Ambushing the ambushers

Standing among the dead, covered in the gore and detriment that my blade Tempest caused as it cleaved and tore through these, my enemies, I can but wonder that I still breathe. For how much longer is an entirely different matter, for some of this is mine.

A vision, or should I say a warning is why I am here. I saw a scene similar to what my eyes see now, but the difference was profound. My bride, my love, Spring, lay dead on the sand, and I lay over her. I also had died, both of us victims of a cleverly designed ambush. Gnolls I understand, but that they were working along Human brigands was something of a surprise. But organizing and controlling both is an Efreet. A most dangerous and powerful entity.

We shouldn't still have an Efreet concerned with us, but there is definitely one involved. There must be something else going on, something that I can't yet see. Spring and I haven't involved ourselves in anything except exploring our lives together for some time now. We have left behind all societal positions and have no concerns except to please each other. We are not wealthy, but we also shall never want for any necessities. We are content in just being together.

Leaving her, now that was hard. Has it been just a single day? It seems so much longer. Damn, but I'm hooked. And loving it...

But I see the truth of the vision now, for we would have indeed been taken by surprise and the numbers arrayed against us would have fulfilled the scene my vision had shown me. I was able to instead take them by surprise and in small numbers, many of them while they lay sleeping. But I have removed all but the Efreet thought it was hurt before it fled.

This was a job that required stealth and no mercy. I love my wife, but Spring isn't that stealthy, at least not enough for this, and her compassion, something I can and do appreciate and cherish, but in this situation, it would be badly out of place. Indeed it would result in my hesitating to remove these vermin as quietly and quickly as I had to and instead of being swarmed under. There were two score of Gnolls ans yet another of the Brigands.

I do not enjoy killing and don't want to. But if it is her life at stake, the very World itself will run red. I don't want to be so damned good at taking the lives of others, but the world is not a world of fairy tales, but a brutal, merciless place and I will use my terrible skills in any way I can to provide a small oasis of peace and comfort for those I love. Whether in the end, I can live with myself, if she can still love me after being so stained, this I do not know. I don't really understand how she can stand to have my hands touch her, so much blood they have shed. No, I do not understand it all, but am grateful that I am still allowed to. But if the price of keeping her safe is in the end, to lose her, well, I will willingly pay the horrible toll.

If it comes back now, I do not know if I will have the strength to fight it and its magics. But I can but do the best I can. And for the moment, I can only be relieved that Spring and I hadn't continued on as we had planned, as that would mean that she would be dead, that I had failed to protect her. I might yet, but I've at the least given her more time than she would otherwise not have had.

Oh... No! Get up! I must have collapsed. But the Efreet didn't return either.

Spring. My Love. If I don't make it back to you, please forgive me my weakness. As long as you continue living...

Again? How long have I lain here? Looking at all the vultures and the state of the bodies, perhaps a day. No wonder I am so parched. Thankfully I still have some water, and I remember seeing some back in the hidden camp.

Now to get up...

Thank the Gods I found those potions. Now to make it back to my wife. She must be concerned.

I see the Oasis, Wait, what is that? It's time once again to be cautious and quiet.

So the Efreet found her, but I see her. She is unharmed but unaware of the terrible danger she is in. But I have an idea. My blood-soaked and disheveled state will work for me I think. Now to backtrack just a bit and set this up.

Tossing Tempest aside I kick sand over it. The performance starts.

A staggering, stumbling, lowly murmuring figure comes slowly into Ufdul's vision and the Efreet turns to study this apparition. The man lives. But barely. A cruel smile curves his lips and it glides across the sands to block the man's path.

I stumble as if in surprise, stop my staggering forward momentum and sway as blinking and croak out, almost to low to be heard. “You, ghost, move! I killed you already...”

The Efreet laughs and says in a deep bass “Not quite. I admit your blade stung, but you seemed to have lost it, Pity. Killing you now will be too easy.”

I reply as in consternation, “What? My blade is here. Right here in my hand. Feel it's sting again!” And I wave my empty right hand back and forth as if he was attacking the towering being with my sword.

