The Strange Tavern

The mystery of the Yent horse Tavern since Secrets of Terra Silenti is revealed!

Chapter 19 The Strange Tavern

Kac, Lorana, Yun, and Dorio were on the Glenwood road, walking with purpose, but with steady careful steps. Kac was still reading that spellbook he picked up in Blenheim. Blenheim, the elf village filled with so much atrocity, it had to go then. If that village did not have any light in it, Kac was proud to have provided it with what little light it did have, even for the brief time it stood on its own, before the drow took over. Often, along the road, Kac would ask Lorana questions about the spells, and where the magic comes from. He is attempting to learn magic.

Of course, Lorana had every intention of being with Kac every single moment to monitor his psyche, behavior, and progress, she is aware that she may not be able to be there during some important events she has yet to foresee, he needs to know basics, and she helped him with that. Dorio took his adventure much more seriously as his eyes scanned the trees, the wooden, natural trees of the forest, and the dark, dreary trees made of iron that used to be Kinasa. Kinasa is now barren of all light, and all things good. The temple of Unverdus was destroyed, likely never to be built again.

“Such a shame.” Yun said, brushing her black hair behind her ears, revealings its leaf shape. “Home, I need home, but I can never go back, for it does not exist anymore.”

“What are your thoughts Kac?” Lorana said. “As one who has truly seen much, both the good and the bad, what is your reflection of the recent events? I would much like to hear thy perspective.”

“Well if you consider, I was first struck ill with a disease, fatally wounded with a virus of my brain. Faced my horrors and ostracized by Gergo yet again on my return in the form of his wife. I go to the Temple of Unverdus and upon leaving it collapses, and Kinasa is no more. I have freed Dorio from his prison, while I have gained a prison of my own. I went from one home, to having none, and little else. I despise everything!” He said in irritation, not looking up from the book. “All of this has happened this year, and it is not even over yet. I can only imagine what will happen when the other servants of Decrepantaur surface!”

“You have seen Maya Truva, and Fakino rise. I am assuming at least one other is active, if not all of them.” Lorana said to him. “In fact it is more than likely now, that this is the case. I assure you Kac Xaizan, that the end is far from here.”

“And how many more nations are going to fall, seeing the wrath of Decrepantaur before he actually returns?” Kac asked in ire. “So, how many more wizards do we have to contend with, of the Seven?”

“Glutua, he was considered a great mage even before Decrepantaur corrupted him. However, he was always hungry, usually ate frequently. Decrepantayur bribed him with enough food to eat till the day he died. That is when he resorted to cannibalism. Fastatru, the prideful inventor. He has great strength with his sword and his devices. If we ever get to him, I can assure you, it will be difficult enough trying just to get to him, never mind fighting him. Socorous, always lazy. Wanted to reap benefits without putting the work required to attain them. Again, he was bribed with never needing to work a day in his life. Look at what that did.” Lorana chuckled at the irony. “Avara, the greedy ranger that some of you in the Guild have known about. He was in the Ranger’s Guild for a time, but his lust of riches and gold was too appealing so he became a bandit, mouth got too full, tried to rob Zinasa of ancient artifacts. He succeeded, only suffered a severe blow by one ranger we do know, at least if the legend is real that is, Derindil. Of course there is also Irenue, the right hand of Decrepantaur. The wrathful knight who destroyed everything in Caradab, which was mined at one point into great dwarven halls. I would advise against fighting him head on.”

“Nice history, but I only wanted to know about the wizard.” Kac said, looking up from his book the first time, looking at Malitu, its gates creaked open with the wind, and on the great walls, and watch towers of the village, there nested a sea of crows, peaking out over them.

“Yes, but we also need to figure out where those trumpets are. One you already blew in Sterilus, a strong hold of one of the seven, and now to Terra Silenti, to figure out if the trumpets and the seven are somehow intertwined. If they are, we just need to locate the seven, invade their home and blow on trumpets to make a song that has never been sung.” Lorana said.

