Chaos Destiny

by Mussie Haile

  Siem pouted and shook her head as she contemplated.

  “I don’t know much about him yet. But at the moment, I think he is.” She replied.

  “Whatever the case, he’s, well, better than my guy,” Hermon stated.

  “Your guy?” Eldana asked.

  “Yes,” Hermon replied. “My journey to the Guild of Free Warriors was successful.”

  “I didn’t think it was going to be,” Eldana stated.

  “Same thing I told him. I mean, the free warriors value their freedom, their ability to choose for themselves; albeit a choice affected by the amount one was willing to pay them for their services!”

  “You didn’t promise him anything we don’t have, did you?” Eldana asked.

  “No. His pay’s going to come after we’re successful.” Hermon replied. “Plus D’rmas is different.”

  The plan was to find an alternative means to keep the balance instead of sacrificing innocent people. So far, what the three friends had were their guts telling them there was another way. No one had ever tried to find out, but all three of them were certain of that. To do that, they would require protection, and that was where D’rmas came in.

  “That’s his name?” Eldana inquired.

  “Mhmm,” Hermon affirmed. “He actually requested a duel. Between the two of us.”

  “What?” Eldana asked in shock.

  “I was shocked too,” Siem said. “I know his kind. Their magical ability makes them more advantaged and stronger than most, but against a berserker, especially one like Hermon, that’s still madness.”

  “I did tell him that,” Hermon stated. “However, he’s got his quirks too. He’s fast, as fast as the soldiers of the Middle Kingdom. The goal was to strike the most out of a cumulative goal of three strikes. He’d gotten three strikes when I evened the playing field after I asked for a dessert. I called on the ancient powers of my clan.”

  “That’s dangerous, Hermon,” Eldana said. “Imagine what could have happened if you’d lost control. You could hurt people you know.”

  “I’m glad I didn’t. At least, we’ve got him among our crew. We’re one step closer to fulfilling our mission.”

  Eldana was still drained from her experience at the King’s palace. She sighed and laid down on her back. “I need to rest.” She said. “D’rmas went to survey the routes out of the city. We can visit an inn when he returns and has told us it’s safe to. Until then, you’ll have to manage here.”

  Then Hermon sat up from beside Eldana and moved towards Siem. “We’re still going to need supplies,” Hermon told Siem.

  “Yes, I know that,” Siem replied. “But for now, we’ve got to keep our heads low, and make do with what Mikko provides.”

  “I know I’ve asked before,” Hermon said, “but this Mikko guy, you trust him?”

  He gave Siem a questioning look.

  “Do you trust D’rmas?” She retorted.

  “D’rmas is different, and you know that,” Hermon said. “He’s a Free Warrior, not some Guild magician. We can count on our contract with D’rmas. He has his reputation to protect and maintain.”

  Siem was still pensive.

  “You know we can work some spells to get him to reveal his true intentions,” Hermon suggested.

  Siem’s eyes flicked towards Hermon. That was all Hermon needed to be apprised of the absurdity of his suggestion. “We’re too tired to work a spell of such magnitude,” Siem said. “And even if we were to combine our strengths, Mikko is no low-grade magician. I’ve seen his feats firsthand. He’ll know we’re trying to enchant him the second we start.”

  “I guess we’ll have to let time decide for us, then,” Hermon said.

  Siem nodded. Her eyes then moved to where Eldana lay. She looks like one who’s fought a hundred battles in a very short time, she thought. Siem wished she could help her friend in a greater capacity, perhaps lift the burden she presently carried from her shoulders, but she couldn’t. This was Eldana’s destiny. She was a being of balance and chaos, one that had gone rogue. Siem was sure that they were all playing the parts destiny had assigned them. She just wished sometimes that it wasn’t so difficult.

  It was almost dusk when D’rmas returned. Mikko had returned some hours before. The golden ring that looped through D’rmas’ nostrils caught the light of the flame floating above the quartet.

