At the bottom he found a narrow opening, barely wide enough for him to pass. The breeze was coming from there.
His torch lay among dust, dirt, and naught else. Unlike the pit Reneeke had earlier investigated, during which he had found his sword, this pit was lacking in victims. Either it had yet to claim any, or they had been removed.
After retrieving his torch, he crossed the spike-covered floor to peer into the opening. A narrow passageway extended barely eight feet before turning sharply to the right.
Turning his attention to the rope tied about his waist, he gauged there to be roughly three feet of slack. “Can you lower down any more rope?” he hollered. “I need at least another ten feet.”
“Sorry, Jaik. I’m at the end as it is.”
Jaikus was beginning to contemplate removing the rope when Reneeke said, “Don’t you have a rope too? You could tie the two together. That should give you all the play you need.”
Good ole, Reneeke. He could always count on him to come up with a solution. “Yes, I do.”
“Once you tie them together, I’ll pull up the slack then let it out as needed.”
“Good idea.”
Quickly removing the rope from around his waist, he pulled his rope from out of his pack and secured an end to Reneeke’s. “It’s done. Pull it up.” While the rope began to be drawn to the passageway above, Jaikus secured the other end around his waist. He didn’t have long to wait before Reneeke had taken up all the slack.
Two quick tugs on the rope signaled that Reneeke was ready.
“Don’t let go!” He waited long enough to hear Reneeke’s “I won’t” before entering the passageway. From above, Reneeke played out the rope just enough to keep it semi-taut.
Jaikus felt truly alone for the first time as he entered that passageway. Even though Reneeke stood above with rope in hand to pull him out should the situation warrant, he felt isolated.
Perhaps it was the confined feeling the narrow passageway produced, or maybe the fact that he was in a dark, unknown place with no other human in sight that played upon his nerves. But whatever it was, he felt decidedly uncomfortable.
Upon reaching where the passageway crooked to the right, he saw something white lying along the floor just around the bend. It was a leg bone, one of two attached to a complete, human skeleton.
Both legs showed multiple breakages, as did the right arm. The left was stretched above the head, almost as if this person had crawled along and died in the process. Jaikus figured the long dead human to be one who had succumbed to the trap. Having survived the fall, the person had tried to make it out, only to die in the attempt.
Lying next to the skeleton was a sword whose metal had only begun to be ravaged by rust. Stepping upon it with his foot, Jaikus discovered the blade still retained its strength. He found that curious, as every other blade in this long forgotten city had been reduced to rust. This person, like himself, had to have come along at a later time. Interesting.
Aside from the sword, there were metal snaps from what used to be clothing, the material being no longer present. Also, intermixed with the pelvic bones were three small gems, a score of coins varying from copper to gold, and a silver ring. Jaikus gasped when he saw the ring and immediately picked it up.
“I wonder what you do?” he asked as he held it close. There was a single strip of a red metal running along the outer side which was the ring’s sole marking. He slipped the ring, gems, and coins into his pouch and thought about continuing down the passage to see what else there may be, when, for a fleeting moment, he caught sight of movement in the shadows ahead.
He froze. His sense of isolation increased tenfold. Sweat broke out on his forehead as he stood still and tried to pierce the darkness for another glimpse of what had moved. Could it have been his imagination? Deciding not to tempt fate any further, he began backing up.
“Yes,” he said quietly to himself, “I think it may be time to return to the surface.”
Backing away, he held his torch aloft as he kept constant vigil upon the darkness. There was no scent other than that of the earth being borne upon the breeze coming from farther down the passageway. So it couldn’t be an animal. Then he came up with the thought: whatever it was, it couldn’t be alive!
Visions of ghouls, specters, and other nefarious spirits generated an increase in his backward momentum. Imagination running wild, he turned and raced around the corner back toward the shaft.
“Rene!” he shouted. “Get me out of here!”
He tossed the torch in amongst the floor spikes, and then gripped the rope with both hands as Reneeke hauled him out.
