Morning came, and the group piled onto the wagons. The boy who was staying with Grams waved them off, though Grams herself was nowhere to be seen.
As they traveled Gramps and Alaphon continued to chant and pass out potions keeping their pace at an insane rate. It was only a few hours before they reached the fork where Alaphon’s farm was that took them a whole day and a half to reach when he and Gramps made the trip alone the first time.
As they pulled up slowing only briefly Alaphon waved to the waiting caravan which fell in step behind them almost immediately being encompassed in the magic that was already flowing.
“Onward, the town awaits and most likely needs our supplies desparately if there is even a town left after the riots and fires.” Alaphon roard as they all rocked back. Gramps switching from passing out potions to a loud chant which sped all their mounts.
“If you could do this why not have done it sooner gramps?”
“To save my energy of course, we’d not have gotten any more done yesterday if we had arrived at our farm sooner, and this is very expensive so we chose to save it until we were all together to travel from here to town with as much haste as possible.”
—
It was only an hour before they reached the point they’d stopped on seeing the smoke only two days before. There was still a faint haze in the air but the black smoke form the day before was gone. They didn’t slow to gape though, continuing at pace toward the town.
Sandoron kept darting looks to the sides of the road half expecting another attack or to see people camping out after having fled the town. However the ride was mostly quiet, only the subdued chatter of their caravan and the clatter of the wheels and the animal’s harnesses. He felt like they were heading to somewhere they should be even if he couldn’t explain the feeling at all.
It was dusk when they circled the wagons and built a camp in the middle of the road. They couldn’t be far from town now so he couldn’t help asking “Why aren’t we continuing into town tonight?”
Gramps nodded to Alaphon before taking a gulp from a water skin and leaning against a log they’d drug to feed the fire later in the night.
“Your grandfather and I have exhausted a lot of our mana, and we still don’t know the state of the town and what caused the fires. It is better if we arrive at first light rested and ready to help rather than at night exhausted and only able to watch or worse be unable to defend against attack.” Alaphon said after a few moments pause taking a deep draft from his own water skin when he’d finished.
Gramps spoke up, “Take some time to stretch, do some of the katas your grandmother taught you and get to bed early. We’ll leave before sunrise and you need to be rested and prepared.” The last he spoke more loudly, clearly intending it to be an order for their entire party.
—
Morning came earlier than he’d expected hours before they’d usually rise on the farm. He was shocked to see his grandfather awake and alert as if he’d been awake even hours earlier.
Once they’d doused the fire and seen the animals fed and watered and hooked back to the wagons Alaphon spoke up “Everyone listen up, We will be heading into town in shortly. It’s only a 20 minute ride from here even at the normal place we’ll be taking. You all need to be in your gear with your weapons near at hand. Keep your eyes open and your mouths shut. We don’t know what we’re coming up to but we know it is not a just pleasant sunny day in town.”
With that, everyone checked their gear and in only a few minutes they were off. This time Alaphon riding on the front wagon quietly while Gramps was riding in the rear. He had to take a second look, his grandfather had put a cloak on and drawn a hood over his head.
Sandoron was walking, his truncheon in hand, so he slowed and matched pace with the last wagon when it drew near.
“Why are you dressed like that Gramps something to do with your magic?”
The old gnome sighed “No, it’s not. We don’t know who or what is there so until we do it’s best we not play all of our cards. I’m well known as a magician in town and if there has been unrest we don’t want to give anyone anyone any reason to react to my presence.”
He paused a moment, “You should go back to the center of the caravan it’s best if no one notices the old man on the back cart just in case.”
—
It was only a few minutes later when they reached the ring road around the town. There were small whisps of black smoke rising from behind the walls but things were quiet. No one was in sight as they turned onto the ring road away from what looked like the main gate.
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They kept up their slow pace as they circled the town. Sandoron noticed the walls looked to be intact but there was no one on top looking out over them watching the road or even back into town. It was earie, almost as if the whole town had left the smoking ruins.
It took them about 15 minutes to circle back around to the main gate passing several other roads as they went. There were men stationed on the walls immediately next to the gate and in front of the closed doors. He heard some murmurs of shock, the man next to him whispering “Keep ready, this doesn’t look right. None of this has looked right but these aren’t town guards”.
He turned to stare more closely at the guards noticing for the first time their clothes, most of them didn’t have much in the way of armor, was ripped and torn some of it looked singed and he could see one or two pieces of shining plate strapped in haphazardly. One man had a breastplate and nothing else.
As the front of their column neared the gates one man stepped forward on the wall and shouted. “Halt. State your business in the Grand City of Antignome!”
