The Archer's Quest

A short story about an archer named Ben who is looking for a great treasure

The arrow hit its mark with a resounding thud, slicing through skin and bone. The second arrow quickly followed and buried itself into the chest of the now dead body. Archery master, Ben, looked at the scene surrounding him: a score of bodies littering the ground around the outcropping he stood on.

He was dressed in a light armor, its supple material made it easier to move silently wherever he went. His bow was in his hands, quiver buckled against his back, and dagger and sword sheathed around his waist. All of these weapons were well taken care of and well used. And with his eerie ability to move about with muted steps, he had been able to scale up the side of the rocky terrain to his position where he had been able to pick off the surrounding men, one by one. These unfortunate souls had been a group of outlaws stationed at Fort Sungard, and he had come here to rid this decrepit fortress of them and to locate a treasure he knew hid inside. The rumors he had heard circulating the local taverns and trading posts had led him to this very location for the gem he sought. The Golden Dragon Claw was a hunk of gold, wrought into a claw with markings on the palm. It had been forged as a special key that would open a chamber filled with countless riches inside. He already had the map that marked the way to its location. He just needed the Claw before he could continue onto the final leg of his journey. With this last thought, he slipped inside the fort to continue his search.

            Every corridor inside was lit with warm, flickering torches that emitted a dull glow with patches of shadows in between the flickering lights. Ben kept his bow notched with an arrow, trained on the halls before him to be ready for whomever lay ahead. As he crept across the moldy, stone floor, he let his arrow fly with a whisper into the guard before him; his aim had been true and the man fell to the ground, dropping the blade that had been in his grip with a clang. The stone halls echoed the sound with an alarming volume, making Ben cringe from his careless mistake. Creeping up to the body, he looked beyond into the hall, tilting his ear toward down the tunnel to try to pick up any trace of sound that could warn him of an enemy’s approach. Hearing nothing but the scurrying of rats, he started down the hallway and spotted a brighter light through a doorway.  As he passed through the opening that led into a small room with damp walls and rotting cots, he spied an outlaw laying on one of the beds, soundly sleeping. He lowered his bow and snuck over with his dagger, silencing the man’s snores for good. Double checking all of the other cots, he searched the room for any valuables and found some arrows tucked away at the foot of a bed. Having replenished his quiver, he moved onto the next room.

            The cavern was lit in intervals of five feet, ringing the room in an incandescent light and coming together at the other end with a large fireplace. it roared with an intense heat, radiating throughout the room and Ben could feel his forehead start to drip with sweat. Much to his surprise, bodies lay on the ground around a tall man who was calmly wiping off the blade of his war axe. Without turning around, he spoke out in a clear, deep voice:

“They proved themselves useless, so I dispatched of them myself; saving you the trouble, of course.”

He walked over to a table laden with bottles and glasses, and poured two goblets of a rich, red wine. Holding one out to Ben, he asked, “Would you care for a drink?” Ben, believing the man meant no harm to him just yet, moved over to stand across from him and took the wine to sip slowly from its brim. The wine was crisp and sweet, but too strong to drink freely from it in order to keep his head clear.

“I know why you’re here. And I know what you have come for.”

The leader reached into his jacket, withdrew the Golden Dragon Claw, and placed it on the table between them.

“My name is Arthur, and I have also been searching hard for the map you hold. Instead of fighting here and potentially killing each other, I would like to propose a deal.”

He placed his wine down beside the claw and held out his hand. “I want to journey with you. Let us both find this treasure cove and split the riches, 50/50, it will be enough that even a ¼ of it could buy a kingdom and provide a life of extreme comfort for a lifetime. What say you?”

Ben took another sip from his goblet, staring at the Golden Claw on the table. He weighed the pros and cons in his head, knowing that it could be a grave mistake to bring this thief with him. This man had just killed the last few of his crew because they were useless against Ben. Yet, with the same move, he proved that he could be helpful on this journey. He also knew that he would have never ended up where he was without taking the risks he had. Ben looked hard at the man before him. He was broad shouldered and armed even more heavily than himself. His armor was a thick leather, covered in a light steel for added protection. There were few dents covering its surface, proving that this man knew his way in battle. Ben took the man’s hand and shook it.

“If you betray me, my arrows will bury themselves in your heart.”

Author's Note

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