Handout 32: TNO tells of his return to Pharod

I wasn’t expecting any fanfare when I returned, and indeed I wasn’t disappointed. When I came to gate that huge, hulking thug was still standing guard, face creased into an ugly grimace.
The guard straightened up.
“You gots what Pharod wanting, berk?” “Yes.” “Show it to me, berk, and I’ll raise the gate. But not until, right?”
I glanced him over, suspicious of his intentions. I bled and died and starved for this orb, and I wasn’t going to let someone else take it.
“It’s for Pharod’s eyes only.”
The thug barked a laugh,
“Then you ain’t getting in.”
A muscle in my cheek twitched, but I tried to stay calm,
“On the other hand, I do have something you might be interested in.”
He raised an eyebrow,
“Yeah? What might that be?” “Jink. How’s twenty-five coppers sound?” “You’re getting warm, berk, but you ain’t there yet.”
I sighed,
“All right. How’s fifty sound?”
A smile wreathed his ugly face.
“That’s good enough. Pass it through, and I’ll open the gate.”
I pulled out a fistful of coins, giving a rough count before tucking them in a rag and tying it off quickly with some leftover thread. I held out the small satchel, offering it just past the gate.
“Grab it and it’s yours.”
He reached through the gate for the coins I held out. In a swift motion I deftly pinned his arm back against the gate and wrenched it. The guard screamed in agony as his arm creaked in its socket. Twisting it further the muscle and sinew strained on the edge of tearing. “AIEEEEEEE!” he squealed like a piglet, “Gerrof! PLEASE!” I let him go. “Now let me in or I’ll tear you to pieces. We’ll have no more of your games. I’m tired, aching, and I haven’t had a hot meal in days and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let a flimsy iron gate and a graverobbing rat get in my way.”
He hastened to open the gate before I made good on the threat, and stood far out of my reach as I passed through the gate.
“Learned our lesson, have we? Let’s see a little more respect next time. Farewell.”
The other guards looked at me with mingled fear and loathing, but they readily gave me a wide berth. no one met my eye as I passed by.I gave a friendly wave as I left them,
“Top of the morning, lads!”
Keeping my pack close to me I led the way to Pharod’s throne room. I had gone through too much to lose it to a cutpurse now.
I licked my lips. Pharod had answers for me. I could taste it.