Читать книгу The Great Horror: Discovery - Patrick Mew - Страница 3

Chapter 3

The morning side of the Fair Maiden differed considerably from the evening. It was empty except for a few patrons there for a hot breakfast, and the hustled activity of the night had given way to a quiet, relaxed early day. Kunya arrived first as she thought, and requested a meal of eggs and porridge, and a second when her friend Algan arrived later. Another hulking figure walked in shortly after, requesting much the same. It wasn't Algan, though; this man wore exquisite hide armor and carried a large, beautifully crafted blade across his back. “A tribesman..?” Kunya whispered to herself as the man looked about for a table. Their eyes locked and the man made his way to hers before taking a seat. Cropped black hair stayed well away from his dark eyes, deep and full of suffering.

“Are you the mage?” he asked as his plate rattled on the table's surface. His grammar was strained, as though he wasn't used to speaking properly.“I am Riun. I'm looking for one and you fit her looks.”

Kunya gulped a little, impressed with the man's size. “Yes, I am. Do you have business with me?”

“I do. I was sent here to kill goblins. Told to find a mage and help her. My blade is yours, for the price my master will pay me for these goblins.”

Kunya thought about it for a moment, giving a nod when Riun looked impatient. “Oh, right! I promised a share of any treasure we found would go to the mercenary group if they sent one of their fellows to help us. Presumably a portion of your share, right?” The tribesman nodded. “Very well, you're in. Not that I think you would take 'no' for an answer.”

Riun shook his head. “No, telling me 'no' is not acceptable. Would follow you anyway. You give me equal share and I make sure you are safe. Deal?” He held out a massive, scarred hand. Kunya took it and shook, sealing their contract. “Good. Now we drink to celebrate!” He waved a barmaid over, ordering two mugs of hot cider for them as Algan walked in. Kunya noted it and set the young man's order while they were being tended and called him over.

“Algan, over here! We have company for our next trek, it seems! He looks strong and capable.”

Algan walked over and eyed the tribesman, noting the quality of his equipment and the rippling muscle that was underneath the armor. “I agree. I wasn't aware you had hired someone else, though.”

“I forgot I had put posters up in here prior to my seeking you out. I guess someone finally responded to it, and I should probably take it down now.”

“No need,” Riun grumbled. “I have it here.” He produced a scroll case and in it, rolled up very roughly, was the flier. “I didn't want competition. More money for me, more for my master.”

Kunya shrugged, chuckling softly. “Well, he is thorough at least. Let us gather our supplies and make another trek. I believe our last find was a rather small one, and we could surely make more of an impact on their forces.”

After a few more minutes of finishing meals and gulping chilled ale, the trio set out from the tavern. The morning was crisp, clear, and cold but the wind light and barely enough to rustle the detritus in the street gutters. Snow, tainted by earth and soot, lie pushed into banks along the road's edge as they walked toward the north gate again. About a hundred and fifty meters from it, they all took in an unusual sight approaching from the wild.

Two humanoid figures were approaching the town but humanoid is where the normality ended. Both sported dense, short fur from head to toe, what little that was visible aside from their traveler's clothing. One had a feline face with prominent, round ears and sharp claws on paw-like hands. A long, striped tail followed behind, erect and twitching eagerly. Bright greens eyes and dark gray fur rounded out the face. The other, a bit shorter, looked more like a fox but also seemed to be more of a blend with a human. Its face was relatively clear of hair and its bushy tail considerably shorter. Red-orange fur covered the body and brown eyes darted to and fro, taking in every detail of the town and the humans alike. The ears were less prominent, though noticeable, and the cheeks lacked the whiskers of its traveling partner. The shorter one waved widely as the trio of humans headed their way.

“Hey! You three, come here! I have a few questions!” it asked with a bright female voice, smiling widely. The other looked less enthusiastic but said nothing. The fox-like one hurried up to meet the humans, panting a little as it studied the other group intensely. Nose twitching it spoke again. “My friend and I, Rusga and Kida respectively, are looking for someone! Could you help us?”

