“Right,” Aeden said as he finished up the piece of rabbit he was eating. He threw the bones he had picked clean into the fire and wiped his hands on his pants. “A story. I know how much you like stories of Erent Caahs, Raki, so how about one of those?” Raki sat up straighter, moving to the edge of the rock he was sitting on.
“In the last story I told, Erent had saved his love, Lela Ganeva, from the slavers, and he had returned her safely to her town of Delver’s Crossing. He told her he was on a mission, and that was the truth. He and Raisor Tannoch left immediately after returning the girls safely to their village, to continue on with their quest.
“You see, he had received word by messenger not one week before that his aid was requested by a minor lord in the land of Telna. It seemed some type of monster was terrorizing this lord’s lands, and he wanted to be rid of it.
“Many brave adventurers had heeded the call, but none had survived the beast. This nobleman was becoming increasingly desperate and spared no expense in getting the message to Erent Caahs. Though he usually didn’t take jobs for hire, this particular situation tickled his interest. The beast was rumored to be a dreigan.”
Raki gasped. He had never heard that Erent Caahs battled with a dreigan. Aeden looked at the boy and smiled, but kept on with his tale.
“Yes, a dreigan. He and Raisor had argued long and hard about the existence of such beasts.
“‘There are no such things as dreigan,’ the Croagh said. ‘No more than there are, or ever have been, dragons.’
“‘I do not agree, my friend,’ Erent said. ‘The world is a mysterious and strange place. You and I know that better than anyone. As well discount that there is magic in the world.’
“‘No,’ Raisor said. ‘I know there is magic in the world. I wield some of it myself. But these beasts, these monsters, there is no proof of them. They exist only in stories and the imagination of those with weak minds.’
“Erent Caahs laughed. ‘Then you must account me among those with weak minds, my friend, for I believe in such things. We will find out, soon enough.’
“So they traveled to Telna to seek out the lord who had sent the message. When they arrived, they were brought before him.
“Erent Caahs disliked him immediately. It was not only his look—he reminded the hero of an eel that had somehow learned to live out of water and had stuffed itself into fine clothes—but his entire demeanor that caused the feeling. He was thin, his face sharp and his hair oily. He sneered perpetually, and it was obvious that though he had asked for assistance, he looked down on Erent, and even more so on Raisor.
“‘Oh, I see you have brought a barbarian with you.’ The noxious man wrinkled his nose and lifted a small box on a chain around his neck to sniff something within, as if to cover up the odor of the two in front of him. ‘I guess that is acceptable. The beast can eat him, distracting it while you kill it for me.’
“Raisor did not like the man any more than Erent did, and liked less what he had said. He went to step forward, but his friend’s hand on his arm kept him at bay.
“‘Your message stated that the beast is killing people and livestock near one of your villages,’ Erent said to the man. ‘It also names the monster a dreigan. Is this true?’
“‘I have said it in my message, have I not?’ the lord said. ‘It has killed all the heroes who have come to do battle with it. It is a formidable beast, indeed. The common folk seem to believe you are a great hero. If you stop it from killing my livestock…oh, and my citizens—it was clear from how he said it which was the more important—‘then there will be gold in it for you.’ He looked the two over. ‘Perhaps you can use it to buy some clothing.’
“Erent Caahs almost struck the man, but held his temper. He would see what this creature was. This slimy minor lord was not worth losing his opportunity to see one of these miraculous beasts, and of helping an entire village in the process. ‘Very well,’ he told the eel. ‘We will solve this problem for you. What is the name of the village and where may I find it?’
“‘It is Chisan’s Draw, and it is twenty miles to the south and east. Return to me with proof of the monster’s destruction and you will have your reward.’
“The two heroes took their leave and headed for the village.
“‘You should have let me drub the arse,’ Raisor said as they left.
“‘Maybe,’ Erent answered, ‘but it is a little thing and he is a little man. The chance to see a dreigan, though; that is not so little to me. Let the pathetic little lord believe he is superior. It causes us no harm.’
