PvP Dungeon Hunter

Behind Closed Doors

The old man opened the door to the dark room, a small fraction of light shone from the small opening he had made. He closed the door and walk forward fully aware of everything in the room without being able to see it. Taking a seat behind the table a voice spoke to him.

“Has’t those gents hath returned?” (Have they returned?) the seer asked.

“Yes, the mother looks distraught, and the villagers seemed content,” the old man replied, “why did you decide to spare the girl’s life?”

 He struck a flame lightening the candle before him. It emitted the faintest glimpse of light as it flickered around. The wind blew softly around him and the light danced in response.

There was a chuckle in the room. “Am i not capable of m’rcy? thy thoughts of me art so brutal æðelric yond is what i liketh about thee but nay, the villag’rs’ ang’r wouldst beest m’re did fix on h’r and if ‘t be true anyone disappears t wouldst eke beest pinn’d upon those folk as well.”

(Am I not capable of mercy? Your thoughts of me are so brutal Æðelric that is what I like about you, but no, the villagers’ anger would be more fixed on her and if anyone disappears, it would also be pinned upon them as well.)

“So she is a scapegoat then?”

“Aye, yond is what I intendeth to useth h’r f’r lat’r.” (Yes, that is what I intend to use her for later.)

“What about the boy?”

“The one hath called Akuji, that gent is strange and I has’t nev’r seen someone did dress liketh that gent.  The loss of mem’ry wouldst maketh me bethink that gent might has’t been a participant in the f’rest of f’rgotten dreams but that gent is weak liketh all oth’r humans and nothing of conc’rn.”

(The one called Akuji. He is strange and I have never seen someone dressed like him. The loss of memory would make me think he might have been a participant in the forest of forgotten dreams, but he is weak like all other humans and nothing of concern.)

Æðelric exhaled as if a weight was coming off his chest. “Good, once it’s not going to be an inconvenience.”

“I expecteth canta to eith’r stayeth near the b’rd’r of the village, but if ‘t be true those gents drift and kicketh the bucket yond is eke fine.  It’s not liketh the villag’rs leaveth the b’rd’r concluded, be it.  All t tooketh wast a few wolves to maketh those folk believeth in divine protection and their all protecting eld’r.”

(I expect Canta to either stay near the border of the village, but if they drift and die, that is also fine. It’s not like the villagers leave the border, anyway. All it took was a few wolves to make them believe in divine protection and they're all protecting elder.)

“You make fun of me?”

“Nay, I am at each moment amus’d by m’rtals and what those gents wouldst payeth f’r imm’rtalty.”

(No, I am always amused by mortals and what they would pay for immortality.)

“I will do whatever you want as long as you keep your promise.”

“No one yond thee shall misseth? this village shall lief throb at which hour t cometh to the endeth of the line? I shall sinketh this village dryeth thee knoweth and haply keepeth a few thralls.  The po’r baron shall has’t nay taxes to collecteth. ”

(No one that you will miss? This village will soon throb when it comes to the end of the line? I will sink this village dry you know and maybe keep a few thralls. The poor Baron will have no taxes to collect.)

“Being able to live forever would be a good recompensation for all these efforts. Everything right now is a means to that end; you don’t know what it’s like getting old and having the inevitability of death creeping at your side. When I was young, I felt invincible, but with age and time, I feel as if the slightest mistake would put an end to me. Death it is a scary thing, a fate that I would avoid at all cost.”

The seer laughed. “Nay wond’r thee did invite me into the village with such ope arms.” (No wonder you invited me into the village with such open arms.)

There was a loud knock on the door, then a voice.

“Elder, there are men here to see you.”

The elder spoke, “let them in.”

 The door opened, and light crept in the darkroom.

Three men entered, all with very distinct facial expressions. The door closed behind them, hiding them into the darkness like a blanket, and the only light that remained was the one before the elder.

“What is with all the darkness? Old man, are you trying to give us a scare?” one man asked as they walked forward to the table.

“No, no, it’s just that the seer hates the light, a condition you can say that keeps me here.”

“I see, it’s not like it’s a concern of mine.”

Æðelric nodded in response.

 The man continued, “Everything is going to plan. Tiom is headed towards Ceventia where he will no doubt hire a group of novice adventurers to save on cost. Our spy in the caravan had told us this.”

“Why don’t you attack him now, then?”

“We are not sure if he has the item on him as yet.”

“I see.”

“Therefore, when he reaches the Adventure’s Guild my son will also be there to join the team of adventurers, making tracking movements even easier. We will know their composition and their thoughts.”

“Excellent, more than likely he might be carrying the item on his person. If it’s not on his corpse to throw off others, it might be in the carriage in something that doesn’t seem of value.”

“I will keep that in mind, now then about our payment.”

“Yes, of course, this village and everything in it will be yours.”

The man chuckled and looked to the others. “But is that really a prize, I can take all of those things now by force if I want. I wondered initially where a village so desolate had gotten all of those gold coins for the initial payment.”

“Foolish bandits, doth thee very much bethink t wouldst beest yond easy?” (Foolish bandits, do you really think it would be that easy?) a voice said that seemed to come from all corners of the room.

The men’s eyes darted around in confusion, bumps raised on their skins, and they instinctively raised their blades.

“Not a cunning choice to doth if ‘t be true thee wanteth to kicketh the bucket, then this wouldst beest thy death.”

(Not a smart choice to do if you want to die, then this would be your death.)

A gust of wind lashed at the men, rending their blades out of their hands. The blades fell upon the table. Still, the figure had not been seen that did it.

“What the hell is going on Captain?” The man reached for his weapon, only for it to fly further away from him.

“Who or what are you?” the captain asked, his words coming out as a mere whisper.

“You’re the three strongest in the group the rest art liketh baby chicks.  How many life and death encount’rs has’t thee been in to gain such strength? bef’re me all thy exp’rience, thy life and arts amount to nothing.  Men who is’t art to ov’r high-sighted nev’r seeth their ambition through.  Men who is’t art too greedy at each moment kicketh the bucket from their owneth gre’d and men with nay honour ‘r those who is’t can’t keepeth their w’rd ‘r nev’r did trust. ”

(You’re the three strongest in the group the rest are like baby chicks. How many life and death encounters have you been in to gain such strength? Before me all your experience, your life and skills amount to nothing. Men who are to over ambitious never see their ambition through. Men who are too greedy always die from their own greed and men with no honour or those who can’t keep their word or never trusted.)

The men’s knees buckled to the floor under the weight of the pressure that radiated from the room. The old man before them seemed immune as they sank further and further down the more they tried to resist, the more the pressure seemed to sink deeper within them. It felt as if they were being crushed from the inside. Pain consumed their bodies. They couldn’t even make a sound in reaction or wriggle their bodies.

When they felt like this ordeal was their end, a voice called to them, “Do thee und’rstand anon the diff’rence between us? doth thee accepteth the off’r did present to thee? Or wouldst thee rath’r kicketh the bucket h’re? ”

(Do you understand now the difference between us? Do you accept the offer presented to you? Or would you rather die here?)

 “We accept,” the captain mumbled, as the pressure eased.