by Hans Bezdek
A few hours later, and they found themselves before the largest walls Zeke had ever seen. They stretched dozens of feet into the air, to the point where he couldn’t see anyone on top of them when he got too close. Even from a distance, the only thing that anyone could see was the wall. The city was completely blocked from view, save the peaks of a couple temples.
A number of gates granted access to the city, each of them the width of two or three wagons. For a city that clearly went through a lot of effort to be protective against an outside threat, it disappointed Zeke that they gave in to Kutarm without any fight. What was the point of these external barriers if you were just going to let anyone stroll in?
Conveniently for them in that moment, that mentality had carried over. The group was able to come into the city after a very brief glance at their papers making it legal for them to trade in Newbridge. The guards simply nodded them in, yawning as they went on to other tasks.
“Looks like we might’ve been worried for no reason,” mumbled Zeke as the group continued on.
“Let’s not get too cocky,” cautioned Sloane, glancing around and taking in as much as she could from under her hood. “There’s no telling when something could change.”
There was definitely some truth in that. Zeke and the others kept their mouths shut as they followed the wagon into town and towards the traders’ market. The city was even larger than Nurem was, the streets hard to get through thanks to all the foot traffic. The Tunil traders didn’t seem to mind, occasionally even selling some goods to passerbys as they pushed through.
While it was a predominately human city, there was a large number of races that appeared to live here in peace. The blue and black uniforms of Lord Kutarm dotted the crowd, however, breaking any notion that the place was any freer than the tyrant allowed it to be. Zeke supposed Kutarm didn’t care much about the other races, so long as they were able to keep up with their heavy taxes.
These guards also didn’t seem to be paying anyone any attention. They also were quite a bit older than Kutarm’s men he had seen in Nurem and Tunil. Zeke glanced around at a few other guards as they walked, noticing that they didn’t look to be in particularly great shape either. Now that he thought about it, this was probably Kutarm’s B team. The city had accepted them in with open arms, so why would he need to send his best fighters? Plus with the giant walls and narrow gates, they could quickly close the town down to a potential Resistance army and hold what they had until more of Kutarm’s men could come and take out the threat.
When they reached the traders’ market, Zeke’s party stopped and began unloading their wagon. Zeke and his friends were wished luck in finding the Lost Citadel, and to come say hello the next time they were passing through Tunil.
“Ready to go find that lead of yours?” Zeke asked Sloane.
“Very much so,” she nodded.
“Great, where are we headed?” asked Delvin, smiling.
Sloane hesitated, looking between the elf and the gnome. “Actually… I think I might handle this one on my own.”
“Oh,” said Zeke, surprised. He thought things had been going well, why didn’t she want to stay together as a group?
“But… why?” asked Delvin, looking hurt.
“It’s nothing against you two,” said Sloane quickly. “This one might not go as well as the others had.”
“The others didn’t go well,” pointed out Zeke. “If they had, we wouldn’t be here now.”
“I meant this one might involve some… shadier… people,” she said, lowering her voice and looking around as she spoke.
“O-On second thought, m-maybe it is best if she goes alone,” said Delvin, gulping at the mere mention of danger.
Zeke was disappointed that she didn’t want their backup but could see Delvin was hoping to not be involved.
“If that’s what you think will give us the best chance at finding the Lost Citadel, that works for me,” conceded Zeke. “Where should we meet up when you’re done?”
Sloane looked around and the assortment of buildings as she thought. “How about that inn?”
Zeke followed her finger. A few buildings down was an inn called The Dusty Broom.
“Dusty Broom,” nodded Zeke. “Works for me. You’re the one paying tonight, though.”
“As opposed to…?” she laughed, backing away and disappearing into the masses.
Zeke stood still and watched the spot she vanished from. Maybe it wasn’t so wise for them to split up. What if she got into trouble and needed their help? Were they cowards for not wanting to deal with these shadier people?
