Grymm Enters...

By Kevin Hines

"Laeta, I’m back." Grymm stepped through the entrance dropping his bow in its usual place next to the door. Walking towards the center of the cabin his eyes glanced to his old long sword hung over the fireplace. His fingers played with the gnarled root bracelet that wrapped his wrist.

"Did you figure out what was blocking the stream?" Laeta came around the corner. Her hair was pulled back and she gripped a skinning dagger in her left hand - the scent of venison was in the air letting Grymm know that she was already preparing a meal. She dropped the dagger on an old wood table and wrapped her hands behind Grymm’s neck. She kissed him lightly and then pulled her head back, "oh no."

"Yeah," Grymm’s face soured, "A marsh sprung up - not more then a days walk upstream"

"So close?"

"I was thinking maybe it’s time to go see Jack. This is getting too serious."

"Funny you should mention that," Laeta stepped over to the table and lifted a scroll off of it. "This arrived after you left" She handed it to Grymm. He unrolled it and quickly scanned it. "I’ve always said that you two share a mind," Laeta smirked at Grymm. Grymm’s eyes were closed.

"We’ll head out tomorrow morning," he softly responded.

* * *

Before stepping outside Grymm glanced back at Laeta and remarked "I have a feeling we aren’t coming back...do you have everything of value?"

Laeta smiled, "Do we own anything of value?"

"I guess not," Grymm walked through the doorway and lifted a rock up that sat next to the entrance. He grabbed a tuft of hair that was flattened below it. "An empty house won’t need unicorn hair to protect it"

"I suppose our blades had nothing to do with our safety?" When Grymm failed to respond she added "...teasing."

"I’m sorry Laeta. I know I am acting overly serious...it’s just all these changes have made me very uneasy. I can’t tell if we are doing enough."

"What are we supposed to do? We’re meeting with Jack...if there is something we can do to help - I am sure the three of us will come up with it."

"Right....well, let’s try to reach the main road before it gets too bright out."

* * *

"Grymm, you aren’t mistaken. We are on the road." Grymm’s hands dropped to the ground and felt the dirt. It was still packed hard in most places. "These woods just sprung up. Maybe the forest is attempting to take back its land or..."

"No. I think this is going to be another marsh. Look at this vegetation. It depends on a lot of water. This must be what an area looks like just prior to its changing. It’s the first time I have ever noticed it."

"Well, I’m more comfortable off the road anyway."

A whistle rang through the air and an arrow slammed into Grymm’s back. Laeta drew her bow and spun around. "Orcs!" Laeta grumbled, "Let’s take them out fast".

Grymm’s eyes squinted "Easier said then done"

Laeta looked out into the woods, "14...no 16? How’d they get the drop on us?" Just then a slice was heard above them and as Grymm looked up he saw a net drop onto the both of them.

* * *

Grymm’s eyes opened with a start.

"It’s ok. You got hit hard, but Jack had some potions," Grymm was looking up at Quiff. Hair dripping into his eyes and his robe pulled tight.

"I assume the fight is over?" Grymm asked as he slowly sat up against a tree.

"Well, luckily we had some help." Quiff leaned back against the tree as well. He then pointed towards Jack. "She was in the woods and heard the sounds of our fighting" Jack was 20 feet away chatting with Laeta. Her short black hair was messy and she was wiping the blood of goblins off of her short sword. Quiff chuckled, "think we have room in this party for two rangers?"

* * *

Grymm scowled and pulled the net off Laeta. She dropped to a knee as she readied her bow. Grymm finished untangling the net just in time to see two orcs leap down from the tree. His swords already unsheathed Grymm was able to make short work of them. Grymm darted around Laeta - the rest of the immediate area was clear. The other orcs were keeping their distance. Grymm slipped off to the west ducking into underbrush. He knew he could slip up easily on the beasts as Laeta kept them all pinned down with her bow. The woods were so thick. Grymm was amazed at how fast these plants had sprung up.

To get up next to the orcs, Grymm would have to slide past a grouping of three trees. The orcs would be out of sight for a moment, but as long as they didn’t move much he would be able to take down a few before they even knew he was there.

