I follow Eli to Farro. Roko was by his side, waiting for me. They were both talking to a giant. He was nine feet tall and had feet the size of my arm. He was thin and spindly; his teeth were yellow and black as if he smoked twenty cigarettes at the same time as drinking fizzy twenty four hours a day. He didn't send the right message as a doctor.
“Atlas I would like you to meet, my friend Brago.” Farro said.
“Dr Brago.” The man said.
“Yes of course.” Farro replied.
“Wow what have you been eating pal?” Eli said staring gormlessly at the sheer size of him. Brago tilted his head. Ignoring Eli completely and bending over so he was in my line of sight.
“Having a little trouble breathing are we?” He said noticing my shallow breathing. He was right. As I breathe in the pain in my shoulder gets worse.
“Can you help him?” Roko said.
“We will see, but I must insist that we convene in a more private location. My home perhaps?”
“That’s fine; we will wait for you out here.” Farro said.
“You’re not coming with me?” I said worried about being dumped with a stranger.
“No its best that you are alone, and anyway we need to find the people we are here to meet.” He said. Brago and I split up from the group. He walked in front of me, towering above everyone in the square. We broke free of the crowds and followed narrow pathways through the city. Turning left then right, I had no idea how he navigated. We finally arrived at his home. It was tiny, narrower than the route that took us here. The walls were close together, but the ceiling higher than any I have ever seen. Makes sense. There were tools littered throughout the house, on the walls, on the tables, even on the floor. It felt like a horror house, and I was about to be chopped up in two hundred different ways.
“Don’t be intimidated by the mess, I have so many instruments it’s hard to keep track of them.” He said. “Now sit down.” He pointed at a bed in the corner of the room. It was the only place that didn’t have spiky things on. “What’s the matter with you then?” He said completely devoid of bedside manner. He sat down on a stool near the bed, still able to look down on me. I had to arch my neck just to see his face.
“It’s my shoulder.” I said. “I was attacked by a creature.”
“Not surprising, most of the patients I have to deal with have been mauled or bitten.” He said. I took my shirt off and laid my backpack on the floor. The bandage across my torso was dark red, soaking to the touch. He tilted his head, examining the wound. “Nasty one this.” He said cutting the bandage. He pulled it off. I grabbed the bed sheets under me, tensing my body up, as the cloth was almost sewn into my flesh. The wound was much bigger than I remember it being. It was black in the centre, and the veins around it were bulging. Brago didn’t even blink. He poked and prodded it with a curved stick. I was beginning to question his medical knowledge. “What creature did this to you?” He said. By the look on his face I could tell that he already knew.
“It was a hunter.” I said. His face went white and he left the room. He didn’t even say a word. “Will I be all right?” I shouted down the corridor. I could hear rustling in the backroom. Books and jars smashing on the floor. He jogged back into the room, he was holding a small vile in his hand.
“How long has it been black for?” He said. He poured the liquid into the hole in my shoulder. It was like acid, burning me from the inside. I held his forearm, squeezing as tight as I could. I can feel the acid trickle down into my body.
“I don’t know I haven’t checked it recently.” I sputtered.
“Well, when did it happen?”
“I dunno, about three days ago.” I said starting to panic. He sighed and put his hands over his mouth, breathing out slowly. “What’s the matter, can’t you help me?” I said.
“The poison, its infecting your body. The longer it stays in your system the more aggressive it gets.” He said. I was starting to wish he wasn’t a real doctor.
“Well has it been too long? Is that stuff working?” I said. Glaring at the trauma, it was still blacker than the night sky. “Well!” I growled at him.
“No.” He said. “No, it’s only slowing it down.”
“That’s good right?”
“It will only work for a short while, as I said it gets more aggressive over time.” He said. He sat back on the stool, placing the vial on the table on the side. He was giving up.
“So what does this mean?” I said. My voice was tainted with panting. I knew what the answer was going to be but I didn’t want to hear it. I wrapped a new bandage over my shoulder, grabbing my bag. I stormed out of the room, my eyes welling up.
