Strength of Fate - 1. Chapter One

Had Nathan been told a year ago he’d try to join the Adventurer’s Guild, he would’ve laughed in their face, yet here he stood within the walled courtyard of the guild’s headquarters in Croydon. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he surveyed the central building. It towered above the surrounding estates and properties—quite a sight to behold.

A motley crowd of men and women, armed and armoured, milled about and chatted in small groups. Members scanned job boards, groups formed to leave with orders in hand, and others perused the various traders and merchants. The constant din was deafening.

Brohm stood at Nathan’s side, equally intrigued by the view. Easily a head taller than Nathan, the big man had a clear view of their destination.

“Over there,” he said, pointing at a sign hanging over an open doorway. “Head office.”

Both of them felt completely out of place, dodging a sea of people seemingly intent on running them down. Brohm used his large stature—equal parts muscle and fat—to force his way through the throng, allowing Nathan to follow in his wake. Upon crossing the doorway’s threshold, they found an empty reception area. A man sat behind a desk, surrounded by mounds of paperwork.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

Nathan nodded in greeting. “We’re here to see Ryan Shaw about starting a new guild branch in Millsfield,” he said, handing over the letter sent to them.

The receptionist unfurled the document and skimmed through it briefly. “Very well. Please wait while I fetch Mr. Shaw.”

While he hurried to the back offices, Nathan and Brohm glanced at the large looking glass hung on the wall. In its reflection, strangers stared back at them. Nathan could never get used to seeing those faces, but for the rest of the world, this is what they saw. A perfect illusion given to them by a witch named Morgana.

After a moment, the receptionist returned with a tall man following behind.

“Nice to finally meet you, boys. I’m Ryan Shaw.”

Nathan offered his hand in greeting. “Likewise. I’m Whitter, and this is my partner, Sid.”

Of course, their names were a lie as well, but considering they both had bounties on their heads, using real names would’ve been counterproductive.

Brohm shook Shaw’s hand in kind. “Hullo.”

“Please, this way.”

He led them a few steps down the hallway to his office. They sat opposite his desk while Shaw ruffled through some papers in a drawer. Pulling one document from a file, he placed it on the table. It was their original written request.

“I have to say, when I read this letter of yours, I was intrigued. Traders west of the Great Divide, yet trained in arms. A rare breed.”

The story was a loose interpretation of the truth. While Nathan did hail from the western steppes, his past was one of assassination, not trade. Brohm lived locally his entire life, working a stint for the military before being drawn by coin to the seedy underbelly of cutthroats and strongarms.

Three months prior, while running from the bounty placed upon them, they found Morgana. In trade for a magickal necklace, she spelled their appearance. It offered them a free ticket to start their lives over again, and they had no interest associating with the wrong crowd again. While neither man openly admitted it, they deemed running a branch of the Adventurer’s Guild—a service provided to everyone in the lands—to be their way to atone for the deeds of their past.

“The western steppes are rough lands,” Nathan said. “To survive as a trader, you need to know how to protect yourself and your goods.”

Impressed by the statement, the tall man’s eyes widened. “I look forward to seeing what you can offer the guild. We’ll set you up with your first assignment—”

“Assignment?” Brohm asked.

“Well, yes. There’s a probationary period for all new recruits before they can access all the guild’s services. Being a part of it carries a prestigious title people work toward. For some, it can take years before earning the lowest rank.”

Brohm stood up. “Rank? Years? What?”

Nathan took hold of his arm and pulled him back into the chair. “We weren’t aware of this. Our understanding was we only had to pay in to become part of the guild and build a new branch. You even said our request was approved in the letter.”

Shaw let out a thin sigh. “I apologize for the misunderstanding. You still need to prove yourself first.” He pointed at the letter. “Words are one thing, but for us, we need to see the truth in action. We don’t want unseasoned fighters in our ranks. It’s dangerous, and would show the guild in a bad light to our clients. Rest assured, if you prove yourself, we’ll fast-track you through the system. We’re in dire need of a branch in Millsfield and willing to bend the rules in this case, but we can’t break them outright.”

“Okay, those are fair points,” Nathan said, “but what will it take to prove our worth to the guild?”

“That’s up to Laird,” Shaw said. “I do hope you’re still willing to go through with this.”

Brohm looked over to Nathan and shrugged his shoulders. “Reckon so. Who’s Laird?”

