Estris Chronicles Chapter One Part 2

This is the rest of the first chapter of my unfinished novel. If you have not read the first part, I highly recommend reading it, as it contains valuable information for the story you are about to read. Thank you for the read, please leave a heart, share, and tip if you enjoy it. Blessed be to you all.

Chapter One: Part 2

Again! He was doing it again. Norak ran speedily in the shadows of the lower Capital, avoiding detection. He was on his way to what appeared to be an abandoned inn in the south end of the lower capital. In all actuality, it was far from abandoned. Forty Estrian boys and girls resided there, forced to perform horrific acts by evil men who owned them. His mission was the same as always: Find, rescue, liberate. He would find the slaves, take out the overseer and then have his partner Jareem send the kids to their families if they still had any. He had done it several times since he started his work three years ago, and he kept getting better at it.

As Norak approached the building that he was targeting, he slowed. He pulled a black mask over his face and pulled up the hood of his grey cloak. He walked stealthily, not making a noise and sticking to the shadows. When he had the building in sight, he crouched and crept slowly. At the front door he waited, slowing his breath to listen, adrenaline pumping through him. He heard the soft footsteps of two men just right inside and knew he’d have to draw them out. He crept beneath a first floor window and continued around the corner of the building, where he softly threw a pebble on the ground outside the front door. One of the guards heard the noise and said something indiscernible from where Norak was. Another voice gave a quick reply. As the door opened Norak ducked fully behind the corner.

Norak heard the guard walk slowly to the opposite corner of the building, then cautiously make his way back towards the other corner. As the guard came closer, Norak braced himself. Right as the tall muscled guard turned the corner, Norak shot up and planted a clean uppercut to the Estrian man, grabbed him by his chainmail body armor, then swung him fully around the corner and kicked him squarely in the chest. The guard let out a grunt as he flew back and tried to recover, but Norak was too quick. He pounced on the man and placed a damp handkerchief over his mouth. In a few seconds, the guard was dead from the poisonous fumes from the liquid on the cloth.

In the span that this scuffle took place, the other man inside got suspicious and came out himself. He had come around the corner just as Norak was getting up and gave a start at what he saw. Norak, ever quick, pulled a pipe out of an inside pocket on his cloak and blew a dart into the man, another Estrian, as he was drawing his sword. The second guard dropped like a sack of potatoes and Norak walked past him, turning the corner and entering the inn.

Norak entered what used to be the inn’s tavern. All the tables and chairs however were gone, the shelves were empty, and all that was left was the counter where rooms and drinks were purchased.

He cautiously made his way up the stairs leading to the second floor. When he got to the top he froze. There were seven rooms down the hall of the second floor and each one of them had a guard outside. Norak started running down the hall as the first guard closest to him drew a sword. When he reached the guard he ducked and slid under the blade’s swing, drew out his two daggers, spun in one fluid motion, and sprung up. He grabbed the guard around the neck from behind and slid his daggers across his throat. This all happened in a few seconds and then Norak spun to face the other guards, throwing two more knives from sheaths concealed in his cloak into the next two closest guards.

At this point the remaining guards were running at Norak swords drawn. Norak had to think quickly. He looked to his left where there was a door and burst inside. On a bed in the small room lay a skinny malnourished Estrian girl, no more than fourteen years. She sat up straight in fright when she saw Norak and let out a small, weak shriek. Norak hushed the girl quickly as the guards barrelled through the door, and he then pulled a small capsule from a vile in his cloak. He turned to face the four brutes as they approached him slowly.

“Nowhere for you to go Severat,” the guard said with a sneer, using the name the public had given him, a word from the ancient language meaning Savior. “The boss will be very happy to meet you.”

“You work for a slaver,” Norak said with a disgusted tone in his voice, “You protect a man that forces boys and girls, Estrian boys and girls at that, to do lewd acts with strangers for money. How can you live with yourselves?”

