“Hmmm, possibly,” replied Charka. “Though I agree with you that it is unlikely. But it is even more unlikely that you came across a member of the undead world. If you had, it wouldn’t have been content to merely allow you to catch a glimpse of it. It would have come and introduced itself in unpleasant ways.”
“You got that right,” agreed Seward. “The undead hate the living and will seek to destroy those that still retain life whenever possible.”
Charka nodded. “Now, let’s see those coins and gems.”
Jaikus emptied the items onto the ground between them. All that was, but the ring. Not even Reneeke knew about it, and he intended to keep it that way. Reneeke would make him hand it over.
“Not bad,” said Lady Kate, “for your first solo adventure.” Glancing to Charka, she asked, “Don’t you think we can allow them to keep this?”
A frown creased their leader’s brow. “I suppose so. It isn’t worth that much anyway.”
Jaikus’ eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yes, lad. Go ahead and keep it.”
“All right!” Scooping up the coins and gems, he slipped them in his pouch, an act which caused Charka’s frown to deepen.
Jaikus caught the change in expression and glanced to the others who wore similar expressions of disapproval. “What?”
“Look, boy,” Seward began, “you didn’t find those all by your lonesome. Shouldn’t you share them with your friend?” His nod toward Reneeke left no doubt as to what he and the others were thinking.
“What? Of course I am going to share with Reneeke. I wouldn’t think of doing otherwise.”
“Jaik wouldn’t hold out on me,” stated Reneeke. “He and I share everything, right Jaik? No secrets between us.”
“Uh, yeah. Right.” His hand unconsciously went into his pocket where he was keeping the silver ring. He almost pulled it out and announced that he had it. Almost. He simply could not take the chance of Charka demanding that he hand it over. So with feelings of guilt, he divvied up the coins and gems, giving the lion’s share to Reneeke.
After a brief session of going over in greater detail their time spent with the golden statues, and Charka making sure he understood enough about how they reached that area so he could find it on a subsequent venture, they turned in. Everyone was tired, especially Seward who had already nodded off.
Jaikus volunteered for the first watch, with Reneeke taking the second, and Charka finishing out the watch schedule at the end. Lady Kate and Seward would be allowed to get a full measure of rest in anticipation for the return journey in the morning.
While everyone settled into their bedrolls and drifted off to sleep, Jaikus pulled out his ring and almost slipped it onto his finger. Memories of the curse that befell Seward stopped him before completing the maneuver. He intended to find out what properties it held, for good or bad, before putting it on.
All in all, this had been a good Adventure, much better than even his wildest dreams could have come up with. And they had survived! Grinning, he slipped the ring back in his pocket and began pacing the perimeter. When it was time for Reneeke’s turn, he woke his friend and turned in.
The first rays of morning crept across the land until finally falling upon five, sleeping forms. A sixth sat before the campfire watching a pot of stew as it grew warm for breakfast. Charka added a few more trail rations and half a flask of water so there would be enough for all once the others awoke.
Nearby, Master Hymal lay beneath a blanket, three full packs lying on the ground beside him. He had wandered into camp not long after Charka had taken over the watch and promptly went to sleep without a word.
From past trips to Sythal, Charka knew a little of what the bags contained, but not in any great detail. There were some things Hymal avoided speaking of, and the reagents he harvested was one.
His two Springers, after a rocky beginning, had turned out to be a boon. Having been responsible for the majority of treasure they would be returning with, he couldn’t see himself denying even the smaller one a chance to join the Guild. Of course, just because he put them forward for membership, it didn’t follow that their acceptance was assured. There were other considerations to be taken into account. Still, he would do what he could.
Not long after the stew began bubbling and was ready to eat, the rest of the sleepers began to awaken. True to form, Hymal was the last to shake sleep’s grasp.
“Ready for the return trip, Master Hymal?”
The apothecary nodded. “Yes. I was most fortunate in the reagents I found.” Which is what he always said, never expounding on what he meant.
