Chapter 22 Chapter Eighteen

"Our first customers," Morik declared.He and Wulfgar stood on a high ridge overlooking the passage into Icewind Dale.A carriage team is slowly advancing along the path towards the mountains in the distance, their steps are firm and unruffled. "Traveler or merchant?" Wulfgar asked suspiciously. "Businessman, and a wagon full of wealth," the thief replied, "The heavy ruts of the carriage gave away their identities, and the lack of guards around them clearly invited us to come." Would merchants make such an arduous trek without a corps of heavily armed guards escorting them?It seemed stupid to Wulfgar, but he didn't question Morik's words.After all, he still remembered his last trip when he left Icewind Dale, with only a few companions by his side, following a merchant's carriage, without a large number of guards, full of dangers.

"Strange?" Morik asked, noticing his friend's expression. "Idiots always surprise me," Wulfgar replied. "They can't afford guards," Morik explained. "Few are willing to escort others into Icewind Dale, and those who do often choose the safer roads to the west. These are small traders, you see , the amount of goods traded is very small. They are most likely to rely on good luck, or they happen to be able to find a strong fighter who wants to hitch a ride, or they just rely on a relatively wide mountain road to pass through the dangerous mountains."

"It looks like we can handle it easily." "Easy!" Morik replied enthusiastically. "Of course, you'll understand. Let's surprise these caravans." But Wulfgar still looked hesitant. "Think about it," the thief reminded, "if we hadn't killed those giants, then these merchants would probably find some boulders falling from their heads at this moment," Morik explained, "not only will their dreams of getting rich So broken, and their skins will be torn off their bones, right in the giants' great frying pan." He laughed, "So don't worry, my big friend," the thief went on, "the only thing we want It’s their money that we pay for the work we do to keep them safe.”

Strangely, those words stirred something in Wulfgar.From a respectful point of view, this "job" was similar to what he, Drizzt, and their mates had done years earlier: helping travelers through wild and desolate places.But the difference is that they never asked for payment, while Morik clearly wanted to. "It's the easiest job for us to show them our strength without any effort," the rogue explained. "We are just asking for a small reward for our efforts, some supplies, and maybe some gold coins." , and then let them continue on the road. Although there are two carriages, there are no guards, and we can knock them out from behind perfectly, with precise timing, and if it is done well, there will be no witnesses." But the smile he had shown while explaining the second half of the plan faded away when he noticed Worf's frown tightened.

"Then just a small tax, just a little." Morik compromised, "That's the fairest reward for our hard work." Though the suggestion still worried the Savage, he nodded in agreement. The thieves chose the rocky part of the trail, where the wagon would have to slow down or they would risk losing a wheel or a group of horses.There was a small tree on the left side of the road, a prop for Wulfgar that would come in handy when he came into play as the main force of the attack - if he had to. Morik waited on the side of the road where he could see clearly, while the carriage drew closer and closer.

"Welcome!" he yelled, stepping to the middle of the road, arms raised high.But the next moment Morik slowed down immediately, because he saw the man next to the driver's seat holding a not-so-small crossbow.But in this way, the thief couldn't retreat very far, because he had to stop the carriage at an appropriate distance. "Get out of the way or I'll shoot you in the head!" shouted the crossbowman. In answer, Probe Morik lifted a gigantic head - the head of a slain giant - into the air. "I don't think that's the wise thing to do," he replied, "either mentally or physically."

The carriage jumped and stopped, forcing the one behind to stop at the same time. Morik twisted his knees with difficulty, and with his feet he poked the second giant's head out from behind a rock. "I'm pleased to inform you that the road ahead is clear now." "Get out of my way, then," replied the driver of the first carriage, "or let him shoot you down, and my ruts will be plain on your face." Morik chuckled and moved the big cloth bag he had put on the side of the road just now, revealing the head of the third giant.While the guys were still bluffing, he found that the sightings of the skull exhibits had done more to impress—and horrify—them.No matter who it is, if he can kill the three giants, then he is definitely not easy to deal with.

"My friends and I spent a whole week clearing this path," Morik explained. "friends?" "You think I did this all by myself?" Morik smiled, "You really flattered me. No, I have many friends to help." Go for a fake stare, as if thanking those countless "friends". "You'd better forget about them because they're very shy." "Go ahead!" An order came from the carriage, while the two people on the driver's seat were still looking at each other. "Those friends of yours are hiding there like thieves," the coachman called to Morik. "Get out of the way!"

