Delver Magic Book VII: Altered Messages Read Online Free PDF Page B

his opinion.
    "Well?" Sy asked, as he returned the delver's questioning glance with one of his own. "Is there something out there that's going to try and enter the town?"
    "I don't think so," the delver replied.
    "I need more than that."
    "It's a message, not a raiding party or anything else that wants to get inside. That's the best I can say. You'll understand when you see it."
    "I'm guessing I won't see it until I get to the trees, correct?"
    "That's right."
    Sy considered the facts before him. He trusted the delver's instincts, but caution was usually the wiser path when information remained limited. He issued his orders directly to his soldiers.
    "Things could change fast," the captain explained. "Until I know exactly what's out there, we play it safe. Close the gate after we leave. Keep the archers posted on the wall. Also, send a signal to the western gate, relay it through the tower signals. Have them ready to open the gate for us if we need to alter our return."
    "Yes, sir," Abby replied.
    Sy stepped toward the wall as the soldiers opened the gate. He moved out into the clearing first, but paused to allow Ryson to step up to his side. Before proceeding any further, he called out to the tower watch.
    "Anything in sight?"
    "All clear to the trees," the soldier announced.
    Sy looked toward the forest and then requested direction from the delver.
    "Where exactly are we heading?"
    "Staffer's Trail," Ryson responded. "It's on the path."
    Sy looked to the cornfield. He considered taking the same path as Ryson had utilized, but then changed his mind. He believed there was nothing to be gained in stealth. The delver had stated there was no immediate danger, so he headed toward the entrance of Staffer's Trail by crossing the barren clearing that surrounded Burbon.
    As they drew near the trees, the captain noted the pungent odor that had led to the alert. He didn't have Ryson's tremendous senses, but he couldn't ignore the overpowering smell that lingered heavily in the air like some trapped cloud that hung over the scene of a very grisly battle. The stench was so disturbing that he began to breathe through his mouth to limit the effect on his senses.
    At the start of Staffer's Trail, Sy stopped again and peered down the path. He could only see a few paces forward. The passage banked downward slightly but also curved to the north. The trees and brush blocked his sight further down the trail. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, but the stench drifted out from the trees stronger than ever.
    "How far in?" Sy requested of Ryson.
    "About thirty paces. It's not hidden."
    "Now that we're alone, can you tell me what to expect?"
    Ryson hesitated, but then revealed what he had seen.
    "Goblin fingers, separated from the hand apparently by a sharp knife. They've been set across the trail in a deliberate fashion. That's the message. When you see it, you'll know what I mean."
    Understanding more of what he faced, Sy marched down the path. When he turned north, he could finally see dozens upon dozens of small, gray fingers scattered along the trail, only they weren't thrown haphazardly upon the ground. The oozing and decaying digits were arranged to spell out a series of words. They formed a message that Ryson was able to read easily when he was high in the trees, but the words were still discernable for those who stood on the ground.
    Sy walked along the trail reviewing the gruesome message. His disgust was matched by his growing unease. He read it over several times, always silently in his mind, never speaking the words out loud.
    I told you I kill them all.
    Burbon's captain didn't need to guess at the author of the ghoulish message. Sy immediately recalled the large goblin that had successfully breached Burbon's wall during a heavy rainstorm not too long ago. His name was Okyiq, and the brazen monster led roughly two hundred goblins in a deadly raid.
    Okyiq actually made it past the wall, even began looting, but he was stopped before he