Chapter Eleven
He can not control378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zHKlcUes2
Not one single strand378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWFBgABM5q
Not Understand378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEXtuhkpCc
The power under my command 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGP93MQnNb
Faldo laughed merrily and his blue eyes twinkled as he listened to the reaper's recounting of the tale of acolyte turned lizard. It was just too hilarious to hear a terrifying skeletal reaper acting the part of a young twenty winters old woman screaming. It came out more of a loud hiss of a whistling tea kettle letting off steam then it did an actual scream, and Rascus emphasized it by laying his bony white hands on either side of his bare bone jaws. The big man had to sit back onto the table as the door opened from the noisy hallway in the Inn of the Darken Oak to admit the giant of a man.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UNCiTx94V
Marlin ducked as he came in, his bald head skimming the bottom of the beams of the low ceiling, the cobwebs twisting in the breeze of his passing presence. He eyeballed the still chuckling Faldo critically and surmised that since Wallace sat nursing a tankard of dark brown ale in quiet contemplation across the room, that Faldo was communicating to the one person in the party that Marlin wanted no company with. He turned before he got to the table as he considered returning to the noisier common room to await Damon and Bethel to come down from the Mother Matron's upper chamber. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgz8DClmJK
They were as close to family as he had left on Grim's precious world and would be much more preferable company to the present. He heard Faldo clear his throat pensively behind him and Marlin cast his deep brown eyes backward over his massive shoulder as he reached for the door latch. Faldo raised a thin blonde eyebrow in a silent question to his big friend.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeD2SvHOuE
“I ain't going to sit in here with the likes of him,” Marlin said meaningfully. Faldo moaned deeply at the statement. Marlin had been almost as tricky as Bethel since they had left out. If he did not have to be in the presence of the others, he kept to his own. His hate for Rascus was not unfounded. The reaper had killed Marlin's daughter in front of the big smith a decade ago in jealous hatred. He slowly skinned the poor girl all the while the big smith strained against the chains around his wrist and then left Marlin with the bloody corpse as a word of warning of what would happen if he caught him in bed with Bethel ever again. Even though Rascus had been damned for eternity, it did not quench the fires of hate that burned in Marlin's chest.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡka5dWWwsVD
“Marlin, give it a rest. You can't see him nor hear him. Chaos, you can not even feel him. Does it help when you ostracize your very friends to avoid in what amounts to nothing to you?” Faldo asked in a strained tone, exasperated at the situation.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdC22X8dHy
“No,” Marlin looked a little sheepish, “I never looked at it that way I guess.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPYjKcvluv
“Then have a seat please.” Faldo indicated to the extra-sized chair that had been brought in by the innkeeper for the enormous man.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhn1abL68Y8
“So what was so big of a problem to summon us? We are not due to meet until tomorrow. I have not been able to contact Marcus yet.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAzoFaIPE4
“Damon said something about some news that Rascus had,” Wallace said as he waved off towards the air vaguely.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI6DKcu6Ea
“Then where in the Demons is this new Grim of ours?” Faldo asked looking irritated, “If he is the one who received said report then let us have it.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YUvwFeqe2
There was a pause, and for some reason, Faldo shook his head in frustration as his face started to shade in red. Wallace chuckled a little as he got to his feet smoothly and belched. He scratched irritably at the freshly shaved chin and blew snot out one nostril of his nose to the dirty wooden floor. Faldo shot him a dark look.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJh0wkjk5v
“You could actually try to act like an officer, Wallace.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsteNfmij1g
“Never met one, have you?” he asked with a little smile playing on his lips, “I need some more, anyone else want one?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgA2U4lfBW
“No, not I. I haven't touched the stuff since the Grim blessed me with these awful powers,” Faldo said with a look of dread on his face.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mVHcTfXq0
“I'll have two,” Marlin said, holding up two sausage sized fingers in emphasis. Wallace's eyes twinkled mischievously as he took a side door out as the front one opened. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBHxnD6cSn
