“Hold still, please," Anna said. Lydie squirmed and swatted at her hands more each time she asked her to cooperate. While the Helbrund examined the bump on her head, Deventh and Tatsidi kept watch of the cave entrance for any re-emergence of the troll. The group had escaped safely and stopped to rest in the clearing outside.
"I'm holdin' still, it's the world that's spinnin'." Lydie said as Anna finished her inspection. "I already told ya I'm fine."
"Aside from the concussion, I would agree. As soon as we get back to Kho'Gul I suggest you take it easy for a few days. No drinking or fighting, unless you want to make it worse."
"Oi, don’t go bossin’ me around!" Lydie shrunk back, offended as if she'd been asked to give up everything that made life enjoyable. "I'll do what I want."
"Until you pass out from headaches and nausea." Unsurprised by her obstinance, Anna avoided arguing further. "Do as you wish.” The Helbrund stepped away, and Lydie sprung upright from the rock where she sat.
“So, we gonna go find the little bastard?” the Nelthrin asked, blinking hard to dispel a wave of dizziness. Deventh shook his head.
“Not unless he turns up. We’re wasting sunlight. The cart isn’t far from here – we should still have a look before we head back.”
“Then let’s go already. Sooner I can get sloshed the better.”
The sun favored the west by the time the group arrived at the ransacked cart. Movements subdued and breath bated, they kept close watch of their surroundings for any unwelcome individuals. When no immediate ambush descended upon them, their tension diminished, but Tatsidi and Lydie split up to stand guard, one facing the road, the other the forest.
The three others delved into investigating. It didn’t take long for them to find that, beyond the corpses which had warmed enough to bloat, everything at the scene had been disturbed. Some crates and chests still remained scattered across the ground, but Jessa and Anna found them all empty.
Deventh entered the cart to inspect it more thoroughly. He spotted an envelope stuck between the canopy and supporting wooden rib, which he pulled out and inspected the seal stuck to its flap. A smirk hid beneath his mask as he shook his head. He made his way to Anna, who had busied herself inspecting the bodies for any identification or clues.
“Does this look familiar to you?” he asked. Wax seal facing up, he handed her the envelope.
Anna stood up from her position hunched over the corpse of an orc. At first glance, she was uncertain of what to expect, but the image depicted on the seal caught her eye. A crested parrot sat perched atop a hibiscus branch which traced a circle around its body. Three flowers bloomed counter-clockwise along the right side.
“A bird?” Her brows furrowed as she tried to recall where she’d seen the image previously.
“A cockatoo,” corrected Deventh, “Do you recall the correspondence that led us to this supposed contract in the first place? Perhaps someone resembling such a bird?”
Anna took a step back and folded her arms across her chest. “I see.”
“What’s going on?” Jessa asked, poking her head up from behind a wooden crate. Tatsidi returned to them from where he stood watch and grinned, a soft, knowing purr in his throat as his tail curled and coiled. Lydie also rejoined them, holding her head.
"Feelin' a wee bit dizzy," she said, and collapsed immediately. Anna caught her before she hit the ground.
“Seems like a good time to head back,” the Helbrund said. As more of a courtesy than an optional invitation, she asked, “Shall we?”
The others nodded and followed her as she started on the path. All were silent as they began their trek back, another exhausting day having drained their vigor.
Upon their return to Kho’Gul, the group wanted for nothing but rest. Few words had passed between them on their journey back, and Lydie was beginning to weigh heavy on Anna’s shoulders. The city, too, had grown weary, and descended into its nightly lull. Swaths of people drifted through the streets, seeking home and hospitality. Vacant merchant stalls lined the way, tidied up and ready to be stocked again the next day. Song and merriment resonated from every tavern, welcoming guests with a warm embrace.
Outside the Graystone Hostel, however, something was astir. A crowd amassed outside the building, a murmur spreading as they pushed and shoved for a spot to peer through the windows. The wall of bodies barricaded the door, and it was clear no one wanted to go inside; the noise that erupted from within proved enough of a reason on its own. As the group approached the scene, they stopped at what appeared to be a safe distance to observe and plan their next steps.
