It was another several hours before Bane and his party arrived at their destination.
The small village of rustic cottages rose above the large hill that overlooked the valley of Kai’leem; a field of vegetation that was teeming with life. Small mammals scurried through the tangled grass, birds fluttered overhead and the mew of livestock fill the air as the large creatures roamed the province, cradled by the warm glow of the rising sun.
The village too was speckled with dazzling lights. Lanterns hanging from third-story windows cast dim light on the wood-paneled homes, and tall brass lamps shining with orange flickering light lined the cobblestone roads that snaked their way through the array of homesteads.
Due to Bane’s careful planning, the pale greyness of morning allowed his party to approach the village undetected by the guards. But now that they were nearing the gate, and the sun was cresting over the horizon, it was only a matter of time before they would be noticed—before he would be forced to interact with a whole new set of strangers.
It wasn’t so much that he feared or even disliked the presence of others. The task of interacting with strangers was simply—exhausting.
The pressure of all those minds crowding around his own, the compulsion to read every expression, study each twitch of the faces, and decipher the meaning behind every minute gesture and reaction; it was all so draining.
"Stop right there!" the voice of a man called out from inside the guard's post, "State your business."
Bane stopped dead in his tracks and stared down the barrel of the rifle that was pointed at his skull.
[pneumatic rifle]
Power 1200
Range 975
Stability 8
Reload speed 0.8
Rounds per second 1
“Is this how you welcome all your guests? Or just the special ones?” Bane raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t toy with me boktu, I’m not in the mood.”—the man adjusted his grip— “state your business.”
Bane shifted his stance, readying himself to dodge out of the way.
Even without his powers, Bane instantly recognized that this was a man on the edge. His hands were shaking ever so slightly, there was sweat dripping down from his brow despite the cold morning breeze, and his face was wrinkled from the strain of his tense expression.
"We are simple travelers," Bane said, his tone carefully neutral. "Just passing through in need of supplies."
"You’ll have to find your supplies somewhere else,” the man said, his eyes darting between Bane and the rest of the party. “Nobody in or out. The village is on lockdown!”
“Lockdown?” Drexel said, “What is that supposed to mean? You can at least sell us some supplies, can’t you!?”
“Not gonna happen,” the guard said, “For all I know we’d be arming the enemy. For all I know, you’re one of them.”
“One of them, you don’t mean”—stopping short of finishing his thought, Bane pressed gently with his empathic powers, coaxing the man to fill in the missing details.
“That’s right!” the man said, “those griffing, greedy, scud sucklers have been running amok for months now! Killing, looting, burning!
They don't even have the decency to attack during the day.
And the monsters... Don’t even get me started. Seems like the bastards made some deal with them. Raiding caravans, attacking traders. All we have left are potatoes and boar meat, potatoes and boar meat. We've even run out of ale!"
The man’s words devolved into a rage-filled ramble, in which he recount every grievance he’d ever experienced. His knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip on the rifle.
Seeing this, Bane wondered if he had pushed the man’s mind too hard. He took a step back, involuntary grabbed Elidi, and pushed her behind him.
“And don’t think I haven't seen this gag before,” he continued, his voice raised almost to the point of shouting, “A group of ‘helpless travelers’ run to the gate crying bloody murder, screaming for help. But once there on the other side of the wall, there’s a steam pistol on your temple and a blade on your throat!
I’m not risking it. No, not this time! If you made it this far, you’ll be able to find supplies somewhere else.
Now go, get out of here!”
“But we won’t make it somewhere else!” Cade said, “we used all our supplies just getting here. There’s not another town for miles.”
She was right. Bane was used to starving, he could push his body a lot further before it broke. But the rest of his party… They were just children. Bane suspected they had been suffering from malnourishment long before he’d met them.
This town was their only hope. And this guard was the only thing in his way.
One one-thousand—two one-thousand—three… Bane counted the seconds as his mind ran through the possibilities.
He had no desire to resort to violence but, he couldn't stand by and do nothing.
“Don't worry, we’re not bandits,” Elidi said, her voice strong and proud, “he’s a knight!” she pointed to Bane with both hands, showing him off like some kind of prize show horse.
“A knight!?” The man scoffed, I’ve never seen a knight wearing armor like that. You lot look like a bunch of runaways.”
A heavy hand landed on the guard's shoulder before dropping down to push down on the barrel of the gun, “Amire, it’s too early for all this shouting. And watch where you point that thing.” A booming voice called out. “What’s this I hear about a knight, have our reinforcements finally arrived?”
“S-Sir, Ba’rak!” the guard, turned to look up at the orc who had walked up and stood beside him. “I wasn’t expecting you for a few more hours... I-I...”—He shook his head— “To answer your question, no, I’m afraid not sir. Just a band of drifters and a would-be knight. They were just leaving.”
Seeing they were going nowhere fast, Bane turned to walk away. He would have to find another way in. “Let’s go, there is nothing for us here, and there is no use burning daylight.”
But as he turned away, his hand was gripped by an electric pulse of energy. A tingling sensation danced across the back of his hand, leaving intricate glowing marks wherever it went. Within a second, the back of his hand was covered in a glowing, radiant, blue, light.
