The Hero’s Right Hand

Walking the streets of Balur was like a dream. Scents of unknown foods wafted through the air, inviting you to partake. Soft humming emanated from every direction like a song on the wind. Each step we took felt light and aery. The sturdy roads felt soft to the touch. The pleasantness of the city seemed to ease the tension among our group. Except for the marines who were growing angrier with the peaceful city.

Officer Lakelet finally broke their silence. “What was the point of that serpent? My comrades died! Others are still missing! And you want us to believe Balur is peaceful?!”

Hastios stopped and gestured for something. An elf who had been following our group stepped forward.

“We understand your frustrations but rest assured, the Vethyean marines who arrived before you are in good health,” the elf said. “We can provide your meal later if you’d like to see your crewmates first.”

There was some grumbling but no marine dared question Officer Lakelet.

“Please lead the way,” they replied. As their group separated from ours she thanked us.

“We’ll see each other again,” Aisha said then turned to Hastios. “We have questions regarding our quests. 

Hastios smiled. “Of course, but the mind functions better once the body is fed. And let us not forget the many wounds you’ve all suffered.” As he spoke, two similarly dressed elven women approached us. “We’ve prepared a place where your party can relax and enjoy a meal. I’m sure you agree it is necessary after the test that was thrust upon you.”

“It was harsh for something meant to act as a portal into the city,” Sariel groaned.

“I cannot ask you to understand as our ways are different from many outsiders,” Hastios said. “Regardless, you did well. Now it is time for you to enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

He approached a building and waved his hand in order to open the thick wooden doors that doubled him in height. Around it were circular flourishes that mimicked golden flowers budding from the marble wall. The ornamentation continued to every corner of the building.

Inside, the scent of food overwhelmed my senses. A table that stretched for dozens of feet was filled with delicacies of all kinds. Meats I didn’t recognize dripped with juices that triggered glew under the chandeliers. Fruits I’d only ever seen in books were cut into intricate designs. The drinks flowed endlessly from enchanted bottles into silverware I couldn’t afford in a lifetime. The only thing that shined brighter was Valefor unsheathed.

I found my mouth watering from the prospect of a warm meal. It had been just over a week since we left Wolden but the memory of Margaret’s cooking was fresh in my mind. Even as a guard I had more access to proper meals. I was growing accustomed to our less decadent meals and was thankful I could indulge every once in a while. Especially upon seeing it spread in front of me.

Four attendants pulled out chairs for us. Aisha sat at the head of the table with Sariel and Vofric on one side and me on the other. Avant sat on the floor next to me and was provided a bowl. Whatever food or drink we asked for, they provided. Unsure who else would be partaking, I hesitated at first.

“There is no need to restrain yourself,” Hastios said. “This is our gift to your party. Please indulge yourselves. When you are ready, you will each be provided a room to rest. We can discuss everything you wish to learn afterwards.”

Aisha sighed and shook her head. “No, this is good. It gives me time to get my thoughts in order.”

Hastios stepped out and we finally breathed easy for the first time. 

“What about you, Sariel?” I asked. “You never told us what you needed from Balur.”

She stared at me then took a deep breath. “There is no harm in telling you. I do not remember anything prior to fifty years ago.”

“Wait, how old are you?” I blurted out.

Sariel gave me her patented dumbfounded look. “I have looked like this for as long as I can remember. Obviously, this is abnormal for an elf but the scales are odd for any race I’ve ever crossed. They look fine; ugly but tolerable. However, when I use magic it feels uneasy. I don’t…” She leaned close and whispered. “I don’t require a conduit. While it’s an appreciated ability, I dislike the unknown.”

“Elves are well known for their arcane knowledge,” Vofric said assuredly. “Rumor has it, some can draw on their mana without a conduit so they should have your answers.”

Sariel nodded and took an aggressive bite of the meat placed on her plate. Based on every meal I’d shared with her, there was little else she wanted to say. I followed her lead and focused on my meal.

The tenderness of the mouth melting boar meat was extraordinary. A single sip of elven wine drowned me in flavors I couldn’t describe in my lifetime. It took every fiber of my being to eat in a polite manner. Avant excitedly dug in and left a mess all over himself. I couldn’t deny my jealousy. As we ate, conversation was scarce. Even Aisha focused on her meal and its divine tastes. I’m sure everyone realized we wouldn’t get a warm meal for a long while or a meal like this one ever again.

Unfortunately, the time came when no one could eat another bite. We had to forego the remaining mountain of delicacies. The attendees did not speak but gestured for us to follow them. Avant was swaying back and forth near his bowl. His eyes barely stayed open. I lifted him and joined everyone in the hall. Instead of being led out of the building, we were led deeper inside. What I had thought was a restaurant was Balur’s idea of an inn.

I didn’t see the rooms my party members were led to but assumed they were similar to mine. A ridiculously high ceiling with painted scenes watched over a beautifully decorated area. I felt like a child while staring at the mattress resting atop a golden bed frame. Silk sheets invited me to relax without a care in the world. The moment I placed Avant down he snored loudly. It was all I needed to convince me to do the same. For the first time since we started our journey I had a restful night's sleep.

 

***

 

I awoke to the feeling of something cold against my back. No matter how much I moved, I couldn’t get comfortable. The only soft thing near me was Avant. I reached out to pet him and he charged at my hand. I woke up with a jolt. He stared at me as I looked upward to see the pristine marble ceiling. Except now it was only a few feet above me. There was no furniture in the small room, only the flat marble walls. Even the gold embellishments were nonexistent. Instead of the stone door of the bedroom, this room had a barred metal one with magic symbols etched into it. Once my eyes adjusted to the darkness I recognized Sariel and Vofric in the darkness.

