Drauka’s Dithering

The Pride

I opened my eyes to the dim candle-light coming from the table next to my luxurious bed. I couldn’t sleep. All night, since I returned to my bedroom after the fight, I had been assaulted by angry spirits. It was odd, being able to see spirits of the past that weren’t Danzi ancestors. But ever since my exile, that’s all I could see; my ancestors had abandoned me.

The spirits were riled up, though I am not sure why. I got out of bed, and crossed to the window overlooking the city. I pulled back the gossamer curtains, and peered into the night. Haven was like any other city at night; very little activity in the heart of town, the merchants long-since gone, and a little more activity and light at the walls and the docks. That wouldn’t have caught my notice if New Haven wasn’t in my sight. Oddly enough, it was rife with life. During the day, the lights seemed to be dimmed all over New Haven as we passed through the city, but during the night, there were candles in hundreds of windows.

It’s all going to unravel thanks to my stupidity and that…. Alchemist.

I unclenched my jaw and took a deep breath. I let it out, and its barely-visible clouds reminded me of our sailing not a week past. Barely a cloud in the sky, perfect wind at our backs, and a crew with nothing but smiles. Nothing got in our way, not even the giant of an elemental beast nearly capsized us to give us warning not to kill anything in his realm. We sailed around reef, weed, and even a wreck. The solitary survivor we rescued and brought with us to the Port.

From the moment we docked, the now-normal praise and fame hounded us. Sir Quixis summoned his brethren at arms, the Knights of Dawn to escort us. They stayed with us the whole day. Why hadn’t they stopped me from blundering into that shop?

We were led to the Inn run by Radule Nodeki, who is Bishop Rose’s brother. He put us up for the entire stay, and we each got our own room. From there Karma, Overkill and I went out into the town in search of a Blacksmith and an Alchemist. Karma was re-shoed for the road ahead, and then we asked for directions to an alchemist’s shop. That led us straight into New Haven, a place where Set and Anubis are the first words out of peoples’ mouths. We found a merchant on the bridge that Humara told us wasn’t evil, and he led us, after a cup of tea, to an alchemist shop on the far edge of the city.

I waltzed right in, not a worry or a care in the world. My weapons were stripped off of me, and I still, determined to keep a warrior’s grace, continued onward with my journey. I plan on keeping my promise, though, that I would see him ruined if his actions betray me or my friends. I said it so casually, as if I didn’t think he would try anything, not to a member of CrIsis. ‘Remember,’ i’d said, ‘if you cross CrIsis, the wrath of the Gods of Light will rain down upon you and your posterity from now till the end of time.’

A Jinn. That was his deal; a Jinn to accompany me. I should have thought back to the bed-time stories my grandfather told me of the trickeries of the Jinn. They are almost as tricky as the gods themselves in their promises that are kept but not honored; half-truths and misleading assurances.

After we left, we met with Bishop Rose. I would have been excited to meet her, after all of the blathering Sharic did about her. I was too preoccupied, though, with what I was going to do with my situation. We were confronted with a ‘Messenger of Rurga,’ though I didn’t pay attention. My anger at these ‘GODS OF TRUTH’ and their messengers, and entrapping agreements, wordplays, battles of wits – since they can’t put up a decently skilled fight – I was tired of it all. All I wanted to do was go back to my room.

From the moment I got there, I didn’t get any privacy either. Whatever these spirits want, I don’t care. We’ll see what tomorrow brings, as tomorrow we meet with Bishop Rose… And her Advisors. Hopefully uninterrupted…

>>As written by Drauka, in the language of the Danzi, translated by Thoth. The fifth log of Drauka, Mercenary Danzi Warrior, Written on Majestic 14 in Drauka’s 105th year.<< Picture thanks to Norbert ´Kijin´ Pustan.