“How Did You Do That?” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 40: Karendle

For a moment, everyone on the barge just looked at each other. No one seemed to know who anyone else was, or why they were there. All except the giant, who was frantically looking around trying see where the elf girl had gone.  The shadow wizard girl and her friend were pretty badly beaten up, and looked like they didn’t know who they were fighting, or why. Their attackers were looking at the fire wizard in the middle of the boat like he was some sort of avenging angel, and he wasn’t there to rescue them. Suddenly something clicked in Karendle’s mind.

They’re from the Wizard’s Guild! But that revelation brought more questions. What are they doing here? And why do they want the girl?

She reached into her pouch as she scrambled to her feet. Well, I don’t care! I’m here to catch wizards, and I hate the Wizard’s Guild, so that’s all the understanding I need!

She pulled out the entrapment oculus, and pointed it at the mage in the middle of the barge, shouting, “I’m taking you down, wizard!” Surprised faces turned to look at her as the oculus glowed. A silvery light enveloped the man, drawing him toward the oculus. The light surrounded him, then shrunk around him, shrunk with him, and finally sucked him into the glowing stone.

Karendle looked at the grey gem in her hand and mused, “Amazing! It worked!”

The silent confusion was shattered by the giant’s grunts of rage as he rushed at the man who had attacked him, swinging his hammer before him. “Get! OFF! My! BOAT!” He landed a solid hit, smashing the man into the railing, which broke and sent him tumbling into the river.

The one in the white tunic rolled from his prone position on the deck to grab his sword and slash the legs of the man who had been beating him. He screamed and fell to the deck, where he was kicked off the other side of the barge. He then crawled over to the shadow mage, and helped her sit up. They, Karendle, and the giant looked from one to the other, in awkward and confused silence.

That silence, moments later, was broken by a crackling sound from the bow of the boat. As everyone looked, reality again distorted and swirled, finally spitting the elf girl, screaming, out onto the deck, sprawled across a few of the cargo crates.

“Thissraelle!” The giant ran to her and lifted her up.

“Thanks!” She shivered, clinging to his warmth, “Can I get a blanket?”

As they made their way to the steering platform, the soldier in white asked her, “What happened to the one who had you trapped?”

She smiled, “I left him in The Vast.” Karendle didn’t understand, and obviously neither did anyone else. “I’ll explain later.”

The giant wrapped Thissraelle in a blanket, then handed blankets to the others before climbing onto the platform and steering the barge out over the dark river. As she wrapped herself up in the blanket’s soft comfort, the giant sighed, then muttered, “West. West is Best.”

<<<>>>

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“Who is Who?” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 39: Karendle

Noises from the barge jolted Karendle awake. She lifted her head up from the table on the wharf where she was sitting. She had been watching the giant and the barge diligently, but had drifted off to sleep at some point in the early night. She stood up and looked down the pier, and saw three strange men on the barge fighting with the giant and the others. Hey, who is this? She saw one of them jump at the dark-cloaked wizard girl. They’re after my quarry! I’ve got to stop this!

With a leap, Karendle took off running down the pier. Her sleepy grogginess and the swaying of the pier made it a bit difficult for her to maintain her balance. As she got to the barge, she was about to jump on board, but was surprised to see it suddenly lurch in the water, smashing into another nearby barge.

She regained her balance, took a step back, and threw herself over the widening gap of water, landing hard on the foredeck.

She scrambled to her feet, and looked aft over the cargo crates. There’s the giant, fighting one of the men, and there’s another that looks like he’s tangled up in darkness. That’s got to be the doing of the girl I’m after! But where is she? I can’t see over all this cargo!

She jumped up and clambered to the top of the pile of crates. From there, she could see much better. I’d better get my oculi ready this time! She grabbed here pouch, then looked out over the scene. The wizard girl was lying on her back, and she didn’t look good. Next two her two men were wrestling, and beyond them, the man who had been wrapped in darkness was freed and jumping to his feet. He seemed to be rushing to get to the stern where a young elven girl was sitting in lanternlight.

A sudden loud whoop of laughter from above caught everyone’s attention. Seemingly out of the dark sky, into the wash of the light of the lanterns and oculi, a young man, or maybe an elf, floated quickly down onto the deck in front of the platform. He spun toward the man rushing aft and shouted, “Oh, no, you don’t! She’s mine!”

He pointed at the man and a hot pulse of fire shot from his hand, hitting the attacker squarely on the chest, bursting brightly and loudly, and blowing him up and off the barge. He splashed hard into the Wynne. The Elf girl screamed.

Karendle dropped to the crates, trying to hide. My Holy Lights! Another Wizard! This IS my lucky day! She looked again. There was something familiar about the pattern of his red and blue shirt that she had seen before. Not the colors, but maybe the patterns or the markings?

A sudden wave hit the barge, and hit it hard. It flipped everyone off their feet, and off the deck. As Karendle landed in the now loose pile of crates, she scurried to regain her balance.

The Elf screamed again, and yelled something Karendle didn’t understand. When she could see again, the barge was stable in the water, but everyone was climbing back to their feet. All except the girl, who was being held tight by yet another young man, this one definitely human, and wearing clothing similar to the other wizard. He gripped her tightly around her waist, his sleeves and arms glowing white with bright light.

“Hold still!” He yelled at her, “We’re just taking you home!”

She shouted and kicked at him, to no avail. Then she stopped, and seemed to focus her mind. There was a sizzling, crackling sound, and in an instant they were gone. It was as if reality itself swallowed them both and gulped them down.

“THISSRAELLE!” a deeper voice screamed. The giant lumbered to where she had been on the platform and fell to the deck.

<<<>>>

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“What is Going On?” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 38: DeFrantis

“This doesn’t look good,” DeFrantis said, scowling at the men at the bow of the barge.

Antonerri turned. Three men had just stepped off the pier onto the barge. The way the Giant had stepped back defensively was telling. They weren’t too far away, so DeFrantis and Antonerri could hear the conversation easily in the otherwise quiet night.

“What is it you’re looking for?”

“Oh, don’t play like you don’t already know!” One of the men jumped up on some cargo boxes and began to move across them, toward the stern, toward DeFrantis. He was looking closely at each crate as he crawled over it. The other two reached into their cloaks and drew out short swords.

“Oh this is definitely not good.” She whispered. She saw Antonerri grip his own stolen sword more tightly, keeping it hidden from the view of the assailants. “What have we gotten ourselves into?” I don’t know who’s good or bad, here. Granthurg’s been very kind and gave us a good price on our passage, but he looks to be tangled up in some real problems!

