GoCorral

Chapter 12 Finished! Well, not really finished because this is all a first draft. But ready to read!

Chapter 12 – Guild Members

The trio greeted Phoenix as the sun rose over the city. Their return journey took longer than the way to the Artemis shrine due to the extra weight they carried. Tereman took the statue of Artemis and the offering plate in his pack. He wrapped his belongings around the statue to keep it safe. Galandir and Blendegad split the silver swords between them. There were too many to squeeze into their packs so they only took twenty one to split evenly between the three of them once they returned to civilization. Tereman already had the burden of the Artemis shrine effects so Blendegad took ten swords while Galandir took eleven.

Relief filled the three heroes once they reached the outlying villages around Phoenix. They found a roadside inn and gorged themselves on stew and weak beer. There were no beds, but at least the common room had four walls, a roof, and a fireplace. The three slept soundly. Even with their treasures they were unconcerned about theft by the other guests. Transporting the statue of Artemis marked them as temporary servants of the goddess. To steal from them would be crime against the goddess herself.

Tereman wanted to stay an extra day at the inn to recover their injuries, but Blendegad insisted on forging ahead. The sooner they returned to Phoenix, the sooner they could meet with the Forgeus and Gallana and help the people of Shalerton. They left in the morning and traveled until it was dark.

They broke camp at first light, eating cold biscuits instead of hot food. The wagon-rutted dirt road through the hills opened up to the city of Phoenix. The sky in the east was orange and red as Helios’s chariot began its journey. Within a few hours, Galandir, Blendegad, and Tereman walked through the western gates of Phoenix.

The trio waited in the Adventurers Guild Hall for Forgeus and Gallana to arrive. The Guild Hall lobby was small, a rectangular wooden room with splintery redwood chairs around the perimeter. Crested shields hung along the walls above the chairs, no doubt a sign of famous past members of the guild that Galandir, Blendegad, and Tereman were unaware of. At the far end of the room was the door to the backrooms of the Guild Hall.

The backrooms door was cut off from the lobby by a low counter where the halfling secretary sat. Galandir had told the others her name was Lovis. She wore glasses with rounded rectangular frames made of bronze over her brown eyes. Her curly chestnut color hair was held back tightly in a ponytail. She wore a dark-stained apron over a simple tunic and trousers.

Lovis hunched over the counter. The surface served as her desk and various papers, letters, proclamations, and books were strewn across it. Lovis had acknowledged the group when they entered and told them to sit and wait for Forgeus and Gallana to arrive. Meanwhile, the halfling had returned to her work of reading, signing, stamping, and writing letters. The paper business of the Adventurers Guild trudged onward.

Yesterday the trio entered the Adventurers Guild Hall with their heavy burden, the statue of Artemis and the offering plate. Tereman handed the religious objects over to Lovis. She’d thanked them for their service and noted the completion of the quest in a leather-bound ledger. The little woman had then presented the trio with contracts for entry into the Adventurers Guild. She explained the contracts in detail with terms that made the simple men’s heads spin.

Tereman said, “Please. Could you explain it simply for us? We know how to fight monsters and protect the people of the world, but all this number talk is…beyond us. Well beyond me at least.”

Blendegad and Galandir nodded in agreement.

Lovis pushed her glasses higher up on her sharp nose. She said, “My apologies. It is quite easy to understand once the legal phrases are reduced. In exchange for the Guild’s resources, information, and connections we will take ten percent of any treasure you collect while working on a Guild mission or within the domain of Phoenix.”

Blendegad said, “Ten percent being…?”

“One tenth,” said Lovis. “I see you brought back some silver swords?” She pointed with her quill at Galandir and Blendegad’s loaded packs.

Galandir glanced at Blendegad before relieving his pack from his shoulders. Blendegad followed suit. The two packs thunked down on the cobblestone floor.

Lovis pointed at the swords with her quill as she counted, “One, two, three, four… How many?” She directed the question at Galandir. “Five, six, seven, eight…”

She continued to count as Galandir answered, “Twenty one altogether.”

“Eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty one. So it is. Thank you. So you owe the Guild two and a tenth swords for this job. But with your fees for the work, let’s call it even at two swords.”

Blendegad said, “Hang on! What if we don’t sign that agreement. We worked hard for these.”

Lovis touched her left index finger to the frame of her glasses and slid it backwards along the temple piece to her ear. “That would be a very foolish decision. You already accepted the contract. Going back on that would mean you performed work outside the Guild, an activity that is looked down upon in Phoenix. The consequences for you could be… disastrous.”

Tereman stepped between the counter and Blendegad, “There’s no need for any consequences. We weren’t after the swords were we, Blendegad? We want a meeting with Forgeus and Gallana about the adlishars. And this is how we get it. By doing a little work for them and they’ll do a little work for us.” Tereman gave Blendegad an expectant look.

