A Swampy Affair - Chapters 1-4

Chapter 1

Mather made his way through the dense tall grass. He'd lost track of the road almost half an hour ago. That's the impractical about dirt roads, they're not very durable in swamps. He wasn't sure why anybody would build a town in the middle of the biggest swamp area in the world, but he'd promised to bring the word of his god, Gurung, to every corner of the world, and so he did, even though walking through a swamp with metal armour was encumbering.

He heard a sound, as if a branch cracked, or something was torn apart or another similar sound. He reached for his axe while turning around, fumbling and dropping it in a muddy water puddle (they were frequent in the swamps, eventually). He went into a combat position with his hands. He had learned something from the war monks of the Nayruan churches. He was disappointed, when he saw that all that had happened was that a piece of his red cape was torn off. He sighed and picked his axe from the puddle, but dropped it with a grimace when he touched  the handle. Even with his thick gloves, he could feel it was slippery and muddy. He dropped it in the puddle and walked along.

Mather was afraid that he'd lost track, when he finally found the dirt road again. Only a little down the road, he could see two people talking to eachother, a visibly heated discussion, and a kind of large building, considering it was standing alone in the middle of a swamp. He walked down the road and greeted the two people, two men. The men stopped discussing promptly and looked at Mather. They waited for about ten seconds for Mather to say something, when one told him to ”bugger off!”. Mather grunted and looked at the building. A small sign was posted at the side of it. The sign was too muddy to be read at this distance, so Mather approached it. He got up to it and wiped away some of the mud, regretting shortly thereafter that he soiled his gloves. The sign read ”Insert Name Inn”. Mather lifted an eyebrow in sceptisism, but decided to knock the door. The door was not in the best shape, as Mather's knock made a visible mark. After some time (the two men still arguing), Mather lifted his hand to knock again, when the door opened. A small man opened. Of the little hair that was on his head, it was completely gray. He seemed very old, though Father Priast always learned Mather not to judge by looks. The man had his mouth open, as if he was going to say something, but stopped when he saw Mather's lifted hand and looked a bit suprised. Mather looked on the man for a bit, then realized why the man was looking like that, and Mather lowered his arm.

”Good day to you, fine man. Is it possible to have a drink at your fine inn?”

The man giggled and opened the door a-wide and went inside. Mather hesitated but followed him. I

The inside of the inn was very dim, if not dark. The only illumination was a few weak candles here and there. Mather was fascinated. It must have required some skill to prevent any light from coming into the room, with it being full daylight outside. There were a staircase right besides the the door that went upwards, and three tables in  the main room of the inn, with two people parked at each. A bit away was a counter with a fat man behind it, that looked suspiciously at Mather.

The old man that 'greeted' Mather sat at a table and leaned back. Mather was quite confused, but fastened up and went to the counter and silently asked the man behind it, if he ”had any beer?”.

Everyone in the tavern burst into laughter, and Mather's cheeks flushed in embarrasment.

”I are'm course I have beer, ye stinkin' swamp-bather”

He was clearly referring to the odor Mather had gotten in his walk through the swamp.
”But first tal mey, who're ye, 'n' what're ye doin' 'ere?”

Mather straightened his back and looked triumphantly at the fat man.

”I'm going to Derunn to tell the people about the good and fair Gurung!”

Everyone in the inn but one almost fell from their chairs laughing. The one not laughing looked angrily at Mather. When the people stopped laughing, he said

”I don' wanna hear any o' ye stinkin' preachin' here! I say we toss this on' out!”

Suddenly, the people of the tavern didn't seem to much in a happy mood anymore, and before Mather knew it, he was literally tossed out. The door was broken in the process, but it didn't seem to make any difference for the climate of the inn. At first, Mather was fascinated by the strength of the men in  the tavern. They threw a man in a metal armour over five metres. Then he was insulted by their behaviour. He quickly got up (relatively, considering he was wearing metal armour) and continued his journey down the road.

Chapter 2

Mather had gotten much deeper into the swamp when he finally reached Derunn. This far into the swamp, the  trees were much more frequent, and the light was dimmer. The lighting was generally depressing in these parts, actually.