A blob of orcs and men nearly knocked Jessa off her feet as they stumbled back to dodge a barstool flying out the window, which carried with it a flurry of glass shards. She hopped out of the way and managed to avoid them and looked at Anna with unease.
Having been preoccupied with making sure that Jessa was okay, the Helbrund did not anticipate the sudden disappearance of Deventh. Her height gave her a clear view over the crowd, and she found him shoving his way through, intent on reaching the door. He’d gotten enough of a head start to be well out of reach.
“Stay put,” Anna said as she handed her belongings to Jessa, as well as the unconscious Lydie to Tatsidi. Holding her arms at shoulder height, she moved through throngs of people as one would wade through a chest-high stream.
As soon as she reached the door, a short, young man stumbled out, mouth covered in blood which poured from his nose. Shouts and sounds of fighting roared from within. Without hesitation, Anna twisted the ring on her left pinky finger. A pair of golden plate gauntlets materialized over her hands.
Anna entered the hostel’s tavern hall and beheld the sight of more than a dozen men thrashing about in a state of rage. Before she had time to assess any further, a balding, middle-aged man flew at her from her left with a wild haymaker. She redirected the blow with her hand. As he stumbled, she met his gut with her fist, its momentum strengthened by a twist of her hip. He slumped over and fell to the ground in a heap.
She stepped over him and was greeted by two orcs. One was unarmed, and the other brandished the broken leg of a chair with a nail sticking out. The latter orc swung down at her face, and she shielded herself with her arm. The chair leg splintered against her gauntlet, and he staggered back while his friend swung his fist at Anna’s jaw.
“Deventh, WHERE IN THE HELLS ARE YOU?” Anna shouted as she leapt backwards. The orc’s fist passed in front of her face and he tumbled forward. She stomped on his foot, holding it down with the full weight of her body. Unable to lift his leg, he fell face-first and smashed his forehead on the edge of an overturned table. His ankle snapped, leaving her satisfied with the certainty that a ligament was torn.
“DEVENTH!” She shouted once more, catching her breath during the brief lull.
“Velaiah.” Deventh pounded at the bedroom door. Noise from the tavern hall funneled in through the stairwell and filled the bunk room, barely muffled by the floor in between. “Are you–”
Before he could finish his thought, the lock clicked, and the door creaked open. A slender gray hand grabbed his wrist and led him into the room with urgency.
“What are you doing here?” Velaiah asked, her voice hushed and snappy. She closed the door behind them. “How did you even get up here?”
“I’d intended to turn in, but it seems the place is a bit indisposed,” Deventh said, adding a shrug. “I thought I would check to see if you were all right.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“That’s very… Lighthearted. You sounded frantic a minute ago, but I guess I was mistaken.” Light and wispy, her words matched his aloofness, and she sealed them with a smirk. “I’m fine, Deventh. Inconvenienced, but fine.”
“What happened here? How did this start?”
“Oh, this is just a regular Shenndor evening,” Velaiah said. Her air of confident sarcasm wavered as she recalled the evening’s events. A sigh escaped her trembling lips, revealing a genuine disquietude. “It was Aurelio, the rotten prick. Barged in here making a fuss and riled up all the patrons.”
Deventh raised a brow. “Interesting, how quickly he recovered from his wounds. Is he still here?”
“He could be reduced to shredded rags of skin hanging from a skeleton and still wreak havoc. He wouldn’t stop shouting for me before, but I haven’t heard him for a bit, so he may be gone. I’m just waiting until it’s quiet again.”
“How long have you been up here?”
Velaiah paused, then shrugged.
“Only about twenty minutes. It’s gotten significantly quieter in that time, if you can believe it.”
Deventh shook his head. “Right, well–” A loud crash cut off his thought, and Anna’s shouts finally reached his ears. “I think that’s my cue. Stay here for now, I’ll be back soon if I’m still in one piece.”
“I’ll try not to wander off. Good luck, and don’t get torn in half.” Her lips curled into a smile which disappeared as quickly as it came. As Deventh opened the door, intent on returning to the fray, she compelled his attention one more time. “Deventh?”
“Aye?”
