The long winding paths of the world often brought unexpected turns for travelers. The same remained true for one such traveling merchant as he sat in the driver's seat of his cart. Kraft Lawrence has been on the road for most of his life, starting as an apprentice when he was young. It was seven years ago he had started this journey as a traveling merchant moving from town to town in a continual circuit completing delivery contracts and quotas for small gains. Currently his cart bared laden with several kinds of cargo, He had bought some basic builder's supplies from some town with a name that like many of the villages in Palonia, outside of major settlements, often had a name the villagers seldom bothered to remember.
His mind darted through his head thinking of what he might be able to do for a simple trade, though Palonia was outside of his usual route. Often, he would have turned back toward the Kingdom of Trenni once he had arrived at the city of Kumerson. In fact, he was way outside his normal route and had been for nearly several months.
This start of abnormal circumstances is caused by what he would regard as his most valued cargo. Said valuable cargo that currently has been using his shoulder to rest as she had found the long winding roads to be a boring part of their travels.
Her name was Holo, a wolf spirit that had once hailed from a village in this region. Though, because of how long it had been she had long since forgotten where her homeland lay in the vast region of Palonia. They had discovered that her home was in the direction of the city of Nyohhira, a two-month journey he had made longer when he recalled an old rumor of a potential business opportunity in a river town of Lenos. While this detour may have been an inconvenience it seemed neither was willing to admit that they did not one to have their journey end just yet, making them conject any form of excuse to add just a little bit of time to the final leg of their journey.
As Holo Slept, Lawrence stole a longer than normal glance at her. Her chestnut brown hair flowed down her back covered by her hood. Closed eyes that would make one think she was in deep slumber, though the traveling merchant having been with her for this long knew her senses were still as sharp. Perched atop her head were her actual ears, a pair of beast ears that occasionally flicked and turned whenever a faint or phantom sound moved somewhere within their vicinity. Her Ears were not her only trait she possessed however as underneath a blanket the two were sharing was an immaculately well cared for wolf tail that was attached to her back.
For the moment, her rest was seemingly at peace, and she likely would be that way for another hour or so. She was never a morning person. His eyes returned to the road, or what he could make of it. for three hours now an untimely mist had formed in only growing thicker every half hour or so. Currently he could only make out a few paces in front of him.
"Is it always like this?" He asked aloud not really expecting an answer, another habit he had developed from his years traveling alone. Lawrence tended to speak when no one was there. He did not think it was a problem until he began to have full fledged conversations with his horse. This was before he had met the Wolf that sat beside him. Though when she showed little interest in talking, he would find himself returning to his old habits.
The trip simply continued the same as before. The mist simply getting more opaque, soon it got bad enough he could barely make out a few feet in front of his horse nearly two hours later.
He sighed in defeat. He did not want to stop in the woods, but this environment gave him little to work with and since he knew little of these lands, he needed to see the roads so he could confirm the route on some of his charts. He slowed the wagons' pace for a moment, moving to the side allowing his horse to rest as he sat down to eat some of the rye bread that his companion despised so much. Sitting in the driver's seat he leaned back as he looked up at the canopy of branches above him lost in his own thoughts.
He was certain, should the next few business ventures go well he would be able to open his own shop. A promise Holo made to him a long while ago, a part of her agreement as he traveled with her to her home of Yoitsu. Leaning back, he caught her still quietly dozing off, a much more pleasant sight and sound when compared to the snoring she would do in her deep sleep.
The two were there for what felt like another hour before the mists began to give way to breaches of sunlight. A relieving sight for him indeed. Holo feeling the warmth of the sun started to stir and awaken herself. "We stopped?" She asked groggily as she stood up and stretched her limbs.
"The mist was getting too thick to travel" Lawrence responded as he grabbed the reins and flicked them making the horse start to pull the cart again. "I haven't seen anything like it before."
Holo looked onward, not all too worried. "Aye, I imagine it would be a new sight to you." she agreed looking forward though her eyes for fixated on something else in the far distance. "Hmm, the wind is strange."
The comment caught Lawrence off guard as he turned curious about what caught her interests. "What's wrong?"
