Chapter IV: Burning Anger

    

	Arcus Odyssey: Heroes of Arcus

By Long Nguy


	A woman in full plate armor stood near the open window of her 
room.  She notices a white bird flying in the night toward her, the pigeon 
landed on the window ledge.  It had a message tied to its leg, she untied the 
note off the messenger pigeon's leg and read it.
	"No!" she screamed.  "Drake what have they done to you?"
	A man enters into her room and asked," Lady Marleena whats is 
wrong?"
	"Durin, ready the dragon knights," Marleena shouted.
	"But why?" Durin asked.
	"An informant from Casilear sent me a messenger pigeon saying 
that bounty hunters has killed my brother.  I want to find out who did it and 
make sure they pay for what they did." she replied.


	"Yes my lady, I will tell our dragon knights to be ready to depart." 
Durin bowed and exited Marleena's room.
	Marleena stood there, staring out the window, thinking about her 
brother Drake.  "Drake why did you leave our beloved homeland, and for 
what?  Our duties is to protect  Melus, not your geed for money.  You have 
dishonor father, but I will avenge you because you are still my brother." 
	She drew her sword and held it in the moonlight, the sword that 
her father have given her when she had became a dragon knight, the one 
she received on his death bed, the one that was suppose to be for Drake.


	Guy returned back from Casilear just before night fall.  After a 
hearty meal, he preceded to divide their earnings in their inn room.
	"Here's  our payment," Guy handed eighty three gold piece to 
Jedda and Kara.
	"Hey what about me, where's mine?" Erin called out.
	Guy and Kara looked at each other in false confusion, "What 
you mean where's mine." Guy said with a curious look on his face.
	"Yeah, just like I said, where's my cut.  I help get that basterd 
Drake too,: Erin replied with a hint of anger in her voice.
	"Your not getting any thing," Jedda grunted.	
	"Shut up Jedda, nobody asked you!" She yelled in Jedda's face.


	"Well Erin, if you didn't remember you already gotten a hundred 
and fifty gold pieces.  Since we got fifty gold piece, that make us almost 
even with you getting seventeen more gold pieces then us,"  Guy lectured.
	"Just look how greedy she is," Jedda blurted out.
	Erin felt really stupid at this point and ignored Jedda's comment.
She laid down on her bed and closed her eyes.  The others were alittle 
suprise that Erin didn't show any reaction for once at Jedda's comment. 
	"Um ok..., lets get some sleep and in the morning we'll decide 
where we'll goto next for a job." Guy removed his armor and took the bed 
near the window.  Kara also went to a bed and laid down, but Jedda left the 
inn and practiced his sword skill in the moonlight. 


	Marleena strapped into her saddle of her bronze dragon.  "Status 
report," she demanded.
	"We are ready Lady Marleena," Durin replied.
	Marleena waved her arm forward and gave the order to move out, 
the massive dragons and their riders lifted off into the night's sky.  
	"To Casilear," she shouted to the others.
	The group of seven dragon knights flew full speed towards their 
destination, the town of Casilear for the questioning of the whereabouts 
of Drake's killer.


	Jedda was just completing a sword from when a guard walked up 
to him.
	"I must ask you resume your practicing at another time, preferably 
when the sun is higher in the sky,"  the nervous young guard said.  "You are
disturbing the peace of those who wish to sleep."
	Jedda complied with the orders and sheathed  his swords in the 
scabbard.
	"Why are you practicing your sword skills at this time of night?" 
the guard asked.
	"No reason, just that this is the best time for me to practice because 
I'm on the move in the morning most of the time." Jedda answered.
	"Oh, and why is that may I ask?" the young guard asked suspiciously 
losing his nervousness. 
	"Because we all have to earn money one way or another, and I earn 
it by doing other people's dirty work." Jedda said, he entered the tavern that 
was next to the inn, leaving the guard baffled by Jedda's answer. 


	Erin stared at Jedda's bed, wondering where was he.  Could he 
be practicing again she thought.  Something might had happen to him or 
maybe he was in trouble.  She had a change of heart, why should I care.  
Erin clear her mind of the jerk Jedda and tried to fall asleep again.   But 
she couldn't, reluctantly Erin got out of her bed and left the room.  She 
discover Jedda sitting at a table in the tavern, he didn't notice her  taking 
a seat behind him   He was eating a fowl and emptying a mug of ale.  
	Why is he up so late, what am I up so late? She asked herself.
A barmaid came to Erin's table, "What would you like?" 
	"Just some stew," Erin replied.


