The Forgotten Heroes Chapter 5 “The Cure”
Introduction:
We last left you off as Eve been poisoned and the rush is on to get a cure for her. The city guards seemed to know about your warrant for your capture for killing a mayor and agents of the inquiry. The race is on to save Eve.
You fold the list covering the obtained items up and ask the vendor where you can find the rest of the items. The vendor was a Southern plains elf and spoke with a heavy accent mispronouncing a few words. “Thems be ‘spensive. I think only the Wanderers had thems.” You ask where the Wander can be found and the elf looks around then discreetly points at a tall elf woman Ortanish from what you can tell same tribe as Eve. A swift stroll over you are face to face with the Ortanish elf woman. “I know you can find me these medical herbs I need your help.” You tell her not trying to give off a vibe of desperation as to not give the Wanderer a sense that she can rob or take advantage of you. The elf woman had war tattoos on her face and didn’t look like a healer. You put your worry aside and remember how your old friend Oddef was ordained with war gifts and trophies but was considered a healer by his tribe. Elves have a healthy war like culture that is a clear contrast to the talk of peace and harmony with the Gods and planet. The elf woman is dressed in a fine fitted tan leather armour that gave her body an agreeable form. Rather tall with blond hair, oval hazel eyes and tone body with small but perky breast her skin was tan as she obviously isn’t from the North Island. Armed with a spear on her back she didn’t seem to be a healer type more of a personal guard or fighter. She is a true Wanderer a group of non-humans who been branded bandits but they ready are more then that. Every Wanderer you met was more concerned with protecting non-humans then burning down villages and pillaging. The elf woman looked you up and down and spoke with a Fallen Lands accent. “Back away Dark Knight there looking for you.” with that warning the elf woman pushed passed you and began to head away from the bazaar.
She knew you are a knight of the Dark Dragon Sixth Godling surprised but not detoured you normally would’ve backed away as not to draw any more attention to yourself but this time you had no choice you had to follow her until she is alone. The elf woman didn’t try to run but kept a good distance from your pursuit. Traveling out of the safety of the bazaar you follow her behind a small pub where she turns into an ally. The ally had the smell of old piss and dry puke the stench was nauseating but you push threw it and as soon as you turn the corner the elf woman has her spear aimed at your throat. “What part of back away did you not understand Knight?” The elf woman says with a glare that can melt steel. “I need your help. I won’t take no as an answer. My companion has been poisoned and the only one who can help her is you. She is a Orintash elf like you.” Hopefully you being from the same realm and that Eve and the Wanderer are from the same tribe might persuade the elf to help you. The elf loosened her grip but doesn’t lower her spear tip from your throat instead she recites a mantra from the Dragon Knights pledge. “Many knights came and tore the ground.” The elf said stopping short on her last words.
Swiftly you remember the rest of the saying from the pledge. “To purify the wickedness from the gift of Markuion God of Creation protecting it from the Quantiness the Queen of the realm of the dead.” The elf woman lowers her spear then ask what you need. Handing her the list the elf woman looks at you then smiles wickedly. “Had second thoughts on you lovers fate?” Your face turns cold as stone sending a message that it would be best to leave the subject alone. “How did you know I was a knight wanderer?” You ask prepared for a fight incase she tries to take you in for a reward. “Your kidding right? The word is out that a knight is on the loose and well you walk like a knight. There has been a few incidents of poisoning in the city so it won’t be easy or cheap to get the ingredients but the cure might be easier to find knight.” Your stone face softens a bit at the chance that you might be able to get a potion instead of just the raw ingredients. “There is a way you can save her then elf?” You ask as the wanderer turns toward a door a few buildings down and waves you over after she makes sure no one else is around. “Yes, do you know why they call us a wanderers knight? It’s because we just happen to find everything in our travels that includes rare poisons and there cures. Please follow me knight I’m going to show you a better shop us wanderers have set up just for the right people with the right amount of fiesta.”