  “Finally, he is here,” Hermon stated.

  Eldana looked up at him, but her face didn’t reveal any emotions.

  “How’re things like out there, friend?” Mikko asked.

  “They’ve died down a little,” D’rmas replied. His voice was deep and crackly. “The guards have upped their security. And the goons of the man you two angered still roam about.” He looked at Siem, and Mikko.

  Hermon sucked air through his teeth. “Siem has not the flair for diplomacy at all.” Hermon joked. Not one of them laughed.

  “We need to get out of here,” D’rmas said. “We’ve got to go somewhere with more publicity, like an inn or something.”

  “An inn? Wouldn’t we be discovered in public? We should be in hiding, keep our heads low.” Hermon argued.

  “True, my friend. We’ll keep our heads low, just not here. Lord Taboon is masterful in the use of magic. He’ll use it to ferret out the places that could easily be hiding spots. In a public place, we have the cover of a crowd. It’s easier for us to escape if an attack is made.”

  “We should be on our way then,” Eldana said.

  D’rmas looked at Eldana. The last time he had seen her, she was in a state of delirium.

  “I’m afraid we haven’t been properly introduced,” D’rmas said. He walked forward a bit. “D’rmas, formerly of the Qeltifom clan, now a member of the Guild of Free Warriors.”

  Eldana offered a small smile. “I’m Eldana.” She said.

  D’rmas grunted, then nodded.

  “Let’s move,” Siem said, getting to her feet.

  The streets were still teeming with people, so the group merged themselves with the crowd. As they walked, Siem and Mikko used magic to keep track of the energies of the passing crowd in the hopes that they would be able to detect anyone who was coming too close.

  “Do we have any particular inn in mind?” Mikko asked after a while.

  “No, but…” D’rmas began to say when Eldana cut him off.

  “Yes, we do,” she said.

  Siem and Hermon knew what Eldana was going to say before she said it.

  “The Tavern of Wholesome Laughter.” She said. “It’s not in the capital, but in the town of Kleas...”

  “That’s still close to the capital,” D’rmas observed.

  “Yes,” Eldana said. “But we know its owner Techle. His tavern can guarantee our safety, at the very least, for a couple of nights.”

  Hermon sighed. “I could use his positivity spell, right now.”

  “He uses spells on his customers?” D’rmas asked. There was a hint of confusion in his voice.

  “Relax,” Hermon said. “I did say it was a positivity spell. There’s nothing to be worried about.”

  Mikko moved closer to Hermon and whispered into his ear. “The warriors of the Free Guard don’t like being surprised. That this one is ready to brave the prospect says a lot.”

  Hermon looked at D’rmas. He found himself wondering what kind of man lay behind the fierce warrior, and if he was capable of establishing a working, amicable relationship with people. We’ll soon find out, Hermon thought.

  It took them another day to travel back to Kleas. With the help of Mikko’s ability to use magic to speed up their journey, things got a lot faster. This time, at the gates of Kleas, they did not use any spell to hide and the guard, without hesitation, opened the gates. It seemed that once you arrived in Kleas before, you would always have a place.

  A soft golde
n light spilled out the windows into the streets of Techle’s tavern when the group got closer. At the door, they could hear the sound of gentle music coming from a flute.

  Siem pushed the door, dinging the bell hanging at the doorpost. The air was filled with the happiness magic that they experienced the last time they had been there. Immediately, Siem felt a refreshing wave of strength and vivid optimism. They all felt it as they walked in. Even D’rmas face had a soft glow to it.

  The people in the tavern were either too engrossed in the flute’s music or conversing in their little groups, to look at the new people enter the room. Techle was behind the wooden counter, wearing the same hospitable smile he’d worn when Eldana, Siem, and Hermon had come to him earlier.

  “I see you’ve increased your ranks,” he said, taking the group in. His eyes lingered on Mikko for a moment, but then he smiled and asked, “What brings you back here?”

