Chapter 15: When Pigs Fly

The warm glow of the inn's hearth cast a flickering light upon the wooden tables and stone walls, creating a cosy atmosphere that enveloped the small village of Nashkel. Laughter and merriment filled the air as the villagers raised their tankards, their voices mingling with the cheerful tunes played by a lively bard in the corner. Charmane and her companions sat together at a table near the back, observing the revelry with mixed feelings.

Jaheira leaned back in her chair, her gaze sweeping across the boisterous crowd. "It seems our deeds have not gone unnoticed, Charmane," she remarked, her voice laced with a touch of pride. "The people of Nashkel hold you in high regard."

Khalid nodded in agreement, his voice carrying a gentle sincerity. "Indeed, it warms my heart to know that we've made a difference," he said, his gaze lingering on the villagers as they celebrated. "Gorion would have been proud."

Imoen her eyes gleamed with excitement. "I've always wanted t'be a hero! Maybe they'll even sing songs 'bout us!" she exclaimed.

Xan sighed deeply and sipped his wine. "Ah, the burden of heroism," he mused, "To be celebrated for our valiant efforts... How utterly tiresome."

Charmane couldn't help but smile at the scene, her eyes glancing over her companions. Edwin, with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face, looked as if he had just bitten into something sour. She leaned towards him, a twinkle in her eyes.

"You know, Edwin," she began with a playful tone, "I think being hailed as a hero has its perks. Perhaps you should give it a try sometime?"

"Oh, yes, let me revel in the glory of being hailed a hero in this backwater village," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure the adulation of these apes will do wonders for my reputation." Edwin took a sip of his wine, "I can already imagine Nevron trembling with awe when he hears I am the talk of this quaint little hamlet. Truly, the pinnacle of my career." he muttered disdainfully.

Charmane leaned in closer, her voice filled with playful intrigue. "Nevron, you say? Now that's a name I haven't heard before," she remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Is he a superior of yours?"

Edwin's eyes widened, surprise evident on his face. "What? How did you...?" He trailed off, realizing that he had unwittingly revealed more than he intended. He quickly regained his composure, though a hint of unease flickered in his eyes. "Never mind, it is of no consequence. Just the ramblings of a mind preoccupied with higher matters."

Charmane flashed a sly smile, taking a deliberate sip of her drink. "You're an absolute fountain of information today, aren't you. It's fascinating to uncover the layers beneath your enigmatic persona. After all, it's not every day one encounters a Thayvian elite turned wandering mage, on some mysterious quest." she chuckled, "But I must say, I'm surprised you even have a superior. Here I thought you were the epitome of superiority yourself."

Edwin scowled, his lips curling into a sneer. "A mere formality to keep the Thayvian hierarchy appeased." he retorted, then muttered, "They possess none of my brilliance, none of my... potential." glancing at Charmane, he continued, "Enough prying! You should consider yourself fortunate just to share my company," he added, dismissively.

Charmane leaned in closer, "Oh! how could I ever express my gratitude for the privilege?" she mocked then leaned in her eyes gleaming with mischief. "But surely you can't blame me for being curious about such a prodigious mind that has deigned to grace us with its presence?"

Edwin's scowl deepened, "Do not hold your breath, rogue. The day I voluntarily bare my soul to you is the day pigs sprout wings and start composing epic ballads."

"Three cheers to the heroes of Nashkel!" the patrons shouted all of a sudden. As the joyful shouts filled the air, the villagers raising their tankards in a toast to the heroes of Nashkel, Charmane couldn't resist joining in the celebration. She raised her glass high, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "To the heroes of Nashkel!" she exclaimed, her voice ringing out above the crowd.

Her companions followed suit, offering their own cheers and well wishes. Jaheira's voice carried a tone of reverence, Khalid's toast was filled with heartfelt gratitude, and Imoen's cheer was filled with youthful exuberance. Even Xan managed to lift his glass, albeit with a hint of resignation.

But as the merriment continued, Charmane noticed Edwin's stony silence. His scowl deepened, his eyes fixed on her with what seemed to be annoyance. She leaned closer to him, a playful glimmer in her gaze. "What's the matter, Edwin? Cat got your tongue?" she teased.

Edwin huffed, his lips pursed in a tight line. "I see no reason to partake in such foolishness," he muttered under his breath, though his eyes remained fixed on Charmane.

