"Midnight, and all is well," the guard cried, clanging the bell in his hand.
"It shouldn’t all be well, though, should it? It should be mayhem in the streets," Renau whispered.
Konrad huddled deeper into the shadows near the Thane's mansion. Outside, the guards looked fine in their metal breastplates and thick furs. They looked strong with their spears and helmets, which reflected the flickering light of torches.
But they didn’t look at all distracted.
Wexler and his troupe had entered the mansion several hours ago, and Konrad tried not to think of what would happen if there was no disturbance to cover their escape.
"I’ll go back to The Frozen Hearth, see if I can find Hans and the others," Konrad said.
"Be careful," Renau replied.
Konrad and Spirit quickly made their way through the winding streets to the tavern, and as he pulled the door open, he was hit by a wall of noise.
The bard stood on the bar, tapping his foot and strumming his lute, leading the packed tavern in a rousing chorus of 'The Pirate King of Helgan's Rest'. Konrad hadn’t heard the song before, and he blushed furiously at some of the more suggestive lyrics.
At the end of the tavern, the young firebreather caught Konrad's eye and gave him a friendly wave. He seemed to have grown in confidence, judging by the way he indicated the flaming stick in his hands and gave an enthusiastic thumbs up.
The members of Hans' crew sat at a table piled high with empty ale cups and tankards, the old gnome lying on the floor in a drunken stupor.
"Time to hide, Spirit," Konrad whispered, and she padded under a table and vanished.
Harry’s malevolent eyes flickered to Konrad as he approached.
"Well, well. Hello Dickle."
"It’s Pickle," Konrad replied, immediately feeling foolish. "Where’s Hans?"
Harry reached under the table and pulled out the long black cane, its silver top crusted with dried blood. "He couldn’t make it. Headache."
Konrad's instincts screamed at him to leave, and he backed away slowly before bumping into the woman with the glass eye, who clenched and flexed her formidable jaw muscles.
Harry sauntered over to Konrad. "Why don’t you stay Pickle? I wanted to chat to you about the Linium you found."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about."
"I heard a rumor that you, Rolo Dauska, and a witch found three bars of Linium that were as pure as untouched snow. I want to know where you got em."
Konrad tried to tense the muscles in his face, as Renau had done.
"What’s the matter with you?" Harry asked as Konrad's face began to go red with the effort.
"He’s having a fit," the woman said, flexing her jaw so that a vein popped out on her forehead.
The singing in the tavern was reaching a crescendo, and the heat from the young firebreather was causing drops of sweat to run down Konrad's back. He frantically tried to recall Renau’s advice as well as the voice of Lot and all of its malicious intent.
"Your mother has a specific set of skills, earned over a long and storied career," he croaked.
Harry’s voice was a deadly whisper that somehow managed to cut through the noise around them. "What did you say about my mother?"
There was a flicker of movement, and Spirit materialized behind Harry. Konrad pushed him hard in the chest, and the swarthy man tumbled over the dog, sending the cane flying across the tavern.
The cane struck the back of the young firebreather, who swallowed the entire glass of special fire-breathing spirits he had been carefully sipping. A look of pure desperation crossed his face as his eyes began to water. The subsequent fireball that billowed out of his mouth was like the breath of a dragon, and flames quickly spread across the ceiling of the tavern.
"Get him," Harry cried.
Konrad leapt out of the grasp of the iron-jawed woman and forced his way into the crowd battling for the door.
By the time Konrad got outside, the Frozen Hearth was a burning pyre shooting flames into the night sky. He watched, transfixed, as the building groaned and fell sideways, crashing into its neighbor. The flames quickly spread, and floating motes of ash rose up, mixing with the gently falling snow to create a scene that looked like the end of days.
Konrad fled, heaving great hacking coughs as he stumbled through the city. He and Spirit got lost several times, fearing that they would be caught by their pursuers at every twist and turn of the narrow streets. But finally, they burst out onto the crowded quayside.
"Wait for us," he cried as he and Spirit thudded up the gangplank onto the deck of Elena.
"Where are the others?" Briarstone called, tugging at the rope that held them to the stone quay.
"They didn’t come back?"
"You’re the first."
Spirit's fur was singed in a dozen places, and she had burned the soft pads of her feet as they scrambled to escape the conflagration. Konrad held her close, willing her wounds to heal, and when the warm glow had faded, she licked his hand in thanks.
Wind blew the smoke from the great blaze out towards the ocean, and Konrad lurched to the railing of the ship and tried to peer through the haze for his companions.
"There!" He cried, spotting four figures hurtling from the burning city towards Elena, closely followed by a dozen armed guards.
"Hurry," Konrad yelled, and the group thundered onto the ship and collapsed in a heap on the deck.
Briarstone released the rope, and as Elena drifted out into the ocean, the gangplank clattered into the water, taking at least two guards down with it.
"Konrad," Serena cried, hugging him. "You looked half-cooked."
"I’m fine; how did you get away? Rolo, what are you wearing?"
The big northman was dressed in a huge white dress that Konrad easily recognized as the costume of the Mother. It was covered in black soot and as burned and singed as his own clothes.
