Living Dungeon: Chapter 26 - "The bridge of trust"

Chapter 26 - "The bridge of trust"

I left it to the Ashranie to unload the cart and invited Marsif inside the shed, which seems to become the audience room ever since the girls first contacted me there. Due to my request he takes a map from the cart before sitting down with me.

The map is made of thin leather and its surface looks very soft. I would really like to touch it right now, but sadly this is not an option. The only thing I could do is 'make it float' but this doesn't give me any sensation of the object. The drawings on it are two-colored and simple. They show a coastline, a big forest and a few points of interest:

Besides that, there are some places marked in a red color. After looking at it for a while I have a pretty clear understanding on what it shows; There's a line of towers along the forest which makes it look like a 'defensive line', either from the forest side against the sea or the other way around. One of the towers is marked, which I suppose is my location. What intrigues me are the other marks all over the place, six in total with one of them crossed out. Considering its close location to mine, I suppose it's the previous Ashranie camp.

Marsif is patiently waiting for me to say something.

Me: [I think, I get the gist of it. Just to confirm it; what do the red marks stand for?]

Marsif: [Sure. Remember how I told you tat the lizard men - as well as the goblins - are a natural force that keeps the Empire from advancing its borders? They are not the only ones! These marks stand for active or potential threats to the said advancement. We monitor and -if necessary- aid them from the shadows, but you are the only one we are in direct contact with.]

For me this also means, there are potential allies nearby...

Me: [Can you tell me more about them?]

Marsif: [Sure ... In the bottom right corner we have a fish hybrid species. We don't know how they call themselves or to what concrete species they belong, nor how many they are or where they have their home. Their habitat makes it difficult to observe them. We spotted them nearly by chance, it was pure luck. In any case, the marked location is one of their favored fishing grounds.]

He points his finger on the next spot, which is the closest to the sea.

Marsif: [This species on the other hand is well known among all kingdoms. It's a dog-like race with strong hierarchical structures and is feared for its hostility and brutality. They have no industry or craftsmanship themselves, but they learned to use the weapons and equipment of their slayed foes. Their fast reproduction rate and quick growth makes many rulers consider them as a plague, rather then a race. We think that this specific group is a leftover after a subjugation force. If left alone their clans can grow to a significant size, which is why we think that cutting away at their force from time to time would ensure the balance of power in the area. Right now they count at about 30 fighters.]

Marsif's attitude slightly changed. He speaks a bit faster and is more direct in his phrases. I guess his statement of not having much time is true, which is why I refrain from asking more questions an let him continue on his own pace.

Marsif: [In the upper-right corner is the "Pearl Lake" - don't ask me why it's called like that. At its side are the ruins of an old structure, probably an old temple. These ruins are inhabited by the "Frog-Men". They have the biggest force in the area, counting at least 200 armed individuals, but they are also the least active. They stick exclusively to their lake and are very protective of it. We conducted some research and found out that they where an artificially made race beginning with only two individuals. Over time they reproduced and grew in numbers and today, they have their own culture.]

I take a personal note to myself that they would probably be a good candidate for an alliance. If we can find out what they need, we would have a basis for negotiation.

Marsif: [On the left side we have marked your position. A new force in the area.]

Me: [And the crossed out one is the previous Ashranie camp I suppose?]

Marsif: [That's correct!]

Me: [Then there's just one left ...]

I gaze at the red dot with a question mark above it.

Marsif: [Right, about that ... There's something in the forest that makes people disappear - human expeditions and hunting parties of different tribes alike. We also lost some people recently but we couldn't find out any specifics about the attacker. It's like they strike and disappear into thin air!]

There is some frustration in his voice. I think we had enough of the friendly foreplay. Let's get to the serious point. I collect all my resolve and speak out ...

Me: [Are you sure this is what you lost them to?]

Marsif looks up from the map.

Marsif: [... What you mean?]

There are signs for mixed feelings in his eyes with confusion being the strongest of them.

Me: [I decided to let you in on some information I haven't shared with anyone yet.]

I make a small pause to see how he reacts. Marsif straightens his back and mentally prepares himself for what I'm about to tell.

Me: [I can't say how, but I know about every creature or person that died on my land. I even know their names if there are any. When I first woke up about a week ago there were already three recorded names, along with a bunch of other creatures. Do you know someone with the names "Feraldis" "Gremon" or "Ramora"?]

As I recite the names, I see Marsif's face go through different emotions. From surprise over to anger, then hope and finally confusion again. I can almost hear how the cogs in his head are turning. After some moments of silence he voices just this one question ...