Blendegad took a breath and let it out. “Yes. Fine.”

“Excellent,” said Lovis. “Here are your contracts.” Lovis slid three opened scrolls across the counter along with an ink-pot and quill.

Tereman, Galandir, and Blendegad made their marks on the contracts. Lovis set the scrolls aside for the ink to dry. “And the swords?” Galandir and Blendegad handed the swords over.

“Thank you. The rest are yours to do with as you wish. Sell them, use them, hang them on your wall.”

Tereman said, “And our meeting with the guild members?”

“Return here before noon tomorrow.”

And here they were, returned before noon. The swords were locked away in the trio’s room at the King’s Rest inn. They’d sold one of the remaining swords to a curio dealer in exchange for a sizable pile of golden drachmas. The pile was split between the three of them along with each getting six of the eighteen silver swords that were left.

The coins in hand were more money than any of the three had ever seen in one place. The silver talents they’d received in Shalerton paled in comparison to the value of gold. Blendegad and Tereman were from poor upbringings and Galandir had seen marvels within Valor Forest, but never appreciated the pleasures that could be bought with such a prize purse. With temptation staring them in the face, the group indulged. They stayed by one of the many community fireplaces in King’s Rest until late into the night. Drinks and meat were bought for themselves and others. They sang until their throats were dry, drank a mug of wine and sang some more.

Now they were back at the Adventurers Guild Hall. Each of them was sweaty and hungover, but felt more alive than ever. Like their lives were on the tipping point of something grand and important.

Sitting on the unsanded chair, Tereman thought of his parents. They’d sold him into slavery and abandoned him. A few visits here and there when the “Clothes and Exotic Food Stuff” wagon rolled through Dalleer, but never an ounce of affection. Even before he was sold, he now realized. He was never worth caring about as a younger son. Just property to be sold off. Like another piece of cloth or exotic food stuff.

Now only a few weeks after his contract expired, he was a guild member. On the cusp of a new adventure. Could he be the spear that stabbed the heart of the adlishar threat? Perhaps too high a hope for a former slave boy, but even dogs have dreams. Tereman saw himself on the path of Perseus now. He would rise to greatness. All the world would recognize him in his power. No man or god could deny his deeds. Then the merchant Loftsiver and his family would know what a loss they had suffered by selling him for a few drachma.

Blendegad’s thoughts were fixed upon the people of Shalerton. Their suffering at the hands of the adlishar could have started again in their absence. Stenvall was strong, but they all knew she couldn’t fight against one of them if their paralysis power caught her. If meeting with Forgeus and Gallana went well. And if they secured help, what would be left upon their return?

The adlishar weren’t just a threat to Shalerton either. Other attacks and spindle structures in other places proved this was a full scale invasion across Cimmeria. For what though? To capture a few farmers and then let them go? Blendegad struggled to make sense of it. They had to stop the adlishar’s plans, but how could they succeed when so much remained a mystery?

The Adventurers Guild could have answers. Forgeus and Gallana could walk in and put Blendegad’s mind at ease. They might know the enemy and have a plan. Blendegad suspected they did not, but they might. If they did, Shalerton and the rest of Cimmeria might be saved. He could return home to Densmith, worry free. Return to a warm fire. Return to a life that put him on a path with Claudia, children, and shepherding.

Blendegad hoped the fight wasn’t over just yet.

Galandir daydreamed of a heroic future. The meeting with Forgeus and Gallana would go smoothly. They would reveal the weakness at the heart of the adlishar threat. The secret would require Galandir’s new sword mage style. He would slash his way through thousands of adlishar bodies. At the top of the corpse pile he would plunge his sword into the adlishar king. Or was it a queen? Great Empress maybe? What had the adlishar said?

He would plunge his sword into the Great Empress’s chest. She would die gurgling and then the people of Cimmeria would hail Galandir as the second coming of the Dragon War Heroes. Everyone would cheer his name. Men and women would throw themselves at his feet. His mother and father would hug him and declare their pride in his accomplishments. Everything he’d ever wished for would be his. And it all started soon.

Forgeus and Gallana walked through the entrance door. Galandir jumped to his feet with a smile on his face. The others rose as well.

Gallana greeted the trio, “Good to see you in good health.”

A round of reintroductions and clasped forearms ensued before proper business could be conducted.

Forgeus asked Lovis, “Is the meeting room available?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Forgeus nodded. He lifted the hinged section of the counter up and led the rest back towards the rear door.

The five of them sat around a finished fir wood, oval table. The chairs were made of the same wood and finished as well, far more comfortable than the splintery seats in the lobby. The walls of the room were decorated with small charcoal drawings of past guild members. Each picture was held in an open frame with the member’s name skillfully carved into the bottom edge.

