• It Always Starts In A Tavern...


    tab "I have a proposition for you two," an elf woman began to say, looking at the two men across the table from her. They were in a tavern and had chosen the spot closest to the hearth at the far end. The flames cast an orange glow in the dim and merry room, full of patrons. They also sat at tables, wooden and round, or at the bar, and all of them had mugs or in the least cups.
    tab "What kind?" One of the humans asked. He had reddish-brown hair, cut short, and a strong jaw covered with light stubble. His eyes were colored a tad bit like freshly turned dirt and were watching the woman with curiosity. The cream colored shirt seemed to match him and the short sleeves showed off his arms, which were muscular but not so much as to be strange. A chain hung around his neck with a bronze dandelion medallion dangling as he leaned over his half-full mug.
    tab "The adventurous kind." The elf replied with a smile and her mysterious deep blue eyes glinting. The other human, a man as well but looking somewhat younger, gave a sideways glance at his companion. He was paler and had dark brown almost black hair that had been grown a few centimeters out and left to hang. Under his bangs his gray eyes were hard, complimenting the faint scowl he wore. Though the hood of his dark cloak was down about his shoulders, his less-dark clothes were more than effective at showing his trade as an assassin.
    tab When the elf was sure that both of them were listening again, she continued. "A few days ago, I heard of a strange rumor. A woman in a town east of here was said to be killed because a demon had possessed her. No one could clarify that a demon was actually in her, but her lover was deeply affected by her loss. Supposedly, he didn't take it well. What's more is that he's a powerful mage and is intent on bringing her back to him, even from the dead.
    tab "I don't have to tell you that this will be dangerous, and you are more than welcome to refuse the offer. But I was hoping that you two would like to come along with me, given the fact that we're friends and peace-keepers as well. There will, of course, be a reward for this. If not, I will be going anyway. There's a large chance that something will go wrong and I do not want anything like that to happen."
    tab She stopped and raised her own mug to her lips, the watered ale welcome against the warm heat of the flames on her right side. The orange discolored her naturally blonde-silver hair reaching the back of her knees and the "double" cloth tiara with small rubies set in the top band and sapphires in the lower looping one. The two she looked at didn't speak immediately but sat in silence while the tavern around them hummed with laughter and conversation. They were thinking, she knew, and she kept her smile as she absently raised a hand to touch the emerald leaf brooch on the left side of her jacket's folded collar.
    tab "I don't know..." The older of the pair said, swirling the beer in his mug and watching the foam dissipate. "I don't exactly have a good feeling about this...but I'm interested."
    tab The younger one shook his head. "You're crazy as hell. Going up against some magic using guy?"
    tab "I don't see a problem," the elf replied. "I use magic too."
    tab "Yeah, but what're you gonna do when that doesn't work? Throw a rock?" He pressed, shifting in his chair.
    tab "That's why I have my sword," she unhooked the sheathed blade from her right hip and held it up above the table line. It was black and was beautifully designed with symbols in gold, as was the handle of the sword, two equally golden arches flowing from the hilt and around the handle to protect the user's hand. "I'm still learning, after all, and personally I prefer a blade to a fireball."
    tab He shook his head stubbornly and crossed his arms across the long-sleeved and padded tunic he wore. "Uh-uh, still not making me jump for this."
    tab The elf woman shrugged and drained her drink, setting it back on the tabletop. "Oh well, I didn't expect you guys to be so eager, anyway." She re-hooked the sheath and stood, taking a few coins from a pouch on the other side of her hip. They clinked as she placed them down.
    tab "I'll be back in about a month's time, then. Take care." Her black boots, rising up past her knees with a long V on both outward sides of the pair were kept closed by thread crisscrossing the gap and laced at the top, made little sound as she strode around the table. She wore a long sleeveless tunic that went down to stop 6 inches above her boots. The dark blue cloth was elegantly embroidered with silver designs all over.
    tab A gem was set at the top, serving to hold both the otherwise open collared shirt open, including the wide diamond of cut cloth that showed off the skin just below her collarbone, and to hold the deep red ribbon that could be used as an accessory of it's own. Over that her jacket matched it, though the wide sleeves on her upper arm sported the silver and most of the edges were trimmed with gold thread, including the arching design near the hem by her shins. Around her waist, a belt kept the jacket closed before it flared open. Her bracers were dark metal and so were the part of the gloves that reached a little over the tops of her hands to her middle fingers, three of which on her right hand showed off thin, black metal rings.
