P2: Chapter Four

RotheRed

A small ninja sat on the shoulder of a tall mud golem. RotheRed looked at them, his newest recruits. An odd pair no doubt, but he had seen them fight; they fought like demons. The golem was named MaoMao420, the ninja was FreiMarkt. “Are you guys ready for your first mission?”

“Sure man, but we’re a squad we go together, Ok.” FreiMarkt said.

“That’s fine,” RotheRed was planning to do that already, “MaoMao420 due to your higher level I’m putting you in charge of this mission.”

“No. I speak for him. I’m in charge.” FreiMarkt stood up on the golem’s shoulder and crossed his arms in front of his chest. MaoMao420 nodded.

“Do you speak?” RotheRed was curious he didn’t really care one way or the other if the guy choose to be mute.

“Yep.” MaoMao420’s voice was deep and gravelly.

“And this is good with this?” RotheRed wanted to do his due diligence and to avoid any possible drama down the road.

“Yep.”

“Ok then.” RotheRed shrugged, then pointed to his map. “I want you to retrace the path I took to get here from Ourp. Once there I want you to investigate to find if there is any blue influence in the town. Scope the place out then come back and report back to me, Is that understood?”

“Yessir.” FreiMarkt said, they both threw up sloppy salutes.

“Good, but cut that sir stuff, I want everyone to call me Boss is that clear?”

“Yes, Boss.” They both nodded.

“Good, now get out there and start your mission. On your way out tell BrutAl, I want to know as soon as the delivery is here.”

The door closed on them both and RotheRed was left alone with his thoughts. He zoomed out as far as he could on the map on his desk. It was almost completely blank, two small dots connected by a thin line running across the top left of the map were the only blemishes, That pair was just one of six scouting parties he had sent out, None had returned yet. He felt blind, and patience had never been a strength, right now he couldn’t see any other option, Waiting.  

Fortunately there were other distractions, like running this bar if that’s what it was. It had only been a few minutes before knock he was waiting for came. “Enter.” He barked.

Noise poured in as the door opened, “Boss, that delivery is here.” BrutAl said, only his head sticking through the open door.

“Good,” RotheRed said standing up. His sword was hanging on his chair, “come in and close the door,” he spoke while belting it on. “How is it out there?”

“It’s good, busy. It’s good the delivery is here, we’re set to run out in a couple of hours. Boss, I think you should consider getting a second barrel, principles really like this TonicZ,. I’ve had to hold some back to make it last this long. They’re all calling it TZ now.”

“TZ, that’s good, I like that. That’s a good idea i think I’ll get three.” RotheRed took his shield from where it hung behind his chair. He paused to adjust it on his arm, “when I’m talking to the goblin out there, see if you can get the gorilla talking.”

“Ok Boss, should I talk about anything particular?”

“No, no just keep it general, try to get friendly with him. There is something not right about those guys, I’m just not sure what. Ok, let’s go. Close the door behind you.”

After the quiet of his office, the common room was rockus. RotheRed felt the glow of satisfaction at seeing all the tables full, and every patron represented the color red. Some heads turned as they exited the office, they watched as he walked to the back door. He turned to the room and waved to those watching. There was a resounding cheer of “Red! Red! Red!” With the corners of his mouth threatening to twist up, he opened the door and walked out to the waiting goblin.

“Greetings!” The goblin seemed inappropriately pleased with himself. Behind him the gorilla leaned on its cart. RotheRed was glad to see at least six barrels were loaded in the cart, it didn’t seem that supply was going to be a problem. He focused on the goblin the same way that he would to get any other principle to see their information, there was nothing.

“Hey buddy, principles liked that TonicZ right. Did it sell well? I bet it did. It did! I can see it on your face.”

“You’re right, it was just like you said principles love TonicZ.” As RotheRed talked he also walked giving BrutAl the space he would need to start a conversation with the gorilla. “Yes in fact they like it so much I am interested in ordering more barrels.”

“Oh good!” The goblin rubbed his hands together, his exaggerated good cheer creeped RotheRed out. “We would be happy to increase your order size, we even offer discounts.”

This was good news, “what kind of discount are you talking?”

“You are paying fifty gold for a barrel, I can do eighty for two or one-ten for three. Before you ask, remember what I told you on our very first meeting; These prices are not negotiable.” The goblins face went dark and serious as it said this, RotheRed felt as if he was seeing the true identity behind the mask. Quickly that disappeared, the cheerful creepy goblin said, “so how many do you want? Two or three?”

“Uh,” RotheRed was feeling disquieted by the whole interaction, “I guess we’ll take three.” The money exchange was handled quickly, as soon as the money disappeared into the goblins money belt he whistled sharply at the gorilla. “Hey! You! Move!” He snapped his fingers at the gorilla until it gave a snort and looked at him. The goblin held up three fingers, “three! You stupid ape! Three barrells, got it? Three.”

Without any change in it expression the gorilla casually reached into the carted and started to unload the barrels with a single hand. RotheRed signalled to BrutAl, “Go get Chef Bob, tell him he will need help getting the barrels inside.”

“Ok Boss.”

When there were three barrells were on the ground the goblin walked back over to RotheRed. “We would like to set up a regular delivery with you. I can offer a further discount to that end, say three barrels for an even one hundred. every two weeks.”

“Alright, that will work. We pay you at the time of delivery?”  