“Thank you.” Although she hesitated, struggling to express her gratitude, she spoke with a soft sincerity. “For checking on me.”
“Oh,” Deventh said. “Of course.” He extended his mask over his face, pulling up from the plate at his chin. With a smile concealed beneath, he paused to give Velaiah one last glance before taking his leave.
Anna ducked as a stray wooden mug flew towards her head. She looked in the direction from which it came and spotted three men across the room. Two of them were attempting to take on an orc who rivaled her in size, but found right away that he was more than a match for them. She turned her back and started walking to the stairs, avoiding his attention in hope that being the last two standing would be enough for him.
It was not.
“Oi,” the orc said as he turned to face her. The two men sunk to the floor as he let go of their jerkins. “You’s gotta fight me.”
With a sudden wave of fatigue, Anna’s shoulders slumped forward with her head. Looking around at the several unconscious bodies, she felt every punch, kick, and jab that had landed on her during the brawl. Despite making it a point to keep her body in peak physical condition, her age took its toll no less, and she recognized her limits. She shook her head, still refusing to engage.
The orc slurred unintelligibly as he advanced towards her with raised fists, and at a closer glance his eyes appeared glazed over, his jaw slack. She hadn’t noticed before while fighting the other patrons, but they all shared a similar appearance.
“Very well,” she said with a grunt. She rolled her stiff shoulders and moved into a practiced stance, her feet shoulder-width apart and splayed. She raised her fists in front of her face. Her opponent mimicked her, and the two shuffled towards each other. As soon as the two made it within arm’s reach, the orc struck first.
He took a quick step forward and jabbed at Anna’s face. Holding up her gauntlets to block the attack, she felt his off-hand sink into her gut. She grunted and stepped back. A wide swing came in for her head, but she delivered her own blow to the orc’s diaphragm. He wheezed, but continued his assault by bringing his clasped hands bearing down upon her shoulder.
With a half-turn followed by a few steps backward, she avoided his attack. The small of her back found the lip of the bar, however, and pain shot down her spine as she folded over it. Unable to right herself, she watched the orc as he approached her. He raised his fist, preparing to deliver. Anna reached for the ring on her middle finger to summon her shield. Before she could, the orc suddenly buckled at the knees as if someone had kicked them from behind.
Not one to question or waste an opportunity, she heaved herself upright and stood over him. She twisted her hips and shoulders and propelled her gauntlet into his slack jaw, and he fell unconscious before he hit the floor. Silence filled the room, aside from Anna’s heavy breathing and the sound of footsteps without an owner.
“A little late, Deventh,” she said to the distortion in the air hanging over the limp body of the orc. She sat herself on a bar stool and grabbed a mug of beer from the only keg still intact.
Deventh shrugged, his figure slowly becoming more opaque as he surveyed Anna’s handiwork. Thirty incapacitated bodies by his count, a fair portion assumed to have been knocked out by her, and others having fought among each other. The rest had taken the quiet as a sign that it was safe. Clutching their wounds, they emerged from the kitchen as well as behind the bar. They limped to the door, ignoring the two unscathed companions.
“You handled it.” He crouched down to inspect the orc and was taken by surprise when he recognized him as one of the city guard’s captains.
Anna found herself preoccupied with inspecting the damage. Amongst the debris and shattered glass, nary a single piece of furniture was left recognizable. Holes in the walls and floorboards would spell trouble for safety and warmth. Two pillars were damaged, likely compromising some of the building’s structure. She worried for the fate of such a humble establishment, wondering if the cost of repairs would overwhelm the owners.
“In all my life, even back home in Chilgrave, I can say with confidence I have never seen a bar fight like this,” she said, sipping her beer. “No, wait, there was this one time with a Lus’rak fiend I was hunting…”
“You’ve told that one before,” Deventh said. “I can see why you’d be reminded of it. It certainly looks like demons were set loose in here.”
“Significantly less fire, though. Deventh, what were you thinking when you charged in here like that?” Anna asked as she turned her head to him. Her face crumpled up with annoyance.
“Aurelio started this.”