Terror filled him as he slowly began to rise. Images of ghastly hands reaching for his dangling feet prompted him to shout, “Hurry!” From above he heard Reneeke holler back, “I’m going as fast as I can, Jaik,” as he continued his steady, upward ascent.
It was with great relief when he reached the top and Reneeke gripped him by his pack to haul him the rest of the way.
“What happened?” his friend asked, concern and worry etched upon his brow.
“I…I thought I saw something.”
“Something?”
Jaikus nodded. “In the darkness. Something moved!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Rene, I wouldn’t make up something like this.”
“All right, calm down.” Moving to the side of the shaft, he looked down to the torch burning far below. “I don’t see anything moving now.”
Coming to stand next to his friend, Jaikus gazed down to see for himself.
Seconds ticked by and nothing appeared. Jaikus was beginning to think it had been nothing more than an overactive imagination when they saw the torch move. It jerked back and forth, paused a moment, then slid across the floor to disappear into the narrow opening.
“…and me and Rene got out of there as fast as we could,” Jaikus concluded.
After returning to camp, they had spent the last hour regaling the others as to their adventure and what they had found. This last episode produced a guffaw from Seward.
“Probably a mole-rat,” he explained. “We’ve seen them a time or two while exploring the lower recesses of Sythal.”
“Would a mole-rat grab hold of a burning torch?” Jaikus asked. “None that I’ve ever heard of.”
“Hmmm, possibly,” Charka replied. “Though I agree with you that it is unlikely. But it is even more unlikely that you came across a member of the spirit world. If you had, it wouldn’t have been content to merely allow you to catch a glimpse of it. It would have come and introduced itself in unpleasant ways.”
“You got that right,” Seward agreed. “The dead hate the living and will seek to destroy those that still retain life whenever possible.”
Charka nodded. “Now, let’s see those coins and gems.”
Jaikus emptied the items onto the ground between them. All that was, but the ring. Not even Reneeke knew about it, and he intended to keep it that way. Reneeke would make him hand it over.
“Not bad,” Lady Kate said, “for your first solo adventure.” Glancing to Charka, she asked, “Don’t you think we can allow them to keep this?”
A frown creased their leader’s brow. “I suppose so. It isn’t worth that much anyway.”
Jaikus’ eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yes, lad. Go ahead and keep it.”
“All right!” Scooping up the coins and gems, he slipped them in his pouch, an act which caused Charka’s frown to deepen.
Jaikus caught the change in expression and glanced to the others who wore similar expressions of disapproval. “What?”
“Look, boy,” Seward began, “you didn’t find those all by your lonesome. Shouldn’t you share them with your friend?” His nod toward Reneeke left no doubt as to what he and the others thought.
“What? Of course I am going to share with Reneeke. I wouldn’t think of doing otherwise.”
“Jaik wouldn’t hold out on me,” Reneeke stated. “He
and I share everything, right Jaik? No secrets between us.”
“Uh, yeah. Right.” His hand unconsciously went into his pocket where he was keeping the silver ring. He almost pulled it out and announced that he had it. Almost. He simply could not take the chance of Charka demanding that he hand it over. So with feelings of guilt, he divvied up the coins and gems, giving the lion’s share to Reneeke.
After a brief session of going over in greater detail their time spent with the golden statues, and Charka making sure he understood enough about how they reached that area so he could find it on a subsequent venture, they turned in. Everyone was tired, especially Seward who had already nodded off.
Jaikus volunteered for the first watch, with Reneeke taking the second, and Charka finishing out the watch schedule at the end. Lady Kate and Seward would be allowed to get a full measure of rest in anticipation for the return journey in the morning.
While everyone settled into their bedrolls and drifted off to sleep, Jaikus pulled out his ring and almost slipped it onto his finger. Memories of the curse that befell Seward stopped him before completing the maneuver. He intended to find out what properties it held, for good or bad, before putting it on.
All in all, this had been a good Adventure, much better than even his wildest dreams could have come up with. And they had survived! Grinning, he slipped the ring back into his pocket and began pacing the perimeter. When it was time for Reneeke’s turn, he woke his friend and then turned in.
