by Ian Rodgers
At the moment, she was walking back from the clinic after a fairly lax day. No new patients to tend to, and only a few people had returned for follow-ups. That had given her time to make a few balms and salves as well as a couple of minor potions. Don’t-call-me-Doctor Needle would need them once she left.
The easy work, combined with a strange feeling of anticipation in her chest that had stuck to her all day, left her in a remarkably chipper mood. She almost felt like humming to herself.
Just before she could give in to the musical temptation, she heard a ripple of muttered conversation run through the streets. Murmuring voices broke out into conversation as people began to look into the sky.
Confused, Dora glanced up, curious to see what had gotten the townsfolk in a tizzy, and she gasped. A large pair of flaming wings beat the sky, becoming a blazing dot headed towards Creidor.
“Is that a phoenix?!”
“Wow, look at that those wings!”
“It’s so pretty and red and orange!”
“Is it just me, or is that thing getting closer?”
Dora gaped at the burning bird in the sky but soon her eyes narrowed. Whatever was in the sky, it wasn’t used to being up there. The fact that its wings were not flapping was the first clue, but the shape was wrong as well. It didn’t look like a bird’s body. No, it actually looked like two men, one of them carrying the other…
A short snort of laughter escaped her lips and she quickly covered her mouth. ‘That’s one way to travel!’ she thought to herself, smiling behind her hands.
Up above, the blazing figure became clearer, and soon it was plummeting like a stone towards the ground. The ‘phoenix’ was revealed to be two men, one of them an elf dangling helplessly from the grasp of a man with a deeply foreign complexion.
Dora ran back to the manor and grabbed the attention of one of the guards standing outside.
“Can you tell Reed he’s about to have two more guests arriving?” Dora requested, pointing to the pair of men who were held aloft by fiery wings. The guards shared a look with one another. One sighed and went to inform his boss. The other shook his head in bemusement.
“Alright, I’ll be back with them shortly,” Dora said, waving at the remaining guard, before taking off down the street and heading for the gate. ‘Please don’t be foolish and try and land in the town. Please, please, please land outside!’ She thought to herself. It might be made of mostly stone and clay, but with how densely packed the buildings were, she didn’t want to take any chances and have the settlement burst into flames.
When she arrived at the town’s gate, panting lightly, she let out a relieved sigh as she saw the flying duo had chosen to swoop lower to the ground instead of soar over the wall and plop down in the middle of Creidor.
A second after reaching the gates, the pair spotted her. The wings made of fire folded themselves up and brought them to the ground at the side of the road into Creidor. The elf landed on his feet but stumbled slightly as he regained his sense of balance. The other man landed squarely on the ground as well, but his knees scraped the dirt as he lost his own sense of balance when the man he was using as ballast ditched him.
The two began arguing even as they staggered over to the gate. Snippets of the conversation drifted across on the twilight breeze, and Dora giggled at their antics. ‘Glad to see they haven’t really changed that much.’
“…don’t know why you’re so snippy. You were never in danger of being dropped!”
“That’s not the point! Why did I have to be a passenger? I could have followed you easily enough!”
“Your speed enhancing spells are nice and all, but I can fly over obstacles instead of having to go around them.”
“We’re in a thrice accursed wasteland! There is nothing but flat land for miles!”
“Ain, my friend! Sure, it looks flat, but don’t forget that it’s called the Cracked Land for a reason! I wouldn’t want you to trip and have your delicate ankles snap like twigs when you’re running so fast!”
Dora let out a loud laugh at their antics which brought their attention away from their playful arguing over to her. The pair broke into grins and jogged over to the gate. The guards on duty looked leery of admitting them, but Dora gave them a pointed look and they stepped aside to allow them to pass.
“Long time no see!” Dora said happily, hugging Enrai first, then Ain. Upon releasing them, she took a good look at the pair.
