Chapter 21: The Wanted Highwayman

I sat inside Farmer Fred's house. It was late morning. I thought about the nasty nightmare I had. It was about this mage who had been kidnapped and had been tortured for information about a particular potion. I had been wondering what was so important about this potion. I checked in the Herblore section of my magic book for some evil potion that was hard to make, but I couldn't find any potion of that kind. I wondered and wondered until I felt like my head was going to explode with questions. I sighed, and sat up. Farmer Fred and Osrie1 were in the back. Farmer Fred was teaching Osrie1 how to farm. I went behind, and spotted Osrie1 picking dirty potatoes and putting them in a sack, with Fred and the tool leprechaun watching.

"Are we ready to go to Duke Horacio?" I asked. He nodded.

"As long as we split the cash two ways," he replied. I nodded.

"Do you really think I would keep 1,000gp to myself?" I grinned. He handed his farming tools to the tool leprechaun, who then disappeared in a puff of green smoke. We said our goodbyes and thanks to Farmer Fred, and left the farm.

We walked into Lumbridge. It was bustling, as usual, and the shop was just opening for the day. We walked into the castle courtyard. There were people everywhere. People were filling buckets and bowls with water from the fountain, people were sitting on the benches, chatting, and one person was walking around with a huge wolf following him. But then, something happened that shocked me-a puff of smoke went in the middle of the courtyard, and a most peculiar creature appeared in front of me.

The creature was small and red, with red wings. It was scaly, and had cheeky blue eyes. It was only level 2. It was holding a small sword. It squeaked, and flapped around. But just then, Madrey1 came from behind us.

He was covered with mud and blood, and his once shining red armour was now grimy. He shoved us aside as he passed. He snorted at the squealing creature, muttering 'Stupid imp,' under his breath. He drew his sword, and beheaded the poor helpless imp with one swift motion. The imp dropped a ball of wool and a pile of ashes. He took them both, and muttering, he entered the castle.

We stepped inside the castle. There was a guard standing there, keeping an eye out for trouble. Another guard was chatting to Madrey1. I listened to the conversation.

"So, why are you covered in mud and blood?" the guard asked madrey1.

"I was in the swamp, killing rats for meat, and then the rats eyes turned red, and they started attacking me!! They were only level 3 and 6, but for Saradomin's sake they were tough! They ambushed me, and it was hell trying to kill them all. They just kept coming!!" he complained. The guard nodded.

"Well, I have got to go. There is this person pick pocketing men and women south of town," he said, before marching out the castle. Madrey1 followed him, muttering.

We walked down the corridor, and we found the kitchen door open. The cook was pacing the kitchen, looking nervous. He was pale, and his cook outfit was dishevelled.

"Wait!!" he called as we passed. "Can you help me?"

"Yes…." I said, pausing. He sighed.

"Thank Saradomin! It is the duke's birthday today. I am supposed to make him a cake, but I forgot to go and get the ingredients? Could you get me an egg, a pot of flour and a bucket of milk? I would be very grateful," he said, looking at me.

"Sure, I'll help you," I replied cheerfully. "But first, I got a task I need to do. Could you wait?"

"Of course I'll wait! Just try not to keep it too late," he cried happily. I smiled, and walked up the stairs. Osrie1 followed.

"We went to the duke's room. The orange shield gleamed in its case. I wondered what that shield was. Madrey1 had it, the duke had it, and Sir Vant had it. What was it supposed to do? I promised myself I'd solve that mystery, along with a dozen other mysteries. The duke was chatting to the man in a blue suit. He noticed us. He stopped talking abruptly.

"Hello, I was just talking to Sigmund here about a problem in the castle cellar. Can I help you?" he asked cheerfully.

"Yes you can. I read in the papers about a Highwayman on the loose. I'd like to come and help you to fight it," I said.

"Very well, I'll sign you up for the job. Now, a warning: this highwayman is skilled in an ability called agility. Our guards could take him out with a swipe of a sword, but he is too fast for them, with all their heavy armour. Maybe some quick young people such as you could take him out? I know you two are a smidge too weak for him, but with you two and our newbie guard, we can take him out. And, I promise you the cash reward at the end," the duke explained. I nodded.

"Where should we start looking?" I asked.

"Well, we have already tracked him. He should be at the crossroad just past the windmill. But, please beware while fighting him. It's mainly because supporters of Zamorak are acting strange. They are grouping up and whispering and the creatures are losing their own free will. You've seen the rats, and the dragon," the Duke whispered to me and Osrie1 and Sigmund. I opened my mouth to tell the Duke about my nightmare, but I stopped in mid-breath. I decided against telling the Duke. The Duke might start getting suspicious, and he might research. The last thing I wanted was the duke as an enemy. I just nodded, and dragging Osrie1 by the arm, left the room.

Half an hour later we were near Farmer Fred's farm. He didn't seem to be home. There was a level 10 guard clad in steel armour and holding a steel mace. He nodded and we walked down the path. We passed the grain field, the potato field, and then we were at the crossroad. One direction led up ahead, and I could see a cabbage field in the distance. The path to our left led past a grain field, and a house blocked further viewing. To our right we could see a lot of dead trees, and the green soil was turning brown. I shivered at the sight. We just stood there, and waited for any sign of the highwayman.

We waited and waited and waited. We waved to passing people. For lunch we picked potatoes and had to eat them raw. We couldn't leave our post to find a range, because we might miss the highwayman. Just then, when I was on the verge of giving up, a black flash whizzed by us.

