Blackrock Mercenaries

Breakfast was a far more somber affair than dinner had been. None of us felt much like talking, and I relied on Poker Face to stop myself showing how hungover I was. Out of the four of our group, Captain Juscar was holding up the best. Though even he spoke quietly, and moved with a touch of gingerness that hadn't been present the night before.

After eating, I organized the horses and coach, readying them for our trip to the docks. Captain Juscar and his first mate, a woman with patches of green scales across her face called Vivian, joined the trip. The two spoke quietly about logistics, and they were the only ones to board the boat when we arrived.

More of Juscar's crew met us at the dock, and then they began loading the few boxes onto the coach. To my relief, they supplied the rope, and appeared happy to keep the noise to the minimum while they worked. From the way Juscar glared at a man who coughed too loudly, it appeared I wasn't the only one.

That done, Vivian saluted the captain, and we made our way out of the small town. People watched as we left, but none tried to flag us down. The road towards Catswatch was empty, though long. Rita sat with me, her gaze flicking towards each thicket we passed as we drove. Overhead, the sky turned grey. It started as a few clouds until it became an encompassing blanket.

Behind us, I could hear Captain Juscar telling stories that made Penny laugh, and Sasha groan. A memory came to me. My father sat beside me, and the sounds of hooves on stone were loud, though not enough to drown out the drunken nobleman who joked with his small group. They had been discussing tax rates, not that I had understood it at the time. I was simply happy to be along for the ride.

"Chad?" Rita asked, bringing me out of my memory.

I glanced towards her, seeing her watching the side of the road, her hand resting on her sword. "Yes? Trouble?"

"There's a monster in there, but it's sleeping and I doubt it'll bother us. But I wanted to ask. Why did you take this job? I don't mind it, but you're not the generous type."

"Oh, that." I didn't watch the trees. Her eyesight was better than mine and I didn't want to worry myself. "Because it's simple. He needed goods transferred, and we were available. It's not much in terms of coin, but it's something. We need every little we can scheme our hands on to pay off our largest current expense. Plus, a document claiming that we're both trustworthy and competent will open more doors for us."

"My expense. Not the companies."

Her words were firm, but I waved her away. "You run the company, so it is an expense we have to pay off. Unless you have a secret stash of gold you're not telling me about?"

"No." She chuckled, but didn't say more.

"I didn't think so." My gaze moved to the sky, and I frowned. "If we were a larger company, and you were being paid an actual salary instead of a share, I would say it's your responsibility. However, I'm smart enough to know that Penny and Sasha will give you their money towards paying it off. So it makes sense to treat it as a company expense."

"Damn right we would!" Penny called out cheerfully, once again proving their excellent hearing.

"Thank you," Rita said, though she didn't say if it was for me or them. "Do you plan on taking on every opportunistic job we come across?"

"No, not unless it's something like this. We're heading to Catswatch, anyway. I'm not going out of my way to add more time unless we have to."

She nodded along, appearing satisfied with that. The rest of the trip we spent discussing menial matters. At one point, we stopped so she could swap with Sasha, who simply closed her eyes and took a nap.

With the cloud cover, it was hard to tell how late it was when we arrived in town, but I didn't need Rita's instincts to know something was wrong. There were no guards on the wall, and the wooden gate was wide open. I squinted, trying to see through the gloom, as there were no lights on in the town at all.

As we reached the gate, I could smell a familiar scent. Incense. The same smell came from the box on the roof. No one met us, even after we waited for a minute. Beside me, Sasha yawned and looked around.

"Trouble?"

"No one is here," I said. "Can you hear anything?"

She shook her head and clutched her bag to her chest. It clinked, and I wondered exactly what she had brought. A noise had me cracking around, and I saw Rita sticking her head out the window.

"Captain Juscar says we should head for the church. That's where we need to drop the supplies off, and the priest should be in."

"Alright."