“Mark of the hero”
Info:
The mark of the hero appears on all those blessed by A1-247.b [All Mother] and can be used for identifying assets with connection level three or higher.
Seeing the light, the orc leaned forward and his eyes lit up, “I see you have been blessed by the All Mothers,” He said, “you are a knight indeed. A paladin of the brotherhood no doubt, Come in, come in, Quickly!” —He gestured for the gate to be opened—“there is much for us to discuss.”
“But sir! You told me-“Amire tried to say something but Ba’rak cut him off: “I know what I said. But this changes things. Open the gate.”
“Yes sir!” the guard offered a salute before dutifully opening the gate.
As the gate opened, Ba’rak stood on the other side beckoning them to enter, “Come in, come in!” he insisted as he waved the party through the gate.
Once Bane and his party were safely inside the walls, another strange text appeared in Bane’s vision.
{You’re welcome 😀}
“Greetings travelers, I am Ba’rak, son of Obek, chief of the guard of this fair village,” Ba’rak said.
Ba’rak
—Level 32—
-Chief of the guard -
Race: Greater Orc
Age: 41
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
HP:425/425
RP:112/112
Skills:
Unarmed: Level 27
Rage: Level 23
Master Of Axes: Level 19
Iron Skin: Level 19
Fortify: Level 16
Gesturing to the guard he added: “This is lieutenant Amire, my second in command and our newest recruit!”
Amire
—Level 17—
-Guard -
Race: Human/Elf
Age: 24
HP:125/125
RP:75/75
Skills:
Shield Bash: Level 14
Defensive posture: Level 11
Second Wind: Level 6
“I am B.A-2” Bane stopped himself, “I am Bane.”
The hulk of a man bowed his head, causing a thick braided hair to fall in front of his gruff face.
Bane stared up at him, amazed by the orcs' size and unique appearance. His wide-frame, muscular physique, and spiked leather armor, gave him an air of raw strength and power, his over two-meter-tall stature seemed almost unnatural and his dark green skin was otherworldly.
Narrowing his eyes Ba’rak studied Bane, who, in return, stared back at him with studious the same eyes.
Seemingly satisfied by what he saw, the orc crossed an arm over his heart and pounded his chest in a soldier's salute. “Cha’lum granton’a!”
Unfamiliar with the custom, Bane tried his best to mimic the gesture, Though he did not attempt to repeat the foreign phrase.
“Welcome to Ka’rem,” Ba’rak said his arms open wide, “I wish I could offer you an ale or something more substantial, but as you can see”—he gestured to the nearly empty trading stalls near the gate—“we find ourselves low on provisions.”
“What has happened here?” Bane asked as he took in the sights.
Other than the two guards, the village streets seemed mostly empty. A few laborers were milling about, humans and a few oddities Bane hadn’t seen before, who seemed to be making small repairs to the town and preparing their wares.
Everyone else seemed to be taking shelter in their respective homes. Bane could feel the air of anxiety and fear that permeated the walls and he spotted several residents poking their heads around the curtains and watching him from the safety of their homes.
“Bandits, monsters, the usual culprits,” Ba’rak said off-handedly, “Typically they would not be a problem, but, as I’m sure you are aware, most of our troops have been called to the front lines. May All Mother be with them.”—He saluted
—“As you can tell, the majority of my men have been called away. And now the bandits, thieves, and revilers are coming out of the woodwork in search of unprotected settlements.
“You seem like you can handle a few bandits,” Bane observed, “So why put the city on lockdown?”
Ba’rak laughed, “You speak truth. It would not be difficult for me to handle those men on my own. However, I cannot risk leaving the people of this village unprotected.”
“Let me guess, you want me to-” Bane began, but before he could complete his thought, Elidi clambered up his back and sat on his shoulders so she would be taller than the orc when she spoke to him.
“Now that we’re here, you guys don’t need to worry,” she gave the orc a thumbs up and a wink, “Bane is a super duper knight! He even killed a Death Talon with nothing but a chain and a scary look on his face!”
Ba’rak laughed at the odd pair, “I like this little one. She has a fire in her belly and a warrior's spirit! However, I cannot ask you to fight the Bandits in my stead. That would be a betrayal of my honor. Once reinforcement arrive, I will bring them to justice myself.”
“If they arrive!” Amire said, “We sent for reinforcements over a month ago and still we have no word from them! When will you see that-”
“They will come,” Ba’rak said, “we simply must have faith in our brothers.” Even as he said it, Bane could sense the doubt in his voice.
“Regardless, There is another more... pressing matter we must discuss.
Amire, Please take this man’s companions and show them around the village. There is something the young knight and I must discuss in private.”
Elidi rolled off of Bane’s shoulders and landed behind him, before breaking into a sprint to follow the guard along with the rest of the party.
“See ya Mr!” She waved.
In the meantime, Bane and Ba’rak made their way to a small cottage near the west wall of the village. Ba’rak knocked twice on the wooden door before ducking into the home.
As soon as Bane stepped into the room, his senses were assaulted by the reak of sweat, oil, and the clash of metal that filled the cluttered space.
