Chaos Quest Chapter 9

Aeril woke early the next morning and quickly began his preparations. Varlon gave him many things to help including a tent, a stack of rations, and some money incase he needed to buy something more. He immediately found how useful the adventurer's pouch could be. He was very grateful that he could store everything in the pouch, because otherwise it would have been very awkward for him to have to carry. Once all the preparations had been taken care of, he said good bye to Varlon and headed to East Freeport to meet Kryn.

Ariel opened the door to reveal a small tavern. Looking around he couldn't find Kryn, so he took a seat at a nearby table where he could keep an eye on the door to see when Kryn arrived. He wasn't seated long when someone came up to him and said. "Why hello there. My name is Sun, could I interest you in some wine?"

"Umm no thanks. I'm just waiting for a friend to come."

The girl smiled at him. "Well just let me know if you change your mind." She said before leaving him to attend to some other patrons in the tavern. He didn't wait long before Kryn finally arrived. She made a quick visual sweep and smiled when she saw him.

She quickly moved to sit next to him. After making a gesture to get Sun's attention she said. "Hey you, you been here long?"

Aeril shook his head. "Nope, not to long."

"Well that's good. I tried to make my trips to and from pretty fast." Seeing Kryn enter, Sun returned to the table to see if they wanted anything to drink. "Sure, bring us some water. We've got a lot of hard work ahead."

"So what are we gonna do?"

"You my dear Aeril, are going to help me smith."

"Smith? You mean as in black smithing? I don't know how to do that!"

"Oh don't worry about. I'll teach you!" She said just as Sun arrived with the drinks. "Thank you. Here's your tip." Turning back to Aeril, she said. "Now come on drink your water and lets go."

They finished their drinks and left the small tavern. Kryn led him past the tavern to an armory owned by a man named Ikthar. Just behind the armory was a small forge. "Ok here we are. Mr. Ikthar said it's ok to use his forge."

"Didn't you say you had chores to do?"

"Yes, this is my chore. My father wants me to make him a lot of things, from small bits of metal, to sheets of metal, and even to making armor."

"Why?" Aeril asked curiously.

"My father thinks that everyone should know how to smith. Because not only can it help you in other professions you might have, but there's always someone who needs what your making. Tailors need needles, fishermen need hooks, bakers need lots of things from utensil to pots and pans. My mother's the same way. She wants me to become a jeweler. She says people will pay a lot of money for just about anything enchanted. So she's had me making basic jewelry for quite some time now. Non-enchanted of course but that'll come with time."

Aeril looked at her quizzically. "Why do they wancha to learn all that?"

"Well you could say my family is into public service. My mother transports people from place to place, while my father finds and sells things to others. So I suppose they want me to continue the family tradition in a way. Not only that though, it's quite profitable. Porting alone cost 10 platinum!"

Aeril looked at her in surprise. "Wow that's a lot of money!"

"Yes, it is. When one considers that a skilled artisan can make about 1 gold piece a day. If he didn't spend any of that money with a 45% tax rate, it would take him about five and a half months to be able to afford a one time port."

"So you're actually pretty well off then" Aeril said with a bit of awe in his voice.

"I suppose you could say that. Though don't think just because a port cost's 10pp that she gets to keep it all. Not only does she have to pay tax like everyone else but the league keeps a good 40% as well. So she only really keeps about a third of that 10pp. And when your training your daughter to learn as many trades as I'm taking, the platinum disappears fairly quickly. Don't let me fool you. There's a lot of money to be made from smithing and jewel craft, but only if you attain a high level of skill in it. All in all it's an immense commitment of time and money. I don't mind, I like making things. So its worth it for me. In fact besides smithing and jewelry, I'm also learning to be a tailor and perhaps someday a potter. My mother even suggested I become a magician so that I could also make things through the use of conjuration. But conjuration really isn't my thing."

Aeril looked at her awestricken. "How do you have time for all that?"

Kryn laughed. "I don't. I've been spending all my time with you recently, which is my mother has been nagging me about my studies."

Aeril looked down apologetically. "I'm sorry Kryn. I didn't to get you in trouble with your mother."

She waved off the apology. "Don't worry about. I already told you yesterday. We have things worked out. Besides time spent with you, is time well spent. Now come over here and watch as I do this." Aeril watched as Kryn worked on the metal for a while before she finally turned around and said. "Now why don't you give it a try?"

