Chapter 44:

  Return to Salt Brine

  After Aldus secured the valley’s proper share of yesterday’s spoils, he dismissed a defeated looking warrior from his presence. The Guildmaster’s shoulders sagged as he turned to leave, looking very much like a man who had just endured a tortuous beating at the hands of someone half his size… which, in a way, he had.

  “Thank you, and as always, the valley is open to your guild, Master Welker,” Aldus said as he bid the man farewell.

  The Guildmaster, unable to defend himself from the onslaught, turned and bowed politely to the village elder before turning away with a grimace.

  I watched as the guild members laughed and teased the man as he rejoined their ranks, and after a moment, he bellowed with laughter.

  “Salted hells,” he groaned, “Samantha, today we are officially adding to the guild’s bylaws, ‘no one is ever to cross Elder Aldus of the valley in negotiations’. We’re lucky he showed mercy.”

  “Aye, sir, it will be done,” she replied. I recognized her as the same woman who had offered me the tincture the day before, when they had come to our aid. “Also, sir, I believe Master Garner has been waiting to speak with you.”

  The large man turned to face me, extending a hand in my direction. His grip was firm but measured, his eyes lingering on me for just a moment longer than politeness required.

  “It was a pleasure to meet you, Master Garner,” he said with careful politeness. “Now, what can I do for you?”

  I returned the handshake in kind before responding.

  “To you as well, Guildmaster, and please, call me Sam, or Mr. Garner if you must,” I said, forgoing formality. “I was hoping I might accompany your group if you were making your way back to Salt Brine. I know the roads must be clear, but it seemed foolish to chance it.”

  “Oh, of course, that’s no bother to us, and please call me Chadren. If you’re willing to meet me by my name, then so shall I,” he said as he pulled his brother into a one armed choke of a hug. “You did help keep my baby brother alive, after all.”

  Jarus struggled in his grip before pulling away irritably.

  “Damnit, Chadren. I’m in no mood for teasing or your laughter. Let’s get back so we can honor the fallen and send word to their families.”

  With that, the mood of the group instantly grew somber as Jarus pulled away and marched toward the road out of the village.

  “You must think us a bit crass and uncaring, am I right, Sam?” Chadren asked, as he watched his brother storm off towards the edge of the village.

  “I think people cope how they can,” I replied softly, trying not to think about the destroyed room upstairs where my uncle had vented his grief.

  He nodded.

  “You have the right of it. We will settle matters more formally when we return. You’ll find in adventuring that losing allies is a bitter thing,” he said, his voice quieter now. “But it is a risk we are all willing to take if we mean to keep following our paths. So please forgive our jovialness. It is a light balm for the sting of loss.”

  With no further business to address, the group set off, and I did my best to keep pace as they moved out of the village and toward the gate that led out of the valley. By the time we arrived, I was pleased to see that Halius and Chris were both present on guard.

  I raised a hand in greeting, and the two returned the gesture as we passed through.

  “Are you heading out, Sam?” Halius asked, a note of concern in his voice.

  “Aye, I am. I plan to visit some friends and finally get a look around the city today. If I’m not back by nightfall, would you do me a favor and check on Blue?”

  “Aye, I’ll see it done. Be careful. We’ve no intention of losing our new steward after just getting acquainted with him.” His tone was light, but the tension in his features betrayed his concern.

  Chris snorted softly beside him. “He’ll be fine, Halius. If it makes you feel any better, go with him, I’ll go check on his donkey tonight after my shift ends. It’d be better than watching you fret all afternoon, you damned guardian.”

  Halius shot him a look before glancing back at me. “You don’t mind, do you? I only worry due to the recent monster activity, you’d be alone walking back after dark. I’d feel better seeing you safely on the road.”

  I thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. At the very least, I would apologize to Hershel for the added company if it became a bother. However, I had a feeling they wouldn’t mind, they were just that type of family.

  As Halius joined me, Chadren ushered us forward once more, and our group set off toward Salt Brine.

  We made good time as we moved through the forest, and within half an hour we had already reached the signpost that marked the turn toward the valley and the dungeon. One member of the group stepped forward, pulled down the yellow sign marked Moderate Chance of Monsters, and replaced it with an orange sign that read High Chance of Monsters.

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  I must have been overly focused on watching the procedure, because my unspoken question was answered by Halius, who stood at my side.

  “It’s one of the guild’s responsibilities,” he said. “They’re diligent and greatly respected, not only for their work around the south shores, but also for keeping the dungeon paths safe.”

  I nodded. That made sense. The Adventurers’ Guild handled a great many monster related responsibilities. After all, that was precisely what I had been told in all the stories I’d heard about them.

  “So, Sam, Halius,” Chadren said, glancing between us, “When can I expect you both to join the guild?” He asked, with a wry smile.

  “You’re clearly competent, the both of you, and you’d be warmly welcomed. Sam seems a bit green, but with those abilities we could shape him up into a fine adventurer. You don’t often find a priest outside the church’s fold afterall, hells, imagine the coin we’d save not needing to go to the healers!”

  I couldn’t help but notice several of the guild members suddenly take interest in the comment, their attention sharpening as they watched us from the corners of their eyes.

  “I’m not a priest,” I said, repeating my newly acquired mantra. “Truthfully, even before everything that happened, I had intended to come meet with you all once I finished my training.”

  Halius inclined his head slightly. “I’m afraid my responsibilities are wrapped up in the welfare of the valley, though I have always been intrigued by the thought. Defending citizens of the kingdom and the valley alike is a noble thing.”

