The tale of the young nomadic centaur (Caflenal) Joshuwain started in a role-playing 
game but quickly grew to find a place in my stories.  To date, I have written Three 
Joshuwain tales and am in the midst of a Fourth.  The first one "Morning in Errom-Dal" 
introduces the reader to the main characters in these tales.  Phantos Greydawn is the 
older brother of Joshuwain and a veteran traveller and mercenary.  Carnam Devashal 
is a traveller from Ranakan, a Southern trade empire.  He is a wolven shapeshifter, 
called a Wolfwere by many; but simply a 'Ranakan' by most.  He is also a practitioner 
of the magickal arts; a forbidden order in just about all civilized countries.  Joshuwain 
himself is a young, brash Caflenal who's alcoholism and leisurly attitudes made him a 
disgrace to his father, the patriarch of his tribe.  Joshuwain was turned over to Phantos 
in order that the older Caflenal make something of his sibling...


In the second tale relating Joshuwain's exploits, "Fire Fish", he and his companions 
came to the trade city of Varn, the capital of the Westernmost Province of the Indurian 
Empire.  A hot and desert-like climate, Varn sits on the coast of a vast inland sea, 
where traders and voyagers alike meet for goods, services and everyday life.  
Caflenal are rare in this part of the world, but not unknown.  Joshuwain was 
instrumental for both himself and his companions gaining employment and respect in 
the town in an odd, culturally specific eating contest with two Reptillian trade captains.


Currently, Phantos, Carnam and Joshuwain work for the Pargassus brothers, Sarin 
and Rellas.  These two, bipedal reptillians stand nearly as tall as an average centaur 
and have broad plates down their spines and tails.  They are captains of trade and 
fierce competitors of an upcoming shipping company on the docks of Varn...


Running Scared
by David J Rust - coypright 1995


"Another performance like that, an' you'll wish y' didn't have a face to kiss with!"  The 
sharp echo of a whip punctuated the distant threat followed by a cry of pain.


Joshuwain's ears pricked up as he looked down the interconnected alleys behind 
Trader's Row.  This late in the evening, the shadows between the buildings were like 
ink, concealing all but the largest and most obvious shapes.  Concerned, he 
brandished his kankar and cantered down the narrow, winding alley.  Another crack 
echoed from around a nearby corner accompanied by chortles of derogatory laughter 
and the vague sounds of sobbing.


Josh bounded forward around the corner towards the sounds.  Rounding the baked-
brick building, Joshuwain brought himself to a rapid halt, nearly running over a fat 
Ranakan man brandishing a wooden club.  The activity before him froze.


A young human woman -Indurian, by the look of her- lay half-naked in a puddle of 
muddy water amidst three onlookers.  She was bloodied and bore two broad welts on 
her shoulders and back.  Cascades of sweaty, black hair obscured most of her face, 
but Josh could tell it was she who was crying.  A broken length of rope was tied 
around her wrist.  Angrily, he looked at the group that stood around her.


Aside from the club-bearing wolfwere, there was an elder Varn woman and a 
powerful-looking Reptillian.  The humanoid lizard held the whip that Josh had heard 
and a broken length of rope in his other hand.  About seven feet tall, the creature 
didn't equal the Caflenal's height, but he was impressive nonetheless.  A black patch 
covered his left eye giving him an evil look.  Josh swallowed his nervousness and 
trotted forward.


"What're you doing to this lady?"  The young Caflenal kept his wooden practice sword 
in sight and held it at its ready position.


The overweight Ranakan laughed.  "Why do you want to know horse-man ... feeling 
lonely?"  Casually, he walked over to the other two, putting the injured woman 
between Josh and himself.


The battle-scarred Reptillian stepped towards Josh.  "It'sss none of your busssinesss, 
Caflenal.  Ssshe'sss a ssslave, that'sss all.  Now, go back where you came from..."  
The scaly humanoid's words trailed off ominously.


Joshuwain looked at the group before him.  Three against one; not the best odds.  But 
the young lady -slave or not- didn't look like she'd survive much more of their care.  
Nodding his head to the three, Josh slowly turned from them and started back the way 
he'd come.  Phan had warned him about getting involved in affairs that didn't concern 
him, but...  With a sudden lunge, Josh planted his forehooves and kicked back as hard 
as he could, catching the Reptillian square in the chest.


With a loud cry of pain, the whip-bearer was thrown back into a wall.  Spinning, Josh 
brought his kankar to bear on the remaining two.


"Paedic, do something!"  The woman quickly made for the door that the injured 
Reptillian had nearly hit.  The portly Ranakan advanced slowly on Joshuwain.


Breathe slowly, Josh thought to himself, just breathe and move with his attack...


Cautiously, Paedic approached, jabbing his weapon tenuously towards Joshuwain's 
waist.  The Caflenal backed away slowly, waiting for an opening from his smaller 
opponent.  He'd have to be careful; the kankar might be good for training, but was far 
lighter than the heavy club being brandished before him.  Josh would have to make 
sure it didn't connect solidly with either him or his weapon.


With a guttural snarl, Josh's adversary lunged forward, aiming the club for the 
Caflenal's forelegs.  Josh reared as quickly as he could and brought his kankar down 
with a sharp crack on the Ranakan's head.  A blurring of Paedic's image accompanied 
Josh's thrust as the Ranakan metamorphed into its large wolven form.  Apparently not 
stunned by the Caflenal's blow, the enormous wolf continued its lunge beneath Josh 
and locked its jaws on Joshuwain's hind leg.  Biting back a shout of pain, Josh did the 
only thing he'd been taught when fighting something that got beneath you.


He fell on it.


With the wolf's teeth still embedded in his left flank, Joshuwain came down on Paedic 
like a ton of bricks.  The wolf let out a muffled whimper as it struggled to free itself, 
clawing and biting.  Quickly, Josh rolled to one side to avoid the flurry of claws and 
allow his adversary to scurry out from beneath.


Josh lurched to his hooves and spun to face the wolf.  His rear leg still throbbed and 
he couldn't put too much pressure on it without pain.  Nides, Josh swore, Phan would 
kill me if he saw how I let that flea-biter get me...


Burying his criticism beneath necessity, he turned his weapon towards his snarling 
opponent once again.  The wolf was slowly circling and making tentative feints 
towards him.  Josh held his ground.  The wolf was favoring its right foreleg; probably 
sprained or broken when Josh fell on him.  The wolf continued to snarl and circle.  
With a lunge, he dove for Josh's forelegs.


The Caflenal had to fight the urge to rear and kick.  In his current state, he'd probably 
collapse on his weakened hind leg.  Instead, he kicked forward with one hoof and 
brought the kankar down between the wolfwere's ears.  With a resounding thump, the 
wolf went snarl-first into the pavement.  With only faint, rugged breaths giving any 
indication of his condition, Paedic lay still.


The Varn woman had long-since vanished into the building and the Reptillian was still 
groggy from the first kick.  As quickly as he could with his bad leg, Josh bent down and 
helped the slave to her feet.  "Follow me as quick as you can..."


The young woman looked shaken and surprised, but quickly seemed to grasp the 
situation.  Slowly, she stood and offered her hand.


Nodding, Joshuwain took her arm and started leading her back to the warehouse 
where he and his brother had been staying.


=======


In the back room of the Pargasus Trade Company Warehouse where Joshuwain 
worked and lived, Phantos was sitting on the floor with a series of maps spread before 
him.  Pen in hand, he continued his planning, not really noticing his younger brother's 
entrance.


