The Adventurers

I know that he said I was the best for this job, and honestly, I am, but I still can’t believe I’m stuck in this dingy tavern of all places…

Hafa was bored, and he hated it. He really hated it, but he would never tell Samson that. Besides, things were going to get interesting soon. That was something he was promised.

As if on queue, a rowdy looking group of men and women entered through the main door. The light armor they wore, along with the fact that they were allowed to openly carry their arms, meant that they were either mercenaries hired by the city, or soldiers themselves.

“I can’t believe that old man fooled us!”

The older looking man who had just said this, sat down at a table and put his head in his hands.

“I’m sure it was just a mistake, Vlad. He wouldn’t do something like that after all of these years.”

Vlad? That’s a southern name. How interesting…

“Besides, we have our own contacts in the merchants league as well. You worry too much, Captain!”

Though the larger man was smiling, the pat on the back he gave their troop’s Captain seemed unwelcome.

Then, the short elf woman spoke up.

“Besides, we still have “that” job we can take, too…”

Whatever she was smiling about, Hafa knew it wasn’t good. But he was sure that it was definitely something interesting.

----------

“The first city we’ll be stopping at is the Merchant City of Tironoc.”

Hafa’s hand shot up. “Is that the one run by the Merchants League sir? The one with all the fancy steam cars?”

Samson smiled. “That’s exactly right, Hafa. You really did your homework, huh?”

Hafa was proud of himself and it showed.

Samson pointed to the images on the table in front of him.

“Our job is to find and question each of these people. Attached to their images is a dossier for each of them.”

This time, Hilda’s hand shot up. “Sir, some of these are nobles. A few are part of the merchants league. How will we be going about this? We’re likely to step on some toes if we do it the wrong way…”

“There are 11 people we need to get information from. Hilda and I will be handling the nobles, but I leave the other 7 up to the rest of you. Hafa is in charge of this portion of the operation.”

Four of the 11 dossiers were removed from the table, leaving seven.

These all look like-

“Four of these people are merchants, and they all hold influential positions in the League. If anyone would know about magic users recently employed, it would be them.”

“And the other three, sir?” Ekrund asked, looking up from behind the circle around the table.

“They’re leaders of notable adventurer groups. More specifically, they’re leaders of notable adventurer groups that have magic users among them.”

So that’s why he’s given this task to me...

“Hafa will know best how to interact with them, which is why he’s in charge of you all. I don’t care much what happens to them personally, but try to remember that they’re influential people.”

Hafa’s face betrayed his delight.

“Hafa, try not to have too much fun. Please.”

----------

What is Hafa wearing?

“That’s an interesting outfit you’ve got on, Hafa…”

“It’s how adventurers tend to dress, sir. Especially the free-lance ones!”

At least he knows what he’s doing…

“Is your team ready? I trust you’ve organized properly.”

“Of course! We have everything we could need.”

Do they? I hope he’s not being careless.

“Take this.”

Samson pushed a slip of paper into Hafa’s hand and closed it.

“A list of our safehouses, sir? You should trust me more. I paid attention in training you know!”

Hafa had a frustrated expression on his face, but beneath that, he was thankful.

“Don’t worry, if I can’t remember them all after this long, I don’t expect any of you to, either.”

I hope they don’t have too much trouble, I can’t imagine having to clean up a mess with the league.

“Hafa, please. If you have to do anything, at least try and keep it quiet.”

----------

Vladimir, or Vlad as his party called him, was a ranger from the Nation of Nesti, in the frigid tundras to the south of the Obsidian Mountains.

Nesti, having been ruled by different Czars and Tzarinas for thousands of years, though the climate is icy and unforgiving, it served to create a people notorious around the civilized lands for their strength, their grit, and their drinking. Supposedly he had been a part of the royal guard at some point in his life. Judging from the notches on the wooden handle of his crossbow, he’s seen more than his fair share of battle.

“I was fiercely loyal to the Czar, and I still am. I’ve charged into battle with three generations of rulers in my lifetime, and I would go do so with three more if asked.” While he said this, Vlad had a melancholic look on his face.

That’s a wound he’s not ready to open yet it seems...

“So, what are your guys’ stories then?” Hafa asked this with a disarming smile on his face and curiosity in his eyes. Looking around the table, he could see the hesitation on their faces, even in the dim light of the fireplace nearby.

I guess I should go first…

“Well, if it would help you guys feel better, I’ll go first! My name is Hafa as you know, but my full title is Hafa Al-Shilman. I was born in the Kharbhuraz Steppes to the far west, and I lived there for about 40 years, give or take.”

I hope that’s enough to satisfy them for now…

“So why should we trust you? What skills do you have, tribal?” It didn’t matter how many times he heard it, Hafa hated being called a tribal. It made him angrier than he knew it should’ve, though he’s long learned to contain his indignity.

