Darkness and Hellfire

Chapter 20 I Have A Heading.

Aria entered the tavern to see Isaac chatting up Jennie, the tavern owner. “It looks like you two are getting along.” She said as walked over to the bar to sit next to Isaac.

Jennie stopped mid sentence and rushed to meet Aria halfway. “How is he?” Aria could see the worry that she had been expertly burying. Her pleading eyes looked up and met Aria’s.

Aria smiled at her and said: “His life isn’t in any danger.” She placed her hand on Jennie’s shoulder to steady her. The relief had hit her in a wave and her knees threatened to buckle. Aria’s eyes met Isaac’s and they shared a smile at the tension’s sweet release. She mouthed ‘Thank you’ to him then looked back down at Jennie.

“Jennie. Time for the bad news.” Aria said and steeled herself and Jennie braced. “Without a cleric who can cast seventh level spells he will never walk again. His one leg is only half his thigh now and the other we were able to close it up at the knee but neither of them are in any condition for a prosthetic. A wheelchair could be ordered in but it’s going to cost you a lot to get something bulky like that delivered down here.”

“That’s alright. We’ll figure it out.” Jennie replied and hugged Aria. “Thank you for not letting the dark take another one from me.”

Aria hugged her back for a long moment. “It’s the least I can do.” The two separated and Isaac turned around so his back was to the bar.

“Thanks for breakfast Jennie.” Isaac said then locking eyes with Aria for a moment he nodded and greeted her. “Aria.”

“You still have the dragon head right? Let’s go get it cleaned up before it starts to stink up Jennie’s whole building.” Aria offered.

Jennie turned, eyes red, and gave Isaac a stern look. “Ya brought monster parts into my tavern?” She interrogated.

“Um. No.” Isaac replied deliberately unconvincingly.

She shook her head at him then ordered: “Take your rottin monster flesh outta here before I start chargin ya.”

Isaac jumped to his feet and replied: “Yes mam.” He hurried up the stairs and grabbed Chris’ backpack that he had been using. He took some of the rations out and put them in his Inventory. He threw on the backpack and hurried down stairs to meet up with Aria. As he reached the top of the steps he had an idea.

—

“So, Isaac huh.” Aria said.

“What ‘bout him?” Jennie replied innocently.

“You know what. You really like the whole mysterious past thing don’t you? Your husband was a drifter wasn’t he?” Aria probed.

“Yeah. What’s that have to do with Isaac?” Jennie continued pretending not to notice what Aria was implying.

“He’s got secrets even he shouldn’t know. He’s a good enough guy but he’s way more than you are bargaining for. And he’s broke.” Aria warned.

“I know. It’s just the eyes. I can’t help myself. It’s like I’m looking into some fae’s from a bard’s story.” Jennie replied looking embarrassed.

“So it is the eyes.” Isaac replied as he materialized sitting on a table a few feet from them. Aria jumped and Jennie screamed before covering her mouth with her hand. One of the unconscious patrons stirred.

“Isaac Wexler I swear if you give me a heart attack and I die I will haunt you.” Aria vowed as she was the first to recover.

Isaac waved her off and continued. His easy, amused, smirk cemented on his face after his recent prank. “Like a fae huh?” He thought for a moment then nodded. “Aria do you have a book on them I could read?”

“I haven’t been this embarrassed since I was knee high I swear.” Jennie said, her face was red and she was specifically not looking into Isaac’s eyes. “I got work ta do.” She walked back to the bar and continued where she had left off when Aria had come in.

“I’ll tell you about them later. Let’s go before you cause any more trouble.” Aria directed and turned to go.

“Too late for that I’m afraid.” Isaac mumbled as he followed after her.

She stopped and looked at him. “What’d you do?” She questioned.

Isaac raised his hands in a placating gesture. Then he lowered them and raised only one finger. “I woke up.” Was his reply with enough conviction that he could have become a paladin at that very moment if there were such an oath.

Aria stared. “Alright, why did that cause trouble?”

“There was a girl in my room who wasn’t there when I fell asleep.” Isaac continued his dancing around the real problems while only speaking the truth.

“And who was this girl?” Aria asked.

“I may or may not have an idea which I may or may not share. However, if you happen to see a four foot tall girl with a dark cloak and scarf covering her face who may or may not have a bruise in the shape of my knuckles on the side of her head it may or may not be her.” Isaac stated matter of fact.

