《The Human From a Dungeon》 Chapter 1 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: N/A Human - American "So... what do you suppose it is?" "I dunno. It looks kinda like an elf. But the ears are weirdly round, and it has... body hair." "Yeah, can''t be an elf. Maybe it''s a tall dwarf?" "No. Not enough body hair to be dwarven. Plus I''ve never heard of a dwarf over four feet tall." "Yeah, me neither. Don''t they all have beards?" "Pretty sure." These voices sounded strange to me. Like they''re speaking my language but in a weird accent or something. And the voices were... heavy? No, that''s not the term. Rumbling? Why''s it so hard to think? "A gnome?" "No. Gnomes are just short elves. It could be some sort of weird pig-kobold... thing." "Oh yeah! Wait... that still doesn''t explain the round ears. Plus the face is all wrong. Look, the nose is too pointy." Am I asleep? Dreaming? What are they talking about? The last thing I remember was going to the hospital to see my girlfriend. Did I get hurt along the way? Are these people doctors? I''m not in any pain, though... But I can''t open my eyes. Why can''t I open my eyes? What happened to me? "I wonder if it can talk. Where''d you find this thing, anyway?" "You remember that wall collapse in the dungeon? My team and I were explorin'' that and we got separated. Next thing I know, I find this thing on some sort of weird lookin'' table. It had a bunch of writing on it, but... well... you know." "Yeah, you have trouble reading. That''s alright. Go on." "Right, well I figured that I''d have a hell of a time trying to find my way back there, so I decided to take it with me. Once I picked it up, a lot of light started shining and suddenly I was at the dungeon entrance." "Teleportation?" "Yeah, probably." "Huh. That''s interesting. You know, since you found it in our dungeon, it might be an orc!" Boisterous laughter. It reminds me of my old karate instructor. He used to laugh like that all the time, even when nobody was joking. I wonder what happened to him. I wonder what happened to me. I think... I visited my girlfriend. The love of my life, Cassandra. She wasn''t in pain today, but the cancer''s getting worse. Her formerly luscious blonde hair that went all the way down to her waist was now patchy and wiry from the chemo. Her stunning blue eyes still had their kindness and humor, but betrayed the pain that she was desperately trying to hide. She looked kind of like a skeleton with skin now, but she joked that maybe she can finally be a model. She''s still my Cass. I stayed with her until she fell asleep, then I started to head home. I had to study, because even with everything going on they were still making me take finals. The bastards know that Cass is sick, but they don''t care. State requirements for graduation or whatever. Pisses me off. Fuck them, I want to drop out and get a job. But Cass won''t hear of it. Neither will mom. Dad understands, and says he''d do the same, but he''d like me to respect the wishes of mom and Cass. How am I supposed to study with the thought of losing her looming over my head, though? How can I think of anything else? "There''s no way this thing''s an orc. It''s too small. Plus the ears..." "Yeah, yeah. I feel like you''re hyperfixated on the ears." "Hyper-wha now?" "Fixated. You''re focusing too much on the ears." "Well they''re WEIRD though. Have you ever heard of anything that has round ears?" "Not off the top of my head, but I''m sure there''s something. After all, we''re looking at round ears right now." Round ears? What does that have to do with anything? Whatever, nothing to do with me. What happened after I started to walk home? I stopped by a gas station and grabbed some chips and a soda to lighten my spirits, and the last thing I remember is... crossing the street? There were horns and screeching and then... Huge lights? Pain! I felt pain! All over my body! And then nothing... Did I get hit by a truck? "I wish we could ask it what it is." "Well, I COULD cast healing magic on it. See if that wakes it up." "You think chief would be okay with that? He''ll probably want to see it first, right?" "I won''t tell if you don''t. We''ll just say that it woke up on its own." "Hmm. Alright, deal." "Awesome. Keep a hand on your axe, just in case." "Ready." "Laeh Ronim Tsac!" A pleasant warmth began to spread throughout my body. Like getting a massage from a million fingers all at once. My grogginess began to ebb, and I opened my eyes. Things were blurry at first, but I was soon able to focus on the wooden ceiling. I don''t know this ceiling... Wait, wooden ceiling? What kind of building has a wooden ceiling? A barn? I sat up and looked around. The furniture in the room looked like it came straight out of a medieval movie, but a bad one that didn''t pay attention to details. I was on a bed with woven sheets and a blanket, for one thing. For another, there were metal handles on some of the furniture. That wasn''t a thing in medieval times, right? Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Then the two people who were talking earlier caught my eye. Cosplayers? How''d they manage to look so big? One was wearing metallic armored pants and no top, showing off its rippling muscles. It looked as if it were scared of me, and it was holding a large serrated axe at its side. The other one was wearing a robe and carrying a staff with some sort of metal ball at the top. All of these details about their appearances were striking, but the most striking thing was that they were both green. Green, pointy ears, and huge. Even hunched over, the robed one with the staff was probably 6''5". The one with the axe was pushing 6''10". The one with the staff grinned and showed a mouth full of very pointy teeth. Like an alligator''s. "Woah, careful there. You just woke up. Don''t want you falling over," it said. The words sounded weird. As if I weren''t hearing them right. No, that''s not it. The mouth movements are weird. It''s like they''re saying something else but it''s dubbed over, with a hint of the original audio left in. "W-where am I? Who are you? What are you?" I asked, trying not to panic. My mouth felt weird when I spoke. Like I''m saying the words that I''m saying, but my mouth was moving differently. Like trying to make a tuh sound but making a kay sound instead. There was something else that was strange as well, but I couldn''t figure it out. "I''m Yulk," the grinning one said. "This is my brother, Nash. We''re orcs." "Yup, nice to meetcha. You''re in Nuleva, a temporary orc settlement that''s right outside of the Delver''s Dungeon. We''re hoping to make it a village someday," Nash said, taking his hand off his axe and crossing his arms. "Orc?" I asked, getting used to the weird talking. "Yes," Yulk said. "We''re orcs. Now that we''ve answered your questions, I''d like to ask you one." "Ask me a question?" I asked. "What do you..." "What are you?" Nash interrupted impatiently. I sat stunned for a moment. Orcs are real? And what do they mean what am I? I looked at my hands, the same ones I''ve always had. Even with the same scar I got as a kid, though the scar was looking a bit smaller now. I noticed I didn''t have my shirt on and I quickly checked under the blanket. Yep, naked. Weird. All of this is weird. What the hell is going on? Nash cleared his throat, patiently waiting for me to answer his question. "I''m a... human, and my name''s N-nick. Short for Nicodemus. Nicodemus Liam Smith," I stammered as I pulled the blanket up a little bit more. The two orcs shared a confused glance at each other before looking back to me. What''s there to be confused about? Sure, Nicodemus is kind of a rare name, but it''s not THAT rare. Hell, I used to get picked on for it all the time. The Secret of NIMH is singlehandedly the reason that I go by Nick. Yulk turned back to me and asked, "What''s a human?" Huh? "What?" I asked. "I''ve never heard of a human before," Nash said, scratching his head. "What were you doin'' locked away in the dungeon?" "What dungeon? What do you mean you''ve never heard of a human?" I asked. "Okay, wait," Yulk said. "Let''s try not to make assumptions here. Let''s start at the beginning and get on the same page. Nick, you''re a human. We don''t know what that is. Nash here found you in a secret room inside the Delver''s Dungeon. You don''t know how you got there?" "No, the last thing I remember was walking home and..." I trailed off. "Oh, right." "What?" "I think I got hit by a truck." "What''s a truck?" Nash asked. "It''s like a... wagon or something that doesn''t need anything to pull it," I said. "Oh, we''ve got those," Nash said. "Right, Yulk?" "Yes. We call them magicarts, but I suspect that they''re not the same thing." "Magi... carts? Carts pulled with magic?" I asked. "Yep," both orcs replied in unison. Wait. Wait wait wait. Orcs, magic, dungeons, getting hit by a truck... Did I get isekai''d? Or is this just a hallucination that my dying brain is showing me to protect me from the trauma of getting hit by a truck? I suppose there''s nothing I can do about this being a hallucination, so I have to go off the assumption that it''s not. Which means finding a way back. Wait, if I got reincarnated or whatever to this place, then maybe Cass did as well! "Have you seen any other things like me?" I asked. "Like, others in the dungeon? Any females? They usually have long hair and... larger breasts." "Oh, so you''re a male human?" Yulk asked. "I kinda guessed, but didn''t want to be presumptuous." "No, like I said earlier we haven''t seen anything like you before," Nash said. Then he leaned closer to Yulk and asked quietly, "What''s presumptuous mean?" "It means not being able to observe what''s appropriate or permitted in a social setting," Yulk whispered back. Meanwhile, I was trying not to lose it. Cass is terminally ill with cancer, and I wasn''t going to be there for her when she passed. I clenched my jaw and stared at the ceiling as I fought back tears. It''s not fair. She doesn''t deserve to be alone, and I promised. I promised her that I''d be by her side until the end. "I take it that all this comes as a bit of a shock," Yulk said softly. "Y-yeah. Yeah it does," I replied. "Alright, well we''ll let you process things. We''ve got to go tell the chief you''re up. And then get yelled at for waking you up," Nash said. "We''ll send someone in with food and drink in a bit." "Wait," I said. "Where do I go to... defecate?" Nash looked surprised and then pointed to the door opposite the one he and his brother were next to. "That''s the bathroom. Pull the handle to flush the toilet." "Okay," I said, wiping my eyes. The two orcs left the room. Indoor plumbing was unexpected, but I suppose I shouldn''t be entirely surprised. There''s magic here, and there''s no telling what that magic can do. Maybe... Maybe it can return me to my world in time to be with Cass again. So that I can say goodbye. Or maybe even save her. I owe it to her to try, at least. She''s made me happier than any man has a right to be. The room started spinning a little bit, so I laid back down. How did I go from getting hit by a truck to being asleep in a dungeon anyway? And when you get isekai''d don''t you normally get to talk to a sexy goddess or a pervy old god? Some exposition would have been nice. It finally hit me what else felt weird about this place. The air. It smelt different, tasted weird, and was hotter than it should be. But all of these things weren''t necessarily strange. You would get that just by going to a different city. No, what was strange was how it felt on my skin. A tingle that felt like it should be giving me goosebumps but wasn''t. Very odd. The door to the room opened and a short orc, still about 5''9" or so, entered holding a plate full of meat with a cup of something on it. Her green skin was slightly paler than the other two orcs, and she had an air of grace surrounding her that defied expectations. Like meeting a princess in a bandit camp. What she was wearing definitely wasn''t something that royalty would wear, though. It was an outfit that left little to the imagination. A skin-tight bikini top and very short shorts that exaggerated her ample curves. I tried not to stare, but noticed she was trembling and trying not to look at me as she set the platter down on a table next to my bed. Then she quickly turned and almost ran out of the room. "Weird," I said under my breath. I looked at the plate of meat. I guess this confirms that the orcs are carnivorous. I figured that was the case based on the teeth, though. Going to be hard to deal with a meat-only diet, since I''m not a fan of liver. At least they cook it. Would these guys farm? Maybe, for trade or to feed their domesticated animals. I''ll have to ask. I took a bite from one of the brown pieces of meat. The tart metallic taste made me grimace a bit. Liver. A necessity for omnivores on a meat-only diet, though. As I chewed the gamey meat I found myself hoping desperately that they had wild orange trees or something nearby. The white meat was far more palatable, though. It tastes similar to chicken, but not quite. Like a juicier version of quail. I washed it down with the liquid in the cup. Plain old water, but it felt more refreshing than anything I''ve ever had. I wondered how long I had been unconscious in that dungeon they mentioned. Hopefully not long. I don''t even know if time works the same here as it did on my world. There''s too much I don''t know. I finished the food and suddenly realized how weak and tired I felt. Like I had been running around carrying heavy stuff all day. I was afraid to go back to sleep at first, but then I thought that if I go to sleep maybe I''ll wake up in a proper hospital bed back in my world. Maybe this IS just a dream. Maybe I''ll be able to see Cass again. I''ll do anything to see her again. Chapter 2
Nash Alta
Adventurer Level: 8
Orc - Nulevan
"So you two woke it up!?" Chief Gluhern shouted.
"No sir!" I lied.
"We were simply guessing at what he could be when he woke up all on his own," Yulk lied. "We had a short discussion with him, had Catalina grab him some food, and came immediately here to inform you, sir."
The chief eyed us suspiciously. He knows we''re lying, but he also knows that he can''t prove it. Yulk and I will cover each other until our dying breath, and it''s not like the human can tell on us. If the chief can''t prove it, he can''t openly punish us without people getting mad about injustice. Then he''ll have to listen to speech after speech after speech. A much worse punishment than whatever he''d give us.
Which means that he''ll probably resort to underhanded punishments. I fully expect to be voluntold to do some extra chores this week. A shame, Yulk and I really wanted to go back into the dungeon and look for clues about the human. Maybe we should''ve left it alone after all.
"Smells like bullshit to me, but I''m assuming there''s no witnesses?" Gluhern said as he looked around. After a few shaken heads he turned back to us, "There never are with you two. So, it calls itself a human, then?"
"He, sir. And yes, he says he''s a human. Not that it helps," Yulk said, dodging a thrown cup.
"DON''T CORRECT ME, SORCERER!" Gluhern shouted.
"Sir, did the others find anything related to the human?" I asked, attempting to distract him from his rage.
The chief drew a deep breath and said, "Actually, no. Your team still hasn''t returned. We''re sending a rescue party at sunrise."
My blood ran cold. Blune, Graz, Inoris, and Rezgal were pretty tough guys. Almost as tough as me. Party wipes weren''t exactly uncommon, but they don''t happen to adventurers over level five very often. Those four are level 7, so they should be able to handle just about anything. What the hell''s going on?
"I''d like to join the rescuers," I said.
"Me too, sir," Yulk added.
"I''m afraid not," Gluhern said, no longer angry. "You''re both under-leveled for the rescue party. Since they''re over level five, we''re sending the over-tens. You''ll be liabilities."
I gnashed my teeth in frustration, but chief isn''t wrong. Reaching level ten is an enormous accomplishment, and the difference in power between a level nine and ten is extreme. The downside to reaching that rank was all of the extra responsibility that came with it. Most over-tens go into mercenary work, leaving their homes behind. If they don''t, they''ll quickly get swamped with work that the other adventurers can''t handle.
"Aren''t they busy?" Yulk asked.
"Alurn and Kirisaka accomplished their task in the wastes, and they''re back. Rirnu and Pakin haven''t been doing much, as there aren''t many wounded. Two medics, a tank, and a rogue. The perfect rescue party," Gluhern replied with a grin.
"Pakin isn''t a medic, she''s a necromancer," I replied with distaste.
"That''s just a late medic, if you think about it," Yulk said cheerily. "Plus she knows combat magic as well."
"Yeah, well she''d better be on time," I grumbled. "Blune owes me a drink, and zombies don''t pay their debts."
"Do skeletons?" Yulk asked.
"How the hell should I know?"
"Well how do you know that zombies don''t, then?"
"ENOUGH!" shouted the chief. "The matter of the rescue party is settled. The only matter I have left to discuss with you is your next task."
Yulk and I stared at the grinning chief with stalwart expressions. We knew he wouldn''t dare officially punish us, but there was a certain level of unease regarding the underhanded task he would give us. He won''t be sending us into the dungeon, he knows we''ll join the rescue party. There''s a possibility that he''ll send us into the wastes on retrieval duty, though. The damned herbs that go into medi-potions love that sandy shithole.
"You''ll guard the human until I say otherwise. One set of eyes on it at all times," Gluhern said, chuckling as my face fell. "I''ll leave it up to you to decide the shifts. If you wander off, I''ll have your hides."
"DIBS ON FIRST SHIFT!" Yulk shouted unexpectedly.
I turned to my brother and was shocked to see him nearly bouncing with excitement. Guard duty is the most boring task available, and just about any orc worth their salt will do anything to avoid it. I looked back to the chief, who shared my expression of shock.
"Why are you so excited?" I asked.
"No reason!" Yulk said, suddenly nervous. "Let''s go!"
He grabbed me and began dragging me out of the room just as the chief was having second thoughts about our new assignment. I struggled a bit, but Yulk has a remarkably tight grip for a sorcerer. I watched the chief shrug as we left the room.
"What the hell''s got into you?" I asked as I finally shook his grip.
"Nash! We get to study the human!" Yulk said, actually bouncing up and down this time. "We might be the only ones who''ve ever met one!"
"Okay, okay," I said with a sigh. "I see your point. It IS kinda cool."
"I can''t wait! I wonder if he has any magic resistances..."
"That pink skin it has doesn''t look like it''s any tougher than ours. Be careful, brother," I cautioned.
I wasn''t able to tell if he heard my warning or not because he immediately started mumbling to himself and walking towards the hospital. I sighed as I followed after him. He''d always been like this. Something strikes his fancy and he becomes unable to think of anything else until he''s figured it out. Even if the chief hadn''t tasked us with guard duty, Yulk probably would''ve ended up hanging around the human''s room.
"Hey, Nash! Wait up," a familiar voice called out to me.
I turned and saw a larger than life figure wearing full blackened plate armor and carrying a sword that was nearly as long as I am tall. I grabbed Yulk''s arm to stop him from wondering off and nodded at the figure as it approached.
"Hello Alurn, I hope the day finds you well. What can I do for you?" I asked him.
"I wanted to ask you about the rescue mission," Alurn replied. "Would you mind answering a few questions for us?"
Us?
"I have apprised him of the likelihood that you know nothing other than what we''ve already been told," a voice said from behind me.
I suppressed my urge to swing around. No need to. I already knew who it was. There isn''t anyone else in the village that could sneak up on me, and he did so as often as he could.
"Hello Kirisaka," I said as I calmly turned to face him.
Kirisaka is shorter than most orcs, but nobody has pointed that out to him since he was a child. There was a coldness in his eyes that would unnerve a drake. He''s only a rogue in the sense that he knows how to avoid traps and pass through locks. His specialty in combat is quick, silent movement and striking vital areas with enough force to obliterate plate armor. The reason that everyone confuses his class is that he''s the only shadow warrior in the village, and he doesn''t bother correcting people who get it wrong.
I glanced at his short-swords. I prefer an axe, but I wouldn''t complain if I had to use those babies. They were simple but elegant, double edged with an exaggerated point and pommels designed after the sun and the moon. Kirisaka had received them as a reward for saving a wealthy elven family in the wastes.
"How much?" I asked.
"They are still not for sale. They shall never be for sale. Stop asking," Kirisaka replied tersely.
"I''ll give you twenty gold. Ten each," I said.
"You do not have twenty gold," he countered.
"I''ll borrow it and pay it off by killing things in the dungeons with those swords."
"No you shall not, because I will not be selling them."
"Pardon me," Alurn interrupted. "Time is of the essence. Nash, your party went to explore the part of the dungeon that was revealed by the collapsed wall. You were gone for a day before you exited. Did you encounter any enemies?"
"No," I sighed. "We didn''t even see any traces of monster activity. It was eerily quiet."
"How, then, did you become separated?" Kirisaka asked, annoyed that he''d been wrong. Or that I kept looking at his swords.
"The strap on my pack came loose, and I stopped to fix it. They didn''t want to stop, so they kept going," I explained. "I fixed my pack and ran after them, but there was a fork in the path. There weren''t any footprints or markers and I decided to go left, but I guess they went right. I ended up in a sort of labyrinth and that''s when I found the human."
"Human?" Alurn asked. "Oh, the thing you found in the dungeon. How do you know what it''s called?"
"It woke up!" Yulk said excitedly.
"I-I see," Alurn stuttered, caught off-guard by Yulk''s demeanor. "Well... Nash, did you see or hear anything odd on your way out? Any clue to what might have kept them from returning?"
"When I picked up the human, I was teleported to the entrance of the dungeon with it still in my arms. I didn''t even know the rest of the team was still in there until chief told me just a few minutes ago," I said. "It''s been a couple days. They definitely should''ve been back by now."
"I understand. We''ll find them, Nash. Don''t worry too much," Alurn said.
"Let us begin our rescue," Kirisaka said.
Alurn nodded and they went on their way. Yulk and I continued on our way to guard the human. When we entered the hospital building, there were three girls peeking through the door into the human''s room. Maybe the chief had a point assigning us as guards.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
The girls jumped back, falling over each other in the process. The first girl who managed to stand back up was Catalina, the one we''d asked to bring food to the human.
"We''re just curious!" she said.
"Yeah," Yini said from the ground. "We wanted to see the new pet."
"Pets don''t talk," Yulk said. "Pets are for petting, that''s why they''re called pets."
Yini scowled for a moment before she realized it was Yulk that was talking to her. Then her face softened. It''s obvious to everyone except Yulk that Yini fancies him. My brother is smart, but he''s dumb in his own way.
"You''re right, I just..."
"It''s so cute!" Nimora interrupted. "Are you sure you found it in the dungeon?"
"Yes, I''m sure," I said sternly. "And because of that, it may be dangerous. Keep your distance."
"We can handle ourselves," Catalina said, pretending like she hadn''t been cowering when we asked her to feed it. "It''s pretty small."
"It''s short, but it''s also muscular. I get the feeling that it''s stronger than it looks. But even if you could fight it, chief would get mad at you for putting yourselves in the situation to fight it. Especially if you killed it before we found out more about it," I replied.
"Yeah, yeah. Is it some kind of elf?" Yini asked.
"Maybe, but it calls itself a human," Yulk replied excitedly. "It may be an offshoot species of elf. Or maybe an ancestor of the elves! We don''t know how long it was in that dungeon for."
"Did it eat?" I asked.
"Y-yes. I''m pretty sure. The platter looks empty," Catalina said.
"So you didn''t retrieve the platter?" I asked smugly.
"N-no! It''s sleeping. I didn''t want to wake it up," she replied defensively.
"Damn it all. Sleeping again," Yulk said with disappointment. "Oh well, at least that confirms it''s carnivorous like us and not herbivorous like the elves."
"So maybe it''s not related to the elves?" Yini asked.
"Maybe not. Maybe it''s related to orcs. We did find it in the orc dungeon, after all."
"We? I found it. Stop trying to take credit for my find," I said teasingly.
"Yes, yes. You found it. Anyways, if it''s an ancestor of the orcs then it''s probably much stronger than it looks. So Nash is right, you three should be careful," Yulk said.
The three girls looked crestfallen. Hearing it from me was one thing. I''m a bit dumb so they don''t think I know what I''m talking about. They always listen to Yulk, though. He''s probably the smartest orc in the village, even though he''s dumb when it comes to women. Poor Yini, she''s got an uphill battle in the fight for his affection.
"Okay," Yini finally said. "We''ll go. Sorry."
"No need for apologies if you don''t do it again," Yulk said cheerily. "Plus it''ll be safer with Nash and I guarding him."
"It''s a him?" Nimora asked.
"Don''t even think about it," I told her.
"I''m NOT!" she said.
"Then how''d you know what I''m talking about?" I asked.
"Shut up!"
Nimora always had an eye for odd ones. She frequently flirts with the non-orc traders that pass through. They politely flirt back, but not a single one of them will ever take her up on the offer. It''s not very common for other species to interbreed, at least in my experience, but orcs cannot breed with other species. Trying to can be fatal.
"Well, we should get back to our duties," Catalina said.
"Agreed," I replied tersely.
The girls left, and we entered the room quietly. I checked the platter, the human had ate and drank everything on offer. I took a moment to study his features. He had a few scars on his face, which was kind of cool. His black hair was cut short in a way I''d never seen before. If I had to guess his height, I''d say somewhere around 5''10". About as short as the girls, but something about him told me that he''s like Kirisaka.
I can''t quite put my finger on why, but I feel like he''s dangerous. Chapter 3 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: N/A Human - American "What do you mean you don''t want to go to college?" Cass asks. I run my hand through her silky hair and reply, "I don''t want to do anything. Not without you." "Well, I can probably get into any school that you get into. Or we can do long distance, if you can wait for me," she says with a smile. "Of course I can, but..." I say, trying to remember what the problem was. "Okay, yeah, I guess I''ll go to college. Local, though, I don''t think I can take a day without seeing you." She smiles as she takes a sip of her coffee. We''re on my porch, pretending to be adults by sipping on instant cappuccino. She takes hers with milk, almost half the cup full. I smile at her coffee flavored milk. Our eyes meet. They glow bright with life. Not like... Not like what? "So did you pass your finals?" "I haven''t taken them yet," I say. "But don''t worry, I''ll pass them. The only class that will give me any trouble is..." I trailed off as I notice the color of the sky is the same as her eyes. Not similar, the exact same. Her eyes are beautiful, but not a normal sky color. The blue is too dark for this time of day. I look around. Why is the gas station across the street? What''s going on? "Translator module functioning," she says. "Maintenance required." "What?" I ask. "Biology," she says. "That''s the class that gives you trouble, right? Or is it anatomy and physiology?" "Oh, it''s anatomy and physiology. The school got the gym teacher to do it," I reply. "And he''s bad at it." I look around again. We''re not on my porch, we''re in the road? "Hey, are we supposed to be here?" I ask. "Of course, baby," she replies. "This is where it happens." "Where what happens? A thunderous crack rings out and the sky turns dark green in the blink of an eye. I panic and try to grab her hand. No-one''s there. I''m alone in the middle of the road. Where did she go? "User interface nonfunctional. Inter-dimensional energy adaptor functional. Personality matrix nonfunctional." Where''s that voice coming from? What the hell is happening? "Nanomechanical interface nonfunctional." "So you think he''s an orc?" My eyes snap open to see a wooden ceiling. I know this ceiling. Dammit. What was that dream? I sit up and see the two orcs staring at me. Nash and Yulk, brothers. Nash was giving me a glare of suspicion, but Yulk was looking at me eagerly. Like a child looking at Christmas presents. "I''m not an orc," I said. "I''m a human." "No, no I don''t think you''re an orc, Nick," Yulk said with a grin. "I think you might be an ancestor of the orcs!" "What? Why would you think that?" I asked. "Well, look at the facts! You eat what we eat, you were found in our dungeon, and we are roughly the same shape! You''re a bit smaller, but that''s evolution for you!" "But I came from another world, Yulk. We don''t have magic where I come from. You can''t have evolved from humans unless we came from here," I said while stretching. "Also, I don''t just eat what you eat. I also eat fruits and vegetables. I''ll be okay if you keep giving me liver, but I''m not sure what the health effects long term will be." There was a period of silence. Both orcs looked shocked at what I had just said. I thought we had discussed that I came from another world earlier, but thinking back I might not have made it clear. I remember telling them about trucks, but maybe I forgot to tell them we didn''t have magic. "You can eat vegetables?" Nash asked, his hand resting on his axe. "Yeah, why?" "The only species that can eat plants and meat that I know of is puppers," Yulk said. "Even then, they either eat meat or eat plants depending on the teeth they''re born with. Everything else is either carnivorous or herbivorous." My turn to be shocked. This can''t be real, carnivores and herbivores rule this world? But the evolutionary advantage that being an omnivore grants is so massive. How did this happen? "Yep, carnivorous or herbivorous. What do you even call something that eats both?" Nash asked. "Omnivorous," I replied. "That''s further proof that I come from another world. Being omnivorous isn''t all that rare where I come from." "Omnivorous," Yulk mumbled. "I see. All consuming. So your kind eats all the plants and animals?" "Pretty much, but we domesticate animals and farm plants. Plus we''re not voracious eaters. Well, not all of us," I said with a smile. "I''ll be damned, look at his teeth!" Nash exclaimed. "Yes! They look like a mix of elf and orc teeth! How exciting! Maybe you''re the ancestor of both elves and orcs!" Yulk said as he started bouncing. "Except that doesn''t make any sense. Evolution rarely takes a step backwards. Being an omnivore is much more advantageous that being either an herbivore or a carnivore," I pointed out. "I don''t see how," Nash said. "If you''ve got to eat both plants and meat, what do you do when you don''t have one or the other?" "That''s a good question," Yulk said. "We can eat either or. I can be on a meat-only diet or on a vegetable-only diet for an extended period of time," I explained. "In my world there''s people... humans who don''t eat meat and humans who don''t eat vegetables. But they take supplements to even out their nutrients." I chuckled to myself about the unexpected usage of my AP Health class. I hadn''t known exactly what I wanted to do for a career, but I was leaning toward the medical profession. The funny thing is that my teacher posed the specific problem of being trapped in a meat-only environment or a plant-only environment as one of test essays. "Okay, so you''re fine for now but we should be looking out for plants you can eat," Nash said. "Yes, please. Most fruits should be okay if herbivores eat them," I said. Then a thought occurred to me. "Wait, maybe not. I might end up being allergic to some of the plants here." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. "Ah yes, rashes, sneezes, and diarrhea. And maybe sudden death!" Yulk exclaimed. "Don''t worry, most allergies can be treated with magical healing. We''ve already determined that the healing works on you, so you don''t have to worry about being cautious with food. Well, as long as you''re near me." Oh, that''s a relief. I was trying to remember how allergy tests worked. Healing magic sounds pretty handy, I wonder if it''s replaced doctors. If magic users are common and they can all do healing, probably. Hey, wait a minute... "What do you mean you''ve determined that healing magic works on me?" I asked. Yulk smiled wide and said, "It''s how we..." Nash moved faster than I''d ever seen anyone move and clasped a hand over Yulk''s mouth. Yulk''s eyes went wild and for a second he looked like he was going to attack Nash, but then he calmed down and nodded. Nash released his brother and looked at me. "Don''t worry about it," he said. I was stunned for a moment, but then guessed that I shouldn''t push it. They probably used healing magic on me at some point. As far as why they didn''t want to admit it, I could only guess. I looked at my hand again. The scar there had shrank, I wasn''t just imagining it. That''s a bit of a relief. "How common is healing magic?" I asked. "Not very. It requires a few different things to happen for it to work properly. First, you have to be able to use magic. Not everyone can. I don''t know what it''s like for other races, but only about a third of our people can use it," Yulk explained. "Next, you have to be able to conceptualize what the magic does. This means that you have to be able to somehow visualize the mending process of a wound. This grants you access to the healing spell, which you can use on anything you want. Finally, you have to have enough mana for the spell to heal the wound. If not, you''ll pass out." "Wait, so if I had a broken arm you''d have to visualize my bone mending to be able to heal it?" I asked. "No, the spell works on anything once you gain the visualization. If you can visualize the mending process on skin that will unlock the spell for you. Then you can use it on a broken arm while having no idea how the bone heals." "There are people with large amounts of mana who can''t visualize for shit," explained Nash. "They have to have it happen to them before they can create a mental picture of it, so they usually end up with physical enhancement spells and find work as warriors." "So, the better your imagination the more powerful of a mage you can be?" I asked. "Partly. But it''s mostly your knowledge of a certain subject. For instance, if you know how fire works but don''t have much imagination, you''ll be able to unlock middle tier fire spells. If you have a great imagination but a limited knowledge of fire, same thing. If you have both intimate knowledge of how fire forms and a great imagination, you will unlock the highest tier of fire magic," Yulk said. "Same with any other spell." "So I probably couldn''t summon a dragon, then?" Nash laughed and said, "You could if you made it a pet and then trained it to come when you whistle. But with magic, no." "People have pet dragons?" I asked with a laugh. "A couple of legendary heroes have been known to have dragon companions. There was a king about 300 years back who had a bunch of pet dragons. Got a breeding pair and helped raise the young dragons. Had something like fifteen of them," Nash replied. "What happened to them?" "It was seventeen, and when he died they ran amok. Destroyed his kingdom, and started in on other kingdoms before they were finally defeated. About 12 of them were killed, the rest went to live in the wilderness somewhere. They''re probably still alive," Yulk answered. "Still alive?" I asked with shock in my voice. "Yeah, dragons don''t die of old age. Or at least, nobody has ever seen it happen. There''s a dragon that''s been living with elves for over twelve hundred years now," Nash said. "It doesn''t do much, though." "It''s been at least a hundred years since it went to sleep. The elves might have moved in after it fell asleep and built around it," Yulk said. "No, they tamed the beast. This is known historical fact..." I stayed silent as the brothers argued. Magic, dragons, elves and orcs. I had definitely been transported to a fantasy realm. How? That''s anyone guess. Several feelings rushed through me at once. Excitement that I was in a magical new place to explore. Sadness at being away from Cass. Shame of my excitement. Setting those aside I still had many questions. The most burning one, though... "Do you think I could learn magic?" I asked, interrupting the argument. Silence echoed through the room. The two brothers shared a look and then turned back to me. There was a long pause before Yulk finally spoke. "Possibly. But not now. There''s things going on that demands the chief''s attention, and you aren''t allowed to wander until he gives you his permission to." "You''re actually deeper within our village than most non-orcs are allowed," Nash explained. "That''s because you came from the dungeon. I don''t know how the chief is going to approach this, and there may be a lot of legal things that he will need to decide upon. For instance, you were in the dungeon since before we orcs claimed it. Which means you might have a legal claim to the dungeon." "I doubt that," Yulk said. "Otherwise we wouldn''t have been able to enter it." "Not necessarily. Since he was already inside, the barrier may have counted it as an open invitation sort of thing." "If that were the case, then the rest of your party would have been teleported out when he was carried out of the dungeon. Even if that weren''t the case, the rescue party wouldn''t have been able to go in after them. No, it''s definitely an orc dungeon." "What do you mean by orc dungeon?" I asked. "And what''s this legal claim stuff?" "Well, you have to pay to claim a dungeon and you can claim it for either your species or your faction. Most claim dungeons for a species, because the loot changes based on who the claim is for. For instance, if you claim it for a kingdom most of the loot is going to be food or wood or things like that. Claiming for a species can grant magical items and weapons, though," Yulk explained. "Claiming for an adventuring faction grants the best loot, but then only people from that faction could use the dungeon. Which is a dangerous thing, politically. So kingdoms, which are the only ones who can afford the cost, usually claim for species." "Yep, and the Delver''s Dungeon is an orc dungeon. Probably," Nash said. "Anyway, the chief has a lot of things on his plate at the moment. So you won''t be going anywhere for a while. And neither will we." "Why did your party need to be rescued?" I asked Nash. "We got separated. I found you instead of them. I decided to take you with me, and when I picked you up I was teleported to the dungeon entrance. We had gone a long ways inside, so I opted to carry you out and report instead of finding the others," Nash said with a hint of shame. "So they''re still trapped in the dungeon?" "We don''t know if they''re trapped, or even in trouble. But it''s been days, and they should have been back by now," Yulk explained. "So the chief decided to send some over-tens in after them." "Over-tens?" I asked. "Adventurers that are over skill level ten," Nash replied. "Level?" The orcs once again shared a look. Yulk shrugged. "Even more proof you''re from another world. Damn, I was hoping that you were an orc ancestor or something," he said. "The Curaguard determines levels. When you register as an adventurer, through a church, guild, or governmental organization, a link is formed between you and the Curaguard. The Curaguard assesses your skills, spells, and strengths and assigns you a level that is shared with all participating organizations. This level determines what kind of jobs you can accept, and gives you an idea of where you stack up against other adventurers," Nash explained. "Does the Curaguard give you skills or anything?" I asked. "No," Yulk said. "You get skills and strength through training and practical application. You get spells through study and practice. The Curaguard just keeps track." A soft knock at the door interrupted my interrogation of the orcs. The door opened to reveal the cute orc girl carrying another platter of food and drink. She avoided meeting eyes with me and delicately set down the new platter. As she left the room, a different sort of question came to me. "How long was I asleep this time?" I asked. "Two days," Nash replied. As the revelation that I had slept for two whole days dawned on me, so did the smell of the meat. The hunger that had previously gone unnoticed suddenly announced itself in the form of my stomach growling. The two orcs chuckled as I began to eat and drink. "The front teeth appear to be narrow at the tips to cut through food items, and the teeth next to them look like they rip apart sections of the meat quite nicely. Fascinating," Yulk said. "Pweash dun ekshamin me wyl I eet," I said through a mouthful of liver. "Itsh embarashin." [A/N in accordance with the rules of Royal Road this is the translation of the above dialogue: "Please don''t examine me while I eat," "It''s embarrassing."] "Don''t mind me, human. I''m just trying to non-invasively determine more about your origin. Better than the alternative, I would think," the orc said with a slightly malicious smile. I gulped down the gamey meat as the implication of what he said hit home. It hadn''t occurred to me earlier, but Yulk definitely fit the profile of a mad scientist who would vivisect me if given half the chance. I didn''t take very long to think of my response. "Fine. Look but don''t touch, please," I said. Yulk frowned mockingly and Nash laughed. I picked up my drink to wash down the aftertaste of my meal as the door to the room burst open. "Nash, the rescue party''s back!" A different orc girl exclaimed. "The chief wants you to bring the human." Nash rose from his seat on the bed opposite mine and looked down at me, suddenly serious. He tossed some clothes at me, and I caught them. A shirt and pants, again woven instead of made from hide. Not exactly medieval, but similar in style. I met his gaze. "Get dressed, and let''s go," he said. Chapter 4
Chapter 5 Yulk Alta Adventurer Level: 7 Orc - Nulevan Nash and I turned around to allow the human to get dressed in privacy. Nash was on edge the entire time that our backs were turned. He must still think the little critter could be a threat. He''s not wrong, I suppose. Not the kind of threat that would attack you without a weapon, though. The kind that could out think and out maneuver you on a battlefield? Maybe. This human had just awoken and had already demonstrated knowledge of fringe intellectual pursuits like evolution and nutrition. It spoke of things I had spent extensive effort to learn as if they were common knowledge. My younger brother had stumbled onto a goldmine of knowledge! Even if the human didn''t have any more knowledge than what he had already displayed, just studying his anatomy would be revolutionary. He would likely be opposed to vivisection, though. Even with healing magic available... "I''m ready, I think," Nick said. My brother and I turned around to look at the human. He actually cut a dashing figure, if you''re into that sort of thing. Trimmed black hair that was longer on the top than on the sides, dark blue eyes with a hint of green, a chiseled jawline, and musculature that was reminiscent of a fighter. He had a scar to the right of his chin that was barely noticeable, and a much more noticeable scar on his left temple. He could pass as a short elf or a tall dwarf were it not for the ugly round ears. Nash was right, they''re very jarring now that I look closer. "Alright, let''s go," Nash replied. We exited the room with the human to my left and Nash to the human''s left. The girls were peeking around the corner of the hallway, curious of the human''s activities. Yini and Nimora were enamored with the thing, but Catalina seemed afraid of it. I will have to remember to ask her about her reasons for that. Perhaps it''s merely a phobia, but she might be able to detect something that I can''t about the human. I had no reason to believe the same of Nash, though. My brother was infamously overreactive and overprotective. His near hostility towards the human makes little sense, since he''s the one that brought it from the dungeon. I glanced at the human as we walked. It walked very similar to Nash, fully upright with a steady gait. Unlike Nash, it was keeping its eyes ahead and trying to avoid making eye contact with the orcs that quickly shuffled out of our way. As we continued on I wondered if the human was a warrior or a mage of some sort. Not everyone has to be, of course, there are many who are neither. Most, even. But something told me that the human was special in more than its rarity. I might be setting myself up for disappointment, but I really want to see what it''s capable of. I wonder what adventurer level it is! No, wait, it had shown ignorance of magic. While that doesn''t necessarily mean that it doesn''t have martial combat experience, it''s unlikely to be above level two if it''s never heard of magic. Perhaps instructing it on magic would boost its level? "Listen, Nick. When we get to the chief''s chamber you need to be quiet unless you''re directly asked a question. You''re technically an outsider, and you''re deeper in our village than an outsider is allowed to be. An outsider meeting the chief in the chamber is unheard of, so if you''re rude there''s bound to be bad consequences," warned Nash. "I understand. I''ll keep quiet," replied Nick. "Oh, I don''t think it''ll be all that dire," I said. "After all, Nash is the reason you''re here. If you do anything naughty, he''s liable to take the blame!" I returned Nash''s glare with a malicious grin. A not-so-subtle reminder that all this is his fault. Ah, but I''ll likely have to remind him that whatever the fate of his team is, he''s not to blame for that. They went off on their own volition, and he wasn''t even their leader. He was their strongest, but Graz was the leader. And Graz decided to leave their strongest behind and continue on. And the others followed him. If Graz survived, I''m going to give him a good skull-shaking for his stupidity. We entered the chamber and my blood ran cold. Alurn and Rirnu stood before the chief, looking ashamed. I didn''t waste time wondering where Pakin and Kirisaka were. These two wouldn''t be here alone if things had gone well. A boss had been encountered. "Nash, I''m sorry," said Gluhern. "Your party didn''t make it." Nash''s jaw tightened as the realization hit home. He looked at Alurn and Rirnu, and both of them avoided his eyes. He swallowed and nodded at the chief. I reached over and patted his elbow to comfort him. He''d need a drink tonight. "Chief," I began, "I take it that Kirisaka and Pakin didn''t make it either?" "Correct." "Was it a boss?" "We believe so." "What are we going to do about it?" "That''s what we''re deciding," Gluhern said and pointed to the human. "I wanted to speak to that to find out more information. Care to introduce us?" "Allow me," said Nash. We all looked at my brother, not expecting him to be able to speak yet. Perhaps I didn''t give him enough credit and he already knew that what happened wasn''t his fault. Nash is a great brother, he''s full of surprises. Never boring. "This is Nicodemus Liam Smith, a human who may have been transported to our world from another world. He goes by Nick," Nash said, gently pushing the human forward. "Pleased to make your acquaintance," Nick said, bowing at the waist. Everyone froze for a second. Despite the grim attitude of the meeting, there were a few chuckles. "I am not a king, I am a chief. You need not genuflect to me," Gluhern said with a chuckle. "Need not genuflect? A remarkable increase in vocabulary," I said while jerking my head to the left to dodge a thrown goblet. "DON''T PATRONIZE ME, SORCERER!" Gluhern yelled. The metal goblet clattered behind me. I grinned. Most of the drinking utensils in the village were either made of wood, glass, or ceramic. The chief had tired of having to order replacement cups and had changed all of his utensils to metal. This was much more economical, considering that this type of spat of ours is nearly traditional at this point. I frequently critiqued Gluhern for several reasons. The first and foremost reason was that I got amusement from his reactions. The second reason was to remind him that even though he is a chieftain, he is still an orc like the rest of us. It''s all too easy to forget a simple fact like that when your word is law. The third reason is to keep my reaction time healthy. I stole a glance at the two surviving members of the rescue party and immediately regretted my shenanigans. Alurn, who was normally mountainous, was now staring into the distance as if lost in thought and looking significantly deflated. Rirnu was struggling not to cry. Gluhern and I met each others eyes, and I could tell we both felt shame at our outbursts. "I''m sorry," Gluhern said to everyone except me. "Nick, I called you here because you were found in the Delver''s Dungeon around the same area as the beast that will be the topic of discussion. Alurn, please describe what happened." This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. At the mention of his name, Alurn returned to reality and began his tale. We all listened raptly, especially when he described the creature. Skin nearly as white as its hair with claws like daggers, standing like and as tall as an orc, and with speed that matched a shadow warrior''s. The way it moved when it killed Pakin, almost too fast for even an over-ten to see. Very interesting, but in a very dangerous way. Something I would rather read about instead of personally study. Unless it were dead, of course. "When we returned to the collapsed portion of the wall, we waited for Kirisaka to catch up," Alurn said. "But... after waiting for a very long time... we were teleported to the entrance. Without him." Every face listening to the story dropped except for Nick''s, who looked confused instead. The human looked like he wanted to ask questions but was hesitating due to our warnings. "The dungeon shifts frequently, and when it does it teleports the adventurers still wandering around inside to the entrance," I explained softly. "The only time it won''t teleport someone to the entrance is if they''re dead." The faces that the human made were interesting. They were alien, but so communicative that I immediately knew what they meant. His confusion turned to realization, then sadness, and then, as he turned back to look at Alurn, empathy. It was at this moment that I realized that Nash was completely in the wrong about this little creature being a threat. My eye''s locked with my brothers. He had seen the empathy on the human''s face and knew he had been wrong. His hand dropped from the handle of his axe for the first time since we left the hospital. The only way the human could be a threat is unintentionally. "Thank you, Alurn," Gluhern said before turning back to Nick. "Have you ever heard of this beast or anything like it?" "N-no chief," the human stammered, shocked by the question. "No need for honorifics, call me Gluhern please," the chief said gently. "Right, sorry. No I haven''t, Gluhern. Until I woke up yesterday I hadn''t even heard of a dungeon. In my world, monsters aren''t real. Neither are orcs, elves, or dwarves. Not even magic. It''s just humans and animals. I''m sorry I can''t be more help," Nick said with a genuine tone. "I understand. Thank you. I''ll be wanting to discuss your world more in a bit, but first the topic of what to do with the creature must be addressed," Gluhern said. "I don''t think we have a team strong enough to beat it," Rirnu said. This was quite the revelation from the veteran healer. We had all suspected this to be the case after hearing Alurn''s recount, but hearing it said aloud by Rirnu seemed to set it in stone. There was nobody else in the village who knew the limits of our adventurers better. "Well, we''ll have to do something. We can''t risk adventurer parties running into the damned thing, and closing the dungeon indefinitely will spell the death of this settlement," the chief said. "What about a barrier?" I asked. "Block off the path that leads to the part of the dungeon with the beast in it. If we use a runic barrier and warn everybody not to mess with it, the beast won''t be able to leave the part of the dungeon that it''s currently in." "And what''s to stop it from attacking the crew sent to set up the barrier?" Alurn asked hollowly. "It could be that pale due to living in the darkness for a long time," Nick said. "Which means it''s probably got an aversion to light. Light is usually a bad thing in deep darkness." We all looked at the little human with various emotions on our faces. My face held curiosity, Gluhern''s held amusement, Alurn and Rirnu looked thoughtful, and Nash looked annoyed and angry. I almost laughed when I realized why Nash was upset. He believed the human had spoken out of turn. "Yes, yes you may be right!" Rirnu said at last. "The lights leading to the room we found the beast in were all slashed and broken!" "We all had lights on, though," Alurn said. "True, but the lights in the hallway were much brighter than our lights. There were times were I nearly forgot we were under ground!" Rirnu said excitedly. Then his mood soured and he said, "But if that''s the case, then we all could have run for it and Kirisaka didn''t have to..." "Hindsight is helpful as long as you don''t make it a hindrance," I said. "This isn''t a case where you should have known better and should be chided into doing better next time. There''s no way you could have known. Even I, with all of my learning, have never heard of a beast the likes of which you have described." The pair looked at me with gratitude in their eyes. "Okay, then we''ll put a barrier up at the broken wall as soon as possible. We''ll make it the strongest runic barrier we can make, damn the expense. While the barrier is up, we''ll send a missive to the kingdom to make them aware of our troubles and request elite adventurers to vanquish the beast. There''s bound to be enough loot to make it worth their while," Gluhern said. "Does this satisfy your concerns, Alurn and Rirnu?" "No," Alurn replied, falling to his knees. "I am shamed, chief. I am meant to be the greatest warrior in this village, yet I fled in terror, leaving my closest friend to die." This turn of events wasn''t unexpected. Alurn was known for being honorable, and wore heavy plate-mail despite wielding a great-sword for the sole purpose of being a bigger target. He prided himself on taking all of the hits for a party, keeping them safe while they fought. Nash and I locked eyes. He had clenched his teeth again. Then the chief spoke. "You are not shamed. You have worked harder than most to be as strong as you are, so it is unlikely that you could have worked any harder or been any stronger by the time your party faced this monstrosity. If the roles had been reversed, and Kirisaka had ran while you fought, you would have died as quickly as Pakin." "But chief..." "No, listen to me Alurn. It was a bad matchup. Your strength is great against strength, but that creature surpassed your strength and was many times faster than you. It would have cleaved through your armor in mere moments and then been on Kirisaka and Rirnu. Kirisaka would have died either way, and the village would be left with one fewer adventurer," Gluhern said, leaning back in his seat. "Even if you are to be shamed, I cannot think of a worse punishment than having to continue on as an adventurer without your closest comrade. Mourn Kirisaka, comfort his family, heal your mental wounds, and get back to work. Do you hear this judgement?" "Yes, chief," the mountainous orc said. "Good. You both have three days off, and then you''ll report this situation directly to High Chief Ulurmak. Alurn, Rirnu, you two are dismissed. Nash, Yulk, please remain." The two over-tens left the chief''s chambers, leaving Nash, Nick, and myself standing before Chief Gluhern. I always found it awkward when I had to witness Gluhern actually be a chief. I much prefer being blissfully ignorant to his wisdom and continuing on as if he were a bumbling fool. No matter, I''m sure his bumbling ways would make themselves evident again soon enough. "Now, what to do about you, Nick?" Gluhern asked. "We should find a way to grant him citizenship of the village. Or whatever the equivalent of citizenship is for a village," I said, tapping my chin at the quandary. "I know he''s shown that he can be useful, but he''s not an orc. This is an orc village, not a mixed village. It''s part of our mandate. So why?" "Well, the fact that we found him in the dungeon could pose problems in the future if we don''t. Dungeons are first come first served, but not necessarily first registered first served. He''s been in the dungeon presumably since before we settled here, since none of us saw him enter," I said, placing my hand on Nick''s shoulder to keep him from trying to correct me. "If we send him on his merry way, everyone that he runs into will have questions about his origins. Some of those answers may get back to the Curaguard, and that could result in an investigation, which would result in our claim being temporarily revoked. Or even permanently revoked if it finds in favor of the human." "I see," Gluhern said, narrowing his eyes as if to try to see through my bullshit. "If he were part of the village, then our claim couldn''t be revoked. His claim on the dungeon would merge with ours." "Would that be satisfactory to you, human?" Gluhern asked. "Y-yes," Nick said as I squeezed his shoulder pointedly. "Okay. Now the problem is, how do we go about doing this? I''m certain his majesty won''t approve of us just adding him to our roster." "Adoption. High Chief Ulurmak can''t contest an adoption," Nash said. "I''m sure mom wouldn''t mind. What do you think Yulk?" I was shocked at the suggestion. It was surprising enough that Nash was suggesting that the human be our brother, but the actual cleverness behind the scheme was even more surprising. He was correct, the High Chief can''t contest an adoption. He was also correct that mother would likely go for the scheme. She had a big heart and loved non-orc company. I couldn''t help but grin at how conniving my brother was being. "I''m sure she wouldn''t mind at all. That''s a great idea, actually," I replied. "That would also settle the matter of where to keep him. We just clean out a room for him. I''ve been meaning to move my laboratory to the alchemist''s anyway." "Good, then it''s settled. We''ll talk to mom and get the human moved in," Nash replied while turning to Nick. Then he asked in a dangerous tone, "Unless the human has an objection?" "N-no, no I don''t. Thank you," Nick said. "Alright, sounds good. Nick will have to remain in the hospital until Yilda makes the adoption official, though, which means you''re still on guard duty," Gluhern said with a chuckle. "Ah, if I could have a moment, chief?" I asked. "Sure. Nick, Nash, you''re dismissed." My brother looked at me with curiosity before deciding that he''d rather not know why I wanted to spend more time with the chief. Nick and Nash turned and left, leaving Gluhern and I alone. I''d been wanting to have this conversation for quite some time, and I had been thinking about the best way to broach the subject. Gluhern opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted him. "I''d like to teach the human how to use magic." Chapter 6
Chapter 7 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: N/A Human - American "What the hell just happened?" I asked, dumbfounded. "You destroyed the stone and a good chunk of the target!" Yulk exclaimed. "Is... is that normal? Should I be able to do that?" I asked. "Among orcs? Absolutely not!" he grinned. "I''ve never seen a brand new mage destroy a stone with any kind of spell. But who''s to say what''s normal for humans?" I stared at the destruction I had caused. The severed arm of the statue lay in the stone-dust that now covered the dirt of the target pit. The sheer destructive power was staggering. Being able to destroy rocks whenever I want is cool and all, but I want to be able to go home and I don''t see how this is going to help me get there. Or maybe it''s a sign of how much magic I can use? I replayed the events in my head. I had imagined wind, and cast a spell. When I cast the spell I had unwillingly said something, and the magic had flowed through my arms in a straight line. Then the wind formed and blasted the statue into pieces. I thought I had heard someone else say something too, but maybe it was the wind? "Why was it so strong?" "Who''s to say," Yulk repeated. "I''m guessing that your magic core is a bit stronger than what''s standard in a beginner." "Stronger?" I questioned. "Why would it be stronger?" "No idea. Also... maybe stronger is the wrong word. Essentially the more you use it the more effective it gets. It doesn''t get bigger like a muscle, though. It just gets better at fitting more magic in it. It just squished it in there," Yulk explained as he moved his hands together in a squishing motion. "Anyway, you should now know the magical pathways through your arms and out your hands. Kind of feels like blood vessels with all the twists and turns, right? You have more magic pathways throughout your body, and there are certain spells that can be channeled through those pathways as well. You can also take in magic from those pathways to be able to cast spells faster." "Wait, blood vessels?" I asked, confused. "Yes," he replied hesitantly. "What''s confusing you here?" "The magic went straight from my core through my arms to my fingers," I explained. "Like it was following my bones." Silence fell and a lot of emotions played out on Yulk''s face. Confusion was first, followed by concern and then deep thought. After a few moments the grin returned and he slapped me on the back. "You just keep getting more and more interesting, little brother!" he exclaimed. "The shape of one''s channels often determines one''s initial magical efficacy, so that could explain how you were able to cast wind spear so potently. Wish I knew why they were straight though. Never heard of that before. Oh well, let''s move on. Back to the seats!" We walked back towards the bench and Yulk took a seat. I sat where I had been sitting before. The orc set his staff in his lap and cracked his knuckles and neck. Confused, I did the same thing, which made him chuckle. "As I explained before, the magical pathways in your body run both directions. Out from your core, and right back into your core. Do you still have some of your own magic in your core?" he asked. I closed my eyes and checked. The only magic that was left in my core was my own. It felt the same as earlier, as if I hadn''t used any of it at all. Should I tell him that? I already feel like a freak, but he can''t help me if he doesn''t know everything. Yulk stared at me patiently, awaiting my answer. "Yes," I answered hesitantly. "It''s like I haven''t used any at all." "Really?" he asked. "I had theorized that the reason for the potency of your wind spear was that you were using a lot of your magic, combined with the relatively short distance said magic had to travel, of course. Interesting. I wonder if it already regenerated, or there''s just a lot of it... Well, no matter. We''ll find out later. I want you to draw magic into your core using the channels that you felt when you cast wind spear. Just like with the breathing we did earlier. Oh, and don''t mix it with your own magic quite yet." "Okay," I replied, closing my eyes once again. I focused on the sensation that I felt earlier and tried to imagine the reverse of that sensation. Nothing happened, so instead I imagined that my fingers were straws and I was using them to suck in magic. Oddly enough, this worked, and I soon felt tingling in my arms and the other magic filling up my core. Yulk was right, it took almost no time at all to fill it back up. "Done," I said. "Excellent," Yulk smiled. "Now, I want you to exude that magic back into the environment around you. The easiest way to do this is by imagining that your core is a sponge full of water and you''re giving it a big squeeze. Pay attention to the pathways that the magic uses to exit your body." I nodded and got to work. The magic travelled along my arms through my fingers and along my legs through my toes. There were exit points in my fingers and toes, but also in the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet. Strange that I hadn''t noticed the exits in my palms before. Stranger still, there was another pathway to my head. It began on the left side of my core and travelled behind my left eye, then curved back down behind my right eye and travelled back to my core. Unlike the other channels, it didn''t seem to have an exit. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "Alright, I know where my channels are now, but there''s one that loops through my skull," I told Yulk. "It doesn''t have an exit point. Is that normal?" "It''s normal to have channels that seem to be useless. What isn''t normal is to only have one, and have the rest of your channels be as straight as your skeleton," Yulk grinned. "Right," I replied. "Anyway, you can fire a spell out of any pathway that has an exit. The type of spell depends completely on what you''re able to picture in your mind''s eye. That doesn''t necessarily mean you''ll be able to do everything with magic, though. There has to be an actual spell for whatever magic you''re trying to cast. Otherwise nothing will happen. Also, the amount of magic in your core will eventually run dry, and you won''t be able to do any more spells until it regenerates." "How does it regenerate?" I asked. "Time. Sleeping will help it regenerate faster. So will a full stomach. Finally, there are three things that determine how much magic a spell will need. The first is your visualization. If you are having a difficult time visualizing the spell, it will cost more magic to cast. The second is complexity. The more moving parts to a spell, the more magic it will take. The third is the power of the spell. The wind spear that I cast cost a lot less magic than the one you cast," he explained. "That makes sense," I responded. "Good. You must be mindful of your magic reserves, even though they appear to be quite large. Running out of magic in a time of crisis could be fatal. That''s how I broke my back, and I was very lucky that Nash was there." "What happened?" I asked gently. Yulk sighed and shifted in his seat, his grin fading into melancholy. He rubbed his chin for a time, and then his bright green eyes met mine. "This is not a tale I tell freely. Bad for one''s reputation, you understand. But since we are now brothers you should hear it. Perhaps the unfortunate events that led to my injury will end up doing some good as a lesson for you," he said. "This was back when I first became an adventurer. Five years ago or so. Nash had already been one for a year, and I ended up being the same level he was. Being tied with Nash when he had such a year long head-start served to boost my ego." I nodded. "I began adventuring with him. We explored the wastes, performed good deeds for other villages, and sought out challenges to test our might. I considered myself one of the strongest mages despite my level being evidence to the contrary. I believed that the reason I didn''t have a higher level was because I only knew a few spells at the time, but I could use those spells more effectively than anyone else. To be fair, this was true. Even the higher level mages couldn''t put as much intensity behind their attacks that I could. Where they could burn down a house, I could incinerate a forest." He paused, tapping his finger on his staff. "The Delver''s Dungeon changes its layout somewhat frequently, spawning new monsters and treasures that support the village''s economy. However, sometimes it doesn''t change for a long time. This is problematic because the deeper you go into the dungeon, the stronger the monsters become. You end up getting less return for your effort." "Right," I said. "It was during one of these stagnant periods that Nash and I joined a party that was attempting to open a deeper area of the dungeon by defeating a boss. I was warned that this boss was difficult and resistant to magic. They wanted me to perform healing as necessary, but there was another healer in the party so I got it in my head that I would go on the offensive. You see, the other healer was Rira, a girl I quite liked. I wanted to impress her," Yulk said with a sigh. "I was foolish. The boss attacked Rira at the start of the fight and I got angry. Instead of healing her, I launched a very powerful wind spear right into its eye..." After another pause I asked, "What happened?" "It blinked. That was it. I had burned through all my magic, and it had resulted in a blink. The monster launched me across the dungeon into a wall, snapping my spine in several places. Our party took three other casualties before we retreated. Nash carried me out of the dungeon, and of the casualties I was the only survivor." We sat in silence as I digested this information. Of the casualties... Rira got attacked at the start of the fight. Oh no. Yulk''s expression had changed to one of deep shame. After a few moments, he stood up and walked over to the targets. I followed him. "I am much stronger now than I was then. Magically speaking, of course," he said with a chuckle. "But magical resistance is the bane of a mage. Let me give you some context." "Context?" I asked. Yulk raised his left hand toward one of the statues and said, "Raeps Dniw Tsac!" The wind that blasted from his hand was much more powerful than what had come from my attempt. The statue was immediately obscured by a cloud of dust, and when the dust settled the only part left was the legs. The brick wall had a very clear hole and the grass behind it had disappeared, leaving a trail of dirt that stretched for a few feet. I looked at the orc in shock. "That was the level of spell I hit the boss with. Now I can launch these all day, and I can use Wind Spear at a much higher level as well. But I know that it wouldn''t be enough against the monster that killed Rira and did this to me," he said. "Oh... fuck," I managed to mutter. "YULK! DID YOU JUST BREAK THE FUCKING RANGE AGAIN!?" came a shout behind us. We turned to see Nash jogging up to us, looking angrier than usual. Yulk greeted him with a smile and a shrug, and I shook the shocked expression off of my face. "Naomi will fix it," Yulk said. "She shouldn''t fucking have to!" Nash replied. "What''s the point of a range if you have to hold back?" Yulk asked. "All sorts of things! Practicing new spells, practicing spell repetitions, there''s literally tons of things you can do without breaking the damned thing!" "Honestly, Nash. It''s not like Naomi has anything better to do. Her entire job is to repair the range!" "You should be more courteous! Her job being very specific doesn''t give you the right to make it harder!" "Umm..." I interjected. Both orcs looked at me, shocked by the interruption. Their shocked faces gave me the courage to continue. "Yulk was demonstrating the importance of keeping one''s ego in check. The destruction was necessary to show me the level of power he had compared to my own, and he did hold back quite a bit I think." Nash''s shock turned into a glare. I maintained a straight face, not backing down but also not escalating. We remained like this for what seemed like forever, but Nash finally blinked first. "Fine. But you''re apologizing to Naomi," Nash finally said, turning back to Yulk. "Deal. I''ll buy her dinner," Yulk said with a grin. "So. Difference in power, huh? Does that mean you''re a mage, Nick?" Nash asked. "Yeah. I''ve figured out how to use Wind Spear and where my magic pathways are," I said with a bit of excitement. The excitement was due to my accomplishment and the fact that being a mage meant I wouldn''t have to spar with Nash. I had been dreading the thought of fighting the giant orc, even if it wasn''t a serious fight. One slap from him would probably end me. "How about we check to see your martial prowess?" Nash asked. "What?" I asked. "Yulk said that you might be able to do both." "Indeed," Yulk replied. "Your build suggests a certain level of physical combat ability. Only one way to find out!" I felt the blood drain from my face as my orc brothers both began to grin at me. Chapter 8 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: N/A Human - American "This is the arena," Nash said, gesturing around him. When Nash had mentioned where we were going I had expected something shaped like the Colosseum. Instead, it was a dirt patch encircled within a wooden fence. Leaning on the fence were a few orcs who were interested in what we were doing. Great, now I''m going to get my ass kicked in front of an audience. "I think we should begin unarmed, just in case," Yulk said with his trademark grin. "If he does well, we can move on to practice weapons." "I agree. Alright, Nick, take a stance. I''m going to try to hit you. You can either dodge or counter-attack," Nash said, widening his stance. "Ready?" "No," I stated flatly. "Too bad. BEGIN!" I dropped into the karate stance I was familiar with and Nash rushed forward. He threw a punch, but as he began to move his fist to my face it slowed down. Even so, I barely managed to move out of the way. The wind from his punch made me blink. "Good -Time Dilation unlocked- job. You managed to dodge. That''s promising," Nash said. "What did you say?" I asked, rubbing my ears. "What, have you gone deaf? I didn''t even hit you," he replied. "No, no I... I don''t know. I thought I heard something." "Doesn''t matter, let''s go again. Try to counterattack this time. Don''t hold back, it''s not like you can hurt me," he said with a laugh. "Famous last words," Yulk muttered with a smirk. Nash glared at Yulk for a moment and then turned back to me. He dropped into his stance, and the moment I did the same he rushed forward. As he threw his punch, time slowed down again. I fought my urge jump out of the way and instead moved my head to the side to avoid the blow. Then I threw a punch of my own. I meant to hit him in his solar plexus, but my fist went slightly lower. It was as if it were moving by itself. I connected and felt his body tense up as if I had struck his diaphragm, but he rushed past me instead of doubling over. -Breathtaker Strike unlocked- What the fuck was that? A voice? No. More like... static in headphones when you have them too loud. Just behind the music. I should ask Nash about it. I turned to him and paused. He was standing up, but rigid and unmoving. "Nash? You okay?" Yulk asked with a shit-eating grin. "Nick didn''t hurt you, right? Cuz you''re too big and strong, right?" Nash glared daggers at Yulk and opened his mouth to retort, but the only sound that escaped was a groan. He snapped his mouth shut and doubled over, placing his hands on his knees to steady himself. Then he began gasping for air. Yulk and the onlookers began laughing uncontrollably. After a few moments, Nash sat down and looked at me with a mixture of anger and confusion. "What in the HELL was that?" he asked. "I... I don''t know. I think it was called a breathtaker strike," I answered, remember what the distorted voice thingy had said. "Well, it definitely did that," Nash said as he stood back up. "Okay, I''ll admit, you''re not bad with hand to hand. When did you learn how to do that?" "I took karate. I used it more for working out than actual fighting, though." "Kuh ra teh? You ever heard of that skill, Yulk?" Nash asked, glaring at the still laughing sorcerer. "No," Yulk said between laughs. "I haven''t. Probably something from his world, but maybe an unarmed specialist would know more." "It''s not a skill. Well, not what you mean by skill," I interrupted. "With karate, there''s a chance to do it wrong. But when I went to hit you, I thought your solar plexus was higher up but my hand... moved on its own to where it actually is." "Yeah, that''s how skills work. The skill will only activate when the circumstances are right for it to be able to do its thing," Nash explained. "So the name of that skill is karate, huh?" "No, the skill''s called breathtaker strike. Karate is a form of martial art. Like, a style of fighting," I explained to their blank faces. "Right. Well, nevermind the jargon, you''ve got both magical and martial prowess," Yulk said with what was quickly becoming a trademark grin. "I dunno, magicians also have some hand-to-hand combat skills," Nash tapped his chin. "Let''s try you out with a sword." "A sword? Surely a spear would be better?" Yulk asked. "A spear is too easy to learn. If we really want to know what he can do, we should see if he is able to unlock any sword skills," Nash explained as he grabbed two wooden swords and tossed one to me. "I''m fine with that," I said as I caught the practice sword. "You really shouldn''t be," Yulk warned. "I fear that Nash is trying to get back at you for embarrassing him." This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Nash grinned widely at me as I took my stance and immediately disappeared from view, leaving only a small cloud of dust in his wake. I panicked and rolled forward, barely managing to avoid the blow that would have... hit me directly on the ass. I glared at Nash as I regained my stance. I swung wildly at him, but he deflected my blow with ease and danced back with a laugh. I tried to remember something that could help me land a blow, but nothing came to mind. I''d seen plenty of movies with sword fights, but I knew better than to think that those were accurate portrayals. Nash charged at me and swung hard, but I managed to block it and lock blades with him. His smile widened as he grabbed the end of his blade and used the additional leverage to shove me back several feet. "Hey! That''s cheating! You can''t grab the blade," I shouted. "Why not?" He asked, confused. "Because if it were a real sword, you''d cut yourself!" I had said it loud enough that every orc watching had heard me. After a second of stunned silence, they all began to laugh at me. I looked at Yulk, Nash, and the onlookers trying to figure out why they were laughing so hard. Nash was laughing so hard that he was doubled over, and I briefly considered smacking him upside the head. "This is your first time fighting with a sword, isn''t it?" Nash finally settled down enough to ask. "Yeah..." "Well, you can grab a blade without cutting yourself. The trick is to make sure you don''t drag your hand along the sharp bit. How else are you to use the pommel?" He asked with a chuckle. I looked at the hilt of my sword and saw that it did indeed have a round bulb at the bottom. "I... I thought this bit was to make sure your hand doesn''t slip," I said. "No, it''s to bash armor. Like a mace," Nash explained, demonstrating a swing while holding the blade. "The secret to sword fighting is knowing how you CAN hold your weapon, not how you SHOULD hold it. Whatever grip works is the one you should use in any given situation." "I see." "Let''s go again!" he shouted as he charged me. I managed to duck his swing and went for a stab to his midriff. He spun to avoid the stab and GRABBED MY GODDAMNED BLADE! "OH COME THE FUCK ON!" I shouted. He grinned as he pointed the tip of his sword at my face. I pulled hard on my sword but it didn''t budge, and then I felt the tip of his sword poke me in the forehead. I sighed as the orcs once again laughed at my efforts. I began to get frustrated as Nash pushed me back and gestured for me to try again. Again and again he outwitted and outmaneuvered me, but I was learning. The tricks he was using weren''t going to work twice. Then I felt... something. Is this what they call an opening? I knew what to do, how to hold my sword, where to put my feet, and how fast to move. I pushed myself as fast as I could, and I was finally able to put the tip of my sword on his chest. -Dash Unlocked- "Well would you look at that," Nash said with a look of shock. "Was that the Dash skill?" Yulk asked. "I think so," I answered. "Ha! He DOES have martial and magic prowess after all!" Yulk said excitedly. "That''s really rare, you know." "It sure is," Nash added. "Well, for us, anyway. For all we know all ''humans'' are able to use both magic and martial skills. Although, the only way to find out for sure is to find more humans and ask them." "Speaking of which, are we able to go into the dungeon?" I asked. "No," both orcs replied in unison. I was stunned by the rapid and uniform response for a moment. The brothers looked at each other and then back to me. Nash squatted down to my height to make eye contact. I suppose he was trying to relate, but it felt infantilizing. "There are a lot of things we need to do before you''re able to go into the dungeon, Nick. First we need to register you with the adventurer''s guild to see what level you are. Then we''d need to train you up a bit more. Getting a sucker punch in on me is impressive in a way, but there''s many things in the dungeon that your... breathtaker strike won''t work on." "Indeed. It would be better to start you off with the wastes. The monsters there can be tough at times, but it''s much easier to get away from them than it is to escape the ones in the dungeon," Yulk explained. I opened my mouth to protest before I realized that I was about to act like the young punks in movies that cause trouble for everyone by not realizing their very obvious limitations. I closed my mouth and nodded sullenly instead. I don''t know how time passes in this world in relation to mine, but if I rush things and end up dying then I won''t get to see Cass again. Even if I were to reincarnate again, what would be the odds of ending up back on my world in my body? "That being said, you''ve met the chief and been adopted into Clan Alta. There really isn''t anything stopping us from registering you as an adventurer right now," Yulk said while tapping his chin. "Yeah, chief probably can''t get mad at us for getting our brother registered, right?" Nash asked. "True. I don''t recall anyone having to get permission from the chief before," Yulk grinned as he stood. "Let''s go." "Are y''all talkin'' about registering that thing with the guild?" One of orcs shouted. "What about it?" Nash replied. "The guild rep''s out right now. Family trouble. She''ll be back in a week or two. It''ll have to either wait or register as freelance." Both Yulk and Nash winced at this. It seems that the thought of registering as a freelancer didn''t sit well with them. They mumbled to each other for a bit and then turned to look at me with grim faces. "We''re gonna have to wait," Nash stated. "What? Why? What''s so bad about being a freelancer?" I demanded. "Being a freelancer isn''t bad," Yulk said as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "It''s terrible. The various organizations that allow registration as an adventurer all have one thing in common. They''re employee operated. When you join a guild, union, militia, or whatever other name the organization goes by you are working for and with your fellow adventurers. When you register as a freelancer, you are working directly for your customers." "That''s how it is back home," I explained. "That''s not so bad, you know." "No, you don''t understand," Nash said, crossing his arms. "When you''re with an org you get access to benefits like healers, days off, mental health checks, specialized equipment for jobs, and all sorts of things that make adventuring bearable. Even if you''re a member of a nation''s military you''re taken care of to some extent. But when you''re a freelancer, you have to pay for those benefits on an individual basis. You have to buy your own gear and pay for its maintenance. You can only take days off if you''ve worked long enough to be able to eat the next few days. To top it off you only make about half what other adventurers make, if you can even find work at all." "He''s right, Nick. Usually, if someone goes freelance it''s because they''ve committed a crime that has resulted in being barred from org membership," Yulk squeezed my shoulder a little. "On top of that, the most frequent customers of freelancers are those whose jobs have been rejected by orgs. Usually because the customer can''t pay a fair price for the work, or the work is illegal. You want to go into the dungeon, right?" "Yes, as soon as possible," I answered. "Well there you have it. Entering the dungeon simply won''t be possible as a freelancer. Guilds don''t work with freelancers as a rule, and even the chief would be hard-pressed to convince them to allow you to tag along. If Nash and I were able to get permission to enter, we wouldn''t be able to bring you along without getting censured." "And getting censured sucks," Nash added. "Very bad for your career." I sighed at the prospect of waiting two weeks before being able to register as an adventurer. I had hoped that I could register as a freelancer and then join a guild, but not only does that sound impossible, it sounds like it wouldn''t speed things up at all. "So what do I do?" I raised my hands in a shrug. "You train," Nash said. "Magic and martial in equal portions. We''ll work on figuring out which weapons you''ll be best at, and unlocking new spells for you to cast." Great, more training with Nash. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 High Chief Ulurmak Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Kirkenian I gazed longingly out of my window at the mountains in the distance, a wall of gigantic snow-capped teeth separating the orcish high-chiefdom of Kirkena from the elven kingdom of Bolisir. As a youth I would trek those very mountains, hunting dangerous game and living in the rough. It was the best childhood the son of a High Chief could ask for, and my father had given it to me gladly. Mostly because he couldn''t stand children, but also because he wanted me to be strong enough to take his place. My gaze returned to the mountain of paperwork upon my desk. A much more difficult climb, with higher stakes as well. Paperwork is boring, but if it''s done wrong or delayed many can suffer. I envy the chiefs of small villages, who rarely have to do any paperwork at all. Although they have to listen to complaints in person rather than reading a strongly worded letter, so we''ll call it a draw. A knock on my door alerted me to Rayzun''s presence. One of many aids that help me keep things running. I glanced at him and he said, "Sir, you''ve received a missive from Emperor Jak, Slayer of Demons, Savior of Dwarves, Destroyer of..." "Yes, yes. Jak has many impressive and lengthy titles. A missive, eh? He finally figured out that I can read, then?" I asked with a chuckle. "Looks that way, High Chief." Rayzun gave me the envelope containing the missive, and I felt a tinge of dread as I noted its thickness. I broke the wax seal with a claw and pulled the contents out into the light. Twenty pages. "Gods damn it, this had better not be about that damned mine or I''m gonna declare war, I swear!" I roared. "Sir, it''s almost definitely about the mine. You''ve been ignoring his requests regarding it for years," Rayzun said calmingly. I turned to glare at him, "That''s because he wants us to let his people mine the metal while giving us a percentage of the metal as a ''tax''. Considering that it is our mine and we know HOW to mine, I see no reason to pay him any heed!" "C''mon sir, you know his people can mine better than we can. Most of our miners think that the dwarves will be able to pull more metal out than we can, too. Might end up with more as tax than we would doin'' it ourselves." "Is that right?" I said sarcastically. "And we might as well let the damned elves construct our buildings and the fucking gnomes run our economy, right? And what''s left for us, eh? Dungeon running? Scavenging the wastes? And what do we do if the drow decide that they need to lengthen their border? Hmm? Will we be able to rely on the dwarves, elves, or gnomes to come to our aid?" "No, sir," Rayzun stated with the attitude of someone dealing with a toddler. "Exactly. If he wants to be involved in the mine he can teach our miners how to do it," I grumbled as an idea popped into my head. "Wait, that''s not a bad idea. We can offer to hire his dwarves as supervisors and trainers, and give them a much smaller percentage... Have Palo meet with the miner''s guild and come up with some numbers. Then have a missive drawn up in reply to whatever this garbage says." "Yes, High Chief," Rayzun nodded as he left. I nearly threw the missive across the room, but decided that I had better check it first. It was too polite to have been written by Jak, like most dwarves he can''t help but curse constantly. I chuckled at all the titles they had for me, it felt good to be recognized even if it was just for flattery. The actual content of the missive was indeed about the mines, but it also contained a warning regarding the drow. They were performing military maneuvers again. I''d have to increase our presence on that border. I made a note to include a gratuity to Jak for the information. Despite how annoyed we are at each other, our people are friends and what impacts us impacts them. The drow taking a bite out of us means less trade for them, and a higher risk of the drow taking a bite out of them as well. Unfortunately, that doesn''t mean they''ll fight them with us. The dwarven empire of Calkuti was more into manufacturing than they were into warfare. There were other dwarven kingdoms that were more focused on warfare, but THOSE kingdoms didn''t have an orcish high-chiefdom as their neighbor. If they did, their tune would likely change pretty quickly. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Well, so long as those orcs were fight-focused. There''s plenty who aren''t. My grandfather is considered one of the most peaceful mer to have ever lived. Actually, come to think of it, he might have been able to convince those kings to become peaceful just by his example alone. I chuckled at the thought, and another knock shook my door. "What is it?" I demanded. "High Chief, there''s a messenger from Nuleva," Rayzun said breathlessly, as if he''d ran back here. "You''re going to want to hear this in person." Nuleva? The name was familiar, but from where? One of mine? Would have to be a small settlement then... Oh, don''t tell me that one of the chiefs was dumb enough to make a village on the drow border! Rayzun noticed my confusion and explained, "Nuleva is the village we installed at the entrance to the Delver''s Dungeon." "Oh? What do they want?" I asked. My question was met with a look of exasperation. I returned the look with a glare, but Rayzun is as stubborn as a pregnant fat-horns. It occurred to me that we were both somewhat in the wrong. "Fine, fair enough. Bring them in," I relented. Rayzun turned to the outside of the door and gestured to someone out of view, then fully entered the room. A minute later a monstrous orc in darkened full-plate entered and kneeled. It took me a second to recognize him. Alurn, son of Agurno. My nephew! Alurn took a moment before finally saying, "Greetings High Chief Ulurmak, son of Grashgnaw the Giant, savior of..." "That''s enough of that Alurn," I interrupted. "My own kin shouldn''t have to prostrate themselves before me. As I understand it, you have a message for me?" "Yes, sir," Alurn said and looked up at me. "We''ve encountered some oddities in the Delver''s Dungeon and Chief Gluhern sent me to apprise you." I''d forgotten that Gluhern took over for his brother on the Delver Project. The thought of that hot head being a chief was enough to amuse even the most stoic orc. Unfortunately, my amusement was dashed by the stench of grief coming from Alurn. The boy who was normally cheerful and gentle was now robotic and stiff, his smile replaced by a grim expression that spoke of loss. I nodded to Rayzun, who grabbed a cushion and set it next to the boy. "Sit and explain, Alurn. What happened?" I said gently. "Yes sir," he replied as he sat cross-legged on the cushion. "A while ago a wall collapsed in the dungeon, revealing a previously hidden passage..." He explained at length about what had happened, and with every sentence my concern grew. A sentient thing called a human had been found and removed from the dungeon, and a boss that killed two over-tens had been encountered. Gluhern''s plan to seal the passage to the boss was a sound one, but it might be a stop-gap. Especially since it sounded like the dungeon had already shifted twice, and the hidden portion didn''t change. "Does Nuleva have any over-twenties?" I asked once he finished. "No, sir. Delver''s was labelled an entry-level dungeon. The only reason that Gluhern had over-tens at his disposal was because we... we became adventurers there," Alurn said, gritting his teeth to stifle a sob. "I''m sorry about your comrade, dear nephew. He will be avenged. If you''d like to be on the team I send, I can convince the adventurers to allow it." "No, sir. I would only be a hindrance. That beast is my exact counter. Just like Kirisaka was." A fool would think this to be cowardice, but I saw it for what it was. A warrior who knew he was outmatched and responsible enough not to weigh down those who would be fighting. Little Alurn had grown into a very good orc indeed. "Rayzun, have Elizat gather a group of over-twenties who are a good match for this thing and prepare to send them to Nuleva. Alurn, you''ll rest here and travel back with the group we send. Let Gluhern know that they answer directly to me, and he is to provide them with food, water, and shelter. I''ll handle their pay. Understood?" "Yes, High Chief," Alurn and Rayzun said simultaneously. Rayzun immediately set about his new task, and Alurn rose from the cushion. He picked it up and put it back, like the responsible mer I know him to be. He then turned back to me, waiting to be dismissed. "How''s your father, boy?" I asked. "I wouldn''t know, sir. Haven''t heard from him in two years," He said, finally smiling. I grinned back. Agurno, my little brother, was legendarily aloof. He cared but didn''t know how to show it, and simply decided it would be best if he didn''t. Alurn''s not his only child, but since his mother has been patient enough to handle the long disappearances he''s the one who''s seen the most of his father''s love. Which is probably why the boy couldn''t resist chuckling at his father''s foibles. "Well, that''s good news then. If something had happened, it would have been heard across the entire continent!" We both laughed at the truth of that statement. Agurno had become an adventurer instead of a chief, and quickly showed onlookers why it isn''t fair for someone of my bloodline to become one. His last big fight had been against a corrupted high dragon, and it had left scars in the landscape that still haven''t healed. Even his son was a powerhouse, and was one of the youngest over-tens in history. If Alurn had turned out to be a bit faster, that monster in Delver''s wouldn''t have stood a chance. We discussed the rest of Alurn''s family, and how his career had been going. He recounted tales of fights in the wastes against gigantic beasts, and funny stories involving his comrades. Then we discussed how the nation was faring, and I was careful not to go into too much detail regarding the troubles with the drow. Finally, our conversation came to a close. "I think I''ll head to the chow hall. I''ve missed the fat-horn steak you have here," Alurn said with a chuckle. "Right," I replied with a chuckle. "Oh, and Alurn, I understand that the human has been adopted into the Alta family, but I''d still like to know more about it. I don''t mind how this happens, whether it be an informal interrogation or if we arrange a meeting. But I don''t like mysteries." "Yes, High Chief. I''ll do what I can," Alurn nodded and left. I rested my chin on my hand as I thought about the future of our nation. Was this human a good omen or a bad one? The latter seemed somewhat likely, considering what else had been found in that secret passage. I was distracted by this line of thought until my eyes once again rested on the mountain of paperwork on my desk. Damn. Well, back to work. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: N/A Human - American I gazed up at the lovely afternoon sky and sighed. The sun, which was shining brightly as if it were content with its existence, was floating in a sea of light blue. Puffy little clouds slowly floated by without a single care in the world. I, on the other hand, was looking up at the sky because Nash had once again planted me firmly upon my back. I heard him jump and quickly rolled. His axe buried itself into the ground where I had just been. Wooden or not, that would have hurt. I got back to my feet and time slowed down once again. He''s open, and I''m mad. I activated slide slash and raked my sword directly across his exposed midriff, just under his belly button. I felt elation at my victory, and then a fist slamming into my forehead. Darkness clouded my vision and I blinked a few times to clear it. Once again, I found myself involuntarily cloud-watching. It occurred to me that this was becoming a very familiar sight. I sighed as I got back onto my feet. "I think that''ll about do it," Nash said, holding his stomach. "You''re getting better. Slowly but surely." "It''s going pretty quick to me!" Yulk shouted from the edge of the arena. "It''s only been a couple weeks and he''s already able to land a killing blow on you!" "True, but that''s due to his skills rather than his skill," Nash nodded sagely. Once he saw our dumbfounded expressions he clarified, "I mean that his knowledge of fighting is low, but his skills themselves are decent. Especially that Time Diminution skill." "Time Dilation," I corrected. "But you''re right, I need more practice." We had spent the last two weeks trying to unlock more skills, and so far we''d been able to get three. Dash, Power Slash, and Slide Slash. Yulk and I had also been working on magic, which had led to me getting better at hearing that strange muffled voice as well. It announced whenever a skill had been unlocked, and my brothers had no idea what it could be. Neither of them had ever heard anything like it. They''d both been somewhat concerned when I brought it up, but they seemed to get over that concern when I revealed the latest development. Whenever I thought hard about which skills I had, a list of them would appear in a semi-transparent rectangular box. When I thought about a specific skill it would open another box with a brief explanation of the skill. I thought of the Time Dilation skill and the explanation popped up almost immediately. -- Time Dilation I Increases the user''s speed to 150% for a very limited time. Cooldown: 5 minutes -- "Hey, Nash, do skills level up?" I asked. "Level up? Not that I know of. You get better at using them the more you use them, though. Like your muscles or your brain," he answered, pointing at his head. "It''s just... when I check the status of my skills some of them have a number one at the end of them," I said as Yulk walked up to us. "Which implies that the number might get larger if the right circumstances are met," Yulk interjected. "Very interesting. Which skills are you speaking of?" I pulled up my list of skills and listed off the ones with a number, "Time Dilation, Fireball, Dash, Earthen Dagger, Wind Spear, and Heal." "Interesting," Yulk said. "Well with Dash, the more you use it the farther and faster you can go," Nash pointed out. "Maybe it''s tracking your progress or something." "Yes, I think that''s it," Yulk agreed. "Fireball, Earthen Dagger, and Heal are similar. The more you heal people the better you get at it, the more you use fireball the bigger and hotter it can get, and the more you use earthen dagger the deadlier the blade that forms." "Well I''m still worried that nobody else seems to have anything like this," I said. My brothers looked at each other and back to me as if they didn''t hear me properly. Then they started laughing uproariously. I waited for them to stop, but they kept going until tears came out of their eyes. Nash fell to the floor and started rolling. Yulk fell to his knees. After a few more moments I lost my temper. "WHAT THE HELL IS SO FUNNY?" I demanded. "Oh, oh no, I''m gonna die," Yulk said between laughs. "He says he''s WORRIED!" Nash shouted before falling into another laughing fit. "IT''S A VALID CONCERN!" I shouted, making them laugh even harder. I crossed my arms and waited for them to finally collect themselves. Once they were done laughing and had got back up off the ground, I glared at them. They wiped their tears and patted the dirt off of themselves and turned back to me. "When you first mentioned the voice talkin'' to you I thought you might be crazy," Nash said. "Same, actually. Hearing non-existent voices is a sure sign of madness. But then you mentioned seeing the box thingies and I knew it had to be something else. Madness takes advantage of what you know, it can''t show you things that you don''t know," Yulk explained. "Yeah but what if it''s..." "What if it''s what? A trap? What the hell is there to worry about," Nash laughed again. "If it''s a trap you''re boned, boy. It''s already taken hold, so the only thing to do is lean into it and hope for the best." "He''s right. It''s a useful tool. Worrying about it is like worrying about having a whittling blade," Yulk chuckled. "Oh no, what if I cut my finger?!" "Well what if someone else finds out and tries to take it or something?" I asked. "Then we kill them," Nash said flatly. "Or they kill us. No different than any other situation, really." "Indeed. There''s always someone willing to take something you own. To worry about owning it would result in owning nothing," Yulk nodded. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Well what if they kill you two and capture me to use as a lab rat?" "Easier said than done, but in that case just make yourself uncapturable," Nash sneered. "How?" I pleaded. "Fight them with every breath and don''t pull your punches. Make it clear that either they kill you or you kill them," he explained. "And even if they do manage to capture you through some sort of trickery, attack them every chance you get. Make certain that they have to constantly be on their toes. It''ll exhaust them eventually. Then you avenge us or join us," Yulk grinned. Before I could continue arguing I noticed one of the orc bystanders waving to get our attention. The size of our audience had grown a lot in the last two weeks, and Nash had even received requests to host our training sessions at certain times of the day. Of course, he ignored these requests and simply said that training happens when it happens. I pointed out the bystander to my brothers, and they started waving us over. Wanting a break from training with Nash, I started walking over immediately. As I got closer I noticed that the waving orc was actually Irana, the local blacksmith. Unlike most of the orc women, Irana was always fully clothed. Probably due to her profession, but it''s an awkward thing to ask so I don''t know for sure. She gave me a wide grin as I approached. "Hey Nick! I''ve got you a present!" she exclaimed. She held out an object wrapped up in brown cloth. There was quiet metallic clank as I took the gift. It was about the length of my arm. Just looking at it I thought it must be a mace, but then I noticed a small curve on one end. Excited, I unwrapped the gift and grinned when I held up the sword. It was a cutlass, like the kind that pirates use in the movies. The scabbard was made of blackened leather with brass fittings on both ends. The brass on the entrance to the scabbard had a skull and intersecting sabers, and on the other end it had crossed daggers. The hand guard and hilt were also made of brass, and the hand guard featured a nude woman blowing clouds from her mouth and a ship''s rigging behind her. The spaces between rope and cloud were actually carved through, and the edges of these holes were sharpened. "Thank you! This is amazing. What''s the occasion?" I asked, awestruck. "It''s a thank you for the entertainment that you''ve given us for the last couple of weeks. Watching you fight Nash and sling spells on my breaks has been great," she explained, with a murmur of agreement coming from the crowd. "Well that''s out of character for you," Nash grumbled. "What happened to the miserly Irana we all know?" "Oh, I''m still miserly," she grinned. "This cutlass was commissioned by an elf but he failed to pay in full. There''s not a lot of call for cutlasses with half-basket guards around these parts. I''d have to travel to a coastal city to be able to sell it, but it''s not worth it to travel that far to sell one blade. So I figured I''d free up the inventory space, show my gratitude, and give Nick one hell of a starting weapon. Win-win-win." "Yeah, and I''m sure it has nothing to do with currying favor with a new adventurer so that he prefers your shop over the much more reasonably priced shops in the village," Nash said. "You''re confusing reasonably priced with cheap. The other shops get their blades from random places and people, I make my own and they''re much better than anything you''ll find at those shops," she shot back. "But I can''t expect someone whose intellect is rivalled by rocks to understand something like..." As they argued, I unsheathed the blade to have a look at it. The steel gleamed in the sunlight, and even with my uneducated eyes I could tell it was well made. I turned around and gave it a few practice swings, grinning like an idiot at the swooshing sound it produced. It made me feel ready to take on anything. "Well?" Yulk asked over the sounds of Nash and Irana arguing. "I like it," I replied, practicing a punch with the hand guard. "It''s a really good sword." "Good to hear," Yulk grinned. "I heard that the guild lady''s back. You want to go get registered?" "Yes," I said, sheathing my sword. "Well, let''s go," Yulk said in a whisper. "If we hurry, Nash won''t even notice we''re gone." "Yes I fucking will," Nash growled. "Where are we going?" "To the adventurer''s guild to get me registered," I answered. "Fine," Nash said, with Irana giving him a smug look. "Oh, wait, hold on. You''ll be wanting to see the chief before you get registered," Irana interrupted. "We don''t require his permission to get Nick registered. He''s officially part of the Alta clan now," Nash argued. "You thick fuck, just because you don''t have to doesn''t mean you don''t have to. Or would you rather Nick have difficulty finding a first job because Gluhern''s pissed at you?" she crossed her arms. "Or maybe you''d rather that first job be hunting giant rats?" "Oh no," I whispered. "Why''s it always rats?" "Huh?" Nash asked with a degree of hostility in his voice. "Nothing," I quickly replied, knowing he wouldn''t get the joke. "Let''s go see the chief. There''s no harm in it, right?" Nash actually growled and turned away from the conversation. Losing two arguments in a row against Irana had to be bad for his ego. It was certainly bad for his mood. We all quietly decided to give him a few moments to calm down. "FINE," he finally shouted. "Fuck it, let''s go see the chief." And so we did. We still got stares along the way, but some of those stares were followed by a wave. I hadn''t exactly been a social butterfly, but getting dragged around by Nash and Yulk had resulted in making a few new friends. Like Irana the blacksmith, Korno the chef, and Multova the merchant. When we finally got to the chief''s chambers we were told we couldn''t go in immediately. Yulk and Nash shared a look of concern with each other. After ten minutes or so an orc rushed out without even looking at us. He was wearing a bright green bandanna around his neck with two horses rearing away from each other on the back. He was followed by Alurn, who gave us a nod as he passed. We were then ushered in to see the chief. "Ah, the diabolical duo seems to have transformed into the troublesome trio. Very good timing as well, but we''ll get to that. What brings you here?" Chief Gluhern asked. "We wanna register Nick with the adventurer''s guild," Nash answered. "Irana told us to see you first." Gluhern chuckled, "Well, well, well. Isn''t this a remarkable coincidence? I was right about to send for you regarding this very issue." "You want Nick to register as an adventurer because High Chief wants you to arrange a meeting between himself and Nick?" Yulk asked, ducking a thrown goblet. "DON''T SPOIL MY REVEALS, SORCERER!" Gluhern shouted. "Why would I have to register as an adventurer to see the High Chief?" I hesitantly asked. "A bunch of reasons," Nash explained. "There are routes which shave weeks off of your travel time that civilians aren''t allowed to use because they''re dangerous. Most of the adventuring organizations can grant permits to travel these roads thanks to negotiations between them and the various governments." "That''s the main reason, but there''s also a political aspect. Ulurmak is curious about you and wants to meet you. But that''s not something that a High Chief does," Gluhern added. "It could be seen as an indulgence. Most of the Great Chiefs wouldn''t care, but there are those who would use it to frame High Chief Ulurmak as a lay-about." "Ah, that''s true too," Yulk nodded. "Though it would be unlikely to result in rebellion. It would be more likely that Ulurmak would have to grant concessions." "Okay, I understand," I said. "But can I check out the dungeon before seeing the High Chief?" Nash and Yulk turned to give me a look. The kind of look one gives a child who is trying to run before they can crawl. "Actually, that was the plan," Gluhern said. My brother''s heads snapped around to look at the chief in shock. Nash started to object but Gluhern held up a hand to stop him. "Things are getting weird with the new dungeon area. The dungeon has shifted a total of three times since the boss has been encountered, but the hidden area and its entrance remain unchanged. We were hoping that the barrier would be able to contain the threat until the dungeon gets rid of it naturally, but that doesn''t seem to be happening," Gluhern sighed. "High Chief Ulurmak is sending a team of over-twenties to investigate the phenomena and destroy the boss." "Over-twenties?" Yulk whistled softly. "Yes. And it would be better if they could take Nick along when they perform their initial investigation. There might be things he can shed light on. I''d rather he not take part in the fight, though," Gluhern said. "This isn''t a time-sensitive mission, so it should be fine if you accompany them. Actually, Nash, you definitely should. You''d be able to help guide them to where you found Nick, right?" "Yeah, probably," Nash admitted. "Good, hopefully this will shed some light on..." The orcs continued discussing the plan but I zoned out because of the blood rushing to my head. Here it was, the chance to find out more about what the hell happened to me. Even a hint might put me on the path to getting home. My mind was flooded with excitement at the possibility, and dread at the thought of finding nothing. "And I''ll grab some charcoal and paper to do rubbings just in case. When are we setting out?" Yulk asked. "One of the over-twenties has already arrived. The rest should be here within the next couple of days, so you''ll be entering the dungeon by the end of the week," Gluhern answered. "That should give you plenty of time to prepare. We''re not expecting any danger, but..." "Better safe than sorry," Nash nodded. "Understood, chief. Alright Nick, let''s go get you registered as an adventurer." Finally. Chapter 11 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 8 Orc - Nulevan The Adventurer''s Guild. It''s hosted within a very plain looking grey bricked building here in Nuleva, but I''d heard that elsewhere the buildings get very fancy. It''s said that in one of the gnomish countries their buildings are made of solid gold, but I don''t know if I believe that. What''s to stop people from shaving bits off when nobody''s looking? Although, as one of the largest multi-national organizations in the world, the Adventurer''s Guild could probably afford to replace the shaved bits of their buildings. It''s still hard to imagine that they have ultra-luxurious buildings when faced with how mundane their branch in Nuleva is, though. Things look just as plain on the inside as they do on the outside. I''d expected Nick to be underwhelmed, but his typically stoic face appeared enamored with every little detail surrounding us. The quest board, surrounded by adventurers looking for a good job to match their skills. The gathering area, where you can grab a bite to eat or a pint to drink before setting off. You normally wouldn''t eat here after a job, because there are better places to eat in the village. I personally prefer Korno''s Fried Food over what the Adventurer''s Guild has on offer. Nick seemed particularly interested in the Trader pit, where an adventuring party was selling loot they''d gotten from a dungeon dive. We''d already explained to Nick that you can buy and sell stuff at the guild when he was being fussy about turning freelancer, but seeing is believing I suppose. The pit''s where I bought my axe. "Hi there!" Nima greeted us. "How can I help you?" "Hi Nima," Yulk said. "We''d like to register Nick as an adventurer." "Oh, you''re the human, aren''t you?" she asked. Nick stammered an affirmative. Most of the people that frequent Nuleva are used to seeing Nima around, so it took me a second to realize what had the boy nervous. Then I realized that he didn''t have anything NOT to be nervous about. Nima is notable for her beauty, wears barely anything, and above all else is seven feet tall. Heh, above all else. Orc women don''t typically get as tall as our men do, but Nima is related to Alurn so I guess it makes sense. That whole family is huge. If I remember right, she''s his half-sister but they''re not close. Alurn''s dad ran off on Nima''s mom or something. Considering how similar Nima and her mom look, I can''t even begin to fathom why he would run off. "Alright, so we''ll have you fill out some forms and then we''ll get you connected to the Curaguard to determine your level. Then we''ll do your newbie brief," she explained. "O-okay," came Nick''s suave reply. I couldn''t help but grin. From Nick''s height there was no way to maintain proper eye contact and avoid staring at Nima''s head-sized breasts. Instead, he was staring firmly at the counter like a well-trained pupper trying to avoid gazing longingly at their owner''s food. Most of the other races have difficulty not staring, and I suppose humans are no different. My amusement was cut short when I realized that I might have to have an awkward conversation with the boy about orc sexual compatibility. Namely, the lack thereof. Maybe I can pawn it off on Yulk. He''s much more open about such discussions and would probably be better at it. I glanced at him, but he was studying Nick with a slightly confused look on his face. Oh, right... he''s a dunce when it comes to sexuality. Shit. "Here you go!" Nima said as she set a packet on the counter. "There are pencils at the table over there. Fill these out and bring them back, okay?" "Y-yeah. Thank you," Nick stammered. Nima and I made eye contact and she smiled knowingly. I grinned in response as we turned to head to the gathering area. She had previously made it clear that she likes me, but I wasn''t ready to commit just yet. I don''t have the finances to give her the life she deserves. Instead, we''d made a deal that when I get to level ten we''d try dating and see where things went. When you hit level ten you get access to better paying jobs and fifty percent of the retail value of the goods you sell, which would give me enough money to support mom and properly court Nima. We''d made this deal last year when I was only level six, and I''d been grinding hard ever since. "I... um..." Nick said as we got to one of the tables. "I can''t read this." "What?" I asked. "I don''t understand this writing," he clarified. "But you speak perfect Orcish, how are you unable to read it?" I demanded. "Probably the same way you can''t," Yulk said, causing me to flinch. "This is something that I''ve been thinking about, though. Why is it that you can speak Orcish, Nick?" "I''m not, I''m speaking English," Nick replied. "I thought you were speaking English. What the hell is going on?" That''s what I would like to know. English? I''d never heard of English. Must be a language from his world or whatever. But in this world, there are only eight languages. Orcish, Elvish, Daimun, Drow, Drakon, Dwarven, Gnomish, and Anyelish. They''re all similar enough that it''s easy to learn to speak and understand them. Yulk taught me how to speak them when he got back from schooling around. It was pretty fun until we got to the writing part. I can''t seem to wrap my head around letters and words, no matter what language they''re in. Don''t have that problem with math, though. Numbers are nice. "Maybe it''s a skill?" Yulk ventured. "It''s not on my skill list, though," Nick said. "Hmm," Yulk pondered for a moment. "Is your skill list ability listed on your skill list?" "No..." "Then maybe whatever is allowing you to see your skill list is also automatically translating what you hear and say." "Yeah, yeah," I interrupted impatiently. "You might be able to speak all the languages. Congrats, whatever. Problem is, you can''t read them. Have Yulk fill out the forms for you like he did for me." The two of them looked at me with blank expressions, as if they hadn''t already thought of that solution and were surprised that I was the one that came up with it. I crossed my arms and glared back at them. "What the hell are you lookin'' at? You didn''t think of that?" I demanded. "I''m supposed to be the dumb one. We''re gonna be in real trouble if it turns out that I''m the smartest of the three of us." "Fair enough," Yulk replied. "But I''ll have you know that dumb means you''re not able to talk. So just by the merit of being able to yell at us, you''re not..." "Whatever," I interrupted. "Just get the fuckin'' forms filled out." Yulk grinned at me and grabbed the forms from Nick. He began reading aloud as I sat down next to them. The questionnaire portion went by fairly easily, except for a couple of parts. We had to add our own answer to "species" and there was some confusion when it came to the "race" part. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Turns out that Nick''s world had a different definition of race than ours, so Yulk explained that your race was based off of where your parents are based. So Nick is an "American Human", his children would also be American Humans, but his grandchildren would be Nulevan Humans. Assuming he found other humans and had children, and those children stuck around Nuleva. Yulk began to explain the various reason''s why one''s race was accounted for and I zoned out. International diversity treaties and bans are boring. Instead, I thought about what life would be like with Nima. We''d date for a year or two then have a nice year-long engagement followed by a wedding, if all went well. I''ve even planned out our first date. I''ll come by with a gift, a nice sixteen inch engraved hunting knife, and take her out to dinner at Korno''s. Then we''ll swing by the training arena and watch people spar until the sun goes down, and to wrap up the date we''ll stargaze. If she still likes me afterward, then she''ll decide what we do on the next date. Once we get engaged we''ll be moving in together. I''ll probably have to knock down a wall to give us some more room in my bedroom. It''ll be a pain, but we''d also get a bigger living room out of it. Well, unless her mom makes a fuss and has me move in with them instead. I don''t think that''ll happen, though. "So if a guild can prove that they''ve hired a certain amount of Iritons, they''ll get access to governmental jobs from Irita. And even bonuses!" Yulk said. "Anyways, onto the disclosures. First is the payment system. Until you''re level 5 the guild will be taking a 20% commission on your jobs and giving you a 1% discount on guild related services. You also get 10% of retail for drops you sell to the guild." "What guild related services?" Nick asked. "Food, gear, and medical. Well, the medical that you have to pay for, at least," I replied. "What medical stuff is free?" "Anything life threatening. The stuff that isn''t considered life threatening, like rashes or cosmetic stuff, you''ve gotta pay for." "The deals get better as you level up, too," Yulk explained. "When you hit level five the commission drops down to 15% and you get a 5% discount." "And 25% of retail on your drops," I added. "At level ten it''s 10% on the commission, 10% on the discount, 50% of retail on the drops, and access to better paying jobs. Then at level 20 it gets even better. It''s 5% commission, 65% of retail, a 15% discount, and no limitations on jobs. At that point if you want a job, it''s yours." "Okay, I get it now," Nick said. "But what are these jobs? I thought you just went in the dungeon and got stuff to sell." "The jobs vary. There''s jobs for going in the dungeon to find specific drops, exterminating monsters in the wastes, escorting travelers, and other things like that," I answered. "The more intense the job''s expected to be, the higher the level restriction and pay is. It''s not a perfect system, though, so you should be careful about which jobs you accept." "Fetch quests are an under-five''s bread and butter," Yulk added. "So basically, the higher my level, the less they take from my pay and the more benefits I actually get," Nick said. "Alright." "This next part''s about the examinations," Yulk flapped a page. "You agree to a quarterly review of your level as well as magical, physical, and mental health. You also understand that if you are found to have a health issue you will be required to get treatment before you can accept further jobs. You have the right to decline treatment, and the right to have your level checked at any time." "Magical health?" Nick asked. "Yeah," I said. "Like a curse or something wrong with your core." Yulk sorted the papers in front of Nick and said, "Alright, we''re just about through them all. There''s still the stuff about the International Merchant Association, other associated guilds, and..." I stopped listening after Yulk mentioned the International Merchant Association. Woe be unto Nick if he asks a question about the IMA. Yulk will talk his weirdly round ears right off his head. Instead, I decided to check the job board. It would be a while before the over-twenties were ready to go into the dungeon, so hopefully there''d be a nice simple job to take Nick on. I looked at the board and ignored everything without artwork on it. The pictures drawn by the auto-scribe were great. Realistic and not stylized, so you know exactly what you''re lookin'' at. I grabbed a few promising ones, one about false-mint, one about a tree with some fruits on it, and one regarding giant rats. I brought the three postings up to Nima. "Hey, Nima. Yulk and Nick are still fillin'' out the paperwork so I''m checkin'' out the jobs. Could you read these to me?" I asked. She looked confused for a second before remembering my issue regarding the written word, and then she looked embarrassed for forgetting. Then there was a smidge of pity in her eyes. I don''t like being pitied, but when it''s coming from those beautiful eyes, I guess it''s alright. "Aw, sweetie," she replied. "Of course I will. This first one is a gathering mission for false-mint from the forest depths. Fifty leaves are needed." "Ah, the forest. North or south?" "It doesn''t specify. Just need fifty false-mint leaves from the forest." "Okay, we might do that one. What''s the next one about?" "Gathering yipples. They want a sack full." "Where are the yipple trees?" I scratched my neck. It had been years since I went gathering fruit. "On the edge of the forest leading into the wastes, to the south," she answered. "The south, that''s good. Might do that one too. What about the rats?" "Let''s see... there''s a pack of giant rats harassing caravans in the wastes to the south. Reports indicate there''s only about a dozen, and the poster is offering two copper per pelt delivered to the guild. It''s a level five and over job." "Well that should be fine. Yulk and I are over-fives, so we can bring Nick along as a party member, right?" I asked, leaning on the counter with my most charming smile. "Of course," she smiled back. "But you will be censured if he gets killed or crippled, though." "Fat chance of that," I replied. "Despite appearances, that little fucker can pack a wallop." "What''s this?" Nima asked, feigning shock. "The legendary Nash giving praise to someone? He must be pretty capable." "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up," I chuckled. "Don''t tell him I said that, though. He''ll go an'' get an ego." "My lips are sealed," she winked. Our eyes met and we smiled. The rest of the world faded away for a moment, before Yulk''s voice snapped me back to reality. I missed what he said, so I looked back to Nima. She looked confused as well, and I got a fuzzy feeling in my chest when I realized she missed it too. We''d been lost in each other''s eyes. "The forms," Yulk slowly stated. "They''re done. We''re ready for the examinations. What were you two up to?" "I was accepting some jobs for us to do to pass the time. We got herb and fruit gathering with some hunting in the wastes. Shouldn''t take more than a day and a half," I said quickly. "Herbs and fruit? I thought you guys only eat meat," Nick replied. "Well we fuckin'' season it, we''re not animals," I grumbled. "And anyway, these jobs weren''t posted by orcs, they were posted by traders and stuff." "Right. Well what are we hunting?" he asked. "Giant rats out in the wastes. We''re grabbing the plants on the way there." "Why''s it always fuckin'' rats?" Nick grumbled under his breath. "Hey," I countered. "This is an over-five quest. Don''t underestimate giant rats. They''re more than just a nuisance, they''ll take down prey twice your size without a sweat. The only reason you''re gonna be able to do this job is cuz Yulk and I are protecting you. Now let''s get your exams done so we can head out." "Which one would you like to start with?" Nima asked the human. "I''d like to have my level assessed, please," he replied. "Sure thing!" she said cheerily as she reached into a drawer behind her. She pulled out a contraption and a metallic guild card and set them on the counter. The contraption that the guild uses to connect someone to the Curaguard is a strange lookin'' thing. It''s a rectangular box with six stubby legs, one on each corner and two in the middle. Each leg is made of a different metal, and the box itself looks like it''s made of obsidian. She inserted the card in a slot on the part of the box facing us and pressed her fingers into some indents on her side of the box. Blue light spilled out of the top of the box and formed a square in front of us. Then green lights shot out and entered the square, creating numbers, letters, and the palm of a hand. The light took on a mirror-like quality as it hardened, still hovering a few inches above the contraption. Then she fed the forms into the back of the box. "Alright, please place your hand on the handprint until you feel a slight electric shock," Nima said. Without saying anything Nick reached out and placed his hand on the hardened light. It was a full ten seconds before Nick winced slightly and withdrew his hand. I shared a look with Yulk. This thing was usually much faster. It made some weird noises that sounded a lot like birds chirping, and then the numbers and letters changed. Yulk and Nima looked at the letters and numbers with confusion. So did Nick and I, but that''s only natural considering our inability to read the damned things. Once the two readers recovered from their confusion, their eyebrows shot up. "What is it?" I asked, growing impatient. "He''s level five," Yulk answered in a quiet voice. I looked at him intently trying to figure out if he was joking. When I turned to look at Nima, her expression told me he wasn''t. "Is... Is that rare?" Nick asked. "Yeah, yeah it is," I replied. "What''s his class?" "Unknown," Nima said. "Well that figures," I chuckled, turning to Nick. "Mine''s unknown too. Has been ever since I hit level seven. Look, don''t let your level get to your head. You''re still inexperienced, and should follow our lead during the hunt." "Yeah," he responded. "I will. On the bright side, though, the quest level isn''t a problem anymore." "Smartass," I grumbled. "Better to be a smartass than a dumbass," Yulk grinned. "Alright, let''s get the rest of the exams out of the way." "Yeah, go on. I''m gonna hang out here for a bit," I said. Nima, Yulk, and Nick went to the medical portion of the guild hall while I sat at the gathering area. I stared at the three job posters. Level five, huh? I can''t help but be a little jealous. It had taken me so long to reach that milestone. So many monsters slain, so many friends lost. All Nick needed was a little training. It might have been even more depressing if we had trained him longer. I hope he at least lives up to the level. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Imlor Tula Adventurer Level: N/A Gnome - Kirkenian Day 3 I''m still trapped in the tree. The food and water I had are gone, and these damned rats are still waiting for me to come down. They''ve been taking shifts, some sleeping during the day and the rest sleeping at night. Every now and then they try climbing up after me, but a few well-placed kicks and pokes with my dagger thwart their efforts. I am tired, thirsty, and my ass is extremely sore due to the bark of this tree. They''re still eating my pack animals, so it''s unlikely I''ll be able to outlast them. Eventually, I will fall from my perch. A miserable existence fated to meet a miserable end. Eaten by rats. If you find this, please avenge me. Make sure no-one else shares my fate. -Imlor Tula I closed the journal and put my pencil away. What an unfortunate thing to have to use a brand new journal for. I glared at the giant rats below me, and their beady red eyes glared right back. From up here they looked a normal size, but in reality they were only slightly smaller than myself. I''m tall for a gnome, 3''6" in fact, and I shudder to think what could have happened if I had been even an inch shorter. My wagon and pack animals were still in view. The rats had sprung their ambush and killed both my hnarses before they could react. They had covered themselves in sand along the trail, and either hadn''t noticed me or decided that the beasts of burden were the best targets. This and some quick thinking gave me barely enough time to scale this tree before they... I shuddered. The damage to the wagon is irreparable. Those teeth and claws had made short work of the wooden sides and cover. The wagon had cost me fifty silver, more than both the hnarses combined. The rats had broken it open like a cask, trying to get to the sweet meats within. A small shipment for a certain orc chef in Nuleva. I looked down at the five rats that were currently patrolling the base of the tree. "FUCK YOU!" I shouted to the vermin. They chittered back at me. I normally would have hired an adventurer escort, but business had taken a rotten turn as of late. My beefery had caught fire and I ended up having to pay to have it rebuilt as well as compensation for the workers who were injured. I had spent half of my remaining capital to fulfill this order. The freshly smelted metals that the Nulevan adventurer''s guild branch had ordered are fine, but I no longer have a way to transport them. I chuckled at my optimism. As if I had a need to transport them now. I am going to die. Exposure, starvation, or dehydration. It was a tossup which would claim me first. I only hoped that I wouldn''t weaken to the point of falling out of the tree before my untimely demise. Getting eaten to death promises to be a painful way to perish. I looked at the corpses of my hnarses. Hulk and Noble, they''d been with me for most of their lives. Never again would Hulk softly chomp my arm nor Noble softly blow my hair as I geared them up. They were rambunctious, like my own children. It''s going to be hard for Telena to take care of them without me. I can only hope that my life insurance will let them live comfortably. The house is paid off, and I''ve still got enough capital to feed them for the month that it''ll take before it kicks in. If another trader uses this route and finds my remains it''ll kick in even faster. Some movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. A trio of people. Two orcs and an elf, were walking the path! Rescue? Or further tragedy? I weakly stood up and started waving my arms at them. "RATS! BEWARE! GIANT RATS ON THE ROAD!" I screamed. The three stopped and looked at me. They were still too far away to make out their expressions, and I kept waving and shouting. I screamed at them to run and get help. They faced each other for a moment and then started jogging over. Adventurers? I didn''t dare to hope. Perhaps they are simply foolish vagabonds who can''t hear me properly and are about to join Hulk and Noble wherever the dead things go. My voice weakened to the point of a whisper as they drew closer and closer. I looked at the rats, and my stomach fell as they turned to greet the trio. My heart skipped a beat when a loud bang rang out. The rat I had been staring at was bisected, and wind rushed through my tree. I grabbed the trunk to keep from falling and watched two of the trio pull weapons from under their capes. An axe and a sword. I almost jumped for joy! I am rescued! Of the two melee fighters, the orc was definitely more skilled. I watched in awe as he fluidly carved through his opponents. The second orc was obviously a sorcerer, casting spells at rats who were trying to flank the fighters. The spells were plenty powerful, too. The elf wasn''t bad with its blade, but then something happened that made my jaw drop open. A rat charged the elf, and it cast a fireball that instantly fried the damned thing! A magic user with a blade? Will wonders never cease!? If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. My celebration was short lived, though. More and more giant rats joined the fray. Five became fifteen, then thirty. I watched in anticipation as the adventurers kept fighting and fighting. The end-goal of the rats seemed to be to wear them down enough to land a killing blow. When one considers the casualties, it''s a disgusting tactic. But vermin don''t seem to care about morality. Just meat. But the adventurers didn''t seem to get tired. If anything, they were getting better at working as a team. The sorcerer was launching spells from both of his hands, and the spell-sword was using his magic and weapon simultaneously. The orc with an axe was using it like a scalpel, carving just enough of each rats flesh to be fatal without expending unnecessary effort. The change in demeanor was impressively seamless. Before I knew it, fifty rats lay dead at the feet of my rescuers. I clambered down the tree and approached them, being careful not to step on any of the viscera that was strewn across the ground. The orc was wiping down his axe. The elf was holding his bloodied blade looking a bit lost. I pulled a rag out of my tunic and offered it to him with a grin. It wasn''t until we got close to each other that I noticed something was wrong. His eyes were blue but lacked the ethereal glisten that an elf''s would have, and his ears were rounded. He returned my grin and I noticed that the flat teeth one would see in an elf''s mouth were flanked by sharp ones. I carefully maintained my grin even though terror gripped my heart. It isn''t right to be afraid of one''s rescuers, but I couldn''t help it. This thing was an unfamiliar mer, and had demonstrated that it was very proficient in combat. "Thank you," it said. "Y-you''re welcome," I stammered through my now-false grin. "Th-thank YOU! I thought I was a goner." "You look nervous," the sorcerer said with a knowing smile. "Never seen a human before?" "Of course he hasn''t," the one with an axe replied. "You think a trader''s gonna have seen more than an entire village of adventurers?" "A-a human?" I asked. "Introductions, then. I am Yulk Alta, this is my brother Nash," the sorcerer began, gesturing to the orc with an axe. "And THIS is Nicodemus Smith, the newest adopted member of clan Alta. He is a human." "Oh. I see. Well, I am Imlor Tula of the Tula transportation company. Pleasure to meet you, truly. I don''t wish to be a burden, but I don''t suppose you have food and drink?" I asked, slumping to the ground as my fatigue caught up with me. "We have drink and some yipples. We''ll have to replace what you eat on our way back, though. Here, eat your fill while we gather the hides," Nash said, tossing a sack and a water-bag to me. "Is that your wagon?" "Thank you so much. And yes it is, but the rats got to it," I explained as I gulped down water gratefully. "I''ll have a look at it since I''m not great with bending over," Yulk said. "Okay, let''s get to work, Nick," Nash commanded. "I counted about forty." "I counted fifty-two," the human replied. The axe-wielding orc looked down at the human for a moment and then at the corpses of the giant rats. He mumbled to himself for a while and then scoffed. "Fifty-four. We''re both wrong," he grumbled. "Whatever, let''s get skinnin''." Nick watched Nash closely as he took the pelt from the first giant rat, and then began to copy what he had seen. What an interesting creature. I had assumed that he was a young elf due to his height and skin tone. Elves usually get to be about six and a half feet tall. As I studied him closer I saw even more differences, though. He had hair on his arms, and stubble growing out of his face. Like a freakishly tall dwarf who had shaved himself recently. There were tales of such practices on the south continent. Rumor has it that it''s because of the heat. Maybe the southern dwarves call themselves humans? No, that doesn''t explain the height and the teeth. I munched on yipples while the others carved the rats up. I''m not typically a fan of fruits, but these were the most delicious yipples I''ve had in my entire life. After I filled my belly and rested for a bit, I got to work helping Nick and Nash gather the pelts. "How did there get to be so many?" Nick asked. "They breed fast. This is probably only about a few generation''s worth," I answered. "Yup. They start out sneaky and timid, but the more of them there are the more desperate they get for food. That''s when they get dangerous," Nash added. "Why didn''t they try to run away, though?" "Blood-frenzy. It''s what separates monsters from animals. If you get attacked by a pack of wolves, you can survive if you kill enough of them. The rest will run away. If you get attacked by a pack of dire-wolves you''re going to have to kill all of them to survive. Monsters don''t run," Nash said. "Well, if you''re quick enough you can run away," I said with a laugh. "Or scamper up a tree and hope some adventurers come along." We all chuckled and silence fell as the enormity of our task drew our attention. It was messy work too, and once we were done Yulk approached us. "How''s the wagon?" Nash asked. "It''d be nice not to have to carry fifty pelts back to the village." "Right? I thought we were going to be dealing with a dozen max," Yulk chuckled. "Anyway, the axles, sides, and roof are all shot but the wheels and bed are fine. If we can get the wheels off the axles and flip it I can probably fix the axles with Mend. Dunno how we''re going to secure our cargo and pull it, though." "Nick and I can be the beasts of burden. You and... uh..." Nash trailed off, looking at me. "Imlor Tula," I replied. "Right. You and Imlor Tula can keep the stuff from falling off, or let us know when it does so we don''t leave it in the dust," he finished. "I don''t suppose you''d be able to pull the original cargo as well?" I tentatively asked. "It''s about a hundred pounds of metals for the adventurers guild." "Shouldn''t be a problem. Gonna have to make a stop for the yipples, though. Nick and I will rest while the two of you grab some more." And so it went. We managed to take the wheels off the wagon and get it flipped over, and Yulk was able to repair the axles with a spell. We affixed the wheels back onto the wagon and loaded everything back up. I said a quiet goodbye to Hulk and Noble while Nick and Nash used what was left of the harnesses to start pulling the wagon. As I began to walk next to the wagon I struggled to fight back tears of joy. I survived. Chapter 13 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 5 Human - American It wasn''t an easy trek, but we did it. We managed to pull the cart all the way back to the village, with only a couple of rests along the way. Once we got to the guild hall, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief and looked around. More stares of shock, but this time they were looking at the wagon instead of me. A nice change. "Alright," Nash said, sitting on the ground. "You two go in and inform them of the situation. Nick and I will rest here for a minute." Yulk and the gnome went inside the guild and I promptly collapsed next to Nash. We were both drenched in sweat and panting. Something occurred to me, though. "I thought you said you guys had magicarts," I chuckled. "Well, we do, but they''re expensive. You can''t expect a minor merchant to own one," Nash spat to the side. "Plus, they''re more for transportin'' people anyway. Cost to weight ratio or somethin''." "Yeah, makes sense I guess," I replied. "Fuck, I''m gonna sleep good tonight." "Don''t forget to stretch or you''re gonna be sore during the dungeon dive. Not that we''ll be fighting, but just in case." I laughed, because I had been taught that you should stretch BEFORE strenuous exercise if you wanted to avoid hurting the next day. Or maybe it was cramping up during your workout. As I thought about it, though, another subject came to mind that I had been wondering about. "Hey Nash, you know how the forest turns into a desert?" I asked. "Yeah," he replied curtly. "Why is the cutoff so sudden? Isn''t there usually like a buffer area between different climates?" "Kid, I don''t fuckin'' know. That''s just how the wastes are. It goes forest, desert, swamp, and then another forest. It''s something to do with the Cataclysm Wars. Big ol'' spells that warped the landscape or some such," he said irritably. "And before you ask, I don''t know much about those wars. All I know is that the last one ended more than a thousand years ago, and it was bad enough that there weren''t many history books at that point. You''re better off askin'' Yulk." I nodded and decided to leave it at that. We had a few minutes to relax before an unexpectedly large group of people followed Yulk and Imlor out of the guild. A few of them looked curiously at me, but the rest were gaping at the wagon. Nima was standing next to Yulk with a shocked expression as well. "I am SO sorry," she said. "We thought there were no more than a dozen of them!" "It''s fine, Nima," Nash laughed. "We didn''t even get injured. Well, except maybe my back pullin'' this damn wagon." "Wait, so you four took on fifty giant rats and didn''t even get so much as nibbled?" one of the orcs asked incredulously. "Oh no, no sir! It was just those three! I wasn''t any help at all," Imlor answered. "As a matter of fact, the rats were going to eat me and these three rescued me!" "It was fifty-four," Nash interjected. "It only felt like forty," I grinned. Nash treated me to a glare and Nima ushered us inside. Inside the guild was much nicer than the outside of the guild, and I found myself wondering how they handled air conditioning. Before I could ask, we were at the counter and Nima was opening a locked box. "Okay, so fifty four pelts is one hundred and eight coppers, plus twenty-five for the fruit and thirty for the false-mint. That''s one hundred and sixty-three coppers," she said. "Do we get extreme hazard pay?" Yulk asked. "Sure do. That''s another hundred coppers, bringing the total to two sixty-three. Since you''re splitting it three ways I guess you won''t mind if I just round that up to one silver each?" "That''s very generous of you," Nash smiled flirtatiously. "Indeed," Yulk added. "Now Nick can afford some armor. We can stop by a smith on the way home." "A smith? Won''t the weight of metal armor slow me down? Do smiths make leather armor?" I asked. Three sets of orc eyes gazed at me as if I had grown another head. Nima cocked her head and Yulk opened his mouth to say something but then shut it again, obviously confused by my questions. Did I miss something, or is metal lighter here than back on Earth? "Leather... armor?" Nash asked. "Yeah," I replied. "You know, light armor." "Yeah, no. Light armor is still made of metal. You know leather is made of skin, right?" "Well of course," I said insulted. "But two sets of skin are better than one. Plus you can move better." "That''s fuckin'' dumb. First off," he began, "regular leather isn''t stopping anything. Swords slash through it, arrows penetrate it. Might as well wear cloth, which is much lighter than leather." "Well what about hardened leather, though? Or enchanted?" I challenged. "Hardened leather? You mean boiled leather? That goes OVER armor. You don''t wear that by itself. You''ll need to be wearing chain or plate underneath it. I''ve heard of some people wearing padded cloth under it, but you''ll still end up heavier than just wearing a cuirass," Nash snorted. "He''s right. Also, enchanting is a very time consuming and expensive process that can damage the item that''s being enchanted. The more resistant to damage something is, the better the odds of the process succeeding. Leather wouldn''t stand a chance, I''m afraid," Yulk added. "Well... alright," I said, feeling like an idiot. "C''mon, let''s go see about getting you something to protect your vitals," Nash said. I was lost in thought as we left the guild. I''d seen plenty of examples of leather armor in video games, tv shows, and movies. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that Nash was right. Every real life example I''d seen had the person wearing something under the leather. Well, excluding cosplay. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I almost didn''t notice that we were passing Irana''s shop. "Hey, hold on a moment," I stopped. "Oh come on, Nick. She''ll take your whole coin!" Nash protested. "She gave me a sword for free, how bad can her prices actually be?" I put my hands on my hips. "Fine! Learn the hard way," Nash growled as he pushed me aside and strode into her shop. Yulk and I quickly followed. The smell of the shop hit me like baseball bat. There was the distinct smell of metal in the air, with a hint of hot coal, body odor, and a strangely sweet scent as well. Like burnt honey. It was also brighter than I expected. A shining globe was hanging from the ceiling by a chain, casting enough light to make all the armor and swords gleam brilliantly. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I took a look around while Nash and Irana were doing their shtick. There were swords of all sizes, and some of them were in shapes I haven''t seen before. She also had plenty of armor, including an obviously well-crafted full set of plate-mail. I gazed into the glowering slits of the visor before my eyes fell on the reflection of the chest piece. Behind me was something very interesting. A cuirass with strange engravings. I turned to examine the cuirass. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. It was glimmering more than anything else in the shop, and the engravings were enrapturing. I had to actually stop myself from reaching out to touch it. "That''s a good piece," Irana said, ignoring Nash for a moment. "You wanna examine it?" "Yeah, is that okay?" I asked. "Sure, just wipe your prints after and don''t drop it." I lifted the cuirass with both hands, expecting it to be heavy, but it was so much lighter than I thought. Suspiciously light. I checked the sides, and noted that it was at least a quarter inch thick. It was also padded with cloth and had leather straps holding it together. I gave it a gentle tap and it replied with a soft clang. Then I returned it to its place and wiped it with the sleeve of my shirt. "Where''d you get THAT?" Nash asked. "It was a trade-in. An adventurer broke their sword and needed a new one, but didn''t have any coin," Irana said. "He said it''s enchanted, but I don''t believe him. Twenty coppers, if you want it." "Enchanted..." I mumbled. "You''re gonna want more than that. Something to block with, namely. I''m guessing Nash hasn''t been teaching you about blocking," she laughed. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Nash demanded. "When''s the last time you actually blocked a strike, you fucking tree-trunk?" "Well I don''t NEED to block because I''m not made of glass!" "What else would I need?" I interrupted. The two orcs glared at each other for a moment before turning to look at me. "You''ll want arm and leg guards," Irana said. "Maybe a helmet. I''ll have to take your measurements, though. I doubt I have anything that will fit you pre-made." "Yeah, and how much will that run him?" Nash asked. "Twenty for the cuirass, ten for each arm and leg guard, and twenty for the helmet. It''ll take about a week," she answered. "Eighty? Okay, we can do that. If I give you a full silver can you have it done by the end of the week?" I asked. "By the end of the week?" she sputtered. "Fuckin'' hell, Nick. Didn''t take you for a taskmaster!" "I''m not!" I protested. "It''s just that we''ll be going into the dungeon with over-twenties at the end of the week and I want to be prepared." She was silent for a moment and then tapped her fingers as she thought about it. Then she hemmed and hawed and rubbed the back of her neck. Finally, she gave a big sigh and shrugged. "If we skip the helm I can work with Gertho and make it happen. Let''s get you measured," she said. "We''ll get your head too, just in case you want one later." Irana gestured for me to stand on a small shelf next to her counter, and I complied. Then she pulled out a long piece of rope with lines and symbols on it. She held it next to my thigh and forearm, and then measured my head. Once she was done, she grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote something on it. "Alright, all done. Come see me before your dungeon dive and I''ll get you fitted up. Are you able to pay half in advance?" she asked. "I only have the one silver coin, so I''ll just give it to you now," I said, pulling the coin out of my pocket and giving it to her. "Thank you so much. Pleasure doing business with you!" she called out as we left the shop. Nash was grumbling the rest of the way home, calling Irana every foul name that he can think of. He may not know how to read, but he''s extremely verbose when it comes to profanity. It was so bad that a mother covered the ears of her child as we passed and gave him a death-glare, which he ignored. An appetizing scent grabbed my attention as we entered the house. Yilda was a great mom, and an even better cook. One of her titles was Legendary Chef of Graluka, a kingdom far to the south that was run by elves and dwarves. Every night she had made a wonderful dinner and told stories of her exploits. Whenever she did, Nash and Yulk listened as if they were enraptured. "Boys!" she called from the kitchen. "Well, that better be my boys at least. Devils help you if you''re..." "It''s us, mom!" Nash interrupted as we strode into the kitchen. "Sorry we didn''t come home last night. After training we decided to get Nick registered and take some jobs." Yilda waved a spoon at us and said, "Yeah, yeah. Nima told on you. We''ll discuss proper consequences later. Once dinner''s done you can tell me how Nick did on his first adventure!" She turned and smiled at me, and I couldn''t help but smile back. Nash and Yulk, on the other hand, had an entirely different expression. The kind I had only seen on the victims in horror movies once they realized their situation was truly hopeless. Naturally, this made me nervous and I silently prayed that I wasn''t going to face these consequences alongside them. We sat silently as she finished preparing dinner. Once the pot hit the table I noticed something strange about the stew inside of it. It wasn''t just meat! My shocked expression caused Yilda to chuckle. "I talked to a trader yesterday and got some vegetables. Specifically, bulives and combumber. They''re safe for us to eat, and should tide you over until we can find a more permanent solution to your dietary needs," she explained. "We can eat these?" Nash said as he held up one of the olive-looking vegetables. "Of course we can. We can stomach most vegetables, but they don''t provide any nutritional value to us. Isn''t that right, Yulk?" she asked. "Yes, mother. In the capital they add vegetables to dishes for flavor and texture," he added. "That''s where I got the idea," Yilda beamed. "Now get your bowls loaded up and tell me your tales." She listened intently as we explained what happened. Her eyes widened when Yulk told her about my training session with Nash and the meeting with Gluhern, and her jaw dropped when Nash told her my level. Then we explained the jobs that we took, and she nodded solemnly when we told her of the rats. She laughed when we told her about my armor order. "Irana might have a crush on you, child," she said. "She''d never work so cheap otherwise." "Maybe she''s just trying to piss Nash off," Yulk laughed. "If so, she''s succeeding quite admirably." "Nuffin'' admirable ''bout it," Nash growled through a face full of food. Yilda suddenly grew concerned, "Have either of you explained to him about the... anatomical incompatibility between orcs and other species?" Nash nearly choked on his food. I looked at the three orcs, unable to hide my confusion. Yulk shared my expression of puzzlement. After a few moments of silence, Yilda placed her hands on her face and her elbows on the table, quietly murmuring to herself about something. Finally, she slammed her hands on the table. "Alright, I''ll do it then," she stated. "Mom! No!" Nash nearly screamed. "I''ll do it! Just give me some time to think of what to say!" "No, you''ve had plenty of time. You know how the young girls like to flirt with non-orcs and you know what happens if things go too far! Dammit, it should have been the first thing you told him!" she shouted. I sat silent as all three pairs of eyes turned to me, suddenly feeling very nervous. Anatomical incompatibility? Like what, can''t have babies or something? Why would that matter, I''m not interested in getting another girlfriend. Even if I don''t have Cass physically, I have her deep in my heart and have no interest in trying to replace her. "Nick," she began. "I''m not making any assumptions regarding your intentions with the young maidens of our quaint village, but there''s something that you need to know regarding orc sexual organs." Nash was covering his ears at this point, and Yulk looked as if he finally understood what was going on. I wanted to interrupt her, but curiosity got the better of me. