The Staff of Sakatha

by Tom Liberman

  “I understood you from the very beginning of this operation, general,” said Usharra and brushed the hand off his shoulder with a sudden movement. “While I understand that setting aside our differences is impossible, I do think we must coordinate our ascent of the mountain. I find the dreams of the Toxic One most erratic of late and particularly unhelpful. We need to make a plan in the event we cannot immediately find the Staff of Sakatha. I have strong indications that there are others interested in the item and they will fight us for it.”

  “If you find the dreams difficult to interpret then I suppose Chusarausea chooses that to be the case,” said the general with a smile that revealed his long rows of sharp teeth. He put his hand on his sword hilt, “I take it as a sign that you’ve fallen out of favor with the dragon and with the tribal elders. That being the case, I see no real reason you are of use to this expedition at all.” With that the tall reptile pulled out his sword and took a step back.

  Usharra took three steps back himself, raised his hands, and began to mutter magical words when a low cough interrupted them.

  The general turned towards a smallish reptile man with scales colored largely a dull gray with a few patches of black, “What do you want?”

  “It’s that reconnaissance you sent out, general,” said the boy with a squeak in his voice. “They met up with some Freeriders and there was a battle.”

  “What reconnaissance?” said Usharra.

  The boy looked at the priest, his eyes wide and then looked back at the general but said nothing.

  “Damn you Melharras, if you destroyed our chance to get the staff in order to gain some personal glory I’ll …,” he stood for a moment incapable of putting thoughts to words as the heavily armed general stood ready to strike with his sword.

  “You’ll what?” said the red and purple scaled warrior, “you’ll nothing. Sound the conchs,” he said and turned to the young soldier. “We’ll kill these Freeriders and then travel during the day to the Mountains of the Orc like proud warriors, not like snakes slinking to their nest.”

  The boy ran off at a gallop and the general turned to Usharra. “I should just kill you now, but my troops need me. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll be gone by the time we get back from killing the Freeriders. I’d offer to bring back one of their women for you but I’m not sure that’s to your taste.” With that the general followed the boy back into the cave although the sounds of conch shells already echoed back and forth along the passage.

  “By Sakatha that fool will kill us all,” said Usharra to himself. “I must gather the loyal priests and the naval crew. We need to head directly to the mountains or all is lost!”

  Chapter 17

  “Where did they get themselves to?” said Odellius his breath coming in heavy pants as he and a dozen other knights of Elekargul stopped for a moment in their chase.

  “I don’t know,” said Thaddeus. “Once the mayor joined us, who knows why he left the safety of town in the first place, things have been a shambles. That damn fool just charged after them into the darkness. We need to coordinate, but nobody is listening. We’re all on our civilian twelve month and no one wants to take orders from anyone else. We don’t have a command structure.”

  “I know Thaddeus, I know. How many men followed the mayor after the creatures?” he said with a shake of his head as his breath slowly returned to a normal pattern.

  “At least half of us,” said the hobgoblin brew master as he also shook his head and fingered the sword at his side.

  “All right,” said Odellius and put his hand to his massive stomach. “Get everyone who is left gathered and we’ll advance silently. If those lobsters jump into a pot of trouble we’ll hear the fighting and charge up as a reserve force.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Thaddeus as clenching his fist and raising it in salute.

  A few minutes later forty men stood at the ready with Odellius in the lead. “All right men,” said the rotund warrior. “The mayor went chasing with the rest of the fellows so I’m taking command. I know the First Rider hasn’t authorized any of us to use military force but it is as it is. Does anyone object?”

  No one dissented and after a few seconds Odellius nodded his head. “Excellent, we’re going to move forward at a walk, no noise, and keep listening for the sounds of battle up ahead. If you hear anything don’t go charging off into the night. Say something to a neighbor and I’ll issue orders. Understood?”

  The men nodded and clenched their fist in the same manner Thaddeus did a moment before. “Now, let’s move out,” ordered Odellius.

