[Fan Fiction]Lewis the Fighter - "Sidetracked," Part 1

[CrazyBernie]

What the hell has that old courier gotten me into? Lewis hacked his way through some underbrush with a machete. It was not his weapon of choice, but far more efficient for the task at hand. This section of woods was particularly dense even though it was not far from the coast. According to the directions given as well as a crudely drawn map, he was not far from the cave's entrance.

Maybe I should offer that sailor his sextant in exchange for some cartography lessons. While he hadn't planned on it, a brief tussle with some brigands scavenging the washed up wreckage (a tussle involving them either perishing or fleeing) yielded a small chest containing the "precious" mapping tool. In its tarnished, poorly kept condition, it was unlikely to yield much if offered for sale. Hopefully its sentimental value would be more rewarding.

Finally the underbrush gave way, and just ahead a large outcropping of stone jutted its way up out of the earth. It was oddly out of place in the middle of the forest, but Lewis wasn't about to take time to ponder its geological structure. Sheathing the machete, he drew a thin longsword and moved towards a hole in the side of a massive boulder. At the entrance he paused, and pondered whether or not to light a torch.

******

"Let me see if I have this straight. Yesterday you told me that there wasn't any work available in town; not only has just about everyone here given me a task, but now you want me to do a job for you as well?"

Maddock frowned, then grumbled, "Well I was just supposed to deliver you a letter and that gold... I didn't know if you were trustworthy. Besides, how was I supposed to know that people here still had agendas? It's been pretty miserable around these parts since the ships stopped coming in."

This earned a raised eyebrow from Lewis. "So why the sudden change of heart?"

Sighing, Maddock sat down on the only stool in his house. "I just found out about the robbery last night. I figured if Father Michael was willing to trust you, then why shouldn't I?"

"Robbery? What was stolen?"

"It's not just the fact that something was stolen, they dug up my wife's grave!" The retired courier spat angrily on the floor. "They took a pendant that was buried with her; it was the only item of value she ever owned."

"So... do you have any clues as to who these grave robbers might be?"

"Oh I have a clue all right. I'll tell you exactly where they're at. They've been hassling people traveling along the road to Blackwater too. There's an abandoned dwarven mine that they shack up in." At this point Maddock broke out in a devilish grin. "I just happen to know of a rear entrance that they're likely clueless about. It's in the woods where I used to play as a child..."

******

The Catseye potion Lewis quaffed allowed him to see in the darkness as though there was ambient light everywhere. The green hue that bathed everything was slightly nauseating, however. Soon the natural cave formations gave way to carved stone fortified with massive wooden beams; he was now in enemy territory. Better take it slow from here.

The floors in this section of the mine were covered with a thick layer of dust and grime; it was obvious that the thieves had not ventured quite this far back. Likely they had found a suitable location for their base and not bothered to check the rest of the mine. It wasn't a particularly poor decision, as mining was a dangerous profession (even for master craftsmen such as the dwarves that built this mine) and cave-ins where not uncommon. Considering the number of years that had gone by since it was last used, there were bound to be areas blocked by debris. Let's hope I'm not wasting my time.

A sudden noise prompted Lewis to freeze at the entrance to an intersection. Looking around, all he could see was stone, wood, and plenty of cobwebs. There were two possible passages, one to his left, and another ahead that slanted off to the right. The passage on his left was loaded with cobwebs, too thick to see any further ahead. The tunnel ahead was clear, but he could only see a short distance before the slant became a sharp bend.

There is is again! The noise was coming from the left. It was a soft skittering sound, like dozens of small, padded feet. Rodents, perhaps? Sidling up to the passage entrance, he peered down the tunnel. As he did so, his vision darkened briefly. Great, that's what I get for buying the cheapest Catseye. I'd better find that hideout -

Hundreds of eyes peered at him through the cobwebs. Wait a second... those aren't cobwebs! Some of the spiders were as large as wolves. As they noticed a foreign presence, they became very agitated, clicking their mandibles and letting out shrill, screeching whistles. They began advancing en masse, their multitude of legs creating a soft skittering sound.

Lewis's vision darkened again. Ah. It's going to be one of those days. Brilliant.

[Painted Lady]

Your stories are so much fun - really, really clever riffs on Book 1. Think of all the material you'll have to work with when Book II comes out! Thanks for sharing........

[CrazyBernie]

Actually, I'm already working on a Book II based story... and by "working," I mean the idea and outline is sitting in a notebook, waiting for me to expand on it.