Vel The Death Singer

I can’t move. The thought runs across my mind before I hear the noises. Crackling fire and horses. I’m on the ground. How? My mind struggles to think. Even though I’ve just woken up, my mind seems more hazy than it should. I can’t move. As though hit by a priest’s calm spell, it all suddenly becomes clear. Pain. Pain all over my body. I cough as my vision becomes clearer showing my room, my home burning. The horses sound louder. Screams echo all around me. I need to move. Another wave of realisation hits me. I’m under a beam from the roof. I’m trapped. The fire is getting closer. I smell death approaching and feel a cold presence behind me.

“Vel”

That voice. It doesn’t belong.

“VEL”

My eyes snap open. My breath ragged, I look across the small inn room. A dream. It was so real.

“Vel, come on, we’ve gotta move.” I glance to the doorway and see her standing there. Amur. Her face partially hidden beneath her hood. She’s looking out into the hallway and beckoning to me repeatedly. “Come on Vel, the rest are waiting, we’ve gotta move now. The guardsmen are on their way here and they won’t be as kind as last time.” Guards? Oh right. I nod and swiftly get up, my senses returning. We don’t exchange any more words. I grab my belt, my daggers and my cloak and pull my hood up. We leave hurriedly. I place an extra gold on the counter as we pass and place a finger to my lips before pulling my mask up. The kindly old dwarf behind the counter sighs and nods her head before taking the gold coin. We exit the inn into the paved streets which are bustling with people. Some kind of festival?

“It’s the festival of the lost Goddess, Vel. We can use the noise and crowds to escape.” I nod to her. My head still feels strange. I can’t shake the feeling of my dream, nor can I remember it. I feel a cold presence behind me. I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. “Come on, we’ve got a wagon and a couple horses waiting by the merchants’ district. They’ve offered us quite a handsome reward for transporting some goods over to the second capital.” Amur gazes back at me as we weave through the crowds, her words somehow sounding like they’re right in my ear, despite the noise. As expected of a thief. Her skills are limitless when it comes to these things. We slink past the adventurers’ guild, spying groups of varying races and classes. “Vel, check out that tiefling. She’s covered in lizards.” Amur stifles her laugh as we pass a rather rag-tag group of adventures, attempting to corral the lizards while a small goblin watches on, looking completely bemused by the sight.

As we pass the drunks laid out around the draft house, we approach a large storage warehouse. The crowds are much thinner now and Amur lowers her hood, letting the tight curls of her hair breathe. She takes a quick look back at me and smiles, flashing her golden tooth. “See, I could have left you there for them to find, in bed whimpering like a rosy-cheeked copper plate adventurer facing down a leviathan. But no, lovely lady Amur came to get you. Couldn’t bear to see what they’d do if they finally caught the poster boy of crime across this fair country. Public execution? Public torture? Who knows what they would have done to you without…” I fling a bag of silver and copper at her. It hits her chest with a thud and cuts her off. She gleefully opens it and begins counting. I pass her and lower my mask. I flash her a half-hearted smile then pull it back up. “Well, I guess that the most I’ll get out of you, death singer.”

We entered the building to find a burly dwarven man arguing with a half-orc woman. The discussion quickly stopped as the woman took note of our arrival. She glanced between the two of us, her dark eyes sizing us both up. Did she alert the guards? My hand slowly drifts towards the concealed dagger on my back.

“Calm down, short stuff. I happen to know you don’t need that thing to kill me and I ain’t interested in fighting your or your crew.” She barked at me.

“HIS crew?” I hear indignation in her voice as Amur steps forward, her hand now on her own weapon “HIS. Crew?” She repeats, staring up into the eyes of the half-orc. “You think this little child could have gotten anywhere without me? I’ll have you know that I’ve robbed more nobles and kings than you’ve had hot meals. And by lookin’ at you, that’s saying something.” I roll my eyes and catch the dwarf looking at me. I nod once and attempt a small wave, but he quickly looks away. He knows. I step forward and place a hand on Amur’s shoulder and gesture back to the outside. She stares down at me and rolls her eyes. “We’ve got to be going now. Where’s the wagon?”

