Razja stared at him for a long, uncomfortable moment before responding. When she did, her voice was surprisingly calm. “You know, you’re not as great a monster as you think you are, Jasper Aurelio.”
Jasper barked a laugh. It was a harsh, bitter sound. “Oh? And what makes you say that, sand dweller?”
“You’re still here,” she replied evenly, ignoring the insult. “If you were truly a monster, you would have been gone the moment the Wanderer died. Instead, you helped us burn the dead and travelled with us into this forest. Why would you do that?”
He shrugged, but even I could see that the nonchalance was mostly feigned. “I'm weary and it’s safer to rest surrounded by allies. Come first light, I’ll be on the road heading south to Valæcia.”
“That doesn’t explain the decency you showed when you helped us put those poor people to rest.” She turned her penetrating gaze on Camdyn next. “And you. There is an honorable man inside you, mercenary – I swear it. A soldier does not run away at the first sign of trouble. He fights until the job is done.”
Camdyn could feel his cheeks grow red, though from shame or anger he could not tell. “I’ve turned my back on that life, Razja. I’m a different man, now.”
“Rubbish,” she replied frankly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Both of you know that this is important. It’s probably the most important thing either of you have ever done. There is magic in those jewels, and I believe that it is connected to the Twin Dragons, as the Wanderer said. If we turn our backs on this quest, Draxxes will return to this world and lay waste to it. There won’t be anywhere for us to run, no lives for us to turn back to. We have to stand, or we doom the whole of Thel’Varden.”
Silence followed her words, and the crackling flames of their campfire sounded loud in Camdyn’s ears. He wanted her to be wrong, but some small part of him knew that she was right.
If I leave now, what does that make me? A coward? I’ve never been a coward my entire life. Would I be able to live with myself?
Jasper seemed to be wrestling with similar thoughts. His face was contorted in what appeared to be a mixture of annoyance and deep contemplation.
It was Razja who broke the silence. This time, her voice was a mere whisper. “I saw a vision, you know; back when I was at the Tower of Amun’Dar in Kaarna. In it, I saw the death of the entire world. Everything was burning, set afire by the wrath of the great dragon, and when it was over, there was not a single city left on the earth that did not look like Old Barrow.” She shuddered, her dusky skin paling visibly in the wavering light.
Camdyn blew out a breath. “Hell, Razja. You sure know how to make a man feel small.”
This made her smile, thought she still appeared to be shaken.
Jasper ran a hand through his hair and laughed bitterly. He had a fierce look in his eyes, though he remained in his place laying near the fire. “Small? I feel like the most important man in the world. The return of an ancient dragon god? The potential extinction of the human race? And we’re the only ones who can stop it? By rights we should be rewarded with a mountain of gold! We are the saviors of Thel’Varden, after all.”
Razja was about to protest, but Jasper held up a hand, cutting her off.
“You don’t need to explain it to me, sorceress. I understand that I will not be getting paid in this venture.”
She frowned, then a second later gave him a wry half-smile. “There will be no gold, true. But think of your legacy. You would be the assassin who helped save the world. Your name would be on the lips of every storyteller in the western kingdoms... possibly even the whole of Thel’Varden. There are few assassins or adventurers who have reached that level of notoriety.”
This gave Jasper pause. He opened his mouth, no doubt to over some jibe or quip, but closed it just as quickly, giving her words serious thought. “Such fame would inflate my prices,” he mused, stroking his chin. “I would be able to charge whatever I want for my contracts.”
Silence filled the camp as he appeared to mull it over. Razja seemed content to give him all the time he needed.
Finally, Jasper let out another laugh, this one sounded much more jovial than the one before. “You make a good point. I can see why your people are such shrewd merchants. I’ll finish this mad quest on the condition that any loot we come across is mine. I’ll not risk my life for free, even if it makes me famous in the end.”
Razja beamed and nodded her head. “Done.”
