Chapter 3

  Roaming ranger

  “Please! I’ve told you everything!” A terrified & horse young man screamed out to the Cold air.

  The two stared eye to eye only, one was standing holding a rope, & the other hanging by his feet rope slung over an old signpost. She dipped her cup into the ice cold bucket & poured it on the young man.

  Zenthia’s Voice was calm & masterful “Don’t lie to me Roh”

  The woman in the white cloak put far too close for comfort, the cold steel flat side of her blade along the young man's midriff,

  “Alright, Alright! Under the gate by the west end there's an entrances” Roh was quickly interrupted by Zenthia’s cold steel pressed against his damp chest. “I don’t know where he is! Please just let me go!” he cried.

  She sighed & let go of the blade to pick up a piping hot water skin, looking at the hanging half giant & the frozen blade hanging from his skin, instant relief struck as the blade was removed & lowered Roh down, his arms & legs bound, before his next thought he was out cold.

  Green dust blew from my hand, the last of my sleep powder covered Rou’s face & was out.

  Standing up straight to reset, rolling her shoulders & sighed.

  “Geese, he was heavy. At least I got something. There's a river down there too”

  Zenthia unbound Roh, taking in the time to undo every knot, putting the rope away leaving with a blanket & the hot water skin, she paused to take one last glance before exiting the alley.

  Winter gave the town a lighter ambiance at night especially when the full moons are out. Barely a block away & a drastic change in night life as vibrant colours erupt the city center.

  She walked through the crowds like a single splash of white paint as she danced the canvas of colours heading towards the outer rings, few took much notice & few who recognised the person under the white Cloak quickly turned away. One more task done but the night wasn’t over, the next lead took her to the next suspect. She saw the tell tale signs of the hidden pugilist club. Pulling into the alley the faux slum folk keeping watch kept well clear of the Ranger, she wrapped on the false wall where a brick was pulled away.

  Dark brown eyes widened seeing her “Um, Password?” the doorman asked nervously.

  Zenthia nodded approvingly “Bushels” she answered. The brick slid closed and the door of bricks opened letting her in.

  Loud roaring filled the room from a very different type of crowd sung to the beat of thunderous fisticuffs.

  The bookie saw her as she approached “Oh gods Z, what do you want?” More was a Dwarf & looked to be in his late sixties

  “Now that's not what you say to your next fighter” Zenthia said zealously & gave him her best smile while giving him a pouch of coin containing the entrance fee & a bonus.

  “Are you sure about this? We’ve been getting in some itchy adventurers & unwanted sort in tonight” More hardly liked Zenthia but for who she was, he respected her.

  “Perfect I should fit right in” she knew that sounded stupid, but she was willing to look stupid for valuable info.

  “Alright then, are you looking for anyone specific?”

  Zenthia nodded “Either someone big & or Olo”

  More closed his eyes for a moment & then nodded before laying out the rules for the night,

  “Fighting dirty is fine, no weapons, no armour, wrapped knuckles if you want, when there down, stop, as for enhancements, if you can get away with it, I'd suggest using them, you have two fights before you’re up. Prep stations are on the far wall” More Pointed to a small group by the wall.

  a speakeasy was hole in the wall, Zenthia slid a few coins for a cheap drink & with the key More handed over, she entered the prep room, there she stripped, Armour, additional weapons, including a bow that had been hidden along her long athletic frame, there was a lockbox were the ranger was able to leave her gear & exited.

  Sweat ran down her face as the humid room & the fight approached, far more people stared in interest, if you are going to get in a very public fight might as well show the goods, Zenthia was a slim build at first glance until you saw her, in a loose shirt & black pants, grey & green wrapped knuckles flowed a body a wiry mussels & the shoulders of a practice archer, however that wasn’t what they were looking at.

  Stark white hair in tight braids bound in a bun was only fuel to the fire of curiosity, Zentha’s lavender skin & sharp elven features, brought the ruckus room into silence, The ranger of norroval was a dark-elf, the race had many names however she only really knew one & that was it. A clear difference by the ashen grey of the usual half-giants, tan & darker skin tones of the dwarfs & other races in the room, some looked at her in fear & superstition & others admired her exotic beauty.

  By the time she finished her drink the second fight was over, & Znethia walked into the ring, & that's when she saw him, her opponent, Zenthia wasn’t exactly short but she felt small to the Romaja.

  He nodded & so did she, it was time to rumble. Bards played music that fitted the goliath & elf battle; Many saw the significance & the blood lust only grew to boiling.

