Although they still had enough food for another week of travel, six days was enough to get them to Andsberg. The brick roads and streets contrasted with the dirt paths that ran through Theltstown, as well as the stone and brick buildings in town square as opposed to the wooden ones that Theltstown was mostly constituted of.
The group approached a job board in the town square, among a group of people also searching for work in the area. The job board was littered with flyers describing various tasks ranging from requests to clean stables, to fighting off the local menaces.
“Most of these look like one-man jobs.” Zelotes commented as he looked through a few. He then looked down at his priestburn cracks, they appeared to be gone, leaving behind scars in their place.
“Do any of ya know how to read this language?” Tulbrik said, sipping from his rationed liquor while holding one of the flyers. Xiyloos just took the flyer and turned it right-side up and put it back in Tulbrik’s hand and then took his whiskey. “Hey! Give that back! I need it!”
“It would seem that you need to at least have the appearance of some clarity of mind if you want any more of this beverage.” Xiyloos said, holding the bottle away from the dwarf.
“NO! I NEED that juice, lad!” Tulbrik cried.
“For what, exactly?” Xiyloos inquired
“It’s the only thing that keeps me goin’, ya see!” Tulbrik continued to beg.
“It seems to me that you have greater problems.” Xiyloos commented.
“Perhaps we should each take a job, we can then pool our money and get a ride to Thaine.” Zelotes proposed.
“What if something happens while we’re working?” Jacqué asked. “We need a way to communicate.”
“I’m an electromancer elemental arcanist. I’m not very good with the two-way scrying spells required for that.” Xiyloos spoke.
“I could make somethin’, but I lack the materials.” Tulbrik noted.
“We’ll meet here by evening. If any of us are missing, we’ll find them.” Zelotes announced.
“What about Frederick?” Jacqué noted. “Who’s going to watch him?”
“Good point…” Zelotes noted.
“We’ll put him in an orphanage.” Xiyloos ordered.
Frederick moved behind Zelotes. “No.” Zelotes answered, stepping forward.
“Frederick and moi, we can perform a routine together!” Jacqué suggested, observing how the boy hid behind Zelotes. “Would you like that?”
“Y-yes.” Frederick said, stepping shyly towards the elf.
“Ya know what, I’ll take this one. Some nearby farmer’s needin’ his barn cleaned out.” Tulbrik decided.
“I think I’d be fairly well suited for this one.” Xiyloos stated, holding up a flier that mentioned sorting books in Andsburg’s library.
Zelotes picked up a flyer that read “Church artifact stolen, reward; ten gold for the return of artifact and capture of thief, five silver for investigation and/or information of the thief. Meet at the Andsburg Collective Temple.” “I’ll take this one,” he announced.
The group dispersed, each taking their respective flyers, while Jacqué and Frederick began setting up their routine. After searching the town, Zelotes found his way to the temple. It was constructed of stone brick and lined with granite columns decorated with various holy symbols, and the sides were lined with decorated chevets that each seemed to correspond with a different god. Overall, it was a simple, yet effective design. As Zelotes entered he saw priests of many deities, and each chevet was occupied by a different shrine, each for a different god. A pair of priests in yellow and gold robes stood out to Zelotes, a leothien and a human, each wore a sunburst encircled by a wreath. Zelotes approached the two, the leothien was the first to notice Zelotes.
“Ah, brother! We have a fellow follower here!” The leothien priest exclaimed, grabbing for the human’s attention.
“Ah yes! Welcome! How may we be of service?” The human asked as Zelotes approached the pair.
“I saw this job offer in the flyer here.” Zelotes presented the paper to the two.
“Oh, that’s from the dwarves over there.” The human pointed to the dwarves dressed in earthy clay and stone colored robes over intricately hand-crafted chestplates. Their beards were finely braided as well.
“Thank you.” Zelotes left to speak with the dwarven priests, before feeling a tap on his shoulder.
“Hey, good to see another leothien in these parts, also, I envy that mane of yours.” The leothien priest spoke to him.
“Thank you, but I have a group to help fund.” Zelotes then approached the two dwarven priests. “I know we do not share faiths, but I could use some silver right now.” Zelotes said, squatting down to meet their height while presenting the flyer.
“Ah, thank you!” The older of the two dwarves gratified the Leothien paladin. “Faith does not matter, we just want a certain key back.”
“A key?” Zelotes asked.
“Yes, we had a key said to be crafted by the mighty Dru’Halm himself. Apparently some blasphemer stole it.” The dwarf shook his head, speaking with a degree of irritation.
