The Council's Decision

Arannis gave a shout of pain as the bolt tore through his arm. He also sank to his knees. The mystic tried to utter a prayer of healing, but he stumbled over the words the fist three times.
Finally he got it right and his arm began to mend. It felt like a cool stream was flowing over his arm. It was soothing.
“That seems like a fine idea” Arannis said, “but first. What should we do about those men” he waved his hand in the direction of the web he had created. “that spell won’t last much longer.”

Wilcome smiled and said to himself"This was a good day for friends."

Not getting answers to my questions annoyed me, but I was willing to let this time slide.

I was never very fond of these thick skulled idiots, but I figured I owed them something. I knelt down beside one of them and whispered something barely audible. But not quiet enough for the elven ears of my temporary room mate.

"I always hated you the most." He started to convulse. It was either because he was really cold or because I had cut his jugular.

"The rest are at your disposal. Unless you'd rather me vent some aggression."

Arannis watched as the hooded man slit the other man's throat.
"Will these men continue to be a trouble to the rest of this town?" Arannis asked the man.
"And in my culture, one tells others his name before asking it of others."
The hooded man glared at him.
"My name is Arannis." the mage hastily spouted.

While he waited for the man's answer he quickly cast a prayer of mending on his clothing, then employed a cantrip to clean the blood off his sleeve.

There, he thought, good as new.

"I bet you want to know who I am." shouted Wilcome. "I am The Rash Rouge from the Southish region of the West. The Assassin Unknown to the North, the Thief vaguely heard of in the Upper East, The one who stole from a merchant who was once very angry and a little over weight, the individual who broke eight bones jumping over not one but two trash bins, and can hold my breath for over 3 minutes and a sixteenth of 8 seconds. I am Wilcome Gamwich" With the last one he struck a pose showing off his best features. Looking around at the stunned faces he could tell that last title really caught their fancy. He reminded himself to write that down lest he forget it. Cartwheeling into a somersault back to Arranis he extended his hand towards his previous opponent "Now that you know our names would you like to come with us? We are saving the world. I think."

"It is decided then" Wilcome shouted. He thought it would help the decision making process. "Welcome to the Gamwich Adventuring Company. Our mission is to rid the world of its treasures and bond together closer than any family ,occasionally saving the world. We leave at dawn." Wilcome looked out the window to see that it was already dawn. "Huh well we shall leave the next dawn for all this fighting and alcohol in the air has made me very sleepy." With this he crept over to Bandit Leader Priddy and promptly passed out leaving all the rest of the debating of minor details of G.A.C.to the only two in the room who were conscious.

"You're friend is rather rash in thinking I will be joining you. You see, I am a mercenary. A man for hire." I spoke with a polite tone, as these may very well be future customers. "A name is of little importance. I have had many and none of which I am very proud of. But the battlefield has named me Ascarer. So if it is the battlefield that calls then by all means, that is what you may call me."

I could feel the elf judging my every move. Not analyzing for an attack, but judging my courtesy. The bookish types were big on manners.

"If you want board or you wish to talk business, you may follow me." I said as I walked out the door.

As Arannis listened to the man’s words he came to a conclusion. This man could be trusted. He knew because he had earlier muttered a prayer that told him someone was lying to him.
“Wilcome, we should go with him. I’ll meet you in a second.”
That being said the mage turned to the group of entangled men and took up a stance that looked regal and powerful.
“I have decided to let you men live, but, if you should break the law, or hurt another person, I shall find out and you will die. Slowly. Any questions?”
The mage was going to cast a spell that would add some menace to his threat, but he had no spell ready. In fact, he had very little spells left at all.
So he turned on hid heel and walked after Wilcome and Ascarer.

Walking through the town the villagers seemed both frightened, respectful, and amused. These were the men who were either breathed fire, destroyed properties, killed men, or saved them from the Moon Eyes. Regardless, the villagers took heed and gossiped amongst themselves.

"So adventurers, how have you come to meet and seek liberation of the Moon Eyes Clan? I have not seen your faces. Furthermore, how do you meet?" I asked, genuinely interested. Not many people in this area are warriors and two just happened to fall from the sky. Something must be afoot.

The path took them out of the town into some a heavily forested area.

"The walk will not be far. Just far enough."

The walk was to far.
Wilcome was very sleepy and a little drunk off the fumes in the gang's hideout. By the way a little drunk to Wilcome incudes stumbling around and vomiting twice while walking. He was very comfertable next to the large body of the man who would still be warm for a couple hours and there was plenty of him to share. Yawning and stretching he silently wondered how much farther it would be. Then immediatly after he wondered aloud how much farther it would be only to meet cold glares in his direction...

The men seemed to be getting slightly annoyed by the fact I said it wasn't far, which was a lie. It was about a 45 minute jog. We walked up a rather steep hill until we ran into a cold, dark, dreary cave which I could tell Arannis didn't like the look of.

