Eldritch Quest part.03

   The compass has taken Dorkaring far from the forest, across the towns of Gangway, Oleodie, Driversontheleft, and even the city of New Hamstring. It has taken him to the other end of the kingdom to the city of scholars, Rivanchip, and through its streets among its many labs and libraries; both reasons Dorkaring has never been here before; after all he is a warrior of brute force not a scholar or spell caster.

 

   The compass leads him to the door of one, [Experimental Sorcery] lab. Just as he is opening the door a familiar face comes out, a familiar face who stops dead in her half his size tracks gripping her books to her bosom. Dorkaring leans down, “I know you…”

 

   He leans up, “Your that hooker from Gangway right? Michy!”

 

   “Nooo,” says the woman, “I’m Nicole, Master Tavaris’ apprentice.”

 

 

 

  “Oh right!” says Dorkaring, taking a moment before it dawns on him, “Wait a minute, that means Tavaris is nearby right?!”

 

  “Y..yes,” says Nicole, “he..he’s upstairs…”

 

  “Take me to him,” demands Dorkaring, “I must speak with him at once!”

 

    ******

 

   The door flies opens causing Tavaris to drop some of his paperwork.

 

   “My old friend!” shouts Dorkaring, “I thought that demon had taken you to hell.”

 

  “Uh…” says Tavaris nervously looking past Dorkaring at Nicole in the doorway who can only shrug, “well…” continues Tavaris, “no, Xin sent us to work at this lab in Rivanchip, and…”

 

   Tavaris eyes the device in Dorkaring’s hand, “Is that…”

 

   “Why yes,” says Dorkaring putting the compass on a table, to which both Tavaris and Nicole walk over, “and this,” Dorkaring puts the gem of Sirius on the table.

 

   “You are gathering the gems of the Timeless Door?” asks Tavaris.

 

  “To hunt that demon, and especially that witch.” says Dorkaring.

 

   Tavaris walks over to a drawer and takes out a blood red gem and places it next to the Gem of Sirius, “this is the Blood Gem,” says Tavaris, “and it is how you found me. As a first Scion of the Hidden School I am tasked with keeping secret ma…sev…some…oh hell…keeping secret magic objects of power and importance. If you gather all the gems and open the Timeless Door into Xin’s world you don’t fight her…I mean she’s an ancient being, the founder of the Hidden School and source of all magic upon our world…and…”

 

   Dorkaring looks puzzled.

 

   Tavaris continues, “surely you read the tale, beyond the Timeless Door is the realm of the Faerie, which in ancient times was called the land of the gods. If you gain entry then Xin has to lead the hero who gathered the gems to three different magical objects during the hero’s lifetime. What you would gain then is not fighting her, but a weapon with which to fight this dark wi…you mean Rhulan don’t you?”

 

   “Of course,” says Dorkaring, “there is no telling what some chaos sorceress is up to, but it can only be evil, and as Dorkaring the hero, greatest of all men of Homnes, It is my sworn duty to slay this monster and be famed across all of Homnes for doing so.”

 

   “Of…course,” says Tavaris, “My old dear friend, take the Blood Gem and continue your search. Everything will make sense in time.”