“Right, so this key, made by the Allforge, was stolen.” Zelotes noted.
“Please, Dru’Halm doesn’t use any fancy titles, call him by his name.” The dwarf insisted.
“Forgive me, I have seldom encountered his clergy.” Zelotes apologized.
“No offense taken, just help us get the key back. It has a handle that looks like a gear, and is made of bronze.” The dwarf stated.
“Well, I’m not the best at detective work, but I’ll see what I can do.” Zelotes said, before exiting the basilica.
“You will have Dru’Halm’s thanks!” The dwarven priests exclaimed to Zelotes as he left.
As Zelotes left the temple, he went to the guards asking for any wearabouts for the key. They directed him to the outskirts of Andsburg, a collection of dirty, run-down houses, clearly left for members of the lower class. He came across an older man, wearing dirty, tattered clothing and walking on a cane. Approaching the man, he stepped back at the sight of the armored lionfolk, nearly stumbling.
“Please, please! I’ve done nothing!” The old man panicked.
“Be at ease,” Zelotes spoke, attempting to calm the man down. “I’m looking for a stolen key, made out of bronze, that looks like it has gear for a head, does that match any description?”
The old man thought for a moment. “Hmmm… Afraid not, but if it was stolen, sounds like it would be something on the black market.”
“Where is this “black market”, exactly?” Zelotes inquired.
The old man turned his head, left to right scanning for anyone nearby. “You’ll want to look around Old Stonetoe’s Alley.”
Directed by the old man, Zelotes was able to find Old Stonetoe’s Alley, a seemingly empty alleyway between a pair of large, stone brick buildings each containing shops of some sort. Zelotes traversed the alleyway, looking around the seemingly empty corridor, finding nothing but cracked brick walls, trash, and dirt.
“Is this really the center of this ‘black market’ or was the old man just wanting me out of his sight?” Zelotes wondered to himself. Zelotes was nearly ready to leave and look elsewhere before he smelled something that stood out from the garbage odors that permeated the alley, something nearly medicinal or spice-like, but something was off. He followed the scent trail until it led him to a spot on the ground covered by dirt. He swept it away, revealing a round, metal cover. He lifted it up. It covered a hole with a ladder inside. Zelotes went into the hole and began descending the ladder, it led to a large, dark chamber, with only a spot of light where the cover was lifted. Zelotes unsheathed his sword, muttering something as he waved his hand over the blade, causing it to glow a sunny yellow light. Holding it like a torch, the light from the blade revealed a chamber carved out of stone, connected to multiple corridors. The scent trail led him to take the one to his left, like a guide directing a tourist to the next place of interest.
The corridor led to a vast chamber, large enough to fit many adult dragons. He was met by a pair of armored humans, who came up to him, hand on the hilt of their swords, still sheathed. “Ya here to buy somethin’?” The one of them asked, looking the paladin up and down.
Zelotes paused for a moment. “I’m here for the… smell…” he said, uncertain of how to respond.
“Mr. Clean gone dirty, I see.” One of them chuckled. “Password?”
Zelotes checked his pouch, he was able to pull out a few silver coins. He handed each a share.
The two looked at each other before his gesture. “Don’t cause anything, okay?”
“Respected.” Zelotes said. With that, the guards let the paladin pass.
The chamber’s walls were made of fused, rhomboid shaped bricks, or maybe they were made of concrete that hardened into a mold shaped like that, it wasn’t really clear. Along the top and bottom of the walls, were lines of metallic triangles in many colors like rainbow serpents wrapping themselves around the walls, and the ceiling was supported by great pillars resembling alternating stacks of ivory rings, a pattern that continued to go up the semicircular ceiling like ribs. Although the area had clearly seen better days, cracks and piles of crumbled stone could be seen in various places. However, it wasn’t this display of dazzling, titanic architecture that drew Zelotes attention. It was the piles of crates and bags containing the source of that strange smell, with portions being sold off by various vendors with their stands lit by torch light. A few were placing pinches of green powder from these sacks on their tongue, with a few individuals, simply sitting aside, appearing dazed or in a state of euphoria. But what was most appalling to the paladin, was as he passed through, were the cages. Cages of cold, cramped, metal bars that contained not exotic animals, but people. Peoples of various species, psittari, human, dwarf, orc, and even leothien, all were on display like items on a shelf for purchase, and in front of a crowd of well-dressed individuals, was a wooden stage with a human man at a podium running an auction. A line lowered a cage onto the platform beside the man, it contained a large human dressed in nothing but a loin cloth. He sat in the corner of the cage until an orc at the cage’s side cracked a whip, snapping the caged man into a standing posture, without even touching him.
