Chapter 2: The Lizard

“Shit, Sprigg!” cried Alcar. “Run!”

Sprigg didn’t need to be told twice. As the alligator opened its jaws, they pair set off, running after Olynka, who had soon looked around and spotted the beast too. She ran with them, all of them in silence for a minute.

When they stopped, panting, Olynka began to laugh. “Oh, by the gods! You should have seen your faces. Haha. Hahaha!”

“What are you laughing for?” said Alcar. “We were only making a tactical retreat.”

She sniggered. “You both looked like you had crapped yourself. Sorry, but it’s true.”

Alcar looked at Sprigg. The big youth was still looking terrified, it had to be said. He hoped he didn’t look quite as silly. ”Well – it is only a dumb animal,” he said. “I didn’t want to harm it with my dagger.”

Olynka laughed again, a loud peal of laughter, throwing her head back. Then she looked back at Alcar. “Uh – my dude, you call that a dagger?”

Alcar was starting to regret inviting Olynka to come along. She may be new to their group, and that made her something of a celebrity. But she was rude, and cocky to boot.

“Come on, both of you,” he snapped, leading the way. “I’m in charge of this mission, and laughing at each other is bad for morale. Hopefully this way we can find another path back up the west side of the farm.”

“What about the goblin that we’re after?” said Sprigg, blinking.

Olynka sniggered again. “I don’t think there ever was a goblin, was there?” But she smiled, and held up her hands. “It’s okay, Alcar, really. When I lived in my village, we went on loads of little adventures. It’s fun – really. I’m kind of glad we don’t have to kill a goblin. They may be devious little shits, but I don’t think I want to murder one in cold blood just to steal its silver.”

“Hmm,” murmured Alcar. “It’s possible that you are going to suck as an adventurer, then.”

“Goblins deserve to be killed,” said Sprigg. “They’re vile – cruel.”

“He has a point,” said Alcar with a shrug.

They were passing by the foot of another field, marked by a partially broken-down horizontal wooden fence, and bales of hay could be seen to their right, just beyond a few scrappy and moss-covered trees. Clearly they had not gone too far from civilisation. Olynka was still walking a fraction ahead, but suddenly she stopped, holding her bow out in front of them. “Shh!”

“What is it?” called out Sprigg loudly, his voice carrying across the stagnant water.

But they all saw soon enough. A head was rising from the water – a large, lime-green scaly head.

“Is that another alligator?” murmured Alcar, gripping his knife so tightly it was shaking.

But the head kept rising, revealing a long neck, dripping water. The beast that was emerging was clearly enormous – twice the size of a horse, and with a mouth that was just as large as the alligator, although shorter and not as toothy. As the trio watched on transfixed, the beast raised one dripping claw from the water and thumped it down on the path in front of them, leaned towards Alcar, and snorted, blasting him with a spray of foul-smelling water.

“It’s a lizardman!” gasped Sprigg.

“No, it isn’t,” said a voice from behind them. Alcar whirled around to see a human-sized figure in bronze chainmail, a leather bandolier of knives, and with steel helmet that only partially covered the wearer’s face. And the face itself was scaled, slightly pointed with flared snake-like nostrils.

“Now that’s a lizardman,” said Olynka, lowering her bow. She pointed to the monstrous creature that was still emerging from the water. “And this is a korapta lizard, right? A steed.”

The figure nodded. “Well done, girl.”

“The name’s Olynka.” She looked back at the monstrous creature, which was now standing patiently and unthreateningly on the edge of the water. “Is this thing yours?”

“To an extent, yes,” said the stranger, ducking under the horizontal slats of the fence, and stepping out onto the path towards them. He reached out, speaking in a mysterious clicking language, and the great beast settled down further to a crouching postion, its forelimbs visible, but the bulk of its body within the swamp water.

The armored figure then turned back towards the three adventurers. “As your friend said, this is a korapta lizard,” he said. “They are rare, but some of my kind use them for transport around the swamps. They can’t be used normal roads. At least, not much. Their scales would dry out too quickly.”

