“Great, so we can have a chat with them?”
The shrewd baker raised a hand to stop Vexx. “That’s taking time away from work for my two best employees, you know! They love kneading dough and hate stopping. Well, unless it’s to smoke farrenweed, but they would feel terrible if…”
He trailed off as a couple coppers hit the table in front of him.
“They’d still feel a bit bad, you know, they love their work so much that—”
A few more coppers pinged onto the table. After a long moment, Vexx sighed and placed a fifth down firmly.
“I can work with that. I take my employees’ well being seriously, you know,” the gnome said, scooping up the coins with a wide grin. “Maug! Linda!” he shouted, banging on the solid door behind him. He nodded back at the others. “They’ll be right out. Don’t keep them more than a few minutes, alright? I’ve got loaves that need kneading. Speaking of which, can I interest you in anything?”
“I’ll pick up some supplies, Vexx,” Kaylin said, glancing over at Shyola. “Just for the two of us, though.”
The succubus scoffed. “Suit yourself. I’ll stick to meat. Fresh, wriggling, screaming meat.”
The door slammed open before Kaylin could respond, and everyone looked up at the new arrival. Or arrivals. A two-headed ogre stood before them, one head brushing the ceiling, a woman’s face with intricately braided purple hair looking down at them.
“Yes, boss?” she asked. The other head lolled to the side, a male face daubed with red and white warpaint looked back at them. “Yeth bawth?” it asked, slurring its words.
“Maug, Linda, these fine people have some questions for you. It seems there was a bit of a whoopsie-daisy at the reliquary across the street and the fine folks of the church lost a few items. These dungeoneers would like to know if you noticed anything. You’d have been working here at the time.”
“Ohhh…” Linda said, the arm nearest to her face stroking her chin as if she was lost in thought. “That would make sense. I did see a group leaving the reliquary in the middle of the night.”
“Wath relkwary?” Maug asked, blinking, the other arm scratching at his patchy head in confusion.
“I think I’ll just talk with Linda, thank you very much Maug,” Vexx said politely to the towering two-headed ogre. “How many of them would you say there were? And what direction were they headed in?”
The ogre instantly pointed both left and right. The two heads swivelled to look at each other and a heated series of whispers ensued. Finally, the male head nodded, his face flushed with his slight embarrassment, and he pointed in the same direction as the left arm. Linda nodded in satisfaction, her massive curls of purple hair teetering precariously in the air.
“Oh, six or so, which I did think was unusual,” she said. “And they were hauling things out of the reliquary. When they reached the intersection, they hurried straight down Tower Road. Ah, so that would that be…”
“Noth.”
“Oh yes, thanks Maug. Yes, they definitely headed North. They didn’t seem to turn on any other streets, though truth be told, I wasn’t watching too closely.”
“Yaugh, we wath thmokin’,” Maug grunted out. Linda nodded beside him, and the two-headed ogre clapped its hands together, sending a small burst of powder into the air.
“Alright, best get back to it,” the gnome said after a moment, once it was clear Vexx had no further questions. “Those bagels won’t curl themselves.”
“Oh! One thing!” The massive ogre paused, Maug looking back. “Gobs.”
Vexx blinked. “What?”
“Gob’ns.”
After a moment, the ogre turned again, Linda craning her head over. “He means they were goblins, and now that I think about it, Maug is right. You people all look little to me, but they were littler than most. Like the boss here,” Linda added, pointing down to the gnome.
He sniffed. “I look nothing like a goblin. Back to it, you two.”
The floor rocked as Maug and Linda pushed open the interior door behind them, and the three dungeoneers made their way outside, the bell on the entrance ringing as the door closed behind them.
“Five coppers,” Shyola muttered as they came to a stop just outside. “We can’t go spending money like that, Master. I could have simply possessed that ogre and dragged out our answers that way.”
“Which one?” Vexx asked.
Shy frowned. “I’m not exactly sure how that would have worked.”
“Anyway, five copper coins is nothing. Do you remember the reward? 100 gold coins. We could be rich after this!”
