A New Beginning: A Fantasy Adventure (The White Chronicles Book 1) Read online

Now that he had a second to think, Vexx realized that the ruined figure in front of him would be hard to explain as a goblin. He scanned from left to right, exhaustion slowing his motions, and rocked back on his heels in dismay.

  “Shit,” Vexx repeated.

  I need a drink.

  He patted at his robe, smiling as he felt the potion still in his pocket. It was good thinking to keep this here instead of in my pack. Vexx raised it up, the blue liquid looking almost teal in the glow of the emerald crystals that dotted the ceiling, and popped open the cork. Vexx took a few greedy swigs before corking it and placing it back in his robes.

  Better save some of that for later.

  “Ah, that’s the stuff,” Vexx said to himself, his voice echoing in the massive chamber, then burped as he felt his stomach rumble. He certainly felt more energetic, at least. A band of a dozen goblins could have rounded the corner just then and Vexx knew he’d be able to send fireballs flying at every one of them if he needed to.

  Instead, the cavern was as quiet as ever.

  Vexx leaned in close, noticing now that one side of the goblin’s face had been less burned than the other, as the creature had twisted away in pain. He held his disgust in as he turned it to the side and grinned as he saw one of the goblin’s ears was just slightly charred. Vexx produced his knife and pressed it against the ear.

  He hesitated a moment.

  Dred Wyrm wouldn’t hesitate. Dred Wyrm must have done this a thousand times.

  Vexx gritted his teeth and cut away, pulling the severed ear off a moment later.

  “There,” he said, his voice echoing in the cave. “All the proof we need.”

  I hope.

  Vexx stood up now, pocketing his trophy, and scanned the open cavern. The corridor had come to an end here, the massive rock walls pocked and spotted with lichen and the glowing emerald crystals. Yet in one corner, Vexx saw another glow—a faint, pulsing violet light that he expected to be Breithian cave mushrooms.

  So that’s why the goblin turned and fought. There was no escape for him in here. The barkeep mentioned looking for loot—I wonder if he has anything in here?

  Vexx paused in thought for a moment, wondering if Kaylin was still struggling to free herself outside. Then he shrugged. A couple more minutes won’t hurt her.

  Vexx walked over, following the violet glow of the massive mushrooms.

  13

  The Dead Adventurer

  The picked-over carcass of a sheep lay beside an empty bed of straw. Vexx sniffed. Mixed with the cool, mildewy smell of the entire cavern was a foul stench Vexx was beginning to recognize as goblin.

  “Must have been a hungry fella,” Vexx said to himself, prodding the sheep carcass and bed with his boot, but there seemed little of value there. He shifted his gaze over to a collection of bones and other assorted trash. Some of the bones looked distinctly human, bits of faded leather rotting away on the body, and Vexx squatted beside it.

  “Let’s see…”

  He turned the skeleton over, the bones light in his hands, and grinned as he felt a pack. He wrenched it loose from the skeleton. Vexx wasn’t bothered much by being around corpses, not since his experiments with the Black Arts, and it was clear this adventurer had been dead for a very long time.

  The faint glow of the emerald crystals and the nearby grove of luminescent violet mushrooms didn’t provide much in the way of light, however, and Vexx was growing increasingly guilty about leaving Kaylin on her own. So he grabbed the pack for himself, along with what looked to be a rotting quiver. He scanned the ground again, glancing at the Breithian cave mushrooms.

  I have no idea what they’re for, but they might be worth a few coppers to the right person.

  Vexx quickly cut away a few stalks, casting a dubious gaze at a nearby glowing crystalline rock, but gave up after a few tugs.

  A dwarf with a pickaxe might pry it loose, but I’ve spent enough time here.

  Vexx turned back down the corridor, humming to himself as he went along, following the twists and turns that led him back outside. He winced as he came to the cave opening, the light bright and uncomfortable as he emerged. It was fully daylight now.

  A series of curses brought his attention back up to Kaylin, who was still struggling in her net. “That you, Vexx?” she called out, hanging in the net strung between two sturdy tree limbs. “Where have you been?”

  “Solved our goblin problem while you’ve been playing around,” Vexx replied, walking under her.

