Chapter 5

Yes, Pherein was restless. He wasn't sure why but he knew this was not how his life was to have unfolded. Selling his services to those who were unsavory and unworthy had lost its luster. The money didn't matter to the islander, he had more than he needed. He lacked purpose and something he could hold his head up high for. The altercation with Lily the previous day continued to unsettle him. There was a time not too long ago he would have taken what the attractive woman offered and been done with her. Yet he wanted more, and if he was honest with himself, had wanted more with her.

The dejected fighter sat in the Sorrowful Ranger looking at his untouched bowl of mush along with the hunk of bread and cheese on the plate beside it. He had no appetite being in deep contemplation, thinking more than once the name of the place he resided was fitting for his mood.

From the son of a Jarl and famed Raid Captain to a simple sell-sword hiring himself out without discrimination. His last two contracts had been for men of shady reputation doing things he did not ask. Was this the mark on the world he was wanting to make? Was this the man he'd become now that he was out from under his father's shadow?

Latrell, come to me. Guide and show me the way that I get out of the mess my life has become, Pherein prayed to his god, something he hadn't done in months.

"Excuse me."

The words startled the warrior out of his troubled contemplation and in an instant his dirk was in hand. Before the Delorgan was a somewhat plump, brown haired, middle-aged man in expensive clothing. The man's face looked like he spent time outdoors which was a contradiction to his manner of dress and carriage. He snapped back at the forceful response.

"What do you want?" Pherein snarled in surprise and embarrassment at being caught unaware.

"Are you Pherein MacDiarmidson?" the man asked nervously, keeping a distance. Others in the Tap Room of the inn noticed the interaction and subtly shifted away from the potentially violent situation.

"Who wants to know?" Pherein responded aggressively.

"My...my name is Heinrich…Heinrich Horsewood," the man stammered nervously, "I am a professor at Grantsbend University. My colleague at the school Wiersbe Pinn told me you might be able to help me with something."

"What might that be?" the Delorgan asked, relaxing and resheathing his dirk at the mention of the professor he'd done some guard work for in the past. It has been honest work which he'd been happy doing.

Horsewood visibly calmed. "I have a commission for you. I am leading an archeological expedition and need someone to provide protection for it."

"Where are you going?"

The professor looked around and lowered his voice. "To the Dead Lands."

Pherein considered the audacity of the request. An expedition to the Dead Lands was a recipe for disaster. Yet he thought of what had happened the previous day and the opportunity for honest, honorable work put before him. He made up his mind in an instant. "I will take the commission."

"Do you not even want to know why I want to go there?" the professor asked, shocked at the quick response.

"It is of no matter to me."

"Excellent!" Horsewood beamed in relief. "Here is one complication, I would like to leave from the university before the end of the day with two student assistants."

The big fighter said nothing, looking past him as if in thought.

The professor misunderstood the look as declining interest. "I know this is sudden but the man I usually have providing escort is suddenly unavailable and hence the reason this seems so last minute. I can assure you it is well planned." In reality his regular guard had backed out of the mission due to where they were going, not wanting any part of it. He was in a desperate position with a narrow window to accomplish what he sought.

"That is of no issue either," the brooding fighter replied quietly.

"I am so glad," Horsewood stated with relief. "You would be doing me a great service if you took the commission. And In would be personally honored to have you accompany my expedition.

Honored. Pherein had not heard that word spoken about him in a long time. He could see the genuineness in the man's face and eager anticipation. The professor was smart enough to know he needed an escort for this which scored in his favor. Plus, Pherein had a sudden desire to be far away from Grantsbend. "I'll help you."

"Splendid!" Horsewood responded, actually clapping his hands in delight which warned the fighter's heart for some reason. What will you need?"

Pherein looked up and silently thanked his god. "The sooner we leave the better. Besides me, two more good fighters will be needed, I can arrange that. Beyond that, I will begin to make preparations."

"Good, but do you not wish to discuss your rate?"

"No, you already know what it is from Professor Pinn and you know I do not negotiate."

"But it does not change considering where we are going?" the professor asked sincerely.

"No, that would be unfair to you. Danger is danger, that is why you hire me."

Horsewood smiled and nodded in approval. "You are exactly the man my friend told me you were. I knew you were the one for this job. I will see you later in the day."

The professor left the inn and Pherein suddenly found his appetite had returned.

The remainder of the morning went quickly as the big Delorgan prepared for the adventure. He quickly packed his travelling gear and left the inn after leaving instructions with the owner. Finding two other fighters was easy since he paid a good rate and was known as a strong leader so it was more a matter of who to pick. In the end he selected Theme Winchell and Cony Farr, both were ex-soldiers from Latrellus he'd worked with before. He saddled his black destrier stallion Stormfury, loaded his kit and prepared to leave, happy for the distraction and happy to do honest work.

