Valium's slums stretched from the docks down by the Gray river, along the outer wall, and up to the hippodrome and the forums where livestock came through the eastern gate. Just as one would expect from a haphazardly constructed slum it was filled with narrow, murky alleys that snaked their way between dilapidated tenement buildings long since abandoned by those with the wealth to move.
As twilight descended Tillian and Kaspia prepared to venture out from their hiding place on the upper floors of an old warehouse that the Redhand had seized only days before. Their goal for the night; to investigate a few of the places they felt that the others in the crew might seek out to lay low.
“We must be wary if mobs are forming in the slums,” Kaspia murmured as they passed the countless poverty-stricken people who looked for haven from what lay beyond the safety of the walls.
Valium was constantly congested, filled to bursting with migrants seeking shelter that even the densely populated tenements filling the poorer districts were unable to swallow.
“Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all, we could try in the morning instead,” Tillian suggested.
Kaspia felt a pang of guilt as she tried to assure the boy that they would be alright at the same time as she considered that even the most hardened criminals felt the need to form packs at night in order to feel safe, especially when the slums grew restless. The chill of early summer’s evening brought little comfort to her, just as the stench left over from filth baking under the sun during the day could not be masked by the crispness of the night air. She knew all too well the dangers that lurked in the darkness, and wished for none to face them, least of all those so young as Tillian.
“Kaspia, you’re sure about this?” Tillian inquired in a hushed tone as if afraid of the dark. “Where do we start lookin?”
Kaspia thought for a moment. “Redhand's usual gambling dens is probably our best bet. If we can't find the others there we can check out the warehouse district or maybe the sewers,” she suggested, not relishing going down into the bowels of the city. “I overheard Silvertongue talk about a hideout down there a few months back,” she suggested.
Tillian visibly shuddered, glancing down at a nearby grate into the sewers. “Not down there,” he indicated with his eyes. “Bad things down there, kids telling stories of monsters, people gone missing and… worse…”
Kaspia sighed, there were a thousand reasons for refugees to go missing, especially down in the darkness below ground. “Let's start with the gambling dens and inns and work our way down to the docks by the river, alright?” Maybe it was for the best, foul dealings happened down in the sewers anyway, even the back alleys might be safer.
Tillian nodded, quickly scampering away from the dark grate that led into the city's underground.
As the two crept towards an old gambling den that the Redhand used to frequent in years past, Tillian and Kaspia slunk closer to the ground, taking care to keep to the shadows. The old building was dismal; a crumpled facade stained with grime, with ancient bricks starting to unravel from the mortar. Yet, faint music still filtered from within; echoes of revelers and their games. Kaspia raised her arm in warning as Till made to step out of the darkness to look inside.
“Look for the mark,” Kaspia instructed him whilst creeping through the alley to investigate around a corner.
Their search revealed none of the usual signs left by the crew when using certain places as hideouts so that others from their collective could join them there.
“Redhand is known around these parts, someone might know where he is,” Tillian suggested.
The boy didn’t look well, his ears drooping more than usual and his skin more ashen than gold. He looked lost, jumping at every sound in the night. Children like Tillian, who grew up on the streets, would do anything not to be alone anymore, even if it meant seeking out the likes of the Redhand.
With a tight knot in her gut Kaspia nodded and so the decision to take the risk was made.
The atmosphere inside was tense and oppressive in the half-light; a stench of sweat and sour wine drifted through the air while a cacophony of bawdy laughter, raucous conversations, and clinking glasses filled the room from the scattered crowd of patrons inside.
Entering, Kaspia’s attention was diverted to a thin barkeeper who stood behind his counter. His skin a healthy gold, his ears alert and moving.
“Something is not right here.”
Before they could turn around to leave, two men came up from behind, wielding short blades.
”What are Redhand’s little shits doing here, ey?”
“Horse piss, this was supposed to be my night off," the other one muttered. “You'll pay for this, you little shitstains.”
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Dunauri! Kaspia recognized the two men’s voices, Ruderi and Mudpie, young elves who worked for a rival gang. She had run into them before, the larger of the two, Mudpie, having beaten her up more than once when she first arrived in Valium. The far elf truly was a coward at heart.
Kaspia didn't move an inch but instead turned around, something stirring deep inside her. A murky vail covered the world and maggots crawled under her skin as she met Ruderi and Mudpie’s stare with murder in her eyes. She wasn’t the weak girl who had come to Valium, desperate for power. These common thugs were mice and now she was hungry.
“What's, what's wrong with you?” Mudpie complained as he shook his flapping extra chins in confusion. “Give us your coin, shitstain!”
Beside him Ruderi snarled, “that’s right, we know you should have more than a few after that stunt you pulled on night of the Good Goddess.”
“The word has spread. We ain't scared of the Redhand, not anymore!” Mudpie was almost shouting, his voice breaking into a loud pitch as the fat elf tried to intimidate her.