I listened to her directions, and then snapped the reins, urging the horses forward. The sound of their footsteps on the cobblestones was loud, and I did my best to peer around. None of the stone buildings had lights in them, and I couldn't hear any people. Next to me, Sasha gripped my arm and leaned in.

"Chad," she whispered. "Every window we passed has an incense stick in it. Though they're stubs now."

"Thanks for letting me know," I said, unsure of what to do with that information.

The hair on the back of my neck prickled, and I glanced left. Down an alleyway, I swore I saw movement. Whatever I had glimpsed vanished quickly, and I tried to get the horses to pick up the pace. Hubarrah snorted at me instead, refusing. None of the others would either.

With slow movements, we moved through the town until we found the church. It was an old ramshackle building. The roof sagged, and the circular stained glass window above the door showed signs of cracking. However, it was also the only building with any form of light inside.

I parked the coach as close to the side of the building as I could before slipping down and helping Sasha to her feet. Rita opened the door, and she, Penny, and Captain Juscar spilled out. Voices from inside quieted, and I reached for my gun.

"Follow my lead," Rita said, tone firm. "Don't do anything stupid. If we need to negotiate, Chad, you're up. Something is wrong here. Badly wrong. Undead maybe? I'm not sure yet."

"They have incense stubs in all the windows. I couldn't tell if it's blessed or laced with anything else," Sasha added.

Rita frowned, her ears flicking. Somewhere, I heard a soft moan and the shuffling of feet. Zombies weren't an uncommon occurrence in bard tales. Everyone liked the story of the group of plucky survivors beating the odds. I didn't have any desire to live in them.

Before anyone could turn away, I gestured to the coach. "What about the horses? We can't leave them unprotected."

"Zombies won't care about a horse." Rita waved me off. "We drop the supplies off at the church and leave."

"You promised to get the dock open," Captain Juscar pointed out.

I bit my lip. He was right. That was part of the contract we had signed. My gaze returned to the horses, and I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach about them. Instinct telling me that leaving them alone was a mistake. They were our only way to travel in a reasonable time. If a monster got them, Reeds would kill me, and I would let him.

My attention shifted to Captain Juscar. "Do the people here know you? More importantly, does the priest know you?"

"He does."

"Rita, would you and Penny be willing to look after the coach?" I looked at it before reaching out and brushing my hand against the wood. "I need to know the horses will be safe. The delivery won't be difficult."

She shook her head. "No. I need to find out what's going on here in case it impacts us leaving. Penny, Sasha, can you look after it while we head inside? Ten minutes, tops."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I can do guard duty, Sasha?"

"Sure."

"Alright. Keep them safe."

As she spoke, another dull moan sounded out that made a tingle of fear race up my spine. We hurried to the church, and I spotted fresh looking iron bands around the door. They were cold to the touch, but I knocked anyway, before stepping back. Hushed voices spoke, and then the doors opened enough for a head to stick out.

A masculine face watched me with deep brown eyes over deep bags. His hair was black with a white streak running through it. With his appearance came a smell. Incense, mixed with the stink of bodies who had gone days without bathing. When he spotted Captain Juscar, he let out a relieved sigh.

"Captain. Oh, thank Floranian. Did you bring the supplies?" he asked in a deep, almost soothing voice.

"Yes. What's going on, Father Thed? Why are you holed up in here?"

"A plague." His words were low, and his eyes darted around. "Please. We shouldn't speak on the doorstep. I heard you discussing animals? Did you leave guards?"

"We did," I said, my attention shifting to the coach.

"Then I pray they are good ones. Wait here."

He pulled his head back, and the door closed. I glanced at Rita, who shifted uncomfortably. Captain Juscar folded his arms and glared at the door as though it owed him money. When it opened again, I saw the priest, Father Thed, was a short man, wearing a long bright green robe with various flower designs stitched on in yellow thread.

