Delver Magic Book VII: Altered Messages

by Inlo, Jeff

  "He wasn't here that long. He did it pretty quick. I'm surprised he was able to spell as well as he did."

  Sy looked down at the positioned digits. He recalled his previous encounter with the monstrous goblin and revealed his own belief.

  "I'm not."

  "He was pretty smart for a goblin, wasn't he?" Ryson allowed, as he reconsidered his doubts about the large goblin's abilities.

  "He's a devious one, no doubt about that. If learning to spell a few words could help him get what he wants, he'd do it. We just have to figure out why he'd go to all this trouble. He cuts off the fingers, carries them around with him, and then leaves them here. What's the benefit to him?"

  "Well, you did challenge him."

  "So you think he's just bragging?" Sy wondered. "Could be. I told him I didn't think he could do it. He could be rubbing it in my face. Or... he could be telling us something more. He thought this forest was his, thought Burbon belonged to him. Maybe he's just reasserting that claim."

  "He made that claim when the elves were taken from this part of Dark Spruce," Ryson reminded the captain. "The elves are back."

  "That's true, but Okyiq got a taste of control. I think he liked it, and I think he's ready to go for it again. Maybe he's afraid of the elves, but I don't think he's afraid of us. I think we're the target. Doesn't that seem more likely?"

  Ryson didn't like the thought of Okyiq endangering Burbon again. The monster was strong and crafty, and he represented a grave threat.

  "Yes," the delver reluctantly admitted.

  With that admission came the need to address the situation. Burbon's captain believed that Okyiq couldn't be ignored, but there weren't too many options available. He had no intention of trying to capture the enormous goblin and then hoping to imprison him. Sy wanted the threat eliminated, but he also knew of the delver's personal beliefs.

  "I don't want to start an old argument with you," Sy acknowledged, "but he's going to be more than just a small problem."

  "I know."

  "I'm going to need a tracker to find him. I was hoping I could depend on you."

  Ryson considered what that meant. He could find Okyiq, as long as he concentrated on the goblin and didn't allow other enticements to distract him. Despite their great senses, delvers weren't always the best trackers. Their curiosity over new mysteries could lure them in different directions, but if they kept their focus, they could do the job.

  It wasn't the tracking, however, that raised doubts within the delver. It was the ultimate objective. Ryson knew Sy didn't just want to find the massive goblin, and the delver declared as much.

  "You're going to want him killed, aren't you?"

  It was the issue that had caused a conflict between the two friends before. Sy wished to protect the town at any cost, but Ryson always looked for less destructive means, even when dealing with dangerous beasts. It was the argument that Sy wanted to avoid, but looking at the decomposing goblin fingers, the captain knew the immense goblin wasn't going to just leave Burbon alone.

  "You think there's an alternative?" the captain asked.

  "We could leave him be."

  Sy would have liked to avoid the goblin, but he simply didn't believe that was going to be possible.

  "Look at the ground. Did he leave us be? Or did he intend on us finding this? He went to a lot of trouble here. If you honestly think Okyiq would do this just to prove he won some kind of challenge, then I'll accept that, but you have to be honest... with me and with yourself. Do you really think he's going to leave us alone? Would you bet your life on that? Would you bet Linda's life on that? I know that's not fair to ask, but I'm facing the same question with every life in Burbon."

  Ryson agreed it wasn't a fair question, but he understood that life in Uton wasn't meant to be fair, not with dark creatures running wild through Dark Spruce. He couldn't just ignore what was written out right before him. The decaying fingers pointed to a very clear truth.

  "No," Ryson admitted. "He's not going to leave us alone."

  "Then what do we do with him? Do we just wait for him to strike again? I can't do that. If one civilian dies in a goblin raid led by that monster, I'd never forgive myself." Sy then pointed to the message on the ground. "Because of this... because of what he left for us... I have to deal with it. Now, I won't ask you to break your moral code—we've been through that before—but I need to know if I can count on you to find him and do what has to be done, or if I have to hire a tracker. I don't have a lot of time here."

