Chapter 74. Hand of Assistance.

  Lief listened to the steady sound of Becks low snores. Looking at the deed he wrote out, asking for freewill—sort of, he was new to this kind of thing.

  -BANG-

  A horrid noise broke the calm mountain air. The cracking echo ripped from peak to peak. He looked at the window. What was that?

  He had no idea what that noise could have been. Kind of sounded like a tree exploding. Only, it wasn’t cold enough for a tree to explode. Not even in the peaks. They weren’t even white yet. That noise was so loud though. The way it rang throughout the mountains made his skin tighten. It was such an odd crack.

  The sound of liquid pattering against the rug brought his attention down. Beck was now face first on the tea table. How long had he been daydreaming? Lief looked at the two cups on their sides, tea spilling everywhere. Except for on the conquest paper. The liquid had miraculously flowed around or through the cracks of the table. But none of it touched the deed.

  And just then an idea crept into his head. Sneaky. Quiet and unsuspecting. Just like how The Father would from bedroom to bedroom. Lief looked from his Phantom Quill of Envy. To the deed. Then back to the quill. Then over at Beck.

  Lief repeated these series of overlooking glances in no particular order. Taking a deep breath he stood silently. Tiptoeing—really earning those stars in Creep-Walker.

  Lief reached out with a nervous hand and grabbed Becks. Damn hand was far heavier then the boy was expecting. Placing the ghostly quill within Becks grasp. He steadily guide the heavy hand.

  B-E-C-K.

  Lief assisted that dead hand along the first blank space. On to the next. Then the next—easy breezy.

  He assisted Becks signature across the six blank spaces.

  Lief watched the parchment. Glassy blacks darting back and forth. Beck. Deed. Beck. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to happen. A glimmer from the page. Some unexpected thunder. A damn body twitch of confirmation from the sleeping Dwarf. But it was nothing that he got.

  It was quiet. Only a steady snore and the occasional shout of a trader outside. The boy let out a heavy nose of air. It was at this point Lief accepted the fact that his idea was just that. He also realized he was going to have to wake the Dwarf and teach him how to write. He stood overlooking Beck then looked out the window—just in time too.

  Stepping away from the sleeper Lief stared out the window. A pillar of light reached for the sky. Bright, beautiful golden white light. Burst from the forest out there. Lasting only heartbeats.

  The light subtracted. Before it reached the treetops it burst outward. A full golden ring expanded from where the light grow. Then it evaporated? Dissolved? Whatever happened that golden glimmer was gone

  He hadn’t the slightest—

  “Korrmic, Lief is not a warden.”

  “Well what would have us do then Donnatel. Scarlett is nowhere to be found, and look at Monte, what other options do we have?”

  Everything was disrupted by two men arguing up the tower stairs. Kind of sounded like they were in the hallwa—

  BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM

  Lief jumped at the loud rapping door. He jumped even higher when it swung open.

  -SLAM-

  It was so hard. So fast. None of the hinges had time to squeak. Glassy eyes roared with a black fire . Watching the men just barge inside—it wasn’t just Lief who looked at the open door. Beck had lifted his head at such a loud entrance.

  One of the two men stepped in further and dropped something. It looked like twisted legs and arms. Monte? Lief thought, eyeing the lump.

  “Warden Lief.” One of them huffed, wiping his hands over his black trousers.

  The second man looked at his comrade with a half-assed smirk of disgust, scoffing. Irritated he would even humor the boy with a title.

  Lief relaxed a bit, he liked being called warden. Unaware of Beck who was upright again. Oblivious to the little green eyes that were now as black as his own. Lief walked around the tea table. While Beck held a pressuring stare at the two loud intruders—a pipe in mouth never looked so sinister, yeah, he was still puffing on that thing.

  “Korrmic. Donnatel.” Lief addressed the men—well young men, neither of them could have been older than 17 cycles. “And, who is this?”

  Another man walked in behind the two—this guy was definitely older then the two.

  “My name isn’t important, what is, is that one of these three owe me payment, as he was the one who hire me.” The man claimed.

  Lief noticed instantly that mans odd pointing gesture—it was with his pinky and index finger. Pushing between the two. Directing his pointing fingers at the man-ball.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Lief approached and kneeled down to inspect. Speaking while he turned the ball. “What in the nine hells is this? Is this? Is this Monte?” he looked up at the three. “What was this? What happened Korrmic?” –what a show of concern, boy deserves some stars in Gaslighting.

  “Its Xulu.. He has to be here to finish us off.” Korrmic stated. Looking in the hall quickly shutting the door. Adjusting his deep jade wrist braces.

  “Shut up Korrmic look at him. This was not Xulu. We’ve seen what Xulu does. No, this was someone else. Lief have you seen Scarlett today?” Donnatel asked, looking down at him while the boy still overlook the man-ball—oddly enough Monte rolled quite well.

  “All of you shut up.” The stranger growled. His tone was crunchy. Like coarse gravel under a carriage wheel.

  He stepped forward, Lief noticed his boots. They looked black, but when he stepped closer he seen they were actually of a very deep maroon. Nice boots. A black shadow or flame rippled over the toe and up the tongue of the boot.

  Basic brown trousers. The man wore a pouch around his hip. He had a black long-sleeve shirt—not sleeved just sleeve, one was cut off for some reason.

  A finely custom made vest of what looked to be the thick neck fur of an elk. It looked warm. The thick furs came flowing from around every hem. The fur was treated too. That vest looked softer then silks in Scarlett’s shop.

  Lief was standing now, not quite eye level with the man, but he stood his ground. The man looked down at him with suspicion. “What’s wrong with your eyes kid, are you sick or something.”

