The Orb of Wrath (The Merchant's Destiny Book 1) (10 page)

“But they will get burnt!” the knight replied.

“This spider web will burn very quickly. It is quite flammable. We may get burnt a little, but nothing major. No severe burns,” Mithir clarified.

The man looked at the elf, and then at Mithir hesitating, not knowing what to do.

“Trust me. I know what I'm doing,” the magician said with his gestures.

The knight took one of the burning logs from the campfire by one of its ends, being careful not to burn himself, and ignited one of the web's corners. The threads began to burn rapidly, and within seconds, the fire spread throughout the web. In an instant, the filaments were consumed, freeing Mithir and the elf. Mithir's shirt caught fire by a sleeve, but with a few quick blows, the magician managed to extinguish the small fire.

Erion began to feel his toes again. He felt he could move them, but the rest of his body was as stiff as a board. The others approached him and raised him to bring him close to the fire. Ithelas gave him a strange brew to drink. Erion felt comforting warmth. Just a few minutes later he had recovered his mobility, but he still felt dizzy and had a terrible headache.

Mithir fetched the horses, which hadn't gone far. Samar accompanied him. In the next moment, they all briefly described who they were, but nothing too deep: their name, where they lived, what they did and how they got there. Erion obviously didn't detail part of his occupations. He explained that he was a merchant who occasionally accepted jobs to earn extra gold; and that his brother helped him and always went with him.

A lone figure stepped into the clearing. Samar, Ithelas and Thost immediately got up, taking their weapons. Erion also got up and raised his hand.

“There's no danger,” he told them.

The figure was an elf, totally dressed in black. His dark skin, and the fact that there was not plenty of light in the sky that night, made hard to distinguish his features. But Erion knew who he was. When he arrived at the fire, where they were, everyone could see his face and his disturbing red eyes. He was a dark elf.

“Who are you?” Thost asked.

“His name is Phoroz, and it is he who seems to have brought us all here tonight,” Erion clarified.

“True,” the elf confirmed. “I see you've finished off my welcoming committee without major consequences.”

That completely surprised Erion. Although this character was gloomy, he had never played them a trick like that. Although, on second thought, he hadn't had many opportunities to do so. This was the third time they saw him.

Phoroz's surprising statement infuriated Thost and Samar. Thost lowered his weapon when Erion asked him to, but did not release its handle at any time. It was obvious he did not trust that character. Thost took two steps forward, standing just a few fingers away from the dark elf.

“What do you propose? Speak!” the knight demanded.

“What I have already told you all. I have an assignment for you. The reward is excellent. I have to warn you that it is a dangerous mission and therefore I have summoned you all. Separately, either group wouldn't stand a chance on a mission like this.”

“What is it exactly?” Erion asked, angrily. “But before, speak. Why this trap? Those monsters could have killed us!”

“I had to make sure that this group was equal to the mission. This is an important order that my master has made,” the elf explained.

That infuriated he group even more. Erion certainly was not satisfied with the explanation.

“And who is your master?” Samar asked.

“That does not concern you,” Phoroz said.

“I remember that at our first meeting, you mentioned that you lived in Deepcliff. Your master is probably a figure of the court or any of the rich based in the capital,” Mithir explained by gestures.

Before he could reproduce his words, Erion had yet another surprise. Phoroz began speaking with sign language, which almost no one knew, and told Mithir he had a very good memory, that he did not expect him to remember that, that he shouldn't have said it anyway, and that he was smart. But that if he repeated it again to anyone, including the rest of that group, he would cut his throat. Then he looked intently at Erion, to make him understand that this was also meant for him.

“In a remote place, to which you will arrive by means that I will provide, there is a castle. In it dwells a powerful undead, a vampire,” Phoroz continued.

Erion could see fear is etched on the faces of all those present. Everyone had heard stories of vampires since childhood. They said they had become a terrible plague in the Duchies Carition long ago. Now it seemed that the number of attacks had reduced, but they kept happening without anyone being able to do anything about them.

“The castle holds an important treasure that the vampire had accumulated over centuries. You could keep everything you find there; everything except the object of our mission. Someplace in the building, he keeps a silver box that has an elaborate design of a hill on its cover and a shield with a dragon on its sides.”