The Efreet laughs louder, perhaps too loud as the sound may carry to Spring, and I desperately want to keep her away from the Efreet's attentions. But just as importantly, the Efreet now discounts the waving hand as no danger, as the magical blade isn't being held in it.

Now I have the chance I wanted. Taking another step closer, I draw my arm back as if in preparation to make a mighty sideways swing. 

The amused Efreet puts his head back at what he believes to be a sun-addled blood-loss weakened and basically harmless victim and laughs. 

And so he doesn't see the sword Tempest materialize in my hand at my mental summons and has no chance whatsoever to avoid the swing that cuts cleanly though his throat.

Ufdul's eyes open wide in disbelief and shock. Just in time to see the blade, streaming frosty ice crystals through the desert air as it plunges deeply into his chest, puncturing his heart.

But while he is dying, he has time to strike out once and with a fearsome blow strikes the too close and too still, so unlike my usual highly mobile form of combat,  and the blow caves in several ribs on my right side. Both of us fall. The Efreet is dead, and I? I may yet join him...

o0o

How long, indeed...

Well, a few days we’ve had. Or, rather, I’ve had. Kiril had a vision during the second night and woke me long enough to say he was leaving and to wait for his return before moving on.

Easy for him to say! This watering hole has many visitors in the early evening and morning hours – and not any of them have been human – yet.

I wish he’d enlightened me of his vision, but, to be fair, I was sleepy and probably would not have interpreted it properly anyway. Still, it’s been three full-days and three full-nights he’s been gone. I might have been able to track him on the first day, but now, with the winds blowing the sand, there isn’t much hope I’d find him before becoming totally lost in this non-road marked desert.

How long he expects me to wait is becoming a dilemma. I have food, and (as I eye the clear, fresh water bubbling from the underground spring) drinking water.

I have our tent, set up in the cluster of palms growing around the watering hole. I have my weapons, close at hand, so I can protect my oasis if I need to. But it isn’t the same without Kiril.

Even practising my art is becoming tedious. Although, one must keep in shape, physically as well as mentally.

I have completed the tumbling exercises Kiril taught me early in our friendship, and have watched the sunrise (the exertions of exercise must be done before the bright orb lifts into the clear-blue sky – it is much too hot even a half-hour past sunrise.)

I’ve filled the water jugs, and have finished two full-hours of conjuring practise, memorising the spells thoroughly. Nothing left to do now except bronze my skin. I’ll slather on some of that lotion Connie prepared, it actually stops the sun from making my skin resemble dried leather, instead keeping it soft and supple as the sun bakes colour in. I hope we catch up to her soon – I’m not out, but am running low.

A bath in the pond will wash it off later.

I suppose I’ll climb the trees and gather some of the dates hanging there. At least it is pleasant that we chose a grove of mature, and producing, palms.

I believe I’ll mix up some rice, dates and a bit of hyena meat with some of those spices we picked up back in Katapesh; truly an epicurean delight!

The horizon, in all directions, shows no sign of Kiril. How long does he expect me to wait? How long indeed…

o0o

The Sands of Time...

“It’s been a long time. We’ve been riding forever in this blasted heat. Sand has infested everything.” I wriggle in my seat, the saddle not providing the comfort level I was hoping.

“Kiril?” I call to my husband. “Can we stop for a few minutes? I need to shake some of the last storm’s grains from my garments.”

Of course, he agrees, the most placid of husbands. The only time we have words is when he is protecting me. Not that I don’t want his protection; I value that very much, but he does have a way of reading danger into every encounter. Not that we’ve met anyone since we parted company with Connie and that new fellow, I’ve already forgotten his name – was an interesting shape-shifter, at any rate. Al. His name is Al.

We were following two leads towards gathering information to collect a treasure that we have already sold and it is missing. Two leads – two directions. Connie convinced us we should split up to find the artefact before it fell into the wrong hands. We were first sent to the city, but encountered much danger along the way.

Now, a month of searching and all we’ve come across are cacti, oasis’ and a few coconut groves. Not a sign of our prey, although occasionally we can hear their yips that carry far across the sands.