Next to him stood two new men. Both appeared strong and wore stern expressions. Though I could see it in their eyes that neither had slept recently. By the scorched apron one wore, I assumed he was the town's blacksmith. The other appeared to be some kind of labourer. Neither greeted us.

"Marcus," Father Thed gestured to the man in the apron. "And Zelene will be happy to aid you in getting the boxes inside. Please hurry."

A look over his shoulder showed why. People had stacked the pews against the walls, and everyone was sleeping in tight groups. A collection of children, that ranged from toddlers to near teenagers, stuck together playing games in a corner. With them was a pale girl with long black hair. She was shaking, and a few of the other children were comforting her.

My attention moved back to the priest as I cleared my throat. "Sorry to bother you with more questions, father, but I need to know. We have horses with us. Is there a safe place to leave them?"

"I'm sorry, as much as Floranian loves all the creatures in her garden, they can't come inside. You'll have to guard them, or better yet, leave. If—"

A shout of alarm and the sound of Penny's gun cut him off. Rita vanished from my side, and I pulled my gun before hurrying around the corner. Penny stood on the roof, Sasha by her side. Rita was with her sword outstretched as the horses panicked.

I moved to calm the horses, patting and soothing them until they settled. As I worked, I looked around, but couldn't see any sign of monsters. A glance back at Penny showed her scanning the area.

"You haven't done your training in a few days, have you Chad?" she asked, the humour in her voice not hiding the grit.

"No, why?" I glanced at her.

"See if you can spot what I was shooting at."

She sounded serious, and I didn't question her words. I scanned along the area behind the church. It was a graveyard, small, but well maintained. A moment passed before I spotted a shape near a large tombstone and I recoiled. As I studied the human head, I wondered how often I would get to see someone decapitated in a graveyard.

"There's a head over there." I didn't point, but she didn't need me to.

"Good." She jumped off the top of the coach and landed without so much as a thump. "Rita, it didn't come from the grave, I don't think. At least, it didn't dig its way out."

"And it's solid, so that means it's not illusionary. Trap?" Rita's question hung in the air until Penny shrugged.

"Maybe. Does it matter?"

"It might. We need to unload the boxes and get paid. Then we should head out of town." Rita glanced at me as she spoke. "Unless you'd be willing to take on this job?"

I blinked. "You want to fight the undead?"

"They're not going to last if the corpses are already walking on hallowed ground."

There was no hint of humour in her voice, and I could see how seriously she was considering this. I didn't want to take the job. Then again, I wouldn't have to fight the undead, either.

"Is this something you would like me to negotiate?" I asked, eventually. "Because if I do, I want to know that the horses are safe."

"Then we'll have to deal with them quickly." Rita nodded. "Yes, negotiate the deal."

I thought back to the last graveyard we had worked together in. "Same rate as in Ophilim, or are we giving discounts again?"

"No. Same rate." She nodded as she spoke, and I smiled.

"Alright. I'll get to work."

***

After I re-entered, Father Ted showed me the man I was supposed to be talking to for this kind of deal. The Mayor of Catswatch was a man named Nethlim, and my initial impressions weren't kind. He was a short, blue eyed, balding man, with a squat figure and a slouched back. The time spent hiding in here had clearly done him no favours, as food and sweat stained his purple clothes.

His wife, Bethel, also undercut what little authority he tried to wear. She was the picture of a regal lady, with a fine silken red and orange dress, a long blonde braid and a statuesque figure that would have caught the attention of the upper nobility of Peol. Her long slender fingers rested on his shoulder, as her other hand idly toyed with the hair of the girl I had seen playing with the other children.

Janice, as she was called, didn't meet my eye throughout the entire introductions. She was a slight girl, pale, with short dark hair and a modest grey dress. Her yellow eyes, different from Sasha's slitted pupils, drifted towards the children again. Once we had finished introductions, she smiled at her mother, who gave a small frown.

"Have you completed your chores?"

"Yes, mother." Janice spoke in a near monotone, her voice quiet and her attention moving to the windows.

