by Jeff Sabean
Shenroc and Yutri arrived together a short time later, and Di’eslo slid through the door just as the first rays of light began to filter through the cracked, filthy windows. Yutri was wearing the same plate armor Heishi had previously seen him in but was now wearing a matching helmet with the face guard raised. Hanging on his left hip was a massive war hammer that would take both hands for a normal man to wield. Strapped to his back was a large silver shield with a hammer and anvil engraved in the center and a scorched mark burned across the center. He caught Heishi admiring the shield. “Mithril. Stops everything, even dragon fire. No matter what I do I cannot get that burn mark off though. The ladies love it.” He flashed a lewd grin to Heishi and turned back to his food.
Shenroc was dressed in the same leather armor he previously wore, but on top he added a hauberk that also appeared to be mithril. He still carried the wicked looking daggers at his sides, but across his back he also bore a claymore with a leather wrapped handle and a kris blade. The sword, too, appeared to be made of mithril.
I guess it’s good to be friends with dwarves, if the mythical tales are true about dwarves and mithril. Given everything I have seen so far, I can only imagine that many of the myths and fantasy books I have read are based in truth.
Given the hour of the morning, the bar was empty and Di’eslo had his cloak pulled off and laid across the back of his chair as he ate. He wore a set of black plate mail, and on his hip, he wore a nasty-looking flail. The handle and chain of the flail were solid black, and while the ball at the end of the chain was also black, the spikes shone purple with inner power. Beside the table leg rested his shield, which was also black in color with a purple spider web that covered the face of the shield and glowed with the same inner light as the spikes on his flail.
Each carried a large pack stuffed with food and other supplies for the journey. Having spoken with some of the guards the previous night, Heishi assumed it would not be a long journey to the cave itself, but once underground no one knew the extent of the tunnels. Having a shadow elf and a half-orc in the party would be useful in such an environment.
The companions quickly finished their meals and headed out to the street, which was just beginning to stir. The map shop was only a few blocks away, and the armor shop Yutri recommended was a little further toward the front gate. They headed quickly through the quiet streets, and came to the front of the map shop, which was aptly named “Maps.”
This guy is a simpleton, has a sense of humor, or I’m about to have another interesting morning.
Heishi opened the front door and heard a bell jingle in the back. He faced a small shop with four rows of shelves covered with round cylinders presumably filled with maps of different sorts. To his far left, the shelves were older and covered in layers of dust; the shelves on his right were newer, contained less dust, and were not entirely filled with maps. The rear of the shop had a U-shaped counter with curtains in the back-right corner, through which appeared the shop owner. He was able to control his surprise at finding a goblin in a robe and carrying a scroll walking to the counter. The goblin stood around five feet tall, with green skin, oversized pointed ears, black eyes, and a mouth full of crooked teeth. The goblin stared at the visitors, waiting for them to announce why they disturbed him.
“Sir, we are searching for a map that will lead us to a cave system on the mountain where the orcs live,” Heishi started to explain.
“Yeah, I can get what you need,” the goblin stated in a nasal voice. “To make the map, I will need inkless ink, the skin of a dragon, and the blood of a freshly killed orc. That’s important, it can’t be more than an hour old. Bring me this and I can make your map.”
“Inkless ink? Skin of a dragon? Fresh orc blood? Big Jim said you would have the map for us,” Shenroc bristled at the absurdity of the request.
“Oooohhh, Big Jim. Why didn’t you say so, human? Of course, of course, I have the map, I have it right back here. You can’t be coming into my place of business saying you want things when it is Big Jim who wants them!” The goblin disappeared behind the curtain and the companions heard papers rustling and heavy objects crashing to the floor. A few moments later, the goblin reappeared, smoothing his robes and attempting to appear calm. “Here’s the map, free of charge. You won’t be telling Big Jim about the inkless ink thing, right? That was a joke between friends...”
