by F. P. Spirit
The tremors around them began to get worse. The rumbling grew louder, the sound of crashing rock emanating from the tunnel behind them. Tiny bits of rubble fell from the ceiling above.
Aksel’s healing light faded. “That will have to do for now.” He stood up and glanced around the cavern. “We need to go.”
Lloyd sat up slowly. Titan bent down and lent him a hand. As soon as he was on his feet he waved her off. “I’m fine.”
She narrowed her eyes but then let go.
“What about you?” Lloyd asked. He pointed toward Titan’s side. A wide circle of chain links were melted, the fabric underneath scorched.
She stared back at him, steely eyed. “It’s nothing.”
Aksel cut off any further discussion. “I’ll look at it later. For now let’s move!”
As the companions raced across the cavern, the sounds of rumbling grew louder. They vaulted up the path to the ledge, then filed one by one into the passage leading up to the well. Loud crashes sounded behind them. Glo cast a quick glance back. The ceiling of the cavern was coming down! They redoubled their efforts, swiftly reaching the fissure and ending up beneath the well. Seth leapt up first and scrambled up the rope out of sight. Elladan went next. Aksel waved Brundon on, but the tracker turned to Titan.
“Go! I’ll be right behind you.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”
“Yes! Go!”
Titan gave him a brief smile, then vaulted up the rope, the heavy hammer tucked firmly in her belt. The small cavern was shaking now. Down the passage they heard more rocks falling. Brundon shot up the rope, then Aksel waved Glo on next.
Glo looked at his friend with concern. “What about you?”
“I’ll carry him on my back,” Lloyd declared.
Aksel nodded. “Yes. Now go!”
Glo nodded back then leapt up the rope. He climbed as fast as he could, his hands turning raw from the quick ascent. As he reached the top, two chainmail clad arms reached down and pulled him out of the well. He found himself back in the troll cave, everyone gathered there except Lloyd and Aksel. As he got to his feet, the ground trembled again. Glo glanced around the cavern. Tiny cracks began to appear in the ceiling. Small pieces of debris began to fall. “The whole place really is coming down.”
Brundon gave Titan an ironic smile. “Well, love, I always said you didn’t know your own strength.”
Her face twisted into a half smirk. “Never caused an earthquake before though.”
Seth snorted. “I don’t think you can take all the credit. Lloyd’s hammering didn’t help.”
Further retorts were cut off as Lloyd, with Aksel on his back, climbed out of the well. The cave around them was rumbling now, the cracks in the ceiling widening. The companions rushed to the entrance and out into the open air, swiftly putting as much distance between them and the hillside. The ground around them still shook. Behind them the cave entrance began to crumble. The entire hillside came down around it, plumes of dust rising high into the sky. After a few minutes, the shaking subsided, only minor tremors sporadically followed.
Elladan let out a deep breath. “You all sure know how to throw a party. That’s what I call ‘bringing down the house’!”
That broke the tension. Everyone laughed. When the merriment died down, Aksel turned to Brundon. “Where are the mounts?”
The tracker let out a short laugh. “Funny thing about that. For some reason I thought we might want to make a fast getaway. So I brought them down to the woods just before I came looking for you all.”
Titan jabbed him in the arm. “Smart thinking.”
Brundon grimaced and grabbed his shoulder. “I have my moments.”
Another minor tremor rocked the hillside. “I think that’s our cue to leave,” Seth noted wryly.
The companions gathered their mounts and headed south into the forest. They wanted to put as much distance as possible between them and the Vogels. A few miles south, they made a brief stop and Aksel finished healing the two warriors. They quickly took off again, riding in silence until they reached the west road. It was nearing sundown when they exited the forest.
Once they were out in the open, Elladan broke the silence. “Who do you think those guys in robes were?”
Aksel shook his head. “I have no idea.” He spun around in his saddle and looked at Glo. “Maybe you were right. Maybe they were funding the orc bandits like you thought.”
Glo nodded slowly. “It would make sense. Mages with that kind of power might have taught Narthos how to summon demons.”
