 
Tales From the Grimacing Goblin

Short Stories By

Cassidy Raine Wolters, Jon Flushing, Doug Ward, Jerry Clark, B.C. Richards, Leonard Herrington, Scott Lee, April Ward, Mark R. Hospodar Jr.

Copyright 2019

Cassidy Raine Wolters, Jon Flushing, Doug Ward, Jerry Clark, B.C. Richards, Leonard Herrington, Scott Lee, April Ward, Mark R. Hospodar Jr.

Smashwords Edition

Introduction

The Grimacing Goblin Inn is not a place to enter lightly. Frequented mostly by lowly rogues and cutthroats, it is best to keep one hand on your weapon's hilt and your back against a wall. The ale is cheap, which suits the Goblin's clientele well as the patrons drink and swap yarns. Come in, sit back and eavesdrop on these stories told by the adventurers themselves, but keep an eye on your coin pouch. Things have a tendency to go missing in this gloomy inn.

This is a collection of heroic tales as told by Chase, proprietor of the Grimacing Goblin Inn, the same tawdry tavern mentioned in the first book, The Forging of the Ring. So, get ready for some high adventure and spine-tingling stories of daring and suspense.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writers' imaginations or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Other fine books by these authors include:

The Forging of the Ring

Tome of Terror

Contents

A Good Night B.C. Richards

Madness of the Mountain King Cassidy Raine Wolters

The Trials of Chase April Ward

Inn to the Unknown Jerry Clark

When it Hit the Phan Jon Flushing

#28 Scott Lee

The Last King Mark R. Hospodar Jr.

It's off to Save the Princess Doug Ward

Paid in Full Leonard Herrington

The Job Doug Ward

About the Authors

Let the stories begin.

A Good Night

B.C. Richards

It had been over twenty years since the dwarf had set foot inside the Grimacing Goblin. The last time he had been there, he and his friend Viktor had caused a barroom brawl, stolen a bunch of money, and had made off with a magical ring. The pair had gone through the money in several nights of drunken debauchery and the ring had only been theirs a short time before being taken from them by the Queen of the Northern Mountains and her guards.

"Bitch," Ozzie mumbled under his breath, thinking back to the night that she had taken the object from him.

The cold fog meandered through the tiny streets of Greymoor. The dwarf could feel pain in his old bones that the inclement weather brought with it, especially in the leg that had been severely broken in a mining accident when he was much younger.

"I need to sit a bit. These old bones are aching. A few pints ought to take care of that," he thought to himself and chuckled.

Spotting the tavern, Ozzie hobbled across the cobblestone alley to the entrance. He stepped over a filthy old man lying in what appeared to be a pool of his own urine. The dwarf set down the object that he had been carrying. He kicked the man a few times. The drunk moaned a bit but did not budge.

"Well, it looks like someone had themselves a bang-up evening. I just hope that you didn't blow through all of your money, mate," Ozzie said as he began to root through the pockets of the man.

Finding none, he picked up the object, kicked the drunk a few times for not having any coin on him, and then reached for the door of the Grimacing Goblin.

Ozzie grabbed the door's handle and then let go quickly. He gave out a shout and jumped back some. In the light of the full moon, the dwarf could see that someone had replaced the handle with a mummified hand of an actual goblin.

"No wonder the bastard was grimacing," he said to himself and started to laugh.

He grabbed the hand again, gave it a slight turn, and pushed. Light from inside the tavern began to make its way out into the alley illuminating the front of the dwarf as he entered the establishment. Ozzie looked around and hoped that after such a long hiatus from the place no one would recognize him.

A lone elf sat at a table near the door. The elf was nervously sliding a goblet back and forth between his hands. He gave Ozzie a slight nod as the dwarf looked at him.

"Don't like the looks of that one," Ozzie thought to himself as he made his way toward a chair near the large stone fireplace. He saw that the chair had an old wooden footstool next to it. "I can rest my leg there."

He bumped into a large woman seated at one of the tables.

"Watch what the hell you're doing, you, stupid dwarf," the woman said in a drunken voice as she turned to face him.

"I'm deeply sorry, mam. I didn't mean to bump into you," Ozzie said.

"You're damn right you're sorry," said the other woman at the table who was equally as drunk. "If my wife would've spilled any of her beer on herself, I would have taken you out in the alley and beat yer little arse."

"As I said, I am sorry. Please, let me buy you lovely ladies each a pint," Ozzie said.

Spotting a barmaid, Ozzie waved to her.

"A pint for each of my friends here," he yelled to her.

The barmaid nodded in acknowledgement and headed off to retrieve the beverages.

"There, I hope that makes us square," Ozzie said to the drunken pair.

"We're good, Dwarf. No hard feelings, you know, about me beatin' yer arse and all," said the woman. She smiled a wide drunken mostly toothless smile and winked at him. "You know dwarf, if I didn't like women, I might think that you're sorta cute."

"She's mine," said the first woman, "Be off now, Dwarf, you've caused enough trouble here."

Ozzie nodded and smiled at her. The woman was about as repulsive as a human female could be. She had a moustache, several warts, and a large scar down her right cheek.

"Love is blind," Ozzie said to himself and turned toward the fireplace. As he made his way, he shoved a cloth sack into a pocket in his pants. The sack contained several coins he had taken from the woman when he bumped into her. "It looks like the drinks are on you tonight, lovebirds. After all these years, you still got it, Ozzie."

Ozzie set the package that he had been carrying down on the raised hearth of the fireplace and pulled a wooden chair closer to it. The dwarf partially pulled back a dirty cloth, which covered the package revealing what was inside. It was a small wooden cage.

"There, there, Missy, warm yourself now. It's been a long journey," Ozzie said.

"What have you got in there?" came a female voice from behind him.

Turning, Ozzie saw the barmaid approaching.

"Here, let me show you," the dwarf said, a huge grin spreading across his face.

He fussed with a small door on the front of the cage and then pulled out a small creature."

"Isn't he cute?" said the woman.

"She, actually," replied the dwarf. "Say hello, Missy."

The small reddish-brown lizard chirped a few times as it made its way out of the cage. Ozzie had secured a braided leather band around the creature's neck. A long leather leash was connected to the band. The dwarf held the other end of it in his hand.

"You can pet her; she really is quite harmless. In fact, she is really very sweet."

"What is she?" the barmaid asked as she reached to pet the creature.

"She's a baby kobold," Ozzie said.

"Where did you get her?"

"First thing's first," interrupted the dwarf. "We are both tired, cold, and hungry. Is it possible to get something to eat? I'd like a pint of ale and could Missy here could use some water. Can you do that for us, dear?"

"Please call me, Chase. I'd be happy to get that for you, Ozzie," replied the woman with a wink.

"You know me?" the dwarf said nervously.

"Of course. I spent some time with Viktor awhile back. Those were the good old days," Chase said, a far off look in her eyes. "How is that old goat anyway?"

Ozzie dropped his head.

"Vik's dead, Chase."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know. How?"

Missy hopped up and down on Ozzie's lap. The small kobold chirped several times.

"If you wouldn't mind, we could really use that food and drink. I'll talk to you about it when we're finished if that's alright?

"Sure, Ozzie, I'm sorry. I'll get that right to you."

Chase patted the tiny kobold on the head.

"I'll be right back, sweetie."

Ozzie propped his leg up on the bench. Missy hopped nervously back and forth on his lap. The dwarf scanned the bar. A few more patrons had arrived, humans, local peasants from the look of them. The elf was still there. He didn't seem to be drinking from the goblet. When his eyes met Ozzie's, the dwarf quickly looked away.

"Strange fellow, that elf," he thought to himself.

The two women were busy chatting away and laughing. Ozzie smiled at the drunken spectacle that the pair were making of themselves. Missy chirped a few times. Chase had returned with a large wooden tray. The woman set the tray down on a small round table that was next to the chair, which Ozzie occupied.

"I had a couple of meat pies. I hope that you'll like them. You can wash it down with the ale there. It's my own special brew. I added some lemons and clove. The locals seem to like it."

Ozzie could tell that the woman was proud of her concoction.

"I'm sure that if they like it, then I will too," he said with a wink.

"And this is for you, you sweet little thing," Chase said reaching into a pocket in her apron. "A great big leg from a goose that was brought in this morning."

Missy hopped up and down. Chase handed the leg to the kobold. The creature snatched it from her hand and began to devour it.

"Well, Ozzie, how is it?"

With his mouth full of meat pie, Ozzie managed to get out, "Good."

"Let me check on the others. I'll be back in a spell."

Ozzie and Missy ate like it was their last meal. Truthfully, it had been some time since they had last eaten. The dwarf had fallen on some tough times. He looked down at the kobold. She would dart in and out of her cage with the goose leg. Each time she emerged with the leg, there was less and less meat on it. Finally, there was just one big bone, which she laid down on the hearth with and gnawed away at it.

The dwarf finished the last of his meat pie and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his faded well-worn coat. He picked up the tankard and downed the rest of the ale. He let out a massive belch indicating that he was done.

"It sounds like you enjoyed your meal."

"I did indeed, Chase."

"Can I get you anything else?"

"Another pint of your ale, please. It is quite good."

"Another pint it is then. When I come back, you must tell me where you got this adorable pet."

Chase looked down at the tiny creature and smiled. The kobold was too busy chomping on the large bone to notice.

In no time at all, Chase was back with another tankard of the tasty golden liquid. She handed it to Ozzie and then took a seat in the chair that was opposite to the one that the dwarf was sitting in.

"What happened to Viktor, Ozzie?" asked Chase.

"Well, we had to get out of here in a bit of a rush. Viktor had been messing around with a local noble's wife. When the man found out he sent some of his men to get him. They found me first and worked me over a bit to find out where Vik was hiding. The truth was, I didn't know. They damn near killed me trying to get an answer from me.

When Viktor heard what they had done. He went crazy. He nearly beat to death more than half of the noble's guards and then went into the noble's house to get him. Finally, they had that crazy half-orc surrounded. He charged the whole lot of them screaming like a banshee. It must have scared the piss out of them. They turned and ran like small children from a big hairy black spider. Viktor headed back to his smithy, grabbed his things, and we got out of Greymoor before the noble would get the king's men after him. We ended up in Merriglade, down near the Draconian border. Viktor set up a new shop down there. We stayed there until the Draconians decided to spill out of their lands and overran the village. We barely got out of there with our lives."

Chase leaned forward in her seat.

"You still didn't tell me what happened to Viktor, Ozzie."

"Yes, yes, I'm getting there."

The barmaid glanced around the bar. No one seemed to be in need of anything. She reached down and gave Missy a pet.

"After leaving Merriglade, Vik and I wandered around for a good bit. We took on jobs when we could find them and slept out in the woods at night. A little hunting and fishing helped to keep our stomachs at least somewhat full."

The dwarf took a gulp from the tankard.

"One night, we heard some strange noises as we sat around our campfire. Viktor got up to see what was happening. He came running back quickly and told me to follow him. We went through the forest a short way. I could hear the noise getting louder and louder. Lots of chirping and squawking, laughing and yelling. When we got near the edge of the woods down near the banks of a river, the whole scene unfolded right in front of us in the moonlight."

"What did you see, Ozzie?"

"There were six of them or so we thought. Gretchins, damn ugly ones too. They had this kobold surrounded. They were dancing around her. Poking at her with spears and sticks. As she turned to face one, another would attack her. The poor girl was putting up one heck of a fight but there were just too many of them. The whole thing pissed Viktor off royally. Before I knew it, he charged out of the woods and ran at the whole lot of the gretchins. He sent the bastards flying in all directions. I ran out and grabbed one and stuck my dagger right between the foul creatures' ribs. Jumping up off the gretchin, I saw what they had been up too all along. The kobold was defending a nest of her eggs. While we were fighting, two of the gretchins grabbed eggs from the nest and took off. The rest of the bastards that we hadn't killed fled after them.

Viktor and I turned to look for the kobold. She was lying on the ground covered in blood. She had died trying to protect her unborn. "

"That's so sad, Ozzie. But what about Viktor?"

"I'm getting to that. Viktor grabbed a rock from along the bank of the creek and began to dig a hole near the edge of the forest. When he was done, I picked up the kobold and put her in it. Vik piled rocks on top of her.

At one point I stopped him. I could hear something behind us. We slowly turned and realized that it was coming from the nest. When we looked inside, well, that's when we saw Missy here, trying to get out of her egg."

What Chase hadn't realized was while Ozzie had been talking, the bar patrons had stopped what they were doing and were now focused on the tale.

"Once she was fully out, Vik picked her up and took her out of the nest. She was so tiny and cute. With her mother dead, she was all alone. We agreed, we couldn't leave her there. Before he could take a step, a spear went through his left eye. Vik fell backwards and hit the ground like a tree cut down in the woods. When I turned, I saw two gretchins heading right towards me. I picked up Missy and ran toward the river and jumped in. The water swept me away from the damn gretchins."

"Ozzie, that's terrible. Poor Vik. He didn't deserve to die that way."

"There's no good way to die, Chase."

"You're right. There's no good way."

"But out of bad comes good sometimes. We were able to save Missy here. At least we have each other. Well, it's getting a bit late. What do I owe you for the meal and your wonderful ale, Chase?"

"It's on me, Ozzie. For Viktor...for old time's sake."

"Thank you, my dear. You are too kind."

Chase stood up and brushed some lint off her skirt. She reached down and gave Missy a rub on the head.

"Good night, little one. You come see us again."

Ozzie stood and placed Missy back into her cage. He pulled the covering over it.

"Be good and go to sleep now," he said into the cage.

Chase stepped forward and gave the dwarf a hug.

"Don't be a stranger now," she said patting him on the back.

"Thank you for your generosity," Ozzie said.

The dwarf made his way toward the door. The patrons sitting at the tables gave the old dwarf carrying the cage a nod of farewell. He opened the door to leave, stopped, and took one final look around the tavern, sure that he would never return. Stepping out into the cold night, Ozzie pulled his coat closed in front of him. Slowly he made his way down the old cobblestone alley, fading into the night.

"All right ladies and gents, it's time to settle up. It's late and I need to close," Chase yelled.

In a matter of minutes, the bar patrons realized that their money was missing. Even the elf could not believe that his gold was gone.

"It had to be that no good dwarf," cried one of the women. "I should have beat his arse when I had the chance."

"He could barely walk. He couldn't have gotten very far. Let's go!" yelled one of the men.

"Hold it right there, all of you. I sat with Ozzie the entire time he was here. He never moved from that chair," Chase said pointing at the object. "It couldn't have been him."

"Then who did it?" demanded another patron.

"It was dear old Ozzie," came a new voice from behind them.

Turning, everyone in the Grimacing Goblin saw a tall cloaked figure standing in the open doorway. The newcomer pulled back his hood revealing an orcish face with a brown leather eyepatch over his left eye.

"Viktor," Chase said in disbelief.

"It's been awhile, Chase," replied the half-orc.

Viktor closed the door behind him.

"How long since he left?"

"Just a few moments. I'm surprised that you didn't see him in the alley."

Viktor opened the door and stepped back out into the alley. In the dense fog, he saw no sign of the dwarf.

"Damn," Viktor said slamming the door.

Chase went to him.

"How, Viktor? How? I was with him the entire time."

"Actually, it wasn't him. It was the kobold."

"What? Missy?" said everyone in the tavern as one.

"Not Missy either," said Viktor.

"Then who, Viktor?" Chase asked.

"Her brother, Manny."

"Manny?!" everyone said.

"Ozzie and I rescued two kobolds. When he brought the cage in, he kept the back half covered, didn't he? While he and Missy kept you distracted, Manny slipped out the back of the cage and pickpocketed you. That little bastard is as silent as a mouse. It's a scam that he's been running for some time now."

"I can't believe it," Chase said.

"Believe it. You can't trust that damn dwarf. He's double-crossed me more than a few times. He cost me my eye and left me for dead. I'm going to kill him when I find him."

"Would you care for some company in your quest, Orc?"

Viktor turned to see an elf standing behind him.

"I am only half orc. My mother was human," said Viktor.

"I see. I am Tellaris. I have some unfinished business here in Greymoor. When I am done, I will help you find the dwarf. I am an excellent tracker. No one steals from me and lives to tell about it. Do you want my assistance?"

"I would welcome it. Ozzie needs to be found and pay for his crimes. I will be taking a room here. When you are ready, come and get me."

The elf nodded. He picked up the goblet from the table and downed the rest of its contents.

"I am sorry that I cannot pay you, Chase."

"Just help Viktor get that dwarf bastard. Do that and I'll call us even," Chase said.

Slowly the patrons filed out of the Grimacing Goblin.

"You said something about needing a room, Viktor? Lock the door and meet me upstairs. We have some catching up to do," Chase said, giving the half-orc a wicked smile.

Viktor turned and locked the door. Grinning, he crossed the tavern floor and climbed the steps to the second floor. Exhausted from tracking Ozzie for days, he wondered how much rest he would get that night.

******

Ozzie found a small boat tied to a post down at the river. He placed the cage inside of it and then carefully stepped into the craft. He untied the line and then sat down on the bench. Finding two oars on the bottom of the boat, Ozzie picked them up and placed the paddles into the dark murky water.

"I know it's cold my pets, but old Ozzie will get us out of here and off to safety in no time at all. Go to sleep little ones."

He rowed and rowed and soon the silhouette of Greymoor grew smaller and smaller in the misty moonlight.

"Best partners that I ever had," Ozzie thought to himself.  "Better than all those years with that idiot Viktor. I always told him that I was the smart one. Well, I'll find a nice barn to sleep in a bit. I'll count the night's take in the morning. You are quite the sly one, Manny."

Ozzie kept rowing despite the strain on his old tired muscles.

"Not bad, my little pets. We all got fed. I had some very fine ale and we robbed those drunken dolts of all their coin. That's what I'd call a good night!"

Madness of the Mountain King

Cassidy Raine Wolters

Trajan was passing through Greymoor to a port of call far to the east. He asked some locals where he could spend the night and was pointed in the direction of the Grimacing Goblin. He was bone weary from his travels and had every intention of turning in as soon as he checked in, but the sounds from the common room proved far too tempting.

He caught the barmaid's eye, waved her over, and ordered some ale. He thought about getting the general swill for two coppers but decided to play it safe with the better stuff even though it cost twice as much.

One drink turned into two, which turned into three.

Trajan listened with rapt attention to the tales that were being told. "I've got one for you," he said when he got a chance. "It's about a young barbarian by the name of Karzak..."

Part 1 - Onward and Upward

In the wild, sparsely inhabited foothills of the Sawtooth Mountains, amongst the followers of the Seven Sons, Karzak found peace at last. The peasants who lived there struggled to eke out a meager existence. They were poor but content.

The barbarian lent his strength to any odd job that needed to be done and his work ethic, quiet demeanor, and charitable nature won over the simple folk.

Life in these small communities revolved around The Compendium. Each meal began and ended with readings from the divine scripture. Karzak became so well-versed in the tales of the Seven Sons that he began to sprinkle his conversations with quotes from the holy book.

Unbeknownst to him, Karzak's eighteenth birthday came and went. But as the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, he began to grow restless. There were questions that he still needed to answer. Who am I? How did I become a slave? What's the story behind my mother's crescent moon necklace?

Back in the Failing Fields, the little girl he saved from the bog monster said something about a monastery high in the mountains, a place where they could do magic. Her father insisted that no such place existed but Karzak had seen enough unexplainable events since then to be open-minded about the possibility. Perhaps they could help him find the answers he so desperately wanted.

The villagers had become like family to him. He didn't want to see the disappointment on their faces, so he left unannounced, slipping away before daybreak, and began his long climb towards the snow-covered mountaintops.

With each successive day, the terrain became more rugged and the view became more impressive. A week into his climb, the air became thinner and the temperatures began to drop. The grueling heat of the vast desert that stretched out below was nothing but a distant memory.

He was fortunate to find a cave to provide some shelter from a wintry mix of sleet and rain that eventually turned into the first snow the barbarian had ever seen.

Karzak drifted off to sleep but was awakened by a soft glow emanating from the back of the cave. He drew his sword and went to investigate an opening in the wall that led to a narrow tunnel beyond. Memories of his struggles in the Pit of Despair below the Sultan's palace came rushing back to him.

But his lack of attention to his current situation proved his undoing as he stepped on a stone that released a catch. The walls suddenly shifted, and he was trapped!

For the better part of an hour, he cursed at his own stupidity and then, having nothing else to do, he sat down and waited. Sometime later he heard a faint click and a panel opened in the wall. A group of short, stocky figures, some carrying axes and some carrying torches, entered. They had broad noses and low foreheads and conversed in a language Karzak had never heard before.

"Dwarves!" the barbarian exclaimed, recalling Gart's stories about the legendary miners.

"Aye, we're dwarves," said their leader, whose face was adorned with a long red beard. He spoke in the common tongue so Karzak could understand. "This trap was designed to catch goblins, but you're no goblin," the dwarf explained as he sized up the barbarian, taking note of his shield and sword. "Who are you and why are you here at Bundaruum?"

"Bundaruum?" the barbarian replied in a confused tone.

"It means Thunder Mountain in our native tongue. You're standing inside a dormant volcano."

Karzak introduced himself and briefly explained his search for the monastery.

One of the dwarves whispered something in their leader's ear. "My friend says I should kill you," the dwarf said. Even though they only came up to the barbarian's chest, their menacing battle axes showed that they were mighty warriors. Karzak tensed until the leader added, "But don't worry. We're a stubborn but practical race. We're at war with goblins, not men. Welcome, Karzak. I'm Etriss Greystone."

Once again, his friend whispered something in the leader's ear. "The runes on your sword are in our language. They speak of the friendship between the dwarves who mined the iron and fine silver that the men of Duvahl used to forge the mighty blade. Alas, that once-mighty city was swallowed up by the advancing sands of the great desert. Could I take a closer look?"

When he saw the suspicion in Karzak's pale blue eyes, the dwarf held out his battle axe and said, "You can hold my weapon. I call it Raistron which means razor in our language."

The two exchanged weapons.

"Fine craftsmanship," Etriss said in an admiring voice. "It reminds me of..."

"Of what?" Karzak asked when the dwarf failed to complete his sentence.

"It can't be!" Etriss exclaimed. "I've seen something in the blade. An image of a fountain."

The dwarf ran his fingers through his thick red beard as Karzak explained the power of the sword to show glimpses of the past and the future.

"Come with us," Etriss exclaimed. "I've much to explain."

Karzak listened to the dwarf's tale of woe as they traveled through a series of twisting tunnels and winding passageways.

"My uncle is Vultan Greystone, the Mountain King, and he suffers under a terrible curse. Several months ago, we discovered a new vein of silver deeper in the heart of Bundaruum than we've ever gone before. Our excavations stumbled onto some tunnels of unknown origin and it was there that we found an enormous blue diamond. Somebody cut and shaped it eons ago, but who that was and when that occurred remains an enigma."

"And this blue diamond was cursed?"

"Yes!" Etriss declared as they entered a wide room almost forty feet across. "My uncle stares into its depths day and night, refusing to eat or sleep. And we need his strength and cunning now more than ever. The Goblin Queen has heard of his ailment and has stepped up her attacks."

As if the mention of their leader had magically summoned them, a group of goblins brandishing short swords with serrated edges filed into the open space at that very moment. They hissed in disgust when their glowing red eyes spied the dwarves.

At the sight of their mortal enemies, Etriss and his companions let loose with a stout battle cry and charged forward with reckless abandon. Karzak had little choice but to join the melee.

More and more of the goblins appeared and soon the place was overrun with the foul creatures. The minor skirmish quickly escalated to a mighty conflict as the clamor and din of steel echoed off the walls.

Etriss let loose with Raistron, and his mighty axe felled the beasts in droves. The falcon sword, likewise, sent many goblins to their deaths. The razor-sharp blade easily sliced through their livid gray skin, extinguishing their lambent eyes.

Unfortunately, Karzak's fortunes soon took a turn for the worse. He ran his blade through a goblin's stomach and the sword got stuck in the wall beyond. Unable to wrench it free, he was forced into hand to hand combat. At first, he continued to punish his opponents by using his triangular shield as a bludgeon, but eventually he was pulled to the ground by their overwhelming numbers and cut time and time again by the serrated edges of their short swords.

Etriss came to his rescue. He vanquished the horde with his battle axe, but the tides of the battle were shifting in favor of the goblins, so he was unable to attend to Karzak's wounds.

The barbarian's heartbeat began to fade as more and more blood pooled on the ground beneath his twisted body.

Part 2 - Conflict, Calamity, and Collision

Despite losing massive amounts of blood, Karzak's iron will allowed him to regain his feet. He positioned himself to create maximum leverage and he pulled the falcon sword free with a mighty heave. In doing so, he dislodged part of the wall revealing a hidden niche that contained a small statue carved from malachite. It was in the shape of a ram. Mesmerized by its beauty, the barbarian picked it up and his body was flooded by a surge of warmth. In a matter of moments, his wounds were miraculously healed.

The barbarian rejoined the fray with renewed vigor. Bolstered by Karzak's unexpected return, Etriss and the dwarves fought back, and the goblins' yells of triumph changed to shrieks of despair. Before long, they were completely routed.

After resting and bandaging their wounds Karzak and the others continued on their way.

"There's more to my tale," Etriss explained. "I said that Bundaruum is a dormant volcano. But that's not completely true. In recent years the mountain has awakened from its long slumber. A series of ever-more powerful earthquakes have struck over the past year. A few weeks ago, the latest tremor shook those ancient tunnels where the blue diamond was found and something terrible emerged. A horned beast as powerful as Orgoth the White, the mighty dragon who attacked Bundaruum over ten thousand years ago and made off with the legendary treasure of the first Mountain King."

"And what of the fountain you saw when you stared into the falcon sword's blade?"

"The healing waters of the fountain might cure the Mountain King's madness, but the entrance to the Crystal Caves collapsed in one of the earliest quakes. We're trying our best to get through. Unfortunately, our population has dwindled tremendously over the last few millennia and we simply don't have the numbers to fight the goblins, battle the monster, and dig through to the caverns."

"I can help," Karzak announced.

The dwarf smiled. "I was hoping you would say that."

Before long they heard the sounds of picks and hammers and eventually came within sight of the landslide that sealed off the entrance to the Crystal Caves preventing the dwarves from reaching the fountain.

Karzak was taken aback by the complexity of the operation. It spoke to the dwarves' sophisticated understanding of mining techniques.

"We're making steady progress, but we can always use another set of hands," Etriss said. "Especially if they're as powerful as yours. We're in a race with time. If we can dig through to the fountain... if we can get the healing waters to my uncle... if it can restore his wits... then we might have a chance against the Goblin Queen and the ancient evil that now haunts the lower chambers."

Without bothering to say a word, Karzak found a shovel and began to move dirt and rock at a dizzying pace. Etriss grabbed a pick and joined in.

They worked, almost non-stop, for the next three days, only pausing to eat and catch a few hours of sleep. Not only did Karzak succeed in single-handedly moving prodigious amounts of dirt and debris, but his presence also helped bolster the morale of everyone who'd been working on the project for months.

Karzak noticed a glint of metal amongst the rubble. It was a copper ring that he slid on his finger.

It took him a while to realize it bestowed upon him the ability to understand the dwarf language. This allowed him to overhear a conversation between Etriss and one of his kin who questioned whether or not it was wise to trust the barbarian. The Mountain King's nephew replied by saying, "When you see him battle the goblins, your doubts will fade away."

From time to time Etriss was given updates on the whereabouts of the Goblin Queen and her foot soldiers. They were closing in on the Great Hall, making the need for haste that much more important.

Finally, after days of intense labor, Karzak's shovel broke through to the other side. Etriss grabbed a torch and plunged through the opening into the caverns beyond with the barbarian at his heels.

The Crystal Caves were a wonder to behold!

The reflected torchlight glittered off the smooth surfaces bathing everything in shimmering, angelic light. Etriss raced forward and filled a waterskin with the ice-cold water of the fountain. The barbarian wanted to stay and admire the mesmerizing beauty of the place, but he knew that every second was of the utmost importance.

Karzak and the dwarves raced through a labyrinth of slanting tunnels, winding hallways, and steep staircases on their way to the Great Hall. They were almost there when they were cut off by the Goblin Queen herself, wielding a scythe-like blade in one hand and a whip in the other.

Etriss let his age-old hatred of the goblins momentarily cloud his judgment as he confronted her. Sparks flew as his battle axe and her circular blade crashed together again and again, but at the barbarian's insistence the dwarf broke off his attack.

"Is this the only way to reach the Mountain King?" Karzak asked.

"No, there's another route, a more perilous path that I hesitate to tread," Etriss replied. "A secret passageway beneath the Great Hall. But it's populated with monsters and traps that only my Uncle can safely pass."

"We have to try," Karzak insisted and the dwarf shook his head in agreement. As they turned and fled, the Goblin Queen laughed at what she assumed was a cowardly retreat.

For years to come, Karzak would awake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, as he recalled the challenges faced in the hidden ways that wound underneath the Great Hall. Poison-tipped darts, crumbling ceilings, and collapsing floors were just a few of the traps they encountered. Meanwhile, they fought their way through a menagerie of creatures including a pack of two-headed dogs, a gorgon, and a manticore.

The Gorgon, a bull-like creature covered with iron scales, breathed a cloud of vapor capable of petrifying any opponent. Fortunately for Karzak, dwarves are practically impervious to magic and Etriss was able to shield him from the threat. The barbarian proved more useful against the manticore, a horrid monster with a man's face, the body of a lion, leathery bat wings, and a tail ridged with spikes. The beast shot those spikes at the two adventurers, but Karzak managed to block the projectiles with his shield.

Finally, they reached Vultan's chamber. Etriss spoke to his uncle in a soothing tone, but the Mountain King continued to stare into the depths of the massive blue diamond that he held in his hands. His eyes were milky, as if severely infected with cataracts.

Etriss produced the waterskin and tried to persuade his uncle to drink, but the monarch ignored his nephew. So Etriss forced him to drink. Most of the water spilled down Vultan's flowing white beard, but as a few drops of the magic liquid crossed his lips and started to take effect, he began to drink in earnest.

After he'd downed most of the waterskin's contents, his eyes began to clear. He turned his gaze to his nephew. "Etriss? Is that you?"

"Yes, Uncle."

"I fear that I'm not well. My mind has been filled with the strangest dreams."

Part 3 - Bonebreaker

Vultan Greystone, the Mountain King, momentarily shifted his gaze back to the enormous blue diamond he held in his hands. His nephew, Etriss, knocked the gem from his grip before he could fall back under its spell.

A look of rage momentarily flickered on the monarch's face, but it soon faded.

"Hurry, Uncle," Etriss pleaded. "Use your war hammer to smash the gemstone lest you fall back under its sway!"

"I'm too tired," Vultan mumbled in a weak voice.

Karzak produced the malachite statue of the ram he'd found during the battle with the goblins. "Use this," he urged. "It healed my wounds and restored my strength. It might work for you as well."

"Who's this?" the Mountain King asked.

"A friend," Etriss explained. "Go ahead, Uncle. Take the statue."

The Mountain King did as he was told and found that the item's magic rejuvenated him. For the first time in many months, his mind was clear, and his body was healthy. But at a cost. The healing statue had melted in the process and its powers were now gone.

"Now, Uncle. While you can," Etriss insisted. "Destroy the accursed stone."

This time the Mountain King heeded his nephew's advice. He stood up, grabbed his mighty hammer, known to the dwarves as Skelkurk which translates into bonebreaker in their native tongue, and strode towards the blue diamond. With one mighty blow, the king pulverized the gem. "It needed to be done," he said as much to himself as to Etriss and Karzak.

"It's good to have you back," Etriss said as he placed a reassuring hand on his uncle's shoulder. "I'm loath to burden you at this moment, but time is of the essence. As we speak, the Goblin Queen attacks the Great Hall."

Upon hearing the news, Vultan's eyes burned with rage. "How dare she desecrate our sacred meeting place with her foul presence?" He tightened his grip on his mighty war hammer and added, "I'll break her bones!"

Etriss helped the monarch don his helm, his chain mail, and his gauntlets of power and the three warriors rushed towards the Great Hall, determined to vanquish the goblins.

They arrived in the nick of time. Etriss used his mighty axe, Raistron, to slice through a swath of the enemy, while Karzak's sword was soon covered with the green blood of a dozen goblins.

But it was the Mountain King who inflicted the most damage. Skelkurk was simply unstoppable.

The mighty mallet, which was capable of reducing boulders into pebbles with a single blow, shattered bones left and right.

As the conflict became a rout, the Mountain King turned his eyes towards his arch enemy, the Goblin Queen. At first, she seemed determined to meet his challenge. She cracked her whip and pantomimed slicing Vultan to bits with her circular blade. But as the leader of the dwarves drew closer, her livid gray skin turned even paler than usual. Fear crept into her glowing red eyes and she turned to flee.

The Mountain King considering giving chase, but most of the dwarves had been wounded and they needed immediate care if they were to live.

Several hours later, after he'd attended to all his warriors, the Mountain King finally allowed himself to take a break. The respite proved all too short, however, as news arrived of an even more grave danger. The ancient evil that had been awakened during the most recent earthquake was on the move in the lower levels.

Etriss cautioned his uncle. "You can't do too much too soon. After all, you just recovered from the blue diamond's spell."

"The barbarian's statue healed me," Vultan responded. "I must set my wants and needs aside to help my people. That's what it means to be king. Besides, I know what we're dealing with. Hellspawn! The dark god Nakron's oldest and most powerful minions!"

Etriss knew there was no point in arguing further, so he fell in step behind his uncle, with Karzak by his side.

The three companions hastened to their destination. Before long they heard the rush of an underground river, but as they drew closer the noise was eclipsed by the gut-wrenching screams of the dying.

As Karzak entered a vast cavern, he saw a sight that sent shivers down his spine. The river ran red with the blood of countless dwarves. And that was just the prelude to an even more disturbing scene. The horrific beast exhibited one of its otherworldly powers. It shot a beam from its horns that turned one of the dwarves into a pillar of salt. Then, with a flick of its tail, it ruthlessly shattered its victim into a thousand pieces.

After that appalling display, the remaining dwarves fled in terror. It was up to Vultan, Etriss, and Karzak now.

The hellspawn bellowed and roared and Karzak was astonished to realize his ring allowed him to discern some sense of the meaning. "Nakron grows strong... misery... pain... mankind falls."

The three warriors bottled up their fears and attacked. Sword and battle axe initially proved effective, but with an eldritch cry the beast thrust Karzak and Etriss aside. In the end, it was the Vultan's war hammer that won the day, though the Mountain King was grievously injured in the process.

A week later, after the Great Hall had been cleaned and the Vultan had made strides towards a full recovery, a mighty feast was held where the dwarves' love of hearty meals and strong drink was on full display. During the revelry, the Mountain King presented Karzak with a hand axe of unsurpassed craftsmanship as a token of his appreciation.

Amidst the festivities, the barbarian tried to explain that he'd never drank alcohol, but the dwarves would hear nothing of his protests as a great tankard of ale was placed in front of him and constantly refilled throughout the evening.

Naturally, Karzak hadn't noticed the incredible stonework in the Great Hall during the battle with the goblins. But between their fourth and fifth courses, Etriss insisted on showing him around. The unbelievably lifelike statues and stunning portraits featured in the relief work on the walls were a testament to the dwarves' uncanny ability to cut and shape rocks and minerals.

When the plates were finally cleared away, long curved pipes were filled with tobacco and the dwarves spent the rest of the evening smoking and singing. Some songs were in the common tongue, but most were in the dwarves' native language. Luckily, the magic ring that he'd found allowed Karzak to understand the lyrics.

One mournful dirge was about a group of dwarves who, despite their hardy constitution and resistance to magic, were corrupted by the dark god Nakron. They were renamed the Fallen by their new master and granted eternal life.

Another song was about the mighty dragon Orgoth the White who stole the fabled treasure of the first Mountain King.

The ale began to make Karzak's eyes droop by the time the dwarves began to sing selections from a cycle of the hero tales of Ulric, the Falcon King of Valeria and his knights' legendary quest for the Horn of Horatio.

The barbarian eventually drifted off to sleep, but the dwarves continued to celebrate long into the night.

******

"Not bad," the barmaid said after he'd finished his tale. She sat a fresh drink in front of him. "This one's on the house."

