by Hans Bezdek
“I said ‘sort of’, not ‘exactly’,” shrugged the gnome. “You’re The Elf Thief! You’re the stuff of legends!”
Zeke sighed. This lie had gotten so out of control.
“Listen,” Zeke said quietly. “I… I may not have been telling Sloane the truth when I said I was The Elf Thief.”
“O-Oh.”
“I didn’t think it was a big deal at the time. She had invited me along to find the Lost Citadel, and I felt like I didn’t have much to offer. She was the one that came up with it in her head in the first place. I didn’t think she would get all invested in it.”
Delvin was quiet for a moment. “Why not tell her the truth?”
“I’m too deep into the lie now,” said Zeke, shaking his head. “She’d be super mad at me.”
“Yeah… she probably wouldn’t be particularly happy about it,” nodded Delvin. “I’m sure she’ll get over it faster than you know it if you give it a chance”
“You don’t get it,” sighed Zeke. “She’s this great archer who has saved both of us multiple times. You have even helped us out when you summoned those orcs. You both have things you’re good at. I have nothing.”
“That’s not true!” said Delvin quickly.
“It is,” said Zeke. “You don’t know it, but I’m a joke back in Re’Lus. Everyone thinks I’m useless. I’m not even good at being a meal preparer. The whole town thinks I’m an idiot, and they’re right.”
Delvin was silent. He looked out over the ocean as he let Zeke speak, unsure of how to comfort the elf.
“When Sloane offered to take me to the Lost Citadel, I jumped on it. I figured it would be my opportunity to show my town that they were wrong about me. I was somebody. Instead… instead, I’ve brought Sloane and you to Kutarm controlled land. Sloane might die in Nurem, and we won’t be far behind. I’ve let everyone down.”
“No,” said Delvin.
“No?”
“No!” said Delvin more firmly. “You haven’t let anyone down! If you hadn’t worked with Sloane, maybe the undead would’ve killed me before she took them out. Because of you, Donovic believes they have a legend on their side, and they could be fighting even harder than before! You’ve also given all the Linsuk Resistance back in Nurem hope with finding this Arcane Staff, and using it against Kutarm!”
“But I never intended to actually use it against him,” said Zeke, shaking his head. “I just wanted it to help find the Lost Citadel.”
“So? You are keeping it out of his grasp while you use it!” continued Delvin. “Plus, who’s to say you won’t use it once we find the Lost Citadel? Did you really envision yourself sitting around all day for the next hundred years in some forgotten fortress?”
“I mean…”
“You can be even greater than The Elf Thief!” smiled Delvin. “He’d never wanted to help others out with the things he’s taken. You can one-up him!”
“One-up him?”
“Let’s get the Fourth Staff, and then use it for good! Imagine how silly your town will feel when they hear that their own Zeke helped turn the tide against the evil man trying to take over all of Linsuk!”
Zeke couldn’t help but smile at the gnome. He wasn’t sure if he was really buying all that the little guy was saying, but he was making some good points. Why not help the Resistance out?
“You’re right,” he said slowly.
Delvin’s face turned to surprise. The gnome had snapped out of it, and suddenly realized all that he had been saying. “I… I’m right?”
“I can be even better than The Elf Thief. I can be even better than Re’Lus could ever know,” nodded Zeke. “Thanks for that Delvin. You’re a good friend.”
The gnome beamed.
“Now that my emotional breakdown is over...” said Zeke, turning to face Wizard’s Keep. “Let’s get this Arcane Staff!”
Chapter 15
Sloane waited outside of The Bloody Stag. Zeke and Delvin had left sometime that morning, but Sloane wasn’t sure when. They had agreed to not see each other again until after they had the Fourth Staff.
As Sloane waited for Throgrom and the others to come out, she questioned who wise this plan was. The elven woman, Ivsaar, told them it would take them a few hours to reach this Wizard’s Keep. Sloane wasn’t so sure that they’d be able to make it there in one piece. She knew Zeke could more or less handle himself, but that also involved being able to run away. Delvin, on the other hand, might prove to be the death of them. If Kutarm’s men found them while they were out there, Zeke would stay and fight with Delvin, which would prove costly
She shook her head as she tried to get rid of her nervous thoughts. Being worried would get her nowhere. The two of them were more than capable of getting the Arcane Staff, and she should just focus instead on the task at hand. She was about to be part of a war.
