ã€ŠLocal Heroes: The Glory Road [Progression High Fantasy]ã€‹


 Episode 1: A Reunion At Rock Bottom

    ¡°I don¡¯t know which is worse.¡± The guard mused. He was leaning against the stone wall opposite the cell in which Vash lay. ¡°The pure-blood elves with their noses in the air, or you half-breeds pretending to be one of us.¡±

    Vash groaned and spat out a mouthful of blood. He worked his tongue around his mouth and was relieved to find all his teeth still in place. Nothing felt broken, but everything hurt. The guards were very good at their jobs. They brought him in bleeding, but not broken.

    The guard chuckled and bit into an apple. ¡°You think that little hood of yours was going to keep us from noticing you?¡± He said around a mouthful of fruit. ¡°Inquisitor Glauch has a lifetime of experience ferreting you types out. Rumor is that he can smell an elvish bastard from across a midden heap.¡±

    Something twinged in Vash¡¯s side as he rolled up into a sitting position. Dislocated rib. Vash thought. Better than broken..still hurts like hell.

    The guard was trying to get a rise out of him. Likely, he was bored and was told not to beat on the prisoner unless he caused trouble. If he thinks I¡¯m going to defend the ¡®family honor¡¯ of my elvish half, he¡¯s dumber than he looks.

    ¡°Now to my mind, there¡¯s not much difference in smell between a half-elf and a midden heap, but that¡¯s why they have Glauch, I suppose.¡± The guard took another bite, juice dribbling down his chin.

    ¡°Part-elf.¡± Vash corrected, wincing. Speaking caused a twinge of pain from his ribs that was hard to ignore.

    ¡°He speaks!¡± The guard said with feigned amazement.

    ¡°Part-elf, some of us have less than half blood, but still get the damn ears.¡± Vash said, tentatively stretching one side.

    ¡°No one cares.¡± The guard said in a flat tone. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what we call you since you face the headsman tomorrow.¡±

    Tomorrow? Vash thought. That¡¯s awfully damn fast.

    Something must have shown on his face, because the guard grinned, an ugly gap-toothed expression. ¡°That surprised you, huh? There¡¯s been a standing execution order for you and your friends for months. You really pissed off the wrong people.¡±

    That was true. He and the others had been walking a fine line between tolerable crimes and outright rebellion against the Duke. Things came to a head when Byar led an assault on the Duke¡¯s palace. Iona had tried to talk him out of it, but there was no talking to Byar when he was in that sort of mood. The razing of Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow had been the last straw. Just to recover an old tablet that they had stolen. Guards like this grinning idiot had burned shacks and tents. They had beaten bloody any pointy-eared person who dared show their face. In the ashes of their former home, Byar had sworn an oath of revenge on Duke Adolus.

    The attack had gone wrong right from the start. Guards were in the wrong places, making it impossible to sneak past them and requiring more bloodshed than usual. They cobbled together the plan at the last minute so not everyone knew their roles. Vash¡¯s group got separated early on, though they succeeded in drawing the guards away from the inner keep, where Iona and Byar were trying to kill the Duke and the Lord Inquisitor.

    The guards blocked their escape route. Cornered in a guest apartment, they made their last stand. Vash had survived. Jak, Quin, and Pya hadn¡¯t been so lucky. Quin took a sword through the gut, they left her bleeding on the balcony. It had taken her a long time to die. Vash had seen her desperate, terrified eyes in-between beatings from the guards.

    ¡°I guess we did.¡± Vash said, his voice raspy.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never understand you people.¡± The guard said, tossing the apple core into a pile of dirty, wet straw. ¡°City full of opportunity and you decide to steal, extort, and kill for a living.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Vash said, grimacing. ¡°We should really leave that to the experts. Like you.¡±

    ¡°Clever.¡± The guard said. ¡°You¡¯ve got a clever mouth on you.¡±

    Vash grinned. ¡°Funny, that¡¯s what your wife said, too.¡±

    The guard¡¯s face went red. Vash¡¯s smile widened. That¡¯s it. Stop thinking and just get pissed off.

    There was a jangle of keys, the door opened with a screech of rusty hinges. The guard stomped across the cell, fury on his face, grabbing Vash by the front of his tunic and hauling him to his feet. Vash grunted in pain as his rib jostled and shot a spasm down one side of his body.

    ¡°Guess we hurt something when we brought you in.¡± The guard growled. ¡°Makes this easier.¡±

    One meaty fist struck Vash¡¯s side. The rib flexed and grated. Vash had to concentrate hard to keep breathing. He focused on the pain, compressing it into a ball in his mind and throwing it like a stone into a vast, deep lake. Calm fell over him like a blanket. Iona had trained him to focus through the pain, to dissociate.

    You won¡¯t always be sitting in a quiet temple with incense and pretty music. She had said, slapping him across the stomach with a switch. More than likely you¡¯ll have to use your Talents when you¡¯re being stabbed, beaten, that sort of thing.

    Vash¡¯s Core thrummed. He let his mind sink into the well of power he drew on to fuel his Talents. The form for Enhance Body floated into his mind and he latched onto it like a lifeline. Warmth spread throughout his body, dulling his pain. It was still there, just muffled, like a bell wrapped in wool.

    ¡°You got something else to say about my wife?¡± The guard asked, breath a foul mix of apples, stale beer, and onions.

    Vash coughed, waiting for the muscle spasms to stop. He let himself go limp, leaning hard against the guard. He shook his head, feigning more pain than he felt. ¡°Just¡­does she always speak elvish in the throes of passion, or is that just with one of us?¡±

    The guard roared in fury and punched Vash hard across the jaw. Everything swam for a moment, and Vash worried he might have gone too far. Come on you oaf, you know this dance as well as I do.

    Another punch to the face. Vash saw stars. Fist to the ribs, knuckles digging in hard enough to make Vash cry out. Then the guard finally did what Vash needed him to do. With a grunt of anger and effort, the guard flung Vash across the room.

    He rolled, controlling his momentum until he came to a stop by the bucket that served as the cell¡¯s chamberpot. Vash groaned and turned his head. He looked through half-closed eyes, measuring the distance to the open cell door, his own position, and the guard. He groaned for added effect.

    The gap-toothed guard spat into the filthy straw at his feet. ¡°They said to keep you alive until the execution. They didn¡¯t say you had to have all your teeth.¡±

    Good boy. Vash thought. He groaned again and made a show of trying to push himself up. Then he sagged back to the straw.

    ¡°You ain¡¯t so tough.¡± The guard muttered. ¡°Wear some scary masks and stab people in the dark? I can do that. Nothin¡¯ special about¡ª¡°

    Vash waited until the guard reached down for him. He flung a wet clump of filth and straw into the guard¡¯s face. Brown sludge splattered the guard¡¯s face, and he staggered back a few paces. He lashed out with one foot, catching the guard behind the ankle and sweeping his legs out from under him.

    The guard landed with a whoof of expelled air; the breath knocked out of him by the fall. Vash completed his turn, grabbing the bucket and upending the vile contents directly on the guard¡¯s face. The guard heaved and gagged, panicking and trying to clear the filth from his mouth and nostrils. Vash swung the bucket, which collided hard with the guard¡¯s temple, sending him crashing to the ground.

    Vash grabbed the ring of keys off the guard¡¯s belt and scrambled out of the cell, slamming the door closed with another rusty screech. After a quick search, he found the correct key and locked the door.

    ¡°Sorry to be leaving.¡± Vash said, grimacing as his rib shifted again. ¡°But you¡¯ve been an excellent host.¡±

    Gasping and gagging, the guard struggled to his knees. ¡°Come back here, you filthy half-blood son of a bitch!¡±

    Vash paused, contemplating finding a weapon and dispatching the guard. That would take too much time. Anyone could come in. Vash had to leave quickly. He didn¡¯t want to face the headsman the next day.

    Turning, Vash was about to bolt when a tall, broad figure stepped in front of him. ¡°Vash?¡±

    Vash was already striking out with one fist, looking to incapacitate and run. That the man had called him by his real name didn¡¯t register. He had to get out of there. The man moved to block. A thick, muscled forearm moved with surprising speed, swatting away Vash¡¯s attack.

    Damn, he¡¯s fast! Vash thought, kicking out with one leg, aiming for the knee, but the man shifted and his kick landed on his thigh. He remained still, only exhaling an annoyed sigh.

    ¡°Vash, it¡¯s me ¡ª ¡° the man began, but Vash was on the attack again.

    You want to play, big man. Vash thought. Let¡¯s play my way.

    Warmth blossomed in Vash¡¯s chest as he drew upon his Core. He called to mind the form for Agility of the Cat. Mana flooded his body, increasing speed, heightening reflexes.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Vash landed a blow on one of the big man¡¯s pressure points. That got a reaction. The man missed the parry and hissed in pain when Vash¡¯s strike landed. He didn¡¯t go down, though. Any normal person should be rolling on the ground, begging for their mother.

    He has Talents.

    Vash felt a pulse, an echo of the thrum he felt when drawing upon his own Core. The big man was using a Talent, magically enhanced abilities. Not as complex as spells, but the powers they granted gave their wielders considerable advantages over normal folk. Something which Vash had taken advantage of many times.

    No chance to avoid the fist. They were too close, and the big man¡¯s Talent made blocking a laughable notion. Vash doubled over, a solid strike to his stomach. The man¡¯s powerful fist, solid as iron, struck with the force of a forge hammer. Vash was flung back several feet, landing hard on the slate floor and sliding to a stop only when he collided with the opposite wall. Lying on the floor, he clutched his stomach. His lungs had apparently forgotten how to draw breath.

    ¡°That¡¯ll teach you, little shit!¡± The guard said, his voice croaking as he fought against his instinct to retch. The stricken guard struggled to his feet, a furious scowl contorting his face beneath streaks of brown slime.

    ¡°Enough of that.¡± The stranger said.

    Blinking, the guard glanced back at the big man. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±

    ¡°Corwin Walker, Wayfarers Guild.¡± The stranger said, reaching into his shirt and presenting a bronze medallion.

    Corwin? Vash thought. No, it can¡¯t be. He looked up and studied the big man standing in the doorway. He¡¯d put on muscle, a lot of muscle, and he stood straighter, making him seem taller. But the face was the same. The same mischievous smirk, the same mop of floppy brown curls. What the hell is Corwin Walker doing here?

    ¡°So what?¡± The guard spat.

    ¡°I need a word with your prisoner.¡±

    ¡°Who? Him?¡± The guard frowned, looking at Vash. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Wayfarer business.¡± Corwin said, tucking the medallion back into his shirt.

    ¡°He¡¯s due to visit the headsman in the morning.¡± The guard said, stubbornly. ¡°Duke¡¯s orders.¡±

    Corwin grinned, crossing his arms across his chest. ¡°I just came from the Ducal Palace. Things may have changed. Might want to look into that. In the meantime¡­¡± Corwin looked at Vash. ¡°I need a word with your prisoner.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± The guard said. He pulled on the cell door, which was still locked tight. He felt along his belt, then looked up at Vash. The guard held out a hand. ¡°Keys.¡±

    Vash handed over the keyring.

    The guard sorted through the keys, found the right one, and unlocked the cell. Walking out, he looked down at Vash. ¡°You don¡¯t go anywhere. You and me are gonna have a conversation once this is sorted.¡±

    The guard headed for the door and tried to push past Corwin, but since Corwin was now the human equivalent of a brick wall, had to squeeze past him in a kind of awkward shuffle. The door creaked as the guard left. Vash and Corwin were now alone in the row of cells.

    Silence descended.

    It had been two years since Vash had seen Corwin. A lot had happened in that time.

    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re feeding you well.¡± Vash said, sitting up against the wall.

    Corwin quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, so you do recognize me. I was afraid I¡¯d tracked down the wrong snarky part-elven asshole.¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like I expected my boyhood friend to show up and ruin my escape from prison.¡± Vash said.

    ¡°Fair.¡± Corwin shrugged.

    ¡°Why are you here ruining my escape from prison, by the way?¡±

    ¡°We heard about Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow.¡± Corwin said.

    The flames, the panic, and the screams welled up in Vash¡¯s memory. He walled off the emotion, slipping a mask of callous indifference in its place. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°The Wayfarers put out a quest. The Grandmasters wanted the truth about what happened. My master and I were in the area, we took the job.¡±

    ¡°And what did you find out? Let me guess, a group of elvish half-breeds were running a criminal empire out of the shacks, tents, and shelters of the Hollow? They stole some ancient trinket vital to the Duke¡¯s stability, and when the Duke sent in his troops to get it back, these same criminals burned out their poor neighbors to escape?¡± Vash asked, proud that he only let a small amount of his bitterness and contempt slip.

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t occur to you that the Duke¡¯s story might be entirely bullshit?¡±

    ¡°Not to me, but my master has a healthy distrust of authority.¡± Corwin said.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°So we did some digging.¡± Corwin said. ¡°Came across a family. They had gotten trapped by the fires. Nice folks, the father got hurt, wife was trying to corral three terrified young kids. The Duke¡¯s troops were blocking every way out. They told tell of a young guy, much like yourself, who brought them through the fire. Got them across the river.¡±

    ¡°Lucky them.¡± Vash said. The ache in his stomach was beginning to subside. One of the side-effects of using mana was quick healing. He kept an eye out for an opportunity to scramble past Corwin. Maybe if I can distract him¡­

    ¡°Their description reminded me of my old friend Vash.¡± Corwin said. ¡°Especially the Vagabond brand, not many folks are walking around with that one.¡±

    Vash didn¡¯t respond, carefully keeping his face neutral.

    ¡°Then there was the attack on the Duke¡¯s palace. Lots of these elvish troublemakers got themselves killed, most scattered if they could escape. But there was one they captured. Imagine my surprise when I found out who it was,¡± Corwin said.

    ¡°Surprised you recognized me, haven¡¯t heard from you in, what? Two years?¡± Vash said.

    Corwin looked self-conscious. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t know what had happened to you after we left Durron¡¯s Ford.¡±

    ¡°Kicked out.¡± Vash corrected. ¡°They kicked us out, Corwin.¡±

    ¡°I went to the Guild, the Wayfarers, I mean. To see if I could do something. The lodge here in Sathsholm wasn¡¯t very optimistic,¡± Corwin said. ¡°You and your friends really kicked a hornet¡¯s nest.¡±

    Maybe ask your friends about how part-blood elves get shoved into slums, forced into hard labor for pittance. Vash thought, his blood roiling. ¡°Well, we tried invited the Duke over for tea and to talk over our differences, but he burned our homes down.¡±

    Corwin had the decency to look ashamed again. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s an old statute, part of the charter of the Grand Alliance. A prisoner can volunteer to join the Wayfarers as part of a quest of the ruler¡¯s choosing. If they do, then their sentence is mitigated. Well, so long as they remain a member in good standing with the Guild. The Duke has set a quest for you. You just have to agree to join. And I said to Jabez that we¡¯ve needed a rogue anyway, so I came to see¡­¡± Corwin trailed off, letting the awkward silence descend.

    ¡°Came to see what, Corwin?¡± Vash asked. ¡°Came to see if I¡¯d forgiven you for letting Kat drag us into that stupid job? Or maybe you came to see if I¡¯d say ¡®I told you so¡¯ about Nyx? By the way, I told you so about Nyx.¡±

    ¡°They branded me too.¡± Corwin said, brows drawing together like thunderclouds. ¡°I was a vagabond for months. Couldn¡¯t stay in any town more than two nights. I was cheated, robbed, and beaten with no place to turn, same as you.¡±

    ¡°Not the same.¡± Vash said, anger welling up inside. ¡°You¡¯re at least human. These ¡ª ¡° Vash gestured to the pointed tips of his ears, ¡°¡ªmean I get run out of town before they notice the vagabond brand. For the gods¡¯ sake, the guards took my shoes before chasing me across the river back home. You went north with you ma¡¯s sewing money. I went south barefoot and penniless.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it fell out that way,¡± Corwin said, meeting Vash¡¯s gaze. ¡°I wanted to make amends, and this gave me the opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? How do you figure?¡± Vash asked, leaning back against the wall. Completely relaxed, you can let your guard down, big guy.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad life.¡± Corwin continued, noticing the look on Vash¡¯s face. ¡°You do some good. Earn some coin. The best part is, so long as you¡¯re part of the Guild, they wipe out your vagabond status. Rise to the rank of a full Wayfarer and you can leave the Guild freed from the vagabond mark.¡±

    I¡¯ve already got a ¡®Guild¡¯ of my own. Vash thought, sourly. A clean slate, though, no vagabond mark.

    ¡°How long does it take?¡± Vash asked.

    ¡°Depends on how hard you work.¡± Corwin shrugged. ¡°Five years, maybe more. I¡¯ve still got pretty far to go, but I¡¯m not complaining.¡±

    The door creaked open. A balding man with a stocky build strode into the room. He wore a gray tunic slashed with green, the colors of the Duke¡¯s Inquisitors. Vash¡¯s guard friend followed close behind, a wide grin on his rat-like face. The Inquisitor, who was apparently in charge, stepped in front of Corwin. He took a moment and sized the younger man up.

    ¡°Wayfarers.¡± The Inquisitor scoffed. ¡°Glorified pest control for superstitious farmers up in the mountains. I am Inquisitor Jacen Glauch. My man says that you are here to discuss my prisoner, that right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I need his expertise for a quest.¡± Corwin said.

    ¡°This one¡¯s bound for the headsman.¡± Glauch said, face neutral. He spoke as though this was a natural fact and not in dispute. ¡°Duke¡¯s orders.¡±

    ¡°The quest comes from the Duke himself.¡± Corwin said. ¡°He¡¯s making a show of mercy while currying favor with the Collegium Arcanum.¡±

    ¡°The only problem plaguing the city that I¡¯ve noticed.¡± Glauch said, turning his gaze towards Vash. ¡°Are the half-breeds that keep showing up on our doorstep. I¡¯d thought that we were rid of the problem when we dealt with Ragpickers Hollow.¡±

    Vash looked back into those cold, gray eyes and recognized them. He¡¯d seen Glauch before. The Inquisitor had been wearing a helm that had obscured most of his face. He had been commanding a squad of crossbowmen on the riverside ramparts. They had been shooting refugees who were fleeing from the fires in Ragpickers Hollow. Glauch had stood out in front and pointed out fleeing part-elves to his men. It had taken all of Vash¡¯s skill to get one family safely across the river.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the order right here,¡± Corwin said, still smiling affably. He took out a folded paper sealed with emerald wax. The Duke¡¯s seal was plainly visible.

    Glauch glanced at the paper. For a moment, Vash thought he was going to refuse to even look at i. Eventually he plucked the letter from Corwin¡¯s fingers. Glauch broke the seal and scanned the letter within. His face remained impassive, though he read it over several times.

    ¡°This is merely a delay.¡± Glauch scoffed. ¡°This one could never uphold the standards of any Guild, even one as¡­open as the Wayfarers. He might as well submit to the headsman now. Spare me the trouble of tracking him down again.¡±

    The entire time, Glauch didn¡¯t even glance at Vash. The conversation was with the other real person in the room, the other human. He felt anger rising again and took a deep breath to steady himself.

    ¡°That right, Vash?¡± Corwin asked. ¡°Are you bound for the headsman, or are you coming with me?¡±

    Vash considered the situation. He could wait and gamble that the Iona or another Eth Mitaan come to rescue him. They hadn¡¯t come when his team was cornered in the palace. Not when Quin was bleeding out on the floor in front of him, or when Jak had taken a crossbow bolt through the chest, and certainly not when Pya¡¯s rope had been cut and she had plummeted fifty feet to the cobblestones below.

    The weak get eaten. Vash recalled Byar¡¯s favorite saying.

    It wasn¡¯t likely that anyone was coming for him. He could try to escape on his own. However, only having one night made things difficult.

    Corwin was waiting, a question in his eyes.

    I can always run once we¡¯re away from the city. Vash thought. I think I can ditch a few adventurers.

    ¡°What the hell.¡± Vash said, getting to his feet. ¡°A little adventure might be good for me.¡±

    The Inquisitor held up one hand. He turned slowly to face Vash. Those cold gray eyes bored into his own. ¡°This is a temporary reprieve. Creatures like you can¡¯t help what you are. You will fail at your quest, or you will fail as a Wayfarer. It doesn¡¯t matter, when you fail, I will be there to bring you back for the punishment you know in your heart that you deserve.¡±

    Vash held Glauch¡¯s stare. Blood thundered in his ears. It would be so easy to reach out and snap the Inquisitor¡¯s neck. He had done it to guardsmen before.

    The punishment you know in your heart you deserve.

    Glauch¡¯s lips twitched in a parody of a smile. He saw something change in Vash¡¯s eyes. ¡°Step out of line, just once, and I will have you.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be good.¡± Corwin said, putting a firm hand on Vash¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Won¡¯t you, Vash?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Vash said with a winning smile. Play this game in the street, Inquisitor, and we¡¯ll see who gets the punishment they deserve.

    ¡°You can trust me.¡±

 Episode 2: Meet The New Boss

    Vash glanced over his shoulder. As he trailed behind Corwin, the towering edifice of Graystone Prison faded away in the distance. The knot in his stomach hadn¡¯t released until they had passed beneath the Wailing Gate. The prison¡¯s infamous entrance was the last glimpse of freedom for condemned men before execution. Rumor was that hardened men, nobles, knights, warriors, had broken down sobbing when those doors slammed closed behind them. Which was how the ¡°Wailing Gate¡± got its name.

    Corwin weaved through the pedestrian traffic in the square outside the gate. He led them towards the northwest districts of the city, away from Vash¡¯s familiar haunts in the marshes and slums on the east side of the river.

    I wonder how long it would take for him to notice I wasn¡¯t following him. Vash mused, slowing his pace and falling back. First one stride, then two.

    ¡°Hurry up, Vash.¡± Corwin said, not even turning to look at him. ¡°Jabez doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting.¡±

    Scowling, Vash sped up to join Corwin. As he got closer, Vash felt a thrumming in his Core, like it was tuning in to a similar vibration.

    Detect Mana. Vash thought. An old trick used by the Talented to keep track of one another in a group, or lock onto a target in combat. There were ways around it. Vash didn¡¯t want Corwin to know all of his tricks yet. Let him get comfortable, then I can make a break for it.

    ¡°Where are we headed?¡± Vash asked, affecting a nonchalant attitude.

    ¡°We¡¯re meeting my Master up in Traveler¡¯s Row.¡± Corwin said, sidestepping a pile of horse dung. ¡°We have rooms at an inn by the Wayfarer¡¯s Gate.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit on the nose.¡±

    ¡°The Glory Road starts at the Wayfarer¡¯s Gate.¡± Corwin said, pleasantly. "It makes sense for us Wayfarers to lodge there. Besides, Traveler¡¯s Row has Guild rates and our cash flow situation has been¡­light, lately.¡±

    Vash snorted derisively.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Vash said, scanning the road ahead. They were traveling up the Street of Blades, a row of blacksmiths, weapons makers, and armorers. Most of the criminal underworld of Sathsholm patronized these shops. A prime spot to loiter and observe arrivals from work gangs or prison barges. Knowing when the Ducal Guard had released a rival was very important information, and could be worth some decent coin. Vash spotted a few young boys clustered by the public fountain. As he and Corwin passed, the boys suddenly took to their feet and darted off in various directions.

    Now the entire city knows I¡¯m off the chopping block. Vash thought.

    ¡°Nothing? Really?¡± Corwin said, looking down at Vash. ¡°Nothing you have to say?¡±

    You really want to know, big man? All right. Vash shrugged. ¡°Just that it¡¯s my luck to not only get drafted into your Guild, but I¡¯m also drafted into an adventuring group who is apparently bad at adventuring.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not bad,¡± Corwin said, defensively. ¡°We¡¯re just more interested in saving lives than collecting coin for it.¡±

    ¡°In my book, that means you¡¯re bad at it,¡± Vash said, glancing at alleyways and rooftops. I doubt if anyone is waiting for me out here, but it never hurts to be cautious.

    Corwin was silent, eyes ahead on the street, carefully weaving past other pedestrians and detritus in the road. Vash got the feeling that he had offended the big man. Strangely, he felt bad about that. Corwin had been a friend once, and in his own mixed up way, was trying to be again.

    ¡°So,¡± Vash said, changing the subject, ¡°who¡¯s this Master of yours? Also, I¡¯m not big on the term ¡®master¡¯, so I won¡¯t be calling him that.¡±

    ¡°Jabez Ironbiter,¡± Corwin said, ¡°he brought me into the Guild back when¡ªwell, back when I was a Vagabond. He¡¯s a good guy, so be nice.¡±

    ¡°Ironbiter?¡± Vash asked. ¡°Sounds dwarfish.¡±

    ¡°Maybe because he¡¯s a dwarf.¡±

    Vash made a face. ¡°Elves and dwarves don¡¯t get along.¡±

    ¡°Good thing you¡¯re not really an elf, right?¡±

    ¡°Watch it, mal¡¯sodla.¡± Vash growled, tamping down a flash of anger.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Corwin held up his hands, surprised. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. You never used to claim your elvish side.¡±

    ¡°Things change in two years.¡± Vash said, voice tight. ¡°I learned to embrace certain parts of myself.¡±

    Corwin nodded, but didn¡¯t press any further.

    Old, reliable Corwin. Vash thought. There to be a friendly ear, but he never dug any deeper. Never wanted to get involved in someone else¡¯s business. There were more than a few times that Vash could have used someone getting involved. Those days were long past, though.

    ¡°What does ¡®mall sod-ya¡¯ mean?¡± Corwin asked, brows furrowed.

    ¡°Mal¡¯sodla.¡± Vash corrected. ¡°It¡¯s Vanan, high elvish, it means ¡®bad blood¡¯.¡±

    ¡°You speak elvish now?¡±

    ¡°Some. Probably about as well as you speak Old Malconian.¡± Vash shrugged.

    ¡°Probably better. That language died with the old empire for a reason.¡± Corwin said, making a disgusted face. ¡°The nominative case shall always remain a mystery to me.¡±

    Silence fell over them as they crossed the western canal. Small boats passed underneath the bridge, ferrying goods and people to the Riverside district a few blocks away. The streets were becoming more crowded as they neared Traveler¡¯s Row. People and carts were moving either towards the gates or towards the river. Sathsholm served as a crossroads for trade with the southern kingdoms, both the Great River Obrun and the smaller Summerwine river flowed past the city. The buildings were a hodge-podge of old stone construction and more recent wooden structures built out into the deltas and marshes between the rivers. Sathsholm sprawled over the northern bank of Lake Marallon, a body of water more like an inland sea than a lake. The lake provided water transport to the southern kingdom of Patria and the high elven kingdom of Vanan Esain. Bustling trade and travelers seeking their fortune filled the city. The districts of Traveler¡¯s Row, Riverside, and Reedport catered to these temporary residents. Traveler¡¯s Row, however, was more dedicated to those who fought monsters and raided dungeons for a living. It was rowdier, crowded with mercenaries, hedge-wizards, and rangers of all sorts. The shops sold weapons and armor, dungeon delving gear, travel supplies, and all the other bits and bobs needed by those who proclaimed themselves ¡°adventurers¡±.

    Vash hated to admit that he had spent a lot of time in Traveler¡¯s Row, frequenting taverns and eavesdropping on the adventures of the men and women who braved the infamous ¡°Glory Road¡±. He had considered, more than once, asking to join one of those groups and setting off to find adventure. But he always went back home.

    He had obligations.

    Oaths to fulfill.

    Duties I have to get back to. Vash thought.

    They finally turned off the High Street and into Traveler¡¯s Row. The Row was only a few blocks in size, a clustering of buildings running along one long street from the western canal to the Wayfarer¡¯s Gate. The small gate had only a token guard force, none of which were bothering to check the business of the travel-worn folk that passed by them.

    Shadows were lengthening, and the sun began to dip beyond city walls, early evening, but the party seemed in full-swing in the various taverns, gaming halls, and other entertainment venues. Vash remembered Iona telling him that if Traveler¡¯s Row ever goes quiet, then you knew something was terribly wrong in the city. Adventurers, most of them with Talents, all spending what coin they had before heading back out into the wilderness.

    The early spring evening was cool and devoid of the humidity that would plague the city in the sweltering summer months. Adventurers lounged at outdoor tables and in beer-gardens. Vash spotted various diverse groups sharing tables, pairings that would be unheard of in the more stratified parts of the city. Humans mixed with elves, the latter watching their raucous companions with detached puzzlement. Halflings flitted from group to group, making conversation, sharing songs or sampling dishes with their companions. There were a few groups of dwarves, though they kept to themselves, watching the rest of the world with disapproval from beneath their heavy leather hoods.

    Vash was so busy people-watching that he almost ran into Corwin when he stopped in front of a small inn set back slightly from the Row. There were no outdoor tables or fancy decorations, just a simple sign proclaiming it the Wandering Wayfarer with a small Wayfarer crest carved into one corner. Corwin pointed out the device. ¡°That means the owner has Guild ties. We get discounted rates and can turn in bounties anywhere that has that crest.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Fascinating.¡± Vash said, unimpressed by the shabby exterior. The inn was far enough off the main road that the two larger establishments overshadowed it on either side. Vash had been to the other two taverns, they had gambling and bards. The Wandering Wayfarer, on the other hand, was silent and closed off. The only way to tell that it wasn¡¯t abandoned was by the glow of firelight in the windows.

    Corwin sighed. ¡°Come on.¡±

    The interior was small and dimly lit. Vash couldn¡¯t really tell if it was worse than the outside or the same. At least it looked clean and well-kept. A short L-shaped bar functioned both for serving drinks and for checking in guests for the rooms upstairs. The narrow flight of stairs to the left of the front door ran right behind the bar and looked like they could barely hold a single guest at a time. A cluster of tables formed a loose half-circle around a good-sized hearth. The small fire warded off the chill of the evening, but was not large enough to make the room uncomfortable if the tables filled up.

    Though that¡¯s not likely. Vash thought, taking in the evening¡¯s customers. A pair of older human men sat near the fire eating bowls of some sort of soup. Three women spoke quietly, with a halfling in one corner. They glanced up when he and Corwin entered, then returned quickly to their business.

    The only other patron was a stocky dwarf seated at a table removed from the others. Vash suspected that the dwarf was middle-aged, as such things might be measured by his people, which would put him somewhere between one-hundred fifty and two-hundred. Gray was touching the dwarf¡¯s auburn beard, and he had deep frown lines at the corners of his eyes and around his mouth. He was leafing through a battered book and nursing a pint of something dark with a frothy head. The dwarf looked up when the door opened and gave Corwin a nod of recognition before giving Vash a once-over. His face settled into a deep frown of discomfort, then waved them both over.

    ¡°You took your time.¡± The dwarf grumbled, still watching Vash carefully. ¡°I thought you were planning on being back by mid-afternoon.¡±

    ¡°There were some issues at the prison.¡± Corwin said, taking a seat to the dwarf¡¯s right. ¡°An Inquisitor wanted to throw his weight around.¡±

    ¡°Is that going to be a problem?¡±

    Corwin shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll be on the road in a day or so. Once we¡¯re out of the city, I doubt there¡¯s much they can do.¡±

    The dwarf grunted, half acknowledgment and half irritation. Then he turned his sharp gray eyes on Vash¡¯s face. ¡°So this is your elf friend?¡±

    ¡°Part-elf.¡± Vash corrected.

    Giving Vash a sour look, the dwarf shut his book and kicked out the chair on his other side. ¡°Boy, you¡¯re going to find that very few folk outside of the gods-damned knife-ears themselves are going to care if you''re full elf, half elf, or one-tenth on your mother¡¯s side. You got the ears, you¡¯re an elf. The sooner you accept that, the easier life is going to get out there.¡±

    Oh, this is going to be fun. Vash thought, bitterly. He kept his mouth shut, though, and took the offered seat.

    The dwarf took a swig from his mug, ale dribbling out of the corners of his mouth and dampening his beard. Lowering the mug, he wiped the foam from his mustache with his sleeve. Vash noted the cuff was frayed and faded from long wear, with stains from leather and sweat. Faded scars on the backs of the dwarf¡¯s hands and across his knuckles were easy to see.

    A fighter, Vash mused. Hard up for coin since that¡¯s an old tunic. But he must be a pretty good fighter, since those scars are all old, nothing too recent. Iona had taught him to ¡®read¡¯ opponents over many long nights at taverns all over the city. A fighter with old scars meant that he had learned from them and gotten better.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t do us any good to sit here and give each other the stink-eye all night.¡± The dwarf grumbled. ¡°You can call me Jabez. I¡¯m Corwin¡¯s teacher and sponsor in the Wayfarers.¡±

    ¡°He called you his master.¡± Vash said, glancing at Corwin.

    ¡°That¡¯s my title,¡± Jabez said, ¡°I¡¯m a fifth-rank Master, I think. I haven¡¯t looked at the rankings in a while. I¡¯m not big on the formalities.¡±

    ¡°Good, I wasn¡¯t going to call you master.¡±

    ¡°Jabez will do fine.¡± The dwarf said, lifting his mug again. ¡°And what do I call you, other than elf boy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Vash.¡±

    Jabez paused and cocked his head. ¡°That¡¯s an unusual one. Your mother just named you ¡®son¡¯.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Corwin asked, confused.

    ¡°The word ¡®vash¡¯ means ¡®son¡¯, in Vanan.¡± Vash explained, then turned to Jabez. ¡°No, my full name is Liellovash.¡±

    Jabez nearly choked on his ale. He coughed and spluttered for a minute, blinking in surprise.

    Yeah, it¡¯s real funny. Vash thought, waiting for the inevitable.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­very unusual.¡± Jabez said when he finished coughing.

    ¡°Why?¡± Corwin asked. ¡°What¡¯s it mean?¡±

    ¡°Loosely translated, it means ¡®son of a bitch¡¯.¡± Vash said, giving Corwin a sharp look.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Corwin said, surprised.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask ¡ª¡± Jabez said, waving off Vash¡¯s dark look.

    ¡°My mother didn¡¯t know much elvish.¡± Vash cut in. ¡°The last words my father said to her before he left were Liellovash. She thought it was an elvish farewell, and it sounded nice.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Jabez said. ¡°I¡¯ll just stick to Vash, if it¡¯s all the same.¡±

    Vash shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been called worse.¡±

    Corwin was looking more and more uncomfortable. Not going the way you thought, big guy? Vash thought. Maybe this wasn¡¯t such a good idea. You can let me run off to the Eth Mitaan, assuage your guilt and let me get back to my life.

    ¡°Now that introductions are out of the way, let¡¯s get down to business.¡± Jabez said, pushing away his mug and flipping through the pages of the battered book in front of him on the table.

    ¡°According to the guard, you ran with a group of criminals that all possessed Talents. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°We weren¡¯t criminals.¡± Vash countered.

    Jabez looked up, giving Vash a blank look. ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°We helped the part-elves in Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow.¡± Vash said. ¡°We protected them, provided food, clothes, medicine ¡ª ¡°

    ¡°Killed rival gangs who impinged on your territory?¡± Jabez replied. ¡°Smuggled Therium salts and redleaf through the Riverside docks?¡±

    ¡°We had to get money somehow.¡± Vash said, bitterly. ¡°And those rival gangs would have killed our people, made things even worse in the Hollow.¡±

    ¡°You also ran loan operations through various front businesses.¡± Jabez said, looking down at a sheet of notes that he had used as a placeholder in his book. ¡°I¡¯m sure your people gave generous terms and were very understanding about repayment options.¡±

    Vash remained silent. That part of the business had always rubbed him the wrong way. Byar said that it was necessary, a source of funds, to fight their oppressors. Vash thought it was merely taking advantage of people who had nowhere else to go.

    ¡°We¡¯ll come back to that another time, I suppose,¡± Jabez said. ¡°But your group had Talents, and they taught you, right?¡±

    ¡°They did.¡± Vash admitted.

    ¡°So, what did they teach you?¡± Jabez asked. ¡°There''re different skills needed for an adventurer than for¡­whatever you were.¡±

    Vash bit back a retort. ¡°They taught me a variety of skills I might need. Enhance Ability was first, mostly focusing on speed and accuracy. Detect Mana to locate targets and work with the team. Shadowmeld to hide from enemies.¡±

    ¡°How dark do you need it for that one to work?¡± Jabez asked, taking out a nub of a pencil and scribbling some notes on his scrap of paper.

    ¡°Twilight is good, full dark is better.¡± Vash said he felt strange admitting to the abilities the Eth Mitaan taught him, but proud as well. He had worked hard to gain those Talents. ¡°Sneak Attack and Waylay on the combat side of things.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? What rank were those?¡± Jabez asked, continuing to make notes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how the Wayfarers do their rankings.¡± Vash said. ¡°But I had progressed to the third level on both.¡±

    ¡°Iron Rank 3.¡± Jabez noted. ¡°Decent for an apprentice.¡±

    Vash wanted to contest the ¡®apprentice¡¯ part, but he didn¡¯t want to admit to some of his other abilities, the ones that he knew were unusual or looked on with suspicion.

    ¡°Anything else?¡± Jabez asked, looking up.

    Vash shook his head. ¡°Just developing my Core and mana capacity.¡±

    Jabez frowned, looking down at the sheet in front of him. ¡°For a criminal gang operating on the outskirts, this is a good start. For a Wayfarer it¡¯s all wrong.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Corwin asked, looking concerned.

    ¡°His focus is on combat.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Apprentice Wayfarers focus more on delver¡¯s Talents: Detect Traps, Lockpick, Waysight, Move Silently, Mindmap, those sorts of things. Getting to Iron Rank 3 in Sneak Attack is great for taking out a group of goblins, but you and I can do that more efficiently with our Talents. What we need is someone who can guide us through a dungeon while avoiding traps. Someone who can move past enemies unseen and get into a better position. A few ranger Talents wouldn¡¯t go amiss either.¡±

    ¡°He can learn those, though.¡± Corwin said, trying to reassure Vash. ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a rogue.¡± Jabez shrugged. ¡°We¡¯d have to get him seen by a Master Delver at the Lodge to find out if he has any chance of learning the more subtle Talents.¡±

    Corwin tried to hide his wince, but Vash noticed. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s an extra cost associated with consulting one of the Lodge Masters, besides the price of your membership,¡± Jabez said, closing his book. ¡°And I¡¯m sure Corwin mentioned that we¡¯re low on funds.¡±

    ¡°Cost?¡± Vash inquired in as neutral a voice as he could manage. ¡°No one mentioned a cost to all this.¡±

    Corwin started speak, likely to make some sort awkward apology, but Jabez cut him off. ¡°There¡¯s a registration fee of 3,500 gold to the Wayfarers, a 1,500 gold application fee to the Delver¡¯s League, partially refundable upon reaching Journeyman rank, five-hundred gold for a Wayfarer amulet, seven-hundred fifty for Guild affiliate membership, and five-hundred to the widows and orphans fund.¡±

    ¡°Almost seven-thousand gold to join your little club?¡± Vash asked incredulously.

    ¡°That¡¯s not counting training fees from Lodge Masters,¡± Jabez said, impassively. ¡°I can teach you a lot about basic adventuring, but Delver talents are beyond me. The one here in Sathsholm will probably charge between two-fifty and three-hundred for an evaluation.¡±

    ¡°No wonder you people are always broke.¡± Vash muttered. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can afford that much, considering I just got out of prison. Judging by your choice of lodgings, I¡¯m guessing you can¡¯t either.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic.¡± Corwin said in a placating tone. ¡°I thought it was impossible when Jabez told me the first time, too. The Guild works on credit. You just owe a larger portion of any quest rewards or bounties to the Guild until your debt is repaid.¡±

    ¡°How long does that take?¡±

    ¡°A while.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Work hard and you can discharge your debt by the time you¡¯re a Journeyman. That is, if you earn your ranks.¡±

    ¡°Who decides if I earn my ranks?¡± Vash asked, suspicious.

    ¡°I do.¡± Jabez said, voice carefully neutral.

    ¡°I see,¡± Vash said. He couldn¡¯t help but see the reluctance and irritation in Jabez¡¯s eyes. He doesn¡¯t want this, he definitely doesn¡¯t want me. ¡°This was an amazing idea, Corwin. I¡¯m sure the Inquisitors can have me back in my cell by morning. They¡¯ll probably even keep their deposit on the headsman.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Vash.¡± Corwin protested. ¡°You haven¡¯t even given it a chance ¡ª ¡°

    ¡°What chance?¡± Vash countered. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want me. Doesn¡¯t know how to train me. Even if I make it, I won¡¯t have the money to advance. So, tell me Corwin, what chance do I have?¡±

    ¡°Enough of that.¡± Jabez snapped. ¡°When Corwin came to me with this fool idea, I thought he was daft. I don¡¯t know you. I heard of your friends. The Eth Mitaan? Never anything good. What you did in Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow is the first selfless thing I heard about those butchers. Also, Corwin feels he owes you a chance. So, I¡¯m willing to give you one,¡± Jabez said, his face like stone and eyes flinty. ¡°I will tell you this, though. If we¡¯re wrong, and you turn out to be what they say you are. The Inquisitors won¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll end you myself. Understand?¡±

    A statement like that would normally have earned a snide remark from Vash. There was something in Jabez¡¯s eyes that told him that this was no idle threat. The older dwarf had the same look that Byar had when sending them out to do some bloody work. A thrum of mana from the dwarf¡¯s Core told Vash not to push his luck. Vash dropped his eyes.

    Jabez let out a long breath. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve gotten that out of our system. When was the last time you ate?¡±

 Episode 3: Bed and Breakfast

    Dinner was an awkward affair. Vash was not interested in conversation, but the prospect of actual food after three days on the run from the Duke¡¯s Guard after Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow was too tempting to give up. The barmaid, a woman in her middle-years with a few strands of gray threaded through her dark brown hair, brought them bowls of soup and generous hunks of crusty bread. The soup was hearty, if plain. Vegetables and rice with some shredded chicken meat thrown in. Vash didn¡¯t care. He attacked the bowl like he had a bottomless pit to fill in his stomach.

    ¡°Nice to see someone appreciating my soup.¡± The barmaid said, leveling a pointed look at Corwin.

    Corwin held up his hands in self-defense. ¡°I just said it needed a bit of salt.¡±

    The woman scoffed, then turned to Jabez. ¡°Drinks for the lads?¡±

    ¡°Round of ales, thank you,¡± Jabez said in a low rumble Vash was coming to realize was his customary manner of speaking. ¡°And we¡¯ll take our room afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Room¡¯s only got two beds. Want me to toss in a pallet for the new boy?¡± The barmaid asked, gesturing at Vash.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble.¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± The barmaid said. ¡°Those rangers left this afternoon, so we have a few spares. Merchant group heads out in the morning, so we might have enough guild-rate rooms available tomorrow night for you all to bunk private. That is, if you¡¯re staying another night?¡±

    ¡°That depends.¡± Jabez said, breaking his bread and dunking it into his bowl. ¡°Taking this one to the Lodge tomorrow. If our business ends early, then we may head out in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Just let me know.¡± The barmaid shrugged and left to go fetch drinks.

    After she left, Jabez flipped open his book again and made a notation on his bookmark. Vash glanced over and saw it was a running tally of numbers. From what he could see, those numbers were quite low. Jabez looked up and noticed him peeking at his notes. The dwarf frowned and closed the book.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Vash said, flippant. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a running tally of your expenses was a big secret.¡±

    ¡°Not a secret.¡± Jabez grumbled. ¡°I just expect to have my privacy respected. Just like I¡¯ll respect yours if you become my apprentice.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Vash asked, doubtfully.

    Jabez sat back, chewing, and held Vash in a long gaze. Once his mouth was clear, he heaved a sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask about the Vagabond mark on your arm. Didn¡¯t ask about your Eth Mitaan friends. You join the Wayfarers and your past is your past. So long as you do the job, then it can stay in the past. It¡¯s a fresh start, boy. Most folk don¡¯t get that in this life.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like being called ¡®boy¡¯.¡± Vash said, sullen. He never enjoyed being lectured or when people proved him wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Jabez said as the barmaid returned with three tankards.

