Greenways Goblins (Resurrection Quest Book 1)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “No armor for the short one, eh?” Tom asked.

  “I didn’t keep any of the small stuff. Didn’t expect to need it,” Charlie shrugged. “Now let’s go see how you two fare against each other.”

  At dinner time, the three of them entered the house laughing. Tom and Harry were both pleased that they had actually learned over the past few days, and had come to have a better understanding of how to support each other during combat. Charlie had faced them one-on-one a few times, but instead of pummeling them, he went slow and taught them some basic counters.

  “Well, that’s a far cry from the last few days,” Dick said. “Nice shield, Tom.”

  “Thanks. This is for you,” Tom said, handing over the axe. “Charlie thinks we should give Laurel her axe back.”

  Taking the weapon Dick, nodded, “I will do so gladly. This is a nice weapon.”

  “Didn’t give him one of the staves?” Sara asked.

  “I’ve gotten used to the axe,” Dick said. “This will work nicely.”

  “Let us celebrate your training and the hope that you will return once the hoblins are dead,” Sara said as she brought several large platters to the table. “Steaks, mashed potatoes, and salad.”

  “I’ll go grab some of your favorite,” Charlie said, giving Sara a quick kiss.

  “So you know how to cast the spell now?” Tom asked as he took his seat.

  Dick muttered arcane words, then slapped Tom on the back. A surge of confidence rushed through Tom and he felt healthier. “What do you think?”

  “I think it’ll help,” Tom chuckled.

  “It will,” Sara agreed.

  “Here we go,” Charlie said. “I prefer beer, but tonight, we’ll have wine.”

  “Thank you,” Sara smiled. “Let’s eat.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The ride back to Greenways was peaceful. Charlie told them stories of his old adventuring days to help pass the time. The three friends paid attention, hoping for anything that might tell them more about the world, but the stories were just downtime antics. While funny, they did not learn anything useful from them.

  They arrived close to sundown and Charlie parked his wagon next to the inn, greeting the villagers who called out to him. “Well, boys, it’s been nice to revisit some of my glory days. Yours are just beginning. Best of luck to you.”

  “Thanks,” Dick replied.

  “Next time, maybe less thrashing and more teaching?” Harry asked, getting a laugh from Charlie in return.

  “With these two, I’m fairly certain I’ll be on my toes,” Tom deadpanned. “The shield should help immensely. Thanks.”

  “Oh, Charlie, good to see you. The kegs were getting low,” Felix said, stepping out to see who had arrived. “Let me help you unload. I take it you’ll be staying for the night as usual?”

  “Of course. I hear there’s an entertainer in town. I’ve been looking forward to seeing what he can do,” Charlie said, walking with the innkeeper to the back of the wagon.

  The friends headed inside and saw Marie, John, and Carl in conversation with some of the villagers. “We’re back,” Dick announced.

  “We’re glad you’re safe,” Marie said, walking over to them. “Did it go well?”

  “Did for me,” Dick grinned. Uttering the arcane words, he touched Marie and bestowed hero maker on her. “What do you think?”

  “I can certainly feel it working, even if I don’t know what it does,” Marie nodded. “How long do you intend to stay here in town?”

  “Just tonight, hopefully,” Dick replied. “It’ll depend on if the armor is ready.”

  “It’s almost done,” a woman said from behind them. “I’ll have it ready in the morning.”

  “Tonight it is, then,” John said somberly.

  Marie looked back at him and her smile faltered, “You’ll be careful, right?”

  “We’ll bring him back, Marie,” Dick said. “None of us wants to see you cry.”

  “He’s right,” Harry nodded.

  “Don’t worry about us. You have a mission of your own,” Tom added. “Carl, did you get your things ready to go?”

  “I’ve been studying with Marie,” Carl said. “I picked up energy armor to improve my chances of survival.”

  “Good,” Dick nodded. “We’ll do our best to keep both of you safe and get you back here. We’ll be doing a recon first, so if things look bad, we can fall back and figure out a plan. We won’t be doing the usual rush in.”

  “Thank god,” Carl whispered, clearly relieved to hear him say that.

  “We want to live just as much as you do,” Harry said, patting Carl on the shoulder. “Us short people gotta stick together.”

  Tom whistled a well-known refrain from the Randy Newman song about short people. Harry flipped him off while Carl chuckled.

  “That actually reassures me,” Carl said. “Okay, I’ll see you in the morning. I’m going to spend the rest of the night with Kattie.”

  “Brave, brave Sir Carl goes north to Kattie’s hall,” Dick snickered.

  “Assholes,” Carl sighed as he walked away.

  “You should ease up on him,” Marie whispered. “Kattie hasn’t been eating, and he’s worried that she might do something drastic.”