The door next to her opened up, and out came laughter and excited talk. Dwarves piled out of the tavern like clowns out of a tiny car. Except these clowns were decked out in armor, wearing well-sharpened blades. After a few minutes, the last of the stragglers made it out of The Bloody Stag. Everyone stood in the street, awaiting instruction.
“We appreciate you staying to fight with us,” came a voice to Sloane’s side.
Sloane turned to find Ivsaar and smiled. “What can I say? Battle and gold are two of my favorite things.”
“That doesn’t seem to be the case for your two companions,” smirked the elf. “They looked horrified while I talked to them last night about Wizard’s Keep.”
“They aren’t the… most capable... when it comes to danger,” conceded Sloane. “Particularly the gnome.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” said Ivsaar dryly.
It quieted as Throgrom moved through the crowd, getting to the front and turning to address the Linsuk Resistance.
“Today is the day that we take back our city,” said the dwarf, a serious look on his face. “It is time we teach the evil Lord Kutarm that he shouldn’t mess with the free forces of Linsuk!”
The crowd clapped and cheered, but much quieter than the night before. The realness of the situation seemed to be getting to some of them.
“We’ve gone over our plans fer today,” continued the dwarf. “If we stick with em, I’m confident we will see this battle to its end. Even if the tide is turned against us, we have the knowledge that an Arcane Staff will soon be joining us!”
This brought fewer cheers. Throgrom took notice this time. “What’s wrong with ye? We’re about to head into a great battle to tell yer great grandchildren about!”
“It’s this business with the Arcane Staff,” spoke up one the dwarves in the crowd. Several others nodded at this.
“I don’t understand,” said Throgrom, raising an eyebrow. “Are ye concerned that the magic brought could be dangerous?”
“Some of us don’t believe that elf and his little gnome will make it back in one piece,” said the dwarf. “The Arcane Staves are protected with strong magic, everyone knows this. We should’ve sent others with them to make sure we secured it!”
Several others around him cheered at this, causing the dwarf to stand a little straighter.
“This isn’t good,” muttered Ivsaar.
Sloane nodded. It sounded like a mutiny was rising. That wouldn’t do much good when they were literally about to start fighting.
“Ye doubtin me?” asked Throgrom, taking a threatening step towards the defiant dwarf.
“I’m doubtin the elf,” said the dwarf. “If that means I’m doubtin you, then so be it.”
Tension was rising all around. Sloane had to do something to kill this revolt before it started.
“There’s a very good reason to have faith in Zeke,” said Sloane.
“Oh yeah?” asked the dwarf. “Want to share with the rest of us?”
Sloane hesitated. She would be betraying the trust Zeke had in her to not share his secret with everyone, but at the same time, it might give them all more hope. She decided sh
e’d have to go with it and ask for forgiveness later.
“He’s The Elf Thief.”
The dwarf’s jaw dropped, as did many others. The group suddenly stood a little taller, their excitement clear in their eyes.
“The legend himself?” asked Throgrom. “He stands with us?”
“He does,” nodded Sloane. “He’s the fastest elf I’ve ever seen, and he’s got a way about him that makes me sure he won’t let us down.”
“I must say, I did not expect this,” said Ivsaar, shaking her head in disbelief. “He honestly struck me a bit as an idiot.”
“I think it’s part of his cover,” agreed Sloane.
“I-I’m sorry fer doubtin ya, Throgrom,” said the dwarf that first stood against him. “I should’ve known ye would steer us straight.”
Throgrom looked the dwarf over, then nodded and smiled. “It’s behind us, Bruno.”
“Oi, what’s goin on over here!” shouted a man’s voice.
A troop of ten or so guards in black and blue stormed up to the group. A man at the front stood with the badge of an eagle over his heart.
