A Smidge of Magic

Chapter 54

Vale finished her count. There was a loud whump followed by a rush of air that spun up around them until it was a gale. Whipping at their clothes and Ian felt his ears pop. The wind stung any exposed bits of flesh with heat. Then as quickly as it had begun the windstorm died away.

"What the hell was that?!" Ian called out, his ears ringing from the pressure wave of the not-quite-explosion.

Vale smiled and pointed as they came out onto the main street.

The golem had been in mid-shot when her device had gone off. Its chained fist had fallen slack into the street. Molten slag poured out from the golem's center. Most of its body was still red hot and sizzling as droplets of orange fire dripped like blood from a wound. But best of all it was no longer moving.

"Where in the Abyss did you get one of those?! Do- do you realize how dangerous that is?!" Roland sputtered as he surveyed the damage.

"I have a feeling the people here may be helping our enemy," Ban said, letting out a snort of disgust.

"Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing," Vale replied, giving Ian a knowing grin, "We need to get out of here before the guards are on us."

They ran for the town gates with Vale still astride Mal and Ian covering them with his pistol.

The guards at the gate were the same as yesterday. Though this time rather than friendly and helpful they were alert and looking in. When Ian and party came rushing down the street, hard looks in their eyes, the guards drew their weapons.

"You there-!" Gareth started.

Ban hit him like a freight train. His entire five-foot bulk launched into a single punch. The minotaur's meaty fist impacted with Gareth's jaw. The unprepared guard was sent flying into the gatehouse door, and then right on through it.

"What the?!" The guard inside drew his sword and ran outside to meet Ban, but Ian grabbed the man's sword arm and threw him forward in a judo hold. The guard landed on his back in a heap of chain mail and pain, his sword clattered to the ground. Roland swiftly cast a sleep spell on the remaining guards before any more damage could be done.

"One can never truly disarm the prepared." Roland commented smugly while Ban headed inside the gatehouse and collected their weapons. Vale dismounted, giving Mal a rapid scratching under his chin. Then helped Ban distribute the lot, stowing her own personal armory of weapons back where they belonged. Once done they were off down the main road and then into the woods, heading away from the little berg.

"We have about a day and a half's walk until we reach Juscalius. From there we can use the Spring to get back to Landorei." Vale called out over her shoulder once the village was out of sight. Mal had taken off ahead of them to serve as guide, and scout, through the forest.

"How did they locate us so quickly? We were transported randomly and ended up in that village completely by chance!" Ian shouted in frustration as they halted to catch their breath.

"Roland the Chart, if you please." Vale said, and Roland complied, pulling the scroll from an impossible spot inside his robe. Vale checked to make certain the pin her uncle had given her was in place. She saw the tarnished silver pin she let out a sigh, still there. She slipped the Star Chart back into her quiver.

"It is almost impossible to track a random teleport." Roland said as he rubbed his stubbled jaw, a pensive look on his face. "Hence why in cases like ours, if we had really screwed up and ended up in the Nebulus we'd have been well and truly lost. My best guess is that someone has a tracking spell on them." He looked accusingly at Ian, "Ostendmita."