Blendegad, Galandir, and Tereman sat on one side of the oval while Forgeus and Gallana sat on the other. Lovis brought in mugs and a pitcher of watered down mulled wine. The trio were grateful. The drink took the edge off their lingering hangovers.

After everyone had settled and gotten a mug Gallana started, “Well, you asked for this meeting. You were at the battle by Shalerton. Did you have something else to add?”

Blendegad cocked an eyebrow, “You haven’t heard then?”

Gallana asked, “Heard what?”

Tereman said, “We went back after the battle. We fought the adlishars. We-”

“By yourselves?” Forgeus interrupted incredulously.

“Yes, by ourselves.”

“Not entirely,” said Galandir. “Stenvall was there too.”

“Oh yes, we had a half-orc with us.” Tereman continued, “We went back. We fought the adlishars. We rescued the people of Shalerton. But we didn’t really win. They let us go.”

Gallana said, “They let you go? After killing half of the rest of us in the first battle?”

Tereman and Galandir nodded.

Forgeus set down his mug and interlaced his fingers, resting the heel of his hands on the table in front of him. He said, “Curious. They killed the half-orc and let the three of you go with the villagers?”

Tereman said, “No, they didn’t even kill her.”

“Hmm… This is valuable information,” said Forgeus. “Did you speak with them?”

Galandir said, “I did.”

Forgeus blinked and asked, “What did they say?”

“I spoke with the head one. The one you spoke with. It was clear that he could read my mind. He admitted it. He said something about how we would serve them or die. And that we had potential,” Galandir pointed to himself, Blendegad, and Tereman as he spoke, “and he wouldn’t kill us yet.”

Forgeus tapped a finger to his lips, “Yet? Why would they wait to kill an enemy?”

Blendegad said, “Who cares? We came here for information on how to kill them. Not dive into their psyche.”

Forgeus glared at Blendegad. Gallana spoke first, “That’s exactly why we are here too, Blendegad. Information. We will of course share what we know with you. But first we wish to learn what you experienced without our own knowledge… contaminating your view of what happened.”

Blendegad said, “We probably know more than you at this point. We killed that other one near the Shrine of Artemis in the west.” Blendegad hooked a thumb over his shoulder.

“What?” Forgeus asked with surprise.

“Yes, there were adlishars out there too,” said Blendegad.

Tereman said, “The evil monsters had been killed by animals. We found a number of them by a nymph’s bathing pool. They must’ve offended the goddess of the hunt and been punished. The beasts of the wood tore them apart like Actaeon’s dogs devoured him. All were dead except one.”

“And we took care of that one,” Blendegad smugly added.

Forgeus said, “You mean to tell me that after our expedition, which you were a part of, failed with massive casualties. After that you returned and defeated not just one, but two adlishar bases?”

Blendegad leaned back with his hands behind his head. Tereman said, “Defeated is a stretch. But like I said, they let us go in Shalerton. The second one was just one adlishar.”

Forgeus asked, “Did you kill any at Shalerton?”

The trio nodded. Tereman said, “A few, yes.”

Forgeus and Gallana exchanged a look. Gallana said, “How did you manage that?”

Tereman said, “We each had our own ways. The healing light of Zeus allowed me to free myself from their paralysis. Blendegad has his draining magic if he’s fast enough to catch them before the paralysis trick. Galandir…”

“I used telekinetic spells. Their paralysis power is linked to moving their hands to their forehead.” Galandir mimed the action. “If I hold their hand away from their forehead with magic, they can’t cast the spell. They all use the same action for casting.”

Forgeus said, “But their force armor, their speed, their own telekinetic magic… How did you defeat all that?”

Blendegad shrugged and said, “We’re stronger, faster, and smarter than them.” Tereman and Galandir nodded along.

Forgeus brought the knuckle of his left index finger to his lips. He leaned back in his chair and drummed the fingers of his right hand on the table. “Interesting,” he said.

Gallana said, “Do you have any proof of this?”

Blendegad’s eyes narrowed. Tereman put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “We do. The silver swords we brought back from the Shrine of Artemis. We turned over two of them as part of the Guild fees.”

Forgeus put his palms on the table and stood. He left the room. Gallana took a deep breath. “He’s checking with Lovis,” she said.

Forgeus returned holding a large cloth wrapped around the two silver swords. He set the bundle down on the table and unrolled the cloth. The shifting silver of the two weapons made their origin clear. These were adlishar swords.

Forgeus said, “They’re telling the truth. Lovis said they brought twenty one swords here yesterday.”

Gallana nodded. She picked up one of the swords to examine it closely. The silver rippled across the surface. She stroked the metal with a finger and the slowly moving pattern swirled as she passed by. Finally she spoke, “Impressive.”