“Y-You’re not thinking about following her, are you?” asked Delvin.
“Maybe a little,” shrugged Zeke. He looked down at the petrified gnome and smiled. “Don’t worry, we won’t.”
“Great,” said Delvin, breathing a sigh of relief. “What should we do while we wait for her?”
That was a good question. The whole reason for coming here was to learn about the Lost Citadel. They could try and search out some contacts with the Linsuk Resistance, but he figured there wouldn’t be many here since the town openly accepted Kutarm. Perhaps there were some supplies they could stock up on.
“Oh, I wanted to get a scabbard for Lucky,” said Zeke, remembering his promise to the dagger back at Wizard’s Keep.
“That would probably be for the best,” nodded Delvin.
“What do you mean?”
“Uh, let’s go find a leatherworker!”
The two of them walked with the crowd around the traders’ market, looking for a leatherworker or blacksmith that might be able to help them out. After nearly an hour of searching, they finally found a small leatherworking shop.
They entered, finding finely tanned leather hanging from the wall. Leather armor was laid out in display cases around the shop, each showing beautiful designs. Zeke, as an elf, was impressed. He was doubly so when he saw that the owner of the shop was a dwarf.
“These are some fine pieces!” exclaimed Zeke, looking around with a large smile. Several of them would put the elves of Re’Lus to shame.
“Thank ya,” beamed the dwarf. He was balding, but looked like he refused to accept it. Thin strands of black hair were brushed over the top of his shiny head, and Zeke found it a bit distracting. “The name’s Ingolstof, by the way! Anything in particular I can help ye with?”
Zeke and Delvin stared at the dwarf’s head a few seconds too long, then awkwardly looked away.
“Um, yes,” said Zeke. “I was hoping to find a scabbard for my dagger.”
“Well, ya came to the right place, ya have!” exclaimed Ingolstof, going around the corner and picking up a few items. He laid them down on top of the nearest display. Each scabbard was decorated beautifully, with images of wildlife, dragons, and trolls.
“So pretty!” gushed Delvin.
“Aye,” nodded the dwarf at his own handiwork. “Why don’t ya take yer dagger out and test em?”
“Good idea,” nodded Zeke, doing so. “Lucky deserves the best!”
“Lucky, eh?” chuckled Ingolstof. “Why do ya call it that?”
“Zeke believes the blade brings good luck,” said Delvin, his tone making it clear he didn’t agree.
Zeke selected the scabbard closest to him, one with an image of a dragon on it.
“Well, that’s an apt name fer-” began Ingolstof.
Before he could finish, Zeke inserted Lucky into the sheath, which immediately tore at the end.
“Oops,” said Zeke, looking up at Ingolstof. “I-I’m so sorry!”
The dwarf didn’t look pleased. With a huff, he took the rest of the sheaths back and hid them from Zeke.
“Lucky, eh?” mumbled Ingolstof, digging around for something. “Blasted thing...”
“Shouldn’t his scabbards be better suited for sharp objects?” whispered Zeke to Delvin.
“Maybe he thought you wanted a scabbard for decorations instead of practical use?” shrugged Delvin.
&nb
sp; There was a clunk, bringing their attention back to the dwarf. An unimpressive heap of leather and metal lay before him on the display.
“Here ya go,” grunted Ingolstof. “Yer blade won’t be cuttin through this anytime soon.”
Zeke looked down at the mass. The leather looked horribly worn, with no design. The metal at the base of the scabbard looked to have more rust than not. Against his better judgment, he put Lucky inside of it.
“See?” said the dwarf, tapping the side of it. “No tear.”
“Whatever works, I guess,” mumbled Zeke picking up the disappointing scabbard. “How much do I owe you?”
“Owe me? Ha!” laughed Ingolstof. “Yer doin me a favor takin that lump of garbage. I’ve been tryin to get rid of it for ages now.”
“Perfect price point!” exclaimed Zeke. “Score!”
Delvin didn’t seem as enthused.
