Harriet Once Was Harri

In the dark her diminutive hand reached to open the barracks door, sounds of coughing and a faint smell of disease drifted from the stable-hands quarters. She smiled sweetly as she mounted a laden pony.

The countryside sun burned his neck as they trekked towards the city after their hunt. "Life and death there Harri, that’s what it’s all about right?", the young king smiled, game in hand, he geed his pony forward at a gallop.

The rain soaked map was made barely legible by a flickering electrical glow and occasional flashes of lightning, she knew the shack was close by. Her contact would be inside.

Crowds cheered as the king and his small escort rode towards the square. Harri, by his side, smiled up at him. The imposing mechanical sentinels stood to their full height, slightly taller than a three story town house. As they passed their brass hands clinked to salute their master.

"No!" She snarled, dashing the goblets from the table, " You lie!". Her hair stood on end and sparks arcked from her clenched fists Across the table the slug-like creature smirked back at her. "He’s dead miss. Fer sure. The Antimags got i'm, kennin thel keepin ‘em all in the city of course. Would go there miself. Whatit they say" he slurped on his drink, bulbous eyes blinking in the lamplight as he paused for dramatic effect, "arh yes, The city of magic’s death."

"But, .., Why?" Electrical static fizzed around the agitated courtier. Since his pronouncement, the king was quiet as death. "Wyvern!” Forgetting formality Harri raised his voice, the glow increased ”Answer me, father! Our people love us, life has given them my powers, your love! Why would they kill us?.."

The burning shack stood ruined around her, a halo of power pulsed around her tiny form. From the rubble in-front a gasping, slurping noise came. “Never lie to me again Sluget, you will now join me in this quest. Help me in your new form, my brother, I absolutely must find my king”

A low moan came from the rubble, something stirred.

The trumpets of the Talthorians blared over the ruined city. A tiny figure flitted between the broken walls and ruined spires of his former home. Above the palace, the flag of the Technocratic Union, or the Antimages as they had become known, fluttered in the spring breeze. He did not stop to weep, simply trying to survive and escape from the doom his life was facing. Most of the loyal gnome guard had fled, but rumour had it that they were being tracked. “Its over” he said quietly, curling up to hide inside his cloak.

“Ah ha! Got im!” the hands of a Talthorian guard grabbed him, attaching a magical deadening cuff to clamp his wrists. As depressed as he was he hardly resisted, it was over, after all.

“To bad for your side” The guard looked at his captive somewhat sadly, ”Look right, I know as well as you do that us being here is all a bloody sham. The trouble at Storm point was a load of pissin ponk if you ask me, bloody misdirection by these revolutionaries here. If you stick with me Ill make sure you get a good place to sleep, and who knows what the future will bring, eh? What do you say?” Harri looked up at the soldier, his black hair and gruff manner seemed genuine, for all that he hated what his uniform stood for.

“It’s the gear right? I borrowed this for this campaign, but I am a blue-fang forever if you asked. Look-right, come with me, join our guys. Were independent for the most part, and I can use someone with your talents. I’ve heard about you lightning-gnome. Harri isn’t it?” He held out a hand.

For the first time in weeks Harri felt hope. He grabbed the hand.