Chapter 6

New and old encounters

3 hours have already passed and our three companions reached the western gate of Graytown. There they met the rest of the mercenaries numbering in twenty, with various races amongst them. There were elves, humans, orcs a dwarf and surprisingly – another dark troll, who kept a distance from the rest. When the three joined up with the group, the dark troll in question noticed Zal'jin and glimpsed at Sitrim, instinctively feeling some kind of a respectful fear towards him. Obviously, the dark troll did not slip from Zal'jin sight as well.

"The troll be from the forbidden tribe, in your lands master"- He whispered to Sitrim – "This trip be endin' in an unpleasant way"

"Good. The sooner I come in contact with your people, the better"- Sitrim then replied and sat down a few meters away from the mercenary group, with Zal'jin and Myriam right next to him.

"What do you mean the expedition will end in an unpleasant way?" – The female mage then asked quietly.

"I be knowing of the way my people work. He be leading us to an ambush in the forbidden lands"- Sitrims minion replied.

"And you're ok with that?" – Myriam then asked Sitrim.

"Yes"- He replied with an expressionless face.

After hearing that, the mage leaned back and sighted heavily.

"You two will be the death of me"- she whispered.

As the mercenaries were waiting for the order to move out, a dwarf walked from the bunch of them and continued towards our three. He had a threatening looking gun comfortably placed on his shoulder which seemed to have all kinds of strange modifications on it, which we will have to avoid getting into. Obviously that wasn't the only gun he had on himself. He also had two smaller pistols under his belt, as well as a one handed axe and who knows what else hidden. He did not seem to be heavy armored, as everything was covered in a dark greenish cloth, with even his head hidden in its' cloak with only his light brown beard visible (and it seriously needed to be shortened).

Once he approached the three he removed the cloak to reveal a rugged looking dwarf, with a nose that covered too much space on his face. He was wearing strange looking goggles which are way too complicated looking to describe. He looked at the three and stopped at Sitrim.

"Haven't seen you around here before. Ever"- He then said – "But somehow it feels that you're the most useful of everyone present. Mind if I join you lot?"

Sitrim looked at the dwarf for a while, obviously paying more attention to the dwarfs' gear then the person himself.

"Very well"- He said, with a voice that told nothing of the emotions hidden beneath that expressionless mask of his.

"Fantastic"- the dwarf then replied and sat down in front of the three –"I'm Damgarl, nice to meet you"

"I'm Myriam, this is Zal'jin and this is… "- Myriam then introduced, but stopped for a few moments on Sitrim and after a glance towards his direction continued – "Sitrim"

"And what brings you on this dangerous journey? Did the gold lure you here?"- Damgarl continued.

"Destiny"- Sitrim quickly replied while looking the dwarf straight in the eyes.

The two sat like that for a few moments, staring at each other. But it seemed like the dwarf couldn't take it and leaned back a bit.

"Damn! Your stare could kill a person you know that?" – He said while laughing out loud – "I like you lot. Me personally – I came here for the adventure. For the thrill, you know? Can't live without a daily dose of danger. Hoping to find some pray worth hunting in there and I bet there's plenty to spare, so I'll share some with you guys."- The dwarf explained, while smoothly stroking his gun( this part might be miss-interpreted).

And that's when the ...now four noticed a commotion from the direction all the mercenaries were stationed. It seemed like Ildrin finally arrived with a few carriages and was about to explain things. But before he began he ordered the dark troll to come over to him.

"Now, everything is simple. I'll pay every one of you 300 gold coins up front and the rest once we return. Once you get payed, we immediately leave with the carriages behind me. Once we enter the forbidden lands, this guy right here shall lead us" – Ildrin explained, and once mentioning the troll, placed his arm on the his shoulder"- He has been there before, thus you can trust his guidance. Now come here and receive the pay" – he finished and walked towards one of the carriages.

Once everyone received their pay, the mercenary expedition force moved out, with our four characters staying on the last carriage together with two other guys.

"The trip is gonna be long, so might as well catch some shut-eye"- The dwarf said and laid back against the transports' wall with the rest following his example and Sitrim, already ahead - visiting the land of dreams.

Sitrim got up from his bed out of fur that was made in the middle of the snowy forest. He held his breath and looked around only to hear complete nothingness. The forest was asleep and the only sound he could hear was the sound of wind blowing and branches moving.

"What are you looking for?"- A voice behind him spoke.

Those words startled Sitrim and he jumped forward, quickly turning around to the direction of the voice. What he saw in that direction was a strange figure. He looked like a human, but somehow the face just could not be seen clearly.

"Who are you?"- Sitrim asked, while slowly backing away to a safe distance.

