[Askoga]: 89.Novels.Kode.Chapter 3

The next day, we went out and bathed, then practiced again, and at lunch I declared that it was time to head back. I'd start teaching her about different poisons, after we ate. I took a different route back to the bar, mostly to show Lot more of the town, pointing out more hidden routes and seeming dead-ends. I was still more than a little worried about the man with the strange accent. Half of my thoughts were focused on that problem, the rest on appearing inconspicuous and still showing Lot what I could. I guess that’s why I didn’t see them hiding in the shadows, near Bolin’s shop. As we approached the shop, and were just about to turn the corner, they leapt out and encircled us. I slid my fashoke out of my shirtsleeve, but I knew that Lot was defenseless for now, since she'd given me her practice fashoke. I realized then that, however inexperienced she was, I should require her to carry the weapon. It hadn't mattered before, since there were always so many of us within hearing distance. Now it was only Lot and I. There were seven of them.
“What is tis? Te great Askoga caught off his guard. We are lucky today.” The apparent leader did, indeed have a funny accent: He pronounced every vowel with a pure sound, and never pronounced the sound “th”. I snarled, turning towards him. My fashoke flashed open just in time to deflect a throwing knife. I recognized the accent, but was still unsure if he was friend or foe. I'd encountered many unfriendly people on Savera's home plane.
“Good. I was afraid we had come for noting. Lower your weapons.” The men all lowered their weapons and the leader stepped forward.
I watched him warily. His accent came from Savera’s plane, but he might have been a mage. I had to be careful with magi, for Savera’s sake.
“No fears. I am not a mage. I am a telepat." As soon as he said that I threw up my mental shields, berating myself for not having done so earlier. He continued, “As are my companions. We would like to join your guild. First we had to test you.” The man grinned. It made his gaunt face seem to shine, and he looked much friendlier. I still didn't trust him. Especially since he could read my thoughts. His clothes were obviously hand made, but they were clean, and his thin hair was worn long. His green-brown eyes suddenly were friendly. I didn’t trust him at all.
“You attack us, then expect me to allow you into my guild? I do not agree.” I raised my fashoke, but it refused to do anything the slightest bit menacing towards the man I was facing. I stared at him and folded my fashoke as a sign of peace, but not surrender. You see, while a well-made fashoke (such as mine) would not attack its owner, for the spells prevented it from being turned against the one it recognized as its master, it was even less able to be turned against its maker. While an owner could change, the maker would always remain constant.
“Alright, so you make fashokes for a living? Why, then, do you wish to join my guild. You’d do better in a smithy.”
“We want to learn to use our weapons. We wish to be assured of a sleeping place. We need protection. And in return we will make all metal weapons you need, including fashokna, and will give you a portal to our home plane.”
I nodded, resigned. “Names, then. You can trust me to remember them.” At least, I thought to myself, careful to keep my thoughts guarded still, if Savera gets our fashokes from them, they must be somewhat trustworthy.
The leader spoke first, “I am Koshin, call me Kosh.” He pronounced it with a long 'o' as that is how the people of his plane of existence pronounced it.
A thin man stepped forward. He had dark skin, nearly as dark as my own, and short, springy black hair. “I am Pachok.” His voice was deep, but gravely.
Another man stepped forward. All of them were thin, as though they hadn’t eaten enough lately. This one looked much like Kosh, and I assumed they were related in some way. He had pale blond hair and green eyes. “My name is Xendat. I am Kosh’s broter.”
The next to step forward was Jopel, then Falsde, Greba, and, finally, Ploz. I studied each one carefully, then I led them towards an inn nearby, which I used often to house new people that I was still unsure about. Once there, I introduced them all to the innkeeper, a good man, faithful to my father before, and faithful to me now. One of the people there showed them their rooms, while I went to my own, which I used often while staying there. Once I had seen to my room, I went back and gathered up the men and Lot, bringing them back to an unused meeting room in the inn. There I explained everything. They seemed to know most of it. I'd already decided that if any of them decided to betray us I could identify each of them. I suppose I have a photographic memory, but I'd never thought of it then.
I sighed, finished, and leaned back. “Alright, I assume all of you know how to throw knives?” I waited for them to nod, then continued, “In that case our lesson with fashokes can start tomorrow. First thing we do tomorrow, though is wash clothes. If any of you have clothes that need washing, do it then. You won’t have time or energy tomorrow afternoon.” I stood and showed them each to their rooms.
I let them settle in that night, knowing that they'd want at least that one night of freedom to get accustomed to their surroundings. Later I would show them to the main base, back at the Bull’s Eye, for I saw that all of them would follow Kosh, and I thought he might be trusted. I would wait and make more certain, however. While the men were settling in, I summoned Lot to the meeting room, where I began to teach her the basics of poisons. We began with the most common ones, the easiest to find, and worked from there.