“Don’t try to change the—Aurelio?” Anna gawked at him in bewilderment. She drew in a long breath, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. “Something is not right here. We need to get our facts straight about the situation with Rauleth before you end up getting yourself killed over a pretty face that may very well be one of his decoys. At least let me know your plan next time.” Deventh stared her directly in the eyes as he slid the plates of his mask down, raising a brow.
“Don’t give me that look,” Anna said. “Helping Thadagar was—I guess, just as reckless.” Though her lips went sour, she accepted her mistake.
From the stairs leading up, Velaiah approached, cautiously peeking her head around the corner. Her shining pink eyes widened as she took in the sheer breadth of damage the hostel had sustained.
“So, who won?” she asked as she stepped out from behind the wall.
“There are never any winners in a fight like that.” Anna downed the last of her commandeered drink. “Sorry about the room. Most of it was already damaged when we arrived.”
“It’s no problem.” Velaiah waved a dismissive hand. “Luckily the owners have insured the place, and I was already planning to leave for a time. Now I don’t have to look for an excuse to do so. Mol varondis doesn’t suffice in that regard around here.”
She turned a mischievous gaze to Deventh. He stayed his tongue at her hazy implication. The Dronvari practice of familial duty kept most of their people close to home, with the exception of those willing to return often to fulfill it. It also, however, discouraged romantic relations with other races, leaving no exception for Aurelio.
“When do you plan on leaving?” he asked instead.
“Soon, maybe in a day or two. I’ll have to help Cylla with the insurance papers first.” Velaiah took a deep breath as she continued to take in the room. As her eyes wandered to the door, it creaked open, letting in a burst of frigid wind. Led by Jessa’s small figure was Tatsidi, carrying a snoozing Lydie on his back. The two treaded carefully over the cracked floors and unconscious bodies in a confounded silence as they crossed the room.
“It looks… bigger in here,” Jessa said as she approached. “Are you all okay?”
“We’re fine,” Anna said with weariness in her voice. “Just catching our breath before we go and have a nice little chat with Aurelio.”
“Aurelio? Did he do all of this?” Jessa looked around once more, holding her breath in shock.
“That’s what we were told,” Anna said, glancing at Velaiah.
“That’s strange,” Jessa said. Her soft, contemplative tone piqued the interest of Deventh.
“What are your thoughts?” he asked. Jessa froze for a moment, but quickly set aside her reserve.
“W-well… There’s a lot of damage here,” she said. “I mean, that’s obvious. I don’t know much about partaking in bar fights, but none of my father’s properties have been this bad after one.”
“What do you suppose might have caused things to go this far?” Deventh coaxed further.
Jessa hesitated, starting to feel the pressure of being tested.
“Maybe a frenzy spell?”
“That would make sense,” Deventh said as he slowly paced with his chin between his index finger and thumb. “This is by far not the first time someone has purposely stirred up destruction over a romantic dispute. It’s easy enough to use a frenzy spell to fold an entire building without lifting a finger and slip away amidst the chaos.”
“It’s a commonly used strategy among thieves with magical talent,” Tatsidi said as he sidled down the stairs, his voice announcing both his unnoticed departure and return. “I have found a bed for Lydie, so she will rest well here while we chase down this Aurelio. Where should our group begin to look for him?”
“I have an idea on where to start,” Deventh said. “We ought to go and pay Rauleth a visit.”
“Agreed,” said Anna. “I’m sure he’ll know more than a few things.”
“Sounds like you’ve all got a plan, then,” Velaiah said, figuring it a reasonable opportunity to break her own silence. “Your friend upstairs, is she hurt or just tired?”
“Concussed,” Anna said. “I’m surprised she has a brain to injure, but she needs to rest as much as she can.”
“In that case, I’ll tend to her while you’re away. Consider it my thanks for keeping this place from crumbling to the ground completely.”
In spite of her doubts, Anna gave her an appreciative nod, knowing Lydie was in the safest place she could be.
“Very well. Let’s head out while we hopefully still have the opportunity to catch him,” she concluded. The others followed as she started for the door, with Velaiah staying close to see them off.
“Good luck out there,” she said. The door opened to the cold night which grew bitterer as time passed. She gave one last parting bow of gratitude. “Thank you again.”