Traveling Stones

 Chris Hinrichsen Reeds y contest 223

jchinrichsen88a@gmail.com Traveling Stones

Jordero Jungles

A male gnome sits in his cave scratching his beard as he looks at the walls of his hidden

hideaway.. he appears to be in his late 50s for a gnome male and has a gray long dread-lock beard dressed in a leather robe and holds a bone quarterstaff. “Odd that my time travel markings have vanished but I am sure three days ago they were here.” Comments Garl

Crones. “I must be missing something?' Garl paces back and forth at the predicament he is in. Grabbing his bone quarterstaff he exits his hideaway and heads back to Fort Crisping the

main trading center of the Jordero Jungles.

Marching quickly through the crowded marketplace. Garl enters the local magistrate's office known as the Warden Circle. Stepping through the doors he eyes a half-giant magistrate known as Quint Bering. Quint has a patch over his right eyes and his dark gray skin has a beast claw scar on his face. Quint wears a set of hided dinosaur armor on him and appears to be chatting away with a Water Genie female with blue-green hair and ocean blue eyes. Who wears sultry hide armor.

“Greetings Warden Quint Bering, may I speak with you for a minute? You know time is short but I have a problem that needs fixing.”

“Hello Garl, and how can I assist you today?”

“I seem to have misplaced my time messaging stones and I really could use an extra set of eyes looking for them. Can you and Lady Ariel help me out? I may be old but I, seem too distressed of my time message stones.” Comments the small Gnome man.

“We are pretty quiet today but we can take some time to help you find them. Please lead the way.” As Quint rises from his seat and is joined by Ariel.

“Wonderful wonderful time is essential. However, if you may I need to blindfold your

eyes because my hidden hideaway is a secret.”

“If you insist, Garl,” comments Ariel as she hops off the desk of Quint Bering.

Thirty minutes later. Passing through a number of trails and following the words of Garl, Quint and Ariel arrive at the hidden hideaway of Garl. Removing their blindfolds the pair enter the large chamber where the time message stones were before they disappeared. Examining the wall carefully Quint spots a series of open holes. Garl looks back at his guests.

“Over the years for each time I worked with time I placed a dated rock of the time in history, I worked with but now I have no idea where my rocks have gone. And the last time I was here was three days ago.”

“Are the rocks of any value, Garl?” questions Ariel as she reviews the cub-by holes for the rocks.

“Not that I am aware of but obviously someone has them for means to study the timelines I studied”

Leaning down to examine the surrounding rocky ground. Quint spots a red fabric on the ground looking over to Garl and his boots. “Garl, do you have a pair of red cloth boots?”

“No, I have always been traditional and have your basic black and brown cloth boots. Why do you ask?”

“Because I think your thief was wearing red cloth boots. There are only a few cobblers in town that make this type of boot.”

“What do you intend to do Warden Quint?”

“Can you shift the time gate for three days past?”

“I could but it would not be wise to see ourselves three days ago but it is a good idea.”

“Get on with it Garl. Say thirty minutes before you left the cave. Can you do that?”

“I can certainly try please join hands and join me in the chamber cave behind here.”

Once inside the chamber cave, Garl begins to bark ancient gnome words as a mysterious mist surrounds the party. Within minutes of his chanting Quint, Garl and Ariel pass through a series of portal holes and stand again in the chamber cavern. “Quickly we most be quiet so my past self

does not hear us.”

Three days earlier. Garl stands in his stone cavern mumbling his recent travels in the timeline. “So during the dinosaur age, mankind had the looks of primitive apes but fought like they do today in the present. Several of the primitives managed to train the vast majority of dinosaurs but had face-offs with ancient worshipers of the Gods. Intriguing.” Garl scribbles on one of his message stones. “It is late I must get some shut-eye.” On those words, Garl blows out some burning candles and leaves his hideaway.

“That is what I; did I just visited the latter dinosaur age and learned that some of the primitives worked with dinosaurs. It was a fascinating trip even though I could not understand their dialect.”

