"I hope you're feeling well," she asked him cheerfully, though her voice held a note of sadness. "After last night's events, you have every right to be exhausted."
"So it wasn't a dream," he whispered to himself, though Eliana heard him too, smiling faintly at the relief in his voice. "I feel quite well now," he added after a moment
. "That's good, I was worried about you," she replied. He was a strange person, she thought. He was more afraid of disappointing my expectations than of meeting the messenger of darkness face to face. "You fought a hard battle, but if you still want to go to Taur Caras, you have to be ready for more such encounters.
" "Who was he?" he asked, rising slightly from his bed. "And what happened to that cursed forest? And why...
" "And why didn't I wake up?" She finished calmly. "I'll try to explain it to you in a moment, but first, tell me exactly what happened last night; then it will be easier for me to piece it together.
" "Well, I've never seen anything like this before, and I feel like it was all a dream." However, I will try to fulfill your request…" Milindor briefly summarized the night's adventure, but without leaving anything out. "
So that's how it was," the healer pondered for a moment. "I suppose most of what happened to you last night took place in your mind, though perhaps I was the one who fell under the influence of their spells and that's why I couldn't wake up. It's very likely that the enemy wanted to test your abilities. Since their envoy arrived here, it means you emerged victorious from this test. As for him, it was one of the Emissaries of Darkness. His presence means they already know about me, as I was the target of this attack. Thank you for your help," she added after a moment, smiling kindly. "You
're welcome," the half-elf replied. "But we're leaving now; even in the sunlight, this place has a spooky effect on me."
"I'm ready now, we can go."
Within a few minutes, they had broken camp and left behind the clearing that had almost become their final resting place. When Milindor looked back for the last time, it looked completely normal. Only in one spot lay a pile of ash-covered leaves, right next to a tree that would remain in his memory for a long time.
The journey, filled with pleasant conversation, passed quickly and carefree. They had much to share, and they gladly did so. At least for a moment, it allowed them to escape from what troubled their souls. They didn't broach the subject of Alfirithorn, realizing they would soon talk of nothing else. For now, they were likely enjoying their last moments of peace. The sun shone exceptionally brightly that day, and the treetops, somewhat thinned by the night's storm—which, as it turned out, was not just a figment of their imagination—permeated the warmth and light. The road stretching through the forest was incredibly picturesque in autumn, captivating with its multitude of colors and the subtle play of light, which, shimmering on the leaves, sprinkled with tiny droplets, gave them ever new shades and hues, as if briefly transforming their nature. The silence in the forest no longer seemed ominous, but had a soothing and calming effect. The world seemed transformed, though Milindor was aware that this was only an appearance, knowing that nothing had changed since yesterday. This, however, didn't dampen his good mood, and his companion didn't seem to mind either.
In the afternoon, even earlier than they expected, they saw the first buildings of Taur Caras. Small wooden huts, despite their simplicity, delighted the eye with their meticulous workmanship. The two travelers passed cottages likely belonging to miners and entered the town. At first glance, the settlement made a very good impression, with well-kept streets neatly arranged between houses built in a simple, yet not primitive style. A small square stood in the center of the square. Around it rose stone buildings: a modest temple, the town hall, a bell tower dominating the surroundings, and the guard building. They blended in with the surroundings, not distinguished by excessive ornateness, though it was clear they had been built by skilled craftsmen. The town, which was nothing unusual at this hour, was deserted, though here and there residents strolled along the cobblestone streets, hurrying for their own purposes. Whenever they noticed the newcomers, they discreetly averted their gaze and quickened their pace. Milindor was slightly uneasy about this, though he was used to such behavior, and since such things had been happening here lately, their behavior seemed logical to him. After all, if something was wrong, they would have greeted them differently. The half-elf carefully scanned the market square; if memory served him correctly, his friend's shop was somewhere around here. Finally, he spotted the distinctive alchemist's sign and hurriedly headed in that direction. Eliana followed a few steps behind, clearly preoccupied. When he reached the building's door, he dismounted, handing the reins to his companion. Ariille's shop looked almost identical to the last time he had been there. He quickly climbed the several steps and energetically pressed the steel handle, which gave way smoothly under his hand. Even before he entered, he was hit by the scent of herbs and unfamiliar healing potions. A smile instantly appeared on his face, and he could already picture the somewhat stocky yet kind figure of his friend.
