Chapter 3: Gathering

  It was 12:49:79 and the first sun was well over head and the second had just broke the horizon. The midmorning air rumbled with the sounds of the city having a full belly. The men and women of Alysium were off to their trades and daily chores. Children of age were making way to their studies. The Khans had departed the palace to return to their encampment. One of the finer details that we agreed upon was that the clan would remain at their encampment until I arrived with my companions and a few nobles. My companions are to help me recover the tome and the nobles were there to exchange knowledge. Nobles in the Alysium Empire is a status earned not a given birth right or coin. It is a status for those of skill, knowledge, and experience. One such example is the head of the culture exchange, Alencia Tentata. She is a bit different or unique in a way. She is not your typical desert elf. Alencia is a vampire, and she is the brood mother of all the vampire houses. She is older than Summerbreath, and she handles the Empires trade system and merchant guilds. While me and Talia had met with the Khan’s, the emperor summoned a handful of nobles and asked for their aid in this matter. Her task was to teach the Khans and a small number of other clan ambassadors how to establish a large-scale trade system. With that she would also have them set up with their first trade agreements, Alysium and Pelicade. They needed to learn the way we conducted business, and it would be best to give them the firsthand experience. Tentata was the best possible person for this task, as for me I have a full day just finding my retinue.

  Gorrax is easily found, so long as the temple hadn’t sent him off on an ecclesiastical task. It is unlikely considering the group of us returned 4 days ago. Brunhildie I could find by finding the loudest bar fight at the docks, she will never stop bullying the sailors that come in from Pelicade and Ballba. That dwarf was a hell in a hand basket, and she holds that sentiment as a prize. Logan was the tricky one because by trade he is a professional thief. If he does not want to be found, then it was gonna be hard to track him down. I am limited on time, and do not have the luxury of playing hide and seek with the three of them. I have to collect them, get to the smith to get them outfitted, stables for the horses, rations, water, camping gear and on and on and on. “Fuck that, I suppose I’ll just have to be a little intrusive.” I said to myself as I tighten the last belt on the back of my shin guards. I approached a small deck that sat in the far corner of my office. Rife with arcane energies, the leilines danced in poetic rhythm of soft colors and gentle hues. This desk was given to me by Summerbreath the day I was promoted to the position of Commander a few years ago. It was designed to be multifaceted, and my favorite setting is being able to track, map, and or communicate with a specific person or group of people if they were in a close enough proximity. The mirror on the desk would show me the entire city and every active teledot in it. Logan always asks me when I must collect him for assignment “Bloody hell, how do you find me so quickly? Will I ever have a moment of alone time in this life I live?” I could not help but chuckle every time he asked.

  A small needle was built into the desk on the right side, far enough away but in a spot where a hand could be placed right over it. Apart of me knew that every time Summerbreath thought of me having to use this function of the desk, he would just smile and laugh. The old elf in fairness had a desk like this of his own, so it’s comforting to know that he has to stab himself too. I looked down at the needle itself and shook my head in disappointment. “I fucking hate needles.” I proceeded to place my hand over the needle, bit down on my back teeth and pressed my hand firmly onto the miniature spike. The damn thing was a good 2 centimeters long and a bit robust for a needle. Yet it did its job and did so well, the leilines began to fold in on themselves and grow ever brighter around my right hand. I tapped two dots on the mirror that sure enough were Gorrax and Brunhildie. The last dot on the mirror that I was able to bring into focus was in the merchant district. Every other assumption hit my thoughts and not a single one was good. Whoever he had a contract on was gonna have to wait. I tapped the soft glowing red dot, and it brightened showing a forced connection to Logan’s teledot. “Whatever you have in your hands, put it back and head to our smith, Gustav. We have an assignment, and we need to be out the city gates by nightfall.” I spoke into the mirror. “By the shadow of the throne Karna. You’re gonna give me a heart attack one of these days doing that. My heart almost jumped into my hands boss.” He spoke like he seen a ghost. That young man was jumpy more then usual, “Well if I had the time to look for you on foot I would but I don’t. Now, put the item down and the stuff in your pockets. Head to Gustav. Please and thank you, Logan.” I said with a smirk, I do respect Logan he’s a good man despite his chosen profession. “Fine. You pay more anyways. Hey, just so you know I’m at the place we first met face to face. Good times huh boss? Hahaha.” He said with a bubble of laughter in his voice.

