Chapter 15: Chapter 13

Another night past with nothing suspicious happening. We head down to the tavern room on the first floor and sit around for a bit. Argentian is drinking as usual and I'm practicing manipulating my smoke again. Soon Izzy and Willow come down and have breakfast before beginning their first performance. They're quite good, though Willow is upstaged by Izzy a bit.

 

Around midday a priest comes in and I notice it's the same one we talked to the when we first arrived. He comes over to us and quietly asks us to follow him to the temple. Argentian looks mournfully at his cup but we follow him out and end up in the same private room we used last time.

 

“Thanks for coming. We've managed to verify your story. The town was in a terrible state, I fear there's no way for it to recover at this point. We also managed to somewhat verify your identities by questioning some remaining members of the Guild. Thus my superiors have decided to help you in finding the resistance. Truthfully you aren't the only ones from Petra to approach us about this.” He said at length.

 

“So how do we find the resistance?” I ask impatiently. If we can find the resistance we'll be one step closer to ending the church's reign of terror. One step closer to seeing that another tragedy like Petra doesn't happen again.

 

He makes a calming gesture and continues, “We don't know how to find the resistance itself, but we can tell you how to identify their members. They have a symbol, three daggers surrounding a black circle. That's the symbol their agent's carry around to show their allegiance to those in the know. Unfortunately that's all I can tell you, you'll have to find them on your own from here.” He finished but I was only half listening. I already knew someone who carried that symbol, Izzy the kindly but intense bard. I never thought I'd get to this point so quickly. How do I bring up joining to her? I can't do it in the open obviously so I'll have to get her alone somehow. Damn, this is hard; I'm so much better at books.

 

Argentian thanked the priest and asked if we can be left alone for a moment. After he left he turned to me and asked; “You okay, lassy? Ya've been spacin out for a bit there.”

 

“I'm fine, but...” I answer, and look around to make sure we're alone, “We've already met someone from the resistance. Izzy, you know, the bard who asked you for a story. The symbol was burned onto her guitar.”

 

“Well, sheit, I didn't notice.” Argntian said with a dumbstruck look on his face. “How d'ya wanna approach her?”

 

“I don't know, that's the problem. We need to meet with her alone somehow, because I don't know if her friend is in on it too. How do you suggest we do it?” I ask quickly. I need some guidance here, people are not my forte.

 

“I'd jus' be honest with 'er. Tell 'er it's 'bout da symbol on 'er guitar.” He says. Easy for him to say, he's probably gonna leave the talking to me again. I guess that's normal for us at this point so I can't really say much.

 

I get up with a sigh and say, “Let's go. I'll figure out how we do this on the way back, I guess.” He follows me and we start heading back to the inn. I racked my brains all the way back and came to a surprisingly simple solution. I'll just have to wing it and see what happens. Yup, no plan. Just gonna go for it. Let's goo!

 

We get back to the inn and find everyone eating lunch. It is about that time now that I think on it. We find a table and order something ourselves. We'll approach Izzy after we eat. More time to mull over my inadequacies couldn't hurt, right?

 

Eventually lunch ends and we approach Izzy while she's setting up for her next set. “Hey, Izzy? Could we speak to you privately please?” I ask.

 

She looks up to us politely and says, “Sure thing. I need to grab something from my room anyways.” All while packing away an instrument in a case. We follow her upstairs and into the room across from ours. Her room has the same layout as ours, though their luggage is more colorful and interesting than ours. She sets down the case that I realize probably contains a violin or something similar, and picks up something that looks like a circular harp. “Sorry about that, I know it could be a little weird to have someone you met just yesterday invite you to their room. Just don't wanna be a one trick pony, ya know?”

 

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“Thanks for meeting us, we just... How do I put this...?” I start but Argentian interjects.

 

“We wanna join tha resistance, lassy. Think ya c'n help us out?” What the hell!? You can't just come out and say it! Have some tact man. Gods, I hope she decides to overlook that little mistake.

 

Izzy gives a little chuckle as she walks over to a desk, picks up some papers that were laying on it and turns, leaning against the desk while seeming to read something on the papers. “I can't exactly get you in, but I can get you started. And thanks to that tale you told I should be able to do so quickly.” She says with a playful tone, though her eyes look serious.

 

I sigh in relief while Argentian bumps my shoulder and gives a smile. “What da we 'ave ta do then?” He asks after a moment.

 

“Well, you might not like it but it's quite simple. You just have to wait while we do a little digging about you. To your benefit your story of battle against the church already should give me a good starting point. There's a lot of ex-knights in our numbers so there should be one or two who can confirm who you are.” She says sheepishly.

 

“Waiting's no problem.” I say, “We've waited this long, what's a little more?”

 

“Right you are lassy! Ah'm tired of those church bastards doin whatever they want. It's 'bout time I step up and put 'em down.” Argentian says with passion.

 

“Love the energy, but don't get too excited quite yet. I've got a possible in for you.” She says pointing at Argentian, then looks to me. “you might be another story. The only one who can vouch for you is your friend here, I don't know if there's anyone in our ranks who would speak for you. So it might take a while to clear you. Is there anyone who you think might be in the resistance who could vouch for you?”

 

“Maybe my parents?” I say with trepidation. “They were being chased by the church and that's why they left me with some of their friends as a baby. Zendrick and Mist Blackhorn.”

 

Her lips curl ever so slightly upwards and her eyes take on a happy glint. “That, my friend, will expedite this quite nicely. I've never met them personally but even I know the name Blackhorn. Disregard what I said earlier about having to wait, with info like that I can probably get us moving by morning.” She reaches up to her earring and mumbles something and a few moments later Willow joins us in the room. She's slightly out of breath as though she ran up here and if she did, dang she's fast. “Seems we've got a message to send.”

 

“A message to them would mean only one thing in this situation.” And Willow looks over to us, “New recruits?”

 

“Yes, and we're gonna need a rendezvous point.” Izzy says quickly. “I have a strong feeling they're gonna be very interested in these two.”

 

Then Willow takes out a small round stone and starts, I assume, sending her message. Looks like a sending stone to me, though I've never actually seen one before. Here we go, joining the resistance. Now we can pay those motherfuckers back for all they've done.