The Forgotten Heroes Chapter 4 – “The hunt has started”
Introduction:
We last left you just entering the city of Bakersfield ruled by a Duke who is a uncle of the King of the North Island. You’re now on the run with Eve a beautiful elf who works with Grace who is a dwarf herbalist. Grace was held captive by the Inquiry a organization who believes that Belvenditon God of “pure” knowledge that hunt down witches and other followers of the mad wizard who perverse knowledge and magic. It’s up to you to save Grace and Eve and get them off the North Island.
Tulkus was the dwarfs name and he walked up to a guard who was rather drunk but still able to stand…barely. “You there human how much for the she dwarf?” His voice was loud and seemed to be even more amplified by the near emptiness of the room. The guard looked around then down to the Tulkus. “N’ate a she dwarf here.” He managed to burp out. “Don’t be daft there she be sobbing in the cage.” Tulkus pointed up to the cage dangling above them. “Oh her? She be a special one a real feisty one she be, I just plowed her me’self not two days ago. Tell you what gimme ten silver fiesta and she yours for a whole hour.” The guard spoke with a huge smile on his face that soon disappeared as Tulkus began to show his disapproval of his offer. “Get her down…Now! Do you know who I am? I’m Tulkus Helsinki herbalogist to the Mayor of Knotsvill. I own ten herbal shops two smiths shops and member to the Guild of the Golden Hand.” Tulkus face reddened with every word he spoke. The guard may have been drunk but he wasn’t stupid the Guild of the Golden Hand is one of the most prestigious Guilds in all the world if a member tells you to do something you get it done.
Without even saying a word Grace hugged Tulkus as if he was a long lost relative. The hug lasted for a long while not that Tulkus minded even from afar he could tell under all that dirt, grime, and dried up tears was a beautiful woman. Tulkus took her straight to the Inn he stayed in along with his uncle. After giving his uncle a few hundred gold fiestas and gave him a room he could stay in for the night Tulkus ordered up a hot bath and sent out for new clothes for Grace. Grace was still a loss for words but the promise of a hot bath sounded lovely. The bath water was a warm temperature as Grace let the bathwater envelope her while her heavy breast float above the water as she sinks into the bathwater.
The bath was well needed as Grace began to dry herself off a automaton walked in with a change of clothes a fine silk gown and rather sexy looking underwear. Lacy with floral designs around the crotch area and with a matching bra. The gown was made of smooth silk dyed yellow with classic dwarf designs. The meal was a full course meal of classic Talviallny cuisine. While eating the strange but delectable food Grace had told Tulkus thanks over fifty times for rescuing her from the Inquiry. “Blahhh! The Inquiry is nothing more then a bunch of racist humans disguising there blantant genocidal actions under a foreign God who isn’t even mentioned in the Allumis.” Tulkus said as he took a huge bite of from what she can tell is a rather large bird. Graces look a bit dumbfounded she heard talk of the Allumis from a few guards before they beat her then proceeded to rape her. Trying to not look foolish Grace just bows her head and eats her meal. Tulkus who has always had a good sense to tell when people haven’t a clue what’s going on around them quickly elaborated on what the Allumis is.
“The Allumis having the known God’s and even foretold the coming of the dragons and described all life on our planet.Created by the Titans the ancients who lived on this land before even the Elves. It’s said that the Titans killed an God and were wiped out of existence all but there ancient tools and knowledge that we the dwarves found as we dug in the dirt for food and gems.” Grace found herself completely immersed by the words Tulkus was saying before long the night grew into day and the food was cold.
Grace couldn’t help but yawn loudly as Tulkus went on explaining the deep roots dwarfs had played in history. “My apologies woman. I tend to babble on if I’m not stopped.” Tulkus said a bit sheeply. Grace smiled politely. “No need to apologize. I find your words to be interesting.” Tulkus stood up from his seat and laughed. ” None the less I must let you rest and I have business to attend to then I will be on my way to one of my shops in the upper eastern part of the North Island.” Grace immediately felt foolish of course he had things to do he is obviously a important man and won’t spend much time speaking to a woman like her of low birth with no family connections she didn’t even remember her mother or father.
Suddenly it all came crashing down on Grace she will be alone again but instead of having her safety of her cage she will be left alone in the world. “Of course I’m sorry to have kept you up late. I will head out of your way.” Grace said as tears began to weld up in her eyes. “Thank you for rescuing me again. I will never forget your kindness I will treasurer it until my final breath.” Tulkus looked a bit surprised. “Woman why are you near tears?” Grace straightened up and regained her composure. “I’m sorry I’ve been a burden to you I will find a way to repay you for everything.” Tulkus laugh echoed threw the dinning room. “Calm down woman I won’t be gone for too long. You must rest we have a long travel to get to my shop.” Tulkus then winked at Grace that left a twinkle in his eye smiling Tulkus left the room.