The man at the podium cleared his throat. “This one, here, is great for hard work like moving luggage and other heavy items, as you can see, plenty of well-developed muscle on him. Oh, and if you’re looking for something for the wife, he is an excellent flute player. Now can I get a bid to start us off with?”
“First, what quality of meat could I get off him?” A leothien from the crowd asked, to the distaste of Zelotes as he watched this horrid auction.
“I’m afraid you’re in the wrong auction if you’re looking for that kind of a purchase, sir…” The auctioneer said with a look of discomfort on his face.
“Four-hundred gold!” An elf shouted from the crowd.
One of the humans held up his hand “I’ll put four hundred fifty on him!”
“Six hundred!” Shouted another human.
The bidding began, and more and more began chiming in, each bidding higher than the last. Before Zelotes stepped forward letting out a roar and shouting “How about setting him free? And not just him, but every one of these slaves!” his words echoed in the chamber. The bidders all looked towards the paladin with disdain, the slaves all looked outside of their cages in surprise. Some with hope even.
The auctioneer cleared his throat to address the paladin. “Well look who we have here. One of the righteous crusader types, I take it? Boys, show him the door.”
A pair of large orcs each grabbed an arm, and dragged him away from the auction. They then left Zelotes, returning to their posts. Brushing the dust off himself and then his mane, he then shouted back to them.
“You could’ve at least watched the mane!” Zelotes wanted to go back in, he thought about it. He thought about the suffering of the many slaves, in their cold, cramped cages. He also thought about delightfully inflicting equal suffering back onto their slavers. He thought about it. He craved it. He took a step forward, almost ready to do it. But he remembered, he had a job to do. Reluctantly, he stopped himself, as he felt his hand reach for his blade. Still, he couldn’t get the thought out of his mind.
Zelotes then spotted a passing human, concealed in a black cloak. “Excuse me!” Zelotes exclaimed, attempting to get her attention. She turned to look at him, her face turned to a concerned expression as she saw the paladin. “I’m looking for a bronze key with a gear-shaped handle, would you know anything about that?”
The woman was quiet for a moment, as though considering her words, afterall, the sight of a paladin approaching you in the black market couldn’t mean anything good. “T-try the tunnel over there…” She pointed to the right, there was a decently sized corridor that revealed a darkened pathway.
Zelotes left the woman, and began making his way through the long corridor. At the other side, there was a chamber that was well-lit, similar in design to the chamber he had just left. On either side of the chamber, however, there were stacks of crates containing various, sorted goods. Zelotes walked forward, looking around the place.
“Well if it isn’t the leothien paladin I met a couple weeks ago! Ya know these underground draconic ruins make a pretty handy hiding spot for the local market.” Yelled a voice from behind.
Zelotes looked behind him. There was no one. Zelotes drew his blade, ready to strike. “Show yourself!” He demanded. “I’d rather not have to fight you.”
Fading into view was a swamp drakgath, he had an almost crocodilian shaped head with small, curled horns, and was covered in dark, olive green scales with a black frill going from the top of his head and down his neck. He wore crab-like leather armor and a weathered black cloak. “Don’t tell me you don’t recognize me!”
Zelotes narrowed his eyes. “I’m afraid I don’t…”
“Oh, yeah, I was in disguise the last time we met. You can call me Retzian, I’ll let you figure out where you first met me later, but right now, I must ask how did you survive the cave-in?” Retzian spoke, shifting his weight to one side.
“Our arcanist had a teleportation spell.” Zelotes answered, not sure of what Retzian asked.
“Ah, well, if I knew you survived, I would’ve paid you, but I had some… shall we say, disgruntled customers, and I may have cheated them for a job, and I may have charged them more than what it was actually worth, and they may have gotten angry with me, and they may have tried to call their legions to try to snuff me out.” Retzian explained.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“You’re the one responsible for the invasion!” Zelotes exclaimed, getting ready to charge at the drakgath, pulling down his helm’s visor.
“Now hang on there, kitty! You don’t know who I am, or what I can do.” Retzian said, unsheathing a pair of scimitars.
“I know you’re that treacherous King of Thieves. And all I need to know is that you’ve built a life on stolen goods and thievery!” With that, Zelotes charged the master thief, about ready to bring his sword down on him, but Retzian simply vanished, and the sword became embedded in the ground.