On the far end of the room, mired in metal and steam, sat a small figure with long blond hair, a full beard, and thick arms.
“Lokk’ie-t” Ba’rak shouted over the clash and clang of metal forging.
When the Dwarf still didn’t reply he pounded a fist on the wall, causing the whole room to shake and some of the clutter on the shelves to fall to the floor.
“What in blazes are you playing at!” Lokkie’t turned and glared at him through his brones goggles, “Can’t you see I’m working!”
“We have a guest, old friend,” Ba’rak said.
Lokkie’t turned his back on the pair and continued hammering away at the small metal contraption he had been working on, “And I have a disrupture to repair!” he retorted, “Come back in when I’m less busy. You know I hate guests... So distracting”
“You are always busy,” Ba’rak said “I think you’ll want to meet this guest. He may be the man we’ve been waiting for!”
The dwarf pounded a few more times on the device before tossing it onto the table and letting out a long breath.
“Alright, alright,” Lokkie’t said, as he swiveled in his chair to face them, “If you brought him all the way in here, you must have a good reason.”
Pulling off his goggles he squinted up at Bane unable to discern his features. Wearing magnifying goggles day in and day out had caused him to become extremely near-sighted. Perfect for working on intricate designs, but it made normal interaction difficult without his spectacles.
“He doesn't look like anything special,” Lokkie’t said as he stared at the foamless blob in front of him.
“I assure you, he is exactly what we’ve been waiting for,” Ba’rak said, “This man has the blessing.”
“The blessing... Is that so?” Lokkie’t rubbed his eyes and retrieved his spectacles from one of the shelves. When he put them on he realized he hadn’t been staring at Bane, He’d been looking at the suit of armor that was displayed in the corner of his workshop.
“I thought you’d be taller.” Lokkie’t said after a brief examination. “Let’s see what you got. Give me your hand.”
Grabbing Bane by the wrist he lead his hand to a small hexagonal device that was mounted to a bench. In the center of the device was a small crystal suspended in a clear liquid.
Bane resisted the urge to pull his hand free and wrapped his fingers around the odd device.
As soon as his palm made contact, the small crystal at the center of the device began to glow with piercing light, and the marks on the back of his hand reappeared, shining brighter then they had minutes earlier.
“Well kick me sideways with a bora-cat!” Lokkie’t said, staring at the markings, “You were right! He’s the real deal”
“The real Deal? What’s going on here?” Bane asked as he pulled his hand away.
Suddenly bane’s suspicions boiled over, and he felt trapped and confined in the tight quarters. His mind began to race as he planned his escape.
“Ah,” Ba’rak laughed, “I must apologize. When I saw you had the gift—the gift we’ve been searching for, I became so excited I must have forgotten to explain things properly.”
How do I put this... the mark of All Mother is... well it’s quite rare... Only the chosen heroes, and in rare cases, those blessed by All Mother possess it.”
Lokkir’t raised his hand causing the orc to pause.
“Why is it you always make things sound so boring?” He asked,
“Listen here laddie, there is this dungeon nearby, a little cave buried in a mountain, not even a mile from where were farting about. Normally adventurers and whatnot explore down there, looking for trouble and rare items, and killing monsters.
But now that most anyone who can hold a wooden sword has run off to the front lines, all those creatures are making their way to the surface to hang out with the rest of us.
and let me tell you, they're not the least bit friendly.
The reason the big fella is so giddy right now, is because that pretty little mark on your hand means you have the power to destroy the dungeon core and prevent any more beasties from spawning and wreaking havoc in this here village.
And because you’re a knight, you’ll probably help us out on the cheap. for honor and stuff!”
Ba’rak, slapped him on the back of the head, “Don’t say it like that,” He berated the dwarf, “You make us sound like tax collectors and charlatans”
“I know we cannot depend on your status as a knight,” Ba’rak said, as he turned to face Bane, “What we are asking of you goes beyond your duty as a knight. And we do not expect you to work for free.”
I’m not a knight. Bane thought but said nothing, he really had to get Elidi to stop telling people that...
“We can offer you and your party all the provisions you need as well as any armor or equipment you require.”
Bane stood resolute, refusing to react.
“We do not have much gold,” Ba’rak continued, “however Lokkie’t is one of the finest craftsmen in all the land! His wares would sell for high prices should you choose to sell them.
More than that, you would be doing a great service to me and my people. We would be indebted to you,” he bowed his head.
“And if I refuse?” Bane asked, his tone stone cold.
The orc dropped his head, allowing his hands to fall by his side. “We would respect your decision. I know what we ask is not simple or without its risks. But We beg for your help, and appeal to your compassion.”
Bane was taken aback by the seemingly heartfelt plea. He studied the two of them, searching for deception. But, to his surprise, he found none.
This man was genuinely asking for his help, giving him the opportunity to have a positive impact.
He was free to refuse, if he chose to help them, it would be his decision. Not that of some faceless director on high.
Bane’s mind raced with possibilities. This could be his first step in forging his own destiny...
“Where exactly is this cave?” Bane asked.