Grace was stunned she couldn’t believe her luck Tulkus was going to let her tag along with him on his travels. Grace has never felt so happy in her life before. Now she can stay with Tulkus and learn more from him about her dwarven roots maybe with Tulkus help Grace can learn about herbal remedies and healing magic that can help her run her very own shop someday.
Grace’s daydream of her time with her late husband was interrupted when she heard a large horse trotting a bit too close to the secluded grove she was hiding out in. Grace was feeling a bit better but still was in no shape to fight. Pulling out a dagger mostly for show but it’s tipped with a numbing salve that can render anyone completely paralyzed. The horse snorted and came to a stop just a few yards from Grace. A rather large woman fully equipped in steel armour with a large claymore slung on her back jumped off the horse. Picking up a patch of grass and letting it fall to the ground. The woman was obviously a bounty hunter. “Rever where do you think they went?” The bounty hunter said to her horse who just stared blankly back at her. Grace definitely knew that her options were few she had to fight or give up if the bounty huntress comes any closer.
Then Grace got an idea the horses they stolen from the Mayor’s manner back in Knotsvill. Grace tried to lead them quietly away. Then when Grace was far enough away she picked up a few pebble and flung it at the horses rears. Both horses spooked take off at full speed in different directions. The bounty hunteress ears perked up and she heard two horses whine and take off in high speed. She jumped on her horse and began to fallow the trail of the horses. Grace knew it won’t be long until the bounty huntress realizes she been tricked. Hopefully Grace has brought herself enough time to get into the city and find you or Eve.
You enter threw the main gate in the north where you enter into a huge open market place. Dozen of vendors try to sell you there wears. You breeze past them knowing that Eve will be alone dealing with unknown dangers. Then you notice a city guard coming toward you. Instinctively you reach for your axe but stop yourself short of actually grabbing it. You play it cool and try to give him the slip by entering the first building you see. A sign outside it reads “The wanton lass.” As you enter the first thing you notice is a couple of elves and a Talviallny dancers doing a rather exotic dance on a stage while a few old men stare and drink in the sight. The Talviallny slave has blue hair that is cut short to give her a younger look. The Talviallny dancer was climbing on top of one the elf dancer and almost seemed like she was pushing her head in between the elfs legs.
Another Talviallny dancer walks up to you. “Need a drink or something else?” You look at her. “I need a room and you.” The Talviallny dancer throws her long blue hair back over her shoulder. “Straight to the point ok. I can do that for you.” The dancer grabs your hand and leads you upstairs to a private room. Passing the other rooms you hear moans and sounds of plenty of females being plowed. “This is my room…twenty silver fiesta up front. Its not that I don’t trust you it’s policy.” She looked at you with a fake smile while u dropped the fiesta in her hand.
Once you got in the room you looked out the window and saw it wasn’t a long drop to a near by leadge. The dancer looked at you a bit confused but began to undress. Not that she had much to take off just a pair of flimsy panties and a small shirt that barely covered her huge tits. The Orange skin of the Talviallny dancer seemed to show no tan lines. “Rule number one get payed first. Second rule no rough stuff that’s extra. Rule number three have fun.” The dancer said in a mater of fact tone that showed she been doing this for quiet a while. “What’s your name?” You ask her. She stops undressing and gets a pouch of sniff from the dresser. She then dabs her finger in the pouch and sniffs it leaving a trace of the colorless powder on her nose. “My name is whatever you want to call me baby.” She replied and offered you the pouch.
You turn it down as you never been a fan of narcotics. “Well I hate to leave you high and dry but I have to go but if any guards come in here after I entered keep them busy for me will you?” The dancer stomps her foot on the ground. “There’s a lot of guards here. I can’t keep them all busy.” She says in a pouty voice as she holds her hand out. You drop a gold fiesta in her open hand she greedily takes it and walks toward the door. “I’ll keep them off your trail only promise me you’ll visit me again before you head out of town.”
You leap out the window and after a short drop you make it onto the next building roof and then you get down to the ally. The guard if he was following you then that means word has gotten out about the mayor’s death and the Inquiry agents have alerted the King. Eve could be in trouble and you have to get to her fast. With caution and speed you make your way towards the Ghetto where all the non humans live.