“Citizens are not allowed to gather in such numbers,” said the man, his hand resting on his sword’s hilt. “Who is the one who organized such an illegal formation?”
Throgrom stepped out towards the men. “That’d be me, lass.”
The Linsuk Resistance chuckled. Kutarm’s men didn’t look amused.
“You think it wise to challenge a captain in Lord Kutarm’s army?” asked the man, a dark smirk playing on his lips.
“Me apologies,” said Throgrom, doing an obnoxious flourish as he bowed. “Ye’ve no hair on yer face and look so smooth-skinned I thought fer sure that ye’d be a woman.”
The Resistance roared with laughter, stomping their feet. Even a few of the guards behind the captain smiled.
“Enough!” screamed the captain, pulling his sword out. “You must all disperse at once, or face the consequences. You, the one with the jokes! You’ll be coming with us.”
“Afraid none of those things be happenin today,” said Throgrom, shaking his head.
“You dare defy an order?!”
“I dare,” nodded Throgrom. Raising his voice so that all in the streets could hear him, he continued. “The dwarves and fair people of Nurem reject the invaders of Kutarm’s forces, and reject Kutarm himself! We bow down to no one, especially no man that conspires with the ungodly creatures of this realm! Leave our fine city now, or meet your end with the help of the Linsuk Resistance!”
Everyone in the Resistance roared in agreement, raising their weapons high. This garnered the looks of some onlookers, who began to gather around and watch what was going on.
The guards exchanged concerned looks as their captain looked down at the dwarf in surprise. “Y-You can’t be serious!”
“Dead serious,” declared Throgrom, taking his axe off of his back. “Ye turn and leave now, or yer declaring yerself an enemy of the people of Nurem, and will be treated as such.”
“We’re arresting the lot of you!” shouted the captain, pointing his sword around at the group. “Men, use any force you deem necessa-”
Throgrom swung his giant war axe out before him, cutting down the captain before the man could finish his thought.
“People of Nurem, it is time to take yer city back!” cried Throgrom, charging at the remaining guards.
The Linsuk Resistance cheered, spreading out to their appointed positions in the city. The revolt was now in full swing, and the blood of Kutarm’s forces would fill the streets.
Throgrom swung his mighty axe again, this time downing two men at once. Four of the guards charged at Throgrom as he tried to bring his axe back around, but were met with a dozen angry dwarves instead.
Metal clashed against metal, and the wave of the Linsuk Resistance began to overrun the small collection of guards. Sloane raised her bow, taking a shot at one of the Kutarm men as they slashed down at a dwarf’s back. The dwarf took some of the hit but was relieved of anymore as Sloane’s arrow stuck into the man’s temple.
“Help!” cried one of the men, turning heel and booking it down the street. “They’re revolting!”
While the cries caught the attention of Kutarm’s forces, it also had an unintended effect. Doors on shops and homes everywhere opened, the residents of the town poking their heads out to see what the commotion was all about.
“Rise against the invaders!” shouted Throgrom. “Take Nurem back!”
Sloane watched as the civilians of the city took the streets, grabbing weapons as they came out. What had started as a group no more than one hundred suddenly doubled, tripled. Sloane marveled at the dwarven preparedness to take up arms so quickly. She wasn’t sure that such an effort would be as successful in a gnomish or human town.
Knowing that she had better things to do than stand around and watch as the dwarves came out to defend their town, she took off to the northern parts of the city. Ivsaar and thirty or so of the Linsuk Resistance ran with her, occasionally breaking away to fight with Kutarm’s forces as they appeared.
When Sloane reached the northern part of Nurem, she saw a hold of dwarves hiding behind several buildings off to the right. Several of them with shields were positioned on the edges and had them held up. Sloane quickly realized why, as several arrows bounced off of them. On top of the wall, four guards were raining down arrows at the Resistance trying to hide.
Raising her bow again and nocking an arrow, she aimed at the archer closest to her and let the shot fly. Immediately nocking another arrow, she shot at the next one, then repeated the process twice more. Each of her shots met their target, sending them tumbling down over the backside of the wall.
