The Helm of Hadark

Chapter 1: Surprising Letters

Alex looked up at the pale blue sky of Alusia, its clouds drifting lazily to the west as he lay flat on his back outside his home. He was thinking of what Whalen had said to him a month before, how he should be on alert and that he may have need of Alex shortly. He was prepared to go, his magic bag was well stocked, he was well rested and had been practicing his magic. It turned out however that he was not as needed as he thought, he sat up and reread Whalen's recent letter that had arrived this morning.

Dear Alex,

I apologize for the recent stress I may have caused you do to our last conversation, but you can relax now. The situation was not as dire as I thought and while I believe that my theory is correct my idea to confirm it seemingly wasn't sound. I will continue to look into it but nothing will likely happen as rapidly as last time, so feel free to use your time as you wish.

I have heard a few rumors here and there of things that may be connected to The Gezbeth, I use this name for the conspiracy as a whole not just The Brotherhood. I have reached out to select members of the Order of Malgor in regards to this, do not worry I trust them all, and they may end up looking into them in more detail or not depending on new reports, but that is what I know for now. Continue to hone your skills and remember that while you have much power from multiple sources, you must learn to act with and use all parts individually, as well as together.

Yours in fellowship,

Whalen

This letter had come as both a relief and a disappointment, relief it was not crucial or as dangerous as Whalen had implied at their last meeting but disappointed they wouldn't be able to get to the bottom of the mystery. He had been home for a little over a month but was already itching to be doing things again. After several minutes thinking Alex decided he would saddle Dar Losh, his horse and ride for Telous, perhaps the Order would be putting together adventures, especially if they were uncertain of which members they could trust. Either way, Mr. Clutter's Adventure Shop would be a good place to start.

The next day, a little before noon Alex departed from his home in Resprin, it would take him a day and a half to reach the Great Arch that would take him to Telous, and he could spend the 2nd night at the Golden Swan. He had not donned his mail shirt or his magical sword Moon Slayer yet but carried his staff and his dagger of true silver, there was little likelihood he would run into any trouble, much less trouble great enough he would need his sword for between his home and the arch. As he made camp that night Alex summoned a geeb to take a reply back to Whalen, detailing his thoughts and plans, seeking advice, but more so confirmation that it was an acceptable course of action.

Alex arrived in Telous when he expected to, near sunset on the 2nd day after leaving home. Arriving at the Golden Swan, Alex made arrangements to stay for a while and stabled Dar Losh in the Swan's stables where he knew the horse would be well cared for. The following morning Alex made his way into town, he thought about something Whalen had said in his letter, "While you have much power from multiple sources, you must learn to act with and use all parts individually, as well as together." As he considered this it occurred to him that he had always relied on Moon Slayer to help him fight, he did not know how proficient he would be without the blade's magic if he was put to use only his own skill. This thought led him to Blackburn's Smithy, upon entering he found it looking much the same as it had on his first and only other visit to the shop, with weapons, armor, shield and other objects the functions of which he did not know lining the walls.

"Welcome Master Taylor!" greeted Mr. Blackburn, "What can I do for you today sir."

"Well, I was hoping to add to my arsenal slightly", replied Alex, scanning the walls for what he wanted.

"Oh? How so?" Blackburn responded, somewhat surprised, "I would think you are quite formidable with what you have now."

"I may be, but my current sword is magical and I would like a more traditional blade as well." Alex stated, fixing his eyes on a rack of swords in the back.

"Well then, let me see what I have for you." said Blackburn as he ushered Alex further into the shop. "Lets see if I remember correctly you were suited to all manner of swords, can I assume you would like a one handed blade akin to your current one?"

"Yes, I think that would be best." said Alex, nodding.

"Very well" replied Blackburn, running a finger along a row of hilts before grabbing one. "Try this, see how it feels" he continued as he selected a few more blades.

Alex tried the first blade but it felt too heavy in the hilt, but the second was good, as were the 4th and 5th. Asking Mr. Blackburn if there was a place he could test them he was brought out back. There Alex began to swing the baldes seeing how they felt in motion, eventually he settled on the 4th one. It was one of Blackburn's creations, a similar blade profile to moon slayer but with more weight and heft to it. Happy with the blade he and Mr. Blackburn eventually settled on a price, with the deal done Alex left the smith's shop for the streets of Telous.

