It was night by the time Horace and Callum reached Sanghorn. Even as darkness overtook the sky, the people went about their business. It seemed there was no time for rest in town.
“Been a while since I laid eyes on this place,” Callum said. Hobbling ahead of Horace with a smile. “We should find a tavern soon.”
“What about a doctor?” asked Horace. “Isn’t seeing to your injuries more important at the moment?”
“My boy, do you see the condition I’m in?” Using his free arm, he gestured down toward his lame leg. “I think I’ve earned a small bit of pleasure before being told potentially dreadful news.”
Much as he disagreed with the old knight, Callum had once been one of Horace’s teachers, and the only other living member from Keep Ankaa. There was little precedent to humor the broken knight, but Horace was willing to oblige his choices.
Callum led them through the winding back-allies. As though the city layout had been burned into his mind. Back in the day, he must have frequented Sanghorn often. Thanks to the path he chose, they were able to avoid the crowds shuffling home after a long day of work and arrived at their destination in only a matter of minutes.
Located in the alleyways themselves; a sign reading Earth Nectar hung over a set of stairs leading down under the street. He’d never seen a tavern built in such a way.
Smoke filled the air of the vast room they found themselves in. Upturned barrels were used as makeshift tables with stools circled around them. Proper tables were pressed against the walls with benches acting as the seats. On the wall opposite the door, one could find the counter.
“If you need food,” Callum warned, “you won’t find any here. And if you are offered food, don’t take it.”
“Why not?” the innocence in his voice nearly caused Callum to laugh. “Wouldn’t it be rude not to accept their offer?”
“Trust me. You’d rather starve than eat anything here.” Callum made his way to one of the tables at the back of the space. Elevating his useless leg onto the bench while his back was supported against the cold stone of the wall.
Following his old teacher, Horace sat on the opposite side. His eye danced around the room. This place attracted a rough crowd. Far removed from the types of people he expected an esteemed knight of his family to have as his company. But times were not what they had once been. Though, it was becoming more believable that he had been coming to this place long before the fall of the Vickery family.
This was further evidenced by a waitress bringing over what she called ‘your usual’ before either of them had a chance to order. When Horace was questioned what he would like, he ordered nothing more than tea with lemon. Most taverns carried such things for when parents were unable to leave their child behind. He was thankful that this shady spot in the depths of a back-alley followed that example.
“Don’t drink?” Callum questioned as he greedily drank from his tankard.
“I do,” replied Horace. Pausing to thank the waitress as she handed him a cup, a kettle of hot water, two slices of lemon, and a bag packed with tea leaves. “But one of us should be in our right mind when he go to see the doctor about your leg.”
“Huh,” responded Callum. It was clear such a thing had not once crossed his mind. “Very well, if you think that’s important. So, tell me. Where were you the night your family fell?”
“I don’t like to think about that time.”
“Come on, Boy. Humor an injured knight. Tell your war story.”
Horace thought for a moment. He could remember when he was a child, sitting in with the knights of Ankaa as they spoke of patrols through the land. Or conflicts they had a hand in quelling. Back then, he had much been like Callum was now. Curious, always questioning people to tell more of the story. Wanting to experience glory through another.
Squeezing juice into his tea, Horace relented. “I was off at a tournament. A small town on the western coast, Chromst I believe was the name.”
Callum nodded. “Aye, I know the place. Not much there, but the fishermen sure do enjoy taking a break from the sea to swing swords once in a while.”
“They do. And they’re proficient for folks with no formal training. Anyway, I was there the night it happened. Had just come in second in the entire event. Only bested by one of the royal army’s own. The following morning as I was preparing to head home, I received a letter from the king. Detailing the destruction of Ankaa.”
“Aye, that does sound like Dante. I bet he even offered you to come live as part of the royal family. If not that, then at least a place in his army.”
“He did,” Horace sipped his tea. Eating the juiceless lemon slices between sips. “But I refused the offer. I was lost, I needed to be alone. To process it all.”
