“This is Beren Gendar, Magehunter of Agon.”
***
“Sir, all is in readiness,” the Agonish soldier said.
“Good, then we wait,” his commander replied.
“We aren't attacking?”
“Of course not. This is the southern front. Like the western front, if we push forward we dive directly into the marshy areas. We would be at a serious disadvantage. No, we are here to held the line. To protect the innocents. Even if we were to push, it would only drive the goblinoids into the wilds of the northern front. There may be some missions into the Goblinoid Lands from here, but our job is to but stand and wait. The goblinoids will come to us. The northern front is where all the action is.”
“But they are undermanned up there, it will be a slaughter,” the soldier answered.
“It may be rough at first, but more men will arrive there each day. The skills of over a dozen of their rangers are there to stymie our foes until we can secure the border. The Ravaleians are even sending golems. Once things are solid, the real push will begin. The goblinoids will be driven into our lines. They won't stand a chance.
***
The wizened goblin spat on the ground. Burn marks covered most of his body and one of his hands was missing. He walked with the aid of a staff. The young and powerful hobgoblin in front of him looked rather disappointed.
“Have the humans driven such fear in you with what they did to you Ranum?” the hobgoblin asked, “I would have thought you would be the first to call for this war and support a leader with vision.”
“It is not fear,” the elderly goblin replied, “It is knowledge. You follow the plans of the humans, these pale mages. You think with their power you will be able to crush the other humans.”
“They have more power than just their magic,” the hobgoblin stated.
“Yes, I have seen their beasts. I even know of the young dragon they prepare as their ultimate weapon. You may succeed for a while, but in the end you are missing the key components to win. Your impatience will be your downfall.”
“If we follow your way, we will never see victory. Your hopes rest on your young protege. His military tactics are quite impressive, we could use him in the war.”
“He is not ready to lead yet,” Ranum replied coldly.
“Not the whole army, no, but he could gain some glory in control of a smaller group. We could use your shaman powers as well.”
“This path is folly. I have every reason to hate the humans, as you know. This alliance with the scum will only bring pain and suffering.”
“It is only a means to an end, but I see your hate runs too deep to deal with them. I can not argue this. It burns me to deal with them, but if they are willing to fight the other humans I am all for them slaughtering each other.”
“They can do that without us,” Ranum said wearily, “We are not yet prepared for what it will take to win this war. The dragon is young. It may be powerful but it is still vulnerable. If we press this attack now, we will lose. It will delay our revenge for a great many years. Until we have shored up our resources, this war is mere foolishness.”
“I am sad that you and your followers will not join us in the glorious conquest. I am sure you will change your minds when we unleash the great beast and sweep into Agon, laying waste to the horse lands and eliminating their steeds. We will no longer cower in fear of their cavalry charges and the dreadful music of their heralds. They have nothing that can withstand such a creature. Acquiring the egg so many years ago and hatching it as part of our army was brilliant. It now serves us rather than itself.”
“What of the mother of the beast?” Ranum asked.
The hobgoblin snorted, “There are no such creatures left in this world or we would have heard more tale of them. This is the last remnant of their once great power. A trinket taken from the lizardfolk who had no vision and merely kept the egg safe and unused.”
“I can't imagine an egg that lasts for so long, only to hatch when it is convenient,” Ranum said, “This whole situation stinks of treachery.”
“We will see,” the hobgoblin said firmly, “But we control the dragon now. It is too late for treachery on behalf of the monster. I shall leave you know to contemplate things. I hope to see you on the war front some day soon.”
As the hobgoblin left a much younger hobgoblin appeared from a back room, “What will this mean for your plans?”
“Nothing,” Ranum said, “If we can find the old artifacts we will have what we need to stand against any foe. The Three Brothers are said to be weapons beyond all reckoning. Weapons that have slain even dragons. We must find a way to minimize goblin casualties in this war. We will need our armies for the real war later. Go and use your mind. It is your greatest weapon. Find answers to this riddle. I shall seek answers of my own as well.”
Enzi's Irregulars #0043
The hearts of Enzi's Irregulars all dropped. They remembered the last Magehunter they had encountered. It was possible that history could repeat itself. Beren looked to the group with eyes that said he had seen much more than a man of his age should have seen. While he was no more than twenty five years old, it was obvious he had been through several harrowing adventures already. He scanned the inhuman monsters and their Feergrus leader without a noticeable reaction.
“Good to have more people to aid us,” Beren said in a soothing baritone voice, “I just arrived not too long myself and I have seen how understaffed this front currently is. I had originally planned to join the rest of the Agonish troops at the southern front when I learned of the war, but there was no way I could leave this side of the war until we get fully manned.”
Enzi was surprised at the calm and relaxed manner of the Magehunter, then Beren continued, “You have run into another magehunter before.”
Enzi nodded, “Yes. The last magehunter that ran into my mercenaries had issues with the inherent power of a non-human creature.”
Beren nodded, “I could see that. Some Magehunters are more zealous than others. There are many that can not travel to Ravalei as they would slay the wizards there without regard to Ravaleian law. The more even tempered we are, the more likely to find us traveling far afield. In some places, like the Disputed Lands, it really turns into a case of anything goes.”
