Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
With a grunt and a bellow, the Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bear righted itself and turned around for another charge only to be confronted by the sight of a heavily-armored adventurer running straight towards it.
Of course, it had no idea what an adventurer was. It had seen these things before and so was somewhat familiar with then and the different removable skins they came in but other than that, it did not know what manner of animal these two-legged creatures were for they were not part of the lessons its mother had seen fit to teach it when it was young and having come upon as an adult.
It did know what a monkey was and these creatures did resemble monkeys if it squinted hard enough. They certainly behaved and smelled like monkeys, that’s for sure.
It could have sworn there were more than one though. More than one of these thieving monkeys that dared disturbed its repast. There it was innocently minding its own business like any good badger should be, having awoken from its nap but moments ago and had started anew on the remains of its favorite meal, the dire goat -- there were two in fact but they were so good that it had eaten most of them in one sitting and what leavings remained were still good to the last bite -- when what should it hear but a loud roaring call that echoed across the fields. Clearly it was a challenge of some sort, one that no self-respecting badger bear would even think of shying away from.
It had risen to the taunts of the challenger, whatever it was. It could not quite identify what it was but it was certain to be a most formidable foe judging from the sound of its cry.
But it had all been a ruse. A trap. It was tricked by these monkey-like things that walked on two legs for no sooner had it set out to look for the interloper that it found itself falling into a dark pit dug into the earth and covered with leaves and branches and soil, the bottom bristling with spikes that absolutely stunk of monkey.
To say that it was scandalized by such treachery and abject cowardice would be putting it mildly. This was no way to fight!
It was clear enough what these cravenly things wanted. They wanted its prize, of course. Why wouldn’t they? It would, after all, if another creature had such delectable fare and it did not. For such was the way of the world. It would take what it wanted so why wouldn’t others as well?
But it would not be so cowardly about it.
Yes, it would make them pay for their cowardice. It would make them pay and then it would make them dead. And after that? Maybe it will them pay some more depending on its mood.
Them? Yes, it was sure there were more than one. Two? Three? Not that it could count. In any case, it did not matter whether there was only this one or if there were more. The end result would very much be the same.
Filled with the righteous indignation and mind-numbing rage that only a truly incensed Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bear can muster, it rose up on its rear to face the metal-clad adventurer head on.
Of course, it had no idea what an adventurer was. It had seen these things before and so was somewhat familiar with then and the different removable skins they came in but other than that, it did not know what manner of animal these two-legged creatures were for they were not part of the lessons its mother had seen fit to teach it when it was young and having come upon as an adult.
It did know what a monkey was and these creatures did resemble monkeys if it squinted hard enough. They certainly behaved and smelled like monkeys, that’s for sure.
It could have sworn there were more than one though. More than one of these thieving monkeys that dared disturbed its repast. There it was innocently minding its own business like any good badger should be, having awoken from its nap but moments ago and had started anew on the remains of its favorite meal, the dire goat -- there were two in fact but they were so good that it had eaten most of them in one sitting and what leavings remained were still good to the last bite -- when what should it hear but a loud roaring call that echoed across the fields. Clearly it was a challenge of some sort, one that no self-respecting badger bear would even think of shying away from.
It had risen to the taunts of the challenger, whatever it was. It could not quite identify what it was but it was certain to be a most formidable foe judging from the sound of its cry.
But it had all been a ruse. A trap. It was tricked by these monkey-like things that walked on two legs for no sooner had it set out to look for the interloper that it found itself falling into a dark pit dug into the earth and covered with leaves and branches and soil, the bottom bristling with spikes that absolutely stunk of monkey.
To say that it was scandalized by such treachery and abject cowardice would be putting it mildly. This was no way to fight!
It was clear enough what these cravenly things wanted. They wanted its prize, of course. Why wouldn’t they? It would, after all, if another creature had such delectable fare and it did not. For such was the way of the world. It would take what it wanted so why wouldn’t others as well?
But it would not be so cowardly about it.
Yes, it would make them pay for their cowardice. It would make them pay and then it would make them dead. And after that? Maybe it will them pay some more depending on its mood.
Them? Yes, it was sure there were more than one. Two? Three? Not that it could count. In any case, it did not matter whether there was only this one or if there were more. The end result would very much be the same.
Filled with the righteous indignation and mind-numbing rage that only a truly incensed Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bear can muster, it rose up on its rear to face the metal-clad adventurer head on.
Monday, November 2, 2020
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Yumi!” Rolf called out. “You alright?”
Yumi raised her left hand and gave him a thumbs up to indicate that she was.
Sven was quick to react and move. With Yumi down with her ass on the ground, Sven positioned himself between the others and the shadow crouching between the trees, his reinforced wooden shield held high and ready in front of him.
They could not quite make out what it was, hidden as it was in the shadows cast by the trees, but they could see that it was huge. It was easily twice the size of a dire goat, which of course was saying a lot considering the typical dire goat easily dwarfed your average horse both in girth and height. It was no wonder at all that the dire goat was no match for it.
The creature was glaring at them in the darkness, its glowing eyes blazing red with fury. It hissed and snarled as it crouched even lower, preparing to lunge.
Then with a deep bellow it spurred into action.
“Here it comes!” Sven cried, bracing himself behind his shield, ready to lash out with his sword in return.
A flash of white in the dark silhouette as the light from the full moon touched upon the creature.
“Damn!” Rolf cursed under his breath as he reached into one of several hidden pockets inside his cloak. He now recognized their adversary for what it was. The creature’s shape and the white pattern on its fur and thick bushy tail were unmistakable. They were in big trouble.
“Badger bear!” he warned the others even as his hand swung out, sending a couple of needle-like throwing blades spinning into the air.
A badger bear. A Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bear to be exact. Oh, they were in big trouble alright. Of all the natural creatures in the world, only but a few were worse than badger bears and Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bears were the worse of the lot. Indeed, the capitalized letters of the name were well-earned.
Even young adult dragons, known for their brashness due to their age, gave Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bears a wide berth. At least according to McMillan’s Encyclopedia of Monsters of the Supranatural. While Rolf himself had never been witness to the rare interactions between dragons and badger bears, he knew one thing. There were ten experienced and skilled Axe Slayers that went in that cave that day so many years ago but only two went out and in defeat at that.
And this one was injured and that made it all that more dangerous.
The throwing knives flew straight and true but they simply bounced off, completely ineffective against the beast’s thick, tough hide. Not that Rolf expected them to do much damage, they still did the trick as he had hoped.
The knives struck the badger bear on the forehead, a little off-center to the right, and provided enough distraction to slow down the creature enough for Sven to sidestep to the left and thus avoid the brunt of the charge.
Still, it took most of Sven’s strength to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground though he did slide a couple of feet backward. Putting everything he had behind his shield, the metal-reinforced wood had groaned and creaked quite audibly under the pressure as though it was about to break but it held.
Sven then swung his broadsword and smote the badger bear on the side, several inches behind the shoulder, as it passed by. The blade dug into the thick hide and drew blood but it only served to further enrage the already infuriated beast and nothing else.
Quick as jack rabbit, Rolf was standing at Sven’s side.
“We need to close in,” he said, “keep it from charging again. It’s not ideal, I know, but the alternative’s worse.”
Sven nodded grimly, breathing heavily. That exchange with badger bear, brief though it was, had taken a lot out him. He knew what his friend was planning; it was a crazy idea to be sure but it was the only one they had. The way he was now, he could probably stand toe to toe with the beast for just one more round, two at best, and Rolf would only have one shot at it. He could only hope for Rolf’s success and for Yumi seeing their through their plan and at the very least not get in the way.
Bellowing and roaring in pain and anger, the Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bear plowed through two rows of blood berry bushes before skidding to a stop.
“Right then,” Rolf hissed. “Let’s do this.”
This time, it was their turn to charge.
Yumi raised her left hand and gave him a thumbs up to indicate that she was.
Sven was quick to react and move. With Yumi down with her ass on the ground, Sven positioned himself between the others and the shadow crouching between the trees, his reinforced wooden shield held high and ready in front of him.
They could not quite make out what it was, hidden as it was in the shadows cast by the trees, but they could see that it was huge. It was easily twice the size of a dire goat, which of course was saying a lot considering the typical dire goat easily dwarfed your average horse both in girth and height. It was no wonder at all that the dire goat was no match for it.
The creature was glaring at them in the darkness, its glowing eyes blazing red with fury. It hissed and snarled as it crouched even lower, preparing to lunge.
Then with a deep bellow it spurred into action.
“Here it comes!” Sven cried, bracing himself behind his shield, ready to lash out with his sword in return.
A flash of white in the dark silhouette as the light from the full moon touched upon the creature.
“Damn!” Rolf cursed under his breath as he reached into one of several hidden pockets inside his cloak. He now recognized their adversary for what it was. The creature’s shape and the white pattern on its fur and thick bushy tail were unmistakable. They were in big trouble.
“Badger bear!” he warned the others even as his hand swung out, sending a couple of needle-like throwing blades spinning into the air.
A badger bear. A Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bear to be exact. Oh, they were in big trouble alright. Of all the natural creatures in the world, only but a few were worse than badger bears and Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bears were the worse of the lot. Indeed, the capitalized letters of the name were well-earned.
