Francis gave a hard glare to Paul. “Of course that was an encounter, we encountered them in the forest. We encountered them on the trail. We encountered them all over that pile over there.”

Paul worked his jaw for a moment thinking of the best way to explain this. “Like, yes, but no? It was a fight, a special kind of fight.”

“Not the time to discuss this.” Mark grunted. “Tim, you think you can do anything about my legs?”

Tim bent down to inspect the cuts and contusions on Mark. “I’ve not got any bandages, but I’m supposedly a healer.” Tim started poking and prodding the wounds as Mark grimaced in pain.

Francis kept a wary eye at the spot where the goblins came out of. “Might want to do something quick Tim. They may send another group.”

“I’m trying here.” Tim snapped. “But it’s my first time trying magic.”

“Here, try doing what I did.” Paul joined Tim. “In a clear loud voice you say what you want to happen, then the name of the spell. Which I think for you will be [Cure Wounds].”

“I want these wounds on Marks legs to heal! [Cure Wounds]!” Tim almost shouted. But the wounds refused to close. “What did I do wrong?”

“Think real hard on what the spell is on your character sheet.” Paul said. “I was missing a component for the light spell. It’ll probably give you advice.”

“[Character Sheet].” Tim got a far away look in his eyes.

“Page 3.” Tim prompted.

Tim’s eyes were darting left and right as if reading. “Says I need a V and an S and to touch a creature.”

Paul explained. “V for Vocal, S for Somatic which is like hand gestures. Try again.”

“I want these wounds on Marks legs to heal! [Cure Wounds]!” Tim repeated while waving his hands over the injured leg before touching it.

The expected magic rings didn’t show up. However, Paul did notice a green glow coming from inside Tim’s tunic.

“Did you feel something near your chest Tim?” Paul continued to stare at the faded glow.

Tim glanced down his tunic and tried once more. “I want these wounds on Marks legs to heal! [Cure Wounds]!”

From the carved runes along what could only be called Tim’s skin, a number of rune shone with a green hue. Tim traced those glowing symbols with a stony finger through the cloth of their tunic.

“I feel it. I know what I need to do now.” Tim whispered.

“Hurry it up then.” Mark frowned. “This doesn’t feel like a spring picnic here.”

Tim traced the previously glowing runes on their chest. A power started to build over their heart. “I want these wounds on Marks legs to heal!”

Dragging the finger across their chest towards their arm. A green runic circle formed along Tim’s left bicep just ahead of their right index finger. Pushing the circle down their arm, Tim hissed with the exertion as the rune circle reached their palm.

“[Cure Wounds]!” Tim shouted and put the glowing green circle on Marks leg.

Mark let out a sharp inhalation of breath as tears formed in the corner of his eyes. The wounds instantly scabbed over and closed with a sound like skin rubbing on skin.

“It feels like I went through a week of pain all at once.” Mark got out through clenched teeth. “But I suppose that’s better than bleeding everywhere.” He got to his feet.

Tim was also breathing hard. “That really stung.” Shaking out their left arm. “How do you deal with that Paul?”

“Honestly, just powered through.” Paul commiserated.

“Come on guys!” Francis hissed. “Before they get more organized.”

Mark and Tim both grabbed their respective log and branch. Paul shook out his hands and held up finger guns.

“Gonna try something.” Paul smirked.

The four plowed through the bushes into the clearing. The goblins were all gathered around the cauldron and having a heated discussion. Standing over them in their position of authority was the shaman.

As soon as they were in the clearing, Paul started things off by shouting. “Geek the mage! I will shoot that one with [Ray of Frost]!” A red ring forming along Paul’s right arm which ended up at the tip of his pointed right finger gun.

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The cold blue beam lanced out towards the shaman. It’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment before reaching down into the crowd to pull up a goblin shield. The beam shot into the goblin body shield leaving behind a shiny patch of skin and causing the target to shiver.

Screeching the words, the shaman shouted. “Protect the recipe!”

“Protect the recipe!” the crowd of goblins echoed.

As a mass, the goblins overturned the cauldron. The contents spilled onto the ground causing a green cloud of noxious fumes to obscure the vision of everyone involved.

The three tall ones immediately bent over in an irritated coughing fit. The cloud of green gas causing them to feel like bringing up a lung or two. Francis however was spared the worst of it and saw under the cloud a number of scurrying goblin feet.

As the floating smoking wisps dissipated, what was revealed was an empty cauldron, green stained wet ground, and no goblins in sight.

Francis, the only one not to be affected by the gas, spoke up to say. “I think we scared them off.”

Mark gave a last couple of strained coughs and hocked up a loogie. “I can still taste it. Yuck.”

“I’m going to smell like this for a week!” Paul coughed into his fist.

“Yeah but...” Tim cleared their throat. “At least it’s done, and no one else got hurt.”

“So we carry that back to town now?” Francis pointed at the cauldron.