The half-orc leads us outside to a small path, barely tall enough for her to fit into. The markings on the walls look like they were made years apart. This wasn’t always this tall. Perhaps the dwarf extended it for her. As we exit, the sunlight beams down into our face directly. I take a quick note of where we are. The outerwall of Low Drayzon tower behind us. I take a deep breath, glad to finally be out of the city. As I look around I spy the wagon hitched to the edge of the forest nearby I see a large burly human monk, shirtless and seemingly completely shaved, tending to one of the horses and a sullen Elf, whose long slicked black hair looks like woven silk if it had been dipped in grease a few thousand times, loading up the cart. Benzi and Pol’zen both made it then. I was concerned after the guards were alerted last night. I search the tree line but don’t see anyone else. I glance at Amur and hold up 2 fingers. She looks at me then takes note of the wagon herself.

“Huh, where is Sothea? I thought she’d be here by now…” As the words leave her mouth I glance over to the trees once more and see a Satyr woman stumble out. She stands out like always despite her diminutive size. Ruby red corset on with a black leather jacket over it. She seems unsteady on her feet as she leans on a tree. We bid farewell and thank you to the half orc then continued on. As we approached the conversation grew louder and suddenly Pol’zen’s strict dulcet tone hit my ears.

“Really fair this Benzi. I can literally speak to that animal you’re playing with and despite that you’re allowing me to do all the heavy lifting. You call yourself a monk”

“I’m as much a monk as our little goat legged friend over there is a smash hit, that is to say not at all” At those words I see Sothea’s ears twitch a top her head. She stumbles up to Benzi and clears her throat.

“I. have. A. r...r...riddle for you.” she says grinning from ear to ear, swaying as she looks up to the towering monk

“And what would that be my little drunkard?”

“What, my sweet, hunky, lazy...man person…Is brown, with splotches of green and orange all over...ALL over it?” She giggles to herself again but steadies herself on his leg.

“I don’t know. What is brown with…” As he began to answer Sothea immediately vomited all over his shoes. Laughing like a child as he jumped back in sheer horror. “YOU WRETCHED LITTLE DRUNK” She ignored him cackling louder as she collapsed onto her back rolling in the grass

“You know that wouldn’t have happened if you’d have been helping load the wagon” An unapologetic voice calls out from the back of the wagon.

“Now now, let’s not fight in front of the child” Amur calls out as we approach. “We can’t corrupt our precious little boy now can we?” I shoot her a bored look as I walk to the back to help Pol’zen. “Don’t be mad at me little one! Or else I’ll let Sothea loose near you!” As though hypnotised by the words Sothea’s ears twitch and her laughter stops immediately. She flips from her back onto her feet and looks towards me. Not again. I brace myself as I make eye contact with her. Not again please. I take a fighting stance but before I can properly steady myself she’s pounced and wrapped her arms around me.

“VEEEEEEEEELLLLLL I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEEEEEAAAAD” She bawls uncontrollably into my tunic. I attempt to push her off me but her grip tightens “WHEN WE HEARD THAT AMUR TRIGGERED THE ALARM WHILE YOU WERE STILL INSIDE WE ALL BOLTED AND AND AND….” I can smell the ale on her breath still. I take one deep breath and look her in the eyes. I smile and gesture to myself. She stares blankly at me and I feel her hands start to move slightly up to my armpits. I grab a hold of her hands tightly and shake my head at her. As though he sensed it I feel another set of hands grab mine.

“Let go of the boy Sothea. Unless you intend to kill us all by making him laugh” Pol’zen’s words freeze everyone in their place. I swallow hard avoiding eye contact with them all. “I know you might think it your life goal to make him laugh, and while I don’t speak for the rest of the group, I would personally rather not die by the death singer’s curse.” His words aren’t said with malice but it still hurts. I’ve been with them for 2 years and he still worries about it. I feel Sothea’s grip loosen and she slides off me. She doesn’t look at me as she apologises softly and climbs into the back of the wagon. I turn and face Pol’zen and pull my mask down smiling and nodding at him in appreciation. “It’s not that I don’t trust you Vel, nor am I afraid of you” It’s like he can read my mind. “Nor can I read your mind. But us elves live much longer and are more attuned with our surroundings than you Humans. I’ve grown to be cautious of anyone who gathers as much interest of the council of elders as you do.” I sigh and nod in agreement. He’s right. As usual. I help him stock the back of the wagon. My mind awash with attempting to remember my dream but failing instead listening to Benzi complain about Sothea to Amur while she mounted the front of the wagon.

