Chapter 165: Interlude XXXIII – The Shadows

Humpf, ain’t seen one o’ those for a wee while! Balin thought as he landed from his step off the roof. It had been a while since a thirty-foot drop had been even remotely noteworthy. Gvartrill was a pleasant weight on his back as he landed. What'd I do without ya? Hmm, old friend. A wicked grin formed on his rough face. Many years in the forge had thickened and tanned and hardened his skin until it looked more like leather than anything else.

 

“It’s been a while since we got a chance ta play, hasn’a it?” Balin felt his constant companion vibrate with glee. It would love the taste of this creature’s blood, it was hard to find foes that could sta the blade these days, and if he wanted it to stay loyal, it needed regular meals. Gvartrill always grew him to the strongest opponent in the area. It was like the blade could taste blood laced with power. To Balin, it had always been that way. Like seeing in the dark, he knew where strength lay. It was had to explain to the sightless humans, but there it was.

 

Balin looked again at the source of Gvartrill’s excitement. The hulking mass of muscle and sinew breathed heavily. Having not turned yet to meet Bali’s gaze, he was still facing away. Balin had seen the remains of the other two men splattered on the walls of the alley and simply grinned wider, his lips almost cracking from the strain he placed on them. This would be quite a lot of fun. Gvartrill was unlikely to bother him for a while after this. After all, a Berserker was quite the delicacy.

 

Ready to party? He would never explain it to anyone, but unless one had wielded a great treasure, they could never understand talking to it. Those that called him mad didn’t understand. It was a symbiotic relationship. Part dwarf, part sword, a killing machine.

 

As the horror turned, Balin drew Gvartrill, the greatsword’s humming grew louder, resonating with the blood dance that was about to take place. Balin braced his feet against the ground as Gvartrill’s vibrations caused his arms and hands to tremble. His excitement resonated with that of his sword, and his bloodlust rose in concert with it as well.

 

As was his ritual, he spoke the words. “With you and I am nothing. Without me, you are nothing.” Then he kicked off the alley with such force that the cobblestones beneath him were ground to dust and blew away on the wind of his passing. Sword poised to his right side with his left shoulder foremost, flew at his opponent, ready to strike.

 

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Garwid grunted; every time Balin rushed off with his sword directing, he seemed to get the rough side of Isodel’s tongue. He couldn’t stop the man, and while he respected Isodel greatly, it was hard to maintain it when your commanding officer was having a child-like tantrum.

 

“Where the fu-! Where has that idiot gone now!” Isodel swore. “He knows he can’t just run towards danger. We need to handle this properly. Every time he goes off with that sword of his, it throws a wrench in our plans!”

 

“Hehe, you know, after he ran off the last time, I was sure you would factor it into your future plans. Hehe, nothing to be done about it now, though, Iso! Just work with it. I am sure he will make something work and come back with good intel in the end!”

 

“Don’t call me Iso! I told you a hundred times already. No nicknames, ass!” Isodel seethed at the fat man. Garwid simply sighed inwardly and continued to watch the surrounding streets. Why couldn’t they just maintain decorum and act a little more dignified? Their station certainly merited it. This type of behaviour was all too common when Isodel and Lekkar were in the same space, but it did not make it acceptable. They will rectify the situation the way they always do, he thought. Best leave them to it.

 

“Shut it, Lekkar, okay, here is the plan. You go scout the inns and taverns in the city, you know the usual ones, so start there, move down the list to the less likely places until I give you the signal.” Lekkar nodded with an insufferable smirk on his face. He might follow Isodel’s orders when they were given directly. Still, he made it clear enough that he would only accept a direct command. All suggestions and insinuations were summarily ignored. “Garwid, you will walk through the non-residential areas. No need to talk. Just use your detection skills to locate the prince if he is anywhere nearby.” Garwid grunted and nodded before moving to obey orders.

 

As he was leaving, he heard Isodel quietly say, “And I will check the residential areas. He may have decided to go there.” Garwid could have told her there was no need to say anything but that wasn’t his style. Usually, unnecessary words were what got people into trouble.

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Two seconds later, he vanished from the meeting spot and reappeared in the market district. He would find who he needed.

 

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That idiot Lekkar! Does he always need to be the most irritating version of himself with me! Isodel baulked as she watched the fat man amble away to the nearest inn. He would get the job done. At least she could rely on him for that much. Idiot man!

 

Isodel took a deep breath and used the meditation technique the Queen had taught her. He owed much to her Queen. One might argue she owed everything to her. Isodel was inclined to agree, but the Queen always said otherwise. Well, whatever was true, it didn’t matter. She was loyal to the woman that had given her everything in life.

 

Finding her son was a priority that superseded all others, and considering his handicap, who knew what kinds of trouble he would fall into unbidden. His condition really was a fickle mistress. She didn’t envy the boy’s position, not a bit.

 

She bumped into a taller man as she walked through the streets to get to the residential district. “Hey! Watch where you’re going!” she yelled at him in passing. She cursed him in her head. People always thought they could walk over her because she was smaller than them. The man dared to look a little taken aback at her words. Probably thinking it was my fault. Who's the bigger person here? She mentally admonished her use of language. Not literally! Her features darkened further as she continued to stare the man down, and he cleared his throat and hastily turned and continued walking the way he was going. That’s right! Keep walking ass-! She had to mentally stop herself from continuing that thought.

 

Isodel continued to mutter to herself as she walked through the city centre and a little south of the Academy with its vast library in the distance. There was some noise and commotion, but that was the city. It was always bustling in Darf. Isodel smiled at the town, some of her irritability fading as she enjoyed walking in the city. She was dressed in an Aera dress, designed for the windy weather with her combat uniform underneath. During the day, it was necessary to blend in, and while it would typically grate on her to have to wear such frivolous things, today, the warmth was more welcome.

 

Passing through the noise and arriving at the quieter streets, she used her aura sensing abilities. She took pride in having honed them until only Garwid’s were better and began scanning the houses and avenues for the prince’s signature. They had been given some idea by the queen before being sent out.

 

Immediately Isodel began feeling the auras of all the people in the houses. Children and adults alive exuded a sense of self that grew with age and activity. Isodel sneered at the lack of growth in some of the adults. Lazy bas-, ahem. Lazy people! She couldn’t stand laziness. There was no excuse for not working on either mind or body. If you don’t like physical activity, you should work on your mental capacity, if nothing else! Anyway, it wasn’t her problem, but she would whip all those useless farts into shape if it were up to her. That Lekkar, let’s himself get fat on purpose as well. I think he does it to spite me! Lekkar was just as fit as the rest of them, but she had to admit, he wouldn’t attract attention in a crowd of three. That innocuousness was a significant selling point for his style of infiltration. She, on the other hand, preferred a more…hands-on approach.

 

One way or another, they would find the young prince because while Darf was safe for most of the populace, incidents had been reported. Pravwell awaited those fortunate to be caught alive. Shoring up her resolve, Isodel doubled her speed and her search.

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