“Wait!” He said. I didn’t want to hear another word he had to say but I turned around anyway. The thought of him laughing and telling me it was all a joke forced me to turn around. He got up from his chair, grabbing the vial. “Take this, use it every 6 hours. Only use a small portion of the bottle each time or it will make it worse.”
“And what happens when it runs out.” I said. He looked at the ground trying to avoid the question. I knew the answer anyway. I opened the door and left the horror house, leaving a part of me behind.
14 –THE AMULET-
I caught up with the rest of them, who were waiting for me by the doors of a watering hole.
“Everything all right then?” Eli said, optimistic. I couldn’t let them know what Dr Brago had told me. Eli would have a fit and I sensed that it would do more damage than good.
“Tickity boo. I just have to take this four times a day and I will be right as rain.” I lied, holding up the golden vial. It was a beautiful bottle. The contrast between the beauty of the outside and the evil that dwelled within it brought a crooked smile to my face. Such acidity contained by a golden prison, it shined in the light, reflecting the suns gift, making sure that everyone could see it’s magnificence. Farro was staring at me; I think he knew I was lying. He has fought the hunters before and undoubtedly knows exactly what they can do. He didn’t say anything though.
“The Stallion.” Farro said opening the door to what looked like another tavern. The sign outside read 'Friesian', which I guess meant ‘The Stallion’. I was greeted by the smell of strong ale, the stench invaded my nose. If I was in a coma I would have snapped out of it in seconds. The people inside were quiet though. Only regulars sitting in here drinking looked like they weren't far off from living in here. The daylight from the open doors almost making them reel back. Farro pointed to a table in the far corner of the room. “Sit down I'll bring us some drinks.” We squashed into the corner, where it was cramped. We had the whole room to ourselves and he chose here. Candles lit the room, but it didn't really make the room brighter only light enough for you to see who was sitting next to you. I had to get used to the fact that there was not going to be any electricity. No lights, no phone and no computer. Grim. After about fifteen minutes of tired silence, the place started to fill up. I realised now why he chose the corner to sit. Thugs, pirates, hoodlums and goons stumbled into the place rowdy and loud, filling the air with grumbled singing and chanting. It wasn't long before one got on the table and proceeded to dance until he fell off smashing into the table of another group. Farro sat down at the table, sliding over three pints of ale. “Drink up.” He said tipping the tankard of booze down his gullet.
“I thought we were meeting someone?” Eli said
“We are. They shouldn't be long now.” Farro said taking another big gulp of ale.
“Well they better hurry up, this place doesn't look safe.” Eli whispered to me and Roko, trying not to disturb the others in the room.
“Would you prefer it outside, Eli?” Roko said in a sarcastic way. “Because I would prefer staying here, where it's warm and innocuous.” Roko sipped her drink then pushed it away from her.
After about five minutes of awkward silence, the room fell deathly quiet. The voices of all the drunkards, hoodlums and thugs hushed. Their eyes moving as one, looking over to the door before turning their heads away, at the same time, as if they were all one creature, all having the same thought. A man entered the inn. His face was scarred and his clothes looked permanently stained with blood. He was quickly followed in by four other men and a teenage boy. All of them heavily armed, bows, knives, swords. They also had a woman with them. She was old but in her eyes you could see a killer, a hardened foe, as strong as any man in this place. Farro swivelled on his seat and walked over to them. The background noise of the pub began to build up, the crowd gaining courage as they poured copious amounts of alcohol down their throats. One of the men had his eyes fixed on me. His eyes had anger strewn within them but his lips were smiling.
“Who do you think they are?” Eli said nudging me with his shoulder.
“I don't know but Farro seems pleased to see them, let’s hope there on our side.” I said clenching my fist ready for a bar brawl. Farro signalled us over to join them.
