It was a peaceful morning in Turnov and the town’s people were waking to realize that no horrid nightmares and no influence of the wraith burdened their sleep in the night. The company engaged in normal morning rituals, eating breakfast in the inn (on the house of course), and walking about town buying provisions for the journey elsewhere. Finally, they gathered in the town square and planned their next move.
“Before we head to Bolfell, there is somewhere I need to go first,” Atriax said first. “Something I was meaning to do when I came up this way in the first place.”
“Oh? Is it on the way?” Tizan asked curiously, only half paying attention as he admired the new shield he had purchased at the town’s trading post for a modest price.
“I suppose it is. It’s a fortress called Caer Makhov, it’s East of here, on the edge of the forest. It’s the home of the group of hunters I belong to. It’s on the way, roughly, although it will still be a slight detour. If you would all prefer not trekking through the woods, I will understand. Maybe we’ll see each other in Bolfell, in that case.”
“Like I said yesterday, I’m in no great hurry to reach Bolfell. I don’t mind a little detour,” Tizan said happily, patting Atriax on the shoulder.
“Neither am I,” Esme chimed in afterward.
“Sounds interesting,” Levia said.
The four of them looked to Reign who, until this point, had remained silent. In response, he just gave a neutral shrug.
“Good enough for me.” Atriax said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Thank you.”
“So, do you know the way from here?” Levia asked.
“I believe so. Should just be to the northeast. If we head into the forest, I should easily be able to find the-” Atriax cut off as he turned and saw a familiar face approaching the group.
A man approached them, a half-orc by the look of his grey-green skin and the small tusks protruding from the bottom of his mouth. His messy black hair was gathered back in a bun and he wore studded leather armor not unlike that which Atriax wore. A fur cloak was draped over his back, and on his shoulder he carried a large axe. He greeted Atriax with a smile.
“Gerard!” Atriax exclaimed, both out of surprise and out of happiness. He moved to embrace the man and the two clasped their forearms. Atriax turned to the others, who had been watching this with confusion. “This is Gerard Delrik, he’s a hunter like me, from Caer Makhov.”
“Pleasure to meet you all,” Gerard said with a friendly expression. Walking past Atriax to stand before the group. “When I heard what happened here a couple nights ago, I knew it had to be you. Though I wasn’t expecting you to have company, Atriax.”
“We met each other on the road, and they helped me take down the wraith that haunted this place,” Atriax answered.
“They sound like skilled people, then. I assume you’re on your way back to the fort? Marta’s been expecting your return any day now. That old woman is never wrong, I swear,” Gerard said with a knowing chuckle, one which Atriax returned in kind.
“Well, it’ll be nice having you along for the trip, Gerard. We’ll get there faster now,” Atriax replied.
“You mean you would’ve gotten lost in the forest without me,” Gerard responded with a nudge to Atriax’s shoulder.
Atriax replied with one of his own, a bit harsher. “Whatever you say.”
Meanwhile, Esme looked Gerard over, her eyes glinting with intrigue and curiosity. She found it hard to look away from the strapping half-orc, though she managed it when his eyes drifted her way and almost caught her staring.
“How long will it take us to reach this fort?” Tizan asked, slinging his shield onto his back.
“If we leave now, we should get there by sunset,” Gerard replied, turning his head to look at the forest that lined the north side of town.
“Well, let’s get underway, then. I don’t fancy camping in the forest tonight,” Tizan said with a small chuckle.
There was no disagreement among the party, so, with Atriax and Gerard leading the way, the party left Turnov behind them. A few villagers paid their respects and said goodbye before the travellers started down the path into the dark forests of Loudek.
-----
The black, oppressive forests of Loudek surrounded the party as they traveled on the barely visible path towards Makhov. Gerard and Atriax seemed to know where to go and which landmarks to follow, but to the rest of the group, it seemed as though they were just trudging through nearly untouched wilderness.
After a few hours of this, Gerard looked over his shoulder at the others in the group. “So did Atriax tell you about the bite mark on his neck?”
“Oh a bite mark?” Esme had been walking on the opposite side of Gerard, but she craned her neck to the side to get a look at the mark that was partially visible above his armor.
Atriax slightly pulled up his collar to cover it. “Are you gonna tell that story to everyone?”
Gerard chuckled and, ignoring Atriax’s question, looked back at the rest of the group again. “It’s from a dire wolf he and I were hunting in this very forest. Atriax got sloppy and took a nice big bite for his trouble.”
“As I recall I took that bite to save your ass,” Atriax said with a note of indignation.
Gerard smirked in response. “Well, you and I recall that fight differently, then, because I had it well in hand. You’re supposed to swing your sword at things like that, Atriax, not swing your neck at them.”
Levia and Esme both chuckled a bit in response to that comment, eliciting a glare from Atriax.
Tizan, who had been walking at the rear of the group thus far, snapped his head to the side as he heard a noise coming from some distant bushes. “Did you hear that?” He said softly, a hint of unease in his voice.
Atriax, turning his head to look in the same direction, nodded. “Yeah, all kinds of odd and dangerous critters in these woods. Why do you think the fortress was built here? Just stay with us two and you’ll all be fine.”
-----
Even with the thick canopy of the forest drowning out most of the sunlight, the party noticed as the sun began to dip down to the horizon. Luckily, however, they found their refuge before the forest became too dark to travel through. Lights were seen through the trees in the distance, and it seemed as though they were reaching the edge of the forest.
“Welcome to Caer Makhov,” Gerard said as up ahead, beyond the trees, a stone fortress came into view, nestled in a small clearing on the edge of the forest.
The first thing the group saw was the tall, stone walls. They were cracked and overgrown by moss and leaves, implying a great age. Large portions of the wall had crumbled to rubble, with holes abound as though it had been struck by siege weapons many times, yet stood fast. They walked along this outer wall, looking up with curiosity and wonder as it towered over them, and Gerard and Atriax led them around to a dilapidated front gate that led them into an inner courtyard.
Within this inner courtyard was a stable with feed and water troughs for horses, two of which were using them at that moment. Along the inner walls of the courtyard were various training dummies made of wood and straw, a whetstone wheel, and multiple archery targets. In the center, enclosed in a circular wooden fence, was a sparring ring. Two women engaged in mock combat were occupying the ring.
The first was an older woman, grey strands of hair mixed within her auburn head. Her face was harsh and taciturn, marred by a scar that stretched from her forehead, through her left eye, and ended at her jawline. She wore plate armor that was lined with fur, her right pauldron molded in the shape of a bear’s head. The other woman was much younger, with messy brown hair gathered back in a ponytail and a slightly freckled face. She wore a coat of simple studded leather.
