Tracing The Worm

  TRACING THE WORM

  It has been a long time since I was in the Evil Owl. Exactly when the mysterious stabbing happened. Not long after that I heard that Worad that damned rowlind is after me.

  I had some sleepless nights because of him and I don’t know whether things have settled since. Nevertheless I have the food tasted before I start every meal. I heard that his favorite way or getting rid of people is poison and sleeping pills.

  But I couldn’t be bothered by Worad when there was work waiting for me in this hovel. Otherwise I haven´t the faintest idea what on earth the merchant’s death was to do with me, he was a pugnacious aggressive turd, he deserved his fate.

  I knew many inns in Lel Tessin but of all of them this was surely the most run down.

  The inn-keeper, a lousy tetheris was selling a beer that even dogs would not drink and people have been telling legends about its sauces…….

  That just goes to show that there has been at least one person who could swallow one bite of it. If I ever come here I come for work and not to eat or drink. In the corner were them, the company of ten. The inn-keeper was coming to greet me rubbing his hands thinking he got me.

  “Get out of my way you swine” – I hissed. He understood and jumped aside so fast that it even surprised me.

  I was heading to the corner where Hail jumped up to greet me.

  Hail was paid to get me work and he got his part from the commissions. This was an investment to him, and a decent source of income to me. He was the one who informed me to stay out of sight for a while at one point not long ago.

  “He is the one in the white cloak” – he whispered, “all ten of them are here for the job but five can go”. I looked at the man under the white cloak. He was sitting opposite the entrance or pouring out.

  His commanding face was framed with a beard and a white tail of hair. He was staring at me firmly.

  “You are late...” –he said

  “The message was delivered late” – kicking Hail on his ankle. This scum bug only sent for me half an hour ago.

  “I hope you are more precise in battles” – hissed the old man and this face transformed completely for a second. Not having a second to analyze this transformation and what was this reminding me to, he transformed back.

  “You said you need five fighters but there are at least ten of us here at the table”- a voice was heard from the corner. I recognized him immediately. He called himself Maxxarr and he was dangerous with knives. We were involved in a fight once.

  “Yes only five of you can go. The operation is much too dangerous. I need the five best. Can you decide who the five are?”

  For a second everyone became silent. I looked around quickly and saw some characters I would never arm wrestle with although I was proud of the arms I had. It crossed my mind to jump up and leave but what would these brutes say. They would think I am a coward. Out of the question. I am staying.

  “I can decide.”- A voice came from the direction of the entrance. All heads turned………

  There he was standing in the door, him, a segtur fighter. I don’t know whether the others knew who he was but cold ran down my spine by recognizing him. According to legends and if half of those legends were true that were around about him…… he was the most dangerous man in the country.

  “Asran, my friend I am so happy you could make time for me.” Said the man with white beard jumping up.

  I was completely puzzled that our commissioner conversed with this mercenary with an obvious respect I was almost certain I could……. home Asran couldn’t have known me.

  “Mixer, Rioon, Kroo-Terron, Shaldar and you Borgosh! You are staying.”

  I couldn’t believe my ears. Asran said my name too.

  “I have seen you a few months ago” he said “in that scrimmage in front of the gate.”

  “You are good fighter “replying to my unspoken question.

  What he saw was a battle of life and death.

  I do that almost every day. I stroke a merchant crowd in front of the city gate with a small crew of men. Unfortunately they were waiting for us. I wanted the beautiful rowlind sword I overheard of hidden in one of their tents .I wanted it badly but couldn’t put my hands on it finally. The bastards were waiting and welcomed us with their swords. Nobody survived but me and after fighting like an evil spirit I could barely escape into the woods. Two days after the incident I sneaked back to the city. Well this is how lived in Lel Tessin.

  As far as choosing Rioon and Shaldar I agreed with Asran but I couldn’t understand what the dwarf Maxxarr and the stinky tetheris Kroo-Terron was doing in the team. But I kept my mouth shut. At last there is work to do. I cannot blow that now. To my biggest amazement Asran and the white-bearded shook hands and then Asran left the Evil Owl.

  As……. Asran is not coming with us? Asked the stunned Maxxarr. So he was surprised too.

  I was glad that this scum asked every one of my questions so I did not seem as barbaric to the white-bearded.

  No he was only helping in the selection he answered. What is the task? Rioon was whittling the table with his knife. The white-bearded looked at him and he was lamenting how much he should tell to the chosen mercenaries. Then he decided to tell everything he could possibly tell.

  “You need to find somebody and hunt him down.”

  “Hah”-Rioon jumped up ready to leave.

  “Where are you going adventurer? “Said the white-bearded raising his voice.

  Hunting down a man! You don’t need five finely selected fighters to do that. Send them home” – said pointing at me or him pointing at Maxxarr. To my greatest surprise the white-bearded bursted out in laughter.

  “I am more than certain rowlind you always wanted an enemy like that. The person you have to kill is not just anybody. Have you heard of Joo-Krioon?”

  Once again I felt I should leave the inn. Only that would mean I must leave the town too at once because the gossip of my cowardness would spread like wildfire.

