Thorik led the Nums into Corrock. Each Num had their hands tied with a rope that linked them to the rest of the Nums. Santorray walked in front, holding the rope, which controlled them all. It was the only way that the Nums would be allowed in the city, as slaves.
The Del’Unday species ranged from the small Rico rodents to the Blothruds themselves. Some looked like man-sized insects while others hid behind cloaks and hoods.
Corrock was built with numerous types of architecture erected over thousands of years. New construction comprised of mud blocks built on millennium old foundations and half walls of marble or granite.
Houses and shops expanded upward over the years as tenants used lighter materials such as wood to add additional floors. Rooftops pierced the skyline like jaded rocks, in visual harmony with the mountains just to their east.
Fresh Fesh meat hung in open windows of a few shops waiting for a customer to scrape off the flies and purchase. Shops of weapons and slavery shared street corners with shops of jewelry, fruit, baskets, and blacksmiths. The streets were busy with customers and merchants.
Santorray occasionally struck up conversations with merchants in an effort to find information about the son of Ambrosius. As he had predicted, they were too late. Ericc had recently been apprehended and held for justice for his father’s criminal acts against Corrock.
“Your quest to find your spear has cost us our chance to prevent Ericc’s capture,” Santorray said to Thorik as they walked along the streets.
Shoulders drooping with the feeling of defeat, Thorik did the only thing he knew how to do; come up with a new plan. “Can you find out what prison he is in? There must be a way to free him.”
Santorray chuckled. “The Del’Unday don’t have prisons. We give the victims of your crime an opportunity to take vengeance upon you. If severe enough, we put you to death afterward. Why would we spend time and effort housing and feeding criminals who had little care of our well-being?”
“That seems extremely harsh.”
“Not at all. If you broke into my home and killed my child, I have the right to take my anger back out on you in any way that I see fit.”
“What if I only stole an item? Do you still have the right to torture or kill me?”
“Yes. You’ve taken your chances when you illegally entered my home. Our laws make you think twice about committing a crime.”
Thorik grew slightly tense at the thought of accidentally breaking a law unknown to him. His best bet would be to keep his head down and stay close to Santorray. “So, if Ericc’s not in a prison, where would he be?”
“On display for the locals to taunt and take out their anger over Ambrosius’ legacy. He will be tied up in an open area until he dies or Darkmere’s men come for him.”
After several hours of wandering through the streets, the travelers entered the fourth district of the city. Each section of the city had all streets end in a central gathering place. The fourth district was known as the lower quadrant ever since it was partially destroyed nearly a decade ago. Depressed even more than the rest of the city, less new construction and commerce were seen as Thorik and his team walked into the center of the district.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard, Ericc had his hands bound in chains above his head. Whipped and bloody, the young man had passed out from the torture he had taken. Blood dripped down his body and pooled at his feet, but not enough yet to cause his death.
The boy was displayed for all Corrockians to take out their anger at Ericc’s father. Ambrosius had single handily destroyed the fourth district eight years prior. Killing innocent Del’Unday and crushing ancient temples had outraged the locals against Ambrosius, his family, as well as the entire human race.
Thorik froze in his tracks. “Santorray, it’s Ericc.”
Del’Unday walking through the open area stopped to mock the human. Some would throw sticks and small rocks at the prisoner while others approached him to give him more personal pain.
Santorray waited until no one was standing on the platform where Ericc hung like a piece of Fesh meat. “Let’s approach.”
Thorik tugged back on the rope, which held all the Nums. “In broad daylight? With hundreds of Del’Unday in view?”
“We need to at least let him know we are here so he hangs on to life long enough for us to save him.”
“Agreed.”
Santorray led the way, pulling the Nums behind him. As he approached Ericc, the Blothrud inconspicuously pulled out his small virgin dagger and held it between his hand and the hair on his leg. The blade glistened with a polish never tarnished with the blood of a victim, at least until this day. Varacon’s twisted blades came to a sharp point and the gems within its hilt began to glow with the anticipation of a first strike.
Walking up the steps to the chained boy in the center of the crowded courtyard, Santorray continued to modify his hold on the dagger to make sure he had a strong grip on it. Designed for a smaller hand, it never felt quite right.
The ideal location for this assassination would be in front of Darkmere at Surod. Regardless, Santorray was ready. It was time to stab Ericc in front of plenty of witnesses and in front of Thorik. It was time to end this quest and to repay his debt. It was finally at an end.
Stepping forward to Ericc, Santorray pulled the blade away from his hairy leg and quickly shoved it forward.
