fell into silence. Brogus found himself standing up straight and felt the urge to salute, Dol slipped off the bed and also stood up straight, while Milli felt a sudden dizziness in her stomach.
“Tell us your proposition then,” said Dol, finally breaking the stillness that engulfed the small chamber.
“The First Citizen has need of information about the ruler of a nomadic force in a great sandy desert to the south. This Black Rider poses a threat to the First Citizen’s plans of conquest in the southern continent. He proposes to aid you in your journey south, in return you will learn as much as you can about this person and, should you survive, pass this along to agents of the First Citizen.”
“Why us?” said Milli, folding her arms across her chest and staring at the man with narrowed eyes. “The First Citizen must have plenty of spies?”
“The First Citizens would very much like the alliance of people familiar with the location of Craggen Steep. Conquest is costly and the need for gold a never ending burden. And, of course, the south is your chosen destination in any case which sweetens the offer.”
“I’ve never heard of Craggen Steep,” said Dol in a steady tone.
“Yes, I’m aware that is the answer everyone from Craggen Steep gives when questioned about the place. I appreciate the drollness of it. Consider me impressed with your cleverness,” said the man in a flat sort of tone. “Now, I’ve made my proposition. You may discuss it tonight. If you agree then you will not board your transport tomorrow and will await further instructions. In that happy event, I will arrange your trip to the south which, I assure you, will be far quicker and more comfortable than the vessel.”
“Thank you for stopping by,” said Milli as she shook off her stupor for a moment although she could not take her eyes off the charismatic messenger. “Are you sure we can’t get your name?”
The man bowed and put down his coffee cup, “I’m sorry, but no. I hope that this alliance proves fruitful and we can meet again. You intrigue me,” he said with a look to Milli and then a pointed glance to Dol who stood with the Hammer of Fire in his hand. “Farewell and best of luck whatever decision you make.” With that, he turned, strode to the door which he opened with a quick motion, and left the room while shutting the door gently behind him.
Brogus followed him to the door, slid the bolt, and then turned to face his companions. “I didn’t really follow all of that but I did hear something about an easier journey. I don’t think I’d like sailing much.”
Milli sat back down on the sawdust that served as a mattress and blinked her eyes a few times, “I don’t agree with everything he said but I like the idea of it. We get a free ride to the southern continent faster than any other way and we’re not really obligated to learn more about this Black Rider fellow. We can always just find the five volcanoes, kill Gazadum, and then be on our way. If anyone asks we can just say we didn’t learn anything.”
“Kill who?” said Petra.
“Oh,” said Milli and covered her mouth.
“The first Fire Elemental,” said Dol. “I will slay him with the Hammer of Fire and gain eternal glory.”
“Ohhh,” said Petra, “that Gazadum. I thought you meant a friend of my father’s. Short fellow, round belly.”
At this the entire group broke into gales of laughter, even Dol.
A day later the four waited in the little ramshackle hut and everyone except Dol nervously looked back and forth at one another. The tall dwarf with the little greenish apples in his hair and beard stood quietly by the door with the Hammer of Fire hanging from his belt. They had rigged a little flange that pushed the hammer away from his leg when he walked so as to avoid scorching his clothes. During their trip north to Das’von and after a great deal of experimentation with the great weapon they determined that even Dol was incapable of wielding the thing for more than a minute before the intensity of the heat built up to a point that he was unable to hold it any longer. Thus he tended to keep it on the loop at his belt until it was immediately needed.
“What if he doesn’t come?” said Brogus with an anxious look at Milli. His eyes darted back and forth between the two woman and the furrows on his brow were deep. “We still have time to catch the ship.”
“He’ll come,” said Milli. “Did he strike you as the sort to renege on an agreement?”
“What on an agreement?” said Brogus.
“Renege, not follow through,” said Milli with a shake of her long hair. She apparently found fresh water in the shanty town, or possibly bathed in the freezing cold glacial runoff, because her gold hair shone brightly and curled in long, luxurious waves. She had a pair of green ribbons in it and wore a lighter-weight dress that showed off her trim but firm figure and even wore a pair of pinch-toed shoes with long heels that increased her height by several inches.
“You look pretty,” said Brogus as he came over to look at her. “And you smell nice too,” this last as he reached towards the ribbons in her hair.
“Don’t touch!” said Milli and took a step backwards while raising her hands toward the stout dwarf. “You’ll wreck it. And, it’s not a big thing. I just needed to clean up a bit if we’re going on a journey. It might be my last chance for a while.”
“Rap,” came a firm knock at the door.
Everyone in the shack stopped and looked at each other, “Here we go,” said Brogus with a broad smile as he went to the door and opened it.
A tall man, perhaps in his fifties, with a heavy black cloak, dark eyes, and a pock marked face stepped into the room and looked around. “I’m to facilitate your transportation to the southlands. Are you ready?”
“Who are you?” asked Milli with a long frown on her face.
“I am Robel,” said the man. “But it doesn’t make any difference really. I am to facilitate your transport. Are you ready?”
“Where’s the messenger?” asked Milli as she tried to peer around the tall man to the doorway behind.
“I’m not sure who you mean,” said Robel with a shrug of his shoulders and in a neutral tone. “Are you ready to go, or not?”
“The man we first spoke with,” said Milli with a little stamp of her foot. “We liked him.”
The man in black cocked his head at the Halfling girl, “It’s not my concern if you like me or not. I’ve been asked to transport you to the southern realm. Are you ready to leave or do you need more time to prepare? Our window of opportunity is short.”
“Fine,” said Milli and pursed her lips as she took one last, hopeful look around the man to the area outside the door. “We’re ready to go.”
“Follow me then,” said Robel turning to exit the little building.
“Do we have everything?” said Brogus taking one last frantic look around the little hut. The rotted wood, boarded up and broken windows, the sputtering stove, and all the other amenities of the last few weeks stared back at him in silence.
“Is there anything here we want to keep?” said Milli with a little curl of her upper lip. “The sooner the memory of this place is gone from my mind the better. Leave it all except your gear.”
“Fine by me,” said Brogus and he turned to follow the man outside. The wind howled through the little shanty village and the poorly built structures shuddered with the force of it. On more than one occasion a brick or heavy stone tumbled off a roof of one of the better built structure and injured passersbys. Over the last couple of weeks they learned to listen carefully for the sound of sliding masonry and duck under low eaves to avoid a braining.
The man strode off in the opposite direction of the great city and they followed him on foot for half an hour with no sign of their destination. They soon left the shanty-town village where the soldiers lived and passed onto the open plains where the ground was somewhat spongy with a soft grassy material.
“Where are we going?” Brogus finally asked as he moved up to stand next to Robel.
“Transportation circle,” replied the tall man with the dark robes.
“What’s that?” asked Brogus as he looked keenly ahead trying to spot anything that might be a transportation circle, whatever that might be.
“It’s a circle for transportation,” said Robel.
“Thanks,” said Brogus with a snort and looked back to his companions and spread his arms out with hands up while rolling his eyes.
The man laughed, “All right, all right. I suppose there isn’t a big need for all the mystery. Prepare yourself for you are about to witness first-hand in just a few minutes anyway. Corancil is in the process of building portals
