Opie and Paulo
“Oh my, Paulo. I didn’t know such books existed?” Opie said, bright red in the face, holding firmly onto Paulo’s hand. He kept letting go of Paulo after each book the man asked for. “I’ll take a copy.” He would say each time he regained his wits. They had been standing in front of the golem Librarian ordering books for quite some time. At first Opie wasn’t happy holding Paulo’s hand, but he had completely forgotten about it when Paulo started ordering books. Opie’s idea of a racy book was the Karma Sutra, when he suggested it to Paulo, Paulo had shrugged and said that he was no longer a beginner. It went downhill from then on. It was about to get worse.
“Paulo, Opie, could you quickly come to my room.” the messenger golem said in a perfect imitation of Bells voice.
“Si my King.” Paulo replied to the golem. Opie checked that their hands were still connected. Paulo shrugged and said, “Old habits die hard.”
“Sorry sir.” the librarian golem said, “But that book is out of stock, could I order you one from the main land.”
“That’s a good idea,” Paulo said. “You should order any other books that are out of stock. What do you think my new friend the great librarian from Clemville, thinks about us being out of books. Sorry Opie my friend, but good help is hard to find.”
“How many books are out of stock?” Opie asked.
“Seven million four hundred and twenty seven thousand, six hundred and one.” She replied.
“That’s a lot of books Paulo.”
“It is, I feel so ashamed. How can I run this library with such incompetence? Quick, quick go get the books.”
”Uh, that’s not what I meant.” Opie said.
“No time my lovely King is waiting.”
“King?” Opie said looking at their hands again.
“Yes the lovely King Isabelle the 5th. I love how her name sounds on my tongue.” They made their way to her room, and Opie got really embarrassed.
“I would like to try a few things my king.” Paulo said opening a book. Two hours later Opie descended the stairs, glowing bright red.
“Having a hard time?” Tricks asked, looking up from the newly translated map.
“You have no idea.”
Everyone but Brain sat around the dining room table. Brain had promised he would join them later, as he put it, he was onto something, and he wanted to finish before they left.
“What’s your boy up to?” Bell asked Tricks.
“I don’t know, probably making energy drinks.”
“Really, do you think he could make me some?”
“Don’t go there. I think he took down the whole Kingdom of Lob with them.”
“That bad?”
“Worse.”
“Pity, I could use some, I can’t go as long as I used to, three four sessions a day and I’m stuffed.”
“I pity you.” Tricks said sarcastically, not that Bell got her sarcasm.
“Yeah. So about this map?”
“Like I was saying, your majesty.” Natha, the dragon rider said.
“Please call me Bell.”
“Yes your majesty, I can’t take them further then Marshmid. I have to pick up a few dignitaries there, and there won’t be any space on Khali. (short for Kh'alukin'pol'te, the dragon.) If we had left this morning it would have been fine, only now I will have to rush.”
“Okay, get your dragon ready, we will be out in a few minutes.” Tricks said. Natha left to prepare. Tricks leaned over the map. “Looks like we will have to go through the swamp, because I’m not taking any more bloody boats.”
“I’m with Tricks.” Siege said, she was quite visible as Opie was still holding her hand.
“Okay.” said Opie who had fond memories of the ship. “We get to Farian and then what? How do we find this Warm water place?”
“I think I just came from there.” Bell said. “It’s now The Great Desert Spa. If you’re looking for, what does it say?”
“Open the direction with the medallion of war and it will show you the hiding place.” Opie read off the map.
“Right.” continued Bell. “So you get to the warm place, ask for directions from the war medallion and then what?”
“You’re not really helping Bell.” Tricks said.
“I’ve never been good with maps.” she replied. “I know you are going to have to head inland from Farian. There is a huge highway from there that goes all the way over the mountains. If you follow it to Barock you could probably find a guide or something from there to The Great Desert spa. Only I don’t know of any road into the desert.”
“We’ll worry about that when we get there. Good of you to join us Brain. What have you been up to?” Tricks asked.
“You know, just fooling around.” They left it at that. The Dragon brayed, so it was time to go. Everyone hugged and kissed goodbye. Bell pulled Brain aside.
“You look after my friend.” she said. “Tricks is not as tough as she thinks.”
“I will.” he replied. “With my life.”
“Good, now hand me one of those energy drinks you have in your bag so she doesn’t think we’re talking about her.”