“Rusga... and Kida.” Kunya said, pointing to the cat and the fox in turn. “A catfolk and a … kitsu? Wait, no, you can't be one of those. They're much smaller than you are.”

“Ah, hah... funny story about that. Anyway. We're here on orders from his mentor,” Kida replied, pointing to her friend, “To seek out a wizard. Did you catch the name?”

“Kano … Kirk … no, wait... I don't know, I can't remember,” Rusga mumbled as he strained to recall it. “All I know is that she's middle aged and human- wait a minute.”

“Like myself?” Kunya interrupted. “I'm the only wizard for quite a ways. Your mentor must be a druid or ranger, since you are from the wilderness. Am I incorrect?”

“No, you'd be right,” the catfolk answered. “You must know a lot, then. He said you would, and that you'd probably have others of your kind as helpers. Seems he was right about that, too.” He eyed the two warriors, rather impressed with their evident strength and toughness.

“So, you sought me out. You have found me. What is your mission?”

Kida took over from there. “Well, we were told to find you and see if you can help thin out the goblins. Seems like they're overbreeding and straining the local wildlife, and probably making life hard on trade between civilized lands.”

“Then he is quite observant, and one step ahead of us. Yes, that is the truth. Sometimes a cart or two from a train would go missing, along with the occasional person. Only recently have the attacks and raids escalated beyond that. Entire caravans and shipments will disappear, without a scrap left behind when that area is passed again. This cannot continue. Whether for the sake of trade or for balancing nature out, this has to be put to an end.”

The two animalfolk nodded and the five set out together, eyes on the horizon. The travel on the road was met with greetings from other travelers from a caravan of goods. Mostly elves, their wagons were finely crafted and exquisitely carved, with no lack of detailing even down to the wheel spokes. Depictions of forests, grassy plains, and produce of all kinds covered the sides and cloudlike sculpting covered the top, as if the wagons were part of nature itself moving along the highway. They stopped to converse and exchange information with the party.

“Hail humans, beastfolk. What brings you on this route?” one asked, his silvery chain shirt glinting under the sun. He appeared middle-aged for his kind but his piercing green eyes were studying the group’s every movement. He found no objections and bowed very slightly. Kunya returned the gesture and the other four quickly followed her lead.

“We are on an expedition to thin the numbers of the local goblin tribes. It seems they are becoming organized, impeding trade and disturbing the balance of wildlife in the woods to the north of here, and few humans wish to traverse this road anymore. Without an open trade route the village I am from cannot thrive, and may indeed become a shell of its former self,” Kunya explained. “If you have any information about their dens or lairs it would be most appreciated, and I could offer a few coins for that knowledge if need be.”

The elf paused and thought on it for a moment. “No, I’m afraid I don’t know much about these pests. I trade, not fight, and my fellows are much the same as myself. We’ll keep an open ear for anything that would be useful for travelers, and warn those we do see. The last thing we want to see is their numbers getting the upper hand here and then encroaching on our lands. In the meantime, we’re about to make a stop for the midday meal. Would you all care to join us?”

“Certainly. We’re much safer together and watching one another during lunch than separate.”

The caravan pulled to one side of the road and set up a ring formation so that eyes and ears could be kept equally for the entire area while protecting those inside. A small fire warmed the center as pots of soup and mugs of ale filled the ring with pleasant smells. Little conversation filled the air at this point; the anticipation of good food and the subsequent enjoyment of said food took all attention away from conversation. Both parties packed up and prepared to go their separate ways, seeing as no further information could be traded.

“Thank you for the pleasantries. These roads have been lonely and bare, so it was good to see someone else traveling,” the elf said, bowing again.

“Indeed, and you are most welcome. May your travels be safe and without incident,” Kunya answered.

“And may your duties with the goblins go well.”

