Chapter 326: A Spell to Help or Hinder
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Chapter 326: A Spell to Help or Hinder
A Spell to Help or Hinder
Staying on the steps down to the basement rather than going all the way up, Martel remained hidden behind the others while he took in the scene. A handful of tavern guards stood scattered around the circle of Night Knives occupying the centre of the big common room. As of yet their weapons remained sheathed, but who knew for how long. A well-dressed man could be seen speaking with animated gestures and handwringing; Martel figured that would be the owner of the tavern.
"I don't understand, I have no business with you. I don't even know who you are!" the man declared.
"You have upset Lady Pearl, who runs this district. You'll close your tavern for the time being and throw those actors out," came the cold response.
Martel could not see, but he recognised the voice as belonging to Flora.
"Close it, with everyone coming for the show? Close it on the last day of the spring festival?" the owner complained.
"If you reach an understanding with Lady Pearl, you may be able to open it again one day. If you refuse, we'll close down your tavern right now. For good."
Martel heard whispers and turned his head to see the actors in quiet discussion.
"There's not that many," argued one of them. "With the tavern guards on our side, we can do this."
"What about the city guards? Send Ian to fetch those," suggested another.
"Lady Pearl will have bribed them," Martel interjected, joining their circle. "They won't interfere."
"We should do as we always do," Regnar declared. "Leave. It's never worth taking the fight. They'll only be back."
A loud voice, belonging to someone very young, broke through the two discussions taking place. "Leave our home alone!"
Martel looked towards the speaker and saw Ian stepping towards the Night Knives, hurling an empty tankard through the air. It hit the mercenary straight on the nose, and while hardly a threat to his life, he cursed and drew his sword to swing at the boy.
"That was the spell of a battlemage," the hedge mage pointed out. "I don't think these hired swords expected to encounter that."
"Probably not." Martel reached out and applied some heat to the ice chains still wrapped around some of the guards, melting them. "Curious that their wizard didn't do the same. She's an earthmage, and I've seen her raise walls like that to control the battlefield."
"Have you now," Regnar muttered. "Well, not much use here. With the basement below us, not a lot of earth for that spell to work with." He stamped his feet against the stone floor before bending down to examine the wounds of a guard. "Theo!"
With the sounds of fighting ended, the actors appeared on the staircase. "They are gone?"
"For now," the hedge mage replied. "Some of these lads need their wounds tended to."
Several of the players disappeared down into the basement again while Theo approached the two wizards. "When will they be back?"
"Their leader is an earthmage," Regnar considered. "They tend to be cunning, calculating, but not prone to rash action. My guess is, she'll assess the situation and what exactly she is up against before returning. I doubt they'll be back today, but tomorrow? Could very well be."
Theo nodded. "We can still carry on with the play, in that case."
Martel jerked his head around to stare at him. "Are you crazy? You need to leave!"
The storyteller shook his head. "We already took the fight. Doing the play will give us some much needed coin, especially if we do have to flee. Besides, the show must go on."
That seemed a strange sentiment to Martel, considering the show had not even started yet. Around them, the other actors returned with bandages and the like.
"Theo is right. Martel, could you stay and keep watch tonight? I'll be busy doing the effects for the performance. Once it's over, I'll relieve you of duty," Regnar said.
It seemed a foolish risk for them to take, but Martel also bristled at the idea of what amounted to basically thugs throwing his friends out of their new home. "I'll stay as long as I can," he promised. "But at some point, I have to go back to the Lyceum. If I miss class, I expect they'll end up chaining me inside."
"Not to worry," Regnar told him. "Now we know to expect trouble. Your presence will buy us some time that we can use to prepare a hasty departure, should it be needed. And until then, I do believe I'll place a few wards to protect this place."
Martel nodded in response before he went upstairs, choosing a room with a window that overlooked the main street outside.
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Chapter 326: A Spell to Help or Hinder
A Spell to Help or Hinder
Staying on the steps down to the basement rather than going all the way up, Martel remained hidden behind the others while he took in the scene. A handful of tavern guards stood scattered around the circle of Night Knives occupying the centre of the big common room. As of yet their weapons remained sheathed, but who knew for how long. A well-dressed man could be seen speaking with animated gestures and handwringing; Martel figured that would be the owner of the tavern.
"I don't understand, I have no business with you. I don't even know who you are!" the man declared.
"You have upset Lady Pearl, who runs this district. You'll close your tavern for the time being and throw those actors out," came the cold response.
Martel could not see, but he recognised the voice as belonging to Flora.
"Close it, with everyone coming for the show? Close it on the last day of the spring festival?" the owner complained.
"If you reach an understanding with Lady Pearl, you may be able to open it again one day. If you refuse, we'll close down your tavern right now. For good."
Martel heard whispers and turned his head to see the actors in quiet discussion.
"There's not that many," argued one of them. "With the tavern guards on our side, we can do this."
"What about the city guards? Send Ian to fetch those," suggested another.
"Lady Pearl will have bribed them," Martel interjected, joining their circle. "They won't interfere."
"We should do as we always do," Regnar declared. "Leave. It's never worth taking the fight. They'll only be back."
A loud voice, belonging to someone very young, broke through the two discussions taking place. "Leave our home alone!"
Martel looked towards the speaker and saw Ian stepping towards the Night Knives, hurling an empty tankard through the air. It hit the mercenary straight on the nose, and while hardly a threat to his life, he cursed and drew his sword to swing at the boy.
"That was the spell of a battlemage," the hedge mage pointed out. "I don't think these hired swords expected to encounter that."
