16th Day of Goodmonth, 565 CY
Suderham, The Pomarj
Aslan, Elrohir, Argo, Talass, Cygnus, Zantac, Tojo and Nesco ran down the sidewalk in the deepening twilight.
There was no time for the introspective musings that had occupied the minds of the group only ten minutes earlier. Now all their attention was spent scanning their surroundings for the city watch or anyone else that might attempt to attack or detain them.
It was Zelhile, huffing for breath while they ran, who spoke up first.
"Does anyone… have any idea where in the Abyss we are? Because… I don't recognize a single… blasted building!"
"Southeast Quarter!" Samuel shouted back. "Fewer patrols here!"
The team leader slowed his pace down. The others followed suit.
"We need to find someplace to hold up," the ranger continued, his voice now closer to its normal volume.
"How about there?" Bretagne pointed.
The party approached a squat, run-down building located at the nearest corner of the intersection they were now approaching. An old, dusty sign swung by one remaining chain from a pole above the door. It showed what looked like a cow's hide being trimmed by several tools.
"Leatherworkers' Guild," mused Alomovar.
"It'd explain why it's not connected to the other buildings," Hilda wrinkled her nose even though the horrid odors of tanning hides and dyes were absent.
"Long abandoned from the looks of it," Cecil put in.
"Not exactly," Toar offered, indicating a parchment which had been affixed over a locked shutter. The big ranger peered close to make out the almost faded-out lettering.
"This Den of Thieves has been eradicated by the will of his Lordship, Duke Etenwulf," he read, and then looked at the others with a thoughtful expression. "Not a bad cover for such a place. Keeps away the casual visitors."
"I guess they were on the outs with the Slave Lords," Zelhile surmised.
Cecil grunted. "At least at the end."
Tojo had yet to make a comment.
Curious, Bretagne glanced over. Tsugo stood some distance apart from the others. The samurai's head hung down while his eyes intently examined the sidewalk flagstones. One hand idly touched the hilt of his wakizashi, which he had grabbed back from the aristocrat he'd stabbed.
He knows he's ruined everything for us. It's funny- I should be furious with him, but what's the point? We all knew something like this might happen. If anyone's to blame, it's Elrohir. He's the one who insisted on taking Tojo into the city with us, even though Aslan could have left him behind at Chendl or even taken him back to the Brass Dragon. It's all pointless now. We should just leave. There's no way we can-
"Locked." Elrohir's voice broke through Nesco's thoughts. The ranger gave the door's handle a useless yank.
"I've got it." Cygnus gave his leader an irritated glare as he shouldered him aside to work his knock spell. As the door swung open, Nesco wondered if the tall mage's thoughts were mirroring her own.
"The White Knight!" Talass suddenly gasped. "All our possessions are there!"
Alomovar had been peering inside at the dark and dusty room within. "I'll teleport back and get them!" he snapped. "The rest of you, get inside and lock or bar the door if you can."
"It'll take several trips to get everything, Alomovar," Sam observed worriedly. "Are you sure you have the strength for that?"
The merchant glared at the ranger.
"Of course," he eventually replied. "I was busy conserving my Talent during that fight we weren't supposed to start!"
He vanished, leaving Samuel with a very easy to read guilt-ridden expression on his face. Elrohir noticed everyone looking at him and wiped it off.
"Come in," he said quietly. "We need to check this place out."
Later that night, all eight individuals sat on the floor against the walls of their new abode.
Everyone was again thinking, but very different thoughts from before.
Nothing remained in this place but dust and debris. There weren't even any chairs to be found. After ensuring that no light would penetrate outside, they had uncovered Cygnus' continual light pendant, which now sat in the center of the group.
Everyone's personal possessions lay nearby. They were all armed again, but none of the warriors felt like donning their armor. They were too tired and too uncomfortable already.
There was no sound but the creak of the floorboards as someone shifted their weight, or the sound of someone swatting at fleas.
Elrohir glanced over at Alomovar and blinked in surprise. It took him a moment to realize that Aslan had resumed his natural form. The paladin caught the ranger's eye, but there was no levity in his explanation.
"I daresay all our aliases are useless now. I'm sure they know who we really are."
A cold silence descended again.
Elrohir looked around again at his companions; worn, tired, discouraged. As of this point, their mission looked to be a failure. They all knew Aslan would mindrest tonight to regain the full use of his Talent tomorrow, but there had been no indication from the paladin that about what they might do at that point.
The unspoken consensus seemed to be that they would leave Suderham and return home.
It seemed like hours before anyone spoke.
"We should all probably turn in," Nesco mumbled, reaching out for her knapsack to extract her attached bedroll.
"Wait."
Everyone looked over. Elrohir had spoken the word at a normal volume but in the quiet atmosphere, it had seemed booming.
They all watched as the ranger stood up, his eyes on the wizard-locked front door. He took a deep breath and began.
"I need to say a few things first. First off, I'm glad that no one has berated Tojo for his actions. Yes, they cost us a great deal, but I think we all know I placed him in that situation."
Tojo continued to stare at the floor between his knees.
"In fact, I'm the one who's responsible for what happened, and even though only Aslan has mentioned it, I'm sure we all realize it. No one- no one more so than me."
Elrohir's voice broke for a moment before he wrestled it back to normal.
"So be it. What is done cannot be undone. If any of you have lost confidence in me, you are free to respond as you see fit when we return home."
There it is, Nesco thought as she closed her eyes. Defeat.
When Lady Cynewine opened her eyes again, Talass was looking up at her husband with a cold gaze.
"So ironic; I pushed my natural reactions to that Farris dog so far down, and then there you go; Mr. We can't get into a fight slugging away." The priestess shook her head. "Yes, it was damn stupid of you, and it probably did ruin our mission here-"
"I know all of this, dearest," Elrohir responded impatiently. "Is there something new you can add?"
Talass looked at her husband with that expression he had come to know so well over the years- but then it faded away into a thin smile.
"Yes," she said softly. "It's nice to know you still care that much."
There was silence again, but a little warmer this time. Talass held out her arm.
Elrohir slowly walked over to his wife and grasping it, pulled her to her feet. He planted a long kiss on her palm, and they embraced, heedless of all eyes on them.
"We're not done yet."
That statement, out of the blue, caused all eyes- even Tojo's- to turn to its source.
Aslan did not stand up, but he folded his hands thoughtfully together on top of his knees as he looked over each of his companions as he continued.
"We can no longer walk about freely in Suderham. Between Blackthorn and the Earth Dragon, I'm sure the Slave Lords know that their worst enemies are here in town and aiming for them. They'll step up security and make every effort to find us. That's all a given. Well then, if we can't finish the job we started, we'll gave aid and succor to those who will."
"And who in the Nine Hells is that going to be?" Cygnus glared at the paladin. "You planning on hiring mercenaries?"
Aslan shook his head. "No. Loyalty brought with money is no loyalty I'd trust. But remember; we've done good things for good people."
The others stared at him. Aslan's whole mien was becoming more animated by the second and despite their internal misgivings, they all could all feel themselves lifting slowly out of their lethargy.
"Yes." Their friend was nodding his head in acknowledgement. "I'm sure our enemies are indeed bringing up their reinforcements."
Aslan abruptly jumped to his feet and crossed his arms across his chest. Even in the dim light, they could all see his light blue eyes blazing with determination.
"Well," he announced. "It's time we brought in ours."