Retzian’s laughter echoed through the chamber. “Oh, little kitty, you’re gonna need to know more than that.”
Zelotes removed the greatsword from the floor, backing up a few steps, scanning the room; there were no signs of the thief anywhere.
“Allow me to explain myself, or rather, my tragic backstory.” Retzian’s disembodied voice began to explain. “You see, I hatched in a small Drakgath hamlet, called Krez. Not a lot to do there, and we couldn’t exactly live among the townsfolk, being that the Eastfield Province is a bit more strict as to where drakgath can live. But that didn’t stop me.”
“I’m not here to hear some sob-story about drakgath discrimination in Traelend, now where are you?” Zelotes searched the chamber.
“I’m not doing this to make you pity me or my kind, I’m doing this because I do so love to hear my own voice. Now where was I? Oh yes…” The thief continued. “Now you see, the reason why it never stopped me, was because me and the family would live off the land, and, well, we had a few bad years. So under the cover of night, I’d sneak into town, and take what I pleased, not just the necessities. Of course with the guards becoming aware of my little heists, I learned how to evade discovery quite quickly, and then count my earnings when I got back. Of course my little winning-streak wasn’t to last, and I was eventually caught and muzzled, and thrown into a cell at the… ripe old age of fifteen.”
Then to his side, Retzian appeared and let out a flurry of rapid slashes on Zelotes, a few which landed past the armor and into his flesh, before disappearing again as Zelotes let out a slash from his blade, only for his attack failing to land. He continued looking through the camber, knocking over crates as he slashed away.
“Very good at offense, I see! Not so much defense. Now… back to my story.” Retzian continued to taunt Zelotes. “Now most people would like to think that I would’ve been set straight after that. That I would’ve mended my ways, and started makin' an honest living. But ya see, the funny thing is, the guy who was my cellmate was a thief as well. And not just an ordinary thief, he was a real master; he was just in there for forgery. I’m pretty sure ya can see where I’m goin' with this. I learned from one of the best, I was released, and started my reign of thievery with virtual impunity, started makin' a name for myself in the Traelendian criminal underworld. Now right now, ya may be thinking that I’m a selfish guy, and to the contrary, I’m actually quite giving. In fact, I’m so giving, that I’m gonna give ya this:” Retzian appeared in front of Zelotes, landing him another hail of blows before Zelotes could react, making a few successful marks into Zelotes’ flesh, and then disappearing again. “And you know, I’m actually so giving, that I started offering my services. For a price of course.” He chuckled. From behind, he launched another flurry of slashes, and disappeared before Zelotes could land a counterattack. “Oh! Missed me! Now, like I was saying, I became a thief for hire. If ya wanted something but ya couldn’t get it by any legal means, well that’s where you call good ol’ uncle Retzian, your family friendly thief for hire! And as you can see, I’ve been pretty good at my job, I mean just look around you! And also as you’ve seen, some of my payments weren’t exactly dough. I received a few trinkets that were a little out of the ordinary as you can see, or rather, can’t.” He chuckled. ”And I used those little gifts to improve my effectiveness in thievery, hells, I could rob a bank in broad daylight and no one would notice until they counted the gold!” Retzian then burst into view, landing yet another rain of slashes on Zelotes and disappearing yet again.
“For someone who grew up under the conditions you did…” Zelotes panted. “You could’ve made yourself into a leader, and made a difference…”
“Quiet, kitty-boy! I’m the one who’s talking! This is my story from my point of view.” Retzian’s disembodied voice interjected.
“I shouldn’t even be listening to your story, you’re nothing more than a scoundrel who was too scared of standing up for his people, and just settled with the life of a thief for his own selfish gain!” Zelotes cut him off, turning his head around, scanning the chamber.
“You’re right, I am a scoundrel! And proud of it!” The Thief King continued. “Anyways, like, I was sayin’, I used my new trinkets, like my little cloaking ring and scimitars, Lies and Deception here to further my abilities at theft, and give my name some credibility. It wasn’t long before I found myself at the top of the food chain here, and crowned myself King of Thieves… Ah… You should’ve seen that coronation, there was cake, booze, and girls of course! A lot more fun than whatever they have back up on Thaine.” From the side, a mouth of green bile spewed out in a line, nearly catching Zelotes before he rolled out of the way. The green fluid hissed and sizzled as it made contact with the crates. “That was for you! Not the merchandise! So like I said, that’s how I became King of Thieves, and I’ve been in business for thirty years now. But lately… I’ve been havin’ a little trouble with…” Retzian breathed in. “Competition.”
