6. Into the mouth of evil
"Bleeeuuurhhhhhhhh," moaned Ganth. Of the three friends, the dwarf was embarrassed to be the only one who couldn't stand sea travel. Despite his earthy roots, his motto for taking long journeys had always been "Open me a portal." He stood leaning over the balustrade, watching the water go by and hoping he wouldn't be sending his breakfast to the fish.
The two clerics felt sorry for him. Standing apart, giving him room to breathe, they could do nothing. The boat's rocking made it impossible for them to cast any spells, ruining their concentration, and even eating some good solid dwarven bread had done nothing for the poor little rogue.
"He'll be back on his feet in no time," smiled Eltheria. "You'll see."
"Laaaaaaaaaaaand Hooooooooooooooooo!" the sailor atop the mainmast crowed. The boat came about, and a dozen or more gnomish marines appeared from all corners of the deck. Hopping onto the rigging, they scurried up and began to fold the sails, slowing the ship as the navigator swung the tiller and pointed her towards the looming docks. Several minutes later, after a small bump that set Ganth moaning, the boat was tied up and they were able to descend to dry land. The dwarf's relief was apparent.
Sitting for a moment to recover their land-legs, the friend once again caught up with the local rumours as various travellers passed them and boarded the boat. Ganth soon felt better, and the two ladies joined him in buying supplies before entering the city.
Freeport was a busy, bustling place, especially for Gueri. Coming from the seat of tranquillity, Erudin, she was unaccustomed to seeing so many people of different races walking the streets, talking and joking, arguing and trading. The heavily armed guard patrols surprised her as well, with their brightly coloured tunics and loud, stomping footsteps. She had always liked Freeport, nonetheless. Much like Qeynos, but less ordered, it was a place of intriguing little corners, of myriad new and unusual things, and of a particular little bakery that she loved to visit. She smiled a little smile as she thought of freshly baked muffins. Eltheria shot the erudite a sidelong glance.
"You know we don't really have the time, Gueri," she said, "but it's obvious that we're not leaving 'til you've had your muffin. Ganth and I will come with you - we need some bread to go with this fish, anyway." Gueri cheered with delight and the friends ran off towards the bakery.
"Hello, Gueri. You look like you could use some bread," said Pincia Brownloe, as the erudite introduced herself. "Unfortunately, we no longer make muffins, my dear, but I know how much you like them, so I saved you one." Gueri smiled.
"She doesn't deserve it!" boomed a voice from behind the friends. Spinning around, they saw an unbelievable sight.
"Siobhan! Jomen!" shouted Ganth, a mix of wonder and joy spreading across his bearded face. Eltheria squealed with pleasure, and Gueri joined her. There was a moment's pause, then all five friends embraced, their joy becoming almost tangible.
"But how.?" began Eltheria.
"That husband o'your'n," explained Siobhan, nodding to Gueri. "He only went and gat the High Priest hisself to come and look after us, didn't he? One minute we's dead, the next we's sittin' there eatin' batwing crunchies! Och! I dinna know how to say it. it's. it's grand tae see you all again!"
"But how did you get here?" asked Ganth.
"Fane, that druid friend of Rendil's," explained Jomen. "He opened a portal for us to the western commonlands, and we walked down from there. We knew you'd be at the bakery sooner or later." He winked at Gueri.
"Any sign of Vaeksil on the way?" asked the erudite, bringing them back to the reality of their mission. Both Siobhan and Jomen shook their heads.
"Ach, but it's grand to see you two!" splurted Ganth, and once again hugged them both close. "Now we be complete again, how's about we go inkyhuntin'?"
The friends moved quickly through the city and headed out through the enormous gate. This area was always busy, with at least a dozen young adventurers hunting and older veterans stopping to hear local news or trade with the merchants. The guards hardly noticed them as they passed, keeping their heads turned towards the desert, watching for orcs and other creatures that might try to sneak past. Out on the sand, they continued directly towards a distant inn and its surrounding huts: they needed to travel by landmarks here, unfamiliar as they were with the area.
"This way," said Jomen, jogging off towards an impressive, sandstone cliff face. "The forest pass is down here. Let's hope we're not too late and can catch him before he gets through." He stopped suddenly, and Siobhan, jogging just behind, ran straight into him. "We forgot to ask someone for the ability to see him if he's invisible. I mean, I can find him, he's definitely here. but if I can't see him, I can't stop him."
