The money bags were deposited onto a table surrounded by a bunch of boys, all clamoring to see the lavish sight before them. About six boys were at the table, while two girls stood off to the side, not wholly disengaged from the excitement, but keeping to their own. The room was a small area, even so it was one of the biggest the house had to offer. All the other rooms were full of sleeping spots for the various groups of castaways that had been brought in. Amid the chorus of voices, two rose above the rest. It was the twins that came with Diago on his escapade, Sun and Lon, both only thirteen years old. They were, at present, recounting the tale of the day.
“-and then Diago said ‘Oh, I see a light’” Said Sun, laughing.
He was about to continue when he was interrupted by Lon,
“NO, you Talard brain! That’s when the lady came out of the carriage!” He said, indignant.
“I was getting there jynx breath!”
The two argued more than recounted. As the two bellowed at one another, Diago sat by, proud of his handiwork. However, his good feeling was quickly drowned out by an angered roar from the doorway.
“DIAGO!”
Everyone quieted and turned, abashed. Sulien stood on the threshold with a pack shouldered, looking like he had just come back from being out all day. Sulien was a tall and muscular man that commanded respect on the basis of his demeanor alone. Like most who are true natives to Tunaan, he had dark skin. Something quite unique to the man was his eyes. He had a startling set of grey eyes that had a firm and knowing gaze. In this moment, those eyes were set on the first of the many castaways he had taken in over the years, the boy whose named he’d just announced. Diago was the last to turn and meet his adopted father’s gaze. When he did turn, he saw a little girl sheepishly standing behind him, Silana. He knew he had been ratted out.
“Everyone out!” Sulien said forcefully, not taking his eyes off of Diago.
The response was immediate. It was mere moments before the lot of them had retreated to their respective rooms.
Sun turned to Diago as he left and somberly whispered in a forced formality, “It was an honor serving with you. Fare thee well.” He laughed as he strode on. Lon likewise said, “Can I have your kurigan after you are dead?” but he didn’t dare linger with Sulien watching.
After all of them had departed, a quiet befell the room. Sulien simmered for a longer period than Diago found comfortable. In an attempt to placate his anger he said with shoulders raised,
“No one got hurt?”
“The noblewoman you stole from would say otherwise” Sulien replied, quite unplacated.
“She is a noble from Eldaren! She isn’t going to miss the money and we need it, I’d say it’s a win all around.”
“It’s wrong.”
“Define that for me?”
Sulien shook his head and sighed deeply. His shoulders loosed in tension and he walked over to sit down in front of Diago.
“I understand that you were trying to help…I’m thankful for that much, but I will not accept it if this is how you do it. Money may be hard to come by, but not hard enough to sacrifice character.”
Diago made no answer. He didn’t like being at odds with Sulien, but within him lived a strong and arrogant rebellion and pride, such that he really didn’t want to admit he was wrong. Sulien seemed to look through it all. His own piercing gaze seemed to soften a little as he looked at Diago.
Softened, though unrelenting, Sulien said, “take the money back to the woman”
Diago anticipated the request and said with some insincerity, “I would love too, but I am afraid I have no idea where she is”
Sulien darkened again, “That’s the problem Diago! You don’t know anything about that woman.”
“I know her driver’s name is Gringer”
Sulien rolled his eyes, “What if she really needed the money!?”
“Sul, everyone needs the money. Name one person that doesn’t need the money.”
Sulien hardened, “Take it back, now” he said, punctuating every word.
“She might have me arrested. Is that what you want?”
Sulien scoffed, “With your luck she would probably let you keep the money. In any case, I know the guard and could work it out one way or another.”
A silent struggle of wills passed between them. In the end, Diago, who truly loved Sulien as a father, relented and sighed
“Fine, I’ll take it back.. I was just trying to help.”
Sulien, satisfied, relaxed. Having no more cause for anger, he walked over and placed his hand on Diago’s head and smiled warmly.
“I know you want to help,” he said, “but there are other ways of getting money.”
Diago brightened as though about to share a brilliant idea, but was interrupted,
“In an honest way.”
Diago deflated, “Kill-joy!”
Sulien smiled again and ruffled Diago’s hair as he stood to unpack his bag.
“You should find them in town. Try the Merchant’s Lot, Hult might know where to start.”
Diago stood and grabbed the money bags.
“If you need me, I will be strung up in the middle of town, at the request of my dear father,” Diago declared glumly as he turned toward the door.
Sulien only smiled.
Diago was about to leave when Sulien said, “I was told you jumped from Djorn’s cliff to get to the road. Why? There are about a thousand safer ways of getting there.”
