by F. P. Spirit
More laughter erupted from over at the bar. Brundon and Elladan were still sharing stories with a number of patrons. Titan let out a short laugh. “I think Brundon has met a kindred spirit in Elladan.”
“They do seem to be enjoying themselves,” Glo admitted.
“It’s good for business, too.” Seth punctuated his statement with a heavy draft of ale.
Lloyd let out a heavy sigh. “I’m just glad we were able to stop that thing. I wish we could’ve gotten up there sooner.”
Titan reached over and placed a firm hand on the young man’s shoulder. “It’s alright, Lloyd. We did what we could. That monster won’t hurt anyone else ever again.”
“Amen to that,” Aksel agreed.
They were interrupted by the sound of music. Elladan had taken the stage. The bard sung an impromptu ditty about Lloyd, Titan and the Giant.
Afterwards, Seth suddenly grew irritable. “A story is one thing, but now a song? I tell you, I might as well be invisible.” He wrapped his cloak around himself and suddenly disappeared. Glo supposed he couldn’t blame him. Both Elladan and Brundon had glossed over the fact that Seth had hamstrung the giant. He had snuck into its cave and done so while it was still asleep. Had he not, their battle with the monster might have gone quite differently.
Lloyd must have felt the same way. His expression grew troubled. “That’s been bothering me, too.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not what people want to hear,” Aksel explained. “The giant wouldn’t have seemed nearly as fierce, nor our victory quite as sensational if people knew it had been disabled. Brundon and Elladan’s version of the story makes it seem far more dangerous.”
Titan shook her head. Her tone was extremely cynical. “Ah, but that is the way of the world. People only see what they want.” She took a quick draft from her mug. “Before Brundon came along, no one would take me seriously as a warrior. To everyone else I was just a girl. He was the only one who gave me a chance.” Her gaze traveled across the room and fell on her irrepressible partner. Her face lit up, her eyes brimming with emotion.
Glo knew that look. It was the way his mother looked at his father; the way Lloyd and Andrella gazed at each other. She really did care for the man. Glo felt a brief pang as he thought of Xelda but then chided himself. That ship had sailed. Glo’s musings were interrupted when Lloyd suddenly rose from his seat.
“Well, I think Seth deserves credit too, and I’m going to fix that right now.”
“Sit down, Lloyd!” Seth’s disembodied voice hissed.
Lloyd froze in his tracks. He spun around and stared at the empty seat where the halfling had been. Without warning, the halfling reappeared there as if he had never left. Lloyd wore a puzzled expression. “But, I thought…”
Seth interrupted him. “It’s alright, Lloyd. I was just griping. Aksel is right. What Elladan and Brundon are doing is really what’s best.”
Lloyd shook his head but sat back down anyway. “I still don’t think it’s fair.”
Seth stared at the young man, his normally snarky expression visibly softening. He grabbed his mug and raised it high in the air. “Here’s to Lloyd, the giant killer!”
They all raised their own mugs and clinked them together. “To Lloyd, the giant killer!”
Lloyd grinned and shook his head, his face turning red. “You guys.”
It had gotten late and the tavern emptied out. Titan and Brundon bid them goodnight and headed to their rooms. The companions were left alone in a nearly empty inn. Only Kailay, Morwen, and the bartender, Tapgin, were left bustling around the room cleaning up tables. Kailay strode past their table and stopped, balancing a tray of empty mugs in one hand.
“Well that was exciting! Can’t remember the last time we had such a turn out. You all are definitely good for business.” She gave them a wink.
Elladan winked back at her. “We aim to please.”
Kailay gazed at the bard, her cheeks turning red. Glo found her reaction amusing. This was the second time the young woman had responded so around the bard. He was handsome to be sure, but Kailay was usually the one to make men blush. It was refreshing to see the shoe on the other foot. Her eyes lingered on the bard for a few more moments, then she tore them away. “Anything else I can get you gents before we close down for the night?”
