Chapter 5 - Saga 2, The Quest for Lady Tornhawk
Our heroic group entered the first town they came in contact with while following the direction in which their compass lead. This compass Todd gave them was strange, whether it pointed to the castle or to Lady Tornhawk they couldn’t be sure, but it had no markings, only its needle and disk, and if they didn’t know any better you’d think it wasn’t magical at all.
After finally passing all the farmland and peasantry on the edge of this fair village, they found the heart of civilization, downtown, with cobblestone streets, blacksmiths, traveling musicians, taverns! Ah, the city life…
They entered a fine establishment that Drexlin seemed to recommend, ordering many drinks and much food, sitting at a grand mahogany table, grateful for such nourishment after such a battle. They went over it again and again, each with his own tale of heroism and courage.
Advocate smiled wider than he had in months. Yep. I went cleaver-happy on his pimply face. Stabbed him a few dozen times. Another non-aggressive troop came over, tried to save him, chopped him up too. The other members of the party nodded politely, questioning his sanity that was already on rocky ground.
CardinalFang gave a treatise on the unique properties of his crud that enable it to be the perfect component for grenades and other containers, or perhaps to tip arrows with. He suggested this to Stormcrow, who gave him an icy stare in return. I take great pride in my bolts. I’m not about to scrub scum on them. They’ll do as they are.
Drexlin drank nervously, realizing the quality of the drinks while unsure of who was paying for it all. In addition to fine ale, they’d been working on consuming a roast pig, side of cheese, and a few loaves of spiced bread. He tried to count on his fingers, silver pieces, gold, it was amounting to a fair bit. He shook his head, sighing. Sure, he had a fair amount of coinage on his person, but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
So, DarkKnightZach chimed in, How’d you all get started, I mean, as a group? He looked around, intent, studying each member of this Fellowship, genuinely eager to know a bit more about each of them. At the very least, he’d feel much more comfortable…
So went around the table, each giving his own story of eventual arrival at YOYOY’s quaint castle. That is, except Stormcrow, who now realized he hadn’t yet fully heard these stories either. After they were finished, Stormcrow offered his bit, with a mischievous grin while he retold the spectacular sniper shots on Ter-Soth. Zach soaked it all in, soon giving the attentive party his own background tale of Army enlisting.
Stormcrow spat. Sorry, but I still think Todd should just smite Archer and get it over with. Zach shot Stormcrow a mean sneer. Ter-Soth detected a hint of irony somewhere. Archer isn’t such a bad guy. You saw him, cryin’ and all, the guy has feelings, not just some monster like you all always make him out to be. Fact is, his recent rampage was only influenced by temporary insanity. Usually his Army isn’t even fighting, it’s just some kind of club, where people go to be accepted. Archer isn’t hateful of others, accepting anyone who asks.
The elf laughed. Please, Archer, not hateful? And don’t even try to pull off tellin’ me he was only temporarily insane. The King’s a nut, in addition to being a fat-nosed Trog.
The rest of the group sat back, uneasy, half-hoping this wouldn’t end in a confrontation. Zach narrowed his gaze. We’ll finish this later, elf.
Stormcrow nodded, leaning back comfortably, the party breathing a sigh of relief. This only caused an awkward silence though, one which DarkGuardian broke. He sat forward a bit, anxious countenance.
Okay, I’ve been thinking, and maybe this is wrong of me, but I think it needs to be said. We need a leader. I think I should be that leader. We’ll put it to a vote. Who approves?
Every other person at the table leaned forward, brow furrowed, chin up, mouth agape as if to offer objection. But a moment of thought revealed the wisdom in this. After all, Acid_Flux thought, He’s pretty much acted as leader so far, anyway. And he kinda saved my life in the battle along with YOYOY. A solid, veteran dwarf… gets my vote. And so Acid voiced the first vote of approval.
DarkGuardian slowly nodded, noting the support. YOYOY was next, grinning, raising a hand and nudging Acid to raise his. Drexlin shrugged and smiled at his fellow (half fellow?) dwarf, raising his hand as well. Stormcrow figured it was either himself or DG, since he didn’t think any of the others had been around as long. Then it just came naturally for CardinalFang and the Advocate, forcing Ter-Soth to raise his. DG smiled.
I guess that pretty much settles it. He laughed, until noticing JWalker staring into his food, picking at it, oblivious. J? JWalker. Hey! J startled to attention. Yeah, whatever, my approval too. DG looked at him funny for a second, then shrugged it off. I’ll be back at the room in a bit. With this, JWalker abruptly left the table, the others in stunned silence as he trudged out the door.
Sunset had arrived, and JWalker was a tad upset. A mech jockey never feels good after losing a good mech. He’d had the previous one for quite a while, quite a loss. And after all, what good is a pilot without his craft? He sighed, turning a corner and almost bumping into someone.
‘’‘Oh, excuse me! No, it’s my faul- ‘’’
He stopped in mid-sentence because when he looked up at her, he only noticed one single thing. Her face. It was glowing. Oh, the face… don’t mind that, I’m a monster. She nodded matter-of-factly, as if having received that look several hundred times before. What’s wrong? My, she was perceptive.
‘’‘I… it’s complicated. You… had a bad day? Sort of. What happened? I lost something. What was it? ‘’’
He started to explain, but then thought it’d be futile. Never mind.
He rudely brushed her aside and continued down the darkening alley.
