Approaching the bandit's lair, JD couldn't help but wonder if it was wrong to feel excited. He was nervous and apprehensive as well, having never gone into battle before, but he was excited. He carefully reviewed in his mind everything he had been taught, paying little attention to the muted landscape surrounding them. The closer they got to the hideout, the more the air around them felt thick with evil. He thought again of the mage leader Nathan had spoken of and wondered if their little band was going to be enough.

The bandit lair was positioned on a hill in a barren area of the Northern Caves. While there was little shelter to obscure their travel, Vin was able to keep them in what was available to conceal their approach. As they were finally only a few lengths from the base of the hill, Vin pulled a strange contraption from his pocket. As he extended one end of it, the others recognized it to be a spyglass. Duly impressed, for he understood such things to be nearly impossible to come across down here, Chris approached the young man to find out what he was planning.

Anticipating the question, Vin spoke up. "It's ta see them, make sure they haven't made any changes to their schedule."

Even as he finished speaking, they could see a lone man approach the old fort in front of them. They all took shelter in what was available, mainly stalagmites surrounding the road, in case he was a sentry. However, the man crept towards the fort and appeared to be checking it for weak spots. It didn't take him long to find the hidden passage Nathan had spoken of, and he disappeared inside for a time. But he quickly reappeared and returned to the road. As he passed the area where they stood the four more fearsome members of the group quickly surrounded him. A look of apprehension briefly crossed his face, but was quickly replaced by a look of nonchalance.

"Is there, perchance, a way in which I can be of assistance to you gentlemen?"

"You seemed to be rather interested in that old fort up there." Chris motioned to the ramshackle building as he spoke. "Any reason in particular?"

"Your esteemed colleagues happen to have in their possession something which is of my ownership." The stranger's comparison did nothing to endear him to the men surrounding him. Buck roughly shoved him from behind, causing him to lose his balance and fall into Josiah. The large man caught him and set him back upright, turning him around to face Buck.

"And just how woulda rogue like you have had something they wanted in the first place? Just who did you steal it from?"

"I will have you know that I did not purloin anything. It was awarded to me in exchange for services rendered." He was indignant now, green eyes flashing at the insult.

"Yeah, and I am Hawthorne's son…"

"That's enough, Buck." Chris stepped in, secretly pleased with the stranger who had enough guts to stand up to his companions. The man had obviously had a previous encounter with the bandits, and while he may have been on the losing end of that encounter, he had experience with them. And, like Nathan's experience and knowledge, it could prove invaluable. "Would you like help in to get it back?"

Buck's jaw dropped as he realized the implications of that statement. "Chris, have you gone crazy? We don't need the help of the likes of him."

"Maybe not, but I'd bet he's good with locks and traps. Not to mention he found the secret passage into the fort fairly easily. He'd be a good asset if we want to do this right, as opposed to half-assed."

"And he happens to have a name," the stranger pointed out. "It's Ezra. And I have been blessed with the particular talents of getting past locked doors and traps. But why, perchance, would I wish to join in an association with such as the likes of you?"

Josiah guffawed in amusement at the look on Buck's face at having his own words thrown back at him. Vin joined him as Chris just shook his head and continued. "We were planning to go flush out that fortress. Fort Duvno is offering a reward to whoever does so. While we'd have to split it seven ways, it will be of help to the settlers and farmers of the area. And seven men are going to be more likely to get in and out alive than one."

"But a single person would be have a greater probability of entering and exiting the fort without the vagabonds becoming aware of his presence."

"Yeah, probably. But then he wouldn't get no reward."

Ezra carefully pondered Vin's quiet statement. It was true that the idea of the reward was tempting, but Fort Duvno was not a rich fort. And while a few bandits were a bother to the people of the area, the sliths and nephil were a bigger problem requiring more funds out west. Split seven ways, the reward would be a pittance. Yet it would be easier to get his stolen goods back with six others to back him up. Add to that a share of the spoil and it just might be worth it. Besides, he knew of a few soldiers at Duvno who were players of games of chance. With a little capital in the form of his share of the reward, he should be able to come up with enough to go south to the Big Cave.

"Very well. And just when were you planning to expedite these nefarious vagabonds' exit from the domicile they currently inhabit?"

"Soon. Nathan knows their schedule and says their sentries will change shifts in a bit. If we attack then, we will be able to get into the inner courtyard before being seen. We will have a better chance if we can get rid of their mage first. Once he's out of the way it will be easier to fight the thugs and bandits without having to worry about any spells."