Phoroz paused and looked at the group.

“You must bring that box to me, intact.  You must not open it, although you probably won't be able to, anyways.”

“You talked about an important reward,” Thost said.

“True. Each one of you will receive two hundred platinum coins, half of them now, and the other half when you deliver the box,” the elf explained while he handed Thost a bag.

“It's quite a sum; it must be a really dangerous mission,” Mithir reasoned through gestures, while Erion reproduced his words.

“It is. In addition to that reward, as I said before, you can keep whatever you find. But I warn you that, maybe, the smartest thing would be to get the box as quietly as possible and get out of there, leaving everything and everyone behind.”

“What do you mean?” Erion asked.

“The reward is one thousand platinum coins to be shared amongst those who return. Anyways, if the vampire manages to catch one of you, the best thing you can do is run.”  

Ithelas snorted, uncomfortable.

“The castle is in a remote place and is hard to reach. Also, it is a very well-protected space. There is a path, through a cave, that will take you to the valley where the castle stands. You must have hiking gear. This map describes the valley and where you can find the entrance to the cave,” he explained, as he handed them a large parchment.

Phoroz then stepped closer to Mithir and kept talking.

“The castle is located in a remote country. You have to quickly prepare for the mission, and then travel there through a portal that will take you to the aforementioned place,” Phoroz explained, as he handed two other small scrolls to Mithir.

The group looked at the dark elf with a mixture of distrust, interest in the mission and fear of the dangers that would follow. Mithir was shocked. Only a very powerful spell could open a portal that could transport adventurers such a huge distance. Probably very few magicians in the World of Oris could do such a thing. The scroll he held in his hand were probably very hard to find and extremely expensive.

“The second scroll opens another portal that will bring you back with the box. Don't try to come back without it. I ordered the scroll so the magic doesn't open the portal if you don't have the box with you. Any questions?” Phoroz asked.

That was a lot of information to process. But before anyone tried to say anything, Phoroz nodded, turned around and left.  Before disappearing through the forest, the dark elf turned towards them one last time.

“I had forgotten a small detail. If you manage to get the box before midnight, four days from now, there will be five hundred more platinum coins waiting for you,” he explained, before completely disappearing.

Everyone in the group was tired. It had been a long, hard and very interesting day. They took shifts to keep watch during the night and went to rest in the camp tents.

"Tomorrow is another day", Erion thought.

CHAPTER 9: THE ROYAL PALACE

Zyrhaz sat in the great parlor of the Industrial Association of Bor and waited impatiently. The IAB was one of the most powerful institutions of the country, and grouped a significant part of the private businesses; of course the large ones, but also the small ones that had been coordinated in cooperatives or associations. Also, a myriad of artisans and small independent businessmen existed and functioned on their own. They were too small for them to be integrated into the Association, but nothing was lost by not doing so, because these independent entrepreneurs had little power or influence.

The carriage should have arrived already. It was very important to get to the palace early and secure a privileged place in the King's table. Especially considering he had paid a small fortune to a secretary of the King to enjoy that privilege. A butler approached him and confirmed that the carriage was at the door. He practically jumped up and crossed the huge and luxurious living apace. He left the Association building and climbed into the carriage.

He had always liked that building. It was one of many that the Association had throughout the Kingdom, but this one was special. To begin with, it was the headquarters and, therefore, the place where important meetings were held. It was also the first that the Association had purchased and also was a singularly beautiful classical building located in the best area of the capital, near the Royal Palace. It had excellent service which included rooms for the major entrepreneurs who may be visiting the capital, a high class restaurant where you could arrange business lunches and large salons available if you wanted to organize any meeting. In theory, only the members of the Association had access to the building, but they could invite others to their discussions or deals. It was one of the most exclusive places in the capital.

But none compared to the Royal Palace, to where he was now headed. In Bor, the Crown held a very considerable power. And most of the decisions that the Crown controlled were decided within those walls. The King was holding a complimentary lunch today, for a diplomatic delegation of Darphem, the kingdom of the dwarves. The exchanges between the two kingdoms, both politically and commercially, were very limited. Some members of the Court, as well as in other nearby circles, aspired to improve the relations.