The two Springers joined them for stew. During which, Charka filled Hymal in on the highlights of the adventure, spending an extra long time detailing Seward’s brush with the cursed gems. “I have half a mind to bring a cleric along next time to see if we can’t lift the curse.”
Shrugging, the apothecary replied, “Up to you. Just so long as you deliver me here and bring me back in one piece.”
“Can we come?” asked Jaikus.
“Sorry, lad. I won’t have need of you.”
Jaikus was seriously disappointed. Despite his time as a Springer, he had rather enjoyed adventuring with Charka’s Troupe.
“I’m sure we can find something equally exciting to do,” added Reneeke. “Perhaps an adventure with less risk to life, limb…” then with a glance to Seward, added, “and health.”
“There are plenty out there, that’s for sure,” agreed their leader.
Once the meal was over and the pots cleaned for travel, they began their return through Sythal’s ruins. When they drew close to the fringe area, Charka had them pause and secure themselves with rope.
Jaikus hated this part. Passing through Sythal’s fringe was disorienting and frustrating. And the return trip proved to be just as bad as going in had been. He kept count, and by the time Charka announced that they had cleared the fringe area, Jaikus had been brought up short by the rope a total of nine times when the protective properties of the fringe caused him to wander off on a tangent. Reneeke claimed a solid baker’s dozen.
Three nights in the Swamp, and they would be back at Reakla. Jaikus couldn’t wait to return and have Charka fulfill his vow to see they became members of the Guild. But first, they had to make it out of the Swamp. And if the inbound trip had been any indication, they should have very little trouble.
Their first day back through the Swamp was stressful as trolls seemed to be in greater abundance than their inbound trip. Each time one was spotted, they remained still and quiet until the beast had wandered off. Jaikus endured stares promising retribution during each encounter, but he had learned his lesson and no longer sought to incur an attack.
The second day was less stressful as troll encounters fell off dramatically. There were but two sightings, one they were forced to fight as their scent had been detected. But since it was but a single beast, they readily dispatched it.
It was during the late afternoon of the third day, about an hour or so before they would have planned to make camp, when things got interesting.
Jaikus and Reneeke were bringing up the rear. Reneeke led the mules while Jaikus regaled him with yet another rehashing of their adventure in the bowels of Sythal.
“I tell you, Reneeke, we need to find a way back there somehow.” Ever since leaving the ancient city, Jaikus has been hot to return. “There’s no telling what we could find there if we but had the time.”
“First of all, Jaik, you would have to discover a way to even find the place. I for one couldn’t even begin to retrace our steps. Secondly, a way must be found to bypass the misdirecting wards that seek to lead us astray. You figure out how to do those two things, and I’ll return with you.”
Jaikus rolled his eyes. “I’m not saying we are going to return there next week, or even this year. But someday we will, Rene. Someday.”
Reneeke couldn’t help but crack a smile at his friend’s enthusiasm.
The others
were some distance ahead. As the Troupe was beginning to leave behind the worst of the bogs, muck, and mire of the Swamp, things had grown lax. Jaikus and Reneeke had gradually fallen behind so they could talk without fear of being overheard by the others.
Currently, they were making their way along a fairly wide expanse of dry, level ground that ran alongside a small, stagnant pond. The mirror-glass smoothness of the water reflected the thinning forest of moss-covered trees. It was really quite a peaceful locale. At least it was, until a roar heralded the descent of a young mossback from out of a tree to land upon Master Hymal’s horse.
Razor-sharp teeth and curved, dagger-like claws raked into the horse’s flanks. Master Hymal was thrown free as his horse reared and bucked in an attempt to dislodge the beast. But, before anyone could react, the mossback had completely eviscerated the poor horse.
“No!” cried the apothecary as the severely injured horse managed to win its freedom and bolted away with unbelievable speed. With entrails trailing along behind, Hymal’s horse didn’t get far before collapsing, but it did progress far enough for it to no longer be the focus of the mossback’s attention. With the horse having fled the attack, the mossback turned its attention upon the next closest victim: Master Hymal.