Holo stayed quiet briefly as if thinking about something before brushing it off. "Tis the air." She spoke as if it was something entirely foreign to her. "It feels, charged…" she gave a pause as if thinking on it harder. "If I were to describe it."
Her description was too cryptic for Lawrence as he tried to follow her thinking. "Charged?" His first thought was she had detected another storm over the horizon. Though the way her demeanor looked he could tell that her thoughts had little focus on the weather.
"Yes, charged. Yet the lack of a storm on the horizon makes if feel off." She continued looking around. "The air also feels warmer to now."
Lawrence thought about it and noted she was right about the sudden change in the climate. Palonia, despite being in the early fall had been cold enough that they needed the blanket on most their traveling days since before they passed through Kumerson. The environment felt much closer to the likes of Pasloe, the village he first encountered the wolf spirt. The village that worshipped her as a goddess of the harvest for several centuries according to her account.
"That doesn't make sense, even back toward Pazzio it should now be getting colder not warmer." Lawrence spoke up now thinking on Holo's thoughts.
"That is not the only disparaging thing." Holo responded to her mind racing a little. "Numerous noises around us, not of animals I recognize. What strange sounds these beasts make. It is as if they speak their own tongue."
Her remarks put the merchant on edge. "Own tongue?"
"Aye, though if I were to guess on their chatter without knowing what they speak I'm guessing they do not know we are here."
Lawrence's face straitened focused and worried. "Best to move quick and quiet then."
Holo nodded though she had started to loosen the sash around her waist and loosen the bag she kept around her neck. Her reputation as the Wisewolf of Yoitsu was not just for show it would seem. Discretion with a contingency plan was all they needed.
The woods started to clear up, alleviating Lawrence's stress as now they could see in multiple directions. An ambush seemed unlikely though the tall grass still left nothing to chance. With less sound pollution he imagined Holo would be able to detect a threat without trouble.
The two started to loosen their own tension looking at each other with a solid mix of relief in their face. Their weary reprieve from the strange sounds of the Forrest, however, were cut short. Holo looked upward spotting a bird, her eyes glued to it. Lawrence noticed her gaze and looked to spot it too.
"In the many times I had dealt with mercenaries, birds often were the creature they would use for messages." Holo spoke Lawrence nodded, it was a thing he even knew to be true as well. "But the clever ones, they taught them to act as a warning."
Lawrence's surprise was cut short when he suddenly heard a new voice. Holo quickly threw her hood over her head obscuring her wolf ears. Just as she did, a young girl likely younger than Holo appeared over the hill. Her clothing looked to be much nicer than the usual clothes villagers wore.
"HELP! PLEASE THEY HAVE HIM!" She screamed aloud catching the two by surprise briefly.
Lawrence slowed the cart as she ran to the side. Her cheeks red with exhaustion, the look of fear in her eyes, and her clothing at a closer glance ruined as if been torn trying to escape or flee. Lawrence looked at the kid. "What is the problem?" He asked worried.
"Bandits, my father and I were just traveling when they attacked." The girl cried tears having welled on her face.
Lawrence went to reach his hand out to the young girl before Holo grabbed the sleeve of his coat. He looked confused as he turned to see her face. Serious and had a heavy look of distrust. There were many talents in Holo's repertoire, the most prominent was her ability to effortlessly detect when someone was lying. He nodded, his face serious. He quickly turned to the girl and his own mind had started to take stock of the girl but first he had to keep her distracted.
"Bandit's how many?" Lawrence asked as his mind began to think about what her angle was.
"Five of them… I think they might be redbrand." She said her face calming. She thought he had bought into her story unaware of the fact Holo had noticed there was a lie in her story. Holo had not yet let go of his arm, her way of trying to tell him what she was hearing from her voice. Given she was not squeezing, she likely had just told them actual numbers. Information he could use to his advantage.
"Why are they after your dad? What were your two doing."
"We are a traveling act." The girl spoke up. Holo had not squeezed his arm yet. Quickly Lawrence let her into the cart as she sat in the back. "They just saw us as a target." She pleaded still acting scared. Holo squeezed, another lie.
