Arthur Daigle's Blog, page 4
January 20, 2021
Duel part 2
**This is the conclusion to Duel**
Jayden’s prediction for the following day proved accurate. The river abruptly turned away from their destination, forcing Jayden to beach the rowboat and then abandon it. It took hours traveling through dense forests before they came across a road, but it was too well traveled for them to use without drawing attention and possibly attacks. They crossed it quickly and continued through the woods until they found a game trail going more or less where they wanted.
“It’s weird how there are so many tiny trails like this,” Dana said. “There can’t be that many poachers and smugglers trying to stay hidden.”
“There are, but they rarely make such paths,” Jayden told her. “Most are made by hunters and loggers. Others are made by men taking the shortest route to their destinations. After all, there aren’t many roads in Meadowland compared with other kingdoms.”
“Why not?”
Jayden formed his black magic sword to hack through plants growing onto the trail. “The king and queen are legally responsible for maintaining only a few roads. The rest are the responsibility of local nobles, who often lack the money and manpower to build and maintain roads in their lands. The lack of proper roads makes life difficult for visiting merchants, back when there were visiting merchants, and slows travel within the kingdom. It makes trails like this a critical if poorly mapped and constructed necessity. Sadly it also adds to our travel time, as this road is not going in a straight line where we want to go.”
Dana smiled at him. “Feel like making your own trail?”
“Tempting, but doing so would leave obvious signs we’d been here.”
“Kind of late to worry about that when so many people saw us on the river.”
Jayden cut through a tree branch blocking the trail. “They saw us only briefly and wouldn’t know where we were going. Most wouldn’t tell the authorities, as love for the king and queen is low and dropping.”
There was a snap ahead of them, and they stopped talking. Jayden got off the trail and waved for Dana to join him. Silence followed until a voice called out, “We both know the other is there. I think we can go our separate ways, no harm done.”
Jayden’s eyes narrowed. “You place a good deal of trust in my good nature.”
“Most folks I meet leave well enough alone. Chances are good you’ll do the same.”
Dana put on her mask. “If they were with the king and queen, they’d run from us or attack. Let’s trust them.”
“They could be dangerous and have nothing to do with the royal couple, but it’s encouraging that they seek peace.” Jayden called out, “Fair warning, if our meeting ends badly, you will regret it more than I will.”
“I don’t doubt it.” The stranger approached slowly. He was young with mud stained clothes and a heavily loaded backpack. Three more men followed him, all four armed with swords they kept sheathed. They looked nervous like they would run if they could, but their backpacks looked too heavy for a swift escape. They were also about the age where they could be conscripted, and might be on the run from pressgangs.
The man in front studied Jayden carefully. “I’ve heard about you. Didn’t think we’d ever meet.”
“You’re a smuggler if ever I’ve seen one,” Jayden said. “What are you carrying?”
The smuggler opened his backpack to show jars filled with brown powder, and the others did the same. “Sweet bark, paid for in advance. I’d just as soon we not fight.”
Jayden stepped aside to let them pass. “Go.”
The smuggler nodded and led his group away. Jayden watched them leave before leading Dana down the trail. He frowned before saying, “Many such men carry what would be legitimate cargo anywhere else, merely trying to avoid being taxed or having their goods seized, but it’s still a bad sign. Smugglers can carry dangerous cargo as easily as not. That the profession has become so common is a serious inditement against the king and queen.”
Dana took off her mask. “That’s why you checked what they had.”
“I’ve destroyed smugglers’ cargos when I found them carrying poison, combat drugs or wyvern eggs. I imagine I’ll do so again before the year is out. It annoys me that I must do the authorities’ jobs for them.”
* * * * *
It took another two days to reach the border with Bascal, a mountainous and heavily wooded region. Dana and Jayden had to avoid large, heavily armed army patrols, and towns fortified with walls and barricades until they looked like small fortresses. For a change Jayden showed the caution the situation deserved. He picked his way through game trails and along streams, moving ever closer to their destination. They finally came upon a wide grassy clearing with a road running through it.
“Almost there,” he promised. “Getting my prize may prove harder than reaching it, but I know of nowhere else I am certain to find Sorcerer Lord spell tablets. It is this or nothing.”
“Then we’ll be sure to be on our best behavior,” she teased him.
“You consistently ask the impossible of me.”
“It’s only impossible until you do it,” she told him.
“Hello!” a cheerful voice called out. Dana froze and Jayden drew his sword. There was a pause before the voice called out, “Come, come, let’s not waste each other’s time, Sorcerer Lord. We both have places to be and things to do.”
“Sounds friendly,” Dana said.
“He does,” Jayden agreed.
“Good chance he’ll try to kill us?”
“Perceptive of you. Mask on and sword out, Dana.”
Jayden led her onto the grassy clearing, where they spotted a large carriage pulled by four horses parked in a shady spot nearby. The carriage had no windows and a single large door held shut by locks and chains. The carriage’s driver was equally odd, a white haired gnome half Dana’s height. He wore obnoxiously bright clothes with feathers around his shoulders, and carried only a thin wood cane.
“Phineas Bargle, at your disservice,” the gnome said. “I thought we’d talk one wizard to another.”
“Charming,” Jayden said as he came to a stop fifty feet from the carriage. “I must admit to being curious. I use potent magic to prevent men from finding me, yet you have done just that.”
Phineas took a pipe from his pocket and tapped tobacco from a pouch into the end. “Your magic is effective. I spent weeks trying to locate you with spells that should have been able to find a specific flea on a horse five hundred miles away. You can imagine my frustration when they didn’t work.”
Jayden’s eyes narrowed. “Yet here you are.”
“When magic didn’t work, I used logic. You were seen assassinating a foreign wizard assigned to General Vander. I was nearby when it happened.”
“It wasn’t an assassination,” Jayden correct the gnome.
Phineas shrugged. “Call it what you will. I don’t judge. I picked up your trail and lost it nearly as fast, but I found people who’d seen you. I could have torn the information from their minds, but they answered me with only the slightest prompting and a few coins for their words. Many of them described you going in the same direction and at some speed.” The gnome snapped his fingers and formed a flame to light his pipe. “Once I knew that, I made logical deductions on where you could be going and followed you.”
“How did you get ahead of us?” Dana asked.
Phineas smirked and tapped his cane on his carriage. The carriage rocked in response, as whatever was inside stirred. “I move faster than you on roads you can’t set foot on without bringing a hundred soldiers down on your heads.”
“That still doesn’t make sense,” Dana said. “We traveled by water for a while.”
“Where men saw you.” Phineas took a deep breath from his pipe and exhaled a smoke ring. “Men here aren’t loyal to the king and his meddlesome queen, but most have little love for you, or are so desperate for coins that they’d sell you out. Why, one time I learned what I needed to know for a jar of strawberry jam.”
Jayden scowled. “The sunken. I should have expected it to betray me.”
“Betrayed?” Phineas asked. “The way he tells it, you bartered for safe transit only. You should have paid for secrecy, too. Anyway, once I had enough information, I narrowed down your possible destinations to three places. This was the leading candidate. It was simple enough to get ahead of you and wait. If you hadn’t come in another day or so I would have tried the other two, but that’s proven unnecessary.”
“I likely know the answer already, but who do you work for?” Jayden asked.
“Now that’s an interesting question, with many possible answers,” the gnome replied. “On paper I work for King Tyros and Queen Amvicta. Is it just me, or is it odd how her name keeps getting attached to his decisions?”
“It’s not just you,” Dana told him.
“Didn’t think so.” The gnome took another breath from his pipe and blew smoke through his nose. “They hired me and assigned me to work with a few other individuals to find and kill you.”
Jayden swept his arms out. “We seem to be alone.”
“I abandoned them a week ago. We’d have ended up killing each other if I hadn’t. Bloody psychopaths. Back to my original topic, we were promised a dukedom for killing you.” Phineas leaned forward. “The same dukedom you ruined.”
“If I’m supposed to feel ashamed, I’m not.”
Phineas waved his pipe in front of him. “Shame? Don’t know the meaning of the word. The manor house is gone along with a largish warehouse, the servants and soldiers ran off, and what little remained was looted. It would cost a fortune just to make it livable. I suppose the land would generate money to do the job, except the last duke earned his fortune through trade. I don’t have his business connections.”
“The prize isn’t worth having,” Jayden said.
“Exactly. If I kill you, I’ll be stuck being in charge of ruined property. Would humans take orders from someone half their size? I’d rather not find out. My coworkers were willing to take the chance it would work, or at least provide a steady supply of victims, but I know a bad bet when I see one.”
Puzzled, Dana asked, “Why are you here if you don’t want what they’re paying?”
“I’m getting to that.” Phineas leaned back and tapped his cane on the carriage. Again it rocked as its passenger responded to the tap. “I’ve been in Meadowland for a month, long enough to see the kingdom is going to fail. Whether they win or lose the war doesn’t matter. Victory means trying to hold onto more land than they can control. Losing means decades of rebuilding or worse. It’s bad business, but a clever fellow can profit from disaster.”
Jayden frowned. “If you expect something from me, prepare yourself for disappointment.”
Phineas shrugged. “Maybe yes, maybe no. I’m going to make you an offer I think you’ll take. You want King Tyros’ invasions to fail and soon. My departure from Meadowland helps that process. One thousand gold coins in cash or treasure and my associate in the carriage and I leave, never to return, and we won’t tell anyone where you are.”
“Will your clan be satisfied with so little?” Jayden asked.
Phineas chuckled and added more tobacco to his pipe. “I parted ways with them long ago. A thousand gold coins will allow me to live a life of debauchery for years to come, reward enough for me.”
“I don’t have that much money,” Jayden told him.
“But you’ve found Sorcerer Lord spell tablets,” Phineas countered. “I doubt you’ve parted company with those. Your escapades have generated quite a bit of interest in shadow magic. Men will pay gold for those in the hopes they can learn their secrets.”
Jayden eyed the gnome with undisguised anger. It didn’t take Dana long to realize why. Jayden was risking much in the hopes of getting more spell tablets, not losing the ones he had. Dana figured he didn’t need the ones he already owned after learning the spells, but to give them to a stranger meant risking evil men might learn how to use them. There was no telling how much damage a wicked man could do if he could make a black whip or giant hand. Jayden would be responsible for the damage.
“No,” Jayden said firmly. “My secrets are mine and mine alone. If others want them, they will have to earn them. We might be able to bargain, Phineas, but my magic isn’t on the table and never will be.”
“I thought you might say that,” Phineas said casually. “Have you heard of Braxton Bix?”
“Braxton the Betrayer?” Jayden asked. “Also called the Burglar and the Butcher.”
“That’s a lot of nicknames,” Dana said.
“All of them well earned,” Jayden told her. “Braxton hasn’t been seen in twenty years, a loss to no one.”
“He hasn’t been seen because I have him.” Phineas took a puff from his pipe. “He’s not the man he used to be. Technically he’s not a man at all. He stole secrets of troll magic used to permanently enhance their people. If you’ve ever wondered why trolls are so strong, that’s why. The fool experimented on himself. It’s delicate magic, not to be handled by the greedy, impatient and inept. Braxton equals an adult troll in strength, endurance and health, but at a cost to him that frightens even me. Dominating what little remained of his mind was child’s play. He follows my orders, generally, and is brutal in battle. My mind spells may not be an equal to your shadow magic, but Braxton tips the scales in my favor.”
“So it’s armed robbery,” Jayden said.
Phineas emptied out his pipe onto the ground. “Call it what you will, but be careful judging your chances against me. I know what you’re capable of, and I’m confident of victory. Lose some of what you have or all of it. Your choice.”
Jayden’s answer was as vengeful as Dana expected. “You claim to know my measure yet make a demand I’d never give in to. Only recently I gave a petty, hateful being what it had no right to, a move that clearly backfired. I showed the sunken mercy by not killing it. I’m out of mercy. You are a pathetic, hateful, greedy excuse for a person, and I will give you nothing except the beating you so clearly deserve. Whatever monster rides inside your carriage, unleash it and you will leave alone and empty handed, or not at all.”
“I see,” Phineas replied.
“I suspect the Inspired have come to Meadowland,” Jayden continued. “I don’t know if you’re part of that arrogant cabal or merely a parasite happy to snatch what you can. Whether you work alone as you claim or are a part of a larger group doesn’t matter. My decision is final.”
Phineas put his pipe into a coat pocket. “I hadn’t heard the Inspired were here. It’s another reason to leave, but I won’t leave poor. Pity you weren’t more reasonable.”
Phineas raised his cane, and screamed in terror as a javelin missed his head and sank deep into the top of his carriage.
“Traitor!”
The shout echoed across the clearing, startling Phineas as much as it did Dana and Jayden. The trio that came from the woods to the north must cause nightmares among any who saw them. The first was a wild eyed man wearing leather armor with blue spiraling marks running down the arms and legs. He carried another javelin and a longsword. The second was wrapped head to toe in badly stitched together black leather and carried a sickle that glowed red. The last person was wrapped in dirty silk, and Dana saw things moving inside of it.
“Your associate?” Jayden asked as he cast a spell to form his black magic sword.
“Loosely speaking, yes,” Phineas admitted. “Immortal has died hundreds of times and keeps coming back, Ghost Hunter is as brutal as he looks, and Web, well, less said the better.”
“You thought to kill the Sorcerer Lord alone and leave us out of the reward,” Immortal snarled as he prepared to throw another javelin. The blue markings on his leather armor kept moving, sometimes spelling hateful words before changing again. The man practically exuded rage, spitting as he yelled, “Filthy, stinking, stunted gnome, I’ll skin you!”
Phineas raised his cane. “Gentlemen, I found our target and kept him here for you.”
Ghost Hunter raised his sickle. “Save your lies for someone who believes them.”
Web was even more disgusting as it came close enough to see clearly. Its entire body was made up of spiders crawling around inside of web spun to look like a man. A large red eye slid around inside it, pushing spiders aside or running over them and crushing them. “Found, kill, eat.”
“How did they find us?” Dana asked Jayden.
“No idea,” he admitted.
“I spent days outside my body looking for you when you left in the night,” Ghost Hunter told Phineas. His uniform was made of scraps of leather sewn together with coarse thread, and had no holes for his eyes, nose or mouth. Here and there bits of leather stuck out from his body and gave him a careless, disheveled look. “No one cheats me and lives.”
“No one who spends time near you lives for long,” Phineas countered.
Jayden glanced at Phineas as their enemies approached. “If they live, they’ll report your treachery to the king and queen. Work with us and that won’t happen.”
“I’m on no one’s side but my own,” Phineas told him, and rapped his cane against the the door to his carriage. Locks snapped open, chains fell loose, and the door opened to release a revolting mockery of a man eight feet tall with bulging muscles, clawed hands, a head that was mostly mouth and wearing nothing except a loincloth. He reeked of body odor and rotting meat, and had long yellowed fangs in place of teeth. Caked in mud and covered in scars, the brute stepped out of the carriage.
Phineas waved his cane across the clearing. “Kill them all.”
For a few precious seconds Dana thought she and Jayden wouldn’t have to do anything except watch. The brute galloped across the grassy clearing on his hands and feet before leaping at Immortal. The two fought like mad dogs, snarling and shouting, but Ghost Hunter and Web ignored their ally’s peril. Web came for Dana, its limbs moving unnaturally and hissing, “Enemy, victim, food!”
“That one’s yours,” Dana told Jayden.
He stepped in front of her. “Agreed.”
“Then the girl’s head is mine!” Ghost Hunter yelled as he charged Dana. She had no idea how he could see when his uniform had no eye slits, but the lack didn’t bother him as he lashed out with his sickle. Dana blocked it with Chain Cutter, but didn’t cut through the sickle. The two met with a shower of sparks and enough force to shake her arm. Ghost Hunter swung again, this time aiming low at her knees. Dana blocked him again.
“Die, you miserable cow!” Ghost Hunter yelled at her.
“That’s just rude!” Dana wasn’t impressed with her opponent. He was strong and fast, but far from the strongest or fastest she’d fought, and his fighting style was sloppy. She’d been studying under Jayden for half a year and was a match for Ghost Hunter.
Ghost Hunter aimed for her head with his next attack and she ducked under his sickle. She swung upwards trying to hit his weapon and knock it out of his hands. Her aim was too good, or Ghost Hunter was more incompetent than she’d though, and Chain Cutter sliced off his right hand.
Dana jumped back in horror. “Oh my God! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! You’re, you’re bleeding sawdust?”
Dry sawdust poured from the wound, and Ghost Hunter’s right arm sagged and fell limp at his side like an empty shirt sleeve. Shock froze Dana for a second as Ghost Hunter snatched up his weapon with his left hand. Immortal, still fighting the brute, yelled to Ghost Hunter, “Walk it off, kid!”
“I did not see that coming,” Dana admitted.
“It didn’t hurt,” Ghost Hunter snarled. “It will hurt when I do the same to you.”
Their duel ended when Web ran between them, screaming, “Flee, escape, survive!”
Jayden followed the nightmarish monster with his shield of spinning black blades and magic sword. Web had four deep gashes in its back and arms, and live spiders spilled out of them. It tried to reach the forest and the cover the trees would provide. Jayden struck Web across the right heel with his sword, and when the monster fell he ran through it with the spinning blades. His shield of blades ended, but not before shredding Wed. Bits of webbing and spiders flew through the air like confetti. Jayden stomped on the creature’s large red eye when it landed on the ground. He looked at Ghost Hunter and announced, “Next.”
“You think this is a game?” Ghost Hunter yelled. “You think this is funny?”
“Moderately amusing. I’m curious what will happen if you suffer a head wound. You’ll be empty headed in every sense of the word.”
Ghost Hunter howled in outrage, a cry cut short when Immortal flew through the air to hit him in the back, sending them both tumbling to the ground. The brute lumbered after them and casually took a swipe at Jayden. Jayden tried to run but was a second too slow, and he was knocked alongside his two enemies. The brute seized Immortal by the heels before the man could get up and swung him into the ground. Dana tried to help Jayden up, but Ghost Hunter got between them.
“Die, you stinking wench!” Ghost Hunter clearly wasn’t ambidextrous, because his swings were even wilder and easier to block than before. He tried to kick her and even made an attempt to headbutt her, missing both times. “You think you’re better than me! You’re trying to make me look stupid! Die!”
“Shut up!” she yelled back. Ghost Hunter made a powerful overhead swing and she stepped out of the way. The swing left his sickle near the ground for a second, too far down to block her attacks. Dana didn’t want to hurt Ghost Hunter any more than she already had, but he wasn’t stopping. She slashed Chain Cutter across his chest, slicing through his leather clothes and spilling gallons of sawdust. He struggled to lift his sickle before she brought her sword back the other way to cut off his left arm at the elbow. Sawdust flew from the wounds as Ghost Hunter fell over.
Then he got up, no longer a menacing figure in black, but a translucent ghost, a boy a year or two younger than Dana. For a second she felt pity for him. Was this who he really was, a spirit occupying a fake body? Her pity vanished when the ghost looked at her with such loathing she stepped back. His lips formed the words, “I’ll get you,” before he vanished.
“Dana, a little help,” Jayden called.
She turned away from Ghost Hunter’s remains to see Jayden and Immortal trying to stop the brute. The lumbering monster moved faster than she would have expected, and suffered only cuts from what should have been killing blows. Jayden’s enhanced speed from his magic sword helped him land a shallow blow before the brute seized Immortal with both hands and crushed him. Dana screamed as Immortal crumbled to dust and a glowing orb burst from his remains. The light shot into the sky until it was lost to sight.
“Pity he won’t stay dead,” Phineas said from on top of his carriage.
Dana ignored the brute and charged the gnome instead. The brute howled and ran after her. She raced up to the carriage and hacked off its back left wheel with Chain Cutter. The wagon nearly tipped over and Phineas was thrown screaming to the ground. Dana stood over him with her sword raised.
“Call him off!”
“I can’t,” the gnome said. “He won’t stop fighting while enemies stand.”
The brute caught up with her and landed a blow strong enough to send her flying ten feet. She cried out in pain when she landed, a cry nearly as great as the brute’s when a giant black hand rammed into him and threw him into the damaged carriage. The carriage tipped over and the horses panicked as they were pulled down with it.
Phineas swore bitterly as he got up. Dana winced as she staggered to her feet and went after the gnome. She didn’t know what spells he could cast, and had no desire to learn. The gnome saw her coming, and he uttered strange words as he pointed his cane at her.
Dana cried out in surprise as the world spun around her. She couldn’t tell which way was up and staggered like a drunk before falling to her knees. Phineas chuckled and say, “I’d heard you were dangerous. How disappointing.”
“Shouldn’t have done that,” Dana said as she shook her head.
“Pray tell, why not?”
“No one hurts my friends!” Jayden yelled. He sent his magic hand hurling into the brute, knocking him onto Phineas. The gnome screamed and tried to get out from beneath his monstrous slave. “No one!”
Dana’s senses returned to normal, and she got up. “That’s why.”
The brute got up and lunged at Jayden, only for the giant magic hand to swing down from above onto the brute, sending him to the ground again. Jayden and Dana both charged and struck before their foe could rise. Magic swords struck with terrifying results. The brute made one last effort to stand before falling to his knees, and then to the ground.
Phineas scrambled to his feet and pointed his cane at Jayden. He uttered the same words as before, but the Sorcerer Lord stood firm. Phineas gasped. “No.”
“It seems my mind cloud is sufficient defense against your attempts to influence me,” he snarled at the gnome. “Without your protector you’re no threat to us, and shortly you’ll be a threat to no one. I gave you fair warning, gnome. You’ve only yourself to blame for what comes next.”
A look of horror crossed Phineas’ face as he backed up to his carriage. Dana wasn’t sure if she should stop Jayden when the gnome had tried to kill them, and may have killed others with his pet monster. The matter was taken out of her hands when Phineas cast another spell. To their amazement the brute stood up, his movements jerky as he stumbled after Dana and Jayden. Dana drove Chain Cutter into the brute from one side and Jayden attacked from the other. Their swords left terrible wounds as the brute staggered like a badly handled puppet. The brute tried to club them with his massive forearms, but was so clumsy they had no trouble dodging him.
They struck again, finally dropping the brute before turning to Phineas. The gnome had used his distraction to cut loose one of his horses from its harness. The frightened animal struggled to its feet with the gnome holding onto its mane, and it galloped away. Jayden sent his giant magic hand after the gnome, but the horse ran faster than the hand could fly, and Phineas escaped into the woods.
“No!” Jayden ran a few steps after them before realizing the effort was fruitless. Snarling mad, he hacked the damaged carriage apart. Noise from the battle brought a pair of Meadowland spearmen to investigate. They stared at Jayden as he chopped the carriage in half, then turned his menacing gaze on them. Both men ran for their lives.
His fury spent, Jayden returned to Dana. She stared at their fallen foes. The brute was dead, his misshapen body horribly damaged. Immortal was a pile of ashes. Ghost Hunter’s spirit was gone, his false body reduced to tattered black leather and piles of sawdust. There was even less left of Web.
“Was that necromancy when the body got back up?” Dana asked hesitantly.
Jayden looked at the fallen brute. “No. I’ve heard of this spell before. Bodies die in stages. Phineas used his magic to control what little of the brute remained alive. The spell could have kept his body moving for a few minutes until even that was impossible.”
“How many,” Dana began, but found it hard to go on. She took a deep breath and asked, “How many more monsters like this did the king and queen bring into Meadowland? Cimmox the necromancer, Victory’s Edge, these, these things? How many more are in the kingdom?”
Jayden sheathed his magic sword and picked up Ghost Hunter’s magic sickle. “I don’t know. Cimmox claimed the royal couple weren’t discriminating when they sought help for their war. There could be dozens like these villains here or on their way.”
“That spider thing wanted to eat us! What will happen to people living here with monsters like that on the loose? People could get hurt, killed!”
Jayden struggled to rein in his anger. “The risk to Meadowland’s people is staggering.”
Feeling lost and scared, she asked, “How do we save them?
“We seek help from any who will give it.” Jayden bent down to comfort the horses Phineas had left behind. All three were terrified from the battle, and their fear only slowly ebbed. “If nothing else we now have proper mounts and no need to relinquish them. Come, Dana, let us see if King Rascan is willing to bargain with us.”
Jayden’s prediction for the following day proved accurate. The river abruptly turned away from their destination, forcing Jayden to beach the rowboat and then abandon it. It took hours traveling through dense forests before they came across a road, but it was too well traveled for them to use without drawing attention and possibly attacks. They crossed it quickly and continued through the woods until they found a game trail going more or less where they wanted.
“It’s weird how there are so many tiny trails like this,” Dana said. “There can’t be that many poachers and smugglers trying to stay hidden.”
“There are, but they rarely make such paths,” Jayden told her. “Most are made by hunters and loggers. Others are made by men taking the shortest route to their destinations. After all, there aren’t many roads in Meadowland compared with other kingdoms.”
“Why not?”
Jayden formed his black magic sword to hack through plants growing onto the trail. “The king and queen are legally responsible for maintaining only a few roads. The rest are the responsibility of local nobles, who often lack the money and manpower to build and maintain roads in their lands. The lack of proper roads makes life difficult for visiting merchants, back when there were visiting merchants, and slows travel within the kingdom. It makes trails like this a critical if poorly mapped and constructed necessity. Sadly it also adds to our travel time, as this road is not going in a straight line where we want to go.”
Dana smiled at him. “Feel like making your own trail?”
“Tempting, but doing so would leave obvious signs we’d been here.”
“Kind of late to worry about that when so many people saw us on the river.”
Jayden cut through a tree branch blocking the trail. “They saw us only briefly and wouldn’t know where we were going. Most wouldn’t tell the authorities, as love for the king and queen is low and dropping.”
There was a snap ahead of them, and they stopped talking. Jayden got off the trail and waved for Dana to join him. Silence followed until a voice called out, “We both know the other is there. I think we can go our separate ways, no harm done.”
Jayden’s eyes narrowed. “You place a good deal of trust in my good nature.”
“Most folks I meet leave well enough alone. Chances are good you’ll do the same.”
Dana put on her mask. “If they were with the king and queen, they’d run from us or attack. Let’s trust them.”
“They could be dangerous and have nothing to do with the royal couple, but it’s encouraging that they seek peace.” Jayden called out, “Fair warning, if our meeting ends badly, you will regret it more than I will.”
“I don’t doubt it.” The stranger approached slowly. He was young with mud stained clothes and a heavily loaded backpack. Three more men followed him, all four armed with swords they kept sheathed. They looked nervous like they would run if they could, but their backpacks looked too heavy for a swift escape. They were also about the age where they could be conscripted, and might be on the run from pressgangs.
The man in front studied Jayden carefully. “I’ve heard about you. Didn’t think we’d ever meet.”
“You’re a smuggler if ever I’ve seen one,” Jayden said. “What are you carrying?”
The smuggler opened his backpack to show jars filled with brown powder, and the others did the same. “Sweet bark, paid for in advance. I’d just as soon we not fight.”
Jayden stepped aside to let them pass. “Go.”
The smuggler nodded and led his group away. Jayden watched them leave before leading Dana down the trail. He frowned before saying, “Many such men carry what would be legitimate cargo anywhere else, merely trying to avoid being taxed or having their goods seized, but it’s still a bad sign. Smugglers can carry dangerous cargo as easily as not. That the profession has become so common is a serious inditement against the king and queen.”
Dana took off her mask. “That’s why you checked what they had.”
“I’ve destroyed smugglers’ cargos when I found them carrying poison, combat drugs or wyvern eggs. I imagine I’ll do so again before the year is out. It annoys me that I must do the authorities’ jobs for them.”
* * * * *
It took another two days to reach the border with Bascal, a mountainous and heavily wooded region. Dana and Jayden had to avoid large, heavily armed army patrols, and towns fortified with walls and barricades until they looked like small fortresses. For a change Jayden showed the caution the situation deserved. He picked his way through game trails and along streams, moving ever closer to their destination. They finally came upon a wide grassy clearing with a road running through it.
“Almost there,” he promised. “Getting my prize may prove harder than reaching it, but I know of nowhere else I am certain to find Sorcerer Lord spell tablets. It is this or nothing.”
“Then we’ll be sure to be on our best behavior,” she teased him.
“You consistently ask the impossible of me.”
“It’s only impossible until you do it,” she told him.
“Hello!” a cheerful voice called out. Dana froze and Jayden drew his sword. There was a pause before the voice called out, “Come, come, let’s not waste each other’s time, Sorcerer Lord. We both have places to be and things to do.”
“Sounds friendly,” Dana said.
“He does,” Jayden agreed.
“Good chance he’ll try to kill us?”
“Perceptive of you. Mask on and sword out, Dana.”
Jayden led her onto the grassy clearing, where they spotted a large carriage pulled by four horses parked in a shady spot nearby. The carriage had no windows and a single large door held shut by locks and chains. The carriage’s driver was equally odd, a white haired gnome half Dana’s height. He wore obnoxiously bright clothes with feathers around his shoulders, and carried only a thin wood cane.
“Phineas Bargle, at your disservice,” the gnome said. “I thought we’d talk one wizard to another.”
“Charming,” Jayden said as he came to a stop fifty feet from the carriage. “I must admit to being curious. I use potent magic to prevent men from finding me, yet you have done just that.”
Phineas took a pipe from his pocket and tapped tobacco from a pouch into the end. “Your magic is effective. I spent weeks trying to locate you with spells that should have been able to find a specific flea on a horse five hundred miles away. You can imagine my frustration when they didn’t work.”
Jayden’s eyes narrowed. “Yet here you are.”
“When magic didn’t work, I used logic. You were seen assassinating a foreign wizard assigned to General Vander. I was nearby when it happened.”
“It wasn’t an assassination,” Jayden correct the gnome.
Phineas shrugged. “Call it what you will. I don’t judge. I picked up your trail and lost it nearly as fast, but I found people who’d seen you. I could have torn the information from their minds, but they answered me with only the slightest prompting and a few coins for their words. Many of them described you going in the same direction and at some speed.” The gnome snapped his fingers and formed a flame to light his pipe. “Once I knew that, I made logical deductions on where you could be going and followed you.”
“How did you get ahead of us?” Dana asked.
Phineas smirked and tapped his cane on his carriage. The carriage rocked in response, as whatever was inside stirred. “I move faster than you on roads you can’t set foot on without bringing a hundred soldiers down on your heads.”
“That still doesn’t make sense,” Dana said. “We traveled by water for a while.”
“Where men saw you.” Phineas took a deep breath from his pipe and exhaled a smoke ring. “Men here aren’t loyal to the king and his meddlesome queen, but most have little love for you, or are so desperate for coins that they’d sell you out. Why, one time I learned what I needed to know for a jar of strawberry jam.”
Jayden scowled. “The sunken. I should have expected it to betray me.”
“Betrayed?” Phineas asked. “The way he tells it, you bartered for safe transit only. You should have paid for secrecy, too. Anyway, once I had enough information, I narrowed down your possible destinations to three places. This was the leading candidate. It was simple enough to get ahead of you and wait. If you hadn’t come in another day or so I would have tried the other two, but that’s proven unnecessary.”
“I likely know the answer already, but who do you work for?” Jayden asked.
“Now that’s an interesting question, with many possible answers,” the gnome replied. “On paper I work for King Tyros and Queen Amvicta. Is it just me, or is it odd how her name keeps getting attached to his decisions?”
“It’s not just you,” Dana told him.
“Didn’t think so.” The gnome took another breath from his pipe and blew smoke through his nose. “They hired me and assigned me to work with a few other individuals to find and kill you.”
Jayden swept his arms out. “We seem to be alone.”
“I abandoned them a week ago. We’d have ended up killing each other if I hadn’t. Bloody psychopaths. Back to my original topic, we were promised a dukedom for killing you.” Phineas leaned forward. “The same dukedom you ruined.”
“If I’m supposed to feel ashamed, I’m not.”
Phineas waved his pipe in front of him. “Shame? Don’t know the meaning of the word. The manor house is gone along with a largish warehouse, the servants and soldiers ran off, and what little remained was looted. It would cost a fortune just to make it livable. I suppose the land would generate money to do the job, except the last duke earned his fortune through trade. I don’t have his business connections.”
“The prize isn’t worth having,” Jayden said.
“Exactly. If I kill you, I’ll be stuck being in charge of ruined property. Would humans take orders from someone half their size? I’d rather not find out. My coworkers were willing to take the chance it would work, or at least provide a steady supply of victims, but I know a bad bet when I see one.”
Puzzled, Dana asked, “Why are you here if you don’t want what they’re paying?”
“I’m getting to that.” Phineas leaned back and tapped his cane on the carriage. Again it rocked as its passenger responded to the tap. “I’ve been in Meadowland for a month, long enough to see the kingdom is going to fail. Whether they win or lose the war doesn’t matter. Victory means trying to hold onto more land than they can control. Losing means decades of rebuilding or worse. It’s bad business, but a clever fellow can profit from disaster.”
Jayden frowned. “If you expect something from me, prepare yourself for disappointment.”
Phineas shrugged. “Maybe yes, maybe no. I’m going to make you an offer I think you’ll take. You want King Tyros’ invasions to fail and soon. My departure from Meadowland helps that process. One thousand gold coins in cash or treasure and my associate in the carriage and I leave, never to return, and we won’t tell anyone where you are.”
“Will your clan be satisfied with so little?” Jayden asked.
Phineas chuckled and added more tobacco to his pipe. “I parted ways with them long ago. A thousand gold coins will allow me to live a life of debauchery for years to come, reward enough for me.”
“I don’t have that much money,” Jayden told him.
“But you’ve found Sorcerer Lord spell tablets,” Phineas countered. “I doubt you’ve parted company with those. Your escapades have generated quite a bit of interest in shadow magic. Men will pay gold for those in the hopes they can learn their secrets.”
Jayden eyed the gnome with undisguised anger. It didn’t take Dana long to realize why. Jayden was risking much in the hopes of getting more spell tablets, not losing the ones he had. Dana figured he didn’t need the ones he already owned after learning the spells, but to give them to a stranger meant risking evil men might learn how to use them. There was no telling how much damage a wicked man could do if he could make a black whip or giant hand. Jayden would be responsible for the damage.
“No,” Jayden said firmly. “My secrets are mine and mine alone. If others want them, they will have to earn them. We might be able to bargain, Phineas, but my magic isn’t on the table and never will be.”
“I thought you might say that,” Phineas said casually. “Have you heard of Braxton Bix?”
“Braxton the Betrayer?” Jayden asked. “Also called the Burglar and the Butcher.”
“That’s a lot of nicknames,” Dana said.
“All of them well earned,” Jayden told her. “Braxton hasn’t been seen in twenty years, a loss to no one.”
“He hasn’t been seen because I have him.” Phineas took a puff from his pipe. “He’s not the man he used to be. Technically he’s not a man at all. He stole secrets of troll magic used to permanently enhance their people. If you’ve ever wondered why trolls are so strong, that’s why. The fool experimented on himself. It’s delicate magic, not to be handled by the greedy, impatient and inept. Braxton equals an adult troll in strength, endurance and health, but at a cost to him that frightens even me. Dominating what little remained of his mind was child’s play. He follows my orders, generally, and is brutal in battle. My mind spells may not be an equal to your shadow magic, but Braxton tips the scales in my favor.”
“So it’s armed robbery,” Jayden said.
Phineas emptied out his pipe onto the ground. “Call it what you will, but be careful judging your chances against me. I know what you’re capable of, and I’m confident of victory. Lose some of what you have or all of it. Your choice.”
Jayden’s answer was as vengeful as Dana expected. “You claim to know my measure yet make a demand I’d never give in to. Only recently I gave a petty, hateful being what it had no right to, a move that clearly backfired. I showed the sunken mercy by not killing it. I’m out of mercy. You are a pathetic, hateful, greedy excuse for a person, and I will give you nothing except the beating you so clearly deserve. Whatever monster rides inside your carriage, unleash it and you will leave alone and empty handed, or not at all.”
“I see,” Phineas replied.
“I suspect the Inspired have come to Meadowland,” Jayden continued. “I don’t know if you’re part of that arrogant cabal or merely a parasite happy to snatch what you can. Whether you work alone as you claim or are a part of a larger group doesn’t matter. My decision is final.”
Phineas put his pipe into a coat pocket. “I hadn’t heard the Inspired were here. It’s another reason to leave, but I won’t leave poor. Pity you weren’t more reasonable.”
Phineas raised his cane, and screamed in terror as a javelin missed his head and sank deep into the top of his carriage.
“Traitor!”
The shout echoed across the clearing, startling Phineas as much as it did Dana and Jayden. The trio that came from the woods to the north must cause nightmares among any who saw them. The first was a wild eyed man wearing leather armor with blue spiraling marks running down the arms and legs. He carried another javelin and a longsword. The second was wrapped head to toe in badly stitched together black leather and carried a sickle that glowed red. The last person was wrapped in dirty silk, and Dana saw things moving inside of it.
“Your associate?” Jayden asked as he cast a spell to form his black magic sword.
“Loosely speaking, yes,” Phineas admitted. “Immortal has died hundreds of times and keeps coming back, Ghost Hunter is as brutal as he looks, and Web, well, less said the better.”
“You thought to kill the Sorcerer Lord alone and leave us out of the reward,” Immortal snarled as he prepared to throw another javelin. The blue markings on his leather armor kept moving, sometimes spelling hateful words before changing again. The man practically exuded rage, spitting as he yelled, “Filthy, stinking, stunted gnome, I’ll skin you!”
Phineas raised his cane. “Gentlemen, I found our target and kept him here for you.”
Ghost Hunter raised his sickle. “Save your lies for someone who believes them.”
Web was even more disgusting as it came close enough to see clearly. Its entire body was made up of spiders crawling around inside of web spun to look like a man. A large red eye slid around inside it, pushing spiders aside or running over them and crushing them. “Found, kill, eat.”
“How did they find us?” Dana asked Jayden.
“No idea,” he admitted.
“I spent days outside my body looking for you when you left in the night,” Ghost Hunter told Phineas. His uniform was made of scraps of leather sewn together with coarse thread, and had no holes for his eyes, nose or mouth. Here and there bits of leather stuck out from his body and gave him a careless, disheveled look. “No one cheats me and lives.”
“No one who spends time near you lives for long,” Phineas countered.
Jayden glanced at Phineas as their enemies approached. “If they live, they’ll report your treachery to the king and queen. Work with us and that won’t happen.”
“I’m on no one’s side but my own,” Phineas told him, and rapped his cane against the the door to his carriage. Locks snapped open, chains fell loose, and the door opened to release a revolting mockery of a man eight feet tall with bulging muscles, clawed hands, a head that was mostly mouth and wearing nothing except a loincloth. He reeked of body odor and rotting meat, and had long yellowed fangs in place of teeth. Caked in mud and covered in scars, the brute stepped out of the carriage.
Phineas waved his cane across the clearing. “Kill them all.”
For a few precious seconds Dana thought she and Jayden wouldn’t have to do anything except watch. The brute galloped across the grassy clearing on his hands and feet before leaping at Immortal. The two fought like mad dogs, snarling and shouting, but Ghost Hunter and Web ignored their ally’s peril. Web came for Dana, its limbs moving unnaturally and hissing, “Enemy, victim, food!”
“That one’s yours,” Dana told Jayden.
He stepped in front of her. “Agreed.”
“Then the girl’s head is mine!” Ghost Hunter yelled as he charged Dana. She had no idea how he could see when his uniform had no eye slits, but the lack didn’t bother him as he lashed out with his sickle. Dana blocked it with Chain Cutter, but didn’t cut through the sickle. The two met with a shower of sparks and enough force to shake her arm. Ghost Hunter swung again, this time aiming low at her knees. Dana blocked him again.
“Die, you miserable cow!” Ghost Hunter yelled at her.
“That’s just rude!” Dana wasn’t impressed with her opponent. He was strong and fast, but far from the strongest or fastest she’d fought, and his fighting style was sloppy. She’d been studying under Jayden for half a year and was a match for Ghost Hunter.
Ghost Hunter aimed for her head with his next attack and she ducked under his sickle. She swung upwards trying to hit his weapon and knock it out of his hands. Her aim was too good, or Ghost Hunter was more incompetent than she’d though, and Chain Cutter sliced off his right hand.
Dana jumped back in horror. “Oh my God! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! You’re, you’re bleeding sawdust?”
