I walked through the streets of Pathos, the houses ran close together made of fashioned stones from the cliffs of tears on the far side of the island with their white granite-like textures to the roofs made of shingled tiles made in the Workers mill in a small town by the ports. The mud from the gravel streets ran thickly over my boots.
The Town of Pathos was small at best, it had a market where the local farmers would sell their goods, a few good bars, a house of the lord where the Lord Markquits would sit upon his chair and rule us without even letting us see him or know the laws he is making in connection with the kings of Krad. The docks provide the city with goods from all over the island and the mainland. My favourite part of the town lay beneath its streets, the cistern of The Blood Guild.
The Blood Guild consisted of thieves and assassins from all over the islands that made up Terilina. Eviva, Krad, The Lost Islands, Vesdia and Britlian. Members ranged in size, race, religion, sexuality and magical abilities. Our guild leaders Marina and Joaquin were a Halfling and Drow couple from Britlian; they made sure the guild rules were followed and that we each received equal pays for the type of jobs we are assigned.
They had acted as my parents for much of my younger years. Both had helped groom me into the Demigod the world needed and kept me from the prying eyes of the Kradians and others that sought to destroy my family line. They wouldn't tell me what Royal family I had come from, but I had no reason to ask more questions.
I had one job to do, and that was to kill the king of Krad for his crimes against his people, my people and everything my father Atho lord of light and fire stood for.
"Hey, you seem gloomier than usual," I tilt my head to the side, a halfling with a battle axe on his back, looks at me.
Gideon Halffoot was one of my oldest companions, he had been by my side since I had arrived with the guild. He stood only 4 feet tall and had a talent for getting angry, which was contradictory to his races' general calm and peaceful nature. Tonight he wore the guild black cloak with the crossed daggers sigil on the side, his guild armour that was black in colour but was made of the most beautiful dragons scales in all of Terilina, and his feet had been freshly combed for his nightly adventures.
"Gideon, I didn't expect you to be back from the Lost Islands so quickly," I open the hidden passageway, and we both jump inside, "I thought you were only returning next month."
"There's a big war happening over there currently Jasper, I can't get anywhere close to the treasure rooms. Those vampires and shapeshifters are fighting the war against the werewolves, and the magicians it's just fucking crazy!' he shouts as we enter the busy cistern.
Hundreds of people shuffle around the many shops, pathways and rooms of the cistern. I shuffle through the crowds with Gideon on my heals as we finally arrived at my private quarters. I open the door to see Marina sitting at my desk, drinking from a wine glass in her night robes.
"Lady Marina," We placed our fisted hands on our hearts and bow. Her eyes land on me, a small wispy like smile appears on her lips.
"Gideon, if you would leave Jasper and me to speak," Gideon leaves, and I start to remove my wears.
"Jasper, this contract you have taken isn't a good idea" She stands to put a hand on my shoulder.
"Marina, I have to do this, you don't understand how important this contract is to me!" my voice raises, and she gives me a stern look.
"Jasper, please listen to me, I am your mother, I know what is best for you and I forbid you from fulfilling this contract, I will send an older guild member with more experience," her voice is begging me to stay, but her words were pulling me away.
"This is my contract, I have already accepted it, I am going to Krad to kill King Urlsay Esout" I shake her hand off my shoulder.
I turned to look directly at Marina, her greyish skin was beautiful in its youthful glow, but her reddish eyes showed the pain of hundreds of years of suffering and struggle, her greyish black hair was let down flowing over her shoulders. She looked fragile in this state.
"Jasper, please stay the guild has many other things for you to do" My eyes meet hers. My throat goes numb like words refuse to be spoken from my lips.
Was this what heartbreak felt like, as if I were a lover that was about the betrayed the one I loved. Maybe this was the feeling every young man felt before he left his family for the first time. I pull Marine into a hug and kiss her brow.
"Mother, I must do this for the better of the guild and my father, I must kill the king and save Krad from the tree evils that plague this land" her stern look reaches my eyes, and I turn my head and walk towards my bed once again.
"You will not leave this room under no circumstances are you allowed leaving for Krad Jasper Prior!!!" She yells in anger as I spin around to catch her arm.
"I will be leaving for mainland mother, you cannot stop me!" She looks at me, her eyes narrowing, her fists bursting into flames.
"You will not leave this room!" She fires a ball a flame towards me, knocking me to the ground, she quickly leaves.
I hear the key in my door lock, and my heart sinks. My mind was spinning I had never seen Marina so angry that she would attack me, where my years as the favourite amongst the guild finally fading since I was reaching my 19th year or was it something else for me to consider. Where my actions to harsh towards her.
I lay in my bath as a servant girl pour water over my head as she washes my long black hair. She rubs the soap into my scalp as Gideon stands guard near my door, so I do not run away. Gideon was a loyal friend, but the order of the guild masters came first.
