Kreco

Fort Grechit welcomed the members of the Red hornet as they walked pasts its tall gates. The city was like every settlement in the Mormon Empire. Clerics taught on poorly constructed wooden podiums. Grunting mercenaries filled the streets, and humble merchants eased their Allon drawn towards the market district

The sight of the unfurled Fort amazed Seth. He wordlessly stood at the gates, soaking in the peculiar sights. He'd been to several cities on trips with his father, but never one this densely packed in the middle of the night.

"Sera, Seth, find a cartographer before they all closed shop. We will find lodging at the Winding wyvern and gather information while you are away," Germo instructed. "See to it that you gather as many firebombs and winter bombs as you can find. I have a feeling we might need as much support as we can find."

Sera nodded and tugged at Seth, "come on," and they disappeared into the winding streets. Whispers of the Blood mage traveled to Seth's ears as he weaved and trailed behind Sera. Seth's chest tightened at the thought of fighting all those strange and colorful people.

"Are you hearing this?" Seth whispered.

"I know what you are thinking, and you don't need to worry." Sera whispered back, "most of these people are neophytes and adepts. They aren't stupid enough to challenge a team of lesser mages. By some miracle, if they actually succeed, retrieving the mage's body and killing them would be a simple matter."

Seth complexion paled slightly at her words, but he didn't speak up. His short time with the red hornet showed him how impersonal and ruthless the mercenary mage world was. He simply nodded and carried on behind her. Sera navigated the streets like she'd been to the city once or twice. She cut through alleys, nodded to a few odd faces, and after a few minutes, they arrived in front of a line of shops. Each one hand rough stone stairs leading up to them, and lamp light hanging overhead their front doors. All doors were shut, with a cursive signed plaque that read closed All except one.

A short, stocky man with a balding head ambled out his door and tugged his door shut. His shop was at the very end of the line and was not made of brick or Greystone. It was a modest wooden shop, and its owner, Kreco, the map maker, was closing up his store after dismissing the last of his customers.

He sighed loudly as a sickly young man and a slight female with a beautiful freckled young lady approached.

"I've shut my doors and turned the keys. If you want a map to that bloody forest, you'll have to come back tomorrow. I'm done for the night," he declared as he turned the closed sign that hung overhead.

The young lady whispered something quickly to the lad beside her before she hurried over. She latched onto his coat, with a distraught voice,

"Master Cartographer, thank goodness I found your shop still open at such a late hour. You have to aid me."

Blood flushed Kreco's cheek, and he felt a stir in his loins, but he remained resolute as he tried to peel her off his him. "I will do no such thing."

She barely moved despite Kreco pushing with all his strength. 'She's one of those blasted mages,' he thought.

"But you have to," she insisted. Tears streamed down her cheeks and wet his thick black beard.

"My uncle, Lord Andrew Henson, disappeared a few days ago after he came to Grechit. He was in pursuit of the blood mage everyone in town has been talking about. You must sell me a map so I can find him."

"My lady, please. What would your father say if he saw you like this." the sickly boy, who Kreco assumed was her guard cautioned.

"My father would want his brother's safe return," she rebutted. "My poor uncle will be long dead before the elders of the family send aide. I am all my uncle has."

Kreco's eyes flashed when he heard Lord Henson's name. He was a famous high born magic knight with quite the reputation. Kreco didn't care very much for honor or nobles, but coins and merit points? If he had enough of those, he looked wistfully to his shop. If what the girl said was true…

Kreco pretended to ponder her case before he spoke, "I will be honored to provide assistance."

At his words, the young lady's face lit up, "I'll see to it that you are handsomely rewarded. I'll make sure lord Henson hears of your contributions."

Kreco nodded and smiled at the lady and briefly touched eyes with her guard. The boy was as slight as the female, but his eyes were fierce. They resembled those of the wild beasts he spent his youth avoiding as he mapped and charted.

"Of course," he replied. Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck as he turned the locks of the store for the third time that day. They all stepped into Kreco's modest shop, and he could feel their eyes wandering, judging.

The walls were covered in large animated sea charts and intricate geographical maps that shone with complex runes. Large oaken shelves stocked with sealed tubes containing maps, and a large workstation still slick with cleaning oils. On the floor, a mural of all the known continents was intricately brushed to excruciating detail. All five continents were painted on the map. The island nations of Chiawandea, the holy land of Iphica, the desolate plains of Etototh, the lost continent of Vraphen and Vulpar Empire.

They had a slight frown on their faces. They looked unimpressed by the décor. They were used to gold trimmings and gem-studded furniture. Kreco was of humble means and simply couldn't compete. He rushed over to one of the shelves and pulled a scroll encased in long decorated tubes. "My lady, I believe this is the map that you require," he presented it to her, hoping to pull her gaze from his shop.

The lady reached out for it, but before her fingers touched the edges of the tube, her attendant snatched it from Kreco's grasp. He felt his the muscles in his aged shoulder scream in pain. He cast a wary eye on the guard and protested.

"The city guard will be here in seconds after I crush this rune," he held up a glowing crystal. "Every store owner has this so that people like you can't hurt us."

The guard paid no heed and scrupulously searched the edges of the tube. After he was done, he offered it up to the lady, offering some explanation to her for his earlier behavior.

"My lady, you have to be careful. Even though he looks like an ordinary map maker, you never can tell." He looked back to the man with a cautionary glare. Kreco flinched. Slightly nervous, he asked, "Are some people after you, my lady?"