They all shook their heads. “I think we’re good,” Aksel said.
Elladan abruptly reached forward, his hands full of coins. “These are for you.”
Kailay glanced at him, then slowly held out her empty hand. Her face reddened once more. “Thank you, Elladan.” The young barmaid pocketed the coins, then turned and scurried away toward the kitchen.
Elladan turned back toward the others. “Well, she’s a real sweetheart.”
“That she is,” Glo agreed. He stifled a yawn. There was one more subject he wanted to discuss before calling it a night. “We’ll have the money for the scrolls tomorrow. I can go to Maltar and have him write them up, but we still don’t know the magic words that invoke the ring.”
Elladan cocked his head to the side. “What was it that Telvar’s journal said? Something about his first love?”
Aksel nodded. “Yes, that was the hint he left in his journal.”
Elladan turned toward Glo. “And what was it that Maltar told you? That Telvar never loved anyone but himself?”
“That’s what he said.”
“Then it has to be Telvar himself,” Elladan declared. “Or some variation of his name,” he quickly added.
“My thoughts exactly,” Seth agreed. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
Aksel slowly stroked his chin as he thought it over. “You may be right, but we won’t know for sure until we get back to Stone Hill.”
They talked a bit more, then everyone decided to adjourn for the night.
Return to the Ruins
The magic exploded from his body, flowing up the shaft to the golem wedged within
The next morning, the companions headed up to the keep. They were surprised to find the captain already knew all about their adventure. Gelpas’s expression was curious. “I just have to ask one question—did Lloyd really knock the giant down?”
Lloyd started to reply, but Elladan beat him to it. “As a matter of fact, captain, he did.” Elladan launched into an avid description of the demise of the giant. When he was done, Gelpas had a few more questions. Once he was satisfied, he pointed to a small chest on the floor in the corner of the room. “Flying or not, this is most definitely deserved.”
Aksel bowed. “Thank you. We are just glad to be of service.”
Gelpas gave him a slight nod. “Very good, but now that the giant is taken care of, I have something else that could use attention.” He grabbed a parchment from the top of a pile on his desk. He began to read from it. “It seems that some ships have disappeared off the coast near Cape Marlin over the last month—three to be exact. The Gail Runner, the Sydion, and the Zephyr, all gone without a trace.”
“May I see that?” Aksel asked.
“Certainly.” Gelpas handed the parchment over to the little cleric.
While Aksel looked it over, Elladan addressed the captain, “That certainly sounds serious, but there was one thing we were hoping to do first, back up at Stone Hill.”
Aksel looked up from the parchment. “It should only take a day at most, then we will be ready to head out to the cape.”
Gelpas thought it over as he took the paper back from Aksel. “I don’t suppose one day would make a difference. And we do need to arrange transportation out to the coast anyway.”
“We’ll come straight here as soon as we return,” Aksel promised.
“Very well,” Gelpas agreed.
The companions left the keep. After a quick stop at the inn, Glo headed to Maltar’s to get the
scrolls. Lloyd carried a couple of sacks filled with gold coins. The mage was rather surprised to see them, but just as obviously pleased to receive his payment. He promised to have the scrolls for them within the hour. In the interim, the companions prepared for the journey back to Stone Hill. They gathered outside the Charging Minotaur just before midday. Glo met them with the freshly finished scrolls in hand. He was surprised to see Elladan sitting in a wagon while the rest of the company were astride their mounts.
Glo halted next to the bard and nudged his head at the wagon. “So what’s that for?”
Elladan pointed a thumb behind him. “That? That’s for any spoils we find up at the keep.”
“And my couch!” Seth added.
Glo chuckled for the first time in a couple of days. He had forgotten about the halfling’s obsession with that piece of furniture. He was still smiling as he packed the scrolls into his saddlebags, when a familiar voice called out to them.
