Friedrich, Marina and Teleri walked along the road, all the while Teleri did whatever she could to shield herself from the sun. It was a fruitless endeavour in the sea of sand that was Kai’roh, but she tried nonetheless. If there was a tree, she would seek shade under it for a moment, only to be no better off when she had to emerge. She wanted to head towards the cliffs in the distance, but Friedrich refused, saying that he was already going the direction that she and Marina wanted and would not delay the journey to the Ruins of Kotuga any longer.
“We will be at the town in no more than an hour or two,” said Friedrich, handing her his canteen. “You can finish everything inside and I will refill when I next get the chance.”
“Thank you,” muttered Teleri, slightly bitter that he would not indulge her and head towards the cliffs, but grateful for the water to quench her thirst.
As the trio walked through the desert, the town came into view in the distance. It was a beautiful little oasis in the desert with a river flowing through it and a grand stone walkway leading around the edge of the town and straight through the centre. At the side furthest from the road, there was a building built into the walkway, raised well above the other buildings in the low-down town. To call it bustling would have been overstating it, but there were plenty of men wandering around, many of whom looked as though they were on guard duty.
“Something is off,” said Teleri, scanning her eyes over the town.
“What is it?” asked Friedrich, unable to see as clearly.
“There are no women here. Not a single one.”
“That is a little odd. Are you sure they’re not inside or at market stalls?”
“There are no people tending to the market stalls, but there is a strange man watching over the town from that raised building at the far side.”
Teleri pointed to the building upon the walkway that Friedrich had spotted earlier. He could just about see a figure sitting upon the balcony with his legs crossed, but he couldn’t make him out in any greater detail than that.
Marina cocked her head to the side. “Surely, they’ve seen us?”
“They have,” said Teleri.
“And they’ve made no hostile moves?”
“Not as far as I can tell.”
“In that case, won’t we be fine? If they were looking to keep us out, they would have attacked already.”
“Not if they want us lured into the town,” said Friedrich. “In any case, if we want to refill our water and give the pair of you somewhere to rest then we will need to go in anyway, won’t we?”
“True,” said Marina.
“True, but I am not so sure that it is advisable.”
“Alright, I’ll go in first,” shrugged Friedrich.
With that, he walked further down the road and kept going until he passed under the walkway and entered the town. Not content to let him go alone, Marina and Teleri came with him. The men of the town eyes them suspiciously, yet they made no moves towards them.
“Shift-eyed fellows, aren’t they?” asked Friedrich quietly.
“Maybe they don’t like us because we’re foreigners?” suggested Marina.
The trio walked further into town, not sure of where they were going or what their plan was, but Friedrich started steering them towards what looked to be an inn.
“Where do you think you’re going, sir?” asked a man, stepping in front of the door to the inn.
“We’re travellers and were hoping to rest for a while before being on our way.”
“I’m afraid that we cannot allow that,” said another man, stepping towards them from behind.
“Might I ask the reason for that?” said Friedrich as he tried to subtly move his hands towards the handle of his sword.
“Well, you see,” said another man, rounding the corner. “Everything in this town belongs to us and, therefore, you don’t have any money to pay for goods or services. Understand?”
“I understand,” said Friedrich quietly as the more men showed up and surrounded the party, “but I don’t think you understand what happens when you try and back me into a corner.”
The men lunged and the party launched into their attacks. Friedrich skewered a man through the abdomen, Teleri slit a man’s throat and Marina blew up a three consecutive heads in a single flash of lightning. Many men recoiled in terror, but a few others were fearless and leapt upon the trio, aiming to separate them from their weapons.
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“Get off!” barked Friedrich as he clung to his sword while two men tried to restrain him.
In a flash, he transformed into his golden fox form and separating him from his weapon was no longer an issue as he sank his teeth into the ankles of one of the men.
“Men, halt!” cried one of the attackers, taking a few steps back as Marina pointed her staff at him.
Friedrich turned back into a human and the men who had attempted to restrain him also backed away, one limping somewhat from the minor leg injury Friedrich’s teeth had given him.
“I believe we have made an error in judgement,” said the man who stopped his men from attacking further. “My name is Zahez and I would like to apologise on behalf of my men for reacting so harshly to your presence.”
“Reacting too harshly?” asked Friedrich, gesturing to the five corpses of his men that lay upon the sandy stone. “Do you see what happens when you react too harshly to people like us?”
“It would be best if you spoke to Namavar,” said Zahez, holding his hands up. “That power of yours…it could be very useful.”
“And why would we want anything to do with a single one of you after what just happened?”
“Please. I urge you to speak with him. We will interfere no further.”
