Nightly noises surrounded the rescuers as they glared at Slith from their frozen positions between a cluster of trees. "Sometimes I really despise you, Slith." Brand sighed audible while shaking his head back and forth.
The sun had set while the six friends continued on their way to Lake of Ill Omen. The pace decreased to what seemed like a slow crawl. Slith had offered to lead them through the forest, since he had the best night vision. Presumptuously, the young iksar blindly lead his closest friends into a thick clump of trees, away from the river that guided them. Soon after entering the knot of evergreens, the group fell trap in a bundle of adherent string strung across the way.
Kel was the only one not stuck in the sticky threadlike substance since he was in the rear of the fellowship. He watched, helplessly, as his friends, one by one, got tangled in what he figured out to be, a web. A giant spider's web. It was impossible, for the five, who were stuck, to get free. Every time one would struggle, another would get tangled more. Kel tried snapping the threads in half with his beak, but it proved difficult since they were very thick and they stuck to the edges of his mouth.
"Well, at leassst there isssn't a ssspider for thisss web." Slith said cheerily. A few moments after Slith finished talking, the sound of many feet crunching dead leaves and twigs echoed in the glade. From the shadows, a monstrous eight-legged, half-human, half-spider emerged and smiled at its tasty morsels stuck in its web. It was a female dracnid with grayish skin and stark white hair. Her many legs were black with streaks of bright yellow crisscrossing everywhere.
The dracnid's lips curled into a smile as she stepped closer to her web and prey. Mirk moaned. "You had to sssay that, didn't you? Ssstupid boy!" He shot a glare full of venom towards his son.
The dracnid slashed at her closest morsel; Brand. The half-elf jerked wildly to the sides, trying to avoid the spider's touch. The spider then climbed her web nimbly and stood over Brand. The bard's screams were muffled as the sticky thread wound over his head. The others struggled madly, determined to free the young elf. Kel, who had hid in the shadows when the dracnid came, bounded out and lunged for the mummified Brand. The griffin tore Brand loose and cut Mirk free with his back talons as he leapt past.
"Make sssurrre Brrrand is brrreathing. I'll deal with thisss ssspider." Kel barked at the elder iksar and spun around to keep the dracnid away from the others.
Mirk pulled a dagger from a fallen pack and rushed over to cut Brand's cocoon. The half-elf as pale and wasn't breathing when Mirk pulled off all the web. Mirk panicked, he didn't know what to do. Meanwhile, Kel snapped at one of the dracnid's many legs. A shrill high scream filled the forest and sent nesting birds from their trees and to the sky. Kel had bitten off the lower joint of the she-dracnid's leg.
"Free me! Free me! I can heal Brand!" Tegid shouted at Kel, who still had the leg in his beak.
With a few quick movements, Kel freed Tegid and Aubrey. He left Slith stuck in the web and turned back to the giant spider. The dracnid's scream had brought a few more locals to investigate. A large male dracnid lumbered through the trees and surveyed the scene. He snorted and charged Kel, knocking the griffin to the ground. Flapping his wings, Kel drove back the dracnid from himself and those helping Brand. Slith watched sullenly from his position on the net.
"That-a-boy, drink all that water." Tegid had revived Brand awhile Kel battled with the large insects. The wood-elf was supporting the half-elf and holding a flask of water to the bard's lips.
"Can sssomeone help me down?" Slith yelled angrily.
"We ssshould leave you there to rot. Thisss isss all your fault! Brand almossst died becaussse of your ssstupid guidance!" Mirk stalked over to his son and roughly pulled him down.
Slith knelt on the ground at his father's feet with an angry fire burning in his yellow eyes. "I'm sssorry, father." He said through gritted teeth.
"You are to carry all of Brand's packs and instruments until he is stronger and is able to carry them himself." Aubrey crossed over and glared.
"Enough chit-chat, come and help me!" Kel bellowed while hovering above a dracnid, pecking at its head.