Eve was just outside of the tavern where the elf slave was supposed to be in checking around the tavern every hour to see if the delivery was here yet. Eve looks at the shadows cast by the sun and with an educated guess makes it to be half past morning. Eve shouldn’t have long to wait. The elf slave should be the same that made the request on behalf of her master. Eve saw her back in Knotsvill. The requests from Dukes and other royalty was usually done on face to face. The sensitive subject of the ailment was one that most don’t want word to get out, so both Grace and Eve were surprised when the Duke sent a slave girl to fetch such an item. Then again the foolish slave might not even know what she is buying as the request came from letter. It had the royal seal and the markings of the signature seemed to match up. So Grace never gave it a second thought and sent for Eve to find the needed materials.
The elf slave was Carvinian and short a clear sign she was born into slavery. Her name was Kalisa she had a small squeaky voice with short red hair and fair skin. Carvinian elves are from the eastern border and all have a distinct accent and bright red hair. Although Kalisa had the hair she lacked the accent and talked in a North Island accent. Eve found this to be amusing but never teased Kalisa about it. When Eve found Kalisa praying in the woods alone she heard the most beautiful song coming from Kalisa even though Eve was somehow sure some words were mispronounced the song has stuck in her head.
Eve found herself humming the song absent mindedly. Almost a hour passed and Eve was now in the tavern drinking a bitter tea. A few beastkin were drinking and playing a dice game. A few dwarves were talking business rather loudly over pitchers of ale. While a elf bard was trying to singing a song of a philandering dwarf who killed a troll on his bachelor party over the noise in the tavern. Finally Eve spotted Kalisa in the doorway. Eve waited for her to sit down or leave so she can fallow her. Kalisa sat down near the door. She seemed not to spot Eve yet and waited. Eve also waited just like Grace told her too just in case the slave trys to rob Eve or turn her in. Eve waited about ten minutes then as she about to get up a group of city guards came in the door.
Eve held back on going to Kalisa but reached for a throwing knife. A guard stepped up to Kalisa then after a few short words the elf stood up and left. “Clear out!” The Guard barked in the middle of the tavern. The beastkin who rose up slowly stood there ground. While the dwarves scurried away past the guards. “What do you want humans?” The oldest of the beastkin asked. The beastkin were known not to bow down to human rule even in human domains and have often been in skirmishes with humans. “We have no quarrel with your kind we want the elf.” Eve gripped her throwing knife hard and prepared to fling it at the nearest guard when the bard dropped his lute and began to flee threw the back of the tavern.
“Stop him!” The guards gave chase after the bard and the beastkin sat back down to their game. Eve got up and tried to followed Kalisa. Luckly Kalisa wasn’t to far ahead. Eve whistled for her and Kalisa turned around with a smile. “You’re late Eve I was waiting for you to come to me for a while.” Eve smiled but didn’t like being out in the open and Kalisa noticed. “Why don’t we go to the bazaar there are plenty of elves and no guards really.” Eve felt exposed and.wanted nothing more then to get into a crowd where she can easily disappear if she needed.
After a short walk Eve and Kalisa were in the bazaar that was indeed full of elves from all tribes. Some that Eve knew while others were dressed in strange clothing and spoke in the ancient elf tounge. The vendors had carts in front of shops and Kalisa and Eve stood next to a few vendors busy selling there goods to other elves. Eve felt no need to keep the pregnancy sack any longer and tapped Kalisa on the shoulder. Kalisa placed five gold fiestas in Eve’s hand. Eve slipped the sack into Kalisa hand. Kalisa then tried to leave but stopped. “I…I’m…I’m..sorry.” Kalisa kissed Eve on the lips and parted ways. Eve felt confused and woozy as if her head was floating. Eve has been poisoned and began to make her way out of the bazaar. Just as Eve stumbled into a ally she saw a large shadow and fell right at it.
You grab Eve before she can fall to the ground. “Eve what’s a matter?” You try to shake her out of it but it’s no use. Eve lips turn a bluish black hue and Eve’s eyes got white circles around them. Grace will know what to do you think to yourself as you grab up Eve and sling her over your shoulder and head for the city’s wall.
Grace is nearing the city wall were the non human ghetto is located when she hears a loud thumping coming from behind her. Grace turns around just in time to see the bounty huntress charging at her. “She dwarf stop!” She yelled while grabbing her sword’s hilt and thundering towards her. Grace dived out the way and landed on the dirt hard. The bounty huntress turned her horse around and prepared for another charge. With a battle cry the bounty huntress barreled at Grace. This time Grace was ready. Grace flung her dagger into the leg of the horse.