	Jedda lifted his drunken head when  he recognized the voice 
behind him.  
"Why are you awake," he said a slur voice without turning around.
 "What is it to you?" Erin replied coldly.
Jedda took another bite out of the fowl, "forget that I asked."
	The barmaid returned with a tray of stew and bread, "here you 
go."
	Erin thanked the barmaid and began devouring the food.   The 
stew was more delicious then the usual tavern food.  She notice that Jedda was 
slumped over on the table.  Erin gave a snicker, "that's what you get when 
you drink so much."


	The mayor of Casilear has just gotten home from a town meeting, 
where he was treated like a hero.  It was Drake that had deceived them and 
cause them to execute innocent people.  But when the tracker and his friend 
brought in Drake's head, it was him who had a reward out for Drake.  He 
relaxed as he laid down on his comfortable bed.  A low roar of some kind of 
beast was heard in the distance.  
	"What was that," the mayor said out loud.
	The roars and a flapping noise grew louder by the minutes.  He 
jumped out of the bed and went to the window.  He couldn't see anything 
so the went out of his home.  As soon as he opened the door there was many 
people already in the streets. 
	"Whats going on here?" he demanded.
	"Mayor Ries, look up there." A man pointed to the sky.  "Dragons!"


	The dragons and their riders descended onto the town square.  
Marleena and Durin got off their dragons and scanned the area.  The people 
ran back into their home.
	"Where is the mayor," Durin shouted.
	Finding courage Mayor Ries walked up to Durin. "I am mayor 
of this 
	town, Mayor Ries.
	"Lady Marleena would like to speak to you," Durin said to the 
frighten mayor.
	Lady Marleena of Melus?  The leader for the Dragon Knights?" 
the words fumbled out of the Mayor Ries's mouth.
	Marleen grabbed Ries by his shirt, "Who is the person that killed 
my brother?  What is his name!"
	"I, I, I don't know what your talking about," Ries stuttered.
	"Don't lie to me," Marleena put a dagger to Ries's throat.  "Who 
killed Drake Sharen?"
	"Dra, Drak, Drake is your brother?" 
	"WHO KILLED MY BROTHER?" Marleena pressed the dagger 
harder to Ries's neck causing him to faint.


	"Wake up," she shook him.
	Ries's eye fluttered, "what?  Whats going on?"  Ries's head bagan 
to cleared.
	"I'm asking you one more time, why killed my brother?" she hissed.  
	"It, it , it was a tracker.  A man name of Vale Delrune and a very 
large man.  Guy Phergus I think,"  he manage to say.
	Marleena drop the trembling man of nerves, "Vale Delrune and 
Guy Phergus.  Where are they?"
	"I don't know where Vale Delrune is, I only heard Guy Phergus 
say he was returning to Rasa to meet up with his friends." Ries answered. 
	"Give me their descriptions," Marleena demanded.
	"Um, Vale has blond hair and um, uh, well I don't know, he doesn't 
any different from you Dragon Knights, but Guy has a very large man with 
bluish hair and he was wearing a crimson armor.  And oh yes Vale carrier a 
strange weapons, a type of rounded blade, like a boomerang but made of 
steel." Ries smile, knowing his answer would satisfy her.


	"Durin, Eris, and Wien, follow me to Rasa.  I want the rest of you
 to stay here and look for Vale Delrune.  He still could be here." Marleena told.
	"What will we do if we find him Lady Marleena?" one of the Knight 
asked.
	"Capture him and I will deal with him," she replied.  "Lets go!" 
Marleena and Durin started back to their dragons.  She looked around and 
saw only Eris following. " Eris tell Wein to get his ass here!"  
	"Yes Lady Marleena," a female knight answered.
	Eris began looking for Wein, she spotted him stand behind a house 
with his back faced to her.  "Lets go Wein, what are you doing?" Eris asked.
	Wein was taking a piss he been holding since the left the castle, 
"Nothing, nothing, I'll be right there in a second Eris." Wein answered.
	They mounted their dragons and took off for Rasa, leaving behind 
three of dragon knights to look for Vale.
	"Lets search the inns first," one of the knights suggested.
	"Right," another knight nodded.

	
	"Hey, hey Jedda, get up, c'mon go sleep in your bed not with your 
head on the table," Erin push and shoved Jedda.
	"What???" he said sleepily.
	"The bar keeper wants you to go," she helped him get to his feet, 
directing him their inn room.
	"Where, where are we going?" Jedda stumbled as they walked.
	"Just shut up and walk, you shouldn't have drank so much you know.  
We have to leave in the morning and I doubt you can get up that soon now." 
Erin said.
	Jedda suddenly stopped, his sleepy eyes half open, "I, I, I'm going 
to... "  Jedda lost his stomach onto the floor. 
	"Grrrr..., stupid."
	She manage to drag Jedda onto his bed, "why did I even bothered 
dragging him all the way here?  I should of just left him there to rot."


