Such fatigue I have never experience before, it seems all these days truly got the best of me. Now, with a belly full of mead and a warm bed, I can finally enjoy a well-earned, good night's sleep. The tavern is empty here in Jelkala, I am the only one. Though I can say I mind this, I do enjoy being alone, listening only to the sound of silence. 4 days ago, the merchant here asked me to find his brother and rescue him from some bandits. That probably was the most dangerous adventure I had ever entered.
It was late afternoon on the 28th of March when I met a small band of bandits roaming the land around Ruldi, waiting for some foolish peasants to rob them of their belongings. I approached them with a peaceful intetion, and I asked them about the merchant's brother. They said that they might have known something, but it would cost me 500 denars. That was an outstanding sum of money, I barely managed to raise 50, and that with the help of 3 people. I couldn't pay them, and me and my party were preparing to leave, when I heard their battle cries. They were attacking us. I drew my bow, armed an arrow and took down the first one in two shots. Then, I ordered my troops to stay close to eachother and prepare for a fight. Even though they were recruits, and they were terribly afraid to fight, they listened to all the advice I had given them. While the bandits were busy trying to kill my men, I was able to circle around them on my horse and I killed 2 more with my bow. I almost hit one of my men once, but I was lucky he saw the arrow and managed to dodge it in time. When we thought the battle was over, we saw another bandit trying to make a run for it. I chased him and knocked him on the ground, while my men captured him. We didn't have much to loot after the battle except for some money, which surely belonged to some unlucky past victims of the bandits. But we were all delighted as it was our first real fight in this world, and we didn't lose any men. Immediately after we burned the bodies, I proceeded on questioning the bandit. He did not seem willing to give away any information, but that convinced me that he knew where the merchant's brother was being kept. I tried to speak to him, promised him his freedom if he told me where to go, but he kept refusing and cursing me. So I decided it was time to give him a good enough scare. I got my men to hold him in position, and I took my bow and arrows. Then I asked him where the merchant's brother was being held. He refused to answer, so I planted an arrow in his knee. Unbelievable screams of pain came out of his mouth. It took him a while to calm down a little bit, but then I asked him again the exact same question. Still no answer, so I had to plant an arrow in his other knee. His screams were so loud and full of suffering I thought wild beasts may be attracted to our camp. Then I asked him again, and he finally told me. The merchant's brother was being held in a bandit hide-out, near the mountains east of Ruldi. I thanked him, had my men pull out the arrow, and them wished him good luck. I knew he couldn't walk and he would probably be eaten alive by wolves, but that was not my problem anymore. He had done enough harm throughout his life that far he didn't deserve to be forgiven. When he had chosen that path, he knew that someday he would have to face the consequences. But then I remembered I had to rescue the merchant's brother, and I had to do it fast.
It was already dusk when we got to the bandit's hideout, and I felt that even though we couldn't assault the hideout with our horses, we had to take the chance. It was dusk, the bandits were probably having a drink now, and it would be our best chance to sucessfully kill them and save our target. I took my men, shortly briefed them about what was my plan, and then we all tried to sneak under the rocks that hid the encampment. We managed to get close to their huts, and, to our fortune, they were all snoozing, their heads resting on huge, emtpy barrels of wine. I knew it was my chance to get rid of them very fast, with no fight. We split up to cover more ground, took our swords out from their scabbards and then we put an end to the misery the bandits were causing to the villagers and travellers around. After all the bandits have been dealt with, we took the bodies and hid them in a cave nearby. While we were looting the place of it's most valuable goods, a man came out running from a tent nearby. I took out my bow and prepared to fire, but then he stopped, raised both his hands above his head and told me he was no bandit, he was the merchant's brother. I knew I couldn't believe him, so I still kept an eye on him. We tied his hands so he cannot try anything that might endanger us and then we proceeded back to Jelkala. We were travelling during the night on our way back, but fortunately nothing happened and we managed to get back in one piece. Back in Jelkala, the merchant was waiting for his brother in front of the tavern, restless to see him in one piece. As we approached him, tears spurted out of his eyes and he ran towards his brother and huugged and kissed him. It truly was a heart-warming moment. After he sent his brother home, the merchant thanked