[Mkguild] Plain & Simple part 16

[Chris]

   Nestorius slumped to the floor as the last of his strength fled him.
He lay on the stone floor of the cistern letting it’s cool dampness seep
into his body and draining away the massive heat that filled him.

   Suddenly a massive wall of water splashed down onto him and he cried
out at the shock of the ice cold striking him. He heard the water sizzle
and boil off of his body and into steam. Thick clouds of steam filled
the vast chamber. More and more water was poured onto him until it
finally stopped boiling off. The steam dissipated almost as quickly as
it had been created.

   Someone knelt over the mage. “Are you all right?” Panno asked. “You
look better. At least I finally got those flames to go out.”

   “What?” Nestorius asked confused as his strength started to return to
him.

   “You were covered in this strange, purple flame,” the blacksmith
explained.

   “Thank you!” Nestorius whispered softly. He lay there letting the
water and the cool stone soak into him.

   “The mage?” the feline asked.

   “Dead,” Panno answered and pointed off to the right. “At least I
think he is. He stopped moving after I stuck my spear through him a few
times.”

   Nestorius looked in the direction Panno was pointing and he saw a
man’s body sprawled on the floor about a hundred feet away. Even from
this distance the mage could tell that his opponent appeared dead.

   The beardog examined the mage closely. “I don’t see any burns on you.
Your fur isn’t even singed but you are covered with soot.”

   Even with the thin light available Nestorius could see that Panno was
right. His fur was now completely coal black leaving not a single trace
of it’s real tan coloring.

   Panno ran his fingers through the wet and bedraggled fur Nestorius’
mane. Then he rubbed the mage’s arm with considerable vigor. “This black
color isn’t coming off.”

   “What?” the mage asked still a little dazed from the fight.

   The beardog morph held up the felines arm so that Nestorius could see
it more easily. Then he poured water onto the arm and the water flowed
over the already wet fur easily without effecting the black coloring in
the least. “I don’t know what this black is but it isn’t soot or ash.”

   The lion morph examined the fur on his arm closely. “That is not a
coloring ON my fur and skin. It IS the color of my fur and skin.”

   “How? Will it change back?”

   The lion shrugged. “Unknown. I’d need to do more research and
examination but I’m too tired right now.”

   “Let’s get you back up into the night air. You’ll feel better.”

   Suddenly the mage felt power stirring nearby and he turned to where
his opponent’s body lay. It wasn’t there. He muttered a loud curse and
started casting a spell.

   “He was dead!” Panno snarled.

   “Being dead has never stopped a mage before,” the feline countered as
his hands started to glow. He pointed both hands to where the body had
been and the glow raced from him and settled onto the floor in the shape
of a sprawled body. The glowing figure lay there for a moment then
slowly fell apart, breaking down into thousands of tiny points of light.
The lights spread out into a loose mob that slowly moved across the
floor.

   “What is that? Panno said pointing to the golden points making their
way across the floor. “What did he become?”

   The lion shrugged. “Insects I think. Probably something flesh
eating.”

   Carefully the two followed the glowing horde at a distance as it made
it’s way deeper into the cistern. The water was deeper here and soon
they were wading thru hip deep water. The glowing figure moved onward as
the walls closed in around them till they could easily touch both at the
same time.

   Up ahead the glow seemed to hesitate for a moment then disappeared
completely.

   The two rushed forward trying to find out what had happened and to
follow. At some time in the past this passage continued to outside the
fortress but no longer. At the end of the tunnel there was just a wall
of tumbled rock and earth. His enemy had found the countless small
cracks in the rubble to escape through but they were all too small for
them to follow.

   “Will he be back?” Panno asked nervously.

   The feline shook his head. “Not any time soon. He used the last of
his power to escape. You sticking him with that spear a few times didn’t
help him either. When I’ve regained my strength I’ll ward off this place
as well. He will not get in here again so easily.”