The two clashed wooden training swords, the older woman clearly the more experienced. The young woman did her best to land hits, but the older woman always deflected them, landing hits of her own in the form of counterattacks and ripostes. When the group entered the inner courtyard she turned her head towards them and, as though she could’ve done it all along, swept the younger woman’s feet out from under her with the wooden sword and sent her tumbling onto her back.
“That’s enough for now, Kaley. We have guests,” She said to the prone woman, reaching down with a hand to pull her back onto her feet. “Your footwork needs improvement, and remember to never put your all into any one swing. If you stretch yourself too far, it just makes it easier for your opponent to get in a hit of their own. Now head inside while I greet our guests.”
“Yes ma’am,” The young woman said, rubbing one of her shoulders and wincing before looking at the group of visitors and turning to walk through the double-doors of the fortress.
“Marta,” Atriax said, the expression on his face that is a mixture of happiness and nervousness.
“I was expecting you to return soon, Atriax, though I wasn’t expecting you to be traveling with company. Who are these people?” Marta asked, eyes passing over each member of the group.
“I met them on the road, many of them traveling to Bolfell, and we’ve decided to travel together for the time being.” He turned to look at the group, gesturing as he introduced them. “This is Esme, Reign, Tizan, and Levia.”
“It’s very interesting meeting you all. Atriax has never been one to travel in company, so this surprises me, but not an unwelcome surprise. Gerard, why don’t you take Atriax’s companions and give them a tour of the fortress. I would like to speak to Atriax in private.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gerard said with a bow, turning to the others. “Come along, then. I’ll show you around.”
Gerard gestured for the others to follow him, and one by one they did, following him past the courtyard and into the fortress itself. In a quick movement Marta tossed the wooden sword that Kaley had been using directly at Atriax’s face. He just barely caught it before it made contact.
“Reflexes look good. Come into the circle,” she said, gesturing to the ground at the center of the sparring circle.
Atriax gingerly stepped over the short fence that surrounded the sparring circle, sword in hand, and facing Marta, who in turn had her sword raised and pointed at him. “Lets see how your skills have progressed while you were gone, shall we?”
-----
After passing through the front door of the fortress, those with Gerard were greeted by the sight of Caer Makhov’s entry hallway. It was a wide, short foyer of sorts, lined with torch sconces and various stuffed heads both of beasts and monsters. As Gerard led the group in, he occasionally stopped to tell the visitors about them.
“This is the head of a cockatrice,” he said as he led them to what looked like a large chicken’s head, with scaled skin instead of feathers. “I killed this one myself.”
“Is it true that they can turn you to stone?” Tizan asked curiously as he stared into the monster’s glassy, dead eyes.
“No you’re thinking of a basilisk. A cockatrice will just squawk at you and try to rip your throat out with its beak,” Gerard replied with a laugh before moving on to another trophy.
Esme sidled up next to Gerard as he walked and spoke. “I bet you have a lot of stories, and a lot of scars.”
Gerard regarded her with a confident smirk. “I’ve had quite a few encounters, you could say. And as for the scars, I’d be happy to show you some time.”
The cheeks of Esme’s face turned a darker bronze at that comment, and she looked away, smiling before her attention was caught by a trophy that sat at the end of the hallway, on a pedestal instead of hanging from the wall. “What’s that one?”
“Ah, that one is our most prized trophy, though no one here is responsible for it.” Gerard walked down to the pedestal. On top of it sat a large curved bone that was pointed at the end. “This is a dragon’s tooth. Brought here by a hunter who lived hundreds of years ago, during the Great Wyrm Hunts.”
“That seems kind of sad,” Tizan said softly, looking at the tooth.
“Indeed. The hunts drove the dragons out of Gothrien, and now that the Gloom has consumed all other lands, it’s likely that the great beasts are no more,” Gerard replied before turning to the others. “This is why I like this trophy. It’s good to preserve history, even if it’s sad. Anyway, there’s more to see. Come, I’ll show you the forge next.”
As the others left to follow Gerard, Reign hung back, continuing to admire the tooth before something else caught his eye. There was a door in the corner of the entryway, locked with a chain stretching from the doorknob to the wall next to the door. This door was meant to lock something in, not lock others out. Out of curiosity, Reign approached the door and pulled his lockpicks out of his pack, beginning to fiddle with the lock while keeping an eye on the slowly moving group as they left the entryway.
-----
In the courtyard Marta lunged for Atriax, bringing the sword high and swinging it towards his neck. He raised his sword and deflected it off the side, coming in for a strike of his own to her shoulder. In response, she twisted her sword back to block the blow, getting Atriax’s sword out of the way so that she could come in for a swing that connected with his side, striking him on the ribs and causing him to let out a pained cough.
“So how have things been here?” Atriax asked through his coughs, raising the sword once again in the ready position.
“Quiet, which worries me. What about on the road? Find any interesting work in Lograd?” Marta came in for a thrust, but Atriax managed to dodge out of the way before coming in for his own strike towards her side, which she handily blocked.
“Simple jobs, nothing noteworthy. I mostly just wanted to strike out on my own, you know?” Atriax raised his sword to block an incoming blow. “By the way, who was that you were sparring with earlier? New hunter?”
“Her name is Kaley. She came to us a couple years ago, not long after you left to travel.” Coming in for an upward strike, she brought the sword straight down quickly, giving Atriax only a fraction of a second to raise his sword and block.
“She has the blood curse?” Atriax said as he pushed Marta’s sword away and went for a stomach stab, which she quickly deflected.
“Of course. All recruits get it after their first year.” After deflecting his thrust, she came in for a right swing, which Atriax attempted to block but he came just short, causing the wood of her practice sword to strike his hand. “In fact, she’s been progressing quite quickly, I was thinking of putting her through the taming soon.”
“You sure she’s ready for that? After only a couple years?” Atriax said, wincing from the pain to his hand and shaking it a little.
While Atriax was distracted, Marta came in for a quick finisher, striking him in the side of one of his knees and sending him crumpling down to the ground. She stood high above him, pointing the sword at his face. “Well, I’ve been thinking that we need the numbers, especially lately. Things are getting worse every day, more monsters, more problems, more jobs for people like us. This quiet won’t last.” Reaching down, she took his hand in hers and brought him to his feet. “Good form, if a little sloppy. I think you’re ready for the taming. We’ll commence it tonight, but there is something you need to do first.”
“What is it?” Atriax asked with gritted teeth, rubbing the spot on his leg that Marta’s sword struck.
“I’ll tell you inside. First, let’s make sure your friends haven’t caused Gerard much trouble in there.”