Aria blinked. Then blinked again. Then something dawned on her. “I saw Lisa, the Guild Master’s daughter, earlier. She was at the temple. She claimed she tripped and hit her head. She had a concussion and a nasty bruise on her head.” She squinted at Isaac. “Why?”

“Someone was digging through my stuff and tried to make a brake for it. I was in front of the door. She tried to go through me. She stabbed me and I didn’t remember to pull my punch in the heat of the moment.” Isaac replied apologetically.

Aria and Jennie both exclaimed simultaneously: “You were stabbed?”

Jennie ran over to him. “Where? Why didn’t ya say something earlier?”

Aria just shook her head and sighed. Isaac waved them off. “A little girl with my own dagger isn’t going to be what gets me this time. I’m fine. See no blood.” He said and pointed to his palm where he had been stabbed. Jennie sighed in relief and then a, now awake, patron called her over.

“She’s not a little girl, Isaac.” Aria said and headed out motioning him to follow. Once outside she continued. “She is half lightfoot. Her mother is only three feet tall. Her father is a half elf. She’s older than you.”

As they walked they continued to talk. “She’s a rogue. Light and quiet on her feet. I’m surprised she was careless enough to wake you up. She’s a pretty high level too.”

Isaac shrugged. “I just woke up. I didn’t even realize she was there for like five whole seconds. I think we were both just as surprised. She’s kinda a klutz.”

“She shouldn’t be. Why was she digging through your stuff? She’s not known to be a thief. She’s a scout and a damn good one at that.” Aria asked.

“Don’t know. I think she’s broke. We had a mostly one sided conversation but that’s what I got out of it. She needed money and hoped the noble boy from out of town had some out in the open.” Isaac replied.

“Speaking of, where is your money? You shouldn’t normally have to be careful with it in an outpost like this but it’s still a good idea.” She recommended.

“That is a secret.” Isaac said and winked at her before following it up with: “The same place as the lantern.”

She nodded. “Good.”

—

They reached the guild a few minutes later and Claus was there getting payment for the job as well as the monster kills. He motioned for Isaac to give him the dragon head. Handing it to him Isaac asked: “Will I be able to get the skull back?”

The receptionist nodded and replied in his gruff deep voice. “Yeah come back tomorrow.” Then he made a note on his paper and finally looked up to Claus. “Twenty platinum coins, seven gold coins, and three silver coins.” Claus nodded in agreement and the man, brown hair and eyes, medium build but an aged look about him, disappeared into a back room.

“That easy?” Isaac asked.

“We are members so yes. You will need to go to an actual town to register. They don’t stock badges here so even if you did the paperwork it wouldn’t mean anything.” Aria answered.

“Sounds like I have a heading.” Isaac stated and nodded once to himself.

The receptionist returned with a bag of coins and poured them out onto the counter. He counted them all in front of the party and then returned them to their bag and handed it to Claus. “Good work as always.”

“Thanks.” Aria said and turned to leave. Claus and Isaac followed after her. “Claus. Ten plat to Isaac. The gold and silver to Chris.” The big man nodded and took out ten shiny platinum pieces. He passed them to Isaac who took them all in one hand. They, like the rest of the coins, were an inch across and less than a tenth of that thick. They had a hole in the center wide enough for a cord to be fed through.

Isaac made nine of them disappear as he inspected the last one for a moment. Then he looked up and realized Aria was staring at him. “What?’ He asked and then made the last coin disappear.

“Maybe don’t do that out in the open.” She replied.

“Oh.” He replied. “Anyway about my armor.” Isaac changed topics. “Can it get fixed or something?”

Aria stopped and looked at the damage. A buckle was sheared in two and two of the straps were cut. Some of the stitching was torn. “It can be fixed but, again not here, there is an armory where you could buy a new set with your new money.”

“How much will it cost me?” Isaac asked.

“Twenty five gold. Maybe more if it’s the last one in stock.” Aria responded. “It’ll be no more than twenty in the town a few days from here. If you can make it the whole way to Safeharbor you could get a set for probably twelve or thirteen.”

“Travel is really dangerous down here huh?” Isaac mused.

“Yeah.” Aria said somberly.

“I think I’ll wait until at least the next town over. I’ll be there to sign up with the guild anyway. Getting paid for turning in the corpses of everything that tries to kill me sounds like a good idea.” Isaac stated. He now had a plan.