  He wasn’t lying, I recognized the area almost immediately. The memory came flooding back like a tidal wave. He was on the job that day, and if I had to guess it’s when his shitty as hell luck began. He had been contracted by a rival merchant to forge the ledger of a blacksmith to force him into under paying his taxes. That would have ruined the dwarf's business, but Logan wasn’t expecting me to be at the forge at the time. Gustavo Thristlebeard, the owner of the smithy, is Summerbreath and my own personal smith. So, you could say he was a city worker in a way. My blade, Anathema, was being sharpened and polished and new enchanted cross guard fitted. I stepped out back to take a leak in the back alley while he worked. Logan’s unfortunate luck manifested, he tried to creep out the back door after breaking in unseen. He bumped into my back, and I almost slipped on the puddle of my own piss. “Gustav what the fu…HEY! WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!” I shouted right in his face as I was fumbling the buckle to my pants. “Uhh, uhh…sorry, bye!” He swiftly snatched a handful of smoke pellets out a small pouch on his hip. I was a hands length away from grabbing him before my vision had obscured. It wasn’t his first time fleeing from an abyssal, the thickness of the smoke extended well past the range of what I could see in the dark. He panicked clearly, because I could still make out the subtle pounding of heels against stone as he ran away from me. I immediately made chase as I heard Gustav yelling at me from the back door of his shop. “IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHIN WITH YA KARNA! YE BETTER COME BACK AND PAY ME YA SORRY RED…” his sentence was cut off by the time I reached the central path that cut through the market district. I was frantic in my search, and the people of the city were slightly caught off guard by sudden appearance.

  I saw a swift flash of a shadow hit the corner of the alley across the street. I did not hesitate; I shot myself into the alley at a full sprint. Halfway through I jumped against the wall of the taller shop and force all my might into jumping off the wall and onto the roof. My toes dug deep into the stone and mortar cracking the surface under foot as I leapt. The jump was clean, and I was able to keep my momentum. I jogged to the edge of the roof looking for the thief down in alley. He was about 150 meters away and moving at breakneck speed, I started to sprint across the roofs, but a few loose shingles slide off and crashed audibly. He snapped his head around at the noise and seen me closing the distance between us. He pulled what I assumed was a vial out his inner shirt and took the drink mid stride. His speed increased by double and he was pulling away. I was not going to catch him up here, but if I jumped now, he would hit a corner and definitely get away. It wasn’t until I heard a guard patrolling the barrier wall shout at me from his posting “COMMANDER! COMMANDER, DEAD END AHEAD!” I took my eyes off the thief for just a moment to register what the guard was on about. My luck outweighed the thieves rapidly. The alley he chose to run down was a straight shot between the barrier wall and the town homes I was now running on. “THANK YOU, JAMESON!” I shouted to the guardsman. He himself began to run following suit on top of the barrier wall; he notched an arrow and waited for my signal if needed. By the time I jumped to the street the thief was already making his way up the wall of a townhouse. Jameson stopped just over my head, “Loose.” I said loud enough for him to hear. He fired his shot and connected with the thief on his right shoulder. He came tumbling down from a second story window seal. The crash wasn’t so bad, but he did land on his back forcing the arrow to puncture all the way through. “I got it from here Jameson. Thank you for your assist. Take a break and grab an ale at the pub, you earned it.” I told the guardsman as I steadied my breathing. “Aye sir. Thank you, sir.” he replied.

  I returned my attention to the thief on the ground; he was clutching his shoulder trying to break the back half of the arrow. I approached him with a quick pace, first I need to aid him. Questions will come after, not like he can get away. He tried to kick himself away and back on his feet, but I grabbed him by his ankle and dragged him back. I rolled him on his left side and planted my knee right into his ribs. I could feel his lungs deflate under my weight, any more pressure and I’d break a rib. “Hold still you backstreet troglodyte!” I commanded. I grabbed the back half of the arrow and broke it. He screamed bloody murder as I pulled the rest of the arrow out and raised myself to my feet. I always carried a couple vials of minor recovery; I debated even giving him one. Much like him I have a job to do and rules to follow, “Do you know who I am?” I asked the man as I handed him the potion. He nodded his head and downed the remedy. “You are Karna Yeltsin. The Crimson Fist of the Immortal Emperor. Guardian of Alysium. Hero of the Hexa’Dio. The Living Legend.” He winced out as he sat up and checked the wounds progress. “Who are you?” I asked him flatly; I set my feet just under shoulder width. If he tried make a move of any kind, I would be able to tackle him through the wall. I had a feeling he was going to cooperate, so I relaxed but only slightly. “I am Logan Kaskel. Professional infiltrator, pickpocket, and burglar. Initiate member of the Thieves Guild.” He smiled weakly as if he was unsure if I’d believe him. “Well Logan, I don’t know what you were doing in Gustavo’s forge but trying to make a silent break out the back tends be a sign of nefarious actions. Let’s talk with the command staffs personal smith and see if we can get this worked out. Come on now, up on your feet.” I stood Logan up onto his feet, it took him a second though.