“We got drugged,” Sariel grumbled as I sat up. 

Vofric kneaded the bridge of his nose and said, “We’ve been stripped of our weapons.”

I furrowed my brow when I noticed Vofric’s necklace. A thin golden chain with a wooden locket. Upon checking my wrist and seeing the silver bracelet, my suspicions were confirmed.

“They left our conduits.”

“The cell dispels magic,” Sariel sighed. “Much like last time we were trapped like this.”

My mind was hazy from whatever concoction was used on me.

“Any idea who did this?” I asked.

“If I had to guess, the Balurians.”

“But, why? We’re the Hero’s party. She’d never be okay with this.”

Vofric sighed. “I doubt they asked her what she wanted. She is likely trapped as well.”

Sariel studied the cell door and said, “This is well built. Do you have any ideas on how we might escape?”

Vofric checked the back walls while I joined Sariel at the door. The craftsmanship of the cell was exquisite. Metal melded directly into the wall and the magic keeping it together was of a high level. I grabbed two bars and tried to pull them and felt the strength drain from my body. Within seconds I fought to stay standing.. Shaky legs collapsed under me and I lost my grip. It took some time for me to regain my composure. The metal was directly enchanted to deter the strongest prisoners. However, if we avoided the metal we could stick our arms through the bars.

Sariel helped me to my feet and we continued studying the walls. Even the most well constructed prisons had a weakness. If it wasn’t physically present, it was in the minds of the prison guards. The realization hit me like a truck. I grabbed Avant and rushed to the door. I couldn’t help but laugh. The owlbear chirped with me. He was small enough to slip through the bars with little effort.

“Little guy, can you go look for a key to this gate? It’ll look something like this,” I said and drew a key in the dirt. “Don’t get caught or we’re out of luck. Sariel, please translate all that if you can.”

She shook her head. “He understands you.”

I nodded and ruffled Avant’s head. “We’ll wait for you. Go!”

Avant crept to the corner of the bars. Training dictated we wait til the patrol passed but after several minutes, no one did. On my signal, the owlbear squeezed through the gate and ran out of sight. I involuntarily let out a shaky breath.

“He is young but shows far greater intelligence than the average cub,” Sariel said and patted my back.

“Not to mention the abilities he’s shown us in combat.” Vofric added. “Trust him.”

While I knew my comrades were right, I couldn’t help but worry. A small beast in a massive unknown dungeon was a recipe for disaster. Primarily, at the detriment of Avant. Even if he could cast spells, it was a mystery if they were combative. Based on past interactions I assumed they were likely blessings similar to Vofric’s. Then again, it was possible Avant had access to magic but didn’t know how to cast it. Maybe a dangerous mission was the perfect time for him to learn. Or I’d just let him go running towards his death.

I felt my heartbeat quicken and stopped thinking. With a thud I planted my back against the wall and slid down. Shutting my eyes and imagining a dim flame put me in a meditative state. But it felt different this time. I was calm but I felt something tugging at the corners of my mind. The flame weakened and strengthened at my command but something else was trying to emerge. With great focus I was able to discern something moving within the flame. I tried to manipulate it for a clearer view to no avail.

“CATCH THAT BEAST!” someone roared and forced me back to reality.

Jingling keys flew into the air in front of our cell. With catlike reflexes Sariel grabbed them and quickly jammed one into the lock on the door. Her lanky arms were perfect for avoiding the metal bars. I jumped to my feet and watched the hall while Vofric joined us and tried to help aim the key. Unfortunately, the first one didn’t work. It took a few seconds to awkwardly switch to another key with one hand.

Meanwhile, clambering metal rapidly chased behind a glowing furball. Avant was empowered by one of his spells allowing him to run faster. But his small build hindered him greatly. I didn’t want to rush Sariel more than she already was but I could tell the cub would be caught at any moment. Stones and arrows clattered on the floor inches from the owlbear’s tail. Avant was nearly in front of us when a guard lobbed his sword. It was the perfect arc to bisect my cub.

Then I heard a loud click. A persistent hum I was unaware of dissipated around us. The door slid open and I leapt out to knock the blade away. It clattered against the wall and Avant slid to a stop past our cell. He’d exceeded my expectations. The two guards that attempted to slaughter the cub glared at me. I took a deep breath and remembered the sensation I felt during my meditation. Upon igniting my fists, two flaming astral hands appeared hovering near me. With a push of my arms the hands flew forward. Curled fingers were mirrored by the projectiles and they grabbed the guards’ heads. With little effort I shoved them into adjacent walls. Before they could retaliate I pummeled them without taking a step. The astral arms were double mine in size. It was like watching floating warhammers swinging at the speed of a shortsword. Only a few attacks were needed to incapacitate my targets. As they fell to the floor I dismissed the astral arms.

“Good job, Avant,” I said and petted him.

“How did the Balurians not anticipate something like this?” Sariel said as she tossed the keys to Avant and stepped out of the cell.

Vofric shook his head and replied, “Hubris. They left Avant in a cage he was capable of escaping. Our conduits were not taken from us. They even fed and healed us prior to trapping us. We are not seen as a threat.”

I felt a pounding in my head and grumbled. “They’ll figure it out.”