"A good plan. I ascertain that you were planning to gain entrance to the fortress through the concealed passageway? Did you know that the courtyard door is locked?" Seeing the look of dismay on Nathan's face, he realized they did not. "It is evidently a relatively new development. The lock is new, but of poor quality. It will take me time to get it unlocked, so I would suggest we head up there now, before the next sweep comes by."

"But you can get by it?" Buck asked as they furtively made their way towards the fort.

"Of course. As I elaborated upon earlier, it is of less than quality workmanship. Most likely more for show than use. It will take some time, but I have the appropriate tools to get past it."

Within a short period of time, they were ensconced in a small storage room. Giving the others a look that clearly said he was going to need room, Ezra stepped up to the door and made short work of the lock. But they didn't exit just yet. Instead they waited until the sentries were out of the courtyard.

Settling down to wait, JD hopped up to sit on one of the crates, creating a bit more room for the others in the tiny storage area. While the room was probably the right size for its defunct storage requirements - after all there were only two crates inside - it was a tight fit for seven men. As the smallest, JD tried to squeeze himself into the smallest space possible to let the others have more room. He could tell that the only reason they were letting him tag along was out of pity, that they thought he would be more or a bother than an asset. Best to follow the old adage of being seen and not heard until it was over and he could get his money and head south.

It wasn't long before Vin signaled that it was safe to go into the courtyard. JD was given instructions to stay with Buck and Josiah, they were to take the far west door into the dining hall. Vin and Nathan were together, as were Chris and Ezra. They were going to go through the two doors into the sleeping area attached to the dining hall. The mage was most likely to be in his own quarters, just off the sleeping area.

The idea was for JD, Buck and Josiah to hold off the bandits in the dining hall while the others went after the mage. This way those in the dining hall would be unable to come to the aid of the mage and ambush the others. It would spread them thinner than if they all entered together, but would give them an advantage and keep them from being sitting ducks when the mage started lobbing fireballs.

They moved quickly through the doors and the ambush began. Much to his chagrin, Buck and Josiah tried to keep JD behind them to protect him. Muttering under his breath that he was capable of taking care of himself, the youngest member of the team of mercenaries inched past his friends and towards the door connecting the two rooms they were attacking. By positioning himself there, he could help corner the groups they were fighting in this room. As he reached the rough wood door that was poorly set in the stonewall, all the while thanking whatever gods there were for his small stature that meant he wasn't noticed by the brigands, the door blew inwards. It just barely missed him as it clobbered the nearest bandit. He said another quick prayer of thanks as he looked to see what had caused the implosion, and stopped...

Although they were only taking on two bandits and the mage, the other four men were evidently having more difficulties. As seasoned fighters, Chris and Vin had taken the brunt of the damage, but Ezra and Nathan were not exempt from it either. As the other three fought, Nathan tossed out healing spell after healing spell, only to have his work destroyed by more fireballs from the mage. The four were both figuratively and literally backed into a corner. It was obvious, as JD watched, they weren't going to be able to hold out much longer, even with the help of the other three. JD could tell that much, as Ezra and Nathan ducked behind a cabinet to avoid yet another fireball.

Had JD stopped to think about his next move he might have convinced himself he wasn't up to it. Instead he reacted to the situation at hand. Ducking into the meager, but available, cover of the doorway, he began to chant the spell for a fireball under his breath. Looking up to see exactly where the mage was standing, and where to aim, he let loose the fireball. It flew over Nathan and Ezra's heads, causing them to duck instinctively, and hit the mage square just as he was about to throw a fireball of his own at Chris and Vin. Dazed and disoriented, his fireball was loosed from his hands and flew off course, hitting his own soldiers as opposed to his targets. Yet he was allowed no respite, for even as the first fireball left his hands, JD was repeating the spell. This second fireball struck the evil mage squarely once again. This time JD glanced about at the others just after he released the magical flame, but he didn't allow himself to react to the looks of astonishment on their faces. To do so could interfere with his concentration and ability to keep his magic up and that could mean death for all of them.

Instead he quickly reviewed what other spells he knew and cast another, this time a webbing spell to hinder the brigands who were brandishing their swords at them. The others quickly took advantage of the situation and renewed their attack on the mage and his minions. As the few bandits not hindered by the sticky enchanted webbing tried to rush Buck and Josiah, Chris and Vin went after the mage. Nathan continued his healing and blessing spells as Ezra used his sword to defend JD, who continued his own spells. It only took one more fireball, combined with Chris and Vin's swordplay, to kill the mage.

