Odd's Quest (rough draft)

Returning home from Grattertock was the most gut wrenching experience of my life. I was relieved to get home and see my wife and my kids, my family. Yet at the same time I knew I was about to deliver grief and sorrow to them. I had never really understood the saying ‘don’t blame the messenger’ until I stood at the doorway of my sister-in-law. 

Hesitating to knock I stood there wondering how I was going to tell her and my nephews that their father was gone. He had been murdered while in the wastes of Grattertock. My hand shakes as I reach up to knock, a heavy burden laying upon me.

The door opens before I even can and I see my mother standing there. “Odd,” her voice is gentle and soft and the look she gives me is one of knowing. She is already grieving. 

I start to shake and tremble. “I’m so sorry Mom,” I whimper, feeling like a child again. Like the same boy who would rather run away than admit to his mother he did something wrong.

Mom rushes to me, wrapping her arms around me while I cry. Mom must have always known this. He ability of sight had probably warned her long ago of something horrible like this.

“What’s going on?” Emory stands in the doorway. “Uncle Odd?”

Mom parts from me, clasping her hand over her mouth. I look at my nephew, looking very much like his father. Tall, curled horns, and fluffy in places like his mother. The tears are falling freely from my eyes but I know I have to be strong for him and his brothers. 

“Uncle Odd,” Emory repeats, sounding angry. 

I reach out and take Emory’s hand, I place in it the one thing of Blink I had. It was Blink’s dagger, which I had been using to cut ropes for the journey. “He loved you, more than anything, Em,” I say. 

Emory looks at the dagger and tears well up in his eyes. “How did he-”

“No,” Penelope and the other two boys, Marius and Hammond, come up behind him. “Not now.” She shakes her head and comes up to me. 

Penelope takes hold of my hands as she starts to cry. “Come inside,” she whispers. 

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, kneeling down to beg for forgiveness. “I promise! I will bring his murderer to justice. I swear it on my life.”

“We’ve lost enough,” Penelope weeps. “My boys will need you.” She falls to her knees, embracing me while she cries.

Mom takes the boys, leading them into the house again.

That evening, I return home, which is only down the road from Blink’s house. The lights are on and I can hear my girl’s singing. Where Blink had all boys, I had all girls and I was grateful for it. I remember what a house full of unruly boys was like, girl’s were somehow harder.

I walk up to the door, standing there for a long moment before I knocked. My youngest, Ari, answers and her bright eyes light up.

“Daddy!” She jumps up, having me pick her up.

Rori and her mother come into the mainroom and Allie sighs with relief. “Finally,” she whispers under her breath.

“Daddy?” Ari asks when she notices I’m crying. “Are you ok?”

I snuggle to her. “I’m so happy to see you,” I whisper.

“Dad,” Rori looks over me. “What’s wrong? Really?”

I set Ari down and I shake my head. “Your uncle didn’t make it. I just came from his house,” I look up at them and sniffle. “Blink was murdered at Grattertock.”

“No,” Ari whimpers.

Allie rushes up to me, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing me tight. She says nothing, there is nothing to be said. We sit together as a family for the longest time. Thankfully, they ask no questions, they just offer their own comfort. Once Ari falls asleep, I happily take her to her room and tuck her in.

“What are you going to do, Odd?” Allie murmurs, meeting me in the hallway.

I sigh and look down.

“Odd,” she urges. “What are you going to do?”

I look at her, feeling guilty. “Something stupid,” I answer.

Allie shakes her head. “You shouldn’t do this, Odd, think about the girls. Think about Penelope and the boys!” She grabs my hand with both of hers and squeezes tight. “Please, I beg you.”

I touch her cheek with my free hand and she nuzzles into her. Since we first met, she’s become softer in places, more shapely in others, especially since having our girls. She’s just as lovely still.

“The man who killed Blink, he has to pay for what he’s done,” I whisper. “I feel that if I don’t stop him, then something bad will happen to all the empire.”

“The empire isn’t you responsibility-” Allie’s voice chokes off and she throws her arms around me. “I can’t lose you.”

I hold her tight and tilt her head back, pressing a strong kiss to her lips. I sigh softly, pressing my forehead to hers. “You won’t, I promise.”

We go to bed together and for the first time since setting foot on Grattertock I actually sleep. Holding my wife, I fall into a deep, deep sleep.