“Ericc!” Thorik shouted, jumping between the young man and the Blothrud.
Santorray nearly stabbed the blade into Thorik’s back, before he halted the weapon.
Ericc’s swollen black and blue eyes opened. His vision was blurry, but the Nums voice triggered his memory.
“Ericc, it’s me Thorik from the Southwind mines. We’re here to rescue you.”
“Rescue? Where’s Darkmere?”
Santorray pulled the weapon back into hiding, waiting for Thorik to move out of the way.
“Haven’t seen him yet,” Thorik answered. “We’ll come back after dark and rescue you, so don’t give up.”
Santorray sheathed the dagger before it could be spotted. “Yes, stay alive until we return.”
One of the local Blothrud guards stepped toward the platform. “Get your slaves away from the prisoner. You know better than that.”
Santorray pulled back the rope to get Thorik way from Ericc, before dragging the group of them out of the open area and into a side alley.
Thorik was thrilled that Ambrosius’ son had not been killed. “All we need to do is wait for dark and then we can grab him and sneak him out.”
Santorray snarled. “You fool, you nearly got us caught. Your little conversation with Ericc may have drawn more attention to us than the single guard who told us to leave.”
“What’s the issue? We did as we were told.”
“Any attention to us is not wanted. We were fortunate he didn’t recognize me.”
“Do you know him?” Thorik asked.
“No.”
“Then why would he?”
Santorray paused before answering. “My reputation tends to precede me. If I’m noticed, our plans may be at an end.”
“Fine, we’ll return after dark when it isn’t so obvious what we are doing.”
As promised, the adventurers returned to the open courtyard after dark fell. Dozens of oil lanterns circled the platform, casting light onto their prisoner and the apparatus that his chains hung from. Against the dark of the night, Ericc looked like a glowing star for all to see.
Brimmelle folded his arms and grimaced at Thorik. “Yes, much better after dark.”
Thorik nodded in agreement that conditions had not improved.
Santorray focused less on Ericc and more on the surrounding windows and alleys, which could view him. “Wait until the howl is over, and then follow my lead.”
“Howl?”
A single howl could be heard from the mountain foothills outside of the city. It echoed throughout the now silent city.
Once completed, a return howl began within the city,
this time made up from every resident within Corrock. From every direction, long emotional howls fired back to the mountain from where the first one originated until it slowly wound down to a few stragglers before ending.
Dead quiet followed.
Thorik waited for Santorray to explain, but received nothing. “What was that?
“Praise to Ergrauth for sparing their lives.” Santorray continued watching for locals who passed by windows and doorways. “Corrock and Ovla’Mathyus agreed to stand up against the powers of Ergrauth during the Unday War. However, the Ovs refused to stand alongside the Dels of Corrock when the attacks began. The Corrockians who survived the attack are forever in debt to Ergrauth for sparing their lives.”
“It’s my understanding that the Ovs offered refuge to the Dels.”
“And forfeit their homes, land and honor? What kind of offer is that?”
“One of survival.”
“Anyone can survive. Dels must live. We must thrust ourselves into every new day with vitality and ferocity as though it may be our last, for some day it will be. We would choose to live a short life of grand excitement and triumphs over a long life of serene dullness.”
“Your people chose certain death against Ergrauth’s forces over certain life behind safe walls?”
“My people?”
“Corrockians.”
“Sec, I am not a Corrockian.”
“Oh, then what are you?”
“I’m not a Corrockian.” The point was made for Thorik to drop the subject.
“I found it!” Avanda had been searching for a spell in Dare’s book of magic, which could help them with the situation at hand. Digging into her red purse of magic items, she pulled out a small vial of clear liquid. Etchings of small frogs surrounded the mouth of the glass vial. “If we give Ericc some of this with the right words, we can make a temporary illusion of Ericc while freeing the real one.”
Silence fell on the group as they stared at her as though she was speaking a different language.
Lifting the vial up to show the group, she removed the cork. Sticking her tongue out, she placed one drop of clear liquid on it before Thorik or Brimmelle could stop her.
Smiling at first, Avanda started choking and coughing, as she pushed the cork back on.
Thorik slapped her back. “Spit it out, it could be poison.”
Brimmelle told her to relax and breathe.
Pushing them both away, Avanda caught her breath. “I’m fine. It just tastes terrible.”
Reading in her small book she read the verbal piece of the spell. “Lavare’Repla’Hospes” Still choking on the taste, she tried the words again a few times. By the fourth time the words were spoken correctly as Thorik and Brimmelle began to step back from her.
