by Bruce Sentar
“I can tell this is bothering you, although I admit I’m not quite sure why. I tried to find women that you’d find appealing. You just need to have a quick session with them to soothe their minds. We could get others to your liking if they’re not suitable.” Sasha bit her lip, clearly concerned about her choices.
Quick to ease her worries, Dar replied, “They’re beautiful women, Sasha, but there’s a certain demon I happen to have my eye on.” He gave her a meaningful look before continuing. “And it’s hard to imagine how it would all work, us all under the same roof. Doesn’t that get… tense?”
“Dar.” Sasha shook her head. “I appreciate your care for my feelings, but really, this is perfectly normal. It will bind those that work for us tighter to our house and help to maintain our status. Workers across houses talk. It would be considered odd if you didn’t. Just think about it?”
Dar grunted in response. He wasn’t sure yet, but as she continued to assure him, he had to admit the idea seemed less objectionable. Sasha was the top priority, but if she wanted to expand the pool a bit and have some fun, he could at least be open to it.
***
His boots made a sucking noise with his next step, this time sticking a bit more than usual. He pulled more, making the mud release the shoe with a plopping noise. He was so tired of the mud and muck they were wading through.
Luckily, the end was in sight. They were about to exit the woods at the bottom of the cliff and enter grasslands. He hoped they’d be easier on his boots.
Rolling hills greeted him and beckoned to the river beyond, one that he was told would lead them to Bellhaven. The sun shone down out of the clouds and warmed Dar, bringing a new sense of hope to their journey. He was happy to have a destination and a plan once they got there. He liked having some near-term goals at the ready.
“Hello.”
Dar was pulled out of his thoughts as Count Tint found his way back to their area of the convoy.
“Hello yourself, Count Tint.” Dar smiled, not bothered by the man, but still waiting for the retaliation that was sure to come.
The count frowned at his response. “Letting your dog speak for you?” he addressed Sasha.
“Actually, you could say our relationship has changed. We have formed more of a partnership in light of a new arrangement.” Sasha tried to keep her voice cold, but Dar could hear the hint of warmth as she talked about him.
“What new arrangement?”
Dar took that opportunity and gestured to the dryad on the cart. “Cherry has offered to work for me; I guess you could consider me a wizard.”
“Yep, I’ve agreed to work for Dar,” Cherry echoed him.
If Tint thought her paying attention to anything but the tree was odd, he didn’t show it.
The count eyed Dar up and down. “Biggest damn wizard I’ve ever seen. But I guess that means you’ll be staying in Bellhaven? A fresh town could find a lot of uses for someone able to do work.”
“Sorry, sir, I’m not sure yet,” Dar hedged.
There was a slight glint of malice from the count, but no doubt the man still held a grudge for Dar breaking his nose. “Shame.”
Dar wondered if he had just dodged an ambush. “It is a shame, but I’d be happy to help all of you however I can once we get to the city,” Dar stated.
“So generous,” Sasha exclaimed, trying to interject and lighten the mood.
“Yes, he is very generous, and a newly made wizard with the dryad joining him. Good to see a wizard with such high morals,” Count Tint said, and Dar got the feeling that he was telling the truth. Dar found that interesting. The count didn’t seem to think very highly of the wizards. “But then again you’re just on your way to becoming one.”
“You must have some enchanted items. Do you not consider yourself a wizard?” Dar asked honestly.
Count Tint scoffed. “A few trinkets to help and an enchanted sword does not make me a wizard. These things cost a fortune, as is. No, wizards have dozens of enchanted items and study how to cobble them together for more power.”
Dar filed that away in his growing encyclopedia of things he needed to know about this world. It also meant he wasn’t much of a wizard yet, but that was only because the world didn’t know he was an immortal. He tried to keep the grin off his face.
“Count Tint, before you leave, I would like to remind you that you still owe us for our work so far. My partner here even gravely injured himself to clear the cave we enjoyed the last day and a half,” Sasha pressed.
The count’s eyes flicked to Dar’s hands and saw them once again whole. “He doesn’t look injured to me.”
Sasha gave a professional frown. “Of course not. I can’t have him lose the use of his hands. They’ve been healed at an expense. One we incurred doing work for you.”
Her hands went to her cocked hips and Dar looked forward studiously, not letting his eyes dip to the curves he knew would be pressing up against her skirt.
“It would be ridiculous for me to carry that much gold. I’ll have to pull from the Bellhaven bank for your full pay.”
Sasha smirked, clearly expecting a similar answer. “Of course. But you do agree we deserve some pay? We aren’t done after all, so an upfront payment would be the proper way to do business… call it insurance of our continued support. After all, we’ve incurred a heavy expense already.”
Count Tint wavered, clearly catching on to her trap.
Dar could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to think of a way out of it. “Sasha, if he doesn’t have any funds, maybe we should just cut our losses and leave, make our own way to Bellhaven. It would be much faster, and surely we can make back income once we reach the town.”
Sasha gasped and played along. “You’d really abandon all of these villagers?”
“I’d rather not burn my hands off again for someone who isn’t going to pay,” Dar grunted, checking the count’s reaction out of the corner of his eye.
