Chapter 25: The Paladin
Elanee gazed steadily at Gareth as the monk and the dwarf discussed strategy to defeat the large group of orcs blocking their path through the mountains. They had already spent hours crawling through the Bonegnasher lair, inspecting every nook and crannie, searching for any sign of the missing Greycloaks. She was tired, but it was more than just a physical weariness. Gareth's behavior had taken a disturbing turn, one she was not comfortable with. She had tried reasoning with him, tried pleading for him to show mercy, but he would not heed her. And furthermore, Khelgar and Neeshka both started giving her a hard time, telling her to leave him alone. Even Grobnar seemed to not be bothered by what Gareth was doing, or the relentless pace he had been setting. She felt alone and unwanted and she wondered how long she could continue to travel with them. Sighing softly, she moved closer to listen in on the plans being made. She had no choice, however, but to stay with them until they returned to Neverwinter. She would not survive the journey back alone.
"There's quite a few of them and we're all tired," Gareth murmured. "We need to come up with a way to thin their numbers before we engage them."
"I have a couple of things that might help," Grobnar spoke up rather loudly.
"Shh! Keep yer voice down ya daft gnome," Khelgar growled.
"Sorry," Grobnar whispered. "Look, I have these two bottles filled with oil, highly flammable. If we can rig it with a fuse, we could just blow them up."
"We could probably tear some strips off something, an old shirt maybe," Gareth mused.
"Look, something's distracted them," Neeshka suddenly pointed out.
They watched as the orcs began to form up in battle formation facing away from them. Then they heard the clash of steel on steel and the sound of battle cries carrying on the wind. At the far side of the trail, they saw a small group of armed men battling the beasts. In the front leading the way was a tall, dark-haired man dressed in armor that was of finer quality than the others.
"Looks like we have unexpected help," Gareth chuckled. "Let's give them a hand."
Gareth and Khelgar charged the rear line of the orcs, while Grobnar and Neeshka unleashed a barrage of arrows on them. Elanee decided that she would sit this one out. If they did not want to listen to her or respect her, then she certainly was not going to help them unless given no other choice. Moving away, she found a large boulder and climbed onto it. Settling herself comfortably, she waited for the battle to be over. From what she could see, that would not be long.
As the last orc fell, Gareth turned to the group of soldiers they had been helping, mentally preparing himself for more fighting should they take offense at the interference. He didn't know who they were, but they were obviously not part of the forces Callum had brought. They seemed to be too experienced and disciplined for that. He waited silently as the man he guessed was their leader came forward.
"I thank you for the help, even though it was not expected," the man bowed slightly. "I am Casavir, and my men and I have been hunting these orcs for several days."
"Huh, seems like ya need better trackers if it took ya this long to catch up with 'em," Khelgar snorted.
"Khelgar," Gareth warned as the others murmured angrily at the insult.
"What? Just sayin' that-" the dwarf sputtered.
"You're being rude moss-breath," Neeshka told him. "Though it's the truth," she muttered under her breath.
"My apologies sir," Gareth turned his attention to the man in front of him. "I am Gareth, and I too have been hunting the orcs in these mountains."
"It seems we have similar goals," Casavir nodded, deciding to ignore the others. "I am curious as to why you are here. The Sword Mountains are very dangerous and your group looks to be ill-prepared for the battles you will encounter." He had assessed their armor and weapons and found them lacking compared to those of his own men.
"My teachers always taught that looks can deceive and that a book can't be judged by it's cover," Gareth said firmly. "Many a foe has lost his life making such wrong assumptions about myself and my companions."
"Indeed," Casavir nodded, his mouth quirking in amusement. The boy before him looked young, but his eyes hinted at more knowledge and wisdom than one twice his age. "I would still like to know why you are here. Those who have camped at the Well have never bothered to come up this far."
"I was sent by Neverwinter to find an Emissary from Waterdeep," Gareth replied. "It appears that a group of orcs attacked his escort and kidnapped him."
"I knew the orcs had gathered under Logram's banner, but I didn't know they had grown so bold as that," Casavir mused.
"You know where this Logram is then?" Gareth asked and saw him nod. "So, you're the one the orcs have named the 'Katalmach'."
"The orcs are superstitious creatures," Casavir shrugged. "If it is Logram you seek, I can show you the way to his lair."
"How about you just tell us and we find it oursevles?" Neeshka asked, rubbing at her arms. "Paladins make my skin itch."
"In truth, we found the path quite by accident," Casavir shook his head. "Even if I told you where it was, you might miss it. I feel that time is of the essence and as such it makes more sense for me to show you the way." He hesitated and then decided to disclose the full reason. "I have taken an oath to free the Well and the people that live here from the threat of the orcs. In order to fulfill my oath, I must see with my own eyes the end of Logram and his clan."
"Well, if it's just him I ain't got a problem with it," Khelgar shrugged. "But, ya know that these paths are pretty narrow, not much room to move."
"I certainly don't want to keep a paladin from keeping his oath," Gareth said. "However, Khelgar is right in that too many people would create problems."
"My men will stay here under Katriona's command," Casavir told him. He quickly cut off the protests from Katriona and then turned back to Gareth. "I suggest making camp here for the night and setting out in the morning."
Gareth was about to protest when Elanee came forward. "Gareth, we have been fighting and moving with only a few short breaks for the past three days. I am exhausted, as is everyone else. You cannot let your personal quest cloud your reason. We need rest or we will fail in our task."
"Well, you should be well rested," Neeshka said waspishly. "After all, you sat on your ass and watched us do all the work in this last skirmish."
"What?" Khelgar roared, whirling to face the wood elf.
"Why would you do such a thing Elanee?" Gareth asked, his voice cold and hard.
"Because I told you I was exhausted and needed to rest, but you refused to listen to me," Elanee said, her own voice growing cold.