"Why are you afraid? Is there anything in this world that could do permanent harm to you?"- The figure then asked.

"I asked who are you?- Sitrim shouted, repeating his previous question, while clutching his axe, which was hanging from the belt.

"A friend"- The figure replied in a calm tone, which strangely gave away the fact, that he was superior in this conversation.

"What do you want from me?"

"The question is: What do YOU want?"- The so called "friend" asked, while stepping a few steps closer to the recipient.

The reply caught Sitrim by surprise and it seemed like he was lost in thought, since he actually loosened the grip on his axe and managed to miss something. Slowly, step by step the figure got closer to him, using the opportunity of Sitrims confusion.

"I…don't know. Nothing I guess"- He then replied and looked at his so called friend.

But for his surprise, he was already a step away, looking at him with fiery red eyes in a hardly visible face, even from this distance.

"You know what you want"- The figure said in a strangely …persuasive voice – "You want power. You need power. The power to share your "gift" with others. The power to change your surroundings"- it continued.

"Just ask and you shall receive. You need only to extend your arm Sitrim" – He then said and while extending his own.

Sitrim looked at the figures extended arm for a while, lifted his own and looked at it and as he was about to place it in the figures care, he realized, that he was alone. The strange "friend" disappeared and no matter where he looked, Sitrim could only see the lonely darkness, covering the frozen forest. After that he quickly regained his composure and packed his stuff, stuffing everything into a large leather bag and walking away with it, into the depths of the forest. He continued so for an hour until he come upon an opening in the forest and stopped in surprise. What he saw was quite...unusual to say the least.

He was looking at a forest opening with a pond in the middle of it. What was interesting that there was no snow in it, on the contrary, there was green grass growing and flowers blooming. As he looked around he noticed a figure standing near the pond. It was a female of astonishing beauty. She had light brown skin, and seemed to show plenty of skin, with clothes covering only the crucial parts. And what seemed to be strange…is that she had horns.

Slowly Sitrim approached the standing female and it seemed like she didn't even notice him. This continued until he was a step away from her. And that is when she turned to him, with her bright yellow eyes looking straight at Sitrim.

"I've been waiting for you"- She then said.

"Who are you?" – Sitrim asked then, while carefully stepping a step back.

"My name is Alexstrasza. And you are Sitrim, correct?"- She asked, and received a nod – "I've been watching you for a while. A strange entity you are indeed, human and yet…not at the same time. For hundreds of years you wander these forests, staying with different tribes of your own kind and after a while leaving to find another" – she continued and stepped closer towards her target of interest, slowly lifting her hand and touching his face – "Has it been hard for you? Being the only of your kind unchanging, watching the ones you care for die, be it from old age or wounds?"

After hearing those words Sitrims eyes lit on fire and he quickly removed the hand on his face, stepping back from this strange female.

"How do you know about me?"- He then carefully asked.

Alexstrasza laughed at the cautious human for a moment and then sat down, facing the pond.

"You need not fear me. I'm a friend who shares a similar fate. Come, sit down"- She then said, while tapping the ground next to her, inviting SItrim to sit down.

After a few moments of hesitation SItrim finally moved and listened to the females' suggestion – sitting down at the given location.

"Do you hate this gift you were born with?"- Alexstrasza then asked.

"Gift? More like a curse. I grow tired of living. I grow tired of the loneliness that comes with my immortality"- Sitrim replied.

The female moved closer to Sitrim and hugged him.

"This is not a curse Sitrim, it's a gift. A gift that nature has blessed you with. You have been given the opportunity and the responsibility to watch over the world and the races inhabiting it. And if you choose so, even lend a guiding hand, helping them continue towards a brighter future. Do not hate it. Embrace it."- She explained.

The words struck Sitrim deeply and he remained so, embraced by his sister in fate, lost in deep thought. But after a few moments he escaped from the females arms, facing her with a serious face.

"I have never looked at it this way. I always thought that I was cursed for something, to forever be alone and unchanging. This given perspective is new to me"- he explained – "And I'm guessing you'll also warn me that I must not abuse this gift for evil purposes, right?"- He then asked with a smile on his face.

"Indeed I was about to"- She replied, while laughing – "It's been a while since somebody made me laugh, I'm glad we met. You won't be lonely anymore" – Alexstrasza then added and kissed Sitrims cheek.

And this is when Sitrim awoke from the commotion outside the carriage.

"It seems we've reached the great wall"- Myriam said to him – "We will probably continue to the forbidden lands on foot"

After saying those words everyone got out of their transport, with Sitrim being the last one.

"At last"- He whispered as he was getting out.