Derunn consisted of around fifteen buildings, with more a bit farther away, though still qualifying as part of the town. You couldn't see those, though, because of the slight fog and the trees.

A sign was in the on the road, about five metres from the first house along the dirt road. The sign required renovation, but it clearly said ”Derunn”. Mather looked from the sign and in the town. The road went straight on, past three houses and further into the swamp. After the first house, just before the second house in Derunn, the road went off to the right where most of the houses in the town were. Up against the first house along the  road after the sign, a man was sitting with his legs crossed. It was difficult to determine exactly how big he was, but he wasn't completely skinny at least. He looked straight into the air, never blinking or moving. A few metres along the road, where the road bent off, two people were sitting in the middle of the dirt road. One was clearly crying, with her head in her hands, while the other, also female, was saying something to her quietly.

Mather was very depressed. He went to the silent man in front of the first house, bent down and looked at him. His eyes were completely black. He looked longingly and didn't seem to notice Mather.

”Can you hear me?”

Mather asked, not sure how it would make a difference. The man didn't answer. Mather rose and walked to the place where the road bent. He decided not to investigate why the woman and crying, but while walking past them and into the town, he heard the other woman saying

”Please stop crying, we'll make it through this, I promise. Please!”

Mather almost shed a tear, but he decided not to become dramatic just yet, he wanted to investigate this first. Along the road into the town, many more people stood along the road. Some were crying and other looking hopeless. Some were trying to give hope to the crying. A bit away, a smaller dirt road led to the a house at the top of a small hill. At the side of the road, on top a wooden platform, a man laid, visibly dead. Around a the wooden platform, three people stood there and looked hopelessly at the corpse. Mather slowly and silently approached the first person of the three, and asked her

”Uh, I'm sorry. What is going on?”

The woman quickly turned her head to Mather. Tears were running down her cheeks and she silently said

”They killed our mayor, they poisoned our food and water, they let monsters loose they...”

She stopped and fell to her knees, then fell to the ground. Mather was in a moment of panic, bowed down, but she was still crying, ergo alive. Mather sat down besides her and tried to come up with words to help her, but when he couldn't think of any he left.

He went to the building at the top of the hill. He was happy for a moment, when he saw the first clear sign in days. ”Derunn Town Hall”. Mather opened the door, it squeaked. He went in.

Inside was quite illuminated, also a welcome change. Some men and women were talking to eachother, a few of them armoured. At the back of the room, a man with a 'tonsure' haircut with classes was sitting in a chair with ink and pen. He was wearing a chainmail, and looked worried. While looking around the room, Mather appraoched the man and knocked the table to catch his attention.

The man slowly lifted his head and looked at Mather. After a few awkward moments, Mather talked

”Excuse me, fine man. The situation in this town seems dire, I need to talk to your leader to offer my services.”

The man's lip shaked, as if he was trying to hold back tears. After some time, the man answered.

”I'm captain Ludryi. I'm in charge. Now I am, at least.”

He sighed. Then he suddenly opened his eyes a wide and looked less hopeless. In a second he was standing up, almost turning over his chair.

”You're here to help?”

Mather looked a little suprised, then answered

”Well, I was going to tell your... the town about Gurung, but obviously there's more important business to do. I was trained by the priests to battle the enemies of good, and it seems you have encountered some of those.”

The man sighed.

”What do I know? It's hard to say what's going on, but the town is generally going through rough times. So rough they can hardly be coincidental, but there's no proof this is all coming from one source!”

”What has happened, anyways?”

”I.. it's hard to explain. It's so many little things, but they become so tough when they're there all the time! Our food is randomly poisonous, deadly vipers appear randomly, bandits and monsters randomly prey at the few merchants we have... had left.”

Mather put a finger to his chin, his way of thinking.

”I will investigate this, it is my duty and will to save your town.”

The captain was looking doubtful.

”You will need to supply me with a weapon, though..”

Mather added shortly after. The captain sighed and nodded.

”Sure, sure.”

”And a place to sleep..”

