Chapter 43: All Ablaze

The smell of Smoldering putrescence was invading my nostrils. I had experienced odors like that before, but not this strong. We took only a brief time to examine the corpses around us, and only Melfina was able to find something. A Spool, similar to a fishing reel, but instead of string it is a thin chain. It must retract somehow, but I for one didn't want to spend any more time in this room. My head felt wrong, similar to when you hit something wrong with a hammer, the whole arm goes funny. Not sure if it was from touching the soul stone, or knocking my head into the massive stone pillar in the middle of the room,. Either way, it was past time we got going.
Making our way expeditiously back through the tunnel, we pass the slain magic-hunting cat, and arrive back out into the gambling area which is thankfully not on fire. With the opportunity to look around, we come to a very quick consensus to try to find an office and search it. Due to the gaudiness of the rest of the casino, we were able to locate the office easily. For once, Yun had little to no interest in looking for information, and left the task to Marda and Geno, deciding to find the bar instead. As they meandered away, the muttered something over their shoulder that we should be able to see better, and with a yelp Marda was glowing slightly. I could see her clearly now as she was neatly outlined in some sort of fairy glow, and indescribable pink-purple taste. Knowing that we all didn't want to be in the same room, I offered to keep an eye on the front door, and if Melfina stood at the office door, I could signal the others if we started getting trouble.
Watching the front door was dull work, but it was only needed for a short while. After only a few minutes, Melfina attracted my attention with a whispered “Psst!” As I come over, the others inform me that a trapdoor has been found, along with the bookkeeping records of this place showing all the fraud that is taking place to launder monies. Wanting me to stand in the office Door, Melfina will stand above the trapdoor while the other two venture deeper. With a light cast on Geno, they venture deeper, Melfina testing out the spooled chain. With a snap, and a “zziiip” I snap my head in her direction just quick enough to see the chain being pulled back from the pit into the spool, a large grin splitting Melfina's face.
The force of the spooled chain snapping back to her belt pushed her back a half step, and in that instant flame gushed from the hatch below her. Instantly there and gone again, it would have been hot, but hopefully not a killer temperature. As Melfina yelled down to those below, they yelled up, assuring us that while they had suffered some burns, they were mostly OK. With the noise of the blast of flame, the sudden silence was deafening. Was that a noise from the front, or was that Yun making the drinks?
As Geno calls up that they found a metal chest, I can definitely hear something pounding on the front door now, and several seconds later they start coming back up from the chamber. With a small chest chest in hand, and Geno patting his pocket with a broad grin, They close up the hatch, and we leave the office. With Yun ushering us towards the back of the bar, we escape out of a service entrance at the back of the building.
While not necessarily slinking through the darkness and shadows, we still had to make our way back to shelter somewhere. Deciding on heading back to the Dog's breakfast, we eventually find ourselves in front of the grease stained windows, a soft glow emanating from them. Wearily venturing inside, we find Suzan awake and tending to what little business there may be at this early hour in the morning. She was not happy that Drax was no longer with us, and it took some cajoling for us to get any room in the tavern. Eventually, we were given an empty room and permission to go down to the basement if absolutely necessary. When she handed Marda the room key I could have sworn Suzan muttered something about bedbugs, but I thought she had been kidding. Entering the room I wasn't so sure.
All the bedding had been stripped off the canvas mattress, and left in a bundle next to the bed as if ready to be laundered. The room was at the end of the hallway, in the corner of the building, and had two windows, one of which led to a fire escape. Good. If that grease should catch fire, we would have a chance of getting out. After ensuring our privacy, Yun checks out the lockbox. Finding Both Magical and Mechanical locks, we take some time to remove both of them. Slicing the pads of her fingers, Melfina wipes the blood on the top of the chest, and snaps her fingers, praying softly. The blood evaporates off the lid of the chest, and black dried blood falls from her hand as the wound is healed instantly. She looks rather tired afterwards, indicating it was a more powerful spell she cast. Determining the Magical lock was now gone, Yun set about unlocking the chest. With a definitive click, we all tense as Yun opens the chest.
Hundreds of platinum coins fill the chest, and a slender wand is tucked on one side, opposite a large diamond. We all sit speechless for a time, looking at each other. Proposing that we look at the ledgers we found, the corruption almost oozes from the pages, showing who they were paying and how much. Now we just needed to know who to give this information to and The Legion would probably be asked to come in and clean the streets.