Lawrence listed as if he flicked the reigns again. "Alright please calm down we will do what we can." He spoke but his mind had tried to puzzle together the kid's lie. For starters she looked well off in that damaged dress, so she likely would easily earn sympathy to any poor soul unfortunate to have a ounce of compassion. Luckily, merchants tended to pride themselves on their rampant stinginess, though Lawrence himself was often a good man who seldom acted maliciously unless there was profit to be made or if someone tried to set him up.
The next question was a traveling troupe, it was not a lie. Given she was the one who pleaded for them to save her father from bandits the question was what could they gain? Most of his goods aside the coin chest tucked away in the back was done on credit giving buying power withing trading companies. The only things on him were items that theoretically would only add up to a total of about three-hundred and fifty Trenni Silver; a good sum, but not an exorbitant amount taken from people as part of the entry tax to the city. Bandits tended to only go for high value marks. Nobles with minimal guards or a poorly guarded caravan where the goods likely would give them food for a few days and more gear they could use. Given what she said there was a high likelihood the girl was part of the bandits. A disheartening detail for someone to do such acts at a youthful age. Why did she suddenly appear screaming like that to make it feel believable? It met they had been following them for some time. The problem there was Holo would have heard them a long time ago, not much escaped her ears.
Lawrence's mind flashed up, realizing how they knew. Holo even warned as such when the falcon had flown overhead. As he concluded his thoughts, he looked at Holo who's determined face gave the same kind of look as if they were at the same conclusions. Lawrence stopped the cart, shocking the girl.
"What are you doing, please there still may be time!" she pleaded again though she was met by Lawrence's own glare.
"There is still time but first I want to know why you are setting us up?" he spoke harshly as Holo gave an annoyed glare at the girl.
"What?!" The girl looked baffled by his response as she tried begging more for their help "I'm not lying. Please you must save them!"
"You can give it a rest now child." Holo spoke up disappointed at her insistence. "We had you figured the moment that bird flew above us. This merchant may be a soft-hearted soul but he is not so foolish." She spoke up finally seeming to belittle the girl "Though I must admit you are quite the little actress. If you must find a new line of work, I believe any actual troubadour troupe would take to you fully."
The girl looked panicked realizing she had been exposed. "Fine than; plan b." she calmly responded as she grabbed ahold the pendant around her neck. The two froze in shock as it started to glow a vibrant green as her sudden form disappeared catching the two-off guard.
Stunned by the sudden disappearing child they could not react in time as a new voice came from behind them. "VOCO NUBES!" the voice shouted, with an abnormal echo to it as if hearing a reverberation. They did not catch a glimpse of the person shouting as their vision was suddenly engulfed in a dense layer of fog that had appeared out of nowhere. Holo and Lawrence could barely make out each other's figures despite being right next to each other.
Lawrence looked as if he had reached for his own knife ready to fight whatever sorcery was befalling them. That was when he felt a hand take ahold of his arm. Taking him farther by surprise, was how it effortlessly yanked him off the cart causing him to fall onto his back.
"Lawrence!" He could hear Holo shriek loudly, not scared but angry, he was guessing she was about to pull out her last trick when the fog cloud cleared away. Lawrence saw that standing over him was a woman, likely a few years his senior. She looked down at him seemingly indifferent to him. Most unsettling was not her weapon she currently had close to his neck; it was her overall attire. The church's scholars often spoke of the North's Pagan savages with great disdain, tribal people that rejected the word of God in favor of the animal spirits that, in their eyes, were no better than devils and demons that made dark dealings involving protection in exchange for worship and offerings. Though Lawrence knew this to be greatly untrue and just rhetoric spread by the church. Because in his experience, Pagan Villages often were much more willing to trade with him. In some cases, like the village Pasloe where his travels with Holo first began, they would treat him almost like a sort of local hero. Conversely, this woman seemed to match much of the church's descriptions. She was adorned in heavy fur leather she wore as armor, Her arms were incredibly muscular and easily shown her strength by how effortlessly she pulled Lawrence from the cart, and finally, there was her weapon; a crude battle axe that looked notably heavy.