The apparent leader jabbed his sword at Granthurg, who jumped back. “Hey, easy, there...”

“Just tell me where it is, and nobody has to get hurt!” He jerked his head a bit, signaling his companion. The other man ran around the boxes to the other side of the barge, heading toward the stern.

The giant staggered backward, calling out, “Thissraelle! Get the barge moving!” He was trying to get to her without losing sight of the one threatening him. The man followed, holding the sword steady before him.

What to do? She glanced with worry at Antonerri. He was watching the drama unfold intently. As the two went past him, he spun and lunged at the human, knocking him off his feet into the railing. The two of them tumbled to the deck. The giant and DeFrantis both looked on for a moment, surprised by the attack.

“GRANTHURG!” A high voice called out. They both turned to see a huge double-handed warhammer floating quickly through the air. He reached up and grabbed it, then reset himself for the battle.

DeFrantis saw the other man moving past the corner of her eye. He was almost to the steering platform where Thissraelle was standing, arms still raised to guide the hammer. DeFrantis quickly reached into her own will. She drew the shadows from around the crates and the pier upward, into the air, twisting around the man, binding him fast in darkness.  Thissraelle looked at her in surprise, then smiled quickly, and jumped back to her task on the platform.

Just as quickly, DeFrantis was knocked to the deck as another assailant landed on her from behind. She wriggled and struggled beneath him, feeling a sharp cutting pain in her arm. As she twisted, she found her face pressed to the floor as fingers twisted into her hair and pulled her head back. She saw the brief flash of lantern light reflected off a bloody dagger in front of her face.

I’m going to die!

Another heavy weight hit her and the man on her back, slamming them both flat, and knocking her breath out and smacking her head onto the deck. In another instant, the others rolled off her back and she could breathe again. She looked and saw Antonerri wrestling her attacker to the deck. Who had the advantage was not at all clear, though.

She tried to lift herself up, but one hand slipped on something wet and warm. She looked at it and saw blood. It hurt, too, higher up toward the shoulder, and it felt weak. Is that my blood? She managed to lift herself up with her other arm. She could hear the clang of the sword on the hammer to her left. To her right, Antonerri was on his back trying to fend off fist blows being thrown to his face.

The barge lurched in the water and, with a loud crunch, banged against another barge berthed beside it. The impact flipped her over onto her back. It lurched again, as it began to move away from the pier.

She felt dizzy, and that made it hard to get up. She could feel her will slipping away, releasing the shadows holding the third man. She tried to maintain their strength, but finally had to let them dissipate. .

What did we get ourselves into?

<<<>>>

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“Headin’ Out, A Little Early” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 35: Granthurg

Granthurg dropped the scrolls into his trunk and closed the lid. He locked it, and pushed it back out of the way on the deck. All the while his mind was racing with questions. I don’t understand. This isn’t right. Why do we need to leave right away? We still have a few pieces of cargo we haven’t offloaded! 

He shivered. The night was cold, and he felt it more than usual. He stood, turned and almost knocked Thissraelle over. He steadied her, stepped back, and looked down. She had a concerned look on her face.

“Sorry.” He moved around her and walked past his other passengers toward the steering platform.

“Granthurg! What’s wrong?”

He kept walking, taking a step up onto the platform.

“Granthurg!” She insisted.

He knelt by the steering oar at the stern and reached behind it, feeling for the lock he knew was hidden there.

“Granthurg! What’s going on?” She grabbed his arm and turned him toward her. “Look, I’ve only known you a few days, but you look like you’re upset.”

He nodded, then reached around again, and pulled up the rusty chain and lock. He pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked it. “We have to leave. I don’t know what’s going on, either, and that’s probably why I’m upset.” He pulled the chain free, then backed up on his knees. She followed. He swung open a small trap door, about the size of a couple of the deck planks. The lantern light above shone in and reflected off of something inside.

“There it is. Now if I can only figure out how to use it.” It was a stone, about the size of a human’s fist, of fine, polished jade. It was mostly green, but had some veins of brown running through it.

She leaned over to look, and recognized it as an Oculus Creator, infused with the powers of nature. “This is what Rinkmorr uses for the power to drive the barge upriver, just like I was saying.”

“Tonight he told me he needs us to leave, and go west. Something very bad is going on, and I don’t know what. Some people are after something he has. I don’t even know how to make this thing work.” He paused, then looked at her intently, “Do you?”

“I don’t know natural magics, but I’ve used oculi lots of times. I could try.”

He smiled for the first time that night. “Thanks. That’s all any of us can do.”

“What did Rinkmorr do to make it work?”

Granthurg chuckled, “He’d just sit there with his eyes closed, looking like a doof, and the boat would go. Then, when it was moving, he’d get up and steer like normal.” Granthrug stood. “Give it a try. I’ll get the barge ready.”

She reached in and felt the stone. Granthurg walked back toward the bow, and began to undo the mooring. He called out to the other passengers, resting on the cargo deck. “I hope you good folk don’t mind, but we’ve had a bit of change in plans. We’ll be casting off and heading up the Lesser Wynne tonight.”

DeFrantis and Antonerri glanced at each other, and DeFrantis spoke, “For us, the sooner we leave, the better.”

“Oh, no. No, no, no.” A deep voice from the pier surprised them. “You’re not leaving quite just yet.” Granthurg’s head snapped around to see three men standing on the pier, bathed in the light of the fore oculi. They were cloaked in dark colors. The leader was quite tall, even for a human, and his long, scraggly hair covered much of his face. He jumped onto the barge, along with his two companions. Granthurg stepped back, defensive. He looked back at Thissraelle, and saw his hammer sitting on the deck near her. He looked back at the men.

The leader spoke again, with a menacing gravel, “Of course, if you just give us what is ours, then we can all be on our way as soon as you like.”

<<<>>>

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“Fly By Night” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 34: Granthurg

“Thurg!” a sharp voice hissed through the night on the wharf. “Thurg!” it sounded again, louder.

Granthurg was sitting at one of the tables on the wharf, studying scrolls by lanternlight. He looked up, then turned toward the voice.  “Rinkmorr?”

“Hush! Come over here! Leave the Lantern”

Granthurg stood and stepped out of the circle of light around the table. His face, now obscured in shadow was furrowed and confused. “Where are you? What are you--”

“Quiet, boy! This is critical.” Granthurg could barely make out the massive form and familiar face of Rinkmorr hiding behind some large covered crates on the wharf. Before he could speak, Rinkmorr interjected, “Who’s that down on the barge?”