Yun takes the wand at holds it for a couple minutes, then passes it to me. As soon as I touch the smooth wood, I hear a voice in my mind asking me a question. “How do you know a train has passed by? You can see it's tracks.” Oh. Wow I really hope this thing does more than tell the best lame jokes when you pass it around. Judging from Yun's face, they were probably thinking the same thing, meaning they had heard one too. I had a lot of questions about this thing, and having absolutely no knowledge of Magical items, I handed it to Geno. Between Yun and Geno they would be able to figure it out. With his touch, another joke came into my mind. “What happens when white blood cells fail to protect us from infection? Their efforts go in vein!” Geno too must have heard the joke too as he gives me a look. I'm not really sure what a white blood cell is. When ever I see blood it looks red to me. Maybe some creatures bleed white?
As we talk about what we need to do with the information, we decide that Post would probably know who we could give the evidence to, making sure it gets to the right people. Going down to ask Suzan where Post is, She replies that They will return tomorrow, during the day to work on the books for Drax. Thanking her and returning to the room, We can hear cannon fire in the distance, knowing that the legion was being bombarded again. After setting up the tent in the middle of the room, I ask Melfina if she can contact Max and make sure everyone is OK.
Asking if anyone was hurt, we also informed him that we had found evidence of corruption, and we offered aid if it was needed. Getting the response back, some tents were damaged, but otherwise everything out there was fine, we were not needed. With the Pillow Fort standing, we set watches and went to bed, leaving Yun on first watch.
It felt like I had only just pulled the covers over my nest of blankets when I hear Yun yelling my name. Ignoring it for as long as I can, I suddenly wake up fully when I hear others moving around in the Fort. Putting my arm back on, and wondering how long it had really been, I start to head out of my room. Finding Melfina out of her room, we gather together to find Post sitting in the common room, drinking Hot chocolate.
“Post. What the hell are you doing in here?” I ask of them.
“Well, the room was supposed to be empty”, they reply. “So really I should be asking you what you are doing here. Also, is this fire real, or what is up with that?” The Halfling was pointing at the Pillow fire in the fireplace of the common room. I hadn't really thought about it, but it did give off heat somehow. Best to Not think about it.
“We had some night time fun with Drax and got tired, so here we are. As for the Fire.. I don't really know.” Post reached out to touch it, and grinned while pulling the wiggling fire closer.
“It's warm! Kinda hot really, but not overly so. Like a bed heater.” I seemed as long as Post's hands weren't actively burning, the fire would stay in them, so I told them they could sleep in the spare room if they wanted to, and went back to sleep. I had last watch, and needed my rest.
As my watch came around, I found Post still in the common room, splayed out under some pillows, sleeping soundly, with the Pillow fire. Crawling out of the tent flaps, I find Marda has already got up, and was talking with Melfina, who had taken second watch. The only chair in the room now sits under the handle of the door. Marda and I settle in for watch, and some time later hear noises coming from another room. Asking her if she remembers what the next room over was, she was thinking it was the office. Who would be in the office this early in the morning? Well, early was relative. It was probably past five in the morning, closer to six. But it would have been too early for Drax to be up, even if he was back. I had Every impression he was a late sleeper. Moving the chair aside, Marda and I head to the office door, finding it both closed and locked. Making a tough split decision, I lift up my foot, and plant it directly next to the handle of the door.
Instead of the door bursting open, it completely breaks off it's hinges, and I am rewarded with a ledger to the face. I had every thought to protect Drax's records from being destroyed or stolen, and instead Drax himself throws one at me. The old Half-Orc is standing in front of his desk, going through it, and I had surprised him.
“Oh.” I started. :I thought you were going to be someone else. Uh. Sorry. Didn't really expect you to be here.”
“Why wouldn't I be in my office? I had to get away from that blasted wizard for a time. His voice was grating. And I wanted to make some notes for Post. I will want to see them about some security. And a New door now.”
Marda had been standing behind me the whole time, and now apologized for me, offering the tavern owner a platinum coin. As we sheepishly leave his office and make our way back to our room, we once again put the chair in front of the door. A short time later, Post emerges from the tent, dressed, sans fire pillow.
“Oh! Post,” Marda starts, “We need to talk to you about what we found last night in-”
“Nope, can't stay! I have to get to my morning job.” A small newsboy cap atop their head, they move towards the open window.
“Wait!” Marda starts. Digging into her bag, she produces a platinum coin. “Here, have this.” Now, can you stay for a bit and talk with us?”
Taking the coin, Post makes it vanish in an instant. “Nope!” they say cheerfully. “I appreciate it, but work is work, I just have to be there. Normally I would have already left from my house, but I was here in town already. I've waited long enough to leave.” Even with Marda protesting, Post left, through the window to the fire escape, leaving no trace behind.
With nothing more to do, we finish out the watch, and once everyone is awake and ready to eat breakfast, we head down to get something to eat. We leave Melfina about halfway through her morning prayers, as they can be a little unnerving that early in the day. Best to leave early and not loose one's appetite. She joined us before we had even put in our order. I may have been taking too long to decide.