Zyrhaz had been lucky to have been able to get a chair at that lunch. Actually, neither he nor the Association had any special interest in the dwarves; but the Association urgently needed to access the King and participating in this meal was the only way he found to gain a foothold on his agenda. Normally you needed to notify the royal secretaries over a month in advance and you also had to have, obviously, something of importance to discuss with the King. This time, he had only a few days to spare, so his very presence in the meal, and in the same royal table, could be considered a great success.

Zyrhaz was restless. The anonymous letter to the president of the Association, which they had received that same weekend, had caused quite a stir. The informant explained to them that the Chamber would have a meeting with the king the following week with a single item on the agenda: the deregulation of the quarry and stone sector. The objective of this measure was to significantly increase the competition in the sector. In the kingdom of Bor, the Central Chamber of Commerce managed and controlled most of the trade, which was led by the sixteen most wealthy and influential merchants.

At first they had their doubts about the letter; but the author gave some very specific information about the Chamber and the Association itself, which proved he was very knowledgeable. So they concluded that they should assume the worst and think that everything that was being said was true. The nervousness increased when the next day, they were able to verify that the meeting of the Chamber was indeed on the King's agenda. It was then when the President of the Association called him into his office and explained what was happening.

He had a mission: to find a way to meet up with the King before the reunion with the Chamber and make an attractive enough proposal so that the merchant's encounter wouldn't be held. Some members of the Association participated in this process, especially Pieter Mason. His family owned the largest stone company in the country, which had numerous quarries in various counties and controlled most of the business. Mason led the company with skill and a steady hand. His family had strong ties with the conservative wing of the Chamber and, through them, found out that traders had decided to take this step, despite the opposition of their allies. Pieter Mason sent an urgent email from Kiyats to the President of the Association, which proved to be the final confirmation. The mail had arrived that morning. If they had not received the anonymous tip previously, they wouldn't have had time to react. 

The meeting with the Chamber was scheduled for that afternoon, so he'd only have one chance. Luckily, Zyrhaz was a close friend of one of the King's sons and knew that, at least, this one would listen to him. The carriage stopped. They had reached the main courtyard of the Palace.

*******

Devgon waited in the lobby of the Royal Office. He was accompanied by two people: a senior official of the Chamber called Pargepulax and Nelm, his faithful assistant. Their audience with the King should have already begun, although delays were common when you were going to see the King, so he tried not to worry.

As a full member of the Chamber, he had received the important assignment of negotiating a legislative change with the King that would introduce increased competition in a strategic sector, as was the stone sector. This would mean the need for new trade routes in all counties, and create many new business opportunities for the traders. Devgon was also the spokesman of the progressive sector of the Chamber, led by Les Geswek.

The progressive sector had proposed to boost many changes that would promote the traditional status quo against the immobility of the current conservative who led the legendary Lady Godiva. For example, they were in favor of aborting the trade agreements with the Duchies, and thus take control of the International Trade, where all the wholesale trade was done with the other countries. They also advocated the construction of new roads that would reduce transport time, even when they had to go through natural areas that remained unchanged today.

“Sir, do you want to review the documentation, while we wait?” Nelm said, always attentive and helpful.

“No, thanks Nelm. I went over it again this morning and it's very fresh in my mind,” Devgon said.

Nelm was an old man, but he retained much of his strength. He was extraordinarily clever and had a lot of experience. Devgon had wondered more than once how it was that Nelm hadn't gone much further in life. He did not feel better prepared than Nelm. And, of course, he often saw other people in various positions of responsibility who were less able or smart than his assistant. The positive side of all of this was to have the help of someone so capable. Perhaps what took away from his potential were his humility and, above all, his kindness. You couldn't get very far in this world of sharks where Devgon moved being a humble and good-natured person.

Nelm's past was a mystery. Devgon knew he wasn't born in Bor... and little else. His appearance betrayed a kind of classic elegance. He dressed well, but always in a very sober way, without stridency. One of the best tailors in Deepcliff probably gave him his clothes because they always looked impeccable. The only odd note of his appearance was a tattoo on his left forearm, a dragon or something, which was always hidden under his clothes. Devgon had asked him once about it, but hadn't received any information. “It was long ago” was all he got out of him. Nelm may come from a family of sailors or maybe had worked in that sector when he was young. Tattoos were also common in the kingdom of Bor among people of the entertainment business, but Devgon couldn't even imagine that Nelm had something to do with that world.