  Who had not heard of Joo- Krioon ?! The tetheris was wanted all over Inner Sea by headhunters but he was nowhere to be found.

  Rioon´s face lightened up and he sat back to the table.

  “It´s a deal .What´s the fee? (the blood money)”

  “The fee? The blood money that they pay in every city including Lel Tessin too.”

  “Uhuh.What does such a decent man have to do with the bastard?”

  “I, personally nothing but fighter, this city is the apple of my eye and from what I hear Krioon is heading toward this city.”

  “He will not fight the guard’s at the gate?!”

  The white-bearded thought for a moment and realized he would have to be candid here.

  He was to be open / candid.

  “Listen rowlind. My name is Kannel Risset counselor of Lel Tessin, not too long ago we got the information that Krian got into a fight in Wiss Yitanne with one of his whores. He killed her and he lost his mind. Now he is slaughtering distinguished fighters wherever he goes.”

  “That is not everything he is heading to Lel Tessin this moment. If he gets in the city there will be massacre so it is crucial for you to stop him.”

  “The last information about him counselor?” I knew it was time for me to show that I am an equal partner.

  “He could be halfway between Wiss Yitanne and Lel Tessin” said the counselor rolling out an old map on the table pointing to the area between two mountains.

  “He is not coming through the mountains but the caravan route where he can meet more merchants and fighters. According to the last news he set a caravan serai on fire here at the foot of the mountains. He is an infuriated blood-thirsty beast, you must kill him.”

  Shaldar spoke for the first time. Until now th
e yoder mercenary was listening quietly puffing his pipe looking bored. Most of us knew his story well.

  He started working low jobs after arriving to Lel Tessin penniless then he put together enough money to grease the town prominent palls and got onto the overland men. He got himself into a lot of trouble and gained experience ringing cattle. Needless to say the well-fed cattle attracted the attention of many groons. He did his job well but he had to leave finally because of racist remarks in the group. Because he was a mercenary he had assignments, countless.

  Rioon, he rowlind was the team´s other best fighter. Every damn year he wins the town´s archery competition. Between competitions he disappears and when he returns he is full of jewels. He wears them for a while and then he gets rid of them. He sells them. They say he is the head of Silver Hand the mysterious opposition organization. He is loaded he could live on the money he earns from the prize of the competitions but nobody knows what he does with it.

  He probably needs the money to maintain the organization. Rumor has it is that the Silver Hand wants to bring back rowlind power to the world. God forbid.

  There is no evidence .It was never proved that he had anything to do with the Silver Hand. However I find it very strange where he puts that enormous amount he makes.

  So this was the company that gathered in the Evil Owl. As far as Maxxar and Kroo-Terron they were….???????????????????

  I have already worked with Maxxar and I thought he was simply dumb. I have seen Kroo-Terron once or twice he was ?????????????,…. Being a sinnar I could not stand his dirty tetheris face and could not conceive why Asran has chosen him.

  Then Shaldar broke the silence.

  “I worked with Joo-Krian years ago, he is a smart and tough. We will not have a simple job.”

  “Don’t forget, the prize is not small” recommended the white-bearded. As I know Lel Sellarat, Kalnon,…..they have a blood-money on him as well and that is a lot of wealth.

  “Not that I think the money is not good” said Shaldar looking at Maxxarr, Kroo-Terron and me. I would swear to my mother’s life that he was thinking in the back of his head: “this three will push up daisies pretty soon and I just need to share the money with Rioon – all right then. We cut in front of him, set a trap and get him.

  “Where? In the……..? ………. Rioon?“You can see from miles if somebody is coming.

  “Wait”, I said unexpectedly, cleared my throat and continued. “There is a little farmhouse that is a one-day-walk” pointing on the map.

  “If we leave at dawn we could make it there by night and is Krian is heading for Lel Tessin he must spend the night there before the last day. And there we get him.

  Shaldar sent me a ……. look. In the meantime Rioon was examining the map.

  “Yes”, he said, finally. “We either need to get him near Lel Tessin or track him on that farm. It is too risky to let him close to the city. Borghosh’s plan can work “he jumped up and to headed for the door. He turned back and said “I will meet you at the Gate at dawn. I need to get ready”

  I stood up and the others stretched as well. We said goodbye and we all went to our digs. Mine was not far from the North Gate in a distant relative’s loft. I was on the street walking to my place when a street kid suddenly jumped in front of me. Pretty unusual at this hour.

  „What do you want? Get out of my way, go home!”

  „Wait sir, I brought you a message. They said I am going to get money if I deliver it.

  „Give me that message”–I grumbled. The kid …….and started citing the words.

  „Come to the Evil Owl half an hour before dawn-that is the message sir.”

  „What, what are you bullshitting here? I became a little apprehensive…Who would want to meet me at that hour?!”

  „Come to the Evil Owl half hour before dawn that is the message this is what I had to tell you.

  „Who sent you?”

  „No idea sir.It was a tall man in robes he whispered that I should give you the message and you would give me money for it.”