Charmane's grin widened as she raised an eyebrow, a challenge in her expression. "Oh, come now, Edwin. Don't tell me you're too proud to toast to our success. Or is it that you're simply too stubborn to admit that even you, the great Edwin Odesseiron, might find joy in the company of heroes?"

Edwin's face flushed slightly, a mixture of indignation and something else. He averted his gaze, pretending to be uninterested. "Don't be absurd," he mumbled, taking a sip of his wine, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "Toasting is for imbeciles and fools.

Charmane's laughter filled the air as she clinked her glass against Edwin's, "Well, Edwin, I guess that makes us a pair of imbeciles and fools, then," she said, playfully. Edwin grumbled something incoherent, but the corners of his lips twitched ever so slightly.

"East." Edwin declared. The party had gathered in the common room after breakfast. "There's a bounty for hunting down a filthy deserter, who has chosen to abandon his duties."

"West." Jaheira retorted, her voice tinged with disapproval. "The innkeeper's words allude to the presence of troubled souls, and perchance among them dwells this Captain Brage. Once a virtuous soul, he now stands accused of the heinous act of slaying his own kin, a stark contrast to his former supposed noble demeanour."

"Ah, another splendid choice," Xan interjected with a touch of despondency. "Shall we gallantly embark on yet another perilous venture? Or perhaps, just this once, we could veer from our predictable path and visit Beregost, where the mysteries of iron ore lay in wait, yearning for our esteemed investigation. Surely, the monotony of danger and impending doom can wait a little longer."

"Hmm, well, we've covered quite a bit of ground, haven't we?" Charmane mused, her gaze fixed on the map before her. "If we head east of the Nashkel mines, we might just stumble upon our elusive deserter, conveniently minimizing our need for unnecessary detours. So, let us venture eastward for now, then meander our way north-east of Nashkel, and eventually weave our path westward. Fortune favours the efficient, after all."

"Very well," Jaheira conceded with a hint of reluctance in her voice. "If the leader deems it wise to venture east, then venture east we shall.

And so Edwin and the merry band of baboons arrived in a lush mountainous area about a day's walk from Nashkel village. To his dismay, a Flaming Fist mercenary informed them that the reward for finding the deserter was a paltry sum of 50 gold. Edwin grumbled under his breath, cursing his ill-fated luck and the apparent waste of his precious time. However, to Edwin's continued bewilderment, Charmane, made the trek worthwhile by stumbling upon a hidden alcove in the cliffside, uncovering a ring that conferred fire resistance and a star sapphire nestled within. As if that were not enough, a peculiar halfling, rambling on about blood-soaked dreams, much to Edwin's chagrin, offered Charmane a valuable magical scroll. It was becoming all too absurd, a twisted pattern of luck that seemed to favour Charmane at every turn. Edwin could not help but mutter to himself, contemplating the notion that perhaps he had stumbled upon a proverbial golden goose in the form of his companion.

The aforementioned rogue was currently engaged in a conversation with a distraught woman, babbling about her ailing companion.

"He is gravely ill," the woman sobbed, her voice filled with despair. "I fear his time is running out. Could you please escort him to the Friendly Arm Inn? If you take him to Gellana Mirrorshade at the Temple of Wisdom, she might be able to save him. I beg you, will you do this?"

Edwin was on the verge of voicing his protest when the rogue spoke up, her arms defiantly crossed. "We will accompany him to the Temple of Wisdom, but not without compensation,"

"All I possess is this ring. Would it suffice? Please, take it," the woman pleaded.

"Hmm, it is worth no more than the bounty," Edwin overheard the rogue mutter. "Very well, why not. We do have some matters to attend to in the north."

As the druid and her inept husband teamed up to lift the frail man, Charmane spoke up, "But I could..." Her voice trailed off abruptly as she glanced at Edwin, her expression shifting before she averted her gaze. Edwin raised an eyebrow, mildly intrigued by the sudden change in her demeanour, yet oblivious to the underlying strength she chose not to display.

Edwin looked at the half-elves in disdain, "And now we are carting a pathetic traitor for countless days, dragging our progress to a crawl. At this rate, it shall take us a mere two years to reach the comfort of the Inn." he grumbled.

"Khalid, how about you carry him on your back?" Charmane suggested. "I'll carry your weapon and armour, we can't have the two of you occupied when we encounter an enemy.

Their arduous journey northward brought them upon a pitiful sight—a lowly cow beset by the bothersome xvarts. And lo, behold the shadowdancer, ever the champion of bovine welfare, decided to intervene.