	Marleena and her dragon knights set down just outside the town 
of  Rasa.
	"Lets stay here until dawn, then we'll start searching for this Guy 
Phergus.  They started camp, and after a meal, Durin was first to take watch.  
His eyes glazed around the landscape, searching for anything that would 
be a problem.  The night sky was pitch black, there was no moon nor stars 
and a bitter chill hung in the air.  Durin breathed in his hand in a attempt to 
keep it from going numbed.  I should of brought a heavier mantel he thought.
	He could hear the breathing of the others and the load snore of the 
four dragons.  Durin looked at his favor dragon, a bronze dragon he raised 
his the dragon hatched.  He named him Valiant, which suited the dragon fine.  
Valiant has always been at Durin's side when he needed him.    
	  

	By the time he was done thinking it was Wien's turn to relive him 
of his  watch.  He walked over to where Wein was sleeping and gave him a 
light kick in Wein's leg.  
	"What is it," Wein moaned.
	"Get up, its your turn to take watch." Durin said.
	Wein slowly unwrapped the layers of blankets that had kept him 
warm, only to be blasted by the cold air.  He pulled his cloak tighter around 
him, trying to preserve whats left for his body heat.  
	"Why didn't he tell Eris to take the watch instead of me," Wein 
mumbled to himself then he sneezed.


	Night became day in a instance.  The sun shined brightly on Wein's 
face.  He had inadvertently fallen asleep again and was just waking up.  To 
his suprise he had discover that everyone else were already awake.  He yawned 
and stretched as he stood up.  Then he felt a tap on his shoulder.
	"Hmmm?" 
	"Did you have a good sleep?" Eris asked angerly.
	"Uh, um, yes, uh, guess I fell asleep huh?" Wein said with a nervous 
laugh.
	"Very funny Wein, you wouldn't be laughing if someone sneaks 
up on all of us last night and cut all our throats."  She yelled.
	"No, guess I wouldn't be laughing," Wein smiled.  "I'll be dead."  
	"Don't worry if you ever fall asleep again while on duties, I'll make 
sure you'll get your wish Wein." Marleena said from behind.  "Personally."
	"Lady Marleena!  I, I, I'm sorry," Wein lowered his head in shame.
"I promise I'll never fall asleep while on duty again Land Marleena."
	Marleena let out hmph then walked away.


	Guy was first to wake, as he stood to stretch he could smell a stench 
in the room.  The smell of a drunk he thought and it was coming directly 
from Jedda.
	"He must of had too much too drink,"  Guy said to himself.  "I'll 
let him and the others sleep in late today."  
	On his way out he spotted a dried up puddle of throw-up.  "Now 
I know why this place stinks so much."  He pinched his nose as he walked 
by the puddle.
	
	
	Guy entered the tavern to look for information on any good jobs.  
He sat on a stool at the cook's counter and ordered some fried hen's egg.
	"Heard anything about good mercenary jobs lately?
	"No," the cook replied coldly.
	"Know anyone who would?" Guy asked again.
	With the same tone he gotten the same tone from the cook.  Guy 
decided to leave him alone and get the information from elsewhere.
	This time it was a old man with a white beard and a peg leg, he 
was sitting in the corner.  Guy went over to the man, thinking he would 
have some useful information.


	"Excuse me, I would like to know if you were to know where a 
couple of mercenaries could find good paying work." Guy asked in a merry 
voice.
	"Aye, I might know of such a thing," he answered.
	Guy recognized that type of talk, it was of a drunken seaman.  The 
old seaman took a drink from his bottle of rum.
	"I could use a couple of strong healthily men on me ship.  I hear 
there treasure to be found on a island not too far from here." He whispered 
into Guy's ear.  "But its said to be hunted," he laughed out loud.
	Guy could smell the stinking, rum filled breath of the drunken 
seaman.  He never liked traveling on the open sea, it always made him sick 
to the stomach.  He decided to pass on the treasure hunting job, and the 
old seaman reluctantly returned to his lonesome drinking.


	Marleena and her knights entered Rasa by foot, leaving Eris to 
watch the dragons.  She did not want to make a scene like they did at 
Casilear.  Deciding it would be easier if they weren't notice, they wore 
the usual adventuring outfit instead of their royal armor.
	"Remember to keep your eyes alert for a large man with bluish 
hair and red armor."
	They saw a man selling trinkets and asked is the seen the man with 
the description of Guy.  When the man didn't know of him Marleena asked 
for direction to the inns instead.
	"Ah Rasa's one and only inn is only about three blocks north of 
here.  You can't miss it, its right next to a tavern." The man said.  "Trinkets 
get your trinkets, crafted by dwarfs, elves, and many other races."  He held 
up the exotic crafts for passerby to see.
	"Lets go, I have to have a little talk with the mayor first." Marleena 
said.
	Durin and Wein put down the crafts they been looking at and 
followed Marleena.    