Di’eslo reached out and took the map, rolling it out on the counter to ensure it was legitimate. “Not a difficult map to follow, but the road could be fraught with danger before we even reach the cave.”
“I guess we better find out how much the armor shop keeper actually loves Yutri, I will need something to keep me alive,” Heishi stated, then looked at Di’eslo: “No offense. I am positive you will keep us alive, of course.”
“But of course...”
The companions left the map shop and walked three blocks over to a shop named, “Orra’s Armor.” Heishi looked at Yutri, who nodded that this was indeed the correct place. Shenroc slapped Yutri on the side of his head, waited a minute, and Yutri finally understood why everyone was staring at him. A flush of color reached his cheeks as he stammered, “Well, the owner USED to love me. I bet we get a good deal on anything in the shop today...”
They entered the store, which was empty, and after searching the back they came to the realization that Orra was the sole proprietor of the establishment, and with her untimely demise that left all her belongings to Heishi. Shenroc explained to the newcomer that anything belonging to your opponent killed fairly in battle then became the property of the victor.
Looks like I’m in the blacksmith business. Just what I always wanted...
All eyes turned to Heishi as Shenroc finished his explanation, reminding him of kids in a candy store waiting for permission to get anything they desired. He furrowed his brow for a moment as he decided whether he should keep everything to sell later if he was stuck in this place, then realized there would not be a later if this team died in the caves. A grin creased his lips as he slowly nodded, “Yes, you may take any gear that you can use, free of charge. If we live through this, we will decide what to do with the shop, as I am no blacksmith.”
With a whoop, the companions began to ransack the shop for anything that could assist in not becoming a meal for an orc. Heishi was outfitted with leather breeches and shirt and a chain mail hauberk like Shenroc’s of high-quality steel, albeit not of the same caliber as mithril. He kept his katana, but also added a strong short bow and quiver of arrows to his arsenal and filled his pack with a bedroll, some rope, and other miscellaneous gear based on his extensive survival training and medieval video game playing. He also found a forest green cloak with a hood that would cover his facial features well and would assist in camouflage should the need arise. When he was done all that remained of his previous dress was his jungle boots, katana, and the pistol in a thigh holster on his leg. The rest were able to stock up on extra arrows and a piece of armor here and there, but the gear Orra had available could not compare to mithril.
As Heishi was searching her private area in the back hoping to find some gloves, he discovered a panel in the wall that was almost hidden from view. He pushed lightly on the panel, and it slid open to reveal her personal treasures. As he surveyed the stash, he was drawn to a ring in the back. It was a simple gold band with a strip of emerald running around the center, and when he picked it up, he felt a slight tingle. As he examined the ring, he began to understand that this ring would apply poison to anything he wished if he placed his hand on it. Sliding the ring onto his ring finger on his right hand, it shrank to fit him perfectly.
I could get used to this. Zatus will have his work cut out for him to stay ahead of tech like this!
He completed his rifling of her stash, and except for some diamonds and other valuables, he determined that nothing else would be of use on this trip. He replaced the panel in the wall, ensured it was hidden again, and walked out to the main shop where his companions were finishe
d searching for gear themselves.
“That was productive. Secure the front door so we can sell this place when we return. Time to make the green grass grow,” Heishi said with a chuckle. Noticing the looks on the faces of his team, he explained, “It is something said to Soldiers in training. The instructor asks, ‘What makes the green grass grow?’ The Soldiers reply, ‘Blood makes the green grass grow!’ I say it to my team before every mission.”
“That is good, Heishi. Let us go make the green grass grow,” grinned Shenroc.
Chapter 6 – The Discovery
The sun was getting high in the sky as the companions walked out the gates of Terminus. Shenroc explained as they walked that the gates were open during the day with guards in the towers questioning travelers, and the mantrap was only used during hours of darkness when respectable people were not attempting to enter the city. He smiled warmly at Heishi as he said, “respectable people,” and with a wink said, “There are, however, a few exceptions.”