  Her legs were twisted to the side, bow jutting out behind her, and every time she wriggled helplessly, her whole body rocked back and forth in her net. She managed to lean down the side and glared as Vexx whistled.

  “Are you looking up my outfit?”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Vexx lied. It’s really quite the view. Still, I should probably do something about that.

  “So, I’ve been thinking,” Kaylin said, attempting to gesture at one of the two tree limbs that held here. “If you were to climb up and carefully cut away at the—”

  Two fireballs flew up, bursting into the tree limbs and severing them with a crack. Kaylin shrieked as she fell to the ground in front of Vexx. The elf struggled in the net, indignantly swiping away the rope and debris as she got to her feet.

  “Vexx, I swear…”

  “What?” Vexx shrugged. “I got you down. More than that, I got you a few presents,” he added, setting the aged pack down on the ground and handing the quiver over as if it were a peace offering. “I found a dead adventurer in that cave. The wood has faded away, but there’s a few decent steel arrowheads here. You can have those. Next time we’re in town, we’ll stop by the fletcher.”

  Kaylin took them and pouted with a sullen look on her face. “I still can’t believe you just left me there while you rummaged around in the cave.”

  Vexx shrugged. “That’s what you get for getting caught in your own trap.”

  “At least I know it works,” she muttered. “Next time, I’ll get ‘em for sure!”

  Vexx had set the pack down and now took a closer look, raising a black stone in the air and squinting at it in the morning light. “What’s this?”

  “Flint. For starting fires.”

  Vexx snorted and tossed it into a nearby bush. “Don’t need it.”

  “Vexx!”

  He rummaged through a multitude of faded odds and ends and then pulled out an ancient leather scroll. Vexx whistled at the discovery. He unrolled the adventurer’s aged scroll and frowned as he tried to make out the words. Kaylin hummed beside him.

  “I can’t read human writing. What does it say, Vexx?”

  “This appears to be a log. Fairly boring, really, though it seems he used to be a dungeoneer. It’s mostly lists of provisions and complaints about mushroom stew. Hang on, what’s this?” Vexx furrowed his brow at the weatherworn passage. “Something about a ‘Ruby of the Pure.’ And…blah blah blah, something about a trap, and then…‘great power’?”

  They glanced at each other, their eyebrows raised.

  14

  The First Job

  Vexx wrinkled his nose for the hundredth time. “It stinks.”

  “It’s just a little ear,” Kaylin retorted, flashing a smile at Vexx as they continued their walk back into Cloudbury. “At least it’s not a nose. That would be really smelly.”

  Vexx glanced over, unsure if Kaylin was joking, but her deep green eyes looked earnest and serious.

  “What?” she asked after a moment.

  “Never mind,” he muttered. “Anyway, this Ruby of the Pure. Have you ever heard anything about it?”

  “Nope!”

  “Hmm…” Vexx mused, then shrugged to himself. “Well, never mind that. We’re almost back to Cloudbury and closer to payment for our first successful dungeoneering job! Never mind the burning barn, those goblins we killed, and you getting wounded and then trapped, and that bear we just ran away from…”

  “It was huge!” Kaylin squeaked indignantly.
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br />   “It sure was,” Vexx said with a firm nod. “But anyway, that’s past us now, and soon we’ll be on to the next one. You know, they say nine out of ten dungeoneers die within their first ten missions. But we just got one step closer!”

  “Oh…” Kaylin said, looking sad.

  Vexx glanced over. “Did you not know that?”

  “Did you know them?” she asked. “I’m sorry you lost nine friends, Vexx.”

  Vexx fell silent, trying to think of something to say. Instead, he just shook his head. By the time he raised it, they were at the outskirts of Cloudbury, the raucous sounds of the market rising up, mixing with the shouts and rhythmic thudding of axes, courtesy of the nearby loggers. His spirits lifted as his boots slapped on the soft cobblestones of Cloudbury itself, a smile filling his face as—

  “Hey, Vexxy!”

  Vexx stiffened as he glanced over at a huge red bearded logger, an enormous grin plastered on the man’s face. A moment later, Vexx blinked in shock as he recognized the man. They’d just been boys then, but they had grown up together. Before Vexx had been accepted into the magical academy.

