« (Randy) »

Randy felt all his fur stand on end. He was scared, the skeleton was moving. He hid behind the bush and felt his tail rise and bush out. But somehow he didn’t think his super defence would work against an ambulatory skeleton. At least it was a small one.

A shadow moved against the ground, Randy recognised it as belonging to one of the small hawks that occasionally flew over. He was too big to worry about them now. The skeleton saw it too and it was scuttling straight towards him. Randy jumped and attacked in a blind panic.

Ting – « You have defeated a level one skeletal mouse. 10 Exp. »

Then his mother was there and she was nosing him away from the foul thing. For the first time in his new life Randy was on the move as his mother herded him and his siblings south away from the increasingly deserted valley that was their birthplace.

The family of skunks headed south across the valley and into the hills. Most creatures that saw them moved out of their way.

Randy enjoyed himself as he learned to forage and hunt under the careful eye of his mother. He gained experience slowly and by the time they reached the outskirts of the forest in the hills he had reached level two. Additionally he had regained most of his memories though these were grafted over the instincts and experiences he had accumulated in his four months of living as a skunk.

Randy was back. And wondering what he had done to deserve his lot.

« (Silvanna Ironhoof) »

Silvanna trotted at the head of her horde, scouts thrown out ahead and to the flanks and rear. She held her powerful composite bow ready. Like her fellow centaurs she had a twin-headed axe hanging from her withers.

She turned to her grandson, “How close are we Heraclios? What do your spirits tell you?”

“We are close chief, I believe it opened in the valley of the moon maid.”

The horde swung towards the range of low hills that flanked the grassy plains. They headed towards a wide gap. They slowed to allow the scouts to check the way ahead before following them and entering the flat wide almost circular valley.

They formed their twin lines with scouts on the flanks and to the rear and moved slowly until just short of the miasma that polluted the land around the new cave.

“Well grandma, it is a dungeon. And it has sent out some of its denizens or the miasma would still be contained. What do you want us to do?”

“Well Heraclios, we aren’t built to venture into dungeons. We will set up a camp and send for some of the tillers of the soil. When we have a suitable garrison and fort here we will go and inform the pesky humans in Riverbend.

“We might as well sweep the vale of the Whitewater clean, as it is on our way,” decided Silvanna.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Grandma, are we going to warn the elves?”

“We have to Heraclios. We are bound by treaty. There is no hurry, I’ll add a letter to Aldrya in the weekly packet.”

* * *

Two weeks later Silvanna looked back at the new fort that sat in the middle of the entrance to the valley. The dirtmen had arrived and proved as industrious as ever. A garrison of the reserves had settled in so she felt happy with taking her host with her. After one last look back the host cantered off.

Silvanna purposely deviated their path to arrive at the start of the Whitewater river, she glanced at the place the river emerged from the hills and grinned.

“LET’S HUNT,” she bellowed even as she gestured to the north.

With a roar of approval the centaur host broke into a trot and followed the river to the north. By the time the host arrived at and forded the Blue, their trail was littered with burning fields and farms. The centaurs left nobody alive in the purge of their territory.

Once over the Blue they headed northwest and moved fast. They arrived at Riverbend before news of their presence could beat them.

« (Vaspedian) »

Vaspedian grumbled to himself as he led the small delegation of townsfolk to speak with the arrogant centaurs. The arrival of a full host led by the Hero Silvanna Ironhoof had been sobering. Everyone in Riverbend had been worried at what their presence might mean. The demand to parlay with the Adventurer’s Guild had relieved several of those that had been pressing the limits of the treaty.

He had selected to head the Guild office in Riverbend precisely because it was a backwater. The arrival of over a thousand armed and armoured centaurs had underlined the fact that Riverbend was not as relaxing a backwater as he had hoped.

The delegation crossed the treaty bridge and made their way to the waiting centaur host. Like all Heros, Silvanna Ironhoof did not look her age. They stopped as Vaspedian took a step forward and bowed.

“Guild master, as per our treaty, I hereby inform you of the discovery of a dungeon in the hills to the south.”

Vaspedian had mixed feelings about this news. A new dungeon was always good news. But the hills to the south were deep in the territory of the centaur empire, and far too close to the elves for comfort.

“I thank you lady Hero. How do you propose to handle access? And will the Elven realm be represented?”

“Aldrya has been informed. She wishes it destroyed. But our treaty with you means the problem is yours. We have established fort bones near the dungeon. A dungeon town will be allowed as per our treaty. We will allow a branch of the treaty road. You will have a group ready to leave at dawn tomorrow. Make sure they are well mounted.”

Vaspedian felt his stomach sink. The name of the fort was not reassuring. “We will be ready.”

Silvanna snapped out, “Good.” Then the centaurs wheeled round and cantered away.

Vaspedian looked round at his fellows and shrugged helplessly. They turned and headed back into their town.

« (Melissandra) »

Melissandra stared worriedly towards the northeast. Ever since the messenger bird had visited her with the news of an undead dungeon she had been having difficulty sleeping. It was only a little over forty kilometres away, and that was far too close.

She sat amongst the roots of her old tree and absently crumbled the handful of dry dirt she was holding with her fingers. She looked worriedly at her daughter tree. Her daughter was so close to being born, fifty years or so. And now there was this nightmare hanging over them.

Then she felt them. A warband was approaching from the south. Her lips twisted into a relieved smile. Hopefully they would eliminate the dangerous dungeon despite it being located well outside the forest. Queen Aldrya could be ruthless. Melissandra dared to hope.

She rose to her feet and swept her long autumn coloured tresses over her shoulder. She peered hopefully towards the south. Her friend Yellowtooth lumbered from his den and came to stand beside her. The big dire-badger loomed over his friend.

Soon the silver furred tree runners flowed past her and they were followed by the warriors of Goldeneye’s warband.

Goldeneye and his warband soon settled down near her tree. They set up camp near the depression at the foot of the cliff to her north. The tree runners moved around restlessly as was their wont.