Call of Ring(Compleled)

13 Ready… Set

It was still dark when Blake stirred from a restful sleep. Internally, something was telling him that dawn was fast approaching. He got up and dressed in his brown robe. As he walked into the main room, he discovered that both Gaius and Dorkus were already awake.

“We thought you could benefit from an early tea this morning,” said Dorkus.

“Thank you so much,” replied Blake gratefully.

He drank his tea as quickly as the temperature would allow.

“We wish you great success in this endeavor”, stated Gaius as he handed Blake yet another two coins. The same tradition now three days running.

Thanking them once again, Blake exited the house and made his way quickly back through a yet unopened market. Within a few minutes, he was entering the yard of Shamos’ house. Blake was thankful that it was still dark.

In the yard, a few men were huddled in a group. As he drew closer, he was able to distinguish their faces. The day was dawning lighter shades, but it was still mostly dark. Shamos and his three friend volunteers were there. The fifth man was Apollos. Blake signaled his arrival with a customary slight bow, something he had come to recognize as the traditional greeting in the Midori Empire.

He stood next to Apollos in the small circle of men that now totaled six. Before Blake could speak, Apollos spoke up:

“We await your instructions, young man.”

Blake oddly noticed a strong smell of liquor lingering on the breath of Apollos, but at first take, he didn’t appear to be drunk. Letting his observation move to the back of his thoughts, Blake began:

“Shamos will carry two traps. He has the strength to do so. Apollos, despite your age, I ask that you carry one. Behind them, the three of you will carry three traps each aboard the three-wheel barrels. I will lead out in front with the large sack filled with 12 cuts of meat and this bucket. Follow me at a distance, because if the smell of the meat reaches any of the wild beasts, I want only one of us to be sacrificed in this effort. As a visitor to your land, I am willing to risk only myself for this idea that was mine to begin with.”

No one objected to the plan. Instead, they all gathered their things as instructed. As they departed the yard, the sky bore different hues of dark blue with a dim orange appearing too. The sun was trying to find its way to the horizon. It was easier to see now, but dawn had not yet officially broken.

They made their way into the fields beyond the market, getting closer and closer to the edge of Stella Woods.

“Here!” Blake stated emphatically.

The party of five came to an abrupt stop.

Apollos set down the trap he had been carrying. Blake unloaded the sack of meat from his shoulder, gently placing it on the ground. The traps were constructed with an open door on one end of the rectangular box. The doors were propped open on top of the trap, but with any sort of movement, especially that of a large wild beast, the door would come crashing down trapping the animal inside. It was Blake’s hope that the animal’s would venture into the traps following the scent of the meat.  

Unbeknownst to even this trusted party of five, Blake had found a way to contact King Adelai the day before. It was after his duel with the attacker who had tried to kill him with the element of surprise, and the weapon of fire.

During his short stay in the castle, Blake had noticed something that went undetected by anyone else. It was after his release from the prison cell in the dungeon. As Blake followed young Sadie and the guard up the stairs and eventually toward the room where the bath took place, the King had departed with another guard in the opposite direction. Blake had taken a quick look back to where the King had gone, as he slowly climbed the steps leading out of the dungeon. In those dark shadows, he was almost certain he had seen a dwarf waiting to greet the King. Blake had tucked away that memory for all these days, but it now seemed relevant and even advantageous to act on that memory.

Blake sent a private message through a trusted courier contact of Gaius to the King. In the message, he wrote the following:

Dear King Adelai,

I must first of all thank you for the mercy you extended to me. I have been enjoying the hospitality of Gaius and Dorkus, and have come to realize why you consider them to be such loyal servants of your Empire. I hope you are able to forgive both my confession of something I observed while under your protection, but also the bold request that I am about to ask of you.

Let me start with the confession: When you released me from that prison cell, we departed in opposite directions. I went with Sadie and one of your guards. You left with the other guard. As I looked back, confused and curious why you remained in the dungeon, I thought I saw a dwarf waiting to greet you. Please know that I will tell no one other than you about what I saw.

And now for the request: I wonder if you might inquire of this dwarf about the potion that was used to capture me. I’m convinced that under Aesar’s direction, the dwarfs used something to poison some meat that I ate on White Mountain. I succumbed to a state of sedated consciousness but could still overhear everything they were saying. It was a bizarre state of mind they were able to induce in me. And I suspect that the Dwarf race alone possesses the recipe to this concoction.

I am sure that you have heard about the children who died as a result of random attacks by the wild beasts of Stella Woods. I have prepared a plan to conquer these beasts, but the success of my plan hinges on your help, oh King. I plead with you to interrogate the dwarf that resides with you about this secret recipe.

I send this note realizing the depth of the request. I appeal to your kindness toward me, but I also appeal to the compassion you possess for your people, hoping you understand the gravity of this situation.

Sincerely and with the utmost respect,

Blake   

Grabbing a slab of meat from the large sack, Blake dipped it into a bucket of liquid, and then placed it carefully at the front of the trap.

