by Logan Jacobs
“Okay, follow me,” he sighed and then turned to walk back into his house.
Ashe and I followed the kobold through the small hallway and into a room at the back of the house. There was very little to help explain what the room was used for, but it had a wooden table in the center, and a lantern had been placed on a smaller table at the other side of the room. The windows allowed us to see around the dingy area, but the candle added an extra layer of warmth and light.
Other than this, the place appeared to be empty and covered in dust, and I wondered if this kobold even had a place to wash himself or prepare his food.
All three of us took a seat at the center table, and the kobold’s tail continued to sway behind the back of his chair.
“Tell me why you’re here,” he demanded in a low voice.
I considered my words carefully for a moment, but after seeing the kobold’s reaction when he thought I was an incubi, I decided I could be pretty honest right now. Not only had this creature been furious to think I expected him to sell people off to the Church, but he also seemed to have an issue with the higher-ups in the Shadow Quarters.
“Ultimately, we need to find a way out of Port of Rengfri,” I explained. “Traveling through the forest isn’t exactly ideal for us, so a vessel is our only option.”
“Won’t happen,” the kobold snorted at once. “Church owns the damn docks.”
“Well, maybe we cannot board a vessel so easily,” I allowed, “but this is what we’re intending to work around. There has to be some beings who send shipments through the docks. Beings from this area, whose work is less than legal.”
The kobold didn’t discount my theory, but he didn’t respond for a moment, either. He picked at the red scales on the back of his hand, and it was hard to tell from the ridges carved over his head, but I was certain I saw a scowl line form between his eyes.
“What’s this got to do with me?” he finally mumbled.
“We’re looking to get out of here quickly and quietly, without drawing too much attention from anyone. Incubi, Church, or otherwise.”
“Shame,” the kobold growled with a slight sneer. “I’d do anything to see those fucking incubi pay for the things they have done. If your escape could somehow involve bringing them to their knees, then I’d be happy to watch. You’re both clearly strong enough, and those eyes… those eyes prove you might just be able to--”
“We aren’t looking to get involved,” I informed him, but Ashe placed her hand on my arm as she studied his scaly face.
“What have the incubi done?” she asked curiously.
“What have they not done?” the kobold retorted. “I lived a grand life before they came into power, and now look at me. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
“You were sent to this part of town?” Ashe guessed. “Exiled?”
“I didn’t have an option.” He shrugged his red, muscular shoulders. “They saw my powers and abilities as too weak to complete the tasks they set out. Offered me grunt work, and I refused the degrading shit. My kind weren’t meant to bow to those dirty bastards, so I was forced to give up everything I owned, and even my weapons. They threw me to the streets like an unwanted dog, and I’ve been here ever since.”
“How long ago was that?” I asked.
“Too many years to remember,” he replied.
“And the others around here?” I continued. “The dwarf woman and her family? They all had the same experience?”
“The exact same.” The kobold nodded his giant head. “We are wary of creatures like yourselves because we only know pain and suffering from the beings with the glowing eyes. We keep quiet, work through our days, and then repeat the cycle the next morning.”
His description sounded an awful lot like the Hellscape. If a demon couldn’t prove their strength to a Lord Captain, or anyone who worked under the thumb of the Dark King, then they’d be quickly shunned away. Missions on the surface worlds were only set out for the greatest of hunters, and a void could become very small, very quickly, if you weren’t needed for a task. The majority of demons who were shunned away rarely lived much longer than a few months. They would be the last to feast, with no soul hunting to keep their spirits burning, either. Their bodies would give out before they had the time or the chance to replenish their energy, and I could understand why this kobold had been so eager to earn a measly twelve coins from us.
He was desperate, and judging by his sunken-in stomach, he was starving in this dejected area of the Shadow Quarters.
“Your dwarf neighbor told us about the vampires who lurk in the Grimmway,” Ashe spoke up. “We were hoping you could perhaps tell us of others who conduct similar work around Rengfri. Especially the ones who can slip under the watchful eyes of the guards and the Church. We’re not looking to deal with blood-suckers, or the incubi, but any others who come to mind could help us on our way.”
The kobold took some more time to think. He tapped his clawed fingers on the wood of the table, and the rhythmic sound echoed all around the empty room.
“A small group of gorgons reside in the palace at the other end of the Shadow Quarters.” The kobold shrugged. “They are known to have connections with the harbor, so they could be your best bet.”
Fuck.
If only we hadn’t gone and killed them, they could have been useful to us. Their weapons came in handy, but that was about it.
“Do you know how many gorgons reside there?” I asked.
“I don’t.” He shook his head. “Last I heard there were five of them, but they constantly come and go, so there’s no way of knowing the exact number.”
Even if there were more gorgons than the three we defeated, it would have been too risky if we showed our faces in the palace. It was possible they could have worked out who killed the three, and Ashe and I wouldn’t only have the Blessed to worry about in this area.
“Unfortunately, the gorgons aren’t a good option for us,” Ashe said and casually cleared her throat. “We don’t… get along well.”
“Not surprised,” the kobold chuckled as he looked at Ashe. “They’re some ornery bitches and don’t like women who are better looking.”
