We all moved to our positions and the caravan set off. “So you are good and an adventurer.” Harold said as we both sat on the front wagon. I was tempted to walk but he had beckoned me to sit. The aged porter chose to ignore us.
“Yeah, I also use time mana. I had a spar with Karn the other day and managed to impress him.” I said.
“Really. Knew him back in the army. That man is scary but good. I heard his strength is over two hundred.” Harold whispered. I looked at him in surprise. It was the first time I ever heard someone mention a number in regards to someone’s status. I also noted he hadn’t started asking about my mana right away.
“Don’t look so surprised. It was the talk of the army when he ripped a gnoll’s arm off and beat it to death with the same arm. Like me, the merchant guild sends him to trouble areas.”
“Surprised his team isn’t here.”
“They won’t take this job. Only reason I am here is that I got a son in Goldtown.”
“Really?”
“Yeah one of the prisoners there. Fell into debt and put to work to pay it off. I am going there to pay it off and get him out. Goldtown is also the biggest prison and slave camp in the kingdom. The walls are there to keep the monsters out. They actually allow a single person to leave each day if they want to. The screams normally deter any others. If they complain the guards just go into the fort and lock it and let a few monsters over run things.” I looked at him in shock. I knew people could become debt slaves but I never realized it could be that bad.
“I heard they haven’t had to do that for years, but I am getting my son out of there. So time mana, that must be a neat trick.”
“Watch.” I leapt off the cart and grabbed a stone. I then returned with it. I then threw the stone ahead of us. “Stop.” It stopped in mid-air. A second later it dropped.
“Wow, that is not something you see every day. I could see how that would be insanely overpowered in a knife fight. Just keep things off of me and I will put an arrow in them.” Harold said.
“You ever make this trip before?” I asked.
“No, the losses are high and only the desperate make this trip.”
“Tell me about it.” The porter muttered but we ignored him.
***
The Baron had remained locked in his carriage and refused to see anyone. I had tried meeting with my brother in law but his servants had explained that he did not want to be disturbed. I guess he would have to come out when we got to Goldtown. It was annoying but I wasn’t overly concerned. Everyone else did their own thing and the only one I really ever spoke to was Harold.
Nothing happened until we past the last village before Goldtown. The tension had definitely increased as I walked in front of the caravan, keeping an eye on Harold in the distance. “Ambush!” He shouted out as a flight of arrows flew at his position. He dodged out of the way.
“Ambush!” I shouted back to the rest of the caravan and looked around. A barrage of arrows flew out of the forest. I really needed a wide area of effect slow or stop ability. Thankfully the arrows were shot at an arc for range rather than straight for speed. I moved out of the way as they thudded into the dirt road.
I saw movement in the forest but it was hard to make out. A quick glance showed Harold shooting into the forest and I heard a couple of screams. A group of five haggard looking men ran out of the forest with swords drawn and closed on my position. “Slow!” I shouted out and sliced the man across the stomach, letting his guts fall to the road.
“Maaaaaaaggggg-“ I cast slow on the next one and sliced his throat. A spray of blood decorated the ground while I moved out of the way. The other three backed off a bit at that looking between me and their fallen comrades. A bright light suddenly entered my vision and there were three charred and smoking corpses.
I looked around for any more opponents but the attack seemed to be over. The caravan was fine and the only one injured was Harold who had an arrow in his leg. “Gregson see to that. Good work everyone.” Karn said.
I began looking over the corpses the blades were fairly nice. I began collecting them. “Loot is loot.” I said when people looked at me. Karn just let out a booming laugh.
“All loot will be split evenly between us six.” He looked at me and I nodded. Sure the priest wouldn’t contribute much in the fight but if I got injured I would want healing. “Good, now let’s get moving before monsters come looking for their dinner.”
We traveled until it was utterly dark and stopped at a small clearing on the side of the road. The wagons were drawn in a circle around our campfire.
“How many you think there were?” I asked.
“Probably twenty. I got three, I think.” Harold said. We hadn’t bothered looking for corpses in the forest.
“So almost half of them, not bad.” Michael added. “Good job spotting the ambush, didn’t get much work in the back, but probably for the best.”
“That’s what I am paid for. Just glad we have a priest, so hard to heal without one.” He said nodding at Gregson.
“It is no problem.” Gregson said.
“Alright, clear the road and get this shit show rolling. I don’t want to be here at night with my pants down.” Karn yelled out. Everyone got to work ignoring his brash comments and soon we were moving again.
That night as we stopped in a clearing and set up camp there was a heightened sense of fear in the air. I had always been concerned for my own wellbeing but was confident in my skills and knowledge to carry the day. As I sat there staring into the fire I realized that I was feeling a small sense of what Bran had been feeling.
“Problem?” Harold asked.
“No, just realized why my teammate Bran didn’t want to come along. Afraid of dying.” I said.
“Those didn’t look like your first human kills.” Harold replied.
“No they weren’t. There is something in the air. I am-“
“What do you mean the air?” Harold asked.
“I am feeling afraid and I realized what Bran had been feeling.” Harold stood up and looked around.
