The trolls looked at one another again.
“This works for me,” said the first.
“I think that’s fair,” said the second.
“Good enough,” said the third.
The warlock smiled. “Then we have a deal!” He rose and held out his hand. The trolls took turns shaking his hand and then left the tent, jabbering excitedly with one another. How they listened to each other while talking at once was a mystery to him. Thankfully that was not his problem.
It was time for a lizardmage to command his own battalion. Saliss was the most qualified among the lizardmages, and the most dedicated to this war, so it would fall to him to command the trolls and keep them in line. Communication with those creatures was something he would have to figure out. With Saliss in command of the trolls, the warlock could coordinate the attacks of both his forces and Saliss’ to coincide and do the maximum amount of damage.
Fighting on two fronts was not something he particularly desired, but keeping the elves occupied was a good way to prevent them from deciding to assist the humans. Furthermore, if Saliss could get the trolls to split up and attack the elves from the north as well as the south in a pincer movement, the northern contingent had a good chance of becoming involved in conflicts with the humans, who were merely on the other side of the Jackal River. All the warlock had to do was run some of his forces south of the Boot Plateau and march for Claw lake. From there he could have Saliss’ forces secretly join him and go to attack the human army’s encampment from the south. It wouldn’t be a surprise attack - undoubtedly human scouts would be watching his meager forces every step of the way - but the addition of trolls at the last minute would catch them off guard. Combined with the bulk of his forces from the west, the warlock had the upper hand. If the lizardmage Harse, who had been assigned with a number of other lizardmen to the ogres north of the human settlements, managed to time his own attacks properly, the humans would surely be thrown into turmoil.
The only problem with that scenario was that the ogres still had command of their own forces. But they were tired of defeat. They needed a leader who could bring them results. It was up to Harse to try to manipulate the ogres to attack where and when he suggested. If Harse could prove that his decisions and timing were effective, the ogres might just look to him to lead them. Then true progress could be made on the northern front. Only time would tell if this strategy would pay off.
The warlock wrung his hands in anticipation as plans formed in his mind. He would summon Saliss first thing in the morning. As for right now, he had an experiment to perform.
“Gorc!” he called. “Gorc, where are you?”
Chapter 17
As the companions neared the town of Velden, black smoke could be seen on the horizon.
“What do you suppose is causing that smoke?” asked Sherman
“It could be from a dragon attack,” suggested Olag.
“I didn’t see any sign of a dragon in the air,” said Amelia, “but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t one here a little earlier.”
“We’ll find out when we get closer,” said Zylor.
The group quickened their pace. As they got closer, most of the smoke had dissipated, but a small waft of smoke still emanated from somewhere on the far side of town. Within the town’s limits, people could be seen calmly going about their daily business. No one paid any heed to the smoke.
“I guess it must have been an isolated house or barn fire,” remarked Sherman. “A dragon attack would have been more serious.”
“You’re probably right,” said Kazin, “but we’ll find out what it was all about nevertheless.”
“Our quarry was here,” added Amelia. She was looking at her orb. It was a pinkish colour again. “Something here isn’t quite right.”
“We’ll have to be cautious,” said Kazin. “We don’t want to alert the one we’re after that he or she is being followed. They may panic and run if they get wind of someone being onto them. If that happens, it may become very difficult to track them down.”
“Are we going to get rooms for the night?” asked Zylor. He obviously wanted to get away from being a human warrior for a while.
Kazin looked at the sun’s position and nodded. “We might be here for a while to look for clues that were left behind by our quarry. It will be sundown by the time we finish looking around and asking questions. We should book rooms just in case, but depending on our progress, we may have to depart rather quickly.”
“In that case,” put in Harran, “I should purchase supplies now before the shops close for the day.”
“Good idea,” said Kazin.
“I’ll book the rooms at the inn,” offered Sherman. “I can also coordinate with the stable master regarding the horses.”
“I’ll go with you,” said Zylor.
“Very well,” said Kazin, withdrawing his money pouch. He passed some coins to Harran and then tossed the bag to Sherman. “Guard that with your life.”
“Don’t worry,” said Zylor. “I’ll protect him.”
Kazin laughed. “No doubt, but who will protect you when you turn back into your real self?”
“That’s where I come in,” said Sherman.
“I need no protection!” retorted Zylor. Then he nodded. “But you are right. I will restrain myself. But once the rooms are secured, I will remove the amulet and release the spell. I need to be in my true form or I will explode!”
Kazin nodded. He knew the strain the minotaur was under to be suppressed all this time. He started to wonder about the viability of having the great beast along.
Zylor turned to the dwarf. “Harran, see that you purchase a larger quantity of dried meat this time. I use more than my current human body requires.”
“Ok,” nodded Harran.
“You guys do what you have to do,” said Kazin. “The rest of us will see what we can learn about this town and the fire.” He looked toward the apparently empty pack horse. “Unless you would rather stay in a room with Zylor?”