  Tom bit back his reply, just barely. To change the subject, he looked to Wilma, “Charlie is here, so we’ll double up on a room tonight.”

  “Thank you,” Wilma replied. “Greg left yesterday, so it’s possible that Orbin will invite Charlie to stay with him.”

  “If it happens, great. We’ll plan for it not to happen, though,” Tom said, heading for the hall.

  “We’ll go drop our stuff off,” Harry said, handing his first sword off to John. “You’re going to need this. I was able to pick up a different blade.”

  “Right,” John said, taking the sheathed blade. “I should go put this away for the night.”

  “I’ll do that,” Marie said, taking it from him. “You get ready to play.”

  Marie watched the four head down the hall, her heart beating hard as she thought about them going into danger without her. Lips tightening, she considered her options and how she could change things.

  John was the first to return and immediately took the stage. He checked the lute, waiting for his friends to return. “Ladies, gentlemen, today will be the last night I’ll be playing here for a bit. Tomorrow, I’ll be going with my friends to find the hoblin encampment and deal with them.”

  A buzz of conversation made him pause. Orbin stood up from the seat he had recently taken and raised his hand to quiet the room. “Are you sure that is necessary? Your talents are appreciated here, and your friends have proven quite adept at dealing with the monsters.”

  “They’ll need more than just the three of them,” John replied. “This is a bigger threat. My wife will be staying here, along with our sick friend. I ask that you look after them until we return.”

  “Surely you don’t require an entertainer to accompany you into danger,” Orbin said turning to Tom, Dick, and Harry as they reentered the room. “You know that entertainers don’t make great adventurers.”

  Dick looked from Orbin to John, “It’s his call, but we do need more people.”

  “I’m willing to go,” Michael, the lead hunter said, getting to his feet. “Normally it would be our task to safeguard the village.”

  Orbin shook his head, “There is no certainty that the hoblins will be a threat to the village. They might be content to stay where they are.”

  “Seems like you would rather just the three of us take the risks,” Tom said. “Anyone who comes with us will end up with some of the loot.”

  That comment prompted a few quiet comments from the other hunters, and Michael did not sit down. “Elder, if there is a goblin lair nearby, once the hoblins are dealt with, other things might infest it. It would be best if we knew where it was so we could keep an eye on it.”

  “He’s got a point,” Charlie added.

  Orbin glanc
ed at Charlie with a displeased eye before he sighed. “Fine. Michael can go, but no other hunters. We still need you to do your job and bring meat in for the village.”

  “I’ll prepare my things,” Michael said, nodding to the adventurers. “I’ll be here at daybreak.”

  “We’ll leave an hour or two after that,” Dick said. “You might as well stay and enjoy the music for a bit.”

  Nodding again, Michael resumed his seat with the other hunters. Orbin looked at the rest of the villagers and pursed his lips. “I understand wishing to help the adventurers who helped us, but you must remember that they do the dangerous jobs for a reason. We must attend to our tasks here at home, not abandon them for the sliver of a hope of riches, which are unlikely to be found in a goblin warren.”

  “Harry, is Michael going to be an asset?” Dick asked softly.

  “He’s a damned good shot with his bow,” Harry replied. “Honestly, he’ll probably do way more damage than John could.”

  “Michael, I’ll be glad to have you with us,” John said as small colored lights began to dance above him. “Let us enjoy this night before we face the trials ahead of us.” Strumming the lute, he began to sing, cutting off any further objections Orbin might have had.

  John sang his heart out, each song laced with emotion as he did his best to put on a show that would be remembered. Marie watched him with bright eyes, happy to see him move so many people, but also upset that he would leave her in the morning. As the night wore on, she excused herself from the table.

  “Did she seem a bit distracted to you?” Tom asked Harry once she had left.

  “Probably worried for John,” Harry replied.

  “Fair enough,” Dick added. “We’ll just have to do our best to keep him safe.”

  “Might I join you?” Michael said, coming over to their table.

  “Have a seat,” Tom said.

  “Thank you,” Michael said as he did so. “I’m curious what you think we’ll need for the trip?”

  “Bedding, food, ammunition for your bow,” Dick answered. “We’ll have to go back to the farm where we killed the goblins and then try to track them from there.”

  “I’ll talk to Felix and see if he can prepare a week’s worth of food,” Michael said.

  “That will help,” Harry nodded. “What do you have beside the bow as a weapon?”

  “Just my long knife,” Michael said, tapping the knife on his leg.

  “That should be fine. If things go right, you shouldn’t end up in melee,” Tom said. “Do you have any armor, just in case?”

  “I have a few pieces of leather,” Michael replied. “We are still bringing John with us?”

  “Entertainers can be right useful in combat if they’re kept safe,” Dick said. “John is a smart man; he’ll be fine.”