“And if the seven and the trumpets are not intertwined, what then? We have nowhere else to look.” Yun asked, turning to Lorana curiously as they entered the road into Malitu. The door quietly closed itself behind them, and they did not notice.

“Well then we can say goodbye to the rest of all mortality.” She answered. “I have no other explanation or reasoning to suggest that the trumpets would be elsewhere.”

“Okay.” Dorio said, for the first time, after seeing the mill saw where the carpenter once was, the carpenter who yelled after he tripped over some wood work. “What of the Abyss of Chaos? Is it possible that the trumpets could be on another plane of existence?”

“I doubt it.” Kac said, looking to many ruined houses that already had vines growing through them. SPider webs weaved through the abandoned windows, and desolate spaces that were once filled with so much life that he helped maintained once upon a time. “Unverdus would not make a covenant impossible to achieve.”

“Well it would not be impossible.” Yun commented, looking to the north where the memorial was, of Quarala, Jorre, and Glenroy. “It would be close, but not impossible.”

“Do you wish to see them?” he asked, putting his hand on her opposite shoulder. Lorana looked curiously as the conversation seemed to have taken an abrupt halt. Yun turned her head slightly to the right, and looked in his eyes with a watery gaze.

“Yes.” Yun answered quietly, so quiet that if they were all humans or dwarves the rest would not hear, but they did because of their over sensitive ears. “If only one last time. The time has come for me to say my last good bye to them.”

Kac and Yun took a sudden turn down a road leading north. The two did not run, but walked slowly, holding one another closely.

So yet again, something else evaded my eye. Unbeknown to me, there appears to be something here, potential. It does not move. I wonder… Lorana thought to herself, thinking of what Kac said, referring to them as in personification. She traded a glance with Dorio before they followed them, at a pace that let the two alone.

“What thinkest you, Dorio?” Lorana said, tapping the ground nervously as she walked. “These two, known since childhood. What are you thoughts?”

“Well, from what I remember, they were inseparable as children.” He answered, his eyes still scanning seemingly abandoned houses, and the swooping of crows. Back and forth they flew from house top to house top, perching on windowsills, and street torches, that were no longer lit. Tweens and later they stuck around, and adventure together. Never would you see Kac, without Yun. It was almost inevitable, with the exception of the decree that forced him to leave Kinasa in the first place. Even in the Guild, some favoritism was shown, but it was always subtle that so few could pick it up.”

“Sounds like it was a match made in Heaven, by Unverdus for his weave here is so powerful, it is potent.” Lorana said, her tapping with the staff grew less nervous.

Dorio gave a nervous chuckle as they had come to a clearing with a statue of three humans. It was rough, but they could make out a proud soldier, a traveler, and a female wizard, cloaked. All were standing with no real pose.

“Quarala?” Lorana asked herself. “No!” She cried into Dorio’s shoulder’s who did not know who any of these people were. Quarala, assuming it was the wizard, that is the one whom Lorana knew. All three of them, Dorio put together, they are dead. His eyes shifted to the base of the tall statue, where there was a dead crow, supposedly ripped in half. Kac was on one side of it, Yun on the other. So Kac made a promise to Yun, and he had to go through with it or he will become like the crow if he breaks it.

Despite where the two stood, they both stared up at the faces of the Soldier, the Traveler, and the Wizard. Dorio could not help but wonder what promise Kac made with Yun, one that required the sacrifice, and mutilation of an innocent crow, ripped in half, it was an ancient contract.

Noticing the crows all dispersed from the memorial to allow peace of mind to the mourning, Dorio rested his head atop Lorana’s. He could not help but feel empathy for her, if they both knew who to be careful of. Kac’s growing insanity was becoming a problem. He would kill Yana if it was given the chance that one night, the night before receiving the quests that greatly split the leaders of the Guild, almost all of them were now at different corners of the world, some more dangerous than others but no more important.

“Who is she?” he asked.

