by T Nisbet
Chp. 17
Captain Marchon and Corporal Gillian talked about affairs of the city while we waited for the food to arrive. I was grateful the conversation didn’t center on me, I didn’t want to have to answer a lot of questions. I let myself relax and watched the crowd gathering for the tournament.
Brightly dressed vendors mingled with the throng, selling everything from food and wine, to flags, handcrafted goods, and betting books. The sound of their voices barking out their wares and services joined the excited laughter of children, the singing of troubadours, and the horns, flutes, guitars, and drums of wandering musicians, adding to the growing cacophony of noise.
As I looked out over the square, the water suddenly stopped spraying from the fountain in the center of the square and a loud cheering erupted. Workers began to erect raised platforms in a circle around the fountain’s base. Before our food arrived, at least twelve large wooden platforms stood above the growing crowd.
A troupe of acrobats started performing in the street in front of our café making it more difficult to watch the construction. After only a few minutes a crowd swelled around their show completely blocking our view of the square.
“Gypsies from the plain,” Corporal Gillian said shaking his head at the acrobats. “Watch the crowd around them carefully. The performance is just a ruse to distract the people, while their children steal purses.”
I saw a boy standing near a richly dressed couple. He bumped into them in an effort to see the performers. Unable to see, he moved near someone else and bumped against them repeating his effort to see.
“That boy!” I said pointing, “How did you know?”
“We warned them yesterday,” Corporal Gillian said.
“Unfortunately, they appear to have ignored the warning,” Captain Marchon said.
I looked from Captain Marchon to Corporal Gillian waiting for them to get up and doing something about the robbery taking place, but neither of them lifted more than an eyebrow.
The boy I had been watching suddenly screamed and fell to his knees as the acrobats cried out in pain and tumbled to the ground writhing in agony. A shimmering light slowly enveloped the gypsies and the boy, and then they just vanished. The crowd that had surrounded them cried out, astonished. I saw several people in the crowd reach down to pick up pouches and purses at their feet.
“Banished?” I asked hardly believing what I saw.
“Even so,” Captain Marchon nodded.
I was shocked. Coach had been right.
“Where to?”
“To the southwestern border of Cenaria, at the base of the Karnon Mountains. They are King Windhammer’s problem now,” Captain Marchon said shaking his head.
A deep bell rang out above the noise of the crowd in the square, and another cheer erupted.
“Ahh… the tournament begins,” Bouillion said setting steaming hot plates of food on the table in front of us. “Will there be anything else?”
The meal was delicious. As I ate, I watched men mount the platforms and duel in front of a referee. The contests were too far away to see any of the action clearly. All I could see was the occasional flash of steel in the afternoon sun. The jubilant crowd cheered and groaned as their favorites won or lost.
“Perhaps you would allow Corporal Gillian to warm you up before your match Master Gunn,” Captain Marchon said pushing his plate away from him.
“It would be my honor!” Gillian said smiling.
“That would be great. I could use some practice.”
“The matches seem to be moving quickly, but the fifth bell is a long ways off. Corporal, why don’t you show our champion around Lockewood. Be sure and arrive back at the Guard station by the forth bell,” the captain said pushing back his chair and standing. “I have some pressing concerns to take care of, but I will meet you there before the fifth bell.”
Corporal Gillian stood and bowed as Captain Marchon left our table disappearing into the crowd.
“If you’re finished, I’ll show you around.”
I nodded and followed Gillian out of the café after thanking Bouillion for my meal. The gregarious restaurant owner laughed and patted my back affectionately, before returning to his other customers.
Gill and I wound our way through the boisterous crowd and entered a side street exiting the crowded square. Most of the storefronts we passed had signs in the windows announcing that they were closed due to the tournament. I tried to put the tournament out of my mind and looked around as we walked down the street. People rushed down the avenue past the closed shops towards the city square excitement etched onto their features. There was an air of anticipation; palpable and urgent like the delivery rooms in a hospital.
I hadn’t noticed until then how clean the streets were. There wasn’t a hint of trash to be found. The streets gleamed as though they had just been cleaned. With all the foot traffic there should have been some trash, but there wasn’t. It was hard to believe. Even in an upscale city like Fairview you could find cigarette butts and other small bits of trash in the gutters and gum stains on the sidewalks.
As we walked down the amazingly clean street my thoughts turned to my friends, and I wondered where they were. I knew Toby was probably beside himself, even if word had reached them already from Captain Marchon. I trusted my friend completely, but couldn’t help despairing at what I might be putting Ivy through. I knew Toby and Carla would be there for her, but I still felt like I had abandoned her. I searched my thoughts hoping to get some type of reassurance from the voice. But I heard nothing. The voice had said that I would hear him as intuition, so I tried to search that aspect of my thoughts, and found little comfort.
