The hill sprite stopped talking. Richter stared at him, but nothing else was forthcoming. “Egg? Have they found some dangerous animal they can tame?”
“I cannot say, Lord Richter. I am sorry. The only other thing that I can tell you is that all of the prisoners were kept to the western side of the camp. When they led one of the captives away, it was to the south side, behind a second inner wall. I never got sight of what was behind that second wall.” Liddle paused for a moment. When he spoke again, it was with sadness, “No prisoners that saw what is past that wall ever came out alive again.”
Richter’s heart ached for the former POW, but he knew that there was still much to be done. He looked at his Companion, “Do you have any idea what ‘egg’ the goblins could have been speaking about? Are they raising monsters?”
Sion shook his head to show that he had no idea either. “It is not unheard of for goblins to use monsters to fight on their behalf, but it would not be a big secret. That would not explain such a large force coming after Liddle, and it certainly would not explain the presence of a Bloodstone.”
“I still don’t understand what the big deal is about this stone,” Richter said. “What does it do? Is it concentrated evil or something?”
Sion just shrugged again, this time with a bit of frustration. “I cannot tell you. All I know was that when I was a child, some of the scariest stories involved goblins using Bloodstones to power awful magics. In the stories, even weak Bloodstones give fighting bonuses to armies that possessed them. I do not think that the stones are inherently evil, but they are talismans of great power. The fact that the goblins have one at this settlement means that they greatly value whatever it is they have found.”
“So, it’s like a Magic Core?” Richter asked.
“I, DO, NOT, KNOW!” Sion bellowed. “We need to get back to the village and tell my mother about this!”
“Fine!” Richter responded irritated. Like any real brothers, he and Sion could really get on each other’s nerves. After a moment, though, he realized that he would have hated being asked the same question over and over as well. “You’re right, man. We need to get back. We still need to get eyes on the encampment, though. Liddle, how many goblins are in the encampment?”
The sprite let out a long sigh, “At least a hundred, Lord Richter.”
The chaos seed coughed, “Are you sure? A HUNDRED?”
Liddle nodded, “I am sure. I wish I was not. More are coming each day as they build up the fortifications.”
“Is that estimate including the thirty or so that we just killed?” Richter asked hopefully.
The hill sprite slowly shook his head. The chaos seed felt his already present headache worsen. At least a hundred was what the sprite had said. That meant there could be more goblins. It actually opened the door to there being any number of goblins greater than a hundred. That was like half of all numbers! Richter knew that that didn’t actually make sense in light of an infinite amount of numbers, but he wasn’t about to let logic get in his way! Sion was right. They needed to talk to Hisako.
Something else needed to happen, though. They needed information. Richter was about to tell Sion to lead his warband back to the village while he did some recon when a feminine and obstinate voice invaded his mind.
*No.*
Alma flew down and hovered only a foot in front of his face with strong beats of her dusky black wings.
*What do you mean ‘No’? No what?* Richter thought back.
*‘No,’ you are not running off through the wilds alone to face hundreds of goblins.*
*He only said a hundred goblins. Not hundreds, Alma. And I am the master here!*
*The sad sprite said at least a hundred goblins. That means it could be hundreds,* she retorted mentally.
Can’t really argue with that, Richter thought to himself. He decided to stick with the argument that he was the master. She beat him to the punch.
*I love you, master, but you are being foolish. I can fly undetected through the trees. Even though it will take me beyond the range that we can communicate, I will come back to you as soon as I have seen everything that I can and give you the images. Your map will be updated in color as if you saw it yourself. You need to get your warband home, master. I am the right choice for this mission.* Alma’s tone had started off feisty during this last mission, but it ended with the feel of calm acceptance as if she was telling him something that he already knew and could not possibly argue against. She was right.
Liddle was looking at Richter in confusion, but Sion was used to seeing that particular expression on his friend’s face. He knew that his Companion was speaking to the dragonling. Richter looked at both of them and said, “Alma is going to do some scouting for us. We will get back to the village, and once she returns, we will formulate a plan of attack.” Liddle looked even more confused until Sion explained who Alma was.
Richter looked at his familiar, *Be careful! I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you.*
*You would most likely die immediately. If not because of your own stupidity, then because you would realize life would just not be worth living without me,* she thought back with a saucy attitude.
*You really are turning into a cocky little thing. Do you know that?* Richter thought to her fondly.
*They say monsters can always smell their own,* she retorted quirkily. *Master, you do not need to worry. I am not the creature you summoned those months ago. I am a level 34 dragonling. I am fast and cunning and beautiful. I will do you proud, master.*
Richter looked at his familiar with a tight feeling in his chest. He didn’t recognize it at first, then with surprise, he realized it was a particular mix of love and pride. *Then go, my love, and come back to me safely.*
Without further communication, Alma beat her wings hard and shot up into the air. In a moment, she was lost in the canopy above, but Richter heard her trumpeting cry as she quickly flew away to the east. Richter told Liddle to rest while they prepared to leave, and he and Sion set to helping their comrades. There was still healing to be done.
CHAPTER 3 – Day 140 – Kuborn 30, 15,386 EBG