With his death the fire went out of the brigands' eyes. A few continued to fight and resist, but the rest readily surrendered. The seven mercenaries used what materials were available to restrain them. That done, they all took a rest, turning to stare at JD as Ezra summed up all their thoughts.

"What just happened here?"

The young man didn't answer, instead looking at the carnage surrounding them. It was as if his actions finally sank in. He paled and collapsed in a heap where he stood. Nathan was by his side in an instant, closely followed by Buck.

"He's okay, just wore hisself down. That and shock." He tried to reassure the other man who had taken the kid under his wing. Buck didn't look convinced, but didn't argue the point as he helped the healer move the young man to one of the cots. The soldier then sat on the next cot, alternating between looking over his friend and glaring at the brigands.

As he sat there, sword in hand, almost waiting for one of the bandits to try to step out of line, the others spread out to find anything of value in the buildings that made up the fortress. Josiah started collecting the nonperishable foodstuffs in the dining hall to take with them, as well as those that were perishable and still edible to be their supper. Chris was in the leader's quarters looking over his notes and books. If there were anything of value there, belongings or information, he would find it. While Chris had tried to pass off his injuries as superficial, both he and Nathan knew he would eventually break down. Until then, Nathan used his potions salves and magic on first Vin and then Ezra, who were both badly burned.

Once Nathan had finished with him, and none too soon in his opinion, Vin escaped the room to one of the storage areas outside. Taking the south shed, he searched for anything of value, coming up only with a few cobwebs and a set of old, dusty torches. Left, most likely, by whoever had been at the fort prior to the bandits. Ezra eventually followed him as Nathan left him to go to look over JD again. There were two more storage areas outside, so the two men split up. Ezra headed back to the low stone building where they began their attack what had seemed like a lifetime ago. Inside he then sorted through the very crates and barrels they had cursed that morning. This time, he was glad for their presence and the items they contained.

As he gathered the items that had once belonged to the bandits, Ezra could have sworn that he heard something outside the fortress. He carefully peered out the hidden passage and looked at the surrounding area. What he saw did not ease his discomfort in any way. A small group of bandits were moving away from him and around the corner to the portcullis entrance.

He realized that this group must have been out looting the surrounding area when they had attacked the fort. Gathering together what he could carry, he rushed back to the passageway with every intent of trying to escape with his life. He had found his missing property among the barrels and crates, he had no reason to stick around.

Yet, as he left through the passageway and began to head down the plateau, Ezra couldn’t bring himself to abandon his new companions. Rushing back through the storage room to the door, he could see the bandits bypass the barracks for the dining hall. As soon as they had passed where he stood he rushed to the living quarters where the others were to warn them.

"More bandits – dining hall," he gasped out as he entered the room. The others immediately grabbed their weapons, with Chris, Vin and Josiah surrounding the doors between the two rooms. As they did so JD moved to the other side of the room, where he would be out of the way of the hand-to-hand combat, but where he could use his spells to help. Buck stood between him and the door, ever protective of the kid. Ezra joined Nathan in surrounding the prisoners, to prevent them trying to escape and help their comrades.

It was very apparent to the brigands that something was wrong, be it the lack of activity around the fort or the dead bodies in the dining hall. Either way, they knew their group had been compromised. They tried to approach the connecting doors in a stealthy manner. But, they realized upon opening the doors and crossing the threshold into the living quarters, apparently not stealthy enough. They did not see the three men taking shelter to the sides of the doors until they were attacked. All they saw were their brothers-in-arms bound at the back of the room. But, as Chris, Vin and Josiah overwhelmed them, they quickly joined these brothers in their makeshift prison.

After this new batch of criminals was rounded up, Nathan turned on Ezra. He had seen the large pack the rogue carried and noticed the valuable furs hidden under his cloak. Grabbing and pulling one out, he held it up and asked acidly, "What’s this?"

Ezra balked at the anger and disgust in the usually calm man’s voice. It was obvious to him that Nathan, and the others as well, had figured out what he had planned. He also knew that he deserved it; he had planned to run out on them. And he would have if it hadn’t been for the bandits showing up although he did come back to warn them. Ezra kept his mask of impartiality on his face as he saw their looks of distrust. He didn’t try to defend himself as Chris pinned him with a deadly glare. "Don’t ever abandon me again."