The Trials of Chase

April Ward

It was a typical day at the Grimacing Goblin, well, if your normal day is anything but typical. Chase was just cleaning up the mess from the lunch crowd, which usually consisted of the village deplorables, or as Chase called them, the interesting folk. She was flinging a towel over her shoulder when she caught her reflection in a serving platter. Chase picked up the platter and looked at her disheveled long hair and wondered to herself where the years had gone. The image looking back at her seemed tired and disinterested. She had just turned 36, though her green eyes still held the sparkle of a young girl that seemed to hold some well-kept secret. Those that entered her tavern for the first time usually showered her with flattery and underestimated her. She knew she was not of ordinary beauty because men make fools of themselves over beautiful women and she had known many a fool. Chase stared a little harder at her reflection as if urging herself to say what was unsaid. She felt her spirit was unsettled as if she were trapped living someone else's life. Chase longed for an adventure like the ones her patrons bragged about every night. She craved danger, new surroundings, and new faces. With a flick of the wrist, she tossed the tray and shook herself free from her vain imaginings. It was almost time for the dinner crowd.

It was dark out when the dinner patrons finally settled down. There was much loud laughter and many heroic stories being told, which made Chase chuckle to herself. She knew full well that most of it was simply to impress her. She also knew that most of it was false bravado told by men that were way past their prime. The quiet ones, who sat and listened, were the true heroes but they only told her their tales, quietly, when they had one too many pints. Chase always flattered the men with oohs and ahs, flirty smiles and playful promises of love. It was all good fun.

Chase was reprimanding a naughty dwarf when the door opened and in walked two women. She had an occasional woman in the tavern but usually they were working ladies, chastising farmer's wives or the occasional warrior. The two women who entered this night were very different. They seemed out of place in the Goblin. Chase studied them as they sat at a corner table.

One was tall and slender with black hair and large dark eyes. Her skin was a burnt shade like the clay she found in the earth with a red-orange hue. She had a scar on her right cheek that somehow enhanced her cheekbone. Her ears were pointed and pierced from tip to lobe and she had an amulet around her neck that held something that looked like liquid fire. She was fitted from head to toe in leather. Her corseted leather top flattered her breasts and her tiny waist. Her arms were lean and muscular. A leather band with runes tooled into it was wrapped around her right arm and a bow and arrows hung at her back. The woman had quite an intimidating presence that made everyone in the room immediately drop their eyes as if to sidestep a fight.

Chase then turned her eyes to the woman's unlikely companion. She was about 5'3, with ample breasts and hips. She was as approachable as her companion wasn't. Her blonde hair fell in cascades down her back and her blue eyes sparkled with mischief and wonder. She was dressed as if to draw all eyes to her curves and that's exactly where all eyes were drawn. Her top was off her shoulders displaying an ample amount of her breasts and her brown leather belt was pulled snug to her small waist. She wore suede pants the color of sand that fit snuggly to a beautiful round bottom, which bounced as she exaggerated a strut. Around her neck also hung an amulet with what looked like a blue liquid in it. It was the color of the sea under a cloudless sky. She had a tattoo on her wrist of a tiny wave, and something strapped to her thigh. Chase thought to herself that this was no common duo.

As Chase made her way to the interesting strangers, she noticed her dear friend Agama hidden in a dark corner studying the pair of women. She wondered how he had snuck in without her noticing. As she passed his table, she blew him a flirtatious kiss. Agama smiled shyly and put his head down into a book. Chase thought to herself, he is such a curious fellow, always with his head in a book.

"Hello, ladies, welcome to The Grimacing Goblin," said Chase with a smile. "What's your pleasure this evening?"

Genaya giggled and she tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder as she playfully replied, "Oh, my pleasure is not something I can talk about in public. Anwara, when is the last time you had some pleasure?"

Anwara did not look amused. Her dark eyes had not one hint of laughter in them. She leveled her gaze at Chase and replied, "I'll have a mug of your strongest stout.

Genaya chimed in that she would love some mead. "I could go for something sweet, like that man in the corner over there," she said loudly as she batted her lashes in Agama's direction.

Chase immediately snapped back, "He's not on the menu."

This caused both Genaya and Anwara to laugh out loud.

"My, my, my," chided Genaya, "I wonder what the story is with you two?"

Chase composed herself and replied, "There's no story. He's just a dear friend." Then she walked away to get the drinks. She ignored Agama on her way past and chastised herself for acting so ridiculous.

As Chase poured the drinks, she thought about her reaction to what Genaya said. Sure, she liked Agama, but he was just a friend. She never liked that boyish look in a man. She preferred a beard and some brawn. Agama was shorter than her with curly brown hair, large childlike eyes, smooth skin and hands that seemed way too uncalloused to have ever done any type of labor work. Okay, she thought to herself, his curiosity and knowledge of the different lands and people fascinated her. She could ask him any question and he would have an answer. Right now, she wanted to know why he was so preoccupied with the two strange women. She could not hide the look of disdain on her face when she noticed he was staring at the blonde, curvy Genaya. Genaya saw the look on Chase's face and was getting great pleasure from teasing her about it. Genya blew a kiss in Agama's direction followed by another bout of laughter.

"Stop it," scolded Anwara, "We don't need trouble. For once can you just tone it down a bit? We need to get some information from that barmaid and she's not likely to tell us anything with you behaving like that."

"You never let me have any fun," cooed Genaya, "I actually like her. She looks as though she's had some fun in her life. Imagine what you'd see working in a place like this? "

Chase put the drinks on the table and locked eyes with Anwara. "So, what brings the two of you to these parts," Chase asked as she shot a disapproving glance at Genaya and said, "I'm sure you're not here to pick up men."

Anwara studied Chase's face for a moment before replying, "No, we're searching for something. Something that was lost many years ago in a time when the elves ruled the world. Have you heard any rumors about the somphos.

The sound of a book crashing on the floor brought everyone's eyes to the dark corner where Agama sat. He looked as if he had just seen a ghost as he picked up his book and offered apologies. The regulars chided him on being a clumsy oaf and Grenwar, a notoriously grumpy dwarf, decided it was his cue to harass the poor scholar. Grenwar did not like Agama one bit and he went to great lengths to show it.

Chase excused herself and ran to save her dear friend from the aggressive, hateful dwarf.

Chase heard Genaya giggling as she headed toward Agama's table. "That girl really gets on my nerves," Chase thought to herself.

"Grenwar," purred Chase as she picked up the dwarf's ale, "don't you have some drinking to do? You wouldn't want me to spill your precious ale on the floor. We may be almost out of ale for the night."

Grenwar thought for a moment then grabbed the ale out of Chase's hand. "Oh, it's no matter to me anyway," he growled as he stomped away.

Chase pulled a stool close to Agama. "What's your problem? Are you having a hard time tearing your eyes away from a pretty little bottom?" teased Chase as she followed Agama's eyes to the mysterious, blonde woman.

"Why, are you jealous," laughed Agama, who immediately wished he could take his words back when he saw the look on Chase's face.

"Why would I be jealous of that wench, who so obviously would crush you with her large breasts," she teased.

Agama laughed but then became completely serious. "Chase, did those women tell you what they were looking for? I heard mention of the Somphos."

"Yes, they did mention the Somphos," replied Chase. "My father told me about the swamp people when I was a child. He told me that he and my mother knew the old cypress that lives in the middle of the swamp. My father said that I should visit there one day. I can't remember, there was something he used to say."

Agama looked at Chase and said, "From the beginning, it stood, into the depths it did reach, above the muck and the mire, forged from sea, earth, and fire."

"Yes, that's it! That's what my father would say." Chase looked at Agama, "How could you know that?"

"Chase, I keep telling you that books hold a lot of mysteries. In the old texts, from the time of the elves, there is a legend about the forging of amulets that will bring together the elements in the form of three warriors when the earth is in need of healing," explained the scholar.

"Well, what does that have to do with my father and me?" she asked as if confused.

"I don't know, Chase, but I know that you're special. I've watched you work the earth and manage to make things grow in soil that should be unworkable. I've seen you seek healing in the trees. Your need to walk barefoot in the grass and the way you love plants. I read about someone like you in my ancient text. I thought I was crazy but when those two women came in I saw the amulets around their necks react to you. They glowed for a second." Agama jumped up excitedly, "Wait, I'll be back. I'm going to go get my books. I think you'll see what I see when you read it."

Chase watched Agama run to the door. She wondered if he was going mad. She was the daughter of a tavern owner and a mother she never got to meet. She was nothing special, though she did have some awfully strange things happen to her when she was on her walks in the forest. Oh dear, she thought to herself, that bookworm has me thinking crazy things now.

Chase was running from table to table dealing with the usual crowd and listening to the daily chatter and rumors. Seems there were more and more tales about dying crops, sick animals and poisoned waterways. Chase longed for happier news or at least a good tale. It would be nice to see a ranger walk through the door or a wizard. Then she looked over at the two strangers, who were staring at her and whispering. Oh, what the hell, I may as well get their story, Chase thought to herself. What's the worst that could happen?

Chase poured two more drinks for the women and headed to their table to see where they were from. Genaya didn't take her eyes off of her and it was making Chase feel very self-conscious. Chase noticed that she seemed more serious for some reason. As she approached the table she noticed a spark of light leap from the necklaces around Anwara and Genaya's necks. The two women noticed it too. They all stared at each other for what seemed like a long time until Anwara spoke up. "What's your name?"

"My name is Chase Lane. Why do you ask?" she questioned the woman.

Just as Anwara was about to explain herself, Agama fell in through the front door, he was carrying two books and he was covered in dirt. Behind him followed a half-orc and a goblin, who were torturing him and laughing loudly. Within the blink of an eye, Chase turned to the door and threw a knife between the half-orc and the goblin. The knife stuck deep into the door. The place went completely quiet. All eyes turned to Chase. She flipped her hair out of her eyes, straightened her dress a bit then turned to the troublemaking duo. "I've told you two for the last time," Chase said in a stern irritated voice, "I will not tolerate your stupidity in my tavern! Take your ugly mugs anywhere but here!"

"But, but we didn't mean anything by it Chase," stuttered Grizen. "Please, please let us come in." Grizen's face contorted as he tried to force a smile, but he only managed to look demented when he showed his rotted teeth.

The goblin tried to be clever and say he had nothing to do with it. He blamed Grizen for everything. "I don't see why I can't come in," whined the goblin with a sly grin. "I was simply caught in the middle."

Anwara and Genaya were transfixed on Chase as she spoke in a tone that seemed to shake the earth. "Get out of my tavern!" yelled Chase. "Do not show your faces here again!"

The necklaces around the beautiful strangers' necks were glowing as if to respond to Chase's mood. Anwara and Genaya found themselves on their feet. They seemed to be feeling the same emotion as Chase. The two looked at each other.

Everyone in the tavern was still. Not one word was spoken as the half-orc and goblin turned to leave. Then Chase turned toward the bar and said, "The next drink is on the house everyone. We'll have no more trouble here tonight. Back to the merrymaking," she said with a wink and a smile. Everyone went back to talking and laughing.

"We found you," exclaimed Genaya. Who all of a sudden wanted to be Chase's best friend, Genaya put her arm around Chase. "We're going to be like sisters," she giggled, "you'll see, I can be a great sister!"

Chase looked confused as Anwara asked her to sit down. Agama had come up behind her carrying his books. He seemed very excited to say something, but he waited while Anwara settled onto a stool next to Chase.

"Chase, where were you born," Anwara asked in a calm tone.

Chase looked at the faces of the three sitting around her. Genaya had a big smile, Agama looked as if he may blurt something out and Anwara looked extremely serious. She knew something big was happening. She knew she felt something strange, but she couldn't understand it.

"My father told me that I was born in the swamp under the old cypress. He used to tell me I was birthed by the old cypress, but he was always telling stories like that. He liked to joke that I was the earth's daughter and that's why I was always digging in the dirt," Chase replied with a smile at the memory of her father.

Agama took Chase's hands in his, which caused her to lift her eyebrows and he said in a low voice, "Chase, those weren't stories. It's like I told you. You have a connection to the earth. Think about all the things you've told me. Chase, I think you're the earth element." Then he turned his eyes to Anwara and Genaya. "That would make you fire," he said excitedly as he looked at Anwara, "Which means you are water," he exclaimed as he smiled at Genaya.

"Right you are, handsome,'" Genaya whispered with a wink.

"What does it mean," stammered Chase with wide eyes.

"It means we have found you," said Anwara. "It means that the earth needs us so we're being brought together. I have known since I was a child that this day would come. I am the fire element but I'm weak without earth and water. Genaya is water and it seems that your earth. May I see your amulet?"

"I only have this necklace that my father gave me. It's not like yours," Chase said.

"Yes, I see. Hmm, that necklace is another story, "Anwara said as she looked deep into the stone with a knowing smile. "We must go to where you were born and ask the old cypress if she knows where your amulet is hidden. It is never easy to find your amulet. There will be tests to prove you're worthy. We'll leave in the morning. I suggest we all get some rest. Do you have a room we could stay in for the night?"

"Yes, yes of course I do, but how can I leave? I run this tavern. Who will take care of my inn?" Chase said with concern.

"I'll do it," exclaimed Agama. "I'll be fine. Nom can stay with me in case someone acts up." Agama noticed the look on Chase's face and said, "Come on, Nom's a dwarf, not just a cook. He's built for fighting. We'll be fine."

Everyone retired for the night, but Chase knew she wouldn't be getting any sleep. Everything is happening so fast, she thought, how can any of this be real? Chase sat on the edge of her bed and looked around the dark little room. She wondered how she could be a warrior. The only fights l ever fought were in the tavern. Wrangling drunken dwarves and troublesome orcs is hardly fighting to save something and what are these tests she will have to face? What if I'm not good enough? "Dad, I wish you were here to give me advice," she said into the darkness as if it would conjure him back to life. That's when she remembered the old trunk. She had opened it many times since she was a child. It was all that she had of her mother's.

She walked over to it and opened the lid. Everything was as she had remembered. She picked up the light tan suede top, which laced in the front, and held it to her nose. She swore she could smell cypress and hints of some flower. Her father used to tell her it was the swamp lily that she smelled. He told her that her mother loved the swamp lily because of its delicate beauty and fragrance. Next, she pulled out her mother's beautiful forest green dyed, thick leather belt with a beautiful embossed tree on the front of it. Chase's father told her that the belt was made for her mother by the forest elves and it was one of a kind. Chase loved the belt and would often stare at its detail and imagine her mother wearing it. Last, she pulled out the soft dark brown suede pants and tall dark brown boots that laced up to below the knee. She laid the entire outfit out on the bed and looked at it. Well, she thought to herself, I can't be a warrior in this dress. I guess my mother would want me to wear this.

At 36 Chase was still physically fit. Her body was curvy but covered in muscle. She did not have a bit of jiggle on her, unlike most women at her age. Her job caused her to do a lot of lifting kegs and mugs, not to mention tossing rowdy patrons out the door. She looked at her naked body in the mirror and thought to herself that she still has a strong-looking physic. She knew she could keep up with Anwara and Genaya. Then she laughed to herself, Oh, I could probably toss Genaya a few feet if I had to. Chase slid into the suede pants. They fit snuggly to her hips and bottom and she giggled at the fact that her bottom still looked so youthful. "Hmm, I can still hold my own with those young girls."

Then she tucked the thin suede top in and added the thick leather belt and boots. She flipped her long curls over her shoulders and looked at herself in the mirror. It seemed like the outfit was made for her. It fit perfectly and she looked so powerful in it. After a few moments, she reprimanded herself for being so vain and went back to the trunk to find her favorite thing. In a small box covered in runes was a silver hair tie. It was delicate leaves surrounding a beautiful emerald. Her father used to tell her that her eyes were made from the same stone. She smiled at the memory. Chase gently took it out of the box, tossed her long curls over one shoulder and put the hair tie around her hair. She pulled out a couple of wisps and she was transformed. She studied herself in the mirror and wondered if the image that looked back resembled her mother.

It was already early in the morning, so chase decided to go down and make everyone breakfast. This was going to be a long day and she wanted to start her first big adventure with a full stomach. She had no sooner finished making the eggs when Anwara and Genaya came walking in.

Genaya stood at the bar staring in awe at Chase and Anwara shook her head in approval.

"The work of the wood elves," said Anwara with a tone of respect. "You are wearing the clothes of an elf warrior. How did you come by this clothing?"

"It belonged to my mother," Chase said proudly.

"Interesting," said Genaya, "your mother must have been something special. Humans don't usually receive that honor from the elves. Hm, you're not too bad looking for an old woman," she laughed.

At that moment Agama walked through the door and stood with his mouth hanging open staring at Chase and he exclaimed, "She doesn't look bad for a young woman either." He kept running his eyes over her with a look of awe until Genaya got annoyed and decided to chide him about it.

Chase, feeling embarrassed, and changed the subject. "There's one more thing that I'll need for our journey," she said as she walked out of the room. When she came back she held an intricately carved on the box. She opened the lid to display two beautiful knives. Each had detailed hilts that were so intricately carved that all present fell silent and admired them.

"The work of the wood elves," Anwara whispered with reverence. "Indeed, your mother must have been a special woman to be given such an honor. I have only known one other human to be given such a gift of honor."

Genaya smiled broadly, knowing that she was the human of which Anwara spoke.

Once all the goodbyes were said the unlikely trio set out on their adventure. Each one was uncertain of exactly what awaited them in the swamp.

There was not much talking on the trip. They were all thinking about what part they would play in this foretold battle to save the earth. They had gone quite some distance before Genaya walked up to Chase.

"I really like your belt," Genaya said in a friendly voice. "I guess you must be wondering why this is happening to you?"

"Yes, I suppose I'm wondering how I can possibly help in this battle," Chase said in disbelief. "My father taught me to throw knives and how to take care of myself, but I've never fought in a battle. I have never had to use my knives. My father told me my mother was a warrior, but I've never been a warrior. I feel like I know so little about my mother. He was so heart-broken about losing her that he never lingered long on the subject of her life. My father never told me anything about my mother being honored by the elves. There's just so much I don't know."

Genaya put a gentle hand on Chase's shoulder. "I understand," I didn't know my mother well either. I can still see her standing on the cliffs and looking out to sea, her long blonde hair blowing in the wind, while I played in the wildflowers. I remember her voice and her deep blue eyes, and I remember how she held me to her the last time I saw her. She left that day and we never saw her again. My father is old and unwell now, but he still goes to the edge of the cliff and looks out to sea as if he thinks she'll be back. He never told me why she had to go, but the elders told me that there was a great war being fought by the tree elves and she went to help them. I was trained to fight by Nereus."

"Nereus," exclaimed Chase in a high-pitched tone. "My dad told me that Nereus was a god of the sea."

Genaya laughed, "Well, he's just my teacher and a rather tough one at that." She pulled a small rod that was strapped to her leg out and held it up in front of Chase. As she twirled it in her fingers it changed into a staff. A beautiful silver inlaid staff with a sea serpent carved from top to bottom. A ferocious-looking snakes head adorned the top of it. It was beautiful. Genaya looked at Chase and whispered, "It's a gift from the elves. I was given it on my 16th birthday. That's the day I first met Nereus."

"So, you're the other human honored by the elves," said Chase with a smile. "What's the story with Anwara?" asked Chase. "She doesn't seem to talk much."

Genaya looked at Anwara who was keeping her distance from the two women as she replied, "Anwara has had a tough life. She is from the desert elves and one of the last of her kind. I was told that she fought in the Great War alongside my mother. My father told me she got that scar on her cheek when she fought to save the ancient oak. She saved the great tree, but she lost her parents in that war."

"But she looks younger than me," said Chase in disbelief.

Genaya laughed at Chase's ignorance and said, "Silly, the elves don't age like humans. You should know that. I'm sure you've seen elves in your tavern."

Chase turned red then replied, "I guess I never thought about it before. Usually, they're just passing through."

The two women talked for hours but the entire time they were talking Chase felt distracted by something. They had been walking at the forest's edge for a while and she swore she heard something in the trees. She kept telling herself it was nothing, but she could no longer brush it off. Something was stalking them, and it was very close. Genaya noticed Chase staring and stopped to look into the forest, which caught Anwara's eye. She walked up to her travel companions and tried to see what they were looking at. The three were side by side when they saw a single wolf in the trees.

It seemed to be watching them. Chase studied it closely. She didn't feel that it meant them any harm, so she told the women that she didn't feel that they were in any danger. Chase could not understand how she knew they weren't in danger, and no one questioned her about it. The three maintained a watchful eye on the forest but went on with their conversation. Chase asked Genaya about the elves gift but before she could respond Chase put a finger to her lips to silence her. She could hear something approaching. Then she saw the pack of wolves. They were beautiful, powerful-looking creatures. Genaya jumped in front of Chase protectively and Anwara pulled her bow out and nocked an arrow.

"No," said Chase to Anwara, "Lower your bow. They mean us no harm."

The wolves paced around Chase and Genaya sniffing and watching them. Anwara watched the calm that settled over Chase and saw her take Genaya's hand. Genaya seemed to calm down immediately. The wolves lingered near Chase sniffing her and looking at her. Chase looked at them as if they were family pets instead of a ferocious pack of wolves. The pack leader stood in front of her, and as if to show his respect he bowed his head then he led his pack away.

Anwara approached the two women and asked Chase, "What was that about? How did you do that? They seemed to know you."

"I think they did know her," squealed Genaya. "When she touched my hand, I felt so calm."

Chase looked a bit disoriented as she replied, "It was strange. A voice from deep inside told me to bring no harm to the children of the forest. I could hear their thoughts. I felt like I knew them, and I think they somehow knew me. They told me that I passed the first test."

Anwara looked at Chase in disbelief and said, "You seem to have the gifts of the wood elves. I wonder what other powers you possess?"

Genaya said excitedly, "You passed the first test with such ease. It was not as easy for me. I wonder what your other tests will be?"

Chase wondered how that could have been a test. I didn't do anything but stand still and calm. I don't think I can add anything to this battle.

The trio walked for what seemed to be forever. The sky was growing dark and the little group was growing weary, so they decided to make camp for the night. Chase looked into the forest and she saw a large cedar with branches that formed a nice cave.

"Hey," said Chase, "That looks like a nice shelter for the night."

Anwara looked at the tree skeptically. "Well, if you think so, I guess it will do."

The women made beds of some leaves and settled in for the night. Anwara got some twigs, dried leaves and some chunks of dead trees and she started a fire by calling forth a flame in her hand.

Chase watch with amazement as Anwara lit the fire then she reprimanded Anwara, "We can't risk starting this forest on fire," said Chase in an alarmed voice.

Genaya laughed and said, "Anwara can control the flames. Fire listens to her. She need only wave her hand and the fire will go out or blaze brighter."

"What? How can she do that?" Chase said in disbelief.

"She is the fire element, so she has power over fire. Her amulet helps her. I can do the same with water and the creatures that live in water. My amulet adds to my natural connection with my element." Genaya noticed the defeated look on Chase's face and reached out to her in a comforting voice, "Chase, you will be at full power once you get your talisman and then you'll add to your natural connection with your element. Remember how those wolves reacted to you today? Trust me, you may be more powerful than the two of us."

Anwara overheard the conversation and said, "Well, I doubt she'll be more powerful than me."

Genaya and Chase looked at Anwara and laughed. Anwara pretended to be offended as she turned to her fire with a grin.

It was a chilly night, but it was comfortable inside the arms of the cedar. Chase could tell the others were asleep as she lay there looking up at the branches of the tree. She could see the moon shining through. How at home she felt there, she thought to herself. As she lay there thinking she heard a rustling outside the tree. It sounded like something rather large. Chase decided to creep out and check on things. Once she was outside, she felt the chill of the night air and smelled a foul odor. The smell was awful like garbage on a hot day. That's when she saw it. Standing on its hind legs sniffing the air. It was a large bear. She had never really seen a bear this size before, but she had heard that they existed. Chase held completely still and tried to think of what to do. The bear seemed to be doing the same thing.

All of the sudden, the bear was on all fours and moving toward her. Chase started to panic. Her heart was racing, and her mind was spinning with choices when she felt something touch her shoulder. She looked back and saw a branch from the cedar. Then a voice came into her head and told her to be still. Do not fear child of the earth. Chase tried to control her breathing as she took a step toward the bear. The bear stopped and watched her. The voice told her to listen to the animal, so she closed her eyes and tried to listen. At first, she just heard heavy breathing but then she heard it.

"Do you have food for me human," the bear said in a gruff voice.

Chase's eyes flew open and she asked, "Did you say that?"

The bear looked at her, confused. "I'm hungry. I've been searching for a while."

Chase didn't notice his mouth moving but she could hear his thoughts. "I'm sorry," she said, "I don't have any food to share."

The bear came closer to her but now she felt calm. She had let her fear of the creature go so he had let his fear go of her. Chase heard the voice again and she turned to the cedar, which was reaching a branch to her. She listened as it told her that everything on the earth has a voice if you don't fear and listen. The tree spoke in her mind, "We are all connected, child. Your tests are to accept and not fear your earth family. You must become one with the earth. Understanding comes from listening. Listen to every living thing and become part of the earth."

The next morning the travelers awoke to the serenade of birds filling the trees. All three felt renewed and ready to face what awaited them in the Somphos swamp. Chase felt particularly happy. She touched the trees and listened to the birds as if she had just awakened from a long sleep and could for the first time see the world that surrounded her.

Anwara walked up to Chase and looked at her. "What's wrong," said Anwara in a concerned voice. "You seem to be very distracted today and a bit odd."

"I don't know, last night I had something strange happen," Chase said with a dreamy look on her face. "It was like the earth was speaking to me. A bear approached me, and I could hear its thoughts. It was wonderful. I just let go of all my fear and I listened."

Genaya heard what Chase said to Anwara and excitedly exclaimed, "It's your awakening! The same thing happened to me but with all life in the water. It's so exciting when it first happens. You feel so alive and so one with your element. The earth is guiding you now. Oh, wait until you get your amulet! I wonder how you'll handle that?"

"Genaya, calm down. You're like an excitable puppy sometimes," said Anwara. "You know it can be dangerous if you can't control it." Anwara looked at Chase and warned, "You must only use this gift to help the earth and the life on it. You must never use your power for selfish reasons. This is the most important lesson to learn."

Chase looked worried as she looked at the concern on her companion's faces. "Okay, I promise to only do good, I promise," she replied.

The rest of the journey was quiet as each one of them considered what would happen if they lost control of their gift.

"Look, over there," yelled Anwara!

There was thick smoke coming from the direction of the swamp.

Chase wasn't sure why, but she started running toward the fire with Anwara and Genaya close on her heels. Soon, they came upon the edge of the swamp. All types of life were running for safety. Chase watched deer, minks, egrets, raccoon, heron, all fleeing the smoke and flame. Anwara stood with her hands in the air trying to calm the flame while Genaya tried to help with water but it didn't seem to be working.

Chase tried to think of how she could help so she kneeled on the ground and put her hands on the earth. Images came flashing through her mind. She saw visions of wars and elves fighting both humans and orcs. She saw dark magic being used to harm the trees humans being used to destroy the earth. She saw orcs carrying dark magic to start the fire in the swamp. She knew then that Anwara could not control the fire alone. She heard the swamp people screaming. The somphos were in trouble.

"Anwara, Genaya," screamed Chase, "you can't fight it! It's dark magic. The Somphos are in trouble. We must go help them!"

The three warriors charged into the swamp with weapons drawn.

"Follow me," yelled Chase, "I know where to go!"

The peat was burning and causing a dense smoke as they approached the scene of the battle.

Anwara had shot arrows into two orcs before they saw the somphos all in a line around a huge, old, bald cypress. The somphos were an interesting people. Their skin was a beautiful rust color and their hair resemble brown Spanish moss. They were small, but toned, and they seemed to blend into the scenery. At the moment they looked like a formidable force as they called forth the alligators to help in their battle, but many were choking and blinded by the dense smoke that seemed not to deter the orc at all.

Genaya was spinning her staff in all directions as Chase used her knives. The orcs they smote smelled of rot and decay. She knew there was dark magic all around them.

As Chase got closer to the Somphos an older female stopped and looked at her. Taking her in from head to toe, she nodded her head and said in a whisper, "Lily?"

Chase held her eyes and watched a confused look cross the woman's face. "No," she replied, "Lily was my mother."

The woman smiled and grabbed Chase's arm. "Come with me," said the woman. "You must save our mother, Avani."

As Chase was rushed away, she tried to tell the woman that her name is Chase, but the woman did not seem to hear her.

Anwara was in the thick of the battle when she saw Chase being drug away. She yelled to Genaya to follow Chase. Genaya quickly brought her staff down on the head of the orc that she had been fighting and turned to run after Chase and the woman.

Anwara made the smoke billow thick in front of her so she could run after her friends. Soon, she was behind the three women and headed toward the somphos and alligators. Some of the somphos looked at them curiously but maintained their position around the huge tree. Some were atop large alligators riding them like they were horses. Genaya nodded to the creatures as she ran by.

The fire was getting closer to the battle. It burned with an unnatural intensity. Anwara tried again to push it back but her power seemed diminished.

One by one they arrived at the foot of the great tree. Its base was enormous. It was a spectacular sight to see. The somphos at the foot of the tree stared at Chase in disbelief. Some cried with joy. Chase looked completely afraid of their reaction. Her mind was swirling out of control. There was so much hope in their eyes. She heard some of the older people whisper, "Lily."

Chase walked up to the front of the people and she looked out over them and in a shaky voice told them that her name was Chase and that her mother was Lily.

The people started saying, "Avani, Avani" in a joyful voice.

"No," said Chase, her voice quivering with frustration, "my name is Chase!"

As she spoke, she leaned against the huge cypress and as soon as she touched the tree, she knew she was home. The cypress greeted her and called her Avani. "Child, your true name is Avani. Your mother gave that name to you before she died. It means the good earth. My name is Eterna and I helped in your birth. You must fight these doubts that you have inside of you to help save the people of the swamp."

Chase lowered her head and thought, I don't know how to help. What can I do? I'm not a warrior. I'm just dressed in my mother's clothes.

"Avani," said the great tree. "Remember your lessons. Listen to the earth like you're listening to me. Become one with the earth and all of its living things. Connect to all life like you did the wolves and bear. The way that you knew where to find me"

Chase knelt on the ground. Anwara and Genaya stood above her with their hands on her shoulders. She looked up at them and they both smiled down at her.

Anwara said, "You must accept who you are to receive your amulet"

Genaya added, "You're the pupil and the teacher. Embrace who you already know you are and help us save these people."

Chase felt a tear roll down her cheek as she closed her eyes and listened. She heard the earth cry out to her. It told her of its need, and the pain it was being caused. It spoke of fire, disease, pollution, and poisons of all kinds. It asked her to accept the gift and help in the fight. It told her that the fight would be hard, and she may lose her life but that without her help there was no hope to save the innocence from the dark, evil magic. It was the voice of her mother and every elf protector from the beginning of time reaching out to her. She felt overwhelmed and then a gentle voice spoke to her from the earth. "Blood of my blood, child of my heart, I gave to you my strength. You have all you need within you. Believe in yourself as I believe in you."

Suddenly, Chase felt a connection to everything around her and in her head, she said in unison with her mother, From the beginning it stood, into the depths it did reach, above the muck and the mire, forged from sea, earth, and fire. And she knew immediately what needed to be done.

Chase stood up tall with her sisters by her side and as she stood there the branches of the great cypress lowered her amulet around her neck and said to her, "The battle starts here. This will be the first of many. Keep your connection to the earth and it will aid you in each struggle."

Chase looked at Anwara and Genaya. Their amulets were glowing but hers was glowing the brightest. Red, Blue and Green lights glowed brightly through the smoke.

In unison, the three chanted, "From the beginning, it stood, into the depths it did reach, above the muck and the mire, forged from sea, earth, and fire."

The three lights wove together and formed a circle around the somphos and the cypress. It pulsated and filled the swamp while each woman's element worked its connection together with the others. As one, they felt the sickening hatred that fueled the unnatural fire. They felt the pollution in the water, they felt the disease in the plants and animals, and they pulled from deep inside of them all the power they could muster to heal the sickness.

With a bright light and a feeling of calm, it was over. The somphos all gathered around the great bald cypress in celebration. The smoke, the fire, the orcs were all gone. The three warriors looked around at all the grateful faces and felt happy that it was over, and the swamp people were safe. Then they look at each other and knew that the battle had only just begun.

Inn to the Unknown

Jerry Clark

The rain fell hard, almost cleansing the weary travelers as they scurried down a seedy street in the city of Greymoor looking for any sort of reprieve from the punishing storm. The raindrops actually stung as they slapped off their bumps and bruises, but it also washed away the blood and guts from a fierce battle they endured. Soaked and chilled to the bone, they finally came upon a tavern with the lights on. Leaving one unknown to enter another, without hesitation, the two young ladies burst through the door. The tavern was packed, so virtually nobody noticed the grand entrance. Nobody, that is except Chase, the barmaid and owner of the Grimacing Goblin Inn. "Well come in, come in," the barmaid said. "Here, let me seat you." Chase had no tables available, so the one table adjacent to the fireplace seemed like a good one to clear. She shushed the drunks sitting at the small table and seated the young ladies. "Well," Chase began. "You two look like you've had a day! Warm yourselves by the fire and get dry. What can I get for you?" Without a word, the first girl pulled back the hood on her cape revealing her fire-red hair, while the second girl tilted her head to the side, bunched up her long sandy blonde hair into a ball and wrung it out creating a sizeable puddle on the floor. "My apologies," the redhead began. "My name is Edana, and this is my best friend Bri. You're right, we've had quite a journey, so could you please bring us two bowls of your stew and two glasses of your finest wine?" "Of course," Chase said, scrambling off to fulfill the request."

"I can't believe that just happened," Bri finally broke silence. "We should both be dead right now." Bri put her head in her hands and leaned forward on the table. "I think you're being a little dramatic," Edana said. "Oh, really ... I don't think I'm being dramatic enough," Bri snapped back. Just then, Chase brought the wine Edana requested. Edana took her glass, sat back and swirled it as she took a sniff and enjoyed the essence of the aroma. Bri snatched her glass from the table and took a large gulp. Having never had wine like this before, she wasn't prepared for the taste. It was too strong to swallow, and she knew she dared not spit it out with Chase standing over her, so she offered a weak smile as if she enjoyed it. Chase tilted her head and stared at Bri as if to say that she knew something didn't add up here. Chase let her off the hook. "I better go check on your stew," Chase said. As soon as Chase was out of sight, Bri spit the wine in her own lap. "Oh my God," she choked out. "That was awful." Edana sipped hers, "Perfect," she smiled. "Just as I remember it."

"Okay, so what's the plan now?" Bri asked. Edana took another sip of her wine. "I don't know. Do you want to go home? Do you want to stay here?" While Bri didn't like having her question answered with a question, truth be told she wasn't sure anymore. Edana finished her glass of wine, and then reached over and took the remainder of Bri's.

"Here you go my sweets—two bowls of pig knuckles and cabbage stew should hit the spot," Chase shrieked. She dropped the bowls, spilling some of the broth and walking away. Edana dug right in. Bri looked at the bowl and assessed the dish. She was starving, but she thought the stew smelled like garbage and looked even worse. She put some of the broth on her spoon and got it close to her lips before she dropped her spoon back into the bowl. Bri took the half loaf of bread that was served on the side, sat back in her chair, and began tearing off small pieces to eat. Edana devoured her meal and looked at Bri. "You eating that?" she said as she reached for Bri's bowl. "It's all yours," Bri said, scrunching her nose and gently pushing the bowl toward her friend. Once Edana had practically licked the bowl clean, Chase stopped by one last time. "Alright, two glasses of wine, two bowls of stew, and two half-loaves of bread ... you girls owe me two gold, one silver, and two copper pieces." Bri looked at Edana, and Edana looked back. "Well," Bri began. "Pay the lady." Edana patted the pockets of her tunic and dug through her cape, and then looked at Bri and shook her head. Bri leaned forward and put her hands on the table, "Well, I don't have any money either," she said with a little panic in her voice. Chase was watching the exchange and finally interrupted, "Well, since you two don't have any money, I'll just take this as compensation," she said reaching for the jewel-studded dagger that dangled from Bri's belt. Without taking her eyes off Edana, Bri's right hand struck out like a snake, clenching Chase's wrist right before she could touch the dagger. "I'm sorry," Bri said sternly. "You can't have that. I'll have to pay you some other way."

Normally Chase would have called on her brute squad of dwarves and ogres to handle this, but the barmaid was intrigued by the grit of the young lady who had the audacity to strike at her in her own tavern.

