Read Online Into the Heart of Evil by Joel Babbitt - Free Book Online

a
table off to the side.  He suddenly realized that he had slouched a bit after
the branding, so he breathed in deeply, sticking his chest out as he tried to
push the lingering pain away.
    “Lore Master,” Lord Karthan continued. “In
considering whom we should send with Durik’s Company to act as an advisor in
ancient Lore, what do you see as the knowledge requirements for this quest?  In
other words, what must the advisor know?”
    The Lore Master looked bewildered for a second,
then, after Lord Karthan nudged him with a stare, he started, “Well, I suppose
there are several things such an advisor should know.”  He paused, gathering
his thoughts.  “First and foremost, he must have an in-depth knowledge of the
lore surrounding the Kale Stone as well as our ancient home of Palacid.” 
    All the warrior group leaders nodded in agreement,
as this pretty well eliminated all of their warriors; it would have to be a
specialist then. 
    At the table where the Lore Master’s apprentices
all sat, each of them except Kiria was looking clearly uncomfortable; they all
knew where this discussion was going.  The older ones in the small group were
sons of leader caste who had apprenticed with the Lore Master before Lord
Karthan had made all in the gen undergo the trials; the two younger ones were
warriors who had been wounded before, one was lame and the other had only one
arm.  Neither of them was particularly smart, but both of them were more
willing than their older counterparts.
    The Lore Master continued, completely oblivious to
the dynamics of the table behind him.  “He should also have a command of the
lore concerning the Mountain King… and, for that matter, to be able to decipher
the ancient scripts…  He should also know how to write the Dwarven language.” 
After a moment more of rubbing the flaking scales of his chin, the Lore Master
raised a finger. “The last thing would be at least a basic command of the other
written languages; Draconic and Elvish.”
    Khee-lar Shadow Hand stood. “Sire,” he began,
addressing Lord Karthan.  “There is none in this gen, save the old Lore Master
himself, who knows all these things.  It would take two or three scholars at
best to perform these functions!  Would you have the company be burdened down
with so many academics?  Is this an adventuring company or a research party?”
    Lord Karthan stood still, not saying a word. 
There was much discussion throughout the room, the scared looks of the Lore
Master’s own apprentices silently adding the loudest voices to the chorus of
nay-sayers. 
    Suddenly, from the Lore Master’s apprentices’
table, Kiria stood and the room fell silent.  “I will go!” she exclaimed in a
loud, clear voice.
    At this announcement, the room again instantly
filled with low murmurings of confusion and gasps of astonishment.  Raoros Fang
and the other warrior group leaders seemed stunned; all, that is, except for
Khee-lar Shadow Hand.  Khee-lar sat back with a look of utter happiness on his
face as if he’d just won a bonus prize.  After a moment, Raoros Fang, seeing
that there was consensus among the warrior group leaders, stood.
    “My Lord, with all due respect to your daughter,
there has never been a female on any of the quests!  This is without
precedence!  My Lord,” he cried, exasperated, “a female?!”
    Lord Karthan bowed his head and raised an open
hand as he stood in front of the assembled leadership of the gen, commanding
silence as he gathered his thoughts.  After a moment, he spoke.  “My fellow
leaders of the gen, whom I hold in the highest regard, please let us hear this
out.”  The low buzz in the room subsided.  Seeing the stir she had caused,
Kiria started to question whether or not she really should have started this
mess.  Feeling for the strength of her resolve within herself again, Kiria
fought the doubts that were rising in her mind.
    “Kiria, what have you to say?”
    Kiria took a deep breath.