Little Places Of Glee And Joy

You can smell the smoke, the beer, the wine, and the rich herbs and spice of the food cooking on the spits and bowls. You can hear the chatter and the chess games from all the races inside as they gamble, drink and even cast spells at the tables. Or play magic games with dice and cards while they move wooden miniatures around while laughing, and conversations that echo through the air filling the big drinking and eating room of this decorative Tavern.

Dawn Star is a very beautiful small town. It's always welcoming. The reality is I once dreamed of settling down here with a husband or wife, dreamed of that person having children with me and them running around the waterfalls and low hills. There are beautiful houses made of wood and stone, everyone is also welcoming here, but Moss Tempest is like this in general. It's one of the most relaxed regions, and it’s a place you can hide well if you’re wanted by the law, so long as you give nothing away.

Not far from here lies the ancient bones of one of the elder dragons, though it’s so old it’s now part of the mountain and people sometimes use the huge skull to have parties and celebrate around, it’s not the only one. The capital city building has a huge dragon's skull built into its front. It's not clear who these bones in both cases used to belong to, they are so old their stone’s like now.

The story was that the first dragons died to stop the war, which was what they taught to the Paladins, Mages and Cleric guilds, at least when I was there. I have never seen a live dragon though this is my first time outside of books and scrolls. She was really beautiful and in that moment I felt more like myself and how I used to be seven seasons ago when I was happy. Happiness though is fleeting like all things and the pain is coming back again.

“What do you want to eat?”

Keira turned, seeing that Elysande was speaking to her as she had been miles away in her own thoughts and she spoke quietly. “Can I have the hog stew and dumplings with vegetables?” Elysande blinked “okay”, that was the first time she had heard the other woman speak in a voice that wasn’t grumpy or annoyed and it was very different, almost soft. “Whatever you like I’m paying.”

Keira looked up. “If they have Ryschewys I’ll have that to you know those pies filled with sweet custard.” Bastian raised a clawed finger. “I want roasted spider legs in stew and iced currant cakes”. Elysande eyed the menu looking at the beast woman bar servant who was taking their order. “Hog roast with blood sauce and Rastons; you know that sweet buttery bread and no glow worms dead or alive.” The servant smiled. “I’ll get those cooked up for you.”

Keira eyed the woman as she drank the sweet mead from the wooden tankard. “You don’t like glow worms?” Elysande sneered slightly. “I don’t eat live food and they don’t taste of anything.” Bastian laughed as he eyed them as he got comfortable on the table they were seated on. “Well you got that in common with Keira then she hates them for those same reasons.”

Keira was about to speak, only for a big furry orange-clawed hand to grab her shoulder as a big booming male voice spoke out. “Keira, long time no see!” She turned only to be nearly shoved up the table as the huge dark orange haired Minotaur sat next to her grinning wildly, his huge ivory coloured horns pointing upward as he pulled his ringed ears back. “Are we stealing magic staffs again?” Keira breathed in deeply, wishing she could vanish. Despite his size Agomais was not much older than her and they kept meeting up.

Everyone said he was such a wild card though and an ex cleric. She eyed his mother and father who were the Tavern owners, though his mother was a Minotaur his father was human, although he looked like regular Minotaur: fur all over and built like a brick wall. Bastian eyed the young Minotaur. “We weren’t stealing just returning something to the rightful owner.” The young Minotaur laughed. “That’s not what they say in Merrygot, you’re both still wanted there.”

Bastian raised a clawed hand. “No, their Mage stole from Mazak, one of our horned Seers. We got it back for her, it was her magical staff, always was.” He paused. “Plus Merrygot is a shit hole, it’s full of people who hate my race and steal from us.” Agomais smirked. “Twenty seasons of a magic war will do that though.” Bastian sneered as his food was put down along with the others and he grabbed the cooked spider leg munching down. “They started it, we ended it.”

Agomais leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Did you see that dragon, the green one…I saw her last night I was out hunting hogs, she was with the tree folk.” He paused. “No one believes me, they think I had too much mead or spice.” Elysande slowly started to eat. “Yes we saw it too.” Agomais turned eyeing the new member. “Who are you, beautiful lady?” Elysande smiled. “They call me Elysande; I need these two to help me get something.”

Agomais slammed his hand on Keira’s back, almost shoving her forward. “Oh look who scored big!” Keira eyed him in annoyance. “It’s not like that! She’s the guest I’m taking to somewhere with Bastian.” Agomais nodded as he eyed her. “Oh yeah sure…I remember that day you got drunk… I know you had a wild time in bed.” Keira breathed in deeply. “You’re one to talk…you and Bastian had your own fun with some of the other races, men and women.”