   Slowly the two made their way back to the place where they had
entered the cistern. “You do realize that you are naked?” Panno
commented. The water was shallower here, merely small pools amidst large
areas of muck. It revealed the muck and mud that covered most of the
mages body.

   The mage nodded. “I know,” he said in cold tones as he tried to avoid
stepping in the more vile looking pools.

   “I have some clothes that might fit you,” Panno said. “At least a
loincloth and some shoes.”

   “I would be grateful for the help. And fresh water to clean up with.”

   Panno wrinkled his nose. “We both need a good scrubbing to get this
awful smell out.”

   “I have special soaps and shampoos that will help,” Nestorius
commented.

   The blacksmith looked at the mage for a moment. “I get the hint that
you have been wading thru muck and mud before.”

   “This muck is actually pleasant compared to the vile things I have
walked, waded and had to swim through.”

   Panno waved a hand at the mage and shook his head. “I do NOT want to
know more details. Some things are best left unsaid.”

   “I always seem to wind up covered with some vile and noxious
substances and reeking. It is one of the minor downsides of being a
mage,” the feline explained.

   The beardog looked at the skeletons that lay heaped in the corner
where Nestorius spell had thrown them. “They deserve a better resting
place that this old hole in the ground.”

   The two walked over to the bones. Panno got close but Nestorius
stayed a few steps behind.

   “I wonder who they were?” Panno asked.

   The mage looked at the bones. “Some are definitely rather recent.
Probably people killed in the siege. Others were a lot older. I remember
at least one was wearing the armor of a Suielman legionnaire.”

   Panno knelt down ignoring the muck and started gather all the bones
together. He would have to come back later to remove them all but he
could at least get them out of the mud.

   He picked up each bone and brushed off the muck and filth before
putting it into his knapsack. One of the objects he picked up was too
heavy and too long to be a bone. Panno wiped the filth off and was
rewarded with the sight of metal and wood devoid of corrosion or wear.
“This doesn’t have any rust on it. Could it be magic?”

   “Let me see it,” the mage asked and Panno deposited it into his
outstretched hands.

   “It seems the fates have decided to reward your good deed Panno,” the
lion replied. “This is a fine bit of magic here.”

   “What is it?” Panno asked.

   The lion examined Panno’s find. It was a metal and wood tube about
two feet long with caps on both ends. “There is magic here of some
power. It looks like a map or document carrier.”

   “I wonder what’s in it?” Panno asked as he leaned close.

   “Documents and maps probably,” was the answer.

   The beardog stared at the mage for a moment. “I was hoping for a more
detailed answer.”

   Nestorius shrugs. “I cannot tell. The seals are still intact so
whatever is inside is also intact. But this dank, wet hole is not the
place.”


***********


   George looked at the pile of stone, bricks and gore. Gingerly he
patted Thomas on the shoulder being sure to miss the many bandages and
bruises. “You did well Thomas. Very well.”

   The duke nodded slowly. “Thank you but I only had a small part. It
was your planning and leadership that won this battle.”

   “Phooey. You led these people brilliantly. Lord Thomas.”

   ‘Lord Thomas’ George had said. The first time he had really properly
addressed the Duke. George had just paid Thomas a high compliment.
“Thank you George.”
  
   Nestorius came up the street walking slowly. He calmly detoured
around the wreckage and dead bodies that lay everywhere without seeming
to notice any of it. The lion morph was dressed solely in a long, blue
loincloth, a pair of simple sandals and nothing else. He bowed deeply to
Duke Thomas. “Lord Thomas. The last of the abominations are gone.”

   Thomas returned the bow. “Good. I have had enough of these assaults.”

   “How did they get in?” George asked not taking note of the lion being
mostly naked and colored jet back.

   “We closed off all the tunnels the Lutins had dug but we forgot those
the Seuilman themselves built,” Nestorius explained.

   “I thought we got all of those tunnels,” George commented calmly.