Enrai, a Qwanese Monk, had his head shaved as per tradition for his martial order. His dark tattoos were visible against his skin, and Dora wasn’t sure, but it seemed as if he had a few new ones on his head. He was garbed in a Gi, or Qwanese style training outfit, red and orange in color with a golden phoenix motif over his heart, and yellow flame designs along the sleeves and hems of his outfit. There was a bulging pack on his back, but he did not appear to notice its weight.
Ain, on the other hand, stood proud and tall. He was a Grand Elf, his skin pale and smooth enough to give any woman fits of jealousy. As a member of one of the elfin race, his ears were much longer than a human’s and tapered to a point, giving them a knife-like appearance. His hair was dirty blond in color, but longer than Dora’s and much more lustrous, to her slight annoyance. He wore a typical elfish bodysuit underneath a knee-length brown traveling cloak, the tight fabric showing off his muscles as they pressed against his skin. He wore an elfish saber at his waist, held in an ivory colored sheath and tied to him by a white belt. As a Spellsword, he was as capable of casting magic through his blade like a regular mage did with a wand or staff.
Enrai had a wide, cheeky grin on his face as he greeted Dora, his dark eyes alight with relief at finally arriving, and only slightly tinged with fatigue from overusing whatever spell had given him wings of fire. He patted Dora fondly on the back as they embraced.
“It’s good to see you again!” Enrai declared.
“And you as well!” Dora replied. “I hope you had a good trip?”
“It was decent for most of the way. A nasty dust storm tore through the area a day or so ago, though, followed by a number of Yedos Claws popping out of the ground immediately afterwards. They killed our horses, necessitating the use of magic to get here,” the Monk responded. Ain grimaced at the reminder of their flight.
“It was unpleasant. I did not like dangling around in the air. It made me feel like an overripe piece of fruit in danger of falling from a rotten branch,” the elf complained.
“Oi! Why am I a rotten branch in this metaphor?” Enrai shouted.
“Would you prefer to be a beetle infested one instead?”
“Enough, you two,” the half-orc said with a shake of her head. She was still smiling, though. “Come on, let’s head back to Reed’s place. I’m sure he has rooms for you made up by now.”
The pair nodded and followed after their mint colored guide into Creidor. It had been a while since they’d been in the town, and though it was small, they were glad for the help finding their way.
“So, did everything go well? Did you return the kid and fix everything?” Dora inquired, eager for news of the outside world.
Ain nodded, a pleased look on his face. “We did indeed make it back safely. When we returned to the Domain, the Bo Clan heir was given an additional guard detail from their embassy, and sent back to Distant Qwan on a military junk. We even met with Emperor Ro and were rewarded for our efforts!”
“Really? That’s great!” Dora cheered. Enrai smirked.
“It was great. And the emperor was kind enough to provide a gift of thanks to you as well for helping.”
“R-really?” Dora stammered, surprised. “I didn’t do much, though.”
“The fact that you did anything at all for us was plenty, in his eyes,” Enrai responded, Ain nodding in agreement. “And the Clan’s heir spoke well of you, too. So, it stands to reason that the emperor and the Bo Clan would offer up a reward.”
“It’d be rude to refuse, I suppose,” Dora said blandly, carefully hidi
ng her excitement at the thought. What could the gift be? She looked down at her wrist, where a silver bangle with a design of five intertwining lily flowers rested.
The Band of Nia had been a gift for saving the city of Rahmal’Alram. It was capable of storing Light Element spells within it for future use, and boosting their power. For a Healer like herself, it was a magnificent gift. She wondered what sort of artifact imperial royalty would present.
“How about yourself, Dora?” Ain asked as they approached the mansion. “Did you get the information you were seeking?”
“I did,” the half-orc replied. She grimaced at the memory. “But I can’t really talk about it out here. Once we’re in private we can discuss it and our future plans.”
The Monk and Spellsword exchanged glances but kept silent. Some matters were best left a secret, or at the very least shared only among trusted confidants. They understood that well.