Following the map acquired from the goblin, Di’eslo lead the group to the East as they exited the gates, which lead them the opposite direction from where Heishi had arrived. The day was not hot, the sun was bright, and the fresh air put each of them in an exceptional mood. A short way down the road, the map pointed the companions to a foot path that was mostly overgrown and shaded with large trees. According to the map, this path would take them to the far side of the mountain, where there were two entrances to the orc lair, one high on the mountain and another by the side of a lake.
Di’eslo removed his hood and gloves when the gates were out of sight, reveling in the shadows of the trees, and began to question Heishi about the exact circumstances of his arrival. Heishi explained briefly the purpose of his antiterrorism team and gave a few unclassified details of the threat he had been trying to neutralize. Di’eslo was especially interested when he explained the airplane he flew in before the jump, and that he was able to survive falling from such a great height.
“If we live, I will take you to the place I landed and show you my parachute. The material is very light, made of silk, and catches the air to slow the Paratrooper as he falls to Earth,” described Heishi.
“Remarkable. I want to know of this Art,” Di’eslo breathed with wide eyes.
“Art? What art?”
“The Art, your ability from the gods to fall from the sky and live. The Art is how I healed your wound last night; I tapped into the energy around you to reconstruct your skin as it was before.”
“Ahh, so the Art is another word for magic?” Heishi inquired.
Di’eslo laughed heartily at that question. “No, human, magic is not real, at least not in the sense that there are secret words or incantations to learn. I do not believe the gods are real either, or at least I have never met one to change my mind. No, the Art just refers to learning how energy surrounds us all, and some can become attuned to it in special ways. My attunement came in the form of healing and a select few offensive abilities. Some can throw fireballs from an empty hand, some can make the ground shake, others use lightning. It is not ‘magic,’ as you say, it is simply understanding the energy surrounding us and shaping it to our will.”
“Can items be attuned using this energy?”
“Yes, there are items of remarkable power that are imbued with the Art. I happen to have a few of these items myself but will never tell what they do. I assume you found something at the shop of Orra. Keep it to yourself, as these items are highly sought after and have caused the death of many an unexpecting traveler.” Di’eslo glanced down at the ring Heishi now wore. “Some items seem to be more difficult to hide than others, of course.”
Deciding a subject change was in order, Heishi steered the conversation a different way. “I have told you of my world but have yet to learn anything about this one. I know the town was Terminus, but do not even know what this world is called. You seem to be well educated, anything you can explain about planes of existence would also be much appreciated.”
“This world is known as Kartos. There are many planes, and few understand more than our own. Those who are trained in the Art are more aware of the planes and the shifts between them than others.” Heishi had been watching ahead for danger as they talked, but his head snapped to the side at the mention of shifts between planes. “No, human, you are not the first to be caught in a shift between the planes. I do not understand such things, or if there is a way to return, so do not stare at me like this. I simply know that these things happen sometimes, and that others may be able to help with your plight.”
The conversation was meant to help the time pass, but it effectively distracted Heishi from scanning his sector of the path for danger. Without warning, an arrow thunked into the ground between Heishi and Di’eslo, and another stuck in between Shenroc and Yutri behind them. As each reached for his weapon, a shrill whistle sounded in the trees behind them, and a voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once said, “The first to draw a weapon is the first to die.”
The companions slowly moved their hands away from their weapons, and a man wearing clothes made from animal hides and a dark brown cloak eased out of the trees to the right. He slowly approached the group, watching them cautiously for any signs of movement. He stopped just out of sword range from Heishi and grinned. “This here is our path. If you want to leave alive, it will cost you. Toss your weapons onto the path behind you, then step forward and drop your gold and jewelry. If you do as you are told, no one will get hurt. If you do not, well, none of you will leave this place.”
As he spoke, Heishi watched four others dressed similarly closing in to form a circle around the group. Two of the others closing in had bows with arrows knocked and pointed toward the group, the other two were outfitted with a sword and shield, and all five had a nervous air about them. He inhaled and let out a breath, then slowly scanned the trees where the intruders had appeared. As the wind blew, he noticed a section of a tree to his half left where the leaves did not move with the rest: a tree blind.