Gillian stopped before a building with a darkened sign. The white letters ‘ATO’ barely discernable on its blackened surface.
“Here we are!” he said exuberantly.
The small storefront’s windows were as dark as its sign. I couldn’t tell anything about what it may be. So I shrugged. Gillian saw my gesture and smiled.
“Most of the serious wagers in Lockewood go through this betting house. I grew up with the owners son,” Gillian said opening the front door.
Some very serious looking men with swords at their waists stepped in front of us as we opened the door. Gillian smiled at them.
“Tell Salinas that Gill is here. I have some information that he will want to know.”
One of the men nodded at the other. He acknowledged the unspoken command and left giving Gillian an angry look as he did.
“Why they hire imbeciles to guard their door, I’ll never know,” Gillian said completely ignoring the dirty look he got from the remaining bouncer.
After a few minutes the other bruiser returned.
“Salinas said to bring you back. Follow me.”
We followed the bouncer through a series of dreary halls and up a stairwell to a beautifully crafted wooden door. A relief had been carved into the solid wood of an angel protecting a child, its wings folding around the babe. The intricacy of detail in the wings was truly amazing. The artist who had carved the relief into the door had been a master craftsman.
The bouncer knocked reverently against the amazing door. After a moment the door opened. A man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a rich looking, embroidered purple tunic opened the door.
“Gillian!” he said smiling and stepped out to embrace the guardsman, “How are you my old friend? Why did you pull out? You were forty to one to pull it off, pretty good odds actually.”
Gillian laughed, “That is what I’ve come to tell you about my friend. I hope you’re not too busy.”
“It’s the busiest day of the year Gill, as you well know, but I always have time for you,” Salinas laughed. “Don’t just stand there you two, come on in, father is fixing the odds bracket as we speak.”
“Any upsets so far?”
“None that weren’t anticipated. It’s shaping up to be a good day.”
We followed him into a huge room with a large chalkboard against one wal
l. Pages were hustling about the room, updating the board and delivering wagers to a huge table filled with male and female scribes writing furiously in ledger books.
“So why did you pull out Gillian?” said Salinas gesturing towards a large desk and a couple of chairs that sat in front of it.
Gillian laughed aloud. “You know why.”
Salinas grinned at his friend and nodded. “The guard with the Quail blade.” He looked at me and smiled, “I see you have brought him.”
Gillian nodded and walked to one of the chairs in front of the desk. He smiled at his friend and sat down, putting his feet up on the immaculate desk. “That I have dear Salinas.”
“Ahh.” Salinas said, “Please sit Master Gunn.”
I sat in the preferred chair as Gillian’s friend went around to the other side of the desk and sat down, ignoring Gillian’s feet on his expensive desk. “How can I help you?”
“I would place a wager.”
“I thought as much, but seeing as how your Quail blade wielding guardsmen friend here was put in the semifinals, I doubt you will get very favorable odds,” he said and then leaned in, his demeanor becoming intense. “Unless that is you are here to place a bet against?”
Gill laughed loudly. “As, if Sal!”
Salinas smiled and leaned back in his chair once more. “Just checking. You could increase your fortune substantially you know if…”
“Put the thought from your mind my friend. It’s not happening.”
“I’m afraid 7-2 is the best you’re going to get then.”
“Never-the-less I want to bet my whole account on his winning.”
Salinas’s eyebrows reacted in surprise though his face betrayed little. “All of it, my friend?”
“Yeah, he beat me so easily it was scary, Sal.”
“Really?” Salinas asked his eyebrows reacting even more if possible. He drummed his fingers before him on the desk.
“I’ve never faced his like.”
“Captain Marchon?”
“Not even him on his best day.”
Gillian’s friend sat back obviously impressed.
“There are two Quail Blades entered, his and the masked Blood Elf’s. Smart money is on the elf.”
“Just put the whole lot on him Sal, and if you have any sense, hedge your bets towards Master Gunn here. He is nigh unbeatable.”
“Hmmm,” Salinas murmured considering his friend’s request. He looked me over and nodded. “Think you will win the tourney?”
I shrugged, what else could I do. I had no idea what would happen. Part of me was dreading the bell signaling my duel, another part of me couldn’t wait to test my newfound abilities.
“Seriously Sal, hedge them. I only came here so you wouldn’t be ruined betting against him because of his age,” Gillian smiled, his scar making the grin somehow seem more ominous.
“Father already split the wagering evenly relying on the house cut, against my argument to the contrary. I advised hedging towards the elf,” he said smiling, then looked at me apologetically. “No offense to you Master Gunn.”
“None taken,” I replied.
“At least your father has some sense,” Gillian laughed.
“I can’t imagine the Blood Elf losing,” Salinas said leaning forward and appraising me more thoroughly. “He beat Kalifor in two passes.”
