Caged: Book 2 Of the King's Hand Series

by B. A. Monaghan

  “You should get with Mateo. He and his squad of adventurers are actually looking for a new job. They like the tougher ones because they pay better and it gives them more experience and they level faster. They even have that mage working with them, I think her name is Odelia. Since her experience with the caravan along with the amount of levels she gained from that trip, she is level hungry. Mateo and his group like her because of her devastating blasts. You know mages, one and done.”

  I’ll get this filled out, and I would like to give it to Mateo for him to look at first. Is that OK to do?”

  “Yes, it’s fine. The guild doesn’t like specific requests too often. They would like everyone who wants a chance at some good jobs to actually get the chance. There are some people who post jobs that will refuse to give the job to certain individuals because of previous bad experiences. It seems to work out in the end.” Imala had some great information.

  “Well I’ll head on up to the bank then. If you see Mateo, please let them know I have a job for them.”

  “They usually come in about this time of day to check the board. I’ll let them know you have something.”

  Roland headed to the bank where he withdrew seven gold. He needed to purchase some food before he left. He would pay the group five gold for helping to retrieve the amber slime. He also received approval for his job posting by the bank.

  As they made their way down to the main area of the guild hall, Roland and Shadow could hear Mateo’s joyful attitude. His group was sitting together in a grouping of chairs and couches. When Mateo saw them his smile grew bigger, if that was actually possible.

  “Roland, it is good to see you. It’s also good to hear you have a job for us. I trust it will be a worthy adventure?”

  “I hope it is going to be a successful adventure for all of us. I need to collect some slime from a creature in the Endless Swamp called an Amber Slime. I’ve never seen one, and I’m not sure where in the Endless Swamp it might be located. The job pays five gold for a jar of amber slime taken from the outside of the slime. The slime on the inside of the creature isn’t concentrated like the slime on the outside.” He looked over at Odelia. “So, please don’t explode the thing with your electrical spells.”

  Odelia smirked. “Don’t worry Roland, I’ll only cast the big spells when we are in big trouble. I can’t imagine that a slime will be a problem.”

  Mateo broke back into the conversation. “Five gold is a lot of money for some slime. What is so important about this slime and why can’t we just get the slime of any other slime creature?”

  “I am having a special bow made. To make it strong, and light as possible, I need the amber slime. I’ve also never been in the swamp before. I was told that this trip required a team of adventurers so that I could survive. I was hoping you had been to the swamp before.”

  “We have all been to the swamp. It used to be a place where an old extinct empire was located. Everyone searches for lost treasure and ancient magical items. The Alchemist Guild always needs items from creatures in the swamp. If you can’t find treasure, you will surely find creatures, and the parts from those creatures are purchased by the Alchemist Guild. So, a win-win situation for all of us. We win if we find treasure and we win because we kill creatures to earn money and also gain lots of experience.”

  Odelia had a smile on her face now. “If I had known that becoming an adventurer would get me leveled this fast, I would have done more of this when I was younger. It beats practicing on a target in the Mages Guild year after year.”

  “Since I haven’t been in the swamp before, what do I need to bring along that I might not already have?”

  “I would suggest getting a hammock. It allows you to sleep off the ground and out of the mud. A mosquito net would be good too. It will keep the mosquitos from biting you during the night, which helps you get better sleep if that is possible. The heat and humidity is tough. They don’t call it the Endless Swamp for nothing. You should probably pick up a machete too. There are places in the swamp where we will have to whack our way through the tough bushes and grass. You might also want to get some antivenom from the alchemists. Half the things in the swamp are poisonous.” Mateo had a very definite list of items. Roland would make sure he secured all the items.

  “Let’s meet back here tomorrow morning and we will leave at first light.” They all agreed, then departed their own ways.

  Roland and Shadow picked up a few vials of antivenom, just in case his elixirs weren’t enough. He prepared several types of antivenom and some mosquito repellant, placing them into the pockets of his pack. Procuring a hammock was proving a challenge, the mosquito netting was harder still. He was so intent upon finding the netting, he almost forgot to get a machete. Gimin the dwarven blacksmith helped him out. He found one with a few dwarven runes, however Roland could only borrow, not purchase it. Gimin couldn’t let a machete with those runes be purchased from the dwarves. So, Roland would just return the machete when he returned. That and a large payment for the loan.

  He said his goodbyes to Hazel and Vivi that night. They had a nice large meal and the girls wished he and Shadow a speedy return. Hazel was looking ragged. Her apprentice was going well, but they were working her hard. She reminded Roland to keep an eye out on products that could be brought back to the capitol to sell. She was determined to give the bigger merchant houses a run for their money.

  Roland and Shadow awoke early, prepared and ate a large breakfast and were ready to go. Mateo and the crew were at the Adventures Guild, waiting for Roland to arrive. They had just had their own breakfast. Everyone was upbeat despite the fact that the weather was looking bad. This sky was cloudy and it rained on and off throughout the day.

  Normally they would pay for an escort for the caravan, however, the Endless Swamp was in a direction few caravans traveled. They would have to travel on their own without the advantage of an escort.