Come morning, I wake up hearing someone in my home. I pull away from Allie, making sure not to wake her. I slip out of bed and move silently down the hallway to the kitchen. There, my mother is standing over the stove.

“Mom?” I gasp.

She turns and looks at me. “I let myself in with the key, I hope you don’t mind.” She looks back at the stove.

“You should be with Penelope,” I say.

“Ainsel and Cora are with them,” she replies. “I need to talk to you.”

I swallow back the painful lump in my throat. “You can’t stop me from what I need to do, Mom,” I whisper. “I have to do this I feel it-”

Mom sets down the tea kettle hard. She then pours a cup. “Do you know who you’re looking for?” She asks.

“Maeve,” I hesitate. “A friend from the journey, she called him Reggie. She said he was a bandit in the deserts of Rakshasa Country.”

“Reginald Brandywiht the old king of Veleryn,” Mom says as she stands straight. “That is the man you’re looking for.”

My eyes go wide and I swear my heart stops cold. “Mom,” I take a step towards her. “How do you know this?”

“I may not be the same oracle the old ones of the Under used to come clawing for, but I am still an oracle.” She sets the mug of tea on the table. “I had known as soon as Blink was born he would die before me.” She pats a chair. “Come sit down, baby.”

I take a seat and she pushes the warm mug into my hands. “His father told me the night he was conceived,” she says. “Ever since then I’ve tried to put it out of my head, until last night.” Her eyes gaze distantly out the window. “After I got Penelope and the boys to bed I contacted him again.”

I furrow my brow. “Our father?”

Mom smiles softly. “Blink’s father,” she replies cooly. “I found him last night and begged him to tell me who killed our son. He told me,” she closes her eyes. “He said it was someone I’ve fought before.”

I sigh. “Back when we lived near Veleryn,” I whisper.

“That’s right,” she says. “Reginald came in and took over. He forced Dali’s staff out, including me.” She opens her eyes again and sighs. “I always wondered why Demir never killed that man.” She grimaces and her hands go tight over her knees. “He should have killed him.”

I reach out and touch Mom’s arm. “I’m going to kill him,” I say.

“Baby,” Mom sighs. “I know I can’t stop you. I know you feel as if this is your responsibility. But revenge is never good. It has consequences of its own.”

There’s a knock at the door and I answer it. Emory is standing there, his eyes are red and his jaw is stiff.

“What’re you doing here?” I ask.

“I want to know,” he says sternly, “I want to know how my father died.”

I frown. “You shouldn’t worry about it now. You need to grieve and take care of your mother and brothers. I’m going to take care of it.”

“I deserve to know!” Emory barks. “Whatever you’re going to do, take me with you.”

I glare at the boy. “No.”

I then see a look in Emory’s eyes that reminds me of his father. Not the Blink I knew and loved, but the one from the gorge all those years ago when he slaughtered and entire band of orcs. I had never asked to confirm with Mom, but I had always suspected that Blink was different from us and had a different power than Emil, Ainsel, and me. Blink was a berserker and I’m afraid Emory could have inherited that ability.

I put my hand on Emory’s shoulder. “What will it change?” I ask.

Emory blinks and the shadow that hid there is gone. He lowers his head and clenches his fists. “Please, Uncle Odd.”

I bring him inside as Mom pours him a mug of tea as well. As he sits down at the table Allie and Rori come out of their rooms.

“Your father was killed in the wastes of Grattertock,” I reply. “A man called Reginald was threatened by him, because your father had met him once before. He’s cast a shadow on our family once before I’m afraid.”

“Then we have to stop him,” Emory gasps. “We can do it, Uncle Odd, you and me!” He gasps excitedly. 

“Emory, I couldn’t do that to your mother,” I whisper.

“If you were killed,” Rori suddenly speaks up. “I wouldn’t stop at nothing. Even if Mama begged, I would still go out there. Even if you say no to Emory,” Rori murmurs, “he’s still going to go. It’s best you keep an eye on him.”

I frown at her. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you learn to read.”

She grins then. “It’ll make us feel better too, knowing Emory will be with you, Papa.”

I look at Emory. “We’ll plan something, ok kid?” I ruffle his fluffy hair. “We can’t be stupid on this. We need to plan.”