“You like my energy drinks?”
“No you idiot, it’s a rouse.”
The dragon flight was everything Opie hoped it would be. He got off knowing that he would one day own one. Siege got off knowing that she would never get anywhere near, let alone fly, on one again. Brain was too busy smiling, not too sure what a rouse was, but was happy that someone had finally demanded one of his energy drinks. Tricks spent the flight reminiscing about her old school days.
Marshmid
Arriving on a dragon has its advantages. Most people think you must be awfully important if you rate a dragon. With most of the cabinet away signing another peace treaty with General Killem, the usual parliament groupies latched onto our four intrepid wonderers. At first it was quite heart-warming having a group of young men and women following you around, but it got stale very quickly.
“Can’t you do something about this mob, Brain? Give them one of your energy drinks or something.” Tricks said as she almost tripped over one that had gotten too close. It was a small group that had started, but as is quite often the case with crowds, it had attracted more people to it. There were people in the crowd who had no idea why they were there, if asked, they would have probably answered that it seemed like a good idea at the time.
“I’ll try, but you know crowds, it’s like they have a mind of their own. Listen up, good people of Marshmid.” Brain shouted. “We are looking for a guide to take us to Farian.” The crowd remained. “Through the swamp.” One guy remained. “Sorry mate are you deaf or something?”
“I’m Alwa Lost. I’ll guide you through the swamp.” the guy said. “But I’ll be needing thirty pieces of gold.”
“Ten.” Tricks replied. The others were going to explain to Tricks that they had no money, but she shushed them.
“Twenty.” he countered.
“Nine.” she replied and waited for it to sink in.
“What?” He asked, “You aren’t supposed to go backwards.”
“Eight.” she offered.
“Okay I’ll do it for ten.”
“Seven.” she said straight-faced.
“Done.” he replied. “Up front.”
“Three when we start tomorrow morning.” she said. “And the other three when we are safely in Farian.”
“Deal, I’ll meet you at… hey wait a second. Damn you’re one tough negotiator.” The applause from some of the nearby shops suggested they agreed. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow, meet me at the Roses and Kitten, it’s the pub that smells like a litter tray and is filled with thorny knives.” After he had left Brain turned to Tricks.
“How are we going to get six pieces of gold?” he asked in a loud whisper.
“Easy.” she replied. “Siege let go Opie’s hand and take a stroll in that direction.”
The next morning they paid over the three pieces of gold and st
arted off into the swamp.
Alwa stood in front of them; they were at the entrance to the swamp.
“Good morning folks.” he said, he had studied his speech the night before, it had been quite some time since he had last given it.
“My name is Alwa Lost.” he paused, some people found that funny, but he didn’t know why. “We are about to embark on a journey into the swamp. The swamp is not a place for sightseeing, in fact the less sights you see the better you will be able to sleep.”
He started to laugh at his joke, then remembered some of the sights he had seen, and stopped. “Okay, I was part of the great survey, which mapped the swamp back about thirty years ago.”
He waited for the applause that normally came at this point.
“Just bloody get on with it.” Tricks said.
“Alright, no need to be rude.”
“You’ll see the rude part of my sword where the sun don’t shine in a minute.” (I’m not sure that actually makes sense.)
“I’m not sure.” Alwa said. “Exactly what you mean?”
“Do you want me to demonstrate?”
“No thanks. Where was I? Okay, then I became a scout. This means only the gods know the swamp better than me.” (The gods took one look at the swamp and wanted no part of it.) “So step where I step and do what I do, okay?” He got the mandatory nods and stepped off into the swamp.
“Well that was a complete waste of three gold pieces.” Brain said as Alwa disappeared in what looked like quicksand.
“I’m not so sure.” replied Tricks. “Bloody little shyster, when I catch him I’m going to split him in half and make him lead us if it kills us.”
“Technically Tricks you can’t…”
“Not now Brain.” And she stepped into the quicksand. The other three stood in shock.
“Do you think we should follow her?” Siege asked.
“Maybe she thinks she can still breathe water.” Brain suggested.
“Not funny Brain.” Opie said. “She must have had a reason.”
“Yeah, she’s Tricks.” Brain said. “Completely nuts.”
“Maybe, but at least I have a clue.” Tricks said. “Oldest trick in the book. Get your money up front and then pretend to disappear.” She threw the soaking wet guide on the floor in front of them. He did not look like he was surviving his old trick very well.
