Chapter 14: A Sorceroress Omen

Kurgren stifles a yawn as the group, including Curtis, horses and pony amble along the road to Leona as the suns began to rise.

A few hours had passed since they left Brindel, finding that the inn had fortunately serve early morning breakfast, and the trip was mostly silent save for the animals and small talks, one being that Solaina and Louise had shared the bed due to the Halfing size, and that Solaina sensitive hearing meant she also heard Erhardt snore.

They travelled for at least six hours through the verdant forest, sunlight shining through the emerald leaves of oaks and birches casting a relaxing atmosphere, before the suns moved westward and cast an orange glow in the sky when Ardent sends a stop signal and dismounts before aiding Solaina down.

"We stop here for tonight to let our mounts rest. We will reach Leona in three more days, by estimate, if we keep this pace."

The rest nods as they tie their mounts to the trees and begin to set up camp.

Curtis then tells the group he'll be cooking and Kurgren volunteer for hunting before Louise joins him.

Kurgren was far away from the group, following the tracks to a rabbit burrow, when Louise taps his knee.

"What is it?" He asked.

Louise then looks around for a moment.

"Something's wrong with Curtis"

"What do you mean?"

"Last night I meditated for visions and one of the most possible one involves Curtis betraying us which led to the release of Ragnarok"

Kurgren then looks doubtful.

"I may not trust him too, but how can his likely betrayal lead to the release of the destroyer?"

"I don't have time to properly explain. But in short, I began my journey when I touched something that awakened my powers and saw a vision where Kalran is destroyed, releasing Ragnarok, and it involved that orb. I can't see the exact details on how, but you and the others must safeguard it!"

Before Kurgren could replied she took a deep breath.

"Listen. You can choose not to believe me, predictions are random, giving visions without explanation or context and there are times where my conclusion to visions are false, only telling half the story or hidden something from me, and gives multiply futures. But I recommend that you don't drink or eat what he gives and whatever you do. Do NOT give him that orb."

Kurgren nods before beginning the hunt and reflecting on her words.

They returned to camp about half an hour later with two rabbits and two quails with five eggs.

Kurgen began pondering on what Louise said as he watched Curtis cook up the rabbit and quail.

At first, he didn't believe her much but as he reflects on the day he met him he starts to become suspicious of him.

While they did chat on the journey to Leona they didn't personally say it out loud and the fact he didn't join them yesterday felt suspicious, and him adding a 'secret sauce' had not helped his case.

In the end he choose to follow Louise advice as Curtis parcel out the plates grilled quail and rabbit with fried eggs and cups of ale.

"Thanks, but I had a large lunch earlier." Pushing his plate back towards Curtis.

"No, I insist. You need to have energy for tomorrow." Curtis replied, putting the wooden plate to Kurgren feet before handing out the ale.

"You're really should. We're going to reach the grassland where proper food will be scarcer." Erhardt added while wolfing down his rabbit leg and egg followed by his drink.

Curtis nods "He's right. And on an unrelated note."

He then pulls a small bottle from his bag and hands it to Erhardt.

"A simple gift. Dwarven lager traded from Leona, as I think that ale wouldn't satisfy your thirst."

Erhardt accepts the bottle, saying a quick thanks, before opening it and drinks.

Kurgren glance to Louise for help, if he doesn't eat the meal Curtis would get suspicious but if he eats it who knows what.

"Mind if if get an extra seasoning?" Louise suddenly said, and with a nod from Curtis, went to the center past Kurgren before slipping and falling onto him, causing both plates to splatter on his gambeson and her robe; the ale wetting the ground.

Louise lets out a flurry of apologies as Kurgren wiped of the food.

"It's nothing." Curtis says.

Kurgren and Louise then excuse themselves to clean up with the rest agreeing, yet Curtis showed signs of anger as he clenched his hand till his knuckles whiten.

"Was that really the only way you could have bailed me out!"

"Well it worked didn't it," she replies with a sly smile.

Kurgren sighs as he removes his gambeson and scrubs it in the river before drying it, fortunately one of the many base enchantment of his gambeson makes stains easy to wash off and become mostly dry in about a minute or so.

After wearing his newly cleaned clothes. He pulls out his dagger and cuts into a tree, peeling off the inner layer of edible bark, giving some to Louise and chew on it.

While the taste is horrible and requires a long grinding, which also helped grinding down his teeth, before swallowing at least he and Louise had dinner, however bad it was, when Louise gives him a hip flask.

"Put this flask next to Solaina bedroll and don't let Curtis see it," she briskly said as their return to camp to his confusion, before shrugging and putting it in the hidden pocket on the inside of his gambeson as they return to camp.

