Eep was surprised as the orcen children pelted him with rocks while screaming ugly names at him. It was the opposite of what he was used to. Terror was replaced by anger. They had to be the most ignorant creatures in the world. A rock struck his eye, then was followed by another, dropping him bewildered from the sky. Before he knew it, the children began bashing him with sticks and stones with as much ferocity as he’d ever cared to experience. This can’t be happening. Blow after blow, they came, kicking, punching, and beating him with rocks. He thought of Verbard and Catten—all of the cruel tricks they pulled on him. The thought sobered him up.
He began tearing the children apart one by one. They fought back, however, not noticing that they were piling up in heaps. Gashed faces and bellies abounded, some nearly torn asunder like a child’s toy. Eep was not damaged by their stones. They couldn’t hurt him. They tried to tackle him and bash his brains in. He was too fast and powerful. It wasn’t long before he prevailed. He looked around. Not one single orcen child lived. Not one had fled.
Eep brushed his claws off. He took a large bite out of an orcen boy’s leg as he looked around. He would do anything to do that to the underling lords. He spat out the flesh, wiping his mouth, and said, “Yuck!”
They fight better than they taste.
He buzzed off to the nearby village and killed all the rest. He had a mission, but saw no reason why he could have some fun along the way. He just couldn’t help himself. Gotta be me.
CHAPTER 54
Venir’s thoughts were heavy. Georgio, whom he felt for like a brother, had almost died. Lefty had almost died too. It was all on account of him. It tore at him. He knew nothing about raising children. He did know that the City of Bone was a poor choice for doing it. He didn’t feel there was any place fit for children anymore in all of Bish. Underlings ran loose in the south and treachery was afoot everywhere else. The somewhat safe harbor of the City of Three was the only option he could think of.
The City of Three was by far the lesser of evils when it came to larger cities. It offered protection far less ominous than those massive rock walls that surrounded the City of Bone. Instead, tall cut block walls of alabaster stone and marble garden guarded the occupants of the starkly different city.
Spires of shining metal and sparkling jewels could be seen in all directions. The streets were clean and the city felt cool as the backdrops of waterfalls and the mountains’ shade provided for a greener and more serene atmosphere that they found to their liking.
The people in the fairer city cleaned up better as well and the districts were less confusing to navigate than their previous home. With fewer people, the crowds were more amiable and not as guarded and suspect like they were accustomed to, either. The humans were all about but it wasn’t just humans, as dwarves and halflings contributed to its society as well.
Venir knew where to take Lefty when they arrived. The ailing boy with desert fever was taken to the House of Clerics. They wore soft pale robes, spoke in whispers, and represented many races. Venir paid them well for their services, thanks to Mood. It took more than a handful of gold, a small fortune, but in two days, Lefty was back on his light feet, eyes wide with astonishment.
As Venir led them through the city, and they brushed against other races, he noticed tears rolling down Lefty’s cheek. He knew the boy was thinking of his family and the Vicious that had slaughtered them. Those same creatures had almost killed Georgio. Venir and Brool had put a stop to the Vicious, turning them into dog food. He swore he would never put them in danger again. At least now he felt he had them in the right place.
“Why do they call it the City of Three, Vee?’ Georgio asked, his eyes alive with excitement.
“You’ll see,” Venir said. “We’re almost there, but before I show you, do you want to eat the most delicious food in all of Bish first?”
“Yes!” they said.
The food flourished in the City of Three, more so than any other city in the world of Bish. The waters that surrounded it made for great catches of fish from the mountain streams, and the surrounding land was fertile and green with grass and gardens for leagues in all directions. They found a tavern that Venir was familiar with, stabled Quickster, and settled in.
“I can’t wait to eat,” Georgio said. “Everything smells great here.”
Venir smiled as the scent of fresh meat and other delicacies seemed to ease all their nerves.
“Anything is better than more jerky and hard biscuits,” Lefty said.