  “Tad Armstrong,” Vexx muttered. “I guess it’s good to see you.”

  “Hah! You don’t have to pretend with me,” he said, grinning over at Kaylin. “Hey, Miss! Has Vexxy told you about all the wedgies I gave him?”

  Kaylin blinked. “Is that a fruit?”

  “I’m busy, Tad,” Vexx snapped. “I’m a dungeoneer now, if you didn’t know.”

  “Oh, are ya?” Tad scratched his beard in thought. “I heard you got expelled from the Magical Academy for doing stuff with corpses.”

  Vexx grimaced, glancing at the onlookers around him. “First of all, what I was doing was research, which those cowards were unwilling to…you know what? I don’t have time for this.” He tugged at Kaylin’s arm. “Let’s go.”

  “See you around, buddy!” Tad called out as Vexx stormed away towards the tavern, mumbling to himself as he dragged Kaylin along with him.

  “I was building on Mistress Sarcafaulantris’s undead investigations,” Vexx grumbled to no one in particular. “Literally making groundbreaking advancements in necrology, and yet—”

  “Hey, Vexx?”

  Vexx glanced back and let go of Kaylin’s arm. “What?”

  “You just walked past the door,” Kaylin said, jerking her thumb back at the tavern entrance, rowdy noises echoing out of it. “And what’s a wedgie? Can I try one some time?”

  “Yeah, sure thing,” Vexx muttered, pushing open the tavern door and walking past a party of dwarves engaged in a drinking contest. The air smelled thick here, but it was an improvement on the rank stench of the goblin ear, and Vexx lost no time in approaching the bar counter. A silver-haired elf in rich merchant’s robes finished his order, clasping an iron cup filled with red wine, and then Vexx was face to face with the barkeep.

  The older man raised an eyebrow. “So did you get him?”

  “What does this look like?” Vexx asked triumphantly, all but tossing the goblin ear on the counter.

  Pollander sniffed. “Well, it looks like a pig ear, but it smells like shit.” He tilted his head and poked it. “It’s burnt too. What are you playing at, kid?”

  “It’s a goblin ear.”

  The barkeep snorted. “Like all the hells it is. Goodman Harolds sells pig ears just like this down on Main Street. If you think I’m going to—”

  “I hate to butt in,” a high-pitched voice said, and together, Vexx and the barkeep glanced over at the elf merchant, who was carefully sipping his wine. “But I have a very keen sense of smell. That is clearly a goblin ear, and unless my senses desert me entirely…” he paused and sniffed again. “That’s the left ear. Mountain goblin, from the Lifeless Hills. I’m detecting a whiff of Breithian cave mushroom as well.”

  Vexx grinned, nodding at the man. “Thank you!” He looked back at the barkeep. “See?”

  The barkeeper nodded reluctantly.

  “And also, a hint of juniper,” the elf continued. “And perhaps oak?”

  “Ah, that would be the drink, sir,” Pollander cut in. “Aged in oak barrels they are, with a touch of juniper.”

  “Oh.” The elf blinked, glancing down at his drink. “So it is.”

  Pollander drummed his thick fingers on the counter. “Alright, well I’m glad that rascal was dealt with. Let me get you your coins.”

  Vexx nodded to himself, then looked over to see Kaylin appear next to him. “Where’d you go?” he asked.

  Kaylin frowned. “Well…if you must know, I went to powder my ears. A bit of freshening up wouldn’t hurt you either.”

  Before Vexx could reply, the barkeep had returned and coins clanked onto the counter. “Fifteen, like we agreed on.”

  Vexx scooped them up and handed one over to Kaylin, who blinked down at them in surprise. “That’s half?”

  “Yes, after you consider the initial investment of course.” Vexx said, looking back at the barkeep. “Got another job for us?”

  “As it happens, I do have a job for someone of your astoundingly meager talents,” he said, then glanced at Kaylin. “But you’re not going to like it.”

  15

  Discount Fashion

  Vexx browsed through Market Street, still thinking about the barkeep’s words. Pollander hadn’t been shy about calling the old man who’d put the request in a ‘strange, old creep.’ Still, it was a job…of sorts. And that meant experience along with a few coins. Vexx stuck his hand in his pocket and felt the solid weight of the coins.

