Hunt of the Bandham (The Bowl of Souls: Book Three)

by Cooley, Trevor H.

  As far as Justan could tell, they should now be very close to the WideRiver. The river served as the border between Dremaldria and the neighboring Kingdom of Razbeck. Valtrek had told Justan that Master Coal lived just over the border somewhere in Razbeck, but the wizard was not quite sure where. There were several places in Razbeck that they could go to look for information on Master Coal’s whereabouts and Lenny had some contacts that could help, but that wasn't Justan's first concern. Their first obstacle would be crossing the river.

  The WideRiver was accurately named. There were points along the river where you couldn't see the other side. Valtrek's map wasn’t very detailed where the width of the river was concerned. Justan couldn't tell where crossing would be easiest, especially since he wasn’t completely sure of their position on the map. The best places to cross were the bridges or ferry’s along the major roads, but Justan didn't want to cross someplace where they might be seen.

  Their party was lacking a good guide. Justan and Qyxal had never been this far away from their homes and Fist had lived in the mountains his whole life. Lenny was the only one with experience traveling this part of the land, but he had always kept to the main roads and he had only crossed the WideRiver at the main crossings, or at least that’s what he said. The closer to the border they got, the more Justan sensed that the dwarf was holding something back.

  With that thought in mind, Justan walked back to the fire with the map in hand. Lenny and Fist already had the bear skinned and gutted. Gwyrtha was tearing into a few of the organs that Lenny didn’t want to use for food. Justan shook his head. She never looked less horselike than when she was eating meat. Lenny was lowering thick slices of bear into a hot pan on the fire.

  The dwarf looked up as he approached. “Hey son, that went quicker than I thought. Ends up the ogre’s purty good at skinnin’ a bear. Still gots to scrape the hide clean, though.”

  “Do not make it hot this time!” Fist said, eying the meat in the pan.

  “Dag-nab it, Fist. You ain’t never had food this good before you met me.”

  “Is good food, yes. But it burns my mouth and hurts me inside.”

  “It’s called yer belly,” Lenny replied as he went back to chopping away at the bear. “And that’s just ‘cause you still needs toughenin’ up.”

  Fist had a harder time than anyone getting used to Lenny’s cooking. He loved experiencing the new flavors, but he had never eaten seasoned food before. He had spent the first few days with burning in his chest and stomach cramps. The worst part had been a few nights previous when Qyxal and the dwarf had talked him into trying Lenny’s firewater.

  Fist had taken three large gulps, before leaping up and grabbing at his throat in pain. It had not been a pleasant evening after that. The alcohol affected Fist differently than Justan had seen it affect anyone before. His skin had flushed red and he became enraged. Justan had tried to soothe him through the bond, but the ogre went on a rampage.

  He had enough control over himself to flee the camp to avoid hurting them, but then he ran through the woods, ripping down the branches of large trees and pushing over smaller ones. It had lasted for several hours before he had collapsed and fallen asleep. The next day, Fist’s head had hurt so bad that Justan’s own head had throbbed.

  “He’s right Lenny,” Justan said. “Fist and I weren’t raised on the spices you use. Besides, aren’t you afraid you’re going to run out before we get to Master Coal’s?”

  “Nah, we ain’t too far from a town that’s got a decent supply store.”

  “You know where we are now?” Justan asked. “I thought that you never went off of the road when you traveled this way.”

  “Oh, well uhh . . .” Lenny tossed a handful of spices on top of the meat and flipped them over in the pan. “You see, I just done recognized where we was this mornin’.”

  “Good,” Justan said, now more sure than ever that there was something the dwarf was holding back. He looked at the map again. “But Lenny, I don’t see any towns on the map. Are you sure that you know where we are?”

  Justan held the map out, but Lenny raised his hands to show that they were covered in blood and spices. With a sigh, Justan moved next to him and held it open. He pointed to a spot. “This is where I think we are.”

  “Son, that map of yers must’ve been made more than twenty years ago. I came this way ‘bout four months back and there’s a fine little town down by the road a bit south of here . . .” The dwarf trailed off, deep in thought. After a second or two, he shook his head and continued, “Tell you what, after we’re finished with the dag-blamed bear and eat our breakfast, we can head down south a ways and then you and me’ll go to town.”

  They needed to keep their group unseen while they traveled. The sight of Gwyrtha would scare anyone and it would not be easy for them to explain an ogre in their party, no matter how well he was dressed. Even Qyxal stood out too much since it was rare to see elves away from their homelands. The plan they settled on was for Justan and Lenny to go into the towns to find information and leave Fist, Qyxal, and Gwyrtha in hiding.

  “Okay, good,” Justan said, but he wondered why the dwarf was acting so strange. “Do you think they might be interested in taking a bear skin this fresh in trade?”

  “Don’t rightly know. Can’t hurt to ask, though.”

  They finished butchering Fist’s kill, ate quickly, and set off to the south. The bear meat was tough and a bit gamey, but edible and they definitely had enough to last them for a while. They scraped the hide out and set it to dry over Stanza's back as they walked. As long as they stayed upwind of it, the smell wasn't too bad.

