by Jeff Sabean
Unfortunately, the orc inhabitants had left nothing of value to the group. There remained plenty of rotten food and moldy bread, rusty weapons and mismatched pieces of roughly made armor, but nothing worth plundering. They had worked their way on opposite walls about halfway through the cavern, roughly even with the throne in the center of the room, when Shenroc let out a sharp call to rally the companions. As he approached, Heishi saw the half-orc was feverishly working to break the lock on a cage that was mounted into the wall of the room he had been searching. Before he could inquire as to the reason for the call, he then saw a dirty, naked elf female locked in the cage, breathing heavily and barely conscious.
As the lock sprung, Yutri was there to gently remove the elf from the cage, wrapping her in his traveling cloak to retain as much of her modesty as was possible. Di’eslo pointed to a table in the room, and Yutri placed the elf on the table with as much care as a mother laying down her child. The elf’s eyes fluttered upon being stretched out on the table, but otherwise did not respond.
“Stay close, my large friend,” Di’eslo whispered to Yutri, “when the healing enters her, she may awaken, and we do not know what her state of mind will be. I have no doubt she has been abused by these monsters,” he cast an apologetic glance at Shenroc when he realized what he had said, who shrugged as if to admit to the brutal nature of the orc race. He then held out his shield to help focus, and a steady stream of blue light came from the spider web design and entered the elf, causing the cuts to close themselves, bones to knit back together, and bruises to disappear before the eyes of the companions.
After a few minutes of working to heal the young female, Di’eslo lowered his shield and stepped back as she opened her eyes slowly. Seeing a shadow elf and a half-orc beside her, she began to leap to her feet, but was stopped by the giant dwarf standing beside her.
“Easy, girl, easy, he is a friend. He just healed you from whatever the orcs did to you,” Yutri explained in a soft voice as he held her as carefully as possible. He looked at Shenroc, realized how he appeared to her covered in orc and goblin blood, and laughed softly. “That one is also a friend, although he does not appear to be so. He has saved my life many times and is even now covered in the blood of your captors. Be safe, little elf, no one here will harm you.”
Heishi stepped between Di’eslo and his patient, hoping to block her view of her dark cousin. “Lady, may we inquire your name and how you came to be here?”
The elf looked around at the strange group of companions surrounding her before shakily answering, “My name is Gabrielle Anaoilin, and you will receive no ransom for me, if that is what you expect, human.” She glared at Heishi defiantly, and although she clearly was still recovering from her captivity, a fire burned in her crystal blue eyes.
“Ma’am, I do not want a ransom for you. I do not even know who you are. My companions and I were deceived into coming down here to retrieve something for Big Jim in Terminus...” Heishi began but stopped suddenly due to the look that crossed her face when he mentioned Jim. “Do you know Jim?”
“That monster is who ordered the attack on my ship. His minions captured me at sea and dragged me back to that city. He traded me to these orcs for some crystal ball, and I later overheard the orc king laughing about tricking Jim with a worthless bauble and gaining a valuable prisoner. Apparently, he knew nothing of preserving his merchandise, as they beat me repeatedly. I have lost all track of time in here and know not whether a ransom demand was sent to my family in Harmonui or not,” the elf stated with a venomous look on her face.
“Have no fear, lady, you are safe with us. After killing Sgel the Nasty, we came to understand that we had been used by Jim and have just recently decided we will kill him. This must be fate, as we were then going to Harmonui to warn of an imminent attack by three armies. We will see you safely home, lady,” Heishi said as warmly as possible, attempting to calm the erratic elf.
She paused to consider his proposal, began to nod, then noticed she was naked, save the giant cloak wrapped loosely around her body. A look of outrage crossed her face as she slapped Heishi across the face. “Do. You. Know. Who. I. AM?” she asked, pausing to pronounce every syllable of every word as it exited her mouth.
