CHAPTER 19
MY COIN PURSE IS MISSING!!!!
-Bandit Mage screaming out anyone listening
“We are almost there,” Gand said as he tilted his head until his neck cracked.
“I’m nervous Gand,” Raylen said as he gripped the small bow that Ryan bought for him.
“Don't be,” Gand said. “We have more than enough muscle here. Tezen is still outside and he is looking forward to this. I’ll be right back.”
Gand opened the carriage door and leapt out.
His physiology made it easy for him to keep his balance as he left the door open and then ran ahead to where Tezen could see him.
The smiling Orc stopped the horses and climbed down.
Raylen would get out of the carriage and sit on the bench while Tezen led the horses.
“You said they have coin?” Tezen asked as his orcish face split into a smile.
“They have a good amount of it,” Gand said. “They have made so much that the people of Salta started to find alternate routes to get around.”
“They are Mages,” Tezen said. “This could be bad. I like it.”
“Once I start running towards them, everything is going to be focused on me. Once you see me toss someone to the ground, time for you to do your thing.”
“Don't worry, we are going to split the coin right down the middle, even the elf will get a bit of it if he does his job with the one you say will be sneaking around back. Damn pointy eared bastard picked up using a bow almost instantly.”
“Here comes the first attack,” Gand said. “It is going to hurt a bit, you know what to do.”
Gand had told everyone about the attack and they had rehearsed what to do.
A magic spell slammed into him and Tezen.
It fizzled out on Gand but smacked Tezen pretty good.
Tezen dropped to the ground and then pretended to be out as Gand yelled and charged forward.
That was the signal for Raylen to come out of the carriage and take his spot on the bench.
Gand’s yelling had every bandit mage available start peppering him with spells as Tezen jumped to his feet and took off running.
Gand charged into the middle of the action and had to admit that he was having a good time.
The first Mage he sliced into his arm with a claw.
The Magic inside the Mage started pumping into Gand as long as he kept bleeding.
The magic would leak out and leak towards Gand, leaving the Mage practically helpless.
The man tried casting more spells as Gand tossed him down and went after another, then another.
There were ten Mages that were making coin this way.
Four of them were incapacitated. Five were backing away from Gand and turning to run as the remaining one was going to be taken by surprise.
“Twang,” was the sound the bow Raylen was using made as it sent an arrow speeding forward. A Mage was after Tezen who grabbed a huge chest of valuables and took off running. The arrow that was shot would impact…..
“ARGH!” said a pained voice. He was shot in the shoulder and was surprised by the move.
He grabbed at the arrow as another one slammed into his other shoulder.
They weren't killing blows but they served their purpose.
The Mage backed away as Tezen tossed the chest into the carriage and then slammed the door.
“Get to movin’ Elf!” Tezen yelled as he grabbed on the back of the carriage.
Gand knew that the carriage would thunder off unopposed.
Gand would still make a nuisance of himself as he kept charging the retreating Mages who figured out that their magic had little to no effect on the angry Gand.
Gand just had to keep them busy, he had already snatched three coin purses and knew the rest were wary of getting theirs grabbed.
Gand had already had this fight plenty of times and grabbed the three biggest purses there.
Eventually the Mages would start using the environment to slow him down, Gand wouldn't give them the chance and picked up a decent sized rock and threw it.
The Mage it hit on the shoulder wasn't ready for it.
He was spun around and then went down hard.
Gand turned around and started running after that.
The Mages would be happy to let him go until they discovered their stash was missing.
Gand caught up to the carriage despite the pace it was taking. He could run like an elf but had the power of an orc and the stamina of a dwarf behind him. He jumped onto the back and hung off with a smiling Tezen. Tezen pumped his fist in the air and gave Gand a toothy grin.
“The chest was heavy,” Tezen said. “I could barely move with it. My arms hurt just thinking about moving that thing. And you said that it is filled with coin and good stuff?”