    ¡°Here we go, gents.¡± She said, placing a tankard by each of them. Stopping by Vash, she gave him a thoughtful look. ¡°You look familiar. Have you been here before?¡±

    Vash shook his head. ¡°No, sorry.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s local to the city.¡± Corwin explained. ¡°You might have seen him around.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± the barmaid said, giving Vash another look, noting his pointed ears. ¡°Hope you weren¡¯t out in Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow. Terrible business what happened out there.¡±

    ¡°What do you think happened out there?¡± Vash asked, keeping his voice pleasant.

    ¡°Vash.¡± Corwin said, his voice holding a warning note.

    The barmaid took a slight step back and frowned down at him. ¡°What I heard happened was that a lot of innocent folk got caught up in a pissing match between the Duke and one of the gangs. Things escalated, now the Hollow is burnt out, and the gang got themselves wiped out when they tried to get revenge. Sound about right to you?¡±

    Vash wanted to say something pithy and cutting, like Iona would have. But what the barmaid said cut pretty close to the reality of the situation. The Eth Mitaan had tweaked the Duke¡¯s nose one too many times. It shouldn¡¯t have happened like that, but they had gotten reckless, drunk on their own success. Now their own people were paying for their hubris.

    ¡°Room¡¯s ready when you are.¡± The barmaid said to Jabez, then strode off to help other customers.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be a delightful traveling companion.¡± Jabez said, taking a deep drink from his tankard. ¡°Do you piss off everyone you meet, or just people trying to be nice to you?¡±

    Vash stayed silent but glanced up at Corwin, who gave him a look of pity, then concentrated on his own bowl. For the first time in a long time, Vash felt very alone.

    <hr>

    The pallet on the floor hadn¡¯t been too bad. Stuffed with rushes, with a clean sheet and blanket, it was the most comfortable bed he¡¯d slept on all week. The competing snores coming from Jabez and Corwin, however, were another matter. Exhaustion had finally taken him sometime deep in the night as he counted the heartbeats between when Jabez would stop breathing and when he would restart with a loud, sudden snort.

    Vash slept fitfully. Dreams of fire, blood, and screams kept bringing him back to consciousness. The unfamiliar locale didn¡¯t help either. Every creak on the stairs or footstep in the hallway brought a surge of panic, making him wish for his tiny room back at the temple. It had been cramped and smelled of damp earth and rot, but he knew every footstep that went past his door was a brother or sister.

    When the sun finally rose, Vash felt like he had barely closed his eyes all night. Still, Jabez managed to rise before him and nudge him awake with the toe of his heavy boot. ¡°Come on, lad. Lodge opens soon and we have some work to do.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    From boy to lad. Vash thought as he squirmed out from beneath his blanket. In a week I¡¯ll be ¡°son¡± or ¡°m¡¯boy¡±. Won¡¯t that be fun?

    Corwin was already awake and buckling on a heavy leather jerkin. A sword with a well-worn hilt wrapped in leather lay on the bed beside him. The scabbard was plain, something any mercenary would carry. The pommel had an intricate device worked into the metal, though. That indicated that it had been crafted specifically for someone, making it more than just a common blade. Wonder where he got that? Vash wondered, pulling on his own tunic and searching for where he¡¯d left his boots.

    Jabez hefted a large hammer, the head of which was easily the size of two large fists put together. Dwarvish rune writing was engraved into the head and into the polished wood of the handle. If Vash had to guess, then that hammer was very old and an heirloom of some kind. He had always heard that the dwarves handed down weapons through their families, though usually to favored sons and daughters, not ones who became common Wayfarers.

    The tavern was just as empty as the previous night. Only one woman and the halfling occupied the tables when Vash came down the stairs. The smell of sweetrolls wafted from the kitchen, and Vash felt his stomach growl.

    The halfling looked up at the sound and gave a lopsided grin. ¡°I know the feeling, friend. Lin¡¯s sweetrolls are half the reason I stay at this inn when I come through Sathsholm.¡±

    ¡°I rarely get something that smells like that to break my fast.¡± Vash said, looking at the halfling¡¯s plate and the coil of cinnamon, soft dough, and sugar glaze that was in the middle of swift consumption. ¡°I¡¯m lucky to get anything at all, to be honest.¡±

    The halfling nodded, making his long, curled mustaches bob with the motion of his head. ¡°Oh believe me, I understand. I spend most of my time on the road as well. Not as much as you folk, of course, but a considerable part of the year.¡±

    ¡°Us folk?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re with those Wayfarers, right?¡± The halfling asked, cocking his head slightly. ¡°I saw you with the dwarf and the big man last night.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Vash nodded. ¡°I guess I¡¯m still on probation.¡±

    ¡°Ah, well, good luck. Need more Wayfarers out there on the Glory Road. Ever since the Obrun River Valley opened up, there¡¯s been no end of bandits and other odd things out on the roads. Too much money flowing and not enough swords to keep it safe.¡± The halfling shook his head.

    ¡°I¡­I must have missed the news.¡± Vash said. He¡¯d heard that big things were happening in the north, but big things were always happening in the north and it hadn¡¯t concerned him yet.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    The halfling gave a broad grin and leaned closer, as though he were sharing a great secret. ¡°Only the biggest news in the past century. Dwermothrax, the dread is dead!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­good?¡±

    ¡°Dwermothrax was a bloody old dragon. One of the great wyrms. He claimed a vast valley up in the mountains, the headwaters of the Great Obrun river itself, and ruled it like a great scaly tyrant. A few small settlements were allowed up there. Shepherds, farmers, that sort of thing. Dwermothrax tolerated them so long as they didn¡¯t put up a fuss when he raided their sheep. Anyway, a couple months back, a few shepherd boys were tracking some wayward sheep, and they came across Dwermothrax, slinking back into the mountains. His wings were torn to ribbons, and he¡¯d taken great wounds all over his body.¡± The halfling shook his head in amazement. ¡°Still, he was damn terrifying. The boys tried to hide, but he spotted them, told ¡®em that his wounds were mortal and that he wouldn¡¯t be around to keep the valley safe much longer. Told ¡®em that the valley and all its riches belonged to those that could keep it, then warned ¡®em that dark times were coming and that they had to be prepared. Then he crawled into the caves beneath the mountain. Few days later, a great storm could be seen over Drakenvult, the mountain that he made his home. Everyone says that was his death throes. Now there¡¯s a great rush to the valley to find Dwermothrax¡¯s hoard and plunder the riches that he kept us all away from all these years.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a story.¡± Vash said, unsure of how he was supposed to react.

    ¡°Aye, and now there are riches coming down the roads. The first folk in the valley found Therium in the rivers. Big nuggets just lying in the water for the taking. Which means there are bigger seams up in the mountains. Artificers and alchemists will pay through the nose for just a bit of that stuff, but that¡¯s nothing compared to what a wizard will pay for a steady supply.¡± The halfling¡¯s eyes gleamed at the prospect. ¡°But lots of riches means lots of bandits. Which means a load of silver for you folk as caravan guards and bandit patrols.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Vash said, distracted. A tray of sweetrolls was coming out of the kitchen and a plate of them was making its way to the table where Corwin and Jabez were getting settled.

    ¡°I see I¡¯m keeping you from important matters.¡± The halfling chuckled. ¡°I hope we meet again sometime. I¡¯m always looking to make friends with Wayfarers. The name¡¯s Silas Quartercall, of Quartercall¡¯s Fine Goods.¡±

    Silas held out a hand and gave Vash a bright smile. Vash gave a weak grin and accepted the handshake. ¡°Vash Ballard.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Master Ballard.¡± Silas said, pumping Vash¡¯s hand enthusiastically. ¡°If you¡¯re ever in need of coin, look for me on the Glory Road. You and your strapping companions would be most welcome in any caravan I travel with. My partners and I would make it well worth your while.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­uh¡­I¡¯ll let them know.¡± Vash said, letting go of Silas¡¯ hand and backing away. The halfling gave him a jaunty wave, then turned back to his table companion, talking animatedly and digging back into his half-finished sweetroll.

    ¡°Making new friends?¡± Corwin asked when Vash finally joined them.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t trying to.¡± Vash said, still a bit bewildered.

    ¡°That¡¯s halflings for you.¡± Jabez grunted.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen Silas a few times on the Road.¡± Corwin said, tearing into his sweetroll. ¡°Seems a good sort. Always has an idea of where the winds are blowing.¡±

    ¡°He said that the Obrun River Valley is open and that some big dragon is dead.¡± Vash shrugged, reaching for a roll.

    Jabez paused, a mug halfway to his lips. ¡°Dwermothrax the Dread is dead?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what Silas said.¡± Vash said, taking a bite of the roll. It tasted every bit as good as it smelled. He had a hard time not letting out a moan of pleasure. It had been a long time since he¡¯d had any sweets or rich foods. The Eth Mitaan kept him fed, but the meals couldn¡¯t be called high-quality fare.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to look into that.¡± Jabez grumbled, taking a drink from a clay mug of strong tea, cloudy with milk and honey.

    ¡°That¡¯s up the Highland Road, isn¡¯t it?¡± Corwin asked. ¡°I thought nobody went up that way.¡±

    ¡°Because of the bloody great dragon.¡± Jabez said. ¡°There used to be a lot of things in that valley. It was an old outpost during the Malconian Empire. Some of the great wizards had towers up there during the Mage Wars. Who knows how many dungeons have formed since those times?¡±

    ¡°Sounds dangerous.¡± Corwin said.

    ¡°Sounds like an opportunity.¡± Vash countered.

    Jabez gave Vash an appraising look. ¡°Sounds like something we¡¯ll worry about if we can get you Wayfarer status, and if we make good on the quest the Duke gave us to secure your freedom.¡±

    ¡°Corwin mentioned something about that when he came to get me,¡± Vash said, stuffing the last of his roll into his mouth. ¡°What are we supposed to do, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Helping some mage in a village north of here.¡± Corwin said. ¡°Nothing special.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that once we get you squared away.¡± Jabez said, tossing back the last of his tea. ¡°Speaking of which, we should get going before the Lodge gets too busy.¡±

    Corwin nodded, snagging the last roll from the platter and holding it in his teeth while he settled his sword belt.

    Vash rose reluctantly, the sweetroll starting to do some somersaults in his stomach. That¡¯s foolish. I¡¯ve been in the inner sanctum of the Eth Mitaan. I¡¯m not worried about some adventurer¡¯s test. ¡°Anything I should know before we do this?¡±

    Jabez thought for a moment, hefting his hammer onto his shoulder. ¡°Evaluations are different at every Lodge and for every Master. If I had any advice, it¡¯s this: being a Wayfarer isn¡¯t about having a bunch of Talents and magic items, it¡¯s about knowing how to use what you do have to your advantage.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Vash muttered. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t have much of anything.¡±

 Episode 4: The Guild Lodge

    It was a short walk from the Wandering Wayfarer to the Sathsholm Wayfarer¡¯s Lodge. Just a few blocks from the high street in Traveler¡¯s Row. Corwin and Jabez moved confidently through the early morning crowd, heading towards the gate. Jabez returned a few hails from other Wayfarers, but didn¡¯t stop to converse. It seemed like Jabez actively avoided other people, a heavy thundercloud of a look on his face. Corwin, however, would occasionally stop to chat for a few moments, then jog to catch up to Vash and Jabez before they turned a corner and left him behind. Vash kept his eyes open. The little rats from the Street of Blades had spotted him the evening before. He had made plenty of enemies in the other gangs in the city, that he was out in the open and not with the other Eth Mitaan made him vulnerable. Walking about in broad daylight felt like he had a target painted on his back. It was like an itch between his shoulder-blades that he couldn¡¯t scratch.

    Just because I can¡¯t see them yet, Vash thought, doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re not there.

    Mercifully, the walk was over quickly. The Lodge looked like all the other warehouses in the city, a squat, blocky structure with few windows on a cleared lot. A sign hung above the massive double-doors. A device that was the combination of two Malconian runes: the Wanja rune that often stood for mercenary or sellsword in Old Malconian script and the Vekh rune, that meant stranger or traveler without a home. Vash was very familiar with the Vekh rune. A constable in Durron¡¯s Ford had branded one on his forearm. The Vagabond brand was a ¡®merciful¡¯ alternative to death. It was as old as the Malconian Empire, since the Solarians adopted it from them. The mark doomed Vagabonds to spend their lives wandering from place to place. Every country in the Grand Alliance has a law that forbids vagabonds from staying in any town or village longer than two nights. It effectively removed them from society, never allowing the branded to set down roots. The Wayfarers Guild was one of the few groups that took in Vagabonds. Become a Wayfarer and they forgave your mark, but that meant you spent your life as an adventurer. A life that was often hard, painful, and short.

    A hulking, seven-foot tall Orc guarded the door, heavy mace within easy reach. He glanced down with beady, black eyes as Jabez, Corwin, and Vash approached. His voice rumbled like thunder. ¡°What¡¯s your business?¡±

    If the brute intimidated Jabez, he didn¡¯t show it. ¡°New apprentice. Need to get a Delver¡¯s evaluation.¡±

    The Orc looked over at Vash and drew back his lips from his tusks. Vash couldn¡¯t tell if he was smiling or snarling. ¡°Master Eddar will need to look at him before Master Royce can run him through the Gauntlet.¡±

    Jabez frowned. ¡°Eddar about?¡±

    The Orc hooked a thumb towards the door. ¡°He¡¯s in the in his office. In a foul mood, though.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    This time, the Orc bared his tusks in an obvious grin. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll see.¡±

    Jabez let out an annoyed grunt and pushed open one of the great doors. Corwin followed and motioned to Vash to keep up. As he passed beneath the hulking Orc, Vash thought he heard him chuckle, a deep rumbling sound in his chest. It was unnerving.

    After Vash passed through the door, it swung closed behind him with a great boom that echoed through the cavernous front room. Heads looked up at the sound. Tables stood throughout the front room for anyone to use. Several adventuring parties gathered with books, maps, and notes strewn about as they researched various quests. After giving the new arrivals a quick once-over, the adventurers went back to what they were doing, some with annoyed looks at the interruption.

    Directly in front of them was an impressive-looking desk. An older woman sat at the desk, filling out paperwork. Behind her was a large board with cards tacked to the soft wooden surface. The cards hung in precise columns that were labeled Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Vash guessed that those were some sort of ranking system to determine which Wayfarer could take which quest.

    The wall to Vash¡¯s right had several bronze coins with the Wayfarer device embossed on them, hanging from hooks. Each coin had a name written on a card beneath them. Some names looked familiar, but most were unknown to him. Hallways lead back into the depths of the lodge, one next to the quest board, one in the center of the room and one at the far end.

    Jabez approached the clerk at the desk. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Master Eddar. Your Orc at the door said I had to bring my apprentice by before getting an evaluation.¡±

    The clerk looked up from her paperwork, a confused expression on her face. Then she looked past Jabez, spotted Vash, and she looked slightly pained. ¡°Ah yes, you¡¯re the ones. Down the hall behind me, office at the far end.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Jabez said, looking irritated. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    Vash followed Jabez and Corwin back into the halls of the Lodge. The walls were oak-paneled and had a deep, earthy stain, giving the hall the look of a wealthy gentleman¡¯s club. Gilded mage-lamps glowed at regular intervals in the hallway. A few clerks moved with swift efficiency from one room to the next, often clutching stacks of papers.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°This place looks more like a bank than an adventurer¡¯s hall.¡± Vash said.

    ¡°It sort of is a bank.¡± Corwin explained. ¡°Wayfarers have accounts here and credit, which we can spend with affiliated businesses. It¡¯s also a research library, networking hub, center for professional development. It serves a lot of functions within the Guild.¡±

    Vash nodded, glancing into the open rooms as they passed. He saw one set up like a martial school with training dummies and targets. A few young men and women were being put through a series of sword forms under the stern eye of a gray-haired dwarf. Another room was shelf-upon-shelf of books and scrolls. Finally, they came to the end of the hallway and a heavy door with a brass plate at human eye-level. The plate read simply ¡®Lodge Master¡¯.

    Jabez knocked with one heavy fist, then waited. After a few moments, came a call from within. ¡°Come!¡±

    The office had the same oak paneling as the rest of the Lodge, but it shone with recent oiling. Large windows let in the morning sunlight and showed a small private garden just outside. Several portraits hung on the walls, two humans and two elves that Vash didn¡¯t recognize. At one end stood a heavy desk with the device of the Wayfarer¡¯s Guild carved into the front.

    At the desk sat a human. He was in his middle-years with wide wings of gray hair sweeping from his temples, overtaking the chestnut brown of his youth. He wore a pair of optics perched on the end of his nose as he read over a report. Glancing up, he fixed the three of them with a frown and then waved them inside. ¡°Come in, don¡¯t dawdle in the doorway.¡±

    Jabez strode to the center of the room, then let his hammer fall from his shoulder and rest, head-down, on the carpet. The head made a heavy thunk as it came to a rest. Eddar winced, but refrained from commenting. Vash and Corwin flanked Jabez, standing sightly behind the dwarf and at each of his shoulders. Vash wasn¡¯t sure what exactly was going on, but there was a palpable tension in the air.

    Eddar took off his optics and tossed them onto the desk, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Do you have any idea how much trouble you¡¯re causing me, Jabez?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jabez said, dryly. ¡°But I have a feeling you¡¯re about to tell me.¡±

    ¡°When you came by before, I told you that getting one of the Eth Mitaan out of Graystone using Wayfarer privilege was a bad idea. I distinctly remember telling you to drop it.¡± Eddar said. ¡°And now you¡¯re standing here, with one of them standing beside you, and asking for a Guild evaluation.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t just let him die, Master Eddar ¡ª ¡° Corwin began, but Eddar cut him short with a glare.

    ¡°I will get to you later.¡± Eddar said. ¡°You went far beyond the scope of any apprentice in this situation. Going straight to the Duke himself? Are you mad?¡±

    Corwin flushed and looked at his boots.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take it out on the boy,¡± Jabez said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have put the fool notion in his head.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know,¡± Eddar agreed. ¡°And now I have to deal with a Solarian law being invoked here in Galadon because of the frankly bewildering treaties signed at the formation of the Grand Alliance. A law, I might add, that was never invoked in Galadon until yesterday. That Duke Adolus agreed to honor the law and had a quest ready to go in exchange is troubling on many levels.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®a quest ready to go¡¯?¡± Vash asked, puzzled.

    ¡°It means that the Duke had something prepared when Corwin got there to invoke Wayfarer privilege.¡± Jabez said, turning to glare at Corwin over one shoulder. ¡°Which means he knew what we were going to do and then used it to his advantage.¡±

    ¡°When I heard you¡¯d taken a Vagabond as an apprentice, I had thought that was odd. Now you¡¯ve taken two.¡± Eddar said, incredulous. ¡°You should be retired in a Lodge somewhere, Jabez. Instead, you¡¯re running around like it¡¯s the old days and shadowspawn are crawling over the mountains to threaten the realms of men. Not only that, but you¡¯re bringing in folk that have no training, no background in this kind of work, and that actively threatens our position here in the South. This isn¡¯t Solaria or Nosvaral. They haven¡¯t seen the same things down here. So Wayfarers are a curiosity, an interesting bauble to look at for a moment and then ignore. If we cause trouble, then we might be told to pack our bags and leave.¡±

    Jabez looked at Eddar with a stoic gaze. ¡°You finished?¡±

    Eddar sighed. ¡°Yes, I suppose so.¡±

    ¡°Good, I need a Delver evaluation for the boy.¡±

    Eddar sighed and pulled over a heavy, leather-bound ledger. He flipped through pages until he found what he was looking for and grimaced. ¡°Royce has a three-hundred gold fee for evaluation and your debt to the Guild is¡­substantial.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good for it.¡±

    ¡°And if he passes?¡± Eddar asked, making a notation in the ledger. ¡°I¡¯m not sure we can extend credit for registration.¡±

    ¡°We can talk about that after the evaluation.¡±

    Eddar looked up at Jabez and shook his head. ¡°I suppose we can¡¯t save everyone from themselves. Have you ever been on the Delver side of the house?¡±

    ¡°Never had a need.¡± Jabez shrugged.

    ¡°They¡¯re a bit peculiar, but Royce is a fair judge of talent, so he¡¯ll give you a good evaluation,¡± Eddar said, closing the book. ¡°I¡¯m sure Royce knows you¡¯re in the building. He¡¯ll meet you in the common room.¡±

    Jabez nodded to Eddar, turning to leave.

    ¡°One last thing,¡± Eddar said, ¡°Duke Adolus rarely offers quests to the Wayfarers. He usually has private adventurers for this sort of thing, people who don¡¯t ask many questions. I¡¯d be careful out there, if I were you.¡±

    Jabez merely grunted in acknowledgment before turning towards the office door. Vash followed, turning over Eddar¡¯s words in his mind. The Duke has private adventurers. The Duke has an obsession with a variety of items and artifacts from the elder days, before the fall of Malconia. I always thought he just bought them, not that he organized quests.

    The thought of raiding a dungeon for the Duke was galling. He hated the very idea of doing anything for Adolus¡¯ benefit. He was so preoccupied that he didn¡¯t notice that Jabez and Corwin had come to a halt and he nearly tripped over the dwarf.

    ¡°What is it¡ª ¡° Vash began, then looked up to see a group of men in gray tunics slashed with green. They were wandering around the main hall, attempting to look unobtrusive while pointedly looking for something. At the main desk stood a stocky man with a bald head. ¡°Dammit.¡±

    Inquisitor Glauch looked up, his cold gray eyes settling on Vash. His face settled into a look of satisfaction. ¡°Ah, there you are.¡±

 Episode 5: Uninvited Guests

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Corwin asked, drawing himself to his full height and glaring at Glauch. ¡°We haven¡¯t broken the terms of the agreement. There¡¯s no need to be looking for Vash.¡±

    Glauch¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he looked over at Corwin. ¡°I¡¯m here on the Duke¡¯s business. We heard that our little friend here was to receive his evaluation, and I am tasked with providing a thorough report to his Grace on his capabilities.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Why is that?¡± Jabez asked.

    Glauch blinked as though the answer was obvious. ¡°His Grace wishes to determine the likelihood that your group will succeed at the task he has given you. Surely you can¡¯t begrudge him his curiosity. We have seen the Eth Mitaan in action, but we have never really had an accounting of their abilities and¡­weaknesses.¡± Glauch gave Vash an unpleasant smile. ¡°It should prove quite illuminating.¡±

    Vash suppressed a snarl. Watch all you like, mal¡¯sodla, you won¡¯t learn a damn thing. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that I was going to be on display. I would have dressed better.¡±

    Jabez waved an irritated hand at Vash. ¡°Cut that out. We don¡¯t normally have outsiders observing the Gauntlet, but I don¡¯t see the harm, so long as you don¡¯t interfere.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be a fly on the wall,¡± Glauch said, raising a conciliatory hand, ¡°You¡¯ll never know I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Good, now we can discuss the fee.¡± Jabez nodded.

    ¡°Fee?¡± Glauch quirked an eyebrow, suddenly unsure.

    ¡°To observe,¡± Jabez said, ¡°You didn¡¯t think we¡¯d just let you do that for free, did you?¡±

    The look on Glauch¡¯s face almost made Vash smile. Instead, Vash adopted a more casual stance and nodded, as though what Jabez said made perfect sense. Corwin looked confused, but wisely kept his mouth shut.

    ¡°I think a fee of¡­three-fifty is fair.¡± Jabez mused.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, if you think I¡¯m going to pay three hundred and fifty silver¡ª¡°

    ¡°No, that would be gold.¡± Jabez interrupted.

    A dark look passed over Glauch¡¯s face, his cheek twitching in suppressed rage.

    That hit a nerve. Vash thought, looking over the Inquisitor and his team. Glauch¡¯s men drifted towards their leader with an air of false casualness, hands drifting to weapons. They kept glancing towards the Inquisitor, waiting for a signal.

    Glauch took a moment and gathered himself. When he met eyes with Jabez again, his careful, neutral expression returned. ¡°That¡¯s quite a sum. For that much, I would want to see something quite spectacular.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re expecting.¡± Another voice said from further down the common room. ¡°The Gauntlet is a fairly straightforward affair.¡±

    A well-dressed halfling joined the knot of soldiers that casually menaced both Vash¡¯s group and the older woman at the reception desk. He had jet-black hair tied back in a neat braid that fell just below his shoulders. Deep onyx eyes swept over the assembled group, noting each individual as he passed. A pair of long daggers hung from the halfling¡¯s belt, looking like short swords on a person of his size. ¡°But Jabez is right, this isn¡¯t a charity. You want to see our training methods? Then it will cost you.¡±

    ¡°Royce.¡± Jabez said, nodding towards the halfling who then joined the group, standing beside Jabez.

    ¡°Jabez.¡± Royce returned the nod, not taking his eyes off the Inquisitor. Vash could feel a low thrumming in his Core. It was coming from the halfling, and felt like a purring cat. Soothing, but with a hint of menace. ¡°Now, gentlemen, I am quite busy and dealing with this evaluation is going to take up time I don¡¯t have. So, I would suggest deciding whether you wish to pay the fee quickly. In the meantime, Jabez, if you and your students would follow me.¡±

    Royce began walking towards the hallway at the far end of the common room. Jabez immediately followed. Corwin and Vash, after a moment, realized that they should follow as well and moved to catch up to the two masters.

    ¡°Just a moment!¡± Glauch called, frustration creeping into his voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, m¡¯lord.¡± Royce called over one shoulder. ¡°This part is for Guild members only. Should you wish to observe, the secretary at the desk will take the agreed payment.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Vash risked a look back, seeing Glauch glaring daggers at him. He hurriedly turned around and kept his eyes forward. Inquisitors are always damn unsettling. Vash thought. Every encounter he¡¯d had with those allied with the Duke¡¯s Inquisition had been odd. Inquisitors showed a distinct lack of emotion, unless they were causing violence or pain, then they lit up like a child at the Hearth Festival. What did we do to earn the attention of creatures like that one?

    Approaching the door on the far side of the common room, Royce took his Wayfarer medallion out from where it hung beneath his tunic and pressed it to a small bronze plate on the wall. The door made a soft thunk, as though something was being released, and then swung slowly open. Vash could feel the eyes of the Inquisitors on him until the door shut and sealed itself behind them.

    ¡°Thanks for that, Royce.¡± Jabez said, looking relieved to be behind closed doors.

    ¡°That was stupid, Jabez.¡± Royce said, giving Jabez a hard look that seemed out of place on the usually laughing features of a halfling. ¡°Duke Adolphus and his damned Inquisition are all up in arms about you taking this boy on as your apprentice. I¡¯m sure Eddar already gave you a tongue-lashing about that.¡±

    ¡°He may have mentioned some political issues.¡± Jabez conceded.

    ¡°Inquisitors have been sniffing around Lodges all over Galadon,¡± Royce continued. ¡°No idea why or what they want. Now we have to show off one of our Gauntlets, so thanks for that.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I just didn¡¯t want to pay your fee,¡± Jabez said. ¡°Thought it was an easy way to kill two birds with one stone.¡±

    ¡°Gods save us from fools and skinflints.¡± Royce made the sign of Bolban, the patron of the halflings. ¡°Nothing to be done about it now, I suppose.¡± He glanced back at Vash, giving him a quick assessment. Royce grimaced. ¡°I suppose we should be grateful they let you keep your boots.¡±

    ¡°This time.¡± Vash replied, not looking at Corwin.

    ¡°Has he got any Delver training?¡± Royce asked, turning back to Jabez.

    ¡°He¡¯s had basic Talent training, decent mana reserve if the stories of his friends are to be believed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve met them,¡± Royce scoffed. ¡°More assassins than rogues. How long was he with them?¡±

    ¡°Two years, give or take.¡±

    Royce grimaced. ¡°Enough time to gain some bad habits. Not so long that training can¡¯t mend them.¡±

    Vash kept his face carefully neutral. He was tired of having his skills belittled by glorified monster hunters. The Wayfarers had a reputation for being all talk and little action. So far, nothing he¡¯d seen contradicted that reputation.

    Royce came to a heavy oak door, banded with iron, and unlocked it with an odd-looking key. Vash felt a surge of mana as the lock disengaged. Protected by more than just deadbolts and clockwork, it seems.

    The door opened quietly, oiled hinges making the heavy wood and iron contraption swing with the barest amount of effort from Royce. Beyond was a small, bare room with another door on the opposite wall.

    ¡°Well, boy, this is the start of the Delver¡¯s Gauntlet.¡± Royce said, facing Vash. ¡°The goal is simple: pass through each of the five doors. The rooms beyond will test the skills of a Delver, so keep that in mind as you go.¡±

    ¡°All right, what are the skills of a Delver?¡± Vash asked, peering through the imposing door at the empty room.

    ¡°Is he serious?¡± Royce asked Jabez, annoyance creeping into his tone. Jabez shrugged in response. Jaw tight in frustration, Royce turned back to Vash. ¡°A delver is silent, observant, deft, and clever. In short, you¡¯re a thief, boy. Get the goods and don¡¯t get caught.¡±

    Vash nodded. ¡°All right, do I get any tools? Equipment?¡±

    ¡°I would say that you can use what you have on you, but¡­¡± Royce gestured to Vash¡¯s tattered and stained clothes.

    ¡°Here,¡± Corwin said, drawing a long dagger from his belt and handing it hilt-first to Vash, ¡°It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    The plain dagger was well-weighted for hand to hand fighting and long enough to be effective in a tight space. It was also a weapon that Vash was familiar with, though he preferred the blackened blades used by the Eth Mitaan. Vash nodded his thanks and tucked the dagger into the waistband of his trousers. ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it. Get to the end using what skills you have,¡± Royce said. ¡°We¡¯ll be watching in another room using a scrying orb. Good luck, delver.¡±

    Royce started off down the hall. Corwin hesitated, giving Vash an encouraging smile before following the halfling master. Jabez waited for them both to get some distance ahead before stepping close to Vash. ¡°Be careful in there. Gauntlets aren¡¯t designed to kill you, but they do challenge trained Wayfarer apprentices. You can get hurt, and accidents happen all the time.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, accidents?¡± Vash asked, pointedly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that Royce would intentionally do anything to harm you; however, this situation has put the Guild in a tough spot,¡± Jabez said. ¡°If you were to fail the Gauntlet, and get seriously hurt, then it might remove some problems for the members around here. Just¡­be careful. That¡¯s all I¡¯m saying.¡±

    Vash wanted to say that it would also remove some of Jabez¡¯s problems as well, but he hesitated. He didn¡¯t have to tell me that. Vash thought, feeling a twinge of reluctant gratitude towards the surly dwarf. He gave Jabez a slight nod of thanks and turned towards the entrance of the Gauntlet.

    ¡°Good luck, Vash.¡± Jabez said, then followed Royce and Corwin down the hallway.

    Alone in the hallway, Vash tried to shake out the nerves that were creeping up on him. You¡¯ve done harder things than this. He thought, remembering his initiation in the Sunken Grove. The memory of shadowy fingers lightly tracing beneath his eyes still sent shivers down his spine. A simple Wayfarer test shouldn¡¯t be any problem. You¡¯re a damn Hunter of the First Mask, anointed and accepted into the Taleuc ko¡¯Sul eth Mitaan.

    A tingle touched the space between his eyes, where Byar had drawn the elvish rune for spirit almost a year ago during the initiation, opening the channels between his will and his Core and setting him on this path.

    ¡°I fear no shadow, for I am shadow.¡± Vash whispered the words of the familiar prayer, calming his nerves like a soothing balm. He drew the dagger from his waistband and flipped it through his fingers to the toin¡¯sur position, as Iona had shown him. ¡°I fear not death, for I am death. Let my Hunt begin.¡±

 Episode 6: The Gauntlet

    Vash stepped into the first room of the Gauntlet. As he crossed the threshold, the heavy oak door swung shut behind him, locks engaging with a series of soft clicks. Turning, he saw that there were no keyholes or access mechanisms on this side of the door.

    Only way out is forward. Vash thought.

    Closing his eyes, Vash let his will sink into his Core, a blossom of warmth spread through his chest from a place just below his heart. It pulsed in time with his heartbeat. With a gentle nudge, Vash expanded his senses. Like a bladder filling with air, his aura expanded as he released mana from his Core. Opening his eyes, Vash took in the room again, looking for anything out of the ordinary, anything dangerous.

    Initially, nothing tripped his senses. The room was a standard square room, roughly two paces across, with stone walls and a tiled floor. Mage-lamps on either side of the room emitted a soft golden glow that was slightly brighter than candlelight. Apart from a slight stuffiness, nothing in the room seemed out of the ordinary. The walls were solid, no holes for arrows or spikes, no pipes for gases or liquids. None of the tiles felt truly different from the others, as they would have if they had traps.

    Vash slowly crossed the room to the opposite door. It was the same construction as the one he had entered through. Oak banded with iron, though it had a standard key lock from what Vash could tell. He touched the handle and tried opening it.

    Locked, Vash thought when the handle barely moved and the door remained firmly in place. I suppose my first challenge is to get out of this room.

    Kneeling next to the lock, Vash passed the dagger across the keyhole, blocking the light. He waited a moment. One of the Eth Mitaan tricks against intruders was to wait by keyholes or peepholes. When the intruder blocked the light from the other side, they would stab a stiletto through the hole. Often you¡¯d stab them in the eye or through the hand. Either way, it was an effective strategy. Nothing happened this time, so Vash moved the dagger away and looked into the hole.

    The Enhance Senses formula floated in his mind. Vash willed a small portion of his mana into a copy of the formula, feeling the Talent snap into place. Simpler and cruder than spells, Talents locked a portion of the user¡¯s mana into themselves while they were in use. Wizards could control the flow of mana in their spell frameworks to produce different effects. They could also withdraw their mana, regaining a portion back into their Core.

    Talents used mana immediately. Once the framework released, then the mana dissipated. Using Talents drained mana from the user¡¯s Core and it took time for it to regenerate. Vash¡¯s Core could perform three or four Major Talents, or twice the number of Minor Talents, before he needed to rest. Enhance Senses was a Minor Talent, so the mana Vash used was negligible, but small Talents added up and he didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d be facing during this test.

    Best not to lean too hard on Talents until I have a better idea what I¡¯m going to need them for. Vash thought as he studied the lock in front of him. His enhanced eyes focused on the keyhole and what he could see of the mechanism inside. Elvish eyes were better at seeing things in low light than humans and the Enhance Senses Talent made them even more sensitive. He felt the odd sensation of mana enhanced lenses sliding and adjusting within his eyes. The lock grew larger in his sight, like he was looking at it under a magnifying glass, and the extra light sensitivity revealed the inner mechanisms that normally would be too dark to see.

    A pretty simple lock. Vash thought as he studied the mechanism. I¡¯d be able to pick it¡­if I had lockpicks.

    He sat back on his heels, frowning, letting his eyesight adjust back to only slightly enhanced. ¡°Wayfarer rogues probably always carry their tools with them. I know I did until the Ducal guard took mine.¡± Vash muttered to himself. He tugged at the collar of his shirt. The room was getting warm. ¡°All right, but Royce wouldn¡¯t just put me into the Gauntlet with no way of succeeding, would he? There¡¯s got to be another way to do this.¡±

    Reaching out with his aura again, Vash thoroughly went over the room, this time in concert with Enhance Senses to pick out minute details that a simple aura check would miss. It was a slow process and used most of the mana he¡¯d allocated to the Enhance Senses Talent, but he finally found something after several minutes of careful examination. One stone in the wall was loose.

    Vash touched the stone gently. It rocked beneath the pressure of his fingers. Carefully, Vash pressed and prodded until the stone pivoted in its place on the wall, revealing a small hidey-hole. Inside the hole were a few lengths of wire, a strip of coarsely woven cloth, and a few stones.

    ¡°I suppose we¡¯re doing this the hard way, then.¡± Vash muttered. ¡°Of course, why would they hide actual thieves¡¯ tools when they can hide some random crap and see if I can make it into something usable? I bet they think they¡¯re building character.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Sweat trickled down Vash¡¯s forehead and stung his eyes as he bent the wires into the semblance of a set of lockpicks. ¡°Why is it so warm in here?¡±

    Vash stopped and thought for a moment. It was warm, yes, but more than that the air felt thick, close. He concentrated on his breathing for a few moments. Each breath was harder than the last. Not immediately noticeable, but significant. He examined the two doors, focusing his sense of touch on feeling any drafts or breezes. Running his hand along the door frames and over the keyholes, he felt nothing. The room¡¯s air was completely still. That means the air isn¡¯t moving, which means there isn¡¯t any new air coming in. The room sealed itself.

    Fighting a surge of claustrophobia and panic, Vash tried to stay calm. Panic wouldn¡¯t help and would just waste time. Vash approached the lock and slid the twisted bits of wire inside, feeling along the tumblers for the right sequence to release the lock. Enhance Senses allowed him to feel the slightest movement of the mechanism. After a few moments of prodding, he withdrew the wire and adjusted the shape.

    Take your time, focus on what you¡¯re doing. Vash thought. Don¡¯t think about how hard you¡¯re breathing or how stuffy it¡¯s getting.

    Vash reinserted the wires and slid them into position with deft fingers. The lock moved slowly. He grinned in triumph, finishing the motion. The lock gave a satisfying click. Vash withdrew the wires and was about to stand up and open the door when he heard, faintly, a second click. If he hadn¡¯t been using Enhance Senses, he would have missed it, but something else had engaged within the lock. Vash froze, unsure of what to do next. The mage-lamps flared slightly, then shifted to a cool blue color and gradually dimmed.

    That shouldn¡¯t be happening. Vash thought.

    Mage-lamps ran off a slow trickle of ambient mana. In theory, they should last forever, or at least until the spell framework collapsed. He shook his head. There wasn¡¯t time to worry about mage-lamps. He had to keep moving. Vash grasped the handle of the door and confidently pushed down, expecting it to open easily.

    The handle did not move.

    Again, the mage-lamps dimmed. Vash started feeling dizzy and nauseous, his breath coming in longer gasps. He sank to one knee, head swimming. There must be a secondary lock, and it triggered a trap.

    Fumbling with his makeshift lock-picks, Vash approached the keyhole again. His fingers were noticeably less steady as he felt for the secondary mechanism. It was difficult to make his hands do what he wanted them to while his body was screaming in panic that it wasn¡¯t getting enough air.

    Stay calm and focus. Vash thought, If you panic, then you¡¯ll never get out of here.

    With agonizing slowness, he searched the interior of the lock, looking for anything he might have missed. The lock-picks yielded no new discoveries - no extra tumblers or gears that could reset the lock.

    The mage-lamps dimmed slightly again. Vash glanced up at the lamps. They now emitted only a weak glow, like a dying candle burning the last of its wick. That was when he noticed the small holes on the brass mounting plates, one below each of the globes. He pushed his way, woozily, to his feet and then stumbled to the first lamp.

    It took a few tries, but he finally got his wire probe into the hole. There was definitely a mechanism of some sort inside the lamp. Mage-lamps didn¡¯t normally have any moving parts, just a small alchemical globe and a series of etched runes inside the brass and crystal. This one had a series of gears and tumblers. He gently probed the mechanism, feeling for any give with his enhanced sense of touch. The wire lightly grazed a groove in the brass while moving from one tumbler to the next, and Vash felt a sudden jolt of mana. His Enhance Senses winked out, leaving his fingers with a numb, tingling sensation and a distinct blurriness to his vision.

    Vash cursed under his breath, not sure what happened, but knowing that there was no way he had the concentration now to use the Talent again. He was going to have to rely on his own skills. Grimacing, Vash continued to probe and test the lock, looking for weaknesses. He felt like his fingers were the size of sausages and that he¡¯d suddenly put on a pair of thick gloves. Breath coming in quick gasps, Vash found the right combination of tumblers and felt another click.

    Instantly, the lamp¡¯s light flared back to its previous brightness. Vash felt a cool current of air radiating off the lamp. He sucked down a few breaths hungrily, some of the fuzziness evaporating from his mind.

    Across the room, the second lamp was almost down to an ember. Vash moved to the second lamp. As soon as he crossed the halfway point in the room, he felt the air vanish. He staggered back, and the air returned.

    ¡°Well, this will be interesting.¡± Vash muttered. He took a few deep breaths and lunged across the room.

    The breathable air around the second lamp was almost completely gone. Vash held his breath while he worked the wires into the small hole. The mechanism seemed similar to the one he just solved, but something was different. Nothing was moving as he expected or turning when he applied pressure. Before long, he had to dart back to the fresh air on the other side of the room. Panting slightly, he glared at the crude lock-picks hanging from the hole across the room.

    ¡°Damn adventurers, thinking they¡¯re clever.¡± Vash grumbled, annoyed that he wasn¡¯t getting it. The mechanism was almost identical. Why didn¡¯t it work? He looked back and forth from one lamp to the other. What¡¯s different? They¡¯re exactly the same except that they¡¯re¡­oh bloody hell!

    Vash dashed across the room, moving the picks back into position as he repeated the motions that he¡¯d used on the first lamp, but in the reverse direction. This time the mechanism moved smoothly, exactly as he¡¯d expected. The lamp flared brightly and fresh air caressed Vash¡¯s face. To his left, Vash heard a catch release on the exit door.

    ¡°Not so bad,¡± Vash said, breathless. He pocketed the wire next to the stones and the cloth strip and went to the door. It swung open on well-oiled hinges, revealing a hallway that ran about twenty paces to another door at the far end. Stone pillars stood every few paces with tasteful artwork carved on their faces. Mage-lamps lit the corridor, though these were missing the brass connecting plates, so it was unlikely that he¡¯d be facing the same sort of challenge.

    Vash stepped into the corridor.

    Click

    ¡°Gods dammit!¡±

 Episode 7: The Hall of Silent Steps

    There was no time to think. Vash fell back on instinct, letting his awareness sink into his Core. Mana flooded his body, and his perception of time slowed to a crawl. His senses screamed at him to move, but no direction seemed safe. Normally embracing his Core would give him a tug in the right direction, to avoid danger and move to a safer position. This time, it seemed, there was no safe position to move to.

    Vash cursed and took a gamble. Leaping forward and to his right, he tucked his shoulder and rolled. Behind him came the sound of a crossbow bolt whizzing through the air where he had just been standing. Vash heard it hit the stone wall and clatter to the tiles. Continuing his roll, he felt the tile beneath him give.

    Click

    You have got to be kidding me!

    Coming up onto his feet, Vash leaped to the tiny wooden baseboard that ran between the support beams in the hallway. The baseboard was less than half a hand-span in width. Summoning the formula for Cat¡¯s Grace, Vash used the mana and locked the Major Talent into place. A surge of mana flooded from his Core, much more than he had used for Enhanced Senses. He landed on the baseboard and spun to place himself on firmer footing, braced against the support beam and the stone wall. The tile he had just been standing on crumbled and fell away, along with three other neighboring tiles. Now a pit was yawning just below Vash¡¯s toes. The pit was around ten feet deep, with sloped sides of muddy soil. At the bottom was a pool of dark, brackish water.

    I don¡¯t want to know how deep that water is, Vash thought, or what might be in it.

    Breathing heavily, Vash considered his situation. His aura was sensing danger all around. That likely meant that someone had trapped every tile.

    I knew I should have picked up Detect Traps when I had the chance. Vash thought, kicking himself for having focused so much on stealth and combat. Byar had counseled him to invest in utility Talents, but he had wanted to be a Hunter like Iona.

    The warnings his aura gave him were about general danger, not focused on anything in particular. There was so much danger in the room that he couldn¡¯t separate out a safe path. Each direction gave him a warning thrum, telling him that moving that way was a bad idea.

    Meanwhile, holding his balance on the thin baseboard was sapping his mana. Unlike Enhanced Senses, Cat¡¯s Grace was reliant on a steady stream of mana from his Core for the constant minute adjustments to balance and reflex. Vash had to do something soon, or he was liable to run out of mana.

    He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself while he considered his situation. Moving meant triggering more traps. Staying in one place meant slowly draining his mana until he could no longer maintain his balance and fell, likely triggering more traps.