"You can unhand me now, dearie," Chase said softly. "That is if you want to keep that hand." Bri slowly released Chase and sat up in her chair. "Look, I'll clean up the place, I'll serve meals. There has to be something we can do to make this right." Chase thought for a second and offered up a solution. "Well girls, I could forgive the meal, but those two glasses of wine were the finest in the house ... I'll need a day's work out of each of you for those." Bri's eyes shot like daggers at Edana, implying that this was all her fault. Bri extended her hand in Chase's direction in an effort to shake on the agreement. "Where are you young ladies staying?" Chase asked seemingly implying they should stay in one of her rooms. "Can we have a minute to discuss this ... privately?" Bri asked Chase. "Take your time young lady, but don't even think of trying to abscond without paying the bill," Chase warned. Bri stared her down, assuring her that would not happen. Bri surveyed the tavern, looking for any way out aside from the front door. "You're not thinking of running, are you?" Edana asked. "I am not just thinking about running, we are running out that side door as soon as that freaky barmaid stops looking at me," Bri whispered. Edana reached across the table and took Bri's hand. "I can't," Edana said. "I'll never make it. I am so tired and beat up, and so are you. Why don't we take the room, work here to pay off our debt? How long can it take? Besides, we need a few days to gather ourselves." Bri didn't love the plan, but she thought about it for a minute and Edana had a point. The battle they endured in the days' prior was epic. Neither of them had slept in days, they were still soaked, and Bri was still starving. Chase interrupted yet again, "Well, what is our decision, ladies?" Edana decided to be the spokesperson this time. "We'll take a room," she said. "Just level with us. How long until we are even?" Chase didn't answer. She set down a beer for each of the girls and told them they would be staying in the first room at the top of the stairs. "The ale is on the house, and the room is half price until the end of the week," Chase said. "I figure the wage I would pay you will cover the room and meals for the next couple of days, and you two are a couple of cuties, so I imagine you'll make enough in tips to set you up for the next leg of your journey." The girls figured out the barmaid was trying to help, not make them indentured servants. "Can I have some more bread?" Bri asked.

*******

Bri and Edana retired to their room where a fire was already roaring, and a change of clothes was set out on their beds. "Nice," Edana said. She shed her damp clothes and placed them near the fire and while the fit wasn't ideal, the feeling of the dry clothes against her skin was bliss. Bri did the same and both girls lay on top of their beds and basked in the warmth of the fire. Bri sat up and thanked Edana for talking her out of running. "That would have been dumb," Bri admitted. Edana admitted she thought about it too, and she pulled up her top and showed Bri the bruise on her ribs. Bri covered her mouth with her hands in utter disbelief and her eyes welled up with tears. "Oh my God ..." Bri said. "You poor thing. Why didn't you say anything?" Edana assured her friend she would be fine with some rest. "I just couldn't do it physically, not tonight," Edana said. Bri reassured her that she made the right call. Edana smiled and hugged Bri, "Good night, and thank you for being my friend." Edana rolled over and pulled the covers up over her head. Bri was taken back a bit. Bri considered Edana her best friend, but it was nice to hear she felt the same way. Bri walked over and tossed a few logs on the fire, and then pulled Edana's covers back, hoping to reciprocate the kind words, but Edana was already asleep. Bri snuggled into her bed as well. It had been a brutal journey. Both girls slept so hard, but it was eventually a violent nightmare that shook Bri from her slumber. Edana snapped to attention when she heard Bri scream and jumped over onto her bed to calm her down. The fire was out, and the room was only illuminated by a soft moonbeam that shone through the window. "Bri, Bri, it's me, you're safe, it's okay ..." Edana said, trying to restrain her friend. Bri had sweat through her sheets and her heart was beating out of her chest. "It was so real ... so real," Bri stammered. She wiped her face and stood up. "It was the battle all over again, only this time, we didn't make it ... the ghouls, the monsters, they tore you to shreds right in front of me and I wasn't able to stop them." Edana grabbed Bri by the shoulders hard and put her nose nearly against Bri's. "Look, I am here, I am fine, you're fine too, it's okay," Edana began to explain. "It was only a nightmare and I know you were scared, but we're safe now." Edana suggested they went down to the tavern to check in with Chase. They had no idea what time it was, but Edana was very hungry, so she assumed it had to be almost morning. As the friends descended on the tavern, the place was absolute chaos. Roughyins and scallywags scurried about and then amidst the chaos, Chase bumped them from behind. "Well, it's about time you stirred, my pretties," she began. "You two slept for two straight days! It's okay, I knew you needed the rest, but now it's time to work off that debt." Chase handed Bri the two cups of ale she was toting and pointed to a table in the corner, "Get these to those two dwarves, and then get an order from anyone without a drink in their hand or plate in front of them and get those orders to my cook, Nom." Chase gave Bri a shove in the correct direction and grabbed Edana. "You get behind the bar and start pouring ales, and don't stop until the barrels are dry!" The girls worked and Chase was impressed by the fact they didn't complain once and the evening went on without much incidence. The sun was coming up and the patrons began to stagger out of the Grimacing Goblin, leaving only Chase and the girls inside.

Chase locked the door behind the last ogre on his way out and pulled up a chair. She summoned the girls to join her and hollered to Nom to whip up some breakfast for the girls. Bri walked over to the table and before she sat down, dug into her apron pocket and dumped more gold, silver, and copper schillings onto the table than Chase had ever seen for one night of work. "I'd say we're even," Bri proudly announced. Chase on the other hand looked a little sad. "What's wrong?" Edana asked as she sat down. "Well, my goal wasn't to make you pay me back," Chase said. "You two look like a couple of interesting young ladies who have been through a lot. I really just wanted to keep you around a little, so you were safe, and honestly, I really want to hear your story." Bri put her hands on her hips and tilted her head slightly annoyed, but also taken back by Chase's kindness. "No offense," Bri began. "But you would never believe our story even if we told you. I don't believe what happened to us, and I actually lived through it!" Chase smiled and reached out and took each girl by the hand. "I've heard the craziest tales from the craziest people at this inn," she said. "I have heard it all, and honestly I believe most of it. Why don't you do me the honor of hearing your tale? If you share your tale with me, I will let you keep all you earned, keep you both fed, let you stay in my room until the end of the week, and I won't ask another service of either of you." Bri pulled up a chair and sat down, sealing the deal. "Once upon a time ..." she sarcastically began.

******

The autumn day was unseasonably warm on the campus of Spring City University as Bri left basketball practice lugging her book bag that weighed as much as she did. The trek across campus was only about a mile, but Bri missed her bus and lugging the extra weight was no fun for the freshman. Two days prior, Spring City University got shellacked by crosstown rival Riverside College 85–20, and while Bri played fairly well, the players were fighting with one another, and the coach had ripped their faces off for what she felt was a lackluster effort. The season was only a third of the way through and Bri was already over it. To make matters worse, Edana was not at practice, so she didn't even have her best friend to commiserate with on this arduous trek. While the weather should have cheered her up, it didn't, and Bri finally arrived at her dorm room. She dropped her bag in the middle of the room and peered up on the top bunk where she saw Edana's red hair hanging out from under the covers. The phone began to ring, and as Bri walked past Edana's bed, she pounded on the wooden slat that kept her friend from falling off, "Way to miss practice today, loser!" Bri grabbed the phone, "Hello? Yes, no, wait, you are dumping me over the phone? Hello? Oh my God!" As if her day was not awful enough, Nick called to tell Bri he was dumping her for a cheerleader at his school, and then hung up on her. Bri slammed the phone down, walked over and kicked her backpack as hard as she could, hurting her foot before she fell back on her bunk. She ran her hands through her hair, making fists. She thought about crying, but just couldn't allow herself to do that. She sat up and threw a hard punch into the mattress above, hoping to stir Edana so she could yell at her for missing practice, but more so, she needed to vent. "Hey, what are you doing up there?" Bri asked, as she continued to throw punches into the mattress above. Finally, she rolled out from her bunk, stood up on a chair and pulled back the covers. "Ed ... Edana, hey, what's the matter?" Bri said nervously, as she could see her friend was not alright. Edana rolled over and immediately all Bri's problems were put on hold when she saw how terrible Edana looked. Bri touched Edana's face, and it was ice cold, her lips were bluish in color, but she was sweating profusely. "I've got to get you to the hospital," Bri said in a nervous tone. Bri sat Edana up and with all her strength eased her to the floor. Bri had to hold her up, as her friend couldn't stand on her own. "I'm sick little sis," Edana said. While obviously Bri could assess that much, she wasn't sure of the severity. "I know, I'll get you to the hospital. Someone will be able to help," Bri said. Edana shook her head, knowing full well the only cure for what ailed her was not of this world. "I have to go back home," she said. "Back to the Stone Island." Bri was in full panic mode and was trying to pretend she wasn't. "Okay ... how do I get us there?" Edana corrected her, "It's how you're going to get me there. In the closet, in my bag I brought with me when I came to this world is a pocket sewn into the bottom inside of the bag. In that pocket is a tiny bottle, and in it a purple potion. Bring it to me." Bri did as instructed. She found the bottle, but questioned Edana as to what it was before she handed it over. "Will this make you better?" Bri asked. Edana told her it would not; it would merely take her back where she could get Fazil to heal her. "This is no ordinary illness," Edana began. "Sometimes when a witch loses her magic as I did, we become more susceptible to debilitating diseases. This flu is common, but deadly if not cured with magic. That is why I have to go." Edana reached for the bottle, but Bri pulled it back. "Where's mine? You're not going alone." Edana closed her eyes tight, fighting back tears, "You're seriously going to challenge me on this?" Bri explained that she should be the one to go back, find Fazil, and secure the cure and bring it back. "Bri, he has to actually lay his hands on me and cast the spell. It's the only way." Bri turned and went back to the closet and began rummaging through Edana's bag some more. Bri emerged with a second potion bottle, and clicking the bottles together said, "Let's go." Edana shook her head and reached out for her bottle, "I love you kid. I owe you one."

******

The potions worked and the girls had instantaneously returned to the Stone Island. "I never thought I would see this place again," Bri sighed. Edana suggested the girls change back into the clothes they had the last time they were here. Bri rummaged through the bag and helped Edana change, and then swapped clothes out as well. As Bri tied her pants up, she noticed her dagger from the last adventure was still affixed to her belt. The weapon brought her a sense of comfort and reminded her of her journey to this point. Bri helped Edana to a safe place under a tree, and then built a fire and burned their clothes as to leave no trace that they didn't belong here. "Bri, you have to swim back to the island, stand over the lava pit, and summon Fazil," Edana said. "Tell him what happened to me, and he'll come to help." Bri nodded and off she went. She dove in the water, which was much warmer than she remembered and made the swim with ease. She arrived at the basin of the island and was surprised as to how still everything seemed. Bri drew her dagger and entered the cavern and began the descent to where she threw the ring more than a year and a half ago. She could feel the heat as she drew close to the pit and got as close as she could physically stand it to the pool. "Fazil! I need you!" she cried. The lava turned from bright red, to blue, to purple, and the temperature cooled significantly around Bri. "My dear, where's my child?" Fazil questioned. "I brought her with me, Fazil," Bri said. "She is very sick. She said only your magic can heal her. She is just across the lake. I can take you to her." Fazil reached out and Bri took his hand. The light grew so bright Bri had to close her eyes. When she opened them, she and Fazil were standing over Edana, who was sleeping under the tree. "Oh, my baby," Fazil began. "What have I allowed to happen to you?" The old wizard wept, as the sins of the father have come full circle to haunt him in a way he had never known. Sorry for all the bad he had done, but sorrier he wasn't a better father. Fazil immediately placed his hands on Edana and began to whisper a spell. Bri stepped back and just watched as Fazil's diatribe was very long and very detailed. Edana was writhing in obvious discomfort as apparitions were rising out of her body, fleeing into the sky. Fazil finally sat back, exhausted, but content. "It is done," he sighed. "When she awakens, she will be as good as new." Bri wondered when that would be, but she thanked Fazil even though he was just doing what any father should do for his child. "My dear," Fazil said, now addressing Bri. "Times have been terrible here since you left. With me resting in the ring, and Koume dead, there was quite a power struggle from all towns between those in Greymoor and those in Erig, all the way to the Stone Island. While nobody could have seen the destruction that resulted from your quest, it left a great deal of power on the table for anyone who wanted it, and everyone wanted it. Entire villages were looted and burned, innocent families were murdered, and in an effort to gain any advantage, vile monsters were released and could not be controlled. I am sorry I had to cast the spell that made Edana ill, thus making it so she had to come back, but I need her help to try to right this wrong. I assume the fact you accompanied her back means you will help?" Bri answered with a resounding yes with no hesitation. She felt terrible and responsible. "I need to do something. I want to see Grumpf," she said. "He has my weapons, and maybe he will help me again." Fazil was unsure of the ogre's whereabouts, but Bri seemed pretty determined she knew where to look. "If I put her somewhere safe, can you look after her until I return?" Bri asked. Fazil waived his hands and a small shelter appeared, flickered, and then it disappeared. Fazil looked exhausted and gave it another try. The second time, the shelter remained. Bri nodded at Fazil and then took off running toward where she believed she would find Grumpf. Being an athlete, running a mile in about 10 minutes was not all that difficult for the young hero, thus she was able to cover quite a bit of ground quickly. Bri approached the precipice of a large hill and the smell of burning was beginning to make her sick. She could see thick black smoke billowing from the valley below. Carefully, Bri peered over the hill and saw what was left of the ogre village in ruins. Someone, or something wanted this village to suffer, and as Bri slowly ventured down upon it, she could see the carnage. Slaughtered ogres, women and children, buildings still smoldering, and some ogres were left slightly alive as to ensure great suffering. Bri stopped and looked around. A wave of fear engulfed her as she stared blankly at perhaps the worst thing she had ever laid eyes upon. All of a sudden less-than-stellar basketball results and a slightly broken heart didn't seem so important anymore. Bri quickly made her way to an ogre who was gasping for her last breath. Bri knelt beside the dying creature, cradled her head and asked, "Who did this to you?" The ogre responded, "It happened with no warning. We were all caught by surprise. Today was a normal day, and then an army of Wendigo descended upon us. We never had a chance ..." Bri interrupted, "Grumpf, do you know him, did he survive?" The mortally injured ogre could only point, and then she passed on. Bri gently placed the ogre's head on the ground. Bri felt sick as she slowly stood up and walked in the direction of where the ogre had pointed. She wiped her eyes and had to put her hand over her nose and mouth to try to filter out some of the horrible stench. Bri came upon a hovel that was not too badly damaged and entered. She surveyed the place, and there it was in the corner, her billhook leaning against the fireplace. Bri walked over and picked it up and swung it from side to side. "Could have used you here an hour ago," said a somber voice. Bri turned, and there was Grumpf, or what was left of the once mighty ogre. It was obvious by the gaping lacerations and sluggish movement Grumpf had endured a harsh battle. "They came from nowhere," Grumpf said of his attackers. "Some of the other male ogres and I were building a big fire in the town square when we were attacked. We were able to chase the Wendigos away, but not before they ravaged the town." Grumpf stumbled and Bri quickly rushed to try to catch him and help him to a pile of straw in the corner of the kitchen. "Just rest," she said. "I'll take care of you." Bri got a fire going and purified plenty of water. Next she used the clean water to wash Grump's wounds and bandaged them with anything remotely clean she could find. She collected as many vegetables as she could and did her best to make some sort of soup for her friend to eat. By this time the sun was setting, and Bri knew it was far too dangerous to try to get back to Edana and Fazil, especially with the cannibalistic monster Wendigo probably not that far away. Once Grumpf was fed and had plenty of water, Bri sat guard outside his hut. She rested her head against the door frame and dug in the dirt with the tip of her billhook as the moon rose. She was running through her day in her head. She was upset about basketball, college was way harder than she ever thought, and Nick, just being so cold as to call her and just end their relationship with no real explanation. Bri felt absolutely ill about all of it and she smashed her billhook hard into the dirt, and just stared at the divot it created. She thought that if she caused this strife in this land because of what she did during her last visit, she was going to come unhinged. The moon rose in the sky. Bri was just about to get up to go inside when she felt a raindrop on her hand. Another hit her leg, and then another on her cheek. Bri wiped her face. The drops were not water—they were blood. The next thing she knew she was on her back defending herself from an attacker. A rogue Wendigo had been watching her from the roof, and the attack from above caught Bri completely off guard. The creature slashed at her face with its claws, but Bri was able to deflect the blows and kick the creature off her, roll to her right, and grab her weapon. Bri swung hard at the monster, but missed, allowing the Wendigo to sink its teeth deep into her left forearm. The pain was unbearable, and Bri immediately began to cry. She tried to shake the creature loose, but every move she made just allowed the Wendigo to lock down harder. Still holding her billhook, Bri drove it as deep into the monster's abdomen as she could. The strike sliced the monster badly, and it began to bleed out at a rapid rate. After a minute or so, the Wendigo, a smaller one, about Bri's stature, was dead; but its jaws were locked on her arm. Not sure what to do, she lifted her billhook, and with a little effort, she was able to cut the Wendigo's head from its body. With the head affixed to her arm, Bri stood up and was greeted by storm clouds rolling in rapidly. Thunder and lightning, high winds, and a pack of black dogs began to surround her. Bri was in no condition to fight again, so she backed inside Grumpf's hut and closed the door. She braced the door with anything and everything she could find, and then began to assess the issue of the Wendigo head attached to her arm. Bri clenched her teeth hard. The pain was a combination of being stabbed and extreme burning. She sat by the fire and began to carve the head off her arm with her dagger. While the process took nearly an hour, she finally freed herself and washed and dressed the wounds with the cleanest cloth she could find. She peered out a crack in the door and the black dogs were circling the front of the hut like sharks. The storm seemed to follow the hounds, and the lightning display was unlike anything Bri had ever seen. The wind picked up and the rain pounded harder with every revolution of the pack. The storm woke Grumpf from his slumber, and he looked over Bri's shoulder and out a crack above the door. "Black dogs ... they are causing the storm," Grumpf said. "We will have to deal with them if we want to escape." Bri, afraid he was going to say just that, just stared at the pack. "How are we going to fight through that?" she asked. "You are a mess, and I only have one arm. Even if we were both at full strength that would be hard." Grumpf knew she was right, but the dilemma remained as to how they were going to escape, as it seemed the pack was going nowhere. "They will keep circling and the storm will continue to get more violent," Grumpf said. Realizing waiting the proverbial storm out was not an option, Bri looked at Grumpf, "Can you swing your axe at all?" Grumpf nodded, "Enough." Bri then asked Grumpf if he had enough strength to throw her about 10 feet, similar to the time he tossed her over the ledge into the lake. "I can do it," he assured her. "Okay, we step out of the hut a couple steps and get the dogs' attention. Then, they should try to surround us. As they draw close, you throw me behind them, and take out as many as you can with your axe. If you can hold them off just enough, I can clean up with a sneak attack from behind. I think it's our best bet." Grumpf grabbed his axe and slowly pushed open the door. As soon as they set foot outside, the dogs turned and darted toward them. When the dogs were within striking distance, Grumpf tossed Bri over them, and struck down the first dog with his axe. Bri followed up from behind and killed two more with ease with a single slice each. With some of the dogs dead, the storm began to let up, but in an attempt to finish the fight, Grumpf took a harder swing of his axe than he was able to and fell to the ground, and his weapon fell from his mighty hand, just out of his reach. The bigger of the two dogs surged toward Grumpf, and Bri reacted by throwing her billhook as hard as she could at the charging dog, mortally wounding it, but leaving herself defenseless. The last dog, one of the smaller ones, charged Bri and pinned her to the ground. Bri was able to get her hands around its snout, preventing it from biting her. With the ground being so saturated, she was able to slip out from under the demonic beast and get a good enough grip on its neck to choke the beast to death. With the threat no more, Bri walked over to the last remaining dog, picked up her billhook, and lifted it to finish the last of the pack, but before she could make the kill, a bolt of lightning struck the dog, ending the battle. Bri rushed to Grumpf's aid and helped him back to his feet. "Grumpf, I came back to try to restore order to your world," Bri began. "Edana got sick, so I had to bring her back. She needed Fazil to heal her, so I took her to him, now, I have to get back to them. I am hopeful that together we can undo whatever wrong I did the last time. I'm really sorry ..." Grumpf didn't process everything, but he knew two things; one, there was nothing left at the village for him, and two Bri was the closest thing to a real friend he had. "I will accompany you on your journey," he said. "I believe in you. Together we can fix this." Bri reached up and touched Grumpf's hand as if to thank him. "Then, let's go now," she said.

******

Under the cover of night, Bri and Grumpf stealthily navigated the near five-mile trek back to the lake around the Stone Island. Neither wanted any further altercations, and while they met no resistance, sounds of howls, errant lightning storms in the distance, and the memory of what just happened was as fresh as the wounds on their bodies. "How bad is it?" Grumpf asked Bri about her forearm. "Honestly, not as bad as it was an hour ago," she said. "Once the burning subsided, it just feels sore. I'll be okay. You?" Grumpf grinned widely, "I've been killed twice, so this is not so bad." As the sun began to come up, Bri and Grump arrived back where Fazil and Edana had set up camp. Fazil greeted them, and Edana, overhearing that her friend had returned safely, ran from the magical hut and hugged Bri. Bri was elated to see her friend in one piece, but "Easy" she whispered in Edana's ear. Edana stepped back and looked at Bri's bandaged arm. "Oh my," Edana said. Edana unwrapped Bri's bandage and looked over the wound carefully. "A Wendigo got me," Bri said. Edana knew how lucky Bri was to have escaped with only a bite. "Watch this," Edana said putting her hands over Bri's wounds. Edana whispered a healing spell, and shortly after she began, an orange glow came off the bite. Bri had to close her eyes, and when she opened them, the wound was healed and only an ugly scar remained. Bri wiggled her fingers and looked at Edana, "Amazing! You have your magic back!" Bri exclaimed. Edana smiled and gave a proud bow. Edana walked over to Grumpf and cast the same spell, which offered the same result. With everyone back to full health, Fazil began to explain what happened while Bri and Edana had gone. "For the longest time, Koume and I were the most powerful beings in the land," Fazil began. "Once Koume was killed and I was put back in the ring, there was a huge power struggle in this land. When my wife and I were powerful, there was a balance of good and evil, neither side was stronger than the other, but with her dead, and my dying, every creature is trying to fill the void of supreme being." Edana interrupted, "You're dying?" Fazil brushed the question off and continued, "A young human warrior named Edraxar has coupled up with a witch named Iwyn. Edraxar is a tenacious fighter, and now he has magic on his side. That is why Wendigo and black dogs among other terrible creatures have been sent to destroy villages." Edana grabbed her father by his shoulders and shook him, "You didn't tell me you were dying!" Fazil finally addressed the situation, "My dear Edana, I started dying when I went back in the ring and you had me tossed into the lava. I knew then, as I know now, that my time was near. Before I was put back in the ring, I cast a spell that would have you fall ill if I ever needed you, forcing you to seek me out. Sadly, that time is now, and I am too old to wage this war. I surrendered the rest of my magic to you. I have none left. Be warned, there are flaws in it though ... sometimes the spells are not as strong as they should be, sometimes they don't work at all. And, the magic won't last forever, it will get incrementally weaker every time you use it." Edana was full of emotion. Fazil wasn't the ideal father, but he was the only blood family she had left. Edana grabbed Fazil tightly and began to sob uncontrollably. Edana squeezed her father and he slowly faded away. Edana fell to her knees and wept. Bri crouched down and put her arm around her friend. She didn't say a word. Bri helped her to her feet, dusted her off, and dried Edana's tears with her thumbs. "I'm so sorry. I can't tell you how bad I feel," Bri said hoping she had the right words. "It's fine," Edana snapped, pulling loose from Bri's arms angrily. "We were never that close anyway." Bri knew the hurt a parent could cause as most young adults do, so she opted to just give her some space. Edana stormed off in one direction, and then turned and stormed in the other. Bri finally caught up to her and grabbed Edana by the elbow, "I know you're hurting right now, and I don't mean to sound insensitive, but we are in serious danger if we don't figure out a plan of attack and get our heads straight." Bri's words stung Edana, but the young witch knew had the roles been reversed, that is the same advice she would have forced on Bri. Bri looked to Grumpf, "So how do we find this Edraxar and his witch?" Grumpf suggested that the wave of destruction seemed to be heading from north to south, so if they hurried south, they should catch up at some point if they move rapidly. The trio began their journey south, and while they moved rapidly, they had no idea what lie ahead. Bri briefed Edana on the fight with the black dogs, and Grumpf shared his story about the Wendigos decimating his village. Edana shared the fact purges like this take place every now and again, and that she wasn't surprised now that she had some time to think about it. "Since we don't have an army, we will have to be tactical," Edana said. "We need to act like we are a rogue group, not a band of freedom fighters. If you two don't mind, I will take the lead when we encounter them." Bri and Grumpf were fine with the decision that was made for them. Grumpf just wanted his land to return to some semblance of normal, and Bri was thinking that her 8 a.m. public speaking class at Spring City University was pretty appealing if she could get there tomorrow. The heroes scampered down into a valley and up a small hill, and there was a town, untouched by the destruction that so many small towns had succumbed to. Edana led the way, and once inside the town, where apparently it was market day, Edana asked a young lady where they were. "This is the town of Silkmore," the girl responded. "We are a peaceful farm town where merchants come from miles around to trade fruits and vegetables and rest in our tranquil environment." Edana looked around, and the girl was spot on. There was a beautiful brook that ran along the town, endless orchards, and fields full of plentiful crops. Children played in the lush grass fields, and everyone seemed to get along. "I am not sure if you're aware," Edana began. "But a terrible thing is happening all around us. A small army guided by one powerful warrior and his witch is moving from town to town and destroying everything in their path." The girl told Edana that she had heard rumors from some of the merchants in recent weeks. "That could explain why some of our delivery caravans have never returned," the girl told Edana in an uneasy tone. "We are not equipped to fight here ... we are peaceful people." Edana explained that she and her friends were here to help but noted that the three of them were no match for the imminent threat. "My name is Fay," the girl said. "I would be more than happy to offer you and your friends food and shelter in return for protection, even if just for a little while." Edana said it was a deal, and Fay showed them to a small hut, and had some of the children fetch some fresh fruit and vegetables for the travelers. Fay left Edana and her friends and went back to her work. "So, we're just going to wait here and hope Edraxar and Iwyn show up?" Bri asked. "That's exactly what we are going to do," Edana said. "We can blend in with the villagers and ambush those two when they get here. They will have no idea we will be waiting for them." "And then what?" Bri asked, staring at Edana, who obviously didn't have an answer. "Do we kill them? Try to capture them?" "Look, I'm not sure," Edana snapped back. "Let's just see what happens ..." Bri could see Edana was agitated, so she chose to back off. "Okay," Bri said. "Just take the lead, and I'll just be ready for anything." Bri was uneasy not having a concrete plan of attack, but her life experiences told her it is better to be getting along with your team sometimes and just feeling out the process. A day or so passed, and nothing out of the ordinary occurred. The following morning Bri and Edana left Grumpf in the hut and walked to the stream to relax and put their feet in the cool water. "I am so sorry about Nick," Edana said. "It wasn't that I didn't care, I was so sick, and with everything that was going on with my father, I, it, just slipped my mind." Edana's eyes welled up and she turned away from Bri to wipe them. "It's fine," Bri said trying to smile. "Honest, no hard feelings. It was just so random, just so unexpected. It hurts, but I'll sort it out when we get home." Just as she finished speaking, a young couple rudely and with no regard for the situation splashed into the stream and began splashing around and flirting with each other.

******

"Oh Edraxar ... you're so bad," Iwyn said, splashing him. Bri's spine stiffened, and she slowly reached for her billhook. Edana whispered, "No ..." It seemed too good to be true. Their targets were innocently playing just feet away. Bri stared Edraxar down, looking him over from head to toe, and back. He wasn't as physically large as she expected. Sure, his muscles were huge and his shoulders broad, but he hardly seemed like the kind of individual who could slash and burn a village on his own. "Well, it seems like the lady sees something she likes ..." Iwyn said in a threatening fashion, splashing some water directly at Bri. Bri stood up and stood her ground. There was a time in the not so distant past she would have backed down immediately, but those days were now behind her. She knew she was probably no match for the witch's magic but knew Edana had her back. Edraxar interrupted by stepping in between the girls. "Can you blame her?" he said, his words dripping with arrogance, and he reached out with his hand and attempted to gently brush Bri's face. Bri gently deflected his gesture and picked up her weapon. "Come on," she said looking at Edana. "Let's go." Edraxar was taken back by Bri's complete lack of interest; the young warrior never knew rejection. "If affection is not what the young lady is looking for, perhaps a friendly exhibition with the steel would catch her fancy," he said, drawing his sword. "Okay," Bri said. "I play your game, and then you let us leave?" Edraxar said that they would battle only with feigned blows, as his goal was not to harm her. "If you defeat me, you and your friend may just go on your way, however, if I best you, you must spend the afternoon with me, just the two of us." Bri would have rather fought to the death than spend a minute with Edraxar, plus, she knew she was out of her league in a physical fight against him. Not to mention Iwyn was shooting daggers at Bri with her eyes because it was obvious, she was in love with him. For whatever reason, Bri took a few steps away from him and raised her weapon, "You've got a deal." Edraxar smiled and twirled his broad sword, and then flipped his long ponytail over his shoulder. He made a few light swipes with his sword, toying with his smaller opponent. Bri felt insulted, so she took a defensive stance, and when Edraxar decided the time was right for a little bit of effort, she swung with all her might, and when her billhook slammed into Edraxar's sword, the warrior felt the blow radiate all the way up to his shoulder. In one swing, the female warrior had earned a little respect; proof by the fact the arrogant smile had been wiped from Edraxar's face. Edraxar spun his sword around, and Bri remained in her stance, awaiting his next move. Edraxar brought his sword harder this time, and Bri was able to block it with her billhook, and the weapons remained locked. Bri tried to push Edraxar back but wasn't nearly strong enough. Edraxar tried to give her a shove back, but Bri was a lot stronger than he expected. The handle of his sword slid down the billhook, crushing Bri's thumb, and allowing him to push her to the ground. Edraxar pointed his sword at Bri and declared himself the winner. Sheathing his sword, Edraxar quickly extended his hand to help Bri to her feet, but she wouldn't have it. Bri got to her feet, picked up her weapon, and walked over to Edana. Bri turned her back to Edraxar and Iwyn and extended her right hand to Edana and whispered, "I think it's broken ..." Edana looked at Bri's thumb, and almost threw up, "Oh sister, it's broken. I can't believe you're not in tears." "I refuse to cry in front of that jerk," Bri whispered back. "Can you do anything?" Edana smirked and took Bri by the hand. Edana closed her eyes and whispered a heal spell. When Bri pulled her hand back, she wiggled her thumb and smiled. Good as new, she thought. Just then Edraxar interrupted, "Well my sweet, it looks like your afternoon belongs to me." "Isn't she going to be mad?" Bri asked him, tilting her head slightly in the direction of Iwyn, hoping he would call the whole thing off. "Nonsense," Edraxar exclaimed. "A man as handsome and skilled as me cannot limit himself to just one woman!" Just then Iwyn stormed off toward Silkmore. Bri backed away from Edraxar and put her arm around Edana and whispered, "Keep an eye on her, and tell Grumpf what we know," Bri said. "I will see what this arrogant jerk is willing to tell me." "Are you sure I shouldn't stay close in case he tries to do something to you?" Edana whispered back. "No, it's fine," Bri said. "If he wanted to hurt me, he already could have done that." Edana nodded in agreement. "Time is up ladies, no more secrets," Edraxar demanded. "Let us begin our time together." Bri rolled her eyes wondering why he couldn't have liked Edana more, or better yet, been happy with the girl he was with, a stunning young blond whose hair was like silk, her skin, flawless, and her eyes like sapphires. "I have a boyfriend you know," Bri started off. "No, you don't," Edraxar said. "If you did, you would have already said so. And, no matter if you did, I would defeat him and we'd still be here now, so you can stop lying." Bri was taken back a bit and swung her billhook at the weeds as they walked. "Look, I don't know what you hope to get out of all this," Bri asked. "I don't like you, your attitude, or the fact you just ditched your girlfriend because you wanted to spend some time with me. You may think you are all that, but you don't impress me at all. I think you're gross." The mighty warrior was actually hurt more by her words than he could have been by her weapon. "Well, I will have you know Iwyn is not my girlfriend, she is my partner," Edraxar began. "Yes, she is stunning, but I am trying to become ruler of this land, so I am traveling the countryside to offer my services to each village. She has magical powers, so together we are a formidable team." Bri had to bite her tongue; she wanted to cut Edraxar in half at that very moment as she thought of the destruction that she saw in Grump's village. "Oh," she said. "Good luck with that." The two walked and talked for the next two hours and finally stopped at an overlook and they gazed down upon Silkmore. "It is a beautiful village," Edraxar said. "I could protect it." "Well, I think your time is up," Bri said. "When will I see you again?" he asked. "You won't," Bri replied. "My journey will take me on a different path tomorrow. I have to go home." Bri skipped down the hill and headed toward the hut where Edana and Grumpf were waiting for her. She never looked back. Edraxar was taken by the young warrior's complete lack of interest in him; he never had to try so hard to win anyone over. "She will be mine ..." he said. Bri got to the edge of town fast, and as she headed down the main road, she caught site of Iwyn who was starring her down as she passed. Bri could feel the witch's eyes burning holes in her, so Bri turned to face her. As the girls stared into each other's eyes, all of a sudden Bri felt something wrong, and blood began to pour from her mouth. Bri knelt down and pressed her hands against her mouth as hard as she could to try to stop the bleeding, but the harder she pushed, the faster it flowed. The flow became so intense, Bri almost passed out. Panicked, she began looking around for help, but everyone just starred at her, then all of a sudden, the flow stopped, and Bri looked at her hands. There was no blood, not a drop. The witch had just played a mind game with her, and Bri lost badly. Bri stood up and looked back at Iwyn, who again locked eyes with Bri. Iwyn took her thumb and made a slashing motion across her throat, and then turned and walked away. Fantastic, Bri thought, this witch wants me dead over a guy I could care less about. Why not just cast a love spell on him she wondered; or why not just turn me into a toad or something? At any rate, Bri knew she had to get back to her friends and report what she learned, hoping Edana could come up with something.