“We were going to be their last robbery,” Gand said. “They keep their faces hidden so they will not be seen. They are going to see us in a few days once it gets out that a Healer is in town. Ryan is going to be swamped and we are going to act as his muscle and get a lot more coin.”
“They gonna attack us?” Tezen asked.
“They are going to want to, but will not,” Gand said.
“These Mages are uptight and proud. If they attack while we are in Salta, questions will be asked. They have a Truthsayer there. She would eventually find out that they were bandits. They are going to try for us when we leave but we will leave a day or so early and they will be out of luck.”
“I love this power,” Tezen said. “What about if I walk through town alone?”
“You should stay with me, so should Raylen unless we are at someone’s home,” Gand said.
“Alone we might get into a lot of trouble. Several dozen people are going to want to try me once they figure out that I am a Gand and not a red orc. Well, they will if they can catch me alone. For now I am going to go along with being a red orc.”
“We go together better than me and Zlex did,” Tezen replied.
“The three of us would make some real coin but Zlex doesn't like to mix it up like you.
Thank you for bringing me in on this. We have had our differences but things are good.
I wish that I could get another piece of that Lemara woman but I'm not the settling down type. Another human will present herself for the stabbing soon enough.”
“These women can kill you,” Gand replied. “And Ryan is paying for this trip so we are going to stay around him most of the time. When we get there, we get settled into an inn and then get us some clothes made. Something nice so we will not stick out as much as we do.”
“Some human clothes?” Tezen asked. “I like dressing like an Orc but I don't want my insides, outsides. Maybe even get the elf something.”
Gand nodded as the trip continued. They were within a day of Salta and had been on the road for six days.
They would reach Salta later on that night and Gand would attract a bit of attention like Tezen would.
Gand knew the best place to bed down at inside Salta.
He would get a horse and wagon for himself while he was here.
The Mages were stuck up but they didn't have enough non-humans to begin cheating them.
Gand, Tezen and Raylen would be the only non-humans in Salta, the Mages had a horrible reputation of killing whoever tried them so most races refused to come to a place like the one they were headed.
The sun was going down as they made their way inside.
“Hey uh,” said one of the guards. There weren't many non-magical people in Salta unless they had jobs that the Salterians refused to do, like guard a gate. Gand knew that the gate guards were overseen by a Mage. He was inside and didn't want to be bothered unless they were under attack.
“I have Mage Ryan Richer with me,” Gand said. “He is from Glendale and is a healer. If you want us to turn around, we will. I don't know how much trouble that would put you in since the Mikel family asked for him by name.”
“Oh uh, yeah, just don't start any trouble,” the guard said as Gand passed him by. The guard was taller than average which meant that he was still below Gand’s and Tezen’s shoulders.
Gand nodded to the man and led the horses through the street.
Right away they gathered attention, they were huge and these people rarely saw someone that wasn't human. Gand would ignore them as he walked on, it was taking everything Tezen had not to outright challenge some of these people. Eventually they made it to an inn. Gand brought the carriage around back and then got two rooms with two beds a piece. Gand and Tezen brought in all of the chests that Ryan brought with him. Gand had let him know to bring them since it would make it easier to bring in his real prize. Gand and Tezen started splitting the haul. Afterwards they would each give a small share to Raylen. Women’s jewelry, Gand wanted those.
Tezen didn't care about anything that wasn't coin regardless of how much it was.
The way they separated things was you pick one, then I pick one.
Gand knew that he got over on Tezen but the orc was now rich.
He could outright buy him a nice place complete with a carriage and horse and still have plenty of money to live.
Gand had thought about taking others with him, others like Dalarien or Gloren.
Tezen and Raylen had the highest success of things working without something going wrong or someone dying.
Raylen would end up with thirty gold, more than he would make in four years so he would be beyond happy.
He would buy the smallest place in Cabbage Town that was livable.
Gand would sink more coin into his place and then relax.
He should have enough coin to live off of if he didn't blow it.
