Chapter 4
Set On The Path
Old Joe, a chubby human in his forties, was cleaning the bar-counter with a wet rag, it was a few hours before evening, and his tavern was almost empty. Not that it wasn't popular, on the contrary, Joe's was one of the most popular pubs and taverns in all of Cardena, it was just one of those times of the day when it was very calm. He didn't mind the breaks when he and his staff could get ready for the more busy times, but sometimes they just got so bored.
A lone male Turtle walked in, catching Joe's attention. The calmer times are the best times to get to know his customers better, or spot those that stood out for some reason, and Turtles were rather uncommon in the town. The Turtle wore a bright cloak with the hood down, underneath it one could see a chainmail in addition to his common clothes, a round metal shield was carried on his back, together with five javelins and a backpack, a short sword hung on his side and he had an old and worn blue scarf around his neck.
The Turtle walked up to the counter.
"A mug of mead, please. And some fruit too, if you got that. It's been a long journey." the Turtle said in a calm and polite tone.
"Don't see many Turtles around here, stranger." Joe said as he poured a mug and served a platter with some apples and pears. "What brings you to Cardena? If you don't mind me asking."
"Family, actually." the Turtle answered, taking a mouthful of the mead. "Grew up here in Cardena, but had to leave years ago. Now I'm trying to find my brothers. You wouldn't happen know them, the Hamato brothers?"
"Hamato? Hamato… Can't say that the name rings a bell, but I have seen a few other Turtles over the years. Some have just been passing through town, but a few of them have been fairly regular over years. Might be them."
"If so, then they are still in Cardena at least. Thank you."
After finishing his mead and most of the fruit, the Turtle fished up some coins from the pouch in his belt and placed them on the counter, bringing the last apple with him as he walked towards the door.
"Should I tell them anything if they show up?" Joe asked. The Turtle hesitated for a while.
"Tell them… tell them that Leonardo was looking for them."
Walking through town, Leonardo looked around, seeing that not much actually had changed over the years he had been gone. The wealthier parts of town were still the best maintained, while the slums had remained in the same sorry shape that he had left.
It was with trembling steps that he walked through the slum to where he had used to live. He wasn't afraid of being jumped by any thieves or thugs, he was more than capable to defend himself, but he was very nervous to how his brothers would react, he had abandoned them over fifteen years ago after all. But he wouldn't let that stop him, he had made a vow to reunite with them and help them to make up for his dishonourable actions.
Finally standing outside the old shack, he swallowed hard and clutched his silver talisman underneath his scarf, the holy symbol of the Ancient One, silently praying for courage and forgiveness before opening the door.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" he asked in a loud and clear voice as he walked in.
Looking around from the entrance, he was that the place was a mess, everything was damaged or broken, worn down over years and roughly repaired, but it was clearly inhabited, a single lit candle on the table spread a small amount of light. Suddenly, a dagger impaled the wooden wall right next to his head.
"This is private property." a grim voice said. Shortly after, a Turtle emerged from the shadows, wearing a black cloak with the hood up, obscuring most of his face, a red scarf over his mouth. Dark leather armour and clothes were barely visible in the few rays of light that the candle gave off. A second dagger was held in his right hand, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
"I don't take kindly to anyone walking in unannounced, not even another Turtle. What are you doing here?" the dark clad Turtle asked. Leonardo looked at him, studying his face as best he could before answering.
"Looking for you, Raphael."
"How do you know my name?" Raphael asked, then he noticed the blue scarf. "Wait… Leonardo? Is that you?"
Leonardo nodded, and Raphael sheeted his dagger, walking over to his long lost brother, and punched him right across the face. Leonardo remained on his feet, but he staggered and rubbed his cheek where the fist had hit him.
"You got some nerve showing your face here after what you did!" Raphael snarled, staring down his brother, pulling back his hood and scarf, showing a long scar going down across his left eye. "What the shell do you want?!"
"I want to make amends, Raphael, for what I did all those years ago."
"Make amends?! Not only did you want to send Mikey away, but then you cut my face and ran away like a coward! And you think you can just come back after all this time and 'make amends' and all will be fine again?!"
"Listen, please," Leonardo said, still calm despite his brother's anger. "I wanted what I thought was best for Michelangelo, I will not apologise for wanting to help him. But I am deeply sorry for everything else, I never wanted to hurt you, or the others."
"Well you did a shell of good job doing just that!"
"Trust me, I know. I made many mistakes that day, but I hope that I might one day earn your forgiveness, and until that day, I will help you the way I should have done from in the first place."
