Adventurers Wanted 2) The Horn of Moran (34 page)

When Alex had fought the goblins, he had been filled with rage and the desire to destroy, but now there was only the heat from the magic sword, and his desire to do what had to be done.

The fleeing bandits came to a sudden stop, turning and screaming madly at each other. Bregnest, Halfdan, and Andy blocked their path; there was no easy escape. Several of the bandits charged forward toward Bregnest and the others, preferring to take their chances there rather than face Sindar and Alex. The fight was short and bloody, and few of the bandits made it out alive.

The last three bandits, having been knocked off their horses, dropped their weapons and fell to the ground. Alex jumped from his saddle, his sword at the ready. There was no sorrow or pity in his mind as he advanced on the three evil creatures before him, only a need to finish this work.

“Alex, no!” yelled Sindar sharply, rushing forward to block Alex’s path.

Alex paused and looked at Sindar in confusion. Sindar had put away his swords, and Alex could see that their magic was already fading.

“They have surrendered, Alex,” said Sindar. “They have given up and are begging for mercy.”

“And would they have shown mercy if we had not arrived?” Alex asked, the power of his magic sword flowing through his veins like fire.

“No,” Sindar answered honestly. “But they have no honor, and we do.”

Alex paused, thinking about Sindar’s words but still wanting to finish what he’d begun. He knew that Sindar would not try to stop him from killing these three bandits, but he also knew that Sindar was right.

Alex stepped away from the bandits, returning Moon Slayer to his side. The heat began to fade as soon as he let go of the sword, and he was glad that it did. He had nearly killed three unarmed men who were begging for mercy, and, while they were bandits, it still would have been a dishonorable thing to do.

“Bind them,” Bregnest said to Halfdan. “We will deliver them to those they attacked.”

Halfdan hurriedly tied the bandits’ hands together and then tied them to each other with a long piece of rope. While he was doing this, Alex helped Andy gather the horses that had not run off. Once they had collected all the horses that were close by, Bregnest led the company back to the adventurers they had rescued. Halfdan rode at the back of the company, pulling the captured bandits along behind him on foot.

“Well met,” a voice called from the hill as Alex and his friends approached.

“Well met,” answered Bregnest.

“We are in your company’s debt,” said a tall, thin man, stepping forward. “Had you not arrived when you did, I fear we would all have been lost.”

“We saw from the hill that one of your company was down,” Bregnest commented. “Is the wound serious?”

“The wound is small, though we fear that it may be poisoned,” answered the thin man. “Have you a healer among you?”

“We do,” said Bregnest. “He has some considerable skill and will do what he can for your comrade.”

“Please, hurry then. Our fallen member is of some importance to us.”

“Formal introductions can wait,” said Bregnest, nodding for Alex to proceed.

Alex climbed out of his saddle and hurried forward. The thin man looked slightly troubled when he saw that Alex was the healer, but Alex took no notice. The other adventurers had gathered around their fallen comrade, and Alex was surprised to see that it was a young woman.

Trying to hide his surprise, Alex bent down to look at her wound. There was a long, jagged cut across her upper left arm, but it wasn’t very deep. Alex asked the young woman if she could hear him, and she said she could, but her voice sounded weak and slightly dreamy.

“Boil some water,” Alex ordered. “Now.”

While Alex waited for the water, he removed a black steel helmet from the young woman’s head. He looked at her closely and thought she didn’t quite look like a human, but not really like an elf either. Putting these thoughts aside for the time being, he retrieved the dragon’s bane plant and some other ingredients from his bag.

Alex was amazed to see that the plant had grown quite large since he had found it during his last adventure. He knew that the dragon’s bane plant could cure most poisons as well as have a healing effects on wounds. He hoped that the poison had not traveled too far in the young woman’s bloodstream.

As soon as the boiling water was brought to him, Alex poured a small amount into a cup, setting it aside. Then he pulled two leaves from the plant and crushed them in his hands. He added the powder to the water still in the pot. A clean, fresh smell filled the air instantly, lifting Alex’s spirits and giving him hope.

“Wash her wound with this.” Alex handed the potion to one of the adventurers who was watching him.

Alex took the remainder of the water and started brewing a second potion. He added two more leaves to the cup, along with several other things. When the potion was ready, he asked the young woman to drink it. She tried, but was unable to hold the cup by herself, so Alex held it for her as she drank.

“What is it?” questioned one of the adventurers.

“A simple potion with healing powers,” said Alex. “The dragon’s bane plant can cure most poisons.”

“What do we do now?” asked another adventurer.

“Now we wait,” Alex answered. He set down the empty cup and then returned the dragon’s bane plant to his magic bag.

“I believe introductions are in order,” said the thin adventurer. “My name is Nellus. And the young woman is Tara.”

Alex’s didn’t catch the names of the other adventurers or even pay much attention when Bregnest introduced himself and his company. He knew there were certain ceremonies between adventurers that had to be observed, but his thoughts were on Tara. He hoped that his potion would work quickly, but she didn’t seem to be responding to it at all. Alex had to remind himself that potions often took some time to do their work.

“Well, Master Bregnest,” said Nellus, “we are in your company’s debt, though I fear we will see no profits from our adventure.”

“And why is that?” Bregnest asked, interested.

“Young Prince Varson asked our company to seek the Horn of Moran and return it to him.”

“You have abandoned this quest already?”

“Not abandoned. We have learned from Mr. Clutter that another company has undertaken the same quest,” said Nellus, his eyebrows rising slightly. “However, this other company has undertaken the quest for the king of Athanor, and we thought we should end our quest and tell the prince that the king had already sent for the Horn.”

