Even those numbers would not have been a great cause for concern, but the rangers had been caught completely by surprise. Many had rolled out of their tents wearing little more than their underclothes, since they had been resting after pulling the guard shift last night.
An even greater threat appeared as a huge ogre plodded into view, shoved past a group of goblins, and swung a massive club at any human within reach. When the club caught an unarmored ranger hard in the ribs, Ted could hear the sound of the impact from where he stood.
Gabe let out a cry as the limp form of the ranger flew back from the force of the blow and lay still. Ted raised his hands, waved them in a complex pattern, and chanted the strange words of magic. A great forked bolt of lightning shot through the goblins and ogre. The goblins instantly dropped to the ground with blackened scorch marks etched across their red and yellow skin.
Letting out a bellow of agony and rage, the ogre turned its huge head toward the source of its pain, fixed its beady red eyes on the youth, and charged at Ted with astonishing speed and ferocity. The young mage began another incantation, but his hands were shaking and fear clouded his concentration. The ogre raised his massive club to squash the puny human, and Ted thought his adventure was going to come to an early end when the ogre’s look of rage turned to confusion. The club dropped from the creature’s fingers as it toppled forward, two arrows protruding from the back of its neck.
“Heads up, Ted, look alive!” Phil shouted from across the camp.
Ted watched in astonishment as the twins appeared out of the distant wood line. Brody and Lucas, some distance to the right side of the camp, fired a hail of arrows into the invading force of goblins and ogres.
Ted quickly came back to his senses, shook his head for focus, and began another casting. Several thick, ropey tree roots erupted from the ground, and wrapped themselves around the ankles of multiple attacking goblins, compliments of Elderin’s casting.
Several of the tendrils found the thick muscular calves of another ogre, but the beast showed only slight surprise and tore them from the ground as he strode forward, intent on getting to the four rangers relentlessly harrying his beastly allies with their deadly arrows.
Josh and Chuck ran into the camp wearing their training armor but wielding their lethal weapons and engaged the ogre and goblins. Josh waded into a group of goblins, some of them nearly helpless thanks to Elderin’s entangling spell, and hewed into them with his huge sword.
Chuck caught the attention of the ogre by cutting deeply into its thick, warty flesh just above its right hip. The twins and their ranger instructors continued to pepper groups of goblins with their arrows and aided other hard-pressed rangers.
The ogre spun with a fleetness that belied its huge size and swung the massive club in a swift backhanded blow, aimed for the warrior who had just cut it. Chuck spun with nearly equal speed, just barely able to get his shield up in time to block the blow that would surely have caved his head in. Although he blocked the club, the force of it sent him reeling onto the hard ground, his shield arm bent at an unnatural angle.
Gabe shouted in horror and ran to the large boy’s aid. He dodged past any goblins he could avoid and lashed out with his mace at ones he could not, sending more than one rolling into the dirt.
Josh spun around and emptied the huge creature’s abdomen with a single slash as it raised its club to finish off the badly wounded human it had knocked to the ground. Gabe slid to his knees next to Chuck, who was looking pale and in intense pain.
“Can you help him?” Josh cried out.
Gabe looked at the badly damaged arm then up at Josh, tears in his eyes. “I think so,” he replied and bent to his task.
As Gabe prayed to God to help his suffering companion, Josh charged off to engage a group of goblins advancing on them. Chuck cried out as his arm began to straighten and the bones knitted together under the compulsion of Gabe’s prayers. As the cleric came to the end of his entreaties, he watched the color return to Chuck’s face. A goblin reared up behind him, poised to jab its short spear into his fleshy back, when an arrow took it in the heart.
Gabe looked over at Felicia who gave him a thumbs up. He returned the gesture with a smile that abruptly melted to horror as a dark shape suddenly loomed over the twins. Gabe tried to cry out, but the huge club came down too swiftly. A sickening crunch echoed through the clearing as the girl’s body crumpled lifelessly to the ground. Phil, standing by her side, dropped his bow, pulled his sword, and hacked at the ogre that had just struck down his beloved sister.