"Get this, we don't need you! If you wanna help, hand over what coins you got and get lost! I've had more than enough of you!"
"Raph? Is that you in there?" another voice said from the outside. Stepping into view was a third Turtle, dressed in simple clothes that were a bit on the worn side, a purple scarf hung around his neck and he held a staff in his right hand, seemingly using it as a walking cane. "Well, as I live and breath. Leonardo. Haven't seen you in a very long time."
"Donnie." Raphael said in a low voice.
"Why didn't you tell me we would have a visitor today, Raph. I would have cleaned up a bit."
"Don't bother, he was just leaving. And so was I." Raphael said, walking up to the wall and pulling out his other dagger from it before walking out and past the others, pulling up his hood again. "I'm heading out, and when I get back, he'd better be gone."
"Raphael, please. I just want to help." Leonardo tried, but Raphael cut him off.
"The Abyss will be clean before I accept any help from you."
"As charming as always." Donatello sighed as Raphael stormed off. Then he turned to Leonardo. "Anyway, welcome home, Leonardo! We've missed you greatly."
"It didn't seem like it."
"Don't let Raph get to you, he's always been a grumpy Turtle, and I'm sure he has missed you just as much as me and Mikey. But we can discuss that inside instead of out here, have a seat if you find one you trust, I'll get you something to drink, I'm sure I got a clean mug somewhere."
After finding a reasonable sturdy chair, Leonardo sat down by the rickety table, being served a mug of water.
"I see you've managed well without me." said Leonardo.
"We've managed, yes, but, I wouldn't call it 'well'. It's been some rough years, but we've survived much thanks to Raph."
"That's something I suppose. But where is Michelangelo? Is he also out and about?"
"I don't think so, he was still sleeping when I left a few hours ago. Should still be here."
Donatello walked over to a big wooden chest that stood against a wall and opened it, revealing its contents. Cuddled up inside was the Turtle Michelangelo, sleeping soundly and snoring softly, partially wrapped up in a fur blanket and resting his head on a pillow. His clothing could be seen, which were only a brighter variant of what Donatello wore, with the exception of the orange scarf around his neck. The chest was actually almost too small for the Turtle, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Seriously? He's still sleeping in there after all these years?" Leonardo said with a smile.
"He say that it's cosy in there, and if he's happy with it, who are we to say otherwise." said Donatello. He then turned his attention to Michelangelo, gently shaking him by the shoulder. "Hey, Mikey! Wake up! We got a guest!"
"Huh, wazzat…?" he mumbled as he sat up in the chest, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, yawning loudly. "What… what's happening, Donnie?"
"We got a guest, sleepy head. Look who it is."
Once he finished rubbing his eyes, Michelangelo looked over to Leonardo with a half blank stare, just looking at his older brother for a few moments before registering what he actually was seeing, then his eyes went wide.
"B-big bro?" he stammered. "Big bro!"
Practically leaping out of the chest, Michelangelo ran over to Leonardo and threw his arms around him, while also tackling him to the floor.
"Big bro! You're back! I've missed you! I've missed you! I've missed you! I've missed you! I've missed you! I've missed you! I've missed you! I've missed you! I've missed you so much!"
"I've missed you too, Michelangelo." Leonardo said, with only slight difficulties.
"Let him breathe, Mikey." Donatello said as he gently pried the brothers apart.
"Why did you go, Leo?" Michelangelo asked after they had seated themselves again.
"I… I was ashamed of what I did, to Raphael, and to you two. And that look you all gave me… it hurt so much in my heart, and knowing that I was the cause of it… it just made it worse. I was so afraid and confused. After I had collected my thoughts a bit, I felt that I wasn't the brother that you all needed, that you deserved, but now I hope that I can be that brother, and I'm sorry that it took so long."
"As long as you're back, I'm okay." said Michelangelo with a wide smile. "Now things can get back to normal again."
"Not sure if I would use the word 'normal', Mikey." said Donatello. "Some things have changed."
"I've noticed." said Leonardo. "I don't recall you needing a walking staff, for one."
"It's actually an experiment, I'm trying to turn it into an arcane focus, so I won't have to have all the material components for my spells." Donatello explained.
"You can cast spells? Since when can you use magic as well?" Leonardo asked.
"Just sit back and relax, and I'll recount what has happened over the years."