Behind the door was a dingy basement nearly empty save for a few barrels and some empty shelves mounted around the walls. The wanderer then walked to a corner of the basement and wiped the dirt free and lifted open a secret door. “Now twenty silver fiesta before we descend.” The wanderer held her coin purse nearly empty open. Giving her the fiesta you watch as she descends down a rickety ladder. She tells you to follow her into the unknown depths. Once down there you found yourself in a underground marketplace with a few elves mixing among humans as naturally as if you were back in the Fallen Lands. A few shifty dwarves conveying business as if they were in the base of one of their great Mountain Cities in the Midlands. No racist remarks being thrown by either humans or elves not even the dwarves were in a sour mood. You spot the wanderer being spoken to by a rather large beastkin an Oxal. Oxals are huge beastkin with horns on there head or face this one had his face shaved to make it look more human. While it gave him a less beastkin like look it made him ugly and looking disfigured. Now looking more like a small ogre with two huge horns protruding from the crown of its head. Soon the beastkin nodded his head and snapped his fingers after the wanderer hands over a small amount of fiesta you just payed her. Just then you notice two beastkins that were closing in on you started to split away and kept there eyes on you.
The wanderer walked back to you. “Ok. That gave you a pass here in the shadow market but it will cost you a bit more to get out alive anyways….” She said and began move threw the small crowd in this hidden marketplace. You took inventory of your fiesta in your head and realized you are flowing low. Following her past a few dwarf vendors you notice a rather large shack looking like it’s held together by string and pure luck.
“There that’s the man you want to see his name is Narcaliptal. He has the rest of what you need.” The wanderer kept her distance from the ramshackle shack. “Why do you look so distraught woman?” You ask to wanderer. “Most elves stay away from the magical types as do I, besides that elf gives me the creeps I heard a rumor he is wizard. It’s best not to stay long in there before he hexts you Knight.” Most non-humans do keep their distance from mages in fear of the Inquiry or being lynched by frightened villagers so you understood her weary behavior still it didn’t give you lots of confidence in the man’s powers most elves back away from priest and even random people who claim to have magical powers but are just there to scam ignorant small villages out of any fiesta.
Once inside you saw a shadowy figure sitting behind a round table. Illuminated only by the few glowing magical potions lined up on shelves. The hooded mage peeked up and began to talk. “I’ve been waiting for you.” A foul stank blew threw his mouth as he spoke. “Tell me who are you and by what do you mean that you been waiting for me?” You ask the mage who reaches up with a long almost talon like finger and waves you in closer. Absent mindedly you take a few steps almost gliding closer to the mage and can’t remember if you even took a step or if the table came closer to you.
Now being near the mage you saw that the mage was horribly disfigured. A burn ran down his face and his arms even his hands were mutated a clear sign that the mage had enhanced himself in one way or another to gain more power a common practice among wizards. Even though you can tell this elf was powerful with magic the air was light and he didn’t have the heavy aura of magic surrounding him. Perhaps he has mastered the art of disguising his true power if so then your dealing with a truly gifted mage. “Don’t be scared young Knight all I ment is I been waiting here for a customer to show up for days. Come closer Knight I know my appearance may be stomach turning but you see magic is a blessing and curse it can expand one life to an almost infinite age but at a price. Thankfully I mastered immortality before my body succumbed to the strength of the dark magic.” You soon realize this mage is actually a necromancer a dark wizard who specializes on the study of death and life and can even use dead bodies of his fallen victims to do his bidding. Truly evil wizards who are deemed immoral and if found is your duty as a Knight to slay the wizard. Your first instinct is to grab your axe and kill this wizard but you hold back knowing he is the only one who can get the right ingredients or even give you the potion to help cure Eve. Also the fact that you might not be able to even land a blow on this wizard before he crushes your body and enslave your soul.
“A wise choice young one. You’re no match to my magic the only way you can kill me is by a Gladaivas blessing and that takes years of chanting and even then only by summoning a devine God to pull me out of the fabric of existence. We both know the Gods don’t care of what we do on the gift.” With a evil dry cackle the wizard asks. “What is it you want knight a cure,remedy,or some type of way to kill something or someone?” You pass the list to the wizard who glances at it then politely folds it and sets it back on the table. “A lovers last kiss I see…fine but keep your fiesta. I no need for that my patron keeps me well off I trade my services in the old way before the fiesta came into the world and everything had gotten a numerical value to it. I have two targets that need to be killed.” You interrupt the wizard by banging your fist on the table nearly tipping it over. “I’m no assassin or sell sword to be ordered to kill. I’m a Knight I only kill the wicked to defend Markuion God of Creation Laws and the sixth Dragon Lord.”