    There has to be something¡­ Vash thought. He wracked his brain, trying to think of anything from his training or his limited list of Talents that would help him. Nothing was coming to mind.

    Can¡¯t stab a trapped tile.

    Then he paused and looked at the tiles, taking in the design. Or can you?

    Each tile in the hallway had a small geometric design at each of the four corners. The corners seemed to connect, forming a design about a hand-span across. It was just enough space for a careful rogue to place his foot.

    Need to test it, though. Vash thought, shifting his weight so that he rested his shoulder against the support beam and freed up the use of his right hand. He drew the dagger that Corwin had given him. Despite being weighted wrong for the purpose he had in mind, it was large and solid and should provide the force he needed.

    Taking a deep breath, he focused on the nearest corner design. It was three paces away, but on the other side of the pit trap. Vash flipped the dagger in his hand, holding it by the blade, and with a flick of his wrist, sent it spinning towards the spot he had picked. The blade tumbled, awkward, not meant for throwing, but it struck its target point-first and with a good amount of force. The dagger bounced off the tile with a metallic clang and landed on a neighboring tile. It skittered and slid for a few moments, coming to rest balanced on the edge of the pit trap.

    Vash cursed his luck. He¡¯d hoped to recover the dagger, that didn¡¯t seem like an option now. But it had served its purpose. There was no ominous click, no shifting of tiles or flash of danger from Vash¡¯s Core. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°All right, so that¡¯s where I can step.¡± Vash muttered to himself. ¡°Now I just have to get to it.¡±

    Cat¡¯s Grace was depleting his mana little by little as he held position. He would need it to make sure that his landing didn¡¯t end in disaster as well. The jump was just within his range, but he still hesitated. Making a mistake here might prove fatal. Jabez had said that the Master Delver wouldn¡¯t intentionally try to kill him. Suffocation, crossbow bolts, unclimbable pits with water traps at the bottom? Not deadly at all.

    To be safe, Vash knew he needed to use Enhance Ability as well, to give him the added strength to make the jump. That meant he would have to layer his Talents, holding Cat¡¯s Grace stable while calling up Enhance Ability. Holding two formulas in your head wasn¡¯t easy, and it also wasn¡¯t something Vash had done very often.

    Can¡¯t stand here and dither, Vash thought. If I wait too much longer, then I won¡¯t have enough mana left in my Core to do both.

    Layering Talents was a tricky process. Vash pushed the formula for Cat¡¯s Grace to the background in his mind, feeling it tremble a bit, but still holding, as he structured the formula for Enhance Ability on top of it. It was like tracing a shape with your left hand while drawing a new shape with your right. Awkward, but possible. Finally, he had the completed formula for Enhance Ability worked out. He held his breath and connected the formula in his mind to the mana in his Core.

    A flood of warmth flowed into his muscles, wicking away fatigue and strain. The Talent snapped into place and Vash felt the mana being pulled from his Core. It was a minor Talent, so it locked the mana in and would only function once. Even as the Talent locked into place, Vash could feel it fading. He had to hurry or it would waste the mana.

    Vash pushed off from the wall, leaping across the pit¡ªand overshot his target.

    He sailed over the small diamond-shaped design and hurtled towards the opposite wall. Acting on instinct, Vash twisted his body so that he collided with the wall feet-first. Vash pushed off again, gentler this time, letting the landing absorb most of his momentum. As he did, he absorbed the last of the mana in Enhance Ability. The formula collapsed and Vash struggled to hold on to the structure of Cat¡¯s Grace. He landed on the ball of one foot, any more and he would put pressure on the neighboring tiles. Cat¡¯s Grace faltered, the structure trying to break apart in his mind. Vash felt his balance shift, his body fighting against inertia and gravity. Willing the formula back into place and spending more mana, Vash stabilized his Talent. With a few awkward flailing motions, Vash regained his balance.

    Nothing happened.

    Vash let out a relieved breath. I can do this. He reassured himself. Now get moving before you exhaust your mana.

    In a few quick hops, Vash crossed the hallway. It stung to leave the dagger behind, but he knew he didn¡¯t have the mana to retrieve it and get across the hallway. Judging by the ¡®evaluation¡¯ so far, he was going to need whatever mana he had left for the next part.

    Vash reached out for the door handle and felt a pulse of warning from his Core. He paused, hand hovering a finger-length from the latch. Is the door trapped too?

    Pulling his hand back, Vash felt the pulse of warning fade. He fought the rising panic. Taking too long here would deplete his mana, leaving him vulnerable when he needed Talents, but moving too fast would put him in danger from any traps on the door. Running his hand over the wood of the door and around the latch, Vash paid attention to how his Core reacted. The pulse became stronger the closer he got to the door handle itself, and weaker as he moved away.

    Maybe something happens when I open the door?

    Vash checked the hinges and the door frame for triggers. The pulse faded the further he moved from the handle. Frowning, Vash peered at the metal door handle. It was nothing special. He couldn¡¯t see any triggering mechanisms, needles, or blades on the handle. In fact, the only thing out of the ordinary was that it was slightly dirtier than the others that he¡¯d seen. A thin coat of grease layered the back of the handle where it met the latch.

    Right where my hand would go. Vash thought, Contact poison?

    There were several substances that could be absorbed through the skin. Most were annoying, some were debilitating, and whatever was on the door handle would no doubt cause him trouble. Vash reached into his pocket and withdrew the length of cloth that he found in the previous room. The cloth was a coarse weave, meaning that it wouldn¡¯t provide as much protection as a leather glove would, but it was better than touching the handle with his bare hand. He wrapped the cloth around the handle, carefully avoiding touching the ¡®grease¡¯ with his bare skin. When the handle was wrapped, Vash¡¯s danger sense barely made a whisper as he reached for the handle.

    Vash carefully turned the handle and opened the door. Beyond was a dimly lit room crowded with wooden crates. Mage-lamps on the walls provided a small amount of light, but the illumination was barely enough to see the outlines of the crates. Vash hesitated at the doorway, careful not to rush in and get himself into trouble. He stretched out one foot and gingerly touched the floor on the other side of the doorway. His Core remained still. Vash put his weight on the extended foot. Again, his Core did not pulse in response to danger.

    Let¡¯s see what¡¯s in this room, shall we?

    He stepped into the room, cautious and alert. As soon as he passed the threshold, the door behind him slammed shut and the lock clicked into place. Vash dropped into a crouch, peering into the darkness. From somewhere in the room, beyond the rows of crates, he saw a few faint yellow glows.

    UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS. A voice from the darkness boomed. Authoritative, but strangely flat, the voice had a slight ring to it, like it was coming from inside a well or some place deep. INTRUDER, MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN AND YOU SHALL NOT BE HARMED. RESIST AND THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES.

 Episode 8: Observers

    The room Royce lead Corwin and Jabez to was large enough to hold a dozen people. Plush, high-backed chairs stood in a circle around the scrying orb. A sideboard with various bottles and decanters stood against one wall, though Corwin was sure that if he helped himself to the libations that he¡¯d have another fee tacked onto his Guild account. He took a position against one wall, near the door, staying as out of the way as possible while still able to see what was going on.

    Master Royce took a small notebook out of his pouch, along with a nub of a pencil. Flipping to an empty page, Royce made a few notations, then touched the scrying orb with two fingers. Glowing blue and white clouds blossomed from the initially opaque orb, bathing the room in a soft, blue glow. Above the orb was a blurry image that resolved itself into a smaller representation of Vash and the room he was in. Aside from the image being slightly transparent, it was a quite clear and detailed picture of what was happening in the Gauntlet at that moment. While Corwin stared at the magical marvel, Royce frowned and dragged two fingers across the orb, rotating the image. No matter what side faced Corwin, he noted, the image of the Gauntlet wall was transparent, providing an unobstructed view.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stand all the way back there.¡± Royce said, in a distracted, but pleasant tone, while watching Vash and making a few more marks in his notebook.

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Corwin asked. He¡¯d been so caught up in watching the image that he¡¯d almost forgotten Royce was in the room.

    ¡°You can take a seat.¡± Royce said, still not looking at Corwin. ¡°Eddar¡¯s a stickler for rules and appearances, but I¡¯m a bit more relaxed.¡±

    Corwin thought about it, then shook his head. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I¡¯m sure Master Jabez would prefer I kept a watch position.¡±

    Royce let out a sharp laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve never known Master Jabez to prefer his apprentices to do anything besides get him another ale.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Look, Jabez is a very capable fighter.¡± Royce said, turning to face Corwin. ¡°I¡¯d have him in my party in any dungeon dive you¡¯d want to take. But he¡¯s got a bit of a reputation when it comes to apprentices.¡±

    ¡°He seems all right to me,¡± Corwin said, choosing his words with care. Guild politics was a thorny subject with Jabez. Luckily, they spent most of the year out on the road, only going to Guild Lodges when necessary. So they avoided the worst of the maneuvering and politics.

    ¡°Ask around about the Dromund Keep incident.¡± Royce said, face becoming serious. ¡°You¡¯re still early enough in your career that you can have your Marker transferred to another Master.¡±

    Corwin was about to respond when the door opened and Jabez walked through. ¡°No poaching my apprentices, Royce.¡±

    ¡°I was just letting him know that there are options.¡± Royce said, turning his attention back to the orb. Vash was investigating the lock, passing the dagger over the keyhole. Corwin saw Royce frown slightly and make a note of what he was seeing. ¡°Besides, I have no need for you School of the Blades types, much less for an apprentice from there. Blundering around my nice, neat delve. Setting off traps and getting blood everywhere, no thank you.¡±

    If Jabez had caught the rest of his conversation with Royce, he didn¡¯t say. He crossed the room and took a seat opposite to Royce, turning his attention to the image floating in mid-air. Vash found a loose rock with odds-and-ends in the alcove behind it. Royce gave a grudging nod and made more notes. The three of them stood in silence for a few moments, watching Vash work out the first room of the Gauntlet. After bending some wire and working the door lock, Vash stood up and looked very satisfied. A red glow appeared on the image of the door and numbers began counting down in the air above the image.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Corwin asked, not quite following what he was seeing.

    ¡°He tripped a trap,¡± Royce said. ¡°If he knew Detect Traps, then it wouldn¡¯t have been an issue. Your apprentice apparently doesn¡¯t know that particular Talent, though.¡±

    Jabez didn¡¯t comment, remaining stone-faced, watching Vash work through the problem.

    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Corwin asked.

    ¡°The timer is how much time he has until he fails the evaluation.¡± Royce said, nodding towards the numbers that were steadily ticking down.

    Corwin frowned and looked over at Jabez. The dwarf kept his eyes on the image, never looking away. Frustrated, Corwin looked back at Royce. ¡°What happens if he fails the evaluation?¡±

    Royce opened his mouth to answer, but closed it when the door opened again. Master Eddar entered the room, followed by Inquisitor Glauch. ¡°If he fails the evaluation,¡± Eddar said, in an annoyed tone, ¡°then he¡¯s rejected from the Wayfarer¡¯s Guild.¡± He crossed the room and took a seat next to Royce.

    Glauch drifted to stand by the sideboard, eyes scanning the room with barely concealed contempt.

    Eddar continued, ¡°In that event, he would normally be returned to the Ducal authorities. However, since he was and is still under a sentence of treason and death, we have agreed to remove certain safeguards in order to judge your prospective apprentice adequately.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Jabez shot Eddar a look. ¡°What have you done?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m simply dealing with your mess, Jabez.¡± Eddar snapped, then rapidly composed himself. ¡°If the boy has the skills needed to become a Wayfarer, then he will be fine. If not, then the problem takes care of itself.¡±

    ¡°This was just supposed to be a training evaluation.¡± Jabez said, eyebrows drawing together like thunderclouds. ¡°What about Master¡¯s prerogative? The Vagabond Law?¡±

    Eddar looked at Glauch and Corwin thought he saw a hint of shame pass over the Lodgemaster¡¯s face. It was only for a moment. Then Eddar turned his attention to the image of Vash struggling with the device hidden in the second mage-lamp. ¡°I am using my discretion as Lodgemaster to make some¡­adjustments, for the good of the Lodge and the Guild presence here in Galadon.¡±

    ¡°The Duke does not appreciate being made a fool of,¡± Glauch said from the sideboard. He uncorked a bottle, sniffed it, then made a face and put it back. He turned back to the rest of the room, but his gaze swept past Jabez and settled on Corwin. Glauch gave Corwin a thin smile, ¡°Neither do I.¡±

    The countdown on the floating image stopped and a soft chime sounded. The red glow on the door shifted to green, and Vash opened the door. Corwin smiled. Good going, Vash. I knew you could do it.

    The image shifted, showing a long hallway, Vash entering from one end. As soon as Vash stepped into the hallway, another chime sounded and the timer reappeared. Red glows blossomed all across the hallway tiles. Corwin stiffened as Vash narrowly dodged a crossbow bolt, then moved with lithe, fluid grace to wedge himself against the wall as the tiles he had just been rolling across collapsed into the muddy water below.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite impressive.¡± Royce murmured, looking at Vash in surprise.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Glauch asked, quickly crossing to the circle of chairs and staring at Vash. ¡°What did he just do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Royce said, as though seeing Vash in a new light. ¡°It looked like a variant on Enhance Ability. Judging by his aura, however, his Core is burning a lot more mana that it would if he were using a minor Talent like that one.¡±

    ¡°You can see his aura?¡± Corwin asked, squinting and trying to see for himself.

    ¡°Using the scrying orb,¡± Jabez told him. ¡°It¡¯s one perk of being a Master in this situation.¡±

    ¡°Did he tell you about that one?¡± Royce asked Jabez.

    ¡°No, he mostly was working with Minor Talents, any Major ones were more combat oriented.¡± Jabez said, leaning forward in his seat.

    Corwin saw Jabez absently fingering the small, tarnished bronze rings that were threaded through his beard. He¡¯s interested, that¡¯s good. Corwin felt some relief. If Jabez didn¡¯t think Vash was worth the time, then all his effort was going to be wasted. It had been a struggle for Corwin just to get Jabez to accept him as an apprentice, let alone take on Vash as well. Jabez had his doubts when Corwin presented him with the idea.

    But Jabez likes an underdog, that¡¯s what made him take me on. Corwin thought. If Vash is the same person I remember, then he¡¯ll impress the old man, too. If he doesn¡¯t¡­

    The feeling of dread that crept over Corwin almost made him shudder. He remembered his own Gauntlet. It differed from the one at this Lodge, which was a far newer construction than the one at Samson¡¯s Gate. The training grounds in the hometown of the Wayfarers were almost like a temple, full of old magic and the spirits of adventurers who had gone before. The last task had been to take his Wayfarer amulet from a Shrine of Olom, the god of fate and destiny.

    Most Wayfarers never felt anything when taking their amulets. Masters viewed it as routine, a harmless, archaic ritual. Sometimes, however, destiny had other plans.

    The vision was a chaotic jumble of images: ancient dungeons, deep wildernesses, himself leading other Wayfarers, fire, death and blood, a man with a manic smile and an ancient dagger, a woman wreathed in flames that did not seem to touch her.

    Corwin had forgotten most of it, but the part that haunted him, the part that he could not let go of, had to do with Vash.

    It was only a moment, but it was enough. Vash in armor black as the deepest caverns of the Underlands, carrying blades that shone like pale moonlight, standing against him on the parapet of a crumbled city wall. Corwin was also armed in the vision, carrying a blade he had never seen before, a sword with the flared leaf-shape that Malconian swordsmen preferred. The metal gleamed silver and bronze in the brief flashes from lightning. Corwin faced off against his friend, a feeling of hatred and betrayal surging through him. Vash bore a dark look, cold, callous, and unfeeling. Lightning flashed, and they both charged one-another, then the vision had ended.

    He¡¯d never told Jabez about the vision, but ever since then, he had been on the lookout for news of Vash. Visions from Olom often could not change. But the god of fate liked a good story. Or so the rumor went. If he could change Vash¡¯s fate, then maybe he could change his own. Because one thing was certain, if the vision came to pass then truly bad things were going to happen. He didn¡¯t know what, but every time he thought of the vision, Corwin had a wave of despair wash over him.

    I can change it. He thought, watching Vash study the tiles, then draw Corwin¡¯s dagger, preparing for a throw. It all starts here.

    Glauch chuckled slightly when the dagger struck the ground and skittered out of reach. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what he thought he would achieve doing that.¡±

    Vash sprang from the wall and landed lightly on one foot, balancing precariously on the small corner decorations of the tiles. Jabez nodded as he watched. ¡°He was finding a safe place to stand, figuring out the rules.¡±

    Eddar frowned at the image, glancing at Glauch, trying to judge the Inquisitor¡¯s reaction. Glauch¡¯s smirk faded into a carefully neutral expression. He folded his arms across his chest and focused intently on Vash¡¯s progress through the hall.

    Royce leaned forward when Vash approached the exit door, intense interest plain on his face as Vash extended a hand to reach for the door handle. Corwin saw that the handle itself was glowing red on the image. Another trap?

    Vash examined the knob, then wrapped it in the thin cloth from the first room. Royce made a hmmm of interest and made another note.

    ¡°What did you use this time?¡± Eddar asked, while trying not to look at Glauch.

    ¡°Stranglethorn.¡± Royce said, not looking up. ¡°The sap is a pretty potent contact paralytic. At the very least, he would have lost the use of his dominant hand for a few hours.¡±

    ¡°Yet he defeated it with a strip of cloth.¡± Glauch said. His face didn¡¯t change, but Corwin could almost hear the sneer in his voice.

    Royce looked up. ¡°I¡¯m trying to assess his skills, not fail him outright.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Glauch said, looking down at the halfling. ¡°We want to be fair.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be too concerned, Inquisitor Glauch.¡± Eddar said. ¡°The next room is quite challenging. I made certain of that.¡±

    Jabez¡¯s head snapped to look at Eddar. ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Eddar said, looking determined but with a tinge of regret. ¡°It will be over soon.¡±

 Episode 9: Maze of Shadows

    The voice had barely finished intoning its warning when a single bright light flared in the center of the room. Vash ducked and flattened himself against a stack of crates. The light swept across the room, passing over his hiding place and then moving on. It was a bright light, focused into a single beam, like a hooded lantern or a lighthouse. Useful for a targeted pool of light, but it left many shadows for a skilled assassin to use to his advantage.

    He crept to the edge of the stack of crates and peered around the edge. The room was still too dark to make out many details, other than the shadowy bulk of stacks of crates and boxes, but a few details became clearer with the additional light source. Vash spotted the source of the bright light easily enough. A large crystal floated in the air in the center of the room. One facet emitted the light in a targeted beam, sweeping across the room in a slow circle. Still crouched, Vash craned his body to see what the light revealed. Mostly it was as he expected, wooden crates and boxes, but they stood stacked in a strangely random way, creating a kind of maze with dead-ends and corridors.

    So I just have to avoid the slowly moving light? Vash thought. Shouldn¡¯t be too hard.

    The light moved over one of the dim yellow glows that he had spotted earlier when first entering the room. Vash froze and felt his blood go cold. A crudely shaped humanoid figure stood rigidly against the wall. Someone had fashioned its features into a blocky approximation of a human, with gaping holes for eyes and mouth. The glow came from the statue¡¯s mouth, like a candle was lit somewhere in its chest and the illumination was only strong enough to reach the first opening. The eyes were dark black pools of shadow.

    Vash recognized a golem when he saw one. They were fairly common among merchants and trading houses in Sathsholm. A Malconian rune prominently carved on its forehead, a Lotros rune, the rune of motion and action. That meant that it could move as well as observe. Most golems were immobile, simply serving as watchers, able to alert their masters with their loud, booming voices. Others could move, chasing their prey with terrifying speed and precise motions. Common golems being made of simple, fired clay was an advantage for the thief. Their outer shells could crack or shatter like any other clay jar. The exceptions were the ones made with clay from the Underlands. The black clay that formed on the banks of the deep underground rivers and lakes had a sheen like obsidian when fired. When formed into a golem, the deep clay had a strength more akin to solid brick. Chipping away and eventually breaking it was possible, but with far more difficulty than their common counterparts.

    The golem moved slightly with the light, tracking its progress across the room. Vash stifled a curse as the light passed over a second golem of the same construction as the first, then a third.

    That¡¯s bloody overkill. Vash thought. Even if I had a weapon, there¡¯s no way I could fight three off. He considered the layout of the room, the lack of light, and the golems themselves. So this is a stealth challenge.

    The light sweeping around the room revealed a door in the opposite corner of the room. Royce had said that the goal was just to get to the end of the Gauntlet. So his goal appeared to be to cross the room without being smashed into a paste by the golems.

    Using Shadowmeld would make him nearly invisible unless that spinning light caught him in the open. However, Shadowmeld was a major Talent and would use a large amount of his remaining mana. He didn¡¯t want to deplete his mana and find out there were still three rooms left.

    I¡¯ll have to try it the hard way. Vash thought. Can¡¯t chance draining my Core. Leave the major Talents for if I really need them.

    INTRUDER. Intoned the three golems in unison, one hollow voice. SURRENDER NOW. YOU HAVE SIXTY SECONDS TO COMPLY OR WE WILL SUBDUE YOU BY FORCE.

    Vash did his best to ignore the creepy, hollow voices. Focus on the job at hand.

    The light swept across his hiding place again. Vash waited until the light had passed him, then darted to the next pile of crates a few feet away. When Vash began to move, the spinning crystal paused, swinging back in his direction. He barely made it behind the crates before the circle of light passed over them. If he had moved a moment sooner, he would have been caught in the open.

    The crystal paused, drifting back and forth as it searched for more movement. Vash waited, heart pounding, until the crystal began its sweep of the room again.

    INTRUDER, SURRENDER NOW. YOU HAVE FORTY-FIVE SECONDS TO COMPLY OR WE WILL SUBDUE YOU BY FORCE. The golems boomed, Vash heard the scrape of ceramic on ceramic. He peeked around the corner and saw the golems moving their heads slowly, following the path of the light. The golems stood at the center of three of the walls, giving them a good, wide view of the room. Vash had to be careful as he moved. It was possible that if he moved to one spot, and it was open to the view of one golem, then there would be enough light to expose him. But he was also running out of time. He couldn¡¯t dither, hoping that he could see a path through. He had to take a risk and pray that luck was on his side for once.

    Crouched at the edge of the small pile of crates, Vash waited until the light was a good distance away before darting to his next hiding spot. It was a longer stretch in the open, but the placement of the boxes allowed him cover on two sides while his back remained to the unoccupied wall. Again, the light stopped and swung back towards Vash¡¯s movement, faster this time. Vash heard the scrape of the golems moving their heads to look. He risked a bit of mana and fed his Enhance Ability Talent, picking up speed while keeping his footsteps light.

    Sliding behind the boxes, Vash was a mere heartbeat ahead of the light. The crystal kept the focused beam on his hiding spot, like an accusing glare.

    INTRUDER, SURRENDER NOW. YOU HAVE THIRTY SECONDS TO COMPLY OR WE WILL SUBDUE YOU BY FORCE. The golems toneless voices sounded angry, though Vash knew golems did not possess emotions or personalities. They were just animated bits of clay that performed a set of tasks.

    Three heavy feet thudded against the tile floor. The golems had stepped away from their spots on the wall. Another set of footfalls sounded after the first. They were moving.

    Maybe I triggered a patrol? Vash thought. The beam of light moved on, slowly spinning, like a sulking child returning to their chores. Vash risked a look around the opposite corner from the departing light. The golems had moved away from their positions and were walking in a slow circle in the opposite direction of the beam of light. The blocky clay heads swiveled back and forth, movements becoming smoother and more natural. In the shadows, they could be any other guardsmen, albeit ones that moved with precise, measured steps.

    COME OUT LITTLE MOUSE. One golem said, its toneless voice conveying more menace than any guardsman that Vash had faced.

    YOUR FAILURE IS INEVITABLE. Another boomed. There was a heavy crash and the sound of splintering wood. Vash looked out, seeing one golem lashing out with a heavy, clay fist, shattering boxes and crates. It paused, as if admiring its handiwork, then continued its slow, methodical patrol.

    Another crash to Vash¡¯s other side. He didn¡¯t have to look to know what was happening. The golems were removing places for him to hide. If the light increased its speed at all, he would be caught in the open before he could reach safety, since the next space he could use was several paces away. The other stacks of crates were open on at least one side of a golem¡¯s gaze. Vash knew he was going to have to spend the mana and risk Shadowmeld. He just had to hope that he could get past this challenge without completely draining his Core.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Vash took a deep breath, calming himself and forming the framework of his Talent in his mind¡¯s eye. It was more intricate than the ones he¡¯d used before, but it still only took a few heartbeats to form. He felt the Talent lock into place, then released the mana from his Core. The framework held, and Vash could feel shadows gathering around him. A cold numbness spread over his body, and the color faded from the world around him.

    Mana flowed into his Shadowmeld Talent like a raging river. Iona described using the Talent as stepping out of the world for a few moments, and Vash couldn¡¯t help but agree. He often felt like he was stepping from a place of warmth and color into a cold mist of gray shadows. Byar said that Shadowmeld was more than just a way to hide from prying eyes, but never went into detail. That was for later, when he earned a higher rank.

    Breathing steadily, Vash fought the urge to shiver in the sudden cold, and waited for the crystal light to pass. He let it get a suitable distance from him before dashing for the next piece of cover. As he moved, he watched the crystal. This time, it did not pause and return to seek him out. It continued to sweep across the room as if he hadn¡¯t moved at all.

    That¡¯s handy. Never noticed that before. Vash thought. Shadowmeld didn¡¯t just hide the user from the sight of others, but from other senses as well.

    Someday, Vash thought, I¡¯m going to have to test it when I¡¯m not in danger of being smashed to a pulp.

    The sound of splintering wood caught Vash¡¯s attention. A golem tore through the boxes that he had just left behind. The clay man tore apart the boxes methodically, searching through the detritus. Although the expression on the golem¡¯s face never changed, Vash felt certain that the creature was confused and frustrated.

    It didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d moved. Vash thought. It thought it had caught me.

    That meant that the golems were tracking him the same way that the crystalline light was. Which meant that the golems were specifically hunting him, not just providing an obstacle. A feeling of dread washed over Vash. Something had changed. The previous challenges had been difficult and dangerous, but this one felt more targeted, intentional.

    I need to get out of here. Vash thought.

    The light swept past as the golem straightened and scanned the room. THE MOUSE HIDES.

    WE MUST FIND WHERE IT HAS GONE. The second golem turned towards the center of the room.

    The third smashed the nearest set of boxes. LEAVE IT NO PLACE TO HIDE.

    Vash darted from his hiding place, narrowly avoiding the second golem as it trudged across the room. The creature¡¯s heavy tread vibrated the floor when it walked. It turned its torso from side to side, looking for anywhere Vash may have gone. The first golem followed in its wake, smashing more boxes, throwing them across the room.

    A stack of crates exploded into splinters in front of Vash, who skidded to a halt. The third golem tore through them, clay hands shattering wood, empty black eyes searching the shadows beyond.

    Vash sidestepped out of the way of the golem. Even though it couldn¡¯t see him, it could crush him just by walking in the wrong spot. The wreckage that the golems were creating blocked his simple path to the opposite door, and the light was inexorably sweeping around again. Movement was causing him to spend more mana to keep the Shadowmeld in place. The telltale fatigue of mana overuse was fogging Vash¡¯s mind, slowing his movements.

    Each way he moved was blocked, either by the light, a golem, or crates and boxes being shoved out of place. Vash bit back a snarl. The Shadowmeld may cover his footsteps, but he doubted that his voice would be as well.

    The light was sweeping his way again, and the golems had smashed all the covers that Vash could easily use. Under bright light, the Shadowmeld would burn away, making him visible. Vash had to move and move quickly. Darting past one golem, Vash narrowly avoided a hammer-like blow as it punched a box out if its way. Vash leaped over a pile of broken wood, landing lightly on the far side before immediately darting to his right to avoid a golem striding towards the place he had just vacated. The light was on his heels now. Vash ran towards the far door. The golems were behind him now, open ways through the crates that they hadn¡¯t destroyed were just ahead of him.

    Vash¡¯s heart surged, a smile creeping onto his face.

    I¡¯m going to make it!

    Vash¡¯s Core was so depleted that he barely sensed the warning tug as the crate came flying at him. It was too late to change direction or duck. The crate struck him in the side, sending him crashing into a pile of boxes. His feet went out from under him and Vash went tumbling to the ground.

    Warmth and light flooded back into his body and shadows burned away in an instant. Vash looked up to see that the light had found him, the beam pointed directly at him. The Shadowmeld evaporated like smoke on the wind. The other facets of the floating crystal burst into light, illuminating the entire room.

    Vash winced at the sudden change of light, blinking to clear his vision. The sound of ceramic on stone caught his attention. The golems had seen him.

    FOUND YOU! The golems intoned as one. The ground shook as they strode towards him, ignoring all obstacles in their way.

    Vash scrambled to his feet, stumbling to one side as a clay fist struck the ground where he had been lying a moment before. The stone tile cracked in a spiderweb pattern with the force of the golem¡¯s blow. Vash had barely regained his balance when a crate struck him. The wood cracked with the force of the impact and Vash felt the warm trickle of blood from a scrape across his scalp. He looked up and saw one golem picking up another crate, bigger this time, and preparing to throw it at him.

    The first golem straightened, pivoted, and lunged at Vash. Enhance Ability sputtered to life in Vash¡¯s limbs, allowing him to dance backwards away from the golem¡¯s devastating fists. He was sluggish, though, his Talents wouldn¡¯t last long at this rate. The golems moved forward, trying to corral him away from the exit door.

    With a surge of mana, Vash leaped onto the pile of crates behind him, avoiding the first golem¡¯s fists and the second¡¯s hurled crate. He kept moving, jumping to the next pile just as the first golem smashed into the wood beneath him. Vash leaped from pile to pile, cutting a straight line toward the exit door. He didn¡¯t look back. The scrape of ceramic and the crunch of wood told him everything he needed to know.

    He landed hard on the floor in front of the exit door, his knees almost gave out beneath him as he stumbled and slammed headfirst into the door. Vash felt something crunch in his nose and blood ran freely down his face. He shook his head and reached for the latch.

    It was locked.

    Vash nearly screamed in frustration, shaking the immobile latch. He barely heard the thudding of clay feet behind him. A sudden thought struck him.

    Where''s the third golem?

    Without turning, Vash threw himself to one side. The charging golem was going too fast to change direction. It crashed into the door, lashing out with its heavy fists with a killing blow meant for Vash. The door shattered and flew off its hinges into the hallway beyond. The golem stumbled and toppled, overbalanced. It crashed to the ground, half-in and half-out of the room.

    Vash staggered to his feet. The golem was slowly pushing up onto its hands and knees. The other two were wading through the destruction of the room behind him, but would be there in seconds. Vash jumped up onto the back of the fallen golem, running across it, past the broken door and into the hallway beyond.

    Tripping, he landed and rolled across the tiles, coming to a stop against the stone wall opposite the struggling golem. Directly above him stood a very surprised looking gnomish woman, her pink hair done up in a messy bun, and she was holding a rod with various runes carved along its length.

    The gnome blinked down at Vash¡¯s bloody face in surprise. ¡°That wasn¡¯t¡­I mean, it shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±

    A clay fist slamming into the floor just beyond her toes interrupted her.

    MOUSE! The golem roared. The other two golems crowded the doorway behind their fallen comrade. They hammered at the wall, stone chips flying as they fought to get to their target.

    The gnome squeaked in surprise and fumbled at the rod in her hands, twisting the dials until certain runes lined up. She pointed it at the golems. ¡°Stolva!¡±

    Immediately, the golems stopped moving. The yellow light within their mouths faded and went out. They stood, frozen in the doorway, in the last pose they had been in before the gnome commanded them to stop.

    For a moment, the hallway was silent. Vash panted, and the gnome made small panicky noises next to him. Finally, Vash sat up, wiped some of the blood from beneath his nose with his sleeve, and looked up at the gnome. ¡°So¡­does this mean I passed?¡±

 Episode 10: Lost and Found

    ¡°He passed the damn Gauntlet, Dane.¡± Jabez said, his voice a low growl. He stood in front of Lodge Master Eddar¡¯s chair, and with Eddar sitting, Jabez could glare at him eye-to-eye. ¡°What more do you want? Should he recite the Lineage of Masters? Maybe come up with a little dance while he sings The Ballad of the Valiant Vagabond?¡±

    Vash was glad that the cloth that he was using to staunch the blood running from his nose also covered his grin. Eddar was squirming. Clearly, things hadn¡¯t gone to plan. Royce fiddled with his notes, clearly angry with the interference in his Gauntlet. When Corwin had helped him to the observation lounge, Royce and Jabez had been trading off on berating Eddar. Royce was furious that the golems had been tampered with.

    ¡°It was a stealth challenge, not a ¡®how good are you at not getting flattened¡¯ challenge.¡± Royce was saying as Vash entered the room. ¡°Overriding the golems with that control rod was foolish and dangerous. You gave them conflicting commands and almost sent them on a rampage through the whole damn Lodge. Thank the gods that Harmony knew the universal shut-down code, or we¡¯d have an even bigger mess on our hands.¡±

    Eddar glanced at Inquisitor Glauch, which set off Jabez. ¡°Oh, are we letting the Inquisition set Guild policies now? I¡¯m sure the Grandmasters will be overjoyed to hear how we let the Inquisition set Guild policies now.

    Glauch had bristled, but had remained silent, allowing Eddar to soak up the abuse for actions that he caused. While Corwin had gotten Vash to a chair and supplies to clean him up, Jabez and Royce kept up the pointed back and forth until Eddar finally had to say something.

    ¡°It is my opinion that the evaluation could not be conclusive with the last test having gone, unfortunately, awry.¡± Eddar said, trying to get back some of his authority.

    ¡°Gods save me from bureaucrats,¡± Jabez spat, looking angry enough to break things, starting with the Lodge Master.

    Royce gave Eddar a disbelieving look. ¡°Your opinion? Well, good thing you aren¡¯t the Master Delver of this Lodge, isn¡¯t it? Who is that again? Oh, right, it¡¯s me. And in the Master Delver¡¯s opinion, Vash has displayed the skills necessary to become a Wayfarer in the League of Delvers. He¡¯s raw, but nothing that we can¡¯t iron out with experience and training.¡±

    Corwin laughed triumphantly and clapped Vash on the shoulder. The touch shook him unexpectedly, surprising Vash with how much his friend had changed in two years. Corwin was always strong. Working a farm will do that, but he was never this strong.

    Glauch shot Corwin a glare of disgust. ¡°So is that how the Wayfarers operate? Your Master renders his verdict on the half-elf¡¯s abilities and you, the servant, just overrule him?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not my master,¡± Royce said, coming to his feet and crossing to Vash. ¡°He just runs the Lodge. Keeps the paperwork in order and the bills paid. For rogues in our Guild, I have the final say here.¡±

    The Inquisitor scoffed. ¡°And this¡­person, is someone you deem worthy of joining your Guild.¡±

    ¡°Provisionally, yes,¡± Royce said, reaching into his waistcoat and producing a small bronze medallion. It was dull and tarnished from age and wear. One side bore the device of a black crescent moon within a larger circle, the symbol of Sala, goddess of the lesser moon, lady of hidden things and secret places. On the other was the combination of runes that symbolized the Wayfarers Guild. Royce held the medallion out to Vash. ¡°I can offer you the rank of level one Apprentice. Your master will have to petition the Grandmaster¡¯s Council for you to be instated as a full Guild Member, but this will give you the protection and support of the Guild until then.¡±

    Vash looked down at the medallion. It¡¯s just symbolic. It gets your head off the chopping block until you can find Iona and the others. He took the medallion from Royce. It was surprisingly heavy, as though made of some dense material. Vash slipped the chain over his head and let the medallion hang against his chest.

    A thrum from his Core was echoed by the medallion, which gave a slight vibration once it settled against his skin. He felt a blossoming of energy within him, like something was let loose. The throbbing in his nose subsided, and he could already tell that the blood had stopped. Many of his aches and weariness vanished in a cool wave that passed over his body. Vash blinked in surprise.

    What the hell was that?

    Corwin put a hand on Vash¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Congratulations. Welcome to the Wayfarers.¡±

    ¡°What just happened?¡± Vash asked, suspicious.

    ¡°It¡¯s a¡­bonus of joining the Guild.¡± Corwin said, glancing at Glauch meaningfully. ¡°Jabez will tell you all about it later.¡±

    Vash frowned, more secrets, just like in the Eth Mitaan.

    ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡± Jabez said decisively, turning and motioning Vash and Corwin to follow.

    ¡°Dammit Jabez, it¡¯s not over and you know it,¡± Eddar said, frustrated.

    ¡°If you¡¯ve got a problem, you can take it up with the Grandmaster¡¯s Council.¡± Jabez said over one shoulder. ¡°Royce, are we settled?¡±

    The halfling nodded. ¡°Because of that fiasco in the Gauntlet I¡¯m waving my fee. With the Inquisitor so graciously making a donation to observe our little ritual, that gives you a credit with the Salvagers.¡±

    Jabez let out a heavy sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good news. I did not know how I was going to kit the boy out properly. At least we can get him some starting gear.¡±

    ¡°Three-hundred gold for starting gear.¡± Vash said, bewildered. ¡°You can buy a house for that much.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting your indenture to the Guild.¡± Royce said. ¡°Until you pay off all of your debt, you¡¯ll only get ten percent of any windfall that comes your way through the Guild. So you have a thirty gold credit with the Salvagers Union.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Vash said bitterly as the reality of his debt sank in. Thirty gold, that¡¯s about three-hundred silver. It¡¯s better than nothing, I suppose.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so glum,¡± Corwin said, steering Vash to the door. ¡°The Salvagers come across all sorts of interesting gear and the bloodstains usually come out pretty easy.¡±

    <hr>

    Vash stuck his finger through a ragged hole in the leather jerkin. He made a face while he wiggled it back and forth.

    The gnome that had handed it to him smiled as if nothing were out of place. ¡°Just a bit of mending, and it¡¯s good as new. We sell mending kits, just so you know.¡±

    Vash heaved a sigh and tried on the armor, finding it a little big in the chest and shoulders since it was made for someone with a human-sized frame, but it otherwise fit well. At least this one doesn¡¯t have a gaping bite taken out of the stomach.

    Vash, Corwin, and Jabez had been going through the Salvager Yard for the past hour. All sorts of bits and bobs, equipment, trinkets, weapons, and other oddities filled the small warehouse tucked behind the Guild Lodge. The Salvagers Union was technically part of the Guild, but they had very little to do with the actual adventuring side of being a Wayfarer. Salvagers bought looted items that Wayfarers brought back from dungeons and monster lairs, hoping to augment the Guild Fee. As a result, there was a variety of armor and weapons from bandits, cultists, and humanoid monsters. However, all of it was from a dead bandit, cultist, or monster, so there were minor problems, like holes from sword stabbings, burns from magical fire, or bites from angry monsters.

    The leather armor Vash was now wearing at least felt like the ones he wore with the Eth Mitaan. It was normal leather, however, possibly given a Therium salt curing to increase its protective value while retaining its flexibility. The holes from where the previous owner had met their demise lined up over Vash¡¯s kidneys.

    At least the bugger died quick.

    ¡°Ah! That looks marvelous on you, sir!¡± the gnome said, clapping his hands excitedly. Even shorter than halflings, and with a body type that tended towards a more rounded shape, it was hard to not view gnomes as overgrown children. Especially when you took their eccentric hair colors into account. This gnome, who had introduced himself as Cordy, had thick lavender hair that he wore in a stylish topknot. He also seemed to think he was working at a high end haberdashery from the way he presented items and fawned over the color and the drape.

    Vash twisted and stretched a few times, noting the ease of movement. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    ¡°Sir, I would note that this item provides an armor rating of 2 on the Gideon Scale. It¡¯s made from lowland bull¡¯s hide, which gives it a bonus rating of +1 against blunt trauma. Fists, clubs, maces, that sort of thing.¡± Cordy said, making expressive gestures toward the coat.

    ¡°But not so great against blades?¡± Vash said, pointedly.

    ¡°Sadly, there must be a trade-off somewhere.¡± Cordy shrugged, his smile never faltering. ¡°Even using magical enhancements, changing the nature of the base material is quite difficult. So, it is better to choose equipment that helps one mitigate one¡¯s weaknesses, at least when choosing protective gear.¡±

    Vash nodded. He could see the logic in that. The cuirass was a dark brown, nearly black, but with enough color not to stand out and scream ¡®I¡¯m a thief, arrest me¡¯, if you wore it in the town square. Also, Vash was far more susceptible to heavy force attacks, like being knocked around by a golem. He had trained to dodge blades or turn them aside. Besides, armor was useful even if it wasn¡¯t all-around protection. ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°For you, sir? A mere seventy-five silver.¡± Cordy said pleasantly.

    Vash frowned. That was almost a third of his credit. Everything else had been more expensive, or in worse shape.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get swindled by that nob,¡± Jabez said, coming down the aisle with a few items tucked under his arm. ¡°It¡¯s not worth over thirty.¡±

    Cordy gasped in horror. ¡°Master Jabez, I know you aren¡¯t impugning my honesty as a businessman. But, I understand times are lean for you and your apprentices. I could see allowing this out my door for sixty-five.¡±

    Jabez made a face. ¡°Forty, the hide is old and is going to need a Therium conditioning soon.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I keep my wares in top condition.¡± Cordy said, eyes dancing. Vash realized, with surprise, that the gnome was enjoying this. ¡°But things do slip through the cracks. So, in the interest of goodwill, I could discount it to sixty.¡±

    ¡°Fifty.¡± Jabez countered.

    ¡°Fifty-five and I¡¯ll throw in mending laces for free.¡± Cordy responded.

    Jabez looked up at Vash questioningly.

    Vash shrugged. He guessed it was acceptable.

    ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± Jabez nodded, then began laying out some other items on a nearby shelf. A pair of vambraces, nicked and scarred, with sweat-stains around the wrists. They were a similar leather to the armor, but with steel plates sewn into them. A thick leather belt with numerous buckles and rings to attach equipment. An assortment of pouches, large and small, good for holding a variety of small items. He held up a bundle wrapped in leather. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if you had a preference, but these are the least expensive I could find.¡±

    Vash took the bundle, unwrapping the ties and rolling it out on the shelf. It was a set of thief¡¯s tools, well-worn like everything in the Salvager¡¯s Yard, but well cared for. No chips, and they looked recently oiled. The dwarf has a decent eye.

    Nodding, Vash re-rolled the tools. ¡°They¡¯ll do for now.¡±

    Cordy looked over at the selection, nodding in approval. ¡°Those are some superb choices, if I may say so. Ten silver for the vambraces, five for the belt. I¡¯ll let the pouches go for six and the¡­ahem¡­trade tools for fifteen. Thirty-six in total.¡±

    ¡°The tools are worth ten,¡± Vash said, taking the vambraces and buckling them onto his forearms. ¡°And these have seen better days. I wouldn¡¯t go higher than six for the pair. So, twenty-seven is my offer.¡±

    ¡°Could we compromise at thirty?¡± Cordy asked, voice sounding pained, but eyes sparkling.

    ¡°I suppose.¡± Vash sighed, putting on the belt and securing the pouches in his preferred style. Feeling like my old self again.

