The goal of the bandit

Stephan nervously moved his hands trying to break free from the cords but they were tightly knotted.

"I am informed that you are with them to go to Valtrar. Therefore, your bargain isn't valid anymore. You are not a wanderer anymore if you seek shelter inside the human city. You are not one of us anymore. My priest told me of Maddock's face stolen by a strange soul not belonging to this world, how will you claim otherwise?"

"Vicious rumour, your greatness. It's not true! If I were a vile soul, I would have broken from these cords a long time ago and escaped from under your watch. However, I can't even move my hands properly."

"I am quite certain. My priest told me of the witch's bargain and I saved myself from death with it. I don't doubt my priest's words; they are genuine and true."

"It may be true that I look like Maddock Prowell, that's what you see, but it's nonetheless false I am him. My name is Stephan Lancaster not Maddock Prowell."

"Then you lied to me when you said you are not Maddock's seed."

"No, I did not lie to you but it's false that I am Maddock Prowell even when I have his face," Stephan didn't know where the conversation was going anymore. "There is actually a saying that when someone is born, there are 40 of him in the world. So maybe, it's the case here."

"So you are claiming to be Maddock Prowell, yet you say you are not Maddock Prowell."

"No, no, I am… You can see it that way, your Greatness. I may be one of those 40 similar looking like Maddock Prowell," he looked at his hands then at the man at the front. Suddenly, he realized his name had stupid in it and he wanted to try his chance with the idiot. "May I ask for your kindness and benevolence to remove these cords? I don't like it very much."

"Bandits are nothing but kind, you. Young. Former. Wanderer," he set aside one of the women and brought another one to his side with the help of a servant.

"Then I have no choice but to give you something of exchange to have my body free from these cords. I think you are in search of the old tomb of the Priestess Asts-nu-tabta. You are in need of something from her eternal residence, right?"

The man stopped immediately after hearing the name of the Priestess. Supposedly, no one should have known about it. He was working in secret and only his supposed-to-be priest knew about it. He eyes Maddock suspiciously then his surroundings, pondering about a spy in his abode.

"Someone, remove those infernal cords," he shouted. A bandit stepped forward bringing his sword down, he undid the cords. Stephan smiled refreshed. However, he soon took a stern expression, leaving all the play behind his back for a short moment. "Those cords will be back; it all depends on your smart mouth. Get those women out of the room!"

The head of the bandits stood tall and wide. His footsteps echoed in the room. He sneered at the bandits and ordered them to lower their weapons and retreat from the room. What he was about to say wasn't something his bandits needed to hear? He was only concerned for himself and his wish to live a long life without the threat of the Ustriestan.

"I know you are in possession of a map you cannot read," Stephan continued. His eyes moved to the table in front of him and watched the creamy pie. His mouth salivated and he couldn't resist more of his hunger. The man took the seat in front of him. "May I take these if you aren't interested in them? I see you really are not."

"Do you know how to read the ancient language of priests? I would gladly take your tongue for the lies you might spout from your mouth."

"I will take that as a yes," Stephan stretched his hand towards the creamy pie and grabbed a part of it covering it with dirt that was in his hands. Stephan wasn't a clean freak even on Earth, why should he be now? "I know how to read it. I have been a wanderer not an ignorant," he lied.

There was a woman who stayed behind Stephan didn't notice. He thought everyone left. She walked twisting like a snake. She didn't have clothes. However, she had drawn on her body. The drawings on her body were symbols of ravens, long snakes and cats, her head had two ears like a cat but he could understand they weren't hers. She wrapped her arms over the bandit's head and kissed his cheek. Her eyes moved to the apprentice.

"I cannot see through you, which is a bad thing for me as a priestess. I want to understand what you are; your soul is blank and your mind is empty for me. I can't see through you at all. He isn't Maddock, my Love. I have seen Maddock; he is a fair man and with a beautiful soul. This one doesn't even hold candle to it or more, it's blank."

"Do you think so, my kitten? He has more guts to the real Maddock, I can give him that. Maddock was a wise man."

"Is the reason why you look for the man merely for the tomb?" Stephan stopped for a few seconds before continuing. "Or is it because you cannot wield that sceptre?"

The head of the bandits threw his head back laughing hard. "How far do you know, lad?"

"I know only one thing; you are looking for the sceptre for your own goal. However, you need a suitable man for that. You need him to be powerful, stronger than that sceptre to not be swallowed by it. You want the eternity and power of the Plaguelands and that sceptre will give you that."

Their eyes locked. "You want to be the man who wields that cursed weapon. I have only one goal. To take what the witch has stolen from me: my time and youth. I am only using sacrifices to keep what you see now. I need that sceptre and a man to wield it. No man is more suitable than Maddock."

Each time he said Maddock, the man emphasized it as if it was a curse.