The Four as One

by R. F. Pace

       Everyone pulled their bows out and set up on the right side of the hill.  The wolves got low to the ground, working their way near the house and waited for an unsuspecting goblin.  It didn’t take long for one of the wolves to grab a goblin and start tearing into it.  Others joined in and the goblin was torn to pieces in nothing flat.  A big commotion started and several armed goblins ran toward the wolves.  Within a few seconds the wolves came running around the side of the hill with several goblins trying their best to catch them.  Before they knew what hit them, the goblins were dropped by arrows.  Six were downed instantly by arrows, with the last remaining goblin turning to run back to the house.  Before it could even yell out, two wolves pounced on him and began tearing him to pieces.  The first ambush had worked, but there still remained a bunch of goblins at the house.

       Bloodfang returned to Jake.  “Now what do we do?” Jake asked. Bloodfang replied, “When they don’t return in a few minutes, others will come looking for them.”  Jake smiled saying, “We’ll be ready.  We need to move the bodies from the area.” Bloodfang had the wolves drag the bodies out of sight.  Bloodfang was right, within a few minutes more goblins were heading their way. Jake looked over the hill to see about 15 to 20 goblins coming.  Jake and the others as well as the wolves, were well hidden.  Jake whispered to George, “Use the vine spell you learned to trap and hold them.  That will allow us to shoot them without them being able to retreat.  You need to start the spell from behind them and work it forward.”  George nodded.

       The group of goblins came around the hill and George cast the spell at the back of the group.  Within seconds, the front goblins were aware that the rear of their group was trapped.  Jake, George, Tammy, and Sara stood at once and started releasing arrows.  The goblins that were trapped could not break away from the vines.  With well-placed shots, the goblins in the lead fell one after the other.  The wolves joined in and soon the entire group of goblins were eliminated.  Jake and George went to retrieve the arrows shot, while the wolves were dragging the dead goblin bodies off.

       Jake said to Bloodfang, “We could cast a fire spell in the house to kill the rest of them.”  Bloodfang said, “No, you will burn the inside and damage our home.”  Jake nodded in agreement and waited for the next group of goblins to attack.

       After waiting half an hour, Jake made his way up the hill to take another look.  The only movement he could see was on the inside of the house.  There were no goblins to be seen moving around the outside.  There appears to be at least 20 or more inside.  Jake told Bloodfang, “Have the wolves go to the back of the house and draw the goblins’ attention.  When the goblins head for the back of the house we will attack from the front.”

       It only took the wolves a few minutes to work their way around to the back side of the house.  When the wolves howling and growling started, the goblins fell for the trap and ran for the back of the house.  Once the goblins were out of sight, Jake and the others moved into position at the front of the house.  With their bows ready, they popped up in front and started shooting through the broken windows and missing section of wall.  It didn’t take too long before the ones visible were killed.

       Bloodfang circled around after the last of the goblins were killed.  Jake said, “It looks like we got them all.”  Bloodfang said, “There is underground still.”  Jake said, “Really? You got to be kidding me!”  Bloodfang cocked his head and said, “I do not understand.”  Jake slung his bow and drew his sword and said, “Never mind.  Let’s go and find them.”   The others followed suit and changed from using their bows to using their swords.

       Jake said to Bloodfang, “You will have to lead the way.”  As they entered the house, Jake told everyone that he and George would go downstairs and for Sara and Tammy to stand guard of the upstairs.  Jake and George followed Bloodfang as they headed toward the stairs.  The stench coming up from the stairwell was nasty and began to turn Jake and George’s stomachs.  The steps themselves were creaky and narrow, but mostly intact.  Bloodfang was at the bottom before Jake and George even started down.

       Jake cast a simple light spell and the downstairs was lit up.  There were no goblins to be seen in the area.  Bloodfang started growling at a hallway that led deeper into the basement.  Jake was ready when a goblin game out swinging a mace at his midsection.  He blocked it, then countered with a slice that removed the goblin’s right arm.  Before he could recover from the hard swing, Jake was struck in the hip by a second goblin.  The hit knocked Jake backwards, causing him to stumble and fall, also knocking George down.  The closest goblin was about to strike Jake in the head when Bloodfang grabbed it by the arm and started tearing it to pieces.  George was able to gather himself and regain his position.  It took Jake a bit longer to recover.  When he finally stood up, he was favoring his left side where the goblin had struck him.

       The back room was shadowed and was not well lit.  Jake tried to cast another light spell but the pain in his side caused him to lose focus.  When Jake and George tried to enter the room, the remaining goblins attacked them at once.  They were able to block most of the blows that came their way, though both were hit by the blunt weapons used.  The goblins could not swing full force due to the limited space, and the large number of goblins contained within it.  The confined area was a lifesaver for Jake and George because neither sustained any major damage.  Once they were able to back out of the narrow entrance of the room, they were able to go on the offense.  When the goblins tried to follow them out of the room, they were caught in a choke point and were cut down one after the other.

   

  ***

   

       The battle lasted a good while and when the last of them fell, the group checked the rest of the basement.  While the goblins had occupied the house, they had been busy digging a well supported 20 foot tunnel.  There was one additional small room down there that looked like a storage cellar where the goblins had used it to store the stolen spoils of their ventures.