“Karn, we need you.” Karn came over with an annoyed look on his face. “Something in the air. Don’t you feel it?” Harold asked him. Karn was silent as he slowly looked around.
“Yeah, something in the air. Shit. Mage Karen come here.” The mage quickly came over from where she had been meditating off to the side. “We need to burn the forest around the camp, airborne attack. Can you do it?”
“I won’t be able to do anything for at least two days after that.” She said.
“Do it.” Karn replied. Mage Karen stepped off to the side and whispered a few words. I looked away and could feel the light through my skin like my flash tags. There were a boom that echoed through the clearing. When I opened my eyes the foliage was on fire all around the camp.
“Stay calm!” Karn boomed out. “Make sure the wagons don’t catch fire and watch the horses. Everyone else stay alert.” The fire died a bit later burning a charred circle around the clearing were in. I no longer felt any fear gripping me. That had been a surreal experience.
“How did you know?” I asked Harold as we stared out at the smoldering embers.
“Experience. There was no reason to feel fear now. You have experience so I didn’t think you were afraid of the dark that much.” I looked off to the side not knowing what to say. “Don’t feel bad. Karn and I weren’t affected. The problem with high points is that you can miss the small things. The porters would have gone mad before we realized something was wrong.”
“Thanks, I feel a bit better, kind of. I was weak enough to sense the attack but didn’t recognize it.” I grumbled.
“Happens to everyone sometime. Why do you think we travel in a group? We cover each other’s weak areas. I could never hope to beat you in a straight up fight and you probably have no clue how to shoot a bow.” Harold said.
“Yeah, I guess. Well I am going to get some rest before my watch comes up. Night.”
“Night
.” Just as I was about to drift off I heard some noise and woke up. In the dim light I saw movement past the wagons.
“Ambush!” I yelled out. I was up with my sword and the camp burst to life. I heard the snap of bowstrings. I grabbed up my blanket and tossed it up like a shield above me. “Stop!” I called out just as the arrows slammed into the center of the campsite. I heard a couple of people scream out. The blanket fell to the ground having protected me from the arrows.
A figure rushed at me with a slightly gleaming sword. “Slow.” I slashed out and opened up their guts.
“Die you assholes!” Karn roared. It was impossible to see anything. I went for my back and pulled four light runes and one flash rune I had prepared a while ago. I made my way across the campsite and past the wagons.
“Slow.” I hit another charging figure and slashed open their stomach. A wound like that was crippling and their screams would hopefully demoralize their friends. I activated and tossed a light rune down. I made my way around the wagons dropping the remaining light runes and slaying two more of the enemy I came across.
That was when I was rushed by four at once. Their blades gleaming in the darkness. I activated the flash rune and then attacked. They were stumbling about like the drunken sailors I had seen on the docks. One had even dropped his weapon. There was still screaming but the sounds of fighting had died off.
I went back inside the ring of wagons and it was carnage. Karn was covered in what could only be described as a lot of blood. I went to my pack which had thankfully survived. I pulled out the last of my light runes and began putting them about the camp. The extra light only made the grisly scene even worse.
Blood and guts were strewn about. Priest Gregson was moving from person to person making sure they lived. I looked at the enemy. They were dressed in green with fair looks and pointed ears. “Shit cursed elves.” Karn had come up to me. “Good job with the light.”
“Thanks.”
“You did good kid. You are alive, killed some of these ass holes, and haven’t puked out your guts yet.” Karn said.
“I will get to work on looting them.” I said.
“Make sure you cut off their ears. Bounty is ten copper an elf and they hate seeing that. Drives them mad with grief seeing corpses cut up like that. I need to find some water, their blood is going to make me stink like a freaking tree.” Karn walked off.
It was a long night as I gathered up their swords and ears. I managed to collect twenty five ears and eighteen blades. Despite being monsters they knew how to make good weapons. Probably sell for at least a silver or two each judging by the quality. Karn ordered all the elf corpses tossed into the forest while the rest were burned.
Six of the porters and one of the Baron’s two servants were dead along with Mage Karen, and Michael. Harold survived but was still crippled. He had been hit with a number of arrows while on watch. While he had avoided any fatal blows he had been turned into a pin cushion in the initial attack. Priest Gregson had managed to keep him alive, but he wasn’t going to be doing much for a while.
I went over to check on Mage Karen. She had died in her sleep hit with arrows. No one was paying attention as I discretely checked her robes before dawn came. I left the money bag alone and her necklace. The eagle pendent would be too obvious and I was looking for information, not trinkets. I moved onto her pack and found a bound manuscript. I took it and placed it in my own pack. Thankfully no one had seen me and I went back to sorting out the campsite.
The biggest problem were the horses. Two thirds of them had been lost, which was a complete disaster. We started with twenty two had now we only had eight. Karn got everyone together during breakfast except the Baron who refused to leave his carriage.
“We are abandoning four wagons. The caravan master will drive a wagon along with Priest Gregson. Two horses are needed to pull the Baron’s carriage. You porters will move the supplies to the least damaged wagons.” Karn glared at everyone daring them to disagree.