Even young adult dragons, known for their brashness due to their age, gave Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bears a wide berth. At least according to McMillan’s Encyclopedia of Monsters of the Supranatural. While Rolf himself had never been witness to the rare interactions between dragons and badger bears, he knew one thing. There were ten experienced and skilled Axe Slayers that went in that cave that day so many years ago but only two went out and in defeat at that.
And this one was injured and that made it all that more dangerous.
The throwing knives flew straight and true but they simply bounced off, completely ineffective against the beast’s thick, tough hide. Not that Rolf expected them to do much damage, they still did the trick as he had hoped.
The knives struck the badger bear on the forehead, a little off-center to the right, and provided enough distraction to slow down the creature enough for Sven to sidestep to the left and thus avoid the brunt of the charge.
Still, it took most of Sven’s strength to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground though he did slide a couple of feet backward. Putting everything he had behind his shield, the metal-reinforced wood had groaned and creaked quite audibly under the pressure as though it was about to break but it held.
Sven then swung his broadsword and smote the badger bear on the side, several inches behind the shoulder, as it passed by. The blade dug into the thick hide and drew blood but it only served to further enrage the already infuriated beast and nothing else.
Quick as jack rabbit, Rolf was standing at Sven’s side.
“We need to close in,” he said, “keep it from charging again. It’s not ideal, I know, but the alternative’s worse.”
Sven nodded grimly, breathing heavily. That exchange with badger bear, brief though it was, had taken a lot out him. He knew what his friend was planning; it was a crazy idea to be sure but it was the only one they had. The way he was now, he could probably stand toe to toe with the beast for just one more round, two at best, and Rolf would only have one shot at it. He could only hope for Rolf’s success and for Yumi seeing their through their plan and at the very least not get in the way.
Bellowing and roaring in pain and anger, the Rabid Ring-Tailed Badger Bear plowed through two rows of blood berry bushes before skidding to a stop.
“Right then,” Rolf hissed. “Let’s do this.”
This time, it was their turn to charge.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“It’s got to be one those traps that Severin mentioned,” Rolf said as they neared the western edge of the field.
“It sounded like one of the pit traps,” Sven added. “Hopefully the spikes have done the job for us and all that’s left is the clean up.”
“We should be so lucky,” Rolf replied.
Eventually, they reached the end of the field, the far edge of the blood berry farm, which was lined with more or less evenly distributed trees. In the distance, they could make out the waters of Red Cedar Lake glistening in the moonlight.
The wind shifted, bringing with it the cool, wet air and the unmistakable scent of freshly cut cedar that the lake was famous for, or infamous depending on one’s disposition and preference.
By the light of full moon, they could make out the pit trap in question from where they were standing. It was a little over twenty yards away, situated in the space between the blood berry bushes and the line of trees, and as they drew near, they could see that it was square in shape, roughly ten feet by ten feet in size.
Rolf’s grip tightened on the well-worn handle of his axe. Something was wrong. He could feel it and he was sure that Sven, at least, felt it as well. But what?
What could possibly be so off about the situation as to leave him feeling so uneasy that he found himself breaking out it sweat, a cold shiver running up his spine?
It took him a few moments but eventually he realized what was out of place. It was the smell of blood that stubbornly clung to and permeate the air despite the wind. Blood that was several hours old. Not what one would expect from a newly sprung pit trap.
Wait. Blood?
Yes, there it was. There was blood on the far side of the pit and he could make out more blood trailing away from the pit.
Rolf paused. He shook his head after a moment’s consideration. That didn’t make sense at all. Sure it might make sense if one surmised that whatever creature they were dealing with had managed to climb out of the pit despite its injuries and thus crawled away but as far he could tell, that was not the case. The creature was still down there.
More than likely, the creature had been dragging something bloody on the ground when it fell victim to the pit trap.
“Over there,” Sven hissed and pointed with his sword.
There, around fifteen or so yards beyond the pit, was the dismembered carcass of a large animal, body parts and pieces lay strewn about the ground and upon nearby bushes.
It was a dire goat. Rolf could see its head lying on the ground a few feet from the remains of its body, partially hidden by a blood berry bush.
Rolf could not help himself a shiver. Dire goats, though not aggressive unprovoked, were notoriously tough to kill. To think that something could do that to a dire goat, something big enough and mean enough to…
A movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention. It was Yumi. She had apparently stepped up to the pit and was leaning over, trying to have a look at the creature inside.
“Yumi, no!!!” he cried out in warning but he was too late.
With a deafening, infuriated growl, a dark shadow went flying out of the pit to land between the trees to their left. It glanced against Yumi as it passed. While not strong enough to cause any damage, it was strong enough that, combined with the shock and surprise, that the blow sent Yumi reeling backward.
“Waaauuuggghhhhh!!!” she cried as she fell down on her ass. It was only by sheer luck that she managed to keep a-hold of her weapon.
“It sounded like one of the pit traps,” Sven added. “Hopefully the spikes have done the job for us and all that’s left is the clean up.”
“We should be so lucky,” Rolf replied.
Eventually, they reached the end of the field, the far edge of the blood berry farm, which was lined with more or less evenly distributed trees. In the distance, they could make out the waters of Red Cedar Lake glistening in the moonlight.
The wind shifted, bringing with it the cool, wet air and the unmistakable scent of freshly cut cedar that the lake was famous for, or infamous depending on one’s disposition and preference.
By the light of full moon, they could make out the pit trap in question from where they were standing. It was a little over twenty yards away, situated in the space between the blood berry bushes and the line of trees, and as they drew near, they could see that it was square in shape, roughly ten feet by ten feet in size.
Rolf’s grip tightened on the well-worn handle of his axe. Something was wrong. He could feel it and he was sure that Sven, at least, felt it as well. But what?
What could possibly be so off about the situation as to leave him feeling so uneasy that he found himself breaking out it sweat, a cold shiver running up his spine?
It took him a few moments but eventually he realized what was out of place. It was the smell of blood that stubbornly clung to and permeate the air despite the wind. Blood that was several hours old. Not what one would expect from a newly sprung pit trap.
Wait. Blood?
Yes, there it was. There was blood on the far side of the pit and he could make out more blood trailing away from the pit.
Rolf paused. He shook his head after a moment’s consideration. That didn’t make sense at all. Sure it might make sense if one surmised that whatever creature they were dealing with had managed to climb out of the pit despite its injuries and thus crawled away but as far he could tell, that was not the case. The creature was still down there.
More than likely, the creature had been dragging something bloody on the ground when it fell victim to the pit trap.
“Over there,” Sven hissed and pointed with his sword.
There, around fifteen or so yards beyond the pit, was the dismembered carcass of a large animal, body parts and pieces lay strewn about the ground and upon nearby bushes.
It was a dire goat. Rolf could see its head lying on the ground a few feet from the remains of its body, partially hidden by a blood berry bush.
Rolf could not help himself a shiver. Dire goats, though not aggressive unprovoked, were notoriously tough to kill. To think that something could do that to a dire goat, something big enough and mean enough to…
A movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention. It was Yumi. She had apparently stepped up to the pit and was leaning over, trying to have a look at the creature inside.
“Yumi, no!!!” he cried out in warning but he was too late.
With a deafening, infuriated growl, a dark shadow went flying out of the pit to land between the trees to their left. It glanced against Yumi as it passed. While not strong enough to cause any damage, it was strong enough that, combined with the shock and surprise, that the blow sent Yumi reeling backward.
“Waaauuuggghhhhh!!!” she cried as she fell down on her ass. It was only by sheer luck that she managed to keep a-hold of her weapon.
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
CHAPTER TEN
Raising a finger, Yumi continued her explanation. “For instance,” she said, “say you’re considering that this was indeed the work of a dire goat just like Master Severin suspected. The first thing you need to do is get into the proper mind set. You need to, um, think and act like a dire goat. Yeah, that’s right! And once you have that down, you can go even deeper. And the deeper you go, the more successful you’ll be in bagging the critter.”
Keeping her hands up and close to her chest, she proceeded to hop around like a kangaroo, completely forgetting, it seemed, that dire goats were quadrupeds, even as she expounded, “Think like a dire goat. Act like a dire goat. Be the dire goat!”
Eyes watery with gleeful tears, the others exhibited a tremendous amount of self-control. They remained tight-lipped and said nothing although an amused smile did manage to escape from the corner of Sven's mouth.
Yumi stopped. She looked to the right and then to the left, her eyes narrowing shrewdly. “So here you are,” she said thus, “the dire goat. You've traveled far and you are tired and thirsty and hungry. You've been following the scent of your favorite food lingering in the air for days and there it is now standing in front of you.” She gestured to the nearby bush.
She hopped on over to the bush whereupon she grabbed a handful of blood berries and before Rolf or Sven could utter a word of warning, she crammed them into her mouth.
“Yumi, no...” Rolf finally managed to say.
“Mmmmm, berries!” Yumi went as she chewed with gusto, bright red berry juice dribbling down her chin.
Presently, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. A torrent of juice, pulp, and saliva gushed out of her mouth. “Bleeeccchhh! So bitter!”
Sven turned to Rolf and murmured, “Guess she should've put herself in the shoes of blood berry bush first.”
Rolf could not help himself and grinned in response.
Yumi then covered her mouth with her right hand and clutched at her stomach with the other. “Woooghhh,” she mumbled, “I don’t feel so good...”
