Opal watched as Edge pried open Eira’s frozen hand. Her fingers shattered dropping a brass key to the floor below her. Edge grabbed it quickly. And began shoving it into every keyhole in the room. Finally, the key fit.
“She really didn’t want O.R. to get into this drawer,”Edge stated as she pulled the desk drawer open revealing a set of rolled up maps.
“I should look around to see if there are any other items,” Gudrun stated. “Personal items help me contact those in the afterlife.” Opal rolled her eyes as Gudrun stepped into the dead tabaxi’s closet.
T’hih-me stood uncomfortably in the doorway. His hair was still wet from his bath, frost had set on the ends. Opal approached cautiously and the young man didn’t seem to notice.
“We should get out of here,” she stated to no one in particular. “We don’t want to be here when the town guard shows up.”
“If they show up,” Edge sighed. “But I agree, I think we have found everything of importance.” She pulled on the back of Gudrun’s shawl. “No more looting.”
“I am not looting,” Gudrun glared. “I’m just salvaging some very fine fabric...” Edge raised her eyebrows as she began walking back toward the stairs.
They made their way back to Idun’s Garden as quickly as they could. Edge was keeping an eye on their surroundings as they made their way closer to the shop. Gudrun quickly ushered the group into her shop and shut the door tight, the sound of the lock ringing through the quiet room.
“We need to talk to Dean,”Gudrun stated. “We can ask five questions.”
“What do you mean talk to Dean?” Opal asked. “He’s dead.”
Gudrun rubbed her temples, “Have you not realized that my magics let me speak with the dead?” She sighed. “Come on, circle up. We should think of the five questions before we ask them.”
T’hih-me took a seat where Gudrun had said to. “We should ask who O.R. is,” he offered. “That seems important.”
Edge nodded in agreement, “I think that is the most important question right now. Maybe why Eira was targeted?”
“Opal?” Gudrun glanced at the young woman.
“We should ask if he had any final wishes, or if he had family.” She frowned. “They should be told of his passing if so.”
Gudrun nodded in agreement, “Ok. Let’s get this over with.” The group took their seats in a half circle around Dean’s body that was currently slumped against a wall.
As Gudrun chanted a dark shadowy mist coiled around Dean, seeping into his body and then suddenly his eyes opened and he coughed. The man looked around hesitantly, his brow furrowing.
“Dean, you died.” Gudrun stated. “We are going to ask you a few questions.”
“Who is O.R?” Edge asked quickly.
Dean’s gaze shifted to hers, “The Don. Robeson. I do not know the first name.”
“Do you know why he went after Eira?” T’hih-me asked and Dean pointed to the rolled up maps in Gudrun’s hands.
“She was medaling in things she should not have,” he stated his voice gravely.
Gudrun glanced at Opal a soft nod in her direction, “Dean, do you have any family?”
He shook his head sadly, “Eira was the closest thing I had to family.”
“Where can we find the Don?” Gudrun asked quickly.
He shrugged, “We think those maps will lead you to him.”
“Do you have any final wishes?” T’hih-me asked.
Dean was quiet a moment, “Finish what Eira started. Take down the Sword’s Brand.” With his final words the mist dissipated around his body.
The four glanced at each other, Opal was not sure what the next move would be. Gudrun stood quickly and began to leave the room. She glanced back toward the other three, a tired sigh escaping her mouth.
“You all are welcome to stay,” she said, “I am going to bed.”
“Should we keep a watch?” Edge asked but Gudrun waved her off. “Opal, T’hih-me what do you guys think?” T’hih-me was already snoring on his rock. “Opal?”
“I think I have a better idea,” she smiled softly. “It will take me a few minutes but I think this might work.”
Opal began to meditate in the middle of Gudrun’s shop. Edge kept asking questions, but Opal was too deep in thought. After a few minutes her friend appeared in a puff of snow before them.
“Gisli!” Opal exclaimed as she rushed to the bear, hugging its neck tightly. “It is so good to see you my friend!” The bear nuzzled into Opal’s neck with a soft huff.