I guess it would be bad if I killed him for that…

“Well, apart from my hunting skills, tracking skills, and horsemanship abilities, I would have to think. I’m an expert marksman, for one. On horseback, on foot, it doesn’t matter to me. I can hit anything from almost any distance, with most types of ranged weapons.”

Vlad side-eyed Hafa and gave a gruff laugh.

“We’ll have to have a test at some point, then.”

The other people around the table seemed shocked.

“It’s not often that Vlad would challenge someone else like this” thought the muscular woman seated to his right.

“So, is that all? We’ve got a ranger, and we all know how to do our fair share of hunting and gathering.” Hafa looked at the man who continued his line of questioning. He was a tall, thin man with a wiry figure and orange hair. The freckles on his pale face would be endearing if the expression he held wasn’t one of disgust.

He played with two large, curved knives, every-so-often flipping them between his fingers. It was obvious that he was uninterested, not with the conversation, but in Hafa as a whole.

Well, as long as this gets their attention, everything will be going according to plan.

Hafa rummaged under his overcoat, reaching into every interior pocket while the others looked on curiously. When they saw what he pulled out of it, the room went silent.

The man with the orange hair put his knives down and leaned forward. Not looking away, he asked “Hey, Susei, is that real?”

The muscular woman seated next to Vladimir stood up and slowly walked around the table towards Hafa.

“May I?” she asked, with an apprehensive voice.

“Of course.”

Susei played with the Dark Steel badge she held in her hand. She traced the golden decorative trim that ran around the badge, taking in every part of the intricate design. She stopped herself when she looked at the gemstone set directly into the center.

“It’s…” Susei was at a loss for words, partly out of terror, and partly out of amazement.

“It’s real.”

----------

“It’s just like my fathers…”

Oh? This is interesting…

“Your father’s badge is different though, correct? The gemstone, I mean.” Hafa asked the question seemingly unaware of the feeling of dread that filled the room.

“Yeah... yeah, his has a Red Beryl set into it… just like most of the other guards we see around. I’ve never met anyone in the guard with a Pink Diamond in their badge…”

To Vlad’s left, the elf girl that had remained quiet for so long pulled her hood down and adjusted her glasses.

“What do the gems mean, Suz?” The inquisitive looking elf was the only one that seemed to be relaxed now.

“They indicate rank. My father’s officers always had a light purple gem in their badges-”

Hafa cut her off.

“Ohhhh, those are musgravite. They’re the field officers of the guard, though they’re pretty low in the chain of command…”

Vladimir looked the olive-skinned Hafa dead in the eyes and asked “What does the gemstone in yours mean?”

“Oh! Well since it’s an enchanted pink diamond, it would indicate that I was a pretty high rank! Before I left, I was” Hafa had to stop to think for a moment. Where was he exactly in the chain of command?

“I suppose I was third in command? Being at the head of the intelligence division and all…”

Everyone in the room, save for the elf and Hafa himself, was paralyzed with fear. Even the jaded Vladimir couldn’t find it in himself to speak.

“Why are you here then? You have more power than anybody in this city, so what do you want with us?” The short elf spoke without hesitation, and in all honesty, Hafa appreciated it.

“Well, officially I’m not a part of the guard anymore, and when I heard you guys in the tavern, my curiosity got the best of me!” Hafa rubbed the back of his head and laughed, confusing most of the people seated with him.

“Wait,” said Susei, “Nobody’s ever left the Black Guard though. My father always told me that by the time you got through training, you would die before you left the guard. What’s going on here?”

“Well… that’s usually the case, you’re right. I am the first to ever leave of my own volition, but I’m also one of the very few people the guard would ever allow to leave. ” Hafa wasn’t entirely lying here. Though he would never leave the guard, he is one of the few people that could, if he desired.

“I was hoping you guys would show me some fun, honestly. I’ve been really bored lately!”

Everyone around the table looked to Vladimir, the only person with the authority to make the call. Though the old man was weary of the young man in front of him, having a member of the Black Guard, a high-ranking one at that, would be invaluable. “You’re welcome to join us if you like. But first, we’ll have to take you out and see what you can do.”

Hafa’s eyes glimmered for a moment, and the old ranger feared he may have just made a deadly mistake.

----------

On the walk out of the city, Hafa had learned that the inquisitive young elf that asked him so many questions was named Celawyn. She was the mage of the group, though her family never could afford to determine her affinity. That was the case with most mages, as the rigorous trials and tests needed to evaluate a mage were incredibly expensive. Still, she had been accosted by all the usual militaries and governments that sought to hire her, as is the norm.

“And what about you, Hafa? Do you know any magic? How long did you spend in the guard? Did you ever kill anybody? OH did you know Susei’s father?”

The barrage of questions would’ve thrown off most other people, but Hafa had finally met someone that could match his high-energy personality, and he enjoyed it.

