Caravan to Kittikin

by Brian S. Pratt

  “We have to get him outside!” Reneeke hollered. Whooping and waving his arms, he turned about and fled. When a howl sounded a moment later he knew Jaikus-beast was in pursuit.

  Father Ranon and Somak fled right behind him. Emerging from the hallway, Reneeke shouted, “Flee!” as he waved Somak and Master Tuppin toward the entrance.

  Spying them racing from the hallway and a moment later the emergence of Jaikus-beast, they turned and fled

  While he ran he replayed Oriu’s vision through his mind. He held the ring at the ready. According to the vision he had to slip it on his finger, and knew he should not do it within a place of sacred holiness such as Fjerl’s temple. To do so would be bad. In what way he wasn’t certain, just knew it to be true. He had to get Jaikus out of the temple before he did.

  Father Ranon broke off and made for another section of the temple; Rojer continued following Reneeke.

  Glancing back showed Jaikus-beast was in pursuit of the priest.

  “Jaik!” he hollered. But his friend paid him no heed.

  Taking out a handful of coppers, he winged one toward him. The coin ricocheted off the head of Jaikus-beast. Still it continued on after Father Ranon. Four more in rapid fire finally got its attention.

  “Here!” he hollered

  Next to him Rojer waved his sword and shouted as well.

  Pausing, Jaikus-beast lashed out and sent one of the benches flying across the room to smash against the wall on the far side. During the distraction, Father Ranon managed to make it to a heavy wooden door and raced through shutting it tight. The sound of the bar being thrown resonated throughout the large room.

  “Come on, Jaik,” Reneeke said as he met the glowing red eyes of his friend.

  Rojer roared again and took two quick steps forward. Then he turned and ran back toward Reneeke. The sudden motion and subsequent change of direction got Jaikus-beast moving. With a roar, it charged.

  Another bench went flying as Jaikus-beast plowed right through it.

  Reneeke ran beside Rojer as they headed for the exit. Once outside, he continued down the steps. As his feet trod upon the street, he slipped the ring onto his finger.

  Malignant power surged through him. It was painful and made him feel unclean.

  Jaikus-beast surged through the temple door and leapt from the uppermost step. As he started his downward arc to attack Reneeke and Rojer, magic of the fellest sort elicited a cry of pain from Reneeke as it tore through him. A black nimbus surrounded Jaikus-beast in mid-leap causing it to spasm. When it struck the ground, it bounced twice then was still.

  “Quick,” Reneeke said through teeth gritted with pain. Whatever magic the ring had summoned forth felt like it had ripped its way out and left little but pain in its wake. He staggered toward his fallen friend. “Open his mouth.”

  Rojer knelt next to Jaikus-beast and pried open its maw.

  Reneeke pulled the vial’s stopper and poured in the contents; a dark, thick liquid that flowed agonizingly slow. Before the vial had been fully emptied, muscles began to twitch.

  “It’s coming around.”

  “Hold him still,” Reneeke told Rojer. “We’re almost done.”

  Next he opened the box and sprinkled the gray dust contained within all along Jaikus-beast’s body. Once every area of exposed skin had a light dusting, he said, “Okay, get back.”

  No sooner had Rojer let go than power again shot from the ring. Crying out as pain again wracked his body, Reneeke thrashed on the ground beside his friend.

  “It’s working,” Rojer said. “Hang in there.”

  Reneeke didn’t know how long he laid there thrashing. Every moment was an eternity of pain. Such was its severity that he tried to cancel the spell even though he knew it could very well mean Jaikus’ life. But the ring did not give him the option. It held him in thrall until its purpose had been concluded. When the magic finally stopped and the pain ceased, he blacked out.

  The first thing he came to understand was that there was no more pain. The second was that he lay in a bed wrapped in a blanket. Cracking an eye open, he saw Master Tuppin and Rojer sitting at his bedside.

  “You’re alive!” Master Tuppin said jubilantly.

  “We were worried for a while,” Rojer said.

  The events at the temple remained a bit fuzzy. “What happened?”