Our server this morning was someone we had not met before, and someone who clearly wasn't someone to drop their name. A human man, and one to gossip, brought our food in good time, asking us if we had heard what happened last night. Feigning ignorance, we reply that we have no idea what happens in the city. Pointing to a folded paper on the bar, he tells us that the casino Burned to the ground last night, with no one inside, and the vault was found to be empty. I very carefully did not look at anything, half playing at surprise. Only half though. We were completely surprised that it had actually burned down. We should have seen the gang would cover their tracks. Smart to take everything from the vault too. That way they wouldn't have to admit how much was there.
“That's not all either. The hall of records in the capital building was broken into last night as well! The authorities can't figure out what the person was really looking for as a bunch of random records were taken, without any pattern. Probably someone with a grudge, just trying to make things hard for others. Either way, If you need anything more, just let me know.” As he moved off to check on the other tables, we all studied our food, no one eating anything quite yet. Yun noticed first and took a big bite of pancakes, which caused us all to tuck in. Spike of course sampled everything.
As we were coming to a close of our meal, Post came tearing into the tavern, breathing far too heavily. Gasping for air, the Halfling bent double, clearly in pain, and before we could render aid, simply heaved all over the floor. Some patrons who may have had sympathetic stomachs got up and quickly left, holding handkerchiefs over their faces. Slipping out of the booth, Marda goes to find a bucket of water and mop, Post mumbling something about cleaning it up themselves. As the water is poured over the mess, and the mop is liberally applied, Melfina opens her mouth to ask a question when a Second mop comes out from a cupboard, where it too starts to mop on it's own accord. With no one touching the mobile mop, the rest of the patrons, along with the server cry out in panic about magic, tearing out of the building.
With a stern look at Yun, they cry innocence. Melfina also claims to not have cast a spell, saying it would have been a waste of divine blessings. I didn't even think about Geno. No moving parts, and it wasn't actively hurting anyone. With a slight from, Melfina, she gives a smart tap to Spike's shell. The vomit cleaned up, Melfina wastes no time.
“Were you the one who broke into the archives?” Very subtle that one.
With a start as if they had a spider crawl down their back, Post rounded on her. “Not Here! Let's go upstairs.” Moving the mops and bucket filled with soiled water behind the counter, Post leads us up to the office. As Geno Mends the door, Post picks up the book that had hit me in the face last night, laying where it had fallen. Setting it on a stack of similar books, the Halfling takes the cap off, setting it on the desk.
“Yes. I was at the archives last night. That's why I was in town. The room you were in was supposed to be empty so I could hide out there if I needed to.” Oh. Of course the bedbugs. That would have kept people out, and Post would have been the one to tell Suzan about it. We should not have been there. “I was stealing the records trying to find evidence of voter fraud and corruption. That way we could get Kevin Baraxus out of here. We know that there is something going on, with kidnappings and missing people. All the other records were to keep the gang off my tail.”
After laying it all on the table, it was only polite to show our hand. Post was delighted to hear that we had all the records needed to prove what was sought after. We had wanted to talk about them earlier, but being in such a hurry to get to work, we didn't have the chance. Revealing that a ship comes into port every few days, the Pompadorks use it to smuggle things in and out of the city, and Post wants to prove it is people. Revealing that we have ways of finding one of the lieutenants in the gang, we will look into them today, and investigate the ship tomorrow when it comes in.
“Yes, that will work fine.” Post agrees. “I will need time to set up my with my contacts so we can get in and out.” With a small slice to the hand, Post rubs blood across their lips, and Melfina gets very excited. As the rest of us look at each other and roll our eyes, we start to leave the room when we hear a tumlt coming from below. Glass breaking. The sudden and unique sound of Fire starting. We all rush down the stairs, to find the front of the building catching fire, and out of the windows, on the other side of that fire are the Pompadorks. Ok. We can do this now.
As Marda yells up to Post about the Fire, I run for the door, and I can hear Melfina right behind me. Bellowing in rage, I stride through the fire, drawing my great axe. “You Should Have Apologized When You Had The Chance! I challenge, infusing my body with speed all while scanning the gang members. Light as the wind, free and unrelenting. You could have no better stopped a typhoon than delay me this moment. There! The shoulder checking chucklefuck. One moment striding through flame, the next I was in front of him, in a wide backhand swing, I cut into his Thigh. Deep. He falls, still alive, and I plant my foot onto his torso. Leaning down, I breath deep. I can still smell the fresh smoke. Feel the heat in the soles of my boots, the sting of soot in my eyes. Burning. The flame comes out in a torrent, dowsing the upper torso and face of the nameless feckless thug. A charred shape remains, and I bellow once more into the group, “The Legion Stands!!”
