by W.O. Cassity
Chapter Two: The Search for More
Adam found himself running through a brightly burning field of fire under the cover of darkness. Silhouetted shadows moved quickly to overtake him. Uncertainty crept through his mind as he considered the possibility he had died battling the goblins. If this were the afterlife, it wasn’t the paradise he imagined.
Everything was out of focus. The harder Adam tried to make out what was ahead of him, the more unrecognizable his surroundings became. The roaring flames left him in a cold sweat as his side and leg throbbed with stabbing pains. Without seeing what caused him to fall, he found himself on the ground as the fire danced closer to his face. Fear overcame him, and he began to scream relentlessly as he tried to get back to his feet.
Adam awoke and lurched his body into a sitting position, leaving his mind to be filled with deafening silence. His exasperated breath left him with the impression he had been crying aloud while unconscious. His side hurt and his leg felt cramped, but he was alive. He blinked hard a few times, trying to clear the cobwebs of sleep from his strained eyes. After another moment passed, his mind registered the shadows and weak sunlight filtering through the canopy above him.
Panic overcame him, and he looked around. Two of the goblins that attacked him were still prone on the ground, but the third was nowhere to be seen. His eyes became heavy as he tried to adjust their focus for clues of the other attacker. The injured goblin must have gotten away.
Adam cautiously crawled over to where his club had settled and grabbed it up to steady himself on one knee, as he tested his weight on his injured foot. Taking a moment to regain his awareness and balance so he could assess his situation, he looked at his blood-soaked tunic. The small tear was about the length of his index finger. Underneath it, the skin was slashed and had swollen into an angry red wound. Fortunately, it was only skin deep, no more than a scratch. Adam was relieved his injuries were not serious. He knew he just needed to walk off the stiffness in his leg, but his foot was certainly bruised.
Adam’s focus returned as his eyes shifted to a small pool of blood where the injured goblin had fallen. The goblin’s shoulder must have shattered causing bone to puncture the skin. He noticed a small trail of blood led toward the path where the goblins had emerged. He looked over to see the leader’s sword had bent under the weight of its owner, rendering it worthless to retrieve.
Adam stood up and steadied himself with determination. He couldn’t remain here in case his attacker went to retrieve help for his fallen comrades. With all the danger lurking about, remaining where he was meant certain death. He dragged his aching body to the head of the trail where it entered the dense woods.
The path itself was rather small with only a few sporadic goblin footprints to be seen, some of which were going south on the trail while others traveled north. Intermittently, he came across more blood and a few places where the ground looked recently disturbed. Adam wished he had the tracking skills of some of the hunters from the village so he could be certain it was the goblin and not a wounded animal. He also noticed a few trails strayed off the main path, but he didn’t follow them.
Adam’s pace quickened as he pushed himself forward. Twilight was pressing down on him, and he had not covered much ground. The terrain became harder to traverse as the path began winding itself up steeper inclines. He was relieved walking had reduced the stiffness in his leg from the fight with the goblins. At times, the canopy of the trees above became thick, shutting out what little light remained. He struggled, moving ever forward and occasionally straying from the main path. Fortunately, he veered in the wrong direction and he stumbled upon some wild berries he knew he could eat. Adam was able to sate his hunger, but the slightly bitter, unripe berries made him desire a strong drink of water. He had not heard the sounds of the river since he had entered the Berring Forest though.
Adam looked to the west as the last rays of sunlight faded behind a steep, rocky cliff. He decided to head to the face of rock to see if he could find some place safe he could rest. Making his way closer, he watched as beams of moonlight danced along the cliff’s granite surfaces with an eerie, pale glow. He had heard there were large cave systems in the Berring Forest, so a cliff face seemed to be the most likely place to start. The cliff would also provide a greater vantage point to see down into the forest below where the canopy was less dense. It became easier to see the terrain around him as the forest gave way to a small clearing leading up to the natural stone wall. Bright moonlight illuminated the clearing, making it easier for him to travel.
The only other creature he encountered on his walk along the base of the cliff face was a skunk digging for grubs under a loosened rock. He noticed its staunch aroma well before discovering the small critter busily extracting its meal. The overpowering musky scent indicated to Adam something had recently disturbed the animal and it had sprayed nearby. He remained alert for danger as he continued walking north along the long ridge, vigilantly searching for shelter.