-----
Try as he might, Reign just couldn’t get the locks on that door to cooperate with him. He had bent one of his picks trying to get the chain undone to take a peek within the door, so he gave up afterward. Immediately after stopping he heard the sound of the door to the hall opening, and Atriax and Marta stepping inside. Quickly he darted after the rest of the group before the two caught him trying to get through the lock. He reentered the tour at the moment they made it to the fortress’s smithy.
The sound of clanking metal and the smell of smoke could be found as the group approached the large double-doors. Gerard took the handle of one of the doors and opened it, letting them see the inside. The smithy was a large stone room with tables along the sides holding various tools and materials such as raw ore and ingots. Along the walls several weapons of all kinds were hanging, representations of the smith’s good work and skill. At the far corner of the room, hammering away on a piece of metal was a muscular halfling with a shaved head and a large mustache that connected to bushy sideburns on either side of his face. He wore a blacksmith’s leather apron, covered in soot and grease. Next to him was a crackling forge, red stones burning bright and giving off smoke, which either wafted up into a chimney. The halfling looked up to see the visitors, and immediately a wicked, gnarled scar could be seen stretching across his throat from one side to the other.
“This is Gregor,” Gerard said to the group, eliciting a polite nod from the halfling before he returned to work. “He doesn’t talk much. He’s the fortress’s smith and, well, we like to call him Caer Makhov’s caretaker. When he’s not working the smithy, he’s out hunting to fill our larder. Occasionally he even plies his skills as a mason to fix the holes in the fortress’s walls.”
“No easy task, judging from what we saw coming in,” Levia said softly, watching the man work.
“No kidding,” Gerard said with a laugh. “He’s also the oldest person here. No idea how old. Even Marta remembers him working this smithy when she was just a trainee.”
“These are some impressive creations,” Tizan said, admiring the weapons on the tables and the walls. In response, Gregor gave him a proud nod of the head.
“What else is there to see?” Esme asked curiously, standing very close to Gerard as she asked.
He regarded her with a small smile and a thoughtful look. “Well, upstairs is the barracks, where you’ll be sleeping if you decide to stay the night here. But that’s not too interesting. Perhaps we should head to the mess hall, where you can eat. You must be hungry.”
With that, Gerard led the way back where they came from over to where a pair of double-doors opened into a room with a long table stretching from one end to another. There were noticeably many more seats at this table than the number of hunters they’d seen so far, signs of a past where this fortress was inhabited by more than a few. There was some kitchen equipment, such as a wood-burning stove and a door leading to a small larder in the corner. At the table sat Atriax, Marta, and Kaley, the young recruit they saw outside. The three each had bowls with some kind of hot food inside of them, digging in.
“Welcome, friends. There’s some stew in that pot over there. Gregor made it earlier, before you came. It’s still hot if you’re hungry,” Marta said, looking up from her bowl.
One by one the group got bowls and filled them with the warm stew inside the pot. It seemed to be made of some kind of wild game, and the taste was almost pungent, though not entirely unpleasant. They sat around the table. Esme, despite desiring to sit next to Gerard, found that both seats on either side of him were taken, and so she ended up in a chair next to the recruit Kaley, who smiled pleasantly at her.
“You and your friends seem like adventuring types.” She said with a wide-eyed look on her face. “This is the furthest I’ve ever traveled from home, to be honest with you. I’m Kaley, by the way.” She extended her hand toward the woman next to her.
Esme took Kaley’s hand and shook it softly. “I’m Esme. Where are you from, Kaley?” As she spoke, Esme found herself admiring the face of Kaley, especially her green eyes and the way her soft brown freckles sparsely dotted the skin on either side of her nose.
Under the older woman’s penetrative gaze, Kaley’s cheeks went a little red, but she answered nonetheless. “I’m from Agros originally, in the West. Found myself here, where the hunters took me in and have been training me. I’ve always wanted to travel, and I’m not too bad in a fight.”
“I know what you mean, I’m a bit of a constant traveler too,” Esme said with a charismatic smile before going back to her bowl and digging in some more.
Elsewhere at the table, Atriax spoke to Marta with Gerard listening. “So what’s this final task you require of me before I’m ready?”
Marta, swallowing down a mouthful of stew, looked around at those arrayed at the table and replied, “A beast stalks the woods near the fortress. Go out there and slay it, and you’ll be ready for your final trial.”
“A beast? What manner of beast? What have you seen?” Artiax responded curiously.
Elsewhere on the table, the other members of the company pricked up their ears as they began to hear Atriax’s conversation with Marta.
“We haven’t seen anything. Just heard and felt something prowling the nearby woods. Something big, and definitely of a magical nature,” Gerard cut in.
“He speaks true. We know not what you’ll face, but it should be within your level of skill if you plan to finish your training,” Marta said.
“Am I to go out alone?” Atriax asked.
“That’s the thing,” Marta replied. “I was planning on sending Gerard with you, but it seems to me that you’ve brought people who can help you with this task. If they are willing, of course.”
Without skipping a beat, Esme spoke up. “I’ll go! Sounds like that could be interesting.”
“I wouldn’t mind tagging along. I’d like to explore the forest a bit more.” Levia said in turn.
With some hesitation, Tizan finished his spoonful and spoke. “To be honest, stalking the woods looking for a monster isn’t what I imagined I’d be doing up here, but I can’t deny my curiosity. I’ll go with you.”
“Will we get a reward for helping him?” Reign asked pragmatically as he leaned back in his chair.
“I’m sure we can find a way to compensate you for your help. Atriax is one of us, after all,” Marta replied, one of her eyebrows raised.
“Then I suppose I’ll come too. Could always use some more practice with my gun.”
“I’m sure you’ll get it,” Marta said.
“I wasn’t going to ask for your help, but...thank you all,” Atriax said softly, smiling a little bit at those who had traveled with him here, and seemingly would travel with him elsewhere too.
“Well, that seems settled then. Take some time to prepare, all of you. But you should leave soon. The beast only seems to appear at night, and night is upon us now,” Marta said as, looking out the window, she could seen the sky quickly turning darker.
After that, the company finished their food, and began getting up to begin their preparations for the night to come. As he got up from his chair and began to leave the mess hall, Esme could swear she saw Gerard give her something resembling a flirtatious glance, and she knew what she’d be doing during this short break. She got up and followed him, stopping him as he neared one of the doors leading out from the main hall.
“You know,” she said softly, “you never did give any of us a tour of the barracks upstairs. Mind showing me them? I wouldn’t mind seeing where I’ll be resting my head tonight. Plus you could show me those scars of yours. I’d love to hear about them.”
Gerard gave a confident smirk. “What a coincidence. The door to the barracks is right here. Follow me.”
With that, both of them stepped through the doors and disappeared to the upper level of the fortress, leaving the rest behind them.