The beady man was worrying the hem of his shirt, keeping his face passive as they discussed leaving. Dar was sure they had the man.
“Fine,” the count snapped and walked away, hopefully to get Sasha her gold.
She waited till the count was out of earshot. “Well played. I wasn’t sure if I could pry a coin from his purse.”
“He isn’t a bad man, but you also don’t become wealthy if you give up money easily.” Dar shrugged. He saw no ill intent in the man, but he was clearly a cheapskate. He’d hold onto his money as best he could, while still doing his part for the townspeople. Dar wouldn’t have done the same; he honored his debts.
Chapter 12
They moved faster through the grasslands, double timing it to the Bell River and hoping to make up for time lost in the storm.
The sleds moved more smoothly through the grasslands, many of the front carts and heavy traffic matting down the grass to create smoother ground to glide across. During the storm, many villagers had spent time upgrading their sleds with smoother branches along the bottom and more curved corners to catch on less.
Dar saw a number of folded up tent cloths on people’s sleds now, along with cordage they’d made out of vines that they could use to hang the cloth from a tree when they stopped. He was amazed at just how hard working these people were, and it gave him hope that they’d be able to make a living when they got to the town. They all seemed to have useful trades, and they helped each other, trading and providing for one another.
Finally reaching the river, they began walking along it, following the bends as they headed towards the sea. A few dogs jumped at the chance to splash into the water cool river, though the kids avoided it as autumn had arrived along with cooler winds. Now wasn’t the time to be walking around wet. That didn’t stop the dogs from shaking off next to their owners and getting them wet anyways though.
“Milord.” One of the girls Sasha had picked out to help them came to his side. She had her curly, chestnut locks pulled back in a ponytail.
&nbs
p; “Yes, but could you give me your name?”
She pulled at her dress and did a rough curtsey. “Amber, milord.”
“Darius or sir is fine in private. What can I do for you?” He wasn’t about to fuss over the formal title, but more casual in private would be comfortable. He could see Sasha watching from not very far away, and she frowned at his request for a more casual name. Dar made it clear he saw her and shrugged.
Their silent exchange was missed as Amber raised her head. “I’d like to ask if you’d hire me once we get to the city?”
“Is that what Sasha agreed to?” He didn’t want to mess up the customs for this type of arrangement.
But it turned out that he already had, because she gasped and stared at him wide-eyed. “You’d let a woman and a witch decide something like that for you?”
Dar’s brow came down hard in a frown; he had no doubt that his eyes radiated anger based on Amber’s reaction. “That she is either a witch or woman has no bearing on her abilities.”
He liked Amber, but he also needed to root out such backwater thinking. He might have come to a new world, but he was still the same old Dar for the most part.
Looking Amber in the eye, he stated, “If Sasha made an agreement, I stand by it.”
“Yes, milord.” She ducked her head, but Dar could see she was digesting that bit of information. Amber wasn’t taking it poorly either.
He could imagine that, in a world where women had so little say or security, she probably liked that there was some decision making and status that they would receive in his household.
“Good—”
“Gremlins!” a shout interrupted him, echoing down the caravan line as others picked up the call.
Dar grabbed Amber and plopped her on the cart with Cherry. “Keep an eye on Cherry for me.”
“But, milord—”
He silenced her with a glance.
Those at the front had stopped moving, while those at the back rushed to catch up and provide support. They formed a circle, pushing the young and elderly to the center while those on the outside passed around the fire-hardened spears that had been made at the campsite.
“This is what I’m paying you for.” The count stood on his wagon and locked eyes with Dar.
It was, and Dar accepted that. He nodded back at the count, responding, “We have yet to receive any payment actually, but I’m sure you will fix that after we help with this situation?” Dar used the moment to squeeze the count further.
“Of course! Just get out there!” the man sputtered, clearly worried for his life and the life of the townspeople.
Not wanting to put lives at stake to demand it now, he turned to Cherry. Now that he had claimed her with new his wizard status, she could use her abilities to help him more publicly.
“Cherry, would you raise a bed of thorns around the caravan?”
“Um.” Her face twisted, pretending that it would be a difficult feat for her to do. He tried not to laugh at the acting as she put her hands on the ground and made a strained face.
“You’ve got this. I’m sure of it. Stay safe, both of you.” He didn’t wait to hear a response before he started moving through the villagers and out of their formation, building into a loping run and vaulting over the growing bed of thorns. They were forming up from the ground, the spiked growth making a low, but effective fortification.
Ribbons fluttered on the edge of his vision as Sasha landed next to him. “Remember, you cannot use your dao out in the open.”
Dar’s brow pinched. “Right. So what’s the plan? Clear out a number of the gremlins and push into the forest?”
Sasha looked at the villagers over her shoulder. “They will have to take care of the gremlins.”
He could see the gremlins in the forest now; they were moving back and forth along the edge. Their little, gray bodies were moving in the shadows, making it impossible to tell how many of them there were, but it was clear there were more than he could cut down before they were able to break through and reach the villagers.