When the moon finally achieved its apex in the sky, Adam discovered a part of the large cliff face that had collapsed. Rocks and boulders appeared to lead to either a very small round shadow or possibly a cave opening. There was a clearly noticeable break in the moonlight’s reflection worth investigating.
As he started to climb, he noticed how loose and unsettled the layers of rocks were. They were shaky and unstable, and by the way the small stones skittered under his feet, he figured the rock slide had happened recently. Maybe during the winter storm a few months back. Adam was relieved most of the stiffness in his leg had subsided, even if his bruised foot made the climb unpleasant. The moisture on the rocks made the climb difficult, but the tempting promise of water urged him forward.
Adam scrambled up the final few feet of loose rock and sighed with relief. He had been right about the cave. The opening was only a few feet wide, but it was large enough for him squeeze through. He looked back to survey the forest beneath him under the silver moonlight. From this vantage point, he could see the washed out vibrant green treetops for miles as the forest sprawled out away from him. Turning back to the cave, he took note of a small trickle of water large enough for him to hold his hands underneath for a few minutes and quench his thirst. Once his throat was no longer dry, he peered inside the cave, which seemed to get a little larger once he got past the small opening. How deep or how large it was, though, Adam wasn’t certain. He couldn’t honestly ever remember being in a cave before. This was a completely new experience for him.
Adam picked up a few small stones and tossed them into the cave as hard as he could. This would let him know with certainty whether or not a large predatory cat hiding in the shadows. He envisioned a savage beast with strings of saliva dripping from its long, fearsome fangs, waiting for him to crawl into the cave and offer himself up to it. If nothing else, the test would allow him to gauge how deep the cave was. After a handful of well-aimed throws, and several minutes of listening to the rocks bounce and ping inside, no large cat came pouncing out to rend him limb from limb. He was also able to confirm from the echo the cave was larger than it looked from the outside.
It took a slight jump to get his body into the opening, but since he tried to carry his club in his hands in front of him, it was difficult to wiggle his body through. There were several sharp edges exposed by the rockslide craving to pierce through his vulnerable skin, but Adam managed to get past with only a scratch or two. If a soldier attempted to follow him, he would have to remove all of his armor to fit through the opening. This was a perfect hiding spot from the Blood King’s men, but if goblins were to discover him, several could come in at once. Hopefully, any goblins who came nearby would be too afraid of being exposed and wouldn’t attempt to reach the cave.
The cave was high enough at several points for him to crawl comfortably on his knees. After much crawling, wiggling, and squeezing through the narrow passage, the cave opened up into a much larger area, but how large, Adam couldn’t tell. He could hear wa
ter dripping into the small stream which ran through the center of the cave and he could see moonlight bouncing from the water to dance along the walls. Looking up he discerned a hole where the cave’s ceiling had given way to long, thick vines, which fragmented the bright moonlight pouring through the opening and cast their silhouettes throughout the chamber. With an overabundance of caution, he decided this place was good enough for a short rest. He could stand if needed and swing his club without hitting anything. The rock here was dry and he could put his back to the wall and rest. And rest, he did.
The stinging pain of a bright beam of sunlight piercing his eyelids awoke Adam from restless dreams. He winced and held his hand in front of his face, as fear crept in at the realization he didn’t know where he was or if he was safe. The cave he had crawled into during the sleepy evening hours felt isolated and closed. Now he realized the rock ceiling of the cave was roughly thirty feet high and was broken at the surface by the roots of some very large trees. That must be the area above the ridge too treacherous to reach. Water flowing down the mountain had worn at the surface of the rock over time until it had broken through and hollowed out this small cavern. The hole by which he had entered was where the rain and melted snow had escaped into the forest and valley below.
