“So that’s your goal, huh?” Rook asked, looking around the stone room, in the far corner was a training dummy the size of a mature oak. It had thousands and thousands of scratches, no doubt from countless hours of practice.
“I have to do something, Kay. After everything they did, after what they did to Archer. I have to join.”
Rook found himself nodding along with what she was saying, and he crossed his arms. “Who has the final vote when it comes to accepting races into the coalition?”
The Bloodstone,” Reina said, coldly. “They have the final vote on everything, from what I was told. One hundred fifty years ago, kings and queens of cities ruled. It was a melting pot of all the races. The coalition people were more accepting of all races, like the Torokin, and even elves, for that matter. Back then, the elves mostly stayed in the forests and in the mountains, but now it seems the only elves that have come out of hiding or that you see are the Bloodstone.
“What if the Bloodstone weren’t to exist anymore?” Rook asked.
The trio just stared at him blinking, before Mara laughed.
“Archer said the same thing.” Mara wiped a bead of sweat from her neck. “If that were to happen, the world would go back to normal, but the Bloodstone can’t be beaten.”
“Why not?” Rook asked? “We’re Sentinels, well, initiates now. Soon enough, we’ll have the resources to assist, and if you join-”
Command Presence- Silver Tongued Bastard failed.
Failed?! How did it fail? Rook’s worry shot up. It was subtle, but he felt a strong resistance coming from the torokin. What goood is a skill called Silver Tongued Bastard, if it fails? Rook smiled, unsure how to proceed. Since he first discovered the skill, it had been sort of like a speech check in a video game, he figured.
Mara let a long hiss out of her snout, cutting Rook off. “Because they have the blood queen and her blood magic. Anyone who’s gone against them dies horribly. And before you even get to her, you have their generals. General Krai and General Lan. Those two became her generals and maintained their title by fighting in the circuits to prove they were the strongest. Many have tried to take them out to take their place, even amongst the Bloodstone, but no one’s won.”
“It was just a question,” Rook said, sucking on his teeth. “Why don’t you join us? We could use someone with your goal of vengeance against the Bloodstone.”
Mara frowned, as if mulling over the question. “I can’t,” she said, after a long moment. “I appreciate the help…on both occasions, but I’m needed here,” Mara said.
On the floor above, glass shattered, alerting the trio.
“What was that?” Mara asked.
“I don’t know,” said Kaylee, but I need to go check it out. I’m supposed to be manning the front.
They jogged up the stairs and back into the weapon shop. To Rook’s dismay, the front window had been broken, and seated at the countertop were three men. All were wearing the same red robes with the symbol that was placed on Mary’s face days ago.
“I don’t know who you are, but please leave.”
“Wow, wow, wow,” the front man said, pinching his black mustache to a point, similar to a cartoon Frenchman.
“I think these dirty races want us to leave.” The man behind mustache said. His shaved head, gold tooth, and earrings made him look like a pirate hooker.
The third one wore a stylish combo of a ponytail and a full beard, like an 80s action star.
“I had heard there were humans working in the shop; however, I didn’t think it was true, and you, Torokin bitch, you didn’t learn your lesson, did you?”
Rook glanced at Mara as she held an arm out in front of Kaylee. The torokin took a step forward, placing herself between the men and Kaylee.
“The shopkeeper asked you to leave, gentlemen, so please listen,” Reina said, her voice firm.
“We’ll do what we want!” The ponytail man screamed, taking a step forward.
“That’s enough. Listen, after we have our fun here, maybe we won’t burn your shop down.” The leader stroked his mustache before walking forward and pointing a finger inches from Rook’s face.
There were a few things Rook hated in this life: people who hurt the defenseless, blue cheese, and people who pointed in his face.
In a swift motion, Rook grabbed his finger. “Hey fuckface,.” Rook said, his voice flat and dangerous. “If you don’t leave we’re going to force you. Is that what you really want?”
Reina rested one hand on the hilt of her sword, ready to back him up.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
“You’ve got a death wish, man,” the ponytail said, producing a dagger from inside his sleeve.
“You can’t do this, we’re from the Wanver family.”
“Who?” Rook asked.
“The Wan-”
“Cares,” Rook cut him off. Twisting his finger just ever so slightly. “I told you to leave the shop, or you’re done.”
“Right now, you have not only insulted a noble, but you are also assaulting him. The penalty for that I believe is execution and when we say that the torokin we’re the ones behind it we’ll finally push all of you out of the city,” mustache chimed in, his face beading with sweat.
Rook let the man go, and he took several stumbling steps back towards his stonist friends, clutching his tender finger. If there was ever a time to activate, now would be it.
“Listen, we’re from the Order of the Sentinels. You really want to wager your nobility against the order, go ahead.” Rook’s tone was dangerous, barely above a growl. He held up his finger to let the group see his ring. Even though they were still Initiates, they were still technically in the Order.”
Command Presence- Silver Tongued Bastard Activated.
Let’s see if this works.
The men paled. “Sentinel, I had no idea the Order would be here in the Torokin district,” Mustache said.
“It shouldn’t matter, you don’t have to be evil just because your views differ,” Reina said, her hand still resting on the hilt of her sword.
The men nodded, and just as quickly as they came, they scrambled out of the shop and into the night.
“Thank you,” Kaylee said. “Mara, let’s clean this up and close for the night.”