   “We missed one,” the mage countered and shrugged. “It was bound to
happen. Old towns like this are usually riddled with forgotten places
tucked into odd corners.”

   George nodded in agreement. “What of the mage? Is he dead?”

   “I killed him but he refused to stay dead,” Nestorius answered.

   George shook his head. “Just like a mage to not play by the rules.”

   “He is gone Sire,” the feline mage said. “And will not be back for a
long time. Later I might pursue him and finish our duel but not today.”

   Amelia rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the lion. She
hugged him tightly and placed her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms
around her and they kissed passionately.

   “Are you all right?” Amelia asked concerned as she examined his body
carefully. Running her hands over his leonine form gently.

   “I’m fine. Worn and tired but all right.”

   “Why are you naked and colored as black as coal?” the woman asked.

   “Unexpected side effect of a spell,” he explained. “And I am not
entirely naked,” he added sounding a little upset.

   “At least you aren’t covered with oatmeal this time,” she commented.
Amelia ran her fingers through his black mane.  “Will it come off?”

   He shrugged. “I’m not certain.”

   “I think the black makes you look sexy!” she commented and kissed him
on the muzzle.

   “I think the fact he’s naked makes him sexy looking,” someone joked.

   “I think!” Thomas said calmly. “If he came through a battle with a
mage and all he lost was his dignity then that is a great victory.”

   George nodded slowly. “Any battle you survive is a victory.”

   “We did more then survive,” Thomas said. “This was a clear victory!”


****************


   The building was still far from done. The plaster over the new brick
walls was still wet in some places. But the walls themselves were strong
and the roof overhead was of new timber and slate and would weather the
years well. The forge itself looked far better then when they had first
seen it. The debris had been cleared away and the damage carefully
repaired. The flooring underneath their paws had been relayed with brick
and tightly mortared. Panno had been forced to wait impatiently for a
week for the mortar to dry before they could walk on it. The wait had
been well worth it as the new floor was level and strong.

   Panno fussed over the coal they received and he and Matthew spent a
long time arraigning the coal in just the right places in the forge and
then placing the tinder and kindling over that. Finally everything
looked correct to Panno. The beardog placed a small piece of kindling
and placed it on the floor in front of the forge. He knelt next to the
small pile and took two pieces of flint from his pocket. He struck the
two pieces of flint together producing a small spray of sparks onto the
tinder. He struck them again and again until the tinder started to
smoke. He very gently blew onto the tinder until the smoke gave way to
open flames.

   The blacksmith took the now burning tinder and placed it in the forge
making sure there was plenty of tinder and coal touching it. The fire
took hold and spread slowly till all the tinder was alight. The beardog
took a small bellows and pumped on it fanning the flames. After a few
minutes the tinder burned away and the fire died down but it did not
die. Instead in a dozen small spots the coal glowed. That glow grew in
strength as the rest of the coal caught alight. Soon the entire forge
was alight and a warmth and bright orange glow filled the forge. That
glow and warmth quickly spread throughout the entire room and then
through the walls and ceiling and into the rest of the building.

   “That’s nice,” Amanda said as she wrapped her arms around Panno.

   The bull nodded his head and extended his hands out to feel the
warmth even more. “It does feel good!” Matthew commented.

   Panno wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her. “It’s good to
be home.”


***************


   The lion carefully removed the rolled up sheets of paper and
parchment from the tube and laid them gently on the table. There was
over a score of documents in the pile.

   The beardog peered at the documents closely. “They look new!” Panno
commented. “Not even a smudge of dirt on them.”

   The lion nodded. “The tube itself contains preservation magic of
considerable power. Whoever produced it wanted these documents protected
at all costs.”

   Nestorius slowly unrolled a parchment document and was rewarded with
a large map. “A complete map of the Seuilman fortress including all the
underground spaces!” he said cheerfully. “This will be most helpful!”

   He unrolled another one and it revealed itself to be a map of
considerable size, over two feet long. The mage and the smith peered at
it closely.

