dochermes

"King Homir's Treasure House"

4/19-4/21/1987

I.

Wearing Melgar clothes, Jeremy Bane is in Androval on the trail of the ancient Alchemist Melchius. By chance, he spots the renegade Avathor at a low tavern. Peering in through an open window befor entering, Bane discovers Avathor is meeting with high mountain bandit chiefs,and he finds Human adventurerss Ruffian spying there as well (and also posing as a Melgar, although she is Myrrwhan). Ruffian is tall, five feet seven and athletic. She has darkened her distinctive auburn hair to dark bown to fit in better. Over the previous five years, Ruffian has built a reputation as a bold and inventive thief with acrobatic skills

Identifying Avathor's fmous golden horse hitched to a fence by the tavern, Bane plants one of his tracking discs under the saddle. Then he enters, slugs some of the bandits and breaks up the conference. Avathor runs outside. While getting Ruffian ready to flee, Bane is knocked out by Avathor's Korean mercenary Bronze Ronin. This is Mikage Tstsuo, top street fighter with a healing factor. Bane recovers in time to follow the tracking signal to a shack a few miles away where he finds Ruffian beaten, stripped and bound, with the Melgar symbol for "dog" in shallow cuts across her body. He smashes Avathor's men before they can kill her and takes her to safety.

Ruffian explains to Bane about Avathor's plan to rob King Holmir's Treasure House. This is a single vast chamber cut into the side of a sheer mountain wall, with no known entrances or exits other than the massive woodem gate. staffed with a permanent garrison, it holds a vast treasure of gold, silver and gems. Holmir also is known to store valuable statues, paintings and chronicles there for safekeeping.

Following the tracer disc he planted inside the Melgar's saddle, Bane trails Avathor to a remote part of Androval not far from the Royal Treasure House, bringing along the bruised but furious Ruffian, who vows to assassinate Avathor. Both being extremely skilled in stealth, Bane and Ruffian sneak into Avathor's camp in the mountains and overhear him conferring with Dolomir, an agent of Melchius. Avathor is pleased with the compressed air bomb filled with Alchemical poison gas potent enough to kill an army. Modern technology will function perfectly well in Androval but it is taboo culturally and legally.

With Ruffian beside him, Bane overhears Avathor explain his plan. A labor gang of Trolls under Melgar supervision will be headed to the mines with their wagons to fill with ore. This is a common sight in the mountains. Avathor explains the Trolls will wheel away as much gold and silver as they can. But the two are discovered and Bronze Ronin kills Ruffian with his lethal fists. Avathor intervenes, using his electrical powers to stun Bane into helplessness. Bane is captured and strapped to a table with a sharp-edged cabre poised near his neck. A Gralic Leech, Avathor wants to siphon off Bane's speed for his own but has to wait a few days because his body is already holding as many powers as it can for one time.

While Bronze Ronin is busy elsewhere, Bane escapes his cell and witnesses Avathor's second meeting with the Melgar bandit chiefs, who are supplying horsemen to accompany the Trolls for the assault. Avathor plans to breach Treasure House by releasing a deadly Alchemical serum into the atmosphere, killing the personnel. This serum will be sprayed from the air by Melgar mercenary Beldor and her five Air Maidens riding rare winged horses from Okali. Then the Trolls will fill their wagons with as much treasure as will fit and hurry to their tunnels in the mountains.

The bandits scorn Avathor's scheme, particularly one named Khuthir who demands to be paid immediately so he can leave. Avathor admits that since the caravan of Trolls is already on its way, he doesn't need the chiefs anymore. Stepping into an airtight cell, he gasses them to death with an Alchemical potion and rants to himself that he will do the same to any who might tell his tale.. Bane is captured by Beldor and taken back into custody. Bane confronts Avathor over the logistical implausibility of moving tons of gold, silver and gems. The Trolls will only be able to carry off a fraction of the treasure. As Avathor laughs and says he has a more subtle agenda, Bane deduces from the presence of the minion that Avathor has been offered a deadly gas bomb by Melchius the Alchemist to detonate inside the vault and poison the gold for decades. Avathor doesn't care much for claiming the treasure, he wants revenge on King Holmir.

III.

Again trying to escape, Bane engages in a fight with Beldor that ends with them both battered and willing to talk. He tells her that Avathor killed the Melgar bandits and will soon have no use for her. The next day, on the rare winged horses, Beldor's maidens spray the gas over Treasure House, seemingly killing the guards and workers. The garrison is so surprised and fascinated by the flying horses that no arrows are loosed until it is too late. The heavier than air gas quickly forms an ankle-high mist that can be walked through safely for short periods of time. Wheeling overhead, the Air Maidens fly back in the directon from which they had come... except for Beldor, who suddenly breaks away and speeds off to the South.

Avathor's Troll press gang breaks through the outer gates of Treasure House and beats down the door to the inner vault as Avathor arrives with the poison gas bomb. In the vault, Melchius's henchman Dolomir, ties Bane down across the bomb with ropes. This gives Avathor great glee and he can't stop laughing. The Trolls and the bandits loot with frantic haste, loading crates of gold and silver coins, leather bags of jewels and some heirloom weapons on to the carts while also filling their pockets.

