Blackrock Mercenaries

We didn't face anywhere near the same excitement as we travelled through the rest of the towns. There were no monsters trying to invade, pretend zombie invasions, or couriers digging up graves. We stopped where we could, and I tried to dig around for jobs.

Most ones I found weren't worth having. A few farmers wanted small pests dealt with, or people needed to find lost objects. They were the sort of work I knew Rita loved, though the pay was low. Her words came back to me.

"Then prove them wrong."

We took the jobs, and I helped on a few of them. Around Magestall, I helped Sasha track down rare alchemical ingredients for a local mage. Frogspond had me alongside Penny as we hunted a giant toad, a mission Sasha refused to join us on.

"Not happening," she had said as we got ready for the hunt. "Just… no. I'm not going."

Fallpoint, a small series of houses around a large mining pit, had us clearing out a swarm of giant bats from a mineshaft. That was the most lucrative job we found on the trip, making the company fifteen gold in profit.

At each stop, I did my best to find the social opportunities each town held. I invited various people of importance to the festival. Between asking for work, I tracked down council members, mayors, or rich business folk. Most turned us down, though I got a few maybes and a yes from the man who owned the mine.

I spoke to sailors or the king's soldiers whenever I could find them, telling them the story of what happened in Catswatch along with my invites to the festival. When we arrived in Lostmane, the last stop before Nettersville, the guards at the gate greeted us by name. Poker Face failed to hide my smile at that. My plan had worked.

We were now a known entity, and with that, it was far easier to get work. I spent most of our stay in the small village with the farrier and the blacksmith getting the horses and coach dealt with. They pointed me towards a journeyman Enchanter who was travelling for experience. The young woman gave a smirk and showed me her list of wares.

After a quick discussion with Rita, I found the fifteen gold spent quickly. An enchantment on the coach wheels to make them more resistant to dips and bounces cost me six. The headbands required a silver each to charge, leaving me with seven fully functional versions. Though the enchanter warned me that they wouldn't work against monsters, claws, or projectiles.

Seven more coins went towards an enchantment to make the wooden bench softer, which I appreciated. Penny tried to talk me into adding mood lighting, and Sasha wanted an enchantment that would perfume the coach to cover the smell of sweat and travel. That last one was tempting, but at twenty gold I couldn't justify it. I made sure to invite her to the festival, and she promised she might come if she didn't find work elsewhere.

The next day, I found myself comfortable, and pleased with my purchases. My back rested against the coach, feeling more like I was leaning against a cushion than wood. I knew I couldn't keep the coach, and that in some ways, sprucing it up wasn't in the company's best interest. However, Reeds would appreciate it, and a noble would expect some kind of enchantment as a show of our wealth.

Behind me, I could hear the quiet voices of the three other members of the company as the horses kept up a steady trot to pull us along the road. The closer we got to Nettersville, the more I could smell the salt air that told me we were close to the ocean. It grew more and more intense, and I stared off to our left.

We were passing cliffs, though at one point, I saw a gentle slope to a sandy beach. The water spread out forever, a vast blue that none of the paintings I had seen before had done justice. It wasn't my first time seeing the ocean, but it had been a long while. I had forgotten just how vast and how beautiful the waves could be.

With a small tug on the reins, I stopped the horses and stared out at the sight. A creak let me know the coach door had opened, and Rita stepped out, followed by Sasha and Penny. Rita gave me a curious look.

"Did we stop for a reason?"

"No, no sorry. I just…" The words didn't want to come, but I forced something out. "It's not a sight I've gotten to see often. I wanted a chance to do it, plus, the horses could use a break, I'm sure."

Hubarrah snorted, and Penny stretched, raising her arms to the sky. "Can I go play on the beach?"

"I wouldn't mind trying to collect some supplies. Crushed shells can be useful." Sasha wore a small smile as she said it.

"Didn't you say we had to hurry?" Rita asked, as she looked at me. "For the nobility."

"We do. But the horses need a break. We've been riding since early morning. One hour won't make a difference at this point."