    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Cordy beamed. ¡°Now, what else can I get for you?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll need a standard Wayfarer¡¯s pack.¡± Jabez said, then shot the gnome a look. ¡°Standard price, no mark-up.¡±

    Cordy held up his hands defensively. ¡°I know the rules, Master Jabez. I¡¯ve already secured a pack for your apprentice at the approved rate of ten silver.¡±

    Jabez grunted, like he wanted to make a comment but was keeping himself in check. ¡°Boots next.¡±

    ¡°What about weapons?¡± Vash asked. ¡°My account is dwindling on all these knick-knacks.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get to weapons.¡± Jabez said. ¡°On the Glory Road a good pair of boots is worth as much as any sword.¡±

    ¡°Corwin mentioned the Glory Road.¡± Vash said, following Cordy and Jabez to another section of the Salvager¡¯s Yard. ¡°I thought the main road north from here was the Riverside Road?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡± Jabez said. ¡°It¡¯s a Wayfarer thing, all the roads from Sathsholm here in the south up to Kundaraak way up north, collectively. We call it the Glory Road. Sounds grander than two-thousand miles of blisters and bandits.¡±

    Vash blinked. He knew Wayfarers traveled all over the Grand Alliance, but he didn¡¯t think that they trekked that far. I don¡¯t want to get too far from Sathsholm if I want to find the Eth Mitaan again. I may have to make a run for it sooner rather than later.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t walk the whole thing, right?¡± Vash asked, ¡°You just patrol a section.¡±

    ¡°Every Wayfarer has walked the Road at least once.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Corwin and I were building up funds before starting the first leg of the journey. You just don¡¯t get the experience down here that you need for the really big jobs.¡±

    Vash pondered this while Jabez and Cordy inspected a variety of boots and haggled over the price. I could end up in Nosvaral or Solaria before I¡¯m done. That¡¯s a long way from here. Better to make a break and lie low out in the countryside. Byar used to talk about other Eth Mitaan upriver near the Shrouded Fens. Maybe I can hook up with them and find any survivors?

    ¡°Try these on.¡± Jabez said, handing Vash a pair of mended boots. The leather had mismatched patches and repairs. Much like the rest of his current equipment, it didn¡¯t look stylish or even coordinate well with the other pieces, but when he slipped them on, the boots fit well and supported his feet far better than the tattered shoes he had been wearing.

    Jabez looked him over and gave a brief grunt of approval. ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡±

    ¡°Weapons?¡± Vash asked.

    ¡°Right this way, we have quite a selection.¡± Cordy said, excitedly.

    Jabez made a face, like he was uncomfortable with giving Vash anything more dangerous than a soup spoon. Get used to it, old man, I¡¯m not wandering around unarmed.

    The weapons section of the Salvager¡¯s Yard took up most of one corner of the building. Racks of swords, spears, maces, and other implements of death crammed in together. Cordy tried to steer them to a showcase on the outer edge of the section, but Jabez brushed past the shining collection to the barrels of plain steel towards the back.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll find the quality you¡¯re looking for among those¡ª ¡° Cordy began.

    ¡°These will be fine.¡± Jabez cut the gnome off, perusing the various weapons in the big barrels labeled ¡®Discount¡¯. ¡°What¡¯s your style, boy?¡±

    ¡°I have a name.¡± Vash muttered, irritably.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You keep calling me ¡®boy¡¯ or ¡®the boy¡¯.¡± Vash said. ¡°I have a name.¡±

    Jabez just looked at him. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯d appreciate it if you used it.¡±

    ¡°All right¡­Vash, what¡¯s your style?¡±

    ¡°Two-weapon,¡± Vash said, ¡°Small sword and dagger.¡±

    Jabez started sorting through the barrel, pulling out a few pieces to look over. ¡°Use the small sword for offense or just for blocking?¡±

    ¡°I use it to attack and defend, dagger is mainly for offense, though.¡±

    ¡°Ese¡¯ko anaethi?¡± Jabez asked, selecting a blade roughly the length of his forearm.

    Vash blinked in surprise. ¡°How the hell do you know about that?¡±

    ¡°Kid¡­Vash, I¡¯ve been walking the Glory Road since before your mother was born. I¡¯ve known plenty of folks from all over. I¡¯ve seen most of the elvish fighting styles, even the ones they don¡¯t like talking about. The Silent Thorn can be pretty nasty in the right circumstances. Makes sense why they focused on the Shadowmeld Talent, since it works best from a place of surprise.¡± Jabez continued, taking a few other swords out of the barrel, then moving to a basket of daggers. ¡°Might want to study Et¡¯ya ston Anaemo, Willow in the Wind. It¡¯s a complementary form that will work better in open combat.¡±

    Against his will, Vash was intrigued. He had complained about the need for constant stealth when using the Silent Thorn style. Byar had brushed it off. If you¡¯re ever in a stand-up fight. He had said. Then something has gone wrong, and you¡¯d be better off just running.

    That strategy had failed him badly in the Duke¡¯s palace. Once he and the other Eth Mitaan had been exposed, they had run, then when they couldn¡¯t run anymore they had been caught and slaughtered. ¡°Is that a form that you know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the basics.¡± Jabez said, sorting through daggers. ¡°I know a few Kaeleshi elves up in Vinya-Esain that can give you a better understanding once we get that far. That is, if you¡¯re still planning on being with us.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice, remember?¡± Vash said. ¡°If I want to keep my head, I¡¯m a Wayfarer from now on.¡±

    ¡°I know the deal that Corwin struck with the Duke.¡± Jabez said, taking the weapons to a table and laying them out. ¡°I also have been around long enough to spot someone that¡¯s ready to run at the first opportunity.¡±

    Vash said nothing, following in Jabez¡¯s wake.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been jumpy since I laid eyes on you.¡± Jabez continued. ¡°Always looking for the exit. Eyes on the move. If you want to spot a tail, by the way, don¡¯t keep looking over your shoulder. It gives them an opportunity to fall back or change tactics. Use reflective surfaces when you can and your peripheral vision when you change direction.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not planning on running.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit.¡±

    ¡°I have enemies in this city, though, and not just the Ducal Guard. A lot of folk would be happy to put a knife in the back of one of the few surviving Eth Mitaan.¡± Vash said, hoping that explanation would mollify the dwarf.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re heading out in the morning.¡± Jabez said, turning to face Vash. ¡°Look, I know this situation isn¡¯t anything you wanted. I¡¯m not especially thrilled about it either. But I¡¯m going to need you to get us through this quest from the Duke. Can you give me that much for getting your head out of the noose?¡±

    Vash considered this. It gets me out of the city for a bit. Gets the Duke off my back. I can always ditch these two and head for the Shrouded Fens once we start north. ¡°I can give it a try, but I¡¯m no adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Who is?¡± Jabez snorted. ¡°Just do your job and try not to get anyone killed. We¡¯ll talk about the adventuring side later. Now pick out your steel and let¡¯s get going.¡±

    Vash took his time looking over the weapons that Jabez had selected. Unsurprisingly, the dwarf had a keen eye for good steel. In the end, Vash picked a small sword that was on the longer side, since he preferred a bit of reach and a heavy dagger. Others would have preferred a smaller, concealable blade, but Vash enjoyed knowing that his dagger would not snap in half at an inopportune moment.

    Jabez went off to haggle with Cordy while Vash familiarized himself with his new weapons. Vash stepped through a few of the simpler Silent Thorn katas, getting a feel for the weight and balance of his blades as well as how his new armor and boots impacted movement. The first time, it felt awkward, but he quickly settled into something of a rhythm. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but he could learn to work with these tools.

    ¡°That looks fancy.¡± Corwin said, approaching from one aisle.

    ¡°Just a few exercises.¡± Vash said, sheathing his weapons. ¡°Where have you been?¡±

    ¡°Restocking for Jabez and me.¡± Corwin said, holding up a net bag of sundries. ¡°Also putting together a Wayfarer¡¯s pack for you.¡±

    Corwin tossed a pack to Vash. Vash caught it in mid-air and was surprised at the weight. Despite its weight, the traveler¡¯s pack balanced well and didn¡¯t feel as heavy as it should.

    I hope that¡¯s not because we can¡¯t afford food.

    ¡°Packed it myself.¡± Corwin said proudly. ¡°Jabez says that efficient packing and maintenance of gear are crucial for any Wayfarer on the road.¡±

    Vash tried on the pack. The pack provided a good balance for long travel, but Vash could already feel the straps digging into his shoulders.

    ¡°Those clasps on the bottom hook into those rings on your belt,¡± Corwin explained. ¡°It helps take some of the weight off your shoulders.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± Vash said, hooking the clasps to his belt and instantly feeling some of the weight shifting away from his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s clever.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a bedroll, your share of the road rations, mess kit, oilcloth, rope, and a few other useful odds and ends in there.¡± Corwin said, digging in the other bag. ¡°I also got you this. It¡¯s every Wayfarer¡¯s best friend.¡±

    Corwin pulled out a book with a battered green cover. Vash winced. Reading wasn¡¯t his strong suit. His foster father hadn¡¯t bothered to teach him back in Durron¡¯s Ford, and the Temple cleric wasn¡¯t a fan of educating ¡®half-breeds¡¯, as he called children like Vash. He had eventually learned his letters with some help from Corwin and a few others, but hadn¡¯t truly learned to read before becoming a member of the Eth Mitaan. Even now, his reading was slow and he had difficulty with bigger words or dense texts.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you with anything you can¡¯t figure out.¡± Corwin said, earnestly. ¡°Just trust me, this book is worth it.¡±

    Vash grimaced, but he took the book from Corwin. Faded, embossed letters on the cover said its title was ¡®Gideon¡¯s Guide to Adventure¡¯. The cover even had a bronze Wayfarer¡¯s symbol attached to the front. Vash felt his medallion vibrate as he brought the book close to inspect it. The book vibrated in response. Surprised, Vash almost dropped it.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Corwin asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Vash said. The book and his medallion stopped vibrating after the initial contact. ¡°Must be one of those Wayfarer things you couldn¡¯t tell me about.¡±

    Corwin looked confused. ¡°No¡­it¡¯s just a book.¡±

    ¡°OK, well, thanks.¡± Vash said, tucking the book into one of his larger pouches.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of handy information in there.¡± Corwin said, even Jabez swears by it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a look then.¡± Vash said, not sure what kind of reaction Corwin was expecting.

    They stood in awkward silence while Jabez concluded business with Cordy. If Corwin is expecting things to go back to the way they were in Durron¡¯s Ford, then he might be in for a surprise. Vash thought. A lot has happened since then, big man.

    Jabez waved Vash over. ¡°We¡¯ve settled up. To no one¡¯s surprise, we¡¯ve spent your entire credit.¡±

    Cordy ignored the glare that Jabez was giving him and beamed up at Vash. ¡°It¡¯s always such a pleasure to see a new Wayfarer finally kitted out properly. One last thing, just a formality, really.¡± The gnome took out a small leather-bound notebook, a bronze Wayfarer sigil on the cover. He flipped through the pages, finally finding the page he wanted and made a few quick notes with a pencil that he had tucked behind one ear. ¡°If you¡¯ll just press your medallion to the bottom of the page there, we¡¯ll be all set.¡±

    Vash glanced at Jabez, who gestured for him to go ahead. With a shrug, Vash pulled out his Wayfarer medallion and pressed it lightly to the bottom of the page that Cordy was holding out.

    The medallion gave a small shudder. A dark ink splotch appeared beneath the spot where Vash held his medallion. The ink flowed into words beneath the total that Cordy had written.

    <blockquote>

    Liellovash ¡®Vash¡¯ Ballard

    Apprentice Level I, Delver¡¯s League

    Jabez Ironbiter, Master

    </blockquote>

    ¡°Handy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Corwin said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s how we keep track of everything in the Guild. Once you take the medallion, it¡¯s soul-bonded to you, impossible to lose.¡±

    Vash looked at the medallion uncertainly. If it keeps track of my records and is soul-bonded to me, then that means it can also be used to find me.

    He looked up and met eyes with Jabez. The dwarf gave a small shrug, as if he knew what Vash was thinking and that there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it.

    If the Guild could find him, then he couldn¡¯t run. Eventually, they could find him again.

    That means I can¡¯t go find the other Eth Mitaan. I can¡¯t go find Iona.

    The medallion suddenly felt very heavy around his neck.

 Episode 11: Red Caps

    During the walk back to the Weary Wayfarer, Vash was silent, brooding over the disk of bronze that lay against his chest. Corwin kept up a steady stream of chatter, speculating about their quest and the jobs they could take afterwards. Apparently, he and Jabez mostly dealt with monster infestations, shadow cult camps, and bandit groups. Good for a bit of coin here and there, but not the same as the more lucrative dungeon delves and ruin explorations.

    Once, the thought of exploring ancient ruins and dungeons would have filled Vash with joy. Now it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

    What did you expect? He thought, They would let you run around without a leash? Corwin is a trusting fool, but that dwarf may be more clever than I gave him credit for.

    Jabez kept his eyes fixed forward, grunting in acknowledgment of Corwin¡¯s comments every now and again. He played the part of the gruff master well, but Vash suspected one didn¡¯t become a Master in the Wayfarers by being foolish or reckless.

    He¡¯s the one to watch out for when I make my break¡­if I can make a break. Vash thought, frowning.

    As he held the medallion in his fingers, Vash carefully inspected it. It wasn¡¯t anything special, similar to the identification tags that guardsmen wore. Wayfarer¡¯s glyph on one side, Sala¡¯s sigil on the other, a few tiny runes etched around the rim in a language that Vash didn¡¯t know offhand.

    I¡¯ll probably have to find a hedge mage to break the soul bond.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty neat, huh?¡± Corwin asked, beaming. ¡°You figured out what you unlocked yet?¡±

    Vash looked up at him, confused. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Your Guild Marker, the amulet. As you gain ranks in the Guild, it unlocks passive Talents.¡± Corwin said. ¡°I wanted to tell you about it when Royce gave you the medallion, but it¡¯s not something we talk about when folk like Inquisitor Glauch are in the room.¡±

    He had forgotten about the sudden rush of vitality and how his nose had stopped bleeding as soon as he¡¯d taken the medallion. Now he took a mental inventory of any changes in his body. The bruises on his knuckles from fighting the guardsmen at the Ducal Palace had faded and almost disappeared. He no longer felt the deeper bruises on his stomach and ribs from the beatings he had taken.

    ¡°Something to do with healing?¡± Vash guessed.

    Corwin grinned. ¡°It uses ambient mana to bolster your own natural healing. So, it doesn¡¯t use your personal mana reserve and is constantly repairing your body. Wear it all night and your nose will be back to normal by morning.¡±

    That¡¯s handy. Vash thought, tucking the medallion back under his shirt.

    ¡°Being a Wayfarer has its perks. You can read about them in the Gideon¡¯s Guide.¡± Corwin said, enthusiastically.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to check that out,¡± Vash said, trying to move off of the conversation and get back to brooding.

    ¡°Remember that the Gideon¡¯s Guide is a place to start, not the end-all-be-all of Wayfarer knowledge.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Gideon Harlow didn¡¯t see everything that this world has to see, nor did he write everything down. So keep your eyes and ears open.¡±

    Corwin made a face like he¡¯d heard this speech a thousand times, but he kept silent.

    As Jabez neared the Weary Wayfarer, he stopped. Vash and Corwin stopped behind him. Vash didn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary. More guardsmen than usual loitered on street corners, unsurprising due to the Eth Mitaan attack on the Duke.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Corwin asked, stepping up beside Jabez, brow furrowed.

    ¡°No, just thinking.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Since our boy¡­I mean, Vash, is now a Wayfarer¡ªat least probationary¡ªwe should probably take him to a proper Wayfarer tavern to welcome him to the Guild.¡±

    A mischievous grin split Corwin¡¯s face. ¡°You aren¡¯t suggesting¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think we have to go to the Drunken Drake.¡± Jabez said decisively. He turned on his heel and began walking towards the Wayfarer¡¯s Gate.

    ¡°What¡¯s the Drunken Drake?¡± Vash asked. ¡°I¡¯ve lived here for two years and never heard of it.¡±

    ¡°The Drake¡¯s a bit of a hole-in-the-wall.¡± Corwin said, clapping Vash on the shoulder and steering him to follow Jabez. ¡°It¡¯s not Wayfarer exclusive, but it¡¯s definitely more friendly to Wayfarers.¡±

    Vash allowed Jabez to steer him, following him when he turned off the high street and into one of the many side-streets in the shadow of the city walls. They didn¡¯t have to go far. In less than a block, Vash heard thumping drums and fast fiddle playing, as well as the low buzz of voices. As they turned a corner, the three of them found themselves swallowed by a small crowd of adventurers. Most lounged at outside tables in front of a stone building that looked like it had seen better days. A variety of people talked, gamed, ate, and drank in front of the wide open double-doors. Above the doorway was a modest shingle with a crudely sketched Draconic figure painted on it. The creature looked far more comical than fearsome, with exaggerated angry eyes and oddly human arms holding a pair of ale mugs. A shaggy-haired Tauroc with large, curved horns leaned against the door frame, watching the chaos with a lazy, bored expression.

    Jabez approached the Tauroc. ¡°Got any tables inside, Hefnir?¡±

    The massive bull-headed Tauroc looked down at Jabez, jaw working placidly as he chewed something. Vash, having grown up in a farming community, didn¡¯t want to think about what the Tauroc might be chewing on. Hefnir made a deep rumble of annoyance. ¡°We¡¯re full up.¡±

    ¡°You telling me that a fifth level Master can¡¯t get a table?¡± Jabez asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t say that,¡± Hefnir rumbled. ¡°Just sayin¡¯ that there aren¡¯t any tables available.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    Jabez looked past Hefnir into the interior of the tavern. From where Vash was standing, he could see that Hefnir wasn¡¯t lying. The tables were crowded with every kind of person imaginable. Elves, dwarves, orcs, Tauroc, halflings, gnomes, and humans of every shape, size, and color crowded together at tables and lined the bar. On a raised platform at one end of the tavern were several musicians playing a thunderous song that had most of the rabble singing along:

    <blockquote>

    Here¡¯s to the Masters, who showed us the way,

    To Journeymen brave who joined the fray.

    To Gauntlets braved and maidens won.

    To our brothers in arms,

    And to the adventures to come!

    So raise your mugs, you Wayfarers bold!

    With broken blades and stories untold,

    From Underland depths to the dwarf lords¡¯ peaks,

    We¡¯ll drink and we¡¯ll sing ¡®til the new day breaks!

    </blockquote>

    Only one table didn¡¯t join in the chorus. They were laughing and clapping along, but obviously didn¡¯t know the song any more than Vash did. With a start, Vash realized he recognized some of them. Not necessarily by their faces, but by the red-dyed caps they all wore. Members of the Red Caps had been an annoyance to the Eth Mitaan in the Riverside district, never really a rival, but Vash had clashed with them before. Now they seemed to enjoy free run of the city.

    Jabez seemed to notice them as well. He turned to Hefnir. ¡°What about that table? Looks empty to me.¡±

    Hefnir glanced over at the Red Caps. ¡°Needs to be cleaned off. If you want to do it, you¡¯ll get no argument from me.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s clear some garbage, boys.¡± Jabez said, motioning Corwin and Vash to follow.

    ¡°Wait, I know them.¡± Vash said. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to just leave if we make a few threats.¡±

    ¡°He knows.¡± Corwin said, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles.

    Jabez stalked across the room, eyes fixed on the Red Caps¡¯ table. Other Wayfarers noticed the dwarf on a mission and moved their drinks out of the way or adjusted their seats to give him, Corwin, and Vash room to move.

    ¡°You might want to set your pack down.¡± Corwin advised, setting down the bag he¡¯d brought from the Salvager¡¯s Yard. ¡°Hefnir will make sure it¡¯s not bothered, right Hef?¡±

    The big Tauroc made a grunt that sounded close to a cattle lowing, but Vash took it as assent. Vash dropped his pack next to Corwin¡¯s bag and followed them through the crowded room.

    <blockquote>

    We¡¯ve traveled far on the Glory Road,

    From Solaria far, the High King¡¯s abode,

    Through Vinya-Esain¡¯s enchanted wood,

    Where Kaeleshi archers understood,

    Our Wayfarer¡¯s badge meant friend, not foe,

    In Oxthera¡¯s towers, our legends grow!

    From Aladur¡¯s plains to Galadon¡¯s shores,

    We¡¯ve fought what comes from the Underland¡¯s doors,

    In Patria¡¯s court or Nosraval¡¯s gloom.

    Our deeds light fires in fair lady¡¯s rooms!

    So raise your mugs, you Wayfarers bold!

    With broken blades and stories untold,

    From Underland depths to the dwarf lords¡¯ peaks,

    We¡¯ll drink and we¡¯ll sing ¡®til the new day breaks!

    </blockquote>

    Jabez marched up to the Red Caps¡¯ table and picked the nearest one, a scruffy-looking youth who raised a mug of ale to his lips. With a casual smack of one thick hand, Jabez swatted the mug out of the youth¡¯s hand. The clay mug shattered on the floor and left a puddle of ale on the floor stones.

    The youth just stared in shock. A stout Red Cap sitting beside him got to his feet and glared down at Jabez. ¡°What the hell¡¯s your problem?¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t singing.¡± Jabez said, pointing at the gaping youth.

    ¡°Who the hell cares?¡± The stout Red Cap asked, incredulous. ¡°None of us were singing, we don¡¯t know the song.¡±

    ¡°This is a Wayfarer tavern. Guild Law says that when the Wayfarer Toast is sung at a Wayfarer tavern, then everyone sings, or else you got to leave.¡± Jabez said, voice calm but with a definite promise.

    ¡°Screw that.¡± Another Red Cap said, getting to his feet. He was taller that Vash and had the thickly muscled arms of a dock worker. ¡°No ponce Guild tells a Red Cap where he can go.¡±

    ¡°Then we got ourselves a problem.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Me and my apprentices need a table. Guild law says you got to leave and give up your table.¡±

    ¡°You want the table, then you¡¯re going to have to back up your words, shorty.¡± The stout Red Cap said. ¡°You and your apprentices¡ª¡° The Red Cap looked up at Corwin and Vash. He paused, eyes glittering in recognition. ¡°I know that one.¡±

    The youth looked up at Vash, finally shaking off the shock. A mean grin split his face. ¡°Oi, I know that knife-ear. He¡¯s a Masked One¡­oh, wait, he can¡¯t be a Masked One. They¡¯re all dead, ain¡¯t they?¡±

    The Red Caps laughed. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant sound. Vash felt anger blossom in his chest, and he glared at the youth.

    ¡°I think you made the half-breed mad, Alvy.¡± The stout Red Cap said. ¡°Not that anyone cares, since you don¡¯t got a gang to back you up anymore, do you?¡±

    Alvy, the young Red Cap, stood up and held Vash¡¯s gaze, cocky and eager. ¡°I know the Last Sons, over in Drover¡¯s Court, would love to have a word with you. Pol, don¡¯t you think this might be the one who put out Nath¡¯s eye in that scrap the Sons and the Masks had?¡±

    The big Red Cap nodded. ¡°Probably hard to tell since they wore those masks. Definitely worth a few silver to hand him over.¡±

    ¡°I think we can have some fun first, don¡¯t you?¡± Alvy sniggered.

    ¡°No blades, boys.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Understand.¡±

    Vash didn¡¯t, but Corwin nodded.

    ¡°Oi, I forgot you were there¡ª¡°

    Jabez¡¯s fist shot out like a viper, slamming into Alvy¡¯s stomach with the force of a forge hammer. The youth flew back, tumbling over his chair and rolling into the suddenly empty space behind him. The Wayfarers in the tables around the Red Caps had shifted back in anticipation.

    Corwin charged the stout Red Cap, landing a solid blow to the stomach and doubling the man over, following up with an uppercut that sent him sprawling. The big Red Cap, Pol, roared in fury and caught Corwin with his shoulder, shoving him across the room and slamming him into a stone wall.

    The two other Red Caps, who until this moment had been laughing and drinking at the entertaining scene, suddenly stood up and charged Vash. With his mana still low from the Gauntlet earlier, Vash was taken by surprise. The first Red Cap went for his ribs with a series of body blows. His punches caused the leather to contract, resulting in strikes that were only bruising instead of potentially rib-breaking. The second came in from the side and caught him across the jaw with a well-timed jab.

    Vash¡¯s head swam, and he saw stars. His medallion pulsed, and within a few heartbeats, Vash¡¯s vision cleared.

    Damn, that¡¯s useful.

    The first Red Cap was lunging in again for another series of strikes to his ribs and stomach. Vash twisted, bringing up an elbow and cracking it across the Red Cap¡¯s chin. The man spun, eyes rolling in his head, and fell to the ground. The second Red Cap yelled something, but Vash didn¡¯t catch it, then came leaping over his prone friend, lashing out with a series of wild strikes. Vash either took the blows on his armor or deflected them with his metal-lined bracers.

    The Red Cap snarled in frustration and pulled a stiletto from his belt. The quick jabs from the thin knife pushed Vash back across the room. Vash timed the man¡¯s attacks. He had the same problem most amateur fighters did. He fell into a rhythm.

    In anticipation of the next attack, Vash turned and seized the man¡¯s wrist. He pulled the Red Cap, using his own momentum against him. Vash backhanded the Red Cap across the face, feeling the man¡¯s nose crunch beneath his knuckles. The muscles under Vash¡¯s other hand slackened slightly, and he twisted the Red Cap¡¯s wrist hard. With a cry of pain, the Red Cap dropped the knife. Vash snaked one hand around the back of the Red Cap¡¯s neck, grabbed his head and slammed it into his rising knee. The Red Cap crumpled and Vash stepped back, ready for another attack.

    Jabez stood by the table, arms crossed, one foot on the head of the young Red Cap, Alvy. Corwin was standing over the big Red Cap, Pol, who was on the ground in a fetal position whimpering. Breathing hard, Corwin wiped a thin trickle of blood from beneath his nose and gave Vash a savage grin.

    Moments later, Hefnir and some large humans arrived to gather the Red Caps. The Tauroc nodded to Jabez. ¡°I appreciate the lack of damage. Have a good night.¡±

    Pulling out a chair, Jabez nodded graciously to Hefnir. He turned to Vash and Corwin. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve had a bit of fun, let¡¯s get a drink.¡±

 Episode 12: Dinner With Friends

    ¡°Our nights in town aren¡¯t always so active.¡± Jabez said, stripping the meat from a chicken leg with his teeth. Grease ran down his chin and through his beard, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind. Chewing thoughtfully, he pointed the bone at Corwin. ¡°Do you remember our last tavern brawl?¡±

    ¡°Haddonfield.¡± Corwin said around a mouthful of bread, sodden with a thick brown gravy.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! You were chatting up that Baedani lass and her suitor didn¡¯t take kindly to it.¡±

    Corwin took a swig from a mug of ale and wiped his mouth on his tunic sleeve. ¡°He was only a suitor because he was the only unmarried man in the village that she wasn¡¯t related to. I merely told her that there were other villages and some of them weren¡¯t too far from Haddonfield, that she had options.¡±

    Jabez laughed. ¡°Then he hit you with a chair!¡±

    Chuckling, Corwin took another drink. ¡°Wasn¡¯t much of a fight. Just a few punches thrown.¡±

    ¡°That lad took down the angry suitor and four of his best mates and never even spilled his ale.¡± Jabez beamed, proudly. The dwarf threw back the remains of his ale and raised the mug above his head, signaling the barmaids that he needed a refill. Corwin and Jabez had been eating, drinking, telling tales, and singing along with the tavern musicians for almost three hours. The dwarf was flushed and his eyes glassy. Corwin wasn¡¯t far behind, though he maintained a more sedate demeanor in contrast to his Master¡¯s exuberance.

    Vash had sampled the ale. It was the dark, bitter stuff that the dwarves loved. It sat heavy on the stomach and packed quite a kick. Jabez mentioned it was mixed with Gamlaender, a dwarvish spirit, and rare find south of Tonuraak. Vash carefully nursed his cups, knowing that this was likely some sort of bonding thing that Jabez was trying to do.

    ¡°They mostly gave up after I knocked down Britta¡¯s suitor.¡± Corwin waved off the praise from Jabez.

    Of course Corwin would remember her name. Vash thought, not only did the man have the swarthy good looks of Elani westerners, he was the type of man who was earnestly interested in any woman he pursued. He didn¡¯t bed them and forget them, the way so many mercenaries and adventurers did. I wonder if that¡¯s because he¡¯s still hung up on Kat Tolman?

    ¡°You¡¯re too modest, boy,¡± Jabez argued as a barmaid refilled Jabez¡¯s mug. He caught the girl¡¯s gaze and pointed at Corwin. ¡°That young man is one of the best warriors I¡¯ve ever trained. A natural fighter.¡±

    She gave Jabez an indulgent smile and glanced over at Corwin, who shrugged modestly.

    ¡°And that one.¡± Jabez pointed to Vash, his expression contemplative. ¡°That one I¡¯ve got a good feeling about. He held his own, and that¡¯s rare for both an elf and a thief.¡±

    The barmaid laughed and looked at Vash. Recognition dawned in her eyes and her smile vanished. Her gaze held a mix of fear and distrust, but she swiftly replaced it with a pleasant smile.

    A fleeting moment, but Vash knew that look. She¡¯d likely known someone who tangled with the Eth Mitaan, maybe a Last Son or a Barge Brother. They were the groups that the Masked Ones clashed with most often. The barmaid gave them a forced smile and hurried off to server other tables.

    Jabez frowned, watching her go. ¡°That a common reaction?¡±

    ¡°Around here?¡± Vash asked. ¡°Pretty common.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯d best not dally.¡± Jabez¡¯s drunken cheer falling away and the gruff master Wayfarer returning. ¡°The sooner we get out of the city, the better, since you seem to have so many friends here.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t walk into a bar and knock the drink out of a Red Cap¡¯s hand.¡± Vash admonished. ¡°I told you I had enemies, and you walked me right up to one of them.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about that.¡± Jabez said, awkwardly. ¡°Sometimes folk exaggerate, get dramatic, y¡¯know.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Vash said. ¡°Not about something like that.¡±

    ¡°Noted.¡± Jabez said, then quaffed his ale in a series of long gulps. He slammed the mug down on the table, rattling the plates and cutlery, then let out a loud belch. ¡°Hooo, I needed that. Let¡¯s head back to the Weary Wayfarer, one last night in a proper bed before we hit the road.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°That¡¯d be a change, since I¡¯m on the floor.¡± Vash pushed back his plate and made ready to depart.

    ¡°Not tonight, boy,¡± Jabez said. ¡°Couple Guild rooms opened up at the Weary Wayfarer. Each of us can have our own room.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that expensive?¡± Vash got to his feet and eyed Jabez and Corwin as they wobbled slightly where they stood. ¡°I thought we were short on coin.¡±

    ¡°My credit¡¯s still good in this town.¡± Jabez scoffed. ¡°At least for tonight, anyway.¡±

    Jabez took a confident stride towards the tavern door and tangled himself in his own chair. After a few hops and more than a few curses both in the Common Tongue and in Hakhdahr, the dwarvish language, Jabez straightened himself out and headed confidently¡ªif unsteadily¡ªtowards the door.

    ¡°The Guild subsidizes a lot of rooms and meals on Traveler¡¯s Row.¡± Corwin said, as Jabez passed out of earshot. ¡°So taverns like this look the other way when a Wayfarer doesn¡¯t have the coin to pay for bed for the night, or a meal. Trust me, if we had to pay standard rates, we¡¯d be sleeping under a bridge somewhere.¡±

    Corwin tossed a few silver coins onto the table as they left and gave their barmaid a friendly wave. Vash noticed she waved back at Corwin, but avoided looking at him entirely.

    <hr>

    The room at the Weary Wayfarer was more of a closet than a room. It fit only a cot, a washstand with a basin, and a small shelf for a candle. Vash didn¡¯t care. For the first time in days, he could close the door and not have anyone watching him. He sighed in relief, resting his pack on the floor by the bed, and taking a seat on the narrow cot. The thin mattress, which felt stuffed with rushes, would be comfortable enough.

    I¡¯ve slept on worse. He reminded himself.

    Vash unbuckled his belt and hung it on one of the wall hooks within reach of the bed. Next he stripped his armor, frowning at the punctures in the leather. He needed to repair that soon, but not tonight. Right now he felt tired down to his very soul. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed, douse the light and forget about everything for a few hours.

    He glanced over at the candle on the shelf. Above it was a small window. Too small to fit his shoulders through.

    Not a handy escape route then. Vash thought.

    Something flickered past the window.

    Vash blinked and quickly dropped into a crouch beside the bed. He slid sideways away from the window, reaching for his dagger and pinching out the candle.

    Darkness enveloped the room, save for the moonlight casting an eerie glow on the fogged window glass. Vash waited, crouched in the corner, dagger held in a ready position. He fixedly stared at the window, searching for any movement or changes in the light. His eyes adjusted quickly to the shadows. His elven blood granted him superior night vision, but adjusting from candlelight to moonlight still required time.

    He stayed crouched for a few dozen heartbeats, body tense and ready to react. Vash started to feel a bit silly, like he¡¯d overreacted to something ordinary. Maybe a pigeon had flown past and through the cloudy glass he hadn¡¯t recognized the shape.

    Or that ale hit me harder than I thought.

    A faint pulse of mana brought him back to full focus. Someone close had used a Talent. Very close.

    Vash slowed his breathing and allowed his awareness to sink into his Core. He felt the emptiness within. No Talents until his Core refilled itself, but his connection to the weave of mana would give him insight into his surroundings.

    Clearing his mind, Vash pushed his awareness out into the room through his Core. He could feel the motes of magic around him, the ebb and flow of mana through the world. Energy flowed around him in a gentle swirl, buffeting around the room, against the walls, along the cot, dipping into the water jug to take on an elemental tint. An empty spot remained, like a hole in the weave, with mana flowing around it.

    A Shadowmeld? Vash thought. He waited, concentrating on the empty area. After a dozen heartbeats, he felt a flicker, a pulse of mana. Someone was pushing mana into their Talent to keep it going. The pulse came from the corner, the empty spot.

    Vash lunged forward, hand outstretched to grab whoever was hiding in the corner, dagger primed for a sudden attack.

    The pulse of mana became stronger, and Vash felt it flow around him. His fingers brushed the edge of a cloak or tunic. He closed them quickly, trying to get a grip on his opponent, but the cloth slithered out of his grasp. Vash turned mid-lunge, pivoting on one foot to bring his dagger around. A hand closed around his wrist, expertly twisting the knife away.

    Vash felt his hand go numb. The dagger clattered to the floor, and he fell to his knees as the hand kept twisting, locking wrist, elbow, and shoulder. He grunted in pain, trying to get some slack on the hold so he could escape.

    The mana in the room rippled, and the shadows fell away from his opponent. A slender figure in black leathers, a hood covered their head, and within the hood was a silver-white wooden mask. The face was angular, stylized. Stag¡¯s horns carved into the forehead on either side of a pair of crescent moons, one large and one small.

    ¡°You are never more vulnerable than in your own bedchamber.¡± A melodic voice said from beneath the mask. ¡°I thought I taught you better than this, Sparrow.¡±

    Vash¡¯s heart leaped at the sound of that voice. ¡°Iona?¡±

    With her free hand, the figure reached up and pushed back her mask and hood. Beneath was a part-elvish woman with a pale, angular face. She had a short bob of black hair that she kept tied back and away from her face. Dark, sapphire eyes that looked black in the moonlight glittered down at him. Her mouth was a thin, tight line of concentration, which after a moment quirked into a devilish smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t think we¡¯d completely abandoned you, did you?¡±

 Episode 13: Nightingale

    Releasing her grip, Iona stepped back, just out of reach in the small room. Her eyes glittered mischievously. But that was a ruse, Vash knew. Iona was a woman of singular focus. Even if she was enjoying the moment, she was calculating several variables and all of them had to do with her survival or the survival of the Eth Mitaan.

    Vash slowly got to his feet, rubbing his wrist. He wanted to rush to her, take her in his arms, breathe in her scent, but he held back. There were questions he needed answered first. ¡°Where have you been? What happened?¡±

    Iona¡¯s face dropped slightly. ¡°Things didn¡¯t go well at the Duke¡¯s Palace. My team got separated and cut off, and we couldn¡¯t make it to you in time. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    The memory of Quin lying on that balcony, eyes wide in terror as she struggled for one more breath, flashed in Vash¡¯s mind. A growing pool of blood surrounding her. Vash could only lie there and watch while the guards pummeled him with mailed fists and bound him like a trussed pig. He closed his eyes and pushed the memory away. When he opened them again, Iona was looking at him with concern.

    Is she worried about my well-being? Vash thought. Or does she wonder if she can trust me?

    ¡°Byar?¡± Vash asked, pushing aside the thought for now.

    ¡°He¡¯s alive.¡± Iona said. ¡°Sends his regrets, but he can¡¯t move freely right now. He figured you¡¯d rather see me anyhow.¡±

    ¡°I do prefer your face to his,¡± Vash admitted. ¡°Beards just do nothing for me.¡±

    Iona gave him another of her rare smiles. ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it out, Sparrow.¡±

    Vash felt his heart race. Iona never liked his given name. Her elvish was too good to ignore the oddness of it. Eth Mitaan took code names to use with one another in the field, once the masks were on. Iona liked to give her students the names of birds. She¡¯d called him Sparrow from the first day that he¡¯d stumbled into Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow. That she almost never called him by any other name gave him a warm feeling. It was her claim on him, on his heart, even when they weren¡¯t able to express it openly. ¡°I was worried about you. The Guard kept any news of you or Byar away from us. I thought that since they weren¡¯t bragging they¡¯d killed or captured the great Nightingale that you¡¯d escaped.¡±

    ¡°It was a near thing.¡± Iona said. ¡°I had to jump from one of the river towers and swim to the far side. I took a crossbow bolt to the shoulder. Luckily, my armor held, and it was just a scratch. Bled like hell, though. Then I spent a day in the sewers playing hide-and-seek with the Guard and the Inquisition. Finally caught up with Byar and the other survivors yesterday morning. That¡¯s when I heard about you and your team.¡±

    Vash looked away, guilt rising inside him. Knowing there was nothing he could have done, but feeling the weight and pain of it, anyway. They were his team, his responsibility.

    ¡°No one blames you.¡± Iona said, pulling Vash¡¯s attention back. ¡°You were in the worst position when things went wrong. It¡¯s a miracle that you survived.¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t.¡± Vash sighed. He had been thinking it over while Corwin and Jabez had drunk themselves foolish. ¡°They knew I was Sparrow, and they knew that you and I are close. They were going to execute me, hoping you would try some sort of foolish rescue.¡±

    This time, Iona looked away. Vash felt his heart sink a bit. He¡¯d known the likely truth, but he didn¡¯t want to admit it. No one was coming, not even her.

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t risk it.¡± Iona said softly. ¡°We had lost too many already.¡±

    ¡°I suppose Byar was right¡ª¡° Vash started.

    ¡°It was my call, Sparrow.¡± Iona said. ¡°I was the one who decided against attempting a rescue.¡±

    Vash winced. The truth hurt, even if he had suspected as much. ¡°We weren¡¯t there to kill the Duke, were we?¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°It would have been a pleasant side benefit. But, no, there was another mission.¡± Iona said, face neutral.

    ¡°Which was?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that, Sparrow.¡± Iona said, and her voice actually sounded pained at that.

    ¡°Maybe after we regroup with the rest of the Eth Mitaan ¡ª ¡°

    ¡°Sparrow.¡± Iona said gently, taking a step towards Vash. ¡°We need to talk.¡±

    The bottom fell out from beneath his soul. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some way to break the bond with the medallion. In the meantime, I can use soulmasking to confuse any trackers¡­¡±

    Vash trailed off as he met Iona¡¯s eyes. She stepped in close, her sapphire eyes holding a pain that her face hid. ¡°We had a message from higher up. They want you in the Wayfarers.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Vash¡¯s brows wrinkled in confusion. ¡°Why? What could I possibly do here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Iona said, placating. ¡°Things are very much in flux right now. The Eth Mitaan are leaving the south, the Vanan pure-bloods know we¡¯re here and they¡¯re sending Eth Sakara to root us out. We have some contacts in Vinya Esain among the Kaeleshi. For pure-bloods, they¡¯re not so bad.¡±

    ¡°How will I find you?¡± Vash asked, imploring her to make sense. ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡±

    She stepped forward and gently laid her hands on his chest. ¡°We will find you. The Wayfarers aren¡¯t the only ones who have a bond on your soul. For now, all I know is that there is something big on the horizon and the only way for us to get close is to have someone in the Wayfarers. That someone is you.¡±

    Vash searched her eyes, trying to control the panic and fear that he was feeling. They¡¯re not abandoning me. It¡¯s just another mission. Just another task.

    ¡°Vash,¡± Iona said, laying a hand on his cheek and holding his gaze, ¡°I was the one who told Corwin about you. We needed an Eth Mitaan close to the Wayfarers, and it was the only way to save your life. I need you to trust me.¡±

    ¡°I want to.¡± Vash said, unconsciously pressing his cheek into her hand. The fighting callouses on her palm and fingers contrasted with the warm softness of her touch. ¡°I just don¡¯t know how I can do this.¡±

    Iona quirked a smile. ¡°You¡¯re my Sparrow. Of course you can do this.¡±

    Vash bent his neck slightly and kissed her. His arms went around her waist and he marveled at how delicate she felt, like a fragile Nightingale, and not the deadly assassin that he knew her to be. He heard her sharp intake of breath and felt her press herself into him. The hand on his cheek traveled up and her fingers ran through his dark hair. Her other arm went around his neck. She pulled him into her; the kiss intensifying. Her lips parted beneath his and he felt her tongue seek his.

    He breathed in her scent as he held her close, sharp and spicy, with notes of leather and oiled metal. Underneath it all was the light lavender scent of the soap she used. The scent that Byar had chided her time and again would give her away, but she had continued to use ever since Vash had told her he loved it. He wanted to sweep her up and put her on his narrow bed. Wanted to undo the complex buckles of her Eth Mitaan leathers and seek the soft curves underneath. He needed her, but he knew tonight it would not happen.

    All too soon, Iona pulled back, breaking the kiss. Her forehead resting against Vash¡¯s, she sighed deeply. ¡°We need you to do this, Sparrow. I need you to do this.¡±

    The ache in his heart was almost overwhelming, but Vash steeled himself against sorrow. ¡°I will do all that I can. But to be honest, I¡¯m not so sure how well I am going to do with these Wayfarers. Corwin ¡ª well, he¡¯s Corwin, a sheepdog that walks like a human, loyal, affable, and not the brightest star in the sky. Jabez¡­I really don¡¯t know what to think about him. I have little experience with dwarves. No way to know if he¡¯s a fool or just stubborn. Not to mention that the Wayfarers as an organization seem disorganized, floundering. Too caught up in politics, too fractured.¡±

    Iona took a step back to look in his eyes. ¡°We need you to make your team better. Get yourselves noticed. You¡¯re one of the Masked Ones. Surely it can¡¯t be that hard to learn to be an adventurer.¡±

    Vash couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I may not deserve your faith, but I appreciate it.¡±

    She gave him another smile. This one was fond, warm. A smile from the heart. ¡°I know you can do this. Don¡¯t worry, we will be watching.¡±

    Suddenly, Iona darted forward, giving him another deep, hungry kiss. Vash felt his hunger for her rising to a burning need. But, as quick as it began, the kiss was over. Iona backed away. Somehow, they had gotten turned around and she was near the door. She gave him one last smile before pulling her mask and hood back into place.

    The expressionless silver-white wood changed Iona¡¯s entire demeanor. She was now the deadly Nightingale, not the warm, complicated woman from a few moments before. Vash felt a surge of mana that was quickly suppressed. The shadows gathered around Iona¡¯s form until she was just another vague shape in the dim moonlight. He could barely feel the disturbance in the room¡¯s mana when she moved away. The door opened for a moment, then she was gone.

    Vash sat down heavily on his cot. Not only am I bound to the Wayfarers, I can¡¯t go back to the Eth Mitaan even if I could.

    A wave of loneliness swept over him. He was alone again, left with only with vague promises and the fading scent of lavender.

 Episode 14: On The Road

    Morning found Vash waiting in a press of travelers waiting to pass through the Wayfarer Gate. They had wanted to get on the road early, to beat the morning flow of traffic. However, a great number of people apparently had the same idea.

    It hadn¡¯t been a restful night for Vash. He was already concerned about working with the Wayfarers, the debts he had incurred, then the visit from Iona happened. Cut off from the Eth Mitaan, that stung more than he wanted to admit. It didn¡¯t matter that Byar had a plan and needed him in the Guild for some obscure reason. Vash felt abandoned, left behind again. That led to him tossing and turning in his bed for some time.