After informing Penelope I’m viciously attacked, luckily halfway through it my mother and the boys are able to get her off me. She agrees to the mission, but she is extremely unhappy about it. After a short reprieve at home, I decide to take Emory and I go east towards the stone mountains of Gravelmeuse where an old friend of mine has become a lord.

Jasper had saved my life ages ago and his wife Aisling had been given back her title in Gravelmeuse by Demir. If anyone knew anything of the things going on in the empire, it would be them.

“I heard about the journey,” Jasper says to me. “I’m sorry about your father, young man,” he bows his head to Emory.

“I was curious as to what whispers you have have heard,” I tell him. “It was Reginald of Veleryn who killed Blink.”

Jasper furrows his brow. “The old king?” He then scoffs. “I haven’t heard that name in ages,” he grimaces. “He was the one who helped Aisling’s father back in the day. I wouldn’t mind having my chance with him either.”

“Any idea of where he could be?” I ask. “Who might he be working for?”

Jasper sighs. “Ever since Demir took over, there has been much strife and turmoil in the empire. Demir prefers to keep this all hidden,” he tells me. “He likes to think if word of the upheavals doesn’t get out, then people will still be able to keep the peace. But everything has a way of getting out.” He stands up and picks up a chest from the shelf. 

Setting it down and opening the chest Jasper shows the filed away letters inside. “Each one contains a secret,” he says. “A whisper in the empire. Whatever you’re looking for, it could be in there.”

“Thank you,” I sigh as jasper pushes the chest towards me. “You have no idea how much this is going to help me.”

Jasper sits back down. “Me as well,” he smirks as he sits down. “You didn’t think you were going alone did you?”

I look up at him and scoff. “What would I do with an old lizard out there?”

“This old lizard used to be the strongest warrior in all the land,” Jasper grins at me. “I also saved you ass more than once.”

“Oh, is that why my tail is still attached?” I wrinkle my nose towards him.

Emory takes out several letters and starts pouring over them. “Can you two flirt some other time?” He grumbles as he looks over one letter.

“The boy is right,” Jasper says. 

We set to work, organizing the letters based on location as well as reason. There was religious secs, enemies of Demir, power struggle, and a few other small subsects. Political intrigue and greed were nothing new in the empire, but since Demir’s rise to power he had whipped up a frenzy in an otherwise sleepy land.

“You said that Reginald had been working as a bandit near Rakshasa country?” Jasper rises from his seat and hands me a letter. “I hate to feed into the obvious, but what if he’s working with the Gnolls?”

“Gnolls?” I look over the letter. “I thought Nadeem had managed to squash all the insurgents back when Wulsi was captured.”

“Now that Addor’s gone, perhaps they feel safe to start taking action. Not only that, if they’re targeting the Rakshasa again, they could easily make attacks in the desert look like a hidden thing. Perhaps we should start there.”

“What about the people going missing in the north?” Emory adds in. “They all appear to be vanishing around where Veleryn once was. If Reginald is trying to seize power again, it would make sense he’d start where the wound is most sore.”

“Culuweth and old Veleryn,” I murmur, looking up at a map. The two points were so far apart. Old Veleryn, not the Capital of the Empire, was far inland while Culuweth was an island out in the Caspin Sea just beyond Rakshasa Country and their ports.

“It wouldn’t make sense for the two things to be connected,” Jasper murmurs. “I say we start here in Culuweth,” he points at the map. “I say we go into the Berkset Mountains, that’s where the insurgents had run off to before. If anything, we could find something there.”

“It’s close enough to Grattertock too,” I reply. “So if Reginald and his men were able to escape from there, it would be the safest place to run to to recover.”

“Nadeem had the ports at the back of the Berkset destroyed back when he found the insurgents were hiding there. They could easily be using them again without anyone’s knowledge,” Jasper says with a nod. “This will be our best bet, Odd.”

Emory sighs, looking over the map. “Culuweth,” he whispers. “They say Bethsabe’s ghost still haunts the entire island.”

I put my hand on his shoulder. “Bethsabe was just a woman,” I tell him. “No matter what the stories say or what power she held, she was just a person in the end.”

We take a ship from Obresh and travel to Culuweth. From there, we remained disguised as we make our way towards the Berkset mountains. 

“Something feels strange,” Emory says as he start getting closer.

“What do you mean, son?” Jasper asks.

Emory grimaces. “I don’t know,” he clutches his chest. “What is Bethsabe really is haunting this place?” He asks. “I just keep feeling this awful weight on me.”

