Next Steps

Stannir smiled as he took off the armor he was wearing and put it back in the forge. He took a step back and admired it. "He's good. A pity it's clunky, but it helped on the surface. I have to give him that."

"Yes, it helped a lot..." He walked outside the forge and looked around at the city smiling."I'm glad this city is safe from the beasts."

He turned to Salina with a tired smile on his face. "You're right. This is his home, and the home of many others. If they attacked here, they'd lose many people."

"Yes. They're only researchers or engineers here. No warriors to keep them safe."

Stannir yawned. "It's time I have a sleep. I'm exhausted, and hungry."

He walked out of the forge and into the trader's street looking at the other forges and smiths around him. "There's a lot of people here… Is this just because of the ritual?" He made his way to the open tavern and sat at a table. He smiled as a woman walked up to him smiling.

"You look tired traveler… We have beds upstairs and the best roast in the city."

Stannir nodded. "That sounds great." He looked at his coin pouch and smiled at her. "I hope it isn't to expensive. I just finished a job and I only have some batterys I can trade you."

"Yes. We take batterys here as trade. What type are they?"

Stannir pulled out a green battery and placed it on the table for the woman to see. "I've been told they're soul batterys…"

"We'll take them… We'll even add the room in it for two of these batterys… That is if you have two." He watched her turn to the bar. "Maris… Come over here."

"What is it? Ahh… Soul batterys. Lad, you want to trade them with us?"

Stannir nodded at the large man with a smile. "Yes. If the price is good, I'll trade them with you."

"I'll give you fifty coins for one. Also… You can trade one for the best meal and bed here at the tavern."

Stannir nodded. "That sounds like a great trade." He looked in his bag and pulled out five soul batterys and closed his bag.

"One for the room and meal. The four to trade for coin."

Stannir watched as the barkeep and the tavern woman stared at the soul batterys in silence. "May I know where you got these from warrior?"

"Don't tell them… Don't be stupid."

Stannir nodded at Salina. "I found them out in the forest before arriving in the city. There were some dead animals near them, so I took them to see if they could be used or something. I couldn't work them so I might as well trade them."

He watched as the owner waved his hand at him. "Ahh no matter. These will do us fine. Here let me take them and give you your coin."

Stannir nodded and let Maris take the batterys on the table. He pocketed the coin in his pouch smiling. "I'm looking forward to the best food around."

"You'll like it lad. I put my family's secret sauce on it while it's cooking. People from all over come for my food."

Stannir smiled and rubbed his hands together. He watched as the both walked away from him. He turned to Salina standing behind him with her hands wrapped around his back.

"This is new… I like it." He paused for a moment and looked at Salina. "How did they know what they were... They are not normal batterys..." He watched as Salina shrugged her shoulders. "Does it matter? Food, bed and coin for our travels. You should just eat and rest. Than we can go and see those three... They are strong." Stannir nodded, and watched as his food was being brought over to him.

"Hurry up and get stronger, and then I'll show you more than just this."

Stannir felt his face redden and yawned covering his red face with his hand. "Here you go handsome… The best meal in Athlos."

Stannir looked at the plate of meat and vegetables and smiled. "Thanks." He took a bite and closed his eyes enjoying the taste. "You're not wrong. This is incredible. I'll be back here again."

"That's good… I was told to tell you. If you find anymore of those batterys. Bring them here. We'll trade them with you for a very good price always."

Stannir looked at her mid chew and nodded. He swallowed. "If I find anymore, I'll come to you."

"That's good. Maybe next time handsome. I can trade you with something even better…"

He looked at her confused as she winked at him and walked away swaying her hips at him.

"Ouch… Salina."

"Hmph… I saw you looking at her ass."

Stannir looked at her and rubbed his shoulder. "I was looking at my food. I don't care about anyone else. All I want is you…"

"Whatever… Go and chase the tavern woman and do whatever you want. I don't care."

He watched Salina fade from his view and sighed. "She's angry at me." He looked at the plate of food and kept eating in silence.