Dry sawdust poured from the wound, and Ghost Hunter’s right arm sagged and fell limp at his side like an empty shirt sleeve. Shock froze Dana for a second as Ghost Hunter snatched up his weapon with his left hand. Immortal, still fighting the brute, yelled to Ghost Hunter, “Walk it off, kid!”
“I did not see that coming,” Dana admitted.
“It didn’t hurt,” Ghost Hunter snarled. “It will hurt when I do the same to you.”
Their duel ended when Web ran between them, screaming, “Flee, escape, survive!”
Jayden followed the nightmarish monster with his shield of spinning black blades and magic sword. Web had four deep gashes in its back and arms, and live spiders spilled out of them. It tried to reach the forest and the cover the trees would provide. Jayden struck Web across the right heel with his sword, and when the monster fell he ran through it with the spinning blades. His shield of blades ended, but not before shredding Wed. Bits of webbing and spiders flew through the air like confetti. Jayden stomped on the creature’s large red eye when it landed on the ground. He looked at Ghost Hunter and announced, “Next.”
“You think this is a game?” Ghost Hunter yelled. “You think this is funny?”
“Moderately amusing. I’m curious what will happen if you suffer a head wound. You’ll be empty headed in every sense of the word.”
Ghost Hunter howled in outrage, a cry cut short when Immortal flew through the air to hit him in the back, sending them both tumbling to the ground. The brute lumbered after them and casually took a swipe at Jayden. Jayden tried to run but was a second too slow, and he was knocked alongside his two enemies. The brute seized Immortal by the heels before the man could get up and swung him into the ground. Dana tried to help Jayden up, but Ghost Hunter got between them.
“Die, you stinking wench!” Ghost Hunter clearly wasn’t ambidextrous, because his swings were even wilder and easier to block than before. He tried to kick her and even made an attempt to headbutt her, missing both times. “You think you’re better than me! You’re trying to make me look stupid! Die!”
“Shut up!” she yelled back. Ghost Hunter made a powerful overhead swing and she stepped out of the way. The swing left his sickle near the ground for a second, too far down to block her attacks. Dana didn’t want to hurt Ghost Hunter any more than she already had, but he wasn’t stopping. She slashed Chain Cutter across his chest, slicing through his leather clothes and spilling gallons of sawdust. He struggled to lift his sickle before she brought her sword back the other way to cut off his left arm at the elbow. Sawdust flew from the wounds as Ghost Hunter fell over.
Then he got up, no longer a menacing figure in black, but a translucent ghost, a boy a year or two younger than Dana. For a second she felt pity for him. Was this who he really was, a spirit occupying a fake body? Her pity vanished when the ghost looked at her with such loathing she stepped back. His lips formed the words, “I’ll get you,” before he vanished.
“Dana, a little help,” Jayden called.
She turned away from Ghost Hunter’s remains to see Jayden and Immortal trying to stop the brute. The lumbering monster moved faster than she would have expected, and suffered only cuts from what should have been killing blows. Jayden’s enhanced speed from his magic sword helped him land a shallow blow before the brute seized Immortal with both hands and crushed him. Dana screamed as Immortal crumbled to dust and a glowing orb burst from his remains. The light shot into the sky until it was lost to sight.
“Pity he won’t stay dead,” Phineas said from on top of his carriage.
Dana ignored the brute and charged the gnome instead. The brute howled and ran after her. She raced up to the carriage and hacked off its back left wheel with Chain Cutter. The wagon nearly tipped over and Phineas was thrown screaming to the ground. Dana stood over him with her sword raised.
“Call him off!”
“I can’t,” the gnome said. “He won’t stop fighting while enemies stand.”
The brute caught up with her and landed a blow strong enough to send her flying ten feet. She cried out in pain when she landed, a cry nearly as great as the brute’s when a giant black hand rammed into him and threw him into the damaged carriage. The carriage tipped over and the horses panicked as they were pulled down with it.
Phineas swore bitterly as he got up. Dana winced as she staggered to her feet and went after the gnome. She didn’t know what spells he could cast, and had no desire to learn. The gnome saw her coming, and he uttered strange words as he pointed his cane at her.
Dana cried out in surprise as the world spun around her. She couldn’t tell which way was up and staggered like a drunk before falling to her knees. Phineas chuckled and say, “I’d heard you were dangerous. How disappointing.”
“Shouldn’t have done that,” Dana said as she shook her head.
“Pray tell, why not?”
“No one hurts my friends!” Jayden yelled. He sent his magic hand hurling into the brute, knocking him onto Phineas. The gnome screamed and tried to get out from beneath his monstrous slave. “No one!”
Dana’s senses returned to normal, and she got up. “That’s why.”
The brute got up and lunged at Jayden, only for the giant magic hand to swing down from above onto the brute, sending him to the ground again. Jayden and Dana both charged and struck before their foe could rise. Magic swords struck with terrifying results. The brute made one last effort to stand before falling to his knees, and then to the ground.
Phineas scrambled to his feet and pointed his cane at Jayden. He uttered the same words as before, but the Sorcerer Lord stood firm. Phineas gasped. “No.”
“It seems my mind cloud is sufficient defense against your attempts to influence me,” he snarled at the gnome. “Without your protector you’re no threat to us, and shortly you’ll be a threat to no one. I gave you fair warning, gnome. You’ve only yourself to blame for what comes next.”
A look of horror crossed Phineas’ face as he backed up to his carriage. Dana wasn’t sure if she should stop Jayden when the gnome had tried to kill them, and may have killed others with his pet monster. The matter was taken out of her hands when Phineas cast another spell. To their amazement the brute stood up, his movements jerky as he stumbled after Dana and Jayden. Dana drove Chain Cutter into the brute from one side and Jayden attacked from the other. Their swords left terrible wounds as the brute staggered like a badly handled puppet. The brute tried to club them with his massive forearms, but was so clumsy they had no trouble dodging him.
They struck again, finally dropping the brute before turning to Phineas. The gnome had used his distraction to cut loose one of his horses from its harness. The frightened animal struggled to its feet with the gnome holding onto its mane, and it galloped away. Jayden sent his giant magic hand after the gnome, but the horse ran faster than the hand could fly, and Phineas escaped into the woods.
“No!” Jayden ran a few steps after them before realizing the effort was fruitless. Snarling mad, he hacked the damaged carriage apart. Noise from the battle brought a pair of Meadowland spearmen to investigate. They stared at Jayden as he chopped the carriage in half, then turned his menacing gaze on them. Both men ran for their lives.
His fury spent, Jayden returned to Dana. She stared at their fallen foes. The brute was dead, his misshapen body horribly damaged. Immortal was a pile of ashes. Ghost Hunter’s spirit was gone, his false body reduced to tattered black leather and piles of sawdust. There was even less left of Web.
“Was that necromancy when the body got back up?” Dana asked hesitantly.
Jayden looked at the fallen brute. “No. I’ve heard of this spell before. Bodies die in stages. Phineas used his magic to control what little of the brute remained alive. The spell could have kept his body moving for a few minutes until even that was impossible.”
“How many,” Dana began, but found it hard to go on. She took a deep breath and asked, “How many more monsters like this did the king and queen bring into Meadowland? Cimmox the necromancer, Victory’s Edge, these, these things? How many more are in the kingdom?”
Jayden sheathed his magic sword and picked up Ghost Hunter’s magic sickle. “I don’t know. Cimmox claimed the royal couple weren’t discriminating when they sought help for their war. There could be dozens like these villains here or on their way.”
“That spider thing wanted to eat us! What will happen to people living here with monsters like that on the loose? People could get hurt, killed!”
Jayden struggled to rein in his anger. “The risk to Meadowland’s people is staggering.”
Feeling lost and scared, she asked, “How do we save them?
“We seek help from any who will give it.” Jayden bent down to comfort the horses Phineas had left behind. All three were terrified from the battle, and their fear only slowly ebbed. “If nothing else we now have proper mounts and no need to relinquish them. Come, Dana, let us see if King Rascan is willing to bargain with us.”
Duel part 1
The next day was a frantic race across the kingdom. Jayden stopped only when he had to and took chances he would have normally avoided. This meant they were spotted at a distance twice by soldiers or sheriffs, but both groups declined to give chase. Either the authorities didn’t recognize them or thought better of starting a fight they might not win.
“We need horses,” Jayden declared at noon.
“Good luck finding any,” Dana told him. “The army requisitioned everything with four legs months ago.”
“Then we need to steal some. Have you ridden before?”
“A little, but that’s not the point. The only men with horses can fight to keep them and are going to travel in groups bigger than we can take.”
Jayden frowned as he ate a quick meal. “Not always. The next town may have horses, either for the mayor or his sheriff. Those will have to do.”
“You’ve been spooked ever since we fought Victory’s Edge. That guy, if he was still a guy, was the scariest thing I’ve ever met, but he’s dead.”
Jayden headed down a narrow trail, likely made by poachers and smugglers trying to avoid notice. “Before his death, I asked Victory’s Edge what made him think he could work his evil here. He said it was an inspired idea. His choice of words could have been coincidental, but I fear it was deliberate. The necromancer Cimmox claimed the king and queen invited wizards of the Inspired to the kingdom. I took Victory’s Edge’s taunt as proof.”
“Who are these people?”
“They are a threat that could overthrow kings and devastate nations. That King Tyros and Queen Amvicta would even speak to them is the height of arrogance, for they despise royalty and seek to overthrow it.”
“This is the first I’ve heard of them.”
Jayden marched down the trail like a man pursued. “That’s not surprising. The Inspired make every effort to keep innocent people in the dark of the danger they pose. They are a secret society of wizards that seeks nothing less than world domination, with wizards as heads of state. No one knows how many of them there are, for they add and lose members constantly, but current theories claim they number over a hundred strong.”
Dana gasped. “I didn’t know there were that many wizards in the whole world. How could so many wizards turn evil?”
“Pride is a sin common to the profession. Every wizard has the power to do what is impossible for many. It is an easy step to believe they are superior to those who don’t use magic, and from there that they should be masters of nations instead of kings. The Inspired takes this presumption a step further, claiming that magic is inherited. They believe training only unlocks the ability to cast spells. Thus those who can use magic are born superior.”
“Is that true?”
“Never!” he said venomously. “There are many reasons why magic use isn’t widespread, but it is most certainly not a birthright. Take the two of us. I am the first spellcaster in my family’s history, a genealogy that can be traced back fifteen generations. If magic was in my family’s blood, why am I the first and only? I had training in the language of the old Sorcerer Lords, and when given the opportunity to study their spell tablets I learned their secrets. You could, too.”
Dana’s jaw dropped. “Wait, really?”
“Certainly. You’re an intelligent young woman, determined, literate. I’d need a few years to teach you the language of the Sorcerer Lords and further time to teach their spells. It would take perhaps five years uninterrupted time and a fair amount of gold, but you could learn. Most people can.”
“Then why aren’t there more wizards?”
“Part of the answer comes back to pride. Wizards are a secretive lot, giving up their knowledge only to those who please them. Many wizards train only those from their own race and social class, and even then are highly selective of their students. It is a rare wizard who trains more than five pupils in their lifetime.
“The rest of the answer is more mundane. I told you it would take five years to train you. I would dearly like to do so, but that is time neither of us have. Most people don’t have time to learn magic. They’re needed too badly working in the fields, mines, running businesses and the like. Others go into equally rigorous professions, such as healers, architects, engineers and more. Then there is the cost in gold. Training a wizard costs thousands of gold coins in books, lab supplies, raw materials and more, a price few can afford. As a result, less than one man in ten thousand becomes a wizard, and it is likely to remain so forever.”
Jayden scowled. “The Inspired use this scarcity as proof of their ludicrous claim. Worse, they let no evidence to the contrary sway their opinion. The Grand Conclave of Wizards once conducted an experiment where they selected twenty people at random and trained them in magic, none of whom had a history of spellcasters in their families. Twelve mastered the skill. That should have ended the absurd debate, but the Inspired claimed those twelve had hidden bloodlines of magic.”
He turned to her and said, “Let no one tell you the educated are better people. I have met too many with advanced degrees and training who were as base and vile as the worst criminals. Learning and goodness are not equal.”
“My father said people should keep learning new things until the day they die.”
“Wise words, but education without virtue merely gives the villainous better tools to do harm. Honor, virtue, love, wisdom, these must go hand in hand with education or the learning is for nothing, or worse, is used to do evil.”
“You’re a wizard who hates wizards who think they’re better than everybody else.” Dana smiled. “That is so you.”
Jayden frowned. “I think that was a compliment.”
“It was. Go on.”
“The sadly logical conclusion to this hideous line of thinking is that wizards should rule those who aren’t wizards. The Inspired seek domination but lack the means to do so, for even a hundred wizards is too few to match their ambitions. This limits the damage they can do, but they are forever looking for a kingdom to seize as a powerbase. Their arrogance and skill in magic means they inflict inexcusable harm to others.”
“And you think they’re here,” Dana said. “How much danger are we in?”
“That’s hard to judge. Most of the Inspired are weak, and they suffer frequent casualties. Plans are formed, attempted and fail, costing the lives of men and women who should know better, who could have done so much good. The Inspired are also hunted by the Grand Conclave of Wizards, the Guild of Heroes, the Brotherhood of the Righteous, the Servants of the Cause, the Square Pegs and many others.”
Jayden waved his hands at their surroundings. “The real question is how many of the Inspired are here. As I said, most of them are weak, no match for me, but their greatest strength is how many wizards they can field. We could face dozens of wizards with whatever magic items and guardians they could produce or steal. I am far stronger than I was a year ago, but if they came in numbers, I would be pulled down like a bison set upon by wolves.”
“Why would the king and queen want them here?” Dana demanded. “They’re as big a threat to Meadowland as to Bascal, Kaleoth and Zentrix.”
“King Tyros and Queen Amvicta may think they can use the Inspired and then betray them. Pay them gold to fight battles, promise them more funds, land to build wizard towers, followers and more, only to kill them when their usefulness has ended. The risk is incredible, and one the king and queen are underestimating. Both sides will seek to betray the other, making it a question of who will strike first.”
There was a rustling in the woods to their right. Dana and Jayden ducked and drew their swords as a surprised looking deer stared back before running off.
Jayden resheathed his sword and continued down the trail. “Meadowland’s armies are already a threat I can’t deal with. The best I can do is strike at their heels or tip the balance in the favor of their enemies. If the Inspired send only a few wizards I might be able to defeat them, but a kingdom weakened by war is the sort of opportunity they have long sought. I can’t face them and hope to win. I need to be vastly stronger, with a greater mastery of shadow magic.”
He stopped and looked at her. “I know where I can find what I seek.”
* * * * *
The game trail ended at the edge of farm fields dense with green wheat. Dana and Jayden picked their way around the edge of the field, trying to stay out of sight as they looked for another road. They soon found one leading to a village with a few dozen buildings. It was sparsely populated, but that wasn’t surprising when most of the people would be farming. Jayden studied the village from a distance.
“They don’t even have oxen,” Dana said as she watched farmers working. “Look, they’re pulling carts by hand.”
“Deplorable, and of no use to us. There may be an opportunity, though. I see a red flag outside the inn. That’s a sign for royal couriers, men who must be given whatever accommodations they need and aren’t subject to road tolls. That flag means one is here, and that means horses.”
“I’m not happy being a horse thief,” she told him.
“I wouldn’t ask this of you if there was another way, but if the Inspired are here then every hour counts. I should point out that we’ve committed enough offenses to get us both sentenced to hanging fifteen times over, so this is not a bridge too far.”
“That really didn’t help.”
“My apologies,” he said, sounding cheerful rather than sorry. “There are enough witnesses you should put on your disguise before we enter town.”
Dana grudgingly put on the cloth mask that hid her face in these situations. She wasn’t sure how much it helped if there were hostile wizards in the kingdom. Such a flimsy thing might protect her identity from a soldier who saw her, but what good was it against magic?
They walked fearlessly into the village. The few people present saw them and either fled or cowered. Dana hated seeing people afraid of her. Hopefully one day they would understand why she and Jayden were doing this.
Jayden led her to the inn and found an attached stable. Inside were three horses, one clearly exhausted while the others looked healthy. Two bored spearmen guarded the stable, a wise move when horses were so rare they attracted the attention from thieves. The spearmen perked up when Jayden entered the stable, and both took a step back.
“Gentlemen, how do you wish to handle this?” Jayden asked pleasantly.
“I am not getting paid enough to fight you,” one said. Both men backed away when Jayden approached the horses.
Jayden smiled. “A wise answer. Couriers typically have multiple horses to change mounts when one tires. These two must be his spares. I’ll leave you the third.”
Dana mounted one of the horses and pointed at the spearmen. “Don’t let the courier ride her until she’s had time to rest.”
Puzzled, a spearman asked, “You’re worried about the horse you aren’t stealing?”
“I like horses,” she said as she rode off.
Once they left the stable, they rode off quickly. A man dressed in a courier’s red uniform ran out of the inn and shouted, “You’ll hang for…oh, it’s you.”
“Give the king and queen my regards,” Jayden called back.
Dana waited until they were well outside town to remove her mask. They returned to seldom used trail for the rest of the day, riding at a brisk pace and covering many miles. As dusk approached, they stopped at a stream and let the horses drink and feed on grass growing along the shore.
“We can’t keep pushing them this hard,” Dana warned as she set up camp.
“Time works against us worse than normal, and hours wasted will cost us dearly.”
Dana pointed a finger at him. “Riding these animals into the ground doesn’t help us and hurts them. If we’re not careful they could go lame, or even die.”
“I don’t take these actions lightly, Dana. We have far to go and little time with such a great threat rising.”
“Where are we going, anyway? And if this place can make you a stronger wizard then why didn’t you go there before?”
Jayden gathered fallen branches off the ground to build a fire. “Both questions are fair. The power I seek is owned by the King Rascan of Bascal. Rascan fancies himself a coinsurer of art and culture, collecting paintings, statues, tapestries and antiquities. That includes spell tablets of the old Sorcerer Lords.”
Dana’s eyes opened wide. “Is he a Sorcerer Lord?”
“To the best of my knowledge, no. He has never been witnessed using shadow magic, nor has anyone in his kingdom. Given the threats he faces I would assume he’d use that power if he had it. I believe he gathered them because they are rare and ancient, which makes them valuable.”
Jayden set down the branches. “Two years ago I sent him a message requesting to buy a tablet from him. My offer included gold and jewels worth five thousand gold coins, no small sum even for a king.”
“What did he say?”
“My message went unanswered, a slight I take offense at.”
“Oh come on, Jayden, what did you expect him to do? He’s a head of state and you’re a wizard causing trouble for one of his neighbors, who is bigger and tougher than he is. He’d get into trouble if he sold you anything.”
“The transaction could have been handled discreetly,” he protested. “Bascal’s people are class conscious, which likely lessened my chances when he is a king. Still, the world’s only Sorcerer Lord should be granted some respect.”
Dana tethered the horses while Jayden lit the fire. “He said no once. Why ask again?”
“The last time I had only money to offer, and as you said he might have worried what the king and queen thought. This time the king and queen’s opinion is no longer an issue, and I can offer him the power of a Sorcerer Lord in a war he might not win.”
“So he’ll be motivated to take the deal, you hope. Please tell me if he says no you won’t try to rob him.” There was a long, awkward pause. “Jayden? No! Bad wizard!”
“I’m considering it for the same reasons I’m not as worried about our mounts’ health as I should be. I’ve learned many spells in the last year, but none strong enough to deal with armies or the Inspired. The Inspired could kill thousands unless I can stop them, and right now I can’t.”
Dana put her hands on her hips. “You’re treading on some very dangerous ground, mister. Taking these horses was bad, but we took them from a man working for the king and queen, who are doing terrible things to good people. This isn’t a bad person you’re talking about robbing. The only thing King Rascan did was not sell you things he owns, and he didn’t have to. If you do bad things to good people, even for good reasons, you’re taking a big step toward becoming your father.”
Jayden’s jaw dropped and he stared at her.
Dana instantly realized how insulting that was, but it was also true. She had to make him see that. “I saw your memories, how your father kept doing bad things, each one worse than the one before it because he was so desperate to keep Meadowland safe. That was a good goal, and he did terrible things to do it, until he was a bad person surrounded by bad people. He ruined what he was trying to save. That’s why you hate him. You can’t be like that. Meadowland needs you to be better than him. I need you to be better than him.”
Jayden said nothing in reply, instead looking into the fire. Dana took his hands. “We’re in deep trouble, worse than I thought if there might be a hundred power hungry wizards showing up, but we can’t fight this nightmare by becoming as bad as it is. When we fought Victory’s Edge an archer risked his life to help us. I don’t know if it was because he liked you or hated Victor’s Edge, but he helped us. More men might do the same, but only if they believe you’re worth following. You need to show them that you are.”
It took a moment for Jayden to find his voice. “I have rarely been hit that hard, and never have I deserved it more.”
“You’re a good person. Don’t let them change that.”
* * * * *
They broke camp the following morning in silence. Dana worried she’d gone too far last night, but she feared the consequences of Jayden failing far worse. She waited for hours before she spoke to him.
“I’m sorry about what I said. It’s just, so much of what we’ve been doing, even the criminal stuff, it’s beyond me. Growing up, horse stealing was something I saw my father dealing with. Families could be ruined if someone took their horse, and I know this is different, but it hit close to home.”
“Don’t apologize for trying to help me. Now more than ever I need someone to act as the voice of reason. I have trouble dealing with my anger and risk making more enemies than I need to.” He glanced at her and added, “I’m grateful it’s you being my conscious rather than others I’ve traveled with. Some of them would have been eager to participate.”
“Like Suzy Lockheart?
“Must you keep bringing her up?
Dana hesitated before asking, “Victory’s Edge was from another continent. How would he join up with the Inspired?”
“Victory’s Edge spent years moving from kingdom to kingdom, causing harm that the Inspired would have noticed and approved of. I have no trouble imaging them seeking him out and offering him membership.”
“They’d work with him?” Dana didn’t try to hide her shock.
“The Inspired have called necromancy a misunderstood branch of magic, so I think they’d welcome his unique brand of evil. I wonder if he came to Meadowland as an open member of the Inspired or under his own name. If he claimed to be on his own, he could do all manner of harm without damaging the Inspired’s reputation. Well, more than it was already damaged.”
“When we reach the border with Bascal, Meadowland’s army will be there trying to cross. How are we going to get around them?”
Jayden brought his horse to a stop when they came to a muddy patch on the road. It looked deep enough to give their horses trouble. “There are narrow passes into Bascal, too small to send an army through but the right size to sneak in spies and saboteurs. Guards there will be far fewer and easily dealt with. From there we can enter Bascal, go to the capital and barter our services for spell tablets. King Rascan knows the value of what he holds and will demand a heavy price.”
“He might want to keep you.”
“The thought had occurred to me. We will have to be careful dealing with him and show considerable diplomacy. I’ll need your help with that.”
Dana got off her horse and led it off the trail to go around the mud. “I don’t know anything about dealing with kings!”
“You know how to treat men with respect even when they don’t deserve it, a skill that died in me long ago.”
“What do you know about Rascan?”
Jayden led his horse around the mud. “King Tyros hates him with a passion.”
“Tyros doesn’t seem to like anyone.”
“True, but his hatred of Rascan’s family is massive.” Jayden guided his horse back onto a dry section of trail and resumed riding. “During the civil war, King Brent of Kaleoth sent food and clothing to suffering people in Meadowland. The royal family of Zentrix sold supplies to Tyros, causing a good deal of grumbling. Bascal’s leader did nothing, supporting neither the king or the rebels. This wasn’t surprising when the rebels blocked his way to loyalist held land. Any help would have had to go through hostile territory.”
Jayden hesitated before continuing. “When the rebellion started, King Tyros expected his neighbors to come to his aid with their armies. When military help didn’t come, he felt betrayed, which may be one reason for this idiotic war. The King of Bascal doing absolutely nothing drives Tyros into a rage even today. Never mind that Bascal, Kaleoth and Zentrix lacked strong armies or strong economies.”
“Has Rascan ever seen you? I mean the young you.”
“Rascan came to the throne four years ago after his father’s death. His father met Prince Mastram twice, but his son Rascan did not. For better or worse he won’t recognize me.”
“You’re pushing the horses too hard again,” Dana said, and Jayden slowed their pace. “If Rascan has been on his throne for four years, he had no say in what his father did during the civil war. You can’t blame him for his dad’s decisions.”
“I can’t. Tyros does. Rascan has been a snob in most diplomatic situations, but he’s done no serious wrongs. By all rights his rule has been relatively just and his people live well. That means nothing to Tyros, and as far as Queen Amvicta is concerned Rascan is a just another victim for her and her clan. Whatever his flaws, King Rascan risks losing everything he has if he can’t resist Meadowland’s invasion.”
Two more days traveling on horseback brought them to a river thirty feet across and flowing fast. The water was brown rather than blue, and carried small branches.
“An unexpected problem,” Jayden said. “This used to be a stream so shallow a man could walk across it without getting his knees wet. The recent heavy rains have clearly swollen it far beyond its normal dimensions.”
“It looks too deep to ford even for the horses,” Dana told him. “I’m not sure how well they could swim across, either.”
Jayden went through his belongings until he found a map. “This may work in our favor. This is a lesser tributary of the Not at All Magnificent Lemming River, which starts in Zentrix, flows through Meadowland and comes close to Bascal before emptying into a lake. It goes where we need it to through lightly populated forested lands. We’ll need a canoe or other small boat to take advantage of this opportunity. We’ll follow the river until we find one or a way across.”
That proved easier said than done. The ground was so waterlogged that the horses’ hooves sunk in, and they had to push through dense plant growth. It took hours until they saw the first sign of habitation. The river widened to forty feet but was no slower when they came across a hut and a small wood dock that stretched out onto the surging waters. A middle aged man gutted fish and threw the entrails to two waiting dogs. Jayden smiled and pointed to a beaten up, weathered rowboat tied to the dock.
“Fortune smiles upon us.”
“It looks cramped, but it’s better than riding the horses through this. It’s hard on them.”
“Speaking of hard,” Jayden began, and handed Dana her disguise.
“But we’re not stealing anything!”
“You’re mentioned on my wanted posters, even if it is as unidentified accomplice,” Jayden reminded her. “Trust me that men are actively seeking more information about you. It’s for the best that the fewest people possible know those details.”
They approached the man slowly but noisily as the horses squelched through the mud. He was so focused on cleaning fish that he didn’t notice them. They were within twenty feet when Jayden announced their presence.
“Greetings,” Jayden began. The man yelped and jumped back. “No need to worry. I come only with the best of intentions.”
The fisherman backed away from them. “I’ve heard about what you’ve done. You keep to yourself.”
“You wound me,” Jayden said. He dismounted and patted his horse. “I propose a simple transaction. I need your boat and will give you these horses in exchange.”
Fear turned into surprise, and the fisherman asked, “You’d give up two horses for an old rowboat?”
“I’d offer less, but I can’t take the animals with me when your boat is so small. As I must abandon them it seemed best to hand them on to a worthy owner. If you don’t need the horses, I’m sure you can find someone who does that can pay a fair price.”
The fisherman frowned as he studied the horses. “What if I say no?”
“You are the first fisherman I’ve met on this river. I doubt you are the only one. Others may be more willing to accept my bargain.”
The man hesitated a moment longer before saying, “Deal.”
“An excellent choice,” Jayden said as he helped Dana dismount. He walked over to the rowboat and untied it from the short dock. “I would advise not showing off your new property to more people than absolutely necessary. Best for all concerned if their original owner doesn’t learn where to find them.”
“I figured they were stolen when I saw you riding them,” the man said. “Don’t worry about me. They’ll be fifty miles away before nightfall.”
“Good man,” Jayden told him before boarding the rowboat and helping Dana onto it. They went out only a short distance onto the river before the current took them even faster than the horses had carried them. He looked at Dana and asked, “This would be a good time to ask if you can swim.”
“If I didn’t know how to swim, wouldn’t I have said so before we traded the horses?”
Jayden used an oar to steer them to the middle of the river. “Other people would, but you’re tragically polite.”
Dana stared at him. “Tragically?”
“Oh yes. I don’t think I’ve ever run into someone as well-meaning as you. I’m awed by how many times you should have slapped me and didn’t, or run away screaming. You’d be amazed how many people do that when they meet me.”
Traveling by water was faster and easier than Dana had hoped for. The rain swollen river raced along and was deep enough they didn’t have to worry about hitting rocks or other obstacles. Houses were few and each had their own boats. They came across dead trees floating downstream, and what had to be the largest turtle Dana had ever seen sitting on shore. She gasped as they drew closer to the monstrous creature, with a shell five feet long and long legs ending in claws. The monster’s neck was ten feet long and ended in a serpent’s head with blue scales, a fin on its brow and sharp teeth. It looked at them only briefly before dipping its head into the murky water.
Jayden saw her shocked expression and said, “Don’t worry, serpent fishers are only threatening to carp. I’m surprised to see one that large. Most are killed and eaten by men before they’re half that size.”
“People eat those?” Dana felt nauseous.
“I’m told their flesh is tough and unpleasant tasting, but there’s much a man can eat if he’s starving.” They saw two smaller serpent fishers, one choking down a live fish while the other tried to steal it. “It seems their population is rebounding. The locals must be fed well if they won’t resort to eating monsters.”
“Maybe there aren’t many people here.” Dana was glad to see the last of them. “We don’t have any where I’m from.”
“They used to be quite common in the region, but overhunting made them rare. I’m told you can find them throughout Bascal and Zentrix.”
Dana and Jayden covered many miles while doing little work. Here and there they saw houses and farms, but fewer than Dana expected. A few curious people watched them go by but did nothing more. That was less surprising. Jayden’s fierce reputation meant most people avoided him. Even those loyal to the king would run for help rather than face him, and there didn’t look like there was anyone here to turn to in an emergency. These people were on their own and looked only too happy to see Jayden leave quickly.
The river soon joined a far larger one, equally swollen by rainwater and brown from the mud it carried. There were more houses here, but still not many. Dana assumed a river would have settlements on it for fresh water and easy travel. When she asked Jayden about it, he answered while steering the rowboat.
“It’s another holdover from the civil war. Rebel forces sent raiding parties on rivers to strike undefended homes. They would seize food and prisoners, burning what they couldn’t take before fleeing. Many villages were lost and are only slowly being rebuilt.”
Dana shook her head. “It’s weird to think the damage from a war thirty years ago still hasn’t healed.”
“The king and queen’s inept leadership has greatly slowed the recovery. This war with neighboring kingdoms only adds to the time spent suffering.”
Jayden brought the rowboat to shore as dusk fell. That proved difficult when the river kept trying to pull them along, but with some effort he got them back on land. He pulled the rowboat out of the water and helped Dana set up a simple camp.
“The good news is this will take days off our travel time,” he announced. “That ends the good news. The river will turn away from our destination early tomorrow, forcing us to abandon our vessel. Given its poor condition I doubt we will find a buyer for it, and locating new mounts is unlikely. That means the rest of our journey is going to be on foot.”
“How long will it take?”
“Three days, perhaps four if we have to go around army patrols.”
Dana set down dead wood for Jayden to ignite when she heard a burbling noise coming from the water. They backed away and drew their swords as the water churned. A bulbous shape five feet across and covered in overlapping blue armor plates rose from the water. It opened a single purple eye as big as a grapefruit. Thick, segmented tentacles reached out of the water and wrapped around their rowboat.
“I Githas,” the monster announced. “My river. Pay for travel or I break boat.”
Jayden scowled. “Does Githas know who he faces?”
“Shadow wizard. Once many, now one. Not impressed.”
Dana put a hand on Jayden’s arm before he could issue a harsh reply. “Let me handle this. There’s a sunken living not far from my hometown, and I’ve dealt with it before.”
“That leaves the next traveler to pay its toll,” Jayden replied.
“If we fight him, either he breaks our boat on purpose or we will by accident,” she said. Jayden relented only grudgingly. Dana had met other sunken before. While dangerous if provoked, they traditionally made minor demands. She stayed back from the water and held up a handful of beef jerky. “Githas of the sunken, I wish to barter. I have no honey or jam. Will you accept salted meat for passage through your waters?”
The monster stared at her before answering, perhaps waiting for more. “Pay low, but acceptable. Bring better next time.”
She tossed the meat into the water and watched the monster gobble it up before sinking back into the river. “See, simple, cheap, nonviolent, and we want
nonviolent. The sunken are hard to kill and have long memories.”
“It’s the principle of the matter. Giving in to bullies encourages them to continue their ways, and what’s an affordable price for us may not be for the next person to cross that monster’s path. I know the sunken are more irritants than threats, and they don’t bother larger boats, but before the civil war they were driven off to rivers and lakes in the wilderness. If one has returned to the heart of the kingdom then more will follow, extorting tribute from those they think they can intimidate.”
“We can’t beat up everyone who deserves it, Jayden.”
“Not yet.”
* * * * *
“We need horses,” Jayden declared at noon.
“Good luck finding any,” Dana told him. “The army requisitioned everything with four legs months ago.”
“Then we need to steal some. Have you ridden before?”
“A little, but that’s not the point. The only men with horses can fight to keep them and are going to travel in groups bigger than we can take.”
Jayden frowned as he ate a quick meal. “Not always. The next town may have horses, either for the mayor or his sheriff. Those will have to do.”
“You’ve been spooked ever since we fought Victory’s Edge. That guy, if he was still a guy, was the scariest thing I’ve ever met, but he’s dead.”
Jayden headed down a narrow trail, likely made by poachers and smugglers trying to avoid notice. “Before his death, I asked Victory’s Edge what made him think he could work his evil here. He said it was an inspired idea. His choice of words could have been coincidental, but I fear it was deliberate. The necromancer Cimmox claimed the king and queen invited wizards of the Inspired to the kingdom. I took Victory’s Edge’s taunt as proof.”
“Who are these people?”
“They are a threat that could overthrow kings and devastate nations. That King Tyros and Queen Amvicta would even speak to them is the height of arrogance, for they despise royalty and seek to overthrow it.”
“This is the first I’ve heard of them.”
Jayden marched down the trail like a man pursued. “That’s not surprising. The Inspired make every effort to keep innocent people in the dark of the danger they pose. They are a secret society of wizards that seeks nothing less than world domination, with wizards as heads of state. No one knows how many of them there are, for they add and lose members constantly, but current theories claim they number over a hundred strong.”
Dana gasped. “I didn’t know there were that many wizards in the whole world. How could so many wizards turn evil?”
“Pride is a sin common to the profession. Every wizard has the power to do what is impossible for many. It is an easy step to believe they are superior to those who don’t use magic, and from there that they should be masters of nations instead of kings. The Inspired takes this presumption a step further, claiming that magic is inherited. They believe training only unlocks the ability to cast spells. Thus those who can use magic are born superior.”
“Is that true?”
“Never!” he said venomously. “There are many reasons why magic use isn’t widespread, but it is most certainly not a birthright. Take the two of us. I am the first spellcaster in my family’s history, a genealogy that can be traced back fifteen generations. If magic was in my family’s blood, why am I the first and only? I had training in the language of the old Sorcerer Lords, and when given the opportunity to study their spell tablets I learned their secrets. You could, too.”
Dana’s jaw dropped. “Wait, really?”
“Certainly. You’re an intelligent young woman, determined, literate. I’d need a few years to teach you the language of the Sorcerer Lords and further time to teach their spells. It would take perhaps five years uninterrupted time and a fair amount of gold, but you could learn. Most people can.”
“Then why aren’t there more wizards?”
“Part of the answer comes back to pride. Wizards are a secretive lot, giving up their knowledge only to those who please them. Many wizards train only those from their own race and social class, and even then are highly selective of their students. It is a rare wizard who trains more than five pupils in their lifetime.
“The rest of the answer is more mundane. I told you it would take five years to train you. I would dearly like to do so, but that is time neither of us have. Most people don’t have time to learn magic. They’re needed too badly working in the fields, mines, running businesses and the like. Others go into equally rigorous professions, such as healers, architects, engineers and more. Then there is the cost in gold. Training a wizard costs thousands of gold coins in books, lab supplies, raw materials and more, a price few can afford. As a result, less than one man in ten thousand becomes a wizard, and it is likely to remain so forever.”
Jayden scowled. “The Inspired use this scarcity as proof of their ludicrous claim. Worse, they let no evidence to the contrary sway their opinion. The Grand Conclave of Wizards once conducted an experiment where they selected twenty people at random and trained them in magic, none of whom had a history of spellcasters in their families. Twelve mastered the skill. That should have ended the absurd debate, but the Inspired claimed those twelve had hidden bloodlines of magic.”
He turned to her and said, “Let no one tell you the educated are better people. I have met too many with advanced degrees and training who were as base and vile as the worst criminals. Learning and goodness are not equal.”
“My father said people should keep learning new things until the day they die.”
“Wise words, but education without virtue merely gives the villainous better tools to do harm. Honor, virtue, love, wisdom, these must go hand in hand with education or the learning is for nothing, or worse, is used to do evil.”
“You’re a wizard who hates wizards who think they’re better than everybody else.” Dana smiled. “That is so you.”
Jayden frowned. “I think that was a compliment.”
“It was. Go on.”
“The sadly logical conclusion to this hideous line of thinking is that wizards should rule those who aren’t wizards. The Inspired seek domination but lack the means to do so, for even a hundred wizards is too few to match their ambitions. This limits the damage they can do, but they are forever looking for a kingdom to seize as a powerbase. Their arrogance and skill in magic means they inflict inexcusable harm to others.”
“And you think they’re here,” Dana said. “How much danger are we in?”
“That’s hard to judge. Most of the Inspired are weak, and they suffer frequent casualties. Plans are formed, attempted and fail, costing the lives of men and women who should know better, who could have done so much good. The Inspired are also hunted by the Grand Conclave of Wizards, the Guild of Heroes, the Brotherhood of the Righteous, the Servants of the Cause, the Square Pegs and many others.”
Jayden waved his hands at their surroundings. “The real question is how many of the Inspired are here. As I said, most of them are weak, no match for me, but their greatest strength is how many wizards they can field. We could face dozens of wizards with whatever magic items and guardians they could produce or steal. I am far stronger than I was a year ago, but if they came in numbers, I would be pulled down like a bison set upon by wolves.”
“Why would the king and queen want them here?” Dana demanded. “They’re as big a threat to Meadowland as to Bascal, Kaleoth and Zentrix.”
“King Tyros and Queen Amvicta may think they can use the Inspired and then betray them. Pay them gold to fight battles, promise them more funds, land to build wizard towers, followers and more, only to kill them when their usefulness has ended. The risk is incredible, and one the king and queen are underestimating. Both sides will seek to betray the other, making it a question of who will strike first.”
There was a rustling in the woods to their right. Dana and Jayden ducked and drew their swords as a surprised looking deer stared back before running off.
Jayden resheathed his sword and continued down the trail. “Meadowland’s armies are already a threat I can’t deal with. The best I can do is strike at their heels or tip the balance in the favor of their enemies. If the Inspired send only a few wizards I might be able to defeat them, but a kingdom weakened by war is the sort of opportunity they have long sought. I can’t face them and hope to win. I need to be vastly stronger, with a greater mastery of shadow magic.”
He stopped and looked at her. “I know where I can find what I seek.”
* * * * *
The game trail ended at the edge of farm fields dense with green wheat. Dana and Jayden picked their way around the edge of the field, trying to stay out of sight as they looked for another road. They soon found one leading to a village with a few dozen buildings. It was sparsely populated, but that wasn’t surprising when most of the people would be farming. Jayden studied the village from a distance.
“They don’t even have oxen,” Dana said as she watched farmers working. “Look, they’re pulling carts by hand.”
“Deplorable, and of no use to us. There may be an opportunity, though. I see a red flag outside the inn. That’s a sign for royal couriers, men who must be given whatever accommodations they need and aren’t subject to road tolls. That flag means one is here, and that means horses.”
“I’m not happy being a horse thief,” she told him.
“I wouldn’t ask this of you if there was another way, but if the Inspired are here then every hour counts. I should point out that we’ve committed enough offenses to get us both sentenced to hanging fifteen times over, so this is not a bridge too far.”
“That really didn’t help.”
“My apologies,” he said, sounding cheerful rather than sorry. “There are enough witnesses you should put on your disguise before we enter town.”