“So that explains why some of the native people today still ride the dinosaurs. Is that correct, Master Garl?” comments Ariel

“It's entirely possible; look at those darn jungle Gnolls and Goblins.”

“Fascinating stuff gang, but we are here to figure what happened to the time stones.”

“Just making simple conversation, Warden.” inquires Garl.

Twenty minutes later. After chewing on some jerky and water hid in the chamber by Garl. A series of shadows descend into the cavern one appears female and the others appear to be bodyguards. Signaling his friends to stay in the shadows Quint eyes the visitors raising his weapon of choice. Ariel has her staff appear in thin air. Garl just raises his eyebrows at the visitors.

“Quickly, why the Gnome is gone we can grab his notes on Chronomancy.” comments the slender looking female in crimson red robes. She carries a spiked pole-arm. Her two companions wear a similar dress with leather armor beneath the robes. Her companions each carry a war ax and short sword.

“Mistress, why is important to take these hunks of rock?” comments the slower of two guards.

“It is quite easy, Borden, once I learn the secrets of the time-shifting, our masters can change the history of the land and take control of the world.”

“That's a pretty big gamble, Morgan. Personally, I rather take the heads off the leaders of Jordero and gain control of that.”

“That's where your assassin mind has no idea what Chronomancy can do. The heroes who defend the leaders can be stopped even before the action is taken.”

“Good point, but what is the fun in that Morgan.”

Morgan starts to reach for the message stones and places them in a large sack. Her guards also start to place them in their sacks as well.

Whispering in the shadows Quint looks at Garl and Ariel. “Well, now we know who the thieves are and what they plan to do with your notes, Garl.”

“They must be stopped, who knows what her masters could do in the past present, and future Warden.”

“I know, I need to make a plan, Garl.”

Moments later.

The thieves continue their raiding of the message stone room. Garl steps out of the backroom and spots the thieves showing a look of uncertainly in his gray eyes. “Excuse Me, Folks! What are you doing here this is my sanctity and I did not invite you here. Now if you please. GET OUT!”

The thieves turn in a state of shock as they spot Garl. “Master Garl, what are you doing here. I just thought you left?” comments Morgan.

“Perhaps I did, Perhaps I didn't. But you are now trespassing so I can defend my place.” Garl raises his hands and begins to swirl in a circular motion. A gray-blue mist spurts out of his hands. The message room is engulfed by the blue-gray mist. Garl speaks loudly in the mist

“YOU HAVE BROKEN IN MY SANCTUARY, PREPARE TO BE JUDGED!.”

On those words, the bodyguards draw their weapons and circle Morgan. A pair of arrows strike the slower of two guards.

“UGGH!” The guard collapses to the ground. As the shadows of Ariel and Quint flank Morgan and the assassin.

“Whose there?” Whines the Assassin shaking his short sword with fear in his hands.

“YOUR FRIEND IS ASLEEP!. ONCE AGAIN! TAKE HIM AND LEAVE!” Replies the dark voice of Garl.

The assassin looks at Morgan and drops his bag of message stones. “I ain't paid enough for this dung. Fight your Own Battle Witch! The assassin flees out of the chamber dropping what he was carrying except for a short sword.

“WELL LADY MORGAN! IT SEEMS YOUR FRIENDS ARE GONE! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITCH FIGHT OR FLEE!”

Uncertain what to do Morgan grabs the slower bodyguard and charges out of the cave. Carrying him with all her weight. “THIS IS NOT OVER GNOME!”

The cave appears silent after the thieves exit out of the cave. Swirling his hands Garl releases the mist from the cave. He now stands over the two large sacks holding his message stones.

Quint and Ariel step out of the shadows looking at the gnome kneeling down picking up his message stones.

“So I think you might want to set up a burglar alarm, Garl. To prevent future escapades. From thieves.” comments Quint as he helps pick up the missing stones from the wall.

“I am sure you are right, Warden. But I need to do something to remind myself of the location

of the message stones. Any suggestions?” Garl scratches his beard while looking at Quint and Ariel.

“I am sure you will think of something, Master Garl,” smirks Ariel at the Gnome Time Master.

The End.