The afternoon sun lingered high in the sky as the five continued their trip. Algan recognized the path they shot into the forest with previously and pointed it out. “Are we going down this same path?” he asked, pausing in his stride.

“No. We’re going further north, toward the center of the wood. The lair we cleared out a few days ago was on the southern edge of the forest, and probably a satellite base of operations for their main forces. That might be why we found a sorcerer and a pair of orcs among their numbers.”

“Orcs?” Rusga inquired. “What would they be doing this far away from the mountains? I hope they aren’t thinking of forming an alliance with the ugly little things. Combining goblin ingenuity with orc ferocity would surely lead to nothing but trouble for the wilderness.”

“And for the civilized lands, too,” Kida piped in. “I like seeing the different towns and sampling their taverns! All the different tastes and smells, and the experiences… no two are the same.” She clenched a fist in resolve, her high-pitched voice resonating over the area. “We can’t let them take that away! Forward!”

The other four paused and looked at the half-kitsu's attempt at encouragement in disbelief. Rusga and Riun snickered and couldn’t keep control as they began laughing openly.

“Oh man, you sound sooo fierce!” Rusga spit out between giggles, mocking her squeaky words.

“Yeah she does! She’s ready to take on a whole army of orcs, hahah!” the tribeman agreed.

“I'm serious!” she protested, face contorted in irritation. They paid her change of expression no mind.

“I think that is enough pep talk, young one,” Kunya said, patting Kida’s shoulder reassuringly. She had looked ready to cry, feeling insulted that her enthusiasm wasn't taken seriously. “You are right though. We cannot let this destruction spread further than it has already. Who knows what we would do without good taverns and inns along the roads for weary adventurers?” The half-kitsu looked rather confused, unsure if the wizard’s words were sincere or sarcastic. She seemed glad that someone didn’t laugh though; the little fox was very serious about what she said.

Evening came swiftly as the winter sun lingered in the sky only a few hours more. Though there were no clouds to drop snow tonight, the clear atmosphere sapped what heat that remained from the day. A gentle breeze stirred the embers of a campfire, the remnants of the blaze used to prepare the last meal of the day. Only the rustle of leaves in the brush gave away that something was very wrong.

“Kunya, get up. There’s noise in the forest and no wind,” Kida whispered, nudging the mage.

“Huh? Noise?” she answered, sitting up hurriedly. The chill air had crept into the tent with the kitsu’s warning. “Prepare for battle, we have company.” Her eyes narrowed and she chanted softly to prepare spells for the inevitable. Kida woke the others and they readied their weapons, prepared for an ambush under the pale moon.

The five waited for naught but a second as a half dozen small figures leaped at them from the brush, followed by an equal number of arrows. Kida and Algan caught an arrow each and the others missed as the two warriors moved to intercept the spears aimed for Kunya and Rusga. Riun took the blows to his skin and laughed at their ineffective points while Algan blocked with his shield and armor.

“Die!” one of them screeched in the common tongue, chanting much like Kunya had been only a moment ago. A wicked blue light shot forth followed by a second, one striking each of the warriors. They winced as the spell dissipated but its effects lingered as their bodies were battered by pure energy.

“Augh. Take that mage out!” Algan cried, blocking another salvo of arrows. Riun charged toward where the lights appeared from but found nothing there; his target had moved in the cover of night and brush. A spear found its way solidly into his backside and he grunted in disapproval as he turned about. The goblin’s face, smiling widely initially at the solid hit, dissolved into fear as the barbaric warrior’s adrenaline surged. A great blade, much bigger than any human should use, cleaved his enemy in two and Riun roared loudly in approval of the bloodshed.

Kida grinned and faded into the brush herself. From there she drew a bow of her own and murmured softly, taking aim at one. “ Aahlirmes.” Now, take this, she thought as the arrow released. It flew squarely into the creature’s skull, dropping it in an instant. “Perfect shot!”