“If you want the cure then you will be all that I ask. The first mark is a personal matter a Talviallny whore master. She runs the waton lass a whore house above in the ghetto.She and I had a deal she kept me absolutely drowning in dead corpses from traveling strangers for my studies and experiments. In return I kept her whores in line with a steady flow of any narcotic they wanted, but as of late she been getting greedy overcharging me for half rotting bodies. Then she denied me the request of getting me a fat Talviallny mage who came from the far east. A fat Talviallny is a odd sight but to be a fat Talviallny and a mage that’s an absolute rarity. You can see why I had to have his corpes to study. And the whore master let him go even had the gull to provide him protection with her personal guard I want her dead I may be able to better control one of her more wise whores then her. She will be expecting me to kill her and has her place is swarming with guards. I want you to kill the cheat how she dies is your decision to make. The next mark is my patron the Duke he will imprison me with the Inquiry to suffer endless years of torture as soon as I cure his inability to sire a heir. Also he has let me live in this deplorable state for to long and all in the sake of ensuring his old dried up prick can sire a son. The pure vanity of humans is exhausting.” The wizard sighed deeply.
“The Duke is your patron? Impossible he has the cure the pregnancy sack he sent for in Knotsvill.” You tell the wizard who looks at you then cruelly laughs. “Knotsvill? The Duke hasn’t even let anyone inside the royal court know of his problem to get his limp cock up and shooting. Its the sole reason he sent for me months ago and even set me up with my own private shop here in the shadow market. Even gave me a private guard of beastkin mostly for the elves and dwarves safety from me and to do business with these ner’do’wells humans. Besides a pregnancy sack is only useful if the woman is at fault but my examination shows its the Dukes weak prick.” If the Duke didn’t hire Grace then who did? This question was burning inside your mind when the wizard spoke up again. “So young knight do we have a deal?”
“The Duke of Bakersfield is your patron and you want to kill him necromancer?” You ask dismissively. The wizard rakes his long talons on the table. “Yes I have been fortunate to be hired by the Duke but once I cure his impotency and help him born a heir I will be left to fend for myself at best or be thrown to the Inquiry agents. A gifted wizard like me can’t waste my years in a inquiry funded dungeon.” The wizard looks toward his shelf of potions and smiles a crooked smile. “Do we have a deal young knight?” You think about it long and hard. Killing a Duke directly related to the Lord Bach King of the North Island if caught you will be executed and may even cause a war between the dragons as a Knight to the sixth Dragon you can’t betray your Lord and start a war especially since your Lord just got out of a war with the beastkin. Their hasn’t been a war between the Royal Dragons in about two hundred years since after the fall of the Mad Wizard. On the other hand Eve will die if you don’t get her the antidote. The wizard is the only one with the cure and killing a whore master isn’t much to ask for curing Eve. Killing the Duke might even hold evidence of who really sent for the pregnancy sack and poisoned Eve. If done right you can sneak in and out of the castle before they realize the Duke is dead.
“Fine I have no time to waste give me the cure then I will kill the ones you want dead.” You bitterly agree. The wizard sneers triumphantly. “Great I will grab your potion but first I need a drop of you blood on this parchment.” The wizard reviled a wicked curved sacrificial knife with a thick handle and the hielt that’s shaped like a eyeball. “I don’t tend to lend necromancers my blood.” You say while looking at the gem in the hilt. “You’ll lend me your blood if you want the cure Knight. It will let me make sure you do your part of the contract.” The wizard said as he held a small vial in his clawed hand. Almost completely absent mindedly you pick up the knife and prick the palm of your left hand and watch as five drops of blood pour on top of the parchment. The wizard hands off the vial and grabs the knife and parchment transferring the blood on to the hilt of the knife directly into the corona of the eyeball. Waving the knife around the eyeball seemed to never lose sight of you as it’s never blinking gaze locked onto you. “This blade will let me know if you truly are doing what I ask and if you try to skip out on the deal I can readily find you. Now go Knight I’m sure the elf lady will be ever so grateful that you saved her life.”
There it is the cure to Eve’s poison but how did the wizard know who it was for your about to ask but the wizard and table is gone from the room. Was the room always empty then you felt a distinct sharp pain in the palm of your left hand. Turning it over you see a small cut while a vial of blue goo is in your other hand. The feeling of making a deal with a demon washes over you as you stick the vial safely inside your river rat coat. The wanderer whistles you over from across the way and the door seems to slam close as soon as you step out of the shack. Confused you decide to leave and walk over to the wanderer. “Creepy fucker ain’t he? He came here a few months ago and makes himself to be the King of the shadow market.” She says with a clear tone of hate in her voice. “I got what I needed from him but I won’t be able to get out and back in the city with out raising all of the city’s garrison of guards to pounce on me but…you can though find me a safe passage rout can’t you?” You say while looking at the wanderer. “I can show you a way but it won’t be cheap.” She says patting at her coin purse.