“Yeah, I suppose we do.” Mark sized up the job ahead of him.

-------------

It took them hours.

The remainder of the day was spent hauling, lugging, dragging, and even rolling the cauldron towards town. The four of them had quickly, and thankfully, become nose blind to the stench. They were not sure they would have had the strength to continue if the smell was noticeable.

Soon enough the walls of the town came into view. The sun was starting to set as they approached the gates. The closed gates. The gates that were not open.

Francis, tired on behalf of the others who did most of the lifting, shouted at the shut door. “HEY, the returning triumphant heroes return triumphantly!” Adding a couple bangs with his fist for good measure.

In the still of approaching night, there was a clatter of wood and some muffled grunts. Appearing over the top of the wall was the top of a ladder. It clacked and clattered as someone climbed on up.

A helmeted head peeked over the top and looked down. “Who goes th...” They took a number of deeps sniffs. “What is that stench? Is it you guys down there?”

Francis called up. “Yeah it’s us, and this thing.” He kicked the metal pot.

“Why you bringing that thing here then?” the head questioned.

“We were on the goblin job for the guild.” Francis thumped his chest. “This is the proof we did it. No more goblins. So let us in will ya?”

“OK ya you guys can come in, but that pot stays outside!” The helmet disappeared from the wall top.

A couple of grunts later and the door swung open a small amount.

Mark loomed over and rested a hand on the gate. “We need this as proof for the quest.”

“Trust me when I say, no one is going to touch that tonight. Or maybe tomorrow either.” The guard nodded towards the cauldron. “But anyways, ID?”

The four of them, exhausted from the fight and cauldron transport, let the giant pot lay where it was on the side of the road. They grabbed the ID’s of yesterday and flashed them for the guard. As a group they passed through the gate and into the evening dusk of the town.

“To the Cup and Crow for a bath?” Paul asked.

“Julia needs proof.” Mark grunted, raised an arm and sniffed at his pits. “I think this smell will count.”

Marching through the town, noses turned to follow the group. The green blood of the goblins had long since dried but left their clothes stained. Their bedraggled state drew further stares all the way up until the adventurers guild door.

Pushing open the door. Francis entered first followed by the rest. “We have returned!” Marching half way into the room before coming to a halt.

Everett and his group were lounging at the same table as before. Julia was tidying up the counter top and she glanced up to see everyone there in the middle of the room.

“Oh! How good.” Julia clapped her hands together. “Why are you staying way over there?”

Tim coughed into their hand. “Trying to be merciful is all.”

Everett scrunched his nose and reached for a handkerchief. The others of his group leaned away from the source of the smell.

“Thine quest was most indirect.” Paul spoke a bit louder to cover the distance. “Our task required proof, and nothing was specified. So, being the resourceful adventurers that we are, it was decided best to bring back the cauldron.”

“You brought the cauldron?” Julia raised a skeptical eyebrow.

Everett spoke up. “Sure smells like they did.” giving a retch.

“Smells like they..?” Julia gave a single sniff which caused her eyes to bulge out of her head. “nonononono. OUT, OUT, OUT!” she screamed and pointed towards the door.

Not wanting to anger Julia any more, the four retreated to the street. Julia followed waving a sheet of some sort as a makeshift fan in an attempt to remove the lingering stench.

Staring at the group hard. “That’s going to take ages to air out.” Her face softened a small amount. “But I suppose the jobs as good as completed. Where’s the cauldron?”

Mark thumbed the way they came in. “Outside the west gate. Guard said it’d be good for the night at least.”

“Probably for the best.” Julia blew out a held breath. “Listen, it’s late. Go get cleaned up and we’ll talk in the morning. I’ll go check on that cauldron now though. It’s on my way home.”

“That’s mighty kind of you Julia.” Mark nodded with a smile which caused Julia to blush. “We’ll head on back to the Cup and Crow, by way of the well.”

Julia gave her head a shake. “See that you do.” As she turned back into the guild. “That’s how you get work done around here.” Her muffled words directed at Everett’s group.

The four of them waved Julia goodbye and left to get water for the bath.

-------------

With buckets of water in hand, they stood next to the bathtub in the Cup and Crow yard.

“Don’t toss it in there just yet.” Paul cautioned the others. “I want to try something. Something that we I think we deserve after today.”

Paul had the others line up the full buckets next to the tub. Pointed to the first and said. “This bucket of water will be very warm. [Prestidigitation]!”

The ring of runes shot down Paul’s arm and sank into the bucket of well water. A small amount of steam now wafted off the top.

Francis dipped his finger into the water and exclaimed. “Warm water!” Looking up at Paul. “I love you, marry me.”

“I got five more of these to do.” Paul’s eye twitched and he pointed at the second bucket. “If you ever want me to do this again, I’m first today.”

Mark lifted the warm bucket of water and poured it into the tub. “Deal.”