Diago shrugged, “I had a good vantage point and could see the carriage coming from farther away…plus it was more fun.”
Sulien stared at him in wonder, shaking his head.
“Did I ever tell you that I regret teaching you how to use a Kurigan?”
“Everyday since you gave it”
“Well I do,” Sulien said as he walked over to Diago. He stood there a moment and then hugged his adopted son, saying “I’m glad you are okay. Now go. I want you back before it gets too dark.”
Diago nodded and departed with money bags in hand, leaving Sulien to watch from the doorway, shaking his head.
----------------------------------------
The walk from the house into the town of Rant is rather a pleasant one, or at least Diago thought so. His house was placed in one of the few forests near Rant and he liked going to town when he was able. It was the only town for some distance in any direction, but this didn’t make it desolate. Rather, it made it a little metropolis in the midst of unforgiving surroundings. Merchants and gamblers and tradesman and travelers and locals all gathered in the place. For its part, it was not the most dangerous or formidable an environment…for those who were regulars, though even those who frequent the town would advise you watch your step. Outsiders often called it a den of thieves and wretches, a barbaric and vile place with cut throats on every corner.
“That is ridiculous. Clearly a rumor started by Eldaren” thought Diago as he sidestepped a man that had just been thrown out of a window, who lay in the street moaning. “Sure it has it’s faults, but there are many good things about it too. If you are one of the people, it is a very welcoming place.” This thought was hardly interrupted by the clamor of a group of men mugging each other in the alley Diago had just passed.
Diago kept meandering around the clay buildings. He waved at one of the men strung up by his wrists and waist as he passed by. The man waved back, recognizing Diago.
“Up again Rafa?” Asked Diago
“Unfortunately.”
This was a common punishment. The support on the waist kept the arms from being too badly injured in the time spent hanging. Depending on the severity of the crime there would be more or less support from the waist, or more or less time spent dangling for all to see.
“How many times is that? Don’t they start taking fingers and toes next?”
Rafa raised a foot to display a missing pinky toe. Diago grimaced.
“What can I say, I wasn’t bred for an honest life,” said Rafa.
Diago had no real reply for that, so instead he said, “Hult at the inn?”
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“Should be”, came the reply
“I should be off then, be seeing you.”
“Be seeing you.”
Diago went on toward the Merchant’s Lot. It was the inn he always came to whenever he was in town. As he made his way, his mind was still racked with annoyances at the poor reputation of his beloved town. For his own experience, Diago had very kind and welcoming friends here.
“AND STAY OUT!” Came a bellow from behind the door to the inn, just as a man was thrown out. The large man that gave the below soon followed and looked at Diago in happy surprise, “Oh hello Diago” he said in a slightly nicer tone.
“Hello Hult. Hello Trig”
“Hello” came the voice from the ground.
“What was it this time Trig? Over drank and under spent?” Asked Diago
“Something like that”
Hult spoke up, “he still owes me my winnings from the last jynx race, yet he has the nerve to come looking for service in my inn”
“The nerve” Consoled Diago.
“I told you I will get it after the next race!” Trig pleaded
“I look forward to it” answered Hult, shutting the door definitively. Then halt called out from behind the door, clearly walking away, “or else I’ll call the honor guard and have you take your place next to Rafa”
Diago, still outside, helped Trig up and said “what happened to your money? I though you still had some left over from your last mining expedition”
Trig shrugged, “that was a while ago and no expeditions are allowed for another few months. Tarrin stone is officially out of season”
Trig was a weasel looking fellow. He was skinny and with an air of mischief. His hair was black and thin and his skin abnormally pale, as was somewhat usual for tarrin miners. He had a reputation in this town, one wholly unbecoming of gentlemen. If one ever needed to find him, he was a frequent at the gambling booth near the jynx races that happened on the outskirts of town. Diago had known Trig a while, but he was keen on keeping the relationship at arms length. They were not unfriendly toward one another, though.
“Well, sorry about this” Diago said, referencing getting thrown out
Trig shrugged again, “isn’t the first time, won’t be the last…whelp, be seein’ ya”
Trig sauntered off massaging a bruise on his lower back. Diago turned toward the inn. It was a taller building than most. Some few buildings in the town had more than one floor, but for the most part they had just the one. This one had three floors and a small annexed building connected to it that served as a tavern. This is where all the business was conducted, while the bigger building was all rooms. Diago went into the tavern portion of the inn.
He was immediately assaulted with the usual noise and smells that usually accompany places like this. Burly men flirting with the waitresses. Body odors dancing beneath his nose, demanding their presence to be recognized. The usual burps and wheezes of a crowd enjoying a bar. Diago took it all in with a smile.
