[SleepingDragon]: 268.The Staff of Illidon.Chapter Four- Rats!

Chapter Four- Rats!

Since the day was half spent when the prisoners were finally released, and the Wild Boar was no longer a place where they could lodge, William decided to put the three of them up in one of Halidon’s inns. He chose The Red Bull Inn and Brewhouse, known for it’s fine food and stout ale. They would have a several league trek the following morning to Glendale. They would enjoy an evening with good food and comfortable beds before beginning their journey.

At William’s urging, Chad and Mari were well behaved, and caused no trouble with the locals. They ate, drank and danced a little before turning in to their rooms. They woke early and visited a local smokehouse to fill their packs with provisions. A trip to the smithy was in order as well, for they were without weapons after the escapade at The Wild Boar.

Chad chose himself a sturdy broadsword, mail skirt and leather armor. Mari outfitted herself with a short bow and three quivers. She acquired a set of throwing knives that she strapped to her upper legs over the green hose she wore. William purchased a short blade that he could wear beneath his cloak.

When they were ready, they left the town of Halidon and set out for Glendale on foot. They followed the road most of the way, stopping once to have lunch where a small river crossed the road. They filled their skins in the river and continued until they were nearing the vale. They skirted the vale itself by taking a trail through the woods around it. They did not want to risk a run-in with locals who may have recognized Mari and Chad. By mid afternoon they found themselves upon the rocky path that led to the mountain cavern, the road none had returned from in all the history of Glendale.

The trail wound its way upward around rocks and dying trees, through the foothills of the mountain. The wind picked up as they gained altitude, and set a chill in their bones as they continued to climb. Rounding a corner, they were startled by a large snake perched upon a boulder. The serpent lunged at Chad bearing its venomous fangs. Chad swiftly lopped of the viper’s large head to all of their relief. After catching their breath a moment, they continued on. They reached the cave entrance without any other confrontation.

At the entrance to the cave, they stopped for a short rest, sharing rations of dried pork and bread.

“So this is it?” Chad asked with a broad grin. “The cave none return from. What do you suppose is in there?”

“The staff of Illidon, I presume.” William replied. “Otherwise, I have not a clue.”

“Let us hope it is not the ghost of wenches past.” Mari chided. “Or we will lose Chad for sure.”

Chad threw a tuft of brown grass and dirt at Mari. She in turn tossed a throwing knife that landed in the ground between his legs, dangerously close to his groin.

“This is no time for jesting.” William scolded them. “We must be on our guard.”

“Oh we’re on our guard.” Chad replied, a broad smile playing on his face. “Don’t worry.”

Mari looked at William and grinned. “Never worry until Chad tells you ‘don’t worry’.”

Chad reached for another tuft of grass and Mari reached for another throwing knife, stopping him short. She raised an eyebrow at him and he dropped the clod of dirt, laughing it off.

The two continued their banter, to the chagrin of William, all the while they sat and rested. He wondered if he had not made a mistake asking these two to join him. Finally he’d had enough of it and stood, lifting his pack.

“Come. It is time we continued.”

They entered the mouth of the cavern and stopped, giving their eyes time to adjust. The area just inside was large enough to fit a team of horses, had they had them, but they could see that it quickly narrowed as it went back into the mountain. The surface of the cave was rock, and there was no evidence of civilization. There were no brackets for torches, old or new, nor any other thing that would tell of people passing before them.

“We will need light before long.” Chad said. “Did you plan for that, wizard?”

William stepped back outside the cave briefly and returned with a dried piece of a fallen tree. He lifted his other hand to it and uttered a word unintelligible to the others. The end of the brand quickly burst into flame. He then uttered a second word and the flame died down some and became stable, but at the same time gave off considerably more light. He handed the torch to Chad.

“Impressive.” Chad raised an eyebrow. William smiled.

“Thank you.”

They peered around in the light of the torch to discover nothing their eyes had not already told them. The entranceway was barren, except for a few bats that now made sweeping passes at the torchlight before disappearing into the darker recesses of the cave. The three looked at each other and all nodded. With Chad in front and Mari bringing up the rear, they continued back into the cave. As the cave narrowed, it sloped immediately downward and curved slightly to the right. The occasional spider web decorated the rock walls. Any spiders they saw upon them were smaller than a hand and were of non-poisonous varieties.