Quickly his eyes turned to see Holo who had her hand already in her pouch as her eyes were locked with two individuals. Two men one a charming looking man similar age to the woman that stood over him. He had a dashing almost roguish look to his face with a disarming smile. Beside him was a scrawnier man with darker skin than the others. His hair was cut to almost blanket his head like a thin layer of moss. The rest of his attire lacked any form of armor wearing robes one would see of a disgruntled sage or even a downtrodden entertainer.
"Hold up now." The roguish one spoke loudly. "I see you reaching into that bag. Now to be fair with you, unless it's filled with money. I would suggest you don't try anything reckless or My partner Holga will get very angry." As he spoke, he gestured to the woman that still had her axe in Lawrence's face. Holo glared daggers at the two of them but refused to move seeing the crossbows trained on her. "Great now we are on the same page. Doric, Kira, see what kind of rare goodies they have." The girl who had vanished reappeared as she quickly got to work rummaging through the back of his cart. Lawrence was angry but at least knew the Rowan Trading Guild would at least cover any contracts pertaining to these stolen goods. Holo, however, was eyeing the leader with a steely focus. Lawrence could tell from her posture she very much was acting more like that of a predator, a wolf slowly calculating her plan of attack.
A second thud on the back of the cart caught the attention of Lawrence and Holo though neither could make out who it was. Holo too focused on the ones in front of her and Lawrence angle along with the hunched figure gave little view of the person.
"It's just nails, wood and other building supplies." A new female voice came from the cart. This one belonging to the voice of the second body to enter the cart. She seemed more disappointed.
Matching the disappointment Holga shifted her gaze briefly to the other two men. "You sure this is the right merchant cart?" she asked bluntly. it seemed she was starting to become unsure about their target.
"No, it should be them. The information was solid. A Merchant will be traveling with cargo that if left in the wrong hands could change Faerun forever." The roguish one responded though he was equally confused.
"Faerun?" Lawrence asked aloud, catching the group off guard.
"Quiet!" Holga responded annoyed.
The one that seemed to act as the bandit's leader lowered his crossbow as he went closer to the wagon. "Come on, this shouldn't be too hard. I mean look at it. It's a simple cart with mostly normal junk." The man said stepping past Holo who still gave a malicious glare, Lawrence could see her tail swish slightly under her cloak. She was about to act. He already knew in this situation it was unlikely he would be able to stop her. These people had slighted her and attacked someone she swore to grant safe travel. Two promises she had failed at right here. It was a clear wound to her pride.
"Yeah" Holga retorted seemingly annoyed. "But we haven't found anything, we also been out here for dys scouting carts that passed by." The leader shook his head as he started to look at the back of Lawrence's cart.
The three bodies in the back of the cart moved some the junk around even tossing smaller boxes out. Eventually the leader popped into view smiling holding Lawrence's coin chest "Hey, look here. It's a chest. Now this is what we are looking for." The leader of them spoke excited as the younger one scooped down
"It's locked." The other female voice spoke plainly almost not surpsied.
"Hey Kira, can lets see how your time with Forge paid off." The leader spoke
"Okay." The voice of the girl that moments earlier had been pleading with them responded quickly. Lawrence noting her name quickly. The two hastily worked though he put a great deal of money into that chest after been robbed several times in his travels, it was not an easy lock to break. Kira's grunting confirmed such suspicion as she dabbled with it making little progress.
Holo snickered to catch the group's attention. "You know for bandits you are quite terrible at this." She spoke in a confident tone, as if looking down on them. "Twould be an embarrassment if you could not simply find the rare item to only be bested by a simple lock."
"Alright, if you're are so smart where is it?" Lawrence heard the slight alteration in the leader's tone, more sorcery to bewitch Holo. He was concerned it worked as she looked deeply into his eyes.
"Tis with my husband, that miser of a man your savage friend has pinned." She spoke clearly revealing the secret. Lawrence was more worried that she would leave him, though unlike the situation with Amati, she was doing it under the control of another. "Shall I fetch it from him?" she asked plainly.
