White Ravens: Advent of War

Valdano's Excavation Party

After finding lodgings for the night, Rune and Corselia set out for Valdano's estate. It was a large gated house at the end of the north-eastern side of the city, just below the foot of the mountain. There were a couple of armed guards at the entrance, and it seemed that they were the ones taking in possible recruits for Valdano's excavation party.

Corselia approached these guards, and told them that she wanted to join the excavation party. However, the armed guards laughed at her expense, and told her to bugger off, saying that it was way past her bedtime.

Rune noticed the obvious displeasure written all over Corselia's face, and he could see her reaching for her knife. Before she could do something she would regret, Rune decided to step in and speak to the guardsmen himself.

He proposed a wager against these guardsmen, saying that if they could put Corselia on the ground, he would each pay them five silver ducats. However, if she could disarm them both without her ever being subdued, they must be the ones to pay the wager. The guardsmen agreed as they were both confident of their own skills. 

One of them even remarked in a boastful, hoarse voice, "Easiest five ducats I've ever made."

Rune smirked for a brief second when he noticed the way Corselia glanced at him. He could tell that she was raring for a fight.

Some of the other applicants of the excavation—mercenaries and soldiers alike—heard that there was a wager being held, and decided to join in. Some placed bets of one ducat, others placed a higher wager than Rune's. But most of them bet against Corselia. One look at her slender frame and the guardsmen's burly figures, and they instantly counted Corselia out.

Once the bets had been placed, Rune told everyone to form a circle around the combatants. At this point, even the townspeople, and some other guards and soldiers had come to witness the match.

Corselia hopped repeatedly and shook her arms to alleviate the tension from her muscles. She then unsheathed her dagger from behind her waist, readied herself for battle, and nodded at Rune.

Rune glanced at the two guardsmen pitted against Corselia and asked, "You both ready?"

The guardsmen nodded and quickly rushed towards Corselia.

And within the blink of an eye, she brushed past her opponents in a swift circular motion. The golden locks of her hair fluttered about as she steadily stood in attention and turned around.

The moment she sheathed her dagger back to its scabbard, the guardsmen's pants fell down. Everyone began to laugh at their expense upon seeing their matching striped undergarments. It seemed that they were closer than they appeared to be.

Corselia reached her hand out and said arrogantly, "Pay up."

And because they were humiliated in front of a cheering crowd, the guardsmen had no choice but to honor the wager. There were only a handful of people who bet on Corselia. Other than Rune, there was an elvish girl, a bald, bearded man wearing an eyepatch, and what seemed to be a noble swordsman.

They all collected their winnings from Rune, and proceeded into Valdano's estate without another word. And while everyone was riled up by the surprising turnout of the fight, Corselia and Rune decided to take their ducats, and go into the estate as well.

Once there, they saw how beautifully-decorated the estate was. There were high ceilings, expensive wallpapers that must've been custom-made by the nomadic tribes of Kali-Raya, and chandeliers so enticing that your eyes would light up upon seeing them.

The servants bowed to the noble swordsman and his two companions, and led them into the living room. Rune and Corselia followed the party ahead of them, thinking that they were going to where Valdano was.

In the living room of Valdano's mansion, there were three separate sofas facing a center table. There were mugs of coffee and pots of tea already placed on the table, seemingly placed there for Valdano's guests.

The noble swordsman sat at the middle sofa, spreading his arms wide, and sitting cross-legged. "Welcome to my estate," he said.

Rune and Corselia were visibly surprised, but the elvish girl and the bald man didn't seem fazed at all. It would seem that they knew Valdano already.

"Yes, I am Valdano Vanderbilt," he said to Rune and Corselia. Then, he gestured a hand to the two others and said, "The elf girl is Leif, and this proud dwarven warrior is named Torevir Silverstorm."

"Dwarf? He's at least a head taller than me," Rune remarked. "I thought dwarves are supposed to be..."

"S'posed to be what, human?" Torevir groaned.

"Pocket-sized, dwarf," Rune bantered, unafraid by Torevir's intimidating voice.

To his surprise, Torevir let out a hearty laugh. "Aye, that is the common assumption. Mi mother was quite surprised that I grew this tall, she was. What's your name, boy?"

"Roberto Florenstine," said Rune. He knew that telling anyone his real name, especially one of his household's descent would get him in trouble; at worst, executed on the spot.

Corselia chuckled at his made up name and introduced herself without prompting. "I'm Lymsleia, but you can just call me Lym."

Rune suppressed the desire to laugh at the name Corselia had chosen to tell them. However, he noticed that Valdano didn't seem to believe either of them.

"I don't care if you don't want to tell me your names," Valdano said to them. "But I do know that your skills are of great merit to my excavation."

"What exactly are we looking for?" Rune asked, putting on a serious face.

"Well, Lord Thorn," Valdano said, examining Rune's reaction. But after seeing that Rune wasn't intimidated by the mention of his household name, Valdano continued, "We shall be there to excavate the coveted Dragonstone. Notice that I said "coveted", so you should expect that there are others looking for the same item as us."

"Us?" Corselia asked. "You're already accepting us into your team?"

"As I've said, Miss Corselia, both you and Lord Thorn here will be of great assistance to my quest," Valdano retorted.

"You don't have any problems that I'm from Wisteria?" Rune inquired.

"Frankly, I couldn't care less, Lord Thorn. May I call you Rune?" Valdano said while clasping his hands together. "You see, Rune, Torevir and Leif are also not from Regalia, and you being of a different nation is of little consequence to me, even if you're from an enemy nation. I, too, did not come from Regalia, myself."

"Interesting," Rune remarked as he trailed off.

"So, boss, when do we leave for the excavation?" Torevir chimed in.

"Tomorrow at dawn. For tonight, I want the four of you to stay at my estate. You can bunk with Rune here, and Leif can stay with Corselia," Valdano said in a respectful tone.

"Aye, boss. I hope you prepare a feast tonight!" Torevir said with a hearty laugh.

With that, Valdano retired into the second floor of his estate, disappearing from everyone's sight.

Leif just nodded as she strutted away. Her petite figure caught Rune's eyes, and he noticed that she wasn't carrying any weapons.

Corselia slapped the back of his head and said, "Watch where you're looking, pervert."

"I'm not looking anywhere! I'm just curious about her appearance, you know! I've never seen an elf's porcelain skin, majestically pointed ears, and well-shaped..." Rune suddenly noticed that Leif was running towards him. Some knife-like weapons appeared from underneath the sleeves of her green tunic.

The elf girl closed the distance between her and Rune, and had placed the knife just below his neck. He made no attempt to resist, but he did gently push away the knife before they pierced into his throat.

"You may not be a rune knight by title, but by definition, I could say you are," Rune remarked. "Those weapons of yours are enchanted, are they not?"

He then raised his hand and whispered into the air, "Skellur."

Leif seemed to surprised to see the blade in his hands; her green eyes, glimmering under the light of Rune's sword. "How did you invoke Skellur?" These were the first words he from this girl.

"Talent," Rune replied, "and luck."

Leif scoffed at him before strutting away into the corridor leading to the guestrooms of Valdano's estate.

Corselia glared at Rune. "I don't think I say this enough, but you're an asshole," she said before following Leif into the corridor.

Torevir put his hand on Rune's shoulder, towering over the latter's height. His hefty, yet muscular frame was more than impressive for any regular warrior. As a matter of fact, he may be even larger than Zeke.

"Don't worry about Leif, Rune. She's just a little jumpy, she is. But she's a nice girl," Torevir remarked.

"Torevir, my man, you and I will get along just fine," Rune replied. Then, they both laughed as they followed the women to the corridor.