  Ryson grasped at one last hope.

  "What if we let Enin handle him? I can find Okyiq but we can let Enin deal with him."

  "Enin's not here. He lives in Connel now."

  "I know, but I can reach Connel quickly and talk to him. We can work something out together. When I find Okyiq, he can send the goblin back to the dark realm. He might even have a better idea of what to do with him."

  "Do you think Enin really has time for this?"

  "I won't know until I ask him."

  Sy almost gave Ryson the chance, but he couldn't take the risk.

  "I'm sorry, but I can't wait. The trail is fresh. It has to be followed now. You know I've been working with other scouts. Actually, it was Okyiq that forced my hand on that. When he broke through the gate, we both agreed we had to do more. I'm going to let one of the other trackers handle this."

  Ryson wanted to argue, but he remembered his agreement with Sy. They would work together whenever possible, but they would each respect the other's point of view. The captain was honoring that agreement and Ryson had to do the same.

  "I understand. Who are you going to send?"

  "Pru Fallo, he's a half-delver."

  "I know him. Can I ask why you think he should go?"

  "Being half delver, he can follow the trail better than my human scouts, but the human half will keep him focused on the goblin. But mostly, I think he's more than able to take on the big goblin, and that's what I need."

  "Well, I doubt he'll have any problem with the thought of killing Okyiq," Ryson responded with an obvious hint of sadness.

  It seemed such a waste. He looked down at the lifeless fingers one last time. Close to two hundred goblins already dead and Sy was going to send out a tracker to hunt down their murderer. Maybe it was justice, maybe it was a rational defense, or maybe it was all just pointless violence.

  Chapter 2

  Pru Fallo stepped carefully around the amputated fingers. He noted every mark along the pathway and committed the tracks to memory. After matching the various trails to specific individuals, he identified certain movements and considered their meaning. He noted Ryson Acumen and Sy Fenden's footprints when they first uncovered the message and then dismissed them as irrelevant to his cause.

  With each trail analyzed and understood, he asked the guards to remove the severed fingers. The overwhelming stench from some of the more decaying digits created a sickening blend of odors that interfered with the next step of his task. He needed to pinpoint Okyiq's scent, and the stinking cloud nearly choked him to sickness. The odor of death and decay would still linger in the air and on the ground, but at least it would begin to diminish.

  Once the putrefying digits were removed from the site, the half-delver found it easier to concentrate on the unique scents in the area. He eyed the ground and the condition of the brush as he followed the smells in the air. He picked through them one by one, isolated and then categorized them.

  While his senses were not as strong as a purebred delver, Pru's human half allowed him other distinct advantages. At times, a delver can be overwhelmed by surrounding sensations or distracted by new surroundings, unable to concentrate on a single objective. Finding a single path through a maze of stimulus could leave a delver confused and agitated. Such was usually not the case for those of partial delver heritage. For Pru, it was fairly easy to dismiss signs that did not have anything to do with his mission.

  Setting aside all other markings, Pru concentrated upon one s
pecific trail that did not belong to a guard or the Delver Acumen. With an inherent ability to create an image of the past based on everything his senses could absorb, Pru developed the scene of Okyiq roving across the forest floor to spell out the ghastly message. He followed the careful but quick movements of the large hulking creature, and he saw deliberate purpose in the precise actions. The half-delver knew the monster had moved into the area without indecision or concern, placed the goblin fingers upon the ground, and then departed.

  With a strong grasp of Okyiq's intentions, Pru focused on scents and signs away from the ooze and blood stained dirt. He began to prowl across grounds farther down the path. He did not race away, but slowly stalked deeper into the forest as he studied tracks that most humans would never notice.

  After but a few moments, he stopped stone-still and peered off into the forest. He had the path Okyiq had used to escape, and it was a trail he knew he could follow. Pru quickly returned to the spot where Sy waited with several soldiers.