Dana grudgingly put on the cloth mask that hid her face in these situations. She wasn’t sure how much it helped if there were hostile wizards in the kingdom. Such a flimsy thing might protect her identity from a soldier who saw her, but what good was it against magic?
They walked fearlessly into the village. The few people present saw them and either fled or cowered. Dana hated seeing people afraid of her. Hopefully one day they would understand why she and Jayden were doing this.
Jayden led her to the inn and found an attached stable. Inside were three horses, one clearly exhausted while the others looked healthy. Two bored spearmen guarded the stable, a wise move when horses were so rare they attracted the attention from thieves. The spearmen perked up when Jayden entered the stable, and both took a step back.
“Gentlemen, how do you wish to handle this?” Jayden asked pleasantly.
“I am not getting paid enough to fight you,” one said. Both men backed away when Jayden approached the horses.
Jayden smiled. “A wise answer. Couriers typically have multiple horses to change mounts when one tires. These two must be his spares. I’ll leave you the third.”
Dana mounted one of the horses and pointed at the spearmen. “Don’t let the courier ride her until she’s had time to rest.”
Puzzled, a spearman asked, “You’re worried about the horse you aren’t stealing?”
“I like horses,” she said as she rode off.
Once they left the stable, they rode off quickly. A man dressed in a courier’s red uniform ran out of the inn and shouted, “You’ll hang for…oh, it’s you.”
“Give the king and queen my regards,” Jayden called back.
Dana waited until they were well outside town to remove her mask. They returned to seldom used trail for the rest of the day, riding at a brisk pace and covering many miles. As dusk approached, they stopped at a stream and let the horses drink and feed on grass growing along the shore.
“We can’t keep pushing them this hard,” Dana warned as she set up camp.
“Time works against us worse than normal, and hours wasted will cost us dearly.”
Dana pointed a finger at him. “Riding these animals into the ground doesn’t help us and hurts them. If we’re not careful they could go lame, or even die.”
“I don’t take these actions lightly, Dana. We have far to go and little time with such a great threat rising.”
“Where are we going, anyway? And if this place can make you a stronger wizard then why didn’t you go there before?”
Jayden gathered fallen branches off the ground to build a fire. “Both questions are fair. The power I seek is owned by the King Rascan of Bascal. Rascan fancies himself a coinsurer of art and culture, collecting paintings, statues, tapestries and antiquities. That includes spell tablets of the old Sorcerer Lords.”
Dana’s eyes opened wide. “Is he a Sorcerer Lord?”
“To the best of my knowledge, no. He has never been witnessed using shadow magic, nor has anyone in his kingdom. Given the threats he faces I would assume he’d use that power if he had it. I believe he gathered them because they are rare and ancient, which makes them valuable.”
Jayden set down the branches. “Two years ago I sent him a message requesting to buy a tablet from him. My offer included gold and jewels worth five thousand gold coins, no small sum even for a king.”
“What did he say?”
“My message went unanswered, a slight I take offense at.”
“Oh come on, Jayden, what did you expect him to do? He’s a head of state and you’re a wizard causing trouble for one of his neighbors, who is bigger and tougher than he is. He’d get into trouble if he sold you anything.”
“The transaction could have been handled discreetly,” he protested. “Bascal’s people are class conscious, which likely lessened my chances when he is a king. Still, the world’s only Sorcerer Lord should be granted some respect.”
Dana tethered the horses while Jayden lit the fire. “He said no once. Why ask again?”
“The last time I had only money to offer, and as you said he might have worried what the king and queen thought. This time the king and queen’s opinion is no longer an issue, and I can offer him the power of a Sorcerer Lord in a war he might not win.”
“So he’ll be motivated to take the deal, you hope. Please tell me if he says no you won’t try to rob him.” There was a long, awkward pause. “Jayden? No! Bad wizard!”
“I’m considering it for the same reasons I’m not as worried about our mounts’ health as I should be. I’ve learned many spells in the last year, but none strong enough to deal with armies or the Inspired. The Inspired could kill thousands unless I can stop them, and right now I can’t.”
Dana put her hands on her hips. “You’re treading on some very dangerous ground, mister. Taking these horses was bad, but we took them from a man working for the king and queen, who are doing terrible things to good people. This isn’t a bad person you’re talking about robbing. The only thing King Rascan did was not sell you things he owns, and he didn’t have to. If you do bad things to good people, even for good reasons, you’re taking a big step toward becoming your father.”
Jayden’s jaw dropped and he stared at her.
Dana instantly realized how insulting that was, but it was also true. She had to make him see that. “I saw your memories, how your father kept doing bad things, each one worse than the one before it because he was so desperate to keep Meadowland safe. That was a good goal, and he did terrible things to do it, until he was a bad person surrounded by bad people. He ruined what he was trying to save. That’s why you hate him. You can’t be like that. Meadowland needs you to be better than him. I need you to be better than him.”
Jayden said nothing in reply, instead looking into the fire. Dana took his hands. “We’re in deep trouble, worse than I thought if there might be a hundred power hungry wizards showing up, but we can’t fight this nightmare by becoming as bad as it is. When we fought Victory’s Edge an archer risked his life to help us. I don’t know if it was because he liked you or hated Victor’s Edge, but he helped us. More men might do the same, but only if they believe you’re worth following. You need to show them that you are.”
It took a moment for Jayden to find his voice. “I have rarely been hit that hard, and never have I deserved it more.”
“You’re a good person. Don’t let them change that.”
* * * * *
They broke camp the following morning in silence. Dana worried she’d gone too far last night, but she feared the consequences of Jayden failing far worse. She waited for hours before she spoke to him.
“I’m sorry about what I said. It’s just, so much of what we’ve been doing, even the criminal stuff, it’s beyond me. Growing up, horse stealing was something I saw my father dealing with. Families could be ruined if someone took their horse, and I know this is different, but it hit close to home.”
“Don’t apologize for trying to help me. Now more than ever I need someone to act as the voice of reason. I have trouble dealing with my anger and risk making more enemies than I need to.” He glanced at her and added, “I’m grateful it’s you being my conscious rather than others I’ve traveled with. Some of them would have been eager to participate.”
“Like Suzy Lockheart?
“Must you keep bringing her up?
Dana hesitated before asking, “Victory’s Edge was from another continent. How would he join up with the Inspired?”
“Victory’s Edge spent years moving from kingdom to kingdom, causing harm that the Inspired would have noticed and approved of. I have no trouble imaging them seeking him out and offering him membership.”
“They’d work with him?” Dana didn’t try to hide her shock.
“The Inspired have called necromancy a misunderstood branch of magic, so I think they’d welcome his unique brand of evil. I wonder if he came to Meadowland as an open member of the Inspired or under his own name. If he claimed to be on his own, he could do all manner of harm without damaging the Inspired’s reputation. Well, more than it was already damaged.”
“When we reach the border with Bascal, Meadowland’s army will be there trying to cross. How are we going to get around them?”
Jayden brought his horse to a stop when they came to a muddy patch on the road. It looked deep enough to give their horses trouble. “There are narrow passes into Bascal, too small to send an army through but the right size to sneak in spies and saboteurs. Guards there will be far fewer and easily dealt with. From there we can enter Bascal, go to the capital and barter our services for spell tablets. King Rascan knows the value of what he holds and will demand a heavy price.”
“He might want to keep you.”
“The thought had occurred to me. We will have to be careful dealing with him and show considerable diplomacy. I’ll need your help with that.”
Dana got off her horse and led it off the trail to go around the mud. “I don’t know anything about dealing with kings!”
“You know how to treat men with respect even when they don’t deserve it, a skill that died in me long ago.”
“What do you know about Rascan?”
Jayden led his horse around the mud. “King Tyros hates him with a passion.”
“Tyros doesn’t seem to like anyone.”
“True, but his hatred of Rascan’s family is massive.” Jayden guided his horse back onto a dry section of trail and resumed riding. “During the civil war, King Brent of Kaleoth sent food and clothing to suffering people in Meadowland. The royal family of Zentrix sold supplies to Tyros, causing a good deal of grumbling. Bascal’s leader did nothing, supporting neither the king or the rebels. This wasn’t surprising when the rebels blocked his way to loyalist held land. Any help would have had to go through hostile territory.”
Jayden hesitated before continuing. “When the rebellion started, King Tyros expected his neighbors to come to his aid with their armies. When military help didn’t come, he felt betrayed, which may be one reason for this idiotic war. The King of Bascal doing absolutely nothing drives Tyros into a rage even today. Never mind that Bascal, Kaleoth and Zentrix lacked strong armies or strong economies.”
“Has Rascan ever seen you? I mean the young you.”
“Rascan came to the throne four years ago after his father’s death. His father met Prince Mastram twice, but his son Rascan did not. For better or worse he won’t recognize me.”
“You’re pushing the horses too hard again,” Dana said, and Jayden slowed their pace. “If Rascan has been on his throne for four years, he had no say in what his father did during the civil war. You can’t blame him for his dad’s decisions.”
“I can’t. Tyros does. Rascan has been a snob in most diplomatic situations, but he’s done no serious wrongs. By all rights his rule has been relatively just and his people live well. That means nothing to Tyros, and as far as Queen Amvicta is concerned Rascan is a just another victim for her and her clan. Whatever his flaws, King Rascan risks losing everything he has if he can’t resist Meadowland’s invasion.”
Two more days traveling on horseback brought them to a river thirty feet across and flowing fast. The water was brown rather than blue, and carried small branches.
“An unexpected problem,” Jayden said. “This used to be a stream so shallow a man could walk across it without getting his knees wet. The recent heavy rains have clearly swollen it far beyond its normal dimensions.”
“It looks too deep to ford even for the horses,” Dana told him. “I’m not sure how well they could swim across, either.”
Jayden went through his belongings until he found a map. “This may work in our favor. This is a lesser tributary of the Not at All Magnificent Lemming River, which starts in Zentrix, flows through Meadowland and comes close to Bascal before emptying into a lake. It goes where we need it to through lightly populated forested lands. We’ll need a canoe or other small boat to take advantage of this opportunity. We’ll follow the river until we find one or a way across.”
That proved easier said than done. The ground was so waterlogged that the horses’ hooves sunk in, and they had to push through dense plant growth. It took hours until they saw the first sign of habitation. The river widened to forty feet but was no slower when they came across a hut and a small wood dock that stretched out onto the surging waters. A middle aged man gutted fish and threw the entrails to two waiting dogs. Jayden smiled and pointed to a beaten up, weathered rowboat tied to the dock.
“Fortune smiles upon us.”
“It looks cramped, but it’s better than riding the horses through this. It’s hard on them.”
“Speaking of hard,” Jayden began, and handed Dana her disguise.
“But we’re not stealing anything!”
“You’re mentioned on my wanted posters, even if it is as unidentified accomplice,” Jayden reminded her. “Trust me that men are actively seeking more information about you. It’s for the best that the fewest people possible know those details.”
They approached the man slowly but noisily as the horses squelched through the mud. He was so focused on cleaning fish that he didn’t notice them. They were within twenty feet when Jayden announced their presence.
“Greetings,” Jayden began. The man yelped and jumped back. “No need to worry. I come only with the best of intentions.”
The fisherman backed away from them. “I’ve heard about what you’ve done. You keep to yourself.”
“You wound me,” Jayden said. He dismounted and patted his horse. “I propose a simple transaction. I need your boat and will give you these horses in exchange.”
Fear turned into surprise, and the fisherman asked, “You’d give up two horses for an old rowboat?”
“I’d offer less, but I can’t take the animals with me when your boat is so small. As I must abandon them it seemed best to hand them on to a worthy owner. If you don’t need the horses, I’m sure you can find someone who does that can pay a fair price.”
The fisherman frowned as he studied the horses. “What if I say no?”
“You are the first fisherman I’ve met on this river. I doubt you are the only one. Others may be more willing to accept my bargain.”
The man hesitated a moment longer before saying, “Deal.”
“An excellent choice,” Jayden said as he helped Dana dismount. He walked over to the rowboat and untied it from the short dock. “I would advise not showing off your new property to more people than absolutely necessary. Best for all concerned if their original owner doesn’t learn where to find them.”
“I figured they were stolen when I saw you riding them,” the man said. “Don’t worry about me. They’ll be fifty miles away before nightfall.”
“Good man,” Jayden told him before boarding the rowboat and helping Dana onto it. They went out only a short distance onto the river before the current took them even faster than the horses had carried them. He looked at Dana and asked, “This would be a good time to ask if you can swim.”
“If I didn’t know how to swim, wouldn’t I have said so before we traded the horses?”
Jayden used an oar to steer them to the middle of the river. “Other people would, but you’re tragically polite.”
Dana stared at him. “Tragically?”
“Oh yes. I don’t think I’ve ever run into someone as well-meaning as you. I’m awed by how many times you should have slapped me and didn’t, or run away screaming. You’d be amazed how many people do that when they meet me.”
Traveling by water was faster and easier than Dana had hoped for. The rain swollen river raced along and was deep enough they didn’t have to worry about hitting rocks or other obstacles. Houses were few and each had their own boats. They came across dead trees floating downstream, and what had to be the largest turtle Dana had ever seen sitting on shore. She gasped as they drew closer to the monstrous creature, with a shell five feet long and long legs ending in claws. The monster’s neck was ten feet long and ended in a serpent’s head with blue scales, a fin on its brow and sharp teeth. It looked at them only briefly before dipping its head into the murky water.
Jayden saw her shocked expression and said, “Don’t worry, serpent fishers are only threatening to carp. I’m surprised to see one that large. Most are killed and eaten by men before they’re half that size.”
“People eat those?” Dana felt nauseous.
“I’m told their flesh is tough and unpleasant tasting, but there’s much a man can eat if he’s starving.” They saw two smaller serpent fishers, one choking down a live fish while the other tried to steal it. “It seems their population is rebounding. The locals must be fed well if they won’t resort to eating monsters.”
“Maybe there aren’t many people here.” Dana was glad to see the last of them. “We don’t have any where I’m from.”
“They used to be quite common in the region, but overhunting made them rare. I’m told you can find them throughout Bascal and Zentrix.”
Dana and Jayden covered many miles while doing little work. Here and there they saw houses and farms, but fewer than Dana expected. A few curious people watched them go by but did nothing more. That was less surprising. Jayden’s fierce reputation meant most people avoided him. Even those loyal to the king would run for help rather than face him, and there didn’t look like there was anyone here to turn to in an emergency. These people were on their own and looked only too happy to see Jayden leave quickly.
The river soon joined a far larger one, equally swollen by rainwater and brown from the mud it carried. There were more houses here, but still not many. Dana assumed a river would have settlements on it for fresh water and easy travel. When she asked Jayden about it, he answered while steering the rowboat.
“It’s another holdover from the civil war. Rebel forces sent raiding parties on rivers to strike undefended homes. They would seize food and prisoners, burning what they couldn’t take before fleeing. Many villages were lost and are only slowly being rebuilt.”
Dana shook her head. “It’s weird to think the damage from a war thirty years ago still hasn’t healed.”
“The king and queen’s inept leadership has greatly slowed the recovery. This war with neighboring kingdoms only adds to the time spent suffering.”
Jayden brought the rowboat to shore as dusk fell. That proved difficult when the river kept trying to pull them along, but with some effort he got them back on land. He pulled the rowboat out of the water and helped Dana set up a simple camp.
“The good news is this will take days off our travel time,” he announced. “That ends the good news. The river will turn away from our destination early tomorrow, forcing us to abandon our vessel. Given its poor condition I doubt we will find a buyer for it, and locating new mounts is unlikely. That means the rest of our journey is going to be on foot.”
“How long will it take?”
“Three days, perhaps four if we have to go around army patrols.”
Dana set down dead wood for Jayden to ignite when she heard a burbling noise coming from the water. They backed away and drew their swords as the water churned. A bulbous shape five feet across and covered in overlapping blue armor plates rose from the water. It opened a single purple eye as big as a grapefruit. Thick, segmented tentacles reached out of the water and wrapped around their rowboat.
“I Githas,” the monster announced. “My river. Pay for travel or I break boat.”
Jayden scowled. “Does Githas know who he faces?”
“Shadow wizard. Once many, now one. Not impressed.”
Dana put a hand on Jayden’s arm before he could issue a harsh reply. “Let me handle this. There’s a sunken living not far from my hometown, and I’ve dealt with it before.”
“That leaves the next traveler to pay its toll,” Jayden replied.
“If we fight him, either he breaks our boat on purpose or we will by accident,” she said. Jayden relented only grudgingly. Dana had met other sunken before. While dangerous if provoked, they traditionally made minor demands. She stayed back from the water and held up a handful of beef jerky. “Githas of the sunken, I wish to barter. I have no honey or jam. Will you accept salted meat for passage through your waters?”
The monster stared at her before answering, perhaps waiting for more. “Pay low, but acceptable. Bring better next time.”
She tossed the meat into the water and watched the monster gobble it up before sinking back into the river. “See, simple, cheap, nonviolent, and we want
nonviolent. The sunken are hard to kill and have long memories.”
“It’s the principle of the matter. Giving in to bullies encourages them to continue their ways, and what’s an affordable price for us may not be for the next person to cross that monster’s path. I know the sunken are more irritants than threats, and they don’t bother larger boats, but before the civil war they were driven off to rivers and lakes in the wilderness. If one has returned to the heart of the kingdom then more will follow, extorting tribute from those they think they can intimidate.”
“We can’t beat up everyone who deserves it, Jayden.”
“Not yet.”
* * * * *
December 28, 2020
Goblin Gardens
Goblins on Other Place are culturally diverse, with no two groups exactly alike. Isolated communities develop independently of one another, but traveling goblins carry ideas from one group to the next. Generally these ideas are stupid, which isn’t a problem because goblins are always eager to try new and potentially self-destructive trends. Most of these fads die out, sometimes with their makers, to be replaced by new ‘traditions’ days or weeks later. Any given settlement will go adopt, experiment with and reject a dozen new ideas in a year.
That said, cunning explorers have found certain features common to most goblin settlements. Sometimes it is possible to determine when these practices started and spread, while others seem ancient beyond reckoning.
Goblin Gardens
Goblins rarely grow plants, mainly because they live in caves, slums, wastelands and other locations not known for good soil. A few goblins grow offensive plants like corpse weed and itch blossoms for use against enemies. For most goblins, though, agriculture is too complex and time consuming to hold their attention. But there is a feature common to goblin settlements called a goblin gardens that, oddly enough, actually have no plants.
Goblin gardens are common areas within goblin settlements, open to all and owned by none. These areas are often close to the surface world for cave dwellers. Here goblins place items that are somewhat useful but not worth carrying around all the time. These can include terra cotta jugs, mop handles, wood buckets, old belts, bent shovels, dog collars and other moderately useful junk. Goblins excel at making due with barely useful tools and equipment because they lack the money and materials to have better.
Rather than let this rubbish clutter up their personal living spaces, goblins dump them on the ground wherever there’s enough space. This junk piles up quickly, so to keep walkways clear goblins balance or stick one item onto another. This usually starts with sturdy objects like boat oars and broken coat racks. More bits of trash are then hung on them, tied to them or even nailed on as the junk grows ever higher. In time these perilously stacked junk piles form bizarre shapes as bits are added at random until they resemble bizarre trees of trash, some eight feet tall and twice as wide. These turn into veritable forests of tree shaped junk. When (not if) a trash pile tips over, goblins gather up the fallen refuse and rebuild the pile.
Goblin gardens grow and shrink over time. When goblins need materials for building homes, disguising traps, using them as tools or trading the rare useful item to strangers, they pull them out of the garden. Hungry goblins will even eat these disgusting trees, as goblins are very open minded concerning food. In quiet times goblins add more material to the gardens, enlarging trash trees or making new ones. No one claims ownership of the junk, although goblins endlessly critique the designs and try to improve them. On very rare occasions goblins add valuables to a goblin garden, but only if they don’t realize its worth, such as a silver ring tarnished black.
No sane person would want anything off these trash trees, but goblin gardens are still useful signs to the careful explorer. Finding one is proof there is a sizeable goblin settlement nearby. Larger goblin gardens mean larger settlements, although small gardens might mean a community under enough stress that they’ve broken down their garden to use the components.
The most famous goblin garden was found in the city of Chalerdon. Sewer workers doing routine maintenance discovered what had to be the largest goblin garden in the world. Thirty trash trees rose up from the filth, a veritable forest of garbage. Not sure what to do, the workers reported their find to the authorities, who filed a report and promptly forgot about it.
This report eventually reached someone who paid attention to it, and to the goblins’ dismay a large number of humans came and carried the junk away, careful to preserve their putrid find. This was then carried to the Chalerdon Modern Art Museum, where it currently occupies an entire wing in what art critics have called, “A bold message of post-consumerism, societal apathy and the decline of the neo-capitalist society.” No one has been able to figure out what that means, and those who try often go mad.
The goblins still haven’t gotten over the shame of it all.
That said, cunning explorers have found certain features common to most goblin settlements. Sometimes it is possible to determine when these practices started and spread, while others seem ancient beyond reckoning.
Goblin Gardens
Goblins rarely grow plants, mainly because they live in caves, slums, wastelands and other locations not known for good soil. A few goblins grow offensive plants like corpse weed and itch blossoms for use against enemies. For most goblins, though, agriculture is too complex and time consuming to hold their attention. But there is a feature common to goblin settlements called a goblin gardens that, oddly enough, actually have no plants.
Goblin gardens are common areas within goblin settlements, open to all and owned by none. These areas are often close to the surface world for cave dwellers. Here goblins place items that are somewhat useful but not worth carrying around all the time. These can include terra cotta jugs, mop handles, wood buckets, old belts, bent shovels, dog collars and other moderately useful junk. Goblins excel at making due with barely useful tools and equipment because they lack the money and materials to have better.
Rather than let this rubbish clutter up their personal living spaces, goblins dump them on the ground wherever there’s enough space. This junk piles up quickly, so to keep walkways clear goblins balance or stick one item onto another. This usually starts with sturdy objects like boat oars and broken coat racks. More bits of trash are then hung on them, tied to them or even nailed on as the junk grows ever higher. In time these perilously stacked junk piles form bizarre shapes as bits are added at random until they resemble bizarre trees of trash, some eight feet tall and twice as wide. These turn into veritable forests of tree shaped junk. When (not if) a trash pile tips over, goblins gather up the fallen refuse and rebuild the pile.
Goblin gardens grow and shrink over time. When goblins need materials for building homes, disguising traps, using them as tools or trading the rare useful item to strangers, they pull them out of the garden. Hungry goblins will even eat these disgusting trees, as goblins are very open minded concerning food. In quiet times goblins add more material to the gardens, enlarging trash trees or making new ones. No one claims ownership of the junk, although goblins endlessly critique the designs and try to improve them. On very rare occasions goblins add valuables to a goblin garden, but only if they don’t realize its worth, such as a silver ring tarnished black.
No sane person would want anything off these trash trees, but goblin gardens are still useful signs to the careful explorer. Finding one is proof there is a sizeable goblin settlement nearby. Larger goblin gardens mean larger settlements, although small gardens might mean a community under enough stress that they’ve broken down their garden to use the components.
The most famous goblin garden was found in the city of Chalerdon. Sewer workers doing routine maintenance discovered what had to be the largest goblin garden in the world. Thirty trash trees rose up from the filth, a veritable forest of garbage. Not sure what to do, the workers reported their find to the authorities, who filed a report and promptly forgot about it.
This report eventually reached someone who paid attention to it, and to the goblins’ dismay a large number of humans came and carried the junk away, careful to preserve their putrid find. This was then carried to the Chalerdon Modern Art Museum, where it currently occupies an entire wing in what art critics have called, “A bold message of post-consumerism, societal apathy and the decline of the neo-capitalist society.” No one has been able to figure out what that means, and those who try often go mad.
The goblins still haven’t gotten over the shame of it all.
December 27, 2020
Dana Illwind and Growing Shadows is live!
This is less a blog entry than an announcement that I have published a book of my Dana and Jayden stories on Amazon. The title is Dana Illwind and Growing Shadows, and it is available as a paperback, ebook and on Kindle Unlimited. Like all my books it is a blend of fantasy and comedy suitable for the whole family. For those of you who have been following the Dana short stories I post here and at Booksie, you'll find I've added some new material and given the stories some much needed editing.
This book took me six months longer than I had intended to publish. Part of that was my fault, but I'm placing half the blame on 2020. This year has been a bear for us all. I hope you enjoy the book enough to forgive me for the delays.
For any interested parties, you can find the book here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R986WS7/
This book took me six months longer than I had intended to publish. Part of that was my fault, but I'm placing half the blame on 2020. This year has been a bear for us all. I hope you enjoy the book enough to forgive me for the delays.
For any interested parties, you can find the book here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R986WS7/
March 4, 2020
Buried Treasure part 2
This is the conclusion of Buried Treasure.
******************
Firepower led them to his agents and the cart. The agents looked surprised to see him with company, but a wave of the priest’s hand calmed them. “They have offered assistance.”
“Are these the people who spied on us?” a man asked. “You said you’d stop them.”
“So that’s why you were waiting by the graveyard,” Jayden said. “I wouldn’t expect a priest to set an ambush.”
“Do not question my methods. I have fought long and hard to defend the faithful.”
“You’re not used to being questioned, are you?” Jayden asked.
Dana elbowed him in the ribs. “We’re trying to make friends.”
“Many question me,” Father Firepower said. “Some from curiosity, others from honest concern, and others in a vain attempt to make themselves appear wise or worldly. I answer all of them, sometimes to their sorrow.”
“Can we please focus on what we’re doing?” Dana asked. “How far is it to your friend?”
“He lives not far from here,” the priest answered. “A day’s hard marching will reach him, and five more will ensure our escape.”
Jayden peered into the back of the cart. “You brought food and drink, and have quite a few packages wrapped in burlap.”
“The cart’s contents are no interest to you.”
Father Firepower led them for hours through narrow trails in the wilderness until they came up the gates to a large estate. He hesitated at the gates.
“One of yours, I believe,” Jayden said.
“Once. Perhaps one day it will be so again. This was Greenview Abbey, land gifted to the brotherhood by King Tyros’ ancestors two hundred years ago. It was a worthless swamp then, but through hard work and wisdom it was made into productive farmland.” His voice was bitter when he said, “Now look at it.”
Dana came alongside him. The estate certainly looked prosperous, with fields sprouting wheat and men pulling weeds. The buildings were large and in good repair, and she heard sheep bleating in the distance.
The priest pointed at hills covered in tree stumps alongside the fields. “In times gone by we planted trees to hold the hillsides in place and provide both building materials and firewood. Carefully managed, it could have provided resources indefinitely. Instead it was stripped bare by the baron who now rules here. He is a vainglorious fool with dreams of becoming a general. Such bloodthirsty desires cost gold. He ordered all the trees felled and sold the wood to buy weapons, planting nothing in its place. See, the soil already wears away. A strong enough storm will bring these hills sliding down onto the fields, destroying both.
“The work of generations is being destroyed in mere years. Herds of dairy cattle have been sent to slaughterhouses, artwork ripped from walls and sold to the highest bidder, property sold or mortgaged so this idiot baron can play at war. He has enough to satisfy any man’s appetites, and still he hungers for more.”
“The brotherhood could have stopped this from happening,” Jayden replied. “When the king and queen exiled you, priests, nuns and monks left meekly. You could have fought back. Many would have sided with you.”
“If that is an example of your wisdom, I prefer your silence,” Father Firepower retorted. “Meadowland Kingdom had barely survived a civil war and you would have had us start another? We could have fought back, killing so many the kingdom would be left desolate. Our property would have been burned or looted, the destruction faster and more thorough.”
Father Firepower turned to face Jayden. “We left to avoid causing horrors as great or greater than what this land had already experienced. We believed that the chance would come for us to return, either as welcomed guests or by sending missionaries in secret to win back the people. It was a risk, but the alternative was unthinkable.”
Dana slapped a hand over her face as Jayden kept pressing his point. “Is this better? You avoided a war that would have caused much suffering to one kingdom, and now Meadowland, Bascal, Kaleoth and Zentrix are all in peril.”
“What would you have me do?” Firepower yelled. He marched up to Jayden and pressed an armored finger against the Sorcerer Lord’s chest. “Would you have priests and monks become killers? Would you have us lead peasants against knights?”
“We’re making enough noise to draw attention to a secret mission,” Dana said. She got between Jayden and Father Firepower. “People need us. Focus on that.”
“Does she always act as your buffer?” Father Firepower asked Jayden.
“Yes. It bothers me how much I need her to do that. Years of hardship and watching my homeland sink into hatred and madness have left me thin skinned and bitter.”
The two stared at one another until Father Firepower turned away. “The hour is late and we won’t reach our destination before nightfall. I know a place we can rest until the morning.”
They made camp in a rocky gully far from the estate. Father Firepower shared nuts and dried meats and fruits from his supplies, but he was adamant that they not make a campfire. Dana and Jayden stayed by themselves, which seemed to suit the priest’s friends just fine.
On closer inspection, the brotherhood agents were simple folk. They had no weapons, and Dana saw no evidence that they were wizards. Dana had to respect their courage, for they were standing up to the king and queen in their own way, and they could expect no mercy if caught.
“So, exactly what happened in the city of Vascmer?” Dana asked.
“Personal matters I don’t wish to discuss,” Jayden told her. “I don’t ask about your past relationships because it’s none of my business. It’s not asking too much for you to do the same.”
“What’s her name?” Dana teased.
Jayden folded his arms across his chest. “That was one of my more spectacular failed relationships, one I’d thought no one knew about. You will never meet her, and that’s for the best.”
“Fine, be that way.” Dana’s voice dropped to a whisper when she spoke to Jayden again. “It sounds like you’ve heard of this priest before.”
“Amadeus Firepower is one of the Brotherhood of the Righteous’ most talented and dedicated men. We already saw his power when he destroyed my shadow fox. I assure you that was the barest taste of his potential. When the brotherhood has given up all hope of peaceful resolutions, they send him in to save who they can and punish those they must. His list of accomplishments is long, and the foes he’s defeated are many. Firepower cares nothing for kings, merchants, wizards or mad scientists. Faith, love, hope, these guide him, and only those with those gifts impress him. I fear I am short on all three.”
Jayden managed a weak smile when he looked at her. “You, on the other hand, seem to have made a new friend.”
Dana blushed. “I used to go to brotherhood services weekly before they were expelled. I have a lot or respect for them.”
“Careful, Dana, he might try to recruit you. The brotherhood needs every man and woman it can get.”
“She could do worse,” Firepower called out, making Dana blush even more. “Over the years we have evacuated many faithful. If you so desire, you may take refuge with the brotherhood as have many others.”
Dana spoke before Jayden could. “You are kind to make the offer, but there are people here who need me. I can help those who can’t help themselves.”
“You are indeed one of ours,” Father Firepower replied.
“Wait here for me,” Dana told Jayden. She went to Father Firepower and said, “I haven’t had a chance to admit my sins for eight years, and there are some things that have been bothering me. I would also like to tell you what I’ve seen in the last year that your agents might not know about. It might take a while.”
Father Firepower gestured for her to sit. “Of course. Know that His love has no limits, His mercy is boundless, and His kingdom welcomes you with open arms.”
* * * * *
They woke early the next morning to find a dense fog had rolled in during the night. Dana worried that this would cause trouble, but both Jayden and Father Firepower seemed pleased.
“We are blessed,” the priest said. “This will conceal us from our enemies, and cover our escape.”
They followed the priest to what looked like an abandoned storage shed at the edge of the nobleman’s estate. Father Firepower went in first and pulled up loose tiles from the floor to reveal a secret compartment. He brought out silver plates and cups Dana recognized as sacramental vessels, but he also brought out more packages wrapped in burlap. He loaded them onto the cart carefully while Jayden watched.
“Books,” Jayden announced when Father Firepower set one of the packages down. “It’s the right size and weight. For a moment I wondered if they were holy texts, but while you would no doubt want to preserve those, the king would have no interest in them. I doubt these are spell books, either. Tell me, priest, what secrets are written here that the king must not have?”
Father Firepower glanced at Jayden before he unwrapped a package to reveal the books inside. Holding one up, he said, “You guessed correctly, but this is a secret in the loosest possible term.”
Dana slipped in closer and read the title. “The Book of Life and Death. That sounds ominous.”
“Appearances can deceive,” Father Firepower told her gently. “The brotherhood had many duties when it was welcome in Meadowland Kingdom. They included officiating births, marriages, and deaths of the faithful. When the faithful moved, they registered at churches in their new home. Each church recorded this information in books. Recovering lost sacramental vessels is important, but these books must be reclaimed at all costs.”
Puzzled, she asked, “Why?”
“Because without meaning to, the priests conducted a census,” Jayden told her. “The civil war cost many lives and drove many people from the kingdom. Chaos and hardships since then have prevented the royal couple from conducting a census of who remains. Even now the king and queen seek to raise armies without knowing exactly how many people there are to conscript. Those books list every man, woman and child.”
“But the brotherhood was forced out eight years ago,” she protested. “There’s no telling how many of those people died since then, or how many more were born or left the kingdom.”
“While the information within these books is outdated, they are a starting point,” Father Firepower said. “Royal officials can look for the men listed here, or at least look for their graves.”
“Don’t tax records say the same thing?” she asked.
“Surprisingly, no,” Jayden told her. “Each town and city are responsible for collecting a specific amount of gold. The king and queen don’t care how it’s done so long as it is, and assign the task to local officials, men largely known to be corrupt and incompetent. They send the amount owed without writing much if anything down. The king and queen’s plans are being hindered by the very system they rule.”
Father Firepower loaded more books. “Two months ago, our agents reported government officials were searching property confiscated from the brotherhood. Those officials described what they sought to servants and scribes in the hope that one of them had seen their prize. These searches are ongoing and intensifying. My superiors in the brotherhood sent me to retrieve the books, or barring that to destroy them. It pleases me that I may return them intact.”
“That’s most of the job done, but where’s your man and his family?” Dana asked.
“He lives close to the cemetery where we first met,” Father Firepower explained. “We will go back and collect him and his kin before leaving the kingdom. You may join me if you wish.”
“Impossible,” Jayden said. “I’m not sure what else I can do to stop these wars, but I must try.”
“I understand.” Father Firepower finished loading the books and led them back the way they came. The fog helped hide them from prying eyes, although there were surprisingly few people around. Dana wondered where they were. The land seemed rich enough to support hundreds if not thousands, even if it was being badly mismanaged. They soon reached the cemetery and took a small path to a large oak tree. The priest pulled up the sleeves on his robes to reveal gold gauntlets trimmed with black, and he struck the side of the tree three times, then three more and three more after that.
“Hopefully he heard my signal,” Father Firepower said. “We will search for him if he doesn’t come within the hour, but that increases the chance of our discovery.”
“Does he know you’re coming?” Dana asked.
“Not the exact day. I wasn’t sure what challenges I would face that might delay reaching him. My message to him said to be ready to leave on a moment’s notice.”
“How large is this man’s family?” Jayden asked.
“He has a wife and five children,” the priest replied. “Why do you ask?”
“Because that’s quite the crowd coming toward us.”
Jayden pointed down the trail, where fifty or more people came out of the fog. They carried bags on their shoulders and some led farm animals. A man in the front of the group came to Father Firepower and dropped to his knees.
“Who are these individuals with you?” the priest demanded.
“Forgive me, but there was no choice,” the man wept. “My neighbors saw me packing and demanded to know where I was going. I, I told them, and they begged to join me. Please, sir, we can’t leave them here. Life grows worse by the week. Recently mercenaries and gladiators came through our village and ate our food stores. They said we were lucky they didn’t take our daughters with them! Sir, if they return…”
Father Firepower looked at the frightened peasants gathered before him. “I understand. I don’t have enough food for so many, but there are places where we can get more. All of you, come with me before your master realizes you have left.”
Boom.
“Oh no,” Dana said.
Jayden drew his sword. “I heard it, too.”
Boom. Boom. Father Firepower looked around. “What is that?”
“Stone golems,” Jayden told him. Boom. “By the sound of it at least two.”
“We meet again,” a familiar voice called out from the fog. “You didn’t run fast enough or far enough to escape me.”
“Stronglock, don’t you have a war to fight?” Jayden called back.
Two stone golems marched out of the fog at the edge of their vision. One looked like it wore stone ‘clothes’ in the style of a gentleman, while the other looked like a miner with a stone ‘helmet’. Behind them came the dwarf Dunrhill Stronglock in his plate armor and wielding a black magic axe. Still further back were two more dwarfs in workman’s clothes and holding silver amulets.
“After your attack on Trenton Town, and my failure to stop it, King Tyros’ generals gave a choice,” Stronglock replied angrily. “Kill you or die in your place. They graciously allowed me to use two of my company’s golems. Finding you was impossible with magic, but too many people had seen you and would inform on you in return for cash.”
Father Firepower turned to Jayden. “You sought to help me, and led your enemies directly to me.”
“Not intentionally!”
“Friends of yours?” Stronglock asked. “If they stand with you, they can die with you.”
Father Firepower glanced at his agents. “You know the route we’re taking. Get them moving.”
The golems lumbered toward Dana and Jayden while Father Firepower’s agents and the peasants fled. Jayden cast spells to form his giant black hand while Dana drew her sword Chain Cutter. Their earlier fight with Stronglock had been difficult, and that was when he had only one stone golem. Dana’s first instinct was to run, but that would leave these peasants to Stronglock’s mercy. The dwarf had been ruthless enough in their first encounter, and desperation at the threat to his life would only make that worse.
Father Firepower pulled off his robe to reveal the impressive plate armor he wore. It was gold with black trim, with the ring of three parts on his forehead, chest and belt. Like Jayden the priest had no weapons.
“Impressive enchantments on your armor,” Stronglock told the priest as he marched toward them. “Start running if you don’t want me to crush you in it.”
“I give you this opportunity to leave before battle is joined,” Father Firepower replied. “Ignore my offer at your peril.”
“I’m the only peril here,” Stronglock snarled as his golems lumbered into battle.
The golems were so slow that Dana, Jayden and Father Firepower were able to gang up on one and strike before the other could come to its aid. Dana slashed its heels and cut deeply into the stone. Jayden sent his giant hand crashing into it and bowled it over. Father Firepower kneeled and prayed before he grabbed the fallen golem by the arm. The golem sat up as Father Firepower braced his feet and shouted.
“God is my strength!” The priest pulled on the golem’s arm, and to everyone’s amazement he threw it into the other golem, knocking both onto their backs. Father Firepower looked at Stronglock and yelled, “This is your last warning! I don’t want to take your life, but I can do it!”
Stronglock’s shock vanished quickly, and he gripped his ax tightly before charging. He reached them as his golems stood up and rejoined the fight. Stronglock ignored the priest and focused on Jayden. His first swing was a clear miss, but the dwarf kept running and slammed into Jayden hard enough to knock him back. Jayden rammed his giant hand into the dwarf, but Stronglock swung his ax through it, hacking it in half. Jayden screamed as feedback from the damage broke bones in his hand.
Dana charged Stronglock and kept the dwarf back as Jayden staggered from the pain. The dwarf blocked her swings as easily as he did the last time the fought. Ax met sword in a storm of sparks without either breaking. The stone golems were catching up and would be on her in seconds.
Father Firepower took Jayden’s injured hand and prayed. Blue light flowed from the priest’s hands and mended Jayden’s wounds. They attacked Stronglock together and drove him away from Dana.
The gentleman golem tried to punch Dana and missed by inches. She slashed at its hand and cut off a finger. Father Firepower rushed in and punched the golem in the stomach, leaving cracks and doubling it over. Dana hit it again and cut a notch in the top of its head. The golem stood up straight and caught the priest in a bearhug. That lasted only until Dana slashed across its right knee and did enough damage to topple the golem. The miner golem helped up the gentleman while Dana helped up Father Firepower.
Jayden was busy sparing with Stronglock. He’d created his black sword and fought with it in one hand while using his magic sword in the other. The magic sword sped up Jayden’s attack, but to Dana’s surprise it made him swing his black sword just as fast. Stronglock was a skilled fighter and his armor was good, almost good enough to block the whirlwind of attacks coming at him. The dwarf took two hits that cut deep into his shoulder guard and breastplate.
“I will not yield!” Stronglock bellowed. He pushed on regardless of the blows he was taking and charged. Jayden leaped out of the way, bringing him so close to the golems that one of them tried to kick him. He dodged the kick and parried Stronglock’s axe swing.