Bastian looked at her. “Well it was a fun night and they did give us a great celebration as a thank you.” Agomais raised his clawed hands. “You two shouldn’t be working down that shit hole mine. There are far better jobs here in Dawn Star that pay better.” Bastian finished his spider leg. “I’ve been telling her that for months. I hate that mine and Magnus is an asshole.” Keira breathed in deeply. “Okay I will give it some thought when we get back….”

Agomais turned, putting a small bag on the table. “Well here’s a little something for you all.” Keira took the packet, opening it, giving a sniff only to eye him in annoyance. “This is spice, you really need to stop selling this, it's illegal.” Elysande took the bag eyeing it. “Very high grade though, I’m impressed.” Agomais put a hand on his leather armoured chest. “No it’s only illegal in Ramstad, not in Dawn Star.”

He raised a clawed finger. “I make the best there is, as it helps enhance your magic ability for a short period of time or, in non-magic people, just gives them a really good time.” Bastian shook his head. “You know this is why they kicked you out of the cleric’s guild right?” Agomais pulled his hands out to both sides. “No, they just couldn’t handle my magnificence.”

Keira breathed in deeply. “Look, just don’t get into trouble… okay you just keep on getting lucky, but your luck might run out.” Agomais shook his long mane as he smirked. “You worry too much Keira; you should maybe live a little.” He eyed Elysande. “You know she can be fun, it’s very rare but it happens.” He leaned over. “And when she is she’ll make your day, but the rest of the time she’s grumpy as hell, sad really.”

Bastian slowly finished his mead eyeing her. “He’s not wrong you know, as I never see you happy outside drinking or getting high on magic dust and spice.” Keira folded her arms. “You know, when you two are done I would like to go back to eating….” Agomais laughed, his booming voice filling the air. “Ah the Keira we all know and love.” Kira started to eat, eyeing him and Bastian. “You two really need to get partners, my private life should not be this interesting to you.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Elysande eyed them all. It was most curious how they liked Keira, but at the same time didn’t know her, as she wasn’t very open with them as friends. She slowly started to eat. “Everyone has truths’ they hide I guess.” Agomais stood up. “Well, you should all keep the truth to yourselves that I’m about to make it huge Ramstad so I have to leave now so I get there tomorrow as I need to spend a few days there.”

Keira looked up slightly. “Don’t get yourself killed Agomais… I’m serious.” Agomais smirked as he pulled up his huge sword which was on his back in a scabbard. “No one’s going to get me. I have my little friend here and unlike you two I can cast magic.” Keira shook her head. “Trust me, Paladin guards are way harder than you think, so are trained Mages.” Bastian breathed in deeply. “For the record I can use magic… just not well.”

He raised a clawed hand. “She’s right though, those men and women from all races will really beat the shit out of you, we had to flee them once… not that great.” Keira finished her food. “Yes, they don’t back up that easily and they're brutal… it’s all part of their training.” She started on her sweet. “Never ever underestimate them, they are very highly skilled and really highly trained, you have to be very strong magic wise to stand up to them.”

Agomais laughed. “You guys worry way too much… you need to get drunk way more and have fun, live a little.” He paused. “And give up working that mine, I can get you both better jobs here!” Keira shook her head watching him go. She liked Agomais, he had always been fun but he was really pushing his luck with this one. She’d seen how they treated prisoners in the capital, it was part of the training and the magic torture to make them confess was awful along with beatings and breaking horns, fingers, hooves and tails or your legs and arms if you were human.

This was even before these poor people went to trial just so they would confess, she’d always thought it was normal until they’d tried to take her apart after her accident, since they were so fast to turn on her. She just really hoped he didn’t get caught as they would break his horns and hooves as punishment. It was a horrible way if you lived for everyone to know that you’d done bad things and it could take ages to heal as it was done using magic.

8

Romulus opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust as he heard the pounding on the door to his room. He groaned, shaking his furry head, as he sat up seeing the woman lying opposite naked on the sheets. He wouldn’t lie he had assumed that seven seasons ago his Cleric assistant had been a mistake, but every day he could see that she was the perfect gift sent from the Mages above.

She was as ruthless and as cunning as he could be to get the job done, and he loved her for it Odessa was pure carnage. They had a lot of good times together as a couple as she was just as fun as he was. He breathed in grabbing his robe, getting out of bed, moving over to the door, pulling it open only to be greeted with a face he detested. “Hello Titus…” The Paladin sneered at him, moving his mechanical golden and red leg and tail, raising a leather scroll sealed by them. “Scroll for you, from the seat of grand Mages.”