  "I've got him," the half-delver revealed. "I know everything he did and I know which way he went."

  Sy nodded. He had permitted Pru to review the scene undisturbed, but he wished for additional information before he allowed the half-delver to complete his mission. The captain of the guard pointed down the section of forest where Pru last examined.

  "He went that way?"

  "Yeah, moved pretty fast. Arranged the fingers and then took off. Doesn't seem he wanted anything else."

  "That matches what Ryson told me."

  Pru knew of the purebred delver. They weren't friends, only spoke to each other on a few occasions, but Pru respected Ryson's abilities.

  "It's a difficult scene to examine," the half-delver admitted. "Some of those fingers were older than the others, pretty rotten and really smelled up the place. But if both Acumen and I are in agreement, then I'd say it's pretty definite Okyiq just wanted to leave the message and get out."

  "Was he alone?"

  "Yeah. He did all of this himself and he left by himself. I'm sure of it."

  "Anything else you can tell me?"

  "Nothing you don't already know. He's big... large tracks for a goblin. Hard to believe. Heavy, too. Moves pretty quick for his size, about as agile as a regular goblin. He doesn't let his bulk encumber him, at least not from what I can see of his tracks. He maneuvered through certain sections of the forest without any apparent problem."

  "You're right," Sy revealed. "I am aware of all that. He's hit us before and I've seen him in action. But I am surprised he was alone. He knew how to lead a raid."

  "This wasn't a raid," Pru responded. "He was just leaving a message. He didn't need anyone else for that. Other goblins might have got in his way."

  "But they could have watched his back. He was vulnerable here, at least for a while."

  "Can't argue that, but he was careful. He scouted the area before he left his little message to make sure there were no patrols. Once he started, he didn't waste any time."

  "There might not have been patrols, but Ryson was running outside the walls with his dog. If Ryson came out a bit earlier, he could have caught Okyiq in the act."

  "Maybe, but that doesn't mean Okyiq would want to bring other goblins with him. I'm not saying he's still on his own now. If he's everything you say, he's probably already rounding up a new batch of goblins to lead. I just understand why he wouldn't want them with him for this. He didn't mess around. He came in quick and got out."

  "You're probably right. Any other opinions?"

  Pru paused to give one quick look across the grounds and peered off in the direction he knew Okyiq escaped. He considered all the facts and then revealed his only consideration.

  "No, just a question. You still want me to go after him?"

  "I don't believe there's much of a choice."

  "There's always a choice," Pru pointed out. It wasn't out of apprehension or moral conscience that led the half-delver to make the remark. Pru simply believed nothing was carved in stone.

  Sy understood Pru's contention, but he spelled out the facts.

  "Like I told you, he's hit us before. He thinks this part of the forest belongs to him, thinks Burbon is part of what he owns. He's not going to leave us alone, so in that regard, I don't think there are any choices."

  "Sure there are. You could increase patrols and wait him out. You could draft most of the citizens into the guard and put them on the walls with bows. You could even tell the elves what happened here. They won't be any happier about this than you are. You could let them deal with it."

  "I don't like handing my problems over to somebody else."

  "You're handing them over to me," Pru responded bluntly.

  "That's not what I mean, and you know it," Sy shot back, slightly annoyed by the remark. "I'm dealing with the problem with the resources I have. That doesn't mean I'm willing to throw it in some elf's lap and just walk away. I'm paying you a pretty sizable sum. If you don't want the money, fine. I'll find someone else that does."

  "Oh, I want the money. You know my price, and it's not cheap. I'm just pointing out your alternatives. I don't want you to think I'm cheating you."

  Whenever a discussion with mercenaries turned to payment, Sy always gained a greater appreciation for his dealings with Ryson. The captain may not have always agreed with the delver, even had a few heated disagreements, but Ryson was never about money.

  "None of those options are acceptable to me," Sy stated firmly. "I want this goblin taken care of. So to answer your question; yes, I still want you to go after him."

