Chapter 9: The Kidnap

Alcar may have been feeling a slight effect from the ale during his conversation with Etienne and Olynka in the Black Mackerel, but the alcohol was definitely, unmistakably reaching his head by the time they stood up and walked back out the street.

“This feels... real weird,” he murmured.

“He’s new to drinking,” said Olynka with a slight smile.

Etienne snickered. “Ah, you’ll soon get used to it, man,” said the halfling as he paid for all of their drinks, and then favored the buxom bartender with an exaggerated wink. “Adventurers are mostly raging alcoholics. Just don’t start before lunchtime – that’s my advice. Also, it doesn’t mix well with sword play, and I doubt that it’s very helpful for spell-casting either.”

Together they wandered out to the streets of the merchant quarter once more, and stood for a moment outside the tavern. The surroundings were a lot busy than had been the case when the trio had first gathered outside Maluhk’s tower. There were now many ponies and carts moving around, people calling at dwellings, and gangs of children playing at the sides of the street, some well dressed and others more ragged.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to go straight back to the sorcerer’s tower?” said Olynka. “I wonder if we shouldn’t let him cool off a bit, first.”

“Don’t get cold feet now, Olynka the Bow!” declared Etienne. He then belched loudly, and began to lead the way back towards the tower. The other pair glanced at each other nervously, and followed.

“Listen, Alcar,” said Olynka quietly as they followed the halfling. “I’ll do what I can to help you get back in, I swear. We’ll follow Etienne’s plan, even if it does feel like a cover for him to rob Maluhk.”

“Good – thank you,” slurred Alcar.

“There’s a ‘but’, my friend,” she continued. “You know that I want to connect with the lizard warriors, and find a mentor. “Nothing that we do can get in the way of that. Agreed? If push comes to shove, blame Etienne, or take the blame yourself. I can’t blow my chance with Warlik and Lox’aar.”

“Fair enough,” said Alcar. He realized that he now had the hiccups, and also that the streets were a lot quieter than he had expected. Despite the many passers-by, ponies and shouting street vendors, he could barely hear a thing due to the roaring in his ears.

Roaring...

“Dragon!” Alcar looked up, eyes wide, only to see a featureless sky, and feel Olynka’s arm across his shoulder.

“Alcar,” she hissed. “Man, you really can’t hold your booze, can you. No more ale for you today. Agreed?”

“Mmh-hm,” he mumbled, nodding and starting to walk along the street again. Several children had stopped to look at him, and one was laughing and pointing.

“It’s a damn pity I don’t have any loris root,” said Olynka, speaking half to herself. “The stuff easy to get in the forest near Lorn, and it’s the perfect thing for cutting through a drunkard’s haze.”

“Huh.”

“Not that I want to do that witchcraft stuff anyway. And I certainly don’t want to go back to my village. I tell you, Alcar, no more gathering of potion ingredients for me! Not after the incident with the boar.”

“Huh?”

They were just turning the corner now, and even in his drink-addled state, Alcar recognized the squat tower up ahead. He looked up to the roof, wondering if the two dwarves had got on with their work yet.

But that was strange, he thought, as he looked in that direction... The horned demon-woman was alone on the roof. And she was screaming with rage, and pointing downwards at... what? Alcar frowned, looking around at the street and trying to focus.

And then he saw it: the dwarven brothers together with two dark-bearded members of their species. And the four of them were busily manoeuvring a tied-up and very rotund individual into a cart, pulling a sack over the man’s – or rather half-orc’s – head. At the front of the cart, a fifth dwarf was holding the reins of a pony.

“What the hell?” said Olynka.

“Kidnappers!” cried Etienne, who was just ahead of them. The halfling pulled a dagger from his hip and ran forward. As he reached the kidnap victim, he sliced out not at the dwarves but at one of the ropes that was binding Master Maluhk, cutting through it in one stroke. The half-orc, finding his hands suddenly free, roared from inside the sacking, and fired out several glowing blue daggers, two of which hit home into one of the darker dwarves, causing him to slump back on the cart, his chest bloody. But the other magical daggers flew harmlessly wide, and soon two of the dwarves were restraining the sorcerer’s arms again, getting another rope ready, while a third pulled of a short sword and began to fend off Etienne.

Now, Olynka was on the scene. She raised her bow in both hands and brought it down hard on the head of one of the blond dwarves, who yelped and then fell from the cart with a crunching noise. The dwarf lay there stunned for a second, while up ahead, the dwarven driver leaped on board and shook the reins. As the cart started to move away, the downed dwarf was picking himself up.

Alcar then ran towards the dwarf on the ground, hoping to grab the kidnapper’s arms and restrain him. But as he ran, Alcar tripped, and found himself instead grabbing out in the direction of the dwarf’s genitals. The dwarf screamed as Alcar’s full weight wrenched down... All Alcar could do was hold on tight to the kidnapper’s testicles, as he was buffeted by punches and kicks. Moments later they were wrestling on the ground, the enraged dwarf biting and scratching.

Alcar was only vaguely aware of the cart rumbling away out of sight. But he was grateful when he felt Olynka pulling him to his feet, and saw Etienne and the horned demon-woman grab the blond dwarf, twisting one of his arms behind his back.