“‘Aye, I suppose,’ Raisor said. ‘What was the wee arse’s name?’
“‘Flidian Rump, from the fine old family of Rumps.’ Erent said, maintaining a straight face. Barely. Raisor’s deep bellow of laughter didn’t abate until they were far enough they could not see the lord’s manor house any longer.
“They traveled the rest of the day, made camp just off the roadway, and completed their journey the next morning. When they got there, it was not exactly as they expected.
“‘That pompous arse,’ Raisor said for the twentieth time as they spotted the first village buildings and made for the center of them. ‘We should have strung him up and done all his citizens a great favor.’
“Erent just laughed. His friend was quick to anger, as most Croagh he had met, but he was a good man, a true friend. ‘We’ll do his job and take some of his gold. That will be reward enough. It is for the people that we will do this thing. That, and the chance to lay eyes on something few have ever seen and lived.’
“That caused the red-haired man to stop and think. Then, his great booming laugh echoed through the outskirts of the village as he clapped Erent on the shoulder. ‘Aye, that it is. Another grand adventure, eh?’
“The village of Chisan’s Draw was not large, but neither was it the smallest the two had seen on their travels. A clump of simple homes made up the bulk of it, with a few buildings that were obviously places of trade. Wooden signs swung over the doorways of these with pictures clearly identifying the type of service or merchandise within. An anvil and hammer, a pair of shoes, a barrel, these were all common types of shops. The name Chisan’s Draw, it seemed, was of the area itself and not truly the village, but as with many small communities, the two were one and the same.
“Raisor pointed toward a large building with a sign bearing a tankard overflowing with foam. In blocky letters underneath was the name The Tankard’s Foam. The red-haired man rolled his eyes at Erent. ‘That has to be the stupidest name for a pub I’ve ever seen.’ Erent nodded in agreement.
“The two entered the common room. The establishment was not just a pub, but also had rooms to let. There was a hallway off to the left that had several doors that could be seen from the entry. The common room itself was fair-sized, enough for ten tables arranged in loose rows. More than half of them were full. To the right, a long counter dominated that part of the room, several patrons sitting there on high stools.
“A man stood behind the counter with thinning hair that appeared to have been subjected to high winds. He was a heavy man, his belly straining the buttons of his shirt and causing his apron to hang off him like a flag. Erent headed toward him.
“As he did so, Erent caught sight of a man in one corner of the room, sitting at a table with a few men and many women around him. He disregarded the entire scene as unimportant and addressed the pub keeper when he got within a few feet of him.
“‘Good day,’ Erent said.
“‘Good day to you,’ the man said. ‘Drinks?’
“‘Ale, please.’ The man produced two tankards and Erent threw him a coin as he took his first gulp. ‘We have been sent by Lord Rump to see about the beast that has been plaguing your village.’
“The man looked Erent up and down and then turned his eyes to Raisor. After inspecting him as well, he nodded. ‘You’ve come to help, have you? That’s good. We can use all the help we can get, I figure. Maybe you can join the other
hero over there’—he pointed toward the man Erent had seen, the one around whom all the people seemed to be gathering—‘Surus knows it would better your odds. We’ve lost several heroes to the creature already.’
“Erent took a closer look at the other man. He was tall, though just how tall was not evident because he was sitting down. He looked fit. In fact, he was muscular. His wavy blond hair seemed to stay in place even though the man moved and swiveled his head to give attention to several of the beautiful women who were on all sides of him. Even from the other side of the common room, Erent could see the man’s bright blue eyes. He wondered if this hero was as good with the sword propped up against the table as he seemed to be with the opposite sex.
“‘We work alone,’ he said to the man behind the counter. “Where can this monster be found?’
“The pub keeper laughed. ‘Oh, you are one of those, eh? One of those arrogant heroes who believe the beast will fall down and die just because you speak your name to it? Oh, ho, we have seen some of your kind here. They made good meals for the dreigan.’