Phil plunged his sword deep into the ogre’s stomach. On a normal man, such a wound would have proved fatal almost immediately. The huge ogre’s face merely twisted in pain and rage, reached out with one huge hand, and grasped the bereaved sibling by the throat.
Gabe jumped to his feet, not quite knowing what to do but knowing he must do something as Phil clawed helplessly at the hand threatening to choke the very life from him. Gabe started forward, gripping his mace that now seemed so small and insignificant. A much smaller shape sprung up from behind the huge monster that had killed Felicia and was now bent on doing the same to Phil.
Chase plunged his long dirk into the creature’s side clear up to the hilt. The ogre ignored another blow that would surely have disrupted a man’s assault, and with a bestial howl, gave one final squeeze, and sent Phil to be with his sister.
Chase plunged a second dagger into the ogre’s other side, piercing the huge kidney. The beast fell to the ground at nearly the same time as Phil, all lying on the hard earth where they had died. Gabe dropped to his knees next to the twins and began to pray through great sobbing gasps.
“Gabe,” Chase called to him, “they’re gone Gabe, we have to help the others.”
“No!” Gabe cried. “I can help them! It’s what I’m here for. It is all I can do!”
Gabe prayed fervently for his friends’ lives. He promised everything he had to God if only he would bring them back. “Please!” he wailed, looking up at the sky, beseeching his Lord’s intervention. Only the sounds of battle answered.
“Gabe, others need our help, now let’s go!” Chase commanded, then in a softer voice he said, “Come on, Gabe, we can grieve later, we don’t have the time right now.”
The grief-stricken cleric pulled himself to his feet, wiped his hands across his eyes, and nodded. Chase ducked back into the shadows, creeping his way through the edge of the clearing in search of other targets. Gabe saw a ranger hard pressed by several goblins. As he chanted, the shortsword of one of the goblins began heating up until it glowed orange. The sword’s owner dropped the blistering metal to the ground and cradled its burned hand.
The ranger took advantage of the opportunity by plunging his blade deep into the injured creature and gaining the offensive on the other goblins. Gabe then set his sights on the many injured allies that littered the area and went to tend their wounds in hopes of preventing more death.
Ted sent a stream of missiles made of pure energy into a group of goblins attacking two rangers near the east side of the camp, felling one and injuring two others. The assault distracted the creatures enough for the rangers to finish them off, as well as two others that had been engaging them. The young wizard then sent a magical, acid-dripping arrow into a charging goblin. The initial bolt failed to kill the creature but, within a few steps, the acid pumping from it reached the goblin’s heart, killing it instantly.
He scanned the battlefield and watched Josh charge one of the few remaining ogres. This ogre was unusual in that it wore a heavy robe of spun wool instead of simpler animal hides. The usual savage, bestial look in the eyes of an ogre was not present. In its place lay a cold glare that spoke of an evil cunning not known to its primitive cousins.
The ogre raised its huge hands. In one was a long staff adorned with feathers and small bones. A guttural chanting issued from its tusked mouth as it swept its arms down in a swift motion. A huge ball of flame engulfed the charging young warrior,
two rangers, and several goblins near the center of the camp.
Ted watched in shock as the charred bodies of everyone within the inferno’s radius were blasted off their feet. The goblins and one of the rangers lay motionless, smoke coiling off their scorched and blistered remains. Josh and the other ranger writhed and moaned in agony, defeated and helpless from the horrific burns.
The young wizard let loose another barrage of missiles, all four slamming into the shaman. The shaman, certainly injured by the assault, seemed unfazed by the pain and sent a salvo of magic missiles back at him in.
Ted tried to duck the attack despite knowing full well such an effort was futile. The magical orbs slammed into his small frame with the force of a major league fastball. He gritted his teeth at the pain as the first missile struck him and braced himself against the other three that followed in rapid succession. He blinked through the tears of agony and forced himself to prepare his own counter attack.