Dana spotted the two dwarfs stayed outside the fight. “They’re controlling the golems. We need to stop them.”
“I will slow these two down,” Father Firepower told her. He prayed as the golems approached him. “Faith be my shield!”
Both golems brought their fists down on the priest. The swings came close when they hit a bluish shield made of concentric rings, each one divided into three parts. The golems banged on the shield and made it waver. Dana ran for the two dwarfs, only for Stronglock to step in her way.
“You’re not using that trick again,” the dwarf said. He swung at her head and forced her to duck. “I’ll need weeks to repair the damage you’ve done, but I can fix it. Nothing will fix your head once I take it off. Die, pest.”
That was when a monstrous black wolf leaped onto Stronglock. Wolf might be the wrong term. The midnight black animal was bigger than an ox and wreathed in white flames. It caught Strongarm’s ax handle in its jaws and ripped the weapon away. The monstrous wolf ran off sixty feet, spit out the axe and raced back to jump onto the gentleman golem. It bit the golem’s right arm, and there was a sharp crack as the stone limb broke off at the elbow.
Dana gasped in amazement. “What is that?”
“The church grim,” Jayden told her. “He looks a tad different when he’s angry.
Strongarm ran off and recovered his axe while the golems tried to fight the church grim. Father Firepower picked up the severed golem limb and clubbed the gentleman golem with it. Jayden attacked with his black and magic swords, cutting grooves into the miner golem’s arms. Dana joined him and drove her sword into the miner golem’s back.
“Your dog isn’t going to save you!” Strongarm yelled as he charged them. He swung at Dana, and she struggled to hold him off. “Nothing can!”
The church grim bit the gentleman golem’s right leg and pulled the golem over. Stone began to crack under its jaws until the miner golem kicked the church grim and sent it flying twenty feet. Father Firepower struck the gentleman golem so hard that the severed arm broke apart, as did the left side of the gentleman’s face. Jayden attacked Stronglock and kept the dwarf off Dana.
“Die, you idiots!” Stronglock screamed as he blocked one of Jayden’s blows with his ax. Two more blows left gashes across the dwarf’s breastplate. “Just die!”
The church grim got off the ground and shook its head. The monstrous dog fixed its eyes on the golems and began to growl.
Jayden let his black sword dissipate and grabbed Dana by the arm. “Run!”
Dana and Jayden raced away from the golems. Father Firepower stayed only long enough to drive his fist into and nearly through the miner golem’s kneecap to topple it before he followed them. Stronglock tried to follow them, but he found the church grim in his way and glowing brighter with each passing second. The huge dog threw back its head and howled. Horns blared in reply, and the light around it grew brighter still. Dana looked behind her where the golems were standing again and looking confused. Beams of light shot out from the blinding light around the church grim, cutting them to pieces.
Stronglock tried to run from the light before the deafening sound of horns hit him like a battering ram and knocked him over. His armor cracked and his axe was thrown fifty feet. The two dwarfs with him threw down their now useless amulets. The sound of horns brought them to their knees.
Dana, Jayden and Father Firepower didn’t stop running until the light behind them dimmed. Dana gasped for breath, and she grabbed onto a tree to keep from falling down. Jayden and Father Firepower were nearly as exhausted. Once she could speak, she asked, “What happened?”
“The golems hurt the church grim badly enough that it felt threatened,” Jayden explained. “It called on divine help to deal with them. Stronglock should have called his golems off the moment he saw it. Pride or anger kept him from admitting how much danger he was in.”
Dana looked back the way they’d come. The other two dwarfs were carrying Stronglock away. Stronglock’s hands moved, so he’d survived somehow, probably by being farther away from the church grim than his golems had been. The church grim was gone as if it had never been there.
“Why did it come?” she asked. “Jayden, you said church grims guard graveyards, but we’re half a mile from the graveyard it’s responsible for, and Stronglock and his golems weren’t threatening it.”
“The church grim has orders it must obey, as do I, but those orders leave room for interpretation,” Father Firepower said. “Aiding a brotherhood member in need would qualify, as would saving innocent lives, especially that of a friend.”
Dana froze. “Wait, you think it did this because of me?”
“I imagine it’s been a long time since anyone showed it affection,” Jayden told her. He smiled and said, “You do have a way of making friends wherever you go. Grateful as I am for its help, we need to go as soon as possible.”
“Every soul within five miles must have heard our battle,” Father Firepower said. “I must gather my people and leave before soldiers come to investigate.”
Jayden extended a hand in friendship to the priest. “This didn’t go nearly as well as I would have liked, but I am grateful to have met you. Destroying those golems will give the people in Zentrix some small advantage in the coming war. I fear it won’t be enough.”
Father Firepower shook Jayden’s hand without hesitation. “Do not be afraid, for He is with us in all things and against all dangers. We may meet again. Until that day, I urge you to spend more time in prayer. It will lead to wisdom.”
The priest walked off into the fog. Jayden flexed his right hand and said, “I regret not staying in his company for obvious reasons. It seems Clevner’s information was again only partially accurate. This puts us in a poor position. Zentrix either is already being invaded or soon will be, and I have no idea how to help its people.”
“Something will turn up,” she told him. “We should go before people come to see what the noise was about, and before the fog lifts.”
“It already is. I can see twice as far as I could before, and the sky above is clearing. Dana, as pleased as I am that we succeeded, we’re not doing enough. Too many lives are in danger. As much as I appreciate the help we just received, further divine intervention wouldn’t go unappreciated.”
Dana sheathed her sword. Feeling playful, she said, “Father Firepower would say God works in mysterious ways.”
“Hopefully not too mysterious.” Jayden shielded his eyes from the sun with his right hand and looked to the west. “Those clouds look like rain.”
As if on cue, rain poured down in torrents.
******************
Firepower led them to his agents and the cart. The agents looked surprised to see him with company, but a wave of the priest’s hand calmed them. “They have offered assistance.”
“Are these the people who spied on us?” a man asked. “You said you’d stop them.”
“So that’s why you were waiting by the graveyard,” Jayden said. “I wouldn’t expect a priest to set an ambush.”
“Do not question my methods. I have fought long and hard to defend the faithful.”
“You’re not used to being questioned, are you?” Jayden asked.
Dana elbowed him in the ribs. “We’re trying to make friends.”
“Many question me,” Father Firepower said. “Some from curiosity, others from honest concern, and others in a vain attempt to make themselves appear wise or worldly. I answer all of them, sometimes to their sorrow.”
“Can we please focus on what we’re doing?” Dana asked. “How far is it to your friend?”
“He lives not far from here,” the priest answered. “A day’s hard marching will reach him, and five more will ensure our escape.”
Jayden peered into the back of the cart. “You brought food and drink, and have quite a few packages wrapped in burlap.”
“The cart’s contents are no interest to you.”
Father Firepower led them for hours through narrow trails in the wilderness until they came up the gates to a large estate. He hesitated at the gates.
“One of yours, I believe,” Jayden said.
“Once. Perhaps one day it will be so again. This was Greenview Abbey, land gifted to the brotherhood by King Tyros’ ancestors two hundred years ago. It was a worthless swamp then, but through hard work and wisdom it was made into productive farmland.” His voice was bitter when he said, “Now look at it.”
Dana came alongside him. The estate certainly looked prosperous, with fields sprouting wheat and men pulling weeds. The buildings were large and in good repair, and she heard sheep bleating in the distance.
The priest pointed at hills covered in tree stumps alongside the fields. “In times gone by we planted trees to hold the hillsides in place and provide both building materials and firewood. Carefully managed, it could have provided resources indefinitely. Instead it was stripped bare by the baron who now rules here. He is a vainglorious fool with dreams of becoming a general. Such bloodthirsty desires cost gold. He ordered all the trees felled and sold the wood to buy weapons, planting nothing in its place. See, the soil already wears away. A strong enough storm will bring these hills sliding down onto the fields, destroying both.
“The work of generations is being destroyed in mere years. Herds of dairy cattle have been sent to slaughterhouses, artwork ripped from walls and sold to the highest bidder, property sold or mortgaged so this idiot baron can play at war. He has enough to satisfy any man’s appetites, and still he hungers for more.”
“The brotherhood could have stopped this from happening,” Jayden replied. “When the king and queen exiled you, priests, nuns and monks left meekly. You could have fought back. Many would have sided with you.”
“If that is an example of your wisdom, I prefer your silence,” Father Firepower retorted. “Meadowland Kingdom had barely survived a civil war and you would have had us start another? We could have fought back, killing so many the kingdom would be left desolate. Our property would have been burned or looted, the destruction faster and more thorough.”
Father Firepower turned to face Jayden. “We left to avoid causing horrors as great or greater than what this land had already experienced. We believed that the chance would come for us to return, either as welcomed guests or by sending missionaries in secret to win back the people. It was a risk, but the alternative was unthinkable.”
Dana slapped a hand over her face as Jayden kept pressing his point. “Is this better? You avoided a war that would have caused much suffering to one kingdom, and now Meadowland, Bascal, Kaleoth and Zentrix are all in peril.”
“What would you have me do?” Firepower yelled. He marched up to Jayden and pressed an armored finger against the Sorcerer Lord’s chest. “Would you have priests and monks become killers? Would you have us lead peasants against knights?”
“We’re making enough noise to draw attention to a secret mission,” Dana said. She got between Jayden and Father Firepower. “People need us. Focus on that.”
“Does she always act as your buffer?” Father Firepower asked Jayden.
“Yes. It bothers me how much I need her to do that. Years of hardship and watching my homeland sink into hatred and madness have left me thin skinned and bitter.”
The two stared at one another until Father Firepower turned away. “The hour is late and we won’t reach our destination before nightfall. I know a place we can rest until the morning.”
They made camp in a rocky gully far from the estate. Father Firepower shared nuts and dried meats and fruits from his supplies, but he was adamant that they not make a campfire. Dana and Jayden stayed by themselves, which seemed to suit the priest’s friends just fine.
On closer inspection, the brotherhood agents were simple folk. They had no weapons, and Dana saw no evidence that they were wizards. Dana had to respect their courage, for they were standing up to the king and queen in their own way, and they could expect no mercy if caught.
“So, exactly what happened in the city of Vascmer?” Dana asked.
“Personal matters I don’t wish to discuss,” Jayden told her. “I don’t ask about your past relationships because it’s none of my business. It’s not asking too much for you to do the same.”
“What’s her name?” Dana teased.
Jayden folded his arms across his chest. “That was one of my more spectacular failed relationships, one I’d thought no one knew about. You will never meet her, and that’s for the best.”
“Fine, be that way.” Dana’s voice dropped to a whisper when she spoke to Jayden again. “It sounds like you’ve heard of this priest before.”
“Amadeus Firepower is one of the Brotherhood of the Righteous’ most talented and dedicated men. We already saw his power when he destroyed my shadow fox. I assure you that was the barest taste of his potential. When the brotherhood has given up all hope of peaceful resolutions, they send him in to save who they can and punish those they must. His list of accomplishments is long, and the foes he’s defeated are many. Firepower cares nothing for kings, merchants, wizards or mad scientists. Faith, love, hope, these guide him, and only those with those gifts impress him. I fear I am short on all three.”
Jayden managed a weak smile when he looked at her. “You, on the other hand, seem to have made a new friend.”
Dana blushed. “I used to go to brotherhood services weekly before they were expelled. I have a lot or respect for them.”
“Careful, Dana, he might try to recruit you. The brotherhood needs every man and woman it can get.”
“She could do worse,” Firepower called out, making Dana blush even more. “Over the years we have evacuated many faithful. If you so desire, you may take refuge with the brotherhood as have many others.”
Dana spoke before Jayden could. “You are kind to make the offer, but there are people here who need me. I can help those who can’t help themselves.”
“You are indeed one of ours,” Father Firepower replied.
“Wait here for me,” Dana told Jayden. She went to Father Firepower and said, “I haven’t had a chance to admit my sins for eight years, and there are some things that have been bothering me. I would also like to tell you what I’ve seen in the last year that your agents might not know about. It might take a while.”
Father Firepower gestured for her to sit. “Of course. Know that His love has no limits, His mercy is boundless, and His kingdom welcomes you with open arms.”
* * * * *
They woke early the next morning to find a dense fog had rolled in during the night. Dana worried that this would cause trouble, but both Jayden and Father Firepower seemed pleased.
“We are blessed,” the priest said. “This will conceal us from our enemies, and cover our escape.”
They followed the priest to what looked like an abandoned storage shed at the edge of the nobleman’s estate. Father Firepower went in first and pulled up loose tiles from the floor to reveal a secret compartment. He brought out silver plates and cups Dana recognized as sacramental vessels, but he also brought out more packages wrapped in burlap. He loaded them onto the cart carefully while Jayden watched.
“Books,” Jayden announced when Father Firepower set one of the packages down. “It’s the right size and weight. For a moment I wondered if they were holy texts, but while you would no doubt want to preserve those, the king would have no interest in them. I doubt these are spell books, either. Tell me, priest, what secrets are written here that the king must not have?”
Father Firepower glanced at Jayden before he unwrapped a package to reveal the books inside. Holding one up, he said, “You guessed correctly, but this is a secret in the loosest possible term.”
Dana slipped in closer and read the title. “The Book of Life and Death. That sounds ominous.”
“Appearances can deceive,” Father Firepower told her gently. “The brotherhood had many duties when it was welcome in Meadowland Kingdom. They included officiating births, marriages, and deaths of the faithful. When the faithful moved, they registered at churches in their new home. Each church recorded this information in books. Recovering lost sacramental vessels is important, but these books must be reclaimed at all costs.”
Puzzled, she asked, “Why?”
“Because without meaning to, the priests conducted a census,” Jayden told her. “The civil war cost many lives and drove many people from the kingdom. Chaos and hardships since then have prevented the royal couple from conducting a census of who remains. Even now the king and queen seek to raise armies without knowing exactly how many people there are to conscript. Those books list every man, woman and child.”
“But the brotherhood was forced out eight years ago,” she protested. “There’s no telling how many of those people died since then, or how many more were born or left the kingdom.”
“While the information within these books is outdated, they are a starting point,” Father Firepower said. “Royal officials can look for the men listed here, or at least look for their graves.”
“Don’t tax records say the same thing?” she asked.
“Surprisingly, no,” Jayden told her. “Each town and city are responsible for collecting a specific amount of gold. The king and queen don’t care how it’s done so long as it is, and assign the task to local officials, men largely known to be corrupt and incompetent. They send the amount owed without writing much if anything down. The king and queen’s plans are being hindered by the very system they rule.”
Father Firepower loaded more books. “Two months ago, our agents reported government officials were searching property confiscated from the brotherhood. Those officials described what they sought to servants and scribes in the hope that one of them had seen their prize. These searches are ongoing and intensifying. My superiors in the brotherhood sent me to retrieve the books, or barring that to destroy them. It pleases me that I may return them intact.”
“That’s most of the job done, but where’s your man and his family?” Dana asked.
“He lives close to the cemetery where we first met,” Father Firepower explained. “We will go back and collect him and his kin before leaving the kingdom. You may join me if you wish.”
“Impossible,” Jayden said. “I’m not sure what else I can do to stop these wars, but I must try.”
“I understand.” Father Firepower finished loading the books and led them back the way they came. The fog helped hide them from prying eyes, although there were surprisingly few people around. Dana wondered where they were. The land seemed rich enough to support hundreds if not thousands, even if it was being badly mismanaged. They soon reached the cemetery and took a small path to a large oak tree. The priest pulled up the sleeves on his robes to reveal gold gauntlets trimmed with black, and he struck the side of the tree three times, then three more and three more after that.
“Hopefully he heard my signal,” Father Firepower said. “We will search for him if he doesn’t come within the hour, but that increases the chance of our discovery.”
“Does he know you’re coming?” Dana asked.
“Not the exact day. I wasn’t sure what challenges I would face that might delay reaching him. My message to him said to be ready to leave on a moment’s notice.”
“How large is this man’s family?” Jayden asked.
“He has a wife and five children,” the priest replied. “Why do you ask?”
“Because that’s quite the crowd coming toward us.”
Jayden pointed down the trail, where fifty or more people came out of the fog. They carried bags on their shoulders and some led farm animals. A man in the front of the group came to Father Firepower and dropped to his knees.
“Who are these individuals with you?” the priest demanded.
“Forgive me, but there was no choice,” the man wept. “My neighbors saw me packing and demanded to know where I was going. I, I told them, and they begged to join me. Please, sir, we can’t leave them here. Life grows worse by the week. Recently mercenaries and gladiators came through our village and ate our food stores. They said we were lucky they didn’t take our daughters with them! Sir, if they return…”
Father Firepower looked at the frightened peasants gathered before him. “I understand. I don’t have enough food for so many, but there are places where we can get more. All of you, come with me before your master realizes you have left.”
Boom.
“Oh no,” Dana said.
Jayden drew his sword. “I heard it, too.”
Boom. Boom. Father Firepower looked around. “What is that?”
“Stone golems,” Jayden told him. Boom. “By the sound of it at least two.”
“We meet again,” a familiar voice called out from the fog. “You didn’t run fast enough or far enough to escape me.”
“Stronglock, don’t you have a war to fight?” Jayden called back.
Two stone golems marched out of the fog at the edge of their vision. One looked like it wore stone ‘clothes’ in the style of a gentleman, while the other looked like a miner with a stone ‘helmet’. Behind them came the dwarf Dunrhill Stronglock in his plate armor and wielding a black magic axe. Still further back were two more dwarfs in workman’s clothes and holding silver amulets.
“After your attack on Trenton Town, and my failure to stop it, King Tyros’ generals gave a choice,” Stronglock replied angrily. “Kill you or die in your place. They graciously allowed me to use two of my company’s golems. Finding you was impossible with magic, but too many people had seen you and would inform on you in return for cash.”
Father Firepower turned to Jayden. “You sought to help me, and led your enemies directly to me.”
“Not intentionally!”
“Friends of yours?” Stronglock asked. “If they stand with you, they can die with you.”
Father Firepower glanced at his agents. “You know the route we’re taking. Get them moving.”
The golems lumbered toward Dana and Jayden while Father Firepower’s agents and the peasants fled. Jayden cast spells to form his giant black hand while Dana drew her sword Chain Cutter. Their earlier fight with Stronglock had been difficult, and that was when he had only one stone golem. Dana’s first instinct was to run, but that would leave these peasants to Stronglock’s mercy. The dwarf had been ruthless enough in their first encounter, and desperation at the threat to his life would only make that worse.
Father Firepower pulled off his robe to reveal the impressive plate armor he wore. It was gold with black trim, with the ring of three parts on his forehead, chest and belt. Like Jayden the priest had no weapons.
“Impressive enchantments on your armor,” Stronglock told the priest as he marched toward them. “Start running if you don’t want me to crush you in it.”
“I give you this opportunity to leave before battle is joined,” Father Firepower replied. “Ignore my offer at your peril.”
“I’m the only peril here,” Stronglock snarled as his golems lumbered into battle.
The golems were so slow that Dana, Jayden and Father Firepower were able to gang up on one and strike before the other could come to its aid. Dana slashed its heels and cut deeply into the stone. Jayden sent his giant hand crashing into it and bowled it over. Father Firepower kneeled and prayed before he grabbed the fallen golem by the arm. The golem sat up as Father Firepower braced his feet and shouted.
“God is my strength!” The priest pulled on the golem’s arm, and to everyone’s amazement he threw it into the other golem, knocking both onto their backs. Father Firepower looked at Stronglock and yelled, “This is your last warning! I don’t want to take your life, but I can do it!”
Stronglock’s shock vanished quickly, and he gripped his ax tightly before charging. He reached them as his golems stood up and rejoined the fight. Stronglock ignored the priest and focused on Jayden. His first swing was a clear miss, but the dwarf kept running and slammed into Jayden hard enough to knock him back. Jayden rammed his giant hand into the dwarf, but Stronglock swung his ax through it, hacking it in half. Jayden screamed as feedback from the damage broke bones in his hand.
Dana charged Stronglock and kept the dwarf back as Jayden staggered from the pain. The dwarf blocked her swings as easily as he did the last time the fought. Ax met sword in a storm of sparks without either breaking. The stone golems were catching up and would be on her in seconds.
Father Firepower took Jayden’s injured hand and prayed. Blue light flowed from the priest’s hands and mended Jayden’s wounds. They attacked Stronglock together and drove him away from Dana.
The gentleman golem tried to punch Dana and missed by inches. She slashed at its hand and cut off a finger. Father Firepower rushed in and punched the golem in the stomach, leaving cracks and doubling it over. Dana hit it again and cut a notch in the top of its head. The golem stood up straight and caught the priest in a bearhug. That lasted only until Dana slashed across its right knee and did enough damage to topple the golem. The miner golem helped up the gentleman while Dana helped up Father Firepower.
Jayden was busy sparing with Stronglock. He’d created his black sword and fought with it in one hand while using his magic sword in the other. The magic sword sped up Jayden’s attack, but to Dana’s surprise it made him swing his black sword just as fast. Stronglock was a skilled fighter and his armor was good, almost good enough to block the whirlwind of attacks coming at him. The dwarf took two hits that cut deep into his shoulder guard and breastplate.
“I will not yield!” Stronglock bellowed. He pushed on regardless of the blows he was taking and charged. Jayden leaped out of the way, bringing him so close to the golems that one of them tried to kick him. He dodged the kick and parried Stronglock’s axe swing.
Dana spotted the two dwarfs stayed outside the fight. “They’re controlling the golems. We need to stop them.”
“I will slow these two down,” Father Firepower told her. He prayed as the golems approached him. “Faith be my shield!”
Both golems brought their fists down on the priest. The swings came close when they hit a bluish shield made of concentric rings, each one divided into three parts. The golems banged on the shield and made it waver. Dana ran for the two dwarfs, only for Stronglock to step in her way.
“You’re not using that trick again,” the dwarf said. He swung at her head and forced her to duck. “I’ll need weeks to repair the damage you’ve done, but I can fix it. Nothing will fix your head once I take it off. Die, pest.”
That was when a monstrous black wolf leaped onto Stronglock. Wolf might be the wrong term. The midnight black animal was bigger than an ox and wreathed in white flames. It caught Strongarm’s ax handle in its jaws and ripped the weapon away. The monstrous wolf ran off sixty feet, spit out the axe and raced back to jump onto the gentleman golem. It bit the golem’s right arm, and there was a sharp crack as the stone limb broke off at the elbow.
Dana gasped in amazement. “What is that?”
“The church grim,” Jayden told her. “He looks a tad different when he’s angry.
Strongarm ran off and recovered his axe while the golems tried to fight the church grim. Father Firepower picked up the severed golem limb and clubbed the gentleman golem with it. Jayden attacked with his black and magic swords, cutting grooves into the miner golem’s arms. Dana joined him and drove her sword into the miner golem’s back.
“Your dog isn’t going to save you!” Strongarm yelled as he charged them. He swung at Dana, and she struggled to hold him off. “Nothing can!”
The church grim bit the gentleman golem’s right leg and pulled the golem over. Stone began to crack under its jaws until the miner golem kicked the church grim and sent it flying twenty feet. Father Firepower struck the gentleman golem so hard that the severed arm broke apart, as did the left side of the gentleman’s face. Jayden attacked Stronglock and kept the dwarf off Dana.
“Die, you idiots!” Stronglock screamed as he blocked one of Jayden’s blows with his ax. Two more blows left gashes across the dwarf’s breastplate. “Just die!”
The church grim got off the ground and shook its head. The monstrous dog fixed its eyes on the golems and began to growl.
Jayden let his black sword dissipate and grabbed Dana by the arm. “Run!”
Dana and Jayden raced away from the golems. Father Firepower stayed only long enough to drive his fist into and nearly through the miner golem’s kneecap to topple it before he followed them. Stronglock tried to follow them, but he found the church grim in his way and glowing brighter with each passing second. The huge dog threw back its head and howled. Horns blared in reply, and the light around it grew brighter still. Dana looked behind her where the golems were standing again and looking confused. Beams of light shot out from the blinding light around the church grim, cutting them to pieces.
Stronglock tried to run from the light before the deafening sound of horns hit him like a battering ram and knocked him over. His armor cracked and his axe was thrown fifty feet. The two dwarfs with him threw down their now useless amulets. The sound of horns brought them to their knees.
Dana, Jayden and Father Firepower didn’t stop running until the light behind them dimmed. Dana gasped for breath, and she grabbed onto a tree to keep from falling down. Jayden and Father Firepower were nearly as exhausted. Once she could speak, she asked, “What happened?”
“The golems hurt the church grim badly enough that it felt threatened,” Jayden explained. “It called on divine help to deal with them. Stronglock should have called his golems off the moment he saw it. Pride or anger kept him from admitting how much danger he was in.”
Dana looked back the way they’d come. The other two dwarfs were carrying Stronglock away. Stronglock’s hands moved, so he’d survived somehow, probably by being farther away from the church grim than his golems had been. The church grim was gone as if it had never been there.
“Why did it come?” she asked. “Jayden, you said church grims guard graveyards, but we’re half a mile from the graveyard it’s responsible for, and Stronglock and his golems weren’t threatening it.”
“The church grim has orders it must obey, as do I, but those orders leave room for interpretation,” Father Firepower said. “Aiding a brotherhood member in need would qualify, as would saving innocent lives, especially that of a friend.”
Dana froze. “Wait, you think it did this because of me?”
“I imagine it’s been a long time since anyone showed it affection,” Jayden told her. He smiled and said, “You do have a way of making friends wherever you go. Grateful as I am for its help, we need to go as soon as possible.”
“Every soul within five miles must have heard our battle,” Father Firepower said. “I must gather my people and leave before soldiers come to investigate.”
Jayden extended a hand in friendship to the priest. “This didn’t go nearly as well as I would have liked, but I am grateful to have met you. Destroying those golems will give the people in Zentrix some small advantage in the coming war. I fear it won’t be enough.”
Father Firepower shook Jayden’s hand without hesitation. “Do not be afraid, for He is with us in all things and against all dangers. We may meet again. Until that day, I urge you to spend more time in prayer. It will lead to wisdom.”
The priest walked off into the fog. Jayden flexed his right hand and said, “I regret not staying in his company for obvious reasons. It seems Clevner’s information was again only partially accurate. This puts us in a poor position. Zentrix either is already being invaded or soon will be, and I have no idea how to help its people.”
“Something will turn up,” she told him. “We should go before people come to see what the noise was about, and before the fog lifts.”
“It already is. I can see twice as far as I could before, and the sky above is clearing. Dana, as pleased as I am that we succeeded, we’re not doing enough. Too many lives are in danger. As much as I appreciate the help we just received, further divine intervention wouldn’t go unappreciated.”
Dana sheathed her sword. Feeling playful, she said, “Father Firepower would say God works in mysterious ways.”
“Hopefully not too mysterious.” Jayden shielded his eyes from the sun with his right hand and looked to the west. “Those clouds look like rain.”
As if on cue, rain poured down in torrents.
Buried Treasure part 1
This is the first part of the Dana and Jayden story Buried Treasure.
*************
“Dear mom and dad. I want you to know that I am okay. I will try to get back to you as soon as I can, but things are kind of crazy with the war going on.”
“Writing to your family again?” Jayden asked. He and Dana were currently in a forest clearing not far from a nearby town.
“I don’t want them to worry about me, and I’m sending money,” Dana replied.
“I wasn’t aware they needed it.”
“If life is as crazy there as it is everywhere else we’ve been, they’ll need help.”
Dana continued with her letter. “There is something you need to know about the wars that have broken out. I have met people from the countries Meadowland is invading, and they are nice. I haven’t seen anything that makes me think they are responsible for the problems in our homeland.
“I have seen things in Meadowland that worry me. Some noblemen were buying young girls. Other people were importing monsters and golems. I have seen good men and women treated unfairly. These things didn’t used to happen, and I am worried for the kingdom.”
“Don’t give away details on where we are or what we’ve done,” Jayden cautioned. “Letters can be intercepted.”
“I wasn’t going to,” she said. “I am sending money with this letter to help out with expenses, and I will send more when I can. Please look out for Emily and Rachael, and keep Lan from destroying everything he gets his hands on out of trouble.”
“Your brother sounds like a spirited young fellow.”
Dana pressed the letter against her skirt. “No reading other people’s mail!”
“It looked interesting.”
Dana grumbled and folded her letter over four gold pieces. As much as she felt the need to help Jayden, she regretted being away from home for so long. There was always a lot of work, and her sisters would be stuck doing it now that she was gone. Worse, the neighbors could start gossiping about Dana’s absence. Some folks would think her leaving reflected poorly on her family. She didn’t think her father’s position as mayor was in danger because of such talk, but it wouldn’t help him.
She and Jayden had stopped at a small town in the north of the kingdom. The town was suffering after many of its men were conscripted into the army, some as laborers and others as soldiers. The town had lost a fair portion of its food stores to help feed the army heading for Zentrix. Jayden stayed in the nearby wilderness to avoid attracting attention while Dana came and went as she pleased. This let her purchase supplies they needed and look for targets.
They needed those targets badly. Dana and Jayden had destroyed three storehouses only two weeks ago, which normally would have been a success, but it hadn’t stopped the army headed for Zentrix. They’d destroyed uniforms, tents, saddles and other goods, while helping others take oats meant for either men or horses. The army could march on without any of that.
“How soon until the fighting starts?” Dana asked as she addressed her letter.
“We have days at best until they cross the border. Zentrix forces will no doubt do all they can to slow that advance with snipers, ambushes and burning anything that could be used, but it won’t be enough. I fear casualties on both sides will be astounding, with victory going to Meadowland Kingdom within three months.”
“It doesn’t feel right rooting against your homeland.”
“The alternative is infinitely worse. Be careful when you go to mail your letter. Most local forces have been absorbed into the army, but there will still be some defenders left who will be suspicious of an unknown girl coming to their town.”
Dana handed him her sword and slipped the letter into one of her bags. “I’ve got a cover story if anyone asks. I’ll be back soon.”
Leaving Jayden behind in the forest was worrying. She didn’t think anything would happen to her, especially after the warm reception she’d gotten last time she went to town. Anyone who paid in hard currency rather than barter was welcome in stores. What did worry her was leaving Jayden alone for so long. He got bored easily, and he had a bloodhound’s tenacity when it came to hurting the king and queen. If he saw an opportunity, no matter however risky, he’d do it without a second’s delay.
She walked through the forest and came to the edge of town. It was small, simple, poor and looked like it would stay that way forever. A few people saw her and waved when she headed to a small rented house with a crude wood sign that read, ‘Gnome Express’ propped up next to the door.
Dana knocked before entering. “Good morning, sir.”
A male gnome with black hair nodded in reply. The gnome only came up to her waist, but he carried himself with an air of competence. He wore leather armor with metal studs on it, hobnail boots, and a rainproof cape. He was armed with two daggers strapped to his belt.
“I have a letter for the town of North Lights,” she said as she handed over the letter.
“Two copper pieces,” the gnome told her. When she handed over the fee, the gnome bowed and pressed his right arm across his chest. “In the name of Gnome Express, I swear to deliver this message to only the intended recipient, letting no threat bar my way.”
Dana curtsied. She normally wasn’t so formal, but gnomes could be very particular about their customs. You simply had to follow the rules. “I am honored by your service.”
She turned to leave, and found a spearman standing in the doorway. She gasped in surprise, and the gnome grabbed the handles of his daggers. The spearman took a step back when he saw their reaction and held up a letter. “Um, mail?”
Dana and the gnome relaxed. She said, “You surprised me.”
“Sorry.” The spearman handed the letter and two small copper coins to the gnome. “I’m in a rush, so can we skip the speech?”
“No one respects tradition anymore,” the gnome lamented as he placed both letters in a flat leather waterproof bag.
“Jenkins!” Dana, the spearman and the gnome all jumped when a man in chain armor and wearing an officer’s helmet with its small metal wings stomped into the room. “What do you think you’re doing? You were called to service yesterday!”
The spearman’s face turned red. “Sir, I’m sorry I’m late. I needed to send a letter home. The farm—”
“That’s not your concern!” The officer barked. “You’re a soldier now. You have only one concern, fighting for the king and queen. Whatever is back home doesn’t matter. Give me the letter. I’m going to make sure you didn’t include military secrets.”
The officer held out his hand to the spearman, who pointed to the gnome. Annoyed, the officer stomped over to the gnome and held out his hand. The gnome’s face turned red, not in embarrassment, but in anger.
“I took a sacred oath to faithfully deliver the mail. None may touch it save the one it is intended for, regardless of what you or your king wants.”
“You obey the law the same as everyone.” Then the officer tried to grab the mail bag.
“No one touches the mail!” The gnome punched the officer below the belt so hard that the man doubled over in agony. That brought him close enough for the gnome to grab the officer’s helmet, rip it off and repeatedly punch him in the face. “No one, you ulmixin, crilviz, floth eating son of a diseased dog!”
Dana didn’t know what any of those gnomish swear words meant, and felt no need to learn. She took the spearman’s arm and led him out of the room. “We should leave.”
The spearman waved toward the rented house and violent assault occurring within it. “Should we do something? I mean, it’s kind of my fault.”
The officer’s helmet rolled out of the house as the gnome screamed, “I’ve killed monsters, and you rakmid, scum sucking trab thought you were going to take me down? The gall!”
“I’d rather not,” Dana told him. “He might be rabid.”
Dana hurried off before anyone came to investigate the commotion. She’d nearly gotten out of town when she saw the gnome ride off on a short legged pony. Dana made sure no one was watching her before going into the forest. She found Jayden in the clearing studying his spell tablets.
“Any difficulties?”
“No, and I have a renewed respect for the postal system.”
Jayden put his spell tablets into his bags. “It’s the only institution to survive the collapse of the Elf Empire, and still delivers mail across three continents. I’m told the gnomes who serve in it are quite rambunctious.”
“That’s a polite way of putting it. Jayden, where do we go from here? There’s nothing of value here we need or can destroy that would slow down the army.”
He hesitated before answering her. “I’m not sure. Following the army and looking for weaknesses to exploit would be dangerous and likely wouldn’t turn up good opportunities. Nearby towns have proven to be of no interest. That leaves the second lead Clevner gave me. It’s not my first choice, or even my third, but if successful may provide us the edge we need.”
“His first lead didn’t work out the way you’d expected.”
“No, but that’s less Clevner’s fault than Galfont being more inventive than either of us would have given him credit for. The second lead could be the help we need or a threat equal to Cimmox the necromancer.”
Dana’s heart grew cold at the sound of the foul necromancer’s name. Dana, Jayden and the elf wizard Green Peril had only defeated Cimmox with divine intervention. She wasn’t looking for a fight anywhere near as risky.
“You’re worried, and justifiably so,” Jayden said. He scattered cold ashes from their fire pit. “Clevner told me of a strange sight in the north of the kingdom. Men saw cloaked figures and a horse drawn cart traveling in wilderness areas, never approaching settlements or even lone houses. The few who saw them stayed well back, but a lone knight tried to investigate.”
“Is he still alive?”
Jayden put on his backpack and handed another to Dana. “Surprisingly, yes. He approached the unknown group and one of them came to face him. The robed stranger beat the knight senseless, shattered his sword and left him on his back. The knight was sure he’d be killed, but the stranger turned and left. He staggered to the nearest garrison and returned with reinforcements, but the strangers were gone with no trace of their passage.”
“The robed guy sounds dangerous, and pretty confident the knight couldn’t bring back help in time.” Dana frowned and said, “These guys are spooky and tough, but they didn’t kill the knight when he was down. Is that why you’re interested in them?”
“It’s one of the reasons. The strangers took a chance by letting the knight live when many others wouldn’t. It speaks of mercy. The other reason I’m interested is to my knowledge there is nothing important in that part of the kingdom. It’s farmland, pastures and forests, with a smattering of manor houses belonging to noblemen of little status or wealth. These robed men, if they are men, are headed nowhere of value.”
He turned and looked intently at Dana. “What if there is hidden treasures worthy of their abilities? Gold? Magic? If so, it would be useful to us in our struggles. I wish to find these people and learn what their goals are.”
“They could just be passing through the kingdom and don’t want people to know about it. They might even be smugglers.”
He shook his head. “I’ve met my share of smugglers. They keep to the shadows, and if discovered flee combat or buy off their enemies. If battle is unavoidable, they don’t leave witnesses.”
Jayden pointed west and said, “Stories say these strangers were heading north along wilderness roads. I know these roads, and there are only so many they can take. We’re not far from where the strangers have to be heading. We’ll go for those roads and pick up their trail.”
The two left without further delay, heading deeper into the north of the kingdom. This area was lightly populated as the ground grew increasingly hilly. Tall grasses and dense forests covered the land, with shepherds and lumberjacks the most common professions. Roads were few and poorly traveled, and there were no signposts or markers to guide travelers. Dana and Jayden passed through three small villages where people stared at them curiously.
Dana saw mountains in the distance that were cloaked with clouds. “We’re not going that far, are we?”
“Ideally no, but one road does lead there.” Jayden stopped when the road they were on split into three trails heading north. He got down on his hands and knees to study the ground. “Clevner’s tales said these strangers had a cart, but the ground is too firmly packed for hoof prints or wheel ruts. Still, the fact that they brought a cart limits which way they can take.”
Jayden pointed to the left path and said, “This leads to the mountains you’re hoping to avoid. Such a cart would be useless when the trail narrows and becomes rocky. That leaves two the strangers had to take. They can’t be too far ahead of us based on the dates of Clevner’s tale and the winding wilderness roads they used.”
“Where do they lead?”
“The first passes a minor nobleman’s estate, formerly property of the Brotherhood of the Righteous before their banishment from the kingdom. The second leads to old mines long since depleted of metals. Neither is an obvious destination.”
Dana frowned. “If we take the wrong one, these guys will have enough time to get away. Fifty-fifty chances aren’t promising.”
“There is a way around our problem, thanks to you.”
“Wait, what?”
Jayden held up a spell tablets. “It took time to translate one of the spells you recently found, but I’ve mastered it. It’s called shadow fox, and creates a surprisingly fast scout. The scout will only last hours, but in that time should find proof which of these paths the strangers took. Find me a body of water. A puddle will do.”
A short search turned up a ditch with enough muddy water for Jayden’s spell. He began chanting and made strange hand gestures. Shadows reached out from beneath trees until they wrapped around one another in front of Jayden. The shadows grew darker and denser until they coalesced into a black fox with a gray underbelly.
“Ooh, it’s adorable!” Dana bent down and rubbed the fox’s back. “It’s so soft.”
Jayden stared at her. “What are you doing?”
“Most of your spells make big, nasty sharp things. This little guy is cute.”
Jayden rolled his eyes. “That’s not what it’s for. Look at the water.”
Dana looked at the ditch, and to her amazement she saw herself in the water. She waved her hand in front of the shadow fox, and the watery image of her wave. “You see what it sees. Can you hear and smell through it, too?”
“Shadow foxes transmit only images. That is enough for my needs. I’ll send it along one trail and look for our mysterious quarry, guiding it from here.”
The shadow fox tensed before taking off like a shot down the central road. Dana whistled. “Horses aren’t that fast. How long can it run like that?”
“It won’t stop until I order it to.” Jayden studied the image in the water as the shadow fox ran along the road. “This is actually quite interesting. Most Sorcerer Lord spells were devoted to causing damage. Mind you, they used shadow foxes to spy on one another in their fratricidal conflicts, so it’s not entirely benign.”
Dana smiled. “I still think it’s cute. And fuzzy.”
“There are times I wonder about you.”
They spent two hours watching the shadow fox. Fascinating as it was, Dana was just as glad to rest after spending so much time marching through difficult country. She wondered how long it would take them to walk the same distance the fox ran over if they found the strangers. It looked like a difficult route.
“I see houses,” Dana said.
“A very small community,” Jayden replied. He pointed toward the cluster of wood houses, and the shadow fox left the trail to investigate them. “The strangers may have taken shelter there. Let me search for a few moments. Look, there’s a patch of mud at the edge of the road, and a fresh wheel rut in it. There are no wagons or carts among the buildings, so they didn’t make the mark.”
Just then the fox lifted up off the ground. Jayden waved his hand right and left, and they saw the fox try to slip free of whatever held it. “Something’s wrong.”
A pink, pudgy hand appeared in the image before it grabbed the fox’s snout. Dana stifled a laugh and said, “Yeah, and he looks about four years old.”