Through the door rolled in another breeze, bringing with it the stale smell of spirits and bodies, as in walked the new Grim and his mother on his heels. He had a somber look on his face and a haunted look in his dark eyes. Bethel, in contrast, looked serene for the first time since they had ridden their horses in through the Merchants Gate here in the City of the Wood. Her steel gray eyes glistened brightly in the dim light let off by the smoky oil lamps mounted on the wall, and she glanced around the room to each of the faces, gracing each with a peaceful smile.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSDECD0vP9
Damon's mouth worked soundlessly as he counted his companions in the room and his shoulders slumped almost in despair. His mother rubbed his hand in sympathy as she parted company with him to walk around the table to seat herself next to her Marlin. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTZ41KtsmM
The small man looked helplessly at his best friend and soul brother, “I thought we were supposed to be meeting? Where in the name of all the reapers and demons is the rest of everybody?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVUfFhRsSr
Faldo opened his mouth to respond, but it was the deep bass of the smith that answered first. Marlin looked up from his conversation that he had been engrossed with Bethel and gave Damon the answer that he knew he would hear.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9LtN3ka5s
“If I were a wagering man, I would say that the Vic and Wedge are doing exactly what you would expect soldiers to do on downtime. They are probably gills deep in an ale barrel somewhere with a skirt on their lap.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfCyi3lVeP
“And our fearless officer?” Damon didn't bother to try to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. He was on the border of anger. After the successful recovery of Delfina from the Temple, everything seemed to be coming apart at the seams for their elite team. Everything seemed to be disorganized and disjointed; they had not accomplished anything else since that night. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0Fq5SFGhn
“He just went to get him and me some ale.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICvhm30f7i
“Ugh,” Damon sat with a thump in the nearest chair. He wanted badly to kill something at the moment but knew the second he drew a dagger against an unarmed creature, that damnable Grim side would take over and he would end up apologizing instead. He really did not want to be apologizing to some sick dog or cat. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbfpEckEpn
Frustrated, he put his head down on the cool surface of the table to try to think. A metal tankard thunked next to his head, and some ale narrowly missed sloshing into his short dark hair. He jerked his head up to see the mischievous smile of Wallace. His almost chocolate iris's twinkled with joy. He winked at Damon and nodded towards the quart of ale set before the young man.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRJNlcQwyj
“I went to pick up two kegs for our walking giant over there but the Inn-keep almost passed out at the request, so I settled on two quarts of ale.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeX0IAvRHm
“See! This is what I am talking about--” Damon motioned at the tankard and the smiling Captain, “--all this jackassing around and no work. We are expecting troops in three weeks!”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwniVAjcbq4
He sat back exasperated. His face had turned beet red, and his pulse raced in his veins. Wallace never lost his smile, but his face reflected a look of understanding towards the young man. Wallace gestured again at the ale as he walked around to hand Marlin his drink.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpps3ABnT6
“Relax Damon, everything will be alright. You need to unwind just a little at the moment. You are too on edge to think clearly. Sit and drink a little ale while we wait on the other two. You did send a message right?” Wallace gave him a questioning look. Damon nodded his head glumly and shot Faldo a hard look.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Uo3ylRmc4
“It looks like we play it the same as last night but this time make them throw up before you transport them here please.” Damon shuddered at the memory. Vic and Wedge had been out in the city, in one of the more shady establishments, drinking last night and decided to forego the meeting. Faldo had located them by sorcery and trans-located them directly through the ward into the back room they were renting out and using for their operations. The pair immediately vomited all of the contents of their stomach onto the unsuspecting Damon as he opened his mouth to yell at them for their tardiness. This time their stomachs would be empty as a precaution.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpF7IFwyvq
“Do you have to do that to my men?” Wallace asked plaintively.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9xXFEQNXm
“If they don't like it, they can show up when summoned.” Damon said through clenched teeth, “Faldo find them, if they are not on the way, bring them.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqt1iWFdxm
