From underground they come up. With what seemed like hours, was actually being only minutes. Their camp fire was still alight.
They stayed up the rest of the night looking and waiting to be attacked again, but nothing came. An almost eerie silence settled into the hills and woods around them.
El-Dris poured over the books in the dim light of the fire, engrossed by the new knowledge he was able to glen from the pages. Though ratty, they contained the mystic learnings and basis for the spells that were his life’s blood.
The rest of the party sorted through the remainder of the rewards of the nights work. They found the back pack was full of blankets, in addition to a flint and tinder box. Why the Kobolds decided to keep them was anyone’s guess. There were two small bags of mixed coins too. Mostly coppers but also a bit of sliver and a couple of large gold pieces they didn’t recognize. There were arrows of master quality with heads of silver and the fletching of a unknown bird. All the items will be a asset to the party in the future no doubt.
Cedris boiled up the last of the meat into a soup. They awaited the sun but left tired from lack of sleep, wanting to get away from the shrine in case the Kobolds might return.
Upward they traveled, into the hills, still following the water inland toward its source.
Soon the land leveled out, spilling into a fertile valley. In front of them stood a great and mysterious stone monument.
As they started to move toward it, a flash of green light seemed almost to shoot out of the stones.
A flash of blinding green light…
“What the hell just happened?” Shouted Sasha, looking around.
The hillside seemed to blur in and out. A queasy feeling suddenly over took the party. Doric shook his head and pulled his sword. Looking confused, he growled lowly, “I don’t know. I can’t seem to make sense of it. I can’t seem to focus on anything.” Doric swung his sword back and forth almost in an attempt to destroy what was causing the distortion.
Cedris screamed and fell over, his senses seemingly overcome. “The world will not stay still!” He moaned and rolled over to vomit on the grass. He lay there for a minute, then remarked “Wow, the grass is very green.”
El-Dris seemed less effected by the flash but still seemed to be fighting down his own sickness. He looked up and before him a large brown bear with a small girl-child on its back, walked out from between the stones.
“Hello” a small voice squeaked….. “Sorry about that.” The girl said and the bear strode further out from under the stone arch. “My name is Kemen and I have been watching you. You seem to be much nicer than most of the people I watch coming through my forest.” The words seemed almost to flow too quickly out of her mouth. “Not too weak of spirit either.” She mused, pausing to looked at them all again. “But not cruel or wasteful either.”
Suddenly she announced, to no one in particular, “Oh! I forgot. You must be hungry.” She waved a hand and a basket of bread, with bowls of what looked like stew, appeared on the ground next to the party. “Please eat, Please. Before we talk you should eat.” She seemed to almost tap her toe in impatience even while sitting astride the huge bear. Her feet splayed out on both sides of its furry back.
Sasha holding her stomach queasily, cocking her head, a bit confused said. “I’m not sure I am hungry… even if I was but a few moments ago.”
Keman squeaked in reply, “Of course you are.” She waved her hand and said “There you go.”
El-Dris squinted a bit, then said suddenly, “I suppose I am hungry at that.” Picking up a piece of the bread, he began to eat. Sasha picked up a bowl as well, as did Cedris. Doric hesitated and looked at the slight girl. She looked directly back at him and her eyes bore into Doric’s own. He looked away, busying himself with picking up a bread crust and a bowl. He stopped suddenly as a noise erupted from the forest.
A pack of wolves began to stream out of the wood to the right. “What is this” Doric demanded with a grunt. He began to pull his sword.
“Wait!” Kemen’s high pitched squeak came from atop the bear. “They are my friends.”
Hand still on his sword, Doric gravely said, “Your friends, hm?”
“What is the problem?” asked Cedris. “They do not seem aggressive.”
Doric pulled back a bit, setting his bread on the ground. “Don’t ya remember the last time…” he quieted as the largest wolf he had ever seen walked up next to the child.
The wolf settled down on its haunches, then down on its forearms and closed it eyes as if to sleep. “That is a big wolf.” Sasha stated dreamily. The cleric and the wizard continued to munch away at their food, apparently undisturbed by its presence.