“The man’s laughing had drawn the attention of several of the patrons and most of the room looked toward Erent and Raisor. The hero had been in similar situations before. He sighed.
“‘Please tell me where to find the beast and we will depart. The sooner you give me the information, the sooner you will be rid of your problem.’
“The man’s belly was shaking so hard from his laughter, Erent could feel it through the floor. ‘Fine, fine,’ he said. ‘Most of the attacks come from the southwest. There is rugged country there, broken hills, rocks, and some forested areas. No one is sure where the dreigan’s den actually is, but it shouldn’t be hard to find the beast itself. Rather, it won’t be hard for it to find you.’ He started laughing again.
“Raisor had been fingering his broadsword, a dangerous look in his eyes. Erent knew they had better leave before his friend did something rash. ‘I thank you. We will get some supplies and be off then.’ He turned to leave and realized that everyone in the common room was looking at him. Including the blond-haired man, who was getting to his feet.
“The pub keeper wiped a stray tear from his eye as his laughter settled down to chuckling. ‘What is your name, hero?’ That last word was stressed in such a way as to make it sound an insult. ‘We have been keeping a record of those who are killed by the monster. Some of the villagers have taken to betting on them. You know, how long they will live, things like that.’
“Erent Caahs looked in the man’s eyes, seeing in his peripheral vision that the blond man had almost reached him. ‘You’d do well not to bet against me,’ he said loudly. ‘As for my name,’ he finished his drink in one swallow, ‘I am called Erent Caahs.’ He turned and headed toward the street.
“By the time he and Raisor got to the door, there was not a sound in the common room except their footsteps.”
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“‘Wait.’ A voice chased them out of the door. ‘Please, wait.’
“It was the blond-haired man, the hero who had been basking in the adoration of the village folk. The two turned to see him coming up to them.
“‘Is it true?’ he asked. ‘Are you Erent Caahs? The Erent Caahs?’
“‘I am.’
“‘Oh, it is an honor, a great honor to meet you,’ he said. ‘I am Toan Broos.’
“Erent looked to Raisor and raised an eyebrow. His friend shrugged. The man looked at them expectantly.
“‘Toan Broos?’ he said again. ‘No? I thought maybe you had heard of me. No matter. Are you here for the dreigan, then? To rid the village of this creature?’
“‘We are,’ Raisor said. ‘And you?’
“‘I too.’ He looked at Raisor more carefully. ‘Are you Raisor Tannoch?’
“‘Aye.’
“The man put his hand out. ‘It is a pleasure to meet you as well.’ Raisor gave him a skeptical look, but shook his hand.
“The silence dragged on for a moment. Then Toan Broos broke it. ‘Could I join you? I was about to leave to find the beast, but three have a better chance than one…or two.’
“Erent looked to his friend again and then to the blond man. ‘I suppose we could work together. Better than you getting in the way trying to do your own thing. You will do as I say, though. I’ll not get killed because you think you have a better way of doing things.’
“‘Agreed. Give me but a moment to gather my gear. I will meet you at the provisioner.’
“Erent watched the man trot back to the pub. ‘Is it a mistake, do you think?’ he asked Raisor.
“The Croagh shrugged. ‘He looks to be handy enough in a fight. If he follows orders, it should be fine.’ A wicked grin came onto his face. ‘Worse comes to worst, we can use him as bait.’ Erent laughed as they headed toward the building with scales and a sack on the sign.
“All the rest of the day, the trio traveled to the southwest. Within a few hours, they found evidence of those who had encountered the dreigan.
“‘This looks to be a week old, maybe a week and a half,’ Erent said as he surveyed an area that was obviously a site of a battle. Broken weapons were scattered about: swords, spears, an ax. Bits of leather and chain armor were there, too, along with the remains of packs and supplies. There were dark patches where flies and other insects swarmed. The place had a foul scent, the scent of death.