I furrow my brow, having heard such things from Mom and Ainsel before. Ainsel used to get horrible headaches that she called weights on her skull. Everytime she did there was a death nearby or a horrible accident. Mom would get a heavy sensation on her chest sometimes and when she did, usually one of us got sick. I knew to trust this when it happened.

“What kind of weight?” I ask.

“It’s heavy,” Emory says. “And it makes me scared. I feel strange, like someone is watching us.”

I lift my head, looking all around. Jasper readies his hand on his crossbow just in case. I take a deep breath, feeling the cold winds from the Berkset mountains blow towards us.

“If anything changes,” I whisper to Emory, “you tell me right away. Promise?”

Emory nods. “Yes, Uncle Odd.”

We continue traveling, reaching the mountains and setting our base camp for the evening. I wake up in the night, seeing Emory standing up before the campfire.

“Emory?” I rub my eyes. “What are you doing? Do you gotta piss?” I grumble, still half asleep.

“Don’t you hear it?” Emory whispers.

I furrow my brow, only hearing the crackling of the fire and Jasper’s snores. “No,” I stand up and go over to him. “Emory what are you-” I stop as I see his face. 

Emory’s eyes are wide open but they are all white.

“Emory?” I whisper. “Is that you?” I go to touch him but his hand slaps mine away.

“I can hear it,” Emory says. “All the screaming,” he shudders. “I can smell the blood. The mountains are drenched in it.”

“Kid you’re scaring the shit out of me,” I say. “Is that even you? If not, who are you?”

“It isn’t Bethsabe who haunts this place,” Emory reaches up and wraps his hands around his throat. “It’s something else, it’s something worse. Someone-”

“Is it Reginald?” I whisper.

“No,” Emory chokes as black smoke starts to pour from his mouth. “The blood mage.” Emory then drops to the ground and I rush to pick him up.

Emory groans. “Uncle Odd?”

“Hush, kid,” I whisper.

“I had a dream-” Emory grips onto my arm.

“I know you did,” I hold Emory close in my arms. He relaxes in my grip and falls back asleep. He’s not just inherited his father’s power, he’s also got the same skill as his grandmother. I feel awful, wondering if I had opened a door in him that unleashed it all at once.

I lay Emory back down and remain awake the entire night. To my shock, Emory remembers nothing of the night before but I am relieved. I send him out to get firewood and I tell Jasper everything he said.

“A blood mahe?” Jasper whispers. “No, no,” he shakes his head. “That would be impossible.”

“I know what he said,” I hissed. “If there is someone in there, someone powerful enough to wield that kind of magic, it could destroy all the empire. Demir wouldn’t stand a chance!”

“What should we do?” Jasper asks, breathless and afraid.

“I don’t know,” I grunt. “I don’t want to risk Emory getting hurt, but if there is something in those mountains then we need to report on it.”

“We can’t rely on your word alone,” Jasper grumbles in agreement. “Even still,” he whispers. “How would Nadeem not know?”

I frown. “Bethsabe wasn’t well,” I say. “What is Nadeem is afflicted to?”

“Nadeem is a good man-” Jasper starts to argue for his friend.

“Even good men get sick Jasper,” I say. “We can’t rule out that perhaps Nadeem could be part of this. If we find something out, I’m afraid we can’t go to him. We’ll need to go to Dhaval.”

Jasper’s shoulders slouch. “My god,” he whispers. “The kingdom is soon to be run by the young, by children.” An ephiany strikes him and terror fills his eyes. “What a perfect time to strike. When there is young blood and new ideas.”

“A chance to uprise might be easier said than done,” I frown.

Once Emory returns we head into the mountains. As we come through the gorge and break through to the valley between the mountains we take to the shadows, going along a ragged path where we can hide. 

“Uncle Odd,” Emory grabs hold of me at one point. “It’s happening again,” he strains.

I put my arm around him. “Tell me,” I urge.

“This place,” Emory shudders as Jasper comes to your side. “It’s bad. It feels like breathing in smoke.”

“Can you keep walking, kid?” Jasper asks.

“Both of you stay here,” I say. “I’ll go in myself.”

“Uncle Odd!” Emory gasps.

I look at him, “this isn’t about your father anymore,” I whisper urgently, “this is about the whole empire now.” I pull up my hood and continue down the craggy path.

