Monday, September 9, 2019

158 - “What You Deserve” - Karendle - A Tale of Heroes

Here's how you can read the story a week (two scenes) ahead of everyone else!

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Thissraelle spread her hands out, stunned. "What are you doing?"

Really? What does it look like? 

"You take them. You can use them."

Thissraelle quickly picked up the pouch and handed it back to Karendle. "What? No! These are yours! These are your powers!"

"No. You take them." Karendle pushed Thissraelle's hands back. "I shouldn't have them. They’re nothing but trouble for me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't use them." Karendle crossed her arms over her tunic and vest. She looked at her feet again.

"No, no. Don't give up!" Thissraelle's voice took on an urgency, a pleading tone. "I want to help you! I'm just not any good at it!"

"It's more than that!" Karendle dropped fists to her thighs in frustration.  She ran her hand over the short side of her dark red hair and sighed. "Look. I left the monastery all mad at you. I took the entrapment oculus back to those men who had hired me, and they paid me. Gold and another stone. Hurray! I thought I could go on doing that for a living. That would be me. If I couldn’t be wizard, I’d be a wizard hunter."

Thissraelle looked concerned. Karendle continued, "But they still wanted you. Over and over they said they wanted me to bring you in." Karendle looked up at her friend. "I knew I couldn't do that. I thought about what to do for days. I finally decided to go back to Dirae and find you.”

"But then the drakes attacked. And there you were! You came back for me! Suddenly we were fighting together again, just like before. That felt right. Side by side. Friends!"

Karendle shook her head.

"So what's wrong?"

"That wizard in the cathedral... the one that killed the bishop?" Thissraelle slowly nodded.

Karendle drew her lips thin and nodded along with her. "I recognized him. Not at first, but later, when I was here in The Vast thinking about it."

They looked at each other. "Who?" Thissraelle asked.

"It was the wizard that I had captured in the manor house." Karendle sighted. "I captured him, then collected my reward from the very people who attacked the cathedral! They turned him loose and he killed the bishop! I don't deserve these gems. I don't deserve to have powers." She punctuated her decision by pushing the pouch away and standing up.

"Wait! What?" Thissraelle stood beside her. "Karendle! That attack was ordered by my father! Those wizards were guild members!" They both paused, unsure, and tried to think through the implications.

Thissraelle spoke first. "Why would the Wizard's Guild have to hire someone to capture wizards for an attack?"

"I don't know, either. Something is not adding up, is it?"

"No." Thissraelle decided. "No, it's not." She looked at the pouch of gems in her hand. She looked up at Karendle and stepped toward her with resolve, pushing the pouch into Karendle's chest. Instinctively, Karendle gripped it.

"Take it," Thissraelle commanded. "All I know is you used these to help protect people in the cathedral and your powers saved us from the flames. You definitely deserve them." She let go, allowing Karendle to grip the bag.

Karendle smiled and took Thissraelle in a tight embrace.

A loud, high screech ripped through the air. Karendle and Thissraelle jumped back, startled, and threw up their hands to protect themselves.

"Come back here! Stop!" A voice called out from the hallway. The two ladies ducked defensively as a small drake flew across the terrace. Its body was no bigger than a midsized dog, but its tail was at least two feet long. It called out with excitement, vigorously flapping its wings. It called out more and began circling the terrace. Parith chased after it, shouting, "Come back! Hey!" Korr stepped up after him, his arms folded.

"What the flames is that?" Thissraelle shrieked. Karendle put her hands on her hips and shook her head.


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This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing. If you like this story, support us at our Patreon!
Thank you: Chet Cox, Genevieve Springer!

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