Jayden made ever wider and more forceful gestures with his hand, but the fox remained trapped in the little boy’s grip. They saw his face briefly, a grinning boy with curly hair and wearing only short pants. The boy had one arm wrapped around the fox and petted it with the other. The boy opened his mouth in a silent call, and more children ran out of the houses. They gathered around the fox and petted it until Dana and Jayden could only see grubby hands.
“Don’t scratch them,” Dana said.
“It doesn’t have teeth or claws,” he told her. The mob of children parted just enough for Dana and Jayden to see a harried looking woman leave a house. She took one look at the shadow fox, made a silent scream and waved for the children to move aside while she grabbed a broom. “We’re about to learn how much damage a shadow fox can take.”
Dana winced when the woman swatted the shadow fox twice. The image blurred as children ran away and the fox took off like a shot. The fox took another hit as the woman chased it, but it escaped after running a hundred feet.
“It’s sturdier than I’d thought,” Jayden said as he directed the shadow fox down the road. “Faster, too. I’m impressed how long the spell is lasting. Not feeling feedback when it was hit was a welcome bonus.”
“Hold up,” Dana said. Jayden stopped the fox, and Dana pointed at the edge of the road. “There’s another rut in the mud.”
“I see more ahead.” The wheels had made plenty of marks in the mud, and as the fox ran mile after mile the mud grew deeper and the ruts more frequent. “Wait. That’s them.”
Dana peered at the image in the water and saw a horse cart missing one wheel. Robed figures propped the cart up on rocks while others tried to reattach the wheel. They were making slow progress but should have the job done soon.
“I was wondering how we’d catch up with them if they’ve being traveling for weeks,” Dana said. “I guess their cart can hold them back if road conditions are bad, or if it breaks down.”
“I don’t see symbols or insignia that would identify them,” Jayden said. He directed the shadow fox off the road to hide in the underbrush. The strangers kept working until one of them saw the shadow fox. He waved for the others to stop and pointed at it.
“He’s got good eyes,” Dana said.
The stranger took one step forward and waved his hand in a circle. There was a flash of light, and the puddle of water exploded, soaking Dana and Jayden from head to foot.
“What happened?” Dana asked.
Jayden wiped his face off on his shirt sleeve. “He destroyed the shadow fox, and sent a considerable amount of energy through the spell to us. Count yourself lucky we didn’t suffer injuries. At least one of these people commands an impressive amount of power.”
He glanced down the road. “We need to learn whether this is an opportunity or a threat.”
* * * * *
Dana and Jayden set out after the strangers the following morning. The lost time wouldn’t matter much when the strangers were struggling to fix their cart. By noon they’d reached the houses where children had heaped affection on the shadow fox the day before. They found the children’s mother washing the little boy in a large washtub. The woman looked worried when she saw them, relaxing only when Dana smiled and waved.
“If you’re selling goods, I’ve no money,” the woman said.
“We’re just passing through,” Dana said cheerfully. “Ooh, he’s adorable!”
The youngest boy sat in the washtub and frowned. “I want my puppy!”
The woman heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry. He’s been like this since he got his hands on a wild animal yesterday. Now I have to wash him in case it gave him fleas.”
Jayden nodded to the woman as he and Dana continued on. They came across ruts from the cart and found the site where it had been stuck the day before. It was gone, as were the strangers, but there was only one way they could go. They marched for hours until the forest thinned and the road branched again. It would have been aggravating to search for these people again, even with the shadow fox, but luck was on their side when they found fresh ruts from the cart.
As they headed down the road, Dana said, “These guys know someone was spying on them, so they’ll be expecting trouble.”
“They might. Few are familiar with the shadow magic of the Sorcerer Lords. I am the current reigning expert, and there is a mountain of information even I remain ignorant of. The strangers surely know they faced a magical being yesterday, but with luck they won’t know what it was, what it was capable of or who sent it. They will no doubt be wary, but so would anyone traveling during a war.”
The road went by an old cemetery that covered fifteen acres and was ringed by massive trees. Jayden stopped when he saw it. “This might be their destination.”
“But they’re not here.”
“They’re not here now. Necromancers or graverobbers would wait until the cover of darkness to work. We should search the area to see if they already disturbed the graves.”
Dana and Jayden climbed over a low stone wall around the graveyard and searched among the headstones. Nothing seemed amiss to Dana as she walked between the graves. The headstones were so old that the writing on many of them had been worn away by years of wind and rain. Here and there she saw fresh flowers in front of headstones. It was heartwarming to see that someone still cared for this place.
She’d nearly finished checking the graves when she saw a large black dog step out from behind a headstone. It stopped and looked at her. Dana smiled and bent down before holding out her hands. “Hey there, boy! Aren’t you big! Someone’s taking good care of you.”
The dog’s ears perked up and its tail wagged. It trotted over and licked his hands. Dana giggled and petted the dog. “You’re a strong one. Yes, you are. Who did you come here with? You’re not wearing a collar, but lots of dogs back home don’t, either. I don’t see anyone with you. Jayden, did you see anyone?”
“No, why?”
“Somebody left their dog here. Or maybe he came on his own.” Dana stroked the dog’s jaw. “Is your owner buried here?”
“Who are you talking to?” Jayden walked over and froze when he saw the dog. “Dana, back away slowly.”
“Don’t worry, he’s friendly.”
“That’s not a dog. It’s a church grim.”
She didn’t move and instead looked at the dog. It was a beautiful animal and certainly friendly. Nothing about it looked, smelled, sounded or even felt unusual. “What’s a grim?”
Jayden put his hand on the hilt of his sword but didn’t draw it. “It’s an old practice not used often in modern times. When a graveyard is first established, a dog is buried before men are. Its spirit becomes tied to the graveyard, and it will defend it from evildoers. It must have suspected us of planning harm when we entered the graveyard armed. The grim is far more dangerous than it appears.”
Dana looked from the dog to the tombstones. Most were illegible, but she saw some burial dates that were over a hundred years ago. She turned to the dog and asked, “How long have you been here?”
She didn’t expect the dog to speak to her, and she felt silly even asking the question. Yet the dog stared back at her, and somehow without making a sound it managed to convey the sense that it had been protecting this graveyard for a very long time. Tears ran down her cheek when she thought of how long it had been here alone. Dana hugged the dog. “You’re a good boy.”
The dog rubbed against her and licked her face. It waited until she stood up before walking behind a tombstone and disappearing as if it had never been there. Jayden led her from the graveyard and back to the road.
“It was so quiet,” Dana said.
“Be grateful. Church grims only howl when they are in danger and need to summon help. Let’s go. The people we seek have clearly not been here and move farther from us with every passing minute.”
“Not necessarily.” Dana shrieked and jumped. Jayden drew his sword so quickly the magic sword was a blur of steel. The robed speaker stood next to a large oak tree near the cemetery, where he must have hidden from Dana and Jayden. “I am impressed, young lady. Few show appreciation to those who serve as loyally as this church grim. You have my respect.”
Dana placed a hand over her heart as she tried to control her breathing. “Um, thank you?”
“You’re welcome.” Dana couldn’t see much of the stranger past his brown robes. They covered even his face and hands. She could see glimmers of gold near his face, but nothing more. His voice was deep and commanding, and echoed as if he was wearing a helmet. “Sir, you must be the creator of the monster I disrupted yesterday.”
“The correct term is shadow fox, but yes, it was mine,” Jayden replied. “I apologize for spying on you, but time and circumstances forced my hand. I am—”
“Sorcerer Lord Jayden, a man responsible for considerable damage across Meadowland Kingdom for fifteen years, although you recently sped up the pace,” the stranger interrupted. “Word of your misdeeds reached me long ago.”
Jayden raised an eyebrow. “Misdeeds? I feel a large number of people in the kingdom are guiltier of those than I am.”
“Many in the kingdom are sinners of the worst kind and risk their immortal souls. You are guilty of only misdeeds, but you are guilty. You have robbed caravans, stole horses, looted ancient ruins, assaulted countless people, associated with known criminals and numerous lesser crimes. You have done some good to mitigate your sins, but you are a ruffian and a rake, with a reputation of carousing and theft.”
Dana stepped in before the conversation grew hotter. “I know he was in some failed relationships, but that’s not carousing.”
The stranger wasn’t budging. “I refer to incidents in the city of Vascmer.”
Jayden’s face turned red. “Oh. Yes, well, that is a bit harder to explain, but the rest of these accusations are hardly fair. My actions in the past were based on saving lives. That goal hasn’t change, although the coming of war has made it far more difficult. This may sound surprising, but when I heard of you, I thought we might be able to help one another. Is that an unwise request, priest?”
“Wait, he’s a priest?” Dana hadn’t seen a priest in eight years. Excited, she asked, “You’re with the Brotherhood of the Righteous?”
“The hood on your robe lifted briefly, long enough for me to see your symbol,” Jayden said. “Few in Meadowland wear the ring of three parts.”
The stranger pulled back his hood to reveal a gold helmet with black edging. The helmet didn’t show his face, but it had a ring divided into three equal parts on the forehead. That ring was the symbol of the Brotherhood of the Righteous. Dana had only seen it rarely since the brotherhood’s expulsion from Meadowland Kingdom years ago.
“You guessed correctly,” the priest announced. “I am Father Amadeus Firepower.”
Jayden sheathed his sword. “My, my. Whatever brought you back to Meadowland must be important for the brotherhood to send their top trouble shooter. Where are the men traveling with you?”
“My mission is no concern of yours, nor are my companions. I have heard that as of late you do more good than harm. This pleases me, but you are much mistaken if you think you can recruit me to your service. I have goals that do not involve you.”
Jayden wasn’t giving up. “I seek an alliance, not servitude. I am trying to stop King Tyros and Queen Amvicta from harming neighboring kingdoms, a task beyond my power at this time. Your help could make the difference between good men living or dying. I admit that I have made decisions I’m not proud of, but they were necessary to prevent greater injustices. Surely the enemy of your enemy is, or could be, your friend.”
“The enemy of my enemy can well be another enemy.” Firepower paused before adding, “I do not doubt the sincerity of your desire to stop the wars currently raging and to save innocent lives. What I question is the means you employ to carry out these goals. Associating with you risks me being labeled a thief, arsonist, traitor and more. I must judge my actions carefully, lest I do harm to the people of Meadowland Kingdom and to the Brotherhood of the Righteous.”
The priest continued before Jayden could reply. “My orders come from the brotherhood, and I must obey them. There is room in those orders allowing me to act upon new information or events, but it doesn’t permit me making the sort of alliance you seek or staying once my mission is complete.”
“And what is your mission?” Jayden asked. When the priest didn’t respond, he said, “I already know you’re here, and I have no intention of revealing your presence to the authorities. Nor do I wish you ill. Use the room in your orders to accept help from a powerful source, even if I am undesirable.”
Firepower answered with obvious reluctance. “When the brotherhood was ejected from Meadowland Kingdom, we weren’t allowed to take much with us. Most was seized, but we hid items of value when possible. We also left behind men and women loyal to the brotherhood to oversee that property and send us reports on what was occurring in our absence. Several agents contacted us last month with news that King Tyros had ordered his forces to investigate former brotherhood properties for the items we’d hidden.”
“What are they looking for?” Dana asked.
“I’m not at liberty to say.”
“The king wants them badly enough to divert forces away from the fighting during a war,” Jayden said.
“He must not find what he seeks,” Firepower replied. “I was ordered to retrieve the items and extract our agents. The men and women you saw with me are some of those agents, but there remains one more to find. Once I have him and his family, I will leave Meadowland Kingdom through a route the brotherhood knows of but your king does not.”
“If I can’t have your help, let me offer mine,” Jayden told the priest. “We’re not far from the front lines, and we could encounter army units. While I don’t doubt you live up to your fierce reputation, my assistance could make the difference between you succeeding or failing. If nothing else, I might improve your poor opinion of me.”
“It’s not my opinion. It’s everyone’s opinion.” Firepower paused again. “I can hardly dismiss you as if you were a servant, nor can I force you to leave without a fight I do not wish to engage in. Swear to me that you have no intension to steal the items I seek.”
“I so swear it.”
Father Firepower nodded to the north. “I left my companions and our cart hidden behind an abandoned farmhouse. We will join them and leave at once.”
*************
“Dear mom and dad. I want you to know that I am okay. I will try to get back to you as soon as I can, but things are kind of crazy with the war going on.”
“Writing to your family again?” Jayden asked. He and Dana were currently in a forest clearing not far from a nearby town.
“I don’t want them to worry about me, and I’m sending money,” Dana replied.
“I wasn’t aware they needed it.”
“If life is as crazy there as it is everywhere else we’ve been, they’ll need help.”
Dana continued with her letter. “There is something you need to know about the wars that have broken out. I have met people from the countries Meadowland is invading, and they are nice. I haven’t seen anything that makes me think they are responsible for the problems in our homeland.
“I have seen things in Meadowland that worry me. Some noblemen were buying young girls. Other people were importing monsters and golems. I have seen good men and women treated unfairly. These things didn’t used to happen, and I am worried for the kingdom.”
“Don’t give away details on where we are or what we’ve done,” Jayden cautioned. “Letters can be intercepted.”
“I wasn’t going to,” she said. “I am sending money with this letter to help out with expenses, and I will send more when I can. Please look out for Emily and Rachael, and keep Lan from destroying everything he gets his hands on out of trouble.”
“Your brother sounds like a spirited young fellow.”
Dana pressed the letter against her skirt. “No reading other people’s mail!”
“It looked interesting.”
Dana grumbled and folded her letter over four gold pieces. As much as she felt the need to help Jayden, she regretted being away from home for so long. There was always a lot of work, and her sisters would be stuck doing it now that she was gone. Worse, the neighbors could start gossiping about Dana’s absence. Some folks would think her leaving reflected poorly on her family. She didn’t think her father’s position as mayor was in danger because of such talk, but it wouldn’t help him.
She and Jayden had stopped at a small town in the north of the kingdom. The town was suffering after many of its men were conscripted into the army, some as laborers and others as soldiers. The town had lost a fair portion of its food stores to help feed the army heading for Zentrix. Jayden stayed in the nearby wilderness to avoid attracting attention while Dana came and went as she pleased. This let her purchase supplies they needed and look for targets.
They needed those targets badly. Dana and Jayden had destroyed three storehouses only two weeks ago, which normally would have been a success, but it hadn’t stopped the army headed for Zentrix. They’d destroyed uniforms, tents, saddles and other goods, while helping others take oats meant for either men or horses. The army could march on without any of that.
“How soon until the fighting starts?” Dana asked as she addressed her letter.
“We have days at best until they cross the border. Zentrix forces will no doubt do all they can to slow that advance with snipers, ambushes and burning anything that could be used, but it won’t be enough. I fear casualties on both sides will be astounding, with victory going to Meadowland Kingdom within three months.”
“It doesn’t feel right rooting against your homeland.”
“The alternative is infinitely worse. Be careful when you go to mail your letter. Most local forces have been absorbed into the army, but there will still be some defenders left who will be suspicious of an unknown girl coming to their town.”
Dana handed him her sword and slipped the letter into one of her bags. “I’ve got a cover story if anyone asks. I’ll be back soon.”
Leaving Jayden behind in the forest was worrying. She didn’t think anything would happen to her, especially after the warm reception she’d gotten last time she went to town. Anyone who paid in hard currency rather than barter was welcome in stores. What did worry her was leaving Jayden alone for so long. He got bored easily, and he had a bloodhound’s tenacity when it came to hurting the king and queen. If he saw an opportunity, no matter however risky, he’d do it without a second’s delay.
She walked through the forest and came to the edge of town. It was small, simple, poor and looked like it would stay that way forever. A few people saw her and waved when she headed to a small rented house with a crude wood sign that read, ‘Gnome Express’ propped up next to the door.
Dana knocked before entering. “Good morning, sir.”
A male gnome with black hair nodded in reply. The gnome only came up to her waist, but he carried himself with an air of competence. He wore leather armor with metal studs on it, hobnail boots, and a rainproof cape. He was armed with two daggers strapped to his belt.
“I have a letter for the town of North Lights,” she said as she handed over the letter.
“Two copper pieces,” the gnome told her. When she handed over the fee, the gnome bowed and pressed his right arm across his chest. “In the name of Gnome Express, I swear to deliver this message to only the intended recipient, letting no threat bar my way.”
Dana curtsied. She normally wasn’t so formal, but gnomes could be very particular about their customs. You simply had to follow the rules. “I am honored by your service.”
She turned to leave, and found a spearman standing in the doorway. She gasped in surprise, and the gnome grabbed the handles of his daggers. The spearman took a step back when he saw their reaction and held up a letter. “Um, mail?”
Dana and the gnome relaxed. She said, “You surprised me.”
“Sorry.” The spearman handed the letter and two small copper coins to the gnome. “I’m in a rush, so can we skip the speech?”
“No one respects tradition anymore,” the gnome lamented as he placed both letters in a flat leather waterproof bag.
“Jenkins!” Dana, the spearman and the gnome all jumped when a man in chain armor and wearing an officer’s helmet with its small metal wings stomped into the room. “What do you think you’re doing? You were called to service yesterday!”
The spearman’s face turned red. “Sir, I’m sorry I’m late. I needed to send a letter home. The farm—”
“That’s not your concern!” The officer barked. “You’re a soldier now. You have only one concern, fighting for the king and queen. Whatever is back home doesn’t matter. Give me the letter. I’m going to make sure you didn’t include military secrets.”
The officer held out his hand to the spearman, who pointed to the gnome. Annoyed, the officer stomped over to the gnome and held out his hand. The gnome’s face turned red, not in embarrassment, but in anger.
“I took a sacred oath to faithfully deliver the mail. None may touch it save the one it is intended for, regardless of what you or your king wants.”
“You obey the law the same as everyone.” Then the officer tried to grab the mail bag.
“No one touches the mail!” The gnome punched the officer below the belt so hard that the man doubled over in agony. That brought him close enough for the gnome to grab the officer’s helmet, rip it off and repeatedly punch him in the face. “No one, you ulmixin, crilviz, floth eating son of a diseased dog!”
Dana didn’t know what any of those gnomish swear words meant, and felt no need to learn. She took the spearman’s arm and led him out of the room. “We should leave.”
The spearman waved toward the rented house and violent assault occurring within it. “Should we do something? I mean, it’s kind of my fault.”
The officer’s helmet rolled out of the house as the gnome screamed, “I’ve killed monsters, and you rakmid, scum sucking trab thought you were going to take me down? The gall!”
“I’d rather not,” Dana told him. “He might be rabid.”
Dana hurried off before anyone came to investigate the commotion. She’d nearly gotten out of town when she saw the gnome ride off on a short legged pony. Dana made sure no one was watching her before going into the forest. She found Jayden in the clearing studying his spell tablets.
“Any difficulties?”
“No, and I have a renewed respect for the postal system.”
Jayden put his spell tablets into his bags. “It’s the only institution to survive the collapse of the Elf Empire, and still delivers mail across three continents. I’m told the gnomes who serve in it are quite rambunctious.”
“That’s a polite way of putting it. Jayden, where do we go from here? There’s nothing of value here we need or can destroy that would slow down the army.”
He hesitated before answering her. “I’m not sure. Following the army and looking for weaknesses to exploit would be dangerous and likely wouldn’t turn up good opportunities. Nearby towns have proven to be of no interest. That leaves the second lead Clevner gave me. It’s not my first choice, or even my third, but if successful may provide us the edge we need.”
“His first lead didn’t work out the way you’d expected.”
“No, but that’s less Clevner’s fault than Galfont being more inventive than either of us would have given him credit for. The second lead could be the help we need or a threat equal to Cimmox the necromancer.”
Dana’s heart grew cold at the sound of the foul necromancer’s name. Dana, Jayden and the elf wizard Green Peril had only defeated Cimmox with divine intervention. She wasn’t looking for a fight anywhere near as risky.
“You’re worried, and justifiably so,” Jayden said. He scattered cold ashes from their fire pit. “Clevner told me of a strange sight in the north of the kingdom. Men saw cloaked figures and a horse drawn cart traveling in wilderness areas, never approaching settlements or even lone houses. The few who saw them stayed well back, but a lone knight tried to investigate.”
“Is he still alive?”
Jayden put on his backpack and handed another to Dana. “Surprisingly, yes. He approached the unknown group and one of them came to face him. The robed stranger beat the knight senseless, shattered his sword and left him on his back. The knight was sure he’d be killed, but the stranger turned and left. He staggered to the nearest garrison and returned with reinforcements, but the strangers were gone with no trace of their passage.”
“The robed guy sounds dangerous, and pretty confident the knight couldn’t bring back help in time.” Dana frowned and said, “These guys are spooky and tough, but they didn’t kill the knight when he was down. Is that why you’re interested in them?”
“It’s one of the reasons. The strangers took a chance by letting the knight live when many others wouldn’t. It speaks of mercy. The other reason I’m interested is to my knowledge there is nothing important in that part of the kingdom. It’s farmland, pastures and forests, with a smattering of manor houses belonging to noblemen of little status or wealth. These robed men, if they are men, are headed nowhere of value.”
He turned and looked intently at Dana. “What if there is hidden treasures worthy of their abilities? Gold? Magic? If so, it would be useful to us in our struggles. I wish to find these people and learn what their goals are.”
“They could just be passing through the kingdom and don’t want people to know about it. They might even be smugglers.”
He shook his head. “I’ve met my share of smugglers. They keep to the shadows, and if discovered flee combat or buy off their enemies. If battle is unavoidable, they don’t leave witnesses.”
Jayden pointed west and said, “Stories say these strangers were heading north along wilderness roads. I know these roads, and there are only so many they can take. We’re not far from where the strangers have to be heading. We’ll go for those roads and pick up their trail.”
The two left without further delay, heading deeper into the north of the kingdom. This area was lightly populated as the ground grew increasingly hilly. Tall grasses and dense forests covered the land, with shepherds and lumberjacks the most common professions. Roads were few and poorly traveled, and there were no signposts or markers to guide travelers. Dana and Jayden passed through three small villages where people stared at them curiously.
Dana saw mountains in the distance that were cloaked with clouds. “We’re not going that far, are we?”
“Ideally no, but one road does lead there.” Jayden stopped when the road they were on split into three trails heading north. He got down on his hands and knees to study the ground. “Clevner’s tales said these strangers had a cart, but the ground is too firmly packed for hoof prints or wheel ruts. Still, the fact that they brought a cart limits which way they can take.”
Jayden pointed to the left path and said, “This leads to the mountains you’re hoping to avoid. Such a cart would be useless when the trail narrows and becomes rocky. That leaves two the strangers had to take. They can’t be too far ahead of us based on the dates of Clevner’s tale and the winding wilderness roads they used.”
“Where do they lead?”
“The first passes a minor nobleman’s estate, formerly property of the Brotherhood of the Righteous before their banishment from the kingdom. The second leads to old mines long since depleted of metals. Neither is an obvious destination.”
Dana frowned. “If we take the wrong one, these guys will have enough time to get away. Fifty-fifty chances aren’t promising.”
“There is a way around our problem, thanks to you.”
“Wait, what?”
Jayden held up a spell tablets. “It took time to translate one of the spells you recently found, but I’ve mastered it. It’s called shadow fox, and creates a surprisingly fast scout. The scout will only last hours, but in that time should find proof which of these paths the strangers took. Find me a body of water. A puddle will do.”
A short search turned up a ditch with enough muddy water for Jayden’s spell. He began chanting and made strange hand gestures. Shadows reached out from beneath trees until they wrapped around one another in front of Jayden. The shadows grew darker and denser until they coalesced into a black fox with a gray underbelly.
“Ooh, it’s adorable!” Dana bent down and rubbed the fox’s back. “It’s so soft.”
Jayden stared at her. “What are you doing?”
“Most of your spells make big, nasty sharp things. This little guy is cute.”
Jayden rolled his eyes. “That’s not what it’s for. Look at the water.”
Dana looked at the ditch, and to her amazement she saw herself in the water. She waved her hand in front of the shadow fox, and the watery image of her wave. “You see what it sees. Can you hear and smell through it, too?”
“Shadow foxes transmit only images. That is enough for my needs. I’ll send it along one trail and look for our mysterious quarry, guiding it from here.”
The shadow fox tensed before taking off like a shot down the central road. Dana whistled. “Horses aren’t that fast. How long can it run like that?”
“It won’t stop until I order it to.” Jayden studied the image in the water as the shadow fox ran along the road. “This is actually quite interesting. Most Sorcerer Lord spells were devoted to causing damage. Mind you, they used shadow foxes to spy on one another in their fratricidal conflicts, so it’s not entirely benign.”
Dana smiled. “I still think it’s cute. And fuzzy.”
“There are times I wonder about you.”
They spent two hours watching the shadow fox. Fascinating as it was, Dana was just as glad to rest after spending so much time marching through difficult country. She wondered how long it would take them to walk the same distance the fox ran over if they found the strangers. It looked like a difficult route.
“I see houses,” Dana said.
“A very small community,” Jayden replied. He pointed toward the cluster of wood houses, and the shadow fox left the trail to investigate them. “The strangers may have taken shelter there. Let me search for a few moments. Look, there’s a patch of mud at the edge of the road, and a fresh wheel rut in it. There are no wagons or carts among the buildings, so they didn’t make the mark.”
Just then the fox lifted up off the ground. Jayden waved his hand right and left, and they saw the fox try to slip free of whatever held it. “Something’s wrong.”
A pink, pudgy hand appeared in the image before it grabbed the fox’s snout. Dana stifled a laugh and said, “Yeah, and he looks about four years old.”
Jayden made ever wider and more forceful gestures with his hand, but the fox remained trapped in the little boy’s grip. They saw his face briefly, a grinning boy with curly hair and wearing only short pants. The boy had one arm wrapped around the fox and petted it with the other. The boy opened his mouth in a silent call, and more children ran out of the houses. They gathered around the fox and petted it until Dana and Jayden could only see grubby hands.
“Don’t scratch them,” Dana said.
“It doesn’t have teeth or claws,” he told her. The mob of children parted just enough for Dana and Jayden to see a harried looking woman leave a house. She took one look at the shadow fox, made a silent scream and waved for the children to move aside while she grabbed a broom. “We’re about to learn how much damage a shadow fox can take.”
Dana winced when the woman swatted the shadow fox twice. The image blurred as children ran away and the fox took off like a shot. The fox took another hit as the woman chased it, but it escaped after running a hundred feet.
“It’s sturdier than I’d thought,” Jayden said as he directed the shadow fox down the road. “Faster, too. I’m impressed how long the spell is lasting. Not feeling feedback when it was hit was a welcome bonus.”
“Hold up,” Dana said. Jayden stopped the fox, and Dana pointed at the edge of the road. “There’s another rut in the mud.”
“I see more ahead.” The wheels had made plenty of marks in the mud, and as the fox ran mile after mile the mud grew deeper and the ruts more frequent. “Wait. That’s them.”
Dana peered at the image in the water and saw a horse cart missing one wheel. Robed figures propped the cart up on rocks while others tried to reattach the wheel. They were making slow progress but should have the job done soon.
“I was wondering how we’d catch up with them if they’ve being traveling for weeks,” Dana said. “I guess their cart can hold them back if road conditions are bad, or if it breaks down.”
“I don’t see symbols or insignia that would identify them,” Jayden said. He directed the shadow fox off the road to hide in the underbrush. The strangers kept working until one of them saw the shadow fox. He waved for the others to stop and pointed at it.
“He’s got good eyes,” Dana said.
The stranger took one step forward and waved his hand in a circle. There was a flash of light, and the puddle of water exploded, soaking Dana and Jayden from head to foot.
“What happened?” Dana asked.
Jayden wiped his face off on his shirt sleeve. “He destroyed the shadow fox, and sent a considerable amount of energy through the spell to us. Count yourself lucky we didn’t suffer injuries. At least one of these people commands an impressive amount of power.”
He glanced down the road. “We need to learn whether this is an opportunity or a threat.”
* * * * *
Dana and Jayden set out after the strangers the following morning. The lost time wouldn’t matter much when the strangers were struggling to fix their cart. By noon they’d reached the houses where children had heaped affection on the shadow fox the day before. They found the children’s mother washing the little boy in a large washtub. The woman looked worried when she saw them, relaxing only when Dana smiled and waved.
“If you’re selling goods, I’ve no money,” the woman said.
“We’re just passing through,” Dana said cheerfully. “Ooh, he’s adorable!”
The youngest boy sat in the washtub and frowned. “I want my puppy!”
The woman heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry. He’s been like this since he got his hands on a wild animal yesterday. Now I have to wash him in case it gave him fleas.”
Jayden nodded to the woman as he and Dana continued on. They came across ruts from the cart and found the site where it had been stuck the day before. It was gone, as were the strangers, but there was only one way they could go. They marched for hours until the forest thinned and the road branched again. It would have been aggravating to search for these people again, even with the shadow fox, but luck was on their side when they found fresh ruts from the cart.
As they headed down the road, Dana said, “These guys know someone was spying on them, so they’ll be expecting trouble.”
“They might. Few are familiar with the shadow magic of the Sorcerer Lords. I am the current reigning expert, and there is a mountain of information even I remain ignorant of. The strangers surely know they faced a magical being yesterday, but with luck they won’t know what it was, what it was capable of or who sent it. They will no doubt be wary, but so would anyone traveling during a war.”
The road went by an old cemetery that covered fifteen acres and was ringed by massive trees. Jayden stopped when he saw it. “This might be their destination.”
“But they’re not here.”
“They’re not here now. Necromancers or graverobbers would wait until the cover of darkness to work. We should search the area to see if they already disturbed the graves.”
Dana and Jayden climbed over a low stone wall around the graveyard and searched among the headstones. Nothing seemed amiss to Dana as she walked between the graves. The headstones were so old that the writing on many of them had been worn away by years of wind and rain. Here and there she saw fresh flowers in front of headstones. It was heartwarming to see that someone still cared for this place.
She’d nearly finished checking the graves when she saw a large black dog step out from behind a headstone. It stopped and looked at her. Dana smiled and bent down before holding out her hands. “Hey there, boy! Aren’t you big! Someone’s taking good care of you.”
The dog’s ears perked up and its tail wagged. It trotted over and licked his hands. Dana giggled and petted the dog. “You’re a strong one. Yes, you are. Who did you come here with? You’re not wearing a collar, but lots of dogs back home don’t, either. I don’t see anyone with you. Jayden, did you see anyone?”
“No, why?”
“Somebody left their dog here. Or maybe he came on his own.” Dana stroked the dog’s jaw. “Is your owner buried here?”
“Who are you talking to?” Jayden walked over and froze when he saw the dog. “Dana, back away slowly.”
“Don’t worry, he’s friendly.”
“That’s not a dog. It’s a church grim.”
She didn’t move and instead looked at the dog. It was a beautiful animal and certainly friendly. Nothing about it looked, smelled, sounded or even felt unusual. “What’s a grim?”
Jayden put his hand on the hilt of his sword but didn’t draw it. “It’s an old practice not used often in modern times. When a graveyard is first established, a dog is buried before men are. Its spirit becomes tied to the graveyard, and it will defend it from evildoers. It must have suspected us of planning harm when we entered the graveyard armed. The grim is far more dangerous than it appears.”
Dana looked from the dog to the tombstones. Most were illegible, but she saw some burial dates that were over a hundred years ago. She turned to the dog and asked, “How long have you been here?”
She didn’t expect the dog to speak to her, and she felt silly even asking the question. Yet the dog stared back at her, and somehow without making a sound it managed to convey the sense that it had been protecting this graveyard for a very long time. Tears ran down her cheek when she thought of how long it had been here alone. Dana hugged the dog. “You’re a good boy.”
The dog rubbed against her and licked her face. It waited until she stood up before walking behind a tombstone and disappearing as if it had never been there. Jayden led her from the graveyard and back to the road.
“It was so quiet,” Dana said.
“Be grateful. Church grims only howl when they are in danger and need to summon help. Let’s go. The people we seek have clearly not been here and move farther from us with every passing minute.”
“Not necessarily.” Dana shrieked and jumped. Jayden drew his sword so quickly the magic sword was a blur of steel. The robed speaker stood next to a large oak tree near the cemetery, where he must have hidden from Dana and Jayden. “I am impressed, young lady. Few show appreciation to those who serve as loyally as this church grim. You have my respect.”
Dana placed a hand over her heart as she tried to control her breathing. “Um, thank you?”
“You’re welcome.” Dana couldn’t see much of the stranger past his brown robes. They covered even his face and hands. She could see glimmers of gold near his face, but nothing more. His voice was deep and commanding, and echoed as if he was wearing a helmet. “Sir, you must be the creator of the monster I disrupted yesterday.”
“The correct term is shadow fox, but yes, it was mine,” Jayden replied. “I apologize for spying on you, but time and circumstances forced my hand. I am—”
“Sorcerer Lord Jayden, a man responsible for considerable damage across Meadowland Kingdom for fifteen years, although you recently sped up the pace,” the stranger interrupted. “Word of your misdeeds reached me long ago.”
Jayden raised an eyebrow. “Misdeeds? I feel a large number of people in the kingdom are guiltier of those than I am.”
“Many in the kingdom are sinners of the worst kind and risk their immortal souls. You are guilty of only misdeeds, but you are guilty. You have robbed caravans, stole horses, looted ancient ruins, assaulted countless people, associated with known criminals and numerous lesser crimes. You have done some good to mitigate your sins, but you are a ruffian and a rake, with a reputation of carousing and theft.”
Dana stepped in before the conversation grew hotter. “I know he was in some failed relationships, but that’s not carousing.”
The stranger wasn’t budging. “I refer to incidents in the city of Vascmer.”
Jayden’s face turned red. “Oh. Yes, well, that is a bit harder to explain, but the rest of these accusations are hardly fair. My actions in the past were based on saving lives. That goal hasn’t change, although the coming of war has made it far more difficult. This may sound surprising, but when I heard of you, I thought we might be able to help one another. Is that an unwise request, priest?”
“Wait, he’s a priest?” Dana hadn’t seen a priest in eight years. Excited, she asked, “You’re with the Brotherhood of the Righteous?”
“The hood on your robe lifted briefly, long enough for me to see your symbol,” Jayden said. “Few in Meadowland wear the ring of three parts.”
The stranger pulled back his hood to reveal a gold helmet with black edging. The helmet didn’t show his face, but it had a ring divided into three equal parts on the forehead. That ring was the symbol of the Brotherhood of the Righteous. Dana had only seen it rarely since the brotherhood’s expulsion from Meadowland Kingdom years ago.
“You guessed correctly,” the priest announced. “I am Father Amadeus Firepower.”
Jayden sheathed his sword. “My, my. Whatever brought you back to Meadowland must be important for the brotherhood to send their top trouble shooter. Where are the men traveling with you?”
“My mission is no concern of yours, nor are my companions. I have heard that as of late you do more good than harm. This pleases me, but you are much mistaken if you think you can recruit me to your service. I have goals that do not involve you.”
Jayden wasn’t giving up. “I seek an alliance, not servitude. I am trying to stop King Tyros and Queen Amvicta from harming neighboring kingdoms, a task beyond my power at this time. Your help could make the difference between good men living or dying. I admit that I have made decisions I’m not proud of, but they were necessary to prevent greater injustices. Surely the enemy of your enemy is, or could be, your friend.”
“The enemy of my enemy can well be another enemy.” Firepower paused before adding, “I do not doubt the sincerity of your desire to stop the wars currently raging and to save innocent lives. What I question is the means you employ to carry out these goals. Associating with you risks me being labeled a thief, arsonist, traitor and more. I must judge my actions carefully, lest I do harm to the people of Meadowland Kingdom and to the Brotherhood of the Righteous.”
The priest continued before Jayden could reply. “My orders come from the brotherhood, and I must obey them. There is room in those orders allowing me to act upon new information or events, but it doesn’t permit me making the sort of alliance you seek or staying once my mission is complete.”
“And what is your mission?” Jayden asked. When the priest didn’t respond, he said, “I already know you’re here, and I have no intention of revealing your presence to the authorities. Nor do I wish you ill. Use the room in your orders to accept help from a powerful source, even if I am undesirable.”
Firepower answered with obvious reluctance. “When the brotherhood was ejected from Meadowland Kingdom, we weren’t allowed to take much with us. Most was seized, but we hid items of value when possible. We also left behind men and women loyal to the brotherhood to oversee that property and send us reports on what was occurring in our absence. Several agents contacted us last month with news that King Tyros had ordered his forces to investigate former brotherhood properties for the items we’d hidden.”
“What are they looking for?” Dana asked.
“I’m not at liberty to say.”
“The king wants them badly enough to divert forces away from the fighting during a war,” Jayden said.
“He must not find what he seeks,” Firepower replied. “I was ordered to retrieve the items and extract our agents. The men and women you saw with me are some of those agents, but there remains one more to find. Once I have him and his family, I will leave Meadowland Kingdom through a route the brotherhood knows of but your king does not.”
“If I can’t have your help, let me offer mine,” Jayden told the priest. “We’re not far from the front lines, and we could encounter army units. While I don’t doubt you live up to your fierce reputation, my assistance could make the difference between you succeeding or failing. If nothing else, I might improve your poor opinion of me.”
“It’s not my opinion. It’s everyone’s opinion.” Firepower paused again. “I can hardly dismiss you as if you were a servant, nor can I force you to leave without a fight I do not wish to engage in. Swear to me that you have no intension to steal the items I seek.”
“I so swear it.”
Father Firepower nodded to the north. “I left my companions and our cart hidden behind an abandoned farmhouse. We will join them and leave at once.”
February 14, 2020
Midnight Riders part 2
This is the conclusion to Midnight Riders.
***********
Dana woke the next morning in Galfont’s small house. She saw Galfont leaving, looking as giddy as a child on his birthday as he got onto his wagon and rode off. She went to the kitchen and found Jayden studying his spell tablets. He took one look at her and set the tablets aside.
“You’re not happy,” he said.
“No, not happy. We’ve worked with some questionable people, but this takes the cake. This man should be in jail or six feet underground. Instead we’re making him rich.”
“He is less likely to cause trouble if his pockets are full. He is also unlikely to betray us for a reward when his own neck could end up in a noose.”
Dana sat at the table. “It feels like we’re rewarding him for being bad. I know we can’t always pick and choose our friends, especially during a war, but I think we’re crossing a line. It could backfire on us like it did with Clevner. I get that the people of Zentrix need help badly and soon, but is it always going to be like this? Looking for the least bad choice?”
“It’s been this way with me for years,” he told her. “I have had good and honest men working with me, and the experience was if anything worse. My plans could have hurt them, their families and neighbors if I’d failed. In this case the only man who’d suffer if we fail is Galfont, a minor loss to humanity, but still a loss. There are few I can count on for help, making men even as questionable as Galfont valuable.”
Dana snapped her fingers. “Sorcerer Lord Jayden doesn’t have many people he can trust, but Prince Mastram does.”
“No,” he said firmly.
“It could work.” Dana leaned across the table toward him. “There are a lot of angry people in the kingdom. We met a bunch of them yesterday. Tens of thousands of people would come to serve a prince back from exile.”
“They would die just as fast! King Tyros and Queen Amvicta would stop at nothing to kill me if they knew I still breathed. Any who came to my side would be cut down without mercy, as would their families.”
“The king and queen are already coming after you,” she pointed out. “How could they make it worse than it already is?”
“I know them better than you do,” Jayden said, his voice grim. “I saw them at their worst during the civil war. If they are frightened, they can do deeds more terrible than you can imagine. They have no shortage of mercenaries and gladiators only too happy to follow orders, no matter how terrible.”
Jayden stood up and put his hands on her hers. “Prince Mastram is dead, and for the good of the kingdom must stay dead. Even a whisper of the truth would bring down horrors beyond imagination on innocent people. As loathsome as Galfont is, using him is superior to the alternative. Please, don’t bring this up again.”
The rest of the day was spent in stony silence. Jayden continued studying his spell tablets and Dana explored their surroundings. Galfont’s house was far from any neighbor, ensuring they weren’t noticed by suspicious locals.
To Dana’s surprise, she saw shepherds guide herds of goats through the wilderness to lush bits of pasture. The shepherds were armed and watchful, with fierce dogs. Dana figured these men were keeping their herds well clear of armed men who could confiscate them.
It was nearly dinner time when Galfont returned on his wagon. He ran over and nearly knocked the door off its hinges in his eagerness to reach them. “This is your lucky night!”