The first rays of morning crept across the land until finally falling upon five, sleeping forms. A sixth sat before the campfire watching a pot of stew as it grew warm for breakfast. Charka added a few more trail rations and half a flask of water so there would be enough for all once the others awoke.
Nearby, Master Hymal lay beneath a blanket, three full packs lying on the ground beside him. He had wandered into camp not long after Charka had taken over the watch and promptly went to sleep without a word.
From past trips to Sythal, Charka knew a little of what the bags contained, but not in any great detail. There were some things Hymal avoided speaking of, and the reagents he harvested was one.
His two Springers, after a rocky beginning, had turned out to be a boon. Having been responsible for the majority of treasure they would be returning with, he couldn’t see himself denying even the smaller one a chance to join the Guild. Of course, just because he put them forward for membership, it didn’t necessarily follow that their acceptance was assured. There were other considerations to be taken into account. Still, he would do what he could.
Not long after the stew bubbled and was ready to eat, the rest of the sleepers began to awaken. True to form, Hymal was the last to shake sleep’s grasp.
“Ready for the return trip, Master Hymal?”
The apothecary nodded. “Yes. I was most fortunate in the reagents I found.” Which is what he always said, never expounding on what he meant.
The two Springers joined them for stew. During which, Charka filled Hymal in on the highlights of the adventure, spending an extra long time detailing Seward’s brush with the cursed gems. “I have half a mind to bring a cleric along next time to see if we can’t lift the curse.”
Shrugging, the apothecary replied, “Up to you. Just so long as you deliver me here and bring me back in one piece.”
“Can we come?” Jaikus asked.
“Sorry, lad. I won’t have need of you.”
Jaikus was seriously disappointed. Despite his time as a Springer, he had rather enjoyed adventuring with Charka’s Troupe.
“I’m sure we can find something equally exciting to do,” Reneeke added. “Perhaps an adventure with less risk to life, limb…” then with a glance to Seward, added, “and health.”
“There are plenty out there, that’s for sure,” their leader agreed.
Once the meal was over and the pots cleaned for travel, they began their return through Sythal’s ruins. When they drew close to the fringe area, Charka had them pause and secure themselves with rope.
Jaikus hated this part. Passing through Sythal’s fringe was disorienting and frustrating. And the return trip proved to be just as bad as going in had been. He kept count, and by the time Charka announced that they had cleared the fringe area, Jaikus had been brought up short by the rope a total of nine times when the protective properties of the fringe caused him to wander off on a tangent. Reneeke claimed a solid baker’s dozen.
Three nights in the Swamp, and they would be back at Reakla. Jaikus couldn’t wait to return and have Charka fulfill his vow to see they became members of the Guild. But first, they had to make it out of the Swamp. And if the inbound trip had been any indication, they should have very little trouble.
Their first day back through the Swamp was stressful as trolls seemed to be in greater abundance than their inbound trip. Each time one was spotted, they remained still and quiet until the beast had wandered off. Jaikus endured stares promising retribution during each encounter, but he had learned his lesson and no longer sought to incur an attack.
The second day was less stressful as troll encounters fell off dramatically. There were but two sightings, one they were forced to fight as their scent had been detected. But since it was but a single beast, they readily dispatched it.
It was during the late afternoon of the third day, about an hour or so before they would have planned to make camp, when things got interesting.
Jaikus and Reneeke brought up the rear. Reneeke led the mules while Jaikus regaled him with yet another rehashing of their adventure in the bowels of Sythal.
“I tell you, Reneeke, we need to find a way back there somehow.” Ever since leaving the ancient city, Jaikus has been hot to return. “There’s no telling what we could find if we but had the time.”
“First of all, Jaik, you would have to discover a way to even find the place. I for one couldn’t even begin to retrace our steps. Secondly, a way must be found to bypass the misdirecting wards that seek to lead travelers astray. You figure out how to do those two things, and I’ll return with you.”
Jaikus rolled his eyes. “I’m not saying we are going to return next week, or even this year. But someday we will, Rene. Someday.”
Reneeke couldn’t help but crack a smile at his friend’s enthusiasm.
