Father of Zaan

by C. K. Rieke

  Crimson Cro Publishing 2017

  This novel was published by Crimson Cro Publishing

  Copyright © 2017 Hierarchy LLC

  All Rights Reserved.

  Cover by C.K. Rieke

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious.

  Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Please don’t pirate this book.

  CKRieke.com

  First Edition: February 2017

  CHAPTER ONE

  WITH the faintest of its warm rays beginning to peak up over the long, rolling fields of Fur-lol, Janos Talabard set out on his adventure. He went and kissed his three sisters, his mother, her face full of tears, and then his father, who returned a slight grin, a rarity on the old swine farmer.

  "Goodbye, my family. I'll return, I promise," he said.

  "Are you sure you want to go? The road can be dangerous. I don't want to lose my only son," his mother said.

  "Ah, the boy'll be fine. You just keep yer head on yer shoulders, and always keep a sharp blade," said his father.

  "I understand, mother. I'll do my best to stay safe. Farewell! Wish me luck!" Janos said, as he turned and walked off up the New Omne Road, towards the great kingdom of Auracity, with its high-reaching plume of black smoke in the distance. He'd heard tales of the types of people in the kingdom; they weren't the same as the folk of Fur-lol. In his hometown, one would be hard pressed to find a locked door under the moonlight, but the opposite was true in Auracity where corruption and greed ran like the river.

  As he walked down the road with his pack full of essentials, he pulled out a black, curled wooden pipe and stuffed musty tobacco leaves into it. He lit it with a small light from his flint and some straw on the side of the road. It danced in front of his eyes and tasted of a woody oak with a hint of vanilla.

  Under the rising sun, and the canopy of trees letting the light glitter through their summer leaves, Janos strode confidently, eager for his trek, as he was the first of his family in many generations to leave his hometown. Midway into his walk that day, he stopped to rest and looked into a cool, clear pond by the side of the road. In its reflection, he saw his pale-blue eyes, short, black course beard and his midnight -black hair was pulled back and tied with a strand of twine.

  He looked down at his palms, already dirty from the road; his spirits were high, and he was rife with anticipation for whatever awaited him in the city.

  That feeling didn't last long.

  ***

  On the third day of the five-day journey to reach Auracity, two men approached on horseback. Their eyes were sullen and they carried a rank stench.

  "Hullo," Janos said, and continued walking past.

  "Stranger, you heading up the road?" One of the men said from up on his black steed covered in dirt.

  "Yeah, I'm heading that way," he replied.

  "You've got another couple of days before you get there," the man said, through yellowed teeth under a torn hood.

  "I'd best be on my way then," Janos said, and continued his pace.

  The other man on the horse went and stopped in front of him. "You must have some supplies to make a walk like that on the road. Problem being, we're light."

  Janos's hand slipped into his pocket, and his fingers wrapped around the leather handle of his knife. He looked up and saw the man on horseback put his hand on the hilt of his sword at his side. What've you gotten yourself into his time, Janos? These aren't some rowdy-inn patrons; these men look like killers.

  "Listen, fellas, I can give you a few scraps of food, but I-" he said, but was cut off by a blunt object to the back of the head. As all turned black, the last thing he saw was the soft, green grass as he fell into it and the boots of the man dismounting his horse in front of him. He didn't wake for hours after.

  When he did, the sun had receded back into its slumber. His head ached and he felt as though there were needles stabbing into his mind. All around was the rhythmic chirping of crickets and other insects. He cupped his head, stumbled to the side of the rocky road, and sat by the stream. His fingers reached to the back of his head and felt the knot that'd formed. He pulled his fingers back to reveal a mess of dried blood.

  "Damn scoundrels, I hope they get what’s coming to them. If I ever see them again, they'd better . . ."

  He sighed, and with his hands cupped, brought up the water to wash his wound. After he'd cleaned off the blood on the back of his head, his first thought was to medicate. He looked back to the road, looking for a packet of aspir sticks, to calm his pounding headache. They were normally in the side pocket of his canvas pack, but the bag was gone. He reached into his pocket to find his knife gone, his wallet too.

  Damnit, Janos, what're you going to do now? It’s going to be a hell of a journey to make it the city with nothing. But, if you turn back, it’s going to be quite embarrassing, and who knows if I'd have the muster to head out again. What do I do? What's the next move on your path?

  He looked down the road to the south, back towards Fur-lol, and then up the road towards the great black tower of smoke, that'd been inching closer by the hour.

  "You want to give me a sign? Anything?" he yelled up to the sky, asking the forbidden gods what to do next. He sat there watching the road, his head aching. Over to his side, he heard the faint croaking of a toad that made his headache pound. He looked in its direction and crept over to the water's edge, where the sound came from. His brow furrowed, and he had to squint to see the brown toad with green streaks down its back. He walked over and saw a shimmer of light in the water next to the toad. He took another step and the toad leapt off, disappearing into the grass, but the flickering light remained.

  His fingers inched into the cool water and found the source of the light. He grasped the object and pulled it from the stream. Lifting it up to his face, he inspected it. Its golden metal shimmered in the moonlight.

