Dragons Are Demanding (Book 1)Complete

57.) War

D'jin sat at his usual spot in the tavern, trying to dry off a splash of ale that had soaked through his shirt. Now that the taxes had been collected, the representatives would be returning to their own territories. Good riddance. He didnt care for the annual visit. He felt that their visit drew unnecessary attention. Delegates changed every few years and there wasnt much reason to get chummy In D'jinns opinion. If a delegate was caught he could give out your information and yet he never covered his face when he attended meetings.

His news collection went on throughout the year despite the meeting happening only once a year. Information was life, failing to acquire it would be incredibly stupid. Unfortunately the extermination party had been wiped out. Not all news could be good news. More often than not, D'jinn had to be the bearer of bad news.

D'jinn rubbed his bruised jaw.

The taverns niece was never found. When he had informed the tavern keeper she had attempted to fight him in her grief. D'zarren, his brother was walking a knifes edge in the guild, which also damaged D'jinns reputation by association.

There weapons like the nicest body were never recovered. The night guild had been slowly, carefully, and most important secretly been creating and distributing those weapons right under the lizards noses.

But if the weapons were to be found by the wrong hands the entire plan could be flipped on its side. Hundreds of years of a slow rebellion brought to its knees over some misplaced tools. Not to mention the potential for lives to be lost. Those weapons could set off an inquisition on a continental scale.

It was enough to turn D'jinns stomach.

If there was a silver lining it was that even if the weapons were to be found the ones who wielded them did not know how and where they were made. D'jinn also didnt know what they were made from or how but because of his job he did know where they were made.

Carried over the ocean by boat from the island territory off Sello Reef. He assumed the technique for forging them came from the volcano on the island but that was only his speculation.

Getting to his feet, D'jinn stomped with heavy brown boots through the tavern. Shoving another clumsy drunkard out of his way, before exiting.

The meeting spot had changed despite the lowered security. After tax day everything seemed to calm down, the town that seemed to hold its breath breathed easily again.  Out past the merchant wagons, up into the hills, and just a ways past the tree line was a campfire. The representatives from each of the 8 territories sat around the fire waiting for the messenger.

When D'jinn walked up the topic of discussion was the meeting place for the next territories tax day. The eight representatives sat around a fire, but D'jinn was certain that they each had their own security team standing somewhere nearby.

Instead of names they used their territories geographics. Green mountain, grasslands, desert, island, east coast, west coast,ice steepes,and rocky mountain.

Unlike the representatives, D'jinn did not cover his appearance. His face was his identification rather than the hand length triangular sticks that were used to show membership. At one end the stick was attached to a string, and worn like a necklace. No bigger than a pencil but polished to a shine. Small knoches were carved into them to show which territory the badge belonged to.

"The messenger is here." The large man announced. His badge showed that he was from the grassland region.

"Tell me its good news." The green mount representative said with a pained expression.

The sound of leaves rustled, as D'jinn opened the note quickly.

"The weapons were found and were delivered to the reigning lord." D'jinns words choked him, and his face visibly paled.

The faces around the fire looked solemn, as if they had recieved a death sentence. The fire crackled loudly.

"So this is it." The smallest one from the dessert said breaking the silence. "War."

"We've always been at war." The largest one stated. "This changes nothing!"

"This changes EVERYTHING!" The thin woman from the west coast screeched.

"We have to move now, before security tightens, it cant wait till morning." The islander stated standing up. His black robes rippled around him.

"Watchers might have already been sent out! If we leave before dawn we will be suspected for certain!" The thin woman said panicking.

"If we dont leave now the information  could die with us!" The man from the ice steepes interupted. "Wait till dawn if you dare but I'm with Kallen, we leave now."

"Let's cancel all meetings, information will only be passed by letter from now on, raise your hand to disagree."

No hands were raised, a few representatives had already started to move.

"This would have never happened in my territory! Your militia shouldnt have ever recieved the divine weapons!" The delegate from the Rocky mountain region accused. His hood fell back showing a round face, with black hair and grey eyes. His face was flushed red with anger.

"Go to the dirt! You foul bastard." I'ra of the green mountain region shouted.

"We're going!" The large man grabbed the man by the shoulder and shoved him away.

"What about us, sir?" D'jinn asked I'ra.
 
"We continue as usual. Its all we can do. We wont tell the others, they would only panic. Their fear would get them killed." I'ra sighed.

D'jinn felt conflicted but understood the power of information in the wrong hands. Information was the guild's life blood but used poorly could also be a poison. If there was to be a war they should at least be able to spend a little more time with their families before being dropped into the frenzy that is sure to come.

As D'jinn walked back to town, he also wished that he had a family to go home to but they had long since passed away. Maybe it was a kindness that they wouldnt have to live through the chaos of an inquisition. He could do his job without worry that his wife and child could pay for his involvement.

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