They traveled less than half of an hour in this fashion before the cave widened and they came to a wide staircase of stone. Here there were brackets, and one held an old torch. Chad managed to get it lit from the one he held, and he handed one of the torches to William. Carefully, the party began to descend the steps. Along the side of the staircase were stone walls that were evidently part of the ruins below. They were sheer but made of laid stone, different from the rock of the cave that had brought them this far.

“I hear something below.” Mari informed them as they continued their decent.

They all stopped. After straining his ears for a moment, William could make out the faint sound of something scratching on rock.

“A rat, more than likely.” Chad guessed.

In a few more steps, it was confirmed that Chad had been correct. The staircase ended not far below them and a rat stood at the base of it, scraping on the bare stone floor and chittering. Quickly, an arrow from Mari’s bow silenced it. They descended the rest of the steps and Mari retrieved her arrow.

“If this is all we meet, it will be an easy job.” Chad said, grinning.

They looked around as well as they could in the torchlight. It appeared that they were in some kind of outer courtyard to a larger structure that loomed up in front of them. To the right and left, stone walls like that which lined the staircase disappeared off into the dusty gloom. Pillars could be seen at intervals. Not far from where they stood, near one of the pillars, was a large pile of rubble. Before any of them could decide which direction to move, the chittering sound started again, this time much louder. At the edge of the torchlight, they could see that several rats approached their position.

Mari began firing arrows at them. Chad handed his torch to William and unsheathed his sword, attacking those closest to him. For a moment, it seemed that they had the situation well in hand, but soon the amount of rats coming at them multiplied and they began to become overwhelmed. Rats were issuing, it seemed, from every crack and crevice in the stone walls of the courtyard.

“Back up the stairs!” Chad yelled. “Now!”

He and Mari began backing toward the staircase, still fighting off the rats. William stood his ground and did not move. Soon, the two bodyguards were on the stairway and William stood alone surrounded by the rodents.

Raising the torches in the air, William began to chant, eyes closed. Soon, vines began to grow up out of the stone floor and entangle the rats, trapping them. William squeezed his eyes together, straining, and uttered strange words.

Arcana Olara!

Suddenly the trap vines that had ensnared the rats burst into crimson flame. The rats shrieked as they were incinerated by the wizard’s fiery death trap, wreathing in torment. After a moment, the shrieking ceased and only the stench of burnt hair and flesh told that the rats were ever there. 

“What do you call that trick?” Chad asked, amazed. “That was good.”

“Need.” William returned, still somewhat dazed, and partially exhausted from the spells he had cast.

“Smells wonderful.” Mari chided. “Let’s move off.”

No one argued and they began moving toward the main underground structure. They passed near to the pile of stones they had seen earlier and Mari stopped.

“This man’s search ended here.” She announced, pointing at a skeletal arm sticking out of the rubble. In its grasp, a cylindrical piece of wood, covered in cobwebs.

William moved over to examine the discovery. He did not touch it immediately, but moved his head this way and that, studying it. Finally, he looked at his comrades.

“I believe this may be a part of the staff we seek.” He told them. “It looks as though a similar piece may attach to one end of it.” He reached out and pulled the piece of petrified wood from the bony hand that held it. He brushed the cobwebs off it and studied it further.

“I must probe it with a spell of identify,” He informed Chad and Mari, handing each of them a torch. “Stand back. I don’t know what might happen.”

The wizard then closed his eyes, holding the piece of wood in his hands, and began to mumble unintelligibly. Mari and Chad exchanged curious glances. At first, nothing happened, but soon they began to feel a low rumble in the stone floor.

“Look out!” Mari yelled, jumping back and looking up into the gloom. She had moved just as a large piece of stone fell from above, landing right where she had been a moment before. William stopped his utterance and jumped out of the way as more stones began to fall. They all ran toward the main structure, as the low rumble became a loud roar in their ears. Soon, stones were raining down everywhere on the far side of the courtyard. It was as if a landslide was taking place within the cavern.

Clear of danger, the three comrades ducked down behind one of the pillars near the larger structure and watched the rocks fall. The rocks continued to pile and roll around the stone floor for several moments, filling the underground chasm with dust. At last, the cascading tumult began to subside and a last rock rolled down the huge mound of rubble that now completely barricaded the stairway entrance.

“Nice move wizard” Chad grumbled. “Now there’s no way back!”