The others looked at each other, realising their mistake. Jomen didn't think twice - he ran off towards the tunnel to the northern Ro desert, calling to them to remain where they were. His shouts could be heard from a great distance, and the group soon heard a reply from someone at the tunnel entrance who would perform the require incantations.
Jomen returned several minutes later, his eyes glowing a strange colour, and led them off towards the forest pass at a quick jogging pace.
"I can smell the forest," he said. "It stinks of evil. There it is, just ahead. wait! There he is! Vaeksil!"
Jomen's outstretched finger pointed to nothing. Quickly reaching for his bow, the wood elf nocked an arrow and let it fly. The missile flew straight and true, suddenly stopping, seemingly in mid-air. A moment later, the dark elf appeared, pulling the arrow from his leg. He looked first at the group, then at the small pass leading to Nektulos forest. and ran.
"After him!" shouted Siobhan, unsheathing her swords as she broke into a run. The friends' feet hammered on the grass, kicking up great clods of earth as they rushed towards the fleeing elf. Jomen let fly a second arrow, but it shot wide, thudding into a tree. They were closing on the wounded elf, with Siobhan and Jomen moving slightly faster than the others, but the pass through the cliff loomed closer. Cursing, Siobhan put on a burst of speed as Vaeksil rounded a corner and began to disappear into the darkness of the pass.
"Damn him!" she shouted, pounding ahead of the group into the pass. Several other travellers were seated around the entrance and regarded her strangely, but she ignored them and ran on, her friends following behind her.
Evil closed in around the group as they arrived, breathless, on the other side of the pass. Their eyes took a time to adjust to the sudden darkness of the forest: mere moments before they had been out in the sunlight of the commonlands, and suddenly it seemed as if night had fallen. Their skin crawled. Strange noises filled their ears, carried on the air by a foul wind that rustled through the leaves as they rotted on the trees. Ganth shuddered, as Siobhan wiped beads of sweat from her forehead. The two clerics seemed smaller in this place of darkness, and hastily called upon their gods for protection.
"Now what do we do?" asked Gueri. "We're in his territory. We're the enemy."
The four others understood her concern. Two minutes ago, they had been welcome visitors in a friendly city; now they were invading lightbringers, hunting a child of the land.
"We need to sneak round the edge of the forest," suggested Jomen. "If their guards work like ours do, they'll stay mainly on the paths and not patrol too close to the extremities. We just have to be careful."
"But we'll lose him," cried Eltheria, desperation in her voice. "He can just run straight through, now, and we are the ones who must take the long way round."
"I hit him in the leg," replied Jomen. "It looked pretty deep and that sprint must have taken it out of him. Let's hope he needs to rest, or at least move slowly for a while. We can make good time, fear not. At the very worst, we can camp on the edge of the Lavastorm Mountains and maintain a watch over the entrance to that city of hell. We can wait him out."
The others didn't look convinced. Siobhan spoke up.
"I died once already, killin' the scum what killed me father. The gods must haeve a purpose fer me if I be here now. Och, I'm with you, Jomen. You ain't naever let us down afore." The others nodded agreement.
***
Vaeksil puffed and panted as he heaved his bleeding leg onto the rock at the edge of the forest. The guard pulled a bandage from his backpack and bent to wrap the wound.
"Milord Vaeksil, who follows you?" he asked, tightening the bandage around the bloodied limb. "Outlanders? What business have they here?"
Vaeksil hissed viciously. "Elves! I hate them! Damned lightbearer and his friends. I had them, damn his eyes! I had them!"
The guard stepped back, unsheathing his sword again and fidgeting uncomfortably in place. He knew better than to question a lord of Neriak, particularly a necromancer of the standing of Vaeksil, and particularly when he was angry. He waited silently, keeping one eye on the pass. Vaeksil turned towards him, seemingly less angry, but just as agitated.
"If you let them through here, I'll have your head served to me on a platter. I must away to Neriak. My Lord Tel'Drath awaits my report, and I have great doubt that he will be pleased. Call guardians to you if you need them, but do NOT let them through!" he screeched, raising a warning finger. The guard saluted smartly and took up his post, carefully concealing himself behind the large rock. Vaeksil hobbled away, down the road towards Neriak.