Dana figured a lucky night would be Galfont being arrested by the authorities or eaten by wolves, but she bit back a harsh reply when the former graverobber sat at his table. “Most of the storehouses were emptied by the army on their way to Zentrix, but there are three nearby filled to the brim with goodies.”
“Why weren’t they emptied, too?” Dana asked.
“The soldiers didn’t have enough wagons. Word is they’re going to unload on the front and come back for the rest.”
Jayden asked him, “What sort of goods do they contain?”
“One has oats for horses and oxen, but it could be food for men just as easily. Another has saddles, horseshoes, yokes and the like for draft animals and cavalry horses. The last one is the real prize. It’s got uniforms, tents and blankets for five thousand men.”
“An army could fight without any of those,” Dana said.
“Not as well as they could with them,” Galfont countered. “There are more storehouses farther out, but they’re either empty or guarded like fortresses. It’s this or nothing. Deal?”
“What are their guard compliments?” Jayden asked.
“Ten men or less for each one, and no knights or archers. They’re more likely to run than fight.”
“What about the Golem Works barge in the city?” Dana asked. “If it’s carrying what Jayden thinks it is, we could have a fight on our hands.”
Galfont chuckled. “I saw them leave Trenton Town hours ago. They said they’d only stopped to buy food.”
“We hit them all tonight,” Jayden said. “Galfont, pack your belongings so you can flee after we’re done. When the third storehouse is destroyed, you’ll get the pay as promised. If we have to leave before finishing the job, you’ll be paid according to how much we did.”
“Fair enough,” Galfont told him. “We’re going to have to leave right away to do this. Hide in the back of my wagon and we’ll reach the first one by dusk.”
Dana and Jayden sat in the back of Galfont’s wagon as he rode through the growing darkness. It wasn’t comfortable for several reasons. The first was the wagon was meant to carry cargo rather than passengers, and there was no padding when they hit bumps in the road. The other cause of concern was how many other people were coming out only now that it was dark. Wagons shuttled around goods and people, while hunters and trappers brought fresh meat to sell. She’d never seen a city busier at night than during the day.
Jayden seemed to echo her thoughts when he asked, “Is it always so active?”
Galfont answered, “Locals tell me trade at night started last year and has only grown. They’re trying to avoid tax collectors and officials who steal worse than I ever did. Their duke has been ordered to put a stop to it, but he depends on untaxed trade as much as his people do.”
“How long until we reach the first storehouse?” Dana asked.
Galfont pointed ahead of them. “Not long before we hit the one with uniforms and tents. It’s a barn seized by the army outside city limits. I want to make it clear I’m acting as native guide. You’re on your own when the fighting starts.”
Jayden drew his magic sword. “I expected as much.”
“Did you ever learn what that thing does?” Dana asked.
“I figured it out earlier in the week.” Jayden looked almost giddy at the thought of using. He pulled off his outer layer of winter clothes to reveal his black and silver uniform beneath it. “Before we strike, I need you back in uniform.”
Dana frowned when he handed her the cloth mask, long gloves and leggings. “Then why are you trying to be as obvious as you can?”
“I’m counting on my reputation spreading fear. The king and queen know me well, but they have only vague details concerning your identity. The longer they remain ignorant of your name and face, the easier you’ll find it to move around in public.”
Dana put on the concealing clothes when they were in sight of the storehouse, just an old barn with ten spearmen standing around a fire. The soldiers looked bored and tired, and as they drew closer it was clear they were teenagers. They saw the wagon approach and barely reacted.
“Come on, guys,” one of the soldiers said. “This couldn’t wait until morning?”
“You ride at night and your horses are going to break a leg in the dark,” said another. “Cripple a horse and you’ll be whipped and branded.”
Jayden cast a spell and leapt off the wagon, landing with his sword pointing at the ground. “Gentlemen, tonight you get to choose whether you live or die.”
“Who the devil are you?” one asked.
Dana climbed off the wagon and drew Chain Cutter. The sword glowed in the darkness and made the soldiers gape in awe. “Seriously? Don’t any of you read the wanted posters?”
A soldier pointed at Jayden. “That’s the Sorcerer Lord! And unnamed female accomplice!”
Dana slapped her free hand over her face. “They’re still calling me that.”
Jayden pointed his sword at the soldiers and declared, “Run or fight, children. I should add that fighting ends in dying.”
The soldiers were far too young for their job, but to their credit they lined up and formed a wall of spears between Jayden and the storehouse. The young soldiers ran screaming at him. Their charge ended when a giant clawed black hand flew in and wrapped its enormous fingers around their spears. The youths yelled as they tried to pull their weapons free. Dana ran in and lopped off their spearheads with Chain Cutter. The now defenseless men cried out in panic as they fell back.
“Daggers!” one of the youths yelled. “Draw your daggers!”
Four soldiers broke and ran away while the rest pulled hunting knives from sheaths on their legs. The poor fools spread out and charged Jayden again. It was a desperate gambit that ended when the giant hand swept over them and effortlessly bowled them over. Five more ran off while the last cowered by the storehouse door. He made frightened, whimpering sounds.
Dana waved her sword in the direction the other soldiers had fled. “Go on, get out of here.”
“You’re not going to kill me?”
“Do you want me to?” The youth shook his head, and she said, “Then don’t ask stupid questions like that. Scoot.”
Once the soldiers were gone, an older, overweight man stumbled out of a door on the side of the storehouse. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Galfont. I told you there’s nothing here you want.”
Galfont hurried over and put an arm around the old man’s shoulders. “There’s been a change in plans. The fellow over there is paying you a handful of gold coins.”
“Gold?” The old man smiled from ear to ear. His joy ended when Jayden bashed down part of the storehouse’s wall with his giant black hand. “Here now, what’s he doing?”
“You’re being paid enough to not ask questions. Take the money, hide it, and if anyone asks—”
“Sorcerer Lord Jayden destroyed the storehouse,” Jayden told the old man. “Galfont, I see no need for your friend to suffer injuries to make this look like a robbery. My reputation is excuse enough for him to leave.”
Jayden began chanting a spell Dana was familiar with. The old man looked puzzled when he left, saying, “Gold, and I didn’t get slapped around this time. It’s an odd night.”
“How’s he going to destroy it?” Galfont asked Dana.
Jayden finished his spell, and a tiny ember floated from his hands into the hole he’d made in the storehouse. He walked casually back to the wagon and climbed aboard. “Take us to the next one.”
Galfont pointed at the storehouse. “But you didn’t—”
BOOM! The explosion tore the storehouse apart. Burning pieces of fabric and wood fell from the sky as heavy as rain in a thunderstorm. Jayden used his black hand to tamp out a few fires that were starting to spread and had it float back beside the wagon.
“Right, um, on to the next one,” Galfont said. He waited until Dana was onboard before driving away. “Take this as a professional critique, but you need to work on your approach. Too loud, too flashy. Everyone within a day’s travel heard that, including the authorities.”
“Great, we’re taking advice from a graverobber,” Dana muttered.
“Former graverobber, thank you. The next storehouse is at the edge of town and has saddles and yokes. The noise must have drawn a crowd by now. If we’re lucky they’ll follow the sound to our last stop.”
“I’m not greatly concerned about soldiers,” Jayden told him.
“I imagine you wouldn’t be,” Galfont said as he brought the wagon to a halt next to a large building at the edge of Trenton Town.
Soldiers on guard duty were alert and looked scared. One pointed at smoke in the distance and asked, “What was that?”
Jayden dismounted and smiled at the soldiers. “Roughly one thousand gold coins worth of goods burning. Tragically for you, the event is about to repeat itself.”
These soldiers were as young as the last ones and panicked even faster. Half of them ran when they saw Jayden and the rest fell back.
“Hold them off!” one of the teenagers said. He grabbed one of his soldiers by the arm and shoved him to the left. “Go, get help!”
Jayden sent his giant hand to swat soldiers aside, and they ran off rather than face it. The soldier giving orders was the last to flee. Jayden made the hand scoop him up. The youth screamed as the hand brought him back to Jayden.
“I have a message for your commanding officer,” Jayden told him.
“I don’t know who that is!”
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Dana demanded.
“I, I was under General Thrade’s command, but I was transferred to General Kame, and then assigned guard duty here after Thrade and Kame left. I don’t know who’s giving orders here.”
Jayden dropped the soldier, who ran off as the giant hand battered a hole into the storehouse. A pudgy clerk came out of a side door and said, “I would have opened it for you.”
“Pay him and get him out of here,” Jayden ordered. Galfont took the clerk aside as Jayden began chanting. Dana kept an eye out for the trouble that was sure to come.
“I hear men coming,” Dana warned.
Jayden finished the spell and sent a single spark floating into the storehouse. “To the last target, and hurry.”
BOOM! The building went up in flames. This one didn’t detonate as explosively as the last one. Dana figured it was because the saddles and yokes wouldn’t burn like fabric did, and the horseshoes wouldn’t burn at all.
Dana and Jayden climbed back aboard the wagon and Galfont drove off. They heard men in armor running toward the storehouse, and shouts were coming from all around them. Frightened people came out of their houses to see what was going on. Vendors selling goods on the streets gathered up their possessions and fled.
“The last one is on the other side of the city, and I want my wagon filled with goods from it before you blow it up,” Galfont said. “We need to hurry. If whoever is in charge here has a working brain, he’ll figure out where we’re going and try to beat us to it.”
“Get us there first,” Jayden ordered.
Galfont drove his horses hard through the streets. Twice he had to slow down to avoid groups of people coming out of their houses. One man nearly got run over, but Jayden’s magic hand scooped him up and set him down in an alleyway.
“What’s happening?” a woman shouted at them.
“Wanted criminal coming through!” Jayden shouted back. Dana would have bet good money that his warning would have sent bystanders running for cover. Instead they hurried over to get a glimpse of him.
A flash of light to their left caught Dana’s eye. She looked over and saw nothing as the wagon rocketed down the street, but as they passed an alley, she saw the light again. There were dozens of soldiers running down the streets and carrying lanterns to light their way.
Dana waved her sword to their left. “Soldiers are going parallel to us on the next street over!”
Galfont pulled on his wagon’s reins to slow down before he hit people milling around in the street. “Get out of the way!”
“We’re not moving much faster than they are,” Jayden said. He cast a spell that formed a globe of light that shot down the street ahead of them. Pedestrians flinched away from the sudden light, opening up the way for them.
“That’s it up ahead,” Glafont told them. He nodded at a large building at the end of the road. “Former church for the Brotherhood of the Righteous before they were kicked out of the kingdom. These days it stores oats.”
The converted church was guarded by more young soldiers who looked terrified. When Jayden dismounted the wagon, one ran up and said, “What’s going on? We heard explosions and screaming. Are we under attack?”
Jayden looked the youth in the eyes. “Is it really that dark that you can’t recognize me?”
The soldier screamed and ran. The rest saw him flee and followed suit when Jayden’s giant black hand came barreling toward them. He sent his magic hand crashing into the old church’s doors, knocking them off the hinges. A frightened clerk peeked out of the building as the giant hand retreated.
“You, out,” Jayden ordered. The man ran past Jayden, but to their surprise came running back. “What are you doing?”
“Soldiers!” the clerk screamed as he went back into the old church.
Dana, Jayden and Galfont spun around to find fifty soldiers marching toward them. The men wore chain armor and had shields, spears or swords, with ten men carting lit lanterns. It would have been an intimidating sight if the men were advancing. Instead they stood in a rough line, neither advancing or retreating. They were young, some younger than Dana, with a sprinkling of men far too old for the difficult job of soldiering.
“Do something,” Galfont whispered to Jayden. “Anything.”
The soldiers had them ridiculously outnumbered. Jayden was a credible threat to a group this size, but they stood a chance of killing him in battle. There was no attack, though, nor even an attempt to threaten or harass them.
Jayden bared his teeth and marched toward the line of soldiers. “This is best the king and queen can do? This rabble? Your army is preparing to invade a neighboring country, and you can’t even face one sorcerer.”
Dana caught up with him and put a hand on his arm. “Jayden, look at them. They’re called soldiers, armed like soldiers, but they’re kids and old men. Some of them are younger than I am.”
“Is that it?” Jayden demanded. “Did your generals leave behind men they didn’t trust to face the horrors of war? I can’t tell if that was an act of mercy or contempt. One of you must be an officer in charge of this mob!”
An older spearman said, “I think his name is Commander Varnos. He gave us orders when we got to this city. That was five days ago. Haven’t seen him since then.”
Jayden stared hard at the men. A look of confusion swept across his face, followed by rage. “You’re new recruits. You haven’t been given any training, have you? Your leaders gave you armor and weapons, as if that would make you soldiers, and sent you into the jaws of war. I wondered how I could enter this city so easily and strike barely opposed.”
Boom. The sound echoed down the street, a distant thunder that spoke of power. Boom. Soldiers spun around and panicked at the threat coming up behind them. Boom. They cried out in terror as a ten foot tall stone man walked down the street toward them. Boom. The golem looked like a bald, muscular man. Boom. Dana gasped when the golem blinked its stone eyes and grinned.
“Make way, mayflies,” a dwarf with a long black beard called out. He wore plate armor and held a silver amulet in one hand and a black ax in the other. “Clear the road.”
“You said the Golem Works barge left this morning!” Dana shouted at Galfont.
“We left, and we came back,” the dwarf said casually. “Upriver is too shallow for our barge to float with my friend here riding along. We were going to walk to the front lines, but a frightened human told me the city was under attack.”
“Lovely,” Jadyen said. More quietly, he told Dana, “Few of my spells can hurt the golem.”
The dwarf chuckled. “Sorcerer Lord, is it? Name’s Dunrhill Stronglock. Word was the elves killed off your kind long ago. Guess there are always survivors. I’d have some sympathy for you after what my people suffered at elven hands, but the man paying my bills is keen on hearing of your demise. Nothing personal, you understand.”
“Perish the thought,” Jayden replied dryly. “You do know an iron golem tried to kill me and died?”
“Heard about it,” Stronglock. “You had two wizards helping in that fight that I don’t see here. Odds are in my favor, not yours.”
Jayden rested his sword on his shoulder. “Feel like giving me a chance to surrender? Most of my foes do.”
“That’s reason enough not to do it.” Stronglock raised the silver amulet high. “Simon says kill the Sorcerer Lord.”
The stone golem lumbered toward Jayden as soldiers got out of the way. It hadn’t gotten far before Jayden’s giant black hand charged in and hit the golem in the face, knocking it over. The hand swung down again and again on the prone golem. For a few seconds that was enough to keep it in check, but the golem grabbed the hand and squeezed. Jayden cried out as the giant hand dissolved into black mist.
“Are you hurt?” Dana asked him.
Jayden rubbed his hand. “I canceled the spell before I suffered too much feedback.”
The golem stood up and advanced on them again. It was a serious threat, but like Wall Wolf it wasn’t fast. This gave Jayden time to cast two spells before it reached them. The first formed a shield of spinning black daggers in front of him while the second reformed his giant black hand. The golem raised both hands high to attack Jayden, ignoring Dana entirely. She drew her sword and ran at it, only to find Stronglock in her way.
“I heard about you, too,” the dwarf said. “Word is your sword is impressive. Let’s find out.”
Dana swung at Stonglock, and her sword met his ax in a shower of sparks. Normally Chain Cutter hacked through weapons, but the ax suffered little more than a nick. Stronglock swung at her head. Dana stepped to one side and hit his ax again. Sparks again showered onto the street as each weapon held.
“It’s as good as I was told,” Stronglock said approvingly. “Is that Thume Breakbones’ workmanship?”
Dana dodged another swing from the dwarf. “Yeah. Bald, rude, self-centered.”
Stronglock’s next attack went low in an attempt to hit Dana’s heels. She jumped over it and swung down, but Stronglock already had his ax up to block it. “That’s Thume, all right. My ax is one of his earlier weapons.”
Dana charged Stronglock and tried to stab him in the shoulder. The dwarf parried her sword with more sparks raining down on them. This was bad. Dana had learned a lot about swordsmanship from Jayden, but she hadn’t landed a single hit and was barely avoiding Stronglock’s ax. She’d heard dwarfs were legendary for their stamina. Stronglock could keep this fight up for hours, while she would tire far sooner.
Not far away, Jayden sparred with the stone golem. The golem tried to punch him and hit the shield of spinning blades. Black blades broke when the golem struck them, scratching its right arm from fingertips to its elbow, but doing nothing else. Jayden swung his magic sword at the golem, and to Dana’s amazement he moved as fast as its original owner, Brasten. Jayden moved so fast he was a blur as he struck the golem across its face and neck. His sword merely scratched the stone.
Stronglock kept after Dana with powerful, relentless attacks. She was faster than the dwarf and avoided the worst of it, but when she blocked one swing, he punched her hard enough to send her back three feet.
Jayden ran over and helped her up. “This isn’t going well, and the soldiers are blocking our escape route.”
Stronglock and his golem were heading for them. Either one was difficult to beat, and together they were more than Dana and Jayden could stop. Dana backed up a step, and her sword grazed the edge of a building, cutting into the stone. Inspiration hit like a thunderbolt.
“Trade partners,” she said. Jayden looked shocked by the suggestion, but she pressed on. “I can hurt the golem at least a little, and your spells should stop the dwarf.”
Jayden sheathed his sword and cast a spell to form his magic whip. “It’s worth trying.”
“Letting a girl fight your battles?” Stronglock taunted.
“Shut up and dance,” Dana said as she went after the golem. It ignored her in favor of Jayden, and she cut a deep gash in its right leg.
“Simon Says kill the girl,” Stronglock ordered. He tried to attack her and got only feet before Jayden swung his whip and wrapped it around the dwarf’s ax. The whip didn’t eat through the ax like it did nearly everything else, but Jayden was able to drag Stronglock to a halt.
Powerful as the golem was, it was tragically slow. The stone golem swung at Dana and missed, smashing in a wall of a building she was standing next to. When that failed it tried to kick her. Dana slashed the golem across its foot and left another deep gash. The golem scowled and lunged at her with arms outstretched. Dana jumped out of the way and swung her sword behind her, catching it across the belly.
Stronglock wasn’t doing any better against Jayden. The dwarf stopped trying to pull free and instead charged him. Jayden let his magic whip dissolve and drew his sword. With the sword’s magic he moved amazingly fast as he lashed out at the dwarf. Stronglock’s heavy armor stopped most of the swings, but one stroke took off half of his beard.
“You don’t touch a dwarf’s beard!” Stronglock bellowed. He pointed his ax at the soldiers and yelled, “Stop milling around and fight!”
The men looked uncertain until a lone soldier pointed and asked, “Hey, what are they doing?”
All eyes turned toward to the former church. Galfont had been busy during the battle carrying one sack of oats after another to his wagon, but the former graverobber wasn’t alone. A steady stream of citizens hauled away the storehouse’s contents.
“You thieving dogs!” Stronglock yelled.
An angry man shot back, “Who do you think grew this in the first place!”
More citizens gathered until they outnumbered the soldiers five to one. A man pointed at the bags being taken away and shouted, “We need food more than the army does! Come on, lads! Take back what’s yours!”
An already chaotic melee became utter madness. Enraged residents of Trenton Town surged into the soldiers from behind. Some men tackled the soldiers while others pushed on to loot the storehouse. Most of the soldiers were occupied fighting back, while others ran off and a few actually joined in the looting. Dana fought the golem while Jayden sent a flurry of sword swings at Stronglock.
“You people are idiots!” Stronglock yelled as he struggled to get past crowds of rioters and soldiers. He was making some progress when Jayden brought his giant magic hand down on the dwarf and knocked him over. Dana was amazed when the dwarf got up quickly, but her surprise doubled when the dwarf’s face contorted in fear. “No! Where is it?”
Dana couldn’t figure out what terrified Stronglock until she noticed he carried his ax in one hand and the other was empty. He’d lost his silver amulet when Jayden hit him. The dwarf scrambled across the street on all fours in his search for the amulet.
The stone golem was still coming after Dana, and she had to slip through the crowd to escape it. She was lucky the golem was trying hard not to step on the townspeople or soldiers when it came after her. That avoided a massacre and slowed the golem’s pursuit. As she struggled to get through the packed crowd, she saw a small, glittering amulet skid across the street. Someone kicked it by accident, then another person kicked it in a different direction. Dana and Stronglock both tried to reach it while countless people ran between them.
Dana was smaller and lighter than the dwarf, and that was just enough for her to slip through the crowd and grab the amulet. She crawled away while both Stronglock and his golem followed her.
“Stop!” Dana yelled at the golem. It continued after her. “I said stop!”
Jayden caught up with Stronglock and punched the dwarf in the face. “Tell it Simon says stop!”
The golem caught up with Dana and raised both arms to crush her. She couldn’t move fast enough through the crowd to avoid it. “Simon says stop!”
The golem froze in place. Dana got out from under it and pushed past the many people around her. “Jayden, come on, let’s go!”
Jayden pushed through the rowdy crowd to reach her, and they both ran. They saw Galfont drive his wagon away, although someone had climbed onto it and was throwing out the sacks of oats. Dana heard Stronglock hollering as he chased them, but the dwarf couldn’t match their speed and soon fell behind. They ran through the city until they reached the river.
Dana held up the amulet. “Can I control the golem from here?”
“It has to hear your orders to obey them.”
“I guess I should have told it to follow us. It could have been the help you need.”
Jayden looked back into Trenton Town. City streets rang out with the sounds of rioting. “It’s best you didn’t bring it. Golem Works would do anything to retrieve it. The stone golem moves too slowly to keep up with us, and it’s so heavy its footprints would be deep and easy to follow. Golem Works can likely track the control amulet. You’ll have to get rid of it.”
Dana set the amulet down and swung her sword at it. Chain Cutter effortlessly hacked through the silver amulet. “That overgrown statue won’t go far now.”
“Not until the dwarfs bring a new amulet and attune it to the golem, a process that could take days to weeks.” Jayden led Dana away into the night away from Trenton Town. They’d only gone a short distance when he said, “I wonder if Galfont escaped in the confusion.”
“Oh, he got away. He’s a slippery one.”
“The enemy’s attention was more on us than him, so you’re likely right,” Jayden admitted. “We’ll wait for him at his house, pay him and move on in the morning. I’m tempted to stay here longer, but with the army supplies burned, stolen or already gone there is nothing left to attack. We have to find new targets, and soon.”
“You sound awful depressed. We won, Jayden. You burned two warehouses, helped empty out another and got away with it.”
Jayden stopped and stared at Trenton Town, a city he’d left in disarray. “I have been striking blows like these for decades. None of them stopped the wars I feared would come to pass. Tonight’s victory was small, and we must strike many more like it.”
***********
Dana woke the next morning in Galfont’s small house. She saw Galfont leaving, looking as giddy as a child on his birthday as he got onto his wagon and rode off. She went to the kitchen and found Jayden studying his spell tablets. He took one look at her and set the tablets aside.
“You’re not happy,” he said.
“No, not happy. We’ve worked with some questionable people, but this takes the cake. This man should be in jail or six feet underground. Instead we’re making him rich.”
“He is less likely to cause trouble if his pockets are full. He is also unlikely to betray us for a reward when his own neck could end up in a noose.”
Dana sat at the table. “It feels like we’re rewarding him for being bad. I know we can’t always pick and choose our friends, especially during a war, but I think we’re crossing a line. It could backfire on us like it did with Clevner. I get that the people of Zentrix need help badly and soon, but is it always going to be like this? Looking for the least bad choice?”
“It’s been this way with me for years,” he told her. “I have had good and honest men working with me, and the experience was if anything worse. My plans could have hurt them, their families and neighbors if I’d failed. In this case the only man who’d suffer if we fail is Galfont, a minor loss to humanity, but still a loss. There are few I can count on for help, making men even as questionable as Galfont valuable.”
Dana snapped her fingers. “Sorcerer Lord Jayden doesn’t have many people he can trust, but Prince Mastram does.”
“No,” he said firmly.
“It could work.” Dana leaned across the table toward him. “There are a lot of angry people in the kingdom. We met a bunch of them yesterday. Tens of thousands of people would come to serve a prince back from exile.”
“They would die just as fast! King Tyros and Queen Amvicta would stop at nothing to kill me if they knew I still breathed. Any who came to my side would be cut down without mercy, as would their families.”
“The king and queen are already coming after you,” she pointed out. “How could they make it worse than it already is?”
“I know them better than you do,” Jayden said, his voice grim. “I saw them at their worst during the civil war. If they are frightened, they can do deeds more terrible than you can imagine. They have no shortage of mercenaries and gladiators only too happy to follow orders, no matter how terrible.”
Jayden stood up and put his hands on her hers. “Prince Mastram is dead, and for the good of the kingdom must stay dead. Even a whisper of the truth would bring down horrors beyond imagination on innocent people. As loathsome as Galfont is, using him is superior to the alternative. Please, don’t bring this up again.”
The rest of the day was spent in stony silence. Jayden continued studying his spell tablets and Dana explored their surroundings. Galfont’s house was far from any neighbor, ensuring they weren’t noticed by suspicious locals.
To Dana’s surprise, she saw shepherds guide herds of goats through the wilderness to lush bits of pasture. The shepherds were armed and watchful, with fierce dogs. Dana figured these men were keeping their herds well clear of armed men who could confiscate them.
It was nearly dinner time when Galfont returned on his wagon. He ran over and nearly knocked the door off its hinges in his eagerness to reach them. “This is your lucky night!”
Dana figured a lucky night would be Galfont being arrested by the authorities or eaten by wolves, but she bit back a harsh reply when the former graverobber sat at his table. “Most of the storehouses were emptied by the army on their way to Zentrix, but there are three nearby filled to the brim with goodies.”
“Why weren’t they emptied, too?” Dana asked.
“The soldiers didn’t have enough wagons. Word is they’re going to unload on the front and come back for the rest.”
Jayden asked him, “What sort of goods do they contain?”
“One has oats for horses and oxen, but it could be food for men just as easily. Another has saddles, horseshoes, yokes and the like for draft animals and cavalry horses. The last one is the real prize. It’s got uniforms, tents and blankets for five thousand men.”
“An army could fight without any of those,” Dana said.
“Not as well as they could with them,” Galfont countered. “There are more storehouses farther out, but they’re either empty or guarded like fortresses. It’s this or nothing. Deal?”
“What are their guard compliments?” Jayden asked.
“Ten men or less for each one, and no knights or archers. They’re more likely to run than fight.”
“What about the Golem Works barge in the city?” Dana asked. “If it’s carrying what Jayden thinks it is, we could have a fight on our hands.”
Galfont chuckled. “I saw them leave Trenton Town hours ago. They said they’d only stopped to buy food.”
“We hit them all tonight,” Jayden said. “Galfont, pack your belongings so you can flee after we’re done. When the third storehouse is destroyed, you’ll get the pay as promised. If we have to leave before finishing the job, you’ll be paid according to how much we did.”
“Fair enough,” Galfont told him. “We’re going to have to leave right away to do this. Hide in the back of my wagon and we’ll reach the first one by dusk.”
Dana and Jayden sat in the back of Galfont’s wagon as he rode through the growing darkness. It wasn’t comfortable for several reasons. The first was the wagon was meant to carry cargo rather than passengers, and there was no padding when they hit bumps in the road. The other cause of concern was how many other people were coming out only now that it was dark. Wagons shuttled around goods and people, while hunters and trappers brought fresh meat to sell. She’d never seen a city busier at night than during the day.
Jayden seemed to echo her thoughts when he asked, “Is it always so active?”
Galfont answered, “Locals tell me trade at night started last year and has only grown. They’re trying to avoid tax collectors and officials who steal worse than I ever did. Their duke has been ordered to put a stop to it, but he depends on untaxed trade as much as his people do.”
“How long until we reach the first storehouse?” Dana asked.
Galfont pointed ahead of them. “Not long before we hit the one with uniforms and tents. It’s a barn seized by the army outside city limits. I want to make it clear I’m acting as native guide. You’re on your own when the fighting starts.”
Jayden drew his magic sword. “I expected as much.”
“Did you ever learn what that thing does?” Dana asked.
“I figured it out earlier in the week.” Jayden looked almost giddy at the thought of using. He pulled off his outer layer of winter clothes to reveal his black and silver uniform beneath it. “Before we strike, I need you back in uniform.”
Dana frowned when he handed her the cloth mask, long gloves and leggings. “Then why are you trying to be as obvious as you can?”
“I’m counting on my reputation spreading fear. The king and queen know me well, but they have only vague details concerning your identity. The longer they remain ignorant of your name and face, the easier you’ll find it to move around in public.”
Dana put on the concealing clothes when they were in sight of the storehouse, just an old barn with ten spearmen standing around a fire. The soldiers looked bored and tired, and as they drew closer it was clear they were teenagers. They saw the wagon approach and barely reacted.
“Come on, guys,” one of the soldiers said. “This couldn’t wait until morning?”
“You ride at night and your horses are going to break a leg in the dark,” said another. “Cripple a horse and you’ll be whipped and branded.”
Jayden cast a spell and leapt off the wagon, landing with his sword pointing at the ground. “Gentlemen, tonight you get to choose whether you live or die.”
“Who the devil are you?” one asked.
Dana climbed off the wagon and drew Chain Cutter. The sword glowed in the darkness and made the soldiers gape in awe. “Seriously? Don’t any of you read the wanted posters?”
A soldier pointed at Jayden. “That’s the Sorcerer Lord! And unnamed female accomplice!”
Dana slapped her free hand over her face. “They’re still calling me that.”
Jayden pointed his sword at the soldiers and declared, “Run or fight, children. I should add that fighting ends in dying.”
The soldiers were far too young for their job, but to their credit they lined up and formed a wall of spears between Jayden and the storehouse. The young soldiers ran screaming at him. Their charge ended when a giant clawed black hand flew in and wrapped its enormous fingers around their spears. The youths yelled as they tried to pull their weapons free. Dana ran in and lopped off their spearheads with Chain Cutter. The now defenseless men cried out in panic as they fell back.
“Daggers!” one of the youths yelled. “Draw your daggers!”
Four soldiers broke and ran away while the rest pulled hunting knives from sheaths on their legs. The poor fools spread out and charged Jayden again. It was a desperate gambit that ended when the giant hand swept over them and effortlessly bowled them over. Five more ran off while the last cowered by the storehouse door. He made frightened, whimpering sounds.
Dana waved her sword in the direction the other soldiers had fled. “Go on, get out of here.”
“You’re not going to kill me?”
“Do you want me to?” The youth shook his head, and she said, “Then don’t ask stupid questions like that. Scoot.”
Once the soldiers were gone, an older, overweight man stumbled out of a door on the side of the storehouse. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Galfont. I told you there’s nothing here you want.”
Galfont hurried over and put an arm around the old man’s shoulders. “There’s been a change in plans. The fellow over there is paying you a handful of gold coins.”
“Gold?” The old man smiled from ear to ear. His joy ended when Jayden bashed down part of the storehouse’s wall with his giant black hand. “Here now, what’s he doing?”
“You’re being paid enough to not ask questions. Take the money, hide it, and if anyone asks—”
“Sorcerer Lord Jayden destroyed the storehouse,” Jayden told the old man. “Galfont, I see no need for your friend to suffer injuries to make this look like a robbery. My reputation is excuse enough for him to leave.”
Jayden began chanting a spell Dana was familiar with. The old man looked puzzled when he left, saying, “Gold, and I didn’t get slapped around this time. It’s an odd night.”
“How’s he going to destroy it?” Galfont asked Dana.
Jayden finished his spell, and a tiny ember floated from his hands into the hole he’d made in the storehouse. He walked casually back to the wagon and climbed aboard. “Take us to the next one.”
Galfont pointed at the storehouse. “But you didn’t—”
BOOM! The explosion tore the storehouse apart. Burning pieces of fabric and wood fell from the sky as heavy as rain in a thunderstorm. Jayden used his black hand to tamp out a few fires that were starting to spread and had it float back beside the wagon.
“Right, um, on to the next one,” Galfont said. He waited until Dana was onboard before driving away. “Take this as a professional critique, but you need to work on your approach. Too loud, too flashy. Everyone within a day’s travel heard that, including the authorities.”
“Great, we’re taking advice from a graverobber,” Dana muttered.
“Former graverobber, thank you. The next storehouse is at the edge of town and has saddles and yokes. The noise must have drawn a crowd by now. If we’re lucky they’ll follow the sound to our last stop.”
“I’m not greatly concerned about soldiers,” Jayden told him.
“I imagine you wouldn’t be,” Galfont said as he brought the wagon to a halt next to a large building at the edge of Trenton Town.
Soldiers on guard duty were alert and looked scared. One pointed at smoke in the distance and asked, “What was that?”
Jayden dismounted and smiled at the soldiers. “Roughly one thousand gold coins worth of goods burning. Tragically for you, the event is about to repeat itself.”
These soldiers were as young as the last ones and panicked even faster. Half of them ran when they saw Jayden and the rest fell back.
“Hold them off!” one of the teenagers said. He grabbed one of his soldiers by the arm and shoved him to the left. “Go, get help!”
Jayden sent his giant hand to swat soldiers aside, and they ran off rather than face it. The soldier giving orders was the last to flee. Jayden made the hand scoop him up. The youth screamed as the hand brought him back to Jayden.
“I have a message for your commanding officer,” Jayden told him.
“I don’t know who that is!”
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Dana demanded.
“I, I was under General Thrade’s command, but I was transferred to General Kame, and then assigned guard duty here after Thrade and Kame left. I don’t know who’s giving orders here.”
Jayden dropped the soldier, who ran off as the giant hand battered a hole into the storehouse. A pudgy clerk came out of a side door and said, “I would have opened it for you.”
“Pay him and get him out of here,” Jayden ordered. Galfont took the clerk aside as Jayden began chanting. Dana kept an eye out for the trouble that was sure to come.
“I hear men coming,” Dana warned.
Jayden finished the spell and sent a single spark floating into the storehouse. “To the last target, and hurry.”
BOOM! The building went up in flames. This one didn’t detonate as explosively as the last one. Dana figured it was because the saddles and yokes wouldn’t burn like fabric did, and the horseshoes wouldn’t burn at all.
Dana and Jayden climbed back aboard the wagon and Galfont drove off. They heard men in armor running toward the storehouse, and shouts were coming from all around them. Frightened people came out of their houses to see what was going on. Vendors selling goods on the streets gathered up their possessions and fled.
“The last one is on the other side of the city, and I want my wagon filled with goods from it before you blow it up,” Galfont said. “We need to hurry. If whoever is in charge here has a working brain, he’ll figure out where we’re going and try to beat us to it.”
“Get us there first,” Jayden ordered.
Galfont drove his horses hard through the streets. Twice he had to slow down to avoid groups of people coming out of their houses. One man nearly got run over, but Jayden’s magic hand scooped him up and set him down in an alleyway.
“What’s happening?” a woman shouted at them.
“Wanted criminal coming through!” Jayden shouted back. Dana would have bet good money that his warning would have sent bystanders running for cover. Instead they hurried over to get a glimpse of him.
A flash of light to their left caught Dana’s eye. She looked over and saw nothing as the wagon rocketed down the street, but as they passed an alley, she saw the light again. There were dozens of soldiers running down the streets and carrying lanterns to light their way.
Dana waved her sword to their left. “Soldiers are going parallel to us on the next street over!”
Galfont pulled on his wagon’s reins to slow down before he hit people milling around in the street. “Get out of the way!”
“We’re not moving much faster than they are,” Jayden said. He cast a spell that formed a globe of light that shot down the street ahead of them. Pedestrians flinched away from the sudden light, opening up the way for them.
“That’s it up ahead,” Glafont told them. He nodded at a large building at the end of the road. “Former church for the Brotherhood of the Righteous before they were kicked out of the kingdom. These days it stores oats.”
The converted church was guarded by more young soldiers who looked terrified. When Jayden dismounted the wagon, one ran up and said, “What’s going on? We heard explosions and screaming. Are we under attack?”
Jayden looked the youth in the eyes. “Is it really that dark that you can’t recognize me?”
The soldier screamed and ran. The rest saw him flee and followed suit when Jayden’s giant black hand came barreling toward them. He sent his magic hand crashing into the old church’s doors, knocking them off the hinges. A frightened clerk peeked out of the building as the giant hand retreated.
“You, out,” Jayden ordered. The man ran past Jayden, but to their surprise came running back. “What are you doing?”
“Soldiers!” the clerk screamed as he went back into the old church.
Dana, Jayden and Galfont spun around to find fifty soldiers marching toward them. The men wore chain armor and had shields, spears or swords, with ten men carting lit lanterns. It would have been an intimidating sight if the men were advancing. Instead they stood in a rough line, neither advancing or retreating. They were young, some younger than Dana, with a sprinkling of men far too old for the difficult job of soldiering.
“Do something,” Galfont whispered to Jayden. “Anything.”
The soldiers had them ridiculously outnumbered. Jayden was a credible threat to a group this size, but they stood a chance of killing him in battle. There was no attack, though, nor even an attempt to threaten or harass them.
Jayden bared his teeth and marched toward the line of soldiers. “This is best the king and queen can do? This rabble? Your army is preparing to invade a neighboring country, and you can’t even face one sorcerer.”
Dana caught up with him and put a hand on his arm. “Jayden, look at them. They’re called soldiers, armed like soldiers, but they’re kids and old men. Some of them are younger than I am.”
“Is that it?” Jayden demanded. “Did your generals leave behind men they didn’t trust to face the horrors of war? I can’t tell if that was an act of mercy or contempt. One of you must be an officer in charge of this mob!”
An older spearman said, “I think his name is Commander Varnos. He gave us orders when we got to this city. That was five days ago. Haven’t seen him since then.”
Jayden stared hard at the men. A look of confusion swept across his face, followed by rage. “You’re new recruits. You haven’t been given any training, have you? Your leaders gave you armor and weapons, as if that would make you soldiers, and sent you into the jaws of war. I wondered how I could enter this city so easily and strike barely opposed.”
Boom. The sound echoed down the street, a distant thunder that spoke of power. Boom. Soldiers spun around and panicked at the threat coming up behind them. Boom. They cried out in terror as a ten foot tall stone man walked down the street toward them. Boom. The golem looked like a bald, muscular man. Boom. Dana gasped when the golem blinked its stone eyes and grinned.
“Make way, mayflies,” a dwarf with a long black beard called out. He wore plate armor and held a silver amulet in one hand and a black ax in the other. “Clear the road.”
“You said the Golem Works barge left this morning!” Dana shouted at Galfont.
“We left, and we came back,” the dwarf said casually. “Upriver is too shallow for our barge to float with my friend here riding along. We were going to walk to the front lines, but a frightened human told me the city was under attack.”
“Lovely,” Jadyen said. More quietly, he told Dana, “Few of my spells can hurt the golem.”
The dwarf chuckled. “Sorcerer Lord, is it? Name’s Dunrhill Stronglock. Word was the elves killed off your kind long ago. Guess there are always survivors. I’d have some sympathy for you after what my people suffered at elven hands, but the man paying my bills is keen on hearing of your demise. Nothing personal, you understand.”
“Perish the thought,” Jayden replied dryly. “You do know an iron golem tried to kill me and died?”
“Heard about it,” Stronglock. “You had two wizards helping in that fight that I don’t see here. Odds are in my favor, not yours.”
Jayden rested his sword on his shoulder. “Feel like giving me a chance to surrender? Most of my foes do.”
“That’s reason enough not to do it.” Stronglock raised the silver amulet high. “Simon says kill the Sorcerer Lord.”
The stone golem lumbered toward Jayden as soldiers got out of the way. It hadn’t gotten far before Jayden’s giant black hand charged in and hit the golem in the face, knocking it over. The hand swung down again and again on the prone golem. For a few seconds that was enough to keep it in check, but the golem grabbed the hand and squeezed. Jayden cried out as the giant hand dissolved into black mist.
“Are you hurt?” Dana asked him.
Jayden rubbed his hand. “I canceled the spell before I suffered too much feedback.”
The golem stood up and advanced on them again. It was a serious threat, but like Wall Wolf it wasn’t fast. This gave Jayden time to cast two spells before it reached them. The first formed a shield of spinning black daggers in front of him while the second reformed his giant black hand. The golem raised both hands high to attack Jayden, ignoring Dana entirely. She drew her sword and ran at it, only to find Stronglock in her way.
