- Rune Breaker: Chapter 13 – Tales of the Rune Breaker
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 14 – Another’s Darkness
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 15 – The Tenth
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 16 – Daire City
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 17 – The Flaw in the Myth
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 18 – The Trinigon Arena
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 19 – Citadel
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 20 – Audience
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 21 – Sparring Sessions
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 22 – Grace From Outside
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 23 – Old Soldier
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 24 – Bones of the Earth
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 25 – Matasume the Wind
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 26 – Devices
- Rune Breaker: Chapter 27 – Ashes of The Dawn
“Miss Brin! Miss Brin!” Layaka called from a booth. “Oh, these are all so darling! You must come see!” She was holding up a carving of a lap-bear and another of a cat. Brin chuckled softly and nodded to the others before trotting over to humor the girl.
“What was that about?” Taylin wrinkled her brow at the question in front of her. “And what is ash chalk?”
Rai rolled her eyes. “You’ve heard of spirit beasts and how even lesser beasts are nearly impossible to kill without magic, yes?” Taylin nodded. “It’s because they heal damned fast and don’t stop until you separate the head from the body. For Greater Beasts, that won’t stop them either. But ash chalk… there’s something in it that keeps wounds from healing. Once it gets in their blood, they stop healing, so even one chalked blade can let a group kill one of the things.”
“But they’re so rare. Why not just avoid them?”
“Rare in your time.” Rai says, sounding almost envious. She maneuvered both of them toward the booth where Brin and Layaka were. “But since the Ashing, there’s been more and more of them. It used to be that they’d avoid the caravans altogether, but sometimes, we run into one that doesn’t—and we’ll be glad to have the chalk then.”
Taylin nodded her understanding and Rai gave her an approving glance. It wasn’t the first time she’d provided the lessons her sister needed instead of Kaiel.
Someone cleared their throat off to the left of the pair and they looked to find an older man in priestly robes and a wide brimmed hat. He was tall for a human, taller than Ru or Kaiel, and narrow at both shoulder and hip. His robes hung about his figure in a relaxed and almost haphazard manor with the sash loose. He had a long, gray beard with the bare minimum of grooming and long, unkempt hair the same color.
His brown eyes practically sang with amusement and beneath his beard, he wore a broad, closed-mouthed smile. “If I might trouble you for some of your time, ladies.” His voice was strong and rich with a hint of laughter in it. Affecting a bow, he made sure to shake from one sleeve a chain woven iron and gold, wrapped with care around his wrist and the heal of his hand. It held, secure on the inside of his wrist, a golden, six sided dice, each face showing nine pips.
This, he displayed to Raiteria, for it was she who his attention was focused on. “The One Dice informs me that you, good lady halfling, are in fact nir-lumos and indeed of the Clan of the Winter Willow.”
Rai folded her arms and raised both brows at him. “Would that have anything to do with the One Dice noticing the caravan arriving last night under the banner of the Winter Willow?”
The priest of Pandemos laughed heartily. “At times, I worship the god in the aspect of blinding flashes of the obvious. But it has allowed me to speak with you on a matter of great importance.”
“Say on.” While Rai was bantering, Taylin took stock of the canvas bag on the man’s hip. It clanked whenever he moved overly much. Were these grenades like the ones Percival Cloudherd carried?
“You can call me Dactus Salea.” He tossed off a casual introduction. “I’m part of the local temple. The new local temple in fact. Old Solgrum burned our old one to the ground when he took over, but on quite unfortunate plague of bad luck in his largest logging camp changed the bastard’s mind.” He winked dramatically. “We had the festival to open it last night and today, we feel the need to consecrate it with a bit more revelry; a Trinigon Arena match, to be exact; a bit of free wine, a bit of betting, just as the One Dice enjoys.”
He scrubbed his hand through his beard as if something perplexed him about the plan. “Only problem is, we’re mostly just tottering old men and women here, the young priests left after one little set back.”
“The burning of your temple?” Rai supplied. By now, Brin and Layaka were listening as well.
“Absolutely.” Dactus bit out the word. “Most of them didn’t even see the beauty of the thing. Pandemos only needs a mule with a wine cask on its back for a temple, and Solgrum may as well have rolled over and told us to punch him in his belly doing what he did.
“In any event, we’re not the fighting kind and a Trinigon Arena ain’t much fun without some weapon play to bet on. Say, I notice that I spy among you a very sharp spear, a very large sword, and a pair of kukris that are the stuff of legend…”
Taylin bit her lip. “I don’t want to hurt anyone for entertainment.”
Dactus scoffed. “And Lord Pandemos wouldn’t want you too, either. That’s why it’s a Trinigon Arena; we draw a consecration circle of the invincible on the ground first; makes any injury from a weapon into a bruise.”
That piqued her interest. Every ship she’d ever been on had one of those drawn over the forecastle to protect the captain from snipers. It took considerable effort from casters and drained them greatly. It shocked her that someone would maintain one for fun. And yet…
“I think I should only use my sword to protect people, either way.” She finally gave voice to the deeper concern she held beyond just the idea of brutality as entertainment.
Again, Dactus was more amused then disappointed. “Ah, another one of those. Funny to see more than one in the city at a time, but Lord Pandemos honors all small gods as if they were part of the Pantheon. Say no more.” Taylin was going to ask what he meant, but Layaka interrupted.
“Miss Brin can do it! She’s amazing and she’ll win against anyone!”
Brin rolled her eyes, but shifted the Barratta on her shoulders so the rings jingled. “I can’t promise all that, but I’m not just going to fight for someone else’s fun, Priest Salea. What do I get for winning?”
It seemed impossible, but Dactus’s smile grew even more. “Now this is the talk the One Dice likes hearing. Should you win, and I have no doubt that you will, the temple will be proud to share one full-mark for every ten wagered against you.”
“Three.” Brin said instantly.
“Three is a lot of money and we’ve only just rebuilt or temple.” Dactus pretended to whine.
“The only temple Pandemos needs is a mule with a cask on his back.” Rai recalled with a sage expression.
Dactus made a face. “True, but it is a very big cask and a very strong mule. But if it’s wine you want, I will give you a bottle of your choice ahead of your promise alone.” He opened the bag at his side to reveal that the clanking was, in fact, nearly a dozen slim bottles. “Any one of these, and I promise you that they are all delicious, all exotic.” He snatched two bottle from the bag and idly juggled them.
“I am thirsty.” said Brin, “But all the same, I’m a contractor for the Historical Society, so my time is more valuable than one of ten.”
“Ah, a treasure thief.” Dactus didn’t hide his mirth at Brin’s reaction to the name. “I suppose we can, as a temple, part with a small treasure of magical power if you win.” To the priest’s credit, he didn’t take his eyes off Brin as she considered, not even when Ru appeared behind Taylin.
Finally, Brin nodded, causing Layaka to squeal with delight. “You have a bargain, Priest Salea. On one condition: I want a fun fight; you implied one of the others fighting me is a disciple of a small god—Mother of Blades?” Dactus nodded. “I want to fight him. Circle on, but no other rules. Do we have an accord?”
Something sparkled in Dactus’s eyes. “Aye. We’ve got an accord. Something tells me that the One Dice will be proud of what happens in the Arena today.”