“Stay with the mules,” shouted Reneeke as soon as the horse bolted. He handed the mules’ reins to Jaikus. Then drawing his sword, he rushed forward to join the melee.
“Rene, no!” cried Jaikus, but it was too late. His friend was already on his way.
Lady Kate’s fire bolts impacted along the creature’s side in an attempt to draw its attention from the apothecary, but had little effect. The mossback’s hide was much too tough and it simply ignored the attack. Snarling, it continued its forward charge.
“To me!” cried a much revitalized Seward. The last two days of travel had done much to return his strength to normal. Wielding sword and shield, he interposed his body between the apothecary and the charging beast. Seward struck the beast a resounding blow along the side of the head, but all his efforts did was elicit a swipe by one of its massive claws. Striking dead center on his shield, the blow knocked him back a step.
Master Hymal was in full flight; the mossback hot on his tail.
Before Reneeke could reach the battle, Charka pulled forth an oil bladder from his pack. “Kate!” he shouted, then threw, aiming so the bladder would land in front of the mossback.
His aim was true and the bladder fell between the mossback and its prey. Just prior to it striking the ground, Lady Kate cast a fireball which detonated with the bladder, igniting the oil mere feet before the mossback’s snout.
The sudden conflagration caused the beast to halt its forward charge, rear back, and then race off to the side.
Reneeke was now closing fast on the creature. He saw how it turned from the flames with fear maddened eyes. “You didn’t like that, did you?” he mumbled to himself.
“Get back, boy,” Seward shouted as he and Reneeke came abreast of each other.
The mossback had maneuvered around the burning area and was still closing on the apothecary.
“I can help.”
“You’ll just get yourself killed.”
Ignoring him, Reneeke sprinted ahead to leave Seward struggling to keep up.
“Charka!” screamed Hymal. “Do something!” Fleeing for his life, he darted around dead and dying trees. From not very far behind him, he could hear the mossback crashing through the underbrush in pursuit.
Lady Kate cast her Webs of Binding around the rear legs of the mossback, causing the creature to slow, but not stopping it. Its powerful hindquarters were strong enough to work against the potency of the webbing, enabling the creature to continue the attack.
“Hyah!” shouted Reneeke in an attempt to draw the creature’s attention from the apothecary. Seeing it slowed by the webbing, he raised his sword and quickly closed the distance.
“Reneeke!” Charka shouted as he rounded the other side of the conflagration. “Fall back!”
Ignoring his cries, the farm boy from Running Brook hollered at the top of his lungs. Having come within striking distance, he leapt forward to land a fell blow with his sword. Using both hands, he brought it down on an area a little up from where the tail merged with the back.
The creature screamed in pain as the blade parted its hide. To Reneeke’s disbelief, the blade sank in deeply, far deeper than he would have thought possible. Flesh and bone parted until the mossback’s hind legs collapsed when the blade severed the lower end of the spinal column. His sword was yanked from his grasp when the powerful forelegs twisted its body about so its head was now facing Reneeke.
It seemed for a moment as if the passage of time was suspended; Reneeke stood weaponless facing off against the mossback whose forelegs were readying to lurch forward. Then, time resumed with Seward’s appearance at Reneeke’s side.
“Get out of the way!” he cried, shoving Reneeke to the side with the front of his shield. In that moment, when his shield was busy knocking aside Reneeke, the mossback sprung.
Leaping forward with incredible speed, it slammed into Seward. The force of the impact knocked him back a foot, and together, he and the beast crashed to the ground. Claws raked across Seward’s armor. The creature’s first blow created furrows in the leather, the second peeled it off.
Seward tried to interpose his shield between his body and deadly claws, but they were too close for that to work. Then there was pain.
“Die!”
