Storymania - Claustrum Chap. 11 by Mathew Hamm

Claustrum Chap. 11
Mathew Hamm

Platinum

John and keara talked for a while, John explained everything that had happened to with Ursena. She smiled as she shook her head negatively.
“thats Ursena for ya!” she exclaimed.
“Well to make a long story short, Lord Gillium told me to go to Albanova in search of a disciple named Moriak, that he may help me with the mark on my forehead” John explained.
“I’ve heard of Moriak, but I don't see how he can help you”
“Well, that is all I have, and I guess I will take the trip there”
“You know, I may just join your little quest” Keara said.
“You don’t have to help me” John said.
“It’s ok, I would go nuts, with out anything to do anyways, plus I hate my profession anyways”
“You mean you class?” John asked.
“No, my Profession, I am a fighter by profession, and a rogue by class” she explained.
This gets more and more confusing as I go, John thought.
Keara could see that John was a little confused. She then said “Its easier if you separate the two, think of class as a title and a profession as something that you do for a living. A profession will give you food and water and class is pretty is much for the entertainment of the Gods”
“I get it, I get it” John waved her explanation off. “So do you worship any Gods here?” John asked.
“No, not really, but I do worship a God, the true God”
“What do you mean? I thought that was not allowed” he asked.
“It is hard to explain, but if you wish I will explain during our trip to Albanova, for now we must get ready for our trip” she placed her daggers in each of her boots and asked him to follow her.
“Don’t I need to register with the Hall of Justice, before I do anything?” John asked?
“It wont do you any good, they will see that mark on your forehead and more than likely kick you out of the hall”
“So, I am supposed to go out into this world, with out the knowledge of a profession or a class?” he asked.
“Well you have me to depend on” she said with a smile on her face.
That’s just not right, thought John.
“Please don’t tell me that you are one of those guys that feel uncomfortable with a woman helping them?” she asked.
“Of course not” he replied, But what if something was to happen to you, what then, who will I rely on to help me? He thought.
“Well then, lets get going, it’s a long way to Albanova and we must buy some items before we go” she explained.
“After you” John said as he showed a hand for her to go on. She did and he followed after her.
“So what do we need to buy?” John asked.
“Some food, weapons and camping provisions” she replied.
Sounds like a long journey, thought Johnathan. Then he quietly followed her. She held her head high and people moved out of her way, fighters had a reputation to be short tempered and people rarely confronted them. As she passed people either bowed or nodded their heads in respect towards her. To John it seemed that they did not even noticed as he followed behind her.
John looked up, as he walked near the tall walls of Fort Claustrum, the walls were about one hundred feet in height, with walking platforms about every twenty five feet apart. These platforms could be visible as far as he could see, I wonder if they go all the way around the city, he thought.
They finally reached a building with a large wooden anvil near the top of the large door, the place looked like a two story home with a large two car garage on the bottom. They entered to find a man sitting on a bench on the corner, sharpening a medium size sword.
“Hello, Straffor” said Keara.
The man turned and gave a cheerfull laugh as he ran to hug keara. “How are you dear?” he asked.
“I am doing well, thanks to the wonderful weapons you made me” she exclaimed.
“Anything for you dear” the old man said, than he noticed John standing near by. “Who’s the man with ya?” he asked in a low voice.
“That is a new inmate named Johnathan Baird” she explained.
As she spoke the name, the old man focused on John's face, he seemed to recognize John “Johnathan Baird, Johnathan Baird” he mumbled to him self as he tried to remember. “That’s it” He said as he snapped his fingers. “Officer Johnathan Baird of the MPF”
At the comment of officer of MPF, both Keara and Straffor looked over to John, he looked puzzled and out of place, he did not know what to say or what to do. His mind was blank, he knew that he could not beat keara in a struggle, he thought about running, and thought it was best, he did not want to be recognized.
Just about when he was about to turn to run, Keara graved him by an arm. “Your secret is safe with us” she exclaimed.
“But how did you know it was me?” John asked the old man.
“I put the face and the name together” he explained.
“But, I don’t know who you are”
“Thats easy enough, my real world name is Alan Pierce, you arrested me for trafficking weapons” he explained.
