Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Chapter 2 The Assignment
Chapter 2
The Assignment

Jako spent the next few days running west. He hadn’t known where he was going but as luck would have it he came upon a city. Jako was starving, exhausted, and dirty. He decided he could try and find food, a place to stay, and maybe someone that could help him face Bartholomew.
As Jako walked through the high buildings of Hoggatt City, he was amazed by the intricate sculptures on the walls. Stones were arranged so you saw a mountain stream with salmon swimming past a brown bear and her two cubs while she tried to teach them to catch fish. On another building the stones made a forested aria covered with birds of strange colors, and between the trees were dozens of deer running through the thicket. He came to a square where he saw a giant fountain of a woman carrying a pot of water. She was dressed in a tight fitting toga. But he didn’t see the fountain; on the other side of the square was a tall man in dark leather armor with a red cloak and long sword at his hip. The man looked death walking. He resonated menace better than a thousand of Lord Bartholomew’s ever could standing together with swords drawn. His face was set with a smile, but had a hard edge. He carried himself with pride and self assurance. But most of all Jako felt he was the one that could help him in his fight with Bartholomew.
With that Jako followed. He passed beautiful palaces, breath taking sculptures, but hardly noticed. The man in armor continued to walk down the same street, but by the way his stance changed, Jako was sure he knew someone was following him. Suddenly the man changed direction and walked into a side street. Jako followed after him, running to be sure he couldn’t loose him after the turn. Turning the corner he was knocked to the by a powerful punch. For a minute everything went black as he struggled to remain concuss.
"Why were you following me boy? You don’t look a thief." as Jako tried to focus his eyes on the man in front of him, he was thankful to be helped up. "Speak boy, Don’t got all day." his right hand was held tight by a gauntleted hand, but Jakos left arm was free, so he slowly reached behind his back with his left until he felt the hilt of his dagger. If the man tried anything he was going to be ready.
"I’ve been chased by some evil men. They killed my family and burned down our farm. They salted our fields so nothing can grow. They want me dead. I came in search of someone to help me." Jako had to make him understand. "I saw you walking by and I thought if anyone could help me it would have to be someone like you. You have to help me get stronger. They don’t stop. I have lost everything to them but they still come and take more. Please." Jako prepared himself for a fight. No warrior likes people putting their troubles on them. But what happened next surprised him.
The man wrinkled his nose. " It stinks here. So if you don’t mind I’ll be leaving. Don’t much know what you were expecting. Don’t much care. Ya’ found the wrong man kid. My name is Ira. Don’t help none but me self. I be leaving now." with that Ira walked away. Jako stood there in the dank side street until he realized it stank. Looking down at his boots he found that he was standing in a camber pot pool. It seems the people just threw the contents of the chamber pots into the street. Then Jako felt his back. It was covered with excrement.
Now that Jako could smell it, the stench was making him sick. Running back into the street his only thought was of a fountain to wash himself clean. As Jako rounded a corner, he ran head long into a group of men. Jako knocked one over and was knocked back himself. He began apologizing as he sat up but he soon stopped. Jako couldn’t believe his eyes. There in front of him were six of Lord Bartholomew’s men.
Busy helping their friend up none of them had looked at him yet, so he just got up and walked away before they noticed him. When he made it to a side street he turned and made sure that know one was fallowing, they weren’t. He spent the rest of the afternoon finding a place to clean himself. A little before dusk, Jako was busy carrying firewood and other heavy objects for an old woman living in a broken down plaster and brick two room hut. It was located in what hethought were the slums of the city.
The work was long and strenuous but Jako didn’t mind. For a while Jako pretended he was back at home with his family and for a while he actually heard his mother singing. It has late when he got the chores done, but when he went into the section of the hut that acted like the kitchen/living room he new it was well worth it. There on the table was a bowl of stew, a plate of rice, and beans, bread, and a large mug of milk. Even though the stew was mostly broth, the rice and beans were old, the bread was stale, and the milk a bit sour, Jako thought it a feast. The old woman sat at the end of the table and talked with him long into the knight. She had a lot to say about a lot of stuff that went on in Hoggatt City. Jako finally decided to go to bed so he rolled out a pallet and soon he was sound asleep.
The next morning he set out to find the guards of house Bartholomew. Ms. Constance the kind old woman that gave him a place to stay the night before told him to look for men with an orange and green bird crested on the left arm of their tunics. She also stated that Lord Bartholomew’s Estate lay half a days walk north of the city. Jako was sure Lord Bartholomew had men out looking for him. But he also knew that they wouldn’t expect him to come to them. So he decided to get some vengeance. They had taken his family away from him. They took his life. But we would make them pay.
Jako spent most of the morning walking down grand promenades. It was a great way to see the city. He was astonished at how beautiful the shops and other buildings looked as he walked through the streets. But a little before noon Jako found what he was looking for. Sitting in front of a saloon on an outdoor bench drinking dark ale, three of Lord Bartholomew’s guards were joking around with each other. Each had an orange and green bird crested on their left shoulder. As the day went on he sat and watched them from the other side of the street.