“If the prince wishes the Horn, it is not to prove himself king,” Bregnest commented in a grim tone.

“Then my guess is correct: you are the king’s company. Do not take me wrong, Bregnest. We mean no disrespect to you, your company, or the king.”

“I understand you, Nellus,” said Bregnest. “I see that you are an honorable man and would not undertake the quest in competition with the king’s requested company.”

“Let us speak plainly,” said Nellus, looking troubled. “I believe that Prince Varson wishes to use the Horn to prove his own kingship.”

“But he is not the true king.”

“I believe you are correct, but I fear Varson now believes himself to be the rightful king. His adviser, Kappa, has convinced him that he should be king, and all of his thoughts are bent on taking control of the kingdom.”

“Surely the Horn will prove him to be a false king.”

“I doubt Varson has considered that,” said Nellus. “And I also doubt that Kappa will allow him to try to sound the Horn. Kappa only wishes to keep the Horn from King Trion so that he cannot prove that
he
is the true king.”

“Kappa will be disappointed, I think,” Bregnest replied softly.

“I believe he will. However, Kappa may try to prevent you from returning to the king. I have heard rumors of war, though we are still too far from the city of Athanor to know if the rumors are true.”

“We also have heard these rumors,” said Bregnest. “As for myself and my company, we will defend the king, whatever Varson and Kappa do.”

“A good choice. Sadly for myself and my companions, we must return to Prince Varson and renounce our quest. I fear that Kappa will not be pleased with us.”

“Could you perhaps delay your return?” Bregnest questioned. “If you did not return too quickly, Varson may be shown the error of his ways, and Kappa may decide to flee.”

“A good idea, and I wish we could. Unfortunately, we have all sworn an oath that we will return as swiftly as we can. Even if we renounce the quest, we must fulfill our oath.”

“Then perhaps we can travel together,” said Bregnest. “Varson’s palace is close to Athanor, so our paths go the same way.”

“We would be most honored to travel with your company, though it appears it may be a few days before we can move on.”

“Yes,” said Bregnest, looking at Alex. “I doubt very much that my friend Alex will leave Tara until he is sure she is out of danger.”

“Then we should set up camp in the oak trees,” suggested Nellus. “That is, if the healer thinks Tara may be moved.”

“She can be moved,” Alex replied. “Though I feel that more troubles her than her wound, or the poison in it.”

“You see many things,” said Nellus, a surprised look on his face. “We will not speak of this now. Let’s move Tara and set up camp. Then we will discuss payment for your services.”

“We must also discuss captives,” said Bregnest. “Three of the bandits chose surrender, and we must decide what is to be done with them.”

Nellus nodded but didn’t reply. The two companies moved to the nearby grove of oak trees and set up their camps slightly apart from each other. Once this was done Andy, Halfdan, and Sindar went to search the dead bandits for any treasure. Bregnest remained talking with Nellus, and Alex remained beside Tara.

Alex felt a great need to hurry to Athanor, but he felt an even greater need to help Tara. There was something strangely sad about her, something that he couldn’t put his finger on.

Alex’s friends returned with a small amount of treasure the bandits had been carrying, and Bregnest offered the treasure and the captured horses to Nellus.

“We are in debt to you and your company,” Nellus said in a businesslike tone. “You shall keep what the bandits had, and we will make some payment to you for your assistance.”

“And what payment do you offer?”

“I offer five thousand gold coins from each of my company,” said Nellus. “Also, I will ask that each of my company deliver to you one in ten of the primary treasure from their next adventure.”

“You are most generous, Nellus. Perhaps too generous,” said Bregnest. “My company and I have had the honor of assisting you, so I will ask for something less.”

“That is your right, Bregnest, though I think the offer is not over generous,” said Nellus, looking slightly worried.

“I will ask but two thousand gold coins from each of your company, and one in twenty of their next primary treasure,” said Bregnest. “Your current adventure has cost you much already, and may cost you more when you reach Prince Varson.”

“You are both kind and generous, and your honor is great,” said Nellus. “I agree to your request.”

“And the prisoners?” Bregnest questioned.

“We will not kill them, though it is our right,” replied Nellus. “We will take them to King Trion, and there they will receive their punishment.”

“As you wish.”

Nellus called his company together. The adventurers all agreed to Bregnest’s terms, and they each came forward to make payment to Bregnest and swear the requested oath.

Bregnest accepted their payments and their oaths, bowing to each member in turn. Then he called Alex and the rest of their company together, dividing the payment among them.

Once the ceremony of payment was over, Alex returned to Tara’s side. He hoped she would show signs of improvement, but she remained unchanged. Sindar came to see how Alex was, and he paused to look at Tara. Alex thought Sindar looked slightly alarmed, and he was quick to ask his friend why.

“She has elf blood in her,” Sindar answered in a whisper.

Chapter Seventeen

Back to the Wall

A
lex remained next to Tara as night fell over Alusia. He ate little and said less as he tried to think of a reason why Tara was still sick. The dragon’s bane potion would remove the poison from her system, but he felt that she did not wish to be healed and perhaps that was the reason she had not improved.

Alex did not sleep at all that night. His mind was full of questions that he could not answer, and his heart longed to press forward to Athanor. Nellus and the other members of his company came to check on Tara from time to time, but Alex had nothing to tell them.

When morning finally came, Tara was pale, and it seemed that she had little life left in her. Nellus asked Alex if he knew what was wrong, and Alex nodded.