The transition from the Swamp into Sythal was rather abrupt. One moment they were trudging through a tree-filled, treacherous bog, and the next emerged onto dry land. The broken remains of what once had been a rather large edifice loomed before them. Its columns lay shattered, walls had long since collapsed leaving only a small upright section.
“We have arrived,” Charka announced. “You can untie yourselves.”
Jaikus looked in awe at the remains of the structure. Others could be seen farther back and to either side. None were intact; most were in similar states of ruination as the one before them.
“Fascinating,” Reneeke said. Once he had untied himself from the rope, he went forward to the building. “How old is this place?”
Coming up behind him, Hymal replied, “A thousand years, maybe more. I don’t think anyone knows for sure.”
“What do you know of it?”
“Not much more than what you have already learned,” was all the answer he was willing to give.
Coiling the rope they had used to keep from being separated, Charka said, “We don’t have time to stand around talking. We still have an hour or more to go.”
“Is that correct?” Jaikus asked Hymal.
The apothecary nodded. “Where I harvest the reagents is still some distance away.”
“I take it Sythal is large?” Reneeke asked.
“Larger than Reakla,” Seward replied. “Much larger.”
Hymal took the lead as they continued on. Skirting around the ruined edifice, he maintained a route that took them past many buildings that had fallen in disrepair. When they came to a stone dome rising ten feet out of the ground, Lady Kate pointed it out to the two Springers. “See, there? Most of Sythal lies beneath our feet.”
“Is there a way to reach the areas below?” Jaikus asked.
“Oh, yes,” she replied. “Everything above ground is but the tops of what is buried beneath. Sythal was a massive city in its day. You may not believe this, but once, we found a building that extended a hundred feet below the ground.”
“No way,” Reneeke replied. Glancing to one of the taller stone structures still partially intact, he tried to picture it extending to such a distance below. “No building could be built so high. Wouldn’t the weight of the stone cause it to collapse in on itself?”
“Apparently not,” said Lady Kate.
“Wow.” Jaikus was impressed. If the city extended that far beneath the surface, assuredly there must be treasures down there just waiting to be discovered. He longed to ask if they could take time to investigate, but after the debacle with the trolls, decided to keep his desires to himself. Jaikus would try to remain satisfied in the knowledge that they would have an opportunity to explore the ancient city once Hymal reached his destination.
The stone dome was but one of the architectural marvels encountered during their trek through Sythal. Tall spires, other domes equally as impressive, even the top of a pyramid rose from the depths. One spire appeared to be solid gold, but Seward threw water on the fire of Jaikus’ excitement by stating the substance was not gold, but instead composed of another material that quickly disintegrated if removed.
“I’ve never seen its like anywhere,” he explained. “It’s hard as iron, yet can be scraped off as easily as a man’s beard.”
“That doesn’t seem possible,” Reneeke argued. “If it was that hard, how could you scrape it off?”
Seward shrugged, then gestured over to the spire. “See for yourself.”
“We’re not stopping,” Charka announced.
Reneeke simply had to check it out, his innate curiosity could not be denied. So while the others continued on, he hurried over. Taking out his knife, he tapped the gold-looking plating with its butt and didn’t so much as make a dent in the material. Then, using the knife’s blade, he tried scraping the gold-like material off and it peeled away like butter.
“Jaik!” he hollered. “Come look at this.” But by the time Jaikus joined him, the part that had been scraped off had already disintegrated into dust.
“How could it do that?” his friend asked.
Reneeke shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Would you two stay with us?” Charka shouted. Having moved off, they were about to round the remains of another large building that still had two walls more-or-less intact.
The friends left the spire behind and hurried to rejoin the others.
For the rest of the journey, they encountered more of the same: a couple of the gold-like spires, one dome protruding from the ground covered in the gold material, and of course, a myriad of other buildings of various sizes, all in advance stages of ruination.
Upon reaching a wide expanse bordered on one side by the tops of three columns coming out of the ground, Charka brought their group to a halt. To either side of the columns, jagged remains of what may have once been walls gave the enclosed area a boxed-in feeling. Two fire-pits were in evidence, indicating this area had previously been used.
“We shall make camp here for the duration of our stay,” Charka told his two Springers.
“Lady Kate, you and Master Hymal set up camp while Seward and I take our young Springers out to secure the area.”
“I didn’t think there would be anything around here to worry about?” Jaikus queried.
Seward laughed. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
“Well, I just thought…”
“You thought wrong,” said Charka. “While it is true that Sythal’s boundary works to keep out all those who seek to enter, it isn’t foolproof. Once in a while, something gets through.”
“Just like us,” Seward added.