“You guys are going to like this place. It has the best food around,” Venir said.
After the food was brought, Venir watched the boys eat like pigs. And Venir spared no expense for them: soups, fish, chicken, and many other items the likes of which they had never tasted. Their noses sniffed everything and they commented incredulously with every bite—and the other patrons didn’t seem to mind their boisterous behavior, either. Venir himself had his fill so he made his way around the room filled with people that came and went. He felt a bit awkward. The dwellers were more polished than those of the Drunken Octopus, and he stood out like a sore thumb—just like the last time.
The tavern inn was called the Magi Roost because it was owned and run by an actual mage, one whom Venir knew well—quite well. At the bar, he surveyed the crowd as he sucked down a large mug of ale then called for another. His nerves finally settled. The staring faces didn’t bother him so much.
The men and women were certainly more fair and polished, but their ways were still just the same. Royals were afoot as well—not as pompous and overbearing here as in Bone, but still dominating among the locals and other races. Just like back at the Drunken Octopus, fireplaces blazed in every corner, but the contests and gamblers’ feats were less obvious, yet Venir knew what to look for.
As for the magi in the city, they primarily made up of the ruling class. The Royal houses had many in the positions of heads of state and their odd ways seemed to keep things in order. Whereas the leaders from the City of Bone ruled with strict intimidation, the leaders in the City of Three ruled with more subtle abilities that were not feared or spoken of either in any way. The people knew what not to say, and didn’t, and that kept them safe, so they left it that way.
A woman approached Venir with a figure as intoxicating as a bottle of ancient wine. He drained his third pint, licking his lips. She was the most welcoming sight he had seen in years. Her full red lips seemed like bright cherries against her pale alabaster skin. It stirred him. Her locks of curly red hair cascaded over her broad shoulders. She wore a tiny jewel-adorned green dress that that accented every feature of her flawless figure. Venir could felt his heart beating in his chest. She smiled at him, filling his mind with passion—but her hard slap across his cheek told him there would be none of that.
“You’ve been gone too long to even be able to think about me again like that, Venir,” she said, as some from the room chuckled around him.
“Then you shouldn’t dress like that, Kam.” He looked her up and down. “Slap me all you want; it just reassures me that I’m not dreaming,”
Kam glared at him. “You smell horrible and you’re filthy, so if you are going to stay in my place, you better get cleaned up.”
“Ready for my company already, are we? Well, then … I’ll do it right away.”
As he was sucking down another drink, Kam eased her hand onto his shoulder. Her touch and perfume drew him in. He wanted to take her.
“Don’t be so sure big boy,” she whispered in his ear.
A shock of magic jostled him so hard that he spilled his drink all over himself, almost dropping the mug to the floor. The whole room was laughing.
“Ah!” he groaned. “Glad to see you still got that same fire burning for me, red. Notice I didn’t drop my mug, either,” he said.
Venir shook the mug while watching her voluptuous figure saunter away.
“Get cleaned up,” Kam said over her shoulder. “Then I’ll be back and you can tell me why you are
here.”
He wanted to grab her in his arms and kiss her. He couldn’t wait a moment longer. He got up from his stool to follow.
Georgio and Lefty then ran up to Venir.
“Who was that?” Lefty asked. “She was beautiful.”
“Yeah, really pretty,” Georgio said through a mouthful of pasta.
The moment passed as Venir watched her disappear. He could feel himself breathe again.
“Kam … She’s an old friend,” Venir said. “She’ll be back and she can’t wait to answer anything you ask her. Now finish up. I’m taking you to see why this is called the City of Three.”
Soon enough, they headed down the broad streets, block after block, until the roads narrowed and became quiet. The sweltering heat that had consumed them in the Outlands was blocked as the spray of mist caught them from time to time, and the sounds of the thundering falls could be heard roaring in the distance. The farther they went, the fewer pedestrians they saw. They were now in a part of the city that was unlike the rest. It reminded Venir more of Bone. They rounded another corner and there it was.