"We were smuggled out of the mansion with the rest of the troupe. That was the only thing that would fit him," said Serena, holding her hand to her mouth to cover her smile.
She herself was wearing the costume of Ostred, and her hair was singed. But sadly, it was Hendra who had fared the worst during their escape. The sacred owl was now little more than a blackened nub fixed to Serena’s shoulder.
"Someone dropped my clothes into the fire as we ran," Rolo grumbled.
"Not my intention at all, dear Rolo, but do not be overly concerned; a man can wear what he likes; it is the year 223 after all," Renau said.
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Renau gave Konrad a dazzling smile, he wore his captain's outfit and seemed to have escaped the blaze without a single crease or stain. "I’m happy to see you alive, Konrad. What a piece of luck having that fire!"
"Luck," Rolo exclaimed. "The city's ruined; it’ll take years to re-build it."
As the wind pulled the sails taught, the group gathered at the stern railing and watched the fire consume Montdun.
"Some sailors said that the fire started at the Frozen Hearth," Briarstone said.
"Konrad, you went there to find those fools we hired; did you see anything?" Renau asked.
At his feet, Spirit put her paws over her eyes.
"I didn’t see a thing," he lied, keeping his face carefully blank.
Renau yawned widely and stretched his arms. "A good plan well executed; Briarstone, you’re in charge; try not to break anything."
The rest of Konrad’s companions departed with Renau until only himself and Rolo were left, the flaming city reflecting in their eyes.
"I knew you would get us out, Konrad, but I imagined more of a heroic jailbreak-type situation."
"I’m sorry, I had to work with what I had, and what I had was Renau. He was quite amazing, really. Unexpected, but amazing."
"He’s certainly unpredictable. He told me, that you reached my father; what did you think of the old Thane?"
"He's a lot like you."
Rolo chuckled softly. "He would say that I’m nothing like him; he wouldn’t have left our home as I did. He’ll be there now, waiting for me on the coldest mountain. I can tell you that even the bite of your god is nothing compared to his cold disapproval. I don’t know what he’ll say when he sees me."
"Nice dress?" Konrad suggested after a slight pause.
Laughter exploded from Rolo, and he laughed louder and for longer than he had since they had traveled together on the road from Tajar.
"You’re a good champion and a better friend, Konrad; you and Spirit both."
"But you’re not coming with us to the western cape," Konrad stated.
Rolo shook his shaggy head. "No, I cannot come with you. I’ve already abandoned the north once, I will not do so again."
"But you saved the north; you found the cold mountain."
"I was lucky—lucky that I met you, lucky that we survived. There’s no way I could have planned this."
"Why did you leave? I guessed it wasn’t to sell furs in summer in Tajar."
Rolo took a deep breath. "My father had always fought to keep the Linium we had. The arcanists would come again and again, wanting to buy it all, but my father refused, only selling small amounts. The price was high, and it stayed that way, but we all knew that one day it would run out."
Luther made no secret of the fact that he wanted to sell the rest of what we had. He had dreams of supplying other resources that the north has and the continent needs; coal and iron ore."
"Whats wrong with that?"
"Mining is a grim business. We’re good at it, but it’s still dangerous. My father didn’t want us to have to go back to that way of life."
"But what about the Linium on the mountain? Isn’t that mining?"
"A man could swing a pick for his whole life and never pull enough coal from the ground to equal one pound of Linium. The problem is that my father had no plan for the future when our Linium ran out. As time went on, Luther's voice became louder, and others joined him."
"What did you do?"
Rolo hung his head. "I left. I told myself that I was exploring new lands for our people; perhaps a new place we could find Linium. But really, I was motivated only by my own selfish reasons. I wanted to explore the continent, and I felt trapped as the oldest son of the Thane of the north."
"You came back; that’s the important thing."
"I’m afraid that my father won’t see it this way. That’s why I can’t come with you; I have a duty here."
Rolo clasped Konrad on the shoulder and went below deck. The fire was now a distant glow on the horizon, and Konrad suddenly felt his own exhaustion sweep over him.
"You can’t blame me for that one," Lyran said.
The small god was as tall as Konrad now; her arms were crossed, and she wore a superior look on her face.
"Blame you for what?"
"The fire. You asked me to bless that fire-breathing boy, and I gave him the confidence to perform. I just wanted to put the record straight, seeing how little you appear to think of me."
"I don’t think little of you; it’s just... Fra Dun would say, You cut the wheat a little close to the chaff."
"Champions don’t usually question the virtuousness of their gods; it’s generally the other way around."
"I just thought that all gods would be more like the Mother."
"Pfft, the Mother. If you only knew. Best for you to avoid her altogether. I told you that small gods are not really supposed to have champions, and we’re certainly not encouraged to share the same one. Just keep a low profile."
"I am."
Lyran looked pointedly at the burning skyline.
"That was an accident," Konrad explained.
"Be that as it may, just stick to the quests. I told you we can’t see much, so we can’t help you if you’re off galavanting about."
"Is that all you came to tell me?"
"No, I have another quest for you in the city of Portia on the Lost Coast."
"Okay, but I want something in return this time, before I complete the quest."