“Sorry folks.” he sputtered, “I was going to come back, I just thought it would be funny.”
“And your two friends I had to deal with?”
“They must have been muggers, you saw them taking money from me.”
“Pay off more like.” Tricks said. “One thing to remember from now on. My name is Tricks, I’m The Tricks from Clemville.” Alwa Lost suddenly changed his attitude. He grovelled in front of Tricks pleading for his life.
“If you get us to Farian safely I will spare you.” she said. “If you do it in record time I’ll even give you the other three coins.” he said he would.
“Tricks if you ever…” Brain started to say.
“Stow it Brain, I’ve had just about as much crap as I can take from you.”
“But…” he tried again.
“Enough, I’m sick of your whining.”
“I don’t wh…”
“One more word and I’ll, I’ll do something nasty.” Brain turned and stood as far from her as he could, and still be part of the group, he muttered something about how she had already done something nasty.
“Good.” Tricks said. “Let’s go. I’m sick of standing here.” She took a deep breath, turned from the others for a second and said in what she hoped was a steady voice. “Let’s go.”
The Swamp
Unlike most other swamps, this swamp was specifically designed to scare the hell out of anyone. For example other swamps have quicksand that will pleasantly drown you, if you happen to step into it. That was just too tame for this swamp, this swamp had to have the best of everything, so its quicksand actively goes out to find you, and when it catches you it slowly eats you from the feet up. The brown stuff called mud in other swamps merely dirties your shoes; the brown stuff called hells spawn in this swamp eats its way through your shoes. In other swamps you can drink the water, it might be pungent and make you violently sick, but at least it doesn’t try to strangle you on the way down. Other swamps have sweet animals like crocodiles and snakes, this swamp ate them, all that is left are things that are best describe by your dreams after eating bad sea food.
“What is that?” Brain asked as he watched a tree eat something that could be described as a pool of quicksand.
“Please sir,” their now humble guide said. “Do not look at the natives while they eat, it’s rude and they love the taste of rude things.”
“Then Tricks should be the first to go.” he said quietly to himself, in his head, in a dark corner, where he could hardly hear it. For all his trying to escape earlier Alwa was a very good guide. What he had said earlier was true; he had helped the great survey. An event that had seen hundreds of men die agonizing deaths.
“We must move faster than I would like.” he said after studying the sun. “We don’t have much time to get to a safe place for the night.”
“You mean we have to sleep here over night?” Opie asked.
“Yes, as evening breaks tomorrow night we will be in Farian.”
“Is their anywhere safe in the swamp?” Siege asked.
“Yes.” replied the guard. “At the halfway point. It is the most dangerous part of the swamp. So dangerous that everything there is afraid to come out at night, we should be perfectly safe, as long as no one snores.”
“Maybe we should walk faster.” Siege said looking at Opie.
“Maybe we should run.” Brain said looking at Tricks.
“Stop being so neurotic.” Tricks said, I’m sure there is nothing to worry about.” (The gods were not so sure, they had quite a few guests in their homes that thought the same way. They were going to have to do something; they looked into their piggy banks and called an old friend. That’s right, it’s time for some more blind luck. It went something like this: “Hi mister death guy, anything you can do about them?” “Well they’re not actually in any danger at the moment.” “But they’re in the swamp.” “So.” “That’s certain death.” “No, I am.” “Are you saying they’re not going to die?” “No.” “Huh.” “They could die, only I don’t know yet.” “Could you find out?” “Yes, but only when they’re dead, they have Tricks with them after all.” “Don’t remind me, I get her.” “{The sound Death makes when he’s not reminding someone.}” “Oh, let’s be safe and save them anyway.” “Okay, but not my department.” “Who then?” “Try Alfred Eberstein.” “Who’s that?” “Some guy that talks about relativity.” “What have relatives got to do with our situation?” “Your situation.” “Right, so what do I do?” “Look I’m a busy guy.” “I’ll make it worth your while.” “Okay, make the transfer and I’ll pull some strings.” “Done.” When he said strings, he meant quantum strings.)
“That’s odd?” Alwa said looking at the swamp.
“What?” asked Tricks making it very clear with that one word, that if the answer wasn’t very good, people were going to get very sore.