“What is that?” Georgio whispered in awe.
“Those are giants, Georgio. Three of them in all,” Venir said.
He had only seen them a few times in his life, but every time, it got him. Stone statues of three massive men standing almost twenty feet tall were looming before them, intimidating and grim in looks, enhancing their opposing size. The detail of the marble stone was so lifelike that Venir could have sworn he could count every fiber of hair. Lefty ran his deft fingers over the hairs on the toes of one statue.
“Ooo,” the halfling whispered.
All three of the giants were standing, hands crossed on their chests, armed with swords, axes, and hammers. The large garden in which they stood seemed small, though it was not, as the beautiful trees that surrounded them seemed more like huge mushrooms instead. Not a single soul was present except for the man and two boys who stood staring upward for moments.
Lefty finally broke the calm: “Are they who the city was named after, Venir?” he asked in a soft voice.
“Well, yes and no. You see, those giants are some of the builders of this city from long ago. As the legend goes, they made a deal with the magi here to protect it too. The problem is that giants aren’t very smart. So the magi tricked them by turning them into stone so that they would be here if ever in need.”
“That’s mean,” Georgio said.
“It sure is. But it’s only a legend,” Venir said, rubbing the boy’s shoulder.
“Sucky legend,” Georgio said.
“Do they have names?” Lefty asked.
“No.”
“Is that really true? Are there really giants on Bish?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever seen one, Venir?”
He thought about it. He had never seen one, but the world offered plenty of evidence. Mood had told him there were indeed giants. He never understood how something so big would be so hard to find.
“Well,” Venir said, “I see three right now that look pretty real to me.”
The boys just shook their heads.
“So, if the city’s not named after the three giants, then where did it get its name?” Lefty said.
“Oh … well, I almost forgot that part. Follow me.”
Venir began climbing up the giants. Georgio and Lefty looked at each other, then followed. It didn’t take long to reach the top. Georgio and Lefty each stood on another giant head together as well. Venir pointed toward the sounds of the pounding water in the distance.
“Wow!” the boys said.
In the distance stood three massive waterfalls, each over two hundred feet high, in the back of the city. People were working and playing all around for mile after mile as they looked into the clear cool basin of water the falls created below the city. Venir remembered those cool waters—and Kam’s wet body at his side.
“Can we go down there, Vee, please?” they pleaded as they hopped up and down.
“Georgio, you are gonna have to take a bath somewhere so it might as well be there. I just hope that water will work on your dirty little hide.”
“It will! It will!” the boy cried.
He sat down and took a moment to enjoy the peace while the boys splashed and played in the water. Watching them, Venir laughed and felt a sense of calm. Eventually, though, underlings, Royals, and the rest of the wicked entered his thoughts. He became uneasy again.
“Let’s get back,” he finally said.
They headed back down into the city, leaving the giants alone to themselves again. He looked hard at their massive faces as he left. He always felt a connection with their stoic expressions. It seemed a cruel way to live, trapped like that. He felt trapped himself.
Venir managed to settle Georgio and Lefty in at the Magi Roost. Then he cleaned himself up and even shaved his grisly face. He couldn’t stop thinking about Kam. She was the one woman he’d always gotten along with. He wondered why she even fooled with him.
He stared in the mirror of his room, not remembering the last time he even looked at himself. He had changed. Hard lines of a soldier etched his tanned face. He smiled. At least no teeth were missing. It could have been worse. He could have looked how he felt inside.
Venir knew he was far from the man Kam knew him to be. He was more serious than lighthearted these days. He wasn’t about to let that stop him from tossing her over his broad shoulders and taking her up the stairs like he used to back then, though. Those were the days, he thought, then grinned as he headed downstairs with thoughts of her wine-red lips dancing in his head.