“No, ma’am, I do not. We also are not the ones who removed your clothing, so if anything, you should be thanking my associate Yutri for covering you with his cloak. We will search for more appropriate clothing for you, but in the meantime, we would appreciate if you stopped hitting us since we saved you from your cage,” Heishi replied while controlling his desire to slap her back.
“That is fair human and thank you for releasing me. I am still adjusting to my freedom, and do not mean to disrespect you or your companions,” she paused, looking at Di’eslo, “except maybe for him."
“He is the one who healed your wounds. He has kept everyone before you alive for the past days. He deserves your gratitude, not your disdain because of the color of his skin, lady,” Heishi replied, then stomped away, asking the others in the team to search for some clothing for the elf.
Having found a loose-fitting robe and some soft leather boots, presumably stolen from traveling merchants, in another of the rooms adjacent to the throne room, Gabrielle was dressed and able to walk tentatively around. Di’eslo approached her as she searched for her belongings in a pile of gear strewn about the room, and when she noticed him her back stiffened as she turned to face the shadow elf.
“M’lady, I have rested sufficiently to allow me to further heal your wounds. I noticed you are still having difficulty walking and can assist with that if you will allow me,” he said, politely bowing slightly as he finished speaking.
“Yes, that would be lovely, and thank you, Di’eslo. I should not have spoken to you as I did, but I am sure you were taught all surface elves are evil when you were young, and the same prejudices follow my perception of you.”
“There is no need to apologize, lady,” Di’eslo stated as he began to focus on the healing wave he was sending toward her. “Your perceptions of my people are founded, where I have found that mine of your people are not. In my time on the surface, I have come to understand and expect such reactions, and believe me, no offense was taken.”
As the healing waves entered her body, rejuvenating her and knitting torn muscles and bone together, Gabrielle smiled at the mysterious shadow elf, enjoying his company and gracious answer.
Chapter 12 – The Beginning of the End
Having found nothing of use in the cave, the companions, now six strong, began making their way back to the surface. Exiting the throne room proved a simple task, as the door slid open easily from the inside, and Heishi decided to leave it open for the subterranean rats and other carrion eaters to clean up the mess. Having left virtually invisible marks on their way down into the tunnels, Shenroc easily lead them to the cave on the surface in a fraction of the time it took to work their way to the bottom. The bodies of the dead goblins had already been dragged away by something, and other than a few dark stains on the stone floor no one would ever know what had taken place here.
The group paused to eat a fast meal in the cave, reveling in the sunlight spilling through the opening, then began to backtrack to Terminus following the map Heishi held. As they walked, Heishi brought Gabrielle up to speed on everything that happened to him in the recent days while never forgetting to keep tight security, remembering the ekastatu attack. He described the shift in planes, his experience in Terminus, the encounter with Jim, and their quest to find the orb. When describing the vision he received when he touched the orb, he was a bit guarded in the description, focusing mainly on the three armies converging on a city Di’eslo assumed was Harmonui. He left out the current location of the orb, innocently disguised in the bag attached to his belt, and she did not press the issue.
The return to Terminus proved uneventful, with only a single instance where the companions hid on the side of the road as a caravan rolled past: there was no need to announce their pr
esence before they arrived. As they turned onto the road to the front gate, Di’eslo once again donned his gloves and cloak, pulling the hood up to cover his face from unwanted attention. The sun was setting as they finally reached the gate and were able to slip through unmolested as the guards began locking down the city for the night.
Heading for the docks, the companions decided upon finding a room at an inn for the night so they could have a meal and get rest before the confrontation with Jim. Shenroc lead the group to an inn several blocks from The Portal, where the food was adequate and the rooms were less comfortable, but anonymity was more likely. They ate their meal in silence, not wanting any conversation to be overheard by the drunk patrons of the establishment, then retired to upstairs rooms. Later in the night, they met in the room shared by Shenroc and Yutri to discuss the strategy for the morning.
“We need to secure passage to Harmonui before our confrontation with Jim and his goons. If it goes well, we will need to leave in a hurry with no questions asked,” Heishi began the conversation.
