Soldiers of Avarice

by Stephen L. Nowland

  “I don’t think so, dwarf,” their lead man replied doubtfully. “And we were just leaving. C’mon lads, let’s go get some more rum.”

  Without another word, all four of them hustled off into the crowd in search of somewhere else to be. Clavis sat himself down on an empty chair and grinned at the three companions. “Yer welcome,” he chuckled, and took a large swig of his drink.

  “They looked like they knew you from somewhere,” Aiden observed, breathing a sigh of relief. “Somewhere painful.”

  “I may have schooled them on the sweet science,” Clavis shrugged. “It’s hard to remember. Last night is still a bit of a blur to me.”

  “He didn’t look like he’d been beaten into unconsciousness last night,” Aiden remarked.

  “My friend, all his bruises are below the waist.” Clavis winked and sipped his mug of ale. Colt had the good grace to approach the table carrying two mugs of ale at that moment.

  “Are ye going to introduce me to yer mates, Aiden?” the dwarf inquired.

  “In a moment; I’m waiting for the final member of our group to arrive. No sense repeating myself if I don’t have to. Thanks for your intervention,” he said to Clavis. “I don’t think there’s much I could have said to those men that wouldn’t have ended up in a fight.”

  “Och, ye did fine, lad,” Clavis assured him. “But I’m pressed for time and didn’t want to waste it on yet another fight.”

  “Did I miss something?” Colt asked, setting a mug in front of Aiden.

  “Large men making insults,” Sayana replied blandly. Colt merely grunted in reply, apparently unsurprised by the news.

  Clavis leaned forward to speak directly to Aiden. “I have to ask ye; do ya have an answer for me yet?”

  “That’s what we’re here to discuss,” Aiden assured him, spying Nellise appearing out of the crowd in front of the table, carrying a sack over one shoulder. “Pull up a seat, Nel; I have a proposal to make.”

  “Thank you, Aiden, although I trust you aren’t about to suggest marriage,” she replied with a faint smile. Pacian quickly stood, acquired a chair from a nearby table, and held it, gentleman-like, for her to sit at.

  “A business proposal,” Aiden clarified, not in the mood for light banter. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Clavis MacAliese, adventurer and entrepreneur. Clavis, may I present Pacian Savidge, Nellise Sannemann, Sayana Arai, and ... Colt.”

  “It’s a pleasure to make yer acquaintance,” Clavis said, grinning at everyone. “I don’t know if Aiden here has told ya, but I’ve a proposition to put to ye that’ll be of benefit to us all, should we be successful.”

  “What kind of proposition?” Nellise asked, smiling at Pacian’s manners. Clavis spent some time detailing his plans to visit Ferrumgaard, and his desire to return ancient dwarven artifacts to their new homeland. When he was done, he leaned back in his chair and enjoyed the last of his ale, patiently waiting to hear what they all thought.

  Pacian was the first to speak. “Is there likely to be lost treasure in this place?”

  “Depends how deep ya want to go.” Clavis shrugged. “The upper floors have long been picked clean by casual visitors, but the lower levels, aye, the lower levels be the best place to scavenge. I won’t promise ya anything, lad, but ye never know what ye’ll find in the halls o’ Ferrumgaard.”

  “What is your interest in this, Aiden?” Nellise asked curiously. “Clavis has been quite forthcoming about his reasons, and though they are interesting, I don’t understand why that concerns you.”

  Aiden shifted uncomfortably, having known this was coming, but still not ready to tell them all about his motivations. The last time he’d told people about his bizarre recurring dreams, they dismissed it simply as lingering fears. But that was nothing compared to trying to bring up the original vision he had encountered. Stories of hollow metal warriors and a giant golden dragon were so outlandish, his audience could only burst out in laughter.

  Only Pacian had seen the glow coming from the sphere, but he was considered a renowned liar in town, and nobody believed him either. Aiden was mocked for making up some ridiculous reason why he’d fallen in a hole, and the experience had scarred him deeply. Although driven to find out the truth, he no longer told anyone the details about what he was searching for or why.