Maybe he would hire Dalarien permanently along with a few others and then just relax.
It was a shame to have gained all of this in just one job.
“This is what it is all about,” Tezen said.
“You are right, I need to dress the part.
I am going to be my own boss, maybe hire some humans or Elves or something to work for me.
Open up my own brothel or something and be the big news.
I don't even want to stay here any longer, I want to leave right now.”
“You still need to buy a carriage and horses,” Gand said. “Only time you can buy one at a decent price. Probably even cheaper since Mages here can take most of the hard work out of things.”
“I have over 300 gold, 200 silver and more coppers than I want to count,” Tezen said.
“After we settle up with that elf, you and I are going to find some alcohol. This is my treat since you are so stupid that you took a bunch of shiny stuff instead of cold hard coin. Is our stuff going to be safe here?”
“It is for a few days,” Gand said. “Then we will move it over to the Mikels and finally take it with us when we leave.”
Gand watched Tezen get up and leave. Gand still had the coin purses he took that weren't part of any agreement.
The Mages didn't trust each other and secretly kept their most valuable things hidden in them.
The top only showed copper but underneath that were jewels.
It was enough that Gand thought he could have lived fabulously from just that.
Those Mages would want their things back, they would just be too stupid to grab it.
If they headed into Glendale, Gand liked his chances on coming out unscathed.
Gand grabbed twenty coins, fifteen gold and the rest silver as he made his way down stairs.
Tezen was there and the orc sat at the bar.
He was receiving dirty and curious stares from everyone until Gand sat down beside him followed by Raylen.
“Give my cousin and the elf the same thing I ordered,” Tezen said gruffly. The barkeep eyed Gand who gave him a nasty look in return. This man, Scott Melvin didn't have any magic and was just a worker. He also wasn't stupid and thought antagonizing two orcs wasn't healthy.
“And who are you two supposed to be?” came a feminine voice from behind the trio. Tezen turned around and gave his best smile, which looked frightening with his lower tusks jutting out. Gand and Raylen turned around as well.
“I told you,” Tezen said as he looked at Gand and then back at the woman.
She was older, maybe around late forties to early fifties.
Her silver hair was pinned to her head and her delicate hand held what was known as a Mage’s staff.
She didn't need it, it was just a status symbol since staves were written into law to only be carried by Mages.
“The best of their women will present herself to one of us. This one looks experienced, just what I need after a long day.”
“Excuse me?!?” the woman said as she leveled her stave at Tezen.
“You got a sister?” Gand asked. Gand had no plans on taking the woman home but his words would make her pause. “My people here is going to need someone to keep him company.”
“Now you just wait a minute,” Tezen said as he got off the stool and faced Gand. Gand hopped off his stool as well until he and Tezen were face to face. “She came here for me.”
“I say you get her sister and that she came here for me,” Gand said.
“Who would want two brutes?” Raylen said as he approached the pair. “She obviously came over here for some elven loving. These soft hands can treat a human woman right.”
“Is that so?” Tezen said as he moved Gand out of the way.
“It is,” Raylen said.
“That's good, you two fight it out while I get to know her,” Gand said as the woman lowered her stave and started to back away with the hint of a blush on her face.
“What is this about then?” Ryan asked as he came walking over. The woman took the time to run out of the inn, leading to raucous laughter from Raylen and Tezen.
“You are alright Elf,” Tezen said. “I bet that one will never forget this day. We are just funning around, human. Why don't you sit on down and I'll get you a drink as well. Tomorrow we will go see what kind of trouble we can get into.”
Gand and his group sat down and the rest of the night went relatively easy.
The official story was that Raylen, Tezen and Gand worked for Ryan who wanted to open up a Healer’s Clinic.
His status as a healer spread quickly, Gand knew that he would have people seeking him out as soon as he opened.
There was a man who sold bread. He worked for a Mage that wasn't making any money and had a spare room in his shop that was empty.
Ryan would set up in there and eventually come to the notice of their friends.