“I knew it,” Rolf said. “I knew you were in no shape at all to go out on a job. You’re still drunk, aren’t you? And those berries just made things worse. If you’re going to barf, I suggest--”
Just then there was a loud growling noise, so loud that it seemed to reverberate across the moonlit field of blood berry bushes. It came from Yumi’s stomach.
Sven nearly keeled over with surprise and disbelief.
While Rolf, on the other hand, could only stare incredulously. After a moment of silence, Rolf muttered, “Yumi...”
“What?” Yumi asked. “I’m hungry. Those berries can really stimulate the appetite and I haven’t had anything to eat since, well, since the tavern.”
“Yumi, that was only a couple of hours ago!” Rolf exclaimed.
“I can’t help it!” Yumi cried. “I’m hungry! What? Don’t look at me like that! I’m still a growing girl, dang it!”
“Still a growing...? What the heck are you talking about? You’re already twen--”
Rolf was interrupted a loud crash of branches and timber breaking and rustling of leaves that seemed to sound from the far end of the field. It was shortly followed by monstrous, angry bellowing.
Whelp. They were now sure of one thing. Whatever it was, it was definitely not a dire goat.
“Say,” Sven wondered out loud as they all ran towards the source of the sound, “what the heck is a berry snake?”
Thursday, August 6, 2020
CHAPTER NINE
“So then if you wanna catch a blood berry bandit?” Yumi continued. “Well?”
She did not bother waiting for a response though. Her answer was out of her mouth as soon as she finished asking her question. “You gotta think like one, that's what!”
That was it? Her great idea? Rolf blinked. “Think like a blood berry bandit?” he asked.
“Yes!” Yumi cried, brandishing a leather-covered fist as though in victory.
She put her battle axe down on the ground, letting it stand on its head.
“See,” she said, gesturing with her hands, “if you can think like a blood berry bandit, you can predict what it's gonna do, where it's gonna go, and stuff. Yeah. Pretty heavy stuff. Luckily, there's a trick to it and I happen to know it!”
When Rolf and Sven did not say anything, she continued, “You see, first you have to narrow down your choices. There are different kinds of blood berry bandits, right? For instance, it could be a monster like a dire goat or a berry snake or even a, um, a fruit dragon. Yeah, a fruit dragon, that's it!”
“Fruit dragons don't exist though,” Rolf pointed out. “They're fictitious monsters created by renowned children's book author Anita Frankinson in the fifth volume of her Vegetable Vanguard series.”
“Er,” Yumi went, “um, yeah, I knew that. I was just testing you. Yeah, that's right. What I meant to say was, um, abominable bush beast? Yeah, that's it! Abominable--”
“Still Anita Frankinson, this time in the first volume of her Ballad of the Mountain Hermit Crab series.”
“Oh, you know what I mean!” Yumi cried. “Fine! Whatever! My point still stands. There are different kinds of blood berry bandits. It could be a monster that's gone berry crazy. Or it could be something else like a thieving goblin or a band of gypsies or a traveling merchant even. So which is it exactly, you ask? How do you narrow it down?”
Again she did not wait for Rolf or Sven to answer. “Well, it's easy if you think about it. It's just a simple process of elimination, that's all. You take one option, put yourself in its shoes, and then move on to the next option if it doesn't fit the evidence.”
Yumi crossed her arms, a smug look on her face, and this time seem to be waiting for questions, if any. Not that she expected any for it was a brilliant idea, one worthy of applause even and she was sure that Rolf and Sven understood her equally brilliant explanation.
But even on the off chance that there were any questions, she was sure that she could easily provide more than sufficient answers.
Suddenly she moved and pointed with an outstretched arm. “Yes, Sven?” she shouted.
Sven had sheathed his sword and was raising his hand.
“So this is where thinking like a blood berry bandit comes in?” he asked.
“Correct!” Yumi replied enthusiastically. She tapped the side of her forehead with a finger. “But that's the tricky part, see? It’s not enough that you figure out how to think and act like the critter, which is hard enough, let me tells ya, it takes a sharp, cunning mind and a twisted, devious personality to truly pull it off, but you need to really put yourself in its shoes as in you need to become the critter in both mind and body. Well, not body literally but you know what I mean.”
“You need to get inside its head. What are its motivations? What are its fears? Why did it come here? Why does it do what it does? Does it like coffee? Does it question its own existence and that of the gods?”
Sven glanced over to Rolf. “Coffee?” he mouthed but Rolf only shrugged in response.
“Those are the questions you need to ask,” Yumi was saying. “Hard questions that only certain type of mind can answer. That mind of a hunter. Fortunately, I was raised by one of the best hunters around. My father.”
“Wait,” Rolf said then. “I thought your father was a basket maker.”
“No, no.” Yumi shook her head. “Not that one. I meant my other father. He was a dance instructor.”
Rolf considered saying something but then sighed and decided to just let it go.
She did not bother waiting for a response though. Her answer was out of her mouth as soon as she finished asking her question. “You gotta think like one, that's what!”
That was it? Her great idea? Rolf blinked. “Think like a blood berry bandit?” he asked.
“Yes!” Yumi cried, brandishing a leather-covered fist as though in victory.
She put her battle axe down on the ground, letting it stand on its head.
“See,” she said, gesturing with her hands, “if you can think like a blood berry bandit, you can predict what it's gonna do, where it's gonna go, and stuff. Yeah. Pretty heavy stuff. Luckily, there's a trick to it and I happen to know it!”
When Rolf and Sven did not say anything, she continued, “You see, first you have to narrow down your choices. There are different kinds of blood berry bandits, right? For instance, it could be a monster like a dire goat or a berry snake or even a, um, a fruit dragon. Yeah, a fruit dragon, that's it!”
“Fruit dragons don't exist though,” Rolf pointed out. “They're fictitious monsters created by renowned children's book author Anita Frankinson in the fifth volume of her Vegetable Vanguard series.”
“Er,” Yumi went, “um, yeah, I knew that. I was just testing you. Yeah, that's right. What I meant to say was, um, abominable bush beast? Yeah, that's it! Abominable--”
“Still Anita Frankinson, this time in the first volume of her Ballad of the Mountain Hermit Crab series.”
“Oh, you know what I mean!” Yumi cried. “Fine! Whatever! My point still stands. There are different kinds of blood berry bandits. It could be a monster that's gone berry crazy. Or it could be something else like a thieving goblin or a band of gypsies or a traveling merchant even. So which is it exactly, you ask? How do you narrow it down?”
Again she did not wait for Rolf or Sven to answer. “Well, it's easy if you think about it. It's just a simple process of elimination, that's all. You take one option, put yourself in its shoes, and then move on to the next option if it doesn't fit the evidence.”
Yumi crossed her arms, a smug look on her face, and this time seem to be waiting for questions, if any. Not that she expected any for it was a brilliant idea, one worthy of applause even and she was sure that Rolf and Sven understood her equally brilliant explanation.
But even on the off chance that there were any questions, she was sure that she could easily provide more than sufficient answers.
Suddenly she moved and pointed with an outstretched arm. “Yes, Sven?” she shouted.
Sven had sheathed his sword and was raising his hand.
“So this is where thinking like a blood berry bandit comes in?” he asked.
“Correct!” Yumi replied enthusiastically. She tapped the side of her forehead with a finger. “But that's the tricky part, see? It’s not enough that you figure out how to think and act like the critter, which is hard enough, let me tells ya, it takes a sharp, cunning mind and a twisted, devious personality to truly pull it off, but you need to really put yourself in its shoes as in you need to become the critter in both mind and body. Well, not body literally but you know what I mean.”
“You need to get inside its head. What are its motivations? What are its fears? Why did it come here? Why does it do what it does? Does it like coffee? Does it question its own existence and that of the gods?”
Sven glanced over to Rolf. “Coffee?” he mouthed but Rolf only shrugged in response.
“Those are the questions you need to ask,” Yumi was saying. “Hard questions that only certain type of mind can answer. That mind of a hunter. Fortunately, I was raised by one of the best hunters around. My father.”
“Wait,” Rolf said then. “I thought your father was a basket maker.”
“No, no.” Yumi shook her head. “Not that one. I meant my other father. He was a dance instructor.”
Rolf considered saying something but then sighed and decided to just let it go.
Thursday, July 16, 2020
CHAPTER EIGHT
Rolf continued staring at Yumi's back as they walked among the blood berry bushes. She had insisted on taking point and would hear no arguments otherwise. It was clear they had little choice but to let her get her way or else they would never get anything done that evening.
And so he set Sven to watch the rear. No sense in having two tanks in the front.
Rolf wondered how Yumi was able to keep on her feet and steady at that, what all the alcohol she had consumed. He had fully expected her to fall off her horse the moment she got on it and yet here she was. She had made it all the way to Severin's plantation without any issues whatsoever.
To boot, she appeared to have make quite the remarkable recovery. Aside from the stench of the vapors emanating from the pores of her skin, she didn't look like the hopeless drunk that she was a couple of hours ago. It really was amazing. No unsteadiness. No stumbling. No slurring. No incoherent babbling. She appeared to be in complete control of her faculties.
“So, what's the plan?”
Rolf glanced back at Sven.
“Well?” the man inquired. “Do we just walk around at random and hope we get lucky or what?”
