Free Lost Lands: The Game - Atlantis by A.E. McCullough

immediately that he was not alone. There was an earthy smell that wasn’t normally there. However, seeing the naked form of Callistra on his small bed was not what he was expecting.
    “ Callistra, what are you…”
    “Shh…no words. Come. Warm my body and my blood.”
    Very few men could or would turn down such an offer, especially from a vision as lovely as Callistra. Kastle was not one of those men. Stripping off his robes, they fell to the floor forgotten as he rushed to accommodate her desires.
    *   *   *   *   *
    “Hold.” Tao held up one hand.
    According to the position of the twin suns, it was almost noon and the companions could just make out the walls of a village in the distance. Judging from the nets, Tao figured that most of the harbor traffic were fishing boats and they could be seen entering and leaving the port regularly. Most were small, one or two-masted sloops. No large merchant ships or warships could be seen or oar powered slave ships either.
    Tao turned back to face his friends. “Okay. Judging from what I can see, this is mostly a small fishing village. In my mind this means simple folk who just want to be left alone. So I’m unsure of our reception. They might have a phobia about elves or dwarves. We just don’t know.”
    Cozad asked, “What ’s your suggestion?”
    “We go in cautiously. Elves keep your faces co vered and Pixi stay invisible. Cozad, you and I need to keep our helmets off and hands away from weapons.”
    “Why?”
    It was Bjǿrn who answered. “If they are indeed an isolated fishing community, they will naturally be suspicious of outsiders. In Alaska, we have many such communities. When I was a State Trooper, they treated me with suspicion and distrust, even when they were the ones who called us in. It is the way of things for small villagers.”
    Cozad and the others nodded. They were out of their element and realized it.
    Walking into an unknown city in the game was easy. The players could tell from a distance if a guard would attack you or not, due to the game mechanics. Anyone that would attack you would be highlighted in red when you selected them as a target. That little trick of the game couldn’t be used in this situation. Nor could the companions bypass the village. They needed information and a map of the area if possible.
    T ao’s first thought was to wait until dark and enter the village unannounced. But that came with its own set of problems. Since it was a walled city, the odds were that they would lock the gates at dusk and not open again until dawn. Not that they couldn’t sneak in. As a skald, Gamble would have the necessary skill set to accomplish that feat, the same could be said about Mathias the Archer. Of course, his own training from his days in the Special Forces gave him the skills also but once inside, then what? They couldn’t just walk into a tavern and get information or food. This was obviously a small town where everyone knew everyone else’s business. There would be no hiding. No, they had to go during the daylight. Of course, he could just send in Pixi since she could stay invisible and just scout out the town. But honestly, he felt that was too dangerous a mission for the teenager. Feeling that he had finally weighed the matter fully, Tao made his decision.
    “We go in ca utiously. Bjǿrn will follow up the rear. I don’t want his size to be too intimidating to the guards.” Tao paused and turned to fully face the dark elf necromancer. “Arieal…”
    “I can use my magic to disguise my dark elven heritage. Would you prefer human?”
    “Yes. That would help.” Tao grinned as he gazed at the beautiful dark elf. Her outfit was very revealing, showing off her shapely legs, a flat tummy and a well-endowed chest. He cleared his throat. “I would suggest a form that wasn’t as stunning as this one either. You might draw everyone’s attention to yourself but not too homely either, if you get my meaning.”
    Arieal hadn’t