1.34

“What’s going to happen to Deer’s Point now that Ianthe is dead?” Fenrick asked.

The group had chosen to stay at The Boiling Pot, they needed a rest and hoped Bodwyn would wake by the next day. Though they had three rooms between them, they were gathered in one and seemed as though they would stay together through the night.

“I’d imagine there’s going to be a power vacuum, and somebody will want to step up to rule the town,” said Havenlocke. Draped over his shoulders was a large, fur-trimmed leather cloak.

“What about law and order? Guards, some kind of mayor or something?” asked Sharampf.

“This town is too corrupt, too far gone. No, crime will always run this town.” Havenlocke had been flipping a coin as he stood against a wall.

“You didn’t want to be that person?” Fenrick asked.

“No. I was planning on leaving this town soon anyway, you showed up at the right time.”

“How and why did you get caught up with Ianthe?” Sharampf never took her eyes off Bodwyn.

“We all make choices in life, and mine brought me here.” Havenlocke narrowed his eyes as he spoke, looking at nobody.

“Tomorrow, we head back for Cobbleson and bring Hank back to his dad.” Hank was huddled in the corner of a room and hadn’t spoken a single word the whole time he had been in their company.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” asked Fenrick.

“I’m sorry.” Hank’s head was still down between his legs, staring at the floor.

“Save that for your father and the town of Cobbleson,” said Fenrick.

One by one, they slowly fell asleep. Fenrick was the last, he fought the urge as he kept his eyes on both Havenlocke and Hank.

Bodwyn was in a place of absolute darkness. He couldn’t move, and his body hurt all over.

A face made of gemstones and various other precious things formed ahead of him in the darkness.

“The only reason you live is because of me.” The booming voice echoed through Bodwyn’s very body.

“I know.” Bodwyn hung his head as if in shame.

“You can achieve nothing without me and what I give to you.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“If you try to defy me again, I will take it all away.” The face disappeared and Bodwyn awoke in the room at the tavern. He was shocked to see Fenrick was still asleep but was even more shocked to see Havenlocke was with them in the room. He slept sitting against the wall with his head tilted up.

Bodwyn then scanned the room for Sharampf, and found her sitting on a chair with that she had moved next to the bed. Her head rested against the wing of the high-backed chair, and she snored lightly. Bodwyn couldn’t help but smile.

Bodwyn got himself out of the bed as quietly as he could and went downstairs to the mess hall and gathered as much food and coffee as he could. As he took it back upstairs into their room, everyone else was now awake.

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“I’ve brought breakfast for everyone. Eat and drink up. I think we all need to have a good talk and figure out what’s going on. Figure out where we’re going and who is going with us?” Bodwyn eyed Havenlocke as he said this last bit. The mysterious new friend glared back at him.

Sharampf filled Bodwyn in on what had happened to Ianthe and Bodwyn stared wide-eyed, and he found he had lost his appetite.

“So, what’s your story? Why were you a part of Ianthe’s little criminal gang? Why do you want to come with us now, and more importantly, why are we letting him?” Bodwyn’s eyes didn’t leave Havenlocke.

“My story, and what I’m willing to tell, are vastly different in length.” Havenlocke leaned against the building, with one foot resting against the wall.

“That’s understandable. In your own time,” said Sharampf.

“I’m just a bit of a wanderer who got caught up with Ianthe when I came to town. She had use for my skills, and so I didn’t see a point in not helping her. I got paid well and was readily accepted by all.”

“A wanderer, so you’re not originally from Deer’s Point?” Fenrick asked.

“No. I come from Whittleton originally, moved to Dawn’s Ledge for a while, and now I’m here.” Havenlocke could feel the piercing eyes and sceptical aura from the gnome, but he had no need to worry.

“Why’d you come here from Dawn’s Ledge? Seems quite a bit different from the capital.” Sharampf could feel the uneasy tension in the room.

“Life in the big city is hectic, I didn’t feel like I fit in. Wanted to be somewhere that was a little more on the quiet side of things.”

“What are your set of skills? You seem to know a lot about pacts and the beings involved, you even said you had something similar.” Bodwyn narrowed his eyes.

“I punch things, really hard.”

“Trained in martial arts?” Fenrick asked.

“No, I lack the finesse needed for that. I’ve always been strong, and so I hit things.” Havenlocke showed his mangled hands and smiled.

“So how do you understand magics?” Bodwyn asked.

“I’m a cleric.” The edge in his voice cut through the room like a swift blade.

“You don’t sound too excited about that.” Fenrick immediately tensed.

“Which Paragon blessed you with your powers?” Sharampf asked.

“You mean which one cursed me?” Havenlocke stepped away from the wall and slammed his fists together. Sharampf and Bodwyn winced at the sight.

“Paragons gift their followers with divine gifts. You don’t follow your Paragon?” Fenrick asked.

“Let’s just leave it at curse. As for why I want to travel with you. Honestly, I have nothing better to do. You come across as the type that would get into fights, I like fighting, so why not? I’m sure you could always use a little more magic to back you guys up anyways. I was looking to leave Deer’s Point soon. Good enough reason for you?” Havenlocke and Bodwyn locked eyes.

“Yep,” said Sharampf.

“So where are we going?” Havenlocke asked.

“We need to take this one back to his father at Cobbleson. Then I don’t know what we’ll do from there.” Fenrick nodded his head at Hank and only now did the group realise he too had eaten some breakfast.

“Are you gonna behave?” Bodwyn asked.

“I’m really sorry for what I did to you guys, especially you.” Hank looked at Sharampf, shame heavy in his voice and his eyes.

“That’s okay, I forgive you.” Sharampf looked directly in his eyes, and she could see the start of a great weight be lifted from him.

“Let’s go now then, no point in waiting.” Fenrick headed for the door. The other’s followed him out of the door, and they approached the edge of town.

“Wait!” The group stopped and turned to see the dryad that Bodwyn had bought the muffins off the previous day.

“Yes?” Fenrick asked.

“Let me come with you.” She stopped a moment and caught her breath. Everyone was stunned by the sudden request.

“Why?” Fenrick asked.

“I’m so bored here. I make almost no money as people tend to avoid me. Don’t know why. I know it can be a dangerous world out there, so safety in numbers, right?” Heracles, her metallic looking bird came out from underneath her hair and squawked at the group.

“Just like that?” Fenrick asked.

“Yes. Oh, you’re new. My name is Clovae, what’s yours?”

“Havenlocke, and yours?”

“Clovae, and this is Heracles.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m going to cut straight to it, this group gets caught up in all sorts of dangerous things, what can you bring to the group?”

“Oh, I guess that’s fair. Well, apart from making nice food that can you know, feed everyone, I can fight.” Clovae took a step back and they watched on as parts of her bark-like skin darkened and hardened and rose from her body. Her left hand slowly morphed and wrapped around a great axe head they hadn’t noticed before. It was larger than any other weapon the party carried with them.

“Well okay then, sure thing. You’re more than welcome. Let’s get back to Cobbleson and then figure out what we’re doing from there.” Fenrick led the way for the newly grown group.

“Are we just gonna make new friends each time we go somewhere new?” Bodwyn asked.