The unnatural way in which the dark clouds swirled above was a disconcerting sight, seemingly driven to a single point by an unseen force. It also didn’t help that they were walking in the exact same direction and that it appeared the clouds were swirling toward the Scarlet Stone – one of the many scars across the Clain.

“I don’t like the look of this,” Fane whined as they marched across the red, barren landscape.

The scars themselves were entrances to what was generally referred to as the Scarworld, a massive network of underground caves and caverns. No one knew exactly how far the Scarworld spread, only that hundreds of entrances to it resided across the barrens that were scattered between the lands of the civilized, surface races.

The Clain was only one such barren, which lay between the Kingdom of Ome, and the Sanerese Empire. But regardless of which direction you traveled, sooner or later, you would reach another barren with its own scars, leading some to believe that the entire Scarworld was interconnected; though, no one had traversed it enough to know for certain.

“Those are no ordinary clouds. Cursed redcap, ritual magic. Their shamans weave their spells to call their brethren from across the lands.” Dordan snarled.

“Dordan, how many redcap tribes are there across the Clain barren?”

“Hundreds, maybe thousands. Usually, they are weak, only a threat to lone wanderers and small caravans as they travel in small groups. But when they bow to stronger fiends, they can become truly formidable forces.”

“I had a feeling you would say something like that.” Iliana sighed.

“So, they’ve got casters then?” Earon questioned; his eyes glued to the rolling clouds above.

“Ever seen magic without casters? Neither have I.” Fane grunted.

“And you’re confident this is the work of redcap magic?” Iliana turned to Dordan.

“Almost certainly. The clouds move exactly as I remember them that day. If I had to guess, I would say that they prepare for battle as we speak.”

“We are headed in the same direction as the light, do you think Kalgarag’s party has already taken to battle with them? There might also be others coming for the world event.”

Fane tilted his head toward Earon. “You know, I'm not sure if that makes this situation better, or worse. But if we're lucky, some of those overconfident assholes might actually think charging into an ominous redcap gathering is a good idea. Who knows, maybe we might even be able to use that to our advantage."

“Let's hope so.” Iliana agreed.

“As long as none get in the way of me seizing Haitariki’s head.”

“Sure, that's definitely going to be our biggest problem. You having a kill stolen.” Fane rolled his eyes.

“Don’t wind him up, Fane. For the sake of my sanity.” Iliana snapped and turned to Earon. “Though, by all indications, we are headed in the direction of another caster, maybe multiple casters. Hopefully, we won’t need to rely on you, and another party can deal with them. But if it comes to it, are you up to this, Earon? Who knows, you might even need to fight by yourself, are you going to be okay?”

“This is what I signed up for, isn’t it? And don’t worry, I’ve spent plenty of time thinking about how stupid the idea of galivanting about as an adventurer is, and yet I chose to do it anyway.”

Iliana grinned sideways. “I guess you did, didn’t you? Just don’t go and overdo it, okay? No one is expecting you to have figured this all out already. Even if you had a higher level, it wasn’t too long ago you were plowing fields.”

"Yeah, I know. As much as my life has changed, it’s not as if I’m trying to throw it away or anything.” Earon shrugged. “You know, I was kind of hoping to survive this thing. Fane even got me thinking a little about what I could do with all that coin.”

"You're damned right I did." Fane chuffed.

“Well, I’m glad. Let's all get through this and be filthy rich together!” Iliana clapped.

“Now you’re talking.” Fane agreed, rubbing his hands together. “A nice sunlit manor set on rolling acreage with a fair and bountiful noble woman by my side, and enough gold to bath in.”

"I guess I wouldn’t mind owning a brewery. Limitless mead and ale does sound pretty good.” Dordan scratched his chin. “But Haitariki’s head comes first.”

"What about you, Earon? What were you thinking of doing with the coin?" Iliana asked.

"Me? Probably send some back home, to Ryewood. And maybe a nice new suit, I'm thinking some rare leather."

"Aww! You're such a good boy, Earon!"

*****

“Damn it, more of the bastards!” Kadrin shouted as he brought his longsword down and through another redcap.