Faldo gave a small nod, and his startling blue eyes went distant as he sent out his thoughts in search of their two wayward special force soldiers. His thoughts first traveled to the seedy little tavern he had found them in the night before, but he did not sense them there again. After running his thoughts over every establishment known to him, the big man began to get frustrated and then the thought occurred to him that he had yet just to check close to home. He brought his thoughts back to the Inn of the Darken Wood and immediately picked the two up in their rooms, but they were not alone. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXXsYg16Qx
Damon saw Faldo's face turn several colors of red and a shy smile break out on his lips, “What friend?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQgJipxsQY
“I, uh, found them.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKNcjZ9iNx
“Then bring them here,” Damon said impatiently, snapping his fingers, as he stood to start to pace. Faldo's face turned crimson as he started to chuckle deeply.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7W1PQfU5fx
“I can't.” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyZqkO6ZXN
“What? Why?” Damon sputtered as he looked at his blushing friend.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LemBQJSEE
“Because I would wager my boys probably have a little company?” Wallace interceded for the floundering Faldo. These things embarrassed Faldo, who was raised as a son of a well off merchant but to the Captain, it was commonplace to seek out a whore for entertainment for the evening.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6Ed8yEpqN
“So, because our two boys up there are frolicking with some wenches you can't transport them here?” Damon asked incredulously.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqDbcIyiTa
“Well, at the moment, if I bring them I will bring well THEM,” Faldo said with some emphasis. He rubbed his hand up and down his face trying not to laugh too hard. Damon broke into what could only be described as a purely evil grin. He pointed his finger slowly at Faldo.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tuu60rBYL
“Well my friend, you have need to empty their stomachs first right?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXe1YCfK0HM
“Yeah” Faldo nodded trying to gain his composure.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0YYs5GVZs
“Hey now, that ain't right. You can't do that to my poor boys.” Wallace protested. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1470QxzNT
“Do what?” Marlin looked up from his tankard and conversation with Bethel again.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejNnbgzSlV
“They are going to separate the sin of the soldiers with vomit, dear. That way they may transport them here.” Bethel sighed a little after the explanation, “To bad it will not actually change the vile behavior of either party. That would be the true trick.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGawpn5D2Z
“Let the vomit flow freely, my friend.” Damon gave a theatrical bow to Faldo, suddenly feeling much better about the situation. Faldo gave a curt nod, and his eyes went back distant. He gave a small flick of his fingers, and from somewhere above them, women shrieking in unison could be heard, along with the slamming of heavy doors and running of bare feet. Faldo muttered a short phrase and the sick looking naked men appeared in the room, covered from their mouths to their bare knees in vomit. Vic looked sullenly around at the roomful of his compatriots, his red beard dripping and his green eyes bloodshot. Damon fell into a fit of giggling, holding himself him his mid-section.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZgFnFJ3gk
“You--,” he said in a gasp, “Are hereby summoned-- into the presence-- of almighty-- Grim.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnyQniMIM0
It was too much for Damon as he collapsed. Faldo looked on trying to suppress his own laughter as much as possible. The two men covered their stomachs hurriedly and promptly threw up on the collapsed Damon. Wedge wretched so hard it brought him to his knees directly over Damon's chest, the man sobbed after he could breathe again. The little man rolled away quickly to his feet, all mirth was gone from his face. He threw the sorcerer a venomous look.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWED2QogCZ
“I thought I told you to empty their stomachs!”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITsNrUuAwe
“Guess I missed some--” Faldo paused a little impishly, “All-mighty Grim.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGdgbrnxIX
“Get them some clothes, smart ass,” Damon flung some bile off him, “And me some too, for that matter.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MLGLZMKgY
“Glad to serve such a powerful being.” Faldo bowed as he set to the request. The two nude soldiers armor appeared on them and Damon's clothes self-cleaned. Damon's mood improved marginally as Wallace cleared his throat.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOzt6CIvkr
“Now that we are all here,” Wallace began, “I would like to begin the meeting I called.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALHmjdutno
Both Damon and Faldo looked back and forth at each other with looks of accusation and surprise.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGjCOP32W9