Zelotes shook his head. “As far as I’m concerned, this is just a pit of vipers! If you’re persuading me to help you, I ask you this: Why would I help out just another snake in the pit?”
“Why don’t you shut your fuckin’ mouth? Now, back to my little monologue here.” Retzian’s disembodied voice continued. “Now, like I said, I’ve been in business for thirty years now, but competition has been makin’ things less than easy for me, you see. Some humies that call themselves the Morgana Society have been running some juicy operations, with the underground slave-trade. They been climbing up the ladder, and recently have been tryin’ to claim a juicy piece of my tail. I mean seriously, humies run most major businesses, the government, and now they have to claim the underworld? I mean seriously! Fuck ‘em! But oh well, after my next job, I can simply retire and not worry about all that shit.”
“I’m not here to listen to you!” Zelotes shouted, angrily. He stepped into an open aisle between two piles of crates. Iit led to a wall.
“Oh, let me guess, you’re here lookin’ for a bronze key?” Retzian asked.
“Let me guess, you’re the thief.” Zelotes spoke, looking for wherever Retzian could be.
Retzian laughed. “Bingo! I stole it, and sold it already. Some warrior by the name of Hanea wanted it. I guess she’s some kind of paladin turned rebel or whatever. Seems like working with religious types has been a recurring thing of mine as of late, my last order came in from some cult or somethin’, I didn’t exactly agree with what they were preachin’. They were a pair of black knights and an actually sapient hunter dragon, all talkin’ about givin’ up one’s sense of self and emotions, and becomin’ a part of some great work, but hey, half a hoard is half a hoard. I’m not turning that down!”
Zelotes stopped for a moment. “...Was one of them a leothien?” he asked. As he paused, and listened for an answer, he could hear footsteps approaching him from behind, and the sound of a lazily twirling blade.
“I’m not exactly sure, his face was hidden, but his helm looked like it was made for a leothien’s or a drakgath’s snout, and he did have a leothien tail poking out, so I wouldn’t bet against it.” Retzian explained, his footsteps getting closer to Zelotes.
As Zelotes heard the footsteps close in on his location, he spun around, swinging his blade to hit the hidden foe behind him. The impact rendered the King of Thieves visible once more, sending his scimitars out of his hands, and revealing the blood spilling from the slash from his chest down to his abdomen.
“Aaahhh!” Retzian cried in agony. “Good shot.” He breathed in, acidic green fluid began to drip from his mouth before jetting out into a line. Zelotes nearly dodged the acidic bile just as it hit his left shin-guard, dissolving it and part of the chainmail underneath. “If you’re lookin’ to turn me in, well you’re out of luck.” Retzian picked up his scimitars before disappearing in a blur and a wind.
Zelotes looked outside of the aisle, and scanned the rest of the chamber. He wasn’t anywhere to be found. He then reemerged into the main marketplace, as he looked around the area, he came to the conclusion that wherever he went, know one else knew, as no one seemed aware of what just transpired. He left the market, grimacing as he passed the slave market. He noticed one of the slaves in the cages. He stopped, seeing the condition of one of the slaves. She sat in the corner of her cage, her draconic tail curled around her. She was tomb drakgath, the only drakgath among the slaves, although it was hard to tell whether she was female due to her formidable build. Her scales resembled gravel on her back and shoulders, and her horns were a pair of simple, arrow-shaped spikes that pointed back, and a pair of curved-back horns on her chin. She had an earthy coloration of slate gray and brown. She wore simple, almost minimal clothing like most of the slaves. Her hands, however, were bound in cuffs, and her snout was muzzled. Zelotes could stand the sight of the other slaves’ conditions, but this… this was egregious. Approaching the cage, Zelotes unsheathed his greatsword. The blade glowed as he concentrated holy solar energy into it. With a single hard strike, a section of the bars were gone as with a golden flash. The drakgath woman looked up at Zelotes.
“The fuck was that?” The voice of one of the guards yelled.
“Come with me.” Zelotes said, extending his hand to her.
Without hesitation, the drakgath took Zelotes’ offer, and the two fled the slave auction, runnning past the rest of the market. The two human warriors that guarded the entrance to the market, caught in a state of surprise, drew their swords only to be pushed aside as the two fled the chamber through the corridor. With a few, carefully-placed strikes from his blade between the former slave's wrists, the cuffs that bore the slave’s hands were broken, and the two ascended the ladder back into Old Stonetoe’s Alley, closing the pit as they left. It was now nearly sunset.