“He’ll be the one leading the assignment and act as your supervisor. I’ll have him ready to meet you tomorrow at first light near the job board. You can’t miss him. Stout, shaved head, giant beard.” Shaw stood and offered his hand. “I look forward to hearing his report.”

Both men shook his hand before leaving the office. They waded through the crowds, back to the main street, and toward the inn where they’d stabled their horses.

“Assignments . . .” Brohm grumbled.

“Don’t sweat it, big guy. Who knows, maybe it’ll be fun.”

“Oh, fun . . .”

Nathan ignored his sarcasm. “We knew going in that we’d be doing jobs.”

“Yuh, but I wanted to be able to pick and choose what we did.”

“Well, Shaw made a good point. He doesn’t know who we are. You can’t blame him for wanting some kind of proof.”

They arrived at the inn and stepped inside. Being midafternoon, the taproom was muted with only a few patrons at the bar.

Brohm signalled the owner. “Ales for me and my buddy, yuh?”

The barkeep nodded, and they sat down at an empty table away from the others.

“Once this stupid ‘prove ourselves’ thing is done, reckon we’ll have to decide pretty quick where to build our guildhouse,” Brohm said.

“I still think that old inn on the outskirts of Millsfield would work.”

“I dunno. It looked pretty rough.”

“We talked about this earlier. There’s no way we have enough coin saved to pay for materials and men to build a place from scratch.”

The barkeep arrived with their ales, and Nathan handed him a few coppers along with a tip.

“What’s the harm in taking a closer look at that inn?” Nathan asked. “We only saw it from the road.”

“Yuh, okay. We’ll check it out when we get back to Millsfield,” he said glumly before taking a draught of his cold beer.

Nathan joined him, but only took a sip. “What’s wrong?”

Planting the tankard on the table, Brohm considered the question before answering. “I dunno. Reckon I just liked the idea of building a new place together, like a new home, y’know?”

A smile crept across Nathan’s face, and he reached out to hold Brohm’s hand. “We can make any place a home for us. It doesn’t need to be new to make it special.”

 

 

◆ ◆ ◆

 

 

The following morning, Nathan and Brohm rode their horses back to the guild’s headquarters. At the early hour, the courtyard was deserted, yet a mess of scattered bootprints on the dusty street belied the area’s usual traffic.

A man stood near the job posting boards, matching Shaw’s description. His bald head stood out in stark contrast to his dense beard, shaped like a beehive. He wore thick, well-travelled leather armour, a short sword hung from his belt, and a large shield was strapped to his back.

“I’m Laird,” he said as they drew near. “You the new recruits?”

“Yes,” Nathan said.

“Yes, sir!” Laird corrected. “You’re late.”

Brohm surreptitiously rolled his eyes at Nathan. “Oh gods, it feels like I’m in the army again,” he mumbled.

“Just play along,” Nathan replied.

“What are you two jabbering about?”

“Nothing . . . sir,” Nathan said. “Could you fill us in on the assignment?”

“It’s an escort mission. A dignitary needs to get to Aylesbury.”

“That’s a fair ride, isn’t it?”

“Aye. Six days. More if weather’s bad.” He turned to lead them out of the courtyard, but then stopped in his tracks to glare at them. “Where are your weapons?”

Brohm pointed at the gate entrance. “Weapons are stowed with the horses.”

“A blade doesn’t do you any good if you can’t wield it. I never want to see either of you unarmed again. Is that understood?”

The man turned and walked away before they could answer.

Brohm stared incredulously at Nathan. “Reckon this is not gonna be fun.”

“C’mon, big guy. Once we’re out on the road, it’ll be fine.”

Brohm grumbled as they donned their weapons while Laird impatiently looked on. Nathan sheathed his dagger, then slung his bow and quiver over his shoulder. Brohm tightened the belt for his longsword.

“Alright, mount up and follow me,” Laird ordered.

Dust rose in their wake as they rode through the empty streets. The shops and buildings soon grew in size and stature, culminating to a grand estate. Waiting at the main entrance sat a carriage covered in blue silk, tied down tight to avoid flapping in the breeze. Four horsemen carrying standards stood at each corner.

Upon hearing their arrival, a man’s face appeared from behind a silken flap.

“You’re late!” he said with a huff.

“My apologies, sir,” Laird said, giving Nathan and Brohm a knowing stare.

He waved them away impatiently. “Very well. Lead on.”

