The gate through which one gained access to the Swamp was merely ten feet wide, barely sufficient to allow a wagon to pass though such an occurrence rarely happened any more. Once in a while, a local might forage the fringe of the Swamp under the watchful eyes of the guards atop the wall for firewood, herbs, and other things the Swamp provided. But by and large, the only ones to pass through the gate were adventuring parties such as Charka’s Troupe.
At their approach, guards entered the gatehouse and threw the lever unlocking the gate. Then another pair pushed the gate open to allow the party to pass. What met them on the other side was not what Jaikus had been expecting. Thinking to find marshland, dead trees, and bogs, he instead discovered a lush growth of vibrant vegetation that started two hundred feet or so from the wall. Trees soared high, bushes were full, all being very much what one would find anywhere.
“Good luck, Charka,” hailed one guard. “See you in a couple weeks.”
The Troupe leader waved in reply as he led the others forward.
Directly before the gate, in the midst of the foliage, was the beginning of a trail that wound its way deep into the Swamp. Upon reaching the trailhead, Charka paused and turned back to his two Springers. “From this point on, our lives are dependant on each other. Keep silent, do what we tell you, and you’ll live to see Reakla again.”
“Give us trouble and we will dump your bodies in the nearest bog,” mumbled Seward beneath his breath. Charka gave him a silencing glare.
“You can count on us, sir,” Jaikus assured him. Reneeke nodded.
“Good. Now, stay close. Master Hymal, you’re behind me, then Kate. Seward, take the rear.” The man merely nodded and moved to place himself and the mules behind Reneeke.
Entering the Swamp was kind of anti-climactic for Jaikus. The night before he imagined having to battle their way through hordes of trolls, ghouls, and other nightmarish creatures with which his over active imagination had filled the Swamp. But, now that the moment was upon him, he had to admit this was much preferable.
Once they were upon the trail and the wall was no longer visible through the Swamp’s undergrowth and trees, Lady Kate moved to walk next to Jaikus.
“Don’t let Seward’s mood bother you. He’s always a bit sour after a night of hard drinking. Charka doesn’t allow more than a single pint to be consumed a day, and the night before any Adventure, Seward goes a little overboard.”
“We won’t, ma’am,” Jaikus assured her.
“Please, call me Kate. Such formalities have no place in the Swamp. There will be more important things to worry about than titles.”
From behind, they heard Seward snort. “Not for a day or two there won’t. Haven’t encountered a troll or bogbeast this close to the wall in over two years.”
“Still, we must be wary.”
“Lady…uh…I mean, Kate, how long will it take to get to wherever it is we are going?” questioned Reneeke.
“It takes about four days to reach our destination. Then we will take a full day to poke around before starting the return trip.”
“What is our purpose?”
“Your purpose is to act as Springers of course. The Troupe’s purpose is to see Master Hymal safely to his destination and back. We’ve made this trip many times with him. For the most part, it’s pretty boring. We don’t venture too deeply into the Swamp, and the worst of its denizens don’t wander the fringe area.”
“Master Hymal is going to a place older than Reakla where some of the most precious and hard to come by reagents for spells and potion making can be found. We humans were not the first race to inhabit this region. You can find ruins of an ancient people scattered throughout the Swamp area, even to points beyond.”
“Who were they?” Jaikus asked.
She shrugged. “We don’t know, and if Hymal does, he isn’t telling. He calls the place where we are going, Sythal. It’s an ancient city of the long ago race. Most of it has been swallowed by the swamp, but there are some buildings readily accessible from the surface.”
“You mean we get to scrounge around for treasure?” Jaikus grew excited at the prospect.
Lady Kate nodded. “That’s part of the bargain. We escort him to Sythal, and in return we get a full day to root around on our own and see what we can find.”
“I bet there is lots of treasure simply waiting to be discovered.”
“True, but we don’t always find it. Some trips are quite profitable while others are a bust.”