"No Holga can-" the leader spoke as Holga bent down her knee now on Lawrence's chest.
"Mhh, but can you afford the time, he hides things well." It was those words that made Lawrence realize Holo was not affected by whatever they tried to do on her. "I can hear it now, the clanging of metal not to far from here." She spoke with her eyes closed.
"Clanging metal?" The one who still had the crossbow spoke up his tone uneven as though he was realizing a new complication to their robbery.
"Aye, clanging metal, much like the metal of God's warriors, Praise to him indeed." Holo clapped her hands in prayer making the others more restless.
"Crap, a cleric held hostage and a paladin on the way." The roguish man spoke weary maybe even frustrated. "Simon, keep your weapon trained on her, Holga back off of him so she can get the key, Doric scout a head and circle back to see if she is lying." He barked out orders as the falcon from earlier flew from the cart. The other girl looked at the leader worried. "Kira sweetie, lie low in the grass for a moment I don't know what may happen. If we are arrested know that I still love you." he said sternly as Kira jumped from the cart and ran toward the tall brush close by. The man turned to Holo "Go." He ordered flatly.
"Very well." Holo chirped happily slowly moving off the cart and stepping over Lawrence. She faked tripping having her bag spill a bit over Lawrence. The contents was nothing more than simple wheat though the two knew just what laid within the few warm grains that scattered over his chest. "Ugh, clumsy me." She muttered aloud still in the act though as she moved Lawrence's coat she slipped the spilt wheat into her hand. Grabbing the chest key she stood up, her hand still closed over the wheat and her other hand holding the key. She climbed back into the wagon's driver's seat, though her foot got caught on the edge forcing her to trip again. "Mayhaps I drank too much wine." She muttered again as she secretly popped the wheat into her mouth.
Handing off the key the man grinned excited as he bent down to open the chest, too focused on the his sought after treasure to notice the crunching coming from Holo. as he opened the chest, his face contorted into confusion and annoyance. "It's just coins!" He shouted, "Hells, its not even coins we can use. How is it even possible? No, this has to be a trick." He spoke with a tone filled with frustration seeming to refuse that the coin chest was simply just that. "a hidden switch? Magic maybe? It's got to be Something." He muttered off a few things that came to mind though each thought was shot down as he closely examined the chest and its contents.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Simon yelled confused as Holo removed her sash. It seemed the only two that had kept eyes on the wisewolf was Simon and Holga who was starting to take notice of Holo's strange behavior.
Holga started to move in to subdue Holo. Not wanting to see her harmed, Lawrence quick to by his companion some time reached for his dagger. But Holga's natural battle sense detected it before he could land a strike as she quickly side stepped his swing and then picked him up slamming Lawrence up against the cart. Her glare was easy to see clearly fully focused on him and not Holo.
Simon seemed too afraid to approach Holo who had removed most of her clothing at this point but her body started to hunch over as if in pain. She fell out of the cart on the far side away from Lawrence, her body covered by the cloak she had finally removed and she quickly move to finish her undress.
Lawrence smiled ruefully at Holga, who looked at him. "As my partner said, I tend to be far more forgiving." He spoke between labored breaths as Holga's hand was wrapped around his neck. "So, I will warn you, she is worse when she is mad."
Holga's gave a look of confusion at Lawrence's warning. "Oh no, Edgin! She's a wildshape." Simon yelled in panic quickly moving away from the cart. Holga looked up as their leader, who they learned was named Edgin, was suddenly knocked out of the cart. A heavy breath blew the loose strands of hair out of the savage's face as her face slowly turned upward to see the snarling snout of a brown-haired wolf towering over the cart.
"Son of a bitch." Holga muttered, throwing Lawrence aside as she ran to pick up Edgin. The massive wolf leaped over the cart right in front of the two the snarling jaw still prevalent.
"Ignis Ferio!" Simon's voice bellowed in reverberation again as three red beams the first one landed square into the wolf's side side it's quick reaction swiftly dodging the next two red beams. The wolf in turn glared angrily at Simon. Lawrence watched the wolf swat both Holga and Edgin away with its claw as it dashed right toward the one that attacked.