“Exactly,” Charka agreed. Then he pointed to the three columns and passed his hand to the left. “Seward and I will sweep this area while you two search to the right.” He eyed Jaikus. “This isn’t a treasure hunt. We will do that on the morrow, and when we do, we do it together.”
“Yes, sir,” Reneeke replied.
“Go out a hundred yards,” Charka instructed. “Look for fresh tracks, dung, and anything else which would indicate that we are not alone. Then return.”
“What if we find something?” Reneeke asked.
“Use your own judgment. But don’t be heroes. Come get us if you think you two can’t handle it.”
Seward chuckled. “And considering the way you two handle your swords, I’d say anything larger than a rabbit would warrant calling for help.”
Reneeke smiled as he knew good-natured kidding when he heard it. Jaikus on the other hand took it personally. “I think we could handle ourselves,” he grumbled.
“Come on, Jaik,” Reneeke said, slapping his friend on the back. “Our first solo mission.”
“Yeah. Yippee!” he said with voice dripping in sarcasm.
They made their sweep and found little to indicate the presence of impending danger. Mid-way through, they came across a ruined building in less a state of collapse than most.
One wall remained completely intact, two others were partially intact, and the fourth had disintegrated into rubble. Looming in the intact wall was the enticing maw of a doorway.
When Jaikus moved toward it, Reneeke said, “Charka said to wait until tomorrow.”
“Ah, come on, Rene,” his friend said. “Just one little peek. Who knows what could be in there?”
“Jaik, you are already on Charka’s bad side. Don’t make it worse.”
Pausing at the door, Jaikus glanced back to his friend. It was clear by the expression on his face that he very much wanted to go take a look inside that building. Fortunately, the desire to regain the good grace of Charka won out, and he backed away. Sighing, he left the doorway unexplored.
“We’ll have our time to poke around tomorrow,” Reneeke assured him. “And they will know where there is likely to be treasure worth our trouble.”
“That’s true,” Jaikus said. Then with a last, longing look at the doorway, he rejoined his friend and they completed their sweep of the area.
Neither group found any evidence of worrisome creatures lurking about.
After the evening meal was over and a cheery fire kept the darkness and cool night air at bay, Reneeke mentioned the doorway Jaikus had almost investigated. Lady Kate nodded.
“I know the one you are talking about,” she explained. “We’ve searched through there a couple of times. During the first, we found a few gems and a small, golden statue of a tree that fetched a few coins. Subsequent explorations failed to turn up anything else of value.”
“Most of the buildings nearby have been searched repeatedly,” Charka added. “There’s a group of them an hour away to the north that we have yet to tackle. We’ll see what they have to offer in the morning.”
“Master Hymal, will you require assistance in the gathering of your reagents?” Reneeke asked.
The apothecary shook his head. “No, but thank you for asking. As long as the area is safe, I will be fine by myself.”
Seward flashed him a mischievous grin then turned his attention to Reneeke. “He doesn’t want anyone to know where he gets them,” the fighter explained.
“Not true. It’s just that none of you would wish to forego hunting for treasure to come along with me gathering herbs and other essentials.”
“What kind do you harvest? I have yet to see anything that I would call out of the ordinary.”
Master Hymal smirked. “You just have to know where to look, boy.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Reneeke agreed.
“What sort of treasures do you typically find?” Jaikus asked, bringing the conversation back to his favorite topic: treasure hunting.
“Oh, the usual assortment one would expect to find in a place like this; scrolls, tomes, coins, gems, perhaps a weapon or two. Once we uncovered a room with seventy-seven ingots of gold. It took us three trips before we managed to haul the last one away.”
“Any magical items?” Reneeke asked. “Like a ring, wand, or crystal ball?”
“Rarely, but it does happen. As for crystal balls, I’ve never come across one. Those are just something bards put in their tales to spice up a more mundane world.”
“We did find a Torc of Might once,” Lady Kate offered. Then she jerked a thumb toward Seward, “But he dropped it in the Swamp.”
Seward made an annoyed sound and rolled his eyes. “Aren’t you ever going to let that go? It wasn’t my fault!”
“One would think, that with an item such as that, you would have found a better place to carry it than stuffed in your belt.”
Reneeke chuckled. “In your belt?”
“Hey, it was very secure there. Besides, I didn’t want it to get scuffed by the equipment in my pack.”
“In Seward’s defense,” Charka interjected, “he lost the Torc during a scuffle with a mossback. Its jaws had clamped onto his leg and was beginning to pull him beneath the surface. By the time we ‘persuaded’ the mossback to let go, and dragged Seward from the water, the Torc was gone.”
Seward lifted the leg of his trousers to reveal the mossback’s bite-mark that ran the length of his calf and even up onto his thigh. “They were so mad with me for losing the Torc, that all they gave me was just enough healing potion to save my life. The scar was left as a reminder.”
