A Fool's Errand

"Did you see that new bounty for the Stagwraith?" Peter says to Colin, who takes another swig of his ale.

Colin sets his mug down.

"Aye. Killed some nobleman's son and now there's twenty gold on that creature's head."

For a moment he just stares at the barrels of ale behind the counter before mumbling, "Twenty gold could do a lot of good for a man like me."

Peter mumbles his agreement, taking another sip. "Yeah, who couldn't use twenty gold."

Colin looks into his ale.

"I can kill the beast."

Peter chokes on his ale and between coughs rasps, "Have you gone mad? You can barely haul fish out of the boats and you want to fight a stagwraith?"

"There are easier ways to kill yourself, my friend, and I didn't take you for the suicidal type."

Colin slams a fist down on the bar.

"Damn it, Peter! We're out here breaking our backs every day to put food on the table and they have the nerve to put up twenty gold because some rich man's son got killed by the Wraith."

"If I were ten years younger I could capture the damned beast."

Peter finishes his ale.

"Aye, ten years younger, maybe you could muster up the luck and courage, but it's not the wraith that scares me."

Colin looks at him.

"What does?"

Peter looks him right in his eyes.

"The Hollow."

Colin swallows hard and nods.

Peter signals the bartender for another ale.

"You couldn't pay me enough to go there."

Colin finishes his ale, nodding.

"Aye, I'll leave it to those younger and dumber than us."

The tavern door opens, letting in the evening chill as a group of four armored adventurers enter laughing.

The biggest of the group yells, "Barkeep! A round of ale."

The noise makes some of the locals turn their heads in annoyance.

The woman in the group leans over to him. "You think it wise to drink ale before a hunt?"

The skinny archer snorts at her question. "One Stagwraith can't take all of us on, Phoebe."

The brawler of the group puts his meaty arm around the archer's shoulder. "Yeah, Alden is right, what can one Stagwraith do against us?"

Phoebe regains some of her courage. "I suppose I let the stories about that place get to me." She punches the brawler in his arm. "Thank you, Marcus."

Marcus beams and says to the leader, "Ruben! Two pints for me, I'm celebrating my cut of the gold early!"

Ruben grabs the drinks. "This time tomorrow we'll be twenty gold richer and on to the next conquest!"

The villagers look at the group. Some laugh, others mutter to themselves, and at least two offer a prayer.

Peter looks at Colin, raises his eyebrows, and goes back to his drink. Colin shakes his head and orders another.

Alden elbows Ruben playfully. "Can you believe Phoebe was almost rattled by a little forest?"

She looks at Alden sharply. "I was not rattled! I just heard a lot of stories about what lives in that place."

Ruben finishes his drink in one go, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "All those stories are just a bunch of village nonsense. Ask yourself if you really believe a group of trees are alive and killing people."

She smiles sheepishly. "When you put it like that it does sound rather silly."

Ruben gives her an approving smile, then turns to the villagers in the tavern. "Who will lead us to the entrance of this forest?"

No one moved. No one spoke. The tavern went so quiet that you could hear mice scampering in the rafters.

Marcus finishes both his drinks. "Not a very talkative crowd, are they?"

The barkeep sighs, picks up a glass, and holds it up to the candlelight. "Head northeast from here. When the road goes from cobble to dirt, you will see it. Once you've seen it, you should turn around and go home."

Ruben nods. "We will be going home with the head of that Stagwraith."

The barkeep pours himself a glass, holds it up to the adventurers, and says, "Pacem inveniatis," as the villagers mirror the gesture.

Alden mutters, "Why can't one of these villages ever be normal?"

Ruben sets down ten silver pieces for the drinks and leads his team out. They follow the barkeep's instructions and walk until the cobblestone path turns to soft earth. Just before last light, they make it to the entrance of the Hollow.

Phoebe looks at the Hollow and an involuntary shiver goes through her. "We'll be setting up camp out here, right?"

Alden looks back at her, grinning. "Already getting cold feet, Phoebe? If you want, you can stay out here and I can get your cut of the gold."

Before she can answer, Ruben interrupts. "We'll make camp out here. No use sleeping where the beast has the advantage."

Her shoulders relax and she lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "I'll gather the firewood, then."

Ruben nods. "While she gathers the wood, let's get the tents pitched."

The other two nod and get to work setting up camp like they've done many times before. By the time she gets back with the wood, they are mostly done, so she gets to work on starting the fire. The warmth and the light are a welcome relief for the group.

The four of them gather around the fire and Ruben breaks the silence first. "Marcus, you'll take the first watch, then me, Alden, and finally Phoebe. We'll need light to track the creature and to avoid being ambushed. Everyone understand?"

The three nod in unison. Alden and Phoebe make their way to their tents, while Ruben has a word with Marcus.