  These alchemical concoctions did an excellent job mending and fixing. Did not get rid of the pain itself though, but it would fade for him in a few minutes. The walk back was short considering we ran a horseshoe path. At the front door Logan hesitated, I could understand him not wanting to go in and have to give up the client that hired him. “The ledger.” He said under his breath. My hand stopped at his words, hovering just over the the handle to the shop door. “Excuse me?” I asked him, turning around to look the young man in his eyes. I didn’t get a good look of him until then. He was above average height, human, brown hair, and green eyes. He sported a small scar over his left eyebrow. “I was hired to forge the ledger; my client wanted his books to show he was overpaying in taxes.” He said to me. “Why? What good would that do?” I asked mostly curious but definitely confused. “Well, he wanted the tax collectors to come beating down his door for money he thought he already paid. Possible he wanted him to make a ruckus about the tax at the palace and get his business ceased. Can’t say for sure, less questions the better in my line of work.” He shrugged his shoulders as if he did not really care about this job. I laughed, “Ha, funny thing about that. Gustav is exempt from taxation due to his contributions to the throne. Curious did you find his ledger?” I asked him, still letting out the laugh that filled my lungs. “Well considering I could not find it and now knowing that. I am going to guess that Mr. Thristlebeard doesn’t have the traditional ledger, does he?” He asked certain of his assumption. “Yes and no.” I replied honestly, “He does have a ledger, but it’s handled and tended too by the city. At the palace.” I cracked a smile and opened the door for Logan. “Well, let us see what the old man wants done with you. He might see it as no harm no foul. Although he is a dwarf so no promises on that front.

  The memory passed with a passing laugh and a final confirmation. “I’m heading to Gus now boss.” He said in upbeat affirmation. His dot hesitant on my side of the mirror, “I told you too put the shit back, need I repeat myself a third time?” He replied at once, “Ok ok, it’s my job boss can you really fault me?” he said. I didn’t respond to him. I simply waited for the dot to head towards the palace and moved onto the next one. Brunhildie was at the docks and might be causing trouble. There is a small mass of teledots at the dock surrounding one. She pissed off the guards at docks I would wager, must be time for my intervention. I tapped one dot that was around the inner circle. “This is Commander Karna. What is the situation at the docks?” I was not sure which guard I contacted but they respond quickly and agitated. “An unruly dwarf, sir. She is refusing to cooperate, one of our men is wounded and there are multiple unconscious bodies. She’s resisting arrest, but we have her encircled.” He said, he sounded like he was ready to spear her through and toss her body in the ocean. “Does she have red hair in a long braid. Blue rune tattoos on her left side. Brown eyes. Battle scars.” The guard did not respond immediately. “I asked you a question solider! Report!” I put as much assertion on my telepathic message as I could without causing mental damage. “Yes sir. Do you know her?” He asked more confused than angry now. “Yes, she is a member of my personal retinue. Is she wearing a teledot?” I asked, I had this suspicion she didn’t have it at all. “No sir.” he said. “That is fine I will be down to the docks to deal with her myself. Nobody leaves; everyone stands down.” I told the guard.

  I did not even bother getting dressed in my full armor, there was no time. I barely had the time to speak with the ecclesiarch about Gorrax over the teledot. He was deep in meditative prayer, so I had all the time in the world to get to him. The ecclesiarch requested my presence before I made off with his most devoted paladin. I did not want to, but Empress Te’shiana and my wife would scold me harshly if I declined. I gave him my word I would come to the temple and speak with him before I continued with palace affairs. He was going to have to wait until after I dealt with Brunhildie. I moved at a quickened pace through the palace halls. Staff moved about here and there, and chatter filled the halls about the daily ongoing of the city. By the time I reached the front steps of the palace my mind had already snapped to the memory of my first meeting with Brunhildie. It was shortly before I reached the rank Commander and my specialized role in the empire, but awhile after I was wedded. I had just earned my third blessing from the divine and became the first Hexa’Dio Hero in recent history.

