Necrofairies Page 3
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Clix lead them both out through the rear door of his office and down a stairwell that wound its way in a narrow spiral two levels underground. At the bottom of the stairs was a heavy metal door. Clix whispered the words of a protection spell while tracing a single finger over the runes that were etched into the door. At the end of the spell the runes glowed briefly then the door unlocked itself and swung open.
Beyond was a huge room crammed full of more treasure, magical or otherwise than Neen had ever see in one place at one time. Her first instinct was to shoot Sliver and Clix in the back and take it all for herself, but then she remembered that the golem still had her guns. She knew that Clix fenced stolen magical goods from time to time, but she had no idea he had this much merchandise. She would definitely be coming back to pay this place a special visit later down the track, that was for sure.
“Welcome to my show room,” said Clix proudly. “Anything magical you want I can get...at a price of course.”
“Maybe another time, I just want the Dex,” replied Sliver.
“Very well,” replied Clix reluctantly.
He led them on a winding path through the vast collection until they reached a cramped workshop area right at the rear where they found the Dex. Neen stared at it in awe; she had never seen a Dex in real life before. It was a squat brown fury creature a good three feet tall and equally as wide. Its four limbs were stocky and powerful let they each ended with nimble eight digit hands. Its head joined directly to its body with no neck and was robust except for its elongated anteater like nose.
The Dex was sitting on the floor in an enforced hunch due to its large size, at least compared with the height of the ceiling that was better suited to fairies one third its height. It was poring over a bronze chest with intense concentration. Its fingers were gently feeling the outside of the chest and its nose methodically sniffing it at the same time.
“You have a Dex and you are using it to break into a stolen chest?” asked Sliver in disgust.
“Don’t be ridiculous, if I just wanted to break into it I could do that myself! I have gone to great lengths to ensure that the owner of this chest does not realise it is even missing and I want to keep it that way by removing the contents and putting the chest back where it came from without removing or triggering its magical protection. That is what my Dex is for. The best crime is always the one that nobody knows you have committed.”
The Dex ignored them as they spoke and finally its digits stopped in very specific places on the chest. It then chanted several words in its native tongue with a voice that was deep and cavernous. A second later the chest popped open and the Dex pulled out an ancient scroll and placed it on a nearby shelf then replaced it with an identical looking scroll from another shelf above, before closing the chest again.
“Well done Agnor. It looks like you will get to eat tonight after all. Now be sociable and meet my guests,” said Clix as he unkindly yanked on the chain that was attached at one end to a heavy metal pole and at the other to the metal collar around one of the Dex’s lower limbs.
The Dex turned slowly and glowered at Clix.
“Now I see how you have been able to keep a Dex in your employ,” said Sliver.
“I don’t understand how you keep him so tame. I thought Dex’s were notoriously violent and aggressive when kept captive?” asked Neen.
“Trust me, if you yanked on his chain like I just did he would tear you apart in seconds.”
“How do you control it then?” demanded Sliver, his patience starting to wear thin as time slid by.
“I have this,” replied Clix revealing a silver ring covered in runes that hung on a chain around his neck. “He is compelled to obey whoever is wearing it.”
Neen watched Agnor’s muscles strain and flex yet the Dex stayed reluctantly motionless. She could see the intense hatred appear in his eyes at the sight of the ring. It was not going to be pleasant for Clix if Agnor ever got the ring back that was for sure.