   “Looks like a map of the valley,” Panno said. He pointed to a line of
inverted arrows. “See that is the ridge line just north of Iron Mines.”
His hand moved to the top of the map where a dark black line went from
one side to the other. “That’s Giant’s dike.”

   “Very interesting!” Nestorius purred. “I have never seen a map of the
valley from this period that was so complete.”

   The next parchment was only slightly smaller then the last one. “This
is the map of a city. One of good size.” The lion pointed to the center
of the map. “There is the basilica where the government was conducted
from.”

   “Which city is it?” Panno asked.

   The lion traced a long talon along a word written in black ink at the
top of the paper. “Camulodunum. This is a map of the city of
Camulodunum.”

   “Camulodunum?” Where was that?” Panno asked with a puzzled look on
his face. “There’s nothing that large here in the valley.”

   “Not now but in the past there was. Today all this is ruins,” the
lion said sweeping his hands across the map. “And covered by the forest
called Haunted woods.”

   “You mean those woods were once a city? This city?” Panno asked
amazed tapping the map with a hand. “I’d heard stories about the ruins
in there but I never knew they were true! Amazing!”

   The feline nodded slowly. “The Lutins destroyed it utterly.”
Nestorius examined the city map closely. “This is a complete map of the
city. Perhaps the only one in existence. Very few records of any sort
survived the sacking of the city. These might be all that survived.”

   “That’s sad.” Panno said shaking his head. “Such a fine city and the
only thing left is some rubble and a few sheets of paper.”

   “Time is often harsh with the little things we make. Someday we might
reclaim that place. Just as we reclaimed this place and the city will
grow again from the ruins,” the lion said wistfully. “But no time soon.”
He looked at Panno calmly. “A full examination will take a long time.
Months, perhaps years. I will pay you three thousand gold pieces for the
contents of this case right now. And I promise more if they prove more
valuable later as I examine them.”


****************


   Misha and his troops returned just after dawn. The troops moving up
the road in two long columns with Misha at their head. They all moved
with the slow, weary gait of a tired soldiers coming back from a long
campaign.

   George and Thomas were standing near the gate to the fortress waiting
and watching as the group slowly came towards them. He noted many were
bandaged and several were being carried on stretchers. He also saw
several large human shaped bundles being gently carried on other
stretchers. That sight made the jackal morph look the left of him where
a long line of cloth wrapped bodies was laid carefully in front of the
gate.

   Misha’s ears perked up and his tail wagged slightly when he caught
sight of George. The fox pointed to those carrying the bundles and then
to the long line of dead. Without a word the soldiers gently placed
their burdens in the line of the dead. The bodies joining their
brethren. All would be solemnly laid to rest in the cemetery before
nightfall.

   When he was a few steps away Misha stopped in front of George and
Thomas and bowed deeply.

   “Report,” George barked.

   “The ambush went off perfectly. We killed over two hundred and thirty
Lutins, a ogre and a score of humans. The rest scattered and ran.”

   “The cost?” George asked.

   “Four dead and a dozen wounded. What did it cost us here?" Misha
asked.

   George pointed to the line of cloth wrapped bodies laid carefully
near the gate. “We lost a lost of good people."

   Misha looked at the bodies and shook his head slowly as his tail and
ears drooped.

   "But we held,” George commented softly.

   “Yes, we held,” Thomas added. “And that means a lot fewer good people
will be joining them."

   Misha nodded slowly. "Yes. Thankfully. They died a good death. An
honorable one.”

   "And one day Nasoj will fall, and our dead will rest in peace while
children play in the fields without fear,” Thomas intoned in a firm
voice.

   "Until then, we keep fighting,” George added.

   Thomas and the fox scout nodded in unison. "Agreed,” Misha added.

   “But for now, I think I'll settle for a drink,” George pointed to
Thomas. “You're buying.”

   “Thomas was startled by the temerity of the statement, and then they
all starts laughing.  "Mercenary."


End part 16

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