“I heard about you, too,” the dwarf said. “Word is your sword is impressive. Let’s find out.”
Dana swung at Stonglock, and her sword met his ax in a shower of sparks. Normally Chain Cutter hacked through weapons, but the ax suffered little more than a nick. Stronglock swung at her head. Dana stepped to one side and hit his ax again. Sparks again showered onto the street as each weapon held.
“It’s as good as I was told,” Stronglock said approvingly. “Is that Thume Breakbones’ workmanship?”
Dana dodged another swing from the dwarf. “Yeah. Bald, rude, self-centered.”
Stronglock’s next attack went low in an attempt to hit Dana’s heels. She jumped over it and swung down, but Stronglock already had his ax up to block it. “That’s Thume, all right. My ax is one of his earlier weapons.”
Dana charged Stronglock and tried to stab him in the shoulder. The dwarf parried her sword with more sparks raining down on them. This was bad. Dana had learned a lot about swordsmanship from Jayden, but she hadn’t landed a single hit and was barely avoiding Stronglock’s ax. She’d heard dwarfs were legendary for their stamina. Stronglock could keep this fight up for hours, while she would tire far sooner.
Not far away, Jayden sparred with the stone golem. The golem tried to punch him and hit the shield of spinning blades. Black blades broke when the golem struck them, scratching its right arm from fingertips to its elbow, but doing nothing else. Jayden swung his magic sword at the golem, and to Dana’s amazement he moved as fast as its original owner, Brasten. Jayden moved so fast he was a blur as he struck the golem across its face and neck. His sword merely scratched the stone.
Stronglock kept after Dana with powerful, relentless attacks. She was faster than the dwarf and avoided the worst of it, but when she blocked one swing, he punched her hard enough to send her back three feet.
Jayden ran over and helped her up. “This isn’t going well, and the soldiers are blocking our escape route.”
Stronglock and his golem were heading for them. Either one was difficult to beat, and together they were more than Dana and Jayden could stop. Dana backed up a step, and her sword grazed the edge of a building, cutting into the stone. Inspiration hit like a thunderbolt.
“Trade partners,” she said. Jayden looked shocked by the suggestion, but she pressed on. “I can hurt the golem at least a little, and your spells should stop the dwarf.”
Jayden sheathed his sword and cast a spell to form his magic whip. “It’s worth trying.”
“Letting a girl fight your battles?” Stronglock taunted.
“Shut up and dance,” Dana said as she went after the golem. It ignored her in favor of Jayden, and she cut a deep gash in its right leg.
“Simon Says kill the girl,” Stronglock ordered. He tried to attack her and got only feet before Jayden swung his whip and wrapped it around the dwarf’s ax. The whip didn’t eat through the ax like it did nearly everything else, but Jayden was able to drag Stronglock to a halt.
Powerful as the golem was, it was tragically slow. The stone golem swung at Dana and missed, smashing in a wall of a building she was standing next to. When that failed it tried to kick her. Dana slashed the golem across its foot and left another deep gash. The golem scowled and lunged at her with arms outstretched. Dana jumped out of the way and swung her sword behind her, catching it across the belly.
Stronglock wasn’t doing any better against Jayden. The dwarf stopped trying to pull free and instead charged him. Jayden let his magic whip dissolve and drew his sword. With the sword’s magic he moved amazingly fast as he lashed out at the dwarf. Stronglock’s heavy armor stopped most of the swings, but one stroke took off half of his beard.
“You don’t touch a dwarf’s beard!” Stronglock bellowed. He pointed his ax at the soldiers and yelled, “Stop milling around and fight!”
The men looked uncertain until a lone soldier pointed and asked, “Hey, what are they doing?”
All eyes turned toward to the former church. Galfont had been busy during the battle carrying one sack of oats after another to his wagon, but the former graverobber wasn’t alone. A steady stream of citizens hauled away the storehouse’s contents.
“You thieving dogs!” Stronglock yelled.
An angry man shot back, “Who do you think grew this in the first place!”
More citizens gathered until they outnumbered the soldiers five to one. A man pointed at the bags being taken away and shouted, “We need food more than the army does! Come on, lads! Take back what’s yours!”
An already chaotic melee became utter madness. Enraged residents of Trenton Town surged into the soldiers from behind. Some men tackled the soldiers while others pushed on to loot the storehouse. Most of the soldiers were occupied fighting back, while others ran off and a few actually joined in the looting. Dana fought the golem while Jayden sent a flurry of sword swings at Stronglock.
“You people are idiots!” Stronglock yelled as he struggled to get past crowds of rioters and soldiers. He was making some progress when Jayden brought his giant magic hand down on the dwarf and knocked him over. Dana was amazed when the dwarf got up quickly, but her surprise doubled when the dwarf’s face contorted in fear. “No! Where is it?”
Dana couldn’t figure out what terrified Stronglock until she noticed he carried his ax in one hand and the other was empty. He’d lost his silver amulet when Jayden hit him. The dwarf scrambled across the street on all fours in his search for the amulet.
The stone golem was still coming after Dana, and she had to slip through the crowd to escape it. She was lucky the golem was trying hard not to step on the townspeople or soldiers when it came after her. That avoided a massacre and slowed the golem’s pursuit. As she struggled to get through the packed crowd, she saw a small, glittering amulet skid across the street. Someone kicked it by accident, then another person kicked it in a different direction. Dana and Stronglock both tried to reach it while countless people ran between them.
Dana was smaller and lighter than the dwarf, and that was just enough for her to slip through the crowd and grab the amulet. She crawled away while both Stronglock and his golem followed her.
“Stop!” Dana yelled at the golem. It continued after her. “I said stop!”
Jayden caught up with Stronglock and punched the dwarf in the face. “Tell it Simon says stop!”
The golem caught up with Dana and raised both arms to crush her. She couldn’t move fast enough through the crowd to avoid it. “Simon says stop!”
The golem froze in place. Dana got out from under it and pushed past the many people around her. “Jayden, come on, let’s go!”
Jayden pushed through the rowdy crowd to reach her, and they both ran. They saw Galfont drive his wagon away, although someone had climbed onto it and was throwing out the sacks of oats. Dana heard Stronglock hollering as he chased them, but the dwarf couldn’t match their speed and soon fell behind. They ran through the city until they reached the river.
Dana held up the amulet. “Can I control the golem from here?”
“It has to hear your orders to obey them.”
“I guess I should have told it to follow us. It could have been the help you need.”
Jayden looked back into Trenton Town. City streets rang out with the sounds of rioting. “It’s best you didn’t bring it. Golem Works would do anything to retrieve it. The stone golem moves too slowly to keep up with us, and it’s so heavy its footprints would be deep and easy to follow. Golem Works can likely track the control amulet. You’ll have to get rid of it.”
Dana set the amulet down and swung her sword at it. Chain Cutter effortlessly hacked through the silver amulet. “That overgrown statue won’t go far now.”
“Not until the dwarfs bring a new amulet and attune it to the golem, a process that could take days to weeks.” Jayden led Dana away into the night away from Trenton Town. They’d only gone a short distance when he said, “I wonder if Galfont escaped in the confusion.”
“Oh, he got away. He’s a slippery one.”
“The enemy’s attention was more on us than him, so you’re likely right,” Jayden admitted. “We’ll wait for him at his house, pay him and move on in the morning. I’m tempted to stay here longer, but with the army supplies burned, stolen or already gone there is nothing left to attack. We have to find new targets, and soon.”
“You sound awful depressed. We won, Jayden. You burned two warehouses, helped empty out another and got away with it.”
Jayden stopped and stared at Trenton Town, a city he’d left in disarray. “I have been striking blows like these for decades. None of them stopped the wars I feared would come to pass. Tonight’s victory was small, and we must strike many more like it.”
Midnight Riders part 1
This is the first part of Midnight Riders.
*********
“Are they gone yet?” Dana asked.
Jayden glanced out the barn’s only window. “If anything, there are even more soldiers than before.”
The barn had seemed a good place to spend the night. Dry, clean, empty after its animals had been confiscated to feed the army, it had been the perfect home for a wanted criminal and his, sidekick? Partner? Dana wasn’t sure exactly how she was supposed to describe herself after following Jayden for over a year. Maybe follower worked, but that made it sound like he was her master, and that really didn’t describe their relationship.
Morning found their campsite a prison when they woke to hundreds of soldiers marching down the road. The men stopped by the farm to refill their canteens at a well. The farmer watched them, more bored than scared, as he had nothing left they could take. Soldiers marched down the road, only to be replaced by still more soldiers.
“Where are they going?” Dana asked. The barn was far enough from the road that the soldiers wouldn’t hear her unless she shouted.
“Zentrix,” Jayden said. He still wore heavy winter clothes over his black and silver uniform, and was busy studying one of the spell tablets she’d found for him. “I fear Lootmore and his people are going to face the worst of the king and queen’s fury this summer.”
“Do you think they’re ready for it?”
“No. They will fight competently and courageously, and they will fall in spite of their valor. They lack the manpower to match the forces against them.”
He set the granite spell tablet aside and got up to stretch his arms. “For that to happen there has to be a battle, and I aim to prevent it. There is an old saying that amateurs study tactics and professionals study logistics. Food, medicine, draft animals, tents, warm clothes, these are essential to an army’s survival just as much as armor and weapons. Too many commanders ignore the essentials of life, assuming they can seize what they need from conquered territory.”
Jayden turned to her and waved in the direction of the soldiers. “If they run out of food weeks before the fighting starts, if they don’t have horses and oxen to pull their wagons, if medicine for common illnesses all armies face doesn’t arrive, they fail before the first sword is drawn. That’s one of the reasons we’ve come here.”
Curious, she asked, “What’s the other reason?”
“In the past, you’ve pointed out that I would have an easier time defeating the plans of the king and queen if I had more help. I can’t deny the point, especially after all you’ve done for me, but finding men willing and able to assist me is no easy task. Few would take on an army, even snapping at one’s heels as we are, and fewer still for the paltry rewards that have come our way.”
Dana put her hands on her hips. “Paltry? We’ve both got magic swords.”
Jayden chuckled. “You have no idea how much fighting men charge. Even the magic and riches we have secured would not be enough to interest most capable warriors, nor keep them long if they did come. Thanks to Clevner, I have a lead on men either bold or desperate enough to work with us.”
“Clevner wasn’t exactly the trustworthy type. He might have recommended someone as dirty as he is.”
“You make a fair point, for the men we seek could easily be enemies. Clevner spoke of a group called the Midnight Riders. Details on them are sketchy, but tales tell of a large body of horsemen dressed in black who attack army storehouses, seizing fortunes in goods before disappearing into the night. They say nothing as they load their packs and saddlebags with food, oil, candles and other goods. They only attack unguarded targets and inflict only minor injuries on the men watching the storehouses.”
“It sounds like Lootmore’s doing,” Dana said. Then she frowned. “Wait, he doesn’t have that many men, and the last time we saw him he was stealing armor. Food and candles aren’t important enough for him.”
“I thought the same thing myself. Still, they’re not your run of the mill thieves or bandits, either, or else they would rob less risky targets such as farmhouses. I believe they are either foreign agents or revolutionaries. I wish to meet them and judge the quality of their character. If they are worthy men, there is the possibility of an alliance. If they are villains and rogues, I need to stop them before they hurt people I actually like.”
Jayden looked out the window and scowled. “We aren’t far from the last reported attack by the Midnight Riders, but with so many soldiers outside we might as well be on the moon. Even looking at them disgusts me. So many following orders with unthinking obedience, attacking a nation we’ve never been at war with and have no reason to fight. I wonder what excuses they use to justify bringing horror and suffering to a neighboring land.”
Jayden’s expression changed from disgust to curiosity, and he waved for Dana to join him at the window. “Our mission is more dire than I’d feared. Look.”
Dana came over and peered out the window to see armored men carrying bright banners coming up the road. There were only a few dozen of them, but soldiers pointed and stared, some even calling out to their officers.
“I’ve never seen soldiers or mercenaries like them before,” Dana said.
“They’re neither one nor the other. Cimmox the necromancer claimed the king and queen had cast a wide net for allies, gathering up the despicable and vulgar from other lands. I see he told the truth. Those banners proclaim these men to be gladiators from Battle Island. Gladiators kill daily for pay, and they are skilled and brutal in equal measure.”
“At least there aren’t many of them.”
“That handful is worth five times their number in ordinary soldiers. If they get their hands on magic weapons and armor, they’d be worth ten times as many. Pray the king and queen are too distrustful or stingy to properly arm them.”
Army officers met the gladiators and showed them which road to take. The gladiators showed little obedience and no respect in return, but they marched on with the rest of the army. Jayden and Dana watched for three hours until the soldiers were gone.
“We must assume the rest of Cimmox’s claims were not idle boasting,” Jayden told her. “That makes every hour wasted a serious loss. We must find the Midnight Riders before they are killed or leave for safer hunting grounds.”
Dana and Jayden left the barn and kept to backways and cow paths far from any major road. This slowed them down since such routes were rarely straight and never properly maintained, but they were safe from discovery by soldiers and mercenaries. They traveled through pastures and forests, rarely seeing people.
Two days traveling brought them to a small city not far from the border with Zentrix. From a distance the city looked peaceful enough, its buildings in good repair and the citizens well dresses and healthy. A river ran along the south side of the city and had considerable boat traffic. Dana spotted soldiers, but not nearly as many as she’d expected.
“Welcome to Trenton Town, so named for its founder, Erving Trenton,” Jayden declared.
Dana saw people enter and leave the city unchallenged. “Where are all the guards?”
“They were likely absorbed into the army when it passed through,” Jayden replied. “Only a minimal force was left behind to maintain order. I am sorely tempted to work mischief here, but finding the Midnight Riders takes precedence.”
“How do we find these guys when the authorities can’t?” Dana asked. “I don’t think your magic detection spell is going to help, because it sounds like they don’t use magic.”
“Given their success rate they might, but it’s more likely they’re simply careful planners. Finding them won’t be easy. My intensions are to question the locals. Buying a few rounds of drinks does wonders to improve men’s moods. If I’m right, someone in this city knows who the Midnight Riders are and where to find them.”
Dana gave him a disbelieving look. “You’re a wanted criminal. Who’s going to drink with you?”
“I’ve found a shocking number of people are happy to do so. The king and queen have gone to considerable lengths to upset their subjects in most provinces and cities. High taxes, confiscating goods and conscripting citizens into the army doesn’t make friends. We just have to be careful about which bars to patronize.”
“You have contacts who either like you or are terrified of you in some of the places we visit,” Dana pointed out. “Is there anyone here who could help us?”
“Not this time. I was here years ago and made friends with a family of blacksmiths. I helped them escape the kingdom when the king and queen ordered them brought to Armorston and put to work producing weapons. With their departure there is no one here I know and trust.”
Unlike some cities they’d visited, Trenton Town lacked a city wall, and they were able to enter the outskirts of the city without drawing much attention. Jayden still wore his winter cloak over his black and silver clothes, including a hood over his messy hair. This meant the few people to pay them any attention gave at most a passing glance.
“Getting kind of warm for clothes that thick,” an older man said to Jayden.
“If you have summer weight clothes to spare or money to buy them, I would be most appreciative,” Jayden replied.
The old man chuckled. “I have no surplus of clothes or coins, and no hope of that changing. Sympathy is all I can share with you. Stranger, a word of warning.”
Jayden stopped. “Yes?”
The old man nodded at Dana. “Take your girl out to the countryside and leave her there. We’ve had soldiers, mercenaries and now gladiators coming through the city like a parade. Most are louts, and some no different than monsters. I wouldn’t want to see what happens if they saw a young lady.”
“Your warning is much appreciated. My niece and I won’t stay longer than we must.”
Once they were far enough away to avoid being overheard, Dana said, “If that’s how they’re acting in a city, heaven help girls living on farms they pass through. Jayden, if these men are as bad as he says, they’re going to drive honest men to rebel.”
“They might, but mercenaries and gladiators would make short work of farmers and shopkeepers.”
“I thought the mercenaries revolted and ran off.” Dana and Jayden had helped mercenaries from Skitherin Kingdom learn that girls from their homeland were being sold in Meadowland Kingdom. The knowledge had enraged them to the point of rebelling against their employers and fleeing with the freed slaves.
“Mercenaries from Skitherin Kingdom rebelled, removing thousands of men from the king and queen’s armies, but I doubt the royal couple hired men only from that blighted kingdom. Men hired from other lands would have no reason to be upset by Skitherin women and children being sold as slaves. They might even buy some.”
The city streets were slowly coming to life as more people left their homes. Normally this happened at dawn, but it was nearly noon. Had they stayed indoors to avoid the armed men who’d recently traveled through their city? That fit with the older man’s warning. Men gave them suspicious glances when they saw both Dana and Jayden carried swords.
“Who are you with?” a woman demanded.
“No one save ourselves,” Jayden answered.
“Then why are you armed?”
Dana said, “We’ve been traveling between cities. Not all the roads are safe.”
The woman relaxed. “I can believe that. Just, keep those blades out of sight. They make folks nervous.”
Finding a bar was easy. The city was lousy with them, small places that were only now hanging up signs with tankards painted on them. Jayden went in one with a few tables already crowded with customers, and the bartender said, “Outsiders pay upfront.”
“Fair enough,” he replied, and placed a copper coin on a table. He chatted with the bartender and customers while Dana kept watch at the door.
“Your girl is being mighty skittish,” the bartender noted.
Jayden sipped his drink. “You’ll have to forgive her concern, but one of your fellow citizens gave her a fright. He said she would be in danger if mercenaries saw her.”
A man near Jayden downed his drink in one gulp. “He was right, and she’s right to listen to him. Used to be a fellow was safe if he didn’t do anything stupid, like walk the streets at night. Then it got so a guy needed friends and neighbors to back him up in broad daylight when bullyboys in uniforms swaggered about. Now a man’s not safe even if he’s got a sword and twenty men behind him.”
“Here we go again,” another man grumbled.
“Don’t you give me that!” the first man yelled. “You saw what happened to the food stalls yesterday. Every one of them was emptied out with nothing to show for it but IOUs. Have any of you ever seen one of those slips of paper honored? I’ve got four of them, and I’ll fly before I get the gold they promise!”
“We’re all hurting,” the second man replied. “The rest of us don’t keep talking about it.”
“Easy for you to say,” the first man retorted. “Nobody robs quarriers. All you have is rocks.”
“I’ve got IOUs for the pay I was supposed to get,” retorted the quarrier. “I’ve been living off my savings since last year.”
“Gentlemen,” Jayden began, “we all suffer. I was hoping one of you might know where I could purchase supplies such as cooking oil. I know many who could use it.”
“There’s barely enough to go around here, and less every day,” the first man told him.
Dana kept her eyes on the street. “I’ve heard lots gets stolen at night.”
“Not from us it doesn’t,” the barkeeper replied. “Thieves take from those who have.”
The conversation went on for a while as men repeated tales of woe. Jayden visited three more bars and made inquires on where he could get common goods, or what should be common, and who could provide them. Each time the answer was the same. Few men had anything, and those who did were rapidly running out. He bought drinks for men whose clothing was threadbare and money pouches were empty, earning a little goodwill, but the answers stayed the same.
Jayden and Dana stopped that evening and got a small but filling meal from a man pushing a cart loaded with food. Most of the stores or stalls were empty. The few selling goods were either mobile like the food seller’s cart or easily concealed like the neighborhood bars that could take down any proof of their profession in a matter of minutes.
“These people look like they’ve got experience hiding their stuff,” Dana said after they’d left the cart.
“The soldiers and mercenaries we saw heading toward Zentrix were likely not the first. I imagine earlier groups failed to pay for what they took. This could make our search harder. If the Midnight Riders are nearby, these people have no reason to betray them and every reason to hide them.”
“What for? They don’t benefit if government storehouses get robbed. They might even get in trouble. Hungry soldiers could clean them out if they can’t get food from the army.”
Jayden studied the emptying streets. “You might be surprised how much support the Midnight Riders get. The goods they steal are low value. If they want to turn those goods into coins, residents of Trenton Town would be only too happy to pay for them.”
Dana’s attention was drawn to shouting by the river. She saw a large barge bump into smaller ones, as if its crew could barely control it. Men on other barges shouted insults and obscenities as the larger barge muscled its way through. “That barge is low in the water, and there’s a tarp over it. What could it be carrying that’s so heavy it could sink a boat that big?”
“I see Cimmox was being honest in all his threats. Do you see the symbols carved onto the side of the barge? GW, Golem Works. It’s a dwarf corporation that specializes in producing golems.”
Dana’s heart sank. “They brought a replacement for Wall Wolf?”
“Wall Wolf was so large it would have sunk that barge outright if someone was foolish enough to load so heavy a cargo. More likely they’re bringing a stone golem. They are smaller and lighter than Wall Wolf, if only slightly, and nearly as dangerous.”
The Golem Works barge moored itself to a dock in the city, and armed dwarfs took up guard positions around it. Any man who came too close was told to leave, and threatened with spears if they argued with the stocky dwarfs. Clearly, they weren’t going to risk losing their property.
“I imagine the stone golem will join the army heading for Zentrix,” Jayden said.
“You could burn the barge,” Dana suggested.
“Appealing, but no. My fireball spell would do little to no damage to the golem. At best I would cost them the barge, a replaceable commodity.”
Dana whistled. “Soldiers, mercenaries, gladiators, a golem, they’re not taking chances.”
“The king and queen seek to win with overwhelming force and then move on to their next target. This war could be over and Zentrix made a province in Meadowland Kingdom before autumn. We’re going to have to find or manufacture a miracle to prevent that from happening.”
“We need a place to spend the night.” The sun was going down, producing a gorgeous sunset that Dana would normally love to watch, but darkness was coming. One of the men at the bar said it wasn’t safe to travel at night. Did that mean there were thieves? Monsters? Ghosts?
“I saw an inn earlier in the day.” Jayden led the way through the city as shadows stretched across the streets. Dana kept a close eye on their surroundings, worried that they’d run into an ambush. She saw people hurry into their houses, followed by loud clunks as they barred their doors.
Strangely, some people opened their doors as night fell. Men hung temporary signs from their doorframes and set out tables. Goods offered included drinks, games of chance and meats Dana couldn’t identify. Were these people eating monsters?
“This is new and discouraging,” Jayden said as they walked by a stall selling huge feathers.
A woman at the stall shrugged. “A girl’s got to eat. Selling griffin feathers never hurt anyone besides the griffin.”
“My needs are more basic. Food, drink, oil and the like for myself and those I care for.”
The woman laughed. “You might find someone offering those, but you better be less squeamish about it than you are with me. Nothing for sale at night came here honestly.”
Jayden was questioning the woman when Dana heard squeaky wood wheels. She turned and saw wagons rolling into the city as if it was broad daylight. Men climbed down from the wagons and did brisk business with furtive citizens. “Who are they?”
The woman at the stall looked over and rolled her eyes. “Competition. They only come to Trenton Town when they’re sure they aren’t going to get their cargo commandeered by the army, the nobles, mercenaries or whatever flavor of official thieves are in the neighborhood.”
Shocked, Dana asked, “Your mayor allows this?”
“As if he could stop armed men from taking everything they lay their hands on,” the woman said with a smirk. “He sends his staff to buy from smugglers the same as the rest of us. See those old ladies with wheelbarrows? They’re on his payroll.”
Dana watched men sell food, livestock, cloth, firewood and construction timbers. At first, she couldn’t figure out why these people felt the need to come at night. These were legitimate goods and couldn’t all be stolen. That meant they were scared of being robbed. The army must have done a lot of looting to generate this much fear.
Then she saw him, a man she knew too well selling armfuls of candles to eager customers. “Problem.”
Jayden looked over from the woman selling griffin feathers. “What is it?”
Dana pointed in the rapidly dying light. “Look.”
“Who are you pointing at?” Jayden squinted and then raised an eyebrow. “It can’t be.”
“What’s this about?” the woman asked.
Jayden slapped a gold coin on her table. “For your time and honesty. Come on, Dana. Let’s go meet our friend.”
Dana’s fear vanished, replaced with a near murderous loathing. She kept her sword sheathed but gripped the hilt tightly. Jayden had a hand on his own sword as they jogged after their target. A few disreputable looking men saw them and hurried out of their way.
They reached the collection of wagons as the last of them sold off their goods. Business had been brisk, but it also appeared that none of them had brought much cargo to avoid losing too much if they’d been caught. The men were climbing back into their wagons, some of them already leaving town, when Jayden burst into a run and leapt onto a wagon.
“Hey, what’s going on?” one of the men demanded.
“Tell them we’re friends, or I tell them the truth,” Jayden whispered.
Jeremy Galfont the graverobber kept his eyes on Jayden. “It’s all right, lads. Him and me know each other.”
Jayden was close enough to spit on the man, which Dana would have done in his place. “Yes, we go back quite some time, don’t we? Almost a year.”
“Rather surprised you recognized me,” Galfont said. There was a big difference in his appearance since Dana had last seen the man. Back then he’d barely escaped horrifying monsters released from the Valivaxis, a magic gateway to the tombs of ancient elf emperors. He’d been dressed in rags, his hair long and ragged, and there had been shackles on his wrists.
Life must have been good to the graverobber (no doubt at someone else’s expense), for his clothes were finely tailored leather and his hair neatly trimmed. He drove a wagon showing no sign of wear, and the horses pulling it were young and strong. Dana didn’t consider herself a vengeful person, but seeing this repulsive man so prosperous made her blood boil.
“I believe we parted on good terms last time we met,” Galfont said.
“Indeed we did,” Jayden replied. “The passage of time has clearly been good to you.”
“That’s a tale best told in private.” Galfont’s eyes drifted to bystanders watching them.
Jayden helped Dana onto the wagon. “By all means. We’ll be glad to join you.”
Much to Dana’s surprise, Galfont didn’t panic. He drove his wagon to a small house not far from the city.
“It’s not much, but it meets my needs,” Galfont said as he tied up his horses outside the house.
“This is an interesting change for you,” Jayden replied. “Graverobber to smuggler? Thief?”
“It’s a bit more complicated than that.”
Dana jumped off the wagon and held up a lone candle. “I’m pretty sure you didn’t find this in someone’s grave. Who did you take it from?”
“I don’t rob graves anymore,” Galfont protested. “I thought you’d approve that I’ve taken up a new line of work. You were certainly mad enough about my last one.”
Dana jabbed him in the chest with the candle. “You mean was I mad that you snuck into cemeteries, dug up dead bodies, looted them and pawned the jewelry those people were buried with? Leaving their families brokenhearted, and their friends and neighbors terrified that the same thing could happen to their parents and grandparents? Yes, I’m furious!”
Galfont stared at her for a moment before asking Jayden, “So, did you find that Vali-whatever it was?”
“Found, sealed, disposed of. Galfont, you were useful to me once, and there’s a chance you could be useful again.”
“I’d really rather not.”
“That statement implies you have a choice in the matter. I’m looking for some exceedingly dangerous men who have been known to operate in this area. They use the name Midnight Riders.”
“It rings a bell,” Galfont admitted.
Jayden waved his hand at the darkened city behind them. “The good people of Trenton Town knew little to nothing about them. I think that’s because they are good people, not likely to associate with men who’d break into army storehouses. You, on the other hand, are not exactly good.”
Galfont said nothing. Jayden continue speaking.
“We saw you selling goods those people needed badly, so I am moderately grateful, except I wonder where you could have gotten your cargo. I think you stole what you were selling. The Midnight Riders also steal goods in this region. I imagine you’d rather not have competition, or have to deal with the armed response the king and queen are certain to send to deal with their depredations. You should be only too happy to tell me everything you know about them, in return for a generous reward if the information is accurate, and a terrible punishment if it’s not.”
Galfont looked down. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Jayden leaned in close. “Try me.”
Galfont took a deep breath and said, “I’m the Midnight Riders.”
Dana dropped the candle she was holding. “Wait, what?”
“I am the Midnight Riders. There isn’t a bunch of men stealing. It’s just me.”
Jayden stared at him. “I’ve had several drinks today. I believe I need more.”
“That I can help you with,” Galfont said. He opened the door to the small house and ushered them in. The building’s interior was simple, with wood furniture and well stocked cabinets. Galfont brought out a bottle and cups, serving himself first before sitting at a table.
“Start your story at a point where it makes sense,” Jayden said.
“Ooh, that would be in my childhood, but I’m sure you’d prefer a later date than that.” Galfont drank deeply from his cup and refilled it. “After we last parted ways, I tried to go back to my old profession. I thought I’d be able to start right back up again as if nothing had happened.”
“Because that’s what people living here need, more despoiled graves,” Dana retorted.
“You need to stop feeding her raw meat,” Galfont told Jayden. “Anyway, it didn’t work. Taxes were so high and opportunities so few that people weren’t burying the dead with their jewelry. They were pawning it to buy food. The one time I got a solid lead on a silver ring, I found four other fellows trying to take it. I told them we could sell it and split the money, which I thought was a reasonable suggestion, when they all pulled out knives. By the time the fighting was over and bandages applied, we found there was no ring. Gravediggers had taken it before burying the body. There’s no honor anymore.”
Dana rolled her eyes. “There’s irony for you.”
Galfont scowled at her. “As I was saying, circumstances forced me to adopt a new career. In my wanderings I came across storehouses filled with goodies. Anything a man could want and more, just sitting there. I asked around and found this was meant for the army. Now me, I’m a pacifist. I never carry weapons even when I’m on a job.”
“You’re robbing the storehouses,” Jayden said.
“Robbing isn’t quite the right word,” Galfont told him. “I’ve come up with a better way. I steal from people who want to be robbed.”
“I must have done something to deserve this,” Dana moaned. “What was it?”
“I’m serious!” Galfont protested. “Storehouses with really nice things like arrows and spears, those get heavy guards. Storehouses with little things people need, boots, rations, lamps, sometimes they don’t get guards. Not enough men to go around, I’m told.”
“You’re told by who?” Jayden asked.
Galfont sipped his drink. “Clerks man those storehouses, keeping records on what comes and goes, cleaning up and so on. Those clerks are present whether there are guards or not. I figured out who these clerks were, chatted them up, spread some wealth and said, ‘Hey, you, let’s fake a robbery and split the money.’, which went over very well.”
Jayden perked up. “How does this work?”
“I figured there’s no market for armor, weapons or saddles around here. Boots, clothes, I leave those behind, too. If a fellow buys boots I stole from the army, there’s a good chance soldiers will see him and wonder where he got them. I told the clerks to tell me when they have things that can be used up. Food, cooking oil, candles, people need them, but they won’t keep them around for long. They eat it, burn it, use it and it’s gone, no evidence to get them in trouble. The demand is constant, so my customers always buy more.
“The clerks send word to me when they’ve got goods I want and there are no guards, and I show up late at night to load up my wagon. If there’s a lot I’ll come back a second time. The clerk tells the authorities about these mysterious black robed riders who robbed them. I rough the place up a bit, bash open the doors with a hammer and give the poor man a few bruises so it looks like he tried to fight back and lost, not his fault.”
Dana glared at Galfont. “I thought you were a pacifist.”
“It’s better than the clerk being suspected and hung! I sell the goods in cities like Trenton Town and give the clerk his share of the cash once the heat dies down. I’ve done it five times.”
“Astounding,” Jayden said. “This plan is so stupid it actually works. The biggest flaw is sooner or later the king and queen will post guards at all their storehouses, or set a trap at a storehouse loaded with goods you traditionally steal.”
“The thought had occurred,” Galfont said drily. “I’m already seeing more storehouses with permanent guard details. I think I’ll have to change professions again. I was planning on leaving for a less warlike home, but all the borders are closed. What’s a fellow to do?”
Jayden set his drink aside and smiled at Galfont. “You should get rich with one last robbery, with me as both partner and customer.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of this,” Galfont said.
“I’m sure I don’t,” Dana added.
“Contact the clerks looking after the storehouses,” Jayden told him. “I need a list of places with the kind of goods you don’t bother with. Weapons, armor, wagons and more. Come nightfall you will lead me to them, I shall destroy them and pay you well.”
Galfont stared at Jayden. “How well?”
“Two hundred gold coins if you lead me to at least three full storehouses, with payment made only after I’ve destroyed all three.”
Dana’s jaw dropped. “Do we have that much?”
“We do. And Galfont, as a bonus, you can take whatever you want before I burn the rest. Do we have a deal?”
Galfont refilled his cup and drank it in one long gulp. “Welcome aboard, partner!”
*********
“Are they gone yet?” Dana asked.
Jayden glanced out the barn’s only window. “If anything, there are even more soldiers than before.”
The barn had seemed a good place to spend the night. Dry, clean, empty after its animals had been confiscated to feed the army, it had been the perfect home for a wanted criminal and his, sidekick? Partner? Dana wasn’t sure exactly how she was supposed to describe herself after following Jayden for over a year. Maybe follower worked, but that made it sound like he was her master, and that really didn’t describe their relationship.
Morning found their campsite a prison when they woke to hundreds of soldiers marching down the road. The men stopped by the farm to refill their canteens at a well. The farmer watched them, more bored than scared, as he had nothing left they could take. Soldiers marched down the road, only to be replaced by still more soldiers.
“Where are they going?” Dana asked. The barn was far enough from the road that the soldiers wouldn’t hear her unless she shouted.
“Zentrix,” Jayden said. He still wore heavy winter clothes over his black and silver uniform, and was busy studying one of the spell tablets she’d found for him. “I fear Lootmore and his people are going to face the worst of the king and queen’s fury this summer.”
“Do you think they’re ready for it?”
“No. They will fight competently and courageously, and they will fall in spite of their valor. They lack the manpower to match the forces against them.”
He set the granite spell tablet aside and got up to stretch his arms. “For that to happen there has to be a battle, and I aim to prevent it. There is an old saying that amateurs study tactics and professionals study logistics. Food, medicine, draft animals, tents, warm clothes, these are essential to an army’s survival just as much as armor and weapons. Too many commanders ignore the essentials of life, assuming they can seize what they need from conquered territory.”
Jayden turned to her and waved in the direction of the soldiers. “If they run out of food weeks before the fighting starts, if they don’t have horses and oxen to pull their wagons, if medicine for common illnesses all armies face doesn’t arrive, they fail before the first sword is drawn. That’s one of the reasons we’ve come here.”
Curious, she asked, “What’s the other reason?”
“In the past, you’ve pointed out that I would have an easier time defeating the plans of the king and queen if I had more help. I can’t deny the point, especially after all you’ve done for me, but finding men willing and able to assist me is no easy task. Few would take on an army, even snapping at one’s heels as we are, and fewer still for the paltry rewards that have come our way.”
Dana put her hands on her hips. “Paltry? We’ve both got magic swords.”
Jayden chuckled. “You have no idea how much fighting men charge. Even the magic and riches we have secured would not be enough to interest most capable warriors, nor keep them long if they did come. Thanks to Clevner, I have a lead on men either bold or desperate enough to work with us.”
“Clevner wasn’t exactly the trustworthy type. He might have recommended someone as dirty as he is.”
“You make a fair point, for the men we seek could easily be enemies. Clevner spoke of a group called the Midnight Riders. Details on them are sketchy, but tales tell of a large body of horsemen dressed in black who attack army storehouses, seizing fortunes in goods before disappearing into the night. They say nothing as they load their packs and saddlebags with food, oil, candles and other goods. They only attack unguarded targets and inflict only minor injuries on the men watching the storehouses.”
“It sounds like Lootmore’s doing,” Dana said. Then she frowned. “Wait, he doesn’t have that many men, and the last time we saw him he was stealing armor. Food and candles aren’t important enough for him.”
“I thought the same thing myself. Still, they’re not your run of the mill thieves or bandits, either, or else they would rob less risky targets such as farmhouses. I believe they are either foreign agents or revolutionaries. I wish to meet them and judge the quality of their character. If they are worthy men, there is the possibility of an alliance. If they are villains and rogues, I need to stop them before they hurt people I actually like.”
Jayden looked out the window and scowled. “We aren’t far from the last reported attack by the Midnight Riders, but with so many soldiers outside we might as well be on the moon. Even looking at them disgusts me. So many following orders with unthinking obedience, attacking a nation we’ve never been at war with and have no reason to fight. I wonder what excuses they use to justify bringing horror and suffering to a neighboring land.”
Jayden’s expression changed from disgust to curiosity, and he waved for Dana to join him at the window. “Our mission is more dire than I’d feared. Look.”
Dana came over and peered out the window to see armored men carrying bright banners coming up the road. There were only a few dozen of them, but soldiers pointed and stared, some even calling out to their officers.
“I’ve never seen soldiers or mercenaries like them before,” Dana said.
“They’re neither one nor the other. Cimmox the necromancer claimed the king and queen had cast a wide net for allies, gathering up the despicable and vulgar from other lands. I see he told the truth. Those banners proclaim these men to be gladiators from Battle Island. Gladiators kill daily for pay, and they are skilled and brutal in equal measure.”
“At least there aren’t many of them.”
“That handful is worth five times their number in ordinary soldiers. If they get their hands on magic weapons and armor, they’d be worth ten times as many. Pray the king and queen are too distrustful or stingy to properly arm them.”
Army officers met the gladiators and showed them which road to take. The gladiators showed little obedience and no respect in return, but they marched on with the rest of the army. Jayden and Dana watched for three hours until the soldiers were gone.
“We must assume the rest of Cimmox’s claims were not idle boasting,” Jayden told her. “That makes every hour wasted a serious loss. We must find the Midnight Riders before they are killed or leave for safer hunting grounds.”
Dana and Jayden left the barn and kept to backways and cow paths far from any major road. This slowed them down since such routes were rarely straight and never properly maintained, but they were safe from discovery by soldiers and mercenaries. They traveled through pastures and forests, rarely seeing people.
Two days traveling brought them to a small city not far from the border with Zentrix. From a distance the city looked peaceful enough, its buildings in good repair and the citizens well dresses and healthy. A river ran along the south side of the city and had considerable boat traffic. Dana spotted soldiers, but not nearly as many as she’d expected.
“Welcome to Trenton Town, so named for its founder, Erving Trenton,” Jayden declared.
Dana saw people enter and leave the city unchallenged. “Where are all the guards?”
“They were likely absorbed into the army when it passed through,” Jayden replied. “Only a minimal force was left behind to maintain order. I am sorely tempted to work mischief here, but finding the Midnight Riders takes precedence.”
“How do we find these guys when the authorities can’t?” Dana asked. “I don’t think your magic detection spell is going to help, because it sounds like they don’t use magic.”
“Given their success rate they might, but it’s more likely they’re simply careful planners. Finding them won’t be easy. My intensions are to question the locals. Buying a few rounds of drinks does wonders to improve men’s moods. If I’m right, someone in this city knows who the Midnight Riders are and where to find them.”
Dana gave him a disbelieving look. “You’re a wanted criminal. Who’s going to drink with you?”
“I’ve found a shocking number of people are happy to do so. The king and queen have gone to considerable lengths to upset their subjects in most provinces and cities. High taxes, confiscating goods and conscripting citizens into the army doesn’t make friends. We just have to be careful about which bars to patronize.”
“You have contacts who either like you or are terrified of you in some of the places we visit,” Dana pointed out. “Is there anyone here who could help us?”
“Not this time. I was here years ago and made friends with a family of blacksmiths. I helped them escape the kingdom when the king and queen ordered them brought to Armorston and put to work producing weapons. With their departure there is no one here I know and trust.”
Unlike some cities they’d visited, Trenton Town lacked a city wall, and they were able to enter the outskirts of the city without drawing much attention. Jayden still wore his winter cloak over his black and silver clothes, including a hood over his messy hair. This meant the few people to pay them any attention gave at most a passing glance.
“Getting kind of warm for clothes that thick,” an older man said to Jayden.
“If you have summer weight clothes to spare or money to buy them, I would be most appreciative,” Jayden replied.
The old man chuckled. “I have no surplus of clothes or coins, and no hope of that changing. Sympathy is all I can share with you. Stranger, a word of warning.”
Jayden stopped. “Yes?”
The old man nodded at Dana. “Take your girl out to the countryside and leave her there. We’ve had soldiers, mercenaries and now gladiators coming through the city like a parade. Most are louts, and some no different than monsters. I wouldn’t want to see what happens if they saw a young lady.”
“Your warning is much appreciated. My niece and I won’t stay longer than we must.”
