7.1 - Decisions
Theo Spencer leaned against the wall of the Marshwolf Tavern, watching as the throngs of people walked past. A memory from when he first arrived flared in his mind, clawing his attention away from the bustling town. He remembered muddy streets, people without aim, and poverty. Impoverished as they were, nothing seemed to dampen the spirits of the locals. Bringing a half-ogre or marshling down was a feat no one had seemed to accomplish. Given enough room to grow, the people within the town of Broken Tusk had seized their chance at greatness.
And to think, it was only the start of something greater.
Theo had invested his efforts into this town as though he was a local. That had earned him the title of ‘Broken Tusker’ just like anyone born here. But along the way he had some help. Perhaps more than a little help. He would be the first to admit that. From the early days when he was in the dark, to the present, he understood how much he had been thrust forward. Piecing things together was easy enough. Those people that had helped him along the way had been waiting for another man. And the alchemist had just met him.
“What’s the plan, boss?”
Dragging his gaze across the scene, Theo’s vision landed on his companion, Tresk. The eager pink marshling gazed up at him with that same Broken Tusker look every other local had. It was a look of infinite potential. As though they could dream it, and that dream would become a reality. Well, they had already done that before so why not make it happen again?
“The new plan is the old plan,” Theo said, pushing off from the building and dusting his coat off. “We’ll secure the votes of the gods and take an entire nation through the void. Simple stuff, right?”
“Oh, yeah. Easy as pie. Except some of those gods hate us. Oh, and you have a bunch of elves to cure. Make sure not to die in the process, cause that would suck.”
“Indeed.”
Tresk had attached herself to Theo starting about a week ago. He was too used to her way to think of anything else. Whatever secret project—other than the magical dragon bones she had been feeding their goose-dragon familiar—had been completed. She was bored and was looking for something to keep her busy over the next few weeks. As for today, there was nothing but relaxation. Until the inevitable happened. Because something always went wrong when he was trying to relax.