"Uh, Phan ..."


Phantos looked up to greet his younger brother ... and stopped.  Looking from 
Joshuwain to the young human with him, one ear went back a bit and he furrowed his 
brow.  "Yes ...?"



Josh stopped to catch his breath and maneuvered so Phan couldn't see his leg injury.  
"Ah, Phan, it's like this ..."  Joshuwain stopped, unsure of how to proceed.


His brother put down the quill.  "Go on."


Sigh.


"It's like this Phan; I was up at Gable's Tower gettin' a bite when I heard this woman 
bein' whipped by some Reptillian and a Ranakan.  Anyway, I couldn't just let it go on, 
so I ..."


Phan finished his younger brother's sentence with a sigh.  "So you got involved."  
Getting to his hooves, the older Caflenal approached the young lady.  "What's your 
name?"


"She doesn't speak Trade, Phan.  I think she's Indurian."


Phantos nodded and shifted to a different, lilting tongue.  Her face perked up 
immediately and she responded in the same language.


Phantos looked surprised and spoke to her again.  This time, she went on less 
eagerly, but in lengthier sentences.  Phan nodded and listened for several minutes.  
After she stopped, she looked at Josh with a smile and clasped her hand on his.


"She says she's grateful for your help ..."  Phan smiled and then trailed off in thought.


Joshuwain picked up on the pause.  "What is it Phan?"


"She's Indurian all right; but she speaks the High-Indurian dialect.  Only a trader or 
nobility learns that tongue.  Since she obviously doesn't know the Trade language, I 
think we can rule out the former...  She's noble-blood."


"A noble?"  Joshuwain looked at the slight, raven-haired woman with surprise.  
"What's she doing as a slave?"



Phantos sighed.  "I'm not sure ... even she doesn't know.  Her last memories are 
nearly six months ago in her father's Indurian villa.  'Says she just woke up in a slave 
caravan; sounds like a kidnapping."



Joshuwain shifted his weight a bit to lessen the weight on his leg.  "Was her father 
someone important?"



Phan shrugged.  "Probably not.  Nobles in Induria are more common than sand in 
Varn.  What's odd is that even the cheapest noble could afford a dragon's treasure to 
ransom his daughter.  This looks a bit suspicious.  She'd be worth more from a 
ransom than as a slave."  He sighed.  "I don't know ... maybe her father paid the 
ransom and then the kidnappers sold her into slavery to make more money on the 
deal.  Either way, it's suspicious."


The woman was looking at Phantos expectantly.  Phan smiled and spoke to her in her 
own tongue.  When he finished, Josh spoke up.


"Do you think she's lying?"


"Could be, but I can't think of any specific reasons why.  Our biggest problem is what 
to do with her."


Josh frowned and turned his gaze to the floorboards at his hooves.  "I thought I may be 
able to buy her.  You know, just buy her from the current owner and then set her free."


Phantos nodded grimly.  "Good idea, except that you and I together couldn't afford it 
even if we worked on the spice flats for five years.  A human with her looks and lack of 
the native tongue has probably been used as a prostitute ... slaves like that are 
expensive."


Joshuwain looked surprised.  "Are you serious?  They'd actually do that to her?"


"In Induria and its provinces, just about anything's legal.  Prostitute slaves are no 
exception.  In Varn proper, it's pretty common.  But there's another problem.  Whoever 
bought her may know something about the circumstances behind her slavery.  That 
could make it nearly impossible to just buy her contract."


"What about taking her to a Magistrate?  She could tell them..."


"Nothing they could do about it.  Slavery's legal.  No matter how she was obtained, 
she's still legally a slave.  Only her family could dispute the claim; and that's at least a 
month's journey to Induria.  It is odd that they kept her in the same Empire though...  
Maybe the slavers were in a rush..."


Josh was getting madder by the second.  Absently, he stomped his right forehoof and 
clenched his fists.  "Isn't there anything we can do?"


"Well, if she were lucky, a Magistrate may have heard of her kidnapping and be able 
to notify her family.  In that case, she would be released if it could be proven that she 
was a child of a noble.  Unfortunately, until that time she could be reclaimed from the 
Magistrate by the slave owner and moved or hidden.  By the time the family arrived all 
the way from Induria she'd be long gone."


"Well, I'm not going to just give up on her!  There's got to be a way to hide her or 
contact her family without a Magistrate."


Phantos nodded and started walking over to the table where he'd been writing.  
Quickly, he rolled the maps back into their cases and started flipping through the 
pages he'd been writing.  The room fell into quiet as the young lady began looking 
around the brothers' rented room.


"That's probably the best option, Josh.  We have just one problem..."


Josh stepped forward, temporarily forgetting his limp.  "What's that?"


"We tend to stand out here, remember?  It'll probably be fairly easy for the slave owner 
to find us and order our arrest."


Josh opened his mouth as if to say something, but the cold realization sapped his 
words.  It was true.  He and Phantos were probably the only two Teruvor Caflenal in 
the entire province.  They also had been high profile, working as they had for such a 
prominent trade company as Pargasus Shipping.  They could be found out by 
morning.


"We'll have to speak to Sarin tomorrow," Phantos interrupted Joshuwain's thoughts.  
"He has enough contacts that we don't know much about.  He could be able to help 
us.  In the meantime, why don't you get your fool rear over hear so I can treat your 
wound..."


Joshuwain grimaced and limped over.


The young lady spoke to Phantos and indicated Josh.  Phan smiled and spoke back.


"What was that?"


Phan looked up from Josh's wounded hind leg.  "Oh not much; she say's that her 
name's Terria Jemal and she thinks you're cute..."  The older Caflenal smiled and 
went back to work on Josh's injury.


Josh looked bemused and tried to ignore the pain.


=======


Ahmran sat at the broad table in the back-room, smoke from his pipe curling slowly 
towards the ceiling.  His grey eyes coldly surveyed his employees as they finished 
their report.


"Then, he takesss off with her, heading for the North Quartersss..."  The Reptillian 
hissed out the words like they burned him.  "Ssshould we ssstalk him an' find out 
where he took her?"


Ahmran focused his gaze on the monocular Reptillian.  "Why should I want to do that?  
I'm a slave trader, Ishan; I don't do business that way."


"But if he should learn the girl's name or speak with her..."


A scathing glance from the Reptillian's employer silenced him.


Paedic and Ishan sat quietly as Ahmran closed his eyes in thought.  The only other 
man in the room, a pasty-complexioned Northerner, sat in silence reading through a 
stack of parchments.


"I don't think so ..."  Ahmran leaned forward in his chair.  "The danger is genuine, I'll 
warrant that, but this Caflenal is probably a foreigner.  Terria only speaks her native 
tongue and it's unlikely the centaur could understand her...  However, considering the 
arrangements we made to acquire the young lady in the first place, letting her go now 
would be slitting our own throats.  A mercenary Caflenal shouldn't be too hard to find 
in Varn.  He's probably employed at the square or port.


"Paedic!"  The fat wolfwere jumped at his name, wincing from the injuries he'd gained 
earlier.  "Go down to the docks and find out what you can.  Put the word out through 
the Tepit:  two hundred golden griffins for Terria's return or death -either would suit 
me."


Paedic nodded and rose.


"The reward," Ahmran continued, "will come out of Ishan's and your pay."


The wolfwere paused and frowned, but quickly bowed and limped out the door.


"Sssir, the sssituation isss not our fault ... if you had let usss kill her initially..."


