3 Enchanted Amulets and Talisman

***

Simon exited the manor with Philippe, carrying a wide grin on his face. A great weight had fallen off his shoulders. Simon had never spoken, much less negotiated, with a noble before. Although Simon had hid it well, he was quite nervous, as this served as his first official decision for the entire company. If anything went wrong, all the blame would shift to him.

In addition to this, Simon also heard some rather negative things regarding nobles. Obtaining most of his knowledge from Philippe, Simon learned that some nobles tried to cheat mercenaries out of their pay, by imposing ridiculous conditions. Fortunately for Simon, Lord Caiaphas did not seem like that kind of man.

Stepping out into the streets, Simon stretched his arms, and took a deep breath. As he did, a familiar scent drifted into his nose, making his stomach growl. The young captain sniffed the air a few times, making his mouth water, and his stomach growl louder.

"Hmm... smells like roast pork," Simon sighed ecstatically, as his arms drooped. "And it seems to be seasoned with a few herbs and spices..."

The trek to Durus had deprived the Ash Blades of many comforts, good food was among them. They often ate gruel, as well as roasted meat with little flavor. It made their bellies full, but it did not please their taste buds.

"You have a surprisingly sharp nose, when it comes to food," Philippe remarked, trying to sniff the air. "Shame you can't use it for tracking."

Simon grimaced, and looked at his lieutenant, who did little to hide his smirk. "I don't recall you being this mouthy with the last captain," he commented.

"Just because you are now our captain doesn't mean I have to treat you completely differently, do I?" Philippe retorted, his hands on his hips. "Perhaps you would like me to refer you as captain, or sir from now on?"

Simon groaned, as his lieutenant continued to jest. He did not know exactly what to expect, the moment he had become promoted to captain, apart from additional responsibilities and a bit more respect. Despite his complaint, Simon did fancy the fact that Philippe still spoke to him casually.

"Returning back to the topic at hand, I am quite hungry," he remarked, as he began licking his lips. "And I just remembered that I am also thirsty."

"Why didn't you take a sip of the wine earlier?" Philippe asked. "Lord Caiaphas was offering, if I recall."

"I was trying to stay focused on our discussion," Simon answered, sounding mildly annoyed. "Regardless, I could use some food now. What about you? Care for a bite?"

"I am feeling a little peckish myself," Philippe admitted, patting his stomach. "Very well, a quick bite."

The two wandered around the streets, until they arrived at the nearest tavern they could find. It had three small building wings, as well as a second floor at the central wing. Pale and dirty shades of grey coated the surface of the walls, which must have been white at one point. From the tavern, the two could hear quite a lot of hollering and laughing, accompanied with the scent of tobacco and food.

Simon stepped in first, while Philippe followed right behind. Inside, they found it filled with different mercenaries, occupying most of the tables. These men ate, drank, and yelled merrily their heads off, as if they were the only people in the area. Each one of them had large physiques, as well as several scars that acted as medals of battle.

Quietly, the two walked inside, and took two empty seats at the counter, where the bartender washed an empty cup. Amusingly enough, even the bartender looked like a brute. The bald man wore an eye-patch, and had a few scars around his arms and face.

"What can I get you both?" the bartender asked in a deep voice that would have made wolves shy away.

"Two mugs of ale," Simon replied. "And two dishes of roasted pork, if you have any."

With a grunt and a nod, the bartender yelled the order over to the kitchen. His great voice shook the shelf of cups and bottles behind him.

While they waited for their meal, Simon listened to the men around the tavern. They all spoke loudly, their voices and words clashing with one another, making it difficult for Simon to understand what they spoke about. Fortunately, Simon caught certain details and words that allowed him to interpret their discussion.

"...that demon was no match for...!"

"...how much treasure I...!"

"...I never imagined coming to...!"

Simon didn't hear everything, but he already guessed that they spoke about their many jobs and adventures within the ruined kingdom. These men spoke about it haughtily and quite merrily, as if it were a simple walk.

"All these men have quite the stories," Simon whispered, as he hunched close to Philippe.

"So will we, once we return from our first job from Stolz," Philippe replied, pulling out a small book to read. "Is something the matter?"

"I am curious," Simon answered, now glaring at the mercenaries. "Just what exactly will we face in Stolz? What sorts of dangers and terrors exist there that managed to take down Stephen Verse?"