I slide off the camel, barely hitting the ground before beginning to wriggle out of my garments – other ladies would be appalled at what I found comfortable and acceptable to wear in public. (Well, we weren’t really in public so I had taken liberties.)

I dropped the dingy cloak that reflected much of the sun’s heat when we were forced to travel by daylight. Normally we travelled in the cool of the night, but we’d gotten a vision – or a wishful dream, and were plodding toward the gleam that caught my attention three nights ago.

My tunic slid along my body down my hips to the ground and I stood, the sun’s heat reflecting off my tawny skin. I picked up one of the garments and began brushing my skin to rid it of the offending sand grains.

I felt the shadow of Kiril when it came between the sun’s rays and my body. A wicked grin on his face, belying the innocence of his words. “Can I help you?”

I laughed and tossed him the robe, “Yes. Find me a pond to bathe in!”

He made the pretence of searching high and low. “Sorry, m’lady. It appears we are fresh out of bathing facilities right now. However, we do have a very talented towel-boy.” His eye-brows waggled as his hands strayed to the hem of his tunic, drawing it upward. “Very talented,” he promised, tossing his garment aside and wrapping his arms about my waist, pulling our heated bodies together. “Very talented,” he whispered as his lips claimed mine.

Standing on my tip-toes I returned his ardour, shamelessly pressing against his bare skin, willing to endure the grit of sand still rubbing places it ought not to be found…

Thankfully, our camels did not mind us rutting beside them, they just sank to their knees and rested, offering us shade, if not actual coolness.

In the aftermath of our lovemaking, we lay spread eagle, accepting the faint breeze cooling the glistening perspiration from our skin, panting, the result of our exertions, the vultures already circling, landing a ways off, waiting for us to succumb to whatever death was offered.

“Shall we make camp here tonight?” my sleepy eyes gazed upon my husband’s perfect body. “We could use a few days rest, surely we will catch up with Connie soon enough.” I rolled into his arms, climbing astride, my legs on either side of him, “We’ve barely had any time to relax in the past month.”

I think my persuasion worked, although we did press on for a few hours in the twilight until we came to Aik’al’ Ruben, a small oasis that welcomed us in blissful unaccompanied peace for three days before we filled our water containers and continued on our journey. Where?

The vision first, then the actual claim of location…

o0o

A Hitchless Plan!

We have our plan set. Potions of water breathing and invisibility will be used to allow us to be in the water, and then to follow those who are present in the water to collect the, unbeknownst to them, trapped box with the light spell cast on it. Oh, and our Druid plans on being a shark! Then we will follow them until we can collect Rayhan and put paid to this Father Jackal person.

So, the plan seems to be working. We are in the water, and Blaze, my beautiful wife's magically bonded winged friend drops the box into the water from above. The splash alerts us, and the glowing box is easily followed as it sinks to the bottom. And within mere minutes a group of five humanoid creatures that are most definitely aquatic in nature, just slightly smaller than an average sized adult male human come swimming to the box. The collect it and depart, and as per the plan, we follow. The journey isn't long, about 10 minutes, when a crack in the underwater cliff face is seen, and the creatures, sahuagin I believe them to be from stories I have heard from fellow travelers that I have talked with in the past. And sure enough, they enter. We follow. 

The cleft turns into an underground passage that leads to a grotto with a small beach are on its north side. Where four out of the five now sit. The fifth carrying the box I presume as I no longer see it seems to have gone past this area, through one of two doors that can be seen from where we are in the water.

I decide to move silently out of the water and beyond the four guarding creatures to try to see if I can follow the path taken by the one carrying the box with the forged scroll. I get by them and easily track the missing creature to the door heading northward, the other door leading to the west. Apparently Spring and Connie followed me out, and one of my invisible companions decided to alert Alri, who had remained in his form of a shark and thus still in the water. A splash of the tossed rock also id heard by the four aquatic humanoids, one of which slips back into he water.