"Arm yourself!! He is here," the guard yelled, wielding his 2-h. I and Osrie1 picked up our swords and shields wearily. Osrie1 took out some air runes and mind runes. Then, a blast of fire missed me by inches. The black flash whizzed by us again.

"Hot enough for you?" a creepy, sinister voice said. With s black flash, the highwayman stood in front of us in his full glory.

He looked just like his picture. He wore a highwayman's mask. He wore a cream shirt and cream trousers. He wore black gloves that seemed to whisper to the air. He wore simple black cloth shoes. But then, he turned around, so we could see his cape properly. It was purple, with a picture of a highwayman mask on it. The guard gasped.

"You-you-you have a thieving skill cape!!" He gasped. The highwayman sniggered, and nodded.

"And also I am wearing gloves of silence. They are generally meant for pick pocketing, but combined with my steel sword they will silence all three of you," the highwayman hissed. He jumped in the air, a black flash. He landed right behind me, holding a steel sword. He swerved around, and attempted to behead with me with his sword. I was too fast, and it hit the shield. I tried to hit him with my bronze sword, but it clashed with his steel sword. The guard tried to knock the highwayman out with the steel mace, but he missed. Osrie1 conjured up an air strike, but it hit, and didn't damage. The highwayman moved in between us as quick as the wind, making it impossible for us to hit him.

He then did something shocking and evil. He grabbed the guard's mace, and clobbered him across the head with it. The guard gasped, and collapsed on the floor. The highwayman slit his throat, making blood dribble down the guard's neck. He took off the guard's armour, and put it in a large sack.

"Now it is your turn," he hissed, moving towards us. We backed away. He pounced, and knocked us over. "Oh and I forgot to say, stand and deliver!!!" he yelled. He was about to kill us with his sword, but then, there was a puff of smoke, and there stood a man.

The man was very short. He had a small grey beard, and he was holding a glass of beer. He wore a small iron chain body. He stumbled around, and then concentrated on the highwayman.

"Mate, come here and have some of the good old stuff!" he said, burping.

"No. Go away, midget, I don't want your beer and kebab. I'm busy," the highwayman snapped. The dwarf's cheerfulness evaporated that instant.

"Me hates you!!" he roared, taking an adamant pickaxe from his pocket. He charged forward, and hit the highwayman hard on the shins with it. The highwayman cried out in pain, and fell on the floor. The dwarf strike again, this time on the head. The highwayman slipped away from the third crash, and tried to stab the dwarf in the gut. The dwarf evaded it, and struck the highwayman hard in the crotch. The highwayman crawled away, begging for mercy. He quickly accepted the kebab and beer. The dwarf disappeared in a puff of smoke, grunting. Just that moment, at least a dozen guards charged forward.

They clobbered the injured highwayman to death. He was too weak from the drunken dwarf's attacks to give up. They abandoned the body to rot. They took back his sack of stolen stuff. They found over 10,000 coins in there, along with full steel, including the mace, 45 nature runes, and a bar of silver.

An hour later, we were in the duke's room, being thanked over and over again.

"That highwayman was such a nuisance. He was killing our innocent citizens, and the council of King Roald were threatening to kick me from the Lumbridge throne if I didn't catch him. Now, I give you your reward of 1,000gp," he said, giving us a sack full of gold coins. Osrie1 opened the sack and eyed the coins greedily. We went into the courtyard and sat on a bench.

"Wow, 500gp of my very own!!" Osrie1 said a gleam in his eye. I nodded my mind far away in that little cramped room where the mage was being tortured.

We spent the rest of the day searching for the cook's ingredients. It was easier then I thought. Farmer Fred gave us the milk and a fresh egg, and we made our own flour in the windmill. . That evening we went to the cook's kitchen in the castle, and offered him the ingredients.

"Why thank you!! This will stop me being sacked!!" he said happily, leaping up and down. He gave us two scrolls. They read:

Congratulations, you have completed the cook's assistant quest!! You have earned:

500 cooking experience

The ability to use the cook's range

The gratitude of the cook

"Also, I just popped down the shops and I bought three newspapers. Why not take one each?" he said kindly, handing us both a newspaper. My jaw dropped when I saw the headline.

Lumbridge paper 2gp

HERBLORE HEAD FROM WIZARD'S TOWER KIDNAPPED!!!

The kind witch from the wizard's tower has been kidnapped by evil black knights.

Eyewitnesses report seeing her being carted off by two black knights and a monk of Zamorak. She was screaming something about refusing to give information, the witnesses say.

The paper is baffled by this. So many strange, evil happenings have been going on the last few days. Rats attack Tutorial Island, a three-headed dragon is found in a Lumbridge basement, and now a kidnap by two black knights!! The dark magicians near the champions' guild are acting strange. They are not as bloodthirsty as they usually are. They appear to be wrapped up in a voodoo ritual. The paper doesn't know what to think. Some people report seeing a black thunderclap hit a poor level 4 bystander.

This reporter hasn't a clue what is going on.

Written by, Story Rover

I gazed, dumbfounded, at the front page. So the poor mage in my dream was the Herblore master in the wizard's tower. So, tomorrow that added to my list of chores in the wizard's tower. Find the skull of the restless ghost, give the strange talisman to the head…..and find out more about the kidnapped mage. I would go up to the bank, put my money away, put my potatoes away, and take out the talisman. I would go to the restaurant to buy myself a meal, and then I would sleep in the hotel, since farmer Fred might not let me sleep in his house for another night in a row. Then, the next morning, I was off to one place-the wizard's tower.