  My first dungeoneering haul, and here I am about to spend it all.

  Kaylin and Vexx had split up to do their own shopping, though Vexx was not entirely sure she’d be safe on her own.

  Time to sharpen up my wardrobe, anyway. I left the Magical Academy for good. It’s time I got myself a dungeoneering outfit.

  Vexx shuffled through the racks at a cheap vendor, pausing at a white tunic. Or pinkish, anyway, with noticeable splotches. He poked his finger through a tear near the top.

  “Gently used,” the vendor commented.

  “I see. You took this off a corpse?”

  The vendor shot him a look. “Never mind where I took it from.”

  Vexx shrugged after a moment. “It’s fine. Doesn’t bother me. I think I’ll stick with black, though,” he said, patting his worn black robes.

  The vendor nodded, waving him over. “Come around the back, let’s see what I have.”

  Vexx stepped through the musty interior, the aged wood creaking under his feet, casting his eyes in wonder at the headgear around. A sultan’s hat with a peacock feather, a solid steel helmet with a dent on one side, a shimmering magical hat of some strange design. Subconsciously, Vexx ran his fingers through his chestnut brown hair, eyeing a collection of bandanas.

  That’s about all I could afford. For now, let’s stick to the robes.

  He bent down and stepped into an adjoining room where the vendor was perusing dark-colored robes. He bent down and sniffed a dark purple robe.

  “Frost resistant,” the vendor said as he hovered nearby. “This one is also known to boost your proficiency at healing.”

  Vexx snorted. “It’s almost summer, and I’m no healer. Besides, purple isn’t black. Get me something that says—” he snapped his fingers and cocked a brow at the shop owner as flames burst from the tip of his pointer finger, “badass dungeoneer on the prowl.”

  The vendor shot a worried look over his shoulder. “Kindly keep your fire away from the merchandise.” As the fire disappeared, the vendor nodded to himself. “I think I have something for you. Let’s see…”

  A few minutes later, Vexx White stepped out, smiling broadly as he felt the smooth silk of one long sleeve. The black fabric shimmered with a dark green hue that the vendor assured him was poison that would latch on to anyone foolish enough to attack him up close.

  “But it only works…” the vendor shifted his hand back and forth vaguely. “Ehh, sometimes. B
ut you see how the red trim complements your fire magic? And your eyes as well, sir, if you pardon me saying so. How does the gentleman like it?”

  Vexx whistled appreciatively, popping his collar like he’d seen the cool kids at the Magical Academy do. How do you like me now? He glanced at his reflection and wordlessly set his coins on the counter.

  “I feel like half pimp, half warlock in this.”

  “Very good, sir,” the vendor said, collecting his coins. “Mind how you go.”

  Lost in thought, Vexx took a few steps outside the building and into the crowd before he recognized the voice hailing him.

  “Hey Vexx, nice robes!”

  Vexx turned around and blinked. “Whoa. Ah…whoa.”

  Kaylin tilted her head and looked a little bashful. The light reflected off the studded leather that covered her breasts and little else. Beneath her exposed midriff was a dark brown leather skirt, and her feet were encased in gladiator sandals of the same material going midway up her tanned calves.

  “It’s not elven style,” she said after a moment, “but it’s an upgrade at least. What do you think?”

  Vexx swallowed. “I think it looks good.”

  “Yeah…I preferred full coverage, but the seller said that less armor means better protection.” She shrugged. “He even gave me a discount to try it on. Why should I pass that up?”

  Leather crinkled and strained as she raised her shoulders in a shrug.

  “Good point,” Vexx said. “Are you done picking up supplies? I’m ready now.”

  “Sure! It was just this and a few arrows, anyway. That goblin money didn’t last very long.”

  Vexx nodded, already leading the way to the building the barkeep had indicated. “Let’s hope rats are more profitable.”

  16

  Old Man

  The door creaked open and Vexx stood in the doorway, his hand in the air, mid-knock. Standing in the gloom was a wizened old man who blinked rheumy eyes at them. He clutched a wooden staff, either for protection or support, Vexx couldn’t tell. The old man tilted his head at Vexx.