“Quarala was a wizard. She just recently stepped outside her home for the first time. The first time she chased her dreams of adventure, she was killed.” she sobbed.

“Who are the other two?” he asked.

“I do not know. I never met them.”

“Jorre, is a soldier, and a good one. He came to this village years ago with his family.” Yun recalled, based on stories she heard him tell along the road, and from Cardur, who spoke about the dead much. “Glenroy was a traveler, stayed behind as a favor to a friend.”

“They were both killed with the fiendish spirit of Fakino, mercilessly.” Kac replied, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “Fakino, as legend has it was the only human capable of defeating one of the six. She was the seventh, and with the demonic power she could surpass even Irenue in combat, which is why Maya Truva caused her to go mad. There would have been chaos among themselves if one was stronger than Irenue. Jorre lost his family not too much longer before his death. I do not know who Glenroy is, but he knew my cousin, who is also dead.”

“I am sorry for your losses, truly I am.” Dorio said, looking at the sun as it descended behind the trees, transforming the day into night. “We should find a place to rest, perhaps the inn. It is unoccupied is it not?”

“Well it should be.” Kac chuckled. “If someone chose to dwell there they are likely more unstable than I am.”

Yun burst out in tears laughing, as she knew he was always unstable, so it was very stable of him to say so. How ironic is it not?

The four walked back into the village, following the trails towards the Yent Horse Tavern. It was always a strange tavern, it was always left unmarked. Fakino, during her many strikes into the city, it was never touched. Even Maya Truva, her attacks never marred the tavern.

Still, when they went to it, it was still untouched. No cobwebs, no splinters of fading of paint was noticeable when they were outside as lights inside were lit. “This is odd.” Lorana explained, firmly grasping her staff. Dorio too, took a step back when the lights lit up inside.

“Does this remind you of anything?” Yun asked Kac as she reached for the door knob.

“This tavern has always been strange.” Kac observed looking in the window, and he could see a cloth moving back and forth on the counter of the bar, nothing held the cloth. “I wonder...I remember something, years ago, during that adventure into the Abyss. It was another place of existence in which this happened.”

“What place was that?” Lorana said, pointing her staff at the door. “I would like some explanation as to why this tavern still remains untouched.”

Dorio took out his shield, pointing it at the door before Yun turned the knob. “I do not like this one bit.”

“It is much too late to turn away now, Dorio. Much too late.” Kac said, taking out Fakino’s sword, which made the paladin uneasy. “On my mark. One...two...three...Now!”

Yun turned the door, and Dorio slammed right into it, facing the cloth that moved, for that was the only thing in the entire inn that did move upon entry. Yun came in behind him with her bow, and Lorana with a sparking staff, with Kac behind her.

They observed the moving cloth, and behind it was a shadow. That shadow quickly manifested into a man, with fine clothes, and a broad build. “Well well well, if it in’t the elves come walkin’ in my tavern once again!” said the man, still wiping down his bar. “What service can good ol’ Arkur provide for ye this lovely night!?”

“Arkur!” Kac yelled. “What are you doing here! You were supposed to leave with everyone to go into Paxis! This was decreed by Cardur! This is not a safe place for you!”

“What be safer than an immortal inn?” he answered as Yun’s hand trembled with the exchange in dialogue. She could sense in Kac, that his voice too was unsteady.

“Immortal inn? This place will burn like everything else!” he yelled, kicking one of the tables. “It is unsafe for you to be here Arkur. You need to go to Paxis, it is far safer there than this place will ever be.”

“This is the safest place for me elf!” he said, walking over to the table and moved it back in place. “Kindly leave my things alone. Right where they be elf, that is where it remain. Now, I have no issue with you using me inn for the night, but kinds respect my possessions. This place is safe, this is my sanctuary!”

“And what makes it so safe?” Lorana answered the man who was so obsessed with keeping everything tidy and clean, as if he sold his soul for that very purpose. “What makes this inn your sanctuary, your safe haven?”

