Go to Part 1
Aleeto sighed inwardly. Well, so much for gathering any information from this lot the easy way. He tried to stop fussing at himself and prepare. Taking slow regular breaths like a sleeper, wasn't the best way to center yourself before a fight, but it would have to do. Three to one odds weren't the best, but the only one who looked like he'd be much trouble was the half-orc. Again he tried to focus and clear his mind. The thugs were almost close enough.
Now! Aleeto's arm snapped up flinging the remaining hot tea at the orc's face, then slinging the mug at the man with him. He erupted out of the chair as if on a spring. His left hand cocked back, at a thought his ring transformed into a bronze capped fighting staff. His right hand grasped it further down and he snapped it in a high strike going for the half-orc's head. The hot tea hadn't really done much to blind his opponent, but it had distracted him. So he didn't notice the staff until a bit too late. Even so, the hulking thug rolled with the strike. Despite a sound like an ax hitting wood, the thick skulled halfbreed didn't fall. He did stumble though, and he dropped the knife.
Unfortunately the half-orc's companion produced a nasty little stiletto and moved to come at Aleeto from a different direction. His staff was already swinging into a position for a follow up strike on the halfbreed, leaving him open to this new attack. Suddenly another bit of motion at the edge of his perception registered. A fraction of a second later there was an angry metallic hiss and a meaty thunk. The human thug looked down at the long sword buried in his chest. His eyes followed the steel blade to the knight's mailed arm and then up that to meet his killer's eyes. As the man collapsed, the now very awake knight shook the corpse off his sword. Aleeto's staff continued to move, making a fast one, two, three combination and the half-orc collapsed.
Looking around for the proprietor he found the him slumped next to the bar with the dagger he'd earlier seen on the knight's belt sticking out of his heart, and a cocked crossbow next to his limp hand. Aleeto blinked in confusion and turned to face the knight who held the bloody sword in a casual nonthreatening manner, but was regarding him with a suspicious expression.
In a thick aristocratic Therlander accent the knight said, “Methinks thou art no more a helpless popinjay than I was asleep at yon table.”
“Er, no.” Aleeto bowed and said, “Aleeto, Agent of the Dorian Information Gatherer's Guild at your service.”
The knight smiled and returned the bow, then wiped the blood off his blade and sheathed the sword in one smooth motion, “I am Sir Garold, Order of the Long Road. I perceive that we must both be here to put an end to the nefarious deeds of these miscreants.”
“Ah. That explains what you are doing here a day and a half from the nearest point on the Pilgrim Road.”
“Aye. I was to meet a companion in Three Corners. But there was no sign of him. As he had undertaken a mission to Dori on behalf of the order, I took myself this way in hopes of ascertaining his fate. This establishment had an unsavory air to it. Thus you found me here testing their mettle.”
“Why weren't you knocked out?”
“How could I not find it peculiar that such a vile place as this would serve such an exalted beverage? So I took a vial of anti-toxin and let my head fall forward. As Saint Willum said in chapter seven of the Book of the Wheel, “Those with things to hide often reveal their secrets when they think no one will witness it.” I hoped to find out if these loathsome spawn worked mischief on my missing companion, without need of putting them to the question.”
“Isn't that being a bit...Well sneaky? At least for someone of your order?”
“Anyone who thinks a man in full gear such as I wear could fall asleep in that chair, and remain seated, would be called a fool by some. So if someone thought I was in a doze, that is no fault of mine.” Garold gave him a crooked smile.
Aleeto tilted his head and laughed. “I think I've just been called a fool. Well, I can't say this evening turned out as I'd hoped. I would rather have taken the boss prisoner, but at least I can report back to the Guild that this operation is shut down. It was bad luck for these bastards that we both ended up here to deal with them at the same time.”
Sir Garold nodded soberly, “Perhaps twas the gods that arranged it? It could be this was no chance meeting.”
No comments:
Post a Comment