    tab The patrons paid no attention to her passing, they'd known her for years and some even waved. The bartender did so too, having talked to her on occasions about the tales she brought from wandering. Despite the rich and extravagant clothes, she was quite modest and was hailed as a person of great respect. The two men, also well-known, stayed seated and unspeaking at the table.
    tab The small bell by the door tinkled musically when she opened it and greeted the cool night, many of the stars having appeared after the sun went down a few hours ago. The rest of the peaceful town were in their homes, asleep or keeping quiet. Every so often, a shadowed figure would pass in the square that the tavern faced, on the west side right across from the fountain in the center and the benches around it. Someimes it was a patrolling guard while other times it was a member from the group called the Protectors, once unknown but because of a decade ago they were more commonly about. They were another reason why the people smiled in her presence, she was the leader of them, though she preferred to let them go about their own well-meaning agenda.
    tab "Hey, that doesn't mean I won't come, Elistral," she heard behind her, recognizing the dark haired one's voice. She didn't turn around but did stop with one foot over the doorway. "But if I die, you know damn well that I'll be haunting you." Elistral didn't hear the other man chip in, but she smiled anyway to herself and let the door close behind her. It was good to have friends.


    tab The sun rose the next morning and Elistral was already up to greet it, emerging from the belltower from the wooden door at its base. The tower itself served as an entrance to the Protector's base, though only the entrance room was above ground, the rest being below street level. It was set on the northeast corner of the town square and so she was able to see the tavern from the night before.
    tab "Me an' Rore figured you'd be leaving in the morning." A bored voice from up above her floated down. She glanced up to see the dark haired man sitting a few feet above on the lip of the platform that house the brass bell. He had his hood up, most likely to hide his appearance rather than guard against the chilly morning air. Elistral nodded her greeting and began to climb the stairs on the side of the building to stand next to him. They didn't stare at the rising sun but instead their gazes fell among the stone buildings, picking out the windows and doors spotting them, and stretching forest just outside the west wall that encircled the town.
    tab "Did you sleep last night, Verin?" She asked, fidgeting with one of her rings.
    tab "Some. I wasn't that tired, though."
    tab Though he was years younger than her, she knew that thanks to his line of work he'd be wary for any threat, even while asleep. It was both a disheartening and welcoming thought.
    tab "What do you think of Salim?" Elistral said, breaking the quiet moment once again.
    tab "Like?"
    tab "Just...all of it. The people, the buildings, the history..."
    tab Verin knew her thoughts had wandered over to the time that a threat in the form of a group called the Ravagers, whom the Protectors had originally been created for to fight secretly against in the wee hours of the night, had been active. The main entrance to their crumbling base was a small cave set to overlook Salim, and tunnels ran down deep, branching like a river or a tree's roots. They'd been long flushed from the tunnels and resided somewhere unknown after a bold attack that had changed...well, not just the town, but everyone in the land.
    tab He'd left shortly after that and had gone off to a more northern town, Triel.
    tab Verin shrugged, unsure of how to accurately speak his mind. "Too many things happen in bursts here, and everyone's like...cows."
    tab Elistral raised her eyebrows at the comparison, a little surprised. "I agree with the former, but...cows? How do you figure that?"
    tab "They're content to sit and let things go by unless there's some sort of danger. And then when things go to sh*t, they make it worse by scrambling around and not listening to anyone."
    tab "That's how most of the world works, though." Elistral said. "Fear overrides every other emotion when someone is in danger, and adding desperation to that gives you the full-spread panic you're implying."
    tab Verin humphed, obviously displeased with her observation. "Let's just go and find Rore already. He's by the stables." He muttered. Then he stood and pushed past her, making his way quickly down the stairs with barely a sound. Elistral didn't follow immediately after him, and soon turned her gaze away from his fast disappearing form just as it rounded a corner.
    tab He was a dour person, but she still thought of him as a friend. Salim was her home just as much as it had been, or still was?, his. Even if the way of life in the town was how he described it, she felt the urge to protect it from anything that threatened to harm it or its people. She sighed in contentment, memorizing the peaceful moment, before following the path that the assassin had.