  Knuckles tapped in honour & the fight began. A shadow eclipsed Zenthia & the hulking mass of speed & power collided into her. Zenthia felt dizzy, his fist clash with her skull & she only just missed his second hit,

  Zenthia ducked only to be met with a knee, the next second she was head against the barriers, the meat missile took a step back to let her get up. Norrovals people took pride in their honour.

  The dark elves nose was definitely broken & she felt the vertigo of the room spinning but in a moment she was up & standing. She blew a chunk of blood out of her nose & someone from the crowd she couldn't see properly wiped the blood out of her eyes & reset her nose, & dripped some liquid into her eyes.

  ‘Healing potion’-.

  The bell she missed before rung again initiating the next round, Zenthia ginned something horrific “My turn” Blood & adrenaline pumped through her & she now knew his style, he had an opening as Zenthia ducked & spun to the right of his punch knee combo when she swung a sleep powder coated wrap & it connected to his face.

  A broken nose for a broken nose.

  It wasn't enough to put him to sleep but the scrapings from the bottom of the bag will at least slow him down. She was wrong.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Next Zenthia got a very real perspective of being hung upside down, but the powder was working as his grip was loosening. She took this chance to reverse submission & get to his back & throw haymakers to his head.

  The fight ended but she wasn’t done.

  Wind blew against the leaning figure against the handrails on the rooftop bar, amongst the laughing nightlife mixed in with music was a young woman with lavender skin. She had a steaming mulled drink in hand & slowly sipped it glancing at the crowd looking for what she could almost call a friend.

  Zenthia was out on patrol following the leads on her elusive master among other cases she was on.

  “Beautiful night, isn’t it?” his voice made her ear twitch as she turned her head to the right, the stout bearded man,

  “It’s morning Drumfel” Her husky voice mixed with the cold wind though her tone to the man was receptive.

  Drumfel shrugged, shaking off falling snow from his thick cloak that could almost be considered a blanket,

  “I’d say we have an hour before sunrise truly hits” He smiled as he looked up to meet her eyes, his voice was low but light hearted as he brushed shoulder to shoulder against her gently.

  She was taller than Drumfell by a head, she nudged him back, he too with a steaming mug.

  He was a half-Dwarf with human mixed, however apart from the height most would simply see him as a tall dwarf with brown hair & dark ember eyes.

  Zenthia on the other hand was a full blood Dark elf, a being whose lineage is from the Dunde, a loomellor “Lu-mel lor” the two leaned on the handrail looking towards the sunrise,

  “It will be spring soon”

  Zenthia turned around to face the people, watching the drunken jovial patrons of the rooftop bar & keeping an eye on five goblins by a tall table. She returned looking towards the five Goblins as she asked

  “Any luck finding Olo?” her tone softened & Drumfel looked up.

  His own tone spoke volumes of knowledge & history as his voice spoke softly “Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing”

  Zenthia sighed, her head sank, Drumfel taped his drink to hers, the clay cups made a loud

  ‘Clink’

  That made her ears twitch

  “I haven’t given up Z, neither should you”

  “I haven’t. I..I won’t, I... Can’t”

  The two combed over the crowd before looking up to the clouds covering the rising sun giving colours of oranges & reds to the magenta early morning sky, warmth struck her skin & Zenthia pulled her cloak off the balcony & wrapped it around herself.

  The two were silent for a long moment until Drumfel broke the silence with a smile

  “Any birds in your net?”

  “Five, I caught them scoping out another nest”

  Drumfel raised an eyebrow as she gestured with a nod towards the five Goblins “local bird?”

  She shrugged unsure, “it's a big city, but I've never seen him before, an Elf at first glance”

  Drumfel looked to Goblins his eyes narrowed “Need an extra hand”

  “I’m only observing for now”

  “Well I’m glad Olo didn’t raise a fool! HAHAHA!” Drumfel laughed loudly, She didn’t.

  Zenthia was a dark elf, a rare site in these parts, her people from somewhere on the continent of Astra-Lastrika, she didn’t know. Her skin tone was a deep lavender & if that wasn’t enough, for her to stand, despite the winter cold Zenthia would walk without a coat or jacket & treat it like a cool afternoon. Her cloak was a militaristic camouflage pattern of greys & whites to suit the winter urban environment.

  She was in search of her guardian & mentor Olo, the man who took her in as a young ward & taught her the ways of the wild streets as a City Ranger. The city was her domain, the young woman was good at tracking, using the dense snow to blend in to find things people would normally miss, for that she was contracted to one & served the many.

  Morning made itself more known & the rooftop bar was closing, kicking everyone out of the bar leaving just the staff & her, the bartender gave Zenthia a small pouch of coins paying her for the security.

