Pathfinder: The Vampires Revenge

Shocking Surprises

After things settled down, everyone immediately thanked us, praised us, and offered us free drinks, but we were too tired to care, so we got a room and went to bed. The next day, as we came down stairs, people were gathered in the tavern, and made a circle around a pirate with a black beard who I recognized to be Kerdak Bonefist, or the Hurricane King, the ruler of Port Peril and leader of the free captains, who rule parts of The Shackles. He wanted to thank us for saving his city personally, and to honor our bravery, threw a party that would last for several days.

Everyone around us were drinking, made up songs with our names in it, were with prostitutes, and a few were already passed out. Truly a pirate party.

But we just ignored them and had our own party. Me, Rattle, and Venom told adventures we had, and creatures we faced. Tamora told a few stories of her own, and both Emaerelth and Bukka had more than few stories as well. We actually did this for a few days, and just told stories, drank, and had fun. It was the most fun I had in some time. However, that came to an end this morning when Emaerelth told us to met her at the docks

"Your leaving?" Tamora asked. She nodded.

"Its not because any of you are driving me away or anything." She said. "But have have been enslaved by Herzago for so long, and now I'm free, free to go were I please. I missed the feeling of the air on my wings, and now I can do it once more, thanks to you and Jamada."

I noticed Tamora got a little teary, which was understandable. This was possibly her only friend she ever had, and she was saying goodbye. Emaerelth walked up to her and the two hugged each other.

"Its not like we won't see each other again." She said as they pulled apart. "Bukka gave me an item that will help me find you again." She showed the amulet around her neck, and glowed when it was pointed at Tamora, but I couldn't help but noticed it glowed a bit brighter than she pointed it at me. "I promise Tamora, we'll see each other again." Emaerelth said as they hugged one more time.

When they were done, she finished her goodbyes with the others until she got to me. Instead of saying anything, she picked me up, kissed me on the check, and hugged me. I felt my ear-flick as she pressed her face against mine.

"You remember I like to research about kobolds right?" She said.

"Yeah." I said, as I felt heat rise in my face. "Why?" I heard her whisper. "When we meet again, I would like for you to help me conduct a few......experiments."

It didn't take a genius to know what she was talking about.

She placed me down, waved goodbye, and two giant draconic wings sprung out of her back. She flew into the air and transformed into her true form. She circled us one time, before she flew away and disappeared into the distance.

Later at dusk, Bukka told us he was leaving as well.

"Bukka need to make new friends and partners, and with the attack, most of the thieves guilds are a bit scrambled." The Tengu explained. "And Bukka plans to make amends." It wasn't as sad of a goodbye, but I did hate to see him go. However, he confirmed my suspicions, and said that we will probably met much more in the future. Of that, I did not doubt. With that, he took his leave, leaving just the four of us.

"So it looks like everyone is leaving." Tamora said a few moments later. "What are you guys going to do now?"

"Do what we were originally going to do I suppose." Rattle said. "Find someone to take us up to Avistan. We've been trying for a while but with no success."

"Now that we're seen as heros, I'm sure will have no trouble hitching a ride." Venom said.

"What about you?" I asked. "What are you going to do?"

Her ears went down, and she rubbed her hands across her arms, like she was nervous.

"To be honest....I'm not really sure." She said. "I've been here for almost five years, and I was too afraid to leave for fear what Herzago might do. I never really imagined going anywhere after that, and now that I'm free.....I have no idea what to do next."

I looked at Rattle and Venom, and they gave a slight nod. 

"Tamroa...you remember that we hired you to find the artifact correct?" Venom asked. She nodded. "We never did pay you."

"Its fin-" He threw a bag in front of her, and when she opened it she gasped.

"There's 400 gold coins in there, and if your interested, there's more where that came from." Rattle said. Tamora paused and looked up.

"Wait, what are you...." She started to ask until it she finally got it. "You.......you want me.........to come with you?"

"We want to hire you to work for us ." I said. "But yes, we want you to come with us."

I saw water form in her eyes, and she sat their for a moment. Then I began to wonder if we maybe should have told her straight out when she jumped out of her seat, picked me and put me in the biggest hug I ever had I.

"I'd love to go with you guys." She cried, and she began to squeeze. I'd figured she be happy, but I didn't think she been this happy.

"Tamora, I'm glad that your happy.....but can you ease up on the hug just a little?" I asked her.

"Oh! Sorry." She said as she placed me down, and whipped away a few tears.

"Its just.....I never really met anyone nice here, and no one cared about me except Emaerelth." She said and new tears began to form. "And now I feel like I'm actually wanted, and needed, and that I've finally found people who actually care about me and....." She stopped and hugged me again, but didn't squeeze me.

"I'm finally not alone." She said as she began to cry. "Thank you." I held her like that for a while, but I didn't mind. I understood where she was coming from. I grew up in solitude most of my life under an evil master, and when I found Rattle and Venom, I finally felt like I belonged somewhere. I saw some people begin to walk over, no doubt to see what happened, when they were driven away when Rattle and Venom hissed at them. When Tamora was done, we decided to go out and go ahead to see if we could anyone willing to take us to Avistan. Tamora said she might know a few people who could help, we just needed to figure out where to go. As we discussed where we wanted to go, she took us to a few ships and said she knew a few captains, but almost everybody was still "partying in our honor". I simply thought it was an excuses for them to get drunk. There were a few about, but we immediately decided against it, either because it was a slave ship, or the people on it look shady. Well, shader than usual.

"Psst."

I looked behind me and saw a human leaning against a wall.

"Heard you were looking to hitch a ride." He said.

"Who's asking?" Rattle said suspiciously.

"A friend of Bukkas." He said. "He found out you were needing a ride, so sent me here to help out."

"And?" I asked, after their was a bit of a pause.

"You won't be able to catch a ride until morning, and the ride will no doubt be long as hell." He said. "I can get you a fast and quicker ride.......for a price."

I looked to Rattle and he nodded. He pulled out his coin purse and opened it up for the thief to see. A smile appeared on his face and he nodded.

"Follow me." He said as he walked into an alleyway. I felt my gut go into knots at that moment, so I put my hands in my pockets where I kept some of my bombs to be on the safe side. We followed him through a few alleyways and back streets until we got to a small warehouse. He lead us inside, and their were just a few crates around, but other than that it was empty.

"So where's it at?" Tamora asked.

The human pulled out a pebble and held it up.

"Right here." He said, and his voice changed. It took me a second to realize who he sounded like, and a second was all he needed to throw down the pebble at our feet.

I felt electricity shot through my body, and I found I was unable to move. I heard the others groan in pain as they were being electrocuted. Suddenly I felt a pain in my gut and I heard Tamora scream as I looked down and saw a sword had gone through me.