“I can help with that, Yutri and I have contacts on the docks, we will find the first ship leaving tomorrow. The worst that might happen is we may have to go to a port out of our way and wait for a ship bound for Harmonui, but it will be in our best interest to leave immediately after you confront Jim,” Shenroc replied.
“A solid plan. We still have access to my new blacksmith shop if you need to throw in some armor or weapons to pay for passage on the ship. Is there anything else you may need from us to assist, or should we stay in hiding until you have secured the trip for us?”
Shenroc grinned at his new friend, “Just wait here, human, and stay out of sight. If Jim or any of his spies see you too soon, it will force the confrontation and you may be stuck in a city of his lackeys with no way out. Be patient and let the oaf and me take care of the escape.”
◆◆◆
Early the next morning, Shenroc and Yutri wandered to the dock in search of the first ship leaving that morning. As they walked, the two laughed and joked with each other, purposely seeming to be meandering aimlessly down the road, while secretly they were headed straight for the slip of Tylo the Blue, hoping the rotten pirate was in port. If anyone would agree to whisk the companions away from Terminus without alerting the “authorities,” it was Tylo.
Turning the corner, they could see the low, sleek ship belonging to Tylo the Blue in his normal slip. The sails were down, and from a distance it appeared the crew was fast at work repairing damage from whatever trouble they had found on their most recent voyage. When the first crew member recognized the pair sauntering up the dock, he called out the approaching visitors to Tylo, who immediately slid down the closest rope to the dock. grabbing Yutri in a massive bear hug. The two stood eye-to-eye, however Tylo was no dwarf, he was of Chondri descent, although he lacked the bulk of Jim and his guards. Tylo was tall, but his body consisted of lean muscle, every bit of his body honed to work in perfect harmony with not a movement wasted. One look at this dangerous predator was enough for most people to steer clear: but Yutri and Shenroc were not normal people.
“Ere now, what’re you doin’ slummin it on me dock, ye overgrown son of a gnome?” Tylo asked as he released Yutri from his embrace and reached to snatch Shenroc up.
“Neither of my parents were gnomes, I have told you this repeatedly,” Yutri answered, looking a bit confused.
“Never mind all of that,” Shenroc interjected before Yutri could get off on a tangent. “We need to seek passage on a fast ship that will be leaving this morning and will not ask questions. I could not find a fast ship, so we decided to see if you were available instead, you old pirate,” he finished, barely containing the grin spreading across his face.
“Eh? What’s that? You want me to slit your throat and feed you to the fish?” replied a smiling Tylo. “I have also told you repeatedly that I am not a pirate: I am a gentleman adventurer,” he stated, giving his best impression of the smooth baritone voice of Yutri.
“You said he was a pirate, Shenroc,” a confused Yutri said, turning his head side to side between his two friends.
“To move along the conversation, we will agree upon ‘gentleman adventurer,’” Shenroc said, turning to Yutri and mouthing "which is another name for a pirate,” which finally brought a smile of understanding from the slow dwarf. “Is your fine vessel available for a leisurely cruise out of this harbor to pretty much anywhere in the world that is not here?”
Staring at Yutri, Tylo muttered, “Sure be good for ye that ye are a devil in a fight, er someone woulda killed ye dead by now.” Turning his head toward Shenroc, he began to nod slowly, “Aye, me friend, I kin be available to take ye on a, ahh, pleasure cruise on short notice this fine mornin’ if ye be needin’ it. I will be needin’ to know who ye’re takin’ along and who need not know about yer trip...”
Shenroc locked stares with his pirate friend, contemplating how much he should divulge. Finally, he tentatively stated in a low voice, “Big Jim will not see the light of another day. I have two humans, a shadow elf, and a high elf who need to be delivered out of this harbor with all haste after the deed is done. Their destination is Harmonui, but the main objective is to leave Terminus while still breathing; wherever you can take them would be appreciated.”
Nodding his head in understanding, Tylo glared at Shenroc as he asked, “I don’t suppose ye have a payment fer this trip, do ye?”