"Well boys, home sweet home." As I said it I took an usual amount of satisfaction shattering their hopes of a dry bed and warm meal. Cynicism tends to get the best of me.

Arannis could not believe it. This was Ascarer's home?! A dank, dark, cave in the middle of the woods?
What if a wild indigenous creature moved in while he was away?
The mage sighed. Maybe things would be better than he thought.
He stood off to the side of the cave, being careful not to touch anything lest he soil his garments further.
"Many thanks for your hospitality" he told Ascarer with what he hoped would pass for gratefulness.
"I was wondering what you plan to do now that the Moon Eyes clan is disbanded. You said you were a mercenary, would you be interested in a job as a bodyguard?"

The kindness was a formality, I knew. The Elf was more than likely less fond of me than I was of him.

"My lodgings might be less than satisfactory but it is enough for me and my room mate. He will be returning shortly." I grinned at the idea of my room mate returning. "Regardless, you say you have a job? In what way will you be paying? My services are not cheap."

Wilcome wandered into the cave. He looked for the most comferable, dryest rock curled around it and promptly fell asleep. Diologue is boring.

Arannis reached into his coin purse to show Ascarer what he intended to pay with, then thought better of it and asked,

“How much do you normally require for body guarding?”

The mage didn’t want to give up more of his research funds than was necessary.

I watched Arannis look down at his pocket and then back up to my face. It is always funny to see the surprise melt over someone. I was now holding his travel purse.

"Well. This might be enough." I snickered. Of course I knew it was to much for any job. But heres to trying. "What is this currency?"

Arannis was surprised, how had he gotten his purse?!
Also, the mage had no idea how much people normally charged for this kind of thing, but the asking price seemed pretty steep. So he decided to haggle.
"You live in a cave with little in the way of furbishment. Why would you require that much money? Rent?"
The mage smiled at his last sarcastic remark. Then his smile faltered when Ascarer opened the purse and produced a sapphire the size of an orc's thumb. Most of the purse's contents were similar. Arannis used his few coins in his travels and had the mostly jewels left.

"Regardless of requirement, something must make the world go round." I winced the the truth behind my words.

"Its decided then" Wilcome shouted in Ascarer's ear. How he had come from the sleeping position with his rock to behind Ascarer was beyond him. Ascarer apparently did not care how he came to be there. Instead took Wilcome's arm and before Wilcome knew it he was on the ground and he hurt all over. Ascarer's face was cool calm and collected. Arranis's face was very suprised and was looking back and forth from Wilcome's old pillow and back to where he was. Wilcome smiled and jumped to his feet. "So now to adventure where ever the wind may take us." Wilcome then slowly looked at Arranis and whispered "Where are we going exactly"

"I am not sure..." Arannis said as he looked at the dirty cave floor. he had not thought this threw. Was he going to defeat the most powerful magic-users with only a-
Arannis's head jerked up.
"We will warn those who rule over this land about the impending danger that approaches."
"Where is the capitol located. For that matter, what sort of government is in place?"
Arannis directed his questions to Ascarer, he figured Wilcome would be of little use in this matter.

"This country is under a tyrants control." I mumbled. I was never very fond of said King Davius. His police always kept a keen eye on the castle. "The capital is about a 6 day trek north of here. We'll have to travel through the mountains."

"Hooray the mountains" Wilcome shouted. "I have been there before and I will tell you they are a great place for having fun. there are slippery slopes, avalanches, giant beasts, sharp rocks and barbarians that can't wait to meet strangers." Wilcome was overjoyed. The mountains were always a great place to see how much his friends loved him.

I could feel my ears beginning to bleed as the man bumbled on.

"I, too, have been to the mountains and, coincidentally, it is also a great place to die. So don't make this sound like a fieldtrip. It has yet to be decided if I should join you yet, depending on your offer, but this will be a dangerous adventure. Don't take it lightly." I spoke through my teeth. I could feel them grinding so hard together they were fixing to break.

The sound of boulders grinding together emanating from Ascarer alerted Arannis that the man was not amused with Wilcome’s carefree, almost childlike attitude. The mage couldn't blame him. The strange man did have a way of grating on the nerves.
“Then we now have a definitive course of action.”, Arannis said, trying to smooth out the building tension, “Tomorrow morning we will head back into town to get supplies, then we will begin our trek over the mountain.”
The mage wasn’t certain what he would do when they actually arrived at the tyrant king’s palace, but laying out how to get there was a start.
Looking to the mouth of the cave, arannis realized that the sun had begun its descent. The light began to angle into the cave. Night was still far off.
Thank the entire pantheon that Wilcome had once again curled around his rock.

The grumble from right outside the cave amused and excited me. The heavy scent of the visitors had aggitated my friend but it was to dark to make out his figure.

"Oh, by the way. My room mate has just arrived!" I had to speak loudly over the snorts and growls of my companion. "And Wilcome," I whispered to not disturb his slumber. "that's his bed..."