”We can do that, with all the deaths we have lots of bedspace, you can sleep in the beds up the stairs.”

The captain pointed to the stairs.

”I'll also need some general supplies...”

Mather added shamefully.

”Sure! Goddamit! But if you go out and die right away, sure in hell we're not going to pay your funeral!”

The captain sat down and leaned back, massaging his forehead. Mather wasn't going to hang around and irritate him anymore, so he went up the stairs.

Up the stairs, a few beds were lined with half a metre space between each, eight beds in total. At the end of the room there were two quite large prison cells. Mather doubted the captain's statement about bedspace, there were six people here, that meant only two free beds.  Plus the two in the cells.

One of the prison cells were occupied by a small man, sitting on the bed looking angry. Outside the cell, three people were talking. All seemed like warriors, but hardly members of the militia of Derunn. More like freelance mercenaries. Besides them, a couple stood close, apparently talking to eachother. Wether it was love-talk or care-talk, Mather didn't know and he weren't very interested. On the other side of the mercenaries, by a table a small man with glasses was sitting on a chair, writing some papers.

Mather walked to the three talking persons, and listened to their conversation.

A skinny and not very tall, but attractive woman with half-short black hair clad in part leather armour, part chain armour said

”... I just don't understand why they won't let Sajine and I investigate the latest turn of events! They're behaving like I'm some kind of maniac!”

She was clearly from the eastern lands of Eranj. Most women from Eranj were found attractive, and there were that ”something” about their eyes, though noone had ever been able to put their finger on it. Though by looking at this woman's eyes, she looked very tired, as if she had been in a brawl all night, or had been drinking all night.

A tall, bald man with a big greatsword on his back and thin metal armour replied

”Amber, you have to look at it from other people's viewpoint. Your current boy... I'm sorry, girlfriend isn't what people would normally consider... well, a person.”

A smaller man with a longsword in his belt replied

”I'd have to go with Borr on that.”

The woman frowned and turned away, and sat at a chair besides the cell with a man it it. The two men shrugged at each other and went for their beds. Mather approached the woman. She was clearly sad, with her one hand holding her head, and other hand.. rubbing a sword in her belt, with no sheath. It was a very fine blade, sharp like a very sharp thing and completely flawless.

When the woman noticed Mather, she looked at him, took her sword and laid it across her legs and asked abruptly

”What do you think about my sword?”

Mather was suprised by the sudden question, but answered

”It looks like a fine blade, certainly. Why?”

The woman began rubbing the blade again and looked at it.

”This weapon is... special. It's a.. nice feeling when I put it to my skin..”

Mather raised an eyebrow while looking sceptical. The woman but the blunt side of the blade against her cheek and shivered.

”It's my girlfriend, Sajine.”

Mather was disturbed. Not about the part about girlfriend – he was more tolerant with homosexual relationships than most – but with a sword? He closed his eyes and tried to shake a very disturbing scene from his mind.

”I... see.”

Mather replied. The woman kept rubbing the blade sensually. Mather was drastically looking to change the topic.

”I heard that they” Whoever they are ”wouldn't let you investigate the events influencing this town. Why not?

The woman stopped touching Sajine and looked at Mather with a grave face.

”I have no idea! They act like I'm crazy or something!”

Aren't you? Mather thought to himself.

”Tomorrow I'm going to investigate all this, perhaps you can come with me?”

I am crazy, evidently.

The woman brightened.

”Yes! That'd be perfect, thank you so much!”

”What's your name, by the way?”

”Amber.”

The woman answered, very promptly. Mather was slightly suprised, as Amber was normally a name given to people with orange hair or similar. Though it was well known that the hair colour of people from Eranj tended to change drastically throughout the years.

”I'm Mather. I'll get some rations and go to sleep. Make sure to rest out for tomorrow.”

The woman returned to caressing her sword. Mather went down the stairs and approached captain Ludryi.

”Captain, can you tell me where I can collect my weapon and some rations?”

The captain looked up at Mather and sighed.

”Go to the inn. There is a door to the right of the counter. That's the smithy. The inn should have rations. I've told them that a follower of Gurung would come, they shouldn't be of any trouble. The inn is down the hill. Listen, are you sure you can do this?”

