his fangs.
"Shame, so am I".
He deliberately adjusted his sword belt, making the sword clank against the
stool legs. Fost stepped back and laughed heartily.
"Well you are defiantly
not some dumb Orc off the mountains. You are indeed well met". Fost this
tine stuck out a hand and Zetes pumped it, aware he'd just passed some sort of
ritual test. Fost turned towards the doorway behind the bar. "See Hareth.
You do pick your friends well" Zetes also looked in that direction to see
the Dark Elf he'd come to see emerge from the doorway.
Hareth was tall compared to the average Human, but as
tall and thin as was normal for his race. He possessed sharp hawk like features
that coupled with his body movements reminded Zetes, for all that the Dark
Elves were a subterranean dwelling race, reminded Zetes of nothing less than a
bird of prey. He word long black Runic robes, with a yellow sash round his neck,
he looked defenseless but Zetes knew that under those robes was a vicious Dark
Elf blade. Around his neck were several amulets and necklaces, one of which was
Zetes's on loan.
"Zetes, good to see
you". Hareth's voice was quiet and Zetes always had the impression he
measured every word before saying it. Zetes smiled at him
"Hello. Nice
"Here let me,"
Zetes said as she put it on the counter and asked for payment. The Orc produced
a note and handed it over, an act that seemed to impress Fost. He said thanks,
snorted and returned to his place by the fire.
"Interesting
person," Zetes commented.
"Helps out around here.
Does a lot of crowd control and cellar work for me" Hareth smiled slightly
as if remembering something specific. Zetes guessed there was more to it than
that but said nothing.
"Not busy
tonight?" Zetes asked taking another look around.
"Had some trouble.
Local militia has taken to picking on non-Human businesses unless they are paid
money to stay away. I am not paying, but the rumour mill they have started is
scaring people away. It is something that will go away". The barmaid gave
Hareth a sideways glance that told of her disagreement over this; she was obviously
not just some mere barmaid.
"I received a strange
note recently" Zetes said as a way of changing the subject, "it was
signed 'Fost', and was a dinner invite. Am I to take it that" he inclined
his head in Fost's direction "is the Fost with whom I must speak?"
Hareth gave one of his rare smiles,
"Indeed" he said
measurably. With a sip of his wine Zetes left the bar to stand in front of
Fost. The Human was watching the flames, as he looked up at Zetes the fire
transformed his face into a blaze of something.....Zetes got the terrifying feeling
as if he was being seized up for a cooking pot. Then as suddenly the face was
back to normal, Zetes looked for and sign of a disguise, as a Ranger friend had
tired to teach him before, but his skill in recognizing such things was limited
and Fost still looked like Fost. Zetes shuddered slightly...that wine was
strong, then spoke
"I accept your
offer," he said.
"Oh, the invite"
Fost rumbled "it’ll be defiantly soon. I'll contact you again. Where will
you be?" Fost drank from his tankard, but kept his eyes locked on Zetes.
Zetes got that cold feeling again.
"Humm....I'm due to
travel soon. I'm crossing Batlich a lot, going from tribe to tribe before the
winter sets in. Leave word at the Fort Pass Adventurers Guild Lodge and I'll
drop in to check now and then. Somewhere around Year's End is good for me
though".
"Agreed. I’ll set it
around then" Fost nodded and Zetes returned to the bar. Hareth didn't
appear to have moved but Zetes had no doubt that his pointed Elven ears had
caught everything
"Good for you?" he
asked. Hareth nodded his head in acceptance.
A cold blast of air
announced an arrival, Zetes didn't turn, he could see the hate flash across
Hareth's face and the quick movement for his sword. Booted feet crossed the floor
and Zetes heard the door bolt go home. He counted at least six, including the
one who had stayed by the door. He looked down into his wine. A man stopped at
the bar next to him, his companions ranged behind him. The smell of unwashed
bodies and old leather hit his nose. Defiantly Town militia; he was quite
glad his spell still had some strength in it. He heard Fost get up, and a
murmur of 'the bulls back' from amongst the guard. One of the strangers spoke
up
"We warned you Darkie.