It didn't work. Kaspia showed her teeth, her long pointy ears pulled back. “I’m famished, boys.”
Tillian was no longer at her side. It didn’t matter, the boy was weak, a coward at heart, always had been.
“Weak mind, feeble body, lacking spirit. Two on one then.” Kaspia breathed hard, she would never yield, her vision narrowed as she sprang into action. Before anyone had time to react she had her knife out. “The Redhand will have your heads for this!” Her eyes locked like a snake to a mouse with Mudpie.
Ruderi laughed, a hesitant laugh at first that quickly turned mocking, moving closer.
Kaspias' vision narrowed into slits, the mice were talking back. This shouldn’t be! With a force of will she pushed a tendril of fear snaking its way into her heart aside. A part of her wished she could look around with pleading eyes to seek assistance, but her heart was set only on the two elves before her. The whispers and sour stench of old ale around them fading away like mist under a burning sun.
Ruderi slapped Mudpie in the back and despite her power they challenged her. However, before the thugs could gut her like a pig something unexpected happened.
The thin barkeeper that had been standing behind his desk suddenly sprang to life and, drawing an impressive cleaver from beneath his apron, he yelled. “No fighting in this establishment! Shame on men such as you to tussle with those weak of mind, body and soul. I am warning you now, if you don't get out I will be forced to use my little friend here.”
Startled by the sudden outburst Ruderi and Mudpie backed off with haste, giving the barkeeper hard stares and pointing their own blades at the barkeep.
“And the damages, oh the damages! Imagine the pity to this nice furniture,” the barkeeper smirked as his hand stroked against a crooked shelf hanging on the wall.
The air tingled, the two groups staring off in silence. Kaspias' heart pumped, maggots crawled under her skin and murder came over her once more.
“The barkeeper better not get in my way.”
She would stab them, gauge their eyes out and anyone that got in her path would share their fate!
If not for the cowardly Tillian’s sudden return and the boys frantic tugging at her arm, Kaspia would never have noticed when more men stirred from their tables. Drawing glinting steel and walking over to stand by the foolish barkeep.
Her heart beat like a drum and a single raspy whisper came from her lips.
“Bleed for me.”
Ruderi was the first to back off, he was the brighter of the pair after all and he yanked the fat Mudpie with him, stumbling towards the door, swearing revenge and disappearing with a trail of curses behind him. That left Kaspia and Tillian alone, surrounded by large figures who didn’t even flinch as Kaspia met their eyes.
The barkeeper stowed his thick cleaver away, a grin spreading over his face as he bowed his head in greeting. “It seems I have saved the day, at least for now.”
Beads of sweat trickled down her back, her skin tingled and her fingers turned numb. This was the price of power and she stumbled only for the weak Tillian to put his shoulder under her, propping her up.
“No, not weak, he’s brave despite his young age,” Kaspia reminded herself.
Her power was a dark, hungry thing. Maggots crawling under her skin, whispering in her mind, turned her into a brutish tyrant.
Her feelings withdrew heartbeat by heartbeat as Tillian glanced up at her with an expression of fear and worry. “I, I've never..” his words coming out in a stutter. “Never seen you like that, what were you thinking, face down Ruderi and Mudpie like that?”
Shaking her head, she pushed her emotions down. The power wasn’t the stuff of heroes but it was all she had. She had come to Valium years before, alone, one of thousands of the poor and destitute. Sacrificing her morals, worked for a thug like the Redhand, worked relentlessly in a pursuit for power and now that she used what she had sought, well, it scared her.
She sighed. “I'm sorry Tillian.” She put a hand on his shoulder before steeling herself and slowly turned toward the barkeeper.
“Why did you help us?” she asked as she gave the thin man a suspicious look, but his answer was not what either of them expected.
“I do recognize you both… the Redhand's crew, am I right? Pardon me for not knowing your names. I am new to this place, now the fine owner of this establishment here. You know, that boss of yours, I regret to tell you; owes me and my associates a significant amount. Everyone knows how fast word travels around these parts; for I heard the most unusual rumors, lies I told the first who told me, no way to the second. The Redhand would not do such a thing! But now, after what transpired during the festival a few nights back I knew I just had to be on the lookout. What a scoundrel he is, yes a scoundrel, that Redhand!”
“So you don't know where he is, figures,” Kaspia muttered skeptically, ignoring the barkeeper’s strange demeanor.
“What was that?” The barkeeper asked, waving his hands in the air.
Kaspia sighed and looked away. “Nothing, it’s nothing. We just need to find our boss, he’s been missing for days now and I have no clue where he could be. We were hoping he might be here.”
The barkeeper shook his head sadly. “Unfortunately not, but if you see him tell him that he better pay up or he'll be looking for trouble again.”
Kaspia shook her head, this man confused her. Grabbing Tillian by the arm the pair left the sour stench of cheap wine behind and once more ventured out into the night.