”Even if I couldn't, I just agreed to let that Amber-person come with me.”

”You did hear that we're not going to pay your funeral, right?”

Mather smiled and went to the inn to collect his rations and weapon.

Chapter 3

It was early morning, Mather cut away a branch with his axe. He finally saw the dirt road again, and it seemd they had reached an area with not quite as many trees and not quite as much water. It was a gigantic clearing, surrounded by dense forest and a dirt road crossing through it. A small river was flowing along the dirt road. Halfway down the road, a broken bridge crossed the river.

Gonu sped past him and fell on his knees in the clearing, cheering loudly. Gonu was the small man with the glasses Mather had seen yesterday, writing some papers. In the morning, Gonu had approached Mather and Amber. Apparently, he'd listened to the conversation Amber and Mather had, and he decided he wanted to help them in their quest. Mather wasn't really sure how Gonu could contribute, but he let him come along anyways.

Mather stepped into the large clearing, and noticed a building further up the dirt road. Amber came in behind Mather, petting Sajine. Mather stopped giving her suspicious looks after the first two hours of walking. They approached the dirt road and followed it along until they came to the building. It was across the dirt road from the broken bridge.They noticed a few tents on the other side of the river, and a burned out fire pit. Mather and Gonu spontaneously and simulatiously raised a hand to shield their eyes from the sun.  There was a primitive palisade around the tents. Amber lowered Sajine, and stopped caressing it. She clapped it lovingly before putting it in her belt.

”So what is this about?”

She asked.

Gonu lowered his hand.

”It would seem that whoever is in that telt camp – assuming anyone is there – seems to have shielded themselves from outside intruders. They seem to be stuck, but the river is only about one and a half metre across, they would be able to wade across.”

They heard a squeaking sound behind them and turned around. A man came out of the door in the house and apparently didn't notice the three strangers. He proceeded to get some water from the nearby well. All along, Mather, Gonu and Amber (and Sajine) kept quiet, if nothing else, to see when he'd notice them. It was when the man returned to his house he finally saw the three. He was clearly very tired.

”What the.. it's been forever since we've seen strangers...”

He simply said, and then returned to the house. The three looked at each other. Gonu raised an eyebrow and looked suspicously at the door to the house while smiling. He then approached the door. Mather and Amber silently looked at each other, before following him. Gonu knocked the door. After some time, the man from before opened the door.

”It's been forever  since we've seen food!”

Gonu quickly and loudly said. The man grunted, and it took him some time to realize what the small man was saying.

”What?”

Mather pushed away Gonu and gave him a grave look.

”Excuse us, but do you know why there are four tents at the other side of the river, with a protective wall, even.”

The man gave a faint smile.

”No, I have no idea what those tents are, even though they've been there for two months now!”

”Oh, I'm sorry then.”

Mather politely answered and turned around. He was about to leave, when his way was blocked by Amber and Gonu, both crossing their arms. Mather raised an eyebrow, before realizing what was wrong. He quickly turned around to see the man again, also crossing his arms.

”Hello, stranger, may I introduce you to sarcasm!”

Mather's cheeks flushed.

”I'm sorry. What are the tents, anyway?”

”My wife, my son and my two daughters crossed the river two months ago to pick flowers at the other side. They found them so pretty – not that I agreed with them. Before they knew it, a giant troll assaulted them and crashed the bridge. I'm proud o' my kids and wife, they fought valiantly and the troll fled. Hah! Now they're stuck, though, and they've had to build a palisade to protect o' more trolls!”

Mather looked suspiciously at the man. Trolls were rare creatures, even though they were more frequent in the swamps.

”And they don't just cross the stream because?”

”... because my family has a habit of not purposely drowning?”

”... you're kidding...”

”No way, come!”

The man walked past the three and to the river. He stopped.

”Yeah?”

Amber 'asked'.

”Actually, I'm not sure how to prove that it's deep. Do you have a really big stick or something?”

Gonu and Amber simulatiously slapped their palm to their forehead.

...