“Whoa...” Edge muttered. “Gudrun is not going to like this.”
“I’ll get Gisli out of the shop before Gudrun wakes up,” she smiled. “But she can be our watch for the night. I’ll sleep down here. Gisli if you see anyone trying to get into the shop, wake me up, ok?” The bear huffed with a nod and sat on her haunches glancing between the doors and windows.
“You sure it will work?” Edge asked.
“Never failed me before,” Opal smiled. “Gisli is the best.” She smiled as she patted Gisli’s neck.
...
Spring 46 YR 331
Opal yawned as she did her morning stretches with Gisli. The bear mimicked Opal’s poses to the best of her ability. Creaking on the stairs caught the attention of both of them. Opal hurried to push Gisli toward the back exit by Henry’s pen, but she wasn’t quite fast enough.
“Gods above...” she heard from behind her. “Opal, what is that and why is it in my shop?”
Opal turned a cautious smile on her face as she continued to push Gisli toward the door. “This is Gisli,” the bear had her claws in the ground trying to stop advancing toward the door. “Gisli is my steed, very similar to your familiar, Mette. Just bigger. but I promise this is not another scary monster.” Gisli glanced down at Opal with a huff. “I said you are NOT a scary monster.”
Gudrun sighed, “Why is a bear in my shop? Look what it is doing to my floors! Don’t let your bear eat Henry.”
“Oh, Gisli doesn’t eat...” Opal sighed as she continued to push Gisli toward the door, the bear huffed in response, digging her claws into the floor. “Come. On. Gisli.” She huffed as she stopped pushing on the bear. “Fine,” she sighed. “I’ll find you a fish pie. But you need to go outside. Oh and do not eat the goat.” Opal stated. “It won’t sit well.”
Gisli finally made her way out the door leaving Gudrun and Opal in the shop alone. Gudrun glanced over to where Dean’s body lay against the wall of her shop. She sighed, her head hanging.
“I am not sure what we should do with the body,” she stated. “Definitely cannot leave him sitting in my shop like that. Can you help me move him?” She asked glancing toward Opal.
Opal nodded, “Is there a better place?”
“At least away from the windows,” she sighed. “So what’s the bears name?”
“Gisli,” Opal grunted as she hauled Dean’s body out of sight of the front door. The bear poked her head back through the door from Henry’s pen. “Go back outside...” she sighed as she set Dean’s body down.
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Gudrun chuckled, “Why haven’t you brought Gisli out before?”
“A polar bear strolling through town catches a lot of attention,” she said. “Learned that the hard way.” She glanced out the window toward the bear and her eyes widened. “I may have a way to get rid of the body...” Opal ran back outside and pulled Gisli toward Dean.
Gudrun frowned, “I’m not sure I like where this is going.”
“Gisli can eat him,” she stated.
Gudrun shook her head, “Now I am sure that I do not like where this is going. Opal, we cannot let your white polar bear eat a man.” She sighed, “We are trying to get rid of evidence. Your bear will be walking around with a bloody face.”
“I’ll get Gisli all cleaned up before we go out on the town,” Opal stated.
Gudrun glanced between the body and the bear, she shrugged. “Save the bones for me. They make a nice fertilizer for the plants.”
Opal glanced toward Gisli then toward the body. She gave her command in primordial and the bear hesitated before taking her first bite. Opal took a seat at the table nearby.
“What is that noise?” Edge asked as she stepped into the room. She rounded the corner to see Gisli and her whiskers twitched. “What the...” She gagged. “What the hell?” She turned pulling a pouch from her side and holding it to her mouth.
“We needed to get rid of the evidence,” Opal stated.
“But we didn’t do anything wrong,” Edge argued.
Gudrun sighed, “Do you really think the town guard would believe that?”
Edge frowned, “I don’t like this.”
“I don’t either,” T’hih-me said quietly from behind Edge. “Will the bear hurt me?”
Opal shook her head, “Gisli won’t hurt any of you. She is very sweet.”
“Tell that to Dean,” Edge gagged yet again turning away.