"Then we'd have gotten far too little for this venture, lizard."  Ishan glowered at 
Ahmran's racial insult.  "But you are right ... considering her value, I should never have 
agreed to such a small sum.  If we happen to get her back alive, we'll have to move 
quickly.  Ishan, change our travel plans from Dulvan to StormPort and get the crew 
packing.  We've got to get her back ... or, failing that, make sure her body is never 
found."


"Immediately sssir..."  Ishan rose from his stool and turned to the door, his gaze 
lingering on the still-silent stranger Ahmran had brought into the meeting.  Heavy, 
plated tail sweeping the floor behind him, the Reptillian left.


The door closed tightly, trapping the room's smoke in the stifled atmosphere of the 
back room.  Ahmran looked expectantly towards the Northerner.


"Well...?"


The strange's eyes strayed reluctantly from the parchments.  A thin, amused smile 
etched its way across his lips as he met the slave trader's gaze.  "I think your men are 
incompetent and will no-doubt fail."


Ahmran tried not to show his anger with the Northerner's impudence.  "That remains to 
be seen, but I hired you for counsel, not insults.  What can you do to alleviate this 
situation?"


The man sighed.  "Unlike you and your employees, I see no reason why this woman 
must die.  After all, she is a steady source of income for your company as well as a 
symbol of your organization's extent and resourcefulness.  The problem lies in getting 
rid of the Caflenal and retrieving your property without killing her.  In fact the Caflenal 
could be very a valuable commodity, indeed."


A thoughtful expression beaded its way onto Ahmran's brow.  "Tell me more; how can 
it be done?"


The Northerner coughed once and stood.  With theatrical flourish, he produced a 
small vial and placed it in front of the slaver.  "You brought me from Forlindon for my 
renown as an alchemist, Ahmran.  However, when you purchased me, you purchased 
certain ... other talents as well."


Ahmran nodded and slowly got up to get a glass of wine for his guest.  Adroitly, he 
opened his private wall safe and deftly removed the bottle of Amber Emar which he'd 
been saving for a special occasion.  Also withdrawing a crystal goblet, he paused and 
looked into the dark recess.  A small pouch of golden coins sat in the furthest corner of 
the small safe.  Kept here as a last resort in case of financial emergency, he quickly 
picked them up anyway and shut the safe.  Feeling generous, he poured the wine for 
his guest and handed him the pouch.


The Forlindoner smiled and nodded to Ahmran.  "Your generosity knows no bounds, 
my friend, but shouldn't you reconsider paying me before I fulfill our contract?"


A shadow seemed to pass over the slaver's mind and sudden realization came 
crashing down.  "What in Nides name...?"  He shook his head and looked from the 
wine in his guest's hand to the pouch of gold.  Cold awe tinged with suspicion 
descended over him as he drew his dagger.


"Very amusing, demasind ... but I suggest you explain how you made me do all that."


The pale man simply smiled and nodded.  "You know how my kind is treated, slaver.  
Demasinds are hated and feared throughout the world.  It seems, however, you 
haven't taken seriously the tales concerning our mastery of the mortal mind."  He 
leaned forward, and as he did so his smile was gone.  "You sought me because I'm an 
accomplished alchemist, but you've gotten far, far more.  My mind is capable of telling 
yours exactly what to think and when to think it.  With my alchemical skills, the body 
also becomes my domain.  Think about what that combination can give you..."


Ahmran nodded and sat down slowly.  Still keeping his dagger in his hand, he 
drummed his fingers on the table, considering.  "How much more do you want?"


The Forlindoner smiled.  "Don't insult me, Ahmran.  I don't desire money ... you've 
already ensured me all the alchemical resources I need for ten years.  What I want is 
something only a man in your position can provide."


Ah yes, always the catch...  Ahmran gestured for him to continue.


"Anonymity."


The slaver looked confused for a moment.  "Explain..."


The Northerner sat back and sniffed the wine that had been poured for him.  
Shrugging nonchalantly, he responded.  "I'm not a God, Ahmran; nor can I watch my 
back all the time.  My talents are impressive, but take a lot out of me.  In this world 
outside Forlindon, I would be hunted and killed because of my lineage.  While I could 
disguise my features with a potion, it would be time-consuming and degrading.  I will 
not conceal who I am..."


The pale man paused in thought.  "I want your entire slave company's protection."


Ahmran nodded and considered the request.  It made sense.  The paranoia 
concerning those cursed with the mind-fire was even more severe than that 
concerning the magi.  The Forlindoner had no real aspirations to take over the 
company ... if he had, it could have been accomplished at any time up to now.  Also, 
this demasind's power could be extraordinarily useful in more situations than just the 
immediate...  The slaver smiled genially.


"I'll agree to your terms on one condition.  You'll agree to a standard contract in which 
all your abilities are guaranteed to be at my disposal.  Your duties will not be limited to 
this initial task of retrieving the slave-girl, however.  You shall be an employee of mine 
rendering your full talents in one service each month.  In return for this, you shall have 
your anonymity."


The Forlindoner frowned.  "One guaranteed service per year."


"One per three months."


"One per four..."  He stood and crossed his arms.  The deal was final.


Ahmran nodded as the two shook hands.


"Now, what do you intend to do, alchemist?"


The Northerner disengaged from Ahmran's grasp and returned to his seat.  "In my 
trade, mistakes happen.  Usually, the results are mild poisons or merely bad-tasting 
water.  However, in this case," he tapped the vial he'd produced earlier, "I have a 
genuine unforeseen product that I'm anxious to try out.  If you lend me your men, I can 
ensure that not only will you get Terria back, but you'll have no problems with the 
Caflenal or any allies he may assemble."  He paused and sipped from the wine glass.  
"Interested?"


Ahmran considered.  "But we shall have to find her first..." The slavemaster trailed off, 
a slow smile dawning on his face.  "Tell me your plans, demasind..."


=======


Morning dawned in a hot rush of burning, stale air.  The sounds of heavy labor and the 
creak of pulleys woke Joshuwain from his sound sleep.  His hind leg still ached, but 
upon realizing how late it must be for the warehouse to be busy, he got up and 
headed towards the door.  With a quick realization, he stopped suddenly.  Where was 
Terria?  And Phan?


The room was empty, except for his brother's belongings.  A sick feeling settled into 
his stomachs.  As quickly as he could with his injured leg, he ran out the door and into 
the main warehouse area.  A large shipment of spices was being crated and loaded 
onto wagons for transfer down to the docks.  Workers -mostly human- filled the area 
with their activity and constant chatter.  Even the company's five Reptilians were on 
hand taking charge of the loading and harnessing of the oxen to the wagons.  Rellas, 
one of the owners, was on hand near the main doors talking with a young human 
messenger.  Josh approached rapidly.


Rellas looked up and nodded.  Giving the boy a small package, the Reptillian trader 
sent him on his way and turned to Josh.  To the Caflenal, it was always difficult to tell 
what a Reptillian was thinking; their facial structure didn't lend itself well to humanoid 
expressions.  Rellas did his best to smile at Joshuwain and greeted him with an 
extended hand.


"Well, Caflenal..." he said nodding his scaly head, "I trussst you have had a 
refessshing sssleep.  Your brother and mine have gone into town on an errand; I 
wasss told you were injured and ssshould be left to ressst."


"Never mind that Rellas, did you see a young Indurian woman with them?"