“Off for a jaunt, are we?” Brundon stood on the porch of the Charging Minotaur, a thin smirk across his face.
Elladan called back to him, “Nothing major. Just making a quick trip out to Stone Hill.”
Brundon’s smirk widened. “Going back to get the golem?”
“And my couch!” Seth added once again.
Brundon’s smirk turned into a full-fledged grin. “Of course. Perhaps you would like some company on the journey?”
Elladan glanced at Aksel. The little cleric shrugged. The bard turned back to Brundon. “It’s not exactly a paid job.”
Brundon stroked his beard. “Be that as it may, I do remember a room full of rather nice antiques out there. Perhaps Titan and I could retrieve some of those and sell them for a small profit?”
Seth stared at the tracker intently. “As long as you don’t touch my couch.”
Brundon held up both hands in front of him. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Aksel shrugged. “Sure. Why not.”
“Done, then,” Brundon declared. “I will go and fetch Titan. Give us fifteen minutes, tops.”
Brundon and Titan showed up just shy of fifteen minutes later. The seven of them rode off down the street, across the bridge, and down the south road out of Ravenford.
They entered the Dead Forest a couple of hours later. It was just as dreary as Glo remembered it. Elladan rode next to him, peering at the leafless, grey canopy that stretched around and over them. “Well, this is kind of bleak.”
“According to Brundon, the entire forest is like this.”
Elladan whistled. “An entire forest? What could have done this to an entire forest?”
Glo merely shrugged.
Aksel turned around and gazed up at them. “We said the same thing the last time we were here. Whatever did this, the extent of it boggles the mind.”
Elladan continued to gaze around them. “It’s giving me the creeps.”
The riders soon arrived at the base of the trail up to the ruins. It took awhile, but they entered the courtyard by early afternoon. The front entrance lay wide open, the remains of the inner door strewn to either side of the archway. Large cracks ran through the walls of the structure. Loose rocks lay strewn across the courtyard, most likely fallen from the empty sections of wall. The tall tower stood at the other end of the yard. It appeared exactly as they had left it—the door completely gone. Black stains charred the parapets, a sour reminder to Glo of his explosive mistake during their encounter atop the tower. The main keep rose to their left, its walls a light shade of grey in the afternoon sunlight. It was the only part of the ruins still mostly intact. The companions dismounted.
“I’ll stay here and keep watch,” Titan offered.
Brundon’s face twisted into a half smirk. “What, love? No desire to go back inside?”
She gave him a withering stare. “Not really. Anyway, you’re the one who wanted ‘antiques’. Have fun scrounging around in there.”
Brundon let out a short laugh. “Suit yourself.”
They left Titan outside and entered the keep. Brundon and Seth made a quick sweep of the first and second floors while the others waited in the foyer. The duo soon returned. The place was empty except for the golem which was still trapped in the chute.
Aksel slowly stroked his chin. “I think we should start upstairs. I don’t want to be underneath that thing when it starts dripping down into the basement.”
Seth contorted his face in disgust. “Eww.”
Glo silently agreed.
Brundon’s mind was firmly fixed on looting. “Mind if I take Lloyd and go down to the basement? The day’s already half over and we haven’t even started scavenging.”
Aksel had started up the stairs. He spun around and glanced at Lloyd. “It’s fine by me.”
Lloyd shrugged. “Sure, I’ll go with you.” He followed Brundon away toward the basement.
Aksel, Seth, Glo, and Elladan went upstairs to the pantry. The four of them gathered around the top of the chute. Glo lit the end of his staff and shone the light down the shaft. Something moved below. They heard a small boom, and the floor shook a bit in response.