  I slapped the kid quickly and sent him home to his mum. He ran away bawling. I crawled up to the loft, packed up a few things I wanted to take on the trip and went to sleep for a few hours. I decided not to worry about the message .It could easily be a trap, one of Worad’s dirty little tricks. I didn’t want to be distracted from the next day mission.

  Suddenly I woke up to an unusual noise. I looked outside but the moon was exactly where it was when I fell asleep. I couldn’t have been sleeping longer than half an hour. I didn’t move trying to calculate which direction the noise was coming from. The door opened slowly very very slowly. When on a mission I always slept in my complete armor before the big day. I had my sword on my side, my bottle on my belt and a few useful stuff .I just had to grab my robe and could be on my way. As if I was stung by flea I jumped on my feet and threw myself out of the window. I knew exactly who was after me. Worad. I heard a scream and as I looked back I saw a shadow in my window. The other two were waiting outside. I pushed them aside and started running like I used to when I was a kid years ago on a market stealing food. I soon noticed that my chasers were left far behind. I always planned out the escape routes very carefully just like now. I knew where each alley was leading to. They could not corner me. My foresight saved me again. When I made sure no one was following me I collapsed on the ground behind an alley bakery’s backdoor and wrapped myself in the warmth coming out of the bakery. I went to sleep a bit.

  The dawn was chilly. I pulled my robe shivering as I was walking towards the North Gate. Everybody was there already but I was on time. Exactly when I got there the gatekeeper’s horn cried out loud and the Gate opened. The ones waiting outside started making their way into the town pushing elbowing. Some swear words were heard and the two guards checked the bags of the crowds coming in.

  They did not insult us but made sure we were not on the „wanted” list. As soon as we were outside we took up a shape of adventurers. Rioon was at the front his eyes scanning the road ahead. We all new nobody would spot the enemy sooner than him. He was followed by Shaldar with Maxxarr on his right and Kro-Terron on his left. I was covering their backs and kept looking back making sure there was no immediate danger. None of us said a word, we were walking in silence. We did not take horses; for one thing Maxxarr,Kro-Terron and I did not own a horse. Apart from that we could have got ourselves some but we did not want the enemy to discover us. So we were walking under the scorching sun. When it started getting dark I was relieved I only got a half full water bottle and I needed to save some for the trip back Thank God I was not thirsty in the chilly weather.

  It was deep dark and I was listening eagerly but I only saw my mates and heard only the usual noises of the wilderness. Then finally Rioon stopped and put up his arm. When we caught up with him he told us what he saw.-The farm is ahead of us but everything was quiet, no light no smell of smoke. He is either foxy enough not to draw attention or he is not here yet.

  “-We can only find out if we go in there”-grumbled Shaldar.” Let’s go then!” The rowlind shrugged his shoulders. He never accepted orders from anyone but now even he could not think of a better idea.

  We took up a form of a fan Rioon was in the middle next to him was Kroo-Terron and on his other side Maxxarr. I was crawling next to Maxxarr and Shaldar on Kroo-Terron’s left. As we got closer I started to see the building more clearly in the starlight. It was a simple but tall, lofty building.

  Two windows, one locked door and a few small holes were all we could see from the outside. If Joo Krian knew we were coming we would not have an easy night.

  Rioon pointed his finger at me and Maxxarr and nodded. I misunderstood the signal. I punched the dwarf and as slowly as I could start out to the other side of the building. I wallowed into the vegetable garden. Under my feet ripe carrots and onions. But where could the tenants be!? Who were cultivating the garden?!

  The house was not big we got around it quickly. We found a backdoo
r but I did not feel like going i.e. let the eager Maxxarr have a go. It was dead silence in the house and I couldn’t wait for it to end…Then I heard an awful cry; the dwarf probably found something!

  I stepped up to him and bent down. A dark body was pale in his death and the eyes were staring at the stars through the holes on the door. He must have been the owner. He probably did not struggle much.

  “Here is the other” said Maxxarr in a neutral tone.

  The dark-skinned woman’s mouth was open as if she was screaming for the life of her man. Krian simply strangled her with his bare hands. I was convinced he would not have killed her or him had they not been in his way. But this time he wanted to make sure he could rest undisturbed without them escaping. I stood up and looked at Maxxarr who looked back unconcernedly.

  We have seen so many and killed so many. I knew I had many more ahead of menthe Maxxarr cried out.AHRRRG….

  At that moment

  - Ahrrrg ... - he said.

  I was startled because from the corner of my eyes I saw that a blade c was creeping out of his chest. The dwarf's eyes glazed over me and as I looked up my partner fell like a sack. Behind him, as if he entered from my nightmares stood shrouded in the dark a tall slim figure. He said hissing

  “- Only two of us are left.”

  I was trying to catch my breath. The attack surprised me, I never sensed his approach. Maybe he is a rowlind? No, I knew that Joo Krian is no elf. But how did he do that? The words were difficult to pronounce.

  “- Yes, the two of us.”

  “- Only one can stay! “- said Krian then and I shivered.