Chapter 3

T.C.

With the wind at their back, they rode furiously to escape their pursuers., but it was no use. They gained with every moment that passed. Blood rushing through their veins, sweat streaming down their faces. Ordin looked over his shoulder and thought to himself that he would rather fight than run, but going up against eleven men with only six was a little bit of a stretch. He only had faith in three of his new companions. All the while, knowing sooner rather than later they would have to fight. On the horizon he saw the road disappear as it plunged into the dark forest ahead. That would make the best place for an ambush, he thought.

"Race for the trees!" he yelled to the group. "Aye!" they responded.

As they passed the edge of the trees, Loryn climbed a broad-leafed tree for cover to fire his bow. Giving a hardy dwarven yell, Silverbeard jumped from his horse, rolled, and vaulted to his feet. Ordin dismounted and stood next to his longtime dwarven ally. The pair waited on the road about 100ft deep in the tree line. Junip thought he could best help hiding in the bushes till the opportune time. He made his way to the back to the front of the bushes to let the riders go past him so he could surprise them. Pym stood a little behind Ordin and Silverbeard, shaking. Pym was not much of a fighter. The last warrior to dismount did so very calm and slow. Nesander, as he was known, was the last of the new guys Ordin had hired. Nesander slowly dismounted, and calmly reached behind his head and unsheathed his ornate greatsword. Confidently poised in an unorthodox stance, he waited for the enemy. Hunched forward, sword resting on his neck, his feet spread, the right one in front, the left behind him, he waited.

When their pursuers entered the forest, they came to a stop. They wore the blue uniform of the Rosaleta city guard. The eleven horses they rode were exhausted and panting. Each of them wore a simple Longsword issued by the Kalamaran government. One of the eleven trotted forward.

"Return what you have stolen, and surrender, no harm will come to you." The assumed leader ordered. "Otherwise you will be executed."

"Don't be stupid!" laughed Ordin; "do we look like we are surrendering to you!"

"Get ready for pain! Silverbeard added.

As the men dismounted Ordin, Silverbeard, and Nesander charged. An arrow whistled from the trees and struck one of the men as he spurred his horse forward, his limp body toppled backward off the saddle. One more arrow screamed out and dropped another before any could take cover. Ordin and the guard leader squared off, sword and mace clashed in combat. Silverbeard dashed past Ordin and engaged two of the younger looking guards preventing them from flanking Ordin. Nesander ran down one of the guards, spilling his stomach before he got a chance to dismount from his horse. The rest of the men dismounted and timidly joined the action.

Suddely Junip appeared from behind the bushes. Sprinting toward the fray, he leaped onto the back of one of the men engaged with Silverbeard and drove his blades deep into the guard's chest and neck. Another arrow pierced the air and found its mark in the chest of a guard about to strike Nesander from behind. Silverbeard gave his enemy a blow to his leg, and as he fell separated his head from his body. Ordin circled his adversary reigning down blows with his mace finding his intended target at will. With a final crushing blow to the skull, Ordin fell his foe, and quickly engaged another. As Pym stood back and away from the fight one of the guards made a run for him. Pym held his weapon tightly and tried not to shake. The guard stumbled and landed face down in the dirt just inches from Pym's boots, revealing Loryn's well placed arrows in the guards back. Not long after that were the sounds of battle replaced by pleas of mercy, soon silenced as they dispatched the last guard. Ordin thought to himself, it seemed it would be harder than it was. The new guys really worked out well.

"Well you guys really lived up to your reputations." Ordin told the group of mercenaries, "It is hard to find people of their word in this business." he said with a laugh; "I will speak highly of you to Nosh when we return to the thieves quild."

"You ok Pym," said Silverbeard "Ordin and I have got you through tougher scrapes than that."

"I wasn't scared at all." Pym responds; "I was just getting ready to make my move, but Loryn stole my kill."

The group laughs as they begin to collect themselves to continue the journey to Bet Kalamar. Ordin pulled Nesander aside and asked "where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Well long story short," Nesander explains; "I had some training where I grew up, but I learned this style from an aged gladiator whom I encountered while looking for an old girlfriend. After my mentor died in the arena I befriended Loryn to help me survive in the wild. Loryn is good at surviving and he is the only one in his homeland to escape invasion from the Kalamar army. Loryn can obsess a bit on getting his revenge but he usually keeps it in check."

"Your right that does sound like a long story." Ordin quipped.

With Bet Kalamar only a day's ride away they sleep only half the night, so they could reach it midday. Upon reaching the city Ordin motions for the group to join him in conversation.

Ordin whispered, "Listen I don't know what you guys have planned, but if you want you can come to the guild hall if you want. You can find some work there or you can join the thieves guild yourselves if you want to."

"I'm not joining any damned guild so just give me my cut now." Junip declares.

Ordin looks disappointed but he hands Junip his pay. Junip snatches the small sack from Ordin's hand and quickly disappears into bustling streets of Bet Kalamar.

Nesander and Loryn look at each other, "We'll come with you, we have some business to attend to at the guild. We are looking for someone, a girl, named Harley." Nesander says.

"Never heard of her." said Ordin, "but then it's been a long time since I've been back in Bet Kalamar."

After selling their stolen loot to a fence they make their way to the guild. Nesander had dug up some rumors that Harley was with this guild, so he is anxiously waiting to see if they are true. At the same time he is nervous, as to how she will react to seeing him again. Taking this job with Ordin was the perfect way to pay for the journey but also to gain access to the secretive thieves guild.

They reach a door to an unassuming storefront and Ordin knocks out some odd pattern. Soon enough the eye slit in the door slides open and a pair of eyes appear on the other side.

"Ghost ship!" says the voice behind the eyes.

"Hyperion." answers Ordin.

The door opens and Ordin shows them down the hall and through a secret fireplace into the colorful atmosphere of the underground city of thieves.

"Ok guys! Silverbeard, Pym, and I have to talk to Nosh and let him know we're back. Meet us at that hole over there where we can get something to each and we'll talk some more business." Ordin suggested.

Loryn and Nesander walk around and look in different shops to pick up supplies and quirky things they like. They pause to take in their new exotic surroundings.

Nesander leans to Loryn and shouts over the din of the crowd, "there is no way we are going to find Harley here, it's like finding a needle in a haystack!"

Just then Nesander is bumped from behind. Nesander turns around to see a girl and when their eyes lock they immediately recognize one another.

"Hey Harley," Nesander says gleefully, "I found you."