The Forest Of Doom - Part 8 - Lucilla's Path - Chapter 2

This is the eighth part of The Forest Of Doom.

## Summary

Lucilla and the Friar meet the Crow. The Friar convinces the Crow to co-operate and take Lucilla to where he saw the part of the hammer.

The Friar heads off on his way.

Lucilla encounters a couple of Hobgoblins and kills them.

Next she comes to a large cave. Inside is an Ogre and a Goblin in a cage. The Crow says that he saw the Goblin with a Hammer Head earlier. Lucilla manages to poison the Ogre and get the Hammer Head from the Goblin.

A little later, Lucilla investigates a tree house and encounters an Ape-Man. She runs away.

In a large plain, some creatures try to shoot darts at Lucilla but she runs away.

Next she encounters a swarm of large bees. She dives into the river to avoid them.

Lucilla and the Crow come to a small wooden hut which contains eggs. One of the eggs explodes and hurts her. She decides to carry on towards Stonebridge.

A Boulder Beast appears further on but it goes back to sleep and Lucilla sneaks past.

Lucilla and the Crow find the lair of a Wyvern but quickly escape the creature.

They are ambushed by Evelyn Stormtide and two others of the Free People of Darkwood. They demand payment to pass. Lucilla kills Evelyn and one of her friends but lets the other go.

## Characters

### NPC Characters

* The Friar
* The Crow
* Evelyn Stormtide
* Axe Man
* Sword Man

## Creatures

* Hobgoblins
* Ogre
* Goblin
* Ape-Man
* Killer Bees
* Boulder Beast
* Wyvern

## Plot

### Previously...

The dwarfs of Stonebridge have lost their war-hammer. Rumour has it that the King of another village sent an eagle to Stonebridge to steal the hammer, which it managed to do but dropped it as it flew back over Darkwood. Apparently, two goblins found the hammer. One kept the head, the other the handle. The hammer's head is made of bronze and the handle is made of polished ebony. Both have the letter G inscribed on them.

Finding themselves in an unknown land, Lucilla and Johnny are soon suited and booted with swords, scabbards, backpacks, and leather armour and embroiled in the quest to find the hammer and take it to Gillibran, Lord of Stonebridge. Lucilla and Johnny will be well rewarded.

A crow offers them advice for the cost of 1 gold piece. Johnny tries to cast a spell on him. This makes the crow angry and it flies off.

After a while they come across a tree baring strange fruit. Lucilla reaches into the tree, plucks a fruit, and places it in her bag.

They come face to face with a huge brown bear which Lucilla kills.

A centaur takes them across the river after they pay him with some items.

They meet a friar. He joins them.

Soon they are faced with a giant. He is wearing brown canvas clothing and fur boots. On seeing Lucilla and Johnny his eyes widen and he raises his great wooden club. He is quickly dealt with.

Lucilla kills three Death Hawks.

Lucilla and Johnny split up and agree to meet in Stonebridge later.

Lucilla and the Friar continue ahead.

Lucilla: I will accompany you to Yaztromo's tower.

They are soon stood beside the old oak tree and looking out across the river. The centaur soon spots them and crosses to see them.

Lucilla gives the centaur 6 gold.

They are carried back across to the other side of the river.

### Now...

Lucilla and the Friar continue ahead for some time. They pass the place where Lucilla and Johnny faced the bear. There's no sign of it. The path slowly bends round to the right. They pass the tree baring poisonous fruit. Soon they arrive at a familiar moss-covered wooden signpost, the arms of which read 'North' (pointing to their right) and 'East' (pointing to where they came from). It must be West ahead, though there is strangely no mention of it on the signpost.

The Crow is sat back on top of the signpost. On seeing Lucilla he squarks.

Crow: Oh it's you again. Thank God you got rid of that pesky sorceror. Don't suppose you have any money this time? 1 gold and i'll help you find the Hammer.

The Friar: I think you should be helping her for free, Crow.

Crow: Why?

The Friar: I'm heading towards Yaztromo's Tower. If I happened to drop by and tell him that someone he has cursed is not helping with an important quest but instead asking for money, he'd make life even more difficult for you and take away your voice.