  “Very well,” Michael said, getting back to his feet as John finished a song. “I’ll see you all in the morning.”

  Bowing and thanking his audience, John smiled broadly. “I’ll be back folks, but hold onto this memory, because I will be topping it when I return.”

  Orbin left during the last song, and Charlie went with him. Felix stopped by the group’s table as the inn began to empty. “Michael said you would like some travel food. I’ll add it to the running total being covered by the elder.”

  “Thanks,” Dick smiled. “We’ll need enough for six people.”

  “I’ll make sure everything is ready,” Felix assured them before he left.

  “Where did Marie go?” John asked.

  “I think she’s waiting for you,” Tom snickered.

  “Dude, really?” Harry slapped Tom on the back of the head. “Come on.”

  “I’ll see you all in the morning,” John said, heading down the hall.

  “I’d be in a hurry too if a woman was waiting for me,” Tom grumbled.

  “As if anyone here is that desperate,” Harry said.

  “Pot, kettle much?” Tom returned. “At least my face doesn’t look like it was stung by sixty bees.”

  “That’s true,” Dick said with a grin. “Instead, you just have the personality of a badger with a toothache.”

  “Fucking elves,” Tom grumbled as he got to his feet. “I’m going to bed.”

  Harry laughed and started to follow him. “Sleep sounds good.”

  “But it’s still early,” Dick said, grinning wider.

  “The rest of us need more than four fucking hours,” Tom said. “Go hug a tree or something, elf-boy.”

  Dick laughed at the retreating forms of his friends. Looking around, he found himself alone in the inn, “Well shit, maybe the joke is on me. Meh, sleep now or later, it’s all the same.” Standing, he trailed after the others.

  ~*~*~

  Dick was in the taproom before anyone else, still getting used to needing less sleep than his friends. He helped himself to a glass of wine while he waited for the village to wake up. “Morning,” Dick greeted Wilma when she entered the taproom.

  Wilma gasped and stepped back, squinting into the dark room. “You gave me a right start,” she said after calming down.

  “Sorry,” Dick said.

  “I’ll get a light for you,” Wilma said as she headed for the kitchen.

  “No need, I can see fine,” Dick called after her.

  Wilma still brought out a candle and set it on his table. “Try not to scare anyone else.”

  “I’ll try,” Dick said, holding back laughter.

  When she retreated to the kitchen, Dick refilled his glass and continued to wait. It was almost an hour later when Michael and a woman came through the inn door. “Morning,” Dick greeted them.

  “Morning to you, too,” Michael said as he took a seat at the table. “This is Annabelle. She finished the armor for your friend.”

  “A pleasure,” Dick said, giving her the once over.

  “I do hope you’ll be keeping him safe,” Annabelle said, missing the appraising stare.

  “We hope to all make it home,” Dick said.

  “Be careful while I’m gone,” Michael said. “You’re in charge.”

  Dick gave Annabelle another look; she was plain and thin, but pleasant enough. Girl next-door type... not bad, but nothing special, Dick thought.

  Meeting Dick’s eyes for a moment, Annabelle’s cheeks colored before she bobbed her head. “I’ll keep the others in line, Michael.” She hurried out after setting the leather vest on the table.

  Michael watched her go before turning his attention to Dick. “Haven’t seen her blush in years. I’d ask that you don’t lead her on though, since you’ll be leaving after the hoblins are dead.”

  “She’s single?” Dick asked, glancing back at the door. “I would have thought all the women in town would be locked up by now.”

  “We have a few single women,” Michael said stiffly. “It’s not like we force them into matches.”

  “Turned you down, did she?” Dick asked.

  “Of course not. My wife would object,” Michael replied.

  “Free game, then. I’m not going to turn her down if she wants a tumble,” Dick shrugged. “Not that that will happen until after the hoblins, anyway.”

  Michael gritted his teeth but didn’t respond. The two of them sat there in awkward silence while they waited for the others to show up.

  Harry showed up just after daybreak. “Making friends?” he asked, seeing the coolness between Dick and Michael.

  “The lady who dropped your armor off might be interested in me and he doesn’t like it,” Dick explained.

  “She married?” Harry asked as he slipped the leather chestguard on over his head.

  “No,” Michael said.

  “Then it shouldn’t be an issue. If I recall right, Annabelle is a grown woman,” Harry shrugged. “This is good; not restrictive, not too loose.”

  “That’s my hope,” Dick said evenly.

  Michael frowned and was about to reply when he was interrupted by Harry. “Dick, come on dude, don’t prod him. Michael
is good people.”

  “Then he should stop rising at the bait,” Dick said, finishing his glass.

  “What bait?” Marie asked as she entered the room.

  “Nothing,” Harry said quickly. “Up to see John off?”