The next morning was spent loading an open top wagon, Ard had agreed to take me into town but to make the trip worthwhile we were hauling a load of goods from the couple to sell at the market, including a two ornately carved rocking chairs and a full set of custom leather armor embossed with gold for the mayor of the town. Tai had equipped me with a sturdy pair of leather trousers that came down to mid-calf, and one of his leather jerkins that worked well enough once he’d removed the arms to accommodate my shoulders. We’d been unable to find any boots that’d fit me, but he’d agreed to craft me something more suitable from the hide of the luprum we’d killed, I was already feeling more like an adventurer now with suitable clothes, though I kept my harvest sack for now. I was tying down the load when Tai came around the back of the workshop with something slung over his shoulder.

“I figured you could use something a bit more substantial than that dagger for your trip into town. The only real weapons we have out here are my bow and Ard’s spear, but I thought this could do for someone your size.” He groused as he unslung a large splitting maul from over his shoulder and set it on the ground in front of me. “Give it a few swings let me know what you think.”

I wrapped my hands around the worn wooden haft turning away from Tai as I gave it a few experimental swings. The massive sledgehammer head made it a real struggle to control, but as I worked it a bit more I found a rhythm with the tool. I wouldn’t be finessing at all with it, but that was probably best for me. Carrying it towards the wagon I placed it head down on the floor under the bench, at hand if I needed it.

“I appreciate it, if anything maybe it’ll make people think twice before messing with us.” I chuckled as I turned around to thank the man. Only to find him staring at me with his trademark stoic expression

“You keep him safe out there, we’ve never had trouble on the trip before but things have been off lately. He may try and joke it all off, tell you that I’m just a worrier but you keep your eyes peeled and bring him back in one piece.”

I paused for a moment, walking over to clap him on the shoulder. “I will Tai; you two have already been so good to me. I’m not going to let anything happen to him and he’ll be back healthy and whole in a few days.”

Gripping each other’s wrists we gave it a manly shake, as Ard finally joined us from inside the cottage carrying a large sack over his shoulder.

“Uh oh, looks like things are serious out here. You’ll be happy to know while you two were out here bonding I made sure to dig into your stash of sweets for our trip.” Ard quipped as he walked up, depositing a kiss on his husband’s bearded cheek.

“Tai was just giving me something to use as a weapon for our trip, I’ve got everything tied down if you’re ready to go.” I steered Ard towards the wagon, hoping to get to town without much more wasted time.

“Well good, actually that reminds me.” Tossing the sack up onto the wagon bench he ran into the work shop, returning with his spear now reattached to a new shaft. “Guess I should bring this along too for good measure.” Ard leaped up onto the left side laying his spear down at his feet as he picked up

“You were the one taking forever, so don’t go rushing me.” Brushing past Tai I dropped my voice “I promise he’ll be back safe.” Hauling myself up on the bench I settled in.

The journey downhill through the woods turned out to be an uneventful one, if not a comfortable one. We camped out the first night in the back of the wagon after clearing a little space for us along the side. The next morning we ventured onto a larger road heading through the woods as Ard set on schooling me about the island.

“So this road here leads out to a logging camp used by the empire, it’s been unmanned for a while now. The other elves have issue with the empire being that close and stealing their resources, been more than a few skirmishes.” Ard rambled on.

“Other elves huh, you don’t have a problem with it?” I questioned

“Well, you see. When they settled here and built Silk Bay it opened up a whole new avenue of trade for Tai and me, us dealing with the Koarum folk didn’t sit too well with everyone else. So we packed up our things and built a little place for ourselves at the base of the mountain where no one would bother us.” Ard continued on, as he munched on an apple that he’d pulled from somewhere at hand. “The mountain is supposed to be cursed or haunted, The Ulcragg used to live in the valleys and basins up there, but generations ago there was some disaster that forced them all down to the flat lands. Now they have Stonehome on the other side of the mountain.”

“So let me settle this all out, from what you’ve been saying. The elves have woods on the north side of the mountain range?” I asked trying to piece it all together

“We call it the spine, but yeah. Elves live in the woods along the base of the spine to the north, on the south side is a massive forest they call the Weaver’s wood. That’s where the arachnia live. On the south eastern flat lands you have Stonehome and Silk Bay to the north east. There are other small villages scattered around but nothing substantial, oh except for the Legion camp. The empire keeps band of soldiers stationed in the middle of the flat lands, best to just keep away from them unless you’re really desperate.”

I was left sketching out a map in my head; it was easiest for me to think of it like a clock. Silk Bay somewhere near twelve, the Legion at three, Stonehome at five or six and the spiders and elves at eight and ten respectively. It was easy enough to visualize as Ard and I switched the conversation to how him and Tai got by out in the woods. Around noon the trees started to thin out as I caught glimpses of the plains through the trunks. Departing the trees we rolled over a small hill, at the top I got my first look of civilization.

About five hundred yards out nestled at the tip of a rather large bay stood the town. Wood houses with thatch roofs stretched out in a half circle inland from the town square, while the waterside was dominated by giant stone and wood warehouses. Ard stopped the cart for a moment letting me get a better look from our vantage.

“What’re they doing along the edge of town?” I asked noticing a mass of construction happening around the edges of town.

“Looks like they’re constructing some sort of earthworks or the start of wall, I don’t know why though. They’ve fought with the elves before but you I don’t think there has been any open conflict outside of the logging camp.” Ard stood up on the bench his brow furrowed in worry. “More importantly, where are all the ships?”