******

Now that the friends reunited, Edana felt the best course of action was to casually keep an eye on Edraxar and Iwyn. Even with Grumpf's muscle, the three agreed a straight-up fight with them would likely end badly. "I want to see just how powerful of a witch she is," Edana began. "She played that little trick on you, but that is child's play. Edraxar doesn't seem to be the kind of guy to team up with someone weak, but he obviously isn't afraid of her power. There is still so much we don't know." Edana suggested taking shifts watching the hut where Edraxar and Iwyn were sleeping. Grumpf opted to take the first shift because he was stuck in the hut all day waiting for the girls, so at dusk, he snuck as close to their hut as possible and burrowed in behind some bushes. A short time later, Grumpf heard an argument between a man and a woman. "You bastard, you betrayed me," the female voice let loose. "And for who, for what, a peasant girl?!" "Silence witch!" the male voice returned fire. "Nothing happened. We simply talked!" "Liar!" the female voice replied. "You are in love with her!" Grumpf recognized the voices. He recalls hearing them the night his village was destroyed. Then, he saw whom the voices were coming from—Edraxar and Iwyn. This simply confirmed to Grumpf that these individuals were present the night his village was destroyed. Now, the trick was to get back to Edana and Bri without being seen. With ogres not being the nimblest of creatures, he had to wait until the argument spilled into the hut before he returned to report what he learned. Once back, he woke Edana and Bri. "Those two were in my village the night it was destroyed," Grumpf began. "They were arguing, something about a peasant girl ..." Edana erupted in laughter and playfully shoved Bri, "They were arguing about you! Peasant girl!" Bri scowled at Edana and then looked back to Grumpf so he could continue. "The woman was angry," he said. "The man was irritated, and they were still yelling at each other when I snuck away." Edana wanted to get a look for herself, and the three agreed they should go scout the situation together. They grabbed their weapons and set out across town. Grumpf and the girls hunkered down where he was previously hiding, and the arguing was escalating. The friends didn't have to wait long for Iwyn to emerge. She stepped a few feet from the hut door and let loose a terrifying, shrill screech. Edraxar was right behind her, "No, Iwyn, not here." But it was too late. Dark clouds filled the sky and lightning appeared to strike Iwyn, illuminating her body and causing her long blonde hair to stand on end. Her eyes and mouth emitted a blinding light, and Edana, Bri, and Grumpf had no choice but to turn their eyes away. The light dimmed, and all of a sudden, an array of monsters rose from the ground—black dogs, Wendigos, and perhaps the most frightening of all...Draugrs. Edana was well aware of the competition, having faced all of these creatures at some point in time. Edana reached out and grabbed Grump's axe with one hand, and Bri's billhook with the other. She shouted out a spell that didn't work at first, so she had to try it again. The second time was the charm. "I know you guys defeated the black dogs and Wendigos before, but watch the Draugrs, they have extraordinary strength, and normal weapons can't harm them. I cast a fight spell on your weapons to increase their effectiveness." By seeing how quickly and violently Iwyn was able to raise an army this powerful, Edana knew she was overmatched. Not only was her magic inconsistent and fading, but even at her best, she would be no match for Iwyn. The monsters the witch created began to attack the village, but Bri, Grumpf, and Edana jumped into action. Edana cast a spell that slowed the Wendigos down, and Bri and Grumpf were easily able to dispose of them. The black dogs proved to be more of a challenge because they were much quicker, and Edana had a tougher time hitting them with her spells. Bri and Grumpf fought hard and were able to distract the dogs enough so that they did not attack the villagers. While Bri and Grumpf were preoccupied with the black dogs, the Draugrs moved toward the village. Edana ran after them and tried to cast a series of spells to stop the freakish creatures. Unfortunately, nothing worked. The monsters did however turn their attention to Edana, who tried to act as a decoy to lure them away from the townspeople's huts. With Bri and Grumpf unable to help her, Edana conjured up a sword and began to battle the Draugrs alone. The first monster swung his hatchet and despite being able to block the blow, Edana ended up on the ground. The Draugr swung again, and although Edana blocked this blow as well, the hatchet came closer to making contact with her body. The monster swung his weapon one more time, and Edana was not able to defend herself. As the hatchet came down, it was intercepted by the broad sword of Edraxar. The young warrior not only saved Edana, but with one swipe of his sword, he detached the head of the mighty Draugr with one swing. Edraxar reached down and helped Edana to her feet. "She wasn't supposed to ... we weren't supposed to ..." Edraxar stammered. "She's trying to kill Bri, where is she?" Without answering, Edana headed back in the direction where she left Bri and Grumpf, and just as she left them, they were fighting for their lives against the black dogs and the Draugrs. Little by little Grumpf and Bri began to wear down—a scratch from a dog here or a hard strike defended there—and the heroes began to show signs of weakness. Bri slashed a black dog in two, and as she took a moment to catch her breath, she saw Edana appear on the horizon, flanked by Edraxar. As soon as they arrived, Edana conjured up a spell to try to slow the monsters, and Edraxar began to attack the Draugrs with a violent fury. Bri and Grumpf could not help but be impressed by the warrior's skill and aggression. When the last monster had fallen, they turned their attention to Iwyn, whose spell had finally worn off. She collapsed into a heap and wept. As loyal as Edraxar was a moment ago, he turned quickly, pointed his sword in the direction of Bri, Edana, and Grumpf. "You go now," Edraxar exclaimed. Grumpf took a step in Edraxar's direction, but Bri grabbed him and looked at Edana, "Let's go ..." she said. The three ran off into the night. "Aren't you worried about the village?" Edana asked. "It wasn't about the village this time," Bri said. "I think it was about her anger toward me. Look at her, she was spent, and Edraxar knew it. I'm not sure why he turned on her, then on us like that." "We should have finished it," Grumpf said. "We will regret this decision."

******

As the heroes jogged off into the night, Bri couldn't help but think Grumpf was right. "We should have stayed and fought," she thought. Nobody spoke; they just ran until finally, Bri couldn't run anymore. "Stop," she said. "I need a break." With her hands on her hips, Bri looked at Edana, "Did we just make a mistake?" "I, I'm not sure," Edana replied. "Iwyn was down, but Edraxar slayed those beasts with little effort. It took all three of us to hold our own. We'd be dead right now if we tried to fight him. I have to be honest with you both, my magic is fading. Every spell I cast gets weaker or doesn't work right." Tears welled in Edana's eyes. She felt useless. "It's okay," Bri assured her. "We will find a way. We are just going to have to use our brains. We are not going to be able to win this with force." Grumpf suggested they camp for the night and figure things out in the morning. He built a fire, and then leaned back against a nearby tree. "I am going to sleep first ... one of you take the first watch," Grumpf requested. "I got it," Bri said. Edana leaned in and fell asleep on Grumpf. Bri sat by the fire, alone with her thoughts. There was a part of her now that regretted coming back. The first trip was scary, but manageable. This endeavor, however, was nothing short of terrifying. The monsters she faced, the fact Edana's magic was fading, and the witch who wants her dead were causing the young hero a tremendous amount of anxiety—the kind a person could feel in their heart. Bri's eyes fixated on the darkness. She fully expected Edraxar and Iwyn to be tracking them now. Bri was sitting on a rock by the fire, and with her billhook turned upside down, she rested her chin on the handle and stared into the night. And then, there she was, Iwyn emerged alone from the shadows and charged at Bri. In an attempt to get to her feet, Bri stumbled backward and Iwyn lunged at her, grabbing ahold of Bri's throat with both hands and squeezing as hard as she could. Bri was able to put her foot against Iwyn's midsection and kick her off fairly easily, and then followed up with a punch to Iwyn's cheek that split her wide open. The blood gushed from the wound, and Bri delivered a knee to Iwyn's stomach. Bri grabbed Iwyn by her long blonde hair and tilted her head back so she could deliver another punch. The witch motioned toward the fire, and with a swipe of her hand, Iwyn sent a burning log crashing into the side of Bri's face. The smell of burnt hair and skin filled the night sky. Bri hit the ground hard and was writhing in agony. Bri had no doubt her cheekbone had been shattered, and she could not see out of her right eye. "Let's see if he wants you now," Iwyn sneered, proud of how badly she had disfigured Bri's face. Iwyn spit blood on Bri, kicked her onto her back, and pinned her down. "Now, I will finish you," Iwyn said, reaching toward the fire and conjuring out a burning stick. When the stick met Iwyn's hand, the witch turned it slowly and attempted to take out Bri's left eye. Just as the witch was about to blind the helpless girl, Bri closed her eye tight, then, as the rush of fear consumed her ... she woke up. Sweating profusely, Bri looked around and covered her face with her hands. It wasn't real. Her face and eye were fine. Bri looked around convinced the enemy was near. Just then, Edana sat down beside her and put her arm around her friend. "Ewe, gross, what have you been doing over here?" Edana asked. "You're soaked." "Sorry, just sitting a little close to the fire I guess," Bri responded. "I can keep watch; you can go back and sleep." "I'm ready," Edana said. "I wouldn't mind the company if you're not tired though." Bri opted to stay up. She was far too scared to sleep. "What are we going to do?" Bri asked. "We don't stand a chance against them. Edraxar is far too strong to fight straight up, and Iwyn ..." Bri trailed off and looked at the ground. Edana didn't know what to say, but finally came up with something to end the awkward silence. "I'm scared too," Edana began. "I've never been in a situation where I felt I couldn't defend myself. Without my magic, well, you saw how bad I am at fighting." "I'm not scared," Bri responded. "I'm terrified of her. She is in my head so deep. I can't differentiate between what is real and what isn't." "I think our best bet is to turn Edraxar against Iwyn," Edana said. "I think you have to play on the fact he likes you. Maybe, just maybe, he will fall for you hard enough to turn on Iwyn and we can catch them off guard and end this struggle." "I can't do that," Bri said in an irritated tone. "I can't just play with his emotions like that, even that pig's ... besides, I don't like him, and I am afraid to make Iwyn any madder at me." "You're unbelievable!" Edana said, raising her voice. "We are at a tremendous disadvantage here, and you're worried about the feelings of the enemy, the man who is destroying my home?" Bri just sat there and took the abuse. She felt she deserved it, she felt she let Edana down, and she felt like she let herself down. Bri got up to leave, and Edana got up too, grabbing Bri's arm. "If this is how you are going to be, I'll just send you back home," Edana said. "If you're not going to help me, if you're too scared, I don't need you. I'll go it alone." Bri pulled her arm free, grabbed her weapon, and walked over and sat by Grumpf, with her arms on her knees and put her head on her arms. Edana turned back and gazed off into the darkness. She was mad at Bri, sure, but she was mad at herself too for being so insensitive toward her best friend. She knew Bri had her back, she was just having a rough time.

******

The argument with Edana was not like the tiffs the friends had in the past. They had bickered before. They were young girls, roommates, teammates, it happened. But this was different. This time, the words actually hurt. Bri knew how she felt inside. She wasn't ashamed of being afraid; however, the thing that really bugged her was the fact she felt she was letting her best friend down. Bri leaned up off Grumpf's side and looked up at the stars, as if the answer was up there somewhere. The answer wasn't out there, it was inside of her, and she knew it. Bri felt she knew what she had to do. She would face her fear, help her friend, and essentially save the day. The risk would be great, but the reward could be even greater. As the sun rose the next morning, the friends gathered around the fire they built and cooked up a small beast Grumpf slayed that morning. Nobody was talking, so Bri broke the silence. "Edana, I'm sorry for last night," Bri said. "I'm all in with you, and I have a plan. You're right. Our best bet is for me to play on Edraxar's feelings. If I can get close to him again, maybe I can get into Iwyn's head the way she is in mine. But I have to go at them alone ... I'll need you two to hang back a little. I am going to make it out like you guys abandoned me, or I got mad and left ... I'll have time to think about it as I seek them out. Once I find them, I will somehow convince them we need to go to the Stone Island. You two can meet me there, but don't let them see you. You'll know when to jump in." Edana's eyes welled up with tears; she squeezed Bri to the point where she actually hurt her a little. "Are you sure you can do this?" Edana asked. "Positive," Bri said. "I've got this." They finished the rest of their meal in silence as Bri contemplated what village Edraxar and Iwyn might visit next. Bri decided that their trek was actually heading in the direction of the Stone Island, so she opted to skip straight to the fishing village of Portholme, which was adjacent to Silkmore and had a large tributary that emptied into the lake around the Stone Island. Bri arrived at Portholme, and luckily, she beat Edraxar and Iwyn there with time to spare. While she still had no solid plan of attack, the journey left her very hungry and thirsty. As she walked down the edge of the river, she saw a little old man and woman working a tiny fishing boat. They were struggling to pull their net onto the boat, so Bri hopped aboard and helped them. With her help, they were able to pull the net that was so full of fish it actually spilled some back into the river. Once the net was loaded and the fish were put in baskets for transport back to the village, Bri couldn't help but notice the other larger vessels did not have as plentiful of a harvest as the old couple she just helped. "Oh, thank you sweetie," said Sueta, as she hugged Bri. "My husband, Jeph, and I struggle so much these days, but this is the only life we know." Bri smiled and assured them it was no problem. Bri turned to leave, but Sueta begged her to stop. "I have never seen you here before. Can I offer you a job?" Bri was starving, and if she could secure even a few schillings to get something to eat while helping out this nice old couple, what did she have to lose? "Yeah, a job would be great," Bri said. "Good," Jeph responded. "Why don't you join us for lunch, and then we'll make one more run, and we can pay you." Perfect, Bri thought. A free lunch sounded great, and some money to spend...well, that would help too. "What is your name, honey?" Sueta asked. "Bri. It's nice to meet you," Bri said. Sueta smiled, what an odd name she thought to herself. "Well Bri, I hope you like fresh fish," Sueta said as she plucked three large fish from a basket and tossed them on a grill Jeph constructed on the boat. While Sueta began cooking, Bri and Jeph carried the baskets of fish to the local market where they sold them. When they returned to the boat, Sueta had lunch ready. Bri was a picky eater, but even she was impressed with the concoction of fish, vegetables, and rice. "This might be the best thing I have ever eaten," Bri said to Sueta. "Thank you." "Oh, you're very welcome," Sueta replied. "You'll need all your strength for this final run." Bri smiled and finished her bowl, and when it was empty, Sueta filled it up again. Once everyone was full, they set out for one final run on the boat. They paddled the boat down the river a bit, Jeph dropped the nets, and in minutes Bri pulled them back up and the nets were overflowing with fish once again. It took all Bri's strength to pull up each net and rowing upstream was even harder, which made Bri wonder how these two feeble folks managed to accomplish this task multiple times every day. Once back at the dock, Bri and Jeph filled the baskets with fish and carried them off to the market once again. The man at the market was impressed and handed over several large stacks of coins to Jeph. As he was counting the money, Bri heard an all too familiar voice bellowing and braying as it drew nearer. It was Edraxar, walking alone. What luck Bri thought, wondering where Iwyn was. Bri turned, making herself very visible among the crowded market goers. Edraxar noticed her. Bri looked at him and did her best to force a fake smile. Edraxar strutted straight up to her and took her by the hand. "Well, I thought I'd never see you again my dear," he said. "You look more beautiful than when I last left you." It took all of her decency not to roll her eyes, as she was sunburned, sweaty, and had rope burns all over her arms from struggling with the nets. But, Bri was able to muster up a slightly less fake smile and a thank you for the compliment. "Traveling alone I see," Bri began. "Is everything alright?" "Oh, Iwyn is around here somewhere," he said. "I'm sorry for what happened last time. She is very jealous and protective of me even though she doesn't have to be." "Well, I get jealous too ..." Bri said, sheepishly turning her head, hoping Edraxar would read this as a signal she was now interested in him. Edraxar was noticeably excited by Bri's behavior, but then Jeph interrupted. "Okay young man, we must be going," he said as he took Bri's arm and began to walk away. Edraxar was taken back by the brazen nature of the old man to interrupt his conversation. Bri went with him willingly, but she turned back to Edraxar and mouthed the words, "See you later?" Edraxar smiled big. The mighty warrior had butterflies in his stomach as he walked back to meet Iwyn. "Do you know that boy?" Jeph asked. "Yes," Bri admitted. "Once I get you back to your boat and gather my things, I have to go see him." "Will you be alright?" Jeph asked. "You seem rather uncomfortable around him." "I am," she said. "But he won't hurt me. I need him to complete my quest." Back at the boat, Bri gathered up her weapons, thanked her new friends, and hugged them goodbye. "Good luck," Jeph said before he handed her a small stack of gold coins just before Bri scampered out of sight. "She is in trouble," Jeph said to Sueta. "Should we follow her?" Sueta asked. "No, I know where she is going," he replied.

******

Bri's hands were shaking as she headed back toward the village. She knew somehow, that she needed to get Edraxar and Lwyn to the Stone Island and do it without getting killed by Iwyn. As she entered the town limits, the sun was beginning to set, and Bri saw Edraxar and Iwyn sharing dinner and a bottle of wine outside a small tavern. In a moment that was totally out of character for the young lady, Bri marched straight up to the table, knocked Iwyn's wine glass out of her hand, pushed her out of her chair, and then placed her foot on the witch's chest and jammed her billhook an inch from Iwyn's face. "I'm tired of you bullying me," Bri said. "It's obvious he is in love with me, not you, and I am tired of your mind games! I am challenging you to meet me at the Stone Island and we can settle this ... no magic, no weapons, just my fists versus yours. Winner gets Edraxar, loser leaves and never returns ..." Bri stepped back and let Iwyn up. "I'm going to kill you," Iwyn said. "Tomorrow, I will see you there." The witch dusted herself off and stormed away, while Edraxar sat back with a look of extreme pleasure on his face. He grabbed the bottle of wine and took a big gulp and walked over toward Bri. "Good luck," he said with a smile, and then walked away, sucking on the bottle as he whistled a happy tune. Bri was proud of herself, but very afraid of what was about to happen. Nonetheless, the plan worked thus far, besides, she was tired of being afraid. So, Bri took the gold she had earned and purchased a jar of water and some food that would keep, and then headed off for the Stone Island. She knew it wasn't far. She could get there, get a good night sleep, and await her fate in the morning. Without Bri knowing, Jeph and Sueta saw this confrontation from their cottage window. "She is going to need our help," Sueta told her husband. "I know," Jeph replied. "I don't believe the boy will hurt her, but the witch ... she definitely wants Bri dead." "Do you think our magic is strong enough at our age to counteract her?" "I don't know," Jeph said. "But we have to try. If Bri fails, we are all doomed. Edraxar and Iwyn have been unstoppable. It will take everything we have, but I don't care ... I don't want to live in a world ruled by them." Jeph and Sueta joined hands, bowed their heads, and recited a transport spell. When they lifted their heads, they were on the shore of the Stone Island. They began navigating the perimeter when they crossed paths with Grumpf and Edana. Jeph introduced himself and his wife. The wise sage knew they were friends of Bri, and he brought them up to speed with what happened at the tavern in Portholme. "Wait, Bri, the little blonde girl did what?" Edana said in stunned disbelief. "It's true," Jeph assured her. "But the witch was furious, and she will be ready to fight." "We are ready too," Grumpf said, twirling his axe in his powerful hands. "What about you?" Jeph asked Edana. Edana hung her head, "I am not sure how useful I will be. My magic is all but gone. I can't even execute a simple spell." Jeph reached out and took her hand, and then reached out for Sueta. The three joined hands and Jeph began to recite a recovery spell. Sueta joined in next, and after a few stanzas, Edana recognized the spell and joined in too. The Island quivered and quaked violently, the wind picked up, and lightning began to strike all around them. Grumpf took a defensive stance, ready for anything, and then all of a sudden it stopped, and Edana, Sueta, and Jeph fell to the ground. Jeph stirred first, and kindly asked Grumpf to help him carry the ladies into the volcano. Grumpf picked them both up and told Jeph that he was pretty sure he knew exactly where Bri would go once inside. Grumpf led them to the cavern where Bri won her last battle against Fazil. "She will come here," Grumpf pointed. Jeph looked over the lay of the land and suggested they take a position hidden on a ledge behind some large jagged rocks. "Bri challenged Iwyn to a fair fight, but I can't believe the witch would honor that," Jeph said. "We need to be ready to help her, but we should have the element of surprise on our side. Iwyn is very dangerous, but if we work together, we have a better than average chance of succeeding." "Better than average?" Edana asked. "Me, Grumpf, and Bri can hang with them, but we need to conjure up the type of army like Iwyn does. Can we do that?" Jeph shared with Edana the fact his spell restored her magic to the fullest, but now his and Sueta's had been compromised. His thought was if Edana's magic can match Iwyn's, then the playing field would be level and the best team would win. "We need to sit back once Bri gets here," Jeph suggested. "We need to let her strike the first blow. If she thinks she is alone, she will react more appropriately and not tip off the fact help is nearby. Edraxar is far too great of a warrior not to pick up on something like that, so we must be extremely cautious. I believe he will be content to see the girls fight over him. His strength is only matched by his arrogance." The friends took to their hiding spot, and shortly after, Bri arrived. She looked over the cavern, and it was exactly as she remembered it. She sat down and ate her meal, and then leaned up against the cavern wall and stared at the only way in, trying to envision the inevitable battle. Her fears began to dwindle. No matter what, it would all soon be over. Not knowing her friends were watching her from afar, she rested her eyes and awaited her fate.

******

Bri awoke to the sound of Edraxar's irritating voice echoing into the cavern. The voice was coming from all around, and it woke her friends up too. "I'm in here," Bri yelled, wanting to get this started. Moments later, Edraxar and Iwyn entered the cavern, and Edraxar wasted no time opening a bottle of wine and getting comfortable on the edge of the water pool. "Let the game begin," he exclaimed. Bri leaned her billhook against the wall and walked out to the center of the cavern. Iwyn slowly walked a circle around her, much like a predator would to its prey. "How dare you challenge me," she began. "I am the most powerful being in the land. You're worthless, you're nothing. I was going to strike you down with a bolt of lightning, but instead, I am going to torture you to death ... slowly and painfully. I will make you scream in agony as I humiliate you before I end you." As Iwyn threatened, she also inched closer, and no sooner was she within Bri's reach, the young warrior punched Iwyn straight in the mouth. The blow took Iwyn clean off her feet, and Bri jumped on top of her and landed a couple of solid shots to the witch's face, drawing blood with each blow. Edraxar clapped in approval, and this behavior infuriated Iwyn. It was clear that in a fair fight, Iwyn was no match, so just as Bri drew back her fist to deliver another blow, she felt a force pull her off the witch. Bri was now levitating a few feet off the ground and was unable to move her arms or legs. Iwyn slowly got to her feet, wiped the blood from her mouth, and once again began circling Bri. "Well, if that's all you've got, then you've lost," Iwyn said, spitting blood in Bri's face. She then turned to Edraxar and zapped him with a charge that stung him hard, forcing him to drop his wine bottle, causing it to shatter on the floor. "What did you do that for, witch?" he snapped, picking up his sword and walking toward Iwyn. Immediately, she zapped him with the same spell she did Bri, and now the mighty warrior was completely helpless. Then, Iwyn lifted her hand and an army of Nuckelavee rose to her right and Lycanthropes to her left. Rather than attack, the monsters remained at bay. "Whatever happened to fighting fair?" Bri scolded. "You're scared of me, aren't you? Go ahead and do whatever you are going to do ..." "I'm not scared of you, I like to win," Iwyn hissed in Bri's face. Just then, Bri dropped to the ground and her billhook hit her hand handle first. Before she could rise to her feet, an army of Griffins rose to her right and Ogres to her left. As Bri stood up, she was flanked by Edana and Grumpf. "Oh, what happened to your fair fight?" Iwyn asked. "I like to win too," Bri said, high-fiving Edana. Both sides prepared to attack when Jeph and Sueta came in between the sides. "Stop," Jeph pleaded. "What good will come of this? Certainly, we can avoid this battle and come to some sort of peace." No sooner had the sage finished speaking, two Lycanthropes converged and began to tear at Jeph and Sueta. Bri immediately intervened, slicing the shapeshifting werewolves in half. Bri then dropped to her knees to try to help her friends, but their wounds proved to be fatal. Before she could shed a tear for the couple who showed her so much kindness, the battle began to wage around her. Edana and Iwyn backed up and acted as puppeteers to the armies of monsters. Grumpf and the ogres attacked the Nuckelavees, while the Griffins began to dive bomb the Lycanthropes. Amidst the chaos, Iwyn's jealousy got the better of her, and she opted to sneak attack a preoccupied Bri. Iwyn kicked Bri square in the face, and then sent a surge of lightning that shocked her to her soul. Edana saw this, and sent a zap into Iwyn's body, giving Bri just enough time to grab the witch by the hair and deliver a few punches of her own. As the girls fought on the edge of the underground pool, Bri began to gain the upper hand. "Call off your army," Bri demanded. "The only way is to kill me," Iwyn sneered. "Fine," Bri said as she grabbed Iwyn by the throat and slammed her head under the water. Iwyn's body went limp, and Bri pulled her up out of the water. Iwyn's eyes opened and immediately the pool began to swirl, sucking both girls into the heart of the pool. Then, the water became calm. The battle stopped and all the creatures paused. Edana rushed to the pool side and using every spell in her repertoire tried to bring Bri back. The loss of Iwyn into the pool freed Edraxar from his paralysis, but the warrior immediately began a fight for his life, as monsters from both sides began to attack him. Edraxar was handling his business, slicing through the monsters with relative ease with his broad sword. Under the water, Bri and Iwyn continued to struggle with each other. Bri had the witch by the throat, but it was she who was running out of air. Bri released Iwyn and began to swim for the surface, but Iwyn reached up and grabbed her by the legs, trying to ensure Bri would drown. Just as Bri was about to succumb to the lack of air, Edana finally cast a spell that hit its mark, parting the water. Bri sucked in as much air as her lungs would hold, but Iwyn immediately jumped on top of her and began punching her in the face. Being stronger, Bri was able to toss Iwyn off her and counterattack. Bri kicked Iwyn in the stomach, and then returned the favor of punching her in the face. While Iwyn took great pleasure in striking Bri, she was all about winning the battle, humiliating her opponent, and taking over the world. Iwyn cast a spell that was designed to torture, not kill her opponent. All of a sudden Bri's stomach began to hurt excruciatingly, forcing her to double over in pain. While she was in the fetal position, Iwyn took Bri's dagger from her belt, and slowly drove it into Bri's left shoulder and turned it to add to the agony. She then jammed it into her right forearm, where she left it sticking out. Edana was watching from her position on the shoreline but had to decide to release the water back into the pool, or watch her friend get systematically dissected. As the battle continued behind her, she caught Edraxar out of the corner of her eye and yelled for him, unsure of what he would actually do. Last time, he broke up the fight, and Edana was hopeful he would react the same way. Edraxar sliced through monsters as he made his way toward Edana. Edraxar peered over the edge of the water wall and saw what was happening below. "You have to stop Iwyn, she's going to kill Bri ... please," Edana pleaded. Edraxar nodded, and without saying a word jumped to the fight below. Iwyn saw his entrance, and her anger only increased. "Here to save your girlfriend?" Iwyn hissed. "I have loved you forever, and you have forsaken me for her?" "Let her go," Edraxar pleaded. "We don't have to kill anyone else." This enraged Iwyn. "No, we don't have to kill anyone else, but I want you to kill her, right here, in front of me ... prove that you love me!" "Alright," Edraxar said. "Release her and allow her, her weapon. I will kill her in a fair fight." Iwyn release Bri and with a swipe of her finger delivered Bri's billhook right to her. "Slowly my love," Iwyn said seductively. "I want her to suffer. Cut her face if you truly want to please me." As Bri got to her feet, she couldn't believe the hatred she earned without even trying. Bri knew she couldn't beat Edraxar and was actually surprised he agreed to kill her with such little resistance. "Why did you bother with me in the first place?" Bri said, holding back tears. "Do you really like me? Or, are you just trying to make her jealous?" Edraxar finally came clean, "My family was killed during a fierce battle. Iwyn promised she could bring them all back if we could conquer the land ... my mom, my dad, and my younger sister. If I helped her complete her quest, she would bring them all back to me." "Oh my God ... she's using you. That is not possible!" Bri told him. Deep down, Edraxar knew this to be true, but the hope, the possibility, is what drove him, and now in his mind, the girl he had fallen in love with was all that stood in his way. Edraxar lifted his sword, "I'm sorry ..."

******

Edraxar swung with all his might, and as Bri attempted to deflect the blow, Edraxar's sword met her billhook and sent it flying out of her hand, forcing her to jump back. Edraxar's reach was long, so he was still able to reach Bri with his sword and with extreme precision used the tip of his sword to ever so slightly open a cut just above Bri's left eye. Iwyn applauded, "That's the way, my love! Make her suffer!" Edraxar twirled his sword, toying with Bri, who was wiping her brow to clear the blood flow. Edana was still holding the water back, when Grumpf suggested she let it go. "It's the only chance she has," he said. Edana yelled to Bri, "Swim!" as she released the water that immediately engulfed the combatants. The rush caught Iwyn by surprise, while Bri, a pretty adept swimmer, took advantage of the situation and was able to swim to the surface. Edraxar was furiously swimming around trying to save Iwyn. Grumpf reached down and pulled Bri to safety. "Thanks, buddy!" Bri said hugging Grumpf. "I wasn't going to last much longer down there." Edana collapsed, exhausted because of holding the water back for so long. Bri rushed to her side. "Are you okay?" Bri asked. "I'll make it," Edana said, with a weak smile, clutching her ribs. "Get me to my feet." As the three gathered themselves to leave, Edraxar had rescued Iwyn, but the warrior wept over her body. Iwyn had drown. Bri felt bad for feeling relieved, so she left her friends and gently placed her hand on Edraxar's shoulder and knelt beside him. "I'm so sorry," she began. "But she didn't have the power to bring your family back. She shouldn't have lied to you like that." Edraxar rose up, his eyes filled with sadness and rage. "I, I just had to try," Edraxar said, reaching out and touching Bri's face where he had cut her. "I am the one who is sorry. I was selfish, I never wanted to hurt you." Edana interrupted, "Um, guys, we need to go ..." Iwyn's body levitated and began turning different hues of red and orange, and then her corpse exploded releasing a flurry of monsters that began to chase the heroes as soon as they spawned. The four ran for the mouth of the volcano with the creatures in hot pursuit. Edraxar turned and lifted his sword and began chopping at the mass of evil. Bri, Edana, and Grumpf kept going, but when Bri realized Edraxar was no longer right behind her, she yelled for him. "Let's go! What are you doing?" Edraxar didn't break his concentration, "Run, I've got this!" Bri began to head back toward the fray, but Grumpf grabbed her and kept running for the mouth. Bri tried to resist him, but it was a futile effort. Once at the top, Grumpf asked Edana, "Now what?" "Watch this ..." Edana said, casting a spell that caused the island and volcano to quiver and quake violently. Then, she lifted her hands above her head, closed her eyes, and transported the trio back to the shore, while the Stone island crumbled and sank into the water. Tears streamed down Bri's cheeks, "Jeph, Sueta, Edraxar ..." she wept. "It was the only way," Edana said. "The island and all the evil inside had to be destroyed. I'm sorry." Bri knew Edana was right, but that didn't make it hurt any less. The old couple was so sweet and kind to her and Edraxar, while not exactly her type, proved he truly cared about her. She felt like now she at least wanted to get to know him. The three friends watched as the last of the island vanished. The emotion of triumph, relief, sadness, and a stabbing pain in her arm consumed Bri. "Oh my God," Bri thought, looking down at her arm where her dagger was still jammed. "With all the fear and adrenaline, I forgot all about this ..." Bri turned her head and held her arm out in Grumpf's direction. The ogre quickly yanked the dagger out and handed it back to Bri, who seethed it and held her wound tightly. Edana reached out to heal her friend, and Bri pulled back. "No," she said. "I need to remember this one." Edana relented and suggested the group head for the town of Greymoor. "Not me," Grumpf said. "I need to forge out in a different direction. Most humans are not my friend. I need to head off to the east and make my kind live again." Bri hugged her friend tight. "Thank you again ... I will miss you!" "Will I ever see you again?" Grumpf asked. "I'm not sure ..." Bri responded looking at Edana. "We'll see you again," Edana smiled and gave Grumpf a hug. "I guarantee it!"

******

"So, there you have it," Bri said. "That is how we ended up here and restored order to your world." "Eh," Chase said. "I've heard better ..." Bri rose up as if she wanted to storm out of the bar. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Chase laughed hysterically as she gently pushed Bri back into her seat. "But the boy you spoke of, Edraxar, he is alive. In fact, he was in here just the other day while you two were sleeping." Edana smiled, "Looks like we're staying here!" "No," Bri said sternly. "We have practice tomorrow, and I need to study for my chemistry test on Friday ..." "Lame," Edana said, cutting her off. "Only you would rather practice and study than go out with a cute boy." "Well, if you think he's so cute, why don't you stay and go on a date with him?" Bri asked. "Fine," Edana relented. "Can I have one more glass of wine before we go back home?" Chase obliged, "These two are on the house!" Edana slipped the return potion over to Bri in a small glass. "Are you coming with me?" she sheepishly asked Edana. "What do you think?" Edana said with a smile. "Now that my magic has been restored, maybe we can win the next game!" "Or, come back here for a visit?" Bri suggested. "So, I'll leave your tab open then," Chance said. Both girls poured the potion into their wine and slammed the beverages down.

When it Hit the Phan

Jon Flushing

Phan had traveled to Greymoor from the Far East more than thirty years ago. He had heard stories as a child of the riches and the great cities in the Western Kingdoms. His head filled with dreams of the exotic things that lie on the other side of the Great Wasteland, at the age of thirteen, Phan had left home and joined a caravan. He would regret that decision for most of the rest of his life.

To earn his passage, the boy was tasked with looking after the animals. By the end of the third day, he was exhausted. The nearly thirty camels and dozen horses constantly required some type of care. Providing the creatures with food and water was tough. Cleaning up their tremendous piles of excrement when they stopped in villages or towns along the trade route was humiliating, but Phan did not complain. As much as he found the task loathsome, he knew that it was a means to an end. When he reached the West, everything would be better. He would live like a king and eat honey and drink spiced wine every day.

Nearly a month into the journey, the caravan was attacked by a band of marauders. During a bad sandstorm, they had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The guards in the caravan were quickly slaughtered by the invisible enemy. When the killing was over, one of the marauders found Phan hiding underneath a cart. The woman took pity on the frightened boy and he was taken prisoner.

The marauders as it turned out were all female. They existed in a narrow valley. Its entrance was nearly invisible in the sandstone rock that surrounded it. The woman lived in dwellings that had been carved into the rock. Phan learned that males that were captured during raids had carved the dwellings using crude tools. It was one of the many laborious tasks that the men had to perform as slaves. There was only one task that the men didn't complain about, in fact they seemed to enjoy it. While he was a slave in their captivity, Phan would never get to find out what the men were talking about.

The marauders referred to themselves as the Anna Zi or the Spirits of Wind. The woman who had taken him prisoner was named Shi Ara. Since she had claimed him, he was bound to her. Phan was to keep her domicile clean, prepare meals, and to look after her animals which consisted of four horses, ten sheep, and two camels. Once again, the boy with larger than life dreams found himself shoveling manure.

One day after taking care of the animals, Phan was heading back to prepare the evening meal for Shi Ara when several of the men began making fun of him. They jeered at him calling him Phan the Little Shit Shoveler. When he yelled at them to stop, they laughed. Anger rose inside of the boy. He reached down and picked up a rock and threw it at the man who had started it. The rock hit the man right in the middle of his forehead splitting it open. The laughter stopped. A second later, the beating of Phan began.

Shi Ara arrived home and found that her dinner was not on the table and that Phan was nowhere to be found. She went out to find him and when she did, he was badly bruised and swollen. He was barely conscious.

"Who did this to you, boy?" Shi Ara demanded. "Who did this?"

"I do not...I do not know," Phan lied and then slipped into darkness.

Three days passed before Phan came to. Shi Ara's face was the first thing that he saw, her beautiful golden colored eyes were staring into his. He could see the concern on her face, concern that his own mother had never shown him. He had been born the youngest of ten children on remote mountainous farm. Phan had been just one more mouth to feed.

"You are awake. That is good. How do you feel?" Shi Ara asked.

"I am sore. I hurt in some spots, but I will be fine," Phan responded.

"Who beat you, Phan? Who did this to you?"

"I do not know," Phan lied again.

"Do not lie to me, boy. You are my property and are under my rule. Someone was damaged you and they must pay for what they have done. They have also dishonored me. It is the way of the Anna Zi. They must be made to pay. Tell me, who did this?"

"I do not know. I cannot remember," Phan said.

Phan knew that if he gave the men up that they would be punished severely. The men had taunted him but not harmed him initially. He had thrown the rock which had led to the attack. Truthfully, he didn't know which of the men had participated and which had not.

"Mistress, I am feeling better. I wish to return to my duties."

"Return to your duties, Phan. Tomorrow morning, you will begin training."

"Training in what, may I ask?"

"Training in how to defend yourself. This will not happen again."

******

By not ratting out the men, Phan had earned their respect. He had protected them even though they had beaten him. They never bothered him again during the entire rest of his time with the Anna Zi.

True to her word, Shi Ara trained him for more than two years in the arts of self-defense. She also taught him how to fight with a knife and sword. Phan proved to be an excellent student. Between his training and the many labors, he performed each day, the small slender farm boy quickly became a strong muscular young man.

One morning, Shi Ara sent him out early to prepare her horse. The Anna Zi were headed out for a raid. Phan made sure that everything that she needed was strapped to the horse. Small weapons, food, water, and a shield were placed onto specific parts of the beautiful tan coated animal.

All the Anna Zi horses were the same color. The clothing the raiders wore was of a similar hue. Phan was told that was, so they blended into the sandstorms of the Great Wasteland. "They never see us coming" Shi Ara had once told him.

When she approached him, Phan could see that his Mistress carried clothing in her hand.

"Ready another of my horses for travel and then change into these," Shi Ara ordered, handing him the clothing.

"May I ask why, Mistress?"

"You are joining the raiding party. We bring along some men to look after the horses. You take great care of my animals. You are strong and can handle yourself. You have earned the honor of accompanying us."

"Yes, Mistress," Phan said, taking the clothing.

"The Gods are looking out for you, Phan. Now you are a glorified shit shoveler." Phan thought to himself.

******

After three days the scouts found a trader encampment. They had stopped and were attempting to use a rock outcrop to shelter themselves from the coming storm. As soon as the storm hit, the Anna Zi would strike.

