It is a rowdy saturday night at the Majesty's Inn. The owner is hosting his monthly poker tourney which benefits this evening from the garrison stationed just outside of town. Everyone is in high spirit after the recent retreat of the Stone Dwellers.
Fiendish rock like creatures no bigger than a small child that will swarm and devour man in a moment then scurry back to blend in with the boulders.
Tonight all that is forgotten.
The monthly poker game is a major attraction and some travel for days to attend, and with the extra bodies of war the Inn hardly had standing room.
"The game is about to start, see you later?" I say then wink and turn to go take my seat without waiting for the answer from the barmaid.
I have not attended this game before but like how more and more travel from afar, the news finally reached me too. The prize pool for winning can be considered by some as enough to live a happy life and even those who do not make it to the final nine can win more than a month's wage all without needing to risk a single gem.
The real gem and prize for most is the Inn Keepers' Daughter, Lucy. They have no chance of ever being with her but that was not the lure. Lucy is one of the few remaining mages and the reason this town has kept the Stone Dwellers at bay for so long.
Mages have general abilities as one would expect but also unique ones, Lucy is able to communicate with the Fates. For most people that means a new lease on life but for me, that is one step closer to finding her.
Tonight though, I will reluctantly play the game and hope that fate smiles at me when Lucy chooses someone to hear.