With her newly freed hands, the drakgath pulled off her muzzle. “I owe you my life. Thank you.” She said, looking at Zelotes.
“No need, now get as far from this alley as you can.” Zelotes said as he began running from the alley alongside the Drakgath. The two separated.
Zelotes made his way back to the temple, meeting the two dwarves once more. They looked up at him. “It was the King of Thieves that stole your key.”
“Oh no.” One of the two said under his breath. “We’ll never get it back now.” Said the other. “Thank you for your trouble, it looks like you had a fight.” The dwarf priest said, looking at the dissolved armor on his lower left leg.
“Yes, he wasn’t an easy opponent, and I failed to secure him.” Zelotes answered.
“Well, for your ordeal, we’ll give you two gold and five silver.” The dwarf said, taking a handful from his coin pouch, and counting it. “You have Dru’Halm’s thanks for trying.”
“I wasn’t successful, and the flyer said only five silver for information…” Zelotes said, taken aback.
The dwarf only held up the coinage closer to Zelotes. “We insist. Take it.”
“Thank you.” Zelotes said, taking the payment, as he was about to place the coins into his pouch, however, he found it missing. So he simply held his payment in his hand. He then went over to the Sunfather’s shrine in the temple, and knelt before it. Remembering the sight of the slave auction, he began a prayer.
“Great Sunfather, who art highest king in the Golden Heaven, I gratify thee for thy light.
May thy light pierce the darkness that shackles those in cages.
And with the suns’ flame, I pray it will burn the slavers.
And I thank thee for thy gift, for it has broken through.
It has freed, and started a liberated life anew.”
With that, he left the temple. He proceeded to make his way back to the job board where they all had agreed to reconvene at. Conveniently, they were all gathered, and the drakgath woman Zelotes had freed was conversing with them.
She looked and saw him. “There he is!” She shouted.
“Ya freed this slave?” Tulbrik asked as Zelotes met with the party again.
“Yes. Her condition was… deplorable....” Zelotes said, shaking his head.
“Hey, lad! Next time we go to the tavern, it’s on me!” Tulbrik said, giving Zelotes a thumbs up.
“Zelotes, freeing slaves like that, especially in the approach you took… Do you know how bad an idea that is? I understand that slavery is... an appalling practice, but her owner will want to find her, and you will get charged for freeing her. Even if sale and purchase was made illegal a decade back, slaves are still considered property, and you have committed a crime that could get all of us in trouble.” Xiyloos lectured.
Zelotes breathed in. “I know that, but my only regret is not freeing the rest of them. Besides, I don't find those laws respectable."
“Zelotes, for my freedom, I am eternally grateful. Please... may I travel with your group?” The drakgath was nearly in tears.
“Then be welcome to join us.” Zelotes said, warmly.
“First taking in a child, now unlawfully freeing and housing a slave-” Xiyloos was cut off as the elf bardess spoke
“Say, what was your name again?” Jacqué asked.
“Twenty-four.” The drakgath spoke.
“That’s a number!” Frederick said.
“That’s the only thing I was ever called.” The drakgath sighed. “All I really remember of my childhood was being taken away. I had a name once… I think it was Pai’Shal or something…”
“Bien, I don’t like the sound of twenty-four, let’s call you Pai’Shal.” Jacqué suggested.
“Pai’Shal? I…” The drakgath paused. “I think I like being called that…” A small smile appeared on her draconic face. “My name is Pai’Shal!” She shouted almost victoriously.
From one of the roads, the sound of galloping hooves on brick road drew their attention, a man dressed in messenger's clothes on a gray horse rode up to the party. Stopping as he met them. “Is there a Zelotes Nemean in this town?” The man asked, aloud to the surrounding crowds.
Zelotes stepped forward. “You ask of me?”
The man reached into a leather handbag, pulling out an envelope with a black seal. “A strange warrior asked me to send this to you.” He then rode off.
Zelotes opened the envelope, producing a small parchment from it. He read it. His eyes widened as he read the bottom portion, as though in disbelief. “It can’t be…”
“What is it?” Tulbrik asked.
Zelotes began to read the note. ”To Zelotes Nemean, I am to be met at the midnight of you receiving this message. Come to me, alone. At the Old Slate Pile, a two hours walk north of Andsburg. I emphasize this point, come alone, and face me.” What Zelotes left out however, was the final line written on the parchement: "Signed: Lucias Nemean"