At late afternoon the three men drunkenly got up and staggered down the street. As Jako fallowed he heard them sing an old war song. "We Fought the Tarens at Tannin Pass. We Fought the Matherines at Shiva Point. But as long as we fought we have never allowed them to fight us at home. We have the Almighty on our side."
They stopped singing as the tall one that seemed to be their leader saw a lovely young woman walk into an alley. He whispered something to the others and quietly they began to stalk her. Jako remembered Lord Bartholomew doing that same thing the night his family died. The image of what they had planned for the young woman made him quiver with rage. Silently he followed them in to the poorly lit alley. As he went he slowly unsheathed his dagger so he would have it reedy when the time came.
As Jako entered he could hear muffled screams mixing with the laughs of her attackers. He came upon them ravaging the young woman, and had to bite his tongue in order not to scream for them to stop. That would do nothing but get him killed. He had to do this right. Slowly he went behind the man furthest from the girl. He was impatiently waiting for his turn, and his attention was all on the woman. With a quick thrust Jako stabbed the guard through the back. The blade went up at an angle and pierced his heart. Slowly lowering the body Jako checked to see if anyone noticed. They hadn’t.
Jako removed the mans knife from his belt and slowly went for the second man. He was so busy trying to se what his friend was doing with their new toy that he didn’t notice the knife coming from over his shoulder. With all his strength Jako savagely yanked the blade of his newly acquired knife through the guards’ throat. He let the nearly headless corps fall to the floor as he went for the third and final man.
Before the body even hit the ground the third man drew his sword. Jako stopped. He wasn’t sure that the man drew it for the girl or because he new something had happened to the men behind him. Slowly he stood holding sword in both hands. "You are quite impressive. I didn’t even hear you kill Whitney. But you screwed up when you killed Nathan. If you would have just sliced his throat I might not have heard it." He pulled up his pants and began to smile. "It’s a pity that you didn’t. That oversight has just caused you your life!" with that the last man came at him sword swirling.
Jako was shocked. This man hadn’t even talked about his dead comrades except as expendable pieces that didn’t note comment. He had no time to think about the dead for the sword came at him. He wasn’t quite quick enough to dodge the attack. He did manage to block most of it with both knife and dagger, but the sword was back before he had time to think. All he could do was roll.
Recovering from the roll he felt a pain coming from his left arm. As he turned he saw the sword tip coming away red with blood. Another strike came at him from the left. He managed to change its course with the aide of his dagger. The man sneered at Jako. "You are quick little boy. That strike should have finished you. As it is you only received a scratch. Given the write training you could have been a swords master." He smiled. "But you can’t keep it up. You are going to die!" He looked over to the young woman trying her best to cover herself while huddling in a corner. "You don’t seem to know the girl. Why did you attack us?"
Jako was nursing his cut as he looked the man in the eye. "Answer me first! Were you with Lord Bartholomew when he killed the family of farmers by Carlton?"
"So you are the little avenger that killed Odisk?" He laughed, "Yes I was with your mother the night you hid in the forest. She was a fine wench! But the real fun was when the men got the girls body. Ya’ see Lord Bartholomew only shares his women with a precious few of us. So the others made due with her!" He took another look at the woman in the corner and laughed. "The woman doesn’t have to be alive for her to be of use to us. Just warm." As he finished, he turned back and gave Jako a wink. "But your still two young to appreciate how useful they can be."
"You are all filthy monsters! Women aren’t just things to be used and then thrown away. You don’t see how valuable life is. If you live, you could ruin too many lives. I will exterminate the hole lot of you!" Jako charged at the man in a trance. Al that mattered was that he satisfied his bloodlust. He knew he couldn’t win, but at that moment it didn’t mater. This man was an abomination. All that mattered was that he spilt this mans blood. Jako lost the capacity for coherent thought. But in its place he heard his mother singing a strange song. It was his mothers’ voice, but he couldn’t make out the words. It surged through him like the power of the sun. "Rrrrrrhhhhahhahahaaaa! Come death, dance with me, for I am ready to die. But get ready, get ready for I’m bringing company!"
With his new strength Jako charged at his adversary ready to bring the man down, even if it meant his life. His mothers’ song changed pitch as he saw the sword coming to decapitate him. Quickly he jumped forward bringing knife and dagger out in front of him. The sword blade passed over his head as he felt resistance from his blades when they hit their mark. Jako felt the dagger twist out of his hand before he hit the ground. The other got away from him on impact. He skidded until he ran into the woman huddled at the corner.
Jako apologized as he got back to his feet, turning to see if the beast survived his dive. What he saw froze his blood. There at the entrance to the alley, were five men. That alone wouldn’t have scared him, but each had the orange and green bird crested on their left arms. One of them stepped foreword to inspect the dead guards sprawled around the ground. As he checked the man Jako had just planted his dagger in, he bent down and whispered something to him. He then produced a slender knife from his belt and quickly slit the mans throat. He muttered a prayer while wiping the knife on the vest of the man.
Still looking down at what he had just done, he spoke, "I Domon Fansisco, Commander of Lord Bartholomew’s First Detachment, do here by charge you of murdering three of my lords guards. You are to be arrested and made to give confession. After witch you will be hung before the masses. You will be an example of what happens to those who are foolish enough to rebel against the enforcers of the law!" With that he stood and started walking away. " Arrest him!"