me, gave me a purse overfilled with denars and whispered to my ear - "Meet me at my house. After I leave wait a little before coming, they are watching us. I'll explain everything there". And then he took off. I sat down at a table, enjoyed a cup of mead and then, before I could finish it, I felt that it was time for me to go. I payed the keeper the money I owed him, including my room for another 2 full weeks. The purse I got was truly fill with denars, there were about 3-400 in there, enough for more than a month's pay. I got out of the tavern, and I hit the streets. Dawn was approaching, some slight glimmer of the unseen sun was breaking the horizon. It was still dark in Jelkala, but light enough to see where you were going. Still, I had the feeling somebody was watching me from the safety of darkness. I streched my hand all the way behind my neck, trying to reach my bow. Scared, I then realized my bow was not in my possesion. I might have forgotten it at the tavern, I thought. I turned back, headed for the tavern, but before I could take a step, I heard the chord of a bow streching, arming and arrow, somewhere behind me. I immediately jumped behind a barrel, and that probably saved my life, as the arrow hit the barrel full force. "Get him! He must not escape!" I heard a voice say, and then a stampede of raging bandits, murderers rushing with their swords, clubs and daggers out, eager to feast on my blood. I was terrified, but I knew I had no chance to fight this many enemies. If I had my bow , I would have been able to take out a couple of them and maybe scare them away, but without it, only armed with my short sword, I was doomed. I had to make a run for it to the tavern, in there I could take my bow back and maybe ambush my pursuers. I pushed the barrel towards the bandits as hard as I could and then I took off. A couple of arrows thrusted past me, luckily not hitting me. About 40 yards were left until I reached the tavern's door, when I felt a surge of pain coming from my thigh up to my chest, creating a bulge in my neck. It was a cold feeling, an agonizing pain that made me collapse to the ground. The bastards had hit me with an arrow. I was unable to run anymore, so I tried crawling my way to the tavern. I turned around and pulled out my sword, as I knew they were just behind me, and I had no chance of outrunning them now. The first bandit charged for me, tried to hit me with an overhead swing but I managed to parry his hit and plant my sword deep in his neck. I had taken one out. Then, a sudden feel of dizziness engulfed me, as I saw 2 bandits rushing to get me, ready to cut my head of my shoulders. "I can't escape this" I thought. They were before me, their axes above their heads ready to chop me to pieces. My hand fell weak on the ground while I was giving out my last breaths. I was thinking about my mother, father, how I wished I would have known more. About all the warnings I had received and incompetently ignored. But they didn't. They fell dead to the ground, arrows stuck in the side of their heads. The last bandit tried to run, but he didn't make it too far. Before I passed out, I remember I had seen a group of rangers, maybe 10-12 coming out of nowhere towards me. They were speaking, yelling at eachother, but I didn't understand a thing. I passed out and I didn't remember what happened.
I then woke up somewhere in a cabin in the mountains, not knowing where I was or what had happened. As I opened my eyes I took a deep breath and I enjoyed the fresh air up to the last moment. "He's awake" I heard a voice say. I wanted to move my hands but they hurt. As the rest of my body. It took me a while to realized that I had been tied to what seemed to be a table of some sort. Although foggy, I could distinguish in the distance the silhouettes of some men. Then it struck me again, a terrible pain in my thigh, the same as the one I experienced when I got an arrow in it. "I know it hurts, but it will pass, my friend. I've had many more, and worse, believe me!", the voice said again. I tried to move my head to spot him, as I knew he was behind me, but I could not. I didn't know why, I was unsure whether the pain was excruciating or my head was tied up too."Who are you? Where am I? Why -"
It was late afternoon on the 28th of March when I met a small band of bandits roaming the land around Ruldi, waiting for some foolish peasants to rob them of their belongings. I approached them with a peaceful intetion, and I asked them about the merchant's brother. They said that they might have known something, but it would cost me 500 denars. That was an outstanding sum of money, I barely managed to raise 50, and that with the help of 3 people. I couldn't pay them, and me and my party were preparing to leave, when I heard their battle cries. They were attacking us. I drew my bow, armed an arrow and took down the first one in two shots. Then, I ordered my troops to stay close to eachother and prepare for a fight. Even though they were recruits, and they were terribly afraid to fight, they listened to all the advice I had given them. While the bandits were busy trying to kill my men, I was able to circle around them on my horse and I killed 2 more