    tab They found Rore passed out on a pile of hay in one of the empty horse stalls. Thankfully, the hay was clean. His chest rose and fell softly as he slept while the medallion he wore shivered with each breath.
    tab "Oi, time to wake up, sleepy-head." Verin called to him just as Rore's horse, the chestnut mare that had occupied the stall, began to lick the man's face. Rore scrunched his face up and opened his eyes just a fraction before rolling over to shield himself from the onslaught.
    tab "Sara, stooooop..." he groaned into one arm as she changed tactics and moved to his bared neck.
    tab "We will leave you to be eaten by your own horse unless you get up..." Elistral put in with amusement heard clearly in her voice. She was making sure that the saddlestraps on her own mare, a golden palomino, were tight but comfortable and the pack set at the back of the saddle itself was secure.
    tab "Oh gods, as long as she waited until I was back asleep." Rore muttered. He did get up a few seconds later, though, and didn't take long to make sure that everything was ready to go. By the time he led her out, Elistral had already climbed up onto her mount and Verin was getting on his, a dapple gray that suited him just fine.
    tab "Which way are we going?" He asked with a wide yawn, quickly covering his mouth with a hand and scratching his stubble
    tab "Southeast," Elistral replied, watching as he stretched, placed a boot in the footstrap, then swung his leg over the horse's back. "There's a village in the plains that we'll hopefully be able to get the proper directions from."
    tab "You don't know where we're going?" Verin asked incredulously.
    tab "I never said that I did last night, only that it's east." She replied calmly. He grunted and nudged his horse to get it walking at an easy pace after the elf as she started off. Rore shook his head at the two and patted the neck of Sara. "C'mon girl, let's go wherever they're going."
    tab Salim was built near the edge of the plains and so was exposed to the wind that blew often through the tall grasses. The wall that was erected around it cut that largely back, much to the townsfolks' relief. But that morning no wind stirred the green sea or blew away the silvery mist that floated low above it. As the sun rose and shone on their left sides, it turned a faint yellow-orange color as the clouds enveloped the trio.
    tab It was still early summer in the land and the wildflowers from spring still bloomed among the
    tab When they'd gone a few miles along the dirt road, and Rore was munching happily on a hunk of bread and slice of cheese for a breakfast he'd missed, Elistral turned her horse into the grass and plowed through. Closer inspection would have revealed a much smaller road, a path even, trodden down rarely. When Verin leaned over the neck of his mount to peer ahead, the mist having dissipated as the hours rolled by, he could see a faint smudge that rose up in places.
    tab The sight sharpened as they moved closer to it, the village. As dangerous as Salim was from outside threats without a wall, the village had no such protection except for sturdy wood and sod buildings, and even sturdier people.
    tab "Looks like we're here." Elistral called back just then over her shoulder to her companions behind. By that time the buildings had grown and they could see people bustling about on their daily business. There was a makeshift gate set up at the end of the path, though it really be described as a large, empty doorway. A very low fence, also made of wood that had more that likely been carted to the location, ringed the settlement. A guard leaned up against one side of the 'gate', a wooden buckler strapped to his left arm and a spear firmly in his hand.
    tab Elistral closed the book that she'd been reading to pass the time, sliding gracefully off the side of her mount. Rore and Verin followed her lead and dismounted as well, the former much less graceful but no less expertly and the latter landing flat-footed. The elf took the reins in one hand after she'd placed the book back into her pack and walked up to the man, giving a slight bow to him.
    tab "Are you looking to be friendly or cause some trouble?" He asked, his bored tone hid some of the wariness that his eyes showed.
    tab "We heard of a town in the east, and a rumor about a mage there," Elistral said, her light tones surprising the guard that, on a normal basis, obviously didn't deal with elves. "We wish to investigate but lack proper directions there."
    tab The man looked a little stunned and blinked before responding. When he did, it was with a much more happier tone than before. He even gave a smile. Verin snorted and Rore rolled his eyes as he ran a hand through his short hair, though he didn't notice the two men behind the elf. "W-Well, I don't know much about that. But I'm sure that someone here will know. Family bein' there and all."
    tab "I see," Elistral smiled back at him in a friendly manner. "Thank you for helping us. We'll be in and out fairly soon."
    tab As the trio walked past him through the entrance, leading their horses next to them, he waved and called, "There's another gate on the other side of town, just so you know!"
    tab "Sometimes I wonder about you, Elistral." Rore commented, amusement coloring his words when he glanced back briefly to see the guard still staring at her. He fancied he saw the youth give a happy sigh and settle back against his post.
    tab "Hm? Is it my appearance?" She cast a look over her shoulder past Verin to him with dancing light in her eyes.
    tab Rore only smiled and laughed, and the assassin in front of him shook his head when he replied, "Whoever's got you must be relieved that they don't have to deal with jealous rivals anymore."