  They spread out into a skirmisher’s formation and walked silently into the night, their swords in hand, and ears cocked to listen for anything except the crickets and occasional hoot of an owl.

  It didn’t take long to hear the strange almost kitchen like sounds of sword play and then a shout from some Elekargulian, “To me, to me! Knights of Elekargul.”

  “Hold your position,” said Odellius in a loud voice but not a shout. “We’ll move around and flank them. Hit ‘em in the side. They’re reptile men, they don’t much like battling on land and don’t maneuver well. Watch out for their tails, they can trip you with a sweep. Now, come along and behave like knights, not little girls!” He continued and then began to move to the left in a wide maneuver.

  The knights followed him silently into the cool evening and within another minute a new eruption of cries roared out as they attacked the reptile army from the flank.

  Chapter 18

  “They’re all after the Staff of Sakatha,” said Sorus as he finished with the ants. The young lad immediately flailed his arms and fell on his backside, “whoa.”

  Jon walked over with two tremendous strides and knelt next to Sorus, “You’ve been lying down for six hours, Sorus. Take it easy,” he said and held the boy around the shoulders to steady him.

  “They just left, a skeleton thing and a snake thing, they’re the leaders, we can catch them!” said Sorus and pointed off in the direction the two went only moments before. “But they’re not on the same side. I think there are like five or six sides and no one knows where the staff is hidden. They were talking about dreams and dragons and things. They need the children of dragons to interpret the dreams from some dragon that will tell them where the staff is hidden,” he blurted out all in a rush.

  Proteus looked to Jon who looked back at the older knight and both men shrugged at the same moment. “Are you ready for a chase?” said Jon to Sorus as he turned back to the young man and released his hold.

  Sorus put his hand to his sword hilt and rose unsteadily, “Of course I am. I … I just got a bit dizzy standing up so quickly. If we want to get that staff then we have to go right now.”

  Jon nodded and smiled, “You’ve the warrior spirit all right Sorus, I’m pretty sure I’ve got it, and there is no doubt in my mind that Proteus there, Brokenshield or no, has the same. Now, the only question I have is; how do you kill a skeleton thing and a snake thing?” With that Jon started off down the path and then looked back to Sorus, “They did head this way, didn’t they?”

  Sorus looked down the narrow trail and thought about it for a moment, “I guess, I mean the only other direction is back down the slope.”

  “Good enough,” said Jon and dashed up the mountain trail.

  “Follow him,” said Proteus as he busied himself with the saddle bags attached to the horses, “I’ll gather some supplies in case we end up gone overnight. Go on, Sorus, I’ll catch up.”

  Sorus started to run after Jon but felt a sudden onset of nausea and slowed his pace for a moment, “Jon, slow down and wait for us!” he called out.

  It took Proteus several minutes to get water, food, and other supplies from the horses and then he paused for a moment and stared at the beasts. “I’ll leave you free, head down the mountain if we’re not back in a day or so,” he said to the horses and shook his head. “I’m an old fool still talking to horses after all these years,” and with that went
after Sorus and Jon. It only took him about five minutes to catch up with the two as they stood near a rocky overhang in animated discussion. They saw him coming and motioned him up with a wave of their hands.

  “Goblins or orcs,” said Jon and pointed with his finger around the corner. “I sniffed out an ambush.”

  “Well done, Jon,” said Proteus, “how did you spot them?”

  Jon pointed to a crossbow bolt on the dirt trail just to their right, “I cleverly drew their fire,” replied the young warrior.

  “It’s a good thing they didn’t wait until you were completely in the open,” said Proteus as he glanced at the wicked barb for a moment, “were you hit at all?”

  Jon shook his head, “One shot went between my legs, and I think I heard the other whistle by my ear but no hits. Pretty poor shooting considering the size of the target.”

