About Blood 53: Following the Trail

53: Following the Trail

The common room of the Friendly Arm Inn was less full than the last time Imoen and the two half elves had been here. Bentley smiled warmly as always, but there was worry in his eyes. Still, the breakfast he had prepared had been delicious. Jaheira and Dynaheir were now selling off some trinkets robbed from the gnoll fortress, while Imoen was out, exploring the small community. Khalid and Minsc were sitting at a table, drinking milk.

“So, Minsc is confused. Dynaheir said ‘Harpers’ are goodly Heroes.”

Khalid shushed him. “M… Minsc… do you think you could not say that so l… loud?”

Minsc petted his hamster. “Oh, Minsc is sorry. That is what Minsc doesn’t understand. If you are Heroes who not say everyone you are and have people cheering and clapping and offering free food and hamsters!”

Khalid looked around. “We… ah… w… work in secret… g… gather information, covert s… strikes against slavers and such, f… finding criminals in hiding. W… we usually let the o…overt work and t… the glory to paladinic orders.” He kept his voice low.

Minsc nodded. “Ah yes. Paladins. Minsc thinks Orders are like the lodges back home, except with shiny armour and horses! So Minsc’s half-elven friends are part of a different lodge that surprises Evil by applying the boot of justice when they least expect it”

Khalid smiled lightly. “S… something like that. S…some people d…don’t like us s…so you shouldn’t t…talk about it too much.”

Minsc nodded. “So how did you become part of your lodge of super-secret buttkickers?”

Khalid’s smile faded. “Not much to tell. They s…saved my life, I had nowhere to g…go and I wanted to do something g…good in the world.”

Minsc seemed oblivious to Khalid’s reluctance. “Minsc’s father was a great hero in Ice Dragon Berserker lodge. Minsc’s mother always told him tales of…”

“I really d…d…don’t feel like d…discussing the…p…past, Minsc.” Khalid said, somewhat vehemently.

Minsc looked back with wide, innocent eyes. “But Minsc just wanted to know if his buttkicking hero friend had a heroic father or mother too?”

The half elf stood. “I said I d… d… don’t want to talk about it!” the half elf snapped. “And I’m n… n… not a h…hero.”

There were a few moments of silence, Minsc looking crestfallen, Jaheira and Dynaheir looking towards the table. The red-haired Calishite rubbed his forehead. “I’m… I’m s…sorry Minsc, I d…didn’t mean t…to s… snap b... but I…”

He was interrupted by the sound of dozens people crying out in surprise and alarm. The little spat forgotten as all four of them grabbed their weapons and rushed outside. Imoen was standing among the crowds, an arrow drawn, looking at the sky.

A pegasus was circling around the inn, with a rider on its back. The rider seemed to be yelling, but no one could make it out quite right. Then suddenly, the winged horse began an erratic descent. The stunned onlookers saw that the rider was clutching the horse’s neck tightly and could make out his voice. “No, not so fast, slow down, slow down! You’re gonna get us killed! SLOW DOOOOOWN!”

The pegasus swerved and bobbed in the air, until it headed for the ground at a manageable speed. People quickly moved away from the landing zone. The sound of horse’s hooves on cobblestones sounded through the air as the magical creature trotted over the ground in a hurried canter, slowing down. The rider seemed amazed. “We made it! We made…”

And that’s when the winged horse ran into a wall.

The crowd immediately rushed to the pair’s aid, Jaheira first among them. Fortunately, the rider hadn’t landed under the animal. Seeing that the man looked rather old, and his leg looked injured, Jaheira quickly spoke. “Calm down. Your leg looks injured but otherwise you seem to be…” And then her eyes met the rider’s.

“YOU!” They both exclaimed.

Khalid had managed to get to the front of the crowd in Jaheira’s trail. He suddenly blanched and smiled nervously. “H…eh…h...hi s…sir Bjornin.”

“You here? Are you meeting up with your accomplice after his latest misdeeds?” The paladin asked.

Jaheira glared back. “We have been found innocent, paladin! And our business here is none of yours now, as it wasn’t the last times we met! Now how do you explain your abuse of this animal?”

The pegasus snorted and got back up to its feet unsteadily. It almost seemed to glare at the paladin and Jaheira in turn.