  "A . . . Compass?"

  He opened the cover and water trickled off. His eyes scanned it, and his fingers twirled it around, inspecting it, removing any of the dirt that clung to it. It was constructed out of a heavy, soft gold, inlaid with turquoise stones that twirled around its back, and its needle appeared to be fashioned from a shard of silver.

  "Hmmm, seems to be working still, and it’s in good shape. Its surprising it would still work after being in the water." He looked at it, and its hand was pointing north. "I guess this is the best sign I'm going to get. Here we go, Janos . . . here we go," he said, as he started off again, heading towards the great plume, silhouetted in the moonlight.

  CHAPTER TWO

  UPON his entry through the great gates of the castle of Auracity, Janos, more than anything, desired a hot meal, a cool drink, and a soapy bath. He found his way from the city gates to the Grumblane Marketplace. Looking at the intricate wares, steaming hot cauldrons of food, and kegs of malt beer, he felt his mouth water and heard his stomach growl. It only briefly crossed his mind to take a bit of food, without having a slit to his name, but his father had taught him better than to be a thief. He did, however, make it a point to try to barter with the merchants.

  He pushed his way through the pungent crowd to reach a woman standing behind a table make of thick, sturdy beams with two kegs placed atop it, as well as some thin, broad crackers and log of a fatty, c
ured pork. That's got to be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I wonder what she'd take in exchange for even just one bite.

  "Excuse me, Miss, begging yer pardon," he said, with a wide smile.

  She eyed him up inquisitively and squinted. "Yes . . ."

  "I'm looking to offer my services. Are you in need of any work? I've got strong hands, and I've never been late in my life."

  He looked into her eyes; they were a lavish green he'd never seen. She bit her lip as she thought. "Ah, I've got nothing for ya," she said. "But . . . you see that fella down there, the one standing by the ox? His name's Brando, he's leaving town, and was just telling me he's in need of a couple fellas. I'd go speak with him."

  "Appreciate it, Miss . . . By the way—how much for a bite of that pork?"

  "I'd give you one if you purchased a mug of this ale," she said.

  "I regret to say the roads left me a little worse for wear. Actually, I was robbed," he said, sorrowfully.

  She eyed him up again, and bit at her lip. "Tell you what—Brando owes me a favor. If you get in with him, I'll give you enough pork to appease your hunger, and I'll add it to his debt."

  "I'll take that!" Janos said, and pushed his way through the rowdy, noisy crowd towards the man and the ox with long, curling horns.

  I wonder what kind of work this Brando needs. I'd do almost anything to get some food into me though.

  "Excuse me, Sir—Brando, is it?"

  "Aye, that's me, what'd ya want?" the man said, tying a cart to the back of the ox, which seemed unhappy about it. "Can't you see I'm busy here?"

  "The woman down there said you may be looking for some hands? You see, I'm looking for work, and I promise I won't let ya down if you give me a try."

  Brando, frustrated from dealing with the fighting ox, didn’t hesitant to give Janos a try. "Give me a hand with this then, will ya?"

  Janos, who'd had plenty of experience with oxen, went to the other side of Brando laid his hand on the ox, and let it trail down his hide. "Easy, fella, easy." The ox calmed as Janos helped fix the cart to its back.

  "That'll do," Brando said. "What's your name?"

  "Janos. Janos Talabard."

  "Well Janos, I'm heading up north and then east to the city of Dillengrad. You'd be helping me haul this lot up there: casks of wine from down in Vallenhalen. They’ll pay handsomely up there."

  "Dillengrad?" Janos said in surprise. I just got here, and the job takes me to the sea? Should I go? Or should I try to find something here? He pulled the compass from underneath his shirt and looked at the silver needle. "What'd ya know? Its facing northeast."

  "Trip won't make you rich, but I'll keep ya fed, and you won't go thirsty," Brando said. Janos looked at the man of short build, with a thick head of blond hair, and stubby hands.

  "I'll take it! Would you give me a moment?" Janos asked, and Brando nodded. Janos ran back down the market, squeezing through the masses towards the woman who promised him that bit of food. He happily took it and fit a good handful of the salty, fatty pork into his mouth with three crackers, before running back to Brando and the ox. "Ready when you are."

  "I've got an inn for the night, we'll leave at dawn," Brando said.

  ***

  The two left at the first light of dawn, the sun hung bright and they rode out towards it. The breeze was warm, and the fields outside of Auracity were as green and lush as those in Fur-lol. Janos sat back on the wagon as Brando held the reigns; two horses pulled the wagon, with the barrels of wine, and the ox pulled the cart with supplies.

  Janos had bathed, eaten a full meal, and had warm tea in his belly. He even made sure to write his parents and sisters a letter, and send it out with a courier before they'd left. He wasn't only the first to leave their town in generations, but he'd never heard of a Talabard, or anyone from Fur-lol, traveling to Dillengrad, the Castle of New Kings.