...
The group stood in front of the “abandoned” windmill. Opal watched as the arms spun round and round. She frowned, Gudrun and Edge had said that this windmill had not been operational for years. There was a sign painted red above the front door. The doors and windows around the front were all locked from the outside. It didn’t feel right.
“Do you think they are trying to keep something in?” T’hih-me asked.
Gudrun nodded, “There are quite a lot of homeless individuals out here. Maybe we should ask around. See if anyone knows anything about what is inside.” She glanced at Opal. “You’re with me. T’hih-me will go with Edge. We should split up to get the most information.”
Opal opened her mouth to argue but T’hih-me spoke first, “Sounds good! Let’s go.” He glanced toward Edge with a smile.
“This work for you?” Gudrun asked and Opal nodded hesitantly. “Let’s go then.” Gudrun led the way through the small part of town. Soon enough Edge and T’hih-me were out of sight.
Gudrun approached a few people as they walked. Each one said a variation of, “Once someone goes into the windmill, they never come out again.” Not a single person that they spoke with knew what was inside.
“Hello,” Gudrun smiled warmly at the older woman. “Have you heard or seen anything about the windmill over there?”
The woman glanced at Opal suspiciously, “Who’s askin’?”
Gudrun glanced back toward her companion. “The name is Gudrun,” she slipped a silver coin into the woman’s hand quickly. “Just a concerned neighbor.”
The woman eyed Gudrun and bit into the coin, she nodded and glanced back up. “Death awaits anyone who walks through those doors.” She frowned, “The doors open once every few days and offer shelter to those that need it.”
“Why would anyone go in if they know it means death?” Opal looked horrified.
Gudrun furrowed her brow at the younger woman as the older woman just laughed and walked away. Gudrun looked like she wanted to say something, but she held her tongue.
They began to slowly make their way back to the meeting point where T’hih-me and Edge were already waiting. When they reunited, Edge shared many similar comments that they had heard. The windmill meant to death to any that entered. Yet as the door opened that afternoon, multiple homeless individuals walked right on in.
T’hih-me stepped up to the group, “There is another door around back. It’s not locked.”
“Let’s check it out,” Gudrun stated as they followed T’hih-me.
They stepped into the windmill and were greeted with sudden warmth. It was still chilly, but not nearly as cold as it had been outside. Opal stepped up to the next door but it was locked. Edge shimmied forward and quickly picked the lock.
Beyond the door was a hallway with a door to their right and an archway to their left. Gudrun poked her head around through the archway and sighed. She gestured for the group to come closer. Opal stepped forward noticing an odd smell in the building, something they hadn’t noticed outside. In the large room there were cots, at least twenty of them. All filled with sleeping human forms.
The group turned back toward the door behind them. Opal stepped forward as she opened that door. She frowned at the sudden chill that swept through the warm room. The room was dark and there was a layer of frost covering the inside portion of the door. The smell was much stronger in here. It almost caused Opal to gag.
“They are using this place as a meat processing plant,” Gudrun stated. “That’s how they are keeping the meat fresh.” Opal poked her head into the room. Bodies hung from the ceiling.
Opal frowned, “Are they...” Gudrun nodded and Opal’s eyes widened. “The people that come in here seeking shelter are being killed and processed into meat?”
Gudrun glanced back toward the cots, “Do you think we should try to find a way to free them?” She asked.
Edge furrowed her brow, “They wouldn’t leave.” Gudrun nodded in agreement.
Opal frowned, “Wait so we are just going to leave them to die?”
Gudrun glanced toward Edge and then back to Opal, “We don’t have the means to provide shelter to all these people. We don’t have the means to provide anything to these people.”
“We can offer hope,” Opal tried.
Gudrun shook her head, “Have you ever been cold?” Opal nodded. “Not regular cold, but bone chilling cold. The type of cold that you can never shake?” Opal thought for a moment and then shook her head. “Have you ever been alone?” Opal thought again for a moment and shook her head. “Try to imagine that for a moment. Being completely alone in the coldest cold, with no way out.”