"First sign of trouble and you wake us. Do not rush out there to take the creature on by yourself, even if you spot it. We don't need a repeat of last time."

Marcus's jaw clenches. He turns his gaze to the looming, dense forest and says, "Understood."

Ruben nods. "I'll relieve you in three hours." He turns and settles into his own tent.

Marcus sits there waiting and watching, stewing in his own thoughts. He shifts uncomfortably, both too hot from the fire at his back and too cold from the night's chill in front of him. The sounds of the night are all around him: insects buzzing, frogs croaking, even the sound of something walking closer. Wait.

He shoots to his feet, eyes scanning the treeline. He could have sworn he heard something walking towards them. His eyes strain as he peers into the darkness looking for anything out of the ordinary, but the more he looks the more he sees shadows shifting at the treeline.

"It's nothing, just my mind playing tricks on me," he mutters.

He starts pacing around the camp to get his mind off of it but still finds himself looking at the treeline. His pacing is getting wider, moving closer to the forest. The farther he wanders from the fire, the louder the forest seems to become, and he even starts to pick up a scent, something sweet and unusual.

A loud pop from the fire seems to break the trance he was under, and for a moment he thought he saw a white light in the forest.

A part of him wants to investigate, to see what the source of the light could be, but as his gaze lingers on Ruben's tent, he decides to walk back to his stump. As he turns his back to the forest he hears a low hiss that makes his hair stand on end. He sprints back to the safety of the campfire and takes his seat.

He keeps his eyes on the treeline, thinking, This place is strange and we have to fight the creature in there? Maybe the villagers-

He suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump off the stump, eyes wild and ready to swing.

Ruben puts his hands up. "Easy there, it's just me." He notices the wild look in his eyes. "Did something happen?"

"Menos's ash, Ruben," Marcus grinds out, his jaw barely moving as he glares back at the treeline. "Don't sneak up on a man like that when he's keeping watch."

Ruben looks at Marcus's body language. "Your watch has ended. Go get some rest. I'll take it from here."

Marcus finally looks away from the treeline, nods, and says, "Don't stray too far from camp," before making his way to his tent.

Ruben watches him go before settling on the same stump. He stares at the treeline and, after seeing nothing unusual, prepares himself for his watch.

When the moon is almost directly overhead, he gets up to wake Alden for his watch. He mutters to himself, "Everyone is so jittery over a little forest." He taps the tent with his foot. "Alden, wake up. It's your turn to take watch."

Alden shifts to his side, muttering. "Uhhh, food and ale, mmmm."

Ruben chuckles and gives the sole of Alden's boot a firm kick.

"Wha? Where am I and where did all the food go?" he mutters, still half asleep.

Ruben walks over to his tent, looking back at Alden. "You are on watch, my friend, and the food is motivation to finish this bounty."

Alden sighs. "I hate when it's my turn. Just makes me tired and hungry, and you know how I get when I'm both at once."

Ruben ducks into his tent before saying, "You'll be fine. You're meanest when you're hungry."

Alden sighs and takes his place on the stump, half asleep but doing his part.

Ruben tries to settle but the ground is just rough enough to be uncomfortable. Eventually sleep finds him, but not for long.

"I SEE IT! I SEE IT!"

Ruben's eyes shoot open at Alden's yell and within moments he's on his feet and out of his tent. "Alden! What is it you see?!"

Alden, already with an arrow notched, looking into the forest, says, "It was watching the camp, then bolted into the forest."

The others jump out of their tents with their weapons in hand, looking to Ruben.

Ruben draws his own longsword. "Then let's make haste! Don't let it get too far!"

Phoebe looks to the forest and back to Ruben. "Shouldn't we wait till first light? It might be too dark for us to properly track it."

Ruben shakes his head. "It already spotted us and it has a head start. Every moment we waste, it gets further away." He turns. "Alden, track it. Marcus, rear." Then to Phoebe: "Stay close. Wait for your moment. Don't hesitate."

They nod in unison and all make haste towards the forest.

Alden points to a spot on the edge of the forest. "That's where it entered."

Ruben nods and leads them to the spot. Once they get there he says, "Circle around, Alden." He turns to the other two. "Stay vigilant."

Ruben turns his gaze forward, relying on the moonlight to guide them.

"Stop shifting so much," Alden mutters. "You're blocking the light."

Marcus tilts his ear upwards. "Is it me, or has it gotten quiet?"

Phoebe holds her breath, just listening.

Alden speaks up. "This way. The tracks lead over here. Let's hurry."

Ruben nods. "Stay in formation. The creature has the advantage here, but we outnumber it."

Ruben lets Alden take point while he follows closely behind. The forest is a winding, twisting maze of bramble and brush that tugs and grips at their armor and weapons as they rush by, like everything here is against them.

Alden stops suddenly, almost causing Ruben to run into him.