Charka glanced over his shoulder. “Quiet! The way you are carrying on, we’ll have every troll in the vicinity coming this way to see what fools were nice enough to place themselves on the menu.”
“There aren’t any in this part of the Swamp,” stated Seward.
“Are you willing to bet my life on that?” Staring his man down, Charka dared him to continue. Seward had the good sense to remain silent. “Okay, then.”
“We’ll talk later,” Lady Kate whispered.
Charka shot her a warning-filled look. She merely gave him a grin.
“Man, we’re going to be rich!” he quietly exclaimed to Reneeke who shrugged.
“We don’t have it yet,” his friend asserted.
“No, but we will.”
The rest of the first day in the Swamp continued to be routine as the trail they had originally been following slowly disappeared until vanishing altogether. Evening found them beginning to see changes in the Swamp as it turned from lush verdant land to the quagmire/bog infested place one would expect a swamp to be.
Master Hymal and Charka often conferred as the best way to proceed. For the most part, the apothecary was content to allow Charka to determine their route. Which seemed strange to Jaikus since Lady Kate had earlier told them how Hymal was the only one who knew where this place was. Curious, but not enough to ask, Jaikus was satisfied to follow wherever they led. He was on an Adventure and there was going to be treasure. Visions of shimmering swords and piles of gold occupied his mind until they reached their first campsite.
The campsite was atop a knoll of dry ground rising above the bog around them. Insects buzzed and drove them crazy until wood was collected and a fire built in a ring of stones that had seen use as a fire-ring before. Charka instructed them to put green, or even damp, foliage onto the fire. The smoke produced by the less-than-dry fuel kept the insects down to merely an annoyance.
“Make sure the fire keeps burning all night,” ordered Charka to his newest companions. “If the flame dies, we’ll have visitors.”
“Trolls?” asked Reneeke.
He nodded. “Trolls, bogbeasts, swamp-bats, and other nasties. Gather more fuel but stay close. If you see or hear anything…strange, return to the camp immediately.”
“And don’t shout,” added Seward. “That only encourages the beasties to attack.”
“Thanks,” said Reneeke. “We’ll keep that in mind.” Then to his friend, “Let’s go Jaik.”
They spent an hour collecting wood until Charka deemed they had compiled a sufficient quantity to see them through the night. By that time, Seward had a stew going that they would be able to share.
“Save the rations you got from Bella for when we’ll need them,” Charka explained. “They’ll last while the meat we brought won’t.”
“Thanks,” said Jaikus.
Charka shrugged. “As long as you are part of my Troupe, you’ll be taken care of. It’s the least we can do.” Seeing as the stew would take a little longer before it was ready, Charka asked to see their swords. “I’m assuming they were cheap?”
“Probably from Keeler’s back room,” guessed Seward.
“How did you know?” asked Reneeke.
“There isn’t any place in all of Reakla where you can find a cheaper blade,” explained Seward. “At least, none worth staking your life on at any rate.”
Reneeke pulled his from the scabbard and handed it over. A long exercise in polishing and using the whetstone the night before had removed most of the rusty p
atches and left the edge moderately sharp.
Taking the blade, Charka first eyed down its length then tested the balance. Moving over to one side of the knoll, he struck the flat of the blade against the side of a gray tree whose dead limbs reached up into the sky as if for salvation.
“It’ll do,” he stated upon returning the blade to Reneeke. Then he turned to Jaikus.
“Mine’s fine,” said the Springer. Visions of his last blade shattering at Keeler’s made him nervous to trust this one to Charka.
“As leader of this Troupe, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of each of its members. I cannot allow a member to endanger the rest of us by using a blade that won’t last the first passage of arms.” Holding out his hand, he said, “Hand it over.”
Reneeke nodded for him to do it. Still having mixed feelings about this, he handed it over. Then he watched Charka go through the same motions as he had with Reneeke’s. “Keeler said it would suffice.”