Forgeus said, “We’d assumed you were like the others who died at the battle. An unfortunate weak rabble that was not prepared for that fight. We made a mistake in leading that force to its fate. I’m sorry.”

Tereman nodded. Blendegad took a sip from his mug.

Forgeus continued, “So you are stronger than it would seem. The Adventurers Guild and other guilds in Phoenix sent expeditions against the adlishar incursions. There are many of them across Cimmeria. It seems that no place is left untouched. Even, it seems, small shrines to Artemis. Some of those expeditions returned as ours did, in shame and defeat. Others performed better.”

“Better? How so?” asked Tereman.

“While I am an accomplished wizard and Gallana is a powerful priest,” Forgeus inclined his head towards his companion, “we are not equal to the great masters of our guilds. The title of master is no easy thing to attain, but the growth of one’s magic does not stop there. Many guild members are more powerful than us. And not just the Wizards and Clerics Guilds. The Fighters Guild also has strong members as do other affiliated guilds outside of Phoenix such as the Bounty Hunters and Druids Guilds.”

Forgeus continued, “Most of those more powerful missions succeeded in eradicating the adlishar groups they fought. Or at least escaping without lives lost.”

Blendegad said, “If those other expeditions performed so much better, why do you need any information from us?”

Gallana said, “You’re the only ones who went back from a failed mission and succeeded. Why would they let you go, but kill others?”

Galandir tapped his finger on the table twice and said, “He said something. The adlishar, after I fought him. He said he was waiting for us to get stronger before killing us.”

Forgeus sat down in his chair once more. He said, “Interesting. Almost like they are thrill seeking. Not what I would’ve predicted. So they may be seeking an equitable battle of some sorts.” He leaned towards Gallana, “Like the orcs do. Their position in their tribes is dependent on deeds, like slaying a foe in equal combat.”

Blendegad spat, “So they came here to kill and torture those people for some sort of social status?”

“It may be as simple as that,” Forgeus said.

“Ugh. I didn’t think they could get more disgusting,” said Blendegad.

A silence settled over the room. Lips sipped the mulled wine.

Tereman said, “We brought back a bit more than the swords. There were other bits and pieces that we found in the structure by the Shrine of Artemis. Metal… gadgets and alchemy ingredients.”

Gallana nodded, “Yes, there were other similar discoveries at the other successful missions. There’s an effort across the different Guilds of Phoenix to research those items and learn as much as we can from them.”

“What have you learned so far?” Tereman asked.

Gallana answered, “It’s still quite early and I’m not directly involved in the projects. I overheard someone say that the items were from a space between the planes.”

“Planes?” Blendegad asked, “Like for cutting wood?”

“No. The dimensional planes. They separate our reality from other mystical places.”

Galandir said, “Yes. Like the Underworld is a different plane.”

Gallana nodded, “The elemental planes are another dimension commonly accessed for casting magic.”

Forgeus said, “Whatever the adlishar are, it seems they have no plane of their own to call home.”

Blendegad said, “How do we get stronger?”

“What do you mean?” said Gallana.

“How do we get stronger? Like those groups that fought the adlishars and won. We killed a few at Shalerton, but they would’ve killed us just as well if they hadn’t gone crazy and let us go. So how do we get stronger and kill the lot of them next time?”

Forgeus said, “Practice. Your gifts are strong, but without formal training, they aren’t fully sharpened. And better equipment as well. Are you using any magic equipment?”

Blendegad snorted, “No. We don’t even have enough for horses. Magic equipment…”

Forgeus arched an eyebrow, “You may have enough now. Each of those swords is worth at least a few hundred gold drachmas.”

Blendegad said, “Tereman, how much did you get for the one you sold?”

“On the lower end, but it was a couple hundred. Maybe I could’ve gotten more…”

Galandir asked, “Are there people here who could help us train?”

Gallana said, “Yes, of course. The Fighters Guild might be the best place for you to learn more.”

Tereman said, “What about our magic? Do they teach that there?”

“Well… No. You might have to join additional guilds for your magic. Tereman, your divine magic would place you in the Clerics Guild. Blendegad and Galandir, you would be in the Wizards Guild. But the Fighters Guild for your swordplay.”

Galandir spun his mug around on the table, “I’ve practiced on my own to develop my own style. I’d never thought of finding a master to teach me though.”

Gallana said, “I think you three can be valuable members of The Phoenix Guilds. The city is happy to have you. Lovis can organize introductions to the other guilds. The Adventurers Guild works with everyone to coordinate multiple guild memberships.”

The five of them stayed and talked longer until the mulled wine ran out. They shook hands and agreed to speak again, hopefully in happier circumstances.