“Funny.” The guard who had spoken chuckled to the others, “The man thinks we’re living.” The guards rushed Norak and at that moment he threw the capsule forcefully on the ground. There was a small spark and smoke flew up into the air. Norak ducked away from the first guard that approached him and crept to the other end of the room. The guards were stumbling around to see where Norak was but they were effectively blinded.

Norak stealthily snuck up behind one of the guards and slit his throat before moving onto the next one, whose neck Norak swiftly broke with a loud crack. There were just two more. Norak waited in the now still room, trying to identify the location of the last guards. The only sound heard in that room were the soft whimpers from the slave girl, curled up in a ball on her bed. He saw briefly a shadow and crept towards it when suddenly he was seized with a convulsing pain throughout his body. A white light filled his vision, followed by an image of a Lythian girl. She was roughly twenty ages and had all the characteristics of a Lythian; dark hair, slightly toned skin, and the characteristic blue swirling witch markings. He could tell she was in pain, that she was suffering. The girl looked at him and spoke softly “save me”, and then the image vanished and Norak stood still, dazed by the experience. A blunt sword hilt slammed across his temple and he saw his world go black as one of the guards hit him and snickered.

When Norak came to, he was sitting in a rough wooden chair, in an office. It was a small square room with a desk, lamp, and a bookcase against one of the walls. Behind the desk sat a tall but lanky Estrian man in a large leather chair. He had a single eyepiece over his left eye and was wearing a dark blue suit. This was undoubtedly the slave owner. Norak moved to get up but realised his arms and legs were bound tightly with hemp rope to the chair. He struggled a little but to no avail.

“So,” the Estrian said with a hint of satisfaction, “You are the great Severat, abolisher of slavery.” He said that last part with a slight hint of contempt.

“And who are you?” Novak asked, spitting to the side.

“Why, I am Javen Karmeer.” The owner said with pride, as if Norak should know who he was. In fact, Norak did recognise the name. Karmeer was the largest owner of sex slaves in the city, maybe even in the kingdom. It had been a dream of Norak’s to meet this man in person...and end him.

“So, we finally are introduced, Karmeer.” Norak said, imitating Javen’s contempt.

“Ah yes, and it seems I have gained control over the beast of the lower capitol, The Abolitionist.” Karmeer said with a dramatic flair.

“Then why not kill me already?” Norak asked, glancing at the guard in the corner of the room Norak had overlooked. He was wielding a large battle ax.

“Because,” Karmeer said softly, “I believe that you can help me.”

“And why do you think I would ever help you?”

“Because, I will pay you handsomely for it. One hundred thousand gold, to be exact.” Karmeer smiled as he let this offer sink in.

Norak sat considering the offer. One hundred thousand gold could pay for supplies and an army, to accomplish his goal. After he was shipwrecked he had been trying to get enough gold to execute his destiny, the one thing he lived for. But Norak knew that was not an option. He could not compromise his mission, his ultimate plan, by getting tied up with a scandal like Karmeer.

“I’m sorry but I cannot do that.” Norak sarcastically sighed, as if he wished he could but had no choice but to refuse.

“I think you have no choice here,” Karmeer said with a chuckle, then gestured towards Norak who was tied securely. “Because if you don’t do this for me, then I will kill you. It doesn't matter to me what you choose. If you join me then I can have one of the greatest fighters on the continent working for me as head of security.” Karmeer paused and then shrugged. “If you refuse then I simply kill you and that will still get rid of the problem of you ruining my business. Tell me something Severat…” Karmeer looked directly into Norak’s eyes as he said this, “...are you afraid to die?”

Norak stared right back at the sinister slave owner and responded with all the confidence in the world, “I fear nothing. I have seen everything this world could throw at me. I have been to the brink of starvation, almost drowned, been wounded, beaten, mistreated. I have faced beasts far more fearsome than you and I lived to tell the tale. I see death,” Norak said with a cunning smile, “as just another experience to try out.”

Norak watched a confusion come to the face of the slaver. When death means nothing to a person you lose all control over that person, because death is quite arguably the most feared thing in the world. Clearly this man could not understand Norak’s dispositions, which gave Norak a great advantage. Plus, Norak had one more trick up his sleeve.

