Chapter X: The Master Thief, Zarekov
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In a dark, water-logged cave in the riverbed sat a man. He is not tall, just half the size and height of a man. He is no dwarf, nor is he any child. Born with an unknown illness, his body stopped growing when he was at the age of 14. He had no parents, lived on the streets and was forced to steal when he was very young. Being small and agile, he made the perfect material for a thief. Not willing to see his hometown under the dark rule of Diantre, he moved to the riverbed and found a cave he called home; occasionally creating mischief for the evil men by malfunctioning the machinery. He would also visit Thyezza's bedroom, stealing gold and food to keep him alive.
The cave was very well-hidden, stashed away from the evil people that cramped the waterway and ran the machinery non-stop, rain or day. Zarekov was seated on a chair, motionless. He was cloaked, with one leg on the chair as if in some deep contemplation. There was no safe he couldn't break, no lock he couldn't pick. But his visit to Thyezza tonight left him in deep thought; for he had failed to break into the stone chest in Thyezza's room. It was not there before, he had not seen any lock like it before. What could be in it that requires such a lock? Zarekov thought to himself.
Daybreak. Zarekov was still locked in a deep gaze, unable to find answers to his questions. It was the hunger pangs that reminded him how long had he been sitting there. His legs were numb and his back croaked as he stood up and stretched himself. Its time to steal some food and visit that strange stone chest again. Zarekov murmured to himself.
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"My lord, our scouts from Langthorne forest have reported strange movements within the troll encampment. It seems that they are preparing their weapons and building wooden bridges made from tree trunks." A Captain reported.
"You said the trolls?" Thyezza asked. His nonchalant eyes affixed on a wine cup he has been playing in his hands all morning.
The Captain nodded in answer to his question.
"Hmmpph... perhaps they have their eyes set on the Elienor encampment in the forest. Hahaha. They are no threat to us now. They wouldn't attack us... unless someone teaches them how to. Even if those Elienor fools who dare oppose me were to organize them, they are no match for me!!"
"Let them be..." Thyezza said in such arrogance that it irked Zarekov who has been hiding in the ceilings eating a drumstick he just stole from the kitchen.
"Now this is interesting." Zarekov said to himself.
"Prepare the armies. We will face them head on." Thyezza said as he dismissed the Captain.
"I hope the Elienor people know how to defeat this stone monster." Zarekov said to himself.
"I need to take a closer look at that chest." With that, he went out from a small opening he created in the roof. With nimble hands, he quickly made his way down the roof and into an open window.
It was dark, even with the morning sun filling into the room. This was the first time Zarekov was in Thyezza's bedroom when the sun was still up. The room was heavily guarded, but on the outside. There were no additional traps or troops stationed in the room that Zarekov could see. The stone chest now lay in a corner in the room.
Out of nowhere, a rat scurried across the room, emitting high pitched squeaks as it tried to squeeze through the small opening underneath the heavy door to the room.
Its just a rat... Zarekov thought.
The chest looked extremely heavy. Is it because of its contents or is it because the chest itself is heavy? Zarekov thought. There was a lid; but it is sealed shut. The lid is imprinted with 3 pentagrams, in the middle of each pentagram was encrusted with a jewel, precious jewels that any thief would be salivating over. But not Zarekov, for he was more interested in its contents. The chest looks as if there was some aura protecting it, as if there was some magical powers at work. There was a weird imprint on the chest. It was circular in shape, with yet another pentagram in the middle. Zarekov couldn't make any sense out of it.
The door suddenly bolted open.
"Intruder!!!" A guard shouted.
5 more guards quickly filled the room, Zarekov was caught unawares. He was always confident of his burglary skills. But this time, his mischievous endeavors have gotten the better of him.
"Let me go!!" Zarekov said as he tried to squirm free. Two strong hands immediately came crushing down onto his shoulders, causing him to go into a kneeling position.
"Who are you?" Thyezza asked.
"Why should I tell you? Master Thyezza."
"Because if you have stood a bit higher, dwarf, your head would now be rolling on the ground right this instance."
"I am the Master Thief, the people call me Zarekov."
"Are you a spy?"
"A spy of whom, may I ask?"
"Don't try to fool me, Master Thief. Throw him into the dungeon, and never be released. He shall suffer the pain of living in total darkness for the rest of his life and never to be seen again...
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"Get in!! Master Thief." The 2 guards escorting Zakerov gave him a rough push. The heavy metallic door clanked shut, followed by a series of incantations from outside. A flash of green, followed by a soft ebb of blue light and Zakerov was engulfed in total darkness.