  “If there’s treasure to be found down there, we could use it to hire mercenaries to defend all of Bracksfordshire,” he explained, an explanation that wasn’t a complete lie. “We’re certainly not going to find help for them any other way.” Pacian eyed him shrewdly but kept his silence, knowing full well the real reason for going to this ruin, but he was clever enough to hold his tongue.

  “I suppose that makes sense,” Nellise remarked. “I can’t say I’m terribly interested in finding lost treasures, but I could always donate my share to the Church. Frankly, after the events of the last week, I was hoping for something more sedate, but I suppose in these troubled times, it’s hard to avoid the dangers that abound. Besides, what would you do without me?”

  “Die horribly,” Aiden remarked dryly.

  “I will go also,” Sayana quietly added. “I would like to see this great fallen city of which you speak, though I care little for any riches that lie within.”

  “You say that now,” Pacian scoffed, “but as soon as you lay your eyes on a diamond, you’ll suddenly find you’re really interested in riches.” Sayana gave him a confused look, which made Pacian laugh out loud.

  “Before you even ask me,” Colt interrupted, “I want to point out that place is cursed, and a lot of people who go in there don’t come out again. I think you’re all fools for even considering it, especially you,” he said, looking at Clavis.

  “I didna’ twist yer arms, lad,” he replied, chuckling. “If ya don’t want to come, ya don’t have to.”

  “Look, I can hardly let you lot go there by yourselves. I’m just warning you, is all,” Colt grunted. “But if the ghosts of ten thousand dead dwarves suck the life from our bones, you’ve only got yourselves to blame.”

  “Good, then it’s settled,” Pacian declared, taking a swig of his drink. Nellise stood up and placed a heavy sack on the table.

  “I had a long talk with the Archioness today,” she explained wearily. “I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it to say she said that by helping you, I’m serving the country and God, so I don’t have to go back to doing menial chores around the church.

  I hinted that we have been involved with some unpleasant episodes of late, including the business with the bandits over the road to Bracksford, but instead of chastising me for participating in violence, she actually applauded our courage. Part of me was hoping she would prevent me from joining you, I must confess, for this life you all seem so comfortable with does not sit so well with me.”

  “None of us asked for this, Nel,” Aiden reminded her. “I certainly don’t go around looking for people to fight, but I hope you realize how valuable your assistance has been to us. We are helping the kingdom, in our own small way, even if it is a little outside your field of expertise.”

  “It’s nice to hear my efforts have been appreciated,” Nellise replied with a warm smile. “I’ll continue working with you for now, especially since I’ve gained the support of the church.”

  “What’s in the sack?” Pacian asked curiously, poking it with one finger.

  “Medicines, tinctures, unguents and potions,” she explained, “courtesy of the Church of Aielund. Should we run into any difficulty — and our track record suggests we will — these will help keep us healthy, free of disease, and able to perform to our potential. I’ll take this upstairs, and then I have a few errands to run before we head out.”

  “There’s no rush,” Aiden said, ignoring the look he received from Clavis. “It’s too late to leave now anyway, so I was thinking we could start out early tomorrow morning.”

  “That’s all well,” Nellise replied, trying to squeeze past the back of Colt’s chair, “but if we’re
going to be heading into harm’s way, I want to acquire some better equipment first. Unless you can assure me we won’t be in peril?”

  “There may be peril,” Clavis admitted. “I can’t guarantee it will be peril-free.”

  “Straight from the horse’s mouth,” Nellise sighed, shaking her head.

  Chapter Nine

  The prospect of sitting around the table watching Colt drinking himself into oblivion wasn’t very appealing to Aiden, so he decided to accompany Nellise to the local smithy. He made sure Sayana knew she was welcome to join them, ostensibly to see more of the city, but also because he enjoyed her quiet, unassuming presence. She gratefully smiled and fell into step with them, reminding Aiden she hadn’t long been around the company of friends.