In reality, Vaeksil dreaded returning to the city. Not only had he failed both parts of his mission, but he had done so with an incompetence of which he would not have thought himself capable. Merely killing one of the two targets would have been better, but losing both, losing the orcs and losing all the equipment it had cost Neriak to buy the orcs' service. well, that was just a nightmare. Suddenly, he stopped, a look of pure terror on his face. Fumbling quickly through his robes, he pulled out a roll of paper, and breathed a sigh of relief. Opening it, he re-read the texts to assure himself he had lost nothing.
"Travel itinerary. Good. Equipment list. Good. List of informers and spies. Good. Safe houses. Good. Note of commission. note of commission. oh no. Innoruuk protect me." The look of fear returned, as Vaeksil realised he had lost one of his papers.
"Damn it!" he exclaimed, clawing through his robes in a desperate search for the note. "I couldn't have left it in that box!"
Breathing a sigh of relief, the dark elf drew a dark roll of paper from a hidden pocket. He smiled. He had left the correct document, the one the lightbringers were supposed to find. Carefully unrolling it, he skimmed the beautifully scribed document.
"Employ the orcs. mmmm. yes. stage two of our plans are complete. the orc chief has been killed, good. stage three is underway. our spy infiltrated into their fellowship. now then. Aha!" A look of victory appeared in the evil lord's eyes as he found the paragraph he had been looking for. He read it quietly to himself, ensuring the meaning was that which he needed.
"Should the foul orcs in your employ fail you, and the erudite survive, return at once to Neriak. We will provide an alternative plan, entrusted to another of our kin at this time. However, should you fail in your mission to destroy the high elven magician before he completes his mission for the Felwithe Council, you will be dismembered slowly, your entrails removed while you breathe and your still-living body hung from the gates of Neriak for at least a month, during which time you will be kept alive to endure the suffering of your failure."
Vaeksil raised an eyebrow. "An imaginative punishment, I can appreciate that," he mumbled, placing the roll of paper carefully back into its hidden place. "I shall just avoid telling them about that blasted magician."
Looking distinctly pleased with himself, Vaeksil hobbled slowly towards Neriak.
"Bleeeuuurhhhhhhhh," moaned Ganth. Of the three friends, the dwarf was embarrassed to be the only one who couldn't stand sea travel. Despite his earthy roots, his motto for taking long journeys had always been "Open me a portal." He stood leaning over the balustrade, watching the water go by and hoping he wouldn't be sending his breakfast to the fish.
The two clerics felt sorry for him. Standing apart, giving him room to breathe, they could do nothing. The boat's rocking made it impossible for them to cast any spells, ruining their concentration, and even eating some good solid dwarven bread had done nothing for the poor little rogue.
"He'll be back on his feet in no time," smiled Eltheria. "You'll see."
"Laaaaaaaaaaaand Hooooooooooooooooo!" the sailor atop the mainmast crowed. The boat came about, and a dozen or more gnomish marines appeared from all corners of the deck. Hopping onto the rigging, they scurried up and began to fold the sails, slowing the ship as the navigator swung the tiller and pointed her towards the looming docks. Several minutes later, after a small bump that set Ganth moaning, the boat was tied up and they were able to descend to dry land. The dwarf's relief was apparent.
Sitting for a moment to recover their land-legs, the friend once again caught up with the local rumours as various travellers passed them and boarded the boat. Ganth soon felt better, and the two ladies joined him in buying supplies before entering the city.
Freeport was a busy, bustling place, especially for Gueri. Coming from the seat of tranquillity, Erudin, she was unaccustomed to seeing so many people of different races walking the streets, talking and joking, arguing and trading. The heavily armed guard patrols surprised her as well, with their brightly coloured tunics and loud, stomping footsteps. She had always liked Freeport, nonetheless. Much like Qeynos, but less ordered, it was a place of intriguing little corners, of myriad new and unusual things, and of a particular little bakery that she loved to visit. She smiled a little smile as she thought of freshly baked muffins. Eltheria shot the erudite a sidelong glance.
"You know we don't really have the time, Gueri," she said, "but it's obvious that we're not leaving 'til you've had your muffin. Ganth and I will come with you - we need some bread to go with this fish, anyway." Gueri cheered with delight and the friends ran off towards the bakery.