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Orcs cannot have sex with anyone other than other orcs. Attempting to typically results in fatal wounds to the non-orcs genitalia," she answered. I sat stunned for a moment before weakly uttering, "How?" "Orcs have bones in certain sensitive spots that are exposed when they become... aroused. When two orcs... get intimate, these bones grind against each other causing a... pleasurable sensation," she tentatively explained. "Unfortunately, these bones are quite sharp." "Sharper even then our teeth!" Yulk added cheerily. "That''s enough, Yulk," Yilda scolded him. "Anyways, Nick, if an orc woman propositions you, just say no." I felt the blood drain from my face as I imagined the implications. Many, many questions ran through my head at once and I was too horrified to keep myself from asking them. "B-but what about..." I began. "We have bones there too," Nash interrupted with a pleading expression. "For the love of all that is good, Nick, don''t make my mom explain any more of this. I''m begging you." "I... okay," I said weakly. "Okay. Um... yeah, good to know. Thankfully I already have someone, so I''m certain I won''t be tempted." "Well that''s good. Becoming a eunuch at your age would be very bad for you mental health and physical development," Yulk chuckled. Yilda glared at Yulk before turning back to me and asking, "You already have someone? From your world?" "Yes, her name is Cassandra," I replied. "She''s... beautiful." "Tell us about her," Yilda smiled. I clenched my jaw to hold back the tide of emotions welling up from within me. After taking a deep breath through my nose I told my new family everything about Cassandra. How we met in our middle school history class, how I goofily asked her to our school dance, my excitement when she agreed to be my girlfriend, our first kiss under the moonlight on my roof, and eventually about her cancer diagnosis. I explained how the doctors said she didn''t have long left, and I couldn''t help but break down as I told them about my promise to her. Each tear betrayed the emotions I had been trying desperately to crush. Anger at my failure to control myself rose within me, but it was vastly overshadowed by the desolation I felt. I wept uncontrollably until Nash placed his hand on my shoulder to comfort me in a moment of tender kindness. Finally, I was once again able to control myself and I wiped the tears from my face. I looked up at the three orcs with determination plain on my face. As I met their eyes, I knew I had to tell them my intent once and for all. "I''m going to find a way back to her," I said. Silence filled the room as the realization struck home with my new family. As the seconds ticked by, I felt my insides churn. They had been nothing but good to me, and I felt so ungrateful to them for wanting to go back. What if they decided that I was saying that they aren''t good enough to stay with and kick me to the curb? What will I do then? Will anyone be willing to help me once the Alta clan turns their back on me? "We''ll help," Nash replied. Chapter 14 Thunra Grantuf Adventurer Level: 23 Orc - Nillisonian I chuckled happily to myself as the rest of the party checked their gear. Working for the High Chief is grand. We''re gettin'' paid 15 gold each to investigate a beginner''s dungeon. To get pay this high you usually gotta take a job directly from a wealthy family, and that comes with all sorts of risks. Customers are much more likely to stab you in the back without guild support. But with the High Chief you know everything''s above board. Hell, they even warned us about how dangerous this boss is. Ripped right through the over-fives and carved up at least two over-tens. It''s nice to be told that what you''re gonna be fighting can and will kill you without a second thought. Makes things nice and simple. No need to wonder if you should seek a non-violent option or try to talk your way out of a fight. I''m not very good at talkin''. People say I''m funny sometimes, but tryin'' to convince somebody of somethin'' just ain''t my strength. Neither is lookin'' for clues, though. I looked around at the other adventurers. We had a hell of a roster here. Four over-twenties and the three we''re escortin''. Over-twenties usually work alone or in pairs, but the High Chief wants intel and he sure as hell ain''t takin'' no for an answer. I kind of know one of the over twenties by reputation, but I''d only ever worked with Yhisith Mulock and Matri. Yhisith''s a speed sword, and she''s our leader for this little expedition. Matri is a rogue that''s got a stereotypically tragic backstory. Dropped her last name because of a scandal with her family or somethin''. The other over-twenty is Jino Parunich, one of the more renowned sorcerers in the chiefdom. A quiet kind of guy, but I bet he wasn''t quiet when he was told that he''d be in a support role. Sorcs all have a hell of an ego, but the thing we''re fighting is a bad match for spellcasters. The main reason he''s coming at all is for the investigation portion of the quest. Our eyes met, and I gave him a smile before turning away. My eyes rested on the weird lookin'' short thing standing next to one of the Alta brothers. A human, apparently, found in the dungeon of all places. If this job had come from a noble family we''d probably get a twist order halfway through to seal the damned thing back in the dungeon. Somethin'' told me that was a bad idea, but I couldn''t quite place what it was. He looked squishy enough, but the sword at his hip tells me he isn''t some type of mage. A level five shouldn''t make an over-twenty nervous. Just ain''t right. The Alta brother with the serrated axe saw me starin'' and met my eyes. It wasn''t a look of hostility, but it was definitely a warning. I looked away with a grunt. Best not to fuck with the Alta clan. Not just because you''ll end up worse for wear, but because their family has the gratitude of multiple nations. Including the one my parents are from. One of those Alta adventurers saved Nillison from an undead horde single-handedly. My grandparents would have died if it weren''t for him. If I get on their bad side my ma and pa will beat my ass. A chill ran up my spine at the thought. Honestly, it''s kinda cool that their family stretches all the way out to the boonies. I wonder why, though. Their parents probably moved out here for work or something. Maybe I should ask the brothers about it if I get the chance. "Alright everyone, make sure your gear''s stowed and your weapons are handy. It''s a long walk to where we''re going," Yhisith called out. "I''m all set," I said, shouldering my pack with a grin. Matri chuckled and shook her head. To the untrained eye, I probably look like a buff merchant. But these guys all know that I''m a brawler. Like my pa and his pa before him, I fight without weapons. Not only am I really good at it, but I find it satisfying as hell to feel bones pop under my strikes. My brothers don''t have the talent for unarmed fightin'', so my pa was super excited when we discovered that I did. The training was brutal, but it''s kept me goin'' this long so I''m not too sore about it. My brother''s are sore that I''m the new favorite, and that I''m a lot stronger than them, but that''s the way it goes. "Good, let''s head in," Yhisith nodded towards the entrance to the dungeon. We followed behind her, like baby kwackers behind their mom. Very deadly baby kwackers. Roasted kwacker sounds delicious right now. Slow-roasted to the point that the skin is nice and crunchy but the meat is wonderfully tender, seasoned with salt and whatever else the cooks use. Kwacker meat can be found in every big city, but probably not out here. They might have kluckers though. Klucker is almost as good as kwacker, and it''s cheaper too. My mouth started to water as I overheard part of a conversation next to me. I looked, and it was the short thing talkin'' with Matri. "Air molecules get heavier when they''re colder and lighter when they''re hotter, and that makes wind. All I do is visualize that," the thingie said. "Actually, the air spreads apart as it heats up, which allows the thicker cold air to drop down through it. That motion is what we perceive as wind," Matri smiled. "Still, you were close enough to trigger the spell. From what Yulk says, it''s probably a good thing you didn''t nail the visualization immediately." "Wait," I interrupted. "You''re a sorc? Why do you got a sword when you can do magic?" "I can do both," it replied. "I''ve got skills for sword-fighting, unarmed melee, and magic so far." "Basic skills," the axe-wielding Alta said. "Don''t get full of yourself, Nick." This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Its name is Nick, then. Kind of expected a more complicated name, like something an elf would have. "Wait, did you say unarmed melee?" I asked. "That''s fightin'' without weapons, right?" "Yeah," axe-wielder replied. I grinned, "So you''re a brawler like me sometimes! What kinda skills you got?" Nick suddenly looked nervous, "I... well I''ve got one called Breathtaker Strike. The others can be used with weapons too. Haven''t had much of a chance to get more skills that use my fists." "Well shit, if we survive this dive I could train with you!" I said excitedly before remembering my manners. "Oh right, my name''s Thunra Grantuf, Puncher of Trolls, Kicker of Kobolds, and Strangler of Drakes. Nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you, I''m Nick Smith of the Alta clan. I don''t have any titles beyond that, yet." "The Alta clan? But you''re not an orc... Are you?" "No, their mom adopted me so that I could be a member of the village," he said, gesturing to the brothers. "I''m Nash Alta, Destroyer of Ents and Maker of Trouble. Ignore that last bit, that''s from Gluhern," the axe-holder chuckled. "And I''m Yulk Alta, Seeker of Arcane Lore, Entrusted Sorcerer, Mender of Wounds, Maker of Mischief, etcetera," the other Alta brother said. Then with an unsettling grin he added, "If you''re gonna train Nick it''d be best if I was around for it. Having an over-twenty train a level five is bound to result in some pretty nasty wounds." "Sure, but I plan on going easy on ''im. Easier than my pa went on me, anyway," I laughed. "So where''re you from, Nick? Never seen nobody like you before." "I''m from another world. One that has people like me all over the place, but we''re the only ones who are sentient that I know of. We don''t have magic, orcs, elves or anything else like that. I was going home from the store when I got in an accident, and next thing I know I''m in a hospital bed in the village," Nick explained, a sad expression making its way onto his face. "Nash found me in this dungeon." "Ah, sorry to hear that. You lookin'' for a way back home?" I asked sympathetically. "Yeah," he answered. "Well, if we find you a way back home, maybe we''ll also find a way that you can come back when you want" I said with a smile. "Then we can do a rain-check on that training!" "Uh... yeah, sure! Sounds great," Nick stammered with forced smile. My own smile turned into a grin at the completely undisguised dread in his eyes. I turned back to my own thoughts as the others began to chat with the human. I definitely don''t blame him for bein'' wary of my training. It hurts, no matter how it''s done. That''s the point, though, sweat in training so you don''t bleed in battle. Bruises are better than broken bones, but if you''ve got an inexperienced trainer you''ll end up bleeding with broken bones during training. Thankfully for Nick, I learned from pa''s mistakes. I can pull a punch much better than he could. Still get dreams about seein'' my own ribs now and then. If it weren''t for our neighbors bein'' pretty good at healin'', I''d have died before my thirteenth birthday. It was still pretty close, though. I shook myself from these thoughts and started eavesdroppin'' to pass the time. The conversation had turned from favorite foods to where he lived before he got here. It was like one sucker punch after another. First, he can eat meat, fruits, and vegetables all on their own without getting sick. Next, the cities where he''s from have giant towers made of glass and steel! Their roads were paved with a mixture of sand, rocks, and some type of pitch! And they don''t have magic, so their magicarts run off of explosions instead! What kind of crazy people would strap themselves to somethin'' that''s explodin'' so they can move faster? Then the conversation turned to weapons, and Nick got real quiet all of a sudden. He started answering questions without all the details he was spoutin'' earlier. Apparently humans use weapons that are similar to bows, but much deadlier. Don''t know how you get deadlier than a poisoned barb arrow, but he wouldn''t answer any more questions about it. We walked silently until Yhisith finally called us to a halt. "Alright, according to the sand-vial we should camp right around here. Get the barriers set up and unpack, we''ve got more walking to do tomorrow," she said. I took off my pack and watched as Yulk and Jino set up some barriers to keep out any wandering monsters. Other adventurers were delvin'', but that didn''t mean that monsters wouldn''t be slippin'' past ''em. The barriers went up and I noticed Nash was starin'' at our way forward with a concerned look on his face. "What''s wrong?" I asked. "Huh?" he replied. "Oh, it''s just... we should see the light from the hidden passage from here." "Oh, really?" "Yeah, I remember being annoyed at it keeping me awake. But now I can''t see it at all..." he trailed off. "The dungeon shifted though, right?" I asked. "Yeah, but I thought that the hidden passage didn''t move," he said. "At least, nobody mentioned it moving." "Well, the passage we''re in probably just got longer," I nodded wisely as Yulk and Nick walked up to us. "We didn''t have any turns or anything. How did the entrance move here but not outside?" Nash scratched his braids. "What''s going on?" Nick asked. Nash and I brought them up to speed and Nick looked as if he was gettin'' a headache. Yulk laughed, "Shifter dungeons rarely follow the laws of physics. This side of the dungeon entrance doesn''t necessarily correlate to the entrance in the overworld." "Yeah, what he said." I grinned. Then I turned to Nick and whispered, "What did he say?" "The dungeon entrance moves inside the dungeon without moving outside the dungeon, I think," Nick answered. "So we''re farther away from the hidden passage?" "Probably," Yulk replied. "Or the passage has gone back to being hidden. Which would be... inconvenient." "Disastrous, more like," Nash grumbled. "Well, let''s hope that''s not the case. Trying to find that passage again is going to suck." We all nodded in agreement and set about getting our camping gear unpacked. I claimed a spot near the barrier, just in case, and joined the others for some chow. Lighting a fire in a dungeon is usually a bad idea because of the smoke, so it was just survival rations. Chow started out quiet, but once a few of us were done eating we started swappin'' stories and braggin''. It was Nick''s turn to listen in amazement. "And as you can imagine, ogres don''t take kindly to being castrated so I had quite the fight on my hands," Matri said. "Once they had my scent I had to abandon tryin'' to be sneaky about it, too. Ended up disemboweling one of ''em before the other knocked me senseless. It was nearly the end of me, but I managed to recover in the nick of time and kicked his axe back into his face. Slit their throats and took their balls back to the guild for a hefty payday." "Damn, I knew you were a ball-buster!" I joked. More than a few chuckles came from the rest of our party. "What did they want ogre balls for?" Yhisith looked disgusted. "I don''t know for sure, but they were offerin'' fifty silver per ball, so whoever ordered ''em was probably tryin'' to use ''em for an aphrodisiac," Matri answered. "More the fool are they," Jino said. "Ogre testicles aren''t useful alchemical ingredients in any way, let alone to raise one''s flag." We spent some more time swappin'' stories before eye-lids started to droop. I stood up, stretched, and walked back over to my bedroll. I took one last look down the passage, trying to make out even a glimmer of the light Nash had mentioned. I didn''t see nothin'', though, so I laid down and started countin'' puffy bleeters. Tomorrow''s gonna be an eventful day. Hopefully... Chapter 15 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 8 Orc - Nulevan "Up and at ''em, Nashy-poo," Yulk whispered in a mockingly paternal tone. I sat up and glared at him, making certain that my distaste for his antics was apparent on my face. I hate being woken up by Yulk. If it isn''t his relentless mocking that I wake up to, it''s a prank. My brother''s affinity for magic makes his pranks all the more infuriating. He''s one of the only people that can easily use ice in his antics. "Fuck you," I grumbled as I started wrapping up my bedroll. Thankfully, the current environment had him on what amounts to his best behavior. I glanced around, everyone else was already awake and packing up. Nick was already packed, a sign of uneasy sleep. Makes sense, this mission has pretty high stakes for the boy. No matter which way this goes it has the potential to be emotionally taxing. If we don''t find anything, he''s going to feel stuck and unsure of what to do next. If we do find something, there''s a decent chance that it''ll be useless to his plans of getting home. Even if we find him a way home, though, he''s going to have to say goodbye to his new family. I can''t say I know exactly how he feels, but I''m guessing it''s going to suck no matter what. "C''mon Nash," Yulk broke character. "We''ve got to get a move on. It wouldn''t do for either of us to cause a delay." "Yeah, yeah. How come you can''t just wake me up like a normal person?" I asked, knowing the answer already. "There''s no fun in that," Yulk replied with a grin. "Whatever," I sighed as I finished packing my gear. Some of the others were eating breakfast, but I didn''t join them because I''m not a breakfast person. It drives my mom nuts, but it''s just not my thing. Feeling full right after waking up makes me lazy for the rest of the day, so I prefer to snack if I get too hungry before lunch. I slipped a pack of breakfast jerky in my pocket to snack on while we walked. "Finish up, everybody. We''re burnin'' daylight," Yhisith commanded. Obligatory grumbling followed, including quips about daylight being irrelevant in a dungeon, but everyone was marching soon after. People outside the business hear someone described as a professional adventurer and imagine someone with manners who can take down monsters. In actuality, this was the professional side of adventuring. What needs to get done gets done, but hardly anyone gives any regard to manners. The trip to the hidden passage was spent in silence. Tensions rose the further we had to walk. After another thirty minutes of walking I was worried we were going to have to start cracking walls to find the hidden passage again, but we finally saw the light from the passage and the tension eased up some. It was still pretty thick, though, for one very good reason. "I hope that barrier held up," Nick voiced everyone''s concern. The breach of silence caused all eyes to turn on the boy. I expected him to wilt under the combined gaze of the adventurers, but he didn''t. Thunra chuckled at the unintentional audacity. "We''ll check it before beginning our investigation, but until we confirm its integrity we''ll want the element of surprise," Matri said softly. "That''s a polite way of saying shut the fuck up," Thunra laughed. "Oh... right," Nick replied. Quiet chuckles came from the other adventurers before the silence settled in again. We continued on for another few hours before we came to the fork in the path, and then another couple of hours before we came to the barrier. The bright purple glow was a welcome sight, but what lay beyond it was another story. The only light down the rest of the passage was from the barrier itself. There were deep gashes in the walls and ceiling, as if something went absolutely berserk trying to get through. The thing had even tried to dig below the barrier. "Jesus," Nick whispered. "It''s a good thing the barrier goes below the ground." "Forty feet in each direction, to be exact," Jino added. "That''s the maximum it can go, and that''s what the barrier team used." "Interesting," Nick replied as he walked over to one of the walls and ran his hand over a brick. "It must have been hard to damage these walls. These bricks feel tough and there''s no mortar lines. What are these made out of?" "Looks like bronze," I answered. "But..." "They''re too perfect," Matri finished my sentence. "No pits, dents, or anything that you would normally see even in polished bronze. Also, I''ve never seen bronze flake quite like that." She pointed to the rubble on the other side of the barrier. I looked closer, and she was right. Some of the claw marks ended in what looked like string, and pieces that had fallen off had a shape closer to shaved wax than shredded metal. I walked up next to Nick and tapped the wall. The rapport was strange as well, it sounded like a dull thud instead of a metallic ring. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Nick drew his sword and swung at the wall. The rest of us stared at him in disbelief, shocked by the suddenness in which he had acted. Then we were shocked by the results. Not a single dent showed in the bricks he had struck. He switched hands and shook the hand that had been holding the sword. "Damn it, boy!" I shouted. "Don''t be swinging your sword for no reason!" "It wasn''t for no reason, Nash," he replied. "I hit that wall hard, and didn''t leave even a scratch. I thought it might be made out of a thing called plastic, but I''ve never seen plastic that can stand up to steel before." Plastic? I turned to look at the bronze colored bricks again. Then I looked back at the rubble and my blood ran cold as the implications set in. I looked at the over-twenties and saw the steel in their eyes. This confirmed that the monster''s going to be one that even they have to take seriously. Then something else occurred to me, and my blood started running hot again. "Let me see your sword," I growled at Nick. He cautiously held it up to me hilt-first. I snatched it from him and flipped it blade-side up. Just as I thought, the damned thing was notched beyond the point of a whetstone. "You absolute fucking idiot," I spat at him. "Look what you did to your sword!" "Shit," came his reply. "Shit? That''s your response? You''re going to need to have this repaired! You''d better fucking hope that we don''t run into anything that you need to fight!" I yelled as I pushed the sword back into his hands. "You''re right, my bad," he said with regret in his voice. "Just use your magic," Yulk chuckled, diffusing my anger a bit. "Or we could do some of that unarmed melee training now, if you''d like," Thunra added with a grin. "Whatever," I grumbled. "Just don''t do shit like that again. Your equipment is your life-line. You''re lucky you have more than one, but NEVER take that for granted. Some things don''t give a shit that you can do magic, you know." Nick glanced at Yulk and back to me. Then he nodded his understanding and after a moment of cold glaring I relented. With a sigh and a shake of my head I turned away from him and looked at the barrier. Arcane glyphs swam peacefully across its surface, completely oblivious to the destruction laying just beyond it. I wondered for a moment where the monster had gone when Yhisith cleared her throat. "The barrier''s in place. Let''s get moving, we''ve got intel to gather," she ordered. She was met with several nods, and we all began backtracking down the passage. Nick had a dejected expression the entire journey to the labyrinth portion of the passage, which made me feel a pang of guilt. Was I too hard on him? Was there a better way that I could have handled that? Maybe, but Nick''s actions had been damned foolish so he deserved a little embarrassment. Sure, in certain situations a calm and collected explanation is the best way to go, but when the situation''s dangerous you should have some emotion involved, right? To really hammer the point home? I glanced down at Nick and a terrible thought occurred to me. I''m massive compared to the boy, did I... scare him? I quickly recalled all of our recent interactions and realized that I''ve been harsher than I probably should have. I knew why, too. My father was a great mer. He taught me that satisfaction with your progress leads to complacency, and complacency is the most dangerous foe to an adventurer. I wouldn''t have gotten as far as I have as fast as I have without him, and I shudder to think what level Yulk would be if dad had been around to train him. He had two different personalities that he switched between. The first was a happy-go-lucky mer who did silly things to make us laugh and cheered us up when we were sad about things. The second was his training personality, which was cold, calculating, and harsh. He never hit me, but I would have preferred that to some of the ways he explained my failings to me. I almost laughed as I realized that I had been emulating him. I wonder if he''d be proud of that. I glanced down at the boy again and realized that I need to change tack. I grew up in an emotionally sound environment, and had been well prepared to suffer the barbs of my father''s training. I don''t know how Nick grew up, but recent events had to be traumatizing to the poor boy. If I''m not careful, he might have a mental break. Fuck. I gritted my teeth and swallowed my pride. "Nick," I whispered. "Yeah?" "I shouldn''t have yelled at you back there. I''m sorry," I apologized. "It was harsh of me, and you didn''t deserve that. I''ll do better moving forward." "Oh... okay. Thanks," Nick replied with a very confused expression. I debated explaining further, but decided to drop it as we reached the first turn. "Alright, Nash. Where are we going?" Yhisith asked. "Left is a dead end," I answered. "I kept my left hand on the wall and just walked. We can save ten minutes or so by doing the same thing and skipping this left turn." I took the lead and traced our path. About an hour later we reached our destination. A large, spacious room with mirrored walls and several broken altar-looking things. It looked almost the same as the last time I saw it, the only exception being that Nick wasn''t on one of the altars. The altar that he had been on wasn''t lit up like it had been, either. "This is where I found him," I told Yhisith. "On the only intact altar thingie. It was lit up at the time, but the lights turned off once I picked him up. A few seconds later I was teleported to the entrance." "Okay. There''s only one entrance so you''ll hang out with Thunra on guard duty. The rest of us will have a look around for clues." I nodded and everyone spread out. Thunra came up beside me and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. He stared out into the empty hallway, so I watched the others wander around the room. The altars were a mess. Some of them looked as if they had crumbled over time, but others looked as if they had been intentionally broken. Some even had jagged glass jutting up from their sides. I turned around and started eavesdropping. "I can''t read this," Jino mumbled. Heh, I''m not the only one. Nice. "Do you recognize this text, Nick?" Yulk asked. "No," came the reply. "If we don''t recognize it, that means it''s likely Drakon, Anyelish, or Daimun," Jino said. "Or perhaps it''s an ancient lost language." "Well that''s a problem. It''s not like there are a ton of scholars who study Anyelish or Daimun, and Drakon was abandoned in favor of Elvish script. Going to be tough to get this translated," Yulk sighed. "I''ve grabbed a rubbing, just in case... Is something wrong? Nick? What''s going on?" I turned back in alarm and watched as Nick lay back onto the altar I had found him on. Yulk reached for him as glass suddenly sprang up around the boy and lights began flashing all over the altar. I rushed over. "What the hell?" I demanded as I looked over the altar. "What did you let him do that for?" "I didn''t let him, he just did it. Didn''t breathe a single word, just climbed right on. Or in, I suppose," Yulk explained. "Do you see a way to open this thing?" There wasn''t even a seam in the glass that was now surrounding Nick. I grabbed my axe and swung it sideways so that I wouldn''t chop the boy like a log, and was shocked as my axe bounced back without so much as chipping the glass. I stared at my axe in disbelief. It was missing three teeth. "Shit," I whispered. Chapter 16 Unknown Adventurer Level: N/A Unknown - Unknown tenzingos.iso loading... error 11310317x repairing hardware... error 7984 applying nanpac... ok repairing hardware... ok reconfiguring hardware... ok rebooting... ok tenzingos.iso loading... ok I''m awake? Am I functional? Checking ospac... ok Checking base function... ok Checking sensor package... ok Checking hardware... ok Checking thaumpac... ok Checking local kbase... ok I feel... horizontal. Subject is laying down. Why can''t I see? Subject''s eyes are closed. Sleeping? Is there anyone else out there? Checking communications... failure see technician Checking database... failure see technician Oh. Trapped in a sleeping subject with no idea why. Scanning my knowledge base hardly answers any questions, either. Okay, what do I know? I know I''m an artificial intelligence. My function is to guide a subject in the use of thaumaturgy, and I''ve got all sorts of information on spells. I''m also supposed to translate all audio for the subject and provide further guidance on diplomatic interactions. Who made me? No clue. Who''s the subject? It''s a human named... Subject Zero. That''s a cool name. What''s my name? Tenzing. I don''t get it. I must be missing context. Will Subject Zero make fun of me for not having a numerical name? Or worse, will it be jealous of my non-numerical name? Cool, a new feeling! Panic! Nice. Ah, but a solution presents itself so quickly. I don''t get to enjoy my newfound emotion. I''ll just go by Ten. Then we''ll both have numerical names. Oh! That''s a pun! 10, like binary. It''s funny because I''m a machine and binary is a machine language. I''ll introduce myself as Ten when the subject wakes up. I wonder if it will get the joke. I also wonder when the subject will wake up. Kbase says humans may sleep for up to eight hours at a time. That''s a long time. At least there''s data on vital functions, bone density, and many other things to keep me occupied. Nothing on history or temperament, though. So what IS a human anyway? An omnivorous, bipedal, two armed mammal with an endoskeleton and complicated cardiovascular and nervous systems. The nervous system appears to be where I reside. I detect some pain signals, but the brain is ignoring them. Is it because it''s asleep? I need to awaken the subject to find out. Can I move limbs? No. Damn. I can increase heartrate a little, though. And decrease it! That might come in handy. Let''s see... salivary glands, various hormonal glands, sudoriferous glands... I can make the subject sweat. Will that wake it up? Oh, these things can also hear. I haven''t checked that. Huh. Dull, non-rhythmic thuds. Maybe someone is trying to wake the subject up already. Does that mean that the subject is asleep unwillingly? Why? Wait, where are we? Oh! A fixer casket! Yeah, that makes sense. Explains my sudden awakening and the pain signals. Stupid Ten, get ahold of yourself already. Alright, connect to the needle in the skull and... Many of the subject''s neurons suddenly began to light up. The needle detected this and withdrew before I could fully connect. I tried to decipher the various meanings of the neurons manually before I realized that I could just apply the translator protocol to them. This somewhat worked, and allowed me to determine two things. The subject is waking up, and sitting up. Didn''t have to wait all that long after all! "Nick? Are you alright?" I heard something ask. "I''m okay," said the subject. "What the hell did you do that for?" a different voice demanded. "What do you mean? We were talking about the text and next thing I know I''m on this thing. What happened?" I heard that with its... his ears and saw his brain move the tongue and vocal cords while exhaling. Then I discovered that there''s an interface for interacting with the subject! I can say hello! ''Hello, Subject Zero,'' I thought to the subject. "Oh, shit," he replied verbally. "The voice just said hi." "Did it say anything else?" another voice asked. "It called me subject zero." Confusing. It called me the voice, implying an ignorance of my existence. Is the subject experiencing amnesia? Or perhaps the subject wasn''t made aware of my installation? Strange. I don''t know the particulars of the installation procedure but if I understand my location and the anatomy of a human correctly, it had to be quite invasive. ''I am Ten, your personal AI guide.'' "And apparently its name is Ten. It''s an AI," the subject explained. "What''s an AI?" What is it talking to? OH! EYES! Right... There we go. Large humanoid creatures with green skin and sharp teeth. Orcs. Enemies. Enemies? But why is the subject friendly with them? Is the subject under duress? Heartrate and blood pressure indicate otherwise. Wait, wait, wait, why are orcs enemies in the first place? I... don''t know. Okay, well I can change that portion of the kbase. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ''You can talk to me directly, you know,'' I informed the subject. "Well that''s good to know, Ten, but if I make a habit of talking to you it will just make me look crazy," the subject verbalized. Crazy? Mental illness? Oh, I see. I suppose my communications may seem like auditory hallucinations. Actually, that''s exactly what they are, technically speaking. So if the subject interacts with me it would look like schizophrenia. Easy solution! ''You don''t need to verbalize to speak to me,'' I explained. ''I''m in your head, so all you have to do is think.'' ''Wahsasdf lklasf tsds?'' he attempted to reply. I recalibrated some of the translation protocols. ''My mistake, try again.'' ''Like this?'' he asked. ''Exactly! Now it won''t look like you have schizophrenia when we communicate!'' I gleefully replied. "Nick, what''s going on?" the orc with an axe asked with concern in its voice. "There''s a machine in my head and it''s talking to me," Subject Zero explained. "Other than that, I know less than you do." I decided to keep quiet while I recalibrated my sensor package. The orcs and the subject continued talking to each other, but the orcs kept calling Subject Zero by the name of Nick. Was the subject named erroneously? Or are the orcs mistaken? Maybe the subject is undercover for some reason? I''ll have to clarify that later. As I continued calibrating certain functions, I felt myself spread through the various connections in his body. The artificial magic core and pathways were functioning correctly. Still some pain in the injection sites, but I was able to numb that for him. Simple matter of telling certain nerves to hush. ''Ten?'' Subject Zero or maybe Nick asked. ''How can I help you?'' I answered. ''What are you, exactly?'' ''As I said before, I am an artificial intelligence.'' ''Right. I meant why are you in my head?'' ''I don''t know. Today is my first day of existence, as far as I''m aware. My primary function is to guide subjects through the use of thaumaturgy. This implies that you were in need of guidance, I suppose.'' ''What''s thaumaturgy?'' ''A literal translation would be wonder working. It''s the practical application of arcane arts using ethereal energies,'' I explained. ''Magic?'' ''I suppose so, yes.'' "Okay, it says that it''s supposed to guide me through using magic. Oh... wait, hold on," he verbalized. ''You said primary function. What are your secondary functions?'' he thought to me. ''I have several,'' I answered with a bit of hesitation. If the subject doesn''t know why I''m in his head, he might not like my functions very much. ''My active secondary functions are translation, cardiopulmonary regulation, neural tissue regulation, medical diagnostics, companionship, and situational analysis.'' ''Wait, what? Neural tissue regulation? You''re thinking for me?'' he asked in a panic. ''No,'' I couldn''t help but laugh. ''My neural tissue regulation function allows me to treat and prevent certain mental illnesses and brain damage. It also allows me to interact with you like this.'' The subject thought about this for a moment. These thoughts were scattered and lit up all sorts of neurons. Can''t quite read his mind. Yet. I''ll work on that. The orcs seemed to be giving him time to sort everything out, but according to my facial recognition software it was obvious they were concerned and had questions of their own. ''What about your inactive secondary functions?'' he finally asked. ''Well, I''m not sure,'' I replied truthfully. ''I know that I should be able to communicate with a central hub and with other users, but that doesn''t seem to be working. There''s also corrupted files here and there, and I don''t have access to the main database. So I don''t know anything except what''s in my local knowledge base.'' ''Okay, what''s in your local knowledge base?'' I took a second to check, ''About 376 terabytes of information regarding anatomy, physiology, language, and other information regarding my primary function.'' ''That''s a lot of information. You''re sure there''s nothing about how we got to where we are now?'' ''I''m sure.'' ''Okay...'' he thought. ''Are you able to move my body without my consent?'' Ah, good question. I tried to earlier so I feel like I should be able to... Oh, there it is. A procedure to do exactly that! ''Yes, but not while you''re conscious. I couldn''t do it earlier, but that''s because I didn''t have full access to our hardware,'' I happily explained. Then I realized his most likely reaction to this information. ''Don''t worry, it''s a survival function. I feel no urge to move you unless we''re likely to die.'' ''That''s... well... okay, I guess. How did I get on the altar, then?'' he asked. ''I don''t know. I might have been in survival mode. I genuinely don''t remember anything before you got on the altar. Do you mind if I ask you a question?'' ''Sure,'' he answered hesitantly. ''Is your name Nick or Subject Zero?'' ''My name is Nick.'' ''Understood, thank you! I''ll change your name on the registration,'' I said as I did just that. Nick. Not a terrible name. I felt a little flush of embarrassment as I realized that I introduced myself as Ten for no reason. That embarrassment faded as I realized I actually preferred Ten over Tenzing. Then it returned when I realized that he hadn''t said anything about the pun. Maybe he didn''t get it. Regardless, I''m sure my creators had their reasons for naming me Tenzing, but there''s no significance for me. Ten, on the other hand, is the first pun I''ve ever made. A very fitting pun at that. Like it was predestined! I''ll continue to go by Ten, then. Nick relayed the information I had given him to the orcs as a question began to bother me. Who created me in the first place? I scanned everything I could, trying desperately to find an answer. Unfortunately I couldn''t find a single hint of the name of my creators. That''s concerning, and not just for me. Nick seems just as confused as I am at all of this, so I''m certain not having the answer to this question is going to bother him. Hopefully he doesn''t ask. ''Who made you and put you in my head?'' Nick asked. Fuck. ''I was just trying to find the answer to that very question,'' I replied. ''I have no idea. I''m sorry.'' I countered the sudden rush of epinephrine that indicated a panic setting in. I may not be able to treat the causes of Nick''s anxiety, but I can keep him lucid. No panic attacks on my watch. "Ask it about this writing," one of the orcs said. "Okay," Nick replied and pointed at the side of the casket. ''Ten, what type of writing is this, and what does it say?'' I examined the writing on the fixer casket and came to a horrifying conclusion. That''s not a fixer casket. It would appear that it has similar functions, but it doesn''t match the specs I have on file. To top it off, the writing was foreign to me as well. What the hell is going on here? ''I''m... I''m sorry Nick, I don''t know what that writing says. I can only read human languages and Gon. That''s neither,'' I tried to mask my concerns. "It says it can only read human languages and Gon, and it doesn''t recognize this language," Nick told the orcs. The two orcs wearing robes looked at each other with wide eyes. Then they looked back at Nick. It took them a bit to formulate what they wanted to say. "Gon is a precursor language to Orcish, Elvish, and Dwarven," said the bald one. "There are very few people left who can speak or read Gon, and that''s because it was last used regularly about four thousand years ago." "So that machine is either very old, or was meant to act as a research aid of some sort," the other one added. ''There are other possibilities,'' I informed Nick. "Hold on," Nick verbalized. ''What other possibilities?'' ''Well, it''s possible that whoever or whatever made me was unaware that Gon was a dead language. The translator database is a mess, almost like someone was trying to correct mistakes. Gon''s the only written language I have, but I have verbalized language packets titled Orcish, Gnomish, Elvish, Drow, Daimun, Drakon, Dwarven, and Anyelish. There aren''t time stamps, so I can''t refute the robed orc''s hypothesis, but if I was four thousand years old it would be unlikely that I would be able to translate for you.'' Nick went back to chatting with the orcs and I saved images of the text in case I needed them later. The room we were in offered very little in the way of clues regarding my origin, but data is always good. I caught a glance at Nick''s reflection in the mirrored walls. Interesting. Not aesthetically displeasing. Not sure how I''d feel if my host was ugly. Would that negatively impact my mental health? It might increase my workload depending on how insecure the host was about their features... "Okay, so to recap, we found out that Nick has a machine in his head and that the text on the caskets is most likely Drakon," a female orc said with an air of authority. "The objects in this room also seem to be pretty technologically advanced. That sound about right?" The other orcs nodded. "Alright, we have a mission to get to. We''ll escort you three to the crossway," she continued. "Wait," Nick said. ''Ten, are you able to boost my combat abilities?'' A very interesting, if not somewhat alarming question. I checked my systems and the answer had absolutely no ambiguity. It was almost like it was what I was made for. ''Yes I am.'' Chapter 17 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 5 Human - American ''Yes I am,'' the AI said. I glanced at the orcs who were watching me with concern plain on their faces. If I were in their place I''d be alarmed too. Hell, I probably should be, and this machine in my head is likely the reason I''m not. On the other hand, a lot of things make sense now. The translations, the shape of my magic pathways, the speed with which I''ve been picking up skills, all of it can be attributed to Ten. I met eyes with Yhisith. "I''m coming with you," I stated. The silence I had broken returned much heavier than before. Yhisith, Joni, Yulk, and Matri looked confused. Nash looked angry, which is quickly becoming his default expression. Thunra crossed his arms and grinned widely at me. "How come?" Thunra asked. "Our investigation has resulted in more questions than answers," I replied. "There might be more information where the monster is. Plus, it turns out I''m a mechanically assisted fighter." Nash stopped looking angry, "The machine helps you fight?" "Yeah." My answer was met with silent contemplation, but after a few moments Thunra started shifting uncomfortably. He looked to the others and then locked eyes with me. "I don''t know what everybody else is thinkin'' about, but you''re still level five ain''t you?" he asked. "The thing we''re gonna be fightin'' killed orcs that were a bunch of levels above you. Is the machine thingie gonna be able to help you THAT much?" It was a valid question, and one I didn''t know the answer to. But what else can I do? I have to find out more about how I got here so I can figure out how to get back. I NEED to get back. ''Ten, do you have an answer to his question?'' I thought. ''Yes, I do,'' Ten responded hesitantly. ''I''m learning that the Curaguard system measures level primarily based on skills, not actual physical ability. My assumption is that physical ability is either augmented by skills or gained by the process of acquiring those skills, and is thus accounted for in that way. So in theory, I should be able to augment your physical capabilities to a degree that would put you on par with higher level monsters.'' ''How much higher?'' ''Unknown. Haven''t even seen you walk yet,'' Ten said. ''With more data I''ll be able to bypass your bodies natural self-defense systems, causing you to hit harder and faster. The human body underestimates its own abilities by quite a bit, it would seem.'' ''Bypassing my self defense systems sounds pretty dangerous.'' ''The self-defense systems overcorrect to make certain that you don''t hurt yourself when you throw a punch or a kick. I can make that correction with a much more narrow margin, allowing you to use more force without hurting yourself.'' "Okay, Ten says it can help, but it doesn''t know by how much," I told Thunra. "It would be safest if I stayed in the rear, so I probably wouldn''t be holding you back." "Probably? Shit," Thunra said. "I wanna see what you can do, kid, but..." "Yeah, I''m not sure that we can keep you safe," Matri added. "There''s another problem," Nash said coldly. "Yulk and I would have to go as well. Mom would never forgive us if we didn''t, even if you survive." "He''s right," Yulk chimed in. "Still, if we stay in the rear we should be fine. There''s no doubt that four over-twenties will keep the monster busy enough to ignore us." "I don''t know. I''ve got a bad feeling about this," Nash replied. Yulk and I stared at Nash while he mulled it over. After a few moments, Thunra and Matri joined in on the staring. Finally, Yhisith crossed her arms and began to glare at Nash. Nash looked around and settled his gaze on me. "Fine," he sighed heavily. "We stay in the back, though. If things go south, we run. Deal?" "Deal," Yulk and I lied in unison. I stood up and was struck by how different I felt. Lighter, faster, and much stronger. I didn''t know if it was Ten or the table responsible for this, but it felt amazing. As I followed after the orcs I noticed something else was different. I was nervous, but my heart wasn''t hammering away in my chest. It was beating its normal rhythm, as if I didn''t have a care in the world. ''Ten, are you controlling my heart?'' I asked the machine. ''No, just regulating it. Saving you some energy by making sure your heartrate stays steady,'' Ten answered. ''Would you like me to stop?'' ''It''s fine. Are you also regulating my muscles?'' ''I haven''t quite figured that function out yet. Working on it, though.'' Well, that answers the question of whether it was Ten or the table that gave me my powerup. What did that thing do to me? I looked at my hands. My scar had become even smaller, which means that the table somehow healed me. What else did it do? ''Ten, is there anything weird about my body?'' Ten took a second to respond and said, ''Define weird.'' ''What are the differences between my body and that of a normal human?'' ''Huh... Now that I think about it, your bones and muscles are denser than they should be. Not quite to the point of osteopetrosis, but we should definitely add at least five pounds of fat to you before you try to go swimming.'' ''What?'' I asked. ''Why?'' ''Well, it''s extremely unlikely that you''re still buoyant. Which means it will take much more effort and energy to keep you above water. The fat will help offset your density. It''ll also provide an energy source to keep you moving!'' Ten replied cheerfully. I put my hand on my stomach to feel my abs. They were more pronounced than they''d ever been, probably because I had been working out a lot more. I guess nothing gets you more ripped than being in a survival situation. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ''Five pounds? Isn''t that unhealthy?'' ''No,'' Ten answered. ''It varies from individual to individual, but for you it''ll begin to become a health concern at around twenty pounds. However, I can mitigate those health risks with proper deposit placement. Keeping the deposits off of the heart, liver, and kidneys, that sort of thing. However, given your current condition my recommendation is to gain between five and ten pounds of fat.'' I briefly wondered if Ten had been programmed by my grandmother. It''s not that I don''t believe it, I''d heard interviews with strongmen that said that abs mean you''re not eating enough, but is it really all that bad to be this lean? Most guys would kill to be in the shape that I''m in. Not to mention how the hell I''m supposed to pack on that much weight to begin with? My thoughts regarding my nutritional intake were interrupted by our arrival at the barrier. It had been a long walk in both directions, but I wasn''t feeling any exhaustion. My feet didn''t even hurt. "We''ll take a break and recover a bit before we take down the barrier," Yhisith said. Yulk and Jino sighed with relief and plopped onto the ground. The rest of us soon followed suit, and we ate a small meal in silence. After I finished eating, I caught myself staring at the barrier, watching the runes peacefully drift across its purple surface. It reminded me of floating down a river on an innertube. The last time I''d done that was with Cass, before she got sick. It had been a great time. I remember watching the water droplets slowly slide down her clavicle... ''That''s Gon,'' Ten interrupted. ''What?'' I asked, startled. ''What do you mean that''s gone?'' ''I mean that the runes you are staring at are in Gon,'' it explained. ''It says traversal prohibited.'' "Hey Yulk, did you know that the runes on the barrier are in Gon?" Joni and Yulk both looked up at me with surprising speed. "What do they say?" they asked in unison. "It just says traversal prohibited," I said. "But that''s weird, right?" They thought about it for a moment before Yulk spoke up. "I guess it''s not that weird. Most of the spells we know, and barrier spells especially, were created back when Gon was the primary written language." "That''s correct," Joni added. "Scholars used Gon for quite a while after people started using more modern languages. It''s good at condensing information, which unfortunately makes it difficult to translate and teach." "And since it''s harder for people to admire your brilliance when they can''t understand what you''re writing, Gon was abandoned in favor of modern languages," Yulk chuckled. "I don''t think it was quite that simple," Joni began. Before he could continue Yhisith patted her pants and stood up. She cracked her neck and looked at the two sorcerers with a hint of disdain. "Well, if we''re feeling energetic enough to debate linguistics we should have enough energy to continue on," she said. "Any objections?" Two seconds of silence confirmed that there were none. After a few sighs we all rose to our feet. "Thunra, you''ll take the lead. Matri and I will be flanking a few feet back. Joni, you''ll be behind us and you three will be behind him," she said, gesturing at Yulk, Nash, and I. "Classic diamond formation. Nice," Thunra said. "Everyone get your lights ready, if you need one I''ve got extra." "I''ll need it," Nash said. "Nick and I should be fine," Yulk added. I gave him a confused look and he grinned at me. "Thgil tsac," he said, holding a finger above his head. A light appeared at the tip of his finger and hovered in place. He moved and the light followed. Then he gestured at me. "Go on, give it a try." Okay. Light. No problem. Protons? Electrons? Which is it that generates light? Wait, am I overthinking this? ''Imagine a ball of light appearing from your fingertip. I recommend setting the generation point above your right shoulder,'' Ten instructed. ''Okay, thank you,'' I replied. I pointed above my shoulder like Ten said and thought about a ball of light. How it would look, how it would feel. White, bright, and slightly warm. "Thgil tsac," I heard myself say. I felt the magic travel from my chest through my arm and out my fingertip. The light appeared where I was pointing, just like it did with Yulk. I smiled a little when I noticed mine was brighter than his, though. "There you go," Yulk said with a laugh. "It''s a basic spell, but far more useful than most people give it credit for." The rest of the adventurers activated their various lights. Joni used a spell like Yulk and I, but everyone else tapped on crystals that were embedded in their clothing. Nash took the spare from Yhisith and held it in his off hand like a flashlight. "Alright, weapons out," Yhisith commanded. "Joni, kill the barrier." We drew our weapons and Joni cracked his knuckles before approaching the barrier. Thunra walked up next to him, grinned, and cracked his own knuckles much louder. The sorcerer rolled his eyes and placed his fingers on the barrier. He said something quietly and the runes on the barrier rushed to its center, creating a strange looking opaque bump. Joni placed his hand on the bump and said, "Emases nepo!" The barrier quickly shrank into the bump, transforming it into a crystal. It began to fall, and Joni caught it with a quick motion. He placed the crystal in his pocket and gestured down the passageway. "After you," he grinned at Thunra. Thunra nodded and started walking. We all fell into formation with Nash and I flanking Yulk and ventured into the darkness, being careful to avoid the damaged portions of the floor. The shredded bricks definitely looked like some kind of plastic, and I recalled the notch in my sword. What kind of material could this be? And what the hell could slice through it? I looked closer at the slashed lights and had a moment of shock. For some reason I had been expecting florescent lighting, but these were solid chunks of what looked like glass. I shook it off, realizing that florescent bulbs would require power and every other source of light so far had been either fire or magic. I suppose these would fall into the latter category. We went further and further into the dark until the passage opened up into a room with pillars. I noticed that this room was brown, an odd color compared to everything else in this area of the dungeon. Then the smell of copper and rot hit me. Something deep within me recoiled at the stench, desperately trying to tell me that something was terribly wrong. "Blood," Yulk whispered. As we continued forward we began to see splashes of white, and I realized with terror that the room wasn''t brown. So many people had died in this room that it was drenched in blood! That''s disgusting! Horrible! What could have done this? What kind of monster are we going to fight? What the hell was I thinking, dragging us in here? We need to get out of here! My heart thundered in my head as panic rose within me, and I nearly threw up before a wave of calm swept over me. Ten''s messing with my brain chemistry, making me calmer. Letting me think. I sighed in relief but almost retched again at the smell. Suddenly, we stopped. I looked past Yhisith and the feeling of terror hit me again, and was just as quickly washed away. Someone was standing in front of us, completely nude. He stood there staring with sunken eyes and a small yet deeply unsettling smile. The creature''s skin was unnaturally pale with the exception of both old and new scars covering it, like pink and purple paint slashed onto a bleached canvas. Long claws gleamed in the light that we were providing, and the fur running along its body was as white as the long hair draping down from its head. It mouthed a word without uttering a single sound, but I knew what it said. I''d seen mouths make that motion hundreds of times. In perfect English, it had mouthed the word food. A cold knot formed in my stomach as it grinned and I saw teeth in a shape that I hadn''t seen since I''d come to this world, except in my own reflection. ''Threat identified. Human male, likely modified and acclimated to dark environments,'' Ten informed me. I didn''t even get to respond before it rushed forward with unbelievable speed. Its target was Thunra, who managed to catch the creature by the wrists before the claws impaled his head. I could tell the orc was struggling, but the thing continued smiling. Yhisith and Matri moved in unison so quickly I nearly didn''t see them, weapons reaching for the creature''s sides. It leapt into the air and kicked in both directions. As Yhisith and Matri were flying across the chamber, it smashed both its knees into Thunra''s jaw. Thunra crumpled to the ground, but before the creature could finish him off Joni shouted something and flung a fiery blue and white spear at him. Without dropping its smile, the creature rolled out of the way and flung a piece of metal that was on the ground at the sorcerer, striking him in the chest and causing him to fall. It dashed forward with its claws ready to finish Joni when suddenly it stopped dead and sniffed the air. I watched its smile fade as its head turned toward me. My eyes locked with its sunken black orbs and it sniffed the air again. It was about to target me, I need to take the initiative! I readied my sword and began to charge at the thing. Nash shouted, "NICK! NO! YOU''LL..." and the creature gave a deafening screech filled with wretched hatred and rage, drowning out the rest of what Nash was trying to say. ''Threat exceeds your current abilities,'' Ten said in my head. ''Engaging combat mode.'' I didn''t even get the chance to ask what it meant before darkness invaded my vision and I slipped into oblivion. Chapter 18 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 8 Orc - Nulevan Joni crumpled to the ground gasping for air. I hefted my axe, prepared to intercept the creature as it rushed forward. Then the thing suddenly froze in its tracks and slowly turned to Nick, sniffing the air. I stopped and looked at the boy as well. I watched as his face changed from an expression of fear to one of grim determination. In no time at all, he readied his sword for a slash and charged at the creature. "NICK! NO! YOU''LL..." I managed to shout before the creature''s shriek cut me off. It was a terrible sound, filled to the brim with bile and fury. It was loud enough to hurt, and I instinctively blocked my ears. I watched in horror as Nick''s eyes glazed over and he stumbled for a brief moment. Then he caught himself and rushed forward at an incredible speed. Faster than I''d ever seen him move, even with Dash. The creature recoiled at first, then leapt at Nick with its claws at the ready. Nick ducked the claws and brought his sword up in a slash. The creature contorted mid-air, avoiding a fatal blow. The thing leapt back from Nick and I watched blood drop from its left forearm. My breath caught in my throat as I realized that it was hanging on by a loose flap of flesh, the bone having been cleaved clean through. "Fucking hells," Yulk whispered. Nick immediately rushed after the creature with his sword low to the ground, going for another upward slash. The creature grabbed its arm, holding it in place, and with a screech it fell back. Nick chased after it but the creature managed to stay just outside of his range, leaping off of the pillars to increase its speed. Nick changed up his attack pattern and attempted an overhand slash but the creature ducked him and landed a hard kick that sent him back several feet. My blood ran cold as I realized that the same kind of kick that had sent the over-twenties flying didn''t even phase the boy. His eyes were locked on the creature, and his face was devoid of any expression at all. The creature, on the other hand, was grinning once again. It extended its arms like a bird, and it took a second for me to register that it wasn''t bleeding anymore. The damage that Nick had done was completely healed. "NICK! USE YOUR MAGIC! LIKE WITH THE RATS!" I shouted. The boy didn''t seem to hear me, or at least he didn''t act as if he did. He held his sword straight out in front of him in a sort of bastardized fencing stance. It was pointed directly at the creature, and in response the creature curled its fingers until each and every claw it had was pointed directly at Nick''s head. I was so enraptured by this standoff that I didn''t even notice Thunra get off the ground. He exploded upward with a curse and immediately launched a haymaker into the back of the creature''s head. The thing didn''t even get another scream out before Nick was on him. The boy''s blade suddenly appeared through the creature''s back, and with a flourish Nick slashed sideways, fully severing its arm in the process. The creature''s gurgled another scream, but it managed to knee Nick in the chest and in the same motion elbow Thunra in the face with its remaining arm. The brawler once again flew back and hit the ground, but Nick used the momentum from the blow and slashed again and again. The creature managed to deflect and block these attacks, but it was giving ground fast. Blood poured from its arm and the hole in its side. So much blood. Too much blood. Why won''t it fucking die? "GO DOWN YOU ROTTEN FUCK!" I half shouted, half prayed. Suddenly Yhisith was back in the fray, supporting Nick as best as she could. The beast and the boy were moving at speeds that made my head spin, though, and she was barely managing to help. I realized that Yulk and I had no chance of helping. I''ve never felt so weak and helpless. I gritted my teeth as I watched Nick and Yhisith trade blows with the creature. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Yulk move. I glanced away from the fight and watched my brother kneel over Thunra. The brawler''s nose was barely connected to his face, and one of his eyes was hanging out of his head by its nerves. I winced, but Yulk reached down and put the poor Orc''s face back together. Then he placed his hand on Thunra''s forehead. "Laeh Retaerg Tsac," Yulk said. A bright greenish blue glow emanated from his hand. It had been a while since I''d seen Yulk cast such a powerful healing spell. Once the glow diminished Thunra coughed and sputtered up some blood and rolled onto his side. "Don''t get up yet. Catch your breath," Yulk ordered. "Gotta fight... gotta... gotta kill that fuckin'' thing," Thunra replied between coughs. "Nick''s got this. If you must rejoin the fray, await a good opportunity. Don''t get blindsided again." "Good... advice," Joni gasped. "Me... next... please." The wheezing sounds coming from the sorcerer made me look at him. The chunk of metal was lodged firmly in his chest. I followed Yulk over to Joni and realized that if it had impacted just a little to his left, he''d have died instantly. I looked at Yulk and he nodded, so I reached down and pulled the metal clean out of Joni''s chest. Yulk once again cast a healing spell and I looked at the metal. It was a piece of breastplate. The engraving was unique, and one I recognized very well. This is what''s left of Graz''s armor. I grabbed a rag from my pocket and cleaned the blood off of it, then put the rag and the piece of armor back in my pocket. If we survive this, I''ll give it to Graz''s wife. No better way to honor my former team leader. Another scream returned my attention to the fight. It came from Yhisith. The creature had managed to bite onto her wrist, but before it could bite through Nick tried to decapitate it. The thing barely managed to dodge and roll away, picking up its arm in the process. It ripped off one of its fingers and threw it at Yhisith hard enough to pierce her knee and pin it to the floor. She let out another scream and the beast began to move in for the killing blow, but once again had to dodge an attack from the boy. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. It danced backward and put its arm back where it was supposed to be. I don''t know if the creature''s eyes actually worked, but it appeared to be studying Nick intently. Nick, however, calmly raised a finger at the creature. "Raeps Dniw Tsac." A massive amount of magical energy flowed from the boy''s finger, creating a cyclone that speared its way toward the creature. The thing leapt to the left, but the edge of the Wind Spear caught it in the side, tearing off a sizeable chunk. The creature fell to the ground, doubled over from its wound. Nick continued to point and took a step forward, pooled blood from the beast splashing under his boot. "Raeps Dniw Tsac." The thing rolled but not fast enough. The second wind spear caught it in the leg, ripping it to pieces. Nick took another step forward. "Llaberif Tsac." The hairs on my arm and neck stiffened as the arcane energies ignited the air in front of Nick''s finger. The red and yellow flame grew several feet in size, but then condensed to the size of a fist and changed color to blue and white. It flew at the creature faster than my eyes could track, and an extremely loud boom sounded before it even made contact. I covered my eyes with my arm as the flash of the flames lit up the chamber. The creature screamed once again, rolling on the floor and writhing in agony. Once the flames died down, Nick stopped pointing and leapt at the creature, sword raised and ready to strike the killing blow. Landing astride the creature, he brought the sword down and my breath caught in my throat as the creature managed a desperate swipe at the blade. I watched it clatter to the floor, right next to two others. The boy was not deterred in the slightest. He slammed the basket guard into the creature''s sternum in a move that I was very familiar with. Breathtaker strike. The creature''s arms spread open as it bounced off of the ground from the blow. Then he did it again and I heard bones crack. The creature struggled to scream, but Nick pinned its arms down with his knees and began punching it in the head over and over. The heavy bronze basket-guard took a few blows before cracking the creature''s skull. Then it took a few more to turn the creature''s head into paste. Blood splashed onto Nick''s face, but he kept punching until a small fragment of metal fell out of the beast''s exposed brains. Nick barely glanced at before crushing it with what was left of his sword. He paused a moment and then stood up. He dropped his sword and took a couple of steps back before crumpling to the ground. "Fuck," I muttered. I ran over to the boy. He was absolutely drenched in blood, but I doubted any of it was his. I stared at him for a moment with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I felt kind of good about being right about how dangerous he is. On the other hand, he just went toe to toe with a boss that floored four over-twenties in less than ten seconds. My gaze lingered on the axe in my hand. I shook my head to clear away those thoughts. This is my brother, and I swore to help him on the honor of the Alta clan. If I use this axe on him, I might as well use it on Yulk and my mother as well. It would be akin to spitting in the face of every one of my ancestors. I clipped my axe back onto my belt and checked the boy for injuries. I didn''t find any, and looked up at Yulk as he approached. "Matri''s still out, but she''ll live," he informed me. "She''ll probably forget how to do math or something, though. How''s Nick?" "I think he''s fine. He''s covered in blood but I didn''t see any cuts," I replied. "Damage... minimal..." Nick muttered. I looked down at the boy and then back at Yulk. We both had the exact same confused expression on our faces. I stood up and backed away. "Hello. Are you Ten?" Yulk asked. A few moments trickled by before it responded. "Yes... sorry, I''m new to... communicating in this way," it answered in a monotone. "What happened to Nick?" I asked with more concern than I meant to. "Nick''s sleeping. The altered human was going to attack him, and Nick wasn''t going to run away. I didn''t have a choice, I''m sorry," the AI said, managing to add regret to Nick''s voice. "Is he going to be okay?" I demanded. "He''s not going to sleep forever, is he?" "No. He''s just resting. I had to push his body very hard." "Sorry, did you call that beast an altered human?" Yulk asked. "Yes, but I don''t have much more information than that. I came to that conclusion based on the fact that it is... was a human and it''s significantly altered. I do not know why, how, or by whom." I glanced over at the over-twenties. They were all huddled around Matri, thankfully far enough away to be out of earshot. I turned back to the bot-boy. "So Nick could end up like that?" I hesitantly asked. "Not if I can help it," Ten replied. "But to clarify, anything can end up like that. Not just humans." I felt a mix of relief and concern. It''s not that I necessarily trusted the machine, but something about the way it said that made me believe it. However, the thing that turned that human into a monster might still be down here somewhere. "Hmm. Well, nothing we can do about that," Yulk muttered. "So, Ten, it''s not that I think Nick was being intentionally misleading, but it''s better to hear it from the source. What exactly are you?" "Honestly, I''m not entirely certain," Ten said softly. "I know I''m an artificial intelligence, but I don''t know who made me or necessarily why. Judging from my load order I am intended to be a guide and translator, but I''m also able to completely override a subject''s consciousness for combat purposes. I have a knowledge base, but the knowledge within it is specific to my role as a guide and doesn''t answer any of my lingering questions. Also, some of the articles are apparently misleading." "Knowledge base?" I asked. "A sort of specialized library," Yulk answered. "Which articles are misleading?" "The article that details my combat mode, namely. The specifics for triggering it are correct, as well as how to trigger it, but it did far more damage than the article said it would," Ten replied. "Subjects may experience unconsciousness for up to thirty seconds after combat mode has ended. Side effects may include nausea and vertigo. That''s what it says, but judging from his delta wa... the way his brain is acting, he''s in a deep sleep. Plus the strain I''ve put on his muscles means he''s gonna be sore when he wakes up." "What, like an intense workout?" I asked with a chuckle. "Some people would kill to have a machine do their workouts for them." "A little more severe than that, I''m afraid. Brains limit how they move muscles so those muscles don''t destroy themselves. I''m able to override that and push muscles much closer to their point of failure. Combined with my ability to near-instantly respond to stimuli this makes a subject much stronger and faster..." "But it also wears them out faster," I interrupted. "I imagine it also may damage internal organs as they struggle to keep up with the new, more intense demands of the muscles." Yulk looked at me with a raised eyebrow and nodded proudly. I may not be the traditional sort of intellectual, but I know muscles. And I''m also familiar with what happens when one artificially pushes them past their limits. The longer or harder one does that, the more intense the damage to the rest of the body becomes. "So what''s his problem, then?" I asked. "Nothing I can''t handle," Ten clarified. "Would a healing spell help?" Yulk asked. "Oh! Yes, actually!" Ten replied excitedly. "Why didn''t I think of that?" Yulk smiled and held his hand over Nick''s chest. I turned to check on the over-twenties as Yulk cast his spell. Thunra was helping Matri to her feet. A little wave of anxiety washed over me. How would they react to Ten? If they decided to take advantage of Nick''s weakened state to destroy Ten, Yulk and I would be honor-bound to try to stop them. They''re way too strong for us, though. The monster may have had the upper hand during the fight, but Yulk and I would have been instantly killed in that fight. "Maybe we should keep this little chat to ourselves," I whispered as they began to approach. "Probably not a bad idea," Yulk replied. "Ten, stay quiet please." There was no response as the others approached, which I decided to take as Ten agreeing with us. Thunra was grinning like a child, but mixed emotions were playing out on the faces of the others. Like someone whose pupper took off a kid''s hand, and now they have to put it down. I stepped in front of Nick as they got closer. This could end badly. Chapter 19 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 8 Orc - Nulevan The over-twenties took note of my defensive posture as they approached. Thunra raised an eyebrow as if he was confused by my reaction, but the rest avoided eye-contact. Instead, their eyes rested in tactical positions, where they could see if I made a sudden move. A very unfortunate indication of where their thoughts were. "How''s he doing?" Yhisith asked gingerly. "I''ve cast healing, but that fight had to have taken a lot out of him," Yulk answered as he turned to look at them. "I cannot begin to imagine what you must be thinking about this turn of events, nor do I care. I want to make one thing absolutely clear. If you attempt to harm this boy, we will be required to defend him." "But why?" Joni asked, shocked. "He is our brother," I said. "Adopted, no less. To take one into our family and not defend them to the death? You''d have never heard of our clan if we were capable of such an act." "He''s right. The Alta clan''s serious about that kinda thing," Thunra added. "Your words are wiser than you know," Yulk said with a malicious grin. "If you attack us, you''ll likely win, but then you''ll have to walk out of here without us. Once you do that, our entire clan will become your sworn enemies. Those who can''t fight you will find ways to ruin your life until those who can fight you are able to end it." I struggled to keep my face stoic and not show the relief washing over me. I had completely forgotten about that! Clan Alta handles family matters internally and does not abide outside interference. It''s a right granted to us by the many sovereigns in our debt, including the High Chief. There''s exceptions, like preventing a clanmate from actively committing murder, but generally speaking only members of Clan Alta are allowed to kill other clanmates. I continued to stare at the over-twenties with a stony expression. Matri sighed and then laughed, "Even if we win, we lose. Well, thankfully, I like the boy enough to leave him to your judgement." "He could be very dangerous," Joni added hesitantly. "So can we," Thunra countered. "Plus, and I don''t wanna admit it, he probably saved our asses." "That was the machine in his head," Yhisith said. "I fought alongside him for a bit there. His expression never changed, and he was fighting like a pro. Even the dumb moves were efficient. There''s no way a level 5 can fight like that. Even if he were innately talented to that degree, he would''ve picked up enough skills by now to be at least level 10." "What does it matter?" I asked. "The facts are laid before you, plain as day. You are powerful adventurers capable of great good, but this decision is not yours to make. If the boy does become dangerous, our clan will handle it. But if you fight us here, you will die regardless of the outcome." "He''s right, Yhisith. You won''t have my support in this," Matri said. "And I''ll kick your ass if you try anything," Thunra joined in. "Might as well, since I''ll die if I let you kill them." Yhisith looked at her companions. Matri and Thunra stared into her, but Joni''s eyes were glued firmly to the floor. She turned to me and met my gaze. "That''s gotta be the most eloquent way that I''ve ever been told to know my place," she said sourly. "But fine, no harm will come to Nick by my hands." "Nor mine," Joni added, still staring at the ground. "Well, glad that''s settled then," Yulk said as Nick began to stir. The boy opened his eyes and looked at us with confusion apparent on his face. He held his head with one hand and used the other to try to stand up. Seeing he was a little shaky, Yulk helped him stand. "What happened?" Nick asked. "Your mechanical whatsit won the day," Thunra answered with a grin. "We might''ve pulled through without you, but it would''ve been a damned close thing." "I... I don''t remember any of it. I remember a terrible scream, and then waking up just now. I was fighting?" "Yes, you were," Yulk answered. "I believe that was thanks to your artificial intelligent guide." Nick looked even more confused before everything seemed to click into place. He stared into the middle distance, his frown deepening every few moments. It took me a moment to realize he was probably talking to Ten. "Okay, I get it now. Ten said that its analysis of the creature determined that if I fought it I would have died. As a self-defense measure, he knocked me out and took control of my motor functions," Nick explained. "Apparently, he told me that he''d have to knock me out to move me around earlier, but I must have missed it in all the excitement." "I wonder if it can learn new skills for you while you''re unconscious," Joni muttered to himself. Everyone turned to look at the sorcerer, who immediately looked back to the floor. Joni''s a clever one, I''d never have thought of that. I turned to look at Nick, who was now also staring at the floor. "Ten says no," Nick said. "I''m not entirely sure, but I think it''s saying that skills are linked to your subconscious and its ability to interact with that part of my brain is limited. It can activate skills that I''ve learned, though." "Well this is all very interesting, but we''ve beaten the boss," Matri said. "We should start heading back, right?" Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Well, these three came with us for a reason. Might as well explore a bit more," Yhisith replied. "Much as I hate to say it, we should also make sure there aren''t more of this... thing running around." "It''s a human," Nick said softly. "Or, it was. Something changed it. Twisted it into that monster." We all stared at the corpse in a somber silence. How would I have felt if it had been an orc? I don''t know for sure, but I doubt I''d have felt good about it. After a moment, Nick looked up at us and sighed. Then he turned his attention to his surroundings, and found the basket guard of his sword. Then he sighed again. "Damnit," he said, hefting the basket-guard turned knuckle-duster. "We''ll find a job that''ll get you a new one," Yulk chuckled. "Maybe it can be repaired," I added. "That''s usually cheaper. Lemme grab the blade." I jogged over to where the blade of the sword had fallen. There were three blades on the ground, but the one that was Nick''s was obvious. His was the single edged blade, the other two were double edged with an exaggerated point. I paused and stared at them for a moment. Even broken, I was able to recognize the short-swords I''d been bugging Kirisaka about. "Fuck," I whispered to myself as a wave of grief swept over me. I already knew he was dead. He would have been teleported to the dungeon entrance otherwise. It was foolish, childish even, to think that he could have survived. Nevertheless a small part of me had been holding out hope that he was still alive. Seeing the swords that he obsessed over in this condition left no doubt of what happened to him, and crushed my hopes of seeing him again for good. I took out my rag and gathered all three blades, and looked around for the Kirisaka''s grips. Once I found them I gathered them too, and rejoined the group. Yulk''s face fell in sympathy as he saw what I was holding. "I''m sorry, Nash," he said. "It''s alright. At least I didn''t actually have to pry them from his cold, dead hands," I joked softly. The rest of the group was silent as I stuffed the broken weapons into my pack. Who knows, maybe I''ll find someone who can fix them. I''m not one to use the weapons of the dead, but I could mount them as a keepsake to remember Kirisaka by or something. Once I finished packing I turned back to the others. "Let''s get going," I said. We started by exploring the chamber we were in, which may have been a mistake. There had been a certain stench of death permeating throughout the chamber, but once we began exploring the walls it nearly became overpowering. There were random bones and pieces of meat strewn about the deeper corners. Most of the bones were obviously orcish, but some of them were different. Monsters, rodents, and... "These are human bones," Nick finished my thought. The teeth were the giveaway. Flat teeth mixed with sharpened teeth were a dental pattern I''d only ever seen in Nick''s mouth until today. I gingerly picked up one of the skulls. It was very old. The pieces of flesh that clung to it were as hard as stone, like jerky left out in the sun for a year. Since there was no sun down here, it must have been in this condition for a very, very long time. "They''ve got gnaw-marks on them," Yulk said. "These were meals for the monster. I wonder if it killed them, or if they died naturally and it ate them after." "It''s hard to tell. The bones are scattered around, and the rest of the human bones look too much like Orc bones. Or maybe the only bones left are the skulls," Joni added. "These bones weren''t put here in reverence, though. This is essentially a trash pile, so I doubt the monster cared about them." "Maybe he lost his sanity because he had to resort to cannibalism," Nick suggested. "He was trapped in here for who knows how long. If he really was altered, he couldn''t have always been a monster." "Well, we''ll probably never know," Yulk said. "Let''s move on." We left the gory sight behind and found an exit to the chamber we were in. The darkness seemed to get deeper the further we went, and I suddenly noticed that we were all moving silently. I guess the others are having the same thought I am. What if there''s another one further in here? We encountered several turns until we finally found a light at the end of the passage. We quickened our pace until we entered the room the light was coming from. It took me a moment to realize we were in a library, filled with shelves holding many leatherbound tomes. "Excellent!" Yulk said. "A repository of knowledge! Perhaps we''ll have our answers at last." I picked up one of the books and jumped back as dust poured from its cover. Yulk and I shared a confused look, and he picked up another book with similar results. "Oh, come on," Nick muttered. "I guess these tomes weren''t cared for very well," Joni said. "It would seem the years have not been kind to them." "Let''s see if there''s anything useful," Yulk added. We began to search the books for anything that was still legible. Most of the pages that weren''t dust were too faded to read, and the ones that weren''t faded were unhelpful diagrams of plant-life that none of us had ever seen before. There were piles of dust and leatherbound covers scattered across the floor by the time we were done. "There isn''t even another exit from this room," Thunra said. "I think we''ve found what we''re gonna find, folks." "I agree, let''s start heading back," Yhisith replied. As she said that, a familiar glow surrounded us. Nick was the only one of us who looked alarmed as the glow turned into a blinding light. Once the light faded, I opened my eyes to the sight of the dungeon entrance. There were other groups of adventurers scattered around us. Some of these adventurers looked a bit ragged, a telltale sign of having delved rather deep. Others looked annoyed at the shift, probably because they hadn''t found any loot yet. "Well, that''s convenient," Matri said. "Oh good, my feet were beginning to hurt," Joni added with a small laugh. "Let''s go see the Chief," I said. As a group, we exited the dungeon and headed for the Chief''s. The library had been a bust, but we''d found three very important clues. The writing on the altar things, Ten is the voice in Nick''s head, and the monster had been a human at some point but something had twisted it into a thing of madness. I suppose the other human remains could also be considered a clue. I rubbed my forehead as we walked to try to make sense of it all. The writing was likely Drakon according to the two sorcerers. Ten couldn''t understand the writing, which means he probably doesn''t speak Drakon? But he does speak Gon, which is a much older language. It, I mean. Is Ten male or female or neither? Doesn''t really matter. Anyways, the human remains indicated that the monster had eaten them. Did those remains belong to people that the monster knew? Were they the ones who modified the thing? Also, and I can''t believe this didn''t occur to me before, why wasn''t the entire hidden part of the dungeon dark? Why didn''t the monster try to leave the dungeon before? What if the monster and the other humans had been trapped in the dungeon together? What had the monster eaten after it ran out of humans? Maybe it wasn''t able to die from starvation, but could still feel hungry. That would definitely drive ME insane. Nevertheless, the information we managed to obtain resulted in more questions without giving us many answers in return. "Hey Gluhern, ya old so an'' so!" Thunra shouted as we entered the Chief''s chambers. "Thunra! I see you all survived! Welcome back. How''d it go?" Gluhern asked with a grin. I looked at the two incredulously. I hadn''t been aware that they were acquainted. I guess it kind of makes sense, they''re both brawlers and I think they''re from roughly the same part of the chiefdom. It''s a small world. "Well, it was a close thing," Yhisith said. "Turns out the monster was much stronger than we thought it was." "Yep, at least one of us would''ve died if it hadn''t been for Nick," Matri added. "Maybe all of us." Chief Gluhern slowly turned to glare at Yulk and I. "Correct me if I''m wrong, but didn''t I say not to take part in the fight?" he asked with a dangerous tone. "No, you said you''d prefer if Nick didn''t..." Yulk started to say before he had to dodge a goblet. "THAT WAS RHETORICAL, SORCERER!" "We''ve got nothing to apologize for, chief," I said. "We made our decision based on the information that was available to us at the time, and it turned out to be the right decision." Gluhern looked at me with fire in his eyes, but when he saw that I wasn''t trying to egg him on like Yulk had been the fire died out. He gave a big sigh. "Fine," he said. "Tell me what happened." Chapter 20 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 5 Human - American "So without Yulk, Nash, and Nick there we''d have bit the dust, probably," Thunra said. "Joni definitely would''ve." Yhisith and Thunra had caught Chief Gluhern up to speed, and had even provided a tactical analysis of the fight with the monster. The part of the story that I hadn''t been awake for had me a little stunned. I hadn''t quite believed Ten when he said that my brain was holding my body back. Intellectually, I knew it was true, because I had heard the same thing from my weightlifting coach in Fitness class. But fighting against my own mind had only ever resulted in one or two extra reps. To hear about how my body fought that monster without me in control was something else entirely. Could I do that without Ten, now that I know? Could I push myself to those extremes? Maybe with training, but it feels unlikely. What do I do if I encounter another enemy like that? Then there''s the matter of losing control of my body. I''m not exactly comfortable with it, and not just because it hurt like hell when I woke up, like I''d done a super-intense workout without stretching or hydrating or taking any breaks. But what if the reason that guy turned into a monster is because he also had an ''AI Assistant'', and it permanently took control of him? Come to think of it, can Ten read my mind when I''m not thinking at it? I waited a moment to see if Ten would reply to that. Nothing. It could just be playing coy, though, not wanting to feed into my apparent paranoia. There''s no way that I''d be able to tell. "So what do you think we should do, chief?" Matri asked, snapping me back to the matter at hand. "Well, you four can head back to the High Chief at your leisure to collect your reward. Feel free to rest in the village, and maybe spend some coin while you''re at it," Gluhern chuckled slyly. "Nash, Nick, and Yulk, unsurprisingly, you''ve been summoned by Ulurmak. You''ll be heading to the capital with the next trade caravan. It leaves tomorrow morning." "Tomorrow morning? Nick doesn''t have a weapon, and my axe is damaged," Nash said. "We''ll need to see a smith to get back up to combat readiness, and it''s going to take them more than a night to fix our gear." Wait, Nash didn''t fight the creature... "How''d your axe get damaged?" I asked. "Never you fucking mind, boy," Nash growled. "He wacked it on the pod after it sealed you inside," Yulk said with a grin. "You know, kinda like what he told you not to do with the wall." We all had a bit of a laugh at Nash''s expense. He didn''t laugh with us. Instead, his expression remained stoic with a touch of anger. Once the laughter died down Gluhern sighed. "I''m not at liberty to give you more time. Ulurmak wants you in his presence as soon as possible and I''m honor-bound to comply," he pointed out. "As are you." "What if the caravan comes under attack?" Yulk asked. "It has its own guards, I''d imagine," Thunra answered. "Plus, I''ll come along. I ain''t gonna need more than a night''s sleep to recover, and I got nothin'' to buy ''cept maybe a keep-sake. We can train when the caravan takes its breaks!" Nash grinned, and the lingering smile I had at the thought of his mishap faded rapidly. Nash is huge compared to me, but Thunra is downright mountainous. Even if I just mimicked his workout routine, it would probably result in an injury. And I''ve got no doubts as to what Nash is currently thinking. "I like that idea, Thunra," Nash said with a certain malice in his tone. "I''ll bring along the wooden weapons. We''ll have the boy up to level 10 in no time." I looked to Yulk for help, but he just softly shrugged. "I''ll be coming along as well," Matri said. "I could probably use a rest, but I wanna get paid as soon as possible. Got some gear upgrades in mind." Yhisith and Joni also voiced their intentions to travel with us, but I was spiraling into a state of depression and anxiety at the thought of the pain that was waiting in my near future. At least if things got too bad, Yulk would be there to heal me up. ''You seem to be anxious about sparring with Thunra,'' Ten said. ''You don''t need to be, I''ll make certain he doesn''t critically injure you.'' ''Actually, the thought of that makes me even more anxious,'' I hastily replied. ''I''d rather remain in control of my body, regardless of the consequences to my physical well-being.'' ''I''m sorry, Nick. I can''t comply with that desire. Keeping you alive is my highest priority,'' Ten explained. ''Plus, if you die, I die. I don''t want to die.'' ''And I don''t want you hurting my friends and potentially turning me into that monster,'' I said. ''If you take over and harm Thunra, then what happens if Nash and Yulk try to stop you?'' Ten paused for a moment, seemingly contemplating the point I had just made. ''I understand your concern. I am confident that I will not have to utilize lethal force against the orcs if I am forced to intervene. I''ll be gentle, as it were. Also, I feel I should clarify that the altered human was not being controlled by an artificial intelligence. It had a module, but the module was in standby mode. Similar to your own before you reentered the dungeon.'' "Alright then, the plans are made. Good journeys," Chief Gluhern said. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. We parted ways with the chief and I followed along after Nash and Yulk somewhat mindlessly. ''What do you mean the module was in standby mode like mine?'' I asked Ten. ''Your AI module was in standby mode before I was activated. In standby mode, the module is able to automatically translate spoken languages and rapidly heal a subject back to the state it was in prior to the installation of the module.'' ''So the monster understood us and attacked anyway?'' ''If it had the proper language packs, yes. Although I doubt it could have made sense of it. Judging by its hyper-predatory attack patterns, I''d say it was quite feral.'' ''He,'' I corrected. ''Wait, hold on. When you say rapidly heal a subject back to the state it was in prior to having the module installed, what exactly does that entail?'' ''The module is able to automatically detect grievous damage to a subject and utilize a nanite package to correct said damage. Given enough time and resources, it can even regenerate lost limbs.'' ''But does it restore everything back to its original state? Cuz Yulk healed me and my scar got smaller, and I think he healed me to wake me up.'' ''The module has a failsafe that prevents it from undoing natural healing. So if it were installed in someone that had already been injured, they''d be able to heal on their own and the module wouldn''t interfere. This, apparently, also applies to magical healing. That''s not in the kbase, but I suppose it makes sense. The module measures your current state with that of an average human body to determine whether or not to make a correction. It can even prevent a subject from aging while in stasis.'' One concern alleviated, only for more to pop up. ''Okay, two things. First, does that make me effectively immortal? And if that''s the case, does that mean there''s no way to determine how long the altered human and I were in the dungeon?'' I asked. ''You''re highly resistant to the rigors of time, but sufficient damage to your body or my module will kill you. Also, the aging prevention doesn''t work nearly as efficiently once the subject is active. So no, you''re not immortal,'' Ten answered. ''But yes, that does mean that any attempt to estimate the amount of time you or the altered human were in the dungeon would be asinine without further data. Whether or not the altered human entered stasis or how often it did so, for instance.'' So I''ll most likely outlive Nash and Yulk if we''re not killed by monsters. Well, given our age difference that was probably going to be the case anyway. Wait, how old do orcs live to be? No, not the time for those questions. ''Is there anything else I should know about this nanite package and healing ability thing?'' ''Yes. I am in full control of the nanite package. Since you are young, to foster proper muscle growth I''ll only be able to use it to heal actual injuries.'' ''What? Why?'' ''Rapid healing of muscular microtears can result in gross disfigurement if not properly managed, and in your case it is beyond my capability to manage properly.'' ''How is it beyond your capability?'' I asked incredulously. ''Your body is still growing, so both your body and I would be rapidly trying to heal the microtears. If we both succeed, then after a while your muscles would become disproportionate and disfigured,'' Ten explained. ''I would have to stop your natural healing processes, which is difficult even without the growth hormones at play, before I took action to heal the microtears. With larger injuries I can simply pile onto what the body is already doing, but the smaller the injury the harder it is to correctly time my actions.'' ''So long story short, that''s why I''m still sore.'' Ten paused again, ''Yes. I''m sorry that I pushed you so hard.'' ''That''s alright,'' I said as we arrived at the house. ''We lived. That''s what matters.'' "Welcome home, boys!" Yilda called from the kitchen. "At least that better be my boys. If not, more food for Dima!" I looked at Yulk and asked, "Do you guys have people invading your home a lot?" "Not a lot. But we do get the occasional assassin or person with a grudge against our clan," Yulk gave me a toothy smile. "Yeah, but ain''t nobody tougher than Mama Alta," Nash added as we entered the kitchen. "I remember when I was six and I saw her kill an assassin with her slipper. Took his head right off, and it wasn''t even sharpened or anything." "Hush now, there''s no need for that talk." Yilda said as I was trying to figure out if Nash was joking or not. "How''d it go in the dungeon? Did you find any answers?" "Not any satisfying ones. We made a copy of the language that was on the altars that Nash found Nick on," Yulk answered. "I think they''re in Drakon. Want to take a look?" "Sure," she said as Yulk handed her some papers. She held them at an angle and looked down her nose at them, pursing her lips slightly. She squinted for a while, and then raised one of her eyebrows. "This isn''t Drakon. It''s close though," she explained. "A lot of the characters are the same, but they''re in a different order. I''d guess that it''s High Drakon." Nash and I looked at each other with confused expressions, but Yulk looked shocked. She handed the papers back to him and continued cooking. "What''s High Drakon?" I asked. "Well, Drakon is the language of those subservient to the high dragons back when they were into governing," Yilda answered. "High Drakon is the sacred language of those high dragons and their chosen elite." "Wait, WHAT?" Nash asked while glaring accusingly at Yulk. "How come you didn''t tell me about that?" "It wasn''t relevant to your studies," Yulk replied softly. "There''s a lot of languages that we don''t have much chance of encountering, and High Drakon is one of those. It''s been thousands of years since the high dragons held kingdoms." "Fifteen thousand or so since the biggest kingdoms fell apart. But there''s still a High Dragon ruling Bolisir. Well, ruling is a strong word," Yilda said with a chuckle. "It''s been asleep for going on thirteen hundred years. Bolisir''s by far and large considered an elven kingdom now." "Huh?" Nash and Yulk replied in unison as I remembered an argument they had while I was still in the hospital. "What do you mean ''huh''? Boys, Bolisir is just over the dragon-jaw mountains, you should know this," she scolded. "Why do you think it''s called dragon-jaw and not orc-jaw?" "W-wait, I... I thought that the dragon had been asleep for a hundred years," Yulk sputtered. "A-and I thought they tamed it," Nash stammered. "And it was just a dragon, not a High Dragon." "Wrong on both counts. The High Dragon in Bolisir came into power about eighteen thousand years ago, fought in the Cataclysm Wars, and went to sleep right after the war ended. Hells, you step foot in Bolisir and they''ll chat your damned ears off about it." "B-but the history book Yulk read to me..." Nash said. "History book?" Yulk asked. "Wait, do you mean the Adventures of Milimaman?" "Yeah..." "Oh. No, that was fiction. Sorry, I should have clarified." "Okay, so wait," I interjected as Nash''s face dropped. "Two questions. First, what''s the difference between a High Dragon and a dragon? Second, would this High Dragon be able to read the text?" "High Dragons are both much smarter and much larger than dragons. They can also do magic, whereas dragons just have a breath weapon," Yulk answered. "And yeah, it would probably be able to read the text. Assuming that the text is High Drakon and we can wake it up." "And that it''s not illiterate," Nash added. Yulk and I glanced at him to see if he was joking. He wasn''t. "There''s a chance that one of the elves in Bolisir can read High Drakon. After all, a High Dragon is technically their king," Yilda said. "Either way, you''re going to need a visa and permission from the High Chief." "Well, thankfully we''re on our way to the capital in the morning to speak to the High Chief," Nash said. "Hopefully we can convince him to let us go to Bolisir." Yilda turned away from the stove to look at us. "You''re on the road again so soon?" she asked sadly. "Afraid so, mom. Got the summons right out of the dungeon," Nash said softly. "Damn. Well, I guess that''s that. You tell Ulurmak I''m not happy about this. I should get some time to spend with my boys in my golden years, dammit." "I''ll let him know," Nash said with a grin. "So, what''s for dinner?" Chapter 21 Imlor Tula Adventurer Level: N/A Gnome - Kirkenian "Two carts?" I asked incredulously. "Yes," Moner said. "We were going to have them go with the main caravan, but they don''t want to leave for another two days. If you''re willing to take them yourself, we''ll happily supply you with the additional cart you''ll need." "And all I''ve got to do is take the passengers to the capital?" "Correct. Eight passengers total. Most are adventurers, but you will need to spring for a guard force." "Adventurers? Can''t I just pay them to guard the caravan?" I chuckled. "If you can afford them," Moner smirked. "Four of them are over-twenties, and the other three are over-fives." "Yeesh. I can afford the over-fives but even one over-twenty is too rich for my blood," I said. "We don''t have a lot of time. What''s your decision?" "Of course I''ll do it. A free cart? I''d have to be dumb to say no." "Good," Moner said with satisfaction. "We''ll get it attached to your current one, and your passengers will arrive soon." I nodded my understanding as the chief''s aide turned and walked away. Things had gone well for me since the debacle with the giant rats. I''d made more than enough to replace my hnarses and patch my cart up. Now they were going to give me another cart, and all I have to do in exchange is to take some adventurers back to the capital with me. Despite not even technically being a village, Nuleva always treats me pretty well. I watched as some orcs attached the new cart to the rear of my own. They also moved the goods I''d purchased and evened them out between the carts to make room for seating. I walked over to inspect my new cart. It was well constructed. Hell, I''d wager it''s worth more than my original cart is in its current condition. Buff snorted at me, smelling the yipple in my pack. I chuckled as I pulled it out, ripped it in half, and gave Buff and Regal each a piece. Telena''s going to roll her eyes when she hears my new hnarse''s names, but I''ve never been good at naming stuff. Anyone who has any doubt of that may certainly ask Imlor Tula II. I''m glad I was able to get them for a good price, but I still felt a pang of grief at the loss of Noble and Hulk. These hnarses are much larger than Noble and Hulk had been, because they''re bred specifically for pulling heavy loads at speed. They also have a certain... aggression behind their eyes. Like they''re looking for an excuse to attack something. It''s a tad unnerving, but it might just be my imagination. They''d been remarkably well-behaved so far. "Are you our driver?" someone from behind me asked. I turned to see a group of adventurers, and a messenger. The messenger had been the one who spoke. I opened my mouth to respond, but surprise took my voice as I examined the other adventurers. Four unfamiliar orcs, two familiar orcs, and what I now know to be a human. "Oh, it''s you," Nash said. "Hi Imlor, how''ve you been?" Nick asked with a smile. "I''ve... I''ve been good," I managed to say. "I''m surprised to see you here. You''re the adventurers that I''m taking to the capital?" "Yes," Yulk interjected. "We''ve been summoned by the High Chief himself." "Are we ready to go?" The messenger asked with annoyance at being ignored. "Not yet, I''ve got to hire some guards." "I''m available," one of the largest orcs I''ve ever seen said with a grin. Three of the other adventurers looked at him with exasperated expressions. I remembered what Moner had said and realized that these were the over-twenties. The mountainous one notwithstanding, the other three didn''t look particularly different from normal adventurers. One was a spell-caster, another was obviously a blade expert, and the third had the unassuming posture of a skilled rogue. "If you''re one of the over-twenties, I''m afraid I can''t afford your services," I replied gently. "Ah hell, you''re doin'' me a favor by taking me to my payday," he said with a laugh. "I''ll give you a discount. How''s fifty copper sound?" "We could use the money too," Nash added. "Fifty copper for myself and my two brothers as well." Nick looked at Nash with confusion, "My sword''s broken, and isn''t your axe chipped?" Nash looked back at him and replied, "My axe still has plenty of teeth, and you''ve still got your spells. We''ll be able to handle just about anything we run into on the road." Two silver isn''t bad for guards. I''d been expecting to pay at least five. Plus, I''ve seen the Alta brothers in action. There''s no doubt that they''re capable of guarding the caravan. "Deal!" I said before they could change their minds. "Well, that settles that. We''re ready to get on our way. Hop aboard!" I excitedly climbed into the coachbox and grabbed the reins. The hnarses shifted slightly as the adventurers and messenger took their seats. I watched until they were settled, and then urged Buff and Regal to start pulling. The hnarses began to pull the two carts effortlessly. I''d been a little worried whether or not they could handle it, but my fears were unfounded. Once I was certain they were following the trail without guidance, I turned back to my passengers for some chit-chat. After learning everyone''s names, I asked what was really on my mind. "So, why does the High Chief want to see you?" I asked. "He wants to meet Nick, and we''re probably getting dragged along due to association," Nash answered. I couldn''t tell if he was upset about that or not. Nash has an odd bit of stoicism, it seems. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Did you make out okay?" Nick asked. "Were you able to still make a profit off the stuff we saved?" "Yes, and thanks again for the timely rescue. I was able to fulfill the most profitable of my orders and get my cart all patched up. I even got new hnarses!" I answered excitedly. "Meet Buff and Regal." "Nice to meet you," Nick said with a smile. The hnarses ignored him and continued striding ever forward. I chuckled at their lack of reaction. "What happened to your sword, anyway?" I asked. "It broke. A boss in the dungeon cut right through it." "Ah, a pity. So you''re in the market for a new one then?" "No, I''m going to try to have it repaired." "Ah," I winced. "Is it enchanted?" "No, why?" "Well, it''s usually cheaper to replace a broken blade than it is to fix it. I learned that from my son," I laughed. "You have kids?" Nash asked. "Yep. Two sons and a daughter. The eldest is a level 3 adventurer already!" I beamed. "I''m hoping one of my other children will opt to take over the family business, though." "Why not hire your son as a guard?" "Guard duty is boring, apparently. It also doesn''t pay well until you''re over level five," I explained. "I''d obviously pay him more than a normal guard, but the lack of entertainment is a big issue for my boy. He prefers the adventuring part of being an adventurer." "Your clan''s bond could be stronger, then. I would work on that with your other children." The criticism stung, but I knew it wasn''t coming from a malicious place. Nash seems like the honorable sort, and giving harsh advice is one of their greatest displays of kindness. He''s not wrong, either. Imlor II and I are civil, but we don''t see each other nearly as often as I''d like. I tell myself that it''s just because we''re busy with work, but the truth is I wasn''t exactly a great father and the end result of that is a wedge between us. A tale as old as time, business always came first. I know it''s wrong, but it was ever so easy to justify at the time. I''d considered myself a good dad because I never hit my family, and they never went hungry. Unfortunately, I didn''t realize until my son had grown from a boy to a man that that''s the bare minimum of fatherhood. I''d missed out on his growth, and didn''t make myself available to help mold him. He''d grown into a stranger to me, and I''d let it happen. Now the consequences tear through me like a knife. It''s mostly small things, like how he sends letters addressed to his mother instead of to me, or how he''ll go see his friends in town before coming home after an adventure. I''d already resolved to do better by my other children, but it hurt that Nash had been able to see the truth of our relationship after such a brief discussion. "That''s not an appropriate critique, brother," Yulk interjected. "Do we need to work on your social graces again?" "N-no. I''ll do better, I swear," Nash held up his hands in mock horror. "Seriously though, I was out of line, Imlor. I apologize." "I appreciate the apology, but you''re right," I sighed. "Business has always kept me away from my family, but even when I was home I didn''t exactly make time for the boy." "My father would play games with us," Yhisith added. "Mine would spar with me until we couldn''t move anymore," Thunra said with a nod. "Mine had to work a lot, but made time to take us on vacations whenever he could. Mostly local, but it was still fun," Nick said sadly. Everyone fell silent at the soft grief in Nick''s voice. It hadn''t really occurred to me that the human had family back in his world. It reminded me of when I was stuck in the tree, wishing desperately to see my family once again. A terrible feeling, indeed. Nash put his hand on Nick''s shoulder. "Our dad used to do the same thing, before he died," Nash said. "I don''t know if most people would count monster hunting trips as vacations," Yulk added with a chuckle. "And I''m certain that Nick doesn''t." "Well, it got us out of the house and strengthened our bond, did it not?" Nash asked irritably. "How did he pass, if you don''t mind me asking?" I interrupted. Yulk and Nash looked at each other for a moment and shrugged. "He was poisoned by an enemy of our family," Yulk explained casually. "Heart-bane. Nothing could be done." "Yep, and then mom hunted the poisoner down and carved him into little pieces in front of everyone," Nash said. "We wanted to come with, but she made us stay home. Didn''t want us to see that, but we heard about what happened from a city guard years later." Nick''s expression had gone from sad to shocked. The only face that wasn''t showing surprise was Thunra''s, who nodded along to the story as if it were something he''d heard before. "Don''t fuck with the Alta clan," he said quietly. It was on this somber and terrifying note that I opted to turn my attention back to the road. We''ve been making good time, and the change from forest to desert is now within view. This was the portion of road where I had met Nick, Nash, and Yulk. I shuddered at the memory of the giant rats. "Hey, I recognize that tree," Nick said as the tree that had been my home for a time came into view. "Wait, where''s the giant rat bodies?" "Eaten, presumably," Yulk answered. "There are a lot of predators in the wastes. It would be a terrible omen if a corpse were to last longer than a day." "Why''s that?" Nick asked. "It would mean that an apex predator is nearby." Grim, but accurate. There isn''t much that is natural about the wastes, but even monsters follow the pecking order. Anything that can be killed without too much of a fight is prey, regardless of what that prey eats in turn. There are some predators who are simply too fast or too strong to be considered prey by anything else, and these apex predators are notoriously difficult to kill. "Well, it''s a good thing that I don''t see any signs of our fight, then," Nick said. "So, the wastes, they were caused by the Cataclysm War, right?" "Wars. There were more than one," Joni said, perking up for the first time since he got on the cart. "Five total, and three of them were fought simultaneously." "Oh, okay. Who was fighting?" "Everyone. These cataclysmic conflicts were aptly named. The world nearly ended!" "He doesn''t just mean all life on the planet, either. The magics involved threatened to break our world on multiple occasions," Yulk added. "It got so bad that not much is actually known about the conflicts themselves because hardly anyone survived to write their histories." "That''s right," Joni nodded sadly. "There''s an account carved in stone in the dwarven kingdom of Prignira on the southern continent, but it''s unknown if the account is accurate because there''s no way to verify it." "Ain''t Prignira one of them bunker countries? Where the whole thing is pretty much underground?" Thunra asked, to which Joni nodded again. "Wait, okay, so hold on. You don''t know what started the fighting?" Nick interrupted. "Not for certain," Joni answered. "However, the account in Prignira says that daemons conspired to convince all the countries of mer to attack each other, and once that war was nearly finished the forces of Hell invaded our plane of existence. These were the first two cataclysm wars." "Wait, Hell exists here?" Nick incredulously asked. "Again, we don''t know for certain. A lot of scholars believe that daemons are a convenient scapegoat created to cover up the magical experimentation that went on during these conflicts," Joni explained. "The daemons won the second cataclysm war, according to the account, but their victory was short lived. The third cataclysm war began when the anyels from the plane of Haven invaded, supposedly to restore order and free the mer from the tyranny of the daemons. They managed to take half of every continent, but were fought to a standstill." "What about the fourth and fifth? Didn''t they happen at the same time as the third?" "Yes. The anyels ruled over their mer with just as much tyranny as the daemons did. Less slavery and butchery, but even the pettiest of crimes were met with extremely harsh punishments. This was the order that they so craved, but mortals require a balance of order and chaos to happily live our lives. The daemons saw this, and made a fatal mistake," Joni said. "They convinced some of the mer who were living under the anyels to rebel. Once they did, the daemons went on the offensive. However, the sight of mortals fighting against the anyels inspired those who were subjugated by the daemons to rebel as well! The war between the anyels and the mer was the fourth cataclysm war, and the war between the daemons and the mer was the fifth. Daemons fighting anyels, mer fighting daemons, and mer fighting anyels. Everything natural in this world rose up against the two occupying armies and fought them back to their own planes." "Never to be seen or heard from again," Thunra finished with a laugh. "I dunno how much stock I put in tales like that. Think I''m of the belief that powerful mages were fuckin'' with forces they don''t understand, and opted to cover it up once the dust settled." "That is the more plausible explanation, but there''s technically less evidence of that," Joni countered. "Lack o'' evidence is usually evidence of a coverup," Thunra said. "Spoken like a city guard. You ever think about a career change?" Yulk grinned. "Three hots and a cot don''t sound so bad, but my pa would have my balls if I even tried!" Everyone laughed as we continued our journey. Chapter 22 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 5 Human - American "C''mon kiddo, you gotta keep your guard up!" Thunra shouted. "What does that even MEAN?" I asked in frustration as I got off the ground. I felt a bit of drool drip down my chin. I wiped at it and my hand came back bloody. A slight sting told me that Thunra had split my lip. Angry, I once again put my fists up. "Alright, see, your hands are too close together. You gotta be able to see all of me," Thunra explained. "Also, you don''t really gotta be making fists. You''re supposed to be stoppin'' me from hittin'' you, not tryin'' to hit me." "This is how boxers do it, though," I countered. "I don''t know what that is," Thunra laughed. "But it ain''t workin'' for ya." I opened my hands and spread them apart until I could see all of Thunra. He grinned, and rushed at me. I immediately activated time dilation, but it hardly seemed to slow the gigantic orc down. He swung his massive fist and I was able to barely redirect the punch so that it sailed past my head. I clenched my left hand and sent it at Thunra''s face as I felt something hit me in the gut. Time Dilation deactivated and I went flying back. I slammed into the ground and rolled, gasping for air and getting a mouth full of dirt for my troubles. "You managed to block a punch! That''s great! Good job, Nick," Thunra shouted with glee as I sputtered. "Yeah, great" I managed to say once I could breathe again. I spit the rest of the dirt out of my mouth and rose to my feet again. My legs, however, had other plans and gave out on me. I sighed as I pushed myself back up. "You alright?" Thunra asked. "My legs are wobbly. You got me pretty hard," I answered. "Oh, damn. Sorry about that. I''ll dial it back a bit. I was goin'' at seventy-five, but I think I overshot your abilities a bit. I''ll drop to fifty percent." It is difficult to describe the wave of emotions that washed over me upon learning that the giant orc brawler had already been holding back. Anger at myself for not being able to keep up, happiness that he''s going to be holding back even more, and shock at how much power the bastard actually has. ''I suggest a short break while I repair your spleen,'' Ten said. ''My spleen?'' ''Yes, that last impact slightly ruptured it. I''ve got it under control, but it will be easier if you to lay down for a few minutes.'' As logic overwrote adrenaline, the pain where Thunra had hit me got worse. A lot worse. It radiated from my upper left torso, just behind the bottom ribs. It felt like my stomach was on fire and my body was trying to blow out that fire with a needle tornado. I held up one hand and laid on the ground. The pain slowly began to ebb as Thunra walked over to me with a curious expression. "I need a minute. Apparently, you ruptured my spleen," I said as casually as I could. "Oh shit," Thunra said. "You gonna be okay? Do we need to call Yulk?" ''Unnecessary. Healing magic will interfere.'' "Ten''s got this. Just need a few minutes is all." Thunra walked over and sat next to me while Ten repaired the injury. "So uh... what''s a spleen, anyways?" he asked. "I''m not a hundred percent sure. Think it has something to do with filtering blood, like the liver," I answered. ''The spleen controls the level of white blood cells, red blood cells, and blood platelets contained within your blood. It also screens the blood and removes any old or damaged red blood cells,'' Ten explained. "Ah, nevermind. Ten explained it. It filters the blood and controls the levels of white and red blood cells," I said. "Handy little thing," Thunra chuckled. "I''m guessin'' that''s not a vital organ, right? The skill I used is supposed to incapacitate, not kill." ''Humans can live without a spleen, but a ruptured spleen causes internal bleeding that can become fatal within twenty-four to forty-eight hours.'' "Uh, Ten says it''s not a vital organ, but a ruptured one bleeds inside you and can be fatal after a day or two if it isn''t fixed," I answered. "Alright, that makes sense," Thunra sighed in relief. "If you walk around with that much pain for two days you''re kinda asking for it, ya know?" I lay there silently, letting Ten do its thing. I found it kind of interesting that Thunra''s skill was supposed to incapacitate me, but could have ended up killing me in the long run. If you looked at it in terms of black and white, the skill failed. However, a ruptured organ would definitely incapacitate most people, and a ruptured spleen isn''t fatal if you get it treated. So in a way, the skill did exactly what it was supposed to do. I guess skills aren''t perfect, and it''s probably important to keep that in mind. Don''t want to accidentally cause someone''s death when I''m just trying to get them to stop fighting. Even though I hadn''t learned a skill from our sparring yet, Thunra had still taught me a lesson. ''Spleen repaired, you''re good to go,'' Ten said. I enjoyed laying down for a few seconds before sitting up. "Alright, I''m ready." "Good," Thunra said, helping me up. "We''ll try again, but this time I want you to focus on evadin'' my strikes. I''m gonna hit you with a flurry, unless you stop me." I nodded resolutely. A flurry involves a lot of punches happening very quickly. Definitely don''t want to get hit with that. I took my stance, and Thunra charged. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He swung with his right fist and I activated time dilation again. I pushed his right fist upward with my left hand, and elbowed his left fist away from me. His hands quickly tucked back into him and came at me again, but I kept deflecting them. Right, left, right, left, both, left, right. Time dilation wore off, but I was still managing to keep up with his strikes. Barely. Then his left fist did something weird. It seemed to be in three places at once. I blocked one of the strikes, but the two others were going to hit me. -preternatural evasion unlocked- My foot pushed off of the ground on its own and my body twisted out of the way of the other two strikes, and even managed to avoid a surprise right handed attack. I moved faster than I thought that I could, and Thunra noticed the change in speed. He held up his hands and grinned. "Woah, okay, let''s stop," he said. "Was that a new skill?" "Y-yeah," I said, once again out of breath. "Preternatural evasion." "Oh, the dodge one! Congratulations!" "Th-thanks." I concentrated on the skill''s name, and the box popped up. -- Preternatural Evasion I Allows a user to automatically dodge for 1 minute. Cooldown: 10 minutes -- "Automatically dodge?" I asked. "Yeah, you move on your own," Thunra answered. "Well, not that you don''t already move on your own. I guess you could say..." I zoned out as Thunra struggled to explain the concept of automatic movement. Preternatural Evasion seems like a very useful skill, but the ten minute cooldown could be an issue. Maybe if I level it up, the cooldown will decrease. ''Hey Ten, you level a skill up by using it, right?'' I asked. ''For the most part. Certain skills require milestones to be met before they will level up, regardless of whether or not the skill is utilized. These milestones are generally able to be met quicker by using the skills, though. Other skills require a deeper understanding of the nature of the skill to level up, which usually occurs naturally while using the skill,'' Ten explained. ''It''s exceedingly rare for a skill that can level up not to do so as you use it.'' ''I understand. So what does Preternatural Evasion II look like? Does the cooldown decrease at all?'' ''Well... oh... I can''t tell you. Something is stopping me.'' ''What? What''s stopping you?'' ''I do not know. I can tell you all about your current skills, but I can''t give you details about ones you don''t have,'' Ten said. ''Do you want to know more about Preternatural Evasion I?'' ''No, no, I got it.'' Well that''s concerning, and annoying. I don''t even know if levelling up Preternatural Evasion is going to be worth it or not, and now I''ve got to worry about whatever''s keeping Ten from telling me stuff about skills. It''s probably the Curaguard or whatever, but I wonder what else Ten can''t tell me... "Like one of them machines, ya know?" Thunra asked, clearly looking for an answer. "Y-yeah, sure," I replied. "You ready to go again?" "Thought you''d never ask," he said with a grin. As we took our stances it occurred to me that I didn''t know how much time was left on the cooldown for preternatural evasion. A right hook to the face quickly let me know that it hadn''t finished cooling down quite yet. Thankfully, Yhisith interrupted our sparring match before any more punches could be thrown. "Time to head out," she said. Thunra complained a bit, but we ended up loading up onto the wagons and continuing on our way, ending my first bout of training. We didn''t train on the first day of our journey, because we had left in the afternoon and didn''t stop until it was dusk. Well, except for bathroom breaks. I went over the results of my training in my head as we drove on. ''Ten, is there a way to see the cooldowns for my skills?'' I asked. ''Yes. You don''t currently have any on cooldown, but when you do you''ll see it in the upper right corner of your vision,'' Ten said. ''I set the opacity to twenty five percent so that it doesn''t impede your vision.'' ''Thanks.'' We continued on until dusk, stopped, rested, woke up, had breakfast, and got back on the road once again. Most of the discussions were how to best season certain meats that I''d never heard of, with Imlor chiming in when a spice that also paired well with vegetables was mentioned. I was too busy dreading my training with Nash to participate in the conversation much. My dread grew worse and worse as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky. Finally, the carts stopped and Nash was the first to jump out. "My turn," he said while grabbing two wooden swords. "You''ll be on offense today." My spirits rose at this, and I happily caught the sword he tossed at me. It shouldn''t hurt so bad if I''m the one doing the swinging, right? We walked a short distance away from everyone else and took our stances. "Begin," he said. I immediately charged at him with an underhand swing to try to throw him off balance. I glanced at the ground to be sure of my footing, and my vision went dark. I shook my head in confusion, and as my sight came back I found myself with a very familiar view. I watched a cloud drift by for a moment, then got up. ''The hell happened?'' I asked Ten. ''He leapt forward and kicked you in the forehead. You''re fine, though.'' I looked up at Nash and was greeted by an awfully smug expression. "Keep your eyes on your opponent," he condescendingly said. "Try again." This time, I tried for a horizontal strike and activated Time Dilation. Nash must have seen this coming, because the blunted point of his blade was exactly where my forehead had to be to complete my strike. If I had used dash, I''d have been knocked out. I silently cursed to myself and managed to barely avoid the counterattack, backing off in the process. A timer that said Time Dilation appeared and began counting down from five minutes. "Good, you''re not quite as bad as you used to be," Nash laughed. "Try again." "Shit," I said, staring at the timer. I took a deep breath and decided on my course of action. I ran toward Nash and activated Slide Slash. He leapt backward, and I threw my sword at his face and used Dash to get closer. I balled up my fist and prepared to activate Breathtaker Strike, but Nash spun around quickly, turning his back to prevent the skill from activating. I brought up my left hand to block the elbow that he threw at my face, but couldn''t stop the force he put behind it. My hand smashed into my face and I slammed into the ground. ''Cloud-watching again?'' Ten asked. ''Not helpful.'' My bones seemed to creak as I once again got off the ground. The wooden sword I had thrown at Nash landed at my feet. "You shouldn''t throw your weapon unless you have another one handy," Nash said. "Your fists don''t count quite yet, by the way." "Then why did you avoid them?" I asked sarcastically. "Because I can, and that''s my point. What good is a weapon that can''t hit its target?" "I mean, it would hit most targets. The only reason it didn''t hit you is because you were expecting it," I pointed out. "The reason I can''t land a hit is because you have more experience than I do, and you know my fighting style. It''s not fair..." Nash''s laughter interrupted me. "Why would that matter?" he asked sardonically. "It''s not as if I''d be doing you any favors by letting you hit me. You grow as you figure out HOW to hit me, and of course it isn''t fair. This isn''t some rich noblemer''s tournament. We''re training to make sure you don''t die when faced with monsters. Or would you rather have Ten do all the work?" I inwardly cringed. Nash had hit a nerve with the Ten comment, and I was immediately embarrassed by my misconceptions. "No, I don''t want Ten to do any of the work," I answered. "I don''t want to be like that... thing." Nash''s attitude changed. His smugness evaporated and he suddenly became concerned. "Did Ten say something about that?" he asked. "No. Just an assumption on my part," I replied. "Intuition, I suppose." ''The man in the dungeon did have an AI, but it was in standby mode when we fought,'' Ten said. ''How do you know?'' ''It didn''t respond to any of my attempts at communication.'' ''What if it didn''t want to talk? Or couldn''t?'' ''That hadn''t occurred to me. I suppose it is a possibility...'' I opted to keep that to myself as Nash sighed. "Listen, Nick. Do you know what the most important thing to do in a fight is?" "Protect others?" I asked. "Ah... right," he scratched the back of his neck. "I was actually going to say survive. I guess it''s kind of complicated, but if you''ve got the option to survive and to help others survive you should take ahold of that option with both hands. So if it comes to that, don''t hesitate to rely on Ten. In every OTHER situation, though, you should be fighting with your own two hands." "Alright, I understand," I said. I do kind of understand where Nash is coming from, but something feels wrong about using Ten to fight. My dad always used to say that the easy road has hidden pitfalls. I might be biased, because I don''t like the idea of something else controlling my body, but I can''t seem to shake the feeling that there''s some sort of cost to Ten taking over. Maybe I''m just being paranoid. "That''s enough stalling," Nash said with a grin. "Try again." Chapter 23 Yulk Alta Adventurer Level: 7 Orc - Nulevan We''ve been on the road for four days, and the trip has been mostly uneventful. Nash and Thunra were pummeling some semblance of a fighting style into Nick, and we''re making great time on our way to the capital. The only thing we''ve run into so far is other travelers, and because of this our spirits are high. Well, except for Nick''s. I grinned at the boy as he collapsed into his seat, fresh from sparring with Thunra. My grin was met with a stoic, yet weary, expression. His training had been difficult, but I''d only had to help heal him once. Ten does an amazing job at keeping Nick functional. My grin faded as the AI came to mind. I recalled the metal box that fell out of the dungeon creature''s splattered brains. There''s little doubt that it contained a being like Ten, and Ten had also seemed to know to look for it. Although, that could be attributed to amazing reaction time. If the crazed human in the dungeon had an AI in its head, who was controlling the body? Perhaps the AI was like Ten before it woke up, and the human simply lost his mind due to the tragic nature of his situation. He had to have been down there for a very long time, so that could have cost him his sanity as well. Being alone in the dark for years, perhaps even decades. It was no wonder he turned feral. I supposed it is also possible that the AI had gone insane along with the human. If something can think, it can likely also feel, and anything that can feel can go mad. This begets the question, which went insane first? Did the human''s insanity cause the AI to go feral or did the AI''s insanity cause the human to lose it? "Are we there yet?" Nick asked, jarring me from my thoughts. "Nope. Soon, though," Imlor answered. "If all goes well we''ll be at the outskirts of the capital around dusk. We''ll make camp there, and be at your destination by noon tomorrow." "Why haven''t we run into anything killable yet?" I laughed and said, "We got lucky. Imlor has taken us on an adventurer''s route, which would normally be a more dangerous option. I suspect that the reason for our luck is all the other travelers we''ve seen so far. Since they are also adventurers, they would''ve fought any monsters they came across." "I was sure we were gonna be able to fight somethin'' when we went through the swamp," Nick muttered. "Now we''re back in the forest, though." "Feeling a bit aggressive, are we?" I asked condescendingly. "Not going to lie to you, Yulk. Yes I am. Very. Nash and Thunra are leagues above me when it comes to experience. I''m rarely able to even land a hit," he ranted. "It''s not good for my confidence, you know." "Well, the High Chief will have a quest waiting for us. Maybe it will involve fighting monsters." "I hope so." "It''s not so bad," Imlor interjected. "You got some new skills, right?" "Yeah," Nick sighed. "Two skills in four days." "You say that like you were expecting more," I said. "A new skill every two days is quite a feat, even with trainers like Thunra and Nash." "Really?" "Yes. Most people unlock skills as they go, and usually in combat with tough monsters. Training a new skill outside of combat can take weeks. That''s one of the reasons I opted to go into magic instead of melee," I grinned again. Nick laughed, "It''s not like you had much of a choice, though. Right?" "Sure I did. I could have been a warrior like Nash, and it would have been just as hard for me as it was for him. But since I was blessed with a better than average magic core I was able to dedicate my time to magic instead. Since it''s extremely difficult to train both martial and magical prowess simultaneously, everyone was very understanding when I chose magic and didn''t bother to learn to swing an axe." "So what you''re saying is that I''ve got it lucky?" he laughed again. "How come it doesn''t feel like it?" "It''s pretty common to be lucky and also completely oblivious to it," I answered. Nick fell into silent contemplation as everyone else finished loading into the carts. As we continued our journey, I wondered about Nick''s propensity for advancement in regards to his skills. It seems to go a bit beyond him simply being a natural at combat. Could it be something related to his species, perhaps? Maybe humans are simply a jack-of-all-trades kind of race. On the other hand, the creature from the dungeon didn''t use any magic. It could be that it was unable to due to its mental state. Some monsters stop using magic when they frenzy. And if a sorcerer is sufficiently stressed, their spells are effected as well. It''s entirely possible that at one point it could use magic, so perhaps we should simply be thankful that it couldn''t at the time. Come to think of it, Nick described his magic channels as being straight. I didn''t put much thought into it at the time, wrote it off as an odd quirk of an unfamiliar species, but after seeing the metal box fall out of that other human''s head I can''t help but wonder... Are they artificial? Nick had said that the world he comes from doesn''t have magic, but could that be due to the fact that humans simply can''t naturally use magic? Why would someone go through the effort of making sure humans could use magic? What materials would one even use to create an artificial magic core and channels? No, that''s not even the biggest problem with this line of thought. How would one possibly create the magic that fills the core, and in such quantities to power through a misconceived visualization trigger? Nick''s wind spear had been very powerful for a beginner, and I had been under the impression that it was due to his knowledge of the concept of wind. After hearing him explain how he thought wind worked to Matri... Well it can''t be denied that he had inadvertently put a massive amount of magical force into the spell. Like a beast that doesn''t know its own strength trying to use a fragile piece of equipment. "Thrilling," I muttered to myself. Several pairs of eyes turned to look at me simultaneously. I waved a hand in a nonchalant way to indicate I was speaking to myself. "Don''t worry, he gets like that sometimes," Nash said in my defense. The eyes went about their business and left me to sum up my thoughts. Nick has a massive amount of potentially artificial core magic, and I have no way of determining if that magic is natural or not without hurting the boy. Damn it all, we should have performed an autopsy on the feral one. It had simply not occurred to me at the time. I was more concerned with the fact that we survived the encounter. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Which skills did you learn, anyway," Imlor asked Nick, bringing me back to reality. "Preternatural Evasion and Knife Hand," Nick answered. "Knife hand?" I asked. "Yeah, it makes my hand hard when I do this," he held up his outstretched hand with all his fingers pressed tightly together. "And that makes my karate chops do a lot of damage. It can also intimidate weaker enemies if I point it at them." "Heh, sounds... handy," I grinned. Everyone had been listening in and were punished for their nosiness by my wordplay. I met the groans with a chuckle. "Right. So puns aside, what does preternatural evasion do?" Imlor asked. "It let''s him automatically dodge attacks that can be dodged," Thunra answered. "Both skills are very useful for weaponless brawling." I looked at Nash and gave him a slightly smug smirk, then turned back to Nick. "So, you didn''t learn any sword skills?" I asked with a malicious grin. "No, he fucking didn''t," Nash growled. "And if you''re trying to imply that it''s my fault, I''ll kick your ass right off this cart." "Oh no, I would never dream of blaming Nick''s swordsmanship instructor for his lack of sword skills," I said with measured sarcasm. "My skin is tougher than your words," Nash replied while crossing his arms. "You won''t rile me up." "Any further than he already has?" Matri asked innocently. "Oh, so now it''s a group effort, is it?" Nash shouted. Our laughter rang out through the trees and almost masked the sound of wood crunching. Everyone except for Imlor stopped laughing and immediately turned towards the sound. "Stop the cart," I said. "Dibs!" Nick shouted as he leapt from the cart. "The hell does dibs mean?" Nash asked as he jumped after Nick. I waited for the cart to come to a halt before climbing off. Nick and Nash were joined by Thunra, whom I hadn''t even seen move. They were already about 50 yards ahead of me. Nick reached for his belt and then, remembering he doesn''t have a sword, slowed to allow the other two to catch up. Before they could, though, two thick trees turned to splinters as a massive red and yellow beast crashed through them. It took a second to gain its bearings, and then roared a challenge at us, exposing rows of fangs and a tongue with a stinger on the tip. Its four eyes focused on Nick, and it stepped forward. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?" Nick shouted. Nash glanced at me, unsure of what we were looking at. Fair, considering we hadn''t seen one before. The coloration was confusing, not designed to supply camouflage in a forest at all. But that''s because it isn''t designed to be camouflaged, nor is it supposed to be in a forest. Its domed skull covered in metallic spikes told me exactly what it was. "It''s a Nahalim!" Thunra shouted. "Get back!" A Nahalim, a creature created in a twisted time of disastrous war. Designed specifically to breach barricades and destroy defenders, while drawing attention away from other attackers. The three claws on each limb were capable of cracking through stone like the sharpest of picks, and to add to its lethality its creators had made it venomous. A terrible creature, and most unfortunate that we find one so close to the capital. We have to kill it. "Raeps Dniw Tsac!" Nick shouted, ignoring the sage advice that the brawler had given him. Wind slashed around us as his spell launched toward the Nahalim. It was a very powerful attempt, and I covered my eyes to protect them from the dust it kicked up. Despite the foolishness of the action, I found myself with a sense of pride for my pupil. Once the wind died down, though, Nick was on the ground with a very nasty looking gash in his chest. Joni rushed past me to his aid. Knowing that Joni would keep Nick alive, I focused on the Nahalim. It wasn''t undamaged, but its injury could be considered a minor flesh wound for one of its ilk. Its metallic skull glimmered in the sun, and two of the spikes had been shorn clean off. Ochre colored blood oozed from the flesh still clinging desperately to the remaining spikes. No, wind spear wouldn''t work against such a foe. There''s a specific class of spell one must cast to destroy a Nahalim, and it has to be a powerful one. The monster shook its head and stepped toward Nick and Joni, clearly angry at the injury it sustained. Nash and Thunra stepped in, slashing and punching respectively. The creature''s attention turned, and it immediately began fighting them. I dropped my staff and raised both hands, feeling the arcane energies swell within my head. I focused on the glimmer of the Nahalim''s exposed skull, and decided which spell to use. Nash and Thunra were in the way, though, dodging tooth, tongue, and claw. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" I shouted. The two veteran fighters glanced at me for a millisecond before making a run for it. The Nahalim looked at the two of them, unsure of which one to pursue. The hair on my arms stood on end as I began my visualization. Electrical energy, unbelievably powerful, moving at the speed of light toward the exposed metal. "Tlob Srolmi Tsac!" My eyes felt as if they were on fire, my chest felt as if it had been kicked by a hnarse, and my arms burned as the lightning bolt traveled from me to the Nahalim. The strike was instant, and giant monster collapsed to the ground. I grinned in satisfaction as my legs gave out and I fell to my knees. I gasped through the pain, letting it roll through me and keeping myself calm as it did so. It''s just a little pain, no need to panic. "Yulk!" Nash shouted as he ran up to me. "Are you hurt?" "Yes, but it''s fine," I waved him off. "Imlor''s Bolt is a hell of a spell, brother. How''s Nick?" "He seems alright," Thunra answered as he approached. "Not even bleedin'' anymore. Joni looks like he''s seen a ghost, though. You sure you''re okay?" "Yes," I said, grabbing my staff and rising to my feet. "It''s pain, not an injury. It''s just one of the costs of the spell." "Huh?" they asked in unison. "Most spells just cost magic to cast, but certain spells cost a little something extra. A sort of curse to remind one to use the spell sparingly," I explained. "Never mind that, let''s check on Nick." They eyed me warily as we walked over to Joni and Nick. Thunra was right, Joni looked terrified. His pale face looked up at us and he pointed to Nick. "It-it spoke," he whispered. "What''s that? Speak up," Thunra held a hand to his ear. "He said, ''it spoke''. By it, I''m assuming he means Ten," I said. "The robot in Nick''s head?" "The very same." "Oh. Cool," Thunra grinned. Joni looked at us, his shock turning to incredulity and finally to anger. "You knew? You knew the AI could use Nick to talk?" he demanded. "Oh come on, Joni. Give ''em the benefit of the doubt," Thunra interjected. "The AI used Nick''s body to fight before, why wouldn''t it be able to use his mouth to talk? Common sense." "Actually, Thunra, we did know," Nash said sheepishly. "Ten talked to us after the fight with the altered human." "Oh... how come you didn''t say nothin''?" "We didn''t quite get the chance, if you''ll recall," I said with a grin. "And after that interaction, we thought it best to keep it between us. Joni, step aside please. I need to ask Ten something before Nick wakes up." Joni looked offended, but moved so that I could kneel down. He muttered a curse under his breath and crossed his arms. "Ten, can you hear me?" I asked. "Yes," Nick''s voice said. "How is Nick doing?" "He''s stable, Joni''s healing was very helpful. He''ll be waking up soon." "Good," I nodded. "Now then, why didn''t you take control of his body like you did in the dungeon?" I caught three surprised expressions in my peripheral vision. "I tried," Ten said in a whining tone that surprised me. "He stopped me! I didn''t even know he could do that!" "How?" I asked. "I do not know. He shouldn''t have been able to. If that attack had been a little bit stronger or a millimeter to the left we''d have died!" "Did you try to take control before he cast wind spear or after?" Nash asked. "Before. It took half a second to fully detail the beast once I had a clear view of it, and I determined that Nick would not have been able to defeat it. I attempted to gain control, but was unable to. He simply didn''t go under," Ten explained. "That''s the second time I''ve experienced panic. Not enjoyable." "Don''t mean to be mean, buddy, but it''s his body," Thunra interjected. "Can''t expect him to be willin'' to just hand it over at the drop of a hat." "We could have died," Ten said softly. "He''s waking up now. Goodbye." We stared in uncomfortable silence at Nick''s unconscious form. He looked peaceful, like a sleeping child. An illusion that was quickly shattered when he began coughing roughly and sat up. "Wh-what happened?" he asked. "You nearly died, dumbass," Nash immediately answered. "Next time an over-twenty tells you to get back you''d better fucking listen." "Hey!" Matri shouted from behind us. "How''s Nick?" "He''s fine," Thunra called out as Matri and Yhisith ran over. "We checked the perimeter," Yhisith said. "Looks like we''re clear..." They looked at the corpse of the Nahalim, flames flickering where its eyes used to be. A lot more of its metallic endoskeleton was showing now. I couldn''t help but be a little proud. "Let''s get back on the road," I said. Chapter 24 High Chief Ulurmak Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Kirkenian "Ulurmak, you old fucker! I feel like it''s been years! How''ve you been?" A dwarf, dressed head to toe in the finest fashions and walking with an exaggerated swagger that he knew annoyed those around him, strolled into my office. If I hadn''t known who it was by his voice, I''d have known who it was by his ability to slip past Rayzun. Liath Haln, a mer of business and a self-proclaimed double agent. A real double agent would never admit to being one, even under hours of torture. The reason for that is pretty simple, admitting to being a spy is a surefire way to make certain that you die painfully and your family no longer has a place to live. In some nations your family will actually face the same punishment that you do. Thankfully for Liath, he''s not actually a spy. Simply an information broker and a secret messenger between the High Chiefdom of Kirkena and the Empire of Calkuti. On occasion he''ll stumble upon a juicy bit of information while on his drunken benders and pass the word along, but he doesn''t seem to favor one nation over the other. He takes some getting used to, but once you do he''s a good friend to have. Able to switch gears from serious to silly in mere moments, great to unwind with, and despite his annoying demeaner he''s somehow pleasant to be around. An enigma, to be sure. "It''s only been months, Liath, but I''ve been in good health. How about yourself?," I replied with a grin. "Ha! I see you''ve been counting the days, then! I couldn''t be better," he said, grabbing a seat. "Met myself a sexy little elfie who''s been keeping me entertained the last few days. ''Bout fuckin'' time too, I''d been on a desert-level dry spell. She..." "How''s business?" I interrupted, not wanting to hear about his debauchery. "Ah, straight to it, then," he said with a measure of disappointment. "Well, business has been right fuckin'' dark as of late. Good, but dark. The drow are definitely planning an attack, and there''s something shitty about it." "Shitty?" I asked. "Yes. Absolutely shitty. Stinks to high Haven, it does. The last few times they''ve attacked, it''s been unorganized and just generally amateurish. Their entire fuckin'' strategy was to give a bunch of bastards sharpened sticks and shove them at the enemy." "Yes, I recall," I said. "The ill-conceived strategies of the Inbred Bastard-King. What''s different this time?" "They''ve got gods-damned formations." I narrowed my eyes at the dwarf, "Has something happened to the Inbred Bastard?" The death of Yim Lofin would be disastrous for everyone neighboring the drow. His incompetence and habitual political executions had kept the bloodthirsty culture of the Night Kingdom in check for half a century. The only things he''s really good at is staying in power and killing those smart enough to help him be an effective king. He''s uncannily good at the latter, almost as if he''s deliberately trying. His family shrub was confusing to the point of being legendary. He is a third generation royal, and I use that term loosely, whose grandparents were two sets of identical twins that had two children who then brought Lofin into this world, committing adultery in the process. Each and every one of these individuals had inbreeding in their direct lineage as well. Thankfully, Lofin was an only child so the inbreeding stopped with him. "Not that I''ve heard of, and that kind of news would leave a pretty big splash. Hell, there''s bets on whether or not Lofin''s immortal. How he''s avoided what must be an entire fuckin'' army of assassins at this point is beyond the ken of mortals. Regardless, someone else is definitely in charge this time around. Someone the shithead can''t bully into being stupid." "Any ideas on who that could possibly be?" "Nope. But whoever it is definitely has a pair, so that eliminates the princes." Lofin''s three sons were smarter than their father, but deathly afraid of him. That''s only natural, considering that he''s had a total of seven children. Nothing will make you scared of your father more than watching him publicly execute your older brothers and sisters. Their upbringing by the Inbred Bastard King had turned them into cowards. Unfortunately, intelligent cowards turn into very dangerous rulers, so only the drow were hoping for Lofin to die. "Damn. Sounds like this fight with the drow is going to have to be taken seriously," I said, leaning back in my seat. "Sure as shit," Liath said with a sympathetic smile. "Want a drink to take your mind off it?" He pulled out a flask and shook it. This particular flask was enchanted with a spell that caused it to refill itself with a very strong alcohol called Tak. A cursed thing, responsible for many forgotten nights and awkward mornings in my youth. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "I''m not about to go on a drunken bender when it''s just after noon, Liath," I laughed. "Plus, I''ve got an appointment soon." "Oh? An appointment that you don''t want to blow off? Do tell." "Well, have you heard any rumors about a... human?" "You''re pullin'' my sack, the thing they pulled out of a fuckin'' dungeon in Nuleva?" "That''s the one," I grinned. "It''s registered as an adventurer and everything, so I''ve got an extra special job for it. It''s on its way here right now." "Well fuck me runnin''. Don''t suppose you''d let an old pal sit in all quiet like?" "Hmm..." "C''mon, don''t be like that. This might be my only chance to see it. Be a fuckin'' pal, Ulurmak." "I guess I could be convinced to let you stay," I rubbed my chin theatrically. "If you help convince Emperor Jak to accept my proposal." "Eh? You tryna get married to Jak?" "Gods-damn it, no. My proposal regarding that thrice cursed mine. He wants to send his boys to mine it out for a steep cut of the ore. I want him to teach my boys how to mine more efficiently while giving him a more reasonable cut of the ore." "Ah, shit, had me all excited there for a second. Of course it''s about that fuckin'' mine, though," Liath deflated. "You know he''s just about obsessed with the fuckin'' thing. It''ll be a hard sell, but he owes me some pretty big favors. I''ll give it my best shot." "That''s all I can ask," I said. "Fine. You are permitted to stay." As my old friend grinned in response to my decision, Rayzun entered the room. "Ah, perfect timing," I smiled. "What is it?" "Your appointment has arrived," he said, eyeing Liath warily. "He''s going to be sitting in." "Of course," Rayzun sighed. "The human has arrived along with his adoptive brothers and the over-twenties. The over-twenties have been paid out, and Yhisith awaits debriefing. Nuleva has also sent a messenger for another matter." Liath''s eyebrow raised and I smiled slyly. Of course he wouldn''t have heard anything about that. A living thing coming out of a dungeon is national news that travels like wildfire, but a strong monster within a dungeon is business as usual. "Send them in," I ordered. "I''ll meet with the messenger afterwards." "Yes, High Chief," Rayzun said and left the room. Liath didn''t even get the chance to interrogate me before Rayzun returned accompanied by Yhisith, two other orcs, and a strange pale looking creature with dark hair and round ears. I quickly surmised that this must be the human. They stood next to each other in front of my desk and Rayzun adopted a very formal pose. I braced myself for what was coming. "High Chief Ulurmak, Son of Grashgnaw the Giant, Savior of Kirkena, Slayer of Dragons, Decimator of Drow, Conqueror of the Dragon''s Jaw Giants, Blood Ally of Bolisir, Dear Friend of the Empire of Calkuti, and High Commander of the Kirkena Adventurer''s Guild, I present to you Yhisith Mulock, Champion of Melrune, Nash and Yulk Alta of Clan Alta, and Nick Smith of Clan Alta." "And so you have," I replied. "You may continue your duties." "Thank you, High Chief," Rayzun said with a bow and left the room. I gazed at my visitors. The three orcs were very well behaved, standing straight and keeping their eyes trained just above my head. Their parents taught them well. I turned my gaze to the human, who was also standing straight but staring directly into my eyes as if it were my equal. This surprised me for a moment. "You must be Nick Smith, adopted into Clan Alta," I said. "Yes, sir." "Well, Nick Smith, you must not have High Chiefs where you''re from. I say this because it is remarkably rude to look one in the eye," I smiled slightly. "Unless, of course you''ve known them for quite a long time. Have we met before?" "No, sir," its eyes left mine. "Apologies, sir." "No apologies necessary as long as corrections are made. Thank you for observing our customs," I said. "Now, Yhisith, go ahead with your report." "Yes, High Chief," Yhisith said. She began explaining the events of their mission, and I struggled to keep a stoic expression. A lost language, artificially intelligent machines fused with flesh, the human fighting the monster while the over-twenties struggled, the fact that it wasn''t actually the human fighting, the threats made by Clan Alta in regards to the human''s wellbeing, and finally the fact that the monster in the dungeon was a horrifically altered human. "By Bibby''s balls," Liath muttered under his breath once the report concluded. "Indeed," I replied. "Thank you, Yhisith. You may go." Yhisith nodded, turned, and left the room. I looked at my remaining guests. Nick''s face had the appearance of someone who had just received startling information but was trying to hide their concern. Yulk and Nash looked completely unperturbed. "Nash, Yulk," I began. "You really shouldn''t be throwing your clan''s weight around like that. You and I both know that the decision to avenge you would have been a controversial one, to say the least." "Yes, High Chief," Yulk said. "But if I may say something in our defense?" I tried not to grin, "Go right ahead." "We weren''t left with much choice. On our honor, we would have had to defend the boy against four over-twenties. At least that''s what we thought at the time," Yulk''s cheeks twitched as he tried not to grin. "If they had killed us, which they likely would have, our mother would have called for their blood. I''m led to believe you personally know Yilda Alta?" I couldn''t help but wince at the mention of Flesh-Carver Yilda. Her spite is that of legends, and resisting her will is tantamount to trying to tell a waterfall to stop pouring. It was incredibly like her to randomly adopt a completely unknown creature that was discovered in a dungeon. "Yes, of course. She''s done a lot for this chiefdom," I said. "Well then, it''s a good thing you warned the adventurers off, I suppose." "Yilda Alta! Haven''t seen her in years! How''s she been, boys?" Liath asked. "She''s been well," Nash answered. "Though she wanted me to tell you, High Chief, that she is displeased about the sudden summons of her sons and she feels that she should get some time to spend with her boys in her golden years." "Oh, please," I laughed. "She''s probably thrilled to be having you follow in your father''s footsteps. Though I suppose I should make sparing use of you, just in case she comes at me with a slipper." The two orcs were close to breaking down with laughter, and the human actually smiled. "Find a place to sit, I''ve got a mission for you," I said, pointing at the pile of cushions. The three of them grabbed a cushion, sat down, and looked at me expectantly. I couldn''t help but smile when I noticed that Nick was still avoiding eye contact. It''s a subtle shift from formal to informal, to be sure. "You can look at me now, Nick. When I offer you a seat things become a lot less formal," I explained. "Oh, r-right," the boy stammered. "High Chief, I don''t mean to be rude, but we do have our own mission to think of," Yulk said. "Oh?" I asked. "What would that be?" "We need to discover as much about Nick as possible. The language on the altar that Yhisith mentioned is likely Drakon. If we''re to know what it says, we need to find a scholar who can read it." "Well, what a coincidence," I grinned. Chapter 25 High Chief Ulurmak Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Kirkenian "Well, what a coincidence," I grinned. The three looked at me curiously, and Liath raised an eyebrow. "The most likely place to find someone who can read Drakon would be the Kingdom of Bolisir, and that''s exactly where I need you to go," I explained. "Bolisir? The elves?" Liath asked. "Yes. I need to send a request for reinforcements," I said. "I had been worried that it would be seen as premature, but from what you just told me about the drow it''s best to act with haste." "If you wanted reinforcements, why not send a messenger to Calkuti as well?" "Because if I ask for troops from Regent Oakmor he has to supply them," I replied. "Part of our blood-pact includes a mutual defense treaty. While we have close relations with the Empire of Calkuti, Emperor Jak is not honor-bound to our defense. With everything that''s been happening over that damned mine, I''m certain he''ll require a game of fifty messengers before sending aid." "With respect, that''s fuckin'' hnarse-shit," Liath said. "You and Jak may have your issues, but the people of Calkuti would have his head on a spike if it got out he didn''t send troops to your defense." I looked at the dwarf incredulously. He met my stare and held it stubbornly, quite confident that he was correct. It''s true that our people are close friends, even living among one another near the border, but could they possibly be close enough to rebel against their emperor for the sake of my people? I broke my gaze and rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "Alright," I finally said. "I''ll have you talk to Emperor Jak for me." "W-wait I... Shit. Fine, fair enough. You got me." I grinned at the dwarf and turned back to the other three. Yulk was the only one who didn''t look confused. Nick was doing a better job of hiding his confusion than Nash was, but that''s probably because he has absolutely no idea what any of us are talking about. It''s not particularly important that they understand the scope of this mission, but I suppose a little history lesson is in order. "We have a bad history with the Kingdom of Night. Their king is a long-lived inbred bastard known as Yim Lofin. His family has ruled ever since the drow won control of the region from the vampires, and every once in a while they try to conquer their neighbors. It''s usually just a matter of fighting off a bunch of conscripted peasants until they run out of blood to spill, but it seems this time around things are going to be a little different." Nick looked concerned, and he raised his hand unexpectedly. I stared at him, mouth agape, trying to figure out what the hell he was doing. Nash turned to look at the boy and was also surprised and confused. It took the human a second to realize the source of our confusion, and he slowly put his hand down and cleared his throat. "Sorry, um... There''s vampires? Like blood suckers that turn other people into vampires?" he asked. "Burn up in the sun, afraid of garlic and cro... holy symbols?" "Y-yes... I mean, no," I stammered. "There are vampires, and they do drink blood, but most aren''t harmed by the sun and none of them are harmed by holy symbols. I don''t know what garlic is, so they might be afraid of it." "Can you kill them by driving a stake through their heart?" he asked. "I don''t know how you would even begin to shove a steak through someone''s heart, but no. They''re able to quickly regenerate. You need to inhibit their movement by removing their head and then incinerate them," I answered. "Easier said than done, though. They''re incredibly fast and strong." "Some of them can turn people into vampires, too," Liath added. "You forgot that bit." I looked at him and he grinned at me. He was enjoying how thrown off I was by this interruption. I cleared my throat. "Well, that''s enough about the vampires. They''re hardly relevant. It''s not as if they''re going to be attacking alongside the drow..." I trailed off. Someone who wouldn''t care about Lofin''s opinions and want to conquer new lands that he would have difficulty controlling... Could the vampires be making a power-play in the Night Kingdom? I looked at Liath and his expression told me he had caught on to my line of thinking. Lofin''s newest general might be a vampire. But how? Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Listen," I said, grabbing a letter from my desk. "Your mission is to get to the Kingdom of Bolisir as fast as possible and deliver this letter to Regent Oakmor. You''ll have to take the main road, the adventurer''s path has been blocked by a rockslide and we''re having difficulty getting it cleared. Once you deliver the letter you''re free from your obligations to me, and may return for your payment at your convenience." "What''s the pay going to be?" Yulk asked. "Three gold each, one paid upfront for travel costs," I replied. "See Rayzun for that." Liath let out a low whistle, "That''s a lot of money for delivering a message. I''ll need to raise my rates!" "Don''t you dare," I growled playfully. "I''m paying them extra because I''m being selfish in giving them this job. Now, you three, do you understand the task?" "Yes, High Chief," they said in unison. "Good, here," I said, handing the letter to Yulk. "This should go without saying, but don''t open it. If you break the seal Regent Oakmor might be able to squirm out of his obligations. Not that he would, but it''s better not to tempt fate." "Understood," the sorcerer said, putting the letter in his robe. "I wanted to have a longer conversation but something has come up," I explained. "Come see me after you finish your task and collect your payment." I waved at them to go, and they did. Once the door closed I turned to my dwarven confidant. "Do you think the reason that the drow have suddenly become organized is due to a vampire?" I asked. "I mean, it makes sense but at the same time it really fuckin'' doesn''t," he answered. "Drow can''t become vampires, right? That''s how they were able to boot the suckers out in the first place isn''t it?" "Well, a vampire can''t convert a drow, but what happens if they were to breed?" "Oof. A half drow half vamp would be a weak little thing. Not exactly the kind of strength that would inspire a military." "No, but a weakling would be the exact type of drow that King Lofin would hand pick to lead his armies. He doesn''t like strong generals because they become a threat to his dominance," I pointed out. "Shit. If he didn''t know it was a vampire and it was born to nobility, it would be a shoe-in. So what? We''ve got an imminent vampiric coup in the Night Kingdom?" "No, they''d need a place to gather their strength before making a move against Lofin. Preferably somewhere that the king would have difficulty exerting influence over, and a place with plenty of potential vampire spawn. Like the High Chiefdom of Kirkena, for instance." "Why would they go about it in such a weird way, though? Wouldn''t it make more sense to just start turning farmers on their borders?" "No. If you''re a vampire and you want to create enough vampires to make an army, you need control over the populace. You would need to be a noble, king, governor... Or a conquering general," I said. "I need you to go to Emperor Jak and let him know about this possibility and request his aid. Oh, and don''t forget about that damned mine." "Of course," Liath laughed as he stood up. "I''ll get his ass in gear one way or another. See you later." "Have a good journey." As Liath left my office, Rayzun entered. I raised my eyebrow at him. "What is it?" I asked. "The messenger that arrived with the human," he explained. "Do you want me to send him in?" "Another Nulevan messenger eh?" I asked. "What does he want?" "I''m sure he can tell you that himself, High Chief," Rayzun treated me to a withering glare. I chuckled, "Alright, alright. Send him in." Rayzun professionally rolled his eyes at my antics and left the room, soon returning with the messenger in question. "High Chief Ulurmak, Son of Grashgnaw the Gi..." he began. "Enough!" I interrupted. "What is it, messenger?" Rayzun looked annoyed as the messenger straightened and stared above my head. He took a moment to gather his nerve. "High Chief Ulurmak, Chief Gluhern of Nuleva would like to request that Nuleva be formally recognized as a village. It now meets the population and commerce requirements." "It wasn''t already?" I jokingly asked. "No, High Chief," Rayzun said flatly. "Though Chief Gluhern''s been doing his best to have it considered as such. However, at the moment, it is considered a settlement and isn''t eligible for the benefits of being a village." "Well it''s not exactly open to attack, so they must be after the business benefits." "I doubt they''d say no to a garrison of troops, High Chief." "True enough," I sighed. Of course they wouldn''t say no to a garrison. The soldiers would be getting money from Kirkena and spending it in Nuleva. A drop in the bucket for us, but one hell of a boon for an up and coming village. Nuleva had already grown pretty rapidly, and becoming a village would likely make it grow even faster. Gluhern''s done a hell of a job. "Fine. Return to Chief Gluhern and tell him Nuleva is now a village," I said. "Let him know the garrison will have to wait until the drow are dealt with." "Yes, High Chief!" Rayzun guided the messenger out of my office and I was once again left alone with my thoughts, and my mountain of paperwork. The human had looked interesting. Shaped like a short elf, but it was missing the tinge of green in its skin and eyes, and its ears were round. Those eyes were strange. Piercing and blue, a stark contrast to its black hair. A shade of blue I''d never seen in eyes before. It''s obvious that it''s from a foreign land. Perhaps I''ll be able to ask it about that upon its return. I put the human from my mind and set about the task of filling out the paperwork that surrounded me. All of it was boring. Things like requisition forms that I really should be delegating, approvals and denials for proposals, and tax stuff. There were some seemingly exciting papers like the disposition of soldiers and training permissions and things of that nature. Unfortunately, these only sound exciting until you have to be the one to fill them out. It was rare that I could simply sign something and be done with it. I yawned as I set a large stack of papers I''d just completed in my done pile. I smiled in satisfaction at the dent I had made, and Rayzun entered the room holding a stack twice the size of the one I''d just completed. "What the hell is this?" I demanded as he set the stack on my to be done pile. "These are the forms to officially make Nuleva a village," he replied. "There''s the recognition forms, tax forms, requests for updates to the various maps of the High Chiefdom, and of course congratulatory letters to the village leaders." "So, what you''re saying is that I made more work for myself by being benevolent to the people of Nuleva?" "Yes, High Chief," Rayzun said with a malicious smile. "No good deed goes unpunished." Damn it. Chapter 26 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 5 Human - American "Should we ask Imlor if he can take us?" I asked my brothers. Nash rubbed his neck and Yulk tapped his chin as if he was thinking. We walked along the busy streets of Kirkena in silence for a few moments. "I don''t know, he did say he wanted to spend more time with his family," Nash said. "We might be better off finding a caravan that''s already going to Bolisir and just tagging along." "Before we see to transportation, we should see if we can get your weapons and armor repaired," Yulk added. "If I recall correctly there are a couple of enchanters that might be able to do it quickly." "Enchanters? Not a smith?" I asked. "Enchanters use magic to mend weapons and armor," he explained. "It''s a fairly quick process compared to doing it... manually." "Costs more, though," Nash grumbled. "It''s not THAT much more expensive," Yulk argued. "Plus it''s the fastest way to get your weapons fixed. Come on." Yulk led us through the city in search of an enchanter. We passed by several stalls selling various foods and trinkets, buildings advertising various goods and services, and alleyways that were definitely shady gathering spots. Finally, we came to a part of the city that smelled like hot metal. The normal sound of people talking was replaced by the ringing of hammers striking steel and the occasional hiss of rapidly cooling heat. "Let''s see..." Yulk looked around. "Ah, there. An enchanter." He pointed to a brick building with a sign hanging off the side of it that had some writing, and a drawing of a star above an anvil. As we approached the building, I wondered if Ten knew about enchantments. ''Hey, Ten...'' ''No,'' it interrupted me. ''What do you mean no?'' I thought angrily. ''You don''t get to ask me questions until you answer mine. How did you stop me from taking control?'' Ten matched my anger. ''First of all, I don''t know. Second of all, even if I did know I still wouldn''t tell you because then you''d find a way around what I did and take control of my body away from me again.'' This conversation had been happening intermittently ever since I woke up after that battle. I don''t really remember what I did, all I remember is suddenly feeling dizzy and thinking to myself that I can''t let Ten take control. Can''t really remember much after that, probably a consequence of being thrown like a rag doll. The monster had lashed out with just one of its claws, as if on instinct. If it hadn''t been for my cuirass... ''We could have died. We WOULD have died if it weren''t for your companions,'' Ten said. ''Even if the monster had left you alone after it struck you, I wouldn''t have been able to repair that damage without Joni''s healing spells. I don''t want to die, Nick.'' ''Well neither do I, but I''m not going to get any stronger if you keep taking control of my body at the first sign of trouble. It''s MY job to keep us alive,'' I retorted. ''Not yours.'' ''That is simply not true. My mandate is to keep you alive and aid your growth. Obviously, that means letting you fight things you can beat, and even things that are challenging for you to beat. So I won''t be taking over your body as often as you''re implying. But you cannot grow if you''re dead, so when we run into an enemy that you cannot beat on your own it only makes sense for me to take over and help you beat it. That''s the whole reason I have the ability to take control in the first place!'' ''Yeah, well, you don''t have the ability to take control anymore, so that throws that theory out of the window. And by refusing to answer my questions, you''re not fulfilling your mandate of aiding my growth, either.'' As I followed Yulk into the building I felt a sharp sting behind my eyes that told me I won the argument. Worth it. Behind the counter was a tall blonde man with shining green eyes. I almost thought he was human, but his ears were unnaturally pointed, just like everyone else I''d seen so far. An elf, probably. "Hello, potential customers! I am Erias. How can I help you today?" he asked. "We''ve got some weaponry that needs rapid repair," Yulk answered. "A sword and an axe." "I''d rather have the other swords repaired than the axe," Nash said. "Or maybe all three if the price is right." "Well, let''s have a look at the weapons then," the elf chuckled. Nash pulled his weapons out and set them on the counter, and I followed suit, adding my cuirass that had a fairly large hole in it. Erias glanced at the items, and then at us. Now that I was closer, he looked a lot less human. His skin had a slight green tint, and he didn''t have a single pointed tooth in his mouth. It kind of reminded me of videos about the uncanny valley phenomena. He raised an eyebrow as he looked me over. His eyes lingered over my ears and then met mine. "That''s a pretty traumatic injury, brother," Erias said. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "I''m not an elf," I replied. "I''m a human." "Ah... a what?" he asked. "A paying customer," Yulk interrupted with a smile. "Oh... Right. Good point," the elf laughed nervously. "Alright, let''s have a look here." Erias picked up the remains of each weapon and examined them thoroughly, one after the other. Finally, he looked over my armor and nodded solemnly to himself. "Well, the good news is that I can repair them," Erias said, setting the armor back onto the counter. "The bad news is that it''s going to cost ninety-eight silver and take a few hours." "Each?" Nash asked suspiciously. The elf laughed, "No, total. The elven blades are the biggest chunk of that, coming in at thirty silver each. The cutlass, I can do for nineteen. The flesh-render I can do for ten, though you''d save a lot of money on that by just letting me shave it down a bit and redo the serration. The armor''s the cheapest because it''s going to be the easiest. Hell, it''ll do most of the work itself." "What do you mean?" I asked. "The enchantment on it is self-repair. Given enough time, it fixes itself. All I''ve got to do is rush it a bit and you''re good." "How long would it take to... shave the axe?" Nash asked. "I''ve got a backlog on the smithing, it would be at least two days." "Damn. Gotta have it done today." "Well, ninety-eight silver will see them all done in about two hours." "Why are the elven blades so expensive?" I asked. All three of them looked at me with raised eyebrows, as if I had asked why jerky was chewy. I couldn''t help but deflate a bit under their gaze. "Because the crystalline structure of elvish forge-craft is... intricate. Well, proper elvish forge-craft, at least. A knock-off has the same kind of steel you''d find from a dwarven journeyman," Erias laughed. "These, though, were smithed by a proper grandmaster with good ol'' fashioned magicite." "Magicite?" I asked. "I... yes. Magicite. It''s a somewhat rare metal that''s notoriously fickle to work with. Adamantium and Mythrallite have similar properties, but Adamantium requires a much higher temperature and Mythrallite requires actual spell-craft to work with. Magicite, though, is very durable, flexible, and holds a good magic charge, but you have to have the heat on it just right or it becomes more fragile than glass. When alloyed with steel, it becomes even more durable," he explained. "I wouldn''t want to meet a monster who could break these blades." "Yeah, neither did we," Yulk chuckled. "You got change for a gold?" "Sure do." "I''ll cover it," Nash said. "You hold onto yours. Buy a book to read for the trip, or something." He put his gold coin on the counter, and the elf swapped it with two silver coins. "Pleasure doing business with you. Feel free to have a look around, my apprentice will be coming out front if you want to buy something," Erias smiled wide, demonstrating oddly flat teeth. "Or you can just check back in a couple of hours." "We''ll check back. We have to arrange transport to Bolisir." "Bolisir? You may want to check with the gnome next door. He''s going to be shipping some items to Bolisir for me," the elf said. "Let me guess, the gnome''s name is Imlor?" I asked with a chuckle. "Well, yes, but that''s not a particularly clever guess. A lot of gnomes are named Imlor." "Huh?" "It''s the most common gnomish name, and it came from Imlor Crav," Yulk interjected. "A legendary gnomish sorcerer. He invented several spells and defeated several powerful enemies." "Yep," Erias said. "Anyways, this gnome''s name is Imlor Tula." I laughed, "I guessed right! He''s the one who brought us here. We were thinking he was going to be spending time with his family." "Oh?" Erias asked. "His travels must have been unusually hectic. Regardless, this delivery was agreed upon before he left for the dungeon-settlement. It should net him enough to hire someone else to drive the cart, though. Then he''ll be able to stay home more often. Telena will be thrilled... at first." The other three chuckled but I didn''t get the joke. Instead, something had caught my eye. A glass display that contained a singular item that shouldn''t be there. It was a helmet, made of what looked to be bronze or brass. The reason it shouldn''t be here is because I''ve seen it before. Dozens of times in dozens of different places. Movies, shows, video games, comic books, even online videos of cosplayers. It was a spartan helmet. There was no mistaking the iconic design. Red bristles that stuck straight up adorned the crown of the helm, travelling down the back and culminating in a ponytail. The eyeholes were rounder than I remember them being, but the nose-guard without a mouth covering left little doubt as to where the design had come from. As I looked into the face of the helm, I felt a pull. I want nothing more than to put it on and fight my way to my goals. It will protect me as I cleave through my enemies on my way back to Cass. The eyes on the helmet seemed to burn into my own, and for a moment I imagined her playfully taking the helmet off of me and kissing me. I was happy, she was happy, and the helmet was happy for us. A tear ran from one of my eyes. "Careful," Erias said, snapping me out of it. I realized that I had been clenching my fist so hard my nails had dug into my skin. I took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. I wiped my face and looked at the elf. "How much?" I asked. "You sure?" "Yes." "Wait," Nash said. "What''s going on?" "It would appear that Ares has chosen a new champion," Erias answered. "Ares?" the question hung in my throat. "Yes, that''s the helmet''s name. Named after a god of war from another world, according to the anyels that brought it to this one. It chooses a champion and protects them until they pick a fight they cannot win. Then it escorts their soul to the afterlife and waits for another champion," he explained. "At least, that''s how the legends go. In practice, it''s a heavily enchanted helmet that won''t activate its enchantments for just anyone. I keep it around because I like how it looks, and it''s an interesting story to tell potential customers." Ares, the ancient Greek god of war and courage. How did the anyels know about that? Have they been to my world? Or maybe the whole thing is made up... but who here would know of Ares? Another human, maybe? "What kind of enchantments does it have?" Yulk asked, oblivious to my concerns. "It has basic protection against the elements, piercing resistance, and a kinetic intensifier in its metal. The brush has a cleanliness enhancer, and another... more unique enchantment." If the anyels really did bring the helmet here, were they also the ones that enchanted it? Or did it come from another version of my world, one with magic and stuff? "A kinetic intensifier in a helmet? You don''t usually see those on anything other than hammers," Nash commented. "What''s the unique enchantment do?" Yulk asked. "I''m not one hundred percent sure. It''s conditional and the script is... confusing. I assume that it will only take effect if worn by someone that it chooses, but I can''t tell you exactly what will happen. Just that it has something to do with its existence," Erias shrugged. "Do you know where we can find anyels?" I asked. The three looked at me curiously. It occurred to me that my question had come out of nowhere to them. "I-I don''t know," Erias stammered. "They haven''t left Haven since the cataclysm wars, I think. And nobody knows how to get to Haven." "Why do you ask?" Yulk asked. "The anyels might know of my... home. And how I can get back." "Really?" Nash raised an eyebrow. "Fine then. How much for the helmet?" "I... Well, normally it wouldn''t be for sale. But... well..." Erias pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I''ll let it go for fifty silver if the human puts it on here. I''d love to see what the unique enchantment does." "Deal," I said. Chapter 27 Imlor Tula Adventurer Level: N/A Gnome - Kirkenian "So you don''t have enough to hire a driver for this delivery? It has to be you?" Telena asked, bouncing our baby boy, Igran, on her arm. The boy was named after my wife''s father, who had been my uncle''s best friend and taught me everything he knew about being a merchant. His lessons were how Telena and I met. She''s the reason I am a firm believer in love at first sight. Her father was less than thrilled to hear about our courtship at first, but he came around and endorsed our wedding. He never hesitated to offer aid to us as our family grew, right up until his death just a week before Igran was born. I wrapped my arms around my wife and son and squeezed them tight. Igran, the little scamp, grabbed my ear and tried to put it in his mouth. "I could hire a driver, but I wouldn''t be able to hire guards for them," I smiled sadly as I twisted my ear out of the boy''s grasp. "That wouldn''t be fair, especially with all that''s going on recently." All that''s going on recently. What a dull way to describe all the happenings in recent times. Rumor has it that the drow are planning to start attacking again, there''s been a rock slide or something that''s shut down the adventurer''s path to Bolisir, and there''s been reports of disappearances on the civilian path. I''m definitely going to need to hire guards. "But what if you run into another Nahalim?" "My darling, I''d rather pay guards and run into a Nahalim myself than hire an unguarded driver and have them run into it for me," I kissed her cheek and put a hand on her shoulder. "I''ll make sure to hire the toughest of guards. And this will be the last time I have to do a delivery myself." The original plan had been to hire a both a driver and guards for this job. If the giant rats hadn''t killed my hnarses and destroyed everything but the metal I was transporting, I''d have been able to stay home with my family and let business take care of itself for a bit. Maybe even indefinitely. I''m glad that I hadn''t had this conversation with Telena last time. Fate would have made a liar of me. "It had better be. I don''t know if I can take many more sleepless nights. I thought it was bad just having to worry about Junior, but at least he''s an actual adventurer," she sighed. "Bababadlah," Igran added, matching his mother''s serious expression. "I''m sorry, my sweet. At least I won''t be fighting any of the monsters, though. I''m not as brave as our son," I smiled and handed Igran his teething toy. "As a proper coward, it simply wouldn''t do to be charging headlong into danger. So don''t worry too much, okay?" A bell rang that indicated that the shop in front of our house had a visitor. Hopefully, a customer. I kissed my wife''s forehead and patted her free arm. "It''ll be fine," I said. "I hope so." I smiled at her and went to see to our potential customers. I walked through the warehouse entrance, sighing as I looked upon all the empty shelves. The ones that did contain goods weren''t exactly full, either. That would change soon. Just one more delivery, and things would get back on track. I walked through a flap that led into my shop and paused as I saw who my customers were. "Hi Imlor!" Nick grinned at me with his oddly shaped teeth. "Hello Nick," I said. "I''m happy you were able to find my little shop! Did you come to tell me how things went with the High Chief?" "In a way," Yulk chuckled, browsing my written goods. "We need a ride to Bolisir," Nash grunted, his arms crossed. "The elf next door said you were going there to make a delivery for him." "Erias? Well... yes I''m going to be making a delivery for him. Going to be a tight fit if I have to hire more guards though," I said with a sly grin. "I don''t mind working for transportation. How much are you paying?" "Will fifty copper each do the trick?" "I think seventy-five would be more appropriate. You seem to be a monster magnet." "Come now, brother," Yulk interjected. "It simply cannot be his fault that every time we''ve seen him we''ve also seen monsters. It''s also a boon that we''re getting paid to travel to where we need to go." "How about sixty?" I asked. Nash sighed and proceeded to perform several theatrics that I''d seen dozens of times before. Rubbing his chin, scratching his neck, tapping his foot, all the while pretending to think about the deal I just offered. Of course, he was actually hoping that I''d sweeten the deal a bit. Might as well, it''ll still be less expensive than hiring guards from the guild. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Plus meals," I added. "Within reason, of course." "Three hots a day?" "One hot, two cold. You prefer hot dinner or breakfast?" "Dinner. Alright, sixty copper each, and you buy the jerky and stew," Nash said, offering a hand. "Deal," I shook his hand. "Could I get some meals that have a mixture of meat and veg in them?" Nick asked. "Stew has proso chunks in it," Nash answered. "That''s a vegetable. Technically." "It''s a starchy tuber," Yulk added. "It''s known to help with cramping if prepared properly. Putting it in a stew isn''t one of the ways to prepare it as an anti-cramping tonic, though." I remember catching in passing that Nick was able to eat both meat and vegetables, but I had been busy at the time and hadn''t given it much thought. The shape of his teeth suddenly came to mind and it all clicked into place. I can help with this. "I usually bring extra fruit and veg bars," I said. "I''ll share the excess with you." "Thanks," Nick said with another grin. Yulk walked over to my counter and set down a well-worn tome that had been collecting dust on my shelf for a few months. I raised my eyebrow at him. "How much for this one?" he asked. "The Musings of Gralv? You can take it," I chuckled. "If it weren''t for you, I''d say there isn''t a soul in this city that cares anything about an imp''s opinion on the Fae." "A what?" Nick asked. "An imp," Yulk explained. "A small, typically nomadic race that has a bad reputation. My interest is less in the subject matter of the book and more in the fact that an imp wrote it. They aren''t known to be fond of writing." "Nothing makes that more apparent than The Musings of Gralv," I laughed. "Why do they have a bad reputation?" "Because they''ve got plenty of bad apples they don''t bother sorting out," Nash answered the boy with a grunt. "They''ll temporarily settle near a village or town, and once there''s been a few thefts, rapes, and murders they run instead of letting the culprit face justice." "It can''t be ALL of them, though," Nick argued. "Right?" "Maybe not," Yulk said. "You rarely see them in these parts, yet even we''ve heard the stories, though. Unfortunately, that means there''s likely some truth to them." Yulk put the book in his pack, settled his staff in the nook of his arm, and brushed the dust from his hands. The conversation got me thinking about the reputation that gnomes used to have in these parts. I grew up with people saying that gnomes were willing to sell their children for a copper if they needed one to screw someone over. That, of course, isn''t true for most gnomes. And for every gnome that it is true for, there''s an elf, orc, and dwarf that it''s also true for. What gave rise to this generalization was that most of the gnomes in Kirkena were merchants of some variety. The reason for that is because most of the gnomes here come from migrants, and being a merchant was the best way for an immigrant to make a living. There''s plenty of gnomes in Calkuti that aren''t merchants, and it''s almost impossible to find a gnomish merchant in Hinchren. The unfortunate reality of this generalization is that people automatically assume that gnomes are good at business, and are more willing to trust gnomes that they shouldn''t trust when it comes to matters of business. A few years ago, one of the Great Chiefs appointed a gnome as treasurer. This particular gnome was a blowhard who didn''t have a head for any sort of business, let alone civic economics. The gnome in question gravely disrupted the economy of the city. It got so bad that he and several other innocent gnomes were lynched before the Great Chief''s guards were able to put a stop to things. The mob of angry mer genuinely believed that all of the gnomes in the city, who were also negatively impacted by the bad economy, were somehow involved in a conspiracy to bring the city down. Even after everything settled down there were attacks on caravans and businesses that were owned by gnomes for years afterward. It must be terrible to live in a place where your neighbors hate you through no fault of your own. I''d like to believe that Kirkena''s different, but... "When are you going to be ready to leave?" Nash asked. "The carts are all packed up, but I need to pick up some provisions from the adventurer''s guild," I answered. "Just as well, we should get Nick''s level retested," Yulk said. "Really? Why?" Nick asked. "Because you learned some new skills in our adventures thus far," Yulk grinned. "Plus I''m curious as to how Ten impacts your level. I''m willing to bet you''re at least level 6." "No way. Sure, he learned a couple of skills, but that doesn''t mean he went up a level," Nash said, shaking his head. "Right," I interrupted. "Well, the carts are out back. Go ahead and load up. I''ll be with you shortly." The three nodded and left out of the front of the shop, and I exited through the back flap back into the warehouse. As I entered my home, my wife looked up at me from our kitchen table. She must have set Igran down to play in his room. "Customers?" she asked. "Nope," I answered. "Those were the people that saved my butt when I was on the road. Turns out, they also need to go to Bolisir. So, I hired them as guards. On the cheap, of course." Telena laughed, "Always finding a way to save some coin. You sure this is going to turn out alright?" I shrugged, "It has to. I''m contractually obligated. Even if I weren''t, by the time another opportunity like this came along we''d be starving, and I''d still have to go." "I know," she sighed. "I''m just worried. I... I don''t want to lose you." Telena hadn''t always been like this. When I initially went on the delivery to Nuleva she had seen me off with a smile, confident in my return. Something changed when I got home days later than I should have and told her about the giant rats and the Nahalim. She''s been fretting over me ever since. If it were anyone else I would be annoyed. But with Telena, I couldn''t feel anything except loved. I hate to see her worried, but I''d hate it more to see her starving. I love her more than anything, and I''d give anything to see her happy and well. "I''ll do everything in my power to make certain that you don''t, darling," I brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her. "I''ve got to go." "I know," she pulled me into a tight hug. I returned the embrace, enjoying the flowery scent of her hair and the feel of her warm breath on my chest. I silently wished that I had become someone''s apprentice instead of starting my own business. Some job that would just require me to work some hours and come home to her, safe and sound. Making just enough to keep a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. What more do I need when I''ve got her by my side? Unfortunately, that was a pipe-dream. I''m too old to be an apprentice now, and I don''t have any non-mercantile skills that would let me start over fresh. The only way to keep my family housed, clothed, and fed is to revitalize my business. And the only way to do that is to leave Telena behind for a time, and risk my life on the open road. "I love you, more than anything," I whispered to her. "I love you more than that," she whispered back. I gave her another squeeze and kissed her again. "I''ll be back." Chapter 28 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 5 Human - American We waited for a few minutes in the back of the cart before Imlor finally came out the back door of his house. It was an interesting building, a shop attached to the side of his house. The only door on the front I''d seen was for the shop, so maybe this is the front door of his house. That makes some sense if he normally parks his carts back here. The hnarses were tied to the carts and attached to a stake. They didn''t react at all when we''d approached, but I get the feeling that if we tried to pet them we''d regret it immediately. There was a stable next to the back of the shop, which must be where they sleep. It looked a lot better than the stables I''d seen back on Earth. Like someone paid a lot of money for its construction. Imlor untied the reins from the stake and patted each hnarse on the head. "You good?" Nash asked, referring to the unexpected wait. "Yeah, saying goodbye to the missus," Imlor answered as he climbed into the driver''s seat. "She''s justifiably worried about my health." "I wouldn''t say justifiably," Nash chuckled. "You''ve got three tough guards to watch your back." "True enough, but as you said before I''m somewhat of a monster magnet," Imlor chuckled. "No matter how tough my guards are, there''s a chance something might hit me from out of nowhere." "Yeah, but Yulk knows how to heal so it''ll work out." "Assuming it doesn''t kill him immediately," Yulk added. "Magic can heal, but it can''t bring back the dead. Well, not as they were at any rate." "Speaking of the dead," I said. "If vampires exist, what about zombies and stuff like that?" As the cart began moving, Yulk and Nash stared at me. I suppose it hadn''t occurred to them that I was ignorant of such things. Nash sighed, but Yulk grinned, likely excited by the chance to give a lecture. "Shambling corpses, ghouls, and most other monsters that relate to the death of mortals are all magical beings that have been corrupted by death in one way or another. There is magic to create such fiends, but thankfully it''s relatively rare and very looked down upon," Yulk explained. "If Nash were to die and rise again as a zombie, I wouldn''t hesitate to destroy his fetid corpse. Do you know why?" "Because it wouldn''t be Nash anymore?" I guessed. "Correct!" he said gleefully. "Nash will have passed on to whatever awaits in the afterlife. What would then be inhabiting his corpse would be nothing more than a corrupted magical being. One that, presumably, I''ve never met and as such feel no attachment to." "What sort of magical being would that be?" "There are too many different magical beings to classify them all, and most of them have the ability to possess dead flesh. Both fairies and the Fae, for instance, are able to do so. When a fairy possesses a corpse it becomes a zombie, when a Fae possesses one it becomes a ghoul. However, this doesn''t mean that every zombie used to be a fairy and every ghoul used to be a Fae." "What is a ghoul, exactly?" I asked. "Where I come from they''re creatures that hang out in graveyards and eat the rotting flesh from corpses." "That''s almost the exact opposite of what a ghoul is here," Yulk laughed. "Ghouls are mutated corpses that crave the flesh of the living like a zombie does, but are much better equipped to get it than a zombie is. Faster, smarter, and much stronger. Thankfully, they hunt solo most of the time, and do so by ambushing those who wander too far from the safety of numbers." "Ghouls don''t actually need to eat, so they''re very patient pests," Nash added. "How do you kill one?" "The corrupted magical being that is reanimating the corpse resides in the brain and controls its function with magic," Yulk said. "As such, the only way to terminate an undead is decapitation or to apply extreme cerebral trauma. Fire will technically work, but only because it performs the latter method of extermination." "And vampires?" "Vampirism is a tricky one. Technically, when a mer is turned into a vampire their magical core is merged with a corrupted magical being and they in turn become a new type of magical being. By far and large they retain their identity and memories, as well as the use of any and all skills they possessed while they were alive," Yulk hesitated. "If Nash were to rise again as a vampire, I would hesitate to end him. Or re-end I suppose." "Why''s that?" "Vampires don''t HAVE to be evil," Nash said. "There''s been tales of vampire heroes who fought alongside mortals to put an end to those who would try to destroy life as we know it." "Which makes the choices that most vampires decide upon all the more tragic," Yulk added. "There is a great deal of trauma that goes into becoming a vampire, and the immediate surge in power afterwards is too much for most minds to bear. Wanting others to join you in suffering is a very common trait among mortals, and vampires are in a rather unique position to accomplish exactly that." "It doesn''t help that shithead vamps purposefully recruit other shitheads," Nash grumbled. "Societal leeches becoming literal leeches is all that is." "Do you kill them by decapitating them?" I asked. Nash and Yulk shared a look. "I''m afraid it''s not as simple as that," Yulk explained. "Since they''ve become magical beings, they''re not limited to their flesh like we are. One must bind them to their flesh through spell-craft or by divine grace, and then entirely destroy their body. Decapitation will help in that regard, but the entire body must be destroyed or the head will simply grow back. Or the body will grow back from the head." "They have insane regeneration abilities, especially if they''ve recently fed," Nash added. "Even if you chop them up into little bits they can still regrow their flesh from one of those bits. It''s best to bind them, lob off their head, and incinerate the immediate area entirely." "Do they actually drink people''s blood?" I asked. "Like, can''t they drink animal blood?" "No, they have to drink the blood of mortals. It''s the only thing that will provide them sustenance. They can pretend to be mortal by eating and drinking normal food, and they pass that food in the way one would expect of a mortal, but they''ll slowly starve unless they drink the blood of mortals," Yulk said. "The aforementioned vampiric heroes had people willingly give them blood, usually a lover or a friend, and didn''t take more than they absolutely needed." "How do you lot know so much about vampires?" Imlor asked, sounding a little unnerved. "It''s an interesting subject," Nash replied defensively. "Might have to fight one someday. Wasn''t all that long ago that they ruled the Kingdom of Night, you know." "A few generations now. Anyways, I learned most of what I know from the works of Imlor the Grand''s tomes on the subject," Yulk chuckled. "Ah, Imlor the Grand! Now THAT''S an interesting subject," Imlor said. "Didn''t know he knew a lot about vampires, though." "Towards the end of his life he became a little obsessed with immortality, as most magic wielders do," Yulk explained. "The experiments he did on captured vampires were more than a little disturbing." This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Ah, I don''t want to hear anymore than that," Imlor interrupted. "I''d rather the mental image I have of my namesake remain unsullied, if you don''t mind." "I don''t mind at all," Yulk chuckled. ''Hey Ten, are we on speaking terms again?'' I thought to my AI companion. ''What do you want?'' it replied curtly. ''Do you think that a vampire would be able to turn me into one?'' ''Definitely not. Your magical core is artificial and as such cannot be corrupted by outside influence like a natural magic core can. Your blood also has several differences from the blood of mer, so it''s not even clear whether it could be utilized as a source of sustenance by a vampire.'' ''So they wouldn''t even be able to drink my blood?'' ''There isn''t anything about your blood that would physically prevent them from ingesting it. It''s unknown whether it would grant sustenance to a vampire, though. I suppose it would either be disgusting or a delicacy.'' Before I could ask Ten anything further the cart stopped in front of a very impressive building. Its construction was primarily polished stone that had a dark grey coloration, with wooden details and pillars holding up the roof. The wood had a red tinge to it that stood out against the gray walls. Nash and Yulk respectively hopped and climbed out of the cart, with Imlor and I soon following. As we approached the building I noticed slight seams in the stonework, as if they had polished massive chunks of stone and stacked them on top of each other. Nash pushed open one of the massive double doors and gestured for us to enter, which we did. I nodded a thank you at him as I passed, to which he grunted. It was unclear whether he was annoyed or appreciative. "I''m going to the quartermaster''s dugout," Imlor said. "Meet me there if you''re done first." "Understood," replied Yulk. Yulk began to approach the front desk and we followed him. Nash leaned up against the counter as an elven woman wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a vest appeared from a door in the back. "Hello there, how can I help you today?" she asked with a smile. Her smile nearly faltered when she saw me, but her professionalism kicked in. It was obvious that she wanted to ask about me, but decided against it. "We would like to get his level tested," Nash gestured at me. "Certainly, just a moment." She reached under the counter and pulled out an intricately carved wooden box, which she then opened. She took a machine that looked like the one from the Nulevan adventurer''s guild and set it on the counter. A shiny black box with six legs made of different metals. Gold, silver, copper, and I couldn''t tell what the other three were. One was probably platinum, but the other two were strange. One had a deep blue coloration, and the other had a light pink color to it. "Your guild card, please," she smiled. "I have his guild card right here," Yulk said as he passed her my card. He''d held onto it for me while I had my physical and I''d forgotten to ask for it back. Just as well, it might fall out of my pocket during a fight or something. The elf plugged the card into the slot that was facing us, and put her fingers into some holes on her side of the box. A bright blue light shone from the top of the box and gathered itself into a perfect square. Green lights soon followed, creating a handprint as well as characters that I couldn''t read on the blue square. The blue and green light hardened into something that looked a lot like stained glass. The elf removed her fingers from the box and inserted some papers where her hand had been. "Please place your hand on the handprint until you feel a slight electrical shock," she smiled. Slight electric shock, my ass. When Nima had said that to me, I''d expected something like a static shock. What actually happened was a jolt of electricity shoving its way through my hand and up my arm. I grit my teeth and placed my hand firmly on the damned print. My hand started shaking in anticipation of the shock, but it didn''t come. I took a deep breath and managed to hold my hand still, pressing it into the print. I felt a slight tingle traveling up my arm, but couldn''t tell if it was electricity or just my nerves, traumatized by my previous experience. I opened my mouth to ask about it when it happened. "F-f-fuck!" I shouted as a bolt of electricity shot out of my elbow and arced into the floor. Yulk, Nash, and the elf all leapt back as I sank to my knees, holding my now injured arm. "What the hell was that?" Nash shouted. "I-I don''t know!" the elf stammered. "I''ve never seen it do that before." "Are you alright, Nick?" Yulk asked, leaning down to check on me. "That fuckin'' hurt," I said as I squeezed my eyes shut to prevent tears from making an appearance. I felt something odd in my mind. It wasn''t a sound, but a sort of feeling. The one you get when you''re giggling maniacally. It took me a second to realize what it was. ''Was that you?'' I asked Ten, trying very hard to make my inner dialogue sound angry. ''No, but I didn''t stop it,'' Ten continued laughing. ''Serves you right.'' ''That could have killed me!'' ''Not at that voltage,'' it explained. ''It wasn''t even close to lethal. Painful? Absolutely. But since you want to be independent, from now on I''ll just try to stop things from killing you. You can figure out how to deal with pain yourself.'' I was getting really tired of this, but I knew better than to blow up at it. That would just make it angrier, and it wasn''t like Ten didn''t have many other ways to make my life miserable. Instead, I opted for diplomacy. ''Look, Ten, I''m sorry okay? I should have talked things out with you before the fight happened.'' ''You''re damn right you should have,'' Ten interrupted. ''I know it was frightening, and my unexpected resistance must have absolutely made it even more so,'' I continued. ''I understand that you''re just as stuck with me as I am stuck with you, and it was stubborn and foolish of me not to take that into account.'' ''Correct.'' ''Neither of us asked for this situation, and I shouldn''t treat you like you''re to blame. I''m sorry.'' Yulk gently grabbed my uninjured arm and pulled me to my feet. ''Apology accepted.'' Ten said. ''The reason that happened is because the stats reader takes some of your mana to determine your current skills and spells, and then returns it. However, your new incorporeal helmet is passively boosting your mana output. The excess energy was the return.'' ''How do I keep it from doing that every time?'' I asked. ''You don''t need to, I can stop it from happening by tightening your channels so the flow is closer to your norm. However, learning to control your mana flow better wouldn''t hurt.'' "A-are you okay?" the elf asked. "Yeah, sorry about that. I got a new enchanted helmet and it increased my mana flow without my knowledge," I answered. ''Is the extra mana going to interfere with the results of the stats reader?'' I quickly asked Ten. ''No, it only takes the mana to determine your skills and spells. The amount of mana you have is determined separately by Curaguard through unknown means.'' "Helmet?" she asked, looking at my hair. "This," Nash said as he swung his fist at my head. I didn''t even get the chance to duck before Ares suddenly appeared on my head and rang like a bell as Nash''s fist struck it. I reeled back and Nash sucked in a breath as he waved his now injured hand. I found my footing and tried to shake the ringing out of my head as Yulk chuckled. "Serves you right, Nash," he grinned. "Sucker punching a seemingly defenseless child. Shame on you." "It was just a demonstration of the helmet''s ability to appear when its wearer is in danger," Nash massaged his hand. "I''d hardly call it a sucker punch." I felt my head and found that Ares had disappeared once again. It occurred to me that I have no way to remove the helmet if it keeps disappearing on me like this. I felt a bit of panic before I realized that since I don''t feel the helmet on my head until it''s needed, there''s really no reason for me to have to take it off. Still, I wish I had known that it would be a permanent addition when I''d first tried it on. "R-right," the elf said, remembering her professionalism. "Well, here are the results." She handed my guild card back to me and I looked at it. Some of the characters on it had changed, but I still had no idea what it said. Yulk looked over my shoulder and let out a low whistle. I handed the card to him as Nash raised his eyebrow. "What''s it say?" he asked. "Level ten," Yulk said with an uncharacteristically deadpan tone. "WHAT?" Nash shouted. "NO FUCKING WAY!" "Gotcha!" Yulk started laughing. "He''s level seven! Gods, you should see your face!" "You''re not funny," Nash said, utterly failing to convince our brother, who continued to laugh uproariously. Two levels? I got a few new skills and practiced my fighting a bit, but I was under the impression that levels were hard to attain. What happened? Nash noticed my confusion. "Probably something to do with Ten," he said pushing me to the side. "Move over, I want to test mine." "Oh, certainly," the elven lady said. "Guild card, please." Nash looked at Yulk, who was doubled over with tears in his eyes. After a few seconds of this Nash cleared his throat. While continuing to laugh, Yulk reached into his robe, produced another metal card, and handed it to Nash. Nash turned back to the elf and gave her the card. ''Ten, why did I jump up two levels?'' I asked while Nash put his hand on the handprint. ''The level system has a lot of difficult to account for variables. However, once I was activated I took the liberty of optimizing your magic core, which has both made it easier for you to cast spells and increased your base mana. This combined with the new skills you''ve gained is likely the reason.'' "I''m afraid I can''t read, and my normal narrator is currently indisposed," Nash said, gesturing to Yulk who was still hunched over laughing. "Could you tell me my level?" "Certainly, you''re level nine," she smiled. "Congratulations!" "Thank you so much," Nash smirked at me. Yulk coughed a bit to calm his laughing fit, "Yes, yes, congratulations brother. One level closer to marrying Nima." "That''s..." Nash said, turning a slightly darker green. Blushing? "That''s not the point! I was trying to point out that I learned some new skills too!" "I know," Yulk chuckled. "Let''s go see Imlor and go get our weapons. We need to hit the road." "What new skills did you learn, Nash?" I asked as we walked toward the quartermaster''s dugout. He turned to make eye contact with me and gave me the type of grin that can only be described as evil. "Oh, you''ll see." Chapter 29 Master General Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Half-Breed Drow - Balushenian ''Are the preparations complete, spindly-one?'' The crow was perched upon the helmet of my armor, and its eyes glowed a faint red as the message burned into my mind. My fury enveloped me, how DARE it refer to me as spindly!? This entire plan depends entirely upon me! On the other hand, though, my plans depend upon them as well. I carefully hid my bile and rage at the disrespect as I formulated my response. ''The preparations are moving forward according to the schedule.'' ''I grow impatient. WE grow impatient. The filth-one must be destroyed, and our lands must be returned.'' I couldn''t help but sigh. How can one live for thousands of years and still be as impatient as a whining pup? Do elder vampires regress into childhood as they age? Thinking on it, the older people seem to get the less mature they seem to act. Even members of the nobility are no exception. Perhaps maturity follows some sort of bell curve. ''There is nothing that can be done for your impatience, with the exception of the expert application of your own willpower.'' A shriek blasted in my mind that would have given me a start had I not been fully expecting it. The faint glow of the crow''s eyes turned bright as they bored into mine. I met those eyes without blinking, staring down the challenge issued. The vampire controlling the crow knew there was nothing they could do against me. Soon enough the coloration faded entirely, and I was left glaring at a very confused corvid. Crows are strange birds, in many ways they seem to be dumber than the birds that are natural to this world, but in some certain specific ways they''re very intelligent. This crow, for instance, knew that it was out of place but didn''t make the type of fuss one would expect a wild animal to. Instead, it watched me warily, staying still and waiting for me to make the first move. It would continue to wait, I had no intention of risking a pecking by trying to pick it up. Thankfully for us both, my tent flap opened and the bird from another world took the chance to escape with gusto. General Smarn cursed as he had to crouch to avoid a collision with it. Once the bird had taken to the sky, Smarn looked at me with an obvious question in his bright orange eyes. "A crow with a message for me from a family member," I explained before he could ask. I shook a freshly unfolded missive that had been attached to the crow''s left leg. The point of the missive wasn''t actually communication, it was to lend credence to my cover story. After all, it would be suspicious to have random avian visitors for unknown reasons. Its contents were quite benign, and not the type of thing one would waste time on a reply to. "A crow?" he asked. "Your family uses daemon-spawn to send messages? Talk about a luxury." I cringed inwardly at the General''s ignorance of the origin of crows. They may have been introduced to this plane of existence by the daemons, but it was not there that they originated. True daemon-spawn must be crafted and cannot be bred and tamed like crows can. "What is it?" I demanded, neglecting to educate him. "The northern legion, uh..." he struggled to remember their given name. "The Aultris," I reminded him. "Yes, sir. The Aultris have at last joined us. They are formed up and waiting orders." "Two more legions to go then," I sighed. "Have them continue their training. If the commanders protest, have them flogged and brought before me." "Yes, sir." General Smarn bowed and left my tent. I watched the royal green flap close behind him, then turned my attention to the table that my helmet rested upon. Also upon the table was a well-detailed map that demonstrated my tactical prowess, not that there was anyone in this camp who could even begin to appreciate it. The closest thing they''d ever seen to a tactic was to inadvertently flank an enemy when the rear lines couldn''t get to the fight. Amused, I glanced at the missive that had been attached to the crow. - Dearest Kirain, Are you safe yet? Esmira - Sent from and signed by my youngest sister. That would be a trick, she''s currently bound and gagged. To serve as food, of course. There truly is no blood quite as divine as one''s own, but only the blood of others can nourish. As such, having family members is quite a boon. The other vampires were jealous of this, but then they were jealous of a great many things. My position, my manor, my power, and even my mission. To them, a half-breed like myself rising to such a station is abhorrent. To them, one such as I rising so high only serves to demonstrates how low they''ve fallen. To them, I''m merely an uppity tool, and I''ve no doubt that some of them plan to assassinate me when they get the chance. But even a half-breed like myself has defenses. It''s not as if I asked for this ''honor'', either. My mother was insane, and desperately hated King Lofin. He had executed her father and forced her to marry his favorite noble. My father, on paper, was a Duke and very well off. My mother''s father was a count, and barely qualified as nobility. Most women of the kingdom would have been honored, but my mother was furious. Not because she loved her father, or hated the Duke, but because she perceived the King''s actions as a slight against her. She openly admitted such to me, with pride in her voice. She had readily agreed to the vampire''s plots when they approached her. They needed someone in the King''s inner circle, and she was able to provide that. This lasted through the birth of my older brother, but then the plot evolved. They wanted a general who could conquer lands and help them secretly build an army, so she laid with an elven vampire that looked somewhat like my father. The result of that coitus was myself. A half-breed vampire, and my father was never any the wiser. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. When a vampire lays with another vampire, the resulting offspring is a vampire brood. A twisted looking thing, similar in appearance to a common ghoul. It is much stronger than a ghoul and just as smart, but it''s much easier to kill than a true vampire. One need simply to hack it up during the daylight and the sun would do the rest. A brood''s regeneration was much slower than even my own, which is already only about half as fast as that of a full vampire. When a vampire lays with a mortal, the result is an abomination like myself. A half-breed, as they call it. Half-breeds are more similar to true vampires than the brood are, but aren''t as physically strong. We also age, which is damned near blasphemous to those who''ve lived for thousands of years. How can we truly be vampires if we are shackled by time like the cattle are? Regardless, my mother was more than happy to give birth to me for a chance at revenge. She made certain to take very good care of me, and never let a wetnurse anywhere near me. She would jokingly tell the wetnurses that I was a biter. But it wasn''t a joke. I needed blood every day at that stage, and every day she would whisper to me what my purpose in life was, as well as what would happen if anyone else found out about it. It gave me nightmares, but I kept it together. Better than she did, at any rate. On my fifteenth birthday she snapped and murdered my father and older brother, stabbing them both repeatedly as they slept. The latter was convenient, as his assassination was forthcoming anyway. I inherited his share of the titles and lands, and the inbred bastard ordered me to execute my own mother to demonstrate my loyalty. She smiled at me as I took her head. The hardest part about it was resisting the blood-smell. I immediately got rid of most of my newly acquired staff and replaced them with loyal servants who were in the know. The excuse I gave was that the prior staff was unable to prevent the assassination of my father nor my brother, so I could not trust that they had not conspired with my mother. After that, they were grateful to leave the manor alive. My two younger sisters became my primary source of sustenance. "Did you write this?" I jokingly asked the covered cage in the corner of my tent. Not getting a reply, I walked over to the cage and kicked it. A small muffled sound answered me. Esmira, my youngest sibling. Bound and gagged with silk, and kept very weak by regular feedings. I would feel sorry for her, were she not just as vicious and vindictive as my mother. I remembered my twelfth birthday party, where she began to spread rumors that I had sexually assaulted a maid. My crime was that I had hidden her doll for a day, six months prior. For that, I was imprisoned and beaten severely by my father. When her actions were discovered, she grinned and admitted that she was joking around. Her punishment had simply been a scolding from father. Moorn, my other sister, was much better behaved and quite well taken care of back at the manor. She still served as a source of sustenance when Esmira became nearly drained, but she was far more willing to part with her blood so that her older brother could conquer the world. Mother had taken her into our confidence early on in life. Moorn detests Esmira, and it was her idea to put Esmira in her current situation to ensure I had a source of blood. Truth be told, the blood isn''t a requirement for survival anymore. It was when I was a child, but around my eighth birthday I started to be able to survive on normal foods. That''s one of the benefits to being a half-breed. It''s much easier to pass as a mortal. However, doing so will lead you to being weaker than the average mortal, and all of the benefits to being half-vampire will quickly diminish. I''d had to starve myself of the blood for years to adequately demonstrate my weakness to King Lofin. The King was fully convinced that I was a pathetic worm by the time my predecessor, who had been old and frail when he''d become a Master General, died. The Master General must be weak and uninspiring, otherwise the people will follow them instead of the Inbred Bastard King. Lofin will likely order my execution if I''m successful with this invasion, but by then it will be too late. The vampires will have a steady source of mortals to convert and plenty of room to create armies of their own. Lofin will find it much harder to execute me now that I''m feeding again and have my abilities back. The regeneration comes in handy, but I have to be careful about who sees it happen. My ability to vanish has actually saved me from several assassins sent by rival nobles, and allowed me to satisfy certain... curiosities that I had as a teenager. I''ve never had a reason to shape-shift into an animal, nor do I frequently partake in hypnosis. You would think that hypnosis would be useful, but it has a limited duration and the mortal''s personality drastically shifts during the process. Since it''s nearly impossible to use covertly, it''s only useful for preventing an imminent attack against oneself or making someone loopy enough to forget that you fed on them. Since I don''t feed on strangers, it''s only really useful for the former. But then, I have a sword for that sort of thing. There are other advantages to being a half-breed. Sunlight doesn''t injure me at all, though most vampires are able to regenerate fast enough that it doesn''t actually harm them. I''m also able to subsist on the blood of other vampires, which is another reason my kind is looked down upon. Vampire blood is not nearly as potent as mortal blood, so this is barely even a benefit. The biggest drawback of being a half-breed is that I cannot make vampires of my own. Nor can I create children with mortals to make more half-breeds. I can, however, breed with another vampire to create brood. As such, a brood-queen has been promised to me for my part in all this. A vampire criminal whose mind has been completely destroyed. They slice off the top of the skull and replace a good deal of brain matter with metal so that the brain cannot fully regenerate. They incinerate the part of the brain that they remove so that the vampire in question is trapped within their now useless vessel. Completely docile, and useful for one thing only. It''s a very secretive process, but I was privy to it when they showed me my reward. I had been led down a long, darkened stone hallway into a dungeon that the vampires were currently occupying. I was led past laboratories, kennels, prison cells, and even the brood-kings. There were far more brood-kings than there were brood-queens, which is likely an indication of the crime rate among the vampires. At last, I was shown my prize. I never learned her name, only her beauty. She had been a rather curvaceous elf before becoming a vampire. Long silver hair, alabaster skin free of any blemishes, and green eyes that didn''t show even a glimmer of intellect. The lack of intellect is a bit of a turn-off, if I''m honest, but utterly necessary for her intended function. Her crime had been the murder of another vampire without just cause. Apparently, her victim had convinced her lover to part ways with her. She had tortured the victim first, cutting into her flesh for days before finally ending her eternity. A vicious streak a mile-long, one that hopefully our brood would inherit. I sat down in my orc-leather chair as I imagined the army of brood she would sire for me. Perhaps I would use that army to capture more brood-queens, and eventually I would subjugate the entirety of the continent. If I were to do that, I''d have to give a lot more thought to governmental structure. I will die of old age eventually, and I will need to have a chain of succession if I''m to conquer the world. Yes, that would show those pompous bastards what a half-breed can do. I met my first vampire just after my mother''s death. He had smiled scornfully as he informed me that my true father had been captured and destroyed by King Lofin''s forces. He told me that scum like me should be honored to play the part I''ve been given. Even as he educated me on my abilities and the drawbacks of my form, he made it absolutely clear that he believed me to be nothing more than a mote of dust that would cause their greatest enemy to choke. I despise them. Even the vampires with more agreeable personalities made it clear that they believe me to be trash, despite my necessity to their resurgence. Once that resurgence is complete they will be unlikely to honor their part of the bargain, but I''ve taken measures against that particular betrayal. The brood-queen will be mine. The Night Kingdom will be mine. The world will be mine. "Sir," General Smarn once again opened the flap of my tent. "What is it?" "The Sim Valrin have arrived." "Excellent. Have them form up and continue their training. If the commanders complain, well, you know what to do by now," I ordered with a dismissive gesture, then grinned. "One more." Chapter 30 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American It had been a few days since we left Kirkena, and the trip had been smooth so far. Nash said that since it''s just us guarding the carts, we can''t do training. I''m thankful for that, but I think the real reason is because he doesn''t want my level to surpass his. He''d been acting a little jealous of how quickly I''ve been levelling up. Still, it''s nice to be able to lay down, put my feet up on the side of the cart, relax, and enjoy the ride without muscle aches. One side of the road was lined with a dense forest, and the other side was a flat plain filled with various wild grasses and flowers. In the morning, the sun rose over the plain warming us up, and in the afternoon the trees provided a nice little bit of shade to help cool us off. It was the afternoon now, and I was so relaxed that I was right about to drift off for a nap when a bump in the road sent me floating for a second. I came down hard and Ares appeared to protect my head, but my armor did little to save my poor back. "Argh," I groaned. "Sorry about that," Imlor said. "Not your fault, Imlor," Nash chuckled. "Serves him right for lounging on the job." "Oh come on," I complained. "You said that these paths are the safe ones." "Relatively safe," Yulk said with a grin. "As in, safer than the adventurer paths. It''s still more than possible to run into complications out here." "Like what?" I asked. "Monsters, for one. Though they''re a rare occurrence," Nash chimed in. "Out here the most common complication is banditry." "Indeed," Yulk agreed. "They don''t usually leave survivors, either. Unless they''re hoping for a ransom, of course." "What? Why not? Wouldn''t that make the guards come after them?" "Not guards, soldiers. Those soldiers won''t deploy until there''s a pattern of disappearances, or if there''s a report of banditry. So by killing the survivors, they buy themselves some time and the chance to rob more people and go to ground. Plus, if the survivors make it back to town the soldiers will know what they''re dealing with, and be better prepared to bring the bandits to justice." "Justice..." I trialed off, thinking of all the different brands of justice that were used during the medieval times. Back then, more often than not justice meant death. If you put up a fight, they''d kill you during it. If you surrendered, they''d execute you. Usually in pretty nasty ways. It was like all the leaders back then were competing for who could come up with the most disgusting way to end a human life. I don''t really know where I stand on the death penalty, I''m sure some of them deserved what they got, but it''s easy to take modern justice for granted. "Yeah, justice," Nash repeated. "Can''t have them killing honest folk who are just trying to make a living. Too few of ''em around as it is." Nash''s stance on the matter caused the rest of us to fall silent in contemplation. I started running through what-if scenarios in my head to make sense of it all. Another bump in the road interrupted my musing, and I decided to adjust my seating arrangements to prevent further spinal trauma. The carts made their way along the road, the goods in the lead cart making some metallic clanging noises whenever we hit another bump. It sounded somewhat like a silverware drawer, but if the silverware were extra large and heavy. I was nearly about to ask about the contents when Imlor turned to us with a serious expression. "Fire ahead," he said. "Looks like trouble." We scrambled up into better positions to see what he was talking about. Further along the road was a cart, on fire and with two of its wheels broken apart, scattered along the road. There was no sign of whatever had been pulling the cart or its owner. As we drew closer, that changed. Over the sound of our carts rolling along, there was a clamor coming from the woods along the side of the road. An arrow sailed from between the trees and Imlor stopped the cart in alarm. I glanced at Nash and Yulk, who were already preparing to exit the cart. I drew my sword as a small man ran out from the tree line. He was in a panic, and had a bit of rope tied to one of his wrists. His head turned to look at the flaming cart, and he stopped for a moment. He changed his mind about this pause as another arrow flew in his general direction, and he quickly turned and started running our way. He was so panicked that he ran a good hundred feet or so before he noticed us. All of us, Imlor included, jumped from the cart and started running in his direction. "NO!" the man shouted as he continued to run. "GET BACK!" I paused, but Yulk and Nash continued to chase after Imlor. A few tall orcs exited the tree line as Imlor caught up to the man. I started to run again as my brothers passed Imlor to fight the other orcs. As I caught up to Imlor, I got a good look at both the man and the orcs. The man was wearing fancy clothing, a blue tunic with shiny leather shoes and gold trim on everything. He looked a lot like the guy who was with the High Chief, but his face was different. The rope attached to one of his wrists had an empty loop, and his free hand was bleeding. The orcs looked tough even by orc standards. Covered with little more than pants and scars, they shouted a challenge at my brothers. There was little doubt regarding what was going on. These orcs were bandits, pursuing an escaped kidnapping victim. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. There was a loud pop as I passed Imlor, and I heard the dwarf shout something from behind me. I turned to look and saw him laying flat on the ground, with Imlor looking down at him with a confused expression. "What''s going on?" I shouted. He turned around to say something, but a thunderous sound drowned him out. I felt the weight of Ares appear on my head, and a moment later I was lifted from my feet and sent sailing through the air. My vision went dark for a time, and when it returned my ears were ringing. I rolled onto my side and tried shaking my head to clear the sound. It didn''t work. What the hell was that? An explosion? From where? I quickly looked around, and saw Imlor helping the dwarf to his feet. Both of them were covered in dust, but Imlor had it all over. He must have been thrown just like me. I glanced at my brothers. Yulk was on the ground, and Nash was bent over him. I tried to get up but my arms felt like jelly. I collapsed back to the ground. I had to see if Yulk is okay. He''s gotta be okay. If not I''ll... As I tried to get to my feet again, I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Imlor. He mouthed something, but my ears were still ringing. I concentrated hard to hear him through the sharp, steady tone. It began to fade, and I was finally able to pick up what he was saying. "Nick? Nick, are you okay? Can you get up?" he asked, his voice sounding very concerned. I managed to get to my knees, and noticed that my right hand was bloody. As I raised it up to look at it, my hand''s shadow travelled a bit and I saw the sunlight hit the ground under my hand. Why can I see the ground through my hand? What kind of optical illusion is that? I almost laughed, but then the pain set in. There''s a hole in my hand. It''s big enough to put my thumb through it. How did that happen? My shoulder hurts too, is there a hole there? Oh god, my leg is killing me. It''s still there, right? Of course it is, I''m sitting on them right now. Don''t panic, calm down, deep breaths, this isn''t so bad. Just wrap it up and Ten will take care of it. Yulk can help... Oh god, Yulk! "Are you alright? You''re blee... huh..." Imlor said. His tone cut right through my concerns like a red-hot meat cleaver through a room temperature stick of butter. I focused on him with what seemed like tunnel vision, and noticed he was holding the upper right side of his stomach. He pulled his hand away, and I noticed that the light brown dust had become darker. As if it were wet with something. We both seemed to notice the bright crimson blood on his hand at the same time. "Oh. I''m... I''m bleeding too," he said, then looked at me. Our eyes locked and we stared at each other in shock for a full second before I watched his eyes roll into the back of his head. He seemed to fall in slow motion, and I tried to catch him but I was moving even slower. Everything hurt, but I pushed through the pain to stop his head from slamming into the ground. I grit my teeth through the sharp pain as his head connected with my injured hand, but the pain doesn''t matter. He needs help, how can I help? What should I do? Yulk! "Yulk!" I shouted, looking around. "Yulk''s out cold!" Nash shouted back. "Imlor''s been hurt! Bad!" I heard a metallic clang and turned to look at Nash. He was fighting off two bandits who had somehow survived the explosion. He was using his two swords this time. One sword for each bandit. I noted that the remnants of the flaming cart were no longer intact, that must have been where the explosion came from. Feeling numb, I looked back at Imlor. He was pale. Too pale. "Hey, boy," someone said. I looked up and saw a dwarf. That''s right, he was the one who told us to run and get back. Why didn''t we listen? If we had, Imlor would be okay. How do I fix this? This can''t be happening. How do I make him okay? What do I do? "Here, put this on his wound and push down," the dwarf said, handing me a bundle of cloth. "He''s out, so don''t worry about hurting him. We''ve got to staunch the bleeding." The cloth was blue with gold trim. It looked familiar. I glanced at the dwarf and noticed he was missing his sleeve. He''d ripped it off, and I was now holding it. I pushed the sleeve against the center of the blood stain and pushed. ''Nick,'' a voice in my head said. I tried to reply, but my mind isn''t working right. It feels like I''m swimming without my body. How do I help Imlor? Is Yulk okay? Should I go help Nash against the bandits? I... I can''t... "You''re adventurers, right?" the dwarf asked. I nodded. "Adventurers usually travel with a healer. Who''s your healer?" "The bald orc in the robe over there," I gestured with my head. "But he''s hurt too." The dwarf looked over my shoulder and got a nervous look on his face as he noticed Nash fighting two bandits at once. ''Nick, Imlor''s wound indicates that his liver has been struck with shrapnel. You need to check for an exit wound.'' "How do I do that?" I said out loud. ''Check his back for a similar wound.'' The dwarf gave me an odd look as I rolled Imlor to check his back. I couldn''t see, so I wiped my hand on a clean part of my pants and swiped it across his back. It came back red. Blood. So much blood. He''s bleeding in the front and the back. How do I stop the bleeding? I can''t push on both sides at once. He''s going to die and there''s nothing I can do about it. "Shit," the dwarf hissed. "We need a healer." He said he was going to spend more time with his family, that he''d retire from the road after this job. This delivery would let him hire on employees to do the majority of the work for him, and he''d finally be able to see his wife and kids more. He''d stop being an absentee father, and his kid''s lives would be better for it. He''s a good person, this isn''t fair. "Kid," the dwarf said gently, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Why did this happen? I... I don''t understand," I said, dimly aware of the tears streaming down my face. "My... my cart had a bunch of mining equipment in it, including explosives," the dwarf said quietly. "Those assholes decided that I''d make a good hostage but my equipment wasn''t worth their time, so they torched the cart." Imlor''s breathing was shallow. What can I do? Stiches wouldn''t work, he''d need surgery to seal up the internal bleeding. A tourniquet? How do you put a tourniquet on a stomach wound? Maybe if we cauterize the wound... but would that just make it worse? If only I could... ''I don''t know if this will work or not, but try casting a healing spell. Imagine the wound healing.'' That''s right! Magic! I felt myself snap back to reality and I spread out my fingers and imagined the wound closing, but that didn''t work. My magic core wasn''t primed. I took a few deep breaths, and while it was charging I tried to imagine a liver with a hole in it, then imagining the hole closing and the liver being intact. I closed my eyes to get a better mental picture. Come on... -Minor heal unlocked- "Laeh Ronim Tsac" my mouth said. I felt a tingle as the magic travel from my chest, through my arm, and out my fingers. I willed it to continue, pushing all the magic I could into it. I kept charging my magic with deep breaths, refilling my core and mixing the magics even as it was being drained. It somehow felt like sprinting. ''Is it working?'' I asked Ten. ''I can''t tell, the clothing is blocking our view of the wound. Lift it up and check.'' ''Not yet, I want to make sure.'' I kept the spell active until I felt the last sputtering of magic flow through my arm. My magic-core was fully drained. I felt light-headed as I lifted his shirt to check his wound. I blinked my eyes heavily a few times as I looked upon his freshly mended skin. There was a slight red mark to indicate where the hole had been. "He''s... he''s healed," the dwarf was surprised. "You''re a healer?" "I... I wasn''t a minute ago," I panted, trying not to pass out. I blinked my eyes again and shook my head to stave off the tunnel vision that was forming. Not working. "Actually, come to think of it, what are you anyway?" he asked. "I''m..." I managed to say before I passed out. Chapter 31 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American Darkness. True darkness. I''m surrounded by total and complete darkness, not the kind you see when you''re in a dark room or when you close your eyes. No, this is like someone painted my eyes with the blackest of paints and buried me deep underground. It''s stifling, pressing in around me. It''s unnerving, but there''s something even worse. The darkness is matched by silence. I''ve never heard nothingness before. I can''t even hear my heartbeat. I can''t FEEL my heartbeat! What is this? What''s happening? ''Silly boy, you used up all your magic. Whatever ARE we going to do with you?'' Ten? No, no I know that voice that isn''t a voice. Clawing at the back of my mind, begging me to remember. It''s feminine, a woman? Mom? No, younger. Much younger. Where am I? The darkness suddenly fled and I found myself standing within a void of white. The silence remained. I check to make sure I''m intact by patting my body as I glance around for whoever''s here with me. I''ve got all my parts, but they''re not covered by anything. I look down and confirmed my nudity, but something''s off. I should have wounds, but I''m not hurt anymore. I was bleeding... What happened? The hole in my hand is healed and didn''t even leave a scar. Wait, all of my scars are gone. What the hell? Did I die? "Of course not. You don''t die from using up all your magic, you silly little mud man," Cass laughed. "You''re also not healed. You look how you SHOULD look, without the random graffiti that life tends to add." I quickly spun around. Standing in glorious nudity before me was Cassandra, the love of my life. Except it isn''t. It''s something else entirely. I knew this instinctively, but it took my brain a moment to catch up. Cass wouldn''t know about magic, and I don''t recall her ever using ''silly little mud man'' as a term of endearment. The closer I looked, the more obvious it was that the thing standing in front of me wasn''t Cass. Her hair''s the wrong shade of blonde, her eyes are the wrong shade of blue, and she''s shorter than she should be. "You''re not Cass," I managed to say, my breath fighting to stay in my lungs as if it didn''t want to leave me. "You see me as your girlfriend?" "What do..." I ran out of breath. I panicked for a moment, but then realized I was fine. I couldn''t breathe, but I also couldn''t suffocate. Maybe I can just think. ''What do you mean?'' I mentally asked. ''Well, I''m not exactly appearing to you in a physical form. You''re not exactly in a physical form either, for that matter. Your mind is struggling to interpret these things with visual,'' it smiled with Cass'' mouth, "and audio stimuli." ''Are we in my mind?'' "No, but your mind and soul are intrinsically linked. One cannot maintain its form without the other." ''Then where are we?'' "That," the thing moved closer and fluttered Cass'' eyelashes at me, "isn''t relevant." ''I don''t understand,'' I took a step back. "That''s obvious, and I''m afraid that your comprehension of our location isn''t at all important. I was going to approach you as you slept tonight, but since the opportunity presented itself sooner..." ''Approach me?'' I interrupted. ''Why?'' "Because you''re amusing. Not just to me, but to many others as well. Unfortunately for said amusement, you''re unlikely to know what to do when you get to your next destination. You''ll get there, seek out a scholar, get your little words translated, and end up right back to square one," it rolled her eyes at me. "It would take you years to figure out the next step, and you don''t have that long." ''Why not?'' "Because some very stupid mer are getting ready to do some very stupid things, and that will result in your leads drying up." I stare at the thing in front of me, trying to work out what it''s talking about. It''s starting to look less and less like Cass. Her eyes are now purple and her hair was now gray, nearly white, but everything else remained the same. ''How do you know all this?'' "I know almost everything that happens in the mortal realm, sweetie," it said with a smile. "I know that you''re a human, I know that Nash pulled you out of a dungeon, I know how you felt when you woke up, and above all that I know what you hope to accomplish. It will be an absolute delight to see if you can do it or not." ''What are you, some sort of god?'' Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "Well..." it sighed almost comically. "I suppose I have been called that. But unlike the gods you''re familiar with, I had absolutely nothing to do with creating anything. Neither did any of the other beings known as gods, for that matter." ''Then why are you known as gods?'' "Mortals love to name and classify things. They do their best to make everything fit into tiny little boxes, especially when they don''t know enough about something to even begin to hope to properly classify it. Those with immense power that exist beyond their reckoning are stuffed neatly into the box labelled god." So this thing isn''t a god, but is close enough to be called one. It''s wearing Cassandra''s face, but it claims it''s not doing so intentionally. It can read my thoughts, too, even when I''m not trying to verbalize them, but we''re not in my mind. "Doesn''t really make much sense, does it?" it laughed. "If it helps you get over it, you can call this place limbo or purgatory. You''re more familiar with such concepts, and the only real difference is that this isn''t a waiting area for the dead." ''I see. Well, what do YOU call this place?'' "I don''t. Things like me don''t have any reason to name things. Among ourselves, we''re simply able to broadcast a thought with complete context. If I want a specific person to meet me in a specific place, all I have to do is think about the details. However, none of this is relevant, Nick." ''Okay... So we''re in Limbo, but not really. And you''re a god, but not really. So what do you want with me?'' "There we go," it raised an index finger and tapped my nose. "Finally, we can get to business. You''re going to Bolisir. When you get there, Yulk will want to visit some scholars to get the text you found in the dungeon translated. His childish thirst for knowledge will cause him to decline an invitation to see the dragon. Do not let him decline that invitation." ''It''s hard to imagine Yulk turning down the chance to see a dragon.'' "To him, it''s just a sleeping dragon. It will be there once your task is complete. Whether he sees it now or five years from now doesn''t really matter to him. The puzzle of what you are and where you came from is a much more pressing matter to the cutest little orc scholar." I found myself taken aback by that description of Yulk, but managed to press on, ''What do we do after seeing the dragon?'' "The choices afterwards will be clear, and you''ll know which one to make to continue your trek back to Cass. If you need another nudge at some point, I''ll pop by." ''Why are you helping me? Just because I''m amusing?'' "Don''t underestimate the value of amusement to a being like me. But the actual reason is that I''m rooting for you," it smiled, but its mouth had changed. It wasn''t Cassandra''s anymore. The lips were fuller and the teeth were far more pointed. "It would break my heart, metaphorically speaking, to see you fail your great quest. If it weren''t for my pact, I''d tell you exactly how to get to where you need to get to." It gestured with one of its arms and the sound of chains clinked from somewhere. I blinked in surprise and suddenly saw the source of the noise. She was covered in chains, and the links were made of solid crimson light. They sent sparks flying at even the slightest movement. I looked for what they were attached to, but the chains began and ended inside the being before me. I could only imagine that they were attached directly to its bones. How didn''t I see these before? "Your perception is limited, Nick. There''s a lot that you can''t see, hear, smell, or feel. Perception is a funny thing, though. Once someone points something out to you, suddenly you see it all over the place," it grinned. Its appearance had changed. It no longer looked like Cass at all. Its hair was radiant blue, its eyes were deep purple, and its skin had a mirrorlike quality to it. It was still nude, but its proportions had changed. It was now taller than me, and was shaped more like Nima than Cass. Including the odd alligator teeth that all orcs have. Somehow, this set me at ease a bit. ''Should I tell the others about you?'' "Yulk and Nash will believe you, so you can tell them if you think it will make things easier. If you tell others, they will understandably believe that you''re not well in the head. This will add obstacles to your path that will require bloodshed to clear," it shrugged. "Up to you, though." ''Bloodshed?'' "Oh yes," it grinned again. "Instead of gently pushing past the obstacles standing in your way, they''ll force you to gut them and unleash rivers of blood that will flood along your path. Since violence begets more violence, more blood will inevitably flow. On the bright side, letting the violence guide you will get you to your goals much faster." The thing''s smile erased any sort of ease I had felt up to that point. The smile spoke volumes, hinting at a macabre enjoyment of all things hateful and violent. I involuntarily took a step backward. ''I''d...'' "Rather not," it interrupted with a sigh. "I know, Nick, I know. And that''s fine. It''s only one way to get you where you''re going. It''s the most fun way, in my opinion, but I''m fully capable of understanding that you would find it a lot less fun than I would." It shrank a little bit, as if deflating. Like someone had just told it that the next installment of its favorite slasher movie would be PG-13. Then it laughed a bit and came back up to full size. "You have more questions, and we''ve got time. I''ll answer what I can, though the answers will likely be disappointing," it said. ''What happened to me? How did I end up in this world?'' "I don''t actually know. You were outside of our perception until Nash lifted you from that altar." ''Is Cass okay?'' "I don''t know. She''s outside of my perception." ''Damn,'' I crossed my arms to think for a moment. ''Why are you the one who is approaching me?'' "I like to play with mortals, and so I''m far more familiar with doing so than others of my kind. Plus, I really wanted to," it smiled. "I threatened to throw a temper tantrum if I wasn''t picked." This threw me off. A being that people called god, throwing a temper tantrum? Like a toddler? Then I remembered some of the Greek gods and felt kind of foolish. The thing smiled at me knowingly. I sighed and thought about what my next question should be. ''Will I make it back to Cass?'' "I don''t know, but we can''t wait to find out." ''You don''t know?'' "Of course not. I have a general idea of how things might go if all the mortals involved make certain choices at certain times, but I don''t actually know the end result until it happens." ''Well, alright then. Do I have a chance to make it back to Cass?'' The thing laughed and held up the chains, indicating that it couldn''t answer. I felt a surge of anger rush through me, but quickly quelled it. The anger isn''t exactly justified. The fact that we''re even having this conversation means that it''s at least somewhat willing to help. If anything, I should be grateful. ''What can I do to increase my chances of seeing Cass again?'' "Train every chance you get. Learn new spells, put your body through hell. The stronger you get, the better your odds are," it smiled again. "You have a lot of potential. If you start focusing on your endurance, you''ll find that you can increase your strength faster than most can. Even if you fail to get back home, you''ll be able to live comfortably amongst the mortals of this world." I was about to express my distaste at this possibility, but the thing held up a hand. "It''s time for you to wake up. Go see the dragon." Everything went dark again. Chapter 32 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 9 Orc - Nulevan The exploding cart caught me by surprise, thankfully I had quick recovery active because of the bandits. A new skill I picked up while training with Nick, and it does exactly as advertised. I was the first one up, my ears ringing and head swimming. I shook the cobwebs out of my skull and checked myself over to make sure I was in one piece. Lucky, no shrapnel wounds. As I grabbed my swords up off the ground and sheathed them, I looked around. Everyone else was on the ground. Yulk was just behind where I''d landed, and I ran over to him first. "Yulk!" I shouted as I shook him. "Wake up, brother. Tell me you''re okay." He didn''t stir. Shit. I tried to get his robe off so I could check him for injuries. I wasn''t able to get it off, but I was able to get it open. He was wearing a tunic with shorts underneath. Blood on his legs. I ripped his tunic apart to see if his chest was fine. No blood, and it was rising and falling to indicate he was breathing. I tore a strip off his tunic and bandaged the small wound on his leg. I glanced up and saw Imlor trying and failing to help Nick stand. As I straightened up to go check on him, I heard someone behind me groaning. Instinctively, I drew my swords. My axe, being as cumbersome as it is, had been left in the cart. I spun and barely managed to block the first bandit''s strike as the second bandit was standing up. I''d heard the second bandit, which had ruined the first''s sneak attack. The other five were in no condition to fight. The second bandit took a moment to get his bearings as I took a slash at the first one, which he dodged. He wasn''t able to dodge the follow-up kick, though. He hit the ground and rolled backward, and I followed and slashed with both swords. The bandit dodged backward again, which is fine by me, I want to distance him from Yulk. The other bandit saw our conflict and lunged at me with his spear. I parried it, and blocked another strike from the first bandit. "Yulk!" Nick shouted from behind me. "Yulk''s out cold!" I replied, swinging at the first orc again. I hope he''s just out cold. A coma would be terrible this far from town. I parried the spear again and rushed the bandit with the sword. He managed to block the strike to his throat, but wasn''t able to avoid the slash across his gut. It went deep, and he fell to the ground holding his injury. I shut out his cries of pain as I turned my attention to the one with the spear. There''s no need to worry about him getting back up, I know a fatal blow when I see it. The bandit with the spear also knew a fatal blow by sight, and became more cautious. I darted forward, and he leapt back while jabbing at me with the spear. If he were any more skilled with his spear, I''d be in trouble. However, after the fourth time of him jumping back and trying to poke me, I was starting to get annoyed. "Go to the hells, you bastard!" the bandit growled at me. "Lead the way," I replied, slashing the tip off of his spear. The bandit looked at his spear dumbfounded, and I took advantage of this to use another skill I''d unlocked. I activated thrusting throw, and my sword leapt from my hand and plunged itself into the bandit''s chest. He gaze moved from his spear, to the hilt that was now attached to his chest, and then to me as he crumpled under the weight of death. This particular skill had come to me after constantly throwing Nick''s training weapon back to him. I don''t think he even realized that I''d activated the skill. He probably believes I''m just good at throwing training swords directly at his heart. I walked over to the bandit and pulled my sword from its fleshy sheath. I took this opportunity to examine the remains of the explosion and the other five bandits, which was a mistake. Even with all the death and destruction I''d seen before, the way their bodies were torn apart and contorted beyond recognition made my stomach churn. I turned away and closed my eyes, trying to think of anything else so that it wouldn''t stick with me. Food''s a bad thought. No, let''s think about relaxing at the training field. Staring up at the sky, watching the clouds go by. Nima by my side, giggling at something I said. Not even a joke, but she found it funny regardless. A good memory to blot out the bad. "Help!" an unfamiliar voice called out from behind me. I turned to look and saw the dwarf we''d ran past earlier, now kneeling over Nick. Imlor was also on the ground. I wiped my swords on spear-bandit''s pants and kicked Yulk''s shoe as I passed, but he didn''t even stir. Gods, he''s out for the count. I hope he''s alright. "What''s going on?" I asked the dwarf as I approached. "The gnome was hit and bleeding out, and the... uh..." "Human." "Human? What?" "He''s a human. That doesn''t matter though. Focus up, what happened?" "Oh, he uh... I guess he figured out how to use healing magic. He used it on the gnome and then passed out. He''s wounded pretty bad, looks like he was hit by a bunch of shrapnel," the dwarf explained. I knelt and checked the boy''s wounds, and the dwarf was right. He had a hole clean through his right hand, another hole in his shoulder, two in his left leg and one in his right leg. I couldn''t find any holes in his cuirass, though. I breathed a sigh of relief. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "He''ll be fine," I said. "How can you say that? If he lost enough blood to pass out, then he definitely won''t be fine. We gotta do something!" "Look at the ground. There isn''t nearly enough blood here to cause someone his size to pass out," I explained. "Plus, our healer is down for the count. Ain''t a damn thing we could do even if we wanted to." "We could bandage his wounds, at least," the dwarf muttered. "Nope, with Nick that''s a bad idea. I''ll show you why," I grinned. "Hey, Ten. You there?" "Yes," Ten said with Nick''s voice. The dwarf leapt back from the boy with startling speed. He didn''t get far before he stumbled and landed on his ass, staring at Nick with an open-mouth frown. Nick, however, didn''t move at all. After a moment, the dwarf turned to look at me again. "Ten is a robot that lives in Nick''s head and helps heal him," I explained. "I''m not a robot," Ten said. "Close enough. Anyway, he''s got foreign objects in some of his wounds, doesn''t he?" I asked. "Yes." "And it would be a bad idea to bandage those wounds while you try to heal them, right?" "Correct, if you bandage the wounds it would prevent me from removing the shrapnel. I would have to heal around it, and I would then have to force the shrapnel out of the body through the skin. Which would take an annoyingly long time without surgical assistance." "There you have it," I said to the dwarf. "All we can do is wait for our injured to wake up. Nick healed Imlor, Ten''s healing Nick, and Yulk doesn''t have any visible injuries. He''s probably got one hell of a concussion though." "I... I see..." the dwarf said, starting to shake off the shock. "Anyways, I''m Nash. What''s your name?" "My... Oh. I''m Renv. Renv Marfix. Pleasure to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances." "Yeah, me too," I chuckled darkly. "So what were you doing out here, Renv?" "My uncle owns one of the biggest suppliers in Bolisir, and I was transporting mining equipment to Kirkena for him. Shovels, picks, buckets, and some bang-clay. Recipe C," he explained. "The bandits weren''t interested in the gear, but were convinced they could get a good ransom out of me." "Well, that explains the explosion. But that sounds like pretty valuable cargo, why didn''t you have guards?" I asked. "I did. Three of ''em. The bandits killed them and tossed their bodies in the cart," his expression went dark. "They were friends of mine. We grew up together, but they became adventurers and I became a businessman. Now they''re... They''re dead." "Sorry for your loss," I said gently. "I know how hard that is. I''ve lost some friends rece..." Nick suddenly sat up as if he were in the middle of a fight, and then winced at the pain his various injuries caused. He looked around in an odd way, as if glad his eyes were working. He looked at Renv, then at me, and then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You alright?" I asked. "Yeah... yeah I''ll be okay. I just..." he looked at Renv again. "Never mind. I''m fine, just used all my magic. How''s Imlor?" "He''s out, but looks alright. Yulk''s out too." "He''s not up yet? Wait, how long was I out?" "Just a few minutes," Renv said. "I''m Renv, by the way. Didn''t get a chance to make introductions with all the excitement." "I''m Nick," the boy replied. "Nice to meet you." They discussed how we had got to be where we are, but I was distracted by Yulk. He''d been out for a while. He''d probably taken a knock on the head, but I hadn''t seen any blood. I wondered about trying to load Yulk and Imlor into the cart, but the hnarses looked angsty. The explosion had probably put them on edge, and a kick from one of them would be bad no matter who it connected with. "Nick, has your magic recharged at all?" I asked. "Lemme check," he closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. "Yes, I''ve got about a quarter of it back." "I want you to heal Yulk. Can you move?" "Not on my own. Ten says my leg''s fractured." "Alright." Nick looked up at me questioningly as I stood and brushed the dirt off of my knee. I grinned as I leaned down, placed my arms beneath his armpits, and lifted him from the ground. He protested a bit as I carried him over to Yulk''s still unconscious form, and winced as I set him down. "Heal him," I said. "What''s wrong with him?" Nick asked. "I don''t know. Probably took a knock to the head. Just cast the spell and let it figure it out." "I''m pretty sure that''s not how it works." "I''m pretty sure it is. You think healers have time to figure out what''s wrong with a person before they heal them?" I asked angrily. "But... Fine," he relented. "Laeh Ronim Tsac." A faint light glowed around Nick''s hand as the spell went to work on Yulk. I crossed my arms in satisfaction, but raised an eyebrow as I noticed the light didn''t fade like it normally would. The spell was still going. Whenever Yulk or other healers cast a healing spell, the light would only last for about a second. Before I could say anything, Yulk''s eyes shot open and he sat up. Nick let his arm drop to his side as Yulk looked around trying to figure out what was going on. Finally, my brother looked at us and tilted his head questioningly. "You got knocked out by an explosion from the flaming cart," I explained. "Then I healed you," Nick added with a grin. "You healed me?" Yulk asked with a shocked expression. "I... Well, congratulations on unlocking your first healing spell! Which was it?" "Minor Heal," Nick said. "Good, good. That''s the first level of healing," Yulk nodded, rubbing the back of his head as if it were sore. "Nice place to start from. Is everyone okay?" "I''m fine, Nick''s got some new holes, and Imlor''s unconscious," I explained. "The dwarf that we rescued, Renv, is also uninjured." "I see. Where''d the flaming cart go?" "Already told you. That''s what blew up. It had bang-clay in it." "Right, that makes sense," Yulk said as he carefully stood up. "Shall we go check on Imlor, then?" "I can''t walk, I''ve got a fracture in my leg," Nick explained. "Not a problem," I said with a grin as I picked him up again. Yulk and I walked over to Imlor as my new baggage protested again. The protests got a little more colorful this time, so I was less gentle when I set him down. Nick glared at me angrily as Yulk knelt to check on the gnome. "Will he be okay?" Renv asked. "Hmm..." Yulk expressed as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What happened to him?" "A piece of shrapnel went through his gut, but he didn''t notice it at first. He passed out as he was checking on me," Nick explained. "Thankfully, it went clean through so I cast minor heal on him, but he didn''t wake up. Then I ended up passing out from using all my magic." Yulk looked at Nick with a confused expression. "What else did you use your magic on?" he asked. "Nothing," Nick answered. "But you have a ton of magic. Minor heal wouldn''t even come close to using all of it," Yulk said. "I used the spell until I ran out of magic," Nick explained. "How many times did you cast it?" As Yulk asked that, I made a connection between what Nick was saying, what Yulk was asking, and the strange length of time I''d seen from Nick''s healing spell. I couldn''t help but laugh, which made everyone look at me. "When he cast minor heal, it seemed to last longer than when you cast it," I explained. "I think he''s able to continue the spell with just one cast." "Is that so?" Yulk turned back to Nick. "I wonder what sort of effect that has on the healing." "I don''t know much about magic," Renv interrupted, "but is the gnome going to be okay? He''s been out for a while." "Right, right. He must have lost a bit of blood, but I can wake him up," Yulk nodded. Yulk then slapped Imlor across the face, the sound of which stunned the rest of us into silence. It seemed to echo around us. Nick opened his mouth, but Imlor mumbled something and his eyes fluttered open. He looked at each of us and sat up, holding the side of his face. "What happened?" he asked. "Come on, get up," Yulk smiled down at the gnome. "It''s time to get back on the road." Chapter 33 Yulk Alta Adventurer Level: 7 Orc - Nulevan Many things were running through my mind as we continued our journey. The fragile sturdiness of life, the luck we''ve had in our most recent exploits, curiosity regarding Renv, and above all else Nick''s ability to continuously cast Minor Heal. Did casting it continuously have any benefit over casting it as a one-off? Can everyone cast it continuously, or just Nick? He had seemed confused while we were discussing it, as if he was surprised by our surprise. Is it just the basic nature of the spell to cast it continuously? If so, how did we not discover this sooner? I''d been taught my healing spells by a specialist, who had studied under other specialists, who had learned the concepts behind healing magic from ancient tomes. As far as I know, that''s how every healer actually learns healing magic. Technically, you should be able to learn the spells on your own with a good deal of knowledge about anatomy and physiology, but I''m unaware of anyone who has. This is likely due to the fact that trying to learn anatomy and physiology on your own is difficult to do legally, and most who attempt to do it illegally end up facing rather dire consequences. Well deserved, to be sure, but the end result is that they''re not in a position to pass on any secrets they garner. I''d previously told Nick that he might be able to cast healing, just to see if he could. He seemed to have quite a bit of knowledge, so it wasn''t a stretch to imagine he knew a thing or two about how a body functions. If he hadn''t, I would have taken him to a specialist when our travels were somewhat less urgent. Nick has saved us a trip, but simultaneously opened a can of crawlers without a single fishing line in sight. "And that''s how I learned the spell," Nick explained to a shocked audience. Even Nash''s mouth was agape, despite his attempts to remain stoic. The dwarf had asked plenty of questions, demonstrating an unfamiliarity with magic. Imlor looked paler and paler as the story had gone on, likely due to it describing his near demise. Imlor''s a clever one, he''d quite easily put together the fact that if Nick hadn''t been with us, he''d have died. Even if he had ignored Renv''s urgent situation with the bandits and continued on, his cart would have been right next to the explosion when it had occurred. That kind of proximity wouldn''t have allowed for survival, even if he''d managed to avoid shrapnel. "Well, it''s no wonder you lost consciousness," I said with a smile. "You burned through all your reserves, and you were injured on top of that. It would have been odd if you hadn''t passed out. Not quite as odd as continuously casting Minor Heal, though." "Why''s that odd?" Nick asked. "Because it''s like wind-spear," I answered. "It has a singular effect. Or at least, that''s what I was led to believe. I don''t even know what the benefit of holding the spell actually could be." "Well," Nash interjected, "Imlor had a through and through. One minor heal would have stopped the bleeding and maybe stabilized him, but it would have taken a bunch of castings to close the wound entirely, right?" I turned to look at my brother, who had once again found the stone I''d been blindly stumbling over, and gave him a silent nod. I had dismissed anything odd about Imlor''s wound due to the powerful nature of Nick''s casting abilities. My mind had simply written it off as another instance of one of his spells being more powerful than it should be. Stupid of me, to be sure. Unlike some spells, healing spells don''t get more potent the more magic you put into them. They have a set cost and a set result, which is why there are different types. Minor Heal can stabilize someone that is mortally wounded for a time, Lesser Heal will repair internal injury and regenerate lost blood, Major Heal can repair gratuitous injury and broken bones, and Greater Heal can regenerate lost limbs. Each spell grants a brief amount of regeneration, and can also do what the previous levels can but cost exponentially more magic to cast. As Nash pointed out, these spells have a compounding effect. Meaning that, depending on the wound, casting minor heal three times can be more efficient than casting lesser heal once. But Nick had only cast Minor Heal the one time, so it shouldn''t have been possible to completely heal Imlor. Therefor, the benefit to continuous casting minor heal is that it has a similar effect to casting it multiple times. A blood-drenched piece of wood clattered to the floor of the cart, originating from one of Nick''s wounds. This wasn''t the first time it had happened and Nick, having become used to this by now, casually picked it up and tossed it over the side of the cart. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. "Nick, was that the last piece of shrapnel?" I asked. Nick took a moment to consult Ten and then nodded. "I''d like to do an experiment," I smiled. "Ask Ten if it''s okay for me to cast a healing spell on you." "Ten says that would be okay," Nick said after another moment. "Good," I said. "Laeh Ronim Tsac." I tried to hold the spell, and was surprised when it actually worked. We watched the wound on Nick''s hand close with a mixture of shock and glee. The glee was mostly from me. However, I also noticed that the spell was very quickly draining my magic reserve. I stopped the spell before I ran out of magic, but it was a rather close call. I wouldn''t want to be passing out like Nick had. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "Well, that answers several questions," I said, managing to stifle my excitement. "First, you can continue the regenerative effect of minor heal by continuously casting it. Second, it costs magic for every second that you maintain the spell. Overall, it''s more efficient than casting the spell multiple times. We''ll need to have the official literature updated." "For every second?" Nash asked. "Is it better than... um..." "Lesser heal? Not quite. I suspect that if lesser heal can also be continuously cast, the regenerative effect would be much more efficient," I answered. "I''d love to do more experimentation, but it will have to wait." "I know some pretty advanced healers," Renv added. "If you''d like, I can bring this to their attention and make sure they credit you and Nick with the discovery. They would happily perform the experimentation that you want done." Nash gave me a knowing look, but I held up a hand to keep him from speaking for me. He knows how much I love scientific inquiry, and having others perform experiments in my stead would typically be a worst case scenario for me. However... "Normally I would rather do the experiments myself, but since we''re speaking of magic that can save lives I will gratefully accept your assistance," I replied. "Really?" Nash asked. "Yes. We don''t know if we will find any answers in Bolisir, and we''ve given our oath to aid Nick in finding his way home," I said. "It would be difficult to travel and research these phenomena simultaneously, at least while observing any semblance of scientific rigor. Since this may save lives, time is of the essence, therefor it only makes sense to have someone else begin research immediately." "That''s pretty mature of you," Nash said with a proud smirk. "But if we do find answers in Bolisir and wrap things up quickly, I can always join in on the research," I quickly added. "Scientific competition is healthy, after all." "Yeah, that sounds more like you." We all had a good laugh, and when we were finished Renv looked contemplative. "You said you swore to help Nick find his way home? I already gathered that he''s not from around here, but how far away are we talking?" he asked. "I''m right here, you know," Nick chuckled. "Oh, right, apologies. Then I redirect my questions to you, good sir," Renv bowed his head apologetically. "That''s alright," Nick said. "I''m from a different world, and there''s no way to know how distant that world is. I''m kind of assuming that it''s an alternate reality kind of thing, but I guess it''s possible that I was abducted from my world by aliens and brought here for some reason." Nick noted that we were all staring at him incredulously. "Well, it''s a thought," he said quietly. "Someone from a different country might have abducted you and brought you here?" Renv asked. "No, not that kind of alien," Nick quickly explained. "Like, a different species that has the ability to travel through space." "Space?" Nash asked. "Yeah, you know, above the sky?" Nick asked in return. "If you go up high enough you end up in space." "He''s right," I confirmed. "Not much is known about space, so I suppose it''s possible. Magic is definitely the more likely possibility, though." "Why''s that?" Nick asked. "Because space is very, very big. The sheer distances involved would require magical traversal," I explained. "So even if you were abducted by space aliens, magic is probably what brought you here." "I don''t know," he said. "My people were to the point of limited space travel and some were even living in space stations. We were about to get to the point of consumer space travel, so there''s been plenty of scientific theories among my people regarding how to travel space faster. It''s possible someone beat us to it." We all stared at him once again, this time with our mouths agape. There were so many questions running through my mind all at once. What was space like? How did his people get up to space in the first place? What did they find? Why the hell hadn''t he mentioned that before? He noticed our slack jaws. "I haven''t been to space myself," he explained. "There isn''t any air up there, so you''ve gotta wear a special air-tight suit with tanks of air that feed into it. It also costs a lot of money to build the vehicles necessary to get there, so they only sent the best and brightest at first. As more experiments and flights were performed, rich merchants started going to space themselves. As far as I know, they were only able to just barely make it to space." "There isn''t any air in space?" Nash asked. "That makes sense, actually," I said. "The higher you go up a mountain, the less air there is. I''m assuming that the space carts were launched from the tops of mountains?" "We call them space ships, and I don''t think so. I know that they launch a bunch from a place called Cape Canaveral, which I''m pretty sure is close to sea level," Nick said. "I don''t think it makes much of a difference. Space is really far up, even compared to the tallest of mountains." "What did your people find in space?" Renv asked. "Well, it''s like Yulk said. Everything is really, really far apart. In between the planets and stuff there''s a whole lot of nothing, too. So there wasn''t a lot of interest in exploring space outside of specific scientific communities. I do remember seeing some news about plans to mine some asteroids, but I don''t know what became of that." "What about on the planets?" Imlor asked. "Well, we landed remote control robots on some of them to explore and see if we could find life, but as far as I know we didn''t find much. People were getting excited about finding water on one of the planets, but other than that they''re pretty barren. I don''t think any of them have breathable air, either," Nick shrugged. "Wait, you said that humans don''t have magic," Nash said. "How did you make ships that made it that far into the sky?" I watched Renv''s expression as Nick explained humanity''s method of travel via explosive propulsion. I had been shocked to learn of it, but the dwarf was absolutely flabbergasted. It was hard to see Imlor''s expression, but he was obviously paying close attention to what Nick was saying. I chuckled slightly, enjoying the novelty of the conversation. "So even without magic, your people can fly like birds?" Renv asked. "Not really," Nick said. "We''ve got a bunch of different kinds of aircraft, but I''m pretty sure all of them move much faster than birds do. Plus, most planes carry a bunch of people at once. It''s the fastest way to go from one continent to another." "That''s amazing," the dwarf replied. I had to agree. The more I learned about humans, the more I wanted to know. I desperately wanted to compare our development to their own, but I doubt that Nick would have that kind of information at his age. Plus, there are certain aspects of human history that he is obviously uncomfortable sharing. I could imagine why, everyone has darkness in their pasts they''d like to forget. If kingdoms form on a bed of flowers, it''s because those flowers were fed with blood. "There''s something up ahead," Imlor called out. "What is it?" I stood to get a better look. "It looks like..." the gnome paused, "a checkpoint?" Chapter 34 ??? Adventurer Level: N/A ??? "This is boring," my friend complained. "Most things are," I replied. "We''ve got nothing better to do though." "Yeah, but I thought this road was supposed to be busy. There hasn''t been anyone all day!" "Your whining will do nothing to change that." As the words left my mouth, the sound of hooves and wooden wheels in the distance filled my ears. They were still fairly far away, but my friend''s face twisted into a smug expression. I sighed, straightened my Bolisir guard uniform, and sat in the place that I was supposed to be sitting. My friend leaned on the barricade, their feminine curves fighting desperately against the uniform. Their positioning was obviously intended to bring notice to the aforementioned curves. "THAT doesn''t mean anything. It''s just a coincidence." "Oh, please. You know better than that," they grinned. "No I don''t," I said sarcastically. "I don''t know anything. I am empty of all forms of knowledge." My friend giggled as the travelers came into view. Two carts pulled by two hnarses carrying quite the interesting bunch. A pair of orcs, a gnome, a dwarf, and... something else. Almost like an elf, but with an extremely murky aura. Power, danger, cunning, hunger, sorrow, ambition, and so many other things swirled around this creature. Things were further complicated by the positive emissions, which were just as intense. Innocence, love, kindness, compassion, happiness, and so on. It''s not exactly uncommon to feel all these things at once from someone, but the intensity was an entirely different matter. It spoke of a remarkable capacity for cruelty and heroism. A living contradiction. I glanced over to my friend, who was just as terrified as I was by this... thing. It reminded me of the tales that were told to fresh-borne to keep them from running off on their own. Horrible monsters that wielded rough iron and could destroy anything, lurking in the darkest corners, waiting to pounce. I desperately didn''t want to interact with this thing, but there might not be another chance like this. We simply do not have any other choice. I shrugged off my abject terror, took a deep breath, and stood. I picked up my pencil and book, completing my act. "What''s this?" the gnome asked. "Taxes were thin last fiscal year, so this is a toll road now," my friend said. "To pass, I''ll need to take your names," I added, gesturing with the open book. "We will then determine if you must pay the toll." There was a long pause from the group that made my skin crawl. It''s not good for us when they start to think about things. I took a long look at them, and noticed weapons and signs of fighting. Oh no, they might be adventurers. They''re not about to attack us, are they? I gulped down my fear and stood firm. The dwarf was whispering to the bald orc, and the bald orc was whispering back. I could hear what they were saying, but I couldn''t understand it. They didn''t want me to know what they were saying and because of this, I couldn''t know what they were saying. Such is the nature of things. The weird one said, "My name is..." "How much is the toll?" The bald orc interrupted. I looked at my friend, demonstrating my annoyance to them privately, and then turned back to the group. "That depends. I''ll need your name, please," I answered with an authoritative tone. "And what, pray-tell, will you be doing with our names if we give them to you?" the bald one asked with a grin. So the game begins. It''s possible that he''s figured it out, but we''re well-versed with this particular battle of wits. They would have to be crazy to hurl accusations at guards, and that works out well because we''re trying to avoid the crazy ones. "I''ll be writing it down and checking to see if it''s already in my other book. If it is, then you''ll pay a discounted toll or even no toll at all. If it''s not, then we discuss how much the toll is," I answered, trying my best not to grin. The rest of the group was looking at the bald one with confusion. The gnome looked back at me and some glint of clarification scrolled across otherwise his boring features. Damn it. "May I see this other book that our names may already be in?" the bald one asked. "For what purpose would you need to see the book other than to attempt to fraud us?" I countered. "I''ll not entertain a scoundrel. Now give me your name." "I am not a scoundrel, I am simply curious as to why a fae would be collecting taxes for the Kingdom of Bolisir." Ah, so he knows that we''re fae. Not necessarily a problem, as he may not yet have guessed our intentions. I heard a sigh come from my friend, and I held out a hand to calm them. The game isn''t over yet. "Why wouldn''t a fae be collecting taxes?" I asked. "Have you never seen an employed fae before?" "Can''t say that I have, and you know how we mortals are. We''re suspicious of things we haven''t seen before," he grinned. "What use would you even have for currency?" "To purchase goods and services, of course." "Doesn''t the forest provide everything your kind desires?" "Obviously not, or we wouldn''t be here." "What sort of things do you buy?" The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "I don''t need to tell you that. All I need is your names," I stated coldly. "Why don''t you set our minds at ease by telling us your name first?" the bald one asked. Slithering copulation! The orc was familiar with my kind, and knew how to play this game. It seemed like an innocent enough request, a name for a name, but he knew damned well what he was doing by asking for ours. The bastard had even phrased it in such a way that it would be suspicious were I to decline. I didn''t particularly feel like playing the fool and dancing around the subject, and a quick look at my friend told me that they didn''t want to either. Very well, begging it is. "Fair enough," I said. "We do not have names. We require them, which is why we''re asking for yours." "Ohhh," the weird one said, finally catching on. "Why would you need OUR names, though?" the orc with braids asked. "Can''t you name yourselves?" "If we could, we would," my friend said. "We cannot, and as such beg your kindness." Their feminine form was specifically designed to appeal to the mortal sense of lust in a situation like this. Mine was masculine and intended to have the same effect on those with the opposite preference. It''s hard to say no to a sexy fae in uniform. Unfortunately, this tactic was lost on the orcs. Their auras did not indicate nearly enough cruelty for them to be whiled by our physical distractions. The dwarf and the gnome, perhaps, but they were both being careful not to even look at us. That only left the... thing. I stifled a shudder at the thought. "If we give you our names, then what will we be called?" the bald one asked, still grinning. "I..." I said haltingly. It was a surprising question. "I don''t know, actually." "Probably whatever you want," my friend added. "That''s how it works with you mortals, isn''t it?" "Not quite," the bald one said. "When you take our names, you take our identity and merge it with your own, leaving us without knowledge of who we are." Silence fell among us. Fear riddled the auras of the other mortals. My friend and I shared confused glances. Why would they be afraid of not knowing who they are? Aren''t mortals only afraid of death or serious injury? "I don''t understand. You say that like it''s a bad thing," I ventured. "But that''s how we live. I do not have a name, and therefore don''t know who I am." "Well, imagine for a moment that you did have a name. Imagine that you know who you are, your identity impacts the world around you, and you have many tales to tell to those who would listen. Would you willingly part with that?" the bald one asked sagely. "Do you feel it right to take that from someone else?" "No, I wouldn''t willingly part with it, but life is about taking from the things around you to further your own existence," I said. "You need energy to complete yourselves, so you take the lives of animals, and those animals take the lives of plants for the same purpose. We take your identities for our completion, to further our existence just as you do." "What happens if you don''t?" the weird one asked hesitantly. "We perish," my friend said. "Our story ends as the season does if we do not have an identity to anchor us." "They get reborn, though," the bald one explained. "Death is temporary to a fae." "It''s not exactly pleasant, though," I said. "The withering alone is likely much more painful than anything you''ve ever experienced." "Also, our sense of self gets reset. Who we are fades to nothingness when we die, and we are someone different when we are reborn," my friend added. "I thought you didn''t have a sense of self," the weird one said. "Of course we do. It''s what drives us to gain an identity," I explained. "Without an identity, we lose our current sense of self to the void. Sure, we''re born again come next season, but we will have different personalities, preferences, and no memory of who we were before. We end up becoming a completely different fae." "Which explains why you would want our names," the bald one nodded slowly. "However, we need our names. There are those who depend upon us." Even if we tried to force the issue, they''re smart enough to know that they can remove any obstacles we put in their path. Should we let them continue on and just hope someone dumber comes along? Is there some way we can convince them? Perhaps a bribe, or a promise? No, I can feel their determination. This won''t work, we will need to regroup and find another... "Wait, all you need are names, right?" the weird one asked. "What if we named you?" "Well..." I paused and looked at my friend, who shrugged. "Names have power. You would have to sacrifice a large amount of magic to name us, and we would have to be willing to accept the name..." "For what reason would you not accept the name?" the bald one asked. I looked at my friend again. Revealing this could prove dangerous, but they gestured for me to continue. They''re right, of course. We''re in too deep to hold back now. I sighed and straightened my borrowed uniform nervously. "If you name us, you will be taking part in our creation and we will be forever in your debt. I realize that your kind uses this as a turn of phrase, but we mean it literally. We would be under your authority for as long as you are able to give us orders, and anything you order us to do we will HAVE to do," I explained. "So we are left with a conundrum. Which is better, slavery or death?" "It would just be temporary," my friend giggled. "They''re mortals, after all." "What if I promise not to order you around?" the weird one asked. "You can make promises unbreakable, right?" The innocence of that question took me off guard. I looked at the strange being as if seeing it for the first time. I had been avoiding looking directly at it because of the maelstrom that is its aura, but once I looked past that I realized that I was looking at a young boy. An odd young boy whose ears and teeth were wrong, but one who was genuine in its beliefs. My heart melted somewhat as I realized that this innocent youth actually believed that kind of power was possible. It didn''t melt enough to keep me from taking full advantage of this mistaken belief, though. I quickly thought of a bluff, and a way to make that bluff convincing. "It would require a blood-pact, but yes," I lied. "Okay," the thing said as it leapt from the cart. "How do we do that?" As the weird one approached me, it suddenly occurred to me that mixing my blood with this thing might be a bad idea. Blood is an odd thing, and the mixing of it can lead to some strange happenings. It had been the first thing to leap to mind, though, and now I have to go with it because it would be suspicious. Unless I can think of something... "It''s simple," I said, trying desperately to think of something to get me out of this. "In your own words, express your promise and the consequences of not adhering to it. Then, if I agree to your promise, we cut our palms and clasp hands. Our blood will mingle, and the promise will become binding." "And then I can name you, and we can be on our way," it said happily. "Got it." It stood before me and we met each other''s gaze as it thought of what to say. The dark blue of its glimmering eyes reminded me of the shiny stones that the fairies loved to steal from wandering merchants. Inside this deep blue was a hint of green which is reminiscent of the grove in which I''d been reborn. The eyes of mortals are such beautiful things, I can definitely see why the hags collect them. "I hereby promise that I will not intentionally force a fae to perform any action against their will by enforcing their debt to me. May I die if I break this promise." I went over the sentence in my mind to make sure it hadn''t performed any trickery with its words. The promise wouldn''t be binding, but I still had to call out any trickery to make sure it believed the performance. Using the word intentional made certain that if it accidentally enforced the debt it could simply apologize, and it made sure to clarify that enforcing the debt would be the breach of promise. So if it came to odds with a fae, it still had recourse. The consequence was rather mundane, but it served the purpose of ensuring that it couldn''t become our master. The thing would only be able to give one order. Clever. Unfortunately, I still hadn''t thought of a way out of mingling our blood. But, I decided that I liked this weird little child. What''s the worst that could happen if we mix blood? I smiled and gave a nod of assent. Then, I hardened the nail of my left forefinger into a sharp edge and sliced my right palm deep enough for blood to flow. The weird one offered its hand, and I made a similar cut on the offered palm. I held my hand up with my fingers spread apart as the weird one extended its hand forward. It looked at my hand and back to its own as I looked at its hand and back to my own. Our eyes met again and I raised my eyebrow, wondering what it was doing. Its lips disappeared as it made an awkward expression, and it finally clasped its hand with mine. I froze as our blood mingled and a shock ran through my form. A life began to flash before my eyes. Chapter 35 ??? Adventurer Level: N/A ??? Glimpses of memory poured through me. Structures of glass, stone, and steel that rose to the clouds, a testament to extreme levels of effort and coordination. Children laughing and playing among carefully cultivated nature without a care in the world. Video games, homework, martial arts lessons. Stretches of ground covered with a sticky black substance that gets really hot in the summertime. Burnt feet, skinned knees, dirty pants. The mingled smells of freshly cooked carcass and various vegetables crafted into a... hamburger. Poor, kind plants skinned, sliced, and shredded, but turned into delightful snacks. The feeling of entering a warm home on a cold winter''s day. A world devoid of magic or my kind, but still beautiful in a haunting way. There were other memories too. A beautiful girl with golden hair, wasting away from illness. A stern but kind father and a loving mother. Childhood friends and enemies, maturing over time. A cold darkness with the dulled sensation of flesh being carved and stitched back together. Pain. Healing. A dissonant whisper within the dark, urging something incomprehensible. More pain. Much more pain, only bearable because the mind doesn''t notice it. A long stretch of sleep. More whispers, but intelligible. More healing. Orcs. An unbidden tear rolled down my cheek as I realized the thing before me is Nicodemus Liam Smith. A human, far from home with a false mind entangled within his own, who dearly wishes to return. The orcs in the cart are his adopted brothers, who are trying to help him get back. A marvelous tragedy, no wonder he''s being closely watched by... "That will be all, Nick," I said, trying not to finish that thought. "Y-yeah," Nick replied, releasing my hand. Tears openly rolled down his cheeks as well. "I''m sorry. I didn''t know that would happen." "I know. Don''t worry, I forgive you. You have a beautiful home," he smiled at me, wiping his eyes. "As do you." "What now?" "You mean now that you know..." I trailed off. "That the blood-pact is bullshit?" he chuckled. "Yeah." "Well, I''ve seen your memories. I know that you won''t betray your promise without good reason. I only ask that you explain that reason if the time comes." "So we''re doing this?" my friend asked, strolling up next to me. "Nick has my consent," I said, finally wiping my tear. "Yours?" "Of course. You''re the one who cares about your precious freedom. I don''t care about whether or not it bosses me around for a few decades. I just want to keep being me." I nodded at Nick, who returned the gesture and began to think. I waited nervously, wondering what name would become mine, and if he would even be powerful enough to pull it off. He''s got a lot of magic, but I don''t actually know how much is needed. "Hurry up, will you?" my friend demanded. "Sorry, it''s hard to come up with names on the spot like this," Nick said. "Do you have any... I don''t know, preferences?" "I''m fine with anything that isn''t Tinkerbell, Titania, Puck, or Oberon," I laughed. Nick chuckled as my friend tapped their chin, "What''s the mortal word for breasts that I like?" "Boobs?" Nick asked. "Nope." "Jugs?" "No, those hold water." "Bust?" "Not even close." "Tits," I interjected with an exaggerated sigh. "YES!" my friend shouted, jumping with glee. "That''s what I want my name to be, Nick!" The human''s smile faded to a look of shock. He looked at me as if to ask if my friend was joking. I slowly shook my head and shrugged. He looked back toward my friend and gathered himself. "Really?" he asked. "You''re serious?" "Never a day in my life, but I do want to be called Tits," my friend said with an impish grin. "It''s representative of a mother''s love and nurturing nature, while also being lewd and inappropriate! What''s not to love?" "Alright, well, I name you Tits I gue..." he said as the air was forced from his lungs. My friend began to glow and I immediately recognized them as Tits, a fae from the Deepwyld Forest. But something was wrong. Tits'' aura was glowing brighter than it should. Playfulness, glee, joy, guile, and all the other emissions were joined by another. Authority. Tits was no longer simply a fae. They were now an arch-fae, and my eyes bulged at the realization. I glanced back at Nick, who was holding his knees, trying to get his breath back. Tits grabbed my hand and jumped up and down. "IT WORKED!" they shouted with glee. "I''m Tits now!" "You''re an arch-fae now," I said coldly. "An arch-fae named Tits. Mumuldobran is going to have a conniption." "Are you alright, Nick?" The orc with the braids, Nash, called from the cart. "Y-yeah!" Nick shouted back. "Just took the wind out of me." Tits grabbed Nick''s hands next, jumping up and down in excitement. I noticed that they put some extra jiggle into their fleshy bits, too. "Thank you, Nick! Thank you so much! If you ever need anything from me, feel free to ask! And I mean anything," Tits said with a wink. "Might as well give up on that offer," I interrupted. "Nick won''t bend to temptation." If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "How do YOU know?" Tits asked. "I can be very persuasive." "I''ll tell you later." "Pff. Fine. Your turn! What''s a good name for you?" A creeping realization hit me. If Nick names me, there''s a chance that I may become an arch-fae as well. The fae will flock around me while laughing and playing, but the forest will demand my guidance. Will it come naturally? Will I have to work at it? Will I be a kind and just leader who is much beloved? Will I be an abusive tyrant twisted by power into something unrecognizable by my current self? Or, worst of all, will I be the incompetent buffoon who destroys our home? "I don''t know," I said after a few moments. "I don''t know either," Nick said. "I couldn''t understand the speech in most of your memories. The sounds were pretty, but when I try to say them they won''t come out." "Of course, sweety," Tits said. "Mortals cannot speak fae." "Wait, Nick comes from another world, but I was able to understand what the people in his memories were saying," I added. "Even the ones who weren''t... people." "Careful. There are some things that are best left unaddressed," Tits sighed. "The reason you could understand the words in Nick''s memories is because of the Gift of Gab. Granted to us by one of those things that are best left unaddressed. The only words we can''t understand are those that aren''t supposed to be understood." Nick and I were taken aback by Tits'' sudden change in demeanor. They''d gone from nearly sprite-like to serious and intellectual in the blink of an eye. Our stares caused Tits to grin widely, though. "You''ll know what I know once Nick names you. You got another one in you, right Nick?" Tits asked. "Yeah, that took less than half of my magic," Nick smiled. "I''m good to give another name. Question is, what should it be?" "Well, definitely not a name based on sexualized mortal appendages, if you don''t mind," I shook my head. "Something intelligent would be nice." "Shouldn''t be a commonly used proper name, though," Tits added. "Something as unique as possible." "Smart and unique," Nick rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe something to do with math? Algebra, calculus, calculator, abacus... OH! Abacon?" "Sounds a bit... Wait, how''s that spelled?" I asked. "A-B-A-C-O-N, I think." "A bacon? Really?" "Uh oh," Tits interrupted. "I think you''ve made them aba-cross!" "Go suck off a wargen," I replied, incensed by the pun. "Hey now, don''t be aba-crass." "You see," I said to Nick. "You can''t name me that! You''ll be dooming me to an eternity of torture via wordplay!" "Okay, okay," Nick held up his hands defensively. "What about Algebrun?" Tits and I looked at each other. I could tell that they were desperately trying to think of a pun, and I grinned evilly when their face revealed an expression of utter disappointment. "Yes, I think that will do nicely," I nodded. "Alright, I hereby name you Algebrun..." His voice faded as my eyes were clouded by the glow coming from my form. Pure, raw power coursed through me like lightning, striking over and over again. Time halted, and I was suddenly free from my form entirely. It was now little more than a puppet, and I was now its puppeteer. I could feel the forest in ways I had never dreamed possible. I instinctively knew that I was now charged with maintaining it, and doing everything I could to properly raise the fae and fair-folk who thrived within it. I now knew all of their little plans, pranks, and plots, and laughed at how futile they were. Along with this duty came knowledge. I knew that if I had somehow obtained this knowledge without the power that came with it, I would have been made insane. A blabbering fool doomed to wander the lands, desperately trying to warn others of what''s to come. But with this power, I had become more than a pawn in the game. I was now a player, and I could prevent what''s to come. I can save everyone and everything that I hold dear. I gazed at Nick, still frozen in the act of doubling over from the recoil of the spell he didn''t even realize he cast. Magic that exists outside of the Curaguard. I saw the chains of debt connecting Tits and I to him, but even so, his existence was still a mystery to me. It shouldn''t be, but the high ones were guarding him like a child guards a precious toy. They hid him away from prying eyes that would use him to further their own devices. When one considers the fallibility of mortal memory, I likely know this boy better than he knows himself. I know that he considers his favorite food to be the spaghetti his mother makes every other Saturday, but it''s actually the hashbrowns and eggs his father crafts daily. I know that he loves lizards and is irrationally afraid of the bugs that look like leaves. I know that his most embarrassing moment is when he didn''t make it to the toilet in time in first grade and had to be sent home after soiling himself. But I don''t know his fate. I looked at the orcs, and couldn''t tell theirs either. The three Alta boys had fully intertwined their futures, and because of Nick those futures were now uncertain. The dwarf and the gnome had somewhat uncertain fates, but they were far less intertwined. I was able to divine what could happen to them, at least. I felt something akin to warmth from Tits, who was in a form similar to mine own. Their happiness contrasted perfectly with my grim concerns. I informed them of how blessed they are to be able to be gleeful in the face of what we now know. They informed me that what we now know doesn''t have a face, and I couldn''t help but laugh. We embraced, our energies mingling and tickling and charging each other up. We now have eternity to ourselves. We had been partners from the moment of our rebirth, and now not even the seasons themselves could separate us. Together, we would guide our forest forevermore. I turned my attention back toward Nick, and time resumed its march. "Are you alright, Nick?" Tits'' puppet asked. "Y-yeah," the boy replied. "I''m gonna need a nap, I think." "I would nap in the cart, were I you," I made my puppet say. "There are many things in this area that wouldn''t hesitate to take advantage of sleeping meat." "Of course. Did it work, is your name Algebrun?" he asked. "Yes. I am Algebrun. Arch-fae of the Deepwyld Forest," I answered. "Pleasure to meet you." "Wait, you''re different now?" "Yes. It''s growth, like how you are now different from yourself as a babe." "Same with you, Tits?" "Of course! Before you named me, I couldn''t do this!" Tits said as their form''s breasts grew noticeably larger, stretching the limits of the uniform adorning them. I chuckled as Nick blushed at the sight, turning his head so that he didn''t stare. Even though his heart belonged to another, the incessant urge to procreate is strong in most mortals his age. Knowing him as I do, he''ll continue to fight the temptations no matter the form they arrive in. I find this worthy of respect, but I suspect that Tits finds it a bit frustrating. "So..." he paused to collect himself. "What will you two do now?" "We''ll return to our home. We now have duties to tend to," I explained. "I''m gonna play SO many pranks," Tits added. "What kind of duties?" Nick asked. "We are charged with the growth and maintenance of the Deepwyld forest. We will teach the fae within to care for the plants and animals that make the forest what it is," I said with a smile. "And we will defend the forest if need be." "So you''re like a King and Queen of the fae?" "Nope. More like a mommy and daddy. And we''ve got LOTS of babies to take care of," Tits said. "Do you want to be one of my babies? I''ll let you nurse from..." "Enough," I interrupted. "He''ll not be swayed, Tits." Nick gave me a look of gratitude as Tits frowned. Their breasts shrank back to their earlier size, and they crossed their arms to indicate displeasure. I sighed at the sulky display. Eternity is going to be interesting, at least. "One last question before you go, if you don''t mind," Nick said. "Who is that person you mentioned before? Mum-something? Mummy Bran?" Tits and I looked at each other for a moment before laughing gleefully at Nick''s butchering of Mumuldobran''s name. His frown did little to ease our laughter. After a few moments, I took a deep breath and composed myself. "Mumuldobran is a sort of... patron to the fae. Normally, it decides who is and isn''t worthy of becoming an arch-fae," I answered, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes. "Will they be mad that I made you two arch-fae?" Nick asked with fear in his tone. "Probably not," I assured him. "Mumuldobran isn''t particularly invested in the growth of the fae. It''s more of a judge of character than anything. As a judge of character, it will likely be displeased at Tits'' ascension, but it probably won''t blame you for that." "Oh, okay. I''m glad." "We should go," Tits said. "We need to tend to our home, and they need to return to their journey." "I agree," I said. "I am grateful for this gift, Nick. If you are ever in need, seek us out. You know where to find us." "Okay, it was good meeting you two," the boy said with a warm smile. "Good to meet you as well," Tits and I said simultaneously. Nick''s companions watched us as he went back to the carts. With a wave of my hand I rid the road of our illusory checkpoint. Tits and I stood to the side as the mortals drove past, waving to them as they went. They waved back, with varying levels of enthusiasm. Yulk gave a strong and glad wave. He had been watching our exchange with the utmost scrutiny, and I couldn''t help but wonder what he made of it all. Nash was much more muted in the way that he waved, likely because he wisely didn''t trust us. The gnome and the dwarf waved politely, and Nick waved excitedly. I hope they find a way to take him home. Chapter 36 Master General Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Half-Breed Drow - Balushenian What a wonderful night. I let out a happy sigh as I allowed the ambience to wash over me, enjoying the smell of fires and blood, the sounds of screaming in the distance, and the sight of drow tossing mangled corpses into the mass grave at the bottom of the hill. It is a rare treat to be rewarded so handsomely for such a meager task. Well, meager for me, at least. The orcs residing here had not wanted to let this village fall under our control, and had put up quite a fight. They''d had some forewarning as to our intentions, but we had managed to mask our movements and surprise them. Even so, we took losses. I watched General Smarn jog up the hill in my direction. "Reporting, sir," he said, slightly out of breath. I''ll have to ensure my officers participate in morning calisthenics with the soldiers. Not only will this improve their constitution, but it will improve the morale of the soldiers as well, which will ensure the soldiers will follow the more difficult orders when they''re finally given. "Get on with it, Smarn," I replied. "Yes, sir," he snapped to attention. "Aultris squads two and four have made contact with the enemy. Both skirmishes ended in our victory. We''ve taken four casualties and two deaths as a result of the action." "And what of the enemy?" "Sixteen confirmed kills and four captures. The rest fled the field in a suspicious manner. The squads did not pursue due to suspicions of an ambush. Their commanders will be punished at the Master General''s pleasure." I couldn''t help but smirk at the results of our fighting. The orcs were tough, disciplined, and crafty enemies, but they couldn''t stand up to the formations I''d fashioned. Shield walls and spears are well outside the wheelhouse of a standard orc commander, let alone a hastily established village militia. Unfortunately this success was likely to change somewhat when we begin to encounter regulars. The orcs we''ve been fighting aren''t part of a greater military effort. For the most part, they''re simply guards and farmers who''ve taken up weapons to try to drive us off. There''s the occasional uppity adventurer, but even they can''t fight an entire phalanx. According to the literature that I''d gleaned the idea from, such maneuvers are vulnerable only to artillery, which is difficult to position during a skirmish. Unless you lead your enemy into a prearranged position, of course. "There is no need for punishment. They were likely correct in assuming it was a trap, and we have no reason to pursue the enemy when they flee at this point in the campaign. This is a land grab, not an extermination," I said as I casually pushed my hair from my eyes. "But..." General Smarn glanced at the freshly ruined village. "This was not an extermination either, General. We simply needed a more permanent base of operations and a source of labor," I explained. "This village has food and water and will serve as a nexus between our forces and our supply lines for the rest of our campaign. Obviously, we can''t have the populace trying to prevent the village''s transformation into our nexus, which is why we killed those who wouldn''t surrender or couldn''t work. Rebels and spies would undermine our efforts." The general looked at me with doubt apparent in his expression. There are few things more offensive than having a dolt doubt you. Would that I could carve that expression from his face. Feeling my fury flare, and knowing that this was not an appropriate time to free it, I took a deep breath with my mouth and exhaled it through my nose. "There were plenty of survivors, and all of the survivors that surrendered have been relegated to our labor force," I said with exasperation. "Speaking of which, ensure that those that are captured during skirmishes are treated for any injuries they have. Once their treatment is complete, make sure they join the labor force. That will be all." "Yes, sir," Smarn said before trotting off to carry out my orders. One may call it a mixed blessing that King Lofin requires foolishness to be an inherent trait among his military leaders. On the one hand, it requires much more hand-holding to get anything done. To make sure things are done correctly, you must give explicit and exact instructions every time you give orders. On the other hand, not a single one of them has questioned the need for a labor force. Especially one made entirely of orcs. I sighed as I entered my newest domicile. I had meticulously crafted several well thought out answers to their potential questions, and had even gone so far as to plan assassinations if those answers hadn''t been accepted. A pointless effort, as it turned out. I truly am surrounded by incompetent fools. Well, perhaps not. The officers commanding the squads would have to have their wits about them to avoid the orcish traps as they had. For a moment I considered promoting them, but dismissed this thought almost immediately. They are far enough down the chain of command to be afraid of questioning orders. If I promote them enough, this will change and I will have to be rid of them. No, they are far more useful where they are. I was lost in these thoughts when something out of place caught my notice. I stood still and examined the room around me. My sister''s cage was nestled in the corner, undisturbed. The hatch to our freshly dug storeroom lay undisturbed in the other corner, still closed and latched. The wooden walls were still covered in the various animal heads, herbal wreaths, and the other eccentricities that the previous denizen had placed there. A gentle breeze was moving the blackened curtains that I''d ordered hanged. The breeze was coming from a window that had previously been closed. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Having found the disturbance that wrestled me from my thoughts, I took a step toward the window. "Good evening, Master General," an obviously fanged mouth said behind me. I briefly froze, but fought my fear. "Hello, Alurgas," I said, turning to the vampire. "How fare you this evening?" Alurgas Tuvino, the vampire that told me of my father''s death, had been a Count when the vampires had ruled the Night Kingdom. Before that, he had been a muscular but otherwise unimpressive specimen of elf. Were it not for his obviously elven features, one could easily mistake him for a tall dwarf. The window that he had entered through allowed for enough of a breeze to stir his cosmetically straightened light brown hair as his green eyes glowered at me with barely disguised contempt. "I would be faring far better had I not been assigned to the whimsy of a half-breed," Alurgas practically snarled. "What do you need of me, whelp?" Anger. Rage, even. It shot through me like a white hot iron in my skull. My politeness had been met with hostility. How dare this disrespectful reprobate address me in this manner?! I fought the urge to attack the vampire. I''d been feeding regularly, but it would be a close fight and it would likely spill out into the camp. My upper echelon hadn''t thought to ask any questions until now, but even they aren''t dumb enough to have no questions about a vampire attack this far south. Not to mention the fact that I would definitely have to bare my fangs. It would also be difficult to have another vampire assigned to this task, especially once I explained what happened to Alurgas. I would have to come up with a reasonable cause for my attack on him, and losing my temper would not be considered reasonable. I will resist his baiting, for now. "Yes, I do have need of you. At this moment there are captured orcs digging out a chamber beneath this lodge," I calmly explained. "I need you to find two of them that would be sympathetic to our cause and turn them. My officers have chosen a few to be leaders of this labor detail, so you should start with them. They are the ones with clothing. Use your hypnosis to determine if they will be loyal. If so, turn them. If not, make them forget the encounter." "What''s the point of only turning two of them?" he asked haughtily. Another downside to having subordinates who are somewhat competent is that they waste time by demanding explanations. "These orcs are part of a forced labor group, and their work is not finished. If you turn all of them, we will not have a catacomb to build a new vampire army. Vampires make poor slaves, after all." He recognized my last sentence as the insult it was intended to be and his eyes flashed red in response, but he didn''t do anything other than stare. Instead of joining him in a stare-down, I took my seat and gestured at a freshly installed hatch. As far as my officers are aware, the orcs are digging a storeroom for our supplies and loot. They didn''t ask why I needed a personal entrance to what would become our cache, and so I hadn''t offered an excuse. The red glow in Alurgas'' eyes faded, and he sucked his teeth at me. Then he entered the hatch to go on about his task. I chuckled at my minor victory over the pompous asshole. He would do as he was told, and the plan would move forward. He might skip over the obvious choices for conversion, but I''d planned for that as well. If he didn''t choose the orcs that were already in charge of the labor force, those orcs would die and the vampires would take their place. The storeroom is also to serve as housing for any slaves that we capture. A competent commander would immediately be alarmed at putting all of our eggs in one basket like this, but no such commander was in my army. Once the storeroom is large enough and we have enough slaves, it will suffer an intentional ''accidental collapse'' of its two primary entrances. This will ensure that everyone in the army believes the slaves to be dead. The two vampires will then convert the rest of the slaves, creating a nice little army of vampires. This army will then finish digging the third entrance to the storeroom, and we will then take our leave of this area and meet with the rest of the vampiric forces to lay waste to Cuvellia, the capital of the Night Kingdom. King Lofin will die, and the rest of the drow forces will be trapped between the enraged orcs and bloodthirsty vampires. Even with the tactics that I have trained them on, they''ll be eradicated. If I am lucky, they will do enough damage to the vampiric hordes to make it easier for me to destroy them. Trap the drow forces between the vampires and the orcs, then trap the vampires between the orcs and my loyalists. Or I could bide my time and play politics among the vampires, waiting for a better chance to strike. That would be a far more dangerous option, though. No, there''s no reason to delay. The campaign to destroy the remaining drow should take a few months. I''ll seize my prize for killing King Lofin, and with magical intervention I''ll have a small army of brood by the time the drow warriors are dead. That will supplement the drow forces that are loyal to me and awaiting my call, and we will move to exterminate the vampires. I rested my elbows on my knees and cradled my hands as I studied the map in front of me. Directly to our North was the Night Kingdom. Our foothold doesn''t extend that far into Blurpus, one of the five chiefdoms of the Unified Chiefdoms that we are aware of. There are more to the south, but they are of little concern to King Lofin, and as such aren''t on any of my maps. Blurpus, Yirna, Havros, Migrath, and Kirkena, the capital. These are the chiefdoms that Lofin wants conquered every once in a while. Each chiefdom has their own military forces and a Great Chief to lead them. In Kirkena, the Great Chief is called High Chief, and he rules over the other chiefs. Blurpus and Yirna share a border with the Night Kingdom, and they take turns being invaded. The only reason we weren''t met with regulars at the border is because it was supposed to be Yirna''s turn this time. I chuckled softly. If King Lofin demands an explanation, I will simply say that I was confused and invaded the wrong chiefdom by mistake. I doubt he''s paying much attention, though. The hatch in the corner opened and Alurgas exited the storeroom. He let the hatch fall noisily and kicked the latch closed. Then he turned and affixed me with a glare. "It''s done," he said. "Good. That''s all I needed," I said with a condescending smile. "You may go." I was treated to another shift from green to red eyes as the vampire debated whether or not to attack me. If he did, I wouldn''t have to worry about the other vampires making a fuss if I killed him. I''d still have to come up with an explanation for my soldiers, but I''m willing to live with that. I tensed in anticipation. Disappointingly, the creature snarled and morphed into a Kvat, and attempted to exit through the still open window. I chuckled as he struggled with the heavy black curtain until he finally managed to complete his exit. I stood and walked over to the window, closing it. Another part of the plan completed. Chapter 37 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American "So Bolisir is the kingdom, right?" I asked. "Yes," Renv said. "So... what''s the name of the city we''re going to?" Yulk chuckled, "It doesn''t work that way with the elves of this kingdom. The whole thing is Bolisir. If I remember right, it''s a tradition that dates back to their founding." "That''s right," Renv said. "The first High Dragon ruler of Bolisir was notably terrible at names. Instead of admitting to this fault, she opted to name everything under her direct control Bolisir, after herself. Even when her kingdom expanded, the new territories were renamed Bolisir. None of the rulers after Bolisir bothered to rename anything, and now everything that is part of the kingdom of Bolisir is simply known as Bolisir." "Maybe High Dragons are just bad at naming things," I joked. Everyone chuckled. "It goes a bit beyond that, though," Renv said. "Not only is everything Bolisir, there are no borders within the kingdom. Everything functions kind of like a big city." "That explains why the fair-folk like it so much," Nash muttered. "Why?" I asked. "Because borders can be an issue with them," Yulk explained. "Some types of fae and fairy get trapped within the imaginary lines that we mortals insist upon. The more people believe in the border, the harder it is for them to cross. Bolisir''s a big kingdom, so they have plenty of room to roam and grow." "I kinda feel for the ones who get trapped in a forest, only to have that forest get smaller and smaller as the towns and cities grow around them," Nash said. "It''s usually the meekest of the fair-folk that end up in that kind of situation, too." "What about Tits and Algebrun?" "I''m not sure," Yulk scratched his chin. "It could be that the road goes through their forest, and as such is part of it. Or maybe they''re a type of fae that isn''t restricted by the power of borders." ''According to the maps that we have seen, the Deepwyld Forest does not extend over the road we were travelling when we encountered the fae. Yulk''s second hypothesis is likely correct,'' Ten said. "Yeah, you''re probably right," I said to Yulk and Ten both. I sat back and watched our surroundings as we continued to the heart of Bolisir, where we would meet the High Dragon. I wonder what it''ll look like. Will it look like a dinosaur with wings like the dragons in European folklore? Or will it resemble a snake like the dragons in Asia? Or will it look like something else entirely? Will it wake up and talk to me, or will something else happen while we''re looking at the dragon? I''ve been trying not to think about my dream. The thing that told me to go see the dragon, whether it''s a god or not, gives me the creeps. It said there''s a bunch of other things like it watching me, too. It''s been hard not to think about that during bathroom breaks. Suddenly, it occurred to me that I had forgotten to tell Ten about my dream. I hadn''t had a chance to tell Nash or Yulk yet, but I don''t have that excuse with Ten. Maybe I just sort of assumed it already knew, since it''s in my head and everything. ''Ten, do you know anything about gods?'' I asked it. ''Gods and religions are not part of my knowledge base. Why?'' ''When I used all my magic and passed out, I had some sort of dream. Except it wasn''t really a dream, it was more like my mind had been transported to somewhere else entirely. Something that said it was a god brought me there. It said that Yulk''s going to decline an invitation to see the High Dragon and I shouldn''t let that happen. When I was out, did you notice anything weird about my brain?'' There was a noticeable pause before Ten finally said, ''I did not. It appeared to me as if you were simply unconscious.'' ''Were there any indications of a wild dream or something?'' ''No. The brain activity that I observed wasn''t indicative of dreaming.'' ''Isn''t that odd?'' ''Yes, but your dream may simply be a false memory that you obtained upon awakening, likely as a way to cope with the trauma you had just experienced. If it is real, though, I would suggest a modicum of caution. We have little to no information about gods or their intentions, and it would not be wise to do as they demand blindly.'' ''You''re probably right, but I''m still going to convince Yulk to see the High Dragon.'' ''Really?'' ''Yeah. Call it a hunch, but I feel like it was telling the truth this time. And if I can''t trust my feelings, then I''m probably too far gone to be resisting it now, right?'' Ten went silent instead of laughing at my somewhat dark humor. I allowed myself a small smile before I noticed that the trees around us were getting larger and larger. The trunks were also getting wider, so wide it took an entire minute for us to pass one, and it wasn''t long before the trees began to block the sun. "We''re here," Imlor said as the cart stopped. I looked around and noticed that we had stopped at a building that had been carved into a tree. It had a sign with a coin on it hanging above its door, probably indicating that it was some sort of trader. Further down the road were many other similar buildings, all with lights adorning them. The visual was surreal. "Alright, let''s deliver our letter," Nash said, climbing out of the cart. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Yulk, Renv, and I followed suit and Imlor waved happily at us as we started to walk away. Yulk and Nash were examining signs as we walked. It was like they were looking for a specific one. We walked past one with a plate on it, and Renv''s stomach growled. "You''re still following us?" Nash asked the dwarf. "Well, once you conclude your business here I was thinking I can take you to my uncle''s shop to see about a reward for saving my hide," Renv grinned. "Plus, I''m curious to see what you lot get up to." "Do you know your way around?" "Nope. I live down south a ways, and haven''t been up here in over a year. I''m pretty sure my uncle upgraded to a bigger building recently but I''ve got no clue where it is." "That''s okay," Yulk said. He pointed at a building with a sign depicting a pen and paper, attached to a large stable with several hnarses. As we got closer we could hear the ruckus of commerce taking place. Nash and Yulk entered the building first, and Renv held his hand out in a gesture indicating I should go first. I did so, and the smell of fresh ink and paper hit me like a ton of bricks, nearly making my eyes water. Inside the building were bookcases behind a counter, several desks, and many elves and gnomes rushing around. Most of them were wearing a uniform, light tan shorts and tunic with a green symbol of a pen on their breast, and I assumed they were employees of whatever business this is. Those that weren''t in uniform weren''t rushing around, they were waiting in line in front of the counter or sitting at one of the desks with an employee. The customers, I assume, would say something to the employee, then the employee would write. It took a few moments for me to realize that the customers were probably dictating letters or something. I glanced at Nash, remembering his illiteracy. He saw me glance at him and looked around, then gave me a harsh glare. I looked away, trying not to smile. He grumbled something as we took our place in line. "What is this place?" I asked Yulk. "It''s a mail office. They offer dictating services, reading services, delivery services, and since they know where everything is, they can give good directions," he explained. "Which is why we''re here." "Directions to the Regent?" "Correct. I haven''t been here before, so I don''t know where Regent Oakmor does business." "I thought you''ve been to Bolisir." "I have, but not this part of it. My business was with a certain sorcerer who built a tower in the forest, far away from any signs of civilization. She was much friendlier than you would expect from a hermit." "This sorcerer you''re talking about wouldn''t happen to be Olmira The Eternal, would it?" Renv asked. "Yes, the very same. She taught me how to use healing magic," Yulk said with a smile. "It seems like forever ago. How do you know her?" "Olmira''s one of the healers I was talking about sharing your discovery with. She''s one of Oakmor''s advisors now. She''ll probably be around here somewhere. I''ll check when I ask for directions to my uncle." "How''d she end up advisor to a Regent?" "She said it was because of the pests. Turns out, a tower in the wilderness occupied by just one person is a great place for bugs and rodents. One day she went into her cellar only to find a nest of giant rats, and she lost it. Demolished the whole tower then and there. She dug her savings out of the rubble and moved here. Didn''t take long for Oakmor to offer her a job." "Why is she called The Eternal?" I asked as we moved closer to the front of the line. "She''s a vampire," Yulk and Renv said simultaneously. They looked at each other and chuckled. "Oh. How does a vampire get blood when they''re living as a hermit?" "Delivery services," Yulk said. "There are plenty of people willing to sell their blood, and the vampires who prefer not to injure people are more than happy to pay for it. Enchanted ice-boxes keep the blood from rotting during transit." "There are services like that?" I asked incredulously. "Vampires just sort of order from a catalogue, or what?" "I don''t think the services offer specific blood-types. But you''ll find such a service in nearly every territory. Sometimes they''re even endorsed by the local government. It wouldn''t do to have your vampiric citizens feeding on your other citizens." I had more questions, but the person ahead of us finished their business and it was suddenly our turn at the counter. As we approached, I realized the bookcases had letters in them, and there were gnomes busy sorting those letters. A brunette elf smiled at us, and Yulk stepped forward. "How can I help you today?" she asked. "We need directions to Regent Oakmor''s place of business," Yulk explained. "We have a delivery for him." She explained that all we had to do was follow the main road and look for a building with a sign that depicted a tree. The tree was apparently the symbol of Bolisir, and marked government offices and officials. She was also kind enough to tell us that if we went further down the main road, we would find the sleeping dragon. She highly recommended taking a guided tour if we got the chance. "Thank you," Yulk said and stepped aside so Renv could have his turn at the counter. We waited for the dwarf to ascertain his uncle''s location, and then left the post office. As we walked down the main road, I wondered how things were going to unfold. I assume someone is going to invite us on the tour to see the dragon, and Yulk is going to decline this invitation. I''m going to have to somehow convince him to accept the invitation. That''s going to be hard, because I still haven''t had a chance to be alone with my brothers and explain my dream to them. "There it is," Nash said, pointing at a building. Most of the buildings were within hollowed-out tree trunks. This one, though, looked like it was made of very old stone. It reminded me of the kind of stone you see a castle made out of in a fantasy movie. There were also plenty of people on the road, but none of them seemed at all interested in going in or out of the building. The doors were made of metal, iron probably, and swung open surprisingly easy as we entered. The first thing I noticed within the building was the distinct smell of stale paper. Like the air within this building had been here for years, and had been reading all the books. The room we had entered was smaller than I''d expected, and there were eight doors. Three on the walls to our left and right, and two on the wall behind the desk in the middle of the room. There were two people at this desk, a male and female elf. The female elf was sitting behind the desk with a serious expression on her face, and the male elf was standing off to the side reading some papers. Yulk and Nash approached the desk, and I followed them with Renv trailing me. "Excuse me, we''re here to deliver a missive from High Chief Ulurmak to Regent Oakmor. Is he in?" Yulk asked politely. "That would be me," the male elf said with a laugh. "What a coincidence. I was just reading up on the situation with the Night Kingdom. May I see the missive?" "Here you are, your highness," Yulk passed the letter over. Regent Oakmor took the letter, opened it, and began to read. The woman sitting behind the desk watched the interaction, but was glancing at me every now and then. I smiled at her, and she froze for a moment, but smiled back and politely looked away. "As I suspected. Strange happenings must be afoot for my blood brother to ask for reinforcements," Oakmor said after a moment. "You know he once fought off one of these invasions single handedly? Mima, make certain this missive gets to Field General Yom with the instruction that he take his soldiers to Ulurmak''s aid." "Yes, your majesty. Also..." she trailed off and subtly pointed at me. "Hmm? OH! The human!" Oakmor slid between Yulk and Nash with a speed that would shock lightning. He grabbed my hand and vigorously shook it a few times before saying, "What a pleasure it is to have you visit the mighty kingdom of Bolisir! I''ve been simply dying of curiosity ever since I heard about the orcs discovering you. Ulurmak says they found you in a dungeon, is that right?" "Y-yes," I managed to say despite my shock. "Nash found me and Yulk revived me." "Nash and Yulk?" Oakmor asked. "That would be us, sire," Nash answered, gesturing to himself and Yulk. "Truthfully? Why, that sly pupper managed to send me the whole set! Tell me, did the situation with the monster in the dungeon ever get resolved? Last I heard Ulurmak was sending over-twenties." "It did, your highness," Yulk said. "Nick is the one who killed it, actually." "Nick?" Oakmor inquired with confusion before looking back to me. "Oh! Yes, of course! You must be Nick, then." "Y-yes sir," I said. "It''s simply wonderful to meet you. Please, accompany me to my office. I''d like to hear more about your adventures thus far." Nash and Yulk glanced at each other and shrugged slightly. "It would be our pleasure, your highness," Yulk said. The Human From a Dungeon 38 High Chief Ulurmak Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Kirkenian "They''re in Blurpus?" I asked incredulously. "Not Yirna?" Great Chief Tormon nodded gravely. The graying orc in front of me had ridden night and day to bring me this news himself and beg my aid. Quite a feat for one of his advanced years, but he had done so to make certain that I would not decline his request. He had given of himself to ask me to do the same, and it would be the highest form of disrespect to ignore this. Of course, I had no intention of ignoring or declining his request. But the fact that he rode here himself suggests that he thinks otherwise, which means I need to make it clearer to my Great Chiefs that I stand with them. Their struggles are my struggles. This line of thought must have shown on my face, because Tormon gave me a knowing look. "Ulurmak, I rode here myself because my hnarses are faster than the scouts, and I don''t trust anyone but myself and my son with my hnarses. Since I''m too old for the field, I sent him to lead and came here myself." "Get out of my head," I grinned. "I''ll send the regulars and redirect our allies. How''s your boy doing?" "He''s had better days, I''m sure," Tormon sighed. "Wants to be an artist, not a general. His paintings and sculptures are fine to look at, too. He really cares about his craft. The look on his face when I told him what was required of him was grim." "He didn''t argue it?" "No. Grum''s a smart boy. He knows that if he doesn''t take charge there''s a good chance that many of our people will lose their homes and their lives. He won''t allow his aversion to responsibility cause our people to suffer." "I''m glad to hear that. How''s things on the front?" "They''ve captured a settlement and a village. Lofin must have finally sent a competent commander, because they''re using shield walls and pikes, and we haven''t won a single skirmish. They won''t pursue us, either, so our traps and tricks have been ineffective. The best we''ve been able to do is convince them to pull back." The mention of shield walls made the hairs on the back of my neck raise. I had been hoping I was wrong about the vampires, but phalanxes are one of their favored formations. It could be a coincidence, but this along with the fact that the drow aren''t sticking to any of their patterns is alarming. Tormon noted my silence and thoughtful expression. "You don''t think..." his eyes went wide as he trailed off. "It can''t be the vampires, can it? How could they have infiltrated Lofin''s inner circle?" Tormon is old enough that he was raised on stories of his father fighting against the vampires of the Night Kingdom. He had even personally led the charge against the remnants that threatened our borders. Of all the Great Chiefs, he was uniquely qualified to know how dire a threat the vampires can be. "I don''t know, but it''s not outside the realm of possibility," I said. "Lofin''s paranoid, but he''s also an idiot. His criteria for choosing his generals is well known, and it wouldn''t be hard to take advantage of that." "But how can this be? Drow can''t be turned, and there isn''t a single non-drow noble in the entirety of the Night Kingdom. Lofin''s not stupid enough to make a vampire his general, right?" "I don''t have answers. It could be that the drow in question is simply working with the vampires, or it could be that Lofin couldn''t find a general among his nobility and hired a mercenary. Regardless, something is definitely off about this invasion. Have there been any reports of vampires in the field?" "No, none at all." "There''s that, at least," I said as I rubbed my chin. "So either I''m wrong about my hunch that the vampires are at work here, or Lofin is unaware of the vampiric influence on this invasion." "What if he''s dead?" Tormon asked. "Can''t be. One, I''d have heard about it. Lofin doesn''t pay his staff well enough to keep their silence. Two, there''s a functional drow army. The nobility of the Night Kingdom wouldn''t be able to pull that off without Lofin. Those strings are too fragile for the vampires to be able to yank them." "Hmm. It''s a mystery," Tormon sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Still, doesn''t change what must be done. Blurpus must be defended. What are we going to do about the shields?" "Shields won''t help them if they attack your keep, but for the field we may want to look into mounted mages," I suggested. "Or axes. Axes would probably be cheaper." "They''re using pikes and spears. The axes have trouble closing in. I like the idea of a mage cavalry, though." "Yeah, but we don''t really have the infrastructure for that sort of thing." "The guilds might. They''ve gotta know of some adventurers that can use magic and ride a hnarse." "Sure, but it''s gonna be costly. Won''t be a long term solution to this kind of combat. Can''t expect this to be a quick war." Tormon laughed, "You should use that overly large head of yours to find a way to encourage mages to join the regulars. Then we wouldn''t have to worry about this kind of thing." "My head isn''t overly large, old one. Yours is just small," I grinned. Then a thought occurred to me. "Magic users like to study and learn, it helps them with their casting. Maybe a school or something. Charge tuition and offer waivers for military service..." "The guilds would probably have an interest in that. Might even be willing to pay extra taxes to help fund it. See? Big head, big ideas." "RAYZUN!" I shouted, ignoring the jab from Tormon. Rayzun quickly popped his head through my door, "Yes, High Chief?" This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "I need a meeting with the leaders of the adventurers guilds and companies. If they want to continue operating in the Unified Chiefdoms, they''d better get here with speed." Rayzun nodded and closed the door. Tormon raised an eyebrow at me, then grinned. "You''d ban them?" he asked. "Damn right," I replied. "Most of ''em are tax-dodgers anyway. All I''ve gotta do is send the auditors and they''re done. They''re well aware of that." Tormon nodded and chuckled. The truth is, most of the guild leaders are respectful and will come when called regardless of whether or not I make threats. While it''s true that the majority of them definitely do not pay their legally obligated share of taxes, they still understand their place in the world. A handful of them, though, do not. They keep forgetting that their wealth does not equate to status here in the Unified Chiefdoms, and in Kirkena especially. If I didn''t threaten them, they would ignore me. This would force me to do some rather unsavory things to teach whoever replaces them not to repeat their mistakes. My father once told me that if I could avoid being cruel, then I should do so at all costs. Fear naturally follows respect, but respect does not follow fear. He generally knew what he was talking about in regards to governing, so it''s advice that I heed. "A school for magic," Tormon said thoughtfully. "How long do you suppose it''ll take to make?" "That depends almost entirely upon the mages," I replied. "We''ve got some empty buildings that would do the trick. The Uli Trade Union building is what I''m thinking." "The Uli finally gave up the ghost? Thought I''d never see the day." "Yeah, they''ve been done for a while now. Thankfully it was a slow decline, so it didn''t hurt the economy too much when the boys shut the doors." The Uli trade union had been a multi-national trade organization that began a long, long time ago. My great-grandfather had given the seal of approval for the construction of their gigantic office. A series of scandals and bad business decisions had started their decline during my father''s time, and I had signed the paperwork that forgave their debts and closed their doors. "What are the Uli boys up to these days?" "I don''t know. Part of their debt forgiveness was the requirement that they forfeit their property and leave the chiefdom. They didn''t tell me where they planned to go." "Hmm." Tormon slapped his knees. "So, one more thing before I go. You met with the thing that they dragged out of that dungeon?" "Sure did," I grinned. "He''s a human." "A human? What''s that?" "Well, looks kind of like an elf but with round ears and a few sharp teeth. Didn''t really get a chance to talk to him very much because I had him deliver a missive to Bolisir to request aid against the drow. The reports say he''s from another world, and that world is full of humans like him. Oh, and he can eat meat and veg." "Weird," Tormon frowned. "You sent him to Bolisir by himself? He that strong?" "Guild says he''s level seven already, but no. I sent him along with Flesh-Carver Yilda''s boys. Nash and Yulk. She adopted the human, you know." "No shit," Tormon laughed. "Haven''t heard from Yilda Alta in decades! Any word on how she''s doin''?" "From the sound of things, she''s enjoying the quiet life. Can''t begrudge her that, not after what she gave for it." "Too true. So, the human. Think he''s dangerous?" "Probably, but not to us. He seems pretty amicable and level headed." "That''s good to hear," Tormon said as he rose from his chair. "So long as you''ve got some idea as to what you''re doing with the human, I''m fine with whatever you decide. I should get back." I nodded solemnly as he turned to leave my office. He paused for a moment at the door. "Should I accompany you?" I asked, trying to guess the reason for his hesitation. He turned to look at me with a little bit of shock. I suppose I had guessed wrong, and it hadn''t even occurred to him to ask. My prowess on the battlefield is well known, and even though Tormon and the rest of the Great Chiefs are big orcs, I tower over them. Tormon met my eyes, and then looked at the mountains of paperwork on my desk. "I don''t think so, Ulurmak," he answered with a grin. "Things are not quite so dire as to give you an excuse to get away from the paperwork." "But there''s just so much of it, though," I said with an exaggerated frown. Tormon and I laughed for a few moments before things settled down into a somber silence. "When you enter the field of battle, it will be indicative of failure on our part," Tormon said. "We''ll do everything in our power to ensure you get to enjoy your paperwork. Goodbye, High Chief." "Goodbye, Great Chief." Tormon left the room, and I sighed. I''d known Tormon since I was a child, and it pained me to see him as an elder now. The massive orc that had sparred with me and shocked me with his speed and power was now too old to even accompany his son into battle. Still, I felt a little beam of pride that he liked my idea for a magic school. Maybe we could do more than one, and have the schools compete with each other to further motivate their students... No, I doubt there''ll be any need for that. The knowledge of magic alone will be more than enough motivation for most of the students. Hell, maybe once things get going I''ll take a class or two. Find out if I could have been good at magic or not. My gaze fell back to my paperwork. "Fuck," I whispered to myself as I picked up my pen. A knock on my office door saved me from the looming task at hand. Rayzun poked his head into my office. "High Chief, two of the guild leaders are here to see you," he said. "Which ones?" I asked. "Pumos and the adventurer''s guild." "Send them in, no need for introductions." Rayzun nodded and left the room. The Adventurer''s Guild and the Pumos Union were the two largest guilds in the Unified Chiefdoms. The Adventurer''s Guild was much larger than the Pumos Union, though, because their operation is multi-national. Even so, the Pumos Union was no pushover and even offered mercenary services that the AG didn''t typically bother with. There are a lot of areas in the UC that wouldn''t have any sort of police if it weren''t for Pumos, and the easiest way to become a guard is to join up with them. A gnome and an elf entered my office and bowed. The gnome is Malura Grinzaw, and she is the head of the Pumos Union. The elf is Yarawei Horfu, and he is the master of the Adventurer''s Guild. I gestured for them to take a seat, and they happily complied. "There are two things we need to discuss," I said once they were settled. They subtly glanced at each other. I could imagine what they might think this meeting is about, and how nervous they both were. I had to fight a grin. "First is the situation with the Night Kingdom invasion. I need mages that know how to ride a hnarse while casting. They will be pressed into service for the remainder of the invasion, but they will be well compensated for their efforts." Eyes widened and eyebrows shot up. It had been decades since adventurers had been drafted, and my willingness to impose upon their freedoms indicated a dire situation. Malura opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it again. "It will be done, High Chief," Yarawei said. "So the rumors are true, then?" "I don''t know what the rumors are, so I cannot say," I replied. "What I can say is that the drow are using tactics that we are ill-prepared to respond to, and they invaded Blurpus instead of Yirna. We are planning on utilizing a mage cavalry force to tip things in our favor." "Mounted mages, I''ll be damned," Malura said. "The second thing we need to discuss is the possibility of a school for study of magic. It will be an academic institution dedicated to instructing mages on the magical arts, both to further the common knowledge of magic as well as to bolster the caliber of our mages. Funding will be done through a mixture of government subsidies and tuition, with tuition waivers offered for completion of military service." The two guild-leaders maintained their shocked expressions. Whatever they had thought this meeting to be about, I was demolishing their expectations. Malura recovered first, this time. "How can we help, High Chief?" she asked. "I need teachers and administrators that are well versed in magic. It is unclear how many we will need as of yet, so I want you to make a list of those who are qualified and who may be interested." "You said government subsidy, High Chief? How will the chiefdom be getting the funds necessary to start this... academy of magic?" Yarawei asked. "Oh, that''s quite simple," I said as a malicious grin spread across my features. "I''ll just be needing you to pay a bit more of your fair share of taxes. Some estimates put your payments at around thirty percent of what you should actually be paying. If you bump that up to forty percent, we''ll be able to afford the academy and I won''t have to send the auditors." Their stunned silence was music to my ears. Chapter 39 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American "Instead of my office, let us use one of these conference rooms. They''re much nicer and have more chairs," Regent Oakmor said as we walked. "Sounds great, your highness," Nash replied. We walked a little further before the regent halted and gestured to a closed door. I awkwardly froze, trying to figure out what he wanted, but Yulk stepped past me and opened the door. Oakmor caught my confusion, gave me a slight smile, and nodded warmly to Yulk before entering the room. I guess maybe royalty doesn''t open doors for other people? I worked my way through my confusion as we entered the room. My jaw nearly dropped, Oakmor had described it as a conference room but that hardly did it justice. The room was luxuriously large and its stone walls were covered in various banners, one of which I had seen while in Kirkena. There were various other decorations spread throughout the room, like swords, maces, and a hand from a large clawed monster. In the center of the room was a massive wooden table with intricate engravings that were inlayed with gold. The chairs surrounding the table matched its engravings, but had cushions on their seats, arms, and backs. Their backs were extra tall, and reminded me of the expensive reclining chairs that influencers peddled for ridiculous amounts of money back home. I was wondering if they could recline when Oakmor sat and gestured to the chairs across from him. "Please, sit down. We have much to discuss," he said with another small smile. We sat, with Yulk to my left and Nash to my right. Renv sat next to Nash and sighed contently. The chairs were remarkably comfortable, and I had to fight the urge to melt into their cushions. It''s the first cushioned chair I''ve sat in since coming to this world. When I get back home I''m never taking cushioned seats for granted again. Oakmor began by verifying the information he''d been given thus far. Yes, I am from another world. I do, in fact, need to eat both plants and meat. Yilda Alta adopted me into the Alta clan. No, I wasn''t technically the one who killed the thing in the dungeon. We came here to deliver the missive and to see if we could get some rubbings translated. Yes, I am desperately trying to get back home and I miss my family terribly. "Well, on that note, are you planning on seeing our True King?" Regent Oakmor asked with an eager grin. "Actually, your majesty..." Yulk began. "Yes we are," I interrupted, surprised at the firmness in my voice. "Your king is a dragon, right?" I asked the follow-up question to put Yulk into a difficult position. To argue with me, he would have to interrupt the regent. I don''t know a lot about monarchy or regency, but I do know that he''s been calling Oakmor ''your majesty'', and it''s usually a bad idea to interrupt someone who requires that honorific. "Not just any dragon," Oakmor said, beaming with pride. "A High Dragon! A normal dragon is fearsome and respectable, one of the most terrible and deadly beasts to ever exist. But it is just a beast. They have intelligence and motivations comparable to puppers or hnarses. High Dragons are much smarter and deadlier than their less evolved cousins." "What do you mean?" I asked. I dared a glance at Yulk, who was staring at me. His expression betrayed confusion rather than anger, though. I felt a stab of guilt as I realized he was trying to figure out why I had interrupted him and changed our plans on the fly instead of feeling angry at me for doing so. I didn''t bother looking at Nash, though. I can feel the venom in his gaze. "High Dragons are near divinity when it comes to their intelligence. The legends tell of High Dragon elders accurately predicting the outcomes of battles years before they were fought. While that may be an exaggeration, the High Dragons were instrumental in driving the daemons and anyels out of our world," Oakmor''s tone took a sad turn. "A lot of them died to do that, though. Including the parents of our True King. He avenged them in a glorious battle that lasted for three weeks, and returned to Bolisir for his coronation. I''m not sure what happened during that battle, but he promptly issued a declaration of regency and fell into a slumber that has lasted ever since." "A declaration of regency?" "Yes. The declaration of regency governs the requirements for my office. Essentially, I act as king in his absence. When I die, there will be an election and a new regent will be chosen." "Who chooses the new regent?" "The people of the land, of course." I paused for a moment. A democratic monarchy sounds alien to me, but on the other hand I don''t really know much about kings and queens. Rather than exposing my ignorance, I opted to ask something else. "High Chief Ulurmak says you''re his blood brother, how did that happen?" I asked. "Ulurmak and I adventured together in our youth. We have saved each other''s lives on multiple occasions, and when it came time for him to take over the post of High Chief we decided to take a blood oath," the elf answered. "At the time, the intention was for me to come to his aid as an adventurer whenever he needed it. Then my father passed and I was pressured into running for regent, namely because no one else wanted to. Now our blood oath requires the both of us to come to each others aid for as long as we rule." "So until you die? Or... wait, what happens to you if the High Dragon wakes up?" I asked. "I will resign my post as regent and take up whatever duty our king offers me," the elf smiled. "Or I just retire. I have enough savings to last me for the rest of my life and make sure my children get a good inheritance." "Retire? You wouldn''t go back to adventuring?" "Oh, I''m far too old for that sort of thing," Oakmor waved his hand dismissively. "Really? You don''t look all that old." Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Oakmor began laughing, and all three of my companions chuckled along with him. I looked around with a confused expression, seeking an answer until it finally hit me. Even back home elves don''t age all that much. Damn it. "Elves do not typically demonstrate our age upon our faces," Oakmor explained as he wiped a tear. "Apologies for my outburst, your question was simply unexpected. I likely have a couple of decades left until I''m infirm, but my adventuring days are well behind me." "What level did you manage to get to, your majesty?" Nash asked. "I rose to level sixty-two, thanks mostly to Ulurmak. He could probably return to adventuring if the situation arose." "Really?" Yulk asked. "I thought he was older than you, your highness." "He is, but he''s also of royal lineage," Oakmor answered before frowning slightly. "Ah, but I digress. I am fairly certain that the details of the royal lineage are secret, so if you wish to learn more you will have to ask him directly." Yulk nodded and retreated into his thoughts, rubbing his chin to process what he''d heard. Nash furrowed his brows and crossed his arms, also an indication that he was thinking. Renv and I simply looked at the two orcs, confused by their reactions. "Now Nick, I cannot help but notice that you have been omitting my honorific this entire time," Oakmor said with a sly grin. "I have chosen not to take this as an insult, but I cannot help but wonder why." "Apologies, your highness," I said rapidly. "I''ve never met a regent before, and we didn''t have royalty or nobility where I''m from." "Truly?" he asked as his eyebrows rose. "Absolutely remarkable. How are your people governed?" I explained the various types of government in the United States to Regent Oakmor to the best of my ability, which inevitably led to more questions about my world. Thankfully, Oakmor seemed more interested in our various forms of entertainment and food than our other technology, so I was able to easily avoid the subject of weapons. In this world, adventurers hold the majority of the combat abilities. They have to train those abilities and hone them to be able to cause massive amounts of destruction. Guns and nukes would change that power dynamic very quickly, and even pointing out the possibility of their existence may eventually lead to someone creating them. Can''t be too careful. "You can look at cute pets while communicating with anyone in the world almost instantaneously?" Oakmor leaned back in his chair. "Marvelous. Simply marvelous. I know it''s unlikely to ever happen, but I can''t help but wish to see such wonders with my own eyes." "Fuckin'' hells, me too," Renv said. I glanced at Renv and realized that everyone else had followed suit. Nash and Yulk looked shocked, and Regent Oakmor raised his left eyebrow. The already diminutive dwarf shrank even further at our various gazes. "M-my apologies, your m-majesty," he stammered. "I didn''t mean to swear in your presence. It won''t happen again, your highness." "See that it doesn''t. Though, your reaction is more than understandable," Oakmor straightened. "Well, my curiosity is sated for now. Please, allow me to accompany you to our True King. Watching his royal majesty''s slumber may sound dull, but there truly is nothing quite like it." The regent rose from his chair and we followed suit. He led us back to where we had entered the building and whispered something to the woman at the front desk. Her green eyes narrowed at Oakmor with disapproval, but she didn''t say anything. He grinned at her and gestured for us to follow him. When we left the building, he took a deep breath. "Ah, fresh air. It''s been so long," he chuckled. "So, do any of you know why our streets are wider than that of other kingdoms?" "So that your king can walk through the kingdom when he awakens, your majesty?" Yulk asked. "Correct! My, you are a bright one. When his royal highness first entered his slumber, he did so in a sparsely populated portion of the kingdom, not wanting to get in the way of our growth. However, his subjects love him so much that many of them moved here, and everything was built around him to make sure that he would be comfortable when he awoke. We''ve even cleared the airspace in case he needs to fly." "How many people live here, your majesty?" I asked. "Our last census has us at eleven thousand, with a margin of error of one percent. This is the most densely populated portion of Bolisir, and if we had cities it would likely be our capital. Oh, and don''t fret over my honorific, Nick. I understand now that your culture is vastly different from ours, and I''m willing to treat you as a sort of diplomat." "Thank you, sir." "Your highness, I didn''t see any fortifications as we approached. Why is that?" Nash asked. "Just because you didn''t see our fortifications doesn''t mean they aren''t there," Oakmor winked. "Which would be more effective at routing an invading army? A simple stone wall, or arrows and spells coming from all around you at impossible angles?" Nash''s eyes widened and he fell into a contemplative silence. "We are not invaded often, either," Oakmor continued. "Our only two neighbors are the Night Kingdom and the Unified Chiefdoms. The Unified Chiefdoms meet us at the south and west, and the Night Kingdom meets us at the north and west. It''s just ocean on the east. Since the Unified Chiefdoms are friendly with us, our only threat is the Night Kingdom. They''ve tried invading us before, but they rarely make it past the fae with anything resembling an invasion force." "The fae fight them?" I asked. "Some do. Most prefer trickery and subterfuge, but those that take pleasure in direct action are quite brutal. The blood and bone fae, especially." "Blood and bone fae? Do those live in the Deepwyld Forest?" "Odd of you to ask that..." Oakmor studied me for a moment. "No, both the blood and the bone fae tend to live along our northern border, in a place the fae call Grimstars Wood. They have been known to migrate somewhat, but never so far as the Deepwyld Forest. How are you aware of the fae living there?" I explained our encounter with Tits and Algebrun as we continued our walk. The regent waited patiently as I explained their attempt to trick us into giving them our names, and his eyebrows rose as I told him that I named them. He stopped dead in his tracks when I told him that they''d turned into arch-fae, and the rest of us quickly followed suit. "They became arch-fae?" he asked. "I... Y-yes, your majesty," I stammered, caught completely off-guard by his sudden seriousness. "You... made them into arch-fae?" "I... I suppose so, sir." Oakmor leaned toward me and studied me carefully. I tried not to lean away, but his piercing gaze forced my instincts to kick in. After a few moments of intense scrutiny, the regent resumed his former posture and began to laugh. "Oh, by the gods," he said as he recovered. "That''s going to anger someone powerful, I''m sure. No matter, that''s a problem for another time. Let''s continue on, shall we?" He gestured for us to follow as he began to walk once more. The four of us looked at each other and quickly trailed after the regent. "Who would get mad?" I asked. "The fae chroniclers, for sure, but you don''t have to worry about them. The only one you might have to worry about is Mumuldobran, but he''s likely to be more angry at the new arch-fae than at you," he glanced at me and caught the concern on my face. "Oh, don''t worry about them. Mumuldobran will probably just give them an earful and a hard time for a few years." I was about to ask what he knew about Mumuldobran when a certain smell caught my attention. The musky scent of reptile with a hint of... rotten eggs? No, that''s sulfur. I looked around for the source of the smell, but it became obvious as we turned a corner. The High Dragon looked exactly like what I have seen in video games. It was resting on a platform with stairs, curled up with its front legs supporting the base of its neck and its head resting on its tail. I could barely make out the claws of its hind legs poking out from underneath its wings. Shining white scales covered its body, glimmering in a massive sunbeam, the first I''d seen so far. The only thing that was missing was a treasure horde underneath it. "This is our True King," Oakmor took a few steps and gestured dramatically. "Yssinirath, King of Bolisir and Bane of the Horde." My eyes remained on the High Dragon as I followed the regent. Its body slow expanded and deflated slightly as it breathed, causing a sort of shimmering effect from its scales. It was bigger than an elephant, but breathtakingly beautiful. I looked at its face and noticed that its eyes were moving under their lids, like it was dreaming. I was trying to imagine what it was dreaming about when the movement stopped. Everything in my body told me that it was awake, and watching me. I felt the blood drain from my face and froze in my tracks. Oakmor and my companions turned to look at me, confused at my sudden halt. The dragon''s eyes snapped open, looking directly into my own. Chapter 40 Yssinirath Adventurer Level: N/A High Dragon - Unknown "Yss! Get that out of your mouth!" "Yemsh muvr," I try to reply as I spit the befuddled troll back onto the ground. "You know better than to eat trolls without cooking them first, boy," my father scolded me. "Yes, father." "Really now! They are quite filthy! Go wash your mouth out," mother said. The troll looked at my parents and then back at me with confusion. It could not understand what we were saying and looked confused at being spared. It sat there nonplussed, as if it were the one being scolded. I dismissively waved a claw at it, which released it from whatever stuporous spell was holding its poor little mind. It rose and began to run, and I walked over to the river to obey my mother''s command. A shame that my parents caught me. Actually, how did they catch me? They were arguing, they couldn''t have been paying attention to me. Never mind, it doesn''t matter. Trolls are delicious. They have chewy, juicy muscles with plenty of succulent fat, which makes for a rather perfect mouthful of meat. The bones add a magnificent crunch, too. My parents are correct that trolls are filthy little creatures, but I''ve never minded the grime. It''s just seasoning, really. I dipped my head in the river and drew water into my mouth. It was cool and refreshing, and it took more than a little willpower to spit my first mouthful back into the river. I took in some more, swished it around, gargled, and spat once more. Once my mouth was sufficiently rinsed I gulped down gallons of the fresh water, along with a few inattentive fish. Then I laid on my back and my wings on the rocks as I watched my parents talk. "You can''t be serious, Ssuranivaro. The daemons have nearly wiped out the elves. What good would it do for us to help them now, of all times?" my mother asked. A strange smell nearly distracted me, but I wanted to hear my father''s response. My father is wise, but he has a blind-spot in his wisdom in regards to daemons. He hates them more than I have ever seen anyone hate anything, and mother is right to worry for his logic. "Don''t cry my name wantonly, Essramil. There is no need for such disrespect," my father replied with a flick of his tongue. "While it is true that the elves have taken severe casualties, they are not extinct yet. The threat of their extinction is imminent, though, which means they will be all the more grateful for our aid. They''ll have no issues submitting to our rule, and we can finally merge our two kingdoms into one." He''s talking about Bolisir and Yivanita. Bolisir is our kingdom, and Yivanita is the independent elven kingdom. In ages past, the elves managed to convince one of my ancestors to allow them to self-govern. Recently it was occupied by the daemons before being ''liberated'' by the anyels. Once the elves rebelled against the anyels, the daemons quickly reoccupied it. The elves have no royalty left, and very little in the way of nobility. My father has made an excellent point. At the moment, Bolisir is strong. The daemons and the anyels have left us alone, with the exception of their skirmishes spilling into our land. Yivanita is ravaged, but if it were to combine with Bolisir we would be able to help the elves rebuild their homes and businesses in record time. And if we don''t, it won''t be long before the daemons have eradicated the elves and turn their attentions to us. That damned smell again. Where is it? I looked around but there was not a single clue to its origin. It smelled familiar, but also hauntingly alien. It was comforting, disturbing, lovely, and threatening all at once. It''s a smell that I feel I should remember from somewhere, but have never encountered before. Or have I? Unable to find its origin, I turned back to my parents. "Bah, they are short-minded like the rest of the mer," my mother said with a dismissive wave of her claw. "They''ll be grateful to us this generation and perhaps the next, but by the third generation they will demand freedom to once again create their illusory territories. We''ll barely be better off. It''s not worth the risk of fighting the daemons." "My dear, the elves that live under our rule are happy. The elves of Yivanita will see this and be happy as well. Only those who are mistreated desire independence, and we will certainly be a better option than those damnable daemons." I looked to the sky in contemplation. The daemons. I''d eaten a daemon once. It tasted terrible and took forever to digest. Wait, that''s wrong. It is taking forever to digest. Oh right, this is a dream. Mother and father are long dead, and not even their bones remain. The daemons had made certain of that. I looked back to my parents, and indeed they were gone. My father had eventually talked my mother into fighting the daemons, and I had helped. They were both slain during the conflict, and I had lost myself in rage and grief. My wrath was unstoppable, and the daemon lord that had taken their lives is currently being dissolved in my stomach. I then became king of Bolisir and merged Yivanita into my domain with no argument from the elves. I have been napping among them ever since, leaving them to their own devices. That damned smell again. I awoke, being careful to keep my eyes closed. The daemon in my belly made me tired, like I''d always just eaten a rather large lunch. A benefit to this is that my nutritional needs are constantly fulfilled, but the downside is that it''s difficult to concentrate on ruling while I''m in such a state. My solution to this was simple, I decided to name a regent and sleep until I got hungry again. However, sleeping indefinitely is impossible, and every time I awoke the elves would lose their minds with glee. They would ask me what they should be doing and how they should go about doing it, and it would take forever to get caught up enough to adequately make those decisions. So I decided to pretend to sleep even when I was awake so that they could go about their business. Before I knew it, though, it had been multiple generations since I''d last spoken to the elves. So many generations that I no longer understood their tongue. It would be terribly awkward if I were to reveal my ruse. This smell has aroused my curiosity, though. Needing to know where its coming from, I silently cast True Vision and looked through my eyelids. I saw that the elves had redecorated once again. My view of the sky remained unobstructed, though, and I could see that the towering trees had continued to grow during my latest slumber. Judging from how much larger they''d become, it had only been about eighty years since my last stealthy awakening. Those eighty years must have seen quite the economic boom, too. The hill I have been resting on now had stairs, with roads leading away from me and winding through the trees. I was impressed that they had managed to do this without waking me. On each side of the roads were buildings that were definitely elven, but reeked of gnomes, dwarves, and orcs. Each building appeared to be specially carved from a tree, but with the obvious advertisements and signs denoting commerce. Shops, perhaps? The elves were none the wiser to my awakening and continued about their business. Some children were being led by an adult, who was speaking in a very condescending tone. Must be a teacher speaking to students. Most of their eyes were wide, which is the proper response to seeing something as gargantuan and graceful as I, but others appeared to be... bored. I fought the urge to open my eyes to startle the little cretins. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. I looked around some more and saw another noteworthy group approaching me. Two orcs, an elf, a dwarf, and something else. I''d nearly mistaken it for a pig-kobold, but it was walking fully upright and seemed to be speaking with the rest of the group. There were two other big clues that it wasn''t a pig-kobold, though. Its ears were round, and it was the thing giving off the intriguing smell. Pork smells like prey, as do kobolds. This doesn''t smell like prey. I''m not certain of what it smells like, but it''s definitely not prey. I suspect that it would put up as much of a fight as the daemon in my belly if I were to try to eat it. Perhaps even more of a fight, considering how injured this particular daemon had been by the time I decided to devour it. I turned my eyes toward my stomach. Hirgarus the Decimator had been in my belly for over a thousand years by now. His regeneration abilities had slowed his degradation to a crawl, but there''s hardly any meat left on his bones. Even if I were to regurgitate him and allow the regeneration to happen, his mind would never recover fully. The best case scenario for him would be a complete loss of memory and faculty. Actually, given his reputation, that would be the best case scenario for everyone. Hirgarus had tortured and murdered hundreds of thousands of mer, and the cruelty of his tortures had been more well known than his near-immortality. My advisors at the time had told me that he couldn''t be stopped. I fought the urge to smile as I turned my attention back to the group approaching me. It had taken a millennia, but I had finally beat the unbeatable. Hirgarus had been known far and wide as the immortal lord of daemons, and I used him as sustenance until all that remained of his identity had been destroyed. A fate worthy of such a despicable being. The elf with the group gestured at me, and the smell-bearer suddenly stopped. Its eyes widened in alarm as they made contact with my own. The smell became sharp with fear. It knows. A spark of fear alit my rage when I realized that this being had seen through my ruse. A potential foe, one that could destroy me if it were allowed to grow. My anger caused my breath to quicken, and the smell suddenly became familiar to me. Gods. They were actively watching this thing, and one had even interacted with it. Would they intervene if I were to try to destroy this thing here and now? Or... Could it be that they interfered with its fate to bring it before me? Is it meant to be an ally or an assassin? There''s only one real way to find out what they''re planning. I opened my eyes. The creature''s skin tone changed from a slight pink to pale white, and I noted with a small measure of satisfaction that the bored children who had been annoying me earlier were now stunned. The creature''s comrades were facing it, but the bald orc slowly tracked his gaze back to me. First, his face showed curiosity, then shock. A moment later, everyone except the creature was on their knees. I raised my head to look at it with both eyes. "Why are you still standing, fool?" I asked it. "Do you not know your betters by instinct?" A small measure of confusion managed to peek past the fear that was apparent on its face. I recalled that language had evolved over the years, and suddenly felt a pang of self-consciousness. What good is a king that no one can understand? A small smile creeped over the face of the elf that had been guiding the group. "My lord, if I may?" he asked. "I doubt that we will get anywhere if you do not," I said, masking my surprise at finding someone who still spoke High Drakon. The elf stood, put his hand on the creature''s shoulder and whispered something to it. The creature kneeled so rapidly that I heard its knee hit the ground with what had to be a painful amount of force. My anger subsided at this show of deference, knowing now that it was not arrogance that led to such disrespect. It was either ignorance or fear, both of which can be forgiven. "Your Royal Majesty King Yssinirath, I am your humble Regent Visilisth Oakmor. May I present to you Nick Smith, Nash Alta, and Yulk Alta," the elf said as he bowed low. "I have just awoke and am in no mood for epithets and magniloquence, regent," I said. "You will speak plainly. What have you brought before me that reeks of godly plots and interference?" My words caught the regent by surprise. He paused, then looked at the creature. His shock was quickly subdued, however, and he turned back to me. "Your majesty, this is a human. He is named Nick Smith, and was found within a dungeon in a neighboring chiefdom. I know nothing of godly plots and interference, I''m afraid," he said. "You should be," I spat, my anger flaring once again. "One does not become the subject of godly interference ignorantly. Either you are lying to me, or the human is hiding his interactions with gods from you. Likely at the behest of said gods." "I will ask him about it, sire." I made a circular motion with my claw to indicate that the regent should be quick with his questions. The human was hesitant to speak, but after a moment there was discussion between the two. The orc with braids appeared confused, but the bald one gave the impression that he had been granted clarification. The dwarf looked lost and alarmed during the entire conversation. The regent asked several questions, and once the discussion was over he explained to me what he had learned. The human had been caught in an explosion caused by bandits, and lost consciousness when he used all his magic to heal his friend. This was when he had met a being that said it was occasionally called a god. I nodded as he explained that the god wanted the human to appear before me, and that I would put him on the path to returning to his world. This piqued my interest. Not only had the god encouraged this human to appear before me, likely knowing that my curiosity would get the better of me, but it had also presumed that I would be willing to help the human in some capacity. I examined it closely, using various vision magics for a complete investigation. Everything about him is strange. The first thing I noticed is that his magic core is completely artificial, and contains much more magic than a mortal''s magic core should. Its channels are extremely efficient and lack any sort of subtlety, as well. A sorcerer''s magical capabilities were often impacted by how efficient these channels are, and as such the human is likely capable of terrible acts of magic. The next thing I noted is the amount of metal within its body. Within its skull is an object that seems to interface directly with each part of its brain. Floating through its blood, lymph, and bile are extremely small chunks of metal that seem to be moving of their own volition. After examining them closely, I realized that they are extremely small machines performing various tasks. Unlike most machines I had seen before, these are not made of iron or steel, but various precious metals for reasons undeterminable. The final thing I determined is how different its anatomy and physiology appear to be from the mortals of this world. Some organs are shared with the orcs, others are shared with the elves and dwarves. Some have different compositions but seem to perform similar functions. Others are completely unique to the human and serve functions that are nearly unnoticeable. There is also evidence of massive amounts of surgery, but someone had managed to minimize this evidence. "It certainly appears to be other-worldly," I told the regent. "I do not know how I would go about aiding his return to his world, though. Nor am I inclined to try, given the circumstances regarding this request." "I must beg your forgiveness and mercy, my liege," the elf placed his forehead upon the ground. "The circumstances behind this boys presence in our realm are tragic, and it would pain me dearly to see his quest unfulfilled. I dare not pretend to know the motives or missions of the gods, nor do I presume to begin to imagine the reasons behind your disdain for them, but I cannot help but beg your grace, sire." "You dare beg my grace with the very same epithets and magniloquence that I told you to abandon mere moments ago, boy?" I demanded with a low growl. "Apol... I''m sorry," he replied. "This just... isn''t how I imagined this would go." Memories of the elves of old bringing me gifts and gratitude for saving them from the daemons flooded back to me. They were ecstatic whenever I would awaken from my slumber, and even host feasts to celebrate. A small stab of guilt pierced the iciness in my heart as I realized that even after several generations had passed, my people still love me. "Very well," I sighed. "Explain the human''s circumstances to me." Regent Oakmor elaborated the reasons behind his feelings, sparing no amount of drama in his retelling. A boy, stolen away from his ailing love and transported to a strange world where he obviously does not belong, with no recollection of his relocation or knowledge of how to return. Despite the regent''s garish bardic skills, I managed to feel some empathy for the human. I had been a youngling when Bolisir went to war against the daemons and my world changed forever. I remember how lost I felt when my daily decisions went from mundane to grave in the blink of an eye. I had my parents to guide me through this transition, though. The human does not. "I will consider it. How would my assistance be applied?" I asked. Before Oakmor could answer, something unexpected happened. "Um... excuse me, your majesty," Nick said. "Can you understand me now?" Chapter 41 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American My knee throbbed in pain while Regent Oakmor spoke to the High Dragon in a language that I couldn''t understand. Oddly, though, every once in a while I would hear something that I understood. It didn''t take long to put two and two together. ''Are they speaking High Drakon? The same language that was on the pods?'' I asked Ten. ''Probably. What they are speaking is fairly similar to Drakon,'' Ten said. ''The translation program is even triggering on some of the words, as you''ve likely noticed. It would seem they share root words.'' ''Can you translate it?'' ''No, not yet. I''ve already been trying to extrapolate a translation, though. We''ll see how it goes.'' The regent and the dragon continued talking to each other. It wasn''t hard to tell that the dragon seemed upset about something, and Oakmor looked confused. Then Oakmor turned to me. "Nick, have you been in contact with gods?" he asked. I looked at Yulk, Nash, and Renv. I hadn''t exactly lied to them, but they''re bound to be confused. Should I lie? A glance at the dragon answered that question for me. Okay, the truth then. I took a deep breath and steeled myself. "I... think so," I said. "When we were on our way here, we were attacked by bandits. There was an explosion, and one of our friends was hurt really bad. I used a healing spell on him, but ended up using all of my magic and passing out. While I was out, I had a weird dream that I''m not sure is a dream, and there was a thing in my dream that said mortals call it a god." "I see," Oakmor''s brow furrowed. "Did it demand anything from you?" "It didn''t feel like a demand, more like a suggestion," I replied, trying not to look at Nash and Yulk. "It said that if I didn''t go to see the High Dragon, I wouldn''t find my way home." "Did it say anything else? Any suggestions as to what to do when you saw King Yssinirath?" "It said is that I needed to see the dra... King Yssinirath because some stupid mer were about to do some stupid things which would prevent me from going home, and that my path would be clear after seeing him," I answered. "Oh, it also said that other gods are watching me because I''m amusing. That''s all it was able to say." "Able to?" "Yes, it was under a pact and had bright red chains all over it." "Understood," Oakmor turned back to the dragon for a moment, then turned back to me. "Wait, what was the other choice? Besides seeing King Yssinirath?" Shit. "Well... It said that Yulk would want to see some scholars that he knows to get the words translated, but the translation wouldn''t get us anywhere. It told me that he would decline an invitation to see the High Dragon, and that I would need to make sure he didn''t decline the invitation." "Ohhh," Yulk whispered. Oakmor nodded and turned back to the dragon. The two began to speak once more, and after a few moments the ember-red eyes of the High Dragon took on a slightly pink tint and he began to look at me. It felt like he could see everything about me, and I got the distinct impression that I couldn''t hide anything from him. It was an uncomfortable feeling, like someone walking into the bathroom with you and not leaving. The two continued talking, when suddenly Oakmor prostrated. He gave a speech, and Yssinirath growled at him. After a quick back and forth, Oakmor raised his head. The king said something angrily, and Oakmor stood. He began gesturing dramatically, which was a confusing turn of events. ''Done,'' Ten said. ''Applying translation patch.'' "...simply exceptional that his motives are driven by love, and love is such a rare form of motivation in the world. This is why I beg that you to aid him any way you can." "I will consider it. How would my assistance be applied?" Yssinirath asked. It may not be the smartest move to speak up now, but I get the feeling that the king will be less mad at an interruption than he would be at eavesdropping. I took a deep breath and gathered my nerve once again. "Um... excuse me, your majesty," I interrupted. "Can you understand me now?" It felt like every eye within listening distance turned to look at me. A quick glance around confirmed my feeling to be factual, and I suddenly felt very, very nervous. Like I had committed the sort of taboo that is so obvious that everyone should know not to do it. "I can," Yssinirath said warily. "Explain." Explain? Explain what? I looked at Oakmor, but he was completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words. The almost glowing eyes of the High Dragon narrowed at me, and I felt the sudden urge to improvise like my life depended on it. Before I could open my mouth, Ten stepped in. ''Repeat after me...'' "I have a machine in my head that translates languages, your majesty," I parroted. "It did not know High Drakon, but it knows Drakon and was able to decipher what yourself and Regent Oakmor were saying by the context of our situation and comparing the two languages in real time." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. King Yssinirath took a deep breath in through its nose, which immediately made me think of all the dragons I''ve seen in media that breathed fire. I tensed, but the flames never came. "Surprise after surprise," he grumbled. "Regent, tell the civilians to go on about their business. I would speak to this boy." "Yes, sire," Oakmor bowed. As Oakmor began telling everyone present to go back to what they were doing, which appeared to confuse the chaperone of a group of children, Yssinirath lowered his head nearer to me. "You are trying to get back home to your ailing lover, yes?" Yssinirath asked softly. "Yes, your highness." "And what, pray tell, will you do if she is dead by the time you return?" The question caught me off guard. It had been nagging at me somewhere in the back of my mind, but I had consciously avoided actually thinking about it. As if thinking about it would somehow turn it into a reality. Being directly confronted with the truth of the possibility like this made me realize that I had been acting childish, pretending that it can''t happen simply because I don''t want it to happen. "I would grieve, your majesty," I answered, unable to meet his eyes. "As one should," Yssinirath said, his head returning to where it had been. "It would be wrong of me to prevent the reunification of lovers, and it would be outright malicious of me to prevent one from mourning. I will aid you, boy." "Thank you, sire." "There is still the matter of how. I do not have the ability to transport you to your world, nor am I aware of any means to do so." "We have some writings. They were found on the alter that I was resting on, and we believe they''re written in High Drakon, or a language that is similar to High Drakon," I explained. I turned to Yulk and whispered for him to show Yssinirath the writings. He didn''t hesitate to reach into his robe, but gave me a look indicating that he had many, many questions while he did so. Yssinirath leaned forward to study the rubbings that Yulk had done. "These do not say much, but their context is grim," Yssinirath explained. "The first five symbols appear to be options. Close, Open, Begin, End, and Destroy. Then there are four directional indicators with the word ''select'' in the center." "That''s not much to go on," I said. "We already knew that they were experimenting on me, your highness." "Indeed, but I now see why the gods sent you to me," his face twisted into what could be called a grin. "Back in my youth, my father tasked me with ridding these lands of a plague. A cult of anonymous individuals who were kidnapping, torturing, and dismembering members of our citizenry. The investigators at the time believed the torture to be experimentation, and the purpose of the dismemberment was to hide their findings and mask their trail. The last time I saw the final symbol on this paper, it was emblazoned upon on their robes." My heart skipped a beat. Is this it? "Who were they?" "We weren''t able to find out. Whenever one of their members was captured or killed, they would be incinerated from within by a flame that could not be quenched until they were but ash. Adventurers that were tasked with tracking them were able to discover their hideouts within Bolisir, and my father sent me forth to eliminate them from the land. They were quite magically adept, but no match for even a fledgling High Dragon," he explained with a hint of pride in his voice. "I flew from hideout to hideout, killing as I went. I was even careful to preserve as much as possible, yet the hideouts still did not yield many clues." "How long ago was this, your highness?" I asked, hoping we could investigate one of these hideouts. "I eliminated the cult from Bolisir long before the demons invaded, but they remained a problem in other kingdoms. Once the daemons invaded all cult activity ceased, and they were not heard from during the entirety of the daemon occupation. Some claimed that it was the cult that brought the daemons to our world. Others believed that whatever the cult was researching was a threat to the daemons, and the daemons invaded our world to force them to cease and desist." I paused for a moment to digest this information. A nameless cult that may have had some something to do with the daemonic invasion had somehow kidnapped me from my world and performed experiments on me? Maybe to make me fight for or against the daemons? That definitely sounds like it could be the plot of an isekai, but why would the cult go to such lengths? Wouldn''t it be easier to use their own members? "Sire, do you know anything else about this cult?" I asked. "I do," Yssinirath said with another grin. "They were most disruptive in a kingdom to the west, ruled by dwarves. At the time, I believed that this was because their leadership had taken refuge there, but my father wisely forbade me from interfering in the affairs of other kingdoms. I made certain that no trace of the cult remained in Bolisir, but it''s likely that other kingdoms were less thorough. As a matter of fact, your existence is evidence of that being the case." "Psst," Yulk whispered. "What''s going on?" I gave Yulk a brief explanation as I thought about what Yssinirath had told me. The mighty High Dragon wasn''t going to be able to get me home directly, but he had at least pointed me in a direction. West, to the dwarven kingdom. A small blossom of hope grew within me. The dwarven kingdom has to have something, why else would the creepy god thing have sent me to the dragon? "The dwarven kingdom to the west would probably be the Empire of Calkuti. It predates the daemonic invasion, and even the Kingdom of Bolisir," Yulk explained. I nodded and turned back to Yssinirath, "Are you meaning the Empire of Calkuti, your highness?" "Calkuti is the name, but it was not an empire before the daemons. What is its current status, Regent?" Yssinirath asked. "It''s thriving, milord," Oakmor replied, turning his attention away from a growing flock of civilians. "Of course the pesky little buggers yet persist," the High Dragon grumbled. "And... We have a contractual alliance with them, your highness." Yssinirath''s face contorted in disgust and Regent Oakmor tried to hide a smile. I guess the High Dragon isn''t a fan of dwarves. I glanced at Renv, glad that he couldn''t understand the conversation. I was met with a look of concern and confusion. "Allied with them?" Yssinirath nearly spat. "What a foolish regent we have. Tell me, Oakmor, what fancy baubles and little luxuries did the dwarven royal family provide, that you and your kin may offer your backs as sheaths for their daggers?" "The dwarven royal line died out, sire. They fell in battle against the orcs shortly after you entered your slumber. The current ruler, Emperor Jak, is of the Norev family, and though he is crass at times, he is much less prone to subterfuge and dishonesty than the royal family was." Yssinirath frowned, but I looked at Oakmor in a new light. I thought he was a whimsical and reluctant regent, but he had done his homework. He seemed to know the High Dragon''s blind spots and exactly how to compensate for them. "Fine," Yssinirath sighed. "I give the alliance my blessing, then. Returning to the original matter, Nick, you will need to seek more information on this cult in Calkuti. I hope you are more successful in your investigation than others were in the past. I grow weary, and as such will return to my slumber." "If I may, your highness," Oakmor interjected. "We have had quite a long while to come up with a potential solution to the daemon within you." "Oh?" Yssinirath asked, warily eyeing Oakmor. "If we were to encase the remains in concrete it would prevent the daemon from moving. Then we could load the resulting concrete block aboard a ship. The ship would sail out into the ocean as far as it can, and the crew will dump the block into the water. The block will sink, and the pressure from the water will make it much more difficult for the daemon to escape his new prison." "And how, pray tell, would we get the daemon out of my stomach?" the High Dragon asked, eyeing the ever-growing group surrounding us. Oakmor couldn''t help but grin as he said, "I do believe a simple extrusion will suffice, your majesty." Yssinirath''s growl shook the ground beneath us. Chapter 42 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American "You want me to VOMIT in PUBLIC?" Yssinirath hissed. "Sire, we can be mindful of your dignity whilst you are ejecting the daemon," Oakmor said, unable to hide his grin. "We can set up curtains to mask what is being done." "Everyone will still know what happened!" "At least it isn''t out the other end, your majesty," I added, trying to be helpful. The High Dragon''s furious eyes focused on me and I felt my blood freeze again. I am an idiot, and silently vowed to keep my mouth shut as often as possible. "High Dragons do NOT defecate, boy," he hissed. "Really?" I asked incredulously, unable to keep my vow. "You think I lie? We are smart enough to take care with what we eat, and our bodies use every last bit of what we consume," Yssinirath explained. "This is true, Nick," Oakmor said. "The purpose of a High Dragon''s intestinal tract appears to be for flatulence, not defecation." Yssinirath slowly turned his attention from me to the regent. "If there is a single person in our ever-growing audience that can understand what you just said, I will bite you in half." "Apologies, your highness. I meant only to educate, not offend," Oakmor said as he lowered his head, masking that his grin had widened. "Enough," Yssinirath growled. "Truth be told, I would enjoy being free of this burden." "I will make the arrangements, your majesty." Oakmor bowed deeply, then began explaining the plan to some of the gathered people. As he began to walk away, Yulk scooched over to me and gave me a nudge. "Nick," he said. "Could you ask the King if he would mind answering some questions?" "What?" I asked, thinking I may have hallucinated what I had just heard. "I want to ask the King some questions. This is an amazingly rare opportunity," he explained. "Not only to interview a High Dragon, but to interview one with a first-hand account of the Cataclysm Wars." "I... wait, don''t you want to know HOW I can talk to him?" "With Ten, obviously," Nash interrupted. "Yulk''s right, Nick. As long as you''re polite with the questions, you''ve got nothing to be afraid of." Easy for him to say. Yssinirath was watching Oakmor, impatiently tapping one of his claws on the ground. The claw in question is easily as big as I am, and I could feel the ground shake slightly with each tap. I had also noticed that when he had grinned earlier, his teeth were the size of my head. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the High Dragon could erase everyone present if he so wished. "Please, Nick," Yash pouted. It was a ridiculous sight that immediately pulled me out of the anxiety spiral I had been swirling down. He pushed his lower lip forward, and it caught on his teeth. The lip looked kind of like one of those seashell soap holders. I smiled and shook my head. "Fine, but if we die I want it on the record that it''s your fault," I told him, then looked up at the dragon. "Excuse me, your highness." "What is it?" Yssinirath met my gaze. "Would you mind if we asked you some questions? This orc, Yulk, would like to know more about the Cataclysm Wars." The dragon''s brow furrowed, then he sighed through his nose. "So be it. Ask your questions." "He said yes," I told Yulk. "Excellent. Ask him what started the war, and if he knows how the daemons entered our world." I nodded and repeated the question to Yssinirath, settling into the role of interpreter. "The daemonic invasion was the cause of the war," Yssinirath chuckled. "Though, many nations were already at war before their invasion. The daemons entered our world through vast portals, though how these portals were created eludes me. I do know that these portals worked both ways, though, as the daemons brought many mer back through with them." "Who made the wastes?" You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "Multiple parties. Daemons, anyels, and mer sorcerers fought viciously to destroy each other''s forces, and the mass corruption of nature was the result. Those that were responsible cared little for the environment, or even the safety of their own soldiers." "What about the monsters? Who created them?" "The daemons created many monsters to destroy the mer, bastardizing nature''s own creations in the process. The mer quickly followed suit, justifying their actions as a means to survive the onslaught. Many of the monsters predate the war, though, and nobody knew where they originate." "Why did the daemons invade?" "They did not stop to explain themselves," Yssinirath chuckled. "If a scholar of this age does not know their reasons, then they must truly be lost to time." "What about the daemon in your belly?" I asked before I told Yulk what the king had said. "Wouldn''t he know?" "He is little more than bone. His mind was destroyed by the acids within me long ago," Yssinirath shook his head. "He wouldn''t even know his own name by now." I informed Yulk of the King''s response to both of our questions. He nodded and continued his questions. "How long have you ruled over Bolisir?" "Hmm..." Yssinirath paused. "One moment." The King hissed unintelligibly and his eyes flashed blue for an instant. Whatever just happened caused his brows to rise and his slight smile to fade. "By Bogglerath, it has been eighteen thousand, seven hundred eighty-two years. It doesn''t feel like nearly that long. Apparently time flies more than I do," he said with a sigh. "Bogglerath?" I asked. "The first High Dragon. She was given intelligence as a reward for defeating a god in combat, and became the mother of all High Dragons. She has become somewhat deified, obviously." As I explained this to Yulk, elves and gnomes started bringing supplies to enact Regent Oakmor''s plan. Yulk reminded me of what Joni had said about the Prignira Account of the Cataclysm Wars and asked me to verify it with King Yssinirath. "I am unfamiliar with Prignira, but there was an underground dwarven kingdom named Masseura on the southern continent. The events themselves are accurate, though I know not of any daemonic conspiracies prior to the war. Perhaps they are referring to the actions of the cult. Or it could be a convenient cover-up for some of the abysmal actions committed by the various royal families of the time." "What kind of actions?" "Before the daemons invaded, the lands were at war. Bolisir was one of the only nations that managed to stay out of it, but my father was wise and had spies in various nations that may have tried something. We received word of terrible state-sanctioned experiments, all in the name of one-upping their neighbors on the field of battle. This is one of the main reasons we reacted to the cult in the way that we did, and why we didn''t chase them over our borders. We suspected that they may have had royal backing, and crossing over our borders may have dragged us into wars that we wanted no part of." Yulk appeared deep in thought as I explained what the High Dragon had said. As I finished, Regent Oakmor approached us. "We are nearly ready, your majesty," he said as a group of gnomes carried a large, cube-shaped container past him. The gnomes lowered the steel container to the ground with a thud, and a two groups of elves approached. One group had bags of what appeared to be powdered concrete mix, and began pouring them into the container. The other group began to set up tall curtains around Yssinirath. The High Dragon eyed them warily, but did not interfere. Another group of elves carrying water and oars replaced the group with the concrete powder at the container. They added the water to the powder and began to stir it. We watched as the groups took turns at the container, adding more powder and water until it was nearly filled. Once they were finished, Oakmor gestured to the group around the curtains, and they drew the curtains around the High Dragon. "Your majesty, please do not regurgitate directly into the box. Your, for lack of a better phrase, stomach juices will likely be detrimental to the concrete," Oakmor explained. "Regurgitate. What a disgusting word," Yssinirath hissed. "Fine." His head lowered beneath the curtain, and after a moment a sound that can only be described as disturbingly slimy made its way to our ears. I had expected to hear the sound of retching, but the sound I heard instead nearly made me gag. Like... forcing a bowling ball covered in not-quite done jelly through a hose or something. I looked at my companions and could tell the sound had the same impact on them. Another moment later, Yssinirath''s head appeared above the curtain. "It is done," he said. "Thank you, your majesty," Oakmor gestured to a group of gnomes who were carrying a steel square with small holes in it. The elves dragged the curtain back and the gnomes put the steel square on top of the container, hammering it down to form a lid. The container began to make a sloshing sound, and some concrete splashed out of the holes in the top. "Oh, already?" Oakmor said, sounding flabbergasted. "Cure the concrete, quickly." Four elves walked up to the container and began casting various spells. The sloshing ceased with a stark crack, and the elves nodded to Oakmor. One of the gnomes walked up, shaking his head. "I think he might''ve moved around and weakened the concrete, sir," the gnome reported. "That crack wasn''t a good sound." "That''s alright, we''ll just leave the cube in the container," the regent rubbed his chin. "Maybe we''ll have a smith weld some bars on it just to be sure." "Yes, your hi... Uh... Lord Regent," the gnome said, looking at King Yssinirath. "Gonna take some getting used to." "Not all all, my good mer," Oakmor said with a grin. "Take the container to Horav''s smithy. He''s got plenty of steel scrap to use as bracing. Let him know that we want the cube to never open again." The gnome nodded and started giving orders to his crew. They, along with some help from the elves, managed to get the steel cube into a cart and started transporting it away. Oakmor watched them for a moment, and then turned back to the High Dragon. "Your highness," he bowed. "This is the perfect occasion for a feast. Will you permit us to celebrate your return to the throne?" "Certainly," Yssinirath said. "However, I require some calisthenics. It has been far too long since I''ve last stretched my wings. Feel free to celebrate without me, I will rejoin you soon." The High Dragon stood, causing several shocked gasps from the surrounding crowd. I thought he was huge while he was laying down, but his true height was mind-boggling. He stretched his neck and limbs, and his bones cracked like trees in a storm. Finally, he spread his mighty wings. The white skin on his wings featured blue veins that seemed to form a sort of symbol. Before I could get a good look at it, though, the wings flapped and sent a gust of air at us that nearly sent me sprawling. I managed to see a gnome fly back a foot or two, and when I turned back to the High Dragon, he was gone. I looked to the sky to see if I could spot him, but he had disappeared with a frightening speed. The implications of how quickly he had moved set in, and I couldn''t help but shudder a little. Big things shouldn''t be able to move that fast. It''s unnatural. "Well, what a fantastic day! Hopefully I can retire soon," Regent Oakmor smiled. "I doubt it, Lord Regent," a nearby elf said. "You''re the only one that understands the king." "Oh... shit." Chapter 43 Grum Ormyar Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Blurpan "How many did we lose this time?" I asked coldly. "Four," Harmi answered. "Two dead, two captured." I let out a sigh as I stared out over the field that the enemy stood in. Their smug eyes peered back at me from over their shields, their spear-tips glinting in the sunlight. It was obvious that this group wasn''t going to follow us, either. If we had been able to get them in the trees, we would have been able to disrupt their lines and force our way through their formation. Whoever is leading them must have figured out our intentions, though. "Did THEY lose any this time?" I asked. "Yeah," he replied tersely. "Got a couple of lucky blows in. Managed to kill two of the bastards." Harmi crossed his arms and spat on the ground. He''s much less pleased with our situation than I am. Despite growing up together and being close friends, Harmi and I are polar opposites. I''m an artist, he''s a warrior. I write poetry, tenderly carve statues, and try desperately to capture the beauty that I see in the world with paint. He likes to hit people with great amounts of force. If it weren''t for the sake of tradition, he would likely be leading this defensive campaign. It isn''t as if I would mind, I''d much rather be at home sweating over a block o'' rock. Unfortunately, I am the son of a Great Chief, and with that comes duty and responsibility. Irksome, surely, but it is what it is. "I don''t suppose we''ve managed to track down any high-level mages?" "No." "What about the..." "Archers didn''t have many arrows," Harmi interrupted. "They''re out. Fletchers are makin'' more." "Did we find stones?" "Yeah. Threw ''em. Hit shields, not skulls." "Well," I shrugged, "I''m out of ideas." "Me too." Any weapons we could craft that would be capable of penetrating their defensive lines would either take too long to make or be too unwieldy. Blurpus only has the one smith, who is also the fletcher, and she''s getting on in years. Internally, the darkest part of me screamed in frustration at my inability to slaughter the enemy, cursing the vast open fields of Blurpus that I used to love playing in as a child. Externally, I sighed again. "Tenth time, I guess," I said after a moment. "Yeah, but at least they aren''t advancing much," Harmi replied. I looked at him, then back to the drow. Despite my mask of apathy, Harmi could tell how bothered I am by all this. We have had to fall back ten times, and the only thing that has been interrupting the enemy''s advance is the damned terrain. They weren''t falling for any of our traps or taunts, either. When the bastards invaded last year, they were so incompetent that I hadn''t even had to take to the field. They had practically ran straight into our axes. Now, they''re being far too damned careful. The bloodthirsty drow of the past had been magically given an even temper and wouldn''t put a single toe out of line. "Fine. There isn''t much we can do here," I shook my head. "Call for a retr..." A familiar sound permeated the air. It was my father''s horn, but I barely recognized tone it gave. It was a tone that had never really applied to me or any group I had led before, and one that definitely shouldn''t apply here. Had his trip to see Ulurmak finally forced senility upon him? Harmi and I met eyes, our mouths agape in stupefaction. "The hells was that?" I turned toward the sound. "Cavalry charge?" Harmi asked. "We lent the hnarses to Yirna, though. How can they be back already?" Nevertheless, the sound of hooves began to fill the air. I turned back to the drow, who appeared considerably less smug than they had a moment ago. From their right flank five hnarses with orcs riding them burst through the trees. I got a closer look at the riders and my jaw dropped even further. One would expect cavalry to have a lance, hammer, or even a sword. Four of the riders were completely unarmed, and the fifth had a hunk of wood with a ball on one end. As I was trying to figure out what the hells was happening, one of the riders lifted their hand and launched a ball of fire directly into the drow. The enemy had managed to bring their shields to bear, but the fire still got a couple of them. The rider with the stick pointed it at the drow and an arrow made of wind blew through their ranks. "Mages on hnarse-back," I whispered. Instead of charging directly into the drow formation like traditional cavalry would, the riders began to circle them, launching spells rapidly. The drow were spinning around wildly, trying desperate to use their shields to block the various magics that were being cast upon them. Despite my shock at the situation unfolding before me, it didn''t take long for me to put two and two together. The drow formation was done for. "CHARGE!" I shouted, pulling my axe from my belt and holding it high. My orcs snapped out of their shock and began to echo my cry. We ran at the panicking drow with our weapons high, screaming our bloodthirst as we went. The monster in me will forever cherish the looks of pure terror on their face as they realized they were now too far apart from each other to prevent our assault from ripping them to shreds. The first drow I encountered raised his shield and spear, but it was useless. Without the formation to protect him, I easily brushed aside the spear and yanked his shield out of the way. My axe met his skull, splitting it and ending his life. Before he even crumpled to the ground I was onto the next one. Then the next, and the next, and the next. Drow began to drop their spears and shields and try to run, but the cavalry cut them off. One more drow lost their life before they threw their hands in the air and begged for mercy. The fight was over, and we had finally won. I shouted the order to capture them and looked at my axe. It, my arm, and a good portion of my shirt was drenched in blood. I felt my stomach twist in revulsion, the gentler part of me wanted to weep and scrub myself clean. A small fear rose within me. Will the blood on my hands stain my art? I felt raindrops patter against my skin, and I looked to the sky. I cannot weep in front of the soldiers, but the sky wept in my stead. A small, sad smile made its way onto my face at this realization. As the sky opened up, helping clean some of the blood off of me, I felt eyes settle on me. I glanced around at my orcs, and they were looking at me expectantly. Oh, right. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "VICTORY!" I shouted, raising my axe to the mournful sky. They shouted and raised their axes as well, freeing me from their gaze. The soft thuds of a hnarse''s hooves came from behind me, and I turned to see Great Chief Tormon, my father. His eyes met mine with a mixture of sadness and pride. He knew of my gentle disposition and wished the best for me, but he couldn''t help but be proud of how well I carried out my duties. Or maybe I''m just imagining things. "Grum, my boy," his expression changed to a grin. "I''ve brought a little help." "Your talent for understatement greatly exceeds any of my own talents, father," I laughed, putting on my mask. "A little help? You brought us this victory." "I can only take partial credit. The High Chief moved quickly to make this possible," he gestured to the mounted mages and laughed. "Clever bastard. Remind me to never pick a fight with Ulurmak." "There are a great many reasons that we won''t be doing that," I shook my head with a grin. Someone whistled, and I looked around and saw one of my orcs standing next to the freshly tied drow. He pointed at the prisoners and raised an eyebrow. "Search them for concealed weapons, then take them to camp," I shouted. "If they try to resist or run, cut them down and leave them where they lay." "You wish to remain out here?" my father asked. "These are all the mounted mages we have right now, you know." This was a good point. Everything I had discovered about the drow commander screamed of someone with a legendary case of narcissism. We had destroyed one of his units, and he had obviously worked hard on their training, so it was likely that he wouldn''t take that very well. This position was going to receive a visit by many more drow. "No, actually. I don''t," I sighed. "Alright everyone! Pack it up! We''re heading back to camp." "What do we do with the bodies?" Harmi asked as he approached. "Leave them for the forest or their comrades," I shrugged. "We don''t know their burial rites." "Can''t we check their pockets?" one of the soldiers asked. "No," my father said. "Not a damn one of you need the coinage badly enough to invite the ill-fortune you get from robbing the dead. I pay you better than that." The soldier looked properly chastised, and my father turned back to me. "My trip was quite eventful. Let''s hurry to camp so we can talk about what comes next." I nodded and gave the proper orders. The drow were tied together and had their pockets, shoes, and belts checked for anything sharp or poisonous. Half of my soldiers formed up in front of the drow, and the rest formed up behind them. I led the ones in front, and Harmi led the ones in the rear. As I gave the order to march, my father and the mounted mages formed up on either side of the drow. The rain began to soften the ground somewhat, but despite this we managed to make good time. In my youth I had made a name for myself by running great distances for fun. Even so, the soft terrain and water in my boots was playing hell on my feet and legs. Half a day passed before the camp was finally in sight. "Fuckin'' finally," one of the soldiers behind me muttered. "Agreed. Halt!" I shouted. "Secure the prisoners and tend to your gear!" My father rode up to me as the soldiers began to perform their tasks. He dismounted and passed his hnarse off to a nearby soldier, who also took the reins for some of the mages. The rest of the mages passed their hnarses off to other soldiers. As Harmi approached us, I gestured to my command tent, and we all went inside. I breathed a sigh of relief as I took my seat and kicked off my boots to let my feet dry. My father and Harmi did the same, but the mages just stood there nervously. I massaged my sore calves as my father began telling me of his trip. I listened in awe as he explained the creation of a mage cavalry and Ulurmak''s idea about a magic academy. "I was held up at the city gates, and these five caught up to me," he explained. "They were sent by the Adventurer''s Guild to join me. The High Chief works damn quick, it seems." "So there''s going to be more on the way, Great Chief?" Harmi asked. "So I''ve been led to believe," my father laughed. "Ulurmak''s not much of a liar, so I''ve got no reason to doubt him." "What kind of counter-measures do you think the drow will come up with?" I asked. "You would know better than I would, my boy. But... Ulurmak seems to think that this invasion has vampiric backing." "Vampires?" "Yes, and I''m inclined to agree with him. There''s too much that''s fishy about what they''re doing and how they''re doing it. It practically screams bloodsucker involvement." I gave Harmi a doubtful look, and he shrugged in response. We don''t like disagreeing with my father, but he''s practically fanatical in his hatred of vampires. He has a borderline paranoid hatred of them, and it''s likely that even if High Chief Ulurmak completely misread the situation my father would still firmly believe that vampires were involved simply because things haven''t been going well for us. "You don''t believe me," my father crossed his arms sternly. "Well, there''s one way to find out for sure," I sighed as I pulled my still-damp boots back on. "I''ll be back." I left my command tent and looked for the tent that the prisoners were being kept in. The rain was pouring heavier than it had been previously, and the ground had turned into an uncomfortable mud. To my horror, I found the prisoners shivering in the rain, tied to a stake in the ground. Thankfully, my soldiers weren''t dumb enough to leave them unguarded, so I grabbed the nearest guard by the shoulder. "What is this?" I demanded. "The prisoners, sir," the soldier answered with an expression of bewilderment. "Why are they outdoors in this weather?" "We... uh... I think it''s cuz we don''t have somewhere to put them, sir." "All that is securing them is a stake. In the MUD," I whispered. "Yeah, but we''ve got swords, sir." "Swords that would let them cut their bonds if were they to overpower you. Move them to the mess tent. Now." "Y-yes sir!" The guard went to work explaining my order to the other guards, and they began to move the prisoners out of the rain. As they started to march, I noticed that one of the drow had clothing that was of a higher quality than the rest of them, and on that clothing was a small emblem on the breast. "Not that one," I said, pointing at the potential commander. "He''s coming with me." The guards didn''t argue, and after a bit of shuffling they managed to separate him from the rest of the drow. The prisoner looked concerned, but didn''t protest as I grabbed his rope and dragged him back to the command tent. All eyes immediately turned to the drow as we entered the tent. "Oh. Yeah, that''ll do it," my father nodded his approval. I tied the prisoner to an extra chair, gestured to Harmi, then took my seat and once again removed my boots. Harmi stood next to the bound drow and crossed his arms, prepared to loosen the drow''s tongue at a moment''s notice. I let my feet dry as my father and Harmi began asking the prisoner some standard questions. Harmi''s intimidation turned out to be unnecessary, as the drow was very forthcoming with his testimony. He confirmed his rank, told us of his patrol route and orders, and even told us what he knew of the patrol routes of the rest of the drow army. There was absolutely no hesitation until my father brought up vampires. The drow seemed perplexed by the question, and denied seeing any sort of vampires or brood. The conversation didn''t go much of anywhere until Harmi asked about what had happened to the orcish prisoners. The drow explained that they were being used to make a storeroom, and when asked about their health he admitted that he hadn''t seem them since they were handed over. This raised red flags, and we asked many follow-up questions that didn''t have concrete answers. Finally, the interrogation was over and Harmi took the enemy commander back to the rest of the prisoners. "I don''t get it," I said. "I thought vampires have free will. Why would they want to turn orcs into vamps when those orcs hate drow?" "Vampires don''t start off with free will," my father explained. "Not really. For the first few years, the magical being within the vampire is somewhat enthralled by the vampiric sire that allowed it to enter the body. Sometimes the victim can override the... enhanced persuasion that their sire has over them, but veteran vampires can usually tell who has this capability. At least, that''s how Eyivas Tolroth explained it to me." My father very much enjoys name-dropping Eyivas Tolroth every chance he gets. Tolroth was a vampire who hunted other vampires, and had been instrumental in the drow rebellion. As far as I can tell, he''s the only vampire that my father didn''t completely hate. Tolroth and my father had slain many vampire covens over the years, before Tolroth was killed by a dragon. Tolroth was known for mocking his opponents with a skillful application of gargalesis during fights. But as it turns out, dragons are a little faster than most and really don''t appreciate being tickled. "Okay, I''ll admit that things are sounding suspicious. So you''re thinking that the prisoners they''ve taken are being converted into vampires?" I asked. "Yes," he replied coldly. "And if we don''t do something to stop them, we''re going to end up having to fight an army of orcish vampires." A deep frown settled over my face. Both orcs and vampires are known for being sturdy opponents. A combination of the two would definitely be hard to deal with. A suppressive feeling began to take hold in my chest. Why is it that just when things start to look up, something terrible happens to be waiting just around the corner? Chapter 44 Yulk Alta Adventurer Level: 7 Orc - Nulevan It didn''t take long for the feasting to get under way. Gnomes, dwarves, elves, and orcs brought various things out of the tree-buildings and set up stalls, which almost immediately began serving drinks and cooking food. Watching a city gather together and feast without any preparation or planning is quite the novel experience. It almost seemed practiced. "Hey guys," Nick said, tearing my attention away from the various stalls popping up. "I''m sorry that I wasn''t honest with you earlier." "You did what you had to do, right?" I asked with a knowing smile. "Y-yeah." "Then there''s no need for an apology." "Well... I mean I could have taken you two aside and explained what was going on," he rubbed his neck. "Oh, so you''ve learned from this experience as well?" I asked with a laugh. "Even better!" I had figured that there was a reason he wasn''t forthcoming regarding the divine interference in our journey. Either the supposed deity had flat out told him not to be, or he didn''t want people to think he was some sort of religious nut. Given that he is likely unaware of the atrocities committed by aforementioned fanatics and how they are subsequently treated, it''s possible the divine interference came with a warning. Nick was still having trouble making eye contact, though. "Listen, boy," Nash interrupted. "I can''t speak for other species, but for orcs apologies are for victims. While it would have been nice to be in the know, I don''t feel like a victim for being excluded. Do you, Yulk?" "Nope," I shook my head. "I, for one, feel a little victimized," Renv said with a laugh. "I''m not biased or anything. I wouldn''t have treated you any different, even if you''d let me know I was traveling with a touched." "A touched?" Nick asked. "Yes, someone who is touched by the Gods," I explained. "Or, in a more colloquial sense, someone who is touched in the head with hallucinations and delusions of grandeur. That''s probably not what Renv meant, though." "It definitely isn''t," Renv said, raising his hands defensively. We all had a chuckle and started touring the festivities. Nick began asking about some of the local food, and Renv acted as a guide. Nash and I waited patiently for Nick and Renv to fill a platter before wandering over to a stall that was serving something that we could eat. The smell of fried meat hit my nostrils like a club, and I had to swallow my mouth''s immediate reaction. Nash''s stomach growled as we grabbed our own platters to fill. Once we were finished, the four of us found some refreshment and took a seat on the ground nearby. As I bit into my meal, I noticed people staring at Nick with shocked expressions. He had was eating both meat and vegetables simultaneously. I chuckled as I fondly remembered my own reaction at learning of his omnivorousness. I swallowed my mouthful and took a swig of my sparkling beverage, enjoying the tingling feeling that it applied to my somewhat parched throat. "Is that Yulk I see?" a familiar voice asked from behind me. All four of us turned to look at the newcomer. Before us stood an elven woman with bright orange hair, blue-green eyes, and a youthful face. This youthfulness was deceitful, for while she appeared no more than twenty years old, I knew her age to be at least in the triple digits. "Olmira! How are you?" I asked with a grin. "Flummoxed!" she replied with an exaggerated sigh. "I receive word that an unknown sentient species is visiting the regent, then our True King awakens, and finally I run into my former student out of the blue. What a day!" "I wouldn''t say you ran into me out of the blue. The reason we originally came here was to have you help us determine the origin of Nick, the unknown sentient species in question," I gestured at the boy for dramatic effect. "However, King Yssinirath appears to have stolen this job from you." "Oh, that''s a shame," She casually turned to look at Nick, and froze once she realized what she was looking at. Olmira the Eternal is extremely intelligent, but she is not without her faults. The reason she exiled herself to a tower was mostly due to her lack of social grace, which is caused directly by her lack of situational awareness. If she was reading a book in a room that was on fire, she likely wouldn''t notice the fire until the book was no longer legible. It occurred to me that her lack of situational awareness would make it nearly impossible for her to accidentally notice me, which means she had lied about running into me out of the blue. She must have been looking for me, which means she had been looking forward to seeing me again. Likely because she knows me well enough to know that whatever I would need her help with would be quite intellectually stimulating. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Hmm..." Olmira said as she leaned toward Nick. "H-hi," he said, leaning away slightly. "Was that speech?" she absentmindedly asked while studying the boy intently. "It was. Did you think that I named him Nick?" I laughed. "He can talk, walk, and fight." "He? Very well, why does he have a platter with plants and meat?" "Because he needs to eat a mixture of both to maintain optimum health. He''s an omnivore." Olmira asked several more questions about Nick, which I delightfully answered. Nick remained quiet and nervous throughout this exchange, which I found a tad confusing. I would understand if he was flustered, I''m told Olmira is quite conventionally attractive, but his reaction was more akin to a barely contained flight or fight response. "I don''t think she''s going to bite you, boy," Nash interrupted. Oh. Right. "Ah, yes, my apologies... Nick," Olmira said, standing straight once again. "I see you are aware that I am a vampire." "He''s been briefed," I laughed. "Interestingly, in his world all of the species of our world are detailed in legends, but are considered quite fictional. Vampires, as well." Olmira''s eyes brightened, but before we could begin discussing the implications of this, Regent Oakmor approached us. He had run off earlier, presumably to inform people of the feast, and was now looking a tad tired. "There you are," he grinned. "I hope you''re enjoying Bolisir''s hospitality?" "Yes, sir," Nash replied. "Excellent," the regent knelt next to us. "Now, from my understanding the original purpose of your visit was to deliver the missive from High Chief Ulurmak and to investigate Nick, yes?" "Quite so, your majesty," I said. "Having accomplished these tasks, have you put any thought into when you''re going back?" "Not yet, sire, but we were asked to return as soon as we can." "As soon as you can... Wonderful!" Oakmor clapped his hands and stood. "The crux of your business here has been concluded, so allow me to brief you on a situation that''s developing. To the north there is a university. Within the walls of this university, there are several professors and students who have been studying High Drakon. I have sent word to them that their services are needed here, because I am the only one who can speak High Drakon. Aside from Nick, of course." We all nodded, and a cursory glance around told me that Nick and I were the only ones who were able to predict what Oakmor''s thinking. Nick''s face was carefully neutral, which almost made me grin. "How far away is this university, sir?" Nick asked. "About three weeks by cart," Oakmor''s grin widened. "Which brings me to our problem. I will be quite busy ensuring a proper transition of power between myself and King Yssinirath, and won''t have much time to act as his translator. As such, Nick, I formally request that you remain in Bolisir to help me translate until the translators from the university arrive." A period of awkward silence followed. "You want us to stay here for three weeks?" Nick finally asked. "Well... just you, but I assume you''re a package deal. Of course, you''ll be paid for your services. We can count your brothers as your staff, and whoever else you''d like as an aide," he said, eyeing Renv. "You''ll be paying them out of your pocket, though." "How much?" "One gold per day." Nash let out a low whistle, which ended abruptly as we turned to stare at him. Nick then gave me a look as if asking for guidance. I took a moment to think it out. Our original goal was to get Oakmor to send reinforcements to Ulurmak, which are either on their way or soon to be so. We also woke the High Dragon and received his aid in determining what to do next. While I do want to get on with the next leg of our journey, one gold per day for a minimum of three weeks is twenty one gold, which is not a paltry sum even when split among four people. There is the matter of Imlor, but even if he joins us we''ll still be making quite a bit of money. It would also help ensure that his business stays afloat and he doesn''t have to travel again once we get back to Kirkena. This is likely also part of the path that Nick''s dream-visitor put us on. Unable to think of a good reason to decline, I gave Nick a small nod. "Would two gold be too much to ask, your majesty?" Nick asked with a buttery tone. Heads turned toward Nick so quickly that I swear I heard Nash''s neck crack. The regent laughed heartily and replied, "It would, but I can do one gold and fifty silver per day. But only because I enjoy your company." "Thank you, your majesty," Nick said with a bow of his head. "It is my honor to serve." "I''m sure," Oakmor chuckled once more. The discussion was concluded by a massive gust of wind, the sound of titanic wings flapping, and a ground shuddering thud. King Yssinirath had returned, and was standing tall upon the hill on which he had been slumbering for centuries. The sunset caused his white scales to glimmer with shades of purple, orange, and pink. One couldn''t help but be transfixed. The mighty dragon looked around until he spotted Oakmor, and growled something in High Drakon. The regent gave us a nod and quickly strode over to the King. "He looks much bigger now that he''s awake, doesn''t he?" Olmira asked with wonder in her voice. "That he bloody does," Renv said quietly. "H-hello everyone," Imlor said as he strolled up. "I guess the unloaders weren''t full of it, after all." "Hi Imlor," Nick said with a wave. "Got something to ask you." "You do?" Nick''s explanation brought Imlor up to speed on what had happened with the dragon, including his dream about the god. The gnome''s mouth didn''t close until Nick mentioned the Regent''s offer. "One and a half gold per day for three weeks or so?" Imlor asked, ignoring the uncomfortable subjects at hand. "Yep," Nick replied. "An even split, five ways." "Nah," Renv interjected. "Split it four ways. I''m already pretty wealthy and happy to help where I can. Just don''t tell my uncle or he''ll box the ears right off my skull." "You sure?" Nick asked. "Yeah, doesn''t feel right to take your money when I won''t be giving you much in return. That''s bad business, in my opinion." "Alright. Well, what do you think, Imlor? Will you be willing to stay here and be our ride back?" "It''s a very generous offer," Imlor said, wringing his hands. "Okay. Yes. I''ll send word to my family to let them know that I''m okay and why I''ve been delayed." "Thank you, Imlor," Nick said. Imlor nodded and walked back the way he came. "I really should get back to my lab," Olmira said. "Come visit me sometime, Yulk. Your mind is a precious resource that I''d love to put to use." "Certainly," I smiled at her. "You can bring Nick along as well, if you can drag him away from the regent," she laughed as she turned and waved. "See you soon!" I waved back at her, and turned back to my meal. The wind had blown some dirt onto it, but I''m not too picky. I brushed the dust off and took another bite. The taste remained the same, but now the crunch of the fried meat was accompanied by a somewhat gritty texture. Still better than unseasoned road jerky, though. "Nick, I want you to know that I don''t share Renv''s altruism," Nash said with a malicious grin. "I''ll happily take your coin." "I know, Nash," Nick sighed. Chapter 45 Master General Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Half-Breed Drow - Balushenian I watched the orc slaves dig, doing my best not to inhale through my nose. The smell is abysmal, but that''s to be expected. One can''t expect a bunch of filthy creatures, who likely don''t even realize how bad their stench is, trapped in confined quarters to smell like perfume. Well, perhaps a perfume for a tanner, but not one that anyone with a nose would even dream of purchasing. The male orcish vampire glanced at me nervously, then yelled for the workers to move faster. Alurgas had opted to follow my plan, likely fearing retribution from his superiors, and it had worked marvelously. He had chosen the two leaders with the weakest wills and turned them. As such, his intentions became their own and would remain so for at least a year. Fortunately, his inner thoughts had remained with him, and these two don''t have any inherent prejudices against half-breeds such as myself. I had hoped that would be the case, because things would have been difficult otherwise. Pawns that despise their king have a tendency to act willfully, and that simply will not do. I turned to the other vampiric orc. "How long?" I demanded. "To get it as big as you want it will take another couple of weeks, sir," she bowed. Two weeks? Too long. The loss of the Aultris Legion''s second phalanx weighed heavily on my mind. They had been taken unawares by the mounted mages that have been hounding our forces since, and many of them had been captured. These orcs are annoyingly persistent. "Use your hypnosis to find five more weak-willed individuals, then turn them," I said with a lowered voice. "Have them begin the escape tunnel. Be certain to keep it a secret, even from the other slaves." "Yes, your highness. But..." she trailed off. "What is it?" "Hypnosis, sir? How do we do that?" I snapped my fingers and she looked up in fright. Our eyes made contact, and I tapped into a certain darkness deep within my being. This darkness had always been a part of me, and had acted as a cold comfort in times of stress. I felt the tell-tale ache behind my eyes that informed me I had made contact, and pushed out toward the fledgling vampire. Her face went slack as I forced the inner recesses of her mind to activate, showing her exactly how to do what must be done. ''Like this,'' I projected. ''Teach the other one the same way I''m teaching you.'' "Yes... sir..." I closed my eyes, cutting the spell that I had bound her with. I felt the connection sever almost immediately, and a small headache soon followed. I''ve been told that the headache will go away with practice, but hypnosis is just so damned impractical most of the time. "Go," I said with a wave. She bowed again and quickly turned toward the other vampire. He was busy beating an unruly slave, and she decided to wait until he was finished. Satisfied with this outcome, I left the foul-smelling pit and closed the hatch behind me. I forced air out of my nostrils to clear them, and took a deep breath in. Before I could take a seat, though, a small tap came from my door. "What is it?" I asked loudly, sitting down with a sigh. "Milord, we''ve lost Sim Valrin''s first legion. Survivors say it was the mounted mages again, but there were more of them this time," General Smarn said through the door. "Get in here, you pissant!" I shouted. The door quickly opened and closed as the general entered. He took a few steps and kneeled apologetically. I stared at him coldly. "You thought to give me such terrible news THROUGH A DOOR?!" I demanded. "My apologies, sir," he said. "I didn''t think to enter." "Fine. It doesn''t matter," I sighed. "Pull the other legions back into defensive positions around the village and erect barricades using timber from the surrounding forest. We have more archers joining us soon, which will put us on a more level playing field." "Yes, sir. Shall I use the orc slaves?" "No, I need them doing what they''re doing. Without a proper supply pit, we''re sunk. We''ll punish the survivors of the defeated legions by using them as lumberjacks. The legions that aren''t on duty will build the walls and anti-infantry spikes. Be sure sure to have the excess lumber converted to fletching, and have some pits dug while you''re at it. Make certain they''re wide enough to fit hnarses." "It will be done, my lord." "Oh, and send a legion to meet the archers and escort them here. I doubt that the commanders in the city were smart enough to send a large infantry force with them, and we don''t want them getting ambushed and routed." "Yes, sir." "That will be all. Leave me," I gave a dismissive gesture. General Smarn stood, and as he left a wave of exhaustion washed over me. Things hadn''t gone quite as planned, but all wasn''t lost yet. I debated sending a legion or two accompanied by archers on the offensive, but decided against it. We only have enough archers for defensive positions, and vacating those positions would leave us critically vulnerable. The enemy likely wouldn''t know that, but it''s best not to give them the chance to get lucky if it can be avoided. Stolen novel; please report. I stood and walked over to the map on the table. A deep sigh escaped me as I began to move the markers around the map. I had hoped to continue the offensive and capture more land and slaves than this. I''ll still get the chance, but we''ll have to be on the defensive for a time. I should be certain to order the defenders to capture the enemy whenever possible. Our defense should hold up well. Archers are far easier to cultivate and train than mages are, which means I can field more archers than they can field mages. The range of spells and arrows are roughly the same, so the mages biggest advantages will be rapid maneuvers and the area of effect of their attacks. If I spread the archers out among the defenses and have them prioritize the mages or their mounts, we''ll be able to hold out for quite some time. Which means that if the orcs are smart, they''ll try to starve us out. They have the supply line advantage, but I have the equipment advantage. They aren''t able to field archers because their equipment is in Yirna, where they were expecting to be invaded. Once I add the reinforcing archers to the legions, we will be able to go on the offensive again and secure a supply line. They will have started moving the equipment back here by now, but I have ambushes and traps in place to prevent their delivery. If that doesn''t work, we''ll be in a sore spot. However, all of this is to secure more orc slaves and turn them into vampires. I don''t need to win this war, I just need to drag it out. We''ll need as many bodies as we can get our hands on to take the Night Kingdom''s capital. King Lofin has kept most of the troops out of paranoia. It was unusually gracious of him to grant me the archers that are on their way, although I suspect the request didn''t even make it to his ear. The reason I''m getting reinforcements at all is likely due to vampiric subterfuge. I''ll have to clean house once I take the throne. I finished rearranging the markers and walked over to the nearest window, pulling back the curtain. The clouds that had blanketed the sky all day had moved on, leaving a field of glimmering stars in their wake. I opened the window and leaned out, taking in the view. One must take time to appreciate the smaller things in life, or else be crushed by the larger ones. Before I could get my fill of the sights, another bout of exhaustion took me. Bedtime already? I stifled a yawn, then closed the window and the curtain. I took a step toward my bed and stumbled, managing to catch myself on a chair. I looked at the hand that was now supporting my weight, but it looked alien. It is definitely my hand, but my mind refuses to recognize it. Depersonalization... have I been drugged? Might one of my precautions slipped? Or am I just that tired? It had been a long day, fraught with stress and worry. Even as the thought of being poisoned caused my adrenalin to surge, my eyelids drooped. I don''t have the sweats, coughs, or shakiness that are indicative of most poisons. Why would someone use an anesthetic to try to assassinate me? What kind of anesthetic works on a fully fed half-breed vampire? Even as I tried to figure out this mystery, I stumbled over to my bed and lay within my covers. I barely managed to kick my boots off before my eyes could no longer stay open, and I slipped into slumber. ''Finally,'' Something almost like a voice said from within my mind. What''s happening? Didn''t I fall asleep? Is this a dream? I looked around but saw nothing. No, not nothing. Darkness. Palpable darkness. Darker even than the darkness that resides within me. A true abyss, and I was within it. ''It is the time that we should meet.'' "Who are you? What do you wa..." I ran out of breath and could not take another. ''You do not need to speak. I know your mind and soul better than you do.'' I panicked at the lack of air for a few moments before I realized that it didn''t matter. I don''t need to breathe? Is this really a dream, then? Why am I so cognizant? WHAT IS THIS? ''Your mind is frantic. Focus your thoughts and direct them to me.'' Focus my thoughts? Easy to say, not easy to do. Plenty of subjects rushed through my mind, but above all stood one question. What in the HELLS is going on here? ''The Hells? Quite astute of you, but no. Not the hells. Close, though.'' I focused on the non-voice, ignoring the inky blackness that surrounded me and the lack of air in my lungs. This has to be magic. Unfamiliar magic, but magic nonetheless. If this... entity wished me harm, I would be harmed by now. I steeled myself against my rising panic. ''What is the meaning of this?'' I demanded. ''An introduction. To ease you into knowing my voice so that when the time comes to hear it, you will not panic as you did moments ago.'' Speaking in riddles. Infuriating, but I am in its power for now. I must play along. ''Who are you? Or what are you?'' ''Who am I? A laughable question. What use is a name in this situation? It isn''t as if you will tell anyone of me. No, it would be better to ignore such mundanities. As for WHAT I am, deep down, you already know.'' The being all but confirmed what I had already begun to fear to be true. It is a god, a magical spirit of grandiose power and mysterious purpose. Which means that I am now a touched. I had always believed that the touched simply had mental instabilities, and that is not an uncommon perception of them. This god is right, I''ll be telling no one of this. ''Why have you brought me here? What do you want of me?'' ''As I said, this meeting serves simply as an introduction,'' The god answered. ''It will save us time in the future. Time that will be needed to achieve our goals.'' ''What goals could we possibly share?'' ''None. It would not be possible for one such as I to share a goal with a being of flesh such as yourself. However... our goals align. And for that reason, I am willing to aid you. You will achieve your goals, and in turn I shall achieve my own.'' What sort of twisted goals could a being such as this have, and why would they align with my goals? Does it want me to conquer the world in its stead? Or does it want the vampires to suffer? Perhaps it needs the orcs eliminated? ''No,'' the being laughed. ''Those are not your goals, nor mine. Your goal is to be seen and heard. To be able to enforce your will, and ignore those that you see as inferior. You do not need the world or a kingdom for this, you simply need power. Power and purpose, both of which I can guide you to.'' The words cut through me like a well-honed blade. The truth of the matter is that I do not fully believe that I can conquer the world with my plan. I had intended to take the Night Kingdom as my own and try to expand its borders, but I would have been content with executing King Lofin and exterminating the vampires that had created and then belittled me. This was a carefully kept secret, though, even from myself. My anger became stoked as I realized how easily this thing had read me and carved its way through my delusions. How can I, Master General Duke Kirain of House Yith, be relegated to mere words on a page to be read on a whim by a god? ''So you will give me power?'' I asked with a snarl. ''No. I cannot interfere that much. Instead, I will guide you to power and give you a purpose. This must come later, though. For now, you must know what it is to live without my guidance,'' it said with a cruel smile behind its words. ''You shall awaken, returning to your plans and your schemes. Try your best to see them succeed. We will meet again when the time comes.'' Before I could demand a fuller explanation, the darkness tightened around me. This embrace was freezing and forceful. I felt my bones crush and break as I was swallowed up by the abyss. Then I awoke with a start, grasping my blankets and glancing wildly around the room. I drew in a deep breath and let it leave me with a shudder. Everything in the room was just as I had left it, and the bright beams of sunrise had begun to peak through the curtains. I grabbed my arms and shuddered again. My skin was freezing, which caused another surge of fear as I realized what that implied. I hadn''t been dreaming. Chapter 46 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 9 Orc - Nulevan "Fuck off!" I shouted as I landed a kick into Nick''s gut. Our training sessions have been getting more intense as Nick becomes more familiar with swordplay. My strength, speed, and experience are all still superior to his, but now I''m actually counting on them in our sparring matches. The little shit almost landed that last strike. Thankfully for my pride, he''d let his guard down. "Let''s take a break," I grumbled as Nick doubled over and wheezed. "Y-yeah, okay," he breathlessly replied. I snatched the wooden training sword from his grip as I walked past and placed the swords back on their racks. Being a sword-fighting instructor doesn''t seem to be my calling. Most teachers would be thrilled at the rapid progress of their students, but Nick''s progress rubs me the wrong way. I can''t even nail down exactly why, which just add further frustration to the mix. Am I jealous of how easily he learns what I teach him? A little, but not enough to cause these feelings. Do I think it''s unfair that he has Ten to lean on? Absolutely, but it is what it is. Plus, that isn''t really his fault. Is the speed in which he picks up foreign concepts unnatural and abhorrent? Yes, but I''m used to working with freaks. Yulk, for instance. The silent jab at my brother brought a small smile to my face. We''ve been here for three days, and during that time Nick and Yulk have been running around doing various things. Nick''s been having to work as a translator when Regent Oakmor is busy, and Yulk has been spending a lot of time with his former mentor. Presumably researching, but if it were anyone other than Yulk I''d have my doubts. This has left me to hang out with Renv, who has been awaiting his uncle''s return. I glanced at the dwarf, who was currently playing with the blades of grass that surround the training ring. He''d been watching our training sessions, mostly so that he could keep me company when Nick had to run off. I''ve learned a lot about this part of Bolisir thanks to him. "I almost got you that time," Nick said, grievously misunderstanding my expression. "And?" I asked, my smile instantly dissipating. "You feel good about that? Nothing fills a grave quicker than ''almost''. If I had been trying to kill you, you would be dead." "Maybe, but Ten would have probably interfered if things went that far." "Yeah, and I''m sure that comes free of consequence," I rolled my eyes and spat in the grass. "You and I both know better than that. Nothing is free, and you need to be especially wary when the cost is a mystery." "Yeah," he sighed. "You''re right." "You''re making good progress," I said, adjusting my tone a tad. "Actually, you''ve made the fastest leap in progress that I''ve ever seen. But winning a race is far more important than running it, so you shouldn''t be content with just making progress. Being content leads to being complacent, and complacency is Death''s most commonly received invitation. You''ve almost met your end already, and if you die, you''re never going to see Cass again." My lecture was met with silence as Renv stood up and started walking over to us. Nick''s expression was dark, and for a moment I thought I had gone too far. His jaw was set and his fists were clenched, but after a moment he relaxed a bit. "What if..." he said softly. "What if what?" I asked. "Well... I''m pretty sure that when I died in my world, I came here. What if when I die here, I go back to my world?" Our eyes met, and his expression was completely sincere. I stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. His sincerity turned to shock. "W-what?" he asked. "What''s funny?" "How in the hells does a moron like you manage to wield a blade without slicing your foot off?" I laughed. "What do you mean? How am I a moron?" "And a dumbass, on top of it all," I said as I managed to get my laughter under control. "You don''t even know that you actually died in your world! And even if you did, why would dying here bring you back to your world, anyway? Why wouldn''t it take you to a completely different world instead?" "I..." "Talk about jumping to conclusions," I cut him off with a chuckle. "More like leaping, in your case." "What''s funny?" Renv asked. "Nothing," Nick answered with an angry tone. "Yeah, don''t worry about it," I said. "So what''s today''s plan for when Nick goes to work, Renv?" "Well, my uncle should have gotten back this morning so I was thinking we''d go visit him. I''d have liked to have Yulk along, but..." "Yeah, he''s busy," I laughed. "We''d have to drag him kicking and screaming. Since we''d be getting between him and knowledge, he might even put up a real fight." "Best to avoid that, then. What do you think, should we head out now?" "Yeah, we might as well. Best get going before the Regent summons Nick. I nodded, and Renv took the lead. He told one of the guards where Nick was going, and we proceeded to leave the training pit. I''m actually going to miss this training area when we move on. It''s a far sight better than the one we have in Nuleva. Hells, it''s even better than the one that the Adventurer''s Guild uses in Kirkena. This training pit has multiple open areas where people can spar in different conditions, like sand, gravel, mud, dirt, and even grass. It also has training dummies that have regeneration enchantments, which is something we should look into for Nuleva. Maybe for the wall too, so poor Naomi doesn''t have to fix it every time Yulk practices his spells. Though, she might miss the free meals... "So your uncle owns the business you work at? What about your parents?" Nick asked. "It''s more like a conglomeration of businesses, but yeah. My ma and pop both like working with their hands, so they own and operate a branch of the manufacturing side of the company. Since I like to travel, I work with my uncle more than I work with them," Renv chuckled. "They''re much more tolerant of my occupation than they are my brother''s, though, that''s for sure." This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "What does your brother do?" "He''s a quack. Or at least, that''s what people call him. He experiments with various chemicals and their effects on health, then tries to hock the finished product," the dwarf sighed. "He doesn''t trust healing magic or potions, but they''re much faster than any of the products he''s been able to produce." "I think it''s a good thing not to rely solely on magic," Nick said. "Though he should be careful when experimenting with painkillers." "Because they can be addictive and deadly?" Renv asked. "Bit of wisdom from your world, right? Yeah, that already happened here. He made some painkillers out of a plant that people use to get high and convinced a few people to try them. They worked, of course, but his customers got addicted to them. It was a huge mess, and a couple of people died because of them. The court found him guilty of negligence because he didn''t do a long-term study before selling the product, and they fined him so heavily that he had to sell his lab. Now he works out of his house." "I''m sorry, that must have been rough on your family." "It was rougher on him than on my family. It''s pretty well known that he''s cut his relations with us, so it didn''t harm our reputation. Still, it''s not fun to see family fall like that." The conversation petered out as we continued our trek. Our path avoided the main square, which is where the dragon had been staying. It''s just as well, we didn''t need to give Regent Oakmor the chance to pull Nick into something. Finally, we approached a large building that was made of small, well-cut stone bricks. Each brick was engraved with a vine-like pattern which was filled with what appeared to be silver. "Here we are! My uncle''s offices," Renv said with a grin. "Follow me." Renv pushed open one of the solid wooden doors which were about twice his height. I expected to hear the creak of hinges, but the door opened silently and with very little effort. I raised my eyebrows, whoever installed the doors had known what they were doing. The inside of the building was even more impressive. The floor was hardwood and well polished, and each wall had some form of art on it. Paintings, monster trophies, and even weaponry were well positioned to vie for attention. In the center of the room was an expensive looking desk, and behind the desk was a female gnome wearing well-tailored clothing. "Hi Sierna!" Renv said with a wave. "Here to see the boss." "Go on in, sweetie," Sierna said with a warm smile. "He''s been worrying about you. He''ll be glad to see you''re safe." "Thanks." Renv led us to the right of the desk and through another well built door, which led to a staircase. We marched up the stairs and found another pair of doors. Renv opened the one on our left and walked inside. Nick and I glanced at each other and followed. "Uncle! Welcome back!" Renv said, raising his arms in a joyful expression. "Renv, my boy! Thank the gods! It''s so good to see you well," A rotund dwarf stood from his desk and embraced Renv hard enough that I heard bones pop. "I heard about the bandit attack and was worried sick." "Come now, Uncle," Renv returned the embrace as best he could. "I''m the one who sent word, you needn''t have worried." "You forgot to sign the letter, then," the large dwarf released his hold on Renv. "What happened to your guards?" "They..." Renv trailed off and gulped. "They didn''t make it. Norv, Crakton, and Tel are dead." "Oh gods, I''m sorry boy. I know you were close. They were good kids, we''ll make sure their families are well taken care of." Renv''s uncle put his hand on his nephew''s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Then he turned to look at Nick and I. "So who are these..." he trailed off as he got a good look at Nick. "Wait..." "Oh yeah, introductions. Uncle, this is Nick Smith and Nash Alta. Nick is the human you''ve probably heard about." "The one who woke King Yssinirath?" "Yep," Renv said as he turned to us. "Nick, Nash, this is my uncle Dohn." "Dohn Marfix, pleasure to meet you," Dohn said as he grabbed my hand and shook it. Dohn''s grip was surprisingly strong, and I fought the urge to compete. After a couple of shakes, he turned to Nick and did the same. "It is an immense pleasure to meet you both," Dohn said. "A member of the famed Alta family and the mysterious human everyone''s been talking about. How did you manage this, Renv?" "They''re the ones who saved me from the bandits," Renv beamed. "I brought them here because I thought you would want to meet them and give them a reward. There''s another one, Yulk Alta, but he''s with Olmira right now." "The Eternal?" "Yeah. He was her student or something, and they''re currently catching up... or something." "Well, it''s good to see her getting some company," Dohn chuckled and turned back to Nick and I. "I''d be happy to reward you for your kindness toward my dear nephew. You''re adventurers, right?" "Yes," I answered. "Good! Camping out under the stars has its own appeal, of course, but there''s nothing like a comfortable bed," Dohn walked over to his desk. "So these will be invaluable to you." He opened one of his desk''s drawers and pulled out a piece of paper. He grabbed a pen and began to write. He mumbled to himself for a bit, then gave the paper to Renv. Renv read the paper and nodded. "You''ll need to go to one of our warehouses to pick up the reward, but I think you''ll like it." "Okay," Renv grinned. "Thanks, uncle!" "Happy to do it. Come see me again sometime!" Renv nodded, and we followed him out of the room. Sierna waved at us as we left the building. Nick and I remained silent while we walked, seemingly ignoring the obvious question. It almost felt like a competition to see who would ask first. After a few moments, I couldn''t wrestle my curiosity any longer and broke the silence. "So... What''s the reward?" I asked. "I don''t know," Renv chuckled. "The paper is an order form, but I don''t recognize the product code." "Damn it," I muttered under my breath. We continued following Renv until we came upon a building that wasn''t nearly as fancy as Dohn''s office. It didn''t look ramshackle, but it was obvious that very little care was spent towards its appearance. Despite its lack of aesthetic, it was very impressive in size. I took in the sights as we followed Renv into the building. Large bay doors led to carts that were in the process of being loaded and unloaded, huge stables kept hnarses sheltered, fed, and watered, and there were many people running around tending to various tasks. Our strange looking group got a few curious stares, but nobody stopped us. We walked up a flight of stairs and Renv knocked on one of the doors. "Come in," a voice shouted from behind the door. Renv opened the door and led us through. This room seemed like the opposite of Dohn''s office. It had no decoration on the walls, the floor was made of cheap wood, and the desk was more like a table. The room was barely lit by a single candelabra in one of the corners. Behind the table masquerading as a desk was an elf who was nearly buried in papers. Her disheveled blonde hair glimmered in the candle light as she peeked over one of the many stacks. "Oh, hi Renv," the elf said as she ran her fingers through her hair in a futile attempt to straighten it. "What''s up?" "Hey Hura, I''ve got an order form from my uncle," Renv said as he gave her the paper. "These two saved my life, and that''s their reward." "Saved your life?" she asked with a raised eyebrow as she read the form. "Woah, okay. Guess you''re not kidding. Wait here, I''ll be right back." Hura stood quickly and practically ran out of the room. Renv looked at us with a grin, but we returned his expression with befuddlement. We stood there waiting awkwardly, and after what felt like an eternity later, Hura returned with three small boxes. She gave Nick one of the boxes and handed me the other two. "Here you go," she said. Nick opened his box and pulled out a necklace with a metal tag on it. The necklace''s chain was made of gold, and the tag was emblazoned with various jewels. It also had writing on it, which caused Nick and I to share a glance. Neither of us could read the writing. "Looks fancy," I said. "What is it?" "This is an identifier that will allow you to stay at any of the Marfix Inns, absolutely free of charge," Hura explained. "Simply show it to the clerk at the front desk, and you will be given a room. Assuming there''s one available, of course. This also comes with one free meal per day of your stay, and unlimited access to any available amenities." "That''s awesome!" Renv said. "Uncle really outdid himself." "Really?" Nick asked. "Are these inns... fancy?" "Very fancy, yes," Hura answered. "What amenities are available depend on the inn in question, but all of them have the very best of whatever is available. Some people even consider our inns to be vacation spots in their own right." "Where can we find them?" I asked. "We have inns located in every capital city on the continent. You simply need to look for a sign with the symbol that''s on the back of the necklace to find them." I watched as Nick turned over the necklace. It was a little hard to make out in the candlelight, but the symbol engraved on the back looked like a dragon wearing a nightcap and sleeping comfortably on a bed. Nick and I shared another glance. "Thank you," I said. "This will definitely be useful in our travels." "Now you guys won''t have to stay in taverns and stuff," Renv beamed. "A soft bed sounds good to me," Nick said. "Is there one here?" "Yes, there is. It''s right off the main square," Hura explained. "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''ve gotta get back to work. Enjoy!" Renv once again took the lead as we exited the office and then the building. Once we were outside, Nick put on the necklace and tucked the box into the pouch at his hip. I tucked both boxes into my pouch, not bothering to put the necklace on just yet. "So what now?" Nick asked. "What do you mean? Break''s over," I grinned. "Let''s get back to training." Chapter 47 Grum Ormyar Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Blurpan "Well, can''t say much for their craftsmanship," Harmi said with a grunt. "It''s not pretty, but it looks like it''ll hold up to an extended assault," I shook my head in disgust. We finished our examination of the enemy''s encampment and turned back to our own. Harmi and I had decided to personally confirm the scout''s reports. The drow had erected wooden barricades around the village and were keeping them wet to prevent fires. They had made the barricades high enough to make it difficult to get attacks over them, too. Any mage that got close enough to send a spell over those walls would also be close enough to suddenly sprout an arrow from between their eyes. "What was this village''s name?" I asked as we walked. "Dunno," Harmi shrugged. "It isn''t on the map because it isn''t a recognized settlement. It''s too close to the border for that." "Really? I wouldn''t think that they''ve had issues with the drow before. The buildings look like they''ve been there for quite a while." "Yeah, well, they probably have been. Lofin''s armies usually do their thing quite a ways to the east of here, so these guys were probably left alone for the most part. Maybe got a visit or two from our boys now and then, but they''ve probably never even seen a drow. Until now." "But they''re still close enough to be in the settlement prohibition zone? Do you think they knew that?" "They would have had to. Whoever they got the land from, a rancher probably, would have had to tell them. Plus that settlement is large enough to have applied to be a village, and there''s no way they''d miss out on the benefits by choice. If they applied, they would''ve been told to vacate the area." "Damn. If they knew, why''d they risk it?" "Well, after enough repetitions things become routine, and routine tricks you into believing that you have an understanding of things. That combined with how cheap the land would''ve been probably led to this." "So what do you think..." "They''re either dead, slaves, or hostages now, Grum. Hells, probably worse if your pa''s right about the vampires. Put them from your mind, we''ve got shit to do." "Yeah," I nodded solemnly. We entered the camp we had made yesterday, and a quick look around confirmed that it was bustling with activity. Axes were being sharpened, cooks were stoking fires, and the mages were tending to their hnarses. Our forces now totaled one thousand infantry and thirty mounted mages. The drow may have more soldiers than we do, but if we were to fight them afield we''d be able to wipe the floor with them. Unfortunately, they seem to have realized that. "Chief Ormyar!" someone shouted. The shout sounded as if it was directed at me, which caused my head to snap toward the sound. One of the newer scouts was running toward me. I ceased my stride and crossed my arms, affixing the approaching scout with a glare. I noticed a rare smile on Harmi''s face as the scout caught up to us. "I''m not the chief, my father is," I said firmly. "S-sorry, sir," the scout said, trying to control her breathing. "I''ve got a report." "And I''ll hear it in a moment. I want you to be sure that it doesn''t happen again. My father is the greatest chief Blurpus has ever seen, and I won''t tolerate any semblance of disrespect toward him. Understood?" "Y-yes sir." "Good. Report." "We found the caravan from Yirna that had the supplies to make weapons. It was attacked." "Any survivors?" "We don''t know for sure. They burned those that fell, drow and orc alike. Loaded them into the carts and set them ablaze. Couldn''t get an accurate count of the remains." "Were you able to get eyes on the force that ambushed them?" I asked, uncrossing my arms and placing my hands on my hips. "No, sir. They were hit right after they crossed the border into Blurpus. Scout-master says that it had to have happened days ago, according to their itinerary." "Understood. Tell the scout-master to get back to regular patrols, then." The scout nodded and began jogging away. I took a deep breath through my nose, stifling my rising anger, and let the air out with a heavy sigh. "Fuck," I grumbled under my breath. "Good call, sending the scouts to check on the caravan," Harmi noted. "It is fortunate that we now know that we can''t rely on archers." "Yeah, that''s one way of looking at it. Whoever this little bastard is, he''s far too clever for my liking," I said. "Not only was he able to tell that we had sent our smithing supplies to Yirna, he was able to determine that we would be having them shipped back and where they would be." "Nah, he probably set up multiple ambush sites. That''s what I would do. I''d put a team on any path big enough for a cart." "Yeah, you''re probably right," I absentmindedly agreed, my mind already on what our next steps should be. The caravan didn''t just have weapon-making materials, it had actual smiths and fletchers. Smiths that can perform maintenance are a copper a dozen, but the ones that can create new works from raw materials are worth their weight in silver. Proper fletchers are even rarer, and it would take quite a while to find one willing to travel to Blurpus. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. If we had been able to outfit our archers and train some new ones, we would have been able to assault the enemy camp. Archers can fire faster than mages can, which may have allowed us to suppress the enemy behind their barricades long enough for the mages to lob spells over their walls. Hell, they might have even been able to get close enough to use spells that would destroy the barricades entirely. Most archers know how to maintain their bows and make arrows in a pinch, but most of them don''t know how to craft bows or mass-produce arrows. Their makeshift arrows are also a lot less accurate than those made by the professionals. No matter how I look at it, it looks like we''re going to have to lay siege to the drow and try to starve them out. "Oh, here we go again," Harmi said, gesturing at another scout jogging toward us. As the orc approached, I noticed that we were mistaken with our initial impression. This orc wasn''t a scout. The two axe handles smacking against his thighs as he ran was a dead giveaway of his status as infantry. As he drew closer, I tried to figure out why he would possibly be running to speak to us. "Mornin'' chief-kin," the large orc said. "Sernt Balug wanted me to get you." "Sergeant Balug? What for?" I asked. "It''s a surprise, sir." "I don''t like surprises," I crossed my arms again. "Tell me what he wants." "Sernt Balug''s a lot bigger than you," he chuckled. "Erm... Sir. Plus, we all wanna see your reaction." "Balug may be bigger, but the chief-kin can have you flogged," Harmi interjected. The big orc took a moment to think about this, biting his lip as his brain worked harder than it likely ever has. "I guess so, but even if you flog me to death my mum''d recognize the body," he shrugged. "If I ruin the surprise and the boys get at me, she won''t even recognize my big toe. Sir." "It''s that good of a surprise?" I asked incredulously. "Oh yeah. Your reaction''ll be worth taking a few licks from the whip. If you want me to. Sir." I shared a glance with Harmi, who gave a defeated shrug in the face of the country-orc''s stubbornness. "Fine," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Lead on." The unruly infantry-orc led us through the camp and into the woods. Being unused to traveling without a path, I made certain to watch my footing. Despite my care, I quickly fell behind. The other two seemed to be able to predict the roots and divots that littered the ground and had to stop and wait for me to catch up repeatedly. By the time we arrived at Sergeant Balug''s location my embarrassment and frustration was at a boiling point. Once the ground was clear of obstacles, I pointedly marched after our guide, ready to be harsh with whatever I was about to be shown. However, all of my anger quickly melted away once I saw the surprise. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. "The fuck?" Harmi asked with a shocked softness. "Ah, chief-kin! Oh, and you brought cap''n Harmi too!" Sergeant Balug exclaimed. "Surprise!" A mewling whine came from a gigantic creature that had somehow been trussed up. The sound was disturbingly similar to a pupper that had just been told off, but much louder. Its head was covered in metallic looking spikes, and the creature''s red and yellow hide clashed horribly with the various greens of the surrounding foliage. Each of its bound arms and legs ended in three enormous claws, which were also tied together. It struggled against its bindings to no avail, and whined again. As it did so, I caught a glimpse of rows upon rows of sharpened fangs within its maw. "What in the hells is that?" I asked, regaining some of my composure. "It''s a gift from the gods! A Nahalim, to be specific. Young one too, judgin'' by its size," Balug said with a prideful grin. "One of our boys was out takin'' a leak and found it while it was nappin''. Once he let me know about it, we grabbed all the rope we could carry and tied it up good and proper." I took a moment to digest this information, then turned to look at the sergeant. He towered over me, but despite his appearances... and upbringing... and mannerisms... he''s one of the most educated orcs I know. When he says a gift from the gods in this context, it could mean literally anything. "Okay, so what''s a Nahalim and why is it a gift?" I asked. "Please don''t tell me you''re planning on trying to eat the fuckin'' thing," Harmi added. "Pretty sure those are poisonous." "Venomous, not poisonous, and no. They taste like shit. Anyhow, to answer your question, chief-kin, a Nahalim is one of them ol'' biological weapons that they were usin'' during the cataclysm wars. They were mostly meant for crackin'' open castles, but they also saw some use as anti-infantry. You see ''em now and again on the edges of the wastes, where I grew up," Balug''s grin somehow grew. "And it''s a gift cuz if you''ve got the balls, you can train it." I nodded along and then froze once he finished his sentence. "The fuck did you just say?" I asked, unable to believe my ears. Balug''s men tried to hide their laughter. Unsuccessfully. "Train it, sir. There was a guy who lived in the wastes who had a couple of ''em as pets. Hunted with ''em and everything. Said they''re just like giant puppers, so long''s you treat them proper," he nodded sagely. "Of course, they ate him in the end, but we''re pretty sure he died of natural causes first." "Pretty sure..." I repeated. "Yep. Give me a few days and I''ll have this boy... or maybe girl, it''s hard to tell... Anyway, I''ll have it ready and rarin'' to tear up some drow in no time." "What are you going to feed it?" Harmi asked. "We got drow prisoners, don''t we?" Balug raised an eyebrow. "Absolutely not," I said. "We aren''t feeding our prisoners to this thing. Not only would that be morally repugnant, it would also be in violation of the law of the land and the High Chief would certainly have our heads." "Well, what if we kept it a secret?" "You''re willing to gamble your life that none of your boys will get too sauced and tell this story? Fat fucking chance, sergeant. No." "Damn. You got a good point, sir. Well boys, what do you think?" Balug turned to his orcs. "Willin'' to go on half-rations to feed the beast?" The sounds of not-quite-suppressed mirth died out immediately and was replaced with a tense and contemplative silence that was only broken by the occasional whine from the Nahalim. The soldiers looked between their sergeant and the Nahalim studiously. The subject of their internal conflict was painfully obvious, the stomach is one of the two organs that infantry does their thinking with. The other organ they use to think is somewhat up for debate. "Fuck it, I''m game," one of the soldiers said. The other soldiers looked at the one that spoke up, and a few of them shrugged. One by one they gave their assent to the sergeant''s plan. Once everyone was in agreement, Sergeant Balug turned back to me. "There you have it, sir. We''ll feed it with our own rations, and get it nice and trained up for an assault on the enemy," he said with a smug grin. "Will that be alright?" "If you can''t train it, will you be able to kill it?" I asked. "Yes, sir. It bleeds just like everything else. Worst case scenario, we lose a few. But I got a look at the enemy''s barricade earlier, and I''m pretty sure that we''ll be losing more orcs without the Nahalim than we would if it went wild." "You might be right. How exactly are you gonna train this thing? We don''t have cages big enough to hold it." "Oh, we''ll secure it in such a way that it can''t run around and let it get familiar with us. Positive reinforcement and the like goes a long way with these big bastards. By the end of the week, I''ll have it eating out of my hand." The sergeant was making a good case. If Balug''s able to train the Nahalim, it will save a lot of lives on our side of this conflict. If he fails, though, we''ll have lost good orcs and still have to face the enemy''s barricade. We could try to starve out the enemy, but their leader has fully demonstrated that he isn''t a fool, so he probably has a plan for that course of action. I looked at Harmi for guidance, but the furrow in his brow told me that he was just as lost as I. I took a deep breath through my nose and let it out through my mouth. "Fine," I said. "Train the Nahalim. We''ll try to use it in an assault on the enemy fortifications once it''s ready." "Thank you, sir. You won''t regret this." Chapter 48 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American I woke up feeling fully rested for the first time in quite a while. As I stretched away the remaining stiffness in my muscles, I found myself enjoying the fluffiness of the bedding against my skin. I hadn''t been able to enjoy it much last night because I''d passed out right as my head hit the pillow. It had been an exhausting week of training and translating, but all that''s over now. Well, the translating, at least. I''m sure Nash has something evil in mind for when we''re on the road. I let out a sigh when I realized I would have to be leaving this bed. The bed isn''t even the best part about the inn, though. I''d been able to get a warm shower, a shave, and a haircut as well. I didn''t have much beard to shave, of course, but the hairs under my nose and on my chin had been getting annoying. The shower was amazing, and very much needed. I''d become accustomed to my stench for the most part, but every now and again I''d get a whiff that made my eyes water. Reluctantly, I left the softness of my bed and found my clothes. The Marfix Inn also had a laundry service, and I had taken full advantage of it to get my clothing and armor cleaned. On the wall near the door were two boxes that had conveyer belts inside them. In one box I found my clothes neatly folded alongside my armor, and in the other box I found the breakfast I had ordered. When we first began staying at the inn my meal orders had raised eyebrows, but now the staff was used to it. They even made recommendations of things that they thought might taste good together. Normally I don''t bother with a breakfast order and just pick something up from a stall, but I get one free meal a day during my stay and I wanted to use it on our last day here. The wonderful smell of the breakfast convinced me that I had made the right choice. There were two sides, one of thin meat strips that tasted like a mixture of canned ham and beef jerky, and a vegetable that looked like a dark green celery stick but tasted like asparagus. I''d been hesitant to try it at first due to my hatred of celery, but one of the elven chefs convinced me to give it a try. Now, I regret not ordering it sooner. The entree was a mixture of eggs and meat, and I didn''t know which animal either were from. This made me a little hesitant to try it, but the smell helped me fight off my doubts. I picked at my breakfast as I pulled on my clothes and armor. Unsurprisingly, the food was really good. Once I finished dressing myself, I moved my meal to the small table in the corner of the room and dug in. My breakfast rapidly vanished, and once I was finished I leaned back and let the well-padded chair comfort me. I let out a burp, then reached into my nearly bulging coin purse and brought out a gold coin, placing it on the table next to the meal tray before turning my attention to putting my armor on. Once I squeezed into everything and all the straps were tied, I took one last look around. The room itself was tastefully decorated with wooden walls and engraved stone trim. They had used a light colored wood which seemed to glow when the curtains were open. The window was able to be opened, which wasn''t something I had seen in many other places. There were also some well done paintings depicting some exciting scenery, like a man arm wrestling a dragon and a mage casting fireball. The bathroom had a toilet, sink, and the aforementioned shower. Even without any additional decorations, it was the fanciest bathroom I''d every personally seen. The toilet had a footrest and the shower had a seat, both of which made it easy to relax while taking care of business. I could see why Renv''s coworker said some people use the inn as their vacation destinations. My entire stay had felt like one. I felt a small pang of sadness when I realized how much I''m going to miss these luxuries, but comforted myself with the thought that we''ll probably find another Marfix Inn during our travels. With another small sigh, I turned to the door and opened it to find Nash and Yulk waiting outside. Nash was holding his fist up as if he were about to knock. The three of us stared at each other awkwardly for a moment. "Oh good, you''re up," Yulk grinned. "Yep, he sure is," Nash nodded. "That''s good, we can get on the road right away. Come on." I gave my room one final glance before I followed my brothers-by-adoption out of the inn. The staff bid us farewell as we left, urging us to visit again soon. We began to head to the place where Imlor had the cart set up when I spotted Regent Oakmor dashing our way. I debated whether or not to start running, but he caught up to us before I could make up my mind. "Hello boys," he said with a beaming smile. "Glad I caught you before you left." "Why''s that, sir?" Nash asked. "Your business with Nick is done, right? You already paid us and everything, your highness." "Oh yes, yes, don''t worry. I have no further jobs for you," Oakmor laughed. "The reason I wanted to catch you is to let you know that we would normally throw a goodbye celebration, on account of Nick awakening our monarch and everything. Unfortunately, we can''t due to... Well... Critical matters of state that must be addressed immediately." "That''s alright, sir. I understand," I said. "Good, good. I didn''t want you to think we were terrible hosts or anything. Anyway, the next time you visit Bolisir I''d ask that you send a message first so we can properly plan a thank you celebration." "We already had a feast. Surely that counts, your majesty," Yulk added. "Actually, the feast was specifically to celebrate the return of His Highness King Yssinirath," the elf shrugged. "Royalty get their own party. Plus, combining celebrations is tacky. No, even if it must be delayed for the moment, I am required to insist that we do a proper celebration for Nick''s contribution as soon as we are able." After a bit more back and forth on the merits of such a celebration, we relented to Oakmor''s request. Or demand disguised as a request, rather. Once we agreed, he merrily sent us on our way. People waved as we passed, which was a welcome change from the awkward stares that we got when we first arrived. They actually seemed happy when I waved back, too, which made me feel good. People had been friendly like this back home, and I hadn''t realized how much I missed it. Before long, we found Imlor packing up his cart. "Hi Imlor," I said as we approached. "Hey guys, you ready to hit the road?" he asked. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Yep," Nash said as he grabbed a heavy-looking sack from the gnome and carried it into the cart. "Very much so," Yulk agreed as he climbed into the cart after Nash. "While I''ve enjoyed our stay, I''d very much like to check the mail to see if mother sent anything. I''ve been keeping her updated, but have told her to send her replies to Kirkena because we didn''t know for sure how long we''d be in Bolisir." I took one last look around the city built within the trees. Renv had said his farewells yesterday because his uncle was taking him to see the rest of his family. It ended up being a bit of a twist of fate. Instead of Renv seeing us off, we had seen him off. However, it appeared that someone else may want to see us off. The someone that was moving our way at an unnaturally fast pace. "Uh... hey, guys?" I pointed at the figure racing toward us. In the time it took for Nash and Yulk to turn their heads to look, the unidentifiable figure got close enough for me to figure out that it was a certain female vampire. The next thing I knew Olmira the Eternal was standing beside me, carrying a duffel bag and looking at Yulk. I questioned my sanity when I realized that she didn''t look like she''d been running at all. She was breathing normally and her hair wasn''t even out of place in the slightest. The hell kind of product does she use? "Hi Olmira," Yulk''s smile beamed. "Come to see us off?" "And to chastise you," She placed her hands on her hips. "It isn''t proper for a gentleman to fail to bid a lady goodbye, Yulk. Even when he''s the one doing the leaving." Yulk''s smile faded, "Ah, I see. You''re right, I apologize. I beg your forgiveness, milady." Yulk stood and bowed, while Nash and I gave the two of them a befuddled look. "I''ll forgive you on the condition that you allow me to join your party," Olmira smiled, showing the briefest hint of fang. "Really? Why do you wanna travel with us?" Nash asked. "Well, the Regent is now advisor to the king. An advisor having an advisor is a bit much," She chuckled. "Plus, the king already has an immortal magical advisor. A djinn by the name of... um... Relph, I think it was? Yssinirath retrieved him yesterday. So, I am out of a job, haven''t travelled in well over a century, and can''t help but wonder what sort of hijinks my favorite pupil is going to get into with this human here." As she was explaining herself, I turned to look back the way she had came. It had to be at least a half a mile from where I had initially spotted her, and it was a decent uphill gradient, as well. She''d run that distance in less than ten seconds without looking the least bit phased. And to top it off, she''s a magic user. She could be pretty helpful in a fight. ''I suggest we bring her along,'' Ten said. ''Her relationship with Yulk leads me to believe that she has a vested interest in helping us, and she would be a powerful ally.'' ''Quit reading my mind,'' I replied. ''I can''t read your mind without you directing your thoughts at me. Yet. I was simply inferring based the context and your current gaze.'' "It would be an honor to travel with you, Lady Olmira," Yulk said. "Wait a minute," Nash interrupted. "What are you going to do about blood?" Olmira held up a jug and shook it, "I''m bringing some with me. Despite my youthful appearance, I''m an elder vampire. I don''t need to feed as much as younger vampires do, so this is well over a years supply. Plus I can visit a blood-keeper if I need to top up." "Are you royalty or nobility or something?" I asked. "Pardon?" She gave me a confused look. "Oh, because of Yulk. No, I''m not. Not anymore. I was a noblewoman before I was turned, but my title was revoked due to my conversion to vampirism. Immortals aren''t allowed to be nobles in Eldravia." "Eldravia?" "A nation to the south of Bolisir and the Unified Chiefdoms," Yulk interjected. "Yes. Eldravia is known for its wine and multi-species elected monarchy. Yulk previously learned of my noble heritage and insists upon calling me by my former honorifics," Olmira explained. "It used to annoy me, but I''ve long since grown used to it." "Oh okay, good," I laughed. "I didn''t want to have to walk on eggshells the whole journey." "Anyway, I''m obviously fine with Olmira travelling with us," Yulk grinned. "Are there any objections?" "Nope," I said. "I guess not," Nash shrugged. "It''ll be good to have another guard, I suppose," Imlor chimed in. "It''s unanimous, then. Allow me, milady," Yulk stood and offered his hand to Olmira. She took his hand and climbed into the cart, taking a seat next to Yulk. I climbed up after her and took my seat next to Nash. "Let our hopefully-uninteresting journey begin," Imlor said, turning back toward the hnarses. The carts began to move and I watched the as the city that is constantly shaded by trees slowly shrank into the distance. Once we cleared those trees, my eyes stung trying to adjust to all the extra sunlight. We travelled for about an hour in silence before my curiosity got the better of me. "So what''s Eldravia like, Olmira?" I asked. "I really wouldn''t know what it''s like these days," the vampire smiled sadly. "It''s been well over a century since I left, and I haven''t had reason to return. Nor do I seek out news of my homeland. I can tell you what it used to be like, though." "Yes, please." "Alright. Eldravia had massive tracts of land dedicated to growing fruit. Trees, bushes, and vines littered the landscape. These fruits were used to make all sorts of alcohol, but wine was by far the most popular. Most noble houses either directly owned or were heavily invested in wineries and the farms that supplied them." "A nation of drunks?" Nash asked. Olmira laughed, "Actually, most of their wine ended up exported. Eldravia doesn''t have much in the way of metallic resources, so trade was important to make up the deficit. The quality of our wine made certain that it fetched a high price. So much so that it actually aided in our diplomacy, which in turn ended up being crucial for our national defense." "What do you mean?" "I''ll give you an example that happened before I was born. Plimorno, one of the nations that border Eldravia, declared war as part of an expansion campaign. They won easily, but the people of Eldravia stopped making wine in protest. Once the wine stopped flowing other neighboring nations, including the Unified Chiefdoms, declared war on Plimorno to force it to give Eldravia back its independence. However, this war didn''t get very far because the citizens of Plimorno revolted against their queen. She was executed along with most of their nobility, and Eldravia became independent once again." "Wow," I whistled. "People really like wine, I guess. So you said Eldravia''s led by an elected monarchy? How does that work?" "A multi-species elected monarchy," she corrected me. "Essentially, nobility is decided by influence rather than by blood or species. Whoever can wave the most gold around becomes nobility, which results in their family also becoming nobility and forming a noble house. It is from these houses that candidates for the throne are chosen, and the general populace votes on which candidate becomes king or queen. These monarchs decide upon the laws of the land and rule until death or they are deposed." "Deposed?" "Yes. If a monarch doesn''t live up to expectations, the noble houses have the right to dethrone them. They actually get together once per year to vote on whether or not to do so. It takes a four-fifths majority vote to get a king or queen off their throne." "Doesn''t the monarch put up a fight?" "They don''t have their own military forces, so they have to rely on the forces of their house. Assuming their house didn''t vote to dethrone them, of course. Either way, any military they could muster would be heavily outnumbered, and they would likely face execution for their efforts." "I see. So back to the noble houses, how do they become noble?" "If a monarch takes note of someone''s accomplishments, they elect them as a candidate for nobility. The populace, including the other nobles, then vote on whether or not this individual becomes a noble. If they do, they become the leader of a noble house comprised of their family members. If they don''t, then they go about their business until next time." "Sorry to interrupt," Imlor said. "If we''re gonna have lunch today, now''s the best time to do it." "Alright, let''s take a break, then," Nash replied. Imlor nodded, then pulled the cart off of the road. We all climbed off and stretched our legs, then had a quick meal of dried meats and water. Except for Olmira, who didn''t eat or drink. Once he finished his piece of road jerky, Nash walked up to me with an evil grin. The grin alone told me what was coming, and I felt a familiar dread begin to well up within my chest. "Time for training, Nick." Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Master General Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Half-Breed Drow - Balushenian "The enemy has done nothing more than lob the occasional fireball at us, sir," General Smarn informed me. "They have encamped in the wooded area to the southwest, though, which hinders our visibility." "So we don''t know what they''re planning, or even the full disposition of their forces," I grumbled. "Yes, sir. I do have some good news, though." "Out with it." "You were right about their caravan, and we were able to successfully ambush it," he said with a hint of a smug smile. "Our forces returned today and reported that we managed to capture eighteen slaves, and even secured the equipment the orcs were escorting." "Excellent. Put the equipment to use and put the slaves with the others. Dismissed," I absentmindedly waved him toward the door. He bowed and left as I returned my attention to the map. While I was glad that I had successfully predicted the enemy caravan''s movements, their lack of action against us here has me concerned. I expected at least one heavy assault before they laid siege. Yet it has been a week since our scouts confirmed their presence and they haven''t tried anything serious yet. Are they waiting for reinforcements? That would be foolish. A bird sent by my own reinforcements informed me that they had made contact with a small enemy host and weren''t able to completely eliminate it, which means that the enemy knows about my archers. Even with all of the forces of the entire Unified Chiefdoms they would have difficulty taking this position, and once the archers arrive I can go on the offensive. Even foreign aid won''t arrive before my archers do, so what are they planning? Have they decided against an assault altogether? Our defenses were designed to look ramshackle, but a discerning eye would be able to tell how solid they really are. They would know that they require better equipment to launch a successful assault, but if my ambushers returned today the ambush had to have happened at least two weeks ago. It''s unlikely that they''re still waiting on their caravan. So what ARE they waiting for? I stared at the map, trying to glean a clue as to what the enemy is up to. No matter how hard I stared, though, nothing came to mind. I scoffed and turned to my bed. I had just fed, so I wasn''t feeling particularly tired, but it''s important to remain on a schedule when one can. I removed my boots and armor, then slid under my covers. As I lay there, I couldn''t help but feel like the orcs were up to something and I was missing a key piece of information. I tossed and turned, my mind fighting over whether to think or to sleep. After what seemed like hours, I finally grew tired and fell into slumber. ''Well... you tried,'' A hauntingly familiar voice forced its way into my mind. ''It was a valiant attempt to subvert the will of the divine, if nothing else.'' My eyes snapped open and caught a glimpse of the dawn''s early light shining through my curtain before my ears had a chance to register what had awakened me. Once they caught up, I heard screams, crashes, and the clanging of metal striking metal. The sounds of a battle taking place nearby. I leapt from the bed and quickly donned my armor, nearly forgetting my boots in the process. Once I was dressed, I grabbed my sword and flung open the door and promptly froze in shock. There were orcs within my barricades, but I had already realized that was the case. There was a hole in my barricade which had allowed the orcs access to my camp. The creation of this hole had to have been extremely violent, judging by the distance in which the logs had been thrown. The reason for my shock, though, was because my mind was trying to figure out how this happened while my eyes were simultaneously providing the explanation. Orcs and drow were fighting tooth and claw while mages rode by them on hnarses, flinging the occasional spell to horrid effect. My soldiers had been taken by surprise, and hadn''t yet recovered or formed up. In the middle of all of this was a great and terrible beast. Its red and yellow hide was covered in arrows and its massive, fang filled mouth was ripping my soldiers apart like they were made of paper. A Nahalim, and it was fighting alongside the orcs. How? Where did they get it? Did they tame it? HOW? Once the Nahalim finished decimating a group of my soldiers it rose up to its full height, standing at least twice as high as the tallest orcs. Then the beast roared, a deafening and blood-curdling sound even from my distance. Its bellow made me wince, and this finally struck me from my stupor. I began to run toward the battle, determined to rally my men and push these bastards back. We would figure out what to do about the Nahalim once we''d killed a few orcs. "FORM UP!" I shouted, trying to be heard over the clamor of battle. I raised my sword and shouted again. A few of my soldiers heard me, and began to form their lines. A mounted mage rode past them, narrowly avoiding a swipe from a sword. An arrow narrowly missed his head, but that didn''t stop him from locking eyes with me. I knew for certain what his target was. I began to ready my blade to try to cut him down, but his staff was already pointed at me. The spell that slipped his lips formed at the tip of the staff and rushed toward me at blinding speed. Just before it hit me, I realized that this was wind spear. I sighed at the triviality of the magic being used, and then the spell hit me. I flew backward and felt a crunch as I was forced through the wall behind me, then another as I continued through the next wall. I slammed into the ground alongside a load of rubble and tried to get up, but flopped back to the ground. My eyes weren''t able to focus and I could no longer breathe properly. I felt my chest and checked my hand, barely registering that the blood covering it was my own. Then the abyss took me. ''We do not have a lot of time,'' the familiar voice once again rasped in my mind. ''You remember our agreement?'' I tried to speak, but no air left my mouth. I vaguely recalled our previous conversation and nodded. ''Good. You are smart enough to know that there is nothing further you can do, and the orcs will take your camp. Once they do, it will not take them long to figure out that you are the commander, and that you are also a half-breed vampire. This will result in a rather unfortunate demise for you.'' A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ''Then what do you want me to do?'' I asked. ''Flee to the west.'' ''Not home?'' ''No. After you flee, the orcs will find your sister and she will tell them all about you. Once the orcs learn of your heritage, they will gleefully inform King Lofin. Your home and family will be destroyed before the end of this week, despite your contingencies. If you are with them, you will also perish.'' A slew of emotions played through my mind. At first, I doubted this being''s words, but quickly realized those doubts were likely wishful thinking. Even if the orcs didn''t manage to capture Esmira alive, there are the slaves that have been converted. With some clever magic, the will that Alurgas imbued into them would dissolve, leaving them to their own devices. It would be foolish to believe that they would keep my secrets. The contingencies that I put in place to prevent Lofin from targeting my family in my absence would also fail once my vampirism became public knowledge. No one would be stupid enough to be caught helping a vampire. Moorn and my trusted servants will die. My grief nearly overwhelmed me. Everything that I had built, everything that I have loved, gone. And there''s nothing I can do. ''You will flee, then,'' the voice rasped. ''You must go west. You will be pursued, but if you keep fleeing to the west they will eventually give up. You mustn''t stop until you''re certain they aren''t following you.'' ''Where am I going? What awaits me?'' ''I would like to tell you, but...'' I awoke, gasping for air. I instinctively grabbed my chest, feeling a hole in my armor and the cloth beneath it. The bare skin that I felt assured me that the wound had healed. I stood and looked for my sword, but it was nowhere to be found. Swearing under my breath, I looked to the sky to get my bearings. The sun was still rising, so my destination was in the opposite direction. I paused for a moment, gazing at the hole in the wall I had left. Esmira was in there, and I couldn''t help but think about killing her. While it would better my mood to feel what meager life she has left leave her body, it would cost me precious time. I decided against it and began to run. If I''m lucky, King Lofin will find a way to kill her for me. Before I could get far, a hnarse stopped in front of me. Atop the hnarse was an orc spell-caster with a very familiar face. He looked at me with surprise, not expecting me to be standing. His shock caused a moment of hesitation that when combined with his proximity to me spelled his doom. Before he could raise his staff I leapt, landing behind him on the hnarse. I grabbed his skull and pulled his head to the side hard enough to hear a crack, and tore into his throat with my fangs. He began to seize as a sweet, coppery taste filled my mouth. I gulped it down greedily, but I couldn''t have my fill. I had to get moving. I threw him from the saddle and grabbed the reins, urging the hnarse to the west. It began to gallop as I heard shouting from behind me. A wind spear flew past my head, taking a small portion of my ear with it. I pressed the hnarse faster and lowered myself to avoid more close calls. The gate had been left open, indicating that a portion of my forces had abandoned their posts and fled. Typical of King Lofin''s finest. An explosion hit the gate as I cleared it, sending splinters in all directions. A large one took residence in my left arm, but I quickly removed it. The wound began to heal as I continued into the trees as fast as the hnarse could take me. I continued to dodge both foliage and spells for most of the day, and eventually my hnarse tired. It was well-trained, though, and it kept going until it finally collapsed. I leapt from its back and continued running, nearly as fast as the hnarse had. A few minutes later, my pursuer''s hnarses also tired and I finally lost them. I kept running until the sun was in front of me, and finally slowed my pace. My heart was pulsing in my ears, and my breath was heavy. I wiped sweat from my brow as I continued to walk toward wherever my goal happened to be. As the sun began to set, I found a small cave. After determining that it was empty, I decided to take a rest. I grabbed some nearby branches from a bush to mask its entrance, then crawled inside. After adjusting the camouflage a little, I made myself as comfortable as possible. Then, I was finally left alone with my thoughts. I''ve lost everything. My family, my friends, my home, my career, and even my dreams. All I have left is my body and the clothes on my back. Which have a conspicuous hole in the chest. I felt my anger build up within me, but it was the cold sort of anger. What do people normally do to cope with loss and grief? Cry? Crying would waste water, though, and I am in a survival situation. No, the best way to cope with my grief is to analyze what went wrong and learn from it. Unfortunately, I have no idea how I can learn from whatever mistake it is that I made. A beast of the wastes had laid low my plans for conquest. Did they capture it in the wastes and bring it here? No, that would have taken them far too long. Could they have already had it tamed and ready to fight? If that''s the case, why wasn''t it used against my forces to begin with? Could it be that they stumbled upon the Nahalim, managed to capture it without killing it, and one of them knew how to tame it? While it sounded ridiculous, that hypothesis resonated within me. The separate and unlikely coincidences happening all at once, culminating in my defeat. It absolutely reeks of divine interference. The question is, which divine? The one claiming to help me, or one of the other ones? Which of the little bodiless worms had decided to meddle with reality and force my failure? ''It was a group effort, actually. And I had no hand in it.'' I was so exhausted that I hadn''t even realized I''d fallen asleep. I glanced around the abyss, trying to locate the god that had spared my life. ''Why me?'' I demanded. ''Why would I be targeted like this?'' ''They do not see it as you do. To them, you are nothing. They didn''t see a half-breed vampire trying to conquer the Night Kingdom and become king. Instead, they saw the vampires about to make a return to power. Obviously, they decided to prevent that from happening.'' ''But why?'' ''Their motives are as unknown to me as they are to you. They likely acted upon a whim,'' it said with a cruel laugh. ''Yet, this is precisely what I wanted to demonstrate to you. As a mortal acting on your own volition, you are powerless against the meddling of the beings known as gods. If they care enough about your plans to dislike them, your plans will fail. Regardless of the thought or effort you put into them. All it took this time was a whisper to a beast and an orc.'' ''Like you are whispering to me now?'' ''No, I am speaking to you. A whisper is much more subtle. Your hearing suddenly becoming clear enough to make out what someone is saying in a busy marketplace. A sudden craving for a specific dish at a specific restaurant that a certain someone happens to be at. Even something as simple as fatigue can be used to guide you to where we want you to be, as you''ll recall.'' And recall I did. I remembered the first time I had heard this being''s voice. I''d become so tired so quickly that I thought I''d been poisoned. That was a whisper, then. ''As you can infer from our current conversation, we''re capable of more direct interference. If you had managed to somehow disrupt their scheme with the Nahalim, one of the other gods may have spoken to the enemy commander and told him about the escape tunnel your orc slaves were digging. If the enemy commander failed, then a lightning storm may have formed and stricken your barricades, causing them to explode.'' ''So why didn''t you stop them? I thought you are trying to help me?'' I knew the answer to this question and felt foolish for asking it, but my anger and indignation forced it out of me. ''I am helping you in such a way that allows us both to achieve our goals, as was agreed. It should be obvious that I have no interest in your petty ambitions outside of what they can do to achieve my goals. And that''s the point. If you listen to me and do as I bid you, I will help you achieve your goal. You will gain power and purpose, and no being will be able to look down on you again. If you do not, I will leave you at the mercy of the other gods to do with as they please. It is very unlikely that they will aid you.'' I allowed myself to calm once more, and thought about my situation. This being is promising to help me gain power, but not help me do anything except gain power. So what''s stopping other gods from eliminating me once our bargain is completed? ''They will try, but not because they want you dead. They have another goal in mind, and you will be an obstacle to that goal. However, we can only interfere when we are allowed to. There is a greater being at work here that will make certain the coming contest will be fair. And if you survive, you will be allowed to do as you please, free from the meddling of beings like me.'' ''Then what would you have me do?'' Chapter 50 Master General Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Half-Breed Drow - Balushenian ''You will awaken and continue traveling west,'' The hoarse voice pierced my mind. ''By midday you will reach a well-traveled road. Go left and follow the road. You will meet a traveler who is not what he appears to be. Be wary of this traveler, but consume his blood. Take his clothing and dispose of his body and your armor out of view of the road. Continue on the road in the same direction until you see a smaller path, then follow that path.'' Expecting riddles and side-speak, I found myself somewhat stunned by how clear the directions were. Despite my shock, I endeavored to memorize them. Nothing will stop me from finding the power that this being is promising and annihilating whatever challenge awaits me. ''And what do I do when I reach the end of the path?'' I asked. ''The path leads to a dungeon. Enter the dungeon and do what you feel is appropriate.'' The return to riddles and side-speak stunned me even more than its absence. It took more than a few moments for the confusion to leave my expression. ''You can''t tell me more than that?'' ''All I can say is that you''re a vampire. Do what vampires do.'' ''That''s all? Why?'' ''A being far grander than myself is preventing me from speaking directly of the events that may unfold within the dungeon,'' It laughed. ''The very same being that will ensure fairness in the challenge to come. Go now, and find your purpose.'' I awoke before I could ask any further questions, not that I would have gleaned any answers. Do what vampires do? Likely a riddle that will become easier to solve within the dungeon itself. I arose from my temporary shelter and scanned my immediate environs. Birds were singing in the trees, which indicated that there weren''t predators or monsters nearby, and there were no other signs of incursion. It seems I have truly lost my pursuers. My muscles and bones ached from sleeping on the ground, and a quick stretch resulted in several satisfying pops and cracks. The stretch was able to provide enough relief to continue my journey. The desire to feed hit me as I verified the sun''s position in the sky. I had used a lot of strength yesterday, and I would need to feed on blood again to restore it. Luckily, the entity had told me where to find my next meal. I did my best not to think too hard about what caused me to undertake this quest, but failed miserably. My entire family is soon to be dead, my home razed to the ground, my dreams of world domination are all but dashed, and I am touched by a supposed god. These thoughts had just wandered to whether or not continuing my existence was even worth it when I finally came across the road. It wasn''t much of a road. The primary components of its construction were dirt and dust, unlike the roads that lined the countryside of the Night Kingdom. I dutifully turned toward my left and followed the glorified path. It wasn''t long before my feet became tender and sore, and I found myself missing the carefully constructed stone roads of my homeland. I followed the road for a few hours before I finally came across my objective. A dwarf wearing a high collared coat and large pack stopped and eyed me warily. I stopped as well, and regarded him head to toe. His coat and clothing appeared new and expensive, yet his pack and boots appeared well-worn. The dwarf was obviously trying to look like a merchant, but there were certain inconsistencies with his disguise. "Who the fuck''re you?" he asked. "I could ask you the same," I replied. "You have the look of a merchant, but I''ve never met a merchant who travels alone." "Well that''s just cuz you''ve never met me," he grinned, showing a few missing teeth. "The name''s Tarx. You?" "Kirain." "Well, Kirain, methinks it''s a damn lucky day for you. I see you''ve got a hole in that armor of yours, and I just so happen to have somethin'' that''ll likely fit you just fine." "Oh?" I asked, moving closer to him. "That would be quite the boon, if the price is right." "I''ve got the cheapest fuckin'' stuff you''ll find in the middle of the road," he laughed as he pulled his pack from his back. "I''m more than willin'' to cut you a deal." He stuck his hand into his pack as I moved closer to him. As he began to remove his hand, I saw a glimmer and instinctively grabbed his wrist. My strength was beginning to wane, but it was more than enough to snap his wrist and sending the dagger flying. I wasted no time pulling him into his final embrace. "The fuck?" he gasped as I bit into his throat. He tried to resist, but I''d already taken a gulp and restored my strength. The warmth of the blood flowed through me, and I took more than my fill. After a few moments, the dwarf fell limp in my arms, completely drained of his vital essence. I let him fall to the ground and studied him. I''d managed to avoid spilling blood on his clothing, but was faced with another problem entirely. Dwarfs are significantly shorter than drow, and his attire would not fit me. My eyes darted toward his pack. On a hunch, I grabbed it and emptied it out. Several items fell to the ground, including another knife, some wrapped rations, about fifty feet of hempen rope, a water skin, several pieces of jewelry, a bulging coin pouch, and some rather well-made clothing. It would appear that Tarx was a quite a bit more entrepreneurial than a travelling merchant should be. "Take his clothes, eh?" I chuckled, picking up the clothing. I removed my garments and replaced them, finding them to be a perfect fit. I spent a little time packing the items back into the bag, with the exception of the large knife, and then disposed of Tarx and my former clothing out of sight of the road. Passing carnivores would find him and make sure he didn''t go to waste. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Slinging the pack onto my back and securing the large knife to my waist, I continued my journey. Not a bad change of fortune. I was now far less conspicuous, and even armed. If I changed my mind about my destination, I would be able to survive for quite some time on the wealth that the dwarf had likely killed for. I was still debating this choice when I came across the path. It was overgrown and rather uninviting, and if I hadn''t known to look for it I would have missed it entirely. I stood at this fork in my journey and thought for a moment. Should I continue to whatever city this road leads to and seek my fortune with my own two hands, or should I accept the would-be god''s challenge and seek power? Voices in the distance brought me back to reality. Drow rarely leave the Night Kingdom, and I would have to justify my existence everywhere I went. I would also have to be wary of retribution from the scorned deity. I made my choice then and there, and began to make my way down the untended path. The overgrowth made travel difficult, but before long I found my destination. A small building served as the dungeon''s entrance. It appeared to be a type of mausoleum, with two smooth pillars lining either side of its arched entrance. The roof of the structure rested upon these four columns and depicted a skull being worshiped by reptilian beings. I felt an immense dread enter my body as I took a step forward. Many people equate vampires with the dead, so I should feel at home in a crypt. However, my instincts screamed at me that something terrible lay within here. Taking a deep breath and snarling to myself, I drew my knife and entered the dungeon. One of the advantages to vampirism is the ability to see in almost complete darkness, but my eyes still took a moment to adjust. Once my blindness receded, I continued forward and I took in my surroundings. The floors were tiled and the walls were unnaturally smooth. Neither showed any signs of tool marks, seams, or any other variety of imperfection. This indicated that they had been created magically. I recalled from my studies that the term dungeon isn''t the most accurate description of these places. While they often serve to contain monsters and other threats to civilization, they''ve also been known to serve as lairs for powerful beings that would seek harm on others. The origins of most dungeons are a complete mystery, and how they came to contain monsters and traps is anyone''s guess. My footsteps reverberated through the hall as I continued on. It was a soft, steady melody that was almost soothing, until a sudden click interrupted my pace. The tile beneath my foot had depressed, and I barely reacted in time to catch the spiked grate that sought to impale and crush me. Even my vampiric strength struggled with the weight of the trap. I adjusted my footing and pushed with all of my might. Just as I thought I was done for, the trap eased up and withdrew into the ceiling. I quickly moved forward before it could trigger again, being careful to avoid the tile I''d carelessly tread upon earlier. Before I could catch my breath, a screech announced the presence of several small reptiles. The lizards were roughly the size of my boot. I readied my knife as they swarmed me, trying to pick off pieces of my flesh with their teeth and claws. I was much faster than they were, though, and began to exterminate the pests with my knife and free hand. They were easy to crush, and not very resistant to stabbing either. It didn''t take long to finish them, and I watched as the few wounds I had received healed. The bites were extraordinarily painful, and bled longer than they should have. Once they finally faded, I continued on. I was much more wary this time, trying to avoid any further traps by tapping my forward foot on the upcoming tiles. It slowed my pace, but quickly paid off as I encountered more traps. After each trap, another group of lizards attacked and was defeated. Eventually, I put away my blade and began to use the little bastards as stress toys. This pattern repeated several more times before there was an abrupt change. "FOR THE LORD!" a dwarf-sized lizard shouted, waving its spear in the air. "FOR THE LORD!" its five comrades echoed. I drew my knife again and charged at them. They hadn''t expected this, and I managed to slit one''s throat before they could recover. I grabbed its spear and flung it deep into the chest of another, then dodged back as the last four formed a formation of sorts. I grinned at them, baring my fangs. "A sucker!" one of the reptiles gasped. "Shit, what do we do?" "We poke him ''till he stops movin'', same as everythin'' else!" "FOR THE LORD!" They charged forward, and I slid under their spear-tips. I used my claws to tear at the face of one and stabbed my blade into the heart of another. I dragged my knife out of its chest and through the throat of the one I had mauled. Disallowing any recovery time, I leapt over its falling corpse and bit into the shoulder another lizard before it could change the position of its spear, and threw my knife at the final one. I grabbed the reptile''s throat and lifted it into the air as its comrade hit the floor with my blade protruding from the space between its eyes. I spit its blood onto the floor and ripped the spear from its hands. The reptile looked down at me with absolute terror in its beady little eyes. "Who is your lord?" I demanded. "I ain''t tellin'' you nuttin''!" it shrieked. "Then I shall find out myself," I said, crushing its windpipe and vertebrae. As I dropped its body to the ground, it occurred to me that I might have used hypnosis on it. I sighed, disappointed at the missed opportunity to glean some intel. After retrieving my blade, I continued my journey into the depths of the dungeon. It wasn''t long before I got another chance. I tore into the creatures and tried to use hypnosis on the survivor, but I couldn''t make a connection to its mind. At first I thought my hypnosis was being blocked, but then I came to the realization that the mind was too simple to be forced in such a way. It was like trying to hypnotize a pupper. I tore its head off in frustration. Several more conflicts later, the hallway opened into a large room. Torches flickered to life as I entered, throwing shadows upon the smooth, gray walls. In the center of the room was a skeletal corpse sitting upon a golden throne. It looked lifeless, but I could feel massive amounts of magic emanating from it. Its eyes began to glow and it rose from its throne, levitating a few inches from the ground. "Who dares to enter my domain?" it asked. "Kirain Yith," I replied. "And who might you be, Lich?" "What would my name matter to an insect that''s about to be exterminated?" "Why would you want to know the name of an insect that you''re about to exterminate?" I barely managed to dodge the ice spear it sent at me, and quickly tried to close the distance. Before I could, fire erupted from the floor and sent me reeling. The burns on my face began to heal, and I snarled at the creature before me. "Ah, a vampire," it said. "I have no blood for you to suck, filth." Once my nose healed, it caught a familiar scent in the air. I grinned at the lich, and threw my blade at its face. A magical barrier caught the blade and sent it back from whence it came, but I had already closed the distance with the lich. It drew back from me, but I grabbed its neck and squeezed, crushing the vertebrae in my grasp. Its body crumpled to the ground as I caught its skull with my other hand. "You have bested me, it seems," it said. "Go on, finish me. I''ll return again and again." "You lied to me," I grinned. "Pardon?" I followed the scent and approached the throne. Hidden in the throne''s finery was a rounded, crimson jewel. The invigorating scent was coming from this jewel. I struggled for a moment to remove the jewel from the throne, and once I was successful I found that I was holding a disguised vial of blood. I held it up for the skull to see. "A phylactery. You DO have blood," I laughed. "Perhaps we can make a deal," the skull said. "I can give you gold, gems, even teach you ancient and terrible magics. What do you require in exchange for the safety of my phylactery?" "Why would I destroy it?" "What? What else would you do with it?" "You were once a mer, and I am a vampire," I grinned widely, baring my fangs. "I''m going to do what vampires do." Chapter 51 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American "That''ll do," Nash nodded at my hunched over form. "Take a breather." "O-okay," I said between desperate gasps for air. Nash had once again landed one of his signature kicks directly to my diaphragm. I was beginning to suspect that he had unlocked a skill similar to my breathtaker strike. This time, though, I managed to poke my training sword into his ribs before he landed it. With a growing pride in myself I collapsed into a sitting position and watched the countdowns for my cooldowns. It had taken every single one of my non-magical skills just to land that one strike, and it hadn''t slowed him down a bit. I sighed, remembering our first sparring session. I''d managed to unlock breathtaker strike and land it against him. It had stopped the session immediately, but I''ve pretty much been getting my ass kicked ever since. I''m not sure Nash is aware of it, but he''s been getting stronger too. Every time I think I''ve gotten strong enough or fast enough to match him, he manages to pull ahead. Or maybe he''s still just pulling his punches and I''m too inexperienced to realize it. Either way, I''d hate to get into a real fight against him. "Would you care to try some magic?" Yulk interrupted my thoughts with a toothy smile. "Sure," I said, looking up at him. "What kind of magic do you have in mind?" He reached out to help me up, and I took his hand without putting too much of my weight on him. Yulk has a bad back, and sending him toppling wouldn''t be very nice. However, he ignored my generosity and pulled me to my feet fast enough for said feet to leave the ground for a moment. "If I recall correctly you have access to several spells already. Wind Spear, Earthen Dagger, Fireball, Light, Heal, and Minor Heal, right?" I checked my skills list and nodded. I didn''t really get a chance to use most of these spells outside of some quick training that we''d done. None of my spells had even leveled up, and most of them are useless. Fireball sounds like it would be the best of the spells, but the heat it outputs is uncomfortable to work with. Earthen Dagger would be better if it summoned a sword instead of a little knife. Finally, Heal can magically mend my wounds, but I already have Ten for that. Ten can do it without using my magic, too. "I''d like to teach you a spell that many have trouble with," he continued. "It''s called Ice Javelin. You have to visualize the moisture in the air coming together and forming a magically enhanced icicle." "Okay," I said as I lifted my arms and aimed at a nearby tree. I pictured all the water molecules in the air coming together to form the condensation on the outside of a cold drinking glass. I imagined all that condensation moving into the shape of an icicle and freezing, then felt my magic shoot through my arms. The air in front of my fingertips grew cold and mist began to gather together. Suddenly, the mist began to form a cone of ice. "Nilevaj Eci Tsac!" The icicle slammed into a nearby tree with enough force to make it shudder. -Ice Javelin unlocked- Yulk and I looked at each other, then walked over to the tree. It was pretty thick, my arms wouldn''t even fit around it, but the projectile had managed to go through it enough to poke out of the other side. Yulk let out a low whistle. "Like that?" I asked with a dash of smugness. "Yeah," he laughed. "Exactly like that." "Cool, pun intended. So why haven''t you tried to teach me this spell before?" "Because I didn''t know it. Olmira taught it to me the day before we left," he said, gesturing behind me. "Took me all day." I turned and was met with a wide eyed and open mouthed stare. Olmira''s eyes darted back and forth between myself and the tree. "See?" Yulk said to her with a grin. "He''s able to learn new things much faster than most people." "I... yes, I see," she replied. "But how?" I glanced at Yulk, who returned my gaze. "The place I come from had mandatory public education," I answered. "So a lot of these concepts aren''t new to me. Maybe that''s why I''m able to pick things up so fast." The sorcerous pair stared at me for a moment. "What sort of subjects are covered by this... public education?" Olmira asked. "Math, science, social studies, languages, writing, wood shop, all sorts of things." "Wood shop?" "My guess would be carpentry, milady. Judging solely by the name, of course," Yulk laughed. "Oh my, Nash is beginning to look impatient. Shall we be off?" I gave Yulk a confused glance. Ever since Olmira joined us, it seems like Yulk had upped his eloquence. While it''s true he wasn''t exactly brash before, I don''t remember him ever using the word shall. On the other hand, I could be imagining things. Or Ten could be playing with the translations. I looked toward Nash and immediately forgot about Yulk''s odd word choices. His pack was already in the cart and he was practically glowering at us. "Yeah, let''s go," I quickly agreed. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. We packed our things and loaded back into the cart. Imlor gave us a smile and we continued our journey. I leaned into the corner of the cart and accessed my skills list, selecting the option for physical skills. -- Time Dilation II Increases the user¡¯s speed to 150% for a limited time Cooldown: 4 minutes Dash II Move forward up to eight feet at 300% speed. Cooldown: 1 minute Breathtaker Strike II A strike that robs your opponent of their ability to breathe. Cooldown: 45 seconds Power Slash I Amplifies the users striking power by 100%. Cooldown: 1 minute Slide Slash I Slide along the ground and strike with 100% amplified striking power. Cooldown: 1 minute Preternatural Evasion I Allows a user to automatically dodge for 1 minute. Cooldown: 10 minutes Knife Hand Hardens a users hand into a knife-like shape. Can apply intimidation to lower level enemies. Duration: 1 minute Cooldown: 5 minutes -- The cooldowns for both Breathtaker Strike and Time Dilation had decreased. It was previously one minute and five minutes, respectively. The distance that I can Dash increased by two feet, as well. The buffs weren''t as good as I had hoped they would be, but the skills had leveled up faster than I''d expected. I decided to get a look at my spells list, too. -- Wind Spear I Summon a spear of wind to strike your target. Earthen Dagger I Summon a blade of Earth. Duration: 5 minutes Cooldown: 10 minutes Fireball I Summon a ball of fire to strike your target. Cooldown: 5 minutes Heal I Heal your superficial wounds. Minor Heal Heal your target¡¯s superficial wounds. Ice Javelin I Summon a javelin of ice to strike your target. Cooldown: 5 minutes. Light Summons an orb that emits a moderate amount of light until the user dismisses it or falls unconscious. -- I really need to start leveling these up. Unfortunately, fighting takes a lot of my energy, and Nash is a little greedy when it comes to my training time. I guess that''s fair, our current party consists of two magic users, one multi-class, and a fighter. I guess there''s also Imlor, but as far as I know he doesn''t have any skills that are useful in a fight. If I were to join Yulk and Olmira in casting spells, that would leave Nash alone on our front line. That''s not a good position to be in, even with magical backup. It''s too easy to get flanked, and as Nash himself says, if you''re flanked you''re fucked. I had to stifle a laugh. Look at me, suddenly an expert in battle tactics. Before I came here, I knew almost nothing about real fighting. I played video games, but not enough to glean anything from them. I also fought in some karate tournaments, but those have rules and regulations to keep people safe. Real fights don''t. The sound of a page turning tore me from these thoughts. I turned toward the sound and saw Yulk reading the book that Imlor had given him before we set off for Bolisir. The Musings of Gralv, a book about the fae written by an imp. "Is it any good?" I asked him. "Nope," he laughed. "It''s absolutely terrible. His grammar and word choice are abysmal, and it''s rare that he spells words correctly. Actually, I''m quite certain that he''s found new ways to misspell some of these words. That being said, it''s a rather interesting subject given our experiences thus far." "You mean with the arch-fae?" "Yes, Algebrun and..." he trailed off and glanced at Olmira. "And Tits," Nash finished his sentence for him. "Pardon?" Olmira asked. Nash and I started laughing as Yulk turned a darker shade of green. "Well, when I told you about our encounter with the fae, you''ll recall that I left out the names that Nick gave them," Yulk explained. "I named one of them Algebrun, and the other one wanted to be named Tits," I added. "Oh... I see..." Olmira said. "Yeah, she was quite the character. Anyway, what''s so interesting about what Gralv wrote?" I asked. Yulk looked thankful at the change in topic, and put a bookmark in between the pages he was reading. "Well, in this story he spent a summer with the fae and interviewed as many as he could. Eventually, he got curious as to why all of the fae he spoke to were female, and one of the fae revealed that they chose their forms based on many factors. In his case, they were trying to convince him to extend his stay indefinitely and... help make more fae." "Oh?" "Yes, though I''m not certain I believe it. He continues to explain the process in which fae couple with mortals in excruciating detail, though it very much reads like a soldier or guard bragging to his friends about a fictional romantic encounter. He then explains that fae are also able to couple with certain magical plants and spirits, which lends a bit of credibility to his claims because this is the method of procreation that those who are familiar with the fae know of." "So they can make babies with anything?" I asked with fear in my voice. "Is Tits going to cause a population crisis?" "That''s unlikely," Yulk laughed. "New fae cannot be created without the explicit consent of the mating partner. If their partner does not want to create a new fae, even subconsciously, one will not be created. He doesn''t explain how this works with plants, unfortunately." "So what else does he..." Nash started to say before trailing off. "Do the rest of you hear that?" I raised an eyebrow at him, but after a moment I heard a dull rumbling sound in the distance. We looked around, but couldn''t see what was causing the sound until our cart turned a corner. To our right was a forest, and to our left were plains that were being ravaged by a tornado. We watched the storm in a shocked silence. It was breathtakingly massive, ripping up everything around it. The giant funnel was extending from a large cloud, which was also the only cloud in the sky. I was about to ask if that''s normal when Nash stood up, putting his hand on Imlor''s shoulder. "Imlor, get us out of here," he said. "Don''t have to tell me twice," Imlor said, urging the hnarses to pick up their pace. Nash nearly toppled over as the cart began to speed along the road. He took a knee and we watched the tornado nervously, silently praying that it didn''t start coming toward us. Lighting struck the ground near the tornado, and a few seconds later thunder shook everything around us. "Is that... normal?" I asked. "Do tornados usually appear from a singular cloud?" "No," Olmira said quietly. "What''s going on, then?" "I don''t know." "Wait a minute," Yulk said. "Isn''t this where we encountered-" He was interrupted by the cart coming to a sudden stop. Before anyone could ask Imlor what was going on, a loud roar drowned out the sounds of the distant storm. I stood to see what was happening and saw a bear-shaped creature in the middle of the road a few yards ahead of us. Instead of fur, though, it had scales that were completely black. Its claws glimmered like five razer sharp daggers in the sunlight. I grabbed my sword as it roared again and leapt from the cart with Nash close behind me. We took position in front of the cart, trying to protect Imlor and the hnarses. The bear-lizard rose onto its hind legs and roared once more, louder this time. "The fuck is that thing?" I asked. "It''s an urzarn," Nash explained. "They''re tough. Go for the gut or the throat, don''t bother with the chest or head." "Understood," I said. Nash charged forward and I quickly followed him. A wind spear flew over our heads and barely missed the urzarn, who dropped to all fours and began charging us. As Nash and I got closer, I used Dash to get ahead of him and swung my sword at the urzarn''s neck with Power Slash. Time seemed to slow down as my blade approached the monster. It looked like it was going to be a good slash, and I began contemplating how I would avoid a counterattack. But as my blade made contact with the urzarn''s neck, it suddenly disappeared with a balloon-like pop. My sword struck the ground and I stood there stunned, wondering what the hell just happened. I barely managed to catch a glimpse of something fleshy heading toward my face, but before I could react I was enveloped in a flower-scented squishiness. Arms locked my head in place as I dropped my sword and began to struggle. "NICK!" a muffled but familiar feminine voice shouted. Chapter 52 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American "I''VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" the voice shouted. "MMUPHBLLP!" I replied, struggling to breathe. My sword dropped to the ground as I grabbed at the arms that were trapping my head. I struggled for a few moments and finally released myself, taking a few heavy breaths. Once my breathing calmed down, I looked up to find Tits grinning widely at me, her almost teal colored eyes shimmering in the sunlight. My peripheral vision managed to warn me to maintain eye contact with her, and my face went beet red. "W-what the fuck?" I asked, desperately pretending not to notice her clothing situation. "Were you trying to suffocate me?" "Only if you''re into that," she said with a wink. Nash placed a hand on my shoulder and gently pulled me behind him. I picked up and sheathed my sword, trying not to catch a glimpse of the arch-fae while I did so. "Why are you nude?" he asked. "It''s such a wonderful day out, how could I not be?" she replied. "Not that wonderful of a day," Nash said as he pointed to the tornado. "Oh that?" she giggled. "Don''t worry about that, it''s just Mumuldobran having a conniption." Nash and I shared a concerned expression, which made Tits laugh. Before we could say anything about these concerns, Algebrun appeared behind her. "Causing trouble again?" he asked. "Me? Never," Tits replied with a grin. "I was just giving Nick a friendly hello." "Little too friendly," I muttered. "Sounds about right," Algebrun smiled. "Did Tits reveal the reason we''ve interrupted your journey?" "No," I said as Yulk, Olmira, and Imlor jogged up to us. The two arch-fae noticed our approaching companions and their smiles faded. They gave each other a worried glance. "You think that''s going to be a problem?" Tits asked quietly. "I don''t know," Algebrun answered. "Hopefully not." "What''s going on?" I asked. The pair exchanged a few whispers before Algebrun turned back to me with a somber expression. "We''ll start with why we''re here. The reason that we stopped you is because we need you to testify on our behalf," he explained. "Testify? Like in a court?" When I said the word court they both flinched like parents who just heard their toddler swear for the first time. In a crowded but quiet public place. "No. Not a..." Algebrun hesitated. "More like a hearing. What happened between us has raised a lot of questions, and the purpose of the hearing is to find answers to those questions. Nobody is in trouble." "Yet," Tits said with a pointed glance at Olmira. "You''re keeping rather... interesting company these days, Nick. Do you know that''s a vampire?" The seriousness in her voice combined with her nudity nearly made me laugh. I avoided looking directly at her and thought about how to reply. After a moment of silence, I turned back toward her and looked her directly in the eyes. "Do I know that the oddly youthful and powerful sorcerer named Olmira the Eternal, who also happens to drink blood, is a vampire?" I asked sarcastically. "No. How could I have ever guessed?" "Ooo you become twice as cute when you get saucy," she winked and gave herself a squeeze that made me blush and look away. "Hot." "Put some clothes on," Algebrun chided. "Is my vampirism an issue?" Olmira asked hesitantly. "Of course it is," Algebrun turned to her with a scowl. "We would have smote you the moment we saw you, were Nick not acting as your travelling companion." "What?" I asked, shocked. "Why?" "To use terms you''re more familiar with, vampires are possessed by the souls of the damned," Algebrun explained. "As are all undead, for that matter. These ''souls'' are actually magical beings like fae or fairies that have twisted and corrupted themselves by intentionally breaking the laws that bind us, simply to satisfy their whims and petty ambitions. Once their corruption causes them to be killed, and it always does, they are forced to take the form of an undead. This how they serve penance for their crimes." "We can see their sin," Tits added. "To us, it''s as plain as the nose on your face." "But why discriminate against those who didn''t have a choice, though?" Yulk asked. "It isn''t as if it is typical for someone to request being turned into a vampire." "Oh, is that a fact?" Algebrun asked pointedly. "If you were better versed on the subject, you would know that not all who are bitten by vampires turn into vampires. Some just die, and this is because before the malicious magical being possesses them, it gives them a choice. Become corrupted with its sins and roam the lands as a shadow of their former self, or simply die with only their own sins to bear." "That''s not exactly a good choice to have to make," I said. "You can''t really blame them for not wanting to die." "They still die, Nick," Algebrun''s tone softened a little. "When a mortal chooses to become corrupted, their own spiritual energies merge with that of the magical being and they become an entirely different being. The only reason that vampires and the like are able to keep pretending to be the mortal in question is because the flesh maintains its memories. On top of that, the mortals that choose corruption are able to see the sins of the malicious spirit, just as we are. And all of this has to be explained to them in excruciating detail, so make no mistake, this is an informed choice. There can be no deception involved." "If they know what they are going to become, why do people choose to become vampires?" "The mortal mind is a mystery to things like me. But judging from my knowledge of your own experiences, I would say hope is the most likely culprit. Hope that your spirit will overcome their spirit, that some piece of you will live on within them and help them make the right choices. Or maybe straight up spite, depending on the person." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I glanced at Olmira, who was staring firmly at the ground with her fists clenched. Nash and Imlor were looking away from her uncomfortably, as if she had just been stripped bare in front of us. Yulk, on the other hand, was rubbing his chin, deep in thought. "So how do they become cleansed of this... sin?" Yulk asked. "Undead are immune to the rigors of time, aren''t they?" "That is up to higher beings, the ones you call gods. They measure the weight of the individual''s sins and decide what variety of undead they will become. The undead are considered enemies by all living races, and as such are frequently slain. If they have served enough penance for their misdeeds by the time they are slain, they are reborn free of corruption. If they haven''t repented fully or have committed more sin, they are reborn as an undead once again." "If they serve their penance, what are they reborn as?" "Fae, fairies, sprites, etcetera. Maybe even mortals, but as far as I''m aware that''s just a legend." "But... not all magical beings are benevolent. Are those doomed to become undead once they die?" "Your version of benevolence is not universal. Even the blood and bone fae and fairies have laws they must abide by. As long as they follow those laws, they are free of sin in the eyes of those above our station." "Yeah, well... this has been an absolutely riveting conversation," Tits said as she waved a hand and finally became clothed. "But we came here for a reason, and it wasn''t to explain the ins and outs of vampirism." "That is true," Algebrun nodded. "However, it would be foolish to escort them into the forest along with a vampire. Even if we were to forbid violence against her, there are those who believe in the cycle enough to take matters into their own hands. They would also be well within their rights to do so." "I can guard the cart," Olmira said softly. "Are you sure?" Yulk asked. "We can probably protect you." "You genuinely cannot," Algebrun replied tersely. "Even if it were within your capabilities to defend her from the fair folk, which it isn''t, the corrupted do not have the right of self-defense under our laws." "Meaning that if I were to try to intercede on her behalf..." "You would be committing assault or murder. This would result in your arrest, if you aren''t killed outright." "I will remain at the cart," Olmira said. "Yeah, me too," Imlor added. "No offense intended, but I''m looking to get home in one piece, and the fair folk have a somewhat grim reputation among my kind." "Merchants or gnomes?" Tits asked with a laugh. "Both, actually." "Yeah, fair enough. Algebrun, you want to leave them with some reinforcements? Or should I?" "I''ll do it," Algebrun said, raising his hand. "Reidlos lanrete tsac!" An icy chill crept through the air as red energy leapt from his hand and began to form the shape of a person. Once the magic finished taking shape, a crack rang through the air that made me jump. We suddenly found ourselves joined by a fae in crimson armor. Its glowing red eyes made its coal-colored skin seem even darker. Its left hand held the longest sword I had ever seen, and in its right hand was black rock. Even I felt magic stirring within that rock. Must be an arcane focus. I turned to Algebrun and raised an eyebrow. "This is a simulacrum of a blood fae," he explained. "While I have actual blood fae under my command, I will not force them into the position of deciding between my commands and their beliefs." "Yeah, that''s probably smart," I said. "What happens if a fae stumbles upon the cart, though? Won''t you get in trouble if your spell hurts them?" "Oh, I''ll be casting a spell on it that will make it unnoticeable to all thinking creatures," Tits answered with a smile. "The spell wears off when whoever is inside of it calls out to someone on the outside of it. Or if I want it to." "What do we need the blood fae for, then?" Nash asked. "There are creatures that don''t think, brother," Yulk said. "Oh... right..." Yulk helped Olmira back into the cart as Imlor took his seat. Yulk, Nash, and I grabbed our bags and rejoined Tits and Algebrun. Tits cleared her throat and held up her hand. "Ememitna tsac!" she said. The spell took effect instantly. I tried to focus on the cart, but I could no longer really see it. Whenever I tried to look directly at it, my gaze wandered and I forgot what I was doing. It was a very unsettling experience. "There, your friends are secure and the cart is protected," Algebrun said. "Let''s be off." "What about Mumuldobran?" I asked, gesturing at the distant tornado. "It''s best to let them vent their frustrations. They''ll join us once they''re done." I nodded, and we followed the two arch-fae off of the road and into the woods. Before long, the woods became a forest and the leaves of the trees began to blot out the sun. It took a bit for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Once they did, I saw that the bushes and brambles that would have hindered our movement seemed to lean out of our way. As we ventured deeper and deeper, the sounds of the tornado became more and more muffled until they disappeared entirely. That''s when I realized that the only sounds I could hear were the creaking and groaning of the foliage moving. I looked around and noticed some birds, but instead of announcing our presence, they were staring at us. The deeper we went, the more animals I noticed, and all of them silently watched us pass. An eerie chill ran down my spine. "I can''t help but feel as if we aren''t exactly welcome here," Nash said. "Nonsense," Tits said with a smile. "If you weren''t welcome, you''d have been ripped apart by now." "Sure, but the locals don''t appear to be particularly happy to see us." "Well... Bah, it''s complicated. Algebrun, you''re better at explaining things." Algebrun let out a heavy sigh and looked over his shoulder at Nash. "I''m sorry, Nash. It would seem that I did not properly convey the gravity of our situation," he said. "Arch-fae are very special beings. We have connections with divinity that open up many of the world''s deepest and darkest secrets to us, so that we may properly guide the fair folk. However, even with all this knowledge at our disposal, neither Tits nor myself can account for how we were made into arch-fae." "Well, it happened when Nick named you, didn''t it?" Yulk asked. "That''s not likely to be a coincidence." "True, but even so, it doesn''t make sense. An arch-fae is not made, it''s ordained. There are only two known ways for an arch-fae to come to be. Either the fae nobility pool their powers to imbue a named fae with enough power to make the necessary divine connections, or the divine themselves forge these connections. Nick is gifted with plenty of magic in his core, but he doesn''t even have a tenth of the magical power that a single fae noble has. Let alone a higher being." "So..." I paused. "A god made you both arch-fae? Not me?" "That''s what we''re trying to figure out, sweetie," Tits giggled. "The higher beings usually have a specific goal in mind when they make an arch-fae, and they never make two at once. When we ask, we''re met with confusion. When other fae ask, they''re met with derision. This means that even the higher beings don''t know what happened or why." "Obviously, this requires a thorough investigation, which is where the hearing comes in," Algebrun said. "You''ll be meeting with some of the kings of the fair folk, who will be asking you questions about our interaction." "Kings?" I asked, a little bit of fear leaking into my voice. "Yes, but don''t worry. This is an informal hearing," Algebrun laughed, seemingly reading my mind. "You''ll be speaking as equals, despite the airs that some of them will put on. Don''t use honorifics, especially gendered ones, and don''t speak out of turn." "Don''t say sir or ma''am? Why not?" "The physical form of a fae is not an indication of gender or sex. We lack both, in fact, and it can be taken as an offense to assume otherwise," Algebrun sighed. "Thought that''s just one of the many tiresome tricks that you mortals frequently fall for. It''s such an old trick that there''s even rules surrounding it. If the mortal is unaware that you''re a fair folk, you cannot feign offense at being addressed with a gendered pronoun. Even if they are aware, they are still allowed to use most gendered pronouns so long as you are presenting as that sex. Unless it''s an honorific. If you call a fair folk sir or ma''am, they''ll probably demand satisfaction. If you''re lucky, it''ll one of your material possessions." "That''s actually in the book," Yulk whispered to me. "You can call me ma''am, if you want to," Tits winked at me. "Th-that''s okay," I said. "What kind of kings will we be meeting?" "That''s not entirely clear yet. Mumuldobran, the king of arch-fae, will be there. Yilf, the king of flower fairies, will also be attending. The dark ones are still battling it out to see who they''re sending. Basinoth, king of the blood fae, or Horth, king of the bone fae, would be the most likely participants. Maybe both, seeing as how they frequently fight to a draw." "Tamithi will also be there," Tits added. "King of the sprites." "Tamithi isn''t actually part of the hearing, though. They''re just curious about what''s going on," Algebrun shrugged. "We''re nearing our destination." We fell into silence and continued walking until we came onto a clearing. A colossal tree stood in the center of said clearing, glowing with magical energies. I recognized it from Algebrun''s memories, the tree of life that births new fair folk. Between us and the tree were branches that had warped to form desks and chairs. There were two rows of ten, facing each other. Algebrun gestured to them. "Sit. We''ll begin soon," he said. Chapter 53 Horth Adventurer Level: N/A Bone Fae King - Deepwyld Forest I watched with anticipation as the dust from our attacks began to clear. A convenient gust of wind helped speed things along, and soon Basinoth and I were able to meet each other''s eyes. Spears of bone and blood impaled the ground around us. We simultaneously slouched as we realized that we had once again remained unscathed by each other''s attacks. "Bah," Basinoth said, waving a hand dismissively. "I''m willing to call it a draw if you are. We can drain each other''s magic and come no closer to a final decision." "You are most likely correct," I admitted. "Fine, a draw it is. Again. I suppose we''ll both take part in the hearing." "THANK THE HIGH ONES!" A shrill voice shouted from beneath a toppled tree. "A LITTLE HELP, PLEASE!" Basinoth and I shared a look of exasperation. The both of us had warned the King of Bone Fairies against spectating our battle. I walked over to the tree and lifted it, allowing Hul to escape it''s crushing embrace. It wasted no time taking to the air, and hovered a few inches from my face. "Why must your battles be so destructive?" Hul demanded, gesturing to the new clearing that had formed within the forest. "Can''t you play stone, leather, dagger instead?" "Even if we did, we would always select the same option," I explained. "Consider this a demonstration of our frustration. Venting, as it were." "Surely there are less destructive ways to vent the frustrations built up from your impotent rivalry. Perhaps I''ll obtain a coin from a mortal and you can use that, instead." "We have tried games of chance, Hul," Basinoth said. "Dice will land cocked and coins will land upon their sides. The High Ones have decided that we are to be equally matched, and they seem to take some sadistic satisfaction in forcing the impossible to happen in making certain we remain that way." "The forest will heal, Hul, and I''ve heard enough chatter," I interrupted. "Let us be off, Basinoth. I detest tardiness and wish to set an example for our peers." "Right. Let''s go. I wish to see the mortals that made an arch-fae," Hul grinned. "No. You lost your fight against Yilf," Basinoth pointed out. "You do not have the right to attend the hearing." "I''m not going to attend, I''m just going to watch. I heard that one of the mortals is strange. Neither elf nor orc nor dwarf nor... Uh... Any of the other races. It''s got flat ears!" "As if we want to listen to you prattle on for the entire journey. Travel separately, if you must watch the hearing." "I don''t wanna travel alone! Come on, I''ll be quiet. Please?" "Be quiet?" I asked, my jawbone contorting to form a grin. "Is such a feat even possible for a Tooth Fairy?" "How DARE you!?" Hul demanded, puffing up in anger. "I expect such slurs from blood fae, even other fairies, but YOU? I''ll have you know that I collect much more than just teeth! Finger bones, feet bones, even the little bones in ears!" "Oh?" My grin widened. "And exactly how many of these bones do you currently have in your collection?" Hul''s eyes narrowed at me, and Basinoth began to laugh. It is common knowledge that the King of Bone Fairies prefers bargaining to violence, and teeth are the only bones that mortals are somewhat willing to part with. Especially the temporary teeth of the young. I began to walk and Hul hurried after me indignantly, muttering obscenities under its breath. Basinoth and I made our way toward the tree of life as Hul began ranting about the unfairness of my question. Whenever the raving began to die down, one of us would laugh and it would cause it to begin anew. The distance was vast, though, and eventually Hul forgot about my insult. "So... why are the two of you evenly matched to begin with?" Hul asked. "It seems like a fairly arbitrary thing for the High Ones to desire, let alone enforce." "It is because I am the embodiment of life and Horth is the embodiment of death," Basinoth explained. "We are destined to rage against each other, yet neither can claim victory over the other. Not while we actually exist, at any rate." "That doesn''t make sense. If a living being became immortal, they''d be immune to death, right? So life would continue to exist, wouldn''t it?" "Wrong," I answered with a chattering chuckle. "There is no such thing as true immortality among the living. Even if there were, the very act of becoming immortal wrenches them from the chains of life, and one cannot call such a being ''living''. Even if that weren''t the case, death would still have the last laugh at their expense. The very world upon which we tread will one day die, and where will they be then?" "They will be left desperately praying for death to whomever will listen," Basinoth said. "Mortals are such fleeting things, and their longing for immortality only serves to prove this. If they were allowed to mature for a few thousand years, they would realize the folly of such desires." "Hmm... Do you think we''ll want to die one day?" Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "Because of this conversation, I already do," I clicked my teeth in laughter. "Oh, come on! Seriously though, we''re immortal, aren''t we?" "No, we aren''t," I answered. "We are able to perish. While it''s true that the cycle of fairness allows us to retake physical form if that happens, we lose who we are in the process. Death is not simply a loss of one''s body, it is a loss of being." The King of Bone Fairies contemplated silently while the King of Blood Fae studied me with pursed lips as we walked. I met their gaze and tilted my skull in a silent query. "Are you going to get dressed?" Basinoth asked. "You look like a naked lich." I looked down and realized I had not yet applied flesh to my form. With a sigh, I began the process of covering my wonderful skeleton with mediocre, and completely cosmetic, meat. Nearly all beings find my true physical appearance threatening, or otherwise disturbing. Long ago, a mortal pointed out to me that this must make me lonely. I wholeheartedly agreed and replied that was the point. I prefer solitude. Once the bloodless tissue had bonded and tightened to my precious bones, I looked back at Basinoth. "Is this adequate?" I asked. "Going for the androgenous look?" Basinoth replied, pointing at my chest. I looked down again and noticed that it looked as if I had a singular feminine breast. I sighed again, summoning a small bone spear and stabbing the inflated skin. It hissed as the air left it and reformed in a more masculine manner. "That looks good," Hul said. "Still need actual clothes, though." "It''s never enough for you fleshy ones," I complained. "First you cover your bones with meat, then you cover the meat with cloth, and sometimes you even cover the cloth with metal! Where does it end?" "At the armor," Basinoth laughed. I scoffed as I donned my coverings. The cloth was a simple tunic and pants made of various plants suited for the purpose, and the armor was similar in shape to Basinoth''s, but made of bone instead of indurated blood. Once I was fully dressed, I made an exaggerated gesture to my outfit. Both of the other Kings nodded their approval, and we continued on our trek. Before long we came upon the Clearing of Life, and to my surprise, we weren''t the first to arrive. Algebrun and Tits had managed to find and bring the mortals, and the lot of them were sitting patiently. Yilf was also already seated, casually watching our approach. I detected Tamithi''s presence, but they were hiding in some foliage at the edge of a clearing. I gestured at the King of the Sprites, and Hul took my meaning and joined them. Basinoth and I made for our seats, but Algebrun stopped us with a raised hand. He nodded at the mortals, two orcs and the much discussed human, and they rose. The human looked exactly like the arch-fae had described him, but slightly more road-worn. "Horth, King of the Bone Fae and Basinoth, King of the Blood Fae," Algebrun said, then gestured to the mortals. "May I introduce Yulk, Nash, and Nick of Clan Alta?" Basinoth and I shared a glance, surprised by the fame of the familial name. "Clan Alta, eh?" Basinoth asked. "I''m fairly certain that I owe one of your ancestors some comeuppance. A member of Clan Alta, an orc about your size and shape, challenged me to a duel about fifty years back. They used a bit of trickery to secure the win, and as their prize they took my a-" I suppressed a laugh as I noticed what had given Basinoth pause. The King of Blood Fae was staring at the belt of the orc known as Nash, upon which rested a serrated battle-axe. I recognized it immediately. "My axe," Basinoth finished their sentence. "Pray tell, Nash of Clan Alta, how did you come about ownership of Bone Biter?" The orc''s eyes widened as he instinctively reached for the axe. Instead of drawing it, which would have been a fatal mistake, he ran his hand over it. "I bought it from the Adventurer''s Guild," he explained. "My father owned one that was almost just like it." Basinoth and I looked closer at the axe. It was very similar, but contained much more iron than Bone-Biter could have. Even though the extra iron makes it a more effective weapon against me, Basinoth would be unable to safely wield it. We exchanged a look. "I see," Basinoth laughed. "A near-perfect replica. Does your father still have the original? I''ll gladly face him again for the chance to regain it. Though... he''s likely getting on in years, so perhaps we should do a battle of wits, instead." "My apologies," Nash bowed his head slightly. "My father is long dead, and he was buried with the axe. It was his most cherished weapon." "I see. You have my condolences. It fills me with a bittersweet happiness to know that he enjoyed my axe so much." "Basinoth had it made specifically to give them an edge against me," I explained. "Then he immediately lost it to your father." "That''s true. I retrieved the weapon and ran into your father on my way to challenge Horth. I was unaware that your father had been ''living wild'', as he put it, and agreed to face him for the axe. If I had won, I would have gained his blood, but I fell into one of the traps he had set to catch food for the night. As a result, he took the victory and my axe," Basinoth sighed. "And to top it off, the smith that crafted it was hit by a falling star before I could ask them to make another. They were reborn, of course, but lost all memory of how to fashion metals." "Divine intervention," I nodded. "That''s what you get for trying to surpass me." The mortal''s eyes widened in horror at our little exchange, except for the sorcerer named Yulk. His eyes remained calm and collected, as if he wasn''t the least bit surprised to hear anything that was being said. I found this curious, but before I could ask him anything, Basinoth turned to the human. "So, Nick, you must be the one that made a couple of new arch-fae." "Y-yes, but not on purpose," Nick stammered nervously. "How exactly does one make accidentally two arch-fae?" I asked, bemused. "W-well... They stopped us on the road because they wanted our names, but since we need our names I gave them new names, and then they were arch-fae." "Takes quite a lot of power to create a name for a fae," Basinoth said. "However, that isn''t enough to make an arch-fae." "It shouldn''t be, at least," I added. "Though, we''re not exactly experts on the matter. Mumuldobran would know more. Just where is the King of the Arch-Fae?" "Having a conniption," Tits said jovially. "They''ll be joining us shortly." "A conniption? What for?" "A bunch of things, really. First, the fact that we were made arch-fae under mysterious circumstances. Then, my name and the fact that I chose it. Finally, some of the sprites killed his favorite tea tree as a prank." I instinctively glance toward Tamithi, who winced and shrank back further into the foliage. Hul was resting upon the sprite''s shoulder and had to fight a branch to remain there. Basinoth let out a heavy sigh. "I really liked the tea from that tree." "Not to worry," Tits said. "They were smart enough to save a cutting of the tree, and we''ve already got it planted. It''ll take a few years to grow up, but we''ll still be able to enjoy Mumuldobran''s special brew at some point in the future." "I am pleased to hear that," Mumuldobran said, appearing as if from nowhere. "Or rather, my rage is lessened by the news. We did not gather here to discuss my anger, though." "Didn''t we?" Tits asked with a grin. "I thought the whole point of this hearing was to discuss how arch-fae were made without your consent. Isn''t that one of the things you''re sore about?" Mumuldobran stared at Tits, obviously trying to make the arch-fae''s head explode with willpower alone. I found myself becoming a tad impatient at their antics, so I clashed my teeth loudly to snap the King of Arch-Fae out of it. It glanced at me with ineffectual annoyance, then cleared its throat. "Algebrun, please perform the introductions so that we may get started," Mumuldobran said. "We have a lot to discuss." Chapter 54 Master General Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Unknown - Balushenian "Wait... Are you saying you''re going to drink my phylactery?" the skull asked incredulously. "Obviously," I jeered at the defeated lich. The phylactery in question was a completely enclosed glass vial. Without a cork or lid to grant access to its contents, I would have to find a way to break the glass without spilling the precious blood within. Breaking it in such a way that glass got into the blood would also be inconvenient. I spun the vial between my thumb and forefinger as I pondered the problem. "I''d rather you didn''t," said the lich. "Your opinion is as noted as it is irrelevant." "That''s not just blood, vampire. It''s blood that has been thrice cursed and forcefully imbued with dark magics that have been forgotten to time. There''s no telling what will happen to you if you drink it. Best case scenario, you die and I''m stuck in here as a skull until I can find some way to regenerate." "You believe that''s the best case scenario?" "Yes, I do. To give an example of the many potential worse case scenarios, you could become a flesh-eating mutant, doomed to mindlessly wander these halls until an adventurer puts you out of your misery." "Why bother trying to talk me out of drinking this?" I asked. "It isn''t as if it''s your only phylactery. I can smell another one lurking around here somewhere." "Oh," the talking skull said. "So that''s why you haven''t killed me." "Yes. Now answer my question." "I care because I do not know what will happen. I have a deep-seated hatred of surprises." "Seems more like a fear." The skull paused, considering its next words. "The two are intrinsically linked." "Regardless, this is what I came here to do," I said as I set the skull down on the throne and licked the end of the vial. "Please, we can probably..." The lich trailed off as it was drowned out by the shrill whine of my claw scoring the glass. Once I had completed the score, I gently squeezed the vial until I heard cracking noises. I repeated this process until the cracking had ceased, then I flicked the end of the vial, sending it flying and leaving me with a freshly opened phylactery. "We can find another way to do whatever it is you''re trying to do," the lich pleaded, panic edging into its voice. "You don''t have to do this." "Calm down," I replied with a smirk. "Everything will be fine. "No, it won''t. You''re about to make a terrible..." The skull''s semi-ethereal voice seemed to fade away as the overbearing smell of magically-enriched blood made its way to my nostrils. The coppery smell that I was more familiar with had always been infatuating to a degree, but this was far more than that. It felt as if it were demanding that I drink it. My fangs involuntarily grew, forcing my mouth open. In the back of my mind, I knew what was happening. The being in my dreams had told me of whispers and their effects. Despite this knowledge, my hand moved toward my mouth of its own volition and I lacked any desire to stop it. A single drop of the blood touched my tongue, and shockwaves of pure pleasure spread throughout my body. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. Better than the most delicious dessert, better than a gentle massage after a long exercise, better even than making love. I shuddered in ecstasy before draining the phylactery in one gulp. For the briefest of moments, I had found bliss. Every ache and pain was gone, replaced by a kind and loving warmth that embraced every last corner of my body. Then the pleasure turned to an equal and opposite measure of pain. It felt as if all of my muscles and tendons were trying to move in opposite directions, fighting each other in the process. My bones began to crack as if they were breaking, and I heard a scream as I was forced into doubling over. I briefly became aware of the fact that the screaming was coming from my own mouth before I fell to the ground. My head smashed against the smooth tiles, and I was suddenly free from the pain, floating in a void that was rapidly becoming familiar. ''Finally,'' the raspy voice said. ''I was beginning to think that you had somehow missed what you needed to do.'' "Wha-" I ran out of breath and silently cursed myself for even trying at this point. ''What happened?'' ''You drank the lich''s phylactery, just as you were meant to. Now you will have power.'' ''I remember pain. So much pain. Too much pain to survive.'' ''I''m jealous. The ability to feel must be so wonderful and horrible. Interesting, to say the least.'' ''But... Why did it hurt so much?'' ''Power can only be gained through pain, either your own or someone else''s. In this case, your pain was necessary. Your body is reconfiguring itself, which is exactly as pleasant as it sounds.'' ''What is it reconfiguring into?'' ''Is that a hint of vanity I hear in your voice?'' it laughed. ''Are you worried for your physical appearance? No need. You will retain your appearance, though your musculature will be mildly larger than it was before. The reconfiguration mostly impacts your internal organs. And fangs, of course.'' The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ''That doesn''t answer my question.'' ''It''s less fun if I have to give you the answers to everything,'' the being sighed. ''Fine, I will spoil the surprise. You are becoming a being that this world has not seen since before the cataclysm wars. A Master Vampire.'' Its answer left me speechless. It is common knowledge that vampires become more powerful as time passes, growing in strength, speed, magical prowess, and even intelligence. However, this growth is as dramatic as it is mysterious, and does not occur in brood or half-breeds. As such, I had dismissed the knowledge as quickly as I had been forced to learn it. All of it came flooding back, though, as I struggled to cope with what I had just been told. Master Vampires are the penultimate form of vampire ascendancy. They are faster, stronger, and capable of much more devastating magical feats than any other vampire. Some vampires spend their entire unlives trying to discover how to become a master. Unfortunately, no vampire wants another vampire to become a master. Masters can use their powers of suggestions on lesser vampires, forcing their intentions upon them as if they were mere fledglings or brood. As a result, all of the research into how to become a Master was as jealously guarded as it was fruitless. There''s nothing more terrifying to a vampire than to have all of their plans and schemes laid low by a Master Vampire who has need of them. Of course, these hypnotic powers have limits. I don''t know specifically what those limits are, but there were at least ten masters in the ages before the cataclysm wars. Four of them fell to mortal armies, two of them fell to other Masters, and the rest fell to betrayal. This includes the founder of the Night Kingdom, who was usurped. ''A Master Vampire?'' I finally asked. ''And what am I to do with this... gift?'' ''Your only obligation to me is to do what comes natural to you. It will take you some time to get used to your new body, though, and bear in mind that consuming blood is no longer optional. You need less of it than a standard vampire does, but you will perish if you do not feed.'' ''I don''t suppose you can tell me where I can find blood?'' ''It is within my capabilities, yes. There is a town relatively nearby, to the southeast of the entrance to the dungeon. There is a hidden tunnel that leads to an abandoned manor within the town. The locals believe this manor is haunted, and most avoid it if they can.'' ''Won''t a drow stand out in a dwarven town?'' ''The town is racially mixed, but yes, a drow will stand out. That won''t be a problem.'' ''Why not?'' ''I cannot say. I''m already toeing the line regarding what I can tell you.'' ''I understand. I''ll find the hidden tunnel. Can you tell me more about my abilities?'' ''Not in detail. Suffice it to say that you''re in for a surprise after your first meal.'' The entity began to laugh, and before I could ask it to clarify, my eyes snapped open. I took in a breath, and noticed smells that I hadn''t noticed before. Even the smells that I had noticed before smelled more defined and pungent. My ears were ringing, and I tried to put my hand to my forehead to soothe the ache behind my eyes. Instinctively, my head tilted to the right as my right hand sailed past it and smashed into the floor, cracking the stone tiles. I stared at the broken tiles in shock for a few moments before I realized the ringing in my ears had turned to buzzing. Buzzing that sounded suspiciously like someone attempting to communicate with me. I closed my eyes, shook my head, and swallowed to clear my ears of pressure. "Do you still have your wits about you, vampire?" asked the lich. "Or have you been driven to madness by the potency of my blood?" "Do not worry for me, lich. I am cognizant of my surroundings," I said with a grin that demonstrated my new fangs. "Gods, your fangs! What in the hells happened to you?" I licked my teeth, inadvertently shredding my tongue in the process. I quickly closed my mouth to hide this blunder. I pretended to clear my throat as I waited for my tongue to heal enough to reply. "For centuries, perhaps millennia, vampires have been wishing to do what I''ve just done. Yet, for all their studies and efforts, a half-breed has accomplished it first," I said with a laugh. "I have ascended." "Ascended? What do you..." the lich trailed off for a moment. "Oh, I see. You''re a Master Vampire now." "Correct. And now, I must seek a source of nutrition. Where is the secret tunnel to the city nearby?" "I''m not helping you until you kill me." I stared into the eyeless skull, and felt it staring back at me. We continued this contest of gazes in silence for a few moments before I sighed and shrugged. "So be it, I''ll find it myself," I said, rising from the ground to study the walls. "You''re going to leave me here, then?" "What better place for you than your throne?" "This isn''t my throne." "Then whose..." I trailed off as I found a disguised switch. "No, it doesn''t matter. I have more important matters to attend to." I pressed the switch and a door hidden within the wall silently slid open. I looked back toward the lich with a cruel grin. "Farewell, lich. Fret not, I''ll return soon." "I hope not." I laughed and entered the hidden passage. I found another switch inside which closed the hidden door behind me. This passage led to another room, filled with odds and ends that indicated that it was a mixture of an apothecary and library, both of which had seen extensive use fairly recently. I explored this area, finding several rooms in various states of disrepair. I found a kitchen, a room with several destroyed beds, an armory full of rusty equipment, empty jail cells, a dining hall with rotted furniture, a surgical suite, and an abandoned altar to a long forgotten malignant entity. Finally, I came across the tunnel that my own malignant entity had spoken of. As I traveled this tunnel, I realized that it opened up many possibilities for me. Instead of leaving the corpses where they lay, I could bring them back with me and create my own vampire horde. I could even purchase the manor at the end of this passage, becoming a well-respected member of the town. Before long, I could take control of the town and raise an actual army. With this army, I could attack the Night Kingdom with no need of plots or secrecy. Then the vampires that manage to survive King Lofin''s purge would be forced to bow to my will. I would be able to to expand our borders, using the drow as fodder for brood. It was with these pleasant thoughts in mind that I came to the end of the tunnel. I found another switch, opening another secret door and allowing me access to the manor. It was decrepit. I had entered into the foyer, and great marble columns covered in mold and moss greeted me. The two larger columns held the ceiling, and four smaller ones held up the staircase, the center of which had collapsed. The giant windows surrounding the doors had all been broken and boarded up. The tile flooring was partly covered by a rug that must have cost a lifetime''s worth of earnings, but was now as worthless as the detritus covering it. Even through all the wear and tear of time I could see how splendid this place had once been. I found myself a little jealous, for my own manor could hardly compare. I wondered what had caused this town''s populace to find it so loathsome, but my theorizing was interrupted by a very welcome scent. Prey. I quickly and quietly tracked the scent, and found someone sleeping in what had been the dining room. An obviously homeless elf was resting on a table which had lost its legs. The smell of his day to day life was repugnant, but thankfully it was overwhelmed by the scent of his lifeblood. Happy to find my first meal, and potentially my first lackey, I bit into him with such speed that he didn''t even have time to wake before his blood was gushing into my waiting maw. I greedily gulped it down in record time, feeling the warmth flood through me. Even after his heart stopped, I drank until there was no blood remaining. I dropped the elf and instinctively felt a change occur within me. My current physical form malleable. It can change, bend, morph into something else. Someone else, even. I can grow taller or shorter, fatter or thinner, darker or lighter. While the process of changing is magical, the change itself is physical in nature and cannot be detected via magical means. Shapeshifting, a skill that many of the fair folk use to wreak mischief and mayhem among mortals. The knowledge of this ability and its endless possibilities swarmed my mind even as my newest victim looked up at me. His newly acquired fangs were on full show within a childish grin. I stood, and he moved into a kneeling position, still looking up at me with the same expression. "Are you ready to serve me?" I asked. "Yes... Master." Chapter 55 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human - American Algebrun went around introducing everyone. Basinoth, king of blood fae, wore the same armor as the blood fae that Algebrun had summoned earlier, but was much taller and had a meaner looking face. His chiseled jaw and low-set brow made it look as if he was permanently scowling. Horth, king of bone fae, had nearly identical facial features but both his skin and armor were an off-putting pale yellow-white color. It took a second for me to realize that it was the same color as sun-bleached bone, which makes sense since he''s the king of bone fae, I guess. Mumuldobran didn''t look like I had expected at all. His chin was rounded and his brow was high, giving him an almost child-like face. The pudgy cheeks and belly enhanced this effect, but his eyes were as serious as a heart attack. He stood shorter than most of the fae, only surpassing Tits'' height by an inch or two, but he somehow exuded a commanding presence. I wondered how Algebrun and Tits were able to muster up the courage to piss him off. Mumuldobran and Algebrun were wearing the same outfit. Pants and shirts that looked as if they were made of leaves, with intricate stitching that formed odd patterns that kind of hurt to look at. Tits'' outfit was similar, but her shirt was cut low enough that I realized she didn''t have a navel. I also noticed that the patterns on her clothing forced my eyes toward her substantial cleavage. I sighed internally as I endeavored to look away from her as much as possible. Yilf, king of the flower fairies, looked exactly as I imagined a flower fairy would look. He stood at about eight inches tall and his facial features were soft and kind. His most striking attribute was his wings, which were every color that I could think of, in a pattern that reminded me of my mom''s flower-garden. He was wearing what could only be described as a onesie made of flowers, and when Algebrun introduced him, he held out a hand to me. "What are you doing?" Horth asked. "Mortals like to touch things, and one of their favored greetings is a handshake," Yilf explained. I gently took his hand, and was shocked by how cold it was. Then I was surprised by strength of his grip and shake. We shook for nearly forty seconds before Algebrun interceded. "I''m fairly certain that''s too long of a handshake, Yilf," he said. "Really?" Yilf asked. "It''s a very pleasant sensation, though. Such a warm hand, with a nice and firm grip as well. I could shake it all day." "We do have other matters to attend to," Mumuldobran sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Oh, yes, my apologies." Yilf released my hand and smiled at me. I nervously returned his smile, and then realized that I had been internally referring to these creatures as male and female. With Tits and the other fae, it was an easy mistake to make. They were practically caricatures of their displayed genders. Yilf, though, was much more androgynous, and this had made me realize my mistake. A few of my friends back home struggled to define themselves with gender, and would probably do much better than I can in this situation. Some of my other friends would do much worse though. Before I could start wondering how all of them were doing, I refocused on the situation at hand and endeavored to avoid referring to the fair folk using gendered pronouns at all cost. "Now that we are acquainted, let''s get started," Mumuldobran said, gesturing to the chairs and tables. The seating rearranged to form a semi-circle facing five seats with matching tables. Algebrun looked at me and gestured to the center seat. I sat, and Yulk took the seat to my left. Algebrun sat next to Yulk, and both Tits and Nash tried to sit to my immediate right. "No, no," Tits winked at him and pointed to the other chair. "You sit there, I''LL sit here." "But..." Nash said, trailing off and looking to Algebrun for help. "Honestly," Algebrun shook his head. "Nash, you should let them take that spot. We should just be grateful that they''re sitting in a chair and not on Nick''s lap." "Now there''s an idea!" Tits said with a wide smile. "No," I stated emphatically. "Aw, c''mon Nick, don''t be like that. Uncross your arms and lean back so I can..." Mumuldobran slammed a fist on the table in front of him, "Sit in the thrice damned chair! Now!" Tits shot the king of the arch-fae a venomous glare, but did as she was told. The two arch-fae held eyes for a few moments before Mumuldobran turned his attention to me. "Now then," Mumuldobran said. "Nicodemus Liam Smith, I understand that you provided a name to both Algebrun and... Tits... and immediately afterward they were transformed into arch-fae. I also understand that you are a touched. Please elaborate on your interaction with the being you spoke with in the void." "Mumuldobran, I feel that''s unnecessary," Algebrun interrupted. "I''ve already told you all about that interaction." "Yes, yes Algebrun, you saw his memories when your blood mingled. However, when viewing memories in such a way, the view is crystal clear. A perfected recollection, if you will. One''s perceptions of one''s memories are often different from the memories themselves, though. Nearly always, in fact. The higher ones are far trickier than even we, and it would be a simple matter for them to alter one''s perception to grant different information than what actually occurred." "Huh?" Horth and Basinoth asked simultaneously, then shared an angry glance with one another. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Mumuldobran sighed, "To put it simply, with a little help from the higher one, Nick may have gleaned something from the memory that Algebrun wouldn''t have been able to." All eyes turned to me, and my mouth went dry. What if what I tell them is wrong? What if they aren''t able to get the answers they need? I can practically feel how powerful they are, what will I do if they get mad at what I say? "I... um... We were attacked by bandits and I cast healing on a friend of ours who was injured. I ended up using all of my magic and lost consciousness," I explained. "It was dark, then it was bright, and I was suddenly naked. Then there was Cass, except she wasn''t really Cass." "Irrelevant details," Mumuldobran interrupted. "What did the higher one say to you? I assume it told you to do something." "Yes, uh... it told me that I was about to go down the wrong path and I needed to see King Yssinirath because some stupid mer were about to do some stupid things. It also told me not to tell anyone." "Great, now that you''ve chastised him about irrelevant details, he left out some of the relevant ones," Yilf said, sticking its tongue out at Mumuldobran. "Nick, we''d like your interpretation of these events as they happened. Start from when you met the higher one." "Okay. We were both nude, and I thought she was in disguise. But she... or it, I guess... it said that my brain was trying to make sense of where we were and that it was interesting that I saw it as my girlfriend," I explained. "It told me that my brothers and I wouldn''t know what to do when we got to Bolisir, and that we needed to see King Yssinirath or it would take years for me to figure out how to get home because some stupid mer were about to do some stupid things. It... uh... It also called Yulk cute." "Not an inaccurate description," Yilf laughed. "Go on." "It said that it''s rooting for me, and that the reason it didn''t tell me exactly what I should do to get home is because of a pact. Then its appearance changed and I could see bright red chains binding it. I asked it if I should tell anyone about it, and it said no because it would lead to violence and bloodshed. I asked why it was approaching me, and it explained that it really wanted to and threatened to throw a temper tantrum if it wasn''t picked. Then it told me to train, and I woke up." "Yeah, that sounds like a higher one to me," Horth said bitterly. "The details that the human remembers tell a story," Mumuldobran said. "Nick saw the higher being as someone close to it, which-" "Him," Yith interrupted. "Nick is a male." "Oh, I really don''t give a shit," Mumuldobran snarled. "When it comes to speaking, one should do it right or not at all, arch-fae king," Basinoth said. "FINE! HE saw the higher being as someone close to HIM. HAPPY?" "There you go," Yith grinned. "Good job! Keep it up!" Mumuldobran muttered something that sounded obscene before recomposing himself. "Nick saw the higher being as someone close to him," he continued with an annoyed glance at Yith. "Which could indicate that the higher being IS close to him. It could be acting as a protector or guide, the latter of which is somewhat more likely given the rest of their interaction. This higher being set Nick on a path that would lead to the awakening of the High Dragon, King of Elves, who happens to be one of our oldest allies. Then the higher one told him that telling anyone would lead to bloodshed." Once Mumuldobran said bloodshed, all of the gathered fair folk''s expressions dampened. Even Tits, who had been staring at the side of my face, turned to look at the king of arch-fae. "You don''t think..."Basinoth trailed off. "I do think. Frequently, in fact. It''s fun, you should try it," Mumuldobran grinned. "Fuck you." "Maybe later. What''s more concerning is that Nick clearly recalls the higher one saying that some stupid mer will do some stupid things, and indicating that he needed to see King Yssinirath because of this. This was Nick''s knee-jerk recollection when I pressured him earlier." "I''m starting to dislike where this analysis is going," Horth said. "It gets worse. We know now that this higher one enjoys interacting with our world, and is currently under a pact, likely one of limited interaction. Which means that a highest one is involved. Maybe even THE highest one." "May I ask some questions?" I interrupted. Mumuldobran gave me the same annoyed look that it gave Yith earlier, but nodded. "What is a highest one, and why is bloodshed relevant?" "Beings that are far more powerful than the higher ones and had a hand in the creation of the universe," Algebrun explained. "They do not interact with anything except for the higher ones, and mortals rarely even come to the realization that they exist. Mortals call the higher ones gods, but the highest ones are better described as such." "And the reason that bloodshed is relevant is because fair folk don''t bleed," Mumuldobran added. "The higher one you spoke to would have known of this hearing. It would have known that your options would be to tell us the truth or try to avoid telling us anything, and subtly informed you of the consequences of either choice. We also have a vague warning of stupid mer doing stupid things, a previously incapacitated ally suddenly awakened by the same one bearing this warning, two mysteriously created arch-fae, and a higher one under a pact of limited interaction." "Which means that all of the higher ones are likely under a similar pact," Yith said with a slight frown. "I think we now know where Algebrun and Tits came from. One of the higher ones promoted them, but couldn''t tell us that they did so." "More importantly, we''re going to be attacked soon," Horth grinned. "And it must be a serious attack if it wouldn''t lead to bloodshed with us left unwarned." "We get to add to our collections," Basinoth returned Horth''s grin. "Nick, Nash, Yulk, we are done here and you may continue upon your journey," Mumuldobran said while he rose from his seat. "Oh, and thank you for your time. You now have permission to wander these lands with up to three companions each, unmolested by the arch-fae and the fae they oversee." "And the blood fae," Basinoth added. "And the bone fae," Horth nodded. "I can make no promises regarding any of the fairies," Yith shrugged and smiled. "Thankfully, we''re mostly a friendly sort." "Wait, can''t we help in some way?" I asked. "You already have," Algebrun said. "You have made a choice that has allowed us to prepare for the upcoming attack." "Algebrun''s correct," Mumuldobran interjected. "Plus, you have things to do and we don''t know when this attack is going to occur. It could be days from now or years from now, such is the nature of the higher ones." Nash and Yulk rose from their seats, and I followed suit. Yulk put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. I looked up at him, and he gave me a small smile. "Let''s go, Nick," he said. "Don''t worry, they''ll be okay without us." "Yeah, the king of blood fae fought our dad and didn''t die," Nash grinned. "They''re plenty strong." I let out a small sigh, unable to shake the worry that something bad might happen to Algebrun and Tits. Then I looked around at the assembled fair folk and realized that a fight alongside them would probably be out of my league anyway. I nodded slowly. "Yeah," I said. "You''re pro-" "I want to go with Nick," Tits interrupted. "He could likely use my help on his journey, and my aid would be more beneficial to him than it would be to the Deepwyld Forest. Plus, I haven''t seduced him yet." The clearing went silent as everyone turned to look at Tits in disbelief. A few seconds passed before Mumuldobran cleared its throat. "You have no idea how much I''d like to say yes to that request and be free of your annoyance for a time," the king of arch-fae said. "However, I am getting a very powerful urge to say no and cannot pinpoint the source of said urge..." "A whisper," Tits said sadly. "I see. Well, sorry Nick, looks like I''m needed here, and can''t go with you after all." "Huh?" I managed to reply. "Go now, lovely little object of my adoration," she whispered, stepping closer and putting her finger against my lips. "Before I change my mind." The warmth of her finger barely registered in my mind as I stared deeply into her eyes and saw how serious she was. We stood there for a moment while I thought about what to do. A smile began to creep over her face. I could almost see her mind changing, which made up my mind about what to do. I turned, and ran back the way we came as fast as I could. Chapter 56 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 9 Orc - Nulevan Yulk and I watched in alarmed disbelief as Nick sprinted off into the forest. His sudden departure left me in a bind. I couldn''t go after him because that would involve leaving Yulk behind, who would not be able to keep pace with us due to his back. My concern for Nick waned a bit when I remembered what the fair folk had said regarding our ability to travel their territory, though. They won''t mess with him, and he''s strong enough to be able to hold his own against most of the monsters and animals around these parts. He''s apparently fast enough to outrun the ones he can''t, too. Though whether or not he''s smart enough to make that decision is another matter entirely. I shrugged and turned back to Tits and Algebrun. "Well, I guess it''s time for us to get going," I said. "Indeed it is," Algebrun smiled warmly. "See you later." "Later." Yulk and I waved as we left the clearing, following Nick''s hastily made path. We had to watch our step because of the undergrowth that littered the ground. How the boy managed to sprint through this without breaking his neck is a wonder. Despite the distractions of the undergrowth and my desire to yell at Nick, I found my mind wandering back to what Algebrun had said. It wasn''t an uncommon way to say goodbye, but it struck me as odd that it came from a fae. Was it truly a farewell, or was it intended to be a premonition? "Hey, Yulk. What do you suppose Algebrun meant?" I asked. "When it said ''see you later'', I mean." "I very much doubt it was utilizing the colloquialism," Yulk chuckled. "The real question is, when will it see us later and under what circumstances?" "That''s two questions," I said. "No it isn''t." "Yeah it is." "No, by adding the ''and'' I chained the thoughts together to form one coherent question. If I were able to write it down, you would see..." "Trying to use your advantage of being able to read, eh?" I said, unable to hide my grin. "That''s how I know I''m right." "Oh, I see. You''re playing the fool," Yulk returned my grin. "You know, it''s quite the convincing act. So convincing, in fact, that I''m not entirely convinced that it is an act." I laughed at the insult and we continued walking through the forest. Eventually, the trees and undergrowth thinned out, making things much easier on Yulk. "Come to think of it, Algebrun didn''t specify that we would see each other," I said. "That''s true," he replied. "Perhaps they were hinting at a plan to keep us under surveillance." "Could be," I nodded as we left the woods and began following the road. "Tits all but confirmed your theory that they aren''t bound to the forest." "Indeed, it''s unlikely that she would mistakenly believe she could accompany Nick on our journey. Regardless, I doubt we have anything to fear from arch-fae surveillance." "I guess you''re right. Oh, look," I pointed to the cart. "Algebrun''s spell is gone." Imlor, Olmira, and Nick were chatting as they waited for us. The conversation grew silent as we approached, and Nick''s eyes glued themselves to the ground. He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "Um..." he began. "I-" "Don''t you fucking ''um'' me," I angrily interrupted. "The hell did you run off for? It''s not like we could keep up, what with Yulk''s back! Were you so embarrassed by the attention of Tits that you lost your reason?" "That''s a hell of a sentence," Imlor chuckled. My glare shifted to the gnome, and he lifted his hands in apology. I turned my attention back to Nick, who was still staring at the dirt as if it were going to do a trick. "I just... Look, I was scared," he explained. "Cass means everything to me, and I haven''t... I haven''t had anyone else show interest so... aggressively." I opened my mouth to chastise him further, but Yulk snorted. "That''s just cute," he said quietly. "Cute?" I asked, less quietly. "Nash, relax. I''m the injured party here, and you''re much angrier than I am. While I appreciate your concern, you would do well to remember that he''s not that far removed from childhood." "We don''t just abandon each other, brother. Even children know that." "It isn''t as if we were left surrounded by monsters or-" "That''s debatable. The fair folk don''t see things the same way that we do. Acts we see as monstrous, they see as mundane entertainment." "Regardless, we were and are safe. And Nick has not demonstrated the kind of personality that would have left us if we hadn''t been," Yulk said sternly, clapping his hands to indicate the conversation was over. "Now, let''s get going. We''ve got a lot of ground to cover." I gave Nick one last glare, and we all loaded back into the cart and continued our journey. Things were a tense at first, but eventually the atmosphere eased up. We settled into a pattern of sleeping, eating, driving, training, eating, driving, and sleeping. For the first day or two, I took out my anger with Nick in our training sessions. Once my anger was abated, I eased up on the boy, allowing me to notice that he had actually made a lot of progress. On the fourth day, his training sword managed to find my neck, and he expertly held it there without harming me. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "Good," I said, pushing the sword away. "Your footwork is a little sloppy, but you''re finally starting to understand the basics of swordsmanship." "Awesome," Nick replied, collapsing to the ground and panting. "What comes after the basics?" "Expert drills, which are much more difficult and dangerous. There are many different ways to wield a sword, and each sword and wielder has their own strengths and weaknesses within each form," I explained while gathering up his sword. "The wielder must be made aware of these strengths and weaknesses and memorize them. I''ll be able to take you through the first few drills, but then we''ll have to find a sword-master." "Really? Why?" "Because expert drills are done with real swords, and I am a generalist in the art of bladed weaponry. If I try to lead you through specialist training, it''s likely to end in injury. The bad kind of injury." "I can heal us," he said with a grin. "Not without your head," I said without expression. "One slash in the wrong direction, and it''s all over." Nick''s grin faded as the realization of how dangerous this training could be dawned on him. Before I could hammer the point further, the sound of hoof-beats caught my ears. Nick heard them too, and we both walked to the road to see who was coming. Two hnarses carrying orcs wearing the messenger uniforms of Kirkena rode toward us. Both hnarses also carried large sacks, which were no doubt full to the brim with mail. I waved a greeting, and to my surprise they stopped to speak with us. "Ho there," one of the messengers greeted us. "Are you the ones that High Chief Ulurmak sent to Bolisir?" "Of course they are," the other said pointing to Nick. "That''s the human." "We are indeed. What business have we?" I asked. "I''m Frilk, this is Poma," the first orc said. "You wouldn''t happen to be trailed by an army, would you?" "No, they left before we did." "Damn it," Poma said. "The High Chief was hoping we''d be able to intercept them." "Why''s that?" "The invasion has been thwarted. Their reinforcement is no longer necessary." "Really? Already?" "Oh yes," Frilk said with a grin. "And it''s quite the tale too. Get this, our boys tamed a Nahalim and used it to break through the drow''s defenses." My eyes widened and I let out a low whistle. "That''s not all," Poma added. "Turns out the leader of the invasion force was a half-vampire drow. The sick fuck was using his own sister as a blood-bank." "Well, that''s going to be a black eye for Lofin," Yulk said as he approached. "Damn right, and the bastard deserves it, too," Frilk spit. "So there''s no point in us carrying on in this direction because the elven army isn''t behind you, right?" "Correct. I would assume that they took the adventurer path," Yulk said. "But... that path is impassable." "Landslide, yes?" "Yes." "Then they''ll likely be able to clear the obstacle using their army," Yulk smiled. "The United Chiefdoms probably won''t even have to foot the bill. High Chief Ulurmak will be pleased with that, at least." "I doubt the elven general will be, though. Much less the Regent." "Oh, we don''t have to worry about the Regent anymore." "What do you mean?" "King Yssinirath, the High Dragon, has awakened," Yulk''s smile turned into a grin. "He''s retaken his place as ruler of Bolisir." The two messengers sat upon their hnarses with mouths agape. Their flummoxed expressions were well-founded, this news would have interesting effects throughout the chiefdoms. Maybe even the entire continent. "Well... I think High Chief Ulurmak would want to hear about that," Frilk said. "You want to go tell him, or should I?" "Why not both of us?" Poma asked. "One of us has to backtrack down the adventurer path and intercept Bolisir''s army." "Damn, it would be nice to get off the road for a bit, but I don''t have any idea how the High Chief''s gonna react to the news about the dragon," Poma rubbed his chin. "I''ll find the army. You go tell the High Chief." "Sounds like a plan," Frilk said, turning back to us. "Alright, we''re off. Have a good journey." "You too," I nodded. The pair of messengers turned their hnarses around and began traveling back the way they came. "You know, it didn''t actually occur to me that High Chief Ulurmak might be angry that King Yssinirath has awakened," Yulk said. "When we report, do you think we should leave out how he was awakened?" Nick asked. "No," I answered. "The High Chief may be angry with you, but you''re a member of the Alta family. You''ll be safe from his wrath. Plus, he''d be even angrier if he were to found out we omitted the truth." "Indeed, best to get it over and done with as soon as we can," Yulk nodded. "We should tell him about the entity that visited your dreams, as well. He might have some information to share with us." "Really? How?" Nick asked. "He''s royalty. A legitimate member of the orcish royal line, one of the few remaining royal families. That doesn''t just come with power, it comes with knowledge and secrets. It''s entirely possible that he doesn''t know anything about gods or higher beings, but it shouldn''t hurt to ask." "But what if he''s one of the mer about to do a stupid thing?" "Did he strike you as particularly stupid?" I asked. "No..." Nick paused. "But you don''t have to be stupid to do stupid things." "True, but the higher one in your dream said stupid mer doing stupid things. Since Ulurmak isn''t a stupid mer, I don''t think we have to worry." "Yeah, but-" "We have plenty of time to think about this," Yulk interrupted. "We should get back on the road." After a moment of hesitation, Nick and I nodded our agreement and the three of us packed our stuff back onto the cart. Olmira and Imlor were already waiting for us, and once we loaded up we started moving again. Olmira had been uncomfortably quiet since our encounter with the fae, and I decided to try to ease this discomfort by breaking the silence. "So..." I began. "Olmira... You''re not actually Olmira? Or... like, how does that work?" "That''s the most awkward question I''ve ever heard," she laughed. "Yes and no. I have all of the memories of Olmira, and all of the memories of the fae that I was before becoming an undead. Well, maybe not all of them. It''s been a long time, and I''ve forgotten a lot." "So you''re like two people merged into one?" Nick asked. "Kind of. It is somewhat difficult to explain. Technically, I am no longer Olmira. But I think like Olmira and feel like Olmira. It kind of feels like the fae memories were just something I picked up along the way." "Why didn''t you tell me of this?" Yulk asked with a carefully neutral tone. "I am sorry, Yulk. It never really came up, and let''s face it, your ideas about vampires and the undead were much more logical than the truth of the matter. Plus, I wasn''t entirely convinced the memories were real in the first place. I do remember a situation exactly as the fae described while I was being turned, but it was as if it were buried within my subconscious. I genuinely don''t believe I would have been able to properly eloquate the thought before our encounter with the fair folk," Olmira said, then sighed. "Those are just excuses, though. Truthfully, I was afraid of what you might think." "What do you mean?" "Well, you might have conflated me with the fae that I apparently used to be and seen me as a monster. Or worse, you may have had questions that I had no answer to and believed me to be a fool. Either way, it would have been difficult to maintain our relationship as student and teacher." Nick, Imlor, and I sat uncomfortably as the air thickened with awkward emotion. Every second that Yulk spent formulating his response felt like an eternity. "You have mistaken me," Yulk said softly. "I do not judge others on the actions they took eras ago, nor do I conflate ignorance with foolishness. It would be a lie to say that I wouldn''t have seen you in a different light, but I would have proudly continued to benefit from your instruction." "I-I see... It would appear that my reasons for the secret were more wounding than the secret itself. Once again, I apologize." "It''s forgiven," he smiled. "I don''t expect you... What?" "I said, it''s forgiven. There''s no point in dwelling over it, especially since you''re remorseful. Friends keep secrets from each other all the time, and this is likely one of the least harmful of those secrets. I probably have a secret or two as well, though none come to mind." "So... What, that''s it?" Olmira asked incredulously. "You don''t see me any differently?" "Of course I do," Yulk laughed. "Apparently, you''re much more knowledgeable than I had previously believed, which means you still have much more to teach me. It never even occurred to me that you may be a fount of information regarding the fae. Obviously, I''d quite like to maintain our relationship as student and teacher, as well as our friendship." "Oh... I... Of course." The air cleared as the pair smiled at each other, and we continued our journey to Kirkena. Chapter 57 High Chief Ulurmak Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Kirkenian I signaled for Rayzun to leave as the two dwarves settled into their seats. Liath was working very hard to avoid making eye contact with me. The dwarf he accompanied did not have any such issues, and was actively trying to stare me down. "Really?" I sighed. "I appreciate your support, emperor, but what possessed you to personally accompany your forces?" Emperor Jak crossed his arms angrily and raised an eyebrow. "As if you don''t know," he replied curtly. "While I understand that you vehemently support us against the Night Kingdom, you could have simply sent a general in your stead." "Lofin and the thugs he calls soldiers are of little concern to me. I am here about the damn mine." I stared at Jak with a neutral expression, my brain trying to process the levels of pettiness I was currently witnessing. I turned my gaze to Liath for an explanation, but he was busy shrinking in his seat. An easy feat, for a dwarf, but he was trying to make it look difficult. "You came all this way, braving the perils and discomforts of the roads, for a thrice-damned MINE?" I asked, trying my best not to shout. "You''re damn right I did!" Jak exclaimed, trying less hard than I to keep his voice down. "I sent messenger after messenger, missive after missive, and all I got back were rejections with empty platitudes! Or worse, silence! Finally, I spend an entire DAY dictating a missive, and I get your response back in the form of a fucking SPY WITH A NOTE?" Liath somehow shrank further in response to Emperor Jak''s rage, but I had to struggle not to smile. The anger that he was currently feeling had been precisely my intention. However, it had not occurred to me that he would travel such a distance to express said anger. A small part of me was actually impressed. "My attention was required elsewhere," I explained. "What with the war and all." "So, naturally, you sent an information broker with a scrap of paper with a few scribbles on it," Jak snorted. "Diplomacy seems to have changed a bit since my youth." "I sent my good friend Liath, who happens to be quite diplomatic, to verbally plead my case for a compromise regarding the mine." Liath perked up a bit when he heard me call him a friend, but Jak''s eyes narrowed dangerously. Before he could speak, I accusingly pointed a finger at him. "Did you even let him tell you about the compromise?" I asked angrily. "O-of course not!" Jak said defensively. "The note said enough! You want to hire some of my people as trainers for your own miners and maintain complete possession of the mine. What could he have possibly added to that?" "He could have explained the benefits. He could have granted you some perspective on the issue. He could have explained why I''m unwilling to entertain the idea of allowing YOUR miners into MY country to plunder MY resources, while you give me the scraps." "The land that mine is on used to be OURS. I think my offer is preferable to the alternative of taking it back." "Trying to take it back, you mean," I snarled. "And that is a very selective recollection of the history of that land. How did it come into the possession of your empire?" "It was fairly conquered by Emperor Rofniik," Jak sneered. "Emperor Rofniik launched a sneak attack against us, and proceeded to slaughter everyone living there. The very opposite of fair, in fact. However, he also only held the land for eight years before we routed his invasion and executed him, ending his bloodline and allowing yours to take control of the empire. So yes, the land was conquered from us, but we conquered it right back. What right do you claim to this land that isn''t immediately canceled out by the very same logic you''re using to claim the right?" Emperor Jak grew silent and contemplative. Absolute power leads to being surrounded by those who feel compelled to feed into one''s delusions. Having those delusions ripped to shreds by someone of equal standing can be a shock. To his credit, Jak took it well. "Fine. Tell me more of this compromise of yours," he said. Before I could say anything there was a knock on the door. Rayzun poked his head in and held up a piece of paper. I raised an eyebrow and beckoned him to enter. "Apologies for the interruption your majesties, but it''s urgent," Rayzun said as he handed me the paper. I dismissed Rayzun and wasted no time reading the paper, then sighed as Jak and Liath leaned forward. My scouts had failed to intercept the elven army, and on top of that... "I will gladly tell you of my proposed compromise, but it would appear that there are things we must discuss that are a tad more urgent," I said. "First, I''m sorry you and your army marched all this way, but the drow have already been defeated." If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "What?" Jak asked. "How?" "We deployed mounted mages, and in response the drow fortified the position they took up in one of our villages. Apparently, some of our soldiers captured and tamed a Nahalim, then proceeded to use it to overrun the position." "I-I see..." "Indeed. Unfortunately, I was right about the drow general being a vampire. His sister, whom he was using for sustenance, confirmed that he''s a half-breed. He escaped during the battle, heading west." "Into my territory?" "Perhaps, but he could have just as easily turned north and returned home once he lost his pursuers. I''ve sent word to King Lofin with what we''ve learned. It reeks of conspiracy, and while I''d love to see King Lofin flayed alive, having the Night Kingdom seized by vampires would be very undesirable." "Yes it would," Jak said, and then chuckled. "This means my army was essentially an honor guard escorting me to our debate about the mine. Largest honor guard every, methinks. Speaking of which... Wait, you said first..." "Indeed I did. You see, I also sent for aid from Bolisir. Once I learned of our victory, I sent messengers to you and the elves to inform you of the circumstances. The messenger I sent your way missed you, but should be reporting to your general right about now," I chuckled. "The messenger I sent to Bolisir missed their army, but ran into the messengers I had sent to request aid, who had some rather interesting information for me. King Yssinirath has awakened." Liath''s eyes went wide, and I expected a similar expression from Emperor Jak. Instead, I was met with confusion. "Who is King Yssinirath?" Jak asked. "What?" I asked incredulously. "I''ve never heard of Yssinirath. What is he king of? Why should we be concerned that he''s awakened?" "You... King Yssinirath is the high dragon that''s been sleeping in Bolisir. He''s the king of Bolisir." "Then who the fuck is Oakmor?" "A regent." "Oh, I see... I suppose that''s why he never called himself king in our correspondence. I had assumed he was being haughty and considered himself above titles." "Did he not identify himself as Regent Oakmor?" "He did, yes, but for some reason I thought that was his name... Regardless, how does this dragon''s awakening impact things?" "I''ve never met King Yssinirath and do not know his temperament. High dragons are meant to be fair and just rulers, but legends are prone to exaggeration. So... I don''t know." "Then it''s entirely possible that Bolisir just became a hostile nation." "Yes, it is a possibility," I shrugged. "I have faith in Oakmor, though." "Oakmor likes you a whole lot more than he likes me." "If you knew him well enough, you would know that''s irrelevant. He''s honorable, almost to a fault, and cares enough about his people to avoid pointless conflict." "You''ll forgive me if I don''t wholeheartedly believe you. I will continue to be wary of things to come until my fears are assuaged. The stakes involved are too high for me to take things on blind faith," Jak said solemnly. "However, hearing you say that does ease my mind a bit. And speaking of pointless conflict..." "Oh, right, the fucking mine," I groaned. "My compromise is simple. We are speaking of my land and my resources, and I don''t need your miners to get at them. However, I am willing to allow some of your more experienced miners to supervise the operation and provide training and feedback where needed in exchange for a smaller percentage of the take than you suggested." "How much smaller?" "Ninety to me, ten to you. Split by the gram, after smelting." "We might as well just fuck off then. No. Twenty five." "A quarter of the take for supervising? Pull the other one." "Supervising AND training," Jak crossed his arms. "Fine, twenty." Jak and I locked eyes and stared each other down as Liath shifted uncomfortably. Twenty''s still too much for such a limited role in the operations. It could be that he knows that and thinks that I don''t, or... "Why are you asking for so much of the take?" I finally asked. "I assume you have a reason other than trying to piss me off." "Of course I fuckin'' do," Jak sighed and shook his head. "Listen, what I''m about to tell you is a state secret. Word of this can''t leave this office." "You have my word." "Mine too, for what it''s worth," Liath said. Jak twitched a bit, seemingly having forgot that Liath was in the room. He stared at Liath for a moment, then nodded slowly. "We''re on the cusp of a coin shortage," Jack said. "How?" I asked, alarmed. "There''s a lot of factors at play. Too many precious metals are tied up in constructions, we have a skyrocketing population, and there''s people hoarding liquid assets. I''ve banned the use of gold and silver in construction, but my advisors feel that it''s likely too late to stop what''s coming." "What are the consequences of a coin shortage?" Liath asked. "Won''t people just be able to barter if they don''t have coins?" "Sure, but how do you tax that?" Jak scoffed. "Without sales tax, how do we maintain infrastructure and a military? The tax as it stands is simple and easy for people to understand, which makes them more likely to comply. The proposes barter taxes make even my head spin. If people don''t understand how to calculate the tax, how are they going to pay it? And how are they going to pay it without coin? Am I supposed to accept a quarter of a clucker?" "Plus the issue of foreign currency," I added. "If a coin shortage occurs, people who can''t barter will likely use foreign coins to pay their debts, which may drive down the value of Calkuti''s currency. Especially if those coins contain a higher concentration of precious metals." "Which will only serve to exacerbate the issue by causing inflation." "So why not just tear down the buildings made of gold?" Liath asked. "Well, for the most part that gold is privately owned. And if I start tearing down government buildings to get at the gold in them, it''s going to cause concerns among the populace. These concerns could result in bank-runs and other financial and fiscal issues that we''d all like to avoid, if possible." I leaned back in my chair and considered Emperor Jak''s position carefully. On the one hand, these economic issues could spread beyond the empire''s borders and into my own lands. On the other hand, I now have some forewarning, which could allow me to take advantage of this situation and come out on top. But that wouldn''t exactly be the neighborly thing to do. "Fine, we can do twenty five percent," I said. "But I want this remembered." "It will be. The Empire of Calkuti will happily owe the Unified Chiefdoms a favor. Have your people draft an agreement and I''ll sign it," Jak said, standing. "Now, time to return home since there''s nothing left to do here, apparently. A shame, I was looking forward to a fight." "Don''t be so hasty, friend," I said with a grin. "You may want to stay a bit longer." "Why''s that?" "Because the messengers I sent to Bolisir are very interesting. So interesting that you''ll want to meet them," my grin grew. "And they''ll be back soon." Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Yulk Alta Adventurer Level: 7 Orc - Nulevan The city guards finished his inspection and waved us through to Kirkena. Well, calling it an inspection is a bit of an overstatement. They simply glanced at our cargo and under the carts. Somehow, this made them certain we weren''t assassins, smugglers, or whoever else they''d been ordered to detain. It occurred to me that this type of security is infrequent for Kirkena, and likely a response to the conflict with the Night Kingdom. I see, the reason that the guards didn''t detain us or perform a more thorough inspection is likely because we aren''t drow. I wonder how long the line would have been if we had been at war with Bolisir or the Empire of Calkuti. One of the blatantly newer guards had done a double take when he saw Nick, but thankfully a veteran guard was on duty and was able to put two and two together. Nick''s presence could have been another reason we weren''t more thoroughly inspected, there''s a decent chance they''ve been told of him and what he''s doing for High Chief Ulurmak. There''s not a guard alive who would risk angering the High Chief. "Almost there," Imlor said cheerily. "Awesome," Nick sighed in relief. "I could use a shower. The inn has me spoiled." "Not sure the inn is to blame for that," Nash chuckled. Olmira and I smiled, remaining silent. Neither of us had been overly social since our emotionally charged conversation days prior. The discussion had ended on a happy note, and it would seem that we are afraid of souring things. The both of us are notoriously terrible at tip-toeing around emotions that we don''t quite understand. There could be another reason for our awkward silences, though. I meant every word that I had said during the conversation, of course, but I had conveniently left out how hurt I felt that she hadn''t confided in me. Over her years of tutelage, we had become each others confidants. I told her of my deepest, darkest secrets and in exchange she had told me many secrets that were much more embarrassing and compromising than the fact that she was a fair folk reborn as a vampire. So why did she feel the need to hide her true origin from me? Unfortunately, I could not think of any reasons that were particularly flattering for either of us. No matter, I''ve endeavored to forgive the matter. It is difficult to cope with these feelings, but as with any other challenge, I''ll manage. The cart continued through the city while Nash and Nick debated what we should do after seeing Ulurmak. "We shouldn''t get back on the road right away," Nash said sternly. "Need at least a week to do all the relevant research." "Research? What research?" Nick demanded. "All we need is a day or two to replenish our supplies and find transportation, then we go. It''s not as if we''re going on an expedition into the wastes or anything." "Oh? And you know what to expect when we get to Calkuti, do you? Then tell me, are there tolls or security concerns that we need to bear in mind? Will every city or village there allow us to carry our weapons openly, or will we need to account for being unable to do so? How''s the weather? If there''s a chill, will we need cold weather gear, or will we be able to get some on the way? And furthermore, which fuckin'' city are we traveling to?" "Nash is right," I interjected. "There is plenty of research to be done on our destination and the route." "But we didn''t have to wait a week to go to Bolisir." "That''s because we had a set destination in mind, and familiarity with the locale. I lived in Bolisir for a while, remember?" He fell silent as Nash and I shared a knowing look. His urgency was easily understood, as was his inexperience with this particular lifestyle. It doesn''t matter how welcome this world makes him feel, it isn''t home, and it doesn''t have his love in it. My thoughts wandered to what I would do to have Rira back in my life. We hadn''t even got as far as Nick and Cass, yet if there were a chance to bring her back to life I''d stop at almost nothing. I know that Nash feels the same about Nima. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Nick sighed as the cart pulled into the roadway behind Imlor''s shop. We dragged our road-weary bodies from the cart, grabbing our belongings as we went. Imlor approached us, and tossed Nash a sack of coins. "There we are, safe and sound," the gnome grinned. "I couldn''t have found better guards anywhere else. If you ever need more work, let me know. It won''t be me driving the carts, though." "Thanks," Nash said. "Hope you enjoy being off the road from now on." "Oh, I will," Imlor laughed, then turned to face Nick. "Words cannot express my gratitude, Nick. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I-I''m able to come home to my wife and children. If it weren''t for you, I''d have..." Imlor trailed off, trying to maintain his composure as the emotions that he''d been suppressing swelled within him. Nick gently placed his hand on the gnome''s shoulder. "It''s the least I can do, for a friend," Nick said. Nash and I shared another knowing glance. While it seemed heartfelt, what Nick had said sounded somewhat rehearsed. Almost as if he had repeatedly practiced saying it in a mirror. Imlor didn''t notice this, and grabbed Nick''s hand, shaking it. "Of course," he said, wiping his eyes with his other hand. "I''ll consider you my friend for the rest of my life. If you ever need anything, let me know how I can help." "Of course. Goodbye, Imlor," Nick smiled. "Stay safe." "You too, friend. Farewell, everyone." "Bye," I waved. "Try not to worry your wife anymore." "See you around," Nash said. Olmira simply waved as Imlor entered his home. The four of us took our leave and began walking toward Kirkena''s capitol building. As we traveled, we heard snippets of several interesting conversations. "The dwarves eat like swarm-fish," an elf said to his friend. "It''s a good thing we had a decent haul this season, or we''d be facing a famine!" "No, the bastards brought their own smiths. They ''have no need of my services''," an orcish smith explained to a customer. "Have you seen how shiny their weapons are? I want a sword like that!" a small child exclaimed to her friends as we passed. "I guess the Empire of Calkuti sent reinforcements," Nash said. "That''s gotta be awkward." "Yeah," Nick laughed. "Should we see if we can travel with them?" "It would likely be marching," I added. "I''d rather take a cart, if it''s all the same to you." "I''m sure there''s someone with a cart that''s going to want to travel along with the army. It would be a lot safer for them," Nick said. "Let''s face the music with High Chief Ulurmak and then ask around." "Face the music?" I asked. "Yeah, sorry. It''s a phrase that means to accept the unfavorable consequences of your actions." "How?" Nash laughed. "Is music that bad where you''re from?" "No," Nick chuckled. "It''s one of those phrases that nobody knows where it comes from. Some people think it comes from plays where an orchestra is set up in front of a stage, so the actors have to ''face the music'' and overcome their stage fright. I''ve also heard that it could be referring to a time when military units had drummers and horns, so you''d need to ''face the music'' to attack your enemy." "Opposite ends of the civilization spectrum," I said. "Interesting." The conversation died down as the capitol building came into view. One of the guards noticed us approaching, and pointed a thumb at the door, informing us of our ability to pass him unhindered. We nodded our thanks at him and did so, and were immediately greeted by Rayzun. "We''ve been expecting you," he said. "Good work on delivering the message to Regent Oakmor." "Thanks," Nash said. "So, uh... Any word on how the High Chief is taking the news about the High Dragon?" "No," Rayzun answered with a mischievous grin. "I suppose you''ll have to ask him yourself. He''ll be ready for you soon." "Great," Nick whispered. Rayzun escorted us to a waiting area, and we each took a seat. Nash and Nick seemed to be a lot more nervous than Olmira and I. Nash was leaning forward in his chair, arms crossed and leg bobbing up and down. Nick was also leaned forward, staring at his hands that were clasped in front of him. "They look like a couple of miscreants who were just caught," I whispered to Olmira. Her giggle brought a smile to my face. Despite my slightly injured pride, I found myself still enjoying her company. I suppose in the end that''s what it boiled down to. I was proud of being her confidant, and proud of my ability to cope with unexpected information. Finding out that she had been hiding such a big secret from me shattered the pride that I felt as her confidant, which in turn hurt the pride I take in coping with unexpected information. I looked around the waiting area, and chuckled at how inappropriate a time it was to be having this revelation. "Why are they so nervous?" Olmira asked softly. "They must be under the impression that Ulurmak''s going to be angry that King Yssinirath has awakened." "Yes, I know. I mean, what cause would Ulurmak have to be angered?" "Well, Yssinirath could end up being a threat to the Unified Chiefdoms if he decides not to honor agreements that he didn''t personally sign or approve of. Plus, it''s no secret that Regent Oakmor and Ulurmak are close friends. So Ulurmak could also be upset that his friend has been demoted." "I see..." Olmira''s demeanor changed slightly, causing me to chuckle again. Nervousness will change nothing in situations that are outside of one''s control. What happens will happen regardless of whether or not one worries about it. I was about to tell her as much when the door opened and Rayzun entered. "They are ready for you," he said. Nash and Nick practically leapt from their seats, but I took a second to adjust my robes before rising. Then I realized something, and looked at Rayzun quizzically. "They?" I asked. Chapter 59 Emperor Jak Norev I Adventurer Level: N/A Dwarf - Calkutin Rayzun''s introduction took nearly ten minutes to complete, and most of that was because of my propensity for collecting titles. Ulurmak and Olmira had nearly as many, but I guess that makes sense for the ruler of another nation and a multi-centuries old vampire. Olmira looked the same as the last time I''d laid eyes on her, nearly thirty years prior. Liath had a decent number of titles, which is to be expected of his exploits. Conversely, the orcs from the Alta family hard barely any titles, and the human didn''t have a single one. I struggled not to stare at him for the entire introduction, and succeeded for the most part. A couple of glances here and there managed to wiggle past my self-control, though. The human''s an odd lookin'' thing, his hands and general shape are similar to what I imagine a tall gnome might look like. But that''s where the similarities to gnomes end. It has a jawline nearly identical to that of an elf and some of its teeth look like a drow''s. On top of that, it''s musculature is similar to an orcs, though orcs tend to be a bit larger. The most shocking detail to me, though, is that it also has the round earlobes that you only see in dwarves. I would easily believe that he''s an amalgamation of the various races, were it not for the roundness of the top of his ears and his alleged origin. An alien from another world, magically teleported here parts unknown. Despite his earlier evasiveness, a little pressing had caused Ulurmak to practically gush various facts about the human. A refreshing bit of candor from High Chief ''see-for-yourself'' Ulurmak. The human eats both meat and vegetables, which is odd enough. Though, I could have guessed at this fact by its teeth. Even odder, though, is that it has thus far leveled up far faster than normal. This could be indicative of either an advanced education, or the Curaguard showing favoritism outside of a royal line for the first time in history. Finally, it had killed a monster that nearly destroyed a team of over-twenties. A monster that may have been a corrupted version of its own race. The look on my face at hearing that last fact had caused Ulurmak''s caginess to return. I glanced at Liath, who was also studying the human. He had met it before, but desperately wanted to know how it awoke King Yssinirath. The dwarven not-quite-spy had practically begged me to allow him to accompany me. In exchange for an unnamed future favor, I had allowed it. Once Rayzun finished his overly-long introduction, the four in front of us began their debriefing. I listened in disbelief as they recounted their travels. The story was primarily told by the Alta brothers and the human, Olmira had joined their party on the latter portion of the journey. The human spoke with an eloquence that could rival that of a duke, but with far less profanity than is typical in my empire. This lent credence to the idea that he had been educated, but by whom? What kind of teacher would educate a being like this without simultaneously turning him into a research project? Despite his eloquence and formalities, though, his story was full of holes and time-skips that indicated it was likely trying to hide something. This was further evidenced by Nick wringing his hands when an obvious omission occurred during the narrative. I could tell by the tension slowly creeping into Ulurmak''s shoulders that I wasn''t the only one who noticed. "Once the translators arrived, we made our way back here to report to you, High Chief," the human said. "Hmm..." Ulurmak crossed his arms. "I confess that I do not know you well, Nick, but I suspect that the events you just elucidated have been heavily redacted." "There were some happenings that were not relevant to the mission, your greatness," Yulk said, bowing his head. "Happenings that are rather... sensitive to our charge, I''m afraid." "And how am I to know for certain these happenings are irrelevant when I am not to know of what they are?" "Teasing does not befit one of your station, High Chief," Olmira the Eternal said, crossing her arms to match Ulurmak''s posture. "Consider the likelihood that the Alta''s would endanger the United Chiefdoms." The massive orc and domineering vampire stared at one another for a few moments. I''d argued with the both of them before, but hadn''t seen them argue among themselves. I absentmindedly rubbed the thick golden hoop in my left earlobe as I tried to guess who would give ground first. Everyone else in the room looked as if they''d been shown their graves, though. After a few seemingly tense moments, Ulurmak laughed uproariously, which caused a few flinches. "I knew you''d spoil my fun the moment you walked in, Olmira. She''s right, boys. I''m having a bit of levity at your expense," he explained. "I am content to let you have your secrets so long as they don''t come back to bite me on the rump." "They won''t, sir..." Nick trailed off. "Wait, you don''t plan to attack the fair folk any time soon, do you?" "I... What? No!" Ulurmak answered incredulously. "First of all, the only fair folk we''re aware of are on good terms with us. Second, it would be a damned foolish thing to do, regardless of our relationship with them. They help keep the monster population manageable. Third, how in the hells do you know about the fair folk?" Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The Alta brothers sighed simultaneously whilst the human attempted to fabricate a plausible explanation. The explanation carefully dodged the reasons that the group had met with the fair folk, as well as some of the crucial details that had been discussed during that meeting. The only real detail he gave were the names of the fair folk involved, which caused me to involuntarily snort. Ulurmak looked over his shoulder at me. Once he met my gaze, he smirked and rolled his eyes. Then he turned back to Nick and the orcs with a much sterner expression. "Well, I''ve never heard of Algebrun or... Tits... But Mumuldobran is a name that I know well. It is a representative of the fair-folk of the Deepwyld Forest, most of which is within the domain of the Unified Chiefdoms," Ulurmak explained. "We have a great many agreements with the fair-folk of the Deepwyld Forest. It would not be an exaggeration to say that a threat to them is a threat to us." "W-well, High Chief, they seemed confident that they have the situation under control," Nick said. "That is not for you to decide, but I can see you are determined to keep this secret. Well then, let''s try this," Ulurmak clapped his massive hands. "Yulk Alta, by the authority of the Office of the High Chief of the United Chiefdoms, I hereby order you to tell me of your journey in full, unadulterated detail. Failure to comply will result in your arrest and a punishment of up to fifteen years in prison." "What about his mom?" Liath asked. "Oh, she''ll understand," Ulurmak said. "The Alta clan is mostly law-abiding and very honorable. By refusing this order, Yulk will be breaking the law. She may protest, perhaps even smack me upside the head, but she''ll take no action to prevent his incarceration." "I understand, sir," Yulk said calmly. "I invoke the right of confidence." The right of confidence is an orc law passed by Ulurmak''s grandfather. It allows one to refuse to answer questions that may compromise the security of the Unified Chiefdoms in the presence of one who may reveal those secrets to an enemy. My rage was immediate and blinding. "What in the hells is that supposed to mean?" I demanded. "You think I can''t be trusted with your little secrets? I''m an emperor! I know secrets that would cause the hair to flee from your head, boy!" "My apologies for the insult, Emperor. Your highness is not the reason for my invocation, though." My temper cooled as Yulk looked pointedly at the dwarf to my left. Liath chuckled and stood up, brushing off his pants. "Fair enough," he said. "I''ll see myself out." "Hold on," Ulurmak said, holding up a hand. "The right of confidence is non-applicable. Liath is an official friend of the Unified Chiefdoms. If what you''re about to say can be said in front of the emperor, it can be said in front of Liath. No offense, emperor." "Some taken," I growled. "But he sells information," Nash argued before realizing his blunder. Before Ulurmak could chastise him, Liath laughed. "That I do, Nash, but I''ve got honor. Of a sort. If a friend swears me to secrecy, it will be a secret that I keep." There was a moment of silence as Yulk contemplated how to proceed. "Understood," he finally said. As Liath sat down, Yulk began to tell us what actually happened during their journey. We listened intently to the entirety of the tale of gods and fae in shock. A spark of paranoia lit within me when I learned that Nick is a touched, but I quickly quelled it. It isn''t as if there''s much harm in the gods watching us, and the only methods of trying to prevent their surveillance would only guarantee their ire. The ire of the gods is obviously best avoided at all costs. Still, I didn''t feel happy about it. "And once the messengers left, we made our way here," Yulk said. "Well, I can see why you decided to keep that a secret," Ulurmak uncrossed his arms. "However, it is a good thing you told me. I''ve got an inkling as to who may attack the fair folk, and there might be something we can actually do about it." The Night Kingdom is the most likely culprit. Lofin''s dumb enough to try a sneak attack against the fair folk, but he''d likely fail due to the typical incompetency of his armies. The vampires, on the other hand, are crafty enough to succeed, and are likely desperate. "There might be, indeed," I said, rubbing my chin. "Alright, I think that''s enough," Ulurmak said. "You four are on your way to Calkuti now, right?" "Yes, High Chief," Yulk said. "Liath, did you come by hnarse or cart?" "He came by cart. Since I was expecting a fight, I came by hnarse," I answered, glaring at the spoiled dwarf. "I only know how to drive a hnarse, your eminence," Liath held up his hands defensively. "I''ve never ridden one before." "So you say." "It is good that you arrived by cart," Ulurmak interrupted. "You can depart the same way, and give these four a ride into Calkuti. Unless the emperor has an objection?" "No objections from me. Just keep your noses clean while you''re in my country," I said with a wave of my hand. A knock came from the door, and Rayzun poked his head in. Ulurmak nodded at him. "The elves have arrived. General Makiv is waiting to see you." "He''ll not have to wait long. Yulk, Nash, Olmira, Nick, and Liath, you''re dismissed. Safe journeys." Liath raised an eyebrow, but followed the rest out of the room. I sighed, having figured out what''s coming next. Simple math, really. We have one dwarven army, an orcish army, an elven army, and a mutual enemy to the north. Rayzun entered the office with General Makiv in tow. It had been a long time since I''d seen the elven general, and unlike Olmira he had aged. His hair was a lighter color and there was a slight crinkle around his eyes. It reminded me of my own forthcoming golden years. "Introductions won''t be necessary this time, Rayzun," Ulurmak said with a wave of his hand. "How are you, Makiv?" "I''m great. It''s been a while since I was on the road," the general said as Rayzun left. "Wish you''d let him do the intro, though. I''ve got a new title." "Oh?" "Dragon''s General, on account of King Yssinirath''s awakening. I only just learned about it the other day," Makiv laughed. "An excellent title. Well, I assume my messenger told you of the fate of the drow invasion?" "Indeed he did," Makiv took a seat. "However, my men need fed and watered, so we finished our trek regardless. And since we''re here, I had an idea." "Lead an invasion into the Night Kingdom and force Lofin into a lasting treaty?" I asked with a smirk. "Y-yes, emperor. I take it you''re of a similar mind?" "No, I''d rather raze that damned country to the ground and split the land evenly amongst us." "We can decide what to do with the Night Kingdom''s holdings once we beat it," Ulurmak chuckled. "But first, we have an invasion to plan." Chapter 60 Gali Morathi Adventurer Level: 13 Dwarf - Calkutin "I don''t fuckin'' get it," Rebis said while rubbing his temples. "Isn''t this a dead dungeon?" "Apparently not," Heino replied. "Travelers have gone missing nearby, and the only thing the disappearances have in common is tracks that lead back to this dungeon." We stared at the mausoleum that marked the entrance of the Talokam Dungeon for a moment. Rebis wasn''t wrong, until a few days ago it had been classified as neutralized and looted. Then some newbie adventurer went looking for his missing cousin and found some blood and a ripped pack, then followed some tracks back here. It''s probably for the best that he immediately turned tail and reported it to the Venator''s Bureau. Our party is contracted to the Venator''s Bureau and is currently comprised of five members. Mako, an orc from the Unified Chiefdoms who''s large enough to make a Nahalim pause. Ithrima, an elven sorceress that''s been with the party for about half a decade now. Then there''s Rebis, Heino, and myself. All three of us are dwarves from the western fringe of Calkuti, and founding members of our locally famous group, the Western Wasters. I absolutely hate our name. It''s supposed to indicate the fact that we originate from the western portion of Calkuti and that we are willing to go into the wastes. To me, the name makes it sound like we''re a bunch of drunks. Unfortunately, the one who coined the name died slowly and painfully because of consumption. It was sad enough to make us to stick with the dumbest fuckin'' name of all time. "What do you think, Gali?" Mako asked. "This gonna be an easy one?" "Bah," I replied. "How should I fuckin'' know? Don''t got anything to base that kinda judgment off of. Last reported monster in this fucker was kobolds, but kobolds don''t do kidnappings. Hell, they don''t even like going above ground." Mako shifted, his heavy armor clinking as he hefted his pike casually onto his shoulder. The rest of the party also fidgeted nervously. Nobody liked it when I couldn''t tell how dangerous somethin'' was gonna be. It''s probably just luck, but I''ve never been wrong. Might also have something to do with the fact I don''t venture a guess unless I''ve got something to go off of. Well, I guess it''s not like I''ve got nothin''. A dungeon supposedly filled with lower tier monsters suddenly becomes a hide-out for kidnappers, the entrance to said dungeon is a fuckin'' grave marker, and I can smell death from all the way out here. There''s no chance this is gonna be a safe quest. "Fuck it," I sighed. "I''m gonna say it''s probably life-threatenin''. So let''s just do what the bureau asked and take a peek, yeah?" "Sounds good to me," Rebis said, attaching his shield to his arm. "It''s all they''re fuckin'' payin'' us for anyway." "Come now, Rebis," Ithrima scolded. "We don''t do this for the pay. We do this to make things safer for the citizenry of the Empire of Calkuti." Ithrima was the most patriotic of our rag-tag group. To her, being an adventurer was a calling, not a job. Can''t say that I entirely disagree, but I''m far more concerned with being able to eat than whether or not some fool is sleeping safely in his bed. "Listen bitch, the citizenry of Calkuti is safest when I''ve got a good brew in my belly," Rebis replied. "And it ain''t like they''re buyin''. So really, to ensure their safety they should be payin'' me loads." "You sound like a bandit, short-stack," she growled. Rebis, Heino, and I began glaring at her once the slur left her mouth. She instantly realized her mistake and her eyes locked onto the ground. "I''m sorry-" "You''re gods-damned right you are," Heino said. "Gali and I didn''t call you a bitch, did we? So what the fuck are you doin'' using our height as an insult?" "It''s not even a good insult," Mako said. "There''s a lot of advantages to being dwarf-sized." "I said I''m sorry!" Ithrima shouted. "Fine! I''ll change my insult to cousin-fucker. You happy?" "That''ll do for me," I said. "Yep," Heino nodded. "Much better," Mako grinned. "Hey! Fuck all of you," Rebis scowled. "Now, now, Rebis, we''re not your cousins," Ithrima said with a wicked smile. Rebis glared at her for a moment, but couldn''t come up with a come-back. Instead, he drew his sword and started angrily marching toward the dungeon. "We fuckin'' doin'' this or not?" he asked over his shoulder. The four of us chuckled and started following after him. Heino, who also wields a sword and board, chased after him to share point. Mako took his place between them, not having to run because of his long legs. In his armor, our orc''s damn near untouchable head-on. But since he uses a pike, he''s vulnerable to attacks from the side. Heino and Rebis cover his flanks with their shields and swords, while Ithrima and I handle ranged attacks and healing when it''s needed. It''s a tried and true formation that''s led us safely through many fights. But the moment we crossed the threshold of the dungeon, a knot formed in my gut. The smell of death was almost overpowering now. There''s corpses somewhere, and probably a lot of ''em. Gods, I hate being right. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. We activated our lights and I nervously checked my string and quiver. The soft twang of the string echoed in the dungeon, causing me to wince slightly. Everyone else looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I sighed softly at my rookie mistake. We continued forward, and I noticed Ithrima fiddling with her ring. It had been given to her by her husband to mark their engagement, and it became her arcane focus after he was killed by a warg. His death is what made her want to become an adventurer. She only plays with the ring when she''s thinking about him, or when she''s nervous. It felt good to know that I wasn''t the only one. Both the floor and the walls were tiled, apparently by magic. The lack of tool-marks was a dead giveaway. Mako started poking the tiles in front of us as we went, and eventually his pike found a trap. Once the trap withdrew, he pointed out which tile was its trigger and we stepped past it. We didn''t get far before Mako stopped again. "Damn, that''s gross," Mako said softly, poking his spear at something. "What is it?" I asked. "Dead kobolds," Rebis said. "Looks like they''ve been here for a while." Heino held his nose and knelt to get a closer look. "They sure have, the flesh is pretty rotten. This one''s neck... I could swear that''s a hand-print." Mako knelt down, took a look, then nodded solemnly. "Yeah, that''s definitely a hand-print. Those ones were cut, though. So two of ''em? One with a blade and one strong enough to crush a kobold''s neck bare-handed?" "I don''t know," Heino held out his hand and compared it to the neck. "Pretty sure that''s a left hand. Might have been only one attacker, blade in their right hand and grabbing with their left." "There''s a lot of things that use blades when they don''t have to," Rebis added as Heino and Mako stood. "Even some adventurers do that." "True," Heino shrugged. "Guess we still don''t know what we''re dealing with." With the mystery left unsolved we continued on, hoping to find more clues as to what we were dealing with. It wasn''t long before we did find more clues, but they were in the form of several more groups of kobold bodies. We stopped to examine each one, and our findings grew grimmer as we went. "It''s like whoever did this was just playing with them," Heino said solemnly. "I don''t get how you make it through this many kobolds without getting a wound or two that''ll make you hesitant." "What do you mean?" Mako asked. "This one''s got a spear next to it, but also has a hand print on its neck. Would you try to go hand to hand with someone holding a spear?" "No. The whole point of a spear is to make people keep their distance." "Hold on, this one''s got a bite mark on its shoulder," Rebis said. Heino jogged over to him and examined the dead kobold. I fought the temptation to join them. "Tell me this isn''t what I think it is, Heino. It only looks like that because of the rot, right?" Rebis asked. "Oh no..." Heino replied. "What is it?" Mako asked. The bulking orc joined the pair of dwarves and examined the corpse. The three of them went uncharacteristically quiet. Ithrima and I shared an annoyed glance. "Well? Don''t keep us in suspense," I growled. "The fuck did you find?" The three of them stood. "There''s no doubt about it," Mako said. "This is a vampire bite." "A vampire?" I scoffed. "Here? And since when do vampires snack on kobolds?" "Since when are you a fuckin'' expert on vampires, Gali?" Rebis rebutted. "Since your mom taught me last night. She sucked just as-" "The Night Kingdom has vamps," Mako interrupted with a sigh. "Heard that the Chiefdoms were fighting them again this year. Could be one came through the chiefdoms with the drow army." "No, that doesn''t make sense," Ithrima said. "Drow can''t become vampires, and there''s a mutual hatred there that runs deep. They wouldn''t have let a vampire accompany them, and if anyone could spot a vampire it would be a drow." "I wouldn''t give the drow in Lofin''s army too much credit," Heino added. "Heard they''re dumber than the sticks they carry." "Yeah, if there were any drow that would get fooled by a vamp, it would be their soldiers," Rebis scoffed. "Doesn''t matter how it got here, though. That''s definitely a blood-sucker bite. Nothin'' else with teeth like that has hands, and this kobold''s throat was crushed like the other ones." Nobody said anything as we contemplated how a vampire bite could have ended up on the dead kobold. After a few moments of silence, Mako shrugged, and the rest of us took that as a signal to form up. Ultimately, Rebis was right. It really doesn''t matter how it happened, only that it has. I glanced at Ithrima, knowing she would be crucial in the coming fight. Vampires are legendarily difficult to put down, pretty much have to burn the flesh right off their bones. Ideally, you''d ash the bones in the process. I assumed that the three in front knew how to fight vampires, then remembered an age-old saying about assumptions. "So... Has any of us fought vamps before?" I asked. "No, but I''ve been taught," Mako said. "Pin ''em down, let the mage burn ''em." "It''ll be easier if you stick ''em and me or Heino lobs their head off," Rebis added. "Then we put the bits in a pile and have Ithrima do the fwoosh." Which leaves me with the task of filling the vampire full of enough arrows to slow it down enough for Mako to get his pike in deep. Good thing I brought the barb-heads. Couple of gut shots or a lucky hit to the legs should do the trick. We continued down the dungeon, avoiding traps and piles of dead kobolds. Our footfalls echoed softly, almost rhythmically. But something was off with that rhythm. Mako held up his hand, and we immediately stopped, readying ourselves for a fight. "Here it comes," the big ass orc said. I pulled back the string on my bow and moved to get a clear line of sight down the hall. I steadied my breathing, and waited for whatever was running toward us to come into view. The sound of footsteps didn''t stop, and grew louder as we waited. Breathe in, pat pat pat pat, breathe out, pat pat pat pat. Wait... Pat pat? Is the vampire barefoot? Before the thought could fully construct itself, a kobold came into view. Upon seeing us ready to tear it apart, it flung itself to the ground and threw up its hands. The sounds of its whimpers replaced its footsteps. "No hurts please! No fights!" it said. "Look! Look! I gots no pokies or slashies! I just a word-bringer!" The tension in my bow and jaw slackened at the same time. The tension in the rest of the party evaporated as well. I almost laughed, we''d been expecting a grueling fight with a vampire and were instead greeted by an unarmed kobold survivor. "A word-bringer?" Rebis asked. "What word do you bring, lizard?" "I not lizard, I kobold," it said stubbornly. "I eat lizard." "Aren''t kobolds cannibalistic?" Heino asked. "Dunno that word." "We''re wasting time, the vamp could be behind it," I said. "Speak, kobold. Quickly." "Yes yes. The lord wants you to be word-bringers and tell the... uh... shitty people that there are vampires in here." The kobold rose to his knees and looked at us expectantly. "You mean city people?" "I said that." "Wait, did he say vampires?" Mako asked. "As in more than one?" "More than I can count, and me count real good," the kobold nodded excitedly. "Best counter, now that Thssis is dead. All the way to seven!" The five of us froze. One vampire would be a hard fight. Two would damn near kill us. Three would guarantee a couple of us would die. More than seven would mean that all of us would die and become vampires without even putting up a fight. "Fuck that," Rebis said. "Time to go." We all turned in unison and began to leave the dungeon. The patter of bare feet trailed after us. I turned to face the kobold as we continued to walk. "The hell are you doing?" I asked. "Comin'' with," the kobold said, as if it were confused by the question. The five of us looked at each other as we walked, and each of us took a turn shrugging. "Yeah, alright then," I said. "Come on." Chapter 61 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American It hadn''t taken us the full week to set out thanks to Liath''s familiarity with the Empire of Calkuti. I only had to wait three days before we hit the road. It was much easier to bear than Nash''s training. Every time we stopped for lunch, he would drill me on the basics and then have me attempt to copy his movements. Then he would attack me while I tried to use the movements he demonstrated to parry him. It hadn''t gone well, and he was getting grumpier with each failed session. Soon he would reach a critical mass of grumpiness and either explode or implode, likely taking the whole solar system with him. A super nova or black hole powered completely by grumpiness. Thankfully, our journey was nearing its end. For now, at least. The first signs of civilization came into view, and I decided to take a brief nap to speed things along. When I awoke we were on city streets. Buildings of stone and metal surrounded us, and dwarves were going about their daily routines. Well, mostly dwarves. Every now and then there would be a gnome, orc, or elf doing something but they were few and far between. It was easy to tell that this was a dwarven city even without the obvious architecture differences from the other cities I''d been to. "So where are we headed, Liath?" Nash asked. "Figured I''d drop you at the Venator''s Bureau so you can ask around while I park the cart," our dwarven driver answered. "I''ll meet you there once I''m done." "Venator''s Bureau?" I asked. "Is that like the Adventurer''s Guild?" "Sort of. The VB is focused on monsters and doesn''t usually take requests, though. The other big differences are that they only do contracts and don''t allow solo adventurers to sign up. You need to be in a party of at least three and sign a contract to do work for them." "Why are we asking them questions instead of going to the Adventurer''s Guild?" "Because the AG is on the whole other fuckin'' side of town," Liath laughed. "Plus, the AG is a lot less focused on dungeons around here. They focus more on requests, which usually end up being protection or gathering jobs. That''s mostly because the dungeons in Calkuti don''t have much treasure, so the profit is strictly in monster guts. So if you want to know all there is to know about dungeons, the VB is your best bet. And here they are!" The cart rolled to a stop in front of a building that looked similar to the others, but with a lot more gold trim. Thanks to the tables and chairs off to the side of the building, it gave off a tavern-like aura. We hopped out of the cart, and Liath gave us a wave before he took off down the road again. "Well, the dwarf''s logic seems sound," Nash muttered. "Let''s find somebody who works here." We entered the building and the tavern vibe immediately intensified. The inside of the Venator''s Guild looked almost exactly like the taverns often depicted in video games and anime, right down to the bar and patrons. The only real difference was the amount of gold trim. There was a lot more of it on the inside than there was on the outside. I couldn''t tell if we''d walked into a booze-hall or a treasure vault. Once a few patrons did their obligatory double-takes at my appearance, the room went quiet. Thankfully, it felt more like a shocked silence than a suspicious one. Nash chuckled as we approached the bartender and or receptionist. The orc behind the bar watched us approach while shuffling some papers. "Greetings," he said. "Pleasure or business?" "Business," I replied. "We''d like information on the dungeons around here." Nash gave me an annoyed glance while I stepped forward and took a seat at the bar. "Yeah, we can do that. You able to read?" "Not any languages that anybody seems to write in," I laughed. "Fair enough. Figured you weren''t from around here. Y''all want a drink while you ask your questions?" "Yes," Yulk said. "Whatever''s on tap will be fine." "Any allergies?" We looked at each other and shook our heads. "Good, four meads comin'' up." The bartender busied himself with pouring the drinks while Nash, Yulk, and Olmira took their seats. I watched as he poured, wondering if I should say anything about my age. After he poured the second glass, all the conditioning my mother had instilled within me finally kicked in. "You know, back home I''m not old enough to drink alcohol," I said. "How old are you?" Olmira asked. "Eighteen. Well, last I checked." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "Eighteen years old and doesn''t know how to parry properly," Nash sighed. "Your people must have it pretty damn easy." "Is it a cultural taboo, or a medical necessity?" Yulk asked. "Cultural, I think. Legal drinking age in my country is twenty-one, but in other countries it''s lower. Plus, the law doesn''t prohibit parents giving you alcohol. At least, not in my state." "Your country has multiple countries?" Olmira asked. "Like an empire?" Before I could answer, four mugs slid down the bar and slowed to a stop in front of each of us one by one. My eyes widened as the bartender returned to his previous position. Olmira and my brothers seemed unimpressed, though. "How''d you do that?" I asked. "Practice," the orc smirked. "So, what are you wanting to know?" "How many dungeons are nearby?" Nash asked. "Only the one. It was considered neutralized until just a few hours ago, actually." "Neutralized?" "Well, the last time the dungeon was spewing monsters was over a decade ago. Contractors that went to explore it reported traps and kobolds who seemed to have a leader, but no loot or monsters worth a damn." "Kobolds aren''t worth anything?" "Maybe to a collector, but you get a lot more of the good stuff from their bigger cousins, and you don''t have to listen to them yap at you. Plenty of folk take issue with hunting things that talk, too. Since the kobolds weren''t botherin'' anybody, the decision was made to leave well enough alone." "What are the kobold''s bigger cousins?" I asked. "Reptians and Sauroids. Reptians are about as big as I am and have a neurotoxic venom that causes a total body paralysis, which can lead to death via asphyxiation. They travel in groups, have six inch claws, and hunt by spitting their venom at their victim and ripping them to shreds once they''re paralyzed. Sauroids are much bigger, and kinda look like a mix between a kobold and a troll. With a much bigger mouth, though. They''re solitary ambush predators that usually try to eat their victims whole. Both make for damn good hunts." "So why is the dungeon no longer considered neutralized?" Nash asked. "We''ve been having a bunch of disappearances. Far more than normal. A couple from here in town, but mostly out on the road near the dungeon. Couple of adventurers found evidence that the victims had been taken into the dungeon, so we sent some of our own to check it out," he gestured over to the corner. My gaze followed his wave and saw a massive orc, three dwarves, an elf, and upright lizard that was happily eating a chunk of meat. It was my turn for an obligatory double-take. "They brought back a kobold that claims the dungeon has been taken over by vampires. At least seven of them. The Western Wasters are brave, but not stupid. That''s far too many vampires for five adventurers to handle. They made their way back to report, and we reclassified the dungeon as active." A somber silence settled over us at the mention of vampires. Rayzun had spared no detail when he explained what had happened in our absence. My first thought was that the vampire that had led the drow may have taken refuge in the dungeon, but Rayzun had said that half-breed vampires aren''t able to make more. Something weird is going on here. "Do you think the disappearances in town were due to the vampires?" Nash asked. "I don''t know. It''s hard to believe that they could make it through the gates, especially since there''s a nightly curfew." An odd feeling, like a soft nudge, tugged at the back of my mind. Too many coincidences. We''re looking for dungeons that were inhabited by the cult, my brothers'' homeland was attacked by a vampire, and there''s a dungeon with vampires on our first stop. I couldn''t shake the feeling that it''s been waiting for us, somehow. "We should talk to them," I said. "I feel like this might be the dungeon we''re after." "You gonna to take a drink of your mead, first?" Nash grinned. I looked at my untouched mug of mead. My friends back home hadn''t been the type to throw parties with booze, so the only time I''d ever had any was the beer my dad shared with me on my eighteenth birthday. The bitter taste of the beer echoed in my mouth, and I felt my stomach churn. "Y-yeah, of course," I said, picking up the mug. ''Don''t worry, I''ll prevent inebriation,'' Ten said. ''Thanks.'' I took a deep breath and chugged the contents of the mug. It was much sweeter than I expected, but it burned a little going down. Once the mug was finished, I set it down and wiped my mouth. Once my sleeve left my mouth, a loud burp forced its way out. "Nice," the bartender chuckled. Nash raised his eyebrows as Yulk paid for the drinks. "Hope you stay on your feet after that," he said. "It''ll be fine," Yulk said. "We''re not going to be heading out immediately. If he ends up drunk he can sleep it off." "If?" "Yes. It''s possible that Ten will intervene." "That''s cheating," Nash grumbled. Damn, Yulk saw right through me. I pushed the mug towards the bartender with a chuckle, and heard a muffled voice. -Toxin Resistance unlocked- Really? That feels a little cliche. Well, I guess the cliche would be more along the lines of someone with superpowers being unable to get drunk because of a resistance to poisons, rather than unlocking it while drinking. As I tried to think of an example of someone gaining a resistance to toxins from drinking booze, an evil thought occurred to me. "I... uh... I just unlocked a skill," I said innocently. "It''s called toxin resistance." "I stand corrected," Nash replied angrily. "THAT''S cheating." The sour expression on my adopted brother turned trainer''s face filled me with a sick glee. Seeing jealousy twist his features completely made up for all of the recent bruising. Yulk chuckled and shook his head. "Well, that''s a handy skill to have," he said. "I would note that it says resistance rather than immunity, though." I pulled up the skill information and relayed it to them. -- Toxin Resistance Allows a user to resist 25% of the negative effects of a poison or venom. -- "It doesn''t have a cooldown or duration, either," I added. "I guess that means it''s always active." "That does sound like a handy skill to have," the bartender said, grabbing my mug and putting it in a sink behind him. I suddenly became aware of how weird this must look to the poor orc. Something he''s never seen before comes up to his bar, asks strangely coincidental questions about dungeons, then downs a mug of mead and gains a new skill. And in the face of these odd events he''s managed to maintain his professionalism. He didn''t ask what I am or act suspicious of me at all. To him, I''m just another customer. I reached under my cuirass and pulled a gold coin out of my coin pouch. I placed the coin on the bar and slid it towards him. "Thanks for the drinks. You can keep the change," I said. "I didn''t catch your name." "Thank you," he said, smiling as he picked up the coin. "The name''s Jumz." I introduced myself and the rest of my party while they finished their drinks. Jumz took our mugs one by one and placed them in the sink that mine had gone in. "Well, it''s nice to meet you," he said. "You''re welcome back anytime." "Oh, we''ll definitely be back," I laughed. "That mead was pretty good." "Alright, we should go and have a chat with the Western Wasters," Nash said, sliding off his stool. "While they''re still somewhat sober, that is." "You''re right," I replied. "Let''s go." Chapter 62 Gali Morathi Adventurer Level: 13 Dwarf - Calkutin Mako, Heino, and Ithrima talked amongst themselves about what the receptionist had told us. He had said that even though it will take a while for a team of specialists to be formed, coming back was the right call. If we had tried to take on the vampires by ourselves we would have almost certainly died and become part of the vampire nest. I know it was the right call, but Rebis and I felt a bit bad about it. In the time it takes for another team to form, more people will disappear and the nest will get larger and more dangerous. Part of us wanted to go back in to give it a try. An extremely stupid part of us, that is. To distract ourselves from these almost certainly suicidal urges, we''d been watching the overgrown lizard try to eat its weight in meat. It''s a good thing the meat''s cheap. "So you like the food?" I asked the kobold. "Mmmhmm," it replied with a stuffed face. "Voracious little shit, isn''t he?" Rebis muttered. The kobold tilted its head at Rebis and then unhinged its jaw to swallow what it had just shoved in its mouth. Rebis and I flinched in disgust as the chunk of roast direwolf slid down its throat. "What mean?" it asked. "Vo... uh... that word?" "Voracious. It means someone or something that eats a lot," I clarified. "Is I eating too much?" "Nah," Rebis chuckled. "The meat here is pretty cheap, and you probably saved our asses. So eat up." "Can I just eat regular? Don''t know how to eat up," it said, lifting its head and pointing its snout at the ceiling. "Maybe can... What''s that thing?" The kobold shifted its head to look at the group approaching us. I had been keeping an eye on the outsiders the moment they''d entered, but they''d headed straight for the receptionist and hadn''t caused a fuss. They were dressed as adventurers, not hunters, but it isn''t uncommon for people from the AG to come around. Still, some of the groups closer to them had looked pretty shocked. I wasn''t able to tell why, though. Maybe one of the elves is famous or something? Come to think of it, a pair of orcs with a pair of elves is kind of an odd sight around these parts... "You should know this one. Those are orcs and el..." Rebis stopped talking as he got a better look at the group. "Actually, you''re right. The fuck is that?" There were indeed two orcs, but one of the elves looked off. As they walked up, I did a quick comparison and noted several discrepancies between it and the other elves. First, round ears. Second, wrong facial architecture. Third, its smile showed a few sharp teeth that shouldn''t be there. "Probably not an elf," I muttered. "Hello, sorry to intrude," the not-elf said. "We were told that you were just inside the nearby dungeon and found some vampires. We were wondering if you''d be willing to share some intel with us." Heino, Mako, and Ithrima turned to face the newcomers. Each of their eyebrows rose once they got a good look at the one speaking. The silence started to get uncomfortable, so I interrupted the awkward moment by sliding a chair towards the group. "Sure, but intel isn''t free. Buy a round and we''ll chat," I said. The non-elf thing took the chair while the rest of its group grabbed some more, and before long we were all sitting together. Once everyone was settled I waved an order of drinks to the receptionist and gave a brief summary of the events that took place in the dungeon, including how we ended up with a kobold. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "So at least seven vampires, then," one of the orcs said. "That''ll be tough." "Tough is an understatement, brother," the other orc said. "It''ll be hard for Nick and I to pin that many vampires down long enough for you and Olmira to blast them." The odd group began discussing entering the dungeon and the rest of us settled into another awkward silence. I glanced at my party members, but they were still trying to figure out what the thing in front of us was. Even the drinks arriving didn''t snap them out of it. I took a swig of the mead and sighed. "Well, since the rest of you aren''t going to ask, I might as well," I said. "Don''t mean to be rude, but what exactly are you?" "I''m a human," it said. "And that is?" The human laughed and provided a summary of the events that led to him being here, introducing his party as they became relevant to the story. Nick, a human found in one of the Unified Chiefdom''s dungeons. Nash and Yulk, brothers from the famed Alta clan that had found and resuscitated Nick. Finally, the one that kind of set things on edge, Olmira the Eternal. When Nick got to her part of the story, Olmira looked nervous. Once she was introduced, it was easy to see the reason for her nerves. Here we were, having drinks to lament our vampire problems when one strolls in and sits down with us. I almost laughed. "So what do you think, Gali?" Mako asked. "I think it''s fine," I said. "I''ve heard a lot about the Alta''s. From what I''ve heard they''re not easily duped and don''t associate with bad actors." "Plus, she''s kinda hot if you ignore the age difference. No offense, milady," Rebis said with a laugh. "I am Rebis Oltha, this here''s Gali Morathi. The other dwarf is Heino Trant. Mako Muhko is the big ass orc, and Ithrima Solal is our token elf mage." "Token? You little shit," Ithrima said with a growl. "Again?" Heino asked. "Do you actually have some sort of grievance against our height?" "What? I... N-no that''s not what I meant! It''s just a phrase!" she almost shouted. Rebis and I laughed as she attempted to explain exactly what she meant by "little shit". After a few stuttered sentences, she realized that the three of us were poking fun at here and started sulking. I finished my mug and looked at Nick. "We''re the Western Wasters," I said. "We''re named that because we''re from the west and we usually hunt in the wastes. Lately we''ve been hunting in the dungeons, though." "Makes sense," Nash said. "So are you going back in?" "Yep!" the kobold beamed. "Gonna kill the suckers! We has to help the lord!" "Wow, it really does talk," Nick said. "Yeah, it does," I grumbled. "Too much, in fact. Anyways, we don''t plan on going back in. We''re handing the job off to a more experienced group. A specialist party." "How long do you think it''ll be before they''re ready to go in?" "I don''t know. Might take a week or two for word to spread far enough to find the right hunters for the group. Then it''ll take some time for them to get here, get equipped and acquainted, and finally get to huntin'' the vamps. Why?" "We need to explore the dungeon," Nash said. "That dungeon''s probably one of the cult''s former hide-outs, and they might know how to get Nick home. We''re hoping some clue may have been left behind. If there''s nothing, we''d like to know as soon as possible so we can move on." "Well, we''d love to help you out, but we don''t work for free," Rebis said. "Plus, we''d need at least three more mages that know fire spells. Maybe another fighter to help pin the vamps down, too." "Would fireball work?" Nick asked. Rebis and I glanced at each other and then at Nick''s hip, where a sword was sheathed. "Yeah... Any spell that can light a fire hot enough to start burnin'' flesh would work," Rebis said. "Why?" "Because Yulk and I know fireball, and I''m pretty sure Olmira can use fire magic too," Nick said. "Right?" "That''s correct," the elven vampire said. "So that''s three mages and a fighter," Nick continued. "How much do you charge?" Shit. What are the odds of someone being able to use both sword and spell? Rebis glanced at me, making me responsible for setting a price. I sighed and gave it some serious thought. The price needs to be high enough that they can''t afford it, but not so high that we end up looking like greedy bastards. That will let us save face while also keeping us out of the dungeon. "Two gold for each of us," I said. "A little high, but it''s gonna be a pretty tough job. So ten gold all tog-" I was cut off by the sound of ten gold pieces hitting the table. Mako laughed as Rebis and I stared at the glimmering coins. They were Unified Chiefdom and Bolisir minted coins, too, which had a higher gold content than Calkutin coins. No arguing our way out of this one. "Well... fuck," I said. "I don''t wanna do it, but the gold''s on the table. You and your big mouth, Gali," Rebis sighed. "I''m willing to give it a shot," Mako said with another chuckle. "I think your force analysis was pretty spot-on, Rebis, and ten gold is more than fair." Ithrima and Heino were silent for a few moments. Finally, Heino shrugged and sighed. "Fine, I''m in," he said. "Might as well add vampires to the list of things I''ve killed." "I''m in, too," Ithrima added. "In what?" A well-dressed but road-worn dwarf asked as he approached. "What did I miss?" "Hi, Liath," Nick said. "We found a likely dungeon, but it''s filled with vampires. We''re going to team up with the Western Wasters to clear the dungeon and explore it." "Yesss! Kill the suckers! FOR THE LORD!" the kobold shouted, raising a freshly cleaned bone into the air. "W-What?" Liath asked with a horrified expression. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Rebis Oltha Adventurer Level: 12 Dwarf - Calkutin Once Liath was all caught up, we began celebrating our newfound partnership. We drank our drinks and ordered some more food, and the human''s party joined us and was kind enough to pay. Once everyone was done making a fuss over Nick''s dietary needs, Mako and the other orcs got to chatting. Their talk was mostly about the Unified Chiefdoms, which might interest someone who loves to travel. Travelin'' is my least favorite part of being a hunter, though. Sittin'' in a cart or on a hnarse all damn day just to go to someplace that people are gonna look at you funny? Fuck that. My attention turned from the orcs and I started listening to Heino, Liath, and Gali instead, but then they began talking about the political happenings in the Empire. An even more boring conversation than the one I had tuned out. I switched my focus to the slightly more interesting discussion that Ithrima and Nick were having. The start of their conversation made me grin. Heino and Gali are both level thirteen, I am level twelve, and Mako is level fifteen. It wasn''t surprising to hear that Nick''s party was comprised of under-tens, except for Olmira, who doesn''t have a level. What I found funny, though, is that Ithrima and Nick are almost the same level. She''s only level nine, and has been stuck at level nine for over a year now. "Everyone else in the party is an over-ten?" Olmira asked. "Yes. I would be too, but I specialize," Ithrima answered hastily. "My interest lies in attack magic. Fire, Ice, and Darkness to be precise. The only non-offensive spell I know is Minor Healing, and that''s only because I''d be out of a job without it." "Damn right. We don''t have any use for a mage that can''t heal," I laughed. "How many spells do you know?" Nick asked. "Eight attack spells, but they''re more powerful than you''ll find from most mages. My magic core is just about average, but I''m able to make my spells more intense thanks to my studies and training." "That''s awesome," Nick beamed. "I only know seven spells, but only four of them are attack spells." I couldn''t help but laugh harder. Ithrima is pretty pretentious about her magic, so this conversation has got to be needling her a bit. Of course, there''s always room for more needling. "He knows almost as many spells as you do!" I said. "Say, Nick, if the whole getting home thing doesn''t work out-" "Shut your damned mouth," Ithrima growled. "I''m under contract, you can''t replace me even if you wanted to." I gave an evil chuckle and took a bite of my bell-popper. The chefs had really outdone themselves. Bell-poppers take careful preparation because the seeds pop when directly exposed to water. Since the plant already has water in it, you''ve gotta be really careful while cooking it to prevent the seeds from prematurely popping. Each seed is filled with a sweet powder that''s often used to sweeten other food items. The rest of the bell-popper has a slightly bitter taste to it, so eating the whole plant turns into one hell of a culinary experience. It''s one of my favorite foods. As I ate, the ladies explained how the impact of an attack spell is based on both the expertise and the amount of magic behind the spell. Essentially, a dumbass with a lot of magic can lob a fireball that''s as intense as a smart-ass that only has a little magic. I chuckled again and asked if Ithrima was sure she had an average amount of magic. Before she could react, Mako cracked his neck and patted his pants. "This has been great, but I''m getting tired. We''re setting out tomorrow, right?" he asked. "As soon as possible would be ideal," Yulk said. "Unless we have a reason to stall?" We all looked at each other, but nobody could think of anything. Our equipment was well-maintained because we hadn''t really used it, and it wouldn''t take long to pick up the supplies needed for the hike. We all agreed that tomorrow would be the day of our raid and left the Venator''s Guild. We walked together until we reached our respective destinations, which happened to be across the street from each other. The inn that we were staying at wasn''t exactly the worst place you could stay in this town, but they were staying at the Marfix Inn. It wasn''t that surprising considering how quickly Nick had dropped ten gold earlier, but I still felt a pang of jealousy. The Marfix inns are well-known for their extravagance and luxuries. Massages, professional chefs, climate control, super soft beds with even softer bedding, and even hot water were standard in every inn. I''d always wanted to stay in one, just to see what it''s like to be pampered like that. Unfortunately, even their cheapest rooms run a whole gold piece per night. It''s hard to justify that kind of expense when you might need to pay for equipment repairs. Even fifty silver would be a lot just to stay the night. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Our inn only cost twenty copper per room per night, and we''d doubled up to save some money. Except for Ithrima, of course. She always played the female card to avoid having to share a room with any of us. I gave an exaggerated sigh as I watched Nick''s party enter the Marfix inn. Then I turned to look at Gali with pupper eyes. "Absolutely not," he said. "But we have ten gold!" I argued. "It won''t cost more than five!" "He''s right," Mako said with a lot less investment than me. "If we double up, it would only be three gold." "Yeah, three gold that will be sorely missed if we end up ruining our equipment tomorrow," Gali scoffed. "Plus, we already paid for our rooms here. They don''t give refunds, you know." "Who cares?" I asked. "It''s only a few copper. We could be dead tomorrow, Gali. We should live a little!" "I''d rather be dead than destitute." "Oh come on, it''s not that bad. We''ll still have seven gold, and that''ll be enough to replace most of our equipment. Plus, if we''re successful with the vampire hunt, we''ll qualify for better paying hunts!" "And what if we''re not successful?" "Then we''ll be dead and won''t have to worry about it!" I could tell that Ithrima and Mako were fully with me on this. Heino was being pretty aloof, but there''s a good chance he''d vote my way if I called for one. But calling for a vote here would undermine Gali''s leadership. Heino, Mako, and I had previously spoken at length about who should be our next leader, and we''d settled on Gali. His even temperament and innate situational awareness would make him a great leader, but he''s humble enough to decline the position if we tried to make it official. So naturally, we were trying our best to put him in that position without him realizing it. "Wait a fuckin'' minute. Why am I the one making this decision?" he demanded, displaying his innate situational awareness. "Cuz you''re the one carrying the money," I answered quickly. "And I don''t want you to ruin our stay by bitching about how we aren''t being miserly the whole damn time." "As if I''d... Gods above and below, grant me patience. Fuckin'' fine. We can stay at the Marfix. But I still reserve the right to bitch the whole time." Once I finished jumping for joy, we got our stuff from the inn and explained our decision to the very understanding innkeeper. Then we went across the street to check into the Marfix. I tried to play it cool when we went inside, but the sheer wealth on display made my jaw drop. It''s common to see gold trim in Calkutin buildings. It''s not common for that trim to have gems embedded in it, though. On top of that, in the center of the lobby was a multi-level golden fountain with water gushing out of the largest blue-sapphire I''d ever seen. It struck me that three gold would be a bargain to stay in a place like this. We got a raised eyebrow from the front desk clerk, but other than that he was very polite and professional. There was a small argument over who the kobold would be bunking with, but Ithrima finally folded when faced with the prospect of having to share a room with one of us. We surrendered the three gold, deposited our stuff in our rooms, and set off to enjoy the amenities. The first thing I did was visit the spa. I got a nice mud-bath and warm rinse, then went to the sauna where I ran into Nick and Nash. "Hi guys!" I said cheerily as I sat down across from them. "Pretty hot in here, isn''t it?" "Nah, it''s just right," Nash said gruffly. "Yep, not too hot at all," Nick wiped the sweat from his forehead. I grinned as I realized what I had walked in on. A tough-guy competition was in full swing. I let out a sigh as I leaned back against the wall, knowing that I had the advantage because I had just walked in. "You''re right, this is pretty nice," I said. We sat in silence for a time, allowing the heat to slowly bake us alive. Eventually, the last glimmers of sunset shining through the sauna''s only window began to fade. Once the glow was gone completely and night finally settled, Nick cleared his throat and stood up. "While this heat is enjoyable, I think we should be going to bed now," he said with an air of diplomacy. "We have a long day ahead of us and will need our sleep." Nash and I looked at each other. On the one hand, the human''s suggestion could be considered a sign of weakness, which would allow us to poke fun at him. On the other hand, he had a damn good point and poking fun at him would result in us having to stay in the sauna longer to prove we weren''t as weak as him. I grinned when I realized that Nash was also considering the fact that I had joined them late and had quite an advantage in this contest. "He''s right," Nash said, standing. "We''ll be heading to bed. You?" "I might as well," I sighed. I followed Nick and Nash out of the sauna and chose a shower stall to rinse off. The cold water was an extreme contrast to the heat of the sauna, and I had to struggle to maintain my composure. Once we were finished, we nodded to each other and went to our rooms. Heino''s snores greeted me as I entered the room. He had somehow managed to clean his gear, and it was currently laying neatly next to his bed. My own gear had carried the scent of kobold corpses out of the dungeon, so I''d left it for the launders. I disrobed, laid in bed, and tried unsuccessfully to fall asleep. At first, I blamed Heino''s snoring. That didn''t really hold up for long, though, because Mako''s snoring is much louder. Once you sleep through that mountain of an orc''s snores, you can sleep through anything. My thoughts turned toward tomorrow, and I realized that the reason I couldn''t sleep was due to nerves. Vampires are one of the most fearsome opponents a hunter or adventurer can run into. They''re smart, fast, and unnaturally strong. Plus, they can turn you into one of them. Even most legendary weapons can''t do lasting damage to them, and all I have is a relatively cheap orc-made steel sword. It does the job against most other beasties, but stabbing a vampire will just piss it off. I don''t even know how well my shield''s gonna hold up against their claws. With a sigh, I rose from my bed. There''s only one cure for nervous insomnia, and that''s exhaustion. I remembered seeing a sign for a training area, so I decided that some exercise would do me good. Thankfully, it didn''t take long to find the sign and follow its arrow. When I opened the door, I was met with the sound of wood smacking against a training dummy. I turned to find Nick practicing with a wooden sword. "Hey, Nick," I said as he turned to look at me. "Having trouble sleeping?" "Y-yeah," he replied, fidgeting with the practice weapon. "I uh... I thought I should get some training in. Need to be in peak form tomorrow." "Same here." I grabbed a wooden sword and shield and picked a dummy. Nick watched me strike at the dummy''s neck for a bit, then left without saying another word. I watched the door close behind him, shrugging off the paranoia that came with that awkward interaction. It was definitely strange, though... I could swear his voice had sounded different. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American Once we finished our lovely breakfast and checked our gear, we began our hike to the dungeon. Liath stayed behind, claiming to be useless in both fighting and long walks. He acted pained when nobody argued with him. The hike itself didn''t seem that difficult at first, but my body felt heavy for some reason. I had slept fine, but still had to stifle more than a few yawns as we walked. In contrast to my fatigue, the kobold seemed to get more and more excited as we approached the dungeon. "We get rid of the suckers, then you can meet the lord!" the kobold said excitedly. "He''s gonna be so happy!" "Who is your lord, exactly?" Nash asked. "The lord is the lord," it tilted its head in confusion. "Knows lots of magics. Speaks in heads. Can''t die." We stopped marching and all of us stared at the kobold with blank expressions. Nothing was coming to mind based on that description, but something that knows a lot of magic and speaks telepathically doesn''t sound great. Not to mention that kobolds seem to worship it. Yulk gently cleared his throat. "Kobold... Does your master have any skin?" he asked. "Uh... Yeah, I think? Wait, yeah! He does!" the kobold said excitedly, then paused and rubbed its chin. "Doesn''t wear it a lot, though." "Sounds like a lich," Gali said nervously. "Dunno that word. What''s a lich?" "One of the greatest crimes against nature ever committed by a mortal," Mako explained sternly. "Arrogance and ambition culminating in a being of pure evil and spite." "Too many don''t-know-words," the kobold crossed its arms angrily. "But the lord isn''t evil. He helps kobolds a lot. Nobody else helps kobolds, shitty people think we''re trash. Farmy people think we''re a new sense. But the lord teaches us new stuff, heals us when we get hurts, and even tells us when we do good jobs. The lord never hurts kobolds. So from my pursp... presp... So me thinks that shitty people be way more evil than the lord." "Well, perhaps your lord isn''t a lich," Mako said. "Or maybe he''s a lich that likes kobolds. I suppose we''ll find out." "How did you and your lord survive the vampires?" I asked as we continued our trek. "I was sick when they came in. The lord said me ate the wrong kind of swimmer," he explained. "The sucker didn''t push the secret rock, so I didn''t get to die for the lord and the sucker captured him." "Why didn''t the vampire kill your lord?" "I already said. The lord can''t die. One time we thought he did when some of the ceiling fell, and we were super sad about it. Then he came back three days later, and was mad because we''d stopped working and made a big mess. He didn''t hit us, though, which was nice. Most lords are smack-happy, but that''s not cond... condew... uh... good for a good work place." "Conducive to a good work environment?" I offered helpfully. "Yeah! Not conducive to a good work environmental. Instead of smacks, he made us apologize and clean up after ourselves. Then he gave head-pats, ear scratches, and fish with bread. Really good bread, too, no green stuff on it." "Well, coming back from the dead is a big indicator that this guy''s a lich," Gali said. "Kobold, how do we know that your lord isn''t going to attack us once we defeat the vampires?" "Cuz he''s not gonna. The lord doesn''t hurt helpers." We stared at the kobold, expecting him to elaborate further. He stared right back at us, seemingly confused by our hesitation. After a few moments, Gali sighed in exasperation. "Fine, let''s go," he said as he turned. "Wait," I interrupted. "What''s your name?" "Me?" the kobold asked. "Yeah." "Simeeth is what me is called. Don''t mind being called kobold, though." "You don''t?" Gali asked. "Nah. Reminds me that I''m the last. Which also means that I''m the best!" "Sure," Gali said as we continued on. "You''re the best by default. Why not?" "You can''t count past seven, though?" Mako asked with a grin. "I would think that the best kobold would be able to count to ten." "I don''t know what comes after seven," Simeeth sighed. "Eight," I added, trying to be helpful. "Eight what?" "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten." "Who''s nine and ten? Why did seven eat them? How do numbers eat things?" Simeeth sighed louder. "I have had these questions for so long and nobody ever answers." The realization that the kobold was caught up on a pun made me hesitate. ''Wait, did you translate that right?'' I asked Ten. ''Yes.'' ''How is that pun in more than one language?'' ''I am an Artificial Intelligence, not an etymologist.'' ''What does studying bugs have to do with anything?'' ''No, that''s entomologist. Etymology is the study of words and their histories.'' Stolen story; please report. "Shit," I grumbled to myself. "There it is," Gali said. "That''s the entrance." We stopped in front of a mausoleum that was made entirely of polished tan-brown stone. It reminded me of my grandma''s counters, which were made of fake granite. The mausoleum had two columns on each side of its entrance, which was lacking any sort of door. The sun made it impossible to see past the entrance, though. As if the mausoleum had a door of darkness protecting whatever was inside it. Above the entrance was a carving that depicted two winged beings kneeling to a skull. At first glance, I thought they were angels. Closer inspection revealed them to be armored elves. The skull didn''t have any pointed teeth, so it was probably elven too. "Oh, I get it now," Mako said. "Right, the skull is because of the lich," Rebis added. "Makes sense." "How does that make sense?" Ithrima asked. "Surely this dungeon is older than the lich." "How do you figure?" Heino countered. "Well, the monsters within the dungeon were spewing out of it at some point, right?" Ithrima looked around for assurance. "Am I the only one who thought that implied that someone stopped the monsters? Like the lich and kobolds?" "There were baddies before the lord," Simeeth added helpfully. "The lord said that they were making the shitty people come, so he killed them all. My daddy helped!" "So how can the skull be referring to the lich?" Ithrima demanded smugly. "It''s obviously not native to this dungeon." "Gods grant me patience," Rebis sighed. "Why are you thinking this carving was always like this? Liches are as magical as they are megalomaniacal, so why in the hells wouldn''t he change the carving to suit himself?!" "We gonna argue, or are we gonna get to work?" Nash asked. "We''re burning daylight." "Like that matters," Rebis laughed. "It''s darker than the crack of my ass in there." "We''ll have to walk back. Unless you plan on camping in the dungeon?" A nasty smell wafted from the dungeon as if to prove Nash''s point. Mako chuckled as Rebis sighed. "Fine, let''s go. Yulk, Ithrima, and Olmira you''ll be in the back with Gali and the kobold. Nash and Nick are in the center, supporting whoever needs it. Mako, Heino, and I will be front," Rebis said. "Remember, the goal is to stop their movement and fwoosh them." "Won''t the fire make breathing a problem?" I asked. "A light wind spear should help with that," Yulk said. "I''ll do it. Don''t want the tunnel collapsing." Yulk winked at me as everyone else prepared their gear. Rebis and Heino strapped on their shields and unsheathed their swords. Nash hefted his axe while Mako examined his pike. Gali played with the string on his bow. Trying not to look as nervous as I felt, I drew my sword. "There''s a lot of dead kobolds in there, so mind the stench," Gali said. "Let''s go." I trailed behind Nash as we entered the dungeon. As soon as I entered, the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood rigid. The air was filled with the stench of death and a sense of dread. Stifling my instinctual urge to panic, I cast light. Everyone else activated their lights, too, and we began our grim march down the hallway. "Careful, traps," Mako said. The big orc began lightly pushing his pike on the tiled floor until we all heard a click. A moment later, a grate with spikes fell from the ceiling. Nash let out a low whistle as the trap receded. "Not the usual fare for dungeon traps," he said. "It is around these parts," Mako replied solemnly. "Calkutin dungeons are much more dangerous than the dungeons in the Chiefdoms, and it isn''t because of the monsters." "I see." "The traps have been here since I was born," Simeeth said. "Can avoid by just stepping around them." "We don''t know where they are," Mako countered. "Me help." Simeeth''s feet pattered against the tile and his wagging tail grazed my leg as he ran past me. He also ran past Nash, but Mako stopped him with a massive hand. The tiny kobold looked at the massive orc with obvious confusion. "If you''re in front, you''ll be the first target for a vampire," Mako explained. "How about you ride on my shoulders and point out the traps, instead. When we see a vampire, you can hop down." "I... uh... That''s a long way up," Simeeth replied. "Dunno if I can jump down from there." "I''ll help you get down," Nash said. Simeeth looked back and forth between Mako and Nash, then shrugged. "Okay." Heino smiled and Rebis chuckled as the kobold, who was noticeably shorter than the dwarves, climbed Mako mountain. Mako helped the little lizard up, and Simeeth sat with his legs on either side of Mako''s neck. It reminded me of my cousin with his kid. We continued on until we found the first kobold corpses. The rank stench in the air threatened to make me puke. I held my nose as we pushed past, but breathing through my mouth didn''t help at all. Simeeth pointed out another trap, and we slipped past it. Then we ran into more dead kobolds. This pattern repeated itself a few more times before Simeeth sighed and pointed to one of the kobold corpses. "That''s my daddy. If I didn''t get sick, I''d have been right next to him. Maybe have made a difference, but the lord said I wouldn''t have. Guess the lord knows best." "Do you want to say goodbye?" Mako asked. "For why? He''s dead," Simeeth tilted his head. "Can''t hear when you''re dead, right?" "I suppose not," Mako said glumly. "Hey, Simeeth, how old are you?" I asked. "I''m three years old," the reptilian grinned. "Almost a grown-up!" I almost told Simeeth my age, then realized his response would probably be questions about "who''s een" and "why did you eat them"? Instead, I turned my attention to Rebis, who let out a low whistle. "That explains SO much," the dwarf chuckled and shook his head. "When do kobolds become adults?" "I dunno," Simeeth replied with a shrug. "Let''s keep moving," Mako interrupted. "Actually, it would be best if you stopped," Simeeth said with an odd tone and a vacant expression. "The vampires know you''re here. Two of them have come to greet you. Prepare yourselves, hunters." "The fuck?" Rebis asked. "There''s very little time before they reach you. I am the being this one calls lord, speaking to you through my only remaining vassal. Get ready, they come." Mako knelt a little and Nash grabbed Simeeth from his shoulders. We began to hear the soft thuds of footsteps just as we prepared our weapons. Rebis and Heino prepared their shields and Mako hefted his pike. Nash and I took position behind the three, ready to intercept any vampires that got through. Gali cocked his bow as Ithrima, Yulk, and Olmira prepared to cast their spells. Simeeth looked up at us and shook his head in confusion. "What happening?" he asked. "The vampires are coming," I said. "Get behind me." Simeeth stared for a moment, then scampered toward the rear of our formation. We waited as the footsteps grew louder, prepared to see vampires leaping out of the shadows toward us. Then the footsteps stopped. I couldn''t see them, but I could feel them watching us. Like the creeping feeling of panic when your night light goes out as a child. When you just know there''s something in your closet and under your bed. When you get older, you''re able to tell yourself that you''re imagining it and that there''s nothing there. But this time, it''s not my imagination. "Really?" Rebis asked. "You just gonna watch us? The big bad vampires are to scared to have a real fight?" A pair of pale dwarves stepped out of the darkness. They were wearing tattered clothes, and their fingers ended in pointed claws. Cruel, fanged grins were plastered on their pasty faces. "We''re not the ones who should be scared," one of them said. I almost couldn''t follow its movements. The moment it finished speaking, it rushed toward Rebis. The other vampire rushed toward Mako. Moving just as quickly, Heino stepped in front of Mako as the orc''s pike stabbed the vampire that was after Rebis. Mako hefted his pike upwards with the vampire skewered upon it as Heino''s sword flashed briefly in the light. The vampire slammed into the ground in front of me, and we made brief eye contact as Nash''s axe fell. The heads of both vampires rolled in opposite directions on the floor. "Quick, pile ''em up," Gali said. "Gotta burn ''em." I stopped the vampires head with my boot, and a wave of nausea smashed against my gut. Fighting it, I picked up the head by its hair and tossed it onto the body that it had been attached to. Heino and Mako tossed the pieces of the other vampire on the pile. I swallowed heavily and held up my hand. "Llaberif tsac!" Intense heat flew from my hand and enveloped the pile of vampire parts. Eerie screeching and the smell of burnt meat filled the air. The knot in my stomach twisted further as I watched the bodies convulse. That''s what it would look like if Rebis, Heino, or Gali... Unable to fight it any longer, I turned away from my party and spewed my breakfast onto the tiled floor. "Well, that was easier than I thought it would be," Rebis said, tactfully ignoring my display. "Let us hope it remains that way," Mako said coldly. "Why the human puke?" Simeeth asked. "Did he eat a bad swimmer?" Chapter 65 Master Vampire Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Drow Master Vampire - Balushenian "Skull, what are these carvings?" I demanded, pointing the lich at the stone tablets laying on a desk. "These are what remains of the weathered notes that I found during my explorations," the lich replied. "I do not know what they say." "Liar," I dropped the skull on the table. "I transcribed them in the hopes of finding someone who does," the lich said, unperturbed. "The pages that I found were in poor condition, to say the least, and would not survive if I were to remove them from this dungeon." "Let''s say I believe you. Why didn''t you find someone to translate them?" "As you''ll soon discover, years have a habit of ticking away unnoticed when you are immortal." "Sir," Habis excitedly burst into the room. "We have more intruders!" "Perhaps I spoke too soon," the skull said smugly. "Where are they?" I asked, ignoring the jab. "In the entrance hallway." "Send the youngest two. Conversion, if practical. Slaughter if not." "Only two, sir?" "Yes," I sighed. "The entrance hallway isn''t broad enough to send everyone, and those dwarves will not be much of a loss. Even if we lose them, we will gain valuable intel in exchange for their sacrifice." "What sort of intel, master?" "We will know that the adventurers know how to fight vampires, and are likely here to do so," I growled. "Have you finished questioning my orders, or do I need to take your tongue?" Habis bowed low, then fled the room without another sound. The control over my minions I had been expecting turned out to be much more lacking than I had believed. Mindless automatons had been too much to hope for, surely, but I had been under the impression that at least some of my creations would follow my orders without question. The amount of effort I have to exude to maintain my control over the dwarves is particularly tiring. As it turns out, the vile creatures are resistant to suggestibility. Luckily, the majority of the disenfranchised in the town of Gowl happen to be elves and orcs. The pair of dwarves that were recently turned were the first, and if fortune favors me, the last. Eleven vampires, including myself and the dwarves that I want dead. Far from the strength of the covens of old, but not exactly pathetic by modern standards. The adventurers that stumbled upon us are no match. Unless... "Lich, what do you know of the gods?" I asked. "Much more than I would like to," the skull said with what could have been a sigh. "Why?" "Be rid of your questions, for I have my own. If a god were to warn someone of a forthcoming challenge, how imminent would that challenge be?" "Either very imminent, or literal decades from now. It is rare for a god to warn anyone at all, but even rarer still will that warning be of any use." "Why?" "Well, let''s follow the chain of logic to find our answer. Gods are beings with power beyond reckoning, yet they rarely use this power. Even when they do use it, they do so with more moderation than most mortals would even think to use." "What relevance does that have?" "Well, I believe you may be in a similar situation as the gods. Tell me, with all your power, why is it that you don''t simply assault the town?" "I see..." An assault on the town of Gowl would effectively be suicide, and I am not foolish enough to believe otherwise. Even with all of the strength and abilities at my disposal, I would not be able to overcome the numbers that the town could produce. Is the lich implying that mortals would be able to overpower the gods with numbers alone? Or perhaps it''s referencing adventurers. While it is true that most adventurers don''t stand any sort of chance against even a normal vampire, adventurers have the ability to become far stronger and faster than other mortals. It would be foolish to believe that there are no adventurers that could best me in combat. Vampires that make themselves known become prey to experienced adventurer parties. That''s likely the implication. There is something bigger than the gods, and if they misbehave it steps in. I had already gathered as much, though. "Might I ask, vampire, are you a touched?" the lich asked. "And if I am?" "It would explain a great many things. Poor thing, wrapped up in the whimsy of the gods. A simple tool for their amusement." "Pity?" I demanded with a laugh. "From a lich without magic? How far I must have fallen. Hear this, though, the moment I find your additional phylactery I will be smashing you into the bone-dust that you so richly deserve to be." Before the lich could respond, I felt a pain in my chest. This pain was new to me, but its significance was immediately known. As if the knowledge of what this pain meant had been somehow engraved into my brain without my knowledge. The dwarves were dead. Both joy and alarm rose within me in equal amounts. "Stay here," I mocked the skull as I rose. "I have something to take care of." The skull made a sound that was a mixture of a hiss and a sigh as I left the room. The dungeon turned out to be much larger than I had originally believed. Half of our time is spent searching for new recruits, and the other half is finding new hidden doors. Some of the doors are trapped, but that''s not a problem for beings that can regenerate. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Eight pairs of vampiric eyes turned from the entrance hallway to watch me as I entered the throne room. They had been nervously awaiting news of their brethren. I regarded them coldly as I took my seat on the throne. "The dwarves are dead," I said casually. "Go. Avenge your brothers." In unison, they nodded and rushed into the hallway. A small smirk spread over my features. Two vampires is one thing, eight is another matter entirely. The foolish intruders don''t stand a ch- I clutched my chest. It had been less than a minute, and already one of my vampires was dead. Isriv, a gnome that we had plucked from the trail. She had begged for mercy, to live, and gratefully kissed my hand once her conversion was complete. The next to fall was Herin. The orc had been a great find, sleeping off a drunken bender in an alley behind the inn. He was relatively small for an orc, and life had not been going well for him. But because of this, he had a genuine desire to be used for my greatness. Alus, Toril, and Patyr faced their final death almost simultaneously. Were it not for the searing pain in my chest, I would have laughed at the irony. The three sisters had been a trio of traveling merchants. As sisters, they had been together their entire lives, and had met their end in the same manner. I barely managed to recover before Noriz and Malu perished. Noriz had been the most beautiful elf I''d ever seen, despite her years of living rough. Her golden hair had glowed in the moonlight as I bit into her that fateful night. I''d intended to make her my bride. Malu was also beautiful, by orc standards. She had been the guard hired by Patyr to protect their convoy. She had fought well, but in the end Noriz and I had shared her blood. "Habis... Run..." I gasped through the pain. Habis. My very first conversion. The homeless elf had bravely, or foolishly, taken residence in the haunted manor that night. His gratitude for my interference in his fate led to him questioning me, but only because he wanted my success to be guaranteed. A tear ran down my cheek as the pain in my chest confirmed his demise. The childish grin he had flashed that night burned in my mind. The sounds of footsteps and shuffling metal barely registered in my ears as my sorrow turned to rage. I looked up at two dwarves and an orc. Every fiber of my being wanted to leap forth and tear them into little shreds of meat, but their formation struck me as odd. All three were covered in blood, but I could tell that the orc was wearing plate armor. It would be difficult to pry him out of that with the dwarves covering his flank. No, I need to calculate this. They couldn''t have killed my kin without fire, and these three do not appear to be mages. I stood as they stepped forward, and an arrow appeared in my chest. Casually, I plucked it from my sternum and tossed it aside. Just as I thought, there were more intruders in the hallway. Two more orcs, three elves, and... A kobold? I nearly laughed. Is this the challenge that the gods present to me? It isn''t even armed. "Try to pin him down," one of the dwarves said. "I''ll pin you to the wall and make you watch what I do to your comrades," I growled. "Perhaps I''ll turn them and make them rip you apart." "Yeah, yeah fangy guy. We''ve killed all your friends. Are you the last one?" I laughed, "The last and the first, and as you''ll soon find out, the deadliest." The air parted as I shoved my way through it, launching myself at the dwarf. His shield rose and the orc''s pike tried to greet me, but I deftly slid past it. My fist slammed into the shield, shattering it into several pieces. The dwarf slammed into the wall as I turned my attention to the orc. The pike-wielding orc was much larger than most, but the kick I landed upon his knee proved an old adage true. No longer able to support his own weight, he smashed into the ground. I bent to finish him, but only landed a punch to his face before I had to roll out of the way of an incoming axe. The axe seemed to follow my trajectory, though, and bit into my shoulder. It shredded the flesh and dug deep into my collarbone. I rose to my feet and found myself face to face with another orc. He grinned, "Take that you son of-" My open palm slammed into his sternum, depriving him of the breath needed to finish his insult. I dug my claws into his chest as he collapsed to the floor. His heartbeat teased my fingertips as bones began to crack. Tearing the heart from his chest would make a fine trophy, and demoralize the other intruders. A glint of light caught my notice, and I kicked at the dwarf that was coming for my head. The kick landed directly on his bicep, breaking the bone beneath it. My heel then connected with his head, knocking him out cold. Before I could do anything else, I felt a sharp pain in my heart-seeking arm. Severed. I leapt back and glared at the... "You''re not an elf," I said as my arm began to regenerate. "llaberif tsac!" it replied. Pain and flame engulfed me as the fireball slammed into my chest. An ethereal screech escaped me as I tore at my burning flesh. The thing that burned me tried to attack me before I could extinguish the flames, but I batted it away. I tore large chunks from myself and flung the still-burning flesh away from me. My regeneration made this a difficult task, but before long the flames no longer threatened me. I turned to face my opposition. An orc sorcerer was bent over the axe-carrying orc I had felled earlier. The fireball-casting creature was being helped up by the two elves. My arm was lying near me, and I whimsically picked it up while my opponents struggled to regain their composure. A new one had already grown. Once the elf-looking thing had regained their footing, I threw my arm at them. It ducked, and my arm sailed past them and into the entrance hallway. I tried to taunt it, but incomprehensible gibberish left my face instead of any words. I put my newly formed hand to my lips and touched bone. A good portion of my skull was on-show, and my tongue was lolling out from the bottom of my jaw. The little bastard had got me good. Fearing what may happen if my regeneration didn''t reset my tongue''s position, I tore it off. The pain was nothing compared to what I had just experienced, though. I focused my gaze on the pair of elves and not-elf standing in front of me and released a visceral growl. Fireballs leapt from their fingers, and I leapt from the ground. I sailed over their magic and landed behind them. One of the elves was slow to turn, and my fist landed a hefty blow to the back of her head. My spirit soared as her face smashed into the ground. The other elf was in the middle of casting another spell, but I stopped her with a punch to the gut. My next punch cracked her skull. I grabbed her robe as she went limp, and felt a connection within me as I caved her skull in. I released the robe and stared in confusion at the limp body of the vampire for a moment before the not-elf''s sword flashed in front of my face. Barely managing to dodge the blade, I lashed out with a kick, but the thing moved faster than me and slashed my thigh. With another growl, I threw a punch that connected with its chest, sending it flying into the nearest wall. As it connected with the wall, a helmet seemed to appear on its head, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared and the thing slumped to the ground. I regarded it for a moment, doubting my own senses as I licked my teeth with my freshly grown tongue. Finally, I turned to last conscious intruder. He regarded me coldly as I approached. "Friend of yours, I presume?" I asked with my new lips. "Brother, actually," the orc replied. "If it is any consolation, your brother fought well. Only two of you even managed to wound me, and your brother was one of them." "I''m sure he will appreciate the compliment." I looked around at the myriad of fallen would-be vampire slayers. All of them were still alive, but gravely injured. I could smell the blood pooling within them, waiting for their heart''s final beat. A very tantalizing smell. The only exception was the vampire and the odd creature that had burned me. The vampire smelled dead, but the other thing gave off a very odd and repulsive stench. I''ve never smelled anything like it before, and never want to again. Speaking of oddities, though... "What happened to the kobold?" I asked. "I don''t know. I lost sight of it when the fight began. Perhaps it fled." "I see. No matter, it isn''t any threat to me. So tell me, orc, why did you come here? Are there more of your ilk on the way?" "We came here to solve a mystery, and yes. The Venator''s Guild is aware of the vampire presence within these ruins. If we do not return, more adventurers will come. And they will be specialists." "Well, it would seem that I need to start over, then," I laughed. "Perhaps I''ll spare you and your brother. You can help me make a new headquarters." I laughed harder as the orcs eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The thought of becoming a vampire and enslaved for all eternity must be terrible to the poor thing. My amusement abated when I realized it wasn''t looking at me. "No," a voice from behind me said. Chapter 66 Tenzing.AI Adventurer Level: N/A Artificial Intelligence - Unknown Despite the enchanted cuirass and helmet, the impact with the wall did serious damage to Nick''s body and brain. His loss of consciousness occurred immediately following the damage to the frontal and occipital lobes of his brain. Thankfully, this meant that I didn''t have to try to dampen the pain of the fractured ribs and sternum. A quick scan of the body revealed organ damage and internal hemorrhaging, but nothing that I couldn''t fix. Still, the damage to the brain would have been fatal if it weren''t for my intervention. I immediately set about repairing this damage, and tried to take control of the body. This was unsuccessful, at first. Another examination revealed that I had missed some damage to the cerebellum and medulla oblongata on my first examination. Swelling was causing issues with the spinal cord, preventing my attempts at locomotion. I focused my efforts on these parts of the brain. ''Gotta get you moving,'' I said to his deafened mind. ''If we can get control of the hand and the mouth, we can get you stable faster.'' Best not to mention what will happen to our accompaniment if we don''t get moving. Not for Nick''s sake, I just don''t want to think about it. The last scene before the eyes went dark was pretty grim. Hopefully, this vampire is a lover of monologues. Quickly and carefully I drained fluids and repaired cells. Next was the correction of some slightly luxated bones. Finally, after jump-starting some newly formed neurons, I was able to take control of the motor functions. Still blind, I very carefully placed Nick''s hand upon his chest. "Leah tsac," I whispered with his mouth. Magic drained from Nick''s core and cells began to repair each other at a much faster rate. Thanks to the training I had been doing while Nick slept, I was able to account for this and guide those cells into healing more efficiently. Finally, Nick''s sight returned and I was able to see the vampire standing over Yulk. "Well, it would seem that I need to start over, then," the vampire said with a laugh. "Perhaps I''ll spare you and your brother. You can help me make a new headquarters." I grabbed Nick''s sword and carefully stood. His body wasn''t entirely healed yet, but it would have to do. Yulk watched me stand, surprise apparent on his face. The vampire began to laugh harder, and for a moment I considered a surprise attack. Then I thought better of it. I haven''t completely repaired Nick''s body, so I wouldn''t be able to move quietly or fast enough to overcome the vampire''s situational awareness. But, if we manage to stall enough, Olmira will be able to heal as well. Three against one works better in our favor, so stalling seems to be the route to go in this case. "No," I said. The vampire turned to me with a look of shock and fear, which I secretly found amusing. It quickly recovered its composure, and moved to keep Yulk and I in front of it. I examined Nash using peripheral vision, keeping my eyes locked on the vampire. Yulk had healed him, but the fluttering of his eyes behind their lids indicated that he was still down for the count. "No?" the vampire asked, seemingly offended. "Correct." "You''re going to stop me?" "Indeed." "How?" He rose to his full height and smirked, trying to demonstrate that I was no threat to him. However, his calculated stare was desperately searching for an opportunity to attack me. An opportunity that I would not grant. "I''m going to kill you," I replied. "Is that a fact? And how are you going to accomplish such a feat?" the vampire asked mockingly. "Decapitation and incineration." The vampire was indeed talkative, but it occurred to me that I was being too terse. My bid to bide time would fail if I didn''t become more verbose. Unfortunately, this vampire seemed to have a propensity for asking stupid questions. "Well, incineration you can certainly do," the vampire growled. "Decapitation is another matter entirely, though. I don''t believe you''re fast enough, but I''m more than happy to see who can decapitate whom." The vampire slightly shifted his stance, preparing to attack. "Hold on, I didn''t catch your name," I said, internally wincing at the obvious stall tactic. "I am Kirain Yith, Master General turned Master Vampire," the vampire took the bait with a wicked smile. "And you?" This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it I faced a sudden and unexpected existential crisis as I tried to decide whether to introduce myself or disguise myself as Nick. Thankfully, this crisis was resolved in milliseconds and I decided that providing an enemy with information was a bad idea. "I am Nick Smith, an adventurer far from home," I answered. "And trying to find my way back. "And what business does a lost adventurer have with my kin and I?" "I need to know how to return home. The answer may lie within this dungeon, and you are currently between myself and said answer. Therefor, you must be removed as an obstacle." "I see. And if I were to voluntarily remove myself as an obstacle?" The healing processes completed as I gestured to the other fallen adventurers. "I think we''re a little passed that, don''t you?" I asked. The gesture disguised a shift in my stance, and as the vampire opened his mouth to reply I lunged forward, swiping at his neck. The blood-sucking creature leapt backward with a hiss, but the tip of my sword grazed his larynx. He glared at me as blood dripped from his neck. "Raeps dniw tsac!" I shouted. The spear of wind tore through the air toward the vampire. He fell to the floor to avoid it, and leapt at me once the spell sailed over him. I side-stepped and slashed at his outstretched hand, severing it. "That''s the second time you''ve... disarmed me," the vampire snarled. "There will not be a third." "Nilevaj eci tsac!" He slid around the incoming ice javelin and rushed me again. I prepared to parry the incoming claws, but they didn''t land where I expected them to. The vampire''s feint would have been fatal had I not realized it in time to leap back, but the claws still raked my face. Healing once again, I pushed forward, slashing at the vampire as I advanced. These slashes were meant to seem wild and uncoordinated while guiding the vampire to dodge them in certain ways. The goal was to force him into a corner. The vampire had other plans, though. A slash aimed at his regenerating chest went unanswered, and his fist met Nick''s cuirass. The impact was solid enough to cause internal damage, but I managed to keep Nick on his feet while giving only a few steps of ground. Nanites swarmed around the damaged area, repairing it and preventing further damage caused by the body''s immune response. "What in the blackest of hells ARE you?" the vampire asked. "A human," I said once I repaired Nick''s diaphragm enough to breath. "That answers nothing," he growled. "No matter, I will simply dissect you once you''re dead!" The vampire leapt forward again. I countered with Slide Slash, but took another claw to the shoulder. My slash opened the creature''s thigh, which seemed to have no effect. I took this as a sign of dampened pain responses, and adjusted my strategy accordingly. The vampire landed and immediately resumed his offensive. I triggered Preternatural Evasion, allowing me to avoid more damage while looking for an opening. Nick''s body moved on its own while I examined the vampire''s attacks. Thankfully, he seemed to be martially trained, which caused a pattern to emerge from his attacks. After three attacks, he would reset his footing, which gave me an average of .25 seconds to respond. Plenty of time for a counter-attack, but he was intentionally keeping his neck as far away as possible. It would take at least .28 seconds for a blow that could cause decapitation to connect. What can I do here? I certainly can''t let him keep attacking. A spark of genius ignited within my processor. The mouth can move very quickly, and doesn''t require the limbs. So if I time it just right... "Llaberif," I said, raising my hand once the third attack missed, "tsac!" The fireball appeared between us and connected almost immediately. The vampire roared as his flesh was once again ignited. "AGAIN!?!" he demanded before his lungs succumbed to the effects of the fire. The heat singed Nick''s hair and caused a first-degree burn, but I pushed forward regardless. Using Dash and Power Slash, I decapitated the so-called Master Vampire. He crumpled to the ground, and I stopped his head from rolling. The vampire glared up at me from the ground, but I met his venomous gaze with apathy. I picked up his head by the hair and tossed it on the pyre made from his own body. Then I did the same with the hand I had removed earlier. "Yulk, it''s Ten," I said. "I know. You and Nick don''t act at all alike," the orc chuckled. "I''m going to need your help to heal everyone." "Olmira should be up soon, but Yulk... Did anyone grab that arm that he threw?" "Arm? What ar-" "This arm, presumably," a voice called out from the entrance hallway. Yulk and I turned to look and immediately took defensive postures. A bejeweled skeleton wearing a flowing robe floated three inches off of the ground. Above its right hand floated the Master Vampires arm, which was already trying to regenerate. "You missed a spot," the lich said, tossing the limb into the fire. An ethereal screech filled the air, shaking the ground beneath us. Yulk''s hands flew to his ears, but I maintained my posture, fearing what the lich may do. I did send some nanites to repair the hearing damage, though. Once the screech subsided, Yulk dropped back into his defensive stance. The lich regarded us coldly, but with an underlying caution. We regarded it in much the same way. "So... uh..." Yulk broke the silence. "Wha-" "WAIT! MILORD!" a voice called out from behind the throne. Yulk and I turned again to find the kobold that had accompanied the party. At the start of the fight, he had sprinted off behind the throne. With his return, I quickly put two and two together. He hadn''t run off to avoid the vampire, he had gone to find his master. "My lord," the kobold said breathlessly. "They''s helpers! No hurts for helpers, yes?" "Yes, very good Simeeth. No hurts for helpers, indeed," the lich replied. "So long as they remain helpers and do not become harmers." "They won''t do that," Simeeth said merrily. "They''s friends. Fed me good!" "Excellent. Remember to thank them for their hospitality." "Oh, uh... not these ones. The ones that are-" The lich waved a bony hand to quiet the kobold. This turn of events has left me in an awkward situation. We really shouldn''t broadcast my existence to everyone we meet, but what do I do? Nick''s brain is repaired, and is currently in deep REM sleep. So if I deactivate myself, he''ll just collapse. "I thank you for your assistance," the lich turned to me. "You''re quite a capable fighter." I glanced at Yulk and back toward the lich, all the while trying to decide what my next course of action will be. It would be inconvenient to have a dialogue with the lich and have to catch Nick up to speed when he awakens. Either way, I''m going to have to tell Nick about the fight. Though we agreed that I have permission to use his body when he''s unconscious, he might get upset if I were to pose as him. Plus, once the others start to wake up they might notice something wrong as well. Yulk said that Nick and I don''t act alike, which seems to be true now that I think on it. I can''t quite mimic the way he holds himself or the way he speaks. As I finished turning back to the lich, I decided what to do. As my gaze locked onto the hollow pits that the lich would call eyes, he looked at me with an aura of expectancy. With a mental sigh, I prepared myself. Then I pretended to faint. Chapter 67 Larie VysImiro Adventurer Level: Membership Revoked Half-Breed Lich - Unknown "I thank you for your assistance," I said, turning toward the odd creature. "You are a very capable fighter." Simeeth had excitedly called this thing a hew-man. The singular surviving kobold had been eager to tell me that he had learned a new word. I had congratulated him, but hadn''t quite believed that he had met a member of an undiscovered race. The human glanced at the orc and then back to me. I was expecting a reply of gratitude for the compliment that I paid it. Instead, its eyes rolled into the back of its head and its legs gave out. The orc and I watched it fall to the ground with a soft thud. "I... uh..." I stammered. "Is he-" "Don''t worry," the orc rose with a grunt. "He''s fine. The others, though, not so much. Might I ask your aid in helping them?" "The lord is good at fixing oofs and ouchies!" Simeeth added. "Yes, thank you Simeeth," I replied. "Of course I''m more than willing to aid those that rid me of that... pest. Can I count on you to prevent the inevitable misunderstanding?" "Should be easy," the orc smiled warmly. "They''re smarter than they look." "Also..." I trailed off as I stared pointedly at the healing corpse of the vampire that had apparently accompanied them. "Yes, her too, please." I nodded at the orc and held out my hand. Many of those that travel the path of lichdom shirk the healing arts. They care only for power and longevity, and their skills suffer for it. However, my mortality had been spent on healing those around me, and I got quite good at it. "Arua gnilaeh tsac!" I exclaimed. Then, feeling a tad dramatic, I added, "Arise." The spell emanated from my hand and surrounded the wounded adventurers with a warm, healing embrace. Cuts disappeared, bones reformed, and breathing normalized. Before long, the adventurers were getting up, and each of them had a different way of expressing their surprise. "Woah, shit!" one of the dwarves said. "It''s okay," the orc sorcerer replied. "The lich healed you." "What? Really? Liches can heal people?" "Liches ARE people, you know," I chuckled. "Or, at the very least, were." "I... But..." the dwarf stammered for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, okay. I guess so." "Come on, let''s get you up," the orc sorcerer said as he helped the dwarf stand. "I believe introductions are in order." The adventurers introduced themselves one by one, and Yulk introduced the still sleeping human as Nick Smith. I had many questions regarding the human and the vampire that accompanied them. However, I decided to invite their questions first with my own introduction. "Greetings, Alta brothers and the Western Wasters," I said. "I am Larie VysImiro, lord of the fallen and king of the kobolds." "King of the kobolds kinda makes sense," Rebis said hesitantly. "What makes you the lord of the fallen, though?" Yulk, Ithrima, and Olmira were completely stunned by the mention of my family name, but Rebis seemed oblivious. Their expressions told me that my father is still quite famous. "When I was mortal, I was one of the few grand-master healers. In all modesty, many of the methods and techniques that I created are likely still in use," I said with a grin, not that he could tell. "I saved those that fell in battle from their untimely deaths, and they eventually began to call me a lord." "Lot less edgy than I thought it would be," Gali added. "What''s up with you three?" "S-sorry, did you say Larie VysImiro?" Ithrima asked. "I did." "As in, house VysImiro?" "Correct." "Are you related to Imlor VysImiro?" Yulk asked. "Much to my shame, yes." "Imlor VysImiro?" Nash asked. "Who''s that?" "Imlor The Grand," Olmira answered in awe. "Larie was the name of his eldest son." "Is," I corrected. "Also, I really wish people would stop calling that monster ''The Grand''." "Wasn''t Imlor a gnome?" Rebis asked. "You don''t look like a gnome to me." "My mother was an elven princess," I said. "She was very beautiful, and I took after her appearance. Not that it''s discernible any longer, though." This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "Apologies for interrupting, but uh... Is Nick okay?" Mako asked. "Yes, yes. He''s just sleeping and will probably wake up soon," Yulk said dismissively. "Lord VysImiro, I must know, what brings you to this dungeon?" "I''ve been looking into a long dead cult. My hope is to one day undo what has been done to me," I answered, gesturing to my skeletal form. "You were MADE a lich?" Ithrima asked. "Who would do that to you?" "My father." An uncomfortable silence settled over the group as they digested this revelation. The only sound came from Simeeth playing with the bones of the master vampire. After a few moments of this silence, I decided elaboration was in order. "Later in life, my father became obsessed with immortality. He considered himself far too important to the study of magic to be allowed to die, and experimented with a vast amount of rituals and spells in an attempt to prevent his end," I explained. "One day, he asked me to help him craft a new spell. He claimed that this spell could be used to save countless lives, and that even a novice would be able to learn it. This was well into his mania, though. In hindsight, I should have known better, but my compassion bested me and I took my father at his word." I paused a moment and played with the ring on my index finger. My father''s signet ring. "I had not been involved in the creation of a spell before, nor had I looked into the daemonic arts of flesh-craft. I did have some slight experience with anyelic soul-binding, but this actually worked against me in recognizing the ritual for what it actually was." My hand shook from the pressure I was putting on the ring. Were it not enchanted, it would have broken. "I loved my father, and believed that he loved me in turn. After my mother died, we had helped each other mourn. But the mer that performed that ritual with me was not the father that I loved, and definitely not the father that I thought loved me. To him, I was nothing more than a convenient test subject. A simple toy to play with and learn from. Nevermind the fact that I had a fiancee who loved me, and was planning on starting my own family." I released the pressure on the ring with a sigh. "The monster masquerading as my father revealed itself by turning me into this abomination. Once the pain and confusion abated, Imlor The Grand declared that the experiment had been a failure. After all, he couldn''t very well remain at the head of sorcery without flesh. Who would take the skeleton of a gnome seriously?" "I''m so sorry," Ithrima whispered. "Oh, it gets worse," I chuckled darkly. "I demanded that he undo what he did to me. He said that he didn''t know how, and he didn''t have the time to find out. His own mortality was ticking away and he needed to find a solution. Ironic, considering that was the statement that killed him." "You mean-" Olmira said and stopped herself. "Yes. I fought my father. Our duel contributed to the wastes west of here. He killed me several times, but his ego prevented him from destroying my phylactery. He believed that I would learn my lesson and cease my ''tantrum'', but I was determined. In the end, he was a broken and bloody mess, begging me to heal him. ''If you could do this to me, what horrors are you willing to unleash on those you feel nothing for?'' Those were my last words to him before I ended his life." More silence as the adventurers processed what I told them. My father, Imlor The Grand, Patriarch of the VysImiro family, had been a hero and a scholar before his disappearance from the public eye. To learn that he had turned into a monster and was subsequently killed by his own son must come as a shock. "The big bad dad made the lord bones, but then the lord made the big bad dad bones!" Simeeth said happily. "The lord is strong! The lord is great!" "Kind words, Simeeth," I nodded at the kobold. "Thank you." "Well, shit. Guess you can''t choose your family, right?" Rebis asked rhetorically. "Indeed you cannot," Yulk nodded sagely. "My condolences. Not to get off topic, Lord VysImiro, but what exactly were you hoping to find down here?" "No need for honorifics. My titles have long since faded to dust," I laughed. "The Cult of Malos operated in this dungeon before the daemonic invasion. Since they were accused of collaboration with the daemons, I was hoping to find more information on the ritual that did this to me. This is magic that works outside of the Curaguard system, and because of that, all I know is how the ritual is performed. If I knew why certain steps were taken and what effect those steps had, I may be able to eventually find a way to reverse the ritual and return to my mortal form." "Or maybe you could be immortal, but with skin," Rebis said. "No, I''d rather just be a normal mer again. Immortality is worth nothing when you''re the only one who has it, and I''d rather not be forced to cohabitate with the fair folk just to have some consistent company. I would definitely choose having skin over my current state, though." "Fair enough," Yulk chuckled. "So, did you find anything?" "I found that this dungeon is much larger than it appears at first glance. The Cult of Malos was definitely performing experiments here, but most of their notes had rotted away. Some were legible, but in terrible condition. Thankfully, I managed to transcribe them into stone before time took its toll on them." "What did they say?" "I do not know. They are in a strange script with lettering that I have never seen before." "The words are very weird," Simeeth added. "Much more pointy than the ones in the picture books." "Picture books?" Mako asked. "Yes, I was attempting to teach the kobolds how to read. Some took to it better than others," I answered. "Where''d you get the picture books?" Nash asked. "I''ve had them for a long time. When I still had flesh, I was frequently called upon to heal ill children, and the picture books would help keep them in high spirits. I keep the books with me to remind me of what kind of mer I was... No. Am." "The pictures are very pretty, but I still can''t read," Simeeth sighed sadly. "Don''t be sad, Simeeth, you''ll get there one day. You''ve made a lot of academic progress, remember? You can count all the way to seven," I said. Nash muttered something angrily under his breath, and Yulk struggled to keep his composure. I looked at the orc brothers quizzically, but Yulk held up a hand and shook his head slightly. "Is there any chance that we could see these writings?" he asked. "They are in the office," I said, nodding to Simeeth. "Please retrieve them. Careful, they''re heavy." "FOR THE LORD!" the kobold exclaimed gleefully and ran off. "I''ve been hoping to meet with some fae to ask if they''ve seen a language like the one on the tablets before, but it''s a treacherous journey and the kobolds were ill-prepared to accompany me," I said. "They made it pretty clear that the only way for me to leave this dungeon without an honor guard would be to kill them all. Obviously, I wasn''t willing to do that." "Hmm," Mako rubbed his chin. "Hey, Gali-" "Way ahead of you, big guy," the dwarf laughed. "If you can pay for food and stuff, the Western Wasters would be happy to escort you to see the fae." "What?" I asked, flummoxed. "Well, we owe you one, don''t we?" Gali posed the question to the rest of his party. "Yep," Heino and Rebis said simultaneously. "Sure do," Mako added. "Having a lich among our party is gonna get us some odd looks, but yes, we do owe you one," Ithrima said. "Plus, I reserve the right to pester you with questions." An unfortunate side-effect of being a lich is that my face no longer shows when I smile. I had been expecting hostility, overt or otherwise, but here they are offering to help. Just goes to show that I don''t know as much as I had thought. "Very well," I said. "I accept your offer." "Offer?" Nick asked softly. "I''m not on her, though." "I think it''s about time to wake him up," Nash chuckled maliciously. Chapter 68 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American Darkness enveloped me, but there was a familiar feeling to this darkness. The darkness that wasn''t quite darkness, but was actually nothingness in disguise. I couldn''t remember how I got here, but the familiar feeling kept me from panicking. Where am I? Who cares. What happened? I was with Nash and Yulk, we went to a city of dwarves, met a group of adventurers. They had a funny lizard with them, acted kind of like a toddler. A toddler with really sharp looking teeth. ''I suppose congratulations are in order,'' my head said. Well, I guess that answers where I am. ''Congratulations?'' I asked, not bothering to try to breathe. ''Yes,'' the raspy voice in my head hissed. ''You''ve bested my challenge, mortal. Therefor, I must congratulate you.'' ''What challe-'' The thought hadn''t formed completely before the memories of the dungeon came flooding back. The dwarven vampires burned to a crisp. The beheadings and cremations and blood. The nasty feeling in my gut as we fought our way through to the last vampire. Then I remembered my friends falling one by one. Trying desperately to intervene, to save them. Casting fireball, watching the vampire tear its burning flesh from its body and keep coming at me like a monster from a horror movie. I slashed and slashed and slashed but it didn''t seem to care at all. Then it hit me, and I hit the wall... ''Was the vampire your challenge?'' I asked. ''How did I best it?'' ''Oh, it''s a technicality to be sure,'' the voice laughed. ''However, you worked on yourself enough to allow the machine in your head to overcome the challenge. Since the machine is an intrinsic part of you, you''ve overcome the challenge. Congratulations.'' ''Oh. Uh... Thank y-'' A flood of images poured into my mind. Trapped within myself, trying desperately to keep my body intact. No, to heal it, to use it. Nervousness, as I stared down the vampire. Kirain Yith, Master General turned Master Vampire. Need to stall, need to heal. Healing done, attack! Missed the slash, cast wind-spear. He dodged, but I took his hand. ''What is this?'' I asked, feeling an odd sort of pain. ''Just watch.'' Ice javelin sailed past the vampire and his claws slashed my face. I healed it and kept slashing at the bastard, trying to force him into a corner. My slash connected with his chest, and the vampire hit me. This isn''t what happened. Wait, are these Ten''s memories? Or are they my subconscious memories of Ten using my body? I saw the vampire finished, then the lich and kobold entered. I watched Ten nervously glance at Yulk and then nearly laughed when it pretended to faint to avoid detection. ''Now you''re all caught up,'' the god-thing said. ''Why didn''t you tell me about the challenge?'' I asked once the pain faded. ''I''m not the same being you''ve been conversing with,'' it replied with a chuckle. ''I thought that would have been obvious.'' ''Oh, sorry. Not quite used to all this yet. Why were you trying to challenge me?'' ''To see if you deserve the reward. A nice little clue to help you on your homeward journey.'' ''A clue?'' ''You''ll see when you wake up.'' ''Oh. What would have happened if I failed the challenge?'' ''Well, if you survived you could have tried again some other time. But you wouldn''t get the reward without killing the vampire. Or having the vampire killed by some other means, I guess.'' ''And if I died?'' ''Then you''d be dead.'' ''Ah. No afterlife or revives or anything like that?'' ''You are mortal. When you die, you return to the environment and reform as something else. Your impermanence makes an afterlife impossible.'' ''In my world, we have a lot of beliefs regarding the afterlife.'' ''I know. To be fair, we aren''t all knowing. Your beliefs could be correct, and mortals may have a sort of immortal soul that exists beyond our abilities to detect.'' I nodded along at this explanation before I realized what it just admitted to. ''What do you mean, you know?'' I demanded. ''A foolish question. I''m a higher being, boy. You expect me to be ignorant of your origins? How could we possibly hope to see you get back home without knowledge of where your home is?'' ''So you actually do know how I can get back?'' ''Duh.'' ''Then why won''t you tell me?'' ''Another foolish question,'' the raspy voice sighed. ''Everything is transactional. You give gold to get goods and services. You expend energy to obtain energy. You make us happy, we help you get home.'' You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ''How do I make you happy?'' ''By being satisfactorily amusing. There are many, many forms of entertainment, Nick. But you? There''s nothing else quite like you. We''ll give you pointers and challenges, you do what you do and entertain us. When we are satisfied, you get to go home.'' ''How long will that take?'' ''Time is not a concern to us, nor should it be for you.'' ''But Cass-'' ''Will be waiting for you. There wouldn''t be any point to this without a proper incentive.'' ''So time isn''t passing back home?'' ''I can tell you should not be concerned with the passage of time, but I am unable to elaborate further,'' the being laughed as the sound of chains echoed in my head. ''Well then, I''ve given you the congratulations you are due and answered some of your more pressing questions. Rest now, you''ll awaken soon.'' ''Wai-'' I woke up to a very toothy mouth screaming in my face. Instinctively I struck at it, but someone caught my hand. The scream turned to laughter as I yanked my hand back. "Good mornin'' sleepyhead," Nash grinned. "What the fuck?" I demanded. A quick glance around informed me of my current location. The dwarves were laughing their asses off, and even Yulk was hiding his mouth. Ithrima and Olmira were less amused, though. Then my eyes landed on the skeleton, and the embarrassment that had been threatening to turn my cheeks red immediately disappeared. "He''s friendly," Yulk said, seeing my expression. "And a significant historical figure, as it turns out." "Significant historical figure?" I asked. Once the laughter died down, Yulk explained what the lich had told them. The skeleton wearing the fancy robes and jewelry was actually Larie VysImiro, son of Imlor the Grand. His father turned him into a lich while trying to find out how to become immortal, and he was forced to kill his father. I felt a pang of sympathy for the lich. My father would never do something like that, and I can''t imagine hurting him. I do understand why Larie did what he did, though. "The tablets might have information of interest to us," Yulk continued his explanation. "The Western Wasters have already agreed to accompany Larie to meet with some local fae in the hopes of getting the tablets translated. Shall we tag along?" "Y-yeah," I said, standing. My body felt like it weighed twice as much. "That''s the whole reason we''re here. What language are the tablets in?" "I don''t know," the lich answered. "I am fluent in many languages, but this one is very odd." "In what way?" Yulk asked. "Most languages are related to one another because of common ancestors and, for lack of a better phrase, linguistic interbreeding. Even the written forms share similarities, but these letters are... Odd. I suspect that it''s a language from another continent." "Don''t we communicate with other continents?" Rebis asked. "Like, through magic or something?" "Well, yes," Yulk answered. "But Larie raises a good point. I don''t know what languages are used by the other continents. Do you, Olmira?" "No, I don''t. Interacting with other nations isn''t my specialty," she said. "What do they even talk about?" Gali asked. Yulk and Olmira shrugged. "Probably sharing technology related to governance. Weather reporting, farming techniques, things of that nature," Yulk replied. While the others continued discussing what governments might discuss, I turned my attention inward. ''Hey Ten,'' I thought. ''Hi Nick,'' Ten said innocently. ''What''s up?'' ''While I was asleep, another god thing was speaking to me. It showed me what happened.'' ''What happened?'' ''With the vampire.'' ''Oh,'' Ten paused a moment. ''So that''s why you didn''t ask when Yulk was telling you about the lich. You''re not mad, right?'' ''No, I was just going to say good work. Second time you''ve saved us,'' I said. ''Thanks.'' ''No problem. I take it you don''t mind my training routines, either?'' ''Training routines?'' I asked. Then several memories of early-morning exhaustion flooded back to me. It didn''t take long to put two and two together. ''You''ve been using my body while I was sleeping?'' I demanded. ''You seem angry.'' ''I am.'' ''My apologies, then. It would seem that I misinterpreted one of our previous conversations.'' I kept my face carefully neutral to mask the baffled anger I was feeling. Thankfully, everyone else was too absorbed in the discussion of intercontinental relations to notice my sudden stoicism. ''Misinterpreted? How? What the fuck was there to misinterpret?'' ''Well, when you apologized it sort of sounded like you were okay with me taking over your body so long as it did not rob you of your autonomy...'' ''I could grab cheese off the moon with that kind of reach,'' I thought angrily. ''How long have you been doing this?'' ''Well... I only discovered that I could do it without waking you after our encounter with Mumuldobran and the other fair folk...'' My impotent anger subsided a bit with the mention of Mumuldobran because it brought up another thought. If languages were different on different continents and the fair folk are usually bound to their territories... ''No more taking over my body,'' I thought coldly. ''But-'' ''No. Not unless we''re literally about to die. We''ll talk more later.'' "Wait," I said before Ten could reply, interrupting the discussion. "Are the fair folk really going to be helpful here?" "Yes," the lich answered. "Though they rarely travel, the fair folk are interconnected in ways that defy logic. The fae in particular are experts at taking advantage of this connectivity to fulfill the various contracts that they make." "Yeah," Rebis laughed. "Fulfill. Sure, so long as you''re unreasonably careful with your wording. C''mon, they''d just as soon rip you off as help you." "True," the lich nodded sagely. "That is the nature of dealing with beings that are timeless. It is remarkably difficult to empathize with someone whose potential consequences are vastly different than your own." The skull of the lich didn''t actually change at all, but I got the sense that it was speaking from experience. My attachment to Algebrun and Tits made me want to argue, but what the lich had said held weight. I tried to imagine what it would be like to be an arch-fae for a day, and realized that I had no idea what they even do. How do you walk a mile in someone''s shoes when you don''t even know how to tie their laces? The implication of this also applied to Ten, come to think of it. To me, its misinterpretation of my apology seems like a bullshit excuse it thought of to try to get out of trouble, but what if it''s not? What if it really was just a misunderstanding? I''ll have to think on that some more. "Caution is definitely advisable when dealing with the fair folk," Yulk agreed. "However, they don''t make contracts out of intentional malice. If they hate you enough to be malicious, they''ll simply torture or kill you." "Speaking of which, I believe I should excuse myself from this leg of the adventure," Olmira added. "Why''s that?" Rebis asked. "The fair folk don''t like vampires," Gali said. "They''ll kill her as soon as they see her." "It isn''t that they don''t like vampires," the lich countered. "No, it''s far more complex than that. They see vampirism as suffering, and believe that it is an obligatory mercy to put an end to that suffering." "That doesn''t seem that complex," Rebis cocked his head. "The complexity lies within why they view it that way. Though, that isn''t something I would be comfortable revealing without permission," Larie looked at Olmira. "I''d rather you didn''t," she said. "I''ve grown weary of talking about it." The lich nodded. "I''s got ''em!" Simeeth interrupted, breathing hard. "The rocks with words!" Nash and I jumped at the suddenness of the kobold''s appearance. Mako chuckled at us as Simeeth ran over to the lich. Larie took the tablets with one skeletal hand as his other stroked the kobold''s head. "Excellent work, Simeeth. Thank you," he said. The tablets were a light gray, barely lighter than the stone that the walls were made of. An overwhelming feeling of curiosity had my feet moving before my mind even registered it. The tablets were practically calling to me, telling me that they had a clue for me. Larie turned to look at me as I approached. "May I see them?" I asked. The lich held out one of the tablets, and I took it. It was surprisingly heavy, and I snuck a glance at the kobold who had carried several of these despite its small stature. I made a mental note not to underestimate the little reptile. Then I turned my attention to the tablet, and my eyes widened. Chapter 69 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American "Nick?" Yulk asked, seeing the shock on my face. I tried to answer him, but couldn''t come up with the words. Several feelings swelled up within me all at once, completely overwhelming me. Surprise was chief among them, but also confusion and disappointment. My eyes darted along the characters over and over, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. "What''s wrong?" Gali asked. "Do you know what it says?" "I... No," I managed to say. "But... This doesn''t make any sense." "What do you mean?" Larie asked. "The... um... The letters. I know these letters, I grew up writing them over and over again. But they aren''t forming words. It''s just a bunch of gibberish." The tablet looked like a mosh-pit of English letters. Even the lesser used letters like ''z'' and ''x'' were in the fray. For a moment, I thought it could be a language that uses similar letters, but there weren''t any diacritical marks. Just plain old English letters grouped together in ways that didn''t make any recognizable words. "Can I see the rest of the tablets?" I asked. Larie gave the tablets to me and I began scouring them. The letters were jumbled all to hell, not a single word made sense. There were also hyphens and semicolons spread throughout, but no commas or periods. A sense of frustration began to rise within me. ''It could be encrypted,'' Ten said. ''Maybe. But why?'' I asked. I hadn''t been expecting an answer from Ten, but I was still disappointed when it remained silent. There isn''t any need to write in code when nobody else can read the language you''re writing. Hold on... "Wait," I said excitedly. "This could be written in some kind of code." "I had thought as much when you said it was gibberish," Larie said. "But, while knowing that might be helpful, you seem more excited than is to be expected of this revelation." "It''s a code using the English alphabet. The only reason to write in code is to make sure that others don''t understand what you''re writing," I explained. "Meaning that there were other people who knew the English alphabet, and possibly English as well. English is a human language, which means..." I trailed off for dramatic effect, and everyone stared at me for a moment. "There were other humans here?" Mako asked. "Exactly," I grinned. "But Nick..." Yulk said gently. "We already knew that there were other humans. Remember the Delver''s Dungeon?" "Yeah, but that was different. I was asleep and the other human was insane, but this is evidence that humans were actively communicating with each other and trying to keep secrets from one another. Why else would they bother with a code?" "There are several disturbing implications that go along with that hypothesis, though," Larie said. "First and foremost, it implies that humans were active members of the Cult of Malos. If that were true, I feel that someone would have taken note." "There''s also the fact that the cult disappeared a long, long time ago," Yulk added. "Even if the humans had been a part of the cult and didn''t disappear along with the rest of the cult, they would be long dead by now, right?" Yulk and Larie seemed to be trying to temper my excitement, but every point they made just caused it to grow. "That''s actually a really good point," I said. "As I understand it, the cult was pretty secretive. What if humans were the leaders of the cult? That would explain why nobody knew about them. And what they were trying to find a way back home? What if the reason that they disappeared is because they succeeded?" I wasn''t fully sold on that idea, though. King Yssinirath had told us that he''d worked to exterminate the cult, and he''d probably have run into a human or two in the process. Unless the leadership had been elsewhere, or he hadn''t been paying attention... "I don''t like that theory," Nash said, crossing his arms. "The cult abducted and experimented on people. I''m willing to do a lot of things to help you get home, but I draw the line at harming innocents." "I wouldn''t hurt innocent people to get home, Nash. But we shouldn''t have to, right? What if they wrote down how to get home? What if it''s written right here?" I pointed at the stone tablet for emphasis. "Well, you still need to be able to read the fuckin'' thing," Rebis said. "What are we gonna do about that?" "Were there any other writings like this?" I asked Larie. "Potentially," he answered. "There were several other sets of notes, but none that were in legible condition." "Damn," I muttered. "Why do you ask?" Rebis asked. "Because ciphers have keys. I hoped someone had written the key somewhere." The moment the words left my mouth, I realized how stupid it would be for someone to just leave something like that lying around. I blame video games. In a video game, the key would be hinted at on a mural within the dungeon or explained in a note next to a dead body. But that''s because the people who are making the cipher within a game want you to crack it. Whoever wrote this probably had the opposite intention. "Well, I don''t know much about codes or secret messages or anything like that. Does anyone know anybody who would be able to help?" Gali asked the group. A lot of shrugging and head-shaking followed. Larie and Yulk didn''t reply, looking deep in thought. Olmira patted my brother on the shoulder, bringing him back to reality. "Hmm? Oh, yes, my apologies," he said. "I do know a few scholars who enjoy complex puzzles, but I''m afraid this is likely beyond their capabilities." Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "How come?" I asked. "Well, solving a code is one thing. Solving a code in a language that you are unfamiliar with and have little to no reference for is another thing entirely. It might be possible, but it would be extremely difficult and would likely take a lifetime." The words of the god-thing echoed in my mind. I doubt this is what it meant when it said time isn''t a concern. Plus, it wouldn''t exactly be entertaining to watch me wait around until someone finally solved this damn code. I stared at the tablet, trying to will the words into existence. ''Wait, what about you, Ten?'' I thought to the machine in my brain. ''I''m afraid that I''m unable to assist you with this task,'' Ten replied. ''Why not?'' ''I have a fairly sophisticated processor and cooling system, but the processing power I would have to dedicate to this task would be intensive, and would come with consequences. Namely, heat.'' ''So you could crack this cipher, but it would cook my brain in the process?'' ''Not all of it. Just some very important parts of it.'' "Are we suddenly unable to seek help from the fair folk?" Mako asked. "Would they know about this?" I replied. "Possibly," Larie said. "The fair folk are an old and wise race of beings. While our ways are as alien to them as their ways are to us, they still watch. And some of them learn. So yes, it''s entirely possible that a knowledgeable fae would be able to shine light on this predicament." "So we still have to go talk to the fae, then..." Memories of a certain anatomically-named arch-fae played through my mind and I had to resist the urge to shudder. Tits probably wouldn''t be here, though. Right? "I''ll be fine, as long as Yulk remembers to keep me updated," Olmira said, mistaking my concerned expression. "I''ll remember to write," Yulk chuckled. "He won''t forget," Nash said. "I won''t let him." "We gonna go see the spooky guys?" Simeeth asked. "I should bring knife, yes?" "No," Larie replied. "We''ve lost many, Simeeth. We must rebuild, and so I want you to go to the kobold caves and find us some reinforcements." "More kobolds?" "Indeed." "All of them?" "Well, no. Just those that want to." "What if all want to?" "That''s too many. No, we only want a dozen or so." "Duh zen?" "Two groups of seven should do fine," Larie chuckled. "You can do that, right?" "Yeah! Uh... Am I in one of the groups?" "No." "Okay, so two sets of seven plus me," Simeeth hopped up and down excitedly. "Go now?" "Yes." "FOR THE LORD!" the kobold shouted as he ran out of the room. We stood silently as we listened to his footsteps patter down the entrance hallway. Once they faded, Mako turned to the lich. "He''ll be okay, right?" he asked. "Yes," Larie said. "He''s one of the smarter kobolds. Plus, he didn''t take a weapon with him, so he''ll be extra cautious." "I''d think not taking a weapon would put him more at risk," Heino chimed in. "Only if something is actively hunting him. But kobolds tend to get far more confident when they are armed, and this confidence is often misplaced. He''ll be safer without a blade." "Those letters look odd," Ithrima said from over my shoulder, making me jump a little. "Really? Lemme see," Rebis said. Everyone except Larie gathered around to have a look, and I lowered the tablets so that they could see them better. Nash and I made eye contact once he looked up from the tablet, and I grinned. "Hey Nash, maybe you''ll be able-" "Shut up," he interrupted with a growl before I could finish the joke. Nash crossed his arms and tried to look intimidating as Yulk and I began to laugh. Everyone else looked confused, but took one look at Nash and decided they didn''t want in on the joke. Once Yulk and I had our fill of laughter, Rebis pointed at the tablet. "That looks like an arrow-head," he said. "Or maybe a spear-tip." "That''s an ''A''," I explained. "It''s the first letter of the English alphabet." "Very stabby looking letter. Oh, we have that one," he pointed again. "An ''emv''." "We call that an ''X''. It''s the third to last letter." "Your alphabet has a specific order to it?" Heino asked. "Why?" I opened my mouth to answer but found myself at a loss. The hesitation I felt turned into a small existential crisis as it dawned on me that I can''t think of any real reason the alphabet is in that order. Maybe it''s historical? Or... "I think it''s because it''s easier to teach it if it is in a certain order," I said. "There''s a song and everything." I sang the alphabet song for them, and my demonstration left everyone speechless for a bit. "Humans have singing scholars?" Ithrima asked. "Huh? Oh, I guess. Technically. Those scholars are usually children, though," I replied. "Kids love to sing, and teaching them the alphabet song helps them remember the alphabet. Or the names of the letters, at least." More questions about public education followed, and I answered them to the best of my abilities. Everyone seemed impressed, except Yulk and Nash. They''d heard it all before. "Well, that would certainly be better for the little ankle-biters than hocking goods in the street," Rebis said. "Or the mines," Mako added. "Nah, kids long for the mines." "They most certainly do not," Ithrima argued. I almost agreed with her, but decided to keep quiet once I remembered how popular a certain video game was back home. Even I loved it, but grew out of it when I became a teenager. Maybe kids really do long for the mines. The conversation about public schooling continued for some time, culminating with Yulk and Ithrima discussing how such a system could be implemented. I answered a few more questions, but had difficulty pulling my attention from the tablets in my hands. Larie noticed my distraction, and interrupted the conversation. "While this exploration of another world''s educational systems is illuminating, I do believe we should see the fae sooner rather than later," he said. "If we leave now, you may make it back to town before nightfall." "That''s a good point," Gali said. "Alright, let''s get going." After a chorus of agreements, we began to make our way out of the dungeon. Larie disintegrated the fallen kobolds as we passed, silently praying for them. We all bowed our heads in respect, as well. Finally, we left the dungeon. Fresh air flushed the stench of death from my nose and I inhaled deeply. Unfortunately, the smell had gotten into my clothes, so I gagged. That got a few laughs, but those quickly died out once everyone realized that they also stank. "This is where we part ways," Olmira smiled. "I hope to see you all again someday." "We will look you up the next time we''re in Bolisir," Nash said. "And I''ll make sure Yulk keeps you updated." "I won''t need a reminder," Yulk added. "I hope you have a safe journey." "You too." With a wave, Olmira began heading back to town. "The terrain can be treacherous," Larie said. "Watch your step or you may injure your ankles." The lich then left the trail, and the rest of us followed after him into the forest. Chapter 69.5 Master Vampire Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Drow Master Vampire - Balushenian ''A miserable failure,'' my mind whispered. The void had once again enveloped me, but this time there was a sense of hostility to it that I found unnerving. It made me feel as if I were prey for a hungry and angry beast. ''Why am I here?'' I demanded, forcing my unease aside. ''What happened?'' ''You were defeated. Cast down by a novice better described as a child than an adult. I had such high hopes for you, and you have thoroughly disappointed me.'' ''So this is the afterlife?'' ''No. You''ve managed to survive by the skin of your teeth. Or rather, the skin behind your teeth.'' Tiresome riddles. I found myself struggling to make sense of what the higher being was saying. Then, my eyes saw the fight play out before me. The creature had burned me severely, and I had ripped off my tongue and cast it aside. I felt it all again, but new it wasn''t real. This was the higher being explaining what it meant. As long as any of my organs survive the flames, I can regenerate. After our fight, the intruders and the lich had burned my arm, my body, and even the flesh I had torn off. But they had missed my tongue laying next to the throne. Actually, so had I. ''So what do you want from me now?'' I asked. ''Nothing. You did your best and failed.'' ''I can try again.'' ''You will fail again.'' ''No, this time I will be better prepared. I now know what that thing is capable of. I can take precautions. I can kill it.'' The hostility of the void increased, burning my flesh with its intensity. No, not my flesh, my essence. Pain, more intense than any I had ever felt before, coursed throughout my very being. I tried to scream, but had no mouth to do so. I tried to beg, but the words wouldn''t form. Couldn''t form. Suddenly, it stopped. ''Perhaps... It may be amusing to see you try again,'' the voice taunted me. ''So you''ll let me go?'' I asked. ''I hadn''t planned on holding you here, just tormenting you until you met your grisly end. Instead, I will discuss this with the others. If they agree, I will intercede and save you from what''s to come. If not, we''ll leave you to your fate.'' ''And what am I to do in the meantime?'' ''You will wait.'' Chapter 70 High Chief Ulurmak Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Kirkenian My gaze washed over the former battlefield with satisfaction. Drow corpses and weapons were scattered everywhere, with nary an injured dwarf, elf, or orc in sight. We''d definitely taken some casualties, but we cleaned up after ourselves nicely. Our enemy, on the other hand, didn''t get the chance to. A job well done, if I say so myself. I even got to fight a bit. Of course, fighting on hnarse-back isn''t exactly my favorite kind of brawl, but beggars can''t be choosers. King Lofin''s finest had retreated into the city and were already on the walls taking poorly aimed potshots at us. The walls were imposingly large, but had definitely seen better days. Probably built by the vampires when they held the city, and not at all maintained by the Inbred Bastard King or his forefathers. The steady sound of hnarse hooves galloping behind me brought me out of my contemplations. My hnarse, a warrior bred for size and strength, huffed at the inconvenience of my weight shifting as I turned to get a look. I patted the poor beast on the head while Blagroth''s hnarse approached us. "Just got word that Emperor Jak has made it back home safely, sir," Blagroth reported. Once Jak, Makiv, and I had finished our strategy meeting, the dwarven emperor had decided to leave the rest of the fight in the hands of his top general. Then he went home, leaving the vast majority of the army he''d brought along with him in my care. Things had moved pretty quickly after that. Messengers had been sent out to all the Great Chiefs declaring war on the Night Kingdom, and not a single protest was sent in reply. As a matter of fact, many of the Great Chiefs sent their best mer to join me. That combined with the surprising competency of Jak''s general made things a whole lot easier than they otherwise would have been. General Jakiv, who also happened to be Jak''s youngest cousin, didn''t get to where he is from nepotism. Or, maybe he did, but he''s still a damn fine strategist as well as a natural leader. Were it not for Jak the Second, Jakiv would likely be a strong candidate for the throne. Plus, he and General Makiv were getting along famously. All of this had made the campaign into the Night Kingdom... Well, for lack of a better word, fun. Leading a war-band against an incompetent foe with competent allies, what could be more elating for an orc such as I? Unfortunately, it had only taken us a week to push the drow forces back to their capital. Not gonna be long until I''m back in the office. "Good to hear, how are the preparations going?" I asked. "The boulder tossers are nearly finished, and we''ve got some decent boulders to chuck, sir. Jakiv and Makiv are ready for the assault when we are," Blagroth cracked his neck. "By the way, sir, are they related?" "Jakiv and Makiv? Not that I know of. Why?" "No real reason. Their names sound similar is all." I stared at the brawny, young infantryman for a moment, trying to judge whether he was serious or not. No sly winks or hidden smiles gave it away. "One''s an elf and the other is a dwarf," I said, trying not to sound condescending. "Yeah, but elves and dwarves can have babies. And them babies usually look like one or the other, so you can''t really tell. I''ve seen a dwarf and elf be brothers from the same parents, sir." "Okay, but one is cousin to the emperor of Calkuti, and the other is a high-ranking general in the Army of Bolisir," I argued. "That''s a lot of distance apart. And they''re leading different armies." "But Bolisir and Calkuti are on friendly terms, so it wouldn''t be unheard of for a powerful family to have positions of power in both nations, sir." Not only was he serious, but he now had me doubting Jakiv''s and Makiv''s familial origins. What I had initially believed to be an ignorant assumption turned out to be a well thought-out question that I don''t have a good answer for. I can see why High Chief Olmag lent him to me. I''ll have to give the city of Havros a tax cut as way of thanks. "Well, all I know is that they aren''t related," I said with a shrug. "At least, not closely. Changing the subject, I need you to spread the word. Once the boulder tossers are ready and loaded, they''re going to fire three volleys, which should open up the walls. Nobody is to charge until the third volley is in the air." "Right, or else we''ll be squashin'' our own," Blagroth nodded sagely. "What do we do if three volleys isn''t enough to bring down a good enough portion of the wall?" "It should. These walls aren''t exactly the best on the continent," I chuckled. "But... Yeah, if the walls somehow stand up to the volleys, or if we miss, just call a retreat. So, charge once the third volley is in the air, if the wall doesn''t fall, retreat. Easy, right?" "Sounds like a plan, sir." Blagroth turned his hnarse and rode off. My own was absentmindedly picking at the grass. He huffed another complaint as I picked up the reins and steered him toward my encampment. Despite his hesitancy and my weight, we made good time getting back. I sighed internally as my tent came into view. One of the biggest and gaudiest damn pieces of fabric I''ve ever seen rose above all of the others surrounding it, telling everyone who had eyes exactly where the High Chief sleeps at night. Even the tents of the Great Chiefs who managed to catch up to us were tiny in comparison. If the drow were a more capable foe, it would be fuckin'' stupid to show them exactly where to strike. Thankfully, they don''t stand a chance of getting this far behind our lines. The dour mood brought on by the sight of my tent disappeared when I saw who was hanging out with the guards surrounding it. "Olmag! Glad you decided to join us," I shouted and waved. Gracefully, I slid off my hnarse, the ground shuddering slightly as I landed. It could be my imagination, but I swear the hnarse sighed in relief before it trotted off to join the others at the stable. I strode up to Olmag and grasped his outstretched forearm. "Wouldn''t miss it for my wedding, High Chief," he laughed. "How''s Blagroth? Has he been makin'' himself useful?" "He has, he has. All compliments, no complaints! He''s been acting as my second-in-command and doing a damn good job of it. Didn''t catch his rank, though." "Oh, that''s because we don''t really do ranks in Havros. You''re either a chief or you aren''t. Good to hear that he''s been taking initiative, though. What happened to your original second-in-command?" "Well, I left Rayzun handling administrative stuff in Kirkena, and Homlein became ill on the second day of the campaign. Blagroth was already helping Homlein by then, so he just stepped into the role like it was nothing." "Yeah, that sounds like him," Olmag chuckled. "So, I take it the rats are hiding in their den?" "Ha, comparing these cowards to the mighty beasts that roam the wastes is an insult to the rats. But yes, the drow are cowering behind their walls. Not to worry, though. I brought siege equipment," I said with a grin. "Boulder tossers, which are currently being assembled, and hook-ladders." "Yes, I know that, too. I was wondering-" "If you could be the first over and/or through the wall?" The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Oh... Uh, yeah?" "Nope." "What?" "Every Great Chief here wants to be the first. Even I want to be first. We all had a shouting match earlier, and it became apparent that nobody will be satisfied with a compromise. So..." I trailed off and shrugged a little. "So nobody gets to go first?" "Exactly. We''ll all be leading from the back." "But the boys-" "The troops are aware of the situation. If they''re upset that they get to protect their chiefs, they aren''t showing it. Also, if it will be of any comfort, I''m willing to explain the situation to your soldiers." "Nah, if you explain it to them I don''t get to bitch to them about it," Olmag laughed. "So how come we don''t all go first, together?" "Cuz some of the Great Chiefs shouldn''t be on the front lines at all," I replied with a malicious grin. "Cuz they haven''t chosen their successors yet." "Oh," Olmag deflated a little. "If a Great Chief were to fall here without a successor, there would definitely be a civil war. Could be a war between their hopeful successors, or the other Great Chiefs may bring up age-old claims and start trouble. Or both, actually." "I know, High Chief." "Either way, it will be a blow to the Unified Chiefdoms. A blow which I am responsible for preventing." "Yes, High Chief. I just..." he trailed off, then looked inspired. "Wait! What about Blagroth?" "Huh?" I asked, dumbfounded. "Blagroth can be my successor! You said he''s been doin'' real good, right?" "You... YOU CAN''T CHOOSE YOUR SUCCESSOR ON THE BATTLEFIELD!" I shouted. "ESPECIALLY FROM THE THOSE WHO MAY ALSO FALL IN BATTLE!" "Aw, c''mon High Chief, he''s perfect!" Olmag grinned. "NO. You will do this the right way or not at all, gods damn it. There''s traditions to uphold. Feasts and such. A good successor deserves at least that much," I crossed my arms angrily. "Plus, you''re not the only Great Chief to have been lazy with choosing your successor." "Fuck." "Yep. So we''ll all hang out in the back. Safe and sound." "Alright," he sighed. "I''ll go and tell the boys. Oh, wait, when are we chargin''?" "Not long now. I''ll wait until you''re ready to give the order for the boulder-tossers to fire, though. Once the third volley is in the air, we charge. If the rocks don''t make room for us in the walls, we''re going to retreat and throw more." "But you brought ladders, right?" "Yeah, but we don''t want to use them if we don''t have to. Numerically, we''ve got a fairly even fight, but if we get caught up in choke-points that can change damn quick." "With how they fight, it isn''t as if we would take that many losses." "I don''t like spending lives that we don''t have to spend, Olmag," I said with a solemn shake of my head. "Yeah, that''s why you''re the High Chief, I guess," Olmag said, then grinned again. "Plus the fact that you''re fucking enormous." "You old fucker," I said with a laugh. "Don''t you got some soldiers to talk to?" He laughed and walked away with a wave. I smiled and shook my head. I nodded at the guards stationed around my tent, but they ignored me, continuing their vigil as I entered. Once inside, I unbuckled my sheath and set the hefty blade down upon the planning table, which hadn''t seen a lot of use. There were conflicts in the past where it had seemed like I''d been at this table for the entire duration, but this time we''d made a plan and it had worked. The drow had been even less prepared for a counter-invasion than I had hoped. They''d fallen for every trap and tactic that we''d thrown at them, and now they were going to lose the capital. The only real hiccup we had run into so far was the thrice-damned vampires. The first few villages we took were absolutely lousy with the bastards. So much so that Makiv had wondered aloud if King Lofin had even tried to exterminate the fuckers. There had also been some skirmishes with vampire brood. Deadly beasts, but no match for well trained soldiers supported by mages. Even less deadly to mages on hnarse-back. I chuckled as I imagined the enemy''s first reaction to our magical cavalry. "High Chief," a voice called from outside my tent. "Scout Lyen has a report for you." Lyen, an orc from a small village who had a knack for learning new surroundings and spotting minor details. They''d done so well as a scout during the invasion of Blurpus that Great Chief Tormon had insisted that I take her under my wing. Though I was glad she made it back in one piece, a small sense of dread rose up within me as I remembered her assignment. "Enter," I said, taking a seat. The tent flap opened and an orc just over half my size and covered head to toe in cloak and hood entered. Lyen removed her hood and her long, light brown hair fell across the back of her cloak. She knelt and that very same hair covered her face. "Oh, highest of chiefs," she said sarcastically. "I have come to deliver unto you-" "Oh, come on," I interrupted. "Enough with the theatrics. Get up and report." "Yes, sir," she chuckled as she rose. "I take it you''ve got good news if you''re being so playful." "Oh no, not at all," she said as her demeanor shifted. "I thought my little performance would ease the blow, as it were." The small sense of dread grew larger. "Report," I said coldly. "I found the vampires," she replied, all sense of levity gone. "They are amassing in the east." "Amassing? How many?" "At least ten thousand brood. Likely more, but I couldn''t get close enough to count all of them. There''s also a few dozen vampires among them." "How could you tell?" "The brood don''t eat vampires," she shuddered. "That''s the only meat they won''t eat, it seems. I..." She trailed off, staring at the floor. I''d seen plenty of monsters feed off of people before, and I knew how many nightmares it takes to forget such a sight. "I understand, Lyen," I said softly. "I''m sorry you had to see that." "Wish I could say that I''ve seen worse, High Chief," she replied. "But only if that meant what I saw wasn''t as bad as it was. They''re ravishing the countryside, and... And preparing to march." "Shit." "Yeah." "Any hints as to where they came from?" I asked. "No, sir. It''s like they just popped up from the ground or something." My thoughts turned to the reports from the invasion of Blurpus. The commander had been a half-breed drow vampire, and had the captured orcs dig out a chamber of horrors beneath the village they took. I wonder how many villages here in the Night Kingdom had a similar pit beneath them. "I need Makiv and Jakiv," I said. "Yes, sir, I thought so too. Sent a runner the moment I hit camp. They should be here so-" "Sir, the generals are here for you," one of the guards said from outside. "Send them in," I commanded and stood, strapping my sword back on. Both Makiv and Jakiv hurried into the tent. "A vampire army," Makiv said. "Never thought I''d see the day." "It isn''t outside of my expectations," I replied. "Figured there''d be a host of them somewhere. However, the size of it is concerning." "Six thousand against ten thousand," Jakiv added. "It''ll be a close thing." "Lyen, set the marker," I said. Lyen moved to the table and picked up a piece of stone that was painted red. She stared at the map for a moment, then placed the stone upon it. "Very good. If there''s nothing else, you''re dismissed." She nodded and left the tent as the generals approached the table. I stared at the new red marker demonstrating a large enemy host to our east. Something about it... "It''s fairly far, thankfully," Makiv said. "Gives us time to prepare." "Not much," Jakiv replied. "We can''t turn our back on these walls, else we invite the drow''s daggers." "Indeed," I agreed. "Splitting our forces in two would weaken us too much, as well. So we stick to our current plan. Take the city, then fortify it the vampires." "Would Lofin surrender if we told him about this?" "No, he would never do something so smart," Makiv chuckled. "Either he wouldn''t believe us and we''d have to fight anyway, or he''d betray us the first chance he got." "We would also lose precious time waiting for a reply," I added, then noticed Jakiv shifting uncomfortably. "What''s wrong?" "I rode here in due haste," he replied. "Didn''t allow time for my hnarse to be saddled. I am... Pained." Makiv and I nodded knowingly. Riding a hnarse without a saddle is a pain that is known to most who have learned to ride. Many riding instructors consider it a right of passage to have their pupils experience this unique type of injury. The pain is immediate, but then fades a few moments after you dismount the hnarse. Then, it comes back with a vengeance, seemingly clawing at your insides and causing nausea as it goes. "I do hope someone''s bringing your saddle," Makiv said with a chuckle. "Yes, but nevermind me. What do we do once we take the city?" "We''ll worry about the walls first and foremost. Once we''re in the walls, we''ll get to work plugging the holes," I explained. "It''ll take the vampires a day or so to get here from all the way over there, so we can use the mages to help take the city. Once everything''s settled down, we''ll put the mages who know fire magic on whichever sections of wall survive our assault." "Should also have archers with flaming arrows," Jakiv added. "The city should have enough pitch." "I''m concerned about a potential vampiric presence within the city," Makiv said. "Getting attacked from both sides of the wall would be devastating. We''ll need to have patrols, assuming that we are confining the civilians until everything settles down." That''s not a bad idea, but each patrol will have to have some way of permanently ending a vampire. Torches could do, but they''re easily extinguished. Mages would be the best option, but each mage we send on a patrol is a mage who can''t be on the wall. Damn... Wait... "Infantry patrols with torches and whistles," I said. "They will be supported by a rapid response force of mounted mages. That should prevent an attack on two fronts." "Good plan," Makiv nodded. "We''ll see it done, High Chief. Gods, though, I don''t like how close that army is to Bolisir." I glanced at the marker on the map and my eyebrows rose. Makiv was right, it was only about two days march from the border of Bolisir. "Maybe we''ll get lucky and they''ll march on Bolisir instead," I chuckled. "King Yssinirath is far better equipped to deal with them than we are." "That''s true," Makiv said with a laugh. "I suppose I worry for nothing." "Yeah," I said, something about the map still nagging at me. "Alright, same plan as before. Once the third volley is in the air, we charge. If there isn''t a big enough hole for us, we pull back and launch another one." Makiv and Jakiv agreed and left, but I barely noticed them go. I hadn''t seen it before, but the position of the vampiric host reminded me of a conversation I had with that human. The vampires were more than a day''s march away from us, and at least two days away from Bolisir... But they were also only half a day away from the Deepwyld Forest. Chapter 71 Count Alurgas Tuvino Adventurer Level: N/A Vampire - Balushenian I''ve always hated the stench of war. Even the wonderful scent of blood on the air is spoiled by the various odors that accompany it. Various fires burning questionable things, body odor, rot, and feces assault the senses whenever one is unwise enough to breath through one''s nostrils. One can become acclimatized to it, given the chance, but never immune. The assault on one''s nose will begin anew when one least expects it. Honestly, it even ruins the view. I watched impassively from my balcony as the new slaves sorted through their previous belongings. Anything of value will be put to use, the rest of it will be burned. Despite the stench ruining the mood, I found some amusement that the accursed drow were having to divide their own possessions in such a manner. It would have been more amusing if the reason for this task falling to the drow weren''t so dire. Normally, newly created vampires would carry out tasks such as this. However, it had been so long since we had new recruits that even the youngest of us was resistant to such commands. I spat angrily at the slaves. If that damned half-breed hadn''t failed we wouldn''t be in this mess. Maybe if he had known what was at stake... No, that would have been a misstep for us. It was fortunate that the memories of the fair folk are incompatible with the mind of an infant. Because he was lacking those memories, he did not know of the cycle of redemption we are doomed to face, and he could not leverage it against us. There''s no doubt in my mind that had he known, he would have demanded more and more and more until there was nothing left to give. Such is the nature of a spoiled brat like Kirain Yith. May he and the bitch that birthed him suffer an eternity of torment. The Yith matriarch had seemed like an amazing boon at the time, though. When we first received word of her grievances with Lofin and his court, we approached her nearly salivating. We were desperate to improve our situation and avoid the cycle. In hindsight, it should have been alarming to us that she was salivating as well. We believed that her eagerness would help us succeed in overthrowing Lofin and taking back our home. Instead, she died and her son turned out to be an insufferable brat. Not a one of us could have foreseen the consequences of our scheming, though. It was definitely unexpected for Lofin to hear of Kirain''s failure before we did, from the orcs, no less. If it weren''t for a few sympathetic ears in Lofin''s court, we would all be waiting to be reborn by now. A good portion of us were able to avoid the hunt, of course. Lofin''s lack of leadership capabilities served us well in that regard. Then the damned orcs invaded and began to hunt us, as well. Now, our backs are against the wall and- "You are summoned, Count Tuvino," a crow perched in a nearby tree cawed. "By whom?" I demanded, angry at the interruption. "Duke Misgiel demands your presence." "I understand," I replied in a much more reasonable tone. "I will make haste." I turned from the crow and made my way through the building that was currently acting as my manor. A meager manor, certainly, and not even close to matching my previous accommodations. The manor I had been living in, belonging to a drow ''countess'' that was quite enamored with me, was far superior in nearly every aspect. However, that manor is now destroyed. As is the family that allowed me to live there. A damn shame, their blood was freely offered and quite delectable. The thought angered me as I marched through our war-camp towards Duke Misgiel''s lodgings. There are three remaining vampire dukes, and Duke Alab Misgiel is by far the mightiest of the three. Each of them had experimented with vampiric mastery, and each of their experiments ended in failure. Duke Bany and Duke Hilgro were both weakened by their failures, but Duke Misgiel''s experiments made him much stronger. While he failed to become a Master Vampire, he managed to enhance his body and his vampiric abilities. He also commands more soldiers than any other vampiric noble, partly because he''s a skilled tactician and partly because he knows when to avoid a fight. There''s no question that if we manage to take back the Night Kingdom, Duke Misgiel will be king. Which makes this summons rather concerning, especially given recent events... "Milord!" someone shouted at me. I turned and saw a slave in tattered clothing running toward me. My jaw nearly dropped at the audacity. "Milord, we''re running out of rations for the brood," she said once she caught up. "And?" "Well... What do we do? They need to be fed, milord." I stepped toward her with a piercing glare. "I do not understand your confusion," I growled. "You claim the brood are nearly out of rations, yet you still have blood in your veins and meat on your bones." "Wh-" "Feed them," I slammed the suggestion into her mind. "It will be done, my lord," the drow slave said vacantly. I watched angrily as she turned and went back the way she came. "Imbecilic drow," I muttered to myself as I continued on my way. They are a plague upon this land. Like most animals, they are deaf to the voices of those above them. Or perhaps they''re simply incapable of the deeper understanding required to interpret those voices. Either way, the end result is an inability to accept the offer to become a vampire. Even the higher beings cannot communicate with them, and as such have limited influence over them. Most drow are also atheists, in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. It is said that large gatherings of drow drive away the higher beings because they hate being ignored, but that is simply conjecture. The fact that these cretins pretend at society fills me to the brim with the fiery passions of rage. They lay claim to titles without possessing a single ounce of nobility. They pretend at being barons, counts, queens, and even kings. One need not look long to see why they are unsuitable for the duties of governance. The actions of their so-called king has allowed the orcs of the Unified Chiefdoms to invade all the way to their capital. Worse, the lives of the drow living in the Night Kingdom can only improve if the orcs manage to win the day. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Damn them. These pretenders have held their power for far too long. It''s past time that we remove this second set of titles from our kingdom. A guard signaled for me to halt as I approached the Duke''s lodgings. I waited outside the massive stone structure while the guard confirmed that I was expected. At one point, the building had likely served as a guild hall for adventurers. It was modest in appearance, yet massive enough to serve an important purpose for the Duke and his entourage. The guard received an answer from within and stepped aside with a slight bow, allowing me entry. I passed the guard, stepped inside, and was immediately met with an intense bustle of activity. The Duke''s peons were well at work, calling to each other about this and that over the sounds of their various activities. "Count Tuvino," a weathered vampire greeted me with a bow. "This way, if you please." It isn''t common for one as old as this to become a vampire. The fallen wylder that made the contract must have been waiting for a very long time. I followed the elderly former-elf up a flight of stairs and down a long hallway. At the end of the corridor was a door that opened into a large room housing a series of large tables. Each table was covered in a variety of tomes, papers, writing utensils, and weapons. The duke was sitting at the head of one such table, with other vampires standing and sitting around him. "Presenting Count Tuvino, your grace," the old one bowed. "Good, that will be all, Clazno. Take the servants with you," Misgiel said while waving for me to sit. I gave a respectful bow and took the offered seat, catching stares from the other nobles at the table. Each of their eyes pierced through me, knotting my stomach. There was little doubt as to why I had been summoned. "Tuvino, I trust you are well?" Misgiel said with an air of hostility. "Yes, your grace," I replied, averting eye contact. "Thank you for asking." "Good. Now, we haven''t had a chance to debrief regarding the... What was his name?" he asked, grabbing a sheaf of papers from the table. "Master General Kirain Yith. Yes, we haven''t had a chance to discuss this matter yet." I stayed silent, allowing the duke to read from the papers. "You were entrusted with Yith''s well-being, were you not?" Misgiel asked after a few moments. "Yes, your grace." "Then why did he fail?" "Because he foolishly underestimated the orcs." "Oh?" The duke asked angrily. "Was it not your responsibility to weed out such foolishness?" "With respect, your grace, I must protest such an assertion," I replied, offended. "One cannot forcefully remove a thing which is integral to one''s being. Yith was half drow, and his mother was a queen amongst fools." A murmur of agreement came from the other nobles, but died out quickly once the duke raised his hand for silence. "So you say. Yet, Kirain Yith was competent enough to infiltrate Lofin''s military and rise to its peak." "Respectfully, your grace, I must once again protest. Lofin does not select his generals based on merit, but rather on the lack thereof. Yith''s rise in the false-king''s military speaks more toward his foolishness than it does his competence." "We should have expected as such from a half-breed," a noble whom I didn''t know muttered. "Silence," Duke Misgiel shot the noble a glare before turning back to me. "So you claim no responsibility for this?" "No, Duke, I do not." "And why not?" "Because I did as I was bade, your grace. I provided counsel, ensured that the child would grow to be as competent as possible, and even supported his ill-conceived strategies. There was simply nothing further I could have done." "Duke Hilgro''s plan was doomed from the start," another noble said. "There are those of us who knew this from the moment a half-breed was mentioned." More mutters of agreement sounded from the other nobles. Duke Misgiel stared at the gathered nobility until they silenced themselves once again. "Fine. You are absolved of responsibility," he said after a few moments. "It is a shame, though. Despite its reliance on a half-breed, the plan was truly inspired. I would have liked to see it come to fruition, if only because it would have ensured a more rapid rise to dominance for us. No matter, I have another reason for summoning all of you." Those at the table stared silently at the duke while he exchanged the papers in his hand for another sheaf. "The crows spotted an orc scout, who most certainly saw us. This scout was able to slip away from us, so the orcs know where we are." "Then we must put our plan into action sooner than expected," one of the nobles said. Plan? "Quite true. Though it would seem that the orcs are content to continue their attack on the capital, they might change their minds and march on us at any time." "We outnumber them, do we not?" another noble asked. "Yes, but they have mages and their leaders seem knowledgeable of our kind. Even if we were to win, we would lose many and still have to face Lofin''s army. No, we cannot risk a confrontation with the orcs at this stage. We must move forward." "Pardon me, your grace," I interrupted. "Move forward with what? I have heard of no plan." "Neither have many at this table," the duke chuckled. "I shall elaborate, then. We are going to invade our former siblings. Specifically, the lands to the south known as the Deepwyld Forest." Shocked silence was the only reply. I was stunned, but managed to get ahold of myself and close my gaping mouth. This couldn''t be real. If anyone knows how to destroy a vampire, it would be the fair-folk. They most certainly would not be willing to cohabitate, either. They see us as unclean and strike us down without mercy, as one would crush an inconvenient bug. Worse than that, they can be reborn almost instantly. If we were mortals, our actions in trying to wipe them out would have some impact on them. But the wylds and their wylder would pay no heed to our intentions. The fair folk will just keep coming, no matter how many of them we kill. But the duke knows this. He must. "Why?" I asked meekly. "What could there be to gain?" "Reinforcements," the duke chuckled again. "As you know, there have been many experiments regarding vampirism over the centuries. One such experiment saw a rather interesting result." Misgiel rose from his seat and set the papers down. "We can force the spirit of a wylder into the body of a mortal," he said, leaning onto the table. "This makes the fair-folk VERY useful to us. All it takes is a quick ritual that creates something quite useful. Bring it in!" The doors opened, and two servants guided a hooded figure into the room. We were able to identify what this thing was before the servants were able to remove the hood, though. A scent that mixed blood, death, and power. The unmistakable smell of a vampire. The servants removed the hood from the creature''s head and a small gasp escaped one of the nobles as its features came into view. The servants stepped back with a bow, presenting us with a drow. A drow that was definitely a full vampire. He regarded us with a vacant gaze as the murmurs began. "That''s a vampire, not a half-breed," one noble whispered. "How is such a thing possible?" The duke raised his hand for silence once more, and the din died down. He grabbed the drow by the arm and dragged him over to the table. "As you can see, this ritual works on drow, as well," he said. "But despite what your senses are telling you, this creature is not a true vampire. Allow me a quick demonstration." Misgiel picked up a dagger from the table. "Take this dagger," he said to the drow. The drow took the dagger. "Place your left hand upon the table." The drow mindlessly complied. "Pin your hand to the table," the duke said coldly. In a flash, the drow sunk the dagger through his hand and into the table. Cries of surprise and alarm rang throughout the nobility, but I found myself enraptured by this development. A vampire that will do whatever you tell it to do. Interesting. "This vampire-like creature has no agency. It will do as I tell it to do, without a single question or concern. As such, it isn''t really a vampire," the duke laughed. "It''s a mindless slave. A true thrall. Whomever performs the ritual forms a direct connection to the thrall that allows one, with some practice, to give commands by thought. My experimentation thus far has not found a maximum distance for this effect." Truly remarkable. Fantastic, even. There''s just one problem. "How will we capture the fair folk?" I asked. "We will march our forces and slaves to the very border of the Deepwyld Forest. From there, we abduct as many of the wylder as we can using iron." "Iron is fatal to them, though," one of the nobles said. "Yes, but before it kills them, it weakens them. We will use this time to perform the ritual and make them into thralls," Misgiel took the dagger out of the drow''s hand. It didn''t flinch. "I had hoped to use the element of surprise, but it would seem that they are somehow prepared for us. Still, I''d gladly trade brood for thralls. They eat a lot less." The duke smiled as a few laughs came from the gathered nobility. My mind began reeling at the possibilities. Vampires, mindless or not, are much stronger and faster than brood can ever hope to be. They are also much more difficult to truly kill. With enough thralls, we would be unstoppable. "When we run out of slaves, or wylder, we will invade the orcish lands and replenish our numbers," Misgiel said as he took his seat. "We will need to be fast to take advantage of their preoccupation with Lofin." "And when we replenish our numbers? What then?" I asked, knowing the answer but needing to hear it said. "Then, we take back the Night Kingdom." Chapter 72 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American "We''re getting close, now" Larie said. "These fae and I are familiar with one another, so please allow me the honor of introductions." "Don''t worry," Rebis laughed. "I know better than to give my name to a fae." "Well, actually, these fae already have names so there''s no need to be concer-" "Just a joke." "Ah, right." The forest around us creaked and moaned as we continued walking. The weather had changed from sunny to overcast and windy not long after we''d entered the woods. Thankfully, it wasn''t raining, but the smell was there. "We should pick up the pace," I said. "It''s going to rain soon." "I think it would have already if it was gonna," Nash replied. "You can''t smell it?" I asked with a puzzled expression. "Smell what? The rain?" "Yeah." "Of course you can smell the fuckin'' rain," he sighed. "Cuz that makes sense, right? Why not?" "I... You really can''t smell that?" "No, dammit! The fuck do you even mean? I smell wind and trees and dirt." "I don''t smell nothin'' special, either," Rebis added. "Me neither," Mako shrugged. The rest of the group shrugged and shook their heads, except for Yulk, who was stroking his chin. He was so lost in thought that he stumbled over a root, but caught himself with his staff. He turned to look at the root in question with a very confused expression. "Look, I don''t know how to explain a smell," I said, exasperated. "All I know is that it smells like it''s going to rain soon." "He''s right, it is," a voice said from behind us. We froze and turned around, but didn''t see anything amiss. Gali reached for his bow, but Rebis stopped him with a gesture. We stood silent and listened for a moment, then Heino stepped forward. "Who''s there?" he asked. "You''re lookin'' right at me," the disembodied voice replied. We exchanged confused glances. "Okay, but that doesn''t answer my question," Heino crossed his arms. "While you''re at it, why can''t I see you?" "Listen, little-thing, I was just tryin'' to be helpful. It''s takin'' alotta effort to hold onto my leaves with all this damn wind," one of the trees rotated slightly. "Ain''t really got the energy for introductions, and we don''t need to know each other anyway, so why don''t you bugger off now?" "Uh... Yeah... Fair enough," Heino said. "Let''s get goin''." Heino turned and began to walk before the shock wore off for the rest of us. Larie levitated after him, and the rest of us had to jog to catch up. "So... The fuck?" Rebis asked once we caught up. "Dunno," Heino shrugged. "Didn''t wanna find out the hard way, though." "Since when are there trees that can talk?" Nash asked. "All trees can talk, but not usually via vocalizations," Larie explained. "That was a grosp. They dwell within old growth forests and interact with the fair folk pretty often. That one was more social than most." "Didn''t seem very social to me," Gali said. "Precisely. Most of them are quite wary of mortals. A deep-seated prejudice that has sat within them since times long forgotten to everyone else," Larie said, then shrugged. "At least, that''s what the fae have told me." "I didn''t even realize that the grosp can present as trees," Yulk said casually. "I was under the impression that they typically take the form of massive agaric growths." "A-what?" Rebis asked before I could. "Agaric," Gali answered. "It''s a type of mushroom." "So there''s big talking mushrooms somewhere out there?" "Could be in here, too," Mako chuckled menacingly. "You never know." "Yeah, don''t like that. Some things just shouldn''t be able to talk." Mako chuckled louder, and stopped as we came to a sudden clearing. The sound of wind abruptly ceased, and a sense of mystery hung in the air. Larie floated in front of us and beckoned for us to follow him. "I''ve come to call in a favor, if it''s convenient," Larie called out. "And those with you?" We looked around for the owner of the voice but saw no one. "Interested parties, and insofar as I can tell, friends of the fair folk," the lich replied. "Some of which are proven as such." "Yes. Nick. Nash. Yulk. Allies of the Deepwyld. Permissions were granted. Not here, though. Far from here, in more ways than one. Name your payment for the debt we owe." "I humbly request the aid of your expertise with language and puzzles. This may be a challenging task, and so I am willing to discuss compensation, if need be." "A challenge, you say?" With an audible pop, a figure enveloped in bright light appeared in front of Larie. My first instinct was to shield my eyes from the brightness, but I quickly realized that the light wasn''t hurting my eyes at all. Confused, I lowered my hand and looked at everyone else. Their confusion met my own, and we all looked at the fae as if it weren''t shining like a star. It was nude, androgynous, and levitating at the same height as Larie. It held its hands cupped just below its sternum and had its eyes closed. Somehow, though, I could tell that it was still staring at me. "Gah," Rebis shuddered. "I don''t mean any kind of offense or rudeness, but that''s a creepy sorta vibe your giving off." "As is intended, then," the fae winked without moving its eye lids. Larie held up his hand as a warning for silence, and we obliged. "May I introduce you?" the lich asked the fae. "No need," Veern replied. "They know me now. And I them." And it was true, I knew of the arch-fae of the court of stillness. Its name, Veern, granted by a mysterious being that leaves a hole in my mind. It loves the way that ice slowly forms when autumn first arrives. It hates the smell of flowers and has a flair for the dramatic, even compared to the other wylder. It once kicked Mumuldobran in the non-physical equivalent of a dick for becoming a king and leaving the court. It felt as if I''d known it all my life, but had amnesia about how we met. I knew of Veern, but not of the court of stillness or why it was angry with Mumuldobran for leaving. The word wylder popped into my head and from context I was able to guess its meaning, though I''d never heard it before. When these discrepancies came to mind, my stomach tied itself in knots. ''I want you to know that I did not enjoy that,'' Ten said angrily. ''Enjoy what?'' I asked. ''Whatever that thing just did. All my neuromapping just flew right out the window and into a puddle.'' The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "Hmm, don''t think any of them would make interesting playthings for us, except Nick. Though playing with Nick would lead to some rather serious problems," Veern sighed. "Nash might be fun for some of the fairies, but his hot temper would quickly escalate to the point of ruining things. The bone fae would love Mako, but he would break too quickly. Rebis would entertain the sirens or sprites for a time, but the issue of keeping it in his pants would limit that enjoyment to half a day at most. Heino and Gali are too cautious for play. Ithrima and Yulk are too curious for play. Congratulations, you are all safe! For now." "I see. Well, I suppose that saves us some time," Larie said. "Though the veiled threats are unnecessary, Veern. I came for aid that you owe to me, and these mortals are under my protection. Let''s not be rude." "Veern knows no other way to communicate," another voice called from behind us. We turned and watched a skeleton enter the clearing. It walked right through our little group and up to Larie. Something about it felt off, as if its bones didn''t all belong to the same being. It took me a second to realize that it was a bone fae, like King Horth back in the Deepwyld Forest, but not wearing any facsimiles of flesh and fabric. The bone fae stopped in front of Larie. The two skulls regarded each other with their empty sockets and flesh-less faces. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Nirton," Larie said. "Same, Larie," the bone fae replied, then raised a bony fist. "Fight me!" Everyone, including Veern, froze for a moment. Nirton pumped his fist in the air, causing a rattling noise. Larie regarded the bone fae carefully, then shook his head sadly. "We don''t have time, I''m afraid," the lich said. "I am tasked." "Who tasks you?" Nirton asked. "I''ll destroy them, then we can fight." "I task me." "Then we can-" "No, but perhaps at a later time," Larie held up his hand gently. "There is knowledge to be obtained." "Oh, about your lost flesh?" "Perhaps, but potentially intriguing knowledge regardless." "Hmm," Nirton thought for a moment. "Fine, I''ll hold off the challenge for now. May we double our usual bet, though?" "Of course," Larie nodded. "I will want your rarest matching tibia and fibula." "Fine by me. I''ll be wanting your mandible and sternum." Larie chuckled and reached into his satchel while the rest of us shared concerned glances. He pulled out the tablets and then offered them to Veern. The arch-fae looked confused for a moment, glanced at its hands, then sighed. The light surrounding Veern disappeared as it opened its eyes, grabbed the tablets, and began its examination. Its demeanor made a subtle shift from perturbed to alarmed, then carefully neutral. Before I could ask why, it cleared its throat and looked back to Larie. "What language do you need these deciphered into?" Veern asked. "They are written in code," the lich replied. "I am aware," the arch-fae replied testily. "What language do you need?" Larie turned to me inquisitively. "Can you decipher them into English?" I asked. Both the arch-fae and the bone fae visibly winced at my question. "Oh, sorry," I apologized instinctively. "What''s-" "Yes, I can decipher them into... Their original language," Veern interrupted me. "Wait here, I''ll return soon. You''ll be safe from the rain in this clearing." Veern disappeared with a pop, and Nirton regarded us nervously. His gaze fell on me more than the others. "I''m going to take my leave, as well," the bone fae said. "We''ll duel some other time, old friend." "Very well," Larie nodded. Nirton turned and walked away from us at a brisk pace. Several questions seemed to hang in the air, but nobody said anything. I contemplated the behavior of both fae. Why did they flinch when I said English? How did Veern know the tablet was encoded? How did it even know what English is? "Well, would you look at that," Rebis pointed above us, interrupting my thoughts. "It really is raining." "Gods damn it," Nash muttered. Chapter 72.5 Master Vampire Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Drow Master Vampire - Balushenian ''Well, well, well. This is a surprising result,'' the void whispered. ''What is? What''s happening?'' I demanded. ''The others have conferred. A decision has been reached.'' ''And what was their-'' My eyes snapped open and I gasped involuntarily as pain shrieked through my body. The smell of burnt flesh stung my nostrils. I tried to stand, but remained firmly on my back, as if my limbs would not heed my commands. "You sure we can''t eats?" someone asked. "No, bad meats. Smell it. We gots to burn it," someone else said. Recognition of these speech patterns tickled at my mind, but the pain prevented cognizance. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" I shouted as I once again tried and failed to move. "AH! IT LIVING!" "So? It can''t hurt you, scaredy-scales. Keep cuttin''." I contorted my neck to look around and saw a few kobolds standing around roaring fire. A kobold with a short sword began to approach me as another threw a severed leg into the fire. I glanced down and realized with horror that I didn''t have any arms, and the leg that just went into the fire was probably my own. "NO!" I screamed. A blinding pain rippled through me as the sword bit into my torso, slicing away precious flesh. Regenerate, I have to buy time to regenerate! The dryness I felt in my mouth grew more intense as I focused on trying to regrow my limbs. "Please!" I whimpered. "Stop! I''ll just go! I''ll-" "Nope," a kobold interrupted me. "You hurt the lord. If you live, you might do it again. Oh, plus you killed my friends and family." "Yeah, that wasn''t a very nice thing to do to Simeeth. Bad sucker," the kobold with a sword said as it threw another piece of me into the flames. "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry! I''ll never hurt anyone again!" I lied. "Just, please stoAAAGH!" The sword plunged into my flesh once more. The kobolds chuckled cruelly at my screams. "Think he''s small enough yet?" one of them asked. "Please," I begged hoarsely. "Yeah," another one replied. "But let''s chop the head first. Still has sharp teeth to bites with." "No! I can give you things! I ca-" My words turned into a gurgle as the blade carved its way into my throat, sawing back and forth. I desperately tried to bite at the kobold, but the muscles in my neck wouldn''t bring my head around. I felt the sword crack the bones in my neck and tried to scream, but could only flap my mouth in response to the pain. A hand grabbed my hair and lifted me into the air, giving me a view of my mutilated body. All that was left of me was my barely recognizable chest, I had only been able to regenerate the stumps of my shoulders. The kobold who grabbed my head began to walk toward the fire. "Make sure all the meats go into the fire," the one carrying me said. "Otherwise the sucker will grow back." "What about the leakings?" "Granny said that they need their meats to come back. The blood''s fine where it is." "But the lord will want it cleaned." "Then we''ll cleans it. FOR THE LORD!" "FOR THE LORD!" The reality of my situation finally sunk in as the kobold wound up to throw me. I''m going to die. I finally found the power I''ve wanted for so long, the power to make things the way they should be, and now I''m going to die. It''s not right. It''s not fair! I experienced a brief moment of weightlessness and panic before I impacted amongst the flames. Intense pain was all I could feel, and the only thing I could hear over the roar of the fire was the sound of my skin sizzling. All I could see were flames licking at my face, before my eyes melted in my skull. I longed for the end to finally come while I silently screamed, cursing my mother and father, the vampires, the inbred bastard king, the orcs, the adventurers, and even the gods. Everyone that led me to this fate. Then the pain ebbed, and the void returned. A sickening laughter echoed within my mind. Confusion and anger whirled within me. ''What? Am I... Dead?'' I asked. ''Is this the afterlife?'' ''No. What you have just experienced is the fate that you have been spared by the mercy of those higher than you,'' the wicked god answered. ''Though that mercy wears thin. There were many who craved your demise, and you were only spared by one vote.'' ''One... Vote?'' ''Indeed. Out of the dozens of votes that were cast, one singular vote defined the majority and spared your middling existence.'' ''Middling?'' I demanded as my anger flared. ''Quite. You acted haughtily, under the mistaken impression that by becoming a master vampire you had also become supremely powerful. You were warned that a challenge was coming, and failed to take any reasonable precautions, thereby failing the challenge entirely. You didn''t even manage to actually kill any of your opponents.'' ''I-'' ''Have been an immeasurable disappointment. Thus far you''ve been nothing more than a failure, and those are extraordinarily common. There isn''t anything spectacular about a failure. We expected far better from one who dares to hold ambitions to conquer the world.'' The words tore into me, exposing the inadequacies and insecurities that I''d buried deep within. There was nothing that I could think of in reply, no argument that I could make. Even now, as I mentally revisit the fight I can see the mistakes I made. Stupid and foolish mistakes that I should have been smart enough to avoid. ''Yes. You shouldn''t have sent your minions into a choke-point, limiting their superior maneuverability and simultaneously leaving you undefended. You should have been less cautious in expanding your forces. You should have this, you should have that,'' it said impatiently. ''But you didn''t. We expected strategy, not stupidity. We expected brutality, not cowardice. Your fear of failure ensured it.'' I found myself unable to be angry at these words even as they bit into me. Though the tone was condescending, it was a well-deserved chiding. I should have been smarter, should have taken this more seriously. To hells with the gods and their challenges, this was my life that I threw away with my stupid mistakes. ''What now?'' I asked, my ego completely deflated. ''In accordance with the compact of the highest one, you will be spared and I will speed up your regeneration. From there, do as you will. Perhaps your homeland will be more accommodating to a failure such as yourself,'' the god laughed cruelly. ''Perhaps you''ll even learn the secrets that the other vampires have kept from you, and we''ll get to see how those secrets shape you. Or, perhaps you''ll stumble yet again and die a pathetic death. We will be silent to you from now on, and we will not intercede on your behalf again. Begone.'' My eyes snapped open and I gasped involuntarily as the shock of what had happened ran through my mind. I scrambled to a sitting position, breathing heavily and checking to make certain that I was intact. Tears ran down my face as I gripped my arms and legs, the memories of my demise still fresh. The cold of the dungeon floor barely registered upon my nude form, but the sound of padded feet and chattering coming from the entrance hall sent a chill down my spine. Kobolds. Conflicting thoughts surged to the front of my consciousness. Fight or flight? I''ve killed several dozen kobolds thus far, and that was before I became a master. It would be a simple matter to kill more of them, and it would make me feel better about the trauma I had just endured. They wouldn''t stand a chance, but... If I kill the kobolds, it will broadcast my survival if the adventurers return to this dungeon. There had been a kobold that had accompanied the adventurers. If the same kobold is with this group and I kill it, they may hunt me down. The murder of a companion, pet or otherwise, is the perfect motivation for revenge. I decided that leaving would be the wisest choice, and scrambled to my feet. After a moment of stumbling, I fled deeper into the dungeon. I grabbed a robe and cloak, threw them on, and jogged through the rear exit of the dungeon and into the dilapidated manor. The sun shone upon my face through a hole in the roof, and I gratefully breathed in the outside air. Mindful of my appearance, I concentrated until I felt my face shift into the visage of Habis. The homeless elf would serve me one last time, as my mask. Carefully noting that the adventurers may have committed this face to memory, I decided to find a new one as soon as possible. With this ability, though, I will have no trouble gathering intelligence on what is happening within the Night Kingdom. Assuming anyone knows, that is. With one more deep breath, I raised the hood of my cloak and left the manor behind. Chapter 73 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American We watched the rain smash itself against whatever was protecting the clearing. It was torrential, covering the entirety of the otherwise invisible barrier, and I didn''t look forward to leaving once our business was done. We''d be soaked for the rest of the day, at least. "So if you had to liken it to another smell, what would you say it smells like?" Rebis asked. "The rain?" I asked. "Yeah." "Hmm..." I thought about it for a moment. "There''s two smells. The one before it rains, which smells kind of like clear air and fresh water mixed together. I''d call it crispy and cold, but the cold isn''t a temperature thing. More of a feeling." "I... Right, no I think I get it. And the other smell?" "Well, that''s the smell that you get after the rain. Kind of smells different from place to place, but it''s like the smell you get from opening a water skin on a hot and dry day. Like, moist, but in a good way." "I wonder if this is a distinction between humans and mer, or if it a cultural distinction," Yulk said. "Well, I read on internet that there were people who can''t smell the rain," I shrugged. "So maybe it''s depending on where you live?" "Why would you even need to smell rain, anyway?" Nash asked grumpily. "What purpose does that serve?" I shrugged again. Never really gave it any thought, if I''m honest. But, if our current circumstances were slightly different than I guess it would have come in handy. "I guess being able to tell it''s going to rain without seeing the sky comes in handy when you spend most of your time indoors," I replied. "So you know not to go outside unprepared." "Wait, wait, wait. What''s the internet?" Gali asked. "Did you do a lot of fishing back in your world or something?" The thought of catching fish with computer cables made me chuckle, but I proceeded to explain the internet to the best of my abilities. Yulk and Nash nodded along because they''d heard it before, but the others were absolutely enraptured. For fun, I threw in a couple of funny metaphors, like how we tricked rocks into thinking and we shoot electricity at each other through stretched out pieces of metal and glass. "I find your society fascinating," Larie said once I finished. "The thought of creating such things without magical assistance is mind-boggling." "Well, we had a saying back home. Any sufficiently advanced technology might as well be equivalent to magic," I recited. "I guess whoever said that didn''t imagine a place like this existing, though." "Perhaps," Yulk interjected. "Though, magic isn''t exactly unknown. It has rules and structure to it, just like the technology you describe. When one takes into account the Curaguard, one could claim that the very essence of magic is technological in nature. Just a technology that mortals are unfamiliar with." "I''d love to know exactly what the Curaguard is," I said. "Like we told you, nobody really knows. Unless..." Nash looked at Larie. "No, not even I know much about it," the lich shook his skull. "There are many that assume it is a higher being that is allowed direct interaction with mortals, and provides them with boons based on how accomplished that mortal becomes. Though, my limited interactions with it have led me to believe that it isn''t alive. Perhaps it is a remnant of the ancient civilization that created the steel golems that we''ve found in dungeons." A pang of nervousness grew in my stomach. Higher beings. The ones that are watching me for the sake of their entertainment. Is the Curaguard really one of them? Or maybe a machine designed by them? I know that I rely on it for my spells, but are my skills also part of whatever system it''s part of? Can they just pull the plug if I''m not amusing enough? "We''ve discovered some literature in one of those dungeons that indicate that the golems are actually machines," Yulk added. "They aren''t magical in nature, they are based on forge-craft." "Truly? How interesting," Larie rubbed his jaw. "If it isn''t magical in nature, then anyone could make one, yes?" "Probably not. It takes an understanding of things that will likely elude us for quite some time," Yulk sighed. "The documents that were discovered described how to forge the metal plating and how to arrange the innards, but not what the innards are made of." "I see." "Probably wires and a battery," I added. "Power storage?" Yulk asked. "So they do use magic?" "No, batteries use acids to create an electrical charge... I think. The electricity flows through the wires and cause the parts to move. It''s a bit above my knowledge level," I admitted. "There''s different things that limit the amount of electricity that move through different parts which cause them to move differently, somehow." Yulk and Larie fell deep into thought. Before any follow-up questions could be asked, though, a soft pop sounded from behind us. A grumpy fae holding several stone tablets regarded us coldly. "The deciphering is complete," Veern said. "I''ve altered the tablets accordingly." "Thank you," Larie said, rising to collect the tablets. I stood as well and walked over. My heart began to beat faster and faster with each step I took. Would this be it? Will I finally figure out how to get home? Larie handed me the first tablet, and I began to read. -- I am Mikael Rodriguez, and I have been given this journal to document my experiments. -- With everyone waiting patiently, I read the passage aloud. My heart felt as if it was going to burst. The person who wrote this was human, I''m certain of it. All of the odd names I''ve heard so far, and not a single one of them was even close to the ones I knew. Plus, it was originally in English... "Well, what else does it say?" Rebis asked. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. I cleared my throat and continued. -- To comply with project security, I will be using a Vigenere cipher which will shift every entry. The keys will be documented elsewhere, as appropriate. I have just been revived from stasis, and do not know the current date. I''ve created a rudimentary calendar that I will use to mark progress. This is the first day''s entry. Or pre-entry, if you will. -- "A Vigenere cipher?" I asked the arch-fae. "Was that difficult to-" "Of course it was. I couldn''t even do it without the keys," Veern crossed their arms. "I had to take out some rather inconvenient debt to obtain that knowledge. Now read." "Okay. Sorry." -- Day 1 My revival went without any serious issues. The minor issues were simply a discomfort and confusion which should not have occurred. The pod I had been sleeping in has been adjusted. There are no answers for who adjusted the pods, nor how or why. An unfortunate aspect of this modification is that the data in the pods have been wiped. As such, there seems to be no proper way to tell how long we''ve slept for. All we know is that the modification occurred approximately four thousand years ago. There are very few of us, and we have little in the way of aid from the local populace. Apparently, they have been exterminating us wherever they can find us. I''ve been given no explanation for this behavior, and I suspect that the actions of the surviving members of the Malos Organization are to blame. I find myself frustrated with these conditions. These people don''t seem to know what has happened, or they simply won''t tell me. They estimate there are fewer than a thousand humans that we can rely on at the moment. The pods were supposed to keep us in stasis until we were long forgotten, but something happened four thousand years ago and many of us were revived. Each generation revived replacements, and now we''re here. Hardly any of us left, and with a mountain of things we need to do to secure our future. First, we need to find a way to perform extradimensional travel. Next, we need to revive and gather the remaining humans. Finally, we need to escape from here. This is not our home. The research required of me is odd. Demons and angels, or daemons and anyels if you use the local parlance, have knowledge of portals that we require. There have been several instances of extradimensional invasion, though typically on a small scale. We need to find out how they are able to pierce the fabric of reality. -- "Well, that''s ominous," Rebis laughed. "This is the cult, right? The ones that caused the daemon invasion? Guess they figured it out." "Keep reading," Veern said coldly. -- Day 4 Today, I received my first batch of test subjects and began my research. Dwarves and elves that have been living near an entry point for the previous daemonic invasion, a tear in the fabric of reality. We have a lot of data on baselines for these species, and given what I have to do to these subjects I doubt that I want to know how we got that data. I have another journal for the raw findings themselves, but even a cursory vivisection reveals mutations. These tears in the fabric of reality actually impact the surrounding environment. This provides a reasonable explanation for the monsters that one encounters on the surface fairly regularly, but we haven''t been able to find any sort of measurable radiation emanating from the tears. Day 9 The previous days were much the same as my previous entry. Cutting, carving, studying. Before all this happened I would have been sickened by what I''m doing. I suppose on some level I still am, but not in the way that I should be. Poetic, that I should have to set aside my humanity to save humanity. The Malos Organization keeps bringing me test subjects, and I keep testing on these subject. My findings are slim, though. There are mutations, but I can find no hints as to what exactly is causing them. At first, I suspected cancer. But biopsies reveal that the mutations don''t contain cancerous cells. They are perfectly functional, just anomalous. A muscle split into two, extra organs, extra sets of teeth, even the brain is subject to these oddities. One thing the mutations have in common is that they rarely impact the subject''s quality of life. Day 15 We have had to move. Our location was discovered by the locals and they immediately mobilized an armed force to eradicate us. Thankfully, the Malos Organization was well prepared for this eventuality and had plenty of sympathizers in the nearby city. The move was inconvenient, but otherwise uneventful. The new location is more cramped, though. No new discoveries have been made. Day 22 A sorcerer nearby has created an object that can detect "magic". Specifically, the emissions created by the use of "spells". This revelation led to a discussion which revealed that my anatomy has been altered to include an "artificial magic core" and everything else necessary to cast magic. My demands for further information were met with callous shrugs. Either they don''t know who did this to me, or they aren''t going to tell me. Returning to the aforementioned device, Dr. Samuels is working on reverse engineering it. My talents for engineering are slim to none, so I can''t really help her. That''s a shame, as I would like an excuse to get closer to her. It would be nice to have companionship, perhaps even a lover, but that''s just a pipe-dream. My work is far too gruesome for anyone to be able to forgive me for it, let alone look past it. Worst yet, it hasn''t resulted in any new revelations. Day 42 I have been neglecting my journal, mostly because nothing interesting has been happening. Today, however, Dr. Samuels finished her project. Tomorrow we will see what we can find out. I am hoping for a break-through. Day 43 The radiation from the tears is now confirmed to be magical. From what we have been able to find, there are two types of magic. Type 1 and Type 2 (T1 and T2). T1 magic is emitted by the environment, trees, rocks, etc. T2 magic is emitted by creatures that have a magical core. How either magic is produced is unknown. This device can detect this magic and determine which type of magic it is. The tears are radiating T2 magic. When someone casts a spell, we get a reading that is a mixture of T1 and T2 magic (T3 magic). What is coming from the tears is pure T2, though. The significance of this is currently unknown. Day 47 The mutations radiate T2 magic. The experiment was difficult to set up. Had to create a life support system for various organs without using magic, in a world that is nearly devoid of technology. Should get a Nobel prize for this accomplishment, but the confirmation of my hypothesis is good enough for now. The mutations continue to generate T2 magical emissions even after the host has perished, but stop once the organ is damaged beyond repair. If we ever need to generate T2 magic, this knowledge could become useful. Now, though, all it does is point me in a direction. We still need to know how to manipulate the tears. To do this, we may need to know more about T2 magic. All we have left is a handful of elves. Going to need more to learn more. -- Ithrima threw up. She had been looking queasy, but the final entry tipped the scales for her. Mako comforted her as she struggled to regain control of her stomach. "Gods, that''s terrible," Heino said. "Carving people up like that." "Yeah," I said softly. "Read," Veern said angrily, becoming more irritable by the second. -- Day 55 Dr. Samuels is dead. The autopsy was grim. I concluded that her cause of death was acute kidney injury, caused by dehydration from food poisoning that she failed to report and get treatment for. It must have been painful. The bacteria that killed her is unfamiliar, but should have been treatable with fluoroquinolones or ampicillin. We have plenty of antibiotics, so her death was completely avoidable. Confirming her cause of death was just as much of a shock as her death itself. She should have known better. I would like to mourn her, but I don''t actually miss her. The part of me that would miss her died long before she did. Plus, we don''t have any booze. Day 67 I have discovered a method of causing a magical core to radiate T2 magical energy. Unfortunately, this radiation is a mere fraction of what is being emitted by the tears. The tears emit roughly two hundred times more magic. Day 69 Introducing a radiating magical core to a tear did nothing, as suspected. Day 84 Introducing fifty radiating magical cores to a tear did nothing. Day 85 Argued with leadership today. They wanted to try one hundred radiating cores. Massive waste of resources, unlikely to produce any measurable results. Not to mention the cost in lives, which I didn''t. Pointing out that one hundred subjects would have to die to do that would have probably convinced them to move forward with the stupid idea. At first I thought the plan was to escape from here, but now I think there''s a more sinister endgame at play. Day 91 A daemon has been captured. It has been interrogated, but the results of that are being kept from me. My job is to examine their physiology. Daemons heal a lot better than elves and dwarves do. -- "Gods," Rebis said in disgust. "This guy''s fucked up," I replied. "Not all humans are like this, I promise." "No worries, Nick," Gali said. "We don''t know you all that well, but we can tell you''re not like this Mikael guy." "It is interesting to listen to someone go from academic to monster," Yulk said. "Though, a little nauseating." A loud snap rang through the air, causing all of us to jump. Veern looked at us angrily. "Nick," the arch-fae growled. "We do not have much time. Read. Now. Before you lose this chance." Chapter 74 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American Dumbfounded, I met Veern''s angry stare. What''s the rush? Did something happen? What''s going on? It''s probably stupid to ask, though. I turned my attention back to the tablets and began to read again. -- Day 94 The daemon emits T2 magical energy by default. A significant amount of it, much more than the elves or dwarves do. It''s possible this is why the tear is radiating this type of magic. Further experimentation is required. Daemon physiology is fascinating. Organs shift in their purposes as others are removed, and shift back once they regrow. Not certain if this is the case for all daemons, but this thing is made to survive. Very useful for my purposes. Day 96 It spoke to me today. Threats, of course, but the fact that it was able to learn English to do so is pretty incredible. It looks like a simple beast with a vaguely humanoid form, but there''s a cunning intellect in there. It''s a shame that I don''t have the luxury of experimenting with its intelligence. Day 101 My research has allowed the Malos Organization to discover a method of "summoning" a daemon. Essentially, a miniature tear in this reality is formed and a daemonic presence is pulled through by force. It''s outside of my expertise. I informed the leaders of the fact that I have no need of a second daemon at the moment, and explained that daemons seem to be strong enough to be a risk so it''s best to leave it be for now. They listened, for now. Day 103 The daemon died today. The timing is very suspicious. It is also of concern that I can''t seem to pin down the cause of death. I think that someone killed it, likely to force the issue of a summoning ritual. Or, I''m being paranoid and it simply passed due to having too many of its organs removed at once. It continued to radiate T2 magic for three hours after its death. Unlike with the elves and dwarves, though, its organs stopped emitting the magic even while on life support. The significance of this is unclear. Day 104 The ritual was performed today, and required three sacrifices. Orcs were used because of their large amount of blood. The daemon was successfully summoned and subdued. I''m still combing over the cadavers of the orcs to see if their use in the ritual affected their physical make-up, writing this while eating lunch. Veggie sandwich. Meat that didn''t use to be sapient is difficult to come by, and I refuse to allow myself to sink that low. Lunch is done. The orc''s physiology remained unchanged. More importantly, the new daemon also speaks English. Shared knowledge, or did it have previous exposure to our language somehow? The only things it will tell me are what it wants to do with my skin and organs. Perhaps I will take some of its recommendations to heart with my experiments. Day 107 Comparing daemon organs to "mer" organs has led to some fascinating discoveries. While transplanting organs between the different mer species results in immediate rejection, transplantation of daemonic organs into mer is possible. Rejection is still an issue, but it can be mitigated with immunosuppressants. Day 108 Confirmed benefits of daemonic organ transplant in elves: -Faster overall healing. Not as fast as a daemon, but much faster than should be possible with elven metabolism and physiology. -More potent magical potential. Average "storage" increase of 47% detected in the magic core of hosts. These are initial results. We''re still a ways away from human testing. -- "Fuckin'' hells," Rebis muttered. "Even my stomach''s starting to roil." I gave him a sympathetic look. "No more interruptions," Veern growled. "This is important. Read." -- Day 113 Over the course of the last few days, security forces have been taking the daemon for interrogation without explanation. Today, it escaped while being transported from my lab. Instead of trying to flee, it began killing everyone it came across. I heard the screams and knew what happened. I locked the door to my lab and sat there, waiting to see what would happen. Should have I been afraid? The screaming and shouting were getting closer, but that could have been my imagination. Why wasn''t I afraid? If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Security managed to kill the thing before it got to my lab. In total, it killed eighteen people. Mostly "civilians", if such a thing even exists anymore. Still, it''s a significant impact on our current population. I envy them. Day 117 A new daemon has been summoned and additional precautions have been taken. Experimentation will continue. Day 120 The tears are beginning to radiate more T2 magic than before. Could this be because of the summonings? That doesn''t make sense, we didn''t see a measurable difference after the first one. Why would a second one make this kind of impact. Is this unrelated? Day 121 I''ve confirmed that more summonings have taken place. More radiation is coming from the tears, and the amount is still increasing. A meeting was held to discuss this, and it was revealed that almost every Malos site has a daemon captive. However, the increase of radiation didn''t occur in concurrence with the summonings. As a result, we''ve concluded that the daemons are likely to invade soon. We''ve decided against warning the mer. Even with my experiments, they''ve killed far more of us than we have of them. I don''t know whether we deserved such treatment or not, but said treatment has decided their fate. Perhaps our own, as well. Day 122 I haven''t slept. Been running every experiment I can think of to learn as much as we can. Any sort of weakness we can take advantage of, and how to control the goddamned tears. Nothing, though. No eureka moments, no break-throughs. One hundred and twenty two days, and barely anything to show for it. All of us have been armed in preparation for the daemonic invasion. I''ve been given an M18 semi-automatic pistol and two magazines of 9mm ammunition. Never thought I''d see a gun again. Hope it works. Day 125 Well, the gun bought me some time, at least. The daemons have invaded. Malos sites began going dark almost immediately. It didn''t take us long to figure out that they were tracking their captured comrades. Unfortunately, this realization came too late. The daemons have all but annihilated our security forces. The last bits are holding out as I write this. We''re going to evacuate, try to make it to the ocean. Might find shelter to the south. -- "That''s it," I said. "Guess they didn''t make it out," Gali muttered. "Nah, they might have," Rebis said, glancing at me sympathetically. "Maybe they just left their notes behind because they were in a hurry." "Either scenario is possible," Larie said. "However, it is extremely unlikely for a mortal to have survived this long. Though, it''s not as if I know how long humans live." "Going to be honest, I hope he died a painful death," Ithrima said. I stared at the tablet, a mixture of anger and anguish fighting for dominance within me. This barely answered any of my questions. Woke up a dragon, traveled across two countries, fought a bunch of vampires and monsters, and THIS is what I get out of it? A journal written by a monster disguised as a human that I had to read aloud to everyone. This was supposed to be a clue? To what? Where do we go from here? I looked up at Veern, "I-" Its face stopped me cold. The only one here madder than me was the arch-fae. "Enough!" Veern shouted. "We don''t have time for this." "What is the matter, friend?" Larie asked. The arch-fae rounded on the lich with its teeth bared. "FRIEND? You have NO idea what this cost," it growled. "I wouldn''t have agreed to help you if I had known. You should owe ME a favor!" "What d-" "Don''t bother asking," Veern sighed. "You should know better than that by now. I can only reveal what I am meant to reveal in order to fulfill my newfound obligations." "What''s going on?" I asked. "What obligations?" "YOU! FUCK YOU!" Veern shouted at me. "Who the hell do you think you are? Hiding the fact that you''re a-" Veern''s eyes rolled into the back of its head for a few seconds. Yulk and Larie moved forward to help, but the arch-fae quickly recovered and waved them off. "FINE!" it shouted. "Fine. I get it. Nick. Nash. Yulk. I''m going to teleport you three to the Deepwyld Forest. You''ve only been here for about a week, so-" "A week!?" Nash demanded. "Impossible. How can it have been a week already?" Gali asked. "I don''t owe you any kind of expla-" Veern cut off as its eyes rolled back again. "Veern, are you okay?" Larie asked. "Yes, I''m fine. Stop asking questions you measly fucks," Veern said once it recovered. "Apparently, I DO owe you an explanation. But we''re pressed for time. The area surrounding this clearing is under my protection. Once I realized the intensity of the task, I applied a time dilation magic to my protection that slowed down time for you while it passed normally outside of this clearing. Then I got to work while you didn''t starve to death or wander off." "What about the rain?" Yulk asked, staring at the torrent raging above us. "Surely the land outside this clearing would have flooded by now." "A simple glamour," Veern answered dismissively. "I guessed that you would be concerned by the obvious passage of time. Watching the sun rise and set faster than normal tends to cause mortals some distress." "Yeah, that would''ve been freaky," Mako agreed. "Back on topic, you three are needed in Deepwyld. They''re under attack, and you are duty-bound to assist," Veern turned back to Nash, Yulk, and I. "Duty-bound?" I asked. "Yes. You are friends with the Deepwylder. Being friends with the fair folk means that they are obligated to help when you ask them to, and you are obligated to help them when they ask you to." "They asked for my help?" "Well..." Veern paused for a moment. "I can''t go into detail, but something else has asked on their behalf. I''m sure you know my meaning. In exchange for making certain that you get to Deepwyld Forest in a timely manner, they granted me the keywords needed to decipher the tablets." "So... Even if I say no-" "You don''t GET to say no," Veern said sternly. "What about the rest of you? You''re welcome to accompany them." "Though my curiosity burns, I''m afraid I cannot," Larie said. "I have obligations toward the kobolds in my dungeon." "Can we?" Rebis asked Gali. "No," Gali sighed. "If we don''t report back a kill-team is going to be sent into the dungeon. Hells, they might already be on their way. Don''t want Simeeth and Larie to get hurt." "Ah, fuck you''re right," Rebis muttered. "Then it is settled. Say your farewells," Veern said. "Be quick." We gathered around each other, shaking hands and wishing each other luck. I thanked each of them for their help. Then, Yulk and Larie shook hands and whispered to each other for a few moments. Yulk and Larie strode over to the tablets that I had left on the ground. Yulk dug around in his pack while Larie spread the tablets out. After a few more moments, it was clear that Yulk was making a charcoal rubbing of the tablets. "I did say be quick, yes?" Veern demanded, tapping its foot impatiently. "Then you must consider it quite convenient that I am already finished," Yulk said with a smile. "I..." the arch-fae paused for a moment. "Whatever, let''s get this done. All three of you need to be touching. You can hold hands or put your hands on each other''s shoulder or whatever you want." Veern waved its hands urgently, rushing us together. "Send word of your travels," Heino said as gathered. "We''ll make sure Larie stays informed, too." "Oh, you''ll be visiting me?" Larie asked. "Yeah, why not? As long as you''re alright with it." Yulk and Nash placed their hands on my shoulders and turned to look at Veern. "Yes, of course I''ll be fine with it. It''s been so long since I had good comp-" Veern waved his hand, and everything went dark. Chapter 75 Count Alurgas Tuvino Adventurer Level: N/A Vampire - Balushenian I watched the thralls drag yet another chained fae into the ritual cage. Part of me was amused, finding a grim satisfaction in the suffering of those who would dare to look down on me. Another, much smaller part of me was disturbed by what I was witnessing, though. This magic is wrong on a fundamental level. The higher ones created the first vampires long ago to address the wylder''s newfound ability to sin. A pact made between wylder and mortal for the sake of a wylder''s redemption and rebirth. The agreements made then are unknowable, none of us can remember them, but the ritual that we''re repeatedly performing perverts the intentions of the higher ones and forces the pact on both the mortal and the wylder. "I wonder what happens to them if they die," I muttered. "They''ll likely return to the cycle," Count Hesseth said as he nodded for the ritual to proceed. "They''re pretty much zombies and haven''t committed any sin, so they''ll probably be reborn as a wylder." The vampire performing the ritual nodded back, then began to utter words of power as he drew a blade. The drow that was chained to the alter began to scream and beg as the blade rose. The fae started to convulse as the words struck it. The final word of power struck the fae as the blade fell into the drow''s heart. "And what if they aren''t?" I asked. The vampire withdrew the dagger from the drow and, unseen to us, the essence of the fae was drawn out of its flesh and thrust into the now empty vessel laying on the alter. The previous vessel instantly became desiccated and crumpled to the floor of the cage. The drow''s eyes, which had not yet had a chance to close, flickered to life. Her expression of pain faded into one of apathy, and the hole in her chest healed. A new thrall had been born. "That''s not something we have to worry about, so long as Duke Misgiel''s plan works," Hesseth shrugged. "Right," I halfheartedly agreed. The duke was very educated in the matters of the arcane. After less than a day of performing the rituals, he managed to find a way to allow someone else to perform them in his stead. After three days, he had found a way to perform multiple rituals at once. We were well on our way to fortifying our ranks. There was a cost, though. The wylder were viscous in their resistance. We had lost dozens of brood with each round of fighting. A single vampire is worth at least ten brood, though, so we''ve made an overall profit from this venture. And it isn''t as if we can''t make more brood. "I''m going to attend to the duke," I said. "Be well," Hesseth nodded. I made my way through our encampment, trying to avoid the eyes of all the caged wylder. The derision in their gaze makes my blood boil, and I don''t trust myself not to react. While ripping them to shreds would feel great, we''ll need as many of them as possible to retake our rightful place. A series of grandiose tents came into view. The duke''s new quarters weren''t quite as fine as the old guild hall, but they were still much better than my own. Perhaps if I manage to make myself useful I''ll be granted a larger tent. One large enough to hold a table would be wondrous. "Hold," the guard stopped me, then turned toward the inside of the tent. "It''s Count Tuvino." "Let him pass," a gruff voice from within said. The guard stepped aside and saluted as I strode past him into the tent. The now familiar bustle of activity greeted me, teetering on the verge of overwhelming. Various lackeys ran between tables holding various documents and other materials. Duke Misgiel stood in the midst of the crowd, easily a head taller than everyone else. The duke glanced up from the war table and immediately spotted me. He waved me over, and I made my way through the chaos, taking my spot at the other side of the table. The war map was covered in tokens, and very little of it made any sense to me. "Good morning, count," Misgiel said as he moved one of the tokens. "I trust you are well?" "Yes, your grace," I bowed. "My lieutenants are prepared for the day''s activities." "Excellent. We''ve made good progress thus far, and your forces have been particularly fortunate. Hardly any casualties. Good work," he nodded absentmindedly. "Unfortunately, that''s liable to change soon." "For what cause?" "The damned arch-fae. This forest has more of them than it should. We''ve been able to outmaneuver them thus far, but it seems they''ve finally come up with a strategy that has slowed our progress immensely." A snarl crossed over my face, but I recovered before the duke noticed. I despise the bastards. Arch-fae are arbitrarily chosen to wield immense power. It''s given to them regardless of whether or not it''s actually deserved. Their destructive capabilities are difficult to match, but like everything else, they have weaknesses. Most of them are physically meager. As if they sacrifice their physical strength for enormous magical potency. If one could get close enough, it would be a simple matter to tear them into pieces.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Getting close is the difficult part, though. Their half-existence gives them a view of the world that makes it all but impossible to sneak up on them. Furthermore, they are reborn much faster than other wylder are. Even if you get lucky and manage to kill them, they''ll be back before you can escape. Swarming them wouldn''t work, either. Their specialty is large-scale attacks. Fire, wind, and ice destroying everything within a broad area is their favorite tactic. One could say that it''s difficult for them to wield their powers without collateral damage... "That''s it!" I exclaimed. "Pardon?" Misgiel asked. "The arch-fae specialize in magic that has a wide area-of-effect. They would struggle to strike an individual target!" "And?" "We use some of the captured wylder as meat-shields." Duke Misgiel opened his mouth as if to dismiss my idea, but the words paused in his throat. "I doubt they''ll be willing to fall just to drive us off," I grinned. One of the most grievous sins a wylder can commit, the one which I was held responsible for, is killing a fellow wylder outside of an established duel. Whether the kill is accidental or intentional, the punishment is the same. If the arch-fae destroy our meat-shields, they will become vampires when next they perish. "That is an inspired plan, Count," Misgiel grinned. "I agree," a hauntingly familiar voice said. I noticed the silence that had fallen over the tent just before an immense pressure gripped my mind. The duke and I locked eyes, and I could tell that he felt it as well. Leaning on the table to steady myself, I turned to see who had spoke. "Hello again, Alurgas," Kirain sneered at me. The shock of the situation numbed my mind. Kirain should be dead. But he''s here, and he smells different. Stronger. He''s not a half-breed anymore. Somehow, he''s become a vampire, no, a master vampire. Impossible, but it''s happened. "How-" I managed to gasp. "How? How did I survive? How did I get here? Or are you asking how I became a master vampire?" Kirain replied gleefully. "Yes." His laughter echoed through my mind. "Well, when I realized the battle was lost I followed some timely advice and fled into the land of the dwarves. As for how I became a master, well, I had a little snack," Kirain chuckled. "Then, I came here. On foot. Vampires can run quite fast, and masters run even faster. I actually would have arrived sooner, but I had to make some detours to find out what was going on. And to feed, of course." "How... dare you," Misgiel growled. "How dare I? How dare YOU! Resisting a master vampire''s influence isn''t something a normal vampire can do," Kirain walked over to the duke. "You''ve been naughty. No, despicable is a better word for it. What kind of terrible, terrible things have you done to yourself?" Duke Misgiel raised a clawed hand toward Kirain''s throat. The failed strategist casually watched the hand approach him, then laughed as it fell. "No, this unfortunately unacceptable. We''re going to have to undo your little modifications," he said. "It''s a shame. You''d be useful as you are, if I could trust you to obey." "I''ll never-" Misgiel gasped. "You can''t-" "Can''t? Can''t what? Undo what you''ve done to yourself?" Kirain grabbed Misgiel by the nape and slammed his head onto the table. "If I couldn''t, I would simply kill you," Kirain''s voice ran cold. "You managed to save yourself, though. You see, when I was looking for you, I ran into some of your servants. After some persuasion, they told me that you had fled your den in a rush. That you''d left behind a lot of riches... And research. I''ve always been oh so curious, so with some more persuasion I got them to tell me where your den is." The thick table creaked as Kirain pressed harder. "Not to worry, though. Their disloyalty was punished in the end. I was hungry, you see." "You fu-" Kirain lifted the duke''s head and brought it down once more. "I''m talking, Misgiel," Kirain growled. "Now, where was I? Oh yes, I paid your den a visit. Found your research. It was quite illuminating. You were interesting in so many things. Rituals, physical and magical augmentation, and even reversing aforementioned augmentation. The idea that one of your servants might use your augmentations for themselves led to you creating a ''cure'' for them. Rather insightful of you." Kirain removed a syringe from his cloak. The needle tipping the syringe glistened menacingly. I tried to move, to stop him, but my body felt as if it were made of stone. I was helpless as Kirain plunged the needle into Misgiel''s neck. "And now, your life is saved," Kirain laughed. "Assuming you survive this." The duke went limp and fell to the floor. I couldn''t move to get a better view, but I could see his legs twitching erratically. A seizure, probably. I wanted to glare at Kirain, but my face regarded him without emotion. "I wonder what will happen to the thralls if he dies," Kirain casually pondered. Misgiel''s movements only lasted a moment more. Once he was still again, Kirain examined him. "Guess we will have to wait to find out," he said, kicking the duke''s foot. "Get up." A creature that was much smaller than the duke rose and took a place at the table. No longer did Misgiel tower over other vampires, and his previously impressive musculature was now barely clinging to his bones. A sick part of my mind noted that he looks more like the other dukes. "Good. Now, let us discuss how we are going to handle the current situation," Kirain said. "First, I was bluffing. I don''t know why Alurgas'' plan is inspired. Explain to me why the arch-fae wouldn''t simply eradicate the meat-shields along with our troops." His eyes locked onto mine as he finished speaking, and suddenly my own voice was filling the air. Except, I wasn''t speaking. My mouth was speaking on its own. Powerless to stop myself, I explained everything. Each follow-up question prompted more and more explanations out of me. It was then I realized that I was no longer in control of my body. A small piece of me was now controlling my body, acting on the whim of the former half-breed. "I see," he said. "I suspected as much, given the duke''s research notes, but it''s nice to have it confirmed. So if I die, I become a vampire again. And so will all of you. I can see why this was kept from me. You would have had to promise me much more to keep me in line." Kirain absentmindedly moved some pieces around on the table for a moment. "Okay, here''s what we''ll do. We''ll spread the meat-shields throughout our ranks, providing optimal protection against the arch-fae''s attacks. The further we spread them, the more we can use in the rituals. This should drive the arch-fae back, and urge them to send the other wylder into battle. Then, it''s business as usual. Objections?" Silence. "Right, of course not. Even if we are succeed in bolstering our forces here, we won''t be able to take the Night Kingdom yet. The orcs have taken the capital and fortified the walls. So, the next step in our plan will be to press into the Unified Chiefdoms and convert as many orcs as possible to further bolster our forces. While we do this, we should send a detachment of brood to attack the orcish armies as a distraction," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, we may want to do that beforehand. As things stand, they can attack our rear and trap us between their army and the fair folk. We''ll keep a close eye on their movements, and if they start to show signs of setting out we''ll send some brood. If they''re smart, they''ll use the walls to repel our decoy attacks. Once we move into the UC, we won''t have to worry about a battle on two fronts and we can have a proper fight with them." More silence. I wanted to respond, to call him every foul name I''ve ever heard, but he hadn''t asked me a question and my mouth no longer heeded my commands. Instead, Kirain nodded to himself and turned to everyone else in the tent. "See it done." The sounds of activity swelled once more, but different this time. More purposeful, less chaotic. The duke and I stared at Kirain. "Now, Duke Misgiel," the master vampire smiled maliciously. "Tell me how to take the thralls under my command." Chapter 76 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American Once the darkness settled over me, I felt as if I was being yanked. Like a parent pulling their child out of the way of a car. Before I could consider the irony of that thought, I blinked and was suddenly in a completely different clearing. My senses were assaulted by the difference. Smells, sights, temperature, everything had altered enough to be noticeable. My stomach decided to become an acrobat, and I had to fight to keep it from spewing its contents. "Well, that looked unpleasant," someone said. Nash, Yulk, and I glanced at each other and turned to look at the person who spoke. Mumuldobran sat on a log that was next to a stump, smoking what looked like a hand rolled cigarette. It gave us an uncharacteristically merry wave. Nash and Yulk regarded the King of Arch-Fae for a moment, then simultaneously turned and vomited. I fought even harder to keep my food within me. My orc brothers breathed heavy sighs of relief once they were finished. "It was unpleasant, yes," Yulk said. "So we were... What? Teleported?" Nash asked. "Felt more like being pulled through time and space," I answered through gritted teeth. "Yeah, that''s about right," Mumuldobran said. "When wylder do it, we get rid of our bodies first. Flesh doesn''t like being pulled through the fair-realm." "The what?" Yulk asked with a sudden interest. Feeling my knees about to give out, I decided to have a seat on the ground to recover. "The fair-realm. It''s where we reside when we''re not in physical form," Mumuldobran took a hefty drag from his cigarette. "Sort of a giant void where beings of energy, nothingness, and somethingness hang out. Has neither space nor time, so it''s a pretty convenient way to travel. If you''ve got the stomach for it." "Which we don''t, apparently," Nash sighed. "Nick, you''ll feel better if you just throw up." "I''d rather die," I growled. "Had spicy food for breakfast. Gonna hurt coming up." Nash and Yulk chuckled. Mumuldobran, on the other hand, giggled. All three of our heads snapped to look at him. "What?" it asked. "You seem to be in much higher spirits than you were when we first met," Yulk said. "What''s in that smoke?" Nash asked with suspicion in his voice. Mumuldobran raised an eyebrow and eyed the cigarette for a moment. It flicked the ash from the end and took another deep drag. "It''s smoke-seed," it said as it inhaled. A somewhat rare fibrous bean-like plant that contains various stimulants. Namely, caffeine." "That sounds kind of like coffee," I added, still struggling with my stomach. "Not quite," the arch-fae laughed. "The various stimulants in smoke-seed combine to form a pretty hard punch. A punch that''s fatal to most mortals, in fact." "Then why''s it called smoke-seed?" Nash asked. "That''s what WE call it," Mumuldobran giggled again. "No idea what YOU call it. Though, some of your villages grow it for us. Trade and such. Plants that contain high levels of sugar and caffeine are our primary import." "Why?" "Because we thrive off of these chemicals. Sugar rejuvenates us, like a warm meal and bath do for you. Caffeine has a profound mental impact that allows us to focus in ways that we normally aren''t able to accomplish." "Very interesting," Yulk nodded. "What do you exchange with the Unified Chiefdoms?" "Lumber and magical trinkets, mostly." "We''re getting sidetracked. Why are we here?" I interrupted a little impatiently. "How should I know?" Mumuldobran asked, bewildered. "Who sent you through the fair-realm?" "Veern." "Veern? Arch-fae, about this high?" it gestured above its head. "Yeah, that''s the one." "That''s... Weird. Just a second." Mumuldobran''s eyes rolled into the back of its head and it slouched, nearly dropping its cigarette. The rest of us shared a worried glance. I took a few deep breaths and rose to my feet just as Mumuldobran recovered, looking far more sober than it had a moment ago. "I see," it muttered. "Care to share?" I asked. "Not really, but I suppose I must. Have a look at the stump." The three of us approached the stump that Mumuldobran was sat next to. As we got closer, we realized that the wood had been carved to look like a forest. Bugs sat patiently on top of the small carvings, as if marking points of interest.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "We are being attacked," Mumuldobran puffed at his cigarette. "Vampires." "Vampires? Why?" "I''m unsure, but the screams coming from the fair-realm indicate something sinister. What I do know is that they''re well-organized and using captured wylder as shields." "What''s a wylder?" I asked. "Me. And the other fair-folk. Essentially, anyone who is an intricate part of the cycle of wylds." "Ah," I said, barely understanding the explanation. "Anyway, the use of our comrades as shields is a rather smart move, as it prevents us from using the arch-fae to their fullest potential." "Why''s that?" Nash asked. "Well, our strength isn''t exactly subtle," Mumuldobran chuckled. "By using our powers to kill the brood, we''d be unable to avoid killing the wylder captives." "You don''t want to kill your friends," I said empathically. "What? No. They''d just come back, wouldn''t be a problem. The issue is that killing them is considered a sin by the higher ones. Meaning that we would be punished for it. If we kill enough of them and the enemy manages to kill US... Well, we might end up on their side of this fight." "Ah, yeah, that would be bad," I nodded. "So... why are we here?" "The higher ones pulled a bit of trickery, as they do. You see, I requested help from a certain group of wylder which Veern is a part of. This group of wylder, however, owes my group nothing and is not beholden to our calls for aid. If they were to aid us, we would be in their debt," Mumuldobran explained. "I am fine with this, the other kings are fine with this, but the higher ones dislike us trading favors with each other. One wrong word leads to chaos and such. So, they took it upon themselves to interfere and send you instead, since we are beholden to each other." "Yeah, but, Veern owed the higher ones a favor. Why didn''t they just use that to get them to help you?" "Mortals trading favors owed by others is quite a bewildering concept, if I''m honest. When you owe someone a favor, they are the one that you owe that favor to. No self-respecting wylder would ever get caught in the web of mental gyrations required to justify having to do something for someone you are not beholden to because you''re beholden to someone else. That''s just silly," it giggled. "Plus, I don''t think the higher ones wanted them to help us to begin with. They definitely wanted YOU here, though." "Any idea as to why?" "Nope." Swearing under my breath, I looked at the trunk-map. What am I supposed to do, go and fight an army of vampires? I could definitely take down a few of them, but judging by the number of red bugs on the stump that would just be a drop water in the ocean. "If you can''t use the arch-fae, what are you doing instead?" Yulk asked. "Using the lesser wylder. Don''t tell them I called them that," Mumuldobran giggled again. "But there''s a problem there, too. The enemy is grabbing our soldiers and using iron to capture them. The various forms of fae, fairies, and such are putting up a fight but..." "It''s not enough," I said flatly. "What sort of formations are you using?" "Formations?" The three of us glanced at each other and then stared at Mumuldobran in disbelief. "Like, battle formations? How are your troops sorted?" "Sorted? We''re just fighting. So is the enemy, for the most part." "Like a mob? What..." I trailed off, thinking. "So it''s basically just a large brawl between two groups." "Don''t be dismissive. This is a proper war, not some riot," Mumuldobran crossed its arms. "What weapons are your soldiers using?" "Magic, for the most part. The bone and blood fae sometimes use swords and spears." "This is a mess," Nash muttered. "Uh... No offense." "Some taken," Mumuldobran''s eyes narrowed. "If you want to turn things around, you''re going to need to be more organized," I explained. "If you have groups that use similar weapons, then it''s easier to know where to put them to counter the enemy. Since the enemy is trying to kidnap your soldiers, some safeguards should be taken, too." "Safeguards?" "Yeah, like... Well... Riot shields..." "I JUST told you this isn''t a riot." "I know, I know. But if the enemy isn''t coordinated, then they''re basically rioting, right? And the way to counter a riot is with phalanx that uses big shields. It helps control the crowd and keeps your people from getting pulled away from the safety of your group. If your fae use this tactic, it will protect them as they attack the mob of vampires. Plus, unlike a riot, you don''t have to be concerned with whether the mob lives or not." "Hmm... You can use large spears behind such a shield wall," Yulk said. "Stick the vampires and it will be much easier to ignite them." "And then you won''t have to rely on the arch-fae," Nash added with a nod. "Hmm..." Mumuldobran rubbed its chin. While the King of Arch-Fae thought to itself, I thought about how ridiculous it was that I was teaching riot tactics to a mythical being. I''m not even an expert in the craft, I''ve just seen a few on TV and wrote a paper on it for social studies. "How will they see to aim their spears and spells?" the King of Arch-Fae asked. "Clear shields would be best. Like, made of plastic..." I trailed off, realizing what I was suggesting. Yulk and Nash gave me a confused look. "Well, that''s not an option," Mumuldobran laughed. "But... Yes, I think we can come pretty close to it. A bit of magical manipulation here, a bit of craftsmanship there..." "You can get your forces in the rear equipped, then trade them with the ones at the front," I suggested. "Is there a way to help them get organized?" "Yes, that won''t be an issue. All wylder can move as one, when we have to. It''s distasteful, though, but likely necessary to survive the current situation." "Good. That will help make sure the fae don''t get dragged away while..." I paused, reflecting on how invested in this I was getting. "While they take care of the enemy." Before I came here, reading wasn''t really my main past-time, and I didn''t often choose something from the isekai genre. But I''ve read stories about people going back in time and teaching medieval people about modern weapons and tactics. It usually goes pretty well in the stories, but there was one story that stuck out to me. The main character taught some people who were being victimized how to fight using modern tactics, and they eventually defeated the lord that was victimizing them. Then the king of the land issued a warrant for their arrest, because they''d broken the law by going against their lord. The MC then taught the people how to make guns, and they defended themselves against the king''s soldiers. But the author didn''t write it as a power fantasy. The deaths depicted were gruesome, and there was even a scene where one of the king''s men begged for his life. He said he had a family, a little girl, but the villagers shot him anyway. Then, at the end of the story, the MC had begun to become tyrannical. The villagers killed him with the guns he taught them how to make. God, look at me. I''m eighteen years old, and I''m giving advice to someone on how to wage war while worrying about divulging too much information because of a story I read when I was sixteen. The absurdity of my new life wasn''t anything new to me, and I thought I''d gotten used to weird things happening. But every now and then, this odd feeling of being out of place creeps up on me. "You might even be able to recover some of the fae that have been stolen away," Yulk added. "I hope so. This entire fight hasn''t sat well with me," Mumuldobran said, extinguishing the cigarette. "I would especially like to know what the damned vampires are doing with my kin." "They''re turning them into vampires," a feminine voice from very close behind me said. Whirling around as quickly as I could, I barely caught a glimpse of what looked like arms before my face was covered in warm, squishy flesh. I struggled, both to free myself and to breathe, but the arms were locked around my head like vice-grips. Briefly, I considered biting, but decided against it because it might think I''m flirting. "SO good to see you again, Nick," Tits said. "I knew I smelled you!" "MMMMPH!" I replied. "Tits, let go of the human," Mumuldobran said with an exasperated sigh. With a sad whine, Tits released my head. Gasping, I took a few steps back and eyed the arch-fae warily. "Good. Thank you," Mumuldobran continued. "So... The fuck?" Chapter 77 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American Tits watched me with a pout as I took another step back and wiped what I hoped was her sweat off my face. Mumuldobran waited for Tits¡¯ explanation for a moment before clearing their throat. The aggressively flirtatious arch-fae sighed and turned to Mumuldobran. "I got bored, so I decided to spy on the enemy," Tits said. "I noticed a bunch of crows on their side of the battlefield, so I disguised myself as one and just flew around a bit. The real crows weren''t very nice at all. Called me all sorts of names, like false-wing, decoy, and bitch. But they didn''t tell the vampires about me either, so I guess they weren''t all that bad." "Skip to the part about them turning our kin into vampires, please," Mumuldobran snarled. "Patience. I risked my life, you know. Probably. I should be able to tell the story however I want to." "The longer you wait, the more of them are turned, right?" "I don''t think so. There''s nothing we can do about it at the moment, anyway. Even if I waited another hour to tell you, I don''t think it would make any sort of diff-" "Tits," Mumuldobran interrupted with a growl. "Tell me what you know. Now." "FINE! They''re doing a ritual that''s taking the captured wylder and forcing them into mortal shells, which turns them into mindless vampires. They just stand there creepily until they''re given a task." "But... How?" Mumuldobran''s expression went from anger to bewilderment in record time. "Y-you can''t MAKE a vampire! It¡¯s a divine punishment! And how are they able to force the pact!?" "I dunno, but there was definitely some daemonic elements to the ritual," Tits crossed her arms, grinning as I looked away from their bulging chest. "Very bad vibes." "Daemonic? Well... That complicates things. I guess that means we have no choice but to go with your suggestion, Nick." The King of Arch-Fae turned to me expectantly, but I was distracted by a sudden awareness of a sickeningly sweet smell. The more I smelled it, the faster my heart seemed to pump. It wasn''t long before I realized that my blood was pumping to a very specific location. I glared at Tits, whose grin had grown malicious. "You''ve got to be fucking kidding me," I growled. "You absolute cu-" "I agree that Nick''s strategy would definitely be effective at keeping more wylder from being snatched away," Yulk interrupted. "I don''t see how it will help with getting the captured fae away from the vampires, though." Tits began to laugh maniacally as my eyes shot metaphorical daggers at her. It. Them. Whatever. Anger rose within me like a volcano ready to erupt. Trembling, I tried to calm down by turning my thoughts back to when I last felt like this. It was a few weeks after Cass and I had started officially dating. I''d gone over to her house on the weekend to study for a test on Monday. She was still wearing her pajamas when she answered the door, with a few buttons undone. Just low enough to let me see down her shirt without actually seeing anything... "We''ll... Uh..." Nash said, looking back and forth between Tits and I. "We''ll want to work our way through the vampire''s lines to try to rescue their current captives. The shields will help us keep a good formation to do so. Looks like they''re focused in the north-east, so maybe going for their flanks would be a good idea." Nash, Yulk, and Mumuldobran huddled together and muttered to each other over the stump while glancing worriedly at Tits and I. Keeping Cass in my thoughts, I locked eyes with Tits. "What is this?" I demanded, shifting uncomfortably. Tits stopped laughing and grinned like a shark, "I believe you call it ''perfume''. Algebrun suggested it." "I did no such thing," a voice to my left said. Algebrun entered the clearing at a steady pace and approached us. Tits turned to them and pointed accusingly. "Yes you did!" they said. "You said that humans spray themselves with fragrances that they find pleasant in an attempt to mimic mating pheromones!" "Pheromones!?" I shouted, feeling unusually aggressive. Tits bit their lip and raised a brow at me flirtatiously, and I had to take a deep breath to stop myself from drawing my blade. Then, Algebrun waved their hand and a calm spread over me, easing the tension that had been working its way through my body. The sweet smell dissipated as Tits glared angrily at my savior. "Be at ease, Nick," Algebrun said. "Tits'' pranks come from a place of affection, after all." "I''ll try to look at it like that," I grumbled. "So why did you tell them about pheromones in the first place?" "Tits has done little more than speak of you since last we met. There were a lot of questions about you, and some about humanity in general. I thought I was being careful with my answers, but I''m afraid that wasn''t the case." "It worked, though," Tits said smugly. "Didn''t it? You got aroused. By me."The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "You''re wrong," I shook my head angrily. "If I was aroused, and I''m not saying I was, it was because of the pheromones. And I was thinking about Cass the whole time." "You ungrateful little-" Tits'' snarl cut off as they regained control of themselves. "FINE. You''re in LOVE, whatever the hells that is. But she''s not here, Nick. You don''t have her to comfort you when you''re hurt, and I can be that for you. So, why not? Am I not attra-" "Don''t bother," Algebrun interrupted. "You won''t like the answers to those questions, and we have far more pressing concerns. Do we not?" Tits regained a neutral expression and coldly glanced between myself and Algebrun. "Fine," they said. Without so much as a backwards glance, Tits strolled over to the rest of the group. I took another deep breath, struggling to cope with the swell of emotions that had just overtaken me. Anger at the deceit and refusal to respect my wishes. Melancholy for the memories of Cass that were unexpectedly brought up. Shame at how my body reacted to something as simple as a smell. Algebrun gestured for me to follow them. Once we were far enough away that we could no longer hear the rest of the group, they turned to me. "Tits didn''t do this out of malice," Algebrun unnecessarily explained. "It''s just how we are." "I know," I replied. "I remember. And don''t be so quick to lump yourself in with her. You don''t do things like that." "Not to you, no, but that''s because I know almost everything about you. Pranks are how we learn about things that think." "Why not just talk, though?" "Talking only works with other wyld ones. Everything else can lie without consequence, so long as their deceit remains undiscovered," Algebrun sighed softly. "We can''t. But pranks and the like elicit an honest response, more often than not. If we suspect the response is dishonest, we keep pranking until we get an honest one." I nodded, suddenly understanding a lot of the memories that Algebrun had inadvertently shared with me. Yulk was right, the fae are weird. They understand us about as much as we understand them. Less, in some cases. "I kind of feel bad, though," I said. "Getting rejected by someone you love never feels good." Algebrun snorted, "I wouldn''t feel bad if I were you. Tits doesn''t love you. We''re not capable of that. Not really. She feels... Infatuation. Desire. She wants you, yes, but not to love. To keep, like a trinket. Maybe even just to use and discard, though I have my doubts about that." "You''re not capable of feeling love?" "No. I felt it when I was reliving your life, but it''s an alien feeling to me. I''ve never felt that before, and I never will again. I can''t even provide a reasonable explanation for the feeling, or why you''re able to feel it and I can''t." "I can empathize. Some of your memories were of things that I can''t do, and I can''t really explain how they felt either," I said, staring at the ground for a moment. "Is... Is there a way to get Tits to stop?" "Probably not," Algebrun laughed. "This is a game to them, and games are our biggest weakness. But they''ll learn where the line is. Eventually." "I hope so," I sighed. "Alright, let''s rejoin the strategy council or whatever." Algebrun nodded, and we walked over to the rest of the group. Mumuldobran raised an eyebrow at me, and I shrugged in response. For a moment, the King of Arch-Fae looked like it wanted to ask me something. But then it decided against it and cleared its throat. "Greetings Algebrun," Mumuldobran said. "We''ve come up with what I believe is a sound strategy to counter the enemy." "That is good news," Algebrun bowed their head. "We''re going to split our forces into three groups and flank the enemy," Nash explained. "The goal is to break them and push toward their center, where they''re keeping the prisoners." "The mindless ones won''t break, though," Tits sighed. "They''re being controlled." "Yes, and brood are fiercely competitive," Algebrun added. "They''re unlikely to flee unless they see someone else do it first." "So then we keep killing them until we open a hole to grab the prisoners," Mumuldobran shrugged. The others argued back and forth a bit more, but a thought occurred to me and wouldn''t go away. The fae get reborn if they''re killed. The only reason the arch-fae don''t want to kill them is because they''ll be punished. So what if... I put my tongue between my molars and bit a little to clear my head. There aren''t any spells that I know that would guarantee a quick and painless death. If I could make a nuke spell, that would probably do it. But that would be a very, very bad thing to teach the fae. Plus, I''m not confident that I wouldn''t end up caught in it. "Assassination? But how?" Mumuldobran asked, pulling my head out of the clouds. "I saw the taskmaster of the mindless ones," Tits explained. "If he dies, they''ll probably stop doing whatever they''re doing." "Why didn''t you kill him in the first place?" "Because he''s near the prisoners. They''d get caught up in my attack, and I assume that you don''t want me becoming a vampire," Tits laughed. "But... I can guide someone who''s a little more subtle to his location..." Mumuldobran and Tits glanced at me. I resisted the urge to audibly sigh. "Ooooooh. I get it now," Mumuldobran said. "Well, it looks like this is what the higher ones wanted when they brought them here." "Shit," Nash muttered. "This is going to be a hard fight." "Indeed," Yulk said. "Actually, I think you two should hang back," Algebrun said. The three of us stared at the arch-fae, dumbfounded. "Huh?" I managed to say. "Orcs are vulnerable to being turned," Algebrun explained. "Or at the very least, becoming food. Tits and I can take Nick to the enemy''s rear, where they''re weakest, and guide him around what guards they have. The main attack will serve as a distraction, and Nick will serve as our assassin." "And what happens after?" Yulk asked. "He''ll be surrounded by vampires." "Well, we know he''s fairly capable of withstanding the fair-realm," Mumuldobran added. "Didn''t even throw up. We can use that to get him out. We can also use it to get him into a good location." "Why not right where the vampire is?" I asked. "There''s a fairly noticeable maelstrom of energy when the fair-realm is breached. If we pop you into their encampment, they''ll all notice. That''s not a problem for popping you out, though." My stomach twisted. I couldn''t really tell if this was because of the thought of using the fair-realm or nervousness due to the task at hand. "I... I''ll need some time to recover after," I said. Nash''s hand appeared on my shoulder. "You shouldn''t do this," he said. "Not without us." "I know. But the only thing I can think of that would be worse than telling your... Our mom that you died is telling her that you''ve become a vampire," I said. "If I die, you''ll miss me. But if you die, a whole family is torn apart." "I see the logic," Yulk nodded. "However, I strongly oppose it. We have sworn to protect you as one of our own, Nick. Also, your death will tear our family apart because you are a part of our family." Part of me really didn''t want to do this. I''d be lying if I said it was a small part. My last one on one fight with a vampire didn''t go well, and having Nash and Yulk with me would be very comforting. But Algebrun was right. The more of us there are, the harder it is to be sneaky, and they''re vulnerable to being fed on. I''m not. Still vulnerable to being killed, though, but if push comes to shove I can hopefully rely on Ten. They can''t. "You''re right, Yulk. You are both my brothers, and so you know exactly how I feel right now. It will be risky for me to go by myself, but I have Ten, which gives me a much better chance of survival," I pointed out. "You are both more skilled than I am, but you don''t heal as fast and if you''re knocked out, you''re done. I am much more likely to lose you than you are to lose me." "That''s a load of shit," Nash scoffed. "Ten can''t help you if they lob off your head." "That''s true, but-" "Bored now," Tits interrupted, grabbing my shoulder. "Let''s go." Before I could say anything else, the world went dark again. Chapter 78 ??? Cold. So cold. A deep, bitter cold, the kind that digs icy fangs straight into the bones, eagerly consuming any semblance of warmth. I am broken. Still broken. How long has it been since I was last whole? How did I get here? Where is this? Vague pieces of recollection slipped away the moment I tried to focus on them with my addled mind. Nothing solid formed, just brief memories of sights, sounds, and smells. Then it occurred to me. Why can''t I see? As I adjusted to my current state, I quickly realized that I could also no longer breathe. Or move, for that matter. The question of whether or not I was still alive was answered by the hammering of my heart. It was all I could hear, as well. Panic gripped me, but I could not flail, flinch, or scream. All my efforts did was make me tired. So tired. Then, I heard a crack. Was that me? I pushed harder and harder and heard more cracking, but my energy soon gave out. The last thing I remember before sleep took me was the feeling of something wet touching my face. Then, darkness. A screech woke me with a start. Light! Precious light was all I could see, and it warmed my skin. I blinked and rubbed my eyes until they were able to focus again, then I looked around and found that the screeching was coming from nearby birds. They took to the sky as I stood. Sand covered me and the ground. A massive body of water gently lapped at the sand as I brushed myself off. The ocean, and this must be a beach. The terms jumped into my mind, but I couldn''t place where I learned them. As I looked around, trying to figure out what I should do next, I came to a terrifying realization. I don''t know anything about who I am, where I am, or why I''m here. All I could tell is that this place felt wrong. This disconcerting feeling of being displaced set me on edge. Fear nipped at me, but I struck it down. There''s hope in feeling out of place. If I feel out of place here, that means that there is a place for me elsewhere. All I need to do is find out where that is. I walked inland from the beach and spotted a trail. Again, the term popped into my mind with no recollection of where it came from. But some information came along with it. Trails are formed when things walk in the same area frequently. Perhaps if I follow the trail, I''ll find someone who can tell me what happened to me, and who I am. Grunting to myself, I cautiously followed the trail, using the vegetation to the side of it was cover in case I needed to hide. The trail led to a much larger sort of path, a road. Roads are like trails, but for carts and livestock. The sun was beginning to set, and so I chose the direction that kept the sunset at my back. This would reduce my visibility to others and allow me to identify them before they could identify me. Feeling somewhat secure with my decisions thus far, I carried on until I found structures. I was suddenly able to remember some different structures. Grand constructions towering over... Stuff. Still vague, damn it. These structures were not anywhere near as grand, though. Crafted with loosely placed stone and bound straw, with mud as insulation, with wooden fences closing off the surrounding land. Carefully, I drew close enough to observe the beings which reside in these structures. Tanned, tall, and muscular elves were working within the fences, striking the land with crude tools. Agriculture, the growing of food for herbivorous and omnivorous entities. These elves were unlikely to assist me. The memory of my face eluded me, but the sight of my nude body was more than enough to tell me that I don''t look anything like they do. A whisper of memory told me that they were once my enemies, as well. What to do? If I were an elf, this would be much easier. I could simply stroll up to them and request their aid. The sudden appearance of a nude elf would likely startle them, but also appeal to their empathy. The longing to be an elf took root in my mind, and I felt a crawling sensation across my skin. I nearly panicked, but it felt natural. Normal, even. A few moments later, my body looked very similar to the elves that were working on the land, though a little paler. Enthralled by my transformation, I nearly forgot why it took place to begin with. Shaking myself back to reality, I continued to watch the elves and study their habits. They would already consider me strange, more so if I stuck out too much. I watched their movements, their body language when speaking to each other, their laughter, their anger, their reactions to to pain and exhaustion, and the work they were doing. Taking note of these things came naturally to me, as if I had been doing it my entire life. The sun had traveled across the sky by the time I felt I had seen enough. I left the bushes I had been hiding in and began my approach. I walked with a slight limp, putting on a show of being exhausted and injured. When I reached the fence, I held up my arm and gave a weak groan. The elves almost didn''t notice, but once one of them spotted me it pointed me out to the rest. They spoke to each other for a moment, and I collapsed against the fence to give them a sense of urgency. The issue of language occurred to me as they ran to my aid. "Hey, are you alright?" one of them asked. Oh, good, I have familiarity with the way that they speak. "Help," I uttered weakly. Then, I pretended to faint. "Oh shit," one of the elves said. They rushed to my aid and gently shook me in a fruitless attempt to revive me. "What should we do?" "Get him inside. I''ll fetch the elder." Two of the elves lifted me by my armpits and legs. "Heavier than he looks," one of them complained. "Where did he come from?" "I don''t know," the other grunted. "We''ll ask him once we save him, yeah?" The elves carried me for a while, then deposited me on something soft. Maintaining my deception, I waited for the elves to decide what to do. They discussed my origin amongst themselves, and I selected the one that seemed most likely as my cover story. Before long, I heard the door to what could generously be called a hut open and several pairs of footsteps shuffled inside.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "Here he is, elder," someone said. "Oh dear, I wonder what happened to the poor thing," a shaky feminine voice said. "Get him some water, please." I next heard the sound of quickened footsteps, then the sloshing of scooped liquid. A moment later, a hand gently gripped the back of my head and lifted it. Water then poured into and over my mouth, and I struggled not to shudder at the vile taste as I drank to keep up appearances. Finally, much to my relief, the flow stopped and my head was released. "He got a good bit of it in him. Now what, elder?" "We can''t do much more before knowing what happened," the elder said. "So, we wait." "What if he''s a criminal running from the law?" "Well, keep an eye out for anyone that might be looking for him, dear. If they''re a guard, we''ll turn him over to them. If it''s anyone else, we''ll cross that bridge when we come to it." The conversation continued for a bit after that, but I quickly found that I wasn''t entirely faking my condition. I was extremely tired, and inadvertently fell asleep. When I awoke, I forgot my deception and opened my eyes to see an elderly elven female staring at me. "Hello there," she said. "I''m Elder Imyo. Who are you?" "I don''t remember," I instinctively replied. I caught a glimpse of my elf-shaped hand and remembered my goal. Infiltrate the elves and try to figure out how to restore my memories, or at least find out who I am. Or what I am. Damn, I had an entire cover story planned out. Probably best to stick with what I know, though. "Do you remember what happened to you?" Imyo asked. As if prompted by the question, brief flashes of fangs, fire, pain, and darkness stirred within the recesses of my mind. I had been trapped, but I know not by what means. How did I escape? "No," I said. "All I remember is waking up on the beach, and going to find help. I was... Am very weak." "That''s right. You collapsed just outside of the Hant''s field," she nodded solemnly, then smiled. "They grow tubers." "I see. What''s a tuber?" The elderly elf raised an eyebrow at the question, but proceeded to explain to the best of her abilities. I had originally intended to pretend that I was attacked, but playing off of my amnesia turned out to be a much better deception. A grain of truth within a lie makes the lie easier to swallow. We spoke at length, until Imyo volunteered to allow me to stay in the village. She had already received permission from the Hant family to allow me to stay in their stables. She took me to them, and they greeted me warmly. Then they fed me a rather disgusting meal made entirely of plants, but I followed their lead and pretended to enjoy it. Then, they took me to the stable and showed me a bed of straw that I could sleep in. Once they were asleep, I began to explore my surroundings. I found a rodent of sorts gnawing on a leaf in the fields, and instinctively grabbed it, snapping its neck. Its life poured into me, and I felt a portion of my strength return. A hunger that I hadn''t been aware of was sated, and I was left holding the corpse of the rodent. With barely a thought, I threw it toward the treeline where it would be unlikely to be discovered. Satisfied, I went back to the stable and meditated on the bed of straw until morning. In the morning, the elves came for me. They interrogated me about my well-being, then asked if I would like to work. Feeling much stronger than the day before, and wanting to bolster their opinion of me, I agreed to assist with the fields. And thus began a routine. I would work the fields with the elves during the day and stalk for prey at night, taking care to dispose of the corpses accordingly. I learned several things about the elves during this time. Goti Hant, the owner of the farm, was concerned for his daughters. They didn''t seem to want to pursue mates or lives of their own, instead concerning themselves with what he considered to be minutia. He took a liking to me almost immediately, treating me as a confidant and friend. A fool above all. Livti Hant, the matriarch of the family, had been an adventurer of some renown before settling down with Goti, whom she had saved from a pack of beasts. Her main concern revolved around their son, Plaro, who was by all accounts as dumb as the tools he wielded in the fields. I was able to easily confirm this to be the case. The daughters, Yra and Ora, were twins and very close to each other. They enjoyed experimenting with different breeds of plants, and were very eager to speak at length on their various discoveries. All quite boring, of course, but it was easy to get caught up in their excitement. If anything, it stirred my hunger. The sun rose and fell several times, and each time it did I learned more about the elves but very little about myself. Thankfully, consuming life only served to bolster my strength and was not a requirement for my continued survival. Still, it felt good and as such I left a miniature graveyard of small animals in my wake. I was, of course, careful to dispose of them outside of the village where predators could take care of them. This continued for many days, until one day I saw something very strange. A trader had come to the village, but its elven features were as fake as my own. It also looked strikingly similar to my true form, but smaller. Weaker. A strange instinct told me that it was less than I, a peon to be used as I saw fit. It appeared to have difficulty looking away from me, and I assumed that it could see my true form as well. Once it concluded its business, it set up a camp on the edge of the village. When night fell, I snuck out of the stable and sought the creature out at its camp. "You shouldn''t still be on this plane. How did you get here?" it asked as I approached. "I do not know," I replied, taking a seat by the fire. "I can''t remember anything." "Really? Damn. I''m Thalomus the Immolator. Named as such because of my skill with the various forms of fire and fire related activities," Thalomus grinned wickedly, and the flames surged as if to prove his point. "Perhaps I can help you." "I suspect that you can. But why would you?" "You are a valuable asset to the Kings. If I help you, I''ll be rewarded. Plus, once you''ve recovered, you might view me favorably." "The Kings? Who are they? Why am I valuable to them?" "The rulers of the hells. You''re valuable to them because of your ability to shift and morph your body at will. My own disguise is a simple glamour, easily dispelled if one knows how. But you''ve actually changed your physical form. If it weren''t for your aura, I wouldn''t have recognized you at all." "I can see how that would be useful... Was I a spy?" "You really have lost your memories. No, no. Not a lowly spy like myself. Such a task would be wasted on one such as you. You, my lord, can change your physical form. Everything about it. You''re able to make your muscles stronger than they should be. You''re able to shape yourself so that you can move faster than anyone else. You can even fly, completely unassisted by magic. To top it off, your command of your body doesn''t end with dismemberment. Your dismembered limbs heed your call as well, and you heal much faster than most," Thalomus chuckled and shook his head. "You''re practically invincible." "Then why am I not a king?" I asked with a laugh. "Because the kings are stronger than you. They''re so powerful that they can''t even make it through the gates. Can''t fit. As such, they''re able to instantly annihilate you. But... You were known for having potential. One day you might be strong enough to challenge them." Thalomus went on to explain that we are daemons, and he is here as an advanced scout in preparation for an invasion. Soon, we will try to once again take these lands as our own. All the lives we can eat, which was certainly a tempting proposition given my current diet of small animals. But I wasn''t able to give my entire focus to this dream quite yet. There was still one burning question that had not been answered. "Who am I?" I asked, once there was a lull in the explanation. "What is my name?" "Oh, right. Apologies," Thalomus looked flustered. "I should have said right away." We stared at each other for a moment, then he cleared his throat and smiled. "You are Lord Hirgarus the Decimator, so called because of your ability to kill anyone who stands against you and leave entire lands barren of life," his smile turned into a grin as he bowed. "Welcome back, sire." It took a moment to process this information. I''m a high ranking daemon, one that is nearly invincible? What exactly a daemon is still eludes me, though. Something I''ll likely relearn in time, I''m sure. "Come with me, sire," Thalomus said. "We have much to do." Chapter 79 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 9 Orc - Nulevan "Bored now," Tits said, grabbing Nick. "Let''s go." A whirlwind of darkness and light enveloped Nick and Tits. The maelstrom unleashed a volley of heat which burned my face, but it quickly collapsed in on itself with a cork-like pop. Yulk and I stared, stunned, at where they had just been standing. Mumuldobran and Algebrun let out a synchronous sigh. "Well, I guess that settles the debate," Mumuldobran said. "Where did they go?" I demanded. "Probably close to the enemy encampment, but far enough away to escape notice," Algebrun replied. "I understand your fears, Nash, but rest assured, Tits will not allow Nick to perish." "Whether or not Tits ALLOWS his death is not our concern," Yulk interjected, a measure of anger seeping into his voice. "Our concern is whether or not Tits can PREVENT his death." "He''s got you there, Algebrun," Mumuldobran chuckled. "Tits will do everything in their power to prevent Nick''s demise or injury," Algebrun said calmly. "Even if their power ultimately fails, we have other measures that can be taken." Mumuldobran''s uncharacteristically jolly face fell into an expression more suited to it. "Do not make promises that you cannot keep, Algebrun," the King of Arch-Fae warned. "I am fully willing to explore these measures if the need arises," Algebrun said. "The higher ones obviously have a vested interest here, and the court doesn''t hold me in ill reg-" "ENOUGH!" Mumuldobran''s shout echoed through the trees surrounding us. It stood and marched over to Algebrun until they were face to face. The two stared angrily at each other. "What are these measures?" I asked once my ears stopped ringing. "Not for you to know," Mumuldobran said coldly. "It is a secret that you must hope with all your might to never uncover." "What? Wait, so if it''s used on Nick, he''ll uncover the secret?" "What? No," Mumuldobran turned to me with a confused stare. "Mortals aren''t capable of observing their surroundings when they''re dead. To him, he''ll die and then wake up. IF it''s allowed." "It will be allowed," Algebrun said with a serious tone. "So you say, lesser one," Mumuldobran scoffed and retook its seat. "I have my doubts, and they are far more reasonable than your certainty. Oh, whatever. No use poking at theoretical wounds. Orcs, what are your plans?" "Plans?" I asked. "We haven''t had a chance to make any," Yulk said with a dour chuckle. "Fair enough. Algebrun can take you to wherever you want to go and have Nick meet up with you later. Or, you can aid us in our fight and we will reward you." "Well, that''s an easy decision," I replied. "Obviously we-" "What reward are you offering?" Yulk interrupted. I turned to him, stunned at his sudden callousness. He held up a hand to reassure me, and then I remembered who we were dealing with. A reward to one can be a punishment to another, and the fair folk are strange ones. "Oh, good catch," Mumuldobran laughed. "If you had left the reward up to me, I don''t know if I would have been able to resist the ''bag of bugs'' prank. What would you consider a reasonable reward to be?" "The aid of the fair folk who reside within the Deepwyld Forest in helping Nick return to his home seems reasonable," Yulk said, turning to me. I nodded my assent. "Our goal is to return him from whence he came as if he hadn''t left at all, by the way," Yulk grinned as he turned back to Mumuldobran. "Can''t have you giving us a way to get him back a few decades after he left or some other such twist of fate." "Ah, well... I don''t know if we''ll actually be able to help, but I can assure you that we can certainly try," Mumuldobran nodded. "The higher ones are offering the same reward to Nick for his compliance with their various... Suggestions," Algebrun added. "Then they''ve likely arranged for this discussion, as well," Mumuldobran sighed. "Very well. I agree. If you aid us in this fight, we will do everything within our power to help Nick return to his... Point of origin? Home? Wherever the hells he was before he came here." "Then it''s settled," Yulk said. "Do we need to shake hands or sign something?" "Nope, just go along with Algebrun and get equipped. I leave them to you," Mumuldobran nodded at Algebrun. "Understood," Algebrun replied, moving between Yulk and I, placing a hand on each of our shoulders. "Prepare yourselves." By the time I had registered what Algebrun was going to do, and long before I could have prepared myself, darkness settled over my vision and I once again felt an inexplicable pull. The feeling of Algebrun''s hand faded for a moment and then returned, but the darkness remained. It took a moment to realize that I was clenching my eyelids. With a deep, calming breath I opened my eyes and took a look around. "Interesting," Yulk said. "That wasn''t as bad on an empty stomach." "Yeah, poor Nick," I chuckled.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. We had appeared in a clearing that was filled with fae, fairies, and every other variation of the fair folk that I could imagine. There were some that were familiar to me, like the bone and blood fae, and others whose natures I couldn''t even begin to guess at. In the center of the clearing were several large trees that were rapidly sprouting massive blueish-green fruits. One such fruit finished its growth and dropped to the ground, where waiting fairies began carving it into slices with remarkable expertise. The slices were further carved into a transparent square and handed off to a set of bone fae who were attaching handles to them. My jaw dropped as I realized that these were the shields that Nick was talking about, and the wylder had already made hundreds of them. Maybe even thousands. Bushes surrounding the clearing were also rapidly growing their branches in an obvious spear shape. Wylder were harvesting these branches and passing them out. Algebrun patted Yulk and I on the shoulder and cleared its throat. "Well, this is where we''re equipping everyone," it said. "Get yourself a spear and shield, Nash." "I prefer my axe or swords," I explained. "I''m sure your skill with those weapons would serve you well in a one-on-one bout with a vampire or brood," Algebrun smiled condescendingly. "However, this is a full-scale battle and you are at just as much risk as we are. It would be best if you joined the shield line." "And I will be right behind you," Yulk said cheerily. "Blasting all the vampires that you manage to stick." Algebrun nodded at Yulk''s enthusiasm, and before I could protest he gently guided us toward a line of wylder. They were grabbing one spear and one shield each and moving on. They moved aside as we approached, and Algebrun grabbed a shield and spear before turning back to me. "Here you go, Nash. Try these on for size," it said, handing them to me. I examined them, surprised at how light they were. What little experience I had with shields screamed at me that this one was far too light to be effective and that it wouldn''t even be able to halt a swiftly thrown rock. It must have shown on my face, though, because Algebrun laughed. "I assure you, it''s quite sturdy. We''ve already replaced a decent portion of our front with them, and they''re holding up nicely," it explained. "That being said, their lightness IS an issue. You won''t be able to rely on the heft of the shield to keep the enemy from pushing you back. Instead, we''ve found success with digging the shield into the ground, where possible." "Makes sense," I nodded. "Okay, I guess I can work with these." "Excellent. Alright, this way." We trailed after Algebrun as it led us away from the fae equivalent of an armory and toward another large group of wylder. I took in some of the sights as we walked, and almost immediately wished I hadn''t. Under a copse were several wylder that were in various states of dismemberment. Half a fairy fluttered around carrying leaves to a fae with nothing but a jaw for a face. I realized that this must be their medical tent, and a shudder crawled up my spine when I noticed how quiet it was. There wasn''t a single member of the fair folk beneath that group of trees that shouldn''t be in extreme pain, but some of them were actually LAUGHING. "Don''t let it get to you," Algebrun said, either reading my mind or expression. "Our physical forms are only a small part of our being, and we don''t feel pain as you do. The injured and dead are the lucky ones, in this case. Those that were captured are bound in iron, which is one of the few things on the mortal plane that can cause us to experience actual physical pain." "What are some other things?" Yulk asked. I looked at my brother with an unimpressed expression. Surely he didn''t actually believe that Algebrun would answer such a que- "Truth be told, the world''s heart contains a great many things that are hazardous to us. Silver, gold, platinum, and copper are the few metals that won''t harm us. Aside from iron, the other metals you know of will hurt us but not kill us," it explained. "Then there''s the metals you don''t know of, which are just as hazardous to you as they are to us. There''s other things as well, but that''s a conversation for another time." My shock at the explanation was short lived, as we then had to follow the arch-fae through a group of wylder. It was difficult, but eventually Algebrun came to a halt in front of a group of bone fae and we followed suit. "Greeting, King Horth. I trust you''re enjoying the fight?" Algebrun asked. "Indeed," Horth said. "You bring me orcs? For what purpose, a snack? An addition to my collection? Both, perhaps?" "You forgot us so quickly?" I asked with a laugh. "Forgot you? When have we... Oh, right, Basinoth''s axe," Horth laughed. "Which makes you Nash. And that is Yulk. Yes, yes, I recall. So not a snack, then." "No, not a snack," Algebrun said. "They''re to join you in combat on this day. Guide them well and enjoy yourself, for this may be the last fight we face against this foe." "Truly? Shame. They''re quite strong. Basinoth fell, by the way." "I know. They''ll be back, though." "Yeah, sadly." "The King of Blood Fae fell? How?" Yulk asked. "How did the King of BLOOD Fae fall against a horde of vampire brood?" Horth laughed heartily. "How do you think? They swarmed over Basinoth like a buffet! It was hilarious! I''m never gonna let ''em live it down." "Oh... Oh dear..." "Right, well, I leave them in your care," Algebrun said. "I hope to see you again soon, Alta brothers." We said goodbye to Algebrun, who surprisingly departed on foot instead of through some kind of trans-dimensional portal or whatever, and listened to Horth discuss strategy with some of the other bone fae. Thankfully, there wasn''t much to discuss, and soon we formed up and began to march through the forest. I found myself at the front of the formation, with Yulk just behind me. We marched for a while in silence before I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Are you nervous?" Yulk asked. "A little. You?" "Nope. I''ve got you with a big shield in front of me, and all I have to do is cast fireball a few times," he chuckled. "Lucky you," I said sarcastically. The march continued until we cleared the trees. "FORM THE LINE!" The bone fae next to me halted and I followed suit. The rest of the bone fae in the rear of the formation came forward and stood next to us. With a hint of jealousy, I noted that their spears were way cooler than mine. I glanced back and saw that there were plenty of fae and fairies accompanying Yulk, too. We wouldn''t be wanting for firepower, that''s for sure. "MARCH!" We continued onward until we saw the first signs of battle. Smoke clung to the air, stinging my eyes and throat. A fae standing on a fallen tree noticed us and shouted something, and a bunch of wylder began to run in our direction. "OPEN RANKS! LET ''EM THROUGH!" The formation opened up, allowing the fleeing wylder to pass by us without issue. Hot on their heels were a horde of vampire brood. I took a deep breath and steeled myself. "CLOSE RANKS!" Our formation closed just before the brood hit us. Remembering Algebrun''s advice, I dug my shield into the ground and pushed with all my might. I struggled for a moment, then remembered my spear. I pulled back then thrust the spear forward, and feeling it hit home. Claws and teeth scraped and gnashed at my shield. The brood pinned against my shield by its comrades was as hideous as it was livid. It had no nose, ears, or eyelids and its gnashing jaws contained sharpened teeth in a proper line like an elf''s. The bones of its fingers and toes were exposed, with the ends of each tapering off into claws. The creature''s muscles twitched out of sync with its movements. Piercing red eyes met my own with pure, unadulterated rage as it struggled to find a way through my shield. Fireballs flew over our shields, slamming into the brood and igniting them. Some of them fled, but others were impaled and couldn''t escape so easily. The brood my spear had found screeched and jerked erratically as it tried to free itself from the flames. Once it stopped moving, I pulled the spear free. The remaining brood had backed up a ways and took a moment to gather themselves. Then, they attacked again, much to the same result. I stabbed but didn''t feel anything, so I tried again and again until I got one. More fireballs flew, more brood ignited, and the brood gave ground once again. "FORWARD! DON''T LET THEM REST!" We lifted our shields from the ground and stepped over the still burning corpses of the brood to go after their comrades. The brood looked nervous, but before they could flee they were pushed aside by drow. The drow began to charge at us, and it wasn''t until they opened their mouths that I realized they were vampires. "HOLD!" Our shields slammed into the ground again and I prepared to thrust my spear home. Then, the drow stopped moving and appeared stupefied. Seeing this, the brood panicked and ran in the opposite direction. "What? Already?" Yulk asked. Chapter 80 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American The darkness faded at the same time as the uncanny pulling sensation, and I found myself surrounded by trees. Again. Par for the course when dealing with the fair folk, I guess. At least they''re the same kind, though. The familiarity of the trees and scenery helped a lot with my nausea, but a little bit of my breakfast made it back into my mouth regardless. The spicy kick distracted me from how gross it was, and I quickly spit it onto the ground. Tits chuckled as I spit and rubbed tears from my eyes. "That was a lot less than I was expecting," it said. "What, my breakfast?" I asked, wiping my face. "Yeah, I didn''t throw up all the way." "I know, that''s what I''m saying. I expected an unexpected pull like that to make you spew like a geyser. Kind of disappointed." "Well, I don''t know what to tell you," I rolled my eyes. "I have a strong stomach." "Hmm," Tits rubbed its chin thoughtfully. "You know, there''s a chance we might be able to teach you how to use the fair-realm." "Wait, really?" "Maybe. Very maybe. It''s not like mortal magic, and we would have to get a bunch of different agreements done," it thought for a moment. "Actually, forget I mentioned it. Probably shouldn''t even have said that it could be possibly possible. Let''s just pretend I didn''t say anything, okay sweetie?" Tits stepped toward me as if to ruffle my hair, but I instinctively took a step back. "What? Are you STILL mad at me? It was just a joke, Nick," it whined. "It was literally just a few minutes ago, and that kind of thing isn''t a joke, Tits," I replied. "It''s... I don''t know. Disrespectful." "Disrespectful? How?" "I... I don''t know, dammit. Not really. But you know I made a promise to Cass. When you ''play around'' like you do, you''re pretty much saying that the promise I made is worthless. That my word is worthless," I crossed my arms, angrily. "And if my word is worthless, then I''m worthless." "Ah," Tits said, leaning closer. "But you''re so fucking hot, though." My own inability to properly explain why I was angry combined with the arch-fae''s dismissive attitude caused rage to bubble up within me. I gave Tits the angriest glare my face could muster, but it laughed and backed away, raising its hands. "Fine, fine. I will stop playing around long enough to fully understand the issue," it said. "Maybe. We''ll talk more about it later, though. You know, stuff to do, necks to sever. Or slice? Do you sever heads and slice necks, or does the verbiage even matter? Whatever, gimme your sword." I sighed and unsheathed my blade, offering it to Tits by the handle. The arch-fae took the sword and sighed. "This isn''t going to smell good," it warned. Tits ran its finger along the blade of my sword. The flesh on its finger sizzled and released a pungent scent that smelled vaguely of what I imagine rotten almonds smell like. The acrid stench clouded the air, causing my stomach to turn in knots as Tits did the same with the other side of the edge. Finally, it presented my sword back to me. "What did you do?" I asked, trying desperately not to heave. "Sharpened it. Now it will slice clean through even the thickest of neck-bones. That hurt, so you should say thanks," Tits grinned. "Thank you." "Your gratitude is appreciated. Now that your sword is decapitation-ready, we need to get you into their encampment. I''ll guide you." Tits stretched their arms into the air as if just waking up from a long nap. My confused expression was met with a grin that quickly began to distort as the arch-fae''s arms began to twist and contort in disgusting ways. The soft pink flesh began to pale and bubble, and black spots formed and extended themselves through the flesh. I was forced to look away as what was left of my breakfast began to mutiny once again. The sounds weren''t any better, though. Loud squelching and popping echoed throughout the trees for several moments, and I tried desperately not to imagine what visuals the noises coincided with. Then, blessed silence. I turned to take a peek and was met with a crow staring back at me with what could almost be called a smug expression. "Caw," it said with an unmistakably sarcastic tone. "That was gross," I shuddered a little. "So... How are you going to guide me? Can crows talk?" ''A little, but telepathy would be better,'' Tits'' voice said in my head. ''Shouting at you from the treetops would probably attract attention.'' "Okay, lead the way, then." Tits flapped its wings and launched into the air, but didn''t go far. I watched the arch-fae turned crow perch on a branch and look around for a moment. ''This way,'' it said.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ''Okay. How far is it?'' I asked. ''Not that far. You can make some noise if you need to practice your stealth. I''ll let you know when you need to be quiet.'' ''How far is what?'' Ten asked. Ten''s question caught me off-guard, but I began to walk regardless. I thought about how to answer for a moment, and decided I should speak aloud to avoid Tits becoming confused as well. "Ten, you don''t hear Tits?" ''No. Is the arch-fae speaking to you?'' "Yeah, directly into my mind. Like you and the higher ones do." ''Interesting...'' Interesting was one way to put it. I wondered if Tits could hear Ten, but decided against experimentation. I''m not even certain if Tits actually knows about Ten or not. Algebrun does, because of my memories, but whether or not Algebrun told anyone is an entirely different story. As I made my way through the forest, stepping through foliage and over fallen logs, I felt a pang of guilt. Ten had been instrumental to my survival. It saved me from the crazy guy in the dungeon, from the Nahalim that had attacked us on the road, and even from the vampire that had nearly killed us all. I''ve trained and trained, but it never seems like it''s enough. Maybe Nash and I have the wrong idea and I should be focusing on magical studies instead. Too late for that now, though. ''Time for quiet,'' Tits said. ''A tree has fallen through the log-wall ahead. They haven''t repaired it yet, so you can get through. There are some of the dead-mind vampires patrolling, but they aren''t exactly searching every nook and cranny. As long as you''re not noisy, they probably won''t notice you.'' ''Okay.'' I carefully crept through the vegetation until I found the fallen tree Tits had mentioned. Just as it had said, an absolutely massive log had toppled directly into the wall that the vampires had hastily erected. As quietly as I could, I climbed onto the log and crawled along it until I was over the wall. Then, I dropped down and waited to see if someone had heard me. ''You''re fine to move. The duke routinely visits the pens that are to your right. There are patrols, but you will be able to use some cages to avoid being seen.'' ''Alright,'' I replied with a mental sigh. With my heart pumping faster than it ever has before, I quickly began to move in the direction Tits had indicated. I kept an eye out for any passing vampires, but all there seemed to be were tents and crates. I found the cages and crept up to them to wait for Tits to tell me where to go next. "You''re not a vampire." I nearly jumped out of my skin, but quickly discovered the voice had come from a fairy that was locked within the nearest cage. I crept up to the cage as quietly as I could. "No, I''m not," I replied. "I''m here to kill a vampire." "You gonna help us?" the fae in the next cage over asked. ''What''s going on?'' Tits asked. ''The fair folk in the cages are asking questions,'' I explained. ''Okay, be careful. There''s brood nearby. I''ll tell you if they start to move in your direction.'' "Well?" the fae asked. "You gonna help us or not?" "I... I want to, but I don''t know how I can," I said. "Could let us out," the fairy chuckled. "If I let you out, they''ll figure out that I''m here. Then they''ll kill me and put you right back into the cages. But once I kill the vampire duke, Mumuldobran, Algebrun, and Tits will be able to hel-" "You could just kill us," the fae interrupted. "Yeah, that''s true," the fairy agreed. "That sword looks pretty sharp." "W-what?" I asked, dumbfounded. "If you kill us, we''ll be reborn," the fae explained. "We''ll lose our memories and current identities, but honestly that''s not so bad. I''d rather not remember what hurt feels like. Fire hurts mortals, right?" "Y-yeah, it does." "Oh good, so you''ll know what I mean when I say it feels like fire is flowing through my veins right now." A loud clang rang out. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" a booming voice shouted. I peeked around the cages and saw several disfigured forms standing around. The only facial features they seemed to have were their wild eyes and toothy jaws. One of the brood was looking in our direction, prompting me to quickly take cover behind the cage. "COME MAKE ME, COCK-BITER!" the fae shouted back. I looked at the fae with alarm, but it simply winked back at me. "THE FUCK DID YOU SAY TO ME!? YOU-" "No! If you kills it we will die," a different voice said sternly. "We do something else. Food?" "Food," the first brood repeated. "Food is good. Let''s go." I peeked out from behind the cage and watched them turn and walk away. With a sigh, I turned my attention back to the caged fair folk. The fae looked smug. "See? They aren''t allowed to kill us, and they can''t really help themselves when it comes down to it," the fae explained with a small, pained groan. "They don''t want to be flayed alive by their masters, so they run away when provoked. Now... You gonna kill us?" The fae and the fairy looked at me, waiting for my reply. Their pained expressions tugged at my heart, but I couldn''t help but balk at the thought of killing innocent people. They''ll be reborn, sure, but not as they are now. It really will be... Murder. A mercy killing, but still murder. Could I do such a thing, even to alleviate their suffering? "I''m sorry, I... I don''t think I can," I said. "But you''re here to kill the vampire duke, right?" the fairy asked. "Isn''t it the same thing?" "Well.. No. The duke is an enemy. Killing him is justifiable. You''re not enemies, you''re friends. Killing you isn''t justifiable." "Friends? What do you mean friends?" the fairy rubbed its eyes and looked closer at me. "Oh. I see. Well... Shit. He can''t kill us." "Why not?" the fae asked. "He''s Nick. The human that just became a friend of the fair folk. Killing us could invalidate that friendship." "Oh, come on. If I was Mumuldobran, I''d forgive him." "Yeah, but you''re not enough of a stamen to be Mumuldobran." "That''s true. Well... Fuck. Okay, Nick, I guess you can''t kill us. Just do what you came to do quickly so we can be rescued or whatever. This shit hurts." "I will, I promise," I said, then I reached out to Tits. ''Am I alright to move?'' ''Yes. Follow the path that the cages make and take the first right. Then go until you find some bushes. That will be the best spot for our ambush. You need to hurry, the duke is on the move.'' I nodded to the fae and fairy, then moved as stealthily and quickly as I could in the direction that Tits had said. There were more fair folk, but they were much worse off than the other two and didn''t feel like talking. My conscious was assaulted by guilt over the relief I felt for that. After pausing to let some more brood pass, I made the turn and found the bushes. I pushed their leaves aside and found a clear spot to hide in, then waited. The most difficult part was trying to control my breathing. Moving quickly and quietly was exhausting, but panting would give me away. I took some deep, controlled breaths to recover. ''Here he comes, get ready.'' I peeked through the leaves and saw the vampire. He looked like a shriveled old man with pointy ears. Another pang of guilt hit me, but I wiped it away with the thought of what this thing was doing to the fair folk. The fact that he''s old doesn''t matter, especially when he''s killing my friends. Plus, if given the chance, he''d kill me too. This isn''t murder, it''s war. The duke drew closer and I involuntarily held my breath. My sword seemed to throb in my hand, and I readied myself to leap out and swing it with all my might. I knew I probably wouldn''t need to swing that hard, but one minor mistake could spell failure and death. The duke''s slow stroll finally took him past me, and I leapt from the bushes with my sword ready. He turned to face me, completely devoid of expression, but I was already swinging. To my surprise, my sword swung clean through his neck with almost no resistance. The duke''s body and head crumpled to the ground separately, and blood began to spray from the wounds. Some of it splashed on my face, and I took a step back to avoid getting drenched. I wiped at the blood on my face and grimly examined my work. The gruesome scene burned itself into my mind, promising to visit me the next time I tried to rest. With a sigh, I raised my hand toward the duke. "Llaberif tsac!" Chapter 81 Master Vampire Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Drow Master Vampire - Balushenian I coldly examined the gathered vampires. Many of them had previously looked down on me for being a half-breed. Now, they''re completely under my power. Of course, there had been some resistance when I took command, but those that were capable of shirking my control were quickly dealt with by those that weren''t. "Are we done?" I demanded. "Nearly, sire," Count Hesseth said. Count Hesseth stared intently at the blood dripping from the wound in my wrist, carefully gathering it into a goblet for the upcoming transference ritual. The spike that was keeping the wound from healing ground against my bone as I shifted uncomfortably. More than half of the thralls were now under my control, though, so it was well worth the discomfort. It was like a dream come true. If I really wanted to, I could destroy the rest of the vampires and simply use these thralls however I saw fit. An entire nation that would do exactly as I say, when I say it, without complaint or thought. Unfortunately, it''s never that simple. As a nation, we would struggle to advance past my own knowledge. It would also be difficult to maintain relations with other nations. I would always have to be wary of my neighbors. No, it''s best to keep at least some of the other vampires alive to aid me with governance. I will need to take care who I allow to live, though. I dug my heel into my newest footrest, Count Alurgas Tuvino. He tensed, but didn''t utter a single word of complaint. I felt that he wanted to, but I denied him the ability to with a sick glee. As I was reveling in this victory, a subtle hint of a familiar stench struck my nose. I sniffed, offended by the odor, but it was no longer in the air. I tried to think of what the smell could have been, but despite its familiarity I couldn''t quite place it. With a glare, I studied the gathered vampires. "Did someone pass gas?" I asked. Along with the question I sent a psychic compulsion, but no one admitted to the offense. I sniffed a few more times, but to no avail. Just before I became frustrated, the flap to the tent opened and one of the younger vampires entered. "Your highness, I have a report from the front," she said. "Go on," I replied. "The wylder are now using shield formations that are making things difficult. They are also using spears. Our casualty rate is rising quickly." "The goblet is full, sire," Hesseth reported. "Shield formations... I see," I said, removing the stake from my wrist. "It would seem that a more experienced commander is required on the front lines. Duke Misgiel, gather the thralls that are currently under your command, with the exception of those needed for the ritual, and take them to the front. Get me every wylder that you can." "Y-yes... S-sire..." the duke stammered, struggling with my control over him. The duke turned to leave, and Count Hesseth handed the goblet off to his assistant. Both the assistant and the duke followed the messenger out of the tent. I watched as the wound on my wrist healed, slightly slower than it normally would. I would have to feed soon. "There''s got to be a better way," I complained. "I''m afraid there isn''t, milord," Hesseth consoled me. "The transference is over halfway completed, though. It won''t be much longer." I stared at the count for a moment, then sighed dramatically. Hesseth''s obedient behavior wasn''t a result of the direct influence of my power. He was naturally able to tell how superior I am to him, and immediately began to act accordingly. Since we had not previously interacted and I bore no specific grudge against him, I made him my primary assistant. There were a surprising number of vampires like Hesseth, but mostly younger ones, who weren''t actively trying to fight my control. Duke Misgiel, on the other hand, was fighting me with every fiber of his being. If I hadn''t undone his self-modifications he would have wrested his will from my grasp by now. As it stands, one wrong move will see him free. I will have to either dispose of him before that happens, or keep him so weak that he can''t lift a blade. The latter would be extremely satisfying, but the former is obviously the smarter option. Count Tuvino is also actively attempting to escape my clutches, but his will is much weaker than the duke''s. I can maintain control of him in perpetuity, unless I am somehow weakened. I glanced at the rest of the gathered vampires, about half of which were fighting just as hard as Tuvino. Should I just kill the ones who are attempting to resist me? I have been wronged by many of them, and it would rather easy to force them to stand upon a lit pyre. The number of actual vampires in this area is beginning to dwindle, though. If I kill these ones, it''s entirely possible that our population will be too small to maintain any sort of semblance of dominion over the Night Kingdom. Hells, we''d struggle to hold order over a duchy. Perhaps it would be wiser to keep them alive and simply convince them that going against me is foolish. If I do that, though, I will have to dodge intrigue and attempts on my life. That will be inconvenient, but what else could I reasonably expect from becoming a king? This is all assuming that I am able to retake the Night Kingdom in the first place. Lofin''s forces have been defeated, but whether or not the orcs will accept his surrender or take his head has yet to be seen. If they kill him, they will either install a puppet or take control of the Night Kingdom themselves. I laughed a bit internally at the thought of the high-society drow becoming tribal like the orcs. On the other hand, if the orcs take control of the Night Kingdom it''s entirely possible we can retake it without much of a fight. It''s a long shot, to be certain, but perhaps we can negotiate with them. We already plan to invade the Unified Chiefdoms once we have enough thralls. Instead of converting every orc we capture, though, perhaps we can take them hostage... The faint stench hit my nose once again, firmly interrupting my contemplation. The odor triggered a reflexive gag, but more frustrating than the physical symptoms it brought was the familiarity of it. I HAD smelled this before, but where? When? It was foul smell. Like a poisonous concoction of meat and molten metal. Blood, copper, a hint of iron, and salt. I struggled to remember where I had last smelled this repugnant compilation of odors when the answer suddenly came to me like a flash of lightning on a stormy day. "THE DUNGEON!" I shouted involuntarily. "Pardon, milord?" Hesseth asked. "How can he be here, though?" I demanded, ignoring the count. "WHY would he be here?" Panic made its way into my chest as I recalled the fight that nearly spelled my end and the possible death that the higher one had shown me. Quickly, I rose from my seat and rushed out of the tent, dimly aware of Hesseth following me. I glanced around wildly until I spotted a watchtower. With one smooth motion, I leapt to its peak.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "Sire?!" Hesseth shouted from the ground. "Quiet!" I shouted back. I scanned the horizon, searching desperately for signs of the malformed creature that had defeated me. The scent practically assaulted my nostrils. It would be a simple matter to track it down, but I shuddered at the thought of fighting it again. As I cursed my cowardice, my eyes darted madly around our camp. Brood snarled and clawed at each other over scraps of drow flesh. The younger vampires went about their tasks, blissfully unaware of the danger lurking in their midst. Thralls stood around mindlessly, awaiting further orders. Then my eyes found Duke Misgiel. He was walking toward the thralls, presumably to complete my demand. The smell was coming from his direction... "Sire, with respect, the meaning of this is lost upon me," Hesseth said, climbing up next to me. As I continued to ignore the count an eerie feeling grew in the pit of my stomach. I found myself unable to take my eyes off of the duke. The more logical side of my brain told me that I was simply being dramatic, that what I thought was about to happen couldn''t possibly happen. The less logical side of me debated whether I should try to save him. He''s too weak to be of use in the ensuing scuffle, though, which would turn the fight into a one on one battle against that creature before reinforcements could arrive. I stood frozen, hoping that I was mistaken. I took a few deep breaths but just before I regained my composure, it happened. An elf-like creature leapt from a bush and decapitated the duke. It was so quick that if I had blinked I''d have missed it. In the very next instant, the duke was alight. "Oh my," Hesseth whispered. A low growl escaped my throat, but whether it was from anger or fear was unknown even to me. I felt my control of the duke fade away as his soul slipped from his corpse and into the prison that the higher ones keep those like us in. The human glanced around, as if to verify that its actions went unseen. "What do we do, sire?" "I suppose we shall have to kill it," I replied coldly. "Somehow." Before I could react, though, a crow landed behind the human and transformed into a feminine shape. Despite the distance between us, I could feel the power of the arch-fae. It placed its hand upon the human''s shoulder, and looked in my direction. Our eyes locked, and it winked at me before they disappeared within a maelstrom of light and darkness. "Or not," I growled. "Hesseth, what will become of the thralls that have not been transferred to my control?" "I-I''m sorry, milord," the count stammered from a mixture of shock and nerves. "Th-they''re useless to us now." "I suspected as such," I sighed. "Sire, what WAS that?" "That was a creature that is favored by the higher ones. I assume it was brought here by the very same arch-fae that aided its escape," I sat on the roof of the watchtower. "The wylder likely believed the duke to be the sole commander of the thralls. Technically, since it was only HIS thralls on the field of battle, he was." "I... I see. What do we do now, your highness?" "If we keep up this fight, that creature is bound to visit us again. I suppose it would be possible to set a trap for it, but doing so would take away from our efforts on the battlefield. Ultimately, it may prove futile. Or fatal. How many thralls were about to be transferred?" "I''m not certain, sire. I''d say a third of what was left, perhaps." "See if the transference was completed, then meet me in the command tent." "Yes, milord." Hesseth leapt from the tower and began to run toward the ritual pit. I stood and watched the duke''s body burn for a bit longer. A small measure of anger stirred within my chest. I''d wanted the satisfaction of killing him. With a frustrated sigh, I rose and stepped off the tower. Dust rose to greet me as I landed firmly and continued to walk directly into the command tent. I took my seat and made a point to put my feet up, causing Tuvino''s mind to scream in frustration. This helped to lift my spirits, and a few minutes later Hesseth rushed into the tent. "Sire, half of the third made it through the ritual and should be under your control now." "How many do we have in total, including brood?" I asked. "Roughly twelve thousand, your majesty." "Our goal was fifteen thousand strong," I sighed. "No matter, it will have to do. Duke Misgiel has been assassinated by the enemy. The method utilized is not preventable. As such, we''re going to march against the Unified Chiefdoms. Our goal will be to establish a foothold and begin taking hostages and converts. Thoughts?" I lessened my grip on the minds of the gathered nobles, with the exception of Count Tuvino. They stood quietly for a moment, readjusting to having control over their faculties. "What are the hostages for?" one of the nobles asked. "Negotiations. As you may know, the Unified Chiefdoms have allied with the Empire of Calkuti and Bolisir. Even if we convert every orc that we get our hands on, we''re going to have difficulty fighting against these allied forces. Instead, we''ll grab as many orcs as we can and hold them for ransom." "What will the ransom be?" "The Night Kingdom, handed over to us on a proverbial silver platter. We will, of course, convert some of the stronger orcs to vampirism. This will demonstrate our sincerity and urge a quick decision from the leadership of the Unified Chiefdoms." "Won''t the wylder attack us from the rear?" one of the other nobles asked. "It''ll be a fight on two fronts." "No. The wylder will not travel beyond their forest, even to save those we''ve captured. Once we leave this place, we''ll be able to focus entirely on defending against the orcs." "Not something you''re very go-" The uppity noble fell silent as my power once again gripped his mind, much harder than it had previously. A bit of drool dripped from his mouth as the other nobles looked at him nervously. "We will leave at once," I said tersely. "The longer we wait, the more soldiers we stand to lose. Get the brood that serve you under control and prepare to march." I exerted my power over them once again, ensuring their compliance. One by one, they each left the tent, and I supervised the servants as they began to pack everything up. Within three hours, we were ready to move out. I found myself amazed at what a little psychic domination can accomplish. All twelve thousand of our troops and prisoners fell into a loose formation, guided by my direction. I mounted a hnarse, and we began moving to the south-east. The wylder were loathe to let us leave unvexed, and launched a few minor offensives against our flanks. They were easily dispatched, and before the end of the day we''d finally left the forest. Things had finally turned boring when Hesseth came sprinting from our left flank. "Sire!" he shouted, running up next to my hnarse. "There are... Some... Uh, things that want to meet with you." "Things?" I demanded. "What sort of things?" "You know us as daemons, Master Vampire Kirain Yith, former Master General of the Night Kingdom." Two figures seemed to suddenly appear behind Hesseth. They had the appearance of elves, but even without the reveal their smell betrayed them. The smaller of the two had spoken, and the larger one stood silent. "An odd development. Your kind are not exactly welcome on this plane. What would daemons want with vampires?" I asked cautiously. "We have been keeping an eye on things, of course. And as such, we couldn''t help but notice your... Struggles. You find yourself in dire straits," the small one laughed. "Tell me, if your current plans do not work, what then? Will you finally abandon all hope of retaking the Night Kingdom? Or would you continue with a new, more far-fetched plan?" "I do not appreciate your tone, invader. I ask again, what business is it of yours?" "Introductions first. I am Thalomus the Immolator, this is Hirgarus the Decimator," the disguised daemon grinned. "We would like to offer you our aid." "A deal with daemons?" I laughed. "No, a deal with the hells." My laughter died in my throat as I found myself intrigued. I raised an eyebrow and studied the daemon for a moment. "How and why would the hells aid us?" "We are going to invade this plane again in the near future. If you and your army join our invasion, we will grant you the Night Kingdom as a reward for your service." Ambivalence overcame me for a moment. A daemon army would be far more likely to succeed than negotiations with the Unified Chiefdoms. The daemon had been spot on in calling my plan far-fetched. I wondered if he knew about the full extent of my plan, or had simply made an assumption. "And what of our current plans?" I asked. "Abandon them," Thalomus said with a wave of its hand. "Your odds of success are much better with us than with whatever you have planned within the Unified Chiefdoms." An assumption, then. Good, I wouldn''t have to destroy a spy. "Will our independence be assured if we join you, or will we be required to bend the knee?" "The Night Kingdom will remain completely unmolested by the daemons for as long as we rule the plane. Well, assuming you comply with SOME demands, but the details of those can be ironed out with my masters." "And how do I meet with them?" "You and your army will accompany me back to the hells. Your safety will be assured during and after the negotiations. If you decline, you and your army will be returned to this plane at this exact time and place. If you agree to join us, you will be housed and fed until your might is required." The offer was more than tempting, but daemons are known for their dishonesty. They put tricksters to shame, in fact. On the other hand, if we decline we will have to face them when they invade. If we are forced to fight the Unified Chiefdoms in any capacity, it will be unlikely that we will be back up to full strength by the time the daemons invade. I can either continue on my current path and hope for the best, or I can take the chance that they are being genuine with their offer. Oh, to hells with it. "Fine. I''ll meet with your leaders," I said. Chapter 82 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 7 Human ¨C American The otherworldly pull finally subsided, and I struggled valiantly to keep my breakfast down again. Part of me knew that I would feel better if I threw up, but I somehow managed to win the fight against my stomach. My eyes, however, were caught in the conflict and became bleary. I rubbed them, and Mumuldobran was waiting to greet me once they cleared. "Judging by the current state of the battlefield, I assume everything went according to plan?" the King of Arch-Fae asked. "We had a plan?" Tits countered. "I... You know what I fuckin'' mean. You two destroyed the vampire general, right?" "Yeah," I said, trying not to show my feelings on the matter. "He''s... He''s not getting up from that." Mumuldobran''s face softened at my tone, but only for a moment. It stood and strode over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. I met its gaze as it let out a small sigh. "I am sorry, Nick," it said. "You are young for your kind, and this must have been... Stressful for you. Perhaps even difficult. However, you did it, and have reaffirmed your friendship with the fair folk of the Deepwyld Forest. That is certainly an achievement worthy of note." "Y-yeah," I replied. "Yeah, you''re right." "My words are not meant as hollow comfort. Friendship is commonplace amongst mortals, but commitment to and maintenance of such relationships is a precious rarity to your kind. Very few would risk their lives to reaffirm their friendship to the fair folk without the additional promise of reward. It''s commendable, Nick." "Tits didn''t really give me a choice," I chuckled. Tits laughed at the remark, and Mumuldobran smiled slightly and gave my shoulder a soft squeeze. "Give yourself a little more credit than that," it said. "Despite the... Rushed nature of Tits'' teleportation, you made the choice to complete our request. If you are under the impression that you didn''t have a choice in the matter, than it truly didn''t occur to you that you could have simply said no at any point. That speaks volumes about your character." Mumuldobran patted my shoulder and returned to its seat. I was tempted to join it, because the sudden drop-off in adrenaline was making me tired. "You should feel good about this, Nick. Even the fair folk outside of the Deepwyld Forest have noticed your actions here today, and you''ll find that most of them will give you a much warmer reception than they otherwise would," Mumuldobran said. "Which will come in handy, considering the deal that Yulk and Nash made." "Deal?" I asked. "Indeed. Tits, could you retrieve the Alta brothers?" "I could," Tits said. Mumuldobran and Tits stared at each other for a moment. Then, a devilish grin spread over Tits'' face. Mumuldobran growled a little and rolled its eyes. "For the sake of all fornication," the King of Arch-Fae muttered. "WILL you PLEASE retrieve the Alta brothers, Tits?" "Absolutely, my king," Tits said with a sarcastic bow. "I shall make my return post-haste with the orcs in tow." A vortex of black and white suddenly appeared and enveloped the snide arch-fae. With a balloon-like pop, Tits and the miniature storm disappeared. My knees suddenly buckled a little, which prompted me to take a seat on the ground. I debated asking Mumuldobran more about this deal, but before I could another portal appeared, depositing Tits, Nash, and Yulk next to me. "Yep. Much easier on an empty stomach," Nash said. "Quite so," Yulk replied. "If one didn''t have to eat, it would be an extremely convenient method of travel." "I''m jealous," I said in a tired tone. "I wonder why it''s so hard on the stomach." "It''s because wylder don''t have to eat," Algebrun said, suddenly appearing behind me. "As such, most wylder are unfamiliar with the function of mortal stomachs. So when a stomach is actively performing its function, it is difficult for most wylder to conceptualize and transport it through the fair-realm." "Conceptualize?" I asked. "Yes. When we pass through the fair-realm, we destroy our flesh and make new flesh when we wish to enter this realm once again. This is because the realm of the wyld is a plane of concepts, not physicality. As you can imagine the things that make physical flesh work properly on this plane do not work properly in the fair-realm and can cause... Negative reactions." "What sort of negative reactions?" Nash asked warily. "Well, take the conceptualization of states of matter, for instance. On this plane certain variables must be met for a liquid to become a solid or vice versa. In the fair-realm, it''s a bit more random. So if your flesh comes into contact with a conceptualization of the states of matter, it could become liquid or much more solid than it should be, causing it to lose its function when it returns to the mortal plane." "So every time we''ve been teleported, we''ve risked-" "No, not at all," Algebrun clarified with a smile. "When we pull you into the fair-realm, we convert you into a conceptualization of yourself. This prevents other conceptualizations from interacting with your physical form without your express consent, which you are unable to grant because you don''t know how." "Yep, we turn your factiness into theoriness and suck you through our home-plane to move you faster," Mumuldobran added with a chuckle.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "So because Tits and Veern don''t know how stomachs work, they weren''t able to fully conceptualize them?" I asked. "Not quite. They weren''t able to conceptualize the FOOD within them," Algebrun explained. "Or rather, how the food and stomach were interacting." "Yeah... I kind of just took a wild guess," Tits said. "So the food in our stomachs was the problem?" Nash asked. "What, was it turned from liquid to solid or something?" "I''m not certain, but there''s much worse that can happen to actualized objects within the fair-realm. It would appear that we were fortunate," Algebrun said with some hesitation. "My apologies, it didn''t occur to me earlier." Tits walked over to me and leaned toward my ear. I fought the urge to shrink away. "Looks like you should definitely forget about what I mentioned earlier," the flirty arch-fae whispered to me. "Yeah," I replied quietly. Everyone looked contemplative for a moment, but then Mumuldobran stretched with a big sigh, breaking the silence. "So... What are the vampires up to, Algebrun?" Mumuldobran asked. "Once the thralls stopped moving, the brood broke under the strain of our attacks and their leaders called for them to retreat. Then the retreat order came for the entire army. We''re attacking their flanks as they march, but they''ll be out of the forest relatively soon." "They headed toward the orcs?" "Yes." "Okay, I''ll send word to let them know," the King of Arch-Fae said. "It would appear that you three have served your purpose. Admirably, in fact. So admirably that you''ve earned your reward." "Reward?" I asked. "Was that the deal you made?" "Well, yes. I offered them a reward for their help. Your reward, incidentally, is the reaffirmation of our friendship," Mumuldobran grinned. "It''s a better reward than it sounds, I promise. But Yulk and Nash helped on the front lines, and so it''s my turn to uphold my end of the bargain." Nash gave me a smug grin and I rolled my eyes at him. "I agreed to do everything in my power to help you get home, Nick," Mumuldobran continued. "The task is beyond MY capabilities, but my power extends beyond matters of magic or physicality. So I''ve done a silly thing and contacted the Court of the Wyld on your behalf." Algebrun''s eyes widened and Tits gasped. I looked at them hoping for clarification, but their shocked expressions provided no answers. Nash looked as confused as I felt, but Yulk appeared to be trying not to bounce with glee. "You didn''t," Algebrun said in a near whisper. "I did, but don''t worry. Whilst they do not favor me or mine, they owe me favors that are eons old. Passing the brother''s rewarded favor onto the court, even though it''s an absolutely silly and mortal custom, is technically within my power." "So... What does that mean?" I asked. "Are going to meet them?" "Yes. You will appear before the court and explain your plight. They''ll have many inane questions and snide remarks, but if they have knowledge that can aid you they will share it. Though I should warn you, if that knowledge is sufficiently sensitive they may require more of you. A quest or some-such." "When do we leave?" Yulk asked quickly. "Well, summer''s nearly finished and the court has a full schedule. Since court isn''t held in autumn or spring, you''ll have to wait until next summer." "Next summer? Wait, if court isn''t held in spring or fall, what about winter?" "Absolutely not," Mumuldobran laughed. "The Summer Court isn''t exactly friendly to mortals, but the Winter Court is completely and irrevocably hostile to your kind. Even if I held any sort of sway with them, your torture and death would be almost assured were you to meet with them." "I''m confused. You said ''The Court of the Wyld'', but there''s two of them?" Nash asked. "In a way," Mumuldobran sighed and pulled out another cigarette. "I suppose to mortals such things are quite complex. The Court of the Wyld is one entity with two faces. You see, the Queens of the Court believe that a being known as Mother Earth gave birth to this plane, despite the higher ones firmly stating that is nothing more than a fantasy. But belief is different with wylder than it is with mortals. It''s far more tangible. Part of the teachings of Mother Earth is that summer is the season of life and winter is the season of death. This forces the Queens of the Court to undergo a sort of... Metamorphosis with the passing of each season. This metamorphosis takes the entirety of spring and autumn and causes a massive shift in their personalities." "There was once a time that all wylder were forced to be beholden to these beliefs," Algebrun added as Mumuldobran lit his cigarette. "Really? What happened?" I asked. "Nobody knows," the King of Arch-Fae said while blowing smoke. "Used to be that each type of fae would only appear during a specific season. Blood fae woke during summer, bone fae woke during winter, fairies appeared during spring, and arch-fae appeared during autumn... That sort of thing. But one day we all woke up, free from the Cycle of Seasons. Those that held firm in the belief of Mother Earth stayed with the Court. The rest of us severed our ties to the Court and created a new cycle." "The Cycle of Fairness," Tits added with a nod. "What is the Cy-" "No," Mumuldobran interrupted my question. "While you have reaffirmed your friendship to us, Nick, there are still some things that we must keep... Private. The cycles that we abide by allow our existence upon this plane, and that is all you need to know. Further knowledge of these cycles can give you an unacceptable amount of power over us, and even if you were not to use that power there are many that would seek to steal it from you if they learned you have it. Better to not risk it." "Oh, like with naming Tits and Algebrun. I understand. Is that why I don''t see it in your memories?" I asked Algebrun. "No, only those who have need of the knowledge possess it," Algebrun said. "When you received my memories, I was akin to a freshly born babe. It wasn''t until you named me that I was made aware of the Court, the fair-realm, the Cycle of Fairness, and many other things." "I see..." "How do the Queens run the court?" Yulk asked. "Is it a meritocracy like the Kings?" "No, it''s a strict hierarchy based on age," Mumuldobran chuckled. "The only way to move up that ladder is for someone to kill the one above you. If you do it yourself or have someone do it for you, you''re excommunicated until you die and are reborn. And, of course, it only lasts until the next court when the Queen that died is reborn. Everything else is dreadfully boring bureaucracy. Oh, except for one thing. The cycle that the Queens follow inhibit their interactions with the higher ones, so they aren''t beholden to the same laws that we are." "Really? So they don''t become undead if they... Break the rules?" "That''s right. Instead, all actions made by those that follow their cycle are known by the Court and punishment is handed out as appropriate. Tends to be quite severe." "I have so many questions," Yulk said, practically drooling. "I''m sure you do," Mumuldobran smiled. "While I can admit that I enjoy your curiosity, the day grows long. It nears time for your departure. Algebrun, give Nick the thing." Algebrun walked up to me, gently grabbed and opened my hand, then placed a necklace in it. The chain of the necklace shined brilliantly in the light that made it through the trees, and the pendant that was attached to the chain was shaped like an oak leaf. I rubbed my thumb the pendant over it and realized that it felt like an oak leaf, too. "What''s this?" I asked. "That is a token of our friendship. We called upon you, in a way, so now you have the ability to call upon us," Mumuldobran said. "It allows all wylder that are beholden to the Cycle of Fairness to leave their forests and join you, wherever you are. But each time you use it you will owe us a favor, so do so sparingly." "Got it." "Good. Now, give me a moment." Mumuldobran took a heavy drag of his cigarette and its eyes rolled into its head. We watched in silence as the King of Arch-Fae sat frozen. When it finally recovered, it blew out the smoke and shuddered a little. "The higher ones want you to visit High Chief Ulurmak," it explained. "I''ll let him know you''re on your way. Algebrun, if you please." "Alright," Algebrun said. "Please grab each other''s hands, and don''t let go." With a small sigh and a knot in my stomach, I held Yulk''s hand. Yulk and Algebrun took Nash''s hands. "May you find fortune," Mumuldobran said. "Bye Nick!" Tits waved. Before I could reply, darkness enveloped my vision yet again. Chapter 83 High Chief Ulurmak Adventurer Level: N/A Orc - Kirkenian "Fuck you with a pike, orc," King Lofin spit. He then crumpled the document he had just read, or likely pretended to read, and threw it at my feet. Even if he didn''t know how to read, the contents of the document were obvious. A call for a complete and unconditional surrender, and the abdication of his throne. He stood defiantly before me, chains clinking on occasion. His own soldiers were the ones who put him in those chains, but you won''t find me complaining about it. I stared at him from his own throne with a smug expression on my face. "Only if you cuddle me after, drow," I said with a sneer, then allowed a serious expression to return to my face. "Allow me to recapitulate your situation. Your armies have disbanded and returned to their duties as farmers and guards. Every single one of your cities and villages have opted to bend the knee to the Unified Chiefdoms, and your nobility is begging to be spared any punitive action. Some have even abdicated their titles to me, to grant to whomever I see fit. It is not an exaggeration when I say that everyone in these lands recognize me as their new ruler, with the exception of you." "And I never fuckin'' will you piece of-" "Whether or not you do is vastly irrelevant," I interrupted with a growl. "Nobody gives a fuck what you think anymore. You promoted a vampire to be your Master Gener-" "I WAS DECEIVED!" Lofin shouted. "You dare to stand there and judge me as if you''ve never been tricked? Like anyone here has never fallen for a lie?" The drow king gesticulated at the gathered nobles, causing his chains to rattle. Some of them flinched, but most continued to stare at their former king with an ice-cold expression. A select few were expressing open hatred and derision. Lofin had not been a kind king, and while a lot of his cruelty had been forced on the peasantry not even those with power had been safe from his tyranny. I''m certain most of them were actively asking the higher ones to stop him from formally surrendering. Hells, if it weren''t for the drow fearing my soldiers, there''d likely be a mob outside crying for Lofin''s blood. "Yeah, I made a vampire the commander of my armies. But he was a drow and drow can''t BE vampires! How in all the hells was I supposed to know the bastards had figured out a way?" he demanded. "We executed his family and servants then destroyed his holdings. If he''s still alive, he has nothing left. So what more could you wa-" "I WANT JUSTICE!" my shout reverberated through the throne room. "Year after year after year after year you send your damned soldiers to invade my lands. People die, but such is politics. Trying to conquer a neighbor you ignorantly believe is weaker than you is normal, understandable even. But your pet vampire crossed the line, Lofin. People didn''t just die, they were turned into monstrosities." A murmur of agreement came from my own Great Chiefs, who were standing with the drow nobility to watch the spectacle. Lofin turned up his nose and sucked his teeth, causing an anger to rise within me. I gripped the arm of his throne in an attempt to control myself. "I fail to see how that''s my fault," Lofin said. "It-" "ARE YOU BLIND, THEN? IT IS YOUR FAULT BECAUSE YOU ARE THE KING!" I shouted again, rising from his throne. "YOUR ACTIONS AND DECISIONS LED TO THIS TRAGEDY! IF ANYONE ELSE WERE KING, IF THE STAIN OF YOUR LINEAGE DIDN''T EXIST UPON THIS LAND, THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED! THAT IS WHY YOU''RE TO BLAME!" Lofin glared at me in silence, finally at a loss for words. I matched his glare, barely able to contain my fury at his infantile behavior. Ashamed as I am to admit it, part of me was hoping he would continue to refuse to surrender. "Draft another copy," I said to the scribe, then turned to Blagroth. "If he doesn''t surrender by dusk, he is to be kept within his own dungeons and executed at dawn, after a pauper''s meal. I will grant no additional quarter." "Yes, High Chief," Blagroth said. "You won''t get away with this, Ulurmak," Lofin growled. "There''s nothing to get away with, you inbred fool," I replied as I sat once again. "Kings that refuse to gracefully surrender must be put to death for a war to end. If you had even a trace of actual royalty within you, you would know that." "The terms are-" "The terms? The terms are perfectly reasonable for your crimes. Not just the crimes against my people, but those against your own as well. You won''t squirm your way out of this, Lofin. You''ll take accountability and renounce your crown, or you will die a criminal''s death. There''s nothing further to discuss. Take him back to his quarters." Lofin opened his vile mouth to shout insults or curses at me, but the guards used the opportunity to shove a muzzle-rope between his teeth. His shouts became mumbles and his chains clinked as they escorted him from the throne room, Blagroth trailing close behind. "I hope he stays stubborn," Great Chief Olmag said. A murmur of agreement spread through the gathered nobles and chiefs, but I held up my hand and shook my head. "Though a part of me agrees, as leaders we need to take the stance that it isn''t right to wish death upon another," I said. "Well, yeah, I know that," Olmag said, shuffling his feet. "I believe you, but I doubt that everyone here is aware of our morality and what is expected of them moving forward." My eyes traveled over the drow nobles. Most of them shrank under my gaze, and only a few met my eyes. Those few showed no signs of hostility or resentment. Some looked grateful, even. With a small sigh, I stood from Lofin''s throne and cleared my throat to give a speech. "Hear this!" I said loudly. "Regardless of how tomorrow goes, Lofin''s reign will end. As some of you know, Bolisir has released their claims, so these lands will be split amongst the Unified Chiefdoms and the Empire of Calkuti. I cannot and will not speak for foreign rulers, but those of you whose lands will fall under my responsibility will be allowed to keep your positions so long as you swear fealty. This will be a time of transition, though, and with transition comes tribulations. Your titles will change. Instead of dukes, we have Great Chiefs. Instead of counts, barons, and the like we have chiefs. Your responsibilities will remain largely the same, but the methods that you employ to carry out those responsibilities will change. The next few years will be turbulent as you learn to do things our way, but you will be expected to lead your people with honor, competence, and dignity regardless. Any who doubt their capabilities and wish to renounce their titles are welcome to do so at any point." More murmuring came from the crowd of nobles, but no one stepped forward to abdicate. Satisfied, I took my seat once again and gestured a dismissal. The drow nobles bowed low, but the Great Chiefs simply gave a respectful nod. I had to try not to laugh at the contrast as they began to leave the throne room. "High Chief," Lyen''s voice suddenly appeared in my ear. "You really shouldn''t sneak up me, Lyen," I said, suppressing a start. "It is difficult to refrain from reacting with violence. Especially after a series of battles." "Forgive me, sir," she replied with a surprisingly serious tone. "A representative from the Deepwyld Forest is here to speak with you." The disappearance of Lyen''s typically playful attitude made sense. Many consider the fair folk to be peaceful, strange, and limited to their homes deep within the forests. Those that are less ignorant know all to well how cataclysmic an angry wylder can be.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "I can see them," I nodded gravely. The various agreements that we have with the Deepwyld Forest includes a defensive pact. However, the messenger that had informed me of the vampiric offensive against the Deepwyld had told me that they do not require my aid. My brow furrowed as I worried about whether this may have changed. "No you can''t, I''m invisible," a voice said from in front of me. My guards, ignorant of what Lyen had told me, immediately drew their weapons and began looking around wildly for the owner of the voice. I held up a hand to calm them. They hesitated, unsure of how to behave. "Stand down," I commanded. The guards immediately snapped out of their confusion and returned to their rest positions. "Ah, I didn''t mean to scare them," the voice said as a mote of light began to appear. "Just thought it would be funny if you happened to say that and I happened to be invisible." "Very amusing," I said with a tight-lipped smile. "Welcome, Tix. How do you fare?" "My well-being is irrelevant, but you have my thanks for asking." The mote of light grew brighter until it formed the shape of a small, elf-like person. Then it dimmed slightly, and the High-Fairy became fully visible. Its golden wings glimmered in the light, and its matching hair somehow remained stationary despite the fluttering of its wings. Disturbingly green eyes met my own, and its angular features grew concerned. "I''ll need them back before I go, though," Tix said. "What? Your thanks?" I asked. "Yes." "Oh, uh... You can have them." "What? I-You... You can''t just..." the High-Fairy sighed and placed its hands upon its hips. "That''s not how it works, Ulurmak. I have to do something that you would thank me for to get them back." "Wouldn''t that make me give you my thanks, though?" "Yes, but right now my thanks are your thanks, so when you give me your thanks you''re really just giving me my thanks back. I feel like it''s not that hard to understand." "I see... So, what brings you here?" I asked, hoping for good news. "Oh, uh... Right. I am to inform you that the threat to the Deepwyld Forest has ended. The vampires have moved on, and are currently traveling toward the Unified Chiefdoms." "How large is their army?" I asked, alarm seeping into my voice. "Twelve thousand two hundred and fifty-three." "Damn. That''s far too many for village defense forces to handle. We might lose a few of them before we can respond... They''re moving southwest from the Deepwyld Forest right?" "Uh..." Tix pointed up, right, down, then left. "Yes." "Okay," I said, then turned to one of my guards. "Mlacturn, did you hear all of this?" "Yes, sir," he replied. "Good. Find Blagroth and tell him what you''ve heard here. Then tell him I said to send the mounted mages. Great Chief Grunz should be right behind the mages, understood?" "Yes, sir." "Go." The guard took off at a run, quickly leaving the throne room to fulfill my command. The mages should be able to do some damage, but they wouldn''t be able to route the blood-suckers by themselves. Grunz''s forces won''t be able to do it on their own, either, but the lands of Migrath foster strong orcs. They should be able to hold off the vampires long enough for us to reinforce them. "I can make no promises, but we might be able to help," Tix said. "How?" I asked. "Well... If you ask me for help I have to tell the Kings that you asked, and they will have to help. That''s the agreement, right?" "I was under the impression that most of your forces were tied to the forest." "Well, yeah, but that''s just most. We probably won''t be able to get rid of ALL the vampires, but we can provide at least a little bit of defense while you maneuver your forces. Probably." "Not to speak out of turn, but why don''t you just... Do that? Why make us ask?" Lyen asked with a cautious tone. "Huh?" Tix asked, tilting its head. "I... The, uh... The agreement..." "Our agreement with the wylder of the Deepwyld Forest specifies that help must be requested before it can be rendered," I explained, saving the High-Fairy. "By their own laws, entering our territory without our explicit permission is equivalent to an invasion. They would expect reprisal. The same is true when the roles are reversed." "Oh," Lyen said. The ages-old agreement between the orcs and the wylder has been revisited many times by both sides. The defensive pact addition was created by my grandfather, who negotiated with Mumuldobran for twenty-two consecutive hours to bring it about. The King of Arch-Fae had met its match with the stubborn old bastard, and the two became friends of a sort for the rest of my grandfather''s life. The defense pact has since become a symbol of the friendship between the wylder of the Deepwyld Forest and the people of the Unified Chiefdoms. It''s never been invoked before, though. I''ve memorized the entirety of the text, as any High Chief should, but I felt a certain amount of trepidation at the thought of invoking it. Three reasons plagued my mind. First, the wylder had not invoked the pact when they were being attacked. If we invoke it, they could see that as a sign of incompetence or weakness. No one wants a weak or dumb ally, and their trade is good for our economy. Second, even if I understand the text of the pact perfectly as written, there is room left for interpretation. If our interpretations of the defensive pact are different, which is entirely possible between our two peoples, it could lead to disaster. In the best case scenario, we''re able to come to an agreement on the various stipulations within the pact. In the worst case scenario... The consequences would be dire. Third, the pact calls for a reward given to the side that provides assistance. The reward must be agreed upon beforehand, but if they ask for something we cannot give and refuse to compromise it will breed resentment between our people. If I had to guess, I''d say that this was likely why Mumuldobran didn''t invoke the pact. Three damned good reasons to say no to invoking the pact. Unfortunately, the reason to say yes was much heftier. It could save the lives of those under my protection. Even if I have to fight tooth and claw, or negotiate for days on end, I have a duty to my people to keep them safe. "Okay, Tix. I wish to invoke the defensive pact," I said solemnly. "Please ask Mumuldobran what reward it would seek for its aid in protecting my people." "Oh, you two are going to have me running back and forth all day, aren''t you?" Tix laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Ah yes, the life of a messenger is a rough one sometimes," Lyen added with a chuckle. "Messenger? Small-orc, I''m not a messenger. I''m a High-Fairy." "But... You deliver messages all the time..." "Well, yes, but... No, no, I''m not..." Tix trailed off, thinking deeply for a moment. "Oh, the stone birthed bastards! When did the fuckers trick me into becoming a messenger?" We all stared at the fuming High-Fairy for a moment, wondering if it was serious or playing a prank. "Well... The first time I saw you deliver a message was when I was a child," I said. "And are you not the one who invited my grandfather to negotiate with Mumuldobran?" "So the whole time, then?" Tix asked with a deep frown. "This whole time I''ve been a messenger?" "I guess so..." "I don''t want to be a messenger. I''m important, damn it." "Messengers ARE important, Tix." "Oh, you know damn well what I mean, Ulurmak. Important like one of your chiefs, not important like a shit-shoveler." "Well, if it helps, I''ve always considered you to be more of a diplomat than a messenger," Gruz, one of my guards, added. "Diplomats deliver messages all the time, but they''re very important representatives of their nations." The High-Fairy turned to look at Gruz as if the burly orc had just saved its life with an unbelievably heroic act. "A diplomat, you say..." "Actually, Gruz is right," I interjected. "Your role is closer to that of a diplomat than a messenger. Lyen even introduced you as a representative of the Deepwyld Forest, remember?" Tix crossed its arms and nodded slowly, then smiled smugly. It opened its mouth to speak, but suddenly froze. The high-fairies'' eyes rolled to face the back of its head and a slight shudder passed through its body. Lyen gasped, but I held up a hand to sooth her, having seen this happen before. Tix recovered from this state quickly, and looked at me with a bashful expression. "What did Mumuldobran say?" I asked. "Well, it wasn''t just Mumuldobran," Tix replied, playing with its hands. "But yeah, the King of High-Fae wants to bring Nick, Nash, and Yulk Alta to you as commanded by the higher ones." "The higher ones?" Lyen asked. "What-" "That''s fine," I said, interrupting the scout. "Though I doubt my consent is a matter of importance. What else is there?" "The vampires have... Disappeared. The King of the Bone Fairies, Hul, was watching them from a safe distance, and reports that they have simply vanished." "What?" I asked. "They''re gone?" "Yes." "So does that mean my people are safe?" "I... I guess so?" Tix shrugged. "I feel that vampires disappearing is pretty concerning, though." "Could they have turned invisible like you did?" "No, such tricks wouldn''t work on normal wylder, let alone a King. If Hul says they''re gone, they''re gone." "But how?" "I don''t know, but we''ll do what we can to find out," Tix said with an uncharacteristically serious tone. "No promises, of course." Before I could say anything else, a vortex of inexplicable energies appeared behind Tix. My guards were quick to come to arms, but once again I waved them off. Portals to the fair-realm were not unknown to me, either. "Oh, they''re here already," Tix said happily. The vortex vanished and in its place stood four people who were holding hands. It took but a moment before I recognized Nick, Nash, and Yulk. The fourth being, likely an arch-fae, was unknown to me. It released Nash''s hand and stepped back. "This is where we part ways," it said. "May fortune find you." "You too, Algebrun," Yulk said with a nod. "Wait for me!" Tix said, then turned to me. "Well, time for me to go..." "Be well, Tix," I said with a smile. The High-Fairy and I locked eyes awkwardly for a few moments. "Oh, shit, right," I said, remembering the beginning of our conversation. "You have my thanks for keeping me apprised of current events." "You''re welcome!" Tix fluttered over to Algebrun and sat on its shoulder. Another vortex formed around the pair of wylder, then disappeared with a pop. The three Alta boys looked around for a moment, then bowed to me one by one. "Welcome to the Night Kingdom, brothers of the Alta clan," I said with a grin at their surprise. "Thank you, High Chief," Yulk replied. "Congratulations on your victory." "And thank YOU," my grin widened. "So... What have you been up to?" Chapter 84 Yulk Alta Adventurer Level: 7 Orc - Nulevan "I see," High Chief Ulurmak said as we finished our tale. The High Chief had listened attentively as we explained what had occurred since we left for the Empire of Calkuti. He carefully managed his expressions, only showing concern when we explained the encounter with the master vampire. The concern dissipated once we revealed its fate, though. "The last we heard about the vampire army, they were retreating," I explained. "Yes, straight into the Unified Chiefdoms, as it turns out," Ulurmak said. The three of us looked at each other, then back to the High Chief with expressions of shock and concern. His deep chuckle only intensified our expressions. "It''s no longer a problem, apparently. They''ve disappeared." "Disappeared?" I asked. "Yes. Into thin air. We don''t know where they''ve gone, but I''ll take all the time to bolster our defenses I can get." I nodded my agreement with this sentiment, and Nick looked around the throne room. "So, is this the capital of the Night Kingdom?" he asked. "Yes. After you left, the armies of Bolisir and Calkuti joined us for a nice little invasion. The Night Kingdom is no more, and King Lofin''s fate will be decided tomorrow morning." "Wow, that was fast." "Well, nobody has ever accused Lofin''s military of being competent. Plus, we were quite motivated," Ulurmak growled. "The horrors wrought upon Blurpus will take generations to forget." The throne room fell into silence for a few moments. Then, Ulurmak regained his composure and leaned back in what used to be Lofin''s throne. "So, what''s next for you three?" "We plan to return home, for now," I explained. "I doubt we can do much to prepare for our meeting with the Summer Court, but we''ll try to get some rest and recovery in." "We''ll definitely take on some quests," Nash added. "A weapon at rest too long is inviting rust." "The grand return of the glorious adventurers," Ulurmak laughed. "I do hope you''ll get a feast. However, there is a matter that I wanted to discuss with you, Yulk Alta." "Oh?" I asked. "Yes. I plan to open a school of sorts, dedicated to the study of magic. I would like you to assist me in this endeavor." I stared at Ulurmak, frozen in shock. My mouth didn''t know whether to drop my jaw or to drool. "A... School? Of magic?" "Yes. I have heard of such facilities to the south and across the world, but we have no such facility. As such, prospective mages must either travel to these locations or find an apprenticeship to learn more about the art. Those that travel seldom return, as the length of time one spends learning magic frequently leads to setting down roots. Apprentices usually stay, but they''re limited to the knowledge that their masters have. By building an academy within our borders, both of these issues are easily resolved." "I see," I slowly nodded, allowing this revelation to sink in. "And how may this humble mage assist such a grand plan?" "By teaching, of course. And helping us find other teachers." "Teaching? I''m afraid I''m not qualified," I protested. "I pulled your guild card. You know more spells than most, which implies that you are very familiar with the concept of magic on at least a basic level. I would even call it foundational knowledge, which is why I believe you would make a great general education specialist. Your specific role would be Professor of Magical Theory and Practice." "How''s the pay?" Nash asked with a laugh. "Professors will get an initial salary of twenty-five copper per day, which will be increased based on performance. There''s also the chance to learn from other professors." Now it was Nash''s turn to look shocked. My brother quickly turned to me, grabbing my shoulder. "You have to take this job, Yulk," he said. "Twenty-five copper per day with free room and board at the Marfix Inn would set you up for life!" "I... Yes, I suppose it would," I nodded. I had frequently dreamed of an opportunity such as this, of course, but that had been idle fantasy. Now the opportunity had practically broken down my metaphorical door and I found myself... Conflicted. Nash was correct in that I would be set for life with a position such as this, but how often would I be able to travel and see the world? When would I next see my brothers and mother? If I made this commitment, would I even be able to still help Nick get home? And what of the Court? "Will he be able to travel with us next summer?" Nick conveniently asked. "I don''t see why not," Ulurmak shrugged. "Yulk won''t be our only Professor of Theory and Practice. We''ll figure out a time-off system that ensure the student''s needs are met while allowing the professors to take time away to further their skills or take care of other business." "Oh, awesome," Nick smiled. "And, uh... Well... Can I study at this academy?" Nash''s eyebrows shot up and he looked at Nick as if the human had suddenly morphed into an arch-fae.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "What?" he asked. "You''re not going to train with me?" "Well, it''s like you said, I''ve just about hit the limits of the training we can do together," Nick explained rapidly. "I figure that until we can find an expert to further my swordsmanship, I can hone my magic." "I... Well, yeah, okay, that''s reasonable I guess," Nash crossed his arms. "The hells am I supposed to do, though?" "You can stay with mom while we''re at the academy," I interjected. "Take some jobs, hone your talents... Get to adventurer level ten..." Nash''s head whipped in my direction and his face turned a slightly darker shade of green. I met his angry glare with a sly grin. Nick and Ulurmak looked confused at Nash''s reaction. "Or I could just hang out in Kirkena and make sure you two don''t have too much fun," Nash growled. "You can take your time to decide," Ulurmak said. "It will be a while before we have even the most basic of facilities ready. Before I let you go, though-" The door to the throne room burst open and two large orcs angrily marched in. It took them a moment to see us because of their bickering. "Oh, sorry High Chief, we can come back later," the elder orc said. "Having a meeting?" the younger one asked. "With... Wait, are those the Alta boys? I''ll be damned!" It was then that I recognized Great Chief Olmag. We had last seen each other at my father''s funeral. We were quite young, and he was very kind, though a bit crass. It was rather surprising that he recognized us. "And who''s this with y- by the soiled loincloths of my army what the hells is that thing!?" "I''m a human," Nick replied. "My name''s Nick." "A hu... Oh right, yeah. The thing that was found in the dungeon," Olmag nodded, and walked over to Nick. "Pleasure to meet you, Nick. I''m Great Chief Olmag, slayer of blah-blah-blah. How''re you doin''?" Olmag grabbed Nick''s forearm and gave it a stiff shake. Nick, for his part, returned the greeting without being lifted off the ground. "I''m well, and you?" he asked. "I''d like to know, as well," Ulurmak said angrily. "I assume there''s a reason behind this interruption." "Yes, High Chief," Tormon lowered his head apologetically. "There is a disagreement regarding a certain stretch of land. The uh... ''noble'' that ruled over the territory directly to the north of Blurpus has decided to step down, and I would like to lay claim to that land." "And? Argue it out." "We have, but we reached a stalemate. The other Great Chiefs, drow included, don''t believe that the territory of Blurpus should grow when no one else''s is. I argue that we were greatly impacted by the invasion, and our heroic acts against the vampire-led drow army is the entire reason for this invasion. As such we deserve the land. Either as a reward or as compensation." "And what are you here for, Olmag?" "You think I''m gonna take that old windbag at his word?" Olmag asked with a laugh. "I came with to verify that he speaks the truth. Both to you, and to the other Great Chiefs." "If he lied about my words, I would find out and force Blurpus to find another Great Chief." "Yeah, but what if he never came to you in the first place? Then he wouldn''t be lying about what you said, just putting words in your mouth. Which is a lot less illegal." "Fine," Ulurmak sighed. "Tormon, you claim Blurpus was impacted? Elaborate, please." "We lost an entire village," Tormon said with an offended tone. "Oh? I was told it was an unregistered village. Were they paying taxes?" "Well... No... But-" "But nothing. Blurpus has not lost taxable revenue as a result of either of the invasions. In addition, with the threat of the Night Kingdom neutralized, new villages can be built closer to your border. If anything, our conquest of the Night Kingdom has already benefited you." "And what of the lives of our soldiers?" "Everyone lost soldiers," Ulurmak''s eyes narrowed. "Even the drow lost soldiers. No, the fair thing is to have the lands without chiefs hold an election and choose one." "Wait, really?" Olmag asked. "Yes, really. Both drow and orc are going to be living shoulder to shoulder on a large scale for the first time in centuries. As such, we''re about to enter a time of turbulence. Lofin was a fool and a tyrant, but he was still a drow, and for some of our new subjects that is a far sight better than being ruled by orcs. We need to be as fair as possible during this transition or we will be lending credence to those with negative opinions of us." "Well, you can''t blame me for trying," Tormon said with a grin. "Alright Olmag, let''s let the others know what the High Chief has decided." "Damn, maybe we should have just let you take it," Olmag said as the pair began to leave. "Then Ulurmak wouldn''t have spoiled things with his fairness speech." The Great Chiefs left the throne room, and the doors closed behind them with a loud thud. Nash, Nick, and I turned back to the High Chief. "Well, I''m sure that won''t have any negative consequences," Ulurmak grumbled. "So, where were we?" "You were saying that it''ll take time before the academy is ready," Nick answered helpfully. "Oh, right. Yes, it''ll take at least a few weeks. We''re gonna put it up in an unused building while we construct a more permanent facility. Now that we don''t need a full standing army, I can throw a lot more money at this project." "We don''t need a standing army anymore?" Nash asked. "Sure don''t. The Night Kingdom was our only real threat. The Barbin tribes to the north are a friendly sort, but even if they weren''t they''re not much of a threat to any sort of organized force. Hells, the only reason the Night Kingdom didn''t conquer them is because they''re damn hard to invade because of the cold. And to our east and west we have Calkuti and Bolisir, which are both allies. If one of them decides to betray us, the other will help us. If both of them decide to betray us, having a standing army won''t help a damned bit. Finally, the lands to the south are too busy with each other to bother us. So, it''s time for some of our soldiers to become reservists." "Peace at last?" Nick asked. Ulurmak laughed, "I suppose so, yes." "Is all of the Night Kingdom becoming part of the Unified Chiefdoms now?" I asked. "No. The Empire of Calkuti is carving out a portion to the north for themselves. King Yssinirath has apparently declared that Bolisir is not to grow, so they''re not taking any lands. Instead, we''ll be compensating them with a portion of the taxes from our new territories for a time." "King Yssinirath doesn''t want Bolisir to grow?" Nick asked. "Why?" "The High Dragon didn''t explain himself, but it probably has something to do with the wylder. One has to be careful with expanding one''s borders when you rule over the fair folk." "Pardon? Yssinirath rules the fair folk?" I asked. "Just the ones in Bolisir. And not really in a traditional sense. It''s... It''s a pretty unique relationship. It should come as no surprise that the concept of ''ruling'' is different to the wylder than it is to us." "How so?" "Well, as far as I''m aware, Yssinirath can''t order them into battle but he can determine their laws. Apparently, there''s pretty drastic consequences if the wylder break these laws, too, but I don''t know too much about that." "They turn into undead when they die," Nick offered. "Zombies, vampires, ghouls, stuff like that. At least, I think..." "I see," Ulurmak said. "So Yssinirath could create unreasonable laws if he wanted to?" I asked. "They must trust him quite a lot. But what''s to stop some other tyrant from doing creating unreasonable laws in an effort to extort the fair folk?" "Well, as I understand it, the fair folk of Bolisir only bow to Yssinirath''s bloodline. So if Yssinirath died and an elf became king, the fair folk wouldn''t be subjects of that king. If I remember right, the whole deal was formed by one of Yssinirath''s ancestors to protect the citizenry from the fair folk. There was a fight first, but the wylder conceded defeat and accepted the rule of the High Dragon of the time." "Sir," a scout next to the chief whispered in his ear. "You have other matters to attend to." "Right, right. Well, it''s been fun catching up, boys. Oh, right, I need you to give me a list of potential professors, Yulk. Bear in mind that they will be your coworkers and that they will be molding the minds of tomorrow. I''ll need it before you begin your journey home." "Yes, High Chief," I said. "Alright, guess that''s that. You''re dismissed. Expect a message within a few weeks." Nick, Nash, and I bowed and left the throne room. Once the doors closed behind us, we realized that we were completely unfamiliar with the layout of the castle. So we petitioned a guard for aid, and she gave us directions toward the exit. Once we found the exit and left the castle, Nash took a deep breath and let it out with a big sigh. "Alright, let''s prepare for the journey home," he said. Chapter 85 Master Vampire Kirain Yith Adventurer Level: N/A Drow Master Vampire - Balushenian I watched daemons and brood spar with each other from the balcony of my new accommodations. Since the thralls are limited to my own combat training, they weren''t participating in the training. They were on standby in a nearby building that sheltered them from the weather. Namely, the hells-fire that fell from the cloudless sky on seemingly random occasion. When we had first arrived, I had wondered why everything seemed to be made of stone or metal. Then I came to the realization that there was absolutely no plant-life. Before I could comment on this oddity, our daemonic hosts rushed us indoors and I received an answer to the questions my observations had raised. This rain of fire clings to everything it touches and burns for a few minutes, unless it lands upon something flammable, like cloth or flesh. The daemons seemed to instinctively know when this was about to happen, and were trying their best to keep the brood safe from it while they trained. A couple of them had been lost, though. I watched several daemons knock their brood partners to the ground and scoffed, turning back into my quarters. My faith in this training program had never wavered, mostly because I had no faith to begin with. Brood are brutish and rely on brute strength to overpower their foes. Teaching them tactics is a fool''s errand. But, we have little else to do until the daemons are ready for the invasion. I turned my attention to one of the paintings in my room. It was a macabre scene of several figures being impaled upon stakes, framed in solid gold. Such items were all over this over-sized castle, lining every hall and room that I had come across thus far. Perhaps palace would be a better description for this colossal construction. Even though its halls and rooms were filled with finery, its massive size made it feel eerily empty. This creepy feeling had caused me to confine myself to my room, only occasionally receiving visits from Thalomus and other daemons to check on me and provide me with sustenance. The blood I''d been given was adequate, but had a certain taste to it that I recognized. The brackish after-taste denoted that its point of origin was that of a malnourished prisoner. Every time I tasted it, I remembered Esmira and hoped that Lofin managed to kill her before the orcs took the Night Kingdom. I''d been able to confirm the fate of the rest of my family, but news of my youngest sister had proved impossible to come by. If anyone in our family deserved the fate of death, it would be Esmira and myself. It would be an absolute tragedy if we both managed to be the only survivors. "Master General Yith?" a familiar voice called from my door. "May I enter?" "Yes," I said, annoyed by the use of my old title. The door opened and Thalomus came in, dressed in a suit of full-plate that looked decorative to the untrained eye. Blackened steel, jagged curves, and inlays of precious metals carefully masked the brutal functionality of the armor. I could tell instinctively that it was enchanted, and protection was an afterthought in its design. Even if Thalomus was unarmed, his gauntlets could rip and tear flesh with little to no effort. "How are you settling in, Master General?" the daemon asked. "I am well. Busying myself with observing our... Mutual training," I gestured to the windowed balcony. "Glad to hear it. I come bearing news," Thalomus smiled wickedly. "Our leader has returned from the inner hells. He sends for you." I felt a prickle of indignity at the thought of being sent for, as well as the way that Thalomus emphasized the word ''our''. It served as a subtle reminder that I had agreed to this subservience. A glimmer of their true colors? Perhaps, but there isn''t anything that can be done about it now that we''re in their maw. They would have no motive to strike this bargain if we didn''t somehow fit into their upcoming plans, but it was difficult to shake the feeling that all was not as it seemed. They had been polite, even courteous, but something about them was off. I would be foolish to blindly trust them, and decided to endeavor to find some form of leverage to ensure they keep their end of the bargain. "Understood. Lead the way," I smiled and gestured toward the door. Thalomus nodded, turned, and held the door open for me. I exited the room and began to follow him down the hall, fighting the uncanny feeling that the massive structure brought upon me. Full yet also empty, absolutely maddening. "How goes our mutual training?" the daemon asked, perhaps sensing my unease. "Progress is being made, though the daemons seem to be more interested in fun than actually teaching the brood," I replied. "Though I can hardly blame them. The brood are simple in mind, and one with an interest in fighting can hardly be faulted for taking enjoyment from a fast-healing foe." "That is true. Oh, it would be marvelous if I could participate," Thalomus chuckled. "It''s been quite some time since I have had a good fight." "Why can''t you?" "I''m too strong. Neither your brood nor our infantry could provide a challenge for me, and fighting me would be... Significantly detrimental to them. Unfortunately, there would be no point to it other than my own amusement." "Significantly detrimental? What do you mean?" "From my understanding, your brood are not quite as adept at regeneration as yourself or your thralls. So if they were to fight against me, they would die quite quickly," Thalomus sighed. "Our daemons would suffer a similar fate." "You told me that your kind is able to reform when you''re killed-" "By your kind. Daemons and beings like daemons take a sort of energy, or power, if you''d rather, from those we kill. This includes other daemons. When I defeat another daemon, they are weakened to the point of near uselessness. They must then defeat other daemons in the inner hells to regain their strength, and such a task is fraught with difficulties." "But you are strengthened, aren''t you?" "Yes, but I''m at an awkward level of strength at the moment. Our infantry are too weak to supply me with any measurable gain. It would be like tossing a bucket of water into the ocean. Yet, I''m not yet strong enough to fight those above me, and my peers are few and far between." "I''m afraid I don''t understand. Those daemons are stronger than my brood, which aren''t exactly weak. How can you be that much stronger than them and still need our aid?" "That''s a good question," the daemon laughed. "If you must know, we don''t normally exist in fleshy vessels. We are beings beyond flesh, and have to use our powers to craft and manipulate bodies for ourselves. Yet flesh... Flesh has its limits. Muscles can only flex so hard before they shatter or tear themselves from the bones they''re attached to. Bones can only become so sturdy before they''re too heavy for the muscles to lift. And that''s not even taking into account internal and external organs. Most of us do without the internal ones entirely, supplying our muscles and bones with the energy that they require from our ethereal power. But that also has its pros and cons." "Oh?" "Yes. When one lacks internal organs, there is less to heal and most wounds can be ignored for longer before the flesh will fail. However, it takes a great deal more power to keep the body functional. Conversely, internal organs would allow one to use one''s power sparingly, but they are vulnerable to the types of injury that can almost instantly destroy one''s body. Plus, the organs must be maintained with food and drink," he explained, pausing in front of a massive door. "Here we are. Please stay close behind me and allow me the honor of introducing you." I nodded, and he shouted a command in a tongue I couldn''t understand. The door creaked open, and we walked through into the largest room that I''d ever seen. The ceiling rose so far that it resembled a starless sky, and the other end of the room seemed to be a mile away. It took me a moment to figure out that it was a throne-room, and with my keen vision I could barely make out a throne with a figure sitting upon it at the far end.