Free Logan Marsh: A Thrilling Fantasy Novel (Action Adventure,Mystery, Y/A Book 1) by Jonathan Casif, Sneer Rosenfeld Page A

understanding its significance.
    "Yes," said Achtisanor, "I gave the parchment to Domarwink when I have quitted. Someone stole it from the royal abode and handed it to Van-Sniff."
    "What is in this parchment?" asked Logan. When the question went unanswered, she approached De-Stik and looked at the parchment in his hands.
    "Something is rotten…" said Krunch, looking sternly around.
    "Will someone, please, tell me what is going on here?" said Logan angrily, "What is an Ashman? What murder are you talking about?"
    "Shhh…" hushed her Achtisanor and stopped in his tracks. "Look," he pointed on the ground. Tracks.
    "They are fresh, made not so long ago," De-Stik examined them. "A big creature. Not something that I should know."
    "Look!" Krunch said, looking at his feet.
    "Gnolls," decided Logan after examining the tracks that looked like men-made but with paws at the end. "They lead there," she pointed towards a small hill to their left.
    "De-Stik," Achtisanor took the parchment from De-Stik and put it in his pack, "climb!"
    De-Stik climbed numbly on one of the trees. When he was high enough, he looked towards the tracks destination.
    "A smell of smoke," Logan lifted her head and sniffed.
    "Smoke," whispered De-Stik, climbing own, "In that direction there is a clearing, and an oak!"
    A bright spot was seen beyond the tree tangle from their left.
    "Quietly and carefully," said Achtisanor.
    The four companions crouched forward as panthers, hid behind a thick bush and looked to the clearing.
     

Chapter 8 - Smord
    A small fire burned in the middle of the clearing, charred meat lying on a spit. A big wooden shield leaned on one of the nearest trees. De-Stik motioned to his friends to stay still and crawled quietly towards the shield.
    "Three," whispered Logan, closed her eyes and concentrated, "two are opposite from us, and another is to the right. I can hear their breathing. It seems that they are waiting for us. It is a trap."
    "Indeed a trap, but not very smart," whispered De-Stik when he returned, "an arrow behind the shield that points to the flames is not quite an art."
    "Krunch, take the oil can from De-Stik," said Achtisanor. "It is time for you to disappear."
    Krunch hid the oil can in his cloak, pulled a small vial from his pack and gulped it all. With each gulp, his image became blurrier until he disappeared completely.
    "De-Stik, Logan, hide in the shadows," ordered Achtisanor, "approach the tree nearest to the two in front of us and climb it."
    "No problem," whispered Logan.
    "Do not let you mind wander free," whispered De-Stik. "The arrow trap, do not stand between the fire and the tree."
    Achtisanor waited awhile and walked slowly into the clearing.
    "Foolish man!" a harsh voice sounded to his right, "a very foolish man!"
    A huge bear of a man leapt from behind a tree, wielding a big axe in his hands. Black fur covered his body, and his face was an evil visage of white and sharp teeth.
    "Well met," called Achtisanor and approached the menacing creature. "I seem to have lost my friends, and I thought they have lit this bonfire."
    "You lost friends?! Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the bear-man in the other side of the bonfire, "if before were friends, now no friends – ha, ha, ha!" he continued to laugh, "– alive!"
    "Then can I surmise that they have not passed through here?" continued Achtisanor.
    "You too, you do not pass!" the bear-man wielded his axe and smiled evilly.
    "Wait," said Achtisanor, "what if I paid you… a toll?"
    "A toll?" repeated the bear-man, "eh… toll? You mean… give money?"
    Achtisanor nodded and smiled.
    "Oh… money…" a greedy gleam sparkled in the bear-man's eyes, "money is good… very good, money… but no!" His face became menacing once more."No! Only kill! Yes! Kill you!"
    "Even if I give you this?" said Achtisanor, inserted his hand into his pocket and pulled the golden medallion.
    "Oh… this is nice!" the bear-man looked at the shining object with avarice, "gimme that!"
    Achtisanor threw