“I don’t know, it’s funny.” he said, and then one look at Tricks reminded him just what part of the food chain he could soon be part of. He hurried on. “I know this swamp like the bottom of my beer mug, and I know we should have two days of travel to go, but it looks like we are about to enter Farian.”
Farian
They were just in time for lunch. Tricks had no option but to pay Alwa. The puzzled man took his three gold pieces, sat in a pub and then caught a lift back to Marshmid with some very stoned pirates that thought it would be funny to take the long way round, for all we know they are still sailing.
“Let’s go find a quiet place to check the map and get a bite to eat.” Tricks said. “Oh stop sulking Brain, it’s very off putting.”
&n
bsp; “What you going to do if I don’t, chop my head off?”
“Suit yourself. I’m going into that pub, having a few beers, some food and seeing where we have to go next.” She strode of purposefully. The others looked at the name of the pub and laughed.
“Well at least something cheered you up, Brain.” Opie said.
“Yeah, why does she always have to be such a hard ass?” he asked.
“Just be like a duck.” Siege said.
“What you mean, quack?”
“No, let the water run right off your back.” Looking at his puzzled expression, Siege quickly continued. “Don’t let anything she says effect you.”
“I think I prefer the quacking.”
“If you quack at her she will hurt you.” Opie said. “Enough chit chat lets go into Tricks’ Arms.” They all laughed at the pubs name again.
It was gloomy in The Tricks’ Arms pub; the smell of gunja was strong in the air, but other than that it could well have been The Swill and Donkey. It seemed as if everyone was happy and chatting, that included Tricks.
“I wonder who that hunk is that Tricks is talking to?” Siege asked.
“You think he’s a hunk?” Opie asked, looking like a puppy that had just been scolded.
“You’re my hunk, I just meant hunky to other people.”
“I don’t think I like this.” Brain said. “Go get Tricks, we’ll find another pub.”
“Remember, Brain be a duck.”
“Okay, being a duck, being a duck.” He tried some quacking, just to get into character, but too many people were looking at him so he stopped.
“Who’s your new friend?” Siege asked as they reached Tricks.
“He’s not a new friend.” Tricks replied, Brain was starting not to like it even more, and the images of roast duck kept popping into his head. “This is Brett Itbig, we go way back. He owns the place, so I thought we would spend the night, you know give us a chance to rest.” The image of a burned duck falling out of the sky whipped through Brains mind.
“There’s still plenty of day light, maybe we should push on?” Brain tried.
“No, I want to stay here tonight, with Brett.” Tricks said and looked at Brain, so he knew in no uncertain terms exactly what she meant.
“Do what you want.” Brain replied. “I’m leaving.” And with that he stormed out.
“Go with him Opie.” Siege said, “Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”
“Are you coming?” Opie asked looking at the good-looking Mr Itbig.
“No, this is something only guys can fix.” Siege replied. Opie looked at Tricks, who nodded.
“Okay, see you later. I’ll bring him back here, when I can.” He had to run to catch up.
Opie and Brain
“What happened in there?” Opie asked when he caught up with Brain.
“That bitch is too much.” he replied and then said some really unprintable things about Tricks, her heritage and her future.
“Remember the duck.” Opie tried, thinking that Siege’s duck story was sweet and fitting.
“The duck got stuck by lightning and sank.” They both laughed. “Screw it, let’s go get drunk.”
“Back at the…”
“Hell no, I’m not staying in town. Let’s steal a wagon and head inland. That looks good.” Brain said pointing to a chariot parked in front of the Da Palace.
“I don’t know.” Opie said, suddenly feeling a chill run through him. “Maybe we should find a place in town.”
“Never! Come on live a little.” Opie mumbled something about how he thought he was living, and that stealing a tricked out chariot looked more like dying. It was too late, Brain was already undoing the lock with his patented incredible lock undoing thingy. When that didn’t work he hit the lock with a rock. That worked just fine, and then he found the key behind the sun visor.
“Will you look at this thing, it has everything.” Brain said very excited. “Lanterns, double brakes, power reins, cup holders, leather stools, even an odometer and the best of all, a built in fridge filled with beer.”
“Hey mon, what you do wid da kings wheels mon.” One of the huge force of guards coming towards them said.
“We’re just borrowing it.” Brain shouted. “We’ll bring it back tomorrow.”
“Datta be fine.” the guard replied. “We lock you up den.” The guards moved off.
“See; no problem.” Brain said whipping the horses into motion. “Wow, it even has an automatic whip.” Opie just shook his head.