The Reptillian tried to effect a human look of non-comprehension, and failed 
miserably.  Of the two brothers, only Sarin had really mastered human 
communications to any real degree.  "You sound dissstresssed, Joshuwain.  Do not 
worry ... I know of the sssituation; ssshe isss fine and in my office."


Josh sighed in relief.  He felt ashamed for what he thought his brother might have 
done...  There was no way Phan would've turned the lady over the Magistrates or 
original slave owner.


"May I see her, please?"


The Reptillian smiled.  "Cssertainly, Caflenal.  I'll jussst asssume that for thisss day, 
you are too ill to work.  You will make it up to me, I am sssure..."


Josh nodded and followed the Reptillian trader to the main office.


The door opened silently into the spacious room.  Terria was sitting on a stood near a 
large wall-map showing the entire province of Varn.  Seeing Josh enter, she smiled 
and rushed across the room to give him a hug.  Joshuwain turned red and tried not to 
show his embarrassment.  She was so tiny compared to him, he didn't want to crush 
her in an embrace so he patted her on the shoulder and smiled.  Terria said 
something in her native tongue and let go.


"Ssshe sssaysss ssshe is grateful again for your help, Joshuwain, and that ssshe will 
sssee to a great reward for your asssissstance."


Josh smiled at Rellas.  "Can you tell her that a reward isn't necessary ... I did what I 
could for her, not cash or jewels."


The Reptillian nodded and spoke haltingly in the young lady's tongue.  Josh had to 
marvel at the versatility most travelers and traders had with the languages of the 
Empires.  His brother alone spoke four fluently, and Carnam spoke six.  Josh had 
mastered two, and had picked up smatterings of the common Indurian.  Terria smiled 
at Rellas' translation, replied and hugged Joshuwain briefly.


"Ssshe sssays that you are mossst noble ... ssshe isss glad you are sssuch a good 
friend."


Josh smiled and nodded to her.  Slowly, he settled himself down and sat next to the 
desk and stool.  His flank still ached from the deep wounds he'd taken.  Obviously, 
some type of healing balm had been applied while he slept for the cuts had now 
scabbed-over and were well towards being healed.  "Rellas, do you know what Phan 
was going to do?"


"I'm not sssure ... he and my brother left quickly for the market dissstrict."


"Hmmm.  Well, we'll just have to wait then.  Tell Terria that it may be awhile."


As the Reptillian trader complied, Josh considered.  What were they going to do?


=======


Two days had passed.


The streets were as crowded as they usually were around noon, and packed with 
workers and traders from all over Varn.  Here, during the height of summer, many 
people spent their time in the shade of a local pavilion or darkened bar.  Josh, Phan 
and Sarin stood in the blinding heat outside the Ariken Tavern.


"The messsenger sssaid that Ahmran the ssslaver would ssspeak with us at thisss 
hour.  I would caution againssst accepting sssurface dealsss; thisss human hasss a 
reputation of being quite crafty."


Carnam came jogging up to the trio from further down the street.  "Well, Terria's safe 
with Rellas an' I haven't spotted any danger in th' immediate area ... just the usual 
thieves, scum and shady characters that seem to be everywhere in this city."


"Then we trust only ourselves..."  Josh paused.  "I thought you liked Varn an' it's 
people, Carnam."


"I do..."  The wolfwere smiled.  "I used to be a 'shady character' myself, once."  With 
that, the four travelers walked into the dusky gloom of the Ariken Tavern.


The interior of the place was smoky even though few customers frequented the bar 
this early.  Most of the tavern's regular clientele were still out working on the spice flats 
North of the city.  Only a few patrons sat in the cool, shadowed interior.  The glass of 
the windows had been alchemically darkened to keep the inside of the tavern from 
getting too uncomfortable.  In addition, extravagant fans and broad vents that led deep 
under the city to the water domes kept a cool stream of air flooding into the place.


Ahmran sat with the wolfwere, Paedic in a curtained alcove at the back portion of the 
common room.  With a broad, businessman's smile, the slaver rose and beckoned the 
four of them over to him.


Purpose in his stride, Phan walked slowly to where the slave-trader sat.  He didn't like 
meeting on enemy ground, but he, Josh and Sarin could probably handle most 
physical threats, and Carnam was more than capable of dealing with magical 
occurrences.  Phan nodded towards Ahmran and extended his hand to the relatively 
small human.  "Trader, I am Phantos Greydawn of Teruvor; these are my employer, 
Sarin Trademaster of the Ranakan Empire, Carnam Devashal of Ranakan, and my 
brother, Joshuwain, also of Teruvor.  We've come to discuss the terms of contract of 
one of your slaves."


Ahmran smiled amiably and gestured for Sarin and Carnam to sit.  "Of course ... I'd 
like to resolve this matter quickly and get on with business.  Would any of you care for 
an ale?"


Josh shook his head 'no' and the others appeared in agreement.  Ahmran sat and 
signaled to the barkeep that they were not to be disturbed.  The curtained entrance 
was closed and the six sat in relative silence.


Sarin cleared his throat and hissed out a sigh.  "Well, it ssseemsss we've much to 
dissscusss."  The Reptillian gestured to the Caflenal.  "My valued employeesss are 
concerned over the sssafety of a ssslave currently in your ownerssship and feel that 
ssshe has sssuffered unduly at the handsss of ssseveral of your employeesss.  They 
have brought their cassse before me and I have agreed to extend employment 
relationsss to your own company in return for the contract of the young woman and 
recompenssse for the injury causssed to young Jossshuwain here."


Carnam leaned back in his chair.  Waving an unruly lock of greying brown hair out of 
his eyes, he watched the corpulent wolfwere across from him.  "We also realize that 
injury was done to your employees during th' unfortunate incident that wrought this 
whole mess, but considering how they were treating th' slave-girl -your property, 
Trader- that their injuries not be included in this negotiation."  The older Ranakan 
smiled, revealing his immaculate canine teeth.  "After all, the lack of judgment by men 
attacking an armed and able Caflenal is hardly attributable to us."


Paedic scowled and looked to his employer.


Ahmran chuckled amiably and sipped from his flagon.  "Certainly not, indeed!  I would 
think anyone foolish enough to tangle with the young lad here," he indicated 
Joshuwain, "should be grateful for the injuries to teach them a lesson.  The pride 
Caflenal take in their size and strength is well known to all; I'd have thought that even 
a Ranakan would've known that..."  He trailed off and glanced disapprovingly at 
Paedic.


Josh found himself hoping that Ahmran really was as amiable as he appeared.  While 
Sarin had told them all that Ahmran was known as 'Fleshscalder' to all in the trade 
and was about as crooked as a slave-seller could get, the Caflenal hoped for the best.


"As it is," Ahmran continued, "your offer is most generous.  Who has not heard of the 
great Pargasus Trade Company?  Indeed, if my trade took me into Ranakan I'd 
probably have made arrangements with your company already.  But, as it is, I rarely 
make forays into that land for either purchases or sales."  He looked from Phantos to 
Sarin.  "The laws there are too strict for one of my occupation."


Phan spoke up.  "Perhaps on the surface.  Pargasus knows many ports of call 
however, that are not as discriminating as you might think.  Surely, the laws regarding 
slave wages and treatment are no more restrictive in Ranakan than those in Induria or 
even her Provinces."


The emphasis placed on 'treatment' and Induria's provinces seemed to make 
Ahmran's smile fade for a moment.  Varn may have only been taken under the 
Imperial wing three decades ago, but  all laws applied here as much as in the capital 
of the Empire itself.  The life of a slave was not preferable to that of the free, but it 
wasn't supposed to be a life of endless pain and drudgery either.  Slave owners were 
expected to care for their property and even pay them regular wages.  In some cases 
though, unscrupulous traders would circumvent the conditions of their ownership and 
trust to punishment to keep the infractions from getting to a Magistrate's ear.


