Logan Sutton sat in the Whole Hog Tavern and placed his copy of the Life and Chronicles of King Cordifolia on the table. A barmaid in a pretty green dress walked over.

“Mug of ale,” he said.

She smiled at him and walked away.

Logan opened the book and resumed his reading. So far, the book had been a dull account of a warrior who conquered this island off his people. The accounts of the battles seemed one-sided with the commander of the island, a Brett Long, telegraphing every move he would make before he made it. Brett Long, whom he had heard about, was a cunning warrior and vicious commander; for him to telegraph his actions to the enemy was unheard of. The book was written by Cordifolia's page, so a little glorifying was expected but this was a little too much.

The barmaid dropped a mug of ale on the table in front of him. He smiled up at her and tossed her a silver coin. “Keep them coming.”

She caught the coin, placed it down her dress between her breasts, and walked away.

He opened the book and resumed reading. He read an account of how King Cordifolia built a library, a school, and the first courthouse on the island. The chronicle had lost its edginess and had become a dry read. He closed the book and took up his ale.

A woman with green skin, wearing a green skirt, burst through the door. She was followed by a man with an ungodly large sword strapped to his back. They were talking loudly to each other.

“I know the gnome said that was his statue, but the inscription made no sense,” she said.

“What, you think that there is another statue of King Cordifolia somewhere else?” he asked.

A statue of King Cordifolia. That was not mentioned in my book.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Maybe.”

The man smiled and sighed. “We will take another look around the palace district tomorrow; maybe we could get lucky.” The man walked upstairs, and the woman came into the tavern and sat at the table. The barmaid walked over to her and the woman waved her away.

Logan stood, collected his book and mug, and wandered over to the green-skinned woman.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

She looked up at him and he gave her a dashing smile.

“Sure,” she smiled. “Get me an ale, too, please.”

He sat and looked over to the barmaid and raised his mug at her. “Two more please.” He drained the contents of his mug and placed the empty mug on the table.

The barmaid dropped off another two mugs. The woman took one and took a large gulp.

“Had a fight with your friend?”

“Sort of,” she muttered, wiping her chin.

“I heard you mention a statue.”

“We are looking into the history of the island, and we wanted to find the statue of King Cordifolia. Instead, all we got was a statue of King Cordifolia the Second.”

“Not the same person?”

“To be honest I am unsure.”

“What was so important about the statue?”

“I guess it couldn’t hurt now.” She sighed and took another gulp of ale. “We are chasing down a clue for the Belt of Veritas that the king wants. We seem to have hit a roadblock as the clue we have doesn’t seem to have an answer.”

“Tell you what,” Logan said, taking a swig of his own ale, “I am also looking for the belt for the reward. Would you like to team up with me and split the reward?”

“Sure,” the woman said and finished her ale. “I am Aquillia, and who are you?”

“I am Logan.” He extended his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Aquillia took his hand and gave it a quick pump.

“Aquillia. That is an unusual name. Where are you from?”

“I am an elf,” Aquillia explained.

“One doesn’t meet a lot of elves.”

“We don’t leave the Forest of Garmore very often, and when we do, we don’t come this far out.”

“What brought you out?”

“I am looking for my brother,” Aquillia admitted. “That’s enough of me, tell me what you have.”

“I have been reading this book from the library and I think the history is all wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I learnt about the commander of the island that is mentioned in the book and I don’t think it happened the way the book says it does. This commander, Brett Long, was a talented warrior and a vicious commander; I don’t think he would have lost the island through a fight.”

“What about a negotiation?”

“That would be more plausible.”

“I would agree with you. We have the official account of the chronicles and the battle that it mentions would fit better if they were talks.”

“How did you go from that to hunting statues?”

“Well, in a margin about halfway through the book was a note from Cordifolia. It said, ‘A statue I did not seek’.”

“I take it you didn’t find anything at the statue.”

“Oh, we did, just not what we expected. Every statue in town has an inscription at the base. Normally it’s a quote or something. So, we have been looking for the statue mentioned in the book.”

“I overheard you say the inscription made no sense.”

“We found a statue dedicated to King Cordifolia the Second and it read:

History and truth bring many to fight

To bring many to light

History is weakened

By how we remember.”