No, tell me. I may be able to help. He turned, not sure whether to smile or let out a primal scream. Who are you? She smiled. Sorscha1. Apparently one of the only females around here… She looked around. I’m a wizard, a fairly good one if I do say so myself.
JWalker shrugged, grabbing at any solution he could. You wouldn’t happened to be well-versed in technomancy, would you? She shook her head. But there’s a great book on it, we could go to the library? He raised an eyebrow. Uh… sure. She smiled once again. You never gave me your name. She extended her hand. JWalker, he practically whispered while shaking her hand. Pleasure to meet you, JWalker. Now follow me. She began walking the streets ahead of him.
Back at the tavern inn…
The rest of the boys were in their rooms. Given the size of their group, they had to rent two rooms to house everyone. In some cosmic luck anomaly, they didn’t have to pay for their drinks or food fare, for the bartender had heard of their exploits and wouldn’t have it. Any customers who can hold off Archer’s whole Army can have almost whatever they want, on the house. The proclamation was met with mixed reactions by the crew, some cheering, some doubtful.
The mood was a little tense as they wondered what was wrong with JWalker. Soon they figured it out, though, and trusted him to be back any minute now. The bartender/innkeeper would be able to tell him which rooms they had, right? No reason to fret about him like he was a kid out past curfew. He could handle himself. At least, they hoped so…
At the library…
Ah, here we are. She pulled out a yellow tome entitled Technomancy for Dummies. You try and explain the complexities and singularities of the artifact you lost, and I’ll conjure it up in the morning. JWalker shook his head, thinking he’d need illustrations, too. He wasn’t horrible at sketching, especially when it came to mech schematics. Thanks for your help, really, I appreciate it. Not sue why you’re bothering, though… She shrugged. Being a powerful wizard is kind of boring right now. This’ll give me something to do. I should be thanking you. She smiled. Every time she smiled, he wasn’t sure that’s what she was doing, but he could kinda tell. A slight shading effect.
‘’‘They have parchment and pen around here? Yeah, sure, over there. Thanks. ‘’’
And they went to work, conveniently alone in the empty library. They had to sneak in since it was closed already, but easily done thanks to Sorscha picking the lock with a spell. Unlatch! she had commanded, and it was so.
Later…
Full moon high in the sky, an hour past midnight. Most of the party, exhausted, have already collapsed into bed. A few are restless. Stormcrow and DarkKnightZach, for their own fervent reasons, and DarkGuardian, pacing the hall in anticipation of the arrival of JWalker. Idle thoughts cloud his mind, as often happens during tedious duties.
I mean, everyone assumed Tennessee was going to win, who was I to throw in a pick for-
Someone climbed up the steps, smiling and shaking his head. JWalker, back at last. Every ounce of DG’s being wanted to lash out, where have you been?!?, but instead he stepped a little closer and asked, Are you alright now?
JWalker looked him in the eyes, recognizing the kindness in his voice. A mildly mushy moment. Yeah, better, thanks.
The two went off to bed, and eventually the party was sound asleep.
Morning…
‘’‘You’re not coming for breakfast, JWalker? Uh, not hungry… I gotta go pick something up. What did you do last night? You’ll see. ‘’’
Though, in earnest, JWalker wasn’t sure. The wizard said she’d have it done by now, only to pick it up at the assigned spot. He hoped it was something at least resembling a mech.
‘’‘Okay. We’ll save you something. Thanks.’‘’ And off he ran, giddy as a schoolchild.
For good reason too, for when he arrived his jaw dropped in awe.
There it was, his new mech.
Of course, not anything like the one he had… no gauss rifles or missile racks. ‘Laser’ now meant a crystal-light powered weapon. The whole unit was powered by magic, apparently. Very odd, very arcane… very ominous, foreboding, intimidating, because even if it was much shorter than the previous mech, it was made of mostly black steel, not the shiny stuff the last one had.
The hydraulics were impressive, considering everything. As for struts and further support, he wondered if those tendrils coursing throughout the assembly were as alive as they looked. Vines, it seemed. At the knees, barbs attached to little globules, perhaps venomous and able to fire at annoying pedestrians nearby. A shoulder-mounted catapult, with an astoundingly complex self-reloading assembly. Since it was a catapult, it could fire anything that fit into the large bowl. He only had to fill the piping that brought the ammo towards it.
It was very neat. Barely even managed to be cool. No radar, no jump jets, but then again, he was staring at parts of it and could only wonder what they’d do. On the left arm was an instrument he could only label in his mind a rotating automatic crossbow’’. Ingenious mechanisms involved. On the right arm, he desperately hoped it was a fireball launcher mounted there…
He smiled, climbing into the ****pit and stomping his way to the tavern, frightened passerby nearly fainting at the sight. Some alerted nearby armed soldiers. Most of the soldiers let JWalker pass once he shouted a friendly Hi! The others cowered in fear of certain flaming oblivion.
He got back just in time, as the Fellowship were heading out.
Whoa. Nice new ride J, quipped Advocate.
Each took a turn admiring the new vehicle, though they never got a full answer concerning its source. JWalker figured it best that way.
DG got everyone’s attention and cried Who’s ready to march onward? To which he received hearty cheering from all. Are we ready? Another cheer, and they marched off, following the compass DarkGuardian held.
Because, indeed, they were ready, in every way.
© Eric Bailey