Evening had settled and the City of Three stayed particularly dark in the moons’ shadows from the mountains, but there was warm inviting light everywhere, inside and out, it seemed. The Magi Roost’s décor seemed a good reflection of the owner, Kam the mage. Blazing fires, ample torches, and candlelit chandeliers were warm and inviting for all comers and goers from abroad.
The rough voices of battle-tested dwarves spoke of grim adventures to the sophisticated and common folk as well. In the background, Venir heard music from a dysfunctional band of string and percussion players with long locks of braided hair. The hands of halflings and humans strummed and snapped their instruments with passion and fire.
Mugs and goblets of ale, mead, and wine sloshed about and the patrons indulged themselves in conversations inappropriate for fair ears, but not all. Kam provided specialties from all over world, drawing strangers in every night. She told Venir she liked that. He liked it too. Unlike Bone, the seedy elements of desperation and need were not so prevalent, but they were there the same, just not as easy for the common eye to detect. He could see them, though.
The City of Three’s ruling Royals had a different philosophy of governing things. They didn’t isolate themselves within their majestic and fortified castle walls in full, but instead they openly mingled with the citizens, but to a limited degree. Some Royals even opted to live among the commoners, as it was considered goodwill by the people, when in fact it was merely a very subtle way of keeping an eye on things.
Kam, the vibrant tavern owner, was one of those Royals, and she had chosen a path that wasn’t well accepted within her house, but tolerated nonetheless. Venir liked to hear stories about her bickering siblings and how she found the life of formality and luxury boring and pathetic. She had once told him about how she took on the endeavor of the Magi Roost. It was also where he’d met her for the very first time. He was incorrigible and charming but he could never get her to admit it.
Venir took his place at a table between a stone fireplace and a large window opening that gave full view of the active streets. He enjoyed the peaceful setting as a buxom waitress with a plunging neckline leaned forward.
“Can I get you something?” she asked, tossing her curly auburn hair.
He leaned back in his chair. “What did you have in mind?”
“Drinks? Food? Whatever pleases you, big fel
la,” she said with a wink.
“I’ll start with a decanter of mead and a plate of hot food—steak and eggs,” he said, winking back.
“As you wish,” she replied.
As she walked away, Venir admired her round hips and firm legs swaying with her tight skirt. He shook his head. There were many women of the sort around and a man had to be careful which one he dangled with. The ways of the women in Three were not as straightforward as they were in Bone.
The City of Three wasn’t all that it appeared to be and he knew much of what he saw was less than reality. The use of magic was heavy but not apparent. Illusions were used to make things look better than they really were. It took a long time for Kam to get him to understand this.
Perceptions remained skewed as long-lasting spells were cast in efforts to keep up appearances. If they were forgetful, which sometimes they were, the walls and ornaments would quickly fade. Even their clothing would in some cases appear filthy and ragged, but in some instances the foul smell of a finely dressed gentleman would quickly give him away as something he did not appear to be.
The gorgeous women that strolled about were not as they appeared, either. They managed to apply the appropriate spells and cantrips to enhance their figures, hair, and clothes to the fullest. Usually in the morning, their glow was gone—and Venir himself had woken up to more than one surprise or two.
The food and beverages embellished the reality as well. Delicious and exotic drinks were salted and peppered with mystically tainted herbs and grains that made one drink more and more. The City of Three was not what it seemed, but not because they had something to hide, more so because they liked to keep things nice. It made for good order and kept lawlessness under control.
Venir had finished his savory meal and mead when Kam arrived. Unlike most of the women in the room, Kam was indeed everything she appeared to be. Her thick red hair was pulled back on the top of her head by a flat golden tiara. Her face was radiant, her skin soft and pale, and her beautiful green eyes twinkled from her teardrop face. Her small nose, high cheeks, and delicate features distinguished her as a Royal as well. She now wore a tight and revealing long-sleeved tunic of red silk with a short brown leather skirt beneath it. High brown suede boots came up to above her knees. Venir’s mouth began to water as she sat down across from him.
The Darkslayer: Book 02 - Blades in the Night Page 24