“Come in now,” a man said walking out of the Real Office's door.

“My name is Buldamus and I am the Chief Secretary of His Majesty. I think we've already met,” the man said, shaking hands with Devgon.

Indeed, Devgon had seen the man at other times at royal receptions or in other meetings with the King. Although, really, they had barely spoken.

“True. Let me introduce my companions. This is Pargepulax, who works with us in the Chamber and this is Nelm, my personal assistant.”

“Glad to meet you,” the man said, going into the room, without even looking at the others.

They all went into the room after the secretary and sat at a large table, following his instructions. Some lackeys immediately offered them refined drinks.

“Regrettably His Majesty will not be able to meet you today. He is dealing with other pressing matters. Certainly attending the many responsibilities he has as a King. But don't worry; your majesty has delegated to me the discussion you wish to have,” Buldamus said.

That proved most suspicious to Devgon. They had set that appointment with a month's notice and had stressed the need for it to be directly with the King. In addition, Devgon was one of the Sixteen, a member of the Chamber, not a single third class officer. This was outrageous.

“Sir, please, drink some water now. I think you were quite thirsty while we were waiting in the anteroom”, Nelm said, giving him a drink.

Devgon took the glass and drank. Nelm had understood that the secretary's announcement had him twitching and was giving him an excuse, even forcing him, to pause before answering. This way, he could avoid saying something in the heat of the moment that he would later regret.

“It's certainly a disappointment. I hope your majesty is well,” Devgon said, diplomatically.

“Oh, yes. The King is perfectly well. I'll tell him you send your greetings, of course,” said the Secretary. “And so? What is this about?” he added.

Then the three visitors struggled to detail as best as they could, and like they had rehearsed, the details of the proposal and the benefits it would bring to the kingdom, while downplaying the potential impact that change might have, and how they could mitigate the negative effects thereof. Devgon recited his part with professionalism, but sounded resigned. He knew that the meeting wasn't going anywhere.

When they finished, the Secretary made a couple of questions and then argued that it was an important change, that it wasn't the time to make changes like that in the Kingdom but that he would present the case to the King for his consideration anyway. Everyone nodded and thanked his attention. The Secretary promised to call them again if the King had interest in the matter, but made them understand that it was unlikely at this time.

While they were dismissed and escorted to the door, Devgon wondered what had gone wrong. They had kept the initiative a total secret. Only key members of the progressive sector knew about it. They had prepared the meeting with the King in advance, without specifying the object thereof. They knew that a lot of the conservative sector of the Chamber would object. That's why they had included the vote on this initiative on the agenda of the previous evening. This made it almost impossible for anyone to have time to access the King and disrupt his plans. But somehow, this was exactly what had happened.

*******

Vargarr waited in the lobby of the Royal Office. The Major of the Royal Army of Central Bor County hoped to meet with the King this afternoon. One of his contacts in the Court would seek to facilitate a brief "aisle" encounter, although the success of the attempt wasn't guaranteed. If this didn't work, Vargarr had to try again days later. In the weekdays it was more difficult for him to access the monarch, because of the enormous pilgrimage of interests parading by the Court seeking the royal attention.

Vargarr knew the King in person from the time when they both were at the Military Academy. The King was a senior officer in training when he was just a newcomer cadet. The then Prince had made serious attempts to avoid any privilege in the years of the Academy. First of all, his father, at that time the King, had given him specific instructions in this regard. Secondly, he understood that he could only get a true formation if they treated him like everyone else. Still, this goal wasn't achieved in all occasions.

Chance determined that a camaraderie formed among them, that almost reached the level of friendship, and that was only interrupted when the Prince finished his training and was sent abroad to learn Diplomacy and other things during the following years. Vargarr didn't see him again until, years later, he was promoted to Major of Central Bor and began to have access to the Royal Palace and some of the circles where the King moved.