C’mon, just a little more, nearly there, wait, wait, just a little…. Dave swooped down, the worm was blissfully unaware of its impending death by digestion. Dave tilted his had back and let the worm slide down his gullet.
The uprights had returned to Greenest and seem to have gotten very boring as they are practising things. The Dwarf, the real one not the Dwhelf, was practising hitting people when they missed him, and that seemed to be coming along well. The Dwhelf was practising opening locks from a distance some arcane trickery going on there. The singer, was practising helping people and hindering others which was amusing to watch for an hour or so. She was also playing songs to inspire and make people work harder. The Gnome and Dargonborn were also practising their different forms of magic and seemed happy with the results they were getting. The scary one, the one that changes shape and nearly throttled him to death with vines and leaves kept talking to him, she kept saying he was her spirit guide. Dave didn’t know what a spirit guide was so he figured he could be one, but what was he supposed to do, so far he had been making it up on the fly, “CAW, CAW!” Dave laughed out loud. Recently his spirit follower had been practising other spells and changing shape into a furry one.
With a full belly Dave flew round the town, the boy had made a full recovery and was living with the Governor and his family and Dave took this time to have a look. When a man, Dave was sure he had seen before arrived in Greenest, the adventurers greeted him and some monks from the monastery came down and took him away. A few days later Dave was considering trying to catch up with his brothers because the uprights had become very boring, but his spirit follower kept talking to him asking for guidance and Dave felt obligated.
They all met and set off for the Governor’s and from Dave’s vantage point in the air the man they met a couple of days ago seemed to be heading there as well. They all sat down in the Governor’s house and the man paced the room so Dave only caught part of what he was saying.
“Need you to go back”
“Gather Intel”
“You have been”
“One hundred and fifty” what were they doing in there playing darts “CAW CAW!” Dave laughed to himself. Then he remembered where he had seen this man before. It was in the place where the group had tracked down the uprights who had attacked the town. He was the man on the floor.
The group left the Governor’s, gathered what little possessions they had and left Greenest, finally something to do and Dave set off following them. They all seemed unaware of Dave other than his spirit follower and she never pointed him out.
The climbed back over the ridge save going through ambush valley.
“I could go for some ham…..” said OZ
“You did that gag last week” Said Issy cutting him off
“Get some new material” said Jebado
Dave knew the way and flew a little ahead of the party; he saw the place that had been so full of life, now, desolate almost deserted, almost. The argument between the uprights and the kobolds seemed to have been resolved by fire for the area where they had been was all scorched. The Dwelf moved forward on his own and not seeing anyone beckoned the group to move up. Ahead of the party stood two grizzled, warriors wearing leather armour, they approached.
“Stop there. Turn round and go back. Only death meets you if you continue” and they drew four scimitars between the two of them spinning the expertly in their hands.
“Ohh, you want us ta stop, do yer” said Flint. “Hang on, well yer whilst I discuss this with ma crossbow” Flint drew back the string and knocked an arrow.
…………It was day two of guard training, day one had consisted of biscuits and getting to know everyone, the instructors seemed nice and they had drunk a lot of tea. Peter and Paul had enjoyed the first day but decided to skip breakfast for an extra half hour of sleep.
“Where the bloody hell have you two been?”
“We got up a little late, didn’t think anyone would mind as we should have only missed breakfast” said Paul
“BREAKFAST!!!! WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS PLACE IS, A HOLIDAY CAMP” spittle flew with the enunciation of each syllable, the instructor glanced round the rest of group for approval of this most hilarious joke. Nothing. He glared round the group. Still nothing. He glared with fire in his eyes and lips twitching. “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA” came the laughter. “IT SEEMS YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS FIND YOU AMUSING” The man standing in front of the instructor had a very wet face by now. “YOU CAN ALL GO ON A FIVE MILE RUN, AND YOU CAN BLAME THESE TWO FOR IT!!!” The men set off,
“He was so nice yesterday wasn’t he?” said Peter
“I know” agreed Paul
“Thanks a bunch you pair of gits” said one of their fellow students passing them, and glaring at them
“What, how were we supposed to know?” Peter shouted after him.
An hour later
“RIGHT THEN YOU HORRIBLE LOT, DID YOU ENJOY YOUR RUN?”
“It was fairly pleasant as morning runs go, thank you for asking.” Said Peter
“WHAT?”
“It was a pleasant run” said Paul emphasising the word run by moving his arms and shoulders as if pretending to run. The instructors eyes bulged.
“IT WAS A PLEASANT RUN. WHAT?”
“YES IT WAS, THANK YOU FOR ASKING” Shouted Peter “I think he must be a little deaf” continued Peter to Paul.
Shaking and incandescent with rage, the instructor bellowed “IT WAS A PLEASANT RUN….” And motioned for more words,
“Mr Wumplebotham” offered Paul, the instructor now iridescent shouts
“IT WAS A PLEASANT RUN. SIR, SIR IS THE WORD YOU ARE LOOKING FOR”
“But you are Mr Wumplebotham, I distinctly remember you introduced yourself yesterday as Mr Wumplebotham” said Peter
“I remember that too” said Paul
“NOW YOU CALL ME SIR!!!!!!”
“Ah, now I’m with you, thank you Mr Wumplebotham” said Peter.
“ANOTHER FIVE MILE RUN, FOR THE RUDDY LOT OF YOU” the instructor / Mr Wumplebotham bellowed and pointed out of the camp.