Raphael stalked through the back allies and dark pathways in the slums, until he reached his destination, the Abyss, a seedy bar in the basement of an old warehouse in the dock area. All manner of lowlifes, cut-throats, criminals and other outcasts would frequent the Abyss for its cheep watered down booze, but also to gather information and contacts for various purposes. The place was filthy and dark, years of dirt covering many places, and the few wall torches did little to illuminate the place.
Getting a few bottles of some cheap swill, Raphael sat down by an unoccupied table, taking a mouthful of the contents of one of the bottles. Then he listened, tuning out all the worthless chatter and noise around him and focusing on finding information that could be of use, occasionally drinking some more.
He would often do so, sifting through all conversations until he could find something of worth, names, places, passwords, anything that could lead him to something worth stealing. It was calmer, and cheaper, than seeking out various information brokers or snitches, but he had to keep a low profile. Cutting in on someone else's deals was a quick way to get enemies if they find out who you are.
After over an hour, and one and a half bottle of booze, Raphael finally caught on to something at the table behind him. They were talking in low voices, whispering to avoid being overheard, but Raphael was used to that, and effectively blocked out everything else going on in the bar around him.
He hadn't looked at the people, but he was still able to figure out certain traits by listening, both to their voices and their movements. One had very light footsteps, almost child-like but with an adult's restraint, most likely a Halfling or Gnome, possible even a very lithe Dwarf, but unlikely, the voice was also clearly female and had a certain authority to it, probably that of the leader.
The second walked with heavy and armoured feet, must be wearing some form of heavier armour, Raphael could hear the rattling of ringmail as he sat down. The gruff and burly voice, even when whispering, was clearly male, and it wasn't very far-fetched to assume that he might be a Half-Orc, or possibly even a fullblood Orc. He didn't seem particularly bright either.
And finally, there was the third member, also a male judging by the voice, and this one had clawed hands, or poorly tended fingernails, that occasionally scratched against the wooden table. It was highly likely that he was a Dragonborn or Lizardman, or possibly a Tiefling with slightly more demonic heritage.
"This is it, boys." the female said, her fingers touching some form of parchment. "This shows the way to the largest haul we've ever seen. We pull this off, and we can retire from this life in the grime."
"Good, I'm tired of grime." said the gruff male. "Want gold instead."
"Just keep your voice down." said the last member. "Is it far away?"
"Only a week's travel to the north east of here, as you can see on the map." the female explained.
"Then we will need supplies for the trip, both there and back again, and probably for the stay as well. I'd say at least three weeks of supplies, and that will cost us."
"Don't worry, I got that covered."
"How? We can barely afford a decent place to stay. Where did you get the funds from?"
"I took-"
That was all that Raphael was able to hear, for while he was completely focused on the conversation, he didn't even notice how an individual in grey hooded robes quickly walked up behind him. The figure picked up the empty bottle and tossed it at the large gruff male, interrupting the conversation, and then just walked off to the side, seemingly disappearing into nothing.
The large male, quickly turned around, but never saw the real culprit, only Raphael sitting at the table behind them with another bottle. He snarled loudly as he got up from his stool and walked over to Raphael, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him to his feat.
"What the shell?!"
"You think you funny?! I don't!" the now clearly Half-Orc yelled in Raphael's face.
Then he threw Raphael at the table where the other members of the group were still trying to calm him down. Raphael crashed into the table, luckily hitting it with his shell first so he only got the wind knocked out him, but it was enough to cause a chain reaction in the bar. The bottle that Raphael had been holding in his hand, as well as the drinks on the table, were launched from the impact, hitting other guests of the bar, and a fight was inevitable.
In the time it took for Raphael to get back on his feet, the entire bar had turned into one big brawl with everyone fighting each other, including the staff. Even the Half-Orc and his party had been deeply involved in the fighting, completely forgetting about Raphael.
'Ugh… the shell was that about?' Raphael thought, having no idea of why the Half-Orc attacked him. As he got back on his feet, he noticed that the map was on the floor next to him. 'Not how I would have planned it, but I won't waste the opportunity.'
Quickly folding up the map, he tucked it inside his clothes and decided to get out of the fight club before it got even worse. Making his way towards a hidden exit he had discovered years earlier, he still had to fight a few people that attacked him on the way, but they were easily dealt with with a few quick strikes.
Reaching the hidden trapdoor, he looked around to make sure that no one saw him, but he spotted something that caught his attention. A female Lizard was among the brawlers, but she didn't seem to fit in, she was far too… clean to be hanging out at the Abyss. She was most likely a newcomer to Cardena, and had probably just found the bar by accident or by asking the wrong people, but looking at her fight, it was clear that she could take care of herself.