Phan and the other men watched as the raiding party set off. The winds were picking up and it did not take long for the group to vanish into the swirling sands. With the women gone, the men began to secure the camp and ready it for their return. Once back, they would depart swiftly leaving no trace.

Some time had passed when a single horse appeared in the camp. Phan went to the animal and recognized it as one that belonged to a young Anna Zi warrior by the name of Che Li. There was blood on the neck of the animal. In the distance, a faint voice could barely be heard above the blowing wind.

"Take hold of the horse," Phan yelled to one of the other men.

Handing the reins to the man, Phan set off in the direction of the voice.

"Where are you going?" asked the man.

"Do you hear the voice? One of the raiders is out there!"

"Don't be a fool, Phan. You are not Anna Zi. You do not know the storms. You could get lost out there. You could die."

HIs words were lost in the winds as Phan made his way toward the cry in the desert.

******

It was difficult to track the voice. It came intermittently. The voice grew more faint each time. Phan could not see in the sandstorm. He counted on his ears to lead him to the woman crying out in the desert. Periodically he would stop to attempt to get a bearing on the source of the cry. If he hadn't stumbled upon the body, he would have never found it.

"Trap...it was a trap...help..." the woman said, her words not much more than a whisper now.

"Do not worry. I will get you to safety," Phan said, attempting to reassure the woman.

Phan began to drag the now unconscious Anna Zi raider not knowing for sure in which direction the camp was located. Every few footsteps, he would call out in the hope that someone would hear him. After what seemed like an eternity, he heard someone respond. Phan continued to pull the body back toward the sound of the man's voice.

******

The storm faded. Inside a hastily made shelter, Phan and another man tended to the fallen woman. Suddenly she sat up, eyes wild.

"Trap! It was a trap. I must go!" she screamed.

It took both men to hold down the woman.

"Che Li, you are in no condition to go. You have lost blood. You must rest," Phan said.

"I must go!" screamed the woman struggling to free herself.

Phan grabbed the woman's face between his two hands.

"Look at me. Tell me what happened."

"We entered the camp from all directions as we always do. When we got inside, we saw the bodies. The traders had been slaughtered...all of them. It was then we heard them. They had buried themselves in the sand. We had ridden right past them. They swooped in behind us. We were trapped."

"Who trapped you, Che Li? Who did this?" Phan demanded.

"Dragon Men," replied Che Li.

"Dragon Men? Their kingdom is far to the south. What are they doing here?"

"I do not know. All that I do know, is that they have killed some of my sisters and hold others captive. I need to go. I need to save them."

"You are weak. You have lost much blood. Is my Mistress still alive?"

"I do not know. In the confusion I was barely able to escape. She may be."

"If she is alive, then I must go."

"Phan, you are but a boy. You will be no match against the Dragon Men."

"I have no intention of fighting them. I will sneak into their camp and free any Anna Zi that they hold. I will free them."

"How do you plan to do this alone?"

"My family was very poor. Many nights I went to bed hungry. I learned to sneak into a local nobleman's farm and steal eggs from his chickens. I never got caught, not even once. I stay to the shadows and am silent. I will not be detected. Besides, I have learned a few things from my time with the Anna Zi. I will wait for darkness and then go."

"I will rest and then go with you," Che Li said.

"Yes, rest. But take the men and go back for help. I will do my best to free your sisters from the Dragon Men," Phan said.

"You are very brave, Phan," said Che Li. "The Anna Zi will not forget what you do this day."

"I have one favor to ask. May I please have your dagger? I have no weapon."

"Take it, Phan. May the winds watch over you."

Phan slipped the dagger into his waistband and nodded. He pushed aside the cover of the tent and headed out.

******

He took a small skin filled with water and a cloth filled with nuts and dried fruit. The less items that he carried, the better. The quarter moon gave off enough light to see but not enough to be seen. Based on the information that Che Li gave him, Phan set off to rescue the Anna Zi.

Staying to the shadows, it did not take Phan too long to find the camp. He saw three guards posted. Periodically, the deadly quiet of the night was pierced by a scream. The Dragon Men were torturing their captives.

Phan waited for the campfires to die down. As quietly has he could he skirted the rocks as he made his way toward the tent where the screams seemed to have come from. There was no movement within the camp.

"Just like stealing chicken eggs," Phan thought to himself. "You have not lost your touch."

Slowly he knelt beside the tent. He lifted the cover and crawled under it. Inside the tent it was as dark as it was outside of it. Phan could not see a thing. He pulled out his dagger and crawled forward. Hearing something, he stopped. He could feel sweat run down his face. Suddenly someone was on top of him. A hand quickly covered his mouth.

"Do not move, boy, or you will get us both killed," whispered a familiar voice.

The hand slid from his mouth.

"Say nothing. Just listen," Shi Ara said. "I have managed to free myself. Two more of my sisters are in the tent, but they are bound and gagged. Give me the dagger so that I may free them. Keep watch."

Phan could hear Shi Ara move around the tent, but just barely. No sound came from outside. When she finished releasing the other Anna Zi, she made her way back to Phan.

"Get us out of here," she whispered in his ear.

Phan led the women along the same route that he had taken to reach them. With just the little moonlight available, they moved undetected, or so they thought.

From just outside of the camp a lone rider sat on his ink black horse. His black leather armor and reptilian shaped helm identified him as a Dragon Warrior. The blood red plume that ran down the center of the helmet marked him as an Overlord. His bright green eyes watched the group as it made its way out of the camp moving from shadow to shadow. He found the spectacle amusing.

Kul Rantha had been an Overlord for more than forty years. He had killed the previous Overlord, his father, in order to become one. He had slain all nine of his sons in order to stay one. With the defeat of his people at the hands of the humans and elves, the Dragon Men had been pushed south. Their lands could not sustain their growing population. Overlords such as he began to forage out beyond their lands in order to survive. There was no honor in sneaking and stealing, but the only other option was starvation and death.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. The prisoners were nearly out of the camp. It was time to move.

Shi Ara grabbed Phan by the arm.

"We need weapons, food, and water before we leave," she whispered.

Phan nodded.

Shi Ara made several quick hand gestures to the other Anna Zi. Within seconds, the group spread out to gather what they needed.

Phan found water and a small sword strapped to one of the horses. None of the horses had been spooked by his presence. He patted them gently as he made his way through them as he continued looking for supplies.

"You must have developed a way with animals," Phan thought to himself.  "Your time with the Anna Zi has not been for nothing then."

Shi Ara snuck up on a sleeping Dragon Warrior and slit his throat. She took his water and a pouch that had some food in it. Taking the man's sword, Shi Ara headed off to rejoin the others.

The group reassembled at the edge of the camp. Shi Ara looked at the two remaining Anna Zi raiders.

"He comes with me and we head back to find the men. You each go in separate directions and make your way home. This should keep all of us from getting caught. Whomever gets back first alert the others. The threat of the Dragon Men must be made known," ordered Shi Ara.

The two women nodded. Turning to leave, the group froze in its tracks.

"Leaving so soon. You, Anna Zi, are very rude guests. My feelings are hurt."

The visage of a mounted Dragon Man warrior loomed before them along with at least a dozen armed soldiers.

"I don't want to kill you. You are no good to me dead. Stay as my guests. We will be returning to our lands soon. You will come with us. I think with your fighting skills, you will make fine additions to our fighting pits. That is where you are of value to me. I will make a fortune on the wagers on the four of you. Who knows, with some luck, you may earn your way out of the pits and regain your freedom."

Shi Ara threw her dagger at the Dragon Man. He caught it.

"See, that is the fighting spirit that I am counting on. Take them!" ordered Kul Rantha.

The Dragon Men moved toward them weapons drawn.

The Anna Zi and Phan placed their backs to one another. With the weapons that they had salvaged, they stood defiant.

In a flash the Dragon Men were on them. Blades flashed in the dimly lit night sky. The battle cries of Anna Zi and Dragon Men filled the air. Phan fought like a demon for his very survival.

Bodies of dead Dragon Men surrounded their feet. For each one that fell, another replaced him. Outnumbered, the group fought on.

"Enough!" screamed Kul Rantha.

With his order the Dragon Men disengaged.

"Anna Zi, you have earned my respect this night. You have killed many of my men. I cannot afford to lose too many more and retain my position as an Overlord. Take rations and horses and leave. Know this, if we cross paths again, I will eliminate all of you. I will take no prisoners. This I promise."

"This better not be a trick," yelled Shi Ara.

"I give you my word. But I do have one condition. The boy stays. I watched him fight. He is twice the fighter of any of you. He will be of great value to me in the Pit."

"I will be fine, Mistress. Go. Thank you for the kindness that you have shown me," Phan said.

"I ask one favor in return. The dagger that I threw at you. Give it to the boy so that he will not forget his time with us," Shi Ara said.

"I will do as you ask. Leave now Anna Zi, I grow tired of you," ordered Kul Rantha.

Shi Ara looked at Phan and nodded slightly. Phan smiled and returned the nod.

"Take this, boy," Kul Rantha said, handing the Anna Zi dagger to him handle first.

Phan stood beside the mounted Overlord and watched the trio of women head out into the desert.

"They are great warriors, but you are better. With my training, you will be a great hero of the fighting pits. You will be able to earn your freedom in no time. Do you have a name, boy?"

"My name is Phan."

"That is a stupid name," Kul Rantha said with a laugh. "As long as you are with the Dragon Men you will be known as Vor Wallak. That is a better name."

"What does Vor Wallak mean?" Phan asked.

"Great Future," answered Kul Rantha.

"Great Future?" Phan repeated as a question.

"Yes. You will have a great future as a warrior in the fight pits. Come, Vor Wallak, let us return to camp. You will need to earn your keep with us until we return to my lands in the south. I saw that you have a way with horses. You will take care of them until we return. Go tend to them. I will send food and water to you in the morning. Get some rest if you can. We break camp in the morning."

"Yes, Master," replied Phan as he made his way toward the horses.

"Once again, I am the shoveler of animal dung. Vor Wallak, the great shit shoveler," Phan thought to himself and shook his head.

******

The group of Anna Zi found Che Li and the men in short order. That night they took care of their wounds, ate, and rested. At first light, Shi Ara, gave the orders to what remained of the raiding party.

"You will return home and inform the others of what has transpired. In the meantime, I will track them. No one kills our sisters and steals our property. The boy belonged to me. He risked his life for mine. The Dragon Man has dishonored me and all Anna Zi. Go and prepare for war. I will send word back when I have located the nest of the reptiles. Then come in full force."

"Let me come with you," Che Li said.

"I will be less detectable on my own. I will take two horses, food, and water for several days. I will be fine. Now go and do as I say."

Shi Ara watched as her sisters vanished into the heat of the early morning. She mounted one of the horses. Making sure that the other was tethered to her saddle, she set off after the Dragon Men.

******

It took nearly nine days to reach the southern lands, which the Dragon men called home. The walled fiefdom run by Kul Rantha was not much compared to the stories of the Elven and western kingdoms that Phan had heard when he was a child. There was no adornment save for images of dragons, snakes and reptiles that were carved into the stone walls and buildings. Iron cages hung from trees with all species of prisoners in them.

A dwarf spit on him from one of them as they passed by and began to laugh. Kul Rantha witnessed it.

"Halt!" ordered the Overlord.

As one the group stopped.

"Bring that dwarf to me," demanded Kul Rantha.

Several of his men dismounted. They lowered the cage to the street and unlocked it. The dwarf was dragged from the cage and forced to kneel in front of the Overlord.

"Vor Wallak, come to me!"

Phan dismounted and ran to his new Master.

"This dwarf spat upon you from his cage."

"Yes, Master," Phan said, dropping his head in shame.

"I named you Vor Wallak for a reason. Someone hand the dwarf their sword."

The man closest to the dwarf unsheathed his sword and handed to him.

"Stand, Dwarf," demanded the Overlord.

The two guards yanked the squat man to his feet.

"Vor Wallak, this creature dishonored you and by doing so, dishonored me. You must restore my honor. Take out your dagger and kill this vile little creature."

Phan pulled the dagger from his waistband. "Yes, Master."

"Hear me, Dwarf. Best my man and I will set you free. Fail and you will die."

The Dragon Men formed a circle around the combatants. The duel began to draw attention from the villagers. Men, women, and children came forward to see what was happening. Seeing the two fighters in the middle of the circle, immediately bets began to be taken on the outcome.

"I wage fifty drogma on the dwarf," yelled a large man from the far side of the crowd.

"I will wage double that on my man," yelled Kul Rantha in response to the wager.

"I will match it," the man responded.

"Good," Kul Rantha said with a nod. "Begin then."

The dwarf smiled. "I will make this quick, boy. You will not suffer."

Phan did not respond. He kept his eyes keenly set on the dwarf watching for any sign that might give away what he was about to do.

Suddenly the dwarf rushed him. He was much quicker than Phan had expected. At the last second, Phan jumped out of the way and stabbed down with the dagger into the back of the dwarf's neck. The momentum carried the dwarf forward a few steps. When he hit the ground, he was already dead.

"Pay up! Pay up!' shouted Kul Rantha grinning from ear to ear.

The fight already forgotten; the people of the village began to settle their bets.

"Here is your drogma," the man said as he approached the Overlord.

Taking a black leather pouch from the man, the Overlord asked. "Do I need to count this, Fal Rasman?"

"You offend me, Overlord. Do you not trust me?" Fal Rasman asked.

"I did not get to be Overlord by trusting anyone," Kul Rantha said, a grin spreading across his face.

"Where did you find this one?" Fal Rasman asked motioning toward Phan. "Is he an assassin?"

Kul Rantha broke into laughter.

"He is a dung slinger."

"Dung slinger?" Fal Rasman said in confusion as he watched the Overlord laugh.

"Or maybe he is an assassin. Why, do you think that I might need an assassin, Fal Rasman? Do I need someone killed? Surely an Overlord could take care of such matters himself."

"I'm sure that you could, Kul Rantha," Fal Rasman responded not liking where the conversation was heading.

"You see, old friend, assassins are used by those who are sneaky and untrustworthy. Do you know of anyone like that, Fal Rasman?"

Fal Rasman could feel sweat run down his back. He wondered how quickly he could draw his sword and rush the Overlord. He wondered if any of the men would try and stop him or would they welcome a change of who was in charge.

"I know that you have been plotting against me, old friend. I know of your desire to become Overlord. I have had those same desires myself. I cannot allow a cowardly creature like yourself to become the leader of this clan. You don't have the guts to do it."

Kul Rantha shot a quick glance at Phan.

Thinking the Overlord was distracted, Fal Rasman seized the moment, raised his sword over his head with two hands and charged the still mounted Overlord.

He took no more than two steps when Phan's dagger entered the side of his neck.

Fal Rasman dropped to his knees. His eyes stared up at the Overlord in disbelief.

"You see, old friend, I am not trustworthy either. Perhaps the boy is not a dung slinger after all. Perhaps he is an assassin."

Fal Rasman fell forward onto his face.

"Vor Wallak, drag these two carcasses off and feed them to the dogs. Then head to the stables. I will come for you in a few weeks. Use the time in the stables to build your strength. You will need it in the Pit. Go now," demanded the Overlord.

******

By day five, Shi Ara had eaten the small amount of food that she had set out with. She had little water left. The Wastelands offered no relief to the Anna Zi as she tracked the party of the Dragon Men. She grew weary from lack of nourishment and sleep, but Shi Ara pressed on.

Unbeknownst to the Dragon Men, Phan left a trail for her to follow. The droppings from their horses were not fully covered leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, so-to-speak, for her to follow.

Day six proved to be unbearably hot. Shi Ara wanted to wait until the sun was not high in the sky to set off after the Dragon Men. She feared that if she waited, she would lose their trail. Failing to error on the side of caution, she set off.

Several hours into the day, her horse collapsed under her. When it fell over onto its side, it trapped her leg underneath it. Shi Ara struggled to free herself. The heat of the day and the pain in her leg quickly exhausted her efforts. Fearing that she would die in the middle of the Wasteland and that some wandering predator would pick her bones dry, Shi Ara's mind began to race.

She untied the reins of the second horse from the saddle of the dead horse. She secured the leather straps around her wrists and screamed at the horse to go. Slowly the animal backed away from her. She could feel pain shoot through her arms as they felt like they were being pulled from her body. At first her leg did not budge from under the dead weight of the horse and then suddenly all at once she pulled free. Realizing that there was no resistance, the horse took off in a gallop dragging Shi Ara along the sand. With her entire body crying out in pain, Shi Ara passed out.

******

"She is awake. Go get Bron, he will want to know," the old woman said to the young girl. The child took off in a full sprint, her bare feet leaving impressions in the sand.

A few minutes later the girl returned to the tent with a tall muscular man. Seeing the beautiful golden eyes of the woman lying on the furs made Bron smile.

"You are awake. Good. Are you hungry? Can I offer you something to eat? Some wine maybe?"

The woman sat straight up. "Bron!" she cried.

She reached for her dagger and then remembered it wasn't there. Her eyes flashed around looking for something that she could use to kill the man.

"Calm yourself, Shi Ara. You are in no condition to fight. You are injured and weak. Please, relax and allow my medicine woman to heal you," Bron said with a broad grin on his face.

"I would rather die than take anything that you would offer!" screamed Shi Ara.

"I suppose that I should have let her die in the Wasteland," Bron said to the medicine woman. "It would have served her right."

The old woman shrugged.

"You saved me! What do you mean by 'it would have served me right'?" demanded Shi Ara.

Bron sat down beside Shi Ara and stared into her eyes.

"For bewitching me. I have not been able to think of anything but you since we met."

"That was six years ago, Bron."

"I know."

She looked into the man's dark brown eyes.

"You saved me? Why, Bron? The last time I saw you I tried to kill you."

"So that I could do this."

Slowly Bron moved closer to her. He put his arms around her and then gently kissed her on her dry cracked lips. She did not pull away but pressed her lips softly against his.

"Rest, Shi Ara. I will check on you. This woman will help you to recover."

Shi Ara nodded.

"Whatever this woman needs, get it for her," Bron said to the medicine woman.

Shi Ara watched the Barbarian Prince walk out of the tent. In her heart, she knew that she was in trouble.

******

Several weeks went by before Phan saw Kul Rantha again. From sunup to sundown, Phan had tended to the many animals at the stables. If he was not shoveling their waste into carts and hauling it away to the dung pile, then he was getting them food and water. The long hours of hard labor had the effect on the boy that the Overlord had wanted.

"Come, stand before me Vor Wallak," demanded Kul Rantha.

Phan did as his Master ordered.

"Look at you. I can barely recognize you. The scrawny boy that I sent to the stables is gone, before me stands a man. Hopefully your time here as a dung slinger has not killed your warrior spirit young one."

"It has not, Master."

"In case you were wondering why your former Mistress did not come to free you, she died in the Wasteland. I had one of my men track her. She did manage to last nearly seven days without much food, water, or rest. I give her credit for that. But let's move on.

Tomorrow morning a guard will bring you to the Pit. I will meet you there. I will assign you quarters and will personally supervise your training. You will become my Vor Wallak. I will make a fortune with you, enough to hire and equip an army. An army to help me overthrow the Supreme Overlord.

When that day comes, I will set you free. The harder you train, the better you will fight. The better you fight the more you will win and the more money that I will make. The faster I make money the quicker I raise my army and become Supreme Overlord. On that day, Vor Wallak, we both get what we want. I will see you in the morning."

Phan watched him walk away. He felt sad to hear the news about his Mistress. She had been good to him. But that was in the past now. His future was in the Pit. Phan promised himself that he would live so that he would one day fulfill his dream of seeing the many exotic splendors of the West.

******

True to his word, Kul Rantha met him at the Pit. Phan had never seen the Overlord without his armor. The man was solid muscle. His head was shaved. His two green eyes showed no sign of emotion.

"Vor Wallak, from this day forward you have only one goal, one desire, one mission. You will become my champion in the Pit. Nothing must stop you.

I will teach you all that there is to know about pit fighting. I know that you already possess skills taught to you by the Anna Zi. That is for finesse fighting. It will be of little use to you in the Pit. You are also adept in stealth. That on the other hand will help you greatly. What your opponent cannot see, he cannot fight. You will become the greatest pit fighter, Vor Wallak. The only other choice is death. I sense in you that would not be to your liking."

"No, Master."

"Then let us begin."

******

Phan was not sure if death wasn't the better choice when the guards threw him on a cot in his new quarters near the Pit. His entire body ached. It hurt to breathe. Kul Rantha had drilled him until it was nearly dark. He then had him try out his new skills in three matches against other pit fighters using non-lethal weapons. He had managed to survive but had taken quite a beating. Lying on the cot, listening to himself breathe, Phan thought to himself, "There will be many more days like this to come."

******

Nearly two months of training had gone by and Kul Rantha could see the difference in the boy. He was strong, quick, and exceptionally smart. He learned most of the skills nearly immediately after being taught them. The boy had been pitted against other more experienced human warriors, elves, orcs, and even a minotaur and had done exceptionally well. Kul Rantha knew that it was now time for him to earn his keep in the Pit.

******

"How do you feel, Shi Ara?" Bron said as he pushed back some hair from her forehead.

"Bron? How long have I...?"

"Three days."

The beautiful woman attempted to raise herself but fell back onto the pillows that she rested upon.

"You are in no condition to go anywhere. Please, just relax."

"I cannot stay here, Bron. I must return to my people."

"I'm sure that your people are fine. Your sisters are clever and resourceful, Shi Ara."

"I must warn them. The Dragon Men are expanding out from their lands. They are in danger."

"We are aware. My men and I have had some run-ins with them over the past several months."

"They took something from me...my servant. The boy risked himself for me. I owe him."

"Rest for now. You will do no one any good if you are not strong. I will check on you later."

"Bron, I know what would help me to feel better."

"Tell me what you need, Shi Ara."

"I think that a kiss might be a good start."

The Barbarian Prince smiled.

"Well, it appears that you may be feeling a bit better after all."

******

Chests full of drogma covered nearly every space of Kul Rantha's dwelling. Vor Wallak's victories in the Pit were now commonplace. There seemed to be no pit fighter that was his equal.

Word soon spread about the boy to the other Overlords. Soon, Kul Rantha was besieged with requests for fights. Seeing the opportunity before him, the Overlord announced that he would hold a tournament. All the Overlords were invited and told to bring their champions.

"You may be free sooner than you think, Vor Wallak," Kul Rantha said staring at the boy. The human was no longer the lanky youth that he had captured. Standing before him now was a muscular man who was undefeated in the combat of the Pit.

"You are my champion. Win the tournament and you will be the greatest of all pit fighters. You will make me more drogma than any Overlord has ever seen. Win and I will set you free. Lose and I will kill you personally for embarrassing me. Do you understand me, boy?"

Phan nodded.

"I will not let you down, Master."

"One month from today is the tournament. Prepare yourself. If there is anything that you need, ask. Go now. Return to your quarters."

Phan nodded, turned, and exited the Overlord's dwelling; the thought of freedom on his mind.

******

For weeks, Bron and Shi Ara were inseparable. When they weren't swooning over one another, the two leaders were plotting strategy for how to best engage the Dragon Men. With the plan in place, Shi Ara headed back to inform her sister Anna Zi. She had one stop to make first. Before the image of her faded into the distance, Bron felt a heaviness in his heart.

******

One night after practice as Phan walked back to his quarters, he was going over moves in his head. He could visualize in his mind how he would go about fighting an opponent. He could see each move in slow motion. He would blend his stealth, Anna Zi fighting techniques, and the skills that he had learned from Kul Rantha. No other pit fighter possessed what he had. He had no doubt that he would be victorious in the tournament.

"You have no choice," he mumbled to himself.

Not paying attention, Phan ran into something.

"I am sorry," came a woman's voice, which was nearly a whisper. "I was not paying attention to where I was walking. Here, you dropped this."

The woman carefully handed him his dagger. Before he could thank her, the woman walked away.

Phan went to put the dagger away. Only then did he realize that he still had his dagger. He glanced back at the woman. As he did, the woman turned. He saw her eyes only for a second.

"Shi Ara," he said to himself. A second later the woman was gone.

Phan looked down at the new dagger. It was identical to the one that he carried except for one small detail. The leather that wrapped the grip was black not brown like his.

"A Death Blade." he said to no one.

Anna Zi Death Blades were coated in fast acting poisons. The smallest cut would kill a man in seconds.

Phan looked around. No one had witnessed the exchange between he and Shi Ara. Carefully he slid the blade into his pocket next to his original dagger.

"You will not lose in the tournament. Soon you will be free and return to your travel to the West."

Phan smiled and gently patted his pocket. Shi Ara had given him that chance.

******

He stood at the center of the Pit. Six dead bodies were strewn across the sand. Phan had disposed of them one by one. None had stood a chance. He had four more fights to go. He was growing tired.

The Overlords in the stands had come from every part of the empire. Each had brought their champion to challenge Kul Rantha's boy-man fighter. Six had lost so far, their champions and their wagers.

A wooden gate from across the Pit rose slowly jarring his attention back to the moment. Phan heard the roar from the darkness beyond the gate, after what seemed like an eternity, a creature emerged.

The creature was a two headed giant. Its name was Xoorag. Phan had caught a glimpse of it when the pit fighters from the Overlords had been brought to their cells earlier in the week. From the gossip that had spread among the trainers, this one was extremely deadly.

Xoorag fought like two fighters. His right side fought with a sword with keen precision. The left side swung an enormous warhammer wildly and without a care. One of the trainers had said this was because one head was smart while the other was dull-witted. Phan knew that he would need to be extra cautious with Xoorag.

As soon as the bell rang, Phan ran toward the giant as quickly as he could. The giant seemed to be caught off guard for a moment seeing the attacker rushing him. It was all the advantage Phan needed.

When he was a little more than an arm's length from the massive creature, Phan slid across the sand on his knees right between the creature's legs cutting through the muscles of the giants left leg with his dagger as he did.

Xoorag dropped his sword and fell to one knee. Before it could react, Phan jumped to his feet and quickly climbed up its back. He got himself steadied between the giants two heads and began to stab repeatedly at the right one. Unsteady and off balance, Xoorag swung his mighty warhammer upward at his attacker. The warhammer smashed into Xoorag's right head hitting it square in the face and continuing into its brain.

Xoorag fell face first to the ground. Ungodly screams came from the mouth of the left head of the creature. Phan decided to end the giant's misery quickly. He picked up the creature's sword from the sand. He placed the tip of the blade at the base of Xoorag's left neck. With all his might, he thrust the sword down into the giant, severing its spine.

The crowd was in a frenzy. No one could believe what they had witnessed. Phan scanned the crowd. His eyes stopped when they met the gaze of his Master. Kul Rantha gave him a nod and a smile that Phan could tell was insincere. Phan nodded back and checked to make sure that the second dagger was still in place at his side.

******

With the crowd so focused on the fighting in the Pit, Bron and Shi Ara were able to easily slip their handpicked warriors into the arena. The guards were so concerned about the activity and their wagers that they barely gave a glance at the handful of cloaked barbarian warriors and Anna Zi raiders. Once inside, the groups quickly dispersed into the crowd. When signaled by their leaders, they would strike, sending panic into the midst of the spectators. Their goal was two-fold: rescue the boy and send a shockwave of chaos into the ranks of the Dragon Men.

******

After dispatching Xoorag, the other Overlord champions seemed afraid to fight Phan. Fear created doubt. Doubt was a cancer that destroyed the confidence of the combatant. Taking a split second too long due to second guessing was often fatal.

The last three champions fell to Phan in short order. The spectators were on their feet screaming his name.

Vor Wallak! Vor Wallak! Vor Wallak! Vor Wallak! Vor Wallak! Vor Wallak! Vor Wallak!

As the crowd chanted, Kul Rantha rose from his seat. He descended from the stand to the sand floor of the Pit and walked toward his champion. He raised his hands and motioned for the crowd to calm. When it became silent, he spoke.

"Vor Wallak, you are the greatest of all champions of the Pit. You are the second-best fighter in all of Draconia."

"Really?" Phan said, wiping blood off the blade of his dagger onto his tunic. "Who is a better fighter than me?

"You need to ask, boy? When I found you, you were nothing but a dung slinger!"

Snickers could be heard in the crowd.

"You never answered my question," Phan said, keenly watching every movement that his Master made.

The crowd fell silent again.

Kul Rantha slowly slid his sword from its scabbard.

"I taught you everything that you know about fighting, boy."

"Not everything."

Before Kul Ranta could move, Phan launched his dagger at him.

The Dragon Man Overlord smiled an evil deadly smile. With the reflexes of a cobra, Kul Rantha snatched the blade from the air.

"Nice try," Kul Rantha said.

"I did not try. I succeeded," said Phan looking down toward the dagger in his other hand.

Kul Rantha saw the other dagger. He quickly looked to his own hand which he caught the dagger with, blood trickled down from a small cut on his thumb.

"You were never going to set me free," Phan said.

Kul Rantha mouthed the word, poison, and then dropped to the sand of the Pit floor.

"NOW!" yelled Bron and Shi Ari.

Complete chaos erupted as barbarians and Anna Zi fell upon the Dragon Men. Many of the Overlords realizing that Kul Rantha was dead went after one another and the drogma that was now up for the taking.

Bron and Shi Ari raced for Phan. Within minutes the trio was out of the Pit and headed to where the horses had been hidden.

Shi Ara grabbed Phan by the face. She looked directly into his eyes.

"Listen to me Phan, you must go now. Take this horse and leave. Get as far away from here as you can. You have killed a Draconian Overlord. Even as they turn on each other now, he was still their kin. They will come after you."

"But, Mistress..."

"I am not your Mistress. You saved my life and now I am saving yours. We are even. If we meet again in the future, it will be as friends."

She pulled him closer and kissed him on the forehead.

"Go!"

Phan mounted the horse and kicked its sides. He took off through the massive wooden gates and out onto the road. Behind him, the fiefdom of Kul Rantha was engulfed in flames and death.

"I will signal for our people to go. We have accomplished what we sought out to do," Bron said.

He pulled a bow from a sack which was tied to his horse. Removing three arrows from the quiver inside. Each arrow tip was wrapped in a cloth.

Shi Ara found a torch on a nearby wall and brought it to him. As he nocked each arrow, Shi Ara set the cloth on fire. A blue flame engulfed the cloth. Bron shot each arrow into the sky one after the other. Within a few moments, barbarian and Anna Zi infiltrators were running in their direction, Dragon Men warriors not far behind them. Quickly they mounted their horses and followed their leaders out from the burning city.

******.

Phan travelled for three days without seeing another soul on the road. Occasionally he would stop to check to see if he was being followed. He was not. At night he slept in wooded areas to better conceal himself and his horse. He ate nuts, berries, fruits, and whatever else that he could scavenge.

At dusk of the fourth day, he spotted someone headed toward him. As the figure got closer, he could make out that it was a dwarf riding on a burro. He was smoking a pipe. Behind the dwarf there seemed to be several items strapped to the animal. As the other rider neared him, he stopped.

"Good evening fellow traveler," the dwarf said.

"Good evening," replied Phan.

"Where are you headed?" inquired the dwarf.

"West," answered Phan. "And you?"

"South," said the dwarf and then took a draw on his pipe.

"I would not go that way. The Dragon Men are at war. There is much chaos. It's not safe," warned Phan.

"Is that so?" the dwarf said quizzically.

"It is so," Phan answered.

"That is a beautiful horse you are riding. I've never seen another like it. May I ask where you got it?"

"It was a gift from a friend."

"You must have good friends then, my boy. That creature is spectacular. It must be worth a small fortune."

"Perhaps," Phan said.

"My name is Oswald. I am a procurer of unusual items. I know a lot of people who would pay a handsome amount of money for a prize horse like that. You wouldn't be interested in selling her, would you?"

"As I said before, she was a gift. She is not for sale."

The dwarf stared at Phan for a few moments puffing on his pipe.

"Do you have a name, boy?"

Phan paused for a moment.

"I am Vor Wallak."

"It's nice to meet you Vor Wallak. Listen, it's getting dark. I passed some old ruins just past the crest of the hill. It might be a good idea if we camped there for the night, that is if you don't mind the company. It's safer in numbers. Besides you look hungry and I have a bit of food. I can offer you some bread and cheese. It's a tad old, but it's better than nothing. I have some wine as well."

"That would be great," Vor Wallak said with a nod.

Oswald turned his burro around.

"This way. Follow me."

******

The elf stared at him. Vor Wallak could feel him sizing him up. He was the first elf that he had ever seen. They were every bit as strange and exotic as he had been led to believe. He sat nearly motionless in the saddle of his horse.

His companion had dismounted. He was an orc, not a full one, based on his smaller size. The half orc was pulling a rope up from a well. Vor Wallak saw this as good news. Both he and his horse needed replenished.

He had not spoken to the duo. He sat quietly on his own horse waiting for his turn at the well.

Chirping sounds from behind him, startled the pair. The half-orc turned toward him.

"What do you have there, boy? What is making that noise?"

Vor Wallak dismounted and untied the package that was behind his saddle. He set in on the wall that encircled the well. Carefully he slid the cover back revealing a wooden cage with two small kobolds in it.

"Where did you get those?" asked the elf.

"I got them from a dwarf who tried to steal my horse," Vor Wallak said.

The elf and the half-orc shot glances back and forth at one another.

"When was this?" asked the half-orc.

"Last night. The little bastard put something in my wine. He thought that it would knock me out. It made me a bit groggy but that was it. I realized that he was up to no good. I pretended to fall asleep. That's when he went for my horse."

"Did you kill him?" asked the elf.

"No," Vor Wallak said shaking his head.

"Good," The half-orc said.

"Why is that good?" inquired Vor Wallak.

"Because we want to kill him. He stole a lot of money from us and some of our friends. That rodent cost me my eye and damn near my life. I've got a score to settle with dear little Ozzie."

"Yeah, that's his name," Vor Wallak said. "I took the kobolds from him in exchange for his life."

"The elf here is Tellaris and I am Viktor."

"I am Vor Wallak."

"You said this happened last night."

Vor Wallak nodded.

Viktor turned toward Tellaris. "He can't be more than a half day ride ahead of us. If we go now, we can probably catch him before sundown."

Tellaris nodded in agreement.

The half-orc mounted his horse. He looked down at Vor Wallak and smiled.

"The kobolds are named Missy and Manny. Ozzie has taken great advantage of them. Treat them kindly. They lost their mother before they were born."

"I will. I promise you."

"I know that you will, Vor Wallak. Where are you headed?"

"West."

"In six days, you will come to a town called Greymoor. There is a tavern there; the Grimacing Goblin. The owner is a woman by the name of Chase. Tell her that you met us and the story about dear old Ozzie. She will take care of you and your new pets. After we catch up with our old friend, we will see you back at the Grimacing Goblin."

"I wish you well, Viktor."

The half-orc snapped the reins and the pair took off in a full gallop. Vor Wallak watched and thought to himself, "I'm glad I'm not that damned dwarf."

******

Chase couldn't have been kinder. After telling her about meeting with Viktor and Tellaris and the encounter with Ozzie, she had given him food and drink. When he told her that he could not pay her, she inquired about what he planned on doing with Missy and Manny. Since he had no money, Vor Wallak knew that he could not take care of them.

"I have a proposition for you, my friend. I will provide you with lodging and food for two weeks. I'll take the kobolds off your hands in exchange. Maybe you could help around here a little bit as well. Well, do we have a deal?"

"Deal. Thank you, Chase. You are too kind."

"Don't thank me yet. Wait until you see what needs to be done around here."

******

Viktor returned alone the following week. The night that he got back, he refunded the money to the patrons of the Grimacing Goblin that Ozzie had taken from them. All were in good spirits. Vor Wallak helped Chase serve the food and beverages.

"See the man over at the table by the window, the one with the red hat. He owns the stable in town. Ask him if he can put up your horse. She is magnificent. You don't want her out in the weather. Take this drink over to him and see what he has to say," Chase ordered, handing him a tankard of ale.

Vor Wallak brought the man his drink and struck up the conversation as he had been told.

When he walked back to the bar, he was smiling.

"Well?" Chase asked.

"Not only will he do it, but he offered me a job as well."

"That's fantastic," Chase said and patted him on the shoulder. "What will you be doing?"

"Shoveling shit," Vor Wallak said disappointedly.

******

Months went by. Vor Wallak would work at the stable all day and return to the Grimacing Goblin at night. He would play with Missy and Manny for a bit, have some supper and a few drinks, and then head up to his room to sleep.