	Kara finally woke after a good nights sleep.  She notice Guy had 
already left.  It was nice of him to let them all sleep in late for once she 
thought.  The others were still sound asleep and the room had a particular 
musty, sweaty, odor.  She proceeded to wake Erin, "wake up Erin, rise and 
shine sleepy head."
	"Huh?" Erin mumbled, unable to fully open her eyes.
	"Get up, Guy already left."
	Erin got out of bed and rubbed her eyes, still very sleepy and tired 
from having her late night snack.
	Kara went over to Jedda and notice that he really stunk.  She realized 
he smelled like a drunk.  Using her feet, she poked at his ribs, he didn't even 
stir.  We are already late enough she thought to herself.  "Just one way to 
get him to wake up." 
	Erin was just finish strapping on her shoulder pads when she saw 
Kara bring a bucket of water over Jedda and poured it all over his face.


	He sprung right up when the water hit him.
	"What the hell???" he said still very dazed and confused.
	Kara starting laughing, "you needed that you smelly drunk."  
	Erin couldn't help but join in laughing at Jedda when she saw the 
wet confused look on his face.
	He ignored both of the women and removed his wet shirt.  Obviously 
still having a hangover from the night before, he fumbled through his back 
pack and found a clear shirt.
	"C'mon Jedda why are you always so slow," Erin said as she and 
Kara left the room. 


	At the tavern, Guy was sitting at a table waiting for his friends to 
arrive when two men and a women entered.  From the looks of it they seem 
very serious and meant business.  They sat across the other side of the room, 
that's only just a couple of tables away.  Guy didn't want to look rude so 
he stopped staring at the trio.
	At Marleena's table, she had notice the large young man right away 
as they entered the tavern.  
	"That could be him," Wein whispered.
	"Yeah that's what I thought," Marleena replied.
	"What shall we do?" Durin asked.
	Right now this place was a good spot to confront him Marleena 
thought.  There wasn't many people in here and given the chance he might 
escape.
	"Lets get him before he has the chance to gets away," she said.


	He couldn't help but feel they were watching him.  Were they after 
him for some reason?  Guy stood up and prepare to leave when the three 
also stood to follow.  Now he was sure they were after him.  He returned to 
his seat.  This time the three went over his table.  The two man stood at both 
side of Guy's chair and the women on the other side of his table.
	"Well hello, what seems to be the problem," Guy said in a cheerful 
voice. 
	"What is your name?" the women asked coldly.
	"I am Varsh Juna," Guy had a large innocent look on his face.
	"Is that so?  We were told that Guy Phergus could be found here.  
We would like to thank him for... killing Drake Sharen."  Marleena said 
normally this time.
	"We also want to give him a reward," Wein said with a smile.
	"Well in that case..." Guy notice the women's eye narrowed.  
"Never seen him."
	Marleena didn't buy the story from the start.  This  Varsh Juna was 
the same as the description Mayor Ries gave her. 


	"So Varsh... that armor of yours is usual, not many people wear 
crimson color armor.  Oh, besides Guy Phergus that is.  Isn't that starnge?"
	Guy knew he was in-trouble, these people were'nt like those bandits 
he fought yesterday.  These were real professional fighters.  "I'm sorry but 
I don't have time to answer these questions.  I have a um, I have some business 
I must attend to."  Guy started to stand from his chair.
	"Lady Marleena asked you a question!"  Durin pushed Guy back 
into his seat.
	"Don't worry Durin, he doesn't have to answer.  We already know 
who he really is," Marleena said.
	"Really I don't know what you are talking about," Guy again used 
his innocent look, trying to stall from time.
	"We aren't stupid Phergus, now you better come with us before I 
put my sword through your side," Wein sneered.  He drew his sword and 
placed it to Guy's side. 


	Erin and Kara had just entered the tavern when they saw Guy and 
three other people talking with him.  They had no idea that trouble was 
brewing.  
	"Hey Guy sorry were late," Kara said and gave a wave.  "Who are 
they?"
	As they got closer Erin saw the make had a sword to Guy's side.  
Right away she reacted with instinct.  She pulled out her chain sword and 
threw it at Wein's sword hand.  The blade slashed his arm, making him drop 
the sword.  Guy took that chance to get away, he jumped to his friends and 
every drew their weapons.  Who ever was in the tavern wasn't there anymore, 
it was empty now.
	"So these are the bastards that killed my brother, nothing but a 
couple of commoners that just got lucky." Marleena laughed.      
	"If your talking about Drake, I think he deserved it," Guy said. 
	Marleena's eyes again narrowed, "Attack!"


End of chapter IV