  Master Tuppin gestured to Reneeke’s right and he looked to find Jaikus asleep in the bed next to him. All traces of the beast spawned by the curse were gone.

  “Is he okay?” he croaked.

  Rojer handed him a cup and he took a sip of cool, fresh water.

  “As far as the priests can tell, he will be.” Master Tuppin eyed him with concern. “How about yourself? Oriu’s cures can be almost as bad as his curses.”

  “Weak,” he replied with a grin. “It doesn’t feel as if something is wrong.”

  “Good, good.”

  Reneeke tried sitting up until the room began to spin. He laid back with a groan.

  “Give it a day,” Rojer said. “That’s what Father Ronan said you would need.”

  “A day? Try a week.”

  Chuckling, Master Tuppin got to his feet. “I’m glad you’re both going to be okay. Rojer will stay here with you in case you need anything.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t think about it,” he replied. “You just work on getting better.”

  Reneeke nodded and before Master Tuppin could depart had slipped back to sleep.

  When next he woke, Jaikus was awake and having a hearty meal. Midden sat next to him. Reneeke knew Jaikus would be fine for he was busy regaling the elder teamster with details of their exploits in recovering the chest.

  “Rene thought Lord Holleran was some magnificent defender of good and right.”

  “But you didn’t?”

  Jaikus shook his head. “Naw. I knew something wasn’t quite right about him. I mean, someone just doesn’t appear in the middle of the night and offer to take an evil artifact off your hands. No, my senses told me that something was amiss.”

  A groan escaped Reneeke. Midden glanced his way.

  “Glad to see you’re awake.”

  “About time you woke up,” Jaikus said with a grin. “We need to get going.”

  With every muscle feeling like some of his Gramma’s noodles fresh from the pot, the last thing he wanted to do was ‘get going.’

  “How are you doing?”

  “Me?” Jaikus asked. “I’m as right as rain during a downpour.”

  “Yes,” Midden agreed with a chuckle. “His time under the curse seems to have given him a burst of energy.”

  Jaikus looked at him and shrugged. “I don’t know about that. All I know is I’ve never felt better in my life.” He took another bite of bread then said, “But if we don’t get to Kith soon, we’re going to miss out on our Adventure.”

  Midden handed Reneeke a plate with some roast chicken, tubers and a quarter-loaf. “How are you doing, lad?”

  “Tired,” Reneeke replied. “Very, very tired.”

  The teamster nodded. Then he pulled a small pouch from his tunic and laid it on the bed next to him. “Here.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The rest of your money from selling your goods.”

  “Rest?” he asked. Taking the pouch, he opened it and glanced inside to find a mixture of copper and silver with a small bit of gold.

  “There’s not much left.”

  “This is all you got for all our items?”

  Jaikus turned toward him. “Sale of all of whose items?”

  “Ours, Jaik.”

  He got a panicked look. “My ring?”

  Reneeke turned to Midden who nodded. “Everything but three horses and your basic equipment. Everything else went to the temple and the city.”

  “How much did you get?”

  “A little over three thousand golds.”

  “Three thousand?” Jaikus exclaimed.

  “Then where’s the rest?”
Reneeke asked as he gazed again within the pouch. “After all, I was the one who cured Jaik. Not the temple.”

  “Well,” began Midden then jerked a thumb toward Jaikus, “it seems that during his rampage he injured numerous people, a couple quite severely. Fjerl’s priests felt it incumbent upon you to make reparations to the victims as well as pay them for their efforts to heal everyone. Also there was the matter with the Town Watch who said you gave false testimony when you said he wasn’t dangerous in order to pass through the gate.”

  “That’s robbery!” Jaikus turned to Midden. “What about Master Tuppin’s bonus for getting the chest back?”

  “That too I’m sorry to say. You did quite a number on many people.”

  Jaikus sobered. “I don’t remember that.”

  “Not surprised,” Midden said. “The priests said you most likely wouldn’t. A side-effect of the curse I understand.”