Marsif: [What happened?]

Me: [That's what I was trying to find out since then. I hoped you could bring some light in this mess. Whatever it was, I think that my ... 'birth' .... is connect to their disappearance. Where they the once to call for me? What was their mission? What did they do?]

He backs of from my increasingly aggressive questions, clearly trying to process the sudden revelation. Seeing his unsatisfying reaction causes my anger to slowly boil up ...

Me: "What is it that you are not telling me? ... WHY AM I HERE?"

He stumbles backwards, shock and irritation all over his face.

Marsif: [... I ... I don't ... know ...]

This is so unfulfilling, so frustrating. After going so far to ignore my reasoning and trust this guy, it doesn't even give me any answers. Is he still playing with me, acting dumb? ... His reaction seems way to honest for that, but ... How much do I know about him?! Did I make a mistake by telling him? Will his clan come for me now to get revenge?

Observing his reaction I see how he's still trying to process the new information. In any case, losing my temper like that is not helpful in any way. I should smooth it out as long as it's not too late ...

Me: [I'm sorry, I lost my composure there ... I thought I would finally get some answers.]

Marsif is still visibly shaken, but tries to collect himself.

Marsif: [I ... apologize for not having the answers you strive for ...]

Me: [... And I'm sorry for your loss, however it came to this ...]

Surprised by my own emotional outburst I come to realize how much anger and frustration has accumulated beneath the surface of my consciousness. I tried to suppress it by convincing myself it wouldn't matter and by stating that I'll decide my own fate, but it appears to be just a hoax. Who am I fooling? The truth is, I WANT to know! I want to know WHO brought me here, HOW they did it, and most importantly: WHY?

But venting my anger on Marsif is not doing me a favor. I can't afford to lose this contact. The kind of Intel he could provide me with is way beyond everything the Ashranie could tell me.

After some silent moments, which we both need to regain our composure, I continue:

Me: [Listen ... I'm not an idiot and I don't regard you as one either. It's pretty obvious that we could both greatly benefit from a cooperation and I don't want to sour it by mistrust because of some misunderstanding. So how about we clear that out right now? I suggest that you tell me everything you know about these three and their agenda and in return I'll give you their belongings. Does that sound fair to you?]

When I mention their belongings, Marsif's eyes open widely.

Marsif: [Yes, It certainly does.]

He takes a moment to recollect his thoughts before continuing.

Marsif: [The three people you mentioned were my subordinates and they acted on my orders. Some months ago we got wind of the duke of a nearby town having a thing for rare artifacts and magical goblets. Rumor has it that he spends a good amount of his wealth on it, so we thought that getting hold of his collection could give Dark Hope a nice advantage in the future. Unfortunately, we didn't know in advance what artifacts he had there.]

Me: [I remember that on my first day the soldiers said something about chasing thieves ...]

Marsif: [Yes, Feraldis and his group had the mission to break in and 'retrieve' the duke's treasures. They where successful, but got noticed during their retreat. Because of that they missed the meeting point and had to change their escape route. We were looking for traces of them since then. The Rose Daggers are under a contract of the duke, so we followed their sudden embark in this region, hoping that they would lead us to our friends. That's how we stumbled upon you.]

I review my memory of this one occasion when I had a warning about an attack, but no attackers - leading me to be awake and on guard the whole night for nothing. It was probably Marsif and his men spying on me, trying to figure out the whereabouts of their men.

Me: [So, that's what happened ...]

Marsif: [Yes. If you have nothing to add to this, than that's it.]

Me: [I'm afraid there's not much I can offer to fill in the gaps ... When I first opened my eyes, I found myself in this very room with some random stuff scattered around. There where clothes and other things, I couldn't identify most of it. Then the humans came down the road and were saying something about catching thieves and something about ex-slaves. Once they reached the tower, they got attacked by the Ashranie, that's how I got in contact with them. This is all I know!]

Marsif looks down to the floor and takes in the information, then looks up again with anticipation in his eyes.

Marsif: [Can I ... see their belongings now?]

Me: [Sure.]

I personally bring over the crate with the "treasure". It's a good thing I kept it separated from all the other loot. The Ashranie got quite accustomed to me carrying stuff around, but the shocked and surprised look of his companions (both, dark- and high-elves alike) was pretty funny to watch as they observed a chest flying around on its own.

To my surprise, Marsif went first for the clothes instead of the crazy stuff. Then he sights after a moment.

