The Divine Hunter

ut this matter aside, he’s actually a fair leader.”

If looks could kill, Seville would have died a hundred times right then and there.
He gulped. 

“But he isn’t planning on breaking his promise.
He has prepared your reward for killing the leshen.
It’s a rare weapon, a sword called Gwyhyr.
It had been crafted by the gnomes prior to their exodus.
Once he gives you the sword, the request will have been completed.
Since he would owe you nothing, that’d give him an excuse to execute you.”

“Ah, classic.
They say force is the last resort, but it seems your kind leader reaches for it the first chance he gets.
I see.
So he’s planning on giving it to us, killing us, and then taking it back.
Oh, that is so smart,” Roy mocked, though he thought it was a shame he had to let the weapon go.

He’d managed to read an old article by chance, and it was one that talked about Gwyhyr.
It was the best sword in the world, the magnum opus of ancient gnome blacksmithing.
It could cut through steel like butter, and anyone who wanted to buy it had to fork out an astronomical sum of money.
Only gnomes can make that kind of weapon now.
Their blacksmithing is top notch, but it’s a shame they’ve moved to Tir Tochair.
It’s just what I need.
If I can get it…

Seville sighed, breaking Roy’s train of thought.
“You shouldn’t have killed Kaerwen, not even if it was by accident.
Yes, he did collude with the leshen in the murders, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was Elder Brovar’s only son and heir.”

“Kaerwen Hoger was his illegitimate son?” Roy was reminded of the rumor Dave had told him.
He’d thought it was just a joke back then.

“Yes, he was, but Elder Brovar never admitted it, because it was a shameful past.
Even so, everyone in Mount Carbon knew that.
It’s an open secret, actually.” Seville pinched his beard.
“Haven’t you noticed that they look alike? It’s like they’re twins.
Elder Brovar’s getting on in age, and he can’t really sire another child now, so of course he’d hate you.
I mean, you killed his only son.
We can’t stay here any longer, so come with me.”

“But where can we go?” Roy looked around at the heavy defenses.
“How can we escape?”

***

The worse the crisis, the calmer they must be.
Letho and Roy went back to the guest room and kept everything in Roy’s inventory space before changing into some casual clothes.
Then they went to the cellar with Seville, but to their surprise, their journey went smoothly.
A little too smoothly.
“You did take the leshen down and help us out a lot.
Nobody’s going to stop me from taking you guys to the cellar.
I am a wine dealer after all.

Seville’s cellar was astonishing enough, but it was nothing compared to Mount Carbon’s.
It was as vast as the ocean, and words failed them.
The only light was from the candles littering the place, and all they could see was unending darkness, as well as wine barrels as far as the eye could see.

The barrel stacks were as tall as hills, and they were neatly categorized by their age and type.
When Roy took a look, he noticed that the youngest wine was already at least ten years old.
The aroma of alcohol and wood wafted across the air, and Roy felt tipsy just by taking a whiff of it.
He felt everything around him turn into clouds, and his mind started spinning.

Letho, on the other hand, caressed the barrels, looking captivated by them, since he loved wine a lot more than Roy did.

“Guys, you can have the wine whenever you want.
Let’s get out of here first.” Seville snapped them out of it and dismissed the guard before continuing down the cellar. 

They came to the end of the cellar fifteen minutes later, and a black brick wall stood before them.
Much to their shock, Seville climbed up the barrel beside and rummaged around, and then two dull thuds were heard.
A moment later, the wall slowly retracted and revealed a dark tunnel leading to Melitele knew where.

Roy peered into the tunnel, and thanks to his high Perception, his night vision was superb.
The walls were greyish-green and uneven, though there were extinguished oil lamps hanging on the wall at intervals.
The ground extended downward at a gentle incline, leading into the darkness.
Cobwebs and insects filled the tunnel that seemed to have been abandoned for years.

“W-what’s a tunnel like that doing here?”

“We call it Smiack.
Before the fortress of Mount Carbon was erected, this tunnel was abundant with ores.
The most abundant of all, actually.
It was pivotal during the early years of our establishment, and its contribution was immeasurable.”

Seville gazed at the tunnel with respect, and then he sighed.
“But ever since all the ores had been mined, this tunnel had been abandoned.
If you walk straight ahead, you should reach Temeria by going through the Mahakams.
Walk west for a few days and you’ll reach Ellander.”

Roy stared at him doubtfully.
“How long has this tunnel been abandoned, old chap? Is it dangerous there?”

“Fifty years, I guess, so maybe there’s something dangerous in there,” Seville said honestly.
“But if you don’t want to take the risk, you can always stay back and face Elder Brovar at the banquet tonight.
Maybe he’ll change his mind?” Seville only had respect and fear whenever Brovar was mentioned.

Roy turned to Letho, looking excited to go.
“What say you? Should we take the risk and face the unknown danger in the tunnel? Or should we hang back and expose Brovar tonight?”

Letho stared into the darkness, murder welling in his eyes.
“Why should we attend a banquet when the host doesn’t welcome us? You ready, boy? You might have to pull your own weight this time.”

“Let’s do it.” Roy clenched his fist, and Gabriel, which was sleeping in his inventory, trembled when it felt its master’s excitement.
Roy’s only regret was not having the chance to bid goodbye to his friends.
“Seville, tell Reagan and the boys I said goodbye.”

“Sure.
Here’s food and water.” Seville pulled out a big sack quietly.
“I don’t think this much will burden Roy.”

“Hold it.” Letho turned to Seville, looking at him weirdly.
“I need to know something before we go in.”

“Umm…” Seville took a few involuntary steps back when he noticed Letho’s murderous aura, as if a predator were glaring at him.
“I don’t understand, Letho.”

“Do you think you can get away with it? We’re not going in without answers, so tell the truth.”

***

Seville saw them off and scratched his head as hard as he could.
He felt like someone had erased something from his mind, and no matter how he tried to remember, nothing popped up.
“Eh, not important.
Elder Brovar’s waiting for me to get back to him.” He reset the wall and left the cellar.