"Well, if ya weren't such a bleedin' heart wuss, always yappin' about being nice to everyone, maybe we might have listened more," Khelgar said scorfully.
"Next time then, perhaps you will pay more attention," Elanee sniffed.
"Not bloody likely bitch," Neeshka snapped.
"Enough!" Gareth raised his hand. "Since this particular venture is too much for you Elanee, then you shall remain behind with Casavir's men."
"That is not fair of you," Elanee protested in shock. "Just because I said I was tired-"
"Not because you were tired," Gareth said harshly. "Because you sat back and watched. Regardless of your reason for it, it means I can't trust that you won't pull a similar stunt in the future. I won't take someone so unreliable into the lion's den. Get your gear and go join Katriona."
Casavir watched in silence as the druid did as ordered and then turned to Gareth. "I believe there was more to her reasoning than just being tired. Obviously her presence has been causing a rift in your group. Regardless, you made the correct decision to leave her behind."
"Khelgar, Neeshka, Grobnar, get the camp set up," Gareth ordered and then turned away motioning for Casavir to follow him. He walked back towards the lower path they had come up earlier. He wasn't sure how Casavir was going to react to what he had to tell him and didn't want the others to stick their noses in it.
"I felt that you should know a couple of things before we left," Gareth told him as he came to a stop and faced him. "You may not want to accompany us after you hear what I have to say."
"While I understand that a leader cannot always tell those who follow him everything," Casavir began, "I am puzzled as to why you feel the need to keep our conversation private from your companions."
"They know what I am about to tell you, but they can get a little ornery in my defense," Gareth smiled slightly. "I just don't want them to influence you in any way."
"Very well," Casavir nodded.
"I know from your shield that you are a paladin of Tyr, the God of Justice," Gareth continued. "One of the basic tenets of your faith is the one that says you should always deal fairly and justly with everyone, including your enemies. The problem is that I have another, more personal, reason for hunting these orcs. I am looking for someone that I hold dear to my heart and the answer lies with the orcs. I have not been either kind or just in my dealings with them thus far. It has been a bone of contention between myself and Elanee. I suspect that is the real reason she sat out that last battle. A childish reaction, yes, but one I can understand. It doesn't mean that I will tolerate her behavior, either now or in the future."
"She doesn't approve of what you have been doing," Casavir nodded his understanding. "You believe that I will cause similar problems if I accompany you."
"I'm afraid that it will happen, yes," Gareth sighed. "My, friend, Webb Mossfeld is missing and presumed dead." He swallowed hard to keep back the tears he could feel welling up. "He was part of a patrol that was attacked by a group of orcs. Callum said only four bodies were found and said that most likely Webb and the other soldier were taken prisoner."
"If they were taken prisoner then they were most likely tortured and killed," Casavir said softly. "But you don't know for sure that is so."
"Khelgar said that they were missing, but that didn't mean they were dead," Gareth nodded. "I have to find Webb, I have to find out what happened to him. The orcs know what happened and I will not rest until I find out the truth. To that end, I have used every means necessary to force an answer out of every orc I have caught. So far, I have come up empty handed."
"What is the problem Elanee has with you?" Casavir said in confusion.
"I swore a silent oath to see to it that every orc in these mountains that I came upon would die," Gareth whispered. "I am here to seek vengeance on all the orcs for Webb's sake."
"But you don't know that he is dead, how can you seek vengeance?" Casavir said, aghast at the notion.
"I don't care! I will see them all dead," Gareth snapped. "If you are going to have a problem with that, then it would be best if you stayed behind." He saw the paladin hesitating. "You know as much about the orcs as I do. Do you really think that the people who live here will be safe from them unless we kill every last one of them? Because if you do then you are setting yourself up to fail in your oath."
"The only way to truly secure the area is to kill Logram and his clan," Casavir said after a long silence. "I do not, however, approve of using torture on any creature. A clean death is the only honorable way. As long as we can agree on that, then I will say nothing more on the subject, regardless of what you do. I too, have a more personal reason to be here, one which we don't have time to discuss now."
"Agreed," Gareth nodded. "If I capture an orc and they can't or won't answer my questions, then I will kill them quickly."
"Well, you know, orcs are extremely tough and stubborn, torture is a poor method to use on them," Grobnar piped up, startling the two men.
"This was supposed to be a private conversation Grobnar," Gareth growled angrily.
"I know, but the atmosphere in camp was way too depressing so I wandered away," the gnome shrugged, unfazed at their reaction. "I didn't intentionally eavesdrop on you. In fact, I only heard the end there and figured you could use some unbiased input."
Casavir nodded, "What do you wish to say then?"
"I have travelled far and wide and read many books and scrolls," Grobnar continued. "I know for a fact that orcs respond to a show of strength and to them, torture is a method used by weak humans. Therefore, a quick, certain death at your hands is likely to make them far more cooperative than not. It would show them that you have the strength to kill those who oppose you, which in turn gives you greater stature in their eyes."
"And you're just remembering all this now?" Gareth asked, nonplussed.
"Well, there's lots of stuff whirling around up here," Grobnar tapped his skull. "I can't always recall things right off the bat. It's a character flaw, in the opinion of others, that every gnome has. It annoys most people which is why so few are willing to travel with a gnome."
"Thank you for sharing Grobnar," Gareth smiled down at him before turning to Casavir. "I have told you what I felt you needed to know at this time. If we are agreed and there is nothing more to say, then I suggest we return to camp and get some sleep."
"For now, this will suffice, lead on," Casavir waived for them to proceed him. As he followed them back, he couldn't help but get the feeling that Gareth's feelings ran deeper than simple friendship for Webb. But, seeing as how neither of them trusted the other yet, he was content to wait and watch. The answers would come in time.