The Call of Fate

Chapter VI - The Sword of the Risen Warrior

In the morning, the trio ate a light breakfast, packed their things, and headed towards the Fort. Although Raeder still thought that it was a good idea to charge and take the guards by surprise, Natalia and Gabriel disagreed, leaving the dragon in the grove and setting of by themselves on foot. On the way, it was decided that the two of them would act as special merchants who had secret, powerful potions for the assassin to try. They mixed a few of their cranberries and blueberries with their wine and water and put them in separate phials. Then, they dropped a few sleeping pills into each of the phials; one for the assassin, and one for the head guard. Natalia and Gabriel knew better than to hope that they would be able to win back the Pearl of King Victus with such a simple drug, but at least they tried. After all, if they were forced into the heat of battle, they would be ready.

                They approached the Iron Gate with caution, their hoods pulled up to conceal their faces and give an air of mysteriousness. The guards immediately barred the gate with their spears, and the leader of the group cried, “Halt! Who goes there?”

“We come in peace,” Gabriel said, raising his hands, signalling Natalia to do the same.

“We are merchants who seek your Lord, for we think we have something that will stir his interest,” added Natalia as she lowered her hood. Gabriel and Natalia had rehearsed their lines as they walked along the path that led to the Fort. They had also wrapped their daggers in thick cloth and hid them in the sides of their boots for good measure. They had agreed to leave their remaining weaponry with Raeder who would be a thought away, and would come racing to their aid should the need arise.

                The soldiers guarding the gate looked at one another. The two newcomers appeared harmless, and they would definitely not stand a chance against more than twenty armed men who patrolled the area. They agreed, and let Natalia and Gabriel pass through the gate.

Once inside, Natalia sighed in relief, and turned to check on Gabriel who had a calculating look on his face. “Those walls are guarded by archers. If Raeder isn’t careful, they just might be able to bring him down.”

“I’ll tell him to watch out for the tower men,” nodded Natalia.

They followed the brick path that led them to the receiving room of the Fort where they were instructed to remain by a servant who promised to send word to the master that they had arrived. A few minutes later, they were greeted by a handsome looking man, whose dark hair reached his shoulders. He had a fair complexion, and dark red eyes that were hypnotizing to look at. His build was slim, yet Gabriel could tell that this man that had come to face them was stronger than he looked.

“Welcome,” he said, flashing them a smile, “I hear you are merchants who have come a long way just to offer me a sampling of your wares?”

Natalia was the first to answer. “Yes, my Lord. We have heard of your prowess, and we thought that we might have something that will aid you greatly in your profession.” With a flourish, she produced from her pack, the fake potion Gabriel had made with the crushed cranberries and sleeping pills.

The man with the dark hair raised his eyebrows, and took the phial from Natalia’s hand. “And what exactly does this potion do,” he asked, examining the red liquid.

“It increases the drinker’s mental and physical strength for a period of time,” Gabriel said in a confident voice.

                The assassin smiled at the two of them and said, “What a very tantalizing prospect...” And then his smile turned into a mad grin, and his dark red eyes focused on the young lady and the man who travelled with her. “A potion that would make the drinker stronger? Wiser?” His voice echoed through the halls, as his questions became louder and louder. He approached Natalia and cupped her chin, still holding the phial in one hand. “Or a potion that would make the drinker fall into a deep slumber?” he said, his voice laced with menace. He grabbed Natalia’s neck in his gloved hand choking her, though Gabriel tried in vain to stop him from hurting her.