One night as he sat finishing his meal, a group of men entered the tavern. It didn't take Vor Wallak too long to figure out that they were looking for trouble. The group quickly became intoxicated. Viktor was away. He had left that morning to go get supplies. Chase was alone.

One of the men made a rude remark to her. Another smacked her on the rear as she went by to serve drinks. When one of the men noticed that he was looking at them, he walked over to him.

"What's your problem, boy?" the man said.

When the man got close to him, the man stepped back quickly.

"By the gods. You smell like shit. Hey, this boy here smells worse than a goat's ass. You stink, boy. Why do you smell so damn bad?"

"I work at the stable," Vor Wallak said softly.

"Well damn, boy, you're supposed to shovel the shit, not eat it."

The group of men all started to laugh.

Vor Wallak stood silently, sizing them up.

"You know something, boy, I don't like the way that you're looking at me. Maybe I ought to take you out in the alley and teach you a lesson. What do you think about that, stable boy?" The man reached up and patted Vor Wallak on the face several times.

Just as he did, Manny bit the man in the ankle. The man cried out and then turned and kicked the kobold. Manny went spinning and sliding across the floor and then came to a halt by the leg of a chair. The little kobold didn't move. Missy scurried to check on her brother.

When the man turned back to Vor Wallak, he could see the anger seething in the boy's face.

"I can see that you're upset boy..."

"Not anymore," Vor Wallak said and plunged two fingers into the man's eyes.

The man screamed and staggered backwards falling over a chair. Before any of the rest of the group could react, Vor Wallak began to methodically take them out one by one. In just a few minutes, each of them lie unconscious on the floor of the Grimacing Goblen.

Vor Wallack ran to the kobolds. He picked Manny up from the floor. The tiny lizard opened one eye and looked at him. He rubbed the kobold's head. In a few minutes he began to stir. Vor Wallak placed him gently on the bar. He looked at Chase.

"I think that he is going to be alright. Can you get him some water?"

Chase nodded and went to get it. Missy circled nervously around her brother.

"He'll be fine," Vor Wallak said and patted her on the head.

The door to the tavern opened. In walked several armed men, members of the Night Watch.

"We heard that there was a ruckus here," said one of the men.

"These men came in and were causing a problem. This man stopped them," Chase said putting her arm around Vor Wallak's shoulder.

"Aren't you the stable boy?" one man asked.

Vor Wallak nodded.

"And you did all of this?" asked another man motioning to the bodies sprawled out on the floor of the tavern.
He nodded again.

"Come with me," said the Captain of the Watch. "The rest of you, clean up this mess."

Vor Wallak looked at Chase.

She shrugged her shoulders. Chase watched her defender be escorted from the Grimacing Goblin still in shock at what she had witnessed him do.

******

The next time she saw him, he was immaculately dressed. He wore the deep blue and gold of the noble's house guard.

"Look at you," Chase exclaimed as she rounded the bar and came toward him.

"Well, well, well, look who's here," Viktor said from where he sat at a table cutting carrots into a pot.

"The Captain of the Watch took me to see the Noble. When he was done telling him about what I had done here, the Noble offered me a job as a member of his personal guard."

That's fantastic," Chase said, "Thank you for what you did for me. I'm so happy for you!"

"Don't get a big head now. Don't forget to come and see us every once and awhile. Missy and Manny like having you around," added Viktor.

"Thank you all for your generosity. You showed a stranger great kindness. I will never forget it. I must go," Vor Wallak bowed and headed out of the Grimacing Goblin.

******

"I would eventually fall in love and marry the Noble's daughter. For my service and deep care of his daughter, he rewarded me with great wealth and a magnificent house," Vor Wallak said to the crowd gathered around him, Chase, and Viktor as they sat on stools at the bar in the tavern.

The three friends were older now, streaks of gray ran through their hair. Missy and Manny froliced behind them on the top of the bar. Viktor and Chase had never married. Viktor always knew that her first love was the Grimacing Goblin. Vor Wallak and his wife, Angela, raised three children, all of them girls. They were the apples of their father's eye.

"I fulfilled my childhood dream. I came to the West and found the wonders that I sought. My journey was a bit unusual to say the least. Long ago I was renamed Vor Wallak which means 'great future'. The name could not have been more accurate. Each year, Chase asks me to come to the Grimacing Goblin and retell my story on the anniversary of the night that I saved her. I hope that you have enjoyed it. Now, order plenty of food and drink."

The crowd laughed and began to clap.

"Hold on. Hold on. Whatever happened to the Anna Zi woman and the barbarian chieftain?" asked a beautiful woman from the far side of the tavern. She was holding onto the arm and resting her head on the shoulder of a handsomely rugged man with long gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard. A gold earring dangled from each of his ears.

Vor Wallak looked at the woman's gorgeous golden eyes and smiled.

"I heard that she married the chieftain thus uniting the tribes. I understand that their combined might helped to keep the fractured empire of the Dragon Men in check for many years. I hope that she knows how much she means to me and how grateful I am to her. Without her, I would not be here today. I named my oldest daughter, Ara, in her honor."

"I'm sure that she does, Vor Wallak, I'm sure that she does," the woman said and winked at him.

#28

Scott Lee

The four companions slowly walked down the empty alley, the rain pelting their tired faces. After a minute the group stopped. Staring up at the weathered sign, the thief spoke.

"The Grimacing Goblin," he said hopefully. "Gabriel, check the list."

The cleric nodded and reached into a bag that was secured on his belt. Fumbling around for a second, he pulled out a folded-up piece of paper. Opening it, he shielded the parchment from the elements as he quickly read through a long list of names scribbled upon it. After a long minute, Gabriel folded up the paper and placed it back in his bag.

"Nope!" he said with a smile. "It's not on the list!"

"Great!" exclaimed Barther, "I knew we'd find one!"

"Hooray," mumbled the wizard sarcastically. "We found a tavern in the worst section of Greymoor that hasn't banned us. Maybe we should all have a group hug."

Durg slapped his friend on the back.

"Lighten up Iggy! How bad can it be?"

Turning to the thief, Barther punched him in the arm without warning.

"You idiot!" he said angrily. "Rule #14. If any unfortunate soul utters the words "How Bad Can It Be", or any variation thereof, said person will set in motion a chain of events that will show, with painful clarity, just how bad it CAN be."

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" exclaimed Iggy. "We nearly had our asses handed to us by a giant badger! Pretty sure the chain of events has already started," he finished angrily. "Let's just go inside and get dry already."

"Right," agreed the thief, rubbing his arm. "Plus, I'm starving!"

"For the record, giant badgers are pretty nasty," mumbled Durg defensively.

As the wizard reached for the door, he stopped and turned to his friends, a firm look on his face. "It's cold, it's raining, we're tired and we're hungry. For the love of Dionysus, don't do anything stupid, and don't get us kicked out of this place."

His comrades gave him reassuring looks as they nodded in response.

"No problem," they said in unison.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the adventurers walked into a dimly lit room, their eyes taking a few seconds to adjust to the darkness. Looking around, they could see eight tables between them and the far wall. To their left was a fireplace, a healthy fire burning brightly within. As it was, this was the brightest source of light in the bar, as the majority of the tavern was shrouded in shadow; a result of the half dozen oil lamps scattered throughout the room.

Further observation revealed a long bar running the length of the room to their right, and behind the bar was a beautiful, middle-aged woman. Upon seeing their arrival, the barmaid gave the companions a quick smile and, with a subtle nod of her head, motioned for them to find a table.

Gazing around the room, the four adventurers did a quick assessment of the clientele. It was standard procedure for the group, as they somehow always seemed to find trouble, no matter how much they tried to avoid it.

As they scanned the room, they immediately noticed that the vast majority of the patrons were sitting in the deepest shadows on the perimeter of the room.

"Um . . . what say we grab that table near the bar, in front of the fireplace," Barther said nervously.

"I'll second that," replied Gabriel, keeping his voice just above a whisper.

Quickly the quartet moved to the table and sat down, immediately enjoying the warmth of the nearby flames. A moment later, the barmaid was at their table.

"So, what can I get you four?" she asked with authority.

Immediately the men knew she was the owner. The way she carried herself left no doubt.

"Four mugs of beer please," answered Durg.

Stretching his shoulder, Barther gave an exaggerated groan before turning his attention to the girl.

"What have you got to eat?" asked the fighter, his voice an octave lower than normal. "We really worked up an appetite slaying that dragon."

"Dragon?" she queried, with a raised eyebrow. "I hadn't heard of any dragons in these parts for quite some time."

"Well, this one kept a low profile," continued Barther. "Put up a good fight, I'll give it that. But it was no match for the Fab Four," he finished, his chest puffed out for emphasis.

Iggy slowly shook his head as he tried to avoid eye contact with the owner.

"I see," she said, a slight smile creeping into her mouth. "Well in answer to your question, the only thing we have to eat is the daily special."

"Great!" replied Gabriel, "What's the special?"

"Stew," she said flatly.

"Sounds good," said Durg. "What kind of stew?"

"No idea," she replied, her expression never changing.

"Um, we'll take four bowls please," Iggy finished.

"Four silver," she said bluntly. "Pay first."

Quickly the group produce the four silver pieces, which she promptly swept from the table. As she turned to head back to the bar, she suddenly stopped. Turning around, she leaned into the table, her gaze passing among the four companions.

"You really might want to stop saying please," she said quietly. "Tends to draw unwanted attention."

With that she straightened up and walked away.

"Idiots," she muttered under her breath.

"Idiot!" said Iggy angrily. "Why did you choose the dragon scenario?"

"What's wrong with the dragon scenario?" Barther replied defensively. "It's usually a slam dunk with the ladies."

"First of all, it's a slam dunk with the ladies you PAY for," countered the wizard. "And second of all, do we look at ALL like we've just been in a battle with a dragon?"

Barther crossed his arms in frustration, unable to come up with a counter to Iggy's point. Gabriel, meanwhile, had been keeping an eye on the other patrons while the fighter and wizard were arguing. One patron in particular.

Seated two tables away, in the back-left corner of the tavern, sat a large, grizzled looking fighter. His face, mostly cast in shadow, still revealed the tale of many a battle.

Durg, noticing Gabriel's gaze, questioned his friend.

"What gives?"

Turning to the thief, the cleric replied in a low whisper.

"That fighter in the corner. He hasn't taken his eyes of us ever since Barther mentioned a dragon."

"Ha!" exclaimed Barther, hearing Gabriel's observation. "He is no doubt in awe of our abilities."

"Uh . . . yeah, right," replied Gabriel. "Let's just cool it with the dragon talk for now, ok?"

"Whatever," answered Barther, giving a dismissive wave of his hand.

Just then the barmaid returned carrying four large mugs of beer and four bowls of stew. After setting them on the table, she quickly returned to the bar. Before she even reached the bar, Barther was shoveling stew into his mouth at a feverish pace.

"Dear God," muttered Iggy, as he watched the spectacle in front of him.

Iggy and the others had barely started their bowls when Barther lifted his own, slurping the remains in true warrior fashion. Raising his arm, he signaled to the barmaid for a refill. A few moments later, she returned to the table, replacing Barther's empty bowl with a full one.

"Six coppers," she said bluntly.

Barther reached into his pouch and slapped a silver piece on the table.

"Keep the change," he said with a wink and a smile.

The owner just shook her head as she scooped up the coin.

"Thanks," she replied, quickly returning to the bar.

For the next minute the four men sat quietly, eating their stew and slurping their beer. As Gabriel reached the halfway point of his meal, he suddenly stopped, a concerned look suddenly crossing his face.

"Ummm, guys? Do I taste beans in this stew?"

Immediately Durg's eyes went wide, followed by Iggy's.

Barther was oblivious as he held his bowl up to his face, slurping down the remainder of his stew.

"Oh shit," muttered the thief.

In an instant Durg was racing towards the bar. Reaching the long counter, he grabbed the barmaid's hand and spun her around, prompting a shocked and angry look. Ignoring her facial expression, Durg held his grip.

"What's in that stew?!" he asked urgently.

"Get your hand off of me before you lose it!" she spat.

Again, Durg pressed for an answer, his grip firm.

"What. Is. In. The. STEW!" he insisted, his voice rising.

But this time the look in his eyes and panic in his voice prompted the owner to answer.

Pulling her hand away, she shrugged.

"Mutton, carrots, Gamora beans, tomatoes . . ."

Instantly Durg's eyes went wide at the mention of the Gamora beans.

"Oh, dear God," he whispered, his face going pale.

The barmaid, seeing the look on his face, immediately responded.

"What? What's going on?"

Turning, Durg looked back to the table, only to see a large, old fighter standing over Barther and his friends.

"This isn't going to end well," he muttered.

It was then that he heard the first rumble.

Turning to the owner, he looked her square in the eyes.

"Run," was all he said.

*****

No sooner had Durg bolted from the table when a large, grizzled fighter appeared next to them. Looking to his right, Gabriel let out a half scream from surprise.

"Holy crap!" he exclaimed, grabbing the edge of the table. "You scared the shit out of me!"

The old fighter just looked at the three men, a steel gaze biting into their psyche.

"Did one of you mention a dragon?" he growled in a deep, gravelly voice.

"Uh. No," replied Iggy. "No one mentioned a dragon."

Slowly he looked from one party member to the next. His gaze eventually stopping on Barther.

"You," he said pointing. "You said you just killed a dragon."

Barther looked nervously at Iggy and the cleric.

"I did?" asked Barther.

"Yeah. Which means you know where the lizard's horde is."

Barther swallowed hard.

"Um, about that. You see, there really wasn't a dragon. It was more like a giant badger."

The old fighter leaned forward, his balled fists coming to rest on the table.

"Well, that means one of two things," he said in a low, calculated tone.

"One. You really did kill a dragon and don't want to tell me. Or two, you didn't kill a dragon and just said you did, which is offensive to those of us that actually have killed a dragon."

Leaning forward a few more inches, he finished his statement.

"Either way, I'm going to beat your sorry ass."

No sooner did the last word leave the old fighter's mouth when a low rumble emanated from Barther's side of the table. Straightening up, the old fighter looked around with a puzzled expression on his face. Seconds later, the rumble sounded again, and this time it was followed by a yell from across the room.

"Duck and cover!" screamed Durg.

Instantly Iggy and Gabriel dove away from the table, their hands covering their noses as they stayed low to the floor, scrambling to distance themselves from their friend. Seconds later a massive, burbling fart erupted from within Barther as he leaned to his right, inadvertently aiming the noxious gas towards his enemy. Taken by surprise, the grizzled fighter just stood there, confused.

And then it hit him.

In a heartbeat his expression went from one of confusion to one of revulsion to one of extreme nausea. Staggering backwards, the fighter struggled against his body's natural reaction, trying to hold back the wave of vomit that was building in his throat. A moment later, he lost the battle.

Turning his head, the fighter let loose a projectile vomit that sprayed onto the patrons of a nearby table. Furious, the men kicked out their chairs as they rose in anger, fists balled as they prepared for a fight. But those thoughts were lost in an instant as the invisible, toxic cloud continued to expand from its origin. Within moments the three men were suffering the same fate as the grizzled fighter, their faces turning green as they struggled against the horrible smell.

Two of the three dropped to their knees, retching uncontrollably. The third, being of a heartier constitution, managed to stagger his way to the door and the safety of the outside air.

Meanwhile, Durg, Iggy and Gabriel, noses clenched, had also made it to the door and were outside in the alley, leaning against the wall, gasping for breath.

"How did we not notice there were beans in that stew?" asked Durg, between breaths.

"The cook must have mashed them," replied Iggy, panting. "No way to see it."

As the companions sucked in the fresh air, they watched as other patrons began to poor out of the bar. Some staggered, others crawled. All were suffering.

As they stood, watching the scene unfold, they suddenly heard the sound of a sword as it was pulled from a scabbard. Turning, they came nose to point with a long sword, and a very pissed off tavern owner.

"What. The. Hell?!" she asked angrily, emphasizing each word with a sword poke to the chest of the three friends.

"What just happened in there?"

"We're really sorry," insisted Iggy. "We didn't know about the beans."

"Beans?" she repeated incredulously. "You expect me to believe that BEANS caused all of this?"

"It's the truth," replied Durg.

"It is," confirmed Gabriel.

"You better start explaining," she growled. "Or I'll gut you where you stand."

None of the three doubted her words. Her stance. The way she held the sword. They knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that she was far more than a simple barmaid turned tavern owner.

"Long story short?" started Durg. "Barther pissed off a gypsy when he violated his daughter. The old guy put a curse on him."

"His farts become toxic when he eats beans," continued Gabriel. "And Gamora beans are the worst."

The girl just shook her head in disbelief.

"Then why doesn't he just not eat them?" she asked, exasperated.

"Because he doesn't know," answered Iggy. "Part of the curse is that he can never remember after it happens. We do our best to try and keep him from eating them, but every once in a while . . . "

He let the words trail off.

"Why beans?" she continued. "Why did he curse him with beans?"

"Because it's his favorite food," replied Durg flatly.

Just then Barther emerged from the bar, a bewildered look on his face.

"Watcha doing out here, guys?" he asked innocently. 'Woah. What happened to these guys?" he asked.

The owner, seeing the curse in action, turned to Iggy.

"You four owe me four gold pieces for lost revenue," she said bluntly.

Sighing, Gabriel fished the gold pieces out of his pouch and handed them to the owner, who quickly tucked them into a pocket.

"Leave," she said flatly. "I don't ever want to see your faces in my tavern again. Understand?"

Iggy, Gabriel and Durg nodded in unison. Grabbing Barther by the arm, they headed down the alley.

"Why did she say that?" asked Barther. "I thought she liked us."

"Never mind," replied Durg. "Just never mind."

As the group made their way back to the main street, the rain began to fall again. As they stood at the intersection, Gabriel took the opportunity to pull the piece of paper from his pouch again, along with a box that seemed too large to have fit inside the bag. Opening the box, he pulled out a feather quill and then unfolded the piece of paper. GREYMOORE was written at the top. Below it was a long list of names.

With a sigh, he began to write:

#28 – The Grimacing Goblin

After placing the paper and quill back in the box, and the box back into the bag, the group made their way slowly down the street.

"Rule #14," muttered Durg.

"Shut up," grumbled Iggy. "Just shut up."

The Last King

Mark R. Hospodar Jr.

The clock had just struck ten o'clock at the Grimacing Goblin Inn and the atmosphere was festive as usual. Local laborers, who had arrived after their shifts ended a few hours ago, continued to mill about the bar and tables. Gruff and hard-drinking men, they moved about the place with a familiarity that suggested the Grimacing Goblin was their regular watering hole. Chase, the owner and proprietor of the establishment, greeted these familiar faces warmly and knew by heart the preferred poisons her guests habitually demanded. Beer, ale, and grog were handed out to her patrons steadily and without incident.

Besides the regular, scruffy-looking faces of the bar's frequent visitors, Chase also noticed a good deal of strangers. This was not an uncommon site as adventurers, sellswords, and wandering wizards frequently imbibed at her establishment on their way to the larger cities. The strangers consisted of every race and came from all walks of life. Humans, dwarves, and elves were always a familiar site. Conquering heroes, merciless villains, thieves, murderers, craftsmen, and merchants were all similarly welcomed to the Grimacing Goblin. As long as the gold was real and nobody got out of line, Chase's tavern didn't discriminate.

Chase was absent-mindedly contemplating all of this when she heard her entrance door open and close suddenly, almost with a sense of urgency. The patrons gave the odd little man a cursory glance before returning to their drinks. The stranger seated himself at an empty table in a quiet corner of the bar near the fireplace. The man looked old, possibly in his fifties or sixties, Chase thought. His hair was disheveled and his beard long and unkempt. It was clear to Chase that this man was in the midst of a long and hard journey. She approached the stranger from the bar and wondered along the way whether or not he even had any money.

"Why hello there weary traveler. You look like you've seen better days. Anything I can get for you?" Chase asked gently.

The old man looked at her with a quizzical expression, as if he was amazed that someone had actually noticed him enter the tavern. His weathered green eyes locked with Chase's own and replied,

"Thank you, my dear. A beer would surely quench my thirst for I have traveled these unfamiliar roads for a very long time."

Chase returned to the bar and filled a tall mug of beer from the nearby keg. She returned to the old man's table and set the drink in front of him.

"That's gonna cost you one gold coin stranger," Chase said firmly. "Although I have my doubts about your ability to pay."

The old man looked at the woman with an apologetic expression painted across his withered face. Chase thought that the man looked like a gentle enough sort and debated whether she should just give him the beer for free.

"You would be quite right my dear," the old man replied. "I'm afraid that my long journey has been hard on my coin purse. It's just that my throat is wickedly dry, and I thought that I might convince you to give an out-of-work old steward the drink for free."

Chase normally would have been irritated by this man's presumptions. But something about the old man's demeanor convinced her that this situation would be handled best with kindness and tact. It was obvious this man was a complete stranger to these lands by the sound of his accent. Chase thought the accent sounded lordly, although this man clearly did not look or sound like a lord.

"Look stranger, I'm inclined to cut you some slack, seeing as how you look like you've hit some hard times," Chase said. "Enjoy the beer and try to get warm by the fire. My name is Chase by the way."

The old stranger seemed taken aback by this sudden act of generosity and straightened himself up in his chair, enlivened by a new surge of vigor.

"Chase, I am honored by your kindness and your concern for my wellbeing. My name is Quintus and I hail from a distant realm that is most likely unfamiliar to the inhabitants of this land. Allow me, in lieu of payment, to recount my difficult journey and explain the culture and history of my countrymen. Surely my tale is worth at least one gold coin and I won't feel as guilty about taking charity from a kind woman."

It would be an understatement to say that Chase was intrigued by Quintus' offer to regale her with his tale. Chase was often interested in cultures and histories that were not her own. She made her decision without thinking too long about it. Chase barked an order at Nom, the dwarven cook, to watch over the bar as she seated herself at the table with Quintus.

"Okay stranger. You have my attention," Chase remarked.

"Very well my dear barmaid," replied Quintus. "I am delighted you have decided to humor an old man."

Without any further delay, Quintus began to recount his story.......

The land that I call my home has been given various titles across the many centuries throughout its existence. "The Imperial Crown Lands" or the "Land of the Imperials" have been popularly espoused by historians, most of them foreigners from neighboring and distant lands alike. In fact, I once even met a dwarven smith who referred to my country as the "Viper's Nest," which I found to be quite humorous. He was alluding of course to my countrymen's predilection towards subterfuge and backstabbing which unfortunately has become a mainstay for the ruling elite in recent years, but I digress. Ask any native of where I am from and he will most likely reply with simply "The Kingdom." You have to understand, of course, that our humble and quite frankly bland sounding name for our country belies its past grandeur and magnificence. In ages past my fatherland was known colloquially as merely "The Empire" because the width and breadth of our holdings stretched for many thousands of miles and across the seas. Our imperial government knew no equal and our emperor was personified as a god amongst men. Sadly, those days are over, and it has been the misfortune of my homeland that has presently brought me to this strange and confusing country.

I can see you look a bit confused and admittedly I don't blame you for having no idea about the history or current status of my country. You see, I am a bit embarrassed to confess that some of our history has become a mystery to even the most learned men of our kingdom. Part of the reason why foreigners and travelers to our land have such a plethora of names for my homeland is due to the calamity that had befallen our realm about three hundred years ago. I can see that I have done little to assuage your confusion, my dear, if that look on your face is anything to go by. Permit me to take a breath from my long journey and start at the beginning. I beg that you listen to my story and take heed of my advice, for I have had both the pleasure and misfortune of knowing great warriors and kings and the personal failures that have led to their doom.

Thousands of years ago the Empire had been one out of dozens of small city-states that dotted the landscape in all directions. The heartland of our Empire was called Romula and it was named after the legendary founder of our city as well as our first king, Romulus the Great. The passage of time has unfortunately already whittled away our awfully meager and pathetic scholarship concerning Romulus the Great. Books, scrolls, tablets, and manuscripts have sadly been lost or destroyed throughout our history. Some historians and scholars have done an admirable job in reconstituting the Empire's ancient history, but some pieces of knowledge can never be replaced, and its secrets will forever remain in the shadow of ignorance. The life of Romulus the Great is shrouded in such mystery that many of his deeds cannot be neatly separated into fact and myth. All that I can say for sure, my humble barmaid, is that Romulus the Great was the founder of Romula and set the stage for her greatness.

Romulus fashioned a highly militaristic society in which it was every citizens' duty and privilege to defend Romula against her enemies. In time, our illustrious founder managed to conquer many of the lesser peoples that were Romula's neighbors. The conquered territory was gradually incorporated into Romula's sphere of control while our once nascent city-state took the form of a small but highly formidable kingdom. It was around this time that Romulus the Great died, supposedly of natural causes, although other authorities maintain that he was murdered by a group of jealous vassals who coveted his power and possessions. There are even some who claim that Romulus shed his mortality and was delivered unto the gods during a thunderstorm. Personally, I find the latter story to be hogwash. It was likely cooked up by a bunch of raving lunatic fanatics that couldn't believe their great leader had finally perished from this earth.

How Romulus met his end is semantic at best and should be left to the chroniclers and the priests to decide which version of the story is true. What I can tell you for sure is that Romulus's kingdom continued to thrive after his death. The tribes of our unwashed, cultureless, and pathetic ancient neighbors never stood a chance against Romula's war machine of professional and highly motivated soldiers. To die in the defense of the homeland was a great honor not only to the state, but to the gods themselves. We brought culture and civilization to the barbarians and assimilated them as best we could. In time, our subjects began to regard us not as subjugators, but as friends and eventually fellow countrymen. The extent of our kingdom and the spread of our culture became so great that fewer and fewer people distinguished between who was an original native of Romula and who was a subject. Stability and the passage of time had done great favors to Romulus the Great's people as more outsiders adopted our culture and customs. The successors to Romulus the Great had become so powerful and infused with riches that Romula's kings began styling themselves as emperors. Thus, it became common practice to refer to our realm as the Empire rather than Romula. The ethnic and cultural differences between the people of Romula and our barbarian subjects became less distinct through generations of interbreeding and assimilation. In the end, the mixing of our cultures made us stronger and my people became known to the outside world as Imperials.

The Empire flourished for hundreds of years under the firm leadership of the emperors. In time our conquests became fewer as the borders of the realm were beginning to be fixed. The Imperial armies shifted their focus from offensive operations to defensive ones. The barbarian tribes that the emperors were not interested in conquering were left to their own devices as the Empire strengthened her borders and became interested in more cosmopolitan pursuits. The smiths and artisans of the Empire were renowned for their skills in stonemasonry, sculptures, paintings, and architecture. In those days the city of Romula itself was the truest example of beauty a person could behold. The marble bathhouses were exhilarating from what I can understand from the old writings. The sprawling marketplace brought buyers and merchants from distant lands. The amphitheaters put on plays, sporting events, and mock battles. There was a popular saying during this particular time period that went, "A person's desires in Romula are limited only by his imagination." Alas, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that these happy times were not to last indefinitely.

As is so often the case regarding powerful men, many of the Empire's rulers started to see themselves as living embodiments of the gods. Citizens were encouraged not only to worship the primordial pantheon of celestials from our earliest history, but to also revere living men as well. The emperors were no longer content to just simply serve as the first among equals. Their vanity and wasteful indulgences had convinced them that worldly limitations did not, in fact, exist. The sycophantic courtiers of the emperors propagated certain beliefs which stipulated that ordinary men did not inhabit the throne. Rather, these monarchs were divine beings in their own right. These poisonous ideas infected the minds of the weak and strong alike with disastrous consequences. The people of Romula, once a warlike and highly efficient society, became a den of mindless cattle. The martial spirit that had once characterized the Empire evaporated as the people became soft and lazy, content to enjoy the pleasures of civilization and worship their idiot god-kings.

It wasn't long before our supposedly sleeping neighbors had violently reawakened to ravage and pillage our Empire. These vile barbarians had been watching us and studying our weaknesses while they bided their time. For the first time in generations our enemies were no longer inferior to us in terms of military discipline and technology. The commanders of these invading armies were very talented, some had even learned their craft at the feet of our very own generals! The floodgates had finally opened, and the wolves were ravenously hungry. Our armies, by now ill-disciplined rabble led by favorites of the emperor whose skill on the battlefield was highly suspect, did not stand a chance. The Imperials were outnumbered and outclassed at every turn and the Empire fell into ruin. It was only through the grace of the gods that some of our more talented military leaders preserved the heartland itself, Romula. All of our foreign possessions that had been acquired throughout the centuries were lost to the various tribes of invaders.

The heroes who had saved the heartland of the Empire hailed from the Octavianus family, an ancient and highly respected clan. Two brothers, scions of their family, marshaled the remnants of the once mighty Imperial Army and defended Romula against nearly ceaseless invasions. After littering the fields with innumerable barbarian corpses, the invaders signed a peace treaty with the Octavianus brothers where it was agreed that the integrity of the Romulan borders would be preserved. The older and more respected of the two brothers, Julius Octavianus, was crowned king by his soldiers. The title of emperor was discarded as it no longer befitted the current circumstances of the realm. This is why, even in our present day, we refer to our country as simply "The Kingdom."

The descendants of Julius Octavianus continued to rule the Kingdom for the next three hundred years. During that time the Kingdom has suffered from near constant invasions from the barbarians, who have since become even stronger and stable. The Kingdom's vassals, known as the Dukes, are a small but powerful group of noble individuals. The Dukes are aware that the king cannot possibly defend the borders without their financial and military aid. The monarch must now be a shrewd and crafty politician if he is to hope to manage his vassals without getting a dagger in his back for his troubles. It is in this toxic environment that my tragic story begins.....

As I have mentioned previously my former occupation was that of a steward for the reigning monarch of the Kingdom, Flavius IV. I entered his esteemed majesty's service at a young age and bore witness to his many successes and travails. The old king was a wise and fair ruler who commanded the respect of his people. However, the Dukes were a constant source of irritation for my liege as their greediness and thirst for power subsumed the needs of the state. One of the few faults that my master possessed was an overly accommodating nature that drove him to constantly please others, particularly his vassals. The Dukes took advantage of my master's agreeable disposition and enriched themselves in a most obscene fashion by building ever larger castles and throwing immense banquets. Flavius IV was just barely able to keep the barbarian hordes at bay while the Dukes spent their time drinking with their whores. Fortunately, my master was able to placate the Dukes enough in order to make use of their valuable troops and maintain the security of the Kingdom.

During Flavius IV's reign I had the distinct pleasure of watching his children grow into adulthood. His firstborn son and heir was given the name of Gaius. Flavius IV's firstborn proved to be an exceptional boy. As Gaius grew into manhood he displayed strikingly handsome looks with a powerfully built body. He stood at 6'3" and quickly became an expert at everything related to warfare. Swords, axes, lances, maces, and war hammers were all part of his daily training regimen. Gaius was also a natural at horseback riding and even learned how to use a bow while mounted. If there was one glaring fault in Gaius's personality it would have been his ego. You see, Gaius despised his father's obliging qualities and instead adopted a more chauvinistic character. I remember Gaius, even as a boy, always being anxious to assert his authority over others and always willing to challenge anyone who doubted his abilities. Despite his vanity, Gaius was immensely protective of his family and frequently sought his father's approval.

Gaius's willingness to play the part of the perfect prince could not possibly have been more different from that of his younger brother, who was given the name Romulus, the same name as the dynasty's founder. Romulus was born four years after his older brother and differed from him significantly in many obvious ways. Romulus was an attractive boy, but his features were a bit more understated compared to Gaius. He exuded a quiet confidence and intensity that complimented his already sharp intelligence. Romulus devoured books and quickly mastered multiple languages. I regularly caught the boy conversing with foreign diplomats and merchants on topics that were beyond what a thirteen-year-old boy should know! I also observed in Romulus a melancholy that Gaius rarely displayed. As Romulus matured he developed an uncanny ability to read human behavior. A flick of the eyes, a nervous twitch, or an involuntary stutter told Romulus all he ever needed to know about a person. His cold, blue eyes made more than one courtier or vassal uncomfortable. One's very soul was laid bare when you locked eyes with the younger prince. Despite these unusual traits, Romulus always struck me as an extremely conscientious and kind-hearted sort, always willing to help his friends and family. Although not quite as physically imposing as his older brother, Romulus became an accomplished warrior in his own right. Dueling became his favorite pastime while he quickly built a reputation as a fearsome opponent when armed with a sword or dagger. The manner in which the young prince danced around his instructors, delivering the fatal strike with his wooden sword in the blink of an eye was breathtaking to behold. Romulus's ability to read the behavior of his opponents made him an adversary that few individuals relished.

Between the two brothers I was fondest of Romulus. I was his favorite tutor during his childhood, teaching a wide range of material from mathematics to philosophy, and it wasn't long before we became great friends. It is a privilege to say that I was his confidante for matters big and small as well as professional and personal. It was my attachment to the young Romulus that makes this story so painful for me to recount.

By the time Romulus had reached the age of eighteen he decided to leave the kingdom and travel abroad. Actually, truth be told, it was also partly his father's decision to send his son away from court. Flavius thought that it would be beneficial for Romulus to experience life outside of the Kingdom and put some distance between the prince and the poisonous influence of the Dukes. For his part, Romulus often thought of himself as an adventurer and jumped at the chance to travel to foreign lands. Gaius was denied such an opportunity since he was the heir to the throne and had to focus his attention on learning how to rule at the feet of his father. It was bittersweet for me to watch my friend leave his home. I would have followed him to the depths of the underworld if he had asked me, but my duties were owed to his father. It was with a heavy heart that I bid my pupil farewell and prayed that the goddess Fortuna would look after him on his adventures.

Ten years after my friend's departure he finally returned to the Kingdom, although I doubted it was his choice to do so. Unforeseen circumstances had forced Romulus to make haste back to the Kingdom. My kind master, King Flavius IV of Romula, died unexpectedly in his sleep at the age of sixty-six. Physically the King was in good health for a man his age. I had never known Flavius to miss a boar hunt or pass up a chance to spar with his oldest companions on the practice field. Rather, I believe it was the mental strain that caused my master to expire so suddenly. Dealing with the constant invasions of his realm throughout Flavius's life was a tremendous burden that would have broken the spirits of lesser men. The constant politicking with those contemptible Dukes I'm sure added to the tension. I somehow knew in my soul that my king's beleaguered heart would eventually give out. I'm at least thankful that Flavius died peacefully in his sleep and was granted the relief he desired for so many years.

Flavius IV was given a lavish funeral as befitted a man of his rank and exceptional character. It seemed to me that the entirety of the Kingdom had come out to watch the royal procession and bid farewell to the monarch they loved so dear. Flavius IV's coffin was marched out of the capital and taken to a small hill not far from the city. There, he was interred in a beautiful but unassuming mausoleum cut from the finest Romulan marble. The priests and priestesses invoked their final blessings from the gods and bid Flavius IV a safe journey to the underworld. Gaius, now King of Romula, kept a vigil beside his father's tomb the entire night as his remains were sealed into a sarcophagus. In the morning Gaius was formally crowned the new King of Romula with the consent of the Dukes. Bells chimed throughout the capital and golden wreaths adorned every building across the city. The people of the Kingdom waited expectantly to see how their new monarch was going to measure up against his lofty predecessor.

It was exactly one week after the coronation of Gaius I when I caught sight of Romulus returning home. I was paying my respects to our previous king at his tomb, which afforded me a fine view of the surrounding countryside. Romulus was traveling the road alone seated atop a fearsome black steed. His raiment consisted of chainmail armor that was overlaid with a crimson tunic. Imprinted on his tunic was the heraldry of House Octavianus, a gold two-headed eagle with outspread wings. Black leather riding gloves and matching boots rounded out his attire. Romulus approached the mausoleum and regarded it thoughtfully for a moment, never betraying his inner thoughts or feelings.

"Hail, Prince Romulus," I intoned with an outstretched fist.

A smile crept across the prince's fox-like features and his unsettling eyes caught my own. However, I could see that there was warmth and kindness behind those eyes as he acknowledged my presence.

"Quintus, my oldest and truest friend. It is good to see you after these ten long years. How have you been getting along? I trust you have heard some news of my own travels."

