It was getting dark. Pike was making his way along the trail, looking for a likely spot for the company to set up camp. He was going on foot, certain that the others on horseback would eventually catch up to him. He was unnerved by the place, yet he could not deny the strange beauty of it. He saw species of trees he had never seen before, and heard the sounds of animals he struggled to identify.

He stopped suddenly and turned angrily. “I know you’re following me!” he guessed. “Stop hiding Woodlouse, or whatever your name is!”

Silence. Pike stood there for a minute before shrugging his shoulders and turning back to the trail. Once again he gave a start when he saw Wudu on root in front of him. She chuckled. “Blind old men should be careful wandering alone.”

“You bitch. Do that again and I’m not going to think twice about drawing my sword. What the hell are you doing here anyway? Don’t you have a job to do?”

“Yes. Making sure you don’t get into trouble in our lands.”

“Is that how it is, huh? Well I don’t expect your kind to trust me. It doesn’t matter to me anyway.”

“Doesn’t it.” Wudu tilted her head questioningly. “Your friend nearly died in that trial. It would be a betrayal if we tried to fight you now.”

“Gah!” Pike angrily kicked a stone flying. “Erasmus this! Erasmus that! Aren’t you grateful!? You should kiss his boots! I can’t stand it anymore!”

“What? I never said…”

“If that fool wants to stick his nose in other peoples’ business, why is my fault if he loses it! If anyone should be thanked, it should be me for giving the Paladin a chance to show off in front of Erda!”

Pike panted heavily. Wudu only stood there with an eyebrow raised. “Are you done?”

“Done with what? I’m just thinking out loud.”

“I see why you wandered off alone. You have problems, Trollslayer.”

Pike laughed sarcastically. “You have no idea…”

A tense silence followed. Wudu only stared at Pike with a slight frown. Was she waiting for something.

“Alright look,” he said. “I’ve got enough blood-feuds in the group as is. I don’t need another crazy bitch trying to stab me in my sleep. So… about that Troll fellow…”

“Basa.”

“What.”

“His name was Basa.”

“Oh… right. Well… about him. I… shouldn’t have killed him. My bad…”

Wudu’s hand fell on his shoulder. “Terrible apology. But it’s a beginning. Now we can be companions. Come, let’s get back to the others.”

“Why not just wait here? This is the only place good enough to camp in.”

“They won’t come here. Didn’t you see the path fork off an hour ago? I showed Erda the right way before coming back for you.”

“What?” Pike rose up in a fluster. “That can’t be right! I would have…” but Wudu was gone.

“Hurry up, old manling! Don’t get left behind again!”

Pike raced after her. “Hey! Hold on a minute! In the dark like this, we’ll…”

Pike gave a startled cry as he fell headlong into a marsh. He splashed and flailed until Wudu hauled him back onto dry land. Pike, drenched in reeking water, coughed and spluttered.

“Now I’ve saved your life too!” Wudu laughed. “Aren’t you so lucky to have such friends watching your back, Trollslayer.”

Pike pulled a stray fern stalk out of his hair. “I miss bounty hunting…”

It was well and truly night when Wudu finally brought Pike to the others’ camp.

“Ah Pike!” cried Erasmus as he strode over. “Haven’t seen you all day, I was beginning to… oh my, looks like you had a rough journey.”

Pike cut a gloomy figure as he entered in the firelight. Drenched head to toe and covered in dirt and grime.

“Our new… scout took a shortcut,” Pike grumbled. “And look. Now the she-devil is nowhere to be found. Remind me to murder her when we clear these fucking mountains…”

“Well this won’t do,” Erasmus continued. “You’ll catch a cold like that. You better strip off and sit by the fire.” Erasmus gestured towards the nearest fire, where Pike glimpsed the white cloak of Erda.

“I… I can make my own fire…” Pike stammered.

“What? Are you shy? Have something we haven’t seen before?” Erasmus laughed. “Hurry up and strip. Better have Erda take a look at you while we’re at it. Aren’t you still supposed to be poisoned?”

“I’m fine! I’ll go make my own fire… and…”

Erasmus leaned in close and Pike jerked back instinctively. “There’s nothing to be worried about Pike. Lot’s of men are embarrassed of women seeing their… less than impressive attributes.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just saying, size isn’t everything, you know…”

In a moment, Pike was stripped and hugging a spare cloak about himself. He shuffled silently over to the fire, where was sat Erda, her Rangers, Myra.

“Oh Pike, you’re back,” said Erda with a kindly smile. “How are you feeling?”

Absolutely miserable, Pike thought to himself. “Uh… good.”

“Please, sit down and have something to eat.”