    Giving up on sleep around midnight, Vash lit the candle on his bedside shelf and dug out his copy of Gideon¡¯s Guide to Adventure. Reading was always a trial for him, and he figured that an hour of trying to puzzle his way through a guidebook for Wayfarers would numb his mind enough for sleep.

    He flipped through a few pages. It was clear the book had obviously been through many hands. The green cover was worn and stained. Pages were dog-eared, crinkled and yellowed at the edges and the ink had smudged in places.

    At least there aren¡¯t any bloodstains. Vash thought. The first part of the book appeared to chronicle the history and formation of the Wayfarers, or, as it is formally called, the ¡®Honorable Guild of Wayfarers and Vagabonds¡¯. Vash skipped that, moving to the section detailing delvers and rogues.

    <blockquote>

    The League of Thieves

    As with most of the schools within the Guild, the League of Thieves started as a rival Guild for adventurers, though with a much more criminal bent. They pursued the usual adventurer activities like dungeon delving and treasure hunting; however, when times were lean, these adventurers would turn bandit or side with the various criminal gangs in the cities. Grandmaster Samson Shadowbane made an alliance with the League with the help of his longtime friend and companion Cara ¡®Cutpurse¡¯ Towne. The name of the League has changed many times, as they have tried to gain a more respectable reputation. Deep down, however, they will always be thieves.

    </blockquote>

    Vash let out a sigh in response to that last sentence. Not that he expected much from an organization that professed to be a shield against the darkness of the west. A light in the shadow. Vash had seen that description while skimming earlier parts. He scoffed at the obvious propaganda.

    A note in the margin he had missed before caught his eye.

    Next to the line:

    <blockquote>

    Deep down, however, they will always be thieves.

    </blockquote>

    Someone wrote, in a small but neat hand:

    <blockquote>

    ¡°And thank the gods for that!¡±

    </blockquote>

    Vash chuckled. Perhaps someone in the Guild had a sense of humor.

    There was more history about the League, famous figures like Cara Cutpurse and Niall Nine-Fingers, as well as their deeds and legends. There were more notes in the margins, making snide remarks on the veracity of the author¡¯s claims, or underlining what the previous owner had thought were important sections.

    The section that detailed the common Major and Minor Talents for a Wayfarer rogue surprised Vash. The margin notes got more detailed, usually contradicting the passage written. A previous owner crossed out Talent schematics and drew in a slightly different schematic with detailed formation instructions in the space beside them.

    The Talent Dancer¡¯s Precision looked very much like his own Cat¡¯s Grace, but wasted even more mana. The mysterious margin note-taker crossed out the schematic and had drawn one that was more complex off to the side, with instructions as well. Vash looked it over. Though the schematic was more complex, the formula and its implementation looked far simpler.

    <blockquote>

    Think I solved the mana leak on this one. Should reduce the initial cost by half and not pull on the Core as much.

    </blockquote>

    The note-taker wrote in the margin. Vash looked over the schematic again, seeing how the mana flowed back into itself in a kind of looping pattern.

    This might work. He thought, getting more comfortable on his narrow cot. I wonder what else this guy came up with.

    Vash spent the next several hours going over both the original and the revised schematics in the Guide. He didn¡¯t even notice when his eyes grew too heavy to keep open.

    Jabez hammered on his door before first light, gruffly telling him to get dressed and ready for travel. Awaking with a start, Vash panicked, unsure of where he was or who was banging on his door. He dropped the Gideon¡¯s Guide and scrambled for his dagger before he woke up enough to remember the events of the last few days. Massaging a stiff neck, Vash picked up his guide and tossed it on to the bed. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d spent so much time reading.

    Can¡¯t be good for the eyesight. He thought, pouring water into his basin and splashing his face with it. Maybe that¡¯s why mages are always wearing optics?

    Vash came downstairs to an empty dining room. The embers of last night''s fire glowed in the hearth. Corwin sat at an empty table, bleary-eyed and rubbing his temples. Jabez stood at the bar, settling up with the innkeeper, an older woman with gray hair pulled back into a tight bun. The two of them talked in hushed tones while Jabez counted out coins on the countertop.

    Setting down his pack next to Corwin, Vash looked down and had to laugh. ¡°You look like I feel.¡±

    Corwin groaned. ¡°No, my stoic demeanor is masking a world of pain. You barely had anything to drink last night. I was the idiot who tried to keep up with a dwarf.¡±

    Now Corwin looked a bit green as the three of them shuffled along with mercenaries, trading carts, messengers, and pilgrims towards the Wayfarer Gate. Vash pitied the big man, but felt kind of smug as well.

    That¡¯s what overindulging gets you.

    They waited in line for the gate for almost an hour. The guards doing thorough checks of everyone passing through. Vash craned his neck, trying to see what was going on up ahead. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s taking so long?¡±

    ¡°No clue,¡± Jabez said. ¡°Normally you get waved through when you try to leave the city. It¡¯s only coming in through the gates where they shake you down.¡±

    ¡°It may have to do with the attack on the Duke¡¯s palace.¡± A voice piped up over Vash¡¯s shoulder. He turned to see the impressively mustachioed face of Silas Quartercall. The halfling sat on the buckboard of a large wagon. By human standards it was large, for a halfling it was enormous. Pulled by a pair of oxen, the wagon trundled slowly along with the flow of people. Silas leaned forward, conspiratorially, ¡°I heard that the attempt on the Duke¡¯s life was a feint, that the assassins were really after something in the Sath family vault.¡±

    Vash shook his head, feigning confusion. ¡°What did they steal?¡±

    Silas shrugged, ¡°No one¡¯s said. So far, it¡¯s just a rumor. But, over the past few days, the guard has been searching everyone¡¯s belongings as they¡¯re going through the gates. Also, a few smuggler friends of mine let it slip that their usual contacts aren¡¯t taking bribes to let them through. If a guard gets caught letting someone through without a search, it¡¯ll mean their hand at least.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    We weren¡¯t there to kill the Duke. Iona had said.

    Corwin gave him a questioning look that Vash ignored. ¡°Any guesses?¡±

    Silas considered this for a few moments. ¡°They seem to mostly be going after scribes and printers. At least those are the folk getting the most thorough checks. So maybe a book or some papers?¡±

    ¡°What book or paper would be worth getting this worked up about?¡± Vash scoffed, frowning at the guard, who he could see were rifling through a traveler¡¯s bag. One stopped digging through the bag when he pulled out a book. The guard flipped through the pages and even shook the book out to see if anything was tucked inside. Satisfied, the guard tossed the book to the ground with the rest of the traveler¡¯s belongings and continued their search.

    ¡°Oh, there are plenty of valuable books.¡± Silas said. ¡°Anything from the library of Orus Malcos is worth a thousand times its weight in gold. Wizard tomes from the Mage Wars are priceless to the Collegium. There are a fair few scrolls out there that fetch a staggering price as well. Or it could just be the Duke¡¯s dirty letters to his mistress. You never know with nobles.¡±

    Vash nodded his thanks to Silas, turning back to the slowly moving line. What the hell did you steal, Byar?

    <hr>

    After two hours of shuffling in the early morning dust and an overly thorough examination of their light packs, the three of them were finally through the gate. Vash had a moment of panic when the guard rifled through his Gideon¡¯s Guide, frowning at the pages like they had offended him somehow.

    ¡°This book has scribbles in it.¡± The guard said with a thick Galadonian accent.

    Vash remained silent, knowing it was best not to talk to the guard unless they asked you a direct question.

    Jabez glanced over. ¡°Wayfarers take notes in the margins all the time. There a problem?¡±

    ¡°Just strange is all.¡± The guard said, face a mix of confusion and disgust. ¡°Spend all that money on a book that someone¡¯s written all over.¡±

    ¡°Wayfarers are odd folk.¡± Jabez said, taking his pack back from one of the other guardsmen.

    The guard glanced up, looking from Jabez to Vash. His eyes narrowed, and Vash got a sinking feeling that this guard was the type that got put on duty near Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow. The guards on the Ragpicker Gate were notorious for denying part-bloods entry to the city for any reason at all. They especially hated half-elves for some reason.

    ¡°You,¡± He gestured to Vash with the book, ¡°You from Sathsholm or somewhere else?¡±

    Vash licked his lips, trying to think of an answer.

    ¡°He¡¯s from Durron¡¯s Ford.¡± Corwin said, coming up to join Vash. The big man plastered on a gormless smile and exaggerated his own Galadonian accent, the one Vash only ever heard him use with close family and friends on the farm. ¡°I know it¡¯s something to see, a knife-ear from one of the Summerwine villages, but we get visits from Vanan rangers, too. If you know what I mean.¡±

    The guard looked confused for a moment, then gave Vash a nasty grin. He brayed out an irritating laugh, showing crooked, stained teeth. ¡°Yeah, I heard that the maids upriver can¡¯t wait to give up their virtue to those elvish ponces. Don¡¯t see the appeal, myself.¡±

    Fighting a burning anger rising inside him, Vash schooled his expression. He knew what Corwin was doing. It was an old trick he¡¯d pulled back home. Folk like this guard hated being laughed at, but make them feel like they were in on the joke on someone else and they became your best friend, at least for a short while. It was an easy way to get them past the gate, but that didn¡¯t mean that Vash had to like it.

    ¡°We done here?¡± Jabez asked, shouldering his pack.

    The guard made a show of looking over Vash¡¯s book once more, then tossed it to the ground, barely missing a pile of horse manure. ¡°Yeah, get moving.¡±

    Now outside the city gates, Vash took in the broad Marallon plains that stretched to the north and to the east. The main gate to the city, the Prince¡¯s Gate¡ªfrom when Sath had been one of the tiny, squabbling principalities before the unification of Galadon¡ªstood a half-mile to the east. Merchants and travelers flowed out and onto the eastern road, the Lakeshore Road, through the plains and farms between the Great River Obrun and the smaller Summerwine River. Taking that road would lead the traveler into the safe and secure Duchies of eastern Galadon. That was not the road that he was taking.

    A smaller flow of travelers set out on the road to the northwest. The road followed the Obrun as it cut its way through the landscape. In the distance, Vash could see the dark haze of forests and hills on the horizon, and looming above them were the jagged shapes of the Stonepeak mountains. The first mountains of the Shield Ranges. Three great mountain ranges made up the Shield Ranges: the Stonepeaks in the south, the Dragonscales in the midlands, and the Alderhahz in the north. The Ranges were the natural barrier between the civilized eastern kingdoms and the Western Wilds.

    Vash didn¡¯t really know much about the Wilds other than they were abandoned after the fall of the Malconian Empire and it had something to do with the Drae, the demons of the shadow. Now the road that he was on, the one that Jabez and Corwin set off down with simple confidence, would take him as close to the Wilds as anyone got.

    Just think of this job first. Vash thought, trailing behind Corwin as they followed the slow procession of travelers away from the Wayfarer¡¯s gate. Worry about everything up in those mountains later.

    ¡°Where are we heading, by the way?¡± Vash asked.

    ¡°Mossfen Hold,¡± Jabez said over one shoulder, never slowing his brisk, determined pace. ¡°It¡¯s a holding about a day upriver from Sathsholm. We should get there before sunset.¡±

    Vash nodded, looking around. He hadn¡¯t traveled in this direction out of the city since he arrived two years ago. He had been to a few of the holdings on the Lakeshore Road, but the Rivermarch Road, the one they were on, was unfamiliar to him.

    Most of the other travelers on the road were on foot, some wearing heavy packs of supplies and tools. Likely tinkers or other professionals who made their living traveling from village to village, plying their specialized trades. Others were clearly Wayfarers or mercenaries, smaller packs and sporting weapons and armor. Wagons, like the one that Silas Quartercall drove, were rarer but not missing entirely. Crates of trade goods packed the backs of the wagons as they trundled over the gravel of the road near the city.

    A few other travelers caught Vash¡¯s eye, however. A barge on the Obrun was slowly making its way upriver. Vash watched a team of oxen towing it upstream, plodding along on a towpath that ran alongside the river. People crammed the deck of the barge, families from what he could see. One mother and child leaned against one of the barge¡¯s rails, looking out at the travelers on the road with a strange, haunted look. They looked tired, and the meager bags piled in the center of the barge spoke volumes about their situation. One child, a boy younger than ten, watched him with wide brown eyes until the road made a turn and Vash could no longer see the barge.

    ¡°Refugees from Patria.¡± Corwin said. ¡°The king died without an heir. Now the Dukes down there are squabbling over the throne. The Temple is also getting involved since they think that a shadow cult is behind all the chaos. Meanwhile, the smallfolk are getting run off their farms, towns are being raided and burned, armies are everywhere. It¡¯s a right mess.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s better here?¡± Vash asked, dubiously. Every week brought new word from Vuln, the capital of Galadon, about some conflict between the king and his Dukes. The House of Sath was apparently particularly troublesome since they controlled the best port on Lake Marallon and had the navy needed to control the entire northern part of the great lake.

    ¡°They seem to think so,¡± Corwin said, nodding at a knot of travelers plodding along the road, meager possessions clutched in arms or slung over their shoulders.

    Vash watched them for a few moments. The travelers¡¯ clothes had stains and tears from long travel and wear. Their shoes looked to be falling apart and completely wrong for the type of travel they were doing. A few of the women were wearing thin slippers, like a lady¡¯s maid would wear inside a grand house or castle. ¡°I wonder where they¡¯re heading?¡±

    ¡°Obrun River Valley.¡± Jabez said. ¡°A ways north of here. It¡¯s in a weird spot that could technically be Aladur, Tonuraak, or even Solaria. No one wanted it because of the big bloody dragon that lived there.¡±

    ¡°The one Silas was talking about?¡± Vash asked. ¡°Something-the-dread?¡±

    ¡°Dwermothrax.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Yeah, now that he¡¯s dead, the High King in Solaria has declared it open for settlement.¡±

    ¡°So these folks head up there to homestead.¡± Corwin said, a mix of hope and pity on his face. ¡°Try to make a new life.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Vash asked. ¡°Aside from a lack of supplies.¡±

    ¡°Dragon domains are dangerous places.¡± Jabez replied over one shoulder. ¡°Especially one as old as Dwermothrax. Even Wayfarers don¡¯t go into territory that an Elder Wyrm has claimed, so the place is likely riddled with eruptions from the Underlands, which means lots of nasty monsters. More than likely, a full dungeon or two has formed over the years. Then you have treasure hunters, prospectors, merchants, all those sorts heading that way brings bandits and mercenaries. So, you can see how it might not be the best choice for a family from a farm down south to make a home in.¡±

    Vash considered this, watching an older couple shuffling along the road, bent by the heavy sacks they carried. A younger woman with a babe in arms followed them, a girl child trailing after her. Vash could see the pale band of skin where the younger woman had worn a wedding band.

    Sometimes we don¡¯t get a choice. We go where we can, and pray to make it through another day.

 Episode 15: Negotiations

    The walk north was not especially arduous. They were still traveling along the flatlands of Galadon, prime farming country along the wide, gentle River Obrun. However, Vash was not used to trudging long miles with a pack of all his possessions on his back. His feet ached in the unfamiliar boots, and his legs burned from the mile-eating pace that Jabez set.

    How does he keep up this pace with such short legs? Vash thought bitterly after a brief rest.

    After announcing that they were ¡®wasting daylight¡¯, Jabez had sprung to his feet and set off with no apparent aches and pains. The Wayfarer medallion would occasionally release a pulse of healing magic, which Vash was grateful for. But it didn¡¯t do more than dull the burning in his leg muscles or prevent blisters from forming on his heels.

    Even Corwin seemed to flag as the shadows lengthened and the sun sank towards the tops of the mountains on the western horizon. Vash was about to ask how much longer they planned on walking when Jabez stopped by a tall, weathered stone obelisk at a fork in the road. The Rivermarch road continued north while a smaller, less maintained road lead west.

    The Wayfarers had left most of the other travelers behind some time ago. Now the three of them stood on the empty road, waiting while Jabez considered the obelisk. Vash looked at the western road with some trepidation. He could see that the road meandered a way through high grass fields, then plunged into marshes and swampy clumps of trees.

    Jabez was jotting something down in his notebook, copying runes and numbers. He frowned down at what he¡¯d written, like the marks had given him indigestion.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Corwin asked, sharing a glance with Vash.

    ¡°No, not really.¡± Jabez said, shaking his head and putting the notebook away. ¡°This is a Waystone. The early Wayfarers put them up in places they wanted adventurers to either know about or be wary of.¡±

    ¡°So, which is this one?¡± Vash asked. ¡°Is it ¡®good food and clean water¡¯, or ¡®watch out, cannibals ahead¡¯?¡±

    ¡°A little of both, actually.¡± Jabez said, starting down the western road.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound promising.¡± Corwin said as he and Vash hurried to catch up.

    ¡°The stone says it¡¯s a mana-rich area.¡± Jabez continued, eyes fixed on the road ahead. ¡°So we¡¯ll get a bit of a kick to our Talents. But it also said that this area was once home to a Shadow Cult, worshipers of the demon lord Rasu.¡±

    ¡°That was a long time ago, though, right?¡± Corwin asked, hopefully.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Jabez said. ¡°But once a Shadow Cult taints an area, it¡¯s like a stain that¡¯s hard to get out. It may not be easily visible, but from time to time it makes itself hard to ignore.¡±

    ¡°Sounds pleasant.¡± Vash muttered.

    ¡°Depends on how bad the taint got, and how many Wayfarers have been through to cleanse it. I doubt we¡¯ll have to worry too much. Mossfen Hold is a pretty popular spot, since it¡¯s on one of the western paths to the Wayward Forest and Vanan Esain.¡± Jabez said.

    Vash tried to smother a wave of concern at the mention of Vanan Esain. The kingdom of the Vanan elves, the First Bloods, the high elves, was a place he wanted to avoid, if possible. The Vanan considered Eth Mitaan to be heretics and criminals. Few groups were as dedicated to the eradication of the Eth Mitaan as the Vanan Eth Sakara. A group of fanatics that also served Vanan Esain as spies and bounty hunters. The idea of running into any of the high elves was bad enough. The thought of encountering a group of Eth Sakara made his blood run cold.

    The worry must have shown on his face, because Corwin shot him a reassuring smile. ¡°Mossfen Hold isn¡¯t the sort of place you¡¯re likely to run into too many high elves. I wouldn¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Corwin said.

    <hr>

    Though Mossfen Hold was only a few miles from the Rivermarch Road, it was almost full dark before they arrived. Vash groaned in relief as he stepped off the muddy path and onto the wooden boardwalk that made up the ¡®streets¡¯ of Mossfen Hold.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m still wearing boots." Vash complained. "I may just have a vaguely boot-shaped mud coating on my feet.¡±

    ¡°I told you to watch your step,¡± Jabez said, coming up beside him. The dwarf¡¯s legs were also coated in dark brown mud from the knees down. ¡°Sinkholes like that are pretty common out in the marshes.¡±

    ¡°So are red midges.¡± Corwin said, swatting the back of his neck and cursing when his hand came away bare. ¡°Must be breeding season. I swear I must have lost a pint or two to those bloodthirsty little demons.¡±

    Vash grunted in agreement. The red midges had swarmed from the marshes near the road, following them for the last few hours. If he hadn¡¯t been distracted by tiny, crimson, biting insects, then Vash likely would have seen the sinkhole that Jabez had pointed out and would not be covered in the heavy clay. ¡°I need a drink and a bath.¡±

    ¡°We can likely manage the drink.¡± Jabez said, scraping the soles of his boots on the edge of the boardwalk. Mud sheared off the bottom of the boot like sculptor¡¯s clay. ¡°The bath you¡¯ll have to find on your own.¡±

    Trying to knock some mud off his boots, Vash frowned at Jabez. ¡°Are you telling me that people stop bathing when they¡¯re not even a day¡¯s ride from the city?¡±

    Jabez shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the midges. The cleaner you are, the more likely they are to swarm and bite you. The folk that live out here would rather be a bit muddy than covered in midge bites.¡±

    ¡°I can understand that sentiment.¡± Corwin groaned, slapping another midge and looking satisfied at the tiny red splatter on his forearm.

    ¡°According to the Duke¡¯s quest, we¡¯re supposed to meet our contact at the tavern here.¡± Jabez said, removing the quest sheet from a pouch and unfolding it to double-check.

    Vash looked around the holding¡¯s high street. Several squat, mud-walled and thatched-roofed buildings stood on pylons a short distance above the sodden ground. Locals went about their business, sticking to the boardwalks between the buildings. They gave the Wayfarers quick glances of curiosity, but largely seemed to try to avoid notice. Vash watched as a few men closed up a building, likely a general store from what Vash could see through the cloudy glass windows, and headed up the boardwalk towards one of the few two-story buildings in the village.

    Bright lanterns hung from the awning over the large front door. A crudely painted sign on oilcloth hung from a pole affixed to the side of the building. The sign appeared to have a strangely proportioned green figure in mid-song painted on it. Vash nodded towards the building. ¡°I think that may be our tavern up there.¡±

    Jabez glanced at the quest, then back up at the tavern shingle. ¡°We¡¯re looking for the ¡®Singing Frog¡¯. That could be a frog.¡±

    ¡°Looks more like a goblin with indigestion.¡± Corwin muttered.

    ¡°It¡¯s close enough.¡± Vash said, heading towards the tavern, still trying to scrape excess mud off the bottoms of his boots. ¡°And if it¡¯s the ¡®Goblin¡¯s Heartburn¡¯, then they likely can tell us where to find the ¡®Singing Frog¡¯.¡±

    Corwin and Jabez did not raise any arguments, following Vash down the boardwalk towards the tavern. A young boy scampered past them, a lit twist of wicking on a long stick in one hand. The boy rushed to the lanterns that hung from tall poles along the boardwalk. The lanterns lit with a soft bluish glow, giving the village an eeiry, cold feeling, but Vash noticed that almost immediately the midges stopped biting him. A cloud of the tiny bugs formed around each of the lanterns, probably drawn by the light.

    More people were coming out onto the boardwalk as the lanterns were lit. Some set up on chairs outside of homes or on the stoops of buildings. Women clustered in little knots near a large stone cistern close to the tavern, chatting while waiting with buckets to draw water for the evening. Several men made straight for the tavern doors, most in mud-spattered ponchos and high-waisted oilcloth trousers.

    The three Wayfarers drew looks of interest from the townsfolk, especially Jabez and Vash. Trying to ignore the stares, Vash pushed through the slatted door to the tavern. A wave of sweet redleaf smoke washed over him, followed by the smell of close-quarters, unwashed bodies and stale beer. By the dim, smoke-clouded light of the tavern, Vash could see several men with pipes and the pleasantly bemused expressions of redleaf smokers at a trestle table. They ate some sort of roasted peppers, laughing and joking with one-another. A dice game was going at another table, and a line of men crowded the bar, holding up copper coins to get the barkeep¡¯s attention.

    Vash scanned the crowd, not sure what he was supposed to be looking for.

    Maybe I should have asked more about this quest? Vash thought, feeling the hazy, light-headedness that came with redleaf smoke.

    He was about to ask Jabez about their contact when he spotted a trio of men at a corner table. All three wore plain gray robes, though one wore a leather harness with a variety of straps and buckles. They had small clay cups in front of them, but they left them untouched. At first, Vash mistook the one in the harness for an old man, but on further inspection, saw that he was just extremely thin. The two men that flanked him, however, were large and doughy. Their robes stretched across their shoulders, and they had a dull, vacant expression, like cows out in a pasture.

    The thin man noticed them at about the same time, turning to regard the trio of Wayfarers in the doorway. He gave them a smile, which did nothing to improve his countenance, and beckoned them with one long, spindly hand.

    Jabez brushed past Vash, speaking to him and Corwin in a low voice. ¡°Let me do the talking. You two hang back.¡±

    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Corwin said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to talk to him.¡±

    Vash followed Jabez, a step or two behind, and approached the corner table. The thin man nodded to them companionably. Up close, he wasn¡¯t any better. The man had over-large and slightly bulging eyes. The whites had taken a yellow tinge that looked unhealthy.

    But when he spoke, his voice was firm and commanding. ¡°Hello there. I assume you are the Wayfarers that Adolus sent to assist in my little project?¡±

    On a first name basis with the Duke, that¡¯s alarming. Vash thought, carefully keeping his expression neutral.

    ¡°We are, if you¡¯ve got the Marker for the quest.¡± Jabez said.

    ¡°Ah yes, quite forgetful of me.¡± The thin man gave Jabez a tight smile, then made a show of searching through the pouches and pockets on his harness and robes. Finally, he produced a bronze coin, stamped with the Wayfarer mark. He placed the Marker on the table and slid it across to Jabez, withdrawing his hand quickly once the coin was within Jabez¡¯s reach.

    The dwarf ignored the oddity and retrieved the Marker. He checked the number on the reverse side, comparing it to the one on the quest. Nodding, Jabez pocketed the Marker and regarded the thin man. ¡°All right, you¡¯ve got yourself a party of Wayfarers. I¡¯m Jabez. Anything you need from us should go through me. These are my apprentices Corwin, and Vash. They work for me, and take orders from me, understand?¡±

    The thin man¡¯s smile slipped slightly, eyes showing a flash of irritation. ¡°I understand how your guild operates, Master Jabez. My name is Zakarias Meng. I am a fifth circle artificer of the Nosraval Collegium.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Jabez grunted, not quite managing to keep the skepticism out of his voice. He waved to the two larger men on either side of Zakarias. ¡°And those two?¡±

    Zakarias looked at his companions as if realizing for the first time that they were there. ¡°Them? Oh, they¡¯re unimportant. Porters for my equipment, good for lugging heavy things and not much else.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Jabez said, ¡°Well then, I suppose we had best discuss what you need us for and work out our fee.¡±

    ¡°I thought the guild let you know all those details when you took the quest?¡± Zakarias said, making a show of confusion.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Jabez shook his head. ¡°All I know is that you need Wayfarers to help you explore a ruin.¡±

    ¡°Well, there you go.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need a bit more than that.¡± Jabez said. ¡°What kind of ruin is it? Do you need us for protection against monsters? Do you know what kind? Is there something specific you are looking for and is it something you are willing to tell us about? We need to answer those questions to prepare and also to formulate our fee.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned your fee before.¡± Zakarias frowned, then glanced up at Vash. ¡°I thought that had already been taken care of.¡±

    Jabez followed his gaze and then looked back at Zakarias. ¡°Nah, that¡¯s not how Wayfarer contracts work. The contract only covers what¡¯s specifically outlined in the quest. You¡¯ve already paid for us to accompany you to this ruin and explore it with you to your satisfaction. For us to do things like fight monsters, disarm traps, look for hidden passageways, well, that¡¯s outside the scope of the quest. If you want us to do any of that, then we will have to discuss an additional fee.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Zakarias said, a note of displeasure in his voice. ¡°Then I suppose you¡¯d best sit down so we can discuss an equitable arrangement.¡±

    Jabez pulled out the chair opposite Zakarias and took a seat. Vash moved to sit next to him, but Jabez held up a hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you and Corwin go get a drink and something to eat? It¡¯s been a long day, and you two don¡¯t need to be here for this.¡±

    Vash frowned down at Jabez, then glanced up at Corwin to get an idea of what to do. Corwin nodded and motioned for Vash to follow him. After hesitating for a moment, Vash followed Corwin across the common room, taking a seat at the end of one of the trestle tables.

    ¡°What was that all about?¡± Vash asked once they were seated and comfortably out of earshot.

    ¡°Jabez doesn¡¯t like our employer.¡± Corwin said, fishing for coins in his belt pouch. ¡°He¡¯s trying to get some information about this quest out of him and get us some more money at the same time.¡±

    ¡°So¡­we don¡¯t renegotiate contracts after accepting the quests?¡±

    Corwin fished out a pair of copper coins and held them up like other patrons had done. ¡°Normally the quests are pretty clear: destroy five bandit camps between Sathsholm and Kharboc¡¯s Twins and get twenty gold. Return fifteen goblin totem bags to a Guild Lodge and get a reward of ten silver each. That sort of thing. When the quest is more vague like the one Zakarias put together, that¡¯s when we negotiate.¡±

    A pair of clay cups thunked down on the table in front of Vash. A young man with a wispy beard and sullen expression poured a light-colored ale from a pitcher, sloppily moving from one cup to the other and splashing some on the table. He grabbed the coins from Corwin¡¯s fingers and started to walk away.

    ¡°I usually like my ale in my cup rather than around it,¡± Vash muttered, lifting the cup out of the spreading puddle of spillage.

    The young server¡¯s head whipped around. ¡°What¡¯d you say?¡±

    Conversations around Vash died off suddenly. The villagers didn¡¯t look at Vash and Corwin, but they were listening intently.

    Vash bristled, guessing what the young man¡¯s problem was. ¡°All I said was I prefer my drink to be in my cup, not on the table.¡±

    The young man stood straighter, hands balling into fists, but Vash could see he was trembling slightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, there are plenty of other taverns.¡±

    He¡¯s scared. Vash thought. What the hell is going on?

    Corwin, ever the peacemaker, held up one hand in a placating gesture. ¡°No problem, accidents happen. Just be more careful on the next round. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°His kind weren¡¯t all that careful when they went chased that dire boar across my pa¡¯s fields.¡± The young man said, with an aggressive jerk of the chin in Vash¡¯s direction. ¡°They trampled half the fall crop, then expected him to thank them for ridding the forest of a shadow-touched creature.¡±

    ¡°What kind do you think I am?¡± Vash asked, knowing the likely answer and keeping his voice carefully neutral.

    ¡°Vash¡ª¡° Corwin began, but the boy had his blood up and interrupted.

    ¡°Them highborn knife-ears.¡± The tavern boy spat, genuine anger in his voice now. ¡°Call themselves the Emerald Stags. I¡¯m sure you know ¡®em. We all know how elves stick together.¡±

    There were some mutterings from the patrons. The boy was riling up the small crowd. Vash scowled at the youth and saw him flinch, but still he didn¡¯t back down.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know any stags, emerald or otherwise.¡± Vash said, calmly. ¡°Since I¡¯m only a half-blood, I don¡¯t know many high elves at all. They mostly think we¡¯re impure, dirty, and don¡¯t like to associate with us.¡±

    The boy looked confused, unsure of what to say next. At that moment, the barkeeper, a rotund man with a thick brown beard and shaved head, noticed what was going on. ¡°Cal? There a problem?¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Corwin called back, keeping his eyes on Cal, ¡°Your serving boy here has just never met a Wayfarer, and doesn¡¯t know they come in all different flavors, including half-elf.¡±

    At the mention of a Wayfarer, Cal¡¯s confused look became startled. ¡°Wayfarers?¡±

    Corwin pulled the bronze medallion out from beneath his shirt, then nodded encouragement to Vash. Frowning, Vash lifted his own medallion up so that Cal could see the Wayfarer sigil engraved on the front.

    ¡°I¡­um¡­I didn¡¯t know.¡± Cal stuttered, face going a deep crimson.

    The barkeep emerged from behind the bar and approached Cal, putting a fatherly hand on the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go wash some cups for me, lad? I¡¯ll take care of things out here.¡±

    Cal nodded and darted off through a curtained door behind the bar. The patrons watched him go, then with a last judgmental look at Vash, they turned back to their own business.

    The barkeep shook his head, drying his hands on his apron. ¡°Sorry about that. We get a group of Vanan Rangers through here every couple of months. They say they¡¯re hunting shadow-touched creatures in the Wayward Forest, but every time they come through, they cause some sort of trouble.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got no love for Vanan.¡± Vash said, taking a sip of his ale. ¡°But he should know that there¡¯s more than one type of elf out there.¡±

    The barkeep winced. ¡°Yeah, last time the Emerald Stags came through, they caused a ruckus out at Cal¡¯s family¡¯s farm. Seriously damaged the crop. When Cal¡¯s pa confronted the leader of the group, the elf took offense and shot him in the leg. Now the crop¡¯s ruined and Cal¡¯s pa may not be able to work the farm the way he used to. Cal¡¯s been working here nights after working all day at the farm to keep money coming into the family.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awful.¡± Corwin said. ¡°The Duke¡¯s men don¡¯t do anything?¡±

    ¡°The Wayward Forest is technically the territory of Vanan Esain, so it¡¯s the elves¡¯ domain. Those rangers are all highborn as well, so they¡¯ve got ties in Sathsholm.¡± The barkeep said. ¡°We could raise a ruckus, but it wouldn¡¯t go well for us. Better just to keep our heads down and hope that the Stags find a different area to hunt shadow-touched.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re supposed to be working with a Collegium mage to explore a ruin near here. Once we clear it out, it should lessen the impact of the shadow on the area.¡± Corwin said, sympathetically.

    The barkeep gave a weak smile and a nod. He glanced over to where Jabez was in deep conversation with the frail-looking mage. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be a great help. Enjoy your evening, sirs.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s encouraging.¡± Vash muttered, taking another drink. The ale wasn¡¯t as strong or hoppy as he was used to, but it had a nice, smooth flavor with a hint of berries in the aftertaste.

    ¡°If a Wayfarer comes to town, it usually means something has gone bad, or it¡¯s about to get worse.¡± Corwin said, looking around the tavern while nursing his ale. ¡°Things look a little off, but not too bad. Though the Vanan hunting shadow-touched across the border is disconcerting.¡±

    Vash merely grunted, taking in the furtive, curious glances of the patrons, as well as their disheveled appearance. His only experience with hold folk was from back in Durron¡¯s Ford, so couldn¡¯t say if they were ¡®normal¡¯ or not.

    If this lot were back there, Vash thought, I¡¯d think a blight hit their crop.

    He saw many unfocused stares and forced smiles. Something was going wrong in this town and the populace was trying to put on a brave face in front of strangers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the Emerald Stags.¡± Vash mused. ¡°But if they¡¯re one order of the Vanan Rangers, then they¡¯re likely to cause as much harm as they do good.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Corwin asked, trying not to appear too eager to start a conversation. ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Vanan are extremely xenophobic. They rarely leave the Wayward Forest. In fact, they mostly prefer to stay in their own holdings and cities far from the border.¡± Vash said, setting his cup down and gazing into the wheat-colored liquid. ¡°Vanan society considers Rangers highly suspect because they actively interact with other races and outsiders. But they are tolerated because elves need protection from those same outsiders. Rangers who leave the forest, for whatever reason, are dangerous.¡±

    ¡°People leave restrictive societies for all sorts of reasons.¡± Corwin shrugged.

    ¡°Not Vanan,¡± Vash shook his head. ¡°The ones who leave the forest are zealots. Either hunting the shadow or enforcing elvish standards on the rest of the world. Like with Cal¡¯s father. Vanan think they¡¯re better than all the other races, blood purity and all that. Anyone daring to challenge a Vanan¡¯s right to do whatever the hell he wants¡­well they see that as a threat and an insult.¡±

    Corwin frowned in concern. ¡°In that case, I hope we don¡¯t run into them.¡±

    ¡°So do I. They aren¡¯t fond of half-breeds.¡± Vash¡¯s lip curled slightly. ¡°Even though they¡¯re responsible for more than a few of them.¡±

    ¡°Responsible for what?¡± Jabez said, approaching the table and tucking a folded paper into a belt pouch.

    ¡°Nothing important.¡± Corwin said. ¡°Just talking about the elf situation in the area.¡±

    ¡°Emerald Stags.¡± Jabez made a sour face. ¡°Yeah, I heard of those buggers. Useful when fighting shadow-touched, but damn annoying every other time.¡±

    ¡°Think there¡¯s been an uptick in shadow activity because of the dungeon we¡¯re helping skinny over there with?¡± Corwin asked.

    Taking a seat, Jabez shrugged. ¡°According to him, it¡¯s an old ruin, not a dungeon. It¡¯s possible that something is using it as a lair, but apparently it¡¯s not really open to the outside, so I¡¯m not sure how much residual effect it might have on the area.¡±

    ¡°How old?¡± Vash asked. He¡¯d always had an interest in ruins and ancient structures. The really old stuff was on the other side of the mountains, in the shadow-pact lands, the ruins of Old Malconia. Close to the mountains, however, there were plenty of outposts, temples, and towers.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t say.¡± Jabez shrugged again. ¡°Just old.¡±

    Vash struggled to keep his face calm. Knowing how old the ruin was might give them some idea of what they could be facing. Malconian outposts were the favorite haunts of shadow-touched. Abandoned towers from the Mage Wars attracted hybrid creatures, magical constructs, and fae. Ancient temples housed undead and unhallowed creatures. He knew this just from sharing drinks with adventurers on Traveler¡¯s Row. The fact that Jabez brushed it off was concerning.

    ¡°From what Zakarias said, it¡¯s a ruin of ¡®historical significance to the area¡¯, not a place of power or dungeon.¡± Jabez continued. ¡°Said to be cautious of traps. Maybe some beasties from the area found their way inside, but not the nastier monsters.¡±

    ¡°Pay?¡± Corwin asked.

    ¡°Talked him up to ten gold, for delving expertise and as bodyguards.¡± Jabez said, signaling the barkeep for another round of ales.

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty good,¡± Corwin said. ¡°Even after the Guild cut, that would get us pretty far.¡±

    ¡°Figured we could head to Amical Falls after this, get Vash some more serious Delver training and take a short breather for me to work with you on some defensive Talents.¡± Jabez said, handing a few copper coins to the barkeep and taking the proffered ales.

    ¡°Any food, gents?¡± The barkeep asked, still wary, but hopeful for some more coin.

    ¡°I could eat.¡± Jabez said. ¡°We¡¯ll take whatever¡¯s on the menu for tonight.¡±

    ¡°We got fried reedfish. It¡¯s pretty good. My missus bastes it in butter and herbs.¡± The barkeep said.

    ¡°That¡¯ll do. Bring enough for me and the lads. We¡¯ll also take a room for the night, if you have one.¡±

    The barkeep glanced at Vash and looked apologetic. ¡°All I got right now is the bunkhouse. Communal bunks, and with the tensions with the Emerald Stags, I¡¯m not sure the other guests would¡­ah¡­that is¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you have a hayloft?¡± Vash sighed.

    The barkeep looked relieved. ¡°Aye, we do. It¡¯s a bit small since we aren¡¯t a big place.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the loft and you two can take the bunks.¡± Vash said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

    ¡°No, we can all take the loft.¡± Corwin said in solidarity.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Vash said, ¡°plus the two of you snore like Tauroc with head colds. It will be a blessing to be spared from that for a night.¡±

    ¡°Very good.¡± The barkeep said. ¡°No charge for the hayloft, for the inconvenience.¡±

    Vash nodded, but said nothing. Jabez settled up for their food and beds, then he and Corwin began chatting about some tavern they had stayed in up in Aladur. Vash thought that their time would be better spent discussing strategies for the next day, but he didn¡¯t feel up to pushing the issue.

    Their meal was simple, but quite good. The herbs and butter masked the overall earthy taste that reedfish commonly had, and it paired well with generous portions of rice and vegetables. Vash ate methodically, turning over thoughts in his head. He should have expected to run into Vanan elves out in the world, but this close to Sathsholm was a surprise.

    The su¡¯sodla, or pure-bloods, hated part-elves even more than humans did. Kaeleshi, in Vinya Esain to the far north, were relatively tolerant. The Vanan, however, were almost homicidally obsessed with purity. Some of the high elves visited Sathsholm, and the nobility even maintained estates in the city. They rarely left their enclaves, but when they did, they went out of their way to cause trouble for half and part-bloods. A common game for Vanan youths in the city was to find a tavern, search out any part-elves, then lure them back to the estates with promises of ¡®telling them about their heritage¡¯ or ¡®helping them find their ancestors¡¯. If the poor rube was lucky, then they left the estate in the morning with only a bad beating. Vash knew more than a few part-elves who¡¯d had their ear-tips cut off in a Vanan ¡®game¡¯.

    His general demeanor must have showed on his face. Corwin looked at Vash with concern. ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Just a long day and I¡¯m not used to that much travel.¡± Vash said. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go seek out that hayloft.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡± Jabez said. ¡°You might want to take a look at the chapter dungeon delving in the Gideon¡¯s Guide before turning in. I¡¯m not expecting this being anything more than keeping a scholar from choking on too much dust, but it¡¯s best to be prepared.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Vash said, pushing back from the table and shouldering his pack.

    ¡°Be down at first light.¡± Jabez said. ¡°This place is a good distance out into the wilderness, apparently.¡±

    Vash nodded, then left the table. He could feel Corwin¡¯s eyes on his back. Where was this concern when I was telling you how Nyx was an idiot and going to get us killed?

    Shrugging off the painful memory, Vash sought the barkeep and got directions to his ¡®bed¡¯ for the night. Around the back of the tavern stood a small, three-stall stable. An off-white, swaybacked farm horse, and a cantankerous mule were the only residents. Vash ignored the irritated brays of the mule and the placid stare of the horse as he stumbled through the dark stable. A small alchemical lantern hung on a peg on the wall, giving the stable a weak, cold light.

    Vash took up the lantern and found the ladder to the hayloft. Since I¡¯m the one sleeping here, I don¡¯t think anyone will mind if I take this.

    He carried the lantern up into the loft, grateful that it was alchemical and not oil. The idea of burning to death because he accidentally kicked a lantern was not appealing.

    As haylofts went, the Singing Frog¡¯s was pretty standard. It was just big enough for a few bales of hay and some bags of oats. Vash prodded the loose straw into a makeshift pallet, laying his bedroll across it, then settling down himself.

    Lying on the bedroll, Vash suddenly felt every mile he had walked that day. It would be so easy just to wrap himself in the bedroll and drift off. But the thin scholar and his off-putting smile, coupled with the promises of an ¡®easy¡¯ quest, had him on edge. Duke Adolus would never make a simple quest part of a condition of my release.

    Sighing, Vash opened his pack and rooted around until he found his copy of Gideon¡¯s Guide. He turned to the chapter on dungeon delving and found the page helpfully dog-eared. A scribbled annotation next to the chapter introduction read:

    ¡®Go straight to the Detect Traps formula and thank me later!¡¯

    Vash chuckled to himself, again wondering who made these notes.

    Another rogue? He thought, The annotations certainly seem helpful to someone like me.

    Flipping through the chapter, Vash found the Detect Traps formula. Here he found the original formula marked through with an ¡®X¡¯ and an improved diagram sketched next to it, with instructions on mana flow and maintenance. Smiling at his good fortune, Vash settled in and began to read.

 Episode 16: The Mossfen Delving

    ¡°This isn¡¯t suspicious at all.¡± Vash said, watching the ¡®scholar¡¯ that had hired them as he excitedly paced the small clearing. Vash slapped at another of the red midges that landed on his neck. Pools of cloudy, brackish water dotted the soft moss-covered ground of the clearing. Small clouds of midges hovered above those pools while massive dragonflies darted back and forth, disrupting the clouds momentarily like a barge passing through a fog bank.

    ¡°Quit grousing, not every employer is a cleric of Taella.¡± Jabez said from where he sat on a nearby boulder that jutted from the marshy ground. The dwarf looked absorbed in carving geometric designs into a large tooth, a tusk from a creature that Vash didn¡¯t recognize. Jabez seemed at ease, but Vash noted that his war-hammer was within easy reach, and he kept glancing at Zakarias and his hulking, silent servants. ¡°Let the man work.¡±

    <hr>

    It had been a rough morning.

    Vash awoke with the sunrise and a loud argument from outside the stable doors. One of Zakarias¡¯ servants was below him in the stable. The servant had brought out the donkey and was loading the beast with a pair of heavy chests and some travel bags. The large man moved carefully and methodically with the chests, ensuring they were secured to the donkey¡¯s back before piling on the travel bags.

    The shouting was coming from the doorway, one local was trying to get past Zakarias¡¯ other servant. The man was large, well over six feet tall, and his tattered gray robe strained at the shoulders and over his ample belly. Vash would bet that there was some solid muscle under that fat, and that the big man knew how to use it. The servant glared down at the local with beady black eyes beneath a heavy brow. He had cut his hair short, giving it a bowl shape with ragged ends. The two servants looked similar enough to be brothers, if not twins.

