The girl got on her hood with a sad face and stormed out of the room, pulling out her daggers from the wall.
What did this girl think? Even if she was an excellent fighter or magician, I would not take her with me, because she’s too young. Not to mention she broke into my room! He was in a fret.
He was trying to relax during the rest of the day. He only went down to the hall in the evening to grab a few bites. To his surprise, he found the black panther sorcerer there, playing cards with a large company. He had never seen a magician, who was so crazy about gambling. Iron Tusk was downstairs too. He was just getting into drinking and thy nodded to each other. He stepped to the bar and exchanged a few words with Red Beard.
“Dear Innkeeper. Thank you for all your help and service. I am leaving tomorrow to catch the assassins with a team of five. I think I chose wisely, they are all experienced and the masters of their own trade.”
“The time has come now to take revenge. I will pray to Illtor for your success.” He leaned closer to Cowen.
“End those bastards! Don’t keep any of them alive!” the dwarf’s eyes sparkled furiously.
“I was not planning to.” The captain nodded confidently.
“Goodbye Red Beard. Hopefully I will come back to the Pilgrim one day.”
“You are always welcome here, captain Corwen.” They said goodbye to each other.
He went to bed early, to be well rested for the next day. The thoughts whirled in his head.
I hope I thought about everything, and this time I will surprise these low life’s. They will remember it until the end of their lives. It is not good to be overconfident, but I feel the partners I hired worth their price.
He woke up with the first rays of the sun, washed his face, and packed his equipment. He gave back his key at the counter and headed toward the barn, where his team was waiting for him.
Lowarien, the elf tracker, Al Sarran, the rour sorcerer with his dragon on his shoulder, the beautiful Larianna, who put on a deep blue tunic for the journey, greeted each other.
“Has anybody seen the orc?” Corwen asked the others as he loaded his package on his horse.
“I saw him lurching towards his room yesterday evening,” the sorcerer replied, shaking his head.
“We will wait for a little longer, but then we are going to leave, with or without him,” the captain replied decidedly.
“Here is your prepayment, as promised,” he threw a little pouch to everyone with golden coins jingling inside.
They were just about to leave, when the huge, muscular figure of the orc appeared on the other side of the yard, clomping towards them with a sack on his back.
“Sorry me late!” he was gasping, rubbing his head; he was obviously hungover.
“Fine. Just leave already!” The captain was impatient.
“Greetings! I am Iron Tusk, fighter from the Blood Drinker clan!” The giant straightened up, introducing himself to the team.
The others greeted him one by one, the orc got his gold and finally they left the inn and the waking town. They were galloping slowly with their horses. The well rested animals took the miles easily. The waking wind of the dawn, blew dark clouds towards them from the mountains.
“Larianna, what kind of magic do you use, if I may ask?”
Well we have a curious sorcerer. Better to be safe with him, before he finds out my secret. Who knows what the others thinking of me, if I told them the truth, thought the ginger haired beauty.
“Natural, practical magic, of course,” the girl replied.
“Have you practiced this knowledge for long?” the rour further inquired.
“It’s been almost ten years now, since my master initiated me in the secret. Now that we are asking questions, how did you find your servant dragon? I have heard stories about them, but never actually saw one until now,” she looked at the little creature curiously.
“I was on a dangerous mission with a few mates. We broke into the laboratory of a scientist, involved in dark magic in Northern Terwaldia. That is where I found Dergo, locked in a cage. I liberated him and out of gratitude, he offered me his service,” the catman replied.
Looking out from one of the pouches, the little dragon nodded in agreement. When they were walking fast with the horses, he climbed down from Sarran’s neck, to search for a more comfortable and safe place.
“The storm is upon us, which is not good news. It can wash off tracks,” the elf said, turning to Corwen.
“Go faster then. We will soon reach the mountains. The location of the attack is not far from there,” the captain on the front replied.
Increasing the pace of his horse Smokey, the others followed his example and the horses were running furiously in the forest.
“Your horse is fast, captain. What a beautiful animal,” the Ertonfellian warrior riding next to him said.
“I bet it is. We’ve been padding the roads with Smokey for a long time. We’ve become inseparable friends,” he said, patting his horse proudly.
“I once had the chance to fly on a Pegasus. They are glorious animals. Really close relatives to horses,” the elf explained.
“It must have been a wonderful experience, but I feel better just walking on the ground,” Corwen replied.
Arriving with a thunder, the rain began to fall, pouring a lot of water on the adventurers. The dusty forest road drank the fresh water thirstily. There had not been any rain for weeks. They could smell the fresh rain and nature was reborn, thanks to the nourishing water. They arrived to the scene of the fight in minutes. The garrison already transported the dead bodies. Only a few blood puddles, black feathered arrows and a few thrown objects marked the location of the battle. They stopped and got off their horses in the pouring rain.
“This is the location of the attack, Lowarien. It is your turn to find traces and tell us where to go.” The captain opened his arms.
“I’ll do everything I can, but the garrison walked over the whole area. It won’t be easy to find the assassins traces,” the marble-faced elf replied and started examining the ground.
Soon he disappeared into the heart of the forest.