“We could do that,” Rolf replied, “but we don't have the luxury of time. Morning deadline if you recall. Plus, I really want to get this done quickly.”
Sven pursed his lips in thought. “What?” he evenually commented. “You getting one of your bad feelings again? Can't say I blame you. Even I'm getting it. That old weasel's up to something.”
“So what's the plan then?” he asked again.
Rolf replied, “I figured we'd look around for some damaged blood berry bushes and go on from there. Those things are bound to be easier to find than whatever it is we're looking for. And who knows? They might still be around.”
“Huh.” Sven paused. “Wait. I thought we were looking for dire goats.”
“That's what Severin's hoping for at least. We don't really know and that's the problem. It could be anything. Dire goats. Goblins. Could be thieves. Or economic saboteurs. It could even be thugs sent by an unscrupulous competitor for all we know.”
“Aw, not to worry!” Yumi declared. “You can leave it up to me, guys! I've got it all figured out!”
Rolf and Sven looked at each other and then at Yumi, who had swung around and struck a pose. Grinning from ear to ear, her battle axe resting against her left shoulder, she was pointing at her chest with her right thumb.
After a while, Rolf turned towards Sven and said, “So I was thinking we head on over to--”
“Oh, come on, Rolf!” Yumi protested. “I'm being serious here! I really do have a good idea. It's a great idea in fact!”
Sven chuckled and Rolf could not help but smile. Even sober, it was so easy to get a rise out of the girl.
“Fine, fine,” he said, raising a hand in apology. “We'll hear you out.”
“Great!” Yumi exclaimed. “I'll show you! I'll show you all! Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!” An evil glint flashing at the corner of her eye.
She caught herself and coughed.
“Okay,” Rolf thought. “That was new.” He gave Sven a sideward glance. Sven was probably thinking the same thing.
When she had finally recovered enough composure, she said, “It's really quite simple, you know. It's so simple even an idiot can figure it out. You know the old saying. If you wanna catch a thief, you gotta think like a thief.”
Rolf stroked his mustache, resisting the urge to say anything. He may not have been that deeply acquainted with the girl but he knew enough to know that Yumi and “thinking like a thief” as she put it went together like water and oil. Honest to a fault that one, that it hurt like hell to watch her tell a white lie.
Sven opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it.
And so he set Sven to watch the rear. No sense in having two tanks in the front.
Rolf wondered how Yumi was able to keep on her feet and steady at that, what all the alcohol she had consumed. He had fully expected her to fall off her horse the moment she got on it and yet here she was. She had made it all the way to Severin's plantation without any issues whatsoever.
To boot, she appeared to have make quite the remarkable recovery. Aside from the stench of the vapors emanating from the pores of her skin, she didn't look like the hopeless drunk that she was a couple of hours ago. It really was amazing. No unsteadiness. No stumbling. No slurring. No incoherent babbling. She appeared to be in complete control of her faculties.
“So, what's the plan?”
Rolf glanced back at Sven.
“Well?” the man inquired. “Do we just walk around at random and hope we get lucky or what?”
“We could do that,” Rolf replied, “but we don't have the luxury of time. Morning deadline if you recall. Plus, I really want to get this done quickly.”
Sven pursed his lips in thought. “What?” he evenually commented. “You getting one of your bad feelings again? Can't say I blame you. Even I'm getting it. That old weasel's up to something.”
“So what's the plan then?” he asked again.
Rolf replied, “I figured we'd look around for some damaged blood berry bushes and go on from there. Those things are bound to be easier to find than whatever it is we're looking for. And who knows? They might still be around.”
“Huh.” Sven paused. “Wait. I thought we were looking for dire goats.”
“That's what Severin's hoping for at least. We don't really know and that's the problem. It could be anything. Dire goats. Goblins. Could be thieves. Or economic saboteurs. It could even be thugs sent by an unscrupulous competitor for all we know.”
“Aw, not to worry!” Yumi declared. “You can leave it up to me, guys! I've got it all figured out!”
Rolf and Sven looked at each other and then at Yumi, who had swung around and struck a pose. Grinning from ear to ear, her battle axe resting against her left shoulder, she was pointing at her chest with her right thumb.
After a while, Rolf turned towards Sven and said, “So I was thinking we head on over to--”
“Oh, come on, Rolf!” Yumi protested. “I'm being serious here! I really do have a good idea. It's a great idea in fact!”
Sven chuckled and Rolf could not help but smile. Even sober, it was so easy to get a rise out of the girl.
“Fine, fine,” he said, raising a hand in apology. “We'll hear you out.”
“Great!” Yumi exclaimed. “I'll show you! I'll show you all! Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!” An evil glint flashing at the corner of her eye.
She caught herself and coughed.
“Okay,” Rolf thought. “That was new.” He gave Sven a sideward glance. Sven was probably thinking the same thing.
When she had finally recovered enough composure, she said, “It's really quite simple, you know. It's so simple even an idiot can figure it out. You know the old saying. If you wanna catch a thief, you gotta think like a thief.”
Rolf stroked his mustache, resisting the urge to say anything. He may not have been that deeply acquainted with the girl but he knew enough to know that Yumi and “thinking like a thief” as she put it went together like water and oil. Honest to a fault that one, that it hurt like hell to watch her tell a white lie.
Sven opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
CHAPTER SEVEN
“What!? No, you’re not!” Rolf cried. “Now sit down and finish your drink already so we can take you to your room.”
But Yumi was not listening. She straightened up as best she drunkenly could and clumsily saluted the old merchant.
“Mayumi Dela Torre!” she declared. “At your service!”
“Oh, my,” Severin commented with a chuckle. “I didn't realize you picked up a new partner, Rolf. I thought it would always be just you and Sven but, my, you certainly did picky a lively one.”
“Oh, come on!” Rolf protested. “You know very well she's not--”
“You can leave it to us, shiny-headed merchant!” Yumi declared out loud. She had climbed on to her chair and had placed one boot on the edge of the table. Raising a tankard high in the air, she continued, “Those critters don't stand a chance with us around! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!”
Rolf had tried but no matter what he did or said, he could not dissuade her and Severin was strangely accommodating despite the amount of money that was involved.
And so he found himself and Sven trudging along in the middle of the night smack dab in the middle of blood berry central looking for dire goats with Yumi in tow.
Rolf sighed for the upteenth time but this time shook his head in resignation. Whelp, there was no helping it, he supposed. He will just have to keep a close eye on Yumi and make sure she did not make too much of a mess of things. Or worse, get herself killed doing something reckless again.
By some coincidence, he happened to be present when Yumi went out on her first monster hunt as an apprentice slayer. He was filing some papers at the guild headquarters which was just next door to the Slayer Academy and was asked by one the guild masters if he could fill in for an instructor who had called in sick. Her performance that day left a lot to be desired.
That was not to say that she performed terribly. Oh, no. Far from it. It was because of her that her party managed to bag the biggest monster for their grade level that year, an albino dwarf dragon, a creature that even experienced Axe Slayers would have some difficulty putting down let alone the older students. And to his knowledge that record remained unbroken.
Even back then, Yumi's impressive physical power and talent for mayhem were already making themselves evident. And so was her extraordinary luck.
Indeed, she was a warrior that Rolf would gladly have at his side were it not for that potentially fatal flaw: she had no head whatsoever for strategy and tactics. To boot, she was reckless as hell.
Together with two other instructors, Rolf had accompanied Yumi and her four companions into the third level of the Well of Monsters. Though it was just first time beyond the second level, it was just supposed to be a routine practical exercise for young, aspiring Axe Slayers fresh out of their first year of training. The plan was to let them wet their feet hunting low-level monsters like goblins, giant vermin, and such for the first three days of Creeper's Week before finally heading off to the fourth level.
Yeah, that had been the plan at least. Nobody could have predicted that a monster you would normally encounter in the fifth level would show up on the third level. The albino dwarf dragon was clearly too much apprentice slayers to handle by themselves but it was still a good opportunity for valuable learning experience.
And so it was decided to let them have a go at it with the instructors standing by the sidelines, ready to swoop in at a moment's notice should the need arose. Bringing down an albino dwarf dragon was gonna be a tricky affair to be sure for three people and with the gear they had on hand but they were confident, at least, that they'd be able to keep it at bay long enough for the apprentice slayers to escape.
As expected, it didn't take long for the apprentice slayers to figure out they were well in over their heads and just when they were about to decide how best to effect a retreat, Yumi let out an ear-piercing war cry and, waving her battle axes wildly in the air, she rushed headlong towards the monster.
Yeah. Reckless as hell. Absolutely fearless. That's what she was.
Of course, that was around a couple of years ago. Enough time for one to mellow out a bit and learn a little moderation at least.
Rolf highly doubted it though.
But Yumi was not listening. She straightened up as best she drunkenly could and clumsily saluted the old merchant.
“Mayumi Dela Torre!” she declared. “At your service!”
“Oh, my,” Severin commented with a chuckle. “I didn't realize you picked up a new partner, Rolf. I thought it would always be just you and Sven but, my, you certainly did picky a lively one.”
“Oh, come on!” Rolf protested. “You know very well she's not--”
“You can leave it to us, shiny-headed merchant!” Yumi declared out loud. She had climbed on to her chair and had placed one boot on the edge of the table. Raising a tankard high in the air, she continued, “Those critters don't stand a chance with us around! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!”