“Passengers. I’ve been excited to tell you. I’ve booked passengers! They’ve paid half up front, like you always--”


“I thought I told you to get rid of the elf girl.”

“She’s paid her fare in full!” Granthurg was quite pleased with himself. “In gold! The others just booked on board, too. They’re all going west, up the Greater Wynne River. I told them we could get sailing really soon, as soon as you get new cargo!” He held up a small pouch and jingled it. Rinkmorr took it and hefted it before pocketing it.

“Yeah, well never mind that. West, huh? Well, west is good!”

“West is Best!” Rinkmorr rolled his eyes at Granthurg chanting the old Riverman’s adage. Going west usually meant going home.

“Thurg! Listen to me, and listen close.” He reached out and grabbed Granthurg’s shoulders and held him looking forward, into Rinkmorr’s worried eyes. “I need you to do something important. I need you to take the barge and float it tonight. Upriver, west will be perfect, now that I think of it. But go north. Drive it right away.” He paused, and looked behind him.

“But we have no cargo! We have few supplies!”

“That doesn’t matter. Just take it tonight.”

“Wait. Does that mean you won’t be on board?”

“You wanted a chance to be a riverman, now you can be! Take it all the way up to Umbramire port and wait for me there.”

Granthurg was shocked and confused. “What’s happening? What’s the rush? Are you in trouble?”

Rinkmorr’s silence confirmed this. “What did you do!”

“I owe some people some money, that’s all. Nothing you have to concern yourself about. It’s just that some people might come to collect by taking something I have, and I need it to be gone. That’s why you have to leave right away.”

“Did you lose the barge throwing lots?”

“That’s not your concern. But no. Now, get out of here!”  Rinkmorr was already moving away.

Granthurg followed him for a few steps “I don’t know how to drive the barge upriver! I don’t know the magic!”

“Get your girlfriend to figure it out! The oculus is in the stern. Now get out of here before they see me! Don’t let me down!”

“Rinkmorr!” But the elder giant had already slipped away in the darkness. Well, he’s got some nerve! What do I do now? Granthurg stood, trying to see across the wharf. Finally, he returned to his scrolls and rolled them into his carrying pouch.

And she’s not my girlfriend, either...

<<<>>>

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“Lost and Found” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 33: Karendle

By the time she was tired of looking for her quarry, the sun was hanging a bit low, tinting the buildings tops of the InnerWall with orange.

The night before, she had seen them escape the guard tower, and even managed to knock them to their knees with an ill-planned explosion of magical power from her oculus. That woke the soldiers on guard as well as the neighborhood. She tried to rush off after the two fugitives, but the soldiers saw her move and began to pursue her, instead. This was only made worse by the people who heard the bang and came running out of pubs and homes to see what was going on.

In the unfamiliar city, it hadn’t been easy for her to lose them. Fortunately, there were many roads and alleys for her to disappear into. She spent the night in fitful sleep under awnings and behind storage barrels, waking and moving frequently.

As the morning sun was starting to show a faint glow in the sky, she finally found a stable with a pile of straw and sank into exhausted slumber.

She awoke just before midday, and slid back out into the street. It was busy enough and she managed to blend her way along, still avoiding any contact with soldiers or constables.

After a meal in an inn, she had wondered what her next step was. She could keep searching for them, or try to find another wizard to capture. For now, she decided to resume her search. It was difficult at first to find the same guard tower, and, after following the direction of their flight into the city, it became clear that she had lost any real chance of finding them.

Still, she had spent the afternoon wandering the the streets of the InnerWall and finally found herself on the northern wharfs of the RiverFront.

By that time, it was getting to be early evening, and she sat down on a public bench, weary and needing a rest.

This is much harder than I thought. There are so many ways for someone to vanish. I’m quite hungry as well, but I need to be careful with my coin. She opened up her purse and reached in, shifting the oculi aside to find a few gold pieces remaining. I guess I’ll be OK. I just want to bring back a wizard. I want to make this happen!

As the sun began to lower, she stood and walked upriver only casually glancing around her. A fried fish at a pub here on the river would be pretty nice, right about now.

As she stepped toward a pub she walked past a couple of open air table of giants, river runners and barge steersmen, talking and sharing ale. While most were talking among themselves, a few were talking with others, non-giants. As she passed she could hear them talking about cargo rates and passenger fares. A lady seemed to be booking passage to the west.

She walked on, then paused. That woman’s voice. I’ve heard it before. Karendle turned to look back at the table. One of the giants, bulky, with a shaved head and a vest, was walking down the pier toward the barges. With him walked a man in white soldier’s livery, with a diminutive woman in a black cloak. In an instant, she recognized them. That's her! I can't believe my luck!

She quickly reached for her purse, and rushed back. Before she got to the table, she paused. Oh no. There are a lot of people here. I'm not making the same mistake twice!

She watched as they all boarded one of the barges. I'll just take my time and watch. Maybe tonight the situation will be better.

She backed away and found a small barrel to sit on, and waited.

<<<>>>

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“Back at The Chapel” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 32: DeFrantis

DeFrantis threw open the door behind the altar in the small chapel and began scattering the small boxes and other debris stored there.  She pushed blankets and old sacramental robes aside until she cleared a corner of the bare floor. She looked at the tiles for a moment, trying to remember which one held her prize.

Antonerri came in behind her. “What are you doing?”

She ignored him, but simply began tapping lightly on the floor tiles. At random, at first, but then, when she got no results, she started on one side and methodically moved from one to another.

“I’ve figured some things out in the few days I’ve known you, but if you want my help, it might be useful to tell me what’s going on.”

“You don’t need to come with me.” She said, in a brusque tone. “They are in grave danger and they need me.”

“Who are ‘they’? What are you looking for?” He stepped forward.  In that moment, she started clawing at a dusty tile, but she couldn’t get under it.

She grunted in frustration, then looked around. Seeing Antonerri standing near, she said, “Give me your sword!” She held out her hand.

He flipped it around, holding it carefully by the blade, and placing the hilt into her open palm. She grabbed it and, using both hands, easily wedged it under the tile and pulled it up. She flipped it aside, revealing a hole underneath. Setting the sword down, she leaned over the hole and reached deep into it. She came up with a small pouch.

“What’s that?” Antonerri asked.

She stood up and climbed over the clutter past Antonerri to exit the small room. He followed her out into the main hall.

“DeFrantis!” He called out. She was already halfway through the door when she stopped and turned.

“What?”

“What’s the big secret?”

“It’s not a secret! I’m just focused. I’m worried.”