  They traveled west, southwest in a direct line towards the Endless Swamp. The area they traveled through was probably the largest farming area on the continent. There were fields of corn, wheat, potatoes, and other vegetables grown in this area. It would’ve been very pleasurable to travel through this area if it wasn’t for the rain. It rained for three days without stopping.

  The rain finally ceased, but the humidity was very high. Small ponds dotted the landscape in every direction. According to Mateo, the humidity and the rain would just get worse the closer they travelled to the Endless Swamp.

  At times, the group was forced to walk on top of dikes which wove along a series of rice farms. Roland kept the group in fresh meat for their evening meals. Mostly he would bring down a few ducks or geese that tended to live in the ponds of water found everywhere. Nothing seems to keep adventurer’s spirits up like fresh meat for the meals.

  As they continued to approach the Endless Swamp the number of mosquitos rose exponentially. The netting for sleeping came out early, long before they hit the actual swamp. Roland was incredibly thankful for purchasing that item in particular. The home remedy to keep mosquitos away was put to use frequently, and he was hoping he had brought enough.

  The terrain was beginning to change. Cyprus trees were growing in and near the small ponds of water. Small streams were appearing every half mile or so. The trees had moss growing on the branches, looking like brownish green hair. It gave an ominous feel to the mission.

  Just before they entered the swamp, the group came across a small shack hidden in a grove of live oaks. The ground was a bit higher in this area and would make for a good place to camp for the night. They thought that they would see if the owner of the shack wouldn’t mind them staying next to their cabin.

  Mateo walked the short distance to the cabin and knocked on the door. An old woman opened the door. If he could have described a witch, the woman standing in front of him would have been the perfect example. She was very wrinkly and her whitish grey hair was sticking out in all directions. Her skin looked like the bark of a ponderosa pin
e. She wore a dress that had seen better decades. The color of the dress was greenish brown, matching the moss on the nearby trees. As Roland analyzed the dress, he could imagine that it would be hard to see in the swamp. The one thing that was out of place was the smile on her face.

  The old woman looked about with glee. “Well, I’m blessed tonight. I haven’t seen anyone since I traveled to the neighbors a month ago. I can’t even remember the last time anyone came to visit me. Where are my manners? Come in, come in. I don’t have a lot of space, but I have enough for the people. The wolf might need to stay outside. Oh, and my name is Matty.”

  Mateo took over as the group’s leader. “Matty, it is good to meet you. My name is Mateo and I’m the leader of this adventures group. This is Odelia, Vena, the big guy is Damari, and the tough looking one is Roland. The wolf outside is with Roland. His name is Shadow.”

  Matty arranged everyone inside, a few crates improvised as chairs. There was a fairly large table in the center of the room and she had a fire going with something bubbling in a big black pot that smelled wonderful. “I wasn’t planning on cooking for so many so let me put some more food on. It will take a bit, but you will like it I guarantee it.”

  Roland got up and pulled two ducks from his pack he had picked off during the day. “Here you go ma’am. We were going to cook this over campfire for our dinner tonight, but it might be a good addition to what you are cooking.”

  Matty took the birds from Roland. “Thank you so very much. I don’t get duck too often anymore. My husband passed on a few years ago. He could knock down a duck every few days. I miss him and the ducks he provided for us.” She was beginning to turn around to prepare the ducks when she paused. She sniffed the air and looked back at Roland. “I smell marigolds and scented geraniums. Did you purchase those elixirs or did you make them?”

  Roland lowered his head slightly. “I made the elixir. My mother taught me.”

  That brought on a smile from Matty. “Well your mother is a blessing to you, young man. Not too many herbalists in this world today. Everyone wants those potions from the alchemists. They have to have a remedy right now. You keep using those elixirs of yours. They are much healthier than any potion. The potions always have side effects that the alchemists never tell you about. They want to keep that hidden from everyone.”

  Matty turned back around to prepare the ducks for the meal. Roland sat down next to her, took one of the ducks, and began to pluck the feathers. As they were working Roland was wondering if this woman was an herbalist herself. “Matty, are you by chance an herbalist?”

  “It’s the only thing that keeps me going. The only reason people in this area even speak to me is for my elixirs. I know how to keep the swamp fever away. People pay well for my elixirs. That is how I can keep meat in the old pot. They pay me with pigs, goats, geese, and duck sometimes. I have everything else I need.”

  Roland and Matty spent the rest of the night discussing remedies and elixirs from plants found in the area. Matty gave Roland a list of plants she was needing that only came from deep in the swamp. He would get as much of the list as possible. In exchange, she would give him a few remedies that would help the group in the swamp. She gave him her recipe for mosquito repellent made from citronella grass and catnip. She also gave him a recipe to keep the vampire bats away which contained Devil’s Club mixed with a Screech Bat gland.

  Roland was puzzled. “Mom told me about Devil’s Club. The only way I know to use it is to grind the roots to make a poultice that will pull infections out of a wound. I have never heard of a Screech Bat.”