Crow: Fine!

The Friar: So, instead of telling her where to go, you'll take her there.

Crow: (grumbles)

The Friar: And no tricks!

Crow: Fine. Follow me, wench!

He flies off North.

The Friar waves goodbye to Lucilla as she heads off in the direction of the Crow.

He is far ahead, but soon flies back towards Lucilla.

Crow: You should either hide, or draw your sword and prepare to fight. There's a couple of Hobgoblins coming along the path right now.

Lucilla draws her sword and continues.

As soon as they see her, the Hobgoblins draw their swords and rush to attack.

She slashes at the Hobgoblin on the left, catching him at his side. Blood begins to seep out of his plate mail armour as his colleague leaps to attack. Lucilla deftly parries his blow.

Lucilla swings her sword again sword at the Hobgoblin on the left.

The Hobgoblin collapses to the ground spitting up blood and slowly dying after she delivered another wound to him. His friend tries once again to attack but once again Lucilla parries his blow.

After a little more hacking and slashing, the second Hobgoblin lies dead in a pool of blood.

Crow: Remind me to not get on the wrong side of you.

Lucilla and the Crow continue North.

After a while the path widens and they see a large cave entrance to their right.

Crow: You need to go in there.

Lucilla cautiously enters the cave.

Slowly she peers into the cave and sees a huge figure walking slowly over to a wicker cage with a bowl of water in his great hand.

Crow: (whispering) I saw that Ogre dragging the Goblin into the cave earlier. The Goblin was holding a big old Hammer head.

The Ogre is dressed in animal furs and carries a stone club in his hand. Lucilla can also see that the cage contains the Goblin which is jumping around inside the cage.

When the Ogre's back is turned Lucilla sneaks into the cave and place the strange fruit where the Ogre will be able to see it. She then sneaks back out and waits.

Her plan works perfectly. After she sneaks back, she watches as he turns back around, looks at the fruit, scratches his head, and then picks up the fruit and takes a large bite out of it.

Moments later he clutches his throat, makes an unearthly screeching sound, and drops dead.

Lucilla walks into the cave, there is a lot to look at: a straw bed, stone jars, a table, a wooden stool. On a stone shelf above the bed there sits a small silver box. It strikes Lucilla that most of the items in this cave couldn't've been made by the Ogre. He didn't seem bright enough.

Inside the cage a small, sinewy creature with brown, scaly skin, is jumping up and down. Next to the Goblin is a large block of bronze and a wooden bowl full of water.

The cage can be opened by a latch.

Lucilla gently prises the lid off the silver box, but as she does so, a yellow gas escapes and envelops her face.

Other than a bit of coughing and spluttering, she is fine moments later. The lid has closed itself automatically.

Lucilla approaches the cage again.

Lucilla (to Goblin): Do you want me to let you out?

Goblin: eeee...Yes...Yes Yes Yes Yes.

Lucilla: Hmm... I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't bother. What would I have to gain from letting you out?

The Goblin looks sweetly puzzled...then looks around, picks up the bronze block and holds it out to her.

She examines the bronze block.

The bronze block has the letter G inscribed on it on two sides, and a hole on the side underneath them.

Lucilla: Yes. This will do.

She opens the cage whilst keeping a close eye on the goblin.

As soon as the door opens, the creature drops the hammer head and his face takes on a feral look as it leaps to attack.

Lucilla quickly brings her sword up and slices at him, knocking him back to the ground. Terrified he runs straight past her and out of the cave.

Lucilla puts the Hammer head in her bag and heads out of the Cave.

Crow: What now then?

Lucila: Let's head back to those Hobgoblins, I want to search them for items.

Crow: Okay.

They both head back to the Hobgoblin corpses.

Searching them Lucilla finds: 3 gold pieces, a tiny brass flute, 2 maggot-ridden biscuits, a necklace made of mouse skulls, the swords they were carrying, the plate mail they were both wearing, their sandals and a metal head band.