Avanda’s body blurred for a moment in the torchlight, before a second Avanda stepped forward out of the original’s body.
Two Avandas now stood in the group and spoke at the same time; neither could be heard over the other.
“Defying the Mountain King’s limits, this is.” Brimmelle backed away from the replica.
“Avanda, that was dangerous. You don’t know what it could have done to you or how long it will last.” Thorik reached over and touched the new Avanda. She was damp and tacky to the touch.
Santorray finished his scouting of the area. “We’ll have to sneak out there, give him the potion, say the words and then replace the chains from the real Ericc to the magic one.”
Thorik sighed. “I’ll do it. It’s my responsibility.”
“No, I’ll do it.” The new Avanda grabbed the vial out of Avanda’s hand.
“Give that back!” Avanda chased her likeness into the courtyard before wrestling her to the ground.
One of them finally stood with the vial in hand, only to be pulled back down by the other.
Santorray held the other Nums back in the alley, as two Krupes and a Brandercat left their dark posts hidden from the light. Dark spiked armor completely covered the two-legged Krupes from head to toes as they walked toward Avanda and Avanda.
The Brandercat’s scales faded in color and blended into the dark courtyard, making them practically invisible to the observer. The large cat body was covered with color-shifting scales, which allowed it to fade into their surroundings. It took concentration to keep their scales in tune with the light and colors, preventing them from attacking while doing so.
Seeing the Krupes approaching, both young Nums made a dash for the center of the yard. Jumping up onto the platform, one of the girls was caught by a Krupe as he held onto her leg.
Screaming, she tossed the vial up to the other Avanda, who then raced over to Ericc.
A Brandercat appeared out of nowhere, leaping at Avanda across the large platform.
Diving out of the way, Avanda rolled and jumped to her feet.
The Krupe below had the other Avanda in his clutches, with no hope for escape.
Turning around, the Brandercat smiled at the Avanda who was still on the stage, knowing he couldn’t miss at this close of a range.
Avanda knew she only had one chance. It was time to act like a Del’Unday and live life to the limit as though it would be her last, for today appeared to be so. Opening her vial, she lunged at Ericc, placing the mouth of the bottle to his lips and titling back his head.
Leaping through the air, the Brandercat’s dislocating jaw opened and took Avanda’s entire midsection into his mouth before he landed to the side of the chained prisoner.
Avanda’s body went limp in the large cat’s mouth as he carried her to the edge of the platform before snapping his jaws shut and tasting the fresh Num blood. Violently crushing the prey in his mouth, the Brandercat was surprised to find a wave of water gushing out from her body as though it was only a bag of bad tasting oily water.
“Lavare’Repla’Hospes” yelled the Avanda who was captive.
Ericc had swallowed nearly the entire bottle. His body began to blur to all that watched. Shaking, his body appeared to pull itself into two. A second Ericc now stood on the platform, however without being chained up.
“Restrain him,” announced the Brandercat, still trying to get the wretched taste from his mouth.
But before the Krupes moved, a third Ericc appeared, then a fourth, and a fifth. It continued until the yard was filled with Ericcs, each beginning to make their own escape plan down the many streets and alleyways.
Ralph climbed out of Avanda’s side bag and leaped onto the Krupe’s arm, which held her. Spitting on it, his armor began to sizzle away, while some of the lizard’s acid worked its way under onto the creature’s skin.
Avanda was dropped, as the Krupe swatted the lizard off his wrist.
Mass confusion erupted and continued to get worse. The Krupe turned his attention to the Ericc in front of him, plunging his sword to the boy’s chest. Ericc popped like a thin sack of water, pouring its sour liquid onto the ground. It wasn’t a moment later that two more Ericcs had jumped off the platform and took his place.
Thorik and Santorray raced into the crowd of Ericcs to cut free the real one, while Brimmelle and Gluic found Avanda picking up Ralph and trying not to be stepped on during the stampede.
Santorray approached the real prisoner and had a free opportunity to stab Ericc in the heat of the battle, but it could easily be missed from the public’s viewing.
One slice from Santorray’s saber and the chains holding Ericc up were compromised. Lifting the semi-conscious young man, Santorray led the group toward the southern gate. With hastened speed, they stormed out of the city as sirens of alert could be heard from behind. The Blothrud would uphold his original plan to stab the boy when all could see. This was not the time or place.
“Darkmere?” was all that Ericc could get out before passing out from loss of blood and starvation.
Lanterns were lit and horns blared as the city awoke to the news of Ericc’s escape and his running amuck in their streets.
Chapter 29
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