The night was clear but a strange green
hew held over the moon high above the water. Morn looked out of the window of
the ship staring at the moon with concern. "It’s been like that for a
month now lad and the color is getting stronger by the day. Not that I am one
for bad omens but I don't think that color is going to be bringing gold or
wenches to our laps anytime soon." Forge laughed hard but also kept his
eye to the moon as well as Morn. Morn turned back to the table and picked up
his cards. "Speaking of wenches I wonder where..."
The door flew open and the cool sea air
hit them both at the table. Ash walked in with the look of death to her and a smell
of sickness on her breath. "Finish that sentence and I'm tearing that tongue
of yours out!" She sat down with the boys and took a long drink of her
ale. Forge watched with a smile and nodded his approval to Morn. “Even the sea
won’t keep this lass from a good ale ha-ha!”
Ash put her cup back down and smiled.
"That's much better; see only three times today I had to run to the deck I'm
getting better at this sea thing as I said I would." Morn and Forge
laughed hard "well ill say its better then when we first met that's for
sure." Forge chimed in "of course your attention was on that vampire
captain so that must have helped in some ways." Laughing together they
raised their glasses to all the past battles they have had.
"So tell me again how far this
journey to this castle of yours is and how long do we have be on this blasted
boat anyway?" Ash was getting irritated but that's when Morn had the most
fun with her. "First off the Rapiers Edge is not a boat we have held this
ship in our family for many generations my lady of the sea. Second we are going
to the stronghold of Torith Nordaka past the black sands and nestled in the
mountains of the Dragons Tail. A long journey one must endure to train among
the Order of the Silent Hunters if the lady still wishes to follow this path of
course."
Ash gave Morn that look again that she
always gave him when he was passing the line with her as Forge stared at the
moon smiling at their bantering. “So when is the wedding then?” Ash now gave
Forge the look as he rumbled with laughter. "He only wishes, anyway Morn you
know I do, how many times must you ask me that? Have I not proven my resolve
with all we have been through so far?" Beyond the sickness Ash was getting
very irritated with Morn at this point and her voice gave an edge to it.
"Take no offense my lady you need
to understand the trials you face will be tough and you must have no doubts
about this, because once you join us there is no turning back. I just never
want you to have regrets, because if you do you will fail and people will die.
We are sworn protectors and silent assassins against the darkness if we did not
take these oaths and risk our lives many would suffer and die." Morn
turned to look at the moon with Forge as a dread of the unknown filled him. As
Ash sat and stared at them both silenced and running his words again and again
in her head.
The journey was relatively quiet and by
the time they docked Ash only threw up once more. They entered the small port
town of Calem
Morn walked straight over to the men
and presented himself. "Pardon me gentlemen I overheard your discussion
and being a bard as am I am always looking for new tales to tell, if you would
I would inquire of this evil you speak of." The men looked at each other
and back to Morn both shouting at the same time in his face. "Sod off bard!”
Morn turned around with a smile to Forge as his fists closed and as he was
about to turn around Ash walked past Morn with a smile of her own, "Allow
me my oh so famous bard."
Forge laughed till he almost fell to
the ground as Ash batted her eyes at the men and soon enough they were singing
like birds in a forest. Forge turned to Morn as he brought a round of ales over
"seems we just needed a women's charm lad ha-ha!” Morn glowered at Forge
"so it seems my old friend so it seems." The men explained how the
road to the black sands was cursed as many travelers were disappearing from the
open road. Morn listened to every detail trying to determine the source of the abductions.
Finally the key was revealed as the men spoke of the large holes in the earth
covered in gore and blood.
Morn waited till they got their own
tablet and presented them with the conclusion to the missing people. "It’s
a Cyclops were dealing with maybe two at that a male and a female. There known
to take there victims back to their cave and then tear them apart to eat the
organs. The large holes in the ground would be made by the cudgels they carry.
Cyclops eyes fetch a mighty price and would help with the journey ahead."
Forge looked to Morn, "you know me lad I didn't come all this way to turn
around at a mere Cyclops or two." Morn patted Forge on the back and looked
to Ash. "I fought a troll and survived what's a couple of Cyclops at that."
The next morning they made there way
along the road looking for the holes that the men spoke of. All around the road
was relatively clear except for a few bunches of trees here and there. Another
hour into their journey they found what they were seeking. The holes were large
indeed and covered with blood, gore, and dirt. It wasn't long till they found a
trail along the road where the trees started to thin out leading into a small
bog.
As the path started becoming tougher
for the horses they tied them up before entering the bog. Morn started to look
troubled while Forge and Ash took notice. Forge looked to Morn "Are you thinking
what I'm thinking lad?” Forge’s eyes darted around, “but it can’t be they say
there all supposed to be sleeping around this time." Morn nodded his head
"Maybe my old friend that moon means more then we think. I hope you
brought some of those alchemical fire bottles I got a feeling were going to
need it."
Ash looked to them both with a confused
look "are you boys going to clue me in here or keep me in the
darkness?" Morn stopped and looked her dead in the eyes with his one eye
"were not dealing with a Cyclops here Ash this is something far more
dangerous and ancient, were dealing with a bog tree and an angry one at that."
