Book 2 Chapter 5

Tirr watched the crowd around them as they passed through the busy streets. Hundreds of people moving around in a constant flow, dodging in between the carts and wagons that traveled down the main road. Tirr couldn’t help but be surprised at the difference between this city and the capitals of Lutel and Rasor.

“I didn’t think this place would be so… full.” Tirr started looking over the crowded roads. “Isn’t this the only city in the Confederation? And they don’t control much land so shouldn’t this place be smaller?”

“Ah,” Torvus answered looking amused. “That’s why you're confused… It isn’t wrong to say that the Merchant Confederation is smaller than Lutel or Rasor, but your missing how important its placement is…” He opened his arms spreading them wide as he grinned back at the young god and his companion.

“This isn’t just some city… This is the center of the world! Or at least the closest thing to it. No matter what you want or where it comes from. This is your best chance to get it. Want something in the Southlands when you’re from Rasor? You come here! Want something from the Lutel when you live in the mountains? You come here! No matter what it is you can find it here, even things that you probably shouldn’t find…”

“Things you shouldn’t find?” Maria questioned curiously.

“The kind of stuff you shouldn’t be able to get, whether it's just morally or ethically wrong or straight-up illegal, you can find it all here…” Torvus answered, he still smiled, but Tirr heard what seemed like a dark tremor in the young man's voice as he spoke.

Before he could mention it though, Torvus started again. “Come on, we're almost at the drop off point. We’ll get rid of the cart and start heading toward my acquaintance's place. From there we’ll be able to get things started.”

The change of topic had been to deliberate, but Tirr simply nodded, letting the matter go. They soon pulled up into what seemed like an old stable. A few older and weak-looking horses stood in the stalls eating leisurely, none of which seemed like they were in any condition for anything.

A young man rose from his stool as they approached, frowning as he watched Torvus stop the cart and hop down., He gave a glance to Tirr and Maria as they stepped out of the cart as well, but soon settled his wary gaze on the silver-haired young man walking up to him.

“Torvus…” The dirt-covered young man started, reaching out a hand, “Thought I heard you were dead…”

“You don’t have to think I’m dead every time old man Raife has a party, Skinny.” Torvus replied, shaking the young man's hand firmly while letting out a chuckle… “He has other things to celebrate too ya know, like eating a newborn child or kicking puppies.”

“True enough I suppose, I just heard he broke out the good wine this time and was sure that meant you had kicked the bucket and let the old man have some peace in his final years.”

“Ain’t no peace ever coming to that man Skinny, and I’m not afraid to tell him to his face…” They both let out a chuckle before the young stable hand grew serious once more…

“So, what are you here for?”

“Need you to disappear this cart and horse, do what you want with it, but if it gets traced back to me…

“Yeah, yeah, the usual… I got it Torvus, no matter how hard you try you still not gonna be as scary as the old man. You need to use my entrance too?”

“Yep… Don’t have time to be wandering over to the next one, and you know how the guild is…”

“Yeah, I do… This trash heap ready to go then?” He asked the former assassins plainly…

“One-sec Skinny,” Torvus cautioned motioning Tirr back towards the cart, “Go ahead and get him unless he wants to be turned into firewood along with the rest o the cart…”

Tirr nodded going towards the cart once more, He climbed into the cart feeling its bottom for the small crease that signaled the opening he was looking for. He soon found it digging in with his fingernails to lift the plank, revealing the small hidden area beneath. As he did so a depressed-looking Garm looked back up at him, whining pitifully.

“I know Garm I don’t think it's proper for you either…” Tirr sighed picking the pup out of the smuggler's compartment.

“I told you, one of the most recognizable things s about you is that wolf, need to keep it out of sight, especially while we were getting through the gates. I would put money on every guard and eye within a mile of that place being told to look out for a young boy with a wolf cub.”

Garm yipped accusingly at Torvus, not accepting the explanation as he buried himself into Tirr’s arms. The silver-haired young man just shrugged, leading the way as they left Skinny to do his work.

“So, what's this entrance you were talking about” Tirr questioned for both him and Maria’s sake.

“Ah, a big city like this, with as many visitors as it has, tries to keep the top looking all nice and pretty so the big spenders feel safe and want to come back. But the dirt’s got to go somewhere you know? So, since the top was impossible and they didn’t want to get rid of all the dirt, big spenders sometimes want a little excitement you see, they just shoved it under the rug instead…”

They arrived at a sewer cover behind the stable and Torvus quickly swung it open, motioning to Maria, “Ladies first…” He said with a grin…

“Into the sewer?” Maria replied reluctantly. Seeing his expression, she sighed and stepped onto the ladder, working her way down. Tirr followed, holding Garm in one hand as he climbed down with the other.

Torvus followed after them being sure to close the cover before he descended.” They came down onto a thin walkway next to a stream of offal, Tirr decided to avoid thinking about. He watched as Garm whined miserably once more, pawing at his delicate nose because of the smell. Maria held her arm in front of the face her eyes squinting at the sting of the air.

“Come on!” Torvus said as he reached the bottom, leading the way into the sewers, “You all act as if you've never gone through a sewer before…”

Tirr flashed him an irritated look and Torvus laughed in response, guiding them as they weaved through tunnel after tunnel. After about an hour’s travel, they reached what looked like the end of the path as the small sewer stopped, its stream washing over the edge of what opened up into a gigantic cavern filled with burning torches and noise.

As Torvus looked down at the underground city he waved a hand toward it smiling back at Tirr, “Welcome to my home!”