“I bet he wasn’t a fan of that,” Callum laughed. “Wouldn’t be shocked if he continued to send letters your way. Doing his best to convince you to change your mind.”
“Actually, no. It was only the one offer. After my refusal, he never tried again. I think he understood my position and respected the choice I made.”
“Hmm,” Callum sounded skeptical. “I’ve never known Dante to give up so easily. Rather out of character for him. Something must have happened that forced his hand in changing. Maybe that new wife of his talked his ear off.”
Another round of drinks came, followed by another and another.
By the time Callum was six drinks in, Horace had told the staff they had had enough.
Callum was not too pleased by this. “Boy, I can handle a good dozen drinks. Come now, don’t spoil the fun.”
“We have to get going,” Horace brought attention to the man’s leg. “The longer we wait, the worse things could get.”
“Fine,” slurred the knight as he stumbled to his feet. Falling over the moment he was upright. Now he just lay on his back. Giggling like a young girl who just found out who her friend was in love with. At least, that was the only frame of reference Horace had to the way his old teacher laughed.
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“Let me help you,” offered a hooded man. Hanging from the man’s belt was a silver chain ending in two prongs that resembled antlers. Rangers were a rare find, even rarer in cities and towns.
“I’ve got him,” Horace answered before Callum could accept the man’s help. Walking around the table, he pulled his teacher up. Ignoring the ranger who still stood with a hand out to pull Callum from the ground. “My uncle can get out of hand at times.”
Horace didn’t know much about rangers, however, he recalled his father always warning against accepting their help. Warning that their kind held no true loyalties. Not to lords or crowns, only to the land itself and the coin people threw their way. Skilled fighters, and deadly assassins; associating with a ranger was the quickest way to earn the ire of those with power.
Though the people of Caembra did not openly show ill-will toward the rangers. People would still do business with them, and they were welcome to any and all accommodations the average citizen of the kingdom was granted. You would just never find anyone willingly open to calling a ranger their friend.
“But your offer is appreciated,” Horace tacked on as not to appear hateful to the man.
“But of course,” the ranger said. A smile to his voice. “Kindness to others, especially those in his condition, is what separates humanity from beasts.” Without another word, the ranger disappeared into the crowd gathered within the tavern.
“A … fine fellow,” Callum spoke. His stomach gurgled between words as his face flushed. It was taking everything in him to not let his drinks go to waste. Rancid air came out in short burst from the knight’s mouth. “All right, Boy. Take me to a doctor.”
The trip to the door was arduous to say the least. Callum continued to breath rank breaths in Horace’s face While failing to maintain his balance.
Once outside, his condition seemed to better itself slowly. Fresh, cool air seemed to do wonders for easing his intoxication.
Horace was thankful to have gained the ability to breath without nearly losing his own lunch. Whatever it was that Callum downed, it did not seem to agree with his stomach at all.
After some time, the two had found and seen a doctor. The grim news clung to them as they stepped back into the night air. Callum’s injuries were too great. Nothing but magic would allow it to function properly again.
Once the news had settled in, the two had found their way through town. Staying at an inn for the night. Both deciding that it would be better to wait until morning to discuss what the next plan of action was to be. They had previously talked of seeking out the miracle healers of Kane’s Refuge.
In the time since they had originally spoken of the healers though, Horace had felt some degree of reluctance from the old knight. Not only due to how long he had wanted to linger around the Earth Nectar, but when he had finally gotten him to seek out a doctor, Callum had taken every opportunity to take pause on the journey. Making excuses when they reached one doctor as to why they should seek out a different one.
Does he not care if his leg ever works again?
Thankfully, Callum was not so stubborn when it came to finding an inn to sleep in for the night. He’d led them to the closest inn to the last doctor they had visited. The Slumbering Nook.
Horace couldn’t help but wonder if Saphyr were still staying at that inn, or if she had already left Sanghorn behind. There was nothing keeping her tied to the town as far as he knew. Not that he much cared if he ever saw her again. However, after dealing with Callum for the night, it would have been nice to see a familiar face to which he would feel some degree of comfort in confessing his frustrations.
