Read Online Adventurers Wanted 1) Slathbog's Gold by M.L. Forman - Free Book Online Page A

twice, and a few things three times.
    Skeld continued to tease him about being a wizard, and while the idea still troubled Alex, it was hard to worry too much with Skeld laughing at his side.
    As the evening wore on, Alex listened closely as the others discussed the upcoming adventure. They all seemed to know a great deal about where they were going and what they might run into as they traveled. Alex even managed to ask a few questions, once his second mug of cider was gone.
    “So when we ride through the great arch, we’re suddenly in a different land?”
    “Yes, and it is there that our journey actually begins,” Tayo answered.
    “But if the arch is magic, why can’t we ride through it and be at the end of our journey? You know, close to where the dragon is,” Alex questioned, more to himself than the others.
    “Because the arch of each land is in a fixed location,” Arconn explained.
    “And dragons don’t like staying too close to an arch,” Thrang added. “Dragons don’t like visitors—unexpected ones least of all.”
    “I see,” said Alex, feeling slightly sleepy. “And I suppose we’d like to be unexpected?”
    “Well, if we are expected, old Slathbog will give us a warm welcome, that’s for sure,” said Skeld with a grin.
    “Then Skeld might get his wish to die in battle,” Halfdan commented, looking over his mug at Skeld.
    “You want to die?” Alex asked in concern.
    “Nobody wants to die,” replied Skeld, his grin faltering just a little. “But if death is my fate, I’ll not run from it.”
    “I don’t understand,” said Alex.
    “No wonder, with all that cider in you.” Skeld knocked his mug against Alex’s. “This is not the time to speak of death, but only of success.”
    “Success,” Tayo repeated, lifting his mug as the others followed in the toast.
    Bregnest stood and lifted his mug. “A final toast to friendships, new and old.”
    “Friendships, new and old,” the rest of them repeated and drank.
    As they left the dining room, Alex felt a little lightheaded and wondered if he’d drunk too much of the cider after all.
    “Don’t worry,” said Andy, coming up beside him. “The cider here at the Golden Swan is charmed, and you won’t have to pay for it in the morning like Tayo said. I hope you don’t mind my telling Bregnest, you know, about what Blackburn told you. I knew he would want to know, and like he said, we have no secrets.”
    “That’s all right,” Alex replied as they walked down the hallway. “I should have told him myself, but I still think Mr. Blackburn made a mistake.”
    “This is our room,” said Andy, opening a door. “You should probably practice with your bag for a bit before you go to sleep.”
    Alex did want to practice using his new magic bag and he asked Andy to explain again how they worked, listening closely to the instructions. For about thirty minutes, Alex practiced going in and out of his bag several times before he changed the passwords to something he knew he would remember. He wanted to tell Andy what the new passwords were, but Andy wouldn’t hear of it.
    “Passwords should be secret,” said Andy in a firm tone.
    “What about no secrets in the company?”
    “That’s for things that might affect the whole company and the adventure.”
    Alex didn’t press the matter, deciding that Andy knew what he was talking about. He took out a set of his new traveling clothes from his bag. Laying the clothes on a chair, he put the magic bag down carefully beside them. He was pleased with his magic bag, and his doubts about that, at least, had faded completely.
    “Tomorrow’s a big day,” said Andy, climbing into a large bed on one side of the room. “A new adventure to begin, and who knows how it will end.”
    “Do you think we’ll succeed?” Alex questioned, climbing into his own bed.
    “Only fate knows our end,” Andy replied. “Like Skeld, I’ll not run from my destiny.”
    “Are you and Skeld from the same country?”