Three weeks later Peter and Paul, passed guarding and advanced guarding course. They had learnt to look grizzled, use mean words and callous threats and most importantly how to spin scimitars menacingly. What had not been covered by the course was what to do if your threats were ignored and the attackers pressed on………………
Flint continued “You’ll be pleased ta know, we have discussed it and me an’ Mr Crossbow here, have decided to carry on. We both know that death awaits us but he isne’ ‘round ta day for nia o us” Flint carried on walking. Peter looked at Paul and they both came to the instant decision to run off back into the cave.
“Ya can e git a good guard these days” said Flint, “Check it out brother” and Elias moved forward into the cave, it was dimly lit, but this did not bother Elias, the cave entrance opened out and natural columns supported the roof, Elias flitted from one to the other…....
………..”That was a close one Paul”
“I know, I can’t believe they didn’t turn round like they were supposed to” said Paul
“Maybe one of us should ask them nicely. Paper, Rock, Blade?” said Peter. They played the age old game.
“Damn” said Peter,
“You ask ‘em and I’ll go fetch the others in case they don’t listen” said Paul
Elias moved forwards. Peter moved forwards. Elias rounded a column at the same time as Peter and they saw one another. Elias was quick with his sword and swung it at Peter who managed to step back just in time and screamed. Elias by no means a soldier had seen combat but had never had a grown person scream at him before and ran off. Jebado fired magic missiles at Peter and caused him to expeditiously retreat..
“Wha happened ta ye?” asked Flint
“He screamed at me when I swung my sword at him. It was a girls scream and I didn’t know what to do.” Hanging his head Elias continued “Sorry Flint”.
“Think ne more on it brother. I dinne know what I would doo given the same situation. Go on press on” Elias moved on and the others followed.
Outside Dave had watched the party enter the cave and heard a scream. Caves are not places for Crows, and he didn’t want to go in yet he wanted to know what was going on. Finally Dave landed just in the mouth of the cave and let his eyes adjust and hopped inside. Dave had justified this to himself because of the phrase “curiosity killed the cat” Dave being a bird did not like cats, and anything he could do to lower their population was good as far as he was concerned, so if his curiosity would rid the world of one cat so much the better.
Peter ran down the corridor waiving his hands above his head, and into the guard room.
“Where’s Paul” he asked
“With you” said Garg
“Er no he came here to warn you about the intruders who have entered the cave system we are guarding.”
“Not seen him, sorry how did they get past you and you still being alive”
“Does that matter” Peter said
“Well yes”
“If we live I’ll tell you later okay”. Peter said.
Paul had run off and felt guilty about leaving Peter, lost in his thoughts he had taken a wrong turn. Realising his mistake he turned round and came up the corridor he had just gone down and ran into a human with pointy ears dressed as a Dwarf. Feeling most disconcerted by the image in front of him, he managed to avoid the sword swung at him and better still managed to strike the humanoid, who in turn hit him a palpable blow and then moved away down the corridor Paul should have taken, then the ruddy Dwarf that didn’t play nice stepped up to Paul and the Dwarf’s sword sticking out his stomach was the last thing Paul saw.
“I’m going to find Paul” Peter said
“Your too late they are coming, go with Trevor and protect Saha.” Peter hesitated. “GO!” and he reluctantly moved off with Trevor and Saha.
“Right move away from the door so they have to fight in here” said the lead guard, who doesn’t have a name because his life is too short to warrant one.
“I got this” said Maria from the back and cast Spike growth, prickly vines entangled the people in the room.
“Tell me ma lady, how does this work” asked Flint
“Anything that tries to move in that room takes damage” said Maria
“Including us”
“Yes, if you go in the room”
The enemy that could be seen from the corridor were taken out with range attacks, and the guards next to the weapons cache threw spears at the entrance but to no avail.
Oz cast a magical sword and sent it into the room, killing two people. When no one else could be attacked.
“Can you drop the spell Maria”
“I can”
“Er will you”
“Do you want me to”
“It may be good”
“May be?”
“Please drop it so we can hit them” with that Maria dropped the spell and a very brief fight took place.
Peter had lost Trevor and Saha, and was looking for Paul, coming up the corridor Paul had taken by accident he came across his corpse. Peter closed Paul’s eyes.
“I will avenge you Paul, I will kill them all, especially that cock sure Dwarf” He felt in Paul’s pocket for his guarding pin, but it had gone, those robbing gits. He made his way down the corridor passing a crow that watched him pass. What was a Crow doing inside the cave?
Maria dropped her spell and went back up the corridor and she thought she saw movement heading towards the entrance they came in by, she was going to give chase but saw Dave her spirit guide.
The fight was over quickly and the party moved into a well furnished room, Flint was leading the way.
“Well is ne this nice, look at tha table, lovely with its gold inlay. Look at the papers on the desk and the blotter. I think this may be ma favoreet room, I am enjoying those fine silk furnashings, and look at tha rugs, I can ne wait ta get me boots off and me toesys in that”
“Er brother what about the three people wielding swords and spears”
“Ayyyy” said Flint. One of the villains draws back his arm to throw his spear as Issy shouts out
“Close but no Cigar” putting him off his throw and the spear clattered harmlessly to the floor. This fight is short and swift too and the adventures seek information and set about a general room ransacking. Flint takes his boots off and curls his toes into the rug.
“Lovely as a ken it would be”
Maria enters the room a little behind the others and searches the back of the room and finds a secret tunnel entrance leading thirty feet down, it was cunningly hidden by a rug.
To be continued….