Rita shook her head, her long red hair flowing around her. "Fine. One hour."

"As you say, boss."

"Ocean!" Penny yelled and sprinted off.

"Don't go in the water!" Rita shouted after her. "I don't want to smell wet fur for the rest of the trip."

Sasha laughed, and moved off after her, and I heard her mumbling about what types of shells she could find. With a sigh, Rita leaned against the coach as I climbed down to take care of the horses. I bought them something to eat and filled a bucket with a small casket of water that we had purchased in Lostmane.

As the horses ate and drank, I checked them for any signs of ticks or other issues. When I found none, I moved to stand next to Rita, who continued to lean against the door and watch the ocean. After a moment, she spoke.

"This plan. If it works, we'll be going back the same way, won't we?"

"If you're willing. We should beat the Noble back if we can. Tell people he's coming." I didn't mention dealing with the Lace Courier Company or The Howlers. "That way, we can make sure everything is prepared."

"You don't trust the Mayor to hold up his end of the bargain?" She asked, sounding curious.

I shrugged. "Not as much. But either way, we have to convince him first."

Penny shouted, and we both started looking down towards the beach. A distance from the shore, I saw a massive tentacle rise from the ocean's depths. It was easily higher than the cliffs where it gently swayed.

"I'm surprised a Kraken is willing to get this close to shore," Rita said.

"Is that unusual?"

She turned to me and nodded. "You would have to bait them to get them this comfortable. They feed on much, much bigger prey in the ocean's depths. You get them closer to towns near the inner sea, but the wild ones out here aren't used to people."

"Will it be a danger?" I asked, watching the dark orange tentacle waved about, each of its suckers big enough to fit the coach. "Should we call them back?"

"It's simply trying to threaten them off. We're too small. It's basically like it's playing with bugs."

As she spoke, I saw Penny and Sasha hurrying back. It didn't take long to realise why. With a slow certainty of a building collapsing, the tentacle pulled itself back down. Waves churned, and water sprayed into the air. Penny let out a laugh as Sasha gave an angry shout. Neither avoided the splash.

"I told you not to get wet," Rita grumbled as I handed Penny a horse blanket to act as a towel.

"It wasn't my fault," Penny muttered. "Why is there a Kraken here?"

Sasha shivered, and her tail waved behind her, dislodging droplets of water. "I bet when we get to Netterville, we'll find out."

"Probably. I hope Guard-Captain Hudson is still in charge. I liked him," Penny said, handing Sasha the blanket.

"You know the Guard-Captain?"

"Yeah, I told you. Nettersville is where we tested that lipstick out. We're well liked there."

Sasha grabbed the blanket and murmured her agreement. "Well, Miss. Calkins doesn't like us. It was her partner that we ran out of town."

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"She's mean, though, so it's fine." Penny shrugged.

I shook my head and moved to the driver's seat once they had finished driving off. For the rest of the trip, I listened to them discuss the kraken, its reason for being, and for Penny to complain about getting wet. As we grew closer to Nettersville, I found myself shocked by what I saw.

The fishing town sat near the cliffside. It had thick walls and even thicker gates. Ballista sat on the walls, facing the sea as though prepared to shoot down some kind of flying ship. My mind raced as I tried to imagine what monsters would need to be fended off with weapons like that? Giant Squids? Sharkenwhales? Maybe something worse?

A shiver ran through me, the worry turning into a jump when Rita appeared beside me. She wore her hair up in a neat bun now, and her cat ears twitched.

"You look stressed," she said, her eyes on the entrance to the town, or more accurately, what sat above it.

Two golden pillars sat on either side of the gate, with a massive banner stretched between them. From the way the words on the fabric shifted and changed hues, someone had taken the time to enchant it. I read the words out loud, not able to keep the humour out of my voice.

"Lord Henry's Hunting Party! Watch him take down the Kraken!" My attention moved to Rita, who was reading the words impassively. "That answers your previous question."

Her tail flicked, signalling both her agreement and irritation. When she spoke, it was obvious that she didn't find any part of this amusing. "That it does. The idiot must be baiting it. Are you sure we need him?"

