Part 4

Chapter 62: Northwards

The remaining group of adventurers – Alcar, Olynka, Etienne, Dagmir van Lepp, Warlik, and Brutus the dog – paused on a huge flat boulder just to the side of the trail.

Everyone was breathing hard after fleeing the area by the bridge. Brutus had rapidly returned to his normal size as they had run on, dropping Alcar to the ground as he did so, and the group had sprinted on for a minute or so. The Imperials were a distance behind, now, though still easily within sight.

Ahead, the path led through a rocky gulch that reminded Alcar of where they had been attacked by kobolds. This one, however, was wider and flatter, with straighter cliffs at its sides. Beyond, he could see, the trail led upwards, rising across a scree-laden hilly slope.

Behind them, their Imperial foes had regrouped, with the much larger force from the south having caught up with the smaller number of troops that had attacked. So far, though, there was no immediate indication of pursuit. Instead, a stand-off had emerged between a lone troll upon the bridge and several Imperial swordsmen.

“That must be the dude that you flamed,” commented Etienne, nudging Alcar’s elbow and then pointing. As he did so, the troll lunged forward, grabbed an Imperial soldier, and tossed the man effortlessly a dozen yards down the trail to land among his comrades, as if it were attempting some crazed version of bowling.

Alcar nodded as he watched the action. “Yeah, the same one. He survived the fire. Trolls are obviously tough, and strong as hell. I didn’t know they were so fucking huge.”

“But... Ubund?” said Leppie, not for the first time.

“Oh... I’m sure he’ll be fine,” said Etienne, waving one hand in the general direction of the southward trail, and puffing on his pipe.

“He was fighting that troll,” said Alcar, slowly. He didn’t want to voice what he really believed had happened – that after being dragged into the river by the burned troll, Ubund most likely never made it out alive.

“He’s tough, Lepp!” said Olynka cheerfully.

“Yeah. He’s a real man,” murmured Leppie. “But I wish I’d been able to help out.”

“Those damned elves did a number on us,” commented Alcar. “Gonida the herbalist, especially.”

Warlik hissed and then looked around, peering at Alcar. “Yes. It appears that she alerted the Imperials to our movements in search of a reward. I wonder how she knew that we were wanted by them?”

The others looked at each other.

Alcar, feeling the guilt rising in him, hung his head, and said, “I did say that...”

At the same moment, however, several of the group spoke at once:

“I may have told Gonida that...” began Leppie.

“Well, I mentioned the incident...” said Olynka.

“After a few drinks, I spoke about...” said Etienne.

They all paused, looking at each other with widening eyes. Then, Warlik raised his arms in exasperation. “Enough,” he said. ”What’s done is done.”

The lizard warrior then looked northwards. “We also now find outselves without a guide. But I trust that if we follow this trail, we should reach the rift valley that is shown on your map. I’ve been there. It’s a jagged area of land, with dangerous pools of lava, and sudden deep pits in the ground at every turn.”

“Nice,” muttered Etienne.

“Well, let’s not stand here waiting for the Imperials to get their shit together,” said Olynka firmly, stepping down from the boulder and onto the stony path.

“Aye to that,” replied Warlik. “And let’s hope the weather holds. The trail is straight here, but soon it will begin to wind around the hills up ahead. With luck, that will put us out of sight of the Imperials, and discourage them from pursuing.”

“Let’s go,” said Etienne.

Leppie took a last look back towards the river where Ubund had fallen, frowning deeply, and then nodded.

As they proceeded northwards at a slower and more sustainable pace, Alcar fell in beside Olynka. “You did brilliantly back there, my friend,” he said, looking around at the archer.

“Thanks, man,” she said, flashing him a grin and pushing back her auburn curls as she spoke. But then her face fell. “I’m worried, though. Ubund had been instructing me in archery. That’s another teacher that I’ve lost. I hope he makes it back to us safely.”

“Ah, yes. That sucks.”

In truth, Alcar had found Ubund quite annoying, despite the Vep-te guide’s obvious skills. Perhaps it was the man’s clipped, overly-efficient way of speaking.

But it was also clear that Olynka had benefited from having him around. Not to mention Leppie’s infatuation with the man.

“I tell you something,” Alcar continued, “from what I saw of your efforts against the Imperials, you have the basic skills mastered. If you just keep practicing what you learned, you’ll be a top archer in no time.”

“Truly?”

“I’m sure of it, Ola. I believe in you.”

Olynka smiled broadly again. “I really hope so, Alcar. But there’s another problem. I’m out of arrows.” As she spoke, she pointed with one thumb back at the quiver that hung low on her back, and then patted at the machete that was back at her belt.

“Shit – right enough. Well, as soon as we can get some, the better. Perhaps there’s a store along this trail where we can buy them?”

Olynka looked ahead, raising one eyebrow. “Mmm. Perhaps.”

Behind them, Etienne cleared his throat. “My friends, I wouldn’t like to be called a thief,” he said. “Such a crude word. But it’s true that I have certain skills of stealth and slight of hand. If an opportunity to gain some arrows presents itself, from a passing soldier, perhaps...”

Olynka’s eyes twinkled as she looked back at him. “Thanks, Ett.”

Warlik looked around. “I also imagine that there will be a few abandoned arrows in the caves where we are headed,” said the warrior. “From adventurers who have died before getting back to the surface, you know.”

Alcar frowned in horror at this, but said nothing. He then noticed that Olynka was looking around at him. ”Anyway, what about your sorcery back there?” she said. “That was amazing, man!”

“Thanks, Ola. I guess I’m getting the hang of it a little bit more, now. It can be dangerous, and half the time I don’t know what I’m doing. I still feel like I need at least a month to study and practice, and there are incantations that I haven’t even tried yet. But all the same...”

“You saved our asses back there.”

He smiled. “Yes. I guess I did.”

The group moved onwards, with Warlik taking the lead for the most part. The lizard warrior moved quickly and confidently, and soon they were advancing through the rocky gulch. The area was flat, stony and dry underfoot, while the sides resembled a pair of sheer concrete walls. In contrast to the gulley where they had faced the kobolds, there was no stream, and no sign of caves, either.

All the same, it was clear to Alcar that the only way was forward. The valley walls were too steep to climb.

He walked on, pondering on his growing but still very limited sorcery skills, when Warlik paused, pointing ahead. “Look there, my friends. A huge rockfall blocking the path. I have been this way only once, a long time ago, but I am sure that those rocks are new. The nearby cliff face has collapsed and blocked the trail.”

“There must be a way over, or through them,,” said Etienne, as they approached.

“Indeed,” said Warlik. “We could attempt to scramble over those fallen boulders. And perhaps for one as light on his feet as you, Etienne, it can be done. But it looks like it would be highly dangerous for the rest of us. The rocks are recently fallen, and could shift at any moment.”

“Then... what are we gonna do?” asked Alcar, looking to one side and then another.

“Like it or not, we’re going to have to find a way up those cliffs,” said the lizardman.