Rolf had tried but no matter what he did or said, he could not dissuade her and Severin was strangely accommodating despite the amount of money that was involved.
And so he found himself and Sven trudging along in the middle of the night smack dab in the middle of blood berry central looking for dire goats with Yumi in tow.
Rolf sighed for the upteenth time but this time shook his head in resignation. Whelp, there was no helping it, he supposed. He will just have to keep a close eye on Yumi and make sure she did not make too much of a mess of things. Or worse, get herself killed doing something reckless again.
By some coincidence, he happened to be present when Yumi went out on her first monster hunt as an apprentice slayer. He was filing some papers at the guild headquarters which was just next door to the Slayer Academy and was asked by one the guild masters if he could fill in for an instructor who had called in sick. Her performance that day left a lot to be desired.
That was not to say that she performed terribly. Oh, no. Far from it. It was because of her that her party managed to bag the biggest monster for their grade level that year, an albino dwarf dragon, a creature that even experienced Axe Slayers would have some difficulty putting down let alone the older students. And to his knowledge that record remained unbroken.
Even back then, Yumi's impressive physical power and talent for mayhem were already making themselves evident. And so was her extraordinary luck.
Indeed, she was a warrior that Rolf would gladly have at his side were it not for that potentially fatal flaw: she had no head whatsoever for strategy and tactics. To boot, she was reckless as hell.
Together with two other instructors, Rolf had accompanied Yumi and her four companions into the third level of the Well of Monsters. Though it was just first time beyond the second level, it was just supposed to be a routine practical exercise for young, aspiring Axe Slayers fresh out of their first year of training. The plan was to let them wet their feet hunting low-level monsters like goblins, giant vermin, and such for the first three days of Creeper's Week before finally heading off to the fourth level.
Yeah, that had been the plan at least. Nobody could have predicted that a monster you would normally encounter in the fifth level would show up on the third level. The albino dwarf dragon was clearly too much apprentice slayers to handle by themselves but it was still a good opportunity for valuable learning experience.
And so it was decided to let them have a go at it with the instructors standing by the sidelines, ready to swoop in at a moment's notice should the need arose. Bringing down an albino dwarf dragon was gonna be a tricky affair to be sure for three people and with the gear they had on hand but they were confident, at least, that they'd be able to keep it at bay long enough for the apprentice slayers to escape.
As expected, it didn't take long for the apprentice slayers to figure out they were well in over their heads and just when they were about to decide how best to effect a retreat, Yumi let out an ear-piercing war cry and, waving her battle axes wildly in the air, she rushed headlong towards the monster.
Yeah. Reckless as hell. Absolutely fearless. That's what she was.
Of course, that was around a couple of years ago. Enough time for one to mellow out a bit and learn a little moderation at least.
Rolf highly doubted it though.
Monday, June 15, 2020
CHAPTER SIX
A few hours later found Rolf, Sven, and Yumi in the middle of an expansive field of bushes overladen with red berries with only the full moon above for illumination and guide.
Rolf had on a green, short-sleeved tunic, over which he wore a dark green, hooded cloak. Underneath his tunic could be seen glimpses of silver mail gleaming in the moonlight. As was his wont when on the job, he carried his weapon, a hand axe, with his right hand whilst a couple of long daggers hung in their sheaths from his woven leather belt.
Sven walked a couple of yards behind Rolf, broadsword at the ready and his face barely visible behind the opening of his helm. The reinforced wooden shield he carried with his other hand was round, about two feet in diameter. One might think it odd for a man clad in heavy plate armor to opt for a wooden shield but as Sven himself put it, “My uncle had a wooden shield and his uncle had one and his uncle’s uncle had one, so it only makes sense that I would have one as well.”
Yumi was out in front. In full gear now, she was wearing a long-sleeved leather armor over which she had strapped across her chest a belt of copper-colored cartridges, each one around a couple of inches long. She carried a single-edged battle axe, gripping with thick leather gauntlets, and she had a second weapon hanging from the belt around her waist, another battle axe with a short handle and an ornate double-edged head.
Rolf stared at Yumi’s back as they warily plodded along between the lines of bushes and wondered not for the last time how in the heck they got themselves into this situation. Of course, it was something Severin had hired them to do and, of course, they were being amply compensated for their trouble, to the point well past generosity even as to be mighty suspicious.
And true enough, alarm bells were ringing like there was no tomorrow in Rolf’s gut but he saw very little choice in the matter. It was either take the money or do it for free, of this he was sure. Rolf sighed.
But it was just supposed to be the two of them, him and Sven. Yumi was not supposed to be part of the bargain. In fact, she was in no condition at all to be out and walking about let alone on a dangerous job. The way she had been drinking, there was enough alcohol in her system to stop a bull elephant dead in its tracks.
Rolf winced as he recalled how the conversation went.
“As you well know,” Severin had mentioned, “I own several properties not only here in Southbarne proper but in the surrounding regions as well. In particular, I have this blood berry plantation overlooking Red Cedar Lake a few miles east of here. It seems that someone or something has been attacking my crops in the middle of the night, damaging or uprooting the bushes and eating up all the berries.”
Severin paused and he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief then continued. “Fortunately the buildings have been spared and none of my workers have been hurt. As of yet at least. We’ve set up traps around the plantation perimeter but no luck thus far. I suspect it might be a dire goat or even two. But, of course, it might be something entirely different. I want you to find out and put an end to whatever it is that’s been ruining my crops.”
Blood berries. Ugh. Rolf grimaced as he looked at the small red dots peppering the bushes around him. He didn’t care much for blood berries. Though far from being lethally toxic, Rolf found them quite unpalatable with its bitter sour taste and its juice that reeked of strong vinegar. The locals didn’t care much for them either.
They were quite popular up north though which made their cultivation quite lucrative. Among other things, they were essential in the manufacture of certain dyes and in the making of bloodred wine.
“Dire goats? Here?” Rolf remembered asking. “That’s highly unlikely don’t you think? They live high up the Ivory Spine.”
“Ah, not as unusual as you might think, my friend,” Severin had replied. “I’ve heard news of sightings as close as the Foothills of Hazzen.”
“Still,” Rolf commented, “I do not see why you would insist on us for the task. As troublesome as dire goats may be, they’re not something that any other member of the Axe Slayers Guild worth his salt couldn’t handle. Or of the Broken Blade Guild for that matter.”
“Oh, I would have hired others if I had to,” Severin declared with a slight smile. “But thankfully, there was no call for it. I have need of adventurers I can trust not only to do the job right but to keep quiet about it as well and there’s no one I trust more than you two. Now, now, spare me the speech about the integrity and professionalism of the guilds. Let’s just say I utter confidence in the two of you and would be more at ease with you on the job than anyone else and leave it at that. And besides, I know that speech by heart.”
“Fine then,” Rolf stated. “An overnight monster hunt, delivery by morning. Standard hush job. I take it you want the ‘No questions asked’ option as well? I must confess to being curious though. All this ado about dire goats of all things is highly irregular.”
“Yes, I will take the whole package.” Severin nodded. “And I will you pay a total of a thousand gold imperials each provided you keep property damage to a minimum.”
“A thousand gold imperials!?” Yumi exclaimed incredulously before Rolf could say anything in reply. “Woo-hoo! I’m in!”
Rolf had on a green, short-sleeved tunic, over which he wore a dark green, hooded cloak. Underneath his tunic could be seen glimpses of silver mail gleaming in the moonlight. As was his wont when on the job, he carried his weapon, a hand axe, with his right hand whilst a couple of long daggers hung in their sheaths from his woven leather belt.
Sven walked a couple of yards behind Rolf, broadsword at the ready and his face barely visible behind the opening of his helm. The reinforced wooden shield he carried with his other hand was round, about two feet in diameter. One might think it odd for a man clad in heavy plate armor to opt for a wooden shield but as Sven himself put it, “My uncle had a wooden shield and his uncle had one and his uncle’s uncle had one, so it only makes sense that I would have one as well.”
Yumi was out in front. In full gear now, she was wearing a long-sleeved leather armor over which she had strapped across her chest a belt of copper-colored cartridges, each one around a couple of inches long. She carried a single-edged battle axe, gripping with thick leather gauntlets, and she had a second weapon hanging from the belt around her waist, another battle axe with a short handle and an ornate double-edged head.
Rolf stared at Yumi’s back as they warily plodded along between the lines of bushes and wondered not for the last time how in the heck they got themselves into this situation. Of course, it was something Severin had hired them to do and, of course, they were being amply compensated for their trouble, to the point well past generosity even as to be mighty suspicious.
And true enough, alarm bells were ringing like there was no tomorrow in Rolf’s gut but he saw very little choice in the matter. It was either take the money or do it for free, of this he was sure. Rolf sighed.
But it was just supposed to be the two of them, him and Sven. Yumi was not supposed to be part of the bargain. In fact, she was in no condition at all to be out and walking about let alone on a dangerous job. The way she had been drinking, there was enough alcohol in her system to stop a bull elephant dead in its tracks.
Rolf winced as he recalled how the conversation went.