Lawrence looked at the wolf almost taking pity on the group. Holo was never one to forgive and he had seen those numerous times with how often she had to save him from danger. Her true form being only a last resort on most occasions. Her true form was that of a massive wolf, which she disliked showing since it often strikes fear into anyone who sees it. Much like now he saw the group trying to reorganize themselves. Simon Barely dodged Holo's snapping jaws as she felt Holga pound on her hind legs to no avail. Supposedly, according to the harvest deity, human weapons could barely harm her in this form. He had witnessed it himself back in both Pazzio and the holy city of Ruvinheigen.
His eyes drifted back seeing Both Simon and Edgin trying to recuperate their situation. "Holga's not going to last long." The leader of these bandit's face scrunched a little as if trying to run through things in his own mind. His head shifted to where the one girl had ran to hide. Based on how he was behaving, Lawrence had started to suspect that the girl, Kira, likely was his daughter.
"That's not even a bloody werewolf! How are we supposed to fight that?" Simon asked partially, complaining about their situation.
Edgin's gaze shifted back to Lawrence. He likely saw the pity in his eyes. Though it seemed that Edgin was as much an opportunist as the merchant "I don't know but I think I have a hunch."
The sorcerer glared at his leader somewhat irate. "Oh, so now you're going to risk this on a hunch?"
"Yup." Edgin confirmed as he approached Lawrence "Try to back up Holga in the meantime." He ordered as he approached the merchant hiding beside his cart. "Alright, so clearly you were not who we were expecting." Lawrence nodded angry with the bandit leader. "Okay, so that means we angered something that I do not even think our druid could reason with, even with her connection to nature, let alone fight in her stronger forms. " He sighed.
"And Holo's not easy to settle down especially when she gets like this." Lawrence added what he knew of the problem. The comment caught Edgin's attention.
"She's done this before?"
"Twice, though the second time she only stopped because the Shepherd she was facing against chose to protect her dog over the men that betrayed me, her, and the shepherdess. Lawrence explained still watching Holo throw Holga across the road. She went to bite at Simon only to see a weird translucent energy envelop him, her teeth breaking the barrier but unable to reach Simon.
"Okay, so all we just need to make my people stand down. Perfect." He spoke with a sarcastic shade of optimism.
"There is a problem in that idea." Lawrence responded, still watching the three fight. Holo getting pelted by three strange projectiles each landing their mark despite her agility. "Holo started this fight."
Edgin rubbed his chin annoyed. Before, a new idea caught his mind. "How much does she care for you?" He asked.
Lawrence looked at him confused. "Uh, I don't know actually."
"She's saved you in the past right?"
Lawrence looked away from the man wanting to hide his own feelings about the wolf spirit. "I think it was just to repay me; I think she sees it as an obligation." He muttered out though Edgin eyed him with a small amount of skepticism.
"Welp, she did all that to save you, its likely worth a shot." He said, poking his head out quickly. Lawrence turned to look and see as Holga slammed her axe into Holo's paw, The wolf barely flinched as she swatted her away landing the savage into a tree. Quickly the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a small rock. "Hey Simon." Lawrence looked at him dumbfounded as he yelled mindlessly into the rock as if having a conversation. Edgin seeing this showed the traveling merchant the strange rock strapped to a bit of leather "Sending stones, good way to communicate." He explained.
Lawrence shrugged assuming more Pagan magic as he turned to see the one that had been casting magic seemed to be talking into his own sending stone, though he could not hear him over the fight. "Yeah, I might have a plan get over to the merchant's cart and grab the necklace." He ordered excited before turning to look at him "I need to get my daughter when Simon gets over here grab the necklace and meet me out in the field."
Lawrence looked hesitant at this but nodded. Seconds later Simon ran to the cart only to see him. "Where's Edgin?" He demanded annoyed.
"Trying to stop this fight before someone gets killed." Lawrence responded grabbing the necklace.
"What? Hey, at least fill us in." He yelled mad at the merchant before grabbing his own sending stone. He yelled into it while running back to aid Holga.