She looked very confused "what in the gods is a..."
Before Ash could finish her sentence a
gnarled root burst out of the ground sending all three of them in different
directions. Forge cursed as he grabbed his battle staff from his back with
multiple gears built into the shaft and an electric current running through the
middle while dodging a root looking to crush him. "For once lad why can’t
we be wrong just once is all I ask?!" After hitting the ground Morn rolled
to the side dodging another root while grabbing his bow "yeah but think of
the tale will have to tell after this!" Ash was already up with her sword
and shield fighting back another root. "That's if we even survive this, I
suggest less words and more fighting!"
Morn rolled over to his other side
dodging the root while firing one arrow after another at it. The magical arrows
pierced through the root as a guttural roar could be heard in the distance. Ash
was cutting at the root breaking wood off as it hit her lion headed shield
forcing her back. Forge struck the root with his staff as an electrical bolt burst
from the staff into the root and another roar was heard.
The roots shot back into the ground and
the bog became as quiet as a tomb.
Morn turned to Ash and Forge, “I hate
to say but now might be the time to start getting worried!" Morn had an
arrow at the ready when the sound of a crashing tree as loud as thunder came
from the distance. Ash looked to them waiting with her shield at the ready. Out
in the distance a huge form shot into the sky and was plummeting straight for
the trio.
The bog tree had used its three roots
to vault to there location. Morn fired an arrow that sunk into the tree with
little effect "Move now!" The tree crashed into the ground before
them. It was an old grey tree that was at least the size of two large men,
ranging at twelve feet high with no leaves and multiple branches. The three
roots were thick and about twenty feet long writhing like serpents.
The trio formed a triangle with Ash in
the front. "We need to circle it, magic and fire is its only weakness. Be
careful of the roots and the branches don't get a hold of you. It’s a creature
of brute force that is slow and that is our advantage to surviving this.” They
broke off circling the tree weapons at the ready waiting for the time to
strike.
Morn unleashed his arrows while dodging
the roots and keeping far back from the branches. Forge slammed his battle
staff into the roots sending lighting into the tree with a small effect. Ash
moved in closer cutting off some of the decayed branches with her emerald sword
that Forge had crafted for her.
The battle was tough but the trio
seemed to be winning until the tree showed its true form. Within the trunk of
the tree a wide gaping mouth appeared and roared in Morns direction. The force
of the roar slammed him into one of the bare trees behind him almost knocking
him out. The tree took this opportunity to crush him with its root. A large
crash came as the root slammed into the ground. As the dirt settled Forge
looked in fear to find his friend crushed. What he found however was Ash on top
of Morn a few feet away from the root.
When she saw Morn fall without a second
thought she dropped her sword and shield, ran and dived at Morn rolling the two
them out of the way of the crashing root. Morn looked up into her eyes and
found a new resolve for this woman as she had just saved his life. She looked
back into his one eye and as if she was reading his mind she whispered to him.
"Now do you doubt me?" He laughed and whispered back "never
again, but were not out of this yet and we seem to be weaponless and that is
not good."
Forge sighed with relief but also saw
there dilemma and knew it would be now or never to use the fire bottles he had
in his bag. Using words of the ancient language he summoned a dome of light
blue energy over him as he dove into his bag seeking a small chest. The root
crackled as it slammed into the dome. Another root crashed against the dome as
Morn and Ash saw the roots crash against the dome. "We got to help him
that shield will only last for so long." Morn said to Ash as they made
there way up from the ground. Ash ran to her sword and shield as Morn found his
bow a few feet away.
"Ash flank it with me and push forward
as best you can, oh and now is good time to use your shield!" Morn ran to
the trees side and unleashed a flurry of arrows where he saw the mouth open
from before. Ash moved in chopping the branches as they attacked her, and
dropped to a kneeling position in front of the tree behind her shield. The
lion’s mouth on her shield roared at the tree as a magical fire shot out and
burned the tree. The trees mouth opened again but this time Morn knew what to
do as did Forge as they both fired their arrows and the bottled fire into its
mouth.
Ash moved back as Morn and Forge came
to her side. The trees mouth opened wide as the fire burned it out from the
inside. Within seconds the tree became a burned out husk, and a new part of the
landscape. Bruised and bloody they made there way back to their horses and then
the road.
That night as they camped Forge watched
as Morn and Ash would toss small flirting gestures at one another and make eye
contact more then they ever did before. As he prepared healing salves for them
he watched as he smiled and gave off a small laugh. They both turned to Forge
asking what was funny. Forge smiled at them "you were right lad this will
be some story to tell indeed, and you Ash are welcome at any battle this dwarf
is ever in." They all laughed but Forge held back his true intentions for
laughing.
As he watched them both and the new way
they acted toward each other it would seem his young friend the once lone wolf
had found his mate at last and she would be by his side till the stars no
longer pierced the sky. He smiled to himself thinking the fates have strange ways indeed...
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