Even so, it was difficult to prove and most officials had more important things to do 
than judge on the condition of a single individual.  Nonetheless, Ahmran appeared 
disturbed.  Slowly, he nodded.


"I'm not an unreasonable man," he started slowly, "and you make a good point 
regarding Ranakan.  But I can't help but wonder why you'd want this woman so much.  
After all, she's just a slave who refused to perform the services for which I purchased 
her.  Both she and the man I bought her from assured me that the tasks were not too 
difficult for her to perform nor was their any problem in her wage.  Yet again and again 
she has refused services in the very Inn we're sitting in."


"Ssshe isss not of interessst to my company in the capacssity that you had her."  Sarin 
drummed his clawed fingers on the table."  We wisssh to utilize her ssskills asss a -
what isss the word?- demonssstrator of our goodsss.  I deal with many humansss and 
wolfwere alike who'd find an attractive human more conducive to purchasssesss than 
a Reptillian.  Ssshe would be an asssset to my firm."


Phan smiled.  "Not only that, but if she's really as temperamental as you claim, I'd think 
you'd be anxious to get rid of her.  As it is, she's provided no one at the Company with 
any difficulties of any sort."


"Bah!"  Paedic interrupted and turned to his employer.  "Anabarsis above!  Are you 
really considering what they're offering?  They get everything!  The slave-girl, a new 
client and even damages for that ... that horse-breeder there!"


Phantos drew himself to his full height and slammed his fist down on the table.  "That's 
enough!  I'll brook no insults to my brother or my family!"  Turning from the wolfwere to 
the human, he said, "Ahmran, we've been more than amiable, I suggest you have this 
tail-chaser removed before I do it for you!"


"That won't be necessary, Caflenal."  Furious, Ahmran turned to Paedic.  "Leave these 
negotiations at once!  I'll deal with you later; until then, see to it that Ishan has gotten 
the caravan loaded."


Paedic half-stood, looking furious.  Then, with a sidelong glance at Joshuwain, he 
stormed from the table.  Ahmran looked up at the still-standing Phantos.


"Please forgive the interruption...  Paedic's a bit self-conscious; years of living outside 
Ranakan have made him more than a little inadequate in a fight.  I think he resents his 
own failure more than the deal being negotiated."  Quickly, he waved to the barkeep to 
bring over drinks.


Watching as Paedic exited the front of the tavern, Phantos slowly sat down.  Taking 
the ale offered to him, he glanced at Carnam.  The mage was staring at Phantos with a 
look that seemed to be trying to convey something without letting on to Ahmran.  
Phantos returned the look for a second and turned his attention back to the slave-
trader.


Ahmran saw that the drinks were passed around.  "I'm sorry again.  Now, what was it 
that you were saying ... about the slave..."


Phan shook his head absently and drank the ale.  "Nothing important.  She's safe and 
fine on the Pargasus Trade Vessel Rahrista and has caused nobody any trouble."


The instant the words left his mouth, he looked up, startled.  Ahmran was smiling in an 
unpleasant way.  Phan didn't know what had come over him; it had just slipped out.  
Carnam looked away and seemed to be scrutinizing the rest of the room.


Josh spoke up quickly.  "The point is Ahmran, we are offering you a free trade route 
into an area where you didn't think you could profit.  We only want to resolve this 
quickly and with as little problem as possible.  If it helps, your people -the Reptillian 
and wolfwere- I'll make full apology and restitution for their injury.  Though my 
employer may not think it necessary, I do feel a certain responsibility for this situation."


Ahmran laughed sourly.  "Very nice speech, Caflenal."  His expression darkened to a 
more mercenary cast.  "Indeed, your offer is tempting; but you're not going to be able 
to cover for your brother's slip-of-the-tongue that easily."  Slowly, the trader stood.  "I 
must admit, I was surprised that a trade company such as Pargasus would make such 
concessions for its employees," he gestured at Josh "-you're obviously worth far more 
than what's on the surface."


Phantos gave a sudden gasp of pain and lurched forward, smashing into the table.  
With quick movement, Sarin lunged for Ahmran.  The gargantuan Reptillian grasped 
the smaller human by his tunic and leveled his claws at Ahmran's face.  The slaver 
looked unperturbed.


"What have you done, human?" Sarin growled.


Josh bent over his brother as Carnam began a low chant.


"He did nothing, trader.  I did."  A sallow and slender elderly human walked forward 
from a nearby table.  He was dressed in simple white robes for the heat and sun of the 
city, but otherwise was clearly a foreigner.  His long, white hair and albino features 
were lost on the Reptillian, but Josh recognized the man's race immediately.


"Forlindoner...  Remove your spell from my brother at once, or you'll regret it" Josh 
snarled in his native tongue.


Raising an eyebrow, the albino walked up to the tableau.  "I don't think so ... you see, it 
is no mind-talent that ails your kin; it is, I'm afraid, the potion in the ale he drank.  I 
admit his convulsions are a surprise, so maybe it will just kill him after all; but I hope 
not.  His mind is pliable and was easily manipulated into revealing the young slave's 
location."  He gestured absently at Phan.  "Only time will tell if my alchemical skills 
have rendered a product equally as useful."


With a lunge, Ahmran tore his tunic from Sarin's grasp and drew a dagger from his 
boot.  Simultaneously, Joshuwain charged the alchemist while Sarin lunged at 
Ahmran with his claws, intending to rip the trader's face into a thousand shreds.


With flourish, Ahmran twisted his blade and -ducking beneath Sarin's charge- buried 
the glistening dagger deep between the scales of the Reptillian's abdomen.  Sarin let 
out a bellow of rage and pain as he tried to catch his adversary.


Joshuwain crashed forward, knocking two chairs aside and made for the frail-looking 
Forlindoner.  It was like hitting an invisible wall.  He felt himself hit a hard, unseen 
surface with a painful jarring.  Uncomprehending, he felt his own legs move against 
his will and start lowering to the ground.  In the background, the clamor of the combat 
concealed the chant of Carnam as it reached its crescendo.


With a dull roar, every light in the room was consumed in flames of darkness.  Each 
candle, window and lantern was covered and the room was plunged into pitch-black 
light.  Sounds of fighting faded and became muffled around Joshuwain as Carnam's 
spell took hold.  Still fighting against the Forlindoner's mind-lock, Josh heard Carnam 
whisper close-by.


"Josh, fight it.  My illusion won't last long ... get out of here.  I'll get Sarin and Phan!"


Joshuwain tried.  It wasn't like there was anything he could fight against.  He could 
see and feel nothing.  It was as if his limbs just simply ceased to work.  Grimly, he 
concentrated on the meditations he'd learned in his Ahrenkar training and 
concentrated on moving just his rear legs.  Slowly, he started feeling them respond.  
There was something blocking him ... only by concentrating on the localized area 
could he feel it.  It was barely perceptible; like silk draped over his eyes.


Straining, he fought to move his legs and feel the rest of the control that had 
descended over his body.  Gradually, the control began to fade as he slowly stood 
against the albino's will.  Step by step, he began walking in the direction he'd last 
seen the Forlindoner.  Pain began to wrack his old wound as he felt something sharp 
pierce his flank.