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  I had been assigned patrol duty because I gave Summerbreath a bit of lip and attitude about an assignment he ordered me onto. This was not the first time I had a disagreement with him, and it was far from the last time. The day was mostly calm; a few drunken sailors were making a scene at The Empty Bottle tavern and inn. “Captain? Why are you here on patrol with us? I mean you no disrespect, but the old codger and the emperor need you in the war room with the other captains, don’t they?” a recruit asked. The foot troop were not used to seeing me walk the beat with them often. “I told him the truth. It is foolish to apply pressure on an adversary that has already been beaten. If he wants to waste resources and manpower, he might as well load it all on a ship and set it ablaze himself.” I told the four men with me. My temper was palpable, but understandable. We had already beaten the draconian clan, Clan Su’Roth, back off our borders. They were actively vacating the area and leaving deeper towards the mountains. It made no sense in sending scouting parties to tail and provoke them into another conflict. Abruptly my mind was taken towards a different line of thought. A full-grown man, larger in size came barreling out the window of the tavern our patrol was assigned to handle. Then came the voice of the person responsible for the man’s sudden appearance.

  “Well come on then ye’ pompous cocky milk tooth! You’re a cheat and damned liar! I’ll have me coin or ya ball as trophy.” She yelled at the man as she came barreling out the front door of the establishment. It was a dwarf, with fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes. As typical of her kind she was hell bent on settling a grudge. One of the guards took initiative and tried to get the situation under control, while another immediately checked on the man. He was bleeding from the back of his head but not bad, whatever he did to upset the lady must have been well earned. The last two guard went inside the establishment to get statements and facts about this fight that seemed heavily one sided. I was adamant about letting the guards do their jobs, until I had to step in. When the young man that tried to calm the angry dwarf went flying back behind me, I knew I needed to step in. “Don’t fuck with me, ye’ lousy piss for brains. It is my grudge and I will handle it how I see fit! I am not done kickin’ his arse yet, and when I’m sober, I’ll be done. Now move.” She tried to approach the guard helping the injured man. I started to move in before she could hurt anyone else. “Hey. Lady, imma need you to tone it down and step…” she didn’t even let me finish my sentence. I took a step forward and placed one hand on her shoulder. She immediately turned around and tried to cold cock me right in my solar plexus. I managed to pull my hand back to intercept the punch at the last second. She had some power packed into her little frame; she managed to slide me back at least a good two feet. “Oh, a lively one I see, you think you can take me huh? Well come on puppy I’ll play with ya.” she said to me, with rage and fury in her tone. If there were two things a dwarf liked to do it was drink and fight. More than building and mining or forging and brewing. “Lady if you do not calm down and let us do our jobs, I will throw your ass in a cell with a few missing teeth. I am not in the mood for this bullshit today.” My temper flared a little because in my defense I was having a difficult day, but she took it as a challenge. “Even better a brat with a temper.” She said with a wicked grin as she tried to kick me in the crotch, I snagged her ankle mid kick and threw her into the middle of the road.

  By this point a small crowd had gathered around us lining the porches, decks, and stairs of the little merchant strip we were on. Some of the people recognized me instantly, “It is the captain of the guard! It’s Karna!” One person shouted out. “Kick her ass captain!” Another voice screamed out. Slowly, one by one the crowd started to amp this up to something bigger than it needed to be. I could not even respond to them to disperse and go about their day. The dwarf came rushing at me throwing well trained blows. She was aiming for pretty significant injury points, and she was not pulling her punches. She managed to tag me in my thigh with a very heavy kick, I was about to buckle but responded with a back hand. She promptly ducked and leapt back out of my range. She was definitely a seasoned fighter, I can say that for a fact. She wouldn’t let me get a chance to catch a beat on her fighting method; she only pressured the offense. A flurry of chained punches and kicks came surprisingly fast for a person of her stature. I attempted to mix in a few counter shots in between the blows but she dodged them swiftly. She did have one flaw I could exploit, and I took the opportunity at a well-timed opening. I bounced back a half step and baited her into trying a sweeping kick, she bit. In the blink of an eye, I connected with her jaw and sent her rolling to the left. This surprisingly did not phase her she simply spit out a tooth, smiled and pounced back into the fight. “Fuck me.” I muttered under my breath; I couldn’t pull my punches anymore. This fight told me all I needed to know about her, and I wasn’t exactly thrilled. She is definitely a mountain dwarf, but she was taller than her kin. That was not uncommon for dwarfs, nor was her choice in profession. Definitively a barbarian and confirmed this when she stood back up and gave a gut churning warcry. From past and recent experiences, I understood this to be her berserker rage. A combat technique that a person can use to speed up their own heart’s circulation to pump out excess adrenaline. It requires that you be at the very peak of physical fitness and even then, to not overuse it. It is a very harsh sight to see a person's heart cease functioning in on itself for being pushed past its limit. It has stopped my blade multiple times on the battlefield and left me with a nasty distasteful opinion on the technique.