“Well Tai said things had been off lately, maybe there was something out here too?” I asked, hoping to lead Ard to more information, I knew there had been a cataclysm of sorts but didn’t know how bad it’d been out here.

“We had a big storm hit the island a week or so ago, maybe they moved them out from shore to keep them from getting damaged, either way we should get to town and find out.” Ard said trying to maintain a light tone, though I could hear the worry creeping into his voice.

As we got moving again I continued to watch the flurry of activity along the edge of town. At about half way I caught sight of a group of people riding towards us at a gallop, casting a glance to Ard I raised an eyebrow.

“You expecting an welcome wagon?” I asked

“No but look they’re signaling us.” He pointed out, just as I heard a horn split across the open plains from the town.

Looking back to the riders I saw them frantically waving their arms, pointing off to our right as the continued to gallop closer. I heard them before I saw them, a loud elk’s bugle calling from the trees behind to our right. Stepping from the forest’s edge was a mass of tall creatures, I couldn’t make out much but the one at the front seemed to be wearing a pair of elk antlers on his head. As the grunting whining bugle came to an end they burst into motion. They loped forward with powerful strides eating up the ground, as I watched trying to judge their approach. I just about had it figured when they shifted, angling towards the road and our path. Jumping up onto the seat for a better look I tried to judge the distance between us, and our distance to the town…we weren’t going to make it. Grabbing the end of my maul I jumped from the wagon, stumbling on the road side before I caught myself.

“They’re coming this way, hurry and get to the town I’ll distract them!” I yelled

“I’m not going to just leave here. Let me pull the wagon over we can fight from on top of it.” Ard argued.

Glancing back at the riders I saw that they were breaking course heading towards the pack of creatures. As Ard started to rein the ponies in, I ran forward waving my arms in the air and screaming at them, before smacking the closest on the rump with an open hand. That did the trick, the ponies bolted forward carrying Ard along with them in a mad dash down the road. Choking up on the haft of my maul I leapt across the small ditch next to the road, jogging slowly out into the grass of the plains, placing myself between the path of the oncoming mobs and the wagon. As I got my first close look at them, I was shocked to find that it wasn’t a man wearing antlers, but a tall man like creature with an elks head bearing down on me. The ones following him were all manner of forest creatures; I saw one with a beaver’s head and broad furry shoulders. They were about my height antlers and horns notwithstanding, all naked with muscular bodies covered in clay that gave them a cracked ashy appearance. I did a quick head count, there seemed to be close to twelve, each carrying a large wooden club.

I brought the maul up, setting off into a run towards the pack to avoid being caught flat footed in their charge. I could hear the hooves pounding behind me as I ran towards the elk at the lead, hoping that whoever was coming were a group of badasses. We closed quickly, as I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs bracing myself for the impact. A large black stallion thundered past me, barreling into the group of creatures without slowing. As I watched the mount go down in a tangle of bodies, sharp hooves thrashing out wildly I could see a small figure leaping from the saddle, landing behind the monsters with a long glaive in hand.

That’s all I had time for before I was fighting for my life, against a coyote headed creature. Heaving my maul down in a crashing arc I felt it connect on the creature’s shoulder, the thin splitting head lodging deep into its body. Following through I yanked the head of the maul free, pulling the creature to its knees as I swung it back around this time bringing the flat hammerhead down atop his skull. With a sickening crack I watched him crumple to the ground.

Whipping around to face the next threat I found myself colliding with the large paddles of a charging moose. I felt myself launched from my feet as the air was driven from my lungs, before I made jarring contact with the ground. Wheezing as I tried to suck in a breath I saw great club descending towards my head, rolling to the side I heard the club crash into ground, followed by an enraged bellow. Still fighting for air I hauled myself to my feet, searching for the maul I’d dropped somewhere in my short flight. I spotted it behind the moose man, who was now sporting two arrows buried deep into his arm and side. His club laid useless on the ground as well, but that didn’t stop him from charging again, wide horns leveled at my chest. He was almost on top of me before I started moving, throwing my hands up I grabbed at his antlers. I could feel the sharp tines pierce through my palms and tear at my flesh, I knew I couldn’t stop his momentum so I did the only thing that came to mind. Holding tight I threw myself forward onto to the ground, yanking his head down into the dirt with me as his momentum carried his body over in a short summersault. Letting go of the antlers I painfully yanked my hands from where they were impaled. Scrambling over to my downed foe, I hauled myself on top of him. Mounting his chest with my knees buried into the dirt on either side of him I frantically started to pummel at the creature before he could come to his senses. After the first two blows I realized I couldn’t form a fist with my torn hands, so I started to bash him with my forearm bracing myself with my palm on the base of his antler as I repeatedly smashed into the nose at the end of his long snout. I could feel him thrashing under me, bellowing in rage as he sprayed me with a dark brown blood. Up, down, I screamed back at him continuing my assault until I couldn’t hear him anymore. Looking down at him under me I saw his jaw twisted at an odd angle, as he laid there sucking in wet breaths through his shattered mouth and nose. Pushing myself off of him I found my way to my feet unsteadily, gasping for breath. Steadying myself I looked down at my foe for a second before bringing my heel down on his throat. I heard and felt the crackle of cartilage giving way under my foot, before I stumbled away to scoop up my weapon.

As I found myself unable to pick up my maul I realized I didn’t have to, all around me laid the bodies of the man beasts. Feathered with arrows, sliced to pieces or in one case simply pierced by what looked to be three large icicles through the chest. Looking around I found myself once again covered in gore as four sets of eyes stared at me from across the battlefield.

“Hi…I’m Gideon.”