Ashes scurried out of town and kept moving through the fields for what seemed like hours. She finally stopped in a small copse by a stream. After a refreshing drink of water she went through her loot while wild plans flitted through her mind. She was determined not to return to Foraville and the gang of beggars cum thieves that she had been living with, she was well aware that if she did return her booty would be taken from her by old mother Tibs, she was also shudderingly aware that soon she would no longer be able to pass for a boy and old mother Tibs would sell her to a brothel. Street urchins did not last long in the brothels down by the docks.

With some reluctance she stripped and stepped into the stream where she did her best to get herself clean before dressing her new stolen finery, a nice almost new tunic and trews in dull brown. Her new boots were a bit big but with a few rags stuffed into the toes they fit well enough.

Her appraise skill got quite a workout and she realised she’d hit the jackpot, the ring that priest had been wearing was a magic purse, unfortunately it needed to be worn but it was rather large, she dubiously slid it onto her right thumb.

ting: do you wish to claim Red Rackam’s Purse? Yes/no

Ashes eagerly indicated yes and the ring shrank down to a snug fit, so snug she’d have difficulty removing it. Inspecting it Ashes discovered three books that she removed and discarded and twenty royals. Eyes wide Ashes removed one to inspect the large gold coin, she’d never seen a Royal before, she marvelled at the thought that she was holding a coin worth twenty-one gold Nobles.

The sound of conflict came to her ears, shouts and the clash of steel; Ashes hurriedly placed all her loot in her new purse and slunk away in the opposite direction.

Ashes tried to still her beating heart; just outside the copse she could see four rather shabby soldiers from one of the city’s legions. She slowly slid under a thankfully thick bush not wanting to be seen by the soldiers.

* * *

The four beings traversing the streets of Foraville made most of the locals wary, three wore expensive looking enchanted armour, the third an obvious mage. Silverfin Wavedancer and his wives were wary, several buildings in the capital were burning and they could hear several riots. They were currently passing the Temple of Feroxibus, it was completely aflame. Silverfin’s eyes flicked from side to side as he advanced at the head of his wives, buckler ready and bloodied trident in hand.

He saw several looters congregating by the burning temple, most going by the ring of pale skin round their necks and slightly emaciated appearance were ex-slaves, or to be more accurate escaped slaves. Probably former war captives by the competent way they were handling their weapons. Several were looking his way but Silverfin ignored them and continued on his way. This was nothing to do with him and his women – at least not yet.

It took them several bloody skirmishes – not very dangerous for adventurers of their calibre – and about an hour to reach the Adventurer’s Guild. It was visibly guarded but Silverfin could see that the visible guards were mostly novices, which suggested that the more experienced people were otherwise occupied.

They showed the guards their guild medallions and entered an unusually deserted front hall.

“Hail Silverfin, my old fish, how are the depths today, are you here for one of the subjugation quests issued by the city?” bellowed the old dwarf ensconced behind the hiring desk.

“Not today Thorgar, apparently the Guildmaster wants to see us. Quite a party going on out there today,” replied Silverfin.

Thorgar waved a large callused hand at the door at the back of the room, “then you lot had better go through, Sirri-Anna will deal with you.”

Silverfin and his wives soon found themselves in Vartarks office being brought up to date on Midgard and guildmaster Lilly. On accepting they were dismissed to gather their belongings and return next day to be gated to the vicinity of the new maritime dungeon.

The next day things were a bit calmer, rioters and looters were still infesting the streets and several fires continued to rage. Seeing as guildmaster Lilly’s reports suggested Midgard to be much calmer than the world of Badonia, Foraville in particular Silverfin and his wives decided to take their two children with them.

When they arrived at the Guild Hall Thorgar sent them directly to Gonavar the archmage’s office. Gonavar had them stand in his engraved ritual circle where he first cast learning spell on them.

“When you step through don’t forget to touch Lilly so that you gain whatever language she’s been taught in the last couple of days.” Then he cast a second spell and...

Silverfin and his family found themselves standing on wet sand under a clear blue sky looking at a very large wave with a bikini clad catkin woman riding a long thin oval board across its face.

Not wanting to get their gear soaked Silverfin and his family hurriedly backed away until they were above the waterline.

“Wow dad, do you think I could learn to do that?” asked an envious Antor.

“Yeah me too!” exclaimed his little sister.

“Welcome to Midgard Tessana, Druissa, Galianna, Silverfin. And Antor and Tessarra too?” I wasn’t expecting them, is it that bad back in the Empire?”

Silverskin tore his eyes from the surfer and looked around to see Lilly and Elorinal coming to meet them from further up the beach.

“Yes I’m afraid things are very bad, most of the temples are in flames and the streets are full of rioters. Will you allow us to touch you, Archmage Gonavar ordered us to in order to learn the local language, that is if you’ve been magically imprinted with it.”

Antor and Tessarra ran up shouting, “aunty Lilly do you know the cat lady, will she teach us how to ride the waves?” before hurling themselves at their favourite aunt. The adults all took one of the proffered hands. Unfortunately for them Gonavar had not expected Lilly to have been given three languages so Silverfin and his wives developed very nasty headaches whilst their children fainted.

Felicia meanwhile stuck her surfboard in the sand and sauntered up to the group of adventurers, “Então que passa?” she smirked, “so who are your friends, do the miudos need healing, the big guys too maybe?”

“Please, my head is splitting,” begged Tessana.

Felicia cast an area heal and threw in a blessing of fertility just for the joy of messing with a bunch of adventurers.

* * *

Judy O’Riley was fuming, Rog was being his usual dumb self, at least he was filming and recording the Russians press conference. She watched the murderous Russian soldiers on stage and listened to their stories, for the most part via interpreters. The majority seemed to sport some kind of surgical mods as if they wanted to be taken for elves in that Tolkien ring thing.

She asked some questions along with her rivals, Rog’s face remained blank. She determined once again to get rid of him and get a more intelligent camera person.

After what seemed like an hour, a totally fruitless hour too, sure the footage of the massacres would gather ratings but it would also vindicate these merciless military scum and unfortunately justify their slaughter of the primitive visitors in the eyes of her viewers.

Anyway one of the Russian officers on stage seemed to be concentrating on one of the corners of the room, he whispered something one of his fellows who also concentrated on that same corner and then stiffened in surprise. Soon about six of the pointy eared freaks were staring at the same empty corner as was a fair fraction of the bemused press corp.

Roger was having a hard time concealing his feelings, Judy was certainly letting her spleen out today, she certainly was a dab hand at not making friends. So he was glad to look at and film an empty corner so as to face away from his assigned reporter.

So he was the only cameraman to record the moment the young teenager materialised out of thin air, gave the assembled company a little finger wave accompanied by a blinding smile before opening a small rift and stepping through it and closing it behind her whilst the members of the press milled around in confusion and the Russian military rushed to examine the now empty corner.