Only Doric seemed wary. He growled. “What do you want with us Nature Witch?”
At that Kemen seemed to grin. “I would have you do great things, Child of the Stone. You have come to the Land of Tears unwillingly. It is a great thing you have come.” She paused, then continued, “This is a wonderous place. Once it was called Miramar, then Carsason, now just the Land of Tears.” Her tone changed more ominously and she quickly added. “This is where the outside world sends its trash and treasures. I believe you may be the latter, but maybe you are the former. We shall soon discover which.”
Some boars now made their way out of the forest to the left side of the clearing near the stone arch.
“What think you, Son of Stone? Are you a treasure, or just jetsam flung from a land which has no need of you?” Kemen continued.
Doric looked confused for a moment, both at the arrival of the boars and the thought of his role in Kemen’s questioning. The girl went on quickly, “Long ago this land was the center of all civilization, but then the mages of Dijinn, in their ignorance, released the King of the Changelings.”
Doric interrupted, “Who? The King of the Changelings? Who is that?”
“Daeva.” replied Kemen solemnly. Then she brightened. “Anyway you needn’t worry about him.” She continued, “To combat his influence the mages and priests caused the outside world to reject this place. They caused the winds and tides to reverse course. Now they all push those who would try to escape back onto this land.”
“This made it difficult for Daeva to want to leave,” she continued. “When you are a being of a thousand faces and a black heart, thirsting for massive slaughter to sate your supernatural thirst for power, this is a perfect place.” She looked disgusted momentarily before continuing on. “This rejection was unfortunate for every other creature who lived here at the time.”
As she spoke, another boar, this time the size of a large cart, walked up to the other side of the bear and took a seat. No one seemed to take any notice.
Kemen just continued to speak as to both no one and to everyone. “This caused the great beings to get involved, for they owed many favors to the great an powerful and the great and powerful never want to die.”
“What does that have to do with us?” Doric asked gruffly.
“Wellll…” began Kemen. “This place is a dangerous place for nearly everyone, as you have discovered. I would have you make it safer.” She waved her hand again and a ripple moved through the gathering.
“What the hell?!” Cried Sasha suddenly, pulling out her bow. “Where did all these animals come from?” Cedris pulled his mace and El-Dris raised his staff.
“Hold.” the girl said commandingly.
Doric shook his head.
“They are my friends, as I told you.” Kemen squeaked again.
El-Dris squinted at the small women-girl. She definitely had a slight smile this time. “Great heroes are you not?” She announced. “It is my wish for you to help those who can not help themselves. There is balance in all things, but the Land of Tears is drowning. Will you help those who are still able to swim?”
Kemen closed her eyes, her voice becoming greater as she spoke the words. “To the North is Fort Ferrous, or what will be the fort. It’s being built by another piece of flotsam cast here by the name of Jack Draman. To the West, there is a small harbor town where they still catch fish. It is about to find trouble from the deep. To the East, a tower of a great mage of Dijinn. In it, a crypt has been opened and a mystic power is leaking out. Now, things that should not be, exist.”
She grined again and opened her eyes saying, “In each of these places balance is required for people who’s only crime is they were too poor, or were connected to the wrong family, or were born to the wrong person. They are the flotsam and the jetsam of the world, will you be the great adventurers you wished to be?” She frowned, “Or will you be like others and take from them and abuse your strength for gain with your power over them in this lawless place?”
With that, Kemen and the bear started to walk backward into the stone arch. Then came another green flash and the queasy feeling came over the party once again.
“What just happened?” Sasha said confusedly.
“Awwwgh” Cedris fell, hitting his face on a rock and started to empty his stomach, again.
In the trees around them, a peacefulness descended and the birds began to chirp. Doric was confused as he lifted his bag to find it was now full of nut bread and some sweet fruits.
End chapter one.
Thank you everyone who has supported me so far. Without you, this wouldn’t have happened. I now have a Patreon page for anyone who wants to support me. I have a few followers on the page and I will let them decide what the party will do next.