“And mine is.” I smirked. “Is there anyone else you can think of?”
“I don’t like to get involved in the darkness myself, but I do know someone who can help you,” he responded. “It wouldn’t be good for me to be spotted walking with you out in the streets, but I can give you directions to find them.”
“Thank you.” I smiled. “You have been of great help.”
I stood from the table, and then I counted out the twelve pieces I’d promised him. A smile crossed over the kobold’s features as he took in the sight of the large amount of money he now owned. I hoped he managed to get some decent food with those coins, because it was clear he hadn’t experienced the luxury of a good meal in a long time.
“Before you go,” he said suddenly and stood from the table. “I don’t have much, but I appreciate the kindness, so I’d like to offer you both something.”
“We need nothing but your information,” Ashe responded softly.
“Things aren’t the way they used to be around here,” the kobold protested. “Used to be that you could trust a being with a decent trade, and then some.”
The kobold opened up a drawer from the small table in the corner of the room. The contents of the drawer rolled around as it was opened, and then he pulled out one of the items. I couldn’t see what it was that he had in his scaly hand, but then he turned around and handed over two simple objects.
They were thin and made entirely from brass. I took the objects gingerly from his hand, in case the kobold had other intentions, but he let me take them without any issue. Each brass object had four large circles curved over the top.
“Oh, shit,” Ashe gasped as she took one from me. I hadn’t seen one before, but clearly, she had. “Fuck, I love these things. They make crushing faces delightfully easy.”
Ashe slipped
her fingers through the four holes, and the brass stopped just at the knuckles of her hand. Then she made a fist with her hand, and it looked like she had four rings on. This was clearly a weapon, and it made me wonder what would happen if I used it along with my hell power.
I couldn’t wait to find out, and I had to admit, Ashe looked fucking incredible with the brass weapon lining her pale knuckles.
“Thank you,” I said to the kobold honestly.
“Like I said, it isn’t much, but I hope you find your way out of here,” he said as we made our way back to the main door of the meager house. “Now, if you follow the road down to your left, you’ll come across a small hut just before the next stand of trees. Tell the owner the kobold sent you, and he’ll give you what you need.”
“We appreciate the information you were able to give us.” I smiled once more before we walked back out into the open.
Then I glanced up and down the street, but it appeared as though we had snuck out unnoticed. I wasn’t sure what would have happened to the kobold if anyone had noticed the interaction, but it wasn’t something I would have wanted to risk after what I’d heard of the incubi’s treatment of beings in this area.
It interested me that the kobold mentioned the gorgons as someone who had connections with the harbor, though. I supposed it must have something to do with their heritage, but I couldn’t help but wonder what they used the port for now. The more time I spent on the surface world, the more curious I was about the mortals who inhabited this place, and I hoped whoever we were going to meet next could offer some insight into the lives of the residents around here.
We followed the muddy, cobblestoned street in the direction we were told, and as we turned the corner at the end of the lane, another line of gnarled trees came into view. They were dark with the shadows of the canopy above, but at the foot of the trees, just like the kobold had said, I saw a wooden hut. It was circular in build, and it had a thatched roof on top. Three small steps led up to the main door, and at the side of the steps hung a small iron pot over a pile of wood. The wood was black and grey in some places, like the owner of the hut had used it to make a fire, but then let it smolder out at some point.
I could smell the faint scent of smoke, possibly from the burnt wood, but I noticed I didn’t pick up the scent of any particularly evil entities in the area. Actually, the owner of the hut had a scent more similar to depression and exhaustion.
Just like with the kobold’s house, I climbed the steps and moved to knock on the door, but the thing opened before I could raise my hand. A tabaxi stood tall in the doorway, and he glanced over at Ashe and I in turn with a frown between his orange eyes.
The tabaxi were a race of feline humanoids, and this one in particular stood at least seven feet tall. His entire slender body was covered in spotted fur, and his orange eyes were surrounded by black circles while his large, wide ears stuck out in points on the top of his head. The fur around his jaw and at the tip of his chin had faded to gray and was far paler than the rest of his fur, which was a light-yellow with the deep-brown spots. This graying made him appear old, but he seemed quite strong for his age. He stood firm on padded feet with black claws gripping the floorboards, and he wore a piece of light-blue material tied around his chest and a pair of bright green trousers that stopped above his raised heels.
“You have no reason to be here, demons,” the tabaxi said in a stern voice.
I stared in shock to hear another being recognize me so easily, but before I could respond, the tabaxi moved to shut the door in our faces.
Chapter 9
If you’d like to see a map of the Shadow Quarters, you can find it in my Facebook group (Search for Logan Jacobs in Facebook Groups), or on my Patreon (search Google for Patreon + Logan Jacobs).
I threw out my hand to halt the wood from slamming in my face.
“We were sent here by the kobold,” I informed the creature. “He said you could help us with something.”
The tabaxi glanced over my face, and he considered my violet, glowing irises for a moment.
“Why would I help you?” He squinted.
“We can pay you twelve pieces for your time,” Ashe answered for me.