"Hello!" he called out in greeting, but the next words were too much for him. The smile abruptly left his face, but Milindor quickly recovered. Behind the counter stood a young woman with sad eyes and a pale complexion, but that meant nothing. "Good morning," he said after a long moment of silence. The girl looked at him, slightly surprised by the unusual entrance, but she too quickly regained her confidence.
"Good morning," she replied, probably in the same tone she used to greet all customers visiting the alchemist. "How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for the shop owner; I'm a friend of his," he replied, now quite calmly. "Could you tell me where I can find him?"
"I'm sorry," she replied, and Milindor swore a tear glistened in her eyes. "Mr. Arille has been gone for several days. He set out to search for the Tirmir Flower, a rare plant with powerful healing properties. He left six days ago. I don't know when he'll return—if he ever returns, a thought flashed through his mind. He nipped the thought in the bud, preventing it from gaining strength.
"I understand," he replied, unsure what to say at that moment. He'd hoped to see his friend, but he'd left. He should be back soon, but after what he'd been through recently, he wasn't as certain as he'd like to be. Eliana had said it was because of her that he was attacked, but she could have been wrong. "Do you work for him?"
"Yes," she replied, though the half-elf had the impression she wasn't just working. "I'm worried about him," she added after a moment. "I hope he'll return soon."
"Me too," he smiled, forcing a little. "Please be positive, I'll be back soon. Goodbye.
" "Thank you," she replied in a barely audible whisper. "See you later."
Milindor hurried out of the building. Eliana was waiting for him outside when she saw him returning, and seeing his worried face, she guessed that not everything had gone as her companion had expected. Meanwhile, she was keeping a close eye on the city, trying to sort things out. The fact that the time was inappropriate for a visit didn't change the fact that someone should be interested. They'd have to ask around at one of the inns, and they'd also have the opportunity to sample the excellent beer brewed by the local innkeepers.
"He's gone," he said, mounting his horse. "He's out of town, he'll be back in a few days."
"I understand," she replied, aware that it would be best to leave questions about the details for later, or even refrain altogether. "I think it would be a good idea to visit the inn here; we could use some rest and maybe even learn something worthwhile.
" "That would be best," he smiled at her amiably. She was probably the only person besides Arille who didn't mind the fact that he was half-elf. She hadn't even mentioned it, yet she undoubtedly knew who he was. He was glad to have met her, even though their acquaintance had almost cost him his life. "Let's go then," he said, moving toward the smell of roasted lamb. A sure sign that the inn was of a sufficiently high standard. At the moment, he didn't want to push his way through the crowd. It wouldn't be crowded there. But there was no one here... That was good, he joked. There would be more room for us.
The inn, like the entire town, made a good impression. They tethered their mounts near the watering hole at the building's wall, and then went inside. The spacious hall was currently deserted, except for four men sitting by the window, sipping beer, and on the opposite side of the hall, two broad-shouldered dwarves were enjoying a meal, probably during a break from work at the local forge. When the bartender saw Milindor, he grimaced visibly, making no effort to hide it. The others seemed to have either not even noticed the newcomers, or it didn't matter to them, as they didn't pause in their conversations for a moment. Pretending not to notice the innkeeper's reaction, the half-elf sat down with Eliana at the counter, ordering a meal for himself and his companion. The innkeeper continued to give him a strange look, but hearing the newcomer order a hearty and not-so-cheap meal suppressed the growing urge to throw the stranger out the door. Like most people, he genuinely despised him, but lately it had been increasingly difficult for him to support his family, so he couldn't afford to ignore all the customers he held a grudge against. Especially now, with the city sinking into this sick stagnation and merchants leaving en masse for the south, he didn't understand why this was happening and hoped it would change soon. Then he would be able to do what he wanted, as before, instead of serving an elven bastard, as he was now. The innkeeper took their order without even attempting a fake smile, then disappeared into the back room. He returned with two mugs of beer, which he placed before them, then muttered something like, "You have to wait fifteen minutes for the lamb." He sat down a few feet away from them, wiping glasses and plates for what must have been the tenth time. He glanced at them mockingly from time to time, but said nothing. However, Elina wasn't about to give up so easily on her plan to investigate the situation in the city.
