Ranger's Folly (Lost Tales of the Realm) by J.T. Williams

Author:J.T. Williams [Williams, J.T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-02-17T18:00:00+00:00

Let Arrows Fly

They said caves. I know of only one set of caves nearby.

They were in the woods a few hundred yards away. It was an old shrine to a dwarf god. It was mostly open and bare, long ransacked of any valuables, but he also knew of another way into it. A side entrance.

He sprinted through the woods and made a southern loop to come up on the back of the cave system. There was a small waterfall that ran down one side of the rocks, facing out. It was here there was a narrow passage and a more secret way into the caves. He drew his sword and crept forward. Pushing a tangled set of overhanging vines out of his way, he slipped into the darkness. It had been many years since he had been this way. It was more by accident that he had found it, but he was thankful he had. He made his way around a corner and saw a wooden bridge over the upstream curve of the waterfall.

His surroundings were dark, and without a torch, he was wary of his path. He felt his way down the bridge, and then up a rocky path, he entered another passage. Turning immediately right, he saw light ahead. He snuck toward it, keeping his sword ready for whoever or whatever was ahead. He could hear voices. He got within earshot and then listened.

“How much longer?” the voice said.

“Just a bit more.”

“We’ve been waiting here for over a day and that bastard Rusis just keeps promising us we’ll be paid.”

“Quiet,” the second man said. “It’s an easy job. Just a single Ranger. He said we could keep the kid afterward and the woman too.”

Fadis took a deep breath; his anger simmered.

“We brought twenty men, enough to overpower any Ranger. Once the first few go in, we will go in ourselves. That Rusis paid for quite a few to show up.”

At this point, Fadis heard footsteps, and he fell back against the wall of the cave. A man came running by and went to the men in the room ahead.

“He has them. The female gave him issues, so he left her near the front. Says to get ready. He knows the Ranger is coming.”

Fadis had no path forward. He thought of Lesa and began to creep back. He would have to spring this trap, but at least he knew he had many to face. He would take those odds, but in the same breath, how could he do anything but?

He quickly trudged back out of the cave and climbed over the top. There was a short jog to the other entrance, and then he slid back down to the ground level of the cave entrance. Large red flowers hung down over the opening, and he scanned the areas around him. He did not see anyone as he made his way into the cave.

He could hear whimpering ahead.

Fadis began to run, knowing full well what risk it held, to try to reach the painful cries.

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