"I intend to find out a little," Philippe grunted, flipping a page. "Hopefully, the library has some information. I also plan to go to the infirmary, where Stephen rested. Perhaps some people had spoken to him, while he was being nursed."

"We can always count on you to be more prepared than the rest of us," Simon remarked approvingly.

Philippe grimaced, and finally looked away from the book. "You also ought to make additional preparations," he snapped. "This city may have some useful equipment and items for our quest."

"If you are looking for something to help you, then I suggest an amulet or talisman of some sort."

These words came from a stranger sitting beside them. Short, unkempt hair grew on his head like a patch of grass, his mustache looked like the bristles of a broom, and thick shadows rested under his eyes. The man slurped from a wineskin, not caring just how much spilled onto his shirt.

"Can we help you?" Philippe hissed, clearly annoyed to learn that the man had been eavesdropping.

"Ah, pardon," the man apologized, hiccupping with a dazed expression. He wiped both his mouth and nose with a sleeve. "I couldn't help, but overhear you both talking about getting ready for Stolz. So I thought I'd give you some advice."

"So... are you a mercenary, or do you belong to the empire's army?" Simon curiously asked.

"Ah, a mercenary," the man responded, now slouching upon the counter. "The name's Bowen Harrows, leader of the Verde Hunters. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

Simon looked at Philippe, expecting an answer, but received a shrug. "Apologies, good sir, but we have not heard of you or your band."

"Truly?" Bowen grunted confusingly, before giving an apathetic shrug. "Well, it is your loss. But as someone who has been to Stolz a few times before, I thought it'd be wise to give you advice."

Simon sniggered with qualm. He did not want to start judging people like the knight from earlier, but he couldn't help himself.

From the way this man looked and behaved, Simon could not believe that this Bowen Harrows had been to Stolz, one of the most dangerous lands to tread upon. Either this man was lying, or just plain drunk.

"Well, Sir Harrows, could you tell us more about these amulets or talismans?" Philippe then asked.

"You are indulging him?" Simon whispered to his lieutenant.

"While obviously out of his mind, he IS giving interesting advice," Philippe whispered back. "While walking, I noticed a strange store that sold such items."

"Hmm... tell you more?" Bowen snorted, pinching the bridge of his nose to organize his thoughts. "Oh right, there is an enchantress here, selling talismans and amulets that possess special charms and powers."

"And is there any way to prove that these charms actually work?" Simon asked, joining in the conversation.

"Depends on what you really buy," Bowen answered, as he continued drinking. "Some can be tested, others can't. You just got to hope you don't get nothing defective. Those things are expensive, I tell you."

Simon frowned. "Sounds a little suspicious," he snarled under his breath.

Their food soon arrived: two mugs of ale, and two plates of roasted pork slices, glazed with golden sauce, and dressed with herbs and spices. Juices still spilled out of the sizzling meat, as steam flowed into the air, and into Simon's nose, making him hungrier than he already was.

Unfortunately, neither Simon nor Philippe managed to enjoy their meal in peace. Their new friend Bowen, or so he claimed, kept on yammering about his adventures in Stolz. As intriguing as his stories sounded, Bowen's drunken state kept Simon skeptical.

Eventually, they managed to finish their meals, and escape from Bowen, who had fallen asleep on the counter, after trying his hardest to recall one story of his. He was a nice enough man, but better when asleep.

"So, where to now?" Simon muttered to himself, looking to explore the city a little.

"I will first visit the apothecary for any available potions and concoctions," Philippe informed. "Afterwards, I'll try to find some additional information in the library about Stolz, and then the infirmary, if I have time. Expect to see me late tonight, back at the inn."

"Well... I will just look around then," Simon replied, unsure with what to do.

"Very well," Philippe plainly responded flatly, as he nodded and left.

Simon roamed around a bit, looking for new equipment and items that could help him. Many stores came into view, selling all sort of travelling items, weapons and armor. One store even offered a fancy looking sword for almost two gold pieces, claiming that it belonged to some legendary hero.

Eventually, Simon stumbled a particular store with the name, "The Magpie's Nest". Unlike most of the buildings, this particular store had bright purple walls, and a violet rooftop. Behind the windows, Simon found several trinkets resting upon a table. This must have been the store that sold the enchanted amulets and talismans.