Forum

[howandwhy99]

[DAY 103 – Holyday, Sceptre 7th, CY 81]

“Yep, two of ‘em,” said the other caravan’s leader. “Run off in the night. I’d’ve suspected foul play, but nothin’ could’ve attacked us up here without someone seein’.” Gwenna listened closely. It was early morning. The clients she was currently working for were taking their sweet time in choosing what to do next: either go to the Keep, or go back to Kera. She was actually sad, however, to hear about the loss of two caravan guards. It could easily have been her and a mate. If the men were lucky, the caravan would find them on the road back to the City “If they decided to go off trail into the hills…” Gwynna did not want to finish the thought.

Rose had been on last watch. To her dismay she was still invisible. She overheard Gwenna and the other caravan leader talking and decided to search for the lost guards. Scouting the perimeter she found signs of a scuffle near the cliff’s edge. Three pairs of booted feet were involved, but only one pair led away. Over the edge she saw nothing but rocks and the river. A gust of air suddenly blew up and almost pushed Rose off the side. Darius’s giant eagle landed. The paladin had decided to ride on his mount for the rest of the trip to Kera. The team had not reached consensus and put off working on one yet again. When they reached Kera, they would see what resources were available and then make a decision. Rose secretly hoped the Earl would send an army to take back the Keep. Other members did not believe his rulership was so benign.

Under cover in the wagon Kayla and Diedre pulled out Lavinia’s chest to inspect it again. Rose took advantage of her situation and hid in back to watch them. Her own horse was harnessed to the wagon anyways. Kayla showed Diedre a new discovery. The cloakhole could be folded in on itself. She shrunk it down to the size of a handkerchief and left it on the floorboards next to the chest. Deviously, Rose stuck her hand in the little hole and whispered. “The servant that pushes the items out” Her fingertips tingled then a powerful shock coursed through her hand and up her arm. Instinctively Rose jerked backwards, but not before screaming out in the pain. “Who’s there!” shouted Diedre accusingly.
“Nobody, but us nobodies… Ohhhh, I think I need to lie down.” Rose’s form pressed into the featherbed.
“It is dangerous to test things you know nothing about,” said Kayla. Then she returned to attentions to the closed chest.

“LET ME OUT!” Ben heard in his mind. The voice had returned… the one that sounded just like his own voice. “LET ME OUT!” Ben reined his horse to a stop thinking he might pass out again and fall off. Dismounting, he sat down in the road and felt the gravel in his hands.
“Who are you?” asked Ben.
Dram rode up behind Ben and called out “Stop the wagons!”
“I AM THE GUARDIAN OF THE KEEP”
“The guardian? But what is your name?” The rest of the caravan halted. Darius rode over to Ben’s side and dismounted.
“THE SENTINEL”
Darius gave Ben a shake. “You’re talking to yourself again, Father.”
Kayla and Diedre hopped out from the back the wagon. “I think he can hear Lavinia’s son inside the chest!” called out Kayla. “If we can release him from the chest, maybe he can tell us how to sneak inside Adlerweg?”

“LET ME OUT!” Ben heard in his mind again. Kayla’s proposal sounded quite plausible to him at the moment. Grog was already pulling Lavinia’s chest out from the wagon.
“I think we should do it,” said Ben. “Either way, the ghosts must be destroyed.” The team arrayed themselves around the chest in the middle of the open road. Gwenna and Miklesh drove the horses and wagon a good distance away for safety. Darius was already formulating a plan. He would hide behind the chest, while Grog in Giant-form smashed the sheets with his sword.
“Be careful not to hit the chest,” Darius cautioned him. Father Ben was given a spear to pop open the chest. He was to look inside for Lavina’s son as soon as it opened.

“Ready?” shouted Darius. “One… Two… Three… Pull!” Ben flipped the lid open. The two green sheetghosts slowly drifted out left and right from the interior. Darius slammed the chest lid back down from behind. NOW!” he shouted. The two sheets hung one from either side. Jakob threw a curved blade about the size of a knife. It stuck into the side of the chest missing. Ben swung awkwardly with the spear and missed horribly. He had never used such a weapon before. Grog in Giant-form heaved his massive sword downward and struck the left sheet. It tore and turned white around the wound. A disembodied voice was heard speaking a strange language. Ben looked behind him, but could not find the source.

“Damn it all!” Both of Dram’s shots missed, ruining his the precious silver arrows he had chosen. Ormand the Redd hit the torn sheet twice with his own arrows. It turned completely white and then dissolved into ash.

The second sheetghost struggled to pull itself out of the chest. Dram fired a third silver arrow missing again. Ben called upon the power of the Gods, but the ghost resisted. Grog moved to over and swung his sword. The swing rent the other sheet in two. It turned white and then deteriorated on the ground like the other. “We won!” shouted out the disembodied voice.
“That was much easier this time,” said Dalin.
“Let’s open it up!” called out Kayla. “Father Ben, do you hear anything?” Jakob moved up to the chest and opened it. Ash from the dead sheetghosts covered the contents. Blowing it away, he saw silver and gold coins filled the chest to the brim. A gold statuette stuck out of the pile on one side. Lying on top in the center was one white glove.
Ben peeked over Jacob’s shoulder. “No one’s in there!” he said. Then in his head he thought to himself, “Are you the glove?”



“I AM THE SENTINEL”
Ben was confused. He remembered back to Kustler and Urkwin the thin man. “For Keep Adlerweg? You’re the Sentinel of what or who?” Ben stared off into space not speaking aloud this time.
“What is it?” asked Kayla. She moved forward and looked inside the chest. The stranger Jakob was curious as well. Seeing the glove inside, he reached for it. ZAP! He flew backwards ten feet and hit the ground hard. His body was still shaking and smoking from the blast when Darius reached his side.
“What was that?” the dwarf shouted. Darius searched for wounds on his new friend. There were none, but the monk was still gravely injured.
“It’s a blasted trap!” said Dram and he kicked over the chest with his boot. Coins spilled all over the roadway. The rest of the team ran forward to pick them up before they rolled over the edge. Grog shrank down to normal size and nearly squashed Rose who was trying to avoid the wave of rolling metal.