บท 7: Chapter 4.5: Kosomo Prison Blues
After a rough sleep on the floor of Yorno's shack I think I can speak for everyone when I say that any accommodation has to be better than that, it almost made journeying to the enchanted forest sound nice just for the lodging.
As Grimsby and I had only anticipated a group of 3 for our journey into the forest we had only brought enough supplies for a trio, after some discussion on the matter Yorno informed us of the nearby town of Komoso, a small village that hosted little more than a small marketplace, an inn tavern combination, and the Mayors estate that looked over it. One more night in civilization and not in the enchanted forest sounded good to me and so to Kosomo we went.
I march into Komoso village with a sense of purpose that buzzes through my veins like an electric current, Dealbreaker strapped to my back and the weight of our upcoming travel into danger a heavy weight on my shoulders. The weight lifts a little bit as the smells of baked bread and freshly tanned leather hit my nostrils as we enter the central portion of the village.
As we arrived to the market portion of the village with little walking we began weaving through the stalls, the market was surprisingly busy for such a small town, the clinking of armor and the rustle of robes from villagers and adventurers alike creating a symphony of enterprise. I get excited by the liveliness of the market and as a consequence I begin to haggle with fervor, bartering for arcane trinkets and interesting concoctions until our packs bulge with supplies that promise safety and victory- or at least great shelf decorations for the guild.
It's during the exchange for the singular vial of health potion in the entire market that trouble brews. A man with eyes like flint stones who was getting earnestly out maneuvered in negotiations, takes one look at Glubber's goblin-green skin and sneers, "We don't deal with your kind here."
"Hey!" I bark out, my newfound boldness surging forth. "He's with us, and we have coin to spend."
Words escalate into shoves, and a crowd gathers, hungry for spectacle. Just as steel flashes and sparks threaten to ignite, a man who I immediately assume to be the Mayor, due to his clothing and entourage, arrived with a cadre of guards, radiating authority.
"Enough!" His voice booms over the fray, and the scuffle dissolves under his stern gaze. "We are a town of commerce and community, not baseless prejudice."
He turns towards us, appraising our group with a keen eye. "Adventurers, am I right? There's a spark of intrigue there, and I can't help but feel like a piece on his chessboard.
"My name is Marvin Westner, I am the mayor of this great city, I am sorry for your troubles. please join me for dinner tonight," he offers, a generous smile spreading across his features. "Stay in my estate, I insist. Komoso honors its brave souls."
Suspicion niggles at my mind, this seems too generous, but the thought of a soft bed and a full belly is almost too enticing to ignore. As I look at Grimsby he nods his disapproval, which I pretend not to notice. Yorno looks even less impressed, but as he has since we met him, he seems indifferent. Glubber is looking at his arms like he is noticing them for the first time, so I take that as him being on my side.
"My name is Bert Allen, this is Grimsby, Yorno, and Glubber, it is an honor to meet you, we would love to accept your offer." the words leave my mouth before I have the chance to stop them.
The mayor smiles brightly in response "Excellent, just follow me"
I almost start walking to follow before Grimsby's glare catches my eye, bringing me back to my senses.
"But, we really must plan our journey into the Enchanted Forest, we are very busy." It almost pained me to decline, I could see the fancy house on the hill, and the possibilities of niceties after a night on Yorno's floor was almost impossible to say no to.
"Enchanted Forest you say, well what if I told you that I have information on the forest that may be of interest to you, and after you enjoy the treatment we show guesst, that we can discuss business as well, would that interest you Mr. Allen?"
I couldn't say no twice, the information was just an excuse to find out just how nice beds can get in a medieval fantasy world.
The evening unfurled like a tapestry of luxury. Music from a live band entwines with the clinking of fine silverware and the murmur of conversation. I find myself swapping tales of mundane sales pitches for stories of cryptic quests and mythical beasts. It's surreal, sitting there savoring succulent roast and rich wine where destiny brushes shoulders with dinner napkins.
"Your journey sounds perilous," Westner muses, swirling his goblet. "But such is the path of heroes, yes?"
"Something like that, but I am just a salesman, not a hero." I reply, thoughts of my old life as an everyday salesman at Nutrahealth leading into thoughts of Thorne and his treachery a dark undertone to the melody around us. My mission is clear: climb the levels of this world, seek revenge, reclaim what was stolen, and then live out my dream life like I should have been able to in the first place. I mean I wake up in a fantasy world, get a badass sword, can use my skills from my old job to power it and what happens to me on the first day? Some bastard tries to kill me, and steals all of my stuff, stuff I couldn't even sell in my old life that is now infused with powerful magic! Yea, somebody has to pay for this.
"Enjoy the feast," Westner insists, pulling me from my internal monologue. "And afterward, the spa awaits. You'll want to be well-rested for the trials ahead."
"Thank you, Mayor Westner," I say, raising my glass. I know I can use the relaxation. All of these revenge thoughts have been stressing me out.
As the music crescendos and laughter wraps around us like velvet, I lean back, allowing the fantasy to take hold—for now. Tomorrow, the Enchanted Forest awaits, and with it, a level up in my quest for vengeance, but tonight, its some much-needed R&R.
The warmth of the spa's steam lingers on my skin as we step out into the cooler air, muscles loose and minds at ease. Everyone looks much more relaxed, guess I wasn't the only one feeling stressed.