  The man had sunset pale orange eyes. And Lief scanned the man right back with his dull, glossy ink eyes.

  Nose looked recently broken. Lief could tell by the bruising of his eyes and crusted blood.

  The mans head was honored with a bubbly pink scar, casting a wet like reflection in the light. The other half of his head had midnight hair just past his shoulders. Braided in the dark curtain were four different polished stones.

  Korrmic and Donnatel looked at the two. They knew Lief would be sizing this guy up before wanting to take his information. Kid has a log on everyone that’s come through the castle. Picture too. Boy was a pretty good artist as well. Those two knuckleheads then noticed Beck sitting at the tea table. Two seemingly endless jets of smoke fume from his nostrils.

  “Is he okay?” Donnatel asked pointing at Beck. No sooner then the question leaving his lips did a black tear break from the Dwarfs eye.

  “He’s fine.” Lief never looked back, he only watch the stranger.

  “Korrmic, who is this man?”

  “Not sure Lief, Monte hired him and his nightmares.”

  “That’s right.” The man said. “Monte agreed to a fistful of polished stones, I wanted the magenta colored ones. We also agreed three lunar-gourd, and six chicken eggs.”

  Lief blinked at the man. Flat dumbfounded blinks too. Who would ever agree to such a request and how would one ever expect such payment. Then he kneeled down again and felt for any pockets he could get his hands into.

  “Lief!” Donnatel barked the name. “Get your fingers out of there. The fuck is wrong with you, stealing from the fallen.”

  The stranger let his eye pin Donnatel in place. “That lump owes me, he’s not stealing nothing. This is what you two wanted to do, and now we’re going to see it through.”

  He set his glare over Korrmic who said nothing, only nodded in agreement.

  Lief could feel the pressuring aura of all three of them. More so the strangers and Donnatel as each were sizing each others skill. Likely feeling out for things like: power, speed, intelligence, elemental exchanging—whatever would give the edge. Lief pulled a tight handful of somethings from a pocket. Opening his hand. Seeing it was only a half handful of small red river agates.

  “This is all Monte had. Other than the clothes on his back.”

  Lief said with a standing half turn, showing the stranger. The man and Donnatel both looked in Liefs hand. Korrmic though, was watching Beck, another black bead roll down his face. Little guy looked mean.

  “W-w-warden?”

  Lief peered around the strangers broad shoulders. “Yes Korrmic.”

  Korrmic was pointing at the black stuff leaking from Becks eye. Lief didn’t seem to notice.

  “Those are Monte’s, then mine. I’m the leader now. I’m in control of the loot. Maggnus you’ll get paid when the job is done.” Donnatel snapped quickly grabbing Lief’s still open hand with a crushing grip.

  And before Lief could register with a full cry and flinch. The stranger named Maggnus grabbed Donnatel by the shoulder. Slamming him against the wall. Agates clattered as they hit the stone floor. Maggnus held a crushing forearm flat against Donnatel’s neck.

  Donnatel fight the arm over his neck with one hand. His free hand struggle to free a knife.

  Lief dropped to his knees cowering at the excitement. His hands raced to cover his head. Witnessing the rapid hand of Maggnus unsheathing the knife Donnatel tried for. Ink-like eyes swelled at the sight. The way the blade bit into the belly of Donnatel. The way his stomach spit when it pulled back. The noise Donnatel made each time the blade entered. The fierce tang that amount of blood had.

  Even in this state of mind. The act of violence was a lot to absorb. Lief wasn’t mean at heart. He just thought he was. The imagination can be intrusive like that. He could write up awful things on the daily, but actually seeing it. It does something to the brain. To the heart. To the soul. Even snapping Monte to his will was torment. But the temptation of the quill is powerful, and it will draw on that internal wrath.

  The banging thud of a table crashing over and a brass cup bouncing against stone could be heard just behind them. Same was true with the powerful shout that bellow from the dwarf. “I’ll turn you to burger!”

  Beck swung his hammer with a mad side swing, growling at Donnatel, who was already taking wet breaths.

  Pale orange eyes widened and Maggnus curled with Lief—nice timing.

  The mighty hammer hit Donnatel in the chest with a hard crunch. Slamming him into the wall with the force of a falling star. Ribs broke. Things were punctured and a brick from the wall had been sent to grounds below, knocking a trader unconscious.

  “What the fuck!” Korrmic screamed grabbing his head with both hands, his face was white with terror. “What the fuck.” He said again eyes bulging he took a step back, looking between them all.

  Maggnus and Lief were crouched and cautiously looking up through covering arms. Donnatel. Standing only because of Becks strong arms holding the hammer. He looked at the hammer in his chest. Followed the handle. Meeting eyes with Lief who was cowering under Beck. He then looked at Beck.

  Beck tightened his grip. Pulled the hammer free and swung again. How dare this man lay a hand on his king. He will be punished severely.

  Beck swung hard. So much might and energy went into the head of that hammer. Donnatel’s lifeless body went smashing through the wall toppling over the wooden planks acting as stairs outside the tower.

  Lief looked at the hole in his wall. He could only stare at the dripping brick. He didn’t dare look through to see if Donnatel was alright. The thought of him down below was interrupted. Beck hoisted the boy to his feet. Then stood properly behind him.

  Maggnus looked up at the both of them. The dwarf had a bleak, lifeless expression. His face was flat and dead. Black streaks trailing from under his bushy brows. Like he was crying ink. Lief held the picture perfect face of confusion. Matching the wide eyed opened mouth of Maggnus. What the hell just happened?

  Lief was starting to clue it all together. He couldn’t believe it worked—easy breezy.