Arriving in the field opposite Holo's fight Lawrence finally caught up to Kira and Edgin. "Okay this will be risky but I'll need you to trust me." Edgin ordered with a serious look on his face. Lawrence nodded, looking at the bandit leader.
Edgin put his hands on Kira much like a father aware what he was doing likely came not from moment of trust but an act of desperation to keep a family together. "Holga will go through all nine hells to save Kira; it will stop her fight immediately. What you need to do is threaten her."
"How will this stop Holo?" He asked plainly.
"Fear." He explained grabbing the necklace. "I am going to throw this to you, I want you to tear off the bead. When you do throw it at the right where that old sword is."
Lawrence was not going to act as if he understood the plan but agreed to it. "Anything I should be aware of?" He asked unsure.
"Oh, right I don't think you've seen magic." Edgin responded "Your hand is going to catch on fire, Don't worry, it wont hurt you unless you blow yourself up so don't miss."
He nodded as he watched the bandit leader take a few steps away before dawning an expression of fear on his face. "KIRA! UNHAND HER!" Edgin yelled a guise that seemed genuine as Kira quickly fell into her role as she started to look legitimately scared. His eyes darted to the fight to see Simon looking surprised, and Holga showing a face of pure contempt for him.
"Please let her go we'll leave you be." Edgin pleaded with Lawrence who looked at him, knowing he had a role to play in his scheme.
"The Necklace!" Lawrence demanded angrily "Hand it over or she dies." He yelled out to make sure they could hear him.
Lawrence was unable to see but Holga's enraged scream confirmed his suspicion that she believed he had her hostage. Before he could hear her encroaching footsteps, a heavy slam stopped the raging savage. Holo placed her paw on her, her own gaze filled with anger.
"This is not like you Lawrence." Holo spoke with a more commanding tone and surprised everyone. "What is this madness?"
Lawrence started to guess that Edgin wager that Holo would hopefully snap out of her primal instincts enough to see reason, phase two of the plan was to make Holga calm down enough to forget the fight. But he still had a role to play. He lifted his free hand as the dagger was in the hand holding Kira.
"Okay, okay you win." Edgin submitted in defeat throwing the necklace. Lawrence looked at it closely, it was an ornate silver necklace with a simmering amber gemstone. It was beautiful and would have cost a fortune. His mind refocused as he acted like he slipped up accidentally activating the Bead.
Terror enveloped Lawrence's face as he saw the fire surrounding his fist, every part but the hand holding the burning orb felt like he was next to a campfire. Quickly he threw it in the direction Edgin had said. The explosion was strong enough to knock both him and Edgin's daughter off their feet.
The next seconds were a blur as he felt his ears ring from the massive fiery explosion. He saw Kira Edgin in the way of the enraged savage woman while the massive body of Holo looked down at him angry.
"Fool." She lashed out angrily.
"It worked." He responded happily. He stumbled to get up only to be knocked over by the whip of Holo's tail. He chose to lay there on his back, letting the air return to his breath.
Edgin sat next to him exhausted. "Well, that was a terrible robbery." He mused aloud as Lawrence sighed in agreement.
Simon looked to the two of them "Terrible, more like not believable. Who even gave us that lead?" He demanded angrily.
"And why are we supposed to be friends with them?" Holga growled out toward Edgin though her ire still seemed centered on Lawrence.
Holo looked toward the bandit's muscle and looked back "I'd like to know that as well. How could you form such short-term comradery like that, another merchant's trick?"
Lawrence sighed still laying on his back. "We, figured out that it was a mistake." He spoke up as he struggled to get into a sitting position.
"And I don't even know who gave us the information." Edgin responded, trying to regain his own composure. "It was just a letter saying, 'a unassuming cart was traveling with cargo that could alter the fate of Faerun." He explained the letter showing it to them. Lawrence saw as well, noting the strange symbol that the bandits seem to recognize quickly.
"A Harper's note?" Holga asked aloud.
"That's what I though." Edgin responded looking to Lawrence and Holo "When we saw you two, we assumed you must have been the ones the letter talked about."