Seth smirked. “See, just like I told you.” He reached into his pocket and took out the control ring. Seth slipped it onto his finger. “Well, here goes nothing.” He held his hand out over the hole and closed his eyes. His face took on an expression of deep concentration. After a few moments he spoke a single word, “Telvar.” Nothing happened. The golem continued to bang weakly against the walls of the shaft. Seth glanced around at the others. “Okay then. Let’s try this one more time.” Once again, he thrust his hand out over the chute and closed his eyes. He stood in that pose for a half minute, then spoke another word, “Ravlet.” The noise from the chute abruptly halted. They all exchanged glances.
Elladan gazed at Glo and Aksel. “Was that it?”
Aksel merely shrugged.
Glo was incredulous. “Really? Telvar backwards? Maltar was right. Telvar really was a hack. That was way too easy.”
“Try making it do something,” Aksel instructed Seth. “Just to be sure.”
Seth’s face twisted into a half smirk. He held his hand over the chute once again. “Hit the wall,” he said in a commanding tone.
Boom! The room shook around them.
Seth looked from Aksel to Elladan and then to Glo, his expression smug. “Hit the wall again,” he commanded.
Boom! The room shook once more.
Glo was quite surprised, but there was no denying their success. “I guess that did it.”
Elladan gave Seth a pearly half smile. “Nicely done.”
Seth responded in an exaggeratedly polite tone, “Thank you.” He finished with an accusing glance at Aksel and Glo.
Aksel ignored the halfling’s non-verbal taunt. “Well then, now that we know the golem is under our control, let’s go down to the basement and use those scrolls.”
Seth eyed Aksel suspiciously. “I thought you were worried about the golem dripping on you?”
Aksel gave him a wry look. “I was kidding.”
Glo arched an eyebrow. Aksel? Kidding? Wonders would never cease.
A short while later, they entered the basement room directly under the pantry. Glo stood beneath the chute and held his staff aloft. The light from it shone up the shaft, just far enough to illuminate something blocking the way.
“I don’t think it’s gone anywhere.”
Glo gazed down and saw Seth standing next to him, the trace of a smirk on his lips.
Glo laughed at himself. “You’re right.”
The elven wizard took a few steps back and handed his staff to Elladan. He unslung his backpack and drew out a wooden scroll case. Glo popped open the top, turned it over, and let the two scrolls inside slide out into his hand. He gingerly unraveled the first scroll
and checked the inscription. This one contained the spell of Stone to Mud. Aksel, Seth, and Elladan stared at him with expectation. With a brief nod, he began to read the spell aloud. It was a very complex spell and thus rather lengthy, but Glo plowed through it, making sure to pronounce each passage properly. When he finished the last sentence, Glo felt a surge of magic stronger than any spell he had cast before. His body practically tingled with power, the arcane mana coursing through his veins. It lasted mere moments, then the magic exploded from his body, flowing up the shaft to the golem wedged within. Glo let out a sharp breath, his body not used to the expulsion of so much power at once. At that same moment, the parchment in his hand began to disintegrate. The paper slowly disappeared from the center outward, until even the handheld sections evaporated. In moments, the entire scroll was gone. Still, that was not unexpected. The magic of a scroll was embedded into the very fiber of the paper. Once invoked, the magic was “used up” and the scroll disappeared along with it.
Elladan took a step toward the shaft, holding Glo’s staff aloft. Glo reached out and grasped the bard’s arm. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you—unless of course you want to be covered in liquid golem.”
Elladan gave him a sideways glance, then chuckled. “No, I’m good.”
They all stared expectantly at the opening in the ceiling. After a few moments, a thick grayish liquid began to ooze out of the shaft. It slowly dripped onto the floor, pooling up underneath the chute. With only a few exceptions, the ooze did not spread like a normal pool. Instead it slowly piled up, eventually forming into a familiar shape. When it was done, the same grey golem they had faced on their last visit towered over them—with a couple of minor differences. First, the creature’s mass shifted around as if it were not completely solid. Second, there were huge gaps in both its arms and sides. Luckily, there was extra “mud” spread on the floor around it.
Elladan let out a short laugh. “He’s looking a bit wobbly there.”