"Why did you stop, Alden?"

Alden looks to the ground. "This doesn't make any sense. We have been running in a straight line but the tracks lead us in circles."

Ruben steps in front of Alden, looking down at the tracks. "What?! How can this be?"

"This place isn't natural," Phoebe mutters, looking around.

Ruben turns to her. "Damn it, Phoebe, it's just a forest!"

At that moment it was like every insect in the forest awoke at once. The space filled with the buzzing and sound of insects from all directions, a cacophony of sound that threatens to make them go deaf.

They all hold their ears and squeeze their eyes shut against the sound when, through it all, Ruben hears a low growl, then movement. He forces an eye open in time to see Alden being dragged away by something big and unbothered by the sound.

Ruben lunges forward. "ALDEN!"

Just as quickly as the noise started, it simmers down to the levels of a normal forest.

Marcus and Phoebe shake off the disorientation.

Marcus stomps over to Ruben. "Ruben! What the hell was that?! You said it was just a forest! You said it would be an easy job to kill a Stagwraith and collect twenty gold! I did not sign up for being lost and hunted! Neither did Phoebe and Alden. Right, Alden?"

"Alden?"

"Ruben. Where is Alden?" Marcus says, deadly calm.

Ruben turns to look at Marcus, his breath shallow. "Some-something took him from right in front of me," he swallows at the last word.

Marcus's face drops. "Something?! Something like what, Ruben?! Was it the Stagwraith? Why are we here talking and not going for him?!"

"GOING WHERE, MARCUS?! Where would we go? None of us here can track that thing and it was smart enough to take out Alden first."

Marcus grabs Ruben's tunic. "Take out?! Don't talk about him like he's already dead, Ruben! If you won't go after him, point me in the direction the thing that took him went and I'll go myself."

Phoebe steps forward. "Marcus, calm down, we can figure this ou-"

"Don't tell me to calm down, Phoebe! We should have never come to this wretched place, all because you, Ruben, wanted some quick coin."

In the distance they hear a voice like Alden's saying, "Heeelp mee!"

Marcus looks to Ruben for half a second before running after the sound.

"MARCUS, WAIT!" Ruben yells, but it's too late. Marcus's form was swallowed up by the darkness of the forest.

In the distance they hear a yell. A wet slash. Then a heavy thud.

Phoebe drops to her knees, hyperventilating. Ruben hears her praying through her breaths. "Oh merciful Telos, if I am to meet my end, please let it come swiftly."

Ruben walks over to her, pulling her upright by her arm. "Focus, Phoebe!" he hisses. "We don't have to fight the beast, but we can escape it, so let's move!"

He doesn't wait for her to answer. He pulls her along as he runs to where he thinks the exit is. Voices whisper around them, some laugh, others jeer, but it doesn't deter him. After running through a thick wall of brush he feels Phoebe no longer dragging behind him. She's pulling her own weight now, he thinks. She believes we can make it out. He uses her perceived faith in him to continue forward, pushing hard until he sees the first bit of morning light illuminating a path.

He feels a weight lift from his chest and a smile touch his lips. "We did it, Phoebe, we're almost ther-"

He looks back to see only her hand in his. No sign of Phoebe.

He drops to the ground, screaming and cursing at any and everything that comes to his mind. He cries for his comrades, his friends, because it was his idea to do this job.

While wallowing in the depths of his despair, he hears a sound. Footsteps. Something is walking towards him.

He picks his head up and sees it: the Stagwraith. A towering beast draped in matted black fur and tattered shadow-like hide. Its head is a bleached stag skull with hollow eye sockets and massive, branching antlers. Adorning its back is the cloak of the nobleman's son.

Ruben falls back, slipping on the damp soil as the creature approaches unhurriedly. He manages to get up, facing the creature they were sent to kill. He risks a look over his shoulder to see how far the exit is, and the Stagwraith, seeming to understand what he's planning, rushes at him.

Ruben breaks into a full sprint towards the exit, hearing its footsteps getting closer. His legs burn as he pushes himself harder than ever before. He feels the creature breathing down his neck and makes the mistake of looking back and locking eyes with the black pits where its eyes should have been.

The Stagwraith prepares to strike, and Ruben has just enough time to put his hands up to attempt to protect himself before he realizes he's currently flying through the air and also not breathing.

The last thing he remembers is landing on something hard, and then darkness.

Sometime later.

"Did you see the bounty for the Stagwraith is still up?" Colin says to Peter, who takes another swig of his ale.

Peter sets his mug down. "That I did. Still think you can do what they couldn't?" he says with a smirk.

Colin drinks deep. "Just me and a mug of ale can get it done," he says, laughing.

Peter laughs with him. "What do you think happened to them?"

Colin signals for another drink. "Same thing that always happens."

Peter shrugs and finishes his drink.