The Dragon Sorceress

Garik dogged my first punch, but  I caught his jaw in an uppercut. He took a step back and sidekicked to my abdomen, it knocked the air out of me. I stumbled back and he took a swing, I caught his arm, leaned into him and threw him over my shoulder. He landed on his back, but he wasn't there for long, he rolled into a crouch and stood up from there. Garik had trained in the Vacroosian Guard, it showed, he could take a hit just as well as he could dish one out.

“Had enough?” I said with a smile.

“Technically I am winning, should it not be I asking you if you have had enough?”

He asked in his smooth, well educated accent. We had been partners for about a month and he couldn't quite grasp sarcasm.  I had worked up a good sweat and there was a bruise on my left cheek, his dark blue skin was free of perspiration and there was not a scratch on him.

         “Naw, I could do this all day!”

         “Then may I suggest, Magus Isemeine, that you get some rest.”

         “Hey I told you to call me Derowynn, were supposed to be partners!”

         “Of what business exactly?”

He went to his clothes that were neatly folded on a chair.

         “Whatever business the Academy wants us  to do.”

         “From what I’ve observed of you, it is not your style to blindly take orders.”

He pulled his shirt. I glared at him.

         “You haven't known me that long.”

         “I read all the files the Academy had on you.”

Right, of course he would.  I barely knew anything about him, but he wasn't the kind of guy with secrets. He was a soldier, he was from Vacroon, and he was an Elf. He had dark blue skin, his long pointed ears poked through his locks of shimmering, white hair, and the entirety of his eyes were a hazel blue. He, like most elves, was smaller than me, graceful, and rather attractive. He was only seventy or eighty, a little young for the military, but was not a smart-aleck like most elves his age, a refreshing development.

         My tunic lay strune across the small bed I was using, I picked it up and donned it over my linen undershirt, then fastened my thick leather belt that carried my dagger and coin purse. I sat down on the bed and laced my boots over my loose pants.

         “Would you like somthing to eat?”

Looked up and saw Gerik, in his black coat with his family seal over his left breast made from a metal that shimmered like his hair.

         “Is that an invitation?”

I said with a smile, he nodded.

         “Finally,” I laughed.

         “When’s the last time you ate, two days ago?”

         “Three.” He corrected.

I stood up and grabbed my long leather coat, the ancient runes down the side and the back marking me as a Sorceress. I glanced over at my staff that lay against the wall with a sigh, angry drunks always had something against me. Garik held the door open for me and I ascended up the creaky stairs out of the basement. Which I had rented because it was the cheapest and most secluded area of the Narel Boarding House. Mrs. Narel served breakfast (a communal pot of porridge) but no other meals, the taverns where the only places that did that.

         We walked through the empty lobby that was lit only by a candle stub, and stepped outside. It was later than I thought, the sun already down, it was dark in the streets except for the windows of the taverns and brothels. With autumn coming the air had a nip to it, I pulled my collar a little higher. A few stores down, there was  building with a sign reading Black Mare Tavern. A drunk man stumbled out singing a drinking song, the tune was familiar, but his words were so badly slurred they defied recognition. He threw his arms up as we approached.

“My friends!” He yelled at us, having no idea who he was we attempted to go around him, but he blocked the entrance.

“You wouldn't have a few extra coins to buy an old man a drink, hmm.” He asked us squinting and smiling at the same time.

Garik moved him to the side.

         “I suggest that you return home.” He said politely.

         “Why don't you go home, blue boy!” The drunk replied, quickly becoming angry, then made an attempt to turn away from us, and almost collapsed, Garik caught him and helped him up.

         He gave Garik a dirty look and muttered something, then started his unsteady journey down the street. Garik turned back to me, composed himself and walked in as though nothing had happened; a talent of his I was still envious of. The Tavern wasn't crowded and we had our choice of tables. An attendant came to us as soon as we sat down, he wasn't the usual guy and he eyed us strangely.

         “Just the regular ale for me.” I said, then turned my head to Garik.

         “You want anything?” He shook his head.

The attendant came closer, he was a balding man with a wide nose and he was obviously nervous. Then he said in a hushed voice, so none of the other customers heard.

         “I’m sorry ma'am’ we don't serve women in here.”

