VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 21:10:06 04/15/02 Mon
Author: Erlic Eastlore
Subject: Newcomers and dangers
In reply to: Tristan 's message, "Waiting for the healer" on 16:29:10 04/15/02 Mon

The group searched the area, and had found nothing of real value, that is until Argus discovered a secret door, and was catapulted back several feet due to an enchanted trap that had been placed on the secret door. “Obviously,” Erlic stated. “Someone wanted to make sure that no one made it down past the door, or else there’s more to it than meets the eye.

It was at that very moment that Erlic received a mind message from Marz. That, in itself was quite unusual, since his student often forgot that he possessed that power to communicate with others via the mind. What was even more unusual was the message that Marz had related, which could only mean that one or some of the party had gotten injured. Regardless of the situation, he decided it was best to postpone the trap door until they investigated the situation.

“I believe there’s a problem,” Erlic instructed the others. “Val, your services are needed outside by Marz.” Erlic had no idea of Jeremy’s situation, and would likely find out in due time. Valhorek quickly exited the building, and started to head towards Marz when Tia called out to him requesting his services. The healer quickly arrived by Rowan who had just set a very bruised Jeremy on the ground.

Erlic turned towards the rest of the group. “I suggest we return later to inspect that secret door,” he added. “Let’s find out what’s going on.”

The group left the building, only to see Rowan, Tia, and Valhorek huddled over Jeremy. From the other direction, Erlic could see Marz carrying a little girl in his arms, and Tristan helping what appeared to be an oriental youth.

Erlic turned to Ravin, who simply shrugged, and the group joined the others. Before even attempting to question the oriental, Erlic immediately asked what happened upon seeing Jeremy’s condition. Rowan, and Tia managed to explain his capture by the assassins, and how they had managed to kill the two off. They placed an emphasis, on how the assassins were still looking for Alakbar, and knew that he was in the general vicinity.

“I suggest we all return to the tower for now,” Erlic suggested. He turned to Rowan, and whispered. “Take the lead, and be wary.” The elf simply nodded as he started to make his way toward the tower. “Val, you take care of Jeremy, and stay within the center of the group. Everyone else be vigilant. The slayers can be quite deadly when they want to.”

The group started to head back toward the tower with Rowan in the lead, and Erlic, and Ravin in the back. He turned to his fellow thief, and asked. “So how exactly, given the expansiveness of this territory, did they manage to locate us? Something’s not right, and I don’t think we’ll be rid of them within the near future.”

Both Erlic, and Ravin, along with the rest of the group, continued their way toward the tower, eyes darting into different directions looking for any signs of trouble. Eventually they finally reached a sort of sanctuary, at least as far as they were concerned. They were now gathered in one large group, and it would be somewhat difficult for the assassins to attack them all, unless there was a large group of them.

Valhorek quickly began his work on Jeremy, noting the many bruises and cuts he had sustained from the assassin’s torture. Luckily for Jeremy, there weren’t any broken bones, and the healer simply treated the wounds, sanitizing them, and wrapping clean bandages around the area.

Satisfied that Jeremy was all right, Erlic turned his attention to the newcomers of the group that were huddled by Marz, and Tristan. Both were quiet, and kept their heads lowered. When Erlic approached Marz, his student explained how Tristan had found a set of tracks in the tavern they were searching, leading to the discovery of Noyko, and Ablina. Marz added that Noyko had an injury to his leg. His student also added that both of them were slaves, whose master had been killed by some hairy creatures here in the ruins. They had been in hiding ever since.

Once Valhorek had finished with Jeremy, and prepared an herbal tea for the youth, although he realized that the other worldly youth had his own drugs to take for the removal of pain, he made his way over to where the newcomers were sitting. He checked out the boy’s leg, and found it merely to be infected. “This is going to sting a bit, but then it’ll go away,” Val stated with a smile. He poured the white powder on the injury, and waited. Once satisfied he applied a salve to the injury to prevent further infection, and then wrapped it in clean bandages. He then checked on the girl, and found nothing wrong with her other than malnutrition, and a bit of dehydration.

“He’ll be fine,” Val mentioned to Erlic. “However it seems that both of them are somewhat undernourished, a bit tired, and a bit dehydrated. Nothing a little rest wont fix up.”