The man pointed towards the building where the man sat watching over the town from his balcony. In the blinding light of the sun, Friedrich could not see the man’s face clearly, but his head was undoubtedly turned in the direction of the halted skirmish. The man held up a hand and beckoned to the trio.
“I will show you,” said Zahez, walking along the street and heading for a staircase that led up the walkway.
With an uncertain glanced shared between the three, Friedrich, Marina and Teleri followed him. Teleri took the rear and looked over his shoulder, glad to see that the rest of the attackers had stayed put and were cleaning up the bodies of their fallen comrades.
Zahez led the trio along the walkway where they could now see over the small town and to the sands beyond. It was a beautiful sight, and Friedrich could see the appeal of sitting here and watching the world, especially when it was a bright and peaceful day like today.
“Red Sand Teahouse,” muttered Marina, reading the sign hanging from the door of the building that Zahez led them into.
Inside there was an overwhelming aroma of fragrances, many dry and leafy and others sweet and fruity. They all combined and mixed in the air, wafting their way through the nostrils of the few people inside.
Zahez walked up a stone staircase that was build along the edge of the wall and curled round at the corner, leading through an archway. In this room stood the only woman that the group had seen in town so far. She was pouring tea from a small pot into four cups that rested upon a tray. Zahez ignored her and took the group through another archway that led onto the balcony, where they could now see the man who sat and watched over the town; Namavar.
He was a man of around forty, clad in flowing robes of red with a long, neat beard that stopped at a point halfway down his chest. His dark hair was slicked back and decorated with silvery metal rings that held it in place. He turned to look at the group with a cunning smile on his face.
“Rala,” he called out, “the tea.”
The woman inside hurried out onto the balcony and placed the tray on a table before Namavar. She set a cup in front of him and then took a cup to each Friedrich, Marina and Teleri. She gave a low bow and was then led back inside by Zahez.
“Drink, please,” said Namavar, holding out a hand to the trio.
Not one of the three moved a muscle, all wondering the exact same thing.
“It has not been poisoned,” said Namavar, looking offended. “If it would alleviate your worries, I will switch cups with any one of you. If it is poisoned then I will suffer the consequences.”
Friedrich looked to Marina and then to Teleri. With a small nod of his head, he took a sip of the tea. He had to admit that it was delicious. It had an earthy taste to it, but it was now overpowering. A pleasant treat after spending days walking through the desert. Much to his relief, Friedrich did not feel any ill effects from the beverage.
“Is it good?” asked Namavar, leaning forwards.
“It is,” said Friedrich. “Thank you.”
“I am pleased to hear it,” said Namavar, taking a sip from his own cup and letting out a satisfied sigh. “I concur, soul masker.”
“Soul masker?” asked Friedrich.
“You transformed into a fox, did you not?” asked Namavar before turning to Marina and Teleri. “Ladies, please enjoy the tea. I would not see you harmed when your services could prove beneficial to me.”
Marina took a tiny drink, but Teleri set the cup on the table and folded her arms.
“It is your loss,” said Namavar, shaking his head and sliding the cup over to himself, “but it will be my gain.”
“How do you know about soul masks?” asked Friedrich.
Namavar took another sip of his tea. “What is your name?”
“Friedrich.”
“Well, Friedrich,” said the red-robed man. “This island is home to many secrets and treasures. It is a wondrous island of mystery, all densely packed into a rather small patch of land nestled in the sea to the west of the mainland. I am not talking about treasures like the little kupons that so many covet; I am talking about treasures that possess magical properties that can grant abilities that can bring true power.”
Friedrich said nothing, simply watching Namavar.
“Tell me, Friedrich,” said Namavar and then finishing his tea before standing up. “You possess the power of an awakened soul gem that has embedded itself within you, but did you know that I too possess such a power?”
“Is that so?” asked Friedrich.
“That is so,” said Namavar, walking towards the edge of the balcony and then transforming before their eyes.
Namavar’s robes retreated, fading away into nothing as his body shrank until he was so tiny that Friedrich would have believed he disappeared had he not been so intensely focused. Namavar fluttered in front of the trio as a purple moth, flapping his wings for a moment before reverting back to his true form.
“Do you understand now why I called you here?” asked Namavar.
“No,” said Friedrich.
“The power of a moth is useful for infiltration and escaping dire situations,” said Namavar, “but it has many limitations including size and the inability to fight. I desire a mask that is much more powerful and would very much like you to give it to me.”
Friedrich, Marina and Teleri exchanged worried glances and Friedrich fought the urge to touch the minotaur mask that was hung around his neck.