Caravan to Kittikin

by Brian S. Pratt

“I thought most were more of the mercenary types?” the father asked.

  “Dear!” the wife chided. “And after they have been so helpful.”

  Reneeke just laughed. “I suppose some of our members hold more value for coins than they should.” He gave them a short bow. “We must be off. A good day to you.”

  The man held out his hand and Jaikus shook it, as did Reneeke. “May the conclusion of your Adventures always find you before a friendly hearth.”

  “Thank you.” Then to Jaikus, “Shall we?”

  With that, they pointed their horses north and got up to a quick trot.

  “Nice people,” Jaikus commented after the family had fallen out of sight.

  Reneeke nodded. “Makes what we’re doing all worthwhile.”

  “I suppose so,” Jaikus replied. Though if truth be known, he wouldn’t of minded a small bit of reward. Reneeke could be so noble at times.

  Not long after leaving the couple, they came to where another road branched off to the east. An old wooden sign indicated a place called Rock Point laid somewhere along that branching. They continued on.

  The leagues passed quickly and they pushed deeper into the Pass. The road grew more severe as the left side began to fall away as it climbed the canyon wall. They slowed their pace to save the horses’ strength during the climb. Throughout the afternoon they watched the river fall further and further away.

  They came across a small plateau-like area several hours before dusk. From the amount of manure and number of wagon tracks, it was clear that Master Tuppin had camped there the night before.

  “We’ve almost caught them, Rene.”

  Reneeke nodded. “Would expect we should rejoin them sometime tomorrow.”

  “Why not tonight?”

  “Jaik, do you really want to brave this road in the dark?”

  Jaikus glanced to the far side where the edge of the road straddled a drop-off to the valley far below. “Uh, maybe not.”

  “One more day won’t kill us. We’ll keep going until dusk then make camp.” Then he grinned. “Maybe you could get some of that resting you wanted.”

  “Ah, Rene. You know I was just joking.”

  Laughing, they continued on up the Pass.

  They found a suitable campsite where a creek made its way out of the mountains and flowed under an old bridge to the drop-off where it cascaded to the river below. An old fire ring indicated that others had used the spot before them.

  During their collecting of firewood, they came across a trail leading deeper into the mountains. Overgrown and narrow, it was either really old or rarely used. Once they had accumulated sufficient limbs and broken apart several fallen logs, they set about building a fire.

  A brave rabbit made an appearance but fled when Jaikus tried to bean it with a rock. Cursing, he said, “You may be right about the need for a bow.” Rabbit-on-a-stick sure would have been good.

  “First thing when we get to a town,” he assured him.

  The night wore on and neither felt like sleeping. Simply sitting by the fire and rehashing their few adventures proved relaxing and needful. When Jaikus finally yawned, Reneeke asked, “You want the first watch, or shall I?”

  “I’ll take it,” he said. Stretching, he stood.

  “Keep the fire going,” Reneeke advised as he pulled his blanket up over him. “The mountains get cold at night.”

  Jaikus didn’t even bother to reply, he just sighed. “Go to sleep, Rene.” He heard Reneeke chuckle.

  The night wore on and Jaikus took to walking about in order to keep sleep at bay. Stars shone bright in a sparkling canopy overhead. He added more wood to the fire for as Reneeke predicted, it had grown quite cold.

  A far-off howl made him start, but then realized it was but wolves in the night. All the creatures of the Keep had been dealt with. Had there been more, surely they would have encountered them when they returned to the Keep. Hearing the howling again, he just pulled his jacket tighter around him and walked some more.

  His footsteps led him to the bridge under which the stream emptied to the drop-off. Its cascading down the mountainside sounded in the darkness. He leaned on the rail as he looked out over the gorge to the mountain silhouetted against the stars. It really was very peaceful and tranquil. Then when he turned to continue across the bridge, the tranquility of the moment was shattered. Two red eyes glowed at him from out of the dark.

  He froze as on the far end of the bridge, stood one of the creatures from the Keep.

  Their eyes locked and for a moment, neither one moved. Then the creature howled and charged.

  Jaikus turned and raced back toward their camp. “Rene!” he shouted.

  An answering howl came from further up the road and a third sounded farther to the south.

  Three?

  Reneeke stood with sword drawn as Jaikus raced into the firelight with the creature hot on his trail. As soon as Jaikus raced by him, he swung the sword with both hands and every bit of strength he had. His arms jarred as the blade connected with the beast’s breastbone and cleaved its way through to the spine.

  Snarling and twisting, the beast ripped the sword out of his hands. It turned to Reneeke and made to strike but then the severity of the blow finally registered and it dropped to the ground.

  “How in the name of all the gods did it get this far up the mountain?” Putting his foot on the beast’s chest, he pried his sword free.”

  “It’s not alone, Rene. I think there are two more.”

  “Two!”

  “Maybe more.”

  Next to where he had slept sat Oriu’s chest. Reneeke picked it up. “Get to the horses.”

  But before they could move, the horses screamed as one of the creatures ripped into them.

  “Grab your pack, Jaik,” Reneeke whispered as he slung his over his shoulder.

  It sounded like the creatures were having a feeding frenzy among the horses.

