by Wilson Harp
“Are we ready to go?” asked Medrick impatiently.
“Where are you heading out to?” Croft inquired as he looked over the group that were sitting and standing in his common room without spending coin.
“Master Orias wants me to gather some luminescent lichen so I can study its properties,” Medrick said.
“That means it glows in the dark,” added Karl.
“Thanks,” said Croft dryly.
“I was asking around if there were any caves nearby that had any glowing lichen, and Lendin had seen some up at an abandoned mine in the foothills north of here,” Medrick continued.
“It’s the old silver mine that dried up decades ago, according to my uncle,” Lendin said.
“Right, right, I remember that old place. It’s way out there. Why were you poking around that far out?” Croft asked.
“Uncle Donal was taking me hunting up in that area. There are some shaggy goats out there, and he was showing me how to take them. He sometimes sells their horns to craftsmen in Gen,” Lendin said.
Croft knew Donal, but he hadn’t realized that he was related to Lendin. It would explain why Lendin was such a good hunter and woodsman, though. Donal could live in the woods indefinitely and in fact had been hired to make maps by adventurers at times.
“How do you know there is glowing lichen in there?” Croft pressed for an answer.
“A bad storm came up, and we were afraid of flash floods in that area. The way the gullies and hills fit together, you could have a wall of water hit you without warning in a good downpour. When it started, Uncle Donal said he knew a place where we could wait it out. He led me up a narrow climb, and we saw the entrance to the mine. After he scouted ahead, he came back and got me. He said it seemed clear at the time, but he wanted to stay near the entrance and leave as soon as the rains stopped. Once the sun went down, I looked down the tunnel and saw a faint blue glow. I pointed it out to him, and he led me about twenty paces in and had me look at the lichen growing on the rocks,” Lendin said.
“Do you remember where it is?” asked Croft.
Lendin shrugged. “It was only six years ago, and I never forget how to get somewhere I have been before.”
“When he told me the story, I immediately set about getting Val and Karl to help me and then hired Lendin to guide us,” Medrick added.
Croft picked up another candlestick and examined it. “Sounds like you have a good crew. Is there anything you men need in way of supplies?”
“I think we are set on food and water, but I wanted to know if you were going to want some more venison. I figure I’ll try to take another deer since I will be out that way,” Lendin said.
“Absolutely, Lendin. We are about out of the venison. I could also use some more coneys if you can get them fresh. I don’t need those butchered, just cleaned. I’ll give you a silver each for those and the same as I paid you for the last doe,” Croft said extending his hand.
“Done,” said Lendin shaking the innkeeper’s hand.
“If your business is concluded, perhaps we should leave.” Medrick was very excited to get going, and Croft understood that. He had traveled with enough wizards over the years to recognize that Orias had promised Medrick he would teach him a new spell if he completed his assignment.
Wizards were an odd lot. Some men could be driven by glory or fame, or even danger and excitement. Most men could be induced to do something stupid for gold or drink or women. Well, all men could be induced to do something stupid for women. But wizards were driven by spells. Knowledge was nice and prestige was grand, but offer a wizard the chance to learn a new magic spell and his eyes would light up like nothing else. Medrick’s eyes glowed that way now.
“Let’s go then,” Lendin said. “I’ll be back with some fresh meat soon.”
Croft finished with his fifth candlestick as the men left his inn. He looked at the other eleven waiting for him and sighed.
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The high road to the west was familiar to all of the men, but Medrick had never been into the Shadowmist Wood. Lendin had assured him that they would be able to camp where the hamlet of Long Branch once stood, and the next morning he would take them right to the mine. Val and Karl had spent enough time hunting in the area that they knew they would be able to find the ruins of Long Branch, and from there the trail took them straight to the high road. One day there and one day back, and Medrick would have his materials gathered for Orias in less than four days since he had been assigned the task.
“You saw some here last month?” Medrick asked as Lendin told them about him and Horas killing some orcs in these woods.
“Yes, sure did. Four of them in all. I have a scar on my stomach as a result,” Lendin said as he touched where his jerkin had been patched.
“Do you think there are any more out there?” Medrick asked. Suddenly the woods seemed very dangerous to him, and he thought he heard strange noises and saw shadows darting to and fro from the corner of his eye.
“No, they were probably looking for someplace to raid the high road from. Well, that’s what my father and the rest of the guardsmen say,” answered Val.
Lendin really didn’t have an answer for that. He just knew that in the last few weeks he hadn’t seen another sign of orcs, and he had been more than a little wary of anything out of the ordinary.
The others had him recount the battle several times, even though Lendin didn’t think it that interesting of a tale, and before they realized it sunset was approaching and the ruins of Long Branch lay just a few minutes ahead.
“Wait here,” said Lendin as he set off down the path as silently as he could. The common green of Long Branch had become a semi-permanent hunter’s camp, so if there were other hunters there the travelers would be welcomed and likely fed well. But some of the hunters were not as experienced as others and would sometimes clean their kills near the camp. When that happened, wolves and bears would sometimes come around for a free meal. Even when there were no gut piles, they sometimes came around looking. Lendin knew that usually you could just scare them off with some noise and a few thrown rocks, but they could be very dangerous if they had taken a fever or were unusually hungry.