Despite the harsh warning, the rogue refused to be cowed. He had been raised in a way of life that was obviously different from theirs. As a result, his values were different as well. So, instead, he just gave their leader a two-fingered salute, secretly wondering just what he implied by that ‘again.’ Yet, he never said a word about it, instead he just informed them that there was more to be found in the storage shed. He was not surprised to be ordered to watch the prisoners. Never letting his mask fall, he laid out the items he had pilfered. If it were his intent to appear to deny the accusations, he pulled it off well. The furs and other valuables were put in piles near the different packs they appeared to fit.

That done, he avoided the angry glares from the others. Nathan and Vin had gone to collect the rest of the loot while Josiah and Chris rested. He, Buck and JD had the first watch of the brigands. Sitting at a nearby table, he pulled out his pair of dice and began to deliberately roll them on the tabletop. The one thing that he truly missed from the surface was wood. Not for buildings or furniture, for the Avernites had proven that stone could be used just as readily for those, but for paper. That was the one thing there was not much of, which meant getting a deck of cards was virtually impossible. As he pondered this thought he maneuvered the dice through his long fingers.

JD watched Ezra closely as he slowly manipulated the dice in his own manner. The rogue wore a subdued air, his mask firmly in place. Yet there was an air of disappointment in his posture. Not sure if it were because he had left them or because he came back, JD chose not to ask. Somehow, he was sure he didn’t want to know.

It was Vin who broached the subject with the conman, after they were well on their way to Fort Duvno. Ezra still seemed rather subdued as he walked at the back of the pack of prisoners. "Why'd ya come back ta warn us?"

Ezra cocked his head as if to hear better before replying. "I do not know."

While he didn’t volunteer anything more, he had given them all something to think about. And they did, each mulling over Ezra’s response in his own way.

Halfway back to Fort Duvno they paused for a short time. The strangely fluorescent fungi on the ceiling of the cavern had dimmed, a feat accomplished by the Triad to mimic the differences in night and day on the surface. While not nearly the same as being above, there was some comfort to be found in the odd similarity of it all.

They set up a camp, settling the prisoners in with some food and water before they allowed themselves a rest. That done, Buck once again tutored JD on his swordplay. Vin and Ezra, much to Chris’ amusement, stood to the side giving their own, mostly conflicting, advice.

The bandits also watched the lesson that quickly turned to horseplay as the three older men teased the youngest. One of the prisoners, surprised that the young man let his friends tease him in such a manner, yelled out at them, "Why don’t you just fry them all, like you did us?"

Buck turned to the bandits, looking very much like he was ready to kill them all. JD, however, had paled and sheathed his sword, walking to the fire where their supper was warming. As he sat to eat he made no mention of the bandit’s comment or his magical feats of that morning. Understanding that the subject was touchy at best, the others let it drop. They all had parts of their past that they were not comfortable with discussing. While Chris and Buck had explained to an extent how they had ended up in Avernum, there was obviously more to the story. But, that did not mean they were going to discuss it with everyone else. While they had worked together to stop the bandits, even trusted each other to an extent, none of them were ready to discuss what could be their deepest and darkest secrets.

As a result, their meal was silent. There was none of the usual goofing around that they had come to expect of Buck and JD. The watch had already been set, so there were no plans to be made. Instead they ate the stew Josiah had prepared and each thought on their plight. None of them had welcomed the banishment to Avernum but, like everyone else who had been sent below, they each saw how they could make the most of it.

To the rogue, it had been a chance to escape his mother’s machinations. She was a conniving woman who looked only at her own gain, not how it affected others. It had, in fact, been one of her cons that had resulted in his exile. Not that she had shown any remorse, or come forward with the truth. But, now that he was down here, she couldn’t influence his life in anyway. Not unless she ended up here herself, and that was the last thing she would want to do.

For the shaman, it was a place of equality with out the Empire’s sovereign contempt of his people. He was from one of the tribes that lived on the edges of the Empire’s reach, coming under both the Emperor’s rule and his anger. They were too wild and uncivilized for his liking, their ways too different from his own. That got many of them, Nathan included, sent below.

The cleric regarded it as a new flock for him to watch over, this time without the required teachings of his church that he did not agree with. Having been an outcast within his own church, he had a soft spot for other outcasts. And a tendency to reach out to them with the kinder teachings that other priests of his faith usually glossed over.