"Ok I suppose I can try."

"There you go. That's the spirit. It's not really that hard, and its actually lots of fun. You're limited only by the depth of your imagination. From creating cookie cutters for children, to deadly swords for warriors. You can make whatever it is that you want to make, just the way you want to make it. There are few things in life that give you that much freedom and that much control."

Aeril nodded his head. He was about to say something when his eyes suddenly grew wide. "OUCH! THAT BURNS."

Kryn giggled next to him. "Ahh poor baby got burned. Want me to kiss it to make it better?" She teasingly asked in a sultry voice.

Remembering the kiss she had given him last night and the reaction he had to it, he turned back to forge and continued his work. "Anyway, let's get back to the smithing."

Seeing the small blush appear on his cheeks, Kryn couldn't help the smile that had found its way to her face. Putting an arm on his shoulder she leaned close to see how he was doing. "Not bad you picked that up pretty quick."

"It wasn't too hard, I'm just combining the metal."

"Well listen to you Mr. Professional blacksmith. Well since your feeling so self-confident how about we try something harder than?"

"Sure why not." Aeril said smiling.

"Ok then lets try making some metal files. It's very important that you get this right because it's a smith's tool. It's needed for things like making metal studs, arrow heads, and chain mail rings. If there's a file not made right there could be some very nasty unforeseen consequences. So you still feeling up to it?"

"Sure." He said though this time not quite as sure of himself. Kryn than began to show him the proper way of doing making the files. He watched intently as she carefully went through each step. After a few minutes she stood up so that he could then try it himself.

Initially he failed nearly every attempt he made, but Kryn was there next to him to help him and give him encouragement. Soon he began making them correctly more often, which made Aeril very happy and was a big relief to Kryn.

They had been working for quite some time when Kryn noticed that they needed some more water. "We're getting kind of low on water, do you think you can handle it without me here to help?"

Aeril waved his hand in a dismissive manner and said. "It's a piece of cake, don't worry about me I'll be ok."

Kryn shook her head. "Oh please, don't start getting cocky now. Your just making files, just imagine making some chain mail armor. You wouldn't want to make a mistake or you might be redoing the whole set of armor! Anyway I'll be back soon. Don't run off until I get back ok."

Kryn began to walk away to find more water, but her mind never left the blue eyed pigtailed boy. In her mind she remembered the first time she saw him and how she felt mesmerized as she looked into those amazingly blue eyes. She remembered him saving the young girl's kitten and then following him after he got into a fight with his father. Not to mention how surprised she was the first time he changed forms in front of her.

Until now Aeril had always viewed their relationship purely as that of best friends, until last night that is. With one small, seemingly innocent kiss, the solidity of that belief could now be called into question. She remembered the blush on his face when she teased him about kissing him. Given time she was sure she could get him to see her as more than a friend. But that in it of itself was the problem, there was no time. In fact she was most likely running out of time. Soon he would leave on one quest only to return to prepare for yet another. A quest that could keep him away as long as a year. A year was more than enough time for him to overlook his new found feelings for her and go back to merely being friends. Not only that, but without her around she was sure others would gladly try to step in and take the role of a potential girlfriend. And she would remain merely "My best friend Kryn."

Kryn sighed and lowered her head. The more she thought of it the more depressed she became. She knew there was nothing she could do. She knew her parents would never let her go with him, even if he did ask her to go with him. Her musings were suddenly interrupted when she bumped into someone.

The intersection suddenly became dead quite. An amazing fact considering she was at the busiest intersection in East Freeport. To the north of the intersection was the path to west Freeport, the south was the south gate, to the east were the docks and to the west was the residential and commercial sector of East Freeport. With the number of people that moved through the intersection daily, the silence that suddenly ensued was no minor thing.

Figuring she must have bumped into someone important she looked up to see who she bumped into and to apologize. Her eyes widened and her and nearly forgot to apologize. There in front of her was a tall human. He had long dark hair and moustache, he wore a black casters robe, and carried a large stuff with a skull at the end. The one thing that distinguished him from the common necromancer was his eyes. His eyes were pure yellow and unblinking, devoid of both iris and pupil. She realized she had just bumped into a Priest of Discord.