All non-Humans have to pay protection to stay in this town. Everyone else has
paid, its only you left. Got our money Darkie?" the voice was rough,
Human, and the tone exceptionally rude. Hareth did not answer, but the barmaid
did. She let out a string of expletives some of which were words Zetes had
never heard before, Dark Elf curses undoubtedly, the leader was unshaken.
"Shut your yap woman.
We want your master not the traitorous bitch. You were warned what would happen
if you married a Darkie". The tension in the room rose remarkably. The
leader seemed not to notice, " be reasonable, if you pay up we wouldn’t
have to break up the place, or her, and paying up means we can keep scum like
this out" He gabbed a handful of Zetes's hair and yanked his head back,
unprepared Zetes could only put on his 'dumb Orc' face,
"Ey?" was all he
said rolling his eyes stupidly. The leader laughed. He was a large rough
looking Human with broad shoulders and big arms. He wore ragged looking
leathers with a faded blue tabard with the towns device on it, he was Town
militia. Nerat’s guards have definitely gone down hill Zetes thought. The
leaders face was a mess, his nose had been broken and he was missing several
teeth. His companions were no better, if not worse; one sported eye patch, all
wore the same uniforms as the leader, and in about the same or worse state. The
leader had his sword sheathed but the troops had drawn theirs, those at the
back kept a close eye on Fost. The leader looked down on him
"Fresh off the
mountains are we? You would have to be to wear furs as bad and as smelly as
those. You Orcs really are laughable". He laughed again, and threw Zetes
backward off his stool. The Orc landed amongst the guards, and was kicked by
several of the laughing troop, his spell stopped the damage but Zetes winced as
if hurt.
"Wots going don?"
he asked in his best thick Orc accent. The leader looked over
"A lesson" he said
with a sadistic grin on his grotesque face "look Darkie, like this Orc the
solution is quite simple, you pay up. If not we smash this Orcs skull in,
arrest you for it and you'll hang, guaranteed. If fact we will arrest everyone
here as accomplices and try them too! His loud proclamation was received by a
snort from the lone Runic in purple and gray, the leader shot a glance in that
direction, " anyone here who tries to stop us will be branded an outlaw
and hunted down according to the law". Zetes could not see the Humans
reaction but the Runic made no further comment. Zetes glanced up at Hareth, he
could just see the Dark Elf over the top of the counter, he hadn't moved, his
face was expressionless, only his eyes showed any reaction, and that was of
cold indifference.
"Well are you going to
pay up? I think you have no champions here" the leader spread his hands
wide to encompass the entire bar
"I think he does,"
Fost's voice was gentle, but he managed to reach them all. He had his sword in
hand "I think I'll stop you". He started towards the leader but the
man merely nodded at someone Zetes couldn't see and Fost froze in place, tugging
mightily at his feet
"Glued in place?"
the leader taunted. There was laughter from the doorway, the guard there would
be the magic user Zetes decided. Fost began to curse the troops using some of
the most colorful words in the language. The leader ignored him and turned back
to Hareth
"Ready to pay?"
Hareth did not answer. The leader turned to his men, "start when you like
lads" he said and aimed a kick at Zetes.
After ten minuets they
halted, Zetes's ribs hurt, not because of the blows but from the rolling around
on the floor pretending to be in pain. The spell was holding. The leader asked
one question of Hareth
"Ready to pay?"
but Hareth did not answer. When they started again there was about three
minuets without pain, then suddenly the spell was gone and so was Zetes's
breath, the blows came in so fast and hard he could not cast, after ten minuets
he was bleeding in several places, when they paused so the leader could ask
Hareth the same question Zetes had a few minuets to suck in a few breaths, and
plan.