"Androval will fall!" gloats Avathor to the stoic Bane. "With no gold or silver that can be handled, with nothing to back it up, Androval's money will be worthless, the economy will collapse and this realm will collapse into raw panic. Holmir will be deposed as he deserves to... and a new, stronger man will claim the throne." Bane says nothing and Avathor leaves him. Bronze Ronin is ordered to remain behind until the last minute to be sure the well-known tricky Bane doesn't get loose somehow.

Unknown to Avathor, Bane's talk with Beldor convinced her to change sides. She diluted the Alchemical solution to harmless levels. So the Alchemical serum has knocked all the Melgarin soldiers out and left them sick but still alive. Avathor locks the inner vault leaving Bane and Bronze Ronin trapped inside. The bomb itself is still fatal and ready to blow.

IV.

As the Troll wagons roll away as quickly as they can manage, Avathor withdraws to a hilltop to observe from a safe distance. Bane frees himself with the razor blades hidden in his cuffs, but Bronze Ronin tackles him before he can stop the bomb. Bane quickly manages to defeat Bronze Ronin then forces the lock off the serum bomb and figures out how to disarm it. He sits down with a bad case of the shakes after realizing how close he came to being killed.

A deep rumbling outside draws him to the ruined gate. One hundred Melgar calvary on their great war horses thunder by in pursuit of the fleeing Trolls. Bane realizes that the fighting will be brief and merciless. Unarmed, facing mounted Melgarin with lances and sabres, even the powerful Trolls will have no chance. Some of the riders stay to safeguafrd the Treasure House. Their captain dismounts. He and Bane fill each other in on the situation, and the captain thanks Bane for saving Androval from ruin and a coup. Beldar is a prisoner at the nearby lancer fort. She had landed her winged horse and informed the officers in charge of the ongoing attack at Treasure House, so her life is safe for the moment.

For her service in preventing all the deaths, Beldor will be pardoned all her crimes by the King. Bane is told he will be the first non-Melgar to be awarded the Green Star medal for heroism. The poison gas bomb is hauled along until a way can be found to safely destroy it. Both are escorted by a squad of the calvary to the Royal Court for audience with the King, but Avathor and his surviving fighters attack the group. In the struggle, Avathor's sword chops open a seal on the gas tank and sprays Avathor with the gas. Bane and Beldor get back safely from the deadly fumes but the Gralic Leech withers into a mere mummy.

12/31/2022

"Castaway"

9/4/2009

I.

As far as staying overnight in holding cells went, that hadn't been bad. The other occupant had been a sleeping drunk, so Bane had been left alone. He was by nature hyper and restless, which made sitting still all night a real effort for him but eventually they came and brought him to the DA's office. His legal advisor, Taylor Worth, had been there to tell him that there was not sufficient grounds to hold him as a material witness, particularly since the killer had surrendered and was found with all manner of incriminating evidence on him. The fact that Bane had discovered the body and had been standing there studying the scene when the police arrived had been just bad luck.

In his office, the new District Attorney was watching Bane the way one would watch an unfamilar growling dog. Van Aken was not someone to inspire confidence, being a rather mousy little guy with uneven hair and an unfortunately large nose but he was good at his job. "You're free to go, Mr Bane," he said as they all got up. "But I want you to think about a few things. I know all about the famous Dire Wolf. I know my predecessor and certain higher-ups in the police administration have allowed you to skirt the law any number of times. Yes, I myself have been told that there are mysterious threats to the public only you can handle due to your alleged superior abilities."

Bane said nothing. He was unshaven and grimy, still wearing the clothes he had had on after a busy previous day. He turned his pale eyes on the DA and waited.

"I don't accept it," Van Aken said. "It sets a bad precedent. Our fine police force does not need freelance outside help. Any so-called extraordinary threats can be handled by the NYPD." His voice became gentle, almost affectionate suddenly. "I do not want to hear of you being called on as a vigilante again. Is that clear?"

"Got it," said Bane. Taylor Worth took his arm and led him from the office. They went down a busy hall, took the elevator to ground level and to the processing room. She reminded him strongly of her mother Donna. Although she was an inch taller and slighter in build, both had long inquisitive faces, dark reddish hair and green eyes. Taylor worked as a junior partner for her mother's law firm and had come to escort him from police headquarters many number of times before. At the ancient, chipped desk behind a metal link barrier that slid open, Bane inspected his belongings and signed for them. The only items he was really concerned about were the two silver-bladed daggers he habitually wore strapped to his forearms. He inspected them suspiciously for damage.

"No one touched them," said the seriously hairy officer behind the desk. "Believe me, Mr Dire Wolf, everybody knows about your babies there and they were left alone. Sign here. And here. Initials here. All right, until next time."