I see a perfect opportunity to ambush the remaining three. Pulling Tempest, I swing it and bisect one, slicing from left shoulder through to its right hip. This action also dispels my invisibility and now the creatures can clearly see me. As the newly made carcass into its two now separate pieces, the other two rise to their feet. The melee starts in earnest. While Connie engages in combat with one of them, I cut down another. I hear my wife's voice casting protective spells behind me. May the Gods bless her, she is learning to leave the hacking and slashing bits to myself and the others more suited for the brutality that is close combat. Meanwhile, Connie and I finish the last one that is here on the beach.

I then see Alri come out of the water as himself, bleeding some, but alone. I assumed he had finished off the one in the water. I was wrong, for it rushes up behind Alri, attacking him from the water with its trident. I jump into the water, and even with the handicap of swinging a blade in the water, slice deeply into it, stilling its threat to us.

Now all four are deceased, and a quick search finds very little of value. We move on. Or we would, except the door is firmly locked. But I had foreseen this potential problem. Going onto a headquarters of a merchant guild, I was sure that locks would be an issue that would need to be surmounted, so I spent a large amount of coin on a wand that my verne would be able to use, or in a pinch I have some training in using these devices. So presenting her a gift of a wand of Knock was fun. Of course, when I surprise her with the emerald necklace and earrings sometime in our future I expect that I will be on the receiving end of a very pleasant surprise of my own!

So through the door, down a short hall and then through a room. There is a hall leading to the west and one to the north. The trail continues north, and so we also go north. This leads to a unholy chapel that has a horrible stench coming from it. Bodies! Many many decaying and rotting bodies lay scattered about this room. But three of them rise. Some form of undead creatures. But Connie, using on the Divine might of her Deity Iomedae obliterates them. All I could do was admire the swift totality of their destruction!

Continuing on, we see a door at the end of the corridor that we are heading through open and a group of six humans, guards, I believe come into the hall. I immediate stop and wait for what I know will be coming.

And then a small glowing pebble of fire streaks past my head heading swiftly to the group of people. Then with a explosive Whoosh!, It burst into a ball of fire that fills that end of the corridor. When the fire recedes, three of them are clearly dead, and the remaining three are hurt. Spring has sprung indeed! Moving swiftly, I close on on, and with a precise strike I end one. Connie summons a mystical blade and strikes another one down. The remaining one react by pulling hand crossbow and despite my wife's magical copies confusing the senses, manages to strikes her true self. Al rolls a summoned ball of flame down at him, but he dodges. Then Spring fires a small stream of frost at him from the tip of one dainty finger, and it is just enough to put him down. I don't think anyone notices, but I slip Tempest's sharp tip into his ribs and make sure he won't recover from his swoon anytime soon. Hurt my mela, will you? Well not again you won't!

o0o

Verbiage from the Well of Spring… (dry it may be…)

Shopping all day and then being greeted and told we are no longer welcome because we fought intruders that meant us harm took its toll on our physical being and we found a quiet corner of the keep to actually rest and refresh our bodies, all the while keeping a vigilant watch, lest we be infiltrated again.

The day was hot so snuggling with my husband in a cool inner room was quite acceptable to me, and, I assume him. Of course, clothes make it even hotter. That box of talcum I purchased in the market certainly was fun spreading over our perspiring skin. I think we might have used less if we’d simply stopped at just tickling each other with the soft, lamb’s wool poof, but, well, one thing led to another, and we are married… I do not recommend kissing the body after the powder is applied. It tastes just awful!

But the way our skin moved silkily against the other’s was very pleasant, just as the sly sales lady had whispered when she conned me out of a silver coin! Worth every copper! I imagine, had we not brushed it from our faces before we met with the others, we could have frightened them into thinking we were ghosts! What fun that could have been!

After enjoying my husband’s particular vocation, we fell asleep, awaiting the appointed hour.

Waking and preparing ourselves for the night’s adventure, we left with plenty of time to reach the water’s edge before sunset.

I instructed Blaze, gave her the string holding the box Connie prepared, together and coached her where to drop it. We waited until time, then swallowed our potions of invisibility and underwater breathing, slipped into the water and started our journey.

