Rune of Oldfyre

Chapter Sixteen

The streets of the city were a sensory overload. People, smells, movement,  and colour filled the scene. It was nothing like I’d ever seen before. Buildings here were high, several stories. At the center of the city was the palace. A series of concentric circles that get higher and higher with each layer until they reach a point high above the city.

The palace entrance was impossibly huge, you could fit an entire army through it, which seemed to defeat the purpose of walling the place off. When we entered through the threshold we were greeted by a small army of well dressed soldiers telling me to leave “the fucking dog outside”; said something about ruining the carpet or something.

“Molly stay.” I told him. He did so, what a good boy.

We had to walk through five layers of those concentric circles before being told that we had to wait in a queue. The queue was full of nobles and merchants with large quantities of books and papers to show the king, and all I had was a hunk of bone. After three hours of “guess what that guy uses his vast fortune for” we were called in by a butler dude, finally.

“What do you mean the King isn’t here?” I asked the guy who was apparently in charge here.

“He has not returned from a battle up north.” The man said. His stupid mustache squirming with every stupid word that spewed stupidly from his stupid mouth.

“Are you, not charged with his responsibilities during his absence?” I asked him.

“I do.” He admitted.

“Then why can’t you deal with our issue?” I asked.

“Because I am not King Watsisname.” He said.

I was getting a bit miffed by this stupid stupidian stupidinite “You just said-”

“I just said that I am charged with his responsibilities, not his mail. This… bone is not my responsibility.” He said before stupidly pointing us through the stupid door, out into the stupid city.

“So we walked all the way across the country, just to be ignored.” Anya said. when we were all standing outside by Molly’s relaxing body.

“That seems like the jist of it.” I said.

“Ugh.” We all said.

The afternoon had turned to evening and the city had begun its calm retreat into the darkness of night.

“I may be able to help you with your problem,” a voice said from the black pool of shadows.

“Why would I trust a random stranger, who I just met?” I called back to it. Out of the darkness a fast silver snake shot out, barely missing my face. Wait, no, it wasn’t a snake. It was a bladed chain.

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” The Stranger said, emerging from shadow.

“What are you doing here?” Anya asked, once again infatuated with death.

“Doing some research.” He responded.

“Why didn’t you stay with us?” She asked.

“I needed some intel.” He said.

“Oh, thanks for the whole, no longer dead thing.” Allister said.

“Just try to avoid carrion birds.” The Stranger advised.

“What do you know that can help us?” I asked.

“I know of an Individual, called The Kraken by local seaman.” He replied. Allister chuckled at the word “Seaman”

“Okay, what does this individual have or know that can help us?” I asked.

“He may have a way of bringing us out to Stav’on Port, where we could then walk to New Qurat.”

“When can we talk with The Kraken?” Anya inquired.

“Unfortunately, he is not in port currently. We would have to wait in the city for him to return.”

“How long will that be?” Allister asked.

“A few days. maybe a month.”

“Where would we stay for that long?” I asked.

“There’s a local… entertainer who thinks he awes me something. He owns an establishment that can accommodate us for a period of time.” He explained.

“Cool where to?” I asked.