Rever immediately froze up and the bounty huntress flung over the paralyzed horse. The bounty huntress was slow to rise up while Grace started to run towards the city gate. Grace was hoping if she could get closer the guards might save her from this mad woman. The bounty huntress pulled out a crossbow already cocked and ready to shoot. With a quick squeeze of the finger the crossbow let the bolt go and zip threw the air. Grace stumbled forward and had a throbbing pain pierce threw her left thigh. With a loud scream that seemed to echo Grace grabbed the bolt that was embedded into her thigh.
The bounty huntress strolls up to Grace with a evil grin on her face. “I wouldn’t believe you be stupid enough to try to out run me. I’m Vicious Vicky the most feared bounty hunter in all the North Island.” Vicky said as she reached down and grabbed Grace by her hair and pulled her up with her left arm.Vicky looked like she was a Nathalion who are known to be fierce warriors from the frozen lands deep down below the southern plains. “Let me go! You Nathalion cunt! ” Grace said threw gritted teeth. “Don’t be scared your worth more alive then dead she-dwarf. Where are your friends?” Vicky asked her voice filled with venom. Grace looked down then spat at the Nathalion woman leaving a heavy trail of saliva dripping down from Vickys nose. Vicky wiped her nose clean when smacked Grace across the face with her steel gloves.
You see Grace in trouble and set Eve down and run at Vicky axe in hand and then with a powerful flick of the wrist you throw the axe at the woman’s arm. Vicky never saw it coming the axe pierced the armour straight down to the bone. Vicky didn’t flinch but the arm instantly let Grace drop hard onto the ground. Grace tried to crawl away but was kicked in the gut by Vicky that sent her flying a few feet away. You sprint up to the woman who just gives you a death glare. She was clearly a Nathalion woman who was well seasoned in battle. You fought both with and against Nathalion troops. Even the young inexperienced warriors were hard to kill. This woman will be hard to kill.
Vicky grabbed the axe and with a deafening sound of bone snapping and steel crumbling she pulled the axe free from her arm and flung it towards a tree and it was embedded deeply into the tree. Now you come to a stop just a few feet from her and you’re left unarmed. The pistol you carry strapped to your belt is your only weapon left as you reach for it Vicky wasn’t going to let you hurt her anymore and she has her claymore drawn and pointing right at your chest. With a loud battle cry Vicky lunged at you. Your years of fighting,hunting, and pure hunger to live gave you the foresight to double hop two feet to the right making Vicky miss. With a quick slice the claymore just barely missed you again. You have no time to fumble the pistol out of your belt and you just raise your fist up and prepare for a real fight.
This isn’t the first time you fought unarmed against a skilled fighter. The only way she can kill you is if you let her get close enough to strike you. Vicky swung her sword with immense skill trying to kill you but you have been able to dodge her strikes. After studying how she held the claymore with one arm and how she swung it you found a pattern to her fighting style. As soon as Vicky rose her claymore you charged at her thrusting your shoulder to her. As you crash into her body sending both you and her falling to the ground. Scrambling you crawl over Vicky and plant your knees on her shoulders. Vicky’s heavy armour and cut on her arm makes it hard for her to get up and try to shake you off her. The armour covers her from head to toe but left her face exposed so she can have a better view during battle. This also gave you a clear target.
With a few quick punches of your heavy leathered gloves you have Vicky nearly unconscious. She is tough though and so you decided to use a move you seen only done once in a training brawl that went too far back when you served under Blackwell. You grab hold of her nose and strike down on it with a heavy blow. Vicky body shakes from the impact of the punch and goes limp as her breathing slows down to where it’s almost unnoticeable. With a sigh you relax only to feel a presence behind you. You ball up your fist ready to strike but stop once you see it’s Grace. “Eve! She has been poised.” You point out towards Eve while Grace runs toward Eve with a look of worry. After looking at Eve for a short time Grace concluded it was a powerful poison. “Looks like it’s Salvulas poison known as the lovers last kiss. It’s a poison used by a jaded mate the person laces there lips with it and then gives there cheating mate a kiss. It’s a slow acting poison I need the following items go get them we might have days until the poison kills Eve but every second that passes she is in extreme pain.”
You take the list Grace has written down with the ingredients that’s should cure Eve but after that you have to punish the one who tried to kill Eve. You gotten rid of the bounty hunter by slinging her over the horse then sent it galloping north bound. With any luck she won’t wake up for a few days and you will have the girls gone by then. Just as you enter the city gates a large group of city guards make there way to you. “Aye you! Stop there in the name of the King.” You start to flee from them and disappear into a crowd of non-humans.