  Chadren laughed approvingly, as he once again brought Jarus into an embrace as he walked. Though Jarus grimaced momentarily, he did not pull away from his brother this time.

  “Good, good. Well, think it over,” Chadren said. “And Sam, if I might pry just a bit, who is it that you’ll be training with? I’m sure we could work something out within the guild, I could arrange for a few seasoned members could train you instead.”

  I considered whether I should share for a moment, but honestly, I didn’t see the harm. Their identities would become public soon enough.

  “Starting first thing next week, I’ll be training with the Duke’s personal guards,” I said. “The Duke and my uncle were very close, and he was kind enough to offer.”

  Every member of the guild, even Halius, came to a dead stop, boots scraping against the road as they turned to stare at me in open disbelief.

  “You mean to tell me,” Chadren said seriously, his voice rising with each word, “that the Duke is allowing Darrel Belfont, Beatrice Solara, and Gabriel Sunveil to train you personally?”

  I couldn’t help but notice he emphasized each name as if it were a curse that men should be careful when speaking aloud.

  He shook his head, rubbing at his temples. “Those three? Please tell me you’re joking.”

  The looks of concern spreading through the group made me immediately regret my honesty.

  “Is… that a bad thing?” I asked, suddenly self conscious.

  “Sam,” Chadren said seriously, “you seem like a good lad. We just… we don’t want to see you corrupted by those three.” He let out a weary sigh. “Make no mistake, they’re powerful fighters. All of them have reached their second branch, which is an even higher level than my own. Its just… they leave trouble in their wake everywhere they go.”

  Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group.

  “I kind of figured they were a wilder bunch based on what I’ve seen so far, but they can’t be as bad as you say, right?”

  The looks on the faces of the guild members around me told me everything I needed to know. Yes, they really were as bad as he claimed.

  “Just last season,” Chadren said gravely “those three were responsible for damn near destroying the entire dockside business district over a perceived slight to Gabriel’s honor.”

  He sighed.

  “The perceived slight was that the brothel wouldn’t let him, and I quote, ‘bring a saddle into the bedchambers.’”

  “Thousands of gold in damages later, they were only spared the Duke’s wrath because their unintentional brawl somehow brought down a trafficking ring operating within the city.”

  “Well, that could have been worse,” I said carefully. “In the end, it all worked out, right?”

  “Oh, I’m not done,” Chadren continued.

  “Once, Darrel took on a contract from the guild to deal with a troll that had been snatching travelers off a well traveled bridge down the coast. It was the sort of monster you’d hear about in a children’s story, except it was really happening.”

  He shook his head.

  “Rather than dealing with the troll like anyone else might, ya know, assembling a team, using fire, making a plan of attack… Darrel chose to drop the bridge on top of the beast. Then he beat it to death with his bare fists.”

  I blinked.

  “Those bastards have insane regeneration,” Chadren added flatly. “He punched it for hours until its vitality could no longer keep up with those damn iron fists of his.”

  “To be fair,” one of the guild members put in, “he did fulfill the contract… it just cost the guild a bit of coin to rebuild the bridge afterward.”

  Chadren groaned. “Aye. Gold out of my own damned pocket. Salted hells.”

  He exhaled slowly. “As for Beatrice, a few years back she was called in to mediate a dispute between two farming families over a shared field. By the time it reached her, blood had already been spilled. It was an ugly affair, so the Duke sent her to put an end to it.”

  “She listened to both sides,” Chadren continued. “Then, once she’d heard all she cared to hear, she burned the field to the ground.”

  “Her reasoning, was that if there was no field left, then there was nothing left to fight over.”

  He looked at me. “The feud ended, obviously, but it took a few cycles for the soil to recover.”

  I cringed inwardly at the description of Beatrice’s actions more than the other two. Growing up as a farmer’s son, the destruction of a field like that was absolutely abhorrent.

  “If they’re as wild as you say, then why does the Duke keep them around?” I asked, as I seriously reconsidered my soon to be mentors

  Chadren was quiet for a moment before answering.

  “Because he took them in when they were young,” he said finally. “They were adopted under his care, trained, educated, and given a place when they had none. So yes, the Duke shows them a measure of partiality.”

  He glanced back down the road toward Salt Brine.

  “And because of that, they’re fiercely loyal. Not just to him, but to this place. Salt Brine is their home, and they’ll tear apart any one foolish enough to threaten it.”

  He hesitated, then added dryly, “They just have a bad habit of tearing it apart themselves.”

  As the guild members shared many stories about the three, the group fell back into step, and we continued along the road once more. Conversation dwindled as the miles passed, each of us lost to our own thoughts, until at last the guild slowed near a familiar bend in the trail.

  I came to a stop where the road narrowed and branched off into the trees that lead up to the Claybrook’s residence.

  “This is me,” I said, turning to face the group.

  “Well then,” Chadren said as he shook my hand, “be sure to come find us once your training’s done, Sam. And do your best to stay out of trouble with those three.”

  He gave Halius a firm nod. “You too, Halius. Keep this man safe, and take care of yourself.”

  Halius and I exchanged pleasantries with the adventurers and waved them goodbye before turning toward the trail leading up to the Claybrooks property.

  Before I could explain to Halius my relationship with the Claybrooks, the front door of the large home burst open, and three small boys in capes came charging out. Each one held a wooden swords raised on the offensive as they barreled toward us.

  “CARROT MAN! PREPARE FOR BATTLE!”