Marsif: [This sure belongs to her ...]

Me: [You were close?]

Marsif: [There are not many of us left, so we're all close ...]

"You may say that, but it's someone specials clothing you are holding!" - Is what my reason replies, but I keep my protest to myself. It's none of my business after all.

Marsif: [Thank you ... for your honesty.]

Me: [You too!]

There's little left of the cunning diplomat that I'm used to. I think today I placed a sturdy brick in the bridge of trust towards him and his group. I just hope it doesn't backfire one day.

I leave him to himself while he rummage through the chests contents. In the meantime I try to memorize as much as I can of the still open map. This is until he interrupts the silence:

Marsif: [Lord Kalifos ...]

So I'm a lord now? Doesn't feel bad though ...

Me: [Yes?]

Marsif: [Looking at the leftover belongings of my comrades I couldn't avoid asking you ... What happened with the Equipment of the Rose Daggers?]

I can feel his diplomatic silver-tongue slowly returning.

Me: [Nothing, It's still all there, waiting to become useful.]

Marsif: [I told you before that our group is not wealthy. getting good equipment is always a struggle...]

Me: [Are you offering me another deal?]

Marsif: [It happens that there is a band of slave-catchers crossing this area. We originally planed to eradicate them, but instead we could capture some of them alive and execute them on your ground ...]

He's getting back to his usual self. He thought that well through before even starting the conversation, not even bothering to offer me gold or other valuables.

Me: [You are offering me their lives in exchange for the equipment?]

It's not asking a question, but stating the obvious. To which he just smiles, as if it's supposed to make me feel better about the deal ... It works, but I still make an intentional long pause to give the impression of thinking it through.

Me: [... I don't think that would be a problem. In this case, this will be my offer: For every slaver you bring me, you'll get a full set of leather armor or a weapon. Either Sword and shield or bow and arrows. If you catch their boss, you'll get the captains plate armor!]

Since the amount of DP gain depends on the individuals capabilities, I expect the boss to be the strongest - ergo he's more worth and harder to catch.

Marsif: [... Very well.]

I didn't give him much room for negotiation.

Me: [When are you planning this 'operation'?]

Marsif: [This depends on their movement. We can't attack them just anywhere, the fight needs to be in our favor. Maybe it will be tomorrow, maybe in a week.]

I see him placing everything back neatly and closing the chest. It seems our talk is ending.

Me: [Just to make it clear; this is not a substitute of our previous agreement! The refuge is under construction already and what you brought so far isn't nearly enough to cover for it.]

I try to avoid making it sound demanding, but I think I didn't succeed in that.

Marsif: [Of course! As you are not finished in fulfilling your part, we're not finished in fulfilling ours. Expect the next batch of 'offerings' tomorrow. I won't bring them personally though. My queen awaits my return!]

A few moments later he's sitting on the shabby cart with his companions, the belongings of their dead to his feet. We say our farewell's as he turns the cart around with worrying screeching sounds and departs.

After watching him drive off into the distance for a while, I come to realize something. [... He took my chest! ... Sly bastard ...]

}()------ Interlude: "Flowers and Blades" ------(){

Garner Brokewing anxiously walks back and forth in a small room, waiting for his superior to invite him inside. When he heard the number of troop that are about to be send out to search for Garner's brother and the two squads lost on the last mission, he thought it was a mistake. The commander must have misunderstood the situation! Also, why is he not part of the search party?

Suddenly the door is opened from inside by Ivac, his commanders personal assistant. The man -who's clothes look plain and formal at the same time- leads a young women outside. Syrene, the commanders daughter, nods skittishly towards Garner while passing by in a hurry. Her flirtatious behavior was well known among the man especially in the higher ranks, but no one would be stupid enough to make an approach on her. Garner returns the gesture formally but his mind is occupied with more serious matters.

Ivac: "Commander Halvert, captain Brokewing is here to meet you."

Com. Halvert: "Bring him in!"

The voice from inside is rough and sounds either bored or tired.

The spacious office with large windows is nothing like the dark dusty room from before. The bright midday sunlight blinds him as he enters, forcing him to slightly squeeze his eyes together. The curtains and furniture in the room are clearly old, but still give off an aura of luxury. The gray-haired muscular man raises his head to look at the visitor. He's sitting at a corner of a spacious desk which is heavily crammed with documents, letters, maps and other papers along with a bottle of ink, a dagger, the guilds emblem and other random stuff.

Garner salutes upon entering, while the commander picks up a bottle of wine from a shelf behind him.