“About the kids?”

Her shoulders, at first held back in defiance, slouched. “Yes.”

“Who are they? Where are they?” He stepped toward her, off the dais of the altar. When he reached her, he said, “Look, you don’t know me, but in the tower you saved my life. You could have left me there to rot once you got the key. But you brought me out.”

“Well, you took the blasts from the priest that were meant for me! I couldn’t leave you there.”

He put his hand on her shoulder. “OK, then. Let me help you now.”

She sighed and sat down.

“I’ve lived on the streets of the OuterWall most of my life, since I was barely 12 winters old. I learned to live off of scraps and how to avoid trouble. Gradually, I teamed up with other kids my age. As I got older, most of them left off on their own, but more young ones came to me. I took care of them, taught them to protect themselves, to beg, to survive.

“There was one boy who was with me most of those years. He was mean and hard, but he did his part to help take care of everyone.

“One day, not long ago, he told me that someone had offered him money to take the children off to the Umbrawood forest to the west. He tried to talk me into doing it. He said they’d be safe and they’d be out of our way. He said they’d offered a gold piece a head.”

Antonerri looked shocked.

“I was appalled! How could he even think of that? I told him there was no way I’d sell these kids out. How can I sell what I don’t own? Plus, they were probably slavers or worse. I couldn’t do that.”

“Then, when the rains came these last few days, and there was nobody to beg from, I set out to see if I could scrounge a meal. I ended up being captured and held under the tower with you.”

Antonerri finished the story. “And now, it seems that your friend has sold them away.”

She stood up. “I have to find them! I have to help them!”

“What’s that in your hand?”

“Some silver pieces I’ve saved. Hopefully, we can connect with a caravan or a barge travelling west to get us to the forest to search for them.” She held it out so he could see the bulging coins. “You don’t have to come. This isn’t your problem.”

He gestured to the chapel above him, and said, “The Church that once gave me purpose and belonging now considers me a criminal heretic. I have nowhere to go.”

She nodded, and they walked from the chapel.

<<<>>>

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“Money Talks” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 31: Thissraelle

Thissraelle walked beside Granthurg, looking at the ground. He was carrying a large load across his back, a couple of large sacks of grain tied together. She thought that would have been very difficult, but he seemed to be hefting it without straining. He was taking in the early afternoon of the city as he looked for the destination of the delivery.

Even though she had not met a Giant before, she saw a lot more of them on the Riverfront today. A lot of them seem to run the barges like Granthurg did. They mingled with the populace, mostly human, but with more than a few wood elves as well. Each was scurrying to get where they needed to be.

“Well, here we are!” he said and turned quickly to his left. He ducked his head low to push open the door of a building. From the looks of the sign, it was a baker’s shop. The smells outside confirmed this. It was a small stucco hut, braced with huge wooden beams in the corners, and across the roof. She could see behind it a few large chimneys where the ovens were.

Moments later, he came back out with a smile and two large loaves of crusty, brown bread. He offered one to her. “Freshly baked!”

She took it and tore off a piece to eat, and they started walking back toward the Riverfront and the barge. She was silent as she walked, wondering what her next move was to be. Suddenly having all the freedom also meant too many choices. It was a bit dizzying. There was one thought, however, that had kept coming back to her. Finally, she spoke.

“How could I get to Emberfire?”

Granturg stopped, surprised, then smiled, “Ah, she speaks!”

“Yes, I can, in fact, speak.” Thissraelle said. “Do your many maps say how to get there?”

They started walking again. “Emberfire is a city built into a mountainside some ways north of here. You could just get a horse and go through the Umbrawood Forest. It wouldn’t be easy, but that would be the shortest way.”

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

Well, sure, Umbrawood is full of animals. Some are big and fierce, I suppose. But still, the elves travel to the city frequently, so I suppose you could take a ride in one of their caravans.”

Thissraelle didn’t like that option. “I think I’d be more afraid of the elves than the monsters in the woods!” That comment brought a sideways look from Granthurg.

She sighed. “The wood elves and the high elves don’t get along very well, I’m told. I’m not entirely sure why. They fought each other in some historic war, maybe. I don’t think they would take to kindly to helping me through their forest.”

Granthurg considered that. “Well, you could travel east around the forest, through the grasslands of the felician tribes.”

The thought of all that walking didn’t appeal to her, but she didn’t want to seem rude, either. She remained quiet.

“Or, you could sail west up the Lesser Wynne River to the towns on the north of the Umbramoor, and then hire a guide to take you along the mountains eastward to Emberfire.”

Her bread was done about the same time that they stepped onto the pier where the barge was docked. She hesitated, looking down at the pier. “What if I hired passage on your barge up the Wynne? Would you take me to Umbramoor?” After a breath she added, “I’m sorry I got your master mad at you. I don’t mean to be a burden. But, he did say that I could pay passage, didn’t he?”

“He did say that.” Granthurg helped her onto the barge. “But it’s pretty expensive. It can cost a couple of gold pieces to go all the way upriver.”

Thissraelle reached into a small pouch and pulled out three gold coins. “Well, then, this should about cover it, then!” She dropped them into Granthurg’s hand and stepped past him and took a seat on the steering platform. “When do we leave?”

“Well, we’ll want to pick up some cargo that will be going that way as well, so it might be another day or so.”

“No matter. I’m not in a hurry.” She smiled. “Now that we’re here, would you show me those maps again?”

<<<>>>

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“Where Have All The Children Gone?” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 30: Antonerri

Even though Antonerri had passed through the OuterWall quarter of Twynne Rivers several times, on his way in and out of the city, he had never walked its streets. They weren’t so much “streets” as they were “the muddy spaces between the shanties” in kind of jagged lines. The roughly-made homes were dotted by occasional structures that were made into shops.

Antonerri and DeFrantis had arrived in front of a small church. It was way too small to be called a Cathedral. It had the steeple, of course, and it was a solidly built structure, not like the rundown shanties. There was no abbey, or courtyard, just walls with a roof. The three glowing lights of the Church’s emblem were painted on door.  The windows along the walls were mostly broken, and the outer walls were scraped and dirty. Clearly, this hadn’t been used for worship for a very long time.

Cautiously DeFrantis pushed open the front doors and stepped inside. Antonerri followed. The small chapel looked like it had been lifted up, turned upside down, and shaken before being set back down. There were pews, but they were scattered all over the space. In the empty center, there was a fire pit. All around the floor there was clutter of more recent inhabitants.