Two dracnids had come to the she-spider's scream. There was the large male who was a splotchy gray; and a smaller male with red and black limbs. The female dracnid was nursing her stump of a leg where Kel had amputated it. Mirk leapt up and grabbed the staff he had given Slith and slammed the weapon into the red and black's side. Aubrey took out his sword and headed towards the female dracnid to finish her off. Tegid passed the drinking flask to Slith and ordered him to make Brand drink it while he helped. The druid began summoning spells and sending them into the unfortunate dracnids.
Sneaking up behind the she-dracnid, Aubrey held his sword with two hands and brought it down on another leg. Sticky, hot blood splattered on Aubrey's face as the spider stumbled to the forest floor. Aubrey felt pity for the creature as he stared down at the pool of blood seeping into the ground as water would. He brought his sword up one final time and sliced the spider's head off. The she-dracnid's head rolled to his feet as the huge body collapsed with a thud.
Diving, Kel outstretched his talons and screeched as he aimed to kill the large monster. Moments later, Kel collided and tumbled into a tree with his sharp claws dug deep in the dracnid's chest. Tiny streams of blood dribbled down lazily to the ground. Kel, having the advantage of standing above the spider, thrusted his beak into his enemy's eye socket and pulled out the glistening eye. He bit down harder and the eye exploded in his mouth; puss ran down his face. The griffin them clamped his deadly beak on the dracnid's throat and tore it open. The spider died soon after Kel opened its lifeblood and spilt it.
The sound of wood hitting against flesh echoed in the grove again. Mirk easily avoided the dracnid's swipes and then smacked his staff forcefully on an exposed limb. The dracnid was tiring and backed down in a defensive position. Mirk showed no mercy though; he jumped forward and slammed the staff so hard against the dracnid's head, which its neck snapped. The iksar stood straight and towered over his conquered foe with a great smiled on his scaled face.
"Bravo. Excellent show." Brand was sitting on his own and clapping weakly. His face had regained some of its color, but it was still pale.
"Well lad, think you're able to walk to the lake? Or would you rather stay here and wait for some more locals?" Tegid helped Brand to his feet.
"I can walk." Brand said quickly. "Where are my things?"
"Here." Slith rushed forwards and handed out Brand's belongings.
"No, you don't." Mirk intercepted his overly eager son and looked at Brand. "Ssslith isss carrying your thingsss, due to he almossst killed you by leading usss into a web."
"Oh. Well then, let's go." Brand broke a long, slim branch off of a nearby tree and used it for a walking stick.
A little while later, the group found the river that drained into Firiona Vie's bay. They signed with relief and welcomed the rays of moonlight and the soft breeze that swept by. The only sounds around the company were the steady trickle of water running over rocks, the crunch of their boots on the ground below, and the wing whistling through the trees. It would had been a pleasantly perfect night for the six, if it weren't for the dracnid attacks and Brand being sick.
Brand lost his footing and the ground rushed up to meet him. The impact left him breathless. As he tried to get back up, a nauseating feeling bubbled in his stomach and he vomited. Tegid hurried over and felt Brand's forehead. "He has a scorching fever. The dracnid poisoned him." The wood-elf said before placing his hands on either side of the bar's head and chanting a druid spell. Brand's body jerked and then went rigid. He vomited again.
"What did you do?" Aubrey took a hesitant step forward.
"I just cleansed his body of the poison." Tegid's voice sounded tired. "It's too dangerous to camp here. The mill of Lake of Ill Omen is only a three hour walk." He beckoned Aubrey and Mirk over to help Brand.
Brand weakly put his arms across his friend's shoulders and stood. Mirk and Aubrey walked with the half-elf between them. Slith and Tegid grabbed the extra packs and took the lead. They traveled at a strenuous pace and covered much land.