Pike slumped down in an empty space beside Myra. He saw her suppress a snicker. Pike pulled the cloak tighter about himself.

Soon they were joined by Erasmus. As the night wore on, they joked and sang songs and told each other stories. Pike however, said nothing, only chewing slowly on some salted meat and staring deep into the fire.

Myra was beginning to get drowsy. She spoke little, but the sound of the others voices made her feel content. When she closed her eyes, it was almost as if she was back in Garth’s camp.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“What did you think, Myra?” came Erda’s voice. Myra had dozed off.

“Oh… it was very good. I should like to hear it again.”

Ruadh blushed. “You are too kind, but my old throat is a little dry. I should let someone else have a turn first.”

“Very well then,” said Erasmus. “In fact, this is the first time we’ve had Pike’s company. Well, know any songs, Pike?”

“Hrm? What was that? Wasn’t listening.”

“Have any songs you’d like to share?”

“Not really.”

“Come now Pike,” implored Erda. “We know so little about you…” She give him a soft smile, but Pike could only look into her eyes for a moment before looking away. Myra could have sworn she saw his cheeks redden.

“Perhaps a warrior’s chant?” Myra said. “You have some of those surely.”

Pike stared deeply into the fire. Then he rose to his feet:

“Lightning streaks across the sky,

And whips the waves to war,

Urging on the battle lines,

That dash upon the shore,

The air is filled with wailing winds,

And the ocean’s painful roar,

I turn my head to bar the sight,

Of that elemental war.”

Pike sat back down and said no more. Erda clapped her hands.

“All this time and I had no idea you had such poetry in you.”

“I… just heard it a few times…” Pike mumbled. He looked over to Myra. “Your turn now.”

“Good idea Pike,” said Erasmus. “Well Myra? We haven’t heard from you all night.”

“Me?” Myra stammered “Oh, I don’t know much about poetry. And I wouldn’t want to subject you to my singing voice…”

“A story then?” Erasmus implored.

“Erasmus you shouldn’t press her,” said Erda. “Besides…” she gave Myra a conspiratorial wink. “I have a few love songs, though they are a little racy…”

“Oh?” said Erasmus. “Well I suppose…”

Myra stood up suddenly. “That’s okay, I’ll go!”

She stood there awkwardly for a moment and sat back down. “I do have a story that my mother used to tell me. It was always my favourite. I’d tell it to… my husband sometimes. Sort of just a silly story for silly girls, but still:

“Back in the old days, when there were few cities, and Elves still ruled the wilds, there was a boy and a girl. The boy was named Morningstar, and the girl was named The Whisper-in-the-Woods. Or Whisper for short. They lived in the same village and played together.

“But one day some bullies had chased Whisper’s favourite lamb and caused its leg to break. Whisper was very upset, but Morningstar grew angry and confronted the bullies. But he was a small boy and not very strong, and so the bullies beat him and left him bruised and battered. Morningstar was ashamed. Whisper had been made to cry, and he was not strong enough to avenge her tears. He loved her, and wished to one day marry her. And so he decided to leave the village, and learn to be a warrior, so that he may be strong enough to make sure that no one would ever make Whisper cry again. And so, without a word to her, Morningstar left the village, and Whisper was very sad at his leaving.

“Morningstar had many adventures. He grew to be a strong and powerful man, and eventually became a knight in the court of the Elf-King. He fought many battles, and slew many mighty foes. He was richly rewarded, and bore an ancient sword whose blade was all black. At last, Morningstar felt he was ready to return home, and claim Whisper for his bride.

“And so he returned to his village, and all the people rejoiced to see him. Whisper too was excited, yet when she saw the tall, grim-faced man with the black sword, she thought him a stranger. This was not the boy she had known.

“Morningstar went to her. ‘I have come for you’, he said in an imperious voice. ‘And now, I will have you for my wife’. He held forth his hand, yet Whisper only took a step backwards, uncertain of what to say. Morningstar immediately got very angry. ‘Why do you hesitate? I am a knight and a lord, and I want you to be my wife! Come here and take my hand!’ But this only made Whisper more afraid. And she could only shake her head and say ‘no’.

“Then Morningstar lunged forward to grab her, but Whisper darted out of his reach. ‘How dare you!’ he cried. ‘All that I have done, I have done for you!’ Whisper ran, and Morningstar gave chase, screaming threats and curses. But Whisper was too fast, and Morningstar soon lost her in the forest, and he was left all alone.

“He suddenly felt great shame at what he had done. He fell to his knees and wept for a long time. When at last his tears were dry, he stood, determined to throw himself on his sword, so great was his sorrow. But then, on the ground, he saw at last the tracks of the terrible dragon. Morningstar grew afraid. He had not known there was a dragon in that forest, and Whisper was out there, alone.

