þreyttur…

enjoy


37th chapter

darkness of minds

„what do you mean you with..“ Exen’tor began puzzled and then asked in hushed „tones You aren’t suggesting those … “people ship us to steamwheedle.
„They’re half bad I tell you in fact I’d daresay they’re about as trustworthy as obnoxious swashbuckling cutthroats can get.“
„They’re pirates? “Sira’dreth yelled, „oh this looming journey over the sea just keeps getting better and better.“
„Anywho they’re quite proficient at what they do.“
„Sailing up to other ships and cut the general population?“
„Lets focus on the sailing part ehh?“
Of course, then how about this, I think they’re pretty likely to sail us to a pirate base and try to kill us all.
„Don’be off yer respective hook me bonne lass“ the human from before interrupted as he staggered to the the table and grabbed Ankthar by the head, „I swear by me mothers grave,,,“
“Yer mam aint dead depp,” the dwarf interrupted before he quaffed a mug of mead.
“She isn’t?” depp asked and looked around wondering wether or not his mother was really still breathing, “well anyway if me mam’ould be dead I’d swear by her grave,..or her cat,.. she loves that bloody cat.”
Mizra sighed and asked tiredly, “look is there a point to this?”
“Yes butocoss there is, ye see instead of taking ye to a pirate camp where you would be unmistakingly surrounded by our friends who would as pirates are want to share the wealth of yer considerable assets and therefore reducing our probable gain from said action. Instead if we wanted to acquire what appears to be in yer possession a much quicker deadlier and more safer for all parties would be to stabe ye in yer respectice sleep while ye sail on me ship and by that we would not need to share what we would gain from ye instead of possibly dividing the possible wealth upon greater number of hands, incidentally pirate hands”.
Depp quaffed the mead from the mug, burbed and then said apologizingly: “ahh quite sorry me lads an’ ladies, here ah am explaining the possibility of ending yer respective lives and I haven’t introduced meself: luffy depp, but just call me depp”.
Exen’tor looked at the bloody hand as if it was some kind of a slimy monster that would eat his hand would he take it.
He then reluctantly shook it and introduced himself , Mizra and sira’dreth.
“Mister depp”.. he began
“Please.. call me luffy”
Luffy then but we’re looking for a safe ride to steamwheedle and I don’t think that Ankthar fighting with you for a few minutes clarify you as safe or …”
“Nonsense Ankthar proved hi’self to be a real pirate a’ pirates look out fer therown… or stab therown.. I forget. Anyway ye git ta think ‘bout it like this, why pay for a ride with a merchant in which ye don’t know whether tis gonna git attacked when ye kin git a ride with pirates thass prob’ly gonna attack that merchant?predator or prey mate“
“And I assure ye that there aint no shipe leaving port to stamwheedle any day now on account of , you know , pirates.”
Exen’tor said nothing for a while.
“How long will it take to get to steamwheedle? “ He asked.
“Bout two weeks give or take.”
“What will it take to make you not attack any merchants?”
lufyy laughed,” short of tha worlds end? Not much.”
“Fine, since we are in a terrible hurry, if you leave right away we’ll go with you.”
“Great, jez one thing, ye need ta work fer yer ride.”
“I’m not scrubbing floors”Sira’dreth stated.
“Ahh no me bonnie lass Ankthar spilled yer considerable fighting powers with tha rest of us.”
“ Seriously, you were fighting with him for five minutes how much of a talking and befriending can you get in a middle of a brawl?”
“Actually ye’d be surprised.”
“I’m sure I would. “Exen’tor sighed, “fine if need be we’ll help you with your…savagery. “
“Brilliant! We’ll sail in tha morrow but tonight we’ll drink!” And with that he shouted over the tavern: “ALL THA DRINKS ARE ON THA ELF MATES!”
“YEAHHH!!” Was sounded across the tavern by all manner of drunk pirates.
“NOOOOO!!!” Was sounded by Exen’tor but was immediately silenced by the drunks.
And so the party began.