    ¡°Dammit, man, let me pass!¡± The local was red-faced and shouting, but he dared not take a step closer to the hulking brute. ¡°My horse is in there and I¡¯ve got to get out into the fields by midday!¡±

    The servant simply stared down at the local, unconcerned with the difficulty he was causing.

    The local seethed in frustration, then spotted Vash in the hayloft. ¡°Hey! Elf! You¡¯re a Wayfarer, right? Working with this lug, aren¡¯t you? Get him to move so I can get my horse!¡±

    As one, the two servants turned to look up at the hayloft. The stare they gave Vash was not one of malice or anger, merely acknowledgment, then dismissal when they turned back to what they were doing.

    ¡°I¡¯m not working with them.¡± Vash said, pulling on his boots quickly. ¡°We¡¯re working <i>for</i> their master. I can¡¯t do anything about them being rude assholes.¡±

    Vash grabbed his pack and jumped down from the hayloft. The servant with the donkey looked at him with an expression of mild annoyance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me.¡± Vash said, putting on his pack and tightening the straps. ¡°If you let the man get his horse, he¡¯d be out of your way without causing a ruckus. Since you two decided to be asses, you¡¯ve caused a problem and drawn attention.¡±

    Vash pointed out the door. A small gathering of locals stood at the mouth of the alley that led back to the <i>Singing Frog¡¯s</i> stable.

    The servants looked at the gathering, then exchanged glances. A growing look of annoyance passed between them, then the one at the door stepped aside, allowing the farmer to get to his horse.

    ¡°Finally! Thank you!¡± The farmer huffed and strode past. Within moments, he had the horse harnessed and led her out of the stable. The servant at the door gave Vash a flat stare the entire time.

    Vash shrugged and followed the farmer out, heading into the tavern and trying to ignore the unblinking stare from the servants.<i> I don¡¯t know what their problem is, and I don¡¯t want to know.</i>

    Inside the tavern were a few patrons, all breaking their fasts and getting ready to head out early. Jabez, Corwin, and Zakarias sat at one table. The scholar had a map opened between them and was pointing out routes and landmarks.

    ¡°¡ªit looks like this path used to be a pilgrim road. It should lead straight to the ruin and shave a good few hours off the journey.¡± Zakarias was saying, pointing out some marks on the map.

    Jabez shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s Scaleback territory. They usually avoid people, but if you wander into their marshes, then they view you either as attackers or as prey, not ideal either way. Are you sure that what you¡¯re looking for is in this area? It¡¯s all marshes, not exactly the best spot to build anything solid.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what everyone thinks!¡± Zakarias said excitedly. ¡°But look here, the marshes lead into this small valley. The surrounding hills are all rock. I¡¯m willing to bet that the builders found some natural caves carved by the marsh waters and modified them to suit their needs.¡±

    ¡°And what were those needs, exactly?¡± Vash asked as he approached.

    Zakarias looked up, his large eyes holding a startled expression. ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to find out. It may be part of the early Malconian expansion, or perhaps a temple to a deity of the lesser pantheon, prior to the unification. It really could be anything!¡±

    ¡°We saw a waystone on the Rivermarch Road that said there used to be shadow cult activity in this area. Could this ruin be connected?¡± Vash asked, taking a biscuit from a plate when Corwin offered.

    ¡°Shadow cult? No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Zakarias scoffed. ¡°Those folk don¡¯t build structures like this. They usually just make temporary camps in the wilderness.¡±

    ¡°Vash has a point.¡± Jabez said, sipping from a large mug of tea. ¡°Even if they didn¡¯t build it, a shadow cult can taint an area. Makes it easier for a dungeon to form.¡±

    ¡°My research suggests that this structure was sealed during the Malconian Dominance. Without access to the outside world, the structure could not form a dungeon core, no matter the mana saturation or cult activity.¡± Zakarias said emphatically.

    ¡°It¡¯s been, what, five-hundred years since the fall of Malconia?¡± Vash asked, skeptically. ¡°You think that it¡¯s stayed sealed all that time? What about entries from the Underlands?¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Corwin gave Vash a surprised look. ¡°When did you become an expert in dungeoncraft?¡±

    ¡°What? You gave me that <i>Gideon</i> book. I started reading.¡±

    Zakarias gave Vash a shrewd look. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here. Just in case some beast or other has made a home there.¡±

    ¡°If it winds up being a full-blown dungeon, then we retreat.¡± Jabez said. ¡°We aren¡¯t equipped to take something like that on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the experts.¡± Zakarias said with a thin smile.

    <hr>

    The journey hadn¡¯t been bad for the first hour. They followed the road out of Mossfen Hold, which was, although muddy, relatively well maintained. After that, however, they set off through the marshes to the northwest. Sometimes they could use game trails or old paths through the wilderness, but mostly they were stuck slogging through marsh, swamp, and forest.

    Jabez and Zakarias worked together to keep them headed in the right direction. At one point, Jabez kept them from straying into Scaleback territory, pointing out the totems hanging in the trees. Zakarias appeared annoyed that the Wayfarers weren¡¯t willing to take on a Scaleback village just to shave a few hours off his travel time.

    Vash had heard of the lizard men from travelers and sailors on Lake Marallon. A sizable population had claimed the islands southwest of Sathsholm. The Duke sent several expeditions into the islands. The few that returned claimed that the Scalebacks had eaten the other soldiers, or sacrificed them to their demon gods. After that, most folk just avoided the islands and took care not to aggravate the Scalebacks.

    When they finally reached their destination, it was late afternoon. The small valley between rocky, steep hills was a flat expanse of marsh, random boulders, and twisted forest. No sign of any construction, ruined or otherwise. For the past hour, Zakarias had been consulting his scrolls and striding around the clearing, almost giddy with excitement.

    Vash was getting concerned.

    ¡°So all this doesn¡¯t bother you?¡± Vash asked.

    ¡°All what?¡± Jabez replied, continuing to whittle.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡± Corwin said, coming up beside Vash like a huge, muscular shadow. ¡°This whole place screams ¡®<i>stay out</i>¡¯. The trees around the clearing look diseased and warped, but they grow so close together they may as well be a wall. The ground is all squishy and all the undergrowth smells of rot and decay. Then there¡¯s our employer.¡±

    ¡°I try not to judge.¡± Jabez said.

    Vash frowned. ¡°I just don¡¯t see this ending well.¡±

    ¡°This was the quest that the Duke set out for us. If you¡¯ve got a way to wriggle out of this and keep your head, I¡¯m all ears. ¡°

    Vash scowled. He had no answer for that. His gaze drifted over to Zakarias¡¯ servants. When they had arrived in the clearing, the two of them had unloaded the donkey. They piled the traveling supplies haphazardly, but had carefully taken hold of the two heavy chests. Each carried their own chest, thick lacquered wood with iron banding. They never put the chests down, simply held them while waiting for instructions from Zakarias.

    Sensing they were being watched, the servants turned their heads slowly in unison and stared back at Vash and the others, silent and unblinking.

    ¡°At least the money¡¯s good.¡± Jabez sighed.

    ¡°The money is pretty good,¡± Corwin agreed. ¡°Think we¡¯ll survive long enough to actually get paid?¡±

    Zakarias let out a bark of laughter as he swept aside a cluster of vines on a suspiciously shaped boulder embedded in the rocky hillside.

    Vash blinked, not believing what he saw. ¡°Is that a skull?¡±

    Corwin looked up and sighed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what it looks like.¡±

    ¡°A screaming skull.¡± Jabez added.

    The boulder was a mottled black and gray stone. A combination of the rock¡¯s natural shape and careful carving had formed it into the likeness of a human skull, its jaws open wide as if screaming in fury.

    ¡°If the mouth turns out to be the ruin¡¯s entrance¡­¡± Corwin began, but trailed off as Zakarias pressed his hand to a moss-covered rock. Ancient stone ground against itself. Dirt and flakes of rock fell away as the back of the skull¡¯s mouth opened into a darkness that swallowed the weak light from the clearing.

    Vash could tell from the wrinkles on the back of Zakarias¡¯ skull that he was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°I hate being right.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember him looking that evil back in town.¡± Jabez said, frowning. He put away his carving in one of his many belt pouches and pushed himself to his feet.

    ¡°Tavern lighting makes anyone look good,¡± Corwin said.

    Vash let his hands fall to the blades on his hips. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡±

    Jabez made a face. ¡°Guild Law is pretty clear. They offered us a contract, and we accepted. So it looks like we¡¯re going adventuring.¡±

    ¡°You accepted. I don¡¯t remember being consulted.¡± Vash said, bitterly.

    Jabez glanced up. ¡°Are we going to have a problem?¡±

    Vash met Jabez¡¯s eyes. ¡°No, but I think we need to ask more questions next time before we leave town.¡±

    ¡°How the hell did the Guild allow that guy to buy a contract?¡± Corwin muttered, watching Zakarias pulling vines aside and beaming with delight.

    The secret entrance finished opening and Zakarias motioned to his servants to prepare to move out.

    ¡°Gentlemen!¡± Zakarias cried happily, turning to face them. ¡°I believe I¡¯ve found the entrance!¡±

    ¡°It, uh, it looks like a skull, Zakarias.¡± Corwin said.

    ¡°A screaming skull.¡± Jabez added.

    ¡°Does it?¡± Zakarias asked, turning. ¡°Oh¡­well, I guess now that you point it out¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve got some concerns.¡± Corwin said, eying the servants. They had stopped staring and were crossing the clearing, carrying the heavy chests easily over the marshy ground.

    ¡°Really?¡± Zakarias asked, blinking in confusion. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s ominous, I suppose, but it could mean anything. The ancient followers of Mordis used to put skulls on everything. This may be a pre-unification temple to the god of death, which would be fascinating.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t know what this place was used for?¡± Jabez asked, voice steady and eyes hard.

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Zakarias said, giving them a thin-lipped smile. ¡°And I am tiring of having to answer that question.¡±

    Jabez and the scholar locked eyes for a few moments, neither seeming to soften their stance. Finally, Zakarias shook his head and motioned towards the screaming skull cave. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time. Let¡¯s get going, shall we?¡±

    Jabez grunted, hefting his war-hammer as he strode towards the yawning portal. Corwin gave Vash a rueful shrug, then followed their master, drawing his sword and holding it loosely to one side. Vash followed at a slower pace, taking his time and keeping an eye on Zakarias.

    The unnerving scholar smiled at him, placidly. ¡°I noticed you remained silent while your companions voiced their doubts. I appreciate the vote of confidence.¡±

    <i>I just know better than to tip my hand</i>. Vash thought. Aloud, he tried to sound casual. ¡°I like to reserve judgment.¡±

    ¡°A good philosophy.¡± Zakarias nodded his approval. ¡°I only wish more people ascribed to such ideals.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to know who to trust these days.¡± Vash said, following Jabez and Corwin while being careful to watch Zakarias. ¡°This is a dangerous business, after all.¡±

    Zakarias snorted. ¡°Not as dangerous as all that. The Silent King was destroyed over three-hundred years ago. Monster attacks are down all across the Grand Alliance. I even heard that a dragon died recently.¡±

    ¡°I heard the same thing, somewhere up north.¡±

    ¡°Rumor, perhaps, but even those magnificent beasts have rarely appeared over the past century.¡± Zakarias said wistfully. ¡°We may be in the waning days of such adventures.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s a good thing.¡± Vash said, contemplating the idea. The Temple said that the Shadow was ever-present and required constant vigilance. What if they¡¯re wrong? They¡¯ve been wrong before.

    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Zakarias said. ¡°But at least today we have this ruin to explore.¡±

    Vash turned to see Corwin disappearing down into the shadowy interior of the skull¡¯s mouth. He hesitated one last moment.

    <i>I fear no shadow, for I am shadow.</i>

    ¡°Come on, elf!¡± Came Jabez¡¯s voice from within the stone skull. ¡°We haven¡¯t got all day!¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡± Zakarias said. ¡°Let us see what the ancients have left for us, hmm?¡±

    With a deep sigh, Vash nodded. He tried not to shiver as the stone teeth passed over his head. At the back of the ¡®mouth¡¯ was a stairway leading down into the earth.

    <i>I fear not death, for I am death</i>. Vash thought and tried not to think about being swallowed as he descended the spiral staircase.

    <i>Let my Hunt begin.</i>

 Episode 17: Into The Dark

    The steep, close staircase spiraled down into damp-smelling rock for several turns before opening into a large, dark chamber. Vash breathed easier upon exiting the claustrophobic spiral of the staircase. He had never liked small, enclosed spaces, much less ones that could have unknown monsters at the bottom.

    Or traps, or who knows what. Vash thought, bitter pessimism creeping in again. He shook his head as if he could clear the bad thoughts with motion. Stop that. Time to focus.

    Vash stepped out from the stairway into a long underground hall. A pale blue-white light illuminated the area around Jabez and Corwin. Jabez tied a glowmoss elixir to the chain of his Wayfarer amulet. The elixir was a small vial of glowmoss and Therium salts suspended in an alcohol solution. Shake the bottle vigorously and the glowmoss would bloom and feed off the mana produced by the Therium, emitting a soft light ideal for maintaining night vision.

    The glow from the vial only reached about fifteen feet. Carved pillars stood at regular intervals, pocked and weathered by age, but still sturdy. The solid stone pillars disappeared into the gloom above. The floor was flat and bare, with large flagstones roughly two feet on a side made up the floor¡¯s construction. A cold mist clung to the floor and eddied around their ankles, obscuring details on the stones.

    That¡¯s going to make finding floor switches difficult. Vash frowned, remembering the Gauntlet a bare two days before. As a precaution, Vash let his awareness sink into his Core, allowing his aura to expand and give him a better idea of what dangers were in the area.

    His Core gave a slight tremor. There was something to be wary of out in the darkness, but he couldn¡¯t tell what it was specifically or where it might be coming from. Slowly, Vash approached Corwin and Jabez.

    The dwarf examined the nearest stone pillar with a critical eye. He held his war-hammer loosely in his right hand while he ran thick fingers over the carvings on the stone. Corwin stood beside Jabez, sword held at the ready, scanning the darkness. He nodded at Vash¡¯s approach and moved to the side slightly so that Vash could take his place on the right flank of their little triangle.

    ¡°What¡¯s our plan?¡± Vash asked, blinking as his elvish eyes adjusted to the light levels. Elves could see in low-light, their magically enhanced vision came with a slight glow around their eyes in dim or dark areas. Half-elves had a similar, if less powerful, ability. His eyes had inner lenses that focused and filtered light, albeit without the magical enhancement. Vash felt the awkward sensation as his inner lenses shifted to compensate for conditions.

    The right-hand wall of the chamber was becoming visible in shades of gray and brown. He could make out a few alcoves in the walls, each one with a haphazard stone archway raised above it.

    ¡°The plan is to keep together, and keep quiet.¡± Jabez said, stepping back from the stone pillar and dusting his fingers against his pants leg. ¡°Watch for trouble on the flanks. We don¡¯t want to disturb anything that might not want to be disturbed.¡±

    Vash bit his lip and made a face, but kept silent. Half measures, sloppy.

    ¡°Got a problem with that?¡±

    Vash looked back over his shoulder. Jabez had shifted his position slightly, lifting his hammer into both hands and scanning the darkness in front of him. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to do a full search, face whatever is out there, make sure that it doesn¡¯t block our way out?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Jabez said. ¡°If we knew what was down here, and we knew we had the resources to take it on. There are plenty of monsters that are happy to let you go on your way if you don¡¯t go looking for them. Some things just want to be left alone, and they can be very dangerous when cornered.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Vash asked. ¡°Like what?¡±

    This time Jabez shot a look back at him, surprised at his interest. ¡°If you really want to know, we¡¯ll talk about it after we finish this job. Not really something to discuss while we¡¯re in the middle of things.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s mostly the non-humanoid creatures that you can leave alone or avoid.¡± Corwin said. ¡°Molds, jellies, even Mimics.¡±

    ¡°Mimics? Those can¡¯t be real.¡± Vash had heard of the ambush-predator monsters that preyed on unwary dungeon explorers. He¡¯d always thought they sounded fairly far-fetched. How likely was it that a creature would evolve to look exactly like a treasure chest?

    ¡°They¡¯re real.¡± Jabez said. ¡°And they¡¯re damn dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Have you seen one?¡± Vash asked, incredulously.

    ¡°No.¡± Jabez admitted. ¡°But I have it on good authority¡ª¡±

    ¡°Until I see one with my own eyes, they¡¯re a myth.¡± Vash scoffed, only half-serious. The dwarf¡¯s buttons were easy to push, and he couldn¡¯t resist. Jabez shook his head. ¡°Damn stubborn, pointy-eared¡­¡± There were more insults, but Jabez¡¯s voice faded into mutters before Vash could take real offense.

    Light blossomed behind them, accompanied by the grunts of Zakarias¡¯ servants struggling with the heavy chests down the narrow staircase. Zakarias himself carried an alchemical lantern which filled the room with a golden light.

    ¡°Gods dammit.¡± Jabez breathed, tensing and searching the remaining shadows. ¡°I told them to wait for the all-clear.¡±

    ¡°A little more light isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡± Corwin said.

    Vash agreed. Having more of the chamber revealed was much more reassuring than imagining horrors in the deep darkness. He felt his shoulders relax a bit as the shadows retreated, revealing old stone and cobwebs. Wisps of dusty webs hung from the arches high above them and filled the arched alcoves along the wall. Vash could now see that the alcoves housed long-dead bodies wrapped in burial shrouds.

    Not shrouds, even preserved the shrouds would be in tatters by now. Vash thought, trying to puzzle out why it bothered him. That one on the end is different. Is it upside down?

    ¡°Should there be this many webs in a sealed vault like this?¡± Corwin asked, looking up into the shadowed recesses of the ceiling.

    Vash followed his gaze. The webs were larger and thicker, up high. The ceiling was made of unfinished stone, lumps and crags standing out in contrast to the smoother stonework below. Loose dirt fell from the ledge above.

    <i>Great, the roof is unstable too.</i>

    One rock shifted and Vash made ready to move out of the way as another shower of dirt and pebbles fell from above. Vash narrowed his eyes and his elvish vision sharpened and focused on the small area, enhancing details he¡¯d missed before, like the long roots that dug into the rock and were now unfolding with intricate slowness. The stone shifted again and multi-faceted silver eyes lifted and regarded him with curious malice.

    ¡°Spiders!¡± Vash hissed, drawing his weapons, a long dagger in his left hand, a short sword in his right. ¡°Big ones.¡±

    Jabez and Corwin both looked up. The glint of dozens of eyes flashed as the spiders clustered on the ceiling turned to regard the intruders.

    Jabez hefted his war-hammer and growled. ¡°It¡¯s a damn Hollowmound nest.¡±

    Hisses and the click of armored legs against stone rose from the spiders as the nest flowed forward with alarming speed. Coming into the light, the spiders were about the size of a dog, but with a wider reach from their long legs. Thorny plates of chitin covered the spiders¡¯ bodies, and they varied in color from a glistening black to a sandy brown, with red stripes running down their bulbous abdomens.

    A spider leaped from one pillar, eager to attack. Jabez stepped forward and swung his hammer in a wide arc, catching the spider in the center of its body. The spider shrieked as the force of the blow sent it flying across the room, crashing into the far wall with a crackling sound, like eggshells being dropped on a stone floor. It slid down the wall, trailing pale green blood on the stones.

    Vash was so distracted watching Jabez¡¯s attack that he almost didn¡¯t notice the spider descending on a line of silk behind him. The click of chitin as it landed on the floor pricked his ears moments before it slashed at him, razor-sharp forelegs stabbing down at his back. Instinct took over and Vash reached within, tapping his Core and felt the sudden rush of warmth as mana flowed out to the rest of his body. The formula for<i> Enhance Ability</i> snapped into place, boosting his speed and agility many times over.

    Time felt as if it slowed to a crawl. Vash stepped to one side, turning and avoiding the spider¡¯s attack. The bladed forelegs crashed hard into the floor stones, throwing sparks with their impact. Vash stepped in, short sword finding the joint of one of the spider¡¯s forelegs. He twisted the blade and a gush of thick spider-blood flowed out. The spider hissed and scuttled back, the end joint of its foreleg hanging uselessly.

    Two more spiders descended from the ceiling, trying to cut Vash off from where Corwin and Jabez were engaged with arachnid attacks of their own. Vash moved to one side, trying to flank the monsters. The closest one lashed out with a foreleg attack. Mana-fueled reflexes moved Vash out of the way. He felt the wind of the attack.

    That was too close. Vash thought, looking for a way to take a position next to Corwin. Vash was used to working in a team, watching each other¡¯s backs and covering flanks. Jabez and Corwin were far more at ease trusting their Talents, armor, and their own resiliency. Vash was getting left behind as the two warriors pressed their attacks.

    Corwin was grinning like a madman, falling into step with Jabez as he hacked through any spider foolish enough to get close. One spider got past Corwin¡¯s guard and landed a blow on the big man¡¯s chest. The spider struck his breastplate with a metallic thunk, forcing Corwin back a step. A moment later, Corwin straightened and laughed. The spider scurried back, the tip of one foreleg having broken off and leaking thick, greenish blood. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t think it would be that easy, did you?¡± Corwin growled, then let out a battle-cry and hacked at the retreating spider, pushing further away from Vash.

    <i>So much for teamwork</i>. Vash thought, the three spiders he faced all moved with him, keeping him at the center of a triangle, forcing him to dodge over and over from their attacks, pushing him further away from his companions and towards where other spiders were descending from above.

    Vash could feel the mana draining out of <i>Enhance Ability</i>. Soon he would have to either let the Talent go or reset it with another infusion of mana. Can¡¯t do this for long, time for some old tricks.

    Taking a step away from the lights of the party, Vash found the deepest shadows he could and formed the <i>Shadowmeld </i>formula in his mind. Mana flowed into the mental construct and pulled the shadows around him like a cloak. Rather than warming, it gave him a bone-deep chill. Color leeched out of the world even as his vision became sharper, allowing him to see clearly in the darkness. The spiders reacted with confusion. To their eyes, the surrounding shadows absorbed him and swallowed him into a deeper darkness.

    <i>My turn</i>. Vash thought.

    He stepped around the most aggressive of the spiders, a black and red monstrosity that was drooling some sort of white foam from its mandibles. Vash leaped lightly onto the spider¡¯s back, swiftly driving his sword into the joint just behind its head. The spider gave an anguished screech and a spurt of thick spider blood flowed out of the wound.

    It spasmed and rolled. Vash rolled with it and, coming up on his feet, warmth and color intruded on the edges of his awareness until he got a firmer hold on the shadows.

    The other two spiders ignored their dying compatriot and turned towards where Vash had appeared for a moment. A twinge in Vash¡¯s Core was the only warning he had. The spider that he had wounded reared back and flung a sticky ball of webbing towards him. Vash moved out of the way and the ball splattered against the stones at his feet. The webbing exploded against the stone, sending out sticky tendrils in all directions. Some splashed against Vash¡¯s boots, hardening almost instantly and rooting his feet to the spot. Shadows retreated and Vash fought hard to hold on to them, realizing the outlines of his boots were visible now with the webs wrapped around his ankles.

    The spiders moved slowly towards Vash, cautiously advancing on the misty shape coming into focus as Vash lost his grip on the shadows. The second spider flung another clump of webbing. Vash ducked, but a clump of webbing splattered his right side, hardening into tendrils around his sword arm and sealing it to his side. The shadows evaporated like mist around him, color and warmth flooding back to Vash as he became visible again. The spiders chittered and surged forward. Vash slashed at them with his dagger, trying to keep the spiders at a distance while he struggled against the webs that held him fast.

    His dagger made contact with one spider, but it skidded off the chitin armor. The spider swept Vash¡¯s hand aside with its foreleg, knocking the dagger out of his grip. Vash cursed, ducking and weaving away from the sharp forelegs and now lunging bites.

    Vash had read some on common dangers of dungeons in <i>Gideon¡¯s Guide </i>the night before. It had said the Hollowmound spider venom was necrotic, killing and breaking down the flesh, making it easier for the spiders to consume. That meant that any bite from one spider could severely hamper his ability to fight.

    <i>Great, that part I remember!</i> Vash thought, smashing a fist into the uninjured spider¡¯s cluster of eyes. Hissing, the spider backed away. One enormous eye was leaking fluid and left an empty, collapsed crevice in the creature¡¯s head.

    The spider with the injured leg suddenly flung itself at Vash, legs seizing his torso and sending him crashing to the ground. Vash attempted to roll away, but the sticky webbing caught his boots and the spider¡¯s weight held him down. The spider glared down at him with shiny black eyes. Vash could feel the malice flowing off the creature and the glee it was taking in having him pinned and at its mercy. It reared back, sharp mandibles drooling frothy venom.

    Vash didn¡¯t see the blow when it came. One moment the spider was prepared to inject him with deadly venom, the next its head had collapsed like a shattered egg. The huge head of Jabez¡¯s war-hammer swept the spider off of Vash. It landed somewhere in the darkness with a thud.

    For a few moments, Vash just lay there, stunned.

    ¡°You gonna lay about all day, or are you going to earn your keep?¡± came a gruff voice.

    Vash blinked, seeing Jabez standing over him. Spider blood splattered the dwarf¡¯s mail and the head of his war hammer.

    He frowned down at Vash, shaking his head. ¡°Hollowmound webbing is strong when you pull directly against it. Try moving your arm like this,¡±

    Jabez demonstrated, swinging his arm against his body in a short arc.

    Shifting slightly, Vash did as Jabez said. The webbing loosened and stretched until Vash could shake it off. ¡°That¡¯s a good trick.¡±

    ¡°Keep it in mind.¡± Jabez said, then thought a moment. ¡°Or, better yet, just dodge next time.¡±

    Vash rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to say something snarky. He loosened the webbing around his feet enough to kick free, then got up and surveyed the room.

    The fight was over. Spider carcasses lay strewn about the chamber. Corwin was going from corpse to corpse, digging his knife below the mandibles and extracting spider fangs. Vash watched him in disgusted fascination. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Spider venom.¡± Corwin said, carefully wrapping each fang in a strip of linen bandage before placing them in a heavy leather pouch. ¡°Alchemists can make an anti-necrotic out of it. They fetch some decent coin.¡±

    ¡°Makes an excellent poison as well.¡± Zakarias said, peering at the dead spiders with interest. Neither he nor his assistants looked at all fazed by their encounter with the creatures.

    Corwin looked up and frowned. ¡°You saying things like that isn¡¯t helping your ¡®dark wizard¡¯ vibe. Just so you know.¡±

    ¡°Dark wizard vibe?¡± Zakarias asked, confused.

    ¡°Ominous dungeon, not particularly forthcoming with information, pointing out useful poison ingredients.¡± Corwin said, finishing his task and sealing the pouch.

    ¡°Merely dispensing useful information.¡± Zakarias shrugged bony shoulders. ¡°What your shadow-walking friend does with it is his business.¡± The skeletal smile he flashed at Vash was unnerving at best.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of poisons.¡± Vash said, picking up his dagger.

    ¡°To each his own.¡± Zakarias said, though he sounded disappointed. ¡°As for the rest, I have told you everything that I know¡­that would be of use to you.¡±

    The look he gave Corwin could be read several ways. All were at least vaguely threatening.

    ¡°Oi! Wayfarers!¡± Jabez called from across the room. ¡°Focus on the task at hand. These are just Hollowmound workers. Who knows how big this nest is? If there are warriors, or, gods forbid, a queen, then this trip gets much more dangerous.¡±

    Vash shot Jabez a look but kept his mouth shut.<i> Earn your coin, gain rank, and you can leave the pint-sized tyrant behind. </i>He thought. The Eth Mitaan wanted him in a good position within the Wayfarers and getting into a better adventuring party looked like the first logical step.

    ¡°Does it go any further?¡± Corwin asked, approaching the far wall. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing any doorways.¡±

    ¡°There is more.¡± Zakarias said. ¡°My research shows a larger complex.¡±

    Jabez grunted and drifted over to examine more carvings on the walls. ¡°Well, Vash, you¡¯re our rogue. See what you can find.¡±

    ¡°Jabez.¡± Vash said, approaching the dwarf and lowering his voice. ¡°I worked on Detect Traps last night and haven¡¯t had time to really try it. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m up to secret doors yet.¡±

    Jabez sighed. ¡°Try it. Your Core is more attuned to that sort of thing than mine or Corwin¡¯s. This job isn¡¯t just Talents, there¡¯s a bit of instinct to it as well.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡± Vash said, turning away from Jabez. I don¡¯t think this is going to end well.

    Vash made a show of examining the alcoves on the far side of the room. The lanterns carried by Zakarias¡¯ servants illuminated the chamber and gave him a better look at everything around them.

    Crude, but solid stonework made up the bottom ten feet of the walls, rough-hewn rock that had served as the spider¡¯s home stretched another fifteen feet above that. Large stone pillars stretched to the ceiling, providing support. The bodies hanging in the alcoves were all skeletal; skin shrunken and leathery over what remained below. The bodies had clearly been drained long ago and never disposed of. Piles of bones and webbing lay in the dark corners of the room, showing what the spiders did with the bodies when they were done. Above each alcove was a rune that was unfamiliar to Vash. The designs were sharp, angular, oddly upsetting. Less something one would find marking a larder and more what one would use to mark a sacrifice.

    <i>I don¡¯t remember giant spiders having a god they worshiped, or them being worshiped by any cults.</i> Vash thought. <i>I really need to read up on monsters and dungeoncraft. </i>

    Movement caught Vash¡¯s attention as he was about to leave the last alcove. The web-wrapped body swayed slightly, wisps of webbing floating in the air. Carefully, he moved closer to inspect the alcove. He held his hand up near the swaying, twisting corpse. A slight breeze wafted across his fingertips.

    Taking a breath, Vash let his focus drift to his Core. The warm ball of mana just beneath his breastbone pulsed and hummed. He quieted his mind like Iona had taught him. His Core thrummed through different harmonics as he searched for the one that would help.

    Vash scanned the back of the alcove, his Core pulsing stronger or weaker as he moved in different places along the stones. He passed his hand over a large-sized stone to one side of the alcove and felt his Core buzz excitedly. After a moment of inspection, Vash felt something click into place within him. In his vision, a pale red aura outlined the stone, and a slight rush of essence left him.

    <i>What was that?</i> Vash thought, startled. <i>I didn¡¯t even use a formula</i>.

    Hesitantly, Vash released the Talent, paying close attention as he did so. As the Talent faded from his mind, he felt as though he could sense the outline of the formula. Fumbling and awkward, Vash pieced the formula back together and, after a few moments of adjustment, he felt it settle into place. Mana flowed into the new formula construct. A red glow appeared around the same stone. Vash almost cheered. He had unlocked a new Talent.

    ¡°There¡¯s something back here.¡± Vash called over his shoulder. ¡°Looks like a switch opens a door in this alcove.¡±

    ¡°Great work!¡± Corwin said excitedly, joining Vash at the alcove.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Jabez said, standing back a few paces and watching Vash work..

    The excitement of learning a new Talent gave Vash a fresh jolt of adrenaline. He reached out and pushed the stone with the red outline. The rock moved after some slight resistance, a soft click sounding somewhere within. For a moment nothing happened, then the sound of a mechanism clanking to life came within the stones. Rock scraped against rock. The back of the alcove moved slowly to one side, revealing a dark tunnel beyond.

    Vash¡¯s Core pulsed urgently. He felt, rather than heard, the second click of another mechanism. Yelping in surprise, he dropped to the floor just before an arrow whistled over his head. It sailed across the room and shattered into splinters against the far wall.

    ¡°Maybe activate <i>Detect Traps</i> before pressing buttons.¡± Jabez muttered.

    ¡°You all right?¡± Corwin asked, holding out a hand to help Vash to his feet.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Vash said, grudgingly accepting the hand.

    They stood in front of the new tunnel, another tight fit, barely big enough for them to walk single file. It seemed to go a long way into the rock beyond, sloping downward slightly from the secret door.

    "Excellent." Zakarias called as he and his men crossed the room to join the adventurers. "I''m glad to see my faith in you all was not misplaced."

    "That''s a tight squeeze." Corwin said, frowning at the tunnel. The darkness within seemed to swallow the soft blue-white glow from the light elixir.

    "Bound to be more spiders, more traps." Jabez said, joining them.

    ¡°So, who goes first?¡± Vash asked.

 Episode 18: A Memory of Shadows

    ¡°One day I¡¯ll learn to keep my damn mouth shut.¡± Vash grumbled as he crept down the narrow corridor. He had a vial of glowmoss elixir hanging on a string around his neck, leaving his hands free as he moved carefully, placing each foot deliberately, senses alert for any signs of traps or triggers.

    The narrow passage forced them to walk single file. Vash didn¡¯t like not being able to see the others. Especially not knowing where Zakarias and his creepy servants were.

    Feels like they¡¯re staring at me.

    He glanced back periodically to check on his companions. Corwin followed close behind, holding his own glowmoss elixir high. The big man gave Vash an encouraging nod every time he looked back. Jabez was next in line, the dwarf grumbling under his breath about "shoddy stonework." The scholar and his two servants brought up the rear, but they were far enough back that the shadows swallowed them and all Vash could make out were rough shapes in the darkness.

    Vash''s foot connected with something, sending it skittering across the stone floor. He stopped and looked down, dreading what he might find.

    Just a skeleton. Vash breathed a sigh of relief. He knelt to get a closer look. Its bones scoured clean and scattered as if it had lain there for ages. He saw no obvious wounds or damage, but with just bones, it was hard to tell. The positioning disturbed him. He looked up and saw several other skeletons a short distance ahead in the tunnel. They all lay face down, arms splayed forward as if they had fallen while running.

    "These poor bastards were trying to escape something," Vash murmured.

    "And failed clearly," Jabez said. "So keep those elf eyes peeled, eh?"

    Vash frowned. Unless he concentrated on keeping up his low-light vision, it lapsed back into his normal, more comfortable human sight. He focused on adjusting his vision, feeling his eyes molding themselves to what he wanted. Blinking rapidly, the corridor became suddenly brighter, and Vash could see further into the gloom. However, colors were more washed out and his vision warped slightly at the edges, unsettling his sense of where things were.

    Vash gritted his teeth against the wave of dizziness from the sudden shift in perspective. The distortion from his more sensitive eyes made the walls feel even closer. He felt trapped, confined. His heart quickened. He had never liked tight spaces. He wanted to rush ahead to get out of this corridor. Memories from the year he spent working in the mines as a part of a Penance Detail came rushing back.

    <hr>

    The fight had been stupid.

    Jannick always taunted him about his poor reading skills, but it came to a head when Vash had voiced his desire to join the Order of Rasander. An ancient organization dedicated to exploration and discovery. A group of Rasanderians had taken rooms at the Inn Vash worked at. He had gotten to talk with them and even pointed out some notable ruins in the area around Durron¡¯s Ford that he had explored. One of them was even a part-elf like himself.

    When Jannick heard Vash talking excitedly to Corwin and Kat the next morning, the older boy hadn¡¯t been able to resist crushing his dreams.

    You have to be able to read to join any of the Orders, knife-ear. Jannick taunted.

    I know my letters. Vash protested, holding desperately to this thin hope. It won¡¯t be long before I get the hang of the words.

    Jannick laughed, needling that Vash would have to have a real understanding of reading, not just sounding out words from a Temple primer. Then his friends had chimed in on all of Vash¡¯s faults, everything they could think of to keep him from joining the Order.

    Corwin tried to put a stop to it, but Kat held him back. He had already gotten into trouble with Domai Matthias for sticking up for the ¡®impure creature¡¯ on other occasions. Getting a formal reprimand from the Temple would put even more strain on Corwin¡¯s family.

    The little group of bullies wanted a show from Vash to see him humiliated and crying. So they pushed and wheedled, listing all the reasons he should just give up and throw himself into the river.

    It was Jannick, however, who crossed the last line. Look at him, you just know that his whore of a mother died of shame. Imagine having a reminder that you sullied yourself with an elf looking back at you every day!

    The fury had come over him so quickly that he had no time to process it or even hold it back. Jannick didn¡¯t even see the fist that broke his nose. One moment the tall, slender boy was laughing with his friends, the next there was a sickening crunch and blood began pouring down his face.

    If Vash had stopped there, then he might have gotten away with a local penance. But the anger he let loose that day had been building within him for years. He tackled Jannick, driving him to the ground. The other boy flailed with one arm, trying to catch himself. The snap of his arm breaking, followed by the howls of pain, made Jannick¡¯s circle of friends flee, abandoning him to Vash¡¯s barrage of flailing fists.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Corwin hauled him off of Jannick after a moment of stunned bewilderment. Vash¡¯s hands were red with the other boy¡¯s blood, and he struggled against Corwin¡¯s grip, trying to get back and finish the job.

    Jannick lay in the dirt, screaming in pain. His nose knocked to one side, and he was missing one of his front teeth. Clutching his right arm, Jannick wailed and rocked until some villagers came running to see what the problem was.

    The next few hours were a blur.

    In the end, the Holdmaster and Domai Matthias agreed Vash needed to be sent to the Ducal Penance detail. No one, not even Vash¡¯s foster father, Sam, had spoken out against the punishment. Corwin said that he wanted to, but his brother Wil forbade it, saying that Vash had caused enough trouble for their family.

    For the next year, Vash had toiled in Duke Gellar¡¯s silver mines. Alongside petty thieves, bandits, and violent brawlers, Vash spent every day except Temple Day below the ground. The sun became a distant memory, and his joy from exploring caves and ruins snuffed out like a candle. Because he was small and slender, the overseers sent him into the tightest offshoot tunnels to work. Fear of becoming stuck, the small alchemical light vial dying slowly while the other penitents laughed at his pleas for help, haunted his nightmares.

    <hr>

    Taking a long, shuddering breath, Vash brought his focus back to the here and now.

    Focus on what you can control. The mantra that Byar had repeated when Vash¡¯s fears threatened to overwhelm him. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish if you just take things one step at a time.

    Breathing was the first thing that came to mind. Taking slow, controlled breaths of the stale air, reassuring himself that he wasn¡¯t suffocating. Then he inched forward, slowly. He wasn¡¯t stuck, not trapped by thousands of pounds of rock and soil.

    Now do your job. Vash thought, carefully scanning the walls and floor for any cracks or holes that could indicate a trap. Nothing out of the ordinary, just old stone.

    Up ahead, the corridor opened into a larger chamber, big enough for them all to enter at the same time. Vash hesitated at the threshold, peering inside. His enhanced sight could make out a high ceiling of rough stone and circular tiled floor. Four pitted stone pillars supported the ceiling, smaller than the ones in the first chamber, but of the same design. Aside from the pillars, the chamber appeared empty.

    Vash took a cautious step inside. The others filed in behind him, fanning out to examine the pillars and walls. Vash crossed the room towards a dark opening on the far side. It was a similar corridor to the one they just exited. Vash blinked and let his eyes return to normal, regaining his composure while his companions explored the small room.

    "Well, this looks safe enough," Corwin said, rapping his knuckles against a pillar.

    "Careful," Jabez said. "We don''t know anything about this place. I wouldn''t trust any of this to be safe just yet."

    Corwin nodded, taking a step back from the pillar. "Good point."

    "I didn''t expect so much hand-wringing from experienced adventurers," Zakarias said, inspecting some faded carvings on the wall. "Second-guessing every step, moving at a snail''s pace. Where''s your sense of adventure?"

    His oily tone made Vash bristle. He did not trust the scholar''s motives for a second. "If we knew what we were getting into, maybe we''d be more willing to move faster. What exactly do you do at the Collegium? Maybe knowing what you were studying will help?"

    Zakarias gave Vash a thin-lipped smile. "It would neither interest nor help you in this situation. My apologies if I sound critical. It''s just this expedition is the culmination of several years¡¯ worth of work."

    ¡°Work doing what?¡±

    ¡°My specialty is in studying pre-Malconian celestial powers. Specifically, how the unification of the Temple affected mana structures and power dynamics on a purely metaphysical level.¡± Zakarias said condescendingly.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a mouthful.¡± Vash said, unimpressed.

    ¡°You asked.¡± Zakarias shrugged.

    Vash met the scholar''s gaze, trying to get a sense of what the man was thinking. He could tell that Zakarias was lying about something, but couldn''t decide what, exactly.

    ¡°These markings don¡¯t look like Temple glyphs.¡± Jabez said, studying the carvings that ringed the room.

    The carvings, though faded, did not look like anything Vash had ever seen in any of the temples dedicated to the Malconian pantheon. An odd, spiky script stood out beneath stylized pictograms of strange ritual practices.

    They look familiar, though. Vash thought, recalling the clay tablets in the Eth Mitaan temple beneath the great tree back in Ragpicker¡¯s Hollow. A feeling of dread passed over him. The things that they had done in the old temple had been useful and given him many gifts, but the experience had been harrowing.

    ¡°Likely an old Baedan writing form.¡± Zakarias said, squinting at the carvings. ¡°We know several tribes migrated down here from the north before the Malconians expanded east.¡±

    "Let''s move on." Jabez said, frowning at the carvings and stepping back. "We''ve dallied here long enough."

    Turning away from Zakarias, Vash moved toward the next passage. Approaching the archway, Vash felt a slight warning thrum in his Core. It¡¯s reacting to something nearby, not like a danger sense, that goes off when something actually happens. Could it be reacting to mana?

    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Corwin asked, joining Vash at the archway.

    Vash felt his Core thrum, echoing a release of mana somewhere nearby.

    "What was that?" Corwin asked, drawing his sword and looking around.

    "That was a trap." Jabez said, giving Vash a dark look.

    Vash was about to say something in response but his attention was drawn to the corridor they just exited. The unsettling sound of dried bones clattering together, then scraping against the stone floor. Down the corridor, he could see several pinpricks of orange light. As the lights moved closer, Vash could see that the pinpricks were illuminating the skulls of the skeletons that they had left behind.

    Slowly, but with inexorable menace, the skeletons were coming for them.

    "Move." Jabez said, taking Zakarias by the wrist and leading him toward the exit corridor. He stopped, looking past Vash, a frown creasing his weathered face.

    Vash turned, looking down the other corridor. For a moment he didn''t understand Jabez''s reaction. Then he heard the clatter of bones, the scrape against stone. Finally, as though coming around a corner, he saw the glowing eye sockets appear and stare directly at him.

    "Dammit."

 Episode 19: Tunnel of the Dead

    Vash stepped back, unable to believe his eyes even as he kept them fixed on the corridor in front of him. <i>Undead¡­but those aren¡¯t real, right? Just stories for superstitious peasants, keeping them fearful of ¡®demons¡¯ and warlocks.</i>

    Glowing pinprick eyes fixed on him, unsteady movements finding a rhythm. They made no sound except for the clatter of bone scraping against bone and the rustle of ancient boots shuffling through dust. <i>Hard to deny what I¡¯m looking at, though.</i>

    The skeletons stumbled slowly into the light, clad in tattered rags and rusted armor. Some had once been wearing leather cuirasses, but they had long ago become brittle as old paper. They carried a mixed assortment of weapons: clubs, spears, a sword or two. Vash scanned them quickly, his Eth Mitaan training kicking in, seeing and summarizing what was in front of him.

    <i>Human, some old equipment, nothing of value</i>.

    He glanced back at the others. Corwin and Jabez waited expectantly, faces taut. Behind them, Zakarias peered over his servants'' shoulders, hungry eyes darting from Vash to the shambling undead and back.

    <i>What¡¯s he so interested in? </i>

    Vash turned back to the bones. Traps he could handle. Tricks he could spot. But magic?

    <i>If we survive this, we need to hire a mage. </i>Vash thought.

    The empty sockets of the approaching skeletons flared with crimson light. They moved faster, shuffling turned into walking, which turned a jog.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got running skeletons!¡± Vash called out.

    "They''re speeding up on this side too," Corwin said from the other side of the room.

    Vash drew his blades, short sword in his right, and a long dagger in his left. The undead approached at speed. Rusted clubs, swords, and axes hanging limply in their grip. Behind him, he heard the rattle of Jabez drawing his war hammer from the ring on his belt.

    "Stay close!" Jabez barked. "Shield the scholar!"