Everything was moved and the four wagons were burned so that no one else could steal them. The dead bodies of the other people on the caravan were also burned with the wagons. Their packs were tossed on the fire and anything of value was added to the general loot pile. It was a grim group that left a towering pillar of smoke behind that morning.
***
The following couple of days as we continued traveling were incredibly tense. I kept worrying about an attack any moment. Priest Gregson finally managed to completely heal Harold. Unfortunately the older man had been severely shaken by his near death experience. He was quiet and withdrawn. Even Karn bellowing couldn’t rouse him from where he had mentally retreated to.
We reached Goldtown without further incident, but once reaching the walled town the gates were strewn open and the smell of death hung in the air. We entered through the gates, Karn leading the way. Inside the town there were bodies everywhere, both slaves and soldiers alike. I glanced at the large fortress embedded into the nearby cliff face.
Huge chunks of stone had been ripped out exposing various rooms and passages. The fact there were more corpses littered about it did not bode well for the fortress. “By the Gods.” Priest Gregson said and I couldn’t find anything to disagree with him.
The Baron finally got out of his carriage and looked around. “What is the meaning of this!” We all looked at him.
“Well I would say everyone is dead. Hard to tell what did it. Most of these people have died from brutal cuts, but that could be a sword or some sharp monster claw. Could even by mana.” Karn said as he looked at various corpses.
“Baron was my sister here.” I went right up to him.
“You can’t question me-“
“Is my sister here, brother-in-law. Answer.” He looked distinctly uncomfortable and we only got a couple of looks before people turned away. Baron Hartsford looked around nervously like he wanted to escape. I put my hand on my blade and kept staring at him.
“Yes, she was living here under the protection of Knight Ralin. The top of the fortress.” I turned away from him and followed his gaze. The top of the fortress looked relatively intact. I pulled out my blade and set off.
“Where are you going?” Karn yelled out.
“The top of the fortress.” I didn’t stop moving. He started yelling at the others but I wasn’t paying attention. I entered through the shattered main doors of the building and found a stair case that was solid enough for me to ascend. I began my climb past the ruined stonework and corpses. Something had come in here to kill these men and that worried me.
It was five flights of stairs to the top. I began searching each room but there was nothing but death. At the next to last room I pushed open the splintered door and looked inside. There on the floor with a cut across her neck was my sister. Her face was etched in terror and I could see she had been pregnant.
I walked over and stood above her. I never liked Clarissa that much. She was so bossy and rude but there was that one time I had gotten sick and she made me soup every day and fed it to me. Clarissa the wild one as my family liked to call her. I leaned down and closer her eyes.
“Gods of Light and Order see Clarissa’s soul to peace and rest.” Not much of a prayer but I didn’t feel like much either. I looked her over once more in her light blue green dress now stained a dark purple with blood. I noted something under her left hand and gently lifted it.
She had written on the stone floor in her blood. ‘Death’ was the message. I looked around the room, but besides the shattered armor and the remains of knight inside of them there were no others. I walked over to a nearby desk and searched it. It didn’t take me long to find a journal, a habit instilled by our mother. I kept mine for research but Clarissa liked to record things about other people.
I flipped it open to near the end for any kind of clue of what happened.
Knight Ralin is so frustrating. I just wanted to walk outside a bit but he had me lay down instead. I am going to kill Hartsford the next time I
see him for getting me pregnant. My body hurts and is all wrong.
I skipped ahead.
Something interesting happened around here besides a monster attack. A cavern was discovered in the mines and that could open up the avenue for more wealth. I won’t see any of it stuck in bed like this.
The remainder of the entry was about the various servants and how much each of them annoyed her. I smiled a bit as a tear rolled down my cheek. I brushed it off and took the journal. I then turned back to her corpse. It took a fair amount of time as I carried it down the tower and back outside. Karn came over and looked her over.
“Your sister?” He asked for confirmation.
“Yes, and the Baron’s wife. I am going to burn the corpse.” I said quietly. He walked away. I began drawing up heat runes and left them damaged similar to the flash runes so they would expel all their mana at once. Once that was complete I went back into the fortress and found a storeroom with barrels of lamp oil. I cracked open the top of one barrel and took an entire bucket.
Returning to my sister’s corpse laid out on the ground I covered her with oil. I noted that Karn was dragging the Baron over. “You are going to watch your wife’s funeral. If you want to get me in trouble for that go ahead.”
“She is already dead and I need the safety of my carriage.” Karn just held him nearby. Priest Gregson came over.
“Can you say a prayer for Clarissa?” I asked.
“Of course. Gods of Light and Order hear me now. Clarissa has passed from this world, now protect her soul and guide her to salvation.” He gave me a nod. I activated the runes and the corpses went up in flames. We stared at the burning corpse for a while as the dusk slowly settled over the ruins of Goldtown.
“How touching.” A raspy voice wheezed out and we all spun. The person could only be described as a pile of black robes with a face hidden in darkness from the hood drooping down over it. I had an uneasy feeling and drew my sword.
“Who are you, or should I ask what are you?” Karn said. He pulled free his massive two handed blade.
Adventures of a Scribe Page 21