With that the other four men advanced on Jako. Looking around he could see that there was no way to escape. The alley deadened behind him, and the only door was behind the oncoming guards. Jako readied himself for the fight to come, but knew there wasn’t a chance for him to win. Resolving himself to kill as many of them as he could before he died, he shifted the knife to his other hand. He had been lucky one on one, so he thought that he might have enough left to kill one or two more.
Then Fate intervened. The door behind the four guards opened. A tall man stepped out of it. he couldn’t see who it was because of the four men but he began praying he was salvation. Little did he know how right he was. "I have to say you men are arresting an innocent person. I was up on the roof and saw the whole thing. That boy just saved the young woman over there from being raped." The four men stopped, and then turned to see who had just accused three of Lord Bartholomew’s Guards of rape. At the same time Commander Fransisco and yelled, "Its Ira! Kill him by order of Lord Bartholomew that man is to be killed on sight!" As he gave the command Commander Fransisco drew sword and dagger. He was the first to charge.
Ira laughed, "I give ya’ men a chance to leave. Mind ya’, after this the chance is gone there's no goin' back. Choose cheerfully. Sheath you swords and go in peace or ya’ won’t leave at all." He then drew his massive long sword. Jako was surprised to see that they faltered a couple of steps. By the looks on their faces they thought he was deadly and they didn’t want to fight him. If they had a choice they would be anywere but here. But like good little soldiers they charged Ira. "Then die like men." Ira said sadly.
When the Commander reached Ira, he began a graceful chopping motion with sword while thrusting with his dagger. Ira dropped to one knee as he thrust his long sword into Commander Fransisco’s chest. Before withdrawing his sword Ira gave it a twist. The Commanders body hadn’t hit the floor before Ira’s sword found its next victim. The first guards head exploded in a spray of gore as Ira’s sword found its target. Another guard thrust his sword at Ira’s side. He only caught air as Ira spun to meat the attack. Ira blocked another sword slash with his left hand while drawing his belt knife with his right.
Evading another thrust from his right, Ira backhanded his knife into a guards ear. Withdrawing the blade Ira pushed the body into a another man at his right. Quickly spinning he slashed through the torso of another guard. As the last guard stepped over his comrades body he saw that he was the only one left. Throwing down his sword he ran for the alley opening. He never made it out of the alley. At the opening he was hit in the back of the head with a knife. Jako hadn’t even seen Ira throw it.
"I gave ya’ the chance to leave. You didn’t take it." Ira said as he retrieved his knife.
Jako went to retrieve his own dagger from the chest of the last guard he killed. He had to kick the hilt a few times just to loosen it from the mans ribs. Then he turned to watch Ira write something on the alley wall with one of the mens blood. "Will you help me now? It seems we have a common enemy."
Ira didn’t even look at him. He just turned around and stated walking. "You coming kid."
Before he followed Jako stopped at the wall to see what Ira wrote. "Bartholomew, leave the boy alone. He is now under my protection, if you go after him I will kill you. You know you can’t stop me. Ira."
Later that night over a hot meal Jako said. "Thank you sir. I owe you a lot for what you did. But I must ask you a favor. Will you teach me to fight?" he asked. He was afraid that Ira would say no, but he needed to try.
"As I saw it you know how to fight just fine. You killed three men today, didn’t you? So what is it that you want to learn?" Ira asked over a mug of ale.
"I want to become a swordsman like you. I need to be stronger. How can I fight Bartholomew if I’m not stronger?" Jako took a bite of his mutton before he went on. "I have been lucky. I haven’t fought anyone that was great with a sword, but I believe Lord Bartholomew is a lot better at it then his men seem to be."
Ira looked at Jako for a long time before he said anything. "If I train you, you must do as I tell you. You will be my student. I will expect you to do as I say until I tell you that you have learned all I can teach you. Until then you will fallow me as I travel. Agreed?"
Jako was exited that he would get to go with Ira. "Agreed!" exclaimed Ira.
"We leave in five men! Let’s go!"
With a shake Jako realized there was something going on in the camp. He began looking for Ira. It wasn’t hard to find him. He was sitting on his horse in front of the collapsed Command Tent. "What going on Ira? Did you get us a job while you were in the City?"
"That’s right Jako. Get the Company ready. We leave for Black Rosa, the Quean of the Josephine Empire is in need of our service. Apparently she has a problem with Tursken Raiders. "Ira laughed, "It seems her army is to afraid to leave the protection of Crown City. Bunch of mongrels won’t even protect the countryside."
Jako smiled. He shared Iras’ view of standing armies. They would never risk dying on the battle field as long as they could hide behind city walls. “We leave in ten minutes sir." He began issuing orders. The company was used to Moving">Moving">Moving">Moving">Moving">Moving">Moving">moving fast. So they never unpacked. Camp was cleared in five. In four columns all two hundred and seventy fighting men began their ride to Black Rosa. They were going back into to battle. Finally! He thought as he rode side by side with Ira.
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