The Priests of Discord were a mysterious lot. It was a well-known fact that in every city there was always one Priest of Discord. That one Priest would endlessly wander his chosen city day and night, not once uttering a word to anyone unless someone first initiates a conversation with them. And while they're quite willing to give one advice, that advice is always tainted with blood and violence. Many cities not wishing such ideas being spread in their cities often tried to impression the Priests of Discord. When the Priests ignored the guards, they would then attempt to capture them by force. These attempts would almost always end in the brutal deaths of those who attacked the priests. The few times the city guards managed to kill one, for all priest fight to the death, a new priest would mysteriously show up within a week.

Due to this, the Priests of Discord gained a reputation for being extremely violent killers. Since then many have avoided them in fear of inadvertently triggering a violent episode, which was exactly what Kryn was afraid she may have done. Everyone stared mutely for several tense seconds wondering what would happen. He stared at her for several seconds, seemingly looking into her mind and soul before he turned and walked off without even acknowledging her apology.

Kryn sighed deeply. To say that was scary was a very large understatement. She quickly made her way to the inn and bought what she needed. On her way back she made sure she didn't bump into anyone at all, especially those in black robes. When she got back, she noticed that Aeril had gotten a good amount of work done. "Well you seem to have done pretty well for yourself!"

Aeril smiled at her. "You really think so? They don't look nearly as good as the ones you made.

Kryn picked one up and examined his work carefully. "Well they are a bit disfigured but they're still usable. After all this is your first time, while I have been at this for years. Its only natural that mine will look better, after all this has been trivial to me for years now. But like I said this is good enough! ~"

Thanks! I guess this can be kinda fun after all! I aught to help you more when I get back. That way we can spend a lot of time together, without upsetting your parents." Aeril said smiling happily.

Kryn's expression seemed to lose some of its cheerfulness when he said that, though she gave him a weak smile and said. "Ya, that's a good idea."

Aeril heard the sadness in her voice. "What's wrong Kryn? Why did you suddenly get so sad? You sounded happy just a bit ago. Was it something I said?"

The Half Elf shrugged and said. "Kinda, but not really." Taking a deep sigh, she said. "Honestly I'm not exactly sure what it is. I'm not usually this emotional."

"It's about my leaving to Faydwer isn't it?" Seeing her nod he stopped working and turned to give her a hug. "Don't worry Kryn, I'll always be your friend. Anytime you need me I'll be there for you, even if it means sailing across the abysmal sea or taking on the entire pantheon of gods. No matter what it is, I promise."

Kryn tightened her hold on him as he spoke. Tears freely slid down her cheeks. Coming from anyone else she would have doubted the actually of those being kept, but coming from Aeril she knew they were true. She had no doubt that he would follow through with those words or die trying. She tightened the embrace a bit more before saying "I . . . thank you."

Aeril reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Don't worry Kryn. I'll be back from this quest soon and I wont leave for Faydwer until after I say goodbye to you first. Though I guess it's more of an 'I'll see you later,' cuz I promise I will come back from that trip too."

Kryn smiled at him. "You had *Better* come back soon. Because believe me I most definitely plan on cashing in those promises." Letting go of their embrace Kryn said. "But anyway it's getting late and you had better go before I try to get you to stay here with me and not leave in the first place."

Aeril laughed and said. "Ya I guess you're right. So I guess I'll see you soon."

As he turned to leave Kryn suddenly reached out and took hand. Turning back to look at her, he gave her a questioning look. Kryn opened her mouth as if to speak but quickly closed it. As she stared into his blue eyes she thought of the words her mother had told her nights before, and knew she needed to tell him. Fighting back a wave of nervousness, she said. "I... I wanted to say . . . I mean I wanted you to know that I . . . "

Once again she found it hard to speak as another wave of fear and nervousness rippled through her. She couldn't believe how hard it was to say, so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Sadly she realized she still couldn't tell him. It wasn't time yet, she wasn't ready. Slowly she opened her eyes and exhaled, smiling at him she pulled him closer for another embrace. "Just come to me soon. Ok."

With a reassuring voice he said. "Don't worry Kryn, I promise."

She reluctantly let go of the hug. He gave her a warm smile and began walking away. She watched his retreating form until she could no longer see him. She shook her head and with great difficulty returned to her work on the forge.