Chapter 3
They left Solanthus and traveled north. After a few hours of traveling, they stopped at the border of Nightlund where Jaina and Dorm took a nap. Roxi thanked Mishakal for such a beautiful day while Timber sat quietly, eating some stew that he had cooked.
His elven ears picked up the sound of metal clanging against metal coming from a few feet away. He turned to see Jaina and Dorm sparring with each other. Holding Silverwind in his right hand, and an ordinary short sword in his left hand, (something Timber thought he'd never see) Dorm was able to keep pace with Jaina. "Looks like their nap didn't last very long," Timber commented softly," but I must say he is learning fast."
Roxi smiled and sat next to Timber. "Timber, did you know that Dargaard Keep is twenty miles from here. After we get Eliza back from the City, we could go see the fortress where Lord Soth once ruled. I know that Mina supposedly destroyed him during the War of Souls, but maybe he's still around. I wonder of there are other death knights that live there."
Timber shrugged and looked at Roxi. "If Lord Soth was there, I'd take him down in seconds."
"Lord Soth is a death knight!" Roxi said in a worried voice. "He'd destroy you Timber!"
The elf smiled at Roxi. "Aww Roxi, I didn't know you cared about me like that." Before Roxi could protest, Dorm and Jaina walked over to them. "That was some good sparring guys," Timber stated, looking at the two rangers. "Dorm you were right when you said that Jaina makes a great partner for you." The rogue threw his friend a wink.
Dorm blushed while Jaina prepared herself some stew. There was a quiet moment between the four travelers until they saw a man in white robes walking down the road. Then they spotted four gnolls in leather armor following the man. They carried battle-axes.
"This doesn't look good," Dorm muttered as he stood up and ran after the gnolls.
Timber stood up and bowed. "Ladies, feel free to sit this one out," he said with a smile, then followed Dorm.
"Now you die mage!" cried one of the gnolls. All together they charged the man in white robes. Timber and Dorm quickly drew their crossbows, loaded them, and aimed for a gnoll. Dorm fired his crossbow first. His bolt flew through the air and hit one of the gnolls in the neck. Timber fired his crossbow as well, but his bolt went into the gnoll's backside. The elf fired a second shot, this time hitting the same gnoll, but in the throat.
The two gnolls that Dorm and Timber shot went down quickly. The other two gnolls turned to face the elf and the human. "Come on you dog faced gully dwarves!" Timber yelled to the gnolls. "Are you just going to attack us, or are you just going to stand there and let us shoot you?" The elf drew his rapier as one of the gnolls charged him. He moved left to dodge the gnoll's battle-axe as it swung towards his head. Timber made two quick slashes in the gnoll's face, cutting two thin lines in the gnoll's eyes.
Timber ducked another of the gnoll's bad swings, then made a well-calculated thrust with his rapier into the gnoll's throat. The gnoll made one last gasp for air, then fell over.
Putting his crossbow away, Dorm drew his long sword and his short sword, watching the other gnoll slowly walking towards him. "I'll take this one," he said with a smile.
The gnoll was ready to make a swing with his axe at the ranger's head, but then two arrows zipped past the ranger's ear and found their way deep into the gnoll's shoulder. Dorm finished the gnoll by making a quick crosscut in the gnoll's chest.
"That was some fine display," the man who was addressed as a mage remarked.
"You're welcome," Timber shouted as he looted the corpses. Jaina and Roxi ran up to Dorm. He noticed the longbow that was swung over Jaina's shoulder.
"That was some fine shooting," Dorm remarked as she grabbed her arrows from the gnoll's skull. Jaina quickly put the arrows back in her quiver. She looked to see the mage walking towards them. Noticing the mage was well, Dorm asked," Why were these gnolls after you?"
The mage scratched his brown bearded chin. He stood about the same height as Timber and Dorm, and had brown chestnut eyes. He had a hawk nose and a large jaw. His hair was light brown with streaks of grey going through it. "They saw me perform some tricks in a town west of here," he answered in his raspy voice. "They thought they could make some easy money by attacking me. Don't worry though. Even if they had attacked me, I could have easily destroyed them. My name is Allister Drizzit. Perhaps you would like to share a drink with me at my cottage. Its not far from here."
Jaina looked at Dorm, then at Allister. "I'm sorry sir, it would be an honor to have a drink with you, but we are on our way to the City of Lost Names in the Northern Waste, and we are really pressed for time."
Allister made a bow. "Perhaps I can help you there. As you learned from those gnolls, I'm a wizard of the white robes. I know of a few spells that could help you get to the Northern Waste faster than you could get there by walking."
Dorm looked Timber and Roxi, who nodded their heads. Jaina sighed and nodded as well. After a brief moment of silence, Dorm turned to Allister and nodded. "Sure, we would love to have a drink with you."
The black robes mage Grimall looked into the mirror that held Modan. The frame of the mirror was made of iron, with designs of stars and moons on the corners. "Wizard, is it time yet?" Modan's voice asked through the mirror.
"Soon Modan," Grimall whispered, stroking his white beard. He had found the mirror while traveling through the City of Lost Names. The voice of Modan spoke to him through the mirror, telling him that she would grant him three wishes if he released her. Grimall asked how he would release her, and Modan told him that he would need the blood of a virgin, and the Goblet of Maridoc. From his readings, Grimall remembered that the goblet was somewhere in the lower region of Solomnia. He had traveled to Two Creek and found the virgin girl. The mayor's daughter Eliza. He knew that the mayor would use all his resources to find the Goblet of Maridoc. It was only a matter of time before the goblet was in his grasp. However, it had to be soon. He was growing tired of casting the same sleep spell on the mayor's daughter day and night.
"Now remember Modan, as an efreeti you have to grant me three wishes," Grimall said softly.
"Yes, yes I know," Modan growled. "I have already promised you that." Grimall smiled. It would only be a matter of time before he was the most powerful wizard on all of Krynn.