Shyola nodded slowly. “I’ve been trapped in a book for centuries and most unearthly realms don’t make much use of non-soul-based currency. 100 gold coins is…good?”
Vexx’s jaw fell open. “Is it…good? Is…is 100 gold coins…” he looked over to Kaylin helplessly. “I mean, you tell her Kaylin. That’s a lot!”
Kaylin’s expression looked even blanker than usual. “Yeah…I’m really not sure how much that’s worth. How much bread does that get you?”
Vexx sighed. “At least you two finally have something in common. Okay, look. We’ve been scraping by with coppers and the odd silver, but gold? Gold is on a whole ‘nother level. We could buy a mount for that much, if we really wanted to.”
“Mmm, that does sound good,” Shyola said to herself.
Vexx shook his head in frustration. “Look, just leave the business of money to me. The church really wants their stuff back, and this reward proves that, if nothing else. I snatched the poster, but I’m sure word has gone around. There could be clerics and paladins poking around here before too long, or some high-level dungeoneers. But we’re the first ones here and we have a solid lead. Let’s track these thieving bastards down before we get competition.”
Shy nodded. “Got it. If paladins show up, I will drain their souls, Master. That isn’t negotiable, bond or not.”
“I can work with that,” Vexx muttered, then stuck his hand out between them. “Are you with me?”
Kaylin put her hand in. “I’m with you!”
Shy followed a moment later. “I don’t like how she’s touching you, Master,” she grumbled. “But I can work with the elf on this.”
“Good,” Vexx said, smiling as they released their hands. It feels like we’re finally a team. Nothing can stand in our way!
“We could use the extra bread money,” Kaylin said dubiously, “but Vexx, I don’t think I want to eat a mount.”
He sighed. “That’s fine, Kaylin. Alright, let’s head down Tower Road.”
55
Heading Down Tower Road
Kaylin slowed partway through the street and pointed to the left. “Hey, it’s that tavern! We usually see it from the other end, but there are some windows facing outward to Tower Road. Someone might have seen something.”
Vexx grimaced as he took in the barred windows. “I don’t know…I mean, we kind of killed his sheep,” he said, glancing over at Shyola.
“Oh, that’s him?” Shy chuckled. “I wonder if he’s noticed—”
Kaylin had already opened the door, calling out a cheery hello to the barkeep, and Vexx kept his sinking feelings to himself as he slunk in behind her. A few heads turned his way, skipping past him and locking onto Shyola, but the tavern was mostly empty. Vexx slowly trudged up to where Kaylin was trying to attract the attention of the stone-faced barkeep.
He looked over at Vexx and frowned. “You! You’ve got a lot of nerve coming back here. First of all, goblins are still stealing my sheep. Second, you and that dwarf broke one of my chairs with your stupid antics!”
“What? You can’t put that on us,” Vexx sputtered, trying not to look too guilty. “We killed the goblin you told us to, and anyway, it was the dwarf that broke the chair. You know how they get.”
Pollander scowled. “I will not tolerate racist comments in my establishment!”
“I’m just saying! We were all thinking it!” He nudged Kaylin, who lo
oked distinctly uncomfortable. “Right? Well, anyway, we can make things right.”
“Huh, how’s that?” the barkeep scoffed. “I’m not paying you again.”
“No, no, we’ll do this out of the goodness of our hearts,” Vexx lied. “We’ll trek up to the Lifeless Hills and hunt down the goblins who’ve been killing your sheep as a gesture of appreciation for you and what you’ve been through.”
“The goodness of your hearts, huh?” the barkeep asked, calm and slow, looking from Kaylin to Vexx to Shyola. Finally, he shrugged and expectedly dabbed at the corner of one eye. “It just feels good to…you know.” He paused. “Be appreciated. Alright!” he said in a hearty voice, unsuccessfully hiding his emotions. “If you really do mean that, I’ll throw in a round of ale when you come back successfully.”
“You got it,” Vexx said. “Will goblin ears do?”
“Hmm, normally yes, but…truth be told, I’m not entirely sure it was a goblin this time. The things they did to my poor sheep…you know, my neighbor down the way had strange circles put into his crops. He thinks there might be cultists up in those hills. Necromancers, probably. You can never trust a necromancer.”
