ALL NOVEL [62] The Example
The estate was abuzz with movement; some people were in disbelief that the Nazem Noble House was being executed. Kolbien and several others were leaving to confirm the execution. Tanisha on the other hand was in total panic. She needed to leave. She thought this would be a safe place for her until she and Joha were ready. However, it looked like the Salstars were going to take something else from her.
“Okay, get your stuff I will get the wagons ready,” Joha said without missing a beat. “Bjorn, come with me.”
Owen ran out into the training area. “We’re coming too. We were gonna surprise ya’ but looks like we won’t get the chance. So, I hope you won’t mind having us around a little longer.”
“What? Not at all! Thank you Owen, I don’t know what to say,” Tanisha said.
Owen waved his hand dismissively. “Well, save it for now. We gots to get on the road, right?”
Tanisha stored the bardiche in her necklace, hugged the small goblin man then ran off to gather her things. When she arrived at her room she heard footsteps behind her and turned around to see Tyr and Æsa.
“We’re going to help,” Tyr said. “Tell me what to grab.”
“We know that the Salstars finding you here would be a bad thing. When things calm down you are always welcome here,” Æsa stated with a bow.
Luckily there wasn’t much to take; she’d sold most of the nails and tools quite easily. There were a lot of building projects throughout the city and cheap supplies turned out to be a hot commodity. She still had farming implements and spearheads, but not nearly as much inventory as she’d started with. She told them to get the boxes on the main floor while she went to collect her supplies from the mezzanine. It was easy to store the book, clothing and alchemy equipment in the necklace.
As she stored her alchemy case, the gift she got from her friends at the academy, she was reminded she needed to go to Drew's shop. She had successfully created the greater health potion but it needed to cure overnight so she’d left it with him. She cursed under her breath that she hadn’t thought ahead. She should have left the moment she saw Thyra’s familiar. She should have known something was up with her choice of words.
In her frustration she noticed that she had been breathing out maya, the blue-green energy slowly dissipated as she got a hold of herself. She picked up the last of her things and ran downstairs, grabbing her last box of cargo too heavy to go into her necklace, then ran out to her wagon. Bjorn was already hitched and Tyr and Æsa were placing the boxes they had grabbed into it. Æsa had the odd chest that Tanisha and Bjorn had yet to be able to open. After they finished loading up, Joha joined them. The goblins looked to still be loading up their things as was to be expected; they had a lot of things and this was a sudden departure.
“We will be ready soon, the Jaraldson’s are loading up as fast as they can,” Joha said.
“Thank you, Joha, for doing this for me. I know this wasn’t the plan,” Tanisha responded. “I definitely have to thank them, too. There is one thing I need to get in town at the alchemy shop, and I should be back before they finish loading.”
“That’s fine, are you taking your wagon?” Joha asked. “Bjorn is hooked up and ready.”
“No, I can get there faster on foot because of all of the traffic in that part of town,” Tanisha responded. “But as soon as I get back I’ll be ready.”
“I’ll go with you,” Tyr said. “I know a couple of shortcuts.”
Tanisha nodded and activated her buffs, Mana Armor and Maya Cloak, because they increased her speed and agility. Tyr was a chakra material user and did not have the Mana Muscle Saturation that wendigo normally have naturally. Instead he used his chakra to strengthen his body, which Tanisha had found strengthened him a lot during their morning runs. The two took off running, making their way out of the estate quickly.
The streets of the city were bursting at the seams with people trying to get to the main plaza where the execution was taking place. The First Prince’s Royal Guard and the Salstar’s order of knights, the Knights of Velheid, pushed out the Nazem guardsmen from the inner city. The banners of the Salstars were being hung up along the wall as the Nazem’s burned with fire magic. Unrest in the citizenry was evident, but no one would dare upset the First Prince lest they be struck down. It was clear that no one had known this was going to happen; confusion, fear and panic across most of the faces Tyr and Tanisha passed.