“Needless to say, items of such worth are carried in packs from now on.” Charka gave his man a stern gaze, then chuckled. “We live and learn.” His face turned grim as he added, “Or we die.”
“There is only one thing about this that I don’t understand,” Reneeke said.
“What’s that?” asked Seward.
“If the mossback dragged you into the water, why didn’t those little flesh eaters devour you?”
“I was fortunate in that, that particular stretch of water didn’t have any. Those little fishes aren’t in every pool within the Swamp.”
“How can you tell?” Jaikus wondered.
“The only sure way is to throw meat into the water and see if there is a reaction,” Lady Kate explained. “Alive, dead, cooked, it makes no difference to them.”
“That is correct,” Charka added. “They seem to leave trolls and mossbacks alone for some reason. Perhaps the taste of troll isn’t to their liking.”
Seward nodded. “And a mossback’s hide is far too tough for their little jaws to tackle. Although I did once see a mossback emerging from the water only to shake off a score of the little critters.”
Jaikus was excited over the prospect of treasure hunting. His error in judgment may have cost him his share, but that did little to dampen his enthusiasm for the hunt. Delving into hidden rooms, uncovering lost treasure, perhaps even accessing a secret treasure room filled with a king’s ransom, these scenarios and more played through his mind until Charka announced it was time to turn in.
Lying awake, listening to the fire crackle while Seward moved about the area during his turn at watch, Jaikus found it hard to fall asleep. He was simply too anxious for the morning to come, and the fun begin.
The sun’s first rays woke him to a cool and dew shrouded world. Sitting up, Jaikus looked to the others and found them still asleep. Lady Kate was up as the last watch had fallen to her. He made his way over to where she stood by the fire.
“Good morning,” he greeted her.
Turning, she gave him a smile. “And to you as well.”
Noticing their number was one less than the night before, he asked, “Where’s Master Hymal?”
“Gone. He will be back tomorrow morning.”
“Isn’t going off on his own a little…dangerous?”
She shook her head. “It’s his way. And besides, he is the patron. If he wants to go alone to collect his reagents, who are we to gainsay him?”
Jaikus noticed that the apothecary’s horse was missing as well. Turning back to Lady Kate, he asked, “When are we to get going?”
“Charka likes to sleep late in the morning after our arrival. It’s best not to speak too loudly or you may wake him.”
Nodding, Jaikus glanced to where their leader still lay asleep. “Do you think he would mind if I looked around some?”
“Not if you stay nearby. Should you come across any valuables, be sure to let him know. After all, you are working for him.”
“Of course,” he replied, though doing such was the last thing he wanted to do. But if it would aid him in regaining Charka’s good grace, and thus be put forward for Guild membership, he would do so.
Reneeke still slept and Jaikus was loathe to wake him since his friend had just come off his turn at watch. Pointing over to where he and Reneeke had found the building that remained mostly intact with the enticing, opened doorway, he said, “I’ll be over there.”
Lady Kate glanced in that direction then turned another smile his way. “Going to investigate the building you mentioned last night?”
“Yes. I thought I might poke about for a bit.”
“Very well. Just be careful.” As he was about to depart, she laid a hand on his arm. “I’ll send your friend after you once he awakens.”
Jaikus nodded and headed off toward the building.
Oh, man, this was going to be good. Rooting around in an ancient building had long been something he desired to do. Ever since his days spent on the wooden floorboards of The Creaking Tap (the sole tavern of his hometown, Running Brook) as a lad, listening to itinerant bards weave their tales of daring-do.
He stepped lively as he headed toward the building. The opened doorway gaped just as tantalizingly as the day before. Giddy with excitement, he hurried to the doorway where he paused a moment to peer within. Not seeing much of interest in the room on the other side, he entered and crossed to the opening in the far wall leading to the room beyond.
“Where’s Jaik?” Reneeke asked shortly after awakening. In the quiet of the morning, the sound of Seward preparing the morning meal provided a home-like air. Naught more than flour cakes and jerked beef, it was still better than the trail rations he and Jaikus had stashed away in their packs. H
e was beginning to wonder why Bella had given them so much.
“Off exploring the building you two came across yesterday,” Lady Kate replied. A glance to the position of the sun and she added, “He has been gone almost an hour.”
Charka sat up in his bedroll. “You might want to go get him, Reneeke. We’ll be eating shortly.”
“Sure thing,” he replied.
Getting up, he stretched then made his way through the ruins toward the building Jaikus had gone to explore. When he drew near, he hollered, “Jaik!” No answer came back as he reached the doorway. Stepping within the room, he hollered, “Jaik! Time to eat!”