with my bow. I almost hit one of my men once, but I was lucky he saw the arrow and managed to dodge it in time. When we thought the battle was over, we saw another bandit trying to make a run for it. I chased him and knocked him on the ground, while my men captured him. We didn't have much to loot after the battle except for some money, which surely belonged to some unlucky past victims of the bandits. But we were all delighted as it was our first real fight in this world, and we didn't lose any men. Immediately after we burned the bodies, I proceeded on questioning the bandit. He did not seem willing to give away any information, but that convinced me that he knew where the merchant's brother was being kept. I tried to speak to him, promised him his freedom if he told me where to go, but he kept refusing and cursing me. So I decided it was time to give him a good enough scare. I got my men to hold him in position, and I took my bow and arrows. Then I asked him where the merchant's brother was being held. He refused to answer, so I planted an arrow in his knee. Unbelievable screams of pain came out of his mouth. It took him a while to calm down a little bit, but then I asked him again the exact same question. Still no answer, so I had to plant an arrow in his other knee. His screams were so loud and full of suffering I thought wild beasts may be attracted to our camp. Then I asked him again, and he finally told me. The merchant's brother was being held in a bandit hide-out, near the mountains east of Ruldi. I thanked him, had my men pull out the arrow, and them wished him good luck. I knew he couldn't walk and he would probably be eaten alive by wolves, but that was not my problem anymore. He had done enough harm throughout his life that far he didn't deserve to be forgiven. When he had chosen that path, he knew that someday he would have to face the consequences. But then I remembered I had to rescue the merchant's brother, and I had to do it fast.
It was already dusk when we got to the bandit's hideout, and I felt that even though we couldn't assault the hideout with our horses, we had to take the chance. It was dusk, the bandits were probably having a drink now, and it would be our best chance to sucessfully kill them and save our target. I took my men, shortly briefed them about what was my plan, and then we all tried to sneak under the rocks that hid the encampment. We managed to get close to their huts, and, to our fortune, they were all snoozing, their heads resting on huge, emtpy barrels of wine. I knew it was my chance to get rid of them very fast, with no fight. We split up to cover more ground, took our swords out from their scabbards and then we put an end to the misery the bandits were causing to the villagers and travellers around. After all the bandits have been dealt with, we took the bodies and hid them in a cave nearby. While we were looting the place of it's most valuable goods, a man came out running from a tent nearby. I took out my bow and prepared to fire, but then he stopped, raised both his hands above his head and told me he was no bandit, he was the merchant's brother. I knew I couldn't believe him, so I still kept an eye on him. We tied his hands so he cannot try anything that might endanger us and then we proceeded back to Jelkala. We were travelling during the night on our way back, but fortunately nothing happened and we managed to get back in one piece. Back in Jelkala, the merchant was waiting for his brother in front of the tavern, restless to see him in one piece. As we approached him, tears spurted out of his eyes and he ran towards his brother and huugged and kissed him. It truly was a heart-warming moment. After he sent his brother home, the merchant thanked me, gave me a purse overfilled with denars and whispered to my ear - "Meet me at my house. After I leave wait a little before coming, they are watching us. I'll explain everything there". And then he took off. I sat down at a table, enjoyed a cup of mead and then, before I could finish it, I felt that it was time for me to go. I payed the keeper the money I owed him, including my room for another 2 full weeks. The purse I got was truly fill with denars, there were about 3-400 in there, enough for more than a month's pay. I got out of the tavern, and I hit the streets. Dawn was approaching, some slight glimmer of the unseen sun was breaking the horizon. It was still dark in Jelkala, but light enough to see where you were going. Still, I had the feeling somebody was watching me from the safety of darkness. I streched my hand all the way behind my neck, trying to reach my bow. Scared, I then realized my bow was not in my possesion. I might have forgotten it at the tavern, I thought. I turned back, headed for the tavern, but before I could take a step, I heard the chord of a bow streching, arming and arrow, somewhere behind me. I immediately jumped behind a barrel, and that probably saved my life, as the arrow hit the barrel full force. "Get him! He must not escape!" I heard a voice say, and then a stampede of raging bandits, murderers rushing with their swords, clubs and daggers out, eager to feast on my blood. I was terrified, but I knew I had no