“That is unusual. Most military training I have seen involves getting everyone to follow one set goal and keep them all moving towards that goal in much the same way,” Enzi replied.
“Training to be a magehunter is very different,” Beren stated, “They search long and hard for the candidates for the training. Only a rare few have the talent to be able to detect magic. Even then, the ability varies greatly. While I can see magic by looking, some can only smell it or hear it. Since there are not a lot of people that can be Magehunters, the training focuses on skills instead of discipline. They attempt to hone our ability to perceive magic and our combat ability. No one walks out of Hadrarius unless they are a very dangerous warrior.”
“That is certainly true,” Eurysa hissed, absentmindedly rubbing the snake that had its head lopped off by a Magehunter.
“Even then, fighting mages and their allies alone is a dangerous business. Most of us don't survive long. Those that do survive for at least a year in the field are called on to do greater and greater deeds. The survivors are honed into deadlier and deadlier weapons.”
“Until you find a foe who's armor you can not breach,” Enzi stated at the realization of the grim life of a Magehunter.
Beren nodded, “This war will be a test of the Magehunters. I have survived on my own for over five years now. I fear the dangers of this war will be my ending. The Tarvoni that have allied themselves with the goblinoids need to be stopped. Without their beasts, it is simply a war against the goblinoids. That may be tough enough on its own, but at the moment it seems more like an impossible task.”
“Until we get reinforcements, the whole northern front will be rough,” Enzi replied, “Especially with this monster that
is killing people.”
Beren nodded his head in agreement, “I've searched the area around the slayings. Whatever it is, it does not have a magical signature. The only magic in the area are the spells that power the two golems over there. I think the Ravaleians are worried that I'm going to destroy their toys.”
“The last golem we dealt with left me a couple pounds lighter,” Aldebaran grunted as he rubbed the empty area where his left horn used to be, “Although it was an experiment for the war effort that did not work right.”
“Too bad,” Beren said, “As long as the golems do what they are supposed to, I'm not worried about them. If I had a problem with Ravaleians doing magic, I would have never made it through their country to take the black ship to Casea.”
“Yes, I noticed your blade,” Enzi said.
Beren sighed, “If I knew what I would encounter to get it, I would have never gone to the isle.”
“I've heard tales of the isle, but I've never visited it myself.”
“Don't,” Beren said simply, “There is little left there now, and what is left is in the most terrible places. I arrived at what they call Adventurer's Port with little to worry me. I explored the ruins of what had once been a great port, supposedly the capital of the country. The floods had done some damage, time had done more, but the greatest damage had been the visitors. The rubble had been picked clean. The people from the black ship were busy collecting their mold. I busied myself heading inland.”
“Ah, the rare mold you mentioned to me,” Ritter said towards Enzi.
“It funds their trips to the isle,” Beren said, “Though I can not think of any legal uses for that stuff.”
“Crime often pays more,” Enzi stated, “They sell it to the Ravaleian assassins, which while not legal, they are socially accepted.”
“Ravalei calls itself a pure democracy,” Beren said, “But sometimes it feels more like anarchy. It is still more civilized than what I found on Casea. I searched further and further inland, finding everything picked over by other scavengers. Dangerous creatures walked the ruins. Mostly the enormous ants.”
“I've heard tale of the Casean Ants,” Kava said, “If they are as large as I have heard, then they should not exist. Insects can not grow that large, they are not designed to handle that.”
“I imagine magic is to blame,” Beren said, “Though the Razor Mantis found in Kurrot are of similar size.”
“The trenchers we dealt with were foul enough,” Kava stated, “I worry when so many creatures are of proportions that do not make sense. Next thing you know, someone will tell me that the dragons from the legends told by the troglodytes are real.”
“I don't know about dragons,” Beren said, “But there is something far worse lurking in Casea. I approached a city that had once been known as Lorica. It was the center of scientific achievement and magical research for Casea. Just seeing it in the distance made me think of turning back. Great clouds swirled above the city in a constant maelstrom.”
“I hate to think what the damage to the isle might have done with all that magic and science,” Enzi said, “From what you are saying, you found something terrible.”
“Beyond terrible,” Beren replied, “It was confirmation of something I was not sure I believed. I felt I had little to fear, so I entered the city. I searched around despite a sense of foreboding and pure evil. A great many treasures sat unclaimed. It seemed too easy. I saw the blade I hold now and took it in my hand. It saved my life that day. The blade was remarkable when I cleaned it off. It gleamed so well that I saw movement behind me in the mirrored metal. I spun and saw a terrible beast. I had been taught of this creature and others like it in Hadrarius. They were the monstrosities that many Tarvoni make deals with to increase their power.”
“A demon?” Enzi asked with a twinge in his voice.
Beren nodded, “It was massive and shrouded in shadows. I could feel its malevolence as it came towards me. The dread I had felt in the city had been its very presence. I thought that my end had come. My feet seemed rooted in place. I broke through the fear and fled through the city, hoping to use the buildings as obstacles to escape the creature. Then I saw why the city remained filled with artifacts. I stumbled across a mighty ziggurat covered in the skulls of the dead. The maelstrom was centered above it. I had run straight to the very home of the demon.”