Holo snickered a little. "A notice that feels all to finicky, tis almost like the armor warning." She mused aloud, Lawrence was certain she was doing this as some form of revenge.
Edgin sighed a little. "Well, this was bust may as well… hey where's Doric?" he noted only to see in the distance. "You have got to be kidding." The group turned to see in the distance and man in bright shiny armor on his shoulder was the Falcon that had been following Lawrence. It took off right toward them before shape shifting. The appearance was woman of fair skin and had a head of shoulder length ginger-red hair she appeared to be younger than most the bandits save for Kira.
"I can confirm that the priest wa-… what happened here." The woman asked seeing the group all huddled together exhausted each bearing injuries in several ways. Only Holo's massive body seemed to lack any real damage aside from some singed fur.
"Don't ask." Edgin and Simon responded in unison. Based on how they were speaking this was probably Doric, it was then Lawrence realized the strangest features of Doric's appearance. There were horns coming out of the side of her head and a long tail protruding from her backside. She looked like a demon that the church had always warned of.
"Well, this has gotten a lot more interesting." Holo spoke catching the demon girl by surprise.
"Interesting is certainly a word for it." a new voice came from behind them. Quickly the bandit's faces seemed happy to see this man aside from Edgin. "It has been sometime my friends."
"Xenk." Edgin spoke up as he stood to shake the man's hand. "As you can see, we're a little busy." He looked to be trying to get rid of the armored man.
"Yet you don't ask the question as to why I am here?" He pondered aloud. "Normally when our oaths call for it, we must answer and answer you did with a little bit of misdirection and an open invitation."
Edgin looked at him with a mix of confusion and realization. "Wait, are you saying you sent me that letter?"
"Indeed, and I must admit it would seem your dedication to skullduggery has remained as sharp as ever. As expected of a Harper." The man called Xenk complimented Edgin with no mix of sarcasm or insult. "I believe I could have chosen no better aid in both of our new mission." His tone was still serious with his head slowly shifting to make sure everyone present was listening. "You see, the tides have been turning to the most unfavorable winds. Dark forces look to bolster their ranks with a new ascension."
"Asscension? As in the birth of a new god?" Simon spoke up first showing signs of worry.
Xenk nodded his face looking grim though not unwavering in his conviction. "Yes, though I do not know which dark tide is trying to ensure the growth of darkness, only its tools. It is with this information that I devised a plan, one that requires the cunning of Neverwinter's heroes from the beckoning death." As Xenk explained his mission he looked at both Lawrence and Holo. "And I see you have met your new wards." He responded quickly, helping Lawrence to his feet before turning and looking to Holo who was laying down half unamused.
"Tis a rare thing to see one who does not first look upon my true form and not experience fear." She responded half curious now taking interests.
"I do not see you as a threat, merely a misplaced soul, harvest goddess." Xenk responded courteously as he bowed politely to Holo.
Holo scoffed at him as she looked away "How I hate such titles. I am simply Holo and nothing more." She chided aloud.
"Harvest goddess?" Edgin looked at Lawrence in shock. Lawrence lifted his hands in mock defeat. About his companion's secret.
"She was worshiped as one, yes." Lawrence responded. "She had asked me to take her to her homelands after the town that worshipped her had forgotten their promise to her. She left and has been traveling with me for several months now to her homeland of Yoitsu." His eyes moved back to Xenk with a serious look at them approaching the knight as if it was a negotiation with a trading company. "But now to a more concerning question How did you know of us?"
Xenk smiled kindly to the merchant as he placed his hand on his shoulder. "There is to be discussed traveling peddler." He spoke openly to him though his eyes moved more so to the sky, "for now, know that you are far away from anything you or your companion had ever known, lost traveler." Xenk responded looking to the entire group He moved to grab Holo's clothing. "There is much to discuss, we shall make for Phandalin, there I will explain it more detail these lost one's plight." He spoke out though the group had a strange mix of willingness and apprehension to his orders. "And before I forget my manners merchant and wolf, I welcome you to the Land of Faerun."