  Reneeke turned to Jaikus. “I’m just glad to have you back.”

  “But, Rene! Three thousand golds. Do you know what we could have bought with that?”

  “Yes, we bought your life and helped many others whose injuries were our fault.” Turning to Midden, he said, “I think that well worth the cost.”

  Jaikus offered a curse for what he thought of it. “But now we are right back where we started.”

  “No we’re not,” Reneeke argued. “We have a few coins plus horses. No more walking.”

  Though still looking like he’d sucked a green persimmon, Jaikus calmed a bit.

  “If after every Adventure we are a little bit better off,” Reneeke began, “and come away with our lives, then count us successful.”

  “Wise words,” Midden agreed.

  “Still…”

  Just then Father Ranon appeared heading their way.

  “So how are you two this evening.”

  “Evening?”

  The priest nodded to Reneeke. “You’ve been out for nearly two days.”

  “Two?”

  Midden nodded.

  “No wonder I feel so weak.”

  “That should pass in a day or so I would think,” Father Ranon explained. “Food and rest are what you require most in your recovery.”

  “But we need to get to Kith,” Jaikus argued. “Can he ride?”

  Glancing to Reneeke, the priest asked, “Can you?”

  The thought of getting out of that bed was not something he wanted to contemplate. But Jaikus was right. They took on the Adventure and they needed to arrive and begin as soon as possible. “I might be able.”

  “That’s the spirit,” Jaikus exclaimed happily.

  “How about Jaik, Father?”

  “Your friend is fine,” the priest assured him. “No trace of the curse remains and he shows no ill effects for having been under its influence. Odd for one of Oriu’s.”

  “What is he?”

  Father Ranon gazed at him thoughtfully a moment before saying, “A mystery is what he is.”

  Midden chuckled. “That’s the truth. Only been in his presence once and that was enough for me. I tend the wagons whenever a delivery or pickup is scheduled.”

  “Yeah, I would too,” Reneeke admitted. He hoped his shadow would never again fall upon Oriu’s threshold.

  Midden came to his feet. “I must go. Master Tuppin plans to depart soon.”

  “But it’s growing late.”

  He shrugged. “That may be, but when he says we leave, we leave.”

  Reneeke held out his hand. “Thank you for everything and tell the others as well.”

  Taking the hand, Midden gave it a firm shake. “I’ll do that.” Then in a quieter tone, said, “Look out for your friend.”

  Reneeke nodded. “I’ll do that.”

  “Take care.”

  “Bye, Midden,” Jaikus piped up as the teamster was leaving.

  Giving him a wave, he left the room.

  “Finish your meal and then get more rest,” Father Ranon said before he, too, departed.

  Reneeke finished eating and then laid back down. He glanced over to Jaikus who was looking at him. “What?”

  “Are you sure you’re up to leaving for Kith?”

  “I won’t lie, Jaik. I’m not up to my best. But I can sit a horse and that’s all I’ll need to do until we get there.”

  “’Cause if you’re not, we can put it off a day.”

  He could see Jaikus was torn between his concern for him and his desire to be on an Adventure. Reneeke gave him a grin. “How about until first thing in the morning? If it’s evening already, we wouldn’t get far before having to make camp anyway.”

  “Alright. You get your rest and we’ll head out at sunrise.”

  Closing his eyes, Reneeke sighed. “Okay.” He was soon asleep.

  Morning came all too early and Jaikus was anxious to get underway.

  “I spoke with some locals while you rested, Rene. They said Kith is a day away if we keep a quick pace.”

  Getting to a sitting position took a force of will; his body argued with him the entire way. Then when he sought to stand, it complained most unhappily.

  Seeing the effort it took just for him to stand, Jaikus asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  He gave Jaikus a grin and nodded.

  “It’s just that I’ve never seen you stand at an angle before.”

  His posture was a bit off this morning. Chuckling, he reached for his sword belt and secured it around his waist. “I’ll be fine. Let’s go.”

  Jaikus took charge of their bags and let Reneeke lean on him as they made their way from their room. “Our horses have been well taken care of.”