Lucilla takes: 3 gold pieces, the tiny brass flute, and both plate mails. She puts the gold in a pouch, the flute in her bag and puts the plate mail over her leather armour.

Lucilla: Let's head back to Stonebridge.

They head North, past the cave.

As Lucilla walks, with the Crow riding on her shoulder, along a leaf-covered area of path, the wind blows slightly and uncovers a piece of rope. It appears to be a trap. Someone was obviously hoping she'd step on it.

Next she comes across a knotted vine hanging down to the ground from a tree on her left. She looks up and sees a roughly made three house amid the branches.

Lucilla climbs to the top of the vine and scramble on to a wooden platform. A sheet made from leaves and ferns covers the entrance to a small covered living area. As she approaches, the sheet is thrown back and from behind it steps a large and hairy ape-like creature wearing only an animal-hide loin cloth. He is holding a large bone in his right hand and grunts at Lucilla.

Crow: An Ape-Man!

Lucilla: Hello?

Ape-Man: Walalatoo-ey! WALALA!

Lucilla: We're gonna be going now...

They leave and head North.

The path leads out of the trees on to a large plain with tall grasses. Beyond it Lucilla and the Crow see rising ground and, further off, some low hills. They pass a crossroads.

The path cuts through the grass which is about waist high. Although her visibility is good, Lucilla feels uneasy about any creatures which may be stalking her on either side. Suddenly, the grass to her left moves and two wooden tubes appear, pointing straight at her.

Lucilla runs North.

As the path proceeds Northwards, the grass becomes shorter and the ground starts to rise gently. Ahead Lucilla and the Crow can hear the sound of flowing water.

However, much more ominous is another sound, above them in the sky - a loud buzzing noise. Suddenly a swarm of large bees, each bee some ten centimetres long, is hovering directly above them.

Lucilla runs as fast as she can towards the noise of the water with a long trail of killer bees right behind her. The Crow takes flight. Soon Lucilla reaches the bank of a river and, with no time to think, dives straight in (oblivious to the whereabouts of the crow). She holds her breath as long as she can and stays under water. When she surface again the killer bees have gone. She drags herself out of the water and starts to dry herself. The crow flies back over to her as she is examining the contents of her backpack. She is dismayed to discover that her half of the loaf of bread is completely sodden and unusable. She chucks it into the river. She looks around and sees that the path continues north over the river via a rickety old wooden bridge.

The bridge is in a terrible state of repair, but she manages to cross it safely, with the Crow once again perched on her shoulder. She is at the foot of some hills as she starts north along the path.

The ground is quite steep now as the path wends its way up into the hills. It's beginning to get darker now, Lucilla estimates it's coming up to about 5 o'clock. All around in the distance you see the tight green circle of Darkwood Forest. Mist still hangs in the tall grasses behind her but ahead she sees a valley floor bathed in sunlight. All is quiet. As she starts down the far side of the hill, she notices a small wooden hut to the right of the path with its door slightly open.

Lucilla takes a closer look.

The hut consists of one room containing a fireplace, a wooden bed, a table with two chairs, a washing bowl, a wooden chest and shelves crammed end to end with bird's eggs. There is a lot of dust on the floor and the room does not appear to have been lived in for months.

Lucilla decides to open the wooden chest.

The iron lock on the chest is old and rusted and will not open.

She swings at the chest with her sword, smashing it open to reveal a large, light blue egg nearly a metre round.

Lucilla taps it with her finger. It is cold and hard, and feels like marble. Suddenly a crack appears and before she can move the egg explodes, sending fragments of razor-sharp shell flying through the air.

Thankfully her two layers of armour took the brunt of the blast, but it still hurt. She picks herself up and dusts herself down.

Lucilla examines the eggs on the shelves.

They appear to be normal birds eggs of varying sizes and colours.

Lucilla: What type of eggs are these?

Crow: Oh right! So because i'm a Crow i'd instantly know all about different eggs?! I was a HUMAN before I was a Crow!

Lucilla: Sorry, I mistook you for an intelligent crow.

Crow: Do you want me to help you or not?