Gonu finished tieing the rope around his belly, as tight as he could.

”Can I question the relevance of our current actions?”

Amber said while crossing her arms. Mather turned around, holding the rope with Gonu tied to one end tightly in his hands.

”We have to help these people. That's what we're out here for!”

”Sure, sure.”

The man came out of the house, holding an apple. Mather looked longingly at it, but dropped the thought when the man took a bite of it.

”Y'know I need that rope back for my well, m'kay?”

Amber sighed, went over and sat in the shadow of one of the pillars of the (former) bridge, away from the three other's sight.

”You ready for this?”

Mather asked Gonu.

”No, but you mighty persuasion skills surely exceed the capacities of my insight.”

Mather grunted. Gonu stepped back a few metres, then jumped as far as he could across the stream. He stretched his full length (which didn't make much difference), and broke one of his nails while trying to grab some of the grass off the other side of the river. He slipped in the mud and tumbled in the water. Mather was pulled forward, but quickly retaliated by pulling the rope and Gonu out of the water. He pulled Gonu on to land. Gonu shivered at the cold of the water, with water dripping from his clothes.

”It really is that deep!”

”Told ye so!”

Mather simply grunted.

”Ready for another go?”

It was Gonu's turn to grunt. He shrugged and moved into jumping position. He ran as fast as he could, and despite the weight of his wet clothes, he made it to the other side.

Meanwhile, two girls, a boy and a grown up woman had come out of the tents, awakened by the noise. The man waved a hand.

”Hello honey... s! These guys are going to help you get across the river!”

The woman raised one sceptical eyebrow, and shrugged. She noticed Gonu, and said

”.. and how are you going to do that?”

Gonu untied the rope.

”One at a time, we tie you to this rope, you run for it and jump. You'll most likely not make it, but my pal here, Mather...”

Mather waved and smiled from the other side of the river.

”... will pull you from the stream and onto land. You'll rejoice at meeting your beloved husband and we'll be on our way. See? Nothing to be afraid of, we've got it all planned.”

The boy – which must've been about eight years old – pulled his mom's dress.

”Mommy, I don't think I want to die just yet...”

His mom smiled and clapped his head.

”No, no, we won't die, I'll work something out.”

”Good..”

The boy answered, barely hearable.

A couple of minutes later, all were prepared for emergency situations, and the mother had teached her children how to hold their breath while underwater. They started with the youngest, one of the girls, about four years old. Gonu tightened the rope, the girl went in running position, ran and jumped. Mather and Gonu were stunned in awe. The jumped at least a metre farther than required. Gonu was very embarrased.

Next, the next youngest, the boy. Gonu smiled triumphantly as the boy dropped in the water and had to be pulled up by Mather. His father made sure he was okay. Now the eldest girl, about twelve. She grunted and tightened the rope.

”Yeah, like I'm going to survive, pfft..”

She exclaimed. Mather wasn't suprised, it's one of the consequences of teenage kids. She ran for it, jumped and landed so that she could barely hold on to the other side of the stream. She'd probably made it without Mather's help, but she got up anyhow. The wife made it almost as flawlesly as her eldest daughter, though her dress was considerably more wet.

Gonu packed the equipment the family had used. Most of it got lost in the stream, and Mather had to pay a few of his money. Even though he'd been trained in the laws of Gurung, he had a hard time departing with his beloved money.

Gonu tied the rope around himself, jumped for it and broke another nail, but made it to land.

...

”I'm so thankful that you helped my family across the stream!”

The man told Mather.

Why did you take my money then?! ”It was nothing, really. Gurung will only be happy when the people of our world is happy!”

Mather replied.

”Yes, I'm sure.”

The man said. Suddenly, he picked his apple from the ground, took a bite of  it, threw it away  and went inside the house. His wife and kids looked at each other for a while, before following his example.

Gonu appeared besides Mather, startling him.

”Congratulations, you just beat the record. You just wasted time in a whole new and exciting way, so goalless it beats all other entries!”

Mather grunted.

”Where is Amber?”

