The caravan master again dipped into his coffers and paid the guards who weren’t staying on, Seal, Madger, and Kharick among them. Seal presented a small, but thick, soft leather bound book to him, the pages empty and pristine, except for the first one, which detailed the job they had hired on to do and completed.
“If you wouldn’t mind signing.” She smiled.
He had to dig in his wagon for ink and quill, but scrawled out his name. With little ceremony, Seal shut the book and turned to her two companions.
“Mercenaries then?” Kharick asked as they left the bazaar, having to shout to be heard over the hawkers and other conversations around them.
“Madger said she didn’t want to stay in one place.” Seal shrugged with a grin.
“This is a noisy city.” Madger frowned. “I’ll go deaf here.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Seal said. “We need to get some supplies. I’ll see if I can find us a job that takes us away from here.”
“Away from the desert.”
“Aye,” Kharick agreed. “Out of this heat.”
Seal rolled her eyes. “This is winter!”
They found an inn that catered to the larger races, like sarpand and orcs, so Madger could have a bed. They started purchasing supplies for the road, new packs, water-skins, and Madger and Kharick needed more sets of clothes since they had lost everything at Neosho. The tailor, cobbler, and cloak-crafter would need at least a week to finish their work. Seal purchased some maps and went to the contractor’s hall to find work.
Madger found her way to a book store, the shelves dusty and difficult for her to walk between. She’d never imagined so many books could be in one place. How was she ever going to find the Titan’s Tome?
Following Seal’s example of buying items before asking for information, she bought two books, The Primer of Spell Components, and A Dissertation of the Northern Continent and the Species of the Peoples. The human was a frail looking man, older, and his eyes squinted as he counted her coins.
“Have you heard of, or seen, a book with white leather binding, brass hinges, and about so big?” Madger spread her hands to give the approximate dimensions.
He barely noticed her motions. “No.” He shoved the books across the counter to her.
Madger frowned, he hadn’t even thought about it. “I could buy it. I’ll pay.”
He looked up at her with rummy eyes and spoke louder, enunciating his words. “I said, no. No giant books.” He reached under the counter and produced a hand-held crossbow, the bolt in place and ready to fire. “Understand? No giants.”
Madger tamped down her anger and held up her hands with a little nod. She could light fire to the store, to the man, but what good would it do? If anything it would just call more attention to her. She slid her two books off the counter and left.
The best Seal could find after three days was a short job to the northwest. Not many contractors were willing to suggest a mercenary crew with a fresh ledger book to a client. It wouldn’t get them to the next town, but it was something to replenish their coin and get them moving.
Seal sat with Kharick and Madger in the common room of the inn and explained the job. “We’re glorified deliverymen.”
Kharick took a drink of his ale and looked over the top of his mug expectantly, Madger raised an eyebrow.
“I had to take a low price, and we’ll be transporting some furnishings to a manse to the northwest.”
“Furnishings?” Kharick muttered. He took another large swallow. “I suppose we have to start somewhere.”
“I promise the dragon slaying commissions will come in eventually,” Seal laughed.
Two days out from Nox’Len, they made camp for the night just off the road. After tending the horses and making supper, Kharick rolled out his bedding and went to sleep. Madger sat with Seal near their slowly dying fire. This close to the southern continent, the weather remained warm no matter the season.
“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to ask you this before,” Madger began, “and then when we were with the caravan, I thought it best not to bring it up, but since we’re out of the city now, alone, and…” She gestured to Seal’s feathered wings that gently caught the light of the dimming fire. Seal gave her an expectant look but didn’t interrupt. Madger cleared her throat and continued, “I read a book once that mentioned the other planes, the Hells, Limbo, and the Heavens. I hadn’t thought it all true.”
Seal’s white eyebrow twitched up. “Oh?” She continued to smooth the feathers of one wing, keeping an air of disinterest. It was likely some religious text the young mage had found.
“Have you heard of the Alisande?” Madger asked in a near whisper, as though it were a secret not meant to be spoken aloud.
Seal’s breath caught and she looked up at Madger, her blue eyes locking with the giantess’s gray ones. “You shouldn’t know of it.”
Madger broke away from Seal’s look and wondered about her statement. It had been written in the book, as plainly as the mention of the other planes. The Maze that held it was explained, not the exact challenges, but that few souls would be chosen to attempt to find the sword and even fewer would reach it. It might be a death worthy enough to be with her family again, if she couldn’t find a way to avenge them.
“What book?”
Madger swallowed and fidgeted with the tail of her shirt. “Just some old book I lost.” She hoped that was enough to throw Seal’s attention. She didn’t want to talk about it. It would mean admitting she had left her clan, defied her father’s orders. And when she’d come back… She shook her head, not wanting to think about it.
A rare dark look crossed Seal’s eyes. “Forget about the Alisande.” She got up and rolled out her bedding. “You take watch for the night.” She laid down with her back to Madger and chewed at a fingernail. What book could Madger have crossed that held the name of Life’s sword? She bit down on her thumb to keep her teeth from chattering from a cold shudder, despite the warm night air. It would be best if she didn’t ask Madger about it further. Best not to bring it up. Best if everyone forgot about Life’s sword, and Death’s sword, and no one learned where they’d been hidden.
