1

The next day the four friends walked the Willow Trail, a well used imperial road. Of course, they had to slog half a day to the north through several inches of mud to get to it, but imperial roads were always had a better surface. Elwin appreciated the sound of crushed stone beneath his feet. Willow Trail was the main road in Willow Shire and was used by many people. They had never been on this road, had never been this far from home. Up until now they had seen only a few travellers on the roads. Now they began seeing more people, mostly farmers with wagons bring equipment around to begin the planting season, but a few other travelers like themselves were headed to various places around the territory. Some were on horse back, but most were poor and forced to walk.

After two uneventful days, they came to Old Wolf Glens and had another chance to sleep at an inn and get more supplies.

It took three more days of hiking Willow Trail before it finally ended at the Militar Road. It was the best maintained and most used road in the whole province. Now they found themselves on an important imperial road. One maintained by the empire itself. It was the best road they had traveled on so far. Wide enough for two wagons to pass each other and surfaced with large flag stones word smooth from use over hundreds of years instead of crushed stone. It was designed for the army to march along which meant it had well preserved stone bridges to cross streams and creeks. The road went out west to Silver Shores, which had at one time been a launch point for the navy during the war against some forgotten kingdom that had been absorbed by the empire so long ago that Elwin could not recall its name. But that was not their destination. At least not this time. Maybe at some point in the future they may have reason to go there, but for now Elwin was simply glad to have an easy walk. He decided that travel on a main imperial road was the kind of thing he could get use to.

2

After walking on it for half a day they came to the next major town. It was originally built as a military staging area during some unknown war hundreds of years ago, it was called Imperial Camp Crossing. The town sprung up as a place for the army to rest and find more supplies, over the centuries it had become a real town. For the companions, it was a good place to stop and sleep at an inn along the way to Verant City. It was also at a crossroads with Imperial March Road. It was a place where stories from all over the empire could be heard and shared. Towns often sprang up around crossroads. It starts with war or trade and eventually grows into a real place. Imperial Camp Crossing was just such a place. A crossroads with a nice bridge fording a wide river.

Like most major towns, there was a large board near the center of town that had all the latest news from around the empire. It was divided into sections, one for Verant City news, another for the imperial family news, another section had news for the rest of the empire and still another section listed gladiator, horse and chariot race winners. Among the news were reports on roads and bridges damaged by nature, help wanted postings for the rebuilding various places that were still recovering from the civil war. But what the adventurers found most interesting were the various lists of settlements that had recent attacks by an assortment of vile creatures.

Rith pointed to one posting. “Golden Meadows needs workers to help rebuild. It must be damaged from the war. Say, don’t we pass threw that town on our way?”

“We sure do,” Emerson noted, but he shook his head at the thought. “We’re not here to become labours though Rith. We’re adventurers, remember that. This is the list we should be looking at.” Emerson pointed out a list of various villages in the shire that had recent goblin sightings.

Elwin was not paying attention. He was too busy reading other information about the new Emperor and his coronation ceremony. He found the imperial family fascinating, as did most people. They were often the most talked about people in the empire causing many discussions around the dinner tables across Verant.

Then someone grabbed Elwin’s attention.

“Your friend’s right,” He heard a man say to Rith. “If you’re adventurers, then you aught to be watching this board. There’s a lot of money to be made in these parts.”

It was a man maybe half a dozen years older than Elwin. He had been standing close by reading some notices himself and had apparently overheard their conversation. He pointed out the creature sightings and local attacks board and added. “There is a lot of coin to be earned protecting these villages and hamlets from monsters.”

“And you are…?” Emerson asked with the same apprehension he usually showed when meeting strangers. He was not going out of his way to be unfriendly. He was just overly cautious. He scrutinized the man closely trying to guess his motives.

“Sorry,” the man said. “Forgive me for my lack of introduction. My name is Selby Martell, an adventurer. These two here are my companions,” There was a tall thin tanned woman and a younger man with him. They both looked like they could be warriors, but it was hard for Elwin, with his lack of experience, to be sure.

“We’re staying at the Black Boar. Are you staying there as well?” Selby asked.

“Well met Selby. I’m Elwin,” Elwin replied with an old traditional greeting, and then he admitted. “Actually, we only just arrived. We don’t have a place to stay yet.”

