Morning light filtered through the windows of the Olive Branch Inn, casting pale bands across the dining area. The smell of breakfast had already filled the room.
Behind the counter, Falla worked over the morning meal. Her reddish hair was tied into a tight bun, with a few loose strands resting around her pointed ears. Her bright blue eyes remained fixed on the dishes in front of her as she moved methodically between them.
Elven bread sat on a wooden platter, its surface brushed with honey. Beside it was a serving of spiced venison, accompanied by boiled eggs. The combination of savory meat, warm bread, and sweet honey filled the inn with an inviting aroma.
Alvion, the Vend proprietor, carried the plates from the counter to the table. He placed one in front of K-10.
“Breakfast.”
K-10 picked up the plate. “Thank you, Alvion.”
Alvion set the remaining plates in front of Seralyth and Gorbluth.
“Thank you,” Seralyth said.
“Much appreciated,” Gorbluth added.
Alvion looked at K-10 and shook his head with a grin.
“You certainly put on a spectacle last night with Tomand.”
K-10 continued examining his breakfast.
“I accomplished my objective of assessing the Darvenim’s combat ability.”
Alvion stared at him for a moment. There was a brief silence.
“Well… alright!”
K-10 did not respond. His eyes moved across the dining area.
Tomand was nowhere to be seen.
K-10 considered the events of the previous evening. Following their sparring match, Tomand had consumed a considerable quantity of ale. Given the amount of alcohol the Darvenim had consumed, K-10 concluded that he was probably still asleep.
K-10 shifted his attention to Seralyth. She sat quietly at the table, her movements slower than usual. Her expression was subdued, and there was a noticeable lack of her usual alertness. After observing her for several seconds, K-10 concluded that she appeared to have consumed too much ale as well.
His attention moved to Gorbluth. The goblin merchant looked no better. His eyes were partially narrowed, and his usual energetic demeanor had been replaced by the unmistakable appearance of someone dealing with the consequences of excessive drinking.
K-10 recalled that he had consumed several drinks himself. Yet he felt no effects from the alcohol. There was no dizziness, impaired coordination, or change in his perception. Nothing.
K-10 considered the difference. His indestructible body had probably played a part.
He looked toward Seralyth.
“Are you operational for today’s activities?”
Seralyth slowly lifted her head.
“If by operational you mean alive, then I am half.”
Gorbluth laughed, but the laugh immediately turned into a groan as he lowered his head and pressed a hand against his forehead.
K-10 looked at him.
“It should be fine. We are only going to conduct some observation.”
Gorbluth’s long ears suddenly perked up.
“Observation?”
He leaned forward.
“What are you and Seralyth going to observe?”
K-10 remained silent for several seconds as he considered the question.
Gorbluth had proven useful since they had met. His Detection Affinity had revealed information about the weapons used by the assassins, information that K-10 could not have obtained through conventional examination. He had also traveled with them and demonstrated that he could keep sensitive information to himself.
K-10 looked at Seralyth. She gave no indication that she objected.
After several seconds, K-10 made his decision.
He could trust Gorbluth.
“There is a seal.”
Gorbluth’s expression changed.
“A seal?”
K-10 nodded.
“Seralyth and I encountered it in the Black Forest of Geldanos. The seal was weakening. We repaired it.”
He paused before continuing.
“We believe there may be another weakening seal here in Ansell-Vend.”
Gorbluth’s ears remained upright.
“You believe?”
“We do not know its location yet.”
K-10 continued, “But there is another factor. Before we reached Ansell-Vend, Seralyth and I encountered several assassins.”
Gorbluth’s expression became more serious.
“The Agents of the Veil.”
“Correct.”
Gorbluth slowly nodded. He remembered the items he had appraised for K-10. The weapons had revealed impressions of their previous owners and fragments of what had happened to them.
The visions had shown bloodshed, the barren lands of Shalne-Tadd, a hooded man giving orders, and an assassin driving a weapon into K-10 before K-10 killed him.
“I remember,” Gorbluth said.
K-10 nodded.
“I believe the seal and the assassins may be connected.”
Gorbluth frowned.
“You don’t know?”
“No.” K-10’s answer was immediate. “I have insufficient information to establish a connection.”
Gorbluth sat back and considered what he had been told. Then his eyes shifted toward Seralyth.
“There is something else.”
Seralyth looked at him.
Gorbluth pointed a finger toward her.
“I suspected this was more than a simple visit when you made such an effort to disguise yourself before entering Ansell-Vend.”
Seralyth remained silent.
Gorbluth’s eyes narrowed.
“An elf doesn’t go to that much trouble to hide her identity without a reason. Is it not?”
Seralyth looked toward Gorbluth.
“You are correct. I had no intention of returning to Ansell-Vend.”
She paused.
“But repairing the seal is important. I cannot ignore that.”
Gorbluth stroked the small hairs on his chin before lowering his hand.
“I understand. But these seals… what exactly are they sealing?”
K-10 looked at him.
“Seralyth and I do not know.”
Gorbluth’s expression tightened.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
K-10 took another bite of the elven bread before continuing.
“But we do know what may happen if they fail.”
Gorbluth waited.
“The surrounding area could suffer disastrous damage.”
The goblin’s ears lowered slightly.
“Disastrous damage?”