“They said I should go with you, but I don’t think they had this in mind.”
“Speak up Opie, I can’t hear you over the shocks of the electric eel windows.”
“I was just saying we should find the pub quickly.” he shouted, then said a little softer. “I really need a drink.”
Desert Inn Swamp
The road followed the swamp inland. On one side of the road were creatures of your darkest imagination, on the other side were creatures that looked tasty, you know cows and sheep and things. For some unknown reason (When I say unknown I mean unknown to gods and creatures) the one side never invades the other. Then all of a sudden there is a desert, filled with nothing, yet on the other side of the road is plush farmland. It is at the point where desert, swamp and farmland meet that a pub sits. A pub called Desert Inn Swamp; originally it was called Desert Swamp Inn Farmland, but you couldn’t acronym it into a word that would bring you more business. In Farian the word dis had a meaning. For example: “Hey mon, let’s be going ta dis pub.” Of course he meant the pub he could see, but quite often his ‘mon’ would take him quite literally and go to DIS pub. Hence the name change. Opie and Brain arrived at dis pub.
They parked the chariot in the parking lot and walked in. It was a nice family place, if your family liked to get drunk, stoned and then eat cold pizza. The building was three sided, but only had a veranda on two sides.
“I wonder why they didn’t put a veranda on the last side?” Brain wondered out loud.
“We find,” a man said. “That looking at the swamp tends to scare customers away, especially after a ten bong special.”
“We walked through it.” said Brain, suddenly remembering he was still wearing his swamp clothes. “It’s not that bad.”
“In that case sir, the first bong is on the house. I’m Jack Pyram, the owner of the DIS pub. If you need anything, just shout.”
“TWO JUGS OF BEERS.” Brain said taking the man literally. “And bring Opie what he wants.”
“Very good sir.” Jack replied. “I’ll bring them with your bong.”
“Wait a second, how come you don’t have a funny accent?” Brain asked, Opie had decided he wanted no part of this conversation, and went to find a table, and maybe a washroom.
“’Cause ya no be wearin’ da colours mon.” He pointed at the four coloured flag with the big green leaf in the middle. Brain was getting bored of the conversation, even though he wanted to know what ‘da colours’ were. He went to find Opie instead. It wasn’t long until they were eating cold pizza and finding out that tables were very funny things, in fact everything seemed to be funny. It was getting into evening and the night time crowd was starting to arrive, a lot of people wearing ‘da colours’ looking for their friends, who were probably sitting in a pub in Farian waiting for them. Opie and Brain found a pool table. Not one of those that you would find King Clement and his pals playing on, oh no, flat slate was too expensive for a small pub to buy, this was adventure pool. Uneven surface, nine balls, two holes and many obstacles, including discarded beer mugs. The rules were simple: sink the most balls in your hole using the white ball. Opie was a much better player than Brain, for some obscure reason. Brain had been playing since he could see over the table; Opie on the other hand had never seen the game before in his life. A couple a pool sharks came and tried to hustle them, but it took so long to play the first game, that the hustlers left half way through.
“What’s going on between you
and Tricks?” Opie finally managed to ask, but Brain still didn’t want to talk about it. They ordered some tequila shots and talked about past conquest.
“I once had a girlfriend before Siege.” Opie said.
“Oh I thought you were a virgin.”
“I am.”
“Still.”
“Yes.”
“Oh. What about this previous girlfriend?”
“Well, it was while I was still at school.” Opie said putting down his fifth tequila shot of twelve. “It’s the reason I can’t pick up girls.” He went silent.
“What happened?” Brain asked, when it became clear that Opie wasn’t going to continue.
“You know, she dumped me for another guy.”
“So, that’s happened to me plenty of times?” Brain replied, thinking of all the girls that had dumped him over the years, he was starting to feel a little depressed, so he drank some more tequila. “Why didn’t you try other girls?”
“She told everyone that I was small, but she didn’t even get to see it.”
“Sorry man, you should have tried another school.”
“Great now you tell me.” Opie said pretending that he hadn’t thought of that. “It was at the same time I discovered books, beside I had just started dating Mrs Palmer.”
“Mrs Palmer?” Brain asked genuinely puzzled.
“My right hand.”
“Oh. OH. Okay, So what about you and Siege, any action?”
“No, we have decided to wait until after we have the treasure.”
“Why?”