“Me.” most of them heard a familiar voice. Down the hall they heard a few grunts, and rattling of chains. From the hall, leading to the stairs an elf was pushed, on the ground and she was bound from head to toe. Chains attached to her wrists, ankles, and her neck. It was Lerien, the elf Kac freed from the assassin siblings.

Everyone’s attention was refocused onto that eerie hallway. They could hear a robe being swept across the hardwood floor, and clink clank. The clinking and the clanking is paced evenly. It gave away that there was only one dressed in armor, the heavy kind.

A young boy, clad in this heavy armor came out, holding the chains of Lerien, and without a second thought, he punched her in the face, leaving a large bruise on the side of her cheek.

“Galad?” Kac said, stunned at both his behavior and his appearance. He scratches his head.

“What of it elf?!” He retorted angrily, “What use be of I to you, or you to me? You took everything from me, you and your wretched race! I will see suffering done unto you!”

“Now, so this is the safety that is provided at the Yent Horse Tavern is it?” Dorio said to Arkur. “Well if the safety comes from an elf hating boy then_”

“Silence elf!” Galad screamed, punching Lerien again. “You took my father from me!”

“Never before have I met your father.” Dorio said, leaning against one of the tables, his shield lowered down.

“Be careful Dorio.” Lorana replied. “It would do well not to anger this boy.”

“You came here, nearly killed my trainer, got yerself arrested and then what happened? Maya Truva came here, and sent my father into the Abyss! I have every reason to hate you and all of your kind!” he said, drawing his sword. “I have sworn, I will eradicate as much of your filth as I can before I die!”

“So,” Yun turned her gaze back over to Arkur. “This psychotic runt is the protection you and your inn have to offer?”

Arkur smiled over the bar as Lorana interceded for him, “No. Not him. That makes no sense, considering it was not him speaking to us before he appeared. There is one more.”

“That, my foolish friend is correct.” Arkur replied to her as he continued to wipe down his counter.

“Who be the careful watchful one behind those stairs?” Lorana called out, her staff carefully aimed at the hallway. “Come out come out wherever you are.”

“I would not call it out if I were you, sometimes something as small as that can be a near fatal mistake.” Yun replied, pointing her bow at the shadows, when a dark humanoid manifested at the bottom of the stairs.

She could not tell what the manifestation was, it was still dark, as it approached. The floor creaked with every step it took. The creature, for none knew what it was, with the exception of Galad and Arkur, stopped moving as the lights from the candle was about to touch it. It did allow some of its purple robe, laced with gold slip into the light.

“Do you desire to look upon the face of someone that means doom for all of your kind?” the voice said, silvery hair flowing down, and waving into the light. A dark staff manifested itself in between the companions and all were embraced by barbed chains and pulled to the ground, all held things were attracted to the walls. Dorio’s sword and shield, Fakino’s sword, Yun’s bow, and finally Lorana’s staff.

Dorio’s face was turned towards Lorana where he could see senseless fear. Her eyes went blank with trepidation, as it trembled in her head. Her hands shook, and her face began to perspire rapidly. His eyes shifted towards Yun, who likewise was also trembling, not just in her hands, but in her feet also. His eyes turned lastly to Kac who struggled against the chains, pulling at them, ignoring the flesh he was also ripping apart.

Galad laughed at them, walking slowly towards Dorio, placing a sword into his shoulder. He grunted in pain, but it was a grunt, there was no howling. Dorio looked at the hallway, and could still see the creature. “No more hiding! None of us can possibly do any harm to you now, so why do you have to hide. Of course you have two of us who are incapable of moving, I will not move, and provided that the forth can even get out, he will be too weak to be of any threat to you even the worse case, in your case.”