"We need his gold." I watched her, seeing the way she gripped her sword hilt as though trying to strangle it.

"If he's dumb enough to bait a Kraken," she whispered. "What do you think he'll do when he learns about the Timberaine Tyrant?"

I paused as her words hit me. The fear I felt when that monstrosity had tried to grab me came back, and I shivered. One thought kept me from agreeing with her. "We need his gold. We'll just be more careful."

"You have a plan, then?" She glanced at me, and I saw her doubt.

"Of course." I smiled and nodded as I quickly came up with one. "We'll sell it as a guided expedition. He can hunt the beast guided by expert trackers. I'm assuming he can't do that with the Kraken?"

Rita shook her head. "Not unless he's dumb enough to go out on a boat."

"And we can assume he's at least not that stupid." I gestured to the sign. "Plus, look at that banner. He's got an ego. We can play to that. They'll be a way to make this work."

"I hope you're right. But what if he isn't willing to come along?"

"Then we charge him a bucket load to deal with the Kraken and work something else out." I gripped the reins.

Rita paused and then sighed. "At least we know he's willing to stick around for a hunt. Look at the banner."

It took us getting closer to the town before I could make out what she meant. The edges of the banner showed signs of fraying, as though torn where the breeze pulled it against the ropes. When I finally looked away from the banner, I spotted the gates opening and a small squad of guards stepping out to greet us.

The group walked in unison, though with a speed that surprised me. With a quick movement, I stopped the horses and watched as Rita slipped off the bench. They stopped, and one man in silver armor stepped forward. He cleared his throat and gave a quick bow. I could see from his face that he looked tired and annoyed.

"State your business. But I'm warning you, if you're here to infest the market, there is no more space for you." His forceful tone didn't surprise me, and I hopped down next to Rita.

"We're not Gold Weasels, sir." I gave him a small bow. "Simply mercenaries. You may have heard of the Blackrock Company?"

"Wait, that's you?" A smile broke out over his tanned face. "Does that mean they're here?"

"We are!"

I turned to see Penny hopping out of the coach, with Sasha not far behind. The white-haired beast kin skipped to the captain, who welcomed her with a gentle hug. She laughed, her tail flicking, and then she let him go.

"How are you, Hudson?" Penny asked, as she waved to the other guards, who laughed and waved back.

"Tired," he admitted. "We haven't had this much excitement since you were last in town. Please tell me you're willing to get rid of another pest for us?"

"For a price." I said, moving to stand beside Penny as I held out my hand. "Chad Burling. Fixer. Nice to meet you."

"I'm surprised you're hanging around someone like Penny. You seem almost respectable," Guard-Captain Hudson said.

Penny pouted. "Hey, I have a genuine job now."

"No longer simply drifting, then?" Hudson smirked, and a few of the other guards laughed.

"We couldn't do that forever," Sasha said, stepping forward and receiving a gentle hug of her own. "Rita gave us work, and she brought Chad on to help keep the business afloat. It's good to see you."

Hudson nodded. "You too. We could use your expertise. We have a guy selling potions and…"

"I'll see to it," Sasha promised as he trailed off, and I could almost feel the venom in her voice.

"Thanks."

"If there's work for us, we're always happy to do it," I cut in before she promised our services for free. "For a price, of course. What do you need?"

"Can you get this noble idiot out of the city?" Hudson almost spat on the word Noble.

Rita shifted her footing as she glanced at the Ballista. "Is he the one responsible for the Kraken?"

"And the siege weapons." Hudson shook his head. "Bribed the Council to let him test out his idea to shoot the beast. All the visiting ship captains have called him a fool. You can't simply fill a kraken full of bolts. They're too big. Best he'll do is drive it off, if he's lucky."

"What about if he's not?" I asked.

"Then it'll get angry. An angry Kraken is not something we want near the coast."

"Well, good news!" Penny said, clapping her hands. "We are trying to get him to leave! But I don't know if even Chad here can talk him out of this plan."