As Ted regained his feet, he watched Chuck rush the shaman to avenge his fallen friend. A hail of arrows flew out from behind the spell-casting ogre, and half a dozen goblin archers emerged, previously hidden in the forest’s thick brush.
The charging fighter raised his shield, deflecting most but not all of the arrows that hurtled his way. The first arrow caught him high in the leg, causing him to lower his shield for just a moment. That moment was all it took as the last arrow found his vulnerable throat.
The big young man plowed headlong into the earth, his life force leaking out of the awful wound in his neck. Ted saw Gabe rushing across the camp, trying to reach his fallen friends and render aid.
So you like to play with fire? Ted thought furiously. I’ll give you some fire to play with!
Ted summoned the eldritch energies of this world into himself, shaping the power to his will. At the climax of his casting, he thrust out his hand and released the stored up energy. A small ball of flame shot across the clearing, ready to unleash its pent up energy in an inferno similar to the one the shaman had used, a blast that would easily engulf the ogre and goblins in one massive conflagration.
Just as Ted released his spell, he saw Chase spring up out of nowhere directly behind the shaman, right in the area that would soon be turned into a fiery hell. The wizard tried to shout a warning to his friend, but it was too late. As Chase plunged his knife into the ogre’s back, the area he, the shaman, and the goblin archers occupied exploded into an unforgiving firestorm that did not discern friend or foe. Ted was horrified that the fire he created just took the life of his friend.
It was almost more than he could bear. He stood in mute shock as more goblins and ogres crashed through the woods into the camp and cut down the few remaining rangers. At some point during the battle, Elderin had left his side and was now on the west side of the camp, punishing the onslaught of evil creatures with a storm of hail, each icy orb the size of both his fists or bigger.
One of the ogres hurled its massive club at the druid. The giant shillelagh tumbled end over end, struck the druid in the forehead with a meaty smack, and dropped him to the ground. The horde overran Gabe, simply trampling him underfoot as the creatures charged at the helpless young wizard standing mutely at the edge of the camp.
Ted and Gabe opened their eyes with a shout and blinked at the gloomy interior of the yurt lodge. Tears streamed down the faces of both young men as Elderin spoke to them softly.
“Now you know the true horror of the quest upon which you are about to embark. Now you know the consequences of failure and carelessness. What did you learn during your sojourn?”
It took the boys a full minute to comprehend what had happened to them. The sweet fragrance of the herbs that had been thrown on the fire was gone, leaving only the faint smell of regular wood smoke inside the hut. Gabe was the first to answer the druid.
“I learned there is a great chance that one or more of us could die, that this is real, and not a game. I learned I may not be able to heal every injury we suffer, and I must be able to put my grief on hold so I can continue to help those that need my aid. I cannot let fear or sorrow cloud my ability to do my duty.”
“Very good, Gabriel. Take heart, you acquitted yourself well for your first battle. And you, Theodore, what did you learn?”
“I learned that without coordination, we can be as big a threat to each other as the enemy. I must act quickly but think my actions through, and be aware of what is going on and where my friends are on the battlefield. Above all, I must choose my spells wisely,” he answered.
The old druid smiled as he stood. “You have both done very well. Learn from this experience, but do not allow the fear it may have invoked to cause you to hesitate. Let us return to camp. I and my rangers wish to feast you properly on your last night with us.”
Elderin and his two students exited the lodge and walked back to camp. As they stepped into the clearing, the twins made their appearance, approaching from the other side of the camp. Ted and Gabe ran across the encampment, yelling excitedly.
“Felicia, Phil, I’m so glad you’re all right,” Gabe cried out, tears glistening in both boys eyes.
“Of course we are. Why wouldn’t we be?” Felicia asked.
“Sorry, it’s a long story,” Ted answered.
“Look, there’s Josh and Chuck!” Gabe shouted, pointing at the exhausted looking pair entering the camp.
“I wonder where Chase is,” Ted inquired, looking around the clearing.
“Right here, spell-boy!” came the answer from right behind him. Ted spun around and saw his friend’s grinning face. “Got your dagger, better hold onto it,” he warned playfully as he handed over the blade.