"I'll take first watch." Ardent says groggily with a yawn.

"Please don't force yourself to take it if your exhausted. I'll take first watch." Curtis says with a smile.

Ardent opens his mouth to object, before closing it as he ponders on Curtis words, then accepts his offer with a thanks as he goes to his tent.

"Kurgren. Can you help bring Solaina to her tent," he quickly added and points towards the Elf, who is currently sleeping on the ground with Erhardt already in his tent.

Kurgren looks to him in confusion, both at the choice of taking a girl to her tent and his, Solaina, and Erhardt sudden sleepiness, before picking the Elf up, easily thanks to her people having half the mass of a human with their hollow, bird-like bones, and puts her in her bedroll before pulling out the flask and laying it next to her.

He then returns to his tent and crawl into his bedroll, removing all his armor but his gambeson, gloves and baldric with only the orb, and puts his dagger, a flash-disc, and pistol under the cover if Louise prediction is right, and begins to feint sleep.

At least two hours, give or take, had past where Kurgren decides to sleep when he hears the sudden rustling of opening tent flaps.

He quietly grabs his pistol and flash bomb and gets up yelling. Pistol pointed at the intruder.

The stranger jolts in surprise as Kurgren begins to see the figure. It is Curtis.

"What are you doing here," he says towards him with teeth bared.

Curtis raise his hands. "I accidently left something here and I wanted to take it. Don't be suspicious."

Kurgren scoffs "I shouldn't be suspicious. Of someone whom I met yesterday and is now invading my tent." His thumb beginning to fully cock the hammer.

Curtis then let's down his hands and begins to speak in a more serious tone "I guess the ruse is up. Yes, I poisoned the dinner, but it is non-lethal. I will never take the lives of innocent caught in the crossfire and I just want to take that orb you have on hand."

Kurgren glares.

"And why do you want it?"

"That orb is a precious jewel that my lord dearly loved but it was stolen by a thief whom I tracked down. But when I apprehended him it was gone, and I thought the worse. Until I heard about you saying about where I hoped to take it back without any violence."

"And why should I give it to you?"

"Give me that orb and you'll be handsomely rewarded. My lord will give you half of his treasury, a mansion and the title of lord. You can have everything from decadent feasts to a harem of the most beautiful Elves, Lapori, and Yukione in all Arkalion. To live as a lord who never have to leave his room for the rest of his life. If you give me that orb."

Kurgren begins to ponder on what he said, he could have the life he always dreamed of and leave the constant danger behind. And, most of all, let his mother be cured and live a life without worry, like last time. But then the advice Louise said rings in his mind and an advice his mother gave him and he grimace.

"Never trust rewards given freely or without hardship. For a true one is earned through strife and perseverance."

"Your prediction better be fucking right Louise."

He then stares Curtis straight in the eyes. And cocks his pistol.

"I'm sorry. But no deal."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. And nothing else will change that."

He then sees Curtis eyes turn cold, like all the mirth had disappeared and replaced with killing intent.

"Then you are in my way," he spoke icily as his hand reach into his pocket and pulls out his pendant.

"And those in my way must be removed."

"Cere tem!" He yells where a shirt of mail with vambraces forms around him and his pendant transform into an estoc and charges.

Kurgren quickly throws the flash bomb, screwing his eyes shut and grabbing his helmet, and rolls away as blinding light fills the tent. And quickly dashed out of his tent, grabbing his staff on the way, as Curtis recovers and charge.

A boom then echoed the night as Kurgren fired upon Curtis.

The bullet strikes his chest but bounces off his chainmail, having been slowed down by the wind shield, causing him to stumble in pain from the small amount of force that went through and missed Kurgren as the half-Orc holster his pistol and counter charge.

Curtis quickly parries and move past his staff and stabs.

Kurgren quickly grabs the blade, stopping it inches away from his chest, when a layer of flames suddenly forms from his estoc and rushes to the tip, heat creeping onto his hand followed by sudden pain and burns as it intensifies and lets go of the blade in a yell of pain and Curtis strikes.

Drops of blood falls out of Kurgrens lip as the estoc pierce through his gambeson and strikes his chest, boiling crimson blossoms and redden his armor, where he quickly drops his weapon and punched Curtis.

A loud crack rang out as Curtis recoils ten feet and fall on his back, the small force shield on his head protecting him, with blood pooling on his forehead when Kurgren feels a sharp pain flaring from his hand.

He mentally cursed himself, he used too much power and broke three of his fingers in that punch, when Curtis gets up and conjures a vambrace blade and charges.

But as he nears him an explosion suddenly erupts below him and blast him back thirty feet and slams onto a tree in a flash of light.

