A Conversation in the Cave

“Well, not all of us Blue Knights grew up in Blue Wizard territory. But, I did,” said Robert proudly, “Blue Wizard Capitol. The city of bright lights and wonders.”

The captive cocked an eyebrow, “You’re a true Blue Knight? I thought maybe you just killed someone for that armor.”

Robert growled.

“There’s a lot of imposters out there, but I’m not one of them. You can call me Knight Robert if you want to get fancy, but outside of our order, we don’t usually use our honorific titles. A title doesn’t mean shit without knowing what goes into earning it.”

Robert took another swig of his wine, “A Blue Knight knows their strength and capability. No need to dress ourselves up in titles.”

“Anyway, this armor’s been bonded to my biosignature. There’s genuine Blue Wizard tech in here,” he rapped his breastplate with a closed fist, “Any fool tries to put it on, they’re in for a painful surprise.”

This was information he probably shouldn’t be sharing with a captive. But one of Robert’s consistent downfalls was that sometimes he just didn’t know when to shut up, especially when his ego was at play. The wine always helped loosen his lips as well.

“Mmm, impressive,” mused the captive with a nod. “So what do the Blue Knights want with yours truly?”

“Money,” Robert laughed.

“I’m just here to do a job. Find you, capture you, deliver you. I don’t know what’s in store for you and it’s not my job to ask. Easier that way too. You wizards get up to some strange things with each other.”

The captive’s gaze tightened, “You’re delivering me to a wizard?”

Robert shrugged. He realized he was letting too much slip.

“There’s not many regular folks crazy enough to mess with a wizard. Except me maybe,” he laughed again.

“Yes… you’re a unique specimen sir. Under different circumstances, I’d very much like to study you,” the captive looked troubled, “I can’t sense you and even more perplexing, I can’t sense why I can’t sense you.”

Robert smirked as if unpleasant memories were surfacing, “I come from the Blue Wizard Capitol buddo, I’ve been studied plenty. I’m an anomaly they say, something to do with genetics, where I was born, lunar positioning, quantum rifts, and so on. One of the least magically attuned and affected people ever to walk this plane.”

Robert pulled again from his wine, “I was crushed at first. I wanted to be one of you people. But, it’s a blessing. Because if I was one of you people I’m sure I’d be even more of an asshole. Eventually, I realized this was just as much a strength as it was a weakness.”

“You know, I’m not technically a wizard,” said the captive as he batted his eyes.

Robert raised an eyebrow, “You’re not?”

“No, you see. I studied under wizards, but I was never granted the title of wizard. I was an apprentice to many, wizard to none. Perhaps you and I are not so different.”

“How come you never finished your training?”

“Well, you see… I’m quite lazy actually. I do enjoy the idea of becoming a wizard, but it’s just so tedious. So much studying required,” the captive sighed, “I like learning a little of this, a little of that - the flashy stuff.”

Robert shook his head. “What a waste”

“Oh come now, good sir. The only thing we can waste is life itself! Life is too sweet to spend locked up in a tower for decades like my first master. No no no, it seemed a dreadful existence. I’d much rather spend my time enjoying the fineries of the Riviera,” said the captive longingly.

“Well, you’re not going back there anytime soon,” Robert smirked, “Maybe if you spent more time studying your magic you wouldn’t have been such an easy catch.”

“I was passed out drunk! Speaking of which, may I share in your wine?”

“Yeah, but I got past your wards and all your little traps didn’t I?”

The captive nodded enthusiastically, “That you did. That you did.”

He eyed Robert’s wine skin nodding and smiling like a child. Robert grunted and tossed the remainder over. A slightly inebriated captive was an easy captive. If he acted up nothing a good wallop with the shaft his poleax wouldn’t solve.

The captive scooped the skin up frantically from the cave sand and drank quickly and deeply, finishing the entire skin within minutes.

Robert scoffed, “Jeez I thought I was bad.”

The captive laughed, “See, we have a lot in common! We could be friends, drinking pals, companions!”

Robert raised an eyebrow, “I’m not looking for a companion, fella.”

“But, we’d be a great team! You well, to say this nicely, suck at magic. And I’m, well, fairly proficient at it.”

Robert scowled, “I don’t need a drunk parlor magician. Besides, Blue Knights don’t botch jobs, and we don’t work with outsiders past one contract. We keep our methods tight.”

“Ah ha! A solution!” exclaimed the captive, “Work with me for this one contract then. Release my restraints as we travel and I’ll watch your back against bandits and the like.”

“You’re not getting out of those. I don’t know what I’d be more concerned about - you trying to kill me and run off or just you tricking to stick a magical finger up my ass.”

“Maybe I don’t want to run off. Tell me who you’re taking me to. They could be a friend.”

“I don’t know many people who want their friends delivered in shackles, but like I said, you wizards do get up to some strange stuff.”

“Ah! So it is a wizard?”

Robert shrugged, “That’s my suspicion yeah.”

Robert was almost certain that the patron of this job was a wizard based on the detailed information they had provided on the captive's various magical abilities and affinities, but even with some wine in him he wasn’t going to go that far into details with a potential adversary.

A soft snoring began to fill the cave. Camanco was fast asleep by the fire with his hand still deep in the bag of chestnuts.

“Storm should be done by the morning, then we move fast and makeup time,” said Robert.

Robert retrieved some additional chains and shackles and got the captive ready for overnight confinement which meant making sure that there was no way he could grab anything or move without Robert noticing. Finally, he bound the captive to himself with a connecting ankle shackle.

“Look at us, two pees in a pod,” said the captive with a giggle.

“Say that again and I’ll hurt you,” replied Robert, although he had to admit to himself it was kind of funny.

Entered by: 0xecfe…D269