“Ah, but caution is always important. A broken Paladin such as yourself have indeed already fell into that trap. Your worse case when you left Kinasa, which by a certain grace may have been the best thing that happened to you, even if you did break everyone of the commandments as a result.” She replied. “Perhaps if you were careful, you would be dead with all of your elven kin that lay in Kinasa, that now decorate the iron trees of the forests that was Kinasa. Now truly I tell you Dorio, now you live in the Abyss I have come to summon.” she let out a sigh. “However, perhaps you are right. None of you can harm me at any rate. After all, I put Gergo on his knees.”

Dorio gasped suddenly, Gergo was the king. Is Kinasa leaderless? Did she kill him? Of course Dorio doesn’t know the exact details, he was never there. How could he know. Perhaps he was dead, or part of destroying it altogether, and as strong as he was, could any one creature be so powerful to put him on his knees? Surely a wizard as powerful as Maya Truva could kill him but with great difficulty.

“No he is not dead. I did not kill him.” she said, answering his thoughts. She stepped out into the light, and it was a drow. Her cloak was elegantly sown, and it was laced around its edges. Her purple skin shone elegantly, and her smile was very sinister, showing great white teeth. “Dorio, dear Dorio. If you do not desire me to know anything stop thinking altogether. The other three knew to eradicate all thoughts but one. They know to fear me. Well almost all of them. You do not, though it is odd really; considering you saw me defeat, though not kill Maya Truva with great ease. So tell me, Dorio, dear Dorio, why do you not fear me? Are you eager to die, or is it a compulsion?”

Dorio remained silent as the cold blade twisted. He grunted in agony. “Answer her elf!” Dorio heard being whispered into his ear.

“Unverdus.” he answered.

“unverdus unverdus, unverdus!” Vircona replied. Her smile turned to a frown of great sorrow and pain. “Why do you still worship and trust him Dorio? Why? Why did he put a large price on your head? Why did he destroy Kinasa, and Zinasa shortly after? Why did he kill all of those elves, leaving but a handful of you left? Why did he turn all of the elves that are still elves into wretched creatures like me?! Why did he attack Grento with great hate and prejudice?! Why are the men suffering? If unverdus is so Great, why does he allow such atrocities to exist! Your god, is dead!”

The rattling of chains stopped. “He had nothing to do with any of it.” Kac said, accepting his place on the floor, and staring blankly. “In the very beginning, there was peace, a great deal of it anyways. The autexiousness was greatly distributed to all of the peoples of Alkathos. There was a great bargain, between Decrepantaur and the serpent long ago. Two wars were started, one with the angels above lead by Decrepantaur, the war below, lead by the lies, deceit and mastery of the spoken word of the Serpent. This brought about disorder and chaos which lead to the races you see today. This betrayal of Unverdus is an abomination. Thou would do well to do thy history ‘fore thou accussest the great Unverdus. It would not be wise for thee, youngling to question the Great Unverdus, the Great Creator, and Savior! Be careful of whom it is that thee accurse. Consider thyself warned!”

“Who be you, who lay on the floor, Kac Xaizan, that make idle threats when you are in no position to do so.” Vircona said, placing her dark hand on his skull, and bolts of lightning shot from her fingertips, and into his brain. He did not complain, which Dorio thought was interesting. His resilience is extraordinary. The lightning stopped.

“Does something appear out of place?” Kac said, as he looked at her, bearing a widened smile. “Does something disturb thee?”

“Who are you, Kac Xaizan?” she asked. “Surely you are still elf, still a mortal?”

“This body is.” he answered as his chains were loosened. He got up from the floor, and shoved her into the wall, holding both hands firmly. Galad grew frightened, and grabbed his sword and swung at Kac. The elf deftly took the sword out of the boy’s hand and threw it in the wall. Everything that was magnetized to the wall fell on the ground. He release Vircona from his grasp, who was still shaking at the sudden irritation of the creature. “I will return to my place. Remember yours.” This he spoke as if speaking to someone who was not there, he spoke to himself as he sat down at a chair, and leaned back facing Vircona. Arkur stopped wiping the counter. “Now, that I am free from my prison, there is no reason we cannot be civilized can we not? Please release my friends.”