The others were some distance ahead. As the Troupe was beginning to leave behind the worst of the bogs, muck, and mire of the Swamp, things had grown lax. Jaikus and Reneeke had gradually fallen behind so they could talk without fear of being overheard by the others.
Currently, they were making their way along a fairly wide expanse of dry, level ground that ran alongside a small, stagnant pond. The mirror-glass smoothness of the water reflected the thinning forest of moss-covered trees. It was really quite a peaceful locale. At least it was, until a roar heralded the descent of a young mossback from out of a tree to land upon Master Hymal’s horse.
Razor-sharp teeth and curved, dagger-like claws raked into the horse’s flanks. Master Hymal was thrown free as his horse reared and bucked in an attempt to dislodge the beast. But, before anyone could react, the mossback had completely eviscerated the poor horse.
“No!” the apothecary cried as the severely injured horse managed to win its freedom only to bolt away with unbelievable speed. With entrails trailing along behind, Hymal’s horse didn’t get far before collapsing, but it did progress far enough for it to no longer be the focus of the mossback’s attention. With the horse having fled the attack, the mossback turned its attention upon the next closest victim: Master Hymal.
“Stay with the mules,” Reneeke shouted as soon as the horse bolted. He handed the mules’ reins to Jaikus. Then drawing his sword, he rushed forward to join the melee.
“Rene, no!” Jaikus cried, but it was too late. His friend was already on his way.
Lady Kate’s fire bolts impacted along the creature’s side in an attempt to draw its attention from the apothecary, but had little effect. The mossback’s hide was much too tough
and it simply ignored the attack. Snarling, it continued its forward charge.
“To me!” cried a much revitalized Seward. The last two days of travel had done much to return his strength to normal. Wielding sword and shield, he interposed his body between the apothecary and the charging beast. Seward struck the beast a resounding blow along the side of the head, but all his efforts did was elicit a swipe by one of its massive claws. Striking dead center on his shield, the blow knocked him back a step.
Master Hymal was in full flight; the mossback hot on his tail.
Before Reneeke could reach the battle, Charka pulled forth an oil bladder from his pack. “Kate!” he shouted, then threw, aiming so the bladder would land in front of the mossback.
His aim was true and the bladder fell between the mossback and its prey. Just prior to it striking the ground, Lady Kate cast a fireball which detonated with the bladder, igniting the oil mere feet before the mossback’s snout.
The sudden conflagration caused the beast to halt its forward charge, rear back, and then race off to the side.
Reneeke was now closing fast on the creature. He saw how it turned from the flames with fear maddened eyes. “You didn’t like that, did you?” he mumbled to himself.
“Get back, boy,” Seward shouted as he and Reneeke came abreast of each other.
The mossback had maneuvered around the burning area and was still closing on the apothecary.
“I can help.”
“You’ll just get yourself killed.”
Ignoring him, Reneeke sprinted ahead to leave Seward struggling to keep up.
“Charka!” Hymal screamed. “Do something!” Fleeing for his life, he darted around dead and dying trees. From not very far behind him, he could hear the mossback crashing through the underbrush in pursuit.
Lady Kate cast her Webs of Binding around the rear legs of the mossback, causing the creature to slow, but did not stop it. Its powerful hindquarters were strong enough to work against the potency of the webbing, enabling the creature to continue the attack.
“Hyah!” Reneeke shouted in an attempt to draw the creature’s attention from the apothecary. Seeing it slowed by the webbing, he raised his sword and quickly closed the distance.
“Reneeke!” Charka shouted as he rounded the other side of the conflagration. “Fall back!”
Ignoring his cries, the farm boy from Running Brook hollered at the top of his lungs. Having come within striking distance, he leapt forward to land a fell blow with his sword. Using both hands, he brought it down on an area a little up from where the tail merged with the back.
The creature screamed in pain as the blade parted its hide. To Reneeke’s disbelief, the blade sank in deeply, far deeper than he would have thought possible. Flesh and bone parted until the mossback’s hind legs collapsed when the blade severed the lower end of the spinal column. His sword was yanked from his grasp when the powerful forelegs twisted its body about so its head was now facing Reneeke.