It was an unnerving trek as the water grew darker, the weeds and fish tickled my legs. I am not the best of swimmers, and being fairly buoyant I found it intriguing trying to stay under the water, but I managed by holding Kiril whenever I felt like I was lifting off. We arrived at the location, or near enough and shortly after, Blaze dropped the box and it began sinking to the sandy bottom.

It no sooner touched down when five Mer-Warriors? Greenish-grey webbed footed and handed creatures with like fins ruffling out from their heads. (Cauliflower ears?) Anyhow, these fish-of-some-type swam up. One of them picked up the box and they quickly began to scuttle off with it.

We followed, at a respectable distance. Al, playful shark that he had become, chose not to alert them to his presence just yet.

It was fairly simple to follow them across the ocean floor, the box glowing with the light spell. A rocky crag appeared and they swam right into it and it wasn’t until we got close that we saw a rough corridor leading through. We followed cautiously.

We soon arrived in a cave and the creatures climbed from the pool, one of them heading off down a hall. We pondered our options and, there was no way around it, after trying to follow the fellow, we had to alert Al to exit, change back to his normal form and come with us.

I threw a rock in the water to catch his attention. Not smart.

You know, for a clever person, I seem to be pretty dumb sometimes. The splosh caught the attention of the weird fish-men and, although we were still invisible, the fish-dudes thought there was ‘supper’ in the pond and one dove in with the intent on spearing supper… I think Al, in shark-form, surprised him a tad.

Meanwhile we had our own battle on land, as the others noticed us, or we attracted their attention, either way, Kiril became visible, then Connie, as they battled the three fishy-guys. By the time I was ready to help, casting mAge armour and then mirror image, my assistance was not required. But it was fun dancing about, invisible while my mirror images were fully visible! I think, done correctly, this could confuse and bewilder an army of miscreants!

Al finished his battle, beached himself and returned to a fairly respectable person. We followed the footprints of the one who’d carried off the lighted trap-box.

Now, I don’t remember if we opened the door, or if we fought the next set of creatures first. I think the door. It was locked firm. Kiril surprised me with a beautifully decorated wand, with strange circular markings and the word ‘Hitachi’ inscribed on the hilt. Smiling I aimed the wand at the door, “Knock knock, Hitachi calling…” I wonder if this means he doesn’t have the necklace set… hmmm…

The door groaned then popped open.

Then we met some more creatures… A whole room full of rotting, stinking, gross, squishy, dead bodies. Only some of them weren’t so dead.

A wonderful blast by Connie levelled half of them before we’d even gotten going! My carefully constructed images disappeared just when I could have used them most and I attracted the attention

of two of these battle-hardened fighters. I survived their onslaught, and, in the end, finished off the last with a simple frosty ray. Of course, he had been considerably weakened by the other’s attentions or the frost would merely have chilled him…

Now we hear something and are not sure what is around that corner or behind that door…

I hope Blaze is enjoying herself in the sun while we toil here, under the sea…

o0o

Kapesh! We're here!

Verbiage from the Well of Spring…

Well it was certainly a wonderfully exciting day! All the sights, smells and colours! I can’t wait until Kalmarane grows, although, it is nice having it smaller – we know so many more of the people!

I have now enough fabric and notions (buttons, lace, thread, needles and the such) that I will have a huge wardrobe when we return! Maybe even four abayas! Of course, not in the traditional black – ugh! I think I will enjoy many many hijabs as well! Kiril may snort at his new wardrobe, but I have also purchased some material to fashion a few new dishdashes and keffiyehs. It was exciting to find that new, braided agal in bright colours too! Now he will have a formal, un-traditional outfit to wear for the opportunities when we must visit dignitaries. My handsome Oahrd. (I know he is going to laugh when he sees that! I cannot remember the Elvish spelling of things! Drats!)

OH! And that necklace set, the one with the emeralds that Kiril says match my eyes, I so hope he remembers which stall it was. Oh, who am I kidding? He probably already has it hid away in that bag of his!

It is enjoyable buying gifts, small trinkets, for our friends and I think Alma is going to enjoy that hookah, hers is looking rather worn.