As people helped him stand, the old, cripple man guffawed. “Animal… hmpf…” He took a wand out of his pocket. “Now how did he say this thing worked…” He waved the wand at the creature and spoke some words. There was a flash of light and where the horse had been stood a young wizard, angrily rubbing his head.

“Oh, so I guess me being a human makes the abuse perfectly all right?” He said angrily.

“MELICAMP!” Imoen called out happily. “What are…”

“ME abusing you?” Bjornin looked affronted. “You’re the one who careened an injured man straight into a wall!”

“I’d have landed better if you hadn’t been screaming in my ear and strangling me!” The apprentice wizard answered.

“Be that as it may…” Dynaheir tried to intervene, but Bjornin replied.

“I wasn’t screaming! I was giving you instructions! Instructions you ignored! And if you’d just worn a bit…”

“If you two would stop bickering…” Jaheira started.

“Instructions? Since when do you know anything about flying? And you can shove that bit up…”

“There are LADIES present, boy,” the paladin pointed to Jaheira, Dynaheir and Imoen, the latter looking ready to crack up, the other two on the verge of physical violence. “And I am an accomplished horseman.”

“I was a pegasus, not a horse! And I’m the one who has been a bird for quite some time before.”

“Yeah, a chicken.” Imoen snickered, earning her laughter from the crowd and a betrayed look from Melicamp.

Before the paladin could form another answer, Jaheira intervened. “Fascinating as your discussion is, what is so urgent you came here in such haste?”

The paladin and mage-apprentice suddenly forgot their bickering, their faces grim. Melicamp looked at Imoen. “It’s about your friend.”

Imoen’s snickering stopped abruptly. “What about Talek?”

…

Half an hour later, the party had left the Friendly Arm Inn. Sir Bjornin hadn’t been entirely convinced of Tranzig’s guilt, but the two Rashemites words, combined with Bentley’s assurance that someone evil was indeed hunting Talek, made him doubt. The group had left him and Melicamp there, Imoen ready to leave as soon as Bjornin related the mob that had gone into pursuit of her childhood friend. Now the group was following Minsc, tracking the obvious trail the hounds, the mob and the Flaming Fists that followed them. They had passed the deserted tent Ajantis had rested in, a leather-bound book telling of the adventures of legendary paladins still bookmarked.

“Oh, we should have just told the Fist about Tranzig, this never would’ve happened!” Imoen fidgeted with her hair.

“I disagree.” Jaheira said tensely. “Tranzig and the bandit camp is our only lead. If the Fist acted too soon and our enemies found out what we know, they might take steps to further cover their tracks. We could not have foreseen this.” Her voice softened. “Besides, I do not believe the villagers managed to catch him.”

“Why not?”

“If they had done so, they would have returned to Beregost, or more likely, he Friendly Arm.”

Khalid nervously bit his lips. “But the s…same goes f…for the Flaming F… Fists. W… what could have h… happened to them? T…Talek and the others c… can’t have k…killed them all.”

Dynaheir pursed her lips. “I have a possibility, but tis not a cheerful one.” She gave Imoen a sympathetic look. “We seem to be travelling in the direction of Larswood, if I am not mistaken. Perhaps a gambit of thy friend’s companions to escape their pursuers.”

“The bandits, blast it!” Jaheira cursed. “Bah, this speculation is pointless, we shall deal with whatever may…”

Suddenly, Minsc stopped and scratched his neck, looking at Imoen with a hesitant expression.

“What?” The auburn-haired girl said.

The giant man avoided her eyes. “Eh… the dogs were released at this place. Minsc thinks they started running.”

Imoen’s eyes grew wide. “Talek!” She started a run, but Jaheira grabbed her shoulder.

“Calm yourself, child. I am as concerned as you are, but those forests are dangerous. We’ll go in them together, weapons drawn.” She rubbed her quarterstaff. “And if bandits or lynch mobs have hurt my charge, they will wish the Flaming Fist had got to them first!”

The group followed the trail further into the forest. Soon, the smell of death guided them, accompanied by the buzzing of flies and a smacking sound. Imoen’s face went pale, and her hand holding an arrow nocked trembled.

The sight that greeted them was gruesome. Corpses were piled up casually on the forest floor; a cloud of flies covering it. A few dogs had dragged two corpses off, and were tearing strips of flesh from the bodies. When they noticed the newcomers though, their attention shifted to them. Bloodstained teeth were bared as they menacingly stepped closer.