“Well, allow me to recommend the Black Boar. It’s where I always stay when I’m in town. Come by the common room. Maybe we can share some stories over a pitcher of ale?” Selby offered.

“We’ll consider it,” Elwin replied with a curt nod.

Selby waved good-bye. Elwin watched the man as he and his friends headed in the direction of the inn. Despite the short meeting, he was fascinated by the woman he saw with Selby.

“What do you think?” He asked his friends. Without it ever being discussed Elwin had quickly become the de facto leader of the adventuring group, with Emerson as the second. Everyone just seemed naturally comfortable with that arrangement. Still, Elwin liked to think of his group as democratic. He did not want to make too many decisions without their input.

“Why not be friendly? What can it hurt?” Anna piped up.

“I agree,” Rith added. “We have been on the road for days. A warm inn, some ale, some new people to talk to, why not?”

Rith seemed to agree with Anna on a lot of things lately and it made Elwin wondered if something more was going on between them. He would have to start paying more attention in the future. A young woman has her virtues after all, he thought.

Even Emerson agreed that meeting fellow adventurers would be a good learning experience at the very least. They needed to understand a lot more about what they were getting themselves into and this was a good chance to do just that.

3

The Black Boar Inn was not the largest or most prominent in town, so it took some wondering around before they finally found it. There was a cobble stoned alleyway with a lot of homes push tightly together. A small hand carved sign pointed out the door to the Black Boar. It was larger than it looked from the outside with a decent size common room, but in such an out of the way place it was not very busy.

They got a room to deposit their equipment before going down to the common room for dinner. They found a large table in front of a huge field stone fireplace. It was still early evening when they sat down to eat. Like most inns in the empire, a hearty stew was the main item on the menu.

A short while later they saw Selby and his two companions arrive.

Elwin noted that they had taken the time to clean up. Selby was well groomed with a neatly trimmed moustache that he twirled out on the ends and a pointed goatee, which was fashionable in the empire recently. Elwin and his companions were clean shaven. Selby’s tight curly black hair glistened in the light beneath his wide brimmed hat. In the end, he looked more like a roguish dandy than and hardened warrior but looks could be deceiving. Elwin wondered if he was from one of the upper classes or maybe a merchant’s son. The younger man in Selby’s party was obviously a warrior. Burly with sandy blonde straight hair, but clean shaven, he was the strong silent type. Selby introduced him as Tram.

“And this lovely creature is Levka,” Selby said rounding off his introductions. She took a seat directly across from Elwin. She had an intense look in her eye. Her expression was ambiguous never revealing what she was really thinking.

Elwin was captivated by her beauty. He squirmed awkwardly not sure what to say. She was as tall as most men with a slender boyish body and waist. Her black wavy hair shone almost blue in the fire light. Her dark eyes sparkled. Her lightly tanned skin was complimented by her dark purple V-neck velvet dress which flowed around down to the floor. Elwin knew that such attire would not have come cheap. The average woman could never afford such a stylish outfit. She seemed to be as intrigued with Elwin as he was with her.

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Elwin made similar introductions for his own friends. Not long after, the pitchers of ale began to arrive. With the formalities over, the ale flowed. Everyone relaxed and the conversations started to spring up.

Elwin asked a lot of questions about adventuring, which his companions were most interested in. They had yet to get a paying job as adventurers. While Selby’s party on the other hand had been doing this for a few years. For adventurers a couple of years was like a lifetime. Elwin explained that they were going to Verant City to join the Adventurers’ Guild.

“None of us are familiar with the Adventurers’ Guild in Verant,” Selby explained. “I’m not saying it isn’t a smart idea of course. It’s just that we have always found work without it. Nothing pays as much as we would like it to, but we are earning a good a living.”

The others smirked at his comments, nodding in agreement.

“Have you been to Verant City?” Emerson asked.

“Tram and myself have only been there once, but we did meet Levka there, so she knows the city better than I do,” He looked to her for further explanation.

“I was born there,” She stated in a charming feminine voice. “But my family fled when the Wild Elves invaded many years ago. I was only a small child at the time. I returned a few years ago and met Selby and Tram there. But when the war came to the city, we decided it was a good time to get out and see more of the empire. We only come to towns and cities to get supplies now.”

