Hidden in the darkness

[meloner]

Sitting at the furthest table in the corner of the bar, Meloner took a gulp from his wooden cup and settled it back on the table, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He gazed absent mindedly at the empty stage of the Yubos Leg. The last dancer left to get married to a rich Matis craftsman. Since then no one bothered to find a new girl. The pub lost most of it’s customers due to the increasing number of brawls, in which, Meloner had to admit, got involved most of the time. Maybe it was his frown, sign of his typical Fyros character, that provoked drunken fools to challenge him, or maybe the fact that he was always seen alone. Any wise homin would instinctively stand out of his way. Meloner wielded a sword well, but he was no master. He himself would say : “ There is always a bigger fish. A homin who claims to be a master will be killed by his own arrogance.” Meloner was also learning the skills of close combat, both with knives and fists. He prided himself in being one of the few homins capable of throwing daggers at long range and dealing lethal wounds. Many overconfident enemies, having disarmed the warrior, fell with a knife in their ribs and a look of utmost surprise on their faces.
As Meloner slowly turned his head to the entrance of the pub, he saw a customer walking down the stairs pushing his way through the crowd towards the barman. As he turned around, waiting for his drink, elbows leaning on the side of the counter, his eyes swept the room looking for something, or someone. Meloner made no effort to make himself seen. He leaned back and waited until the Fyros, a young officer of the Imperial guards by the look of his armor, nodded to him and squeezed between two chairs to sit at his table.

-Meloner ? Asked the officer.
-Yes ?
-You got my note ?
-I wouldn’t be here at this hour of the night if I hadn’t.
-Good. This is not an easy task. And I need a strong warrior by my side to help me.
-Taking a few refugees sightseeing around Underspring is not an easy task ?

Meloner leaned forward, eyes flashing a warning glare at the Fyros in front of him.

-I think you are hiding something from me, Alius. He said in a low threatening voice. I think there is more to this “task” than I am aware of. Why would refugees want to walk around a place like Underspring ? Why do you, a respectable, yet low ranked officer of the Imperial guards get involved in such a small and insignificant matter ? Even the price you are paying me is ridiculously high.

-I beg you to calm down, sir ! It was too dangerous for me to write the true intentions of this trip on the note I sent you. Keep your voice down, please. We cannot allow to be overheard.

Alius looked around the room nervously. Only one customer remained. A cackling little tryker with vicious eyes and his hair tied in a bandana. After watching him swaying and singing for 2 minutes, Alius cleared his throat and declared in a low voice :

-We are hunting down a dangerous murderer. Galos Kian.

Meloner brought his cup to his lips and leaned forward, listening intently.

-He’s escaped from the Palace dungeons two weeks ago. A scout reported to have seen him entering Underspring. Guards are waiting at every portal and forbidding diggers to enter. We even had to ask both the Karavan and the Kami to stop all teleportation into the lands. The negotiation with the Kami went fine. But the Karavan asked for a lot of money. And they’re giving us a limited time to find and capture Galos Kian before they grant access to Underspring to all Karavan folk again.

-And I suppose they’ll blame the Fyros authorities if anyone gets killed in there ? Asked Meloner in a bitter tone.

-But that’s not all. The other civilizations are not happy. They are accusing us of using the land for our own purposes. I fear a war coming closer every day. Not only will there be a massive conflict against the Empire...but the Emperor himself will have me executed if I don’t capture that assassin. I need your help !

Meloner emptied his cup and rested it slowly on the table, thinking.

-What part do the refugees play in this ? He asked.
-Bodyguards, backup, call them what you like, but they certainly know how to handle an axe better than a refugee. Answered Alius with a smile.
-I work alone.
-Sir ! Please be reasonable ! Underspring is home to the kitin and the vorax ! You may be skilled with a blade, but you cannot fight off a herd of bloodthirsty vorax on your own ! It’s madness !
-Your escaped murderer knows who you are, he is aware of your hunting him and believe me when I say we don’t stand a chance if we chase him as a group. Alone I can find him.

After a few minutes of hesitation, Alius decided to trust this homin on which so much depended on his success.
-How much ? Asked the officer.

Meloner looked at Alius in the eye and answered :

-50 million....

The warrior dropped a few dappers on the table to pay for the drink and headed out of the Yubos Leg, leaving the officer to finish his firewine alone. Alius noticed Meloner was wearing a caster dress made of fur and what looked like green scale underneath. He recognised a Kami dress : an item from the Sanctuary of Ma-Duk and a reward from the war of the House of Gods. A war that marked Meloner’s spirit deeply. How many of his friends did he see perish on both sides, how many times did he narrowly escape death himself. So much blood spilt for the constructions of those temples when they could’ve been built only at the cost of sweat dripping from the diggers foreheads. The next war would be worse. Much worse. And Meloner was ready for it.