Romulus snatched it from his clawed hand. “Great, now go blow your ugly frog faced boyfriend’s dick or something and get out of my sight….” He slammed the door on him before the seasoned Paladin could speak. “Stupid belly crawler….” He watched as the blonde haired woman woke up yawning before giving him a very sly smile. “Are you being mean to Titus again?” Romulus moved over to the bed. “No more than need be, can’t wait till I can send that idiot and his frog partner elsewhere.”

Odessa raised her hand, causing multi-coloured smoke to come out as she played with it. “Makes you think that what that Paladin said seven seasons ago about not giving the order was probably right.” Romulus smirked. “With hindsight it probably was.” He stroked his long goat beard. “Wish I had not lost that werewolf demon though, they have not had a single sighting of it in seven seasons, the higher Mages want that thing so badly and anything like it dead.”

He pressed the wax seal with the griffin and the dragon on it, opening the scroll slowly as he started to read. “Great, they found another set of charred bodies; another Mage was trying the same shit again with those merged stones.” He threw the scroll aside. “All we ever do is investigate these deaths and find nothing, as when it goes wrong the host of these stones dies half the time and burns the other victims to a crisp.”

He raised a clawed hand. “Why are these Mages even doing this, why do they want to create these abominations?” He put a hand on his face in frustration. “It makes no sense!” Odessa pulled on her robe moving over to him. Her glowing blue eyes shining. “We are going to find out what this is, I’m certain of it. I mean there has to be a perfectly rational reason… Mages go crazy, grab a bunch of victims and do this. It is happening three times every season now and every time they fail.”

She paused, putting a hand on his leg watching as he gave her a razor sharp toothed smile. “You and me we are going to find out what is doing on, we have been in this together since the day you had me tell them the werewolf demon escaped because the black smiths magic chains failed.” Romulus laughed. “My dear you do know the maker of those chains a poor rat woman got twenty lashes for that?” Odessa smirked. “Well, you know what they say… shit rolls downhill from the castle.” Romulus eyed her. “You are beautiful, magnificent and terrible.” Odessa leaned over kissing his snout. “I know, now get your furry butt out of bed and go clean your horns. We have work to do.”

8

We are almost there. At long last, just one more long hill and we will be at the Bright Burn entrance. Keira breathed in, this was the halfway mark, at least, and they could rest in Ramstad, though they’d get out late at night and have to make their way there, under the dark of night. Bastian ran up the hill, stopping at the grassy top, pawing with his clawed feet. “Right here as always.” Elysande raised an eyebrow. “I don’t see anything.”

Bastian eyed Keira. “Should we do the honours? It's probably not changed from the last time” She paused, eyeing the other woman. “Stay where you are and don’t step on anything.” She moved her boot as he moved his clawed foot, pushing grass segments in the ground, hearing them grind as they both worked together forcing certain blocks down. They both stopped hearing the grinding as a huge metal ring came up from the ground in two halves. “Okay you take the left I’ll take the right.”

Bastian moved, grabbing one side while she grabbed the other section, as they started to move them fully past each other only to bring them back together, forcing them together on each side hearing them click. He moved off watching as Keira did the same, as he smiled at the vampire raising his tail. “Wait for it.” He looked down as all the grass blocks suddenly flipped over, showing stone, as each stone clammed together only to create a huge circular door that slowly creaked as it came apart in two halves, as it slowly opened revealing long stone stairs in to the old dungeon first level. “Welcome to Burn Bright.”

Elysande felt a smile form. “That’s very impressive, you're both very good with puzzles.” Bastian smirked. “My people make these kinds of locks, they're not hard.” Elysande raised her hand. “I get you knowing them but not Keira.” Keira eyed the open doors. “I just grew up around his people.” Elysande put her hand on her chin. “I see… nice skills to have.” Keira moved to the steps. “What you want will be at the end of the dungeon’s second level; there is always one or two down there.”

Elysande looked down. “Do you think your friend Agomais will be okay?” Bastian smirked. “Yeah he’ll be fine, plus he is stronger than we are. He can lift a whole hog over his head with one arm.” Elysande eyed Keira. “I was told you were strong by your boss, stronger than normal for humans.” Keira breathed in deeply. “It’s just the mining, makes me strong since I just hammer rocks all day.”

Elysande felt a smile form. “That is most curious, as most people like that have a strong race member in their family tree.” Keira eyed her, as she pulled out her weapons, watching as Bastian did the same. “Trust me my family tree is not that interesting.” She started making her way down into the dark depths below, raising her sword hands glove as the light started to come out from it, leading the way in the darkness. “I’m no royal or special family, like I said I’m a failed baker.”

End of part 5

Silvermoonlight