“You’re clear!” shouted Sloane at the dwarves.
The ones on the end had watched her take care of their threat and nodded their thanks to her before they and the rest of the dwarves spread out over town. Sloane chased after them, providing support as was needed.
Sloane looked around her. They were doing it. They were actually doing it. The Linsuk Resistance was pushing Kutarm’s men further and further back. They were winning.
Explosions went off a few streets over from her, shaking the city. She and some of the dwarves around her paused. What was that? She knew some of the Resistance were spell users, but she’d have assumed they wouldn’t try to destroy their home.
Then she heard a horrendous scream.
And another.
What was that? Were those... Dwarven? She had heard dwarven screams of adrenaline as they ran into battle, but these seemed different. It was as if they were frightened.
“Come with me!” shouted Ivsaar, beckoning Sloane over.
The two rushed down a side street, heading in the direction of the screams. The cries shook Sloane as she ran. Most had never heard the fearful screams of a dwarf. It was an unsettling noise.
As the two came around the corner, they saw what remained of a contingent of dwarven fighters. Their bodies laid mangled and strewn in every direction. There were some of Kutarm’s men mixed in, but the dwarven dead greatly outnumbered them.
All that remained standing on this street were three demons, which turned their attention to the lone Sloane and Ivsaar.
Chapter 16
The three black figures watched Ivsaar and Sloane with their red, glowing eyes. Several dwarves laid next to them, not all with their limbs still intact.
Sloane guessed they were the ones that had made those horrifying screams.
“What are demons doing here?” mumbled Ivsaar, raising her two blades up into a defensive position. “Demons rarely venture this far north, and never into cities this large.”
“They are working with Kutarm,” said Sloane, raising her bow towards the evil creatures. She hadn’t been sure until now, but there was no denying it anymore. “Look at the battlefield. None of Kutarm’s dead men are near them, only ours. The only way they would’ve come into the town is making it past the Kutarm guards position
ed outside the wall. They must’ve had demons waiting for something like this to occur.”
“It’s true then,” sighed Ivsaar. “Kutarm must have an Arcane Staff to be controlling them. It is vital your friends secure the Fourth before he finds it.”
“Agreed,” nodded Sloane. “We’ve got more pressing things to worry about, though.”
Two of the demon let loose a screech, then dashed towards the two of them. Mumbling the holy words, Sloane’s arrow tip glowed. Aiming at the demon on the left, she let loose and reached for another arrow.
The arrow struck, exploding with holy light in the center of the demon’s chest. It let loose a cry of pain and stumbled, but then continued after its brethren.
The other demon had now reached Ivsaar, who brought her blades up as the demon bore down with his claws. A horrible scratch noise echoed off of her blades as the demon raked his sharp nails back, bringing them at the elf again from a different angle.
Ivsaar jumped back, then lunged forward with both weapons as she found an opening in the demon’s defense. The blades dug into the midsection of the demon, fire igniting and spreading across the creature.
The elf’s weapons must’ve been magical. Sloane shouldn’t have been surprised. Elven weapons seemed to nearly always have some magical properties about them, even if the user didn’t know about it. Blades that spawned fire were probably a bit more obvious in their magic than others. She wondered if Zeke’s blade, Lucky, was one of the latter as she mumbled her holy magic onto another arrow.
The second demon had finally made it to Ivsaar, slashing down at her with one arm while using the other to hold its wounded chest. The elf hopped back again, removing her fiery blades from the other demon as she did so. The second demon guessed that she would do this, and had quickly closed the distance. It grabbed hold of the elf’s tunic, dragging her closer and opening its mouth to bite her.
Instead of the delicious taste of elf, it tasted the cold steel of Sloane’s arrowhead, topped with some holy magic.
Light exploded out of the back of the demon’s head as it let go of Ivsaar. The elf, not wanting to waste any time, quickly jumped up and sliced at the other demon’s neck. This demon, so consumed with putting out the fire quickly spreading across it, was caught unaware. The evil creature’s head slid off of its body, the rest of it following shortly behind.