He then sees Louise dashing towards him and hands a stronger healing tonic.

Kurgren, using his burned hand, pulls out the estoc, gritting his teeth to silence the yell of pain, and quickly opens and chugs the tonic. Groaning in relief as his hands heals and the hole in his chest seals up.

"Thanks."

Louise nods.

"Hold off and distracts Curtis for me," she quickly states and runs to the other tents as Curtis gets up.

Kurgren then see him cast a quick divine spell on himself and readies.

Curtis roars, his estoc suddenly flying back to his hand and a sudden force surrounds it with a cutting edge and charge towards Kurgren at a faster rate than before.

Kurgren quickly block against the strike with his vambrace, straining under his higher strength, before pushing it down and retaliates with a swing.

Curtis charged through, gritting his teeth as it struck his side with a crack, then throw a punch, causing a pillar of flame to fly out and singed Kurgren hair as he dodged, before grabbing his staff and both are locked in a stalemate. When he throws his estoc to the sky and grabs the staff and begin to wrench it out of his hands.

During this Louise quickly dashes to Solaina's tent, having finished pouring the antidote in Ardent's mouth, and quickly opens the flask near her bedroll, mentally sighing at the Elves weaker immune systems and constitution, and carefully pours the content into her mouth.

Kurgren grits his teeth as Curtis pushes back, barely able to hold on, when he quickly looks up and see the estoc flying towards him and quickly leaps back.

The estoc strikes the ground with a thunderous boom, causing Kurgren ears to ring like bells, and his vision to blur as Curtis grabs his estoc by the blade, having offed the cutting rune, and charges towards him.

Kurgren, in basic instinct and desperation, swings his staff towards him.

But Curtis hooks the staff between the handguard and prongs and pushes it down. Before quickly moving forward and swings the pommel to his forehead.

Stars burst in front of Kurgrens vision as the pommel connects. Sending him crashing to the floor in a daze.

His vision returns a second later and see Curtis standing above him, a foot on his stomach. His wounds healed and the estoc pointing towards his chest.

"I got to give you credit for wounding me so. But it end here."

Kurgren grits his teeth as the witch swings down his estoc.

But then the blade stopped inches away from chest as Curtis yell of shock rang out.

When his vision cleared, he sees Erhardt grabbing the blade with his right hand, a thin layer of flames coating the blade and his hand.

"YOU THINK A LITTLE BURN WILL BOTHER ME!" And knocks Curtis back with a punch.

Curtis quickly gets up with teeth bared and his gaze smoldering.

"HOW! How could you still be awake when I-" he yells before.

"Gave a double dose in the lager," Erhardt cuts in and finish off. Grinning in triumph.

"Simple. I know that Louise is never that clumsy, and noting your suspicion, went to my tent and quickly down the antidote. But to give you credit it still knocked me out till now and I'm still drowsy."

Curtis then scowls before throwing gunpowder and waves his hand into a symbol and yells the words of magic.

"AGNI FUMANTE!"

The gunpowder then turns into small ball of fire flying towards them and Kurgren roll away as Erhardt tries to dodge. But the lingering poison had slowed his reflex and the fireball strikes the side of his stomach.

Kurgren yells as the fireball explodes and the magical heat burns his back as Erhardt staggers, the smell of burnt cloth emanating from his gambeson where it struck.

Erhardt then throws to estoc back towards Curtis, with the aim to distract, causing him to dodge the blade before summoning it back to his hand and giving Kurgren enough time to close the gap and delivers a heavy swing.

Curtis coughs blood as the staff struck his chest with a bone-shattering crack, blood slowly staining his gambeson, and falls onto his knees with an unfocused gaze.

Kurgren then raised his staff to swing the killing blow when Curtis slams the palm of his hand to the ground and yells.

"FLUR LINDUS! DISMA!"

A flash of light and sounds then assaults' Kurgren as he flew ten feet, the yell of Erhardt vaguely heard over the din, followed by a bang.

When his vision clears, he saw that Curtis is gone. Followed by a tree bearing a bullet hole while another bore a quarrel.

He then looks back and see Ardent and Solaina, whose eyes are half-lidded and their stance unsteady, with a fired crossbow and smoking musket.

Ardent quickly dash to him and Erhardt, throwing aside his crossbow and nearly tripping from fatigue, and quickly lay his hands above their wounds and heal.

He then picks him and Erhardt up to a sitting position and kneels to Kurgren.

"Tell me what happened?"

Kurgren told Ardent and the rest about his conversation with Louise, removing the part of about why she started her journey as he felt it isn't important, followed by his brief talk with Curtis leading to now.

It was then where Ardent order the group to quickly rest and pack up.

Their ride to Leona immediately.