Madger let out the breath she’d been holding and let the matter drop. She pulled out one of the books on magic she’d found and read. She wouldn’t go to sleep, but she wasn’t about to spend the night watching for furniture thieves.
Chapter 18
311 Br. spring
“There is no brew stronger than Dark Water. Even the ale brewed by my brethren in their mountain kingdoms pales in comparison. I do no know where the recipe came from, but the masters gave it to me. So long as I keep the supply readily available for them at the citadel and every establishment that serves drink in Meerwood, my shop and home are mine. Let the Dark Waters flow!”
-Charn, Master Brewer
A fter four days, Kharick, Madger, and Seal made their delivery, received their pay and continued northwest, toward a town called Naro. The harsh, dry climate of the southern continent crept into the north, and the land was barren but for a few scrub bushes. Red sandstone formations reached into the sky from the hard clay, like long forgotten ruins. Pillars and arches of natural rock formations decorated the landscape. Ravines and cliffs looked fluid-like, as though some great force had stopped the flow of molten rock in the middle of breaking rapids.
Madger reverently trace her fingertips along the smooth surface of the cliffs as they traveled. As though if she kept contact with the stone, there was still a connection to her family’s cave. At night she read of the elementals, and discovered she could use her magic to communicate with those that lived within the stone and earth. She began practicing while in the barren desert, and gradually grew more adept.
One night, as the sun set and they gathered close to the fire to stay warm, Madger dipped her magic into the nearby ravine wall. With meticulous care she drew out a rough cylinder, and then smoothed away the divot she’d created.
“What ya doing,
lass?” Kharick asked.
“Making me nervous, is what she’s doing,” Seal quipped.
“I want to make a flute.” Madger began smoothing the shape with her magic, her finger gliding down the instrument like a sculptor shaping clay. “Since I lost my father’s.”
Kharick placed a staying hand on Seal’s forearm. “All right, lass. We trust you to know your limits.” He met Seal’s eyes, a silent agreement that he would explain later made between them.
After a week of trekking across the harsh red landscape they reached the small city of Naro. The guards gave them directions to an inn that could accommodate Madger, The Black Boar.
Madger didn’t like the press of people around her. Her few experiences in cities had left her anxious and uncomfortable. The stares and laughter made her self-conscious and children would often dart by and pull at her clothing as though to check if she were real. More than once, she thought about knocking one of them over as they ran past, but anytime she was about to retaliate from the little jabs and pulls, the images of Jula, Jorn, and Rosth came to mind, and she stopped.
Her cousins had done worse, throwing rocks and mud at her. Only her brother, Merion, would come to her defense. It brought back a sharp stab of memory, his comforting arm around her shoulders. The sound of his voice when she’d asked him why he’d offered the Titan’s Tome to keep her betrothal to the neighboring clan chief’s son and the treaty intact.
You know why.
Merion had saved her life with his inheritance.
Seal got directions to the contractor’s building from the woman at the bar, and for an extra copper mark, learned that a dwarf named Kelin offered the best pay. The building was undecorated, except for a board on the outside where some people had posted job offerings. Most used the contractors inside; it was safer to deal through them. It wasn’t unheard of for larger mercenary groups to post jobs to ambush smaller companies, to steal their earnings, ledger book, and weapons they could sell later. Some were rumored to sell the survivors to the slave markets in the south. Nor was it rare for someone to have their money or goods stolen when arranging to meet with a mercenary crew to contract for a job.
Contractors would leave their mark on the ledgers most mercenary crews kept. The unique stamps of the contractors were known amongst themselves, and if too many red stamps were left without a black stamp next to it for finishing a job, contractors were less likely to hire the crew again.
Madger’s head brushed the ceiling of the single story shop, but it was far less crowded than the streets. Several tables lined the walls, and five different people sat behind them. A few were speaking with other customers or hirelings, but the only dwarf in the room was free.
“Kelin?” Seal asked as she approached.
“Aye.” Kelin looked up at her, and then up some more at Madger. His mouth gaped for a moment, but he firmly shut it and looked back to Seal.
“The barkeep from The Black Boar suggested we talk to you for work.”
“Aye. What’cha lookin’ fer?” Kelin asked, his accent thick enough that Madger had to focus to make out what he said.
“We’re looking to go further north,” Seal offered.
“Ya got a wagon?”
Seal shook her head. “We can do transport if everything is provided. But there’re only three of us.”
Kelin grunted and looked through some papers on his desk, after a moment he pulled one out and read it over. “Here.”
Seal took the offered sheet. It was carefully written out in the common Merchant’s language, and detailed out the task and offered payments.
Information on the village Jirish and woman named Curas needed. If all is well, bring back next shipment of jewelry from Curas. No large transport required.
Most important requirement is the status of Curas, as she is the employer’s niece.
Pay for information and shipment: 2 silver crowns.
Pay for information: 1 silver crown and 20 copper marks.