“I’m in as well,” Camdyn put in. “My honor will not allow me to stand aside while the world is threatened.”
“Thank you, Camdyn Taraus.” Her smile broadened as she turned her gaze upon him.
Jasper snorted, making it obvious what he thought of the mercenary’s honor.
“Now,” the sorceress said after a moment, “we need to decide what we do next. How do we plan on recovering the Tears of Eternity?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Jasper asked, sitting up. “We track down the men who destroyed Old Barrow, kill them, and take the Tears from their corpses.”
She furrowed her brow at him. “Somehow, I do not think it will be so easy.”
“I can help track them.” All eyes turned to Camdyn. He shrugged his heavy shoulders. “I’m no woodsman, but I have some tracking experience. We need to pick up their trail and follow them, then attack when the time is right.” He fell quiet, then added, “That’s what I’d do, anyway.”
Razja looked to Jasper for an objection.
The assassin merely said, “Sounds good to me.”
“Then it’s settled,” Razja replied, nodding her head in satisfaction. “On the morrow, we will find where the raiders have gone and follow them. Then, when the opportunity presents itself, we will take the Tears from them and bring them far away – where they will not pose a threat to anyone.”
With that settled, they began making preparations for bed. Camdyn drew first watch, but he did not mind. He was content to watch the dark forest while the others drifted off to sleep. His thoughts were a confused tangle in his mind, a series of questions and doubts that would have kept him from sleeping anyway.
Maybe this will bring me absolution, he brooded silently as he listed to the crackle of the fire. Recovering the Tears, saving the world... maybe that will finally bring me peace.
It was a long, dark night, but the prospect of finally making up for his past sins filled him with a faint glimmer of hope.
Chapter Eleven
The raiders left a trail that even a blind man could follow.
Camdyn, having learned woodcraft in his youth and having some skill in tracking, led his companions through the forest and toward the Cascadian Mountains. Knowing where to go was not difficult. Trampled foliage and dozens of footprints made a path away from Old Barrow and into the foothills, giving them clear direction.
“We’re a few days behind,” Camdyn noted as he got up from examining the tracks and went back to his horse. “We’ll have to push hard if we are going to catch them.”
“Foolishness,” Jasper replied from atop his own mount. “They’re clearly going somewhere, and they can’t do anything without the third Tear. We should take our time, scout out their position, and then ambush them. We’re obviously outnumbered. Our best chance is to infiltrate their hideout like we did with the pirate.”
Camdyn grunted as he pulled himself up into the saddle. And the bastard nearly escaped last time. “Sneaking around has never been my strong suit.”
“But it is mine,” the assassin countered, tapping the hilt of one of his blades. “Trust me, this is our best path forward.”
Camdyn turned to regard Razja. “And what do you think?”
She considered for a moment before eventually nodding at Jasper. “I agree with him. Surprise is our ally, here.”
“Alright,” Camdyn grumbled, tugging on his riding gloves and shifting his gaze back to the trail. “We take it slow. But don’t get mad at me when I accidently step on a branch and alert the whole lot of th
em to our presence.”
They continued forward, setting an easy pace over the rough, undulating landscape. The meadows and woodlands gave way to craggy hinterlands and dense forests of pine and spruce. Clouds gathered thickly overhead, and it was not long before sheets of rain began to fall on top of them, making the rivers run high and soaking them down to the skin.
The incessant rain made things more difficult. It washed away footprints and left the three companions feeling drenched and cold and miserable. Even so, the path forward remained relatively clear, driving them deeper into the wilderness and toward the forbidding mountains to the east.
When it came time for them to rest, it was damn near impossible to light a fire. Everything in the forest was wet and would not hold a spark. Fortunately, they were able to find a little hollow in a rock that had some relatively dry pine needles and twigs. Razja’s magic took care of the rest.
After a wet, uncomfortable night, they took up the chase in the morning, picking up the trail where they had left off. The rain lessened slightly, turning into a light drizzle, but still it was penetrating enough to keep anyone from feeling warm.
