The Realm Between: A LitRPG Saga (Books 7 - 10), page 63
Worn Leather Backpack
Inventory Slots: 12
Weight Capacity: 20.0 kg
Item Class: Common
Quality: Poor
Weight: 2.27 kg
The dark leather of the bag was cracked along the edges, and there were several holes in it. How it was able to hold anything, Azure didn’t know.
“This isn’t mine.” He offered it back to Jin.
The elf refused to take it. “It is now.”
An irritated sigh passed through Azure’s lips. He now knew why Jin hadn’t wanted to give him his bag back in Smallguard. Elohrel had decided to keep it. This was likely only going to get worse.
“Do I even want to look inside?” he asked as the elf passed everyone else’s bags to them.
“I’m afraid you won’t find much in there,” Jin confessed.
Uden’s eyes widened as he tore the top of his bag open and peered inside. “Son of a bitch! How could you let them take all our stuff?! Do you have any idea what I had to go through to recover my belongings from the sellswords? Now you’re expecting me to do it again?” He planted his feet in the dirt, effectively calling them all to a halt.
“This is disappointing.” Rerdam frowned at the contents of his bag. “Especially after everything we just endured.”
The elf spun around and got into the half-imp’s face. “You will do no such thing! What we left in Smallguard stays in Smallguard. There’s no going back for it.”
As the two of them argued, Azure assessed the damage to his own belongings. Seeing just how much was missing made his heart drop. His Silk Leggings of Life, Bow of the Defiant, Alligator Tooth Earring, Crossbow of Weak Fear, Cultist's Reveal Staff, and Pirate's Cord were gone. So were all his arrows. Out of everything else that had been in his Bag of Holding, he had only been left with 50 gold, 10 pieces of raw boar meat, and 5 Potions of Minor Healing. Hundreds of gold worth of items were gone. With the coin that was also missing, he was probably down a thousand gold, if not more.
Azure sucked in a breath, trying to still himself. To keep the rage building inside of him at bay, he had to remind himself that he had not expected to come away with anything. Despite all his trying, though, he could not help but be pissed off.
Jin patted him on the back. “Breathe. I know this sucks. I lost a lot, too. Things I didn’t feel I could afford to lose. We all did.”
“Did you really lose anything important?” Azure eyed the elf sharply. He had been given back his Dark Cloak of Racial Concealment. There was no way of seeing beneath it.
In response, Jin brushed it aside, showing Azure that he was missing both of his daggers—priceless Elven heirlooms. It appeared that Jin had also paid the tax for their lives, which should have made Azure happy but didn’t. They had all walked away weaker than they had come, and that did not bode well for any dangers that lay ahead.
“It looks like we were each left with one primary weapon,” Rerdam voiced what Azure had begun to suspect.
“I can’t guarantee I won’t go back and try to reclaim my things,” Uden declared. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he was clearly pouting.
None of them were happy about the situation.
“If you had just waited for me, this might not have happened,” Princess Zadori chastised the elf.
He didn’t bother to argue. For him, this had been a very expensive and unpleasant lesson in patience.
The party made it back to the encampment unmolested, drawing the attention of a few of the sellswords as they broke through the tree line into sight.
“Well, I’ll be a banshee’s ass,” Nabar said as they passed.
Azure’s group paid no mind to him, making a beeline for Pin’s tent.
Not even bothering to announce themselves, Jin led them inside. The tent was spacious. At the back was a desk, which they found Pin sitting behind. To the right was a cot piled with furs. It appeared that the business owner had had a feather mattress transported from wherever he had come from. On the left side of the room was a wooden dining table big enough to seat six. Behind it stood a tall cabinet. Azure briefly wondered if the man invited some of the sellswords to dine with him on occasion or if the table was set there for far away visitors.
It was only when Jin spoke that Pin looked up from a piece of parchment he had been reading, as if they had intruded as softly as ghosts—unseen and unheard. “We have just returned from Smallguard with terms from The Sapphire Eye Warriors.”
“Oh?” The businessman’s voice was full of interest. “Were you able to get them to agree to relocate?”
Azure immediately feared he would accept nothing less.
Ignoring the question, the elf launched into the terms. “They will agree to let your men retrieve sapphires that they have mined, but they will only allow a few select individuals on their land. These men will have to go through a trial by combat to prove their worth. Should they pass, they will also be required to lie with the women over the course of three days.
“Though that probably sounds great in theory, in practice, it is less so. Elohrel, the tribe leader of Smallguard, demands that the men be tied down and drugged with laceflower incense. Once the three days expire, the men will be unshackled, given the sapphires, and allowed to leave. Those are their terms.”
Pin chuckled lightly. “And I’m guessing they want an exorbitant amount for the sapphires, too.”
“Should you agree to their terms, they will sell the sapphires to you at a reasonable price. One where you can expect to make a fine profit,” Jin replied.
“Hm.” The businessman scratched his chin. “If the men won’t be mining the sapphires themselves, I could just send women.”
Jin shook his head. “It won’t work. Elohrel wants strong men to help continue the bloodline of her people. That’s the reason for the trial by combat.”
