Alaric Swifthand

by Steve Lazarowitz

  “It’s me.”

  “You’re still alive?”

  “No, I’m dead and I’ve come to collect my belongings. Now open the damn door.”

  I suppose I could have warned her about the giant’s presence, but I still owed her for making me shave my head. This was going to be fun.

  The door opened and her eye appeared in the crack. Graham stood beside me, impossible to see from her vantage. She opened the door wider and I stepped inside. The giant came into view a moment later.

  Theona paled. She took several steps backwards. I ignored her and walked to the table upon which rested the book. “See? Here it is, safe and sound.”

  Graham glanced at it, then back at Theona. “What’s your name?”

  She swallowed a few times, before responding. “Theona.”

  “Theona,” he repeated, as if trying to get the feel for it. “Odd name for a thief.”

  “What makes you think she’s a thief?” I asked, genuinely interested.

  “I can smell a thief a mile away. Can’t abide them.”

  “Well you’ll have to abide her. If she doesn’t go, I don’t go.”

  Theona, realizing death wasn’t imminent, found her voice. “Go where?”

  “To the Labyrinth,” I replied. “I recruited some help.”

  She looked at me.

  “Turns out he wasn’t out to kill me after all. He just wanted his book back.”

  Graham nodded. “It’s been in my family for generations. We weren’t able to make sense of it. We never knew what we had. That was until Dendrac showed up searching for it. How I hated him.”

  Theona looked at the giant and back to me. “Alaric, can I have a word with you in private?”

  I looked at Graham and he nodded. “I’ll be right outside.” He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

  “What were you thinking?” she asked.

  “Thinking? I wasn’t thinking, I was trying to survive. And according to you, the Labyrinth is fraught with perils. It couldn’t hurt to have someone like Graham along.”

  “So now you’re on a first name basis? Let me ask you this. Once we lead him to the entrance, what makes you think he’s not going to kill us?”

  “For the same reason we won’t kill him. We need each other. Even he doesn’t relish taking on the Labyrinth alone.”

  “No, I suppose he wouldn’t at that.”

  “By the way, what are the hidden guardians?”

  She turned away and shrugged. “No one knows. I imagine we’re going to find out.”

  I stared at her. “And when were you planning on telling me about them?”

  “No point, since I have no idea what they are. Listen, if we’re really doing this, we need to get some sleep.”

  I nodded, too weary to argue. I opened the door. Graham stood outside staring at the stars.

  “We’re going to turn in. You have a place to stay?”

  He nodded. “I’ll be back at dawn. Be ready.” He pushed by me and walked to the table. He picked up the book and turned. “I’ll hold on to this. Call it insurance.”

  Theona glared at me. It was my turn to shrug. I certainly couldn’t control him. “Right. See you tomorrow.”

  The giant nodded and left the room. I closed the door behind him.

  “Well, that’s just terrific, Alaric. What do we do if he doesn’t come back?”

  I smiled, for once having thought of something before her. “I don’t consider that very likely.”

  “And why would that be?”

  “I don’t know how much good that book will do him, without this.” I removed the gold key from my pouch and held it up.

  She paused for a second, then smiled. “Why Alaric, that was brilliant!”

  I beamed. She’d never before used the word to describe me.

  “We’d better get some rest,” I said, removing my tunic. “Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

  She walked over and embraced me. “I’m glad you’re still alive.”

  “You had doubts?” I asked, feigning astonishment.

  “None whatsoever,” she replied, pushing me back onto the bed.

  I smiled. It seemed neither of us were going to get the rest we needed. Not that we cared. After all, this might well be our last night alive.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Seventeen

  Located near Modron’s center, there is a section called the Old City. After its construction, the rest of the city was built around it. No one knows anything about the original architects, except for the fact that no one knows anything about them. Indeed this is so odd a phenomenon, people feel they need to repeat it, even though everyone knows it.

  “This section of Modron is so old, no one knows who built it,” I said.

  Theona looked at me. “Everyone knows that.”

  Jeren nodded in support of her statement. I looked at Graham.

  “Er, yeah, I suppose I had read about it somewhere,” said the giant.

  “Fine. I was just trying to make conversation.”

  “Try making intelligent conversation,” suggested Theona. “Then maybe someone will talk to you.”

  I really didn’t want her to get the last word just then. Not in front of Jeren and Graham.

  Unfortunately, I couldn’t immediately think of a rebuttal and by the time I did, we had reached our destination.

  We walked up to the entrance of the Battering Ram. I couldn’t remember a time when the pub hadn’t been here, yet I had never ventured inside. It had once been called the Dangling Dagger, but that must have been before my time.

  According to Jeren, the book was hundreds of years old. Did that mean the Dangling Dagger was that old? It would seem to follow, unless I had stolen a book of prophecies.

  I turned to the others. “Have any of you ever been here before?”

  There was much shaking of heads.

  “Can you recall someone telling you they have?” I asked. There was no intuitive brilliance behind the question. I simply couldn’t imagine a bar in Modron I hadn’t checked out at least once.