  Once Jaikus had it slung over his shoulder, Reneeke gestured toward the trail they had located earlier.

  Nodding, Jaikus accompanied him from the campsite. The cries of horses and tearing of flesh followed them as they raced into the night.

  After the pair departed, three figures entered the campfire’s light. One was rather short, the other two taller but heavily scarred.

  “They took the chest,” one of the scarred figures said.

  “Damnation,” cursed the other scarred figure. No longer sporting his signature red hair, Mackum was a mass of scars left behind by the fireball and too few healing potions. He had lost all but one man in that unexpected attack.

  “But you have your horses,” the shorter figure said. Cirric wasn’t interested in retrieving items. All he wanted was revenge for the death of his brothers.

  Mackum rounded on him. “You said we would recover the chest.”

  “I gave no such guarantee.”

  Cirric made to follow the pair along the old trail.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Turning to Mackum, he said, “To finish this.” Before he faded into the shadows, four of the creatures materialized before him and with a howl, they set off in pursuit.

  Chapter 12

  They fled for their lives. Howls of the creatures dogged them as they pushed deeper into the mountain. The trail they followed could barely be seen with but moonlight overhead. Twice they thought they had lost it only to come to a widening and realize they still followed it.

  Reneeke held the chest under one arm as he moved limbs and branches aside with the other. Minutes passed and still the howls dogged them.

  “Do you think we’ve lost them?”

  “I doubt it,” Reneeke replied.

  Jaikus glanced back repeatedly but all he could see were shadows. “We’ll never outrun them.”

  “I realize that, Jaik. We just need to find a place to even the odds a little bit more than out in the open.”

  The trail wound up the side of the mountain, gradually growing steeper the furth
er they went. By the time it angled to such a degree that they had to use a hand to steady themselves, the density of the trees had thinned. Glancing back down the mountainside, they searched the shadows. At times they would see shadows moving a ways down but couldn’t be sure if they were real or imagined.

  Reneeke led the way with Jaikus on his heels. Coming to where a trio of boulders straddled the trail, he came to a stop. “This might be the best we can do, Jaik.”

  “It’s not much, Rene.” He eyed the boulders in the moonlight. “Maybe we could roll them down and crush one.”

  “I wouldn’t trust to that, Jaik,” he replied. “More likely than not, they would just sidestep around it.”

  “We have to do something,” he began then out of the corner of his eye, caught a brief flash of white off to their right. When he turned to look, it was gone. Figuring it to be his imagination, he forgot about it and returned his attention to looking for the creatures coming up the slope.

  Minutes passed and again there came the brief flash of white. It wasn’t a bright flash like a flame or anything. It was more like a light graying of the shadows. When he turned to look, it again vanished.

  “Rene…,” he began.

  “Yeah, I saw it too.”

  “Let’s check it out.”

  “But if the creatures catch us without even these boulders for protection…” Reneeke started to say.

  “It still wouldn’t make any difference. We’re dead meat if they catch us.”

  Silence hung between them until Reneeke said, “Okay. But let’s hurry.”

  Jaikus led the way as they headed toward where he saw the flash of white.

  Not more than ten paces from the boulders and the object of white that had caught their eye began to emerge from the darkness. It was actually four objects, skulls, hanging from a limb on a leather thong. Three were animals while the one at the bottom was human.

  Jaikus eyed the skulls with trepidation. “Is that a warning?”

  “Could be a sign for the Four Skulls Tavern.”

  His chuckle held little mirth. “Be serious, Rene.”

  “I don’t know what it means.” Just then a howl came from the direction of the three boulders. “But we may soon very well find out. Come on.” Moving past the skulls, he continued on.

  There was a trail of sorts running horizontal along the hillside. Twice more they came across skulls hanging on leather thongs. In each instance, there were the same four skulls hanging in exactly the same order. The human skull always rested at the bottom. Not far after the third set, the trail came to an end at the mouth of a narrow cave. To either side of the cave sat a stone column. From each hung another set of skulls

  Reneeke paused at the entrance and sniffed for traces of animal or anything else that might bode trouble. All he came away with was the musty odor of deep places in the earth.

  “Rene!”

  Turning at Jaikus’ cry, he saw two pairs of red eyes looking their way. Sound from down the hillside drew his gaze to a third.

  “Inside,” he said, grabbing Jaikus and practically hurled him through the entrance. Drawing his sword, he backed in.

  Three pairs of eyes bored into him as they lurched forward.

  “Back!” he shouted as he brandished his sword.

  “There’s a door, Rene,” came Jaikus’ shout from within the mountainside.

  He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and all he saw were shadows.

  “Will it hold them out?”

  “Possibly. It seems sturdy.”

  Reneeke backed into the tunnel and the three creatures gathered at the entrance. There was only room for one to advance at a time. Snarling and snapping, the creatures came forward.

  “Okay,” Reneeke said. “Be ready to shut it.”

  “Ready,” came Jaikus’ reply.

  Then giving out with a cry, Reneeke lunged forward causing the creature to dart back. He turned and fled down the passage. Howls followed him. Spying Jaikus in the shadows as he passed him, Reneeke came to a halt.