The others put on their hoods, covered themselves in the cloaks and let the rain shower them. The face of the orc, thanks to the refreshing rain, seemed clear of hangover. He was picking his nose apathetically.
Larianna was scanning the captain’s eyes from under her hood.
The captain was leaning against a tree, only glancing at the poison-green eyes a few times.
She is staring me at almost all the time, but I need to concentrate on the events lying ahead me. I don't want anything to alter my attention, let it be even as beautiful as Larianna. I hope the elf will succeed and find the track of the assassins, he thought.
Al Sarran started meditating, clasping his legs, floating in the air a few inches above the ground, with his dragon on his shoulder. The wind changed and began to blow from the direction of the town. Tusk stopped picking his nose and took a few deep breaths.
“Someone is coming, I smell human!” he broke the silence with his deep voice.
“From the town,” he pointed to the road behind them.
“Quick, take the horses to the forest and let’s see who is after us,” Corwen commanded.
They were waiting and hiding, grabbing their weapons. After a while, a rider dressed in black appeared on the muddy road. Stopping and getting off the horse, she started examining the objects on the ground. She pulled back her hood in order to see better.
The captain immediately recognized the tiny, olive-skinned girl. He sighed and came out of the bushes angrily, signing to the others that there was no danger.
“Were you following us, Everly? I told you that you could not come with us,” he snapped at her.
The girl was a little surprised when the other four came out of the bushes, but she tilted her chin up and started talking confidently and fiercely.
“Even if you forbid me, it does not mean I will obey!” sh
e answered stubbornly.
“Who is this young lady?” Al Sarran asked the captain.
“A troublemaker thief, Rawoldien Everly. I cannot get rid of her!” he replied angrily.
“I sense some inexplicable power about this girl, I’ve never experienced anything like this before. She is not an ordinary girl, that’s for sure. I don't know captain, but I have a bad feeling, which doesn’t mean any good,” the panther man stepped closer to the girl suspiciously.
“Why are looking me like that? Haven't you seen a thief girl up to close before catman?”
“Who gives me the creeps, not so often,” replied the sorcerer.
“This little human girl does not look dangerous,” the orc was leaning on his battle-axe.
“She has plenty of confidence and as you can see, she does not take no for an answer,” the captain said.
“Greetings, I’m Larianna!” The ginger-red haired beauty stepped to her, offering her hand.
“I am Everly, expert of locks and traps,” the young girl introduced herself.
“If she really wants to come, why couldn’t she?” she turned towards the captain, putting her arms around the young girl.
“I believe it needs to be decided by voting. Who would want our group to grow by one member?”
“I would like to captain. If she followed us until now, take her in,” said Larianna firmly.
“I relying on my intuition, I would say no,” said Al Sarran.
“The tiny human girl can join. I like the companion of women,” smiled the huge Tusk.
“You are very young for a dangerous mission like this, why would like to be part of it so badly?”
“Since I know my mind, I lived my life in danger. What difference would this one make? You never know captain, when you need to pick a lock or disarm a trap, and by the way I heard you pay the members very well. Is this true?” straightened up the small thief girl.
“Yes, that's true. I will pay five gold on the spot and fifteen later. You reason well Everly. Although my right mind says, I should leave you here soaking in the rain, but I will listen to my intuition. You can stay, I take you in the group, but you need to follow my orders in any case! Am I clear?”
“Yes, absolutely. Thank you captain for changing your mind and taking me in,” the young girl was smiling.
The warrior with the twin blades threw a little pouch to the newest team member.
“Here you are, Everly. It’s the same as I paid everyone. Don’t make me regret this.”
“You’ll see captain, I’ll be useful during this journey,” she replied joyfully, putting her pouch away.
“I don't agree with it, but I will accepts the others decision. I am Mergoth, Al Sarran from the Inner Circle magician order. This is Dergo, my servant dragon.” He pointed at the reptile on his shoulder.
“What a cute lizard,” she examined the little creature.
“Greetings, young human girl! I am not a lizard. I am a servant dragon,” Dergo said in a deep voice.
“You can talk?” the thief girl was surprised.
“As you can see,” the dragon turned his head away.
“Me Iron Tusk from the Blood Drinker dynasty.” The orc nodded.
Soon the elf returned from the forest.
“I have some good news. I found some tracks, hardly visible, but they were departing. Do we have a new member in the team?” he looked at the girl curiously.
“Yes, a thief who we could not get rid of. She followed us from the town, although I told her I did not need her services. We voted and took her in the group, do you agree with this decision?” asked Corwen.
“You are the leader of the group captain, if it's good for you, then a new companion wouldn't trouble me. Let me introduce myself. I am Ulren Lowarien, a tracker from Ertonfell,” the graceful elf greeted her.
“Nice to meet you. I am Rawoldien Everly,” the tiny girl replied.
“Don’t waste any more time with chitchatting! Show us the way to the traces, we have to catch the assassins! They have two days advantage. We have to hurry!” the captain was pressing them.
Following Lowarien, the extended team entered the forest and approached the mountains. They were following a little path in the persistently heavy rain.
