me by the wrist and walked over to
a stone board, where an undead dwarf was chiseling. We weren't the
only ones there; it was clear by the clinking sounds and passing
satchels that there was some gambling going on.
"Look, Marvin," Leo said, pointing. "Diana's
name is up there."
"What about Uhh?"
We skimmed the board, finally discovering Uhh
was set for two matches in an entirely different bracket. My
stomach churned with anxiety. I knew Uhh was good in a fight, and I
knew Diana was stronger than she let on, but I would've been much
happier if they were together. As it stood, it would take six
rounds of fighting before they would tag together for dual
matches.
It wasn't long after we registered this
information that the crowd was soon hustled through the arch
leading into the Harpy Den. Leo served as a bulwark to prevent me
from getting crushed. Everyone found seats immediately, leaving us
staring like doe-eyed infants.
"Act like locals," Leo reminded me of Duck's
advice.
"Well do you see any seats?" I
asked back, snappish.
The tiers were packed; to call
this entertainment was an understatement. Judging by the
expressions around us, fights at the Harpy Den were a
religion.
"Pardon?"
We turned around to spot a normal looking
man.
Well, not normal, exactly, more like... out of
place.
He was the definition of handsome by surface
standards, with strong, masculine features, blonde hair, and a glow
that suggested he just stepped in from a soak in the
sun.
"Are... you talking to us?" I
asked.
"Yes." His smile was dazzling in its
whiteness. "You see, I was wondering whether you'd join me in my
viewing box. It isn't often that I see live necromancers in
Krisenburg."
Leo and I exchanged questioning
looks.
"It's up to you, Marv," he said.
I turned to this beautiful stranger, so
ill-suited to the surrounding area.
"We'll take you up on that offer."
"Wonderful!" He swept his arm as he turned,
sending the purple robes flying.
Purple was notoriously difficult to find where
dyes were concerned. The color was a bit of an oddity when it did
show up in Nethermount, often in the plumes of exotic birds or the
occasional nightshade flower. Once, or so the story went, there was
a body in the Pit, dressed in purple vestments. We later learned
that she was one of the leading matriarchs of Isoviel.
In short, to be dripping in this
color said a lot about this man's station, especially that he was
willing to make such a blatant statement without a shred of concern
for his surroundings. One look at Leo told me that we were on the
same page; this was not a man to trifle with.
The viewing box was luxurious by
Krisenburg standards. There was room to stretch, for starters, and
the seats had cushions. Our host sat in the largest chair, flicking
his wrist at a pitcher. It immediately tipped and neatly filled a
golden goblet with a sweet smelling liquid.
"You're a mage," Leo said dumbly.
Our benefactor's eyes twinkled a bit at the
statement. "Oh... I wouldn't go as far as saying that."
"But what you did takes an incredible amount
of control!"
"What? This?" He repeated the procedure for
two more cups, floating them to the arm rests of our seats. "Parlor
tricks, that's all."
Something wasn't right.
He was too perfect.
And this sweet smell... I knew it.
A horn blew from somewhere in the stadium
below, bringing all conversation to a halt. A hulking mass,
stitched to form a giant human male, stepped out into the
arena.
" For our first match ," his voice
thundered across the stone. " We have a
face that has not appeared since the Era of Inval! The Doll, Diana
Galatea, now under a new Contractor! "
I shrank into the chair, swishing the liquid
in my cup. Questions roared across the seats below, demanding to
know who Diana's Contractor was.
Our host arched his brow at my obvious
signal.
"My, my... I figured it was one of you two,"
he smirked. "I wonder how it is you've caught her? Lady Galatea is
a legend in our bleak little halls."
I
a stone board, where an undead dwarf was chiseling. We weren't the
only ones there; it was clear by the clinking sounds and passing
satchels that there was some gambling going on.
"Look, Marvin," Leo said, pointing. "Diana's
name is up there."
"What about Uhh?"
We skimmed the board, finally discovering Uhh
was set for two matches in an entirely different bracket. My
stomach churned with anxiety. I knew Uhh was good in a fight, and I
knew Diana was stronger than she let on, but I would've been much
happier if they were together. As it stood, it would take six
rounds of fighting before they would tag together for dual
matches.
It wasn't long after we registered this
information that the crowd was soon hustled through the arch
leading into the Harpy Den. Leo served as a bulwark to prevent me
from getting crushed. Everyone found seats immediately, leaving us
staring like doe-eyed infants.
"Act like locals," Leo reminded me of Duck's
advice.
"Well do you see any seats?" I
asked back, snappish.
The tiers were packed; to call
this entertainment was an understatement. Judging by the
expressions around us, fights at the Harpy Den were a
religion.
"Pardon?"
We turned around to spot a normal looking
man.
Well, not normal, exactly, more like... out of
place.
He was the definition of handsome by surface
standards, with strong, masculine features, blonde hair, and a glow
that suggested he just stepped in from a soak in the
sun.
"Are... you talking to us?" I
asked.
"Yes." His smile was dazzling in its
whiteness. "You see, I was wondering whether you'd join me in my
viewing box. It isn't often that I see live necromancers in
Krisenburg."
Leo and I exchanged questioning
looks.
"It's up to you, Marv," he said.
I turned to this beautiful stranger, so
ill-suited to the surrounding area.
"We'll take you up on that offer."
"Wonderful!" He swept his arm as he turned,
sending the purple robes flying.
Purple was notoriously difficult to find where
dyes were concerned. The color was a bit of an oddity when it did
show up in Nethermount, often in the plumes of exotic birds or the
occasional nightshade flower. Once, or so the story went, there was
a body in the Pit, dressed in purple vestments. We later learned
that she was one of the leading matriarchs of Isoviel.
In short, to be dripping in this
color said a lot about this man's station, especially that he was
willing to make such a blatant statement without a shred of concern
for his surroundings. One look at Leo told me that we were on the
same page; this was not a man to trifle with.
The viewing box was luxurious by
Krisenburg standards. There was room to stretch, for starters, and
the seats had cushions. Our host sat in the largest chair, flicking
his wrist at a pitcher. It immediately tipped and neatly filled a
golden goblet with a sweet smelling liquid.
"You're a mage," Leo said dumbly.
Our benefactor's eyes twinkled a bit at the
statement. "Oh... I wouldn't go as far as saying that."
"But what you did takes an incredible amount
of control!"
"What? This?" He repeated the procedure for
two more cups, floating them to the arm rests of our seats. "Parlor
tricks, that's all."
Something wasn't right.
He was too perfect.
And this sweet smell... I knew it.
A horn blew from somewhere in the stadium
below, bringing all conversation to a halt. A hulking mass,
stitched to form a giant human male, stepped out into the
arena.
" For our first match ," his voice
thundered across the stone. " We have a
face that has not appeared since the Era of Inval! The Doll, Diana
Galatea, now under a new Contractor! "
I shrank into the chair, swishing the liquid
in my cup. Questions roared across the seats below, demanding to
know who Diana's Contractor was.
Our host arched his brow at my obvious
signal.
"My, my... I figured it was one of you two,"
he smirked. "I wonder how it is you've caught her? Lady Galatea is
a legend in our bleak little halls."
I
Similar Books