A new beginning was how the archer saw it. A chance for him to start anew despite the reasons for which he was exiled. Here he didn’t have to worry about the things he had above the surface. And here was quite possibly a way for him to find the truth.

An escape, that was what their youngest felt it was. Things above hadn’t been the same since his family had become the target of the Emperor. But here the Emperor held no power, had no control. And that’s what made it safe.

As for the two soldiers, it was their chance to make a difference. They had done many things on the surface, orders from their superiors, which they hadn’t agreed with. Now they had a chance to right those wrongs, and maybe even make things a little better.

As they reached Fort Duvno they had gained a camaraderie that had not been there before their attack on the fort. While they had come together out of necessity, to help others, they had nothing in common. Yet they had put aside their differences for the most part. While Ezra’s walking out on them had been a stumbling point, their shared victory over the bandits had helped them begin to put it behind them. Granted Chris would occasionally bestow the famed Larabee - as Buck joked - glare on the gambler. And Nathan did his best to lecture him every now and then as well.

Once at the fort, Chris spoke with Captain Johnson as the rest of the septet accompanied the brigands to the prison. The Fort’s commander was congratulatory and grateful as he counted out 200 gold coins to the leader. "Thank you. With the bandit leader dead, the farmers of the area will be able to return to their homes and farms. And the road to Formello will be safe once more."

Placing the coins in his pouch, Chris barely nodded. "Just doing what is right."

"Well, if you want to do more of what’s right, look north. Captain Johnson pulled out a map from his desk and spread it out. "Here are Forts Duvno and Avernum. This road passing north between the two forts is going to Formello."

Chris nodded politely, wondering just where this conversation was headed as the Captain continued. "Now, by getting rid of the bandits this area has been made much safer. But not safe enough. This here is a hideout being dug out now by goblins for the Nephilim. Intelligence reports show that it is just now beginning to be dug out, so it’s not yet a threat. Which means the army really can’t afford to utilize its resources to clear them out and prevent its finish.

He saw the skeptical look and clarified. "With the Sliths to the west causing problems, very few soldiers get sent out this way. Most are out defending our borders. What we need is a groups of mercenaries, like yours, to do these jobs."

"What makes you think we’re planning to stay on together?" the blond asked as he fingered the lizard skin map. While the leather had been tanned to perfection, soft and supple due to continued use, it was the markings he was more interested in. But it was Captain Johnson’s next words that grabbed his attention.

"There’ll be a reward. Better than these 200 coins. And, once again, you’ll be free to keep whatever spoils you find, Just rid us of these pests." Johnson studied the man in front of him carefully. "The mercenary life is a profitable business-"

"If you stay alive."

"Yes, if you stay alive. But I don’t have any doubts that you and your boys are capable of that. There were more than twice your number of bandits, and they were the ones that ended up dead."

Chris just shrugged and shouldered his pouch as he turned to leave. He wasn’t all that surprised to find the six men sitting together at the pub. Despite their differences, they had gone through a lot together. Taking a seat at the head of their table he dropped the bag of coins in front of them.

"There’s a fort to the north. It’s being dug out by goblins now, but it’s Nephil that’ll be moving in." He had their full attention, Vin and Josiah both nodding as they realized where he was going with this. "There’ll be another 350 gold in it if anyone’s interested."

"I’m in."

"Me too, you old war dog."

"Someone’s gonna have to make sure you don’t get yourselves killed."

"Amen, Brother Nathan."

"The addition of 350 pieces of precious metal will allow for a greater dispersal of the recompense among ourselves."

All eyes turned to the youngest, who was intently studying his mug of ale. "Now, JD," Buck began, "I ain’t gonna say you ain’t old enough to go. You’re young and have your whole life ahead of ya. But those spells of yours could come in..."

His voice trailed off as JD’s shoulders began to shake. He was about to awkwardly pat him on the back when the kid looked up, eyes full of mirth. "Gees, Buck, did ya actually think I was gonna say no?"

He was off his chair and through the door by the time Buck had reached his feet. "Dammit, JD! I am gonna kill you, kid!"

He was out the door and hot on the younger man’s trail as the other five laughed at their antics.

Maybe Avernum wasn’t going to be such a bad place after all.

This was originally my response to the fantasy wheel that took place in January (yeah, I know, 4 months ago). However, this monster took on a life of its own and Ghosts was my submission for the wheel. Still, the lines I used from the song Moonlight Desires are a part of this story. The lyrics, if you would like to see them, are located here.