“That’s true.”
The barkeep shook his head sadly. “It was a shame what happened to that poor sheep.”
“Sounds terrible,” Shyola added with a poorly concealed smirk. Vexx tapped her arm and shot her a glare before smiling at the barkeep.
“Oh, as it happens…you wouldn’t happen to have heard anything usual? I mean, goblins raiding this far into town or… strange sounds last night? I just want to be thorough about finding justice for your sheep.”
“Well, now that you mention it…” Pollander leaned over the counter. “Carl!” he shouted. In the corner, an orc slowly emerged, one eye blackened, his face downcast. A mace hung from his belt, but aside from his leather shorts, he didn’t appear to be wearing much.
“Can you…keep it…down. Hung…over.”
“Yeah, he’s a regular,” Pollander said to Vexx. “Now, Carl, can you tell the good people what you told me? About the commotion last night.”
“Oh yeah,” the orc said with a smile. “We were playing cards and this logger got into a fight with—”
“No, no, not that,” the barkeep interrupted. “I mean later, when I was closing up.”
“Oh yeah!” Carl burped, reeking like a half-opened casket of ale. “Hmm…s’cuse me. So anyway, I was rooting around for vegetable scraps in the alley, right, when all of a sudden, this band of thieves runs right down Tower Road! Plain as day, ‘cept it was late at night.”
“Really…did you happen to get a peek at them, Carl?”
“Eh…” he snorted, rubbing his tusk and protruding snout. “Might’ve. Buy me a drink?”
Vexx shrugged, spreading his arms wide, and looked over at the barkeep. With the mostly empty bar, the man seemed content to take it easy and watch.
“A drink for the gentleman here.”
“Hornswaggle whiskey!” Carl shouted. “Make it a double! Neat!”
The barkeep winced. “You don’t need to shout. I thought you were hungover,” he muttered, rummaging through his stores. “Oh, and that’ll be seven coppers.”
“Seven!?” Vexx sputtered.
“It’s imported from across the sea,” Pollander said, pouring a double measure. “I’m not charging you for that chair, kid. Count your blessings.”
Carl grinned as he was handed the drink. “Cheers!”
“Start talking,” Vexx said, the moment Carl set it down. “How many were there?”
The orc let out a big belch and fixed his gap-toothed smile on Vexx. “Sure thing, pal. Seven, maybe? Five at least.”
Vexx nodded. “Did they appear to be carrying anything?”
“Oh yeah, some big stuff! Shiny too, the moonlight kinda…flickered on them, you know? Oh…” Carl blinked. “That might’ve been gold. I think it was!”
“Settle down,” Vexx said. “What kind of species were they? Any other identifiable features?”
“They wore black. Like a uniform, almost. Ah…I suppose they weren’t too big. Coulda been, you know. Dwarves, gnomes, that sort of thing.”
“Goblins?” Vexx prompted.
Carl chuckled. “I mean, I guess? Goblins don’t come into town. They might raid the outskirts, but…” he shrugged.
“Got it,” Vexx said, already leaving. He exchanged glances with Shy and Kaylin. At least the witnesses are consistent. But what does it all mean?
“Oh…they went down Tower Road, you know,” Carl said, draining the last of his Hornswaggle whiskey. “Followed it uphill as far as I could see.”
Vexx nodded, already turning. Shy and Kaylin stayed silent as they weaved their way through the empty chairs and tables. A few moments later, they stepped outside the tavern and Vexx glanced over to the Lifeless Hills in the distance.
Are the church’s relics somewhere up there? I guess there’s only one way of finding out.
“We’ll have to pick up some potions,” Vexx said, already turning to the market. “I’m out—”
He stopped as Shyola grabbed his shoulder. “It’s too late for that,” she said in a low voice. “Look over there,” Shy whispered, and Vexx glanced over.
A boy was plastering glue against the poster board beside the tavern, a fresh poster in his hand, big bold text declaring a bounty posted by the church. The dungeoneers stayed rooted there as the boy slapped the poster, pressing firmly down on the edges, and stood back to admire his work.