He asked, to change the topic. Before Gonu could answer, they heard giggling from behind the pillar of the bridge. Gonu and Mather looked a each other, and snook closer to the pillar. They looked around it, and saw Amber rubbing the blunt side of Sajine against her cheek. She'd gotten a very small scar on the chin. Apprently, she turned Sajine the wrong way while kissing it.

”We're all done and ready to move!”

Mather yelled, startling Amber. She gasped and stumbled around.

”Oh.. yes, yes.”

Amber got her things, and held Sajine in her arms, cuddling with it as they went along the dirt road and into the dense forest once again.

Chapter 4

It had taken three hours cutting away enough of the grass to make a clearing big enough for a camp, then an additional four hours to make a new clearing, since the other one was filled with water. It took an additional hour to prepare a camp fire in the wet climate.

Gonu bumped down on his bedroll and took off his soaked boots. He sighed.

”Why is it we're walking this way specifically? The source of all the things that's been going on could come from anywhere in the swamp!”

Mather sighed as reply and looked at Amber. She was laying on her bedroll with her back turned at Mather and Gonu, cuddling with Sajineand giggling.

”Gurung tells me it's this way, so I'm quite sure...”

Amber stopped giggling and she and Gonu simulatiously looked at Mather and began laughing. Mather frowned, laid down on his bedroll and turned his back to the two. It wouldn't take long for the campfire to die out in this climate, and when there weren't any light anymore, the creatures of this swamp (or forest) would most likely come across the camp.

”What happens when the fire dies out?”

Gonu asked. The giggling from Amber had stopped – apparently, she had fallen asleep.

”Let's just hope Gurung will keep the campfire going and lead us through the night safely. Gonu smiled faintly and went to sleep.

Gurung didn't do a very good job.

Mather awakened when he felt a very strong grip of his back. By the time his eyes were opened, he felt as if he was smashed against a large object, and had to close his eyes in reflex. The pain in his stomach was unbearable, and he rolled on the ground wtih closed eyes. His rolling was interrupted by something, presumably a tree (not a suprise, trees had been spotted in the forest lately). He opened his eyes and saw a giant troll roaring and trying to hit Gonu by smashing down on the ground with it's large fists. Gonu ran panically around the trees. Mather crawled as fast as he could towards his turned over bedroll while trying to spot Amber. He could see her. He got to his bedroll and took his axe. There was no time to get on his armour, so he sped for the troll's back. He hammered down upon it's spine, and felt the axe slide off the bone inside. The troll roared and tried to remove the axe from it's back, which turned out to be difficult because of the lack of eyes in the neck.

Mather was thrown back by the troll's violent arm movements. He was quite glad he did so. The pain in his stomach was too much to bear. He saw Amber rush from the forest, and she stabbed Sajine into the leg of the confused troll. She quickly pulled out Sajine, and fell on her back in the process. The troll waved it's arms more violently than ever. Gonu had stopped to catch his breath, believing that the troll had stopped it's chase.

It hadn't. When it saw Gonu standing still, it made a single swing with an open hand and Gonu was sent flying into a tree. Mather got up (halfway, at least) to see his axe on the ground. He ran and picked it up while the troll roared and ran about. He tried to spot Amber. She was laying on the ground, making sure Sajine was okay. Mather charged the troll as it turned around. He chopped the axe in the troll's arm, pull it out and chopped again. The troll roared and hit mather with an open hand, and he was sent flying a few metres across the clearing. The troll turned around and ran away, almost stepping on Amber in the process.

As the troll ran further away, the silence returned to the clearing. Amber got on her legs and looked out over the clearing. Gonu looked very dead, sitting up the tree, but he frequently groaned, a sign of life. Mather continually tried to get on his legs, but the pain in his stomach and now back was too much.  Amber found her bedroll in the bushes and put Sajine under a blanket,  to make sure it was not too cold. Mather's bedroll was almost at it's place, and she pull Mather over to it and made sure he laid comfortably. Mather groaned and fell asleep. She went over to Gonu, and although she wasn't epsecially strong, she easily carried him over to his bedroll, and he fell asleep very quickly too.

At least noone will be awake and disturb Sajine and I. Tee-hee.