“Well we discussed it, and you know the whole magic thing around me, well we were scared that if we did it, she would lose her magic power. And I think we are still going to need her.”
“Good thinking, but I would probably still nail her, you know, take my chances.”
“We need the treasure to start our lives.”
“All I’m saying is if she’s will…No actually your idea is best, I need that treasure as well. Come on I’ll race you to the end of the tequila platter.” Opie finished his, but Brain was struggling with the last few. He might have talked a good game, but he couldn’t drink to save his life. He talked Opie into helping him out. After the last one Opie put his head under the table and threw up, Brain didn’t throw up that night, which is why Opie was in serious trouble the next day.
“Let’s go dance.” Brain said, he always found it helped to go dancing when he had had too much to drink.
“There is a no dancing policy in this pub.” Opie said pointing out a sign he had seen earlier.
“That sucks.” Brain replied. “Let’s go find a place in town.” Opie said that would be a great idea. It wasn’t too late, so Siege wouldn’t be worried yet.
“I’ll drive.” Opie said. He was starting to sober up, so he could tell that Brain was in no condition to be driving. They walked outside and got into the chariot, they hadn’t gone very far when Brain made him pull over.
“I think I’m going to be sick.” he said. “Drive a little way down the road and I’ll catch up.” Opie wasn’t completely sober yet, so he drove quite a long way, thinking it would be funny. Brain still couldn’t throw up, so he walked to Opie.
“How far did I walk?” Brain asked when he caught up.
“I don’t know.” replied Opie.
“Go back and measure it, I’ll keep walking.” Opie dutifully drove back and measured the distance. When he returned, Brain was nowhere in sight. He drove further along, but couldn’t find him. He turned around and headed back. Turned out Brain was taking a leak.
“How far?” Asked Brain.
“I don’t know, when I couldn’t find you I had to double back.” Opie wasn’t sober enough to lie.
“Go back and measure.”
“Just get in the chariot Brain.”
“Not until you measure.” said Brain walking off. As Opie was pointing in the right direction he went back and measured.
“5800 WT’s (Wheel Turns, while I don’t have exact figures, I would guess 1 WT is about one and a half steps, my steps that is. I measured it on King Clement’s carriage. I asked for an interview for this Tale, and he must have thought that I asked him to tie me up and drag me around all day.).” Opie replied, reading the odometer. “Now can you get in the chariot?”
“I can do six.” replied Brain, “Go another two hundred.”
“Okay, but you better get in.” Brain promised he would. After walking the two hundred he dutifully got in, but they had gone less than a thousand when Brain wanted out again. He walked another three thousand WTS, Opie dutifully recording each step of the way, while swearing.
“How many is that?” asked Brain.
“It makes nine Brain. Very impressive, can we go now? It’s getting late.”
“One more, I can make ten thousand.” (Why don’t they have a measure for a thousand? Something like TWT.)
“Brain if you don’t…” But Brain was gone.
The sun was starting to put in an appearance when Opie tied the unlucky thirteen thousand WT walker to the chariot.
“Do you know how much trouble I’m going to be in when we get back?” He said to Brain, not worrying too much why there was bondage equipment under the seat.
“One more, please Opie.” Brain pleaded.
“No we are going to town if it kills you.” Which is why when they got back to Da Palace the guards had just come on duty.
“Welcome ta da dungeon.” the guard said throwing the two of them into it. It was already filled with pirates that had thought it would be a good idea to sit in a warehouse of stash and light it all at once. They were just coming down and were not very happy about it.
Siege had stayed up all night worrying, but on a positive note, Tricks had a wonderful night.
Farian
Tricks and Siege spent the morning looking for Opie and Brain, well Siege did most of the looking. Tricks helped for a little while, but snuck back to the Tricks’ Arms to ‘study the map’ some more. Siege finally found out that the boys were in the dungeon, it wasn’t hard to arrange bail, as most of the guards had taken a smoke break and couldn’t remember why they were locked up. She gave the guards enough money so they could have cold pizza all day long, and the boys were out. They met Tricks at her namesake pub.
“We should get to Barock and see if there are any camel trains to the spa.” Tricks said, she was being a little more friendly to Brain, but he still wasn’t talking to her. The others were quite happy with this arrangement. They all decided that going to Barock and then to the spa would be the best arrangement. They packed up their stuff and caught the daily bus.
Chapter 9