Adon Zek - Prologue
A discussion with Adon, just prior to his departure with the party.
“Back when I first arrived on the island of Laessos, I was a little confused. The town I arrived at wasn’t nearly as large or populous as many I’ve seen, but big enough. My research on the area was limited at best, and I hadn’t realized the extent to which humans were looked down on, or even outright hated. Needless to say, not many people of the other species took kindly to my orders.”
“Your . . . orders?”
“Yes. Like for food and a palace and servants. And a replacement sword. I lost Arden and Vesta in transit.”
“Those demands actually sound pretty unreasonable.”
“Yes, I find that is a common misconception among your kind; I never do anything unreasonable. Did you see me asking for an airplane or a planetary maglev system? No. I only ask for what can be provided.”
“A planetary what?”
“Nothing you would know about. I heard about it from an old acquaintance from, oh, what was that place called? Oh, never mind. Just get me a glass of whatever passes for good drink around here.”
“I’ll get it, but all we have is cheap ale.”
“It’ll be better than nothing. Ah, yes. Thank you. Now where was I?”
“Something about a planetary—”
“No, before that. Ah, yes, my travels. Well, I didn’t get very far with my demands, though I did get a sword. Not very good, see?”
“Yes, it’s a fairly common-looking sword. You were saying?”
“Right. Don’t interrupt.”
“But I—”
“Yes you are. Now be silent. Well, one of the guards tried to arrest me for ‘disruption’ of something or other, so I punched him and took his sword. He wasn’t too happy about that.”
“You seem to enjoy the recollection, though.”
“Yes. I was . . . until you interrupted. Do you or do you not understand when I say silence?”
“I understand.”
“Then be silent until such a time as I ask you a direct question! My, this is turning into a long, drawn-out thing. Let me attempt to speed our already overlong conversation to its end. After fighting off about a dozen of the town guards, I got bored enough that I began to miss magic.”
“You miss—”
“SILENCE!”
“Fine.”
“I haven’t had magic since my arrival on this fading land, and I hope to remedy that soon. Back a few hundred years ago, I could have spun plates in my sleep!”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Well, I don’t care to make sense to the likes of you. It is beneath me. Fill this up again, will you?”
“Here.”
“Lovely. Anyway. I sent those guards packing, but not after one of them scratched my arm with this nasty thing he called a catberd. I’ve never seen such an unwieldy and strange-looking weapon and I have no idea how he used it so effectively. But, long story short, there were at least some people in the town who respected my abilities, and they quickly adopted me into their fellowship. Well, at least once I’d killed off all their old leaders.”
“Why did you do that, might I ask?”
“No, you may not. But I shall answer anyway. They insulted me and said I was insane.”
“So . . . they thought you were insane.”
“They apparently aren’t used to my particular style of erratic behavior, but I assure you I am not insane.”
“If you say so.”
“I do. And didn’t I tell you a few minutes ago to be silent?”
“Yes, but I figured that you weren’t serious.”
“I’m always serious. More ale.”
“Of course.”
“After making it clear that I was the boss, I accepted a few assignments to learn the layout and culture of the city. It was a lot of tedious boring work, mostly assassinations of minor nobility.”
“Nobility?”
“Well, I don’t know. They had nice houses, so as far as I’m concerned they were nobility.”
“Are you nobility? Is that your royal crest, or something?”
“The amulet? It’s something I’ve worn ever since the Saurus incident. As to my being royalty? Not in this place, certainly, at least not by birth. I will rule it someday, of course, unless I get bored and move on.”
“Rule what, Selos? Laessos?”
“No, all of it. The whole world that is Mote.”
“Riiiiight. That’s never going to happen.”
“You’re probably right, for once. These petty islands would be a nightmare to conquer. Just the thought makes me hope this journey is a success so I can get out of here.”
“Journey?”
“You hadn’t heard? I’m going with Kurex and the others.”
“The others? You don’t even know the names of your companions?”
“I know them, it’s just that Kurex is the only one I’ve heard of before coming here. Though I am a little concerned; the rumors seem to indicate that he may be a bit . . . unhinged. Don’t roll your eyes at me like that! I am not crazy.”
“You were talking about your journey . . .”
“Yes. I’m looking for a way to use my magic. I know I have it, a vast reservoir of raw power, but I don’t know how to use it. I figured what’s-her-face might have a spellbook or artifact or something that would help, so I spent the last of my guild’s earnings, set up that other guy in charge, and came over here. Imagine my delight when I found that I’d also inadvertently tracked down the elusive and infamous Jurex!”
“Don’t you mean Kurex?”
“Yes, of course that’s what I mean. More ale.”
“I don’t think you need any more…”
“I know what I need, and it’s more ale. Don’t make me angry.”
“If you insist. Here. And you seem a little obsessed with Kurex.”
“Now, now, don’t be silly. I’m not obsessed with anyone. It is merely the fact that, as a fellow human and a mage, he might be more open to teaching me magic than anyone else has been thus far. Rather tedious place on the whole, and without magic I can’t even alter my appearance. See? Most frustrating.”
“Did you know that you’re glowing?”
“Yes, sometimes that happens when I try really hard to cast a spell. Just then I was trying to summon some decent wine, but as you can see it didn’t work.”
“I can never tell when you’re serious.”
“I’m always serious.”