“And should a man that I send fail?” Pin asked.
The elf hesitated. “He would not return.”
It didn’t take much for the businessman to understand the implications of his words. “I see.”
“If you are worried that the miners in your employ are not skilled enough, then pick your strongest sellswords, but choose wisely. Any breach of trust will likely cause this agreement to fall through. Then you’d be right back where you started. Do not send Nabar or any of his men. You need to send people who are strong but also honest and willing to submit as guests of The Sapphire Eye Warriors,” Jin advised.
“There’s no such thing as an honest sellsword.” Pin huffed. “Are you guys available for hire? You’ve already been there and returned alive.” He looked at the men in front of him.
Azure and Rerdam shared an uncomfortable glance.
“I’m afraid not,” the elf spoke for them. “We will have to return to Dyasitet after we wrap things up here, then it’s on to The Deathlands.”
“Ohhh, we’re going to The Deathlands after this?” Uden piped up excitedly.
Everyone ignored him.
The businessman hummed, seeming distant for a moment as he thought. “My biggest concern with these terms is hiring men for the job. Considering that it’s high-risk and there’s no guarantee of return, I’m afraid the wage I’d have to pay might be more than the sapphires are worth.”
“You’re already paying a lot of coin to keep these sellswords here on standby for a war that may or may not happen.” Jin gestured to the door of the tent. “I’m sure you’ll be paying much less for this peaceful solution.”
“I will have to think about it,” Pin decided finally.
Azure groaned inwardly. He had naively hoped that the owner of Hidden Gems Mining Company would have agreed immediately to the terms, but there was no such luck.
“Take as much time as you need,” Jin said stiffly. “We will be waiting for your response.”
The two men nodded at each other, and then the elf led his party out of the tent.
Once outside, they all seemed to deflate a bit.
“I don’t think he’s going to agree unless we can get The Sapphire Eye Warriors to relocate,” Princess Zadori thought out loud.
“You know as well as I do that they’re not going to leave Smallguard.” Jin looked at her. “It’s this or nothing.”
The half-imp stepped up close to Azure and whispered, “I hope he decides quickly. It is not safe for me to stay here.”
Azure was suddenly reminded that Uden was wearing his own armor, and Nabar had seen it on their way in. No doubt, the sellswords would piece together that the half-imp had robbed them.
“I have a solution for this,” the elf broke in, having been eavesdropping.
“Oh?” Uden was all ears.
“Just go ahead of us to Dyasitet. We will be along shortly.” Jin gestured toward The Crystal Forest. “At worst, it should only take us a few more days to wrap up here. We will be fine without you.”
“Are you sure?” The half-imp raised an eyebrow. “Sounds to me like you’re just trying to get rid of me.”
“It’s either that or you get murdered in the middle of the night by sellswords,” the elf said pointedly. “We can’t be around to protect you every waking hour of the day. Besides, this quest has already been rough on all of us. You’d be doing both yourself and us a favor. The sellswords have no beef with us.” He made a sweeping gesture to encompass the rest of their party.
“What are you guys talking about?” Princess Zadori looked from Jin to Uden. “Did something happen while I was away?”
The next several minutes were spent with the half-imp relaying his sob story in as low of a voice as he could manage. Princess Zadori chastised him for cheating at gambling, then gasped when she heard of what the sellswords had done to him. By the end of it all, she was on the same page as the elf, thinking it best that Uden should leave the encampment as soon as possible.
“He’s right.” Azure backed up Jin. “You’re not safe here, and that means we’re all in danger as long as you remain.”
The half-imp lowered his face, thinking for a moment. Then his head began to bob, and he inhaled a breath. “You’re right.”
“Let us walk with you for a few miles to make sure you’re not followed. I will have Small Owl go with you after that to ensure your safety until his range expires,” the elf offered.
Azure was surprised by Jin’s sudden generosity toward Uden. Normally, the elf would not have given two shits about what happened to the half-imp.
“Thank you.” Uden smiled at him. “That is very kind.”
“We have to take care of our own.” Jin clapped the half-imp on the shoulder, further confusing Azure.
“Are you guys…friends now?” He pointed from Jin to Uden.
“Not yet, but we’re getting there,” the elf said with a smile, looking at the half-imp as if they were sharing a secret.
“It looks like we must have missed something.” Rerdam smirked.
As Jin had said they would, the party led Uden away from the encampment, spending most of the day walking with him. Small Owl patrolled from the sky to make sure they weren’t being followed. Since none of the sellswords knew about the owl, they probably wouldn’t bother Stealthing themselves to hide from his aerial view.
Thankfully, no one did try to pursue them. Perhaps the news of the half-imp’s return hadn’t made it around the encampment yet. Or maybe the sellswords thought the group was leaving again, and they were getting paid too much to care. Whatever the circumstances, Azure was grateful that they didn’t have even more threats to deal with. Missing most of the armor that had given him boosts to Strength and Vitality, he felt a lot more vulnerable. It was not a pleasant thing to come back to when many of the sellswords had already been stronger than him even before he’d lost his gear.