  The road was bumpy, and the trip jarring, but they made good time over the next few days. They'd gotten to know one another better, and Janos learned the Brando was actually from Dillengrad, and worked in the bay there. He told Janos about the sea, and the royal line in the kingdom. Janos wanted to see the vast and sprawling sea, if not only to tell those back home about it.

  On the road one day, they passed through a small town that was rife with commotion. Janos leapt from the wagon and ran over to the small crowd of people standing around a man hanging from a bell tower four stories high. The man hollered for help and struggled to keep his hands wrapped around a jutting beam. It appeared the man had been working up there, when a structure he was standing on gave way and shattered to the ground.

  The men and women below yelled up to him in panic, and one woman sobbed in fear, seemingly his wife. What can I do? Should I try to run up there and grab the man's hand? He's so far out on that beam, he'd have to shimmy his way back towards the bell tower, maybe I could . . .

  Janos felt something to his side, and he turned to see a young man standing there; he had hard eyes and long veins in his strong arms. Janos noticed something appear in the young, bearded man's eyes, it was a dull blue light, and he heard gasps and shouting from the crowd back behind him.

  He looked at Brando, who stood with his mouth agape, and then looked back up to the man swirling in blue wafts of smoke. The man’s arms released from the beam, and his fingers began to slip as he clung on with all his strength. He cried out desperately for help as they watched his fingers slide from the beam and he began to fall, yelling and screaming as he fell quickly towards the ground.

  Janos watched as an unnatural blue smoke gathered at the ground beneath the man, and rose quickly, enveloping him until he was gone from sight, shrouded in the blue smoke. The smoke fell back to the ground, and as it dissipated, the man appeared, standing on both feet, firmly on the ground, safe and unscathed. He had a look of shock on his face, and looked down to check his body, and gave a relieving smile up to the crowd.

  While the crowd approached the man and helped him up to his feet, Janos turned back to the young man who walked away with an older gentleman.

  "Hey," Janos yelled, as he ran up to the two. "That was really something."

  The older man turned to Janos; he had golden spectacles, gray eyebrows, and a long sea-colored robe. "What?"

  "I know a miracle when I see one," Janos said. "I won't tell anyone, but you're a hero. You saved that man's life."

  The younger man with the black beard turned to look at Janos. "I'm no hero. Anyone would've done the same."

  "I don't think anyone can do what you did," Janos said.

  "They can consider themselves lucky, then," the man said.

  "Well, if you don't mind, we'll be on our way then," the older man said.

  "Where are you two going?" Janos asked. "We're heading to Dillengrad, we could travel together."

  "We're heading up north, to the fortress on the sea," the young man said.

  "You don't mean Barrier Cliff?" Janos said. "That place has been uninhabited for years."

  "Yes, it has been," the old man said. "Maybe our paths will cross again, until then, farewell."

  The two men mounted horses and galloped off with the evening glow on their backs.

  "What was that all about?" Brando asked Janos.

  "You ever feel the presence of a great man? Someone you know is going to make a mark on the world?" Janos asked.

  "No, can't say I have. Were those great men?"

  "The younger fella, I saw something in him. I think he saved that man's life."

  "Hah!" Brando scoffed, "You going to tell me he had magic like in some story. Come on now, don't be foolish. This is the real world, people are just people. There's no such thing as magic."

  "I'm not so sure. I know what I saw. That man is going to help a lot of people in his life, I can tell you that much."

  CHAPTER THREE

  DAYS after his encounter with the two men in the small village, and after a long, bumpy road
on their wagon, they saw the high walls of the city of Dillengrad come into view. Its stone walls wrapped around the central palace housing the royal family. It cascaded with hundreds of windows as it rose up towards the heavens. The long plains the city sat upon, strolled on endlessly, with fields of grass and farmlands.

  "There she is," Brando said, and cracked his knuckles.

  Janos didn't reply, but rested his chin on his arms in front of him.

  They rolled up to the entrance in their wagon, and after it was thoroughly inspected, they were allowed into the city. Janos was awestruck as he looked down the seemingly endless roads and streets full of vendors and bustling people. It was frantic with people yelling over one another and with the bartering of people trying to get the best deals. After they made their way down a long, straight street brimming with thousands of people, they arrived to their destination, and their buyer.

  They dropped off the barrels of wine, and received a heavy bag of coins, Janos guessed at least two-thousand solids. Brando gave Janos a handful of solids, forty-five to be exact. I'll be able to eat for weeks on this, and get a room with a bath surely, but it wouldn't be enough to get back to Fur-lol. Not that I want to go back yet, but I've got to find something else to do in the meantime to grow my purse while I'm here.

  "Now what, Brando? What's next on your list?"

  "I'm going to the sea, to work on the ships of Dillengrad. It’s another hundred miles, roughly, but they pay. Want to join?"

  "The sea? The Elden Sea?" Janos asked. "Why would you want to do that? Aren't you worried about the Aterax? That storm would tear ships apart, I'd imagine."

  "Yeah, but they pay, and they pay well. What? You got little ones at home to worry about?" Brando said, as he shook the reins, and the horses began trotting down the cobblestone road.

  "No, no children yet. Perhaps someday, if I find the right lady."