  Siem smiled. “Your excellent service of course, plus we’re in dire need of somewhere to rest for the night.” “It’s not just that,” Hermon said. He let his eyes scan the small crowd in the tavern. “When we left, you said you could keep us safe?”

  Techle didn’t say a word. He only let his lips spread wider, an indication that he was eager to listen.

  “Well, we need that help.”

  “Hmm…” Techle said. “Follow me.”

  “Holly!” He called.

  A young lady with blonde hair walked towards him.

  “Our guests here need special service. You’ll handle things around here while I take them out back.” The young lady nodded and smiled as she went straight to the bell at the end of the bar and started to ring it with full swing.

  “Oi fellas, Holly is back,” she announced loudly. Half of the guests grunted with some form of happiness. Techle looked bewildered at Holly, but she just smiled.

  “Shall we?” Techle asked as he pulled off his apron and handed it over the counter.

  He turned and walked towards a door set in a dark alcove. The door was small, so it required the group to walk in single file and led to a wider corridor. The moment Techle walked in, torches hanging on the wall whooshed as they came alive with flame.

  “This place is a magical wonder,” Mikko observed, his eyes coated with awe.

  “Indeed,” D’rmas affirmed. “It’s not the owners working magic here. The place itself is riddled with magic, magic coats the entire town of Kleas!”

  “I get the feeling that if we had come in here without an invitation, we would never make it through,” Mikko said.

  “You’ve spoken true,” Techle said. “Anyone who tries to enter without a guide would never leave this corridor. They would walk, and walk, and will never see the end.”

  “Spooky,” Hermon said.

  Techle got to a double door at the end of the corridor and pushed it in. The doors swung noiselessly inwards to reveal a small lobby with wooden floorboards. The double doors closed of their own accord once the entire group was in.

  Eldana took a look at the door and spotted the little runes carved along its posts. She looked around the walls and also found carvings of runes a bit bigger than the ones carved on the doorpost. “The magic of the house caters to your needs,” Techle declared. “All you need is to make your request, or inquiry and attach the word ‘mezah’ to it. Like so: I need a tankard of mead, mezah.”

  A dark silver tankard materialized out of thin air and moved into Techle’s grasp.

  Mikko’s face was suffused with disbelief. As if sensing his thoughts, Techle handed him the tankard. Mikko noticed the tankard was full, brought it to his nose, and discovered that its content smelled very well like mead. He put the tankard to his lips and sipped. Then Mikko’s eyes flew open in astonishment.

  “By my hand, this is mead, real mead.” He exclaimed and burst into laughter.

  The rest of the group had smiles plastered on their faces, too. Techle gave a humble bow. “I can usher you to your rooms, but everything is pretty straightforward. You go in through that door there,” he pointed further to the left.

  Hermon could spot other doors through the doorway.

  “And have your pick of rooms,” Techle continued. “In case you’re confused, you know what to do.”

  “The house can issue us suitable rooms too?” Hermon asked wide-eyed.

  “Of course, Hermon,” Techle said. “This house can do almost anything within the confines of good. Don’t ask me what little it can’t do. I trust you all can handle yourselves from here?”

  Techle, getting a satisfactory reply from the group, nodded and turned to leave when Eldana called out to him.

  “Yes, Eldana?” He said as he turned.

  Eldana, Siem, and Hermon left D’rmas and Mikko - who were requesting dishes from the house and bursting into laughter whenever their request materialized from the air -- and moved closer to Techle.

  “We were wondering if you could do something extra for us,” Eldana said, looking up to Techle.

  “The house is entirely at your service,” Techle said.

  “We cannot stay in Kleas long, Techle. People are looking for me, and we have something crucial we must do. We would be happy if we could get supplies that would aid us in our journey.”

  “What are we looking at here?” Techle asked.

  “Horses, food, and water,” Hermon supplied. Techle seemed to lapse into contemplation for a moment. “I’ll see what I can do.” He said.