As he walked past the square and into Bath Lane he turned his head suddenly, sensing a movement behind him. Meloner thought he saw a small figure, crouching behind the fountain, the moon reflecting a shadow of a head in the clear water. Two gleaming eyes stared back at him. Something shiny caught the light of the moon, very close to where the follower lay. A sword.
Meloner didn’t move. He lowered his hand to feel for his knives and slowly raised the other, lighting a ball of flame in his palm. Suddenly, he threw a powerful fire spell in the direction of the fountain. He didn’t hit but the light was all he needed. It was the drunk tryker from the pub that came charging to him with a sword and knife in his hands.

[zanthar]

Your tail is very intriguing myfriend prey tell us more!

[meloner]

In a flash his daggers were out and as he dodged a lethal blow to the head, Meloner lashed out, drawing blood from the angry assailant’s cheek. The tryker fought like a mad kincher, mostly cutting air, blindly swinging his sword around his head. Meloner parried and blocked every single attack with ridiculous ease, though you must admit, the tryker WAS drunk after all. Having finally tired him out, the warrior brought his foot in his opponent’s stomach. The force of the kick made the tryker let go of his weapons and clutch his stomach in pain, gasping for breath. Meloner knelt down and holding the tip of his dagger to the tryker’s throat, asked viciously :

-Who are you ?
-Hawkswing sir !
-Why did you attack me ?
-Your moneybag sir ! Answered the tryker cheekily.
-And you thought you’d try and mug someone of his money after a couple of pints did you ? Asked Meloner with a slight tone of sarcasm.
-Aye ! Growled Hawkswing. Done it loads ‘o times. But you weren’t half as drunk as the others ! Shoulda picked the other guy that was drinkin’ with ya i s’pose.
-Enough ! I hope you enjoy your stay in the Palace cells. One is available with a tunnel in it. Who knows, you may not stay there as long as you think if you pick that one.
-Please sir ! I’m only a humble pirate doing what all pirates do ! Let me go !

Meloner didn’t answer and started dragging the pleading tryker towards the guard house.

-Wait sir ! I...I overheard ya talking with ya friend ! I know where he is you’re looking for !
-Yeah right !
-It’s true ! I saw him ! I got lost and spent 3 days in Underspring ! I watched him start a fire and eat vorax meat ! I even nicked some of it cos I was starving sir ! I took his ring too sir ! Look !

Still being dragged, Hawkswing pulled a small ring from his pocket and frantically forced it under Meloner’s gaze. Suddenly the warrior stopped and hesitated, staring at the ring. His eyes fell upon the 2 initials engraved upon the amber. G.K. Slowly, he released his grip and the pirate struggled on his feet, brushing the sand off his trousers.

-You will lead me to the place you found that ring. Said Meloner.
-Eh ? no way mate ! I’m outta here bye !

Hawkswing went off at mektoub speed across Fountain square, running so fast his feet barely touched the ground. Meloner did not move. He didn’t even bother to try and catch him. And suddenly Hawkswing knew why. As he was about to run through Bath Lane, something flashed past his shoulder, cutting through his vest and pinning it into the wood of a door. A dagger. The blade was too deep in the material for Hawkswing to pull out. He was trapped. He stared angrily back at the warrior, walking calmly into his direction, a stern look upon his face.

-Help me and I’ll help you. Said Meloner. If you lead me to Galus Kian, I’ll forget everything about you’re trying to rob me.
-Too small a reward ! I want dapper !
-Would you rather I leave you here untill the patrol finds you ?

Hawkswing cast a dirty glare at Meloner and reluctantly allowed him to pull the dagger out of the splintered wood. He couldn’t help but marvel at how far the warrior was when he threw it, and how powerful the throw must have been to carry it into the door, not far to the hilt.

-We set off to Dyron at dawn.

[otaku157]

Hah! Serves him right.

Wonderful tale! I can't wait for the next installment.

[zanthar]

Hah! Serves him right.

Wonderful tale! I can't wait for the next installment.

Yes, Please tell us more!

[meloner]

-Me feet can’t stand no more of this ! Whined Hawkswing.
-Is it my fault you have no teleporter pact ?
-If I had any I’d be back at me appartment in Fairhaven ! Bodoc brains ! Growled the pirate.

Meloner turned a deaf ear to that last remark. He had been ignoring the constant taunts and shouts of the cursed tryker ever since their departure from Pyr. Hawkswing tried everything he possibly could to ruin the journey, from blowing raspberries at the frahars, to attempting to pickpocket from the Hunters. He even tried to attract the inhabitants of Clopper Hill onto the warrior who had to then blast his way through and dive in the lake with the cackling tryker. Meloner then decided to bind the pirate’s hands and attach the end of the rope to his mount’s saddle.