“Got it,” Enrai said, before yawning loudly. “Ugh, sorry, flying like that really drains me.”
“What sort of spell did you use to create those wings? It was impressive, to say the least,” Dora wondered, envious of the Monk’s magical talent. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to fly, but the only spells I know of that allow it are Wind Element, and I’m rubbish at anything not Light related.”
“That was a spell crafted by the Gilded Phoenix Order, so I can’t exactly reveal it in depths,” Enrai said. “But, suffice to say, it’s a blend of Fire and Wind mana, and it costs the user stamina to use as well. Not great for long distance or fast speeds, though.”
“Still, be so high in the sky, to travel around unfettered and free,” Dora sighed in longing, with a dreamy glance up at the darkening sky. She shook her head clear of those thoughts and ushered the elf and human into Reed’s not-so-humble home.
Maids took over from Dora, and escorted Ain and Enrai to their guest quarters. As they were taken up to their rooms the Healer headed off to the dining room, and found Reed and Rindel already there, seated and waiting.
“Food will be served as soon as our two new visitors are finished with settling down. Then, we can discuss your travel plans over dinner,” Reed declared. Dora nodded in assent, and sat down to wait.
She did not have to do so for long, as Ain and Enrai entered the dining room just a few minutes later.
“Welcome back to Creidor, boys,” Reed said in greeting.
“Good to be back, Mister Reed,” Enrai said politely as he and his pointy eared friend sat down on either side of Dora. “Can’t say I missed the dust, though.”
“Yes, one of the truly difficult aspects of living out here,” Reed agreed. He then clapped his hands. At his signal, half a dozen servants entered, carrying platters of food and drink to the table.
Ain and Enrai looked on eagerly as the servants brought in dinner, and quickly served themselves. Reed made no comment of their atrocious table manners, simply content to let them stuff themselves.
Dora was more subdued, eating at a much more sensible pace. She made small talk with her friends and Rindel, only occasionally speaking with Reed. Once the elf and the Monk were full, she brought the conversation around to her adventure in the Aldani Gorge. As she’d expected, the two had exploded in shock and anger at her meeting with Vord the Undying.
It also took all of her admittedly limited diplomatic skills to keep them from strangling Reed for putting her into that situation.
“I understand your anger. Really, I do! I was the one who had to go through it. But I’ve already forgiven him, so please put him down!” Dora commanded, putting her foot down firmly.
Enrai grimaced but complied, lowering Reed back to the floor. After being told just who the mysterious client had been, he had leapt over the table and grabbed the corrupt mayor’s collar, hoisting him into the air. Reed had not shown an ounce of concern, though. If anything, he bore the Monk’s threats with weary boredom.
“If you really want to make a man tremble in fear, go for the throat. A lack of air is a lack of control, and makes men much more pliable,” Reed stated dryly as he straightened his collar and brushed some lint off his suit.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Enrai growled.
“Enough, this is not the time for this,” Ain snapped.
“You’re just going to let this go?!” the Monk demanded. “After sending her to meet with the most infamous Undead in existence?”
“What else can we do?” the Spellsword shot back. “Vord is not a mere boogeyman to us elves, Enrai. We know how powerful he was. Many regions in the Domains still bear his scars. I am furious, yes, but it is an impotent rage because as strong as we are, compared to the Butcher of Esmerelda we are naught but bugs beneath his feet. All we can do is grit our teeth and take it in stride. Dora understands this, and we should follow her example.”
Enrai muttered angrily to himself in Qwanese but settled down and returned to his seat. There was a lapse of silence for a bit before Dora cleared her throat.
“Alright, now that we’re somewhat calm again, let me finish.”
As she explained where the members of the Menagerie were, once more Enrai and Ain exclaimed loudly in shock.
“Targua? You can’t be serious,” Ain uttered, staring at the half-orc.
“I am.”