“Thanks for all your help, Ingolstof!” said Zeke, heading for the door. “I’ll be sure to point everyone I know to you for their needs!”
“Uh, nah, that’ll be alright,” said the dwarf, looking concerned.
“You sure? It’s the least I can-”
“Please don’t!” said Ingolstof quickly.
The two left, Zeke a bit confused by the dwarf’s behavior. They looked out through the crowd, trying to determine where to go next.
Zeke paused when something caught his eye.
A reptilian, humanoid creature was waving over at them from an alleyway on the other side of the street. The creature was gray scaled, with bright purple eyes. His friendly smile at them exposed rows and rows of sharp, pointy teeth. The creature had admittedly frightened Zeke for a brief second before he realized what he was looking at. While Zeke had never seen one before, he knew this must’ve been a lizardman.
The other thing that relaxed him was that the lizardman had on only browned leather pants. Zeke assumed that outfit was common for their race. What probably wasn’t so common for them, however, was the lizardman’s protruding stomach. It sort of ruined the look.
“You see that lizard guy waving at us?” Zeke asked Delvin, gesturing towards the creature.
“I was hoping you hadn’t,” sighed Delvin.
“Why?”
“Because I know you’re going to want us to go over and see what he wants,” groaned the gnome.
“What’s so bad about that?” laughed Zeke.
“Nothing good ever comes from talking to strangers in dark alleyways.”
If he was gonna put it that way, Zeke could understand his concern. From Zeke’s vantage point, though, there was nothing to worry about.
“Look at him, Delvin,” said Zeke. “I don’t think we have to be too concerned. If things went poorly, I’m more than confident we could take him in a fight. Even without the you-know-what.”
Delvin thought it over for a moment then shrugged. “I suppose you’re right. Fine, let’s go see what he wants.”
The two of them pushed through the crowded street, eventually making their way to the alley and the chubby lizardman.
“How’s it going?” asked Zeke, hand resting on Lucky’s hilt. He liked the feeling of easy access, even if he had no intention of busting the dagger out. No wonder everyone always wore scabbards.
“Oh, it’s going,” smiled the lizard. Zeke wasn’t sure if the creature meant for the facial expression to look so sinister, but a smile on a reptile just didn’t look genuine.
“I-Is there something w-we can help you with?” chimed in Delvin.
The lizardman glanced behind Zeke. “Actually, yes. That’s an interesting staff you’ve got there.”
“Thanks,” said Zeke, looking back at it. “I like it, too.”
“Interested in parting ways with it?” asked the lizard. “I’ve got quite the coin, if you’re wanting to sell.”
“It’s not for sale,” said Zeke, hand fastening a little tighter around the dagger’s hilt. “I, uh, got it from my grandma. It’s sentimental.”
The lizardman suddenly made a wheezing, throaty noise.
“Are you okay?” asked Zeke, worried.
“I think he’s laughing,” whispered Delvin.
“I am,” nodded the lizardman. “You must excuse me.”
“Um… sure,” said Zeke, sharing a concerned look with Delvin. “What are you laughing about?”
“I was just kidding when I said I wanted to buy it,” wheezed the lizardman again. “After all, who in their right mind would ever sell an Arcane Staff?”
Chapter 7
Fighting against the push of the crowd, Sloane made her way out of the traders’ market. While she didn’t know much about her lead in Newbridge, she knew that he was hard to find if you didn’t know where to look. Luckily for her, she got tipped off that he frequented a particular bar.
Once she made it to a side street that let her breathe, she decided to start asking for directions.
“Excuse me,” she said, trying to stop an elf passing by. “Could you help me?”
The elf didn’t miss a beat as he continued on his way. A bit rude, but maybe he was in a hurry.
“Hi there,” Sloane tried again, this time on a human woman. “I was wondering if-”
The woman ignored her completely as she slipped past.
Sloane was starting to get frustrated. Was everyone in this town in a hurry to go somewhere?