“Good job Kida! Now watch me work!” Rusga answered, drawing his own large blade. With far more finesse than Riun he danced into the battle and dispatched two of the foes, neatly slicing them apart. Kunya supported the four with her protective and healing spells, helping to turn possible hits into harmless misses. As their numbers dwindled, what few goblins remained began to flee. Riun chased after them in his frenzy but the others were winded enough and stayed at camp. The tribesman returned after about a minute, panting heavily from fatigue.

“I killed two others. The rest got away in the brush and undergrowth,” he wheezed, dragging two bodies behind him. Kunya grimaced a bit at the sight of their mangled corpses, marred with cuts and scratches from the various thorns and branches that littered the forest floor. The jingle of coins was all that kept the wizard from telling Riun to take the dead creatures away from the camp right away.

“Check them for valuables, then we need to get them away from here. They’ll start to reek quickly, as filthy as they are,” Algan spat out, cleaning the blood from his spear. “We don’t want any scavengers bothering us too.”

“I agree.” Kunya sat down and observed Kida as the kitsu rifled the various pockets and pouches on each goblin. Here and there she’d pull a few coins of various metals from their hiding places. A small pile grew, and she carried it into the tent for counting as the two warriors dispatched the bodies after each searching. Rusga took over watch as Kida was too busy with the shiny coins to take back her duties, while the other three retired once again for the night. The rest of the evening, thankfully, passed without incident. A frosty morning greeted the party and breakfast went by quietly. Kida and Rusga were tired, and the human trio simply wanted to get moving toward their destination. They broke camp after a half hour and headed north once more.

“So… uh, how’d everyone sleep?” Kida asked, testing the waters after about fifteen minutes of travel.

Riun and Algan grunted in response. Rusga was preoccupied with some flying insect, but Kunya had no excuse or distraction. “Fair enough, all things considered. I do wish we could have slept the entire night without an encounter, though, like Algan and myself got to on our first trip. I suppose with more people it is harder to conceal our presence, and having a fire for warm meals probably made us a more obvious target.” The kitsu looked down at the road and frowned. “Oh, no, it is nobody’s fault. I did not object either, and I rather appreciated having the warmth this time.”

“Yeah, that was nice. I haven’t had much company on my travels around here, just this guy mostly.” Kida pawed at Rusga but the catfolk was having nothing to do with this conversation.

“Leave me out of this. You two have your talk and your bonding time, hmph,” he insisted, moving steadily away. He was irritated about something, but it wasn't clear what that was.

“Oh, fine. You’re such a spoilsport sometimes, honestly. Anyway, Kunya, what happens when we get there?”

“We fight, probably. Goblins do not appreciate their lairs being invaded, and unlike the four or five that fled last night we will probably kill most of the ones there. Not many will choose to flee, preferring instead to defend their treasures and their home.”

“Treasure?” The kitsu’s ears perked up. “What sort?”

“Mostly coins. There may be some supplies worth taking back with us, too, but I doubt there will be anything else. Goblins mostly steal whatever is easy to take, which means anything carried by caravans or lone travelers.”

“Aww, I was hoping it would be something more valuable…” she said, disappointed.

“Goblins usually don’t have such things, unless they stumble upon them by chance,” Algan piped up from the front. “A shipment of gems or other valuable items will be much more heavily guarded, and goblins are cowards. Soon as things go bad they run, like you saw last night.”

“I don’t know much about these things, it would seem. Now I feel kinda dumb.” She looked down again and quieted herself, upset with how foolish she felt. She was still young after all; why would she know all of this?

“I am sure you know more about things that we do not,” Kunya added in an attempt to reassure Kida. “And we do not know much about each other yet, either. We will see more as we travel.”

The highway continued to the north where it became steadily cooler. The trees of the forest slowly became more evergreen, with needled leaves replacing the wide flat ones of further south, and the wide arching branches gave way to triangular points that looked like so many teeth biting at the sky. Another night along the side of the highway would be needed before they progressed into the now mostly pine forest.