“Ugh, this is going to take forever. I didn’t think it would be this bad,” Tyr said as they squeezed into another packed crowd. “Looks like everyone is taking the fast way.”
“Do you know any other way?” Tanisha asked.
“I do,” Tyr said as he jumped onto a low balcony. “We go up.” He held out his hand and Tanisha jumped to grab it. “Hopefully you don’t have a fear of heights.”
“No, not really,” Tanisha responded, knowing full well it was a lie. “At least, I won’t.”
Tanisha prepped herself to let the maya take away her fear as soon as it came up. Now was not the time to be arrested with inaction. She needed to move. They climbed the side of the building, making it to the roof shortly after.
Tanisha had to follow Tyr’s acrobatics as they ran across the rooftops, hopping between balconies and buildings, and finally made it to Drew’s Herbal Emporium. Well at least they were on the roof of Drew’s shop, twelve yards from the ground. Tanisha was fairly certain she could drop and land just fine, but the street was packed and she would certainly land on someone.
“How do we get down?” Tanisha asked.
“Uh.” Tyr looked around. “There is an alley over there.” He pointed.
A voice enhanced by magic was heard all around the city. “Citizens of Yuhia: I am the First Prince Arnar Al Kossiheim Qar.” The voice was regal and calm but had an underlying presence of absolute authority. “Today, as your sovereign, I stand before you with a heavy heart. I know many of you are confused and frightened, but I am here because of the treachery brought about by a noble who swore allegiance to our kingdom only to betray that trust…”
Tanisha followed Tyr as he led them to the alleyway. They had to shimmy down a pipe to make it to the street below.
“Audun Nazem was declared guilty by the crown, and his actions have seen the ends of many lives. He has worked with druids to attack settlements, disrupt trade and aid them in the war for the Holy Land promised to us by the mighty Forest Father. He has robbed us of many brave souls who would have fought valiantly for our land and people…”
Tanisha and Tyr reached the shop right as Drew opened the door to look outside. He looked like his eyes were still adjusting to the outside light when the two reached him.
“What in the name of the Celestial Planes is going on out here?” Drew asked. seeing all the people in the street.
“Drew!” Tanisha called out. “I need to get the Greater Potion, is it ready?”
“Huh?” Drew’s eyes rested on two of them. “Ah, yes, Tanisha, Tyr, come in.”
They followed the man back into his shop. The place was just as packed full of alchemical supplies as always. The magically enhanced voice of the prince could still be heard, but only as a faint muffle. Drew led them to the counter where he was obviously working on another potion. If not for the urgency of the situation Tanisha would have inquired as to what it was.
“The potion came out beautifully, Tanisha,” Drew said as he walked around the desk and towards a locked cupboard. “But what is going on out there?”
“The Nazem are being executed for treason,” Tyr responded.
Drew shook his head disapprovingly at the news. He unlocked the cupboard and pulled out a bottle with a sparkly blue liquid inside. He returned to the counter and placed the bottle down so Tanisha could take a look at it. She reverently picked it up, feeling the warmth of a perfectly brewed greater health potion. The magic within gave off a slight glow and the liquid within seemed to have sparkles that danced about.
Tanisha told Drew she was leaving the city and apologized for the short notice, as it was unexpected even for her. He was understanding and she got the feeling he knew something was going on but didn’t want to pry. She was thankful for that, but promised herself that in a few decades if he was still alive she would visit. The two wendigo left the shop and were once again bombarded by the voice of the prince.
“As we gather here today, justice will be served. Not just for the Nazem but also for all of his accomplices. The Fital Family, the Drasi Family and the Isi Family will be the example for all those that defy the kingdom and undermine the safety and stability of our realm.”
Tanisha's eyes snapped onto Tyr, who had frozen in place when he heard his family name called out amongst the traitors. Without a word he took off running, pushing people out of the way as he did. Tanisha followed him as they made their way to the Isi estate.