Once he finished, he stood up, stretched and yawned. "I need to have a sleep…"

He went to the bar. "Excuse me… Where's the room?"

"Let me show you handsome."

He nodded and followed her up the stairs and watched her unlock a door handing him a key winking. "It seems you're travelling alone. If you feel lonely, I can keep you company?"

Stannir waved his hands in front of him and shook his head. "Sorry. I'm not travelling alone. The others will be here later…"

He saw her frown. "Ahh no matter." He shuddered as he felt her hand on his crotch. "If you want some fun. You know where I am." He watched as she turned and walked back down the stairs. He shook his head and slapped his face.

"See Salina. Refused, and I didn't look at anything."

"Hmph… You do whatever you want."

Stannir frowned and fell on the bed instantly falling asleep.

"…"

"He must have more of them."

"Are you sure?"

"Did you see how he closed his bag after bringing out five of them? He's got more I'm sure."

"He's a big guy… Will we be able to get them?"

"I added some special roots to the sauce. It'll put him to sleep. He won't hear anything."

"He did say he wasn't travelling alone."

"At the moment. He's in their alone."

"…"

"Wake up you idiot."

"Stannir! Wake up!"

He shook his head and opened his eyes. "Don't sit up. Someone's at the door. They're about to enter the room."

Stannir laid on the bed not moving. "Who is it?"

"Who do you think it is? The owner of the tavern…"

"How do you know Salina?"

"I can hear them talking… If you shut up, you can hear them too."

Stannir nodded and closed his eyes. "I'll pretend to be sleeping and wake up when they touch the bag."

"Whatever… Just be quiet. I'm still mad at you."

"Click"

"See look… He is asleep on the bed. I could yell in his ear and he won't wake up… Now quickly look for his pack. We'll be able to present these to master."

"It's a pity he didn't want me, or this would've been easier."

"Doesn't matter anymore. Stop staring at him and grab his pack."

"Yaaaawwnnn."

Stannir sat up and rubbed his eyes looking at the surprised owner and the woman who served him. He smiled and stretched his arms standing up. "Ahh. I didn't know there was a private service here."

"Ah Ye… Yes, that's right sir. But it seems you're fine. So, we'll be on our way… Sorry to wake you up."

Stannir walked towards them and placed his hand over the door and smiled at them. He formed a tiny fireball to dance over his fingers on the other hand. "I heard you through the door. Why do you want the soul batterys?"

"For our mmmmaster… Sir We mean no harm… Sorry."

He looked at them and nodded. "Master? Who's that?"

"We call him master. He's our master. We follow the master."

Stannir looked at their eyes in confusion as they started to shine.

"Ahhhhhhhhh."

He took a step back as their bodies started shaking and looked on as they both fell to the floor.

"What did you do idiot?"

Stannir shook his head. "I didn't do anything. I asked them who their master was, and they started shaking." He walked up to the bodies and tapped them with his foot frowning. "They're dead…" He looked around the room and put his ear on the door. "No one heard their cries... We should get out of here, before others come looking for them."

"Hmphhh. Fine. That is the best result for that cow. If she could see me, than she wouldn't of even tried to drug you." He looked at her with a smile. "It seems you are not angry at me anymore?"

"You are an ass, and an idiot ass at that... I am still angry, but you didn't say anything or do anything to show you approved of her advances... We also have more important things to deal with right now."

Stannir nodded, and started packing his bag. "We need to get back to the blacksmith. Maybe they know of this master they spoke of." He went to the door and opened slightly looking in the hallway and walked downstairs to the empty tavern. He looked around and let out a deep sigh. "It is late... Everyone should be asleep... Lets go."

He left the open tavern and walked into the darkened streets quickly to the blacksmith's forge that he had come from. "It's empty..." He felt a tap on his should and turned quickly. He lifted his hand to grab the person, but stopped when he saw it was the archer.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had gone off to eat and sleep somewhere else ass." He relaxed and walked into the forge and sat on a stool causing it to creak loudly. "I was... Than I was drugged and some people tried to steal from me. When I caught them, their eyes shone and they started blabbering about a master... Than they both just fell on the floor dead."