Adam was cleaning the scratch on his side when a glint of silver among the tree roots caught his eye. At first, he thought it must have been the sunbeams dancing in his eyes as he tried adjusting to the brightness in the room, but clearly, it was something else. Gripping his club in hand and using it to steady himself on the uneven surface, he cautiously made his way over to the dancing light and discovered an untarnished silver pendant swaying from a worn, yellowed branch. Curiously, he reached for the pendant and grasped it in his hand mid-swing, stopping its motion. He was caught off guard when he became aware of the gaping maw of the owner of the pendant. Entangled so deeply into the roots, the skeleton had originally appeared to be one of them. He could clearly distinguish the old, ivory bones from the network of veins under deeper observation. Rotting black tethers of cloth clung to the skeleton, apparently stripped away by rushing tides of water, decay, and time. The adventurer must have fallen through the cave’s ceiling to his demise. A break at the base of the skull caused by the fall must have broken his neck, Adam assumed.
Adam gently removed the necklace from the skeleton and held it in his hands. He had expected the metal to be cool to the touch, but contrarily, it was warm, as if it had sat in the sun most of the day. He was puzzled there were no signs of corrosion. The remains of the deceased indicated the bar pendant had been here for years. He surveyed the floor nearby and found a simple dagger, which had been eaten up by rust, and a small waterproofed leather pouch. The drawstrings on the pouch were entangled around the hilt of the skinny dagger and became trapped in the vines which were beginning to weave their way up the roots. He opened the skin and poured its contents into his hand, finding a few corroded silver pieces. He knew these were the last possessions of the fallen adventurer.
Adam brushed off the tarnish and debris gathered on the three silver pieces. The Blood King’s sigil was clearly recognizable on the surface. There wasn’t any doubt he would be able to exchange the coin for goods even in this rough condition. He flipped the pouch inside out to clean it and then he placed the coin into the pouch and cinched it closed.
Walking over to one of the beams of sunlight, Adam examined the necklace. He turned the bar shaped pendant around in his hands. Examining the intricate engravings, he could make out the shape of a benign eye adorning its center. The bar also had tiny blue gemstones embedded along its edge. The clasps design resembled interlocking eagle’s talons, and the roped chain was made of silver as well. He considered placing the chain around his neck, but decided against it until he could learn more about it. Adam opened the pouch and added the necklace to its contents.
The dagger was in worse condition. It had gathered a layer of rust along its entire surface, and the blade was very dull. Adam had become accustomed to sharpening fishing knives, and he had once even restored a rusted one he had found in the bottom of a small boat which had drifted down the river a few years ago. This would certainly help him survive his recent crisis once he cleaned it up and put an edge to it. He tore off a piece of cloth from the bottom of his shirt, wrapped the dagger into it, and tucked it into his belt behind his back.
As he attached the pouch to his belt, Adam glanced around the cave once more and headed back toward the small tunnel to exit the cave. Curiously, the pouch felt heavier than he expected it to as it rested on his leg. Three silver pieces should not be so heavy. He looked to see if the pouch snagged on something within the cave, but found everything to be fine. Adam felt a scratching in his mind as he tried to remember if he had put anything else in the pouch. It was like a word on one’s mind getting lost on the tongue when trying to speak it.
Adam decided to examine the pouch with the three coins once more in case mud had gotten inside somehow. It uncinched quite easily, and upon examining it, he realized he had forgotten about the necklace. Taking it into his hands once again, a feeling of déjà vu overcame him as he examined the twisted silver chain and the silver bar styled pendant dangling from it. He thought to himself he must still be overly tired and probably should eat, because he could not believe he had forgotten putting the necklace away without examining it first. It was the most striking thing he had ever seen. Surely, he would have remembered it before if had examined it. Along the edges of the bar were these tiny blue stones and some kind of rune was engraved on the face of it. The chain and pendant felt warm. He could not seem to wrap his mind around why the necklace was not corroded like the coins. He walked back over to the sunbeams of light and held it up, admiring the pendant’s luster. Adam knew from the moment he found it, it may be valuable and could be traded for any supplies he may need if things were to get bad.
Adam decided it would be best to wear the necklace around his neck since it seemed sturdy enough not to break easily. He slipped it over his head to let it rest on his neck. As soon as the pendant hit his skin, his eyes filled with white light and searing pain as if he were staring directly into the sun. He yelped in surprise as the agony flashing in his eyes even made his ears hurt. In one swift motion, he tugged the necklace from his neck over his head and threw it onto the cave floor, where it landed with a heavy, metal sounding thud.