  “So,” said Proteus with a look up towards the rock that sheltered them from the ambushers and then squinted at the afternoon sun in the opposite direction, “two of them and they’ve picked the wrong time of day for this location.”

  “I only saw the two bolts,” said Sorus also who followed Proteus’s gaze at the position of the sun. “I don’t see any way they can work around to a firing position on us,” he continued and pointed to the large overhang above them. “They’ll just wait up there until we make our move unless they’ve got wizards to collapse the rocks on us.”

  “I’d guess they are close to wherever the skeleton and snake thing went to ground,” said Proteus with a shrug. “It’s a terrible spot for ambush this time of day and the mountain has so many hidden spots it’s ridiculous that they chose this one.”

  “They could just be stupid,” suggested Jon. “I don’t know about the goblins and orcs in this area but some of them around Tanelorn are fairly dim.”

  “No,” said Proteus, “they might not be the most intelligent but in military matters they know their business. The only reason they set up the ambush right there is because they had to do it. I think our friends are just up beyond the rise. Sadly, that doesn’t get us past the ambushers. The sun at our backs is probably what saved you, Jon,” he continued and looked back towards the slowly setting orb of light. “We can’t count on that for much longer.”

  “You’re right, Proteus,” said Jon and nodded his head with a look back at the sun. “We need to find a way past them and right now,” the young knight of gray looked around and shrugged his shoulders. “If I had my heavy shield I could just charge them and hope for the best but I don’t like my odds in this chain. Those heavy bolts will just punch straight through.”

  “There’s no sense talking about things we don’t have,” said Proteus his hand on his chin as he looked at the overhang. “How high up is the lip on that rock?” he said and took a step back which almost exposed him to the crossbow fire.

  “Careful, Proteus,” said Sorus, putting his hand on the older man, and pulling him gently back into cover. “No sense in getting killed before we make a move.”

  Proteus looked back and smiled, “I’ve been watering crops for too long Sorus, thank you. I figured that someone tall enough might give someone spry enough a boost, and they might get over that lip and come up on the ambushers from behind.”

  Jon looked up and nodded his head, “I can get you most of the way there, Sorus but you’ll have to do some scrambling,” he paused, leaned backwards, and looked over the rocky outcropping. “Maybe right there by that little indentation that looks like a duck feather, you could grab ahold and haul yourself up?”

  Sorus leaned back but shook his head, “I can’t see it Jon, but I trust you. Hoist me up and let’s get going!” he continued as he sheathed his sword and rubbed his hands together quickly.

  Jon kneeled down, “Sit up on my shoulders, when I stand get on your feet, and we’ll see how close that gets you,” he said.

  “Be careful not to move too far to the right, Sorus,” said Proteus, “you might expose yourself to fire from up the hill.”

  Sorus climbed onto Jon’s shoulders like a young boy on his father and then Jon stood up pushing the newly made knight of Elkargul high into the air. Sorus then put his hand on the rock face and balanced as he climbed to his feet on Jon’s shoulders. “I’m about six inches short of a good handhold,” said Sorus and looked down over his left shoulder to Jon.

  The big gray knight put his hands up by his shoulders, palms up, “Stand on my hands,” he said and tapped Sorus on the ankle. “I’ll boost you up further. I think we can manage that last little bit.”

  Sorus did as instructed and Jon pushed up with his hands and lifted the one hundred sixty pound boy as if he were no more than a small child; Proteus watched with a shake of his head. Jon extended his arms straight up, which lifted Sorus the extra inches, the boy found a purchase, and scrambled up the rock face like a spider. Jon felt the weight leave his hands and turned to Proteus, “is he up?”

  Proteus nodded his head, “Maybe we should have given him a rope to haul us up. He’s going to have to take those ambushers by himself.”

  “Do you have a rope?” said Jon and turned to the older knight.

  “I brought one from the horses when you and Sorus dashed off a second ago,” he said and pointed to the saddle bag that lay in the shade of the rocky outcropping. “We might be days underground looking for the staff.”