They all took a seat near the fire. The rangers had enlarged the fire pit, and roasted a huge boar carcass on a spit set over the low flames. As they waited for the boar to cook, they talked about each of their lessons and tests.
The twins told about their attack on the pretend camp of orcs. Chase told them all of how he had tricked Samone into his trap, which gave everyone a good laugh. The mood quickly became somber as Ted and Gabe recounted the illusory battle they had fought.
“This is real, guys, and I don’t think any of us truly took it seriously. We cannot afford to go after Drew with a flippant attitude,” Ted told the group. “We watched all of you die today, and it looked and felt real. When we leave here, the danger is real.”
Josh affirmed Ted’s assessment. “You’re right, Ted. I don’t think any of us truly appreciated the depth of the danger we face. From here on out, we act like men and a woman on a life-saving mission, not a bunch of kids playing at some adventure game.”
“Maybe you guys felt that way, try getting an arrow stuck in your leg. I know darn well how dangerous it is,” Chuck replied while rubbing his calf where the arrow had pierced his leg.
“At least you didn’t get burned up by Ted’s fireball! Thanks for the light, Ted, but I don’t smoke. Well, I guess I did after that,” Chase snorted at his own joke.
His laughter was infectious and the others quickly joined in. Ted looked a little sheepish at first but quickly joined in on the mirth. A high-pitched screech suddenly split the air from above the camp. The young adventurers looked up at the darkening sky and saw the dark silhouette of a hawk as it dove down from the treetops and settled on a low branch near Elderin.
The druid walked over and gazed into the raptor’s sharp eyes for several moments. Elderin cut a piece of flesh from the boar and offered it to the powerful raptor in appreciation for whatever message it appeared to have conveyed. The bird bolted the morsel down and took to the air, quickly disappearing into the gaining night. Elderin walked over to the party and took a seat on a log next to Gabe.
“Is it about Drew?” Josh asked, the concern for his brother evident in his voice.
“Indeed it is. It would appear that the tolerance for your brother’s antics has reached the goblin leader’s limits. He was beaten harshly with a strap, but he has suffered no debilitating injuries,
” the druid relayed solemnly.
“I’ll skin that scrawny little creep alive!” Felicia shouted, surprising everyone at her vehemence.
“Poor Drew,” Josh said forlornly. “Mom and Dad have never so much as lifted a hand to either of us before. I can’t imagine how he must feel.”
Elderin smiled broadly. “Let me tell you what he did to earn such enmity. It should lift your spirits a bit”.
The druid explained how Drew had dropped the snake onto the goblin and his subsequent tumble down the steep rocky slope. Gales of laughter filled the camp as Elderin described the extent of Droog’s injuries.
“It’s nice to know that not even being sucked into a magical portal, transported to an alien world, and captured by mythological creatures can change Drew’s approach to authority,” Josh said, laughing along with the others.
Rangers passed around wooden plates heaped with roasted boar, potatoes, and greens. Clay and wood mugs were distributed and toasts made to the success of their mission and health.
“Hey, this is beer! Chuck cried gleefully. “Good beer too, not like the cheap crap we had after prom.”
The evening was festive, the food plentiful, and the company excellent. They were encouraged to eat to the point of bursting but cautioned against excessive beer and wine. Everyone took their advice, eating heartily but sipping their beverages—everyone except Chuck.
The large, college-bound lad got carried away in the revelry and drank a toast with every ranger in the camp—many of them more than once. By the time the group of young adventurers got ushered to their tents to get a good night’s rest before departing in the morning, Chuck was dancing and singing around the fire to the music of fiddles, lutes, and pipes.
When dawn broke, the troop crawled out of their tents feeling refreshed—except Chuck. Chuck had to be physically dragged out of his bed. Once he was out of his tent, he simply sat on a log and held his aching head.
“Oh, my head,” he groaned pitifully.
“They told you to slow down, Chuck, many times,” Felicia responded without a hint of sympathy.
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