       Jake noted the room in the back of his mind, but turned and limped back upstairs.  Sara saw him limping and said, “What happened?”  Jake said, “George was so scared he wet the floor and I slipped and fell.”  George said straight faced, “I’m sorry.  I’ve been working hard on how to cure that problem,” and then started laughing uncontrollably.  Sara folded her arms over her chest and said, “You guys are not being funny!”  Between fits of laugher, Jake said, “I was hit, but it’s no big deal.”  Sara went over to assist Jake up the remaining stairs.

       Seeing the attention he was being given by Sara, Jake started playing up the severity of pain and the limp got more exaggerated.  Things quickly changed when Sara said, “Tammy, I need you to help me get his pants off so we can look at how bad his hip is damaged.”  Jake was having no part of that.  “The pain is gone and look I can even walk better now!” Jake blurted out. George could hardly contain himself from falling back down the stairs because he was laughing so hard.  Jake moved away from Sara, took a couple of steps, then started to fall before Sara caught him and gave him some support.

       Tammy said, “I think someone’s a bit shy… I can heal him through his clothes.”  Tammy walked over and laid her hands on his hip.  Jake could feel the warmth seeping into him and after a couple of minutes, he could feel the pain subsiding and then totally disappear.  Jake said, “Wow!  That was cool, the pain’s gone.  Thanks!”   Tammy said, “No problem, now you owe me.”  Tammy and Sara started to laugh.

   

  ***

   

  Meanwhile, little did everyone at the wolves’ house know, their activities had been observed from afar.

  CHAPTER 14

   

       The night was calm and everyone was able to get a good night sleep.  The wolves brought a fresh kill of deer for breakfast.  George stoked the ashes and soon had a nice fir
e going.  Jake cut some meat off and put it over the fire.  They took turns rolling the meat so it wouldn’t burn.  After about 45 minutes they ate.

       They did a check of the house and found a few books, clothes, rusty weapons, a sum of coins, a few gems and a couple of scrolls.  They collected all the good items and discarded the rest.  The dead goblins had a few things that were worth keeping, mainly scrolls, gold, silver and some jewels.  The weapons were not only too small, but in bad condition.

       Bloodfang thanked them for clearing their home. Jake told Bloodfang, “We were headed to the human city that is north of where you intercepted us.  What is the best way for us to get there?”  Bloodfang said, “I will send a guide to get you back to the dirt you were traveling on.  You will then be able to continue to the human city.”

       The group packed up and set off again.  They rode for several leagues through the heavy underbrush.  They arrived at a clearing where a small creek ran, and decided to stop for a break.  After they watered the horses, they allowed them to graze.  They took this time to rest.  Sliding a glance at Sara, Tammy asked, “So George, you think we should walk the horses some?”  Jake putting in his two cents said, “We could always place a make-shift pillow in the saddle.”  Unable to contain her laughter, Sara added, “The horse looks like he may need a little more rest.”  George replied “Keep laughing. See if I send you a Christmas card.” The wolf guide sat at a distance and just watched them.

      After the horses grazed for a while, they mounted up again.  The wolf instantly got up and started moving.  A couple leagues later they found their rutted trail and the wolf turned to run back toward his home.

       They rode the better part of the day and decided to stop early. They set up camp in an old-looking rock quarry.  A couple of things really bothered Jake about the spot they chose.  First, they were exposed from the top of the quarry for someone shooting arrows. He also thought about being trapped if someone blocked the entrance.  Jake let the feelings pass.  They set the watches, and the night passed without incident.

  CHAPTER 15

   

       At the end of half a day’s travel, the city that came into the groups view looked very ominous.  From this distance, they could see down into a huge valley that contained the city.  The walls were over 20 feet high, and there appeared to be two additional walls inside the taller wall.

  As they approached the city, the road lead to a large tunnel in the outer wall.  The tunnel was high enough to ride through, but everyone waiting in line had dismounted, so the group followed suit.  Entering the tunnel, approximately 15 feet inside, they saw several guards’ checking people.  Once the group cleared the check point, they proceeded toward the city entrance.  Looking around the inside, Tammy asked, “Why are there so many holes in the ceiling?”  “They are called murder holes.  They are used to defend the city from attacks.  If troops breach the gate, the city guards pour burning oil down on top of the attackers,” George replied.  Tammy just shivered from the thought.

       The tunnel was about 40 feet long before reaching the interior of the city.  There were two additional gates to clear before exiting the tunnel.  Near each of the gates were small rooms that could house 30 to 40 troops.  There were additional guards at each gate.  The guards stopped to check everyone one final time prior to entering the city.  When the guard approached Jake and said, “State your business here in the city of Malta.”  Jake replied, “Visiting friends.”  The guard looked them over and seemed to be satisfied with the answer.  After the guard conducted a quick check, he allowed them to pass.