"Rogue?" Morik repeated suspiciously. "If it weren't for us, you would have been turned into a meatloaf under the giant's boulder, and you would have died." The door of the carriage opened with a creak, and an older man left one foot in the carriage and stood leaning on the carriage floor with the other foot. "You're extorting money from us for your work," he said, clearly aware of such rules (like most merchants in North Faerun). "Blackmail is such a nasty word," Morik replied. "As annoying as your name, little thief," the merchant shot back.

Morik narrowed his eyes threateningly, and glanced at the three giant heads with ulterior motives. "Very well, then," the merchant reluctantly conceded, "what is the price for your heroism?" "We need some supplies to continue our own livelihood and the safety of this road," Morik explained matter-of-factly, "and some gold, if possible, for our hard work." Then it was the merchant's turn to turn cloudy. "Of course it is also used to compensate those widows who sacrificed their husbands during the siege of the giant tribe." Morik added temporarily.

"It's hard for me to understand the three giants as a tribe," replied the merchant dryly, "but I won't make a counter-offer. I'll offer you a nice meal for you and your friends hiding there, and if you agree to escort If we go to Luskan, I'll pay you a gold coin a day," the merchant added, proud of his generosity, and of course his improvisation—now that the tables had turned in his favour. Morik considered the fragile suggestion in narrowed eyes, "We don't want to go to Luskan at all right now." "Then take your delicious meal and wish you a happy day." The other party answered briefly. "Idiot," Morik cursed under his breath.Then he rejected the price offered by the merchant with a loud voice, "What we can accept is no less than fifty gold coins and three meals for seven people." The businessman laughed. "You should thank us for letting you go home with your life saved," he said, snapping his fingers so violently that a pair of bodyguards immediately jumped out of the second car, daggers drawn.The driver of the first carriage also grasped the reins and got ready. "Now, disappear for me!" He ended the conversation and disappeared into the carriage. "Bump over." This was the order to the coachman. "Idiot!" Morik screamed, Wulfgar's signal. The coachman was hesitating, which cost him precious time.Wulfgar, hanging from the end of a rope, appeared suddenly from his hiding place on the rock face to the left, swooping down like a giant pendulum, not forgetting to let out a terrifying roar.The crossbowman spun around and tried to fire, which he did, but the aim was far off.Like a cannonball fired at full speed, Wulfgar let go of the rope in his hand and opened his muscular arms at the same time. Both of them swept the crossbowman and coachman on the seat. When the barbarian landed, the two guys had already fallen. Down wagons rolled into a heap.Then when he got up, he hit the driver on the cheek with his elbow on the ground.After turning around, Wulfgar's fist slammed into the crossbowman's jaw, and the instant he felt it told him with certainty that the man's jaw had been shattered while the blood spattered. Three swordsmen who got off the following carriage rushed up, two appeared on the left side of the first carriage and one on the right.Morik faced the enemy on the right, a long, slender stiletto in one hand, and the dagger appeared as if by magic in the other hand, before the swordsman charged Wulfgar. He was intercepted. The man threw a simple but effective thrust at the thieves.Morik's rapier avoids the powerful blade of the opponent as if in fear, but in fact it rotates and pulls, dissolving the stabbing invisible.He stepped forward, turning the dagger on the enemy's sword, neutralizing all threat from the weapon, while the rapier in the other hand made its first strike with precise calculation. With a stabbing attack, head towards the swordsman's throat.The rogue could have killed him, or had killed him, for Morik's arm stopped moving suddenly, as if he had thrust his sword full force into solid rock. "What are you doing?" he yelled at Wulfgar, just as the barbarian strode forward and punched the guard so hard that his ear was nearly chopped off by Morik's sword and dagger.The swordsman raised his free hand to try to block, but Wulfgar's punch pierced his defenses easily, smashing his own fist into the man's face along with his forearm, knocking the He was sent flying.But such victories were short-lived. Despite a hard elbow from Wulfgar, the coachman managed to get to his feet and drew his weapon.To make matters worse, two other swordsmen had already taken advantage, one standing on the driver's seat and the other in front of the carriage.And this is not the worst, the businessman rushed out of the car, still holding a wand in his hand. "We're idiots now!" Morik yelled at Wulfgar as he dodged the attack of the swordsman on the carriage seat.Morik could see from his opponent's methodical slashing and stabbing that this guy was not a novice who had just joined the battle. Wulfgar charged at the merchant.Suddenly he found himself flying backwards, the ends of his hair bristling in a wild dance, his heart beating like a wild horse. "Well, now we finally know what this wand does," Morik commented after flashing an attack. "I hate wizards." He sprinted toward the swordsman on the ground, but the rogue almost