"How fitting, indeed," Edwin grumbled. "for a mage of my unparalleled intellect and power to stoop to the level of cattle conservation!"

The journey continued, and Edwin effortlessly dispatched the various obstacles that dared cross his path. Pathetic ogres, pitiful half-breeds, and feeble bandits all met their demise under the weight of his power.

In a moment of surprising insight, Charmane discreetly handed Edwin a scroll of Strength, a gesture that surely demonstrated her acknowledgment of his unmatched abilities. Edwin, ever the astute observer, wisely refrained from questioning her decision. To be able to recognise his immeasurable potential, he was starting to think her intellect may yet rival her other… assets.

On their path to the friendly arms inn, the group encountered a horde of bandit archers. but true to his ineptitude, the feeble elf managed to attract a solitary arrow to his chest, whimpering and teetering on the brink of death. The monkeys were in an uproar, fussing and whimpering. Unsurprisingly, even a mere human woman was able to lift the sorry excuse of a sentient being and carry him on her back.

"Pathetic." Edwin muttered, "I would have discarded such useless pawn without a second thought."

After enduring two gruelling days of relentless travel, Charmane found herself on the brink of exhaustion. The weight of her fatigue and Xan's now lifeless body bore down upon her, her body craving respite. Xan, had met his unfortunate demise, succumbing to a deadly arrow. However, hope still flickered in the form of a resurrection spell, capable of bringing him back from the clutches of death. Their charge, Samuel, did not fare much better, his condition teetering on the edge of death.

Charmane's thoughts danced in disarray, her mental faculties strained under the weight of sleep deprivation. She was so tired she barely paid attention to the ring she picked up as she passed an oak tree. Every step felt like an arduous trek, each moment a battle against the encroaching darkness of fatigue. Yet, a glimmer of relief warmed her weary heart as the welcoming lights of the Friendly Arms Inn came into view, promising respite and the possibility of solace.

Samuel turned out to be an acquaintance of Gellena Mirrorshade, the resident priestess. The gnome eagerly tended to Samuel's injuries and offered them a generous discount for Xan's resurrection. Although weak and wounded, the elven mage had been restored to the realm of the living, his life force rekindled. While still in need of healing spells and potions to fully recover, the group found solace in his return. With grateful hearts, they secured a room for the night, finally able to find respite and peace within the inn's walls.

The next morning Charmane sat at breakfast, inspecting her newly acquired platinum ring. Her smile grew bigger at each passing second.

"And pray tell, what inconsequential trinket has captured your attention so thoroughly?" Edwin sneered as he strolled into the common room.

Charmane's smile widened mischievously, "Oh, Edwin," she replied, holding the ring between her fingers. "I must say, this insignificant bauble has quite caught my fancy. A Ring of Wizardry, you see. Imagine the power it could grant a mage of your calibre."

Edwin's eyes narrowed, his expression a mix of curiosity and irritation. "Do you take me for a fool, Charmane? I am well aware of the ring's capabilities. So, pray tell, what game are you playing?"

Charmane leaned back in her chair, a sly grin playing on her lips. "Oh, no game, Edwin. Merely contemplating the possibilities. This is quite a tempting prize, wouldn't you agree?"

Edwin's interest piqued, though he tried his best to maintain a facade of indifference. "And what, may I ask, is your intention with this newfound treasure? Shall you dangle it before me like a carrot, forever out of my reach?"

Charmane's laughter filled the air, causing heads to turn in their direction. "Oh, Edwin, my dear Edwin," she chuckled, "wouldn't it be delightful to see you beg for this ring? To witness your desperation for a taste of its power? Perhaps I should propose to you, ring in hand, just to witness the sheer bewilderment on your face."

Edwin's face twisted into a scowl, a mixture of annoyance and begrudging admiration. "You jest, Charmane, but I assure you, underestimating me would be a grave mistake."

Charmane's eyes danced with playful defiance as she placed the ring on the table, just within Edwin's reach. "Oh, I have no doubt about that, Edwin. But tell me, are you willing to play the game? To plead for the power that lies within your grasp?"

Edwin's hand twitched, his eyes fixated on the ring. He leaned in, his voice laced with a mixture of frustration and curiosity. "Enough with your theatrics, Charmane. What do you want in exchange for this ring?"

"I want pigs to sprout wings and start composing epic ballads, Edwin." Charmane said, her grin stretching widening, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Bare your soul to me, my dear mage."