  Jon shook his head and laughed, “You’re right,” he said with a wry smile. “Sorus and I just went through that without any supplies at all. I can’t believe I forgot again.”

  “You do seem a bit headstrong, Jon,” said Proteus, “if you don’t mind me saying. You’re a powerful man and probably pretty used to having things go your way, right?”

  Jon nodded, “I know what you’re going to say,” he said. “My father always tells me to stop and think before I leap. It’s not as easy to stop when something needs to get done. My father always says its men of action that get things done in the world, not philosophers.”

  “That’s all true,” said Proteus as the two continued their conversation, although both of them thought about Sorus who even now worked his way to position behind the ambushers. “Maybe we should be men of action and give those fellows up the hill a target just to distract them?”

  Jon nodded, “I was thinking the same thing Proteus. We could dash across the trail to that spot over there, the cover is not as good, but it might look like we’re trying to work our way up to their position.”

  Proteus nodded, “That should work, but keep your head down once we get there, don’t even try and take a look. I’ve seen men hit in the eye looking around a corner.”

  Jon nodded and moved to the edge of the little outcropping, “Ready?”

  Proteus nodded.

  “One, two, three!” said Jon sprinting across the trail in a dash with Proteus right behind. A pair of crossbow bolts flew behind them after they took cover and then another one splattered the rock behind which they hid. The crack of the bolt against the rock caused both men to duck as they lay on the ground with their heads down. Jon’s foot stuck out just enough and another bolt hit the earth near it which caused him to curl up in a position like a little baby.

  “Stop hogging all the cover,” said Proteus as another crossbow bolt skittered past them and down the trail.

  “There’s more of me to cover,” said Jon with a laugh as Proteus put an elbow in the midsection of the young knight. “Stop poking me!”

  Proteus laughed as two more bolts flew over their heads. One ricocheted off the rocks behind them, and landed on his leg. He picked it up with his right hand and brought it to his face for close examination. “Decent quality on this bolt,” he said as he turned it over. “It looks like orc manufacture from Adas Jdar beyond the mountains,” he concluded. “Do you see the two different metals here at the back?”

  Jon scrunched his body to look at the bolt as he raised his head slightly, although he carefully kept it behind their cover, “That little bulge?”

 
“Right,” said Proteus. “You’ve been trained with weapons haven’t you?”

  “Swords, lances, and a little bow work but nothing with a crossbow,” said Jon as he ducked instinctively when another bolt buzzed through the air over their heads. “Do you suppose Sorus could hurry up?”

  “He might have to go a long way around,” said Proteus, “to get behind them. You should learn as much about all weaponry as possible even if you’re not going to use it. The more you know the better tactics you can devise against it. Now, these bolts use iron for the main body but with lead at the back to even out the weight. That’s typical of orcs across the mountain in Adas Jdar. We like to just thicken the entire bolt with a single material here in Elekargul because it makes the structure stronger.”

  “Why even the weight?” said Jon as a particularly well-aimed bolt dug into the ground a few inches from his foot.

  “Arrows tend to rise in flight because of the feathers in their tails so you have to weight them heavier at the front. Heavy tips do this naturally and add more penetrating power. When you apply the same principals to bolts they tend to sink too fast so you have to make them more evenly weighted for true flight,” said Proteus as another bolt skittered off the rock and sent a small cloud of pebbles down on the two.

  “They seem to be getting the range pretty well,” said Jon and spat some dust out of his mouth. “Should we make a dash for that spot up the hill?”

  “They’ll expect that,” said Proteus. “Why not roll off the face and down the hillside over there,” he said and motioned with his chin. “That will give you more cover and you can advance up the side of the hill.”

  “True,” said Jon, “but they’ll be able to maneuver around and fire at me from a good angle.”

  “If they change their position that might give Sorus the opportunity he needs to jump them,” said Proteus.