“My people” he proudly said to himself, though not without some very real sense of ironic mockery at the general silliness of each patron.
His observations went from patron to owner. Hult had reclaimed his usual spot behind the bar. Hult was burly man, with a bald head and a bushy beard. He had that kind of look one has when they are clearly strong, but have more mass in the gut than most could claim for themselves. He had a perpetually furrowed brow and Diago guessed it was from the daily torment of the people he served. Hult wiped down a newly emptied spot at the bar and when he looked up to see Diago standing near the door, he motioned him to come sit.
Diago obliged.
“A cold cream cider for you Diago?” He said warmly, “just got a fresh supply of tarrin stone”
Diago suddenly craved it the moment he mentioned it. Cold cream cider is a famed beverage. It is made of a type of cream and an orange cider that has been lightly spiced. It is a particularly refreshing drink, especially in such dry and hot country. What makes the drink utterly unique is the presence of tarrin stone. Tarrin stone dissolves in liquid rather quickly. This is one of the reasons why Tarrin stone is so well growing in Tunaan, a naturally dry place, and subsequently why the land suffered so greatly without it. When tarrin stone dissolves into a liquid it makes it perfectly cold. It also gives the drink strange properties. It is not like stronger drinks, but it does have a way of lifting the spirit in a unique way. It makes the brain feel lighter without loss of faculties. However, if too much is consumed, the lightness of brain can have odd effects on the drinker. If too much is had, the drinker will become quite over stimulated and will likely need go to a quiet place, without much distraction around, until it passes. In short, it is a good mood drink. Have it, and whatever mood you are in, it will only make it better. A good mood becomes a great mood and what sour feelings you may have been having are likely to fade away. Thus, Diago’s temptation.
“No thank you Hult. Actually, I was hoping you could help me”
Hult only grunted, distracted by a possible skirmish that might be brewing between two men near the exit.
“I was wondering if-”
“One moment Diago. HEY!” Hult yelled out.
The two men, who seemed to be on the brink of blows, turned and looked at Hult.
“Either you two take it outside or I’ll make you clean the talard stalls!”
The two men looked at each other and walked in separate directions. Hult sighed.
“Sorry about that. You were saying?”
Diago continued, “I was wondering if you have had any Eldarien travelers today and where they might have gone”
“As a matter of fact, I have two over there that just took a room. They seemed pretty out of order though”
Diago asked and Hult pointed to the corner of the room where sat. There they were, The very same portly noblewoman from earlier that day, as well her shrewd driver, Gringer. The woman was completely losing it. Tears flowed worse than a waterfall and oh how she yammered on. Gringer took it well enough with the consoling comment here and there, but for the most part was at a loss as to how to help. The sight would have been humorous if Diago didn’t soon have to approach them in that frantic state.
“Perfect” said Diago, exasperated.
He was bracing himself for all the many uncomfortabilities of talking with them, when he had a better idea.
“Hult, do you know where their room is?”
Hult looked up confused, then shrugged.
“Through the door, up the first set of stairs, last door on the right”
Diago grabbed the money bags and walked toward the door. Hult went back to tending by yelling at one of his more annoying patrons. Diago did a good job of sneaking by the Eldarien travelers and went by unnoticed.
He found their room where Hult had told him. He made quick work of placing the money bags where they belonged and left quickly. He was walking down the hall while playing with his ring, as he had been in the habit of doing forever, when he heard steps and froze. Gringer and his matron stepped out from the corner. Diago thought he was finished, he’d be strung up as a thief for sure. At least until Sulien could retrieve him when the time came. However, for reasons inexplicable, they did not turn toward their room, but continued on toward the third floor, seemingly by mistake. It was a close call and Diago felt his luck near him like an old companion. The last thing he needed was to have a run in with the honor guard. Diago didn’t waste time in getting as much distance between himself and Eldaren as he could.
He made his way back to the tavern and said his goodbyes to Hult.
“You sure you don’t want a cider? It’s on the house”
“Really? Why?” Said Diago, surprised.
“You aren’t a leech like most here and your not an urchin like most your age. You seem as good a person as any to give a drink to”
Diago smiled, “just one, I have to be back before dark or Sul will kill me”
“One cold cream cider coming right up”
Just as he was turning to prepare the drink, the tavern door swung open. All heads turned to see who was coming in and everyone quieted as a stranger crossed the threshold. Who this stranger was is impossible to tell. He surveyed the room with a commanding demeanor, though his whole face and head was concealed by a hood and mask. It was peculiarly short and thine figure to command such an air. He wore a dark green fitted outer covering with sleeves and gloves, a rather odd thing in a place like tunaan. There was pieces of leather armor on his chest and forearms and shoulders. A quiver of arrows was slung on his back and a strange bow rested inside. The bow looked as if it were folded in half. The sight alone was odd enough, but what he did after was even stranger than the…well…stranger.