  A thin veil of fog drifted through the streets of Culdeny as the short winter’s day began to wane, and as they walked, Aiden brought Nellise up to speed on their investigation into the mysterious circumstances behind the earlier incursion under the church. The acolyte offered some interesting insights into the background of Ronald Bartlett.

  “Bartlett has been a fixture in Culdeny affairs for over a decade,” she informed them as they walked along the cobblestone streets. “I would characterize him as a man more invested in his own fortune than the prosperity of those around him. But to be somehow connected to an invasion of the town? I never would have guessed it.”

  “His public image could well be very different from his real character,” Aiden remarked. “You never know what someone is capable of, especially a man like Bartlett. In any case, the sergeant seemed like a pretty sharp woman, so I’m sure she can make a determination as to his involvement.”

  Once they arrived at the smithy, Nellise began talking to the proprietor about having some armor fitted, while Aiden spent a little money buying a larger single sword to replace his current small blade, then left the ladies to conduct their affairs as he headed back to the inn to put his feet up for the afternoon.

  The evening meal was pleasant enough at the Seaspray Inn, and for once, nobody bothered them at the table. The presence of Clavis and Colt probably had a lot to do with that, and the two seemed to be getting along pretty well.

  Aiden surmised the dwarf hadn’t mentioned how Colt had been knocked down the previous night, but then again, one never knew how the big ranger would react to such news. He might even respect the tough dwarf for taking him down a notch.

  In any case, the evening passed quietly, and one by one, Aiden and the others turned in for the night. Images of savage men in a forest attacking him plagued his dreams, but those scenes weren’t as disturbing as when he stabbed them back, feeling as real as the day he'd fought them.

  Aiden awoke in a cold sweat, uncertain of the time until he calmed down and noticed morning light streaming in through the window shutters. Apparently, well after sunrise. Aiden shook off the last vestiges of his unsettled sleep and climbed out of bed. Pacian was still asleep in the bed across the small room, so if they were late, at least they were both going to be late.

  His gear checked and ready for travel, Aiden threw his pillow at Pacian on his way out the door, drawing a satisfying groan from beneath the blankets right before he closed the door.

  “I’m sorry about being late,” Aiden apologized as he approached the group’s table in the common room downstairs. “I didn’t sleep too well, and I guess I — where’s Colt?”

  Sayana, sipping on some broth, glanced meaningfully to her right. Aiden followed her gaze and saw the big ranger once again sprawled on the floor with a bunch of other unkempt men, sporting many bruises. Aiden shook his head in astonishment as he joined his companions at the table.

  They talked quietly amongst themselves as Aiden ate a simple breakfast. Shortly after he’d finished eating, Pacian appeared, carrying all his gear and apparently ready to go.

  A light but steady rain had settled in over Culdeny as they left the inn. Nellise joined them, now clad in her new breastplate and gauntlets.

  “We gonna stand around yapping, or get moving already?” Colt growled from deep inside the cowl on his cloak.

  “Are you sure you’re up to it?” Aiden asked cautiously. “I wouldn’t want you to bump into any trees or sleeping deer on your way.”

  “I’ll walk it off,” he growled back, not amused.

  “I inquired about the possibility of hiring horses, but His Majesty acquired almost every single one as he passed through town,” Nellise remarked as she adjusted the straps on her armor. “The prices on those remaining are outrageous.”

  “Supply and demand,” Pacian agreed with a shrug, apparently unfazed by the amount of walking they were faced with. Without further discussion, the group followed the bruised and hungover ranger through the town towards the south gate.

  Aiden could see that Sergeant Ariel had stepped up security. Nevertheless, Aiden and the others managed to exit the city without too many questions regarding the weaponry they were carrying and why they were heading south.

  Their main concerns were Colt’s greatsword and Clavis’s elaborate, heavy crossbow, the likes of which Aiden had never seen before. Once they were through the gate and on their way south, he took a moment to ask about the deadly-looking weapon.

  “It’s a repeater,” Clavis explained, hefting the crossbow so Aiden could inspect it. “This case holds ten bolts, which drop into place when I work the mechanism with this lever. Ye can crank out a lot of bolts in a short span.”