“There is a multitude of villages, hamlets and other lost places all across this empire!” Selby said excitedly. “There are so many places to explore and find interesting treasure.”

“What kind of adventures do you seek out?” Rith asked refilling his mug with ale. He drained one of the pitchers.

“Well, that’s why we are here in town looking at the notice board. We mainly clear out creatures that are bothering local villagers. Mostly kobold and goblins, you know easy stuff. But there are a few orcs around. We Also got a chance to explore a few caves and dungeons in our time.”

The third pitcher of ale arrived at the table.

“You know, if you really are adventurers why not take a job here and earn a bit of coin before going to Verant City?” Selby made a good point.

“Verant City can be expensive, if you want to indulge it will cost,” Levka pointed out.

Elwin thought they had valid points. He pointed out the obvious downside for him and his friends. “We don’t know the area that well. We’re not from around here.”

“You’re not from around Verant City, yet you want to go there and find work. Listen, why don’t we find work here, together?” Selby said and as he spoke the others got more and more interested in what he had to say. “Take a look at this, I grabbed it off the notice board today.”

Selby pulled out a sheet of paper from his cloak. “Now according to this, there is a small village not far from here called Juniper Hills. They have been reporting a lot of goblins in the area recently. We wanted to check it out, but the notice recommends a party of five to seven adventurers. Even with a sorceress in our group, I don’t think our party could do it. But the seven of us together could!”

Everyone seemed to love the idea, but all Elwin could thing was Levka was a sorceress! To Levka he said. “What does he mean by sorceress?”

Levka replied. “It means I use magic. I have some training at the wizard’s tower, but I never finished. Only someone who has finished the training can call themselves a wizard.”

4

Anna had been sitting back drinking her mug of ale. The drink was giving her a rush, her cheeks were flush. She twirled her blonde hair around her finger absently. She listened to the conversation trying to take it all in. She was fascinated with tales of adventure. Her head filled with heroic tales and fantastic creatures. And a sorceress? Someone who could wield magic? How exciting and fascinating!

She thought about the kobolds that had encountered and how exhilarating the whole battle had been. Using her bow from a distance, she hadn’t felt threatened at all. Still, kobolds were the only the only really creatures she had seen on this trip. Her farm had its share of wolves, foxes, wild cats, deer and bears, but they were all simple animals. Goblins, orcs and such things were smarter, more organized. They carried weapons and attacked in coordinated groups. It worried her a little bit.

She wondered how dangerous goblins could be. According to Elwin, the great warrior, goblins were easily killed!

Well, we shall see just how easy soon enough, she thought.

5

“We have all heard the tales of other races that lived in Verant long before the cataclysm,” Levka was relating to the group. “Their civilizations were destroyed a millennia ago, but there are ruins scattered around the empire. Mostly overgrown or buried, many of them have been taken over by various creatures. They are worth exploring if you can find one.”

“Do you know anything about them? What were they called or what their writing looks like?” Emerson inquired. He looked over at Elwin and they exchanged knowing glances. Elwin nodded his approval.

If Levka thought this was a strange question, she did not let it show. She shrugged her slender shoulders and took a sip from her glass before admitting. “I’ve only explored one ruin. I found it a couple days north of Palantine in a forested area years ago. I couldn’t learn anything from it.”

Elwin took out the map from the goblin wondering if they knew anything. Showing it to them he explained. “I found this map, but I’m not sure what it is describing. I can’t ready the writing.”

Levka poured over it carefully. In the end, she shook her head unsure about it. “I learn the magic language at the school, but it has changed over time. This writing could be magical in nature, but it looks more like a code. I don’t recognize it at all.”

The others took turns looking at it, but no one understood the writing. “It’s a little odd seeing it on a cloth. If you ask me its probably from some sort of tapestry. I think it’s very old. Your best place to find a translation is in Verant City, so I guess you’re on the right path,” Selby said. He handed the map back to Elwin.

Levka excused herself from the table saying she needed some fresh air before retiring for the night. She gave Elwin what he could only interpret as a come hither look before leaving. A few minutes later Elwin also excused himself and went outside to join her.

6

It was late evening, and the sky was dark. The stars and the sister moons were hidden by clouds. Elwin spotted Levka standing near the door looking up at the sky. He approached her.

