In the city of Deon's Rise. . .
It had been a week since their return from the Dead Isle, and Johannes and Hadric found themselves once again at the Cerulean Heron, a high-end inn in Deon's Rise, enjoying a reprieve from fighting zombies, being poisoned, and risking life and limb on a daily basis. The weathered warriors sat across from each other on two cushioned sofas with a table between them, a gentle noise from other patrons providing a calm atmosphere. Johannes unrolled a large map across the table.
“I was thinking of sailing northeast up to Lapland, a country just south of Styrie on the Kabariyan Isle. I have some connections there that I'd like to visit, and who might be able to help me with my future plans. You're welcome to join me.”
Hadric shrugged, “
I have nothing else to do.”
Johannes chuckled. Over the past few months, he had come to better understand Hadric's true character beneath the outer indifference, and knew there was warmth where he tried to seem cold. He could not help but wonder if Hadric had truly nothing to do, if he had any connections or family or goal of his own out there, though he had never once spoken of it.
Hadric, is there anywhere you'd like to go?” asked Johannes, gently pry trying to open the subject.
Hadric stared past Johannes for a few seconds. “
Looks like that girl's planning a trip too.”
“
Hm?” Johannes looked over his shoulder. Sitting at one of the tables near the bar was a young girl no older than twenty, with long brown hair and donned in splintmail, carefully studying a map much like theirs. Johannes realized Hadric hadn't heard his question.
“
I suppose we're not the only adventurers in the world,” commented Johannes.
“
And another,” added Hadric, as a lightly armored man approached her and leaned with one hand on the table. However, the look that the girl gave him as she glanced up said very clearly he was not her friend. They were too far away to hear what they were saying, but the man spoke for a bit followed by a succinct reply from the girl. The man then, very deliberately, knocked over her glass of wine, staining half the map. The girl gasped loud enough for them to hear, then abruptly stood and pulled out a mace.
“
Time to intervene,” said Johannes suddenly, leaping off of the couch and moving at a fast-walk. The man pulled out a rapier.
“
You want to dance, girl?” he said, whom Johannes could hear now, and he could tell he didn't mean the pleasant kind of dancing either. The woman who worked the inn's bar was casting alarmed looks over at the table
Johannes arrived. “
Excuse me.” The man glanced at him unpleasantly, but Johannes continued nonetheless, meeting his gaze. “
I paid good money to stay at this inn, and I chose this inn specifically to avoid ridiculous bar scuffles like this.”
The man snorted dismissively, “
This girl called me a pig.”
“
A pig who doesn't understand what no mean,” retorted the girl, to the man's further displeasure.
“
I'll cut you up girl.”
“
No one will be cutting anyone up,” interjected Johannes. “
Sir, since you seem to be the aggressor here, I'm going to have to ask you to leave.”
“
You want to lose your nose?” said the man, who then pointed the tip of his rapier at Johannes, holding it inches from his face. Johannes didn't flinch or blink or even feel his heart beat a microsecond faster. He had survived way too many hard opponents to be scared of this loser.
“
If you insist on fighting, then you can fight me, and we can do it outside out of respect for Miss Sariah,” replied Johannes, nodding toward the barmaid who had come to know the past few months, and was now very alarmed.
The girl spoke, “
I don't need you to fight my battles for me. I can handle him myself.”
“
I'm sure you could,” answered Johannes without hesitation, his sincerity surprising her. “
But he's spoiled my own afternoon, which I was hoping to enjoy here at this usually-calm, fine establishment. That's reason enough for me fight right now.”
“
Arrogant bastard,” the man insulted. “
Fine. Let's do this.”
Johannes left out the side door of the inn, followed by the man and the girl, and they entered a fairly isolated alley between two high stone walls. Johannes and the man took positions ten feet apart from each other while the girl watched from the side, leaning against the wall with arms folded.
Johannes began whispering under his breath. "
The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?"
"
Alright, let's get this over with," said the man. He charged at Johannes with his sword at the fore.
"
. . .Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. . ." Johannes rested a hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword. The sword began to gently glow, and the girl's eyes suddenly opened and watched with ravenous interest. The man's rapier drew near.
"
Smite."
Johannes drew his sword, deflected the rapier, and struck the man in the chest with bottom of his hilt. The man flew back fifteen feet, landed on his side, and rolled another ten, ending up in an unconscious pile of himself. Johannes re-sheathed his sword and nodded at the awestruck girl, "
Goodday Miss," and began to leave.
"
Wait!" she cried, stepping in his way. Suddenly, to Johannes' surprise, she swung her mace at him! Johannes ducked the swing.
"
What are you doing!?" he cried. She didn't reply, but instead followed the momentum to bring the mace down from overhead.
Johannes pulled out his dagger, blocking the mace, while his free-hand grabbed her wrist and gave it a wrench. The mace fell out her hands and clattered to the ground where he kicked it away. The girl abruptly stopped her hostile struggling, dropped to her knees, and bowed. "
Teach me!" she asked, practically at a shout.
"
Huh? Wuh? You just attacked me!!"
"
I've been searching everywhere for someone stronger than myself. You are stronger. You use divine magic. Please, teach me!"
"
Uhh. . .."
"
I'm a priestess!" she continued. "
I was trained by Ryin the Saint!"
Now she had Johannes' attention. "
Ryin? You mean the legendary healer? He's considered by many to be the most powerful cleric in the world. You're saying he was your teacher?"
"
Yes," she replied simply. "
But I've come south searching for a new teacher, and I choose you. Teach me!"
Johannes paused in thought. He was a little skeptical at first about her claim of being taught by Ryin, but she didn't seem like a liar, not in that regard at least. And it was true that after the loss of his companions in Comoset, Jacqueline's departure back to Herrod, and Dwalin and Adwonis' earlier departure, that he was in need of new party members.
"
Hmm. . ."
***
Johannes sat down at the cushioned sofa where Hadric still sat on the sofa across, lifting his helm to take calming sips of ale. "
You didn't come watch the fight between me and that guy," said Johannes, relaxing into the couch.
"
What for?" replied Hadric. "
It was already decided."
Johannes chuckled. Then the girl appeared, with a new glass of wine for herself and an ale for Johannes. "
Hello," she said to Hadric, who was truly surprised when she suddenly sat down next to him.
"
Oh, uh, this is Andriel," filled in Johannes. "
Andriel, this is Hadric. She'll be joining us for a while."