Reminds me of the days I spent on campaign, Camdyn thought to himself wryly as he led their group over a stony ridge. Somehow, I thought turning sellsword would be a little more comfortable.
It seems that I was wrong.
Around midday, he brought his horse to a sudden halt. Ahead, he could see something waiting for them in a little gulley up the road.
“Hold!” he said, reaching for his sword. “There’s something up there.”
Jasper and Razja pulled their mounts up to his.
“What is it?” Razja asked from beneath the depths of her hood.
“Not sure,” Camdyn replied, squinting to make out the strange object. It looked like a construction of some kind, hastily made from timbers from the forest, but he could not be sure if it was a barricade or something else.
They would have to get closer.
Dismounting, Camdyn tied off his horse to a nearby tree. Then, moving carefully into the gulley, he drew his bastard sword and approached the obstruction. Jasper followed close behind, his twin blades held at the ready, and Razja took up the rear, her entire figure glowing with a nimbus of light.
As they drew near, it became apparent that they were in no immediate danger. Standing off the side of the road was a scaffold of sorts. It was built from roughly hewn lumber and was lashed together with lengths of fraying rope. Swaying from the top were several bodies, pale and bloated from the cold and the rain. They all had nooses around their necks and fastened above their heads was a sign that read, “Behold the fate of all traitors to the dragon!”
“Poor sods pissed off the wrong man,” Jasper observed, sliding his blades back into their sheaths. “The leader of this Dragon Cult doesn’t seem like the forgiving type.”
“What could they have done to deserve such a fate?” Razja wondered aloud.
“Who can say?” Jasper replied dryly. “These zealous types are all the same. Step out of line, and they’ll cut your throat. Or, in this case, put a rope around it.”
Camdyn did not put his weapon away, but instead took a step closer to the makeshift gallows, examining it more closely. These bodies have been mangled, he realized, looking from corpse to corpse and noting the bloody wounds inflicted on each one. It looks like something has been chewing on them... recently.
“I think that we should move on,” he said, suddenly feeling uneasy.
“And I was just beginning to enjoy the scenery,” Jasper answered sarcastically.
Together, they began making their way back to the horses, their footfalls squelching on the muddy ground. They were almost to their mounts when Camdyn heard a terrible sound emitting from somewhere in the forest. It sounded like a low growl accompanied by a noise like metal scraping on stone.
He whirled and readied his sword just as an enormous creature emerged from the trees right next to the swaying corpses.
“Ah, hell,” he growled, sizing up the beast in front of him.
It stood more than ten feet off the ground with a ridge of spines extending from head to tail. Its sleek, scaly body was reminiscent of a serpent, only it had six muscular legs that each ended in a wicked-looking set of claws. A blunt snout sniffed at the air, revealing a mouth full of jagged teeth and a pair of yellow reptilian eyes on both sides of its head.
Though he had never seen one before, Camdyn knew from his time with the locals exactly what he was looking at.
The creature let out an terrible roar and clambered onto the road, its clawed feet rending the earth with every step. Its spiny tail whipped through the air around it, a weapon unto itself.
“What is that thing?” Razja asked, crossing her wrists and summoning her magical energy. To her side, Jasper cursed and yanked out his blades.
“Basilisk!” Camdyn shouted, planting his feet firmly and readying his sword. “Its claws are venomous! Don’t let it touch you!”
The ground seemed to shake as the great monster began loping toward them, its six legs kicking up clods of dirt and sending mud flying through the air. It let out another roar that seemed to echo through the hills, and for a moment, Camdyn felt panic begin to grip his heart.
Peace, he thought to himself, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. This is just a battle, a charge from an enemy line. Stand your ground and fight like you always have.
Then, he raised his sword.
The basilisk opened its mighty jaws and made as if to bite Camdyn’s head off, but at the last minute he dodged to the side, lashing out with his sword and cutting a deep gash along the beast’s face. It shrieked in pain and reared up upon its hind legs, slashing wildly with its claws.