With a sigh of relief and a sly grin, Tylo tosses the pirate a set of keys. “Do you remember Orra? She used to be a decent blacksmith before she tried to eat my human friend. Those are the keys to her shop, anything in it now belongs to Tylo the Blue.”
Tylo paused for a moment, staring at the keys in his hand, then nodded. “Aye, this be payment enough, what be the sign that we be needin’ to leave?”
“I would make ready now and leave an eye out toward the Portal. If I know my new companions at all, it will be obvious when we are ready to depart…”
◆◆◆
A short time later, the two returned to the inn where the remainder of the companions were just finishing their morning meal. Heishi looked up as Shenroc approached and seeing the pleased look on the half-orc’s face, he nodded. “We are all set for this morning then, my friend?”
“Aye, we are. I have booked us passage on a cruise ship with a ‘gentleman adventurer,’ who is preparing to depart as we speak. The passage to Harmonui is paid in full, my associate accepted the keys to your blacksmith shop as payment,” Shenroc explained.
“Good, I do not plan on coming back here to run a business, and we already took everything we need from the shop. Now, explain to me what a ‘gentleman adventurer’ is in this world. I am not picky about our avenue of departure but need to know more about who is taking us, so I know whether or not we need to secure different transportation once we are safely away from Terminus,” Heishi replied.
“Tylo the Blue refers to himself as a ‘gentleman adventurer’ because he dislikes being called a pirate. I see the look you are giving me, my friend, but do not be so hasty in your judgment of him. Pirate is a very broad term, and in the broadest sense yes, he is a pirate in that he attacks other ships, loots them, and typically kills all aboard before sinking the ship to cover his involvement in the disappearance of the ship. However, he is not a cutthroat with no heart: he does not attack innocent vessels. Tylo prefers to think of himself as an equalizer: he attacks trade ships flying the flag of a corrupt city, such as Terminus, knowing that all aboard are thieves and murderers themselves, whether sanctioned by the government of their city or not. He does not kill women, children, or those who have been forced into service by a tyrant: those he gives free passage to the closest port, assuming they agree to remain silent as to who was responsible for the disappearance of their ship. Is this a man you can do business with?”
After a few moments of contemplation, Heishi nodded before answering, “Yes, my friend, I can respect a man who targets tyrannical governments. Th
ere is a saying in my world, ‘the only difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter is whether or not you win.’ I think the same applies to your pirate friend.”
“Yes, I like this saying. You should teach this to Tylo when you meet him, I believe he will appreciate the name ‘freedom fighter.’”
As the two talked, Gabrielle approached the table, waiting patiently for a chance to interrupt the conversation. The two turned to her, and she began a bit hesitantly, “I just wanted to say thank you for saving me and being patient with me. I have never met an orc,” she said, looking at Shenroc, “who did not want to kill me. Same goes for a shadow elf,” she glanced to the adjacent table where Di’eslo was finishing his meal under the cover of his hood. “I do appreciate everything, and when I am returned to Harmonui, I will repay you for your kindness. Until that time, please just know that I am grateful and will do anything I can to assist you in your, umm, activities today.” She finished with a slight pink shade coloring her beautiful cheeks and the tips of her ears.
“Well, my lady, I can honestly say I have never in my life made an elf blush, so I suppose that is payment enough for you reacting to my presence with caution,” Shenroc said with mock gravity. “Consider all past transgressions forgiven, and may we move forward in friendship.”
The elf smiled and bobbed her head in agreement.
Tiane leaned forward as the two stared weirdly at each other, breaking the silence. “Now that everyone is one big happy family, what is the plan here, Top? We could just jump on this pirate ship and leave, no questions asked, and this Jim character would never find us. Do we really need to risk our lives this late in the game just because he pissed you off?”
The question was posed in a louder tone than intended, but luckily the room was empty except for the companions and the bartender, who was well versed in not hearing conversations in his bar. Each of the companions leaned closer to Heishi to hear his response to the question most had been thinking but only Tiane had the nerve to ask.