  Drumfel left, fading into the crowd of exiting patrons. She nodded & began climbing onto the rooftops to give herself a better view over the second outer ring. The view below showed the morning goings on of Businesses opening, snow being shovelled into the melt grates along the streets, she was able to forget the cold just as the sun peaked.

  The heat reminded her how nice it is to be warm & how spring is due to arrive soon. She pondered on her well-worn perch as her stomach growled,

  “I should go see Lucy, it’s been a while”

  From rooftop to rooftop eventually dropping down in an alleyway near the city walls was an entrance, where the more extravagant people lived would enter more subtly.

  A lone black Stone Mountain sat behind the grand castle & connected all the walls of the city to its mighty base & moat. At the innermost ring closest to the castle lies a den of misadventures & broken dreams.

  The weeping widow

  was its official name, however for those who frequented its walls called it by another name,

  Lady Lucy's house of favours.

  The number of patrons at this hour were few, yet the atmosphere was warm, She looked up to the swinging sign, that of the lower half of a burlesque frock dress

  “Where are you Olo? You old bastard” Zenthia sighed before walking in & taking a seat at the bar.

  Leaning forward over her was a beautiful & tall woman in a servers gown,

  “Water” Zenthia said, sliding over a silver piece an essence of defeat crept into her voice.

  the woman with curly raven black hair behind the bar turned, recognizing my voice. Green eyes shot over to me “Z!” she exclaimed excitedly

  “Hello Lucy, been well?”

  The bartender took the silver piece & handed over the cold water,

  “By the look on your face, you still haven’t found that old reptile, have you?” Said Lucy the bartender in a tone gentle.

  “Not a word”

  “He still needs to pay his tab” said Lucy tossing the silver piece in the air & catching it. Behind the bar herself knowing that’s not really why she wanted him back.

  Zenthia chuckled, shaking her head.

  Lucy was mostly human with a mix of halfling & is said to be in her forties, though, You’d barely tell. With Lucy appearing to be in her late twenties, whether or not true she always thought she must have had some elven blood. Speaking with Lucy was always like having an older sister. Some sense of home where there wasn’t one.

  ”Do you have any more leads?” Lucy asked as she put the coin down & leaned in.

  “I’m meeting up with Miranda at the brothel in the upper ring later. aside from that I’m just waiting for sundown” Zenthia said, looking down at the mug, thinking to herself. Springs should only be a few weeks away, knowing thatI was going to need to make sure she had all her ointments.

  Lucy went to the back & grabbed a box & sat by me,

  “Here, I know it’s early, but I got you something” Lucy’s cheerful tone brought me out of my stupor only to be more lost.

  “For me?” Zenthia asked with a surprised tone.

  “Well, I am not talking to myself here” Lucy smiled,

  There were three well wrapped gifts & Zenthia was prompted to open them. The first was a fine deep green shirt & a pair of lightly padded brown pants, the second was a light brown cloak with a mix of summer colours, holding them up to the candle you couldn’t see through it.

  “These are beautiful”

  Lucy smiled “they are all sun protected. I know you burn easy”

  Lucy took Zenthia’s hand in one of hers & the other on the dar- elf’s face. Pulling back the rangers hood revealed deep lavender skin in the radiant candlelight

  “You are like the lotus flower dear, you grow in the dark & when you bloom everyone will stop see who you are”

  Lucy's eyes looking into her own, reflecting back with candle light

  “I only hope Olo’s there to see it" Zenthia said with a smile growing on her face

  “Oh, right I almost forgot to give you this”

  “There's more?”

  “A man named Arthur, a noble butler of some kind came by & said if I know someone looking for a sleuthing job, but he gave me the impression he knew exactly who I would give this to.”

  Lucy gave Zenthia the letter bearing a wax seal of a raven's kite with a shield branded on it.

  “What’s the job, did you know?” She was excited because she had been waiting for a high-end job..

  Ones Olo would go on

  “Unfortunately not, however he did say it was worth the time of anyone who wants to make a difference. But Z, please be careful” Lucy looked both reassured yet concerned. “I can’t lose both of you”

  Zenthia suddenly grew serious & nodded in reassurance & took the paper from Lucy

  “Don’t worry I’ll be safe”

  ‘Maybe this noble may be able to give me a clue to where Olo might be, maybe not.’ Zenthai’s heart was pounding & with the white cloak on, she slipped the new shirt in her side bag & the letter with the address & headed off to meet them, but first.

  Heading to the place she called home in the outer ring to get some rest she traversed the sun spotted street until she came across the cottage, Zenthia’s mind was swirling with new possibilities.