Then from deeper within the building, he heard Jaikus reply, “Rene, you’ve got to come here and see this.” Entering the room, he walked across to the doorway on the other side of the room. “Charka wants you to return,” he said.
Reneeke found Jaikus standing before a mural depicting a great battle of some distant past. A walled keep was encircled by armored beasts of hellish vision. Siegecraft rained stones and fire over the walls to devastating affect upon the defenders. From the way the part of the keep’s wall was in mid-collapse, it was apparent the attackers were winning.
Jaikus cast a grin to his friend. “Pretty cool, huh?”
“Yes, it is. But that still doesn’t alter the fact that our leader wishes you to return. You are in enough trouble already without giving him more reason to dislike you.” Glancing around the barren room, Reneeke asked, “Did you find anything?”
Disappointment tinged his friend’s words when he replied. “Not yet.” Then he indicated an opening located on the far side of the room. “There is a whole series of rooms further down that way I explored until the light grew too dim. The only thing interesting I came across was this mural. There was a patch of darkness even further in that I thought might have been a stairway leading down. I would dearly love to go check it out.”
“Maybe tonight. But right now, I think it best for us to return.”
“You’re right, of course.”
The two friends left the room with the mural and headed back through the ruins to the Troupe’s campsite. Breakfast was ready. It wasn’t the most flavorful of meals, but it did fill one’s stomach.
“We’re going to leave most of the equipment and two of the mules,” Charka explained while they ate. “Travel light on the way there…”
“And heavy on the way back,” Seward finished.
“That’s the plan,” Charka agreed.
Seward glanced over to the two Springers with a grin. “Are you boys ready?”
“Ready for what?” Jaikus asked. Mouth full of flour cake, he turned a questioning stare to the man.
“To be Springers of course.”
Two faces gazed at him in confusion.
“Don’t you know what that means?” he asked.
“Of course they do,” Charka interjected. “They volunteered for the job, didn’t they?”
“Springer…is a…job title?” Reneeke asked.
“Yes. What did you think a Springer was?”
Reneeke glanced over to Jaikus. “We thought it meant someone new to the Guild. You know, like a new adventurer.”
Swallowing the flour cake, Jaikus nodded agreement.
Seward laughed. “Where did you hear that?”
Before they could answer, Charka stepped forward and held his hand up to just below his chin. “Was it from a boy about yea high?” When Jaikus nodded, he asked, “Dark hair, and probably hanging out with another five or six others just like him?”
“Yeah,” Reneeke answered. “That’s him. He mentioned you usually take along a couple of new adventurers such as Jaik and me.”
“Why, in the name of all the gods, would I want a pair of useless lads along on a trip through the Swamp?”
“He…uh,” clearing his throat, Jaikus grew a bit red in the face, “said that you were…uh, ‘pretty nice about such things’.”
“That’s right,” Reneeke nodded. “That you were ‘always one to help out the new guy.’”
Seward doubled over in laughter. “Oh, man. That’s funny!”
“Quiet,” Charka ordered his man.
“Yurki?” Lady Kate questioned.
Charka nodded. “Sounds like something he would do.” Turning to his two Springers, he explained. “Yurki is the leader of a pack of young’ens that hangs around the Guild. It seems he played a small joke on you boys.”
Jaikus looked at their Troupe leader with growing apprehension. “What…kind of joke?”
“You aren’t going to hold them to the contract are you?” Lady Kate asked. “They didn’t know.”
Charka nodded. “A contract is a contract. Besides which, if not for their volunteering, we would have contracted a thief for this venture.”
“What kind of joke?” Jaikus reiterated for a second time.
Seward smirked. “Springer is not the term for a new adventurer.”
From Lady Kate’s expression, Reneeke was certain it wouldn’t be good. “What does it mean?”
She sighed. “A Springer is someone that we at the Guild use in lieu of a thief.”
Jaikus was even more confused. “I don’t get what you’re saying.”
“Springers ‘spring the trap,’” Charka explained.
“You mean…?” Jaikus questioned with growing horror.
The Troupe leader nodded. “That’s right, lad. If we feel there is an element of danger, you and your friend go first. If there’s a chest to be opened, you open it.”
“But, we’ll be killed,” Reneeke objected.
“Most likely,” Seward agreed. “Only about one in three Springers makes it back alive.”
“We’re not going to die just so you can get rich!” Jaikus exclaimed.
Charka stepped right into his face. “I’m not going to lose out on recovering treasure just because you didn’t know what you were agreeing to. You are our Springers. You will be Springers! And if you fail to uphold your end of the contract that you so readily signed before we left Reakla, you can forget about accompanying us back through the Swamp. And you will never, ever, be admitted into the Guild!”
Chapter 7