The camp area was dark and cold, and he saw no signs of animals around, so he went back and got the others. Twilight was encroaching as the brothers began setting up the tents and getting the rest of the gear out from Karl’s pack. Medrick made himself useful by getting their evening meal ready. They would have cheese, bread, and bacon along with a bottle of wine to water down. The morning meal would be the same and with no complaints, as none of their mothers were present. Half of the side of bacon was sliced and ready to be cooked by the time Lendin set the wood for the fire.
“Can you light the fire with your magic, Medrick, or shall I use my flint?” Lendin asked with a laugh.
“Not yet, but that is what Master Orias will be teaching me once I am done with this assignment.” Medrick smiled as he answered. “I have three spells already mastered, but to make fire is a real step forward for a wizard. Many give up before they can get to this point.”
Lendin smiled at the eager young wizard. “You will be a great wizard one day, Medrick. And I will always remember how straightly you cut the bacon,” Lendin laughed as he went to check on the brothers.
The evening went pleasantly by. Each man took his turn telling stories, most of which they all knew by heart. They sky was full of stars, and the wind was just enough to keep the air from becoming stale under the trees.
The morning broke, and it was a beautiful day. The morning meal was as jovial as the previous evening’s, and the small party was ready to start moving on by the time the sun was peeking through the trees. Karl stowed the heavy pack in one of the ramshackle buildings that still stood in the old hamlet, and Lendin made sure the fire was completely doused.
“If we are ready, let’s go find you some lichen,” Val said to Medrick as he swept an arm after Lendin.
Th
e travel was fairly easy, but the men were glad Lendin had decided to not try a night trip up into the hills. A wrong step or a slip might send you ten or twelve feet into a deep gully. By the time the sun stood at mid-morning, they had left the woods behind and were in a barren, rocky stretch of the hills. Lendin stopped at a small split in the rocks that climbed upwards at a fairly steep angle.
“Here it is. Go straight up that path and you will see the mine entrance. Do you remember how to get back to Long Branch?” he asked.
Val and Karl both nodded as they looked up the narrow traverse. They would have to go single file, and they would find no cover if anyone were on the rocky ledges above.
Lendin waved goodbye to the small group as he headed back to the woods. He had seen a decent sized stag when going up to the mine and was in a hurry to go back to it.
“I’ll go first, then Medrick, and Val will guard our rear,” Karl said as he took his mace off his belt. He didn’t expect anything to be up there, but if a bear or a pack of wolves had decided to den in the mine, he didn’t want to be fumbling to get his mace ready.
The three men walked up the steep path, at times almost crawling forward as the sun kept rising with them. It was just past noon when they reached the top, all of them tired and out of breath.
“I’m glad you decided to leave the pack at the camp,” said Val as they sat and rested a few seconds.
Medrick was the first to gain his strength again. He stood and walked a little ways into the small clearing. Just past some bushes and a twisted, dying oak, he spotted the entrance.
“There are some markings there,” he said as he started to approach.
“What markings?” asked Val as he caught up to the young wizard.
Medrick pointed at the mine entrance. There were a series of black and red marking on the stone on both sides of the narrow cleft.
Karl came up to them and looked through the brush at where they were looking. “That is odd, I wonder if there isn’t someone living there now,” he said.
Medrick looked at both brothers. “If someone lives there, maybe they won’t mind if we take some lichen. I don’t need much, and it won’t hurt to ask.”
The brothers shrugged at each other and started walking towards the entrance. They were about ten feet away when a gust of wind blew a horrid smell into their faces. After a second they realized that the smell was coming from the mine.
Medrick pushed them forward, even though he very discernibly kept them in front of him. When they finally got to the entrance, they found that the tunnel was about ten feet high and narrow at the top, but about waist height it was a good eight feet wide. Karl and Val, both with their weapons out, walked in side by side with Medrick coming in behind them. He had pulled a two foot long rod out from behind his belt and was holding it up.
Karl glanced over his shoulder. “Why do you have that stick, Medrick?”
“We may need light if we go much further in,” Medrick responded.
Both brothers stopped and turned to face him. “What do you mean?” asked Val as his voice echoed in the passage.
Medrick held the short rod in front of him and gathered a small pinch of sand from one of the pouches on his belt. He said some words that the brothers didn’t understand and threw the sand at the end of the rod. It suddenly glowed brighter than a lantern.
“Argh. You could have warned me!” yelled Karl. Val was still blinking when he suddenly heard a noise behind him.
Medrick pointed and yelled as Val threw himself between the creature and his brother’s back. The small, sharp axe bit deep into his shield, and the sound of metal striking wood snapped Karl into action. He turned with his mace held high and stepped around his brother while he swung.
The creature was small for its strength, maybe five feet tall, and scrawny. But Karl quickly saw that it was not alone. There were at least three more just like him running at them down the narrow passage.
Medrick held the rod high above his head and watched in terror as the scene played out before him. Small men, or something that looked like men, with grey skin and tattered clothes charged at the party. Karl and Val skillfully used their shields to punch and drive the nasty things back while swinging wildly into the mass of bodies.