  The fight was back in full swing when she tried to rush me with a second volley of combined blows, faster than the first. I no longer had the time nor the patience to deal with a drunken temper tantrum that turned violent outburst. One of my men was injured, a civilian was unconscious, and the crowd was getting larger antagonizing this fight further. My temper exploded as my patience finally gave away. I narrowed my vision and focused on too just her. The sounds around us drained from my senses. The swishing of the ocean waves, the vulgar cheering of the drunken and curious on lookers. All of it faded to black, the only thing that remained was the dwarf. My perceptions honed in so sharply, I could swear time slowed down. The beat of her steps and the labor of her breathing showed she was fatigued. I let her throw one more left cross. I grabbed her by the wrist and pulled in as I slide my left foot back a full shoulders length. I pulled back my right fist and threw an unforgiving punch. This time I put my back into it, and it garnered the results I desired. There was a loud crunch quite similar to a bone cracking. Followed by a loud thud of a dwarf head hitting the dirt road, leaving behind a small crater the shape of her skull. I stood next to the barbarian dwarf who was laid out groaning. I calmed my nerves as best I could but what I said next still came out harsher and more assholish than I intended. “YIELD OR BY THE THRONE I WILL BREAK THAT FUCKING JAW! ANSWER ME! DO! YOU! YIELD!” After a few short huffing breathes I started to realize that the street was ghostly silent. For a moment, the people of the city stared at me, hesitant on if they should speak or move. The crowd had been doubly shocked, including myself when the small women suddenly she rolled over and sat bolt upright like she was possessed.

  “HA HA HA! Ey, I yield rosy. I ain’t had a good fight like that in ages. Ye really know how to show a lady good time, don’cha?” She was all smiles and laughs like she did not just get the shit beat out of her. “Who in the bloody hell are ye anyway. It is usually proper to introduce yourself before a fight ya’know. Well better late than never I suppose.” She spoke cleanly for someone with a hairline fracture in their jaw and mild concussion. She stood up and dusted herself off, and like any seasoned adventurer she fished a vial of recovery out of a small pack that was secured to the small of her back. “I am Brunhildie Ironhide. Barbarian Berserker and professional monster hunter and ore specialist. Hailing from the great dwarven city of Byzantium in the Skybreak Mountains. It is a pleasure to make ya acquaintance. What say ya to a round two? I’ll even put coin on it this time.” Clearly, she would be fine and surly she would be ready to provide an explanation for her actions. As miffed as I was before this minor scuffle, I did feel a bit better having let off a bit of frustration. So, I straightened myself up and gave a proper introduction. “I am Captain Karna of the Alysium Armed Forces. You, miss Ironhide are gonna have to accompany me to Black Stone. Our local prison as you would.” Regardless of if she had actually been cheated like she claimed at the start of her frenzy, she would still have to face the consequences of her actions for destroying the front window of the pub and assaulting a civil servant…not once but twice.

  The walk back was surprisingly cooperative. Brunhildie was chattier with us now that she was calm and shackled. She kept hurling insults at my assigned squad; the boys were not taking it well. One even tried to be a smartass to no avail, “Well short stack, if we are so weak. Why is it that you’re the one in shackles and on their way to a three-year sentence at minimum. Even if you get rowdy again, our captain here will just kick your ass even worse. He’s a Hexa’Dio Hero, blessed by not one but three of the divine.” He snickered thinking he got her to shut up. All he really did was brighten her smile and curiosity. “Oh, a hero ya say. Well, that explains why he can fight, but ye titty hugging milk tooth’s couldn’t even stand for a second. Tell me do your little willie’s only stand for a second at a time too?” The group of them were ready to beat her into the dirt for the comment. One of them has a couple of broken ribs and another soiled himself just from her emitting her bloodlust. The other two were too slow to even respond and aid. If I had not stepped in, they would surely be in the Infirmary. “Hey, leave my troops alone please. Their all still recruits, and it is not like they would have been able to hold their own against a Blessed Hero like you anyway. A bit unfair of a fight if you ask me.” That had taken her back a couple notches. She contemplated how I knew but thought better than asking here in public.