There was a moment of silence as Garik and I both stared at him, he grew increasingly nervous and sweat beaded on his forehead, with a small motion of my hand a ring of fire appeared over the brim of the cup he held. He yelped and dropped it, spilling beer across the floor.

         “You do now.” I told him, he picked up the cup, not once taking his wide eyes off me and scuttled back behind the counter. All the costumers gazes shifted from him to me, I ignored them. Garik gave me a look, showing his dislike of me using magic for so trivial a reason.

“Well you weren't going to do anything!”

Most of our dinner was silent, since we shared few topics of interest. The beef stew was rather good, but the half loaf of bread was little stale and Garik wouldn't touch it. I wrapped it up in a handkerchief and stuffed it into one of my large coat pockets, for lunch the next day, the man behind the counter wasn't pleased with that, but didn't dare argue with me. Just as we were about to leave, the door opened and a man stepped in.

         “Look,” I said to Garik. “It's your friend.”

He looked up, it was Vince Briffle a messenger for the Academy, he had come with Garik when he was assigned as my partner. He stood looking around the pub, clearly unimpressed, and the permanent sneer on his face grew as he spotted us. He had well kept blonde hair and wore a red shirt with ruffles under his vest. He straightened himself and walked gingerly toward us. I took a long drink from my mug in preparation. Vince took a chair from a close table and sat down, crossing his arms. I sighed,

         “Well,” I asked

         “What was so pointless that the Academy had to send you out, on high priority to tell us.”

         “Wonderful, you still have that sharp humorous edge.” He complained

I gave him a half-hearted smile. Garik intervened, always quick to get to the point.

         “Do you have any information for us?” He asked.

         “Yes, it's nice to see you too.” Briffle replied.

I shot him a look and Vince sucked in a breath.

         “Well, I suppose it is rather important.”

His voice suddenly becoming serious, I took another sip.

         “People have been going missing.”

Looked down at my cup, then back up at him.

         “Sorcerers, all over Melani just disappeared, we have no idea who's taking them or how.”

The table was silent again, this was bad, very bad, Vince had used the word sorcerers, which meant people who could disintegrate another human with a flick of their wrists. The idea of something powerful enough to make them just vanish sent a chill down my spine.

Garik saw how unsettled I was and seemed to guide me back to reality with his dark eyes.

         “When did this start happening?”

I didn't take my eyes off Garik.

         “About two weeks ago.”

         “The Academy is exploring every option and there doing investigations, but they specifically wanted you to know about it.”

         “Why me?”

         “I dont know, but they want you to do an investigation of your own and to contact them when you have anything.”

He pulled a stack of papers tied together with twine out of his side bag and handed it to me.

“They gave me this to deliver to you.”

I nodded, Vince seemed to be actually concerned, there’s a first time for everything I guess.

         Vince left before us, and we returned to our basement. I went directly to a desk we had in the corner and untied the pages. Garik offered to stay up with me (he knew me well), but I told him to get some shut eye, he needed more sleep than me.

         I sorted through the sheeted of partridge, the smell of ink and pages took me back to my days in the academy, the only home I’d ever known. On top of the dozens of sheets was a letter, written by Calmagian Hevman, a man I better knew as father, or the closest person to that position. As I started into it I could picture him writing it in his study, as I had seen him write countless letters, papers, and books. But, this one I knew was special...

         Dear Derowynn,

I’m sorry to have to contact you on such dire circumstances, but it is urgent. I have provided all the information we have, in hopes that you can help. We have no idea what is causing this or why. Please, I know that you and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but we need your help. I urge you to investigate these disappearances and to come to the Academy.

With Love,

Gerard Hevman

Below that he specified a date when the Academy Council would meet to discuss this threat. I put the letter aside and began the first report of a disappearance.

The next morning, Garik woke me, he had mild concern in his dark eyes,

         “Are you alright?”

I raised my head of the desk, and rubbed my itchy eyes.

         “Fine.” I mumbled.

He handed me a hot bowl of porridge.

“Thanks.”

“What did you find?” He asked.

I looked down at the papers.

         “That they might as well have disappeared into thin air.”

Garik looked puzzled, unsurprisingly.

         “They couldn't find any concrete clues or energy residue, they were there and then they were gone.”

         “So, what are we going to do?”

I smiled and pointed to an uninvestigated report outside of Campton.