Lucilla: Well you don't have to help me but Yaztromo will know if you don't.

Crow: Fine, whatever...

Lucilla and the Crow leave the hut and continue on to Stonebridge.

Walking down the hill path they see the valley floor stretching out ahead and beyond that a wall of trees.

Crow: Stonebridge is just beyond those trees.

As they reach the foot of the hills they see many large boulders lying around on either side of the path. Lucilla is amazed to see one of the larger ones gently rocking from side to side like a leaf in a breeze.

As she approaches the boulder she is even more surprised to see it suddenly rise up on what appear to be two stumpy stone legs. Then two stone arms with huge club-shaped fists spring out of its sides. She stares in disbelief as the boulder lumbers towards her and raises one of its great stone fists.

Crow: BOULDER BEAST!

The crow flies off and rests watching in a nearby tree.

Lucilla runs and hides in the trees. She looks out to see what the creature does, but he just looks around confused.

She waits.

It sits on the ground and appears to go back to sleep.

She sneaks past, continuing in the direction she was headed.

Arriving on the valley floor she finds that the path splits. It continues ahead but two other paths lead to the left and right.

She continues on and shortly comes to another junction. She continues onwards across the green valley, soon finding herself passing through thick undergrowth and coming out between tall dark trees and thorny bushes. It is quiet and the path ends abruptly at a junction. She can go left or right.

Crow: We should go right. Trust me, wench, it's much safer.

Lucilla: Okay, right it is

Soon they come to another junction. They turn left to resume the journey to Stonebridge. Lucilla finds herself wandering a familiar path, she passes the dead body of the (surprisingly weak) giant, then the path twists to the left and she spies the remains of the three death hawks she killed earlier. On the next junction she takes a right, and heads down the path to Stonebridge.

The path opens out into a small clearing. To her right she sees a pile of branches, grass and pieces of rag, the lair of some large creature. Amongst the debris and old bones scattered about you catch sight of something glittering.

Crow: Let's just keep going...er...right?

Lucilla walks over to investigate, sword drawn, but is suddenly aware of a dark shadow being cast all about her. She hears a loud roar above you and looks up to see a dragon-like creature with two legs and green scaly skin flying down to its lair.

Lucilla runs as fast as she can.

The crow flies swiftly beside her.

Crow: That was a Wyvern. We were lucky, she must've just eaten.

Walking along the narrow path they suddenly hear the sharp crack of a twig breaking and the whispering of low voices.

Lucilla: WHO'S THERE?

From behind the trees opposite them step two men and a woman dressed in green tunics. Each looks menacing and they stand with swords and axes in their hands. The young woman steps forward.

Woman: I am Evelyn Stormtide of the Free People of Darkwood. You are on our territory. You may pass, but must give us 5 of your items...or face the penalty.

Lucilla: What's the penalty?

Evelyn: Death.

Lucilla: I can't spare any items.

Evelyn: Then you'll have to spare your life!

Evelyn holds out her axe, ready to attack.

Metal clangs against metal, and Lucilla scores a nasty cut to Evelyn's tunic. Blood starts to seep through as Lucilla strikes again, this time the blow is parried.

Evelyn thrusts her axe at Lucilla but Lucilla knocks it out of the way.

Meanwhile one of Evelyn's men tries a strike at Lucilla's side. It connects but her armour is strong enough to take it.

The other man hurls his axe, which thuds into the ground after deflecting off Lucilla's sturdy armour.

Clang. Clang. Ksssh. And Lucilla thrusts her sword into Evelyn. She pulls the sword out and swings it at the Axe man who rolls out of the way as the Sword man swings at Lucilla's head. She parries.

The Axe man grabs for his Axe.

Lucilla hacks the Axe man down, then is parried by the Sword man. He strikes at her armour but doesn't penetrate it.

Sword Man: Look, i'll stop if you stop!

Lucilla: Fine.

She starts backing away.

Sword Man: Well, you've clearly won this fight so, ah, can I just go?

Lucilla: Yes.

She lets him go.

## Navigation

* Back To Main Story Page
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