When it ended however Exen’tor found himself in an unknown bedroom with Sira’dreth wrapped around himself.
He opened his eyes against the brilliant morning light and hoped Sira’dreths face being so close was a trick of the eye, a memoir of a dream.
Then she breathed an ale infested breath to his face that would in his experience kill a crocolisk.
He sighed at the realization of how events had the tendency to repeat themselves and said with contempt:” not again.”
At first he was going to move out of the bed with delicacy, but saw a green little creature holding a frying pan and a metal spoon on an armoire, grinning in his direction.
“Mesfer? “He asked in whispering tones.
“Yes” Mesfer answered without relenting his grin.
“what are you doing here?”
“Why I’m interested in ending this wake up scene quite loudly.”
“No I mean what are you doing on this plane of existence?”
“You summoned me. Remember?”
“No I …” exen’tor blinked and remembered some point during the night climbing up the top of the roof and proclaiming that he was the god of someone’s father.
“Oh dear ,” he said worried, “me and alcohol just don’t mix well together”. He looked at Mesfer who was about to play a tune on the pan.
“Wait” ,Exen’tor whispered loudly, “don’t do that” he begged.
“Why” Mesfer asked obviously enjoying himself enormously.
“I’ll do anything I’ll even stop killing you just don’t wake her up.”
Mesfer grinned, “this ,” he said, “is payback”.
The sound of metals striking metal was clear, high pitched , abusively loud and to weary minds, tired from last nights drinking, it sounded like a thousand elephants firing thousand cannons at the same time.
But Sira‘dreth did not wake up.
She didn’t move or yawn or even mumble incomprehensible dreamtalk.
Exen’tor smiled for a split second and casted a bolt of shadow to the disappointed imp.
It didn’t kill him but gave a shake and kept him stuck to the wall.
Exen’tor twisted himself from Sira’dreths grasp and walked half naked to the imp and pulled him from the shadow bolts hold.
“ Come then lets see if you can be of use to get rid of battered minds this earlyin the morning. “
And with that they left the room, Sira’dreth sleeping soundly.

Except of course as always when you presume someone is sleeping she was not sleeping soundly at all.
In fact she was visiting a friend of hers. It had been days since she had really slept always coming back to the voice to hear its stories and tell it what was happening on the outside.
“They’re so stupid ,she said. I mean seriously I go floating around, Mizra gets bloody wings! And they just act if its normal.”
“No speculation or ideas! Just silence and mindless acceptance.”
“CAN YOU BLAME THEM ? THE THRUTH OF YOU IS PROBABLY MORE THAN MOST WOULD BELIEVE.”
“But still ,I mean its not like I’m using spell s to set things on fire any more, even Mizra must have noticed how she no longer concentrates to freeze things.”
“WHAT OF THE OTHER ONE, EXEN’TOR? YOU SEEM TO CARRY MUCH AFFECTION TOWARDS HIM , EVEN ENOUGH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIM WHILE DRUNK.”
“ Oh please, it was as much him as it was me. Anyway its not affection, its curiousity.
He is the only one to show any powers. I mean sure he seems to have three power pools to draw on. One of them forbidden another life threatening.
But none to prove your words.”
“AHH BUT NOT EVEN I KNOW WHICH ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS WAS CHOSEN BY MY FRIENDS. HE COULD HAVE ANY POWER AT ALL.”
“ There was silence.”
Sira’dreth sighed and there was more silence, she looked in the darkness.
“ When can I rescue you?”
“SOON. VERY SOON. ALREADY THE WHEELS ARE SOINNING , AND THE FOOLS THAT KEEP ME HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF IT.
STILL THE WORDS OF HAKKARS DOWNFALL WILL SOONER OR LATER REACH THEM AND THEN THEY WILL BE AT OUR BACKS, REMEMBER TO TAKE EXTRA CARE WHEN THEY SHOW THEMSELVES. THEY WILL BE WATCHING YOU SPECIFICALLY.”
“Why?”
“BECAUSE OF ME,” if the voice would if had a face it would have smiled.
“WE’LL FICUREOUT WICH ONE OF THE GATEKEEPERS IS CHOSEN BY WHOM., LEARN THEIR WEAKNESSES…”
“And then?”
“AND THEN WE STRIKE.”
Sira’dreth smiled.
In the darkness of her own mind the smile reached her ears when she though of how she would rip Mizra’s head off when she would betray her.
And in the darkness of her mind sira’dreth laughed
And far away the source of her power laughed with her, with himself and with the thought of being free once again.
Sira’dreth was no longer alone.