“We’ll be overrun soon if this keeps up.” Odds replied, bringing his great hammer down onto a redcap’s head.

A patch of white appeared amongst the swirling dark clouds and a second later a shimmering beam of light cast down from the heavens, slamming into a couple of redcaps like an incorporeal boulder – crushing their bodies.

Taking a potion from his belt, the balding cleric jumped back and drank the azure liquid. “I can’t keep this up. Even Tampal needs mana if I’m to continue calling for his miracles!”

“We should retreat, gather ourselves, and return when ready,” Kadrin said, cutting down another charging redcap.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“What about the event? We were the first to arrive, if we keep at it, we’ll certainly be rich.” Yedlis retorted as he narrowly dodged a jagged cleaver before swinging around and driving his shortsword into the redcap’s chest.

“You dare challenge me?” Roared a guttural voice from across the battlefield as a mountain of a man swung an enormous great sword, effortlessly cutting down two redcaps in a single strike. “The great Kalgarag challenged by lowly redcaps?” the man thundered, slaying several more – his blade crushing as much as it cut.

The ragged soldiers that followed him into battle fared worse, some even struggling in single combat against the redcaps, but it mattered little as two scores had been torn to shreds in moments by the massive man in black furs.

Passing by Kalgarag, the weedy monk moved in a manner almost incorporeal, striking down redcaps with almost as much ease as his larger companion, amidst flashes of silvery light.

“The moon monk.” Odds mumbled in awe as he turned towards them.

“Time to get the heck outta here!” Kadrin snapped and turned to retreat.

“What about the bounties?” Yedlis interjected as he cut down another charging redcap. “You’re gonna let them get it all?”

“Let ‘em have them. I’d rather live another day.” Kadrin ordered, and both the Cleric and Odds nodded in agreement.

“Seriously, all of you? Fine!” Yedlis drooped with a frown.

*****

Iliana brought a hand to her ear. “Up ahead, the sounds of battle. A dozen, maybe more. Redcaps and humans.”

Dordan hands tightened around his hammer-axe. “Pestilence of the Clain Barrens!” He sneered as he broke into a furious charge.

“Really?” Fane sighed.

“Just keep your eyes keen,” Iliana said as she dashed after Dordan.

Shrugging, Earon followed.

“Guys, those aren’t even redcaps,” Fane yelled as the group charged toward four figures closing in from the opposite direction.

“Servants of Haitariki, prepare to die!” Dordan raged.

“What in the plane of cursed bowels are you blabbering about?” Came a surprised rebuke as the four figures skidded to a halt and readied their weapons.

“Easy Dordan, they’re human!”

“Then why do they carry the stench of redcaps?”

“We’ve been fighting them, moron!” A slender, blonde-haired man spat, waving his short sword.

“Sorry for my companion.” Another, clad in chain metal and wearing scruffy gray hair, interjected - glaring across at the high-nosed, blonde man. “Name’s Kadrin and we’re the Servants of the True Javelin. And we’re not looking for a fight.” He said, straightening his back and bouncing his longsword against his metal pauldron.

Dordan’s muscles bulged as if readying to attack, but a second later they relaxed, and he loosened his grip on his oversized hammer-axe.

“Good to see you’re capable of being rational.” Kadrin sighed. “No need to fight each other when there’s an army of redcaps up ahead. Plenty of bounties to go around.”

“Yeah, but be wary, you’ll be competing with that psychopath Kalgarag.” Odds added, looking back over his shoulder. “He’s cutting redcaps apart like they are child’s play. And we didn’t particularly feel like waiting around to find out what he’d do afterward. But you’re welcome to find out if you wish.”

“And, you’re just leaving?” Fane questioned with a raised brow.

“Of course not. The event hasn’t even started yet, don’t see much point in risking our lives over a few bounties when there’s a literal fortune to be won.”

“The Scarlet Stone is nearby, then?” Iliana questioned.

“Not far north of here.” Kadrin nodded.

“Then let us go!” Dordan roared.

“Hold on, big fella,” Iliana said, placing a calming hand on Dordan's shoulder. “If the event hasn’t even started yet, Haitariki might not even be there yet. He’s your target, isn’t he?”