Com. Halvert: "My daughter will have her birthday tomorrow, did you know?"

Garner wants to answer, but doesn't get a chance.

Com. Halvert: "The girl's demands become crazier with every year! Now she wants to rent the town-square for the whole day, do you believe that?"

Judging by her satisfied expression on the way out one would assume she got what she wanted. The commanders influence on the mayor would certainly suffice to get a favor like that. It was not a secret that the commander of the Rose Daggers was spoiling his girl. She was his only child after all.

Garner doesn't know what to answer, so he just smiles wryly.

Not getting a reply (not that he expected one), the commander takes a deep gulp from the bottle while eyeing the anxious man. The label on the vessel reveals it to be a cheap brand, which stands in contrast to the otherwise eleborate ambiance of the rooms, but right now he couldn't care less.

Com. Halvert: "What's bothering you, Garner?"

He knows the reason, but the young caption is a capable man and deserves a chance to voice his concerns personally.

Garner: "Commander Halvert, Sir! It's about the investigative force that is supposed to search for my bro- ... for the two lost squads. I'm concerned if 50 men will really be enough!"

Com. Halvert: "You are right, the area is to big to be searched by only this few. "

Garner's eyes light up in expectation. But it lasts only for a brief moment.

Commander: "However! As you may know, our personnel is a bit stretched ... The Mayor demands a higher presence on the streets to keep the street rats in check, the rebels recent attacks on the caravans require us to provide escorts, and the Gnawls in the northern forest are getting bolder by the day."

Garner: "Then allow me- ..."

Com. Halvert: "Half of your squad is at home vacation! And who's supposed to do your job and train the new recruits?"

Garner: "... Let me take them with me, the experience will do them good!"

Com. Halvert: "Nonsense! I won't risk this rookies to get slaughtered by wild beasts just because they don't know how to hold a sword properly!"

Garner: "But commander! ... He's my brother ... my family."

Garner didn't want to play the family card, but he knew well how the commanders values family bonds. Now he feels guilty for using a cheep trick on the man he respected so much.

In return, the old man gives him a long stern look. He was sure it would come to this, but he had to probe the captains resolve first. At least the boy is not a coward and willing to take every measure to protect his family. A respectable attitude!

Com. Halvert: "... Fine, here!"

Halvert takes out an -in advance prepared- pouch filled with coins and throws it on the edge of the messy table.

Com. Halvert: Maybe you can convince the rats to provide a few men with this, or recruit some villagers with pitchforks - I don't care. I can order Lars to take over your duties for the time ... Listen boy, you're the highest in rank in this operation now! You know what that means, right?!"

...

Garner leaves the building with rushed steps. Time is of imminent value now! He would stretch and squeeze every coin in the pouch that he was tightly clenching in his fist andd his own founds to that too, to recruit as many men as possible.

Asking if he knows what it means to be in charge? Of course he does! It was drilled into him since he got his own command: even if it's just a dozen men - or half a dozen in his current case - "Every superior is responsible for every men, women and even dog under his command!" For every men lost out there he would have to answer to the commander. If the old man decides that the loses were because of bad judgment or stupid decisions, he would have to take the punishment. Aside from loosing his command and the respect of his comrades, he could be sentenced to public wiping and even be thrown out of the guild. On the other hand, a successful mission could bring him a rise in ranks and payment.

But all of that doesn't concern the young captain at the time being. All that counts right now is to bring his brother back, otherwise he wouldn't be able to face his father ever again! His brother was always a stubborn bastard, that's why Garner is sure that he's still alive. And even if not, returning without him is not an option...

...

Back in the Office, Halvert still occasionally sips from the dull, nontransparent bottle. He knows the chances of survival in the wilds. Even if it's for a well trained squad, the wild lands are freakn' dangerous. He couldn't remember a case where losing contact to an expedition has not led to a fresh row of gravestones.

For him, this is not a rescue mission, but a retrieval. First of all, bringing back the equipment was the most significant. Swords don't grow on trees after all and so far away from the mines, ironware was over-expensive already. Second was to find out what they fell victim to. Intel was crucial in planning successful operations. And lastly, collecting the corpses. It's good for the morale if the men get the chance to bury their comrades, instead of just having them disappear to a mysterious cause in the forest. The clearer the picture of the enemy, the easier it is to strike courage in the soldiers hearts.

With Garner he couldn't ask for a more ambitious men for the task. The captain proved quite capable so far.

Com. Halvert: "Let's just hope he doesn't get careless ..."

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