System Break

Although there was only four of us they gave us the large guest room. Maybe they only had the one guestroom but the Dokkalfar trusted us more with each encounter and became friendlier as if welcoming old friends. 

We sat on our beds, Gisael was next to me and Sakaala was at the other end of the room. Redmond was halfway between. 

"I don't think I'm ready. You have no idea how much there is to learn."

"Nonsense," Sakaala said. "Barrin will give you a trainer. You can continue your apprenticeship at our mine. Stop being a pussy and man up for once in your life."

I glanced at Gisael and mouthed, "Ouch."

"He is cautious," Gisael said. "This is not a bad trait for an artisan."

"You'll be fine," I said and waved my hand in dismissal. "I'm more worried about the new recruits. You need to work with Ailen and ensure we get the right people."

"Do they have to pay?"

I shrugged. "That's not my problem. Ailen can work that out. Just help him screen the candidates."

Redmond nodded. "We just need to market it the right way. You're right there are plenty of players who'd rather be crafters than get eaten by a troll."

"Good Dokkalfar," I said. 

"Where are we going tomorrow? What's the surprise?" Sakaala asked curtly.

"What's in this treaty? We will probably have to go see the Duke of Salastria. We want to help the fort on the lake. The Reach. They need more than us because it's becoming seriously dangerous up north. The purple clouds are intense you can barely see during the day and the stars and moon are obliterated from the night sky."

I continued. "We'll discuss this with him and see if we can come to an agreement. Then we need to get a message to the fisherfolk."

I let this all sink in. "What are the key points in the treaty with Salastria?"

Sakaala pursed her lips then sighed. "Fine. The Duke and his lackeys were mainly concerned with taxes. They tried to allow for all types of revenue they could leverage. They added transport fees, management fees and audits. If you killed any beast within three miles of the walls of the fort then those cores would be taxed. They conceded we already hunt the entire north but didn't want to concede assistance and base that the fort would provide."

I laughed derisively. "Idiots. If I wasn't there then the fort would have fallen and they want to tax us for it?"

She shrugged. "I was left alone, and it was the best I could do."

I waved my hand and smiled. "You did well. It's the idiot duke we have an issue with."

"You should have let the fort fall. Then they would have no base in the north and the whole issue would be over."

"The people in the fort aren't adventurers," I said. "And you know, we'd have a worse problem with orks. They're our mortal enemy after all. I couldn't leave them alive."

"I hate to sound harsh, but you could have let the orks wipe out the fort and then kill them afterwards."

I nodded and leaned forward. My arms hung over my legs and my head down. Then I looked up and at her. "Yes, we could have done that. But then I'd be a total prick wouldn't I?"

Gisael put a hand on my upper leg. "You both have good points, but what is done is done. The orks are dead and some of the city folk are saved. The ones who live now trust and some adore you." She squeezed my leg with the last part of her statement.

Sakaala peered at me. "Maybe I can wait here while you go to Salastria."

Redmond scoffed. "You've been complaining the whole time about being left behind."

I shook my head. "We go from Salastria to a boat. Then we will ask for passage from the fisherfolk. We won't be coming back."

"What about Loctris?" Sakaala said. "If we're visiting every city down here we may as well go to the capital."

"And into the snake's den? Where he is most powerful?"

She leaned forward. "You can kill him."

"He has the connection with the gatekeepers what would that … wait. It will expose him as an adventurer. He wouldn't be able to come back without them knowing if we chop off his head and put it on a pole for all to see."

Sakaala smiled. "I have a better idea."

She had a wicked mind. We discussed her idea well into the night. Gisael hated it and it made Redmond nervous. I had to admit it was bold and creative.

"Let me sleep on it," I said.

She smiled. "I will be sleeping over here. Alone." She said the last word loudly and I wasn't sure who it was directed at. It could have been anyone - including herself.

That night Gisael and I made a ton of noise and we didn't care. We were Svartalfar and it was as normal as eating. Gisael was eager to get pregnant once she learned Reyas was with child. She did not let a day go by without taking a load.

The next morning Redmond could not look me in the eye. I put a hand on his shoulder. "You need to get over your hang-ups. This is a new world."

The crafters reworked my large pack to accommodate all three weapons. It had been built for one spear on the right, but now despite being much heavier it felt better balanced. The glaive was in the centre and the spears on either side. 

We traded all the hell hound furs for some tools for Redmond. The Dokkalfar needed more time to select the members of their expedition because a single night was not enough. They also needed time to outfit and prepare. It was decided that Redmond would stay behind one last time and we'd come back for him when we escorted the expedition.

With a warm send-off we were on our way to Salastria. Gisael, Sakaala and me. This was going to be fun.