“And so it will,” replied Charka once the ringing of the blade from being struck against the side of the tree faded away.
Reclaiming his sword, Jaikus quickly reinserted it back into the scabbard.
“Not so fast,” said Charka. “Just because your blades are satisfactory doesn’t mean they’re good, or that you will be good with them.” He then eyed both of them. “Those weapons still have a long way to go before they will cleave troll-hide. I want the rust off those blades and to have an edge you can shave with before the sun comes up.”
For the rest of the evening until the stew was ready, and for a stretch afterward, Charka instructed the lads from Running Brook on the proper care and maintenance of their swords. Much of the time until they turned in was spent with rag and oil, working to remove the last of the rust. When one would polish, the other would use the whetstone to sharpen. Charka oversaw their efforts until satisfied they were doing it properly.
Reneeke was an apt pupil, willing to learn and taking to the tasks set for him well. Jaikus took to it as well, seeing in the instruction the means whereby he could become a better swordsman, and thus, one step closer to becoming the hero he always longed for.
They took turns on watch that night. Neither of the boys were allowed a turn by themselves. Being new to the Troupe, Charka wouldn’t trust them to go it alone until they’ve proven themselves. Reneeke was paired with Charka while Jaikus had the dissatisfying duty with Seward.
When Seward awakened Jaikus to join him at watch, he did so with a nudge to the side of the ribs. Though nudge was a loose term, his “nudge” could in some instances have been termed a kick. “Wake up, boy.”
“What?” Looking around bleary eyed, Jaikus saw the man standing over him.
“It’s our turn at watch.”
Jaikus nodded and climbed from his bedroll. Keeping his blanket wrapped tightly about him to ward off the chill, he moved to sit next to the fire.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“I was going to warm myself by the fire,” he explained.
“No, you aren’t. We’re on watch boy and that means, we watch. First rule in guard duty, don’t look into the fire. It ruins your night vision. Second rule, walk the perimeter and keep alert for any movement or strange noises coming from within the Swamp. And third, don’t fall asleep. Your life, and the lives of us all, could well depend on your alertness.”
“Fine.” Pulling his blanket even tighter, he moved from the welcoming warmth of the fire to the less hospitable fringe of the knoll. There, he began walking along the dry ground along the bog’s edge.
As his eyes began scanning the darkness, his ears picked up all sorts of noises that he hadn’t been aware of before, a rustle here, the cry of a night creature there. After completing his third circuit around the knoll, it gradually began to unnerve him. Shadows seemed to be everywhere, and perhaps it was only his imagination, but he would catch movement out of the corner of his eye only to discover that upon turning his full attention toward it, nothing was there.
“Don’t get jumpy,” he mumbled to himself. He well remembered Charka’s assurance that there were no trolls or other fell beasts in this part of the Swamp. But could there be? Back home on the farm, once in a while one of the mountain beasts would wander down to the plains where they were rarely seen. Perhaps there in the Swamp, such things could happen too?
The snapping of a twig out in the Swamp caused him to jump. Hand resting shakily on the hilt of his sword, Jaikus peered into the darkness for what had caused the twig to snap. His heart was racing. Could this be it? Could this be when his mettle would first be tested?
Then a form emerged from the Swamp. “Run!” screamed Seward. Face awash with blood, he fell to his knees before the young adventurer. “Flee for your life!” he shouted before keeling over completely.
Jaikus’ eyes were wide and fear rose up inside him like a volcanic eruption. Reaching out to see if Seward still lived, a roar splitting the silence of the Swamp, forestalled him. Then the huge form of a troll with blood on its lips materialized from out of the darkness. Roaring again, it raced for Jaikus.
“Trolls!” screamed Lady Kate from the top of the knoll. “Run, you fool!”
Jaikus didn’t need anymore prompting. He lit out of there like a hare with a fox on its tail.
Reneeke, brought out of a dead sleep by the troll’s cry, stood with sword in hand. He looked to Lady Kate.