Antonerri watched as DeFrantis began to call out names in the little chapel. “Where are you guys? Come on out!” She appeared to be more and more nervous, as time went on and nobody was appearing. She opened a door to what appeared to be a closet behind where the altar used to be, but found it empty as well.

“Nobody’s here,” She said, but it was less a statement of fact than an expression of confusion. “Maybe they’re out begging, but if they were, someone would have had to stay back with Andrina.”

Antonerri had also been looking through the chapel, but was unsure what he had been looking for. “Who lives here?”

“We do!” He could hear a bit of fear in her voice. “There’s a whole group of us. Maybe a dozen or so. Most of them are children, under 10 winters old. They can’t take care of themselves!” She turned to the main door and stepped outside. Again, Antonerri followed.

“This is just an old Three Lights chapel, not a home!” The warm sun on his face was a harsh contrast to the dark worry in DeFrantis’ eyes.

“Well, we found it abandoned, and we made it our home. How can this happen? I was only gone, what, two or three days?” She spun around in the street in front of the chapel, looking one way, then the other. Finally, she sat down on a stone and started mumbling to herself. “If they were chased off, where would they go? They might be in the central circle...”

Antonerri also looked around, still not sure what he was looking for. He saw an older lady pulling a low cart full of breads along the way. The sun had been drying the ground some, but the path was still muddy, and making it rough for her to move the cart. Antonerri stepped across the street.

As he approached, the woman cowered and tried to pull her cart away. He stepped behind the cart and pushed it out of the muddy space and onto the drier ground of the main road in front of the chapel. Unsure what to do, she stood, surprised, and then began pulling the cart down the street.

“Pardon me,” Antonerri spoke up, “Did you pass by this church during the rains these last few days?” DeFrantis looked up as well.

The lady stopped and adjusted her ragged shawl to cover her face more. “No. I was inside” She gestured to the structure she had been coming out of.

“Did you see any of the children that had been staying here?”

“Yes, I did.”

Hearing that, DeFrantis jumped up and came to Antonerri’s side. “What happened? Where are they? What did you see?”

The old lady spoke louder now, and a bit faster. “I saw a young man shouting at them to get into a cart with a horse. It was very strange. They climbed in, one by one. No coats or anything, in the pouring rain. Then another man tossed a tarp over them and gave the young one a pouch. Off they all went, in different directions.” She thought, then added, pointing, “The cart drove off that way.”

DeFrantis reached to Antonerri, and put her hand on his arm to steady herself. Slowly she slouched to her knees. Antonerri stood, unsure what to do. Finally, he spoke to the lady, thanking her.

“She doesn’t look too good, does she?” The lady said, pointing at DeFrantis.

“No, she--”

The lady stepped toward her cart, reached in and brought out a couple of small bread loaves. “Here. She looks like this might do her good. Thanks for helping me.”

He took the loaves and nodded, then watched as she led her cart down the street.

<<<>>>

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“We’re Not Dead?” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 29: Antonerri

Antonerri could hear the harsh voice of the Sacerdotis Confesor echoing in the dark, heavy smoke of his cell. “How dare you interfere! Your punishment will be severe!”

The priest turned in rage and pointed his staff at Antonerri. “Your punishment will be severe!”

He shouted it again, “Your punishment will be severe!” The gem at the head of his staff glowed white. The priest shoved it at Antonerri, and a bright light leapt from the staff and shot directly at his upturned face. His eyes grew wide with fear as the shimmering brightness exploded on his chest--

Antonerri awoke with a jolt and a shiver. His eyes shocked wide open, the bright daylight surprised him. It took a few blinks for him to clear his vision.

He was sitting on cold ground, with his back leaning up against a home. At his left there were a couple of very large water barrels that must’ve given them some cover while hiding last night.

Hiding? Cover? What was I hiding from?

He looked to his right and saw DeFrantis sitting next to him, leaning on him. Her cloaked head was resting on his shoulder as she breathed quietly in her sleep. Her legs were curled up to her chest and tucked under the folds of her black cloak.

Another chilled breeze blew by and he shivered again. His mind began to clear and he remembered the escape of the night before: tipping the table, the explosion, the running, and finally the rest. Once we rested, we must have fallen asleep.

With the awareness came a stiffness of his back and shoulders, and harsh pangs of hunger.

He wiped his fingers across his eyes, then looked over at her. She saved my life. That priest would have happily killed me. She could have left me there. Why did she think I was worth saving?

She took in a sharp breath and lifted her head off his shoulder. She shook her head then looked around, and settled her gaze on Antonerri.

“What...?” She stammered, “What happened? Where are we?”

She stretched out her legs and leaned away from the wall as she looked around. “We’re still in the InnerWall, aren’t we? We didn’t get captured? We’re not dead?”

“No, the one thing I’m certain of is that we’re not dead.” He laughed. “Not for now, anyway.”

She smiled at him, then looked away. Suddenly, she jerked her head up, and scrambled to her feet. “The children! I’ve got to get back to the children!”

“What children? You spoke of them the other day, in the cell. What children?”

“Come on!” She pulled him up to his feet, and added, “We’ve got to get to the OuterWall quarter. They began running through the maze of streets, between carts pulled by animals and street vendors barking for attention. At each street corner, she would pause and look around, then she would grab Antonerri’s arm and lunge off in another direction, until she began to get her bearings in the InerWall of Twynne Rivers city.

<<<>>>

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“Wizards are Trouble” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 28: Granthurg

The sun was shining on Granthurg’s face when his eyes opened. It took him a minute to adjust his sight. He saw the blanketed form of Thissraelle sleeping on the other side of the barge’s steering platform. There was a cool morning breeze blowing the smell of the early morning fish catch being cooked and sold off the wharf. The swirling air also carried the sounds of carts and people starting their day along the RiverFront.

He rolled over and sat up. He was surprised to see Rinkmorr down on the cargo deck, a few feet away. Once they were in a city, Rinkmorr usually spent his days at the inns and shops, finding more cargo, and an occasional passenger. Here, he was kneeling in front of a large open chest. It was wooden, reinforced with iron straps and corners, and Granthurg recognized this as the chest where Rinkmorr kept all of his personal belongings. Rinkmorr was looking into a smaller wooden box that he had resting on some blankets and folded shirts inside the larger chest.

Before Granthurg could see what was in the box, Rinkmorr closed it and tucked it deep underneath the clothing and bags in the Chest. Then, with a heft, he swung the chest lid closed and locked it with a key from his pocket.

Granthurg called out, “Good Morning!”

Rinkmorr jerked, startled by the greeting.