The three turned and trotted toward the town’s western exit, forming a triangle with Laird in the lead. The four horsemen expertly held themselves in formation at each corner of the carriage.

“Is everyone a whiny slog in this town?” Brohm whispered hoarsely to Nathan.

Nathan couldn’t help chuckling under his breath. They shared a private wink, easing the mood.

The arid landscape greeted them after passing through the wide gateway out of town. Flanked by mountain ranges to the north and south, the valley remained an abnormally hot area where rain rarely fell. Being in the middle of the autumn season, the road was safe to travel. During the high summer months, however, careful planning was required. Regardless, the northern trade routes were preferred at any time of year, and as such, the road before them was rarely used. Patrols were unheard of, making it ideal for raiders. Ultimately, the road existed for emergencies only, and as a shortcut for those who were willing to take the risk.

Laird signalled Nathan and Brohm to his flank as they rode. “Alright, men. You’ll be scouting ahead, keeping pace at one hundred metres.” He handed Brohm a small curved horn attached to a leather thong. “If trouble spots you, blow this three times and fall back to the carriage.”

Brohm hung it around his neck. “Yes, sir.”

Nathan was surprised to hear him acknowledge Laird properly, but figured Brohm knew it was best not to provoke their leader any further.

“I’ve got my own horn here,” Laird continued. “One blast means we’re stopping and for you to return. If you hear three, get your asses back here, fast.”

“Got it, sir,” Nathan said.

“Good. Get out there. Remember, one hundred metres, but always stay in visual contact.”

They wasted no time and galloped west, keeping an eye on their distance from the carriage. The surrounding area was littered with rocks and sturdy desert plants. The mountains lining the north and south horizons made for an obvious passage, and aside from small dunes, there was no place for attackers to hide.

“Reckon this’ll be simple enough,” Brohm said.

“I wouldn’t expect attacks so close to town, but don’t let your guard down.”

“I never do. You know that.”

Nathan chuckled. He was right. Brohm tended to have an instinct for spotting trouble before it developed.

The day wore on tediously with little change in the environment. Near nightfall, a solid horn blast signalled the end of the day’s trek. By the time they arrived, the horsemen were in the process of raising a large tent. The carriage rider tended to a fire, preparing a large pot to sit atop it.

Laird approached them as they dismounted. “Anything to report?”

“No, sir,” Nathan said. “The land’s empty. An ambush would be difficult here.”

“Aye, though I suspect the last leg of the journey will be a different story.”

Brohm nodded absentmindedly, his eyes wandering back to the pot.

“I think your friend is hungry,” Laird said.

Nathan patted Brohm’s belly. “Yeah, he’s got an appetite.”

“Hey! I haven’t eaten all day.”

“Oh-ho, don’t you worry, big fella,” Laird said. “They’re cooking enough for the whole lot of us.”

“Oh, good,” Brohm said, leaving the group to visit the cook.

“Listen, I’d like to apologize for this morning,” Nathan said.

“That’s fine. Let’s call it first-day jitters and forget about it. But don’t think you can slack off.” He jabbed a finger to his chest. “You’re here to prove your worth to the guild, and I don’t accept mistakes.”

“Yes, sir.”

The stout man gave him a sly grin. “Aye, keep that up and you’ll do fine.”

They turned their attention to the dignitary standing nearby. He cast a privileged and entitled air, and likely had never done anything for himself in his life. He waited impatiently while his men hammered in the last of the tent stakes, and moved in furnishings from the carriage.

“So, who are we protecting?” Nathan asked Laird.

“Senator Corbett.”

“And does he always require an extra detail of men from the guild when he travels?”

“Aye. We offer our services to many senators and governing officials. It’s good coin for us and generally easy work.”

“You’re not expecting a specific threat?”

“No. Highwaymen sometimes attack to loot, or if the person’s important enough, they’ll kidnap for coin. Our man here isn’t really worth their time.”

“Maybe so,” Nathan said, “but his outward appearance says otherwise. It could bring trouble.”

For the first time, Laird looked upon Nathan with a modicum of respect as he considered his words. The smells emanating from the fire pulled them closer to Brohm, who had chummed up to the cook stirring the pot—it held some kind of meat stew.

“Randy here says it’ll be ready soon,” Brohm said.

They waited patiently while the first portion was served to the senator in his tent, followed by his four men. Brohm was pleased to find much stew still left in the pot, and after thanking Randy, he wolfed it down.