Gillian laughed, “Honestly, that isn’t saying as much as it once would have. Kalifor has lost a step. I almost beat him last year and I was sick.”
“No doubt it would have been a closer match,” Salinas smiled.
Gillian grimaced at his friend.
“Do what you will, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Salinas spread his hands in a gesture of apology.
“Gill, I meant no offense. I only meant to offer a comparison. Surely you will agree that Kalifor and Lord Palfry are on two different levels. Your friend here, embarrassed Sir Palfry badly, so I’m told, but it’s not much of a comparison I’m afraid.”
“So be it, you were warned Sal. Place my bet. I’ll be here to collect my wager tomorrow.”
“Done my friend, at 7-3.”
“7-2. Just have my gold ready tomorrow,” Gill said taking his feet off of Salinas’s desk and standing.
Corporal Gillian started for the door. I stood up and followed. The thug escorted us out of the building back into the street.
“I’m sorry if he offered you insult Master Gunn, my friend has always been brutally honest.”
“I have a friend that is just like him and I’d prefer just plain old Jake, if you don’t mind,” I said thinking of Carla as we walked down the street against the flow of traffic moving towards the square.
Corporal Gillian nodded, “My friends call me Gill.”
As we walked through the city Gill pointed out some shops all of which were closed while we talked. I found myself relaxing in his company. His personality was warm and inviting despite the nasty scar across his face, which on first glance would lead you to believe otherwise. Many people acknowledged him as we walked. Their greetings were warm and respectful. Obviously, he was well liked and admired.
We made our way through the bustling crowds to the far side of the city, to a stone battlement that stood high above the massive city wall. We entered the tower and climbed the stairs leading to the top. When we emerged from the stairwell, I found myself on a wide platform surrounded by a low parapet with deep crenels cut into its sides. From the top of the tower battlement I looked out over the city and valley that it sat in. It was an absolutely beautiful, majestic view. The city truly was enormous. I looked over the tiled roofs towards the taller buildings that circled the great city square and shook my head at the grandeur of it.
After letting me look out over his city for a few minutes, Gill led me over to one side of the platform where we looked out over the enormous wall fifty feet below. I hadn’t understood how wide the wall was when I’d entered the city. A car could be driven down its center with room to spare on either side. The first thought to enter my head was an image of ‘The Great Wall’ of China’.
“Your first time to Lockewood I take it?” Gill asked with a smile.
I nodded hoping he wouldn’t ask me where I was from. To my relief he looked out over the wall and pointed.
“The wall extends around the entire city,” Gill said proudly. “ It was built by the Dwarfs of Thunderhome several millennia ago as payment to Cenaria for aiding them in ‘The Battle of Deep Glade.’ They built a wall around the capitol city of Notheis as well, which is much larger than this.”
“Several millennia… you mean three thousand years ago?” I asked in awe. The scope and craftsmanship of the wall was beyond anything I had ever seen. And dwarves of all things had built it? It was crazy to even consider, but with everything that had gone over the last two days I wasn’t too shocked.
“The city has fallen a few times since it was built, but the wall has ever stood.”
“Must have been some battle for them to build such a thing,” I said trying to imagine how long it must have taken to build a wall this size around such a large city.
“You haven’t heard of the Battle of Deep Glade before?”
When was I going to learn to shut up.
“Sorry, I never cared much for history,” I said trying to sound non-chalant. “It was important?”
Gill laughed.
“You have a gift for understatement, my friend. The Battle of Deep Glade lasted nigh on a year. The legends say that High Lord Thallium and other powerful members of the imperial council were visiting Thunderhome at the request of King Hammervil, the dwarf king, when a massive earthquake all but destroyed the Dwarves’ port city of Antral.
As the dwarves were responding to the disaster, an underworld horde led by the goblin king Guthtrak swarmed out of fissures created by the quake, and fell upon them. Only a handful of dwarves escaped slaughter as the city was overrun. The survivors fled to Deep Glade, the southe
rn entrance to Thunderhome, just ahead of the underworld army.
It is said that Thallium and the other members of the council held back the ravaging horde long enough for King Hammervil to raise his army. Without their help, the dwarven nation would not exist. They would have been overrun completely and wiped from the face of Athnas.”
“Wow,” was all I could manage to say.
“Class dismissed,” Gill laughed clapping me good-naturedly on the back. “We had better start back, the third bell should sound any minute and it may take awhile to get through the crowds,”
No sooner had he spoken than a large bell peeled three times from the center of the city.
Gill was right, it took us quite awhile to push our way through the crowds and make our way back to the guard station. The people entering the square were more tightly packed than a Los Angeles freeway during rush hour. The massive square itself was filled with a sea of people all cheering combatants on the platforms. As we finally pushed our way into the guard station the fourth bell sounded.