  “Thank you,” Siem said. “We are in your debt.”

  Techle smiled and said, “The Tavern of Wholesome Laughter does not keep track of debts. How else can you ensure laughter and total happiness? Rest well. I’ll be back in the early hours of the morning.”

  “That there is an excellent fellow,” Hermon said.

  “I concur.” Siem agreed.

  “I should have a soothing bath, a nice meal, and rest,” Eldana said.

  “Same here,” Siem replied.

  “Please, can I stay with you girls?” Hermon pleaded. “I fear that D’rmas and Mikko may try to drag me into one of their manly exuberances.”

  Eldana and Siem laughed.

  “Aren’t you a man?” Siem asked. “Learn to deal with it.”

  “Come on.” Hermon pleaded.

  Siem and Eldana began to move towards the door that led to their rooms.

  “Sorry Hermon,” Eldana called back to him. “You’re all alone for tonight.”

  She and Siem burst out into another spell of laughter before they walked out of the lobby.

  Hermon combed his fingers through his hair and puffed air from his mouth. “What a night.” He said to himself.

  Just then, Mikko walked into the lobby.

  “Hey, Hermon.” He called.

  “O, come on... Not now.” Hermon complained under his breath.

  “Have you tasted the ale here? By my hand, there’s no comparison in the whole world. D’rmas has already proven to be a cold fellow when it comes to drinking. Don’t say no too.”

  “A tankard wouldn’t be bad, I guess,” Hermon said.

  “Splendid,” Mikko exclaimed.

  Back at the ladies’ chambers, as Eldana stepped out of the bath she swore she felt like she was a new being. It was like the water in the bath sipped out any trace of weakness in her, unclogging her body, leaving it refreshingly free and light.

  She got into her underwear, a light white cloth that was both shirt and shorts seamed together at the waist, then got into bed next to Siem.

  “Well?” Siem asked as she turned to face Eldana.

  Eldana had a brilliant grin plastered on her face.

  “It was wonderful,” Eldana said. Her voice was full of excitement. “I feel like I can take on anything right now.”

  “Yeah,” Siem said. “That’s exactly the kind of optimism we need at the
moment. The last few days have been trying. And the more we move through difficult odds, the more insurmountable our task becomes.”

  “Yeah,” Eldana agreed. “Hope is a fickle thing. I’m glad I can feel it again though.”

  “Same here.”

  Eldana and Siem talked a little, reminiscing of times when all was happy and easy, before Eldana’s initiation, before her life was required for the balance of chaos ritual.

  With time, the night grew silent as sleep stretched its kleptomaniac tentacles, sending the people of the city into nightmares, pleasant dreams, or no dreams at all. Eldana was swept up in a nightmare. In it, the air was dark, pale, and dank. She felt something constrict around her throat, cutting off air from her lungs.

  “You’re ours, girl.” She heard voices declare. “No matter how far you run, you will eventually give us what is ours!”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The Woods of Ciroc

  The cock had crowed its first when Siem’s eyes flew open. Turning her head to where Eldana lay, she found her struggling within bed covers.

  “Eldana,” Siem called as she grasped Eldana by the shoulders and attempted to shake her awake. Siem shook harder, and Eldana opened her eyes with a start. She gasped and sat up. She watched her friend heave and pant for breath.

  After a while, when Eldana had regained her breath Siem asked, “Another one?”

  Eldana nodded.

  “We made a deadly mistake. We forgot to put a protection spell over our minds before falling asleep,” Siem said.

  “We could not help it,” Eldana replied. “We were all spent.”

  “You would be dead by now, if not for the magic in this place,” Siem observed.

  Eldana sighed. “I think it is time to move.”

  Eldana conjured a ball of flame with her mind and let it float in the middle of the room. The room was flooded with bright yellow light, and as its features came into illumination, Eldana noticed some things that were not there the night before.

  “Woah,” she pointed towards the two brown rucksacks made with leather hide huddled together at the far end of the wall.