The scene before her as she looked into the valley was stunning. Birds flew above the deep, rich forested areas, and a river crossed the valley. In the distance, SJ could make out some structures, but she could not tell what they were. The path twisted down the mountainside towards the valley floor several hundred feet below.

"This is going to be a trek back up," SJ said.

"Maybe you should have bought a wagon."

"I wasn't expecting to go so far today."

She continued the descent to the valley floor. The air at the valley's base was slightly cooler, which surprised SJ, who thought it would have gotten warmer, trapping the sun's heat. Reaching the bottom, she followed the main track that led through the centre. She had not been travelling long when they found a fork in the trail. The split turned right slightly before turning sharper, heading into a wooded area.

Travelling for another thirty minutes or so, the path became worse. It was still a track but did not see much traffic. It curved down through a wooded glade, and on the far side, it opened into a large open meadow. In the distance, SJ could see some buildings, so she headed towards them. As she approached, her senses heightened, and she felt like she was being watched.

"This doesn't feel right," she whispered.

"I can't see anything."

"Nor I yet."

At that moment, an arrow came whizzing towards her from the buildings; thankfully, it was not very accurate sailing past her. She dove to the ground instinctively and lay still, listening. "From the direction of the building," she said.

"Yeah. I saw something, but I'm not sure what."

SJ immediately shrunk to her miniature form. If she was going to be pinned down, then she wasn't going to be an easy target. Slowly edging away from where she had dived, she carefully started moving in the direction of the buildings circling towards them. She heard footsteps approaching through the grass.

"Where did it go?" a female voice said.

"No idea. Did you hit it?" a male voice replied.

"Not sure."

"We can't have anything around here. The boss will go mad if there is anything."

"I know."

SJ heard the swish of what could have been a sword or something similar chopping through the long grasses to the left of where she was now. Continuing away from the two voices, Dave spoke in her ear.

"Two skeletons. One archer, one fighter by the looks of them."

"They must be the undead that Gladys mentioned."

"Only saw them briefly, so didn't see any details."

"Ok," SJ replied as she continued. As she neared the buildings, she could hear more voices. Stopping and listening, there had to be at least four, possibly five. The closest building was now just ahead of her, and she moved to the edge of the long grass, peering out carefully. There was a gap of twenty feet of hard-packed ground before she could get to the side of the building.

"I am going to fly to the roof," she said determinedly, flapping her wings slowly lifting from the ground. The one good thing about her flight was it was silent: her wings made no sound. As soon as she was hovering, she crept higher above the grass line and then, seeing it was clear, lifted higher and headed straight over to the roof. Reaching the roof, she gently landed on the thatching. The top was patchy, and the thatch needed repairs. She could hear the skeletons talking below her. Creeping to the far edge of the thatch, taking care of where she placed her feet, she laid down and slowly peered over.

Just below her, she could see the tops of two heads; one was wearing a metal helmet, and the other had a skeleton's plain, open white skull with a random wisp of hair attached to it. One of the voices surprised SJ. It was not a skeleton. It was a strange-looking being and didn't seem to have much of a body floating rather than walking.

"What is it?" SJ whispered.

"Phantom. An undead minion mainly used to cause fear rather than damage. They are usually very weak to fire," Dave replied.

The Phantom made a sound like a deep moan. "I know, we have to move the gear. At least this delivery can be loaded straight onto the boat rather than messing about storing it first," a huge, formed skeleton complained. Moaning again, the Phantom pointed at the barrels next to the building. Sighing, the larger skeleton moved towards the barrels, bending and picking one of them up before moving it over to where a cart was situated and loading it in the back as SJ watched the other two skeletons who had gone out towards the field where she had been returned.

"Anything?"

"No sign. Whoever it was has disappeared."

"We need to keep an eye out while we finish packing up."

"Yeah. Charlotte, can you keep watch?"

The skeleton with the bow and arrow replied. "Yeah, I'll keep watch."

SJ watched as four of the skeletons finished moving the barrels. The fifth with the bow, Charlotte, stood by the edge of the building, looking back across the meadow where the track was. Once the cart was filled, the four skeletons moved to the front of it, and picking up the cart handles on either side, the Phantom let out a deep moan.

"Coming," Charlotte replied as the others began to pull the cart off down a track leading towards the lake ahead of them. SJ could see the lake started about two hundred feet from where she was on the roof, and when they reached it, she spotted a rowing boat that was now being loaded with the barrels from the cart. Once the boat was full, two skeletons rowed across the lake to the far side. The others then turned, grabbed the cart handles and dragged the empty cart along a path further down the lakeside.

"I wonder what they are doing?" SJ said.

"No idea, but they must be under the influence of a Necromancer."

"Why do you say that?"

"They have to do what they are instructed, and I think the Phantom is in charge of them."

"A necromancer will assign a leader?"

"Some do. Some do it all themselves, but it's easier if they have minions who do the work for them."