-I’m thirsty ! I wanna drink ! Said Hawkswing.
-You’ll find a canteen full of water in my saddle bag.
-Water !?! Pah ! I want firewine !
-And I want you to shut up ! But it seems we are both going to be disappointed.

Hawkswing merely swore and cursed to himself quietly. Suddenly losing his temper, Meloner stopped his mount and turned his head round to look at the tryker.

-If you don’t quit your moaning I shall feed you to that zerx over there !

Hawkswing looked at the creature the warrior was pointing at and suddenly felt uneasy.

-Euhm..That’s no zerx, sir ! It’s rather big for a zerx, sir ! And I doubt zerx go as fast as this one goes sir ! And it’s bluddy headed straight for us sir !!!

Seeing the fear in the pirate’s eyes, Meloner turned his head and uttered a shout :

-GULLIE !

A huge rain of acid sprayed the warrior, burning into the clothing. But the natural resistance of the fyros was enough to keep him alive. He was already slashing the giant creature’s face with his sword before it could start another attack. Hawkswing was trying his best to climb on the mount. But the loyal mektoub would not let any other homin but his master climb on his back, and kicked the tryker away. Meloner was fighting furiously, sending enchanted flames in the beast’s face and never giving it a chance to spit another jet of acid. Blood poured out of the beast’s head as Meloner dealt a powerful strike. Hawkswing could see the warrior was quickly tiring out and would not hold on for long. He looked around and spotted one of Meloner’s daggers that fell from his belt, burned by the acid. Quickly he rubbed the rope on the sharpened blade, and freed his wrists. Meloner uttered a warcry, swinging his weapons around, cutting through the Gullie’s legs, forehead and throat, waving his sword in one hand, slashing with his dagger in the other. The Gullie, bleeding from every inch of his body but still very much alive, feeling the strengh of his opponent weakened, dealt a heavy blow with his paw. The fyros parried it with his dagger, but the force of it was too much for him. He fell backwards, instantly vulnerable to the beast’s acid attacks. In that moment, Hawkswing drew his pistol out of his bag and took careful aim. He only had one bullet. He knew he could never kill the Gullie with one shot. Even a careful aim to the head would not be enough for the thickness of it’s skin. And yet the pirate walked forward, his finger an inch from pressing the trigger, keeping his arm steady with the other.

-Back off ! He growled.

The Gullie turned to Hawkswing, standing helpless with his one shot gun, and then feeling his trunk full of burning green liquid, he spat at Meloner just as Hawkswing opened fire, hitting the beast right in the eye, and blinding him. The warrior, bloodstained, covered in cuts and burns, his sword held high above his head, the end pointed at the beast’s throat, stuck his blade right through the Gullie’s neck, who immediately stopped breathing.

Slowly Meloner rose to his feet and turned to face the pirate, the one who had caused him so much misery and annoyance, the homin who tried to rob him in the middle of the night, the tryker who had just saved his life. His face showed no grateful smile, no emotion whatsoever. Only in his eyes could Hawkswing read the words “ thanks”.

-Nice shot. Muttered Meloner.
-Bah ! Don’t mention it !

Hawkswing felt uneasy. He was astonished at his own daring and kept staring at his pistol in wonderment. He didn’t know why he saved the homin that kept him prisoner, only to be released untill he showed him the way to a crazed bloodthirsty murderer. Something deep inside told him it was the right thing to do. Wearily, wincing every now and then, Meloner climbed on his mount, and for once, let Hawkswing sit on it’s back too. There was no more talk of the Gullie till they reached Dyron, and stopped for a drink and a walk around. Hawkswing went straight to the bar and after a few drinks and a few brawls, came back to find Meloner talking to the weapon merchant.

-Greetings, Meloner ! How may I help you ?
-I just wondered if you managed to sell any of my maces yet.
-I’m afraid not sir ! They’ve been on my store for 3 weeks now.

Meloner was obviously annoyed, and didn’t have to try hard to show it.

-Surely you sold one or two !
-Afraid not sir ! Not a customer so much as glanced at them, sir ! Very sorry !

Meloner frowned. He disliked crafting, and hated digging. Seeing his work lying to rot in a corner of a shop did not please him at all. The merchant gave him reasonable prices for his maces, but if they didn’t sell soon, he would one day refuse to buy them. Hawkswing could not resist the temptation to laugh at the fyros.
-What do you craft your maces with ? Shooki leaves ?

Meloner didn’t answer. He went to wash his black armor and have a dive in the lake.