It seemed for a moment as if the passage of time was suspended; Reneeke stood weaponless facing off against the mossback whose forelegs were readying to lurch forward. Then, time resumed with Seward’s appearance at Reneeke’s side.
“Get out of the way!” he cried, shoving Reneeke to the side with the front of his shield. In that moment, when his shield was busy knocking aside Reneeke, the mossback sprung.
Leaping forward with incredible speed, it slammed into Seward. The force of the impact knocked him back a foot, and together, he and the beast crashed to the ground. Claws raked across Seward’s armor. The creature’s first blow created furrows in the leather, the second peeled it off.
Seward tried to interpose his shield between his body and deadly claws, but they were too close for that to work. Then there was pain.
“Die!”
Coming up behind the creature, Charka leapt into the air with sword gripped in both hands. Bringing the weapon down with both hands, he impaled the creature through the opening Reneeke’s strike had created. Angling the blade so it would progress toward the chest cavity, he was rewarded by a piercing squeal. A shudder ran through the creature and its forward body convulsed.
Reneeke moved to grab Seward’s hand and pull him from beneath the creature while it was distracted. The sight almost made him retch. Blood was everywhere. When he pulled, Seward screamed in pain. Unwilling to stop as the creature’s thrashing posed a greater risk than what he may be doing, Reneeke pulled all the harder and slid him free.
“Gods,” he exclaimed when he saw how the front portion of his armor had been ripped asunder. Flayed skin was intermixed with the shredded leather, and he could even see the white of bone underneath.
“Kate!” In the heat of the moment, he neglected to add the honorific. He dragged Seward until the injured man was completely free of any danger posed by the death-throes of the mossback.
She appeared beside him. “Remove his armor. Quickly!”
While Reneeke worked to get the gory mess off the man, she upended her pack. Potion flasks, scrolls, and a sundry of other items spilled upon the ground. “Is he still alive?” she asked. A loud groan of pain answered her question.
She grabbed one scroll, and as soon as Reneeke removed the remains of Seward’s armor, she laid it across his chest and spoke the word of activation. Even before the scroll finished flaring and vanished, she had a second scroll in position. Once its power was activated too, she poured half a healing potion onto the wound, and the other into the unconscious man’s mouth.
By this time, the thrashing of the mossback had subsided. Charka, Master Hymal, and Jaikus had gathered around where she worked to keep Seward from expiring.
“Will he live?” Jaikus asked.
“I don’t know,” she replied. Then glancing to Charka she said, “He needs a priest. There is so much damage, I…I don’t know if he’ll be able to recover.”
Charka gauged what remained of the sunlight. “Still two hours until dark, and I figure another six to Reakla. Can we keep him alive that long?”
She nodded. “I think so.”
He turned to his two Springers. “Put him on a mule and let’s go.”
“Bind his chest, first,” Lady Kate said. “Or the ride will more than likely kill him.” She paused then turned and added, “It may anyway.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Reneeke replied.
Master Hymal came and laid a hand on Charka’s shoulder. “I hope your man lives.”
“So do I.” Seward looked none too good. Now unconscious, the pallor of his face was very pasty.
Reneeke had just set Jaikus to tearing one of their bedrolls into strips to be used in binding Seward’s chest when a curse from Master Hymal drew everyone’s attention.
Standing near the spot where his horse had collapsed after being disemboweled, the apothecary was swearing a blue streak. He turned toward Charka, face filled with rage. “My reagents! They’re gone!”
Not only were his reagents gone, but the entire horse to which they had been attached was gone as well. A bloody trail was evident. Starting from where the horse had collapsed, it then traveled all the way to the water’s edge. From there, it worked its way around the shoreline until disappearing into the trees farther down. Something dragged it away while they had been distracted by the rampaging mossback.
Turning to Charka, Master Hymal said, “I demand you retrieve them.”
“My man needs a priest or he’s going to die,” he replied. “We dare not spend the time to hunt for something that may never be found.”