After a quick round of negotiation you bring the price down from the thirty to ten silver fiesta for safe passage out and back into the city. “I will show you a path most of the city dwellers forgot even exsited. You remember of the great siege of Bakersfield?” The wanderer asks you as you both head out of the shadow market. “The siege of Bakersfield by the hoard of Nathalions that were out raiding most coastal cities. That’s a few hundred years ago.” You answer to the elf wanderer. “Yes, well the only reason the humans survived was because of the dwarves and elves. Most tend to forget that but the Kings family hasn’t. That’s why we have more freedom then other non-humans in the vast majority of the North Island.” The wanderer says with a sound of bitterness behind her voice as you traveled back up to the surface and into the ghetto.
The siege was long so long that the hoard eventually gave up and moved on. You always had wondered how the royal family managed to keep control and feed the huge number of humans and non-humans. “The dwarves actually found large network of tunnels and caves carved out right under the city believed to be the ruins of a Titain smugglers rout. The dwarves mapped it out and the elves hunted and gathered the needed supplies that help keep every one alive.” The elf wanderer said while leading you even deeper into the ghetto of city. “See the wanderers are a group of non-humans who protect the dwellers of this ghetto and all ghettos in every city. No more lynchings and no more will the small dwarf or weak elf be pushed around by the cruel humans at least that’s the main idea.” The wanderer stops and walks toward another elf probably a wanderer as well and whispers to him. After a short conversation the male elf nods then let you both pass into the building the elf was guarding. “Most of the humans call us a roving gang of bandits but we are more then that Knight. We are the future and all humans are mountains that block our path.” The wanderer steps into a room with a huge hole in the middle of the floor with a rope leading down to the abyss. You feel uneasy being alone with this eccentric elf near a pit. “Relax knight if I was going to kill you I would’ve done it before the thought crossed your mind. Now in the hole we go.” The elf woman said as she jumped onto the rope and began sliding down. It was a pit or the main gate to the city who was sure to be heavily guarded. With no second thoughts you jump down grabbing the rope to slow down your decent. The growing darkness that surrounds you is nerve wrecking, but then you see a light red glow from below.
The wanderer is holding a torch while waiting for you to come to a stop.
Finally your feet touch the ground and the wanderer is waiting for you. “Come on let’s get going. As I was saying knight…all humans are mountains for us to cross over but there are many ways you can pass a mountain. Some blow and carve tunnels threw the mountains. Others how ever carve paths along the mountains to make the trip shorter and relatively easier. I’m more of a path maker. Its easier and more profitable to work with humans then to try to blow threw them.” You listen to the wanderer and agree with her. “On the other hand…you can’t always make a path so when that happens you make a hole and burrow threw.” With no hesitation the wanderer drops her torch and throws a wild punch hitting you right square in the face.
Dazed and blinded you try to reach for you axe but feel a sharp cut on your hand as soon as you grab it. “Sorry knight nothing personal but I fear you have no more fiesta I can scam off you so I’ll have to settle for the bounty on your head.” You feel foolish blindly trusting this elf to help you. Backing up until you feel the cold stone on your back you feel a bit safer. She is as blind as you are but with you back on the wall she can’t sneak up at you from behind. “Come on knight. I hoped to have killed you and get the reward before the taverns close.” The only advantage you have is silence if you stay quiet she won’t know where to strike. “I was born in the abyss with no light Knight if you think that ya will making it out of this alive your insain.” She sounds close with a quick jump you grab the spear she was using.
