Mark of the Fool

Chapter 375: The Patrol

The seven companions hid beneath a mud covered tarp in the belly of Baelins boat, moving stealthily toward unknown voices.

The cloth was draped over the sides, blending with their surroundings, and if they maintained a snails pace, they shouldnt draw any more attention than the low, bumpy hills they were drifting past.

Can anyone make out what theyre sayin? Cedric asked, his voice barely audible.

Something about a patrol, Theresa whispered, cocking her ear toward the voices.

Alex frowned, focusing on separating ambient swamp noise from people talking.

Theresthree of them, he thought. They soundstressed. No, not just stressedscared. Like theyre afraid ofmaybe of being spotted? could be the cultists were looking for.

He held his breath, listening intently, but while he could hear talking, the words werent clear at their distance.

Lets get closer, Drestra hissed. The Sage raised the tarp slightly, peering ahead, but all she could see were clumps of dense plants between them and the owners of the voices.

We should just fly over there and ambush them, this is taking too long.

Alex started trying to reason with her, when Hart spoke up.

Thats probably not the best idea, Drestra, his voice was low. While stomping them to paste would be fun, we gotta make sure things dont get outta hand if we want a live prisoner. Any spellcaster worth their salt isn't just gonna sit there and let us jump them so easy. They probably have familiars, summoned monsters, and who knows what else on watch, so the minute they see us coming, guaranteed therell be a fightand that means a bunch of dead prisonersand they cant talk.

Yeah, they're demon worshippers, why wouldnt they have summoned demons watching for threats? That's what Id do, Alex agreed.

Looking down, he considered the water, noting its murkiness. Even a demon swimming under the surface would have trouble seeing anything alive in all that murkespecially if it just looked like more water.

Hold on, Im going to try something.

Alex concentrated, casting Summon Water Elemental through all of the Marks interference, and conjured Bubbles beneath the tarp. The little water elemental bubbled happily, no doubt excited for his usual reward of a potion or two, or three.

Hey, Bubbles, Alex whispered. I need your help. He switched to a tongue of elemental water and pointed to where the voices were coming from. I want you to go underwater and swim to the sound of talking. Have a good look around, pay attention to everything you see above the surface of the water: everything talking or moving around. Okay?

The water elemental bubbled again, then rolled over the side of the boat and slipped into the water.

Cedric raised an eyebrow. Really? Bubbles?

Alexs face flushed hot under the tarp. I-its appropriate, he said quickly.

The Chosen opened his mouth to reply, but the voices ahead rose in pitch, stopping him. The party sat in silence, listeningbut the talking began to fade.

It seems like theyre moving out of earshot. Theresa said. I can hardly hear them now.

Lets hope your elemental comes back soon, Drestra murmured.

As if summoned, Bubbles appeared a few heartbeats later, rising from the water so Alex could lift him into the boat. Welcome back, whatd you find over there?

He listened as the water elementalunable to differentiate between humans and other humanoidsgave him a vague report that Alex was able to piece together to get a picture of what hed seen.

Hmmmm, no demons by the sound of it, he spoke in low tones.. My little friend says theres five things that look like usIm thinking human or close. He also said that theres something with wings circling above them, staying close, so I think its a familiar.

Demon? Drestra asked.

I dont think so, Alex said. What Bubbles had told him was that the flying, winged thing looked like that swarm of winged things that attacked us, referring to the blue annis hags giant flock of birds. I think its a bird familiar, to be specific.

Well if theyre watching from above, itll be hard to get to them, Hart said.

We can still do it if we move in from where the trees are thickest. We can use them as cover, Destra pointed ahead to a swath of trees rising from the swamp. A flying familiar could miss us if we keep our distance and keep the canopy above us.

Thats true, Theresa said. Okay, so well keep the tarp covering us and the boat so we blend in like were part of the swamp. All we have to do is make sure we keep moving cautiously. She watched the trees. Lets go. I can pick out a path for us.

With the huntress and Drestra guiding, the boat glided on, silently closing the distance between the party, and their prey. All the while, Alex, Cedric and Hart peered at the sky from beneath the tarp, keeping the bird familiar in sight.

Soon, the voices grew louder.

Alex could pick out the odd snippet of conversation now.

Jeez, theyre loud, he thought. Its like they want to be found.

The closer they sailed, the clearer the voices, until Drestra suddenly gasped.

I know that voice! she hissed. Thats Llyworn!

Who? Cedric asked.

Shes one my kindred from deep in the swamp! her voice was filled with relief. We found them! but, I dont understand why theyre going in the opposite direction to Crymlyn Village instead of rowing there as fast as they can?

Hmmm. Thats what Im wondering too. Alex said. But, maybe its not really your people. Theresa and Ive come across these monsters that mimic voices perfectly, and theres also demons that do the same thing. Hells, some of them can even change shape. What Im saying is this could be a trap.

Aye, Cedric said. I could see that. We rushed em yesterday and gave em a scare. Now they send outa bunch o nasty, dirty ol demons to throw us off.

Yeah, Alex said. Could very well be.

Mmm, lets get closer, the Sage suggested. We need to hear exactly what theyre talking about. Maybe see them if we can. I dont want some demon tricking me with shapeshifting or illusions. So, lets make sure this isnt a trap.

Right Theresa said quietly. Lets go around that island then. The trees are thicker up there and we can hide under them when we get closer.

They moved closer, the voices grew louder and the words distinct.

is going to kill us if she finds us out here, a womans voice said.