  The door slammed shut just as it was hit from the other side. “Help me!” Jaikus exclaimed as the creature’s blow pushed the door open a couple inches.

  Reneeke set the chest down and threw his shoulder against the door. They managed to close it flush with the doorway and then Jaikus threw the iron bar. Thuds and scratches sounded from the other side but the iron-bound door held.

  Three strikes of flint later and a torch burst to life.

  “Think it will hold?” Jaikus asked as he gestured to the door.

  “Let’s hope so.”

  Reneeke held the torch aloft to get a look at their surroundings. They were not in a cave as he at first anticipated. Instead they were in a room whose walls were blocks of stone set one atop another. Not a very large room, it was empty but for the carcass of a long-dead animal. On the wall opposite where they entered another door stood closed.

  Jaikus turned eyes agleam with excitement toward Reneeke. “We must be in some long-lost ruin, Rene.”

  Nodding, Reneeke gave the room a cursory examination.

  “No telling what we might find.”

  “Or who…”

  “Who?”

  Reneeke nodded. He pointed to the floor and they saw several sets of tracks leading to the other door. Coming to it, they found half a footprint cut off at the base of the door. “Someone has come this way recently.”

  “Maybe they can help us with the creatures out there?”

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” Reneeke replied. “More than likely, they will be a bit annoyed at us loitering on their front stoop.”

  “But, we’d have died if we hadn’t.”

  “Some won’t care about that, only that we are intruders in their domain.”

  There was a ring for a handle. Reneeke grasped it and then eyed the door through which they entered. The banging had ceased; it was ominously quiet.

  “Maybe they went away.”

  “Only one way to find out,” Reneeke said. “Open the door.”

  Jaikus shook his head.

  “I think that would be a bad idea too.” He turned back to the inner door. “Guess there’s nothing for it. Be ready.”

  Jaikus drew his sword.

  Pulling on the ring, the door failed to open. At first thinking it locked, he realized the ring needed to be rotated. Twisting it ninety degrees to the right, he then pulled. The door cracked open.

  A musty odor slightly more foul than had there been naught but a cave beyond, wafted forth. Opening the door just enough to allow him to peer through, Reneeke looked to see what was on the other side. It was dark. He closed the door.

  “Can’t see anything.”

  “We don’t have a choice, Rene.”

  Pointing to the outer door, he said, “What if that is the only way out? Attempting to go deeper and incurring the wrath of the occupants could well be pointless.”

  Jaikus wanted to delve deeper to see what lay beyond the door. Reneeke’s point, however, gave him pause. “Who would have only one way out? Have you ever known a home with but one way in or out? Even when there was but one door, there were still windows, chimneys, and so forth. Rene, there has to be another way besides that door, and one that doesn’t have beasts waiting on the other side to tear out our throats.”

  “Okay.” Taking the torch from Jaikus, Reneeke grasped the handle and pulled it open.

  Light from their torch revealed a short passage extending directly away from the door. The floor, though constructed of stone as the walls, held a layer of dirt upon it. The footprints were clearly visible as they made their way deeper within the old ruin. The passage ended at a room steeped in shadows.

  Reneeke stepped into the passage and walked to the room. As he drew closer, the light revealed a macabre scene within. On a crude wooden altar, a humanoid creature had its extremities tied at the four corners. The fact that its flesh was drawn tight against its bones indicated it had died quite a while ago. What kind of creature
laid before them was uncertain; though it was for sure not human. Stains in and around the base of the altar said the creature had been sacrificed.

  “I got a bad feeling about this, Jaik.”

  “Yeah,” Jaikus replied as he gazed at the victim on the altar.

  The room was roughly forty feet by fifty with two other doors; one to the right and another to the left. Other than the altar, the room was barren. The footprints proceeded to the door on the right. A single set of very old footprints that had almost faded with time, could be seen making their way to the one on the left.

  “We should try the left.”

  Reneeke glanced back over his shoulder. “Good thinking, Jaik. No sense going where everyone else is until we have to.”

  They passed into the room, closing the door behind them. Jaikus was drawn to the figure on the altar and moved closer to examine it. Its throat had been sliced as well as several other places across its body. Still unable to ascertain what kind of creature it had been, he left it to follow Reneeke to the door.

  He had it opened by the time Jaikus joined him.

  Another stone passageway extended away into darkness. At the very fringe of the torch’s illumination a door stood ajar. Reneeke entered first with the torch while Jaikus followed close, ensuring to close the door behind them.

  The passage continued past the door and they saw a second and third doorway further down beyond the first. Pausing at the first door, they opened it further to reveal a smaller room than the one with the altar. What had once been a chest sat against the far wall. It had been smashed open.

  “Someone beat us to it,” Jaikus said.

  Reneeke nodded. After making sure the room held no other egress, they continued down to the next door. Four additional doors lined the passage and behind two were other chests smashed open, their contents removed. The rest of the rooms were empty.

  The end of the hallway opened onto yet another room. Broken boards, pieces of furniture and other sundry items in a state of ruination were piled against the left side. Not far from it was a darkened space on the floor where a fire had once burned. On the far right of the room stood another door.