“As you well know,” Severin had mentioned, “I own several properties not only here in Southbarne proper but in the surrounding regions as well. In particular, I have this blood berry plantation overlooking Red Cedar Lake a few miles east of here. It seems that someone or something has been attacking my crops in the middle of the night, damaging or uprooting the bushes and eating up all the berries.”
Severin paused and he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief then continued. “Fortunately the buildings have been spared and none of my workers have been hurt. As of yet at least. We’ve set up traps around the plantation perimeter but no luck thus far. I suspect it might be a dire goat or even two. But, of course, it might be something entirely different. I want you to find out and put an end to whatever it is that’s been ruining my crops.”
Blood berries. Ugh. Rolf grimaced as he looked at the small red dots peppering the bushes around him. He didn’t care much for blood berries. Though far from being lethally toxic, Rolf found them quite unpalatable with its bitter sour taste and its juice that reeked of strong vinegar. The locals didn’t care much for them either.
They were quite popular up north though which made their cultivation quite lucrative. Among other things, they were essential in the manufacture of certain dyes and in the making of bloodred wine.
“Dire goats? Here?” Rolf remembered asking. “That’s highly unlikely don’t you think? They live high up the Ivory Spine.”
“Ah, not as unusual as you might think, my friend,” Severin had replied. “I’ve heard news of sightings as close as the Foothills of Hazzen.”
“Still,” Rolf commented, “I do not see why you would insist on us for the task. As troublesome as dire goats may be, they’re not something that any other member of the Axe Slayers Guild worth his salt couldn’t handle. Or of the Broken Blade Guild for that matter.”
“Oh, I would have hired others if I had to,” Severin declared with a slight smile. “But thankfully, there was no call for it. I have need of adventurers I can trust not only to do the job right but to keep quiet about it as well and there’s no one I trust more than you two. Now, now, spare me the speech about the integrity and professionalism of the guilds. Let’s just say I utter confidence in the two of you and would be more at ease with you on the job than anyone else and leave it at that. And besides, I know that speech by heart.”
“Fine then,” Rolf stated. “An overnight monster hunt, delivery by morning. Standard hush job. I take it you want the ‘No questions asked’ option as well? I must confess to being curious though. All this ado about dire goats of all things is highly irregular.”
“Yes, I will take the whole package.” Severin nodded. “And I will you pay a total of a thousand gold imperials each provided you keep property damage to a minimum.”
“A thousand gold imperials!?” Yumi exclaimed incredulously before Rolf could say anything in reply. “Woo-hoo! I’m in!”
Monday, June 1, 2020
CHAPTER FIVE
And so the group settled down at Yumi’s table. Yumi had already finished one tankard of hard ale and was well on her way on another one.
Yumi had shoulder-length, brown hair, which she bound tight at the back with an iron clip, adorned with a blue butterfly. She was wearing a tight, blue, short-sleeved tunic, cut at the midriff and a pair of dark-brown, tight-fit leather pants.
No sooner had they taken their seats, with Sven beside Yumi and Rolf and Severin on the other side of the table, when Bella, the barmaid, came up to the table with six tankards of hard ale on a tray expertly balanced on her left hand.
Rolf stared at their table. Besides Yumi’s gear and the plates of sliced cheese and sausages, there were already four tankards on the table not counting the ones Yumi was holding.
He looked up at Bella who was in process of setting the tankards on the table. “Um, I think we’re already good, Bella. No need for those,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” Yumi interjected. “Those are your drinks. These are mine.”
Bella giggled. “She’s quite the drinker, isn’t she? With such a small body, one wonders where she puts it. She’s been drinking non-stop ever since she came in and to think she’d been partying it up at the Green Water Tavern earlier this evening.”
“Oh?” Rolf raised an eyebrow.
“Karen was just here and she told me all about it,” Bella answered. “It seems Yumi here and her companions were celebrating the completion of their first major contract. Yumi was planning to drink the night away but the others weren’t quite up to the task.”
“Hhmmpphh! What a bunch of lightweights!” Yumi pouted as she crammed a handful of cheese chunks into her mouth. “A couple of barrels and they’re down for the count. And I drank most of it! Well, that’s the last time I go out drinking with those party-poopers, that’s for sure.”
She put a tankard down on the table and picked up another one.
“Now, Yumi,” Sven cautioned her, “I really think you’ve had enough. You should slow down at the very least.”
“No way!” Yumi cried. “I’m just starting to enjoy myself. Sven, tell your twin brother here to stop nagging me!”
Bella laughed as she turned to leave. She went over to a nearby table and proceeded to clean it, transferring empty plates, bowls, and tankards onto her tray.
Leaving Sven to handle Yumi, Rolf and Severin settled down to talk business.
“Alright,” Rolf said, taking a sip of ale. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Yes,” Severin agreed with a nod. “Midnight is fast approaching and time is of utmost importance, I fear.”
Rolf took another sip and continued. “You said you’ll pay us the fee for missing that contract. We were set to receive a thousand gold imperials total. That’s five hundred each then. I can give you a reference if you want.”
“Five hundred each it is then,” Severin stated thus without batting an eye. “And no. No reference is needed, my friend. Even if I hadn’t already known how much the amount was before I came to the Custard Fern, I have complete trust in your integrity. I will have the money ready by tomorrow. I trust you are still fine with receiving it in various currencies.”
Rolf paused for a moment then shrugged and sighed. “You already knew? I should have known! Still I’m quite surprised you had decided to cover it and not call in a favor instead. It’s a pretty hefty sum to say the least.”
“Ah, yes, I still have six chits left if memory serves,” Severin commented with a chuckle. “All in good time, my friend. Admittedly, I was somewhat tempted…”
Severin paused and looked as though he was mulling something over but eventually, he shook his head.
“Ah, never mind,” he murmured before continuing. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get down to the business at hand, shall we? I have a job for you and Sven. A ‘little’ errand which I hope you’ll finish by morning, by noon at the latest.”
Yumi had shoulder-length, brown hair, which she bound tight at the back with an iron clip, adorned with a blue butterfly. She was wearing a tight, blue, short-sleeved tunic, cut at the midriff and a pair of dark-brown, tight-fit leather pants.
No sooner had they taken their seats, with Sven beside Yumi and Rolf and Severin on the other side of the table, when Bella, the barmaid, came up to the table with six tankards of hard ale on a tray expertly balanced on her left hand.
Rolf stared at their table. Besides Yumi’s gear and the plates of sliced cheese and sausages, there were already four tankards on the table not counting the ones Yumi was holding.
He looked up at Bella who was in process of setting the tankards on the table. “Um, I think we’re already good, Bella. No need for those,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” Yumi interjected. “Those are your drinks. These are mine.”
Bella giggled. “She’s quite the drinker, isn’t she? With such a small body, one wonders where she puts it. She’s been drinking non-stop ever since she came in and to think she’d been partying it up at the Green Water Tavern earlier this evening.”
“Oh?” Rolf raised an eyebrow.
“Karen was just here and she told me all about it,” Bella answered. “It seems Yumi here and her companions were celebrating the completion of their first major contract. Yumi was planning to drink the night away but the others weren’t quite up to the task.”
“Hhmmpphh! What a bunch of lightweights!” Yumi pouted as she crammed a handful of cheese chunks into her mouth. “A couple of barrels and they’re down for the count. And I drank most of it! Well, that’s the last time I go out drinking with those party-poopers, that’s for sure.”
She put a tankard down on the table and picked up another one.
“Now, Yumi,” Sven cautioned her, “I really think you’ve had enough. You should slow down at the very least.”
“No way!” Yumi cried. “I’m just starting to enjoy myself. Sven, tell your twin brother here to stop nagging me!”
Bella laughed as she turned to leave. She went over to a nearby table and proceeded to clean it, transferring empty plates, bowls, and tankards onto her tray.
Leaving Sven to handle Yumi, Rolf and Severin settled down to talk business.
“Alright,” Rolf said, taking a sip of ale. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Yes,” Severin agreed with a nod. “Midnight is fast approaching and time is of utmost importance, I fear.”
Rolf took another sip and continued. “You said you’ll pay us the fee for missing that contract. We were set to receive a thousand gold imperials total. That’s five hundred each then. I can give you a reference if you want.”
“Five hundred each it is then,” Severin stated thus without batting an eye. “And no. No reference is needed, my friend. Even if I hadn’t already known how much the amount was before I came to the Custard Fern, I have complete trust in your integrity. I will have the money ready by tomorrow. I trust you are still fine with receiving it in various currencies.”
Rolf paused for a moment then shrugged and sighed. “You already knew? I should have known! Still I’m quite surprised you had decided to cover it and not call in a favor instead. It’s a pretty hefty sum to say the least.”
“Ah, yes, I still have six chits left if memory serves,” Severin commented with a chuckle. “All in good time, my friend. Admittedly, I was somewhat tempted…”
Severin paused and looked as though he was mulling something over but eventually, he shook his head.
“Ah, never mind,” he murmured before continuing. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get down to the business at hand, shall we? I have a job for you and Sven. A ‘little’ errand which I hope you’ll finish by morning, by noon at the latest.”
Saturday, May 16, 2020
CHAPTER FOUR
The old merchant Severin was a man who had seen seventy summers and then some and he looked it though he was as strong and as spry as a man of fifty, which wasn’t really saying much as there countless potions and tonics that a man of means could avail of. That is to say, he walked without stooping or needing a cane.