Bane took the plastic shopping bag and thick manila envelope and began stowing the items about his person. Watch, keys, phone, wallet. Money in a clear bag with the amount written on it in marker. It wasn't until they were outside police headquarters and on the street that Bane stopped to wriggle out of his jacket and tug up the sleeves of his black turtleneck. Not caring who saw him, the Dire Wolf fastened the straps to his forearms and checked that the daggers slid out easily when he pulled his sleeves back down. Putting the jacket back on, he turned to see Taylor Worth smirking happily at him.

"Not feeling naked anymore?" she asked. "Good to see you again, Jeremy. I'll be sending you the bill from our firm."

Bane gave her the faintest of smiles. "Thanks, Taylor. And say thank you for me to your mother. She has been bailing me out of trouble since before you were born."

Taylor started to walk alongside him, crossing 23rd Street. She had a satchel over one shoulder that held her laptop and papers, and her phone started to beep but she ignored it until it went to voicemail. "She's told me unbelievable stories. Before she met my father, when she was with Michael Hawk. I always tell her she's making it up in her old age."

"No. No, I am sure she has not told you half of what went on in those days. These are quieter times. Is that your car?"

"The Prius? Yes. Can I give you a lift uptown, Jeremy?"

"No thanks, I feel like walking. Thanks again. I'll be seeing you."

Chirping her car door open, Taylor Worth chuckled. "I'm sure you will. Keep some bail money available."

Bane watched her pull out and drive away. After a second, he turned and began heading uptown. He was thinking about the DA's warning and the way the tone of voice had been almost friendly. It was as if the words were contradicted by the tone. It was odd. He wondered if Van Aken had been trying to tell him to continue his unofficial troubleshooting but just keep it discreet, so he wouldn't have to hear about it. Just as well, because Bane had no intention of ever changing his ways.

Heading north, walking quickly because it was his nature to walk as fast as the average person could run, Bane reached 47th Street a little after ten a.m. He swung right, crossed over to Third Avenue and stepped up to the stoop of his apartment building. Most of the time, Mrs Choi was sitting by the window looking out and she was there today. Bane gave her a wave and she returned it with a cheery grin. For the most part, she knew which tenants had which visitors and her experiences in the old country had left her watchful for suspicious strangers. If there had been any shady characters asking questions or trying to get in, she would have let Bane know.

He went up the flight of worn steps to the second floor, punched in the security code in the little box he had installed by the door and entered his apartment. It seemed odd to people that Jeremy Bane was in fact wealthy but lived so modestly. If he had wanted to, he could have bought the entire building and remodeled it. But he did not have the instincts of luxury, it just did not appeal to him. Crossing to his bedroom, he went into the small bathroom that had been installed and threw his stale clothes in the hamper, lathered up and took the razor with him in the stall. He took a hot shower tnen switched to cold at the end. Toweling dry, Bane pulled fresh clothes from a dresser in his bedroom that were exactly the same as what he had been wearing. Black dress slacks and a long-sleeved black turtleneck, with another of the three identical sport jackets, always all black. Now he was coming back to life.

In the living room, he turned on his messages and listened to them as he dug through the waist-high refrigerator. Four eggs, some cheddar, maybe that piece of ham. He dragged down the heavy cast iron frying pan from its hook on the wall and started an omelet while listening to his messages. As the omelet cooked, he poured cranberry juice into a huge tumbler and diluted it with water, then drained it in a gulp.

The messages were the usual updates and reports from colleagues. Bane dished the omelet onto a plate and gave it a sour look. It had come out more like scrambled eggs. The Dire Wolf devoured it and felt he could have downed another one if he had more eggs. Cleaning the frying pan and plate, Bane reminisced a little about Donna Worth. After the death of Michael Hawk, she had decided not to let her degree go to waste and eventually started her own law firm. In time, she had met someone new and settled down to have two daughters. The older one, Taylor, was the legal assistant who had come to help him out this morning.

He suddenly realized he didn't know what had happened to Donna's other daughter and decided to ask about her the next time they talked. It was all so long ago. Mike had died in what, 1983? In the Snake War that broke their hidden empire. Taylor looked to be in her mid-twenties. Donna could easily be a grandmother by now, which was a funny image....

Drying his hands, Bane was still thinking about Van Aken's warning. it annoyed him a little to be asked to risk his neck and go fight some dangerous psycho and then be told later to stop doing it. Damn. If he was caught in incriminating circumstances and up on charges, the NYPD would not back him up. He would take the rap. Maybe he should start demanding some sort of immunity before rushing out to wrestle with monsters and madmen.

The Dire Wolf paused to glance around the apartment. Everything was turned off and put away. He went out into the hall, the alarms turning on automatically as he closed the door. Passing Mrs Choi as he stepped outside, he asked her if she wanted anything and she said no. Then he headed south. His office was three blocks away on the same avenue. As it had turned out, he had found the office first and then turned up the apartment as close as he could get.

It was a fine day, breezy and cool. Bane thought he would check his messages again and see if there was a case in them he could start, something weird and mysterious. Little more than a mile away, a man fell to the sidewalk and broke into frozen pieces.

( the rest of the story )