Olag hissed. “No. I will go with you. Being invisible, I can learn things you may miss.”
“Good point,” said Kazin. He pointed to the nearby inn. “We’ll meet in front of the inn in, say, two hours?”
“I won’t be able to attend,” said Zylor, “unless you come to change my appearance first.”
“Of course,” said Kazin.
With that, the companions parted ways.
Harran rode with the others for a while until they neared the shop section of the town where all sorts of goods were bought and sold. He bid farewell to the others and turned to a meat vendor shop. In front of the shop he dismounted and tied his horse to a hitching post. Then he went inside to the potent aroma of meats of all sorts. There were steaks, ground meat products, sausages, and dried meats. It was to this last section he went. The prices advertised were reasonable - not that he didn’t have enough gold; Kazin had given him plenty to work with. The dwarf grabbed what he thought they would consume, but then thought better of it and took extra, remembering Zylor’s request. His hands were nearly full as he passed the sausages, and the aroma of one of the flavours caught his attention. He paused to grab a handful of these as well, thinking that the others would like a bit of variety on their journey. Then he brought them up to the counter to pay for them.
The vendor was a friendly bald man who teased Harran about his appetite but also commended him about his selection.
Harran took the ribbing good-naturedly and paid for his meat.
Meanwhile, a figure in the shadows, who had been watching the dwarf intently since his arrival, exited the front of the store hastily. Neither the shop owner nor Harran noticed.
Back outside, Harran packed his purchase of meat securely in one of the saddle bags on his horse. Then he untied his horse and rode it along a street with stores on both sides. He saw an attractive sig
n in front of one of the shops advertising herbs and remembered that Amelia was looking for some spell components and healing herbs. He checked his pockets and found the list she had given him earlier that day. He approached the store front and dismounted, tying his horse to the hitching post nearby.
Next to the entrance an old, weathered man sat on a portable cot and held out a bowl. “Alms! Alms for the poor!” he croaked with a shaky voice.
Harran hesitated. He was going to toss the man a coin but remembered that any unnecessary action could cause a change in history. The hesitation was only momentary, however. He tossed the man a coin anyway. One coin in the beggar’s life would not likely make much of a difference.
“Thank you so much!” said the beggar as Harran passed by and entered the shop.
He quickly found what he needed and even purchased some wildhorn leaves that were sealed in a jar. Personally, he despised that herb because he was allergic to them and they made him sneeze, but they were useful for a variety of reasons. Their primary use was to help whoever ingested them to see better in the dark. One danger, though, was that if too many were consumed at once, they also caused blindness. Another use for this herb was for various spells that black mages and clerics were able to cast. The wildhorn leaves, by themselves or in conjunction with other spell components, would allow the spell caster to obtain different results for the myriad of spells at their disposal.
With that purchase completed, Harran exited the shop to store the supplies with the horse. He was about to launch himself back into the saddle when he heard the sound of tin being hammered. Next to the herb shop was a shop specializing in cookware. Curious, he wandered over to the shop and peered into the window. A number of implements and cookware were on display. Recalling that the frying pan his entourage had been using was getting worn out, he decided to see if he could find a nicer one available here.
The dwarf entered the shop and waited for his eyes to adjust. Unlike the herb shop, where it was bright and welcoming, this shop was dark and uninviting.
“Can I help you?” said a voice nearby.
Harran turned to see the proprietor standing behind a counter, observing him. It was a dwarf. He was an older fellow with a long grey beard. His face was weathered and his hairline was receding. His mustache made up for the lack of hair on his head. It was thick and bushy and tended to quiver when he spoke.
“Yes,” said Harran. “I’m looking for a new frying pan.”
“You’ve come to the right place,” said the dwarf. He gestured to the shelf at the side of the room. “There are some on display over there.”
Harran moved over to the shelves to take a look at the merchandise while the proprietor eyed him up and down.
“You know,” said the owner, “I’ve got some better merchandise in back.”
Harran turned to the owner and suddenly realized the proprietor was assuming he was a wealthy traveler. With his shiny chainmail and helmet, and his sharp looking axe in its holster, he probably looked wealthy compared to the normal traffic that frequented this shop. He decided to play along to see what the proprietor had for special customers. “May I take a look?”
“Certainly,” said the proprietor. He turned and entered a storeroom behind him. A moment later, a young dwarf emerged and ran hastily around the counter and past Harran to go outside. About ten seconds later, the proprietor returned and looked around. “Is he gone?”
“The dwarf who ran out of here like his pants were on fire?” asked Harran.
The proprietor nodded. “That would be him. That was my son. Oh, well. I shouldn’t have sent him on an errand right then. The item I wanted to show you is in a location that is too awkward for me to reach.” He reached around to his back and rubbed it gingerly. “My back is too stiff these days. My son is small enough to access it, but now he is gone.” The owner peered at Harran. “But you would be able to get at it.” He waved Harran forward. “Come. I’ll show you where it is. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the quality.”
