Chapter 10 - the elderman’s OffiCe

Tarn looked wistfully into the distance, long dormantemotions coming to head as he rode southward towardGreywall. He recalled the last time he had ridden this way,several years ago now —before he had been removed fromthe King’s service by Sir Alec. He didn’t know how he feltabout their current situation. A part of him knew he was onthis mission for the good of king and country, but anotherpart of him, he admitted to himself, wanted to see Alec get what he deserved. Tarn and his two companions had debated long andhard before setting out from Traazon Keep, and they endedup starting toward Greywall for the simple reason that noneof them had a better idea of what to do next. They had verylittle knowledge about the

soul stealer

, and they needed tolearn something,

anything

about it. From what little theydid know, they would need an army to face it, assuming

they could even nd it. At any rate, they needed to let Sir

Alec know that there was more at stake than a simple seriesof orc raids.

“How much farther do you gure we have to go yet,

Tarn? We’ve been riding for two days now. It can’t be muchfarther, can it?” Tarn simply shrugged a response to Nyla’s question.“Hard to say. I haven’t been down this way since I last led apatrol down here several years ago. There’s not much downhere besides Greywall and more prairie, you know?”As they passed around a great bend in the river,Nyla pulled her horse to a stop and motioned off intothe distance. “That must be it up there,” she murmured.“Smoke. See it?” Tarn cupped his hands over his eyes,shielding them from the sun. He squinted, and he could

indeed make out wisps of smoke off in the distance.Logan looked at him. “This isn’t good. If we can seesmoke this far away….” His voice trailed off. “Caution wouldbe prudent.” They both nodded and tapped their horsesforward into a slow walk. As they pushed onward towardthe village, the smoke began to thicken. Logan pulled hiscrossbow from a hook on his saddle, and Tarn watched

him cock it slowly. He also noticed Nyla ngering the spell

component pouches on her belt.As they neared the village, a smell began to affect themall, getting stronger as they rode. In fact, as they pulledinto sight of the city walls, the stench was strong enoughthat Nyla took a scarf from her pack and wrapped it aroundher mouth. Coughing, she asked “What is that horriblestench?”

Tarn sniffed the air. “Burning esh, I’d say. Let’s hope

it’s orc, and not human.” Logan crossed his heart with asign of warding, and Tarn silently followed suit. Small farmsdotted the landscape they were riding through, and many of

the farms showed the signs of conict: burned cabins, tornup elds, slaughtered livestock, and the like. The orcs had

spared next to nothing as they passed through the area. The road turned again, following the meandering courseof the great river. As they came around another bend, Tarn

could see gures standing by several great res. Relieved,

he saw that the village’s wooden palisade was still standing.His heart lifted, and yet he began to wonder where Sir Alec’sarmy was.Nyla pointed at the men coming into view. “Look! They’rehuman! Thank the gods!” Tarn looked up and saw thatthey were indeed men, burning a massive number of orccorpses. The men appeared to be farmers armed with a

motley collection of weapons - pitchforks, scythes, and thelike. One of them even had a battered old short sword. The largest of them, carrying a nasty-looking woodencudgel, called out to them. “Halt! Who are you, and whatbusiness have you in Greywall?” Tarn motioned his companions to a halt and raised hishands in a show of peace. “I am Tarn Nohmahl of TraazonKeep. I bear information and dispatches for Sir Alec

Neuvall. I was hoping to nd him here, and well.”

The farmer lowered his club just a fraction, even as hetook up a defensive stance, eying them suspiciously. “He was here, but he is gone. He and his knights left yesterdaymorning to chase them greenbacks across the river andteach ‘em all a good lesson.”“So the siege is over?”“Yep. We held ‘em off until the army arrived. Best thingthe Elderman ever did was have us build those walls. Hadto chop down haff’n the trees round here, but it saved usfrom them greenbacks.“ He kicked the dirt as he talked. Tarn noticed the other men started to relax. “Then Sir Alecarrived with them knights, and he done mowed throughthem greenbacks like a hot knife through butter. He andthat other knight, Sir Kinnith or whatever his name is,agreed that they should chase them greenbacks down. Leftthe Elderman and my militia to hold the prisoners until hegot back.” Tarn’s ear perked up at that. “Prisoners?”“Ayup. Got four o’ them greenies locked up in the townhall right now. Got four good men standing guard, too. Theyshouldn’t be any trouble ‘tall.” Tarn was just about to ask another question when a