It was true that I had heard various tales of the prince's exploits during his absence. He had visited the royal courts of diverse realms, many of them our former provinces before the Great Collapse. After spending a few years studying unfamiliar cultures Romulus eventually joined up with a mercenary band called the Emerald Shields. I was told that Romulus honed and perfected his combat skills during his time with the mercenaries. As mercenaries the young prince and his band of warriors were hired by several rulers who all had an assortment of motivations. Some jobs proved to be honorable ventures while others contained little in the way of valor. Every now and then I would hear disturbing reports of cities sacked or villages burned, but such is the manner of war. At least that's how I justified it to myself. I was not yet ready to admit to myself that Romulus might be capable of committing wanton acts of cruelty. To me, he was still that little boy I had mentored for so many years. What is undeniable is the fact that Romulus's fame grew exponentially during his mercenary days. Arguably his greatest feat was the slaying of a legendary brigand who had been plaguing small hamlets and towns for decades. It was said that Romulus plunged his sword into the man's chest after a protracted duel with their sabers. That was about the extent of my knowledge concerning the prince's deeds during his ten years abroad. I suspected that Romulus enjoyed a bit of mystery when it came to his past.

I told Romulus that I was in good health (besides my gout acting up from time to time) and then recounted the details of his father's death, the ensuing funeral, and the first week of his brother's reign. The prince's face was predictably expressionless as I explained the recent happenings. After I had finished, he signaled his understanding with a slight nod of his head. Romulus then bid me farewell and dug his heels into the side of his great steed. I watched the prince's figure recede in the distance as he galloped toward the capital. I was certain of what Romulus had intended to do. He was going to finally reunite with his brother Gaius and swear fealty to the newly christened King of Romula.

I returned to the palace later that evening where I was eventually told of what had occurred during the reunion between the two brothers. Julia, one of the personal servants to the king, was present at the meeting. She was kind enough to fill me in on the details after I "requisitioned" a bottle of fine Vizimian wine for her from the kitchens.

According to Julia the brothers greeted each other cordially and embraced after exchanging a few barely audible words. Afterwards, Romulus knelt before Gaius and presented his sword to the king in an act of fealty. Gaius, smiling broadly, raised his brother up by the shoulders and clapped him playfully on the back. The king subsequently named Romulus as his regent, which was a highly respected position within the realm. This post effectively made Romulus responsible for the protection of Gaius's heirs. It also meant that Romulus would rule the Kingdom temporarily if Gaius became incapacitated or if his heirs were too young to inherit the throne. Without a doubt, being a regent was an enviable honor that was entrusted only to individuals whose loyalty was beyond question. Naturally it was an appointment that the Dukes routinely craved, but seldom attained. I thanked Julia for her help and retired to my chambers for the night. I slept soundly that night whilst thanking the gods for the amicable reunion between the Octavianus brothers.

I awoke the next morning with an energy that I had not felt in years. It was like a great burden had been lifted from my mind knowing that Romulus was finally back home. I was in such good spirits that I nearly floated down the steps of my chambers in the east castle turret. While I was walking down one of the many long corridors that led to the throne room, I spied Romulus conversing with his younger sister Valeria and her two precocious children.

"Wait just a moment," Chase interjected. A look of surprise flashed across Quintus's face as he had not anticipated his story to be interrupted. "You never mentioned any sister."

"I most certainly did, miss! Or wait, perhaps I didn't mention the other Octavianus sibling. My apologies mistress. It is with a fair amount of shame that I must admit that my train of thought can get fuzzy sometimes at my advanced age. Please allow me to elaborate......"

Valeria was the last of Flavius IV's children and obviously the only girl of the trio. Even as a young girl it was evident that Valeria was enchantingly beautiful. Her face resembled a doe with large blue eyes, fair complexion, and a somewhat pointed chin. Unsurprisingly, Valeria's features were unique when compared to her other siblings. Gaius was rough and gruff and lumbered about the castle with his large frame. By contrast, Valeria was graceful on her feet and gentle as a mouse. I recall one time she burst into tears when she discovered a half dead sparrow on her windowsill. Valeria's eyes lacked the blazing intensity that Romulus's own possessed. Her eyes always suggested kindness and compassion, even when those sentiments were not always warranted. I had long suspected that out of all his children Flavius IV considered Valeria as his favorite. And why not? The bond between a father and daughter can often be very strong, at least in my opinion. It's also worth noting that Romulus and Valeria were as thick as thieves. Since Gaius was often spending his time with courtiers and tutors in preparation for his ascension to the throne, Valeria and Romulus were frequent playmates as children. Romulus was so good with her as kids, never pulling her hair or teasing her as big brothers are known to do. For her part, Valeria regularly sung her brother's praises to anyone who would listen. Their fondness for each other endured throughout the years and Valeria was overjoyed when she heard of her brother's return.

As I've said, I spied the brother and sister in the corridor one morning. They were talking excitedly with each other, eager to relate their experiences during their time apart. Valeria's children, twin boys, stood at their mother's side waiting patiently to ask their uncle a million questions about his journey. Three or four minutes passed before Romulus and Valeria began walking further down the corridor to the throne room. Romulus scooped up one of the twins, I believe it was Maximian, and placed him atop one of his slender shoulders. I remember the boy laughed excitedly as his brother, Gordion, ran alongside the group hoping to get a ride from his uncle too. I smiled broadly, both inwardly and outwardly, at the blissful sight I had just beheld and continued quietly about my business.

Alas, those happy moments didn't last long as affairs of state soon reared its ugly and cumbersome head. The death of Flavius IV and the subsequent ascension of his eldest son had emboldened some of our more treacherous neighbors to the north. Sensing that their longtime enemy might be weak the Thernubia tribe unleashed their barbarian hordes, thereby precipitating a full-scale invasion of our lands. These events seemed even more calamitous at the time considering that Gaius I had only been king for about a month when the Thernubians declared war. Our legions stationed in the castles around our northern border held those beastly dogs at bay for only a moment. Gaius I, always brash and headstrong, actually relished the chance to go to war and prove his mettle to the Dukes and to the people of Romula. It seemed as if every able-bodied man in the Kingdom was conscripted into military service; even discharged veterans reenlisted in the hope of acquiring more glory as well as riches. The suddenness of the barbarian onslaught prompted the Dukes to contribute their full resources. After all, what good would their wealth mean if the Thernubians managed to conquer their lands? Still, I harbored the distinct impression that most of the Dukes expected some sort of compensation from their king as soon as the war ended.

I can now say with some certainty that the war had the greatest impact on the Octavianus family. Romulus became a trusted general during the war, commanding four legions, which roughly totaled 20,000 fighting men. In fact, Romulus was given the title of magister militum to denote his high military rank and his jurisdiction over such a large force. The only other man I recall holding the same title at that time was Valeria's husband, the Duke of Aurelian. Come to think of it, I actually forgot how much I detested that buffoonish excuse for a man. One of Flavius IV's more questionable decisions was to marry his sole daughter to the Duke of Aurelian, a man who was the first among equals between his peers. Aurelian possessed a great number of lesser royal titles and the quantity of his wealth and lands surpassed the other Dukes. Flavius IV thought that an alliance with this man would ease some of the pressure he regularly faced with the Dukes. Regrettably, the Duke of Aurelian proved himself to be an extremely arrogant and uncaring individual. His propensity to drunkenly throw his wine cups at his servants became legendary. Aurelian simply viewed his marriage to Valeria as a steppingstone to greater political heights. Valeria, for her part, viewed Aurelian as a monumental disappointment. The only solace she took from the whole fiasco was her children that she bore not long after her marriage. In short, the Duke of Aurelian's promotion to magister militum was purely a political appointment that had nothing to do with either skill or merit.

Anyway, I probably shouldn't dwell too long on the Duke of Aurelian's memory considering it makes me quite sick to my stomach. The legions of the Kingdom, once fully assembled, eventually began to turn the tide of battle in our favor. The iron will of our soldiers coupled with our mostly competent leadership proved to be more than a match for the invaders. After all, one should never underestimate a man's willingness to defend his homeland. The exploits of Romulus during that conflict are too numerous to recount in full at the present moment. Some of his more notable deeds included the slaying of a great enemy chieftain on the field of battle in single combat. I was later told by some of the veterans of that battle how Romulus managed to slowly cut the chieftain innumerable times with his sword before finishing him off. You see, if Romulus couldn't finish an opponent quickly, he would outlast him. In the case of that particular chieftain the end result was a slow and gruesome death.

Romulus also proved his skills as a strategist by retaking many of our cities that had been captured by the enemy during the first few weeks of the invasion. These campaigns ultimately culminated in the annihilation of an entire Thernubian war band that consisted of nearly 2,000 warriors. I learned about this victory by poring over the action reports that arrived a few days later. Apparently, two legions under Romulus's command cornered the careless barbarians at the base of the Istrian River. With the river to their backs the Thernubians had nowhere to run as the legions slowly and methodically crushed them under foot. It was around this time that many soldiers under the prince's command became almost fanatically loyal to him. Most notably, the IX and XIII legions considered Romulus invincible and promised to pledge their services to his person indefinitely.

Our sovereign, Gaius I, viewed these events concerning his brother with trepidation. Although the brothers had always gotten along well during their childhood, the times had now changed. Gaius was king but was an inexperienced one who had begun to doubt himself. I have recounted before that Gaius was often a supremely confident individual who followed through with his decisions to the very end. Sadly, the king's legendary self-assuredness was shaken by the events that had taken place not long after his coronation. The stress of having to defend the Kingdom so suddenly after being crowned affected Gaius I greatly. The thought of having to play nice with the Dukes after the war did not sit well with him either. After observing his father rule for many years Gaius, I knew better than anyone that the Dukes expected to be rewarded for their contributions to the war. Gaius most likely would have crushed the Dukes without any hesitation, but he couldn't afford to make such a bold move. The fact that Gaius I was powerless to move against the Dukes contributed to his growing sense of helplessness and uncertainty. Seeing his brother Romulus attain tremendous fame on the battlefield only worsened the situation. I could see, little by little, that Gaius's green eyes would turn even greener when in the presence of Romulus.

The war with the Thernubians eventually drew to a close after a year and a half of bitter fighting. Like most wars in our recent history the treaty essentially maintained the boundaries of the two kingdoms before the conflict began (the scribes would describe this type of peace as status quo ante bellum in my language). Although Romula fought bravely we were still too small and too weak to enforce any major concessions from the Thernubians. We would have to be content with a draw. Despite the lack of any real gain for the state's benefit the citizens of Romula were jubilant that the war had finally ended. Less jubilant was Gaius I when Romulus returned home. Unlike his original homecoming Romulus's reception at the court of his brother after the war was icy. Gaius I rarely showed any warmth toward his brother now. The relationship between the two of them was now more businesslike and less personal. Romulus kept his titles for the sake of appearances and remained as regent, but it was clear that he was out of favor. In an act of pure pettiness, Gaius I also shunned his sister Valeria, rarely meeting with her outside of formal occasions. I suspect the reason for this cruelty stemmed from Valeria's closeness to Romulus. Gaius I began to despise anyone close to his brother, including me. I was never discharged from my service, but it was evident that my advice held little value anymore to the king. My counsel was regularly met with hostile stares and then a wave of the hand from the king would signal my cue to leave. The king sought his advice elsewhere, usually in the form of sycophants and imbeciles whose only talent was to flatter.

It was during those uneasy months of peace following the war that Gaius's mental state began to deteriorate even further. Monumental stone statues and marble busts of his likeness steadily appeared in greater numbers throughout the capital. Musicians, playwrights, and bards were instructed by the point of a sword to spread the word of the king's deeds during the war. As you might have guessed, that particular royal decree proved quite unpopular in the many inns and taverns across the Kingdom. So, Gaius I passed a subsequent law that made it illegal to gag, evict, or otherwise assault any entertainer performing one of the king's melodies. The punishment was death by crucifixion. The king's wardrobe had also undergone a dramatic change. Gaius I shunned the modest purple robes that denoted his humility and began wearing ostentatious silken garments of fabulous reds and blues. Gold rings adorned every finger and atop his head sat a magnificent ruby crown with encrusted emeralds along the sides. A golden scepter was often clutched in his left hand as he sat erect on his throne like a gargoyle ready to pounce at any moment. Finally, Gaius I embarked upon his most controversial step by insisting that he be referred to as a living god by all the subjects of the realm. Courtiers and vassals had to prostrate themselves before the king in his presence and were forced to call him the Divine One. In my opinion, this last act was the greatest sin of all. Gaius I had unwisely resurrected one of the most foolish rituals from the time of the emperors and thereby caused great resentment among both commoners and nobles alike. Adding insult to injury the king also instituted a special religious tithe the Dukes had to pay to the royal treasury each year in lump sums of gold.

The Dukes, who were proud individuals in their own right, resented the king's behavior with a burning hatred. It wasn't long before there were treasonous whispers of revolt in the air. I felt it was my duty to warn the king of the danger those grumblings posed, but at that point Gaius I banned my presence at the court altogether. He suggested that I should pledge my fealty to Romulus since he was the only one who could stand my supposed "senile ramblings." I took the advice to heart and began serving Romulus at his estate in the countryside. I must say that I felt a great deal of relief living in the company of Romulus. My counsel was always appreciated at his side, even if it was not always followed every time.

I was standing at my master's side in the audience chamber one late evening when a servant, whose name I unfortunately cannot remember, entered the room. The servant announced that several visitors were waiting at the entrance to the villa and were seeking an audience with Romulus. My master gave his consent and the servant quickly scurried away to complete his task. Shortly thereafter four guests filed into the chamber wearing dark woolen robes that concealed their faces. Romulus, seated on a small dais, commanded the strangers to reveal themselves. The men threw back their hoods while the flickering candlelight illuminated their features and revealed that they were not strangers at all. They turned out to be the four most powerful and influential Dukes of the Kingdom! The Duke of Majorian, the Duke of Numerian, the Duke of Constantine, and the Duke of Aurelian all stood before my master looking slightly panicked and grave. The assembled Dukes greeted my master respectfully with a bow, expect for Aurelian who could only manage a slight tilt of his head (the dumb oaf). After exchanging a few formalities our guests stated the purpose of their late-night visit. The Duke of Constantine did most of the talking as he launched into a furious tirade against the king. It was revealed that nearly all of the Dukes were almost ready to commit to open rebellion. The humiliations and burdens the king had imposed on them were too much to bear and they craved a return to normalcy. The list of grievances went on for so long that I was nearly caught off guard when the Duke of Numerian asked Romulus if he would support a coup against his brother. I just managed to stifle a gasp; the bluntness of the question was a veritable shock to my system. I barely heard the rest of the conversation. I vaguely remember the Dukes making promises of loyalty and support once Romulus was crowned king. I finally managed to calm myself down and collected my thoughts. Surely Romulus would never sanction the murder of his own flesh and blood. He was much too honorable a man to consider such an option. But then a dark cloud entered my mind. I recalled the whispered stories about Romulus's conduct during his time as a mercenary. Burning entire towns, massacring the populace, selling women and children into slavery. No, those were just stories. Besides, wars are complicated and messy. A man on the frontlines of battle sometimes has to make unsavory decisions for the greater good. Those were the things I said in my mind to reassure myself at the time. I almost didn't hear Romulus order me out of the room. I tried to protest but a flash of menace across my master's eyes settled the argument. I walked out into the hallway as if in a dream. Romulus wouldn't condone the murder of Gaius. Or would he?

Well, it turned out I did not have to wait long for my answer. A fortnight had passed since our little late-night rendezvous when I was beset with the very news I had been dreading. I was in the process of reviewing some financial scrolls in the library around midday when I heard the sounds of a herald approaching the entrance to the villa. His voice was frantic and quavering as he shouted "The King is dead! The King has been slain by wretched assassins!" I sprinted as fast as my old decrepit legs could carry me, but by the time I reached the front gate the messenger had moved on. I hastened to my master's throne room to deliver the news since I wasn't sure if anybody else had heard the dreadful message. As I journeyed through the halls to the throne room I prayed to the gods that Romulus had not committed the unthinkable. I burst through the doors to find Romulus slumped on his throne with his chin resting on the knuckles of one of his hands. He did not acknowledge me until I was close enough to touch him. Out of breath, I barely managed to choke out the words that Gaius I was treacherously killed by an unknown number of assassins. Romulus regarded me with a quizzical expression, as if he did not quite believe what I had just said. Suddenly, Romulus sprung out of the chair with a pained expression on his face, like a lever had just been switched in his mind. He put his hand on my shoulder and bowed his head for a moment. I was perplexed by this last action. Was Romulus devastated by the tragic death of his only brother, or was it more like relief? I was ashamed that I couldn't come up with an answer.

I accompanied Romulus to the capital later that evening to seek answers about the assassination. Romulus had to privately confer with the other high-ranking officials of the realm, so I was left to my own devices at court. I sought out Julia, the serving girl who had often been a wealth of information for me during my days as a steward at the king's court. I finally found her amongst a group of other servants and quietly pulled her away in order to talk privately. As I asked her what happened I noticed her red, puffy eyes. She had been crying for quite some time. Through Julia's uncontrollable sniffling I managed to piece together most of the story. Word had spread throughout the court that Gaius I had been killed during his morning hunt in the countryside. Apparently, a group of brigands had inadvertently crossed paths with the king's hunting party. Seeing an opportunity for a hefty ransom the bandits stalked the hunting party, waiting for an opportunity to abduct the king. Gaius I, unaware of the danger, brazenly forged ahead of the party a bit too far in the interest of cornering his prey. It was at that moment that the bandits seized their chance and rushed the king. However, Gaius I proved to be too formidable of an adversary, even when outnumbered. The king presumably threw off his attackers and held them at bay for a few moments. By this time the king's bodyguards had heard the commotion and were fast approaching the scene. One of the bandits, perhaps panicking at the prospect of not being able to abduct Gaius I, made a split-second decision and fired a crossbow. The bolt pierced the king's right eye and struck his brain, killing him instantly. The bandits proceeded to loot the king's corpse as compensation for their trouble, making off with some expensive rings and Gaius I's personal sword. When the king's bodyguards finally arrived, the culprits had split up into the forest and made their escape.

I was unable to get any more details out of Julia because she began to sob uncontrollably at that point. I gave her my handkerchief and comforted her as best I could before I left her to find Romulus. I arrived at the doors to the throne room just as the party was filing out. The Dukes of the realm were all present and trying their best to conceal their elation. Valeria was the only person who looked legitimately sullen concerning the death of her brother. I navigated the sea of bodies and eventually pushed myself into the throne room. There, slumped in the throne with his chin resting on the knuckles of one of his hands, was Romulus with a crown atop his head. The era of King Romulus II had come after his brother's reign of one year and nine months. Unfortunately, the reign of King Romulus II would last much longer.

Up to this point I have been rather detailed in my account of the Octavianus family. However, I see that the hour is now growing late, and it would be impossible for me to explain every event that occurred during Romulus's thirty-two-year reign. As such, I will be brief in summarizing the horrible deeds that marked my former friend's time as monarch.

After the coronation of Romulus, a blind man could see that the business of the realm was being handled with an altogether different kind of touch. Twelve of the most prominent Dukes, including the three men who had visited Romulus with that terrible offer of murder, were swiftly executed in a manner most unpleasant. I watched as these men sat at the banquet tables in the royal palace filling their fat stomachs with copious amounts of wine. One by one their expressions became contorted while their faces displayed unnatural hues of purple. Foamy blood oozed from their mouths as some tried to fight the inevitable. The Duke of Aurelian, in particular, thrashed about quite a bit as he clumsily knocked over tables clutching at his throat. The scene was so ghastly and unexpected I left my master's side and retched in a quiet corridor. The next day King Romulus II announced to the Kingdom that the conspirators behind his brother's murder had been justly liquidated. The few remaining Dukes, now cowed, were stripped of their lands and titles. The Kingdom's territories would now be administered by imperial governors appointed directly by Romulus II. The wealth, armies, and retinues of the Dukes now belonged solely to the king. The families of the slain Dukes did protest at first, but a few public crucifixions soon stifled any discontent.

Now with a much more efficient and streamlined bureaucracy the effectiveness of the crown increased tenfold. Over the subsequent years the Kingdom slowly swallowed up two of our barbarian neighbors to the north. The Thernubians, who had launched that surprise invasion after the death of Flavius IV, were slaughtered and enslaved down to the last man, woman, and child. For the first time in centuries the Kingdom was finally strong enough to expand, albeit slowly, outside her borders. Dissent inside the borders of Romula was no longer tolerated either. When the city of Visepilus rebelled, the response was swift and brutal. The ringleaders of the plot were tortured and executed while the city itself was razed to the ground. I was even told that salt was poured over the ground where the foundations once stood to ensure that nothing ever grew there again. Why did the people put up with this kind of blatant terror? Well, for one thing the military was kept quite happy by Romulus II since that was his strongest pillar of support. The legions all took an oath of loyalty to the king promising to defend his person and the Kingdom until death. The other reason why the vast majority of people didn't resist is a bit difficult to understand if you are not from Romula. You see, our people had been stripped of our pride for so long that the show of strength was actually a bit breathtaking. Even I was temporarily caught up in the fervor of our national revitalization. Romulus II, although prone to acts of cruelty, gave us a sense of worth that had been lost a long time ago. Alas, I now know this was a poor excuse.

It is to my shame that I stayed at my master's side out of loyalty and love. A loyalty of which he did not deserve and a love that was sorely misplaced. As the years ticked by, I grew more repulsed by his actions even though his personal dynamism had never truly faded. Still, Romulus II had begun showing his age physically. His hair, once the color of ebony, now had streaks of grey along the sides of his temple. He took to walking with stooped shoulders as if the weight of the world were upon them. The blazing blue intensity of his eyes never lost their effect, even when the sockets themselves seemed as if they had sunken into his head. The king also took to wearing a great metal helmet that masked his features while riding into battle. The features of the mask itself were eerie in that the eyes and mouth showed no expression. The helmet gave Romulus II a cold and merciless demeanor in battle, which suited him perfectly.

The event that decisively turned me against Romulus II was the execution of his nephew, Gordion. At this point, Romulus II had been king for thirty-two years and his nephews were now men in the prime of their lives. The relationship between Romulus II and his sister Valeria had been cool ever since the former's seizure of power. Rumors swirled that Romulus II had a hand in his brother's death, but that of course could not be proven. Then, there was the execution of Valeria's husband, the Duke of Aurelian. Even though Valeria held no great love for the Duke, her children were forced to grow up without a father. It came as no surprise that resentment grew between Valeria and her brother over the decades. Valeria and her children subsequently kept their distance from the king. Still, seeing as how they were family, Romulus II saw fit to give his nephews responsibilities. When Gordion and Maximian reached adulthood, they were given governorships in the Kingdom. Maximian governed quite well for several years while Gordion floundered. Reports from Gordion's jurisdiction stated that he continually mismanaged provincial funds for his own benefit. Peasants in the region who had begun to starve periodically launched small-scale revolts that were difficult to crush decisively and were a constant headache for the crown. The king decided to take drastic action by arresting Gordion and put him on trial for embezzlement. Romulus II found his nephew guilty and beheaded him in Romula's public square to serve as a warning that not even members of the Octavianus family were immune to punishment.

I was so horrified that I banged my head against the wall in frustration and grief. It wasn't long before Valeria and Maximian heard the news of Gordion 's execution. Mother and son decided upon a fateful course of action. They fled the Kingdom vowing to raise an army that would be strong enough to topple Romulus II from power. Over the next few months I heard sporadic reports of Maximian recruiting a large following of mercenaries and barbarian allies willing to fight for him. It was at this time that I took the fateful step of betraying my former friend. I spied on Romulus II and the happenings at the capital and relayed my information to Maximian through my trusted servants. In some way it was a relief to finally be doing something that was making a difference. My conscience will never be clean, but I felt that by helping Maximian I could at least partially atone for my idiotic inaction.

Finally, that glorious day arrived when Maximian returned to the Kingdom with an army at his back. Maximian's army of mercenaries, barbarians, and personal supporters besieged the capital for several days after scoring notable victories in the field against the Romulan legions. Maximian proved to be a master of maneuver and logistics, skills which he used to great effect to best the numerically superior enemy. Eventually, a breach was made in the wall and Maximian's troops poured forth like a raging inferno. The fighting in the streets was bloody and chaotic, but nothing could turn back the fury of the avenging nephew. The fighting spilled into the citadel and eventually into the throne room itself. I, being an old man, was hiding behind some fallen furniture when I saw the two titans approach each other. King Romulus II, with his resplendent armor and fearsome helmet, charged Maximian with a kind of suicidal fury. The younger man kept the king at bay as the larger battle raged around them. Romulus II, although in his fifties, was just as impressive with a sword as he had been twenty years earlier. It became clear to me however that Maximian was just as skilled a duelist and kept his ground steadfastly.

Then, disaster seemed to strike when Maximian lost his footing while trying to avoid a deadly lunge from the king. Maximian rolled out of the way of the king's killing blow and snatched a discarded war hammer from the ground. With both hands he flung the hammer through the air and made contact with Romulus II's head. The force of the blow cracked the left side of the king's helmet and forced him to stumble backwards. The crack in the helmet revealed a part of Romulus II's devilish expression. He no longer looked human, but rather a twisted and wounded beast that realized his end might be near. I thought I also caught a glimpse of something that I had never seen in those eyes. Fear. In a split second Maximian was pressing his opponent again with his sword.

I was taken aback by the suddenness of the killing blow. After parrying a few weak strikes, Maximian thrust his sword at the exposed face of Romulus II. The blade plunged through the gap in the king's helmet and was buried in the left eye socket. The king stood there for a moment as if shocked by what had just transpired. Finally, in another instant, Romulus II fell backwards with the sword still in place and breathed his last. The irony of his death was not lost on me when I considered the manner in which Gaius I met his end. Both kings, each losing an eye, failed to see the fatal strike that ended their lives. Maximian, his cloak covered in blood, let out a great triumphant cry that signaled victory to his men.

I witnessed the victory ceremony of "Maximian the Just" where he promised to restore a more benevolent style of rule in the form of a Romulan Republic. The mercenary leaders and barbarian chieftains were given land and riches for their faithful services to the new leading magistrate. Many of them would also take leading roles in the new government. Valeria, the only surviving child of Flavius IV, promised to guide her son throughout his tenure of office with an eye to avoiding the same mistakes committed by his grandfather and uncles. Although I was pardoned for my role in Romulus II's reign I chose self-imposed exile for my punishment. It wouldn't be fair if I walked away from the whole messy affair entirely unscathed. I spend the little time I have left wandering strange and distant lands as a beggar hoping one day to forgive myself.

And that, dear Chase, is what led me to you this very night. I intend on moving on in the morning to continue my never-ending journey. I sincerely thank you for taking pity on a weary traveler. People like you remind me that good things still exist in this unforgiving world. And please, take my advice, although you are but a humble barmaid do not blind yourself to the goodness that exists around us. Take heed for I have seen the worst of human cruelty personally and what it can do to otherwise honorable men.

Quintus hoisted himself out of the chair and shambled towards the exit. The door opened, then shut quietly as Quintus stepped out into the cool night air and disappeared among the evening shadows. Chase sat at the table contemplating the tale she had just heard. After a few moments passed she got up from her seat, returned to the bar, and decided she would forgive the stranger.

It's off to Save the Princess

Doug Ward

This is the second part of the story that began in "The Forging of the Ring."

As Chase set a tankard of ale down in front of Grady, she asked, "How did the whole saving the princess business go?"

The middle-aged adventurer smiled as he set a gold coin down in front of the barmaid. "Let's just say everything turned out fine, it just ended differently than I expected."

"Ok," she cooed with a wry smile. "What happened?"

Grady peered about the gloomy interior of the tavern. The place was nearly empty. In a hushed voice, he started.

*****

At the rear of the dank and dreary cave sat Smuge, the Goblin King. His many chins spilled over his flabby chest as he prevailed over the small cluster of subjects gathered before him. His dirty rag of a toga did little to hide the lazy despot's paunch, which covered much of his upper thighs. Being the goblins' leader, he ate as he pleased, and he pleased quite a bit. In turn, he was fat, but he was also stronger and larger than the rest of his kind making him quite an intimidating figure to stand against.

Chained to the left of Smudge's esteemed seat was Princess Penelope, her gown torn and smudged with dirt. Her once perfect, blond hair locks, looked like they needed a good brushing. At least she was alive, there was always that.

While hiding in a high alcove, Tinker Gravelforge crouched at his leader's side. The dwarf showed little sign of his advanced years. His eyes glimmered with excitement as he took in the scene before them.

"What's the plan, Grady?" his voice a low rumble.

The adventurer beside him placed a hand on the dwarf, signaling him to be silent. Aside from Gravelforge, all of the others that Grady had brought on this mission were far from their best days. Skarf was a halfling thief who had grown farsighted and arthritic over the years. The rogue wore thick spectacles to enhance his vision. He also had a penchant for disappearing at the most inopportune times. Farrwyn Aewenys was another curiosity. He was a chubby elf. Still tall and somewhat fair, he was unkempt and looked like he was perpetually with child. Even his leathers, covered with old stains, could not hide his belly. And last was their wizard, Yammerish. He was the only magic-user in the bar when Grady was looking for volunteers and everyone knows that a company needs someone who practices the mystic arts. His gray hair and beard made him look the part. Although he was very drunk when he agreed to join the group, it seemed like he had not sobered up since.

All in all, a confusing group, but you will have that when you are willing to accept anyone sober enough that late in the Grimacing Goblin Inn. It would be crazy to go adventuring with this lot, but upon hearing of the kidnapping, Grady had been caught up in the moment and just wanted to try out his newly acquired, legendary sword. He was feeling young again and excited to break from the tedium of his former retirement.

As he crouched in a shadowy alcove above the audience chamber-like cavern, Grady felt pins and needles shooting through his legs as his aged joints and muscles struggled with this awkward pose. The adventurer knew these caverns well. In his youth, he had battled these creatures several times and looted their treasure vault. It was easy to sneak through the side tunnels and find his current perch. He had used this position before and suspected that the current goblin king would use the same spacious spot for his throne room.

Smuge idly fidgeted with the links of the chain that bound the princess. The links ended at a thick, rusty collar fastened around the captive's throat. His retainers tried to entertain him by capering about comically and offering food, but the pile of empty plates beside his throne gave evidence to why he lacked interest. In fact, the king couldn't keep his eyes off of his captive. Even though Penelope was dirty and disheveled, the massive goblin must have found something interesting in her. He kept giving her sideways glances. With each look, his toothy grin grew larger.

Impulsively, the king grabbed the chain and reeled in his captive. She fought with desperation, but she could not resist the powerful arms that propelled her toward him. As she drew near Smuge, his warty skin reflected in the torchlight. Grady could not imagine what this foul creature had in mind, but it looked like she wasn't going down without a struggle.

Grady's grip on his sword, Frostbite, tightened as the bound girl was drawn before the disgusting monster. His every instinct screamed for him to act yet he remained in his painful crouch. He needed a plan. There were just a few goblins in the room, and they were focused on entertaining the king. None of the creatures in attendance looked like warriors, but the trick would be to wait until the crowd thinned out or they drifted off to sleep. As the helpless young woman was pulled closer to the huge goblin Grady tried to find a new tactic.

Drool ran freely between Smuge's jagged teeth and over his fat lips as Penelope struggled harder. The capering underlings scurried back, making room for what was about to happen next. It looked like the goblin king was either going to eat her or do something worse.

Tendons popping in protest, Grady rose suddenly and leapt to the cavern floor far below. As he landed, he bellowed, "Get'em!" A moment later he could hear someone join him, probably Tink. His suspicion was confirmed as the dwarf roared a battle cry before surging forward.

The goblins turned with a start and tried to flee. Tinker Gravelforge barreled into the nearest two before unslinging his broad ax and bringing it to bear. Eyes narrow, he swiped at another of the green-skinned creatures as it tried desperately to flee.

In the ensuing confusion, a goblin crashed into the princess, catching her on the temple and knocking her sprawling. Her head smacked off of the wet, cavern floor with a sick sound leaving her lying unconscious. Upon seeing this, Smuge dropped the chain and commanded his minions to protect him while grabbing a nearby cowering goblin and huddled a portion of his bulk behind the diminutive creature.

His living shield was pierced through the head with an arrow, instantly becoming dead weight. "We're under attack!" the goblin king bellowed. The whole while he maintained his grip lifting the lifeless creature high and making good his escape.

Grady waded deep into the mix, his sword cutting a swath through the throng. Goblins fell before him as a dagger ripped through the air near his ear. The adventurer chanced a hasty look over his shoulder only to see Skarf give a guilty shrug before vanishing from sight.

The remaining goblins fled following their ruler through a side tunnel. Tink made to follow them but Grady, chest bellowing in an effort to catch his breath, put out a hand and stopped the determined dwarf.

"Get'em?!" Gravelforge growled. "I don't see how that's a plan."

"I didn't expect him to try to eat her," the adventurer barked in response as the two approached the still prone princess.

"So," the dwarf started, "you had a plan."

"I had a plan in the works," the leader lied.

As Tink knelt beside Penelope he shook his head. "Sure, you did."

"How is she?" Grady asked. In the distance, he could hear flapping feet as more goblins heeded their king's alarm. These wouldn't be the soft goblin royalty that had attended Smuge's court. The approaching creatures would be warriors. What they lacked in training they made up for in agility and speed. They were crafty monsters that typically overwhelmed their foes with superior numbers. By the sound of those many feet slapping the cavern floor, their numbers were going to be in the goblin's favor.

"The girl's merely unconscious," Tinker reported.

"Yammerish," Grady cried. "Can you erect some sort of barrier to block the entrance?"

The ancient-looking wizard scratched his beard for a moment as if in thought, then struck a wobbly pose and started his spell. His arcane words were strange, and his gestures were comical, but Grady didn't have time to watch. He tapped his sword, Frostbite, against the chains that bound the girl causing the iron links to freeze. A second tap from his blade shattered the metal leaving only the manacles on her wrists.

Tink tried to carry the princess but she was tall. As she folded at the waist over his shoulder her head smacked off of the hard, rock floor behind him.

"You better carry her," he said offering Penelope's limp form to Grady. The leader smiled and slung her over his back. Pain flared in his joints as her weight settled on one of his many injuries but be ignored the discomfort and raced back to his company.

A thin elven rope dropped before the two as Yammerish's spell reached its climax. A barrier formed out of thin air covering the cavern's entrance. Its blue surface shimmered with cool light.

"Take the girl up first," Gravelforge ordered. "I'll come second."

The old adventurer put a foot on the sheer wall and awkwardly pulled himself up hand over hand. In his youth, when he pictured heroes doing this very deed, he never thought of the mechanics of such a maneuver. Not only was Penelope dead weight but also it severely hampered his left arm's reach.

The goblins, which were spooked by the magical barrier, were becoming brave. Some of the more-bold creatures pushed their hands through the liquid surface and into the cavern.

"They're coming through!" Tinker said from below. He turned and hefted his great ax in both hands.

Grady had just reached the top where Skarf and Farrwyn helped him over the edge. After the thief took the princess from his shoulder, Grady whipped around and took in the scene.

"You blocked the opening with a magical wall of water?" he fumed. "Get out of there, Tink! Climb!"

The dwarf slung his ax over his back and began the ascent.

"It was all I could think of," the mage mumbled.

The goblins, having lost their fear of the watery barrier began surging through.

Farrwyn stood like a chubby sentinel, launching arrow after arrow into the front ranks of the monsters but his arrows barely slowed them down. The dwarf was old and tough, but he was also out of shape. The goblins would overtake him if something didn't happen soon.

Raising the legendary artifact, Frostbite, Grady pointed it beyond the front ranks and let loose a ray of cold. Immediately, the wall of water froze solid and any goblins caught passing through froze with it. Skarf threw some assassins darts with deadly accuracy as he joined Farrwyn in keeping the goblins away from their companion, Tinker, as he completed his climb.

The dwarf scooped the limp princess over one shoulder and followed the others as they raced through the tunnels toward the surface. Skarf dropped to the rear of the group, scattering caltrops behind them to slow down any pursuit. The only goblin's they saw before them were the ones they had already killed on their way in.

Upon reaching the surface the sun was shining brightly. Shielding their eyes, the company cheered loudly. They had escaped to the morning's light. Goblins, like many other dark monsters, cannot tolerate sunshine.

"I don't like this," Tink mumbled. "It was too easy."

"You call that easy?" Skarf gasped.

"We were lucky," Grady mused. "The goblins had sent many of their kind to the recent war at Dunn Moor Keep. They suffered heavy losses as the horde was routed. That's why there were so few goblins in those tunnels."

The dwarf shifted the still unconscious princess onto his other shoulder. "This scrawny girl is too boney. How long do I have to carry her?"