Seal nodded. “We’ll take this. Do you have directions?” After Kelin had made a crude drawing of roads and landmarks to Jirish, she continued, “We can head out tomorrow.”
“All right, lass.” Kelin took back the paper and stamped it, and offered an inked quill to Seal. “Mark here.” He pointed under the stamp denoting a sword with a wagon wheel under it. He took her ledger book and stamped it as well. “Come back wit’ goods or information, I’ll get ya paid.”
Seal nodded. “Until then.”
When they returned to The Black Boar, they settled at a table with Kharick and ordered a meal. Seal explained the job to him, and he agreed it was a good price.
“Why do you think the merchant needs someone to check on his niece?” Madger questioned after three steaming bowls of stew were set out for them.
“Likely lost contact.” Seal shrugged and blew at a spoonful of stew. “Didn’t get his shipment, or had a falling out with her.” She spread out the map she had bought and compared it to the crude drawing Kelin had given her.
Kharick pointed at the map and said around a mouthful of food. “Looks like a week trip to and back all together.” He took a drink of his ale to wash it down. “We be getting our supplies in the morning?”
“Mmm.” Seal agreed with a nod as she ate.
“Dragon Isles?” Madger asked and pointed at the markings labeled just south off the coast of where they were going.
“Me dad said that’s where most of the dragons live. A truce was made between them so their eggs would no be endangered. Easier to guard an island from invaders.” Kharick wiped at a dribble on his beard with his sleeve. “Like most folk, they’re protective of their young…” As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had called up the memories of the children they’d lost to the slavers. He grimaced and wouldn’t meet Madger’s eyes.
“Hmm.” Madger leaned back from the map and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. She shoved the loss of Jula, Jorn, and Rosth aside. “There was a store that looked to have books.”
“Yes, your books.” Seal laughed, refusing to acknowledge the shift in their demeanors. “I’ll give you your cut to go look this evening.”
The sun was beginning to splash the sky with the colors of its descent, when Madger left the inn. Her belly was full, and her small coin purse was filled with several copper marks she had decided to splurge on books. Madger let Seal and Kharick believe the only reason she went to the bookstores was to broaden her knowledge. Although, she was beginning to understand just how lost the Titan’s Tome was now that she’d seen how vast the world was, and how many books could be held in a single store.
She managed to avoid bumping into people as the streets were starting to clear for the night. The store had a simple wooden placard of an open book over its door. She ducked to gain entrance, the chime the door struck as it opened also rang against her head, and she winced. Still not ducking low enough.
“Hel- ohh!” the shopkeeper cried as Madger straightened slightly while easing the door shut.
“Hi,” Madger offered. The woman who had tried to greet her stared across the desk with wide eyes and mouth agape. Madger chose to ignore the look and began browsing the three shelves. It didn’t surprise her that she had yet to find anything written in her native language, or Titan, she doubted her people lived this far south.
Even the book regarding the northern continent had scarcely mentioned giants. She hadn’t realized there were different breeds of giants, the hill, mountain, and darkling giants, more commonly called dwellers. There was half a page given to information on any of them, and it simply stated that mountain giants kept to the northern ranges, preferring the climate and they had been noted as great craftsman of stone.
There was nothing of the Traditions or how they traded or their different clans and how each was ruled by a chieftain. Not even a mention of the gathering of the clan chiefs held every five years. She considered writing down a true account for mountain giants, but disregarded the thought as quickly as it e
ntered her mind. It was not an exile’s place to talk of her people.
There were no books on magic, at least in a language she knew, but one volume caught her interest, and she purchased it from the stammering clerk. The plump woman had been nervous about taking Madger’s money from her large hand, but once it was safely on the counter, the shopkeeper snatched it up.
Madger clutched the tattered record, An Account of Goddess Neira and the Planes in Her Rule, as she exited the store. From the little Madger had skimmed through, it gave a hint of the other planes the Titan’s Tome had taught her, but most of it appeared to be a religious text. She hoped the information about the planes was accurate.
The next morning, they bought more supplies and left Naro. Their path took them off the main road from Naro, to a narrow wagon track, thick with weeds, as they left the red rock desert behind. Their course took them northwest; grasses and low shrubs took over the ground as they traveled for several days until they were in a forest of old deciduous trees. The heavy limbs were thick with dark green leaves that almost blotted out the sun, even though their massive trunks were far apart.
The wagon track branched twice more, but they didn’t break off the main northwestern path. Instead, they continued on, the world deserted except for them and the wildlife. Finally, on the third day, as rain threatened from dark clouds that rumbled above the canopy, they reached a single track that broke from the main path and was marked with a wooden sign indicating the way to Jirish.
It was the smell that indicated something was wrong before they caught sight of the village. The strong odor of rotting meat carried on the gusts of wind blowing the thunderheads toward them.
“Not again,” Madger groaned, dreading another massacre. She pressed her dark sleeve to her nose and mouth.
“Maybe just some lost kill,” Kharick said, but his voice didn’t convey the same hope as his words. The scent was too strong for a single body.
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