  "Then I'll leave now. I've got his trail and everything I need."

  Sy, still somewhat unhappy about some of the half-delver's remarks, decided to offer up a question of his own regarding Pru's abilities.

  "This goblin's not only big and quick, he's also very strong. And you're right about him wanting to lead more goblins, which means he may not be alone for long. Are you sure you can handle him?"

  "I have no intention of getting close to him," Pru replied, seemingly unfazed by Sy's doubts. The half-delver used his thumb to point over his shoulder to a sturdy crossbow draped over his back. He then pulled an iron bolt from a quiver tied to his hip. "I don't care how big he is, he'll go right down with one of these in his ear. As for any of his followers, I have no intention of being seen by any of them."

  "How long?"

  "A few days at most. There's no way he can outrun me. He doesn't use magic, does he?"

  "I sincerely doubt it. If he could, he would have tried it when we captured him during his first raid. No, I saw it in his eyes. He was caught and all he could do was bargain his way to freedom, no other options, no magic."

  "Then, like I said, just a few days."

  Sy considered everything before him; the message from Okyiq, the way it was presented, the information he gained from Ryson and Pru, and finally Pru's estimation for completing the job. Something about the situation bothered him, made him feel like he was being maneuvered or led to a decision that was already made for him.

  While he trusted his instincts, he still didn't believe he had much of a choice. The message from Okyiq was more than just a boast. It was a warning. The large goblin had plans for Burbon, and if the captain didn't do something, the town was going to suffer. It was almost as if he was being offered two very bad choices, and he tried to decide which one held the least danger for the people of Burbon.

  Sy didn't wish to waste any more time. He believed that certain actions were necessary, but he decided to leave the door open for other alternatives.

  "I'll give you seven days to take care of him and then get back to me. Longer than that and I'll assume you failed."

  Pru shrugged, but the delver within him needed to know more.

  "Won't take that long, but why are you setting a deadline?"

  "Because I think this goblin is bad news, and I need to be sure that someone takes care of him."

  "I'm coming back for the money. You're going
to know when I get him."

  "How do I know if you don't? If something happens to you in the forest, I'm not going to hear about it. I can't leave this as an unanswered question. Like I said, you've got seven days."

  "Well, if I don't get him, what are you going to do? The only one that might be able to track him after that long would be Acumen, and he's not going to take care of Okyiq the way it needs to be done."

  "I'll take your other suggestion and call on the elves. It's like you said, they aren't going to be happy about this."

  "Isn't that handing your problem to someone else?" Pru questioned.

  "No, that's asking for help when I need it. Nothing wrong with that."

  Pru shrugged again and decided it was time to go.

  "I guess I'll see you in seven days or less," the half-delver acknowledged.

  Chapter 3

  Four gluuns carefully lowered themselves down one of Dunop's hidden airshafts. The slight and agile creatures moved with astonishing stealth and precision. Making their way through the extremely narrow tunnel offered little challenge. They could scamper through much smaller passages, and the lack of ropes or handholds within the steeply descending channel did nothing to impede their progress. They twisted their thin bodies into bizarre contortions to overcome several barriers. They moved through the constricted space very much like the faint whispers of a light breeze.

  While the passage presented a meager obstacle, the agile invaders glided cautiously downward. They slunk deeper into the bowels of the land with wary eyes that could penetrate the darkness. They were careful to choose one of the few shafts that did not utilize gemstones to reflect light below ground, for the ultimate success of their mission depended on secrecy. Absolute concealment of their approach was as important as the timing in which they completed their task.

  Even as the enveloping darkness and the gluuns' own magical abilities aided their secretive descent, it was no guarantee of avoiding detection. They were essentially invisible, light and shadow twisted ever so delicately around the space they occupied. Despite being able to cloak themselves entirely in a gloom which hid their very existence, they needed to remain vigilant for dwarf guards.