I gave a small frown at that, playing it up like her words had offended me. "How devoted to this plan, is he?"

"A fair amount. He's spent a lot of money on it. Is willing to spend more too. No one's been able to get the reason he cares so much about killing this thing. Not that it's stopped him spending his first few days here talking to everyone about trying to improve his solution."

"It'll be a test of succession quest, probably." I shook my head. "His parents have told him to bring the head back to something big. Is he a second or third son?"

"Fourth."

"Ahh, I can understand his desperation. All too easy for him to lose his inheritance, if he hasn't burned through it already." Rita met my eye when I turned to her. "Any chance that he can pull this off?"

"With a few ballistas? No. Not a chance in the hells. Maybe if he had the perfect poison or got a lucky strike, he could. But the odds are astronomically low."

"Alright." I looked at Hudson. "How much to convince him to drop this entire idea?"

"You want me to pay you?" The Guard-Captain looked at Penny askance.

Penny beamed. "I told you I had a proper job now."

"Fine." Captain Hudson shook his head. "Fine. Let's go inside to the guardhouse to discuss this. You can see the situation as we go. Full escort."

"Thank you."

The guards surrounded us as I got the coach and horses ready once again. With Rita sitting beside me, and Penny sticking her head out of the window, we drifted through the gates. They led us down streets packed with houses. People watched us out the window, children shouted, but most of the adults looked worn down.

I heard shouts, and they only grew louder as we hit the market. Wagons, stalls, and people sitting on carpets packed the town square and adjacent streets. I could smell spices and wines. Saw brightly coloured silks and trinkets that I normally would spot outside of Peol. On seeing us, they shouted.

"Enchantments for travel and home, sir!"

"A necklace for the lady, perhaps?"

"You look like someone with taste. Northern wines, a gold for a bottle!"

"Potions of healing! Salves for Bug Bites! Come and get all the supplies you need!"

Rita gripped her sword, and the guard shoved aside anyone who tried to press in, which was more than I thought. I was surrounded by smiles, shark-like, and the shouts of people who believed money was more important than propriety. It felt like a piece of home.

There were no townsfolk in the market, only the merchants. I watched them as we passed, curious to see who they were selling to. From the looks of it, most still had a crateful of wares. Odd for a village so close to the sea. I would have thought that if they couldn't sell to the locals, the sailors and ship captains would have enough wealth to buy what they needed.

One man, trying to sell carpets of all things, found himself knocked into his own display. The lack of gentleness from the guards was a touch concerning. It spoke of barely constrained hostilities. With the quiet townsfolk, I half expected a riot to start.

None did, and after the carpet man, no one else got too close. When we reached the guardhouse, they gave me time to settle the horses and posted a watch before they ushered us inside. More guards watched, but none stopped us as we made our way upstairs and into an office.

With the five of us, it was cramped, but the three women were given the chairs. Hudson and I stood. Him leaning against the window behind his desk, and me near the door.

"Alright," I said. "Tell us everything."

He did. I listened as he explained that Lord Henry had been here for almost a week. That he had hired a ship captain to bait the nearby oceans, which had driven away almost all the other trade in the area. His siege weapons had come in on the ship, and aside from a small retinue and some chests full of gold, he had little else on him.

"You said he was open to advice, didn't you?" I asked, an idea forming.

Hudson nodded. "Yes. He's not letting go of the Ballista, but anything he can add to that may work."

"Right." I looked at Rita and Sasha as I smiled. "Rita, you mentioned a poison. If we can't kill the thing, do you think it's possible we could get his bolts to drive it off?"

"Maybe, why?"

"Because if he fails to catch his kraken, then we can offer him a new target. A safer target. Can you do it, Sasha?"

"Provided they have the supplies I need," Sasha said. "Can we afford it?"

I thought back to the merchants in the square and shrugged. "Not yet. Guard-Captain Hudson. What would you be willing to pay to get rid of this pest? Understanding that we will need to buy materials."

"If the price is right." His words were stiff.

"Fantastic." My grin widened. "Then let's see what agreement we can reach before you introduce us to our new mutual friend."