“Twelve pieces?” the tabaxi thought aloud. “For what? What is it you need assistance with?”
“We need information,” I replied. “That is all. We seek to leave this place, and without the right information, we’ve hit a dead end.”
Like with the kobold, the tabaxi thought about my statement for a solid minute while he eyed the lanes both up and down, but then he allowed us to enter his hut with a single gesture of his paw. The tabaxi walked with a slight arch to his back as if the age had started to affect his bones, but he didn’t shuffle his great paws with each step.
The hut, unlike the other house we had been in, was one singular room. A bed was placed in the far corner, and a table sat in front of the window near the main door. The hut held the same scent I had noticed outside. He had recently cooked himself a meal, and the smell of the food was faintly noticeable.
The table only had two chairs beside it, so I allowed Ashe and the tabaxi to take them while I stood with my back to the window and crossed one foot over the other to hold my balance.
“Why do you want to leave, demon?” the tabaxi asked once we were settled.
“It should be no surprise to you that the Port of Rengfri is not a safe place for us to settle,” I explained.
“Why are you settling up here at all?” He asked with a tired smirk. “Thought your kind preferred to fester in the fire and brimstone.”
“We’ve chosen to seek better accommodations,” I said with a shrug. “Now, we need to find a temporary place to stay for the time being.”
“I cannot remember the last time I saw demons wandering around the Shadow Quarters,” the Tabaxi said as he stretched out his back against the seat. “Whatever you plan to do in these parts, it must be serious. Suppose you’re fixing to devour the incubi?”
“No,” I sighed. “We’re not getting involved in the issues of the Shadow Quarters.”
“That’s too bad,” the Tabaxi snorted. “I’d be happier to help if it meant your lot were fixing to knock those dirty bastards off their thrones around here.”
“The kobold said something similar,” Ashe responded with narrowed eyes. “He made it pretty clear the incubi are generally despised in this part of the quarters.”
“‘Despised’ is putting it lightly,” he snorted again. “There are many things I hate in this world, but I’d take any of them on if it meant I didn’t have to even think about the incubi for the rest of my life.”
“They’ve ruined your life, too?” I asked.
“Ruined?” the Tabaxi repeated, and he sent me an exhausted look. “I no longer have a life to ruin thanks to them. Tabaxi used to rule the Shadow Quarters before the incubi came into power. You’d find hundreds of us up in the trees at all hours of the day. After the incubi showed up, I was allowed to keep this hut, but everything else was taken from me. I am the last of my kind to live here, but the ones who were killed off had it easier. At least they got out early. I tell you, the incubi’s hold on this district has gone on long enough.”
“Well, that may be,” I replied, “but we don’t have any interest in dealing with their kind. We only seek to board a vessel at the docks. The issue we face there is that the wharves are overrun by the king’s guards and the Church.”
“Yeah, you won’t catch a demon slipping by their eyes out there,” the tabaxi snickered.
“Precisely,” I agreed. “Our plan is to get in contact with a syndicate who could possibly help us with this task. The only issue is we don’t know where, or how, to find an appropriate one without stirring up trouble for ourselves.”
“Help you?” The Tabaxi narrowed his feline eyes at me. “You can’t really believe the criminals around here would stick their necks out for a couple of rogue demons.”
“Oh, I’m sure they won’t,” Ashe
purred before I could respond. “But regardless, what we plan to do with their necks isn’t of your concern.”
“Ashe,” I warned, and the demon pursed her lips into a deadly smirk.
The tabaxi seemed to have understood our intentions clearly, though, and to my surprise, he didn’t look too rattled by the idea of us overthrowing a local syndicate.
“And so you’ve come to me.” He nodded and scratched his gray chin with a large paw. “You spoke to the kobold about this?”
“Briefly,” I replied. “He mentioned the gorgons at the palace, and a dwarf before him mentioned the vampires in the Grimmway, but they are of no use to us.”
“You need some criminals with connections in the harbor,” he concluded.
“They don’t necessarily have to be connected to the harbor,” Ashe pointed out. “If we must start with a lower operation, we can. We just need to know of anyone who has set themselves up well in these parts, and who can also slip past the watchful eyes of the Church and the guards. If their… change in management can be ignored, that will buy us the time we need to solve our issues with the wharves.”
“Well, that’s an easier task.” The tabaxi nodded. “Not too hard to find someone around these parts who don’t deal much with the wharves. Even easier to find a group that’s despised by most of the locals. What do you know of the dark elves?”
“I saw a group of them taken to the Church not long ago,” I answered with a shrug.
“Do you know of the group beyond the Grimmway?” the tabaxi asked.
“No,” Ashe responded for me. “We saw a vampire heading along that way, though.”
“Similar area,” the tabaxi confirmed. “You head deeper into the trees out there, and you’ll find a group of dark elves who run an illegal mining operation. There’s one elf who leads the whole organization, but last I heard, they had imp slaves to do the labor for them. They certainly have connections far greater than others around here. Can’t be touched by the Church. They’re set up even better than the damn vampires, and I’ve never heard a good word about them from anyone in these parts.”