    Vash moved to intercept the first skeleton. It swung wildly; he ducked the blow and sliced it through the torso, just below the ribcage, delivering a forceful blow across its spine. Vertebrae flew, and the other bones collapsed, inert once more.

    <i>Just bones</i>, Vash thought. <i>I can handle this</i>.

    He darted toward the next one. One arm fell apart when he slashed its shoulder. Spinning, he sliced through its knee joint and sent it crumbling to the floor. Vash stepped back, letting the bones fall around him. He caught movement on the floor. The one he''d cut in half was dragging itself back together.

    <i>What the hell?</i>

    "They keep reforming!" Corwin yelled. Vash turned to see the big warrior land a solid sword blow, smashing a skeleton while another was rebuilding itself at his feet.

    "Watch out!" Jabez called, dashing to Vash''s side, war-hammer shattering a skeleton to pieces. "Keep your eyes on your targets, elf!"

    Vash turned back to face several more skeletons lumbering towards him. On instinct, Vash stabbed one through its ribcage, but it was just bones - no vital organs to strike.

    Jabez swung his hammer, sweeping the legs out from under the skeleton impaled on Vash''s dagger. It collapsed to the floor. Immediately, the bones began clattering as they searched for their mates.

    One skeleton lunged at Vash, dessicated skin flaking off the bones when it opened its jaws wide in a silent scream. Vash side-stepped its swing and lopped its arm off at the joint. It stumbled back, reaching for the lost limb. Jabez stepped forward and crushed its ribcage with his hammer.

    The shattered bones skittered about on the floor tiles, seeking their other pieces. Faster than Vash thought possible, the splintered ribcage had knitted itself back together, no worse for wear than when it had stumbled in for its attack.

    <i>They¡¯re relentless.</i> Vash thought, sweat soaking his brow as he blocked and attacked over and over again. No matter the damage inflicted, the bones would simply reassemble into a full skeleton, pick up a weapon, and go back on the attack. <i>They¡¯ll just wear us down. It¡¯s a losing battle.</i>

    Vash risked a glance back at Zakarias. The scholar watched avidly, making no move to assist them.

    "Any bright ideas?" he called.

    Zakarias raised one thin eyebrow. "I¡¯m just an academic, not an adventurer. You seem to have it handled."

    Vash bit back a retort as another skeleton attacked. He blocked its blow, then kicked it in the chest, sending it sprawling. The skeleton rotated its head and torso, then its hips and legs. Within a heartbeat, the skeleton was back on its feet and turning to return to the fight.

    <i>There has to be a way to stop them permanently. Some weakness to exploit.</i> Vash''s mind raced even as his body reacted on instinct - ducking, slashing, always moving.

    <i>What do I know about animated dead? </i>Vash thought. <i>C¡¯mon, think, you listened to all those adventurer¡¯s tales about facing creatures from the Silent King¡¯s army, the army of undead.</i>

    He needed to destroy or disrupt something that fueled their movement.

    A skeleton slapped Vash''s arm aside and darted in. It bit into Vash''s shoulder, teeth sinking into the leather, jaws clamping shut. Vash cried out in pain, stumbling back and falling beneath the skeleton. He felt a warm trickle of blood flowing down his chest, the skeleton''s jaws moving inexorably closed.

    Jabez''s hammer shattered a skeleton''s ribs. He kicked the pieces apart, scattering them, moving to help Vash. Two more skeletons moved up, grabbing at Jabez''s arms and face.

    Vash pushed against the skeleton, trying to force it up and off of him, but it held on tight, jaws working as it bit down harder, eyes glowing a dispassionate orange.

    <i>Glowing eyes.</i> Vash thought. <i>Just like the glowing mouths of the golems back at the Wayfarer¡¯s Lodge in Sathsholm.</i>

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    Vash brought the hilt of his dagger down in an awkward strike against the side of the skeleton''s skull. It did little damage, but there was a slight flickering in the skeleton''s eye glow. With an effort, Vash smashed the dagger into the skull, a spiderweb of cracks forming at the temple and several pieces falling away. The strength of the skeleton''s bite immediately lessened and its grip was weaker. Vash struck again, obliterating the skull and releasing a puff of orange light and vapor. For a moment, the light hung in the air like motes of dust in a sunbeam. Then it coalesced into a tiny bead of light and roiling vapor before surging towards the shattered bones.

    A tug on Vash¡¯s core pulled his attention upwards. Not all the light and energy from the skeleton had returned to the bones. Some were drifting upwards towards a carving just above the archway. It had the same spiky lettering as the rest of the carvings. Vash couldn¡¯t read it, but he could see that residual orange energy gathering around the runes. His Core thrummed at the sight, and Vash knew what he had to do.

    "Smash the skulls. It slows them down!" Vash called, bringing his short sword down on the reforming skull of the skeleton at his feet.

    Jabez roared a dwarfish war cry and tackled the two skeletons clinging to him, smashing them to the ground. The bones started trying to put themselves back together. Jabez grabbed the skulls and slammed them together, bones shattering like eggshells. Glowing, orange vapor escaped between Jabez''s fingers and the bones clattered to the ground.

    Wisps of orange light escaped from the tiny knot of energy and drifted up to the carving above the archway.

    ¡°Hold them off. I¡¯ve got an idea.¡± Vash said, getting to his feet.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Jabez asked, kicking the piles of bones down the hallway, making it harder for the skeletons to reform.

    ¡°Disarming the trap.¡± Vash said, sheathing his weapons and leaping at the nearest pillar. The rough stonework gave good traction, but still Vash pulled up Enhance Ability to lend strength and agility to his climb. He added the recursion loop that he¡¯d seen in the <i>Gideon¡¯s Guide</i> margin notes and felt a much smaller pull on his Core. Warmth flooded his limbs, and he began scaling the pillar with the telltale fluid grace of someone using a Talent.

    A warning pulse from Vash¡¯s Core made him look up. A skeleton down towards the end of the corridor was lifting a crossbow. The weapon, though old, pointed directly at him and seemed to be in working condition.

    He was about to shout for help, but Jabez rushed to the archway, lifting his hammer in a high, overhand arc. Vash felt a great pull of mana centered on Jabez and his raised hammer. Blue light traced the runes and designs that Vash hadn¡¯t seen before on the dull gray head of the hammer. Jabez himself seemed to glow slightly from the amount of mana he was pulling.

    The skeletons in the corridor hesitated, as though confused by the sudden surge of mana ahead of them.

    <i>¡°Baldniruuk!¡±</i> Jabez shouted, voice taking on the strange echoing tone of spellwork. He brought the hammer down in a quick, overhand strike, hitting the floor and shattering the flagstone at his feet.

    <strike></strike>A wave of force rolled out from the dwarf¡¯s strike and barreled down the corridor.

    The wave of magical force engulfed the skeletons. As it hit each one, they flew apart like a battering ram had struck them. Bones shattered into chips or strewn about haphazardly.

    There was silence for a moment except for Jabez breathing heavily. The dwarf looked up at Vash. He was pale and ashen. Whatever he¡¯d done with that hammer had taken a lot out of him. Jabez scowled, ¡°Get moving! That won¡¯t hold them for long, but it buys you some time.¡±

    Jabez moved across the room to join Corwin at the opposite archway. Corwin¡¯s face was slick with sweat and Vash could tell that his sword was getting heavy. A clattering noise from the exit corridor told Vash that the shattered skeletons were already trying to reform.

    <i>Get moving!</i> Vash berated himself, ignoring the pain in his shoulder as he climbed.

    A vibration came from Vash¡¯s Wayfarer medallion. Cool energy swept through him and he felt suddenly reinvigorated. The sharp pain in his shoulder faded to a dull ache, and he could concentrate on what he was doing.

    Vash clambered up the pillar with surprising speed. At the top, near where the pillar met the ceiling, Vash braced himself between the pillar and the curved wall of the chamber. He wobbled for a moment, feeling the stones shift slightly in the pillar. He hoped it would hold long enough to do what he needed to.

    Sharpening his vision, Vash studied the carvings and runes. He concentrated and his vision narrowed to a sharp point, roving over the various symbols. <i>I don¡¯t want to screw this up and make it worse.</i>

    The orange motes of mana floated around the symbols on the carving, seemingly at random. To Vash¡¯s surprise, they moved in a definite pattern.

    <i>Wait, is that a recursion loop?</i>

    The technique he had learned from the margin notes in his Gideon¡¯s Guide was a method for directing mana back through a central point when initiating a Talent. This meant the energy stayed in the loop and could be collected back into the Core, rather than dissipating back into ambient mana. It was a more efficient way of working with mana and, apparently, a fundamental part of beginning spellwork for mages.

    It was also tricky to disrupt. Doing it wrong could create a feedback that would release the energy in a sudden rush of explosive power. Like throwing lamp oil on a fire, it could blow up in your face. Vash licked his lips and studied the pattern intently, trying to ignore the scraping of bone in the corridor below him.

    A surge of power flowed through the mana pattern in the carving.

    Vash blinked, <i>It¡¯s speeding up.</i>

    He looked down towards the entry corridor. Corwin and Jabez were mowing down skeletons with speed and precision. More motes of mana floated into the air and flew towards the carving.

    <i>Striking down the skeletons is speeding up the process.</i> Vash thought, turning back to the carving. <i>Need to find the fulcrum, I can disrupt the mana flow from there.</i>

    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re going to do, Vash, do it quick!¡± Corwin shouted.

    Don¡¯t think about them. Vash thought. Focus on the pattern, find the fulcrum and the pattern collapses.

    He followed the nodes, but the speed of the roiling motes of power and how quickly they were being absorbed into the larger construct made it harder to find the pattern.

    A scraping sound came from the pillar beneath his foot.

    Vash looked down to see a partially formed skeleton reaching up for his boot. It was crawling up the pillar, digging its finger bones into the crumbling stone. Legs were forming behind it. In a moment, it could stand and grab for his leg.

    <i>Now or never.</i> Vash thought.

    Drawing his dagger, Vash slashed through a rune that he felt confident formed the fulcrum of the construct. The dagger cut through the rune, marring its shape, and there was a sudden rush of energy. A bright yellow light blossomed from the cut.

    ¡°Dammit.¡± Vash cursed and did the only thing he could think of. He dropped.

    Vash fell straight down onto the still-forming skeletal warrior, just before the carving cracked and exploded outwards in a flash of light and a cloud of stone fragments.

    He hit the ground hard, shattering the bones of the skeleton beneath him and knocking the wind out of himself. The world spun and his ears rang.

    Shaking his head, Vash groggily rose to his knees, fumbling for his sword before the skeleton reformed.

    The bones didn¡¯t move.

    Vash looked up. In the corridor beyond, the skeletons collapsed into heaps of mis-matched bone. The lights had gone out in their eyes and the bones fell apart into chips and splinters.

    Vash sagged back against the pillar, chest heaving and head swimming. Corwin whooped from the other side of the chamber. Jabez and Corwin were standing in a pile of bone chips. Dust coated their faces and clothes. Corwin had a long trickle of blood that ran down one side of his face where he¡¯d taken a scratch from a weapon or a skeletal finger. Jabez looked ashen, exhausted. Though none of the skeletons had breached his armor.

    They''d won, though it had been closer than Vash liked. A small smile crept across Vash¡¯s face, and he let himself savor the victory for a moment.

    Zakarias and his servants appeared behind Jabez, lining up as though waiting in line at a food cart.

    "Well fought," the scholar said mildly. "Shall we continue?"

    Feeling the burning rage welling up inside him, Vash opened his mouth to snarl about useless scholars, but Jabez cut in before he could get a word out. ¡°Yes, I believe the quicker we get this done, the better.¡±

    Vash swallowed his anger, and he staggered to his feet. This quest was getting worse by the moment. But if he wanted to keep his head on his shoulders, Vash needed to complete it.

    <i>Deal with this pompous prick later</i>. Vash thought, wiping the sweat from his brow. <i>I just hope that¡¯s the last surprise this place has to offer.</i>

 Episode 20: Quick and Quiet

    The tunnel ended in a crumbling wooden door. A group of skeletons lay clustered around it, all looking like they were trying desperately to open the door. Scratches and gouges from panicked hands showed even after, likely, hundreds of years.

    <i>They died trying to escape.</i> Vash thought, looking at the skeletal remains. <i>What happened here?</i>

    ¡°More people trying to get away from something.¡± Jabez mused, nudging a thigh bone. ¡°And dying before they can reach safety. Any insights here, <i>scholar</i>?¡±

    Jabez didn¡¯t even try to hide the scorn in his voice.

    ¡°Before the Grand Temple unified the Malconian Pantheon, it was quite dangerous dealing with various petty gods.¡± Zakarias said in the same calm, unperturbed tone that he always used. ¡°Who knows what these poor souls conjured up? Dark god? Demon servant of the shadow?¡±

    ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem like a lot of damage.¡± Corwin said. ¡°Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t smash through walls or anything.¡±

    Zakarias clicked his tongue impatiently. ¡°Come now, except for a few traps and some vermin, I have seen nothing to warrant this level of caution.¡±

    <i>Easy for him to say.</i> Vash thought. <i>He didn¡¯t have to fight the ¡®vermin¡¯ or figure out the traps.</i>

    ¡°Can we keep moving?¡± Zakarias said, thin face betraying his annoyance.

    Jabez gave Zakarias a dark look, but he soon turned to Vash. ¡°Do your thing, son.¡±

    <i>And now dangerous doors are ¡®my thing¡¯.</i> Vash thought, but he approached the door cautiously. Passing his hand over the chipped and crumbling wood of the door, Vash didn¡¯t feel any warnings from his Core. That didn¡¯t mean that there was no danger on the other side of the door, just that the door itself would not hurt or kill them. Next, he investigated the door¡¯s lock and handle. Again, no warnings. But looking, Vash saw heavy corrosion on the door¡¯s lock.

    Vash, before doing any further work, tried simply to open the door. As expected, the door was locked and did not budge. ¡°Locked, but I don¡¯t sense any traps.¡±

    ¡°Well, pick the lock and let¡¯s get going.¡± Zakarias said, his patience obviously wearing thin. The scholar¡¯s thin, skeletal face looked even more gaunt in the pale yellow light of the alchemical lamps. Zakarias¡¯ bulging eyes had an eager, manic look.

    <i>We must be getting closer to what he¡¯s looking for</i>. Vash thought. The scholar was stubbornly keeping information from the Wayfarers, but he didn¡¯t have a gambler¡¯s face, wearing many of his emotions on his sleeve.

    Meanwhile, Zakarias¡¯ assistants remained impassive, carrying their heavy chests without effort or complaint. Vash would pay his last couple silver to know what their role was in all of this.

    <i>I¡¯d wager they¡¯re not just here to carry things</i>.

    ¡°The lock¡¯s heavily corroded.¡± Vash explained. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to get the clockwork to work properly.¡±

    Zakarias¡¯ lip twitched in irritation. ¡°Well then, I believe these two ¡ª ¡± He gestured to Jabez and Corwin  ¡° ¡ª are more than capable of smashing the door down.¡±

    ¡°Capable, yes, willing is another story.¡± Corwin said, fingers flexing on the grip of his sword.

    ¡°Smashing the door would alert anything in the area.¡± Jabez explained. ¡°It would give them plenty of time to get ready for us.¡±

    ¡°Might as well ring a dinner bell.¡± Corwin said.

    "Yes, yes, I''m sure there''s great peril ahead," Zakarias said dismissively, ¡°but your mission is to get me a complete survey of the ruin. So, we press on, yes?¡±

    Jabez looked like he wanted to hit something, but he controlled his temper. ¡°Vash, give the lock a try.¡±

    ¡°All right, but no promises.¡± Vash said, reaching for the roll of thieves¡¯ tools in the pouch on his belt.

    Vash knelt in front of the lock, unrolling his tools on his knee. He selected a pair of picks and lightly inserted them into the lock. Rust flaked off as the picks scraped against the sides. Vash could feel things falling apart or going soft beneath the prongs of his picks. From what he could feel, the mechanism was a real mess inside. The tumblers felt either rusted into place or had fallen apart years before. There also seemed to be some intentional damage, likely whatever had locked the door in the first place had sabotaged the lock to make it so that no one could get past the door.

    That explains the cluster of bodies here. Vash thought while he probed and manipulated within the lock. It¡¯s strange to have two groups fleeing in opposite directions.

    The damage to the lock prevented picking it by normal means. Just a few moments of probing told Vash that, so he would have to try one of the new Talents he¡¯d studied in the <i>Gideon¡¯s Guide</i>.

    <i>Open Locks</i> was a simple Talent when viewed from the outside, but it increased with difficulty and complexity along with the locks it was intended to open. With this particular lock, it could be tricky, since many parts had crumbled apart, but it was worth a try.

    Vash let his consciousness sink into his Core, constructing the basic formula for the Talent. Mana trickled into the construct, stabilizing itself and forming a bridge between Vash¡¯s abilities and the magical enhancement. He twisted the picks, but the construct was too weak. The construct began to destabilize, and Vash could feel his hold on the lock fading. He pushed more mana into the construct and added a second layer. Gears ground and rust fell from the keyhole as the Talent took hold. Slowly, carefully, Vash turned the picks and felt the bolt retract.

    The door shuddered slightly as the lock gave way. Vash released the Talent, feeling the mana dissipate. ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Good work!¡± Corwin said. Vash didn¡¯t even have to turn to see the man¡¯s encouraging smile.

    Vash shifted uncomfortably and put away his tools. ¡°All right, don¡¯t celebrate yet. I just opened a stupid lock.¡±

    He grabbed hold of the door handle and pulled. For a moment the rusted hinges resisted, keeping the door shut tight. Vash put some more effort into it. The hinges squealed as the door came open, making Vash grimace at the noise, but nothing else happened.

    Beyond the doorway was a large hall, easily twice the size of the entrance hall. Small patches of glowmoss grew here and there within the hall, giving dim illumination to stone walls covered in decorative friezes. Large octagonal columns stood at regular intervals and disappeared into the dark recesses of the ceiling. At the far end of the hall, a staircase descended into the earth. Glowmoss clustered in large patches all around the stairs, illuminating them far more than other areas of the hall.

    Vash took a step forward, but froze when he felt a tremor from his Core. ¡°Wait, something¡¯s not right.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡± Zakarias asked, exasperated, stepping forward to join Vash.

    Jabez put a hand out, blocking the scholar¡¯s advance. ¡°Hold up. If the boy senses something, it¡¯s worth taking a moment.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve taken more than a few moments since coming down here.¡± Zacharias said angrily. ¡°I¡¯m tired of being impeded in my work.¡±

    ¡°Aye, and we¡¯ve been lucky to survive those ¡®moments¡¯. A bit of vigilance could save our skins,¡± Jabez rumbled. He turned and pointed at the glowing patches in the room beyond. ¡°That¡¯s glowmoss out there. It only grows in the Underlands. If it¡¯s in there, then the Underlands have broken through into this temple, dungeon, or whatever this place is.¡±

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    Zakarias'' eyes narrowed as he looked down at Jabez, a sneer of contempt on his face, but he held his tongue.

    Jabez turned back to Vash. ¡°Go ahead lad, see what you can find.¡±

    Vash peered into the gloom of the hall, straining his senses. The unease in his Core continued to build, like a twisted knot just beneath his heart.

    <i>This place feels wrong somehow. Too still, too quiet.</i>

    Concentrating, Vash adjusted his eyes for the dark. The light, to his eyes, bloomed brighter and details became visible. He could see the columns stretching up to a high vaulted ceiling. At the top of the columns, thick strands of spider silk crisscrossed from one to another. The webs formed a tangled maze that spanned nearly the entire hall.

    <i>What the hell are those?</i> Vash thought, squinting at masses of spider-silk in the webs. Nearly lost amidst the webbing, several bulbous shapes hung suspended.

    Vash felt a wave of revulsion. <i>Egg sacks. Dozens of them.</i>

    A flicker of movement drew his gaze. One of the Hollowmound spiders skittered along a web strand, its dark carapace blending with the shadows. Vash''s skin crawled at the sight of the bloated, hairy arachnid. The hound-sized creature moved with surprising speed. Its mandibles clicked together as it surveyed the room below with a multitude of glistening black eyes.

    Once he saw one, Vash could pick out the others. They clung to walls and columns, crouched in webs, or tended to the egg sacks. None seemed aware of Vash¡¯s presence.

    <i>That could change quickly, though.</i>

    Vash stepped back, not wanting to get spotted. "Spiders," he murmured. "The ceiling''s covered in webs and egg sacks. At least a dozen spiders that I can see."

    Corwin tensed. "More Hollowmounds."

    ¡°They look like the ones we fought before.¡± Vash nodded.

    Zakarias heaved an annoyed sigh. "Yes, yes, more dreadful monsters. But they''re up there, and we''re down here. Let''s keep moving."

    He tried to push past Vash into the hall. Bringing up an arm, Vash blocked his way.

    "No, there¡¯s too many. Those spiders spot us and they¡¯ll overwhelm us easily."

    Zakarias gave Vash a haughty stare. Behind him, his two servants swiveled their gaze to Vash in an oddly synchronous manner. Their expressions didn''t change, but their body language suggested they were a hair''s breadth away from violence.

    Jabez looked beyond them, squinting into the dark. "I don''t like it. Twelve spiders, we can see. Egg sacks, all over, but those are just workers."

    "You sure about that?" Corwin asked.

    "If you''d seen a Hollowmound Warrior, you would know," Jabez grumbled. "We didn''t come geared up for an extended monster fight."

    "What are you saying, dwarf?" Zakarias asked, his voice kept carefully neutral.

    "I''m saying we should go back to town and load up on some supplies. Maybe hire one or two more swords. Then we come back and tackle your dungeon," Jabez said. "Shouldn''t put us back more than a few days."

    "No." Zakarias said. "That is unacceptable."

    "Why?" Jabez asked. "We on some sort of timetable?"

    Zakarias bristled, but kept his features neutral. "In a sense. I am in competition with several other scholars who were not far behind me."

    "Why not work together?" Corwin shrugged. "You''d still map out the dungeon, and it would be much safer."

    "You have obviously never worked in academia." Zakarias said without turning to look at Corwin. "I need to get to the central chamber of this ruin. It is of the utmost importance. If you can''t do that¡­then I suppose I have no choice but to rescind my contract and report you to the Duke."

    Jabez frowned. "This is really damn sketchy."

    Zakarias gave him a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "That''s not my concern, Master dwarf."

    Vash felt a sudden wash of cold dread. Rescinding the quest would also revoke his reprieve from the headsman. The Inquisitors would drag him back in chains. If he was lucky, then he would go straight to the chopping block. If he wasn¡¯t, then he''d live out the last few days of his life in the water cells in unimaginable agony.

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have much of a choice, do we?¡± Jabez said in a tight growl.

    ¡°There is always a choice.¡± Zakarias said, magnanimously.

    Jabez scowled and turned back to the doorway. "Vash, can you see what the spiders are doing out there? My darkvision isn¡¯t what it used to be."

    "I can take a look," Vash said, ducking his head out and scanning the room quickly. "There''s five that I can see that are just hanging in the webs. One is moving about, but not quickly. It''s on the far side of the chamber and looks like it''s keeping near the eggs. The rest appear to be fairly high up, near the tops of the columns or on the ceiling."

    "Hollowmound Spiders spend a lot of time resting, conserving energy, especially when eggs are about to hatch. As long as we don''t disturb the web, they likely won''t even know we''re here." Jabez gave Vash a questioning look. "Think you can guide us through, quiet as a mouse, avoid disturbing them?"

    Vash considered the distance across the hall to the glowmoss-lined staircase. Moving slowly, they could skirt the room by sticking close to the walls. The spiders seemed all grouped in their nests for now.

    He nodded. "Yeah, I can get us past them. But no sudden moves or noise."

    Jabez nodded. "Right then. You lead, we''ll follow. No lights, quick and quiet."

    ¡°How are we to follow him if we can¡¯t see him?¡± Zakarias asked.

    ¡°<i>Detect Mana?</i>¡± Vash asked.

    ¡°Easiest way to keep track of one another in a dungeon.¡± Jabez said. ¡°Vash, Corwin, let¡¯s do this.¡±

    A moment later, Vash felt the telltale thrum in his Core of a Talent being activated, then another. Vash summoned the pattern for <i>Detect Mana</i> to his mind. It was a simple, and familiar, Talent and took no effort to activate. As soon as he did, Vash felt tremors in the flow of magic coming from Jabez and Corwin. Now, without seeing them, he could tell where they were, and if they were moving.

    Corwin and Jabez tucked their glowmoss elixirs into their pouches, dousing the light. Zakarias nodded to his servants, who closed the shutters on their lanterns. The only light visible now was the glowmoss inside the chamber up ahead.

    Vash concentrated and formed his <i>Enhance Ability</i> Talent in his mind. It was getting almost as easy as breathing now, and with the new recursion loop, he barely felt like he used any mana. His limbs felt light, nimble, and any lingering fatigue vanished. ¡°Keep close, remember to keep quiet and move as quick as you can.¡±

    He didn¡¯t wait for any acknowledgement, moving on silent feet into the large chamber. Even with his darkvision activated, Vash could barely make out basic details of the room. Everything looked washed in the pale blue light of the glowmoss, giving the place a cold, sickly feel.

    Vash ranged ahead, careful to avoid the strands of webbing that ran from the bigger webs to anchor points on the floor. The strands were barely thicker than a length of twine. They stretched, taut, to the large sheets of crisscrossed webs closer to the ceiling, gravid with egg sacs and their attendants.

    After making it past the first two columns, Vash paused and studied the nearby webs for any reactions from the spiders. Most of the spiders stayed where they were or crawled over the egg sacs. One or two were moving through the webs, but not towards Vash.

    <i>All right, passed the first test</i>. Vash thought, then waved at the others to follow him.

    The rest of the group traveled in a ragged line, with Corwin at the front and Jabez bringing up the rear. From their body language, Vash could tell that Zakarias was not taking this well, or seriously. <i>You don¡¯t have to like it, just do it, you skeletal freak.</i>

    Vash turned back, steeling himself for the next section¡­and froze.

    The spider that was slowly lowering itself from the webs above was easily three times the size of the others, dark brown with yellow stripes along the back of its body. Its legs were far longer than the regular workers and the front pair were as thick around as Corwin¡¯s arms. Sharp, chitinous serrations lined the back of these oversized legs and it held them daintily up in front of it, like a noblewoman holding her skirts above a muddy puddle.

    <i>I guess I know what a Hollowmound Warrior looks like now.</i> Vash thought, swallowing hard and holding as still as possible. <i>It hasn¡¯t attacked. Maybe it hasn¡¯t seen us?</i>

    T

    he creature landed with surprising dexterity on the flagstones. Long legs reaching out to feel its way down before letting out the last few feet of silk. It carefully kept one leg on the nearest web strand, shifting the leg now and then like it was trying to feel for something.

    The vibrations in the webs. Vash had heard that spiders knew they had trapped prey when they felt the vibrations of struggling insects through the strands of their webs. The warrior swayed first to the left, then to the right. Vash could see the bulbous head lifted in the air, mandibles working.

    <i>Tasting the air like a snake.</i>

    Wishing he¡¯d had the opportunity to look into dungeon denizens like Hollowmounds, Vash remained still, but gestured behind him for everyone to stop. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Corwin halt about a dozen paces behind him. Vash couldn¡¯t make out any faces, even with his darkvision, but he could see Corwin¡¯s body language become tense and uncertain. Behind Corwin, Zakarias and his servants almost ran into the big man.

    Vash shook his head in irritation. If he was a Dark Wizard instead of a damn irritating scholar, then he¡¯d be able to cast <i>Detect Magic</i> too, and we wouldn¡¯t be fumbling around with three blind men.

    Zakarias hissed a question to Corwin in a low whisper. Vash couldn¡¯t make out the words, but he could still hear the tone, angry and indignant. Wincing at the sound, Vash looked back at the Hollowmound warrior. It paused and turned towards where Corwin and Zakarias stood. The spider made a strange clicking, chittering sound.

    Motion in the webs above, Vash looked up and saw the workers moving purposefully through the complicated web. The spiders approached the patches of glowmoss and began rubbing their abdomens with their forelegs, then transferring whatever was there to the moss in front of them.

    <i>What the hell are they doing?</i> Vash thought, looking back at the warrior. The large spider was taking slow, deliberate steps away from the web, head lifted and mandibles working feverishly.

    Light bloomed, still the blue color of glowmoss but definitely brighter. Vash looked up at the workers. Whatever they were spreading on the glowmoss patches was causing them to glow brighter. The shadows faded.

    The Hollowmound warrior slowly turned, facing Vash. Its beady black eyes fixed on him, while its mandibles emitted a rhythmic clicking sound.

    More movement from above. Hollowmound warriors descended on their own strands of silk, all echoing the clicking of the one on the ground.

    <i>It sounds like a war chant</i>. Vash thought.

    The warrior finished its turn and faced Vash head on. It hit its forelegs together twice, making a loud, hollow sound. A challenge.

    <i>So much for quick and quiet.</i> Vash thought, reaching for his weapons.

 Episode 21: Simple Mistakes, Deadly Consequences

    The attack came so quickly that Vash barely felt the warning pulse from his Core. Already backing up, away from the Hollowmound Warrior, Vash barely avoided the scythe-like claw of the giant spider. A long slice opened up the belly of his leather armor, only grazing the flesh underneath. Wayfarer medallion pulsing, numbing the pain, Vash turned his backward stumble into a backward roll, getting some distance between himself and the warrior spider.

    ¡°They know we¡¯re here!¡± Vash called, drawing his blades and immediately falling into the <i>toin¡¯sur</i> stance.

    A chorus of hisses, clicks, and thumps of chitin went up along the previously silent webs. Vash¡¯s enhanced vision picked out other warriors emerging from alcoves along the walls where they rested in the shadows. The workers tending the egg sacs either clustered protectively around their charges or descended to lower webs, legs working their spinnerets to make clumps of webbing.

    <i>The workers will pin us down and the warriors will come in for the kill</i>. Vash thought, but could not consider the situation further, since that was when the warrior in front of him charged.

    Low to the ground, fighting arms wide, the warrior scuttled forward with ground-eating strides from its long legs. Its large, bladed arms spread wide to prevent Vash from dodging.

    Vash was prepared for that. At the warning pulse from his Core, Vash leaped into the air, pushing mana into <i>Enhance Ability</i> to give him extra height and speed. Fast slashes from the spider passed a bare span beneath his feet, cutting through the air where his legs had been a moment before.

    <i>Disabling attacks</i>. Vash thought. <i>Not killing blows, they want to keep us for later</i>.

    The memory of the skeletons hanging in the alcoves in the first room, webbed up and desiccated, came to the front of his mind. The egg sacs in the webs above, heavy with ready-to-hatch eggs, also sprang to mind.

    <i>This could go very badly.</i>

    He came down hard, landing with one boot outstretched to smash into the warrior¡¯s head, aiming for the eyes. The warrior dodged to one side at the last moment. Vash scraped the side of its head, scraping over one of the smaller eyes. He felt the wet pop of the eye bursting beneath his heel.

    The spider hissed in pain, jerking back. Vash stumbled, but righted himself quickly. Light bloomed behind him and he risked a look back.

    Zakarias and his servants removed the shutters from their lanterns, pushing back the shadows and letting everyone see what they were up against. Corwin and Jabez shook their glowmoss elixirs and tossed them out beyond the lamplight, making pools of light in the darkness.

    ¡°Vash!¡± Corwin called. He and Jabez taking up positions on either side of the scholar¡¯s party. ¡°Don¡¯t get separated!¡±

    Nodding, Vash took a step back. His Core immediately screamed a warning and Vash threw himself in the opposite direction. Balls of webbing struck the floor behind him, spreading out in wide circles before drying into solid strands. Vash glanced up, spotting two worker spiders in the webbing above. The workers were each already crafting another ball of webbing, mandibles clicking in excitement.

    More workers were descending, finding strategic points around the hall, trying to box in the intruders. Hisses and clicks drew Vash¡¯s attention. The warrior had shaken off the worst of the damage done to it, and was now carefully circling to one side. Movement to Vash¡¯s left, and a second warrior stepped out of the shadows, moving in careful sync with the one Vash had already wounded.

    ¡°They¡¯re cutting me off!¡± Vash called, trying to keep both warriors in front of him while simultaneously stay out of the range of fire of the workers above.

    ¡°Hang on!¡± Jabez said. ¡°We¡¯ll come to you!¡±

    Behind him, Vash could hear the grunts and shouts as Jabez and Corwin went to work. The crushed-eggshell sound of spider carapaces cracking coupled with the clicking screeches of pain.

    <i>Focus on what¡¯s right in front of you.</i> Vash could almost hear Byar¡¯s words, remembering being pitted against three other skilled Eth Mitaan in sparring sessions. <i>You will always be outnumbered. Focus on one opponent at a time, remove that opponent. Do that enough and you will no longer be outnumbered.</i>

    Vash chose the wounded warrior as his first opponent. The spider was already down an eye, and having taken some pain from him might make it slightly more skittish. It had maneuvered next to a column outside of the ring of pale yellow light from Zakarias¡¯ lanterns.

    <i>That should work.</i>

    Without hesitation, Vash sprinted forward. <i>Enhance Ability</i> giving him surprising speed. The other spiders had no chance to react, as they were focused on their own trap. Reaching the edge of the pool of light, Vash brought up <i>Shadowmeld</i>. Colors faded and an icy chill ran through him. Time seemed to slow, his muffled footsteps sounding hollow and far away.

    The wounded warrior brought its legs in and backed up a pace in surprise, turning its head from side to side, trying to see where Vash had gone. Vash changed course, moving to one side and springing off the ground to reach the column next to his target. <i>Enhance Ability</i> pulled more mana, giving him the strength and agility needed to reach the column. Then, once his foot struck the stone surface, he pushed off, twisting through the air directly over where the warrior crouched.

    Sound and color erupted into Vash¡¯s world as he released <i>Shadowmeld</i> and activated <i>Sneak Attack</i>. The small sword in his right hand lanced out for the vulnerable joint where the spider¡¯s head met its body. Greenish-white ichor flowed out of the wound as the sword struck home. Vash plunged the blade all the way to the hilt into what his Core was telling him was a vital spot. With his other hand, Vash wrapped his arm around the spider¡¯s head, drove the dagger into the same joint on the opposite side of the head. With a grunt of effort, Vash twisted both weapons in opposite directions.

    The warrior spider¡¯s head popped off in a gush of ichor and strange-looking innards. The spider shuddered, its legs curling in on itself in its death throes. Vash leaped from the creature¡¯s back, narrowly missing being hit by the webbing of workers who now could see where he was.

    Vash dodged to one side, his Core thrumming a warning. The surviving warrior brought its scythe-claws down in a deadly, stabbing motion. The chitin struck sparks from the stone floor and left foot-long gouges behind. Hissing in frustration, the spider sidestepped to bring Vash back into its line of attack. More globs of webbing rained down from above, forcing Vash to bob and weave to avoid losing movement in one or more limbs. The warrior spider warily closed the distance and tested Vash¡¯s response with feints and sudden slashes with its scythe-claws.

    The feints were easy to avoid. The familiar thrumming of his Core meant Vash had a heartbeat or two to respond before the spider could actually attack. Behind him, Vash could feel Corwin and Jabez moving but being blocked by other faint mana-shapes. Likely more Hollowmound warriors from different parts of the chamber. Their low mana capacity made them difficult to track using <i>Detect Mana</i>, and his danger sense would not go off until an attack. Vash batted away a sweeping slice from the warrior in front of him. The attack was a test, so it was easy to sense and deflect.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    <i>It¡¯s working up to something.</i> Vash thought, taking another step back toward Corwin and Jabez. <i>I can¡¯t tell what ¡ª.</i>

    Vash¡¯s Core raised an alarm immediately as he took that last step. A sound of tearing webbing and the sudden presence of another large figure were all the warning Vash had. He was shoved roughly to the ground as a massive creature landed on his back. The impact with the flagstones knocked Vash¡¯s breath out of him, and he lost his grip. The small sword flew from his hand and skittered across the stone floor. He held on to the dagger only because the fall had left the weapon trapped underneath him.

    Instinctively, Vash pushed up against the ground, trying to get back onto his feet, but several hundred pounds of hard chitin and hissing fury held him pinned. Vash reached out for his sword, lying a few feet away, but a scythe-claw came down on his shoulder. One serrated extrusion punched through his armor at the shoulder. Vash screamed as pain exploded and he felt a warm wetness blossom on his under tunic. Immediately his Wayfarer medallion spread a cooling numbness to his shoulder, trying to dull the pain. It was only somewhat successful. Vash writhed beneath the spider¡¯s claw, trying not to do any more damage to himself, while also desperately working to get loose.

    The spider ground down on Vash, mandibles clicking. It pulled him backwards along the floor, leaving a trail of blood. The first warrior followed, but the one holding Vash reacted with a lunge and a hiss, and the warrior slowed, looking indecisive about whether Vash was worth the fight.

    Several <i>thuds</i> nearby announced the smaller workers dropping from the webs above. Two immediately darted to Vash¡¯s legs, and he felt them encase him in their webbing. Vash kicked out, trying to free himself, but he couldn¡¯t get the right leverage and soon his ankles were bound in webbing.

    <i>I need to do something soon.</i> Vash thought, desperately. <i>Or I¡¯m not going to make it.</i>

    He painfully wriggled himself until he could get his dagger out from under his body. It was a long dagger, but wouldn¡¯t do a great deal of damage against the warrior holding him without precision attacks. Hopefully, he could do enough damage for it to back off, though.

    The workers had made it to his knees, and the warrior continued to drag him backwards. He felt the lip of some sort of pit or hole in the ground.

    <i>It was hiding in the ground!</i> Vash thought. <i>Sneaky bastard!</i>

    Vash grunted and stabbed upward with his dagger. The first few strikes thunked against the spider¡¯s carapace, doing little beyond scratching the black and yellow body. The warrior seemed unconcerned, continuing to drag Vash slowly back into its hole.

    Taking a deep breath, Vash focused. Craning his neck, he looked up at the bottom of the warrior above him. He could see the small head and clicking mandibles just above his own head. Focusing on his target, Vash pulled on his Core. He didn¡¯t have a Talent in mind, just needed the extra boost from the mana stored there.

    A rush of mana flowed into him, further numbing the pain from his wound and lending strength to his body. Vash pushed up against the floor, driving the spider¡¯s weapon leg up. There was a fresh bloom of pain as the scythe-claw slid and tore further into the meat of Vash¡¯s shoulder. Vash ignored it, focused on this one chance.

    Vash brought his dagger up in a wide arc, stabbing deep into the head of the spider. He felt the thinner chitin give beneath the force of his blade, pale green spider blood dripping down his hand and arm. The spider made a hissing shriek, immediately pushing back away from the source of its pain. Vash lost his grip on the dagger, but the spider also pulled its scythe-claw free from the wound in Vash¡¯s shoulder.

    Rolling to one side, Vash suddenly found himself in the clear. The warrior spider had stumbled back into its hole, Vash¡¯s dagger protruding from one side of its face. He had stabbed through two eyes and a mandible hung halfway off the creature¡¯s face. It shook its head in anger and pain.

    As soon as the warrior had shrieked, the worker spiders scattered. Some were already climbing back up the webs, but all had moved well out of range of the thrashing warrior. Vash was alone in an empty space, conveniently close to where his short sword had landed. He grabbed the hilt of the blade and quickly sliced at the webs binding his legs together. The webs parted easily under his sword. Within moments, he was free.

    Struggling to his feet, Vash took a blow to the chest that knocked him back several feet. He managed to stay upright and keep hold of his sword. The warrior that he had faced earlier advanced out of the shadows. It had struck him a glancing blow from one of its scythe-claws and was now preparing to leap onto him for the kill.

    The spider had reared back, legs curled and ready to spring, when a large sword sliced its head off. The spider thrashed wildly, but Corwin stepped out of the way and gave it a savage kick, sending it rolling off to one side.

    Workers launched themselves at the big warrior, but he sidestepped each attack and hacked through their bodies with savage precision. Behind Corwin was Jabez. The dwarf charged the warrior that Vash wounded, spinning on his heel and delivering a powerful blow with his war-hammer. The warrior¡¯s body cracked, green blood oozing from multiple rents in the creature¡¯s carapace. Jabez grabbed Vash¡¯s dagger from the slumping spider, then turned to the group.

    ¡°Move! More are coming!¡±

    Vash looked up. Jabez was right. Above them there was rampant activity in the webs. Workers were rapidly descending from the shadows. Motion closer to ground level caught Vash¡¯s attention. Holes in the floor covered by detritus and webbing moved aside and more warriors crawled out of them, sluggishly at first, but rapidly shaking off their stupor.

    Zakarias and his servants jogged past Vash, forming up behind Jabez and Corwin. In passing, Vash glimpsed Zakarias grinning like a child at the circus.

    <i>What the hell is his problem?</i> Vash thought, hurrying to catch up as well.

    A worker leaped out of the webs towards Vash, cutting off his thoughts. Vash whirled and sliced through the spider. An awkward attack, but it got the job done, lopping off three of the spider¡¯s legs. The creature landed and flopped on the ground, unable to right itself and leaking blood all over the floor.

    In a tight knot, the Wayfarers and the scholar moved across the room. Jabez and Corwin made quick work of any spider that got too close. Even the warriors kept a careful distance from Jabez¡¯s hammer. The dwarf¡¯s speed and skill amazed Vash. He could feel the subtle thrum of Jabez using Talents, but they came so fast that it was hard to tell one from another.

    After a few moments, which felt like hours, they reached the stairs down to the next level. Vash looked down and saw an open doorway, but it looked as though the thick wooden door was still intact. ¡°Get down the stairs! If we can get the door closed, we might be able to brace it!¡±

    There were no arguments. Vash led the way, taking the stairs two and three at a time. Beyond the doorway was a dark corridor, patches of glowmoss illuminating it sporadically. Webs hung in the corners of the hallway, but not like the ones in the chamber outside.

    <i>Let¡¯s hope that means no more spiders.</i> Vash thought, ushering Zakarias and his servants past.

    Corwin descended the stairs backwards, slowly moving away from a pair of workers. The smaller spiders chittered and lunged. Corwin stabbed one in the face, then kicked it off the blade when it started twitching. The second worker leaped into the air, trying to land on Corwin from above. Corwin merely reached out and grabbed the spider out of the air, just below the mandibles. With a grunt of effort, Corwin crushed the carapace under his hand. Spider blood flowed over his fingers and its legs curled in on itself. Corwin tossed the dying spider aside and quickly descended the stairs.

    Jabez was right behind him, a wounded warrior spider limped forwards, still trying to get to the dwarf. It had obviously taken a heavy blow to the side. One scythe-claw dangled uselessly, and pale blood seeped from cracks in the creature¡¯s armor. Jabez backed down the stairs slowly, careful not to underestimate his wounded foe. Reaching the bottom, the warrior made one last effort, slashing out at Jabez with its good scythe-claw. Jabez deflected the attack, and the spider hissed in pain, the tip of its claw breaking off. The warrior backed up out of Jabez¡¯s range, and the dwarf took the opportunity to back quickly through the door.

    Vash and Corwin heaved the heavy door closed, rusted hinges squealing in protest. Finally, the door closed with a hollow boom that echoed through the empty corridor. A rusted, but still solid, metal-banded crossbar was on the floor behind the door. Corwin heaved the heavy bar into place, sealing the door.

    For a moment, none of them spoke. They merely panted and tried to recover. After getting his wind back, Vash looked up, spotting Zakarias looking around the corridor with mild interest. Lip curling in anger, he strode forward, getting into the scholar¡¯s face.

    ¡°What part of ¡®<i>silent</i>¡¯ did you not understand?¡±

 Episode 22: Come In To My Parlor

    ¡°You are wounded and highly agitated.¡± Zakarias said, his voice calm, but with a bite of irritation. ¡°Please step back.¡±

    ¡°You almost got us killed, you arrogant shit.¡± Vash seethed. Zakarias¡¯ hulking servants took a step towards him, faces placid, but their small, dark eyes intent and focused.