Coming up behind the creature, Charka leapt into the air with sword gripped in both hands. Bringing down the weapon with both hands, he impaled the creature through the opening Reneeke’s strike had created. Angling the blade so it would progress toward the chest cavity, he was rewarded by a piercing squeal. A shudder ran through the creature and its forward body began convulsing.
Reneeke quickly moved to grab Seward’s hand and pull him from beneath the creature while it was distracted. The sight of his man almost made him retch. Blood was everywhere. When he pulled, Seward screamed in pain. Unwilling to stop as the creature’s thrashing posed a greater risk than what he may be doing to him, Reneeke pulled all the harder and slid him free.
“Gods,” he exclaimed when he saw how the front portion of his armor had been ripped asunder. Flayed skin was intermixed with the shredded leather, and he could even see the white of bone underneath.
“Kate!” In the heat of the moment, he neglected to add the honorific. He dragged Seward until the injured man was completely free of any danger posed by the death-throes of the mossback.
She appeared beside him. “Remove his armor. Quickly!”
While Reneeke worked to get the gory mess off the man, she upended her pack. Potion flasks, scrolls, and a sundry of other items spilled upon the ground. “Is he still alive?” she asked. A loud groan of pain answered her question.
She grabbed one scroll, and as soon as Reneeke removed the remains of Seward’s armor, she laid it across his chest and spoke the word of activation. Even before the scroll finished flaring and vanished, she had a second scroll in position. Once its power was activated too, she poured half a healing potion onto the wound, and the other into the unconscious man’s mouth.
By this time, the thrashing of the mossback had subsided. Charka, Master Hymal, and Jaikus had gathered around where she worked to keep Seward from expiring.
“Will he live?” asked Jaikus.
“I don’t know,” she replied. Then glancing to Charka she said, “He needs a priest. There is so much damage, I…I don’t know if he’ll be able to recover.”
Charka gauged what remained of the sunlight. “Still two hours until dark, and I figure another six to Reakla. Can we keep him alive that long?”
She nodded. “I think so.”
He turned to his two Springers. “Put him on a mule and let’s go.”
“Bind his chest, first,” said Lady Kate. “Or the ride will more than likely kill him.”
“Yes, ma’
am,” replied Reneeke.
Master Hymal came and laid a hand on Charka’s shoulder. “I hope your man lives.”
“So do I.” Seward looked none too good. Now unconscious, the pallor of his face was very pasty.
Reneeke had just set Jaikus to tearing one of their bedrolls into strips to be used in binding Seward’s chest when a curse from Master Hymal drew everyone’s attention.
Standing near the spot where his horse had collapsed after being disemboweled, the apothecary was swearing a blue streak. He turned toward Charka, face filled with rage. “My reagents! They’re gone!”
Not only were his reagents gone, but the entire horse to which they had been attached was gone as well. A bloody trail was evident. Starting from where the horse had collapsed, it then traveled all the way to the water’s edge. From there, it worked its way around the shoreline until disappearing into the trees farther down. Something had dragged it away while they were distracted by the rampaging mossback.
Turning to Charka, Master Hymal said, “I demand you retrieve them.”
“My man needs a priest or he’s going to die,” he replied. “We dare not spend the time to hunt for something that may never be found.”
“We have a contract!”
“Yes, to escort you safely to and from Sythal. We do not have one to chase after what looks to be an adult mossback, on the off chance it hasn’t dragged its dinner, carcass and all, to the bottom of some pond.” Scanning the area from where the horse had been dragged, he nodded. “From the tracks, I’d say it’s a rather large mossback. It would have to be considering it was able to drag away your horse.”
Reneeke listened to the exchange while binding Seward’s chest. Once he and Jaikus had the man up and secured to the back of a mule, he left Seward in the care of Lady Kate, then walked over to where the two men were standing toe to toe.
“Seward’s ready,” he announced.
Charka glanced to him and nodded. “My thanks, lad.”
“Are you going after my reagents?” asked Hymal.
“No.”
Jaikus and Reneeke Join the Guild Page 17