The events of the past week had shaken Pherein. Already he'd been thinking of a different path and this was perhaps going to help him move in that direction. He tired of hiring himself out to those who were shady or worked on the fringe and so the opportunity to protect a nobleman professor on his journey had an appeal to him beyond the opportunity to get out of town for a few days. No, this was going to be profitable for him in several ways, he could feel it.

Leaving late afternoon, the party rode towards the jagged Adamantine Mountains and towards the location that Professor Horsewood was seeking. The academic was dressed in comfortable travelling clothes and wore a wide-brimmed floppy hat. Though a bit portly the man had a vigor about him that said he was used to the outdoors. Despite being middle-aged he had a youthful enthusiasm that was beginning to draw Pherein in. His excitement at the potential dig was infectious and his enthusiasm evident.

The professor had two assistants with him, a tall, husky, blond curly-haired male named Travis Dannermann and a slender, fair skinned, dark-brown haired female with glasses named Lauren Ivanov. Both were master students at the university in his program and seemed more interested in each other than they did the quest. Pherein didn't care, though he was a bit envious as the pair casually flirted with each other in the covered wagon pulled by a large draught horse that the professor steered, ignoring him and the others who'd joined them at the university.

Theme Winchell rode in the advance of the party and Cony Farr brought up the rear as Pherein rode beside the wagon. Each wore studded leather armor and carried long swords. He knew the ex-soldiers who had served a tour at Castle Vigilance as solid. He'd worked with them before and they were steady. But going into the Dead Lands he wanted people who were familiar with the eerie territory created earlier by a spell plague that had been unleashed centuries earlier during the Apian Blood War. They had both served there in the castle that none from the army wanted to be posted too and came out sane. Since then, the place lived up to its name. Nothing grew there and worse yet, there was a haunting spirit about the place. It was rumored to be inhabited by ghosts, ghouls and all form of undead. The Delorgan didn't fear this, he had enchantments on his weapons and had faced such creatures before, but he also knew the value of experienced swords who wouldn't panic at the sight of a wispy apparition.

Though they were still in Latrellus he was taking no chances since they were already on the fringe of the land and no patrols were in the area, either royal or militia. No, this was a veritable no-man's land.

The first day was short due to the late time of departure and so they stopped early in the evening to camp. There was little talking among the party as Pherein was still brooding over what had happened with Lily and the two hired guards stuck to themselves. Horsewood tried to initiate conversation but was rebuffed so retired to his tent early to read. The two student assistants walked off together into the darkness of night, ignoring the rest of the party.

The following morning began overcast though the likelihood of rain was slight. There was a chill from the north reminding the travelers fall was upon them. Pherein took his turn riding in the advance. No one was on the road but nearing mid-day the party came within sight of a man on the side of the road with a wagon with a broken axle. An undernourished pony munched tall grass on the side of the road and the wiry, dark-haired man waved as the entourage approached.

"Stay here," Pherein ordered. "Winchell, Farr, watch our flank and rear. I will investigate."

"Come now Pherein. The man is in need and we have the tools to help him," Professor Horsewood implored, making a move to bring the wagon closer to the stranded man.

"I said stay where you are, professor," Pherein shot back, in his thick Delorgan brogue, "this could be an ambush."

"Humph," the master student named Lauren huffed before the professor responded. "It's one man and he's harmless. What are you afraid of?"

"One man out here?" Pherein scoffed, ignoring the rebuke of the woman who looked at him coldly, "Not likely."

The seasoned fighter looked around at the tall grass on either side of the road that was at a man's shoulder in height plus several copses of trees not far off either.

"Please gentlemen, can't you help a stranded cobbler?" the man called out from his broken-down wagon.

"Come, professor," Lauren spoke to Horsewood, ignoring the Delorgan, "you're in charge of this expedition, not this hired sword. Let us go and help him."

"See Pherein, come now, let us go and help him." The professor listened to his student so gave a cluck cluck to get his horse moving but the Delorgan warrior grabbed the reins to stop it.

"I said stay where you are," the fighter ordered matching the angry stare of Lauren until she looked away. "I will investigate."

The sharpness of the fighter's tone seemed to do the trick as Horsewood stayed silent and the fiery Lauren held her tongue. The male student Travis looked away awkwardly, saying nothing.

Pherein tapped Storm Fury on the sides and rode carefully closer until he was only several feet away, towering over the slender man who moved to the front of his wagon. He looked around with seasoned eyes, confident he knew what was going on.

"You are going to help me, aren't you, my big friend?" the man asked Pherein. Getting no reply, he called back to the party loudly. "I say, you are going to help me, aren't you?"

"Of course we are," Lauren yelled back defiantly, "aren't we professor?"