The pain tore the gossamer control that had been laid over him and Josh lunged 
forward into the darkness.  With a crash, he slammed into another table and felt it 
topple under his weight.  Reaching down, he groped for the table's legs and snapped 
one free for use as a club.  Experimentally, he swung it before him where the 
alchemist had been.  He connected with nothing but air.  Distantly, he thought he 
could hear Carnam's voice.


"Josh!  Phan!  Get out now!  Get out!"


Unseeing, Josh abandoned his quest for the albino and kicked off through the 
darkness towards where the door should be.  Tables and chairs crashed aside as he 
made his way through the spell's effect.  A sudden heat flared to his left and 
instinctively, he dodged to one side.  What it was, he couldn't see, but it was a lot 
hotter than sunlight though a window, that was for sure!  Taking that as a sign that one 
of the lanterns or candles had started a fire, Josh angled away from the warmth, taking 
a slightly different path through the invisible maze of furniture.


Suddenly, a wall intersected his path, and with a smash, he crashed through it.  Glass 
went everywhere and daylight came screaming in around him.  Cuts and lacerations 
covered his body as he pulled himself through the remains of the tavern's broad, front 
window onto the streets of an astonished Varn.


Blood and sweat flowed into Josh's eyes from the cuts on his forehead.


His right arm ached from where he'd hit the window's frame as he turned to look for 
Phan and the rest.  Ignoring the countless wounds and gaping crowd, he gazed in 
shock at the tavern.  It was a startling show of the Arcane.


Inside every window was pure darkness, obscuring all vision.  Cold mists crept around 
each entry and plumes of black smoke billowed from a couple holes in the ceiling.  
Black and orange flames crackled along the roof in a few places, indicating that the 
fire within, while still small, was spreading.  A sudden explosion shook the building 
and a stroke of lighting arced up into the clear sky above the battleground.


A few seconds later, the main door exploded outwards with a rush of flame and 
Carnam staggered over the threshold, straining with the weight of the unconscious 
Sarin.


Josh ran up to the coughing wolfwere and helped him drag the heavy Reptillian clear.


"Couldn't find 'em >cough<, Josh.  They just blinked out.  Tha' bastard must've 
had a Transportation Glyph somewhere in there...  I think they took Phan with 'em..."


"Well were would they take him?  Where?!"


Carnam shook his head.  "I'm not sure ... maybe a safehold or their headquarters.  
We're in no shape to go after them anyway...  Sarin's been poisoned; probably dying.  
You're injured and I'm exhausted.  I'm sorry, but I'm not as young as I used to be."


"Forget that!  We've got to save him; Terria too!"  Josh paused, the town's fire bells 
ringing in the background were making his pounding head worse.  "Terria!  They've 
gone to the ship, they must have!"


With a flurry of dust on the baked, hot streets, Joshuwain wheeled and headed for the 
port.


"Josh!  Wait!  You're in no condition...!"  But Carnam's cries fell on deaf ears as the 
young Caflenal galloped towards the Rahrista.


A black column of smoke marred the horizon ahead as Josh raced on through the 
sweltering streets of Varn.  Tents and mud-baked buildings flashed by unnoticed as 
he focused his mind on his goal.  The blood had stopped flowing from most of his 
wounds, but the salt and stickiness of it still blurred his vision.  All he could think about 
were Phan and Terria.


Gods, what had he done?  All this was his fault; all because he couldn't leave well 
enough alone and let events take their natural course.  The dull cold that he'd been 
feeling in his soul since the start of this whole escapade seemed to expand to fill his 
stomachs.  It was a sickening sensation; everything he'd studied, trained and fought 
had been useless.  That it had all been for naught made his worthlessness even more 
acute.  He had to fight it.  Everything came down to this moment.  Bones jarring every 
step, he pushed himself harder than he'd run before.


As he drew near the docks and warehouses, he could see the source of the smoke 
he'd spotted earlier.  It had been nearly a fifteen minute run from one side of the city to 
here, and now he could see it.  The docks were ablaze.  The Pargasus ships were 
burning.


The Rahrista itself was a charred ruin; engulfed in roaring pillars of fire that soared in 
the cloudless sky above.  On the shore and the non-burning docks, workers and 
sailors toiled desperately to kill the flames.  Everywhere, there was chaos and smoke.


Joshuwain felt the heat boil over him and slowed quickly as he got within twenty yards 
of the blaze.  The hot air of Varn, twisted by the blaze, blew the fire's ashes over 
nearby buildings, seeding the threat of further fires.  Already, townsfolk were forming 
bucket brigades and trying desperately to wet the roofs of their homes and businesses 
along the waterfront.


Cantering through the burning ruins, Josh scanned the crowds for any sign of Terria or 
Phan.  A loud crash echoed from his left as a warehouse collapsed in flames.  "You 
might escape me now, Ahmran" he thought, "but if I ever catch up with you, I'll make 
sure you regret it."  Another crash of burning, splintered wood echoed along the docks 
amidst the calls and cries of the workers.  Josh quickly changed course and galloped 
towards the Pargassus warehouse.  It was the last place he could think of to look.


Ahead, Josh could see the arch of flames blossoming over the Trade Company's 
headquarters.


As Joshuwain took note of the disaster before him, a wickedly-barbed arrow shot out 
of an alley to his left and embedded itself in the dusty clay at his hooves.  Galloping 
over it, Josh turned and angled himself towards the arrow's point of origin, hoping to 
carry himself past the archer's field of fire as quickly as possible.  Another arrow spent 
itself from the shadows, this one grazing the Caflenal's equine back just in front of his 
hind legs.  He felt the missile tangle in his sweat matted hair and score his flesh.  Past 
caring about minor injuries, Josh pushed himself faster and charged the alley.


Still holding the table leg from the tavern, Josh spied the archer in the shadows fitting 
another arrow.  With all his strength, he let the make-shift club fly at his assailant.  The 
leather-clad man in the alley took the missile on his forehead and dropped his bow -
the shot firing wildly.  In a flash, Josh was on top of him.


With all his muscle, the young Caflenal hoisted the man off the ground and swung him 
jarringly against the brick wall.  His face mere inches from the would-be assassin, 
Josh bellowed, "Where are they?!!"


The man looked stunned and confused.  A large gash bled down his forehead where 
the table leg had struck him.  He was human, that much was certain, and he had 
doubtless been left here as a guard to take care of anyone who came back before the 
fires had done their job.  Where was Rellas?  Josh looked at the man he held by the 
shoulders.  He was badly injured by Josh's attack and probably wouldn't be talking for 
a long time ... if ever again.  A small green insignia caught his eye.  Josh felt the cold 
feeling in his heart swell.


It was the symbol of the Tepit; the underworld of Varn.


They weren't seen often, but that was the point.  If Ahmran had hired them, it was a 
good bet that Josh would have to get out of town quickly.  A crash and scream 
sounded from nearby.  Josh threw the human casually to one side and started moving 
again.  Rounding a corner to the small warehouse-square, he saw them.


The Reptillian, Ishan, stood crouched and circling a bloody and injured Rellas.  Of the 
two of them, they were about equally massed, but there was no question in 
Joshuwain's mind over which one had more combat training.  Three men in similar 
garb to the one Josh had left in the alley stood nearby, two of them holding the 
struggling form of Terria.  Ishan looked up as he galloped into the square.


Cursing under his breath, the monocular Reptillian crouched low and spun to face the 
galloping centaur.  Taking advantage of the distraction, Rellas charged the mercenary.  
Even faster, Ishan lashed out with his plated tail and caught Rellas mid-lunge in the 
throat.  With a choke of pain, the Reptillian trader collapsed in a heap.