Lyran tapped her tree-root-like foot against the deck. "Let me guess; you have questions."
"How did you know?"
"Champions are all the same," she sighed. "Very well, but I will give you the quest first. I sent one of my priests to the Lost Coast to open a new temple in my name. Instead of doing what I asked, he's run off with all of the followers to join some cult. I need you to go and get them back."
"I have to go to an island first for Avram."
Lyran pinched the bridge of her nose. "Very well, but you promise to do this for me afterwards? I’ve never had to wait in line before, and it is very frustrating."
"How will I find this priest?"
"I don’t know his name, but he managed to establish a temple of sorts, and then I heard nothing further. Now, what is your one question?"
Konrad considered the host of questions that he would like answers to and settled on the one that had been bothering him the most.
"My leg. You said there was nothing medically wrong with it."
"There wasn’t."
"Avram said it was cursed, and that divinity doesn’t work on old magic."
Lyran clicked her tongue. "Is there a question in there?"
"Who cursed my leg?"
"I don’t know."
Konrad held her gaze, his jaw jutting out slightly.
"Your leg was cursed, and now it’s not cursed; why do mortals always need to know why?"
"Who was the fourth god in the shrine?"
"That’s two questions. And I’m being honest now; I don’t really remember much. I wasn’t feeling myself then; none of us were. We were so weak that all three of us were about to be forgotten forever."
"What happens to gods when no one remembers them?"
"We die," she said simply as she faded away.
-
Konrad and his companions stood on the dock in the cavern below the coldest mountain. After resting for several days in the company of the northmen, the sea was beginning to freeze, and Briarstone said that they couldn’t delay any further. Today was to be a day of parting and of saying goodbyes, and his heart was heavy.
"We’ve had some adventures, you and I, Champion," Rolo said.
"There’s more adventures to come; it’s hard to think you won’t be there to help me."
"You don’t need me; you’re far taller than the skinny boy from the valleys I met in the market in Tajar and stronger; you grow like a snowball rolling down a mountain. Here, I have something for you."
Rolo handed Konrad a thin bar of shiny Linium. "This is the first bar smelted on the mountain by my hand."
Konrad had wondered where Rolo had been for the last few days, and now the Northman’s singed eyebrows started to make sense.
"How much is it worth?" Renau asked, his eyes glued to the metal bar.
"If it's the first one smelted, I guess it would be bad luck to sell it?" Konrad said with a smile.
"Then I have taught you something, Champion," Rolo replied with a deep belly laugh.
Konrad felt the weight of the blue-gray metal cool against his palm—the first valuable reward he had gained as a champion.
"Thanks, Rolo," Konrad said.
"This gift is from my father and might be more practical than mine," Rolo said, handing over a large pouch of coins. "There’s forty gold pieces in there, but you’ll receive a portion of all the Linium we sell. You can come back any time to collect it."
Konrad took five of the gold coins and handed the rest back to Rolo, who raised an eyebrow.
"Can you send this to the temple of Lyran in Tajar? Tell Partick it needs to go to Fallow Vale, to a man called Fra Dun."
"It might take some time, but if this is what you want, then I’ll see that it’s done."
"As for you, witch," Rolo said, turning to Serena. His expression was stern, but it quickly cracked into a smile. "To you I give the second bar of Linium smelted under the mountain. You won’t tell me what you want it for, but I trust that you’ll use it wisely."
"Thank you, Rolo." Serena clutched the bar to her chest and then gave Rolo a hug. The young northman blinked several times before smiling and embracing her warmly.
"For you two, I thought gold would be best," Rolo said, handing two large purses over to Renau and Briarstone.
"What about the third bar of Linium smelted under the mountain?" Renau asked.
"Gold is always welcome," Briarstone interrupted, feeling the weight of the coins.
"You’re sure you have everything you need for the voyage?" Rolo asked.
"Aye, we have enough to get us to Helgan's Rest," the sailor replied.
"I haven’t been there since it was liberated from the pirates; I hear much has changed."
"You’ll still find the usual lot there—smugglers and raiders—but you can consider it a safe haven."
"Don’t think I have forgotten you, Spirit," Rolo said, taking a knee and scratching her behind the ears. "I name you Alfåår." Rolo whispered something to Spirit, and she barked and spun around.
"What did you tell her?" Konrad asked.
"The gift is for her, Konrad; she’ll show you when she is ready."
More words of parting were exchanged, along with promises to find each other again, in Tajan or under the coldest mountain. Then it was time to sail out onto the northern sea. The ship plowed through the waves, and Konrad and Spirit stood at the bow.
"We’ve paid back the Clods, but there’s still a lot to do. Otto’s out there somewhere, and he needs our help. We also have to go east to find out what happened to Elu and Cloda," Konrad said, reaching down to scratch Spirit behind the ears.
To accomplish these goals, he knew he needed to be stronger by completing quests and gaining more gifts to climb the ranks of champions.
There was one more thing kept so close to his heart that he didn’t even want to put it into words. A cold breath escaped his lips, and crystals of ice settled into the air, forming an image that was untroubled by the wind. The image was of Alice, sitting in the fishery in Fallow Vale, an open book resting on her knees, carefully turning the pages.