“Drawing his sword, he followed to tracks of the beast. He ran for a long time, until he found the monster just in time. The dragon truly had been tracking Whisper, and she had climbed a tree to avoid it. The dragon was about to climb up the tree after her, but Morningstar fell upon it and stabbed its tail, pinning it to the ground with his sword. The dragon turned on him, and the two grappled for a long time, while Whisper tried in vain to hurt the monster by hurling rocks at it. In the end, Morningstar throttled the dragon to death, but he himself had been poisoned by its fangs, and so the two foes would die together.

“Morningstar lay upon the ground beside his dead foe, the mightiest foe he had ever faced. Whisper came to him, and cradled his arm in her lap. Morningstar asked her for forgiveness. She said yes. He said that he only wished to be a man worthy of her. ‘You always were’, she said, and kissed him…”

There was a long pause. “And then what happened?” asked Erasmus softly.

“That’s the end,” said Myra. “It’s a bit of a sad one…”

“You don’t know that for sure,” said Erasmus. “Stories should have happy endings. I like to think, that there was magic in Whisper’s kiss, and then Morningstar was healed of all his wounds. And they got married and loved each other until the end of their days. That’s what I would write.”

Myra chuckled. “I think I like your version better…”

Pike sneezed violently. “It was alright I guess. I like the dragon…"

"Of course," said Erasmus. "Every good story needs a monster too. In fact, I have a story about heroes, if anyone wants to hear. Yes? Well then, this one goes all the way back to the time before time, before the sun and moon, when bird and beasts and man were one, when the gods walked the fields and valleys.

So it was that the High King Borucai, the Father of Men, had a wife. Her name was Andraste, and she had hair which shone with a light as golden as the sun. Then it came to pass that the Raven saw the shining of Andraste's golden hair from afar. He purposed to steal that golden light for himself, and so waited until the High King and Queen hosted a great feast. And when everyone was asleep, the Raven came down and took the gold from Andraste's hair. With the gold in his talons, the Raven croaked with joy as he took flight, but one of Borucai's warriors awoke and saw the thief, and shot at him with an arrow. The arrow missed, but it startled the Raven and it lost its grip on the gold. Then a strong wind blew the gold over the horizon and into darkness, but that light lived on as the sun.

"King Borucai was wroth for the theft of the gold from his beloved's hair. He had his warriors bring the raven to him, and he was ready to kill the bird with his own hands. But the Raven pleaded for its life, and Andraste herself counseled her husband to mercy. So the king passed his sentence. He would spare the Raven, but the theft must be repaid for.

"The Raven agreed to find something to make up for the loss of the gold, and took flight. He searched all the world for a year and day, but could find nothing that came close to matching the worth of the gold. And so, with little other choice, it flew towards the great mountain of the gods. He knew what he must do. Flying up the mountain and passing secretly into the mansions of the gods, the Raven employed all his thieving craft, and stole the secrets of fire and steel.

"Upon the Raven's return, the king was satisfied with the bird's offer, caring little that the Raven had stolen from the gods to bring this thing. With the secrets of fire and steel, the king armed his warriors with swords that burned with flames, and with shields like mirrors that could hide one from sight, and many other magnificent things besides. The fathers of Men used these things to drive away demons, and to protect their children. Those were days of mighty deeds, but Men soon became greedy, and drove all the demons and the monsters to the far corners of the earth.

"This angered the gods, and the mountains trembled beneath their rage. They convened in a great council to decide what must be done, and called upon the All-Father, that the father's of Men might be punished.

" 'They have trespassed', the gods cried. 'They have become arrogant. They would have dominion of the earth. They must be punished!' For a long time they entreated the All-Father to deliver this punishment. And so, upon his throne, the All-Father sat in thought for a while, and to the gods it seemed an age had past, until at last the All-Father opened his eyes, and passed his judgement. He had decided what Man's punishment should be…" Erasmus paused for moment (he had a flair for drama).

"What was it?" asked Erda. "What was the punishment?"

"The most terrible punishment the All-Father could think of. One that would haunt the children of men for all time. As punishment, he gave them what they wanted. He gave them dominion of the world…"

The others were silent. Lost in contemplation.

"Quite profound," said Ruadh.

"There's much truth in it," said Erda.

"You're voice was…" Myra trailed off.

"That didn't make any sense," Pike said. "How is that a punishment? That's dumb. You're paladin stories don't make any sense. Myra's was better."

Erasmus laughed long and loud. He wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh Pike… I see you've never been a student of philosophy."

"Never heard of him."