-----
Tizan found himself sitting on a bench in the main hall, resting his legs and leaning his head back against a wall as he watched the light from the torches flicker on the ceiling of the hall. The walls, aside from the trophies, were decorated with painted murals depicting battles and various historical events. He didn’t recognize most of it. Some of these battles were humans against humans, but a few involved monsters of various kinds. He even saw a mural depicting a group of humans battling a dragon on the wall behind the pedestal containing the dragon’s tooth.
His face turned down once more when he heard someone approaching. It was Reign, coming to take a seat on a nearby bench, where he began to tinker with his flintlock pistol.
“Did you build that yourself?” Tizan asked.
“No,” Reign replied. “Although I’m planning on building one eventually. Gotta know how they work first, though.”
“I suppose that’s true,” Tizan said, going back to his more relaxing position before he was once again interrupted by yet another person walking up.
This time it was the fortress’s smith, Gregor, who walked up to Reign and handed him a small leather sack that made a metallic jingle as he set it down in the young man’s lap. Reign opened it up and pulled out a metal ball that shined in the torch light of the main hall.
“These are silver bullets,” He said with a gleam in his eyes, eyes that turned up and regarded the halfling smith still standing there. “Thank you, Gregor. These will come in handy. Is this to be my reward?”
The halfling nodded in response before turning and walking away. Reign tucked the sack of bullets away with a smile.
-----
Atriax had spent most of this brief quiet time pacing around the fortress anxiously, making sure his gear was up to snuff and silencing any nerves that had plagued him. Most of these nerves were directed at those that would be traveling into battle with him once again. He wasn’t used to traveling with others, let alone being responsible for them. Eventually he decided to head out into the inner courtyard where he could clear his head. He had become frustrated as it seemed like a couple of his company, namely Levia and Esme, seem to have disappeared. As he stepped into the inner courtyard, the first thing he saw was Kaley hacking away at one of the stuffed training dummies along the outer wall with her sword.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“Keep your feet steady. You need a firm position to return to after each swing. Something you can fall back on in defense,” Atriax said.
The young woman jumped slightly and turned her head to look at the older hunter. “You sound like Marta,” she said with a small chuckle, taking his advice and keeping her feet planted firmly as she swung.
“Well, call that a testament to her teaching,” Atriax laughed, leaning against a wall as he watched Kaley practice.
“She told me a lot about you, by the way,” Kaley said to Atriax with a smile.
Atriax pushed off the wall, a somewhat surprised look on his face. “Really? What did you hear?”
“Well, based on how she talked about you, she’s very impressed with you. I wouldn’t be surprised if she said you were her favorite student. Lathan also talked about you last time I saw him.”
“Where is Lathan, by the way? I haven’t seen him,” Atriax asked curiously.
“He’s not around. Marta said he was out traveling. Doesn’t know when he’ll be back. Disappears a lot, doesn’t he?” she asked.
“Yeah, that’s true. I’ve only seen him a few times myself. By the way, have you seen any of my companions out here? I haven’t seen a couple of them.”
“Oh. Well, I believe I saw one heading out of the fortress and into the woods. The girl with bushy hair?”
“Levia. Shit. I’m going to have to go after her before she gets herself hurt,” Atriax said with a sigh before walking through the courtyard entry and into the woods. Kaley watched him go, and then returned to her practicing.
After leaving the fortress, Atriax began wandering around the outer wall. He called out her name into the surrounding woods to try and find her, each time with no response. After several minutes, he finally heard rustling in some woods near one of the outer walls, the source being Levia rifling through some plants along the forest floor.
“Levia! What are you doing out here?” he asked with more than a little frustration in his voice.
Levia jumped at the sudden sound of his voice. “Atriax. Sorry I was just gathering some plants.”
“Plants? For what?” he asked confused, keeping one hand on his sword and looking around occasionally for any danger.
“I need it for my poultice. Some of the plants and fungus around here have great healing properties when properly mixed and brewed.” As she stood up, she tucked a handful of picked herbs and flowers into a pouch at her side, brushing her hands of the dirt that had accumulated on them.
“Well, if you’re going to do that, let me know next time. You shouldn’t be walking in the woods alone at night.”
“I saw these plants while we were walking in, I knew they were close to the wall, I didn’t think it would be a big deal. But alright, if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll let you know next time,” Levia said as she finished cleaning her hands. “Shall we head back?”
“Yeah, I think we should. We should get going soon, night’s getting dark. Best we took care of this thing as soon as possible.” Atriax turned on his heels and, making sure she was following, led Levia back to the fortress to regroup with the others.
-----
Once Atriax and Levia had made it back to the fortress, they were met by the sight of everyone standing around in the main hall, not just the company, but the hunters of the fortress too. The first thing Atriax saw was Esme leaning against one of the walls with her arms crossed.
“There you are, Esme,” he said, somewhat exasperated. “Where were you? I was looking for you earlier.”
“I, well, I was just resting my head,” she said softly, the slightest bronze blush on her cheeks. At that, Gerard gave her a slightly knowing look, something that Atriax picked up on, causing his brow to furrow slightly before moving on.
“Well, since everyone’s here, I think we should get underway,” Atriax said to the others of his company in the room.
Marta stepped forward towards Atriax and put her hand on his shoulder. “Good luck, Atriax. Remember your training. It’s dangerous in these woods.” He nodded in response.
Tizan and Reign pushed themselves off one of the far walls, Tizan having been fiddling with his whip and Reign just having finished loading one of the silver bullets he got into his pistol. Esme stood up too, straightening out her cloak and nodding to Atriax.
“Do you know what direction we need to head in?” Atriax asked Marta as she stood close.
“Last we saw, this creature was in the woods northwest of here, but I don’t know if it’s still in that area. Good place to start, regardless,” Marta replied.
“Understood. We’ll head that way then, see if we can pick up a trail. Alright everyone, follow me. Sooner we leave the sooner we can get this over with.” With that, Atriax turned and walked to the front door, heading out into the inner courtyard with the group behind him. They clutched their weapons, readying themselves for whatever lay ahead.
-----
It was a long trek into the forest before the company heard or saw any sign that they could be nearing their quarry. Tizan, who had been at the back of the group, suddenly stopped as his head snapped to one side, looking off into the dark bushes with naught but a flickering torch to reveal what lay around him.
“I heard something,” he said, the tone of his voice revealing the anxiety he was trying to suppress.
The company stopped. Atriax, who had been walking at the front of the group with Levia, came to the back to look at what Tizan was seeing, but he saw little aside from the dark shadow of distant bushes and tree trunks.
“It’s probably just an animal. I see nothing,” Atriax said. “We should keep moving. If that sound is related to this beast, at least it means we’re getting close.”
“Atriax,” Levia called back from the front of the group.