“That still doesn’t tell us who they are…or were,” Seth chimed in.
The group fell silent for a short while, until Lloyd said, “Could they have been in league with Telvar? He also wore black robes.”
Glo raised an eyebrow. Lloyd did raise an interesting point.
Aksel cocked his head to one side. When he spoke, he mirrored Glo’s thoughts. “It’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think we can quite make that connection just yet.”
The sunset shown red behind them, briefly bathing the road in scarlet as the companions continued eastward toward Ravenford.
It was very late in the evening when the company arrived back in Ravenford. The town was mostly dark, the streets empty. Very few lights burnt up at Ravenford Keep, mostly along the walls and the main gate. Thus, they decided it best to wait for the morning to report to the captain. The companions headed straight to the Charging Minotaur. It was so late that they had to wake up the stable boy. Lloyd and Brundon stayed behind to help unsaddle and brush down the mounts.
Inside the inn the kitchen was closed; the cook had gone home for the night. The bartender opened it for them and brought out some leftover chicken, potatoes, and pies. Lloyd and Brundon soon joined them, and they feasted together on their late night snack. After getting Elladan a room, the companions all bedded down for the night. Exhausted, everyone slept well past sunrise.
It wasn’t until late the next morning that Aksel, Glo, Seth, and Lloyd went up to the castle. They brought Elladan along to tell the story of the caravan. They had asked Titan and Brundon as well, but strangely the duo declined. Captain Gelpas met them in the main hall. After a brief conversation, he decided the baron should hear the rest. He left them there and went to inform Gryswold.
While they waited, Elladan strolled around the hallway admiring the décor. “Nice little keep they have here.” He stopped in front of the mural of the dragon battle. “Now that’s impressive.” Lloyd joined him and explained the history of Gryswold, the Avernos family and their relation to Penwick.
Seth wore an impish smirk. “I think I’m experiencing déjà vu.”
Glo chuckled softly. It was definitely one of Lloyd’s favorite topics.
A few minutes later a castle guard entered the hall. “Well, if it isn’t the heroes of Stone Hill!” It was Francis. “I hear that you routed those orcs out of the Bendenwoods this time.” The guard continued to gaze around as if looking for someone else. Glo had a pretty good idea who that was.
“Yes, we did manage to flush them out,” Aksel responded for the group.
A wide grin spread across the guard’s face. “Nice. The captain sent me to get you. He is waiting with the baron in his side chambers. Follow me.” Francis spun on his heel and motioned for them to follow. He led them down the hall and into the throne room. Once inside, he strode down to the last door on the right, opened it, and then stood aside. They entered a small room, its length and width were almost completely filled by a large wooden table. The baron sat at the head of that table, the Lady Gracelynn to his left, Captain Gelpas at his right. The Lady Andrella stood by her father’s side.
Gryswold turned toward the door. “Here they are, Gelpas. Come in. Come in. Please have a seat.”
The five of them filed in and
found seats around the table. Lloyd sat the farthest away, close to the other end. Once they were all seated, the Lady Andrella walked down to the other end of the table and sat down opposite her father—conveniently next to Lloyd. The pair exchanged a brief glance, the young man smiling at her shyly. A thin smile crossed the young lady’s lips, her cheeks turning somewhat rosy, then she quickly looked away.
Gryswold leaned forward in his chair. “Gelpas here was just telling us a bit about your run in with the bandits. Please, fill us in on the whole story.”
Aksel stood and cleared his throat. “There is much to tell, your Lordship. To that end we have brought a caravan survivor with us. He was a great asset to us during the course of the mission. May I introduce the bard, Elladan Narmolanya.”
Elladan stood up and bowed deeply, his cloak flourishing behind him. “At your service, your Lord and Ladyship.”
Gryswold regarded the bard, his blue eyes staring him up and down. “A caravan survivor you say? I thought the last caravan made it through here unharmed?”
“I’m sorry to say your Lordship, but another caravan was waylaid during our hunt for the bandits,” Aksel answered his query.