“Oh!” He hesitated, “You’re up!” He glanced at Granthurg and then back at the chest. He pushed it back into its place sternward on the cargo deck, then stood and walked toward the platform. As he stepped up, he gestured to Thissraelle’s still sleeping form.

“Look, what you do and who you’re with is your own business,” He whispered, “But be careful. She’s a wizard. A lot of people don’t like wizards. I like them less and less, the more I hear!”

“She’s fine! She’s just a lost elven girl.”

“Yeah? Well, I trust elves even less than I trust wizards.”

Granthurg thought about this, then smiled out of the corner of his mouth. “Wait. Aren’t you a wizard? You use magic to drive the barge upstream. You’ve used it to heal me, and many other times, too.”

“That’s different! I’m a merchant and a riverman who happens to know a few tricks. She’s a full wizard!” He paused and glanced back down at the chest, then gestured up at the city. “And don’t get smart with me, either. Remember they pay me, and then I pay you. And they’re not going to pay me to haul their goods if there’s a mage on the barge. Especially that one, after that clash on the quay yesterday!”

Granthurg just stared at his boss, wide-eyed and surprised.

“Don’t give me that look! Unless she’s a paying passenger, get her off the barge!” Rinkmorr turned and stepped off the platform. He strode toward the loading plank. “With any luck, I’ll have some good cargo by tomorrow and we can get back on the river! We’ve still got these few loads to take to PortsTowne as well.”

Granturg watched him stride up the pier and onto the quay.  That’s not like him to be so unfriendly! I wonder what got him so upset? We did really well with the loads this run, so it’s not about money, unless he lost it all throwing lots...

Granthurg shrugged and bent to fold up his blanket.

<<<>>>

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“Night on the RiverFront” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 26: Granthurg

Granthurg held out his hand to Thisraelle and steadied her as she stepped onto the barge. The afternoon sun had done much to dry the deck of the rains, and most of the cargo had been offloaded and either delivered or sold. He walked back to the stern platform and lit a lantern to chase the fading twilight.

“You don’t use the oculi for light?” She asked as she stepped up onto the platform. “You have those large ones hanging up front.”

“I don’t know how.” He shrugged. “Rinkmorr does. He hasn’t taught me that yet.”

“He’s a bit rude, don’t you think? He was upset that you helped me! He didn’t even want to heal you!” She thought a minute. “And why doesn’t he buy you a room at the inn? That’s not right.”

Granthurg laughed. “Someone has to watch the barge!. Oh, he’s a bit rough, but he’s good to work for. He’s fair, and he pays me well.” His hand massaged the soreness in his shoulder, where the wound was. “The fact that he had to heal the same shoulder last night probably didn’t help his mood much, either.” Granthurg grunted as he turned a large chest on the deck to face him. He hefted it open.

“Here. It’s getting cold.” He handed her a blanket from inside. Then he flipped another blanket over his own shoulders. It was colorful, and large, but it barely covered his bulky shoulders.

By contrast, she was smothered in the one she was now wearing. “Well, I should have healed you, anyway, for helping me. I would have, but I was drained. My will is gone.”

He reached back into the chest and brought out some scrolls. He gently set these on the floor of the platform near where Thissraelle was sitting. Then, he sat down in front of them and began to unroll them.

“That’s something that Rinkmorr says a lot. I don’t get it. I don’t understand how magic and powers works.” One of the scrolls was a map of Twynne Rivers and the surrounding area. He reached up for the lantern, and set it next to the map scroll. He began to study it intently. She found herself drawn to it as well, leaning over it.

His finger traced the line of the Greater Wynne River westward, past the shanties of the OuterWall, and over the rolling farmland to the Umbrawood Forest.

He tapped the paper. “There. That’s about where we were attacked.”  He carried on, thinking out loud, “But there’s no settlements or even a lord’s manor nearby. It’s not too far from the forest... but...”

“What are you studying?”

“We were attacked by a couple of river pirates while travelling yesterday. I was trying to see if there was anything that might tell me where they came from. But I don’t see anything.”

He sat back, pondering, then looked at Thissraelle. She was staring at him, both confused and fascinated.

“What?” He asked.

“I’m sorry. I’ve never met a Giant, but I didn’t think they’d be so...” She stopped herself.

He finished for her. “So Studious? So... Smart?” She dropped her gaze.

“I’m very sorry. I really have a lot to learn.”

Granthurg laughed. “Don’t worry. I really am an odd one.”  He sat back. “As are you. I haven’t been travelling the Wynne for too long, but you’re the first high elf I’ve ever seen. You really looked out of place on the wharf. What brings you to Twynne Rivers?”

“Twynne Rivers is my home! I grew up here. I’m,” She paused and got quiet, “I’m trying to get away from here.”

A cold breeze blew through the silence between them. That got awkward fast! There’s a lot going on there that she’s not talking about.

He rolled up his scrolls and traded them for more blankets from the chest. “You really would be much more comfortable back at your inn. I can walk you back there.”

She hesitated. “I’m fine. If you don’t mind, I feel safer here.”

They each spread out blankets on the hard wood deck, and before long, the gentle rolling of the waves had them each fully relaxed and almost asleep.

<<<>>>

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“A Fight to Remember” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 23: Granthurg

The rains had finally ended, and they had arrived that afternoon in Twynne Rivers. As soon as they arrived and claimed a pier, Granthurg and Rinkmorr uncovered their cargo and began to offload it. It was heavy, laborious work, but Granthurg was accustomed to it. Once most of it had been loaded to the pier next to the barge, Granthurg began carrying it up to the quay, where the street ran along the river bank. There, Rinkmorr stood, and negotiated with the buyers and vendors as they passed.

As Granthurg was carrying a crate across his back, walking up the pier, his eye caught sight of a young girl on the wharf. She stood out, partly because she was dressed in a light-colored, finely-made cloak, which you don’t see too often on the RiverFront, but also because he couldn’t quite pin down her racial features. She looked elvish, but she was thinner, and her face was more angular than most elves he had seen here and in the forests. Her pointed ears stood out more. She walked with a step that was pleasant, almost haughty, and she was looking around as if she’d never seen a wharf or a waterfront before.

I know! She’s a high elf! He’d only seen drawings of them in his scrolls, but once he made the connection, the facial features made him certain.

He leaned forward and shifted his load across his back.

When he got to the quay, he dropped his load near Rinkmorr, and glanced around. He couldn’t see her. He shrugged it off and went back for another crate.