The beings were now a fair distance from the building, and she slowly stood, flapping her wings before making her way to the ground. The way that flight was now feeling was natural and quite disconcerting, considering the initial trouble she had had. The building she was now in front of looked run down and derelict. The front door was hanging on by a single hinge. Looking at where it was situated, it would have made a beautiful home at one time but would need a lot of work to return to that standard. SJ had no idea if she was even in the right area where the cottages were supposed to be and could only assume that she was from Gladys's directions.

"Let's see what they have been doing here," entering the building, SJ looked around at the destroyed furnishings. Tables, chairs, and cupboards had all been ransacked, damaged, or smashed over time. Looking at the state of the inside, it looked like it had been derelict for a very long time. Thick cobwebs coated the rafters, making SJ shudder and reminding her of her crypt visit. Searching around the small cottage, she found nothing of value or interest that may have led to what they were doing here.

"I can't find anything."

"I haven't seen anything unusual either. I have no idea what was in those barrels; maybe check around outside."

Walking back out of the small cottage, SJ searched the immediate area. A small shed had its door open, and broken baskets and pottery pieces littered the floor. There was no indication of what they had been doing or had in the barrels they were moving. The only signs were the fresh marks on the earth where they had stood and the tracks the cart had created in the dirt track leading down to the lake.

"We need to follow them. Your quest says to clear the cottages, and this has to be the first one. Gladys said hers was the second, never mind the third one she mentioned."

"Yeah. I will stay miniature for now; it will be easier not to be seen."

Taking off, she began to cut diagonally across the field in the direction the cart had been pulled along the lakeside. It didn't take her long to reach the lake, and looking right, she could see another building further down, slightly around a bend in the lake. Taking her time and staying low to the grasses, she flew towards it.

As she neared the building, she heard the voices of the skeletons.

"Brian. Get a move on. We haven't got all day."

"Shut it, Terence. I am moving as fast as I can."

"Try moving faster. I want to get back at some point."

"Why, what do you have planned? A nice dinner, perhaps."

"Very funny."

Charlotte joined in, laughing with Brain. The Phantom moaned, and the other two skeletons moved towards where Brian was to help him do whatever he was doing.

SJ flew upwards slightly to give herself a better angle and could see the cottage in much better condition. It had a small white picketed fence surrounding it, and the grass was overgrown, but she could tell it had been cared for until recently. From what SJ could tell, at the side of the small cottage was the entrance to a storm cellar, and one of the skeletons was moving a barrel out from it.

"What are they up to?" she whispered.

"No idea."

"I wish I knew what was in the barrels. One of them mentioned that it had not been long since they had a delivery. Delivery of what and why store it and not take it straight back to wherever they have come from."

"I still have no idea."

"I thought you were all-knowing."

"Very funny. Haha," Dave replied.

"Be careful, Terence," Brian cried to the largest skeleton as one of the barrels began to topple back off the cart where it had been placed. It thudded heavily to the floor, and a red liquid started to leak from it. "Damn it, Terence. It's leaking."

Looking at the large skeleton, SJ could see the tell-tale signs of an Orc with its tusks. It was strange to realise that the skeletons were not all human.

"It's not my fault the cart wasn't level."

"The pair of you just stop and get it picked up. We will have to stash it on its side to stop it leaking anymore," Charlotte chirped in.

"I am going to use identification," SJ whispered.

"Be careful. You don't know what wisdom they are."

"I don't care, and I am only small; they still won't see me that easily at this range."

Hovering above the grass, she cast her identification skill at the skeletons and Phantom.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

"The sneaky assassin is learning. You know what, I must admit I have been a little silly."

"Why?"

"The chances of you being spotted identifying people unless they have a direct identification skill themselves is very slim when you are miniature."

"Now you tell me!"

"I hadn't thought about it before, never having a Fae Legionnaire."

SJ sighed.

"Sorry," Dave replied.

"Did you just apologise?" SJ replied, mocking shock.

"Maybe, but don't get used to it."

Smiling, SJ read the results on her display and checked her skill progression.

Subterfuge - Identification Level 3 - 19 of 30 to level 4

Skeletal Archer

Level: 7

Hit Points: 35

Mana Points: 35

Attacks: Pierce

Skeletal Fighter

Level: 8

Hit Points: 50

Mana Points: 40

Attacks: Slash/Thrust

Skeletal Rogue

Level: 6

Hit Points: 30

Mana Points: 30

Attacks: Stab/Slash

Phantom

Level: 10

Hit Points: 55

Mana Points: 100

Attacks: Confusion/Fear

"There is no way I can take on four of them with the levels they are."

"Knowing how Necromancers work, if you took out the Phantom, the chances are the others won't do anything."

"What makes you say that?"

"They are instructed. The Phantom is directing them and making sure they do their work. I bet if you can take it out, they would only attack if you attacked them. They are probably out of range of the Necromancer directly."

"I'm not a gambler and don't fancy betting on them not attacking me."

"That was a low blow!" Dave grumbled.

"I didn't mean it that way, but if the truth hurts."

"Hmmph."

"I will just watch for now and see what they do and where they go."

Moving towards the side of the field and the wood line, SJ positioned herself so she could see the happenings more easily. She flew to a branch and gently landed on it. The cart was being loaded with more barrels from the cellar.