And how she fought. She almost flowed around her opponents, effortlessly dodging their lackluster attacks as a willow bends in the wind, then striking them with well placed hits from her palms, feet and tail. She moved with such elegance and grace, her hair flowing around her with her movements, that Raphael was captivated by her.
But he was snapped out of it when a giant of a woman burst in through the front door, followed closely by twenty guardsmen. She was Orgna Troll-bane, a Goliath and second in command of the guard, and people knew to stay clear of her. She was strong, violent and loyal to the city and the law, and while she, or the mayor of the city for that matter, didn't have anything against the Abyss as an establishment, fights in the bar wasn't something she tolerated, and anyone that objected would get their fight, with her, and a month in jail.
"That's enough!" her powerful voice boomed, causing everyone to go silent and stop whatever they were doing. "There will be no fighting here! Not on my watch! So unless all of you want to pay our jail a visit, you will all clean this place up right now! I want it spotless!"
It was with great courage that a male Dwarf with a long, fuzzy black beard walked up to Orgna.
"Um… this place hasn't been cleaned for years. The layer of dirt is almost an inch thick in some places. It will take a very long time-"
Before the Dwarf could continue, Orgna grabbed him by the collar and brought him up to eye level.
"Then start cleaning!" she roared in his face, making his beard blow up in his face and cover it.
'No way in the Nine Hells that I'm staying for this.' Raphael thought, once again looking so that no one saw him. But then he saw the Lizard again and he stopped himself. A part of him just couldn't leave her to have to clean the place, and he sighed.
'It's just like with that Half-Elf two years ago…'
Stealthily he hurried over to her and grabbed her wrist. She would have thrown him over her head if she hadn't been vary of Orgna, and with Raphael hushing her she didn't do anything more quiet either.
"Just follow me." he whispered, leading her to the trapdoor.
After walking a few minutes through a dark tunnel, the two reptiles emerged in a dark alleyway. After checking that no one was around, Raphael helped her up. It was first then, in the moon light, that he had time to take a good look at her. Her eyes were blue and the scales were green and she had long wavy, dark brown hair, tied back with a pink headband. She wore a sleeveless yellow top with a matching loincloth and knee long pants, as well as a pair of thin hide armlets and boots. Some form of bladed weapon hung from her feathered belt and she had a smaller backpack in one hand.
"I don't know who you are, but thank you." she said.
"Don't mention it, really, I got a reputation to think about."
"Then why did you help me?"
"You're new to town, right? You shouldn't hang out at a place like the Abyss, and you really shouldn't have to get punished for what some other fool started."
"Well then I thank you again. In fact, I consider myself indebted to you, so if there is anything I can do to help you, don't hesitate to ask."
Raphael wasn't exactly sure what kind of favour he could gain from her, and she didn't seem like the type of girl that would spend a night with someone just to repay a debt, so that was not an option, and the brothel was not that expensive. But as he heard the faint rustle of the map he had 'acquired', an idea formed.
"You know, I think I know a way for you to repay me, if you're up for looking for a treasure."
"Treasure hunting? That sounds rather interesting actually."
"If you help me with this, then your debt will be repaid."
"Fair enough, but I would like to know more, and discuss it in deeper detail."
"Of course. What's your name?"
"Monalisa, but you can call me Mona. And you?"
"Raphael, but just call me Raph. Meet me by the southern gate tomorrow morning and we'll talk then."
As the two parted for the night, Raphael smirked, knowing that he would have some extra help with this job, and hoped that she would be satisfied with a smaller cut of the treasure because of her debt to him. But he still needed more help, so he would have to talk to his brothers about it, they're cheaper and more reliable than hired help.
Looking back at the Abyss as he walked home, hearing how Orgna still bellowed at the others, he chuckled with how he had avoided the punishment.
'It's gonna take them all night to clean that place.'
Thinking about it, Raphael paled as he remembered what he had said to Leonardo.
"The Abyss will be clean before I accept any help from you."
'I should have used another metaphor, or gone to another bar. Though, he did want to help, and maybe he will be of use on this.'
As he continued to walk home, he went over how he could ask for Leonardo's help with his pride still intact. But as he did, the grey robed figure watched him from the shadows, a white mask faintly visible under the hood.
How the blazes did this chapter turn out this long? I thought it would only be half as long.
Anyway, the brothers have been reunited, somewhat at least, and Raphael got a lead on potential riches. And he also met Monalisa.
But things are just getting started, and we're still two characters short of a full party.
Bonus points for those that recognize the robed figure.