"Yes," she said. "Otherwise, I wouldn't force myself into this hideous attire." She huffed and flicked her short hair. Kreco thought nothing of the armor. It looked to be made mostly of fine leather and lustrous fabric. It was good enough for a noble in his eyes. The lady frowned at his lack of understanding and continued to explain.

"Some mercenary mages attempted to take me when they learned of my house name. If it weren't for William, I wouldn't have escaped," she touched her guard's shoulder before looking to the map. Her face transformed as she meticulously studied the map, all innocence fading from her eyes.

"What about these caves connected to the edge of the forest?" she asked, pointing at the edge of the map. Large letters spelled out 'Aljour caves.'

Kerco nervously scratched his beard, "My lady, those caves are mostly unmapped. Powerful beasts reside in them, large enough to even harm lesser mages."

Her lips quivered, "But what if uncle was taken by one of those fearsome beasts."

"Are there no maps that can help us navigate those caves should we need to?" the guard asked, motioning to comfort her. A wave of guilt washed over the Kreco.

"There are but-" he met eyes with the lady and sighed. "I did not draw the maps; neither can I attest the skill of the man who did. He perished in those caves." He disappeared into the back room and reappeared with a crude map that loosely detailed a section of the caves. Several of the caves were interconnected, loosely linked by cracks and narrow paths. Large parts of the map were only detailed with rough charcoal squabbles. The guard eagerly reached for the map and scanned it. The lady, too, looked at the map, though with less fervor.

"This will be of great use to us," the guard nodded and tucked the map in a slit in his armor. "How much do we owe you for the maps," the lady asked.

"10 gold coins," Kreco said easily.

They both twitched ever so slightly, Kreco almost missed it. He nearly couldn't stop himself from grinning. He quickly explained.

"That is the only surviving map of a dead cartographer. Naturally, his work would be of more value."

"I thought you couldn't guarantee the quality of his work," she said, narrowing her eyes. Sweat dripped from his brow, "that is true, my lady, but the Cartographer left family behind. A wife and two children. The majority of the gold would go to them."

"Nonsense," the guard huffed, "The map leads to no treasure or artifact. I see no reason why it should cost a few silver at best. Clearly, this man is a thief trying to take advantage of your lady's generosity." His heavy gaze fell on stout man, who, at that moment, was soaked in perspiration. Seth forced back a grin.

"I assure you, it's not so, my lady," he turned away from the glaring guard and looked to the lady; he gulped. He'd make two grave miscalculations. Thinking the lady so young and simple, he'd guessed she'd be unfamiliar with maps and too proud to barter for what he assumed was a pittance for someone as rich as the Hensons. But his real fault laid with thinking very little of her guard. He was clearly far more experienced than his age let on and was fiercely loyal. If she accused him of trying to swindle her and he was charged, he'd lose his shop!

"You must think me a fool," she said with an icy glare, "I pleaded for your help and offered you an opportunity to work for my house, and this is how you repay me? By trying to dupe me? For all, we know, you could have authored this map. You are trying to profit off our desperation? How dare you!"

Henson fell to his knees, "my lady, I assure you, everything I say is true." His only chance was to prove his innocence. "At the edges of the map, you'll find the mapper's signature. It's doesn't resemble my signature, which is clear on the edges of the map of the forest."

He might have been greedy, but he was no cheat. He only hoped the lady saw it that way. The guard pulled the map from his armor pocket and inspected the edges of it. He narrowed his eyes, his lips slightly curled, and looked to the kneeling black-bearded store owner, "it's as I said, my lady. He's trying to take advantage of you."

"Lies," Kreco anger leaked. He turned to the lady. "He lies, my lady. I swear!"

"You dare to accuse William, a future holy knight?" The lady yelled.

"No…No.. my lady…" He stuttered and tried to deny it, but he'd clearly accused the knight. There'd be consequences if he was wrong. "Ask him to show us the edges of the map," he hurriedly asked. He had no choice now. There was little benefit to thinking otherwise, and he was right.

"You have the nerve!" William seethed as he drew a blade from his interdimensional ring. Kreco glimpsed the shine of his ring, and his heart sunk.

"Stay your hand William," the lady commanded. "We aren't barbarians. Let him see the map."

"But my lady," William protested.

"Let him," she commanded. The guard reluctantly laid the map on the table.

"There," Kreco said, pointing at the lower-left edge, which he now discovered was missing a large piece of it. He met eyes with the steel-faced guard, and more anger bubbled from within him, "he ripped it, my lady. He's a liar. How can such a dishonorable man call himself a knight? My lady, I can-"

"Enough," the lady declared. "I offer you a chance to redeem yourself, and this is how you repay me, with more lies? I am Emily Henson, and I will not stand for this." She dripped a hand in her pouch and flung a few silver coins on at the terrified man. "This is more than you deserve."

"My lady… Please have mercy." His worst fear had come true. His greed had done him in. he could only plead for mercy now. His shivered as he fell to his knee. His cheek jostled as he pleaded. "I meant no disrespect. She ignored him and spoke to her Guard instead.

"William, we are leaving," Her guard hurried towards the door and opened it for her. Her warped gaze swept back at landed on the whimpering store owner, "After I rescue my Uncle, I'll be sure to let him know how well you treated me."

Kreco skin paled as he heard those words. The door shut behind him before his mind fully wrapped around the severity of her threat. He hurried after her, knocking down a few map tubes. His eyes were teary with regret. He'd just brought ruin upon his entire family. He flung open the store door to meet an empty street. The noble and her knight to be were gone.