All the while Erste and Alma were off in the corner with their faces downward. At least they are not dead, thought Ing. There is still a chance to save them and get the Rod piece back. All is not yet lost. I will not be beaten by a petty creature. The thing is half my size. Give me a sword and I will cut him down.
“What happens now?” said Grimlee. He looked at Ing. “I have given you a slight amount of Spidree poison; else you would be dead by now. It is going to wear off soon, unfortunately. What to do, what to do?” He tapped his fingers together.
Ing suddenly felt the effects of the poison losing their grip on him. When Grimlee turned around, he grabbed the rug under his feet and pulled it swiftly out, sending Grimlee crashing to the floor, unconscious.
With the creature out of commission the power of the Rod lost its grip on the two companions on the floor and they began to wake up.
“What’s going on?” asked Erste, snapping out of his trance and pulling himself to his feet.
Ing got to his feet as well and spotted his sword on the bookshelf. I almost lost you again.
“No time to explain,” said Ing as he withdrew the sword to the sheath hooked to his belt. “We have to hurry and find the Rod, and get out of here before this creature wakes up.”
“Alma, check your quiver,” said Erste.
Sure enough, Bolsee’s Rod fragment was there. “It's inside,” she said. “We have it in our possession once again. All is well.”
“Let’s go,” said Erste.
Ing, Alma and Erste walked out the door.
“We’ll have to take the boat back across,” said Alma.
The three companions piled into the boat and set off, rowing as fast as they could.
“Let’s hope we don’t encounter any more Mermen,” Alma said.
“I don’t think we’ll be seeing them again,” Erste replied. “There are no more in the water as far as I can tell. This waterway must connect to another part of the cave where they swam off to. But if we do encounter another one let me take care of it. I think I can find a way to not harm the Merman.”
When they reached the shore, they quickly hobbled out of the boat. There had luckily been no interference from the fish-men.
Alma spotted a Spidree on Erste’s left shoulder moments after they disembarked. She shot an arrow through it and it spiraled off into the water with a subtle spray.
Ing, Alma, and Erste ducked down and made their way back through the dark cave to the entrance. It was so good to see the sunlight again. It is still day, thought Ing.
“Who was that creature?” Ing asked to his uncle. “It recognized you.”
“I have no idea,” said Erste. “He recognized me as one of the mountain people, but that doesn’t narrow down the list much. In any case he seemed to want the Rod for himself. He doesn’t seem to have any connection to the Dark Lord.”
Chapter 10: The Forest Mother
“We must separate for now, Ing,” said Alma. “I have business to take care of. In the meantime, you should head for the mountain village of Dharma that Erste has spoken of. You will be protected there.”
“Will you be alright on your own?” asked Ing.
“I’ll be fine,” said Alma calmly. “You must remember I have been on my own before. We have not always traveled together. Just worry about yourself. Before I forget, Dharma is to the northwest. It shouldn’t take long to reach. You will know the place when you see it. It lies in the Horda Mountains, most ancient of all the mountain ranges in Eclestia.”
“Goodbye for now, then,” said Ing. He didn’t want to separate from Alma, but he had no choice. He had come to learn that it was in her nature to do as she wished.
“Goodbye, Ing.” The girl pulled him close in an embrace and he smell her sweet scent. Be safe, my friend, he thought.
On the first night of Ing’s journey, he stopped at a tavern in the town of Stonebrooke. The town was aptly named for it was built mostly of stone and a brook ran nearby. It was livelier than the other taverns he’d been to. People were drinking some kind of ale and talking rather loudly. A man sat at on a black leather bench before a grand piano in the corner of the room, playing a cheerful tune that soothed Ing. He decided to stay and listen to the music for a while, allowing his tired mind a rest from the journey.
He could not help but overhear a conversation two men were having at a table to his right. They were practically shouting.
“Stonebrooke is the only place that’s safe anymore,” said the man on the left side of the table. He had grey-blue eyes and a sad look upon his face. Blond hair hung down to his back. “What, with those Illusionists and other dark beings running around everywhere.”
“That Slithzalien fellow is ruining the whole land,” replied the man on the right. He was ebony-skinned and had a deep scar under his left eye. His clothing was similar to that of Hamilton the thief who ran with Hector LaBelle. He had not hair on the top of his head, but facial hair could be seen upon his chin.
“Shhh! Be quiet,” said the man on the left. “Don’t just go around saying his name like that. You never know who could be listening.”
“Nonsense! His eyes and ears don’t reach