"At least we should be finished for now," one of the skeletons said.

"It's been nice being away from the boss, though."

"I can't disagree."

"What does he even need with all this?"

"No idea. Knowing him, he will have some mad scheme he is trying to cook up. He never leaves his laboratory most days."

"The Gnoll hunters we have been collecting it from must have slaughtered a whole forest to provide so much blood."

SJ gasped at hearing that the barrels were full of blood. Thankfully, she was far enough away for her not to be heard.

"Blood!" she whispered.

"Probably trying to create a new being."

"What sort of being would need barrels of blood?"

"Meh. Necromancers are a strange breed. They are always trying to create new horrors."

SJ had witnessed at least seven barrels being loaded onto the rowing boat, and now a further six had been loaded onto the cart. That was a lot of blood. Each barrel reminded SJ of the ones she used to see in the micro pubs around London. There had to be litres in total, and she had no idea how many barrels had been delivered previously.

The skeletons began moving the cart away from the building and headed back towards where the rowing boat had been loaded. SJ watched them leave and flew to the cottage, landing on the ground by the red-stained earth. She quickly looked around the area, not seeing anything. This cottage had been left untouched apart from its cellar being used for storage by the looks of it. Checking that the skeletons and Phantom had moved out of sight, she quickly grew to her normal size and tried the cottage's front door. It was secure and had not even attempted to be opened.

Moving round to the storm cellar, she made her way down. The inside was damp and musty, and just enough natural light was cast in from the open entrance to allow her night vision to pick out the empty cellar. There was nothing of interest. Walking back out, she glanced over towards the direction they had gone.

"I need to see where they are going," she said as she shrunk again.

"It sounded like they were finished doing what they were doing here anyway. So, I doubt they will be back for now."

"The quest said to clear the cottages and find the source. The first part of it seems a little easy now if they are leaving."

"Don't complain."

"I'm not. I was just expecting to have to fight them."

"You may yet. I wouldn't get so confident that you won't. You still must find the source, which means finding the Necromancer."

Making her way back towards the lakeside, she stopped in the grass and looked towards where the cart had been taken. SJ could see the skeletons and their Phantom leader now waiting near where the rowing boat had left. She watched for some time before she noticed the rowing boat moving back across the lake's surface. It arrived and was loaded with the barrels again before departing and heading back across the lake. SJ then watched the strangest sight: the three skeletons left behind started to walk into the lake until they disappeared under the surface, leaving the cart behind. The Phantom floated out across the lake, accompanying the rowing boat.

"I wasn't expecting that."

"The joys of not having lungs or needing air," Dave replied.

SJ could not clearly see across the lake from where she was, so she flew into the air to give herself a better view. Looking across the lake, she could vaguely make out a small building, and as she watched, the rowing boat headed towards it. Looking left and right, the lake was quite large, and it would take her some time to work around it.

"I should just fly across."

"Perhaps, but you will be quite easy to spot being above the water."

"If I stay low, though?"

"I wouldn't advise it. You saw what happened to you by the river with the fish that wanted to snack on you. There is no telling what is in the lake."

"Good point. I will go around," turning, SJ began to fly down the lake's side and follow it towards the far side. Her flying speed was naturally increasing, and as she moved around the lake, she must have been travelling at a fast run on land. It was a fantastic feeling, the air whipping her hair and dress out behind her. Glancing over towards where the rowing boat had been unloading and noticing the large fir tree that had been situated near it, she was making good time. Off to her right, as she flew along the edge of the lake, she came upon the third cottage. Just ahead, she could see a small jetty suitable for tying a boat up and a path led back into the woods slightly.

"Dave. Can you please note this and remind me to check it later?" SJ asked as she flew past.

"Will do."

SJ continued around the side of the lake. It was small compared to the enormous lake that Killic sat on the side of, and it didn't take her too long to move around to the other side. Slowing down as she saw the building up ahead. She cut off into the treeline across a small open area and moved towards it. Reaching the closest she could in the woods, she landed on a branch again and looked down towards the building.

There was a jetty and what looked like a storage building, and that was it; there was no sign of the skeletons or the barrels from the now empty rowing boat. The Phantom was nowhere to be seen either. Looking at the dirt-packed track that led away from the lake, she could see the furrows of a cart or wagon cut into it. SJ fluttered down from the tree and landed by the building. Peering into its open frame. There was nothing inside.

She turned and was about to start down the track when she heard a splash from the lake. Hiding behind the side of the building, she peeked around the edge and saw the skeletons emerging from the lake that they had walked across. Water draining from any items that they wore. One of the skeletons stopped and picked some green plant fibre from its ribcage that had been caught as it waded across the bottom.

"That never gets normal," the one she thought was named Brian said.

"It's fun, though," Charlotte replied.

The larger Orc skeleton shook its bones off like a dog flinging water everywhere. It was a strange sight to behold, watching three skeletons conversing, never mind watching them walk out of a lake. The three began moving away from the lakeside and headed down the track.

"Let's go see where it takes us," SJ said as she followed the skeletons at a distance.

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