Ishan looked side-long at his fallen foe and smiled.  Still showing his teeth, he turned 
his eye to Josh.  "Ssso, you've come to facsse me again...  Trickery won't sssave you 
now, Caflenal."


It doesn't have to, thought Josh.  Spurring his charge, he arced wide around the 
Reptillian and made for the three humans.  Determination in his eyes, he charged the 
trio.  Seeing Josh's plan, Terria twisted to one side and slipped one of her arms free.  
As her captor tried to grapple her into submission, she planted her fist square in his 
jaw.  Letting go reflexively, the man pushed her away to draw his weapon as Josh 
bore down on them.


He never got it out of its scabbard.


With a bone-jarring crash, the charging Caflenal collided.  The men went sprawling as 
Josh grabbed Terria and wrested her from the remaining man's grasp.  Slowing, he 
turned and raised her to his back.  About thirty yards beyond Ishan, he slowed to face 
the Reptillian.  Ishan  stood next to the unconscious form of Rellas glaring at Josh.


"Where's my brother lizard?"


Ishan snarled and bend over Rellas' body.  Putting a handful of claws at the other 
Reptillian's throat, he looked at the Caflenal.  "Give me the human, horse, or you'll be 
looking for new employment."


Josh closed his eyes and felt an shudder of uncertainty run down his spine.  "Get 
down, Terria."  His voice was barely above a whisper.  This was it; he was going to 
die.


Terria looked at him with incomprehension.  Smiling gently, Josh reached back and 
lifted her to the ground.  With the Tepit in every shadow from here to the city wall, 
Terria was as safe on her own feet as on Josh's back.  Still, he gestured to her to run.  
Still looking confused, she backed away from him slowly.  Josh sighed and wished 
he'd learned more languages.  Looking over at the three stunned humans that had 
been holding Terria, he noticed one of them had a cutlass at his side.


Trotting over to them, he quickly removed the sword and their belts.  Slowly, he 
labored over their bodies, taking deep breaths and trying to calm his hearts.


"You are more foolisssh than I guesssed, Caflenal...  Do you think you can bessst 
me?"


Josh ignored him and concentrated on breathing slowly while he worked.  He was 
already exhausted from the heat and his exertions; he needed every second to 
recover.  Once he'd bound the arms of the humans, he slowly stood and faced the 
Reptilian.  The cutlass wasn't sized or balanced for him, but it would have to do.


Rolling Rellas aside, Ishan strode forward.  While Josh was at least two feet taller than 
his adversary, he wasn't covered in scales or have a heavy, plated tail to use as a 
weapon.


"I'd have killed you anyway you know," snarled the Reptillian.  "I jussst don't want the 
little human damaged.  I've waited for thisss fight sssince the firssst time we met.  Pray 
your sssoul endsss with the godsss and not in the Abyssss..."


With a lunge, Ishan sprang forward, claws and teeth barred.  Josh was ready.  As 
Ishan dove forward, Josh leapt back to the side, letting his attacker pass to the left.  
Quickly switching hands, Josh brought the cutlass down along his flank as the 
Reptillian went by.  He felt the blade connect as three of Ishan's claws bit deeply into 
his flesh.  A sudden smash of the Reptillian's tail connected with Josh's forelegs.


Reacting quickly, Josh oriented and kicked back towards Ishan.


His aim thrown off by the pain in his forelegs, his kick met empty air.  A sharp score of 
claws raked his hindquarters as the Reptillian took advantage of Josh's poor aim.


Turning quickly, Josh spun to face the Reptillian.  With shock, he saw Ishan crouch 
and spring directly at him, claws at the fore.


Without thought, Josh swung the cutlass between him and his foe.  The quickness of 
the attack and the slowness of Josh's reaction with his off-hand brought the cutlass 
only half-way when Ishan connected.  Josh thrust the cutlass shallowly into Ishan's 
shoulder.  Josh caught the Reptillian's left hand as Ishan's right reached around to 
rake Josh's back.


"I ... told you ... you would ... perisssh, ... Caflenal..."


The words were spit out in Josh's face as Ishan continued to dig his claws into Josh's 
flesh.  Desperately, Josh began to saw back and forth with the cutlass.  Blood flowed 
from the wound as the sharp metal dug deeper into meat and bone.  The Reptillian 
clenched its teeth and scored its claws along Josh's front left flank.  Josh was getting 
light-headed.


Only one last ... chance ...


Focusing his will, Josh planted his hind legs firmly against the bricks and pushed with 
his right arm against Ishan's left.


Desperation lending him strength, Josh forced Ishan's arm behind his back.  Grunting 
with the effort and pain, Josh kicked forward.  Ishan's head lurched as Josh began to 
gallop back towards the burning warehouse.  Holding the struggling Reptillian as 
tightly as he could, Josh sped towards the burning building.  Ishan's teeth bit deeply 
into Josh's shoulder again and again.


Exhausted, injured and dizzy, he galloped as fast as he could at the burning building.


"You ... die now ... Caflenal..." Ishan growled through clenched teeth.


With a lurch, Josh planted his hooves and pushed with all his might against Ishan's 
chest.  With his last vestiges of strength, he threw the Reptillian into the blazing 
inferno.  The heat of the fire washed over the courtyard and made Josh swoon.  The 
tableau before him swam in heat and delirium as Ishan smashed through a flaming 
window.  With a gout of flame, the roof collapsed and fell.  Burning timbers crashed 
down around the Reptillian and Josh backpedaled to be free of the area.  From deep 
within the crashing timbers, Ishan's dying screams slowly faded into the roar of the 
flames.


As quickly as he could, Josh limped away from the heat, feeling the small burns where 
hot ash and sparks had landed on him.  Darkness seemed to sway around the corners 
of his vision as he slowly trotted back to Terria.  She stood there, looking at him with 
disbelief as he stumbled across the square to her.  Each hoof seemed to weigh a ton 
as he walked closer; finally, he couldn't move anymore and he stumbled and fell to the 
ground on his side.  For a few moments, the fresh pain of impact cleared his mind, and 
he saw Terria approaching him ... and Carnam...?


Closing his eyes, he tried to shake the vision.  When he opened them again, there 
was the mage, bent over him applying some sort of foul-smelling salve to his wounds.  
The wolfwere seemed to be saying something, but Josh didn't care.  He just wanted to 
sleep; just be able to let that darkness on the edges of his vision rise up and swallow 
him in peace.  Maybe then, the chill in his soul would vanish.


But it didn't happen.  As Carnam continued to work his spells, Josh felt a semblance of 
strength return to his body and clarity to his mind.  He felt terrible, both physically and 
spiritually; but he would live.  If he could live with his failure...


"Wh ... where's Phan?" he managed to spit out.


Carnam looked at him with concern and continued to tend his wounds.  "Don't worry 
about that now ... concentrate on staying awake.  The potion is a slow one; I'm no 
healer.  It'll take several minutes before you can think clearly or try to stand ... it'll be 
days before you're fully healed."


"Carnam ... where is he?"


The wolfwere mage looked sadly at Josh.  "I ... I honestly don't know, Josh.  He wasn't 
back in the tavern; I think Ahmran and the demasind have him."


Josh closed his eyes tightly to fight back the tears.  Gods, was this how it ended?  His 
brother; the trade company -everything had been lost because of him.


So much for adventure...