"Hello, Gueri. You look like you could use some bread," said Pincia Brownloe, as the erudite introduced herself. "Unfortunately, we no longer make muffins, my dear, but I know how much you like them, so I saved you one." Gueri smiled.
"She doesn't deserve it!" boomed a voice from behind the friends. Spinning around, they saw an unbelievable sight.
"Siobhan! Jomen!" shouted Ganth, a mix of wonder and joy spreading across his bearded face. Eltheria squealed with pleasure, and Gueri joined her. There was a moment's pause, then all five friends embraced, their joy becoming almost tangible.
"But how.?" began Eltheria.
"That husband o'your'n," explained Siobhan, nodding to Gueri. "He only went and gat the High Priest hisself to come and look after us, didn't he? One minute we's dead, the next we's sittin' there eatin' batwing crunchies! Och! I dinna know how to say it. it's. it's grand tae see you all again!"
"But how did you get here?" asked Ganth.
"Fane, that druid friend of Rendil's," explained Jomen. "He opened a portal for us to the western commonlands, and we walked down from there. We knew you'd be at the bakery sooner or later." He winked at Gueri.
"Any sign of Vaeksil on the way?" asked the erudite, bringing them back to the reality of their mission. Both Siobhan and Jomen shook their heads.
"Ach, but it's grand to see you two!" splurted Ganth, and once again hugged them both close. "Now we be complete again, how's about we go inkyhuntin'?"
The friends moved quickly through the city and headed out through the enormous gate. This area was always busy, with at least a dozen young adventurers hunting and older veterans stopping to hear local news or trade with the merchants. The guards hardly noticed them as they passed, keeping their heads turned towards the desert, watching for orcs and other creatures that might try to sneak past. Out on the sand, they continued directly towards a distant inn and its surrounding huts: they needed to travel by landmarks here, unfamiliar as they were with the area.
"This way," said Jomen, jogging off towards an impressive, sandstone cliff face. "The forest pass is down here. Let's hope we're not too late and can catch him before he gets through." He stopped suddenly, and Siobhan, jogging just behind, ran straight into him. "We forgot to ask someone for the ability to see him if he's invisible. I mean, I can find him, he's definitely here. but if I can't see him, I can't stop him."
The others looked at each other, realising their mistake. Jomen didn't think twice - he ran off towards the tunnel to the northern Ro desert, calling to them to remain where they were. His shouts could be heard from a great distance, and the group soon heard a reply from someone at the tunnel entrance who would perform the require incantations.
Jomen returned several minutes later, his eyes glowing a strange colour, and led them off towards the forest pass at a quick jogging pace.
"I can smell the forest," he said. "It stinks of evil. There it is, just ahead. wait! There he is! Vaeksil!"
Jomen's outstretched finger pointed to nothing. Quickly reaching for his bow, the wood elf nocked an arrow and let it fly. The missile flew straight and true, suddenly stopping, seemingly in mid-air. A moment later, the dark elf appeared, pulling the arrow from his leg. He looked first at the group, then at the small pass leading to Nektulos forest. and ran.
"After him!" shouted Siobhan, unsheathing her swords as she broke into a run. The friends' feet hammered on the grass, kicking up great clods of earth as they rushed towards the fleeing elf. Jomen let fly a second arrow, but it shot wide, thudding into a tree. They were closing on the wounded elf, with Siobhan and Jomen moving slightly faster than the others, but the pass through the cliff loomed closer. Cursing, Siobhan put on a burst of speed as Vaeksil rounded a corner and began to disappear into the darkness of the pass.
"Damn him!" she shouted, pounding ahead of the group into the pass. Several other travellers were seated around the entrance and regarded her strangely, but she ignored them and ran on, her friends following behind her.
Evil closed in around the group as they arrived, breathless, on the other side of the pass. Their eyes took a time to adjust to the sudden darkness of the forest: mere moments before they had been out in the sunlight of the commonlands, and suddenly it seemed as if night had fallen. Their skin crawled. Strange noises filled their ears, carried on the air by a foul wind that rustled through the leaves as they rotted on the trees. Ganth shuddered, as Siobhan wiped beads of sweat from her forehead. The two clerics seemed smaller in this place of darkness, and hastily called upon their gods for protection.