Night fell, bringing a cool breeze with it. It was decided two men should be on watch at all times. The four guards picked their own shifts, independent of Laird’s team. Before Nathan or Brohm could voice their decision, Laird spoke out.

“I’ll be taking first watch tonight. You two decide who gets middle shift.”

“I’ll do it tonight,” Brohm said, then looked to Nathan. “You do it tomorrow?”

Nathan shook his hand. “Deal!”

 

 

◆ ◆ ◆

 

 

Their travels remained uneventful for the following two days. No passing travellers nor any sign of highwaymen. However, by the end of the third day, the monotonous and dry countryside began to transform. The mountains to the north and south diminished, giving way to green shrubbery and small trees.

By midmorning of the fourth day, hillocks stippled with large boulders forced them to travel at a slower pace. Tree-laden serpentine valleys brought additional difficulty, requiring them to stop at regular intervals in order to stay within visual range of the carriage.

“Definitely ambush territory,” Nathan said to Brohm.

“Yuh. Y’know it’s funny. Not that long ago, I’d be the one doing the ambushing. It feels weird being on the other side.”

“I know. Protecting a senator instead of killing one definitely feels strange.” They shared a laugh. “But what I really want to know is—”

Brohm cut him off, signalling to stop. He dismounted and handed the reins to Nathan, then jogged a short distance ahead. The road curved left around a large slab of rock jutting from the ground. Using it as cover, he peeked around the corner.

“What is it?” Nathan whispered when Brohm returned.

“Reckon a dozen men. They’re armed. Looks like a roadblock.”

Nathan cursed under his breath.

“We could take ’em,” Brohm said with a smirk.

“Are you crazy? Those odds aren’t great. We need to tell Laird.”

Brohm mounted up, and they headed back to the group. As soon as Laird saw their approach, he pulled his sword free.

“Trouble?” he asked.

“Looks like it, sir,” Brohm said. “Armed men blocking the road.”

“Brigands?”

The big man shrugged. “Reckon so. They don’t look friendly.”

Laird signalled to the horsemen. “Two of you stay behind with the senator. Everyone else on me.”

They headed back to the rock slab, and Laird surveyed the situation.

“I’d prefer to circle around, but the land’s too uneven for the carriage to travel on. We’ve got to deal with them.”

The two guards glanced at each other, then one of them spoke. “Sir, are you sure that’s a good—”

“You’ve got a better idea?”

The man opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. Instead, he shook his head.

Laird pointed at Nathan. “You good with that bow?”

“From a high position, I could take out two or three of them before they realize where the arrows are coming from.”

Laird stared at him blankly. “Aye? Okay, but I’ll believe that when I see it. Sid, you’re with me.” He pointed at the guards. “I want you two behind that boulder to flank them when they arrive.”

They nodded and pulled their blades free, then hunkered behind cover. Brohm interlocked his fingers to give Nathan a boost and clamber up the big rock. From this vantage point, Nathan had an excellent view of the road ahead. The brigands were in small groups, thirty metres away. Some were sitting, others were standing, but all seemed relaxed. Nathan smiled inwardly. With the element of surprise on their side, they might just win this.

“Ready when you are,” Laird whispered to him, readying his shield.

Nathan nocked an arrow and stared past the shaft. He chose his targets, imagining the outcome to best guess the future position of each man. Emptying his lungs, he pulled back, aimed, and released the arrow. No sooner had it left the bow, he reached for another, nocked, aimed, and fired. He pulled another, and then assessed the situation while aiming. Two men were down. The rest were alarmed, but none could pinpoint his position.

The third arrow flew, and he pulled another from his quiver. Aim, fire. Shouts rose from the group. Weapons were drawn. Aiming the fifth arrow, he realized the fourth had flown wide. He fired at the target again, hitting his mark square in the face. One of the brigands finally caught sight of his position, and after pointing him out, charged with a bellow.

A sixth arrow shot into the mob, and another man fell. A seventh scraped harmlessly off a helmet. By that point, they’d reached his rock and were trying to climb up. Brohm and Laird realized they weren’t coming around to their side, and charged at them with swords slashing. Proving to be a more dangerous target, the brigands ignored Nathan to defend against their new foes. Using that opportunity, Nathan pulled another arrow from his quiver and aimed nearly point blank at the top of a brigand’s head. The poor fool never knew what hit him.

The two guards joined the fray, attempting to push back the diminishing forces. Brohm parried and slashed with ease, making quick work of his attackers. Laird’s stout stature allowed him to bash his opponents down with his shield before finishing them off.

