StarFall Comics
A Division of Pullemouttayerhat Productions
A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of StarFall Innovations
Proudly Presents:
Going Solo
#6: Return to Freehold
Cover: A gorgeous redheaded half-elf woman wearing a green tunic with a red sash around the waist, with a rapier in one hand and a wheel-lock pistol in another; a young man with light brown hair wearing a light blue shirt and brown breeches, wielding a short sword; and a young man with short black hair, wearing a traditional Chinese black silk shirt and pants with a white undershirt, wielding a quarterstaff.
I knew things were going wrong when the ship docked at port. No, scratch that; I knew things were going wrong when we got the letter from our old friend Fenuku. I just didn't realize how wrong until we docked.
Ke was nervous. He didn't really show it, to be honest; he liked to show a stoic exterior. Fun fact: the more stoic he appears, the more nervous he really is. Ry wasn't nervous at all; being the cleric of the goddess of luck helps in that respect, I guess. Me? I was just glad to be away from the city where I have a price on my head for a few weeks.
Oh, allow me to introduce myself and my friends. I'm Serena, the tall, redheaded half-elf from the city of Penticon, where I was raised on the streets. Ryence is a childhood friend of mine; somehow or other, Tyche took a liking to him and called him to her service. He's somewhat shorter than I am, pure human, with light brown hair and an easy smile on his face. Cheng Ke is the shortest and darkest of us; he had to flee his homeland when the government there sacked his monastary for no good reason, so he came west.
Fenuku, you've probably seen him before. He's a kobold mage. Yes, I know that's a stereotype, but he doesn't let it bother him.
Now you know enough to go on.
As it was, the caravel we were on docked at the city of Freehold in early evening. I knew right away things were going wrong. Fenuku was supposed to meet us at the dock, but he wasn't there. I leapt over the side of the ship, landing on the dock with all the grace of my elven forebearers. Ke landed next to me, just as softly. Not bad for a human, eh?
Ry didn't land as softly or as gracefully when he tried the stunt. Fortunately, he landed on someone else. Tyche blessed him with luck, but also cursed him with klutziness. Get a few mugs of ale in him, and he could pass for a drunken master. As it is, he landed on this elf dressed all in black who appeared out of nowhere just as Ry fell on him.
We'd been warned about him, too. Theosonovus the Black, the current vizier and former court magician for the caliph here in Freehold. He was also Fen's arch-nemesis, according to Fen's letter. Him being here instead of Fen was not a good thing.
My rapier was out in an instant, as was my pistol.
"Where's Fenuku?" I asked him, sticking my pistol's barrel up his nostril.
"I'm afraid he's all tied up at the moment," Theosonovus replied dryly. His eyes narrowed. "So you're the ones he sent for." He leered at me. "You're pretty. For a half-breed."
That did it. Bad enough I was abandoned on the docks by my parents when I was born for being a half-elf, but that's in a nation where half-elves are second-class citizens. Everyone's supposed to be equal here in Freehold!
I kicked him. Right in the grommets. Then we ran.
Fortunately, cities are pretty much the same throughout the known world. The back alleys are narrow, winding, and easy to get lost in.
Problem was, we really didn't want to get lost! Fortunately, it turns out Ke had been here once before, as a stop-over from his homeland. He led us through the streets to a tavern.
Don't let the cliche bother you. We weren't here looking for form an impromptu adventuring party. Not much call for that outside of the jungles of the southern continent anyways. But a tavern is a good place to get information, if you know who to listen to.
I entered the tavern first. I admit, I did it with style. I try to do everything with style. Throw open the door, toss my hair back, and strut like I own the place, my rapier and pistol prominent in the sash around my waist. With all eyes on me, Ry and Ke could enter unnoticed.
Hey, I'm a drop-dead gorgeous red-headed half-elf. There's no way I'm going to be able to hide. So why bother?
It didn't take long for the locals to hit on me. I turned down most of them; bunch of smelly low-lifes. Like I said earlier, people are the same everywhere. There was one that is different. I'm sure of it as he approached. He was neither drunk, nor did he stink of fish or manure. He's a rich kid slumming, and he probably assumed I'm the same. Happens all the time, believe me.
"So, what brings you here?" he asked.
"Looking for a friend," I told him.
"Perhaps I could be that friend." Like I haven't heard that line before.
"You're not him. My friend would stand out in a place like this, though. He's a kobold."
The guy paled. "Only one kobold in town."
"So I've heard. He was supposed to meet me at the docks earlier, but I'm told he's 'tied up' with something."
"You met the Black, then."
"Met by the Black."
"Let's drop the innuendo," the guy tells me. "I'm Prince Kalil. Fenuku is a friend of my brother, Crown Prince Rashid. They've been expecting you."
"Serena," I tell him. "My friends Ryence and Ke are here as well." I subtly point them out; they're not hard to spot. Well, Ke's not, and Ry is sticking fairly close to him. "Can you get us to Fen?"
"I can get you close."
"That's all I ask."
And so, we found ourselves in the dungeons. Turns out Kalil was not one of the princes - I'm told there are fifty of them - but one of Theosonovus's eunuchs. Still, we did some damage to the guards before they took us down. Even with my rapier, Ke's skills, and Ry's short sword, there were too many of them for us to take down.
Fenuku's here as well, and has been for the last week. Theosonovus came in to gloat the other day. It seems he's got some plan to wipe out Rashid and two or three of the other princes, but he won't tell us all the details. He just comes in to gloat that we won't be interfering.
I'd say this was just like old times, but I have no idea how we're going to escape from this one.
Tyche is a fickle goddess. Maybe our luck has just run out. Or maybe we just need to make some of our own luck.
to be continued.