"Probably not." Martel reached out and applied some heat to the ice chains still wrapped around some of the guards, melting them. "Curious that their wizard didn't do the same. She's an earthmage, and I've seen her raise walls like that to control the battlefield."
"Have you now," Regnar muttered. "Well, not much use here. With the basement below us, not a lot of earth for that spell to work with." He stamped his feet against the stone floor before bending down to examine the wounds of a guard. "Theo!"
With the sounds of fighting ended, the actors appeared on the staircase. "They are gone?"
"For now," the hedge mage replied. "Some of these lads need their wounds tended to."
Several of the players disappeared down into the basement again while Theo approached the two wizards. "When will they be back?"
"Their leader is an earthmage," Regnar considered. "They tend to be cunning, calculating, but not prone to rash action. My guess is, she'll assess the situation and what exactly she is up against before returning. I doubt they'll be back today, but tomorrow? Could very well be."
Theo nodded. "We can still carry on with the play, in that case."
Martel jerked his head around to stare at him. "Are you crazy? You need to leave!"
The storyteller shook his head. "We already took the fight. Doing the play will give us some much needed coin, especially if we do have to flee. Besides, the show must go on."
That seemed a strange sentiment to Martel, considering the show had not even started yet. Around them, the other actors returned with bandages and the like.
"Theo is right. Martel, could you stay and keep watch tonight? I'll be busy doing the effects for the performance. Once it's over, I'll relieve you of duty," Regnar said.
It seemed a foolish risk for them to take, but Martel also bristled at the idea of what amounted to basically thugs throwing his friends out of their new home. "I'll stay as long as I can," he promised. "But at some point, I have to go back to the Lyceum. If I miss class, I expect they'll end up chaining me inside."
"Not to worry," Regnar told him. "Now we know to expect trouble. Your presence will buy us some time that we can use to prepare a hasty departure, should it be needed. And until then, I do believe I'll place a few wards to protect this place."
Martel nodded in response before he went upstairs, choosing a room with a window that overlooked the main street outside.
Chapter 326: A Spell to Help or HinderA Spell to Help or HinderStaying on the steps down to the basement rather than going all the way up, Martel remained hidden behind the others while he took in the scene. A handful of tavern guards stood scattered around the circle of Night Knives occupying the centre of the big common room. As of yet their weapons remained sheathed, but who knew for how long. A well-dressed man could be seen speaking with animated gestures and handwringing; Martel figured that would be the owner of the tavern."I don't understand, I have no business with you. I don't even know who you are!" the man declared."You have upset Lady Pearl, who runs this district. You'll close your tavern for the time being and throw those actors out," came the cold response.Martel could not see, but he recognised the voice as belonging to Flora."Close it, with everyone coming for the show? Close it on the last day of the spring festival?" the owner complained."If you reach an understanding with Lady Pearl, you may be able to open it again one day. If you refuse, we'll close down your tavern right now. For good."Martel heard whispers and turned his head to see the actors in quiet discussion."There's not that many," argued one of them. "With the tavern guards on our side, we can do this.""What about the city guards? Send Ian to fetch those," suggested another."Lady Pearl will have bribed them," Martel interjected, joining their circle. "They won't interfere.""We should do as we always do," Regnar declared. "Leave. It's never worth taking the fight. They'll only be back."A loud voice, belonging to someone very young, broke through the two discussions taking place. "Leave our home alone!"Martel looked towards the speaker and saw Ian stepping towards the Night Knives, hurling an empty tankard through the air. It hit the mercenary straight on the nose, and while hardly a threat to his life, he cursed and drew his sword to swing at the boy."That was the spell of a battlemage," the hedge mage pointed out. "I don't think these hired swords expected to encounter that.""Probably not." Martel reached out and applied some heat to the ice chains still wrapped around some of the guards, melting them. "Curious that their wizard didn't do the same. She's an earthmage, and I've seen her raise walls like that to control the battlefield.""Have you now," Regnar muttered. "Well, not much use here. With the basement below us, not a lot of earth for that spell to work with." He stamped his feet against the stone floor before bending down to examine the wounds of a guard. "Theo!"With the sounds of fighting ended, the actors appeared on the staircase. "They are gone?""For now," the hedge mage replied. "Some of these lads need their wounds tended to."Several of the players disappeared down into the basement again while Theo approached the two wizards. "When will they be back?""Their leader is an earthmage," Regnar considered. "They tend to be cunning, calculating, but not prone to rash action. My guess is, she'll assess the situation and what exactly she is up against before returning. I doubt they'll be back today, but tomorrow? Could very well be."Theo nodded. "We can still carry on with the play, in that case."Martel jerked his head around to stare at him. "Are you crazy? You need to leave!"The storyteller shook his head. "We already took the fight. Doing the play will give us some much needed coin, especially if we do have to flee. Besides, the show must go on."That seemed a strange sentiment to Martel, considering the show had not even started yet. Around them, the other actors returned with bandages and the like."Theo is right. Martel, could you stay and keep watch tonight? I'll be busy doing the effects for the performance. Once it's over, I'll relieve you of duty," Regnar said.It seemed a foolish risk for them to take, but Martel also bristled at the idea of what amounted to basically thugs throwing his friends out of their new home. "I'll stay as long as I can," he promised. "But at some point, I have to go back to the Lyceum. If I miss class, I expect they'll end up chaining me inside.""Not to worry," Regnar told him. "Now we know to expect trouble. Your presence will buy us some time that we can use to prepare a hasty departure, should it be needed. And until then, I do believe I'll place a few wards to protect this place."Martel nodded in response before he went upstairs, choosing a room with a window that overlooked the main street outside.