With such a lovely morning spent shopping and the remainder of the afternoon in those ingenious glass tubs set up on the rooftop under the heady grape and citrus vines. Pure sinful luxury. It was difficult to return to reality as the sweet girl shyfully reminded us we had to get dressed for the evening’s events.

And what a dress I wore! Kiril had somehow managed to procure for me a dress made in some far-away land’s traditional garb. Stylish and form-fitted, I was shocked at the neckline that hinted at the swell of my chest! Still, if Kiril deemed it acceptable, I would wear it proudly! Besides, the fit was uncanny!

I slipped some pearls around my throat, and, as was my custom whenever given the opportunity to dress-up, I lined my eyes with kohl, brushed my cheeks with pink, and my lips with red, rose petals. A trick Haleen taught me. I also made several slits in a rose leaf and mashed the leaf until it became pulpy, and then gently rubbed the leaf across the lid of my eye, leaving a slight bright-green hint of colour. I loved the ease of the strappy Roman sandal and tied the lace at the back of my knee.

Suitable dressed and feeling a fashionista, I was rapidly feeling dowdy compared to the eventual winner of the bidding contest, a gracious, but reserved woman with an edge to her. Stunning in red and gold, the woman screamed detached confidence.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. We enjoyed a wonderful supper, hummus! Oh! Such a tasty staple that I have been craving since the last batch I made fell to the floor and was enjoyed by the few pets we now allow to roam our home in Kalmarane. Yes, a delicious supper, conversation and wonderful entertainment. I think everyone thought I had imbibed a bit too much when I jumped up to join in.

Raqs Beledi is a cultural dance Haleen had exposed me to, early. “A wonderful way to keep from gaining love-handles,” she’d smiled.

The dancers were gorgeous in their bedleh and sarongs and had a spare belt which they tied around my hips so I, too, could shake-my-change! It was great fun! And, as all wonderful times, this too must end as the dancers left us to our hookah and refreshing cool drinks.

It is time for business. My husband is determined we sell this scroll to a trustworthy person who has the means to protect it. Although we hope they will not misuse it. I am again informed that I have no right to demand anything once the price has been exchanged.

A cagey discussion ensues; each of the persons our host has brought together for the purpose of obtaining the scroll warily announces a price they are willing to pay. We scoff at their low bids.

“Come friends, we have been led to believe we will be able to retire on the treasure we should obtain. At least thrice your attempts.” I grow weary of the obtuse attitude of the one, and decidedly irritated at the repeated bid of the other. The third, being quickly outbid, nervously ejects himself from the proceedings.

A price is finally agreed upon; ninety-thousand gold pieces! A king’s ransom indeed! Do we share it equally among our party members? After all, Al was not around for much of our struggle… “Stop it!” I admonish myself. “How quickly greed sets in! I have more than I’ll ever need now, and I begrudge a friend his share!? No, no I will not become that person!”

Falling into bed, my arms wrapped seductively about my husband as his strong form pressed against mine. We peeled the layers of fabric deemed necessary for proprieties sake and shunted them away from the heated bliss our skin was becoming. Kiril’s touch sending shivers along my spine, his lips following those rough fingers… the taste of his skin as my lips caressed him… It is a good thing his watch went without incident; how humiliating to be caught red… errr, cheeked? Asleep soon after Kiril and I celebrated privately, I awoke refreshed when Al, I think, knocked on the door handing the guard of the scroll over to me.

Kiril looks so adorable, his hair mussed in sleep. I choose to sit-up, my back resting on the luxuriously padded headboard, writing, while I await morning.

Suddenly, I hear the tinkle of the bells Kiril set at the main entrance as an early warning system. Awakening Kiril, who grabs his weapons and charges down the stairs.

Me, taking the time to cast a spell before following him, bump into both Connie and Al as we stop at the head of the stairs. The light of four candles burn in branches of the overhead chandelier illuminating Kiril in a clash with several ninja-style combatants. We each begin to take actions to eliminate these interloping would-be thieves.

A swift and bloody fight takes place, arrows loosed and spells uttered as we struggle to contain the melee and protect not only ourselves, but our valuable treasure, which Kiril snatched and stuffed into his waistband as he exited our room.

