Garden of Stone - Chapters 1-4

Chapter 4 - Medusan

“Looks like we’re up then,” Tonk said, picking up his mirrored shield and heading off to his post.

Sevrin sneered at the tuft-tailed halfling. “Remind me again why Copper brought that overgrown rat along?”

“I have it on good authority that his mirrored shield allows him to see the medusan’s reflection without turning to stone,” the Blind Huntsman said.

“He still sees something,” Sevrin pointed out. “Doesn’t that count?”

 “As I understand it, one must look directly into the stonegazer’s eyes,” the minotaur said, examining a nearby faun statue. The horned female had the furry legs of a goat from the knee down but the torso of a human woman. She held a wand in one stone hand. Her other hand was thrust into a pouch. “A reflection wouldn’t count.”

“That’s not what I meant. His presence is unnecessary and likely to be a liability,” the orc said.

Richard snorted and levelled Sevrin with a hard look. “Is that concern for the halfling’s well-being I hear in your tone, Master Warscream?”

Sevrin’s face flushed and then blossomed into a hard scowl. “I just don’t want to be the one who dies trying to save him. That’s all.”

“I’m sure,” the minotaur said, returning to his scrutiny of the faun statue, a slight smile playing on his bovine lips.

Sevrin’s eyes narrowed at the taunt. He glanced at the she-faun statue and then back at Richard. He sneered. “Whenever you’re through ogling that faun, cow, I suggest you get ready.”

The minotaur’s eyes blazed and his nostrils flared. “I’m not ogling, Master Warscream,” he said, his voice nearly a growl. “I merely thought she looked familiar.”

Sevrin inspected the faun statue more closely. “Friend of yours? Old girlfriend?”

“You don’t recognize her?” the minotaur asked.

“Never met her.”

“Then this statue doesn’t bear a great resemblance to Mistress Ember Skyfire to you?”

Sevrin spat. He gave the faun statue a more serious examination, but then shrugged. “How should I know? All fauns look alike to me. You want me to smash it to be on the safe side?” Sevrin opened an access hatch on his mechanized forearm bracer and flipped a few switches, transmogrifying himself into a modified arboreal. Arboreals were tree-folk. Sevrin Arboreal lifted a thorn-covered fist the size of Richard’s bison-like head and poised it at ready over the statue. The bracer grew and adapted itself to his new form.

Richard shook his massive head. “No, it’s probably just a coincidence.”

“You sure? I mean, we’re talking about Copper’s very own She Who Must Not Be Named here.”

“But what would she be doing here of all places?”

Sevrin made a wry face. “Isn’t it obvious? Stalking Copper, as usual.”

“Then she’s got her just desserts,” the minotaur pointed out. “I wouldn’t feel right about killing her in this state, especially since we’re not really sure it’s her. Still, you may not want to mention this to Copper at all.”

“If we ever see him again,” Sevrin said, lowering his warclub-like fist.

“Trust Copper. He’ll come through as he always does,” Richard chided.

Sevrin sighed heavily. “It’s not Copper I don’t trust.” He glanced in the technomancer’s direction. “It’s the newb. Something’s not right. He shouldn’t be taking so long.”