“It’s about to rain,” She stated. She did not need to look at him, she could feel his presents.

Elwin was not sure how to respond to a sorceress. Could she read his mind? He was not entire sure about it.

“Walk with me?” She asked looking at him. There was mystery in those eyes, and it ran deep.

They strolled down the alleyway. There was no one else around only them. “Selby is pretty excited about these goblins. What do you think about this adventure?” Elwin said trying to force some sort of conversation. He winced inside think himself stupid for saying anything.

“I think that is not the real question you want to ask me,” she replied slyly.

Well, Elwin thought taken aback. Who is this intriguing woman?

“I’m not romantically involved with Selby despite his best efforts, if that is what you are wondering. I know a blackguard when I see one,” she said. “We merely travel together. Safety in numbers, I suppose.”

He could feel his face getting warm and it was not all the ale. He seriously thought that maybe she really could read minds. So, he just came out with it. “I understand. It’s unfortunate that this is only a temporary arrangement because I find you very… charming.” Elwin cursed his lack of experience with women.

“If you’re going to woo me, you’ll have to do better than that,” she said side eyeing him. She had this smirk that was both captivating and daring him to do better.

“My apologies, my Lady…” He started to say.

“Relax Elwin, I’m only teasing you. Allow me to have some fun. As a woman I’m confined to certain roles and stereotypes. But I will freely admit that I find you handsome,” her eyes bore into him intently as they came to the end of the alleyway. The thunder above suddenly cracked deafeningly as lightning lit up the sky.

Were the Gods sending us a message? Elwin thought. Was Levka creating it?

Suddenly the sky opened and the rain pelting the ground. The building on the corner had an awing that hung over the street. They step underneath avoiding the rain. Suddenly Levka pushed Elwin against the wooden wall of the building next to a dusty window and kissing him passionately. Despite being caught off guard, Elwin embraced her, hoping to equal the passion. The smell of ale on her breath did not prevent her lips from tasting sweet. Her small delicate hands roam his upper body feeling the muscles in his arms and chest that had been build up from years of hard labour on the farm. He wrapped his strong arm around the small of her back and held her close. They embraced for what seemed like hours, but it had only been a minute or two.

Elwin felt dizzy, the heady mix of alcohol and passion was giving him a rush he had never experienced before, his heart was pounding rapidly. She pulled back a little. Her eyes were wild and gleaming she had a broad smile that dimpled her tanned cheeks. She cast her eyes down shyly a little embarrassed by her own actions. “I don’t know why I did that, or why I want to do it again,” she said to him.

They embraced a second time and kissed again.

The rain came down for only a few minutes more before easing up as quickly as it appeared. The couple talked quietly, holding hands while leaning against the wall. They were alone in the street. Everyone else took refuge from the rain indoors.

Once the rain completely stopped a few minutes later, they wandered back to the Black Boar holding hands. When they got to the door, they embraced again sharing a deep kiss one last time.

7

When they went inside and approached the table, Anna was being helped to her feet. She was clearly drunk. Maybe fifteen was too young to be drinking? Elwin wondered, but who was he to decide these matters? The inn willingly served her.

“Sorry Elwin, she’s had too much to drink tonight,” Rith pointed out the obvious. He continued. “She went to get up and fell. I think it’s time to call it a night. If we want to travel to Juniper Hills before noon tomorrow.”

“So, it’s agreed then, we are helping them out?” Elwin questioned.

“That’s what we were just discussing,” Emerson said to him. “I think it’s a good opportunity for more coin before moving on.”

Rith shrugged in agreement.

Anna just waved saying nothing. She laughed and chattered incoherently to Rith as he dragged her away.

Emerson and the others laughed together as they finished their ales. Selby insisted on paying the tab for the whole table that night. Money was starting to get low for Elwin and his companions, so he did not protest too much.

That night as the party slept soundly and snored loudly.

Elwin lay awake staring at the ceiling unable to sleep. His thought filled with Levka, the taste of her lips and the feel of her body against his own. He thought about goblins and kobolds. There was so much to learn. One miss step and he could be killed. Well, any of them could be killed for that matter. In fact, he almost was killed once already. It was going to be a very long night.