  “By how much, exactly?”

  “Depends on how strong ya are,” he said with a wink. They walked along the road at the casual pace set by their hungover ranger. Every half an hour or so, they would stop for Colt to throw up in the bushes, slowing their progress even further.

  The weather remained cold and gray for the first half of the day, but after they turned off the main highway and started heading west, a light dusting of snow began to fall, bringing with it a strong, cold wind from the south. Aiden drew his longcoat around his body to ward off the chill, and lamented that their stay at the Seaspray Inn probably marked the last time he would feel truly warm until who knew when.

  After a brief stop for a cold lunch of bread and cheese, they continued on through the thickening forest until evening. The snow had formed a thin layer over the cold ground by then, but Clavis was easily able to find dry wood to light a fire.

  It wasn’t long before the five of them were sitting around the campfire, warming themselves against the cold. Nellise had had the presence of mind to stock up on supplies before they left town, so they didn’t have to hunt for food. Instead, she helped Clavis cook up a hearty pork stew and toasted bread over the fire. They conversed idly while enjoying the hot meal, until Colt brought up an important topic.

  “We’re close to entering the Calespurs,” he grunted, eating slowly to make sure his stomach wasn’t about to violently reject the heavy meal. “We’ll just be skirting along the northern edge, but that’s as close as I want to get. The place is patrolled by rangers, and I don’t want to run into any.”

  “I was hoping to find out what got you kicked out,” Pacian said with an insincere smile.

  “None of your bloody business,” Colt growled back. “We’ll be past the forest in a day or two, and then we’re into the mountains, and then we’ll see what we see.

  “I’m turning in, but I’ll take the last watch, ’cause I can’t keep my eyes open anymore. I’m sure you can figure out the rest yourselves; wake me when it’s my turn.” Without anything further, Colt put down his bowl and lay on his bedroll, pulling a thick blanket over his head.

  “I’ll go first,” Sayana said quietly, as Clavis set up his bedroll close to the fire. “I’m not very tired.”

  “Fair enough,” Nellise said. “Perhaps I should take second watch, then?”

  Aiden shook his head. “You do so much for us already, Nel. I’ll take the second shift; you get some rest.”

  Nellise smiled in appreciation, then threw another chunk of wood on the f
ire in preparation for the cold night ahead.

  A few hours later, Aiden was wrapped in a thick blanket and lying atop his bedroll, still awake. A cold breeze blew through the forest around them, creating a gentle sound that should have helped him rest, and yet sleep still eluded him. Worried about dreaming again about the battle with the bandits, Aiden decided to take over the camp watch early.

  Huddling within his longcoat, Aiden looked around for signs of Sayana, whose location was not immediately apparent. Although the light snowfall earlier that evening had ceased a while ago, the ground underfoot still crunched as Aiden walked.

  A spark of light in the gloom ahead caught his eye. Curious yet cautious, Aiden moved away from the camp to find out what it was.

  He moved through the trees until he was close enough to make out what appeared to be a picture composed of light, hanging in the air. A glowing fingertip moved up and down the curious image, filling in colors on what appeared to be trees and hillsides. The dim light emitted by the vision illuminated Sayana, sitting with her back to a pine tree.

  It wasn’t a detailed picture like the ones he’d seen in Mayor Buchanan’s office, depicting people and places with remarkable beauty. This was more like something a child would create with colored chalks — primitive trees, large blocks of green for the land, and odd-looking buildings with triangle roofs.

  “I didn’t know you were so creative,” Aiden whispered as he moved in for a closer look, startling the wild girl. “I’d feel better about this if you were actually paying attention to the forest, since you’re the one on watch.”

  “I’m sorry; my mind wandered,” she apologized. She cast a hand across the image hovering in the air before her, causing it to vanish. They were plunged into darkness for a moment, until a tiny candle of flame appeared above Sayana’s upturned palm. “I was only doing that for a few minutes, I swear.”