       After exiting the tunnel they got their first look at the city of Malta.  The city was a zoo of activity.  The streets were crowed with people and animals. All the noise assaulted them at once.  There were stalls selling everything from food and animals, to various cheap merchandise.  Beyond the second wall, it opened up into more reputable stores and places of business.  The third gated area looked to contain the main castle and the bigger houses of the cities’ royalty.

       Jake said, “Let’s find a room for the night and a stable for the horses.”  Tammy said, “I sure could use a big fluffy bed to sleep in.”  George added, “And a nice hot meal to fill my belly.”  They mounted the horses and headed deeper into the city.  After a slow ride, they found an inn called the “Frog’s Leap.”  Sara said, “This place looks as good as any, I guess.”  Jake and Sara dismounted and walked into the inn.

       The innkeeper greeting them was a middle aged man.  Jake inquired about getting two rooms and a stable for the horses.  The innkeeper said, “It’s a silver piece per room and two coppers for a horse.  Jake reached in his pocket and pulled three silver pieces out.  He gave the money to the innkeeper and asked, “How much are the meals, and what time are they served?”  The innkeeper said, “Meals are three coppers and food is served from sunrise until a good bit after sunset.”

       The group rode around back and turned the horses over to the livery boy.  Jake said to him, “I will give you a silver piece to ensure our horses are well taken care of.”  The boy’s eyes lit up and said, “You can count on me, Sir, and if you need anything else, just let me know.”  The group unloaded the pack horse and headed inside.

       George said, “It may be best if we have a guy and girl in each room… for safety reasons, you know.”  Sara looked at Tammy and winked.  Tammy couldn’t stop the smile from crossing her face.  Sara said, “Well, for safety reasons maybe we should.”  Jake missed the looks and actions of the girls, and said, “Good idea.”  Jake and Sara took one room while George and Tammy took the other.  Tammy and Sara didn’t object to the arrangements.  It might have even been said both girls were quite happy with them, but would never admit it.

        The rooms were on the side of the building that faced the main road.  They were small containing a semi-soft bed, a nightstand, and a small table with two chairs.  The sheets looked old, but clean.  The floor was well-worn and slightly dusty.  The room had a window that looked out over the street.  Everything smelled a bit musty to Jake, so he opened the window.  The noise from the street wasn’t too bad, so he left it open.

       Jake and Sara stored their gear and went over to meet up with George and Tammy.  As Jake locked the room, George and Tammy were coming out of their room.  Jake said, “Want to grab a bite to eat?”  George commented, “We were just coming to get you guys.”  Jake said, “Wait before you lock the door.”  Jake motioned for everyone to step back into the room.  Jake said, “Take small coins and put them in your pockets.  Do not use the gold coins unless we have to.”  So everyone pulled out a few silver and several copper coins to placing them in their pockets.  After everyone was done, George locked the room and they headed downstairs to eat.

   

  ***

   

       They found a table at the back of the tavern and sat down.  Jake and George both noticed the young waitress walking toward them.  They continued to stare as she asked, “What can I get for you this evening?”  Tammy watched their faces as did Sara who asked, “What’s on the menu tonight?”  The overly friendly waitress, ignoring Sara, looked at Jake, smiled and said, “The special is beef stew with half a loaf of bread and light ale.”  Sara fumed over the way the waitress not only ignoring her, but was flirting with Jake.  Sara said, “That sounds good, we’ll take four.”  The waitress glanced over at her and then back to Jake and asked, “Is that what everyone will have, love?”  Jake just nodded.

       The waitress smiled and walked off with an over exaggerated swaying of her hips,   Sara came unglued at the seams.  Jake said, “Let it be.  She is just trying to get a good tip.”  Sara said, “I’ll give her more than a tip, I’ll run her through with the whole sword.”  George and Tammy busted out laughing and Jake sat with his mouth open like he was trying to catch flies.

    �
�  The dinner arrived, everyone was too busy eating to talk.  The food was good and filling.  Jake was concerned with drinking the light ale, but after tasting it, he found that it was only apple cider.  After they ate, they went out and walked the streets to look at the various shops.  George nudged Jake and whispered, “I hate window shopping.”  Jake replied, “I know what you mean.”  Sara and Tammy both turned around and gave them dirty looks.  George said, “Busted.”  And the two of them started to laugh.

       After walking for about an hour or so they made their way back to the Frog’s Leap.  Tammy said, “Let’s find a table and get something to drink before we go upstairs for the night.  Everyone agreed.  The place was getting crowed so they ended up at a table off to the side near the bar.  After a few minutes a bard got up on a small stage and started singing.  The waitress gave them a strange look when they ordered light ale instead of a strong ale or lager.

       The bard was good and the crowd was singing along with his every song.  The stories contained in the songs were typical for what they expected:  The knight saves the princess; the hero saves a village and the like.  After a while, the bard took a break and got a drink from the bar.  He then walked over to the group.  Catching them off-guard, he asked, “You guys are not singing; do you not like my songs?”  Tammy said, “They are very lovely, we just don’t know them.”

       The bard looked at them like they had grown two heads each.  Jake said, “We come from a small farm area and have never been to the city before.”  The bard accepted the answer and went to greet his adoring fans.  George said, “Nice save, Jake.”  With that they finished their drinks and headed upstairs for the night.