When the leader again turned from the still incommunicado
Hareth, Zetes asked simply,
"Are you
through?". Shocked by the transformation in Zetes's face from 'dumb Orc'
the leader was too confused to response quick enough when Zetes struck, but
instead of lunging for the leader he went for Fost, as he grabbed the giants
leg he cast the spell that boosted strength; Fost felt a surge of energy even
as Zetes was felled by the incoming blows of the recovered troop. In one energy
filled fluid motion Fost roared and ripped himself out of the spell that held
him, then punched the nearest guardsman hard enough to push the nose bone into
the brain- even as the guard fell Fost was rounding on the second nearest
opponent. As he did Hareth joined in, he grabbed the leaders head in both hands
and cast. Like a man starved of air for too long the leaders eyes bulged and
popped, the veins in his nose exploded and blood splurged from his nose and
mouth, the blood ran freely over Hareth's hands but he did not seem to mind.
One of the guards ran a sword into Zetes's back as the
Orc tried to stand sending him back down again; the Goblin Fire Runic sent
three fiery bolts over to fry the man before he could move in and finish the
job. Fost killed his second opponent and moved for another, the red gore
running off his blade.
The lone Runic took on the spell caster by the door, even
as the guardsmen prepared a spell the Runic stepped up and cast a confusion
spell on him, then simply ran a dagger through him, neatly felling the man.
Hareth neatly blew a guard up with arrows of fire while the Earth Runic helped
Zetes to his feet, as he did the last guardsman stepped in front of them, but
before they could act the man exploded the way the leader had and the lone
Runic stood in his place, turning over his blooded hands as if he'd not seen
them before.
"Dinzil," Zetes
said weakly, the Runic looked over to him.
"Well met
Half-Orc" he nodded at Zetes. "Its a nice quiet evening isn't it! I
like a boring night out". Zetes let the insult and the sarcasm slide, he
hurt too much. The Earth Runic helped him into a chair and began to magically
cure his wounds.
Fost roared out a victory call that shook the shutters,
his formal announcement that the battle was at an end.
"That was fun" he
said brightly, wiping blood from his blade with a piece of guard tunic a large
smile on his face. None of them were seriously injured though Hareth's barmaid
wife complained about the mess and how difficult it would be to get the blood
stains from Hareth's robes.
In a surprising short while
the drinks were flowing and the bodies gone, taken away by Hareth and Fost to
'be disposed of'. The celebration lasted late, the barmaid cooked a meal and
the drinks were on the house. At some point Dinzil vanished, slipped away as
effectively as he had after the Castle Kinnersley meeting. Fost was the last awake, he
drank them all under the table, before, alone with no witnesses, he collapsed
asleep.
"Did you come to see me
about anything else?" Hareth asked Zetes the next morning. Zetes was back
on the same stool as yesterday, he had decided he liked that spot. Fost was
back in front of the fire. Neither he nor Hareth seemed bothered by the alcohol
they had drunk the night before, Zetes wished he could say the same, his head
ached like never before. What was in that wine? He looked at Hareth through
hungover eyes.
"To tell the truth,
there was something, but I can't remember what it was... it was to do with some
magic or other I think...." he rubbed his head, now where had that chicken
bone come from...? Too much fog as yet.
When he left mid-morning it
had still not returned but he left anyway, the winter migration of the tribes
would being without him if he was not quick
"If I remember I'll
send you a letter from where ever I am" he told Hareth from the doorway
"I am sure you
will" the Dark Elf told him sagely and moved back into the Inn. As he
turned to start down the road he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned back
and looked up into the smiling face of Fost
"You drink well"
he rumbled, "you also fight well. If you ever need Fost's help come find
me" He clapped Zetes on the shoulder and walked back into the bar. Zetes
stood and stared in after him. He felt really honored by the offer, he decided
that Fost deserved respect. Turning, he pulled on his heavy fur gauntlets and
started off, whistling the Goblin Song. Behind him at an upper windows Hareth
smiled.
End.
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