“Is it possible Vord was, I don’t know, lying through his teeth? Practitioners of Dark magic are not to be trusted,” Enrai spat out.
“No. For all of his atrocities and foul acts, he’s not a liar. A strange concept, but I feel he holds his word and the truth in high regard. If Vord says my family is trapped in Targua, then they are,” Dora said firmly.
“Fine, fine, I’ll trust you on this,” the Monk said darkly. “But the rest of your plan is somewhat suspect as well. How do you plan on getting ardent opponents of slavery to aide you in recovering a well-known slaver and his men? Because I can point out a few problems with that.”
“Agreed. The Unchained Legion is well known even in the Domain for its near rabid hatred of the practice of slavery. How do you plan on getting the Avatar’s assistance?” Ain inquired.
“I’ll convince the Legion that I’ll talk to Scarrot and Holt and the rest about giving up the caravan and the life of slavers,” Dora said, shocking Rindel.
“Dora, how can you say that? You know Scarrot would never agree to something like that! It would make you a liar!”
“Rindel, look at Reed,” Dora told the gnome. “He’s not getting any younger. And you and I know he’s always wanted Boss to take over his position. And if the Legion can be convinced that the Yellowmoon Menagerie will disband, then they might be willing to help us for that alone.”
“I don’t think that’ll work,” Enrai said slowly. “The Menagerie is already out of the picture. One of the most infamous slavers alive, Scarrot, Paladin of Naliot, is gone without a trace. They’ve already won without lifting a finger. Why on Erafore would they help a slaver make a comeback?”
“Well fine then! You come up with an idea!” Dora shouted, rounding on the Monk. “Do you think I haven’t thought of that?! I’ve spent every waking moment these past two weeks trying to find a way to save them! But nothing I can come up with seems to be a good idea! So please, give me a suggestion! An answer! Because apparently I can’t do anything right!”
Dora choked back a sob and turned away, rubbing the back of her hands against her eyes in a futile effort to stop her tears. Enrai raised a hand in an effort to try and place a comforting hand on her shoulder but hesitated and pulled back.
Rindel shook his head sadly and waddled around to her side and gave her a quick hug on the side, his head only reaching her hips. “It’s alright, Dora. We’re doing this together, you don’t have to keep the burden on your shoulders alone.”
“I-I just don’t know what to do,” Dora sniffled. “There are so many things that can go wrong.”
The gnome had nothing to say to that. There were indeed far too many variables and ways to fail. And it wasn’t
just the Unchained Legion that seemed to be an insurmountable obstacle. Targua itself was a problem that had no real answer aside from ‘push through the demonic horde with overwhelming force.’
“How about we discuss our plans for traveling to the Sprawling Jungle, first,” Ain suggested after a lull in the conversation.
The idea was praised and they gathered around the table once more to figure out the first part of the journey.
“I don’t have many contacts within the jungle itself,” Reed admitted with a shake of his head. “The distance, combined with the fact that there are mostly orc settlements along the Cracked Land’s border, limits access to rumors rather than facts.”
“Orcs, huh?” Ain mused, stroking his ears in thought. “Do the tribes on the border participate in trade?”
“They do. Only the orcs in the interior of the Sprawling Jungle eschew contact with outsiders. The tribes on the border and the coast are slowly but steadily assimilating various outsider cultures and modernizing,” Reed revealed. “That will, at the very least, allow a chance for you three to venture deeper into the jungle and head south to reach the city of Argyne.”
“I’ve checked the maps, and the easiest way to reach the city and the Unchained Legions home base is to travel south on the Kolwine River,” Dora claimed, tapping the table softly to punctuate her words. “To reach the river, though, we’ll have to venture south-east for a few days through the jungle before reaching one of the trading outposts that will allow us to buy our way onto a ship heading that way.”
“Okay, that makes sense. What about actually reaching the jungle’s edge in the first place?” Enrai asked. “Do we have a plan for trekking through what I assume to be countless miles worth of dust and grime?”