And based on his last gremlin encounter and Sasha’s comment, he had a feeling there was something larger and more powerful back behind the line of gremlins.
“Let them come out of the forest and charge before we go after whatever is herding them. Otherwise, they will just swarm us in the forest,” Dar laid out his plan and drew his sword.
Sasha had her ribbons out at the ready. “There are things besides trolls. You need to be ready to face something you haven’t seen before.”
“Any hints?” Dar asked.
“No, I’m not sure what it will be. But there are a number of creatures that are devils. The gremlins and trolls are luckily among the most numerous and least intelligent.”
Grumbling to himself, Dar wasn’t thrilled at the idea of the gremlins just being the fodder and the shock troopers, but it made sense. “Is there anything specific I should look out for?”
Sasha frowned. “In general, intelligent and small is the biggest threat. You’ll be attacked with dao instead of weapons.”
Wondering how to fight off an attack with dao, Dar didn’t have any time to ask. The gremlins used that moment to charge forward, coming out of the tree cover and into the open. Behind them, the shadows of the top-heavy trolls began to be clearer.
The little, gray bat-faced creatures stumbled out of the woods, their heads snapping towards the caravan as soon as they were out. They seemed to be looking past Dar and Sasha, much more interested in the larger group as they moved for their own cover.
Charging forward, his blade swinging wildly, Dar attempted to take out as many gremlins as he could as he passed through. He knew he wouldn’t be able to get to all of them before they reached the townspeople, but he did the best he could to thin out the attack.
Bursting through the small wave of devils, he was lucky that none of them changed course to attack him from behind. He only had to watch his front and side as he charged through. They definitely didn’t seem like very intelligent creatures, just focusing on the larger mass of the caravan.
Hearing the clash of spears and yells of the townspeople behind him, Dar surmised that the gremlins had made it to the caravan. He hoped that he and Sasha had gotten enough of them to keep the town safe. For now, they were on their own.
Reaching the tree line, Dar charged through the brush. As he neared the first trolls, he jumped into the air, knocking the a troll in the face and sending him stumbling backwards.
The big oaf stumbled and fell back, knocking over another as they all tried to reorient themselves to Dar.
His knuckles ached, but it wasn’t as bad as the first battle. His dao transformation had strengthened his body even further. And this time, the troll was clearly knocked out.
“You’re stronger, Dar,” Sasha observed, landing next to him. For this battle, she was armed with the enchanted wand, her ribbons racing out to snare her first troll.
“I am.” He couldn’t help but smirk as his sword flashed out and cut into the throat of a nearby troll.
The bits of sunlight able to make it through the canopy danced over him and the blade, and he fell into the rhythm of the fight. In the moments that he could catch a glance at Sasha, she was incredible to behold, her hair and ribbons fanning out around her as she kept her opponents away, darting forward or to the side to make cuts with that same enchanted wand that could cut stone.
She came ready to fight this time.
Catching a shadow suddenly above him, Dar jumped back, narrowly avoiding the falling club, which instead landed squarely on the troll Dar had already been attacking.
The trolls had finally organized well enough to better ambush him, and it quickly became chaos in the crowded space between the trees. He used it to his advantage, darting between the trunks to avoid the swinging clubs, and forcing them to hit each other where he could.
If he wasn’t in the middle of the fight, he would have enjoyed watching the reactions of the trolls who got hit by their fello
ws, who became rather disgruntled and periodically fought back with a clubbing of their own, like giant children squabbling.
Troll blood flowed as he focused on just avoiding their attacks and counter attacking when he could. He was no swordsman, but he could dodge a man-sized club from creatures who were less than nimble. It was easiest when their clubs caught in the trees, giving him a moment to dart around the side and strike them while they tried to dislodge the club.
Sasha had changed positions, moving into an outer role, using her ribbons to corral the trolls together and keep them fighting in the contained space, providing Dar the advantage. When one did manage to break free, she focused on cutting it down.
Dar smiled; they were learning how to fight as a team, and it felt good. Although he still didn’t like being so far away from her should she need help.
Trying to move towards her, he was stopped by another club. Dodging it, he then had to stumble back as the same troll fell forward. Based on the bloody gash on the back of the troll’s head, the troll behind it had accidentally hit it from behind.
They were deep enough in the forest that Dar thought he could get away with using his dao now. Dar reached out his hand, already swelling with mana as he blasted heat point-blank at the troll’s head.
It took a second for anything to happen, but the troll reeled backwards, trying to escape the heat. It was too slow; the damage was done as its head shriveled, cooked in the heat.
Dar gagged; cooked troll head smelled disgusting. But it became an annoyance for later as another club swung towards his head, and the dance continued.
They thinned out the trolls quickly, only a few still standing between their combined efforts.
A terrible screech echoed through the woods, and Dar clamped his free hand over his ear, putting the other to his shoulder as he jumped as far away from the remaining trolls as he could. It sounded like someone had mixed nails on a chalkboard with one of those weather sirens.
The trolls were similarly disoriented, howling ape-like cries as they dropped their clubs to cover their ears. Dar wanted to take advantage of their weakness, but he couldn’t bring himself to move forward as he braced against the noise.