Tranquility shatters like glass under a boot heel when Marvin Westner and his guards, clad in deceptive smiles, encircle us. I fucking knew it was too good to be true.
"Quite relaxed now, aren't we?" Westner's voice drips with honeyed venom.
Yorno replies first, his voice still gruff even after the sauna treatment, "Knew it".
I am almost more shocked by his response than by the situation. I turn to him "Why, didn't you say anything" my voice comes out whinier than I wanted it to.
"Yea, seemed kind of obvious didn't it?" Grimsby adds in with nonchalant agreement that floors me even further.
I turn to Glubber who only meets me with a shrug of the shoulders.
"Did everyone see this coming!?" I am astonished, I mean I guess I thought this might happen but why did nobody else chime in?
Before I can form another response, I guess the mayor got sick of waiting for us to acknowledge his betrayal, because in the next instant stars explode across my vision—pain blooms from the back of my head, sending me careening into a world of darkness. My last conscious thought is a silent curse aimed at our lack of communication.
---
Cold stone greets my cheek as I peel open heavy eyelids. The opulent garments gone, replaced by rough-spun tunics that chafe against our skin—our gear, our potions, all vanished. We're reduced to nothing but pawns in a dismal dungeon. Chains clink as I shift, and I see my companions, equally bereft, awakening to this grim reality.
"Unfortunate turn of events, wouldn't you say?" Westner's oily voice bounces off the walls. He stands beyond the bars, flanked by his guardsmen, a picture of cruel satisfaction.
"Thorne," I growl, the name tasting like bile. "You serve him."
"Serve? No, no." Westner chuckles, pacing the damp corridor. "I am simply... invested in the best interests of Komoso. And Thorne pays handsomely for his interests to align with ours."
"Deceitful snake," I spit, feeling the fire of betrayal licking my insides, stoking my desire for retribution. "We were guests of honor."
I notice out of the corner of my eye that Grimsby begins shaking his head at hearing me say guests of honor.
"I knew it could be a trap guys! Don't act like we didn't all end up here! " I pleaded to the party hoping that if we died tonight they at least wouldn't die cursing me as an idiot.
Grimsby chimed in seeming more inquisitive in the moment than distressed.
"Westner you fed us dinner and you could have just poisoned it with something that would render us unconscious, why go through all of the theatrics?"
"Ah, that was before I knew your true worth." Westner leans in closer, the scent of his treachery fouling the air. "Your little scuffle outside the church? Word travels fast. Once I realized you were who they are looking for, I realized that Thorne would be very pleased to hear of your capture, especially after what you did to his associate. All business gents. You understand."
My fists clench, nails biting into palms. The levels I've climbed, the skills I've honed—all stripped away in an instant, leaving raw fury in their wake.
"Enjoy your accommodations," Westner sneers, turning on his heel. "You'll fetch a fine price."
As his footsteps recede, I close my eyes, summoning the image of the Enchanted Forest that lies beyond these walls. We were so close. It can't end like this.
I turn to my party, hoping that somebody would be ready to pitch a daring plan of escape.
I was met by the sight of the three sitting down backs against the cold cinderblock wall. Yorno and Glubber appeared to be playing rock paper scissors, and Grimsby was eyeing me angrily from across the room.
"Okay, what is it Grimsby?" I ask sharply, getting sick of fronting the blame for the situation. "You were right is that what you want to hear?"
Grimsby sighs, his eyes narrowed in frustration. "This is all your fault, Bert. If you had just listened to me and not been so eager to trust everyone, we wouldn't be in this mess."
I bristle at his accusation, feeling the weight of guilt and anger boiling within me. "All my fault? You were there too, Grimsby! We all fell for the same trap."
Yorno chuckles, shaking his head as he continues to play with Glubber. "Does it really matter whose fault it is now? We need to focus on getting out of here."
He's right. Blaming each other won't help us escape this dungeon. I take a deep breath, trying to push down my rising emotions.
"Any ideas on how to get out of here?" I ask the group.
Silence hangs heavy in the air until Grimsby speaks up reluctantly. "There's a loose brick near the corner of the cell. Maybe we can use
it to create a hole big enough to squeeze through. It's a long shot, but it's worth a try."
We all turn to inspect the corner Grimsby mentioned, and sure enough, a brick near the ground looks slightly misaligned. With newfound determination, we each take turns trying to dislodge it.
After what feels like an eternity of careful maneuvering, the brick finally gives, creating a hole. The only problem was it was a hole to small for even Glubber's small frame to fit through.
We were back to square one and we were all feeling it. Everyone sulked back into the center of the cell and plopped down, ready to try to cook up another plan.
Planning quickly devolved into arguing as Grimsby and I still frustrated began jabbing back and forth at one another, with Glubber serving as the audience. The arguing went back and forth until we realized… Yorno was seemingly gone from the cell.
"Uhh- you're still a whining little fool, but Grimsby you didn't happen to notice Yorno go anywhere did you?"
"Out of this cell, are you losing it already? Oh, I guess he is gone."
I turned to Glubber who was still seated in the spot he had found to observe the arguing. "Glubber did you see what happened to Yorno?"
"Rat, Rat, picked up, turned into Rat" Glubber replied suddenly excited by the situation even though one moment earlier he was seemingly unphased.
"Picked up what?" Grimsby and I asked in unison before looking at each other mildly annoyed by the timing.
When we looked back Glubber stood triumphantly, arms above his head, holding in his hands.
"Mouse droppings?"
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