“I agree with you, that makes no sense. Even if we assume that is the next clue, what could it possibly mean?”

“How about we sleep on it?” Aquillia placed a hand on Logan’s arm.

“Sure,” Logan said and smiled at Aquillia.

“Come. It has been too long since I had company.” Aquillia took Logan’s arm and led him upstairs.

***

Reg watched Aquillia and Logan go upstairs and then stood from his table and walked out the door. He walked through the growing darkness and left the busy market district; he kept the lighthouse, the Ward of Despair, to his right and entered the brothel district. The market district was shutting down, but the brothel district was just opening. He kept his head down and didn’t glance at any of the women standing in doorways or in windows offering themselves to the passers-by. He turned down an alley and pushed open a door at the far end of the terrace. The room was cordoned off with silk draperies. A woman with an open robe pushed aside the silk drapes.

“I am here to report to Anatoli,” he said, his voice cracking.

She closed her robe and led him into the brothel. Without a word, she led him down the corridor and up the stairs at the end then down the second-floor corridor.

With a dainty hand, she pointed at the far door. Reg walked past her and pushed open the door.

Anatoli was in bed with Ingirid’s legs wrapped around him. Reg coughed. Anatoli and Ingirid looked up at him.

“Say what you have to say and then leave,” Anatoli demanded and resumed thrusting at Ingirid.

“The woman you had me shadow spent most of the day with a tall man with a large sword, but then ended the day with another man.”

Ingirid moaned, then signed as Anatoli sat up.

“Which man do you want me to report about?”

“The one with the large sword,” Anatoli said, rubbing his forehead.

“They spent the day looking for statues,” Reg reported.

Ingirid disentangled herself from the bedsheets and Anatoli. She grabbed her robe and marched out of the room.

“Which ones did they see?”

“They saw King Everbright then they met a gnome who took them to King Cordifolia the Second.”

Anatoli frowned, then stood and wrapped his own robe around his body.

“After they saw King Cordifolia the Second they went back to the Whole Hog tavern and argued all the way home.”

“Now they are there right now?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Go and get some sleep, tomorrow you will be on guard duty here. I will send Joseph and Davin on a little excursion.”

“Thank you.” Reg bowed and stepped out the door.

Ingirid stepped back into the room. “What are you sending them to do?”

“I want my father’s sword. I deserve it. Tunio had our father, I deserve the sword.”

Ingirid wrapped Anatoli in a hug and placed her head on his chest.

***

Tunio stood at the edge of an open field on the other side of the field a large mountain. He was dressed in a suit of armour with his sword in one hand and a large bone shield in the other. He looked up at the mountain. A man wearing bronze armour descended from the mountain and strode towards him.

“You have been weighed and measured and found wanting,” a voice called from across the open field.

“You no longer have the right to judge us,” came a reply from behind him.

Tunio turned and saw two figures dressed in armour. He turned back and the man in bronze armour was in front of him. Mars?

“You dare defy me?” the man bellowed. “I created you.” He broke into a run and drew his sword. Tunio raised his bone shield. The sword came down on the shield with great force. Tunio was sent sailing back, and he was knocked unconscious. Tunio woke and sat up with a start.

A man’s heart is fickle,

true must a man’s heart be

to wield the spirit.

Honour and glory,

reveal the soul

remain true to your word

and see glory.

The word echoed in his head.

“Who’s there?” Tunio called out into the darkness.

A man’s heart is fickle,

true must a man’s heart be

to wield the spirit.

Honour and glory,

reveal the soul

remain true to your word

and see glory.

The words repeated, echoing in his head.

“That’s not all of it,” he spoke into the night.

Lies destroy the heart and mind.

Truth frees the soul,

Honesty shall humble you.

Gains shall follow.

Tunio recited into the night.

Silence echoed in his head.

Tunio closed his eyes and lay back down on his bed.

A man’s heart is fickle,

true must a man’s heart be

to wield the spirit.

Honour and glory,

reveal the soul

remain true to your word

and see glory.

A king stays with a lie

The words sang through his head, the new line startling him.

Lies destroy the heart and mind.

Truth frees the soul,

Honesty shall humble you.

Gains shall follow.

Tunio whispered the words into the night until he fell into a deep slumber.