“Let go!” The wanderer screams as she struggles to break free. You use her momentum against her and put your whole weight on the balls of your heels. With some effort you manage to pick up the wanderer and slam her on the wall of the dark tunnel. She grunted hard as she felt a bone or two break from the impact and let go of the spear. Flipping it quickly you stab her three times on her side and end it with twisting the spear while it was penetrating her ribcage. “Foolish elf you thought you were a match to me?” You think aloud as you grab the torch and light it. Taking your time to search her body for anything you can sell or trade. A coin purse with every fiesta you payed her was the first thing you found. Second you found a short sword with the Wanderer insignia. A winged foot was the wanders insignia this could be useful with the marks you have to kill. Next you saw a pouch filled with dry fruits and a small amount of smoked meat. The girls will love this it’s been awhile since all of you last ate. The leather suit of armor is a fine quality might be worth a bit of money even with a slight tear. When inspecting the armor you see the leather armor is actually made of tanned human skin and not of some animal skin. Disgusted you decide to leave the armor.
Feeling less guilty about killing the elf you find your way out the tunnel. With a quick survey of the stars in the night sky you make your way back to the hidden grove where Eve and Grace should be. After a small trek threw the forest you find the grove and see Grace trying her best to fight back Eve’s fever. Grace turned around and saw you appearing out of the bushes. “By the Gods you took your fucking time.” You rush to her and show her the vial of blue goo. Grace examines it by sniffing it and checking the thickness of the goo. “Right color and the stickiness is a bit light but it will do.” Grace opens Eve’s mouth and pours the goo on the lips and then the rest down Eve’s throat. “Should be about a few minutes until we see if it works.” Grace says as she drinks out of her water skin. You offer her some of the dried food and wait for Eve to recover.
Eve lays motionless on the ground but then has a hacking cough. Her breathing is rapid then slows down to a shallow gasp. Frightened both Grace and you hold your breath. Eve eyes grow wide and blinks twice then drowsy Eve asks. “How did I get here?” Grace gets teary eyed and hugs Eve wrapping her arms around her tightly. Relived you lay back finally able to relax. After a small meal of dried fruits and smoked meat every one is able to forget the harsh three days travel to Bakersfield. Eve digged in her pocket and found the gold fiestas. “She gave me these right before I fell.” Grace grabbed them and studied the gold fiestas. “There real this will buy a trip to the other side of the world and back.” A look of determination show on your face. “I have to go back to the city I need to find a captain willing to take you guys off the North Island, and I have unfinished business to deal with.”
Grace follows you as you leave the camp. “Who poisoned her?” You stoop down and whisper. “Who was that pregnancy sack for? The Duke never commissioned you to cure him did he?” Grace looks offended and pulls out a note. “This is the letter that hired us to cure the Dukes problem. Look it has his signature and even has the royal stamp.” You grab the note from what you can tell the royal stamp was legit, but the signature looks off in the low star light. “I’ll keep this for now maybe I can find out right now don’t press Eve let her rest.” Grace nodded her agreement. “What are you up to knight?” You grab Grace shoulder and tell her.” Trust me woman the least you know the better. Once I have a captain willing to smuggle you guys out to the Fallen Lands I’ll hand you a note take it to Sir.Blackwell another black knight. He will take care of you guys.”
Grace headed back to the camp and started to talk with Eve who was now sitting up near the fire. You turn to give them one last look and then head back to the tunnel. The madam of the waton lass will be first one to spill blood on the on your blade. As you reach the opening of the cave you are rushed by two wanderers both elves. One brandishing a sharp short sword while the other has a heavy bow. Grabbing the spear on your back you hold them off. “He has her spear he did it.” One of them shouted as he charged at you. They must’ve found the body. Quickly you stab the elf right threw his heavy cloth armor. The spear penetrates right threw him. The spear head emerged from his back. The wild rush he made at you left him completely open. Soon he falls on his knees grabbing the spear. The second elf enraged at the death of his companion shoots his arrows at you. Thinking quickly you dive down and roll into the thick of the bushes.
The elf raised his fingers to whistle for reinforcements when his hand was shot then another arrow got him in the stomach. Dropping like a sack of rocks he crumbled onto the ground. You look around from behind a tree and notice Eve coming out the woods. “Hey Buck you ok?” She yelled out. Stepping out you see Grace coming out too. “What the devils did you do knight?” Grace asks as she clubs the elf to make sure he’s dead. “Nothing go back there bandits nothing more.” Grace spits at the ground. “Those are wanderers not bandits.” You explain what happned with the other wanderer as you pull them into the cave.
They agree that the wanderer was out to kill you and decide to follow you in the city. “You’ll need our help and the extra eyes watching you back.” Eve says while walking with you threw the tunnel. Now you have a little more back up as you prepare to assassinate two powerful people in the city of Bakersfield.