His back pressed up against the bark of the tree. Grymm slid his thumb along the blade until it reached thin-sliced pelt of rabbit that covered the hilt. He stilled his breathing and listened. The fight had gone quiet. Grymm continued to listen. Suddenly a loud pop sounded over the silence. Grymm’s eyes shot wide open "magic...they have magic?"

He spun around the tree and ran right into the chest of an oversized orc. They must have heard him speak. Behind the large creature was a smaller one holding a wand of some sort - and he was summoning a blast of some kind. The beam shot out towards Laeta. Time slowed down for Grymm as he shoved his sword up through the chin and skull of the larger orc dropping him with one single motion. Leaving his sword embedded in its head he moved forward. Drawing his long sword Grymm leapt towards the orc with the wand. The spell was finished, and he attempted to cast another one towards Grymm, but he would not get the chance. Grymm cut into his forearm with a quick motion causing him to drop the wand. Three sharp slices later and he fell at Grymm’s feet.

Grymm felt the rust in his own movements. It had been ages since he and Laeta had to fight anything. Grymm looked over towards Laeta preparing himself to see his love badly hurt. The magic seemed particular nasty - but Grymm had seen her hurt before. And she had seen him in even worse conditions. Both of them had even been raised from the dead on one occasion. It was a part of their former lives.

Grymm reached the spot where Laeta had been perched. She wasn’t there. For a moment Grymm was in sheer denial. She had moved somewhere or chased after one of the loose orcs. Perhaps she had climbed to safety. Then he noticed her magic dagger alone on a piece of scorched earth. Laeta had been disintegrated. There would be no raising her from the dead.

* * *

The dank cave smelled of stale air and noxious fumes from the leaking swamp water. Inside a dozen orcs were yelling and shoving each other. One orc sat on a chest and clutched a wand in his hand.

"These weapons we took from the caravan make us a force. A force to strike fear into anyone we wish! We can do what we please now. And look at us, we just fight amongst ourselves!!"

"SHUT UP! Once the others return, we’ll all head out."

"Bah, I want to go now. I should blast you all with this wand of cold" - before he could speak another word a thump was heard in the mouth of the cave. Three orc skulls rolled towards them. They looked up to see an arrow shoot through and hit the wand wielders arm. He dropped the wand. Standing in the entrance, just beyond the glare of the sun, was Grymm. He tossed his bow aside and drew both his swords.

"That’s all the warning you get. Now you die." Grymm began to charge - the orcs smiled viciously and readied their weapons to skewer him. Grymm’s right foot stepped on the wall, and then his left. He kept running up the wall until he was almost upside down. The confused orcs tried to reorient themselves but by then Grymm’s blades moved in a flurry of action and took down three of the front-most orcs.

Two of the orcs were able to stab at Grymm by then. He spun around and leapt into the middle of them all. He had no plans to let these orcs cut him again.

* * *

Grymm stood at the mouth of the cave burning the orc’s bodies. He stared blankly into the flames. He took the unicorn hair from his pouch and tossed it into the fire. He removed the bandage that he kept wrapped around his left arm and tossed it into the fire. He threw in the two flat stones he kept in his waterskin, the root bracelet he wore, and the rabbit pelt from his sword all into the pyre. This purge felt necessary. Without Laeta he would be starting over in many ways. His hand reached for the tooth he had hanging around his neck

* * *

"Laeta, what are you doing?" Laeta walked up to the dead warg and turned him over. She pried open its jaw that had clenched shut just moments ago when it died and then with her free hand pulled out her dagger. Jamming it under the largest tooth she began to pop it out.

"Getting myself a trophy."

"Why?"

Laeta glanced at Grymm and smiled, "The superstitious ranger asks me why?" she tossed him the tooth. "There. You take that one." She then cut out a second tooth for herself. "If nothing else it’s a memory."

* * *

Grymm clutched the tooth in his hand and then let it drop back down to his chest. He pulled out Laeta’s dagger and tossed it deep within the cave. He let cry a scream of anguish as it sailed into the darkness. "I’m sorry I can’t give you a more proper burial Laeta" Grymm then clutched the large branch he had wedged into the cave entrance. With a hard shove he was able to collapse the front of the cave. Dust rose up and became entangled in the smoke from the fire.