  “I thought not.”

  I turned, walked up to the door and pushed. It didn’t budge. I reached into my pouch and removed the gold key. Theona walked up beside me.

  “It would help if there was a keyhole.” At first I thought she was putting me on, until I saw the look in her eyes.

  “You can’t see it?”

  “No.”

  I pointed with my finger. She shook her head. I thought for a second and handed her the key. Even as I watched, the keyhole faded from sight. Theona gasped when it appeared before her. Jeren and Graham moved closer.

  “This must be the entrance,” breathed Jeren.

  We all looked at each other. What a sight we must have been. A warrior, a sage, a noble’s daughter and a giant, standing at the entrance to a pub that hadn’t had a customer in centuries. On the other hand, if that were the case, who had changed the name, and why? I had a feeling we would find out.

  “Ready?” asked Theona. She didn’t wait for a reply.

  Graham leaned forward performing an unconscious impression of a tree bending in the wind. I placed my hand on the Sword of Truth and inched closer. Jeren stared at the door as if he could bore a hole in it with intensity alone.

  Theona placed the key against the wall and pushed. To the rest of us, it looked as if the key actually sank into the stone. When she turned it, the doors to the Battering Ram swung noisily inward.

  I turned to look behind us. There weren’t many people on the street, but there were a few. None seemed to notice what we were about, even those closest. Perhaps the same power that kept the tavern in obscurity had been extended to us. I was uncomfortable at the thought.

  Theona entered first and I followed. Jeren and Graham both stopped to light lanterns before entering. Apparently the people in the rear of the party would light the way, leaving the hands of those in front of them free. It seemed to make sense to me.r />
  There was no doubt we were in a tavern. There was a bar running across most of the back wall. There were tables and chairs scattered randomly about and paintings hanging on the walls. There were also a few hundred years of cobwebs, covering every available surface.

  The fixtures were recognizable, but unquestionably antique. Even if we just removed and sold the furnishings we could do well. We waded through several inches of dust as we made our way toward the bar. My eyes were everywhere, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

  To our left, a stairway led to the second level. There was also a corridor opposite the stairs, leading away from the main room. From our vantage, we could just make out a couple of doors within.

  Jeren looked at me. “Why don’t you and Graham check out that corridor? Theona and I will see what’s upstairs.”

  “Why don’t I go with Theona and you stay with Graham?” I asked, certain he couldn’t give me an adequate answer.

  He smiled. “Because then Graham and I would have lanterns and you and Theona would be stumbling around in the dark. Of course, Graham could go with Theona and we could go together, I suppose.” He didn’t seem thrilled at the prospect.

  Nor was I. I didn’t trust Jeren, but at least I was certain he wouldn’t hurt Theona. Graham, on the other hand, had already made it clear exactly how he felt about thieves.

  I shook my head. “Go on. We’ll meet back here in fifteen minutes.”

  I didn’t wait for them to set off. Instead, I walked past Graham toward the corridor. I drew the Sword of Truth as I entered the passage. A quick glance over my shoulder reassured me Graham was behind me. I walked slowly, frequently stopping to brush cobwebs off my face.

  There were two side doors, both of which opened into storerooms. Inside was exactly what you’d expect—a few barrels of ale and dusty shelves, once filled with food. What little was left, even the rats had given up on.

  Ahead of us, a final door blocked the passage. It was heavier and more impressive looking than the two we’d just investigated. I felt if we were to find something, this was the place. Cautiously, I pulled it open, ready for anything. Behind, a flight of stairs descended into darkness. I looked at Graham.

  “Feeling adventurous?”

  He smiled nervously. It was so odd an expression for him I almost laughed.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe we should wait for the others.”

  “You’ve never done anything like this, have you?”

  He shook his head. “Nope, first time. You?”

  “Can’t say as I have.” Terrific. Two novices alone together in the most infamous lost labyrinth in history.

  “Come on,” I said, no longer amused. I slowly made my way down the stairs. I could hear him breathing heavily behind me. It never occurred to me the giant would be scared.

  I was not surprised to find we had located the wine cellar. There were racks containing rows of bottles, each of which must have been very old indeed. I wondered if wine kept for that long. If it did, we would have some classic vintages at our disposal. I pulled one out of its holder and was brushing the dust off the label, when Graham tapped my shoulder. I jumped.

  “Don’t do that!”

  “Sorry. I think it’s almost time to meet them.”

  I was about to reply, when the sound of someone playing an instrument reached us. It was coming from upstairs. We looked at each other. Neither of us spoke for more than a minute. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.

  “What do you think?”

  “It has a nice melody,” replied the giant.

  I sighed, pushed past him and climbed the steps two at a time, not really caring whether he followed. When I reached the corridor, I stopped. A moment later Graham was by my side. A glance at his face told me he was as stunned as I.