         The group moved together to different sections of the field. Led by Blake, they placed traps hundreds of yards apart from one another. There was no consensus required as to the location of each trap placement. The group simply followed their leader in silence.

         As they moved from the second location to the third, Blake’s thoughts began to wander again. He wondered more about how the King had managed to help him with his request. Blake was unaware that the King had a tradition of taking on a Dwarf Intern each year. From King Adelai’s perspective, it was free labor, but also a conduit to communication with the patriarch of the Dwarfs, Sir Aesar. From Aesar’s perspective, he could gather intelligence on King Adelai through the dwarf intern placement. Aesar had earned the reputation of being a sly operative over the years. But few people knew the type of influence he actually peddled among the three empires. Blake also did not know what it cost the King to comply with his request. King Adelai did indeed interrogate his young dwarf intern about this rumored secret recipe. Initially, the dwarf refused to admit that such a thing existed. To say that the King possessed a mean streak would be an understatement. King Adelai resorted to torture.

The process started with a few brutal punches to the head, but the actual torture began in earnest when the King instructed his guard to cut off the dwarf’s left pinkie finger. The removal of the intern’s finger elicited a shriek confirming the brutal pain of a severed member, but he still gave up no answers. Next came the thumb of the same left hand. More cries of pain. After the index finger was cut off, the dwarf yelled out in anguish, “I will never tell you the recipe!”

With these words, the King now knew that the potion existed. It would only take one more torturous move to get the information he wanted. King Adelai instructed his guard to change his focus from the hands to the feet. Gloves were permitted in this culture, and they could conceal injuries like the loss of fingers, but feet were to remain bare at all times. To purposefully allow an injury to a foot, especially the removal of a toe –it was more than pain that the person would have to bear. It was the ultimate act of shame. Culturally, it was they symbolic equivalent to a loss of hope, to the death of that person’s future. As the guard lowered his shears down the level of the dwarf’s right foot, he begged the King to stop, blurting out that he would comply.

The King had the dwarf killed. Aesar could never find out that his secret potion was no longer a secret. A plan as set in motion to support the intern’s untimely, unfortunate and accidental death before Aesar could be informed that he would need to supply a new intern.  

         A courier had earlier delivered the bucket of potion to the Yard. Blake now dipped each cut of meat into the bucket before placing them carefully in the traps.

         After the twelve traps were set, the group returned to the yard of Shamos. The sun was now visible over the horizon, and with light, Blake knew the market would now be open. Shamos drew a bucket of water from his well, and the men washed up. Blake was in the most need of a cleaning. His hands and arms reeked an odd combination of raw meat and the mysterious coca leaf potion.

         After washing up, Blake thanked the men.

“Let’s meet back here at mid-day, and we’ll investigate the fields.”

The entire group agreed to the idea.

Blake was intending to leave alone for the market. It was time to learn the name of the red-haired lady and buy his daily breakfast fritter.

As if he could read his thoughts, Apollos spoke up:

“Let me join you as you head out to the market for a fritter.”

The two left the group, and made the short walk over to the market. They stopped in front of the red-haired lady’s booth. She looked up and gave Blake a warm smile. But before Blake could say anything, Apollos spoke first:

“Sharina, I want to introduce you to Blake.”

“It’s nice to meet you officially. I suppose you would like another fritter, and not that I’m counting, but this is the third day in a row,” responded Sharina with a warmth that permeated her humor, matching her beautiful red hair.

Blake found himself blushing slightly, but before he could respond, Apollos spoke:

“I’ll take one too dear.”

Without taking note of what he was doing, Blake handed Sharina both of his coins.

“Thank you for your generosity Blake,” said Apollos.

After receiving their fritters, they both thanked Sharina, and turned back into the market.

“It’s time we got to know each other a bit better. And now that the sun is up, let’s head to my favorite watering hole,” suggested Apollos after a bite of his fritter.

“It’s a little early in the day for a drink,” replied Blake.

“Never too early among friends, especially when wisdom is in need of being shared,” said Apollos, defending himself.

As they got closer to their destination, both had finished their fritters. Blake wondered what he would learn by this intriguing man who was offering to share wisdom with him.

“A little early in the day for a drink, even for the market drunk!??” someone shouted from an undisclosed location.

Blake spun around trying to find the man who had hurled an insult at his new friend.

“I think it’s time for someone to take you out. We’re all tired of your stench. The person who’s going to take you out is me. Today is the day you die!” came the words of a man Blake did not recognize.

Suddenly Apollos seemed trapped in a violent whirlwind. A mini-tornado surrounded only him. It was so violent that his feet had lifted off the ground. He was hovering in the air, his long grey hair standing on end, billows of dust had spun up all around him.

Blake had seen the earth element and the fire one. Both attacks were aimed at him personally. Now there was this mysterious wind. And the attack was not against him, but on his new friend Apollos. He needed to save him, even if it was for his selfish pursuit of knowledge about this world.