“No, now that we have a delivery scheduled it will just be that ape over there.” The goblin pointed at the gorilla who was placing the third barrel on top of the other two. “Great it looks like the lug is done, he’ll take your money at the time of delivery, does that work?”

“Sure,” RotheRed said, that feeling of disquiet returning.    

Great! Fantastic! If you want to change the quantity just tell him, On the next delivery I’ll join him to work that out with you” The goblin was already walking away by the time he was finished talking. “Wait!” RotheRed had one last question, “who do you work for!” He shouted to make sure he was heard. “Zed,” the goblin yell over his shoulder.

RotheRed wasn’t sure what he had expected to learn when he had asked, he truthfully hadn’t really expected to get an answer. But he had and the answer had just created more questions. It also struck him as a little sinister. The back door to the Red Room opened behind him and disgorged BrutAl, ChefBobone65, and two principles RotheRed didn’t know. At a quick glance these unknowns were both reping the color red so he took them for soldiers a theory backup by their willingness to take ChefBobone65’s orders. As they set to the task of moving the big barrels into the social room RotheRed beckoned BrutAl over. “Did you get anything from the gorilla?”

“No, nothing. I mean he barely acknowledged I was there. But Boss, he is strong. Did you see how easily he unload those barrels? Look at those two noobs, their struggling to move one together, he did that with one arm!” BrutAl’s gestured to the two soldier who were struggling mightily to follow ChefBobone65 who was handling one himself.

“Don’t forget were all were noobs here. But you’re right he is immensely powerful, did you notice anything else?” RotheRed asked.

“Actually yeah,” BrutAl was looking a little bashful, “I wasn’t going to say anything because I’m not sure that it wasn’t something I did wrong. I couldn't see his name or his level or anything. I tried, I know I did.”    

“You did. The same thing happened to me with the goblin. I think of why they would be able to hide that. I need to know more? Can you follow them without being seen?”

“Yeah I can Boss. I figure out where they are based then I’ll return and report.” BrutAl snapped to order.

“Good. Go.” RotheRed returned the salute, then watched for a few moments as BrutAl stalked east. In the quiet of dusk he turned and entered the noisy hub that was the main social room in the Red Room. He quickly took stock of the room and was pleased that there was a line at the bar and many tables spotted a mug or three. Not wanting to draw attention to himself he quickly ducked into his office.

He was thrilled to see that Chefbobone65 had placed a carafe of TZ, and a glass on his desk. With care he filled the glass and sipped, then sighed. A metallic flavor spread from the back of his mouth, indicating the early stages in the TZ effects. He turned and hung his shield on its spot on the wall, removed his sword belt and hung it on his chair. Each move was distinct, thought through to the nth degree. He pulled out his chair, then sat and unrolled the map, covering his mostly empty desk.

The map was a mostly blank page. two small drops connected by a thin line were the only marks to mar it perfect blankness. RotheRed touched the map with thumb and forefinger of each hand, then moved his hands pulling away from the shape, a bent barbell, zooming in. He needed to get out of here, this bar or social hall whatever it was. He had created it and now it suffocated him. Even with the TZ coursing through his mind, fueling it to go faster slowing the rest of the world, he didn’t know what to do. He just needed to get out, move.

RotheRed wasn’t aware of how oppressive the quiet in his office had become, until the knock on the door shattered it. The door opened before he could respond. three bodies rushed in. FreiMarkt closely followed by MaoMao420 and David23, RotheRed’s bodygaurd. “I’m sorry Boss, they rushed the door. Do you want me to throw them out?”

“No, but please shut the door.” Once this was done he turned on the other two. “What are you two doing here? You only left, what a half an hour ago. There’s no way you could have made it to Orup and back yet.”

“We’re sorry Boss. We were ambushed and defeated,” FreiMarkt said sheepishly. “We thought we should tell you before heading back out there.”

“So who was it?” RotheRed asked.

“It happened too fast. They got me with an arrow so I didn’t see anything. MaoMao says he was defeated by a woman in blue.” FreiMarkt said.

“Do you think she was in the Blue Army?” RotheRed asked MaoMao420.

“No way of knowing.”

RotheRed’s mind was spinning. This was what he had wanted; Something to do. “David get what you need we’re going with them.”

“Boss, are you sure, I mean we need you here.” David23 was all concern, he saw his role as bodyguard to limit the risk as much as possible.

“No I need to be out there. I must know what is happening.” RotheRed zoomed in on his map, focusing on Norca. “FreiMarkt show me where this happened.” The small ninja was too short to see the top of the desk while standing on the floor. He quickly climbed his friend and then lept to the desk from MaoMao420’s shoulder. He went to one knee and pointed to the road just beyond went in to where it crossed into the forest. “The arrow took me here, right after we entered the tree line.”

“You were attacked by at least two, do think there are more. What the immediate concern is what this the advance of a large attack, should I mobilize the whole army?”

MaoMao420 spoke up, “I don’t think this was a large attack. It seemed like they might have been watching the road, trying to keep us from following it further. There is no way to know till we go back.”

“Then let’s go.” RotheRed took his shield off the wall then turned back to the others. “We are going to split our forces, David and I will take the left side of the road, you take the right. Stay close enough that you can see the road, that way we can support each other.”

Freimarkt jumped from the desk, resuming his position on MaoMao420’s shoulder, “We’re ready Boss, do you want us to head out now and scout ahead?”

RotheRed felt the TonicZ moving in his limbs, the anticipation of action moved in his stomach. He finished belting on his sword, “I’m ready. let’s go.”