“I remember you, but I thought your sentence was for only two years?” John asked.
“It was, but I have a dirty little secret, that put me in this place, for God knows how long, and as long as the secret is within me my daughter lives in the real world” he explained.
“Blackmailed? By whom?” John asked.
“Oh, that is something that I cannot tell you, the life of my daughter depends on it” The old man explained.
“Well don’t hold the arrest against me, I was just doing my job” Explained John.
“I know, you were just a peon in a much larger game” Said Straffor.
“I recommend he changes his name at least, he must have a lot of enemies in here, and even more if they find out he was an officer for the MPF” recommended the old man.
“You are right” Agreed Keara. “What shall we call you?” she muttered as she looked over to John.
“It must have a rusty and mid evil sound to it” explained the old man “It will be less obvious to the people of Claustrum”.
“How about Winnslow?” John asked.
“Hum, its sounds ok, yea you look like someone who wins slowly” exclaimed Keara as she laughed.
“Winnslow it is” Said the old man.
“Ok Winnslow, now let’s concentrate on on our provisions” Kearea picked up a large sack and place it on the table. “We need coin” She said.
John came over to the table and opened a sack and pulled out a small bag and place it on the table. He untied the top of the bag and poured out the coins on the table “is this enough?”
Keara’s and Straffor’s eyes widened “Where did you get all that?” the old man asked in shock.
“It pays to be and officer of MPF” John replied.
“Those are platinum coins” Exclaimed Straffor.
Keara picked one up and looked at it closely. “I’ve never seen one”
“Sounds like they are worth a lot” said John.
“Well you could say that. Most trading is done with copper and silver coins and maybe even a gold coin or two, but platinum...” Explained straffor as he also looked at the coin slowly.
Keara glanced quickly throught the coins “You have eighteen of them, thats amazing”
“Yea I gave two to a street vendor, when I took this cloth to cover the mark on my forehead” John said as he scratched the side of his forehead.
“Two?” both Straffor and Keara exclaimed.
“well I did not know how much they were worth, they should teach stuff like that in the House of Rest”
“Thats one hundred and eighty gold coins” Exclaimed Keara.
“John, in the real world, each one of those coins is worth about a million dollars” explained Straffor.
John finally grasped the seriousness of the situation, and how foolish he had been giving the man two of those valuable coins.
“I need to change my clothes and I need something to cover this mark on my forehead”
“Well two things are for sure, it will be hard to change those coins to gold and silver, and I am sure that the merchant probably went to either the guards or more than likely, thugs, and they are looking for you as we speak” Said Straffor. “But if I may take one, I may have someone that can help us, someone that deals with this amount of coins,” He took one of the platinum coins and said “Make sure that the rest is well hidden”
Straffor walked out the door in a hurry. Keara and John went over to the fire and sat down to wait.
“I think that you are keeping something from us...Winnslow” she said, as she concentrated in remembering his new name.
“What do mean?”
“Well even if you were part of the MPF, they would not have given you that much coin, so you have to be here on a special mission” she claimed.
John was amazed at how clever she was. Never had he met someone with such reasoning. But yet he knew that he could not tell her about his mission.
“I was friends with the Judge that sentenced me, he promised to take care of me, but, I never thought he would risk my life in this way” Explained John, with a satisfied answer.
“Well I guess it pays to be friends, with that kind of people” She answered.
John nodded in agreement, then there was silence between them. John hated moments like this, the silence made him feel unconfortable.
He finally broke the silence “How did you get your self into this place?” John asked.
Keara glanced over towards John “Don't you know is not nice to ask people those kinds of questions?” She asked.
“I am sorry, the silence was making me feel a little awkward.” he explained.
“Yes, that happens a lot in Claustrum, no matter how realistic they make this world, they will never be able to make it as the real world that God made”
“You always speak of God, aren’t you worried about someone over hearing you? Or trusting me?” John asked.
“No, I Don't worry about those things, God has a purpose for me in this world as he would in the real world, I am indestructible until he wishes me to be done with” She explained.
“What religion do you follow?” John asked.
“I follow the teachings of Aristok, he teaches the word of Christ.”
“You are a Christian? But I thought..”
“Yes any religion is forbidden here, but there are those who rather die, than to follow such rules” She explained.