  The passage before us was devoid of dust and cobwebs. I walked slowly toward the main room. The music continued to play. Even before we got there, we could see it was now inhabited. There were dozens of people present, going about their business. Though I had been privy to many formal occasions as a palace guard, I did not recognize the style of dress. The men were clad in tunics, and matching, baggy trousers, most of which were black. Ladies’ dresses, tight at the waist, ballooned out beneath. They looked like nothing so much as a group of colorful bells out walking on a misty night. It was like something out of a dream, but I knew it was real.

  Spellbound, I walked among them. They were people who had been dead for many centuries, only no one had bothered to inform them of the fact. Off to the side, a man played a bizarre, stringed instrument, the likes of which I’d never seen. One of the barmaids, wearing a somewhat tighter and more revealing outfit, approached.

  “Can I get you something?” The language was the same, but her accent was odd. I wasn’t surprised I couldn’t place it.

  I nodded. “Anything … strong.”

  She looked at Graham. “And you?”

  “I don’t drink.”

  She shrugged and moved off to fill my order. I looked around, first just amazed, then fascinated. I almost smiled, until I remembered Theona and Jeren were not here and there was no guarantee they would be able to join us.

  Graham must have been thinking along the same lines, because we both practically ran toward the stairs. As we approached, two large men moved to block our path. Unlike the patrons, these men wore studded, leather jerkins and matching breeches. Each wore a thin, rapier-like sword at his side.

  “Can I help you?” asked the first, not sounding all that helpful.

  “Uh, I need to get upstairs.”

  “I’m afraid not.”

  “Is that so?” I turned toward Graham. “Well, my friend, it looks as if we might have a fight on our hands.”

  “Alaric, can I have a word with you in private?”

  “Now?”

  “Now.”

  I looked at the men. “We’ll be right back.” I turned and took several steps away. “What do you want?”

  “I think there’s something you should know about me,” said the giant.

  “And what might that be?”

  “I’m a pacifist.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t like violence.”

  “I know what it means.” I thought for a second. “Do you mean to tell me the entire time you were pursuing me, you had no intention of harming me?”

  He nodded.

  “And when, exactly, were you planning on telling me this?”

  “After we were inside. If I told you first, you wouldn’t have taken me along.”

  I clenched my teeth and took a step toward him. “Are you out of your mind? Do you know how dangerous this place is?”

  He didn’t answer. Indeed, what could he say? I turned back to the men guarding the stairs and wondered if I could take them both.

  “Stay here,” I said. “When I come back, we’re going to have a little talk.”

  Graham nodded, clearly uncomfortable. I approached the men one more time.

  “Listen,” I said, in my most reasonable tone of voice. “My lady is up there and she may need my help. Now you’re either going to stand aside, or I’m going to have to teach you two a lesson.”

  The first smiled, while the second lashed out with his fist. Had I been expecting the move, I’d have been able to duck it, but I’d been concentrating on the larger of the two. As I flew backwards past Graham, I was certain of only one thing.

  The denizens of the Dangling Dagger were definitely not ghosts.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Eighteen

  I found myself fighting my way toward consciousness. This wasn’t altogether unusual. In fact, considering what I’d been through in the last few years, it was almost a comforting feeling. Until I remembered where I was. I sat up quickly and looked around.

  Unfortunately, I was precisely where I thought I ‘d be. I was in the Dangling Dagger, a tavern that hadn’t served a customer in a couple of centuries. Which meant, I
had either gone back in time or I was hallucinating. I sincerely hoped it was the latter. I rose painfully. Graham was heading in my direction. Apparently I’d only been out for a few seconds.

  While he helped me to my feet, I glared at him. I allowed disdain to show plainly on my face. I wanted him to be aware of exactly how I felt. The throbbing in my head did nothing to lighten my mood. He carried me to a table and lowered me into a seat.

  “You’re angry with me, aren’t you?”

  “Whatever gave you a crazy idea like that?”

  “Listen, Alaric. I’m sorry. I didn’t do it out of malice.”

  “We brought you along to help us. How the hell are you going to do that, if you can’t swing a sword?”

  The giant shrugged. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I do have a number of skills that might come in useful. I’m strong. I can read and write three languages. I have a good knowledge of rocks and minerals.”

  “Great. You can tell us what type of stones are being hurled at us, while we charge into battle. We brought you along as an extra sword.”

  “Because you assumed I was skillful with one. I never claimed to be a fighter.”

  I shook my head and turned away, because he was right. I had allowed his massive frame and the greatsword on his belt to convince me he was a warrior, while I had seen no actual evidence of it.

  “Okay. Then answer me this. What were you doing with Prince Dendrac?”

  The giant sighed. “Dendrac was blackmailing me.”

  “Blackmailing you? With what?”

  “Mine is a race of warriors. Could you imagine the shame I would bring upon my family if anyone ever found out I abhor violence? My family would be outcast and I would be made to pay for it.”

  “So you took up a sword and did his bidding.”

  Graham nodded.

  “You fought for him, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “You killed for him.”

  “Yes.”

  “But you won’t raise a weapon to help me out of a life and death situation, is that what you’re saying?”

  “I’m saying I don’t like violence and, given the choice, I won’t fight. I believe there are other ways to settle differences.”