K-10 nodded.
“We have already seen the effects of what happened in the Black Forest.”
Seralyth remained silent.
K-10 looked toward her.
“Seralyth would not want that to happen here in Ansell-Vend.”
Seralyth met his eyes.
K-10 continued, “That is why I chose to go with her.”
Gorbluth remained silent as he absorbed everything K-10 had told him: the seals, the assassins, and the danger of allowing one to fail.
His fingers returned to the small hairs on his chin. Then his eyes widened.
“There may be a connection.”
K-10 looked at him.
Gorbluth lowered his hand.
“The Northern Forest has been experiencing problems.”
“What kind of problems?” K-10 asked.
“Hostile enchanted beasts.”
Seralyth looked toward him.
“Hostile?”
Gorbluth nodded.
“Normally, the creatures of the Northern Forest are docile. Gentle, even. But recently, many have become aggressive. They have attacked travelers, hunters, and merchants along the northern trails.”
Seralyth’s eyes widened.
“The Northern Forest…”
She looked at K-10.
“The location of the weakening seal is there.”
K-10 nodded.
“Given what you have told us, observing the forest is now paramount.”
K-10 was about to continue when a chair beside him moved.
Tomand sat down.
K-10 examined him. Tomand’s rust-colored hair was neatly braided, his beard was properly well kept, and his armor had been cleaned and serviced. He looked as though the night of drinking had not affected him.
“Good morning, everyone.”
“Good morning, Tomand,” Seralyth said.
Gorbluth raised a hand in greeting.
“Morning.”
Tomand looked around the table. The serious expressions on everyone’s faces caught his attention.
“Am I interrupting an important discussion?”
Gorbluth smiled.
“We were just feeling the effects of last night’s ale.”
Tomand laughed.
“Large quantities of ale were had last night.”
He looked around the table before his attention settled on K-10. Tomand leaned toward him, then closer, examining K-10’s face with intense scrutiny.
K-10 remained completely motionless.
Tomand leaned back slightly.
“You look fine.”
K-10 said nothing.
Tomand continued studying him.
“Almost as if you hadn’t drunk at all.”
K-10 looked at Tomand.
“Are you impressed?”
Tomand nodded.
“Yes. I am.”
He chuckled.
“I should probably never ask you to a drinking contest.”
Seralyth looked at Tomand.
“Do you always drink that much?”
Tomand shook his head.
“No. I don’t enjoy it that much. Despite what others may have heard about the Darvenim.”
Gorbluth gave a quiet chuckle.
Tomand continued.
“After our spar, I felt accomplished. And I still have a long journey back to Tharsis ahead of me.”
He looked down at the table.
“When the opportunity to relax presents itself, I take it.”
Gorbluth turned his attention toward Tomand.
“What brings you to Ansell-Vend?”
“Clan business.”
Tomand took another bite of breakfast before continuing.
“I am from a smaller clan based in Tharsis, the capital of Darven-Imus.”
Gorbluth nodded.
“Clan Skarn.”
“Correct.”
Tomand set his utensils down.
“I came here to distribute orders of Lunarium ingots.”
Gorbluth’s eyes immediately sharpened.
“Lunarium?”
Tomand nodded.
“What quality?”
“The highest quality produced by Darven-Imus.”
Gorbluth leaned forward.
“And the price?”
Tomand gave him the figure.
Gorbluth considered it carefully.
“That is a competitive price.”
“It is.”
Tomand looked at Gorbluth.
“What about you? You are a merchant?”
Gorbluth smiled.
“I am.”
He reached into his clothing and pulled out a small card bearing the emblem of the Golden Scales Company of Grun’Dor. He handed it to Tomand.
Tomand accepted the card and examined it with interest.
“The Golden Scales Company.”
Gorbluth nodded.
Tomand smiled.
“Thank you.”
He carefully tucked the merchant card away.
Tomand finished his breakfast.
“I am leaving this morning. I need to start the journey back to Darven-Imus.”
K-10 looked at him.
“How long will the journey take?”
“About a month.”
Tomand smiled.
“Now that I have finished my distribution, I may just take my time.”
He laughed.
Tomand looked toward K-10.
“How long are you staying in Regel-Sete?”
“We, too, are just taking our time.”
K-10 paused.
“Today, we will be visiting the Northern Forest.”
Tomand considered this.
“I am traveling in that direction before heading west.”
He looked at K-10 and Seralyth.
“You can travel with me until we reach the Northern Forest.”
K-10 looked at Seralyth. She nodded.
“That would be helpful.”
K-10 turned back to Tomand.
“We agree.”
Tomand smiled.
“Then it is settled.”
He stood from the table.
“It was good meeting you, Gorbluth.”
Gorbluth smiled.
“It was good meeting you as well. I hope your journey goes well.”
Tomand nodded.
“Thank you.”
He picked up his belongings.
K-10 and Seralyth stood from the table.
Tomand looked toward the inn’s entrance.
“We should get moving.”
K-10 nodded.
“Agreed.”
Seralyth adjusted her equipment.
“I am ready.”
The three of them left the table and headed toward the entrance of the Olive Branch Inn.
Gorbluth remained seated and watched them leave. The door closed behind them.
He looked down at his unfinished breakfast.
Then he sighed.
“Another long day. Is it not!”