"Why is it so empty today, innkeeper?" she asked him cheerfully. "Besides, the whole town looks deserted.
" "What's it to you?" he grumbled irritably. If he only knew why, he wouldn't be sitting idly by. "Well, people are still working, so they don't have time to hang out at the inn. There will be more of them in the evening," he added in a slightly gentler tone. "
That's what I thought, we're coming here to visit a friend, but he left unexpectedly, so we'd like to rent a room for a few days.Oh, you should have done it right away," the innkeeper quieted, sensing that he might even get more money than he expected. "And between us," he added in a hushed voice, "the town has been a bit deserted for some time now. People are shutting themselves in their houses and merchants are leaving for some unknown reason. However, here you have nothing to worry about."
"We're not the timid kind," Milndor interjected, and the innkeeper once again assumed his contemptuous expression. However, he quickly regained his composure and ignored the remark. He disappeared into the back room for a moment, then brought in the still-steaming lamb in tomato sauce, rumor has it the Taur Caras's greatest specialty.
"Enjoy your meal," he said, placing the filled platters before them. "If you need anything, let me know." After these words, the bartender returned to his previous task, making it clear that he considered the conversation over.
The dish proved to be truly delicious. Besides, after a long journey during which they had subsisted almost exclusively on dry food, every hot meal took on a special flavor. When the lamb disappeared from the platters, which was especially true in Milndor's case, the travelers quickly collected their keys from the innkeeper and went upstairs to the sleeping quarters. The small room they were living in clearly hadn't seen a guest in a while, as the neatly arranged bedding was covered with a thick layer of dust, and the air was filled with a musty smell. Eliana, in a reflex seemingly common to women of all races, flung open the window immediately upon entering, and the fresh air soon dispelled the unpleasant smell. The half-elf glanced around the room and then settled comfortably on one of the beds.
"Well, we haven't learned much," the healer asked. "Your friend's gone, the innkeeper turned out to be a rather uncommunicative boor, and the city looks as if it's been hit by an epidemic—the streets are empty, people are shutting themselves in their homes, and random travelers are trying to get out as quickly as possible.
" "That's true," he replied, rising from bed. "We'll have to wander around the city before nightfall and investigate the situation. I won't be leaving until Arille returns, so I'll be happy to help you. If you want, of course."
"Any help is welcome," she replied, sitting down opposite him. "I'll visit the temple and the mage, if there is one here. You could try to find out something at the town hall or from the guards. I doubt they'd be particularly talkative, but it's always worth a try.
" "And what exactly do we need all this information for?" the half-elf asked.
"I want to see how far the Emissaries' influence reaches. If it turns out that the residents' behavior is directly related to their
activities, I'll have to leave tomorrow.
" "Where? You don't want to go to meet them, do you?
" "Do you know any other solution?" she answered his question with a question. "If so, I'd be happy to take it, but I sincerely doubt you know any. There's simply no other solution. I know what I have to do, I just want to know how to prepare for it and what I might have to deal with."
"It's a suicide mission," Milindor scoffed, but after a moment he realized the decision had already been made, so instead of talking, he'd better try to do something to support her. "Okay, I'll help you with the preparations, and we'll see what happens later.
" "I'm glad," she replied, smiling slightly at him, then glancing at the afternoon sun, she added, "It's getting late. If we're going to do this today, there's no point in waiting.
" "Let's go then," he replied, pleased that he finally had something to do. If he had to stay here, he'd be tormented by questions about what was actually happening to his friend, but this time his mind could focus on something else, at least for a while.
Brak komentarzy:
Prześlij komentarz