He was wearing a pair of loose, green silk pants with red trimming over which he had on a similarly styled and colored silk robe. A couple of gold chain necklaces hung from his neck and a single gold ring upon which was set a large emerald adorned his right hand.
With great deliberation, Severin took out a white handkerchief from a pocket hidden in his robe’s sleeve and wiped the sweat from his bald pate and his right temple, a look of relief coming over his face.
“Oh, um,” Rolf stammered, “er, good evening, Master Severin. Fancy meeting you here.”
“I’m so glad I found you,” Severin finally said. “I was beginning to fear you had left town already. Why, I heard tell you were fixing to leave this very evening.”
“Indeed we were,” Rolf replied, “and we should have gone hours ago. We are terribly late. Due at Redmound by morning, if you must know, for a very important appointment. I can’t tell you any more than that, I’m afraid. You know how it is. Client confidentiality and all that.”
“So if you’ll excuse us, Master Severin,” he continued, “we really must get going.”
Sven nodded in agreement.
“Ah, no,” Severin protested. “Please, my friends, I have urgent business with you and I am prepared to pay you handsomely, I assure you, for I am in dire need of your services.”
“I know you’re good for it,” Rolf stated, “but--”
“Then stay and listen to what I have to say at the very least.”
“But,” Rolf persisted, unwilling to give the man any more chances to speak lest his words sway him, “that is not the issue here, I’m afraid. As I have already mentioned, time is of the essence. I’ve been working on this deal for more than a week now and if we don’t make it to Redmound by morning, we’d lose the contract. It’s a pretty sweet gig. Pays quite well for the labor involved so as much as taking another job sounds tempting, we simply don’t have the time.”
“And the perks,” added Sven. “Don’t forget about those perks you mentioned before.”
Rolf grinned. “Yeah, them, too”
Severin paused, his lips pursed in thought. After a while, he said, “Very well then, my friend. As much as it pains me to do this, you leave me with very little choice. Between your urgency and mine, I deem mine to be of higher priority. Whatever you’ll be receiving from that contract, I will pay it if only you would stay and listen to my proposal.”
“What!?” Rolf and Sven exclaimed in unison.
Rolf could scarcely believe his ears. To hear such words issue forth from the old merchant’s lips was the last thing he expected. He was actually expecting Severin to call in one of the favors he owed him.
“Surely you are jesting,” he managed to say.
“Oh, I am serious, I assure you,” came the answer. “I will pay you what you had hoped to earn and with your time thus reserved, we may converse without reservation. Now come, my friends, let us retire to a table for we have much to discuss and I hope to send you on your before the waking of the midnight lark.”
“But you don’t even know how much we were going to be paid,” Rolf continued to protest.
But Severin was quite adamant. “I will pay it nonetheless,” he said.
The two adventurers looked at each other.
“Your call, man,” Sven stated.
Rolf sighed and then shrugged in surrender. It was clear that the old merchant was not going to take no for an answer. Any further refusals on their part was simply going to result in him calling in a favor, he was sure.
“Alright, Master Severin. You win. We’ll hear you out. No promises though. But first, Sven and I need to take this besotted friend of ours back to her room.”
Rolf paused.
“Wait,” he said, “where’s Yumi?”
Much to Rolf and Sven’s dismay, they found her back at her table, a tankard of hard ale in each hand.
He was wearing a pair of loose, green silk pants with red trimming over which he had on a similarly styled and colored silk robe. A couple of gold chain necklaces hung from his neck and a single gold ring upon which was set a large emerald adorned his right hand.
With great deliberation, Severin took out a white handkerchief from a pocket hidden in his robe’s sleeve and wiped the sweat from his bald pate and his right temple, a look of relief coming over his face.
“Oh, um,” Rolf stammered, “er, good evening, Master Severin. Fancy meeting you here.”
“I’m so glad I found you,” Severin finally said. “I was beginning to fear you had left town already. Why, I heard tell you were fixing to leave this very evening.”
“Indeed we were,” Rolf replied, “and we should have gone hours ago. We are terribly late. Due at Redmound by morning, if you must know, for a very important appointment. I can’t tell you any more than that, I’m afraid. You know how it is. Client confidentiality and all that.”
“So if you’ll excuse us, Master Severin,” he continued, “we really must get going.”
Sven nodded in agreement.
“Ah, no,” Severin protested. “Please, my friends, I have urgent business with you and I am prepared to pay you handsomely, I assure you, for I am in dire need of your services.”
“I know you’re good for it,” Rolf stated, “but--”
“Then stay and listen to what I have to say at the very least.”
“But,” Rolf persisted, unwilling to give the man any more chances to speak lest his words sway him, “that is not the issue here, I’m afraid. As I have already mentioned, time is of the essence. I’ve been working on this deal for more than a week now and if we don’t make it to Redmound by morning, we’d lose the contract. It’s a pretty sweet gig. Pays quite well for the labor involved so as much as taking another job sounds tempting, we simply don’t have the time.”
“And the perks,” added Sven. “Don’t forget about those perks you mentioned before.”
Rolf grinned. “Yeah, them, too”
Severin paused, his lips pursed in thought. After a while, he said, “Very well then, my friend. As much as it pains me to do this, you leave me with very little choice. Between your urgency and mine, I deem mine to be of higher priority. Whatever you’ll be receiving from that contract, I will pay it if only you would stay and listen to my proposal.”
“What!?” Rolf and Sven exclaimed in unison.
Rolf could scarcely believe his ears. To hear such words issue forth from the old merchant’s lips was the last thing he expected. He was actually expecting Severin to call in one of the favors he owed him.
“Surely you are jesting,” he managed to say.
“Oh, I am serious, I assure you,” came the answer. “I will pay you what you had hoped to earn and with your time thus reserved, we may converse without reservation. Now come, my friends, let us retire to a table for we have much to discuss and I hope to send you on your before the waking of the midnight lark.”
“But you don’t even know how much we were going to be paid,” Rolf continued to protest.
But Severin was quite adamant. “I will pay it nonetheless,” he said.
The two adventurers looked at each other.
“Your call, man,” Sven stated.
Rolf sighed and then shrugged in surrender. It was clear that the old merchant was not going to take no for an answer. Any further refusals on their part was simply going to result in him calling in a favor, he was sure.
“Alright, Master Severin. You win. We’ll hear you out. No promises though. But first, Sven and I need to take this besotted friend of ours back to her room.”
Rolf paused.
“Wait,” he said, “where’s Yumi?”
Much to Rolf and Sven’s dismay, they found her back at her table, a tankard of hard ale in each hand.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
CHAPTER THREE
“Sven! Rolf! Sven! Rolf!” Yumi continued in her boisterous giddiness as she hung on to Rolf and hugged him tighter, swaying from side to side.
“Ack!” Rolf cried. “Get off me! We don’t have time for this!”
He struggled ineffectually to get her off him. Eventually, Yumi let go and slumped to the floor in a giggling, drunken heap.
“I love you guys!” she hiccuped.
“Phew!” Rolf said then, fanning the air in front of him with his hand. “You reek, girl! Just exactly how many barrels of alcohol have you been drinking?”
“Heaven’s Beard!” Sven exclaimed with a grin. “I can see the fumes coming out of her.”
Yumi giggled again. “I wasn’t drinking. I was celebrating.”
“Too much from the looks of it,” Rolf stated sternly. “You’re drunker than a fish in a wine barrel. You need to get your ass of to bed and brace yourself for one hell of a hangover in the morning.”
Yumi sat up straight and slowly raised her right hand. Her hand wavered in air momentarily as though she was looking up at multiple Rolfs before pointing in the wrong direction.
“No,” she declared. “Shows what you know. I don’t get hungover. The trick is burning it all off before it starts to hurt.” She hiccuped. “Besides, I’m not drunk. You’re drunk! There. See? You’re swaying so badly there’s three of you.”
Sven bent down to pick her up and help her back on her feet.
“Now, now, Yumi,” he said. “I think you’ve had enough. On your feet now. There you go. That’s a good girl.”
He turned thus to Rolf and commented, “We better take her room before we leave town.”
“Yeah,” Rolf agreed with a sigh. “I suppose there’s no helping it. Hey, Yumi, where you staying at?”
“Noooooooo,” Yumi protested. “You sound like the guys at the other taverns! I wanna drink some more!”
She turned and waved to the barmaid.
“Hey, Bella!” she shouted out loud. “More ale! Get some for Rolf and Sven, too! Time to get this party started! Wooo!!!”
And that’s Rolf when remembered Severin.
“No, wait!” he blurted out. “Not so lou--”
“Ah, Rolf, Sven, there you are,” Severin called out as he approached them. “Just the men I’d been looking for.”
“Oops,” Sven murmured.
Rolf buried his face in his right palm and slowly shook his head.
Damn it. They got distracted. He was right. She was bad news after all.
“And more cheese!” Yumi added.
“Ack!” Rolf cried. “Get off me! We don’t have time for this!”
He struggled ineffectually to get her off him. Eventually, Yumi let go and slumped to the floor in a giggling, drunken heap.
“I love you guys!” she hiccuped.
“Phew!” Rolf said then, fanning the air in front of him with his hand. “You reek, girl! Just exactly how many barrels of alcohol have you been drinking?”