It was an underground tavern, moist and damp. Water trickled down into a river through a small crevice. The river seemed to lead deeper into the cavern. Zakerov's hands were bound; he could not see, he was as blind as a bat. His other senses beginning to sharpen and become more sensitive as they worked to replace his eyes. He treaded slowly, for fear of mis-stepping and plunging into the dark river. He felt around, and soon found a slab for which he sat down on and regained his composure.
"So Master Thyezza has sent me a visitor." A voice suddenly echoed within the cavern as the sound waves bounce off the cavern walls. The voice was deep and cold and it sent a tingle down Zakerov's spine.
"Huh!! Who's there?" Zakerov said as he looked to his left and right, trying to figure out where the mysterious person was. The shock and startle clearly evident in his voice.
"I hear the guards mentioned that you were a thief?" The voice croaked.
"So what did you try to steal?"
"How does that even concern you?" Zakerov said.
"Because I am also a thief, my name is Sallam. I helped Thyezza obtain a very precious treasure, a treasure that would change the outcome of a war during this troubled times."
"A precious treasure?" Zarekov asked.
"Yes, the Orb Of Morgaden."
"The Orb Of Morgaden?... I've heard of that name. It was only legend, myth, rumor. I never thought it actually existed... such powerful magic really existed!!"
"Oh, so you've heard of it before. I believe you're well aware of its power then? Master Thief."
"Yes..." If Thyezza were to use it, the Elienor Clan will be heading for their doom. Zarekov thought to himself.
"After obtaining the orb, Thyezza bound me and threw me into this hell-hole for fear I would leak this information to his enemies. That despicable monster!!"
"I've never seen it since then."
"And for why have you helped him then?" Zarekov asked.
"Because I'm a thief. It thrills me just to steal such a treasure. It challenges me, puts my skills to the greastest test."
"You fool of a thief, your actions have put many in danger. Do you not understand? Thyezza is evil..."
"Hahahaha... He is evil... yes... but I have not regretted it after seeing the orb. You however, should not be here, you sound too young to die."
There is a way out of this cavern if you follow the river downstream. But beware, the opening is guarded by a hydra, a nine-headed beast. I almost got out, but it snapped off my legs and tossed me back into the cave. I struggled to safety with all my might back here. I'm now better off dead than alive. Sallam said.
"Well then, Godspeed, my friend...." That was the last sentence Zarekov heard as the voice trailed off into the darkness.
Silence once again engulfed Zarekov. The only sounds were the trickling of water.
"A hydra... what would such a thing be doing here?" Zarekov thought.
There is no time to waste now, war is at hand. I must warn the Elienor people!!
The cave was very well-hidden, stashed away from the evil people that cramped the waterway and ran the machinery non-stop, rain or day. Zarekov was seated on a chair, motionless. He was cloaked, with one leg on the chair as if in some deep contemplation. There was no safe he couldn't break, no lock he couldn't pick. But his visit to Thyezza tonight left him in deep thought; for he had failed to break into the stone chest in Thyezza's room. It was not there before, he had not seen any lock like it before. What could be in it that requires such a lock? Zarekov thought to himself.
Daybreak. Zarekov was still locked in a deep gaze, unable to find answers to his questions. It was the hunger pangs that reminded him how long had he been sitting there. His legs were numb and his back croaked as he stood up and stretched himself. Its time to steal some food and visit that strange stone chest again. Zarekov murmured to himself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My lord, our scouts from Langthorne forest have reported strange movements within the troll encampment. It seems that they are preparing their weapons and building wooden bridges made from tree trunks." A Captain reported.
"You said the trolls?" Thyezza asked. His nonchalant eyes affixed on a wine cup he has been playing in his hands all morning.
The Captain nodded in answer to his question.
"Hmmpph... perhaps they have their eyes set on the Elienor encampment in the forest. Hahaha. They are no threat to us now. They wouldn't attack us... unless someone teaches them how to. Even if those Elienor fools who dare oppose me were to organize them, they are no match for me!!"
"Let them be..." Thyezza said in such arrogance that it irked Zarekov who has been hiding in the ceilings eating a drumstick he just stole from the kitchen.
"Now this is interesting." Zarekov said to himself.
"Prepare the armies. We will face them head on." Thyezza said as he dismissed the Captain.
"I hope the Elienor people know how to defeat this stone monster." Zarekov said to himself.
"I need to take a closer look at that chest." With that, he went out from a small opening he created in the roof. With nimble hands, he quickly made his way down the roof and into an open window.