  By mid afternoon, they spotted smoke trails in the distance and knew they were nearing the town. They left Fist and Qyxal to set up camp, then Justan and Lenny took the two warhorses and started towards the town. Lenny was silent as they rode, acting very unlike his usual boisterous self. It wasn’t long before Justan had to say something.

  “Lenny, what’s been bothering you lately? The closer we get to the Razbeck border, the stranger you act.”

  Lenny was startled by the question and took a moment to think before responding. “Well son, you see I got some unfinished business to attend to round these parts and I been tryin’ to figure out what to do about it.”

  “What kind of business?”

  “Well, it’s the kind that might take me away from you fer a while. Not too long, maybe a few days till I get it sorted out, then I can meet right back up with you along the trail.”

  “But . . . oh wait.” Justan grinned. “Is this . . . girl business?”

  “Girl business?” Lenny burst out in a deep guffaw that had the dwarf shaking so hard that Justan became worried he was going to fall out of the saddle. It went on for long enough that Justan had no choice but to join in.

  “What’s so funny about that question?” Justan asked once the dwarf’s laughter had finally trailed off. “You’ve been acting so mysterious that I figured that maybe you had a lady friend nearby you wanted to visit or something.”

  “Lady friend? Hooo boy,” the dwarf gasped, wiping tears from his eyes. “Lemme tell you somethin’. Girls’r trouble, that’s fer shure. But I’d rather have that kind of trouble any day than this. Hmm . . . havin’ a girl to curl up with would be purty nice about right now, though.”

  “Then what could it be? I mean, I guess it’s none of my business really, I’m just grateful to have you along with me. But if there is any way I could help? I want to get to Master Coal’s as soon as possible, but a few days delay isn’t that big of a deal.”

  “It ain’t that easy, son.” Lenny was silent for a moment, staring at the ground while stroking his handlebar mustache. “This is somethin’ that could get you killed.”

  Chapter Eight

  The horses stepped out of the trees and onto a well traveled road. Lenny turned Stanza to the west and Justan followed, bringing Albert up beside the dwarf. He could smell smoke from stoves and fireplaces. They were getting c
lose to the town.

  “What? Are you going somewhere that you are afraid people might see Fist or Gwyrtha and attack us?” Justan asked. “Don’t you think we can handle ourselves?”

  “Just a dag-blasted minute, boy,” the dwarf started, but held his tongue. They heard raucous voices and soon a group of men heavily armed and with a swagger that could only come from drunkenness came around the bend. They paid no mind to Justan and Lenny, but continued on their way laughing and pushing each other around.

  The last few weeks of being alone with his friends had been so involving, that Justan found the sight of a group of strangers on the road jarring. He stared as they passed and turned his head to watch them continue on their way, but Lenny slapped him on the shoulder.

  “Hey, keep yer eyes forward. Drunkards don’t like people starin’ and we don’t need no trouble here. Them boys probly fell asleep in the saloon last night and just now woke up.”

  The outskirts of town came into view. They passed a few modest cabins with a winter-barren garden or two before coming to the center of the town. It wasn’t a large town, maybe eight buildings in all were lined up along either side of the main road, but it didn’t consist of the kind of businesses Justan expected to see in such a small place. They rode past two inns, a brothel, and a tavern before coming to the supply store.

  “What kind of town is this?” Justan asked. “I mean, why would people choose to stay here out in the middle of nowhere?”

  “It’s a border town, son. These kinds of places come and go when there’s a lot of travel on a road. This here’s the road to the main river crossin’ a few miles down. Lots of good folks been leavin’ Dremaldria lately to get away from the troubles, while at the same time, lots of bad folks’r comin’ in to be a part of the troubles. The place’s grown some since the last time I was here, though. Somethin’ else must be bringin’ folks in.”

  They dismounted the horses and walked to the front door of the store. It was a large but modest looking store from the outside. Large wooden letters on the face of the building read, “SUPPLY”. When they walked in, Justan saw what Lenny had meant when he said that the place was decent.

  Every inch of the store seemed to be taken up with goods. There was a large center aisle, but aside from that, there was barely room to walk between the shelves upon shelves of all the things a traveler might need. There were rows of pots and pans and cups and utensils. Barrels of different kinds of horse feed, bags, harnesses, replacement stirrups, knives, daggers, low quality weapons and more.

  “Hugo! I brought you some business!” the dwarf bellowed as they entered the store. The owner, a middle-aged balding man wearing a long sleeved red shirt and a dirty apron looked up from behind the front counter and grinned.

  “Why Lenui Firegobbler! Never thought I’d see you again after that last time.”

  “Yeah, well I got some business to attend to round these parts.” The dwarf leaned on the counter. “I got me a high grade bear pelt this mornin’ if yer interested.”

  Hugo shrugged. “I suppose I can take it in trade if the quality’s good. I do get some decent merchant traffic nowadays and someone will take it off my hands, but I don’t know how much I’ll be able to give you for it. I got lots of pelts coming in lately with all the monster hunters in town. We’re famous now since the rock giant took out that duke’s men.”