Morale lost, the remaining men fell back into retreat. Brohm rushed forward to end them, but Laird grabbed his shoulder, holding him back.

“Don’t bother,” Laird said.

Chest heaving, Brohm tried to pull free of his grasp and shot an angry glare.

“What’re you doing? We kill ’em now. Otherwise, they’ll get their buddies and come back.”

“Nah, they’re common rabble. We showed ’em we aren’t to be reckoned with. They won’t be back.”

Nathan watched the last few brigands mount their horses and gallop away. Not one glanced back.

“I think he’s right. We slaughtered them.”

Brohm, still trying to catch his breath, shrugged away Laird’s grip, then wiped his blade clean on a brigand’s tunic.

“I like to finish what I start . . . sir.”

Laird’s eyes narrowed at Brohm’s sardonic comment, but held back the choice words written on his face. Instead, he busied himself wiping his own blade clean while Brohm stormed away into the forest. Nathan jumped down from his perch.

“You two fight well for traders,” Laird said. “And I’ll admit you surprised me, Whitter. You’re good with that bow.”

“I appreciate that,” Nathan said flatly.

Laird gave him another stare before shifting his gaze to Brohm in the distance. “Get your partner in line.”

He left Nathan and approached the two guards to assess their situation. After adjusting his bow and quiver, Nathan found Brohm staring out into the trees.

“You okay, big guy?”

Brohm let out a purging sigh and wiped sweat from his brow. “I’m fine. Just pissed.”

“You should probably apologize to Laird.”

Brohm rolled his eyes. “What’s the point?”

“We’re trying to make a good impression, remember?”

“You just killed how many guys? And I took care of my fair share. How can he not be impressed?”

“C’mon Brohm, you were in the army. It’s obvious there’s a chain of command here, and right now, we’re at the bottom. Once we pass these tests, things will be different.”

“But what if it’s not that way? What if we always have to follow someone’s orders?”

Nathan shrugged. “Then we walk.”

“Yuh? Okay, I’m glad to hear you say that.”

“I don’t like this any more than you do, but if it means we can start our own branch and reap the rewards, I’m willing to jump through some hoops to get there.”

Brohm nodded reluctantly. “You’re right. Sorry for getting angry.”

Wrapping an arm around Brohm’s waist, Nathan pulled him close. “Sometimes you’re cute when you’re angry.”

“Shut up,” Brohm replied, shoving him playfully, yet still hard enough to nearly knock him off his feet.

They rejoined the group, and Brohm took Laird aside to chat. Nathan joined the guards, who stopped talking when he arrived and offered him curious looks.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said.

“Laird said you’re good with a bow,” one of them remarked. “I’d say that’s an understatement.”

“Well, uhm—”

“Where’d you learn to shoot like that?” another asked.

“Just practice, I guess.”

“Who trained you?”

“Nobody you’d know.”

They continued to stare at him, now in open awe. Nathan anxiously avoided their gaze and carefully ambled away.

“Whitter!” Laird called out. “Get over here.”

Brohm, standing beside Laird, looked at Nathan with concern.

“Is there a problem, sir?” Nathan asked.

“Something doesn’t seem to add up. No trader I’ve dealt with can fight like you two.”

“I beg to differ, sir. Traders from the western steppes do.”

“I don’t care where you’re from. Traders don’t know how to use a sword that well, and traders aren’t able to down that many men with a bow.” Laird’s stern eyes shifted back and forth between the two silent men. “Shaw might believe your lies, but I can see right through them.”

Nathan tried his best to sound relaxed. “Sir, I can understand your confusion. A trader’s life here is different than where we’re from. Bandits are commonplace. We have to be competent fighters to survive.”

“Yuh, that’s one of the reasons we left,” Brohm chimed in. “It’s no easy life.”

The stout man was about to offer his rebuttal before being interrupted by a guard.

“Sir, Senator Corbett is waiting.”

Laird grumbled under his breath. “Alright. Men, get those bodies off the road. We’re moving out.”

Nathan and Brohm tried to sneak away, but Laird stood in their way and pointed a meaty finger at them.

“This conversation isn’t over.”

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison.

“You two scout on ahead. We’ll catch up. Stay vigilant.”

They gathered their horses and left the group in haste.

“What you reckon we should do?” Brohm asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

“Just keep to the story. Deny anything else.”