About two miles out, they stopped and said their goodbyes, promising to meet up again at The Crystal Forest in front of Dyasitet’s tree whenever the quest was complete. A round of hugs was given, showing the friendships that had been built over their long travels. Even Jin embraced Uden, which was strange for all of them to witness.
As they finally parted ways, Azure couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever see the half-imp again. While he knew that his friend was a grown man, Uden was prone to getting himself into trouble. What would happen if someone wasn’t there to bail him out? Azure didn’t even want to think about it.
GOD OF LIFE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
THE REALM – DAY 782
Azure could hear an uproar at the encampment before they even reached the clearing where it was situated. The sound of raised voices made them all quicken their pace only to find that Pin Virgursk had called a meeting with the sellswords. They gathered around his tent, discussing the terms that The Sapphire Eye Warriors had provided them with.
“I need volunteers,” the businessman said, standing on a wooden box to look out over the crowd. “The mission will be dangerous, but you will be well-compensated for your efforts. Those who volunteer should be absolutely confident in their fighting abilities and able to follow directions. Right now, it is crucial to appease The Sapphire Eye Warriors. Any treachery will likely cause a battle that we are not prepared for.
“I would like all of you to stay here until after we have forged the deal. Afterward, those who have not volunteered may leave with their promised wages.”
A quest notification popped up, presumably for everyone who had heard the speech.
Quest: Booty for Booty
Pin Virgursk is currently in negotiations with The Sapphire Eye Warriors for a peaceful resolution to acquiring the sapphires he seeks. He requires several strong fighters willing to test their strength and share their bodies without the promise of pleasure. Successful completion of this quest could lead to long-term employment. Do you have what it takes to complete the combat trials set by the strongest women in Sheidan?
Difficulty: Hard
Success: Complete the trial set by The Sapphire Eye Warriors and bring back sapphires
Failure: Die
Reward: 10 gold, Ability to Repeat the Quest
Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?
Azure was surprised to see that the quest was repeatable. The reward also seemed generous enough. No doubt, there should be some takers. As for Azure, he quietly declined.
Of course, Nabar and his crew of thugs were the first to step forward. For a moment, it seemed like Pin was going to accept their application for the job until he noticed the elf and his friends standing on the sidelines.
He coughed awkwardly before redirecting his attention to the sellsword. “Sorry. That was sent to you by mistake. I need you and your men to stay here and guard the encampment.”
“That was no mistake,” Rerdam grumbled under his breath, glaring at the business owner.
“Well,” Nabar placed a hand on his hip, “then ey hope you’ll compensate us equally. Seems not right ta let everyone else have a shot at this generous amount o’ coin.” He looked to his men, who nodded in agreement.
Pin’s jaw tensed. Displeasure was written all over his face as he glanced at Jin, then back at the sellsword. “I’m sure we can come to an amicable agreement.” Knowing better than to let the argument continue, he gazed past them and called to the rest of the onlookers, “Who else would like to volunteer?”
A few of the sellswords took the opportunity, including Rhehnun. Azure wasn’t sure he was the best choice because of his drinking, but he seemed like an honest enough man—definitely more pleasant to be around than most other sellswords. By the end of the meeting, five sellswords had stepped forward, which Azure thought should be more than enough to give Elohrel’s terms a try.
“Excellent,” the elf whispered, mirroring the sentiment of his group.
“Excellent,” Pin parroted, as if he had somehow heard Jin from further away than a hushed voice could carry. Clasping his hands together, the businessman turned to the elf. “You will carry word of the agreement to The Sapphire Eye Warriors. Then we shall try these terms out.”
“Of course.” Jin nodded.
All of them felt a wave of relief that the quest was almost over, but there was still a tightness in Azure’s chest that would not go away thinking about returning to Smallguard. The anger of losing his items hadn’t yet abated, but he knew he would do whatever his king commanded. Still, he could not help but voice his thoughts.
“I do not want to go back,” he admitted to the elf as the crowd began to disperse.
“I do not blame you.” Jin shook his head. “I do not want to go back either.”
“Then I shall go,” Princess Zadori offered.
Silence fell over the men as they looked at one another.
While none of them wanted to return to Smallguard, Jin knew that his duty lay in protecting the princess. For a moment, he thought about accompanying her on his own, but he still did not trust the sellswords. If they were followed and a skirmish broke out, he would need Rerdam and Azure to survive it, especially since the only weapon he’d been left with was his bow.
“We will all go,” he decided finally. “But we won’t leave until the morning. I do not want to get stuck spending the night in Smallguard again.”
It was unusual for the elf to not hurry them along. Azure couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had happened to him to make him hate Smallguard just as much as the rest of them. From what Azure had been able to tell, Jin had almost as much freedom as Princess Zadori when they had been inside the village. Whatever the case, none of them argued, unanimously agreeing that they should wait until the following morning.
Things seemed to go smoothly as they set up camp, though Nabar made sure to stop by and bother them after they were done. His two lackeys stood behind him like guards.
“Where’s your slimy little friend?” he asked Azure.
By that point, everyone was sitting around the fire in silence. Jin was feeding logs to it, the crackling of the disturbed embers filling the spaces between the voices of the sellswords talking at their own camps.