"Right you are," Professor Horsewood answered making to ride forward.

A glowering look from Pherein stopped the man. The fighter turned back to the seemingly stranded traveler. "I do not know what your game is but it's not going to work. You're a brigand and mean to ambush us, but it's not going to happen."

"Brigand? Sir, no!" the man protested, holding up his hands. "I'm a simple cobbler wanting to get to Grantsbend."

"You are no more a cobbler than I am a shop keeper." Pherein spat on the ground in contempt. "You probably have a dagger or short sword behind your tunic and under the tarp of the wagon is a man. You likely have one or two more on either side in the tall grass."

The seemingly stranded traveler gave a shocked look of recognition that was replaced by a sly smile. "That would be a very awkward position then for you, my big friend, if that were the case. Fortunately for you it isn't."

Pherein snorted. "You will be dead before the others are even close to me." The warrior rested his hand on the pommel of his sword. "I am going to suggest you move fifty paces back from the road while we pass through and we can both carry on about our business."

"And if I don't?"

Back at the wagon Horsewood and the students caught snatches of the conversation but began to be aware of what was going on. Slight movement in the tall grass further alerted him. He made to speak but Cony Farr put his hand on his arm to stop him.

"Wait and watch. Pherein knows what he's doing."

"And if you don't, I will get off my horse and cut your head off," Pherein answered standing up in his stirrups and drawing his masterwork bastard sword in one quick motion.

"Okay, you win Delorgan," the man said with a snarl and raised his hands anew. He began to move away.

"And the one under the tarp," Pherein added.

The man looked to protest but the warrior stared to move. "Okay Jett, the jig is up. Let's get out of here."

Lauren gasped and Horsewood went pale as a tough looking man with a nasty war hammer came out from under the tarp. He too sheepishly raised his hands as Pherein sat impassively. Meanwhile the two other guards with the professor instinctively drew their long swords and moved into a defensive posture. The big Delorgan said nothing, just watched the pair move away from the wagon only to be joined by two more armed brigands who'd been hiding in the tall grass a short distance from the supposedly crippled wagon. The two yelled curses at the mounted warrior but none made a move to challenge him. It seemed discretion was the better part of valor this day and the quartet of would-be robbers decided to wait for less alert and dangerous prey.

Pherein watched the group pull back beyond the distance he'd ordered before waving his party forward. He continued to watch as Horsewood's wagon rolled past, the professor at a loss for words and his two assistants still in shock at what might have been.

"Winchell, hang back and make sure our friends don't follow us," Pherein ordered the ex-Latrellan soldier with them.

"Aye, that I will," the guard with hard eyes nodded in agreement. "Good catch."

Pherein nodded but said nothing as the man slowed his horse to create a buffer between the travelers and what might have been.

The party travelled the rest of the day in relative silence. The Delorgan was happy for the peace and quiet to reflect on other matters and the rest were more subdued. Not unexpected, the bandits chose not to follow and Theme Winchell caught up with the group right before they were to make camp. They'd reach their objective early in the morning so it was thought to rest as to maximize the next day and wait to enter into the foreboding Dead Lands. Watches were set, meals eaten in quiet and all settled down for the night.

The two students stayed in the camp near the fire this night after the unexpected events earlier in the day and talked quietly. Professor Horsewood though could stay silent no longer about what had happened so came over to speak to his lead guard.

"Quite the day," the academic stated nervously, not sure how to address the now intimidating man he'd hired.

"Aye," Pherein responded but said no more, instead smoking his pipe while laying against his saddle.

"Listen, Pherein, we were entirely wrong and I want to apologize," Horsewood confessed, looking back at his two students.

"No need, that's what I am here for, sir," the Delorgan answered in his thick brogue, "though the lass has a sharp tongue, it might get her into trouble."

Horsewood chuckled nervously. "Yes, Lauren is a bit impetuous but she has a good heart. And yes, Pherein, I do need to apologize. Not only was I wrong but I was out of line to question your judgment. We both were. I have always been a trusting sort and that got the better of me."

"Not a bad character trait, professor."

"It could have been if you'd listened to me. And please, call me Heinrich."

"Very well."

"You were totally right and I owe you a debt. I am truly sorry and I want you to know I will no longer question your judgment."

Horsewood walked away without waiting, or expecting, a reply, going to speak quietly to both his students. They in turn stayed where they were, giving the big Delorgan his space. Pherein smoked his pipe and considered the brief conversation. He was pleasantly surprised at the humility of the academic. The man was renowned for his knowledge and quite powerful in educational circles, Pherein had checked. He'd worked with men like that before and they were all arrogant and didn't listen well. Yet this one was different. This would bear consideration. One more thing to think about. The time, though, for consideration would be later. For now he needed his rest. Tomorrow they would enter the Dead Lands.