Gryswold’s expression grew dark. He slammed his fist on the table. “No! Not another caravan!”
“Another caravan was due in yesterday,” Gelpas confirmed.
The Lady Gracelynn reached over and placed a delicate hand on her husband’s shoulder, her eyes filled with sadness. Gryswold turned toward her. As he gazed upon her tender expression, his own softened. He let out a heavy sigh, his tensed shoulders relaxing.
After the briefest of pauses, Elladan spoke, his tone tentative, “I was a passenger on that caravan, your Lord and Ladyship. We were attacked by orcs late last night.”
The Lady Gracelynn’s gaze fell upon him. When she spoke, her voice was low. “Did anyone else survive?”
Elladan bowed his head, his voice filled with regret. “I’m afraid not, my Lady. I’m only alive by sheer luck.” He proceeded to tell them the story of the caravan attack. He described it in vivid detail, as bards tended to do, although Glo suspected that he left out the more gory details. When he was done, there were somber faces all around the room.
Gryswold slammed his fist onto the table once more. “The devils!”
Elladan grimaced, his own guilt and anger apparent in his expression. It only lasted for a moment though, the performer in him taking hold once more. “But the story doesn’t end there, your Lord and Ladyship. By the grace of the gods, these folks here found me.” He spread his hand around the table at Aksel, Seth, Glo and Lloyd. “And let me help rout the fiends.”
Gryswold’s face was still flushed with anger. He gazed intently around the room. “So they are all gone?”
“To the last bandit, your Lordship,” Lloyd declared with clear conviction.
Gryswold stared at the young man for a moment or two, then let out a heavy sigh. “Thank you. I knew I could count on a Stealle.”
“Thank you all.” The Lady Gracelynn gazed at each of them individually with a gracious smile.
Gryswold’s face showed a trace of embarrassment. He immediately followed his wife’s lead, his eyes falling on Aksel, Seth, Glo and Elladan. “Yes, thanks to you all.”
The briefest of smiles crossed the Lady Gracelynn lips, then she turned back toward Elladan. “Good bard, we are quite sorry for any hardship these bandits may have put you through, and are most grateful for your help in putting an end to these cutthroats and vagabonds. If there is anything else we can do to ease your suffering, please let us know.”
From Elladan’s expression, he was obviously quite touched. “Thank you, your Ladyship, but I’m just glad to have fallen in with these folks. They are the heroes here. If not for them, I’d still be stuck in the woods, or maybe worse.”
The Lady Gracelynn smiled warmly at the young bard. Gryswold seemed impressed as well. He gave Elladan a gruff smile of his own. The baron then began to question the group in earnest, wanting all the details about the various aspects of their mission.
Aksel, Glo, and Elladan took turns filling him in on the specifics. Lloyd and Seth remained silent throughout the ensuing conversation. Glo occasionally glanced over at his quiet companions. He noticed that Lloyd and Andrella would occasionally catch each other’s eye, then swiftly turn away. The attraction between the two was almost palpable. He was curious as to which one would eventually make the first move. Elladan, a natural born storyteller, had taken up the tale of their search through the caverns. He had just gotten to the part about the black mages.
Gryswold interrupted him. “Black mages?”
“Yes, three of them,” Glo responded.
Gryswold’s expression grew thoughtful. He turned to Gelpas. “Didn’t you say there was one up at Stone Hill?”
“Yes. According to the accounts I heard, there was a dark mage up at the ruins.”
Aksel added to the captain’s answer. “Pardon me, your Lordship, but there is no evidence connecting the two.”
Gryswold strummed his fingers on the table nervously. “Still, you must admit, that is one heck of a coincidence.”
Glo decided to share his theory on how the orcs were being sponsored by some other source. He pointed out the amount of gold coins they had found as well as the ritual they stopped at the summoning circle. When he was done, both Gryswold and Gracelynn appeared extremely concerned. Surprisingly, it was Andrella who spoke next.
“What happened with these three black mages?”