Chapter Four
Bald travelers, with soaking wet grey coats arrived to the Pilgrim around noon. There was a strange sign on their forehead, resembling a three headed snake. There were half a dozen of them and they walked straight to Red Beard at the bar.
“Good day Innkeeper! We are looking for a short, young girl with olive skin and blue almond eyes. She must have been here not so long ago. Have you seen her by any chance?” one of them asked.
“Gentleman, why are you looking for this girl, if you don’t mind me asking?” the dwarf looked around the strange company.
“Because she will be in danger, if we don’t find her. If you know where to find her, please help us!” he put three silver coins in front of the innkeeper to encourage him to cooperate.
“Well, if she really is in danger, it is my obligation to help!” he put the coins away in his pocket.
“If my servants informed me well, she left the inn this morning and rode toward the Southern gate.”
“Thank you for your help innkeeper!” they turned around and left.
They got on their horses and left the city of Terran through the Southern gate. Their leader initiated a telepathic connection with someone far away.
“High priestess, it is your humble servant Marquel. The girl left the city toward the Southern mountains. There’s little chance we can track her in the wild.”
“Greetings brother Marquel! Fine, continue the search anyway, until I command otherwise. The comet will soon appear in the sky. We have to catch her before that!” the female voice said in his mind.
“As you wish your Majesty,” the telepathic connection terminated between them.
High Priestess Orzalla was sitting on her bed in her room. She rubbed her face and sighed after hearing the news.
“I have no choice, I need to summon Zandurin, the strongest representative of the goddess.”
She was a middle-aged woman, with slightly above-average height. Her dark hair was in a bun. Her brown eyes reflected cruelty and her face seemed anxious. She wore a dark dress, which was floor-length, but was cut up on the side up to her limbs. The loose sleeves hardly covered her elbows and the neckline was cut out in a curve. She wore her sacred symbol in her neck. The three headed snake. She had been the high priestess for almost ten years.
She was born in the Dukedom of Therwold to a wine merchant father. She never found her place in this world. When she was young, she accidentally met a strange old man, during one of his journeys. Later she found out he was a disguised servant of the goddess of pain and distress, who saw potential in the girl. He introduced her to the girl, who began to admire her new goddess fanatically. She found at last, what she was looking for. The lost piece of her soul.
Stepping out of her room, she arrived to an aisle lit by torches. The old stone walls surrounding her had been there for thousands of years. She went down a spiral staircase ending in a huge iron door. She opened it and arrived to a large, dark hall. Candles were burning around the walls in steel chandeliers. The symbol of the three-headed snake, was carved into the floor in the middle. In front of her there was an altar standing with sculptures of disfigured, suffering figures. Next to them, there were some blood red candles lit. Half a dozen men and women in crimson tunics and hoods were waiting in the room.
Orzalla walked to the altar and grabbed a black steel mask, depicting a painfully shouting face, with hair of squirming snakes. She put it on and turned to the waiting crowd.
“Brothers and sisters, the time has come! The comet has appeared on the Eastern sky. We cannot wait any longer, we have to bring the chosen one here or our Mistress Kyrion has to wait for centuries, to materialize in our world. Bring the sacrifices for the ambassador of the Mistress, so w
e can start the ceremony!” she commanded the crowd.
Soon a side door opened and six of them brought in three young, naked men in handcuffs. They were chosen carefully, all of them were strong and healthy boys. They chained them to the center of the snake symbol, surrounded by the hooded figures with the sacrifice dagger in the right hand and a blood red candle in the left. They started chanting together.
“Come to us Zandurin, servant of our Mistress, we are calling you! We sacrifice these innocent young souls, for you to prove our loyalty! Please accept them and manifest yourself! We need your endless strength and power. We are calling you!”
They cut the bodies of the victims. Not too deep. Only to make them bleed slowly. The nourishing fluid spilled into the carved symbol, as the chained men’s heart pumped the flowing blood. The candles, meanwhile, were put on the edges of the symbol. Orzalla the high priestess raised her arms and began to chant a summoning song on an unknown language. She got a cup, cut her own wrist and spilled some blood in it. She walked to the dying victims. When they were almost begging for their own death, she stabbed them with the sacrifice dagger right in the heart, one by one. Their blood filled the whole symbol. She spilled her own blood on the sacrificed men. They blew out the blood red candles in their hands together. The old stone walled room filled with a strange, thick and thrilling smell.
The nourishing fluid strung into existence, assembling in the middle of the symbol, forming a female figure with bat wings. The horns on her head were twirling like dust, her eyes and lips were dark as the night and her skin white as snow. Her face was emotionless. Only a few could stand her look, but her face was still somehow beautiful. The braided locks of her dark and long hair ended in snake heads that squirmed tirelessly. Her dainty figure was covered in a black full plate armor, made of an otherworldly metal. The shoulder and arm parts ended in pointy, sharp forms. It followed the shape of her body perfectly, besides her wings. The high priestess bowed down, before the creature in the deep of the hooded crowd.
“Welcome Zandurin, who was sent by the goddess Kyrion!” Orzalla started speaking with respect.
Legend of Fire and Ice Page 4