  When we got her to a detainment cell in the Black Stone Fortress, a physician had come in to check her for further injuries. Aside from the missing teeth that had already began growing back because of the alchemical brew from earlier, she was fine. I interviewed her for a few hours getting her half of the story. I had very few reports to go through, all had the same statement to give. The situation as a whole was quite simple. A ship captain had hired her on as extra muscle in case a pirate vessel or dock rats wanted to try him for his cargo. Being that he got here without a problem to be had for miles around, he assumed he could shorten her pay. A claim of “lack of work” on his part was weak at best. She had plenty of reason and right to hold a grudge, but her innocence was quickly ruined when the local guard got involved. Ultimately, she laughed and kicked back in her seat, “I suppose there’s no fine I could pay that would let me off the hook?” she asked closer to mockingly then insightfully. “No.” I responded to her in the same way I did when one of my soldiers was due for disciplinary measures. “Shame really is. I do feel bad about roughin’ up one of ya lads and given ye all a hard time. I suppose the temple will be by to pickin me here shortly then ey? Ya know due to my statues as a Hero of Jor.” She was sincere in her statement, but ultimately wrong. The temple here in the city had already reached out and asked that we find a way to deal with her accordingly. Even the holy men and women of the Hexa’dio Conclave seemed to be at their wits end with the Hero of Jor. I can see why from her carefree and headstrong attitude. “Actually, Lady Ironhide…” I began. “Please, call me Brun. All my friends do.” She interrupted. “Well, Brun. The temple won’t be coming, they think some time in a three-by-three meter cell would do you well.” She frowned at that statement seeing that she had finally pushed her luck a bit too far. “But I have an alternative solution I think.” I sat up right and leaned against the table that stood between us. “What would that be rosy?” she looked mildly interested. “You now work for me. Welcome to the Alysium Armed Forces.” I said as I smirked. She did not.

  I was already in the dock quarter by the time I brought my mind back to the present. The sight to be seen was one befitting that of a Hero. A hand full of men were unconscious around Brun. One of my guardsmen was bleeding bad from his side she was knelt down applying pressure to the wound. It looks like one of the unfortunates got a lucky shot in. No wonder the guard I spoke to was at a panic. I approached with made haste and injected myself into the situation. “At ease! Brun what is that situation?” I asked with seasoned experience. All of those in attendance followed order without hesitation. “Commander.” Brun gave me her full attention as she continued to apply pressure to the wound. “This gaggle of bandits cause some trouble at the general store and attempted a robbery. Young Clemson here tried to stop the vagabonds on his own instead of calling in for back up. Damn fool got ‘imself stuck in the side. Its pretty bad commander. When these dung head recruits finally showed up, they treated me as if I were one of these meatheads on the ground. I know I’m out of uniform commander but am I unrecognizable without my tabard?” She was fairly vexed at the situation, and she was doing a hell of a job keeping her berserker spirit in check. I ordered the bystanding guard to attend to the men on the ground. Ensign Clemson, I had given a high-quality vial of recovery. Seconds after drinking it we watched as his wound sealed from the inside out. It pushed out bits of rust, puss, and a small bit of a foul purple fluid. He got hit with a poisoned dagger, if I had been any later, he may have been well and dead. He got to his feet and verified Brun’s debriefing right before I sent him on his way to the healer for a physical. “Where is your Teledot?” I asked calmly now that the situation was over and done with. “It’s my day off rosy, the bloody hell you mean by that?” she asked with her head cocked to the side. “We don’t get days off, you know that.” I reminded her as I crossed my arms and looked down. She tilted her head back and swore to the heavens, “Oh Jor, why do you treat me like a fruity tree huggin’ elven merchants pack mule?” she rubbed the side of her neck and rolled her eyes. “Okay rosy, where are we headin’ off to this time?” she asked quickly accepting the responsibility of her position in my retinue. I simply smiled and thumbed over my shoulder to the temple district, “To go see an Orc and a priest.”