“I...sure.” Vircona waved her hand as Galad leaned against a wall. The staff merged with the ground, and with it so did the chains. Dorio, Yun, and Lorana were chained no more. Dorio helped them to the ground.

“Now, I understand you have not the intention to kill us, nor do I like the idea of killing my host.” Kac said, folding his hands on his chest. “Perhaps we can come to an agreement of some sort for the night.”

“What kind of agreement?” Vircona answered, shifting towards the shadows.

“Oh do not worry, it would be a temporary one, not necessarily binding for life. “Me, and my companions were looking for lodging, as safe as any if safe can be used with anything in Alkathos anymore. Now, my companions and I desire to be able to rest this evening without incident from you, or your elf hating boy. I do not want to be caught restless this night before I delve back into Terra Silenti.”

“And what is in it for me? You are asking a free service Kac, and I do not give out services without something in return. What do you have for me, in exchange?”

“Do not do it.” Galad said, grabbing his sword out of the wall. “It is a trap Vircona, it really is.”

“Well if it was a trap, do you think that he would have disappeared like that?” Kac answered, pausing for a brief moment to let them think about who it is he was referring to. “He could kill you, you know, but certain boundaries exist.”

“So, you suffer from multiple personalities do you?” Vircona asked, looking from him to his companions who were drinking from a waterskin, to return to homeostasis. “Well, tonight, I did not have the intention to kill you. Not yet. After all, I need someone to kill the rest of the forgotten., and you right now are one of the few who can, for now.”

“And what about the elf? Can she be bought?” Kac answered.

“No. That is out of the question. You cannot have her.” Vircona replied. “Now the bargain does not exist. You can stay here, and you will have little need to worry, if Galad acts, it is of his own accord and hatred, so feel free to kill him if he does.” Galad grew uneasy when she spoke those words. “From me, you will have no quarrel, this I offer freely, however the elf is out of the question. She belongs to me.”

“And if I were to sneak into the night to free her?” he replied rhetorically.

“Then, I will kill you. Your so called friend that you claim can kill me but cannot for certain boundaries exist prevents him from doing so. Then, I can kill everyone but you, and he and I will not kill one another.” She answered. “Such a fitting trifle do you not think? One that comes to an impasse, indeed it is one. Now kindly go to your rooms. Sleep well, as if it will be the final day you rest your head in peace. Be gone, out of my sight. There will be no more incidences here tonight.”

Kac, Lorana, Dorio, and Yun marched up the stairs that they once stayed in before the Trail of Tears was lead out of Malitu. They all went in unlocked doors, and shut them, silently going to sleep.

“So then, what happens next. Surely you do not exactly intend to leave them without scars?” Arkur said to Vircona, who resumed wiping down the counter. Galad sheathed his sword, and took the chains holding Lerien and brought her to the hallway. He punched her again before opening a door that went downstairs.

“Oh Arkur, my good keeper, I already have.” She answered sinisterly. “These four will probably kill the next of the forgotten soon, and indeed the wounds that Kac has done to himself will harm him until the day he dies. A horrible fate it really is.”

“Have ye seen it dreary lady?” he asked.

“Yes, and indeed it is such a misfortune. Not exactly a fate I would wish to experience myself, but when so many people fear death, they do not fear the afterlife. He will grow to live nightmarish deeds from tomorrow, to the day he dies, to every day everafter. Do not underestimate the Abyss of Chaos. It is one of the Nine Layers of Hell, and by far the easiest one to live in. Pay very little mind to the creatures that roam, trying to reach that mountain in the center, only one can make it. Never mind the series of prisons and dungeons that lay between each layer of hell, each bringing forth another nightmare, far worse than the one below.” She let out a sigh of relief. “Arkur, when he dies, he will not be summoned to the depths of the Abyss of Chaos, no. He will be summoned to the Ninth Layer of Hell, where there is no well to wet his dry, chapped lips. And then, only then will the beginning of it all start again.”