  Matty was listening carefully. “I didn’t know about the poultice. I use the top of the Devil’s Club. Find a plant that has flowered and pull the seed pod off. The thorns on the seed pod will cause you to blister if they break the skin. It is called Devil’s Club for a reason. The Screech Bat will show up the first night you’re in the swamp. Put some cotton in your ears. The screech they make will cause you great pain if you don’t. They are magical creatures, and the pain comes from the sound they make from magic secretion glands which are located in the neck. “

  “When they attack, just shoot them in the abdomen. They will drop like flies. Try to get two or three of the creatures. That should give you enough glands. Take the seeds from the Devil’s Club seed pod and crush them, then mix the glands with the crushed seed. Each night place a few drops around your camp to keep any kind of bat away from your camp site.”

  This got Mateo’s attention. “You’re telling me that an elixir will keep those horrid bats away? I have lost so much sleep because of those stupid bats. Maybe this won’t be such a bad trip after all.”

  Matty added the duck meat to her large pot along with some herbs and seasonings. “What exactly are you searching for? Most adventurers are searching for lost magical items. Do you have something specific in mind, or is this just a shot in the dark to find something?”

  Damari finally spoke up. “We are looking for an amber slime. It pays five gold to fill a good size bottle of the slime found on the outside of the creature.”

  Matty was looking surprised. “An amber slime? Do you know they can only be found in the center of the swamp? That will take weeks to get in that far. It isn’t that far as the crow flies, but traveling through the swamp will take a long time.”

  Mateo was interested in what she knew. “What do you know about the slime and do you have any suggestions as to how we might collect it?”

  Matty chuckled. “I know more about that swamp than any person alive. It would take half a life time to teach anyone what I know about that swamp. The center of that swamp is where the magical creatures really start to get thick as fleas. I’ll show Roland the easiest way to get through. That in itself should take a week out of your travel time. I’ll provide you with a few elixirs because sickness will be your worst enemy, with mosquitos being your next worst. The leaches you will encounter will not be easy to overcome, either. The magical creatures that want to eat you are formidable. Most people worry about the big creatures, but the small ones will kill you just as fast.”

  Vena was now interested. “I’m a priest and I am the healer. I’m sure I can keep everyone healed.”

  “You might, but keep in mind the elixirs will keep you from having to use all your mana. Only spend mana when you have to. The time when you may need to heal the most is the time when you won’t have the required mana. I would make sure everyone is free of leaches every night. Make everyone strip. If they are squeamish about taking off their clothes they shouldn’t have become adventurers. It will save you from having to heal them all the time. Make sure Roland shares the mosquito repellent with everyone.”

  The evening meal was good and they talked late into the night. Matty was a big help because she really did know a lot about the swamp. Mateo wished he had met Matty sooner, and he would make sure to spread the news about Matty to other adventurers. Matty could potentially gain a lot of business from the guild, and the guild would have more survivors from whom they could collect more taxes.

  The next day the group headed toward the swamp. Roland was given a map which was written on some type of leather, or maybe a skin. He put a marker where Matty’s house was located so that he could always find it. Matty had made a trail leading into the swamp that they were able to follow for almost 2 miles before it faded away and wild thorn bushes, vines, and waterways took over. Roland was able to see many of the plants Matty had spoken about.

  When they stopped to take a break later in the morning, Roland thought he should check his herbalism experience on his status panel.

  Herbalism - Experienced 8

  The plants and animals around you give up their potential to heal or to hurt for you.

  Passive Abilities

  20% Chance to detect possible uses for plants

  Active Abilities

  Increased potency 30% (10 mana)

  Sure enough his experience level for herbalism had increased twice since he had last checked
. What was encouraging was the fact that his potency had increased. His passive ability had always been empty, but now it was showing that if he studied a plant he might be able to come up with a new elixir or poultice. Even though he was hot, sticky, and in a killer swamp, things were looking up at the moment.

  They started out again and were in generally good spirits. The first part of the swamp hadn’t been bad. There were the usual issues: and large constrictor snakes were commonly seen along the path; smaller poisonous snakes were less conspicuous but Shadow was able to smell them out so that the team could avoid them. The mosquitos were ever present buzzing around them. The repellent they were using was doing its job by keeping the blood suckers from taking a sip. Then the swamp seemed to put up a barrier.

  Matty had warned them that the vegetation would get thick and now it seemed to form a wall in front of them. Roland pulled out his machete, the one that was on loan to him from Gimin hoping that it was as useful as advertised.

  The first slash Roland made with the machete was impressive. He quickly began slicing a tunnel through the thick vegetation. At first things were working well, then without knowing what was happening, he felt stings coming from all directions, horrible terrible pain. He turned and ran back out of the tunnel he had just cut, yelling out the danger as the whole group turned and ran.

  The stings stopped after they had travelled about 100 yards. Roland was covered in red welts everywhere his skin was exposed. Vena had him sit down so she could take a look at the stings. She cast a healing spell on Roland and thankfully he began to feel relief immediately.

  Shadow caught his attention. The bees have a peculiar smell. Did you smell it?

  Roland took a sniff of the air and sure enough there was a different smell. So many times, he had smelled things that he could never identify, but here again when he could pin point the smell it was easy to notice. I do smell it. Do you think we can avoid the bees? I don’t want to have an experience like that again.