Helping the drunk knight into his bed, Horace left the room to make use of the baths. It wasn’t until he had the option to take one that he realized just how long it had been since he last cleaned himself properly.
When he made his way down to the room in which they were set up, he was pleased to find himself alone. At this late hour, most patrons had already put themselves into slumber.
He sank into the naturally heated waters. Letting every inch of his aching form slip beneath the surface. Feeling close to immediate relief. Even the feeling of stream wafting from the surface and brushing against his skin held some degree of comfort for him. If he was not careful, he could find himself too relaxed and possibly falling asleep within these waters.
“What to do next?” he questioned out loud. If he was right that Callum was planning to give up on trying to fix his leg, then what would that mean for Horace? He didn’t want to give up on the only person from his past that still walked—with some difficulties now—among the living. But, with the condition Callum was in, he would only cause issue with Horace’s own lifestyle of being a wandering mercenary.
“I could try and set up a hunter’s guild.” The idea of having a permanent place of business to take in requests was not the worst thing. He could leave Callum behind to take in request and handle all of the finances. Taking in payments, and handing out rewards to those who used their guild to take on jobs.
He also considered a school. With Callum’s experience, and Horace’s natural talent, the two of them could easily teach the next generation of warriors for Caembra. Anyone who could survive their lessons would be one of the greatest to ever wield a weapon.
There was one issue with either of these options: Funds. Horace was far from the wealthy youth he once was. Losing his entire home had left him to scrounge for what little he could get. And Callum didn’t seem much better off. There was always the chance the bandits he had been traveling with had stashed away plenty of gold in a hidden location as not to take it with them on raids. But he had not made any mention of such a place in their brief travel together.
Even if either of them wanted to plant their roots, they just weren’t in the right position to do so.
After he finished with his bath, Horace made his way back to the upper floors to return to his room. There was no rush to return as he knew his old master would be fast asleep, meaning there would be no discussion of their future.
When he opened the door to his room, he was greeted by an unexpected sight. Standing by the window was a hooded man. At his side, the chain of the rangers.
Even if he was unable to see the man’s face, he was certain this was not the same ranger from the tavern. There was an air of confidence in this one that Horace had not felt from the first. “What are you doing in here?” Horace asked. His voice more of a snarl than he intended.
“I mean you no harm,” answered the ranger. “I come here with an offer for you, and your sleeping companion.”
Horace turned his eyes to Callum. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the old knight. And he seemed dead to the world. Snoring away a storm that likely drowned out the sound of their conversation.
“As you can see, I mean it. I mean no harm. Otherwise, that man would be laying in a pool of his own blood by now.”
“Fine. I’m listening.”
The ranger removed his hood. Revealing a rather handsome man with a shaved head and thick copper beard. “I can tell just by looking at you, that you’re a son of Andreas Vickery. Firstly, I want to give you my apologizes. Your father was a great man.”
“Don’t you speak of him,” spat Horace. “My father warned me of your kind. Rangers aren’t to be trusted, unless you’re able to line their pockets.”
“Is that what he told you?” the ranger laughed. “Yes, I suppose that is how some rangers act. But not every ranger is loyal to the coin. Secondly, you must know your father has had some dealings with the rangers before. He may have been a great warrior, but even he was not able to do everything on his own.”
“Just tell me why you’re here.”
“Very well, I come to offer you a place in the rangers. I come to offer you a future, a home. But most importantly, I come to offer you the path to your vengeance.”
“What do you mean by that?” Horace narrowed his gaze. He never took his eyes off the ranger as he paced the room. Finding his way to the sword he had propped up in the corner. Hands around the hilt, he continued, “My patience is running out.”
“Andreas was a great man. And believe it or not, he was a friend. So, again. I offer you a chance at revenge. If you join with my rangers, I can promise you we won’t stop until his killer is brought to justice.”