Once they were far enough away to avoid being overheard, Dana said, “If that’s how they’re acting in a city, heaven help girls living on farms they pass through. Jayden, if these men are as bad as he says, they’re going to drive honest men to rebel.”
“They might, but mercenaries and gladiators would make short work of farmers and shopkeepers.”
“I thought the mercenaries revolted and ran off.” Dana and Jayden had helped mercenaries from Skitherin Kingdom learn that girls from their homeland were being sold in Meadowland Kingdom. The knowledge had enraged them to the point of rebelling against their employers and fleeing with the freed slaves.
“Mercenaries from Skitherin Kingdom rebelled, removing thousands of men from the king and queen’s armies, but I doubt the royal couple hired men only from that blighted kingdom. Men hired from other lands would have no reason to be upset by Skitherin women and children being sold as slaves. They might even buy some.”
The city streets were slowly coming to life as more people left their homes. Normally this happened at dawn, but it was nearly noon. Had they stayed indoors to avoid the armed men who’d recently traveled through their city? That fit with the older man’s warning. Men gave them suspicious glances when they saw both Dana and Jayden carried swords.
“Who are you with?” a woman demanded.
“No one save ourselves,” Jayden answered.
“Then why are you armed?”
Dana said, “We’ve been traveling between cities. Not all the roads are safe.”
The woman relaxed. “I can believe that. Just, keep those blades out of sight. They make folks nervous.”
Finding a bar was easy. The city was lousy with them, small places that were only now hanging up signs with tankards painted on them. Jayden went in one with a few tables already crowded with customers, and the bartender said, “Outsiders pay upfront.”
“Fair enough,” he replied, and placed a copper coin on a table. He chatted with the bartender and customers while Dana kept watch at the door.
“Your girl is being mighty skittish,” the bartender noted.
Jayden sipped his drink. “You’ll have to forgive her concern, but one of your fellow citizens gave her a fright. He said she would be in danger if mercenaries saw her.”
A man near Jayden downed his drink in one gulp. “He was right, and she’s right to listen to him. Used to be a fellow was safe if he didn’t do anything stupid, like walk the streets at night. Then it got so a guy needed friends and neighbors to back him up in broad daylight when bullyboys in uniforms swaggered about. Now a man’s not safe even if he’s got a sword and twenty men behind him.”
“Here we go again,” another man grumbled.
“Don’t you give me that!” the first man yelled. “You saw what happened to the food stalls yesterday. Every one of them was emptied out with nothing to show for it but IOUs. Have any of you ever seen one of those slips of paper honored? I’ve got four of them, and I’ll fly before I get the gold they promise!”
“We’re all hurting,” the second man replied. “The rest of us don’t keep talking about it.”
“Easy for you to say,” the first man retorted. “Nobody robs quarriers. All you have is rocks.”
“I’ve got IOUs for the pay I was supposed to get,” retorted the quarrier. “I’ve been living off my savings since last year.”
“Gentlemen,” Jayden began, “we all suffer. I was hoping one of you might know where I could purchase supplies such as cooking oil. I know many who could use it.”
“There’s barely enough to go around here, and less every day,” the first man told him.
Dana kept her eyes on the street. “I’ve heard lots gets stolen at night.”
“Not from us it doesn’t,” the barkeeper replied. “Thieves take from those who have.”
The conversation went on for a while as men repeated tales of woe. Jayden visited three more bars and made inquires on where he could get common goods, or what should be common, and who could provide them. Each time the answer was the same. Few men had anything, and those who did were rapidly running out. He bought drinks for men whose clothing was threadbare and money pouches were empty, earning a little goodwill, but the answers stayed the same.
Jayden and Dana stopped that evening and got a small but filling meal from a man pushing a cart loaded with food. Most of the stores or stalls were empty. The few selling goods were either mobile like the food seller’s cart or easily concealed like the neighborhood bars that could take down any proof of their profession in a matter of minutes.
“These people look like they’ve got experience hiding their stuff,” Dana said after they’d left the cart.
“The soldiers and mercenaries we saw heading toward Zentrix were likely not the first. I imagine earlier groups failed to pay for what they took. This could make our search harder. If the Midnight Riders are nearby, these people have no reason to betray them and every reason to hide them.”
“What for? They don’t benefit if government storehouses get robbed. They might even get in trouble. Hungry soldiers could clean them out if they can’t get food from the army.”
Jayden studied the emptying streets. “You might be surprised how much support the Midnight Riders get. The goods they steal are low value. If they want to turn those goods into coins, residents of Trenton Town would be only too happy to pay for them.”
Dana’s attention was drawn to shouting by the river. She saw a large barge bump into smaller ones, as if its crew could barely control it. Men on other barges shouted insults and obscenities as the larger barge muscled its way through. “That barge is low in the water, and there’s a tarp over it. What could it be carrying that’s so heavy it could sink a boat that big?”
“I see Cimmox was being honest in all his threats. Do you see the symbols carved onto the side of the barge? GW, Golem Works. It’s a dwarf corporation that specializes in producing golems.”
Dana’s heart sank. “They brought a replacement for Wall Wolf?”
“Wall Wolf was so large it would have sunk that barge outright if someone was foolish enough to load so heavy a cargo. More likely they’re bringing a stone golem. They are smaller and lighter than Wall Wolf, if only slightly, and nearly as dangerous.”
The Golem Works barge moored itself to a dock in the city, and armed dwarfs took up guard positions around it. Any man who came too close was told to leave, and threatened with spears if they argued with the stocky dwarfs. Clearly, they weren’t going to risk losing their property.
“I imagine the stone golem will join the army heading for Zentrix,” Jayden said.
“You could burn the barge,” Dana suggested.
“Appealing, but no. My fireball spell would do little to no damage to the golem. At best I would cost them the barge, a replaceable commodity.”
Dana whistled. “Soldiers, mercenaries, gladiators, a golem, they’re not taking chances.”
“The king and queen seek to win with overwhelming force and then move on to their next target. This war could be over and Zentrix made a province in Meadowland Kingdom before autumn. We’re going to have to find or manufacture a miracle to prevent that from happening.”
“We need a place to spend the night.” The sun was going down, producing a gorgeous sunset that Dana would normally love to watch, but darkness was coming. One of the men at the bar said it wasn’t safe to travel at night. Did that mean there were thieves? Monsters? Ghosts?
“I saw an inn earlier in the day.” Jayden led the way through the city as shadows stretched across the streets. Dana kept a close eye on their surroundings, worried that they’d run into an ambush. She saw people hurry into their houses, followed by loud clunks as they barred their doors.
Strangely, some people opened their doors as night fell. Men hung temporary signs from their doorframes and set out tables. Goods offered included drinks, games of chance and meats Dana couldn’t identify. Were these people eating monsters?
“This is new and discouraging,” Jayden said as they walked by a stall selling huge feathers.
A woman at the stall shrugged. “A girl’s got to eat. Selling griffin feathers never hurt anyone besides the griffin.”
“My needs are more basic. Food, drink, oil and the like for myself and those I care for.”
The woman laughed. “You might find someone offering those, but you better be less squeamish about it than you are with me. Nothing for sale at night came here honestly.”
Jayden was questioning the woman when Dana heard squeaky wood wheels. She turned and saw wagons rolling into the city as if it was broad daylight. Men climbed down from the wagons and did brisk business with furtive citizens. “Who are they?”
The woman at the stall looked over and rolled her eyes. “Competition. They only come to Trenton Town when they’re sure they aren’t going to get their cargo commandeered by the army, the nobles, mercenaries or whatever flavor of official thieves are in the neighborhood.”
Shocked, Dana asked, “Your mayor allows this?”
“As if he could stop armed men from taking everything they lay their hands on,” the woman said with a smirk. “He sends his staff to buy from smugglers the same as the rest of us. See those old ladies with wheelbarrows? They’re on his payroll.”
Dana watched men sell food, livestock, cloth, firewood and construction timbers. At first, she couldn’t figure out why these people felt the need to come at night. These were legitimate goods and couldn’t all be stolen. That meant they were scared of being robbed. The army must have done a lot of looting to generate this much fear.
Then she saw him, a man she knew too well selling armfuls of candles to eager customers. “Problem.”
Jayden looked over from the woman selling griffin feathers. “What is it?”
Dana pointed in the rapidly dying light. “Look.”
“Who are you pointing at?” Jayden squinted and then raised an eyebrow. “It can’t be.”
“What’s this about?” the woman asked.
Jayden slapped a gold coin on her table. “For your time and honesty. Come on, Dana. Let’s go meet our friend.”
Dana’s fear vanished, replaced with a near murderous loathing. She kept her sword sheathed but gripped the hilt tightly. Jayden had a hand on his own sword as they jogged after their target. A few disreputable looking men saw them and hurried out of their way.
They reached the collection of wagons as the last of them sold off their goods. Business had been brisk, but it also appeared that none of them had brought much cargo to avoid losing too much if they’d been caught. The men were climbing back into their wagons, some of them already leaving town, when Jayden burst into a run and leapt onto a wagon.
“Hey, what’s going on?” one of the men demanded.
“Tell them we’re friends, or I tell them the truth,” Jayden whispered.
Jeremy Galfont the graverobber kept his eyes on Jayden. “It’s all right, lads. Him and me know each other.”
Jayden was close enough to spit on the man, which Dana would have done in his place. “Yes, we go back quite some time, don’t we? Almost a year.”
“Rather surprised you recognized me,” Galfont said. There was a big difference in his appearance since Dana had last seen the man. Back then he’d barely escaped horrifying monsters released from the Valivaxis, a magic gateway to the tombs of ancient elf emperors. He’d been dressed in rags, his hair long and ragged, and there had been shackles on his wrists.
Life must have been good to the graverobber (no doubt at someone else’s expense), for his clothes were finely tailored leather and his hair neatly trimmed. He drove a wagon showing no sign of wear, and the horses pulling it were young and strong. Dana didn’t consider herself a vengeful person, but seeing this repulsive man so prosperous made her blood boil.
“I believe we parted on good terms last time we met,” Galfont said.
“Indeed we did,” Jayden replied. “The passage of time has clearly been good to you.”
“That’s a tale best told in private.” Galfont’s eyes drifted to bystanders watching them.
Jayden helped Dana onto the wagon. “By all means. We’ll be glad to join you.”
Much to Dana’s surprise, Galfont didn’t panic. He drove his wagon to a small house not far from the city.
“It’s not much, but it meets my needs,” Galfont said as he tied up his horses outside the house.
“This is an interesting change for you,” Jayden replied. “Graverobber to smuggler? Thief?”
“It’s a bit more complicated than that.”
Dana jumped off the wagon and held up a lone candle. “I’m pretty sure you didn’t find this in someone’s grave. Who did you take it from?”
“I don’t rob graves anymore,” Galfont protested. “I thought you’d approve that I’ve taken up a new line of work. You were certainly mad enough about my last one.”
Dana jabbed him in the chest with the candle. “You mean was I mad that you snuck into cemeteries, dug up dead bodies, looted them and pawned the jewelry those people were buried with? Leaving their families brokenhearted, and their friends and neighbors terrified that the same thing could happen to their parents and grandparents? Yes, I’m furious!”
Galfont stared at her for a moment before asking Jayden, “So, did you find that Vali-whatever it was?”
“Found, sealed, disposed of. Galfont, you were useful to me once, and there’s a chance you could be useful again.”
“I’d really rather not.”
“That statement implies you have a choice in the matter. I’m looking for some exceedingly dangerous men who have been known to operate in this area. They use the name Midnight Riders.”
“It rings a bell,” Galfont admitted.
Jayden waved his hand at the darkened city behind them. “The good people of Trenton Town knew little to nothing about them. I think that’s because they are good people, not likely to associate with men who’d break into army storehouses. You, on the other hand, are not exactly good.”
Galfont said nothing. Jayden continue speaking.
“We saw you selling goods those people needed badly, so I am moderately grateful, except I wonder where you could have gotten your cargo. I think you stole what you were selling. The Midnight Riders also steal goods in this region. I imagine you’d rather not have competition, or have to deal with the armed response the king and queen are certain to send to deal with their depredations. You should be only too happy to tell me everything you know about them, in return for a generous reward if the information is accurate, and a terrible punishment if it’s not.”
Galfont looked down. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Jayden leaned in close. “Try me.”
Galfont took a deep breath and said, “I’m the Midnight Riders.”
Dana dropped the candle she was holding. “Wait, what?”
“I am the Midnight Riders. There isn’t a bunch of men stealing. It’s just me.”
Jayden stared at him. “I’ve had several drinks today. I believe I need more.”
“That I can help you with,” Galfont said. He opened the door to the small house and ushered them in. The building’s interior was simple, with wood furniture and well stocked cabinets. Galfont brought out a bottle and cups, serving himself first before sitting at a table.
“Start your story at a point where it makes sense,” Jayden said.
“Ooh, that would be in my childhood, but I’m sure you’d prefer a later date than that.” Galfont drank deeply from his cup and refilled it. “After we last parted ways, I tried to go back to my old profession. I thought I’d be able to start right back up again as if nothing had happened.”
“Because that’s what people living here need, more despoiled graves,” Dana retorted.
“You need to stop feeding her raw meat,” Galfont told Jayden. “Anyway, it didn’t work. Taxes were so high and opportunities so few that people weren’t burying the dead with their jewelry. They were pawning it to buy food. The one time I got a solid lead on a silver ring, I found four other fellows trying to take it. I told them we could sell it and split the money, which I thought was a reasonable suggestion, when they all pulled out knives. By the time the fighting was over and bandages applied, we found there was no ring. Gravediggers had taken it before burying the body. There’s no honor anymore.”
Dana rolled her eyes. “There’s irony for you.”
Galfont scowled at her. “As I was saying, circumstances forced me to adopt a new career. In my wanderings I came across storehouses filled with goodies. Anything a man could want and more, just sitting there. I asked around and found this was meant for the army. Now me, I’m a pacifist. I never carry weapons even when I’m on a job.”
“You’re robbing the storehouses,” Jayden said.
“Robbing isn’t quite the right word,” Galfont told him. “I’ve come up with a better way. I steal from people who want to be robbed.”
“I must have done something to deserve this,” Dana moaned. “What was it?”
“I’m serious!” Galfont protested. “Storehouses with really nice things like arrows and spears, those get heavy guards. Storehouses with little things people need, boots, rations, lamps, sometimes they don’t get guards. Not enough men to go around, I’m told.”
“You’re told by who?” Jayden asked.
Galfont sipped his drink. “Clerks man those storehouses, keeping records on what comes and goes, cleaning up and so on. Those clerks are present whether there are guards or not. I figured out who these clerks were, chatted them up, spread some wealth and said, ‘Hey, you, let’s fake a robbery and split the money.’, which went over very well.”
Jayden perked up. “How does this work?”
“I figured there’s no market for armor, weapons or saddles around here. Boots, clothes, I leave those behind, too. If a fellow buys boots I stole from the army, there’s a good chance soldiers will see him and wonder where he got them. I told the clerks to tell me when they have things that can be used up. Food, cooking oil, candles, people need them, but they won’t keep them around for long. They eat it, burn it, use it and it’s gone, no evidence to get them in trouble. The demand is constant, so my customers always buy more.
“The clerks send word to me when they’ve got goods I want and there are no guards, and I show up late at night to load up my wagon. If there’s a lot I’ll come back a second time. The clerk tells the authorities about these mysterious black robed riders who robbed them. I rough the place up a bit, bash open the doors with a hammer and give the poor man a few bruises so it looks like he tried to fight back and lost, not his fault.”
Dana glared at Galfont. “I thought you were a pacifist.”
“It’s better than the clerk being suspected and hung! I sell the goods in cities like Trenton Town and give the clerk his share of the cash once the heat dies down. I’ve done it five times.”
“Astounding,” Jayden said. “This plan is so stupid it actually works. The biggest flaw is sooner or later the king and queen will post guards at all their storehouses, or set a trap at a storehouse loaded with goods you traditionally steal.”
“The thought had occurred,” Galfont said drily. “I’m already seeing more storehouses with permanent guard details. I think I’ll have to change professions again. I was planning on leaving for a less warlike home, but all the borders are closed. What’s a fellow to do?”
Jayden set his drink aside and smiled at Galfont. “You should get rich with one last robbery, with me as both partner and customer.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of this,” Galfont said.
“I’m sure I don’t,” Dana added.
“Contact the clerks looking after the storehouses,” Jayden told him. “I need a list of places with the kind of goods you don’t bother with. Weapons, armor, wagons and more. Come nightfall you will lead me to them, I shall destroy them and pay you well.”
Galfont stared at Jayden. “How well?”
“Two hundred gold coins if you lead me to at least three full storehouses, with payment made only after I’ve destroyed all three.”
Dana’s jaw dropped. “Do we have that much?”
“We do. And Galfont, as a bonus, you can take whatever you want before I burn the rest. Do we have a deal?”
Galfont refilled his cup and drank it in one long gulp. “Welcome aboard, partner!”
January 15, 2020
Unhinged University
Few on the world of Other Place can master the art of magic, even though the world is known for spell casters. Partly this is because not all people have the necessary genius, and even fewer have the money to afford training. Of those with the prerequisite cash and intelligence, most are badly needed elsewhere doing important jobs, like being engineers, scholars, accountant, doctors and court officials. But for the few, the brilliant, the outrageously rich who aren’t otherwise too busy, magic is a possibility.
Aspiring wizards seek out masters to apprentice themselves to, but this leads to another problem. Most wizards have better things to do with their time than take on students. It doesn’t help that wizards can be highly selective about which student they’ll take even when the money is there. Masters might accept students only from specific races or nationalities. Some wizards are quite frankly evil and misuse/abuse potential students for reasons that start at petty and get worse from there.
This makes learning magic hard even for those special few. Most aspiring wizards give up, but for the truly determined and desperate, there’s Unhinged University.
Unhinged University
Unhinged University was founded by a small group of outlaw wizards. They weren’t evil, nor did their desire to rule the world for good reasons or bad ones. No, these wizards were swimming in debt, owing outrageous sums to lenders of questionable ethics, the kind that sends a man to the bottom of the ocean if he doesn’t pay. Powerful as they are, wizards can die, and bankers have the money to hire the best assassins to do the job. The wizards banded together for mutual protection and fled to an uninhabited wilderness. Here they built a few stone towers using powerful earth magic and settled down.
Their lives may have ended in obscurity and grinding poverty, except peasant farmers saw the towers and correctly guessed wizards were behind their sudden appearance. The farmers begged the wizards to kill monsters that were devastating their sheep herds, and they offered a small reward. None of the wizards wanted to help, but they needed the money and killed the monsters.
That fateful moment truly screwed them all. Word got out that a colony of wizards had appeared and was available for hire. Countless desperate and frightened people braved the wilderness to seek their aid, and a few youths arrived to ask for training. Then the wizards’ creditors came with assassins who specialized in killing wizards. It looked like the wizards were going to die, but their creditors saw a chance to get their money back. They agreed not to harm the wizards if they started making payments, using funds from helping people and training students to cover the bill. Facing imminent death from trained assassins, the wizards reluctantly agreed.
The university has stood for over two hundred years, so long that neighboring kingdoms have annexed territory right up to the university lawn. No kingdom has ever tried to annex the university itself, for the simple reason they don’t want to. Over the years, Unhinged University has burned down, blown up, vanished into thin air and even sunken into the ground. As long as no kingdom owns the land, and thus the university, their kings don’t get stuck with the bill. Each time Unhinged University has fallen, the university has been rebuilt under threat of the original creditors, still determined to get their money back. Reconstruction only adds to the debt the university began under and is still paying off.
Today Unhinged University has twenty wizards and a hundred apprentices. None of them are that impressive, but tenacity and overwhelming numbers often succeeds where skill and training fails. University staff produce and sell a large number of potions and single use magic items. The quality of these goods is questionable, but customers keep coming because cheap magic is better than no magic. University staff also copies and sells books and scrolls, usually assigning the work to apprentices. Typographical errors are said to be significant, and mistakes can be both glaring and potentially disastrous.
The university graduates dozens of wizards per year. Tuition is lower than most schools or independent wizards charge, and the education students receive is also lower. Graduates are on average less competent, worse trained and more morally questionable than traditionally trained wizards. These facts are widely known, yet it surprisingly doesn’t affect graduating students much. The demand for wizards, even bad ones, is so high that these subpar wizards are hired within weeks of leaving the university. Few of them ever grow to be mighty in their own right, and other wizards sneer at them, but most graduates get what they wanted.
Unlike many wizards, the staff at Unhinged University isn’t picky about who their buyers are, and they are equally willing to accept students from any race, gender, ethnicity or nationality. All are welcome provided they have enough money. This isn’t due to enlightened attitudes, but because the university can’t afford to turn down paying customers.
That last fact can be a problem. Plenty of questionable individuals have come to Unhinged University for training in magic or to buy minor magic items. University staff is equally willing to help these people as they are those with functioning moral compasses. This willingness to work with undesirable people, as well as the university’s history of being accidentally destroyed every few decades, earned it the name Unhinged University. Staff members have tried to change the name, but every time they come up with a new title no one uses it.
Despised and needed in equal measures, Unhinged University is open to all who can afford them. Villains and heroes both can find aid within its walls, often at the same time, for university staff neither favors no refuses any who come. Indeed, some research can only be conducted here, for the university is officially part of no kingdom, and thus is not beholden to laws either good or bad that prevent certain questionable experiments. In truth there are only two laws at Unhinged University: pay in cash, and all sales are final.
Aspiring wizards seek out masters to apprentice themselves to, but this leads to another problem. Most wizards have better things to do with their time than take on students. It doesn’t help that wizards can be highly selective about which student they’ll take even when the money is there. Masters might accept students only from specific races or nationalities. Some wizards are quite frankly evil and misuse/abuse potential students for reasons that start at petty and get worse from there.
This makes learning magic hard even for those special few. Most aspiring wizards give up, but for the truly determined and desperate, there’s Unhinged University.
Unhinged University
Unhinged University was founded by a small group of outlaw wizards. They weren’t evil, nor did their desire to rule the world for good reasons or bad ones. No, these wizards were swimming in debt, owing outrageous sums to lenders of questionable ethics, the kind that sends a man to the bottom of the ocean if he doesn’t pay. Powerful as they are, wizards can die, and bankers have the money to hire the best assassins to do the job. The wizards banded together for mutual protection and fled to an uninhabited wilderness. Here they built a few stone towers using powerful earth magic and settled down.
Their lives may have ended in obscurity and grinding poverty, except peasant farmers saw the towers and correctly guessed wizards were behind their sudden appearance. The farmers begged the wizards to kill monsters that were devastating their sheep herds, and they offered a small reward. None of the wizards wanted to help, but they needed the money and killed the monsters.
That fateful moment truly screwed them all. Word got out that a colony of wizards had appeared and was available for hire. Countless desperate and frightened people braved the wilderness to seek their aid, and a few youths arrived to ask for training. Then the wizards’ creditors came with assassins who specialized in killing wizards. It looked like the wizards were going to die, but their creditors saw a chance to get their money back. They agreed not to harm the wizards if they started making payments, using funds from helping people and training students to cover the bill. Facing imminent death from trained assassins, the wizards reluctantly agreed.
The university has stood for over two hundred years, so long that neighboring kingdoms have annexed territory right up to the university lawn. No kingdom has ever tried to annex the university itself, for the simple reason they don’t want to. Over the years, Unhinged University has burned down, blown up, vanished into thin air and even sunken into the ground. As long as no kingdom owns the land, and thus the university, their kings don’t get stuck with the bill. Each time Unhinged University has fallen, the university has been rebuilt under threat of the original creditors, still determined to get their money back. Reconstruction only adds to the debt the university began under and is still paying off.
Today Unhinged University has twenty wizards and a hundred apprentices. None of them are that impressive, but tenacity and overwhelming numbers often succeeds where skill and training fails. University staff produce and sell a large number of potions and single use magic items. The quality of these goods is questionable, but customers keep coming because cheap magic is better than no magic. University staff also copies and sells books and scrolls, usually assigning the work to apprentices. Typographical errors are said to be significant, and mistakes can be both glaring and potentially disastrous.
The university graduates dozens of wizards per year. Tuition is lower than most schools or independent wizards charge, and the education students receive is also lower. Graduates are on average less competent, worse trained and more morally questionable than traditionally trained wizards. These facts are widely known, yet it surprisingly doesn’t affect graduating students much. The demand for wizards, even bad ones, is so high that these subpar wizards are hired within weeks of leaving the university. Few of them ever grow to be mighty in their own right, and other wizards sneer at them, but most graduates get what they wanted.
Unlike many wizards, the staff at Unhinged University isn’t picky about who their buyers are, and they are equally willing to accept students from any race, gender, ethnicity or nationality. All are welcome provided they have enough money. This isn’t due to enlightened attitudes, but because the university can’t afford to turn down paying customers.
That last fact can be a problem. Plenty of questionable individuals have come to Unhinged University for training in magic or to buy minor magic items. University staff is equally willing to help these people as they are those with functioning moral compasses. This willingness to work with undesirable people, as well as the university’s history of being accidentally destroyed every few decades, earned it the name Unhinged University. Staff members have tried to change the name, but every time they come up with a new title no one uses it.
Despised and needed in equal measures, Unhinged University is open to all who can afford them. Villains and heroes both can find aid within its walls, often at the same time, for university staff neither favors no refuses any who come. Indeed, some research can only be conducted here, for the university is officially part of no kingdom, and thus is not beholden to laws either good or bad that prevent certain questionable experiments. In truth there are only two laws at Unhinged University: pay in cash, and all sales are final.
January 5, 2020
Interlude 1
I have written many stories with Dana and Jayden, without them ever meeting or even seeing the king and queen they oppose. I felt it would be helpful to have a series of short stories to introduce them.
* * * * *
The king and queen strolled down a castle hall escorted by eight soldiers. In most castles so many bodyguards would be excessive bordering on paranoid, but after five assassination attempts the king took no chances. Normally the king kept busy at such an early hour with the endless paperwork of his job, but today he and his queen had to be in the throne room after they were done with breakfast. The day promised to be busy, with four noblemen seeking an audience, an update from his army commanders by way of magic mirror, and representatives of the dwarf corporation Golem Works expected later in the day.
No couple could pose a bigger contrast. The king was a man in his early fifties, still strong and handsome to behold. His black hair showed hints of gray, and there were wrinkles at the corner of his eyes, but otherwise he looked younger than his years. His clothes were the finest furs and silks over magic chain armor, and he never traveled without three magic weapons.
His wife was his junior by twelve years and looked even younger than that. Her dress was the finest silk dyed golden yellow, her long hair expertly combed and styled, her jewelry the finest gold, and none of it was enough. Her face was etched in a permanent scowl, the look of the outraged who couldn’t strike at the source of their annoyance. It marred what should have been legendary beauty.
They turned a corner and passed the castle library. The king didn’t break his stride, but his eyes lingered on the door. He hadn’t entered the library in twenty years. When he needed a book, he had a servant bring it to him. The room reminded him of his long-departed son. There had been times when the boy would spend every waking hour there for weeks, learning of the ancient past, preparing for his tutor’s tests, or simple reading for the love of it. The king recalled having to send meals to the boy, and wondering if he should add a bed to the room. It was—
“You’re doing it again,” the queen said sourly.
The king didn’t look at her as he continued walking. “I am allowed to recall happier times.”
“Brooding over the past helps no one. Prince Mastram is dead and gone twenty years.”
“Twenty-one.”
The queen’s scowl deepened. “How long must you deify a boy unworthy of your attention even when he was alive, and totally beneath your attention now that he’s gone?”
The king was sorely tempted to grit his teeth, to return her scowl, anything to show his displeasure, but such a response would be the act of a lesser man. He’d had many conversations like this with his wife, to the point that it was almost expected, except she usually showed the good sense to entertain this foolishness when they were alone. He trusted his bodyguards, but even loyal men could talk after they’d had a difficult day or too much to drink. His wife should have the sense to understand that.
“I desire privacy,” he told them. His bodyguards fell back enough that they couldn’t hear the royal couple’s conversation but close enough to come in case of danger. He didn’t look at his wife when he said, “We are to have guests soon. Speak your piece now, for I won’t tolerate this in front of others.”
The queen took his arm. “This is madness. You want to be respected, yet anyone with working eyes can see you longing for a past both gone and dead. It’s time and energy wasted. How much longer must this farce continue?”
The king was a practical man who had mastered his emotions long ago. Loss and pain had seared away much of his feelings. That gave him the strength to not slap the queen. Instead he spoke words no less brutal.
“You knew how deeply I loved my first wife before we were wed. Only her death separated us. The marriage between you and I was political when it began and remains so today. Then as now, we need each other, nothing more. You have earned my respect, grudgingly, but nothing you have done has earned my love. I don’t expect that to change.”
He continued before she could reply. “Your family’s soldiers and fortune helped end the civil war, and I honored their demand to marry you. That was all our relationship was, a transaction. Any chance for it growing into something more meaningful ended long ago when your family made more demands, and more, and more beyond those. You spite me every chance you get and wonder why I am cold to you? You wonder why I fondly recall a wife who cared for me, her family making no demands?”
“They demanded nothing and offered nothing!” The queen took her hand away from him. “What chance did I ever have? Your true love keeps your heart, and in death can make no mistakes and have no flaws. I’ve spent half my life competing with a dead woman for a live man’s attention.”
“You are ever careful to omit your own many failings,” he noted. “How many have you destroyed when your temper flared? How many times did I have to rein in your vengeance? I’ve lost count of the court members, lesser nobles and even castle staff ruined for failing to avoid your ire. You wield your authority like an ogre swinging a club.”
“A queen is owed respect. You protest me defending my good name and position, but no one else will, present company included.”
“Lie to yourself if it pleases you, but not to me. I’ve seen the pleasure you take in inflicting punishment on others. You revel in their pain and humiliation. It is a flaw that makes more enemies with every passing year, forcing me to work harder to ensure obedience from my followers. I’d exclude you and your sharp tongue from more meetings, if only I could without your family protesting.”
The queen stopped walking and turned to face her husband. “If you have no care for me, have some for your children. You have sons still alive, both desperate to earn your favor, to prove themselves to you, yet you trust neither with high office or even let them attend court meetings. You haven’t even named one as crown prince! Bad enough I contend with the memories of a dead woman, must our sons compete against a boy you sent to his death?”
“An execution you and your family demanded as the price for their help in my hour of need. I did as I must, but never think I did so out of hatred for him or love for you. As for our offspring, one is a brute and the other a fool. I give them no positions of importance or trust them with secrets because they are incapable of handling either. Our sons have proven themselves Prince Mastram’s lesser at every opportunity. In Prince Mastram’s short life he did more that the pair of them have done in twice as long.”
“And were he alive today, Mastram—”
“Prince Mastram,” he corrected her. “I satisfied your clan’s bloody desires by denouncing him as illegitimate, but in the privacy between us I can call him my son and a prince.”
The queen rolled her eyes. “Prince Mastram lived in a world of books. He was small, weak, timid, hiding behind a scholar and a jester. He held to ideals no one could live by, much less rule by. That’s the son you lionize.”
The king nodded grudgingly. “He was a scholar at heart. In times of peace he would have ruled justly, but he lacked the courage and strength for war.”
“You started a war he’d never stomach.” The queen put her hands on her hips. “You’ve always prided yourself on being practical, doing what had to be done. Be practical now. You need an heir ready for your position when you die, or all you’ve done is for nothing. You have two sons, and given how cold our marriage has become there will never be another to pick from. One or the other, husband.”
The king allowed himself a slight smile. “Planning my funeral so soon?”
“No man is promised tomorrow,” she countered. “Death comes for all men, and only a fool doesn’t prepare for his own end.”
“Ture,” the king admitted. He’d long been taking powerful potions to slow his aging, and more to grant him resistance to exotic poisons used by assassins. That plus his skill in battle and loyal followers should put off the grave long enough to set the kingdom on a solid foundation, but life came with no guarantees.
What the queen never seemed to understand, or anyone else for that matter, was that the specter of death was what drove the king so hard. He had only so much time left, and so much to do to save a kingdom filled with enemies within and without. His lands were ever on the knife’s edge between prosperity and annihilation. Mercy, love, tolerance, those were the luxuries of the safe and secure. What were those ‘virtues’ compared to the lives of countless people? He did what he had to do for their survival as much as for his own.
The queen’s expression softened, and her tone was more compassionate than it had been in months. “Will our children never have your respect the way your dear prince did? Will you never give them your heart as a father should?”
“I give nothing. If they want my favor, have them earn it. On the training grounds, in their studies, in lesser court functions where I tolerate their presence, tell them to perform to expectations and I will reconsider my opinion of them. Make them prove we have not sired idiots. Whatever you do, don’t tell them their ascension to the throne is assured, for I will let a stranger not of my bloodline take my crown before I give it to one unworthy.”
The king continued to the throne room without giving his wife another glance. “We have delayed long enough. Come, my queen. Business demands our presence. You may deal with our sons after more important work is completed. For your sake I hope you succeed. The days ahead will be difficult enough without their continued buffoonery.”
* * * * *
The king and queen strolled down a castle hall escorted by eight soldiers. In most castles so many bodyguards would be excessive bordering on paranoid, but after five assassination attempts the king took no chances. Normally the king kept busy at such an early hour with the endless paperwork of his job, but today he and his queen had to be in the throne room after they were done with breakfast. The day promised to be busy, with four noblemen seeking an audience, an update from his army commanders by way of magic mirror, and representatives of the dwarf corporation Golem Works expected later in the day.
No couple could pose a bigger contrast. The king was a man in his early fifties, still strong and handsome to behold. His black hair showed hints of gray, and there were wrinkles at the corner of his eyes, but otherwise he looked younger than his years. His clothes were the finest furs and silks over magic chain armor, and he never traveled without three magic weapons.
His wife was his junior by twelve years and looked even younger than that. Her dress was the finest silk dyed golden yellow, her long hair expertly combed and styled, her jewelry the finest gold, and none of it was enough. Her face was etched in a permanent scowl, the look of the outraged who couldn’t strike at the source of their annoyance. It marred what should have been legendary beauty.
They turned a corner and passed the castle library. The king didn’t break his stride, but his eyes lingered on the door. He hadn’t entered the library in twenty years. When he needed a book, he had a servant bring it to him. The room reminded him of his long-departed son. There had been times when the boy would spend every waking hour there for weeks, learning of the ancient past, preparing for his tutor’s tests, or simple reading for the love of it. The king recalled having to send meals to the boy, and wondering if he should add a bed to the room. It was—
“You’re doing it again,” the queen said sourly.
The king didn’t look at her as he continued walking. “I am allowed to recall happier times.”
“Brooding over the past helps no one. Prince Mastram is dead and gone twenty years.”
“Twenty-one.”
The queen’s scowl deepened. “How long must you deify a boy unworthy of your attention even when he was alive, and totally beneath your attention now that he’s gone?”
The king was sorely tempted to grit his teeth, to return her scowl, anything to show his displeasure, but such a response would be the act of a lesser man. He’d had many conversations like this with his wife, to the point that it was almost expected, except she usually showed the good sense to entertain this foolishness when they were alone. He trusted his bodyguards, but even loyal men could talk after they’d had a difficult day or too much to drink. His wife should have the sense to understand that.
“I desire privacy,” he told them. His bodyguards fell back enough that they couldn’t hear the royal couple’s conversation but close enough to come in case of danger. He didn’t look at his wife when he said, “We are to have guests soon. Speak your piece now, for I won’t tolerate this in front of others.”
The queen took his arm. “This is madness. You want to be respected, yet anyone with working eyes can see you longing for a past both gone and dead. It’s time and energy wasted. How much longer must this farce continue?”
The king was a practical man who had mastered his emotions long ago. Loss and pain had seared away much of his feelings. That gave him the strength to not slap the queen. Instead he spoke words no less brutal.
“You knew how deeply I loved my first wife before we were wed. Only her death separated us. The marriage between you and I was political when it began and remains so today. Then as now, we need each other, nothing more. You have earned my respect, grudgingly, but nothing you have done has earned my love. I don’t expect that to change.”
He continued before she could reply. “Your family’s soldiers and fortune helped end the civil war, and I honored their demand to marry you. That was all our relationship was, a transaction. Any chance for it growing into something more meaningful ended long ago when your family made more demands, and more, and more beyond those. You spite me every chance you get and wonder why I am cold to you? You wonder why I fondly recall a wife who cared for me, her family making no demands?”
“They demanded nothing and offered nothing!” The queen took her hand away from him. “What chance did I ever have? Your true love keeps your heart, and in death can make no mistakes and have no flaws. I’ve spent half my life competing with a dead woman for a live man’s attention.”
“You are ever careful to omit your own many failings,” he noted. “How many have you destroyed when your temper flared? How many times did I have to rein in your vengeance? I’ve lost count of the court members, lesser nobles and even castle staff ruined for failing to avoid your ire. You wield your authority like an ogre swinging a club.”
“A queen is owed respect. You protest me defending my good name and position, but no one else will, present company included.”
“Lie to yourself if it pleases you, but not to me. I’ve seen the pleasure you take in inflicting punishment on others. You revel in their pain and humiliation. It is a flaw that makes more enemies with every passing year, forcing me to work harder to ensure obedience from my followers. I’d exclude you and your sharp tongue from more meetings, if only I could without your family protesting.”
The queen stopped walking and turned to face her husband. “If you have no care for me, have some for your children. You have sons still alive, both desperate to earn your favor, to prove themselves to you, yet you trust neither with high office or even let them attend court meetings. You haven’t even named one as crown prince! Bad enough I contend with the memories of a dead woman, must our sons compete against a boy you sent to his death?”
“An execution you and your family demanded as the price for their help in my hour of need. I did as I must, but never think I did so out of hatred for him or love for you. As for our offspring, one is a brute and the other a fool. I give them no positions of importance or trust them with secrets because they are incapable of handling either. Our sons have proven themselves Prince Mastram’s lesser at every opportunity. In Prince Mastram’s short life he did more that the pair of them have done in twice as long.”
“And were he alive today, Mastram—”
“Prince Mastram,” he corrected her. “I satisfied your clan’s bloody desires by denouncing him as illegitimate, but in the privacy between us I can call him my son and a prince.”
The queen rolled her eyes. “Prince Mastram lived in a world of books. He was small, weak, timid, hiding behind a scholar and a jester. He held to ideals no one could live by, much less rule by. That’s the son you lionize.”
The king nodded grudgingly. “He was a scholar at heart. In times of peace he would have ruled justly, but he lacked the courage and strength for war.”
“You started a war he’d never stomach.” The queen put her hands on her hips. “You’ve always prided yourself on being practical, doing what had to be done. Be practical now. You need an heir ready for your position when you die, or all you’ve done is for nothing. You have two sons, and given how cold our marriage has become there will never be another to pick from. One or the other, husband.”
The king allowed himself a slight smile. “Planning my funeral so soon?”
“No man is promised tomorrow,” she countered. “Death comes for all men, and only a fool doesn’t prepare for his own end.”
“Ture,” the king admitted. He’d long been taking powerful potions to slow his aging, and more to grant him resistance to exotic poisons used by assassins. That plus his skill in battle and loyal followers should put off the grave long enough to set the kingdom on a solid foundation, but life came with no guarantees.
What the queen never seemed to understand, or anyone else for that matter, was that the specter of death was what drove the king so hard. He had only so much time left, and so much to do to save a kingdom filled with enemies within and without. His lands were ever on the knife’s edge between prosperity and annihilation. Mercy, love, tolerance, those were the luxuries of the safe and secure. What were those ‘virtues’ compared to the lives of countless people? He did what he had to do for their survival as much as for his own.
The queen’s expression softened, and her tone was more compassionate than it had been in months. “Will our children never have your respect the way your dear prince did? Will you never give them your heart as a father should?”
“I give nothing. If they want my favor, have them earn it. On the training grounds, in their studies, in lesser court functions where I tolerate their presence, tell them to perform to expectations and I will reconsider my opinion of them. Make them prove we have not sired idiots. Whatever you do, don’t tell them their ascension to the throne is assured, for I will let a stranger not of my bloodline take my crown before I give it to one unworthy.”
The king continued to the throne room without giving his wife another glance. “We have delayed long enough. Come, my queen. Business demands our presence. You may deal with our sons after more important work is completed. For your sake I hope you succeed. The days ahead will be difficult enough without their continued buffoonery.”