Back at the barge, he stretched his muscular shoulders and scanned the quay and the street again. She must’ve gone into a shop. I wonder what she was doing down here by the river. I’ve never seen a high elf here in Twynne Rivers, much less in this part of town.

His thoughts were interrupted by shouts from the street. He turned and looked and saw people scattering away from the girl, with her back to the river, staring down three full-grown human men. Oh, she’s in trouble!

Granthurg reached to grab his hammer, and jumped off the barge onto the pier. His leap rocked the barge, so his footing slipped him to one knee on the pier. He jumped up and ran with thundering feet up the pier.

Rinkmorr saw him coming with the hammer in his hand and determination on his face. “Now, stop, there, Granthurg! What are you doing?”

Granthurg swung past Rinkmorr and ran up the street. He saw one of the men lunge at the girl and grab her at the waist, pinning her arms to her side. Another one stepped forward with a dagger. “Get her pouch!” The man said.

Granthurg was on a full run at the moment, and had no time to slow down. He swung his hammer in front of him, but missed as the man dodged. Granthurg’s momentum, however, carried him right over the stunned man, who crumbled under the weight of the Giant.

Granturg rolled off of him, as one of the others leapt onto his shoulders and tried to stab at him. Granthurg blocked the man’s hands, then grabbed his cloak and used it to throw the man off of him, over his shoulder. He sat up, and looked for the girl. He saw her tangled in the assailant’s arms. Then he saw her fade and dissappear, and in a rush, reappear a few feet away, free from the man’s grasp.

Granturg felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.

Not again! He swung his hammer around him, turning his shoulders and knocking the attacker to the street. The man struggled to gain his footing on the wet cobblestone as Granthurg stood and brought the hammer down in an arc above his head. The thief's eyes grew large and he rolled to one side as the hammer smacked into the stone below where his head was. A loud clang resounded and sparks chipped off the rock.

Granthurg looked up and saw the girl thrust an open palm at the one near her. A ball of light lept from her hand and exploded in brightness on the man’s chest, sending him sprawling over the edge of the wharf and down into the murky water.

The other two thieves scrambled away.

Granthurg and the girl stood, staring at each other. She was defensive, not sure what to make of the Giant. Gradually, she eased and looked around her. The people on the street were looking at her with a mix of awe and fear. As she looked at them, they averted their own faces and scurried away. She turned her face to the street, as if she were suddenly very self-conscious.

Granthurg took a deep breath and smiled. “I’ve never met a high elf before.”

She looked up with her own smile. “And I’ve never met a giant!”

<<<>>>

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"Forgiveness Is The Key!" - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 19: Antonerri

What is she doing? Is she mad? Antonerri was stunned.

“It’s all true.” She spoke with a clear, determined voice. “I confess.” The priest turned toward her, distracted from his ranting.

Antonerri saw her shoulders shaking behind her bowed head. Her hands were raised before her face, pleading for mercy. “I renounce the shadow! I embrace only the light! Please, Father, save me!”

No. Don’t give in. Resist! But Antonerri had no strength to protest, or even call out.

“This is good, child, your punishment may be eased.” Turning toward Antonerri, the priest declared, “You would do well to follow her example!”

She lunged forward, throwing herself down at the priest’s feet and reaching for his robes. “Please, Father! I need redemption!”

The priest jumped back, unwilling to let his robes be sullied by her dirty hands. She shifted, and reached for the guard, grabbing at his tunic and leggings. “Please. I’ve been so wrong! My life is over! Help me be renewed!” The guard ripped his clothing from her hands and stepped back behind the priest. DeFrantis fell to the ground, shaking and sobbing.

The priest and the soldier exchanged glances, then with a nod from the priest, they stepped to the door. As they left, the soldier tossed a few more grains of incense into the bowl, which flared momentarily, adding to the smog in the room. Antonerri watched them go, then closed his eyes against the pain. He heard the door creak shut.

Only silence remained. DeFrantis had stopped crying and was lying, curled up, on the floor.

After a moment, he saw her raise her head and look at the door. Then she looked at him and curled her lips into a faint smile. What is she thinking? How can she confess?

She rolled onto her back and sat up. She brought up her hand, pointing her finger. Dangling from it was the large ring of keys from the guard’s belt.

In spite of his hurting, he shared her smile.

<<<>>>

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A Tale of Heroes - Scene 11: Granthurg

Rinkmorr lit a lantern and hung it up under the tarp. Its glow spread all over the steering platform, showing the rain dripping off the shelter and the darkness around them.

Granthurg was standing at the edge of the platform, looking out over the river past the barge. Since the two pirates had been defeated, he had been scanning the slowly growing morning glow on the horizon looking for more. There had been none. The bleeding in his shoulder had stopped, but not the pain.

“Ok, let me look a that wound.” Rinkmorr said, pulling a box up, and gesturing to Granthurg to sit. Granthurg turned and obeyed. Once he was seated, he pulled back his shirt from his shoulder.

Rinkmorr looked. “That’s a deep hit.”

“Yeah,” Granthurg smiled, “It really wasn’t very knife of him to do that.”

The older giant narrowed his eyes and nudged the wounded shoulder, turning the smile to a wince. “Did that hurt?”

“No.” Granthurg could see that Rinkmorr didn’t believe him. “Well, not much anyway.”

“This river’s getting more and more dangerous. There was a time when I didn’t have to hire extra muscle.” He leaned over and felt the wound. Granthurg winced again.

Rinkmorr stood, closed his eyes, and breathed deep, focusing his concentration. Granthurg saw a brief grimace on his face, as if he was feeling the pain, too. Then, he felt the energy of life swelled up in them both, drawn from the waters, the land, and the trees. Granthurg also took a breath, almost involuntarily, and held it in, savoring the feeling as the hurting faded.

Then the sensations also drained from him, back into the river, and he let out the breath. His shoulder was healed. As the two giants opened their eyes, Rinkmorr offered his hand, then pulled Granthurg up.

He smiled. “Someday, you’ll have to teach me how to do that.” Then, he stepped to the steering rudder at the stern of the platform.

Rinkmorr lay back down on the blankets padding the deck. “It’ll be dawn soon, and then we’ll be in Twynne Rivers. I’m gonna get some sleep.”

It wasn’t long before the rain on the tarp was punctuated by his snoring. Granthurg adjusted his shirt and watched out over the barge across the night.