Once we had fully loaded it we climbed in the back too. Sothea had nestled herself up against a bag of grain and was seemingly peacefully asleep. I lean back against the canvas walls and close my eyes. I hate that they’re still scared of me. How long has it been since I spoke? Was it the last harvest? No. Longer? What does my voice sound like? My thoughts swirl around my mind like school of infant murlocs running from an owlbear. Half a day passes before Sothea awakens. Benzi and Amur sit upfront as we trundle along the country paths between Low Drayzon and...Wait where are we heading? I take my book from my belt and piece of charcoal from a pouch and write the question and show it to Pol’zen. He glances at it.

“We’re heading to Brozenforge” He says, sounding uncharacteristically cheerful. He smirks, noticing the confused look in my eyes. “I am happy because that means I will be able to visit the archer’s guild. I’m in need of some new bolts for my crossbow after the little mishap at the noble’s ball last night”

“Oh you were a lifesaver with that shot!” Sothea pipes up suddenly. “I was for sure that none of those guards would be strong enough to resist my charm spell once I got on stage”

“Well you were obviously mistaken. Luckily I spotted him making his way to you and got him before he could snap anyone else out of it.”

“So, Vel, What happened in the vault?” Sothea looks inquisitively at me cocking her head to the side and staring into my eyes. “You can tell us. It was all Amur’s fault right?”

“OI” A loud voice calls from the front of the wagon “IT WAS NOT MY FAULT” I can’t help but smile at that. I write quickly.

I got in but there was a golem. Amur took him out after I broke one of my daggers on it.

“Hm, A golem is a rather large and unnecessary expense for a vault. Unless you were expecting a really high level thief to get in” Sothea slumps back looking confused.

“Or you were expecting a boy who can kill anything that hears him speak” Pol’zen says coldly. “Could they have been expecting Vel?”

“What? Have you been chewing the knocking grass again Polzy? Who in their right mind sets up one elaborate trap for the off chance a kid breaks into your highly guarded magical vault? Even the orc children know that future sight magic is an insanely rare skill people are born with. It’s not like they could train someone just to predict burglaries.” The little satyr crosses her arms looking irritated

“I’m saying, what if they knew he’d be coming so they increased security. What if they did know that Vel was coming? Either through spying on him or by having someone with precognition” I can’t help but shift uncomfortably at his words.

“Hm. It feels like you’re just trying to blame Vel.”

“I am not trying to blame him.” The elf states with a slight twitch in his eye. “I am suggesting we need to start picking our leads and contacts with more caution.” I hold up my hand to stop Sothea as she’s about to speak. I point to Pol’zen and nod. “See he agrees with me. If Vel is right in his thinking that the people who cursed him are in some way linked to these nobles, well it’s safe to say that they may even be fooling the council of elders and attempting to track him down specifically to hide their tracks. We need to play this much more smart. We’re not playing cards in a tavern with a bunch of ignorant goblins. We’re playing a war game with a mastermind.”

Sothea looks away, her eyes shifting. She lets out a huff before nodding in agreement. I lean over and place a hand on her shoulder. I lower my mask and smile. This must be hard for them. Before I joined they were just a band of thieves now they’re wanted criminals. Still, precognition huh? I thought those powers only worked if you were able to see the situation. A cold shiver runs down my spine. No, no one is spying on me. I’d have noticed right? Surely someone would have noticed...right? I glance around for reassurance from the thoughts swimming through my head. I stare at Pol’zen desperate for the Elf intuition to kick in but as his eyes meet mine he looks confused. I guess he really can’t read minds.

I close my eyes and slump my mind, still swimming with a million thoughts. I hear passing adventures and merchants chatter along the path slowly growing in frequency. We must be getting close. While trying to calm my mind I hear Amur talking quietly. She seems to be whispering to Benzi.

“S’not his fault and that’s it. We’re not discussing this again ok?” I try to focus my mind. Amur may be a master thief but her voice is always easy to pick out of the clutter of other noises. “He took that thing on like a champion. Knocked it back too. How many kids do you know could swing a steel dagger hard enough to crack it on a golem?”

“Yes, yes you’re very proud of your boy. All I’m saying is, is this the best life for him? I know monasteries to the south where no one speaks a word he’d be at home…”

“He. Is. Home.” Amur cuts Benzi’s words out of the air so fast I could practically hear them fall. She really cares for me. It’s good to know she has my back. I suddenly hear another noise. Something fast approaching. East of, no, North east of us. I jump up and poke my head out interrupting and surprising both Amur and Benzi. I signal Amur. Pointing to my ears then in the direction. She pauses for a second focusing on the tree line.