Either there is still one more out there covering this group or I missed one of the archers climbing out of a tree.
Nudging Di’eslo and slightly nodding in the direction of the blind, he hoped the elf would understand. Turning his head toward Heishi, he winked to show he saw it as well.
“Good sir, you know this is a treacherous area. We cannot give you our weapons, and we are but poor travelers with not much gold. We would gladly share our food rations with you to avoid an untimely death, but we cannot accommodate your request to give up our weapons,” Heishi explained.
If the man was surprised, it did not show as an evil smile crept across his face. “Then you all die.”
Expecting that response, Heishi moved first, pulling his pistol from the thigh holster and aiming between his eyes. No one present expected the following explosion as he pulled the trigger, instantly killing the speaker. Wanting to conserve ammunition as he would not be able to purchase more in this place, he used the stunned silence to holster his weapon and slide the katana from his back, not yet igniting the electricity of the blade. Di’eslo was the next to move, simultaneously pulling his shield from his back and snatching the flail from his side while turning toward the next attacker. Shenroc and Yutri recovered quickly and both had weapons in hand and were moving toward the closest attackers to them.
Di’eslo moved toward his opponent rapidly, the shadows curling from his skin as his anger flared. The man in front of him saw the shadow elf coming and his face paled. He swung a two-handed club at the elf as he tried to back away, and the blow glanced easily off his shield. The first swing of his flail was meant to cripple the man at the knees, but he was back tracking quickly enough that Di’eslo only landed a glancing blow on the man’s calf. That snapped him out of his shock at seeing an evil elf coming at him, and he spun away from the hit and came back with a straight shot to the face with his club.
The speed of the attack caught the elf off guard, and all he could do
was shift his head to the left and accept the glancing blow to the right side of his head. He felt the blood flow a bit but had no time to worry about that as the man retracted his club and came at him with an overhead swing meant to crush the smaller elf. Di’eslo reached into his innate power inherent to his race and stepped into the shadow of the tree beside him, disappearing as the club swung down and smashed into the ground where he had been standing. As the confused attacker looked on dumbly, the elf reappeared behind him and followed up with a swing of his own directly above his head, burying the made into his skull. As the man crumpled to the ground, Di’eslo took a moment to heal his wound, then turned to assist his companions.
Shenroc was embattled with an attacker of his own, who did not appear afraid of the half-orc in front of him. His opponent had loosed his arrow, which was now protruding from Shenroc’s left shoulder, then switched to a rusted long sword and a dented shield. The two were squared off, and if Shenroc felt any pain in his shoulder he was not letting on. His eyes were bloodshot, and flecks of white showed in the edges of his mouth where his tusks protruded. With a primal roar, he swung his claymore at his opponent, whose wooden shield shattered as he blocked the strike. A look of shock appeared on his face as he tried to counter with an attack of his own, but Shenroc did not relent his attack. Pulling his sword back to the left as he followed through his strike, he brought it back around in a figure eight motion and cleaved the head from his opponent with a clean strike. His bloodlust not sated, he brought the sword above his head for a third and final strike, which cut through bone and tissue like butter as he removed the sword arm from the bandit before his body dropped in the dirt.
While this was taking place, Yutri sang a battle song in Dwarvish as he whipped his battle hammer around like a toy. His opponent, the second archer, attempted to stay out of range of the wild behemoth dwarf, alternately running and turning to fire another missile at Yutri. Each time an arrow took flight, the massive mithril shield was there to promptly pick it from the air, and a swing of the hammer would have the archer moving again. The dwarf laughed with each failed attempt, which served to demoralize his opponent who had come to the realization that his situation was untenable. He moved further and further up the path, trying to angle toward the trees where the hidden blind was located, but Yutri was there every step of the way pressing his attack.