Sandoron scratched his head, for some reason he didn’t remember the name of the town but that seemed off…
There was a cackle behind him that sounded a lot like his grandfather, and a few muttered curses. Maybe it was a good idea to keep the old gnome hidden if they were entering Antignome, but didn’t he travel here frequently to sell their harvests?
Alaphon raise his arm bringing the wagons to a halt. “We’re a trading caravan from Alaphonia we came down the river road. We were on our way to Kasnerville did we lose our bearings?”
The man on the walls spit, “This ain’t Kasnerville no more old man. There’s been a change of management. The greedy old fart who used to be mayor s’been ousted and we’ve sent word to the capital we were uh…” he turned “Joe what’s the world the green feella used?”
Another man shouted something from behind the walls.
“Right, we be incorporating as the new city of Antignome by right of uh arachism.”
A few of the older guys in the party snorted and Sandoron scratched his head, leaning towards the man nearest him. “Uh, they think the crown will let them keep a town because they like spiders?”
The old guy chortled, and another shushed them both.
There was another shout from below and the man on the wall spoke up again. “Er, I mean uh Anarchism.”
There was another cackle from behind him.
Ahead, Alaphon cleared his throat. “Riiight..” He said drawing the word out. “So, you staged a rebellion took over the gates and claim to be a new town? What happened to the town guard and that ugly old crotchety gnome who was the chief councilor?”
A grunt from behind.
“We dealt with him, and his guards. They’re all locked up waiting for justice’in tomorrow. We got a great new judge he’s a little green look’in but he’s the one who helped us realize we were be’in taken vantage of. Until things calm down he’ll have to decide if we let you or just your goods in.”
Alaphon laughed loud and hard. “I think I’ve heard enough. We’ll take our goods elsewhere and be better off for it.”
Sandoron was shocked. After all of this, they were just going to leave?
All of the guards on the wall stiffened, many of them raising ranged weapons towards the caravan.
“No, I think you need to see the mayor. I’ve already sent a runner he will be here shortly. He’ll decide if you’s going to get to stay or leave.”
The man next to Sandoron leaned toward him “So, this mayor riled up the stupidest and most likely to follow orders. I don’t see how they managed to deal with the entire guard and yo- uh - the mayor’s magics so easily. Stay ready this is likely going to turn ugly fast when it turns.”
Alaphon whistled sharply twice, then folded his hands and waited.
“What was that you stupid geezer?”
“Is this how you treat venerated merchants who bring your town goods? Is this how they were treated before you were incited to a foolish rebellion? Who is this mysterious green mayor of yours? And just how did he find so many stupid men willing to follow him?”
Sandoron gripped his cudgel tighter. Eying the guys with crossbows and slings warily. He leaned over to the man next to him “Why’s he antagonizing them? We’ve got a couple with bows but they’ve got nearly twenty, and walls.” He between the walls and their caravan sitting on the open road “Big, tall, strong walls.”
“Trust him and your grandfather, this isn’t the first time they’ve dealt with something like this.”
What? His grandfather was a wizard but he was also a farmer. He’d battled turnip rot sure, but a town guard full of angry men? No, that’s not possible.
Sandoron edged closer to the wagon, ready to take cover at a moment’s notice.
Suddenly, in a puff of black smoke a man if he could be called that only a span taller than his grandfather with green skin and head covered with a wrap appeared in front of the gates striding out toward them. He looked like a more handsome version of the goblins from children’s books.
“Welcome merchants from… Alaphonia a town I’ve not heard of, though I’m sure the name rings a bell.” The little green man said looking intently at Alaphon.
“We’d be glad to offer you respite and welcome your trade. The town has had some minor scuffles lately and one or two storage silos burned so food is very welcome.”
Alaphon nodded thoughtfully scratching his chin. “And what of your man’s threats to our persons?”
“The, ex-guardsman,” he snapped his fingers ”Was mistaken and will find other duties. We are of course welcoming to trade. You will of course have to go through a security screening, to verify your identities and ensure you aren’t a hunted criminal. However once the preliminaries are complete you are welcome to enter and do as you please within bounds of the law of course.”
Alaphon nodded. “Of course, we wouldn’t want any criminals in such a fine town.”
The green man frowned at that, briefly, before regaining his composure and once more snapping his fingers, the a door swinging open behind him.
“You will need to enter through the door behind me, submit to the identity verification checks, once your party has been screened the guard will open the gates and admit your whole caravan.” With that, he vanished in another puff of smoke.
Alaphon shook his head looking back at the caravan. “We will need to go through with this farce. Bennett you first come back out and tell us what this is all about as soon as you can. If you feel like you are in danger you know the signal.”
Bennett took off at a slow jog toward the door, only slowing as he reached it and disappeared inside.