lost his balance when he defended what he initially thought was a surefire move with a deft spin. "Come back here!" Morik yelled to Wulfgar, before he crouched down, the sword in his hand jabbing frantically at the enemy on the wagon, who was perched on the roof looking for a chance to impale him. head. The coachman charged at Wulfgar, and at the same time the guard he had just knocked down followed suit, and the barbarian quickly reached behind him and pulled out the hammer he had picked up from the giant's cave.He started to prepare to face the driver's charge, but he stopped suddenly, turned his wrist, and threw the hammer at the businessman in a twirl, because he didn't want to be hit by the lightning bolt again. The hammer hit the target with all its might, but not the merchant, but the carriage door, which slammed into the outstretched arm of the wand master as he prepared to unleash a second attack.The merchant finally swung his wand, but this time the hissing lightning mistakenly struck another guard who was charging towards Wulfgar. "All charge!" Morik yelled, his eyes fixed on the rubble to the left.For a split second, this action is a good way to divert the attention of the enemies.When they came to their senses, they found that the thieves had fled as fast as they could—and when life and death were at stake, Morik was indeed a swift escaper. The coachman was hesitating, overwhelmed by Wulfgar's strength.But the other swordsman chose to continue charging towards the target, and stopped in panic only when the barbarian turned and jumped at him with a roar.Wulfgar changed direction almost suddenly, approaching the coachman behind him, and grabbed the terrified man with agility that even he could not believe.He endured the slash on his arm like a needle from the weapon in the hand of the prey, and dragged him towards a tree trunk.Wulfgar bent down, gripped the driver's belt with his free hand, and lifted the beating idiot over his head.With the rotation of the barbarian's waist, the coachman was thrown out like a stone, and hit his companion who was about to continue to rush forward heavily. Wulfgar paused, noticing that Morik was darting away with all his might.It was a logical choice for the outcome of the battle, but the barbarian's blood boiled, and he turned to face the carriage and the two swordsmen again, and at the same time another bolt of lightning struck like a hammer. Hit him.So, relying on a pair of long legs, Wulfgar quickly passed Morik by fifty yards and climbed towards the rocky summit. The fourth magic arrow exploded not far from the two of them, and the stones hit were cracked. What followed was a swishing crossbow arrow, accompanied by insults and threats from the foot of the mountain, but they did not pursue it. Soon, the two ran to a high safety place on the cliff.When they dared to stop breathlessly, Wulfgar looked at the two gashes on his tunic and shook his head. "If you had gone directly to attack the merchant after placing the coachman and crossbowman as planned, we would have succeeded," Morik scolded. "Yes, and then you'd slit the man's throat, wouldn't you?" Wulfgar retorted. Morik scoffed at his irony: "What? If you don't value your life so much, then why are we running here?" "That's because of you, you chose the path of being treated as Luskan's murderer, not me." Wulfgar reminded, their cold eyes met.Morik moved his hand to his weapon, guessing that the big man might be about to attack him. Wulfgar was actually trying to do just that. The two of them went back to the cave alone.Morik got in first.So Wulfgar changed his mind and chose to stay outside, walking to a nearby stream where he could better deal with his wounds.He found that the wound on his chest was not very serious, but his hair was a little scorched by the little lightning.However, the old injury in the shoulder was severely torn back.At this moment, the barbarian could already understand how much blood he had shed just by the traces on his coat. Hours later, Morik came out to find him, and the two sat down on a large rock.The rogue nudged the savage slightly. "We're really struggling right now," he commented, holding up a pair of bottles, "but we're alive, and that's cause for celebration." "Do we need a reason?" Wulfgar replied, but without a smile on his face, before turning his back on his companion. "There are always losses in the first battle," Morik explained masterfully. "We have to get used to each other's attacks. That's the only way to fix it." Wulfgar pondered this suggestion from his own experience, recalling his first actual fight with Drizzt.Indeed, on more than one occasion, the tooth of Aegis that he threw low missed the ebony skin of the drow, but there seemed to be a symbiotic relationship between him and Drizzt. This kind of sympathy makes them share the same combat procedures.Can he say that he and Morik can do the same?Can he do it? Wulfgar turned his gaze back to the rogue, who was smiling and holding the bottle at him.Yes, he had to form a synergy with Morik.Their fight must become one heart and one heart.Perhaps this alone is about to become Wulfgar's biggest problem right now. "The past no longer exists, and the future does not exist," Morik read aloud, "so live in reality and enjoy it, my friend. Enjoy every moment." Wulfgar's mind pondered the words, a universal incantation used by those who lived the streets of Luskan day in and day out.He raised the bottle.