“Well, there’s still a lot I can’t say… But I’ve seen my fair share of action! As for Suseis’ father, well judging from how she described his badge, he would’ve been a part of one of the halberd divisions, so it’s pretty unlikely I knew him,unless he served directly under the commander…”

From on top of his exceptionally large bear, Vladimir looked over his left shoulder at the two walking behind him.

“Are the stories true? About the man, they call the King’s Dancer?”

I wonder how much I should say… I can’t share anything too sensitive, but I also don’t want to make the commander look bad, though I don’t know how much he would care. Then again, if word got back that I made the commander look weak… I don’t even want to imagine that.

“Well, I can’t say much,” Hafa smiled and looked up, straight into the eyes of the grizzled old man. “But the stories probably don’t do him justice.”

----------

“Vlad, what kind of bear is this? I’ve never seen one so big before!”

Hafa was gushing as he rubbed the gargantuan bear behind the ears and played with its cheeks. The bear, for what it’s worth, was smiling and rubbing his head against the comparatively small man in kind.

“His name is Redwood, and he’s an Arctotherium, though most people would know his as a Giant Bear.”

No way, a giant bear? Does that mean…

“Can he understand us? Giant bears speak common, right?”

Hafa tilted his head and looked curiously into the bears’ eyes. Redwood, seemingly confused, did the same, wondering why he had stopped being scratched so suddenly.

“Hah! That’s just a myth! Redwood know’s four words. Stop, go, help, and dinner!”

This was the first time Hafa had seen the old man smile, and for whatever reason, he found it incredibly comforting.

“So where are we?”

Having stopped in a seemingly random clearing in the woods, Hafa couldn’t help but wonder what sort of test for him they had.

“Well, seeing as you’re not just a normal adventurer, we decided that your test would be a little more challenging. About a hundred meters to the east” Vlad pointed to his right, into the woods “you’ll find a foot-path that’s recently been travelled. If you follow that south, you’ll come to a clearing and a large cave entrance. That cave is occupied by a large group of bandits, with many of them coming from old mercenary bands.”

Vladimir continued, explaining that Leoric, the orange-haired assassin of the group, would follow from above, in the tree-tops.

After casting invisibility on Leoric, Celawyn created an Arcane Eye.

“With this and my telepathic link to everyone else here, we’ll be able to watch and hear everything that happens!”

From behind him, Hafa heard the imposing man draped with a Basilisk skin speak up.

“If you can’t handle it, short stuff, just yell. I’ll be there right away to help!”

The tall, muscular man gave a large, toothy smile and a thumbs up.

“Thanks! I’m afraid I still don’t know your name though…”

The man looked surprised for a moment, then smiled again and said “They call me Helmund, and this axe right here is Baldur!” Helmund lifted his gargantuan axe and rested it over his shoulder.

He might be the strongest one here..

Hafa took a moment to fantasize about how fun it would be to fight the half-giant who stood in front of him.

“Are there any boundaries you need me to operate within? May I solve this issue in any manner I desire?”

“You can do whatever you want, just make sure the bandits are gone before Celawyn’s Eye dissipates’.”

----------

Hafa had only had to walk for about five minutes before he came upon the cave entrance that Vlad had told him about.

Those two guards outside look pretty disciplined. Maybe they used to be soldiers before they turned to banditry? Oh well….

The night was still until the silence was broken by the whiz of two adamantine bolts, piercing through the darkness and embedding themselves deep into the temples of the two guards who stood on opposite sides of the cave mouth.

I wish I could’ve used the Dark Steel bolts I usually use, but that would bring too many questions…

The invisible man seated in the tree above Hafa was astounded. “Did you guys see that?”

Leoric could never get used to telepathy, especially not hearing the thoughts of the others in his head.

“Yeah, I don’t think I could hit a shot like that this dark out.... And what were those bolts he used in those two small crossbows?”

Vladimir sounded just as gruff and haughty in his thoughts as he did when he spoke.

“Oooo do you think he would let me have a look at those crossbows? They look really cool!”

Celawyn remained as inquisitive as ever.

“Still, he won’t be able to deal with the rest like that. He’s gonna have to fight!”

Helmund relished the thought of watching a good fight, almost as much as he did at the idea of joining in.

“No wonder the guild doesn’t accept contracts on members of the Black Guard…” Leoric was impressed. “Still, if he’s that good with a crossbow, how well will he handle the rest?”

Hafa got to work, using some of his bolts as makeshift stakes, and tying the survival rope he always carried in rucksack into knots around the stakes. After linking them, Hafa hammered them into the soft soil just outside the mouth of the cave with the butt of his larger crossbow. Once he had the tripwires completed, Hafa produced something else from his bag.

Leoric couldn’t tell exactly what the small black sphere Hafa held in his hand was, but he had a feeling it wasn’t very good. He was considering calling Hafa back when the young man turned back to the still-invisible Leoric and, looking him directly in the eyes, told him “You may want to cover your ears” with the most terrifying grin Leoric had ever seen.

----------