“I see.” Alcar had backed several paces away from the korapta lizard, but he now looked up at the stranger. “So – are you travelling into the swamp?”

“Well deduced.” The armored figure turned, and reached out a scaled hand towards Olynka, who shook it, and then held his hand out to Alcar. “My name is Warlik.”

“Alcar.”

The lizardman took a step back, and began to rub gently at the brow of the huge and passive korapta lizard. “I’m a member of the Szula tribe of lizard folk, but I rarely return to the Great Swamp. I’m something of an outcast among my people, and normally travel on adventures and quests.” His eyes were jade green with black pupils, and they flicked from one of the youths to the other as he spoke. Alcar noticed that he had had a sword sashed at his belt, in an ornate, jewel-encrusted scabbard.

“Perhaps we can join you some time?” suggested Alcar.

“Yeah,” said Olynka, grinning. “Truth is, we’re all pretty new at this.”

“You would have to accept me as leader, though,” said Alcar thoughtfully. “And even with you on the team, we are still keeping Sprigg here.”

Warlik made a low warbling sound in his throat, which could have been a laugh. “It’s a tempting offer, my young friends,” he said. “And if I was free to do as I like, then perhaps I would come along with you on a mission or two.”

“You already have a group, I guess,” said Sprigg.

Warlik inclined his head slightly towards the big youth. “To an extent, young human. I used to travel extensively with a group of adventurers, but those days are long gone. Occasionally, I think of getting the group back together, but...” He stared off over the swamp, and fell silent.

“Are they other lizard folk?” prompted Olynka.

Warlik shook his head. “Not all of them, young woman. There was an archer from my clan – a ferocious warrior by the name of Lox’aar. Besides her, the most recent group that I quested with consisted of a warrior by the name of Gellan, a witch called Maleki, and a sorcerer by the name of Maluhk. We were a formidable force – one of the strongest bands in the Empire. Our clients included the von Dathmir family, for example. But that seems a long time ago now. In fact, it feels like I have been in a daze for many years, and have only just awoken. And now it’s time for me to right some wrongs – starting with my own lizard clan.”

“What happened with you and the other adventurers?” asked Alcar. It had occurred to him that this first-hand account could provide some guidance about his own fledgling leadership of an adventuring band.

“Maleki moved to the Islands of Dubasa, last I heard,” he replied. “Maluhk lives locally, but we haven’t spoken in a long time. I’m not sure that he is even still talking to me. And as for Gellan, well...” The lizardman frowned, looking to the west for a moment. “Sadly, he joined the Varians. I can’t blame them – a swordsman of that quality. The less said about him now, the better.”

“Hey man,” said Sprigg.

“Lizard,” corrected Olynka.

“Uh, yeah,” Sprigg continued, looking confused. “Well, I just wanna say, don’t be a stranger. To your old adventuring buddies I mean. You should go look them up.”

“I hear you, young human,” said Warlik, drawing a gleaming katana-style sword. “And as it happens, I think you are right. I will make my way now to the heartlands of the Szula Clan, to look for Lox’aar.” He showed his teeth. “Sorry that your quest to the swamp wasn’t more lucrative. Here – have a few coppers on me, from one adventurer to another. Because everyone has to start somewhere.” With this, Warlik reached into a pouch in his belt and pulled out a handful of copper riggs, giving each youth four of them.

“Than you kindly!” exclaimed Alcar, and the others nodded.

“That will help us save up for adventuring equipment when we get back home,” added Olynka.

“Indeed. And perhaps I will see you in Katresburg, if you make it back safely,” said Warlik. “Talking of which, I think you should hurry...” He now pointed his sword to the shore in the direction they had been going, and Alcar spied movement. “Those, if I am not mistaken, are swamp gremlins. Very nasty, and above your level of experience, my young friends. You need to get out of here while you can. Duck under this fence here, keep to the left, and when you get to the end of the farm, run like hell until you reach the city walls.”

Moments later, Alcar, Olynka and Sprigg were running, and they took only the briefest of glances back as Warlik departed, riding the korapta lizard.