A cynical and familiar voice echoed across the cobblestones.  "So ... you bested 
Ishan.  I'm impressed."


Josh's eyes fluttered open.  Carnam still knelt over him with Terria at his side, but was 
now looking over his shoulder at a small retinue of men led by Ahmran, Paedic and 
the albino mentalist.


Ahmran stepped forward.  "That's going to cost you plenty..."


Carnam stood slowly and faced them.  "You'll not take another step, slaver...  You 
know what I am now, an' I'll not let secrecy stay my hand."


Ahmran stopped, but continued smiling.  "Perhaps so magician, but I have my own 
magickal resources as well."  He snapped his fingers and the Forlindoner came 
forward.


In the albino's hands was an ornate bird cage.  Josh strained to look as he felt his 
strength slowly return.  The cold in his soul gave way to rage.  There, on the bottom of 
the cage, just less than a foot tall, lay the unconscious form of Phantos Greydawn.  
Flames of anger roared up inside the young Caflenal as he fought to rise.


"NOOOOO!"  Josh's cry of fury echoed in the small square as he clumsily surged to his 
hooves.  Startled, the leather-clad men with Ahmran took a step back and everyone 
stared at Joshuwain.


Quicker than they could react, Carnam dove for the demasind; body blurring as he 
shifted into his massive wolven form.  Red fur rippling over his body, he dove for the 
throat of the alchemist as the cage was sent sprawling to the pavement.


Josh moved forward, hand still grasping the bloody cutlass.  Paedic was already 
shifting and throwing himself into the fray.  Ahmran quickly picked up the cage with the 
diminished centaur in it and backed away.  Faced with Paedic's charge, Carnam 
quickly moved to counter the attack.


The two wolves rolled on the ground snarling and biting at each other as the crowd 
watched.  Three of them drew swords as they closed in on the two.


"No!"  The Forlindoner, hand at his bloodied throat withdrew an emerald vial from 
beneath his robes.  "A wolf you wish to be?  A wolf remain you, then!"


Josh sprang forward, but too slowly.


The small vial flew towards the two circling wolves as several of Ahmran's men shrank 
back away from the scene.  With an explosion of metallic dust, the vial broke and 
sprayed its contents in a small cloud around the two combatants.


Josh caught up to the Forlindoner and grabbed him by the tunic.  Hatred abounded in 
the albino's eyes as he glared at Joshuwain.  Suddenly, his eyes widened and his 
mouth worked soundlessly.  Josh felt the man's muscles relax as the man's body 
collapsed to reveal Terria behind him, brandishing a bloody dagger.  She smiled 
tentatively at Josh and turned towards Ahmran.


"So be it..."  Ahmran turned to the seven he'd brought with him.  "Kill them all."


Taking advantage of the confusion, Carnam dove forward and dug his fangs deeply 
into the flesh of his opponent's throat.  Paedic struggled and twisted against the pain 
and tried to free himself.  Slowly, Carnam's fangs bit deeper and deeper, closing off 
the esophagus and piercing Paedic's neck to the bone.  With a final tear, Carnam 
jerked his head back and tore out the bloated wolf's throat.


Snarling, he faced the Tepit men as they closed on Josh and Terria.  The Caflenal and 
human slowly backed away, herded towards the burning warehouse that entombed 
Ishan.


Slowly, and with apparent pain, Carnam shifted back to his human form.  Confusion 
clearly on his face, he gestured towards the approaching men.  "Enough!"


His face still held several lupine characteristics, and his voice sounded gruff and 
harsh.  "Your alchemist is dead and I am magi!  Cross me at your own peril, but if you 
think you'll escape my wrath, you're sorely mistaken!"


The Tepit looked amongst each other and at Ahmran.


Ahmran, looking from the demasind to Paedic's cooling corpse, cleared his throat.  
"Perhaps..." he murmured.  "Perhaps, there has been enough..."  He looked up at the 
three opposing him.  "Let it end here.  My men could slay you and perhaps you could 
best them, but do we really wish to see how it would turn out?  I think not..."


A group of townsfolk came around the corner of the warehouse led by Sarin.  Fire-
fighting gear still in hand, they paused as Ahmran continued.


"I ask you this Caflenal," he said to Josh, "are you willing to give up your claim to this 
lady?"


Face red from head and blood, Josh slowly shook his head, 'no'.


Ahmran nodded.  "I didn't think so..."


Several of the townsfolk went to Rellas and pulled him further from the fire.  Sarin 
walked to Joshuwain's side.  "You have created a ssstate of war between usss, 
Ahmran Flessshssscalder.  You ssshall be made to pay for thisss."


Ahmran shrugged and motioned for the Tepit to close in around him.  "Do you think so, 
lizard?  I don't."  He held aloft the cage bearing the diminutive Phantos.  "As long as I 
have this, I'm a free man, and nothing you do can touch me when I'm protected by the 
Tepit."


Josh started forward, but Sarin restrained him.  "Your money won't lassst forever, 
ssslaver.  What then?  There will be no trucsse between usss."


"Perhaps; perhaps not.  But in the meantime, I've more places to hide than you can 
afford to look."  He gestured at the burning buildings and ships beyond them.  "Look 
around you lizard!  You've lost everything in Varn!  You can't afford to deal with me 
now, can you?"  He smiled and drew back into the shadows.


"Keep the slave ... she'll be of no use to you.  But I, on the other hand, have a far more 
profitable hostage.  Cross me again, and the miniature horse dies!"  With that, he 
turned and, Tepit following, disappeared into the alley's shadows.


Carnam restrained Josh.  "He's right ... we're in no condition to take him.  All three of 
us are nearly dead an' I'm fast losing my human form."  He looked at the cooling 
corpse of the albino.  "I don't know what that bastard sprayed me with, but it's taking 
effect."


Tears stung Joshuwain's face.  "We can't leave him, Carnam; he's always been there 
for me ... I can't abandon him."


Carnam exchanged glances with Sarin gravely.  "I don't think any of us are letting this 
go.  Ahmran knows that too, but Varn has become too hot for us now.  There are more 
members of the Tepit than we can handle, and if Ahmran puts out a contract on us, 
we're as good as dead."


Sarin interrupted.  "He alssso knowsss that I have connectionsss in thisss cssity.  If he 
ssstaysss, he also risssksss hisss own demissse ... no, now isss the time to prepare."  
He turned and knelt beside his brother and stroked his head.  "My brother and I will 
return home ... there to assssessss the losssesss and prepare for the revenge we are 
owed.  But until then, we cannot aide you."


Josh steeled his face and nerves.  "Then I'll do it alone..."


Carnam patted Josh's flank.  "No; never alone, Josh.  Phan is like a brother to me.  
We'll get him back..." he examined his furred arms closely, "even if I have to do it as a 
wolf."


Terria interrupted, putting her hand on Carnam's shoulder.  He spoke back to her and 
tried to smile.  He looked up at Josh.  "We'll have to take her with us, you know.  She's 
not safe here either."


Josh nodded and looked around at the carnage.  "Where will we go?"


Carnam watched as Sarin had Rellas slowly carried away from the battle site.  "We 
follow Ahmran, no matter where he goes.  And when he least expects it ... we get Phan 
back."


Josh nodded.  He'd come to Varn seeking adventure and daydreaming about battle.  
Before that, he'd longed for the comforts of home.  As he rested one hand on Terria's 
shoulder and limped slowly after Carnam, he now knew he didn't need either.  He 
wanted his brother back.


And come tomorrow, that adventure would begin.


The End