Vines erupt out of the ground to my right, and Melfina strides through the tavern entrance, her skeletal wings spread behind her, Duty in her eyes. Duty to her friends, Duty to her deity. As she gets closer to her targets I can see the effect she is making, at such a proximity those who once stood in arrogant confidence are now wilting in place. Those terrible skeletal fairies are called forth, and start their deadly work. As one foe turns, the ghostly Scythe appears, blade sprouting from the chest, then slicing them nearly in two. Pouring water onto the Fire, Marda find an equally important fight in saving the tavern. We can hold them off for a few seconds.
Arrows start springing towards me from archers, and while a fair amount miss, enough of them find purchase to be a hindrance. Luckily, none of them puncture my new armor. I should thank Drax again next time I see him. Somehow the enemy had the gumption to attack Melfina, even through the gnawing guardians, and the cleric is bloodied by the assault. We may need some help out here.
Geno blurs out, fast as always in combat, leaving corpses in his wake, and Death comes to collect some as well. The spectere appears between two of those harassing Melfina, simply tearing them to bloody shreds. Then comes Yun.
I'm not really sure who had summoned those vines at first, but Yun gave them a satisfactory smile and nod, and Danced over to the nearest gang member. With an ear to ear grin, they simply pointed at the leather clad ruffian, and spoke a singular word. It was something he had said before, and I will forever recognize it, but it was not a word I care to remember. A befuddled look came over the hapless brute, then he simply turned to dust and fell to nothingness in front of dozens of people. Bending over, Yun grabs some of the dust, and with an open hand, blows it into the wind.
They scatter. Or try to. I had made my way to the archers who had been peppering us with arrows, and I caught one before it could get away. Those caught in the vines were completely restrained and though they wanted to flee, could not. Approaching the biggest of them, I knock him in the head with the flat of my axe, hoping to keep one alive, but Divine blessings have other ideas. Getting clear of her attackers, a glowing sphere starts emanating from Melfina. As it touches her foes, blood is ripped from eyes, ears and noses. Even the vines are withered by the siphon, and gratefully it fails to effect my, immediately anyway, from harm. The man I had stunned screams as his blood is removed, being absorbed by her.
Once last man, walking down the street, strutting and dancing to some beat in his head which is covered in the most ridiculous of hairdo's. His pompadour is bigger than his head, and as he stops, the end bounces slightly. Pointing at Melfina he cries, “just spreading the love!” and she starts dancing, just like he was. Maybe not as naturally. Looking at me, he says “Your moves ain't shit.”
Moves? What? A sudden headache takes hold over me, collecting with all the new wounds. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was leaving.
The spectere apparently did not approve of this new man, and it spread its deathly chill onto him, a hoarfrost coating him. I did not approve of him either, and rushing forward, I swung my axe. He was slow, and clearly was not expecting an attack like this. Swinging my axe, I split him open from crotch to chin, and he died in a matter of seconds. In a flash of sparks, I appeared nest to one of those who had run, cutting him down as well. Regretting killing him, I cursed to myself, but what is done is done.
With the confrontation over, I turned my attention to the tavern to find it charred, but no longer on fire. Marda came over, her single hooked sword and Adamantine addition sharing a crimson color. I had seen her dashing around, but she had seen Post call water to put out the flames. As if summoning the other Halfling, Post came out the front door, and quickly urged us to clear out most of the bodies. We could leave some, as it was far too obvious that something had happened here, but a large scale battle would be a problem should the authorities find out. We moved the majority of the bodies down to the cellar, all the while hearing the whistles of the constabulary coming closer. With the remaining vines still present, a couple of us will have to talk to the authorities when they arrive, and as I was actually a ranger, I could play the role of summoning them. It was nature after all. Completely dismissing my Axe, it went back to wherever it came from, and I knew I could call it back should I need to. Making sure I had the Bow prominently on my back, I waited there with Marda and Yun. Yun had taken the shape of some sort of hill folk, wearing sack cloth pants and suspenders. Muttering something the whole time about a missing dog, They simply stood by acting as an eyewitness. When I was asked about the vines, I confirmed that I had divinely natural magics, and with a wave of my hand, the vines disappeared. I'm glad Yun was paying attention. Marda gave most of the statement, as she had the experience and know how to talk of battles with enough vague details to both get the point across, and muddle it up at the same time.
Once the constables left, I silently thanked the gods none of them had been on the side of the gang, and we went back down into the basement to tell the others it was clear. Post was not happy with us scaring off the other server, as it had been hard for them to get workers to stay. They were also not happy with the fact the we had magic users with us, who were using it so flippantly. But with our promise to help investigate the boat, and our capabilities, Post was wiling to look past it. I guess that means we have to plan on getting onto a ship, not getting caught in something over our heads, and finding a whole bunch of missing people so the Legion can get back into the good graces. Not to mention stopping that big ball of fun Asmodeus. One day at a time.