Utterly fascinated, I watch his sinewy muscles roll as Kiril fights, shirtless. The drawstring on his Bedouin-style pants loosening to leave the material hugging his hips, his flat stomach rippling with muscle. Unwilling to capture him again in a web, I loose several spellbinding coils of purple sparkles that flit like butterflies before scarring the hides of these assassins!

A dreadful fight. Al’s cheetah is a clever help, although the blood is quite gory. As it ends we find we have a slew of dead minions and Al is telling us that in passing our host’s room on his way to the tussle, he noticed our host being spirited off via a portal… or was that Connie?

This is going to get interesting…er…

o0o

Fiery Balls...

Dropping my parchment and pen after scribbling that last entry, and standing to face the new threat while Connie was healing Kiril, I loosed two fireballs fast on the heels of Al’s lightning bolts and between us we fried the Gnolls and the hyena’s they were riding in on, leaving only an undetermined number of the rag-tag group on the hill in the distance.

Kiril, itching to be done with these infernal creatures dashed madly toward them, while Al dropped more lightning on them and my own fireballs rained liquid lava on their bodies (in the form of butterflies with sparkly-glittery trails!)

Kiril worked his sinewy body around and slashed the creatures nearest him, making short work of their smelly hides. A contemptuous struggle, where there was only one outcome that was acceptable to us: their deaths. Badly injured and exhausted we dispatched the last of these evil beings, before looting their bodies, adding them to the first massive pile and flaming them, the thick black smoke rising like a chimney into the night sky, the flames a beacon to any for miles around.

After checking our employer and finding him safe, Al assisted in calming the camels and getting them corralled in a small roped off pen under some cool Palms. Connie created water and nourishment for them as the rest of us busied ourselves setting up camp.

In incident around the fire caused our employer to become annoyed with us. We refused to acknowledge he had the scroll that he insisted Alma told him about. It was clear he did not believe us when we denied any knowledge of it and he took to sulking.

We wondered at how we could ease the tension that had sprung up among the party, but Kiril insisted it was his problem; we were hired to do a job, not to become friendly. It was a tense night with each of us taking watch, uneasily.

An alarm was raised in the early morning when it was discovered that our employer had either been abducted, along with his camels and goods, during the night, or he had simply been to angry with us and simply left on his own.

Well, as Connie said, “He hasn’t paid us yet!”

We followed the clear prints in the sand and soon saw the circling of vultures in the distance. Connie’s spyglass told us what we feared: Our employer and his belongings had met with a terrible fate. We rode to where the carnage was strewn.

Connie, finding our employer, bent to check him, shocked to find he was still alive! She immediately used a small healing spell on him, giving him a thread of life to cling to and he repaid her by trying to strangle her!

A few spells and smacks later, we learned that he was a member of the One Trade Traders or something like that, in the excitement, I forgot to write it down, but I do recall visiting the establishment while searching for Haleen in Katapesh. A shady, but respectable looking company that promised they could obtain anything, for a price. We learned little else of value that I recall. Instead of dispatching him to his gawds, we chose to tie him up and bring him along with us to see what else we could learn.

Kiril was very pleased with himself as he repeatedly mumbled, “I knew it! I knew there wasn’t something right about him.”

We choose to rest again at the Oasis before setting off to the city. I can hardly wait to visit the bustling, colourful, smelly, overcrowded… OH! I am looking forward to our visit! That is unless we decide to turn around, the reason for our travel non-existent now…

As we lay, entwined, the afterglow of our lovemaking still warming our hearts I can’t help but think of the rudeness we showed our employer. It was obvious he knew Kiril was fibbing, and he seemed quite …hurt. I was going to say angry, but I think he was hurt. I don’t – didn’t – trust him any more than Kiril. I can’ place my finger on it, but he just seemed too …convenient?

Bending my head I press my lips to Kiril’s; enough of that man. I’m sure there will be more trouble as we move ahead. Besides, I smile twitching my figure down Kiril’s, I have more important things to do right here…

o0o