“Heaven’s Beard!” Sven exclaimed with a grin. “I can see the fumes coming out of her.”
Yumi giggled again. “I wasn’t drinking. I was celebrating.”
“Too much from the looks of it,” Rolf stated sternly. “You’re drunker than a fish in a wine barrel. You need to get your ass of to bed and brace yourself for one hell of a hangover in the morning.”
Yumi sat up straight and slowly raised her right hand. Her hand wavered in air momentarily as though she was looking up at multiple Rolfs before pointing in the wrong direction.
“No,” she declared. “Shows what you know. I don’t get hungover. The trick is burning it all off before it starts to hurt.” She hiccuped. “Besides, I’m not drunk. You’re drunk! There. See? You’re swaying so badly there’s three of you.”
Sven bent down to pick her up and help her back on her feet.
“Now, now, Yumi,” he said. “I think you’ve had enough. On your feet now. There you go. That’s a good girl.”
He turned thus to Rolf and commented, “We better take her room before we leave town.”
“Yeah,” Rolf agreed with a sigh. “I suppose there’s no helping it. Hey, Yumi, where you staying at?”
“Noooooooo,” Yumi protested. “You sound like the guys at the other taverns! I wanna drink some more!”
She turned and waved to the barmaid.
“Hey, Bella!” she shouted out loud. “More ale! Get some for Rolf and Sven, too! Time to get this party started! Wooo!!!”
And that’s Rolf when remembered Severin.
“No, wait!” he blurted out. “Not so lou--”
“Ah, Rolf, Sven, there you are,” Severin called out as he approached them. “Just the men I’d been looking for.”
“Oops,” Sven murmured.
Rolf buried his face in his right palm and slowly shook his head.
Damn it. They got distracted. He was right. She was bad news after all.
“And more cheese!” Yumi added.
Thursday, April 23, 2020
CHAPTER TWO
“Tsk!” Rolf mumbled as he watched Yumi down a tankard of hard ale and shout out for more. “Now there’s another problem for ya.”
Yeah, she was bad news alright.
Not that she was a bad person. On the contrary, she was actually a nice girl when you get to know her, good for a laugh though a bit rough around the edges and her table manners left a lot to be desired. Still she was quite dependable and handy to have around particularly in tough situations. Yeah. She swung a mean battle axe, that one. A couple of them, in fact.
She was bound to notice and recognize them should they try for the kitchen. She would raise such a fuss that Severin was sure to notice, even over the din of the crowded room.
Rolf glanced over to where the old merchant was, who by now had made his way to the nearest table and was talking to the three men there. One of the men shook his head in response to Severin’s queries. Rolf could easily imagine what they were.
Any other time he would have walked over to Yumi’s table and gladly sat down for a pint or two. She looked like she was celebrating something. But considering the situation they were in, they could ill-afford any attention and delay. As it was, they were already running late for they needed to be at Redmound in the morning, a journey that normally took a whole day on horseback.
Looked like they were going to have to risk going out the window after all. Too bad the tavern didn’t have private rooms in the first floor.
As he stood there considering their options as he thoughtfully stroke his long, drooping mustache, a loud, booming voice called out from behind him.
“Hey, what’s the hold up, Rolf?” it went. “Thought you’d be tending to the horses by now. We’d have to ride like mad men all night to get to Redmound on time, you said, and yet here I find you skulking about like a common brigand.”
Rolf turned around to see his partner, Sven Whilwright stepping off the last step of the staircase at the end of the short, narrow corridor.
Hailing from the country of Holviland, Sven with his red, short-cropped hair, clean-shaven face, heavy plate armor that covered most of his body, and thick, fur-trimmed cape cut the typical figure of an easterner.
He was a mite short for an easterner though. A few inches short of six feet. And his strong, deep baritone voice only served to accentuate his lack of height, which never failed to lighten up Rolf’s mood.
Sven would have made an excellent drill sergeant with that voice of his and with his family background, he could easily manage it. He could even become a commander of the royal army. But instead he opted for the life of a mercenary, a member of the Broken Blade Guild.
Rolf gestured to his companion to quiet down. “Not so loud. Severin’s out there, looking for us. We can’t have any more delays or we’ll never that appointment in time. We’re late enough as it is.”
Sven arched an eyebrow. He looked over Rolf’s shoulder and shrugged.
“So?” he asked. “What’s the problem? Use the crowd as cover and go out the back. I’m sure Helmut wouldn’t mind.”
“Yeah, I thought of that,” Rolf replied. “But there’s--”
He was cut off by an excited shriek.
“Rolf!” Yumi yelled on the man’s back and threw her arms around him. “Sven! I thought I recognized you guys!”
Yeah, she was bad news alright.
Not that she was a bad person. On the contrary, she was actually a nice girl when you get to know her, good for a laugh though a bit rough around the edges and her table manners left a lot to be desired. Still she was quite dependable and handy to have around particularly in tough situations. Yeah. She swung a mean battle axe, that one. A couple of them, in fact.
She was bound to notice and recognize them should they try for the kitchen. She would raise such a fuss that Severin was sure to notice, even over the din of the crowded room.
Rolf glanced over to where the old merchant was, who by now had made his way to the nearest table and was talking to the three men there. One of the men shook his head in response to Severin’s queries. Rolf could easily imagine what they were.
Any other time he would have walked over to Yumi’s table and gladly sat down for a pint or two. She looked like she was celebrating something. But considering the situation they were in, they could ill-afford any attention and delay. As it was, they were already running late for they needed to be at Redmound in the morning, a journey that normally took a whole day on horseback.
Looked like they were going to have to risk going out the window after all. Too bad the tavern didn’t have private rooms in the first floor.
As he stood there considering their options as he thoughtfully stroke his long, drooping mustache, a loud, booming voice called out from behind him.
“Hey, what’s the hold up, Rolf?” it went. “Thought you’d be tending to the horses by now. We’d have to ride like mad men all night to get to Redmound on time, you said, and yet here I find you skulking about like a common brigand.”
Rolf turned around to see his partner, Sven Whilwright stepping off the last step of the staircase at the end of the short, narrow corridor.
Hailing from the country of Holviland, Sven with his red, short-cropped hair, clean-shaven face, heavy plate armor that covered most of his body, and thick, fur-trimmed cape cut the typical figure of an easterner.
He was a mite short for an easterner though. A few inches short of six feet. And his strong, deep baritone voice only served to accentuate his lack of height, which never failed to lighten up Rolf’s mood.
Sven would have made an excellent drill sergeant with that voice of his and with his family background, he could easily manage it. He could even become a commander of the royal army. But instead he opted for the life of a mercenary, a member of the Broken Blade Guild.
Rolf gestured to his companion to quiet down. “Not so loud. Severin’s out there, looking for us. We can’t have any more delays or we’ll never that appointment in time. We’re late enough as it is.”
Sven arched an eyebrow. He looked over Rolf’s shoulder and shrugged.
“So?” he asked. “What’s the problem? Use the crowd as cover and go out the back. I’m sure Helmut wouldn’t mind.”
“Yeah, I thought of that,” Rolf replied. “But there’s--”
He was cut off by an excited shriek.
“Rolf!” Yumi yelled on the man’s back and threw her arms around him. “Sven! I thought I recognized you guys!”
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
CHAPTER ONE
Rolf Simonson peered around corner and into the main room of the Custard Fern Tavern. He was partially hidden by the ornamental plant hanging from a chain set in the ceiling, the plant’s long, waxy leaves dangling from the copper pot to the floor three feet below.
There was nothing more he wanted at that very moment than to step out into the room and walk out the front door. There was a job waiting for him and his partner at the next town. A big one but not one they couldn’t handle, he was sure. After all, they had taken on far more difficult jobs before so it was easy money as far as he was concerned. And he had bills to pay.
Problem was, he had gotten wind that the old merchant Severin was looking for him, no doubt for some job he’d want him to take on. He owed the man a favor back when he was still a rookie. Well, several favors in fact and Severin was bound to call in one of them. While he was sure that Severin would compensate them for their trouble, that job awaiting them in Redmound was a pretty sweet deal and he was loathed to miss out on it.
Rolf had a feeling that the old man was going to make an appearance that evening and sure enough, there he was, standing in front of the door. Most assuredly he was searching for him, looking around the room as he was with those sharp, calculating eyes of his.
“Damn it!” Rolf muttered under his breath.
He really hated it when his gut feelings turned out right as they never boded well which was often the case. For try as he might to capitalize on them, he usually ended up holding the short end of the stick.
Ignoring them didn’t fare him any better either.
Rolf sighed. Maybe he should have taken the window after all. He really didn’t fancy the idea though. He was a proud member of the Axe Slayers Guild, not some petty thief sneaking about in the dark of night.
Besides, the thought of Sven in his heavy armor clambering out the second-floor window and climbing down the side of the building without any climbing gear whatsoever all but dismissed the notion. The clumsy oaf was liable to fall and break something.
And where would that leave them then? More bills to pay and an empty purse.
Fortunately, the Custard Fern Tavern was a popular hangout place and so the main room was packed with both locals and adventurers alike. They could use the crowd as cover and make their way to the kitchen and then out the back door and Severin would be none the wiser.
That was a plan at least.
Rolf’s eyes widened as recognized the tavern patron, a young woman, seated at the table facing the kitchen door. It was Yumi.
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