I followed her gaze and frowned, when I saw a shadow moving outside. It vanished before a loud smack sounded out. Some people jumped before they settled down. By the way, no one reached for a weapon, or panicked. It wasn't difficult to assume it was a common occurrence. Bethel's hand tightened on her daughter's shoulder for a minute before she released her.

"Go. Don't get too involved. You know we have responsibilities."

"It's our town too," Janice repeated the line like a mantra. "We have to look after it."

Nethlim ruffled her hair, which didn't get so much as a smile. "Exactly. All this work is for your future, my darling girl. We'll get through this."

Janice curtseyed to me before she left, and I watched her go. She walked normally, and though a touch odd, the black dress that hung from her thin frame didn't appear that out of place. A cough from Nethlim brought my attention back to the business at hand.

"Sir, if I may, we at the Blackrock Mercenary Company would like to supply our services to your undead problem." I pitched my voice to carry so that multiple heads turned in our direction. "We have some of Leyloon's top monster hunting and alchemical talents and are well worth the price for the safety of you and your wonderful family."

To my surprise, it was Bethel who spoke first, her tone pleased, as she directed her words to her husband. "We could always use more hands, dear."

"That is true, the more the merrier. But Mercenaries don't work out of the goodness of their heart. What's your price?" Nethlim asked.

Across the room, I noticed the children had stopped their games to watch. One boy, who couldn't be a year older than Janice, crouched next to her and a bit ahead. A protective stance. His attention was on the mayor, but he couldn't help but let his gaze drift to the sword Rita had strapped to her waist.

"I have no intent to bleed you dry, sir." My laugh was supposed to be disarming, and I saw a few people in the crowd crack a smile. "Our normal prices for such a thing would be fifty gold. However, my employer." At that, Rita gave a curt nod. "Isn't heartless. We would do it for ten."

Nethlim half coughed, half shouted. "Ten! Do you want it up front, too?"

"Of course not. That would be unreasonable."

Someone laughed that time, and I spotted the kids crowd around Janice again. They were all watching us now; the game forgotten. I gestured to them, especially the young brown-haired boy who was still standing protectively next to the mayor's daughter.

"Is it an unreasonable price to ask for the safety of your family? That boy would pay it, I bet."

The child nodded, and Nethlim flushed. "We don't need to pay you for safety, if—"

"You have undead on sacred ground." Rita cut him off with a wave of her hand. "That means a powerful necromancer. One who is more than likely to enter the fray himself. Can you truly say they are safe with such a threat out there?"

At Rita's words, people murmured, and I could sense the fear in the room increase. Bethel stepped forward, her hand never leaving her husband's shoulders. On her finger was a simple iron wedding band, and it gleamed in the light of the candles illuminating the church. She gazed around at the frightened faces and gave them a smile that was trying, and failing, to be reassuring. Instead, it held something else in there. A smugness. I hated it.

"Dear, we should let them help. If such a powerful mage is responsible, then having fighters to protect us would be in our best interest, yes?" Her words were sweet, and several of the townsfolk chorused their agreement.

"I…" Nethlim swallowed. "Payment after?"

"Normally we work for half up front, but I think we can make alternative arrangements given the danger."

Bethel's smile seemed to widen, and I could see her daughter smile too. Janice flashed it at the boy next to her, who grinned back. Happy chatter broke out amongst some, while others gave worried whispers. I listened to the sentiment.

"Are we in that much danger?"

"Will they help us?"

"I didn't think necromancers could do this kind of thing?"

"Let me handle the crowd, dear," Bethel said. "Why don't you and Chad here formalize the contract? Perhaps the others would come to help create some sort of defenses?"

"That sounds like a plan, love."

I forced myself not to roll my eyes at their passionate kiss before Father Ted showed us to his office. Once the door closed, I took my seat, and we started on the paperwork. After I received the last signature, the shouting began.