The path leads me out over the valley where a small village has been built below. The buildings are small and crowded together but something isn’t quite right. Everything seems so still and empty. I then look ahead, seeing strange shapes coming out the side of the mountain. I take out my binoculars to get a closer look and see there is a castle built into the side of the mountain.

I steel myself and descend into the village. As I walk passed the buildings I realize the homes are burnt and destroyed. Inside each house I see dozens upon dozens of skeletons, more than there should be. In the center of town, it is nothing but a field of skeletons laid out side by side.

“Oh my god,” I whisper as I walk through the rows. There are so many is makes me sick. Emory was right, something was very wrong here.

I come to the foot of the castle and gaze up at it. I feel terrified the closer I get and I find myself running away from it, I go and hide, placing myself in a cave where I can huddle down and breathe.

As is it there, trying to collect myself, I start to hear voices. I turn, listening to the murmur of them. I stand up, heading down into the cave where soon I see a fiery glow ahead of me. As I stand near the exit, I gaze down at a river of lava below. Ahead of me, I see a gnoll guard and another man dressed all in black ahead of me. I duck low, hoping I wasn’t seen.

“We’ll be ready soon, Lord Sanguis,” the Gnoll replies. “Now we have what we need from Reginald and the Acolytes are ready whenever you are.”

The one called Sanguis sighs heavily. “I don’t know,” he grumbles. “This all seems too easy doesn’t it?”

The Gnoll cocks his head to the side. “Sir?” He asks.

“I was really hoping for something more dramatic to happen,” Sanguis laughs. “I don’t want this all to just fall into my lap.” He folds his arms against his chest. “You know me, the more bloodshed the better.”

The gnolls growls and shakes his head. “We should take every opportunity we see. The young are replacing the old. Now would be the time to make your presence and your message heard, my lord!”

“I suppose,” Sanguis grumbles, sounding a bit embittered. “My armies are ready and it would be nice to hand the world over to my child once they arrive. Even if Demir did that, it’s still a lovely idea.”

“And of Bastat?” The gnoll seems eager.

“Don’t drool over yourself just yet,” Sanguis laughs. “Bastat is yours. I just trust you to do what is best.”

I turn to leave and notice several skeletons standing behind me. They shamble closers, opening their jaws as hissing sounds emit from them.

“Fuck,” I whisper.

The skeletons come towards me, grabbing me and ripping at my clothes. I knock them aside, easily pushing them over. I struggle, fighting my way from the cave. Skeletons claw and rip at me the entire way. As I step out into the valley again, I see all the skeletons from the field and the houses are coming towards me. I run, hoping they will not catch me. But as I run I turn back and see all of them pouring into the cave, like ants into their hill.

I quickly escape, happy to be out of there. I find Emory and Jasper back on the hidden path and they jump as I come forward.

“What happened?” Jasper asks.

“Something bad,” I wheeze. “We have to go! Right now!”

“Uncle, you’re bleeding!” Emory snaps at me. 

“We have to get to Rakshasa Country right away. We can’t lose time. We have to go! Now!” I rush forward, running until I collapse from exhaustion.

Jasper and Emory force me to rest and then we head back to port where we leave for Rakshasa Country.

I call an instant meeting with Dhaval of the utmost urgency.

Something bad is happening to the empire, much worse than anything that has happened before. Worse than Demir. Worse than dragons.

“I see,” Dhaval murmurs once I’ve told him everything.

“I know you may not believe me,” I say to him. “But my lord,” I shake my head. “If you had seen what I had seen-”

Dhaval closes his eyes. “But the assumption that Nadeem is somehow involved,” he whispers.

“I know,” I shake my head. “But I saw the Gnoll with this Sanguis,” I say. “In all honesty, I don’t know who to trust. I just knew...if anyone-”

Dhaval stands up. “I have not been king long, odd” he says with a simmering cool. “How can you know to trust me?”

I frown. “Because your mother would kill you.”

Dhaval chuckles and he hangs his head. “This is serious,” he whispers. “I can’t imagine-” he sits back down.

“I’m certain now,” I say, “that those gone missing from the north are now those skeletons I saw in the Berkset.”

“I know,” Dhaval whispers. “So this is it?” His voice cracks. “This is how war begins.”

I bow my head, only able to agree in silence.