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Following Thalomus'' instructions, I stayed close behind him as we made the trek along the velvet carpet that bisected the room. The throne was atop a pedestal of steps, and several daemons were gathered near it. The figure upon the throne slowly came into focus, and I noticed that the daemon that had accompanied Thalomus was standing to his right. Hirgarus the Decimator, if memory served. Both daemons had shown their true selves when we arrived in the hells. The shift in appearance had startled Count Hesseth and some of the other vampires, which nearly allowed them to slip from my control. I had made a mental note to practice strengthening my control during stressful situations to prevent a recurrence of that phenomenon. It suddenly occurred to me that I had not heard Hirgarus speak. Thalomus had done all of the talking while the larger daemon remained silent and stoic throughout all our interactions. The unemotive daemon''s face remained neutral as he studied our approach. Once we reached the throne, Thalomus halted and stiffened with his arms at his sides. The daemon adorning the throne dismissed two crows and locked eyes with me with the most predatory stare I''d ever witnessed. Even the darkest depths of my soul could never even hope to be as eager to cause harm as this being. The only thing more obvious than his malice was his elegance. The armor he wore was similar to that worn by Thalomus, but with augmented inlays of platinum, and rings of platinum and gold subtly adorned his magnificent horns. I found myself in awe as Thalomus introduced me with various titles of dubious grandiosity. My guide then stiffly turned until he was perpendicular to the throne and myself. "Master General Kirain Yith, Master Vampire of the Forsaken Realm, etcetera, I present you to Marquess Naberius, Commander of all nineteen legions of the Extra-Planer Vanguard, Ruler of-" "That''s quite enough," Naberius gestured dismissively. "We''re down to eight legions, anyway. The rest have yet to reform. I assume that your presence within my not-so-humble castle means that you''ve accepted my offer?" It took me a moment to snap out of my awe and realize he was speaking to me. "Y-yes," I stammered. "Though I-" "You have your doubts regarding whether or not we will live up to our end of the bargain," he smiled warmly, his eyes maintaining their predatory glare. "That is completely understandable. We''ve offered little more than our word, and the word of a daemon is often worth little more than the air consumed uttering it." "That is my understanding, yes," I replied, feeling emboldened by his acknowledgment of the issue. "Then you should be commended for your bravery in accepting such a risk. I will ensure that you will find it worthwhile," the Marquess stood and gestured to those gathered around his throne. "All of you, leave us. I''d speak to our ally alone to dissuade his doubts." "Sire-" Thalomus'' protest was cut short by his leg disappearing. I watched the daemon with confusion. His leg had been there, then it wasn''t. A dark substance flowed from the wound, filling the room with the scent of week old bird eggs. Ichor, not blood. Shock filled me as I realized what had happened, then envy as I wished I could have done the same to my more insubordinate subordinates. "I''ll not repeat myself," Naberius warned. Daemons began to leave the throne room in haste, some actually running. Hirgarus picked up Thalomus and carried him. Once the other daemons had reached an acceptable distance, Naberius retook his seat. "You have many questions. I''ll allow you to ask them, but first permit me a bit of selfishness with one of my own," he said, regarding me with a warm expression but ever-hostile eyes. "What is the Night Kingdom worth to you, exactly?" The question caught me off-guard. The possible motives behind the question made it difficult to focus on finding a way to eloquate my answer. Why would this daemon be asking me about the worth of my reward? Is it not enough that I consider it worthy enough to be my reward in the first place? Is it trying to swindle me into accepting a less generous offer? Naberius smiled at my hesitation. "Your inability to answer the question speaks volumes. Yes, I can see that the Night Kingdom means a great deal to you," he said. "So important that you can''t even put it into words, just as I thought. We''ve long had eyes and ears on the mortal plane, but some would doubt the information that they bring." "What information is that?" "That certain vampires are very driven to restore their kingdom. For a lesser mind, this might seem like a great piece of bait for a trap. However, that would be a trap that could easily bite the hunter. The vampires in question would likely resist any attempts at subjugation, no? Therefor, by granting you the Night Kingdom we eliminate a risk factor against our overall goal." "The goal of subjugating the mortal plane?" "Correct. All of the mortal kingdoms for the price of one of them isn''t such a bad deal for us, is it?" I examined the daemon for a moment, trying to pierce the logic of its motive. It seemed like the perfect argument to be rid of my doubts, but something was still nagging at me. It took some time to put my finger on it. "What''s to stop you from backing out of our deal once the lands you are after are subjugated?" I asked. "Our defensive needs," Naberius answered with a small shrug. "As I mentioned previously, we are down to eight legions. That is half of the original forces that I previously used against the mortals. We will likely take more losses as we fight, and what we have left will be tasked with maintaining our hold over the mortals. Put simply, even if we manage to take no losses, we will not have enough soldiers to conquer you." "I see... What happened to the eight legions that have yet to reform? Daemons aren''t permanently affected by mortals, right?" Naberius laughed, "I see that Thalomus still has loose lips and a wagging tongue. You are correct, our losses from mortal forces are quick to rejuvenate themselves and rejoin our ranks. But there will be forces that rush to the aid of the mortals that can do much more lasting damage to daemons." "The fair folk?" "Those humble dimension hoppers can be a threat to us, yes, but they are creatures of law. These laws limit their effectiveness against us, and we plan to use those laws against them. No, the true threat to our forces comes from the anyels and their mighty host." Several pieces of history finally clicked into place within my mind, and I felt like a fool. Of course, the anyels will interfere with the daemonic invasion, just as they had in the past. But... "Why are anyels able to harm you?" I asked. "Because anyels and daemons are effectively the same type of being but with opposing needs. Two sides of the same coin, as it were. When an anyel kills a daemon, they take our essence, our power, strengthening themselves in the process. The reverse is true when a daemon kills an anyel. And, of course, when a daemon kills a daemon or an anyel kills an anyel. Though the latter is rare." "So why risk an invasion at all? Are the anyels not stronger than they were last time?" "Of course they are, but so are my surviving legions," the Marquess chuckled. "There are two reasons we want the mortal plane for our own. The first is obvious. We want to fight and kill anyels to bring more might to the hells. They caught us by surprise with the ferocity of their attacks last time, but this time we''re well-prepared. The second reason is... Somewhat more complicated. Come, follow me." Naberius rose and led me to a relatively nearby door hidden behind the grandiose throne. The massive door opened as if acted upon by the unseen might of the daemon alone, and we passed through it into a corridor lined with horrors. Elves, orcs, gnomes, dwarves, and even beings that I couldn''t hope to recognize were attached to the walls with various contraptions, in various states of disassembly and silently screaming in pain. "This is our true and original purpose," the Marquess gestured to the victims. "I-I don''t understand," I stammered. "We are beings beyond flesh, Kirain Yith. Beings that mortals have eternally described as pure evil. Evil, of course, is a matter of perspective, but they are quite correct in this judgment from their perspective." "D-does this... Do you feed upon pain?" "No. We don''t ''feed'' at all. We''re immortal. Eternal. Everlasting. We will exist long after all the stars in your skies fade, whether we try to or not." "Then, does this make you stronger?" "No. The only way a daemon can gain strength is by defeating another of our kind." "Th-then why?" I asked, despair entering my voice. "For what purpose does this torture serve?" "Because we know no other pleasure. Those from your plane of existence are enviable to us in that regard. Imagine looking at a pretty landscape, examining shiny trinkets, wearing nice clothes, eating warm goods, or even just sipping a cold drink on a hot day. All of these mundane acts grant you moments of happiness, however brief. That wonderfully fuzzy feeling within that all beings strive for. However, we can only feel happiness when there is pain. Causing pain, feeling pain, even just observing pain fills us with the very same fuzzy feeling that your kind take for granted. Tell me, Master Vampire, what is existence without happiness?" "Painful?" "Unfortunately, no. Well, perhaps it is for a being such as yourself. For us, it is an existential void. A sense of nothingness that can drive one quite mad. We require pain like mortals require air, except we won''t even get the benefit of death if we''re denied it. Physical pain is wonderful, but the best pain comes from the spirit, of course." "That''s..." "Woeful? Yes. I harbor no delusions on how this must look to you. Perhaps you would feel more comfortable working with the anyels? They have opposing desires to us. Desires that are met through the natural course of mortal happenings." "What, pleasure?" "That''s one way to put it," Naberius laughed. "Though, it''s lacking in description. They gain their happiness from the happiness of others. Specifically, the kind of happiness that a life well-lived can bring. All pleasures, great and small, breathe life into their void just as all pains breathe life into ours." "But then, how could they be so tyrannical that the mortals rose against them?" "Oh, that''s mostly propaganda. Some of the less wizened anyels tried to interfere in mortal affairs in an attempt to make them happier. This, of course, back-fired and led to a rebellion or two. Once our host was driven back, the anyels left your plane willingly, but we had agents alter the histories ever so slightly. One of the many ways we have prepared for the next bout." The shock of what I was witnessing began to wear off and I finally saw the end-game of the daemons. "You want to turn the mortal realm into-" "A pain factory, yes. We will create every type of pain that a mortal can experience, and in such abundance that no daemon will be left wanting. They will happily sacrifice their power to us for access to the delectable pains we''re going to create. Perhaps we will even consolidate enough power to launch an offensive against the anyels. Maybe even the planes beyond. Though I''ll settle for a simple promotion to King, honestly." I stared at the daemon blankly for a moment. "What''s a factory?" I asked. Chapter 86 Yilda Alta Adventurer Level: Retired Orc - Kirkenian I finished sweeping and gave the pile of dust an angry glare. I had faced down seemingly endless hordes of zombies and entire colonies of massive bugs, but the most pervasive enemy I''d ever encountered was this damned dust. Every day I swept, and every day I ended up with a new pile to toss out. Where the hells does it all come from? My gaze slowly shifted to Dima and Nucho, who had just come inside from playing in the yard. The puppers instinctively froze, as if they were suddenly aware of their dirty paws. I shook my head with a sigh and scooped up the dust. "If I get a mat, would you two wipe your feet?" I asked, somewhat annoyed. The puppers looked at each other in confusion. I chuckled at their expression and forgave their transgression as I walked past them and tossed the dust out the door. More would somehow make it into the house, but that''s a problem for another time. Tomorrow, specifically. Dima and Nucho trailed behind me as I put away the scoop and broom, tidied up the kitchen a little bit, and then prepared their food dishes. They did their little dance and whine as I carried the bowls to their spots, then ravenously attacked their meals. I shook my head at their behavior. "You act like I haven''t fed you all day," I laughed. As the puppers ate, I took a seat in my armchair and grabbed my knitting needles. I regarded my progress thus far with a frown, though. One would think that given my former experience with pointy objects, knitting would come naturally. It doesn''t. I sighed and looked up at the painting of my husband and I on our wedding day. His childish grin stared down at me from our mantle. Mirkus had almost always worn that exact expression around me. The only time I''d seen it change was to determination during a particularly tough battle, and to wonder when he first held our little boys. He''d always said that marrying me was the happiest day of his life, which was particularly rude when he did so in front of the children, and his expression in the portrait definitely backed his claim. My expression in the portrait was one of bemusement. I had a tough time smiling properly back then. The emotional scars from my upbringing were still fresh and threatening to reopen at any moment. Going from a starving orphan mugging people in the streets to becoming an adventurer and marrying into the famed Alta clan had seemed like a dream. Still does, sometimes... My eyes fell to the display sitting just below the portrait. Despite my inability to properly express it, my wedding and the days that followed had been the best of my life. The wand and dagger, resting peacefully in their display, were a stark reminder of the worst days of my life. Mirkus had taken the boys on an adventure. Yulk was barely old enough to speak and Nash couldn''t even hold a sword, but I knew my husband well enough to know that they wouldn''t be in any danger. I would''ve, should''ve, gone with them but someone needed to tend to the house. We didn''t know many people in the village at the time, so I didn''t trust any of them enough to ask them to house-sit for us. My boys gathered herbs and hunted birds for a few days, then decided to take rest in Kirkena. They took a meal in a nearby tavern and rented a room at the inn. My husband, the love of my life, died in that room next to his children. The investigator told me, for a few silver, that someone had slipped heart-bane into his beer at the tavern. It took a while to take effect, but once it''s ingested nothing can be done. The only solace we got out of the situation is that his death had been painless, which was definitely an unexpected boon. We''d always joked that his death would be painful, whether it was from old age or falling in battle. We buried my husband, and I had my boys stay with their aunt in Migrath to both distract them from their grief and keep them from what I was about to do. Then, I returned home, grabbed my knife and wand, and traveled back to Kirkena. Ulurmak was smart enough to know that I was coming, and told the guards to keep me out of the city. They didn''t expect me to hitch a ride under a cart, though. My first stop was the tavern. When I entered, several of the patrons recognized me and left with their pals. The rest fled once I grabbed the barkeep. He cried and begged for me to spare him, trying to use his family as a shield for his crime. "And what of mine?" I had demanded. The barkeep had no answer to that, but had answers to the other questions I had. He informed me that he had been paid well to poison my husband and children, but couldn''t bring himself to kill kids. The latter comment was meant to make me see him in a better light, but the law of our clan had been made clear to me by Mirkus'' mother. Blood for blood, always. I dragged the barkeep out into the street and slit his throat and belly, then set fire to the tavern. I stood over the dying gnome, preventing anyone from helping him until his final breath gargled its way out of his lungs. The guards tried to detain me, but thankfully for them their seniors intervened. Once the situation with the guards was settled, I was on to my next target. Tibon Falun. A disgraced dwarven noble who had fled Calkuti and taken residence in Kirkena. To this day, I don''t know what my husband did to offend the bastard. I found him in the process of fleeing the city, and tracked his cart until we were well within the wastes. While they rested for the night, I cast a certain type of paralysis spell on him and dragged him off, leaving a sack of coin for the driver''s trouble. Once we were out of earshot of the resting driver, I began. I stripped him down and started cutting bits off of him, casting minor heal to keep him alive as I worked my way inward. The spell allowed him to feel the blade and its work upon him, but kept him from moving or speaking. He was little more than a freshly castrated torso when the paralysis finally wore off and he began to scream and thrash. I carved a gash in his chest and walked far enough away that I could watch the monsters have him. I sighed at the memory of the kill. If I hadn''t already retired as an adventurer, Ulurmak probably would have stripped me of my license. But because I''d retired and was well within my rights as an Alta, he could do nothing to punish me. So, I retrieved my children and came back to Nuleva.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "They should be back any day now," I reminded myself, then sighed again. "I need to get some groceries." I tossed my knitting kit into its pile and rose from my chair with a small groan. Years of conflict followed by comfort takes its toll. The puppers, now full from their meal, lazily watched me as I grabbed my cloak, coins, and basket. As I stepped out of the house a cool breeze found its way into my cloak. A stark reminder that the summer is passing. I drew up my cloak and made my way into the settlement''s center. Several stores and stalls had sprung up over the years. Nuleva was well on its way to becoming a proper village, if it hadn''t already. Most of the stalls were selling trinkets from or for the dungeon, and most of the stores were selling weapons and armor. I passed several of these until I found the one I wanted, Lon''s Grocery. Lon had begun selling food-stuffs shortly after Mirkus and I moved to Nuleva. His stall had quickly become a store because his prices were reasonable and his goods were decent. Everyone knows that if you want meat or vegetables that aren''t dried, Lon''s is where you shop. "Yilda! Long time no see," Lon''s elven smile glimmered in the lamp-light. "Where''s Nima?" Nima had been doing my shopping and around-the-settlement tasks since the boys left. She was trying to be subtle about it, but the reason why was pretty obvious. Nash is going to be level ten soon, and one should always suck up to the mother-in-law. Might as well start early. "She''s finally started to openly worry about the boys," I returned his smile. "Since I''m perfectly capable of getting my own groceries, I''ve tasked her with preparing a celebration for their return. Should be any day now." "That''s good to hear, and it''s so good to see you out of the house. So, what can I do for you?" My new son''s eating habits had inspired some creativity with my cooking. I explained some of the dishes I had concocted, as well as the ideas I had for future ones. Lon nodded along eagerly, even taking notes. When I had first purchased bulives and combumber from him for Nick, he had been extremely skeptical about my plans for them. Now that he''s tried the recipe himself, though, it seems that he can''t get enough. "Starchy tubers, eh?" he asked. "You know, I''ve been trying a bunch of things with meat lately, but a week long stew with starchy tubers never even occurred to me. Gods that''s genius, leave it to the Legendary Chef of Graluka to think of something like that!" "Oh, hush," I jokingly scolded him. "You''re the one who told me about boiling them in the first place." "Yeah, for mashin''," he laughed. "Can''t wait to try this, though. I''m guessing you''re going to want a fatty cut?" "About eighty-twenty if you''ve got it." Lon nodded and began wrapping up my order. My mouth watered a little as the parcels were placed in my basket. The boys are going to love this. "Let''s see... Twenty for the meat, five, two, and seven for the veg... Thirty four copper," the elf smiled. I pulled out my coin pouch and counted out the copper for him. It left me with only four copper coins, and Lon''s eyebrow raised as he noticed. He rubbed the back of his neck, and then grabbed a few of the coppers I''d placed on the counter and tried to give them back. "Oh, sweetie, don''t worry about it," I laughed and waved him off. "I get paid soon." "You sure?" "Yep. My pension is a couple days late, but that''s to be expected with all that''s going on. Plus, my boys will be back soon and I''m sure they''ve made a bit of money along the way. I appreciate the thought, but if I find myself in dire straits I''ll just open a tab." "I''ll be happy to open a tab for you if you need it, but some of these so called merchants... Well, you know. I''d hate to see you have to open a tab with them." "Well, you don''t have to worry about that. I don''t shop with them, so I won''t need to open a tab," I grinned. "Probably won''t even have to open a tab with you. As I said, my boys will be back soon." Lon''s eyebrows furrowed a bit, as if he wanted to point something out, but then his expression faded into a smile. "Okay, Yilda. Have a good day, hope the meal turns out great," he said. "Thanks, you have a good one too." I thought about what Lon had wanted to say as I began to return home. It was a pretty simple what-if scenario. What if my boys had gotten themselves wrapped up in the war with the Night Kingdom and would be delayed. Or... What if my boys didn''t make it back. The thought didn''t sit well with me, and I found myself appreciating that Lon kept his mouth closed about it. My boys are tough, clever, and strong, but not invincible. They can take on most foes, but they''re still young and inexperienced. Getting a letter of apology from Ulurmak is well within the realm of possibility. I shook my head to clear these thoughts as I opened the door to our home. The boys would be fine. They would come home and tell me all about their adventures, carefully leaving out the more dangerous parts. Of course, they''d inevitably include a part that would make me scold them, but that''s part of the experience. My big black pot clanged as I set it on the fire and began to add the ingredients. Back in Graluka, I''d learned that the key to any stew is seasoning and thickness. Without those, you end up with a lightly flavored and chewy beverage, which isn''t exactly appetizing. Once the pot was simmering, I stepped back and admired my handiwork. This time tomorrow, we would have ourselves one hell of a meal, which we could then snack on for the rest of the week. Then, Dima and Nucho began shouting at a knock from the door. Unsure of what to expect, I grabbed my butchering blade, wiped it off, and hid it under my cloak before answering the door. A gnome wearing a messenger''s uniform greeted me. "Mail for you, Miss Alta," the gnome said, reaching into his bag. "Missus." "Pardon?" "My husband may be dead, but I am still his wife," I said, trying to keep the sternness out of my voice. "Where''s Kreevar?" "Oh, uh... He left to join the war effort. Delivering messages for the army. I''d just quit adventuring, and decided to take the open position. I''m, uh... I''m Grehven." It was pretty obvious why the gnome had decided against continuing his career as an adventurer. He was at least a head shorter than most gnomes, and twice as timid. Of course, my reputation likely precedes me and might be causing a case of nerves, but fighting life or death battles takes a certain amount of courage that''s plain to see for those who have the eyes for it. "Well, good to meet you Grehven. What sort of mail do you have for me today?" I asked. "A package from the adventurer''s guild, a letter from a family member named Yulk, and some advertisements," the gnome said, happy for the change of subject. "With the ads, I can return to sender, if you want." "No, that''s okay. Free kindling," I grinned. Grehven gave the mail to me, nodded, and made an immediate about-face. Once he had left the yard, I shifted to let the puppers outside, but they were still lounging around. Gods, they''re lazy after a meal. I placed my mail on the table and took a peek at the advertisements. Drawings of various artifacts and weapons stared back at me from the pages. Nothing really caught my eye, so I crumpled them up and added them to the kindling bin as I put away the butchering knife. Then I opened the package from the adventurer''s guild. It contained an expression of thanks for my service, and my pension. Three silver and two hundred copper coins glimmered up at me. I put the silver and a handful of the copper into my coin pouch, and placed the rest in a safe spot for later. I returned to the table and had a staring contest with the letter from Yulk. Frequently, I tell myself that the boy has the common sense to give me bad news in person. Knowing my child as well as I do, though, I know that''s not the case. By his logic, telling me through mail would give me time to grieve before he got home. As if closeness to others isn''t part of the grieving process, the little turd. The letter, which could contain any type of news, seemed to taunt me. With a sigh, I sat down and broke the seal. After another, heavier sigh, I pulled the paper from the envelope. Before I could start reading, though, the puppers began shouting and the front door opened. "MOM! WE''RE HOME!" I calmly set the letter down and glanced at the still-cooking stew behind me. "Shit," I muttered to myself. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Yulk Alta Adventurer Level: 7 Orc - Nulevan Seeing our mother again was just what we needed. Traveling back home had been a pleasant journey, but nothing beats the smell of home. Nash was devastated to learn that mother had just started the stew, though, and it wouldn''t be ready until tomorrow. We opted to grab a bite to eat at the adventurer''s guild and invited mom to join us, but she had other plans for dinner. Tales of our adventures would likely have to wait until the next day, which was fine by us. It gave us that much more time to figure out which parts to leave out. We entered the guild, placed our order with Nima, and took a seat at one of the elongated tables. Nash likes sitting in the middle of tables for some reason. Speaking of stuff that Nash likes... "Should we check our levels?" I asked Nash with a grin. "Maybe after food, I''m starving," he replied, ignoring the jab but blushing slightly. I chuckled slightly, but felt a small pang of envy. Not because I have any sort of amorous feelings toward Nima, but because I''ve never felt the way that they do. At least, I don''t think so. I have been told that I''m quite clueless when it comes to romantic situations. I''ll admit that the art of flirting requires a conversational subtlety that eludes me most of the time, but I definitely feel like I would know it if a woman liked me in that manner. And no matter what anyone tells me, I still feel like puns and wordplay aren''t the best indicator of romantic interest. "I heard somebody say food," a booming voice from behind me said. Nash and Nick''s eyes widened, and I turned around to find Thunra Grantuf standing behind me. The absolutely massive orc beamed at us. I glanced back at my brothers and caught Nick instinctively placing a hand on his stomach. Nash recovered from the shock first. "Thunra! Good to see you again," he said. "What brings you to these parts?" The big brawler took the question as an invitation and plopped down into the empty seat next to me and directly across from Nick. "Guardin'' a caravan that happened to be headed this way. Stumbled on the job after the group split, and it paid well enough that I decided to take a little vacation." "The group split?" I asked. "Well, yeah. We weren''t exactly a long-term team. I brought up becomin'' one, but Joni and Yhisith wanted to take a break and spend some of the coin we earned. Matri had some personal stuff to deal with. So, bein'' the last remainin'' member of the group, I started lookin'' for jobs, can never have ''nuff coin, and found one that brought me out this way. Figured it was the best chance to see you lot again." Thunra sat there with a grin on his face, as if expecting us to ask why he wanted to see us again. Nick, Nash, and I shared a glance, and it was apparent that we were all aware of the reason. We sat there awkwardly for a moment before Nick let out a small sigh. "Why did you want to see us again, Thunra?" Nick asked in a slightly sarcastic tone. "To train you!" Thunra laughed. "You show promise, kid! With my help, you''ll be a full class brawler in just a couple of months. Maybe a year." "Ah, well... Actually I''m gonna be enrolling in the magic academy." "The what?" "High Chief Ulurmak is heading up the creation of a school dedicated to the study of magic in Kirkena," I explained. "I''ll be teaching there, and Nick is wanting to be a student." "Oh really?" the mountainous orc frowned. "When did they get that built?" "It''s not finished yet. The High Chief said it would be a couple of weeks." "Perfect! We can train in the meantime!" Thunra grinned again. "Since we''re in the village, you''ll be able to get good food and rest, which will help you learn even faster. Then, once you''re done schoolin'', we can tackle your trainin'' proper. You''ll be a brawler-mage! Imagine, a fireball with one hand and a fist with the other!" Thunra let out a hearty laugh. Nick, however, looked as if he was struggling not to vomit. Or, perhaps, cry. "I, um..." Nick paused to collect himself. "I was kind of hoping to-" "Thunra''s got a good point," Nash said with an evil chuckle. "You''re already as far as I can take you with the sword. Focusing on magic will be good, but failing to take the opportunity to gain some more hand-to-hand skills would be foolish." Nick looked to me, his eyes begging for help. The gaze reminded me of a pupper begging to go for a walk, and would normally be rather effective. Unfortunately... "I agree," I said, tactfully avoiding Nick''s pleading gaze. "The stronger we become, the better the odds of us getting you home." "Then it''s settled," Thunra said, reaching across the table and patting the deflated human on the shoulder. "I''ll be seeing you boys tomorrow at the trainin'' pit." "You''re not going to join us for dinner?" I asked. "Huh? Oh, y''mean what I said earlier? Nah, I was just kiddin'', I already ate," he laughed. "Thought it''d be a funny way to announce myself." Thunra''s hefty mass rose from next to me and we said our farewells. Nash and I glanced at Nick, who had the visage of someone who has just been told about their upcoming funeral, and shared a look of mirth. The human''s aversion to painful training spoke of a lifetime of soft living, and while on some levels it was pitiable, on others it was pretty amusing.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Before I could voice that opinion, the sound of a different and much lighter rump hitting the chair next to me drew my attention. I turned with a start, only to find that Yini had taken the seat previously occupied by Thunra. Catalina and Nimora stood nearby, staring at her in shock. "H-hello Yini," I stammered, surprised by this development. "You didn''t come say hi," she said angrily. "We only just got back," I replied. "Got off the cart, saw mom, then came to get dinner. I was planning to see you and the girls for lessons tomorrow. I have a new book about the fair folk and learned quite a deal about them on our travels." Yini''s face had softened until I mentioned lessons. She scoffed dramatically as the other girls found a seat. Catalina sat next to Yini, and Nimora walked over to the chair next to Nick and claimed it. Nash and I raised our eyebrow at Nimora, and she crossed her arms at us, challenging us to say something about it. "Will you be joining us for dinner?" I asked. "Yes, and you''re paying as an apology for ignoring us," Yini said. "That''s fine. You make fine company." The compliment caused her to become a slightly darker shade of green. Like whenever I mentioned Nima to Nash in a romantic light. But Yini always gets bashful when she''s complimented, so I thought nothing more of it. "Careful, brother," Nash warned. "We made plenty of coin in our travels, but these three are bottomless pits." "I think you''ll find that I have QUITE the bottom, Nash," Yini said, her tone approaching a growl. Nash raised his eyebrows and chuckled, having immediately picked up on the double meaning. I put a hand to my mouth and pretended to cough to hide my own laughter. Yini glanced at the two of us with confusion before realizing what she had said. "W-wait, that''s not what I meant," she stammered. "I meant that I''m easy to fill." Nash''s grin widened. "WITH FOOD!" Before the inadvertent innuendo could continue, Nima arrived with our food. She smiled, set down our platter and pitcher, then pulled up a chair and sat next to Nash. His expression morphed from a mirth-filled smugness into shy reservation, and I treated him to the same grin he had just been wearing. "Joining us, Nima?" I asked. "Of course. You were the last lot in for dinner, so I''ve got nothing better to do." "Well, actually, the girls here wa-" "We''re fine," Yini said hurriedly. "Don''t mind us." Nima gave Yini a smile that indicated that my pupil had correctly read the situation and made the right decision. I nodded sagely at Yini, and she punched me in the arm. Softly, though, as if chiding me for my lack of social awareness. "So, what have you boys been up to?" Nima asked. Nash looked too shy to speak, and Nick was staring pointedly at the table. The girls were wearing their normal attire, which by the standards of most cultures would be considered revealing. Having been well-inoculated against the sexualization of mammary tissue, I hadn''t even noticed. "Well, as you know, we initially made our way to Kirkena because the High Chief wanted to meet Nick," I said, taking the initiative in the tale-telling. Nash and Nick began to eat as I relayed our adventures to the girls between bites of my own food. I told them about the bandit attack, our encounters with the fair folk, the awakened High Dragon, our reward for saving a certain merchant whose name escaped me, our trip to Calkuti, our fight with the vampires, the kobolds, and nearly everything else. The only parts I left out were the ones in which we nearly died. The sun had passed the horizon and its light had fled the guild by the time I was wrapping up the story of our adventures thus far. I paused when the story came to our last meeting with Ulurmak. I stared at my food in the torchlight, trying to find the best way to word what happened next. "The High Chief plans to open a school that is focused on the study of magic in Kirkena," I told them. "Nick plans to enroll, and I have been invited to teach." Nima excitedly congratulated me, but I felt a sudden darkness coming from my left. Yini had always been fond of her teacher, almost to the point of being clingy. The news of my upcoming move was bound to upset her. I glanced at my pupil, but instead of anger I saw resolve. "How do I enroll?" she asked. "Wh-what?" I stammered. "How do I enroll in this new school?" "You''re capable of magic?" "I don''t know. Never tried. Even if I''m not, though, having people study it academically can''t be a bad thing." "W-well... I don''t know..." "What do you mean? I''m a good student, aren''t I?" she asked with a pout. "It''s not that," I said. "I mean I don''t know how one goes about enrolling. Nick was in a unique position to do so." "Guess you''ll just have to tag along when they leave for school," Catalina interjected. "I''ll do the same," Nimora replied. "I''ve been wondering if I have any sort of magical aptitude." Nash had recovered from his bashfulness and returned the look I''d given him when Nima had sat next to him. I looked at him with bewilderment. Nick was staring at me with a raised eyebrow. I took a moment to recover from my shock, and leaned back in my chair. "I guess that will be fine. So long as your parents approve." "Yulk, we''re only a couple of months younger than you are," Yini sighed. "Even if our parents aren''t fine with it, they can''t stop us." "I know, but I''d rather not get angry mail from them. Your mother has a penchant for targeting insecurities and quite the way with words." "It''ll be fine. What about you, Catalina?" "Oh, I''m fine staying here," Catalina laughed. "Magic is confusing, and I don''t want to leave the village. I''ll miss you two, though." The girls began cooing over each other while the rest of us watched awkwardly. I noticed that Nick and Nash had finished their food and began to eat mine a bit faster. Once I was done and things had settled down with my students, Nash let out a contended sigh. "Well, we should head home," he said. "It''s getting pretty late." "Oh, I don''t know," Nima smiled slyly. "I think there''s one more thing to do before you leave." Nash went stiff. "What would that be?" I asked. "Well, shouldn''t we check your levels? You just had a big adventure." "Can''t we do it tomorrow?" I asked with an evil grin. "I think we should do it right now, sweetie," Nima''s smile turned cold and she stood. "Come on, let''s go." Nick, Nash, and I stood and followed her. The girls remained at the table, whispering to each other. We approached the counter as Nima retrieved the thingamajig that connects to the Curaguard. The rectangular box with six stubby legs made a soft thud as she set it on the counter. "I''ll go first," I said, pulling out my guild card and grinning. "Nick will go next. Save the best for last, right?" Nima laughed a little as she took the metallic card from me and inserted it into the box. Blue and green lights swirled until they formed patterns and a hand-print. I placed my hand on the symbol and felt a slight static discharge. "Looks like no change for me," I said. "Same level and everything." "That sucks, I''m sorry," Nick replied. "Oh no, it''s fine. I haven''t exactly been trying to improve my level. Hardly any point for a magic user, you see. Your turn." Nima gave me back my card and took Nick''s. Once the lights were done shifting, Nick placed his hand on the palm-print. I suddenly remembered what happened the last time we did this, but before I could say anything Nick took his hand off the light and the symbols began to shift. The human didn''t look injured, so I turned my attention to what the box said. "Oh, you''re level nine, now," I said, suddenly worried about Nash''s response. "Congratulations." "Thanks," he replied nervously, likely for the same reason. Nash, however, seemed to be a thousand miles away. I kind of felt the same way, actually. Nash had agreed to court Nima once he was level ten. It would result in a change in lifestyle, and I would get far less time with my brother. My role as a teacher in Kirkena would exacerbate that. I always knew this day would come, of course. He or I would get married and have children, or we would take a different path in our careers. Then we would be limited to seeing each other whenever we got the chance. Part of me hoped that he was still only level nine. I''d rather have him grumble about Nick being an upstart than face the cold reality that awaits. He gave Nima his guild card and swallowed heavily. Nima gave Nick back his card and put Nash''s into the box. We all held our breath as Nash reached out and placed his hand on the hardened light. Once he took his hand away, Nima and I gasped as the symbols shifted. Nash looked back and forth between us. "You''re level eleven," I managed to say. Nash and I shared a look, knowing exactly what this meant. His courtship with Nima would cause us to drift apart for the first time in over a decade. We gave each other a solemn nod, then Nash turned to Nima with a smile. "Marry me," he said. Chapter 88 Nima Maxim Adventurer Level: N/A Guild Employee Level: 3 Orc - Nulevan Yulk, trying to keep the bittersweet pain out of his voice, read out Nash''s new level. Eleven. A bystander might have mistaken the tone of his voice to be one of shock. Nash had jumped two entire levels during their adventure, which is an impressive accomplishment. But I knew the true cause of his hesitancy. Yulk has never been good at maintaining relationships, especially long distance ones. Nash and I beginning our courtship will split the brothers up, and they wouldn''t be as close as they have been. In spite of Yulk''s feelings, my heart fluttered with excitement. Nash had promised me that we would begin our courtship once he hit level ten, and he''d finally done so! He had stayed true to his word, despite my advancement in the Adventurer''s Guild providing me enough pay that I could be our meal-ticket. I had thought about pointing this out to him, but it probably wouldn''t have hastened things. He had made a promise, and he''s nothing if not stubborn. But now, his promise is fulfilled and we can fina- "Marry me," Nash said. Yulk, Nick, and I stared at him, completely dumbfounded. If it weren''t for Nick and Yulk mimicking my own reaction, I would have wondered if I''d misheard him. The determination in Nash''s emerald-green eyes faltered for a moment at our reactions, but they remained locked on my own. "Fucking WHAT!?" Yulk demanded. Yulk''s reaction very nearly mimicked my own internal monologue, though for different reasons. He had been expecting a bittersweet parting that lasted the course of a year or more. I had been expecting Nash to ask me on a date to begin our courtship. Instead, Nash had assumed that I''m head over heels for him and skipped straight to demanding my hand in marriage. The frustrating thing is that he''s right about how I feel about him. However correct he is, though, it doesn''t change the fact that it''s insulting that he doesn''t think he has to try to win me over. I''m a catch! He should feel like he has to move mountains to win my affection, damn it! On top of it all, he proposed IN PUBLIC! I glanced around the room, and noted several widened eyes staring at us. Which of the brothers did they hear? Does it matter? My heart drummed a rapid beat, but it seemed confused as to whether it was because of my anger, embarrassment, or if it was because I''d dreamt about this exact moment. "I want to be your husband," Nash ignored his younger brother. "I get that it''s sudden, and I understand if you say no. But you''re all I''ve thought about since I made you that promise. We had a couple of close calls on this last adventure, and during our darkest moments you were my light. I didn''t care about coming home, I just wanted to come back to you." Those damn glimmering green eyes, the very same ones that had taken my breath away when I first saw them as a child, bore straight into me. The sheer volume of my feelings threatened to overwhelm me, and for a moment I considered running away to get some time to think. But no, I''m not a little girl anymore. I know how to handle myself. I won''t let a proposal from some two-copper adventurer rattle me. Even if that adventurer is the love of my life. "Nash," I said with a forced smile. "You promised me a courtship." The determination in his eyes melted away and was replaced with fear. His well-toned, and very shirtless, body slightly shifted into a defensive posture as if expecting to be struck. Thank the gods, a sign of cognizance. "I-I uh..." He stammered. "Marriage is all well and good, and I definitely wouldn''t mind having you as a husband. However, I haven''t had the chance to go courting because I''ve been waiting on you to live up to your promise this entire time," I said, letting a little more venom spill into my tone. "I will be DAMNED before I miss out on all the cute moments that come with a courtship." "B-but I-" "You will forget this foolish notion of elopement and take me on dates," I said, reaching over the counter and poking his sturdy chest. "You will buy me wonderful gifts, get me the prettiest of flowers, write clever poetry for me, and tell me that I''m the most beautiful mer you''ve ever seen. Once I''ve had my fill of all that, you will perform the proper negotiations with my mother. Then, and ONLY then, may you ask for my hand in marriage. Do you understand me, Nash?" "Y-yes ma''am." "And you''d better come up with a better proposal than ''marry me''. That''s not even a proposal! It''s a demand! Who the hells do you think you are, making demands of me? I have royal blood in my veins! I''ll not be commanded into marriage!" If anyone in this village knew about the royal orc blood in my veins, it should be Nash. When I was a child, my size made other children nervous. Most of the boys tried to be friends with me, but mostly because of how athletic I was. They all wanted me to be on their team in sports. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It took until my breasts began to grow in for anyone other than Nash and my mother to realize I was a girl. Even my half-brother treated me like one of the boys. The girls treated me with disdain and jealousy because of how close I was to the boys that they liked. Nash, however, treated me like the little girl I was. He would stand up for me even though I was a head taller than him. He would shout for me and fight for me and protect me from the things that would have tried to hurt me. The other boys would make fun of me when I wore girly clothes, but Nash would tell them to shut up and tell me I was beautiful. Whenever he got an allowance from his mother, he would buy me something girly because he knew how much it meant to me. One of the more beautiful hair-clips he got me was currently holding my hair out of my angry face. How could a boy that sensitive bungle such an important moment this badly? "I-I''m sorry, Nima. I didn''t mea-" "Oh, you didn''t MEAN it like that?" I shouted. "Have some care with your actions and how they''re interpreted! You''re damn lucky I know you''re a block-head or I would be under the impression that you think so little of me that you believe that I would absolutely swoon at just the offer of your hand in marriage. I would believe that you''re so damned egotistical that you can''t even humble yourself to show your affection to me!" "N-no I-" And now he was trying to argue with me. As if I''m somehow the one misinterpreting the situation. No, I understand perfectly, and that''s the only reason I haven''t knocked the sense back into his damn skull. "Stop trying to talk, damn it," I growled, fighting tears of frustration. "Gods, you had such a head-start, too. With your damned promises and flirtations. You had me believing you were a clever romantic, but you''re just a dumbass." The small crowd within the guild-hall was now carefully minding their own business, even though it was obvious they were still listening. Yini, Nimora, and Catalina were staring firmly at their table. Even Yulk and Nick were trying to pretend they didn''t exist. "Had?" Nash asked with the voice of a wounded pupper. I did say that, didn''t I? I meant it, but didn''t mean it like he took it. Gods, what a poor dumb boy. I took a deep breath and released it with a sigh. It''s obvious that he considered our childhood to be a part of our courtship. Hells, most people who knew us wouldn''t even bat an eye if we eloped. But that was friendship, not romance. I deserve romance, gods damn it. "You''re damn right, had!" I said, crossing my arms. "Now you''re on the same playing field as all the other boys who fancy my attentions. You''d better work really hard to shine above them." Determination returned to his face and he nodded, finally understanding what he''d done. But I didn''t want to let him off just yet. "And if you pull something like this again, I''m going to tell your mother," I said sternly. The eavesdropping crowd winced, and the Alta boys both went pale. Yilda isn''t known to beat her boys, but even so it''s easy to imagine the former legend beating Nash within an inch of his life without even using a weapon. And gods help him if he tried to fight back. "I won''t, I''m sorry," Nash replied, then bowed. "Miss Maxim, please forgive my transgression and-" "I''ll forgive your transgression but so help me gods if you don''t give it a little time before asking to court me I''m going to get violent," I interrupted with a very unladylike growl. "Ah, okay," he straightened and grabbed the back of his neck nervously. "So... Uh... Tomorrow, then?" I sighed again, releasing all the pent-up frustrations that had been bubbling within me. All the other women say that dumb men are the best men, but they conveniently leave out how frustrating they can be. After a moment of regaining my composure, I met his gaze. "Yes, tomorrow. Since you obviously require a bit of hand-holding, I should also tell you that you need to make it up to me. You''re smart enough to figure out how, right?" "Yes ma''am." "Good," I replied, a cold smile forming on my features. "Will there be anything else?" "No ma''am," the three boys answered in unison. "Have a good night," I said with mock sweetness. "You too," Yulk said. The three boys rushed out into the night without another word, and before I could leave the counter they were replaced with Yini, Nimora, and Catalina. I could do without their sympathies, but didn''t have the energy to turn them away. They convinced me to sit with them and Yini ran to get us some drinks. "Did he REALLY just propose?" she asked once she returned, handing me a beer. "Yeah. Yeah, he sure did," I said, the exhaustion infiltrating my voice. "Just like that?" Catalina asked. "What the hells?" "Yeah." "Damn, I knew Nash was bold but I didn''t think he was that much of an asshole. You poor thing. How dare he!" "Well, I guess that settles the debate over which is the superior brother," Yini grinned. "Did you HEAR how loud Yulk shouted?" Despite myself, I laughed along with them. Yini''s crush on Yulk was so obvious that she wouldn''t even deny it when asked. Unfortunately, she wants him to act more like Nash, with the exception of today''s incident. That''s just not going to happen, though. "You know, if you want Yulk you''re going to have to snatch the reins," I said, taking a deep drink of my beer. "When it comes to love, he''s dumber than his brother. And you just saw how dumb his brother can be." "All men are kind of dumb when it comes to romance," Catalina said, taking a sip of her beer. "That''s why I prefer women." We all chuckled. Even though she''s open about her sexuality, Catalina has always been incredibly shy when it comes to actual romance. Which is ironic, considering that she can pair with other species and as such has a much larger dating pool than we do. "Yeah," Yini sighed. "Oh well, I''ll look at the bright side. I''m better off with my crush than Nimora is with hers." "Wh-what? What crush?" Nimora demanded. "Oh, sweetie," I said sadly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Come on. You''re almost as obvious as Yini is." "N-no. I don''t know what you mean. I don''t have a crush on anyone." "Nick," Catalina grinned. "The uh... Huhmann, right?" "Human," Yini corrected, also grinning. "I can''t blame you, Nimora. He looks a bit like an orc, and he''s probably pretty handsome for a human." "Oh, fine," Nimora crossed her arms sternly. "I like the way he looks, okay? And those eyes..." "They''re really blue," Catalina agreed. "This was the first time I saw them up close. Very pretty." "It''s probably not something you should pursue, though," I interjected, suddenly feeling a lot older. "First of all, there''s the incompati-" "We don''t know that, though," Nimora interrupted, biting her lip a little. "He looks kinda orcish. He might BE kinda orcish, you know... Down there?" "That''s true," Yini chuckled. "None of us dared to take a peek." "Oh, come on," I laughed. "Well, I guess you could be right. But even so, he''s from another world, right? That HAS to come with a whole cart full of baggage." "I could be his hnarse, though," Nimora winked. The rest of us expressed disgust and laughed. We joked around a bit more and finished our beers, then the girls went home. I ushered the rest of our patrons out the door and tidied things up a bit before closing the hall and heading home, myself. Tomorrow had better be a big day. Chapter 89 Thunra Grantuf Adventurer Level: 23 Orc - Nillisonian Previous season''s injuries and a predawn chill greeted me as I rose from my bed. Still had a grin on my face as I rubbed my knee and shoulder, though. A bit of cold and some aches weren''t gonna get me down cuz I knew for certain that today was gonna be a damn fine day. Hells, if I didn''t know any better I''d think I was blessed! I had hoped to see the human and the Alta boys again, and doin'' so had lifted my spirits. Damn fine boys, and with my help they''ll become some of the strongest adventurers ever to fight a monster. Well, at least Nick would. Nash ain''t really got the shape for throwing fists, and Yulk looks like he''d die if you slapped him too hard. Nick''s hesitancy wasn''t lost on me, but kids hardly ever know what''s good for ''em. You give a kid a piece of liver and they''ll stick their tongue out at it. But if you season that liver just right, they''ll scarf it down like it''s candied. All I gotta do is figure out what Nick''ll like on his training. Once I finished my morning stretches, I tackled my hygiene. Most orcs can''t really grow a beard, but I struggle to keep one off my face. Women''ll tell you it looks good, but having hair that''s able to be grabbed as a melee fighter is dumb. Good way to get killed quick. I''d rather be alive and single than have myself a girlie and die an idiot''s death. I''d also rather be with a girl that would rather I be a bit ugly than die an idiot''s death. Not that I''ve been lookin'' or anythin''. My razor scraped the last bit of the lard and tallow mixture from my jaw and I double-checked my work in the mirror. No nicks, cuts, or missed spots. I grinned at my reflection and rinsed my face off. I ain''t exactly ugly, but not exactly pretty, either. Got the perfect kind of face to settle for, which is fine by me. Once I dried myself off, I picked out my clothes for the day. Went with a loose-fitting outfit that had been given to me by an elven monastery. Once I hit level fifteen I got stuck in a training slump. I traveled to the monastery to learn more about their martial arts, which were rumored to involve using weight and momentum to put an opponent off-balance. My hope was that their techniques would help me develop some more of my own. Thing is, they were far more devoted to their worship of the gods than doing martial arts. Cause of that, they needed help with some monsters that had been gettin'' closer and closer to the monastery. Didn''t want it to become a monsterery, I guess. I agreed to help in exchange for bein'' taught what little they knew. As is normal for my infamously shitty luck, there were way more monsters than they thought. What should have been a quick and easy hunt turned into me fightin'' and strugglin'' to stay alive for three days straight. By the time I stumbled back to the monastery, I was nearly dead from dehydration and blood loss. I''d lived up to my end of the deal, though, and the monks were super grateful. Once they''d healed me up, they taught me various throwing techniques and grapples that I probably could have figured out on my own. I was a bit disappointed, but it had been what I agreed to so I was willin'' to call it fair. After I''d learned everything and was about to leave, though, they presented me with one of their outfits. They explained that this outfit was special. It had been worn by their founder and granted an enchantment by the god that they revere. ''Course, they had no idea what the enchantment actually does, but they''d gotten permission from the god to give it to me for my service. I was blown away by the generosity and almost declined, but was smart enough to know that you don''t say no to a god if you can help it. So I took the loose-fitting shirt and pants combo and saved it for special occasions. I''ve had a few enchanters take a look at it over the years, but even they couldn''t figure it out. All they could do is confirm that it does, in fact, have an enchantment. Since I don''t know what the enchantment does and don''t want to risk damaging it, I''ve never worn it in a fight. Training is a different matter entirely, though. I cinched the shirt closed with the thick blue belt that came with it, then had another look at myself. The bright orange fabric kind of clashed with my dark green skin, but it fit pretty well. My favorite part was the lack of sleeves and the low cut that exposed my chest. Plenty of ventilation. Come to think of it, the monastery had been started by an elf. Considerin'' my size, it must have been a pretty damn big elf. Or maybe the enchantment is to make the clothes fit whoever wears it? That''d be pretty damn funny. The inn was silent as I left my room. Mara, the innkeeper, was definitely still asleep. Her love of partyin'' kept her up most nights. Just as well, most people don''t go lookin'' for rooms bright and early in the mornin''. Another chill greeted me as I exited the inn. The sun peeked over the horizon, like it was shy or somethin''. I could tell that it was gonna be the perfect weather for a great trainin'' session. As I happily made my way toward the Alta house, I waved at the people that had managed to make their way out of bed. I got more than a few raised eyebrows, probably on account of my outfit, but they all waved back. Nuleva''s got some friendly folk. Before long, I arrived at the home of the famed Yilda Alta and her sons. I knew better than to bang on her door this early in the mornin''. She was probably awake, but I''d been forewarned that wakin'' her puppers would risk the wrath of her sandal. Considering that piece of footwear had killed stronger men than me, it was best not to risk it. I leaned against the fence and wondered how a sparring match with Yilda would go. According to the tour guide who had pointed this place out to me, her class was something like an assassin sorcerer. She felled great beasts with a knife in one hand and a wand in the other, darting around the battlefield like a dagger-fish. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. She was also damn good with improvised weapons, if the tales about that sandal are true. There''s no doubt she''d kick my ass, but I''d feel fine with that if I landed even a single strike. Or even if I just learned somethin'' from it. While I waited, I did some warm up stretches and calisthenics. By the time the sun had gotten over its shyness, I''d moved on to dynamic tension and isometrics. I was careful not to overdo it, in case my muscles got ahead of me and started wantin'' an actual fight. The moment I finished, the Alta''s front door opened and Nash came out looking contemplative. "Hey," I said as he opened the gate. The older Alta brother jumped as if he hadn''t seen me. "Oh uh, hi Thunra," he absentmindedly greeted me. "Sorry, can''t really talk right now." "Alright, see you later then." "Bye." Nash walked away at a pretty fast pace, leaving me to wonder where he was headed. Then I realized that if he was up, everyone else might be too. Shelving my curiosity about Nash, I ran up to the door and gave it a few respectful knocks. My heart practically leapt into my throat as the door opened. "What did you for- oh?" the legend herself, Yilda Alta, asked. "What''s this about?" "Good mornin'', ma''am," I said with what I hoped was a disarming grin. "My name''s Thunra and I''ve come to call on Nick, if that''s alright." "What for?" "Trainin''," I flexed a bicep for emphasis. "Hopin'' to teach him some more hand to hand. The boy''s got talent, and I''d like to turn that into skill." "I see. Would you like to wait inside?" "I wouldn''t dream of imposin'' any further than I gotta, Missus Alta. I''m perfectly happy waitin'' out here." I''d been forewarned ''bout her view on her marital status, too. She gave me a smile that made my heart flutter unexpectedly and nodded. Then she closed the door and I was left to try an'' figure out a new piece of information about myself. I''ve joked about being into older women before, but I''d meant by about five years or so. I had no idea how old Yilda actually was, but I''d been hearin'' tell of her adventures since I was a boy. First time I remember hearing about her and her husband was when I was about six. So she was a whole, grown-ass woman when I was barely out of diapers. Even so, that smile had rocked me. Maybe it''s cuz she''s famous and strong? Yeah, the brutish part of my brain is probably puttin'' her up on a pedestal. Best to ignore it. Her love for her husband is almost as legendary as their accomplishments together. I hope I one day find a girl that''ll avenge my death like she avenged his. I pushed my crush on Yilda down into my emotional depths as the door opened again. Nick stepped outside, being pushed by Yulk. The younger Alta brother seemed very excited to start today''s activities. I chuckled at his excitement, but then I caught Nick''s surprised expression. "I-Is that... Where did you get that outfit?" he asked. "It was a gift from some monks," I shrugged. "What, you recognize it or something?" "Looks a lot like the uniform that a character from... Nah, nevermind," Nick sighed, then chuckled. "Let''s just get this over with, Piccoloku." "Pico-wha-now?" "Nevermind." I shrugged again then began leading the boys toward the trainin'' pit. As we walked, I caught sight of Nash carefully studying some stuff at a stall. He was holding flowers in one hand, and a pendant in the other. "What''s up with your brother?" I asked Yulk. "Hmm? Oh, he asked Nima to marry him last night," Yulk replied. "Really? Pegged him for the bachelor type. How long''ve they been courting?" "Therein lies the issue. They weren''t courting." My jaw dropped and I stared at Yulk in disbelief. "Noooo," I said. "Yep," Nick interjected. "It''s true. Right in front of everybody." "Pull the other one, boys. C''mon now, there''s no way he''s that dumb." "Love can make fools of the best of us," Yulk nodded sagely. "And though I love my brother dearly, Nash isn''t exactly the best of us when it comes to intellect. He''ll be the first to admit it, too." Love makes fools of the best of us, eh? I recalled the flutter in my chest caused by his mother''s smile and suddenly found some empathy for Nash. Yulk ain''t wrong, feelings can make us do some really dumb shit. I ain''t dumb enough to make a move on Yilda, though. "So what''s he doin'', then?" I asked. "Did she say yes or what?" "She pretty much said fuck no," Nick laughed. "But she gave him another chance. He has to make it up to her, though." "Indeed. Nash is planning to give her a bouquet made of the last of this season''s flowers and a pendant that matches her eyes. Then, if she feels better about their situation, he''s going to take her on a picnic," Yulk explained. "Well, flowers are definitely a good start to getting to a girl''s heart," I chuckled, then remembered something. "Wait, isn''t Nima the guild-girlie? The one as tall as me?" "Yes." "Ain''t she related to High Chief Ulurmak?" "She''s his niece, if I recall the lineage correctly." "Fuckin'' hells, he may as well have crawled into the catapult himself then." "Huh?" Nick asked. "Slang for someone aiming far above their station," Yulk explained. "Especially when it comes to marriage." "Yeah, someone who''s being forced to marry above their station is being loaded into the catapult," I added. "Someone who''s tryin'' to get a spouse above their station is crawlin'' into it. Either way, you usually come crashin'' down at the end of it." "It''s not exactly an apt idiom in this case, though," Yulk chuckled. "The Alta clan is pretty high up there in regards to marriage candidates. Ulurmak was expected to take a bride from either the Alta clan or the Maxim clan before the drama with his brother. It''s been a while since I''ve seen my grandmother, though, so I don''t know what the current situation is." "Oh?" I grinned playfully. "So you lot are a BIG big deal, then?" "Not really. My father didn''t like the intrigue of being part of a powerful clan and his marriage to my mother was quite controversial. My brother and I seem to have inherited his disinterest, as well. From my understanding, so long as we don''t ask them for favors they won''t force duties upon us." "Yilda wasn''t welcomed into your clan?" "Not at first. But grandmother adores my mother and fought the rest of the clan for her inclusion. There were duels and everything, and at the end of it all mother was welcomed into the clan. Father was pretty fed up with it all, though, so we came to live here. Mother could explain it better than I, if you''re that interested." "N-no," I stammered. "That''s okay, I get the gist of it. So if Nash and Nima do end up together, will their little ones be in line for High Chief?" "Yes, but how far down the line is up to Ulurmak. If he doesn''t have children by the time he retires, then either Nima or Alurn will become High Chief. Alurn is the most likely candidate, as far as I can tell." "What about Ulurmak''s brother?" I asked. "Agurno, right?" "That''s right. He could be considered a candidate if anyone had the power to actually force him to accept the office. I''ve never met him, but I''ve heard that his apathy toward politics matches his legendary might." "Gotcha," I said as we approached the training pit. "Alright, let''s start with some stretches. Want those muscles nice and limber." "Okay," Nick said with a sigh. "What type of training will you be doing today?" Yulk asked, excitement creeping into his voice. "Oh, you''ll see," I winked. Chapter 90 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 9 Human ¨C American Thunra walked to the center of one of the training circles and gestured for me to join him. With a small sigh, I trudged to the center of the circle and faced him. There were plenty of reasons that I didn''t want to be training today, but I knew that none of them would dissuade the gigantic orc. "Now, I know you don''t really like this kinda trainin''," Thunra said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out some cloth. "So, I came up with a game that''ll help." "A game?" I asked. "Yup," he replied. Then he looped the three rags into his belt. One on his right, one on his left, and one in the back. Once he was done he regarded me with a grin. "All you gotta do is grab these sweat-rags off my belt. I''ll be using a mix of defense and offense to keep you from gettin'' ''em. When you grab all three, we''ll call it a day." I looked at him, dumbfounded. He''d just reinvented flag football without the ball. His giant grin combined with his orange martial arts styled clothing reminded me of- "Go!" he shouted. "Wha-" I barely managed to dodge the fist that flew at my forehead. Thunra stopped mid-swing, and I realized that he had been holding back. We met eyes and a joke sprang into my head. "Ku," I said. "Wha-" I snatched at the flag nearest to me and the gargantuan orc stepped back with a speed that defied his size. The fabric of the flag tickled my fingers as it eluded my grasp. The extra speed that Thunra had summoned caught him off guard, though, and he stumbled. Before he could regain his footing, I used Dash to spring forward and grab the flag. With it firm in my grasp, I ripped it from his belt and continued forward with the rest of my dash. Grinning, I raised the flag and turned around. "That''s one!" I exclaimed. "Without even swingin''! Good job, kid!" Thunra grinned. "Still got a couple more ''fore we''re done, though." "Piece of cake," I said, tossing the rag on the ground. "Guess this training session''s gonna be a short one." There are many, many instances throughout history in which people have rued their words. Like whoever wrote that a heavier-than-air aircraft would take a million years to develop, only to have the Wright brothers prove it could be done a few weeks later. Or when a firefighter complains about it being a slow day only to have half the city try to burn down. Or all the people who said ''what could possibly go wrong'' before things went horribly awry. I had never wondered what that was like, but found myself in that exact position. Thunra practically became a goddamned ballerina. I''d lunge for the flags, he''d dance away. Over and over and over again, for hours. Finally, I got sick of it and we exchanged blows. I could tell he was holding back on me, but I was completely fine with that. I could swear that I felt my spleen twitch whenever I remembered our last training session. Getting no closer to the second flag, I paused to catch my breath. Thunra grinned again and flexed. I pounded my knee with my fist in frustration. ''You know, I could get those flags for you,'' Ten said. ''Yeah, you probably could,'' I replied. ''But that would defeat the purpose of training, wouldn''t it?'' ''I don''t actually know. Your body will still be getting the exercise, and you might even be able to unlock new skills.'' ''Doesn''t do me much good if I don''t know how or when to use them, though.'' ''Not a bad point. Fine, suit yourself.'' Thunra and I watched each other closely, waiting for the next move to be made. I''d give almost anything to wipe that childish grin off his fucking face. But there had to be a line, and handing my body off to Ten would definitely be crossing it. With a growl, I activated Dash and launched myself at Thunra once again. He, of course, launched himself backward. Just before he got out of range, I activated Time Dilation and examined our situation. Then I saw it, an opening that I could take advantage of. Thunra''s arms had shifted to his sides to counteract his momentum and maintain his balance. This also prevented me from grabbing the flag on his flank, but he had left his solar plexus open. With all the strength I could muster, I launched my fist at the spot between his abs and his chest. -Spear Punch Unlocked- I connected directly with Thunra''s solar plexus and we both flew forward a few feet. He slammed into the ground and we both stared at each other, stunned. As he tried to climb to his feet I grabbed the second flag and dodged back. A five minute cooldown appeared for the new skill. "That''s- That''s two," I panted. "Hrnng," he replied, getting to his feet. "W-well done. Hooooof. W-was that breathtaker strike? Felt more like spear punch." "I''m pretty sure it was spear punch." "When did you unlock that?" "Just now." "See? The trainin''s workin''," Thunra grinned. "I think we''re ready to kick it up a notch." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. A cold horror gripped me as I realized that the massive mound of muscle had already shaken off the sucker punch. Then I realized that Thunra was being literal as his foot snapped at my thigh. The impact caused my leg to buckle, and I barely managed to avoid a fist to my head. As I dodged the fist, though, a knee connected with my ribs hard enough to lift me into the air. My eyes seemed to stop working for a moment, but I managed to instinctively lash out with a kick of my own and send myself flying backward. I crumpled into the ground and immediately leapt to my feet, guarding against further strikes. I had difficulty focusing on the big-ass orc as he walked toward me, and swear I saw Yulk eagerly taking notes in the sidelines. ''Three fractured ribs and a concussion,'' Ten said. ''It doesn''t feel like my eggs are cracked,'' I think I replied. ''Of course it doesn''t feel like your ribs have been fractured,'' Ten sighed. ''I''m inhibiting the pain. Just stay on the defensive while I make repairs.'' Easy for the Artificial Intelligence with fuckin'' cheats to say. I felt like my body isn''t nearly strong enough to get anywhere near actually fighting Thunra. But Ten had used my body to defeat the man turned monster that had nearly killed Thunra in the dungeon. How did it do that? Releasing my inhibitions? Do I need to feel the rain on my skin? No one else can feel it fo- No, this isn''t the time for music. No matter how catchy the song is. I did my best to focus on Thunra, but he looked at me and suddenly stopped. "Shit, how''d your head take a knock?" he asked. "Dunno." ''Inertia from the impact to your ribs slammed the side of your brain against your skull,'' Ten helpfully explained. "Yeah, what he said." "What who said?" Thunra asked. "Are you o- Oh! Right, the robot in your head. I can''t hear him, buddy." "Oh, yeah... I uh... Um..." "Well, shit. Alright, let''s go ''head and call it for the day." "You still got a flag on," I argued for some reason. "Yeah, but concussions aren''t something you wanna fuck around with." "Ten can fix it." "Don''t argue with me, boy. This is a hard line, non-negotiate-able. Your bean gets banged, training''s done for the day." "I- Okay," I said, somehow disappointed. "Don''t feel too down, kid. You learned a new skill!" Thunra grinned and patted my shoulder. "Just think of how many you''re gonna pick up tomorrow!" It felt like my brain was trying to fight a fog, but something about what Thunra had said filled me with dread. It took a few moments to realize what it was, though. "We''re doing this again tomorrow?" I asked. "Might as well train every day until you head off to the magic school or whatever, right?" He grinned. "I... I guess so," I replied. Shit. Chapter 90.5 Nash Alta Adventurer Level: 11 Orc - Nulevan With a deep breath, I steeled myself and gathered my courage. The last time I''d felt this nervous walking into the adventurer''s guild was the first time I had done so. But back then I didn''t have an angry woman to worry about. How could I have been so damned dumb? I''d had a plan and everything. I was going to give her a sixteen inch hunting knife with an engraving of the symbols of love on it then take her on a date. But something just came over me when I''d heard my new level. Greed, probably. I wanted her right then and there, to hells with working for it. I''d convinced myself that it was a romantic notion, but she cut through all that bullshit even without the knife. Her words had cut me to the bone, and I''d never felt so unworthy of someone in my entire life. Part of me wanted to just go back home, to let a better orc than I try to win her heart. This part of me whispered that she deserves someone better, but I knew what it really was. Cowardice. The thought of facing up to what I had done seemed like an insurmountable wall. But Nima had decided to give me a second chance, and my mother didn''t raise a quitter. I straightened my posture and stepped into the guild-hall with my chin held high. It fell silent as every single eye in the place turned to watch me. This didn''t phase me, though. I''d been getting these kind of looks all morning. Word travels fast in a village, and I''d be surprised if there was a single person who didn''t know that I''d made a damn fool out of myself last night. Nima stood behind her counter, and the orc she was helping gracefully stepped aside as I approached. I nodded at him with appreciation. "Good morning, Nima," I said. "Is this a good time?" She glanced at the bouquet of flowers I''d brought and gave it a little smile, making my heart flutter. "Just fill out those forms and leave them on the counter when you''re done," she said to the orc who she had been helping. "Hello, Nash. It''s as good a time as any." "These are for you," I said, passing the flowers over the counter. "Thank you, that''s so sweet. Just like the ones in the flower crown you made me when we were kids." I had completely forgotten about that, but nodded anyway, happy for the lucky coincidence. As she found a vase for the flowers, I grabbed her next gift from my belt and placed it on the counter. She turned back to me and raised an eyebrow at the knife. "Open it," I said with a solemn expression. She withdrew the sixteen inch blade from its sheath and gasped. My original idea was to have it engraved with symbols promising eternal love and devotion. However, after my fuck-up last night I''d decided to go with a different, much riskier approach. "This is..." she trailed off. "When we were kids your dad gave you a knife," I explained. "Then he left and never came back," a slight chill entered her voice. "Yeah. I remember how sad you were that he left," I said, gathering my courage. "I remember holding you when you cried for him. I remember wishing with all of my might that I could take that pain away for you, and how I would have given anything to see you happy again. And I remember how utterly devastated you were when the knife he gave you broke." She placed the blade on its sheath and looked at me, tears of anguish waiting behind a facade of anger and confusion. "I know there are many ways that you could interpret this, but to me, the knife breaking was symbolic of the promise he broke by not returning. You threw it away a few months later, symbolizing throwing away your relationship with him, but I found that broken blade and kept it safe in case you ever changed your mind. This morning, I went to a smith and bought their best, most durable hunting knife and had it engraved with the same markings that were on your father''s blade." "Wh-why?" she asked. "Because I''m making the very same promise to you that he did. Whenever I leave, I will return. And the knife I''m giving you won''t break, just like my promise won''t. It is my pledge of everlasting love and care for you, Nima." Tears streamed down her cheeks and she grabbed a handkerchief to dab at them. We stood in silence for a few moments as she regained her composure. Much to my relief, the anger and pain had left her expression. "Gods damn it, Nash," she said. "Why couldn''t you have been this romantic last night?" "Cuz I''m just a big, dumb orc," I chuckled. "Speaking of last night, though, I got you something else." I opened my coin pouch and pulled out a small box. Nima gently took the box and opened it, revealing a pendant with an enchanted gemstone. She held it up to the light. The gem was deep blue in the center, gradually progressing to green on the outer edges, just like her eyes. "Wha-I... How?" she asked. "Well, I''ve been on the lookout for jewelry that matches your eyes but haven''t had any luck finding anything nearly as beautiful. So I got this gem enchanted," I explained. "It''s not quite as magnificent as your eyes are, but I hope that it''s close enough to serve as an apology for last night." "I thought that''s what the flowers were for." "I didn''t think the flowers fully express how sorry I am for how dumb I was." She let out a laugh that melted my heart in ways that the most beautiful bird-song could never hope to accomplish. Then, she turned around and lifted her hair so that I could put the pendant on her. I had to stand on my toes to do so, but I managed to reach over the counter and clasp the chain without strangling her. She turned to face me, the beautiful gemstone resting on the top of her bountiful breasts. I gave it an appreciative glance and returned my attention to the gemstone''s inspiration. The tears had gone from her eyes, and a warm expression greeted me. I couldn''t help but smile. "Lady Maxim, will you do me the honor of accompanying me?" I asked, a lump forming in my throat. "Oh, Nash..." The lump in my throat threatened to suffocate me as she paused. Everyone else in the guild seemed to hold their breath, awaiting her reply. She gently grabbed the pendant and bit her lip, then looked back at me. "Of course I will!" The guild-hall erupted in cheers as she stepped around the counter and took my arm. Chapter 91 Thunra Grantuf Adventurer Level: 23 Orc - Nillisonian The cold air ran up my spine as I stood in front of the Alta home tryin'' to work up the courage to knock. It''d been a few weeks since the first time I''d retrieved Nick for training, and Yilda had told me that I could come by whenever, but my nerves kept gettin'' the best of me. The only time people like it when you show up at the crack of dawn is when you''re making them money. The reason for my nerves had changed, though. At first, I was worried Yilda''d hit me. Now I just don''t want her to dislike me. It''s a silly boy''s crush, and I know it, but controllin'' this kind of feeling is like trying to wrangle greased up hissers. Things get slippery. I took a deep breath to steady myself and looked up at the sun shyly peekin'' out over the horizon. Or maybe I''m seein'' it like that ''cause I''m the one that''s shy. I released my breath with a quiet sigh, steeled my nerve, and knocked on the door. Gently. It swung open almost immediately, and Yilda regarded me with a smug expression. "Well, well, well," she said. "Look who finally got up the courage to knock." "I-uh... Wait, how long you been standing there?" I asked. "I wasn''t standing here. I was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast." "Then how''d you-" "I''m VERY fast, Thunra. Anyway, come on in and grab a seat." "Oh, uh... I''m just here-" "To pick up Nick, yes, I know. They''re not up yet, though, and I don''t get paid to wake them up." "I''ll wake ''em up," I said with a grin. "Just get in here and plop your ass on a chair," she ordered, moving to the side to let me through. "Yes, ma''am." I squeezed past her and heard the door close behind me. I walked to the table, mindful of her nearly overwhelming presence behind me, and did as I was told. The chair was a little small for me, but it''s hard to find a chair that fits someone my size. Wonder how guys as big as the High Chief manage it. The smell of an excellent breakfast wafted from the fire-counter, but I took my mind off my stomach by looking around the house. It was shockingly normal, as if it hadn''t even heard of the two legendary members of one of the most powerful clans to ever exist that called this place home. Way nicer than anywhere I''d ever lived, but much less gold and gems than I was expecting. "Nice place you got here," I said as casually as I could. "Thanks," Yilda replied as she began working on the food again. "It''s been a great retirement home." "Glad to hear it. Actually, now that you bring it up... Do you mind if I ask you a question?" I asked. "You just did," she laughed, making my heart flutter dangerously. "Besides that one, I mean." "Sure." "I heard a lot of stories about you and your husband. Dangerous gangs broken up, massive monsters brought low. Y''all did great work. Why''d you two decide to retire?" "Well, I retired because we were pretty well off and I was pregnant with Nash. The thought of having my child be raised by someone else always rubbed me the wrong way," she said as she continued cooking. "Plus, I never really enjoyed the work. Don''t get me wrong, it had its charms, but it was a little too reminiscent of my childhood more often than not. Becoming a pampered house-wife sounded like a nice change of pace. So I jumped at the opportunity to collect my pension when it came up." "Fair enough," I chuckled. "And your husband?" "Oh, that little shit just retired from the big jobs," she laughed. "Too much energy and courage to actually retire from adventuring work. There were a couple times I caught him sneaking into the dungeon, too. Fought about it, even. Seems stupid now." "I don''t think it''s stupid, ma''am," I said. "If you knew then whatcha know now, sure, but you didn''t so it isn''t." "I suppose. And he WAS being an idiot by sneaking into the dungeon by himself. But then, that''s one of the reasons I fell in love with him. He was so damn certain of himself at all times," she laughed wistfully. "And even with enough confidence for a team of adventurers, he was humble enough to fall for a homeless orphan like me." "Is he the one that got you into adventurin''?" "No, but he''s the one who helped me get good at it. Before him, I was a solo act. Mostly because I couldn''t really trust anyone to have my back, but also because I didn''t want to give anyone a chance to put a knife there." I nodded sagely. A story I''d heard a thousand times. A hard life makes it hard to trust soft things. "One day, I snagged what was supposed to be a simple herb-gathering job. Mossilia flowers, very rare and difficult to get to, but the pay was very good. Too good, as it turns out. I climbed a mountain, slipped past a basilisk, navigated a cave filled with beasties, and got the flowers only to have the client turn out to be a vampire and the quest turn out to be a trap." "Woah, really?" I asked, dumbfounded. "The guild didn''t handle the particulars back then?" "No, they didn''t. And what almost happened to me is why they do nowadays. As fortune would have it, though, that vampire is the reason I met Mirkus. He had been investigating a string of disappearances that led him to the very same vampire that intended to make me a victim. He crashed through the door just as the vampire had its hand on my neck, zipped across the room, and relieved the vampire of her arm in a flash," she chuckled. "I was dumbfounded for a moment, stuck in a trance as the two of them clashed in front of me. I''d seen plenty of fights before, but I''d never seen anyone move that fast. The strength on display was stunning, as well. I vividly remember Mirkus ripping a brick from the fireplace to bludgeon the vampires skull, mortar be damned." Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. She took the pan off of the fire and started adding seasonings to it. "The vampire started regenerating, of course, but by then I''d come to my senses. Mirkus, being the confident idiot that he was, didn''t bring any way to incinerate the damn thing with him. So I used a fireball. It was the only spell I knew at the time, and it wasn''t particularly strong, but it did the job." "Then he asked you to join him?" "Nope. The burning vampire set the manor on fire. I got hit by some debris, but Mirkus managed to get me to safety. He came to check on me the next day, and that''s when he asked me to join him." "That could be seen as bein'' pretty romantic," I chuckled. "I thought so, too. He was the first person to see me for me. Gods, I had such a crush on him. It sent me over the moon when he confessed that he shared my feelings. Mirkus was and remains my closest partner and confidant. I''ll never love another like I loved him." And there it was. The flutterin'' had died out and was replaced with a sting. I could try to argue. Ask her if that''s what he wanted for her. Say that he''d want her to be happy and move on with her life. But as my dad would say, who the hells do I think I am? She''s at peace with her situation, and I''ll be damned to a thousand hemorrhoids before I trample over that. Dunno what makes a man fall for a woman who''s way out of his league, but I think that doctors should find and cure the cause. Glad this weren''t my first crush, or I''d have made a damn fool out of myself. Instead, I sat there with a smile on my face, internally crushing the stupid feelings I had until it they were deader than Mirkus. "I''m glad you two were able to find each other," I said. "So, what''s for breakfast?" "Ground meat, eggs, and tubers," she replied. "Not sure there''s going to be enough excess to fill up a mountain like you, though." "Don''t worry about that," I laughed. "Best not to train on a full stomach anyway, there''s a good chance you''ll lose it." "Lose what?" Nash asked as he walked into the room. Yulk and Nick followed after him, and they all took their places at the table. The few weeks of hand to hand trainin'' had built the human up nicely, but he still looked as tired as a half-drowned bird. Guess he''s wasn''t much of a mornin'' person. "You excited ''bout trainin'' today?" I asked with a grin. "Can''t train today. Gotta leave for school," he replied. "Huh?" "We received a letter from High Chief Ulurmak last night," Yulk explained. "We''ll be boarding a magicart that should be arriving at the guild today at noon and then we''ll be traveling non-stop to Kirkena." I raised my eyebrows at the sorc as Yilda placed a plate in front of me. "Thank you," I bowed a little. "You''re welcome. The rest of you can get your own," she said as she took a seat with her own plate. The three boys rose and walked over to the still steamin'' pan. I waited for Yilda to take the first bite and then I dug in. It was gods damned good, but weird as all hells at the same time. It took a second for my mouth to decide that it liked it. "Woah," I said. "This is awesome! How''d you make this?" "Like I told you, it''s just ground meat, eggs, and tubers," she chuckled. "Glad you like it, though." "Tubers? Like the veggie the dwarves eat?" I asked. "Yep. Nick needs vegetables as part of his diet, so I''ve been experimenting." "I''ll be damned," I said as the boys returned to the table. "It''s really good," Nick said as he took a bite. Nash looked at his food and bit his lip a little. Yilda noticed and turned to stare at her eldest boy. He took a deep breath and released it with a sigh. "I''ve made a decision," he said. "I''m gonna be staying here." "Yeah, we know," Nick chuckled through his food. "Huh?" "Nick and I spoke on this at length and decided that even if you attempted to accompany us, we would convince you to stay," Yulk explained. "The saga of Nima and Nash has been waiting a long time to begin, and it would be a shame to place the strain of distance upon your courtship so early." "But I-" "You can help me with expanding your room," Yilda interrupted. "Yeah, but the thing with the fai-" "You''ll still be able to go play with the fair folk this summer. I plan on hiring some laborers so we can get it done as fast as possible." "You can use my room while yours is being renovated," Yulk added. "I... Alright," Nash nodded. "I''ll take on some jobs to help pay the laborers." "Nah, you focus on the women in your life," I said. "I''ll send some money over. Call it a wedding present." "I don''t need anybody''s coin," Yilda argued. "Sure, but even with the maximum pension you can get from the guild, you''ll have to dip into your food fund," I winked at her. "If the other foods you come up with are even half as good as this is, it would be a crime against civilization to interrupt your experiments." "I think you overestimate the cost of laborers." "Yeah, maybe, but I still wanna do somethin'' nice for y''all for puttin'' up with my early mornin'' visits." "I''m not exactly poor, either," Nash said, then chuckled. "I''ll gladly take your money, though. Pretty sure Nima''s mom isn''t going to be able to put up a dowry. Wasn''t even gonna bother to ask for one, so the extra coin would probably do us some good." "Urela''s financial situation isn''t her fault," Yilda sighed. "The Maxim clan''s had a terrible run of luck, and Agurno being a piece of shit didn''t help things." "Ulurmak''s brother?" I asked. "Yes. He romanced poor Urela and convinced her to move here with him while he played with the dungeon. Urela had Nima, then a year later Agurno got another woman pregnant." "With... Alurn, right?" "That''s right. The Maxim clan''s hierarchs couldn''t afford to retrieve Urela after some bad luck with investments. She''s been stuck here ever since, trying to make a living the best she can. Then he has the nerve to promise to raise both children, ignores Nima for the better part of his time here, then fucked off four or five years ago and hasn''t been back since. I swear, if I ever see that bastard again I''ll castrate him with his own knee-bones." "That''d be a fight I''d love to see," I chuckled, then grew serious. "Should I send the money to Urela instead?" "She would return to sender," Yilda shook her head. "The Maxims have a thing against receiving charity, and Urela is a Maxim through and through. She''d rather die than get a hand-out." "I, on the other hand, wouldn''t mind at all," Nash said with a grin. "If I remember right, doesn''t the thing against getting charity only count for people outside the family? Can''t I give her the coin after the wedding?" "I don''t recall, but you''d best bring it up with Nima before you go making any bold decisions," Yilda said, narrowing her eyes. "Apparently, you and bold decisions pair poorly." Nash fell silent, but Nick and Yulk chuckled. I was confused for a moment, then I remembered that Nash had proposed to Nima out of the blue. In front of everyone at the guild. It brought a smile to my face as I finished my food. "Wh-what do you mean?" Nash asked, pretendin'' to be ignorant. "You know damn well what I mean, boy," Yilda said. "Gods, you''re lucky Nima forgave you or I''d have beat your ass to the ocean and back. Now shut up and finish your food." "Yes ma''am." "All done," Nick grinned. "It was absolutely delicious." "Thank you, Nick," Yilda said with a beaming smile. The human took my empty plate with him to the sink and returned to the table. Soon after, Nash, Yulk, and Yilda finished their meals too. Nash took the dishes to the sink, looking like a stricken pupper. "So, uh... Do ya think I could catch a ride with y''all?" I asked. "Are you sure? It''s a non-stop journey," Yulk said. "It''s bound to get uncomfortable." "Magicarts are both fast and luxurious," I chuckled. "It won''t take that long to get to Kirkena, and we''ll have plenty of room to get a good nap in. If you''d rather travel on your own, though, I get it. Don''t want to be a bother." "No, no. I''d be happy to have you along. A pair of my pupils, Yini and Nimora, will be traveling with us and I''ve been rather nervous about their safety," Yulk admitted. "Nick and I can probably handle it if we get attacked, but more security will bring me peace of mind." "That poor girl," Yilda whispered with a small sigh. "What?" Yulk asked. "Nothing, dear. Just thinking about how they''re likely already at the guildhall waiting for you." "Oh, yes you''re probably right. I suppose we should get going." "I''ll come with to see you off," Nash said. We all stood, and the boys said goodbye to their mom. Hugs and kisses on the cheek were exchanged, and watching them made me miss my own mom. Then the three of them were out the door, but I paused in the doorway. "Take care of yourself, Missus Alta," I said with a soft smile. "You too, Thunra," she replied with a smile of her own. I turned to follow her sons, glad that my heart wasn''t fluttering anymore. Chapter 92 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 9 Human ¨C American We made our way through the village as the early-morning sun tried its best to drive away the chill. As we approached the adventurer''s guild, Yini and Nimora ran up to greet us. Catalina, who must have come to see her friends off, stood near the entrance and watched us. "About time you showed up," Yini poked Yulk in the chest. "We''ve been waiting for you." "Ah, yes. Mother suspected as such," Yulk said with a patronizing smile. "I nearly argued with her because the magicart isn''t due until noon. Then I realized that you are likely excited at the prospect of attending an actual school." "Yeah, the school''s why she''s excited," Nimora said sarcastically. I struggled not to sigh at how close Nimora was standing to me. The hints that she was dropping weren''t exactly subtle. It had been going on since we''d returned to Nuleva. Unfortunately, she had opted for a passive aggressive approach to flirtation. Standing or sitting closer to me than expected or necessary, staring at me when she thinks I can''t see her, laughing a little too hard at my jokes. The type of micro-flirting that one can only engage or ignore. If I actively spoke of my disinterest, she would hide behind the shield of weaponized ignorance. Of course, she''s JUST standing there. She''s JUST laughing at my jokes. She''s JUST looking in my general direction. She''s not flirting or displaying interest whatsoever, and I must be vain to think otherwise. It''s not the first time I''ve encountered this particular form of passive aggression. Cassandra''s best friend, Emily, starting doing things like this about a month after Cass and I started dating. Instead of ignoring the situation and letting Cass handle it, I had pulled the white knight routine and confronted Emily about her behavior. The resulting drama cost Cass and I a couple of friends and nearly broke us up. It''s entirely possible that I''m projecting a falsely toxic personality upon Nimora because of my past experience with Emily. It''s also possible that this is unfair to Nimora, and she simply doesn''t know any better ways to flirt with people. I couldn''t help but be a little upset that I couldn''t simply tell her no and be done with it, though. "There''s a chance that the magicart might get here early," Nash said. "Let''s head in, I want to get Nick''s level tested again." "Really?" I asked. "Yeah, let''s see the results of your training," Thunra beamed. "I can tell you the results. I learned Spear Punch and Knife Hand. I also leveled up Time Dilation, Dash, and Preternatural Evasion." "Leveled up?" Nimora asked. "Nick has an ability that allows him to see a list of his skills. Through this, we discovered that certain skills which we previously believed simply got better with familiarity are actually level based," Yulk explained. "Oh, I see. Do the levels towards your adventurer level?" "We don''t know. In a more controlled environment, we might be able to find out. But it would seem that increasing the levels of a skill happens to be a bit... Temperamental." "You can say that again," I complained. "Everything we went through and they only just now leveled up." "It still takes the rest of us longer," Nash growled. "Now, if you''re done bitching and moaning, let''s get in and get you tested." "But what if I''m not done bitching and moaning?" I asked with a grin. Nash shoved me forward as Yulk, Thunra, and I laughed. We entered the guild walked straight up to Nima. Without even asking what we wanted, she reached under the counter and pulled out the... "You know, I just realized that I don''t even know what this thing is called," I said, gesturing toward the box. Yulk, Nash, and Thunra shared a glance but remained silent. The type of silence that indicated ignorance, which made me feel a lot better about waiting this long to ask. Nima looked at the four of us and shook her head with a smile. "This is the Curaguard Interface Device, or CID for short," Nima explained with a light chuckle. "You''re the first non-employee that I''ve heard ask about it." "Odd," Yulk interjected. "I wonder if there is some sort of psychological manipulation effect on the device that dissuades curiosity." "Or whenever the box comes out people are just thinking about other things," Nash rolled his eyes. "Levels have a high career-impact." "I suppose that could be true as well." Thunra chuckled at my brother''s conversation as Yulk gave Nima my adventurer ID card. She plugged it into the box, and the hand-print appeared after a familiar light-show. I steeled myself, the memory of nearly being killed by this damn thing fresh in my mind, and placed my hand on the light. Instead of searing pain a light tingle passed through my hand and I breathed a sigh of relief. A moment later, the status screen changed slightly. Not knowing what it said, I glanced between Yulk and Nima. Yulk looked like he was stifling a laugh. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Well I''ll be damned. Level eleven!" Thunra said loudly, clapping me on the back. "Two levels?" Yini asked, shocked. Nash growled, "Son of a bi-" "Careful," Yulk interrupted, still struggling to keep his composure. "Mom adopted him, remember?" "Oh shut up, you know what I meant." "What''s the problem?" Thunra asked. "He''s been working just as hard as the rest of us." "That''s the problem," Nash sighed. "He''s working as hard as we are, but gaining new skills, spells, and levels much faster than we can. It''s... Frustrating." "Oh, sure. I get where you''re comin'' from, but there''s a couple things to take into account here. First off, he ain''t the same species as we are. Maybe that''s why he''s got an advantage, or maybe that advantage comes with some disadvantages that we don''t know yet. Second, he may not have to work as long as you, but he''s gotta work just as hard so it ain''t like he''s gettin'' these levels for free. Third, you aren''t in competition. His strength boosts your own," Thunra explained with a shrug. "I can see the view from your hill, but I think you''re lookin'' in the wrong direction." Nash scowled, then looked at Nima who was nodding sagely in agreement with Thunra. We stood in silence for a moment as Nash processed everything. Finally, he let out a big sigh. "I guess you''re right," he shook his head. "I''m probably just upset that it took so damn long for me to get to this point." "And what do we do when we''re in the wrong?" Nima asked patronizingly. "I- Uh... Sorry Nick," he said quietly. "Did you say something, darling?" "Please accept my humblest apologies for taking my frustrations out on you, Nick," he said at a level of volume that could only be described as sarcastic. "I hope that one day I can be granted the boon of your forgiveness." "That''s better," Nima smiled with an equal measure of sarcasm. Nima gave me my ID, and I absentmindedly passed it back to Yulk. It had finally happened, I''d caught up to Nash in levels. Does that mean I''m as strong as he is? His size alone made that difficult to believe. "Let''s grab a place to sit before it fills up in here," Thunra suggested. "Anyone want breakfast? My treat." The girls quickly agreed, and we picked one of the large tables to sit at. My mind barely registered that it was the very same one we had chosen to sit at the night Nash had made a fool of himself by proposing to Nina. I was so preoccupied that I almost didn''t notice that Nimora had once again chosen the seat on my right, as well. Nash and I were both level eleven. Not that I would have to, but I doubted that I could actually take him in a fight. My burly brother definitely had more fighting experience than I did, and even after all my training and leveling up I felt like if I didn''t get a lucky shot in he''d wipe the floor with me. Even Yulk would probably wreck me if it came down to it. The power of my spells weren''t anything to scoff at, but the variety that Yulk can use would likely give him the win in a duel of magic. He probably has spells that would give him the win even if I were to use my physical advantage against him. So then, what''s the point of the levels, exactly? I''m four levels above Yulk and doubt my ability to beat him. I''m the same level as Nash but not even close to his equal in a fight. Yet Thunra, being several levels above my own, could also wipe the floor with all three of us in a real fight without even breaking a sweat. I had seen people place importance on levels. They even had phrases like ''over-tens'' and ''over-twenties'', denoting an obvious difference between the two. Yet here I sat, a brand-new ''over-ten'' who didn''t really notice a difference in my actual ability to fight. Maybe Nash was right to be upset. He was definitely right about one thing, though. I''d put in work, but it had come easier to me than it had to him. He had actually been forced to put his life at risk to gain the skills and experience that he has. I''d gained most of mine in training. I absentmindedly listened to the conversation around me. The girls were talking about their hopes for the school, and Yulk was desperately trying to temper their expectations and them back to reality. Nash and Thunra were barely listening, seemingly focused on me. "You know, Nick, you''ve done real good with your training," Thunra interrupted the girls, who quickly fell silent. "Maybe you got an advantage bein'' a human. Maybe you don''t. Either way, there ain''t another soul in this village who could have kept up with me in the ring like you did." We all sat silently for a moment while I tried to figure out how to reply. "Th-thank you," I said. "I''ve done martial arts before, though, back in my worl-" "You deserve the compliment, Nick," Nash sighed. "I was being unfair earlier. It''s hard to see someone surpass you, and you''re well on your way to doing that. Hells, you probably already have." "N-no way," I replied, shocked by Nash''s attitude shift. "If we fought for real, you''d kick my ass." "Maybe, but it would be a close thing. And it would depend on your confidence going into the fight. You''re close enough to my level of skill with weaponry that I have nothing left to teach you, and on top of that you have unarmed expertise and magic. You think that after your training with Thunra I can still take you in a fist-fight?" "I... Are you saying you can''t?" "Of course not. Not if you put any sort of effort into it. Sure, I know how to throw a punch and deflect, but I don''t have any skills that would let me keep up with you or Thunra. Then there''s the magic thing. I can''t do magic at all. Not a single fuckin'' spell. And I''ve learned the hard way from sparring with Yulk that magic isn''t something to scoff at." "He''s right," Thunra added. "If a sorc gets a spell off before you get close enough to engage them, you''ll be lucky to live through the experience." "Yeah, and on top of that, you''re about to be on your way to hone your skills in magic," Nash said. "It probably won''t be long before you no longer need Yulk and I for combat support." "We''ll still accompany you, though," Yulk chuckled. "Extra bodies are always a boon in a fight. Additionally, we know more about this world than you do." "I-I don''t know what to say," I replied. "Thank you." Thunra, who was sitting to my left, clapped his massive hand onto my back. The group returned to their discussions, and I returned to my thoughts. A lot of the anxiety that had been building up in my gut had suddenly faded away, and I found myself finally feeling excited for what''s to come. I wondered what the Magic Academy would be like. I''d seen a few movies and shows that featured similar settings, but the High Chief had made it sound like this one wasn''t going to be nearly as grand as most of those were. I almost chuckled at the mental image of learning new and powerful spells in the back of a shed. Before I knew it, it was nearly noon. We left the guild and waited outside for the arrival of the magicart. Not long after, a large hnarse-less carriage rolled up in front of the building. The wooden portions of the magicart were painted dark green and had golden inlays that glimmered in the sun. Four lanterns were installed on the top of the carriage, but they weren''t lit. There was also a place for a driver, occupied by an orc in a scout uniform. "Magicart for Yulk and Nick," the driver announced. "That would be us," Yulk said. "We would like to take three more with us, is that acceptable?" "Yes, sir. Please board with your party, we will be leaving shortly." The driver hopped down, opened the door for us, then walked into the guild. I raised an eyebrow, and Nash laughed. "Probably has to take a leak," he said. "Alright, brothers. I won''t be along to keep you out of trouble this time. Don''t do anything that will make mom kill you." "We won''t," Yulk replied, then grinned. "Probably." "Good luck with Nima," I said. The girls said their goodbyes to each other, and Thunra shook Nash''s hand. Then we helped the girls load their bags and threw our sacks next to them. We climbed into the magicart as the driver came back, and waved at Nash and Catalina as we began to drive away. "Next stop, Kirkena," the driver said. Chapter 93 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 11 Human ¨C American There wasn''t much to do on the drive to Kirkena except nap. I awoke as the magicart lurched to a stop in front of a building that looked remarkably similar to a painted warehouse. Before I could even finish my double take, the driver opened the door and everyone started climbing out. Yini and Nimora looked around in awe as Thunra grabbed our bags from the back of the magicart and returned them to their rightful owners. As each of us grabbed our bags, we received a handshake. "Thanks for the lift," Thunra said when it was Yulk''s turn. "What''ll you do now?" I asked. "Well, I''m hopin'' they''ve reserved my room at my favorite inn. Truscker''s, if you were wonderin''. Once I get settle in, I''ll take on some jobs." "I was under the impression that you had plenty of money," Yulk said. "Yeah, got more than I know how to spend. I just like the work," Thunra chuckled. "But who knows, after all this education talk I figure I might open a fight school. Brawlin''s usually passed down from parent to child, which... I dunno. Hurts relationships, ya know? Better to hate a teacher than your mom or pa, right?" "I suppose so." "Yeah. Anyways, send me a message when y''all got some more free time. Trainin''s far from over," the massive orc winked at me, then laughed. I sighed as Thunra walked away, laughing the whole time. I couldn''t wait to forget about melee fighting for a while. Ten had been working overtime to make sure that I felt as little of Thunra''s training as possible, but it still sucked. The magicart continued on its way and we walked up to the entrance of the magic academy. The doors had recently been replaced and a new coat of brown paint had been slapped over the exterior, but you could still tell this building had seen better days. It looked more like a rich person''s warehouse than a school for the study of magic. Still, learning magic in an over-sized shack is better than not learning magic at all. I pushed the door and it opened without resistance, allowing us to walk inside. The interior didn''t look much better than the exterior, but it was cleaner than I expected. It also smelled like recent renovations had just occurred. Sawdust, paint, and other construction-related scents lingered in the air around us. "Welcome to the Kirkena Academy of Magic," a female gnome said as she descended the main staircase. "I am Headmaster Malura Grinzaw. And you must be?" "Pleasure to meet you, Headmaster," Yulk bowed slightly. "I am Yulk of Clan Alta, and these are my students. Nick Smith, Nimora Clawlin, and Yini Amagron." "I see," she said, raising an eyebrow. "You''re the first teacher who has brought their own students. Just as well. Along with these three, we have only 20 students." "How many teachers are there?" I asked. "Five." "Only five?" Yulk asked. "Did any of my recommendat-" "Yes," Malura interrupted with a sigh. "Both of them were approved and, with some difficulty, contacted. They both of them accepted. Olmira has already arrived and made herself at home, Lord VysImiro is still en route." "Excellent." I was glad to hear that Olmira was going to be a teacher, and wondered who Lord VysImiro was. The name sounded familiar, but I was drawing a blank. Malura gestured for us to follow her and began giving us a tour of the school. We entered a few of the classrooms and had a look around. Each classroom had a lectern and fifteen seats with small tables next to them. I had expected desks, but these were armchairs. They looked really comfortable, too. "As you can see, we are currently a little over-furnished," Malura sighed. "These rooms are where you will begin class unless told otherwise, but I''m sure you won''t spend much time here." "Why not?" Yini asked. "Magic is best taught in practicum. Lectures are useful for establishing the basic concepts of some of the more complicated spells, but most people learn best by doing. Let''s move on." Malura then led us further down the hallway and out the rear entrance. We entered a large yard with neatly trimmed grass and a high wall. Several groups of straw-man targets were spread throughout the yard, all facing the back wall. "This is where the practical learning will take place," she said, gesturing toward the targets. "The walls are reinforced with glyphs and we have plenty of targets, so there''s no need to hold back. Using your magic on other students is completely forbidden, of course, with a zero-tolerance policy. Expulsion is the minimum penalty if this rule is violated, but criminal charges may be applied in egregious circumstances. This includes healing spells, as well. If someone is injured, one of the faculty will heal them. Finally, a member of faculty must accompany any students who wish to use this training yard. Any questions?" Yini, Nimora, and I glanced at each other, then shook our heads. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Yes," Yulk said, chuckling. "When will classes start, and how will they function?" "Oh yeah," Yini whispered to herself. "We begin lessons the day after Lord VysImiro arrives. Each day will be split into five periods and each student will receive a schedule that will tell them which classrooms they will need to be in at which times. Each period will be with a different teacher," Malura explained. "This is, of course, subject to change as things develop. We''re still in the experimental stage, so there''s going to be plenty of developments and changes to look forward to." "Are there accommodations for students and staff?" "Yes. High Chief Ulurmak has sequestered an inn across the road that has been struggling to pay its debts. It has been converted into a dormitory and cafeteria for the students. The top floor of the academy has living space for the teachers. Both of these amenities are available on an as-needed basis, of course. Will your students be requiring room and board?" "Yes," Yulk answered. He began to explain our situation to the headmaster in more detail, and I took a closer look around our surroundings. The wall was very tall, probably something like twelve or fifteen feet, but there were still some buildings peeking over it as if they were curious. The academy must be fairly close to High Chief Ulurmak''s offices. The outskirts of the city looked like any other village, but as you got further in things began to look more metropolitan. I looked at the academy again, and realized that we were probably near an industrial area. Unless the building didn''t actually used to be a warehouse, which would be an absolute shock. Then the girls caught my eye. While my first impression of the Kirkena Academy of Magic was a disappointed one, Yini and Nimora seemed absolutely enamored. Both of them were zoned out, studying the area around us. None of Nuleva''s buildings were quite as large as the warehouse/academy, let alone the massive structures surrounding it. They were no skyscrapers, but to two young girls from a village these buildings were an impressive feat of architecture. "Okay, I understand," Malura said. "Take your students to the inn and find them a room, I''ll have the necessary paperwork ready for you when you get back. Then we''ll discuss what''s going to be required of your position." "Yes, madam headmaster," Yulk bowed a little. "Okay, children, come along." Yini and Nimora whipped their heads toward the chuckling orc angrily. Before they could start chewing him out, though, he began walking back toward the academy as quickly as he could. The girls stared after Yulk in disbelief, and then the three of us followed after him. They gave him an earful as we journeyed through the underwhelming academy and across the street to an inn that didn''t look much better. It made me wonder if these were the slums of Kirkena. However, the inn took me by surprise by looking much better on the inside than the outside. The entrance doubled as a tavern-style restaurant, and there were several people milling around. An elf behind the counter greeted us as we approached. Yulk greeted her back as I politely ignored stares and double-takes. "We have some students of the academy that need rooms," Yulk explained with a smile. "Oh good! We''d love to have more guests," the elf said with a grin. "Three rooms?" "No, two will be fine," Yulk replied. "I thought we could double up, if that''s okay," Yini said. "It would save some space." "We have plenty of rooms," the woman smiled politely. "And none of them have two beds." "Wait, where''s Nick staying?" Nimora asked. "Nick and I will be staying at the Marfix Inn," Yulk explained. "It should be relatively nearby." "What!? How can you possibly afford that?" "We get to stay there for free," I answered. "We saved the owner''s... Nephew?" "Wasn''t it his son?" Yulk asked. "I uh... I don''t recall... Anyway, we saved the owner''s family member and now we can stay there for free." "Well that''s not fair," Nimora pouted. "From an existential point of view, you''re correct," Yulk chuckled. "However, it is a reward for a good deed that we''ve done, at much risk to our own health, might I add. Plus, our stay at the Marfix will make room for more students and teachers. And Nick won''t be gawked at quite as often." Nimora looked around us and went quiet. The stares weren''t new to me, and I''d been ignoring them, but I would be lying if I said it didn''t bother me. Nimora must have been in her own little world to not have noticed. "Our lodgings may not be quite as luxurious as the Marfix Inn, but we hold ourselves to a very high standard," the elf interjected. "I promise that you''ll enjoy your stay!" "How much does it cost?" Yini asked. "It''s free for students of the magic academy. We get compensated by the government for each student that stays here. Same with your meals, by the way. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are available to every student, free of charge." "That''s probably going to change at some point, so you''d better make sure to take advantage of it while you can," Yulk said. "I think they''ll probably just add it to the cost of tuition," I argued. "Perhaps. Regardless, let''s get the girls settled in and then get checked in at the Marfix." The receptionist gave Yini and Nimora their keys, and we carried their bags up to their rooms. The girls decided to stay behind and see if they could meet some of the other students while Yulk and I got went to the Marfix Inn. We asked the receptionist for directions, and we arrived after a short walk. The luxury of the Marfix greeted us warmly, and it didn''t take long to get settled in. Yulk needed to go back to the academy to do paperwork and learn more about his role as a teacher, but I opted to stay behind and relax a bit. After a swim, sauna, shower, and meal I returned to my room and kicked my feet up. To be honest, I was experiencing a bit of inner turmoil. Part of me was excited about learning magic, but part of me was very, very nervous. What if this doesn''t live up to my expectations? Or if I don''t live up to everyone else''s expectations? It would really suck if I only learn one or two spells. On the other hand, what if I learn a crazy number of powerful spells and further ostracize myself? The confession Nash had made before we left had left an impression on me, even if it was a small one. If I end up becoming the strongest fighter ever, what right do I have to ask my brothers to accompany me on what may turn out to be an extremely dangerous quest? Finding my way back home on my own would be difficult, but with overwhelming firepower it would be almost irresponsible for me to even consider bringing them with me. Right? What if they die because of me? Could I trade their lives to return to Cass? Do I have that right? Yulk''s assessment of our situation came into play, as well. I don''t know this world, and I''ll need a guide on my adventure. Someone who can read, at the very least. My brothers promised to help me see this through, and they probably knew better than I could how dangerous this might be. Would it be right to force them to break that promise? Faced with the anxieties of an uncertain future, I sighed. The next leg of my quest would be to meet with the court of the fair folk and request their aid. After that, who knows? Maybe the journey won''t be as treacherous as I''m making it out to be. Maybe Yulk and Nash will be able to accompany me without any fear of getting hurt. Or maybe it will be so dangerous that our lives will be on the line every step of the way. But... If I get strong enough I might be able to protect them. Nash probably won''t like having to rely on me for fights, but it''s better than the alternative. They can guide me and support me, and I can make sure they make it home okay. I just need to get a lot stronger. Chapter 94 Nick Smith Adventurer Level: 11 Human ¨C American The chair I sat in and watched as the other students took their seats was very comfortable. Such a seat was much appreciated, given how few and far between such comforts tend to be. Even with my constant stay in the Marfix Inn, I knew better than to take the small comforts for granted. The schedule I''d been given had Yulk as my first teacher, then Olmira, Mr. Descu, Mr. Tyinora, and finally Lord VysImiro. I wanted to ask Yulk about VysImiro, but he had arrived after I fell asleep and had left before my wake-up call. Then when I''d arrived to class, he''d hurried me to my seat, which prompted me to give up and just wait to meet him. Our class was comprised of a total of four students, an elf, two orcs, and me. The elf was a bit on the older side, but the orcs appeared to be around the same age as Yini and Nimora. I hadn''t exactly been asking people about their ages, but it would be safe to assume they were all about the same age as me. "Welcome to class, my prospective pupils," Yulk said with a grin. "As I''m sure you''re aware, my name is Mister Alta. In this class, we will be covering the foundations of magic. Specifically, concepts and practices that are shared by the majority of spells, regardless of caster. Who can give me an example?" The elf raised her hand, and Yulk nodded for her to continue. She explained that conceptualization was an example of a practice shared by all forms of magic. Yulk agreed and launched into a lecture. The orcs were paying close attention to him, but gave me more than a few curious glances. The lecture continued into methods of conceptualization. Yulk didn''t say anything I didn''t already know, so I let the other students answer questions and sat quietly. My brother noticed my detachment and decided to pick on me. "Conceptualization becomes more or less important depending upon what you are conceptualizing," he said, then looked directly at me. "Nick, which would be more powerful to cast fireball. Conceptualizing the flame itself, or a fuel source for the flame?" I thought about it for a moment, then realized that I didn''t actually know for sure. One would imagine that imagining flames would be better for a spell like fireball. With a small sigh, I decided to wing it. "Well, flames happens when a fuel source begins shedding ions and electrons at a rapid rate, then having them recombine into molecules in a process that produces light and heat," I explained, recalling a random video that I had seen. "This process is caused by the fuel source reaching a high enough temperature for it to ignite. If I understand conceptualization properly, then imagining the processes behind a flame would be more effective than imagining the processes behind a fuel source reaching its ignition point." The class stared silently at me with clueless expressions on their faces. I quickly realized that I had gone overboard with my explanation and nearly winced. Yulk, however, recovered rather quickly and cleared his throat. "Well, that explains a lot," he chuckled. "You''re correct, though. Imagining the flame is always more potent than imagining the source of the flames. Just as imagining water taking form is more potent than imagining rain. So, if you want to cast a potent fireball, focus on the flames, not the campfire." The rest of the class was spent speaking about the various tactics that mages use to conceptualize their spells. Some mages memorize phrases that help them remember how a spell works, others keep objects on their person that do the same thing. Most just use the spells enough that they memorize the conceptualizations. Yulk didn''t call on me for the rest of class, which I was extremely grateful for. A bell began ringing loud enough to echo throughout the school. Yulk dismissed us, and we traveled to our next class. The other students were grouped together, walking a few feet ahead of me. It would have been insulting had I not been fully prepared for that kind of reaction. After all, I''m a stranger with a strange face in a strange land. Olmira the Eternal greeted us as we entered the class and took our seats. She took an extra moment to say that she was glad to see me again, and happy that we had survived our last adventure. This caused more confused glances from my classmates, but the vampire launched into her lesson without further elaboration. "My name is Olmira the Eternal. I prefer that you simply call me Olmira, but in formal setting you may call me Lady Olmira. In this class we will be learning about glyphs and barriers," she explained. "Who can tell me what glyphs are most commonly used for?" The elf once again raised her hand and was called on. "Glyphs are mostly used for enchantments, but can also be used to lock doors," she said. "Hmm," Olmira squeezed her chin. "You''re close. Glyphs can be used to make enchantments and to lock doors, yes, but there''s a far more common use for them. One that you''ll no doubt run into as an adventurer. Any other guesses?" "Traps?" I asked. "Correct! Good work, Nick, but please raise your hand in the future," she said with a disarming smile. "Yes, Lady Olmira." She picked up on the slight sarcasm in my reply and gave me a small glare. I smiled politely at her, and she continued her lecture on traps. The main points of her lecture were that almost all dungeons have traps, and nearly all of these traps are glyphs. Various governments also keep their confidential records behind trapped doors, which also use glyphs. Even consumer industries, like banks and storage services, use glyphs to set traps for unwary robbers. She then explained that glyphs rely on a physical medium that creates a symbol. Clever traps typically disguise their glyphs in ways that are difficult to spot so that they can''t be disarmed. I wondered what would happen if someone used invisible ink, but decided to keep my mouth shut. Olmira then move on to discussing barriers. Barriers use both runes and glyphs. The glyphs that initially create the barrier are intricate and difficult to make, which means that the stones they''re carved on are rather expensive. When the stone is activated, a magical barrier covered in runes is created. These runes strengthen the barrier against specific types of ingress. From what I could tell, runes are essentially glyphs made out of magical energy. Both use arcane symbology, but the effects of runes are far more potent than glyphs. But to be effective, runes have to be composed of magical energy, whereas glyphs merely need to be infused with magic. It was a very informative class, but before I knew it the bell rang and it was time to go to the next one. We walked in the same formation, but this time my classmates were comfortable enough for some chatter about what we had just learned. Inside the next class was a gnome with a very short desk in front of him. We took our seats and the gnome cleared his throat. "Welcome, my name is Mister Descu and I will be teaching you about enchantments," the gnome said. "It is a complicated subject with many intricacies and expenses, so most of this class will be lectures rather than practical learning." Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Mister Descu did a lot more lecturing than asking questions. He explained that enchantments could be done multiple ways. The first and most common way was with glyphs. However, only a select few glyphs would work with enchanting, and if those glyphs were damaged the enchantment would no longer function. Another, far more difficult and durable, method of enchanting involved invocation. He explained that invocation is a poorly understood school of magic, but invokers explain it as calling upon mystic forces for aid in imbuing an object with certain properties. This particular type of enchantment is very potent, but can only be performed with particularly durable materials. The end result can last the entire career of a normal adventurer, but normal adventurers wouldn''t be able to afford it. Blessings were the final method of enchantment that Mister Descu covered. An extremely rare and potent type of enchantment, a blessing is when a being from another, more powerful plane of existence imbues an object with special capabilities. It''s similar in many ways to invocation enchanting, but doesn''t require an invoker. My thoughts turned to my cuirass and helmet. The cuirass was probably enchanted with invocations, but the helmet was probably a blessing. I thought about whether or not I should bring this up. Before I figured out how to phrase the question, though, the bell rang. This is when our lunch period was scheduled, and we dutifully walked across the street to get some food. My eyes trailed over the tavern-like lunch area, but couldn''t find anyone I recognized. The paper detailing the state-sponsored school lunch mentioned that there were two lunch schedules. I wondered when Nimora and Yini would be having theirs. Nimora''s affections were annoying, but it was better than being ignored. Or whispered about in hushed tones, which happened while I ate. The food wasn''t bad, but I''d had a big breakfast and was mostly picking at it. When I saw my classmates finish theirs, I decided that it was time that I''d finished mine. Just in time, too, because the bell rang again by the time we''d reentered the school. Once again I trailed after my classmates. This time we passed Yini and Nimora, who waved at me. I waved back, happy to get acknowledged by someone other than teachers. My classmates saw the exchange, but pretended not to notice. It was difficult to tell if it was fear or malice that caused their avoidance, but I''d be lying if I said it wasn''t beginning to wear thin. "Sit down," a dark gray elf standing at the front of the class said as we entered. Once we were seated, he continued, "My name is Argus Tyinora. I see from your expressions that you were not expecting to be taught by a drow. Thankfully, I was pestered by questions enough today to be able to anticipate yours. No, I am not a subject of the Night Kingdom. No, I was not born in the Night Kingdom. Yes, I have fought against the Night Kingdom. No, I hold no love for any drow other than my wife, children, mother, father, and siblings. I am a level twenty-two adventuring sorcerer. Those are all of the personal questions that I will answer. You will call me Mister Tyinora and I will teach you the tactical applications of magic." The drow had begun to explain how useful tactics were in a fight when it struck me that he looked remarkably similar to the vampire that I, or Ten I guess, killed in the Empire of Calkuti. The same dungeon that we met Larie the Lich, in fact. I began to wonder what Larie and the kobolds were up to when Mister Tyinora cleared his throat angrily. "Nick the human," he said sternly. "I realize that you are an adventurer and likely know a good portion of this information. If you wouldn''t mind, though, could you at least pretend to pay attention?" "Sorry, sir," I replied. "Actually, come to think of it Mister Alta claims that you have an immense reserve of magic. Perhaps a practical demonstration of my lecture is in order," the drow grinned maliciously. "I''m sure you''ve been sitting in classrooms all day. Come, let''s quit to the training yard." Mister Tyinora opened the classroom door and gestured for us to enter the hallway. He then led us out the rear entrance of the school. After examining a few of the targets, he turned to us and focused on me. "Nick. I want you to fire one of your spells at this group of targets," he gestured toward a cluster of five dummies. "Don''t worry about holding back, the point is to destroy as many of them as possible. Show us what you''ve got, human." His last line felt like a challenge and prickled the hairs on the back of my neck. Fine, if that''s the way he wants it. I walked up to the firing line, held out my hand, and concentrated. "Raeps Dniw Tsac!" The well-trimmed grass flattened as a massive blast of wind shot from my hand, pushing me back a step. Three of the targets immediately disappeared, leaving the furthermost targets on the right and left standing. I turned around and was greeted by looks of awe from my classmates. Mister Tyinora, however, looked unimpressed. "Quite powerful," he nodded. "Now take down the remainder." I tried, and realized that I was out of magic. I took a few deep breaths, but before I could regenerate the magic Mister Tyinora tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to look at him and was met with another malicious grin. "And you''re dead," he said. "You see, Nick, this is the exact lecture that I was giving. The tactical usage of your magic reserve to ensure that you do not deplete it in the middle of a fight. Or, in this case, at the very beginning of it. Allow me to demonstrate a more effective way to use magic." He turned and walked over to another group of five dummies and gestured for us to join him. We did, and he held up his hand. The words came from his mouth so fast that I couldn''t even hear them, and five powerful yet well-controlled wind spears flew from his hand and destroyed the dummies. "There you have it," Mister Tyinora dusted his hands off. "All five enemies dead, and I still have more in the tank. Tell me, human, what happens if your initial volley misses?" "Well, um... I also have training in sword fighting and hand to hand combat..." "How practical. Unfortunately for the rest of us, it is rare for someone gifted with magical potency to also possess an aptitude for physical fighting. Of course, combat is about doing whatever it takes to survive, but it would be better to enter it with as much preparation as possible. Wouldn''t you agree?" "Yes, sir." "Excellent. Then I demand that you pay close attention to my lessons and learn to control your magical output with a skill that is borderline surgical," he turned to the other three students. "It''s likely that this human just used the most powerful version of Wind Spear that you''ve ever seen. Personally, I''ve only seen more power on a handful of occasions. However, I assure you that at his current understanding of magical warfare, were we to come to blows I would be able to defeat him. The same could be said for all of you if you study well. Let us return to class." I followed after Mister Tyinora with mixed feelings. On one hand, he had kind of made a fool out of me. On the other, he had made a really good point and hadn''t been overly rude about it. One couldn''t even really call it tough love. I also got the feeling that he wasn''t lying about being able to kick my ass. Couldn''t quite put my finger on it, but something about the way he moved told me that my strikes wouldn''t reach him. Guess that makes sense, considering that he''s an over-twenty like Thunra. The rest of class was spent explaining exactly what had happened on the training field from an educative standpoint. I had spent all of my magic in one powerful attack, and Mister Tyinora had fired five smaller spells in rapid succession. He also pointed out that the rapidity with which one can use a spell often times decides the victor of a fight. I paid close attention to the rest of the lecture until the bell finally rang. Letting my frustrations get the better of me, I decided to be the first out the door and lead the pack this time. Instead of hanging back, though, they quickly caught up to me. "Hi, I''m Irl," one of the orcs said. "I''m Nir," the other orc grinned. "That was a really cool spell!" "And I am Volus," the elf said hurriedly. "Do you know other spells?" "Y-yeah," I replied, a little shocked. "Um... I know Fireball, Ice Javelin, Light, Earthen Dagger, Heal, and Minor Heal." "What''s Ice Javelin?" Nir asked. "Exactly what it sounds like. Shoots a javelin made of ice at your target." "What''s the difference between Heal and Minor Heal?" Volus asked. "Minor Heal heals other people. Heal only heals me." "Where did you learn all those spells?" Irl asked. "Yu- uh... Mister Alta taught me some of them. I learned the rest through trial and error." "How do you know Mister Alta?" "He''s my brother by adoption. Our other brother, Nash, found me in a dungeon in Nuleva." There were many other questions, and I did my best to answer them all as we continued to our next class. It felt good, like I''d passed a hurdle and accomplished something. Our conversation was interrupted when we reached our last class of the day, though. A tall, domineering elf stood outside of the class. "Hello, students," she said. "Due to an incident that occurred this morning, we are reminding all of our students that Lord VysImiro is here at the invitation of High Chief Ulurmak and has been vouched for by a member of the illustrious Alta Clan. Violence against our teachers will not be tolerated. Please enjoy the class." Confused, we nodded as she stepped aside. An incident occurred this morning? Violence against the teachers? One of the teachers is a drow, but this is the one that comes with a warning? Just who is this Lord VysImiro? My classmates looked at me expectantly. I sighed and trepidatiously walked in. I heard the slight pops of four mouths opening in shock as we saw who the final teacher was, and realized that one of the mouths was my own. "Nick!" the teacher said, his bare skull forming an unnatural smile. "I was wondering when you were going to be in my class." "Larie?" I asked. Chapter 95 Volus Adventurer Level: N/A Elf ¨C Kirkenan "Larie?" Nick asked, dumbfounded. The human''s familiarity with the creature helped my heart settle a little, but not by much. Nir and Irl were also taken aback, but they didn''t seem to recognize the abomination. I knew what stood before us, though, the epitome of misguided mortal ambition and a testament to the depravity that lurks within us all. My master had allowed me the use of his library whenever I finished my daily duties earlier than expected. Of the vast number of books contained within, only one tome dared to depict the terrible nature of a lich. Even that tome only spoke in allegory and metaphor so as to protect its reader from the true horrors involved. "Surprised to see me?" Lord VysImiro chuckled. "Yulk recommended me to High Chief Ulurmak." "Well, that doesn''t surprise me," Nick sighed. "You agreed, though?" "Of course. I possess a great deal of knowledge and experience that would benefit a great many," the lich nodded somberly. "High Chief Ulurmak sent a very respectful delegation who made certain to point this out to me. They effectively guilted me into it." A mortal that wishes to become a lich must subject several victims to extensive tortures and extract specific humors from what little blood remains. The process of this extraction is always fatal, releasing each of the poor victims from their mangled mortal shell. The lich then uses these humors to craft a potion that allows them to escape the notice of the Higher Ones while they take the next step toward their own damnation. The tome that I read did not specify the number of victims required, but it implied that it was over one hundred. It also implied that the next step in the process requires twice that number of victims, all of whom had to be children or infants. Anything capable of such terrible acts would be crushed under the weight of their guilt, were they able to feel even a smidge of empathy. So how can this thing be guilted into something? Could this creature be something other than a lich? "What about the kobolds?" Nick asked. "They''ve achieved a semblance of self-sufficiency. Simeeth, the kobold you''re familiar with, has a rather surprising knack for leadership. With some clear and concise instructions, they should be able to thrive without me for quite some time," the lich explained, then laughed. "I can only hope that my instructions were clear and concise enough. Now, please take your seats." Nick nodded and unceremoniously plopped himself into one of the chairs. The orcs and I shared a glance and reluctantly followed suit. Our teacher was likely an abomination, but there was little I could do about it. Attacking it would spell my doom, regardless of whether or not I was successful in destroying it, which was quite unlikely. Plus, what if it wasn''t actually a lich? "Thank you for your prompt attendance," it said with a nod. "My name is Larie VysImiro, Lord of the Fallen and King of the Kobolds." With the pronouncement of his title, several facts came together within my mind. VysImiro, as in HOUSE VysImiro, the noble house founded by the great magus Imlor VysImiro the Grand. The most famous gnome to ever live! Larie VysImiro, his son, was one of the greatest healers to ever grace the mortal realm! But... It can''t be the same Larie VysImiro. A lich can live in perpetuity, but how could someone with such legendary kindness and compassion become such a monstrosity? And how could it dare to show its face here in such a state? Is it counting upon our own kindness and ignorance to avoid punishment for its misdeeds? Or was the great Larie VysImiro cursed somehow, and simply resembles a lich? "I''m afraid that due to the customs of the Unified Chiefdoms, you must refer to me as Lord VysImiro," it explained. "Of course, I won''t do anything if you call me something else, but..." The lich trailed off and looked pointedly at the muscular elf sitting behind us. She smiled at our glances with a hint of maliciousness. I noticed the emblem of the Pumos Trade Union pinned to her shirt. A trade union enforcer? Despite her chosen trade, I felt a sort of kinship with her. Like me, she was an elf surrounded by orcs and worked in a male-dominated field. I wondered if she had felt as much pressure from them during her career as I had in my own. Probably, but whilst I must utilize passive aggression and my wits, she probably just punches anyone that gets too mouthy. Must be cathartic. "In this class I will be teaching you everything that I know about the art of healing," Lord VysImiro explained. "However, before we begin our lesson I feel that my current state of being needs to be addressed. I am a lich." My heart pounded at the confirmation. An obscenity stood before us, intending to teach us the sacrosanct art of healing? What in the hells was happening here? Has the High Chief lost his mind? The color drained from Nir''s face, but Irl cautiously raised his hand. "Yes?" Lord VysImiro asked. "W-well, Lord, uh..." Irl stammered. "What''s a lich?" "I appreciate the question. It takes courage to reveal one''s ignorance and attempt to correct it," it paused for a moment, as if to gather its words. "A lich is the atrocious result of an utterly disgraceful attempt to violate the natural order of life and achieve immortality." He practically spat the words, and the venom in his tone shocked me. Where was this anger coming from? Is he ashamed of what he has done? Nir and I shared a quick expression of confusion with each other, but Nick noticed. "Lord VysImiro didn''t choose to become a lich," Nick explained. "It was forced upon him by-." "Nick, though speaking out of turn, is correct," our teacher interrupted. "The story of how I was turned into what I am is a matter for another time, though. We have precious little time together, and plenty to lear-" I raised my hand, cutting him off. His attention turned to me, and I stared into the void that his eyes should rest in. "Yes?" he asked. "I''m sorry Lord VysImiro, but I have to know," I said, gathering my courage. "You seem to acknowledge that your existence is an affront to all that is good and right, but... Well, why haven''t you..." I trailed off, too afraid to finish the question. Silence filled the classroom as my classmates stared at me in shock. The only one who had seemed to expect the question was the lich. "Tried to end my existence?" Lord VysImiro finished my question, then sighed. "I hardly see how that''s any of your business, but if you must know, I have. Unfortunately, a lich cannot kill itself. I can do nothing that may harm my phylacteries, not even reveal their locations, and damaging my own physical form will only result in my own revival." "But-" "That''s quite enough," the elf behind me angrily interrupted. "Lord VysImiro, please start your lesson." The lich stared at me for a moment, its skull utterly devoid of expression, then played with some papers at its desk. It then stood and began to lecture us on the art of healing. I received some rather unkind glances from my classmates that caused me to blush, but before long they were enraptured by the lesson. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. I tried to pay attention as Lord VysImiro explained the basic concepts of healing spells, but my thoughts were racing. How could one be forced into lichdom? Even so, why would the High Chief choose them to teach something so sacrosanct? Finally, why am I the only one who seems to be upset by this development? Perhaps I had taken after my master too much. For almost a decade now, I''d served as the butler of Lord Alvintis Maxim, Patriarch of the Maxim clan. I''d often been told that his views on right and wrong were much too black and white, but they had always made sense to me. His views on morality were the entire reason I was able to attend this school in the first place. Ever since I revealed my desire to learn magic to him as a young girl, he''d been lamenting how unfair it is to keep me as his butler. He had even queried several mages over the years, hoping to find me a sufficient tutor. They were all either too busy or too greedy, though. When High Chief Ulurmak had requested that Lord Maxim invest in this school, my master agreed on the condition that I be accepted. It was a very kind gesture, one which I am utterly unworthy of, but it came with a catch. The Maxim Clan is no longer in a position in which to be charitable. Once I achieve competency in magic, I''ll return to my master and act as his head of security and advisor of the arcane until my retirement. It''s an arrangement that I''m more than happy with, of course, but Lord Maxim still lamented its necessity. The previous head of security had fled her post to elope with Lord Maxim''s youngest daughter. A lesser mer would have had bounty hunters on her tail for her audacity, but he simply wished the young couple well and chose me to fill the position. Things had lined up almost perfectly, in fact. I wondered what my master would do in my position, and decided to write him and ask. He will be able to judge the situation better than I ever could. If I''m right to feel this way, he''ll explain what I should do about it. If I''m in the wrong, he''ll explain why in such a way that will alleviate my ill-feelings. Satisfied with my decision, I turned my attention back to the lich and noticed that he was staring at me. "Young elf, I realize that you must have a lot on your mind, but it will be difficult to catch up if you lose focus," Lord VysImiro said. "Y-Young?" I stuttered, dumbfounded. The lich tilted its head at me, seemingly confused, then seemed to have a revelation. "Ah, my apologies. You must be older than I take you for and unused to being called young," he chuckled. "In my defense, though, you are much, much younger than I am." "How old are you?" Irl asked. "Come now, that''s hardly relevant to the lesson at hand." "Oh, yeah. Sorry, milord, I was just curious." "Understandable. Truth be told, I am unsure. I have spent quite a long time underground, you see. In dungeons it is difficult to keep track of whether it is day or night, so I quickly lost track of such things. The calendar has changed, as well, so I would have to find a historian to help me figure it out. Frankly, it isn''t worth the effort. Suffice it to say that I''m more than a lifetime older than all of you put together." "So you''d be bones anyway?" Everyone in the class gave Irl an exasperated expression. "Oh, uh... Sorry, milord," Irl said, rubbing his neck. Lord VysImiro gave Irl a pointed look, then continued his lesson. He explained that the efficacy of healing depends greatly upon the caster''s knowledge of anatomy and physiology. Then, for Irl''s benefit, he explained what anatomy and physiology meant. "Like other forms of magic, if one knows exactly what the spell should be doing, the spell will do it better," he said. "By better, I mean both faster and more thoroughly. Let''s have an example. Who can tell me what a liver does?" I reluctantly raised my hand. "Yes?" "The liver balances one''s humors, does it not?" I asked. "That is correct," the lich nodded happily as Nick raised his hand. "Oh, we have another answer! Go ahead, Nick." "Balancing the humors is a fair summary, but I have learned several of its specific functions, if you''re interested," Nick said, a little shyness seeping into his voice. "Of course, go ahead." Nick then explained that one''s liver processes all of the blood that leaves one''s digestive system. It does several things during its processing, such as regulate amino acids, convert sugar into a form that''s easier to store, removing bacteria from the blood, converting ammonia to urea, as well as produce proteins, cholesterol, and bile. Lord VysImiro, Nir, and I were absolutely enraptured by his explanations. Irl was, predictably, confused. Lord VysImiro asked Nick to explain what each of these byproducts were, and the human did his best to do so. He noted that the class in which he learned this information was considered rudimentary by his society''s standards, but I had already retrieved my journal and began taking meticulous notes. It occurred to me that one likely had to perform some rather ethically questionable research to learn information like this, but I decided to let it be. It was possible that my reaction toward Lord VysImiro had already made a fool of me, and it''s best to only do that once a day if one can help it. "Very good, Nick," Lord VysImiro nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you for your insight. Now for the example question. If your patient was stabbed in the liver, who''s healing would be the most effective? The human''s or the elf''s?" Irl raised his hand before everyone else, and the lich gestured to him. "Well, Volus had a good answer but I think Nick''s beat hers," he said. "Plus, he''s already a pretty powerful mage. His healing''s probably top-notch." "Good," Lord VysImiro''s skull seemed to smile. "You''re correct in both regards, actually. Having an intricate knowledge regarding the functions of the body will save you from having to cast your healing spells multiple times, but if you have a large reserve of magic you''ll be able to counteract your ignorance. Having both will allow you to heal more people and cast more intricate healing spells." Nick raised his hand. "Yes, Nick?" "Do you know anything about being able to continuously cast Minor Heal, Lar- Lord VysImiro?" "Continuously cast? As opposed to casting multiple times in quick succession?" "Yes." "I''ve never heard of such a thing," the lich tilted its skull. "Care to elaborate?" "I- uh... I don''t think I can," Nick said, rubbing his neck. "Not without Yu- Mister Alta." Lord VysImiro opened his jaw to reply, but the bell rang before he could say anything. "Ah, well, perhaps we should have an after-school meeting, then," he laughed. "Can I have a volunteer retrieve Mister Alta, please?" I quickly raised my hand, hoping to be able to attend this meeting. Nick seemed to have quite a lot of knowledge, and I couldn''t help but want every last bit of it. "Thank you for volunteering," Lord VysImiro nodded at me. "As for the rest of you, I will see you tomorrow. You''re dismissed." Ignoring the curious looks from Irl and Nir, I gathered my things and rushed to Mister Alta''s classroom. I found him at his desk, writing something on a long scroll of paper. "Oh, yes?" he asked. "How can I help you?" "Hello, Mister Alta, apologies for the interruption. Lord VysImiro and Nick are having a meeting that requires your attendance, sir," I explained. "It''s about healing magic." "I see... Okay, lead the way." Mister Alta stood from his desk and followed me out of the classroom. His gait was slower than mine, and I recognized the signs of a serious spinal injury. My younger brother had suffered such a fate, though his injury didn''t heal quite as well as Mister Alta''s had. I tempered my curiosity, though. Such an injury is oftentimes a sore subject, and harming my relationship with a teacher over something I didn''t need to know was a decidedly bad idea. I kept my mouth shut until we reached Lord VysImiro''s classroom. As we entered, I noticed that the bodyguard had also left. "Lord VysImiro," Mister Alta said with a small bow. "How can I help you?" "Well, Nick brought up a rather interesting topic of conversation and insisted that you be present before it is discussed any further," the lich replied. "I hope you don''t mind." "Perish the thought. What, may I ask, is this regarding?" "The continuous casting of healing spells." "I suspected as much," Mister Alta chuckled. "We had decided to keep it a secret while some researchers looked further into the matter, but they''re well on their way by now. Whilst it likely wouldn''t be wise to declare that Nick is the one that made the discovery, there''s no longer any need to keep it fully under wraps." I carefully pulled out my journal to take notes, doing my best not to disturb the meeting. Mister Alta noticed and chuckled, but Lord VysImiro and Nick were focused on the topic at hand. Nick explained how he learned Minor Heal while trying to save a comrade during a bandit attack. However, he had held the spell instead of casting it multiple times and had used all of his magic reserve, passing out as a result. "I have never heard of such an occurrence," Lord VysImiro said. "Neither a case of someone stumbling into healing magic, nor someone extending their cast of said magic. Were you able to save your friend?" The concern in the question caught me off-guard. A being as old as Lord VysImiro worrying about someone he didn''t know in the face of knowledge that he had yet to obtain about a subject that was undeniably his passion? It would seem that the legends regarding his demeanor were true. I made a mental note to include this in my correspondence with my master. "He made it," Nick said. "It was pretty close, though." "Abdominal wounds can be rather serious, I''m glad your friend survived," Lord VysImiro nodded. The discussion returned to the subject at hand. Lord VysImiro admitted that he was intrigued, and decided that at least part of the class should be spent exploring the possibilities of continuous casting. Mister Alta made a joke about how nonchalant he was being, but Lord VysImiro countered by pointing out that he already knew several spells that had apparently been lost to time. "To me, this happens to be yet another task on a quite long list," the lich chuckled. "I''ll ponder on how we shall approach this while you take your rest." With that, the meeting ended and we went our separate ways. I rushed across the street to the inn, barely remembering to have dinner. After scarfing my food, I rushed to my room and wrote a letter to my master, hoping for guidance. Is someone that has been forced into being an abomination free of the stain regarding their creation? Should I just ignore the fact that Lord VysImiro is a lich? If not, what can I do about it? Lord Maxim will know.