It was dark, even with the morning sun filling into the room. This was the first time Zarekov was in Thyezza's bedroom when the sun was still up. The room was heavily guarded, but on the outside. There were no additional traps or troops stationed in the room that Zarekov could see. The stone chest now lay in a corner in the room.
Out of nowhere, a rat scurried across the room, emitting high pitched squeaks as it tried to squeeze through the small opening underneath the heavy door to the room.
Its just a rat... Zarekov thought.
The chest looked extremely heavy. Is it because of its contents or is it because the chest itself is heavy? Zarekov thought. There was a lid; but it is sealed shut. The lid is imprinted with 3 pentagrams, in the middle of each pentagram was encrusted with a jewel, precious jewels that any thief would be salivating over. But not Zarekov, for he was more interested in its contents. The chest looks as if there was some aura protecting it, as if there was some magical powers at work. There was a weird imprint on the chest. It was circular in shape, with yet another pentagram in the middle. Zarekov couldn't make any sense out of it.
The door suddenly bolted open.
"Intruder!!!" A guard shouted.
5 more guards quickly filled the room, Zarekov was caught unawares. He was always confident of his burglary skills. But this time, his mischievous endeavors have gotten the better of him.
"Let me go!!" Zarekov said as he tried to squirm free. Two strong hands immediately came crushing down onto his shoulders, causing him to go into a kneeling position.
"Who are you?" Thyezza asked.
"Why should I tell you? Master Thyezza."
"Because if you have stood a bit higher, dwarf, your head would now be rolling on the ground right this instance."
"I am the Master Thief, the people call me Zarekov."
"Are you a spy?"
"A spy of whom, may I ask?"
"Don't try to fool me, Master Thief. Throw him into the dungeon, and never be released. He shall suffer the pain of living in total darkness for the rest of his life and never to be seen again...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Get in!! Master Thief." The 2 guards escorting Zakerov gave him a rough push. The heavy metallic door clanked shut, followed by a series of incantations from outside. A flash of green, followed by a soft ebb of blue light and Zakerov was engulfed in total darkness.
It was an underground tavern, moist and damp. Water trickled down into a river through a small crevice. The river seemed to lead deeper into the cavern. Zakerov's hands were bound; he could not see, he was as blind as a bat. His other senses beginning to sharpen and become more sensitive as they worked to replace his eyes. He treaded slowly, for fear of mis-stepping and plunging into the dark river. He felt around, and soon found a slab for which he sat down on and regained his composure.
"So Master Thyezza has sent me a visitor." A voice suddenly echoed within the cavern as the sound waves bounce off the cavern walls. The voice was deep and cold and it sent a tingle down Zakerov's spine.
"Huh!! Who's there?" Zakerov said as he looked to his left and right, trying to figure out where the mysterious person was. The shock and startle clearly evident in his voice.
"I hear the guards mentioned that you were a thief?" The voice croaked.
"So what did you try to steal?"
"How does that even concern you?" Zakerov said.
"Because I am also a thief, my name is Sallam. I helped Thyezza obtain a very precious treasure, a treasure that would change the outcome of a war during this troubled times."
"A precious treasure?" Zarekov asked.
"Yes, the Orb Of Morgaden."
"The Orb Of Morgaden?... I've heard of that name. It was only legend, myth, rumor. I never thought it actually existed... such powerful magic really existed!!"
"Oh, so you've heard of it before. I believe you're well aware of its power then? Master Thief."
"Yes..." If Thyezza were to use it, the Elienor Clan will be heading for their doom. Zarekov thought to himself.
"After obtaining the orb, Thyezza bound me and threw me into this hell-hole for fear I would leak this information to his enemies. That despicable monster!!"
"I've never seen it since then."
"And for why have you helped him then?" Zarekov asked.
"Because I'm a thief. It thrills me just to steal such a treasure. It challenges me, puts my skills to the greastest test."
"You fool of a thief, your actions have put many in danger. Do you not understand? Thyezza is evil..."
"Hahahaha... He is evil... yes... but I have not regretted it after seeing the orb. You however, should not be here, you sound too young to die."
There is a way out of this cavern if you follow the river downstream. But beware, the opening is guarded by a hydra, a nine-headed beast. I almost got out, but it snapped off my legs and tossed me back into the cave. I struggled to safety with all my might back here. I'm now better off dead than alive. Sallam said.
"Well then, Godspeed, my friend...." That was the last sentence Zarekov heard as the voice trailed off into the darkness.
Silence once again engulfed Zarekov. The only sounds were the trickling of water.
"A hydra... what would such a thing be doing here?" Zarekov thought.
There is no time to waste now, war is at hand. I must warn the Elienor people!!