Grymm took a few steps into the woods. He needed to give himself some direction. Everything seemed to spin. He had to focus on something so he wouldn’t dwell on the pain. His hand brushed against his satchel and he pulled out the map that he and Jack had compiled. After glancing at it he brushed his hand against the bark of a nearby tree. Grymm looked at the leaves of the tree. "Maybe....maybe I can figure out what’s hurting you."

The bark began to twist under his palm. The tree’s knot deformed into an angry face. A screaming face.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!! I’M DYING!!"

* * *

Grymm leaped back, tripping over his own backpack. He gazed up at the tree, but the face was already gone. It was as if nothing had happened at all.

"It’s been a long time since I had a ‘vision’" Grymm grumbled to himself. He stood up and began to pick up his gear. "But if that’s not a call for help, then I have been retired too long." Grymm walked back up to the tree and placed his hand back on it. "First step is to meet up with Jack"

* * *

After a few days travel Grymm felt a crackle in the air. As a horizon walker Grymm found he could sense when there were creatures nearby but in parallel planes. "Ethereal,’ mumbled Grymm. He needed to rest - so he decided to sit and see who was wandering around this part of the woods via the ethereal plane.

* * *

Grymm’s respite near the sunken tower had introduced him to a group of mercenaries who were willing to accompany his to Jack’s home. Grymm glanced at the party. They seemed worn out. Much like Laeta, Jack, Quiff and the others he used to travel with before their group had disbanded and retired. The one Grymm assumed was the leader was a female elf named Riatha. The last elves Grymm had met left a lot to be desired. More overbearing and removed then ever. But Riatha seemed different. More reasonable - although sadder. The fact that she traveled outside her realms was a good sign to Grymm.

Another elf was in the party. Emjad seemed to hail from desert regions. He walked like a ranger, but the way his hands kept resting eagerly on his blades made Grymm uneasy. This elf was itching for battle. A little more bloodthirsty then Grymm would expect. But when compared with the human mage Kaylo, Emjad looked almost relaxed. Kaylo’s eyes showed a painful history - and lots of confusion. A confused and hurt mage was dangerous. There was also a half-elf that kept quiet, although got jumpy at times. He seemed no more untrustworthy then any other rogue Grymm had traveled with.

Finally there was Wen. A monk. Spiritual and at peace. His presence in the group gave Grymm a good feeling. If Wen traveled with these mercenaries they had to have some good in them. Of course - there is always the chance that monks were better at hiding their fears.

They reached Jack’s home more quickly then anticipated. Grymm invited them to stay the night and eat and they accepted. Grymm entered Jack’s home - they had much to talk about.

* * *

Grymm sat in his room at Dragonfall. Jack and he had come to no conclusions. Disillusioned Grymm followed the mercenaries into the city where they had found some work disrupting a contest of some sort. Nothing that interested Grymm. When they returned Grymm would inform Riatha that he would be leaving. Doing simple small missions for pay did not interest Grymm. He was involved in something bigger.

Just then there as a slam. Riatha had returned early. Grymm slipped into the hall and walked into Riatha’s room.

"What happened Riatha?"

"Kaylo...ah...it doesn’t matter. It honestly doesn’t matter." - all the anger drained from Riatha’s face and was replaced by weariness. She sat down on the edge of her bed. "Nothing seems to matter. There is so much going on, what’s the point?"

"I’ve been asking myself similar questions"

"The things I’ve seen....they are hard to ignore."

"You’re talking to someone who tried to retire in the mountains and failed. I understand."

Riatha and Grymm began to talk about the troubles of the world. They talked off the changes to the environment. Riatha spoke of Daryuun and the Tree of Life. They spoke of the ominous red star and war torn lands up north. But at some point their conversation shifted from the inevitability of everything to the sliver of hope that might be hidden somewhere. They talked of fighting an impossible fight. Dying while trying to change things made more since then living in a doomed world.

Riatha looked up for a moment, and smiled, "Let’s go talk to the others. Let’s get a plan of action. If there is even a possibility then its worth trying to change things. I’m not sure exactly how we’ll do it - or if any of the others will even want to, but I want to try."

"Well -" smirked Grymm, unable to believe what he as about to say, "Let’s go save the world."