“You’ve no doubt heard whispers, rumors about me, have you not?” Norak asked as he curled his hands into tight fists. Norak saw Karmeer stop to think for a moment before he responded.

“They say you are a god in human flesh. Able to control the elements with a mere thought.” Karmeer replied, but in such a way that Norak caught a hint of disbelief in his voice.

“Aye, they do claim that.” Norak responded, nodding his head, mentally preparing himself. With that a fiery red glow came to Norak’s eye’s, glowing completely with the color of a blood red sunset. The guard in the room raised his axe and rushed at Norak but it was too little too late. Norak’s wrists and ankles burst into flames, burning the ropes that bound him. He stood up and glared at the guard, raising his hand and sending a stream of bright fire into the man’s chest. Karmeer shot up, and started to run, but Norak caused a wall of fire to rise up before the monster, blocking Karmeer’s escape.

Norak walked through the flames, eyes still glowing that fiery red and slowly approached Karmeer as he was backing up against the wall. He grabbed Karmeer by the throat, squeezing tightly as he brought his face closer looking directly into the man’s eyes, into his soul.

“Please, take all my gold, no conditions, just...don’t...kill...me!” Karmeer shrieked as he gasped for breath. Norak’s reply came in an unnatural, booming, echoing voice.

“Do you think that innocent souls can be bought for a price, or that all the gold in the world would pay your debt to mankind?” He asked, never breaking his stare, never backing down before the once confident, now trembling trafficking lord. “By the heavens I will not stand to allow you to see the light of another day.” And with that Norak gave a mighty squeeze on Karmeer’s neck, causing him to squirm and gasp and shriek. “Tell me Karmeer,” Norak said spitefully as he squeezed harder, “Are you afraid to die?” With that there was a loud snap and Norak dropped Karmeer’s lifeless body to the floor. As the glow from Norak’s eyes drained the flames in the room shrunk and dissipated, thin smoke floating around the office as Norak walked out and freed the enslaved children.

After the children were gathered in the main room of the tavern, Norak walked out the door and gave a short, shrill whistle. In a few moments a wagon rolled up. The man driving the wagon, Jarmeer, was a shorter than average Estrian man with a scruffy beard, tossy red hair and drab brown clothing. The wagon came to a stop and the man, in his late forties hopped out and briskly walked up to Norak.

“Aye you show that blasted bastard a thing or two, eh Severat?” The vigilante’s associate said with a wide grin. “Who was the damned soul this time? Krelix? Mister Red? Oh, I bet it was that new guy Verat. Funny thing tis is, what with him op'ly mocking your name ain’t tit?”

“Jarmeer, good to see you as always.” They walked in together and Jarmeer gasped at the sight of so many children. “As you can see Jarmeer, this was not an ordinary job. I killed Javon Karmeer.” Norak watched as Jarmeer jumped back and let out a whoop.

“You mean ti tell me,” Jarmeer replied, with genuine shock on his face, “That ye took out ti second must powerful man in the Kingdom? By Vizion, I don’t know how ti make heads nor tales of tis.”

“There is nothing to ‘make’ of it Jarmeer, I had a job to do and I got it done. It doesn’t matter who it is.” Norak let out a sigh. He looked at the children who had been shuffling uncomfortably for the past few minutes. “Take these children back to the base and feed them, clothe them, find out who their families are. I will meet up with you in a few days. I’m chasing another lead here in the Capitol and want to finish that up before I go back home. Make sure these children are taken care of, and tell Grimere to be gentle with them if they wish to play with him.”

“Right ho then mate, I’ll see you in a few days then.” Jarmeer said to Norak before turning to the children. “What do ye say young uns’, come wit' me, ye are safe now.” As he shuffled the children towards the wagon Norak caught him whispering to a small red-haired girl “have ye ever seen a dragon 'efore?” and watched as her eyes got wide as dinner plates. He chuckled to himself and after the wagon pulled away out of sight ran swiftly through the night to his home away from home when working in the Capitol.