Atriax immediately made his way up to Levia, who was staring forward, towards a small clearing in the trees where, hanging about 5 feet off the ground, a shimmering orb could be seen.
“What the hell is that?” Esme asked, looking between the two.
The orb moved away a little bit, then stopped. Levia felt as though it was beckoning them. “I think it wants us to follow it.” Without waiting for any comment from the others, she started moving towards the orb, which started moving away slowly; not fast enough to lose her, but enough to keep her moving.
Seeing her set off, Atriax jumped into action. He rushed after her, grabbing her shoulders and tackling her to the ground before she could get much closer to the orb. “Are you insane?!” he asked in a hushed tone. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Levia struggled underneath him, letting out a huff. “What are you doing? Get off of me!”
“So you can run after that thing and get yourself killed? Not likely,” Atriax said, keeping a tight hold on Levia.
“Listen to me. It’s a spirit, and I’m familiar with spirits. It’s not harmful, it’s trying to tell us something.”
They both looked back at the orb and saw that, while they were distracted, it had changed shape. Now its appearance was that of a young girl, sitting on the ground cross-legged, tilting her head in confusion. While he was distracted by the sight, Levia craned her head towards one of Atriax’s hands and bit down hard. He groaned in pain, loosening his grip enough that she could push him off and stand up.
Atriax stood up too, looking at the tooth mark on his hand. “You...you bit me!” he said, clear confusion in his voice.
“And I’ll do it again. Don’t tackle me,” Levia said before turning and seeing that the spirit was still there, still watching them. When it saw that Levia was looking, though, it turned back into the orb form and started slowly moving away once more. “There we go.”
“Don’t run after it again. Stay close to us, okay?” Atriax said with an exasperated sigh. Levia obeyed the request, albeit with a slight roll of her eyes, and stayed close to Atriax as the company slowly followed the glowing orb.
“Sure, just follow the strange orb in the middle of a dark forest. Great idea,” Tizan said softly to himself at the back of the company.
“You’d rather wander around aimlessly, waiting to be eaten by wolves?” Reign said in response, walking close enough that he heard Tizan’s aside.
“I’d rather be safe by a fire at the fortress, to be honest,” Tizan said, keeping his eyes on the dark woods around him and his hand tight on the handle of his whip.
-----
It was another several minutes of following the orb, always staying at just the right speed to stay a good distance away without losing them, before the company came to anything more interesting than the same dark trees they’d been walking past since they left Caer Makhov. They were greeted by the mouth of a cave which the orb immediately entered. Before they could follow it, however, a rustle in the nearby bushes and the snapping of twigs could suddenly be heard.
“I think I know what that noise I heard earlier was,” Tizan said as he looked behind them, turning his back and dropping his torch on the ground before pulling the shield from his back.
In the distance, seen within the deep shadows of the woods, could be seen several beady, piercing eyes that looked at the company with murderous intent. As they got closer, the sound of growls could be heard as well. Atriax grabbed his torch and tossed it forward a bit until it hit the feet of a couple of these eyes, revealing them to be wolves. The two near the torch recoiled from its landing, but soon stepped around it and followed the others as more wolves approached the company. By the time they entered the light of the group’s other torches, almost a dozen wolves could be seen on the edges of the clearing at the mouth of the cave.
“Steady,” Atriax said softly, gripping his greatsword with both hands. “Stay together.”
One of the wolves, letting out another growl, lunged for Reign, who had been standing with his back against a tree at the edge of the clearing. He jumped up, dodging the attack and causing the wolf to smack its snout against the tree, dazing it. Nimbly and effortlessly he scaled the tree trunk until he could get to a firm position, his feet against the trunk and one hand holding a thick branch. With his free hand he lifted up his pistol, the hammer pulled back, and let off a shot at the dazed wolf below. The bullet struck true, piercing the animal’s skull and causing it to slump to the ground with a soft yelp.
That loud gunshot was the inciting incident that caused the rest of the pack to charge towards the company. Tizan lashed his whip at a charging wolf, striking it across the face as the whip magically shot fire from the tip, singing some of the wolf’s fur and causing it to double back. Levia, seeing that a wolf was leaping for her face, raised up her mace, causing the wolf’s mouth to latch onto the handle of the weapon. With its upper body raised, Levia aimed a kick for the wolf’s sternum, causing it to fall down. Then she moved her free hand in an arcane gesture, summoning a cloud of ice from which she shot forth a dagger-shaped shard, piercing into the wolf’s side and causing it to yelp in pain before it, too, fell over dead.
Esme had pulled out her rapier by this point and used it to slash at a couple wolves who began to approach her. She sadly missed her attacks, resulting in one of the wolves using the opening to tackle her to the ground, its large fangs sinking into her shoulder and causing her to let out a scream of pain. As it bit her, she grabbed the wolf by the head and began to move her lips, whispering words laced with magic, words that seeped into the wolf’s head and caused it to yowl in pain. It immediately got away from her and sprinted away into the woods.
As Atriax swung his sword at one of the wolves, cutting deep and killing it instantly, another went for one of his legs. However, the wolf’s fangs bit painfully into the armor on his legs, causing the wolf to move back in failure. While he was up in the tree, Reign took aim at this wolf, striking the ground next to him by a failed shot. As the wolf was startled by the dirt that shot up from the nearby ground, Atriax swung around his sword and cut the wolf right in half.
Seeing the way they defended themselves and realizing the fight was hopeless, the remaining wolves, letting out a few pained howls, ran off into the dark woods to lick their wounds and live to hunt another day.
After it was clear that they were alone, the members of the company let out a collective sigh of relief, relaxing the hold on their weapons. Reign climbed out of the tree and those near Esme turned to see her standing up and clutching her bloody shoulder. At the same moment, as though she weren’t aware they were looking, she began to mutter something else in a hushed tone, but this time the words echoed more fully on the trees. The hand clutching her shoulder began to glow and slowly the cut that the wolf’s fangs left on her disappeared.
“You’re also a mage?” Levia asked, staring at the now healed spot.
Esme, not having realized that they were all staring at her, let out a swear under her breath at her own carelessness. “Yeah...I am,” she finally said nervously.
“And you didn’t use any of that magic to help when we fought that shade?” Atriax said with a slightly mocking tone.
“Well, you never know how people will react to it, that’s all,” Esme said with a nervous laugh.
Suddenly, the orb reappeared at the cave’s entrance, letting the company see it, before it went back into the cave and disappeared in the darkness. Following its lead, Atriax and Levia entered the cave with the others following them.
“It’s dark in here,” Tizan observed as they made their way into the cave. The darkness of outside seemed minor in comparison.
“It’s a cave, what were you expecting?” Atriax shot back.
“Could we have some light?” Levia asked.