“You’re never going to get any sales like that,” came a voice to her right.
She glanced down to see a goblin next to her. The creature wore a coat filled with strange trinkets and had on several pairs of hats.
“I don’t understand,” said Sloane.
“People in Newbridge are constantly being sold to,” he explained, gesturing at the crowd. “You’ve got to try more creative things than just getting them to stop. Here, like this.”
The goblin gasped, grabbing at his chest and tumbling into the middle of the street. People continued to walk around him, except for a younger man who stooped down to check on the goblin.
“A-Are you okay?!” asked the man.
The goblin accepted the man’s help and stood up.
“I… I think I am,” he said, adjusting a few of his hats. The goblin looked at the top of the man’s head. “I must thank you for your help! It appears you’re without a hat, how about I sell you one at a great price?”
“Uh…” said the man, glancing around. He clearly didn’t want a hat. “I think I’ll have to p-”
“Please, it’s the least I can do since you were so kind to go out of your way and help a lowly one like myself!” said the goblin, jumping up and placing a black, wide brimmed hat on top of the man’s head. It looked more like it was made for women than men.
The man glanced up at it and back down to the goblin. Sighing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a few gold pieces. “Okay then. How much?”
“50,” smiled the goblin innocently.
“50!?” gawked the man, glancing down at his coins. “For a hat?!”
The goblin swiped the gold pieces from the man’s hand and then shook it. “Thank you so much for allowing me the privilege of repaying your kindness with that fashionable hat. I hope it treats you well!”
The goblin walked confidently back to Sloane. She watched as the man stared down at his now empty hand hopelessly, then continued on his way.
Sloane couldn’t believe that worked! She wasn’t going to say it to the smarmy goblin, but she was impressed.
“See?” asked the goblin as he made it back to her. “You’ve got to go all out in order to get them to stop, even if it means getting stepped on by an unobservant orc occasionally. The sales game all comes down to how bad you want it.”
“But I don’t want it,” said Sloane.
The goblin looked taken aback. “Well, you’re never going to succeed with an attitude like that! You’ve gotta have some drive!”
“I’m not trying to sell anything!” explained Sloane. “I’m just looking for directions!”
<
br /> “Huh,” shrugged the goblin. “I totally misread that situation. Where are you trying to get to?”
“A place called the Split Table,” she said.
The goblin looked her up and down. “No offense, lady, but I think someone might’ve been playing a prank on you. That place is nothing but trouble.”
“I can handle myself,” she said, crossing her arms.
The goblin thought about it then shrugged. “Your funeral. You can find the Split Table down in the middle of the Undercity.”
“Under the city? How do I get down there?”
“No,” said the goblin with a shake of his head. “It’s a part of the city in the west part of town. You wanna follow this road for about a mile, then take a left onto Olaf Street. That should take you to where you’re trying to go.”
Sloane nodded her thanks, then followed the goblin’s directions. A short while later, she found herself walking on Olaf Street. After walking for a while, she was worried that the smarmy salesman sent her in the wrong direction. Right as she was considering turning around, she noticed a slight change in her surroundings.
The buildings around her appeared more run down the further west she went. The number of women and children on the streets dwindled, as did the number of people in general. The humans here gave off a hostile presence, as did the orcs, trolls, and goblins that began to pop up more often than at other parts of Newbridge.
A few minutes later, she saw a large, ill maintained building with Split Table written in paint above the door. She had made it to her destination. Now she just had to hope her lead would be somewhere inside.
The loud arguing, laughter, and jeers hit her before she even opened the doors. She walked in to find the place bustling with activity. Everyone in the tavern looked ready to fight, steal, or kill. Sloane had guessed right when telling Delvin and Zeke to hang back. The two of them would’ve freaked out the second they walked in.
Sloane nudged her way towards the bar, getting a handful of looks and catcalls as she went. She just ignored them. She wasn’t worried about defending herself if it came to it.