Keeping his eyes closed for a while, he waited until the ringing in his ears stopped and slowly began to open his eyes as they readjusted to the light in the room. With a look of pure awe and fear, he stared down upon the beautiful necklace on the floor and realized it must be cursed. It seemed safe to carry in his pouch, but there was no way he would place it around his neck again. It would be best to trade it to someone else for something he could eat or use later down the road. Another feeling of déjà vu flooded over him.
He slumped down on the cave floor beside it and pondered why in the world someone would create such a dangerous object. It was obviously magical in nature. So why would the adventurer who died wearing it keep it there in the first place? As he scooped the pendant back up into both of his hands, he pondered it for another second, and deciding he would try to figure it out later, he placed it back into his pouch. Right now, he needed to get something to eat and learn more about his surroundings. Another scratching in his mind and a nagging feeling came over him as if he had forgotten something important. Adam decided not to think about it. Surely, whatever he was forgetting would come to him later.
Emerging from his safe haven, Adam took in the landscape with his bird’s eye view of the forest below him. After making some mental markers to figure out where he was, he descended the rockslide and worked his way back to one of the small animal trails in the forest, hoping he could find the location of the wild berries he discovered the night before. It was the only food source he had seen, but it was small, and he couldn’t rely on it indefinitely. No one had taught him how to hunt, but he knew
how to catch fish using a trap from sticks and vines. Much like his ability to maintain his balance, making fishing traps was a skill he learned during his time on the docks. First, he had to find a stream though.
Remaining aware of what direction the cave was in, he went to search for something to fill his empty stomach. After a few hours of scouring the nearby area, he managed to find the wild berries and some wild beets, which he carried using the bottom of his shirt as a basket. He also found a few stones good enough for cleaning and sharpening the dagger he had discovered in the cave.
Fearing he would stray too far away from the cave, Adam decided to head back. In the distance, he thought he heard a faint scream coming from the southeast. Alarmed, he immediately rushed back to the safety of the cave, hoping he would be in a good position to see what was happening. If the soldiers were headed back this way, he might need to abandon his safe haven.
Once he arrived back at the mouth of the cave, he unloaded the food and stones into the entrance and surveyed the area for any signs of trouble. Light smoke rose up through the trees possibly from a small campfire slightly to the north of his position, but he couldn’t see anything else. If the fire belonged to the soldiers or to the goblins, he would need to know exactly where the danger was. He bravely grabbed his club in his hands once more and set out to discover how severe the threat was.
Getting to the place where he had noticed the smoke from the campfire required more than what Adam had expected. The distance had looked so short from where he had started, but he knew he had traveled several miles and was only just now getting close. He even had to scale some trees to ensure he was heading in the right direction. Adam also encountered two goblins heading south along one of the main trails and circled wide to avoid their attention. The sun was waning in the sky, telling him there were only a few more hours of daylight left, and he would need what light remained to navigate safely back to the cave.
He didn’t think the smoke belonged to the soldiers since the goblins seemed quite comfortable navigating the pathways. He imagined if there were soldiers about, the goblins would have been more careful. That brought up the possibility of an even bigger problem. If it wasn’t the campfire of a few soldiers, then it could belong to the Goblinkin. From what he had heard from the tales of the villagers, running into a group of them could be quite dangerous, since you could run into anything from small bands of scavengers to large tribes gathering for war. Both of which have been known to occur throughout history. If there were a large group of goblins about, he may have to get as far away as possible.
Adam slowed his pace when he heard the sounds of a commotion up ahead. For a moment, it sounded like a busy day in the village when everyone was out and about doing their daily chores. As he listened, he heard shrieking laughter in the distance echo through the trees. He also thought he heard several screams. Concealed by the underbrush of the forest, he spotted four or five different goblins carrying stacks of broken tree branches. They were most likely for their campfire.
Adam needed to be careful. It was important to know how many goblins he was dealing with, and whether or not the screams were from villagers who fled to the forest when the Blood King’s soldiers raided. He hoped if the situation were reversed, someone would have done the same for him. He wouldn’t like it very much if a passerby left him for dead or even worse left him to adorn the hungry goblins dinner table that evening.
The air was alive with noise as the forest descended slowly into a small valley below. Adam circled around the area on the western side, trying to gain a better vantage point while also trying to avoid detection. He heard the crisp snap of brush breaking behind him. Whatever was coming, it was already too late. They were already on top of him.