He had sent a geeb to Mr. Clutter with his estimated time of arrival so as he walked to where the backdoor would open for him he let his mind wander as his eyes and body enjoyed the pleasant afternoon sun, complete with a cooling breeze. He wished Whalen had given a few extra details in his letter, knowing who he may have contacted and about what may have been very helpful. Alex arrived a few minutes early, leaning casually on his staff as he waited for the last few minutes before Mr. Clutter would be opening the back door. It occurred to him he could write to Sindar, the elf from Vargland he had travelled with on his 2nd adventure to retrieve the Horn of Moran from the Tower of the Moon in Norseland, he was a member of the order and Alec believed he was to be trusted. However he was unsure if Whalen had reached out to him, and if he had not why. As he was making up his mind to write to Whalen again, this time asking about Sindar in specific when he felt himself falling. He barely had enough time to register the surprised face of Mr. Cornelius Clutter.

"Master Taylor!" Mr. Clutter exclaimed startled, "I am so sorry, are you all right?"

"I'm fine." grumbled Alex, getting up, "I didn't realize how close to the door I was, so when you opened it I lost my balance and as my mind was elsewhere so I wasn't able to catch myself."

"Well either way what can I do for you today?" asked Clutter, his energy as frantic as always.

"For now just browsing, and maybe I can arrange for you to notify me if any particularly interesting adventures come along?" Alex inquired "I don't know if that is something you do."

"Of course I do it" answered Clutter, "Now for browsing, lets see. I assume you want something interesting and likely challenging, or at least important. Nothing mundane, no, no, no, that would be a waste of your talents. Let's see." Clutter continued to ramble as Alex followed him further into the shop, it was as he remembered, cluttered yet comfortable. Clutter returned a few minutes later

"Well I think any of these three may-" began Mr. Clutter as he was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a geeb. "Do you have a message for me?" he asked the newly arrived creature.

"Ding"

"May I have it please"

"Ding"

"Excellent" said Mr. Clutter as he retrieved the letter from the creature. Alex waited as he read it, it seemed of a decent length, and based on Clutter's quiet comments probably quite an interesting read. "Can you take a reply back?"

"Ding"

"Very good, let me write it out quickly and then I will get you your payment." replied Clutter to the geeb, "Alex, I think I found you your adventure."

"What?" replied Alex surprised

"I will explain in a moment." cut in Clutter before Alex could ask more questions. Quickly finishing his reply Clutter gave it to the geeb and tossed a small opal up into the air for the geeb which deposited a few coins and disappeared with a popping sound. "The reason I think this may be your next adventure is that not only does it sound interesting, but the leader is hoping for some magical presence on the adventure. As you know I can't go into many details yet but it is going to be in Barkia, and when Sindar arrives in 3 days time you may wish to speak with him about the quest."

"Sindar." muttered Alex, perhaps him coming to mind, had been Alex's O'Gash, his wizard's 6th sense prodding him subconsciously. It would be nice to see the elf again, Alex had been through a lot with him in Norseland, and had come to both trust and rely on him greatly. It had been from Sindar that Alex had first learned of the Order of Malgor, not only that but Sindar had known Alex's father when he was a member. There was something else.

Barkia, the Oracle, the healer murmured his O'Gash in his mind.

Then he remembered what little he knew of the lands of Barkia, it was the land from which Kat had hailed before she became the Oracle of the Empty Tower in Thraxon. It had also been the homeland of his friend Tom, whom he had met in Nezza and whom Alex had begun to train as a healer of power.

You may need him for what is to come, his O'Gash spoke once more, if not for his magical skill than at least as a guide to the land.

Alex made up his mind, he would write to Sindar, and then if he agreed Alex would write to Tom. While still in Clutter's shop Alex wrote the first letter which he addressed to Sindar. It told of how Alex had been there when Sindar's geeb had arrived and what little Clutter had told him, he expressed his interest as well as some details on Tom. He told Sindar of Tom's abilities with magic and as a healer, that he hailed from Barkia, and that he had a feeling they would benefit from having him along. That he would talk to Sindar in more detail when he arrived but that he asked for Sindar's permission to send a vague letter to Tom, asking that he make his way to Telous as Alex may have an adventure on which he would like tom to accompany him.