“Why Aristok? Why not just call your selves Christians?”
“Well for one we would be persecuted big time, the other we would not be able to worship” She explained.
“Worship?, but how?”
“Well you see Aristok is a God, he does not call him self a God, but to all other Gods look at him as one. In real life he is a Christian that comes and prays and talks and teaches the word of God”
“So he is more like a Pastor?” John asked.
“Yes, he is a pastor, but he also must act like a God, to protect us and keep us safe” She explained.
“Is Straffor a follower of Aristok?” John Asked.
“No he is not a believer of any religion” she explained. “He thinks that God would not allow such evils in the world, therefore he believes there is no God at all”
She looked down in sadness then looked back up at John “What do you believe John?” she asked.
John scratched his head What do I believe? He thought. “I’ve never really thought about it” he responded.
“Don't you worry where you are to spend eternity?” she asked.
“Not really, if you don’t think about eternity, you Don't really worry about it” he answered.
John began to feel a little uncomfortable with the whole subject, he had remembered that many Christians, where pushy and always tried to convert you at first sight.
“I’m back” a voice behind them was heard.
John seemed pleased with the interruption, he felt the convesation was going down a path that he did not want to go..
They both stood and walked over to Straffor, who was carrying a large sack over his shoulder, he swung it and placed it on top of the table and opened it up. “We have enough meats, dried fruits and drink for two weeks”,then he pulled out three rolled thick blankets and handed one to each of them.
“Nice work”, said keara, “but what do you mean we?” she asked.
“I mean that I am going with you” he explained.
“But why? For what purpose?” she asked.
He paused and looked at Keara “Do you know that I am rotting in this place, I do not know the lands and I wish to get out of this God forsaken place” he explained.
Keara knew that arguing with the old man was useless, so she just graved the stuff given to her and packed a small pack with it all. John did likewise.
Straffor walked to the back of the room and opened a chest and dug around for something, he than came back to John and said “and this is for you, as a token of my friend ship”
John looked at the large sword, the butt of the sword looked as if made of ivory, there were carvings on the blade, the blade it self was small towards the butt and wider towards the tip, the tip it self curved up and cut off.
“This scimitar was made by me and enchanted by a special person” Straffor explained.
“Enchanted?” John asked.
“Yes it has power, Winnslow”
“What kind of power?” John asked.
“That power is only known to the person who uses it”
John graved the Scimitar and held it tight with both hands and swung it around about. “Its almost weightless” he said.
“Yes, even do is large, it barely ways, I believe the daggers that Keara has weigh more than your sword” Straffor explained.
Straffor brought a leather harness and gave it to John, he put it around his waist then inserted the Scimitar into it.
“But I thought swords were ment to be heave as to do more damage?” he asked.
Straffor gave a small smile and answered, yes, but this sword will do damage not only by its sharpness but also by its special power”
“Thank you Straffor, this is an amazing gift” John told him.
Straffor bowed his head and said “you are welcome, and what better gift for someone who will change my life”
“We must be going soon” Said Keara.
“Yes, we must, I ran into a group of fellows that seemed to be looking for somoene and I believe its you Winnslow” as he finished saying this he handed a pack over to John. “Put this on”
John graved the packet and walked behind a wall and changed his clothes. He looked at the items and was disapointed with the look of them. This time he had a pair of leather skin pants, tight to the skin. He also had a tunic with out sleeves and a leather helm, that covered most his head and with a leather strip down the nose.
He walked back out and got a laugh out of Keara. “What is so funny?” he asked.
“We have to find you a pair of boots. That just does not look good with sandals” she explained.
John looked down to his feet and noticed that it did look kinda funny to be wearing skin tight jeans with sandals. The he to laughed.
Straffor came forth with a pair of soft leather boots and place them on the table, “I wasn't sure what size boots to get you, but here try this on”.
John graved the boots and kick his sandals of his feet, then slid his feet into one of the boots, it fit quite nice actually, then he did the same with the other boot.
After a little while they were ready to go, Straffor graved his pack swung it on his back then walked towards one side of the door, and pulled it shut, then the other, finally he place a large lock over them.
“Now we are ready” he said as he walked towards them.