A little after dawn had broke, the famed windmill of Lake of Ill Omen was seen on the horizon. The fellowship signed happily and sent Kel ahead to find a nice camping spot by the mill. The griffin shook his head in agreement and leapt into the air gracefully. It would take the remaining five a good hour before they would reach the mill and have some well-deserved rest.
Brand looked much better, but he was utterly exhausted. Mirk and Aubrey felt like they were dragging the bard instead of helping him walk. Tegid and Slith trudged wearily under the many packs they hauled, but still kept a decent pace. All were tired, but they were firm in thought in getting to the mill.
They arrived stumbling a long hour later. Small groups of travelers were sitting mending wounds or sharpening their weapons at the mill. Only one merchant stationed himself at the windmill; he was a very smart and wealthy merchant. A shadow passed overhead and someone shouted griffin. The five rescuers looked up and saw Kel circling them. The warriors at the mill grabbed for their sharpened weapons and rangers nocked arrows to their bows.
"Don't shoot! That's my pet!" Tegid quickly shouted.
"Your pet?" A large warrior stood up and questioned.
"Yes. I'm a druid and I've charmed the creature since the Commonlands on Antonica." Tegid was an excellent liar.
"All right, druid. Just come to me once your charm wears off. I could use a couple griffin talons." The warrior sat back down.
Kel landed next to Tegid and stood with his head held high. Tegid patted Kel's back and smoothed the feathers down. Then the griffin trotted behind the mill and a little ways up a small hill where he found a pleasant camping site. The spot was a small clearing in the middle of an outcropping of boulders. It had been used before as a camp, there was a small ring in the center filled with ashes and charred logs. Mirk and Aubrey sat Brand down and handed him his packs and a fresh flask of drink. The half-elf took a long gulp and passed it back. He then dug in one of his packs and pulled out a blanket. Brand was asleep and snoring lightly soon after.
"I'll take first watch with Kel." Tegid said to the others while seating himself on a large boulder.
"Thank you." Muttered those who weren't already asleep. Tegid watched as his friends fell into a deep sleep. Kel was curled up below the druid's feet as his amber eyes gazed around the camp. Once the sound of snoring was heard from all those who were asleep, Tegid slipped off the rock and prodded Kel, who was also snoozing. The griffin yawned widely and shook his feathered head.
"I'm going to look for Papsworth's clue. Don't disturb the others they need rest. I want to help as much as I can." The wood elf had dark circles under his bright eyes.
"Be carrreful. I'll watch overrr and prrrotect herrre." Kel stood up and hopped to the boulder Tegid just jumped off of. He settled down, but kept his head held high.
Slipping out of the camp, Tegid slowly made his way to the mil that was crowded with people. He heard warriors forming a group and shouting for a caster to join them. The offer sounded grand to the druid, but he ha another task to tend too. He stepped into the mill and wandered around aimlessly. His eyes scanned the walls, looking for a loose stone of any sort. The druid found six loose stones with nothing behind them before sitting down, frustrated.
Throwing his head back in anger, Tegid spotted a loose stone directly behind him. The druid stood and cautiously crossed to it. He eased the large stone out and gently placed it at his feet. Inside the hole, a glowing sphere pulsed. It was weightless in his hands as he admired it. Right before his eyes, the sphere changed into a letter. Tegid recognized it from the letter Brand read at Firiona Vie's bay.
Returning to the camp, Tegid showed the letter to Kel, who nodded and flew to wake the others. It took a few minutes for everyone to get up and comprehend what was happening. Tegid handed the letter to Brand to read, but the half-elf waved it away. Breaking the seal carefully, Tegid raised his voice for his companions to hear. "Do you grow tired of this game yet? I quite enjoy it. Now, you must to go the Nektulos Forest and under a bridge you'll find the next clue. Signed Papsworth." Tegid looked at his associates.
"I'm not walking all that way or taking a ship. We're getting a port." Brand sighed.
"And I'll gladly pay for all our passage too." Aubrey shook the bag of coins at his belt and laughed.