    ¡°What was so gods damned important that it couldn¡¯t wait until we were across the chamber?¡±

    ¡°I was merely inquiring how long this was going to take.¡± The scholar said, heat entering his tone. ¡°There are certain aspects of this expedition that are time sensitive.¡±

    ¡°The particulars of this quest are slipperier than greased eels.¡± Jabez growled. ¡°First, it¡¯s an unknown ruin recently uncovered. Then it¡¯s a ruin that you know about but don¡¯t have details. After that, it¡¯s a competition with other academics to unearth something that you know about, but refuse to tell the rest of us. Now, there¡¯s a time component.¡±

    Zakarias¡¯ face remained unreadable, but his eyes burned with anger.

    <i>This is a man who is not used to being questioned.</i> Vash thought. <i>Scholar my ass.</i>

    Shifting his gaze to Jabez, Zakarias took a conciliatory posture. ¡°I apologize for the difficulty, but discretion was of the highest importance. I assure you that everything I am undertaking here today was approved by Duke Adolus and the Lord Inquisitor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not helping your case,¡± Corwin said, posture shifting to face the servants, who had not turned their attention from Vash.

    ¡°This is a recently uncovered ruin.¡± Zakarias said, placatingly. ¡°However, it is one that I have been looking for, indeed I have been searching for it most of my career. This is the last undisturbed stronghold that we know of, of one of the Demon Princes of Draenos. Specifically Rasu, the Defiler of the Flesh.¡±

    Jabez¡¯s face went stony. ¡°You lead us into a Drae stronghold? Places like this are meant to be assaulted by dozens of Wayfarers working with the other Great Orders. It¡¯s not a place you attempt without backup and specialized equipment.¡±

    ¡°No, you misunderstand,¡± Zakarias said, shaking his head. ¡°This stronghold has not been active for many hundreds of years. It was, in fact, one of the earliest sealed during the war with the Silent King. It was before Wayfarers and the other Great Orders became quite so¡­ahem, enthusiastic¡­with Drae strongholds.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because they¡¯re tainted.¡± Jabez said, genuine anger rising in the dwarf¡¯s voice. ¡°Unless you purge every stone, the shadow clings to it. Left alone long enough and it can fester and grow again.¡±

    ¡°And then we learn nothing about how they form.¡± Zakarias said, exasperated. ¡°It¡¯s possible that dungeon hearts are formed in the same manner as these strongholds. We have seen a dramatic up-tick of dungeon formation here in the south. The Dukes and other lords don¡¯t want to say anything about it, but there seems to be a push from the shadow to establish a more permanent foothold. If we know how the shadow forms a dungeon, what makes it grow into a stronghold, then we can prevent it from happening. Then you and other Wayfarers don¡¯t have to risk your lives delving tunnels filled with all sorts of monstrosities.¡±

    Vash looked over at Jabez. The dwarf was giving Zakarias a hard stare. Not knowing enough about dungeoncraft, Vash couldn¡¯t say whether or not the scholar was lying. He knew Zakarias had not been honest with them the entire time, and that it was better to trust your instincts.

    A wave of dizziness swept over Vash. He stumbled to one side and caught himself against the wall. His Wayfarer medallion pulsed weakly. Vash felt the pain in his shoulder and the effects of blood loss. Blood soaked his undertunic, and the wound burned slightly¡ªa bad sign.

    ¡°Damn.¡± Jabez said, coming over to Vash but shooting Zakarias a look. ¡°We¡¯re not done talking about this.¡±

    Zakarias nodded and moved to stand with his servants, hands tucked into the sleeves of his robe.

    Jabez eased Vash to the floor. ¡°Those medallions help with the pain, but they can also mask when something is bloody serious.¡± He examined Vash¡¯s wound with a practiced eye. ¡°That bugger got you good.¡± Jabez dug through his satchel, frowning and muttering to himself as he looked for something. Finally, he pulled out a small bottle with a few fingers¡¯ worth of amber liquid at the bottom. ¡°There we go. I knew I still had some left.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Vash asked, looking at the bottle dubiously as Jabez pulled the stopper.

    ¡°Tonuraak brandy.¡± Jabez said, holding it up to Vash¡¯s lips. ¡°A mix of distilled heartblossom and stone-grapes. They¡¯re grown in dwarfish caverns though, so they get infused with Therium. It¡¯s better than most healing elixirs since they just use Therium salts as a base.¡±

    Vash was about to protest, but Jabez shoved the bottle into his mouth and poured the liquor down his throat. It had a crisp, fruity taste, and a pleasant burn as he swallowed. Vash could feel the telltale warmth of a magic elixir spreading from his gut out to his fingertips, traveling all along the meridians of his body, looking for damage to repair.

    The burning sensation from his shoulder vanished, replaced by the odd feeling of flesh knitting back together. The dizziness faded, but left behind a deep fatigue. Vash shook his head, trying the clear it of the sudden fogginess.

    ¡°Only drawback to using brandy rather than an elixir is that it¡¯s not a restorative.¡± Jabez said, putting the empty bottle back in his satchel. ¡°Your Core should start repairing the damage once you get time to rest, but in the meantime, you will not be operating at peak levels. Keep that in mind as we go.¡±

    Vash nodded, head no longer swimming, but his senses felt dull and his movements sluggish. <i>At least I¡¯m not bleeding to death anymore.</i>

    He checked the wound on his shoulder. A hole, about the width of two fingers held together, had been punched through the leather. The flesh beneath had been repaired, but an angry red scab on the beginnings of a nasty scar told Vash that everything wasn¡¯t back to full yet. A cleric or a real healing elixir would have him back on his feet, but those services were expensive, so he¡¯d have to rely on dwarven booze today.

    ¡°You all right?¡± Corwin asked, moving to stand protectively over him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine in a minute.¡± Vash said, getting to his feet. ¡°At least until the demons eat my soul, or whatever the hell happens in a Drae stronghold.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry.¡± Zakarias said, dismissively. ¡°This place has been inert for quite some time.¡±

    ¡°Tell that to the people who live in Mossfen.¡± Jabez said. ¡°I bet they get cyclic monster attacks. Random, unexplained illnesses, as well as odd crop failures. Hell, the waystone even warned that this was the heart of a shadow-cult. I just thought it was the residual effects of the cult, but no, the damn Demon Prince himself had a summer house here.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to get out of here or not?¡± Zakarias snapped, apparently reaching the limit of his patience.

    That shut them up.

    ¡°From what I have seen of the layouts of similar structures.¡± Zakarias continued. ¡°The central chamber should be on this level. This is where the cult, or the monstrous servants, or whatever was using this stronghold, would come to commune with Rasu. They¡¯d receive instructions, make reports, or be disciplined for failure. This chamber was also one of the few in the stronghold that connected directly with the outside world. It may be a steep climb, but we should be able to get out that way.¡±

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    ¡°And you get your information.¡± Corwin said, disgusted.

    ¡°Two birds, one stone.¡± Zakarias said, magnanimously.

    ¡°Then what are we waiting for?¡± Vash asked. Getting to his feet was an effort, and the world swam far too much for his liking, but he made it eventually. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡±

    <hr>

    "The place is bigger than I expected.¡± Corwin said quietly. He was following just behind Vash, deliberately putting some distance between himself and Zakarias. If the scholar and his followers noticed, they didn¡¯t seem to pay it any mind, traveling in a small knot and apparently at ease. At the very end was Jabez, keeping an eye out for spiders that may have followed them, as well as making sure that their employer didn¡¯t wander off and cause trouble. ¡°Jabez and I have explored a few ruins, but they¡¯ve just been small tombs up in the hills. Making sure that they¡¯re kept quiet and don¡¯t turn into dungeons.¡±

    Vash agreed. They had been walking along the main corridor for some time now. Smaller rooms and dead-end corridors branched off the main hallway, but didn¡¯t seem worth investigating further. If it had been a stronghold for the shadow in the old days, then it must have been home to quite a sizable force. ¡°I never studied much dungeoncraft. What¡¯s the difference between a ruin like this and a dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s entirely possible that this is a dungeon.¡± Corwin said. ¡°We won¡¯t know unless we find some heartstones.¡±

    ¡°Heartstones?¡± Vash welcomed the distraction. His head was still fuzzy from the dwarvish liquor, and he was battling serious fatigue.

    ¡°Therium crystals about the size of a fist.¡± Corwin held up his own fist as an example. Vash could see that Corwin had more than a few cuts and bruises along his forearm.

    <i>Glad I wasn¡¯t the only one that took a few hits.</i> Vash thought. <i>That would be embarrassing.</i>

    ¡°So, Therium grows where there¡¯s a high mana concentration.¡± Corwin continued. ¡°If there¡¯s a connection to the Underlands ¡ª y¡¯know what that is, right?¡±

    ¡°Caverns and tunnels deep down.¡± Vash said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Home to some really nasty stuff.¡±

    ¡°Pretty much, yeah.¡± Corwin nodded. ¡°Anyway, because of the blight during the fall of Malconia, everything in the Underlands has a bit of a taint of the shadow. The worst of it is west of the shield mountain ranges, and going under the mountains is nearly impossible, but some stuff manages to get through. When the shadow gets this far, it can latch onto Therium crystals to feed itself. When it does that, it forms a heartstone. They¡¯re weird looking, usually purple or greenish, more organic than crystalline. If a heartstone gets big enough, it will consume the others in the area and form a dungeon heart. That¡¯s when things really get nasty.¡±

    ¡°I thought it had something to do with the Drae? The demon princes¡­and queens? They get confusing.¡± Vash said, noticing that the corridor was sloping downward and although it had large patches of glowmoss, the light made only small pools in the oppressive gloom.

    ¡°It does, and it kind of is.¡± Corwin agreed, happy to keep expounding. ¡°Once the dungeon heart forms, then that¡¯s when the shadow really gets going. Depending on the area, the kind of monsters it attracts, what the structures were originally used for, that sort of thing, then the heart can form a connection to one of the Drae. That lets the demon get a foothold on this side of the mountains. When that happens, it¡¯s really bad. Entire areas become shadow-tainted. Cults flock to the area, monsters surge through the Underlands because now they¡¯ve got a safe path. People can get really hurt if the dungeon gets too big. That¡¯s why we try to close openings to the Underlands, and investigate ruins whenever we can.¡±

    ¡°Great, so this is a regular occurrence.¡±

    ¡°No, this is¡­this one is odd,¡± Corwin said, glancing over his shoulder at Zakarias. ¡°We mostly know how dungeon hearts form, but sometimes they just pop up in areas with low mana concentrations, or ones that don¡¯t have connections to the Underlands. Drae Strongholds were like that too, back after Malconia fell. They¡¯d pop up without warning. No one knows why.¡±

    Vash said nothing, mulling over the implications. Corwin continued, filling the silence with chatter. ¡°Unmapped ruins can be really lucrative, but they¡¯re also really dangerous. Jabez and I usually avoid them since we¡¯re both part of the School of the Fist. Until now, we have had no one from the other Schools to partner with, which makes dungeon delves tricky.¡±

    ¡°Other schools?¡± Vash asked, peering into the gloom. Ahead of them the corridor seemed to dip and then ended in a heavy double-door.

    ¡°Yeah, the other specializations in the Wayfarers.¡± Corwin said. ¡°We can talk about those later. I think we¡¯re almost to the central chamber.¡±

    Vash cautiously agreed. The door at the end of the corridor was made of the same gray-brown stone as the rest of the structure. Carved into the door panels were pictographs of rituals and the same strange, spiky writing from the friezes in the corridors above. As they approached, Vash noticed a central picture of a humanoid figure suspended head-down over a yawning pit. Robed figures lined a chamber to either side. It was an obvious sacrifice, but the imagery was like a spider hanging its prey. Vash had a sinking feeling that the spiders making their nest here wasn¡¯t a coincidence.

    Zakarias came up from behind them as Vash was studying the door. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Gods, the imagery is fantastic.¡±

    ¡°What does it mean?¡± Vash asked, eying the door warily.

    ¡°Oh, it wouldn¡¯t be very interesting to you,¡± Zakarias said, gazing at at the doors. The scholar radiated an intense hunger, hands hovering over the carvings like a starving man over a proffered loaf of bread. He was eager, but afraid someone would yank it away at the last moment. ¡°It¡¯s just ritual and dogma, instructions for the faithful.¡±

    ¡°But what does it say?¡± Jabez asked. The dwarf was a few steps behind the rest of the group, hammer in hand. He stood casually, but there was a tautness to his movements.

    <i>Jabez thinks something is about to happen.</i> Vash thought. <i>Something in the chamber?</i>

    ¡°Instructions on how to open the chamber safely.¡± Zakarias said, confidently. Before anyone could stop him, the scholar reached out and began manipulating the door. He pressed in certain carvings, twisted others. Then at last he whispered a few words under his breath, like a prayer or a password.

    Vash waited, tense, for something to happen. The corridor remained silent for a time. Vash exchanged wary glances with Corwin. Zakarias did not look away from the door, a look of happiness and contentment on the thin man¡¯s face.

    <i>I don¡¯t like this at all.</i> Vash thought, letting his hands fall to his weapons. The two servants were looking straight ahead at Zakarias, silent and still as statues. <i>If anything happens, those two will have to be dealt with first.</i>

    From somewhere deep within the stronghold, there was a groan of ancient gears and a rattle of chains. Dust and dirt drifted down off the stone doors. With agonizing slowness, the doors swung inwards, scraping against bones and other detritus on the ground inside the chamber beyond.

    The room beyond seemed to be the central chamber of the structure. A large square room supported by four columns that stretched into the gloom above. Beyond that was a hexagonal room with a large circular opening in the center of the floor. Glowmoss covered the walls, as did a purplish glowing crystal structure. All seemed to come from the central pit in the far room.

    What caught Vash¡¯s attention, though, was the piles of human bones in front of the doors. Dozens of people had tried to escape this room, but sealed in before they all died. From the mass of bones, they climbed over each other, desperate to get away from what emerged from the pit.

    <i>And we just opened the door.</i>

    ¡°Come in, don¡¯t be shy,¡± came a soft, feminine voice that echoed through the cavernous room. ¡°I have not had visitors in so very long.¡±

    Vash swallowed hard and took a step back. A hand like iron came down on his uninjured shoulder and stopped him from moving any further. Vash looked back to see one of Zakarias¡¯ servants standing right behind him, small eyes intently fixed on him. The chest that he had carried was resting on the floor, the top opened. Within the chest were the butchered remains of a human torso. The chest cavity had been hollowed out and strange reddish-purple crystals encrusted the wound. The servant held in his other hand a sphere of opalescent purple stone.

    What the hell is that? Vash thought with horror.

    The other servant was taking a similar stone out of the chest that he carried. Meanwhile, Zakarias took several steps forward into the central chamber, his arms spread wide.

    ¡°I am not a visitor, lady.¡± Zakarias called. ¡°I am a sworn ally of your sire and prince! Today we shall set a heart to beating that was callously stopped so long ago!¡±

    ¡°Gods dammit.¡± Jabez growled and started forward, hefting his hammer.

    The servant closest to him grabbed the dwarf by the collar and casually tossed him into the next room. Jabez flailed as he flew through the air, landing hard and skidding to a halt about ten feet into the central chamber.

    Vash and Corwin tensed, ready to charge in or flee, but the next moment rooted them in place. Out of the pit came an enormous, chitinous leg, followed by another, and another. Eight legs heaved an immense, bulbous body out of the pit. At the front of the creature, where the head of a spider would normally be, was the top half of a human woman. Her body had the grayish cast of disease and ill-health, bulbous cysts dotted and deformed her flesh. A few lank strands of hair clung to her bald scalp, and one side of her face had several black spider eyes bursting forth, pulling the skin taut to one side.

    The creature settled its enormous bulk on the edge of the pit and regarded Zakarias with a horrific smile. ¡°He promised you would come. Welcome, shaper of the flesh. Welcome, and many thanks for the sacrifices that we have needed!¡±

    ¡°Their souls are strong.¡± Zakarias said, happily. ¡°I tested them all day. They will make the perfect base for the soulstones.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful. Shall we begin?¡±

 Episode 23: Champion of Rasu

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± Corwin said, taking a step away from Zakarias¡¯ servants, increasing the distance between himself and everyone else in the room. ¡°You practically screamed ¡®scumbag shadow-touched traitor¡¯ from the moment we met you.¡±

    Zakarias gave a nonchalant shrug. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s best to trust your instincts.¡±

    Vash allowed himself to pull forward against the grip of the hulking servant over his shoulder. The servant barely had to put any effort into keeping Vash in place, but the point was to get him to shift his weight, pulling back to keep Vash from moving freely. ¡°You know how I feel about ¡®I told you so¡¯.¡±

    ¡°One of your favorite phrases, if I recall.¡± Corwin said, moving slowly backwards, keeping his back to the rounded wall.

    ¡°Not really.¡± Vash said, slowly flipping the dagger in his off-hand so that the blade pointed behind him. ¡°If I have to say it, then that means things have really gone bad.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a fair assessment.¡± Jabez grunted, getting to his feet, facing the deformed combination of woman and spider that rested her ponderous bulk a mere ten feet from where Jabez stood.

    Zakarias smiled, stepping back to stand behind his servants. The placid, massive figures displayed all the menace of a cow chewing her cud, but Vash knew from experience that the two possessed a strength that they had all underestimated.

    ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, you all did much better than I anticipated. I thought that you ¡ª ¡° Zakarias pointed at Corwin ¡° ¡ª wouldn¡¯t make it this far. Hence why I only brought two soulstone matrices.¡±

    The Hollowmound Queen hissed in a strange approximation of amusement. ¡°Two for the stones, one to consume.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it works out well that way, then.¡± Zakarias mused. ¡°I was going to offer you one of my men, but now that¡¯s unnecessary. Which is good, I hate to waste resources. Do you have a preference, great lady?¡±

    ¡°I will take the little one.¡± The Queen rasped, licking her cracked lips as she stared down at Jabez. ¡°It will take a few days to tenderize him, leathery thing that he is, but he¡¯s almost saturated in mana. I could feed off him for weeks.¡±

    ¡°Good, that¡¯s settled then.¡± Zakarias said, clapping his hands together once in excitement. ¡°Shall we proceed?¡±

    Vash tried to shift out of the brute¡¯s grasp, but the man just gripped him harder. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think we¡¯re not part of this conversation.¡±

    ¡°I hate it when people talk about me like I¡¯m not there.¡± Corwin said, raising his sword and taking a defensive stance. ¡°It¡¯s really damn rude.¡±

    ¡°Let me deal with the dwarf while you restrain the apprentices.¡± The Hollowmound Queen said. ¡°The process will take a few hours, and I¡¯d rather not have to chase down my food while I¡¯m working.¡±

    ¡°Enough of this,¡± Jabez growled. Vash could feel the dwarf pulling on the ambient mana in the room. Blue-white runes and traceries of power illuminated the hammer in Jabez¡¯s hand as he raised it high.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d forgotten about that thing,¡± Zakarias said in annoyance.

    ¡°<i>Baldniruuk!</i>¡± Jabez called, voice taking on the amplified, echoing with the power of the mana coursing through him. Swinging the hammer in a mighty arc, Jabez took a step forward and slammed the head into the ground in front of him. A wave of energy and cracked floor tiles flowed from the hammer strike directly towards the Hollowmound Queen.

    Faster than a creature of her bulk should be able to move, the Queen shot a line of webbing to the ceiling and quickly got far enough off the ground that the shock wave passed beneath her. Several bricks crumbled around the edge of the pit and tumbled into the abyss. Stone flaked off the veins of purple crystal on the walls, enough that Vash could see where they all met: an altar-like structure on the far side of the pit.

    Glowing purple crystals, heartstones Corwin had called them, clustered around something in the very center of the altar. The larger crystals cradled something within that glinted now and again with a disorienting opal sheen.

    <i>A dungeon heart?</i> Vash thought. <i>I¡¯m not sure what it does, but it seems pretty important.</i>

    With an awkward <i>thud,</i> the Queen returned to the ground. ¡°That could have hurt me, little morsel. Not. Nice.¡±

    The Queen surged forward, huge scythe-claws unfolding from beneath her torso. She slashed first with the right, then the left, trying to pin Jabez down.

    Again, the dwarf moved with surprising speed and agility, dodging the first claw, then rolling forward inside the Queen¡¯s reach. He struck her thorax twice in rapid succession. The Queen shrieked in rage and pain as Jabez¡¯s hammer left two small cracks in her carapace. They oozed the same pale-green blood as the spiders above, but the wounds were not large and more surprising than they were damaging.

    Scuttling back, the Queen moved on the offensive again, sidestepping and striking with deadly precision. Vash felt the thrum of Talents being used. Jabez dodged, blocked, and wove his way around the attacks. He looked formidable, but Vash could see how much using his magic hammer had cost him. Jabez¡¯s eyes were sunken and shadowed, and his skin took on a pale, sweaty sheen. The beginning signs of mana overuse.

    <i>If he keeps up like this, he¡¯s going to go into mana burn, then we¡¯re in really bad shape.</i> Vash thought. <i>Time to do something stupid.</i>

    Vash stopped pushing against the grip of the servant who held him, immediately launching himself backwards. The force of the servant¡¯s grip even aided Vash in the move. He flung himself back hard into the servant¡¯s chest, simultaneously stabbing backwards with his dagger. The blade bit deep into the bigger man¡¯s thigh.

    The servant grunted, the first sound Vash had heard either of them make. So they feel something at least. He pulled upwards on his dagger, intending to open a long slash in the servant¡¯s inner thigh. The blade barely moved, though, like he was stabbing through a layer of gristle and connective tissue, not a large, vulnerable muscle.

    Vash finally pulled his blade free and spun away from the clutching hands of his opponent. The servant made a face that Vash could only describe as ¡®annoyed discomfort¡¯ and studied his wound. A four-inch gash in the servant¡¯s leg bled weakly. What should have been a torrent of dark red blood was a mere trickle of wine-colored liquid, more watery than normal blood, that seemed to slow on its own as Vash watched.

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    The servant looked up at Vash. His expression changed. Annoyance flashed over to anger, and those small eyes changed color to a glowing amber. The man took deep breaths, each exhalation a snort of fury, like a bull. Within moments, Vash could see the man¡¯s robe, which was already tight across his chest and shoulders, begin to stretch and tear. Vash felt a surge of mana, and the man transformed. Robes tore as muscles stretched and expanded. Soon, only rags hung from the man¡¯s grotesquely expanded body. He grew taller, rising to almost eight feet in height, looming over Vash like a furious giant.

    Now a towering brute, the creature that was once Zakarias¡¯ servant, tossed aside his shredded robe. Beneath, his body was a patchwork of grafted skin and muscle, scars criss-crossing the brute¡¯s body like the stitches of a novice seamstress.

    The brute gave out a roar of fury, letting Vash see his enlarged canines and over-sized jaw. He stalked forward with a menacing directness.

    ¡°Don¡¯t kill them, yet,¡± Zakarias said with a calm detachment from where he stood by the door. ¡°We need them alive for the soulstone process.¡±

    Snarling in annoyance, the brute swiped at Vash, trying to grab him and pull him into a hold of some sort. Vash danced back, moving out of range, but barely.

    <i>He¡¯s fast, too.</i> Vash thought. Immediately, Vash activated <i>Enhance Ability</i>, needing the extra speed and agility to stay ahead of the Brute. Reaching into his Core, he found his mana was waning. <i>Too much of this, and I¡¯ll be no better than Jabez.</i>

    The brute¡¯s meaty fist swiped at Vash, who dodged again, but not fast enough or far enough. Fingers the size of sausages brushed his wounded shoulder and sent Vash tumbling with the force of the blow. He rolled with the fall, keeping hold of his weapons and tumbling away from the brute.

    <i>Enhance Ability</i> held, Vash could vault to his feet, now much closer to Jabez and the Queen. The dwarf and spider remained locked in combat. The Queen had taken several more blows to her thorax, leading to more weeping cracks. One leg was bent at an odd angle, slowing the Queen¡¯s movements, making her unbalanced and awkward. However, Jabez suffered large tears in his mail, with bloody gashes visible beneath.

    Across the room, Vash could see Corwin locked in combat with the other servant, who was also changing into a brute. Corwin¡¯s sword lay on the ground a few feet away from him, and he gripped the brute¡¯s wrists as he huffed and expanded. A look of fear and effort was plain on Corwin¡¯s face as he fought desperately to keep the brute from getting inside his guard. Moment by moment, however, Corwin¡¯s arms were being forced back, and the brute moved forward.

    In the doorway, Zakarias watched with an amused expression.

    <i>Fighting them separately is going to get us killed.</i> Vash thought, glancing at his own opponent, who was now lumbering in his direction. <i>We need to get this fight moving in our direction.</i>

    Vash darted across the room, not bothering to stop to consider what he was doing. He darted between the Hollowmound Queen¡¯s legs, barely avoiding strikes and stabs from the sharp chitin claws. Not stopping, Vash zeroed in on a break in the Queen¡¯s exoskeleton, where two segments of her legs met. As he passed, Vash summoned up <i>Sneak Attack</i>. Without the added advantage of <i>Shadowmeld</i>, it wasn¡¯t as devastating, but he could land a powerful strike at the vulnerable break in the carapace.

    The Queen screeched, Vash¡¯s short sword tore through the joint, spraying thick spider blood through the air. The leg buckled, unable to support the Queen¡¯s weight. She stumbled and lashed out at Vash, but it was too late. Vash continued moving past her toward Corwin.

    The brute pursuing Vash tried to change directions as the Queen stumbled into his path, huge abdomen swinging around. He wasn¡¯t fast enough and the turning Queen¡¯s bulging abdomen struck him hard, sending the brute to the ground and sliding back the way he came.

    Vash ignored what was happening behind him, focusing instead on getting to Corwin. He slid his dagger up one sleeve to free a hand, then grabbed Corwin¡¯s lost sword as he passed. The blade was twice as long as his own sword, and half again as heavy. Vash felt the twinge of magical potential from the sword for a moment, but it disappeared almost as swiftly as it had come.

    <i>Hopefully, it¡¯s got some powers Corwin can use, because after this I¡¯m out of ideas.</i>

    ¡°Corwin!¡± Vash called, bracing the big sword against his shoulder as he charged.

    Glancing up, Corwin gave Vash a look of confused alarm, then realization dawned. A deep thrum of mana use came from Corwin and Vash could see his arm muscles ripple and bulge. He dragged the brute around, getting the hulking man in a better position, exposing his back to the trained assassin.

    Zakarias realized what was happening a moment after Corwin. ¡°Watch out!¡±

    It was too late. Vash summoned <i>Sneak Attack</i> again, pouring as much mana as he could into the Talent. The sword¡¯s tip steadied, and he felt it almost guide itself to a point halfway up the brute¡¯s torso and slightly to the left of the spine. At the moment of impact, Vash released the mana he¡¯d been building into the Talent, and it surged through his muscles into one perfectly timed thrust.

    Corwin¡¯s sword slid into the brute¡¯s back with hardly any resistance. Vash put all his weight into the thrust, feeling the steel scrape against bone. The brute¡¯s mouth fell open and his eyes went wide in a moment of complete shock. Corwin rolled away as the tip of his sword erupted out of the brute¡¯s chest. Now a torrent of water-thin, wine-colored blood flowed from the wound. The brute made low moans of pain and shock as he stared down at the two feet of steel sticking out of his chest.

    Not wasting a moment, Corwin stepped around the brute and took hold of his sword¡¯s hilt. Vash fell away to the side, gasping from spent mana. Corwin heaved on the bastard blade. His muscles straining, the sword moved slowly upwards. The brute spasmed and shook, bloody froth leaking from his mouth, but he seemed unable to do any more than moan. A low keening sound. With a sudden, wet <i>crack</i>, Corwin¡¯s sword ripped up through the brute¡¯s shoulder. A long, gory crevice left in its wake, blood sheeting down the brute¡¯s body.

    Pivoting on the ball of his foot, Corwin lopped off the brute¡¯s head in one swift stroke. The head fell to the ground, bounced a few times, then rolled into the pit and disappeared.

    The second brute let out a wordless howl of rage. Vash looked back to see pain and fury on the man¡¯s face.

    <i>Maybe they were brothers, after all?</i>

    Charging, the brute lowered his head like a bull and ran straight for Corwin. His huge legs pumped, building speed as he ran.

    Corwin shifted, bringing his sword around to a guard position, watching the brute charge with a ready calm.

    ¡°Dammit, not like that!¡± Zakarias shouted, frustration plain in his voice.

    Vash moved to one side, ready as the brute passed. He stabbed with all the strength and precision that <i>Enhance Ability</i> could give him at the brute¡¯s knee as he passed. Vash¡¯s short sword darted out and back like a viper. The small blade tore through the joint, and the brute¡¯s leg collapsed, sending him crashing to the ground.

    Corwin took the advantage that it gave him, stabbing down where the brute¡¯s head met his neck. There was a sickening crunch. The brute spasmed once, then lay still.

    Next to Vash, the brute¡¯s hand relaxed and released the fist-sized opalescent stone that he had been clutching. Vash quickly grabbed it and put it into a pouch.

    <i>No idea what that is, but we don¡¯t want it rolling around.</i>

    ¡°Gods, what a mess!¡± Zakarias snarled from his place in the doorway. ¡°Well, if you want something done right¡­¡±

    The surge of mana from Zakarias was like he was pulling from a deep pool rather than the shallow pond of ambient mana. The crystal structures around the room flared brightly. Zakarias held out one hand.

    <i>¡°Ela na¡¯molya, t¡¯ama moh.¡±</i> Zakarias intoned. Blood and gobbets of flesh flew from the dead bodies of the fallen brutes. When they touched Zakarias¡¯ body, they formed a slick second skin that rippled and bunched in alarming ways.

    <i>¡°Ela na¡¯molyana, t¡¯soma moh!¡±</i> He called, bones tore themselves from the brutes and wormed their way into the rapidly expanding and growing body that Zakarias was forming for himself.

    ¡°That¡­does not look good,¡± Corwin said, backing away.

    Hissing laughter came from the Hollowmound Queen. She was in terrible shape. The opening that Vash had given Jabez had been enough for the dwarf to inflict serious damage. But now Jabez was kneeling, clutching a puncture wound just above his hip. The Queen dragged herself up, looming over Jabez with an exultant look on her face.

    ¡°Oh, great prince!¡± The Queen hissed. ¡°You must have grand plans indeed. You sent not merely a shaper, but a <i>CHAMPION!</i>¡±

 Episode 24: Tear It All Down

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­new.¡± Corwin said, taking a step back from where Zakarias continued to absorb the flesh and bones of his dead servants.

    Zakarias¡¯ body swelled, forming new, grotesque muscles. Bones fused into strange shapes, arranging themselves as a makeshift armor. Some of the bone warped and fused itself into sword-length spikes that grew from Zakarias¡¯ arms. All the while, the ¡®scholar¡¯ continued his chant, drawing more and more mana into himself.

    ¡°Fall back!¡± Jabez shouted through gritted teeth. ¡°He¡¯s a warlock. Borrowing a demon¡¯s powers, a fucking demon prince! We have to get out of here!¡±

    Jabez stumbled to his feet and tried to fall back while the Hollowmound Queen was distracted. The motion drew her attention, and she whipped back around. The Queen¡¯s scythe-claws slammed down on either side of the dwarf. ¡°You aren¡¯t going anywhere, little morsel.¡±

    Corwin gave a wordless battle-cry and launched himself at the Queen from behind. A surge of mana preceded a powerful strike at the Queen¡¯s abdomen. His sword bit deep into the bulbous, black and yellow striped pod. A gush of sticky green-yellow spider blood flowed from where his blade opened a long gash along her abdomen.

    The Queen let loose a shriek of pain and rage, lashing out with one claw and catching Corwin full in the chest. Corwin¡¯s breastplate rang like a bell, but held against the strike. The blow lifted him off his feet and flung him across the room. He slammed into a column and crumpled to the ground.

    Vash¡¯s first instinct was to rush to Corwin, to see if he could help him or at least protect him while he got back to his feet. Eth Mitaan training screamed at him to ignore that instinct.

    <i>When everything goes sideways, your priority is to escape</i>. Iona told him and the other initiates.<i> If you can, get your people out, but you cannot help them if you are also captured or killed. There¡¯s always a weak spot, some flaw you can exploit, make an opening. Keep your eyes open and be ready to use that opening when it comes.</i>

    Zakarias had finished remaking his body into a nightmare of flesh and bone. The stick-thin scholarly mask was gone, replaced by a ten-foot giant of bone plates fused onto an undulating mass of muscle and other tissue. Vash could see Zakarias shift towards Corwin, not moving against him yet. Waiting, prepared to strike.

    <i>What¡¯s he waiting for?</i> Vash thought. <i>Corwin¡¯s down. He could kill him in an instant if he wanted to ¡ª </i>Then Vash remembered Zakarias didn¡¯t want him and Corwin dead. He needed them alive to complete his task.

    Vash moved warily, retreating away from both Corwin and Jabez. He scanned Zakarias, really looking at him rather than reacting with revulsion. At the center of Zakarias¡¯ new body, just above the breastbone, Vash spotted what he was looking for. A strange, gleaming stone, twin of the one in Vash¡¯s pouch, was embedded in Zakarias¡¯ new flesh. Cradled in a mass of bone and flesh, it reminded Vash of something.

    The dungeon heart. Vash thought, taking a quick look beyond the sacrificial pit to where the heart stood upon the altar. The heart was now pulsing an alternating blue and purple sheen across its pearly surface. The heartstone crystals pulsed in sync with the dungeon heart, creating a strange mockery of a heartbeat. Vash could feel the underlying thrum of mana. The heart was affecting the ambient mana, but he could also feel it coming from the stone in his pouch. Now that he knew what to look for, he could feel the sympathetic throb. It was subtle, the same way ripples across a deep pool were subtle. The heart could access vast quantities of mana, and the stones, the heartstones, and the soulstones that Zakarias intended to make, likely could tap into that deep well.

    <i>That¡¯s what he¡¯s been drawing on</i>. Vash thought, turning to face the dungeon heart. <i>That¡¯s the connection.</i>

    Vash dashed across the room, moving toward the altar as fast as he could.

    ¡°Vash!¡± Jabez called. ¡°What are you doing? Help Corwin and get out of here!¡±

    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t!¡± The Queen hissed, moving painfully, but still with deadly swiftness. She moved away from Jabez and crossed the distance to the sacrificial pit in a heartbeat. Reaching for her spinneret, she tried to form webbing, but shrieked in frustration. Corwin¡¯s strike on her abdomen had damaged the spinneret. She was leaking sticky web fluid and thick, mucous-like spider blood as she dragged her abdomen over the floor.

    Vash didn¡¯t stop, not for Jabez¡¯s shouts or to face the Queen. Focus, one goal, don¡¯t stop until it¡¯s done.

    The skitter of spider legs sounded close behind him. The warning from his Core was almost too late. Vash dodged to one side; the Queen¡¯s claw knocked him aside instead of impaling him. Vash slid across the stone floor, realizing he was heading right for the pit. He flailed, trying to slow down, stabbing the ground with his short sword and drawing sparks. Vash slowed his momentum, but did not completely stop. His legs went out over the abyss and he felt the terrifying lurch of vertigo as he fell. With a surge of mana into Enhance Ability, he stabbed harder. The blade of his short sword finally caught in the crevice between two floor tiles, ancient grout crumbling, but finally stopping Vash short.

    Clinging to his sword with both hands, Vash dangled over the edge of the pit. He pulled hard as he could, keeping his chest and shoulders on solid ground. Kicking, he tried to find purchase with his feet, but beneath the lip of the pit there was nothing but empty air. The room was built over a crevasse, and only a thin layer of stone and mortar prevented everyone from falling to their deaths.

    <i>Existential dread later.</i> Vash chided himself. <i>Get yourself up, NOW!</i>

    Vash pulled, trying to will more mana into <i>Enhance Ability</i>, but he was at the limit of what he could do. The fatigue and dizziness of mana overuse was creeping in, and his grasp on his Talent was faltering.

    A crash in front of him made him look up. The Queen now towered over him at the edge of the pit, horrific face twisted into a delighted grin. ¡°Are we in trouble? Oh my, this is delightful.¡±

    Vash scowled, trying again to haul himself up. His short sword made a scraping sound as the surrounding mortar flaked away.

    ¡°It would be so easy just to let you fall.¡± The Queen said, her voice quivering at the thought. ¡°But my prince¡¯s Champion needs you.¡±

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    She reached down and grabbed Vash by the arms, dragging him up quickly and painfully. Vash lost hold on his short sword and it clattered to one side, coming free from the mortar. The Queen let go of one arm and let Vash dangle over the pit, hanging painfully by one wrist held in the claw at the end of a still-working leg.

    V

    ash looked over at Jabez and Corwin and any hope he had vanished. Corwin lay still at the foot of the column he¡¯d been flung into. Jabez had tried to take on Zakarias, apparently. The dwarf¡¯s hammer lay out of his reach, and Zakarias¡¯ bone blade pinned him through one leg.

    ¡°You fought well.¡± Zakarias said, his voice taking on a strange echoing quality, as though multiple voices were speaking at slightly different times. ¡°But now the game is done. I can feel that you are almost out of mana. If you push it any further, then you¡¯re going to damage that nice little soul of yours. If that happens, then I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to use you anymore, and you can trade places with this one.¡±

    Zakarias twisted the bone-blade and Jabez groaned in agony, face contorting with pain. ¡°Believe me, you¡¯re getting the better option. A moment of pain and then nothing. The Queen there will slowly digest you and consume you for days. It is a horrific death.¡±

    Vash could feel that Zakarias was right. If he pushed any further, he¡¯d begin using parts of his own soul to fuel his Talents. Mana Burn, the bane of mages and the Talented. Burn too much and you burn away parts of what made you you. There were stories of mages becoming terrible sorcerers or warlocks after a bad burn. Some Talented had even burned away their ability to use mana entirely.

    <i>If it meant we could escape, I¡¯d chance it.</i> Vash thought. <i>But in a contest of mana, Zakarias can draw on the dungeon heart, an almost unlimited pool¡­</i>

    Vash looked at the stone embedded in Zakarias¡¯ chest, the twin to the one in his pouch right now.

    <i>It¡¯s worth a try.</i>

    Reaching into his pouch, Vash¡¯s fingers brushed the stone. The cold tingle of raw mana flowed over his fingers, throbbing in time with the heart¡¯s pulses.

    Zakarias tilted his misshapen head. He had obviously felt something. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Something stupid.¡± Vash replied and seized the stone.

    The act of seizing the stone, claiming it, felt very different from when he just scooped it up to get it out of the way. An electric cold flowed through the meridians of Vash¡¯s body, sending throbbing pulses up his arm and deep into his chest. It was only a few heartbeats, but through the shock and pain, it felt like an eternity. The freezing tendrils burrowed their way into his Core. Vash could feel the warmth ebbing away from the center of his being, replaced by this cold flood of mana.

    His fatigue evaporated; he banished his pain. Suddenly, he noticed a deep, cold ocean of mana. The power was overwhelming. It was looking into the soul of a god. All he had to do was reach out and touch it, claim it just as he had the stone in his fist, and he could do anything.

    But now he could sense other things. The great abyss of power also connected Zakarias. If Vash was dangling his fingers in the water, then Zakarias had both hands shoved up to his elbows. There was something else there as well. A presence sluggishly turning its attention towards them. It felt curious, intrigued, but also vast, and hungry. Vash desperately knew that he did not want the attention of that huge, dark presence.

    <i>Find the opening, use it, escape. </i>Vash thought.

    The connection between Vash and the vast power became stronger. He felt how he and Zakarias connected to it, as well as their connection to the dungeon heart and the heartstones. He sought the channels of connection, working on instinct towards the dungeon heart itself. If he could cut off Zakarias¡¯ connection to the dungeon heart, then they might have a chance.

    There was a surge of anger and a slight twinge of fear through the connection. Zakarias figured out what Vash was trying to do. Vash felt Zakarias¡¯ presence forcing its way into the dungeon heart, tightening his grip and denying other connections. The Queen trembled. Vash faintly felt her connection to the dungeon heart faltering, echoing how Vash felt when his Core ran out of mana. Through the connection, Vash felt the Queen¡¯s pain as the dungeon heart stopped blocking it and healing her wounds.

    The Queen¡¯s grip faltered. Straddling two worlds¡ªthe internal world connected to the dungeon heart and everything else within it, and the external, material world where the Queen was about to drop him to his death¡ªVash found himself in a precarious situation.

    Vash fell as the Queen¡¯s grip slackened. With a practiced flick of the wrist, he drew his dagger from where he¡¯d stored it up his sleeve. Driving the dagger into the thorax of the Queen, Vash halted his fall, tearing a long gash down the spider¡¯s body. The Queen shrieked and thrashed, but Vash held tight, sinking back into his Core and the connection to the dungeon heart.

    Zakarias was shoring up his total control of the heart, blocking every connection he could. Vash felt his awareness shrinking, but he could still touch the vast ocean of mana, still feel this web of connections. Now, instead of the one central node, Vash sensed several smaller nodes, all pulsing in rhythm with the dungeon heart.

    <i>The heartstones. </i>Vash realized. <i>They¡¯re connected to the dungeon heart, feeding it mana, extending its control.</i>

    Vash felt his way through the smaller, more delicate connections of the heartstones. As he did, the heartstones fluttered slightly, throwing off their rhythm. One heartstone didn¡¯t seem to affect the system much, but after he¡¯d touched several of them, Vash noticed the beating of the dungeon heart falter.

    A wave of alarm came from Zakarias. Panic.

    <i>He doesn¡¯t know what to do.</i> Vash realized. He reached out to more of the heartstones, forcing his way into their delicate rhythms and disrupting them. In moments, the heartstones were beating in wildly different patterns. The dungeon heart itself was stuttering, stopping, racing, trying to find that rhythmic pulse again.

    Vash opened his eyes into the material world. He hung from the Queen, her eyes bulging as she tried to contain the viscera spilling out of the ever widening wound. Zakarias had abandoned Jabez and raced to the dungeon heart on the altar. The sheen of the stone pulsed wildly in staccato patterns. Flesh and bones sloughed off of Zakarias¡¯ body as he moved. As the dungeon heart lost stability, he lost his connection to whatever power that Rasu granted him.

    Looking around wildly, Zakarias tried to piece together what was happening. The purple crystals of the heartstones pulsed out of rhythm with each other. Their structures cracked, and the crystals took on a cloudy appearance, flawed and dark.

    One by one, the heartstones cracked and Vash could feel the dungeon heart losing stability. It raced, straining to maintain control as node after node crumbled away.

    Suddenly, there was a booming <i>CRACK!</i>

    Vash¡¯s senses snapped back to what he could see and hear. His left hand burned with cold and long tendrils of numbness ran up his arm, burying deep within his chest.

    Zakarias stared in horror at the dungeon heart upon the altar. The crystal heartstones that surrounded the dungeon heart were cracked, cloudy, and crumbling into dull purple sand. The heart itself had cracked in the center of the spherical, shiny stone. Vash could feel the power dissipating from the dungeon heart. It¡¯s pearlescent, multi-hued surface dulling to a flat pale gray.

    The last of the flesh melted off of Zakarias, leaving him standing dumbfounded beside the altar. He turned to Vash, all traces of arrogance gone.

    ¡°By the gods, what have you done?¡±

    Vash had no answer. Suddenly, more loud cracking sounds echoed through the room. Fissures appeared in the walls, following the lines of the corrupted Therium as it flaked away. Dust rained from the ceiling and the old stone buckled. Whatever power had held this ruin together was now faltering.

    The Queen let out a last, rattling gasp, and her body went slack. The stones beneath her lost their mortar, and the very floor crumbled. Her body pitched forward, pulled by Vash and the crumbling floor.

    The glowmoss in the room dimmed.

    Zakarias ran for the doorway.

    The last thing that Vash saw before the glowmoss failed entirely was Corwin and Jabez sliding towards him and the pit as the room tilted violently and stones collapsed into the yawning chasm below.