“Mara, keep my offer to join my party in mind, please.” Rook held his hand out to shake the Torokin’s. “The offer’s always open,” Rook said, shaking both the women’s hands.
“I will, thank you both,” Mara said, bowing politely to them.
Rook and Reina helped the pair clean up the shop before leaving and heading out into the night and back towards the Stumbling Ogre.
“Say, what kind of armor did you get from the cattle, cattle, cattle quest?” Rook asked.
“I got a set of hide leather bracers that increase the user’s block. Which is nice, but I want gear that makes me quicker,” Reina said.
“Makes sense.” Rook opened his inventory and mentally clicked on the blurred-out armor.
Obtained ring of focus
The ring of focus allows a slower rate of mana depletion.
Without a second thought, Rook placed the ring on his finger. He held his hand up, letting the gold circlet shine in the blue glow of the rune lanterns. Shame she didn’t want to join us. The dark night brought the smell of incoming rain. The rainstorms of Washington were far behind him now, in another world, another life. However, rain remained a constant comfort, whispering times in on the porch, smoking a cigar, and having a whiskey with his grandpa Jimmy. Rook’s foot caught in a pothole, but at the last second his leg raised instinctively before he could sprain an ankle. Is this from the dexterity gain?
“Good catch, you can’t really sneak with a hurt ankle,” Reina said, looking back at the pothole. “It’s been some time since the builder’s guild checked the roads. It only takes one noble’s carriage or horse getting hurt to affect Aaron’s guildmaster status.”
“We’re still in the torokin part of town, I’m sure it’s better in the main portion of the trading district,” Rook responded.
They continued their trek until they reached the Stumbling Ogre. The usual crowd was inside, adventurers back from a quest and those who drank their sorrows away. I could use a stiff drink too, not that it’d do anything. They sat at the bar where Strike was busying himself with plates and wooden utensils.
“Rook, Reina.” The torokin twitched his ears and smiled. “I owe you both a drink, do I not?”
“I’ll take you up on that, at least I’ll have the taste,” Rook responded. He regarded Reina, who held her hand up in polite refusal.
“I’ll just have a water please, in fact we both will have a water with our food,” she looked at Rook’s foaming ale.
“Yes, mom.” Rook rolled his eyes. “I’ll just take some of the meat stew cooking in the back,” Rook said, licking his lips in anticipation. “I’ve really grown to love it.”
“All coming right up.” Strike regarded them for a long moment. “Thank you for what you did for Mara. It’s not easy trusting other races for her, not after everything with her son.”
“I’d do it all again, the only regret I have is that I didn’t stop the stonists in the alley, while I had the chance. Then, after the attack on the shop,” Rook said, shaking his hand.
“It seems my suspicions were correct, the corruption of the stonists runs deep, even in Ollar nobility,” Reina said, taking a sip from her water.
“Rook, you couldn’t have known what they were doing.”
“It’s the actions that you did that count, not the notions of what you didn’t do,” Strike said, before pivoting on his heel and heading towards the kitchen.
They went upstairs after the satisfying dinner and finished their routine until they were both lying down in their beds. Rook closed his eyes.
Would you like to view daily summary?
Y/N
Yes.
Samuel Rook Merrell
Level 14
792 experience of 850 until level 15
(Copper) Rank
Challenge Coins 1/8
Current party, Reina Jax enhancer level 13
Location Ollar city Brianna’s Tavern, The Stumbling Ogre
Current quests:
Find the Sacred Cipher
Join the Circuits
Strength level 5
Dexterity level 4
Arcane Wisdom level 9 + 5 (Sentinel Ring)
Charisma level 10
Constitution level 3 +5 (Sentinel Ring)
Skill gains
Blunt 250/250 (Unlock next tier with Bronze)
Block 80/ 250
Sneak 120/250
Attramancy 85/500
It seems I’m putting too much emphasis into Arcane Wisdom. He couldn’t dispute the fact that the bonus of controlling things easier with the base telekinesis was too good to pass up. It’s a shame that my Attramancy skill won’t raise like the others.
***
The next morning, Brianna stopped them on the way out of the tavern. “Jody wants you to meet him at the healing quarter.” Brianna handed a piece of folded parchment across the bar.
“Thanks,” Rook said, taking the note.
Meet me at the healing quarter tents.
-Jody Spalattersong
Reina leaned over to read the note. “A man of few written words,” she said.
They walked out towards the district, going with the flow of pedestrian traffic.
“I wonder if we’re going to buy some health potions there?” Rook asked, stepping out of the throughfare and into an alley behind Reina.
“No, we’re heading to Ollar’s healing quarter. It’s considered faux pas for healers to sell potions when they can do the act for free,” the enhancer said. “Why we’re actually going there, I couldn’t tell you,” Reina said, stepping out of the alley.
She led to the far part of the city, where a large wooden gate read Healing Quarter. The quarter was unlike the trade quarter; it was essentially an open flat field with tents. Some of the tents were painted with large M marks. Presumably for menders.
“What happened to the buildings?” Rook asked, confused at the change in scenery. What was once cobble and more modern buildings turned into sporadic structures and a large open field.
“The healing quarter sometimes uses flames, and it’s easier to cauterize a wound shut when the healers aren’t worried about burning a structure down. A tent is easily replaced, a building not so much.” She said, leading him into the open flap of a tent.
Rook gawked at the mixed healing staff. He didn’t know what to expect, but he wasn’t expecting such a diverse cast.
When do you normally read?