"Until she comes around," Grady stated sarcastically. "Besides, a stout warrior of your caliber should have no problem carrying a boney, little girl. If she gets too heavy maybe Yammerish could give you a break."

The old magic user's eyes shot wide but before he could protest Gravelforge blustered, "I was just trying to find out how far we are going. I wasn't complaining-."

"Sure, you weren't," Skarf joked. He seemed to take great joy at the dwarf's discomfort.

Farrwyn, shook his head while he lamented under his breath, "This is precisely why most companies bring along a cleric."

Ignoring the elf's criticism Grady volunteered, "If you want to pass her off, I'll take a turn."

Gravelforge grumbled something about being fine and plowed ahead, past his companions. The girl's head inches from the ground as he made his way into the gathering gloom.

*****

"I have to take a pee," Grady exclaimed suddenly after draining the last of the ale.

As he stood up, Chase exclaimed in exasperation, "You can't let it end there. What happened next? Is the princess alright?"

"My back teeth are floating. I'm only stepping outside for a moment," he assured her. "I'll be right back."

Chase waited, but Grady did not return.

Paid In Full

Leonard Herrington

Chase sat at a large round wooden table at the Grimacing Goblin staring down at the names and whatnot that was carved into it. Occasionally she sipped from a clay mug which contained a deliciously warm mixture of honey and berry juices. She traced several of the names with a finger. When she came across the name Ozzie, she stopped. Chase stared down at the name for a long while until her focus was interrupted by a sound from behind her.

"I'll give you two coppers if you tell me what you're thinking," came a husky voice.

The voice belonged to Viktor, her part-time bartender and full-time lover. The half-orc bent over and kissed her on the top of the head.

"That smells fantastic. What is it?" Viktor asked.

"Something sweet to warm your bones on this cold morning." Chase said taking another sip from the mug.

"I thought that's what I had you for?" Victor said with a smile.

Chase looked up at him. "That's the thing with orcs, you only ever have one thing on your mind."

"Half-orc," corrected Viktor, "So I only think about it half of the time."

"Liar," she said as she got up from the table. She looked at him standing there with a silly grin on his face. Even with one eye, he was still handsome. She kissed him on the cheek.

"Give me a good day's worth of work and just maybe I'll keep you warm tonight. For right now, take a seat. I have some bread and eggs. I'll bring them to you."

"Could I have some of whatever you're drinking as well, please?"

"Coming right up," Chase said and headed back toward the kitchen.

Viktor sat down at the table. Over by the fireplace, he could hear Missy and Manny beginning to stir in their cage. He looked down at the table and saw the name Ozzie carved into it. Viktor closed his one eye and shook his head.

Chase returned with two plates of food and a mug of her morning brew. She set them on the table and took a seat next to Viktor.

"I had a few pieces of ham as well," she said motioning to his plate.

"Thank you. It all looks and smells great."

"It looks like Manny agrees," Chase said watching the little kobold circle around Viktor's feet.

The half-orc cut a piece from the ham and handed it down to Manny. The kobold took and raced off toward the cage to share it with his sister.

"I can't believe that bastard dwarf taught that poor innocent creature to steal. He was a donkey's rear end that one," Viktor said.

"But you miss him," Chase said.

Viktor bit off a hunk of bread and began to chew it.

"It's okay, Vik. Even though the little rodent stole from me and my customers, I miss him too. I knew him for about as long as I've known you. When he wasn't being a dishonest cheat, Ozzie was alright, sometimes even enjoyable."

Viktor ate some of his ham and eggs and still said nothing. He looked out the window to see the morning fog still hanging above the cobblestone street outside.

Chase reached over and rubbed his back for a bit.

"What happened to Ozzie, Viktor? You haven't said a word about him since you came back. That's almost two months now, Love. Tell me, Vik, what happened?"

He took a swallow from the mug and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. Victor turned and looked into the woman's eyes.

"I didn't kill him, Chase. Neither did Tellaris. But we should have."

******

Two months earlier...

The elf sat in a seat at a table by the door. He nervously played with a plate of fruit that Chase had brought him. Each time the door to the tavern opened, Tellaris looked eagerly to see who was entering only to be disappointed.

While the elf sat preoccupied, Viktor hustled about the Grimacing Goblin gathering supplies that the pair would need in the pursuit of their prey. It was late in the morning and the elf showed no sign of readying himself for travel.

"Maybe he changed his mind?" Viktor thought to himself. Eager to find an answer, the half-orc made his way toward Tellaris.

Just as he did, a cloaked figure entered. Tellaris rose from his seat. Viktor could have sworn that the somber elf nearly smiled. He embraced the newcomer. Tellaris pushed back the hood from the figure revealing long white hair which was identical to his own. He put his hands on the stranger's face and kissed it. It was the kind of kiss that lovers who have not seen one another in some time share.

Chase walked over to Viktor and watched silently as the pair kissed passionately.

"Do you think that I should prepare a room for them upstairs?" Chase whispered into the half-orc's ear.

"I think that you better before they have at it on the table there," responded Viktor.

Chase took a step towards the pair.

"Excuse me, Tellaris, is everything alright?"

Suddenly the couple stopped kissing and turned to look at her. When they did, Chase and Viktor stood dumbfounded.

The newcomer that was standing beside Tellaris looked exactly like him except for a few features; the newcomer was female.

"I'm sorry, my friends, it's just that Tellaria and I have not seen each other in a very long time," said the elf.

"Tellaria," muttered Chase.

"Yes, she is my sister," Tellaris continued.

"Ah, sister," Viktor said.

"...and wife," said Tellaria.

"Wife," said Vitktor and Chase in unison.

Tellaria saw the strange look on their faces.

"It is an ancient custom among the major houses of our people. We marry and mate so that the family bloodlines remain untainted. I have heard that some human nobility share this concept as well. Is that not true?"

"In some kingdoms, perhaps," offered Chase.

"Then you understand?" Tellaria asked.

"Let us not bother them with this, Sister, we have important things to do," interrupted Tellaris.

"Would you two like a room?" Chase asked.

"That would be greatly appreciated," Tellaris responded.

Chase headed toward the stairs to go and prepare the room.

"Can I get you anything to eat or drink, Tellaria?" offered Viktor.

"Could you send us up a bottle of wine, please?" Tellaris said

"Sure," said Viktor.

Tellaris reached out and grabbed Viktor by the arm.

"I know that you are anxious to get underway in our pursuit of the dwarf. Trust me, this will not take long. What Tellaria and I must do is extremely important. I will explain it to you later when we are on the road."

"Not a problem," Viktor said and nodded.

As he went to retrieve the wine, he thought to himself, "Strange ones these elves."

******

Once inside the room, Tellaris and Tellaria embraced once more.

"I have missed you, Brother."

"I have missed you. It has been so long, Tellaria."

The pair kissed.

"Our time here is short, Tellaria. Did you bring me the object?"

"Of course."

"You are sure that you were not followed."

Tellaria nodded. "I am sure."

She lifted a strap from a bag from her shoulder and pulled it over her head. She set the bag down on a chair. Carefully, Tellaria undid the tie that held it closed.

"Be careful, Sister."

Tellaria reached inside the bag and slowly lifted out the contents within and placed it on the bed.

There was a knock on the door.

"The wine," Tellaris said.

He walked over to the door and opened it.

Viktor was somewhat startled to see the elf still fully clothed on the other side of the door.

"Um, here is the bottle of wine that you wanted."

"Thank you, Viktor. I will be down shortly."

Tellaris took the bottle from the half-orc and closed the door.

He found a clay mug on a table next to the bed. Tellaris uncorked the bottle and poured some wine into it. He set the bottle down and picked up the mug and handed it to his sister.

She took a deep drink from it and felt the wine warm her insides.

"This is not bad for human wine," Tellaria said and took another sip.

"Chase takes great pride in her food and drink."

He walked over and picked up the object from the bed. Carefully he slid back the cloth that covered it. He brought the item up so that it was even with his face and stared into where its eyes would have been.

"My sister risked her life to bring you to me. I will risk mine returning you to where you belong. I hope that our tasks will not be for naught. You must help us to stop the great evil that comes."

The obsidian black skull that he held said nothing in response.

******

"Let us be off," Tellaris said as he walked down the stairs from the second floor.

"Where is Tellaria?" Viktor asked.

"Gone."

"I never saw her leave," Chase said.

"She is like that," Tellaris responded. "Let us go before the dwarf's trail grows cold."

Viktor kissed Chase goodbye.

"Be sure to come back to me," Chase said

The half-orc nodded and kissed her again.

Chase watched as the pair walked out the door of the Grimacing Goblin. Manny and Missy hopped up onto a windowsill and looked out the window.

"Those two will probably end up getting themselves killed," she said to the two kobolds.

Manny looked over his shoulder at her and seemed to nod.

******

Tellaris looked up at the sky. It was a pale grayish-white. No sun could be seen.

"It is a good day for riding," Viktor said as if reading the elf's mind. "No sun, it won't be too hot. Let's get going. Ozzie has a bit of a start on us."

The pair mounted their horses. Victor had strapped some food and water to the animals; enough to keep them for a few days.

Tellaris double-checked the bag that Tellaria had given him. Satisfied that it was secure, he turned to his companion.

"Which way?" he asked.

"South. He's headed for Merriglade."

"Isn't that near the Draconian border?"

"Yes. Ozzie and I spent some time there years ago. He's seen as a wizard of sorts there."

"A wizard?" Tellaris responded raising an eyebrow.

"Ozzie's a charlatan. He used a few tricks and gimmicks on the dimwits there. A little sleight of hand and some illusions and they practically thought he was a god. He played them for all that he could get. I'm not complaining, mind you. It's probably the only time that the damn dwarf carried his load instead of relying on me. Sooner or later, they would have caught on to him and we would have got run out. The Dragon Men just did it for them."

Tellaris stared at him expressionless.

"Alright then, Elf. Let's be on our way."

******

Far down the road, Greymoor appeared small in the distance to the two pursuers. Neither had spoken since passing through the Southern Gate as they left the city. Every few strides, Viktor would glance down at the package strapped to the side of the elf's horse. After a while, curiosity got the better of him.

"Tellaris, would you mind if I asked you a question?"

The elf looked over at him and nodded. "Ask."

"The package there. What is inside it?"

"It is an ancient artifact which is sacred to the Dragon Men. It was created by a shaman. Legend says that he took the blood and bones of a dwarf, elf, orc, and a human and ground them together. He formed the shape of a Dragon Man skull with the mix as he chanted. The spell he cast that day forged the mixture together permanently. The object was to ensure that the wielder of it would hold power over any of the other species. The shaman became the leader of all the Dragon Men and united the factions into a great kingdom. In the last war with them, we were able to surround him. Our archers fired arrows from a distance into him until he fell. We then took the object and have kept it hidden since."

"So why do you have it now?" Viktor asked.

"I take it to the Draconians in secret. The Dark Powers are returning. The last time that we confronted them, they nearly defeated us. Our alliance with the humans is strong. Many of the dwarfs are willing to join in. The orcs cannot be counted upon. We hope that with this gesture of good will, perhaps the Dragon Men might join us. One Draconian with this object would be seen as king. That king might feel grateful and ally his kingdom with ours. It is a gamble. But we need them and their numbers to have any chance against the Dark Ones."

"Why not just use the magic of the skull against the Dark Powers yourself, Tellaris?"

"No non-Draconian may touch the object. It was made for only a Dragon Man to wield. Any other who might try would suffer dire consequences."

"Like what?"

"I do not know, Viktor, nor do I wish to find out."

Viktor felt a chill go up his spine. His curiosity now satisfied; he was content to ride alongside the elf for a while in silence as the pair hunted for Ozzie.

******

For five days, they rode. Here and there they would pass travelers and inquire about the dwarf which they sought. Some had not encountered Ozzie on their journey while others told tales of theft and deception at the hands of the small trickster.

By the morning of the sixth day they were running low on supplies and water. Tellaris spotted the ruins of an abandoned village.

"There appears to be a well," he said to Viktor pointing at the round stone structure in the center of the ruins.

"I only hope that it still contains water. Our horses need to drink."

"And so do we, Viktor."

As they made their way toward the village, Viktor noticed a lone rider heading toward them some distance down the road.

"Perhaps this one knows where you are, Ozzie," Viktor thought to himself.

******

The rider was a man from the East. As it turned out, he had run into Ozzie the night before and the damned dwarf had tried to rob him of his horse. The man had managed to outsmart him and had forced him to relinquish a pair of kobolds which he kept in a wooden cage.

Both Viktor and Tellaris recognized the kobolds immediately. Viktor told the man the tale of how Ozzie had acquired the small creatures. He could tell that the pair had already endeared themselves to their new owner. He asked the man to show the creatures kindness. By the look in the man's eyes, Viktor knew that he would. He gave the stranger directions to Greymoor and told him to look up Chase at the Grimacing Goblin.

The trio got water from the well and parted company. Knowing that the man had encountered Ozzie the night before gave Tellaris and Viktor satisfaction that the dwarf was only a half day ahead of them. With renewed spirit, the pair headed out to find their prey.

******

It was late in the afternoon when Tellaris spotted him. The dwarf was dismounted and standing in front of a large rock. His breeches were down around his ankles and he was urinating. Silently, the pair approached the distracted dwarf.

"I've seen you piss off a lot of people in my day, Ozzie. This is the first time I've ever seen you piss on something," Viktor said loudly, a broad grin spreading across his face.

The startled dwarf could not get his breeches up quick enough, peeing on them in the process.

Not knowing which way to turn first, Ozzie realized the futility of the situation. Looking up he saw Tellaris with an arrow drawn back in his bow, its tip pointed directly at him.

"You don't look happy to see us, Oswald, old friend."

"What do you want, Viktor?" the dwarf asked.

"Well, I'd like my eye back, but I'm sure that's not going to happen. I guess I'll just have to settle for one of yours."

Before he realized it, Viktor saw two daggers appear in Ozzie's small hands.

"You won't be getting an eye from me, you stupid orc bastard. I dare you to try, Viktor. Come on. Give it a go."

"Put those away, Ozzie. Tellaris will put you down before you could move."

Viktor dismounted. Tellaris never took his eyes off the dwarf.

"As much as I would love to pluck out one of your eyes, mate, I've got friends like Tellaris here, whom you have stolen from. I'm taking you back to Greymoor to face all those you've deceived. You need to pay for your crimes, Ozzie. Perhaps a few weeks in a stockade will help make the locals feel like you've made restitution. I think that the beating that you get while you're in them might cause you to rethink your future. You just better hope that someone doesn't have a liking for dwarves and decides to bugger you while you're in there."

Seeing the disgusted look on Ozzie's face caused the half-orc to burst out in laughter.

"Piss off, Viktor," Ozzie said and gave him a rude hand gesture.

During the entire episode, Tellaris kept his eyes keenly on the dwarf.

Regaining his composure, Viktor walked toward his former friend.

"Hand over the daggers, Ozzie, and Tellaris here won't kill you. Try anything and you're dead. Don't be stupid, Ozzie."

The dwarf dropped his head in defeat. He held out the daggers. Viktor took them and stuck them in his belt. He then went over to his horse and got rope to tie up Ozzie.

******

It was nearly nightfall by the time Tellaris and Viktor were finished securing the dwarf and going through his things. Besides finding most of what he had taken from the customers in the Grimacing Goblin, they found items that must have been swindled from travelers on the road.

Tellaris looked up at the darkening clouds.

"Rain is headed our way," he said. "It won't do us much good to travel in the dark and in foul weather. Let us camp here. I have some blankets that might help keep us dry."

Viktor nodded in agreement. Ozzie watched as the pair went about securing the horses and putting together a makeshift shelter. As the first raindrops began to fall, Tellaris and Viktor sat down underneath the blankets.

"Hey, what about me!" Ozzie yelled. "You're not going to leave me out here in the rain, are you?" I could catch my death of cold."

"Then you won't have to worry about the stockade," laughed Viktor. "Tellaris and I are actually doing you a favor."

"Go stick it somewhere, Viktor," responded Ozzie and turned his head away.

******

The rain came down harder and harder totally soaking the trussed-up dwarf. Ozzie slowly wiggled his hands back and forth in the wet bindings. One by one, he managed to free his small hands. He sat quietly until he was certain that his captors were asleep.

He listened for a long time. When he was sure that the only sound was the rain, he cautiously stood up. He took one step at a time toward the horses hoping that he wouldn't spook them. As he moved toward the animals, he put together an escape plan in his mind.

Upon reaching the horses, he began to rifle through the contents strapped to the animals in the hopes of retrieving the money and valuables that Tellaris and Viktor had taken from him. On the side of the elf's horse, he found a bag strapped to the saddle. Lifting the bag, Ozzie could feel that there was something heavy inside.

Ozzie began to put his hand down into the bag when he heard a noise behind him.

"Stop, Ozzie. You don't know what you're doing," Viktor said.

"Because I'm the stupid one, right Vik? I'm smart enough to know this. I got loose. I got my daggers back. And...no matter what you and that creepy elf say, I'm not going back with you. No one's going to stick me in a stockade. Either let me go or kill me."

"Remove your hand from the bag, Dwarf. The object inside holds tremendous power. If you touch it, it will kill you," warned Tellaris.

In a heartbeat, Ozzie thrust his hand deeper into the bag. When his bare skin touched the skull, he cried out in pain.

His scream was horrific. It was the most terrifying sound that Viktor had ever heard in his lifetime. Lights of different colors emerged from the bag and swirled around Ozzie. His skin began to smoke, and his hair caught fire. Two of the rays of light slammed into the dwarf's eyes causing them to explode. Tellaris and Viktor looked on barely able to fathom what they were seeing.

It appeared as if the dwarf was being burned from the inside out. Chunks of his charred skin began to fall off and then twist and spin in the air among the colored lights. The scene was hideous. All at once, a bright white light exploded from inside the bag blinding the onlookers. When they regained their vision, it was silent, except for the sound of the rain, and Ozzie was gone.

Viktor turned to the elf. "You did that on purpose. You knew that his greed would get the better of him."

Tellaris said nothing.

"He didn't deserve to die like that, Tellaris. No creature deserves to die like that. That thing is evil! Destroy it! Destroy it now!"

"I can't. It is the only hope we have of winning over the Draconians. If I fail in this quest, many will suffer, some worse fates than your friend, Ozzie. I have to try."

******

The rest of the night the pair didn't speak. In the morning, the sun shone brightly in the clear sky. After breakfasting, they broke camp. They secured the items to the horses. Viktor took Ozzie's horse with him since it carried the items that he had taken from the tavern patrons in Greymoor.

Viktor wished the elf well and watched as he galloped off southward toward Draconia. When he was nearly out of sight, Viktor tugged on the reins of his horse, turned, and headed back toward Greymoor.

******

"I should have killed him, Chase. If I had known that he would have died like that, I would have done him in. For the rest of my life, I have to live with that image of Ozzie in my mind."

"I'm sorry, Vik. On the bright side, everyone got their money back, Missy and Manny have a new home with people who care about them, and in a way, Ozzie was the cause of you coming back to me.

Chase reached over and rubbed his back.

"Go on, Viktor. Finish your breakfast. We've got a tavern to run here, lover."

The Job

By Doug Ward

The Grimacing Goblin wasn't too busy that night. The usual crowd was scattered about the room swapping stories of their glory days and nursing their drinks.

After wiping the bar down for the fourth time Chase decided to empty the garbage. It was starting to smell anyway. Reaching down, she picked up the half-full bucket before starting through the crowd.

Her path wove through those gathered but none offered to help her. "Men!" she cursed under her breath as she pushed the door open with her hip on her way outside.

The end of the alley was where everyone heaped his or her trash. That's where she saw a person in a soiled cloak sitting near a wall. Chase usually wouldn't have taken notice, but the person was sobbing. Berating herself for being softhearted, she dumped the bucket and approached the huddled form.

The alley was dark and the being had its hood pulled low, so she was still cautious. "Is everything ok?" the barmaid asked.

"No," a high-pitched voice replied.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What's it to you?" the stranger choked out between sobs.

Chase replied, "If you're going to be like that, I'll be in that tavern over there."

She was only two steps away when she heard him speak again. "I'm hungry."

"We have food inside."

The huddled mass shook with renewed tears. "I have no coins. They are all gone."

Flipping the bucket upside down, she sat on it. "I'll tell you what. If you tell me your story, I'll give you some food and maybe an ale."

The stranger straightened a little and after a noisy sniffle asked, "Really."

"Really," she replied in a sincere tone.

******

My name is Benny Millerson. At that moment, I was a lowly popper who was perpetually down on my luck.

Everything about me was plain and unassuming. I was the type of person who no one noticed in a crowd or could even remember my name.

I scratched out a meager existence doing odd jobs and scavenging food from vendors' carts. Since I was, for all intents and purposes, invisible, I was able to get away with acts of petty theft whenever the needed arose.

At first, I tried to make an honest living, but it always seemed that every opportunity for steady employment went to someone else. So, I was forced to travel between towns looking for an ever-elusive job. I was on my way to one such job. The pay was quite promising but, like every other job I had taken, came with certain risks.

On my way toward the little hamlet of Springdale, I found myself caught in a swamp. Scared and disorientated, I tried to backtrack so I could skirt the dismal place, but I quickly became lost, turned around in the confusing terrain. As the day grew late I came across a small cottage in a clearing. The building was dark and looked abandoned but, not wanting it to intrude I knocked tentatively on the door. After repeatedly rapping I deemed that it was empty and with a gentle push, opened the way inside.

The interior was empty with no fire on the hearth so I decided I could stay there and rest. There was a small garden outside, so I helped myself to some carrots and two potatoes. It wasn't much to most people but to me, it was a feast.

I set a fire on the hearth and found some herbs hanging from the rafters, so I made a thin stew with some water I had brought with me. It wasn't much, but I didn't want to impose too greatly on whoever owned the cottage.

As the water started to simmer in the pot, I took in my surroundings. The cottage looked like an old hermit lived here. Herbs were drying from the rafters and the furniture looked to be homemade. There wasn't much inside that spoke of comfort.

Seeing a dirty mirror on the wall I looked at my reflection. My mousy brown hair was growing too long, but nothing else was amiss.

Turning back into the room I sat down on an old, worn chair beside the fire. With nothing to do, except occasionally stir the contents of my meal, I sat back and relaxed. I had been walking all morning and the warm, one-room building lulled me to sleep.

I must have been out for hours before the door slammed open and a short silhouette stood in the doorway. I could tell it was a woman because she wore a tattered dress and held a staff in one hand. She dropped her satchel to the floor with a clatter and thumped a gnarled staff before her. In an old, crackly voice she demanded, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Shooting to my feet I put both hands before me and pleaded, "I thought this place was abandoned. I didn't mean any harm. I'm just on my way to do a job."

But as I tried to apologize for my intrusion, the woman swept forward in front of me and leveled the knobby end of her staff in my face demanding, "Does this place look abandoned?"

My eyes darted around the shabby interior. It sure looked like no one had been here in quite a while. Turning my gaze toward the floor I lied, "No, mam."

"I asked you who you are?"

"Benny Millerson," I responded.

"Well, Benny Millerson," she growled, "Is it your custom to break into an old woman's home and steal her food?"

"No, mam," I confessed. "I was going to leave some coin, but I have none. I can do something to repay you for the food and my intrusion."

Lowering her staff, she stated, "Oh, you'll repay me young man, but let's first see what you have simmering in MY pot."

Removing a large spoon from where it hung on the hearth, the hag stirred the steaming contents. She scooped some of the broth and blew on it before having a taste. Pointing toward a bundle of herbs that was hanging from the rafters, the old woman demanded, "Break off a pinch of that rosemary for me."

While I did as she asked the crone scooped some fat from a jar and dropped a good-sized dollop into the pot. After wiping the excess lard onto her tattered dress, she snatched the herb from me and crumbled it into the pot.

After a second taste, she grunted to herself before ladling a wooden bowl full for each of us. As I ate my stew I realized that I had never asked her name. "I'm sorry. I'm so rude. Might I inquire as to your name?"

The hag eyed me suspiciously for a moment before saying, "Skeggie. But some around these parts have other names for me. Most just call me that old witch who lives in the swamp."

The mere mention of her being a witch made me nearly choke on my spoonful of thin broth. Of all the cottages I could have invaded it had to be the very witch I had been told about.

The crone sitting across from me seemed to take great pleasure watching the color drain from my face. Her eyes twinkled as mine darted about as if looking for some way to escape. Seeing no apparent way to slip off, with shaking hands, I took another spoonful of the stew.

"It's really good," I lied.

The hag's eyes narrowed. "It is bland. I don't like liars, Benny. There's no meat in it," she admitted. "A proper stew should have some sort of meat in it."

Picturing myself being that meat I must have looked disparate. I picked up my bowl and tipped it to my lips pouring the remaining contents down my throat. After wiping my mouth with my threadbare sleeve, I rose and announced, "Thank you for sharing your hospitality with me but I really should be on my way."

"You won't live through the night," she muttered coldly.

"What?" I squeaked.

Skeggie gestured at a pitcher on the shelf. As she did so it levitated across the small room until the handle was in her hand. "It's too late in the afternoon. It'll be dark before you clear the swamp. I don't think you're the type who can survive being outdoors in my realm."

"Where will I stay," I stammered.

"Here," she stated flatly. As my eyes strayed to the single bed she gasped. "What do you take me for, boy? I'm not a harlot. I'm a witch."

The old woman pointed to toward a partially obscured set of steps leading to a second floor. "You will be staying upstairs. There's a bed where my learner stays. She is away on an errand and won't need it for a few days. I'll wake you in the morning. Then, I'll explain how you are going to repay me for these wonderful accommodations."

"Ok." I agreed. After a moment, I remembered my manners and added, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," the witch warned.

After rinsing my bowl and spoon in a nearby bucket of water, I crept up the narrow stairs to the small room. The rafters were so low I had to crouch to avoid bumping my head as I went straight to the bed.

It was hard to sleep in this odd place, yet I had little options in the matter. The old cottage creaking and groaning under the weight of the thatched roof added to my anxiety and caused me to get little rest, but the prospect of completing my job got me out of bed. As I descended the creaky stairs, I saw Skeggie at the table a bowl of porridge before her.

"Spoon your own bowl, Benny," she said still eyeing me skeptically.

I went over and helped myself to a portion of the food. As I timidly sat across from her I brought my spoon to my lips. The old crone must have noticed the look on my face, as I tasted the first, bland mouthful. With a gesture, she levitated a jar of honey from a shelf and set it down before me. "Thanks," I said softly and preceded to pour a generous gob onto my steaming porridge. As the thick drop slowly descended, I could see the old hag watching my every move.

"Do you want to hear about the job I have planned as payment for your stay?" she asked in a shaky voice.

Reluctantly, I inquired, "Ok."

"I'm too old to wander around in the swamp anymore. What I need is an egg."

"I could do that," I agreed somewhat relieved.

Skeggie slapped the top of the table. "I wasn't finished. The egg is at the far side of the swamp. It is from a large and particularly grumpy basilisk."

I nodded.

"Well, it's pretty big, about fifteen feet long. I'm trying to drive her off so if you snatch her egg maybe she'll get the point."

"Why don't you use magic and kill the foul thing?"

"Men," she spat disgustedly. "If something is a problem, they always want to kill it. I just want to keep all of the other creatures in my swamp safe. She's harming my friends."

"You could use a spell of some sort?" I urged.

Pointing a finger in my direction she countered, "Why should I march all the way out there and drain my precious magic when I have you to do the job."

Defeated, I agreed to the task. "I don't even know what a basilisk is, so, how will I find it?"

"Just look for statues of swamp creatures. You see, a basilisk's gaze turns any living creature to stone."

I froze in mid-bite. Slowly, I set my last spoonful of porridge back in the bowl. "I can't do this."

"You have to repay me for my hospitality," she replied.

"But I'm not an adventurer," I argued.

A crooked grin crossed her face. "I sense you are something more. Besides, the porridge you just ate was cursed. If I don't remove it before today's light fades, you will be transformed into something you would rather not become."

"Into what?" I stammered.

"It's nothing to concern yourself with. Besides, you might find it to be an improvement. You are the most unremarkable man I have ever seen. I'll bet no one notices you in a crowd. But as long as you return with what I want before it gets dark I'll remove the curse. What you seek is to the north."

"That's not fair," I protested.

"Think of it as my way of enforcing our little deal," she said while rising. "You should be off because daylight is burning, and I have a garden to tend."

As Skeggie began clearing the table, I made my way to the door. I was trapped. If I didn't do her bidding I was doomed to a life as who knows what. The scary thing was that I had never tried anything like this before.

The swamp was a myriad of soggy trails. Sounds suddenly came and went, splashing, slithering, or odd thumps that startled me. I could never identify the sources, but it scared me so much that I drew the short sword that I kept half-hidden under my tunic. I didn't know what that blade could do to something as formidable as a basilisk, yet I certainly could use it to defend myself from normal creatures.

A snake slithered across the trail behind me, but it didn't seem to be aware of me, so I let it pass. Birds teemed in the branches of trees. When I came close to them they took flight. Even though dense tree cover shrouded the light, the swamp was full of life.

I spent hours traveling north. Stagnant bogs blocked my path countless times causing me to backtrack in search of a way through on solid ground. My boots were covered in muck, weighing down each labored step I took. I was so afraid of what the curse would do that I drove on through this inhospitable terrain.

About midday I came across the first victim of the basilisk. It was a startled deer frozen in its terrorized state. The white stone was stained by the elements. I assumed it had been there for a while. Examining it closer, in the buck's antlers, some industrious birds had made a nest. The nest was empty.

I wished for a moment that there were eggs inside, but I knew Skeggie would know the difference right away. Not far away was a stone turtle, a little farther on was a large lizard. It looked like it had been in the act of protecting its nest, which was behind the white stone animal. Inside of this one was three eggs.

I was so absorbed in the surreal scene that I hadn't noticed that the swamp had become completely still. Just then, a loud roar sounded not far away. Something large was coming in my direction through the foliage. Hands shaking, I gripped my sword tightly before me and prepared to make my final stand. Heavy breathing could be heard, as what I could only believe was a large monster approached.

I didn't want to die. My eyes flicked to the eggs and in desperation, I rushed to the lizard's nest and grabbed an egg. It was somewhat large and maybe it could fool her. Too scared to think straight I cradled it in my arms and fled.

As I tore through some branches, I could hear the basilisk giving chase. Having traveled a lot, I have a good sense of direction. Using all the stealth I possessed, which is considerable, the monster was still on my heels.

Feet, barely touching the ground I nearly flew into the statue of the deer. Two others looked like they had been mourning their stone kin. When I startled them, one rushed to my rear, directly in the path of the basilisk.

Luckily, the monster that had been gaining on me veered off in pursuit of the unfortunate deer. I never even slowed. My lungs pumping, fear drove me on.

I don't know how long I ran, but at some point the natural noises of the swamp returned. The sounds of the chase were long gone, and I slowed to a walk. My prize, the egg, was still intact, cradled in my one arm.

Still breathing heavily, I sheathed my sword so I could examine my find. It was round, dull-white and leathery, probably a common enough sight for someone who lived her whole life in this swamp. I needed to disguise it.

Spying some purple berries nearby I dabbed their juice creating spots. In my desperation, I hoped the witch had never seen a basilisk egg before. Holding my fake in front of me I prayed that it would dry before I returned to her home.

The swamp was still strange and frightening, but I barely had time to notice. My mind was preoccupied with the ruse I was about to attempt on a fearsome witch.

The sun was dipping low when I reached the clearing that the cottage occupied. Before I left the tree line, I pulled out a seldom-used pouch and placed the egg inside. Drawing the strings tightly I secured it closed and made straight for the door.

"I didn't think you'd come back," the old woman said. "Did you get it?"

I held out my prize with what I felt was a convincing grin. "It's going to be dark soon. Can you please lift the curse now?"

She looked skeptically at me. "I want to see it first."

Trying to look as confident as possible, I handed her the sack. Skeggie pulled the egg from inside and with a critical eye examined the round orb. "You wouldn't try to fool an old woman, would you?" she asked cautiously.

"No, mam," I said as innocently as I could.

"The odd thing is that basilisks don't lay eggs," she stated. "Wizards make them. This was a test to see if you'd be honest. You failed."

"You won't lift the curse?"

"No," she confirmed.

I rushed to the mirror and to my horror I was already changing. My hair was falling out and my skin had a greenish, slimy appearance. Suddenly, I started laughing.

"What is it, boy?" the witch asked somewhat confused.

I put my hands to my scalp and pulled twin clumps of hair out. My ears were pointing and yet, I continued to laugh.

"Out with it, boy. What's so funny?"

"Do you remember saying that I was something more?" I asked turning from my reflection to take in her face. "And I told you I was doing a job?"

"Yes," she urged, clearly not understanding the joke.

"You even told me that I looked unremarkable. That no one would notice me in a crowd."

Skeggie's eyes flew open wide. She tried to raise her arms to start a spell, but they wouldn't respond. She even tried to speak but her lips wouldn't move.

"My job was you," I stated. "I realized when I was a child that I could get away with things. Who better, than a virtually invisible person to be an assassin? The inside of the bag you were holding was coated with a contact poison. Even now it is traveling to your lungs and other organs. It will be a slow, torturous death. You've made some potent enemies for some old crone."

******

As Benny ended his tale, he drew back his hood. Chase did a good job of containing her shock because he was now a goblin.

"I was the perfect assassin. I could be in a room sitting in a chair and my mark wouldn't even notice me. Now, look at me. I'm ruined."

"Chase draped an arm over the pathetic creature and soothed, "Did you read the sign over my inn?"

"No," he said. He looked up and read the name aloud. "The Grimacing Goblin Inn."

"We serve all kinds of beings," she said rising off of the bucket and pulling Benny to his feet. "I think you'll like it here. And I did promise you a free meal."

About the Authors

Jerry Clark

Jerry Clark is a high school language arts teacher who is enjoying sharing his love of reading and writing with the students of his hometown. Before becoming a teacher, he spent 13 years as an award-winning journalist. He currently resides in Western Pennsylvania with his wife Casey and sons Trevor and Shane.

Twitter: @gclarkavsd

Scott Lee

Scott Lee is a 1986 graduate of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Anthropology. He is a professional archaeologist whose hobbies include drumming, motorcycles, giant earthmovers, hiking, disc golf, and playing cribbage. He is a huge fan of The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, and loves spending his spare time looking for anything old to photograph or buy.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scott.lee.359126

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RSLZombie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSLZombie

Doug Ward

Doug Ward currently lives in Western Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Slippery Rock University. He has a BFA in Fine Art. Doug spends much of his time doing oil paintings, which incorporate mythology and science. Although, his work mostly consists of horror stories, the author is currently working on a fantasy saga of which one story is currently published.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/doug.ward.754

Website: https://www.dougward.space

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorDougWard

Cassidy Raine Wolters

Cassidy Raine Wolters is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland where she earned a duel degree in English and Education. She was a member of the Wind Ensemble, the Pep Band, and the Delta Phi Sorority. She enjoys reading short stories, romance novels, and Calvin & Hobbes. Her original plays have been performed at the Fells Point Corner Theatre and the Strand. She lives in a studio apartment in a recently renovated Victorian home in Charles Village, Baltimore, with her orange tabby cat, Merlin, and spends most of her free time wandering around the Inner Harbor. She religiously follows the Baltimore Orioles and attends as many games as possible with her grandpa.

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/krod2000

The Writers Three

The Writers Three, B.C. Richards, Leonard Herrington, and Jon Flushing, all attended the University of Pittsburgh in the late 70s and early 80s. Not only did they share that collegiate experience together, but also a strange affinity for all things weird. Comic books, D&D, Star Trek, and really bad horror movies were among the many late-night discussions that took place in their small North Oakland apartment. After over three decades, the friends decided to turn the plethora of out of the ordinary topics that they love into stories that they could share with the outside world. With the encouragement of author Doug Ward, the trio set out do just that.

Website: https://jflushing.wixsite.com/writers3

April Ward

April Ward currently lives in Western Pennsylvania. She is attended California State University and spends much of her time doing oil paintings and being in and writing about nature.

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AprilWard

Mark R. Hospodar Jr.

Mark R. Hospodar Jr. is a graduate of Duquesne University who enjoys studying medieval history. He spends too much time poring over family trees of the long dead European monarchs of England and France. Mark also possesses a great love of video games, comic books, and horror movies that continues to this very day.

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MRaider95