“We have a contract!”
“Yes, to escort you safely to and from Sythal. We do not have one to chase after what looks to be an adult mossback, on the off chance it hasn’t dragged its dinner, carcass and all, to the bottom of some pond.” Scanning the area from where the horse had been dragged, he nodded. “From the tracks, I’d say it’s a rather large mossback. It would have to be considering it was able to drag away your horse.”
Reneeke listened to the e
xchange while binding Seward’s chest. Once he and Jaikus had the man up and secured to the back of a mule, he left Seward in the care of Lady Kate, then walked over to where the two men were standing toe to toe.
“Seward’s ready,” he announced.
Charka glanced to him and nodded. “My thanks, lad.”
“Are you going after my reagents?” Hymal asked.
“No.”
“Then I consider this a breach of contract.”
“Take it up with the Guild,” Charka replied. “I have a life to save.” Then turning his back on the apothecary, he stalked away.
“What does it mean when there is a breach of contract?” Reneeke asked Master Hymal.
“It means that he failed to live up to his side of our agreement.”
“But if your reagents were recovered, then there wouldn’t be a problem, right?”
The apothecary glanced to the young man before him. “True.”
“Rene, what are you thinking?” Jaikus asked, though he already knew the answer. Before he could stop his friend, Reneeke said, “Jaik and I will recover them for you.”
Charka paused in mid-stride and spun about. “Are you out of your mind? The two of you, against a fully grown mossback?”
Master Hymal ignored him. “Do you mean it?”
Reneeke nodded. “If it is possible, we shall recover your reagents.” Jaikus didn’t look thrilled at the prospect of going off into the Swamp on their own.
Stalking back, Charka rounded on Reneeke and demanded, “How do you expect to make it back? Can you even find your way to Reakla?”
Pointing off through the Swamp, Reneeke asked, “It’s that way, right?”
“Correct,” Master Hymal answered.
Charka scowled. “Boy, you’ve lost your senses.”
“I do not plan on engaging the mossback,” he explained. “Merely track it and recover Master Hymal’s packs from the carcass.”
Lady Kate came forward leading the two mules. Seward was slumped across the neck of one. “If we wish Seward to live, we best leave now.”
“Right you are.” Then to Master Hymal, Charka asked, “Do you plan to accompany us back to Reakla, or would you rather remain with our two, completely inexperienced and most likely soon-to-be-dead, Springers?”
To Reneeke, Master Hymal asked, “Can you recover my reagents?”
“Unless the carcass has been taken somewhere we can’t follow, then yes.”
“Like at the bottom of a bog or something,” Jaikus added, just on the off-chance they failed to retrieve the aforementioned packs.
“There are three packs that contain reagents,” the apothecary said. “Return with them and I’ll give you lads a bonus.”
“Bonus?” Jaikus queried. The prospect of trailing a mossback lost a great deal of its terror at the mention of a bonus.
“Indeed.” Then he turned to Charka. “I would be of little help to these lads. I shall return with you.”
“As you wish.” Then to his Springers he said, “You two be careful. It’s better to come back empty handed, than not come back at all.”
“Don’t worry about us. We won’t take any unnecessary chances,” Reneeke assured him.
Lady Kate opened her pack and handed him two flasks. “These are our last two healing potions. Take them.”
Reneeke hesitated. “Won’t Seward need them?”
She shook her head. “We still have three scrolls. That will be sufficient to see him to Reakla.”
Jaikus quickly snatched the flasks from her hand and slipped them into his pack. “Thank you.”
“If you make it back, stop by the Guild,” Charka said. “I’ll leave word where we can be located.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And good luck, boys. You two have more brass than any Springer I ever had.”
“Thank you,” Jaikus replied with a smile.
And with that, Charka took the reins of the second mule and turned to resume the trek back to Reakla.
Lady Kate gave them both a quick embrace. “May the gods be with you.”
“And with you, Lady.”
She smiled and nodded as she hurried to catch up with Charka and the apothecary. Setting a quick pace, they soon vanished into the trees.
Chapter 13