"Now what do we do?" asked Gueri. "We're in his territory. We're the enemy."
The four others understood her concern. Two minutes ago, they had been welcome visitors in a friendly city; now they were invading lightbringers, hunting a child of the land.
"We need to sneak round the edge of the forest," suggested Jomen. "If their guards work like ours do, they'll stay mainly on the paths and not patrol too close to the extremities. We just have to be careful."
"But we'll lose him," cried Eltheria, desperation in her voice. "He can just run straight through, now, and we are the ones who must take the long way round."
"I hit him in the leg," replied Jomen. "It looked pretty deep and that sprint must have taken it out of him. Let's hope he needs to rest, or at least move slowly for a while. We can make good time, fear not. At the very worst, we can camp on the edge of the Lavastorm Mountains and maintain a watch over the entrance to that city of hell. We can wait him out."
The others didn't look convinced. Siobhan spoke up.
"I died once already, killin' the scum what killed me father. The gods must haeve a purpose fer me if I be here now. Och, I'm with you, Jomen. You ain't naever let us down afore." The others nodded agreement.
***
Vaeksil puffed and panted as he heaved his bleeding leg onto the rock at the edge of the forest. The guard pulled a bandage from his backpack and bent to wrap the wound.
"Milord Vaeksil, who follows you?" he asked, tightening the bandage around the bloodied limb. "Outlanders? What business have they here?"
Vaeksil hissed viciously. "Elves! I hate them! Damned lightbearer and his friends. I had them, damn his eyes! I had them!"
The guard stepped back, unsheathing his sword again and fidgeting uncomfortably in place. He knew better than to question a lord of Neriak, particularly a necromancer of the standing of Vaeksil, and particularly when he was angry. He waited silently, keeping one eye on the pass. Vaeksil turned towards him, seemingly less angry, but just as agitated.
"If you let them through here, I'll have your head served to me on a platter. I must away to Neriak. My Lord Tel'Drath awaits my report, and I have great doubt that he will be pleased. Call guardians to you if you need them, but do NOT let them through!" he screeched, raising a warning finger. The guard saluted smartly and took up his post, carefully concealing himself behind the large rock. Vaeksil hobbled away, down the road towards Neriak.
In reality, Vaeksil dreaded returning to the city. Not only had he failed both parts of his mission, but he had done so with an incompetence of which he would not have thought himself capable. Merely killing one of the two targets would have been better, but losing both, losing the orcs and losing all the equipment it had cost Neriak to buy the orcs' service. well, that was just a nightmare. Suddenly, he stopped, a look of pure terror on his face. Fumbling quickly through his robes, he pulled out a roll of paper, and breathed a sigh of relief. Opening it, he re-read the texts to assure himself he had lost nothing.
"Travel itinerary. Good. Equipment list. Good. List of informers and spies. Good. Safe houses. Good. Note of commission. note of commission. oh no. Innoruuk protect me." The look of fear returned, as Vaeksil realised he had lost one of his papers.
"Damn it!" he exclaimed, clawing through his robes in a desperate search for the note. "I couldn't have left it in that box!"
Breathing a sigh of relief, the dark elf drew a dark roll of paper from a hidden pocket. He smiled. He had left the correct document, the one the lightbringers were supposed to find. Carefully unrolling it, he skimmed the beautifully scribed document.
"Employ the orcs. mmmm. yes. stage two of our plans are complete. the orc chief has been killed, good. stage three is underway. our spy infiltrated into their fellowship. now then. Aha!" A look of victory appeared in the evil lord's eyes as he found the paragraph he had been looking for. He read it quietly to himself, ensuring the meaning was that which he needed.
"Should the foul orcs in your employ fail you, and the erudite survive, return at once to Neriak. We will provide an alternative plan, entrusted to another of our kin at this time. However, should you fail in your mission to destroy the high elven magician before he completes his mission for the Felwithe Council, you will be dismembered slowly, your entrails removed while you breathe and your still-living body hung from the gates of Neriak for at least a month, during which time you will be kept alive to endure the suffering of your failure."
Vaeksil raised an eyebrow. "An imaginative punishment, I can appreciate that," he mumbled, placing the roll of paper carefully back into its hidden place. "I shall just avoid telling them about that blasted magician."
Looking distinctly pleased with himself, Vaeksil hobbled slowly towards Neriak.