A moment later, the boy took off, swinging the tools in hands and whistling as he went down the street. The instant he turned the corner, Vexx snuck forward and snatched the poster off the board. He shredded it a few times, then stuck the remnants of it into his robes.
“We have maybe a few hours, tops, before other dungeoneers begin moving in on our quest,” Vexx said. “A haul like this could be our ticket out of this sleepy little town. We’ve gotta get going, now!”
56
One Step Ahead
“Those are definitely goblin tracks,” Kaylin said, staring at the muddy prints leading up the slope from the northern end of Tower Road. “I’m sure of it.”
“How can you be sure?” Vexx asked. “I know your eyesight is good, but those tracks could have been made from anything.”
“It’s not just the tracks. Look there,” she said, pointing beside a bush.
Vexx leaned it close. Whatever it was, it didn’t smell too good.
“Goblin scat,” Kaylin announced. “And still fresh.”
Vexx wrinkled his nose. “You could have told me…”
“Yeah, I would sometimes come across scat like that in the woods outside my village,” Kaylin said, with more than a little pride in her voice. “That’s likely a half-day old. I’d stake my life on it.”
“Your life? Mmm, I hope you’re wrong,” Shyola cut in.
“Either way, let’s find out,” Vexx said, scanning the tracks as they rose up and away from Cloudbury. “That’s a pretty clear path up to the Lifeless Hills. Interesting that they worked their way into town and walked several blocks before looting a place with priceless artifacts.”
“What are you saying?” Shyola asked after a moment.
“I’m not saying anything,” Vexx said, but a suspicion had already taken hold of him. He thought about it for a few moments but decided to keep it to himself. Shyola would just propose draining the life from potential suspects, and it would take much too long to explain his theory to Kaylin. So he waved them onward and began marching up to the Lifeless Hills. “Let’s go!”
Vexx wiped beads of sweat from his forehead as he struggled to keep moving forward. This was rough country by any measure, especially in the sweltering heat during the day, though darkness came early in this land. For a moment, he stood on a rock outcrop to look out at the setting sun. Win or lose, they’d be camping out here tonight. He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that.
Shy push
ed through the yellowed grass below him, breathing heavily as well. It’s a bit relieving to see that even demons can tire. And this angle provides a great view of her…
Shyola glanced up, seeming to read his thoughts, and the succubus gave him a coy smile as she raised a hand up to him. “Give me a tug, Master. You know I’d give you a tug if you wanted it.”
Vexx reached down and hauled her up beside him. Her fingers trailed lightly over his arm and he tried his best to ignore her antics. She stepped away and glanced over to the next ridge. Below them, Kaylin staggered to the side as she struggled to heave herself over some loose stones and took a precarious step on a patch of grass and mountain flowers.
“Like the demon said,” Kaylin said, sticking her hand up towards Vexx. “Give me a tug, and I’ll give you a tug.”
Shy snorted behind them. “You know, I don’t like it quite as much when you say it, elf.”
“Why?” she asked in genuine curiosity. Shy didn’t bother replying.
Vexx licked his lips, already regretting their departure from Cloudbury. They’d left so hastily, they hadn’t even had the chance to refill their water flasks.
I have a little bit of health potion left. Would it be absurd if I used it to stay hydrated? Vexx thought about it a moment. Six goblins at least. No, I better save it for an emergency.
“Hey…I think I can make out a cave up here,” Kaylin said, breaking into his thoughts. She leaned to the side and brushed aside a few strands of hair that clung to her damp forehead. “Yes, that’s definitely a big cave. Want to scout it out?”
“A big one,” Shy said sarcastically. “Like the last half-dozen we’d checked?”
Vexx tried to ignore the constant bickering. It was true, though. So far, all the cave entrances they’d found had barely gone anywhere. The goblins must be hiding in a cave here somewhere, and it must be a huge one to keep all them, their supplies, and the loot from the church. But how did they know how and where to loot it? Something doesn’t seem right here…
A New Beginning: A Fantasy Adventure (The White Chronicles Book 1) Page 17