Khalid’s voice was high. “I t…t… think w… we f…found the d… dogs…”

Dynaheir raised a hand and snapped an order. “Minsc, quickly, see if thou canst calm these creatures.”

The ranger nodded and, a hand on his sword, kneeled and made soothing gestures at the leading hound.

The beast growled and, not showing the least bit interest in the ranger’s attempts, leapt for his throat.

Dynaheir’s voice sounded, and ice-blue globes left her hand, striking the dog that fell with a yip. The remaining hounds soon joined it on the ground, attacking without care of their own lives.

As the last one died, Minsc frowned. “Minsc thinks dogs are acting… wrong. They aren’t scared when they should be, and didn’t even listen to Minsc.”

Jaheira nodded. “I sensed some unnatural taint too, but that can wait…”She stepped towards the pile of corpses.

Imoen went to the corpse the dogs were mauling, turning it on its back as she checked its identity. Seeing the dead face, she reeled back, ran to a tree and emptied her stomach.

“Don’t force yourself Imoen. I’ll… check the corpses.” Jaheira said, her voice betraying some amount of nerves. The other waited for about a minute, until the druid looked at the last corpse with a relieved sigh. “He’s not among them.”

Imoen leaned against a tree and echoed the sigh, as Khalid rubbed his chin. “B… but what h… happened to him t… then?”

Minsc looked around. “Just one group left this place, deeper into the forest.” He concluded. “They tried to hide their leaving, but they cannot hide from Minsc and Boo. About twenty people.”

Dynaheir nodded. “So, if we presume the unfortunate villagers did manage to find Talek, we know he is with the people that did this, most likely the bandits.” Imoen looked alarmed, but Dynaheir made a calming gesture. “They wouldn’t bother taking him with them just to kill him. Even if they would want his corpse so they might claim the price on his head, his companions’ corpses would be here.”

“I h…heard that …many people have b… been taken alive b… by the b… bandits.” Khalid said. “Even the s… son of one of the G… Grand Dukes.”

Jaheira stood, and grabbed her quarterstaff. “Then it is about time we go and find out what happened. Minsc, can you follow the trail?”

“Eh, d… dear, do you th… think that’s a g… good idea?” Khalid flinched under a withering stare from Jaheira. ”I m… mean, five of us against a bandit c…camp?”

“What do you suggest then?”

“W… we could ask the help of the F… Flaming Fist? There’s m… more in Beregost.”

Imoen looked worriedly at Khalid. “Do we have time for that?”

“Wonder not whether we can afford to go and call for aid, but whether we can afford not to.” Dynaheir said. “I concur with Khalid. Should we perish through rash actions, there shall be no succour at all for your friend.” She looked at Jaheira. “Also, even if we prevail, liberating Talek, gathering information and putting an end to the bandit raids, I do not see how the five of us can prevent most villainous rogues from fleeing when their plot falls apart. I do not wish these bandits to continue to ply their trade even outside the conspiracy.”

Jaheira looked thoughtful. “Much as I dislike getting authorities involved, you make a strong case. Very well then. I will just have to hope the repugnant halfling manages to keep the boy from getting himself killed until we can come and rescue them. Imoen, I hope you understand our reasoning.”

The girl nodded, biting her lip. “Yeah, just… let’s hurry then.”

Dynaheir turned to the bald ranger. “Minsc, Dost thou think thou art able to find the bandits’ lair without being spotted?”

Minsc nodded. “Minsc will look for the bandits’ evil butts, but hide his boot of justice under the long skirt of ranger stealth!”

“…Very well. I suggest then that Imoen and I remain in the Friendly Arm, to receive Minsc if anything should go awry.” Dynaheir said.

Jaheira nodded. “The two of us will return to Beregost immediately. I just hope the Flaming Fist there won’t be too stubborn.”

Minsc’s face split in a wide grin. “Minsc will be able to repay heroic Imoen by saving her friend like she saved his witch!”

Imoen was unable to maintain her worried face, and Dynaheir too gave the ranger a slight smile. “Just be careful, Minsc. Naught more than finding their camp, looking at it, and returning to the inn, understood?”

The ranger nodded. Jaheira finished a short prayer for the corpses and looked at her companions. “Very well then, no time to waste. We all have our tasks. We meet in the Lonely Inn tomorrow, as early as possible. Hopefully with some Flaming Fists at our side.”