The newcomer met Hult’s eyes and flailed his hands around in strange gestures which Diago found ridiculous, but to his astonishment, Hult did the same thing in reply. The sign conversation, wholly lost on Diago, went as follows
“Sign?”
“Yes, I sign”
“Room?”
“Yes, I have rooms ready”
“Food?”
“The best” Hult signed with pride.
`The stranger threw a bag of coins toward Hult and then sat at a table. The regular bustle seemed to continue after that, the novelty of the stranger worn off. Diago, however, was entirely confused the whole time. He gave a questioning glance at
Hult. Hult saw it and shrugged
“Me mum went def when I was 12”
Diago couldn’t help but steal some glances at the stranger as he sat there with his cider. They get travelers and strangers relatively often, but never any so mysterious. As he drank the cider though, any anxiety about it leveled out into calm consideration. After a while he left the tavern. When he did, he quickly found that it was much darker than he realized. He had spent way too much time there and it was now a dwindling twilight.
“Jynx droppings. Sul is going to kill me”
Diago raced as fast as he could home. There was one small forest and a dune lake between him and his home and he did not carry much hope that he could make it back before night would completely overcome the fading light. He made is was quickly through the forest. Just as he was about to leave it and enter the dune lake, he heard a noise behind him. He was justifiably shaken. He thought he was entirely alone. He examined the forest and didn’t see anything peculiar. That is until he saw a lone figure racing through the trees abnormally quick. It looked like that stranger from earlier. If he saw Diago, he gave no notion of it and continued down the way at breakneck pace. The way he took led only to a dry flat that led up to a small forest at the base of one of the great red spires of Tunaan. A strange direction to go. Diago had other things to worry about though. Whatever the stranger was doing was none of his concern. He pressed on into the dune lake.
The stars were just appearing in the dim light of a setting sun. Though there was still some sun, the constellations were nonetheless ready to show their brilliance. The stars commanded such attention on nights like this, even in the midst of the now purple and gold twilight. The sand was cool to Diago’s feet even through his boots.
Just then, the stars seemed to shimmer all at once, causing Diago to stop in his tracks. Something in the air gave Diago a weighty feeling, even with the cream cider in him. He heard a deep and airy sigh that seemed to come from everywhere and it sent a chill down his spine. The sand suddenly grew warm and a dim light began to grow in the air just in front of him. The dim light gave way to brighter and brighter light and began taking the form of a beautiful woman. She glowed and seemed to be made of a hazy blue green mist that was constantly falling from her. She stared at him and smiled.
“Who are you?” Diago asked shaking.
The misty woman made no reply.
“What do you want?”
The woman stared and slowly lifted a pointed finger at Diago. Diago was officially terrified.
“Look I’m not one to turn down a beautiful lady, but I think in this case I am going to make an exception. Thank you bye!”
Diago turned on a dime to get away, but as he did he found the same woman right behind him, still pointing. When he looked back to where she was before, there was nothing. He turned again at the woman.
“What do you want from me?”
The woman smiled again and shook her head.
“Not from me?…what do you want me to do?”
The woman nodded and finally spoke. As she did, it was as if his entire being was hinged on her every syllable. When she spoke, the amount of weight and gravity was so immense that Diago felt that if he rejected it or spurned it or failed to listen, he would be tearing away at a part of himself. This and more Diago felt, but the woman only spoke one word.
“Ariochmar”
Diago stood breathless and then replied with sincere eloquence, “huh?”
The woman, for the first time, furrowed her brow and repeated, “Ariochmar” “Intelar?”
The woman’s smile dropped and she looked perturbed
“Look, don’t blame me if you are going to mumble everything”
She gave a blank stare of annoyance. She repeated again, “Ariochmar” only this time with more voice.
“Ariochmar?” Diago replied
The woman nodded seeming satisfied.
“Ariochmar… very nice…what is that?”
The woman’s smile returned, only this time there was mixed into it an aura of anticipation and excitement.
“Seek…it…out…”
She faded away and disappeared. The sand became cool again. The stars didn’t shine as brightly and Diago was left alone, engrossed in thought for some time. He came to his senses when he saw how dark it was getting and rushed home as fast as he could. However nothing could shake him from what had just happened. His thoughts were racked with questions.
“What is the Ariochmar? Why do I have to look for it? What’s going on?”