“I left my torch outside,” Tizan said as he patted his coat, letting out a frustrated sigh.
“Here, let me help,” Esme said as, leaning her head down, she said a few words in a language none of the others could understand. Suddenly, the white cloak that hung off of her shoulders began to glow brightly, illuminating the rock passage they were standing in the middle of. The others stared in amazement.
“Your cloak can just...do that?” Tizan asked, staring wide-eyed.
“It’s a very special cloak,” Esme said with a confident expression.
“Indeed it is,” Atriax said as he, after admiring it for a moment, turned and kept walking forward. “Best keep up near the front, then, so we can make use of the light.” At that, Esme moved up directly behind Levia and Atriax as they moved deeper into the cave.
It wasn’t a long walk before they found what the orb was leading them to: a large, central chamber of the cave. It stretched far beyond the boundaries of Esme’s light, so the company couldn’t see all of it. The ceiling of the cave was marked by a hole that seemed to lead upward, with some of the moonlight peaking through it to illuminate the center of the cave which held a large statue. What figure this statue was meant to represent was impossible to discern as it was in a very serious state of disrepair. If the statue was whole, it seemed as if it would stretch all the way up to the cavernous ceiling. In front of the statue, built into it, was a pedestal with something laying upon it, something that glimmered in the moonlight. Before the party could approach any further than the entrance, however, they heard something at the far, dark end of the cavern.
A pair of eyes watched them from the deep shadows, not unlike the eyes of the wolves they encountered outside. But they were bigger, and burning red with hatred. A growl was heard, far louder than a normal wolf’s. It echoed off the walls of the cavern before finally the company saw what awaited them as a giant, black wolf, easily the size of a horse, with glowing red eyes and a black mist that seemed to seep from its fur and surround it with a sort of haze that even the light from Esme’s cloak couldn’t dissipate. As it stepped closer, the company began to feel its presence in more ways than one. The essence of this monster pierced their very minds, making them feel slightly dizzy. Something was wrong about this wolf, aside from its massive size.
Before any of the company could comment on this, or do anything, the wolf lunged for them, its large, snapping jaws heading right for Esme, the source of the light that pierced its eyes. Without thinking, Atriax interposed himself in front of her and held out his blade to block the wolf’s attack. A successful move. However, without missing a beat, the wolf swatted at Atriax with one of its large paws, easily the size of his head. The claws dug deep into his shoulder, ripping the leather of his armor and causing him to grit his teeth in pain as it knocked him to the side.
Not letting the wolf get off another hit, Tizan moved to the wolf’s side and flung his whip out to wound the creature, but the effect the wolf had on his mind, on all their minds, made his whip come just short of hitting it. The wolf turned its eyes to him in anger, as though he were to be its next target. Before it could attack, however, Levia stretched forth a hand and, just as she had done with one of the wolves outside, threw a conjured dagger of ice at the monster’s hide. Her aim was thrown off balance by the cloudiness of her mind, but it struck true nonetheless, digging into the wolf’s shoulder and making it howl and raise up on its hind legs in pain.
While the wolf was distracted, Reign raised up his pistol hoping to get a shot off, but he couldn’t think through the haze that gripped his mind. Though he fired the bullet as confidently as he always did, it flew wide, flying past the wolf’s side and nailing the far wall of the cavern. “Shit,” He said under his breath, frantically grabbing out another bullet to load into it before the monster took attention of him next.
Atriax, who had been knocked to the side, almost to the point of falling over, raised up his blade and dragged it across the palm of one hand, causing it to flare up with cold mist as he had done before. He looked to Esme. “Distract it so I can get a clear hit.”
Nodding her head to him, Esme raised up a hand to the beast. She wasn’t quite sure what to say at first, but the wolf responded to her gesture and looked like it was about to try and bite her raised hand off. Before it could, she spoke an incantation, followed by the words, “You’re an awfully misbehaved creature. Sit!” The words, though they would have little use on their own, were amplified by the arcane incantations she had said earlier, and sailed out of her mouth like soundwaves, piercing the wolf’s head and causing it to howl towards the ceiling as though it suffered a hideous headache.
While the pain of her spell racked it, Atriax came in for the kill, swinging the sword at the wolf’s legs. However, the wolf saw what he was doing at the last moment and pulled its front legs away from the swing. It brought one down on the blade of his sword, pinning it to the ground, before sweeping him with the other leg, knocking him flat on his back and leaving him disarmed.
Hoping he could strike through the confusion, Tizan aimed for another strike of his whip while the wolf looked away from him. He flung the whip back, letting it unfurl behind him, then he swung his arm forward, letting the whip crack against the wolf’s side with a sound that echoed in the cavern around them. From the whip’s tip shot a few electrical bolts that dug into the exposed wound of the wolf, making it howl again and take a step to the side, distancing itself from Tizan. In its pain, however, it flung its tail towards him, striking him in the chest and causing him to hit his back against the wall of the cavern, knocking the wind out of him. With Tizan out of the way, the wolf turned its eyes to Atriax lying there on the floor, and it growled with murderous intent as it slowly stepped towards him, preparing to strike.
Levia rushed to Tizan’s aid, pulling him to his feet before extending her hand towards the wolf and chanting. The palm of her hand turned bright white and a bolt of radiant energy shot from her and towards the wolf. However, her aim was unsteady and the bolt went too high to hit the beast.
Esme and Reign exchanged looks, then they looked at Atriax, then they looked at Atriax’s sword lying on the ground, by this point directly underneath the wolf. Without speaking they had thought of a plan. Esme turned to look at Atriax. “Strike when he seizes up.” She said firmly, her voice echoing almost unnaturally in the cavern. At the same time Atriax felt a sudden surge within him of power from her words. She had laced magic into her words earlier to harm an enemy, and now she did it to strengthen her ally.
While she did this, Reign moved in, sliding underneath the wolf and grabbing the hilt of Atriax’s greatsword. In one motion he slid it along the cavern floor towards the man, aiming it perfectly so that the hilt landed in his hand as he opened it. Esme went in with her rapier, thrusting it into the wolf’s side, right where its ribs should be, and causing it to howl and arch its back.
Taking Esme’s advice, Atriax grabbed the sword hilt and got up onto his knees, thrusting the sword upward until it went right through the wolf’s lower jaw, coming out of the top of its head, cutting its howling short. Almost immediately the wolf fell to the ground, Atriax pulling out the sword and Reign rolling out from under it before either of them were crushed.
Reign got to his feet, and Atriax did the same slowly, leaning on his sword for support. The company gathered around and watched as the strange wolf began to shrink and the shadows that surrounded it, the malicious magical energy that had pierced their minds, dissipated until finally it looked like a normal wolf, no different than the ones they had fought outside. The cavern appeared brighter, the light from the moon more fully illuminating the inside.