“Goblins!” Karl yelled as he settled into the rhythm of the battle. A blow from his mace had already knocked one into the far wall, and he had seen Val’s blade cut deep into another’s throat.
A larger goblin with a sizable hammer held above his head started charging at the brothers. Karl shoved forward with his shield, driving one of the goblins into the path of the larger one. His mace then struck out and hit the goblin’s arm that was holding the hammer high. A clear snapping sound told him his blow was true as the goblin dropped the hammer and grabbed at his broken arm. Val’s blade tore a hole in another goblin’s guts.
The remaining goblins lost courage at that point and turned and fled down the tunnel. Karl used a quick blow from his mace to crush the skull of the large goblin as it sat whimpering on the ground and then charged after Val, who had set upon the goblins like a hound after prey.
Medrick didn’t know what to do. In mere seconds the goblins had attacked, the brothers had killed several, and then they had run away leaving him alone with the only light. He had started trotting down the tunnel after them when he heard running coming back his way.
He quickly looked around and spotted a couple of boards near the base of the tunnel. They moved aside easily, and he saw a low, sloping passage that he could easily fit down. He slid the boards into the passage as he heard the brothers moving quickly back up the tunnel. He waved the light rod to get their attention and pointed to the low passage. Val jumped and slid in face down, and Karl slowed and crawled in. Quickly Medrick gave the word that stopped his spell of light and slid into the passage with the brothers. The goblins were coming back up the tunnel as he and Karl moved the boards back into place.
The goblins were right outside the passage now, and the party was trapped. Karl gripped his mace again and readied himself to drive them back down into the mine. He would tell Medrick to get Val to safety and then run after them.
He suddenly heard Medrick mutter softly, and the heavy sounds of boots were heard running out of the cave. The goblins followed the sounds.
Karl quietly exhaled and started to turn back to Val in the dark. As his eyes adjusted, he realized that he could see a soft blue glow coming from further down the passageway. Val was back up on his hands and knees in a shuffling crawl towards the glow.
Medrick started to follow when he saw the shaft and feathers of a crossbow bolt sticking out from Val’s back just under his right shoulder. Karl moved to help stabilize Val’s right side as they moved further down the passage.
After about forty feet, the passage leveled off and they were in an old mining pit. The ceiling was covered in lichen, and the glow made it easy to see. The pit was just a touch too low to stand upright in comfortably, and the room itself was about fifteen feet long and ten feet wide. There was a shallow pool of water that covered most of the floor.
Karl pointed at the lichen and smiled at Medrick. Val was sitting down leaning forward near the water. His breathing was ragged. He motioned to Karl and made a drinking motion. Karl moved over to the pool, tasted the water and nodded. He filled a cup, added some powder to it, and gave it to Val to drink.
Medrick was too concerned about Val to worry about the lichen, so he watched as Karl gave Val a leather-wrapped stick about four inches long. Val took it from his brother, placed it in his mouth and bit down on it. With a single nod from Val, Karl pulled the bolt free from his brother’s back and covered it with a rag. Val screamed through the bite stick, but not loud enough to echo, and cursed the goblins with every curse Medrick knew. Karl fixed another cup of the water and powder and gave it to Val, who drank it quickly.
After a few minutes, Val leaned back and sighed. Karl motioned Medrick to scrape the lichen he needed as he pillowed his brother’
s head with his legs.
Medrick pulled out a bag to gather the lichen in and went to work. He decided to start at the far end of the pit in order to leave the light brightest near the brothers. As he made his way across the pool, he caught a glimpse of something in the water. He bent down to look closer and almost screamed as he jumped back and smacked his head on the low ceiling. Stifling a curse, he looked over at Karl and whispered “There’s a skeleton.”
Looking back down at the skull, he realized that there was a gold locket lying off to the side of the bones. He reached down and plucked it from the water.
Immediately he knew the amulet was enchanted; detecting a magical aura was one of the first things a wizard learned.
He held it up to show Karl and then placed it in his coin purse. With one last look at the skeleton, he quickly went back to gathering lichen.
Val was sleeping soundly by the time he got back to the brothers. Karl didn’t want to move him as long as he was sleeping; the herbs he had given him would let him rest and let his body heal. Medrick looked at the crossbow bolt that had hit Val and agreed with Karl that it wasn’t poisoned. It was also, luckily, not a barbed tip and had come out cleanly.
Val woke a few hours later and wanted something to drink. After he had rested a few minutes, he said he was able to move. Slowly they crawled up the passageway, stopping every few feet to listen for any goblins. When they reached the top, Karl and Medrick moved the boards quietly and set them aside. Karl slipped out of the passageway and stood guard as Medrick helped Val stand up.
After Val was on his feet, Medrick replaced the boards and tapped Karl to let him know they were ready.
A gentle breeze of cool night air met them as they neared the entrance to the mine, bringing them to the realization that Val had slept away the entire afternoon and evening. Karl moved forward, and then froze as he saw a goblin standing by the entrance. He held still for a full minute as he watched the shadowed figure in the dark. He pulled his mace from his belt and started forward again.