Thats Llyworn, Drestra whispered.

And dont you think Osian will kill us if we dont act like we own our own territory! a mans voice snapped back. Now, stop arguing with me, youre going to alert half the damn swamp.

A little late for that, Theresa whispered. Whos that?

I dont know that one.

Will you two quiet down and keep your eyes open? a third voice hissed. If those trespassers are still around, theyre either going to be running from us or sneaking up on us, and I dont know about you, but I dont need my back decorated with fletching or acid arrows!

Youre louder than the two of them put together! a fourth voice snapped, and though he was quieter, his tone was even more stressed than the other three.

Alex frowned. Each of them soundedagitated, even fearful, but that wasnt too surprising, it was the high level of frustration in each voice that was so striking.

Whatre they talking about? Drestra also sounded agitated. What theyre saying makes no sense if theyre my kindred, but if theyre not and this is a trapand theyre really demons or cultistsshouldnt they be actinglike theyre on top of the world and not like frightened lambs?

It does seem strange doesnt it? All that noise theyre making will just put anyone looking for them on their trail, Hart whispered, peering out from the tarp. His large eyes focused through a gap in the thick tree cover. I count five of them in the boat.

Yeah, same here. Theyre maybetwo hundred yards away, Theresa said, then looked up. Look. Theres the bird.

Where? Harts eyes searched the canopy. I cant seeoh wait, there it is. Good, if its hard for us to see it, then itll be hard for it to see us.

Alex squinted at the sky, but couldnt find the bird, nor the five people in the boat below it. Nothere was movement between the trees; no way he would ever have seen them before using blood magic to cleanse his body.

Can you see what theyre armed with? He asked Theresa.

Two of them have bows and theyre standing; ones watching the bow and portside, the others watching the stern and starboard, she said. The others dont have weapons drawn, butactually, one of them has an axe.

Spellcasters, Drestra said. Thats a classic formation for our patrols. Two standing archers, one spellcaster on the oars, and two others ready to strike with their spells. if they are demons in disguise, then what terrible things did they do to my people to pry that information from them?

And is the familiar flying above also a tactic the witches use? Alex asked.

Yes, she said. Whoever they are, they know our strategies.

A grim thought suddenly hit them and everyone went quiet. It wouldnt be the first time traitors were found where friends were supposed to be.

We have to catch them, Drestras voice was hard.

Agreed, Cedric said. But with em havin their eyes peeled and that bird up there, snot like were gonna be able to jus creep up on em with nothin but a tarp. itd be simpler to rush em and just beat em down.

Yeah, but if spells start flying, thatll alert everything in the swamp, Alex said. And lets face it, some in that boat will end up dead, if not all of them.

Right, takin em alive means quiet-like, which means no blastin. Cedric frowned. Howre we gonna get em, then? We three aint exactlyused to tryin tnab enemies alive, thats not our rule for fightin Ravener-spawn. We go all in.

Alex asked Drestra, Do your people use Orb of Air spells?

Yes, of course, she said. It's important for living in the Crymlyn so its one of the first spells were taught.

Damn, Alex swore. I was thinking I could send Wizards Hands at them, crunch some sleeping potions in their faces, and send them off to dreamland.

His mind was working on another plan when Theresa suddenly chuckled. I have an idea. We have Orbs of Air around our heads. Now, the question is, can everyone here swim?

The answers were all positive.

Hmmmm. Drestra, she said. Do you know a spell to keep us warm or dry us off if we get wet?

The Sage nodded. There were some environmental spells that I learned growing up. Theyll keep you warmthey wont beat a blizzard, but in temperatures that arent extreme, they work quite well.

That includes if we get really wet?

Yes, wed still stay warmwhy?

Good. I have an idea, but it means were going to have to go for a little dip.

Brutus began to shake.

Not you, boy, youll stay here. And Drestra, if youre okay with it, I need someone to stay here and protect my dog.

The Sage raised an eyebrow. Really? Dog sitting?

Yeah, trust me, its important. the huntress said. Heres my plan.

###

Hold it! Llyworn squinted up at her familiar circling their boat.

The ducks squawking travelled through the swamp, drawing the attention of everyone in the boat.

What is it, Darkwing? she asked. What do you see?

She listened, confused. What? Whatre you talking about?

Whats he saying? one of her compatriots asked.

Im wondering if hes taken to seeing things, she said. Hes telling me theres a boat about two hundred yards eastwith a big statue lying in it.

Well thats a trap if there ever was one, an archer said . Who puts a statue in a boat?

Still, we should at least get close enough to take a look, another witch said. Report it to Osrian, cos if we dont and it turns out to be something, were all demon food.

Right, Llyworn said, turning to the witch navigating the boat. Take us east. Around fifty fifty yards away from this supposed boat.

The navigator gave a short command to the animated oars.

They took them through the murky waters, weaving between trees and rough brush until the boat rounded a corner and was greeted by another boat slowly drifting along the waters surface. A tarp obscured the stern, but lying in the vessels bottom, was what Darkwing had described: an enormous, ferocious looking clay statue.

A large ruby-coloured gemstone shone in its forehead in the morning light.

Llyworn immediately knew something was not right: the statue was far too big to fit in the boat without sinking itand why would anyone abandon such a valuable jewel in the swamp, and how did the statue get there in the first place?

Her eyes narrowed, watching the tarp. Fire some arrows in there and into that statue, I want

Her eyes caught a flicker of movement in the water.

Shite! Everyone w-

Something burst from the water beside them.