Through heavy breaths, clutching his chest, Tizan spoke. “Goddess...what was that?”
“A shadow-touched wolf,” Atriax said without skipping a beat. The others looked at him with surprise.
“A what now?” Esme asked, intrigued and confused.
“Sometimes, magic from Abaddon, the realm of shadow and undeath, can seep into our world. If it touches creatures, like this wolf, it can transform them into abominations. I’ve never seen this in person before.”
“Well, aren’t you the encyclopedia of monstrology?” Levia said with a small smile before her attention turned to the gaping, bloody wound that still covered Atriax’s shoulder. “Your shoulder,” she said as she walked over to him, reaching into her pack. “I have something for that.”
Groaning as she stepped around him, Atriax winced and put on a brave face. “It’s not as bad as it looks, really. I should be fi-” He was interrupted by a cold pain as Levia started rubbing some kind of thick, gel-like liquid onto his shoulder from a small clay container she had pulled from her pack. He groaned, first in pain, but then in a sort of pleasure as the gel soothed the wound. “What...is that?” he said with closed eyes.
“It’s my poultice. I make them out of those plants you saw me picking in the forest earlier. It’ll help heal your wound,” Levia said as she applied more of the gel until, finally, it seemed as though it had stopped the bleeding and mostly closed the wound.
“You just found those plants tonight. How could you have made it in that time?” Atriax asked, confused.
“I already had this one. I was going to make more with what you saw me gathering,” she said calmly as she closed the clay container and slipped it back into her pack. “There we go. Might still leave a scar, but you should be fine now.”
“I doubt a new scar would concern him anyway,” Esme said with a smirk, looking at the wound Levia had expertly treated. “You can show it to Gerard when you get back.”
“Speaking of soothing pain, can you do something about my back with that stuff?” Tizan said, one hand stretched back to rub the sore spot where he struck the cavern wall.
Shaking her head and walking to him, Levia answered, “here, let me help you with that.” She did the same as with Atriax, applying the ointment to a fresh bruise on Tizan’s back, and quickly it dissipated, leaving him feeling refreshed and healthy.
“Thank you,” Tizan said with a nod and a smile. Levia returned it in kind.
“So was that orb thing just leading us into a trap?” Reign said as he looked at the wolf, then around the cavern. The orb they had been following had disappeared before they made it to this room. It was nowhere to be seen.
“No. I think it was leading us to this,” Levia said as she stepped towards the ruined statue. “I think it’s a shrine of some sort.”
“A shrine to what?” Tizan asked.
“I’m not sure. But, if I had to guess, based on what I know of ancient Frey beliefs, some kind of moon spirit judging by the carvings on the base of the statue.” She pointed to large symbols around the base of the statue depicting the various phases of the moon. “And this must be what the shrine is here to hold,” Levia said while looking at what lay upon the pedestal in front of the shrine.
The rest of the company stepped forward to see what she was seeing. Laying on the pedestal was an amulet. The cord was a string of rope with various animal teeth, fangs, and claws woven into it. The centerpiece of the amulet was metal and covered in various engravings. In the center was a smooth, round, white gem.
“Strange no one had already pocketed that,” Reign said under his breath.
“It’s your mission, Atriax. You should probably take it,” Levia said to Atriax as he stood nearby, looking curiously at the amulet.
He looked to the others for a moment, then he reached out his hand and took hold of the amulet’s string. He held it up, looking at the gem in the center, and the engravings around it. “Marta might know what to make of this thing. Lets head back.”
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day,” Tizan said, groaning slightly as he stretched his back and immediately started walking for the path back to the cave’s entrance. The rest followed.
-----
It wasn’t easy to find their way back to the fortress since they had followed the strange orb to get to the cave, but eventually they saw the large walls coming into view through the dark haze of the forest. Once they had walked around and stepped through the doors into the main hall, Marta was waiting for them, standing alone in the center. Off to the side, standing next to the previously chain-locked door, now wide open, was Gregor, also waiting.
“What was it?” Marta asked as soon as the group was inside.
“It was a shadow-touched wolf guarding a strange moon shrine in the forest. I don’t know why it was there, but we killed it, and found this there.” He held up the amulet they had found and Marta looked at it before taking it from him. “I’ll have a look at this. In the meantime, Atriax, it’s time for your final test.”
“Yes ma’am,” Atriax said firmly, though with a hint of anxiety.
Marta turned her eyes from him and looked at the rest of the company. “The rest of you may come with us, if you like. You travel with one of us, and defend him in combat, so we’ll trust you with this secret, but you mustn’t share this secret with any others.”
The rest of the company that stood there nodded their heads in cautious agreement, before Marta led the whole group past the door Gregor was beside. The halfling nodded to Atriax respectfully as he passed. Past the door was a staircase headed down, each step echoing into a dark hallway at the bottom, lit by torch sconces along the walls. Once there, Levia noticed markings on the walls as well; they looked to be claw marks.
“It is common knowledge among many that hunters of the Order of the Lycan, as we are, imbibe potions that let them experience a beast’s senses. It helps us hunt down our prey. But that’s not all we can do, as you will soon see. Once we are in the taming chamber I would ask all of you to remain by the outer walls and away from the center of the room,” Marta said as she continued to lead them.
At a door at the very end of the hall, open but covered in several chains, Gerard stood there, smiling at Atriax. “You’ll do great, brother. I have faith in you,” he said as he patted Atriax on the shoulder. Atriax responded with a smile and a nod as he stepped through the door behind Marta and into the taming chamber.
As she passed him, Esme shot Gerard a knowing look, which Gerard was more than happy to return. Once everyone was in the room, Gerard slid the door shut behind them, leaving them in the chamber. The company looked startled as the door shut tight, and looked around the room after to see what was inside. The chamber was not large, but not small either. Along the far walls were two large cages, one of them intact and the other very damaged. Along the left wall from the doorway was a couple of tables, one covered in alchemy equipment, and the other a small collection of various herbs and ingredients, not all of which the company recognized. In the center of the room was a circle composed of arcane symbols carved into the floor. On both the floor and walls were the same claw marks that could be seen in the hall behind them.
“Step into the circle, Atriax,” Marta said, gesturing to the circle in the middle of the room and stepping to the alchemy table. Once there she began to mix together choice herbs from the small garden in addition to strange liquids on the alchemy table. All of these she placed into a small cauldron which bubbled softly.
Atriax tried to look over her shoulder from where he was standing, but he could see nothing. Neither could any of the others in the group, all of whom watched from the edge of the room cautiously, waiting in anticipation for what would come next.