Opal frowned. She glanced toward the room filled with sleeping forms, her eyes glistening. Rune had always told her that hope could be found in even the darkest of places. Was he wrong?
A thud from above pulled Opal from her thoughts. She glanced around the hall again noticing a set of stairs winding up to the second floor of the building. She led the way up the stairs to a dimly lit hallway. Near the other end of the hallway there was a door slightly ajar, with light seeping through into the hall. They could hear soft mumbling of a male voice.
Opal continued down the hallway as quietly as possible, leading the group to the room. Through the crack in the door, Opal could see a steel great axe hanging on the wall. She took a step back away from the door, but they were too late. Whoever was inside had become very quiet.
Opal watched as a white scaled arm reached for the great axe. “Be ready...” she whispered.
The door swung open revealing a tall, white Dragonborn male. He wore an apron covered in blood stains. Opal dodged as the great axe came crashing toward her. She yelped as the second swing caught her off balance. Edge pushed past her giving a few good hits to the Dragonborn. Suddenly the great axe was searing hot, burning with a bright white light. The Dragonborn smiled as he gripped the great axe tighter. Opal swung her Warhammer, clocking the male in the head. The Dragonborn stumbled slightly, his hand loosened around the great axe and it fell to the ground.
“Don’t kill him!” Gudrun ordered. “We need information.”
Opal turned her attention back to the woozy Dragonborn, “Grovel.” She commanded.
The Dragonborn sank to his knees, gritting his teeth. Edge was quick as she tied him up. Opal helped by holding down the male. T’hih-me stood in the background, not getting involved.
“What’s your name?” Gudrun asked as she stepped closer to the dragonborn. He spit at her feet. “Ahh, you are going to make it difficult.” She handed her dagger to Edge. “You might want to be a little more forth coming. She gets a little testy.” Gudrun smiled toward Edge as the tabaxi ran the dagger along the dragonborn’s neck. “Now what is your name?”
He took a breath through gritted teeth, “Breiner.” He stated.
“Who are you selling this meat to?” The dragonborn huffed a laugh, Gudrun glanced at Edge quickly. She pulled one of his fingers and sliced it off in one clean blow.
He bit back a scream, taking another deep breath. “Nothing you can do will get me to answer that.” Gudrun glanced toward Opal and Edge then out toward the hall.
They lifted the dragonborn and dragged him toward the rounded overlook of the first floor. Gudrun smiled wickedly as they held the man over the ledge just above a grinding pit.
The dragonborn sighed loudly, “Are you trying to scare me?”
“Keep holding him,” Edge ordered Opal as she shifted the dagger.
Gudrun stepped forward, “Who are you selling this meat to?”
He rolled his eyes, but before he could speak Opal caught his gaze. “Answer.” She commanded.
The glint in his eyes shifted and his lip curled as he said, “Slice and Dice.”
“We got it,” Opal turned toward Gudrun and Edge. “We should...”
“Kill him,” Gudrun stated. “He deserves the same fate as those that he trapped here.” Opal’s eyes widened in horror as Gudrun turned away.
Without warning, Edge pushed the man over the ledge into the pit and started the machinery. Opal felt heat rush up her cheeks and nausea take over. She ran from the ledge, swallowing hard to push the bile back. She found T’hih-me standing in the dragonborn’s room. He was going through the papers on the desk.
“Did you find anything in here?” She asked as she took a deep calming breath.
He shook his head, “Nothing that you guys don’t already know.” She followed his gaze to a shipment notice for Slice and Dice. “We should get out of here.” He said sadly. “I think we should stay at an inn for the night instead of with Gudrun.”
Opal nodded, “I agree. We can always meet back up with them in the morning.” He nodded in agreement.
As they made their way down the stairs they heard Gudrun speaking with the homeless individuals that had been sleeping on the first floor. “Now, I want this to be a reputable place of business. No more grinding humanoids into meat. Use this place to keep people safe.” She glanced toward Opal and T’hih-me as they passed. “Keep each other safe.”