“They are on our side; they are the ones we are here to see.” Roko said as we got up from the table. Looking closer at their clothes, I noticed a similar symbol they were all branded with. An eye was painted onto their shoulder pads and chest plates.
“Atlas, this is Alistair. He is the man we are here to see.” Farro said
“It's not safe to be talking out here in public; we can deal with the pleasantries later.” He growled Farro nodded to him. Alistair turned and spoke to the barman, using a dialect I have never heard of. I didn't understand it but the barman did. He led us through a hallway. Dark stone plated stairs followed, which led to a wine cellar. Cob webs covered the ceilings and walls. The floor was cracked and the wine bottles were dusty. One of the other travellers with Alistair threw out his hand. Sparks of light flickered through the air, lighting candles that were placed on the walls. The orange light lit the room, changing the colour palette from grey and black to orange and yellow. Alistair handed the barman some coins and he left.
“Why the tip?” I whispered to Farro.
“It's not a tip; it's to keep him quiet.” Farro said, not really answering my question.
“Would you do the honours?” Alistair asked, bowing slightly towards the woman in the group. By the way they were all standing around him it was clear that he was the leader in the group. The woman walked out in front of us and stood next to an old bookcase that was propped up against the left wall. She proceeded to pull out the books ripping out pages and throwing them on the floor.
“What's she doing?” Eli said
“Just watch.” Roko said looking in awe at the mysterious woman, who I had the feeling didn't like reading. After about half of the books were shredded and left into a pile of random sentences on the floor she stepped back over them. Holding one hand out in front of her, she chanted and murmured a spell from a book she took out of her satchel.
“Watch this.” Farro said leaning over and breathing it into my ear. I didn't understand what was going on, until I noticed that the pile of torn paper was glowing. The pile started to float off of the ground, flowing through each other as if they were fish swimming in sync. They started fitting back together again but this time they all formed one picture. It was a portrait, jaggedly fitted together. Colour started to infect the pages, reds, blues and yellows. The image was dark in the light, so I couldn't make out what the portrait was of. As I stepped forward to take a better look, it shuddered and flew backwards, sticking to the wall behind it with a thud.
“Thank you very much Ingram.” Alistair said “This is our safe haven, a place for us to plan and rest. It is secret and protected.” He said to me and the rest of the group. I still don't understand what the bloody hell is going on. Alistair turned around and put his hand up against the painting. A white light flashed and he was gone. He disappeared, my eyes widened, I was about to say something but Farro put his hand on my shoulder, and winked at me. The rest of the strangers that we joined one by one placed their hands on the portrait and vanished. The safe haven was a portrait! We were left on our own. I stood there, not knowing what to make of it all.
“Our haven is glued together paper?” I said out loud.
“Isn't it perfect?” Farro said smiling, “A safe place that cannot be found and that is easily hidden.”
“Will we even all fit in there.” Eli said, using his thumb and finger to measure the picture and himself.
“Your perspective sees it as a painting but when we touch and get transported across this space we will look like the painting.” Farro said “Roko you and Eli first.” Roko nodded and walked over to the portrait.
“So what, do we hold hands or...” Eli said holding out his palm. Roko didn't smile. She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and she touched the portal. A flash of light and they were gone. I was about to transport across and join the others but Farro stopped me.
“Listen to me, don't tell them about the mishap with the hunter, they are a paranoid bunch and will not let you in if they found out.” Farro warned, I nodded to him and walked towards the portal. A bright light and I was gone from one place to another.
It was dark just like the cellar under the inn. I was in a hallway, lit from wall to wall with torches of fire. I turned around to see the painting. It was different. Instead of seeing a black canvas with the faint impression of an archway I could see the wine cellar. Racks and racks of bottles lined the walls. The room was also filled with barrels of food and water. It had changed, this wasn't the room I came from, or was it? In the corner of the frame was a small man, yellow trench coat and hat. Before I could analyse the picture any further the canvas started to shimmer. I stood back expecting Farro to burst through and smack me in the face. The white light burned my eyes this time.