<<<>>>

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A Tale of Heroes - Scene 5: Granthurg

The barge deck heaved up and down, and the rain made it slippery and hard to stand steady. The forward pirate grabbed the railing, trying to hold his balance. Granthurg punched the downed man under him, hitting him twice. The barge stabilized a bit, as did the pirate, and Granthurg lifted up to see the him lunge. A sharp, cold pain stabbed into the giant’s shoulder and he lost his balance, falling backward. He smashed onto the deck and the cargo crates, and struggled against the assault, knocking bags and barrels loose.

He looked up into the angry determined face of the assailant as he pulled back on his sword and raised it for a second strike. Even though the man was smaller, he was positioned so as to make it difficult for Granthurg to move. He lifted his arms to shield himself, in spite of the pain.

At that moment, a deep splash of slimy river water rushed over him, down his throat, in his nose, and washed him further down the length of the barge. He rolled over as the water flowed past him, and coughed and gagged, gasping for breath. Finally, as his lungs and his head cleared, he knelt and looked up. Down the walkway, he saw Rinkmorr standing with his hands still forming the follow-through of a watershaping spell. The rest of the riverwater flowed off the barge, and Granthurg saw that the two pirates had been washed off with it.

Suddenly the awareness of the pain in his shoulder returned. He winced as he stood. The clean rain was gradually rinsing off the muddy river water, as well as the blood flowing from his wound. He grabbed the railing for balance, and raised his gaze to his friend.

“I could have handled them.”

“Yeah. Of course.” His boss smiled, with more than a hint of sarcasm. “I’ll bet you could’ve.”

<<<>>>

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A Tale of Heroes - Scene 4: Granthurg

Granthurg stepped forward, to the edge of the platform, and squinted out into the dark rain. The oculus lamps shone, but revealed nothing but river and more rain.

What were those lights? They looked like they were gleaming from the shore...  He ducked under the edge of the tarp and hopped off the platform. Instantly, he felt the chill of the rain falling on his face and bald head, and running onto his shoulders, soaking his shirt. He hefted his hammer and strode toward the bow of the boat. Maybe he could see better from there.

As he took the last steps to the bow, to stand next to the oculi, he strained to see beyond their glow. All he could hear was the torrential rain falling around him, on him.

He shrugged and shook off the wet as much as he could and turned around, to return to the steering at the stern. Along the side of the barge, halfway back, he saw two men climbing over the railing from a small boat.  One jumped onto the walkway between the railing and the tarped cargo and drew a shortsword. He shouted and rushed toward Granthurg.

The giant’s instinct was to defend himself, so he hefted the handle of his hammer between his two hands and used it to block the initial slashes of the sword. His attacker was significantly shorter than Granthurg, by at least a head and a half, and wearing a dark cloak. Behind him, another one stood, in an attacking posture, but unable to reach around past his cohort.

Granthurg continued blocking, and began pressing forward. He shifted his left hand, near the head of the hammer, then, after a block, lunged forward and used his leverage to swing the massive hammer in a side sweeping counter-attack. The boarder saw it coming and jumped back, but lost his footing on the rain-soaked deck and fell back.

As he rolled over and struggled to stand, Granthurg raised the hammer up above his shoulder and swung down, narrowly missing the wriggling man’s legs and cracking the planks of the deck.

Both men scrambled toward the stern, slipping on the wood.

Granthurg suddenly realized his friend and boss was there, sleeping.  “RINKMORR!” he shouted, hoping he could wake him before the river pirates got to him. He lunged forward, taking huge strides, and threw himself at the men. His hammer clattered to the deck as he wrapped his bulky arms around the nearest man’s torso. They collapsed with a crash, and the impact of Granthurg’s huge body swayed the boat back and forth.

“RINKMORR!” He called again, “GET UP! GET UP!”

<<<>>>

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A Tale of Heroes - Scene 2: Granthurg

Here is the second scene in the ongoing tale of heroes...

<<<>>>

The early part of the spring had brought average rainfall. It might have even been a little dry this year. So, two days of steady rain, while not strange, was still a little unexpected. It had raised the Wynne River up a bit past its normal levels. Not yet high enough to flood, but high enough to make the waters flow more swiftly. Granthurg thought about this as he took the night turn steering the long barge toward Twynne Rivers. The Wynne was fairly deep and wide in the eastern parts, so there wasn’t much worry of rapids or difficulty in maneuvering. Since they were on a downriver run, their two-man crew didn’t even have to use nature powers to drive the barges, like they typically did when going upstream.

He was easily nine feet tall, with thick, muscular shoulders and a bit of a belly, all well hidden under a heavy shirt. He stood on a raised platform on the stern of the barge, with a tight tarp stretched above his head to drip off the rain. It didn’t give him a lot of headroom. The loads they were transporting were stacked and tied down on the barge deck before him, also covered.

Granthurg was one of the many giants that worked the river between his home in the western mountains and the cities of Twynne Rivers and PortsTown. They drove barges, some long, others smaller, up and down, making trade with the villages along the way. The barge he drove was not the largest he’d ever seen, but he was happy to be on the crew.

At his left was another giant, asleep under a blanket. This was the barge owner and captain, Rinkmorr. He was larger, older, and more experienced that Granthurg, and had the natural powers over water necessary to drive the loaded barge, against the current, back up to their home at the foot of the mountains. Granthurg hadn’t learned those skills, yet. He was there to load, unload, and defend. Sometimes, when they went downstream, he was allowed to steer, as he was doing.

Even at night, there wasn’t much to steering. He pretty much just had to keep the barge from running aground on the banks. There were two stones mounted on the front of the barge, magically shining light onto the waters before him, and allowing him to see if he got too close. These were the so-called oculi creatori - “the eyes of the Creator”, gems that had been purified and enchanted by the Twynne Rivers wizard’s guild. Most of the barges had them, even though they were expensive to acquire.

He squinted as he looked out over the dark, past the barge, past the light of the oculi, and into the rain. He thought he saw a glimmer of light up ahead along the river.

That’s odd. We’re not supposed to get to Twynne Rivers until later tomorrow. He looked closer, and I don’t remember a village on the way. 

He looked again. He definitely saw them, off to the right. They weren’t in the configuration of a barge’s oculi, and anything that far off to the side would have to be way too close to the banks, if not actually on the shore.

He looked on the floor behind him and saw his hammer. It was sitting there on the deck, as he had left it, ready for him to grab and swing if it was necessary. It was large, a two-handed weapon, and well-crafted. Its steel was ornately shaped, but hard and sturdy in combat.

He looked forward again. The lights were gone.

That’s not good. His eyes scanned the dark ahead of him, hoping he would find the lights. That’s not good at all.  With one hand still gripping the rudder, he reached for the hammer.

He would be ready.

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