chance to fight this many enemies. If I had my bow , I would have been able to take out a couple of them and maybe scare them away, but without it, only armed with my short sword, I was doomed. I had to make a run for it to the tavern, in there I could take my bow back and maybe ambush my pursuers. I pushed the barrel towards the bandits as hard as I could and then I took off. A couple of arrows thrusted past me, luckily not hitting me. About 40 yards were left until I reached the tavern's door, when I felt a surge of pain coming from my thigh up to my chest, creating a bulge in my neck. It was a cold feeling, an agonizing pain that made me collapse to the ground. The bastards had hit me with an arrow. I was unable to run anymore, so I tried crawling my way to the tavern. I turned around and pulled out my sword, as I knew they were just behind me, and I had no chance of outrunning them now. The first bandit charged for me, tried to hit me with an overhead swing but I managed to parry his hit and plant my sword deep in his neck. I had taken one out. Then, a sudden feel of dizziness engulfed me, as I saw 2 bandits rushing to get me, ready to cut my head of my shoulders. "I can't escape this" I thought. They were before me, their axes above their heads ready to chop me to pieces. My hand fell weak on the ground while I was giving out my last breaths. I was thinking about my mother, father, how I wished I would have known more. About all the warnings I had received and incompetently ignored. But they didn't. They fell dead to the ground, arrows stuck in the side of their heads. The last bandit tried to run, but he didn't make it too far. Before I passed out, I remember I had seen a group of rangers, maybe 10-12 coming out of nowhere towards me. They were speaking, yelling at eachother, but I didn't understand a thing. I passed out and I didn't remember what happened.
I then woke up somewhere in a cabin in the mountains, not knowing where I was or what had happened. As I opened my eyes I took a deep breath and I enjoyed the fresh air up to the last moment. "He's awake" I heard a voice say. I wanted to move my hands but they hurt. As the rest of my body. It took me a while to realized that I had been tied to what seemed to be a table of some sort. Although foggy, I could distinguish in the distance the silhouettes of some men. Then it struck me again, a terrible pain in my thigh, the same as the one I experienced when I got an arrow in it. "I know it hurts, but it will pass, my friend. I've had many more, and worse, believe me!", the voice said again. I tried to move my head to spot him, as I knew he was behind me, but I could not. I didn't know why, I was unsure whether the pain was excruciating or my head was tied up too."Who are you? Where am I? Why -"
"You're alive and the bandits are dead. Does it matter? Aren't you pleased with this?"
"Why am I tied?"
"You're not" - I tried to move but I couldn't. I still felt the bonds keeping me still.
"What do you mean I'm not tied? Then why can't I move?" - I was struggling to move my body, I felt some drops of sweat pouring on the sides of my head. "You are under the influence of Aesther Sleptica. Our alchemists told us they were no harm, but strong enough to keep a man down. We had to use it. For our safety. What's your name?"
"What do you mean I'm not tied? Then why can't I move?" - I was struggling to move my body, I felt some drops of sweat pouring on the sides of my head. "You are under the influence of Aesther Sleptica. Our alchemists told us they were no harm, but strong enough to keep a man down. We had to use it. For our safety. What's your name?"
"Why do you care?" I screamed. I couldn't believe I couldn't move. "What's Ether Sleep?"
"Aether Sleptica. It's a plant. Herb, used in alchemy. We brewed a potion and gave it to you. What's your name?"
"Tell me who you are and I will tell you my name"
"You're in no position to ask for deals. I am the one asking questions. This is the last time I ask you, what - is - your - name"
I didn't trust the man and I didn't want to tell him my name. "Can I leave?"
Then it struck me. The man punched me in my stomach. It didn't hurt too bad, but I lost my breath. It was enough to signal me I had to change my way.
"I - ask - the questions. Again, what is your name?"
"Hadvar. Hadvar's my name."
"Good, Hadvar. Now, what were you doing in Jelkala?"
I told him about the merchant, about his brother and how I forgot my bow in the tavern the last night I remembered. In the meanwhile, I managed to turn my head, but I realized I did not see too good either. I could distinguish a tall silhouette, with what seemed to be long hair, just like mine. It seemed to be black, but I couldn't be sure because it was all so blurred out. He just stood there while I spoke and nodded constantly. Eventually, he broke the silence.
"Do you know why we saved you? Do you, Hadvar?"
"No. I don't. Why didn't you let me die?"
"We need your help. We need a man who is not known, who is ready to do anything, and who is a skilled archer. We have been tracking you since your arrival here, in Calradia. We need a ruthless murderer. A swift warrior. A dead-eye archer. We need somebody to kill the King"