She pours another bucket of water over my head and lets her hand trail down my chest, and I grab it growling.
"I would not push your luck, Cassandra," She grabs her things and leaves the room. I stand up, Gideon tosses me a towel.
"I swear you need to tell the guild sometime Jasper, but first cover your bits, or you might lose them to a rat or worse frostbite," He laughs as I grab my clothes and head behind the visor.
"It isn't that easy Gideon, People around the guild see me as a womanizer, and I need to let everyone think that," I come out wearing blacksmith clothing.
"You're going to sneak out, aren't you?" Gideon responds as he throws me an old cloak he stole from a traveller at one of the many taverns on the island," Well, for the sake of the gods man, you aren't leaving without me."
We walked down the guild corridors, and as we saw the guild market, my heart sunk; Joaquin stood with her guards searching the crowds. Gideon pushes my hood entirely over my face.
"Keep your head down, do not raise your head for any reason unless told too," I nod as we walk through the crowds trying to avoid my mother and her guards.
Gideon leads me through the many people getting checked when I feel a hand on my shoulder, and one of the guards looks down at me.
"State your name and business traveller?" He asks in a low, gruff voice. Gideon steps into place beside me and hands the guard a sack of coins.
"How about we forget the name Trap and say he is going with me to the blacksmiths" Gideon looks at Trap with a small smile on his lips.
"Sounds good to me, carry on."
I let out a small sigh of relief as we enter the exit tunnel leading up into town. Gideon looks around before he hands me a sword and backpack. He starts leading me towards the stables near the edge of town.
"Gideon, where the hell...?" He looks at me as he gets two horses and sighs, hitting the side of the saddle.
"Jasper," He turns towards me his eyes full of fear, "I just pissed off two of the most powerful killers in all of Krad today I done this to take care of your ass, Jasper, we can't take the main ports out of Cat's Island, or we will both end up dead!"
"Gideon, you don't need to help me" I put a hand on his shoulder and look down at him.
"It's not like I have a choice, Jasper!" He puts his hand on mine," We have been doing this since day one just the two of us killing people, stealing from an unexpecting victim, getting drunk at Jim's tavern, it's always been the two of us I owe you my life, you have saved me countless times. I am not going to get you killed in return, so get on the fucking horse shut your mouth and follow me carefully!"
I shut my mouth with a loud snap and get on the horse. This was not the first time Gideon had shown his more severe and compassionate side towards me, but this was completely different from the fear in his eyes and the whimpering in his voice. This was the first time I had seen him genuinely terrified.
As we rode through the woods of Cat's island, we passed on many farms and came across a small hovel on the edge of the forest. A barn laid nestle near the house surrounded by huge willow trees, and the shack looked much more like a house as we approached it. I looked around and saw many horses and carriages parked outside the barn. I rode up towards Gideon.
"Where are we?" I question, and he looks at me, fixing his hide bracers.
"I know a woman who comes here from time to time; she is the captain of the Bloodpath; she can get anywhere without anyone knowing, and she owes me a favour," He rides towards the willow tree and jumps off his horse.
I got off my horse, looking inside the barn window, pirates, farmers, and people from all over the island were drinking and singing together they seemed to be having a good time. I had never been this far west on the island nobody really came out this way, and the guild didn't care what the wheat farmers did, so it was unknown territory to me.
Gideon grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. The barkeep looked up from cleaning a few tankards smiling.
"Well, if it isn't mister Halffoot, my favourite halfling customer comes here for the usual I take it?" The barkeep raises an eyebrow and looks at me.
"Not today Thomas I am here with a guest he needs to speak with Dravers, is she around?" Thomas points an old withered finger towards a pirate sitting in the corner, smoking out of a pipe their faces hidden beneath the tavern's shadows.
The bards played music that was folk like speaking of mermaids and distant lands, heroes and their brides, the dragons of Eviva and their disappearance to the legendary conquest of Urslay Esout at Black Bridge Bay. I quite liked the atmosphere; it was much merrier than that of the taverns in town. Gideon led me towards the pirate; she took one look at us, her golden eyes narrowed, and I felt my heart rise.
"Gideon my favorite passenger what brings you to Drunk Boar this late in the evening especially since I heard you're on babysitting duty with that brat the guild masters call their kid" I scrunch up my face and go to say something to the bitch when Gideon sat me down in a chair for only being four feet tall the little bastard was strong.
"I need a ride to the main island of Krad Dravers; the kid here has a contract to kill Urslay," He whispers, and Dravers lips form an "O."
"The king, really?" She smirks at me, "I'll get him there on one condition."
"What would that be, Dravers?" Gideon asks.
"The Boy helps me rescue a friend of mine."