“The world is full of monsters,” Marta said as she worked. “To fight them, sometimes, you must become one yourself.” Stepping away from the table, she poured the still warm contents of the cauldron into a metal goblet and held it out to Atriax, who nervously took hold of it and peered down at the contents, which were thick and red like blood. “If you survive the process, then, from this day forth, you are truly one of us, brother. Now drink.”
Gently Atriax brought the goblet to his lips and tilted it forward, letting the warm, red, thick liquid slide into his mouth and down his throat in one good gulp. As soon as he swallowed it he could feel the effects taking hold. His muscles began to burn, and his bones ached, causing him to drop the goblet onto the stone ground with a metallic clang. He began to grunt and groan, moving his hands across his body as different areas started to hurt. But soon, everything hurt. His skin heated up, like he was under immense pressure, the surface turning red from exertion. Levia felt the instinct to step forward and help but Marta stopped her with an outstretched hand. The circle of arcane symbols around his feet began to glow a dull red and hum.
Suddenly, the pressure began to release, and Atriax let out a loud groan that quickly turned into a yell of pain. The company could see as his teeth started to sharpen into points, two long fangs extending farther than the others. Hairs began to sprout from his hands and face, and his nails began to sharpen into long, black claws. He gripped his head, the muscles underneath his skin rippled as they grew and hardened, more and more hair coming from his skin, white hair, forming into a coat of fur that covered his whole body. He was beginning to turn into some kind of hybrid beast, and he let out a howl that echoed in the room and turned everyone’s blood to ice before he collapsed under the incredible pain into a heap on the floor.
Marta immediately bent down to check his pulse. “He’s alive. He just passed out from the strain. It happens to some of us.”
Soon, the changes Atriax’s body had gone through began to reverse until he looked normal again, albeit with a few rips in his clothing from the transformation. Levia, looking down at the unconscious Atriax, took a few steps back, only stopping once she hit the wall of the chamber.
“Come on. We should get him to one of the beds upstairs so he can sleep this off.” Marta said as she reached down and helped lift up Atriax. Tizan and Esme helped out, and soon they were leaving the room and heading up the stairs, into the main hall, and up into the barracks. There they laid Atriax down on one of the beds. He was motionless, aside from some heavy breathing.
At Marta’s request, the rest of the group also laid down to sleep, as it was very late at night. Each one of them found their own bed to sleep in, with the exception of Esme, who easily found someone to share a bed with that night.
-----
Atriax slept soundly through the night, not so much as a turn in all his slumber. He had been asleep right through until just before noon the next day. After a night of sleep, the members of the company had been around the fortress, catching their breath after the previous night’s danger. Atriax went to Marta’s quarters in the fortress to ask her about the amulet he had found. After she examined it more thoroughly, and looked through a collection of books she had in her quarters, she knew a bit more about what it was.
“This amulet is called the Moondrinker,” She said matter-of-factly. “It was crafted by one of our order long ago, though that’s about all I could find from my library. I don’t know how it’s used or, if it’s magic, how to activate it.” She put a hand on Atriax’s shoulder and handed him the amulet. “All I know is that it must have come to you for a reason, Atriax. You need to find out its purpose.”
Taking the amulet from her, he studied it closely, curiously, and placed it around his neck. “We’re headed to Bolfell, perhaps I can learn something there. There’s a college there, right?”
“Yes. The College of Lafeth. A lot of knowledge is stored there. Ask around, see what you can learn. I’ll look through my books a bit more while you’re gone, I might’ve missed something. If I learn anything, I’ll send word.”
Atriax nodded his head. “Thank you, Marta. For everything.”
“No. Thank you, Atriax. I’m so proud of you. I knew you would pass the test. I’m just glad another one of us has joined the fold. It’ll be Kaley’s turn next, we’ll see how that goes. It’s too bad Lathan wasn’t around to see it. No matter. Keep safe on the road, keep your eyes open for danger. It’s getting more and more treacherous to travel lately.”
“I know. Thank you, Marta. Farewell.” He turned and left her chambers, heading downstairs to meet the others and get underway. On the way, he ran into Gerard waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
“I heard you passed out,” he said with a smirk. “How predictable.”
Atriax shook his head and gave the half-orc a punch to the shoulder. “Happens to the best of us, sometimes. Careful I don’t knock you out too.”
“Sure you can? Or would you pass out from the slightest pain there too?” His grin widened even more, eliciting a laugh from both of them. He patted Atriax on the back. “Farewell, brother. Good luck on the road. Perhaps I’ll see you soon.”
“I’d hope so, Gerard. Take care of yourself.”
As Esme gathered her things and made for the main hall, she was stopped by Kaley. “So, I heard you’ll be leaving,” she said nervously.
“We are, but who knows? We might come this way again.”
“I hope so. I’d love to see you again...um, I mean, all of you again,” Kaley caught herself, a small blush on her cheeks.
Esme chuckled at the sight, touching the young hunter’s chin with her index finger and thumb. “I’d love to see you again too. Farewell,” She said, leaving the hunter there with even more red on her cheeks than before.
After they had gathered all their things and treated all their wounds, the company was once again on the road. The hunters of Caer Makhov saw them off, standing under the archway of the fortress and waving as the company made their way down the small road until it connected to a main road leading them right to Bolfell.
-----
It was five days on the road to Bolfell, five very quiet days with no interesting happenings. Most would call it boring, but, after the troubles they had at Turnov and Caer Makhov, the company was glad for quiet, peaceful roads, and soon they reached their destination none the worse for wear.
Bolfell sat at the foot of the mountains that ran along Western Frejar. The city seemed almost to be carved from them, long and tall stone walls surrounded the city, taking up most of the view as the company got closer. Surrounding the outer walls was a shanty town of rundown houses and hastily-built shacks filled with peasants and squatters who stared as the party as they walked down the small road leading to the city’s gate.
The massive wooden gate of Bolfell greeted them, stretching easily 20 feet up and made of solid wood with metal rivets pounded into it. They approached two guards who were standing at the gates to ask them for entrance into the city, but one guard put up his hand to stop them.
“Halt,” The guard said. “You shall go no further. A dangerous criminal is at large. The city of Bolfell is closed until The Necromancer is caught or killed.”
The other guard held up a poster. At the top was the word “Wanted” followed below by a portrait of an old man with long, matted grey hair and a beard to match, wearing a tattered black cloak. Underneath the portrait was the words, “A dangerous necromancer has escaped from Frostvault Prison. The Inquisition is urging anyone with information of his whereabouts to report it immediately. Rewards will be given based on your contributions. Any who fail to report will be treated as an accessory to his crimes. Under no circumstances should any approach him. He is violent and unstable.” At the bottom left corner of the poster was the symbol of an eye stamped in red wax. The emblem of the Inquisition.