Jasper ducked in and attacked the basilisk’s exposed belly, stabbing with his two curved blades and dancing away before it could counterattack.
Dark red blood began to mingle with the rain and the mud.
As the monster thrashed and screamed, trying furiously to kill both Jasper and Camdyn, Razja began casting spells from her place up the road. Mystical lights swirled around her as her bracers glowed brightly, and she summoned missiles from out of thin air and began hurling them at the basilisk. They exploded upon its scaly hide, sending out bright flashes and showers of sparks that only made the hideous creature angrier.
“It’s stunned!” Camdyn shouted, noting the blind way it struck out at them. “Jasper! Press the attack!”
Together, the assassin and the sellsword drove forward, narrowly avoiding being cut to ribbons by the slashing claws.
Using his sword like a spear, Camdyn prodded at the basilisk, trying to find weak points in its protective coat of scales. Jasper on the other hand went for the legs, slicing with his blades in an attempt to hamstring the great beast.
Their assault did minimal damage. By the time the basilisk came to, they had only inflicted superficial wounds and were forced to flee to avoid being killed.
Its shrieks reached ear-shattering levels as they scrambled up the road, its anger peaked as it tried vehemently to cut them down. This was a predator that was accustomed to easy kills. The fact that its prey was fighting back seemed to whip it into a frenzy.
That thing is going to wear us down, Camdyn thought as he looked over his shoulder. We need to end it quick before it catches one of us off-guard.
He turned and fell into a defensive stance as the basilisk approached. Jasper did the same, and Razja appeared to be readying another spell. The creature slowed its charge and for a moment, both sides seemed to be taking a more cautious approach.
Then, in the blink of an eye, an unexpected attack came from the side.
With an immense whoosh of air, the basilisk’s tail came sweeping across the road, cutting like an enormous whip in Jasper’s and Camdyn’s direction. Camdyn saw the attack coming, and so he jumped out of the way and yelled to get Jasper’s attention. “Look out!”
The assassin whirled, but it was too late.
The fat, spiny surface of the tail took him full in the chest, knocking him completely off the ground and sending him tumbling into the ferns off to the side.
Damn, Camdyn thought, wincing. That must have hurt. He could hear Jasper groaning, but he did not get back up.
Roaring, the basilisk turned its full attention on the mercenary, baring its fangs hungrily as it regarded him with eyes that seemed to glow. Within seconds it charged, pumping its legs furiously to trample Camdyn before he could react. Fortunately, another barrage of magic missiles slowed the beast long enough for him to get out of the way, strafing to the side and out of harm’s way.
The magic seemed to stun it, but it did not seem to do any lasting damage. The creature shook its hideous head and then focused its ire on Razja, a menacing growl emanating from deep in its throat.
Need to end this, Camdyn thought wearily as he took his sword in both hands. This thing is resistant to her magic. It will tear through her and then move on to finish me.
Razja yelped as the giant reptile began bounding toward her, its barbed tail scraping on the ground behind it.
Heart pounding, Camdyn sprinted up the road after the monster in an attempt to attack it from behind. He managed to catch up to the tail and leap on top of it, his sense of urgency outweighing his good judgment. The swaying motion nearly knocked him to the ground, and the sharp barbs nearly impaled him, but somehow, he managed to hold on without being stabbed.
As the basilisk bore down on Razja, she cast some sort of a shield, a translucent bubble surrounding her and protecting her from the creature’s jaws. She screamed as it snapped and scraped at her, trying wildly to penetrate the shield, but the barrier held strong, its surface burrowing into the mud beneath the basilisk’s immense weight.
Gritting his teeth, Camdyn climbed up the length of the tail, using the spines as handholds on his ascent. The basilisk was so intent on trying to get at Razja that it seemed oblivious to his presence. He scaled the things back and was soon in between its shoulders, his sword held tightly in one fist.
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