“‘There had to be half a dozen men in this party,’ Toan said, ‘judging by the amount of armor and weapons. Half a dozen.’
“Erent looked at him, his mouth turning down into a frown. ‘What did you think, that the monster would be easy pickings? Have you never heard of the legends of the dreigan? If this truly is one of the mythical beasts, it will be the most dangerous thing I myself have ever faced. And that is saying quite a bit.’
“Toan Broos stiffened as if insulted. ‘I know, of course. It just came as a surprise. I half-expected the thing to turn out to be a bear or a pack of wolves.’
“‘Well, I would suggest that this proves otherwise,’ Raisor said. ‘It still may not be a dreigan, but you can bet we’ll earn every penny of the reward for killing this beastie.’
“They found similar sites farther on, only the apparent numbers of the combatants different. Erent silently inspected each site, pieced together in his head the circumstances of the battles, and then moved on.
“‘How do you know where you are going?’ Toan asked him toward the end of the day. ‘As big as the creature must be, I don’t see any tracks.’
“‘That is another bit of evidence that our prey may actually be a dreigan,’ Erent said. ‘They reportedly have the ability to move silently and without trace.’
“‘All the more reason for me to ask how you know where you are going,’ Toan said.
“‘He knows,’ Raisor snapped. ‘He knows, so don’t you worry your pretty head about it. Follow where he leads, and you will soon see the monster for yourself.’
“It was true. Erent Caahs had the ability to track, even without a trail. He was said to be so good that he could track a person’s thought on a cloudy, windy day. He picked out the trail and the other two followed him.
“They soon came to an area with towering trees. They were spaced well apart from each other, but their boughs high above met and shrouded the entire landscape in darkness. The terrain was rough beneath the treetops, with ruts and rocks, treacherous to pass. Erent continued on as if he could see the goal in front of him brightly lit under the noontime sun.
“They came to a massive rock formation made from boulders that had fallen from nearby cliffs and created a pile of stone as big as a hill. Within the pile, a gaping hole stared back out at them.
“‘The trail ends there,’ Erent Caahs said. The other two nodded.
“Erent unlimbered his bow and the other two checked their swords in their scabbards. Toan Broos swallowed but did not speak. After bringing torches out of their packs and lighting them with flint and steel, their leader nodded and entered the mou
th of the cave.
“The cave was a hollow made from the way the boulders had fallen and stacked. It was massive, but just the entryway. They soon found that it led to an actual cave, one carved into the cliff itself. It stretched off ahead of them, much farther than the torch could show.
“The smell of the place began to get stronger. The stench of rotting meat and the musk of animals made the men gag and their eyes water. It smelled exactly like what it was: a predator’s den.
“There were few passages that came off the main one, and those that did were too small to be of concern. The men could have passed through them, but the dreigan must be much larger than they. So they kept following the main passage through its twists and turns until it finally opened into a large chamber.
“The ceiling was too high for the torch to reach, and likewise the walls were not visible in the flickering yellow light. What was visible was the beast as it rose from its rest, hissing madly at them.
“It truly was a dreigan. All three humans looked at it in wonder.
“The beast was at least twenty-five feet long. Its body was sinuous, like a snake’s, but looked like one that had just eaten large prey, with a lump in the middle. Unlike a serpent, though, the dreigan had four legs coming out from the side of its torso, much like a lizard. Hardened spines lined the length of its back, and scaly armor—thick as a man’s outstretched hand—covered its entire body. As it lifted its bulk up off the ground, it opened its mouth, showing rows of glistening, razor sharp teeth. It flicked its tail in irritation and locked its huge yellow eyes on the men in front of it.
“Before it could strike, the men split up. The creature’s eyes tried to follow all of them, but then snapped to focus in front of it. Right at Erent Caahs. A savage roar shook the cavern and its head shot out on its long neck to snatch up the tiny thing in front of it, a striking snake eager to gobble its prey.
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