Dordan nodded.

“Then there is no harm in waiting. Ordained events are more or less infallible, from my understanding. If that cyclops is the lord of these redcaps, then it won’t be possible, or at least not likely that he would be killed before the event actually starts. And what if we exhaust ourselves fighting redcaps? You want to throw this opportunity away?”

“No,” Dordan grumbled into his chest.

“Alright then, we take our time and strike when the time is right.”

It was kind of awkward sitting around a small fire with four strangers who were potential rivals and even enemies if the situation were to sour.

“Anyone going to eat this?” Odds, a rather round man with a cute brown mustache asked – pointing out the last kobold kebab that was starting to blacken as it sizzled away.

Everyone remained silent.

“Okay, well I’m just going to take it, and if anyone objects, you just say something, okay?” Odds’s beady eyes glanced around the group. “Okay, I’m just going to take it, slowly.”

Silence followed for an uncomfortable moment, until Kadrin, who seemed to be somewhat of a leader for the group shifted and cleared his throat.

“Let's not pretend to be friends or allies or anything, as long as the hunt is underway, we’re pretty much stuck being rivals, and that’s fine. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t be of use to one another. As far as I’m aware, it's been twenty years since the last world event. The Battle of Blue Harbor. Whilst I'm not sure if any of you have crossed the Clain before, or traveled across the lands of Saner and into the Sapphire City and the lands of the blind monks. But let me share a little. Now, I’m a little young to have fought in that battle, but my former captain did. He told me all about that slaughter. In the end, they repelled the sea peoples, as they were known, but thousands of adventurers fell that day. The sea peoples, an entire civilization few people had ever heard of, save a few snippets here and there, appeared in greater numbers than most armies. Anyway, the point is; that world events don’t just appear. Whatever has triggered this, it's something to be cautious about. So, my proposal is, that we watch each other's back - just for the duration of the world event. After that, anything goes.”

Fane’s brow raised, “and what reason would we have to trust you? Besides some old story, that is?”

Kadrin’s hand disappeared into a pouch by his waist a moment, before reappearing with a couple of bangles. “Sea stone bangles. No captain takes a ward across the Hollow Sea without one of these. It allows you to sense one another's intent. If I were to betray you, or vice versa, you would sense it well before either one of us was able to do anything.”

Fane looked over to Iliana.

“Yeah, I’ve heard of them. They don’t see much use away from the Hollow Sea, but what he says is true.” Iliana nodded.

“So?”

Fane leaned forward, extending a hand and taking the bangle. He eyed it a moment before slipping it on.

“Good,” Kadrin nodded, slipping on the matching bangle. “There's no guarantee this will help keep us alive, but at least we'll have one less group to worry about stabbing us in the back.”

“Well, I’m getting a couple of hours of shut-eye in that case.” Yawned the group's cleric, Todak as he stretched and lay down.

A few others tried to sleep, and Earon even closed his eyes – but it was useless. And the next couple of hours passed by painfully slow.

"Think this will all work out?" Earon whispered to Iliana who sat beside him.

"I'm not sure. I think getting involved in this might be really stupid if I'm being honest. But what choice do we have? Dordan can't be dissuaded, and the glimmer of gold has caught Fane's eyes."

"Yeah, it does seem that way, doesn't it."

"I've got my own reasons for going along with this as well..."

Earon's brow raised, "oh?"

"Earon, promise me something."

"What is it?"

"Just promise me, okay?"

Earon nodded slowly. "Okay, I promise."

"There's things I've wanted to ask you, ever since the library. Things that are important to me." Iliana swirled a finger through the dirt beneath them. "If we survive all this, you have to answer all my questions. And I'll tell you my reasons for going along with all this, okay?" She raised her head and smiled at Earon.

"I would like that," Earon returned the smile.

Keeping low, the group watched the horizon. Within the final hour before the event started, the silhouettes of hundreds of adventurers from all directions could be seen marching towards the Scarlet Stone.

“I guess this thing is about to get started,” Fane said, jumping to his feet.

"I guess the message got out," Kadrin grinned. "Well, at least it'll be interesting."