Aksel asked Elladan to finish the story. The bard’s uncanny knack for remembering details was a clear asset. Elladan described the entire scene to them including: Lloyd’s incredible feat with the fireball, Titan’s smashing of the tunnel wall, and the subsequent collapse of the underground caverns. When he was done, Andrella turned to Lloyd.
“That was very brave of you, protecting everyone like that.”
Lloyd’s face reddened, an uncomfortable smile crossing his lips. His hand went to the back of neck. “It was nothing, really.”
“It was stupid, actually,” Seth interjected. All eyes fell on the halfling. Seth shrugged. “What? I’m not wrong.”
Gryswold broke out in laughter. His gaze shifted from Seth to Lloyd. He regarded the young man warmly. “You remind me so much of your father. During the Eboneye war it was hard to restrain him. He was always wading into battle with little regard for his own safety.”
Lloyd was clearly surprised. “My father did that?”
Gryswold sat back in his chair and laughed again. It was a deep, full sound. “Yes, indeed he did. And although he won us many a battle, he nearly got himself killed more times than I can count.”
Lloyd shook his head in disbelief. “Really? My father? The man that always yells at me for ‘charging in head first’?”
Gryswold threw up his hands. “Well, they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” He sat forward in his chair, his expression turning serious. “Don’t get me wrong, my boy. Your father is a fine strategist, one of the best Penwick has ever seen.”
A wan smile crossed Lloyd’s face. “I know, I know. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, ‘You must learn to study your opponents first’ and ‘Never fully engage an enemy until you have properly assessed their skills’.”
From Gryswold’s expression, it was obvious he had heard those same words more than once. “Indeed, that is sound advice.” He leaned further forward and gazed a Lloyd intently. “Trust me, lad, your father had to learn those lessons the hard way. He almost lost your mother because of his own recklessness.”
Lloyd’s eyes went wide. “I never knew that. Is that how she ended up as Eboneye’s prisoner?”
Glo raised an eyebrow. Lloyd’s mother was a prisoner of the pirate warlord? He glanced from Lloyd to Gryswold. Both wore grim e
xpressions.
Gryswold nodded slowly. He closed his eyes, an edge to his gruff voice as he continued. “It was the end of the war. We had taken back most of the city. As a last ditch effort, the pirates set a magical trap for us, and your father ran right into it. He was such a charismatic leader that we all followed him blindly. We would have been killed if your mother, quite pregnant with your sister at the time, had not come to save us. And save us she did, but in doing so was captured by Eboneye himself.”
Andrella, quite rapt in the story, cried out in dismay, “So how did they save her?”
Gryswold looked at his daughter, a knowing smile on his face. “Kratos saved her. Eboneye had taken her with him aboard his ship. Kratos, myself and a few others gave chase. He took Eboneye on one on one, while the rest of us freed Lloyd’s mother.”
Andrella let out a deep breath. “Phew. You had me on the edge of my seat.”
Gryswold grinned. “Trust me, daughter, we all were. We were lucky to get her back unharmed. From that day forward, Kratos swore that he would never run headlong into battle again. He almost lost the most precious thing to him in the world, and it taught him a valuable lesson.” Gryswold sat back in his chair. The Lady Gracelynn reached over and grasped her husband’s arm, squeezing it gently. The baron turned to his wife and gave her a reassuring smile. He reached over with his other hand and patted hers.
At the other end of the table, Lloyd sat with a stunned expression. The Lady Andrella reached over and placed a tentative hand on his arm, mimicking her mother. Lloyd turned to gaze at her, the warmth returning to his face. The two of them sat there staring into each other’s eyes. Abruptly, Andrella pulled away, her cheeks turning red. She glanced over at her parents. Her voice was shaky as she addressed them. “Yes, well then…Father, Mother, I think Delara deserves some acknowledgement for her part in foiling those dark mages.”
Gryswold and Gracelynn exchanged a brief glance. Gryswold then turned toward Gelpas. The captain, however, had gone rigid. His face was a stony mask. Gracelynn was the one to finally answer, “Yes, you are quite right, my daughter. We will make certain her part in this is duly recognized.”