“So that’s how I met him.”
Shierra said.
“After resting at that tavern in
Fieri, the last thing the gnome said that he will return.” She added.
Reis took a moment to digest the
information. For the last hour or so, they slowed their ride to a leisurely
trot, due to the insistence of Sabre. While the horse is catching its breath,
Shierra told Reis of her background and of her quest to learn about her human
father. She told him how she had literally stumbled upon the inquisitive gnome
who had become her travelling companion ever since.
“Well then, what’s next?” Reis
asked.
Shierra bit her lip and pondered
about what she would say next.
“I was walking about, exploring
the town. I saw a house, though it looked like many of the houses at the edge
of town, this house somehow had piqued my curiosity.” She began.
“I was at the gates, and was
about to step in when I was startled by him.”
Shierra continued.
“Who was he?” Reis asked,
interested.
“He was like my kin, though not
exactly. A dark elf named Morohtar.”
Reis was definitely interested.
One does not simply encounter a dark elf through casual passing. It was said
that a dark elf is there to perform dark deeds, often hired by others to do so.
“He was meeting someone, and it
so happened that the owner of the house was his contact. It was a goblin, whose
name I can’t recalled at the moment.” Shierra added.
“A goblin and a dark elf, meeting
in a desolate town.” Reis said.
“The next few moments were..difficult.”
There was a change in the tone of her voice. “Those dead men at the town
center, the brutes..they barged into the goblin’s house. Morohtar fought them
off, and we escaped to the streets. He told me that somehow, the brutes were
looking for me too. He told me to hide and flee when I can.”
“You ran to the stable?” Reis
asked her.
“Yes. I was scared. There were
buildings burning around me, and I ran the best I could to find shelter.” There
was a paused. Reis heard Shierra taking a deep breath. He let her take as much
time as she needed.
“And you met Rianna, the barmaid
there, where she hid you beneath the floor space.” Reis said. Shierra nodded,
affirming what she had told him before.
“She saved my life, Reis! While I
was hiding, I can hear those brutes…ravaging her. They were looking for me. She
could have let them find me, but she didn’t.”
Reis nodded slowly. He could hear
the pain in her voice.
“It’s alright, Shierra. I mourn
for her loss too.” He said.
They rode in silence after that.
The sun was setting, and Reis steered Sabre off the road and into the woods.
The woods were thin, and they stopped at a clearing. A small fire was lit and
they rested as the day grew to night.
* * * *
The sound of snapping twigs
jolted Reis awake. He shot up and drew his sword, and in doing so woke Shierra
from her sleep.
“Quiet.” Reis whispered sharply
to her. Shierra nodded, and stood up with her staff in her hand. The night was
clear with the moon bathing everything with silvery light, yet it was dark
enough to conceal assailants. Reis trained his ears to the sounds around him.
The
sound of trodden leaves grew louder, and closer. Slowly, Reis’ trained hand
grasped the hilt of his sword, and drew the blade.
