shadows of evil-chapter one

Note- Please read Shadows of evil-Prologue before chapter one: http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1314648

Alaerin glanced through a window of his lush villa. The sun had almost risen, and the adventuring party hadn’t returned. A month had passed since they had left.
The voyage was supposed to be only a week.

Surely they had found what he had been looking for… for seven years, he had searched for it, seven years of scouring every corner of the world, of not sleeping at night. But the adventurers were dead. He couldn’t let it slip through his fingers once again, not when it was so close… his gold supply was running low, but he still had enough for one last go. This time, he’d get it right.

The next day, as the sun was setting, the tall, tough figure of Keldarin walked through the busy, cobbled main street of Eshuston, not pausing to inhale the sweet smells of the bakery, to give a copper piece to the occasional beggar, nor to see the blacksmith’s new wares, as he usually did.

Today he was in too much of a hurry.

Increasing his pace, he soon came to a large bulding in the northern reaches of the town.

A rotting sign hung next to the door, reading ‘The windblown inn’
He entered the small, cramped building, noticing the sour smell of stale beer. The usual mean-looking crowd hung about the bar, puffing pipes and drinking ale whilst the few foreigners in the inn stayed wary and kept their distance.

However, only one thing caught his eye. An out of place and rich human noble sitting at a table with four other people- a majestic Elven woman, clad in a light chain mail suit, two rather ugly dwarves gulping down ale, and a small grey eyed Halfling looking suspiciously around her.

He made his way towards them, and upon reaching the table said to the noble,

“You Alaerin?”

The gentleman nodded and gestured for Keldarin to sit down.
He looked around him and said,

“now that we are all present, I believe we may commence. I am in need of... an artifact, believed to be hidden in an abandoned temple in the center of the ruined city of Esaed-t'i'ra-nor to the north. It is a thing of great power, an ancient statuette carved in the likeliness of Odious, god of death. I must find, and destroy it.”

Keldarin raised an eyebrow, but was quickly reassured when Alaerin Smiled and said

“I’ll pay you 5,000 gold pieces each to do it.”

The halfling grinned, the dwarves cheered and banged their dirty mugs cheerfully against the old, rotting table, spilling strong, golden beer.

“25,000 gold pieces”,

Keldarin said, still slightly distrustful about the noble’s intentions.

“Not easy to come by in these lands, is it really worth giving away for something you wish only to destroy?”

Alaerin seemed prepared for the question, and replied readily -

“Why, yes! It is a thing of total evil, a curse on the land, it must be destroyed! If I do not find it soon, I fear that someone else will... and then all is lost.”

Keldarin still had his doubts, but 5,000 gold pieces was very tempting offer.
He nodded, and, moving aside to avoid the steady drip of beer, declared

“Deal.”

The halfling nodded as well, the dwarves let out another cheer - they were both obviously drunk - the elf looked distastefully towards the dwarves, but shrugged and added

“I will go as well”

Alaerin smiled and intoned,

“very well, you leave Tomorrow, I will pay you each 100 gold pieces now for equipment."

To be continued.

chapter 2 at:
http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1315001