“You and your friend get out of here! You’ll never stand against them.” Then raising her arm, a ball of fire appeared in her cupped hand. “Run!” she shouted to Reneeke as she let fly the burning sphere.
Reneeke saw Jaikus hightailing it out of there and he moved to join his friend. As they fled down the far side of the knoll, the sound of an explosion came from the other side. Jaikus was in total flight and Reneeke tried desperately to catch him. He finally caught up with his friend just as the sound of Lady Kate’s painful shriek came from the camp. Glancing back toward the knoll, he discovered they had passed some distance into the swamp and that their campsite was no longer visible through the undergrowth and trees.
Then, the Swamp was deathly quiet.
Chapter Four
Glancing up from his bedroll, Master Hymal turned sleepy eyes upon the scene unfolding at the edge of the knoll. Troll emerging, new guy screaming, more shouts for them to flee, fireball exploding, and two Springers racing for their lives. The troll moved up onto the knoll and made its way toward the camp.
“Do you have to do this every time?” asked Hymal.
Taking off the troll head, Charka gave him a grin. “No, but why waste the opportunity?”
Lying back down, the apothecary pulled his blanket up over his head. From beneath came, “It’s gotten so a guy can’t even get a good night’s sleep anymore.”
Charka knew Hymal was only grousing because he was tired. Most times when they enacted the troll attack on a Springer, he would play along. Sometimes he would even be one of the bloody victims. But the night before he had been up late due to a prior commitment and thus hadn’t felt inclined to participate.
Seward got to his feet and looked toward where Jaikus and Reneeke had disappeared. “Think we should go get them?”
“Probably.” Removing the entire mocked-up troll body, none of which was in fact constructed from what had once been an actual troll, Charka nodded. “You get cleaned up and I’ll go find them.”
“Just be quiet while you go about it!” exclaimed Hymal.
Two figures huddled behind a stump at the edge of a bog. Looking back toward where their comrades must assuredly have fallen to the trolls, Jaikus turned to Reneeke. “Should we return to see if anyone survived?”
“I…I don’t know.”
It was quiet. Light from the camp’s fire could be seen through the trees and indistinct silhouettes would at times move about.
“We could try to make it back to Reakla,” suggested Reneeke.
Jaikus didn’t like the prospect of returning without having
completed the mission. How were they supposed to get into the Guild now after having not only failed to see Hymal safely to their destination and back again, but losing the rest of their party to a troll attack?
Movement in the trees near the knoll brought all thoughts back to their present situation. They each had their hands on their swords, though flight was on their minds more than fighting.
“Come on back, lads,” Charka shouted into the Swamp. “It was all just a bit of fun.”
Jaikus wasn’t laughing. Soiling oneself in a moment of terror wasn’t something he enjoyed.
Reneeke chuckled. When Jaikus flashed him a look he knew meant his friend was mad, Reneeke slapped him on the back. “Aw, come on Jaik. It wasn’t that bad. Kind of funny now that the moment is behind us.”
“It wasn’t funny.”
Making sniffing noises, Reneeke said, “I can tell.” Then he chuckled again as he slapped Jaikus’ back once more. “Over here!” he hollered to their Troupe leader. Coming around the stump, Reneeke waved.
Charka gave them a grin. “All in good fun, lads,” he said. “No hard feelings?”
Reneeke shook his head. “Naw.” Jaikus glared.
“It wasn’t just to make sport of you two, though there was an element of fun to it. This was also to see what sort of men you two are and how you would react.”
“And?” asked Jaikus.
“You two didn’t flee until after we shouted for you to. Which tells us that not only would you have remained to fight, but that you are not so prideful as to ignore directions given by those with more experience.” He placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “You two are all right.”
“Thank you,” said Reneeke.
On their return to the camp, Jaikus got over his annoyance at the trick they played on him. And once he cleaned himself up a bit, felt better about it.
Jaikus and Reneeke Join the Guild Page 5