Erlic nodded to the healer as he turned his attention to the newcomers. Noting the eastern complexion of Noyko, Erlic started to speak in his native tongue, wondering if the boy remembered the language. Noyko looked surprised as Erlic greeted him in his own tongue for the guild master did not appear to be of eastern decent.

The youth thought a moment before speaking. “Are you to be our new master?”

The question was straight forward, just as a slave would have been thought to respond with. “No,” Erlic replied giving the youth a brief smile. “Consider yourselves free, and slave to no one.” Judging by the look of confusion in the boy’s face, Erlic realized that slavery had been a part of his life, and freedom was not an option.

“Freedom?” Noyko asked quite puzzled. “Then whom we to serve? We have not known, or understood freedom. We only taught to obey, and serve.”

The guild master realized that this was not going to be a simple chore. He thought for a moment before answering the youth. “Rather than giving you an answer first, perhaps you tell me where you come from, and how you managed to arrive here.” It took a bit of prodding, but the youth quickly answered as if he were still a slave, wishing only to please his masters.

Noyko related how he had been raised up until the age of eight, before being handed over to the slaves. He apologized for not remembering more of his youth, but since that time slavery had been a part of his life. He continued to inform the guild master that he had gone though many masters, and this last one seemed to be the kindest. He had only been with him for a year before getting killed by the hairy monsters. He and Ablina managed to remain hidden, eating whatever they could find to sustain them. As far as the reason for being handed to the slavers, Noyko could not remember, only that he had been instructed to be quiet, and perform whatever tasks were set before him.

Erlic suddenly realized that he was interrogating them, when they could really use some food. “C’mon,” he stated, as he started to walk toward the kitchen. When he heard no movement, he turned around, smiled, and motioned them toward him. He asked them to sit at the table. Since Corum was already there, Erlic decided that it was best to make some introductions, introducing the skull staff wielder as well as the others.

“Yo dude!” Corum exclaimed placing some plates of food, and drink in front of both Noyko, and Ablina. “Welcome to the club. By the way, the skinny guy here,” pointing to Yorik, is Yorik, and this here is Brat,” pointing to the monkey, “and Eyes,” pointing to the kangaroo rat.

Noyko, and Ablina simply kept their hands on their lap, not daring to eat the food. “You don’t need permission to eat,” Erlic stated. “None of us are masters here. We’re all individuals, and free to do as we please. For now simply enjoy yourselves, and don’t be afraid to ask any questions. If you’re still hungry, simply ask, and it will be provided.”

The oriental youth nodded his head once before turning to Ablina who seemed to be waiting for him to start eating. Eventually both of them started to enjoy the fresh food that had been placed in front of them. As the other members of the group started to sit at the table, Erlic made sure they were introduced, if they hadn’t introduced themselves already.

As they ate, the guild master realized that they ate in silence while everyone else was talking, moving around, or simply doing anything. “You don’t need permission to talk,” Erlic reminded the two youths. “Please feel free to discuss whatever is on your mind. We’re not here to harm you, or, treat you as slaves.”

Obviously it was going to take some time for them to simply understand the term freedom, but at least they would be safe from the environment. Erlic turned to the rest of the group. “Based on the information we received from Jeremy,” the guild master began. “I suggest that we stay in one group, especially with the threat of more assassins being nearby. Those that wish to remain behind, do so. For those that wish to continue the exploration of the ruins, we’ll leave in about a few hours. Argus discovered a magically trapped door in the supply store we were about to check out when Jeremy had been captured, and Marz and Tristan had discovered the newcomers.”

Erlic turned his attention back to Noyko. “In answer to your question as to whom you should serve,” Erlic stated with a brief smile. “There is a story a man once told me. Why is it, in all the wide blue sky, the bird knows which way to fly? Perhaps it looks at the ground for reference points. Maybe it can only go forward, following its beak. It could be an inner dictate of its mind. Or perhaps it’s instinct. For direction, look to nature. For direction, look into yourself—is it not possible that we have within us an instinct for direction as strong as the bird’s? If you can find that—and it most assuredly exists in each of us—then you will find freedom.”

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Forum timezone: GMT-6
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.