The Great Horror: Discovery. Patrick Mew
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crackle of a burning torch to break it.
“Ooh... I hope there isn't much more to this. I'm bushed.” He sat and rested against a rock, watching the room's entrance in the dim light as Kunya stood beside him. Sweat dripped from the wizard's brow and the robe she wore clung to her skin; using offensive magic clearly took a lot more energy than she was used to spending.
She wheezed for a moment and wiped the moisture from her face. “There is one more passage to our back and then I believe that will be the end of this lair. I am hoping we do not encounter any other mages down here, since dealing with numbers is difficult enough in these tunnels.” She cautiously peered around the corner, hoping to not be noticed. A wall of spears greeted her vision, and she paused to scan the group. Another six goblins and an orc. She hesitated too long however, and a beam of black energy shot past her head. Algan noticed it hit the ceiling and hurried over, pulling the wizard back whether she wanted to move or not.
“Slay them!” the orc bellowed in the common tongue. “Feast upon their flesh!” The spears rounded the corner and gnawed at armor and shield, not landing a direct blow. A crossbow bolt flew past Kunya and a second chewed its way into her shoulder.
“Augh, those cheeky beasts,” she said through gritted teeth as she removed the bolt and healed herself. Two more bolts flew into the wall behind him as she ducked behind her fellow. “Do you see anything on the orc that looks odd?” Algan ducked and weaved between the spears and cut the goblins down one at a time, like so much wheat in a field.
“He has some symbol on his armor. Looks like a big – whoa – red eye,” he answered, ducking from a thrust aimed at his face. “That helpful?”
Kunya paused and mulled it over for a second, then her eyes widened. “A priest of the One-Eyed Conqueror? What is one of his doing here?” The warrior replied with a confused grunt, deflecting a spearhead from this chest. “Just as I serve the Sun, there are other entities that people serve. The barbaric god has his own followers, and that orc is one of them.” The black beam appeared again, landing a hit on Algan. He groaned as old wounds appeared again, blood flowing freely from them before Kunya healed them. “And he's clearly evil, since he's using the negative side of magic like that.”
“Tell me something I don't know,” he winced, charging recklessly past the remaining two goblins to strike the priest. His armor nudged the blow away and the orc grunted, mace swung wide for retaliation. The bestial cleric landed the hit and knocked the human breathless, then turned his attention to Kunya. Another crackling dark beam flew by, landing in the gap between the wizard's arm and chest as a beam of fire returned to the orc. It landed squarely on its forehead and blistering heat surged into the creature, forcing it to lower its guard just long enough for the spear to pierce its abdomen. Dark blood poured from its mouth and it slumped to the floor. The two remaining goblins dropped their weapons and ran for the exit; neither cared to die just yet. The pair let the goblins flee and took a breather once again.
“I think that is all of them. It appears that this chamber has no other tunnels, either, so we should be able to gather up anything we care to take from here and head back to the town.” This room was about the same size as the rest and had nothing of note in it apart from the ubiquitous torches that lined the rest of the cavern. Splintered bits of wood and fraying pieces of cloth littered the floor here and there, and tiny pieces of ivory bone lay against the walls as they did in the other chambers. “I think we should check the crates and chest for any valuables or usable supplies; we may need them ourselves.” Algan nodded in agreement.
The young man pried the crates open to find rations, pungent cheese, and other foodstuffs; clothing and leathers; and raw metal that was ready to be worked. The chest and numerous pouches on the slain goblins contained various copper and silver coins. A few pieces of gold lay sprinkled in the chest among the lesser metals as well. They scraped it all together and, with the help of some rope, managed to set up a makeshift rack to carry the goods back to town. Little disturbed their journey back and, despite the abundant wildlife and presence of food, nothing sought to bother them.
Ice once more coated their tent the night before they returned, and their breath hung in the air like so much fog on a grassy field as they set out the following morning. They held blankets close as the path moved underfoot. The road came into view and then it was warm enough that the two weren't shivering. Gray clouds formed a sheet overhead but the wind had settled down from the previous couple of days, allowing the sun to peek through once in a while and leaving patches of bright light on the road and fields.
They had little to say to one another as they walked the highway back to town. Algan was bored with the march and Kunya was still fatigued from drawing so many spells the day before. The gates were a welcome invitation as the day came to a close, sun low on the horizon and what little sky they could see lit in brilliant yellow, fiery orange, and flowery pink. Live music met their ears as they walked together toward the Fair Maiden and stepped inside. One of the local troubadours played a fiddle as he stood upon a table, patrons cheering and passing copper coins to his feet. Others chatted among themselves, the occasional elf or half-elf among the humans, and the bartender waved them over to the counter. The smell of burning lamp oil, flame-roasted meats, ale, and fresh bread hung heavy in the air inside, and oaken furniture of all sorts carpeted the open space for its patrons.
“Oh, Algan, you're back! How'd it go?” she asked, her hair flowing over a low-cut top. The young man stared downward for a moment before Kunya elbowed him.
“Oh, uh... it went pretty well. We cleared out a den of goblins and killed a couple orcs while we were in there.” The music drew his attention away from her and he feigned it as such.
“Sounds exciting! I'm sure you want a nice, cold mug after all that?” She giggled quietly, not oblivious to his sudden shift in gaze.
“Make it three, haha. I'm parched and forgot to take some with me on the trip.”
“I see, that's unfortunate. Who's your friend here?”
The wizard interrupted Algan's attempt to answer and spoke for herself. “I am Kunya. I went with him to help ensure his safety, and to make sure he did not end up lost. I would like a drink and a meal myself, fair madam.” Her cheeks turned the barest shade of pink as she hurried to fetch their requests. “And who might the lady be?”
“That's Amira, and she owns this place. She's very charming, wouldn't you say?” Algan answered. “Oh, she enchants me so...” He paused and let his thoughts carry him away until she returned, mugs and plates on a tray that she sat between the two. The plates were piled high with roast pork, warm bread, and a fresh, creamy cheese. “What's all this?”
“Oh, well, Miss Kunya there made a special request for you both while you were daydreaming. Said she wanted the finest we had, so I brought it. I hope you enjoy it!” The wizard forked out five silver pieces and turned to Algan. Amira giggled at the warrior's clueless expression before she returned to attending the rest of the tavern's requests.
“Well, eat up while it's hot. It smells wonderful, no?”
“Ah, well...” he began, flabbergasted. The aroma took hold though and he ate in earnest. The meat was tender enough to cut with a fork and seasoned generously with local spices, and the bread cleared his plate of leftover juices nicely. The cheese, smooth and mild, made a nice pair with the strong ale and made an excellent finish. With full stomachs and satisfied grins they left for their respective homes shortly after nightfall. The chill had returned and white flakes fell gently from the sky.
“Snow... winter is finally here, then,” Algan observed absentmindedly.
“Indeed. A light dusting for the morning will make the children of the town happy. As for us, we have things to do tomorrow. Get some rest; I will not expect you early. Either wait for me in the tavern or meet me there, depending on which of us awakens first.” She waved as she walked toward her home, the tower looming through the snow, and Algan headed for his own bunk. Night passed, and another chilly morning greeted the town the next day.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3