Shadow Gambit by Adam Drake Read Free Book Online Page A

alertness over the entire group. That should boost our perception and limit any potential of a surprise.
     
    Soon we reached a fork in the trail. A crooked sign pointing north said, 'Old Mine', while another said 'Ashbrook', pointing west.
     
    “Should we take a vote?” I asked the group. It was common etiquette to ask for other members opinions when faced with a decision to make.
     
    Mudhoof shrugged. “It's your show, Vee. I'll follow you whichever direction you take us.”
     
    “Yes, I believe you are our de facto leader,” Feign said with a smile. “It is your quest after all.”
     
    “Lead the way, m'lady,” said Thorm.
     
    Phlixx crossed his arms and sneered at the men. “That's right. You know who the boss is here.”
     
    I laughed. “Okay, fine. Be that way,” I said and looked at the signs. “The mayor screamed about Ashbrook so we'll check that out first. But I think we'll find ourselves in the Old Mine soon enough.”
     
    We headed west.
     
    The trail became a simple cobblestone road, but we didn't see any other travelers along the way. Mudhoof took this to be a bad sign stating the game was bottling up everything in one place. I begrudged him the point.
     
    The strange black tower became more clear as we got closer yet just as confusing to look at. Was it an actual tower with beings inside or was something more sinister at work? Feign thought we'd probably end up there if we survived the journey.
     
    The road turned out of the forest and we emerged right on the edge of Ashbrook. It looked like every typical medieval fantasy community the game likes to create. Stone-brick buildings wedged up against each other and crowding over a narrow road.
     
    We paused, taking in the new environment.
     
    “No one is around to welcome us,” Mudhoof said. “There's always a greeter of some type or other. If not to give you a quest then to annoy you with a history of the place.”
     
    It was also silent. No crowd noises or wagons rolling over stone or hawkers trying to sell their wares. Nothing.
     
    On a hunch I checked my quest tracker which logged our progress.
     
    ' After your encounter with the mayor you decide to investigate Ashbrook and what befell its inhabitants .'
     
    I read this to the others.
     
    “Simple enough,” said Thorm. “But I'm not taking any chances. Keep your eyes peeled.” He insisted on leading the way.
     
    As we entered the town-proper the shadows of the buildings fell over us and I felt a chill. Normally, I welcomed the presence of shadows, but this was off. Something was very wrong.
     
    Each building we passed appeared empty, even the shops.
     
    “Maybe we should break in to some of these places and loot them,” suggested Mudhoof.
     
    “And how would that be helping the residents of the town?” I countered.
     
    Mudhoof shrugged. “I should have rolled a thief. They get all the fun.”
     
    The further along the street we went the colder it got. Again, I resorted to adjusting my simulation suit's temperature controls.
     
    Mudhoof shivered. “I'm freezing off my bull-bits. Someone turn up the heat.”
     
    I said to Feign, “You must be enjoying this.”
     
    The ice mage shrugged. “Now you know what it's like to be me all the time. Still, this drop in temperature is an indication of bad magic. Demon magic, possibly.”
     
    This made us even more wary.
     
    We passed by side streets and when I looked down them it was more of the same. Nothing. No people, no activity.
     
    “I think we're coming up on the town square,” Thorm said.
     
    Suddenly, above us someone hissed. “What are you doing? Don't go there!”
     
    Everyone whirled around, ready for an attack.
     
    A man peeked out from a second-story window. He wore a deep blue robe and was as bald as an egg. A bright white crystal hung from a necklace around his neck. Sweat glistened against his pink skin. “You don't want to go to the square. It's too dangerous.”
     
    “Who are you?” I