Part 7 (1/2)
”Staff made of wood,” said Shamki.
Humbort's eyes opened very wide and he stopped as the donkey-pulled wagon continued on its way. He stood rooted to the spot for several minutes as the wagon moved ahead of him until he realized he was by himself and had to sprint to catch back up.
”What staff?” said Tanner.
”Finish story,” said Shamki.
”We do have an agreement,” said Tanner to the big half-orc who nodded his head.
”The Shepherds were living things of their own right, not animated objects from the crafts of wizards. At least that's how the stories go. But, so as not to anger my daughter further, I shall continue with my story. Dredogastus told me they knew right away that something was wrong although they didn't know about the s.h.i.+pwreck and connect the two events until years later. The water that came into the fen was tainted with what the old Fen Druid called the Living Death. Those old fens have been around forever and there are graves dating back to the Old Empire hidden amongst all the decay. Dredogastus said things started to rise and clerics of Mistress of the Abyss began flocking to the fen.”
”Who?” asked Shalalee.
”Smyrnala,” said Humbort and put his face into his hands. ”The G.o.ddess of Death, Ruler of Thanatos, Princess of the Dead, She Who has Always Ruled and Shall Always Rule.”
”Yes, yes we get the point,” said Tanner with a shake of his head while he looked down at Humbort who immediately stumbled over a rock in the road that he didn't see because of his covered eyes. The thin man went down with a thump in a tangle of arms and legs. ”Go help Humbort will you, Tylan,” went on Tanner while Shalalee covered her mouth to silence the giggle.
The lad leapt off the wagon, his arms and legs flew in all directions, but landed safely enough and began to help straighten up their fallen companion. ”Come on Humbort, Smyrnala isn't here now.”
”Don't say her name,” trembled Humbort his hands shook violently and he curled up into a ball.
”It's okay,” said Tylan with a pat to the older man's back. ”Everything is going to be fine. Shamki's here and so is dad.”
”You didn't see all them skeletons,” said Humbort his whole body beginning to shake uncontrollably. ”There was thousands of them, all walking and digging and then that arm, that staff, and they all wanted it and now we're going back to the cave.”
”I don't understand,” said Tylan. ”Come on, Humbort, snap out of it. The wagon is getting ahead of us.”
The man sat on the ground sobbing violently but eventually allowed the young boy to help him get to his feet, and they began to walk toward the wagon and make up the distance between them slowly but steadily.
Back on the wagon everyone sat in silence for long moments and waited for the other two to catch up. ”What's got Humbort so spooked?” Shalalee asked Shamki.
”The Staff of Naught,” said the half-orc with sort of a growl.
”I don't like the sound of that,” said Shalalee.
”No,” said Tanner with a look at the half-orc. ”Is that what all those skeletons wanted out on that s.h.i.+pwreck?”
Shamki nodded his heavy head. ”Now we got.”
”So, that's what this is all about. Just water that ran over the thing infected the entire Salt Fen. Dredogastus didn't track years much so he didn't know how long it was but it's been almost thirty years since the wreck according to what I found. Thirty years of death seeping into the Great Salt Fen. Dredogastus said it didn't used to be so bad in there but now there is death everywhere. All the creatures that lived there over the years, so many years, since the world was born, they're all coming back as dead creatures and the Priests of Smyrnala have control over most of the fen. That's what Dredogastus told me, what he showed me.”
”Show you?”
”I had to see for myself,” said Tanner with a shrug of his shoulders. ”Lousa said to find out what I could.”
At the mention of Lousa's name Almara's face went sour as if she had to spit out a gristly piece of meat. ”I don't like that woman.”
”She's all right, Almara,” said Tanner and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. ”You know I like a woman with a little more meat on her bones than that skinny little half-elf.”
”She's skinny but she's got huge b.o.o.bs!” said Shalalee not particularly helping matters.
Shamki chuckled which sounded more like a growl and looked away as Almara gave him a look with her eyes almost closed in a squint and her nose wrinkled up.
”I know that look,” said Tylan, who finally caught up to the wagon. ”What did you do, Shamki?”
Tanner and Shalalee immediately started to laugh, after a moment Shamki and Humbort joined them, and even Almara struggled to keep quiet.
”The fen is overrun with wors.h.i.+ppers of Smyrnala according to Dredogastus and he took me back into them, not far, but enough to see.”
”See what?” asked Shalalee.
The merchant shook his head and wiped his brow, ”Things you don't want to see. Dead things eating living things, squirrels, even insects, dead flies, dead maggots, dead things. Now it makes sense. This staff of death, tainting the waters of the fen for thirty years bringing decay and death.”
”What does naught mean?” asked Shalalee ”Nothing, the Staff of Nothing,” said Shamki his deep ba.s.s voice seeming to intone solemnity to the p.r.o.nouncement that hung in the air for long moments.
”Not like nothing at all,” said Tylan.
”No, not that kind of nothing,” replied Tanner. ”So, Lousa's got this staff now and she wants to talk to me before I talk to the mayor?”
Shamki nodded his head.
”She knows the mayor will find out I'm in town and I'll have to report to him in any case, right?”
Shamki shrugged.
”Where is Lousa with the staff?”
”Iv's Leap,” said Shamki.
Shalalee's eyes widened at the mention of the location, ”That's where he jumped off because he loved Miralee!”
”That's just a stupid girl's story,” said Tylan and pushed his sister as he climbed back into wagon.
”Actually,” said Tanner. ”That one is real although I'm not sure he made the leap simply for love, stupidity might have had something to do with it.”
”Stupidity and love are related to each other,” said Almara and put her arm around her husband. ”Do you remember that fellow I dated back in Cap when we first met?”
”You dated someone besides dad?” asked Shalalee and looked at her mother with raised eyebrows.
”Yes, your father and I had lives before we met each other and before you were born, as shocking as that might be.”
”What happened to the other guy?” asked Tylan of his father.