  “Sure, I’ll bring it in then.”

  As the dwarf left the store, Justan walked up to the front counter. He noticed that the man had a brace of throwing daggers around each upper arm. No doubt running a store in a place like this, he needed to know how to use them.

  “Excuse me, Lenny and I are looking for a man named Coal. He’s supposed to live just over the border and I was hoping -,” Justan paused because the moment he had mentioned the name Coal, the man’s face had split into a wide grin.

  “Looking for Coal, eh? A nicer man you’ll never meet. Why he’s the type of man that’d help a fellow out even if he barely knew ya.” The grin faded a little and a wary look came into the man’s eye. “What are you looking for a man like him for?”

  “Uh, actually I am hoping to learn from him,” Justan explained. “I needed a teacher and a wizard at the MageSchool sent me out to find him.”

  “Oh, well that’s alright then.” The grin reappeared on the man’s face. “Hell of a man, Coal. Normally, I wouldn’t direct passer’s by his way, though. Twouldn’t be nice to the man since he already helps so many and all. But since you’re with Lenui, I guess I can make an exception. He’s not too far on the other side of the border. If you can get around the rock giant’s territory, you can probably cross the river at the shallows and be there in a day’s time. Just head straight west past all the farms just in the woods there.”

  “Hey Lenny,” Justan said. The dwarf had reappeared and dropped the pelt on the counter. “This man knows Master Coal.”

  “That’s good news, son.” Lenny patted Justan on the back and wandered over to the corner of the store where the spices were kept. “Hugo, why don’t you point it out fer the boy on his map.”

  Justan got out his map and Hugo pointed the spot out. “Once you get there, ask anyone. Everybody knows the man. You couldn’t miss him.”

  “Thank you so much,” Justan said. “So you know Lenny pretty well?”

  “Sure, he comes through from time to time. Shared some ale with him the last time he came through. He near cried on my shoulder the night after the rock-“

  “Hugo, don’t you go tellin’ no stories now,” Lenny growled.

  “What don’t you want the boy to know?” Hugo looked back to Justan “It’s a funny story.”

  “He don’t need to hear yer gall-durn stories! We’re just here fer some trade, that’s all,” the dwarf snapped. He began looking through the spice barrels.

  “Now I have to hear it, Lenny,” Justan said with a chuckle. “You have got to tell me what would make this tough old dwarf cry.”

  “I weren’t cryin’ dag-blast it!” Lenny slammed his fist on the closest shelf, knocking pouches of ingredients all over the floor.

  “I said ‘near’,” Hugo protested. “Alright, alright. I’ll look at your pelt, then.” Lenny bent over to pick up the pouches. While Hugo was inspecting he pelt, he motioned to Justan and winked. Justan leaned over the counter and the man whispered, “He’s just upset because our rock giant beat him up and took his hammer.”

  “What?” Justan’s mouth fell open. Now he started to understand. “Lenny, is that what all this is about? A giant stole Buster? I wondered why you didn’t have him with you.”

  There was a muffled thud and a plume of brown powder came up from the corner of the store.

  “Son of a-,” Lenny came roaring up the aisle, half of his face covered in powdered chili. “Hugo, you dirt eatin’ son of a dog! What’d I tell you? I outta’ peel yer hide and sell it to yer competition!”

  “Just a minute!” Justan yelled, interrupting the dwarf’s tirade. “You think that the five of us together couldn’t handle one giant?”

  “W-well. It ain’t that simple!”

  “It isn’t? Explain it to me then!”

  The half of Lenny’s face not covered in spices was red and his jaw worked as if trying to decide what to say. Before it came to him, more customers came into the store. The dwarf shut his mouth and sighed. He dusted off his face and tried to knock the spice out of his mustache.

  “Later, son. I’ll tell you on the way back,” he finally said.

  Hugo seemed a bit embarrassed about the scene and gave them a more than fair amount for the pelt. The more Justan thought about it, the more upset he became about the dwarf’s lack of trust in his abilities. He fumed in silence as they picked up the miscellaneous items they needed for their travels and paid Hugo the difference. When they were finished, they loaded up the horses and headed back up the road. They left the town in silence. They were a ways into the woods before either one of them said anything.

  “Look, s
on, it’s a story I aint proud of-.” Lenny hesitated. Justan said nothing, just looked at the dwarf expectantly. “Some blasted bastard stole a magicked sword I made. The idjit got himself killed by this rock giant and when I went to get it back, the garl-friggin thing took Buster and booted me out of his territory. I dun tried lots of times to get him back, but it kept beatin’ me ‘till I gave up.”

  “Is this why you won’t talk to me about the new swords I want you to make?” Justan asked. He had asked the dwarf to look at the drawings with him several times during the journey, but Lenny kept making excuses.

  “Well, I can’t make anything magic with any other hammer. It just wouldn’t . . . be right.” Lenny scowled. “Dog-gone it, can’t you see this is a private thing? If one of you was killed ‘cause I was stupid enough to get my Buster stolen, I would . . .”