He watched as she looked at him and cursed. "Why do I think you did something very stupid? What did you do, for them to drug you in the first place?" Stannir looked at his bag and felt his face heat up. "Go on, tell her what you did... So she can curse you more, even hit you a few times. You deserve it."

He sighed and put a purse of coins on the table next to him. "I traded a few batterys..."

"BANG!"

"YOU WHAT? Say that again so I know my ears didn't go deaf from listening to your stupidity." He looked as she hit the cold furnace with her hand causing it to turn on. Stannir sighed. "I traded some of those soul batterys for some food, a room and some coin."

He looked at Salina smiling at him. "Here it comes... She is going to say it and let you have it... You deserve it after that." He frowned. "I thought you were on my side and helping me..." "Hahaha... I am... Just when you are being an idiot looking at cow butts, how can I punish you. She can do it for me. We need her in the team... Ask her."

"Stop staring off into the distance, and look at me you stupid ass." He looked at her. "We are in the tower, they said they accepted batterys as currency, and could train them. I had no idea of what or even who they are."

"Do you even member the look on Harnio's face when he saw those batterys? He even said many times that they are evil... Why did you do something so stupid?" Stannir looked down at his feet. "I was hungry and tired..."

"YOU WERE HUNGRY AND TIRED! ASS! You know how to fight, but that is about it muscles. Don't you even think about your actions? What do you think is now going to happen? Whoever the master is, they know you have them, and will come searching for you. Why didn't you give them a fire battery or something else? Or even better yet, why didn't you just stay here and eat with the rest of us, instead of leaving straight away?"

"Blacksmith, are you here? I see the light of the furnace on. There must be a lot of orders for us today if we are starting work now." Stannir turned and saw Harnio walking into the furnace putting an apron on. "Harnio, I thought you were sleeping from being exhausted on the surface."

He watched as Harnio stopped and started to look around the forge. "What are you both doing here? Where is the blacksmith?" He frowned as Star walked up to Harnio and pointed at him. "Go on ass. Tell him what you did. I bet he will call you an ass as well."

"Wwwwhat dddid you doo firewarrior?"

Stannir stood up and took a step towards Harnio. He stopped when Harnio took a step back from both of them. "I traded some batterys for food and a bed."

"Tell him the full story you ass. That's not all you did. What batterys did you trade?"

"Cough... Cough... Five soul batterys..." He said low under his breath.

"What's that say it again louder, so he can hear you."

"I traded five soul batterys... There are you happy now?"

"No... What happened next?"

"They drugged me and tried to steal the rest, but I caught them before they could. They started blabbering about a master, and than they died, before I had a chance to question them further."

"Masster? Hmm. It seems that was foolish of you to do that firewarrior. I am surprised that you didn't think it was strange they knew what a soul battery was..."

Stannir nodded his head. "Yes, it was foolish, I know that now... Especially after listening to that one over there yelling at me about it." He looked at Harnio. "People will find their bodies in the morning, and see that they are dead. I didn't attack them, but their eyes started glowing and they were shaking... Could they have been spies from whoever made the beasts in the first place?"

He watched Harnio in thought and waited. He turned and looked at Star, frowning at her as she looked at him with piercing eyes. He saw her open her mouth, and started to look away.

"We have to leave here. If the master person knows you have those batterys. We need to get rid of them, and not trade them in future... We will have to talk with the blacksmith."

"I hear my ears ringing. Brother. What are you doing in the forge... I thought you like to use your own. Hahaha." Stannir looked up as the blacksmith walked into the forge.

"It is not that blacksmith..." Stannir watched as harnio placed a hand on the forge causing it to die down. "We have a serious problem it seems..."

"Whats the problem? I am sure you can figure it out." Stannir took a step forward. "Maybe I should tell him, since I am the cause of it."

"Finally, taking responsibility..." He looked at Salina and ignored her words. "It is like this..."