Harran shrugged. “If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Not at all,” said the proprietor. “Not at all.”
Harran approached the store room and the proprietor let him enter ahead of him. He wrung his hands nervously as Harran passed and Harran caught the nervous movement out of the corner of his eye. He half turned, expecting something strange was going on, when his helmet was suddenly whisked off. At the same instant, a heavy object came crashing down on his head. Stars showered his vision and a metallic tone clanged into the recesses of his brain. As the blackness of unconsciousness took over, he heard a voice he hadn’t heard before say, “What do you know? It IS good quality!”
Meanwhile, Kazin, Amelia, and Olag investigated the fire that had initially drawn their attention. It was a barn-like structure within an estate that had burned down. People were scattered around the building as the remnants smoldered, and some appeared to be mourning. Others used pails of water to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding buildings.
A man yawned as he exited the property and Kazin waved him down. “What happened here?” he asked.
The man shrugged. “I wish I knew. Most of the people in the estate - the ones who lived and worked here - were found dead. Their bodies were discovered thrown together under the hay in the stables.”
Amelia gasped and put her hand to her mouth. “No!” she whispered.
“Apparently, someone who works at the estate reported to work after a short time off and couldn’t get a response at the gate. He went into town to get help and they broke in only to discover that no one was around. Then one of the searcher’s dogs was acting all agitated near the stables so they went in and discovered the bodies under the hay.”
Kazin forced back his revulsion. “Did you see the bodies?”
The man shook his head. “No, thank goodness.”
“So you don’t know how they died?”
The man shook his head. “No.”
“How did the fire start?” asked Amelia.
“We did that,” said the man. “It was better to burn the bodies where they lay.”
“Why?” asked Amelia. “How many were there?”
“A lot,” said the man. “Most of the residents and staff were among the dead from what I heard.”
Amelia gasped and looked at Kazin in horror.
Kazin’s face was grim. “Do you know how long ago the bodies were lying there?”
The man shook his head. “No, but one of the elders mentioned that they weren’t dead too long because the bodies didn’t smell bad enough to have lain there for long. He figured maybe one or two days at the most.”
Kazin asked a few more questions but didn’t glean any more information. He thanked the man and waited until he was out of earshot. Then he looked at Amelia. “What does your orb show?”
Amelia withdrew the orb and, sure enough, it was a dark red.
“It looks like we’re on the right track,” said Kazin. “Our quarry has been killing again.”
“That bastard!” snarled Amelia. “We have to catch him - fast!”
“We’ll have to keep an eye on his impact on history too,” said Kazin. “Sooner or later he’s going to kill someone important, even if it’s only a woman who’s supposed to give birth to someone who may be important in a future generation. The repercussions could be devastating.”
“Oh, he’s making those kinds of waves alright,” said Amelia. “My orb is kind of vague at the moment, as though the future is uncertain.”
“That’s not a good thing,” said Kazin with clenched teeth.
Olag’s horse shifted and Kazin looked at the pack horse. “Olag?”
“I’m back,” said the skink warrior.
“I didn’t even know you were gone,” said Kazin. “What did you find out?”
“The townsfolk made a list of the names of t
he dead and compared it to a list of the names of the people who worked at the estate. The names all matched with the exception of only one body.”
“One of the bad guys, perhaps?” asked Kazin.
“Maybe,” said Olag. “He wasn’t identified. The villagers then made a list of the remaining staff that weren’t present among the dead and rounded them all up for questioning. According to the list that was posted, they only found the people who were not on duty at the time of the killings.”
“And the ones who were?”
“That’s the weird part,” said Olag. “There were only ten people on the list who could not be found, and they all should have been on duty. Yet not one of them could be found for questioning.”
“Maybe their bodies weren’t discovered yet,” said Kazin.
Amelia shuddered. “Or they could have been kidnapped for ransom.”
Kazin considered this. “That’s unlikely. It would draw too much attention. I don’t think our quarry wants to be found. He’ll move to a new area rather than being discovered.”
“I found out one other tidbit of information,” added Olag. “I overheard some people talking, and I don’t know how accurate their information is, but they said that many of the victims had been strangled.”
Kazin gave a low whistle. “That’s the trend we have been seeing.”
“We should go and report our findings to the others,” said Amelia. “It will take us a while to get back to the inn.”
“Good point,” said Kazin. The inn was back on the other end of town.
He led the way back across town to find Sherman lounging on a bench in front of the inn.
“It’s about time,” yawned the warrior upon seeing them approach. He rose and stretched. “So, what did you find out?”
“We’ll wait until everyone is assembled,” said Kazin. “I take it Harran isn’t back yet?”
Sherman shook his head. “I haven’t seen him.”
Spirit Blade: Book III of the Dragon Mage Trilogy Page 20