Beren took a deep breath, “Even with all my skill and a Casean blade at my side, I saw no way I could defeat such a foe. I fled the city, though the demon was hot on my tail a few times. I lost him and made my way back towards the Adventurer's Port. The black ship had certainly left by then. I was worried that the fiend would track me down but he never came. Eventually the ship came back and I took passage back to Ravalei. If I ever return to Casea it will be with an army of allies to defeat that monstrosity. The Tarvoni supposedly make deals with the demons and even summon small fiends to their service, but the demons do not stay here long. This fiend is actually permanently in our world.”
“A worthy threat to take down someday,” Enzi replied, “Hopefully whatever allowed it to enter this world also prevents it from leaving that city. I can not imagine many other reasons why such a powerful creature would not simply have followed you and ended your career short.”
Suddenly a great commotion interrupted the conversation. The group moved to see what all the fuss was about. A corpse was dragged into the camp. It was one of the rangers who had been on patrol. His head and spine were missing. The Beast that Takes Trophies had taken another skull for his collection. Immediately a party was put together to investigate.
“Take us to where you found him,” Enzi said, “We will see what Mayitso can sniff out.”
***
The goblin sat in a tree cleaning his new trophy as his listened to the humans in the camp not far from his position. He watched the party sent out to find him with great interest. The monstrous members intrigued him. He had never seen a gorgon, vodyanoi, or minotaur before. He had to resist an urge to spit at the dwarf. The Halz had long been a bane to his people. Seeing one above ground and away from his people seemed like a unique opportunity. A dwarf skull would make an exquisite trophy.
The Feergrus man worried the goblin. From his limited knowledge, they were mages. Defeating him would be a challenge. The large wolf also worried him. Such a creature had very sharp senses. He would have to be extra careful in his travels. Stealth was his ally. If the wolf could remove that advantage, the goblin would be greatly outmatched. The goblin decided to follow them and watch. Perhaps the opportunity to eliminate one would come. They seemed to be in too tight a group, but observation would allow the goblin to learn more about them.
***
Kasamir sighed as he watched Lunaris fire another wayward arrow from her bow. The only reason she was practicing at all was because the elder ranger was hovering over her. She had no urge to learn to fight. He was not even sure why she was being trained as a ranger. Being one of the Nuvroci Rangers was an honor. They were an elite force, using stealth and the wilderness to their advantage. He wondered if her entrance had been because of her family. He did not know the Justis family, he wondered if they were rich enough to get their daughter into an elite program.
When motivated, she learned things quite well. Her skills in stealth and knowledge of nature were second to none. She had learned them because it allowed her to find the best places to disappear so she could sleep. Kasamir wondered if there was anything he could do with such a lazy and unmotivated wretch. If she could apply her motivation to other things, it was possible that she could become a truly great ranger. As it was, Kasamir expected she would find herself in a bad situation someday. It would lead to her death.
He was not entirely sure how he felt about that. In a way it would be his fault as a failure of his teachings. Yet he also could not feel sorry for her. It was her own choice to act as she did. Perhaps if he was a better teacher he would know how to motivate her. Yet he had never chosen to be a teacher. He
was a Nuvroci Ranger. That was what he was good at. The responsibility for Lunaris had been thrust upon him. As another arrow widely missed its mark, Kasamir merely sighed again. It was going to be a long day.
Enzi's Irregulars #0044
The patch of grass where the scout had fallen stilled showed the signs of his death. The smell of blood could still be detected by all the Irregulars. It was the more subtle scents that Mayitso was looking for. The lycanthrope sniffed the matted and blood stained grass. He detected a scent of something else hidden among the scents of blood and the natural scents of the Halcyon Wood. His nose led him directly to a tree. The immense wolf looked up into the branches.
“It seems whatever we are dealing with is a climber,” Enzi said.
Kava frowned. They had been talking of this hunter as some kind of monster. She had seen the wounds on the body. As far as she was concerned, this wasn't some supernatural beast. This was someone with a knife. The theatrics were an excellent way to strike fear in an enemy. That meant one thing to her. This was most likely a goblinoid. Something that could climb easily and was stealthy. The rest of the party took to watching the trees. They searched the area and found little else. However, they had some new clues. The next scouting party to leave the base camp would be better prepared.
***
The goblin sometimes known as the Hunter of Man watched the search from a safe distance. His enemy had learned of his travel through the trees. The goblin smiled. It was time to switch up his tactics. These new foes would be worthy trophies indeed. Even if it meant an end to his game. He had known this day would be coming. It was time to unleash the nastiest of his tricks. He would make the humans suffer before he fell. He would go down fighting.
He slipped stealthily through the forest back towards his home. He had a lot of work to do. He looked down as the skull and spine he had recently taken. He could add this last trophy to his hovel while he was there. It needed cleaned up anyway. The waters of Siren Swamp worked well to wash away the blood from bone and leave the bone gleaming. He liked his trophies to shine, When he passed, they would be his legacy to show how much damage he had caused before he finally fell.