With his letter sent Alex relaxed in Clutter's shop and asked a bit about Barkia before leaving Clutter to his work and finding what he could in his books about the land. He found some but not as much as he would have liked, his library was extensive, much of it having come from the Tower of the Moon. Due to this and most of his other volumes concerning magic he found that he didn't have a lot of books concerning the Known Lands as places and their cultures, he made a mental note to expand as well as reorganize his library in the days to come before Sindar arrived.

Prompted by another feeling from his O'Gash, Alex composed a second letter, this one to Katrina Dayyed, the Oracle of the Empty Tower. He told her he would be going on an adventure to Barkia and asked what she could tell him about the land and its people, he also asked on a more personal level what if anything he could do for her while she was there. The thoughts of more personal matters reminded him that he would likely have a task to do in Barkia; he had a bag from his first adventure to return to a woman in Barkia.

He was roused from the book he was reading by a geeb, from which he eagerly took a letter, this letter had come from Sindar.

Dear Alex,

I would be most pleased if you would join me on this adventure as it is pertinent to you. Once we see each other in person we will have much to discuss, things I don;t dare put into writing at this time. Please do feel free to send your letter to young Tom, I will have to meet with him personally but his skills may prove useful and I have learned to trust your instincts. I hope to get this adventure going quickly so I have also sent out a few letters, though none have yet responded, you may also reach out to other skilled human and elven adventurers you know to see if they might be interested. This is not normally how things are done but right now time is of the essence and I fear waiting for a party of the size and skill that would be ideal will take too long.

Your friend.

Sindar

Alex was surprised with the urgency in Sindar's letter, and was also surprised that he had specified elven and human adventurers as far as Alex knew race wasn't an issue in terms of adventures and he knew Sindar had no major qualms with other races. Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind he first wrote a letter to Tom, asking him to come to Telous as quickly as he reasonably could as Alex had an adventure which he wanted Tom to accompany him on. Next he wrote one rather generic letter which he didnt address, he then made eleven copies and sent them to the ten humans and elves he had previously adventured with, as well as one to Colesum of Nezza whom, following Rallian's coronation as king had journeyed to the oracle Tempe with hopes of becoming an adventurer, hopes which had been granted according to a letter Alex had received 2 weeks ago from him.

Knowing it would likely be a few hours before many responses started coming in Alex, Alex spent a little while longer watching the workings on Mr. Clutter's shop as he opened up a new file for what Alex could only assume was Sindar's adventure, he watched several adventures come into the shop, some via the back door and some via the wardrobe. Some of which noticed him some of which did not, of those who did none recognised him at first. Of the few that introduced themselves a couple had heard of him and asked him many questions in between their talking with Clutter.

After the first few of these Alex left the shop for Telous, he made his way back in the form of an eagle, transforming probably 5 minutes outside of town. Upon his arrival it was getting to be dark and the first shadows had begun to dance around. He stopped to purchase some books on Barkia, as well as a detailed Almanac on all the Known Lands. He deposited these books into the library in his magic bag as he walked back to the Golden Swan, where while checking on Dar Losh in the stables he received a geeb with a letter from Tom, he would set out the next morning and if all went well would arrive in Telous in 4 days, which was the day after Sindar would, it was good timing.

When he was almost ready to lie down to sleep for the night he received 2 geebs, practically simultaneously. They were from Skeld and Tayo, his friends in Oslansk who had both gotten married to a pair of sisters while he had been passing through on his second adventure. Lilly had let Skeld go on an adventure to Nezza that was being led by her cousin Virgil, an adventure which while successful had not exactly gone smoothly. This made their refusals of the offer of adventure not surprising, though he could almost hear Tayo's suppressed longing through the letter. Both letters were seemingly at least partially written by their wives and both had two different sets of handwriting. At this Alex laughed and shook his head as he got into bed for the evening. The next two days would be interesting, and on the third Sindar would arrive.

Ok, that is the first chapter of Fanfiction I have ever written, please tell me what you think, what you may want to see and if you like the concept. All that stuff that is normally at the end of these.