  “That’s good. Did Midden save us the ones we picked out earlier?”

  “Yes. And the packhorse is young and strong as well.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Wish I still had my ring, though.”

  Reneeke nodded. “And my wand. But there will be others, Jaik. We’re young, now somewhat seasoned where Adventuring is concerned, and opportunities abound.”

  Once at the temple’s stables, they saddled their horses and got underway.

  They made their way to the North Gate. A holler greeted them as the gate came into view. Borj and several of his friends were there to see them off.

  “That’s the one I told you about,” Borj said to his fellows as he pointed toward Jaikus and Reneeke. Just which one he was referring to was unclear.

  Reneeke gave him a wave and they continued to the gate.

  The boys gathered ‘round Borj and all began talking excitedly.

  “What was that about?”

  He turned to Jaikus and grinned. “He helped me out when you were, uh, incapacitated.”

  “Ah.”

  Glancing back, he saw the boys staring their way with heads close together talking animatedly.

  Once out the gate, they made good time as they headed south. It took the rest of the morning and into the afternoon before the road leading to Kith came into view.

  Turning onto it Jaikus glanced to Reneeke and said, “This is going to be our third Adventure.”

  “Third?”

  “First was with Charka, second was recovering Master Tuppin’s chest, and now this.”

  Reneeke thought they could possibly squeeze in a fourth if one considered his going to Oriu’s Tower for the cure to the curse. But he just nodded and grinned, keeping such thoughts to himself.

  “We find this missing body of their deceased mother, bring those guilty to task, get the fifty golds and head back to Reakla. There’s bound to be another Adventure just waiting for us to tackle upon our return.”

  “I thought you wanted to find an inn and sleep for a week?”

  Jaikus laughed. “I am fully rested, no need to worry about that.” In fact, he’s had quite the reservoir of energy since his recovery.

  “First thing we get with the golds is a bow.” He heard Jaikus give an exasperated sigh. “I know you want something magical, but we need it plain and simple.”
>
  “I know,” he grudgingly admitted.

  “Then get some more potions, scrolls and basic travel supplies. We’re running a bit low on everything.”

  “Don’t you want a magic ring, Rene?”

  “I would rather have the equipment and supplies to survive the next Adventure. A ring is nice, but you can’t eat it, fish with it, warm yourself with it or find your way in the dark.”

  “But what if it was a Ring of Light or something?”

  “With winter on the way, would you rather journey confident that you are well illuminated, or well fed and warm?”

  Again came the exasperated sigh.

  “Jaik, let’s work on learning this new occupation and not getting ahead of ourselves. We almost died, twice now.”

  “Okay.”

  Jaikus’ reply came a little short of sincere but Reneeke knew he could ultimately count on him to do what was best.

  The road to Kith skirted through the beginnings of the foothills. Trees grew in abundance with their overlapping limbs eventually growing to form a semi-solid canopy overhead. Blue sky and sunlight filtered down through intermittent gaps.

  “Where were we supposed to meet them?”

  “They said leave word at the inn,” Jaikus replied.

  “I hope we’re not too late,” Reneeke said.

  “No one else but us knew about it, Rene. We’ll get there before sundown and have the situation in hand by tomorrow’s eve.”

  Reneeke liked his confidence but he doubted it would be so easy. The robbing of a grave could be perpetrated by evil magic users, or maybe a lich or ghoul. The latter two would definitely take longer than a single day to overcome. If a lich was behind it, things could go south, fast.

  The road wound through the forest and before long they heard the sound of chopping wood. Shortly after that they came to a woodcutter clearing a fallen tree blocking the road. He already had it limbed and a third of the trunk had been removed to the roadside.

  “Good afternoon,” Reneeke greeted as they drew near.

  “And to yourselves.” He rested the axe on his shoulder and eyed them critically. Deeming them not an immediate threat, he relaxed. “On your way to Kith?”

  “That we are,” Jaikus replied. “We’re from the Guild and have business there.”